166
Laila's POV:
Every single day, I walk into the office with the heavy weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. It’s as if the universe conspires to test me, one problem at a time, with no relief in sight. And yet, I have no choice but to face it. Someone, somewhere, is working against me. There’s no other explanation. I can feel their eyes on me, their whispers in the shadows. My rivals, my enemies—they are always lurking, waiting for an opening to devour me and, more importantly, my father’s company.
I’ve spent my entire life building this empire, and now, with the way things are going, it feels like I’m standing on the edge, waiting to be pushed off. They don’t want me here. They don’t want me to have this second chance that fate has granted me, but I won’t let them take it away. This is my opportunity to prove myself, to show them all that I’m not just some helpless pawn. I’ll fight with everything I have.
This morning, as I sat in my office, trying to focus on the endless pile of paperwork in front of me, I received an alarming call. The case of a rapist at my hotel had come to my attention. I felt my stomach churn with dread as Clara, the hotel manager, recounted the details of the incident. But the question that kept nagging at me, like an itch I couldn’t scratch, was: How did the security guard get the key cards to the hotel rooms?
I had personally employed the security staff. They were supposed to be trustworthy, but I hadn’t given any of them access to the key cards. Each key was assigned to the guest and the hotel itself. The hotel kept one copy for safety, and the guests received the other. But somehow, one of the guards had managed to gain access. Clara confirmed that the key cards for the hotel’s rooms were untouched, which meant that the perpetrator had to be a guest. But why would a guest do something so vile? My mind spun in circles, trying to make sense of it all.
I needed to clear my head. I couldn’t think straight with the weight of this mystery hanging over me. I decided to leave the office early and head home. I needed a break. I stepped out of the building and made my way toward my car, hoping the silence of my apartment would give me the space I needed to think.
But as I was about to open the door and slide into the driver’s seat, two figures appeared in front of me, blocking my way. I froze. A man and a woman stood there, their faces etched with anger. They were from the Middle East, their expressions filled with hostility.
“You have to pay for what you did,” the woman spat, her voice trembling with emotion.
I blinked, caught off guard. I had no idea what she was talking about. “What do you mean? Who are you? What crime are you accusing me of?”
The woman’s eyes burned with fury. “It was in your hotel. One of your security guards took advantage of my daughter. And you did nothing to stop it. You just sit in your company, ignoring the pain we’re going through. You think we’re just poor people, and that makes it okay? We want revenge for what happened!”
My heart sank. I had heard of the incident, but I had no idea the victim was someone’s daughter. I could feel the weight of her accusation, and it hit me like a slap in the face. I tried to remain calm, but my hands trembled as I spoke. “I’m so sorry for what happened to your daughter,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I understand the pain you must be feeling. But the matter is still under investigation, and I promise you, we will find the person responsible. I will make sure of it.”
The woman scoffed, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Sorry? Is that all you have to say? We don’t care about your apology. We want you to take responsibility for what happened. You’re the one running the hotel. You’re the one who should have made sure this never happened.”
I could feel the tears threatening to spill, but I fought them back. This wasn’t about me. This was about the pain that this woman and her daughter were enduring. “I understand your anger,” I said, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest. “But we are investigating this matter thoroughly. Once the investigation is complete and we know what happened, we will take responsibility. We will do everything we can to make this right.”
The man, standing beside the woman, snarled in disbelief. “What do you mean, ‘take responsibility’? You can’t do anything until the investigation is over? My daughter is traumatized! She’s been through hell because of your hotel, and you’re standing here telling me you can’t do anything yet?”
I nodded, trying to remain calm despite the pressure. “I understand your frustration, but right now, there’s nothing more I can do until the investigation is complete. We can’t act on assumptions. Once we have all the facts, we will take whatever steps are necessary.”
The woman stepped forward, her face inches from mine. “You’re hiding behind your company. You think this is just a business to you, don’t you? Well, it’s not. This is our lives. And we’re going to make sure you pay for what happened to my daughter.”
I was about to respond when Nolan, my trusted assistant, suddenly appeared, his presence commanding attention. He walked up to me, standing firmly between me and the irate couple. His expression was calm, but there was a steely resolve in his eyes.
“Listen,” Nolan said in a low, measured tone, “I know your daughter is a victim here, and we don’t take that lightly. But you are not allowed to make baseless accusations against my boss. We will investigate the matter, and if it’s proven that one of our security guards is responsible, we will take the necessary steps. But right now, you’re in no position to demand anything.”
The man’s face flushed with anger. “You can’t intimidate us! You’ll pay for what’s happened. You won’t get away with this!”
Nolan’s expression hardened. “You don’t want to make an enemy of me,” he said, his voice cold and unyielding. “Trust me, you’ll regret it.”
The couple stood there for a moment, exchanging angry glances, before finally turning and storming off, muttering curses under their breath.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my legs trembling slightly. “Thank you,” I said to Nolan, my voice filled with gratitude. “If it wasn’t for you, they would still be out there, causing chaos. You saved me.”
Nolan gave me a small nod, his eyes softening just a fraction. “You need to be careful, Laila. There’s more to this than meets the eye. This situation isn’t what it seems. Someone is orchestrating all of this, trying to tear you down. You need to keep your guard up. We’ll find the security guard soon. He won’t get away with this.”
Just as Nolan finished speaking, his phone rang, interrupting the tense silence. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen before answering.
I watched him closely, my heart racing. There was something about this whole situation that felt off, like a puzzle with missing pieces.