Richard let out a mocking snort. "Look at that, a bum with a smartphone. Probably stole it off a tourist."
The old man ignored Richard entirely. He dialed a speed-dial number and brought the phone to his ear. When the line connected, his voice was no longer weak; it was deep, crisp, and authoritative.
"This is Walter Madden," he spoke clearly into the receiver. "I need you to bring my corporate attorneys down to Le Bistro Royale right now. And bring the original trust and deed documents. We are amending the will."
Richard froze. The arrogant smirk on his face melted away into pure, suffocating panic. The color drained from his cheeks as his eyes darted from the tattered coat to the sharp, commanding eyes of the man sitting before him.
Walter Madden.
The reclusive real estate tycoon and multi-billionaire founder of Madden Hospitality Group—the parent company that owned the building, the land, and the entire luxury restaurant chain. Walter had disappeared from public view three months prior, rumors circulating that he was privately inspecting his assets before signing over his empire.