Chapter 71

Surrender Everything

Pammie knocked on my door for at least three hours on and off but ended up giving up. She resorted to texting and ringing for a while, but must have turned in for the night wondering where i was and whether i was okay. I wanted her to believe I was passed out and in bed just so I could avoid her. I still wasn’t ready to speak with her. I was still too mad and upset about her betrayal. I could accept her doing it once as being a mistake… But repeating it all over again … I knew she would hurt me again.

I barely had slept the night. I sat up on my laptop for hours and hours trying to figure out a logical solution for Major hotels. What did it need, how much would I be up for? And finally would she we willing to hand over the reins? Even when I did try to sleep, I would wake up immediately deep in thought.

It was 6am and I decided to look up my dads old friend and my personal financial adviser. I was unsure if he would be up at this hour, but I texted him asking him to be here at 9am for some advice. I knew there was going to be a logical decision, I just wanted to be sure that I was leading with my head and not my heart. I needed to make this a business venture otherwise I couldn’t see myself getting back on track.

After getting ready I waited in the lobby for my financial adviser James because I got a text from him to say that he would be here. I just hoped I wouldn’t cross paths with Pam in the process. Every time I heard a door open I swung my head around in panic thinking it was her. But it wasn’t … it was Victoria.
“Are we good to talk?” she asked.

“Yeah just waiting for my financial adviser…”
“I thought you and I were just going to have a casual talk?” she said confused.
“Yeah. But I just want to make sure that the correct decisions are going to be made. That’s all. It might help me to understand what needs to be done in order for this to be a good partnership…” Victoria hadn’t intended for this to be a formal meeting because she was dressed quite casual, which was a little odd for her.

James breezed through the door only a minute late looking at his watch and shaking the cold air from his jacket before removing it.
“Mr Hyatt, so wonderful to see you again…” he said holding out a hand. I grabbed it and pulled him in to shake it and smiled at him politely,
“And you…” I said turning to Victoria, “James Prior this is Victoria Major. She is the owner of this hotel.” Victoria came closer to him to shake his hand,

“Ms Major….” He said nodding.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Shall we?” she said directing us to a room behind the counter. There were stacks of folders, papers and her laptop on the meeting table. This room was her office, staff room, and meeting space all in one. And not really what I was used to for a important meeting.

After looking at the countless documents I realised how much shit Major hotels was in. I was passing on so many documents to James and he looked at me grimly, before I looked at Victoria who looked embarrassed and said not much at all while James and I conversed between ourselves.

“Look there is no real easy way of saying this. The property and venue is worth roughly about 13 million pounds for this 25 room hotel. Now i see on this court document that you have to pay out 3.7 mill to your old lady. And you’re actually in debt for 6.5 mill. Leaving you with not even a quarter of it if you sold it. And I don’t even know your personal debts….” I said glancing at a paper not giving her eye contact. I was frustrated with reading and there was no real answer other than to completely buy her out. But I knew Victoria would see it as me taking it from her.

And the last time I threatened to buy her out, it didn’t end well. James chimed in,
“After reading through all the accounts and financial trouble … this hotel is a not at a point of being saved in your favour Ms Major. Your best bet would be to sell it and walk away with your 2.8 mill,” Victoria’s face fell. She knew that was her only option.
“I had hopes that there was going to be another way… I won’t even walk away with 2.8 in personal debt and loans. Or a place to live either…” Victoria said sadly.                        “There is… And that is if you sell this hotel to me. That doesn’t mean I pay your personal loans, but in buying this hotel out … it will see you out of debt. After all said and done, you and I can draw up an agreement for my share to be 78.5% and yours to be 21.5% once to put your money back into the hotel from the sell. You can either take this, or lose it all together to someone else…” I knew deep down Victoria hated this idea. Losing it to someone else versus losing it to me was probably on par. Only a week ago she was still at a point of NEVER handing it over to me, and i wondering what changed? Was it the magazine drama, was it because i lost the Hyatt, was it because she had no options … I just didn’t know.

She watched James and I work because her input was really not needed considering we had enough information to know how she had been running it since her father passed away.
“Look I know you have guests in and out consistently but you lose a lot of money closing down your kitchen and not having the kind of facilities that most hotels require. Not to mention the money this hotel does make in profit goes straight to the bank and debt. Major hotels needs some work…” Victoria was still silent. She had all her business and all her vulnerability laid out on the table literally. She looked as if she was going to cry, but I could see her gulping and keeping her head low looking at papers and trying to hide her shame.

“I’m not trying to take your hotel Victoria… I want to help you, if you let me…”
“Will this hotel become another Hyatt?” she asked sternly. The Hyatt hotel chain didn’t feel like mine anymore. And I never worked hard like my dad did for it to be successful as it was. I needed my own success. And I felt like I could have it here if I worked hard for it.
“No. After being here for the last month or so there’s a lot of history it would be cruel for me to take that from you too. But I do want to see it make money again. And in the process make the appropriate changes for it to do so…”
“If I agree to this, will my employees stay? I mean will I stay? I just feel at a loss with the idea of not being the sole owner anymore. I don’t know if I fit in here if I surrender like this… I just…” I could see her eyes getting glassy and the blow was going to be hard, even if there was a good outcome in her future.
“It’s not my name on the outside Victoria. It’s yours. And once this does start making money again… I will have my lawyers and yours if you want …. To draw up an agreement to see you have 50%…” Her eyes squinted for a moment and she looked to the side pursing her lips together. She began to smile and then I watched a tear come down her cheek.
“I hate to be rude James. But could I have a moment with Sean…” she said catching another tear before it fell down. James politely nodded and stepped out the room. The second the door was closed Victoria practically burst out crying.

“I’m so sorry Sean, I’m so … I, was so wrong,” she sobbed.
“Hey…” I said slowly approaching her. “It’s okay, don’t cry…” She broke down more every time I spoke and I honestly didn’t know where to look as i touched her arms to try and control her shaking hands. I expected her tears to come with anger, but she seemed defenceless now. She had nothing more to say.
“Look yesterday I thought you were giving me a sympathy card, but I’m here absolutely powerless to make you feel better. You wanna help me out?” I asked.

She didn’t say anything, she just drove her face into my chest. Instinctively I placed my arms around her feeling my whole body just heat up. I had longed to hold her for months, maybe not like this but I held her tightly not wanting to let her go.

“ I accept. I accept your offer… I’ve exhausted everything else. I’m sick of being depressed and crying like this every single day thinking i can fix it. I’m sick of trying to be strong all the time,” she finished. The sobbing had stopped but the tears flowed down like a dripping tap.
“Can I arrange a meeting with my lawyers for tomorrow and my financial advisers to set out a plan? Since this hotel is not on the market, I think we should get it re-evaluated by a business realtor as soon as possible so you get the maximum amount. What do you think?”
“I will be honest I’m not used to sharing Major hotels Sean. I don’t honestly know how I’m going to cope yet. This will all be very new to me. And to us considering our past. I mean we have had troubles being in the same room. But I don’t have the strength to fight with you anymore…” she said trying to smile.
“I ran out of shields weeks ago. Possibly the reason I been dodging you…” I said laughing from my nose.
“I’m crazy right, tell me I’m crazy… ugh god why am I asking you that?”
“Oh you’re crazy. But I’m glad it’s a good crazy right now,” She looked up amused but looked away. I could tell Victoria had 100 thousand thoughts, and the only thing I could do was actually let her think about the ideas given to her.

“What I’m going to do is give you a few days to think about it. And then we will have a meeting in town…”
“I already accepted. You heard James. I’m screwed otherwise. I want my hotel Sean…I want my home. I want to start being happy again. I’m so fucking miserable…” she admitted.
“I get that. But I do want you to think about it and sleep on it…”

“There is nothing to think about. Honestly you’re not the first person I’d choose to go in business with. But I’ve put that aside so I can get what I need from this. For the last few weeks, it’s been tearing me apart. And I just cannot take it anymore. I can’t fight anymore, though I want to. And I think you need this right now … just as much as I need it,” She said looking at me deeply. She was that close to me I could feel her drawing breath. Once our eyes locked, I gulped down and my breath quivered just gazing on her beautiful amber eyes. Our heads felt only inches apart and she looked at me desperately, before looking away clearing her throat.

Did we just have a moment?

“So yeah, Uhm. We’ll speak again tomorrow and I will make the necessary appointments…” I said leaning down at the table and writing my number on a piece of paper. “And if you need to talk with me about anything, you can call, text or just knock on my door…” I said heading backwards from the room.
“Ok…” she replied. I nodded at her and quickly waved at her before closing the door behind me. I stood up against the door for a moment before looking up to the ceiling and taking a massive breath out. I felt like i was nearly gearing up for my ever first kiss. I shook my hands, and straightened my shirt before wiping some sweat off my brow. Just as i opened my eyes I saw Daphne standing there just smirking before she turned her back and pretended to mind her business. I cleared my throat again and walked down the short hall to meet James in the lobby. “Thank you for all your help today. I think she’s pretty positive about her decisions what do you think?” I asked.
“It could be a positive business venture Sean…”
“Hey let’s talk some more, let me buy you a cup of coffee across the road,” I said almost insisting James follow me.

I wanted this to work. It was just the window I needed to get my life back on track.