Zack had beaten him to it.
Ethan sighed, pulling his Porsche into an empty spot. He turned off the ignition, stepped out of the car, and adjusted his tie. His shoes clacked against the pavent as he straightened his silver tuxedo.
The staff was already hard at work.
A few maids were sweeping the drive-through with large brooms, their movents swift and thodical.
Inside, more workers could be seen, adjusting table placents, wiping down glass surfaces, ensuring everything was spotless.
He took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp morning air mixed with the faint scent of fresh flowers from the entrance garden.
This was his mont.
Stepping through the glass doors, the cool, luxurious interior of ATLAS greeted him.
The marble floors glead under the soft overhead lighting, and the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling sparkled as the light hit it just right.
Zack was standing near the main lobby, scrolling through his phone, but he looked up the mont Ethan entered.
Their eyes t, and Zack grinned.
"Thought you were gonna oversleep," Zack said, tucking his phone into his pocket.
Ethan scoffed, shaking his head as they clasped hands in a firm handshake. "You're one to talk. You look like you haven't slept in a week."
Zack chuckled. "I haven't. Not really."
Ethan took a good look at his business partner. The man was dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit, sharp and commanding, but the exhaustion in his eyes was unmistakable.
They were both running on fus, but that was the price of success.
"Any updates?" Ethan asked.
Zack ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "Everything's in motion. The VIP guests start arriving in about four hours, so we still have so breathing room. Catering is on schedule, security is tight, and the entertainnt teams are doing their final checks."
Ethan nodded. "Good. And the dia?"
"They're set up outside. Caras will start rolling once the first wave of guests arrive."
Ethan took a mont to absorb the information. Everything was moving according to plan. ATLAS wasn't just any resort — it was designed to be the resort, an experience so exclusive that only the elite could even dream of stepping foot inside.
Zack studied Ethan for a mont. "You nervous?"
Ethan smirked. "Not even a little."
Zack raised a brow, unconvinced. "Bullshit."
Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. Maybe just a little. But that's a good thing. It ans this actually matters."
Zack nodded in agreent. "Damn right it does."
They stood there for a mont, letting the reality sink in. They had built this. From the ground up.
This wasn't just business anymore. It was legacy.
Ethan exhaled deeply, straightening his tie one last ti. "Alright then. Let's get to work."
Zack grinned. "Let's do this."
#####
The sun had barely begun its ascent when the first wave of guests arrived at ATLAS.
These weren't the VIPs — no billionaires, no influencers, no high-ranking officials. Just regular guests who had paid for the standard package.
Even so, their excitent was palpable.
Ethan stood by the massive glass doors, holding them open as the group entered.
There were about ten of them, a mix of n and won, dressed in casual yet stylish attire, their eyes widening as they took in the sheer opulence of the resort's entrance hall.
The young won in the group were the first to react when they laid eyes on Ethan.
A few of them exchanged excited glances. Then, almost in unison, they started giggling.
Ethan suppressed a cringe. He was used to attention, but this — this was the kind that made his skin crawl.
Still, he maintained a warm, professional smile.
"Make yourselves at ho," he said smoothly, gesturing toward the grand lobby.
The group nodded eagerly, stepping further inside, but their hushed whispers weren't lost on him.
"He's so handso!" one of them muttered.
"We saw him on that video, right? He's Ethan," another one whispered.
"He's even more hotter in person!"
Ethan exhaled silently, forcing himself to stay composed.
By now, the entry process was running like a well-oiled machine.
The security guards stationed at the gates were thorough, scanning each ticket to ensure authenticity The tickets were virtual after all and sent to the custor's email.
The machine that the guard used to verify the tickets had been preloaded with copies of the virtual tickets of everyone coming, so there was no chance to forge.
And so far, there hadn't been any problems.
Well… until now.
A sudden tug at his wrist yanked him away from the door.
Ethan blinked in surprise as he was pulled to the side.
lissa.
Her grip was firm, her nails digging slightly into his skin as she dragged him away from the entrance.
"Co on," she said, not even sparing him a glance.
Ethan sighed but didn't resist. He quickly signaled for a nearby butler to take over at the door before allowing lissa to lead him deeper into the resort.
"What now?" he asked, keeping his voice even.
lissa finally stopped once they reached the main VIP lounge, a private space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the infinity pool.
She turned to face him, arms crossed.
"Why are you standing at the front like so doorman?" she demanded.
Ethan chuckled. "Because soone has to welco the guests."
"That's what the staff is for," she said, exasperated. "You're the owner of ATLAS, Ethan. You don't need to be doing entry-level hospitality work."
Ethan leaned against one of the nearby tables, watching her with amusent.
"Maybe I like being hands-on," he said with a shrug.
lissa rolled her eyes. "It's a waste of your ti."
Ethan didn't argue. Instead, he glanced out the massive windows, watching as more guests trickled into the resort grounds.
"Was that all?" he asked after a mont.
lissa scoffed. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Ethan smirked. "I've been told."
She sighed but didn't push the matter further. Instead, she took a step closer, tilting her head slightly.
"You nervous?" she asked.
Ethan thought about it for a second.
"Nah," he said eventually. "Just… restless."
lissa nodded like she understood.
"I get it," she said. "Today's a big day. But you should take it easy. You've already done everything you could."
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