Chapter One
Wealth. It was power. It was control. It was everything.
Lee Hwan stepped out of his sleek black limousine, his polished leather shoes clicking against the marble pavement of Royal King Hotel, the biggest and most luxurious hotel in Palm City. He didn't glance at the attendants rushing forward. One reached for his suitcase. Lee pulled back slightly, lips curling in a smirk.
"Touch it, and you're fired."
The man recoiled, bowing in apology. Lee adjusted the cuffs of his custom-made Armani suit, his designer sunglasses glinting under the sun. The scent of imported cologne trailed behind him as he strolled inside his hotel, ignoring the bows and greetings of his staff. Riff-raffs. Nobodies. He was their god.
"Mr. Lee!" A woman hurried toward him. Mrs. Ken, the hotel's manager. She bowed her head slightly, clutching a file to her chest. She knew better than to look him in the eyes.
"You're late, sir. The shareholders have been waiting for over an hour."
Lee barely blinked. "If they lack patience, they're free to sell their shares. I didn't beg anyone to invest."
Mrs. Ken swallowed. "Understood, sir."
As they walked past the hotel reception, Lee's eyes flicked toward a group of young applicants waiting nervously in the lobby.
"Who are they?"
"Candidates for the cleaner position, sir. They're here to replace Miss Dean."
"Miss Dean?" He frowned.
"You fired her yesterday, sir. For coughing… too loudly."
"Oh, right." Lee waved dismissively. His eyes scanned the candidates. Two of them, dressed in outdated suits, caught his attention. Ugly. Pathetic. Cheap.
"Tell HR not to hire those two," he said, pointing at them. "I hate their dressing."
Mrs. Ken bowed. "Noted, sir."
Meanwhile in the rough district of palm city.
A few hours earlier…
"Wake up, sleepyhead!"
Sam Tom stretched with a yawn, his bright eyes filled with excitement. Today was his first day at work as the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of Royal King Hotel. His first real job after graduating.
He hurried to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and stepped out in his best corporate wear; a well-ironed white shirt, black slacks, and a tie his mother had bought from the local market.
"Aww, my handsome boy!" His mother beamed, handing him a plate of breakfast.
"Morning, Mum." He kissed her cheek.
"Eat well, Sam. First impressions matter."
"I know, I know." He took a few bites, then asked, "Where's Uncle Kay, Aunt Linda, and Rosa?"
"They went to the store," his mother replied.
Outside, the morning sun bathed their humble street in golden light. As Sam stepped onto the road,Sam waved at old Mr. Tom, who sat on his usual wooden stool by the roadside.
"Looking sharp, my boy," the old man said with a toothless grin. "Off to the big leagues, eh?"
"Yes, sir!" Sam laughed, bowing slightly. "I'll make you proud."
Further down, a young woman called out, "Sam! Don't forget the oranges I asked for!"
"I won't, I won't!" he promised.
The familiar voices of his other neighbors called out:
"Looking handsome, Sam!"
"Congratulations on your new job!"
"God bless you, Sam!"
He smiled warmly, waving as he walked to the junction. The staff bus pulled up, and he stepped inside, greeting everyone with a bright, confident grin.
Meanwhile
Inside the luxurious boardroom, the shareholders of Royal King Hotel sat impatiently. The air was cool, scented with expensive lavender diffusers. The walls gleamed with gold trimmings.
Lee strolled in without a care in the world, waving a hand casually.
"You're late, Mr. Lee." Mrs. Kate, one of the shareholders, folded her arms. "We've been waiting for over an hour."
"I had to hit the gym," Lee said lazily, kicking his feet up on the conference table. "Staying fit takes priority, you know."
The shareholders exchanged glances.
"He didn't even apologize."
"What a spoiled brat."
They muttered among themselves, but Lee didn't care. Soon, the meeting commenced.
Later, in his luxurious penthouse office, Lee sat behind his glass desk, admiring the skyline view of Palm City. An attendant entered with his coffee, placing it carefully before him.
Lee picked up a thermometer device and measured the temperature. 65°C.
"Too hot," he muttered. Then, slowly, deliberately. he poured the coffee onto the floor.
The attendant flinched but kept silent.
"Get me another one," he said coldly.
The girl bowed quickly and rushed out.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Mrs. Ken entered, followed by a tall, well-groomed young man. His bright smile lit up the room.
"Sir, this is your new Personal Assistant, Sam Tom."
Lee narrowed his eyes, scanning Sam from head to toe. He was annoyingly good-looking, even in his cheap, outdated suit. He felt intimidated by his suaveness. His posture was straight, his aura confident. Lee hated him instantly.
"What's your name, young lad?"
"Sam Tom, sir." Sam beamed. "It's a privilege to serve in your prestigious company."
Lee smirked. "You actually believe that?"
Sam's smile faltered for a second, then returned. "Yes, sir."
Lee leaned forward, flipping through Sam's file. His eyes stopped at one detail.
"Palm Federal University?" He let out a short laugh.
"Yes, sir," Sam replied proudly.
"Top of your class, 5.0 GPA?"
"Yes, sir."
Lee closed the file.
"And you think that's an achievement?"
Sam frowned slightly. "I don't understand, sir."
Lee smirked. "I graduated from Harvard University. Also with a 5.0 GPA. Palm Federal University?" He let out a short chuckle. "What a joke."
Sam clenched his jaw.
"In the academy of fools, the smartest idiot is king," Lee continued. "Were your parents so cursed that they couldn't send you to Harvard, Oxford, or Cambridge?"
Sam's fists tightened.
Just then, the attendant returned with a fresh cup of coffee.
"Here it is, sir." Her voice trembled.
Lee picked up his thermometer again. 64°C. Perfect. He took a sip then spat it out.
"Are you stupid? It is too sweet." He grabbed the cup and threw it at her feet.
She jumped back, tears in her eyes.
"Get out," he snapped.
She quickly exited the place.
"Mrs. Ken, fire her."
"Yes, sir." replied Mrs Ken.
Sam watched the scene in silent shock. This was not what he had expected.
Lee turned to him.
"Mrs. Ken, make sure this peasant understands his duties."
"Yes, sir."
Mrs. Ken nodded at Sam. "Let's go."
As Sam walked out, he glanced back at Lee. This man has issues. He thought.
As they walked through the hallway,
Mrs Ken adjusted her glasses and gave Sam a sharp look, as if measuring his lifespan in the company.
"Alright, Mr. Tom. As Personal Assistant to Mr. Lee, your job is simple;survive. If you want to keep your job, you have to be perfect and flawless. Seventeen personal assistants lost their jobs within three weeks. He fired thirteen, three quitted and one died of depression. "
Sam chuckled. "That's funny, ma'am."
Mrs. Ken didn't smile. "I wasn't joking."
Sam swallowed hard.
"First rule: You must resume work at six a.m. sharp. But realistically, be here by five. Mr. Lee doesn't like waiting. If he rings the bell and you're not in his office within three seconds, he'll assume you're dead or fire you anyway."
"Three seconds?!" Sam blinked.
"Yes. If you could teleport, that would be helpful." She continued walking briskly through the hallway, motioning for him to follow.
"Second rule: Mr. Lee doesn't repeat himself. If he tells you something once, you memorize it like your life depends on it because it does. Third rule: Do not speak unless given the permission to. Fourth rule: He must be your priority. Nothing else matters."
What the toxicity! This man must be so difficult. Will I be able to cope? Sam thought.
"Understood, ma'am."
"Fifth rule: When Mr. Lee enters a room, stop whatever you're doing and acknowledge his presence. But do NOT look him directly in the eyes for more than a minute. He finds it 'disrespectful.'"
"So I'm supposed to look at him, but not for too long?"
"Exactly. Like you're admiring a very expensive, very dangerous tiger."
Sam rubbed his temples. "This is... intense."
"Oh, we're just getting started," Mrs. Ken said as she pushed open a set of grand double doors.
They entered a large, luxurious office space where employees worked quietly at their desks. The moment they saw Sam, a hush fell over the room.
"Is that the new assistant?" someone whispered.
"Poor guy. He looks happy. He has no idea."
"One week max. Then he'll either quit or end up in therapy."
Sam noticed the murmurs but assumed they were just admiring his sharp suit. "Nice place," he said with a confident smile.
The staff exchanged looks of pity.
Mrs. Ken ignored them and kept walking. "Now, let's meet the department heads. Try to remember their names. Mr. Lee doesn't like repeating introductions."
Sam nodded, looking forward to the chaos that awaited him.