Chapter 2 - The Rules Nobody Wrote Down
The room Isabella eventually received was on the third floor beside a service elevator.
It was not the garden room Maya had suggested. That room had been given to an influencer who arrived without a reservation but promised to feature the hotel online.
Isabella’s room smelled faintly of damp carpet. The air-conditioning clicked loudly, and the bathroom light flickered. None of those problems concerned her as much as the employee who delivered her suitcase.
His name was Luis Romero. He was twenty-six, wore a bellman’s uniform that was slightly too large, and apologized three times for the delay.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Isabella said.
Luis placed the suitcase near the wardrobe.
“Mr. Cross prefers staff to apologize before guests complain.”
“Does he often expect complaints?”
Luis’s nervous smile disappeared.
“I should go.”
Isabella stopped him gently.
“Is there a problem with the service elevator?”
He glanced toward the door.
“It stops sometimes. Engineering requested a replacement part months ago.”
“Why wasn’t it repaired?”
“I don’t know.”
He clearly knew more, but fear closed the conversation.
After he left, Isabella inspected the room and photographed every maintenance issue. She then opened a secure application on her phone and uploaded the files to Marcus.
A message appeared seconds later.
Marcus: Engineering expenses show three complete elevator repairs this year.
Isabella: The elevator has not been repaired.
Marcus: I’ll check the vendor records.
She placed the phone inside her bag and went downstairs.
The hotel’s afternoon tea service had begun. Guests sat beneath glass chandeliers while a pianist played near the central staircase. Servers moved between tables carrying silver trays.
Isabella chose a small table near the back.
A young server named Natalie approached.
“Good afternoon. Would you like the tea service menu?”
“Yes, please.”
Before Natalie could hand it to her, Adrian called from across the room.
“Natalie.”
The server froze.
Adrian gestured toward a table occupied by four women wearing designer clothes.
“Table twelve has been waiting.”
“They arrived after this guest.”
“Table twelve matters.”
The women heard him and laughed softly.
Natalie’s cheeks reddened.
Isabella looked at her.
“Please serve them first.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
Natalie hurried away.
Adrian approached Isabella’s table.
“You seem determined to create difficulties.”
“I’m sitting quietly.”
“You challenged my front desk decisions. You encouraged an employee to ignore priorities. Now you are occupying a table during our most profitable service period.”
“I intended to order.”
“We maintain standards here.”
Isabella looked around at the marble columns, fresh flowers, and crystal glasses.
“I’m beginning to understand that.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“The Grand Aurelia is not a charity. Our reputation depends on knowing who belongs.”
“And who decides that?”
“I do.”
The confidence in his voice was absolute.
At that moment, a glass shattered near the wealthy women’s table. Natalie had stumbled after one guest pushed her chair backward without looking. Tea spilled across the floor and splashed onto the woman’s shoe.
The woman stood.
“You careless idiot!”
“I’m so sorry,” Natalie said.
Adrian crossed the room immediately.
He did not ask whether Natalie was hurt. He did not mention that the guest had moved suddenly. He seized Natalie’s arm and pulled her away from the table.
“You are finished.”
“Mr. Cross, please. I need this job.”
“You should have considered that before embarrassing the hotel.”
Isabella stood.
“The guest moved her chair into the aisle.”
Adrian turned.
“This does not concern you.”
“It concerns everyone who just watched it happen.”
Several guests looked away.
The woman whose shoe had been splashed pointed at Natalie.
“I want her fired.”
Adrian nodded.
“Of course.”
Isabella stepped closer.
“You have security cameras. Review the footage.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“There is no need.”
“Because you know what they will show?”
The pianist continued playing, but the room felt unnaturally quiet.
Adrian released Natalie’s arm.
“You have been here less than an hour and already caused two scenes.”
“I didn’t cause either of them.”
“Return to your room.”
“I’m a paying guest.”
“Not for long.”
Adrian walked away with Natalie following behind him, tears in her eyes.
Isabella sat down again, but she no longer wanted tea.
Five minutes later, Maya approached her carrying a sealed envelope.
“What is this?” Isabella asked.
“A notice from management.”
Inside was a warning stating that further interference with hotel operations could result in the cancellation of her stay.
Maya kept her voice low.
“Natalie was suspended without pay.”
“Has Adrian treated employees this way for long?”
Maya stared at the table.
“I can’t answer that.”
“Because you don’t know?”
“Because my mother needs expensive medicine, and I can’t lose this job.”
The honesty in her answer was more powerful than any formal complaint.
Isabella folded the notice and placed it inside her purse.
“Your job is not in danger because of anything you tell me.”
Maya looked at her with sad disbelief.
“You don’t know Mr. Cross.”
May you like
Isabella watched Adrian enter his private office.
“No,” she said. “But I’m going to.”
