Urban System in America-Chapter 74: Betrayalr 73: Unexpected Betrayal

The manager, realizing that he couldn’t continue like this anymore, with a guilty look, went to his cousin and explained that other rivals had launched a full-scale war on them. He claimed that despite trying, he alone couldn’t confront all of them, they had to do something.

The man didn’t doubt him. He was his cousin, after all, he had no reason to lie. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he became desperate. He tried everything to salvage it: new staff, marketing campaigns, slashing prices, but nothing worked.

He had already burned through most of his money. From $200 million, nearly $150 million had gone into this vanity project. He had barely a few million left.

So, with no other option left, as a last resort, he decided to sell.

But unexpectedly, he found that he couldn’t, no buyer was willing to take on the mess.

Desperate, he slashed the price dramatically. Even then, no one stepped forward.

At least, not honestly.

Eventually, from a close friend, he discovered the truth: a small group of rivals had colluded. They knew he was cornered, that he lacked the political connections or business alliances to push back. So they worked in tandem, expressing interest, stalling negotiations, leaking negative press, all to drive the price even lower.

In fact, it wasn’t all the cousin’s fault. The rival hotels did collude and played a major role in the downfall.

In the end, they even got his cousin on their side, offering him a few million dollars. Being as greedy as he was, he agreed without hesitation, after all, no matter how much he worked, the hotel didn’t belong to him. So why not take a few million and live a life of luxury?

They started working together, and the situation deteriorated even further.

Their plan was simple: starve him out, get him to his knees, and when he couldn’t hold on any longer, swoop in and buy the hotel for $30 to $40 million, pennies compared to its build cost.

The man knew nothing of it. He trusted his cousin, seeing him work hard, even visiting rival hotels almost daily, supposedly trying to negotiate.

Eventually, when all his money was gone and cash flow had dried up, he gritted his teeth and mortgaged his house and cars to get loans, just to keep the hotel afloat a little longer. At least until he found a buyer. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

But even then, the delicate balance didn’t last long.

And then, when he finally reached his lowest point, when the banks were circling for repayments like vultures spotting a dying animal, threatening to confiscate his property, and his name was becoming a joke in LA’s inner business circles, a mysterious man suddenly approached him.

Rex paused at that paragraph, smiling faintly. He could already guess who the mysterious man was.

The man didn’t dally. He directly offered a price: $80 million upfront. No lengthy negotiation. No delay in payment. $80 million, the moment the contract was signed.

Hearing this, the owner didn’t rush to accept or reject. He simply asked for some time to think.

He consulted his cousin, who immediately opposed the deal, claiming it was a dirty scheme by their rivals and that he should never accept it.

This time, the man became a little suspicious. The offer, while still a loss, was almost double what the others had offered. Even after repaying the loan, he’d still have enough left to live comfortably.

So, without informing his cousin, he met the mysterious man again. Upon meeting, the man told him he had a gift. Confused, he opened it.

His breath hitched, his vision blurred for a moment, and his entire body trembled with anger. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing — betrayal, laid out in crystal clarity, mocking him. The very person he trusted had sold him out."

Humiliated and furious, the owner signed the deal. At least this way, he could walk away with something. Letting it fall to those who schemed against him would have been the final insult.

The contract was already signed. The paperwork was in motion. And although the hotel hadn’t officially changed hands yet, the clauses were locked. Breaking it now would come with heavy penalties.

Rex leaned back in his seat, slowly closing the file.

Victor waited quietly beside him.

"This wasn’t just a hotel," Rex said softly. "It was a battleground."

Victor tilted his head. "Boss, I still don’t get it. Why this place? It’s a mess. It was just a minor breakfast dispute — no need to be this serious. And it’s not like we’re going to buy—"

He stopped mid-sentence, staring at Rex in shock. "A-are... are you really planning to—?" Victor stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes searching Rex’s face for a hint of sarcasm.

Rex smirked and turned to meet his eyes.

Even without saying anything, Victor understood. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped — at a loss for words.

Finally, letting the weight of it sink in, he spoke. "B-but... why this? Haven’t you seen its condition? It’s definitely not salvageable."

"That’s why," Rex replied, his voice low but firm. "Because everyone already decided it’s finished. They think it’s over."

He glanced toward the building in the distance, its tower rising like a wounded beast in the skyline.

"Let them keep thinking that."

"In fact, I’ve already bought it. Just a few bits of paperwork left," he added casually, turning his attention to the road.

Hearing this, Victor didn’t even feel shocked anymore. He was already numb from the string of surprises Rex had given him.

What could he do? His boss was too willful. He just nodded. Even though he didn’t fully understand anything, his trust in Rex made him accept it.

And somewhere inside Rex’s mind, the pieces were already falling into place.

To be honest, if given the choice, he definitely wouldn’t have bought a hotel like this. But did he even have a choice?

Then again, it’s not like he spent a penny. It was a gift from the System. That thought made him feel better.

Anyway, even at its lowest market value, the place was still worth at least $60 to $70 million.

So, what’s there to complain about?

(End of Chapter)