Rise Of The Disgraced Heir

"Mr. Reyes! Mr. Reyes!" Ian  could hear as the journalists called out to the CEO. 

Emilio Reyes stood tall as he kept his eyes forward trained on the door as he walked ahead of everyone.

The CEO was known to rarely answer questions from the media, that's why he had an entire public relations department and Marco.

"Mr. Reyes, why have you called for this town hall? We were informed that something important was going to be announced today?" Some of the reporters shouted as they tried to get their voices heard above the noise of the crowd.

"Mr. Reyes, give us an answer." Some pleaded.

Ian guessed that these reporters knew that Emilio Reyes would not answer their questions, but there was still no harm in trying.

The CEO and his assistant, Marco So, seemed to be used to these kinds of events. Bodyguards cleared a path for them while also keeping the reporters at arm's length. 

"Mr. So, Assistant So! Will you give us a statement?" The others asked as they tried their luck with Marco. The assistant was often much more willing to give a statement on behalf of his boss or the company.

Emilio Reyes suddenly stopped in the middle of the red carpet that led to the hotel entrance, prompting the entire entourage to stop as well. 

He waved over for Marco to come over, which the assistant did without delay.

Ian could see as Marco nodded while he listened to Emilio Reyes' instructions. After a few seconds Marco left the CEO's side as the man walked into the hotel with several bodyguards.

Marco had gestured for everyone to stay put as the CEO walked in ahead. 

When he was finally inside, Marco turned to face one group of reporters.

"I have a statement from the CEO." He announced.

The crowd suddenly stopped talking and the only sounds that could be heard were those of notebooks being opened and cameras clicking as photographers took photos of Marco and his group.

Clearly it had not gone unnoticed to them that there were two new additions, and whenever there were new people added to the CEO's entourage it often was big news. 

"Today's townhall is of great importance to the future of the Reyes Group as well as towards the direction the company is headed." Marco announced. The reporters were quick to jot down his words, making sure that they captured everything that he said.

"There will be a few announcements, the media will get a copy of what was said in the townhall from the public relations department of the Reyes Group." Marco informed them. "For now, all we ask is for everyone to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and please do not disrupt the operations of the hotel. Thank you."

With his final words, Marco turned back to face the doors and led the group into the hotel, following after the CEO.

The interior of Maharlika Hotel was the grandest in the capital. It's ceiling had an elegant mural and the walls and floor were made of marble and granite. 

All around the lobby, the fixtures were either gold or silver with some precious gems embedded in them.

Ian couldn't help but sigh at the sight. He had actually grown up visiting this place often.

He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and recalled a distant memory.

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Eleven Years Ago

Ian Ages 13

"Ian Lim, what did I tell you about running around the lobby?" Ian's mother, Constance Lim, scolded as she caught her son by the wrist as his sisters, Samantha and Karina, zoomed past them.

To Ian's surprise his sisters suddenly stopped and turned back to give their older brother a confused look.

"But mom, it's fun." Ian complained.

"You are thirteen, stop acting like a child. Plus you might break something. Do you think you can afford to pay for that vase?" Constance asked her son.

Ian took a good look at the vase that was delicately placed at the center of a table. It looked old and was not Ian's taste, it was shiny though so it might have been something that the adults liked. 

"I have my allowance." Ian confidently answered.

"That costs way more than your allowance, Ian." His mother said in an amused tone. "To pay for that we would have to leave you here to wash the dishes and clean the rooms. Do you want that?" She asked her son.

"It can't cost that much mom." Ian grumbled. "It looks older than grandpa and he is very old."

"Who called me old?!" Ian's grandfather asked as he appeared behind his daughter-in-law.

"Your grandson thinks that vase is cheap." Constance Lim explained.

"Ian, you need to learn that the value of things aren't always based on what you see on the surface." His grandfather said as  the man in his sixties crouched down and looked his grandson in the eyes.

Seeing that her father-in-law was dealing with her son, Constance Lim moved her attention to her two daughters who had found their way to their usual table, with their maids watching over them. 

"What do you mean, grandpa?" Ian asked.

"Sometimes things are more important than what they look like. Take that vase for example, it looks old and worn out, right?" He asked Ian.

The young boy simply nodded in response as he looked at the vase that his grandfather had pointed at. 

"But that vase is the most expensive one in this room, because it is old and because of the stories it can tell." His grandfather explained as Ian turned to look at the vaise once more.

"What stories?" Ian asked.

"Well, that vase traveled from China with a group of poor farmers who were seeking a better life." His grandfather said as Ian took a step closer to the vase.

"What happened to the farmers?" Ian tilted his head to the side as he studied the paintings on the vase as well as the shape of it.

"When they landed in the country they discovered that they might have a different calling aside from being farmers. They soon moved to become landowners, slowly developing the land they arrived in." His grandfather said as Ian noticed that the painting on the white vase was that of a small town.

"Who were they grandpa? Why do you know about them?" Ian asked as he gave his grandfather a curious look.

The old man smiled and shook his head.

"That vase is on loan to the hotel from our family." The old man said with a chuckle. "The story I told you is the story of our family." He said as he shook his head.

"That's amazing grandpa!" Ian said as he continued to observe the vase. 

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Present day

Ian smiled they passed the same white vase with blue paintings on it. Even when they lost everything his grandfather refused to take the vase back and sell it.

He told Ian that it was a symbol of their past, a reminder of no matter how bad things get, they could always reinvent themselves for the better.

These words stuck with Ian, giving him hope and reminding him that all was not lost and that he could always bring his family's legacy back.