Chapter 40: The Eerie Hotel

Polly Song chased all the way to the airport. Fortunately, Victoria's flight hadn't taken off yet. Polly pressed one hand on Victoria's arm, panting heavily.

Victoria looked at the woman who was sweating profusely from running, then glanced behind her, "Is there a dog chasing you?"

Polly was too tired to roll her eyes, "I, I want to go to L City with you."

"Are you addicted to freeloading?" Victoria sneered, letting her catch her breath while keeping her hand on Victoria's arm, "Why go again this time?"

Andrew Lindsey caught Victoria's eye and immediately turned to book a ticket for Polly.

"Wood, the special wood for the 'Flowing Water' project. I asked my senior brother yesterday; he said there's a lumber market in L City that's going to hold an auction, which includes that type of wood. I need to go see it." Polly managed to catch her breath after a while.

But while Polly had recovered, Victoria frowned, "If you want some wood, I'll auction it for you. Why insist on going yourself?"

"What do you know about wood?" Polly finally found a reason to look down on Victoria, "Do you know how much deceit lies within? Good wood can be as valuable as jade."

Victoria looked at the smug little fox in front of her, almost wanting to attach a fluffy tail to her.

Though he guessed he understood more about the profits in timber than Polly did.

Polly's phone rang, and seeing the caller ID, she glanced at Victoria, then hurried to take the call on the side.

Victoria saw the caller ID; it was still that 'precious sweetheart' number.

Polly lowered her voice to take the call, keeping an eye on Victoria, feeling somewhat guilty.

"Mommy, where are you?" Charlotte Cook's cold voice came through the phone.

Polly suddenly remembered that today was the day kindergarten started summer vacation, and there was a starting ceremony. She had promised both of her kids to attend the event.

Yet…

"Mommy forgot again, didn't she?" Charlotte's stern tone made Polly imagine his small face now.

"Mommy didn't forget, it's just that something sudden came up, so Mrs. Lynn will arrive soon, could you wait a moment, please?" Polly explained guiltily to her son, "Mommy promises, there won't be a next time!"

"Mommy..."

Charlotte had stopped trusting Mommy.

"Mommy, explain to your brother yourself. He has a performance today that he wants you to see."

Polly felt a pang of heartache; she could imagine her eldest son crying and fussing.

"Mommy, are you here yet?" came Daisy's excited voice from the phone.

Polly: "..."

Andrew was reminding her it was almost time to board. On one hand was the wood she wanted, and on the other was her son's small-class graduation ceremony.

"Aren't you going?"

"Hey? Is Mommy with... boo hoo..."

"If Mommy has things to do, go ahead. I'll take care of Brother. Mommy, goodbye."

Polly looked at the disconnected call, completely confused. What was going on?

Daisy was hushed by Charlotte. He seemed to hear that uncle's voice; was Mommy with that uncle?

Putting away the kids' phone, Charlotte let go of his brother, leading him inside, "Grandma will be here soon, Mommy's out making money, we have to behave."

Daisy followed his brother quickly, "Mommy is with that uncle, I heard it."

"That uncle is very rich, right?"

"Yeah."

"Mommy's making money, right?"

"Yes."

"So is it weird that Mommy's with him?"

Daisy stopped to scratch his head. It seemed right, but also somehow wrong.

"Right!" Daisy couldn't figure it out, so forgot his thoughts and happily followed his brother inside.

Charlotte let out a small sigh; with a brother like this, what more could you ask for?

"Whose call left you so distracted?" Victoria asked knowingly.

"No, no one's call." Polly, feeling guilty, boarded the plane first.

Victoria chuckled, wondering how long she could play pretend.

Once in L City, Polly turned on her phone and saw Professor Lynn had sent her a video, all of Daisy's performance footage, but due to being with others, she didn't open it, planning to watch it slowly once back at the hotel.

Due to the recent chaos, there weren't many hotel guests, and those who had booked had already checked out.

No one came to greet Victoria this trip. After checking in, Andrew went upstairs with Polly directly.

In the elevator, Polly looked around constantly, finding the silence a bit eerie, so she started to quietly hide behind Victoria.

Victoria could see her little movements reflected on the elevator wall, wondering if the woman was truly not afraid of ghosts.

Out of the elevator, Polly followed Victoria closely. It was too quiet, the kind where you could hear a pin drop. If the lights weren't on, she felt this place would be perfect for a horror film.

At the room door, Victoria entered and turned back to Polly, "Want to come in?"

"Nobody, nobody wants to go in, I ward off evil spirits." Polly said and decisively went to her room instead.

Victoria chuckled, closed the door, and went inside.

Polly entered her room with trembling hands, quickly leaned against the door, and caught her breath. This hotel indeed had a gloomy vibe, proving preconceived notions made everything seem scary.

"Knock knock knock..."

The knock sounded abruptly, and Polly immediately left the door, "Who is it?"

"Miss Song, it's me, delivering your clothes," said Andrew outside the door.

Polly considered if she should find another hotel, considering life was more important than money.

Andrew handed clothes over to Polly, "Miss Song didn't have time to pack luggage, so we purchased clothes from staff, consider them for the next two days."

"Thank you." Polly quickly took the clothes, watched Andrew leave, and was about to enter the room when a service person came over, saying they'd help her clean the room as the staff had failed to sanitize it after the previous guest.

Polly suspected nothing, letting the service staff clean. She wanted to stand in the hall for a moment but felt it was too scary at night, so went to find Victoria.

After all, someone like Victoria, even ghosts were afraid of. Staying near him felt safer.

In Victoria's room, he was on the phone, and gestured for her to come in. Whatever Victoria was speaking about, Polly couldn't understand, nor did she know which country's language it was.

Polly could only wander around the room, finding it brighter and warmer in tone than the room she'd just been in.

Polly: "..."

Same hotel and same floor, yet the lighting was different?

Did the big boss get special treatment?