The Ancestral heir system

chapter 22: Ethan is a thief

Tony and Maya were completely taken aback by what they saw.

The sight before them was beyond their wildest imagination. The man they had once cast aside as their son-in-law was now comfortably settled in a luxurious five-star hotel. The opulence and grandeur of the place seemed almost surreal to them.

The price tag for a single night's stay in this lavish establishment was an exorbitant sum, well over a thousand dollars. Tony couldn't help but voice his disbelief, turning to Maya with a look of incredulity.

"Maya, are you absolutely certain that he's only had a few hundred dollars to his name all this time?" Tony questioned, his tone a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "Could it be possible that he has been hiding a substantial amount of money from us all along, squirreling it away behind your back over the past three years?"

Maya shook her head in bewilderment and replied, "I really don't know... it's possible that he did."

Tony, deep in thought, pursed his lips and mused aloud, "Ethan certainly has some nerve. I distinctly remember telling him that he could kiss goodbye to staying in any hotel that's less than four stars. And yet, here he is, willingly shelling out a small fortune to secure a room in a five-star establishment!"

A sense of realization dawned on Tony as he considered Ethan's bold move. "Perhaps," he pondered, "Ethan is well aware of my influence and authority. Maybe he's chosen to endure the financial strain just to prove a point and demonstrate his own resolve by checking into a five-star hotel."

Tony couldn't help but admire Ethan's audacity, even if it came at a high cost.

Unbeknownst to Tony, Ethan had always been accustomed to staying exclusively in five-star hotels, a fact that had eluded both Tony and Maya until now.

Perplexed by the situation, Maya turned to Tony and inquired, "Is there any way we can prevent him from prolonging his stay here?"

Caught off guard, Tony hesitated before responding, "That's certainly a tricky predicament."

Tony found himself in a tight spot. The owners of five-star hotels held significant power and influence, individuals he couldn't afford to antagonize. Moreover, the reputation and prestige of these high-end establishments were paramount, making any interference a delicate matter that required careful consideration.

Despite his social standing and connections, Tony was acutely aware of the potential fallout if it ever came to light that a guest had been forced to leave the prestigious West Lake Hotel at his behest. The implications of such an incident were not something he was willing to face.

Battling a mix of shame and guilt, Tony whispered to Maya, his voice filled with reluctance, "Perhaps we should allow him to stay for just one night. Even if he does have a hidden reserve of savings, it's unlikely he can sustain a prolonged stay here on his own dime."

Tony's suggestion reflected a compromise born out of his desire to avoid any public scandal while also acknowledging the limits of Ethan's financial capacity. Despite his reservations, he reluctantly conceded to allowing Ethan a brief respite within the luxurious confines of the five-star hotel.

Maya's displeasure was palpable, evident in the furrow of her brow and the tension in her posture. Tony's swift reversal from his earlier declaration to now being seemingly powerless in the situation only served to compound her frustration.

Sensing Maya's growing anger, Tony felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He quickly glanced at the hotel's service staff, hoping to glean some insight or assistance in navigating this delicate scenario.

Turning to one of the service staff members, Tony inquired with a hint of urgency, "Is Ethan indeed booked to stay here for the night?"

The front desk attendant, having just completed Ethan's check-in formalities, responded promptly to Tony's inquiry, "Mr. Sinclair has secured a reservation for a seven-night stay."

Tony's surprise was evident as he processed the information. "Seven nights?" he exclaimed, taken aback by the length of Ethan's planned stay. "This young man is certainly persistent. With each night costing around $1,000, a seven-night stay would amount to $7,000 in total. Maya, it seems he has managed to accumulate a significant sum in his secret stash over the years!"

The revelation of Ethan's extended stay and the substantial cost involved only served to deepen Tony's intrigue and admiration for the resourcefulness and determination displayed by his son-in-law.

Maya's anger reached a boiling point, her frustration evident in the forceful stomp of her feet as she exclaimed in discontent, "He must have siphoned off funds that were allocated for groceries, dog food, and other daily necessities. He's incredibly greedy."

The Reynolds family, a moderately affluent household in Los Angeles, grappled with high living expenses that often stretched their budget thin. Given Ethan's role as the primary shopper for the family, Maya couldn't dismiss the possibility that he had diverted a significant sum from their daily expenses.

With the family's financial constraints in mind and Ethan's access to the household funds, Maya couldn't shake the feeling that he had indeed taken advantage of the situation, diverting funds meant for essential items to fund his lavish stay at the upscale hotel.

The revelation from the front desk attendant sent shockwaves through Tony and Maya, leaving them on the brink of leaping out of their seats in astonishment.

"A presidential suite?" Tony gasped in disbelief, his voice tinged with a mix of horror and incredulity.

Maya's eyes widened in alarm as she processed the information. Thoughts raced through their minds in rapid succession:

"He's going to stay in the presidential suite for a whole week?"

"The presidential suite at the West Lake Hotel costs $10,000 per night!"

"The total cost for a week would amount to a staggering $70,000!"

The sheer magnitude of Ethan's extravagant accommodation choice left Tony and Maya reeling, grappling with the reality of the exorbitant expense that Ethan had incurred for his extended stay in the lap of luxury.

Tony's horror deepened as he processed the staggering sum, unable to comprehend the magnitude of Ethan's expenditure. Turning to the attendant with a mix of shock and disbelief, he inquired, "Did Ethan really pay $70,000?"

The stunning front desk attendant nodded shyly and confirmed, "Yes, he even left me a $1,000 tip."

Maya, already feeling a tinge of jealousy at the attendant's beauty and the attention Ethan seemed to be showering her with, erupted in fury at the revelation of the generous tip. "How dare you accept his tip without permission! That money belongs to my family!" she rebuked furiously, her voice laced with indignation at the thought of Ethan's lavish spending with their hard-earned funds.

Concerned about causing a scene in the prestigious five-star hotel, Tony gently guided Maya away from the front desk and whispered, "Maya, let's not make a fuss about the tip right now. We need to focus on figuring out where Ethan obtained such a substantial amount of money. It doesn't add up just by skimming off funds from our daily expenses and groceries over the past three years."

As Tony's words sank in, Maya began to see the logic in his reasoning. Despite the monthly allowances provided by the Reynolds family, the cumulative amount over three years wouldn't amount to the staggering sum Ethan had seemingly spent on his luxurious stay. The mystery of Ethan's sudden wealth deepened, prompting Tony and Maya to contemplate the source of his significant financial resources.

Maya's mind raced as she considered the possibilities. A worried look crossed her face as she turned to Tony and inquired, "Do you remember how he used to visit my grandmother's house frequently to look after her dog? She has a vast collection of antiques. Is it possible that he took advantage of his visits and pilfered a few items to sell?"

Tony, well acquainted with the formidable Old Ms. Mimi, knew firsthand the lavish gifts she received on her birthday every year. The sheer volume of these presents was enough to create a substantial mound of opulence within her residence.

Ethan knew that all it would take was to snatch a piece or two from the collection, and he could easily fetch a handsome sum of a hundred grand or more from selling them off.

Tony's eyes widened in realization as he exclaimed, "That must be it! Hurry, we need to alert your family and have them inspect the antiques for any missing items!"

"Absolutely!" Maya replied with urgency, reaching for her phone to dial her mother, Ms. Julia, for an immediate check.

............

Meanwhile, at the Freehand Hotel, time ticked away. Ethan and Maya had been absent for over forty minutes, leaving the guests at the extravagant birthday banquet satiated with food and drink, reveling in their contentment.

Normally, the bustling executives and CEOs would have swiftly departed to tend to their business affairs and pursue profits. Yet, on this particular day, none of them displayed any eagerness to leave the gathering.

Instead, they lingered, their attention fixed on a single individual whom they awaited with bated breath. This enigmatic figure was none other than the sender of the extravagant one million dollars jadeite bracelet, also known as Sophie's mysterious suitor.

With a sense of unease creeping over her, Sophie voiced her concern, "It's been quite a while, and yet the person behind the extravagant one million dollars gift has yet to make an appearance. Regardless of the traffic in West Hollywood, they should have arrived by now."

A troubling thought crossed her mind, and she hesitantly suggested, "Do you think the bracelet could actually be from Ethan?"

The mere possibility sent a chill down Sophie's spine. "Could I have unintentionally offended a prominent figure?" she worried inwardly.

As tension filled the air, Ms. Julia's phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence with its shrill tone.

"Maya, my dear, how are things progressing? You've finally rid yourself of that worthless ex-husband, haven't you?" Ms. Mimi inquired with a grin.

"Mom, quickly head over to grandma's place and check which of her precious antique calligraphy paintings are absent. That scoundrel from the Sinclair family has filched something valuable from our family and sold it!" Maya urged urgently.

Ms. Julia was taken aback. "What? Ethan, that good-for-nothing scoundrel, pilfered your grandmother's antique calligraphy paintings?"

Upon hearing Ms. Julia's response, Sophie felt a wave of relief wash over her. With a slender cigarette elegantly poised between her captivating red lips, Sophie remarked, "I was expecting a high roller, but it seems we're dealing with nothing more than a common thief."