Chapter 2: The Phone Call She Wasn't Supposed to Hear
The lobby went completely silent.
Every guest stopped moving.
Every phone stayed raised.
No one spoke.
Vanessa's hand was still in the air.
Amelia looked at her — not with anger, not with tears.
Just calm.
The kind of calm that comes from someone who has nothing left to prove.
"Let go of the chain," Amelia said quietly.
Vanessa's fingers opened.
The chain dropped to the marble floor.
The manager rushed forward, straightening his jacket, his voice shaking.
"Madam Founder, I had no idea — I should have — please, I —"
"I know exactly what you did," Amelia said.
"You watched.
That's enough."
Vanessa finally found her voice.
"This is impossible.
You can't own this place.
You were — you looked like —"
"Like I didn't belong?" Amelia said.
"Yes.
You made that very clear."
A woman near the entrance stepped forward.
She had been watching the whole time.
She was holding a phone — and it was still recording.
"I got everything," she said.
"Every second of it."
Vanessa turned.
Her face had gone white.
Then Amelia's phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression shifted — just slightly.
Something in her eyes changed.
She answered it.
"Yes," she said.
"I'm already here."
She paused, listening.
May you like
Then she looked directly at Vanessa.
"It seems we have more to discuss than I thought."
