Chapter 39: A wreck?

The window lowered and Leon looked at her from the driver’s seat, "We’re heading the same way."

Sienna gave him a look before she looked toward the passenger seat.

Callahan was sitting inside, seemingly focused on reading something on his iPad.

Hawke Corporation and Qing Horizons were practically on opposite ends of the city.

She gave Leon a brief look, "Your definition of ’the same way’ is rather generous."

Leon coughed awkwardly.

Seeing that her phone showed no available cabs, and she was already late, Sienna sighed and resigned to her fate.

...

Qing Grand was one of the most luxurious and flourishing five-star properties under the Qing Empire, and by the time Kira arrived, the entire hotel seemed to have been prepared for her arrival.

A large welcoming team was waiting at the entrance with flower bouquets, their smiles polished and their greetings enthusiastic as they ushered her through the grand lobby.

They showed her the marble-clad reception area, the restaurants, the private lounges and the lavish suites, filling the tour with praise for the hotel’s performance and speaking proudly about its reputation as one of Qing Empire’s most successful properties.

Once they were finally alone in her new office, Kira settled onto the sofa and turned toward her new secretary.

"We’ve talked enough about this place. Tell me, what do you think about Qing Horizons?"

The girl hesitated.

Kira noticed immediately and gave her a small smile, "Don’t look so nervous. We’re more like friends than me being your boss. You can speak honestly with me."

The secretary seemed to relax at that.

"Then, honestly, I think Qing Horizons is a wreck."

Kira’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

"The employees have practically all left. The ones who stayed are only holding on because they were hoping to be transferred to another branch once the resort finally shuts down."

She paused before adding, "I actually have a friend working there. She’s very capable and used to be the previous managing director’s secretary. The only reason she hasn’t left is because she kept hoping someone would notice her work and transfer her to a better property, maybe somewhere like Qing Grand."

Kira sighed softly, lowering her eyes as though the situation genuinely pained her.

"But my sister is so much more capable than I am. She’ll definitely find a way to turn things around."

"You’re being too humble, Miss Kira." Her secretary shook her head, "No matter how capable Miss Sienna is, I honestly think Qing Horizons will be her downfall."

A slow smile appeared on Kira’s lips but it disappeared just as quickly, "Don’t say such ominous things."

The secretary flinched at her harsh tone.

Kira reached for the delicate bracelet around her wrist and slipped it off before handing it to the girl, "Consider it a gift. Don’t reject it."

The secretary stared at the bracelet in surprise before accepting it with both hands.

"What should I work on today?" Kira asked.

"Nothing urgent. Everything has already been taken care of, and it’s the weekend anyway. The hotel is packed but we will take care of things. You should just enjoy yourself."

Kira nodded, rose from the sofa and left the office.

She had barely stepped through the hotel’s entrance when a wall of reporters surged toward her.

"Miss Kira, what were your motives behind breaking your sister’s relationship? Was it jealousy or a personal grudge?"

"Miss Kira, you said your sister was angry with you, but now that the truth has come out, was your relationship with her already falling apart?"

The questions came one after another, each one harsher than the last.

"Miss Kira, considering that everyone has always said you’re less capable than Miss Sienna, how does it feel to be the heiress your father chose?"

"Do you feel proud, or do you feel inferior to your sister?"

"How are Master and Madam Qing responding to the revelation that their daughter was intimately involved with her sister’s boyfriend while they were still together?"

Kira’s fingers slowly curled into fists. At first, she was still facing the cameras with a smile but with each question, her smile gradually faded from her face.

...

If Qing Grand represented everything the Qing Empire had built at its peak, Qing Horizons looked like the company’s failed experiment.

The once-grand resort stood in a state of quiet decay, its faded exterior dulled by years of neglect.

The lobby lights flickered overhead, several decorative panels had come loose from the walls, and the reception desk looked as though it had not been properly polished in years.

Even the air carried the stale stillness of a place that had already been abandoned in everything but name.

Inside, five people were gathered around the reception area, pacing back and forth with varying degrees of frustration.

"Are you sure there hasn’t been some mistake?" General Manager Harris asked, his voice carrying more disbelief than concern.

Head Chef Luna gave an exhausted groan, "I’m not mistaken. They haven’t sent us a proper budget for food supplies in weeks, but apparently we’re supposed to roll out the red carpet because the chairman’s daughter is coming today."

"Maybe they will shut the place down," Flora muttered from behind the reception desk.

Truth to be told, they had all been waiting for that possibility.

The resort had been bleeding employees for months, and most of the remaining staff had stayed for one reason: if Qing Horizons finally closed, they might be transferred to another Qing property instead of losing their jobs entirely.

"With a new managing director, we can’t just walk out," Harris grumbled.

"Not unless you want to lose your chance of getting transferred," Luna replied.

Flora lowered her eyes to her desk.

She looked exhausted enough to fall asleep standing up, dark circles visible beneath her eyes.

The discussion grew hotter, voices overlapping as each person aired another complaint about the resort, the management and the absurdity of sending a new managing director into a property that was barely functioning.

Then the sound of heels echoed through the lobby.

The conversation died at once, and everyone turned toward the entrance.

A young woman had just stepped inside.

She wore a sharply tailored ivory blazer over a fitted black dress, her heels clicking steadily against the worn marble floor.

Her dark hair fell neatly over her shoulders, and there was nothing hurried or uncertain about the way she carried herself.

She looked far too polished and poised for a place like Qing Horizons that was in a mess.