Chapter 40: You Want To Fire Me?
For a moment, the entire room seemed to freeze.
Not just Sienna, who appears shocked, but everyone.
Every pair of eyes turned toward the door, and every face carried the same stunned expression, as if they were all silently asking the same question.
’Did he really just... barge in like that?’
Because standing there, completely unbothered by the tension he had just shattered, was Riley Davis.
And not just standing.
He was walking in, calmly, confidently, as if he had every right in the world to interrupt one of the most serious meetings in the Imperial Hotel.
Before anyone could even process what was happening, Riley had already stepped further into the room, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. His lips curved into a faint smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
"It seems," he began lightly, his tone almost playful, "you guys are a bit too eager to remove an outstanding staff member from the Imperial Hotel."
His gaze settled directly on the HR manager, steady and fearless, as if he were speaking to an old friend instead of a superior.
"And you—" he continued without pause, tilting his head slightly, "how could you punish someone without proper evidence?"
"Riley Davis!" Angie’s sharp voice cut through the air immediately, her eyes narrowing dangerously. She was the first to recover from the shock.
"Why are you here?" she demanded, her tone laced with irritation. "Go finish your own job and stop interrupting this meeting!"
But Riley didn’t even look at her.
Not even a glance.
It was as if she hadn’t spoken at all.
Riley’s attention remained fixed on the HR manager and the HR staff, his expression calm, almost annoyingly composed.
"You should be more professional when handling matters like this," Riley went on, his voice steady but carrying a weight that made it hard to ignore. "This is a company. A huge company. Not your personal playground."
The words were spoken casually.
But the impact was anything but casual.
It felt like a quiet slap across the entire room.
Sienna’s mouth fell slightly open.
Beside her, Mia inhaled sharply.
Both of them stared at Riley as if they were seeing him for the first time.
Because this... was not the Riley they knew.
The Riley they knew was playful, shameless, always joking around, even in serious situations. He was the kind of person who could turn a tense moment into laughter with a single comment.
But this? This version of Riley was different. He appears cold, sharp, merciless, and terrifyingly confident.
Sienna leaned slightly toward Mia, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mia... Why am I starting to worry Riley might end up like us...?"
Her eyes didn’t leave Riley for a second, as if afraid he might suddenly say something even more outrageous.
Mia nodded quickly, her expression just the same as Sienna’s.
She also whispered enough for Sienna to hear her, "I know, right? Oh my God... why does it feel like he just volunteered to sign the resignation letter like me? He is crazy!"
"He is so stupid!" Sienna gritted her teeth, her whisper, frustrated, "What is he doing? Is he trying to join us in unemployment?"
Her gaze flicked nervously between Riley and the HR manager. Her heart tightened with every second that passed.
"What the heck...!? Does he own this hotel or something?" Sienna continued. "Why is he talking like he can fire them instead?"
Mia swallowed hard, and she nodded in agreement with her. "He’s insane..."
"I agree," Sienna nodded faintly, though her tone carried a hint of disbelief. "Completely insane..."
Despite her words, a small, unwanted part of her couldn’t help but feel... impressed.
Because not everyone had the courage or madness to speak like that in front of the HR manager.
But her admiration toward Riley was quickly replaced by panic. Because courage didn’t pay rent. And it definitely didn’t save jobs.
’Riley is in trouble! I have to stop him...’ Sienna’s mind raced, trying to find a way to stop him before he dug himself deeper into trouble.
Her eyes scanned the room, searching for the right moment, the right excuse, anything.
But before she could act, Mia suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Sienna," Mia whispered urgently, her fingers tightening around her sleeve, "please do something... or the three of us are going to end up jobless together."
Sienna opened, ready to respond.
But it was too late.
Before she could even stand, before she could even call out his name—
Bang!
The HR manager slammed his hand against the table with enough force to make everyone jump.
The sound echoed sharply across the room, cutting through Riley’s voice and silencing everything in an instant.
The air turned heavy and oppressive.
All eyes shifted toward the HR manager. His face had changed. Gone was the calm, composed expression from earlier. Instead, there was anger. Very clear, visible, and unmistakable.
"Your name is Riley Davis, correct?" he asked, his voice low and cold.
"Yes," Riley replied without hesitation.
Sienna and Mia blinked in unison, both equally shocked by Riley’s calmness. It was as if the tension in the room had no effect on him at all.
If anything, he looked even more composed than before.
"You," the HR manager continued, his tone sharpening, "have no right to speak here. Go back to your desk... and prepare your resignation letter."
The words felt like a verdict.
Shocked everyone.
"And I will gladly accept your resignation letter..." The HR Manager continues.
A chill ran down Sienna’s spine.
For a brief second, no one moved. No one spoke.
Even the air felt frozen.
And then, the faint smile on Riley’s lips disappeared. Slowly. Gradually. Replaced by something colder.
His posture straightened slightly, his gaze locking onto the HR manager with a quiet intensity that made the room feel even smaller.
"So, Mr. Manager..." Riley said, his voice no longer playful, no longer light. It was calm but sharp. "You’re saying... You want to fire me?"
The question lingered in the air.
It feels heavy and sharp.