Chapter 109 Private Room Snatched
If Cynthia hadn't reminded him, Chris would have almost forgotten.
He nearly thought his marriage to Joanna was already ancient history.
So it hadn't even been a month yet?
Hearing this, Cynthia's parents' expressions finally looked a bit better.
Chris didn't stay long. After greeting them, he went outside to look for a private room. He did find a few rooms occupied by people he knew, but they all had important matters and couldn't give up their rooms for him.
After searching around without success, Chris was feeling frustrated when he saw Joanna walk in with a group of people.
He recognized them—they were doctors from Grace General Hospital.
Chris asked the hotel manager beside him, "Did they also book a room here?"
After checking, the hotel manager gave a positive answer: "Yes, looks like a staff dinner. Miss Jones chose the highest tier package."
Chris thought for a few seconds, then walked straight toward Joanna. "Come here, I need to discuss something with you."
He said "discuss," but his tone didn't sound like he wanted to discuss anything—it was more like a notification.
Dr. Lawson remembered this Mr. Cooper and, worried that Joanna might be bullied, smiled good-naturedly. "Mr. Cooper, just say what you need to say directly. I'm their department head, I can make decisions."
Chris looked at him with confusion. "You booked the room?"
"Of course not. Joanna wanted to thank her colleagues for taking care of her, so she specially gathered everyone together for dinner."
Dr. Lawson thought he'd answered quite properly, but unexpectedly Chris's face turned cold. "Since you're not the one who booked the room, can you make the decision if I ask you to cancel the reservation?"
"Well..."
Dr. Lawson was at a loss for words.
But Joanna understood—Chris was deliberately making things difficult for her.
She pulled Dr. Lawson behind her and said, "You don't need to treat my colleagues this way. Chris, what exactly do you want me to do? I thought I made myself very clear before!"
Chris pressed his lips together. After all, he was asking for a favor, so his tone wasn't quite as harsh.
He didn't want to argue in front of so many people, so he just insisted, "Come with me to talk over there."
Joanna didn't want her personal matters to affect her colleagues' mood either, so she apologized briefly and followed him to the side.
They ended up right outside the private room where Cynthia and her parents were.
"I need to host business partners today, and the hotel has no rooms available. Give up this room, and I'll compensate you ten times your deposit."
Chris stated his purpose directly, his tone somewhat uncertain.
In the past, he believed Joanna would have voluntarily given up the room, but he couldn't be sure about Joanna after the divorce.
Sure enough, Joanna refused. "Why should I? I booked this in advance. If you want to host clients, go book your own room! If this hotel has no rooms, you can try another hotel!"
Chris wanted to, but the other party had already set out.
He didn't want to explain too much to Joanna, just said, "If you give up the room today, I can save your father and brother for free. Joanna, do you really have to be so stubborn? Showing weakness isn't shameful, especially since we're still husband and wife!"
"Correction—we're divorced. The divorce certificate will arrive in a few days." Joanna's face was cold. "My attitude is very clear: no. So Mr. Cooper, you'd better start thinking of a solution."
If she'd known Chris called her over for this, she should have refused on the spot and not wasted her time.
After speaking, Joanna turned to leave.
But then the door of the private room behind them opened, and Cynthia said with red eyes, "So that's what this is about... Chris, you don't need to humble yourself like this for me. Miss Jones's relationship with you is already hostile—I never imagined you'd beg her just to give me the room! Chris, I'm sorry. I was inconsiderate and took your room. I'll take my parents and leave right now."
Chris had been somewhat disappointed that Joanna wouldn't give up the room, but not particularly angry.
But after Cynthia said this, he felt a nameless fire burning in his chest and couldn't help scolding, "Joanna, you're always like this—you make mistakes but won't admit them or apologize. You always make me lower my head and coax you! Cynthia is excellent at her work, knows boundaries, and understands the big picture. She's a thousand times better than you!"
Joanna rolled her eyes.
When she heard Cynthia's words, she just found them ridiculous.
After all, it was Cynthia who took Chris's room—why should she, an outsider, have to bear responsibility for their newlywed couple's problems?
Joanna didn't want to get entangled with these two people at all. "Think whatever you want about me. I'm not giving up the room today. Mr. Cooper, if you're capable, go ahead and force the hotel to close and only serve you!"
Chris's eyes immediately widened. "You think I can't?"
Unless absolutely necessary, he really didn't want to be that forceful.
He could afford the cost of booking the entire venue, but it would offend many guests and potential business partners.
Chris didn't want to be that irrational.
But Cynthia's parents didn't see it that way. The two of them came out from inside, looking at Joanna with disdain.
"Chris is doing the right thing. Since this Miss Jones won't give up the room, just kick her out. Today's losses for the hotel are nothing compared to what Chris earns in a day!"
With that, Chase was about to go find the hotel manager.
Chris's eyelid kept twitching, and he tried to signal Cynthia to stop her parents, but Cynthia acted as if she didn't see it, still enjoying the pleasure of trampling Joanna underfoot.
Joanna had been in a good mood treating her colleagues to dinner, never expecting to be affected by Chris like this. Her eyes showed undisguised disgust.
"Truly a family—they don't even understand courtesy or respect. Just paving the road beneath your feet with money. Your daughter and Chris are such a perfect match!"
After Joanna said this angrily, she turned and went back to her colleagues.
Dr. Lawson, worried she'd been bullied, quickly asked, "How did it go? What did he want to talk to you about?"
Joanna pressed her lips together and said, "We might have to change places for dinner today. That Mr. Cooper just asked us to give up our room. I refused, so now he's going to have the hotel manager announce that the hotel is closed—he wants to book the entire place for his client."
Dr. Lawson and the other colleagues were all ordinary doctors. Their family situations weren't difficult, but they'd never seen such an extravagant move.
For a moment, they were all quite amazed.
"What kind of client is worth booking the entire place? This Mr. Cooper really goes big—so rich!"
"We can't have our nice dinner now. I heard from a friend that this hotel's food is really good, and I thought I'd finally get to try it, but it's still just wishful thinking."
"It's okay, Joanna. We're fine eating anywhere. Let's hurry and pick another place to go eat."
Just as they were about to leave, a familiar figure suddenly came through the revolving door.
"Dr. Lawson? The dinner is here today, right? I didn't come to the wrong place? Why isn't everyone going in yet?"