CH154

A taxi pulled up in front of the Fairmont San Francisco, a grand hotel perched atop Nob Hill, offering breathtaking views of the vast Pacific Ocean and the beautiful San Francisco cityscape.

As soon as the car came to a stop, the door swung open, and three young men stepped out.

Among them, the one who had been sitting in the front passenger seat looked familiar—it was Roy, who had once shared a dorm room with Seok-won at Harvard.

The seven-story hotel, built from white granite, stood with an air of elegance and timeless grandeur.

Even from a glance, the presence of doormen in neatly pressed uniforms, standing beneath the shade of a canopy designed to shield guests from the blazing sun, made it clear—this was a luxury hotel of the highest caliber.

As he gazed up at the grand building, Mamata Banerjee, a South Asian man with oval-shaped features and glasses, turned to Roy and asked casually,

"So, your friend is staying here?"

"Yeah."

Hearing that, Frank, a slightly chubby man with light brown hair, hesitated, looking uneasy.

"This place is ridiculously expensive... Are guys like us even allowed in?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"Didn't you say this guy was just your dorm mate from Harvard?"

"Yeah. But he's got a lot of money."

Roy shrugged.

"So, he comes from a rich family?"

"Well, that's true. But the thing is, he's got a knack for making money—so much so that he's become insanely rich without any help from his family. Just recently, he hit the jackpot and made an absolute fortune."

"What kind of jackpot? Did he win the Powerball or something?"

Frank, whose personality was simple and straightforward, asked with genuine curiosity.

Banerjee, though silent, clearly shared the same intrigue.

"You guys know about Netscape, right? The company that just went public on Nasdaq?"

Both men immediately nodded.

"Of course."

"Who doesn't? It's the hottest company in Silicon Valley right now."

In fact, aside from Wall Street, no place was more excited about Netscape's meteoric rise than Silicon Valley itself—the beating heart of the global tech industry and a cradle of innovation.

A young startup, not even two years old, had gone public on Nasdaq and seen its stock price skyrocket overnight, turning its founder—barely in his late twenties—into a billionaire.

For every tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, this was the dream, a success story powerful enough to set hearts racing with ambition.

Even Roy, despite knowing the story firsthand, still found it hard to believe that his own friends were at the center of this phenomenon.

"You guys remember that Tom Harper, the guy who founded Netscape, is my friend, right?"

"Of course."

"Obviously."

They had heard this story countless times even before the IPO, so they now gave Roy a look that said, 'Why are you even asking?'

"Well, the guy we're meeting today—the one staying at this hotel—he's the one who gave Tom his seed investment when he was starting Netscape."

"What?!"

"Are you serious?!"

Hearing something so completely unexpected, Banerjee and Frank widened their eyes in shock.

"Why would I lie to you?" Roy said with a shrug.

"No, but seriously—this is the kind of thing you should've told us sooner! Why are we only hearing about it now?"

"Well, you never asked."

Roy's completely unapologetic expression left the two of them speechless.

As nosy and talkative as Roy was, he had never been one to brag about his friends.

In fact, he had been reluctant to mention Seok-won or Tom, now both well-known figures, out of concern that doing so might somehow harm them.

The only reason Tom Harper's name even came up was that their startup itself revolved around web browsers, just like Netscape. Otherwise, Roy might have kept quiet about it indefinitely.

"Then he must've made a fortune from the IPO!"

Frank's eyes practically sparkled at the thought, and Banerjee's expression brightened as well.

Seeing their reactions, Roy firmed his tone and said seriously,

"Yeah, he's rich. But that doesn't mean he throws money around. And just so you know, I'm not planning to use our friendship as a shortcut to funding."

"Who said anything about that?"

Banerjee adjusted his glasses and muttered in protest.

"Exactly. If he genuinely likes our idea, great—but I don't want an investment just because we're friends."

Frank, resting his thick arms on his waist, chimed in.

Though their startup was full of ambition, the development costs were turning out to be far higher than expected, putting them in a tight financial spot.

They could have subtly pressured Roy to get the investment by any means necessary, yet they didn't.

That made Roy appreciate them even more.

"We're gonna be late. Let's go."

Roy checked his watch and started walking toward the entrance.

"Yeah."

"Man, I've never set foot in a place like this before... Wow... I'm kinda nervous."

As they passed through the revolving doors, the three stepped into a grand lobby where Italian marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers.

The atmosphere exuded sophistication and prestige.

A subtle yet pleasant fragrance lingered in the air, and gentle classical music played in the background, making them instinctively straighten their clothes.

Roy felt relieved that they had at least dressed properly—if they'd shown up in their usual jeans and T-shirts, they might have died of embarrassment.

Feeling somewhat out of place, they cautiously approached the hotel front desk, where a well-groomed male receptionist in a crisp suit greeted them with a polite smile.

"How may I assist you?"

Frank and Banerjee immediately turned their heads toward Roy.

Both of them were tech experts, but they had never stepped foot in such an upscale establishment before and had no clue how to handle the situation.

"Ahem."

Clearing his throat, Roy forced himself to sound as natural as possible.

"We're here to see Park Seok-won, who's staying in the penthouse. Could you contact him for us?"

For a split second, the receptionist's expression subtly changed as he gave them a once-over.

All three of them were young, and while they were wearing suits, something about their demeanor felt awkward and out of place.

They looked nothing like the kind of distinguished guests who would be staying in a penthouse suite that cost tens of thousands of dollars per night.

For a brief moment, a flicker of suspicion crossed the employee's eyes, but a first-class hotel staff member would never let such thoughts show.

"May I ask for your name, sir?"

The receptionist's voice was even more polite than before, as if making a conscious effort.

Roy quickly responded.

"Just tell him it's Roy. He'll know."

At that, the receptionist recalled a pre-written memo and immediately brightened.

"Ah! Would you happen to be Mr. Roy Morton?"

"That's me."

"Mr. Park left instructions to escort you directly to the penthouse upon your arrival."

"Oh, really?"

Relieved, Roy's nervous expression melted into a broad grin.

He turned to his friends and smugly said,

"See? Told you there was nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Ugh…"

Both Banerjee and Frank resisted the urge to smack the back of his head, but given the setting, they begrudgingly held back.

"Right this way, gentlemen."

The receptionist stepped out from behind the front desk and led them forward.

As soon as they stepped off the elevator at the top floor, a spacious hallway stretched out before them, its floor covered in plush, thick carpeting.

Unlike the lower floors, which had rows of guest rooms on either side, this level exuded exclusivity.

An antique console table stood against the wall, topped with a vase overflowing with soft pink roses, and framed landscape paintings adorned the walls.

There was only one door in sight—the entrance to the penthouse.

The double doors, designed to open wide on either side, were elegant and imposing, radiating pure opulence.

"Here we are."

The receptionist pressed the doorbell, mounted discreetly on the wall.

A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a towering Black man with a powerful build.

It was Baucus, the bodyguard.

His sharp gaze swept over the hotel staff, then landed on the three visitors behind him.

"State your business."

His deep, commanding voice sent a slight chill through the air.

"Mr. Roy Morton has arrived, as expected."

Baucus's piercing stare flicked back to Roy and his friends, assessing them once more before finally stepping aside.

"Go in."

As the hotel employee also moved aside, the three of them hesitantly shuffled into the penthouse, their postures stiff with tension.

The moment they stepped inside, the first thing that caught their eyes was the breathtaking panoramic view framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Beyond the glass stretched the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, with the city skyline spilling across the hills below like a glowing tapestry.

The penthouse itself was massive, easily over 3,500 square feet.

A dazzling crystal chandelier hung from the towering ceiling, its light shimmering across the expensive leather sofas and ornate antique furniture.

"Boss, your guests have arrived."

Baucus spoke as he followed them inside.

Seated comfortably on one of the grand sofas in the center of the vast living area, Seok-won lifted his gaze from the documents he'd been reading.

Dressed casually in well-fitted slacks and a button-down shirt, he looked up to greet them.

"Roy! You made it."

Spotting Roy standing with his friends, Seok-won's face lit up with genuine warmth as he rose to greet them.

Walking over with a smile, he extended his hand first.

"It's been way too long."

"Yeah, it really has."

Even though Seok-won had become a billionaire after Netscape's IPO, he still treated Roy exactly the same as before.

Roy felt a quiet sense of relief and gratitude at that.

Of course, he had already known that Seok-won was insanely rich, but since he hadn't seen it firsthand, he was still grateful that nothing had changed between them.

"I guess I haven't been keeping in touch much, huh?"

"At least you know it."

Seok-won's gaze shifted toward the two men standing stiffly behind Roy.

"Are these the guys you're going into business with?"

"Yeah. The bigger guy here is Frank, and this one's Banerjee."

At Roy's introduction, both of them awkwardly stepped forward, looking slightly nervous as they gave their names.

"Mamata Banerjee. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Frank."

Without hesitation, Seok-won reached out and shook their hands, his manner open and easygoing.

"Nice to meet you both. As you probably heard, I'm Park Seok-won. Roy and I were college roommates back in the day."

Despite knowing how wealthy he was, Seok-won's humble, down-to-earth attitude made Frank and Banerjee gradually relax.

Their nervous expressions softened, replaced by genuine friendliness.

"We're all about the same age, and any friend of Roy's is a friend of mine. No need to be so formal—just talk casually."

"But… we just met…"

Frank, the more reserved of the two, hesitated.

Roy, growing impatient, cut in bluntly.

"Just go with it. Seok-won literally just said it's fine."

"O-Okay… I guess?"

"Ahem. I'll… give it a shot."

Frank and Banerjee still sounded a little stiff, but they were trying to shake off the awkwardness.

"Alright, introductions are done. Let's sit and talk."

With a friendly smile, Seok-won gestured toward the living room sofas.

Instead of taking the prime seat, he deliberately chose the spot on the right, with the cityscape visible behind him through the massive glass windows.

As they settled in, he looked over at them and asked,

"Want something to drink?"

"An iced coffee for me."

Roy answered immediately.

Frank and Banerjee, on the other hand, froze, unsure of what to say.

"Pretty much anything you want is here—Coke, juice… or maybe a light cocktail or beer?"

"U-uh, we'll just have the same as Roy."

"Yeah, coffee works."

At that, Seok-won turned to Baucus, who had been standing silently nearby like a shadow.

"Four iced coffees, please."

"Understood, boss."

Baucus strode over to the penthouse minibar and began preparing the drinks with practiced ease.

Roy and his friends, who had fully expected room service to handle it, stared at Baucus in wide-eyed surprise as he effortlessly brewed the coffee.

"Whoa…"

"Why is he so good at that?"

Watching his almost barista-level skill, Roy and his friends couldn't help but be impressed.

Seok-won chuckled.

"He's my bodyguard, but he's got a surprising number of talents."

Crossing one leg over the other, Seok-won turned back to Roy and asked,

"I don't think I saw them at school. You met in Silicon Valley?"

"Yeah. They both graduated from Stanford."

Roy, now noticeably more at ease, nodded.

Stanford University, a prestigious private institution in California, was often considered on par with Harvard in terms of academic excellence.

Being located so close to Silicon Valley, it had produced countless founders of famous IT companies, earning its reputation as a breeding ground for startups.

'Come to think of it, the founders of Yahoo and Google were Stanford alumni too.'

Just then, Baucus returned, placing four iced Americanos on the table before quietly stepping away.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Seok-won turned back to Roy.

"You said you had something to show me?"

"Yeah."

Roy pulled out his laptop, which he had been carrying under his arm, and powered it on.

Compared to the sleek, high-performance models of the future, this laptop was shockingly bulky and heavy.

With only 8MB–16MB of RAM and a mere 1GB hard drive, its performance was laughable.

Honestly, it was less of a laptop and more of a blunt weapon—perfect for clubbing someone over the head.

Weighing at least 3kg, this wasn't just an exaggeration.

Still, at the time, this was considered cutting-edge technology—an expensive, high-end device.

After a painfully long boot-up process, Roy finally turned the laptop screen toward Seok-won, his expression serious.

"This is the internet service we built. Take a look."

Seok-won casually pulled the laptop closer—but the moment he saw the screen, his eyes widened in shock.

Wait… this is Hotmail! Why the hell does Roy have this?!'

TL/n -

Hotmail was one of the first web-based email services, pioneering free email access for users worldwide. Here's a brief history of its journey:

Founding & Early Days (1996-1997)

Hotmail was founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith in 1996 as HoTMaiL, with the capital letters highlighting "HTML" (the language used to create web pages).

It offered users the ability to access their email from any computer with an internet connection, unlike traditional email services tied to ISPs

Launched on July 4, 1996, as a symbol of "freedom" from ISP-based email.