Hotelier Ghost Tycoon

Rhodes looked at the envelopes. Gardo remembered them and gestured at each. "These are the documents you need to see and sign to own most assets enumerated in the will. Before we start reviewing them, tell me what you plan to do first. Are you sharing the fortune with the Wester family despite the invalid wedding between you and Ms. Joan Wester?"

"…no." Rhodes lifted one side of his lips for a half-smile. "They dealt their cards, but it wasn't enough. They shouldn't have lied. I would have forgiven them.

"But in the spirit of my generosity, I'll let them keep their house if it's under my inheritance." Rhodes caught Gardo's subtle flinch. "As for the giants mentioned in the news, please contact them. I'm selling the company and the school to them. They should name a good price if they don't want me to sell it to someone else."

A smile drew on Rhodes's lips as he reached out to collect something from Gardo's side of the table. "I want to see if there are other things to sell. I only want money—nothing else smeared with their filth."

Gardo picked up a few envelopes and reluctantly gave them to Rhodes. "If I hadn't caught your cluelessness early on, I would have thought your amnesia was made up. Rhodes, that's exactly what you told me in those two times I asked.

"Did you really lose your memories? Why do you act as cunning as you used to be?"

"Maybe some things are too hard to get rid of, even for my brain itself." Rhodes heard those words again. However, he could only sigh and scrunch his face. He didn't know why his personality was retained; his doctor wasn't sure, either.

…

Rhodes reached his condominium unit around four in the afternoon. He went straight to sitting down and watching a movie after showering. If someone saw him, they would only see a doctor on his day off. At first glance, this man didn't appear lost in a world he could no longer navigate properly.

Perhaps he wasn't lost. Perhaps he was… but cared too little about what he could not recover.

At six in the evening, the buzzer rang. Rhodes woke up with a start, not realizing when he fell asleep on the couch. He ruffled his bed hair and smoothed it to a tamer look. He checked the monitor by the door and saw a woman outside.

She wore a decent floral midi dress, a designer shoulder bag, and black heels. Her natural golden hair and tanned skin combo greatly contrasted Rhodes' dyed black hair and alabaster complexion. A big summer hat obscured her face, but he could see those full orange lips. Her manicured fingers clutched a tote bag from a famous family diner. A rare visitor…

"Did you come to the right unit? I'm not expecting anyone." Rhodes pressed a button to broadcast his soft voice to the visitor outside.

"Sorry, I came without receiving a reply. I've been calling and texting for two days now." The woman lifted her face and showed off a pair of blue eyes. "I know it might be inconvenient… but Rhodes, I really need your help. Please hear me out."

Rhodes sighed and opened his door after leaving the bolt on. The door created a gap just enough to show half of Rhodes's face. "I don't really talk to strangers outside the hospital. Are you an old patient?"

The woman flinched and stared at him through the gap. She smiled a bit. "No, I'm not an old patient. I'm your cousin, Deresita Mat… Wait, I used to be Deresita Coles. We last saw each other during the housewarming party Professor Wester organized. Do you… not remember me?"

"Deresita Coles?" Rhodes murmured. Just earlier, the lawyer did say his mother was from the Coles family. However, it seemed the Coles family also had a small beef with him over the riches he got from his grandfather.

"Yeah…" Deresita smiled more, but it was still a little constrained. She moved her head slightly as if seeing more inside the unit. "If it's inconvenient, we can talk outside. If your wife's home, I'll speak to her as well. Please don't drive me away."

Rhodes closed the door. Deresita gasped at the cold answer, only to hear the bolt unlatching. Rhodes opened the door wider. He said, "I can call security from anywhere I am. Don't do anything excessive. Don't worry about a woman. No one else is home."

At this invitation, Deresita smiled and walked in, thanking him as she went. Rhodes led her to the lounge. He turned off the movie and the TV before leaving her there. He went to get juice from the fridge. The kitchen was only separated from the living-cum-dining room by a window with an island and a bead curtain. They could still talk.

From the kitchen, he asked as he prepared whatever he had in stock. "…you good with juice? I haven't stocked up on food yet."

"Yes, thank you." Deresita looked around before taking out her phone and texting someone. Rhodes caught her action as he brought the glasses and juice bottle out. She smiled at him. "My husband is looking for me. I can't let him know I'm two hours away from where I should be."

"Don't make it sound like you're cheating." Rhodes hummed as he poured the juice into the two glasses with a few ice cubes. "So? What do you need? I'm pretty exhausted, so I would appreciate it if you just got to the point."

Deresita nodded and smoothed the skirt of her dress. She brought the takeaway dinner on the low table before her. "Rhodes… I need money. Not just a few grand… I mean millions."

Rhodes was about to drink his juice. He promptly stopped and brought the glass down. "That's too direct. Care to tell me why?"

"My husband has been employed at this local hotel and was very happy with it." Deresita had a small smile as she stared at the juice. "However, in the last few years… business got really slow. The boss has also embezzled the remaining money and left them… left him in charge. He's struggling. I want to help him. Please help us invest in it."

"Oh…" Rhodes sipped his juice. He glanced at the food on the low table. "…did you ask me that because you know I'm loaded from all the inheritance I got?"

Deresita looked at him… and nodded. "Not only that, but Professor Wester likes you the most. He might have given you a few places to sell. Sorry, I just really want to help my husband. I don't want him to fall into so much despair."

Rhodes leaned on the couch. "Make it matter to me… his problem. I can't just throw a big amount without knowing why I should help you. Did I give you the impression that I am generous?"