Chapter 1.1: No Body, No Crime

Nathalia’s POV

 

I turned off the engine of my car as it came to a stop in front of a tall building. After making sure I didn’t leave anything behind, I got out of the car and looked up at the towering building before me.

I took a deep breath before I started walking, going along with the flow of people entering the building.

As I entered, the lounge area greeted me, filled with many people lounging around and reading magazines. Most of them seemed to be guests of the hotel.

My attention was immediately drawn to the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It looked cold and beautiful, made of crystal.

I began walking on the red carpet laid out in the hallway, passing by pillars adorned with indoor plants.

I smiled as I proceeded to the reception area.

“Good afternoon, Ma’am. How may I help you?” the receptionist greeted me politely, wearing a wide smile on her lips.

I glanced around. It wasn’t my first time here. But even so, I couldn’t just visit my friends.

I had been waiting for them for hours at the university earlier, hoping we could all sign our clearances together. But the whole day passed, and not one of them showed up. They didn’t reply to my texts or answer my calls. They were all offline, so they didn’t see my messages.

“I’m looking for someone. Specifically, there are four of them. They’re working—”

I stopped speaking when I caught sight of Mads’ familiar figure. She was still wearing her housekeeping uniform and seemed to be in a hurry.

I would have said more to the receptionist, but I quickly thanked her and excused myself to follow my friend.

She proceeded down a long corridor and opened the door at the end of it. I waited a few minutes before following. I was sure she’d be surprised to see me here. She made several turns and entered several doors, and I almost lost track of the way back.

I can count on one hand the number of times I have visited them here. Well, the fact that they weren’t responding to my texts and calls made me do so today. As far as I knew, they were off work today. That’s why I couldn’t shake this feeling of unease. Maybe the hotel was short-staffed and they were called in for an emergency.

Honestly, I couldn’t understand why I was secretly following her. I had this strange feeling inside me, urging me to do so, even though I could simply call out to her instead.

But my forehead creased in worry as I noticed her heading towards the basement.

I wonder what she will do there.

As far as I know, the four of them work part-time here as housekeepers and bellboys. That’s how they managed to gain admission to the prestigious university we are attending now.

It’s not solely because of their earnings from working here, but because the hotel owner himself provided them with an education.

They’re all orphans who grew up and got to know each other at an orphanage.

Though I don’t have any idea about the whole story behind it. I don’t even know why they were orphaned. I didn’t bother to ask because I knew how sensitive the topic was.

Besides, I have my own secret that I don’t want them to find out either.

As Mads mentioned to me, they just woke up one day to find that a good samaritan had taken in the four of them from the orphanage.

And that person is none other than the father of the owner of this hotel. I’ve heard a lot about Don Isaac Anderson, but I haven’t seen him in person or even seen a picture of him. According to Mads, Don Isaac is a very private person.

On the other hand, I have seen his son, Stephen Anderson, at least in pictures. How could I not? He’s often featured in various newspapers and social media sites due to the different controversies linked to his name.

I remember the day I asked Mads about that matter. They immediately refuted the allegations circulating about Stephen. They said he’s kind and that his enemies in business are merely tarnishing his reputation. Perhaps because, at such a young age, he has already made a name for himself and established and managed his own company.

He owns this hotel, and his father’s business is separate. He’s indeed one of the most sought-after bachelors in town.

But he’s also someone I consider a competitor in our business.

As I reached the basement, I looked around and noticed that Mads was nowhere to be found. It seemed like I got lost in my thoughts.

“Where could that girl have gone? And what is she planning to do here?”

I frowned, as I still couldn’t spot her. As I scanned the area, I realized that it appeared to be a private and hidden parking lot. There was neither a security guard nor any CCTV cameras in sight, which was very unusual for a well-known, five-star hotel.

The space was smaller, and only a few cars were parked there. Moreover, the route to get there was too complex, almost as if it had been intentionally designed that way.

I shrugged off the things I noticed. I was about to turn back and text them again when suddenly I heard a loud thud. I instinctively looked around and followed the source of the successive noises.

For some unknown reason, anxiety suddenly gripped my chest. One part of my mind was screaming at me to leave and go back inside to accomplish my original purpose here.

But another part of my mind was urging me to continue.

Until I reached the farthest corner of the basement. However, my eyes widened in shock at what I saw, and I instinctively covered my mouth with my right hand to stifle any noise that might escape.

I quickly hid behind one of the parked cars and cautiously peeked, witnessing an unpleasant scene unfold before me. I was far enough from the commotion, and I was sure they couldn’t easily spot me, but the distance was enough for me to see what they were doing.

I never thought that I would witness such a scene in real life.

Because right there, I saw a man, hopelessly lying on the ground, groaning in pain as he held his stomach and begging for forgiveness to...

My gaze shot up, and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw who was responsible for this.

Stephen Anderson!

I couldn’t be mistaken! Even just looking at his picture, I could be sure it was him!

He has a pointed nose, round and blue eyes, clean-cut hair, and red lips. His muscles were visible beneath the shirt he was wearing. He had a tanned complexion that suited him well.

I must admit, he could pass as a model.

But I immediately shook my head, overwhelmed by the thoughts rushing through my mind.

Oh, shit! What is Mads’ boss doing to that man?