Chapter 2 - The Owner Nobody Recognized
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The words echoed through the Solmere lobby.
"The rightful owner."
Victoria stared at Alexander.
Then she laughed.
A loud laugh filled with disbelief.
"You cannot be serious."
Alexander remained calm.
"I have never been more serious in my life."
Victoria looked around.
Waiting for someone to laugh with her.
But nobody did.
The guests were suddenly uncomfortable.
Because if Alexander Cross was telling the truth...
Everything had just changed.
Victoria pointed at Charlotte.
"That woman?"
She looked at Charlotte's simple clothes.
Her bruised face.
Her messy hair.
"You expect us to believe she owns Solmere?"
Alexander opened the folder.
"Ownership documents."
He placed them on the reception desk.
"Signed by Evelyn Vale."
Victoria's face slowly lost color.
"No."
Alexander continued.
"Verified by three legal firms."
"No."
"Registered before her death."
Victoria stepped backward.
"No."
Charlotte watched her reaction carefully.
Because Victoria was not shocked by the ownership.
She was shocked because she knew.
She knew exactly what Charlotte's return meant.
Victoria turned toward the security guards.
"Don't listen to him."
Nobody moved.
"Remove them both."
Still nobody moved.
The hotel manager, Richard Hale, walked forward.
His face was pale.
"Mrs. Sterling..."
Victoria looked at him.
"What?"
Richard swallowed.
"I think..."
He looked at Charlotte.
"We need to follow the legal documents."
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"You think?"
The manager immediately lowered his head.
"I apologize."
Charlotte noticed something.
Fear.
Everyone here was afraid of Victoria.
Not because she owned the hotel.
Because someone had given her power.
And Charlotte intended to find out who.
She walked toward the reception desk.
Her fingers touched the marble counter.
A place she had visited hundreds of times as a child.
Her mother used to bring her here.
She remembered running through this lobby.
Laughing.
Holding her mother's hand.
Now...
The same place had become the scene of her humiliation.
Charlotte looked at Victoria.
"Why were you so certain I didn't belong here?"
Victoria stayed silent.
For the first time...
She looked nervous.
Charlotte stepped closer.
"Because someone told you I was gone?"
Victoria's expression changed.
A tiny reaction.
But Charlotte noticed.
Someone had told Victoria.
Charlotte Vale would never return.
And that person had made a mistake.
Charlotte turned to Alexander.
"Find out who changed the company records."
Alexander nodded.
"I already started."
Charlotte looked at him.
"What did you find?"
His expression became serious.
"Your mother's death wasn't the only thing they covered up."
The lobby went silent again.
Charlotte felt a cold feeling in her chest.
"What else?"
Alexander lowered his voice.
"Someone inside Solmere tried to erase every trace of your existence."
Charlotte looked around the room.
At the people pretending not to listen.
At the employees who had watched her suffer.
At the people who had betrayed her family.
Then Alexander said something that changed everything.
May you like
"Charlotte..."
"One of the people responsible is standing in this lobby right now."
