“You.”
Margaret looked up.
“Move out of the way.”
She lifted her teacup.
“I'm having breakfast.”
“I don't care. We have corporate leadership coming.”
Margaret remained seated.
Derek turned toward Sam.
“Get her out of sight.”
Sam stared at him.
“No.”
Derek walked closer.
“What did you say?”
“I said no.”
“You want to follow Chloe out the door?”
Sam's face went pale.
Margaret almost intervened.
Then stopped herself.
One more truth needed to surface.
Derek leaned toward Sam.
“You think I'm joking?”
“No.”
“Then move her.”
Sam stood still.
Derek looked disgusted.
“Fine.”
He pointed toward another employee.
“You. Straighten the flowers.”
Then to Chloe:
“Front desk. Smile for once.”
Chloe muttered something Margaret could not hear.
Derek looked around the lobby.
Every surface suddenly mattered.
Every employee suddenly mattered.
Every smile had to be perfect.
Margaret watched the hypocrisy assemble itself in real time.
Ten minutes earlier, she had been unwanted.
Now the hotel was preparing to perform hospitality for a person with power.
At 10:31, a black sedan stopped beneath the porte cochère.