Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Intermission at the Grand Imperial
The silver Tahoe rolled smoothly under the grand, brightly lit portico of the Grand Imperial Hotel, one of the most exclusive five-star establishments in the city’s secure commercial sector. The moment the massive four-ton fortress came to a halt, a pair of sharply dressed bellhops moved forward, though they hesitated as they took in the deep, pitch-black tint of the windows and the sheer, armored density of the vehicle.
Alexander stepped out of the cabin, tossing the valet key to the supervisor along with a crisp hundred-dollar bill. "Keep it parked right upfront under the lights," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"Right away, sir," said the supervisor, bowing slightly as he signaled the staff to gather the luggage from the rear.
Alexander guided Helen and Amy through the heavy glass revolving doors into the magnificent lobby. The interior was filled with the soft melodies of a grand piano and the scent of fresh lilies. Walking up to the polished mahogany reception desk, Alexander pulled out his secure card and booked a premium luxury suite with two adjoining rooms under a discreet alias, paying upfront for the entire week without even blinking at the steep price tag.
After a swift escort up the panoramic glass elevator, the bellhop opened the doors to their suite on the 24th floor. The room was breathtaking, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering city skyline.
As Amy immediately dropped her small bag onto the plush velvet sofa, she looked back at Alexander, who was standing near the entrance with his hands in his pockets. "Aren’t you staying with us tonight?" she asked, her voice tinged with a bit of disappointment.
"No," said Alexander, shaking his head gently. "I have some urgent matters I need to take care of tonight, so it’s going to be impossible for me to stick around."
"Oh, come on!" said Amy, pouting slightly. "You just dragged us out of that madhouse."
"Hey, don’t worry," said Alexander, a soft, rare smile breaking through his hardened expression. "Tomorrow is the weekend. I promise I’ll come back in the morning and take you out to the main district to buy whatever you want. But tonight, I really need to handle some business."
Helen stepped forward, checking her watch before looking between Alexander and her daughter. "If you really have to leave, we won’t stop you. But you haven’t eaten a single thing since you picked us up. At least stay and have dinner with us before you go."
"Yeah! The hotel has an amazing luxury buffet downstairs," added Amy, her eyes lighting up as she pointed toward the room service brochure. "You can’t drive on an empty stomach."
Alexander paused, looking at the two of them. The grueling tension of the gun den shootout and the brutal confrontation at the estate was still thrumming through his veins, but looking at his aunt’s exhausted face, he realized a brief pause wouldn’t hurt.
"Alright," said Alexander, nodding slowly. "Let’s go grab some food."
They headed down to the hotel’s main dining hall, which hosted a magnificent, high-end international buffet. For the next hour, the chaotic brutality of Alexander’s world faded into the background. The three of them sat at a secluded corner table, enjoying an exceptionally harmonious dinner. They talked about normal, mundane things—Amy’s school projects, Helen’s thoughts on a new apartment, and the sheer comfort of the Tahoe’s suspension.
Once the dinner concluded, Alexander walked them back to the elevator lobby, giving Amy a brief pat on the head and nodding to Helen.
"Stay inside, keep the doors locked, and call me if anything feels off," said Alexander.
"We will. Take care of yourself, Alexander," said Helen softly.
As the elevator doors closed, Alexander’s relaxed demeanor vanished, his eyes turning cold and dead once more. He walked back down to the lobby, stepped out into the cool night air, and climbed back into the driver’s seat of his silver Tahoe.
Alexander steered the heavy silver Tahoe back onto the main transit lanes, his mind shifting directly to Aria. He was still intensely worried about her and Victoria after the recent ambush, and he needed to know what their next play was going to be. He pressed his foot down on the accelerator, the massive SUV surging forward as he made a direct line toward Ms. Gable’s mansion.
While waiting at a long red light on a deserted intersection, Alexander rested his hands on the steering wheel, a heavy scowl forming on his face. He was functionally broke. After the massive investments into the vehicle and his personal armory, he barely had any liquid capital left to his name. He needed to start taking on TMC contracts to fix his financial situation.
His training with Stephen was another looming issue; without a significantly higher prestige rank within the organization, they wouldn’t allow him back into the facilities to continue refining his physique. If he wanted to unlock the high-tier training programs, he had to take the corporate hierarchy seriously.
With the light still glowing red, he pulled out his encrypted phone and booted up the secure TMC network interface to scan the active bounty boards. Because of his low initial rank, the restrictions were tight. He had zero visibility on the high-paying executive contracts or major wetwork operations; the screen only displayed a dull list of simple, low-level courier runs, basic security details, and neighborhood enforcement tasks.
"Damn it," Alexander muttered, scrolling through the uninspiring feed with annoyance. "It looks like I’m going to have to actively farm low-tier prestige just to clear the baseline. Fine. If that’s how the system works, I’ll grind it out."
He didn’t select a contract immediately, locking the screen and tossing the device back onto the passenger seat as the traffic signal finally flipped to green.
As Alexander drove he had no idea that back at the mansion, his grandmother blinded by a toxic cocktail of humiliation and pure fury, was already plotting her vengeance against him.
