Chapter 10: Cracks in the Elitist Veneer
While Victoria was undergoing her quiet transformation, her father, Julian Sterling, remained focused on business damage control. Unable to accept the loss of prestige, Julian sought a private meeting with Sienna at a quiet café near the financial district.
When Sienna arrived, Julian was waiting at a corner table, a thick leather portfolio resting beside his coffee cup.
"Thank you for meeting me, Sienna," Julian said, offering a polite, businesslike smile. "I wanted to present a new proposal regarding the Sterling Group's remaining equity shares."
Sienna sat down, ordering a simple black coffee. "I'm listening, Julian."
Julian opened the portfolio, sliding a series of financial charts across the table. "We have arranged a buyout option with an offshore investment group. If you agree to sell thirty percent of the ground lease back to us, we can re-establish the St. Moritz as an exclusive, ultra-luxury private club. We can double the room rates and eliminate the public amenities completely."
Sienna looked at the financial charts, then up at Julian’s expectant face. "You still think this is about profit margins, don't you?"
"It’s about business, Sienna!" Julian insisted, leaning in. "This sentimentality about the staff and employee welfare is fine for PR, but high-end hospitality is built on exclusivity. Wealthy guests pay for distance from the common public. They pay to feel superior."
Sienna set her coffee cup down with a soft clink. "My father didn't build this hotel to make people feel superior, Julian. He built it to make people feel welcome."
May you like
She pushed the portfolio back across the table. "The answer is no. The ground lease remains ninety percent held by the Mercer Trust. And effective next month, all management fees paid to the Sterling Group will be tied directly to staff satisfaction surveys and safety audits."
Julian stared at her, his lips pressed into a thin line, realizing finally that no amount of money or corporate maneuvering would ever buy back the leverage he had lost.
