Chapter 4
Ryan only started to sense trouble two weeks after I left.
That day, I was at the new B&B site, keeping an eye on the renovation progress, when my phone buzzed.
It was a screenshot from Mark.
The screenshot showed a customer group chat, where Ryan had posted: [Hey everyone, we're upgrading the B&B right now, so there might be a few bumps. Thanks for your patience!]
The replies were all over the place.
[Upgrade? Then why was my reservation from last month canceled?]
[I can't get through to customer service. What kind of service is this?]
[Where's Ms. Lane? Why can't I reach her?]
Ryan was scrambling to reply to each message, but you could practically hear the panic creeping into his words.
Zooming in on the screenshot, I took a closer look and messaged Mark: [He's freaking out now.]
Mark fired back right away: [He had it coming.]
I put my phone away and went back to inspecting the renovation details.
The workers were installing the floor-to-ceiling windows, the huge glass panels gleaming in the sunlight, giving an unobstructed view of the ocean outside.
Standing by the window, I looked out at the distant horizon, feeling completely at peace inside.
That night, I got a text from an unknown number: [Serena, it's me, Ryan. Did you block me?]
I didn't bother replying, just deleted the message.
The next day, another text popped up: [Serena, the B&B's in trouble. Can you help me out? I know you're in Sunshore Island. Can we meet and talk?]
Still, I ignored him.
On the third day, his messages turned downright desperate: [Serena, I was wrong. Please don't ignore me. The B&B's about to go under—no bookings left. What did you do?]
I looked at his message, coldly typed back: [You had it coming.]
Then I blocked his number.
A few days later, Mark told me Ryan had hired a management team.
"He dropped some money on a supposedly elite crew, hoping they'd bring the bookings back," Mark said over the phone, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"And then?" I asked.
Mark chuckled, saying, "The team checked out the backend data and basically said there was nothing they could do. They were pretty blunt—all the core customers are gone, the online channels have been cut off, and unless he can win those customers back, it's game over."
I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling. "What did he say?"
"He totally freaked out and asked what they could do. The team told him the only way out was to find the person who used to run things—you," Mark replied.
I closed my eyes, picturing Ryan losing it.
That would be a sight to behold.
Mark suddenly said, "Oh, and one more thing. Sophia's parents went to check out the B&B."
"Huh?" I replied.
"Apparently, they didn't look pleased. They stood in the lobby for less than ten minutes before heading out. As they were leaving, Sophia's mom said, 'So this is the business you claimed pulls in millions every year?'"
I opened my eyes, a smile spreading across my face.
This show was getting more and more interesting.
That night, I was scrolling through my social media feed when I saw a post from Mark.
The picture was a render of Serenity Haven, with the caption: [Coming soon—stay tuned!]
The B&B in the photo looked like something out of a dream—natural wood exterior, crisp white curtains, lush greenery, and the deep blue ocean stretching out in the distance.
The comments section blew up.
[Mr. Carter, is this a new project?]
[This design is gorgeous! Who's the genius behind it?]
Some of my old customers chimed in: [Isn't this Ms. Lane's style? Oh my god, is she opening a new place?]
Mark replied to all the comments: [You got it—Serenity Haven, with Serena in charge. Grand opening in two weeks.]
Reading those comments, I felt a warm feeling in my chest.
These customers really believed in me.
Ryan was just a figurehead.
The next day, I got a call I never saw coming—it was Vincent.
"Serena, where are you?" His voice was tinged with anxiety.
"I'm in Sunshore Island," I answered truthfully.
"You're still in Sunshore Island?" Vincent sounded surprised, then his tone soured. "Why aren't you back at the inn? Ryan's in trouble and needs your help."
"I quit. The inn's not my responsibility anymore," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
"How can you be so thoughtless?" Vincent snapped, "Ryan's your cousin. If he's struggling and you, as his cousin, won't help—what kind of person does that make you?"
I clenched my phone, swallowing down the anger. "Uncle, you sure didn't say that when it was time to split the profits."
"That's not the same!" Vincent blurted, getting flustered, "Ryan needed the money for his wedding and a house. What does a girl like you need so much money for anyway?"
I laughed, cold and sharp.
"Uncle, I wanted that money because I deserved it. That was a year's worth of my blood, sweat, and tears—not some charity from you," I said, each word clear and firm.
"You—" Vincent choked on his words.
"If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up," I said, and ended the call without waiting for a reply.
My phone rang again almost instantly. I glanced at the screen, then just shut it off.
I didn't want to hear another word from any of them.
Every word from them just made my skin crawl.
In the days that followed, I poured all my energy into preparing Serenity Haven, completely focused on every detail.
The renovation moved fast—workers hustled day and night, and in less than a month, the whole inn was already taking shape.
Standing in the lobby, watching sunlight pour through the floor-to-ceiling windows and spill across the natural wood floors, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
This place—this was truly mine.
Mark walked over and gave my shoulder a pat. "Serena, you really are amazing."
"It's alright," I replied, keeping my tone light.
"Oh, and by the way, Ryan's already started dropping prices. From 250 dollars a night to 150, and now it's down to 100," Mark said.
I raised an eyebrow. "Still no bookings?"
"There are some, but they're just here for the cheap rates. The guests are all over the place. Just a couple of days ago, some drunk caused a scene in the lobby, someone filmed it and posted it online, and now the inn's reputation is totally trashed."
I didn't say anything, just smiled.
Cutting prices was the most desperate move there was.
Once you started down that road, there was no way back to the high-end market.
Ryan was destroying the inn's future with his own hands.
"He deserves it. After the way he treated you, this is just karma," Mark said.
I turned to look out the window, the sea breeze lifting the sheer curtains and bringing in the salty scent of the ocean.
I didn't feel any real satisfaction—just a sense that everything was unfolding exactly as I expected.
Karma never needed me to lift a finger.
Their insatiable greed would inevitably lead to their downfall.