The hotel manager rushed out of his glass office, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He had spent the last hour ignoring Maya while chatting with Victoria about VIP room upgrades. Now, his knees were shaking as he approached the young owner. He knew his job, his career, and his hefty annual salary were hanging by a thin thread.
"Miss Vance!" the manager squeaked out, bowing repeatedly. "I am so sorry! If I had known it was you sitting on the floor, I would have cleared out the entire lounge for your comfort! Please, let me take you to the penthouse suite right away!"
Maya looked at the manager with a cold, disappointed gaze. "That is the exact problem," Maya said clearly, her voice reaching every corner of the crowded room. "You only show respect when you think someone has money. When you thought I was poor, you let this woman push me around and insult me without saying a single word to defend a human being."
Victoria tried to fix her hair, her face burning with embarrassment. She tried to change her tone, forcing a fake, sweet smile onto her face. "Maya, sweetie! You know your aunt was just joking around! I didn't recognize you in those dirty clothes. Why didn't you just tell me it was you? We are family, after all! Your uncle Richard and I have been taking care of this property's reputation for years!"
"Family?" Maya asked, taking a step toward Victoria. "When my grandfather was sick in the hospital, asking for his son, where were you? You were on a private jet going to a fashion show in Europe. You didn't care about him, and you certainly don't care about me. You only care about the luxury lifestyle his hard work provided for you."
Victoria's smile faded instantly, replaced by a desperate anger. "Listen to me, you little brat! You might have your name on that piece of plastic, but you know nothing about running a corporation! My husband has a mortgage on our estate, and we need the quarterly dividend payout from this hotel to cover our debts. You cannot just come in here dressed like a homeless beggar and ruin our family name!"
"My grandfather built this business on respect and honesty," Maya replied calmly. "You have turned his legacy into a playground for arrogant bullies. And today, that ends."
The lobby was now filled with dozens of onlookers. Guests were taking out their phones, recording videos of the high-society icon Victoria Vance getting humiliated by the young owner she had just tried to kick out. Victoria noticed the cameras pointing at her and tried to cover her face with her designer handbag.
"Turn those cameras off!" Victoria screamed at the crowd. "Do you know who my lawyers are? I will file a lawsuit against every single person who posts anything online! Marcus, clear this lobby right now!"
Marcus did not move an inch. He looked at Maya, waiting for an order from his actual employer. Maya looked at the head of security and gave him a slight nod. Marcus stepped right in front of Victoria, blocking her path with his tall frame.
"Mrs. Vance, you are creating a public disturbance on private property," Marcus said sternly. "I must ask you to leave the premises immediately, or I will be forced to have my staff escort you out to the street."
Victoria gasped, feeling her entire world crumble around her. The very security guards she used to boss around were now treating her like a trespasser. She looked at the hotel manager, but he quickly turned his head away, trying to pretend he didn't know her at all.