Chapter 3 - The Manager's Verdict
The commotion had not gone unnoticed. The Grand Belmont was a bastion of high society, a place where hushed voices and discreet wealth reigned supreme.
Approaching them with swift, silent steps was Marcus, the hotel’s general manager. He was dressed flawlessly, groomed to perfection, and trained extensively to protect the hotel's wealthiest patrons at all costs.
"Is there a problem here, Mr. Sterling?" Marcus inquired. He did not look at Claire. He did not offer to help the heavily pregnant woman crying on the floor. His gaze was locked entirely on Richard in a display of profound subservience.
Richard didn't hesitate. He pulled a heavy, solid-metal black credit card from his breast pocket and slapped it onto the concierge desk.
"Yes, Marcus," Richard commanded. "This woman was just leaving. The penthouse reservation is now entirely under my name. She is no longer welcome on the premises."
Claire forced herself upward, her trembling hands gripping a brass luggage cart for stability. "I am his wife!" she cried out, her chest heaving. "I am eight months pregnant! I just need to sit down for a moment to figure out—"
Marcus offered a brief, calculating glance at Claire’s simple, off-the-rack maternity dress, then looked back at Richard’s million-dollar credit limit. The corporate calculus was instant.
"Madam, I must ask you to vacate the lobby immediately," Marcus said, his tone dripping with polished ice. "We do not tolerate domestic disturbances at the Grand Belmont."
"He threw my luggage!" Claire sobbed, her hand instinctively rising to clutch her chest, her fingers wrapping tightly around the heavy, tarnished silver bracelet she had worn around her wrist since childhood.
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"Security will physically escort you out if you continue to distress our VIP guests," Marcus finalized, signaling to two large men in dark suits standing near the doors.
Claire felt the world tilt on its axis. She had no parents to call. She had grown up in the foster system, an unloved orphan who thought she had finally found a family in Richard. She was entirely, utterly alone.
