The Mondiego Empire was making headlines once again, this time for an exclusive celebration at their newly opened luxury hotel and restaurant in Southbay City. Invitations had been sent to the most influential names in business, politics, and entertainment, each embossed with the words: "Mondiego Empire: The Big Reveal."
Speculation ran wild. What was this reveal? A new venture? A partnership? Or something more personal?
Despite the ongoing search for Angel, both Hunter and the Foster family pressed forward. Angel’s absence was a heavy weight on Hunter’s chest, but he knew he couldn’t pause his plans. The Mondiego Empire had set its sights on Southbay City, and this night would be the first step in asserting their dominance.
Kian stood in his office, flipping through reports when his secretary entered. “Sir, all arrangements for the event are complete. The press is eager for any details about the reveal.”
Kian smirked. “Let them wonder.”
Meanwhile, Hunter, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, adjusted his cufflinks. He had returned, and tonight was more than a business event—it was his statement to the world. He would no longer be seen as the orphan who barely survived Southbay’s cruelties. He was Hunter Mondiego, and this city would know his name.
Before he became Hunter Mondiego, he was known as Hunter Reeves—the orphan who defied the odds. Despite the hardships he faced, he excelled in his studies, earning an academic scholarship to Southbay Private University. He pursued medicine with unwavering determination, proving his brilliance in the field. Even when the world turned against him, sending him to prison for a crime he did not commit, he never let go of his dream.
During his incarceration, he studied every medical book he could get his hands on, determined not to fall behind. It was his knowledge and determination that earned him the respect of fellow inmates and even some of the prison doctors. His hands, once bound by injustice, were meant to heal. And he vowed that he would fulfill that destiny no matter what it took.
After his release, DNA tests confirmed that he was the son of a powerful businessman from Central Island. Kian James Mondiego, his newly discovered half-brother, ensured his place in the family and reinstated his path to success. Hunter not only resumed his medical studies but also delved into business, preparing himself for the responsibilities that came with being a Mondiego.
With his academic brilliance and newfound influence, he quickly became one of the most promising young doctors in the city. But he was no longer just a doctor—he was an heir to an empire, and tonight, he would make his mark.
The night of the event arrived, and the city’s elite gathered at the Mondiego Grand Hotel. The venue shimmered with extravagance, chandeliers casting golden light over the guests. The media swarmed, eager to uncover the mystery behind the invitation.
The air buzzed with curiosity and anticipation. The Mondiego name was already synonymous with power, but no one knew what tonight’s revelation would entail.
Then, as the clock struck eight, Kian took the stage, microphone in hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future of the Mondiego Empire,” he announced. “Tonight, we not only celebrate this new chapter in our business but also introduce the man who will lead our expansion into Southbay City.”
The room hushed.
Kian turned toward the grand entrance as the doors swung open.
“Please welcome… the new owner of the Mondiego Empire Hotel and Restaurant, Dr. Hunter Mondiego.”
Gasps filled the hall as Hunter stepped forward, confidence radiating from him. He had been wrongfully imprisoned, stripped of his future. But now, he was back, stronger than ever, standing before the most powerful figures of Southbay as their equal—and soon, their superior.
Celeste, standing nearby, offered a proud smile. As the acting OIC-CEO, she had overseen the hotel's launch, but Hunter’s presence solidified the Mondiego family's grip on the city.
Hunter took the microphone. He let the silence stretch for a moment, scanning the room filled with faces both familiar and foreign. Some of them had ignored him when he was nothing. Others had actively tried to destroy him. Now, they had no choice but to listen.
“It is an honor to return to the place that once sought to bury me,” he said, his voice steady, firm. “Many of you may know my story, or at least, the version that was fed to the public. But let me clarify something—Hunter Reeves may have been forgotten, but Hunter Mondiego is here to stay.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The weight of his words was not lost on them.
He continued, “I stand before you not just as a businessman, but as a doctor—a man who has dedicated his life to healing. But healing isn’t just about medicine. Sometimes, it’s about rebuilding what was broken. And that is exactly what I intend to do, both for myself and for this city.”
Applause erupted, cameras flashed, and murmurs of speculation buzzed through the crowd.
Hunter stepped down from the stage, moving through the crowd with a commanding presence. Business magnates, politicians, and media representatives approached him, eager to shake hands with the man who had returned from the ashes.
The event wasn’t just a success—it was a turning point. The Mondiego Empire had made its move, and Southbay City would never be the same again.