Chapter 12: Just Friends

Lillian blinked repeatedly as all the people in the room looked at her like she was caught cheating on her husband. She quickly wiped the tears on her face. She recognized that voice.

It was James, her friend who owned the hotel. She put her index finger on her lips, telling everyone to be quite as she walked to the door. 

They looked hesitant to let her open the door but she did anyway before they could stop her. 

"James, what's going on?" Lillian asked upon opening the door and closed it behind her.

"Lily, are you alright? Why are your eyes red? Have you been crying?" Danny asked with a concerned voice. He even caressed Lillian's cheek.

"I'm fine. I was watching a tragic movie just a while ago and it made me cry," Lillian reasoned. 

She pretended to look behind James so he would retract his hand from her face. There were two other people with him dressed in working clothes and carried what seemed like a tool box.

Lillian had felt a chill run down her spine the instant James caressed her face. She could feel someone's dangerous aura oozing behind the door. And instinct told her it was best to distance herself from James quickly before something bad happened.

"I see. Then I'm relieved."

"What brings you here?"

"About that, did anyone suspicious come here?" James leaned in and whispered to her. He looked her up and down as if checking for injuries.

Lillian tensed when James came close to her and whispered. She could feel her husband's aura getting more dangerous. It felt like his gaze was drilling holes on the door.

"I'm fine. Did something happen?" she innocently asked. James looked like he was worried so something must have happened.

"The feed from our surveillance cameras suddenly stopped a while ago. It was hacked, so I was worried. The guard for both the front and back exit reported seeing suspicious looking men in black enter the hotel so we are checking. Your reservation here was secret so I personally came to check," James replied in a low voice so only Lillian could hear.

She blinked in realization. James must have meant her husband and his cohorts. They must have hacked the surveillance system to ensure no one saw them enter the hotel and exit with her in tow.

"That's scary," Lillian feigned her ignorance. 

What was scary was the glare she was getting from her husband. She could feel it despite the door. It was drilling holes at the back of her head now. Her husband's dangerous aura felt darker when she and James continued talking to each other in hushed tones.

"I hope no one was hurt. Did you check the other floors? What if they were thieves? You should check where you put the cash payments," Lillian pretended to be worried.

"Right. We already did. By the way the water pipes had a problem. We need to check on your bathroom before it leads to flooding the room." This time James said it loudly.

"Eh? Right now? Shouldn't you prioritize searching the other floors for the intruders?" Lillian internally face-palmed. 

'How could I show him that the suspicious and dangerous-looking "intruders" were all in my room? They sure looked suspicious even if they were all good-looking.'

"I already have the crew take care of it. The other rooms were already checked except for this so I need to check yours too. If all the pipes were fixed except for yours, you might end up flooding this whole floor," James insisted.

'Why do I feel like he was just using it as an excuse so he could enter my room?'

Lillian sized him up and realized that James wouldn't budge until she let him in her room; and in the bathroom of all places. 

Her husband and his cohorts could have hidden in the bathroom if James didn't specify he wanted to go in the bathroom. They could not get out of the windows either.

'Did he already pinpoint that the "intruders" were in my room?'

"Um, it's quite messy inside that it's embarrassing. I'll fix it up a bit first," she had to ask her husband first. They also needed a plan so they won't look suspicious.

"I don't really mind. We've known each other for so long. There's no need to hide anything or look so tidy," James insisted again.

"That's true but my undies are scattered in the bathroom," she pretended to be embarrassed. 

'Why is he being so persistent about this?' 

Her head was aching. It was already embarrassing enough that her husband and his cohorts were listening to their conversation.

"That's perfectly normal. Every guest in my hotel feels at home and often does the same. It's not like it's the first time I saw women's underwear."

"No. No, I have my period so it's really embarrassing even if it's you and you have company. Just wait for a bit. Okay?" 

Lillian entered her room and shut the door before James could react. She locked the door and sighed in relief. If she let them in, it might end up in a shootout. 

"What do we do?" she asked her husband in a whisper but he was just glaring at her darkly.

"I think he knows you're all here. He's worried about me," she continued. She ignored the look he was giving her for the meantime.

"The two of you sure seem close," Leo said with a frown like a perfectly jealous husband. Once again, she pretended not to notice his dark glare.

"Of course we are. He is the owner of this hotel. I already told you he's been a friend of mine for a long time," Lillian looked around as she replied and smiled upon seeing the TV. 

Lillian turned down the volume before turning it on and putting one of the latest movies and forwarded it to the first fifteen minutes, paused it, and raised the volume again.