Chapter 5: Cracks in the Past

Marina arrived at the hotel early that morning.

She wasn't there for a visit. Her father had been feeling unwell, so he had asked her to deliver a few files containing the records of the previous management to the hotel staff.

After greeting the receptionist, Marina walked inside with the files in her hands.

Several former employees immediately recognized her.

"Miss Marina! It's been a long time."

She smiled warmly.

"It has."

One of the senior employees sighed.

"When your father was here, this hotel felt like home. He was truly one of the best people anyone could work for."

Marina's smile softened.

"Thank you. He'll be happy to hear that."

The employees exchanged awkward glances.

Some of them warmly asked about her career, her laboratory work, and how her parents were doing. Others simply offered polite smiles while keeping a respectful distance.

They weren't being rude.

They were simply caught in a difficult situation.

The hotel now belonged to the Sorenson Company, and they were working under new management. No one wanted to offend either side.

Marina understood that.

She didn't blame the employees.

It wasn't their fault.

After handing over the files, Marina quietly walked toward the exit.

She only wanted to leave.

Suddenly—

Crash!

A loud noise echoed through the building.

Marina immediately turned toward the sound.

"Huh?"

She hurried toward the second lobby.

Her eyes widened.

A giant excavator was tearing down one of the oldest sections of the hotel. Pieces of wood and stone fell to the ground as workers removed the antique walls and entrance.

"What are you doing?" Marina shouted.

"Stop!"

The workers paused for a moment.

"This section is incredibly old! Some parts are even older than the Victorian-style renovations, and several of the decorative pieces are priceless!"

One of the site supervisors calmly replied,

"Yes, ma'am. We know they're valuable."

"But they stand in the way of our renovation project. We're following the approved construction plan."

Marina stared at the broken walls in disbelief.

"You can't just destroy history like this."

The supervisor sighed.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but these orders came from the company's management."

Marina wanted to argue.

She wanted to stop every single machine in front of her.

But...

What right did she have?

The hotel no longer belonged to her family.

She slowly clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms.

Gritting her teeth, she swallowed every word she wanted to say.

Silently, she stood there and watched another piece of her childhood disappear beneath the excavator's steel arm.

Marina's eyes suddenly fell upon the old trees standing beside the hotel.

A massive banyan tree spread its enormous branches across the courtyard, while her favorite orchid tree stood quietly beside it.

Both had been marked for removal.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Stop!"

She rushed toward the workers.

"Please... at least don't cut these trees!"

One of the workers lowered his chainsaw for a moment.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We have our orders."

"But these trees are even older than the hotel itself!" Marina exclaimed. "Do you know how important they are? There's an entire ecosystem living in them. Birds build their nests here, squirrels make their homes in the branches, insects, butterflies, bees, and countless tiny organisms depend on these trees to survive."

She took another step forward.

"You aren't just cutting down trees. You're destroying the home of hundreds of living creatures."

The workers looked at one another before the site supervisor spoke.

"We understand your concern, ma'am. But we can't stop the project. Please... move aside and let us do our work."

Marina stood frozen.

She had no authority to stop them.

Slowly, a worker started the chainsaw once again.

The loud roar echoed through the courtyard.

Marina watched helplessly as the machine moved closer and closer to the ancient banyan tree.

Tears gathered in her eyes.

She could do nothing except watch as the steel blade prepared to erase a piece of history... and the home of countless living creatures.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***