“What happened?” Skylar asked urgently, her heart pounding. She knew her mother, Janine, was kind-hearted and could get along with anyone. It was unlike her to cause trouble.
The receptionist, still looking flustered, explained, “Your mother was cleaning the elevator and got into an argument with a guest who was heading to the restaurant on the 36th floor. The guest filed a complaint against the hotel.”
Skylar’s concern deepened. She could sense the receptionist’s unease, and it only made her more anxious. “What exactly happened?”
The receptionist hurriedly dialed the manager’s number, trying to address the situation as quickly as possible. “Janine’s well-liked by everyone here, but now there’s a complaint, and no one knows how the manager will handle it. She’s only been here for a month…”
Without wasting another moment, Skylar followed the receptionist to the elevator and made her way to the tenth floor. As they neared the hotel’s offices, she overheard a heated conversation.
“You must be strict when dealing with this woman. We can overlook her being rude to the guests, but how dare she hit my mother?” one guest’s voice snapped.
The other guest chimed in, her voice dripping with outrage, “My diamond ring, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, is missing! Only three of us were in the elevator—this woman must’ve stolen it! I demand that you search her now!”
Janine’s voice rose in defense. “You’re going too far, Sadie! I would never steal from anyone! Plus, you were the one who hit me first. I was just defending myself!”
Skylar froze. She knew those voices. It was Maisy and Sadie—the same mother-daughter duo who had caused trouble before. She hadn’t encountered them face-to-face since she left the hospital, but she recognized their vindictive tone immediately.
Her anger surged as she rushed toward the office, determined to defend her mother.
Inside, the manager was already addressing the situation. “Janine, apologize to the guest and allow us to perform the body search, as requested,” he said coldly.
Skylar’s blood ran cold. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could the manager immediately side with them without even hearing her mother’s side?
“If you don’t find my ring, I’ll have the media expose this hotel for employing thieves,” Sadie threatened, her tone dripping with arrogance.
Skylar’s eyes narrowed. “You’re the ones who should apologize.” She stepped forward, her voice icy. “There are surveillance cameras in the elevator. We can call the police right now, and they can review the footage. You’ll see who’s lying.”
Janine looked up, her face filled with surprise and relief upon seeing Skylar. “Skye, what are you doing here?”
Skylar moved closer to her mother, her voice firm. “Mom, they don’t have the right to perform a body search, not even if you’re their employee. You don’t have to let them treat you like this.”
Sadie sneered. “Do you know what you’re talking about, Skye?”
Maisy’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and dismissive. “Skylar, we haven’t seen you in days, and the first thing you do when you show up is accuse Mom? Aren’t you going a little too far?”
Skylar could feel Maisy’s disdain, her eyes scanning her from head to toe. It was clear Maisy expected Skylar to be falling apart, especially after everything that had happened. But Skylar wasn’t about to let her mother take the blame for something she didn’t do.
With a cold look, Skylar said, “You’ve always tried to put on a perfect act, haven’t you, Maisy? Just because you wear fancy clothes doesn’t make you any better than anyone else.” She turned her gaze to Sadie, her voice unwavering. “You two are nothing more than bullies hiding behind your wealth and status. I’m not afraid of you.”
The tension in the room thickened. Maisy and Sadie exchanged a look, clearly not expecting Skylar to stand her ground.
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