"You sure you wanna eat here, boss?" Victor asked as he stepped closer, glancing up at the faded signage. His voice dropped into a skeptical murmur. "Doesn't exactly look too… five-star to me."
Rex didn't answer. He pushed open the door and stepped out of the car, letting the cool air wash over him. But the moment he crossed the threshold into the building, his steps inevitably slowed.
And he stopped.
The lobby had once been beautiful. That much was obvious, vaulted ceilings arched overhead, checker-patterned Italian marble gleamed underfoot, and enormous crystal chandeliers dangled like faded crowns. But now?
"It felt like walking into a painting left out in the rain — smeared, faded, forgotten."
