My Family Abandoned Me for Seven Years, Then Demanded $1.1 Million From Me—But When My Father Threatened to Call the Hotel Owner
PART 3
He exchanged a look with my mother. Then he shrugged. “Fine.”
He opened his contacts and scrolled through the names.
I watched his thumb move across the screen.
A moment later, he selected a number.
The phone began ringing. Once. Twice. Three times.
Then someone answered. “Good evening, Richard.”
My father’s entire expression changed.
He straightened in his chair.
“Good evening, sir. I apologize for calling so late.”
The voice on the other end sounded calm.
“Is something wrong?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say something is wrong exactly. I wanted to discuss a situation involving your property.”
I lowered my eyes toward the table.
Your property.
Those two words almost made me laugh.
My father continued.
“I’m currently at the Arístegui Hotel with my daughter, Chloe. I understand she’s been managing the establishment for you.”
There was a pause.
Then the man asked:
“You’re with Chloe?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m calling.”
“Interesting.”
My father seemed encouraged.
He glanced at my mother, who immediately gave him an approving smile.
“I don’t want to interfere in your business,” Richard continued, “but I believe you should know certain things about the person you’ve entrusted with such an important operation.”
I folded my hands.
Here we go.
“What things?” the man asked.
My father cleared his throat.
“First, Chloe has been presenting herself as the owner of this hotel. She tells people this is her establishment. However, she isn’t the legal owner of the building.”
The voice remained silent.
My father mistook that silence for interest.
“Second, she has refused to cooperate with her own family despite having considerable financial resources. We’re simply trying to resolve a family matter, but she has become extremely difficult.”
I closed my eyes for a moment.
My mother leaned closer to the phone.
“She’s always been stubborn,” she added. “We thought perhaps you should know what kind of person you’re dealing with.”
Gabriel couldn’t resist.
“And honestly, sir, if she’s managing your property, you might want to reconsider that arrangement.”
I looked at him.
Seven years ago, I had paid his college tuition.
Tonight, he was trying to get me fired.
The man on the phone finally spoke.
“Are you finished?”
My father nodded, even though the man couldn’t see him.
“Yes, sir. I simply wanted to protect your interests.”
“Protect my interests?”
“Exactly.”
Another pause.
Then the man asked a question that made my father’s smile disappear.
“Richard, do you know where you are standing right now?”
My father frowned.
“At the hotel.”
“Which hotel?”
“The Arístegui Hotel in Chicago.”
“And who did you say you were visiting?”
“My daughter.”
“Chloe Arístegui?”
“Yes.”
The man’s voice became slightly firmer.
“Then perhaps you should put your daughter on the phone.”
Richard looked at me.
For the first time that night, he seemed uncertain.
“Of course. She’s right here.”
He pushed the phone across the table.
I picked it up.
“Good evening, Mr. Bennett.”
“Good evening, Chloe.”
My family exchanged confused looks.
My father mouthed something to my mother.
She shook her head.
I continued.
“Sorry to bother you this evening.”
“You’re not bothering me. I received your message from the financial office earlier. I was actually expecting to hear from you.”
I glanced at the phone.
“Everything is fine?”
“Everything is fine. The board approved the revised operating budget this afternoon. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you.”
My father slowly leaned forward.
The name Bennett had finally caught his attention.
He knew it.
Of course he did.
Everyone involved in Chicago’s commercial real estate industry knew the Bennett family.
But he still hadn’t understood what was happening.
Mr. Bennett continued.
“Is there a reason your father is telling me that you’re misrepresenting your position here?”
I looked at Richard.
He was staring at me now.
I answered carefully.
“My father believes the hotel belongs to someone else and that I could be removed from my position if he complains.”
There was a short silence.
Then Mr. Bennett laughed.
Not loudly.
Just enough to make the room uncomfortable.
“Well, that’s an interesting misunderstanding.”
My father immediately interrupted.
“Sir, I think perhaps there’s been some confusion—”
Mr. Bennett stopped him.
“Richard, let me explain something.”
My father went quiet.
“The Arístegui Hotel is not a property that Chloe simply manages for an outside investor.”
My mother’s smile vanished.
Mr. Bennett continued.
“Chloe is the controlling owner of the company that owns and operates this hotel. The property was acquired through her investment group three years ago. She is also the managing director.”
Nobody moved.
Not my mother.
Not Gabriel.
Not Martha.
Not even my father.
Mr. Bennett wasn’t finished.
“And since we’re discussing ownership, I should mention that the acquisition was completed without any financial contribution from your family.”
I lowered my head slightly.
I didn’t need to look at them to know what their faces looked like.
My father finally found his voice.
“That’s impossible.”
Mr. Bennett answered calmly.
“It’s a matter of public record.”
“But the building—”
“Richard, I don’t know what information you’ve been given, but I suggest you verify it before making further accusations.”
My mother grabbed my father’s arm.
He ignored her.
“Are you saying Chloe owns this hotel?”
“I’m saying she is the majority owner of the company holding the property, yes.”
The silence that followed was almost physical.
I thanked Mr. Bennett.
We exchanged a few final words about the board meeting, and I ended the call.
Then I placed the phone on the table.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at my father.
“Well?”
He stared at me.
“What?”
“You said you knew exactly who owned the hotel.”
His mouth opened.
Then closed.
I leaned back.
“Apparently, you didn’t.”
My mother looked around the room as though she expected someone to tell her this was a joke.
“Chloe…”
I turned toward her.
“What?”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
That question.
That ridiculous, unbelievable question.
I almost laughed.
“Tell you what?”
“That you owned this place!”
I looked at her for several seconds.
“Would you have congratulated me?”
She didn’t answer.
“Would you have called when I graduated? Would you have visited when I opened my first business? Would you have remembered my birthday?”
“That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
My mother looked down.
Gabriel suddenly became very interested in his phone.
Martha crossed her arms.
My father, however, was not ready to surrender.
He stood up.
“Fine. So you own the hotel. Congratulations.”
I waited.
“But that doesn’t change anything,” he continued. “We’re still your family. Your brother still needs help.”
I nodded slowly.
There it was again.
They had just discovered that I owned a hotel worth millions, and somehow they still believed the conversation should end with me giving them $1.1 million.
“Let me ask you something, Dad.”
“What?”
“Why exactly does Gabriel need one million one hundred thousand dollars?”
He rubbed his forehead.
“I already told you. It’s an investment.”
“No. You told me it’s an apartment development. You haven’t explained the actual agreement.”
Gabriel sighed.
“Can we stop interrogating me?”
