Chapter 19

Riya and Liang were watching the footage that was going viral on social media. The television was on by the secretary area. Everyone on the floor was looking at the news. There were so many curse words coming from the hallway. Liang could hear some of his employees saying that they want to be him up in Mandarin. Liang was right a few days ago. Businessmen were involved with Yanwu and were stealing money from the business. The businessmen might have been taking money from the salaries or the funds that were given to the employers. They were giving it to Yanwu in exchange for drugs and victims. Riya finished watching the video. She put her phone in her bag and continued reading some of Liang's reports.

Riya was sitting in Liang's massive office. It was bigger than her downstairs apartment. They're a big picture of lotus flowers in the water with the leaves behind her. The office was simple and neat. There was only a big desk and a shelf behind the desk with books. There was so much space that Liang could do his workout in the mornings before his day would start. Riya wanted to see the entire hotel. There were four buildings in this area. When Riya entered the hotel, it was beautiful and neat. It also represented the color and scenery of the name. This was busier than Michael's hotel. Riya should have applied here instead.

The Lotus Flower Hotel started around March 2019. This hotel had been doing so well since that year because of its good hospitality, friendliness, affordable prices, and wonderful designs of the rooms. The business had been growing as years went by. Liang already owned one hundred and fifty hotels around the world. He also spent his college and music years designing and planning his business. He also stated in the report that he used to help his parents with their financial statements like checking if everything was accurate. He started learning The Principles of Business as he was helping his parents' businesses. Riya was impressed with the background story.

Riya finished reading the background stories. She looked at Liang who was busy looking at his emails. She made a huge yawn and stretched her arms. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in.", Liang answered.

A man entered the office and it was Feng. Feng looked at the sofa and saw Riya looking at the files. "Riya.", he called her.

Riya looked up with a friendly smile. "Hello, Feng."

Feng was two meters shorter than Liang. He was twenty-nine years old. He was good-looking with a built body and thick black semi-long hair. He was dressed up in The Rose Valley Hotel uniform. Riya could smell the roses that she wanted to sneeze. But she held it. Feng walked toward Liang with a couple of files in his hands. He placed them on Liang's desk.

"Liang, Michael is having a party because his birthday is coming up soon. There's an invitation in one of those folders.", Feng told him while placing the folders on the desk.

"It's going to be one of those elegant parties. Plus, he wants me to bring a date.", he said to Feng while he looked at the emails.

"Unfortunately yes.", Feng looked at Riya. "You are also invited.", he said to her.

Riya looked at him in shock. "Why me?", she pointed at herself.

"I don't know. You were loud this morning so he is probably taking revenge."

"I knew he was going to do something like that. I'm not going, I have plenty of work to do.", Riya made her decision.

"Me too.", Liang said.

"Good choice. I will see you later. Riya, are you coming for dinner?", Feng asked.

"Nope, Liang and I will be making dinner and baking.", she answered.

Feng looked at Liang. Liang finished with his email. He was going to look at the files. "It's not what you think.", he said to Feng.

Feng was amazed by Liang's sensors. "This boy can sense anything including when someone is sneaking in the house. Despite living in a big house.", he said.

Liang looked at him with a smile. "I will teach you martial arts.", he said.

"Even though I want to learn but I can't. Plus, Lisa wants to start a family soon. You know what's going to happen. If I have a son or daughter, I will bring them to you to teach them."

Liang nodded. "Okay, I will see you later.", he said.

"See you.", Feng bowed to Liang. Then he looked at Riya. "I will see you one of the days.", he said to her.

"See you.", she said with a smile.

Feng left the room to go back to The Rose Valley Hotel. Riya went back to looking at the reports. Liang was going through the files. Riya was getting hungry. Lucky she bought the Coffee Muffin earlier. She noticed Liang's Oreo Cheesecake in the pastel pink box. She got up to go make coffee. Liang saw her walking out of the officer. Riya came out of the office. There were so many workers walking around with files in their hands. There was a staffroom fifteen meters away from Liang's office. As she was walking, the employees and she greeted each other. Everyone was friendly toward her. She entered the huge staffroom. This room was for the employees that were working on this floor. Each floor had its staffroom.

Riya walked towards the coffee and tea section. There was a double fridge next to the coffee and tea table. There was a TV in one corner. A young woman was making her Jasmine tea next to Riya. The woman was looking at Riya for a moment.

"Are you new here?", she asked.

Riya looked at her. "No, I'm Mr. Wang's friend.", she answered.

"Oh, I'm Yang Ning.", she offered Riya a handshake.

Riya accepted the handshake. "I'm Riya Moodley."

Ning removed her hands from Riya's and waited for her tea to infuse. "What do you do?"

"I'm going to be working at The Rose Valley Hotel."

Ning looked at her with some shock. "I used to work there as a receptionist. I applied for Accountant but I was forced to be a receptionist."

Riya looked at her with shock. "But why does Michael do all those things?", she asked.

"I don't know. People think that Michael is such a nice boss but they are blind. I applied there because of their ranking until I saw the true colors of the business. After working there for two years, I decided to leave there and I came here."

"I'm curious, Is it only women or he does do to the men too?"

"Only women. You will only see women as receptionists, housekeepers, and private chefs. You won't be able to work according to the feel you are qualified. He has cameras in his office. He only places cameras where the women work including in the rooms where the guests stay. That's so creepy."

Riya was getting a bit curious. "Do you think he is Yanwu? Because if he is doing all those creepy things, he must be kidnapping all the women and girls in the evenings."

"I don't know. I don't care about his identity. All I want to see is Yanwu's last downfall to happen. Anyway, I will see you Riya."

"You too."

Ning walked out of the room with her cup of Jasmine tea. Riya finished making two cups of coffee. She took the coffees and walked out of the room. She was being careful while she was walking. She did not want to miss this place or cause any third-degree burns.

Liang finished with his work for now. He was getting slightly hungry. He got up from his chair and stretched his body to loosen his muscles. Someone knocked on the door. He finished stretching and then walked toward the wooden green-painted door. He opened it and saw Riya standing with two cups in her hands. Liang was confused about why she knocked.

"You don't need to knock.", he pointed out.

"I needed you to open because I didn't want to cause any accidents. Third-degree burns are no joke.", she entered the room.

Liang closed the door. "I'm hungry so I'm going to have the cheesecake.", he walked towards the sofa.

Riya gently placed the cups on the coffee table. "Lucky I made coffee.", she looked at Liang. "I have decided to not work in The Rose Valley Hotel.", she said while looking at him.

Liang looked at her. "Why?"

"I spoke to one woman earlier who used to work there. She told me that Michael has cameras so he can watch over the women in his workplace. He only allows women to work as private chefs, receptionists, or housekeeping. Plus, he has cameras in the guest rooms. I don't want to work in an environment like that.", she explained.

Liang stopped in front of her. "Why is he been creepy?"

"That's what I thought at first but I have a feeling that he is Yanwu. The problem is that I don't want to jump to conclusions."

"That impossible. Yanwu has been kidnapping, killing, and selling for twenty-five years. Michael is twenty-seven so there must be someone older than him.", he corrected her.

"Do you think that he is working for Yanwu?"

"Possible. We just watched footage of a businessman helping Yanwu to do his dirty business."

Riya nodded. She sat on the sofa while thinking. Liang took a seat next to her. "Stop thinking too hard and have your muffin. Let White Jaguar do her work.", he picked up her box. Riya took the box while thinking hard. Liang picked up his. He broke a piece with a fork. "Have a piece, it will make you feel better.", he put the piece in her mouth.

"Wang...", she closed her mouth and started chewing. "Mmmmm, delicious.", she said.

Liang laughed a little. "If you are planning on leaving, I will ask my mother if she can employ you and her friends."

Riya looked at him. "Thank you.", she said and he smiled at her. She broke a piece of her muffin and put it in Liang's mouth.

"You know I have tasted all the desserts from the shop.", he pointed out while chewing a muffin.

"But sharing is caring."

Liang broke the cheesecake in half and then put it in her box. Riya also did the same with the muffin. Riya took a bite of the muffin. She looked at the inside of the muffin and found chocolate chips. She got more excited. Liang looked at Riya while she was looking at the muffin. Before he could have the muffin, something caught his eye. There was a big scar on Riya's left shoulder. But her shirt was covering half the scar. Liang was curious about the scar. He slowly put his index finger underneath her shirt while she was eating. He pulled it away from her back without her noticing what he was doing. He took a closer look and found couple more scars on her back. Shock appeared in his heart. He removed his index finger from her shirt and then moved his face away from the scars. Riya was still eating her coffee when she noticed Liang looking down.

She nudged on his shoulder. "Wang, are you okay?", she asked.

He looked at her with a smile. "I'm fine. Continue eating. I will finish the rest of the work then we will go home.", he said.

Riya nodded then continued eating. Liang also continued eating but he was struggling. His heart was broken after seeing whipped scars on her back.