Chapter 8: The Tables have Turned!
The next morning, Luca Hale arrived at San Fierro Building bright and early.
He knew this place like the back of his hand.
After all, he had spent three years working here.
The building stood thirty-three stories tall. Floors thirty through thirty-three were managed directly by San Fierro Building itself, while floors two through twenty-nine were leased to various companies throughout San Fierro as office space.
Before everything changed, Luca had worked at Horsa Advertising.
He started as an ordinary salesperson and, through consistently strong performance, eventually earned a promotion to sales team leader.
Unfortunately, talent wasn’t always enough.
His direct superior, Richard Sterling, happened to be the boss’s nephew.
After Luca accidentally discovered Richard’s uncle having an affair, he was fired without hesitation.
Back then, he had been powerless.
Now, things were different.
Very different.
The former employee who had been kicked out of the company could now decide the fate of businesses operating inside the building with a single sentence.
Life really had a way of turning the tables.
Although working hours hadn’t officially started yet, the building receptionist was already at her post.
The moment she spotted Luca entering through the main doors, she immediately stood up.
"Good morning, President Hale."
"Morning."
Luca nodded politely.
It seemed Jared Prince had already informed the staff about his identity, just as Roman Pierce had done at the hotel.
Walking to the lounge area near the corner of the lobby, Luca sat down comfortably.
"Has Jared arrived yet?" he asked.
The receptionist quickly brought over a freshly brewed cup of tea before replying respectfully.
"Not yet, President Hale. He should be here shortly."
"That’s fine."
Luca picked up a magazine from the coffee table.
"I’ll wait here. Go ahead and do your work."
"Of course, President Hale."
The receptionist smiled before returning to her desk.
About ten minutes passed.
Jared Prince still hadn’t arrived.
However, someone else did.
Richard Sterling.
The moment he entered the lobby, his eyes landed on Luca.
A smug smile immediately spread across his face.
What a coincidence.
"Well, well."
Richard swaggered over with his hands in his pockets.
"For a second, I thought I was seeing things."
He looked Luca up and down mockingly.
"But it really is you, Team Leader Hale."
Then he pretended to suddenly remember something.
"Oh wait, my mistake."
"You’re not Team Leader Hale anymore."
"You got fired."
Luca calmly turned a page in his magazine.
"You seem very happy about that."
"Of course I am."
Richard’s grin widened.
"My uncle already told me I’m about to be promoted to department director."
He folded his arms across his chest.
"As for you..."
"Have you even found a job that pays three hundred dollars a month yet?"
Richard had always carried an inferiority complex toward university graduates.
He never attended college himself and had only earned a diploma through night school after entering the workforce.
As a result, he took great pleasure in seeing educated people fail.
In his eyes, Luca was the perfect example.
Three years of hard work.
A degree.
Excellent performance.
And yet he still got kicked out.
What a joke.
Naturally, Richard conveniently ignored the fact that without his family connections, he likely wouldn’t have gotten his current position in the first place.
"Actually," Richard continued proudly, "my uncle and I already arranged a meeting with the new owner of this building."
"If we can secure a partnership, my position will rise even higher."
Then he shook his head dramatically.
"Sigh."
"Why am I even telling you all this?"
"We’re not on the same level anymore."
Luca finally lowered his magazine.
His expression had become strangely amused.
The new owner?
A partnership?
Since when?
Why was this the first he was hearing about it?
After a moment, Luca smiled faintly.
"Richard."
"I suggest you stop getting your hopes up."
Richard frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The partnership you’re dreaming about isn’t happening."
Luca casually crossed one leg over the other.
"And if I were you, I’d start looking for a new office location."
"Otherwise, it might be embarrassing when your company ends up homeless."
For a brief moment, silence hung between them.
Then Richard burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
He pointed at Luca as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Who do you think you are?"
"You think you can influence Manager Jared’s decisions?"
Luca shrugged.
"Whether I can or not..."
He raised a hand and pointed toward the entrance.
"Why don’t you ask him yourself?"
Richard instinctively turned around.
At that exact moment, Jared Prince walked through the building’s revolving doors.
Dressed in a tailored black suit, the slightly overweight manager moved quickly across the lobby.
The receptionist immediately pointed toward Luca.
The moment Jared spotted him, he changed direction without hesitation and headed straight over.
Richard’s eyes lit up.
This was perfect.
He immediately stepped forward and extended his hand enthusiastically.
"Manager Jared!"
"Hello! I’m Richard Sterling, supervisor at Horsa Advertising."
"You can call me Richard."
But Jared walked right past him as though he didn’t exist.
Not even a glance.
Instead, he stopped directly in front of Luca.
Then he slightly bowed his head.
"President Hale."
"I’m very sorry. Traffic delayed me."
The entire lobby suddenly seemed to go silent.
Richard froze.
President Hale?
The words struck him like a hammer.
His extended hand remained hanging awkwardly in midair.
His face turned pale.
President Hale?
Why would the general manager of San Fierro Building address Luca that way?
A terrifying possibility surfaced in his mind.
Slowly, he turned toward Luca.
His voice trembled.
"Y-You..."
"Who exactly are you?"
Even now, he desperately clung to the tiny hope that he was wrong.
Please.
Anything but that.
Luca looked at him calmly.
The smile on his face never changed.
"I’m the new owner of San Fierro Building."
His voice was steady and unhurried.
"The one you were just talking about."
Then he tilted his head slightly.
"Tell me, Supervisor Richard."
"Is that answer satisfactory?"
Richard’s eyes widened.
"No!"
His face twisted in disbelief.
"That’s impossible!"
"I don’t believe it!"
He spun toward Jared like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline.
"Manager Jared!"
"Tell him!"
"Tell me this is fake!"
"This has to be fake!"
His voice was becoming increasingly hysterical.
"Yesterday we discussed cooperation!"
"Your company agreed!"
"We already talked about it!"
Jared frowned.
At this point, even a fool could see that Richard and Luca were enemies.
There was no chance he would side with Richard.
"That’s not what happened," Jared said flatly.
Richard’s face instantly lost all color.
Luca slowly stood up.
"Jared."
His tone wasn’t loud.
But it instantly made Jared nervous.
"Yes, President Hale?"
A thin layer of sweat appeared on the manager’s forehead.
Luca’s gaze remained fixed on Richard.
"Is what he’s saying true?"
"Did you negotiate some kind of partnership with him?"
"Of course not."
Jared immediately shook his head.
"Yesterday, Horsa Advertising’s owner came with him hoping to discuss cooperation."
"But I never agreed to anything."
"So the deal wasn’t approved?"
"No, President Hale."
"Nothing was approved."
Luca nodded.
"I see."
Then his expression cooled.
"In that case..."
His eyes shifted toward Richard.
"Why are you still standing here talking?"
"Can’t you see that I’m in a very bad mood right now?"
