10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

Chapter 76 Confidence, Not Delusion



76  Confidence, Not Delusion

With the meeting I'd had, I've gotten to know Elsa a little more.

If I use romance, I'll probably never be able to have anything romantic with Elsa. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a way. There was and I had it.

Competence.

I just needed to display ultra-competence and I'm halfway there.

After my meeting with Elsa, I drove down to Cafe De La Paix. I'd be meeting Matt there.

The moment I walked through the doors of the establishment, I was greeted by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

I made my way to a table near the window, slipping off my jacket and draping it over the back of my chair. It didn't take me too long to order an espresso and I leaned back, taking in the view of the street.

I could see that the cafe was busier than usual, with large groups of patrons sitting around tables or working quietly on their laptops.

Was the cafe quickly becoming a hotspot? Did someone point out the establishment on social media? n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

If it became too rowdy, the former patrons will probably have to find somewhere else. The rich do love their exclusivity.

Even I do. This place had slowly become my haven. My resting place away from the financial battles I fought daily. But today, as I stirred a packet of sugar into my coffee, my peace was shattered.

"Fancy seeing you here, Voss."

That smug, irritating voice. I didn't even need to look up to know who it was.

"Wang." I greeted him without enthusiasm, lifting my espresso to my lips.

He sauntered over to my table, his usual air of superiority trailing behind him. Just by looking at him, one could tell that he was the kind of person who thought the world revolved around him. His smartly made designer suit and the smirk on his face didn't help.

"Didn't expect to see you here." He said, his tone dripping with condescension. I guess he was yet to learn his lesson. "I thought you'd be holed up somewhere, trying to salvage whatever scraps of credibility you have left."

I smiled faintly, placing my cup down. "I could say the same about you. Shouldn't you be at home, perfecting your AI to make up for its lack of originality? How's Walk Shop doing by the way? I heard the news."

Wang's smirk faded for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. He pulled out the chair across from me without an invitation and sat down. Typical Wang.

"I heard you're competing with me for the deal at Eidolon." He said, leaning forward slightly. "I don't know why you're setting yourself up for failure. My AI is leagues ahead of anything your Sunset Inn could dream of implementing. Everybody knows that."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Confidence suits you, Wang, but delusion? Not so much."

I could see the exact moment irritation slipped into his face. He tried to hide it but he was never one for secrets. If the gritted teeth and clenched jaw didn't give it away, the frown and restless hands would have.

"You think you're some hotshot, don't you?" he sneered. "With your boutique hotel and your overinflated ego."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "At least I'm not riding the coattails of someone else's success. I heard you fired the dude who came up with the idea for your AI. I definitely should hire him. But remind me again. How many of your ideas were original? Oh, right, none."

Wang's face darkened. "Say what you want but in the end, it's results that matter. And when Eidolon chooses Walk Shop, you'll see just how out of your depth you are."

I laughed, a low, deliberate sound that I specially crafted to fuel his anger. Maybe he'll finally stomp off and leave me alone. Well, let me try seeing if I could drag him into my niche and beat him there.

"You really think this is just about AI, don't you?" I asked nonchalantly. The key here was to make him pivot away from his strengths. "You're so caught up in your little tech bubble that you've forgotten the essence of what we're competing for."

"And what's that?" He asked, smirking like he had all the answers to questions that didn't even exist yet.

"People." I said like the answers he had were incorrect. "Everything is not just about business. It's about building an unforgettable experience which we've done at Sunset Inn. You're trying to win a battle with numbers, Wang, but I'm playing the long game."

"Relationships, trust, authenticity. That's what Eidolon is looking for. Not some soulless tech gimmick."

Wang stared at me, his mouth opening and closing as he searched for a retort. Before he could speak, the waiter arrived with my second espresso. I picked it up, savoring the first sip.

"You talk a big game, Voss." He finally said, his voice low, like he was trying to act dangerous. "But we both know you're nothing without your connections. How long do you think you can keep playing pretend before everyone sees through you?"

I smiled at him over the rim of my cup. "Long enough to beat you."

Wang stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "We'll see who's laughing when Eidolon announces their decision."

He turned and stormed off, leaving me with a sense of satisfaction sitting with the coffee in my gut. There was something deeply gratifying about getting under Wang's skin.

If he was also rattled by my words and tried to pivot into creating experiences with his AI, that's even better.

I watched him leave and as he passed through the door, Matt walked in, his usual easygoing grin in place. He spotted me and made his way over, taking the seat Wang had vacated.

"Did I just miss something?" He asked, glancing toward the door.

"Nothing important." I said, waving it off. "Just a little spat with Wang."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "You mean the guy you're competing with for the Eidolon deal?"

"Yeah, that Wang." I grinned. "He's convinced he's already won."

Matt leaned back, folding his arms. "And you're not?"

"Oh, I've already won." I said confidently. "He just doesn't know it yet."

 

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.