Chapter 02

One Week Ago

The heat of the day was oppressive, and I felt it bearing down on me as I made my way towards the reception area. The sun blazed down from above, casting a harsh glare over everything. I could feel the sweat trickling down my back, and my feet ached from the long journey. Every step felt like a chore, and I was starting to feel the weight of my own exhaustion.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the frustration and disappointment starting to take a toll on me. It was as if the world was conspiring against me, and I couldn't help but feel a little defeated. I had been traveling for so long, and everything seemed to be going wrong. My plane had been delayed, my luggage had been lost, and now I was stuck in this hotel, waiting for some help.

I tried to keep my cool, but it was difficult. I had been traveling for hours, and the last thing I wanted was to deal with a lost bag.

I had been waiting in the waiting area for what felt like an eternity. Thirty minutes had passed, and still, no one had come to assist me. I tried to keep my cool, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. My frustration was slowly turning into anger, and I couldn't help but feel like I had been let down.

I relied on them to make my arrival into the city as smooth as possible. I had been promised that everything would be taken care of and that I would be greeted with open arms and a helping hand. But now, I was left stranded with no help in sight.

As I sat there, waiting for someone to come to my aid, I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair creeping in. I tried to distract myself, looking around the room and taking in the sights and sounds. But it was no use. As more time passed, my patience wore thin.

Feeling determined, I resolved that the time had come for me to take control of the situation. It had become clear that waiting any longer would be futile, as it seemed that no assistance was forthcoming. With a mixture of frustration and weariness, I let out an audible groan as I rose from the comfort of the sofa and set my sights on the reception area.

As I made my way toward the receptionist, I approached the desk and rapped my knuckles lightly on its surface, patiently awaiting her attention. Looking up from her work, she met my gaze with a warm smile and inquired, "How can I assist you, ma'am?" Her pleasant demeanor had a soothing effect, momentarily easing the frustrations that had been building within me.

Taking a deep breath, I introduced myself, "I'm Isabella Carlo. I had arranged for a pick-up from the airport with your hotel." With a few swift keystrokes on her laptop, the receptionist verified the details and responded, "Yes, Miss Carlo. How was your flight? Is there anything specific that has left you dissatisfied?"

Though my initial intention had been to voice my dissatisfaction with the poor services I had experienced. However, as soon as I started chatting with her, her kindness and helpful demeanor melted away my resolve to complain. Suddenly, the thought of complaining seemed trivial and insignificant. Instead, I found myself saying, "Actually, everything's been quite good so far. However, I seem to have misplaced my bag, and I could use a little assistance. If you could ask your staff to help me find it, I would really appreciate it."

A reassuring smile formed on her lips as she began, "So, it's your bag?" she asked. "Thank God, we have found you." I didn't quite understand what she meant. "Pardon?" I asked, confused.

The receptionist started explaining, "Ma'am, there are two identical bags here, and we were so confused about which one is yours. So, you don't mind helping us?" I felt poor for judging their services when it was definitely not their fault.

I looked at the receptionist and felt a pang of guilt. I had been so quick to judge, assuming that the hotel's staff was incompetent. But now, as I looked at the receptionist's earnest expression, I realized that I had been wrong.

"I see," I said, trying to keep the embarrassment out of my voice. "So where are the bags?"

"There," she pointed her finger towards the bags placed in the side corner. I nodded and walked towards them. Without inspection, I grabbed the front one and said overconfidently, "Obviously, this one is mine. After all, how can I not recognize what belongs to me." She smiled and asked in the polite tone in which she was talking from the start, "Is there anything else we can do for you, Miss Carlo, or if you might need our help with something else?"

I returned her smile and replied, "Thank you so much for your hospitality, but this is enough for today. See you, bye."

As I turned to leave, I felt a sudden force push me off balance. I stumbled, but luckily I was able to steady myself before I fell. I looked around, trying to figure out what had caused me to lose my balance. My eyes shot up to see the person who had caused me to stumble, and I was met with the gaze of a teenage boy who couldn't have been younger than nineteen. He was standing there, looking at me with a curious expression and his hands in his pockets. I couldn't help but notice how mysteriously handsome he looked, with his dark hair falling over his forehead and his piercing eyes fixed on the bag in my hands.

I suddenly felt a wave of unease wash over me as I wondered if he was planning to snatch my bag. I tried to keep my cool, but my heart was racing as I took a step back. The boy continued to look at me, his expression unreadable. I felt like he was trying to figure me out, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

The silence between us was deafening. I had never been in a situation like this before, and I wasn't sure what to do. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, feeling awkward and out of place.

Finally, he broke the silence with just one word, "Bag." I arched my brow, trying to comprehend what he meant, but then he pointed toward the bag in my hand, and I realized what he was referring to. "Oh," I said, feeling a little embarrassed. So the other bag that looked just like mine belonged to this guy. "This is my bag, yours is right there in that corner," his eyes followed the direction I was pointing with my finger.

I watched as he silently walked over to the corner of the lobby to pick up his bag. As he walked, I couldn't help but notice how tall he was and how suspicious he looked. He moved with grace and ease which made me feel clumsy and awkward in comparison.

As I stood there, I couldn't help but feel a little put off by his behavior. The man had bumped into me, causing me to nearly fall, and he hadn't even bothered to apologize. At the very least, he could have thanked me for helping him pick up his things.

I shook my head and walked away, feeling a little annoyed. As I walked, I couldn't help but think about how rude people could be. It seemed like everyone was so wrapped up in their own lives that they didn't care about anyone else.

I walked for a while, lost in my thoughts until I came in front of my room. "Let's forget about everything and have a cold bath," telling myself I opened the door and stepped inside.