The Billionaire's Final Venture

T h r e e

 Traffic. How archaic.

 Horns blaring at every cluster of immobile cars waiting for the stoplight to turn green. I went to Manila as early as possible, and yet here I am stuck in a surge of cars, vans, and even trucks! Whoever designed these streets should be incarcerated. And look, they aren’t even using my machines on the streets. Filthy. Disgusting. Putrid.

 I rolled my eyes and scowled at the constant beeping of cars forcing the one ahead them to get a move. When in fact, everyone is stuck in this never-ending loop of stillness.

 I sighed and vowed to never come back here again. It’s hectic. This is going to be a thorn on my punctuality. I pressed the vinyl wood panel before the cupholders, emitting a soft whirr as it descended into the car. After a second, a glowing red button labelled ‘PHASE’ appeared. I grinned and pressed it. My car turned into a translucent outline, almost as if it was wrapped in clear liquid metal that gleamed from the morning sun. I could see from inside the other drivers at awe.

 Yes, this is what money can do. And, of course, an IQ of 250. You could say I’m the perfect creation. Wealthy in money, looks, and wit.

 I smirked before my car zoomed straight into the ones in front of me. Earning screams and gasps from the outside who turned pale. While I, was breezing through the Manila traffic with my eyes closed.

 I kept up the transformation for a while until I saw at the GPS that I was nearing my destination. It made me turn into a vast parking lot filled with older models of traditional cars. Primitive. I parked mine near the entrance and climbed out, letting the door shut on its own. I buttoned the lower half of my suit and gazed at the hotel’s name.

 Century Park Hotel, written in white bold letters that were clear as day.

 Classy, I nodded to myself in amusement. Mr. Chu knows his ways.

 I walked through street that separated the parking lot and the main entrance. Until an obnoxious honk of a primitive car made me stop. The driver rolled down the window, revealing a rather double-chinned man with an unkempt stubble.

 “Watch where you’re going dumbass!”

 I had no time for commoners. So, I simply turned to face the car, accentuating the scar on my eye as I glared at him. His angered face morphed into discomfort as he rushed to go inside his car. I simply chuckled and went my way.

 The walkway to the entrance was made of sandstone, for it being a building about a hundred years old, it was maintained very well. The revolving door had was gold-plated and glass with a slight brown tint. Heading inside, I was met with a warm light, and immediately, a massive sweeping staircase with a red carpet on its steps. Lounge chairs outline the maroon carpeted floor with yellow symbols. People dining in…casual clothes. I shivered. The walls was decorated with a mix filigreed wood below and a plain eggshell above it. It felt archaic, but in a good way.

 For the first time, the city had something to offer.

 But, I felt two children slid past me, hitting my legs. How crude. They were…laughing. Peculiar attitude. I scowled at them and they started to cry, asking for their mother. To which, she showed up with an angered expression, but disappearing quickly as she saw me.

 This will never get old.

 I ascended the staircase. Apparently, orange light was a recurring theme as lamp shades, wall lamps, and ceiling lights bled the color. I head to my right, where a reception desk made of wood and black marble situated a man in a cheap charcoal suit along with a woman wearing the same thing, but I saw it had more of a quality. Both wore name tags, to which I simply ignored.

 As I stood in front of them, I can see their awed gaze as I loomed over them. Both of them gulping as they cleared their throats.

 “Hearst.” I growled.

 Both of them shivered and nodded. Frantically, they tapped away at their keyboards at great speeds. The woman grabbed the nearby phone and stuttered if the suite was ready. She nodded to the man who shakily gave me the key card.

 “A special elevator is in left of the entrance you came in, sir.” He blurted in an almost managerial tone, almost as I can see a bead of sweat falling from his temple even in this cold room. I slipped the key card into my hand and looked at the man. I can see him shaking. I chuckled mentally. Suddenly, he went of the desk and motioned me to follow him. To which I did and a smile crept my face.

 As we walked through the way I came, I noticed he had large buttocks. Firm, bubbly. I simply stared at it until we reached the elevator, to which he turned to face me. I pinched my fingers on my chin, and checked him out, my eyes trailing from his eyes to his considerable bulge, to his large legs. And I simply nodded as I stepped closer to him.

 I can feel his breathing hitched as I towered over him. Hot air on my stomach. I leaned in on to his ear, “You’re in the way.”

 “Oh.” He blurted out as he scramble to get away.

 I smirked and pressed the key card. Not too long, an elevator opened and I saw my reflection and the maroon carpet once more. I looked back to the man and chuckled before disappearing inside. I pressed 19 and let the metal doors obscure me.  

 The suite had an oak scent that possibly came from the innumerable number of wooden panels here. It was a large turquoise carpeted room that had a bathroom–the large door beside me, a living room, a kitchen, and the bed in front of the living room. Good.

 As I head to the living room, I caught a glimpse of the balcony. I slid the glass door and loomed over the entirety of the city. Seeing my company up above a skyscraper. A deep sense of pleasure flowed through me as I eyed everything that moved from below me. I had power. I’m above all of them.

 Suddenly, I heard my phone rung.

 “Hearst.”

 “Sir, Mr. Declan Bryan is in one of the meeting rooms with Mr. Chu. I’m hearing about merger on the two companies.” Hazell reported.

 “Which would I would be affiliated with that theft scum, where is it?”

 I heard clacking of the keyboard. “Second Floor, Badjao Room.”

 I dropped the call and stormed to the elevator. A vein popping from my temple as the it descended. Finally, I reached the Second Floor. To which I met a bellboy in a red uniform.

 I gripped his collar and raised him to my face. “Where’s the Badjao Room.”

 “Its…it’s there!” He stuttered with his eyes closed as he pointed to the room at the end of the hall with ashen double doors.

 I dropped him and stomped to the room. I swung the doors open with such force it made whoever inside turn dead quiet. Then, eyes were on me. Mr. Chu seated in front of Bryan, champagne flutes almost to a clink. His once-proud expression dissipated into a look of despair. My eyes glued onto him as I strode angrily to him.

 “Mr. Hearst! I–I thought the meeting was to be in three days.” Mr. Chu trying desperately to relieve the tension.

 “And I thought you were acting in good faith.” I stopped in front of him.

 “Good faith? We haven’t…I mean–”

 “Who are assigned in doing background checks for the companies you merge with?”

 “Merge…how–”

 “Fire them, my one-woman team found more dirt on this little scum,” I pointed to Bryan.

 “Dirt?” Mr. Chu looked defeated.

 “You have no right barging in here! I’ll call security!” Bryan, being a little s**t he is, whined.

 “Don’t go waving your rights at me. I could call the FBI on your sorry ass.” I growled.

 The whole room was at a disarray. Everyone standing cautiously over me, as if they could reach me. Bryan still looked like a valiant prince, while Mr. Chu was some damsel in distress. That’s what he’ll be if he pushed through with this.

 “Don’t push through with the merge.” I commanded Mr. Chu.

 “Absurd! Do you know how much of a profit we can rake in with this!”

 I whipped out my phone and whispered to it menacingly: divulge.

 Documents after documents sprung from my phone, displayed in the circularity of the room. Everyone in awe as they read each one. And it didn’t take a second to piece the words: black market, selling, illegal.

 All of them looked at Bryan that had a look of defeat in his eyes.

 Mr. Chu approached me with a solemn look in his eyes. “Thank you.”

 “You little s**t!” Bryan suddenly pounced me.

 But, I dodged it, simply moving to the side, now he was face flat on the floor, he’s out cold.

 “A man with no dignity, tch.” Mr. Chu mocked him.  

 “And you, a blind man.” 

 He was about to retort until I cast a petrifying glare at him and rendered him silent. I fixed my cuff link and took a sip of Bryan’s untouched champagne.

 “Now then, since we’re already here.” I directed to a new topic.

 “Ri–right, Simmons, bring in the papers.”

  A short man grabbing a suitcase placed and opened it in front of me. Inside, a lone piece of paper and a red fountain pen. I grabbed my phone and let it scan the document to find anything that would act as bad faith.

 And there you have it, the company of Bryan in small print. I scowled at Mr. Chu as I put a large circle on the name followed by an X.

 “Remove this and I’ll have one of the drones resend it to me.”

 I stood up. “Gentlemen...Bryan.” I exited the room.

 That was fun.

 But, I need more.

 I remembered the man at the reception desk. Time for this pleasure to be prolonged in more ways than one.