Chapter 424: The Dangerous Plan

"So, Master," ARIA’s voice cut through the quiet hum of the engine, smooth and professional, saving me from further embarrassment at Isabella’s teasing. "I’ve finished the analysis. With this plan, we will only need to wait two weeks before we initiate the Sterling Downfall Protocol."

Finally.

Something that didn’t make me want to commit vehicular homicide.

"How was it?’ I asked through our mental link, my focus sharpening. "How fast will this be?"

"The hotel where you’re planning to buy the penthouse for yourself and Isabella is on the verge of collapse," ARIA began, her tone carrying that distinctive edge of satisfaction she got when uncovering a goldmine of weakness. "After the death of their patriarch three months ago, the heirs—a daughter in banking and a son in oil—are quietly looking to sell. This information is not public; it’s a whisper among LA’s elite."

Data streamed across my vision via the quantum interface in my glasses: property records, leveraged debt assessments, the family tree showing the fractured inheritance.

"The sister holds 60% to her brother’s 40%," ARIA continued. "The hotel carries significant debt, so their plan is to sell, settle the obligations, and split the remaining profit."

I frowned, weaving through traffic smoothly. The AMG One handled like a dream, responsive to the slightest touch. "That doesn’t make sense, does it? With their money and jobs alone, they could settle a $200M debt and keep the hotel running, couldn’t they? Why sell a profit machine even if it’s in debt?"

"You’re right, but they don’t want to," ARIA replied, and I could practically hear her shrug.

"To settle the debt would take years to recoup their investment—we’re talking about debt settlement plus renovations to bring it back to competitive standards. The hotel’s been declining for the past five years as the patriarch’s health failed. Maintenance was deferred, staff quality dropped, reviews tanked. To fix all that? Call it

$400M

total for debts and upgrades. Minimum."

She paused, letting me process.

"But what if they sell it for $600M instead? They don’t spend anything, they get $400M after settling the debt, and each can reinvest those millions into their primary businesses—where they actually have expertise and passion. The sister can pour it into her banking ventures, the brother into his oil operations and the other branches. If you ask me, it’s a short-sighted vision wrapped in the promise of immediate solutions. But given what they’d have to sacrifice to bring it back to life, this is the choice 90% of humans would make."

She was right. It was smart from a lazy, short-sighted perspective but stupid if you had vision. They were selling a crown jewel for scrap value.

"Is $600 million their asking price or the starting bid for the silent auction?"

ARIA had initially been scouting for a penthouse. Finding the perfect one in this particular hotel had led her - true to her form - to unravel the entire tapestry of vulnerability surrounding it—a

vulnerability

I intended to exploit for a much larger game.

What, did you think I’d forgiven Edward Sterling?

No chance. I am petty incarnate, and my grudges are curated like fine art. I pay them back tenfold.

But for Sterling? After he showed up at my home, uninvited, and spewed his venom—accusing my mother of being a whore who sold her body for a Mercedes, standing in our house as if he had any right to judge us—the debt had multiplied to a hundredfold.

I’d bided my time, waiting for the right tools. Now I had them. And while I dismantled that bastard piece by piece, Liberation Holdings would be right there with me, swallowing every broken piece of his empire.

Every business, every deal, every connection—I would unravel it all and savor the moment he begged.

No one insults my women and NEVER my

Mother!

I understand it will take time since the bastard is of old money, but guess who’s the best and most dangerous hunter?

"Mmm... the starting price at auction will be $500M," ARIA said, "since that’s what it’s currently worth after the patriarch’s death dropped its value from the original $570M. The value remains significant, and it will attract considerable interest from elites. It’s a medium-tier player beneath the flagship LA hotels, but its multi-city presence— has branches in New York, Miami, and Vegas—makes it attractive despite the flagship’s decay."

I processed that. The LA property alone was worth $500M. A four-star hotel with 500 rooms charging $900-1500 per night for standard rooms, $2000-2500 for suites, and $10,000+ for full penthouses.

Quick math: If only 280 out of 500 rooms were booked nightly—a conservative estimate for a declining hotel—that’s $420,000 per day.

$153M

per year

before

counting the restaurant, spa, events, memberships, suites, and penthouses.

This wasn’t just a hotel. It was a money printer that they’d let rust because they didn’t understand the industry.

A slow, cold smile touched my lips. The frustration from Isabella’s teasing melted away, replaced by the calm, focused anticipation of a hunter who has just sighted his prey.

"Something interesting?" Isabella asked, noticing the shift in my demeanor.

"Just business," I said, my voice calm. "The kind that ends with someone on their knees."

Her eyes gleamed with understanding. She didn’t know the details, but she recognized the tone. She leaned back, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. The ride continued, the purr of the engine now the soundtrack to a quietly building storm.

"What about the other branches?" I asked. "If they’re only selling the LA property, it implies the others are profitable."

"Yes, Master, they’re keeping the other branches for now," ARIA confirmed. "But given the way I see things, those branches are likely to be sold off too eventually, or they’ll bring in silent investors—pour money in exchange for partial ownership or future profits.

"Or they’ll turn them into membership empires, converting them into private clubs or exclusive residences charging absurd membership fees instead of normal bookings. Since the daughter is a banker, she’s likely to do both strategies for different branches with the profits from selling the LA property."

Smart. She wasn’t losing—she was leveraging her disadvantages. Selling off one property to strengthen the others. Bankers could be terrifying when they wanted to be, understanding how to maximize every angle.

It was smart. Ruthlessly efficient. She wasn’t losing; she was restructuring.

"What’s the total value of the entire chain?" I needed the full picture.