Chapter 42
The next morning, Cassandra arrived at the HR department of Westwood Hotel on the 64th floor, just as scheduled.
Lilian was already waiting for her at the door with a friendly smile. “Good morning, Ms. Blake. We’ve been expecting you.”
Cassandra nodded politely and said, “Hi, I’m here to complete the onboarding process.”
“Alright. Please come with me,” Lilian replied.
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Lilian led Cassandra through the process, handing her a staff ID badge and a crisp new
uniform.
S
But just as Cassandra was about to sign her employment contract, she noticed two familiar faces sitting in the waiting area.
One was the guy who had graduated from Westbridge University, and the other was the woman with a sassy, rebellious vibe, wearing a tiny skirt that barely passed as office attire.
Lilian formally introduced them, saying,
They’re also here for onboarding today. You probably remember them from the interview, right?
Let me make it official. This is James Caldwell, who will be joining as the deputy manager of the Tech Department, and this is Janice Wesker, Mr. Scott’s new personal assistant.‘
Someone who had applied to be a hotel manager was now a personal assistant?
Cassandra almost wanted to blurt out, “Does ‘personal‘ include after hours too?”
But she kept a poker face. Anyone with half a brain could tell Janice had some serious
connections behind her.
Cassandra studied Janice for a moment. She wasn’t tall, but she radiated energy. Her skin was bronze like she had spent all summer at the beach. She wore a tank top and a miniskirt that made her look sexy. So, this was Ryan’s type? Well, to each their own.
While Cassandra was sizing her up, Janice was giving her a look too.
Finally, Janice grinned and gave Cassandra a cheeky little wave. “Hey there. Better luck next time.”
Cassandra couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Apparently, people really did attract their own kind. This woman’s tongue was as sharp as a tack
Of course, Janice’s position was higher now, and Cassandra was just trying to land a steady job, so there was no point in making enemies before day one had even started,
She decided to turn her attention to James instead. She greeted him with a warm smile, ‘ Hello, Mr. Caldwell. I hope I can learn a lot from you once we start working together.”
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James nodded. “Of course.”
“We already met at the interview,” Cassandra said.
“Yeah, I remember. I actually thought you’d be my biggest competition. Funny how things turned out. Who would’ve guessed we’d end up on the same team?”
“Guess we have fate to thank for that. Or maybe it just means Mr. Scott knows how to spot good talent when he sees it.”
James gave a short laugh. “Yeah? We’ll see about that.
Cassandra chuckled. “Come on, everyone’s got their quirks. It’s what makes us human.”
The two kept up their friendly banter, chatting away and pretty much leaving Janice out of the conversation.
Cassandra wasn’t out to pick a fight, but she wasn’t about to let anyone think she pushover either.
After all, she would get farther by being nice to the right people, and she knew exactly how play her cards right.
to
Once the contracts were all signed, Lilian said, “Let me show you to the housekeeping department so that you can get familiar with the hotel’s layout and what you’ll be doing on a daily basis.”
Before they left, Cassandra asked, “Sorry, what should I call you?”
“My name is Lilian Spark. You can call me Lilian!” she said with a smile. “We use first names here at the hotel to keep communication with colleagues simple.”
Cassandra nodded. “Alright.”
Lilian led Cassandra on a thorough tour of the hotel. Her voice was gentle, and her explanations were clear and thoughtful. They were walking down a corridor when, all of a sudden, they heard an angry voice coming from one of the suites up ahead.
“I booked a business suite, so why do all the other suites have those decorations on the beds
and mine doesn’t?”
A staff member was apologizing, trying to keep things calm. “I’m really sorry, Ms. Lynch. I’ll notify the housekeeping team immediately and make sure we fix this.‘
But the guest, Elise Lynch, wasn’t letting it go. “This isn’t just about fixing it! You clearly don’t value me as a customer! I’m a regular here! I spend nearly four months a year at this hotel! Is this really how you treat loyal customers?”
“I apologize, truly. I think the housekeepers must’ve just forgotten it. How about we offer you a complimentary week’s stay to make it up to you?”
Elise snapped, “That’s not good enough! Get your manager. I want an explanation today, or I’m leaving this hotel for good!”
Lilian glanced at Cassandra, her meaning clear.
That was when Cassandra suddenly remembered -she was the new hotel