CHAPTER 172: BULLYING

Sophia collapsed face-first onto the bed as soon as they entered the hotel room.

"Exhausted?"

"It’s still early. I want food."

"I already had it arranged. It’ll be ready soon. Just wait a little. Once they call, we’ll head over."

Sophia nodded.

"Mommy, this place is huge!"

They were staying on a high floor, and the suite they booked was the presidential suite—two levels, a café area, a tea lounge, everything you could think of. And because Lucas had specifically requested it, there was even an oversized children’s suite connected directly by a shared door.

Compared to regular five-star hotel rooms, this place was enormous.

"Mommy, we want to go look around!"

Sophia arched a brow. "You can, but you must stay within the hotel grounds. And every single one of you needs to wear your smartwatches."

All six kids put their watches on immediately, movements quick and sharp.

"Every five minutes, you’ll call me with a voice message—your location and a headcount."

It wasn’t that she was being overly cautious. This was a crowded hotel, and her kids were well-known. If someone with bad intentions spotted them, it could turn into a real safety issue.

"Mommy, don’t worry! We’re super smart!"

Charles grinned and herded his siblings out the door.

The moment they were gone, Lucas dropped his weight onto Sophia.

"What are you doing?"

"I’m exhausted. Drove for hours."

He pretended to be worn out—and made no effort to get off her.

Outside, Charles held a bag of chips, dark eyes sweeping the surroundings like a tiny detective.

Every server who passed treated them with extreme respect—of course they did. Lucas had already sent over the kids’ photos and informed the hotel to take special care of them.

"Charles, where are we going?" one of the kids asked.

"That guy who stole our parking spot earlier was awful. I’m gonna go find him."

Faye immediately disapproved. "Charles, if Mommy finds out, she’ll be furious."

Charles grinned mischievously. "Easy. We only need to report to Mommy every five minutes. Once five minutes pass and we send the update, we use the next five minutes to do what we need. See? Simple."

Billy sighed and raised his hand. "Fine. I’ll keep watch."

Angela crossed her arms. "Me too."

Charles instantly looked pitiful and turned to his brothers.

"Dustin, Eric... you’re not really going to let your brother fight alone, right?"

Dustin spun around dramatically. "Charles, don’t worry. I’ll go with you!"

"Eric~" Charles sing-songed.

Eric rubbed his forehead. "I’ll observe."

Charles let out a dramatic sigh. "Are you sure you’re my real brothers? In the most critical moment, not even two of you will help me. Only my Dustin listens to me and helps me~"

"But Charles," Dustin asked, "how do you even know where that guy is? We walked out pretty fast."

Charles smirked and lifted his smartwatch. A blinking red dot flashed on the screen.

Inside the private dining room, laughter and teasing filled the air.

"What are you guys waiting for? You actually thought he’d show up?"

As soon as the mocking voice landed, a wave of agreement followed.

Suddenly—

"Mr. Taylor, this way, please."

All eyes immediately shifted toward the door.

Alex stepped inside wearing a fitted suit—and several girls practically forgot how to breathe.

Every year he showed up looking different... and somehow even better than the last.

Alex walked in looking every bit the polished elite. He lifted a hand slightly and curved his lips. "Hey, everyone."

"Oh my God, Alex! You finally made it! Haven’t seen you for a year and you still keep your body that good!"

A chubby, red-faced man staggered over, threw an arm around Alex’s shoulders, and practically dragged him to sit down.

Alex frowned. He didn’t have a cleanliness obsession, but he hated being touched like this—it reminded him of things he’d rather forget.

"What’s with the gloomy face? Don’t tell me me touching you brought back memories. Come on, it’s been so many years. Why are you still hung up on the past?"

"Butler, you can forget what you did to me, but I don’t get that privilege. I was the victim, remember."

Alex’s reply made the whole table erupt into laughter.

"Look at him! A whole year has passed and Alex still remembers the most trivial crap."

Butler didn’t look embarrassed at all—his smile only widened.

Alex shot him a cold glance.

Suddenly—

"So, another year, huh? How’ve you been, Alex? Still an assistant? Don’t say I never helped you. Come to my company. I’ll give you a manager position. That’s better than being someone’s secretary, isn’t it?"

Across the table, Jett puffed on his cigar.

Alex’s voice was calm. "I’m fine where I am. I don’t need it."

Jett snorted. "Look at yourself—just a secretary. I’m giving you face here, offering you a way up, and you’re turning it down? Back then you stole my girl—afraid if you come work for me, I’ll make you pay for it?"

"Jett, don’t make it sound so cheap. He didn’t steal your girlfriend. She wasn’t even your girlfriend. You were just delusional. It’s ancient history—aren’t you embarrassed bringing it up again?"

A few girls, siding with Alex mainly because of his looks, chimed in.

"Oh please," Jett scoffed. "You’re only defending him because he’s pretty. I said it years ago—no matter how handsome he is, no matter how good-looking, he’ll never do better than me. I’m a general manager now in a major company—making over a million a year. And if I land the Hilton Group contract, my commission alone will be seven figures! Look at him—then look at me."

His arrogance filled the room.

The same girls who had just spoken for Alex immediately changed their tune.

"Jett, if we ever run into trouble, we’ll come to you for help."

"Of course! My door is always open."

Holding his cigar, Jett poured himself a drink and sauntered over to Alex.

"Bro, that suit of yours? Doesn’t even fit. Looks cheap. Come on, take it off. It’s boring."

Alex frowned. "It fits fine."

Jett barked a laugh. "Butler, you see this? A suit two sizes too big, and he thinks it fits."

Other than Jett, the most successful one here was Butler—Jett was a GM, but Butler owned his own company.

He nodded as well. "Yeah, it really doesn’t fit. But Alex doesn’t want to take it off."

Jett smirked. "Take off a suit? Easy."

Suddenly—

He tightened his grip on his wine glass, his eyes fixed on Alex as he tilted the glass toward him.