Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Yes, I am in the lobby,” I said, looking at the two people in front of me who were leaning closer. “And the names of the two at the desk are Annalena and Viktor.”
“I will call them now. Hold on one moment, Miss Wyntor.”
“No problem,” I said and smiled back at the receptionists. Both of them were frowning and confused but didn’t seem to understand or care.
It happened faster than I thought. Another woman with short, black hair and a birthmark on her chin came rushing down the stairs toward me. I knew she was the one who was going to help me because when she came down, the two behind the desk looked back over at me.
“Miss Wyntor, someone should be arriving now.”
“Yes, I see her. Thank you, Mr. Wallace.” I turned to the woman.
“Do you need me to stay on the line?” He asked.
“No. I will call back if I need you.”
“Of course.”
“Ms. Odette Wyntor?” the woman asked me.
I nodded.
“I am so sorry for the confusion! We will get you a room right away,” she said, walking around the desk.
“Really? These two told me you were fully booked,” I said, pointing to the two beside her. “And they told me no manager was available.”
Her head whipped back to them, and she was breathing through her nose. But she held it in and looked back at me. “They are still new, so it seems they made a mistake. The royal suite you requested is open. Here are your keys, and I will have someone bring up your bags. If you’d like, we can also send up lunch for you. You must be exhausted from your flight.”
“I am.” I sighed dramatically. “And I was so worried I wasn’t going to have anywhere to sleep tonight. They were telling me there were other more affordable options around. And Annalena also said she was checking my card? Is everything all right with it?”
I looked at Annalena, waiting. She just stared at me. Her eyes shifted to her manager, who I could see was giving her the dirtiest glare imaginable. Annalena just nodded.
“Yes, ma’am, everything is fine.”
“So, you were mistaken?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes.”
There was pettiness in me that still wanted to yell at her, to demand her job or something. But I did what I always did when something like this happened. I let it go...for my peace.
“I guess it happens to the best and worst of us. Excuse me.” I nodded at the manager before going to the elevator.
When I turned back, I could see the manager was face-to-face with them both, and their heads hung as if they were children. I shook my head. If only every black person had a Mr. Wallace, who was the director of Etheus here. It was so sad I had to bring in backup just to get a room. But if I had it, I would use it. I tried to be as grounded as possible. However, people didn’t understand that just because I wasn’t wearing designer clothes or dolled up every day, didn’t mean I wasn’t an heiress.
“This is why it won’t work,” I whispered to myself. It was good I experienced this early. It was a reminder, just like my mother had told me, it wasn’t possible between Gale and me anymore. I needed to keep to my goal. I needed to remember I was here to get a divorce. I was here to be free of him.
I would rest now.
And then tomorrow, I would start the painful process of untangling myself from the web I was in.
It was against the rules for a royal staff member to run in the palace, so I walked quickly, not making eye contact with anyone. I tried my best not to smile, even though I really wanted to, keeping my arms at my sides and my head down just in case my face gave anything away. Finally! There was good news, and I just needed to get down the hall.
“Wolfgang?”
Damn.
Slowly, I turned to see the dark eyes of Iskandar fixed on me.
“Iskandar.” I nodded at him.
His eyebrow raised as he looked me over. “Why are you walking like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you are trying not to run?”
“How do you do that?” I gaped.
“So, you are.” He stepped forward. “Why? What is going on?”
I did not want to tell him but knowing Iskandar, there was no point keeping him in the dark because he would only press on more. I checked around us before stepping closer. “I just received word that Odette came into the country this morning.”
He did not react, and once again, he didn’t look surprised or alive. What was the point of having a face?
“Did you hear me? Odette—”
“Exactly how did you come upon this information?” he interrupted me.
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, because for you to receive word means you have been requesting word. And the only people you could request such information from is immigration. And you do not have the power to do that. So, either you were ordered to do so by someone who does, or you used your influence and took it upon yourself to break the law. Which is it?”