10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

Chapter 71 Origin Story

71  Origin Story

I hadn't been able to confirm who the stamp holder had been because they'd taken the public elevator upstairs but I'd been able to confirm that they lived in the building.

I'd paid for the apartment and would be moving in later this week. Hopefully, I'd run into her again and if I didn't, I have a plan.

For now, I was needed in my office.

I grinned as the elevator door opened and I walked into the office. The sun streaming through the windows felt brighter today or maybe that's just me. But I don't think so.

I could feel the vibe in the air. The staff looked busier than usual and I could tell that the high I'd induced from my speech earlier in the week hadn't run dry yet. Especially with the news of the interview.

As I walked deeper into the office, Tom appeared as if he'd been waiting for me. "Morning, Mr. Voss."

"Morning, Tom." I grinned at him. "What have we got today?"

He stepped to my side, joining me as I walked. "The reporter from Business Bi-Weekly is waiting for you in the conference room. They arrived about ten minutes ago."

"Perfect." I said, adjusting the cuff of my tailored shirt. If there was anything I learned from my previous life, it was that you're treated the way you dress. It's unconscious in most humans but it happens.

"You've got everything ready?" I asked him.

"Of course." He assured me, handing me the folder. "I've included their usual interview format, plus some notes on what we want to emphasize about the Sunset Inn project."

"Perfect." I repeated. "Let's make sure this goes smoothly."

Tom gave me a knowing smile. "With you, sir? I'm sure it will."

I grinned back at him, the confidence infectious. "Keep the calls to a minimum while I'm there." I said. "And Tom?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Order lunch for the office today. My treat. Let the team know I appreciate their hard work."

His face lit up with a big smile. "Consider it done, Mr. Voss."

With that done, I walked down the hall and pushed open the door to the conference room.

Sitting at the head of the table was a woman in her late thirties. In front of her, she had her laptop open and a voice recorder sitting beside it. She wore a blazer and sat with the kind of confidence that made it hard to mistake her for anything less than a veteran. Whatever one would say about her, they definitely won't say that she was a rookie.

She stood as I entered, extending her hand. "Mr. Voss, it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Charlie Harper from Business Bi-Weekly. Thank you for making time for this."

"Please, call me Nico." I said, shaking her hand firmly. "And the pleasure's all mine. I've been looking forward to this."

We both took our seats. "So, shall we begin?" She asked.

"Of course."

She nodded, clicking on the voice recorder. "Business Bi-Weekly has been following the developments of Sunset Inn, and I must say, the concept has everyone interested."

"Thank you for saying that, Charlie." I thanked her with a confident smile. "I'm also honored to have caught the attention of such a prestigious publication. Sunset Inn is a passion project, and I'm thrilled to share it with your readers."

She nodded, glancing at her notes before continuing.

"Let's start with the basics. Sunset Inn is being positioned as a high-end boutique hotel chain with locations in Crownsborough and New York. What inspired this particular venture? Why boutique hotels?"

I leaned back, adopting a thoughtful pose. Reporters eat that shit up. They love describing how charismatic or earnest the CEO is.

"Great question." I nodded like I was about to explain the meaning of life. "I've always believed that luxury is about more than just amenities. It's about the experience, the stories, the personal touch." "Boutique hotels, in particular, offer something that large chains often can't. Intimacy and individuality. Each Sunset Inn location is designed to feel like a world of its own, catering to those travelers who value authenticity and exclusivity in equal measure."

She nodded, her fingers tapped lightly on her laptop, her eyes flicking between the screen and me.

The questions caming, flowing from 'what sets Sunset Inn apart from other boutique hotels' to 'What challenges I've faced so far and how I've overcome them.'

The interview flowed smoothly until she asked a question I was not ready for. Well, I was but not really.

"I have to ask, Mr. Voss, Nico, how did you get started? There's remarkably little information about you out there. For someone making such big waves in the industry, it's… interesting."

I smiled, leaning back slightly in my chair. Time to activate my special skill. A non-answer.

"I like to think my work speaks for itself, Charlie. At the end of the day, where I started isn't nearly as important as where I'm going."

She tilted her head and at that moment, I cursed the fact that it was a veteran. She looked unsatisfied with the question.

"I get that but our readers love a good origin story. Everyone comes from somewhere and understanding the journey helps them connect with the person behind the vision. You must have a story worth telling."

I held her gaze. She'd smelled something fishy and wasn't about to let this go. I glanced down at the folder Tom had handed me which was filled with talking points but none of which would help here. Instead, I gave her a polite smile. The kind of smile that said I'm uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

"Everyone loves an underdog story, don't they?" I said with a chuckle. "The truth is, I'm just a man with a vision and the determination to see it through. Isn't that enough?"

Charlie leaned forward. "But where does that determination come from? Was there a turning point in your life that set you on this path?"

I paused, my fingers lightly drumming the edge of the table. How will I steer the conversation back to the business without raising suspicion? Time to go directly.

"Charlie." I began, meeting her gaze. "I could tell you about the challenges I've faced, the moments that shaped me, but at the end of the day, what does it really matter? What matters is that I'm here now, building something that I believe in. Isn't that what's important?"

She blinked, taken aback by the directness. "I suppose… but don't you think your readers would find your backstory inspiring?"

I leaned forward speaking with earnestness. "What I find inspiring is the future we're creating." I made sure to hold her gaze.

"Sunset Inn isn't about me. It's about the people who will walk through its doors, the memories they'll make and the legacy we'll leave behind. That's the story worth telling."

Silence filled the conference room and Charlie studied me like she was searching for weakness. Finally, she nodded with a faint smile on her lips. "You're good at this."

I laughed lightly at her words. "I have to be, don't I?"

With that, the interview returned back to safe territory and we ended things professionally.

Now, I had to wait to see what the article would say about me.