Chapter 4

The Serene Resorts integrated entertainment, dining and accommodation all in one building. Ric admired the different structures as he made his way to the reception area.

"Sir, excuse me Sir!" 

Ric was stopped by a few beautiful ladies when he entered the reception area.

"Do you have a reservation here Sir?" One of the ladies asked immediately as she took in Ric's appearance. 

These ladies were responsible for handling the reception duty and they were used to receiving a lot of Elites.

Even though these beautiful ladies had contempt in their look, they were still polite in their speech towards Ric.

However, Ric wore very cheap and worn out clothes unlike the Rich and influential people who regularly visited.

"I didn't reserve a place here myself but a friend of mine did." Ric answered as he smiled.

At this time he observed the beautiful ladies and observed the high standards of the Serene Resorts. He finally understood why this hotel was one of the biggest luxuries in Avrilla city.

These receptionists were very fair to look upon and they all looked like billboard models. They had long legs and were neatly dressed in the same uniform.

The beautiful ladies frowned at his response. "You didn't reserve the place yourself, so do you have the reservation number?"

There was a little bit of coldness in their voices.

"Johnson, I would like to speak with Johnson." Ric knew that these ladies thought poorly of him and didn't believe he could reserve a place here but he was being honest. Benhardt had actually reserved a place here through Johnson.

The receptionists exchanged glances with each other when they heard Ric's words.

Mr Rogers?!

Did this beggarly looking man really know who Mr. Rogers was?

Was it that easy for just anyone to walk in and demand an audience with Mr. Rogers?

Finally they all concluded at this time that Ric was just a stray peasant that just wanted to experience what being rich felt like.

Often people like Ric came by posing to be rich because The Serene Resorts wasn't a place where just anybody could make a reservation. It was reserved for the top 10% of the elites in the city.

However, they had no intention to put him down. Even though at this time they despised Ric for his actions they still maintained their professional fronts and we're humble and polite.

"Sir, you have to have an appointment with Mr. Rogers before you can be granted audience by him. Please leave if you don't have an appointment with him."

At this point Ric knew that they mistook him for someone who casually strolled into the Resort just to have a look around to experience the grandeur.

He took out his phone and realized that Benhardt had not dropped Johnson's call number. He thought to call Benhardt to inform Johnson of his arrival but his phone went off after the first dial.

"Miss Rose, what's going on here? Is it possible that just anyone can walk into the Serene Resorts?"

The person that spoke was a young lady with beautiful blonde hair and a nice figure. Her face was covered in a thick layer of makeup, she wore a blue velvet dress that hugged her shape in all the right places as she accompanied a young man.

The young man looked at Ric with a contemptuous expression on his face as he smiled at the lady that spoke.

"Leo, didn't you tell me that this was the most prestigious hotel in Avrilla city, so why can someone like him be found here?" The lady asked in a coquettish manner.

Some people are just like that, they wouldn't feel like they were important if they didn't demean others.

The most senior receptionist, Rose, immediately apologized to the couple and said "Sorry Ms. Martinez, we'll deal with this immediately."

Lisa smiled triumphantly and sneered before she added " Make it quick, I have already invited some of my friends who came from abroad to attend my birthday bash later tonight so I wouldn't want them to have a wrong impression about this hotel if they saw someone like this here."

"Miss Rose, I hope you remember that My father and Mr. Rogers , your boss, are very close and familiar with each other." Leo added.

Leo, who had his dark brown hair styled backwards and wore a tailored suit, looked even more responsible and admirable when he mentioned Mr Rogers.

When Lisa heard that Leo was well acquainted with Mr Rogers she felt more comfortable, she smiled immediately because Mr Rogers was a very influential man in all of Avrilla city. In fact she was very impressed that Leo was well connected.

At the same time, all the receptionists were looking at Leo with so much admiration hoping to get his attention, as well as some other guests in the Lobby.

"Yes Mr Rockwell," Rose hurriedly replied before turning to Ric with a stern Expression on her face.

"Sir, please leave immediately. Do not cause any more disruptions on our premises or I'll be forced to call for security." 

Ric had not expected her to turn on him just because of the comments the other man had made but when she did, he decided to resort to another alternative.

"Fine, how much does a room here cost per night? I would like to make a reservation for three nights." Ric said this because he knew that the famous Serene Resorts would definitely cost up to a few thousand dollars even if it was for the cheapest room.

He opted to pay for three nights so that he could at least reduce the cash he had at hand.

Hahahaha

Rose, the head receptionist, laughed at him and scornfully. "Who do you think you are?"

"Do you think that a reservation here costs hundreds of dollars? The smallest room here with no other benefits costs twenty thousand dollars. You don't look like you have a hundred dollars for dinner." 

The receptionists were making fun of him.

He brought out his cell phone to call Benhardt but soon discovered the battery was low, he dialed the number and it rang once before his cell phone went off.

He was about to ask for a higher room with better benefits when a woman recognized him.

"Is that not the live-in ex-convict son-in-law of the Steffanina family, what is he doing here?" The woman started out.

"I was at the wedding too, that's definitely him. He has no money and he has been kicked out of the Steffanina Mansion so he definitely has no place to stay, maybe the staff of Serene Resorts would let him sleep on the lawn outside." 

Hahaha some guests in the lobby were making fun of Ric because they witnessed him being humiliated and thrown out of the Steffanina Mansion a few days ago.

"I'll take the presidential suite," Ric told the head receptionist after going through the price list for the different rooms.

Rose replied, "You're so poor yet you are so arrogant, who told you I'll give you access to the presidential suite? Even if you stole the money, only people with the Gold membership card can reserve that suite."

"Yes, he's so full of himself. I can't stand the sight of him , so please ask the security guards to throw him out." Lisa, the lady from earlier remarked.

Seeing that Ric wanted to reserve the presidential suite when she and her boyfriend were only able to reserve a deluxe suite made her very uncomfortable.

Leo, the man Lisa accompanied, had decided to stay and watch how Rose, the head receptionist, handled the matter with Ric.

"If you all say he doesn't have where to sleep, then I can be generous and talk to my father to plead with Mr Rogers so he can hang around the premises and spend the night in the dog house when the dogs are released." Leo spoke very arrogantly.

Ric was upset, his family owned this place yet he was being ridiculed by this man.

Ric was so furious he threatened Leo, "If you say another word then I won't be held responsible for your hospital bills," 

"Oh my! He's even threatening the man that offered to assist him; he's so proud."

"He's shameless, he dares speak violently."

"Security, get this man out of here and make sure you give him a good beating first." Rose immediately commanded.

Ric struggled with the security guards as they hit him severally.

Amidst the commotion, A prominent figure emerged from the elevator.

Mr. Rogers! 

Everyone seemed to adjust themselves while the security guards intensified their beating in the porch outside the reception to get a commendation from their boss.

Benhardt had called Johnson Rogers to go down and wait for Ric when he saw Ric's call but couldn't get through to him.

Johnson almost ignored the scene as he asked the receptionists if any Rich man had come by to look for him.

"No Sir, no one came to look for you except that pauper who wanted to cause a nuisance here." Rose was the one that replied to Johnson.

"Bring him to me," Johnson demanded and the security guards brought Ric before him.

Johnson opened his eyes wide in shock when he saw Ric.