Chapter 4: Forty-Seven Complaints
Victoria Whitmore stared at the list in Daniel Carter's hand.
Forty-seven complaints.
Forty-seven separate incidents involving her mother.
And every single one had been filed by someone who had trusted the Grand Windsor Hotel enough to spend thousands of dollars there.
"Mr. Carter," Victoria began carefully, "I'm sure there's an explanation for these reports.""
Daniel placed the folder on the reception desk.
"Then explain them.""
Victoria opened it.
The first complaint described an elderly couple who had been forced to leave the hotel's restaurant because Eleanor claimed their clothing was inappropriate.
The second involved a businessman whose reservation had mysteriously disappeared after he refused to give Eleanor his table.
The third described a pregnant woman who had been told she was making the lobby look unpleasant because she was sitting on the floor while waiting for her husband.
Victoria turned another page.
Her fingers began trembling.
"These can't all be accurate.""
Emily, sitting nearby with her newborn daughter, finally spoke.
"Why not?""
Victoria looked at her.
"Excuse me?""
"Why is it so difficult to believe that your mother treats people badly?""
Eleanor immediately stepped forward.
"That's enough, young lady. You have no idea what you're talking about.""
Emily adjusted her daughter's blanket.
"I know what happened to me.""
"You misunderstood my intentions.""
"You shoved me.""
"I was trying to get you to move.""
"While I was holding a newborn?""
Eleanor's lips tightened.
Victoria closed the folder.
"Mother, please. Let me handle this.""
Eleanor looked offended.
"Handle what? Your father is threatening to ruin the hotel because one woman couldn't follow basic instructions.""
Daniel raised his eyes.
"One woman?""
He pointed toward the monitor.
"That woman paid for a presidential suite. She was carrying your granddaughter's daughter—"
He stopped himself, then gently touched the baby's cheek.
"She was carrying my granddaughter. And she was treated like she didn't deserve to stand in this lobby.""
Victoria looked toward Emily.
"You're Mr. Carter's daughter?""
Emily nodded.
Victoria swallowed.
"I didn't know.""
Emily gave her a tired smile.
"That seems to be everyone's excuse today.""
Daniel looked at his daughter.
"Victoria, that's precisely what we're trying to establish. Why did nobody check the reservation before humiliating her?""
Victoria turned toward Richard.
"Richard, did you personally verify the cancellation?""
Richard adjusted his tie.
"Your mother requested it.""
Victoria's expression hardened.
"And that was enough?""
"She's a VIP guest.""
"She isn't management.""
Eleanor gasped.
"Victoria!""
But Victoria continued.
"Mother, you have no operational authority here. I've told you that repeatedly.""
Eleanor's face flushed.
"You've told me nothing of the sort!""
"Yes, I have. You just never listen.""
For a moment, the mother and daughter stared at each other.
Then Eleanor turned toward Daniel.
"This is ridiculous. I've been loyal to this hotel for years. I have brought influential people through those doors. I have helped build its reputation.""
Daniel nodded.
"And apparently, you've also driven away paying customers.""
He turned toward James.
"How many complaints were resolved without an investigation?""
James checked his tablet.
"Thirty-one, sir.""
"Why?""
"Most were closed after management marked them as customer misunderstandings.""
"Who approved those closures?""
James hesitated.
Richard looked at him sharply.
"James, be careful.""
Daniel turned.
"Did I ask you a question, Richard?""
"No, sir.""
James looked down at the tablet.
"Mr. Hayes approved twenty-eight of them. The other three were approved by the previous assistant manager.""
Victoria's mouth fell open.
"Richard, you told me there had only been a handful of complaints.""
Richard raised both hands.
"I was trying to prevent unnecessary escalation.""
Daniel's voice became colder.
"You weren't preventing escalation. You were burying evidence.""
He turned toward Victoria.
"Effective immediately, Richard is suspended pending a formal investigation. You will preserve every relevant record, email, and camera recording. Nobody deletes anything.""
Richard stared at him.
"Mr. Carter, you can't suspend me without hearing my side.""
Daniel looked directly into his eyes.
"I've been hearing your side all afternoon. Now I want to hear the truth.""
Two security officers approached.
Richard stepped backward.
"Victoria, tell him this is unnecessary.""
Victoria didn't answer.
"Victoria!""
She looked at her mother, then at Daniel.
"Mr. Hayes, please cooperate.""
Richard's face crumpled.
The officers escorted him toward the administrative offices.
But Eleanor wasn't finished.
She suddenly pointed at Emily.
"Look at what you've done! You came here and destroyed people's careers!""
Emily stood slowly.
Her daughter had finally fallen asleep.
"I didn't destroy anything. I walked into a hotel where I had paid to stay.""
Eleanor laughed bitterly.
"You think your father's money makes you untouchable?""
Emily shook her head.
"No. I think being someone's daughter shouldn't be the reason I deserve basic kindness.""
That sentence silenced the lobby.
Daniel looked at Emily with unmistakable pride.
Then Victoria approached her.
"Emily, I want to apologize.""
Emily studied her.
"Did you know about the complaints?""
Victoria looked down.
"I knew my mother sometimes made unreasonable requests. I didn't realize how serious things had become.""
"That's not an answer.""
Victoria closed her eyes briefly.
"I knew she had influenced staff decisions. I should have stopped it.""
Emily nodded slowly.
"Then you owe apologies to more than me.""
Victoria looked toward the folder.
"I know.""
Daniel picked it up.
"There's one more thing I want to understand.""
He opened a separate document at the back.
It was a financial authorization record.
His eyes narrowed.
"Victoria, why has your mother's personal account been receiving payments from the hotel's guest-relations budget?""
Victoria frowned.
"What?""
Daniel showed her the document.
There were monthly transfers listed over fourteen months.
The amounts varied between five thousand and twelve thousand dollars.
The payment description read: VIP Guest Relations Consulting.
Victoria stared at the numbers.
"Mother?""
Eleanor suddenly went quiet.
Daniel looked up.
"Forty-seven complaints. Thirty-one closed without investigation. And now payments to a person who isn't employed by this company.""
He turned the page.
"Can you explain why your mother has been receiving nearly one hundred and twenty thousand dollars from my hotel?""
Victoria looked at Eleanor.
May you like
For the first time that afternoon, her mother had absolutely nothing to say.
And Daniel knew the worst part of the story hadn't even begun.
