Chapter 2Hotel Humiliation

Bob scowled at this. "Noah, what do you mean by that? Don't think you've made some easy money and can do whatever you want. If you don't behave, we have plenty of people who want Maya."

I tapped the steering wheel. "I know, Dad. Besides, we decent people wouldn't do something immoral like cheating."

After we reached the hotel, I unlocked the car with my phone and moved it.

As soon as I got in, I sensed that something was wrong.

Maya always positioned the driver's seat very close to the steering wheel whenever she drove. When I got in and moved the car, the driver's seat was very spacious.

I called Maya again, but still no one answered.

Then I called her colleague, Jacqueline Laker. "Jacqueline, sorry to bother you. Are you free today?"

Jacqueline paused for a moment. "Today is Thanksgiving, Noah."

Sure enough, I chuckled. "I need to ask you for a favor for Thanksgiving. Today is my and Maya's fifth wedding anniversary. I want to give her a surprise. Do you think you could help contact your colleagues to come to Seaview Hotel?"

Jacqueline did not think much and agreed right away.

Before I got out of the car, I took a deep breath.

If nothing happened today, I would go ahead and give her a surprise.

If Maya really betrayed me, the surprise would turn into a shock.

When I reached the hotel lobby, Annie complained, "You're even slow at parking a car. Where's Maya?"

"Annie, calm down."

The receptionist wore a professional smile. "Hello, sir. Do you have a booking?"

I stepped forward and answered with feigned nonchalance. "Yes, my wife already booked a room. Her name is Maya Golding. She didn't tell me which room, so you can take us upstairs."

The receptionist paused for a moment but kept smiling. "I'm sorry, sir. We can't look up a guest's room details for you. How about this: since your wife made the booking, you could give her a call. She can come down to meet you or tell you the room number, and then I can escort you up."

I understood. Hotels did this to protect guest privacy.

How absurd. She might have been upstairs right now, betraying our marriage, yet the law protected such privacy.

"Alright." Right there in front of the receptionist, I called Maya again, but still no answer.

"See? My wife is busy and isn't picking up. We're a family celebrating the holidays, so why not take us upstairs?"

Behind me, Bob and Annie already looked impatient.

However, the receptionist stood her ground. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't take you up directly. Perhaps you could wait in the lobby for a bit? We can provide some drinks and snacks."

Annie finally lost her patience and strode over. "What is wrong with this hotel? My daughter booked the room, yet I'm not allowed upstairs? We paid for it, but you're making us wait downstairs?"

The receptionist looked apologetic. "I'm truly sorry, ma'am, but this is to protect our guests' privacy. I hope you understand."

Annie was used to being pampered at home. As I had become wealthy in recent years, she had lived a charmed life and never had to put up with any nonsense. "You're being impossible. Get your manager. I want to ask: my daughter booked a room, and I want to go upstairs. Whose privacy is that actually violating?"