Mr. Hughes and Conor walked out to the lobby of the Empire State Hotel right when Franklin Miles had requested to meet him. Franklin looked really tired and his face was very serious. Mr. Hughes and Conor saw this and went over to him, both looking worried and concerned.Mr. Hughes, looking closely at Franklin, said, “Sir Franklin, you look very worn out. Did something bad happen? You don’t look like yourself.”Franklin sighed deeply and his shoulders slumped. He looked at Mr. Hughes and Conor, then began to talk. “It’s been a rough day. I went to Miles Empire on the request of my secretary to meet Mr. Russell and Mr. Stephen. I thought everything would be okay, but it turned out to be a disaster. We were kicked out of the company. They didn’t give us any reasons, and they didn’t offer any compensation. It was very humiliating. I didn’t expect this to happen.”Conor’s eyes grew wide with anger. His fists were clenched tightly as he said, “They just kicked you out with no reason? That’
After the drive with her father, Casey Ford couldn’t take her mind off the growing worry about Richmond Wright and Big Joe.That night, after returning home, Casey called her most trusted security guards. She made sure they were the ones who could keep things under wraps, especially from her father, Bill Ford.In a low voice, Casey instructed them, “I need you to find out everything you can about where Richmond Wright, Big Joe, and their men were taken after their arrest. Be discreet. Don’t let anyone know, especially my father. Bring me the information as soon as possible.”The guards exchanged glances, then one of them named George, responded, “Understood, Ms. Ford. We’ll handle it. You’ll have the details by morning.”Casey nodded slightly, then dismissed them with a wave of her hand, her mind already whirling with plans. She didn’t sleep much that night, waiting for the information she needed.Early the next morning, George returned with the details. “Ms. Ford, we found out that R
Franklin Miles sat in one of the grand lounges of the Empire State Hotel, the soft hum of distant conversations and the faint clinking of glasses filling the air. The room, with its polished wooden accents and gleaming chandeliers, had become a familiar space to him over the past two weeks. The once-bustling corporate life he had known was now a memory, replaced by this more subdued, but no less challenging role of running a hotel that was transforming faster than he could have ever anticipated.Mr. Hughes walked in, carrying a thick stack of reports under his arm. Franklin noticed the way the older man moved—purposeful, steady, and always slightly hunched over, as though carrying the invisible weight of the hotel on his back. Hughes had been a pillar of reliability for Franklin, and it was thanks to his guidance that the hotel had started to thrive."Franklin," Hughes said, his tone carrying both respect and familiarity. He placed the stack of papers on the large oak table between th
In the cramped living room of their temporary apartment, Deborah Martyn paced back and forth, the soft thud of her footsteps the only sound cutting through the room. Her arms were crossed tightly, and her brow furrowed in frustration. It had been days since they had been forced out of Miles Empire, and the sting of that betrayal still burned deep inside her.“I cannot believe this,” Deborah muttered, shaking her head, her voice sharp with anger. “One minute, we’re in the boardroom, part of the future of the company, and the next—boom! We’re tossed out like old furniture, without so much as a decent explanation.”Vera Martyn, seated on the edge of the small couch, stared out of the window, watching the quiet street below. Her hands rested in her lap, fingers loosely intertwined. Unlike Deborah, her reaction had been quieter, more subdued. Yet, the weight of everything still hung heavily in the room.“They didn’t give us a choice,” Vera spoke softly, her words steady but tinged with sad
Casey Ford sat across from her father, Bill, in the spacious dining room, the soft hum of distant traffic filtering in through the large windows. A stack of legal documents lay scattered across the polished wooden table between them, contracts, and deeds among them. The atmosphere between father and daughter felt a bit strained, a weight lingering over their conversation, though neither had addressed it directly.For weeks, Casey had been pestering her father about buying the Empire State Hotel. It had become almost an obsession, though Bill couldn’t quite figure out what had sparked her interest in such a massive, complicated purchase. Today, though, they were finally sitting down to discuss it."You’ve been awfully persistent about this hotel," Bill remarked, flipping through the papers with a measured look. "It’s not exactly a small investment, Casey. Hotels like these come with a lot of responsibility."Casey straightened up in her chair, her eyes bright with excitement. “I know,
Bill Ford held his phone in one hand, staring at it for a moment before dialing Ivan, his most trusted loyalist. Casey, still buzzing from their conversation about the hotel, was lounging on the couch nearby, flipping through a magazine absentmindedly. The excitement on her face had yet to fade, her thoughts clearly preoccupied with the hotel and what it would mean for her.Bill's phone rang twice before Ivan’s gruff voice answered. “Mr. Ford?”“Ivan, I’ve got a job for you,” Bill started, his tone steady and firm. “I want you to meet with some representatives on my behalf. We’re looking to acquire the Empire State Hotel.”There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Ivan spoke again, his words slow and measured. “The Empire State Hotel? That's a pretty big target. You’re sure about this?”Bill glanced at Casey, who gave him a small smile, her eyes filled with that same bright excitement. “Yes, I’m sure. Casey’s been after this for a while now, and it’s time we make it
Daisy Bernard was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the wall. Her body was tired, every little movement seemed to require extra effort. Her stomach twisted into knots, a familiar sensation these days, and the constant waves of nausea made her mood worse. She hadn’t told many people yet, but the signs were starting to show. She couldn’t ignore it anymore—there was a life growing inside her, and it terrified her.She ran a hand through her hair and exhaled slowly. The plan had felt airtight weeks ago, like a surefire way to ensure her and her babies future and security. But now? Now, the weight of it all felt unbearable. And Franklin... He had no clue what was coming.Her mother, Mrs. Bernard, entered the room, as she often did, without knocking. “How are you doing today?” she asked, though it sounded more like an inspection than a genuine question. She studied Daisy with an analytical eye, her lips tightening at the sight of her daughter’s pale face and slouched postur
The day was coming to an end as the black sedan carrying Vera Martyn and her sister Deborah pulled up to the entrance of the Empire State Hotel. The sisters had been discussing the upcoming work quietly on the ride over.Immediately they stepped out of the car, the warm lights of the hotel washed over them, and they took in the towering structure before them. Franklin Miles was standing at the entrance with Mr. Hughes, spotted them immediately and walked toward them with a welcoming smile.“Welcome, Vera, Deborah!” Franklin’s voice carried warmth, and there was a genuine friendliness in his expression. He stretched his hand toward them, offering a firm handshake to both sisters.Mr. Hughes stood beside him, watching carefully, a proud look on his face for how far the hotel had come despite recent events.“Thank you, Sir, Franklin,” Vera responded, her eyes scanning the details of the hotel’s facade. “The place is even more impressive in person.”Franklin chuckled softly. “I’m glad you