Chapter 6: The Stretching Hours

Cassandra’s POV

As we stepped off the plane and into the bustling airport, I could feel the weight of exhaustion settling on my shoulders. 

The turbulence had troubled me, and I was looking forward to some much-needed rest. I can still feel my stomach turning upside down while the plane landed. 

I thought it was the worst when it took off… but it was more miserable when it set foot on land again! 

Nathaniel and I walked through the terminal, collected our luggage, and found a cab to take us to our hotel. 

He looked at me and whispered, “I could not ship my car overseas since this is just a short trip. Apologies.” 

“Huh? Uh, that’s okay.” I could not contain my laughter. I am very used to taking a cab, why does he think it’d be uncomfortable for me?

The city lights blurred together as we drove through the streets. Oh gosh, I wonder how different this trip would have been if I wasn’t with Nathaniel. 

When we arrived at the hotel, I was struck by its grandeur. The lobby was decorated with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and elegant furniture. 

The atmosphere was almost overwhelming, a sparking contrast to the tension I felt about walking next to the first-ranked billionaire that everyone had been fantasizing about. 

I have never been to a hotel room this beautiful. I could only see such things on the TV screen. 

I thought some of them were just edited, but looking at it now with my bare eyes? Oh dear, it’s the prettiest place on earth! 

As we approached the reception desk, I tried to steady my nerves, hoping there would be no issues with our rooms.

“Good evening, welcome to The Grand Royal,” the receptionist greeted us. “How may I assist you?”

I handed over our reservation details, praying silently that everything would go smoothly. The receptionist's smile faltered slightly as she scanned the computer screen.

“Miss Cassandra, Mr. Nathaniel,” she began, her tone apologetic, “there’s been an adjustment in the booked rooms. We only have one VIP room available now. We’re sorry for the inconvenience.”

My heart dropped to my stomach. I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. This was my fault. “How did that happen? I am sure I booked two VIP rooms and double-checked it.”

“We are so sorry, ma’am. It seems that you might have checked only one room when you were booking on our website.” She allowed me to look at the screen of her desktop which made me more embarrassed. 

I had somehow messed up the booking, and now we were stuck with only one room. I glanced nervously at Nathaniel, expecting him to be furious. How can I be so stupid?!

“I’m so sorry,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “I must have made a mistake. I can stay at another hotel, a cheaper one. This is my fault.”

“You can take the keys now and I will search for cheaper rooms outside.” I picked up all my things. “Just give you a call whenever you need anything.”

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “It’s fine, Cassandra. We’ll share the room. There’s no need for you to find another place.”

He took the keys, “Thank you.” He smiled sweetly at the woman who assisted us.

Charismatic… wait, what was I thinking?!

My stomach did a nervous flip. Share a room with Nathaniel? The idea made me incredibly uncomfortable. It wasn’t just sharing a room; it was the fact that there was only one bed. How was I supposed to handle this?

We made our way to the elevator in silence. The ride up to our floor felt like an eternity, each second stretching out my sanity. 

None of us tried to talk. To me, it is the most awkward thing I have ever put my shoe on. However, stealing glances on Nathaniel who had his composure… he seemed normal.

I could feel my anxiety building with every passing moment. When we finally reached our floor, Nathaniel led me to our room. As he unlocked the door and pushed it open, I felt dreaded.

The VIP room was luxurious, with a king-sized bed dominating the space. Plush carpets, rich drapes, and elegant furniture completed the lavish setting. My cheeks burned at the thought of sharing such close quarters with Nathaniel. How was I supposed to stay professional in this situation?

Nathaniel seemed unfazed, placing his suitcase by the wardrobe. “You can take the bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

The couch, while stylish, didn’t look particularly comfortable. I couldn’t let my boss, a billionaire, sleep on the couch because of my mistake. 

Gathering my courage, I quickly blurted out, “No, it’s fine. I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s my fault, after all.”

Nathaniel looked at me, surprised but amused. “Cassandra, it’s not necessary.”

Before he could say more, I grabbed a pillow from the bed and lay on the couch, trying to look as settled as possible. “I insist. It’s perfectly fine.”

He watched me for a moment, then sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

As he began to unpack his things, I tried to make myself comfortable on the couch. It was much more awkward than I had anticipated. 

I stayed there, watching him take care of his things which made me feel like a child observing him.

The plush cushions didn’t offer much support, and I felt every bump and ridge. Despite my discomfort, I couldn’t help but feel relieved that Nathaniel hadn’t been angry or upset. 

He had been remarkably understanding. I wonder if he is just in a good mood. 

While helping Nathaniel unpack, he accidentally dropped a small case. It hit the floor with a soft thud, and its contents spilled out. 

I quickly bent down to pick them up and noticed they were black contact lenses. Plenty of them… 

“Here, let me help,” I said, handing them to him. “I didn’t know you wore contacts.”

Nathaniel’s reaction was immediate and intense. He snatched the lenses from my hand, his expression darkening. “It’s none of your business,” he snapped, his voice cold and hard.

Taken aback by his sudden anger, I stammered, “I’m sorry, I just thought—”

“Just thought what?” he interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “That you could pry into my matters?”

“Huh? I was just–” I could not finish what I wanted to say when he turned his back on me. 

He grabbed his coat and stormed out of the room, leaving me standing there, stunned and confused. 

I couldn’t understand what mistake I had made. I had only wanted to help. Did he have blurry vision? Why was he so secretive and defensive about the lenses?

It is not like having a blurry vision is something he should be ashamed of. Maybe it comes from genetics? 

I sat back down on the couch, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. The luxury of the room felt hollow now, overshadowed by the tension that had erupted.

Minutes passed, and Nathaniel didn’t return. The initial shock of his outburst faded, replaced by a deep sense of unease. 

I had never seen him lose his composure like that. What was so significant about those lenses?

Unable to come to any ideas, I finally lay back on the couch, pulling the blanket up to my chin. 

The plush cushions still felt uncomfortable, but I was too mentally exhausted to care. My eyes grew heavy, and despite my anxiety, I began to drift off to sleep.

I don't need to keep on thinking about that… I’ll just talk to him tomorrow and sort out whatever we need to talk about.