Chapter 7

• “What? Relieve me of my membership and blacklist the rest of the Mayfair family? Did I hear wrong?” Simon half-shouted while she was still talking.
• Venice got off her phone and stared at him blankly.
• “No, you didn’t. Since being in a hotel with ordinary people makes your skin crawl, I thought it best to sever your relationship with the hotel. I also severed every connection I have with the Mayfair family.”
• Simon couldn't believe his ears and burst out in rage, “Hmph! Have you gotten arrogant because of the few successful hotels you run?"
• “Have you forgotten who helped you build those hotels up to where they are today? Who helped build you up from a church rat to who you are today?”
• Venice didn’t respond to him in an arrogant tone as well. Instead, she smiled faintly. “I haven’t forgotten.”
• “Then what do you think you’re doing?”
• She dropped her hand to the side and scoffed slightly, “It’s because of everything your father did for me that I’m doing this and not letting you ruin your future and that of the Mayfair family’s.”
• “It’s also the reason why I entertained what you did at the hotel every other day. Why I let you use the hotel and leave without paying. I’ve done this for more than five years. Don’t you think I’ve done more than enough?”
• Simon’s face turned beet red in embarrassment as she mentioned everything he had been doing to the hearing of the public.
• He had used the hotel numerous times in the past with his friends. Because he knew the owner was indebted to his father and that his father was a shareholder in the hotel, he would only eat and put his bills on a tab saying he’d pay up next time.
• He never did, and Venice never asked him for it. So he kept doing it knowing she wouldn't outrightly ask him to pay up in fear of offending his father.
• While he was still reeling from the embarrassment, she continued, “Now that I no longer have any relationship with the Mayfair family and will not in the future, I think it’s time you pay up everything you owe the hotel.”
• She stopped talking and placed her phone on her ear again.
• “Have someone calculate the total amount of everything Simon Mayfair owes the hotel and bring the bill to me.”
• The bystanders who were ever hungry for what to say and who had been on his side just a moment ago immediately shifted their allegiance to Venice's side.
• “Is the heir of the Mayfair family really so lousy? He always bragged about how he was never at a shortage of money.
• “It’s not that he’s at a shortage of money, he just spends his money on unnecessary things.”
• “I agree. Take his shoes for example. Why should he wear something expensive when he’s just the heir of his family and doesn't even have a position in his family's company yet?”
• “Still, that doesn’t make him any less the next heir to his family's fortune.”
• “It does. Why do you think he’s been going on countless of dates? His father is eager to set him up with a girl who knows her left from her right because of how foolish his son is.”
• “So? He’s the only son of his father, regardless of his foolishness, he’ll have no choice but to pass the company to him in the long run.”
• “Wealthy families don’t just pass their company to anyone just because they are their sons. They have to be capable.”
• “If Simon doesn’t marry someone capable or from a good family, the inheritance will likely go to one of his cousins.”
• Mia listened to all of these in disbelief and gritted her teeth in frustration. The cash cow she was desperately holding onto turned out to be faux.
• Thank goodness she found out early. What would she have done if she turned down the rest of the people she was to go out on a date with thinking she had him?
• She would’ve turned out worse than Aria, and the city's laughingstock would shift to her.
• Seeing that the public's sentiment had turned against him, Simon gnashed his teeth in fury and lashed out at Venice.
• “Hey, are you sure you want to cut all ties with my family? My father is a major shareholder in your hotel; you can’t afford to lose him!”
• “You know what, never mind. I’ll personally persuade my father to pull out as a shareholder in your company and watch you go down on your knees in front of me as you beg for him to return back to your hotel!”
• Then he quickly tried to leave, but Venice stepped in his way.
• Almost immediately, a staff rushed out of the elevator with some papers. She got to Venice and handed it over to her.
• Venice tore her eyes away from Simon and settled it on the papers. She flipped through it for some seconds before she raised her eyes to look at him.
• “You’ve been eating here, lodging here, hosting parties in the lobby, and hosting pool parties as well without paying for the past five years.”
• “You owe the hotel a total of $100 million which I’d like you to offset before you leave. Will you be paying with your card or would you be writing me a cheque?”
• Simon froze as his eyes darted around the place to see everyone's eyes on him before he quickly grabbed the papers from her and tossed them to the floor before snarling, “What is this? Are you holding me back because of such a ridiculous amount of money?”
• Venice's smile turned cold. “If the amount of money is so ridiculous, it shouldn't take you anything to pay before you leave, don’t you think?”
• Seeing how adamant she was, Simon gulped down nervously and pretended to look for his card. After touching his pockets for some seconds, he shook his head.
• “I didn’t bring my card with me. It's $100 million, isn't it? I've exceeded my transfer limit for today. I'll send you the money tomorrow.”
• “Then call one of your workers. I’m sure it’d take nothing to ask them to bring it over for you.” Venice immediately suggested.
• Simon couldn't believe his ears, but he couldn't exactly act rash or he'd embarrass himself even more.
• He smiled tightly and said through gritted teeth, “Where I kept it, they won’t see it. I have to look for it myself if I want to see it.”
• Venice tore her eyes away from him and settled it on Mia who was trying her best to quietly leave the place by slowly taking one step backward at a time.
• “It seems you were just on a date with this lady. What did you use in paying? Or did you put it on a tab as always?”
• “I said I’d send you the money, what do you think you’re doing?” Simon yelled at her angrily.
• Venice beckoned to the security who were on standby, “Hold him down and don’t let him leave until he’s ready to pay.”
• Then she turned to the customers who were holding up their phones while recording what was happening.
• “You’re all recording this, right? Upload it on your socials and get reporters to write articles about how the heir of the Mayfair family refused to pay up his debts.”
• Simon panicked. Not only would it make it difficult for him to raise his head in public, it might also affect the Mayfair family's reputation and definitely upset his father.
• “Stop! Don’t do that. Delete the videos from your phones, and I’ll pay! I’ll call my father, and he’ll clear my debts for me. So tell them to stop recording and delete the ones they've recorded!”
• The woman chuckled and glanced at him again. “Once you pay up, even if they upload the videos they've recorded, you have nothing to fear.”