Chapter 72 - 71: Rot Beneath the Gold
"You sure you wanna eat here, boss?" Victor asked as he stepped closer, glancing up at the faded signage. His voice dropped into a skeptical murmur. "Doesn’t exactly look too... five-star to me."
Rex didn’t answer. He pushed open the door and stepped out of the car, letting the cool air wash over him. But the moment he crossed the threshold into the building, his steps inevitably slowed.
And he stopped.
The lobby had once been beautiful. That much was obvious, vaulted ceilings arched overhead, checker-patterned Italian marble gleamed underfoot, and enormous crystal chandeliers dangled like faded crowns. But now?
"It felt like walking into a painting left out in the rain — smeared, faded, forgotten."
The scent hit him first — a confused musty blend of citrus air freshener, damp carpet, and something darker, like mold covered in perfume. The lounge chairs lining the walls sagged under years of use, even though the hotel was just a few years old, as if they had given up halfway through existing.
Behind the dusty concierge desk, a lone bellhop sat hunched over his phone, scrolling mindlessly. too bored to care. He didn’t even glance up.
No music played. No warmth greeted them. Only the occasional sharp voice echoing from the elevators.
"—I said I left my wallet in the room, why can’t I find it?!"
"—The towels smelled like they hadn’t been washed in weeks, haven’t you washed it?!"
"—No room service?! What am I paying for, a motel?!"