Chapter 2 - The Ghost Reservation
The marble lobby of the grand Parisian hotel echoed with the clipped, authoritative click of Victoria’s heels as she paced back and forth in front of the mahogany reception desk. Her pristine white blazer was unwrinkled, perfectly contrasting with the heavy dark sunglasses she wore indoors to project an aura of untouchable prestige. The hotel clerk behind the counter offered a polite, practiced smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"There’s an issue with the reservation? What issue?" Victoria demanded, her voice sharp enough to draw sideways glances from passing concierge staff. "Helena paid for everything. Look at the corporate account code."
Julian hurried into the lobby, his green jacket slightly askew, trailing a few paces behind his mother. Camilla walked with unhurried grace, her trench coat swaying gently, clutching her Louis Vuitton bag as if it contained state secrets.
"Mom, what did you do?" Julian hissed under his breath, grabbing Camilla’s elbow.
Camilla gently shook his hand off her arm without breaking her stride. She walked straight up to the counter, ignoring Victoria’s towering posture.
The clerk tapped rapidly on his terminal, his expression shifting from courteous to deeply apologetic. "Madame, I am afraid the primary booking associated with that corporate account identifier was systematically dismantled ten minutes ago. Furthermore, the master suite is no longer blocked under that financial guarantee."
Victoria whipped off her sunglasses, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "That is impossible. I personally verified the wire transfer three days ago with our family office. Call the manager immediately."
"There is no need to call the manager, Victoria," Camilla said smoothly, her voice carrying an absolute, unshakeable authority that made the desk clerk immediately stand up a little straighter.
Victoria turned, her face flushing with sudden, righteous indignation. "Camilla, control your son and fix this desk error right now. We have guests arriving for the evening cocktail reception in less than two hours, and my reputation—not to mention our business partnerships—hinges on these rooms."
"Your reputation is built on smoke and borrowed capital, Victoria," Camilla replied evenly, her gaze unwavering. "And as for the rooms, you might want to check the secondary registry before you make a public scene."
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Victoria’s jaw tightened. She reached out and snatched Julian’s phone from his hand, tapping the screen back to life. Her eyes darted across the display, scanning the newly updated database entry. Suddenly, the color drained entirely from her face, leaving her staring in absolute horror at a second registration found under Camilla's name with completely different dates and an entirely separate, restricted room category.
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