Part 1: Turned Away From His Own Hotel
“Sir, with that sleeping child and those bruised flowers, you might want to look for a cheaper motel down the road.”
Ethan Vance stopped in front of the marble reception desk inside the Grand Regent Hotel in downtown Chicago, his six-year-old daughter asleep against his shoulder and a bouquet of red roses clutched carefully in his hand. He didn’t answer immediately, not because the receptionist’s remark hadn’t hurt, but because Lily had finally drifted off after a three-hour flight delay from Denver, and he wasn’t willing to wake her just to defend his pride.
His faded leather jacket, worn backpack, and three-day stubble made him look more like an exhausted traveler than someone accustomed to luxury. The backpack held little more than snacks, a dead tablet, spare clothes, and the stuffed rabbit Lily refused to sleep without after her mother’s death. He had bought the roses during their layover because the following day marked three years since Sarah passed away, and every anniversary he and Lily continued the tradition of bringing fresh flowers home in her memory.
“I have a reservation,” Ethan said quietly, lowering his voice so he wouldn’t disturb his daughter. “It’s under Ethan Vance.”
Patricia, the receptionist, barely glanced at him before typing into the reservation system, while another front-desk agent named Karla folded her arms and openly studied his appearance. After a few seconds Patricia shook her head and announced that no reservation existed, adding that the hotel was completely booked because of a corporate gala. Ethan calmly explained that the booking had been made through the corporate office and politely asked her to check the executive reservation block, but Patricia only sighed while Karla smirked.
“Click here to read the full story”.
