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The idea was so absurd. I had to laugh. I collected myself.
“No, I have not been poached by Wolf Corp. I haven’t been touched by anyone. Except maybe my own ambition.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
I sighed. I was just going to have to rip the Band-Aid off and tell him.
“I’ve helped the family organize a fundraising campaign to save the hotel and keep it in the family. This way, they don’t have to sell to Greta Wolf or the Wilshire Group or anyone.”
For a moment, the silence was so heavy I thought the line had gone dead.
“You and I are going to have a very long discussion when you get back.”
I’d been a little queasy as I hung up the phone, knowing I’d probably lost my job. But now, as I stared out at the ballroom packed with local business owners, media, and investors, I couldn’t remember if I even cared.
With the resources mobilized, we crafted hundreds of personalized invitations to local movers and shakers—a siren's call to high-profile influencers, renowned travel bloggers, and international journalists.
We promised them more than just a party—it was a chance to save a piece of history.
Ondrej was wide-eyed as he looked around at the hundreds of people gathered in the ballroom.
“I don’t know what to say. How did you do this? And so quickly?”
I laughed. “I know some people that are very good at buzz.”
“Buzz,” he said, drawing out the word like a bee. “You’ve accomplished something that I don’t think all three of us put together would’ve even thought of.”
I sighed and eyed what was, I suppose, my handiwork. “Honestly, I didn’t think I really had it in me either. But honestly, I was only able to do this because of what this hotel is. What it stands for. This is your triumph as much as mine. I just hope it’s enough.”
Ondrej nodded slowly. “I do, too.”
Just then, Dominika rushed over, her face more alive than I had seen it in the past few weeks.
“Everyone wants you to say something, Ondrej,” she said in a hurry.
“Say something? Like what?”
She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know! Say something about the hotel. Thank people for being here. Convince them to give us more money.”
Ondrej’s face flooded with nerves. Before I could think twice, I slipped my hand in his. I looked up at him. “Come on. I’ll help you. We’ll do it together.”
Hand-in-hand, we walked toward the front of the ballroom. Ondrej cleared his throat and took the microphone from Dominika.
“Well, I’ve been tasked with making an announcement. I’ll try not to embarrass myself or anyone else,” he said. The crowd laughed lightly. “Thank you all for being here. I know you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t share and understand the magic of this hotel as much as I do. As most of you probably know—and if you don’t know, I’m about to be very honest—we almost lost her. Only a matter of days ago, we were prepared to sell the Novák hotel to an investment firm. It’s not an easy business running a hotel, especially one as old and beautiful as this one. And we didn’t know which way to turn. Until a little unexpected Christmas magic fell upon us.” He turned toward me. “Sienna here came in with this brilliant idea that hey, maybe the community shares our love for this place. Maybe there is a way to keep her alive. And here we are. Here we are to celebrate the magic that is the Novák Hotel. To have another Christmas inside her walls.”
Berco rushed over then, running up to the stage where we stood. He beckoned Ondrej closer. Ondrej leaned in, and Berco whispered something that made Ondrej’s face light up. He turned to me with utter joy in his expression. He raised the microphone to his lips again.
“And I just heard the news that our donations and investments have more than surpassed what we need to keep the Novák open. To make the necessary repairs and keep her part of Prague’s proud family history."
The room erupted into a chorus of applause.
ChapterThirty-Five
“I remember your parents well,” the gentleman began, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “Your mother and father—they had a way of making every guest feel like they were the most important person in the world. I recall one evening in particular…”
Ondrej listened, his heart heavy with memories, as the man recounted a night years ago. He spoke of a spontaneous gathering in the Novák Hotel’s bar, an impromptu celebration that had brought together a diverse mix of guests, from weary travelers to local celebrities.
“Your mother was behind the bar that night,” the man said with a nostalgic smile. “She was mixing drinks, telling stories, her laughter infectious. And your father, he was right there with her, charming everyone with his anecdotes. They were a team, a force of warmth and hospitality.”
