Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter_5
Alyssa’s sharp ears caught the murmurs of the executives behind her back.
“How dare they say that? You’re the Taylor family’s only daughter, the daughter of the first wife. Are they out of their minds?” Sean Lynch, her loyal secretary, fumed.
Alyssa’s eyes narrowed, but her voice remained calm. “Don’t bother with it, Sean. That kind of mindset is outdated. I don’t care about being the first wife’s daughter, so why should anyone else?”
She pinched Sean’s cheek teasingly. He blushed instantly, and she flashed him a playful grin.
“Alyssa, you’re the future president of KS Group. Can you at least act with some dignity?” Jonah’s voice held a trace of concern.
“What’s wrong with teasing my secretary? A big boss should be allowed to do whatever she wants,” Alyssa teased, her voice light, but her eyes glimmered with mischief. “Besides, it’s his honor to be touched by me.”
Jonah smiled affectionately, shaking his head. His expression held only tenderness as he watched his sister, clearly more amused than bothered.
The executives gathered around Jonah and Alyssa as they made their way through the hotel. Michael Grant, one of the vice presidents, led them toward the VIP elevator, but Alyssa stopped him with a flick of her wrist.
“I’d rather see the restaurant first,” she said, her voice firm.
Michael’s eyes widened. The restaurant? She was already inspecting?
Without further protest, he led them toward the buffet area. It wasn’t lunchtime yet, and only a few waiters were setting up the dishes. Alyssa’s sharp gaze caught sight of the seafood section. She paused and studied the tank, then rolled up her sleeves with practiced precision.
Without warning, she reached into the aquarium, pulling out a dead shrimp from among hundreds of others. Her eyes met Michael’s, and the silence was heavy with expectation.
“Explain,” Alyssa demanded.
“Th-this one’s not dead yet,” Michael stammered, trying to salvage the situation.
Alyssa’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Then why don’t you have it? Since it’s not dead.”
Michael hesitated, flustered, but Alyssa didn’t give him a chance to recover. “There are 356 shrimps here, and five of them are dead. Thirty more are on the verge of death. Do you think the guests who pay $300 for a meal here will appreciate that? If it were me, I’d blacklist this hotel for life.”
The tension in the room was palpable. The other executives stood frozen, their faces pale. But Alyssa’s demeanor was calm, as though she had merely pointed out a simple flaw.
“Handle the seafood area properly. Change the suppliers. If I see another dead shrimp tomorrow at lunch, I’ll make sure you taste it yourself,” she added coldly.
Michael looked as though he might faint. Only Jonah and Sean exchanged knowing glances, both aware of Alyssa’s photographic memory and unparalleled attention to detail. She had once helped solve a case for the police using her keen observation skills. To her, this was child’s play.
When they finally reached the guest rooms, Alyssa took a white handkerchief from Sean and began wiping down a picture frame and the walls.
“The cleaning is subpar. There’s dust. Redo it,” she ordered.
The executives exchanged uncomfortable glances. Alyssa’s standards were as high as they came.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, her voice soft but stern. “You think I’m being nitpicky. But a century-old hotel like this could be destroyed by neglecting details like these. If an inspector finds these issues, they could strip us of one of our stars.”
Sean immediately took charge, giving orders to the housekeeping manager. Alyssa’s influence was undeniable.
She walked into the bathroom, then sat on the bed, her eyes scanning the room critically. Her face hardened as she absorbed the state of the hotel. Jonah, who had been silent through it all, watched his sister with a mixture of admiration and concern.
“What do you think?” he asked, his voice light but tinged with genuine curiosity.
“This place is filthy and disorganized,” Alyssa replied with a sigh, slumping against the back of the sofa. “Is this really the Taylor family’s business? I don’t know if my dad is trying to test me or if he’s playing a prank. It’s the worst hotel I’ve ever seen.”
Jonah’s eyes softened, and he sat beside her. “Grandpa started this hotel. It was meant to help us expand the business. It’s been a significant part of the Taylor legacy. But over the years, we’ve neglected it. The hotel industry hasn’t been doing well, and we’ve been too busy with other ventures. So… the mess is on us.”
Alyssa looked at him, her lips tight. “I didn’t expect this much of a mess. But it doesn’t matter. I’m here to fix it.”
Suddenly, her eyes landed on a grand black piano tucked in the corner of the office. Her gaze softened, and a small, wistful smile tugged at her lips.
“I ordered this for you,” Jonah said, noticing the shift in her expression. “I know you like to play when you’re upset. I figured you wouldn’t have time for the horse track, so I thought the piano might help.”
Alyssa’s fingers trembled slightly as she touched the piano, a deep ache filling her chest. “Thank you, Jonah. I haven’t played in so long.”
Jonah’s gaze turned tender, though there was an underlying sadness in his eyes. “What’s the matter?”
Alyssa’s face darkened, and she sighed deeply. “When I was a doctor, I got hurt while saving a soldier. I tore the ligament in my little finger. It’s not broken, but I can’t stretch it properly. Playing the piano has become difficult, and I’ve decided to stop. I can’t play the way I used to.”
Jonah’s heart twisted. He gently took her hand, inspecting her finger with concern.
“Was it because of Jasper Beckett?” he asked quietly.
Alyssa winced at the name, the pain of the past resurfacing. But she forced a smile, brushing it off. “Yes and no. It was for world peace. It was for my family’s honor.”
Five years ago, she had reunited with Jasper on a battlefield in Ksovia. She had risked her own injury to save him, but it had come at a cost. Her little finger was now forever damaged. And with it, the remnants of her feelings for him. She had loved him, but that was in the past now.
Alyssa sat back, trying to push the hurt aside. The past was over, and she wasn’t going to cry over it anymore.
Just then, Sean knocked and entered the office swiftly, holding a folder. “Ms. Alyssa, I found out that our bedding and furniture supplier is Elysian Home. Mr. Grant has been in contact with them.”
Alyssa’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the company. “Elysian again?”
Jonah raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on with them?”
Alyssa crossed her legs, her tone cold. “Tell the finance department to pull the accounts for the past two years. We’re changing suppliers. Contact a new bedding supplier, and replace everything from Elysian.”
“Are you really going to make such a big deal out of this?” Jonah asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Alyssa’s eyes darkened. “Elysian Home is Jasper’s first love’s brother’s company.”
Jonah and Sean exchanged glances. They both knew Alyssa’s fiery temper.
“Oh,” Jonah said with a chuckle. “So this is revenge?”
Alyssa’s lips curved into a small, sarcastic smile. “It’s not revenge. They’ve been selling inferior products to the hotel. I need to punish them for it.”
Her anger flared at the thought of the uncomfortable bedding she had slept on during her stay. She could only imagine how it had affected the guests’ experience. The bad reviews made sense now.
“Also,” Sean added, glancing at his phone. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the Becketts. Newton Beckett had another stroke. He’s in the hospital, under our group’s care.”
Alyssa stood up instantly, her face filled with concern. “He’s hospitalized?”
Before she could react further, Jonah’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, a smile tugging at his lips.
“It’s your ex-husband,” he said, his voice teasing.
Alyssa froze, her breath catching in her throat. The past, it seemed, wasn’t ready to let her go just yet.