Chapter 6: The Secret Behind the Reservation
Richard read the message again.
It was short.
But every word carried a different meaning now.
*Please make sure Emily Carter is not accommodated in the family suite. If necessary, cancel the reservation before arrival. I don't want her or the child staying here.*
Beneath the message was a second instruction.
*Do not mention my involvement.*
Thomas stared at the screen.
“Victoria, why did you write this?””
Victoria looked away.
“It's not what you think.””
Richard gave a humorless laugh.
“Then explain it.””
She took a breath.
“I was trying to avoid an uncomfortable situation.””
“What uncomfortable situation?”” Thomas asked.
Victoria glanced at him.
“You know how complicated family relationships can become.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No. I don't know. Explain it.””
Victoria's eyes filled again.
“Emily has never been part of our circle. She lives somewhere else. She rarely attends your events. Then suddenly she arrives with a baby and expects everyone to treat her like the center of the universe.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“She expected the room she paid for.””
Victoria ignored him.
“I knew she was coming because I saw the reservation information.””
Thomas stepped closer.
“How did you get that information?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Richard looked toward Daniel.
“Would you like to answer?””
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know, sir.””
Martin interrupted.
“The account audit shows Daniel printed the reservation summary. However, the file was also opened from a device registered to Mrs. Hayes's private office.””
Thomas turned toward his wife.
“You had access to the hotel system?””
Victoria quickly responded.
“I was given access for charity events.””
Martin shook his head.
“Not to private guest reservations.””
Thomas placed his briefcase on the counter.
“Richard, I need to ask something.””
Richard nodded.
“Go ahead.””
Thomas looked at Martin.
“Was Emily's reservation the only one Victoria accessed?””
Martin tapped the tablet.
“I haven't completed that review.””
“Then do it.””
Victoria's face tightened.
“Thomas, you have no right to interrogate me.””
He looked at her.
“I have every right to ask why my wife has been accessing private guest information.””
Martin continued searching.
Then he stopped.
“Mr. Carter, there are twelve records.””
Richard frowned.
“Twelve?””
“Different guest reservations. All accessed within the last four months.””
Thomas stared at the screen.
“What were the instructions?””
Martin opened the first record.
“Several guests were marked for room changes. Others had special requests removed. Two reservations were canceled shortly before arrival.””
Richard looked at Victoria.
“Why?””
She lifted her chin.
“Some guests didn't meet the standards of the events I was organizing.””
Richard stared at her.
“You were organizing events in my hotel, not deciding who was worthy of staying here.””
Victoria snapped.
“I was trying to protect the hotel's image!””
Richard pointed toward the monitor.
“By humiliating paying guests?””
She said nothing.
Thomas rubbed his forehead.
“Victoria, how long have you been doing this?””
She looked away.
“It's not that simple.””
“Answer me.””
Her voice rose.
“I was trying to help you!””
Thomas blinked.
“Help me?””
“Yes! You always complain about people taking advantage of your generosity. I thought I was protecting our social standing.””
Richard interrupted.
“By assaulting my daughter?””
Victoria turned toward him.
“I didn't know she was going to call you!””
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence.
Thomas slowly looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria froze.
Richard stepped closer.
“You thought she had nobody to call?””
Victoria swallowed.
“I didn't mean it like that.””
“You saw a woman traveling alone with a newborn. You decided she was powerless. And when she asked for the room she had already paid for, you hit her.””
Victoria's eyes filled.
Richard continued.
“That is what you did.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then a quiet voice came from behind them.
“Excuse me?””
Everyone turned.
Rosa, the housekeeper who had checked on Emily earlier, stood near the elevators.
She was holding a folded cleaning cloth.
Richard recognized her.
“Yes?””
Rosa looked nervous.
“I don't want to get anyone into trouble, sir. But I saw Mrs. Hayes speaking with Mr. Brooks several times over the last few weeks.””
Daniel immediately turned.
“Rosa, please.””
She looked at him.
“You told me to stop talking when I asked why guest reservations were being changed.””
Daniel's face tightened.
Rosa continued.
“Last month, a family arrived with two small children. Mrs. Hayes told Mr.
Brooks they looked cheap and shouldn't be given the room they booked. I heard him say he could move them to another floor.””
Richard's expression grew colder.
“Did that happen?””
Martin checked the system.
“Yes, sir. A family reservation was moved that evening.””
Rosa nodded.
“And there was an elderly couple. They arrived for their anniversary. Mrs. Hayes complained because the wife had a walker and said it made the lobby look unpleasant.””
Thomas closed his eyes.
Rosa's voice trembled.
“They were sent to a different room, even though they had booked a suite near the elevators.””
Richard looked at her.
“Why didn't you report this?””
Rosa lowered her head.
“I was afraid.””
“Of whom?””
She glanced at Daniel.
Then at Victoria.
“Both of them.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“Thank you for telling me.””
Victoria scoffed.
“So now we're taking stories from housekeeping staff?””
Richard turned sharply.
“Yes. We're taking statements from employees who witnessed misconduct.””
Rosa looked startled.
Richard continued.
“Your position doesn't make your observations less important.””
The older woman's eyes filled with tears.
“Thank you, sir.””
Daniel stepped out from behind the counter.
“Mr. Carter, I need to explain something.””
Richard faced him.
“Go ahead.””
Daniel took a breath.
“Mrs. Hayes didn't just give me a gift card. She told me she could arrange a management position at another hotel owned by her husband's business partners.””
Victoria's head snapped toward him.
“Daniel!””
He continued.
“She said if I helped her with certain guest requests, she would recommend me.””
Thomas looked at his wife.
“Did you promise him that?””
Victoria didn't respond.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“I know I made a mistake. But I thought I was doing what management wanted. She always acted like she had authority.””
Richard's expression remained firm.
“You had access to the reservation system. You knew you were changing another guest's booking without authorization.””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes, sir.””
“And you watched her strike my daughter.””
Daniel looked down.
“Yes.””
Richard waited.
“Why didn't you intervene?””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“Because I was afraid of losing my job.””
Richard shook his head.
“Emily was afraid too. But she still protected her baby and asked you for help.””
Daniel had no answer.
At that moment, Richard's phone vibrated.
A message from Emily appeared.
*EMILY: Dad, Lily is sleeping. I found something strange in the welcome basket. Can you come upstairs?*
Richard frowned.
He typed back immediately.
*RICHARD: What did you find?*
The reply came seconds later.
*EMILY: A note. It has my name on it. And I think someone knew I was coming before you made the reservation.*
Richard looked up.
Martin noticed his expression.
“What is it, sir?””
Richard picked up his briefcase.
“Something doesn't add up.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Richard, what happened?””
Richard showed him the message.
Thomas read it twice.
Then he looked toward Victoria.
She had gone completely still.
Richard noticed.
“Victoria?””
She didn't answer.
He took one step toward her.
“What do you know about the note?””
Victoria's lips parted.
For the first time that afternoon, she looked genuinely terrified.
Because the note Emily had discovered wasn't simply a message from the hotel.
May you like
It contained a name.
And that name was the reason Victoria had wanted Emily and her newborn daughter out of the building before they ever reached the front desk.
