The only thing that could save his company was a new, non-toxic, eco-friendly base material. It had just been developed by Ludwig Environmental Materials LLC, a subsidiary of my Grandview Group.

This material was one of its kind on the market. We had the sole patent rights. It could completely solve the problem of harmful substances exceeding safety limits.

I never wanted to give them a chance in the first place.

Our material had a very high production cost. They would not be able to afford it.

But Albert’s elderly father had shown up at my father’s door more than a dozen times, begging on his knees.

I eventually gave in and offered them a seat at the negotiation table. We agreed to meet on that day and close the deal.

Albert had also called for a media conference at seven in the evening. He planned to publicly announce our partnership and unveil a sample of the new material.

I could not figure out why he would impersonate me.

When I looked at my subordinate’s name on the phone screen, I understood instantly.

The person originally coming to negotiate with him was my project manager, Victor Perle.

Victor had a sudden acute appendicitis attack right before departure. He was taken to the hospital.

I had just returned early from a one-year overseas business trip. I intended to inspect the hotels under Grandview Group.

I instantly decided to step in for Victor.

Also, at our hotel, all presidential suites could only be booked by VIP clients or by my direct order.

If Albert had met Victor instead, he would have used his presidential suite as proof that he was a close friend of mine. After that, he would have pressured Victor into lowering the partnership price.

After all, as far as anyone knew publicly, I was still overseas. It would have been the middle of the night over there. I would have been asleep.

By the time Victor signed that contract in black and white, it would not have mattered if I denied it later. The deal would already be done.

Honestly, you had to hand it to him. It was a pretty clever play.

But the truth was different. Albert was not a VIP at our hotel. He was also not my friend.

Who exactly was bold enough to give him a presidential suite?

I ignored the crowd’s chatter and looked at the hotel front desk clerk. “Who is your front desk manager? I want to see them.”

“Pah!”

The front desk clerk gave me a contemptuous look.

“Do you want to see our front desk manager? Look at you. You’re a total mess. Who are you to see her?”

I could not be bothered to argue with her. I took out my phone and called Grandview Group’s corporate customer service number.

Within three minutes, a woman in a tight skirt suit and heavy makeup hurried out of the lobby, swaying her hips.

I looked at her name badge.

It said, [Front desk manager, Megan Lund.]

Before I could even speak, she pointed at me and started yelling, “What’s wrong with you? You actually called corporate to file a complaint?

“Do you even know who I am? I’m Mr. Ludwig’s fiancee, the future owner of Grandview Group. You’re a broke nobody. You can’t afford to mess with me.”

The front desk clerk chimed in as well.

“That’s right. Get a good look, you idiot. Watch out, or Megan will call that man back down here to deal with you.”

I frowned and sized up Megan.

I remembered that one year ago, before I went abroad, the general hotel manager had mentioned a change regarding the Riviera hotel‘s front desk manager.

It seemed like she was the one who had helped Albert jump the line.

Judging by the front desk clerk’s attitude, the two of them had been throwing their weight around the area under my name for quite some time.

I pulled out my phone to call someone and look into what she had done at the hotel.

By the next second, she swung her hand hard and slapped my phone to the floor.

She shrieked, “How dare you sneak a picture of me? You shameless creep.

“What, you’ve never seen a beautiful woman before? Are you here just to get your eyeful?

“Trash like you is just disgusting.”

The tourists nearby had no clue what was actually happening. They just joined in on the harassment.

“Oh wow. Look at this creep. Someone call the cops and arrest him!”

“He looks decent enough on the outside, but his mind is totally filthy. What a lowlife.”

With the crowd backing her up, Megan grew even more arrogant.

“I seriously think you just stole something valuable from our hotel lobby.

“Security! Search his suitcase. Now!”

Just as I was about to object, two security guards rushed forward.

“You don’t have the right to—”

They tore my suitcase roughly. The zipper broke apart.

Megan took over herself. She dug through the suitcase wildly with both hands.

Soon, my clothes, documents, and materials were scattered everywhere.

Malice flashed across her eyes. She picked up a black square box from the suitcase.

She smashed it hard onto the floor.

The box shattered.

The core sample of the new environmentally friendly material inside broke into several pieces. It was completely ruined.

Still not satisfied, she grabbed a stack of contracts from the floor.

She tore them into shreds in a few quick motions. Pieces of paper floated all over the floor.

After she was done, she dusted off her hands and looked at me arrogantly.

“Consider this a little lesson. Maybe it’ll teach you to remember your place.”

I stood there without stopping her.

I simply spoke coldly with an indifferent expression, “Do you have any idea how much the things you just destroyed are worth?

“Those things could have saved a company on the verge of going under.

“You’re in serious trouble this time.”

Megan acted as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. She bent over laughing.

“Save a company? You’re just some broke nobody working a dead-end job. You really know how to talk yourself up.

“Now get lost. Just looking at you makes me sick.”

I lowered my gaze and looked at the shattered pieces and torn paper shreds on the floor.

I felt nothing. I just let out a cold laugh.

I picked up my phone. Just then, Victor messaged me.

[Mr. Ludwig, Mr. Zorn is losing his patience because he can’t find the person in charge. I gave him your number.]

Before I could reply, an unknown number started calling me frantically.

I took the call.

The line erupted with an enraged shout.

“So you’re the person replacing Victor? Don’t you know what time we agreed on?! Where are you right now?

“Do you have any idea how important this deal is? If you mess it up, you couldn’t pay for it even with your life.

“Mr. Ludwig and I go way back. He’s my good friend. How dare you show up late? I’ll have him fire you!”

I looked down at the broken samples and torn contract on the floor.

Then, I replied calmly, “I’m sorry, Mr. Zorn.

“It looks like this deal isn’t going to happen.”

Albert went completely silent.

After a couple of seconds, he screamed again.

“What did you just say?! You’re looking for a fight. Tell me where you are right now. I’m coming to find you

“I’m not letting this go today.”

I said plainly, “I’m right at the entrance of the Grandview Hotel.”

Albert hung up harshly.

I put away my phone and waited quietly.

Within a minute, he pushed the door open and stormed out furiously.

He immediately spotted Megan standing at the entrance. He frowned and asked, “Did you see the representative from Grandview Group? A guy. He said he’s at the entrance.”

Megan’s eyes lit up right away. She threw herself into his arms, crying.

She pointed at me and said, “Honey! This broke loser called corporate to complain about me. I told him to get lost, but he won’t leave. You need to teach him a good lesson for me.”

Albert instantly lost his temper. He glared at me hatefully.

“Who do you think you are? How dare you bully my fiancee? You’re asking to get killed!”

I did not look at him. I turned to look at the front desk clerk beside me and asked, “Are you sure that he’s Mr. Ludwig from Grandview Group?”

The front desk clerk looked smug and said confidently, “Of course, I’m sure! For the past year, he and Megan have personally told me to save the presidential suite for his friends every single time. There’s no way I’d mistake him.

“Plus, every single employee in this hotel knows who he is. What are you even doubting?”

I let out a cold laugh and looked back at Albert.

“From what I know, Mr. Ludwig from Grandview Group is still single. He doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”

Albert’s expression darkened. He stepped forward and punched me in the face.

“You’re looking for a fight, aren’t you? I am Mr. Ludwig! Some lowlife like you doesn’t deserve to know anything about my private life.

“I’m going to teach you a real lesson right now.”

Megan chimed in.

“That’s right! Make him find out what happens when he crosses me, the future owner of Grandview Group.”

Albert raised his fist and swung it at my face again.

My gaze turned cold.

I no longer hold back. I raised my hand and caught his wrist firmly before twisting it hard.

A faint cracking sound was heard.

Albert screamed in pain.

I pushed him, and he stumbled backward and crashed into Megan. The two of them fell to the floor together.

Albert went from embarrassed to furious. He got up and lunged at me again.

The security guards also stepped forward and fought me.

I fought back with a few well-executed strikes.

Albert was beaten black and blue. He could not fight back at all.

The scene descended into complete chaos.

Just then, a police car stopped at the hotel entrance, and several police officers quickly walked over.

“Everyone, stop! What’s going on here?”

I stopped fighting and shook out my wrists.

“Officer, we were in a mutual fight. Take us to the station.”

In the end, Albert, Megan, the security guards, the front desk clerk, and I were all taken into the police car.

Inside the interrogation room, Megan cried and insisted that I had started the fight.

The front desk clerk and the security guards all gave their testimonies. They dumped all the blame onto me.

Albert held his swollen face and angrily accused me of attempted murder.

The police officer frowned and looked at me.

Just as he was about to speak, I spoke first.

“No need to investigate. I confess.

“Just detain me.”

Everyone in the room was stunned.

The police officer was also surprised. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” I nodded.

The police officer stood up and prepared to take me to the holding cell.

I deliberately turned off my phone in front of Albert and his group. Then, I handed it over to the officer for safekeeping.

Albert glared at me with a smug look.

“You had it coming!”

Megan rolled her eyes at me and smirked triumphantly.

I looked at them and smiled silently. I raised my wrist and checked the time.

It was four in the evening.

There were still three hours until Albert’s press conference.

My detention period was three days.

The contract could be reprinted.

The samples could be remade.

But without my approval, none of it would matter.

Albert’s press conference would be a complete joke.

I was already starting to look forward to how he was going to clean up his own mess later.