Chapter 5: The Ambition of a Goddess
Ethan truly felt that Elena was not bad at all. In the soft, golden light of the Jade Pavilion, she looked like a masterpiece. She had a stunning body and a face that managed to be both cute and professional at the same time. Her tailored suit was more than just a uniform; it was designed to accentuate her natural advantages, curving in all the right places. Even her scent, a subtle blend of jasmine and something expensive, seemed to arouse a man's hormones. Every unintentional gesture she made—the way she tucked a stray hair behind her ear or leaned in to pour the wine—tickled Ethan's senses. It was the ultimate pleasure to dine with such a beauty.
"Um… Mr. McCain, this really isn't appropriate! Plus, it's still working hours for me," Elena said, her voice hesitant, though her eyes betrayed a different story.
In truth, she was dying for the chance to eat with Ethan. This was a golden opportunity to strengthen their bond and secure her future. Despite being a lobby manager at the most prestigious hotel in the province, she had never actually tasted much of this premium, imported food herself. It was reserved for the gods of industry, not the staff.
However, Elena was a master of the social game. She understood that a woman should be reserved; she couldn't reveal her interest too fully or too quickly. She knew that keeping a slight distance was the most effective way to flirt with a man of status. After all, the seduction of a woman in a perfectly fitted, professional suit was often greater than that of a woman who gave everything away at once. Her excuse about working hours was just that—an excuse. She knew her bosses would throw her a parade if they knew she was successfully tethering a VIP of this caliber to the hotel.
Besides, she hadn't actually declined. She only said it was "inappropriate," a calculated answer designed to trigger a man's competitiveness.
Sure enough, Ethan spoke with an arrogance that only unfathomable wealth could provide.
"What's so inappropriate about this? If your boss scolds you, come to me and I'll handle him. If he still doesn't get the message, I'll simply buy the hotel and make you the boss," Ethan said, his voice cold and steady.
"Then… I will graciously accept your request."
Elena dropped her reserved act and immediately sat down to open the wine for him. She was smart enough to know when to stop making excuses; if she pushed the "modesty" act too far, she might actually enrage him. She had to handle the situation with surgical precision.
As for Ethan's comment about buying the hotel and making her the boss, she only offered a polite, charming smile. She thought nothing of it. What a joke, she thought. This hotel was valued at over 30 billion dollars. Even though she had high hopes for Ethan, she didn't believe anyone had that kind of liquid power. She knew plenty of billionaires, but their wealth was tied up in stocks, real estate, and virtual assets. There were very few people on the planet who could wave a hand and produce tens of billions in cash. Those people weren't just rich; they were true aristocrats.
If Ethan actually bought the Golden Dragon and made her the boss, she would be hell-bent on staying with him forever. She would die for a man like that.
Ethan, however, wasn't joking. He didn't know exactly what Elena was thinking, but if he did, he would have bought the building right then and there. To him, 40 billion or 50 billion was nothing. It was just a way to earn more System Points.
They finished the meal while chatting happily, the atmosphere between them growing warmer with every glass of wine.
Meanwhile, sixty floors above them in the Imperial Solar Chamber, the air was thick with the scent of expensive cigars and cold ambition. Harrison Vance, the patriarch of the Vance family, sat at the head of a massive redwood table. Across from him, Theodore Sterling, the General Manager, looked increasingly nervous.
"The South River development project is stalling, Theodore," Harrison growled, his eyes like flint. "I need this hotel to host the investors' gala next week. I want them to feel that the Vance family owns every brick in this province."
"Of course, Mr. Vance," Sterling replied, bowing his head. "Your word is law here."
Suddenly, Sterling's tablet buzzed. He glanced at it, intending to dismiss it, but his fingers froze.
"Is there an issue?" Harrison asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I... I'm not sure, sir," Sterling whispered, his face turning ashen. "The internal accounting system just flagged a massive transaction in the lobby. A 100-million-dollar membership deposit. All cash. No credit, no financing. A direct fingerprint-authorized transfer."
Harrison paused, his cigar halfway to his lips. "100 million? Which family? The Zhangs? The Whitmores?"
"The name on the file is Ethan McCain," Sterling said, his voice trembling. "Our quick-scan database says... he's a student at the university nearby. A scholarship kid."
Harrison let out a short, harsh laugh. "A student? Don't be ridiculous, Theodore. Your system has a glitch. No student in this country has 100 million in liquid cash to throw at a membership."
"The payment is cleared, sir. It's in our vault," Sterling insisted. "And Elena Roger has taken him to the Jade Pavilion. She's been there for over forty minutes."
Harrison's smile vanished instantly. He didn't believe in 100-million-dollar glitches. He began to stand up, his designer suit snapping into place, but then a chilling thought stopped him. What if he's from one of 'those' families? The hidden, ancient clans that actually ran the global economy? A chill ran down his spine. He instructed Sterling to look into the matter immediately while he reached for his phone to contact the other major shareholders.
Sterling bowed and rushed out of the room. As he headed for the elevator, he dialed Elena's internal line. "Elena! Meet me in the lobby immediately!"
Downstairs in the Jade Pavilion, Ethan was unaware of the panic he had caused. He had just finished the last of the bluefin tuna when Elena's phone buzzed. Seeing it was a high-priority work call, Ethan nodded, allowing her to step away.
[DING!]
[System Point Available: 1. Would the Host like to perform an upgrade now?]
Ethan looked at the screen. He could feel his body humming, waiting for the change. Not yet, he thought. I want to see the look on Harrison Vance's face when I walk out of here as a different man.
Elena was about to leave the room when Ethan called her name. She froze, her hand on the door handle. She looked back at him, her heart racing. The Jade Pavilion was high up, but the ambition in Ethan's voice was soaring much higher.
"Elena," Ethan said, slowly wiping his mouth with a silk napkin. "Does this hotel have a precise policy on buying out other shareholders?"
Elena felt the air leave her lungs. "Mr. McCain... the Golden Dragon is valued at billions. Buying a majority share would require more than just a hundred million."
Ethan leaned forward, and for a split second, Elena thought she saw his eyes glow with a strange, golden light.
"I didn't ask what it would cost, Elena," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, authoritative register. "I asked if there was a policy. Remember the rule. I don't negotiate. I just acquire."
In that moment, Elena Roger knew her gamble had paid off. She wasn't just serving a wealthy student. She was standing in the presence of a man who was destined to own the world.
She nodded breathlessly and hurried out to meet Sterling, her mind spinning with the possibilities of her new life.