Chapter 1
Chapter 1. Opportunity
The red-haired woman had something about her that drew attention from the very beginning.
“Interesting.”
Killian set down the wine glass he hadn’t even taken a sip from. After staring at her for a while, he finally looked away and rolled his stiff neck.
The moment his gaze shifted, his field of vision seemed to open up. The entire hotel came into view.
“A nice place, too.”
The Tinelli Hotel.
Inside the hotel restaurant, both side walls were made entirely of glass.
Built with inspiration from Martius Cathedral, the hotel featured soaring ceilings throughout both the lobby and restaurant. Masterpieces and crystal chandeliers adorned the restaurant ceiling, while lavish arrangements of fresh flowers decorated every table despite the middle of winter.
Frost clung to the windows because of the cold weather outside, yet even that looked like part of the design. The interior was so extravagant and refined that the icy patterns only enhanced its beauty.
It was as though the Age of Romance had been perfectly recreated.
The hotel’s primary clientele consisted of society’s elite—foreign aristocrats, politicians, and successful businessmen. Yet among all those influential figures, every gaze had converged on a single point.
It was as if they had drunk from the waters of Lethe and forgotten that openly staring was a breach of etiquette.
Everyone in the restaurant was looking at the red-haired woman.
Was it intentional? No. It was instinctive.
Even for Killian, who was rarely surprised by anything, it was an unusual sight. Then again, he was accustomed to being the center of attention himself. His striking appearance had always ensured that.
No matter where he went or whom he met, he was the main character in every room. Eyes naturally followed him, openly tracing the lines of his face and body.
Yet the moment that red-haired woman spoke, every gaze in the hotel shifted toward her. In an instant, he had fallen from protagonist to supporting character.
It was a novel experience.
Tap. Tap. Killian drummed his fingers lightly against the table.
An unknown actress, perhaps?
Her clear diction and pleasant voice hardly seemed ordinary. Neither did her captivating face.
As he briefly considered whether he should cast her in something, an apologetic voice sounded from across the table.
“My apologies. I should have stopped him.”
“Hm?”
Killian had naturally been looking at the woman again. Derek’s voice snapped him back as though waking him from a dream.
“Weren’t you upset because of the manager earlier?”
At Derek’s words, Killian let out a short laugh.
“Because he wouldn’t let me smoke a cigarette?”
“…”
“As if. It’s hotel policy. We should respect it.”
“…I see.”
Despite Killian’s dismissal, his loyal secretary continued to gauge his mood.
The polished smile he always wore remained in place, but his eyes were still cool and sharp.
Of course, that was the man’s usual expression. Yet today, somehow, they seemed even colder.
“Stop worrying and enjoy yourself, Derek. We’ve been invited to the famous Tinelli Hotel at year’s end. Might as well enjoy it.”
Leaning lazily against the back of his chair, Killian rested his head against his fist. The veins stood out across the hand holding a silver Zippo lighter. Noticing it, Derek silently took a drink.
The Tinelli Hotel was one of the clearest examples of the wall that stood before Killian—a man born in the slums.
His own hotel had been built around the same time as the Tinelli. With its casino attached, it generated staggering profits. And yet, when people spoke of the finest hotel, they always named the Tinelli.
“Celestial Heaven is great for entertainment, but it isn’t exactly somewhere you’d want to visit often, is it?”
“For the holidays, I prefer somewhere comfortable like the Tinelli.”
“Well, it’s the Tinelli.”
Its classical architecture, strict rules and its lingering ties to the old aristocracy. It was a place where money alone wasn’t enough. Unless you were among the chosen few, you couldn’t enter.
Despite carefully selecting its guests and limiting admissions, securing a room at the Tinelli Hotel required reservations made two years in advance.
Perhaps because people always romanticized what they couldn’t have, it had earned a reputation as the hotel everyone wanted to visit at least once in their lifetime.
And yet, during the busiest season of the year, Killian had been able to walk into that prestigious hotel without a reservation.
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