The next day in Miles Empire, the boardroom was unusually bright that morning, sunlight pouring through the large windows. The executives of Miles Empire sat around the long table, each wearing expressions that ranged from cautious optimism to outright frustration.Mr. Patel was the first to break the silence. He tapped his fingers on the table, his gaze shifting between the documents in front of him. “Are we really going to do this? This deal feels more like selling our company than saving our company.”Mr. Reynolds adjusted his glasses, leaning back in his chair. “Do we have another option, Patel? We’ve been over this. Without this deal, Miles Empire won’t survive. We can’t afford to delay any longer.”Mr. Thayer straightened his tie, his voice calm but firm. “Reynolds is right. We need Bill Ford’s resources to rebuild our reputation and keep our investors from pulling out completely. It’s not ideal, but it’s necessary.”Patel shook his head, frustration evident on his face. “Necess
It was towards evening when Daisy stepped out of the luxurious car that Franklin had used to pick her up. Her mouth falling open as she stared at the grandeur of the Empire State Hotel. The towering building glittered under the city lights, its majestic design unlike anything she’d ever seen before.“Will I be living here with you?” she asked, her voice tinged with awe. “This place is incredible.”“Don’t get used to it,” Franklin replied curtly, his tone as dry as the evening air.As they approached the entrance, Vera was already waiting in the expansive lobby, dressed in an elegant yet casual outfit that made her seem effortlessly at home in the luxurious environment. Her face lit up when she spotted Franklin, and she walked over to greet him with a bright smile.“Mr. Franklin,” she greeted warmly, throwing her arms around him. Franklin didn’t hesitate to return the hug, his expression softening for the first time in days.Daisy clenched her fists subtly, forcing herself to look away
Towards the end of the day, Franklin made his way to the bar at the Empire State Hotel, scanning the room until his eyes landed on Conor seated in a quiet corner.The place wasn’t crowded, and soft jazz music played in the background. Conor, his loyal chauffeur, had a calm demeanor, a glass of whiskey resting untouched in front of him.Franklin approached the table. Conor noticed him and stood up slightly, nodding in respect before sitting back down.“Evening, boss,” Conor said, his voice steady.“Conor,” Franklin replied, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. A waiter approached, but Franklin waved him off. He wasn’t here for a drink—at least not yet. “I trust you handled the task I gave you?”Conor leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Of course. It wasn’t easy, though. Professor Arjun’s a cautious man, but I managed to plant the device during his meeting earlier today. He didn’t notice a thing.”Franklin’s expression remained unreadable, though a hint of relief flashed in his eyes
The next morning, Franklin woke up to his phone buzzing relentlessly. His heart sank as he glanced at the screen—it was flooded with notifications from employees, business partners, and even news outlets. Something was very wrong.He reached for the remote and turned on the news. The screen flickered to life, and what he saw made his blood run cold. A leaked video, already trending across the Internet, claimed that the Empire State Hotel had installed hidden cameras in its guest rooms. The footage showed a masked figure supposedly placing the devices, accompanied by an ominous voiceover accusing the hotel of violating guest privacy.The caption below the video read: “Empire State Hotel EXPOSED: Hidden Cameras Found in Luxury Suites.”Franklin barely had time to process the headline when Vera entered the room, her brows furrowed. She had been staying at the suite close to his for a while but hadn’t seen him this tense before.“What’s going on?” Vera asked, pausing when she saw his expr
Franklin was seething with rage as he stepped out of the Empire State Hotel that morning. The crowd of protesters, which had been loud but peaceful earlier, suddenly turned hostile the moment they spotted him.“Get out of here, you crook!” someone yelled.Before Franklin could fully register the change in their mood, objects started flying toward him—bottles, scraps of paper, and even small stones. One hit the pavement near his feet, and he quickly retreated back inside the hotel to avoid getting hurt.“What the hell is going on?” he muttered under his breath, glancing over his shoulder as the hotel staff hurried to shut the doors.The crowd outside was no longer just shouting slogans—they were furious. Franklin pulled out his phone, his gut churning with dread. He quickly checked for updates, praying it wasn’t what he thought.His worst fears were confirmed.More videos had been posted by the anonymous account, this time claiming to show hotel management ignoring reports about the hi
When Franklin returned to the hotel after his drive, the protesters had gone with a warning to return the following day if nothing was done about it. He felt the simmering rage slowly give way to exhaustion. He slumped onto the couch in his suite, running a hand down his face. The protests, the leaked videos, the accusations—it was all too much. He needed help, and there was only one person he could think of calling.With a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and dialed his father, Mr. Miles.The line clicked after a few rings. “Franklin,” his father’s deep, familiar voice greeted. “What trouble have you managed to land yourself in this time?”Franklin sighed, the frustration clear in his tone. “I need your help, Dad.”There was a brief silence, then a low chuckle. “Help? Or cleanup? Just give me the name, and I’ll make whoever it is disappear.”The offer was tempting—far too tempting—but Franklin knew he couldn’t take the easy way out. Not this time.“It’s not that simple,” Franklin
For his next move, a meeting was fixed the following day to address the issue at hand. Franklin was already sitting at the head of the long table in the hotel’s private conference room, his fingers drumming softly against the polished wood. This was one of the most important meetings Mr. Hughes had arranged for him—a chance to address the men leading the boycott against the Empire State Hotel. They were angry, and rightfully so, but Franklin has promised to set the record straight.The door opened, and six men filed in. Peter Grant, the most outspoken of the group, took the seat directly across from Franklin. Beside him were Tom Reaves, Marcus Dole, Eric Summers, Benjamin Carter, and Richard Vaughn. Their expressions were a mixture of suspicion and barely concealed frustration.Peter leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Alright, Franklin’s, we’re here. What’s this all about? Another excuse to dodge the blame for what your hotel’s been doing?”Franklin stayed calm, his voice steady
Instead of going to the hospital as she had mentioned earlier, Daisy decided to visit her mother to seek some advice.Daisy arrived at her mom’s house in the late morning, the weight of the situation with Franklin pressing heavily on her. Her mother, Mrs. Bernard, greeted her warmly, ushering her inside.“I wasn’t expecting you today,” Mrs. Bernard said, closing the door behind them. “How’s everything going with Franklin?”Daisy hesitated for a moment before answering. “It’s… complicated. He’s been nice lately, but I don’t think he’s doing it because he cares about me. I think he just feels guilty.”Mrs. Bernard waved her hand dismissively as they sat down on the couch. “Feelings can grow, Daisy. Guilt is just the starting point. You just need to make sure he spends enough time with you to see your worth.”“But, Mom,” Daisy said, fidgeting with her fingers, “what if he never sees me that way? What if he’s just doing this because of the baby?”Her mom leaned forward, her eyes narrowing