Chapter 385: Shadows in the Room

Cleveland hadn’t meant to say anything, but Ellis’s face had clearly gone pale. The moment he spoke, Maxwell shifted his attention to Ellis.

“If you’re feeling unwell, I’ll approve half a day off. Go home and rest.”

She wasn’t unwell—it was just the past catching up to her and infuriating her. Ellis pushed the discomfort down and smiled naturally.

“I’m fine. It’s just the heat. I wore too much and feel a bit stuffy.”

Cleveland nodded, completely buying it.

“Yeah, it’s hot out.”

“There’s no AC outside. Feeling warm is normal.” Maxwell started walking toward the hotel entrance. Ellis and Cleveland followed him immediately.

When it came to site inspections like this, giving notice in advance would only mean seeing a staged performance. Surprise checks were the only way to get a real look at what was happening.

The three of them didn’t reveal who they were. To the hotel staff, they looked like regular guests. But even so, the service was visibly excellent—nothing to complain about.

Cleveland kept a close eye on Maxwell, trying to read his expression, but the man was impossible to read. He only hoped the staff would stay on their best behavior. Because if they slipped up even once, Maxwell wouldn’t hesitate. He’d tear the place apart and rebuild it from scratch if needed.

Ellis, unlike Cleveland, wasn’t just observing—she was learning. She took mental notes and quietly typed observations into her phone, noting areas that needed improvement.

At one point, Maxwell looked over at Cleveland, then shifted his gaze to Ellis. Cleveland noticed Ellis tapping away on her phone and snuck a peek. One glance, and he had no more doubts. He’d earned that job reassignment fair and square.

After they finished checking out the lobby and ground floor, it was time to go upstairs. They had to reveal their identities to the hotel staff. Within moments, Alex—the general manager—rushed over.

“Mr. Maxwell, welcome!” Alex greeted him with a full-body bow. “Apologies for not welcoming you sooner.”

He’d known about the leadership change in the hotel division. Since then, he’d pushed staff harder, expecting an inspection any day. He’d been preparing non-stop, hoping to make sure no one caught his team shirking their duties.

And now that the day had come, he was secretly relieved. If he hadn’t been ready, he might’ve ended up like others—demoted, docked, or even fired. What he didn’t expect was that Maxwell could see right through him—but chose not to say anything.

When Alex tried to tag along during the tour, Maxwell waved him off and told him to stick to the point. While leading them through the hotel, Alex stuck close behind Maxwell but subtly tried to warm up to Cleveland and Ellis.

Halfway through the tour, Ellis’s face twisted into a look of visible discomfort and disgust. Alex didn’t freak out, but his eyes flicked nervously. He remembered Ellis had introduced herself as Maxwell’s assistant. Was this some sort of signal from the boss?

When Maxwell wasn’t looking, Alex pulled out his phone and smiled ingratiatingly.

1:01 PM

Chapter 385: Shadows in the Room.

“Ms. Harper, shall we add each other on WhatsApp? Easier to stay in touch.”

Ellis didn’t respond right away. Instead, she looked to Maxwell for a cue. Right then, Maxwell caught the disdain in her eyes.

Strange. She seemed fine before. What’s gotten into her now?

Ellis stayed silent. Maxwell’s eyes fell on her, but he said nothing. Alex quietly put his phone away, his heart pounding.

Sh*t. Am I about to lose this job?

The tour continued. Ellis forced herself to keep it together, but she could barely stop the nausea bubbling up. Coming back to this place didn’t spark any good memories. It only made her recoil. Just being here made her skin crawl. This hotel had witnessed one of her lowest points. It was the place where she and Easton had first slept together—after he’d been drugged.

No matter how many times she’d tried to explain that she hadn’t drugged him, Easton never believed her. In his eyes, she’d tricked her way into his bed, used it as a ladder to become his wife. That same man now regretted the divorce and had the audacity to beg her to come back.

Disgusting.

Her expression must’ve changed again. Cleveland noticed and asked, “Ms. Harper, are you feeling okay? Your face doesn’t look too good.”