And here our story begins

“You must be very silly for saying that to me!” Jayden yelled, his voice echoing throughout the hotel lounge, Everyother concierge at the lounge at that time stood in intense silence with their heads bowed, they all knew better than to try to refuse the Jayden Dela Cruz Request, for something as low as hotel policies.

As shocking and as surprising as that sounds that was how things worked over there because Jayden’s cousin and best friend actually owned the hotel, so he was more like a boss there too. Funny, but true!

Jayden was the only son to the Dela Cruz family and apparently the heir to all of the family’s assets and businesses.

After his father died, his mother could not bring herself to just handover all the properties to him, unlike most sons of her friends and business partners, Jayden was quite irresponsible and he knew absolutely nothing about any of the family business.

His mother, Gina actually wanted him to take over the company, stop frolicking around town with different kind of ladies and just be responsible, but Jayden couldn’t be any less bothered!.

“I said to get me a seat in VIP area and you dare stand here to tell me you can’t do it!” He yelled again as he moved intimidatingly close to the lady in question- Gabriella.

His stance was quite intimidating, Six feet tall, broad perfectly toned shoulders and muscle, his brown hair dropping dangerously down his face, his gray eyes sparking with anger as he clenched and unclenched his jaw, but Gabriella didn’t actually care about the drama he was performing right now, the only reason she was smiling at what she thought was his display of madness was because of Hotel etiquette, and as they had being trained, even if they were being frustrated or pushed to the wall by any customer, they had to do one thing, Smile!

Slowly, a small serene smile graced her lips as the corners of her lips stretched widely, lighting up her beautiful brown eyes and perfectly complimenting her brown hair which was packed up in a tight ponytail.

“I’m deeply sorry for the inconvenience sir, as you can see the VIP area on this side of the lounge is filled up,”

“You should have made a reservation before hand but nonetheless I can still move you to another side!” She concluded like she had been repeatedly saying for the past seven minutes.

Her warm smile was still glued to her face and her hands gently placed on each other on her laps as she stood, but her mind was in a great war, she really wanted to lash out on him for being so stubborn, frustrating her and wasting her time.

Gabriella Torres was, well a very simple girl from an extremely humble background, she became an orphan at age sixteen and had struggled with life ever since.

This was her Eighth day on this job though, she didn’t have even the slightest idea who Jayden was and the stature he represented, even if she knew she didn’t seem like she would care.

“You’re still fucking repeating that line to me! I need to see your manager. Who the hell employed you here?!” He yelled.

“I’m sorry that you feel this way sir, if you would just tell me how exactly you want me to help you, I’ll gladly do it if I can,” she answered politely and professionally.

“Empty a seat for me! Damn it! I don’t know what you have to do but fucking ask one person to leave!” He snapped, the other concierge flinched at his loud thundering voice but Gabriella couldn’t be moved, she knew for a fact that he was just one of those very rascally, uncultured and purely lucky rich kids, she was determined to prove to him that he couldn’t always get what he wants.

“I’m sorry sir, but it’s against the hotel policy, every customer here is important and should be treated as such, they own the seat fairly ,”

“I’m sorry I can’t do as you ask, but I definitely can find somewhere else very comfortable for you!” She repeated, Jayden realeased a loud scoff as his eye ball rolled away from her.

“This must be a joke!” He growled.

“Get me Carl! I need to see the manager!” He yelled, just the manager casually strolled in oblivious of the whole drama going on and Jayden angrily stormed off to him.

“Carl, who the hell is this lady! I walk in here demanding for a seat in VIP and she tells me she can’t give me one?! When did you hire her!”

“She’s definitely not fit for this job! Very rude and uncultured!” He ranted , Carl slowly turned to look at Gabriella and she shook her head immediately.

“The VIP section is surprisingly filled up today, but I did offer to find him a better seat,” she defended immediately.

“So now I’m a liar?!” He scoffed, turning back to look at her.

“Fire her!”

“What?!” Gabriella exclaimed immediately, walking up to where they stood.

“I did not even do anything, I was just doing my job!”

“You should have done as you were asked Gab, apologize now and rectify this,” Carl said to her, her ear grew wide as she looked up at him.

“Actually I’m no longer interested in the VIP seat or whatever, I want you to fire her!” He repeated, Carl’s gaze darted quickly in confusion between Jayden whom he definitely cannot say no to, and Gabriella who had only just worked for eight days but was actually an hard worker and could pass for the best concierge they’ve had in months.

“I’m sorry Gab, I can’t say no, you have to leave” He whispered to her.

“Pleas I beg you, you can’t take my job from me, I went through hell to get this one!” She replied immediately.

“I’m really sorry, but he’s a strong voice around here,” Carl replied.

“I’m sorry, you have to leave” Carl repeated. Her shoulders slumped as she looked up at Jayden one more time.

“It’s what you get for disobeying me!” He boasted, a satisfied and wicked grin on his face.

Not a single tear in her face she walked towards her station, picked up all her things and headed for the door, the other concierges just stared at her with pity in their eyes as she headed for the door, once again another staff had fallen victim of the almighty Jayden’s wrath.

Just as Gabriella got to the door, she paused, her left leg coming at attention with her right leg, something spiked deep inside of her and she took a deep breath, she turned around and marched defiantly towards Jayden, her heels clicking heavily against the tile.

Immediately she got to him, she raised her hands and wacked it very hard across his face, a wave of light gasps crossed the lounge as they all held their breath for what was going to come next.

“You know what?! I’ve really wanted to do that!” She whispered, her voice barely above a whisper but heavy with anger.

“You’re just a very opportuned fool! Who has no idea what to do with his father’s money and goes around terrorizing the struggling masses!” She growled.

“How dare you …”

“Hey! Shut the hell up! I’m not done talking, you’re not the boss here neither am I, so you’ll shut the hell up and listen to me!” She snapped as she stepped forward, fearlessly looking deep down into his eyes.

“You’ve done your worst today! My advice for you is to get a life! Stop being a nuisance!”

“If you had a job! You wouldn’t be here at an hotel on Monday morning fussing over a fucking VIP space just to drink and get drunk!”

“Get your fucking miserable life together!” She yelled.

“That’s enough!” Carl said as he grabbed her wrist trying to make her stop but she snatched her hands away from him as she turned to look at him with an irritated scoffed.

“You’re just a coward, like him and the rest of the other nuisance that is enabling this fool and uncultured-“ Before she could complete her statement, his raised his hands in a bit to wack her hard across her cheeks for talking to him that way, but it wasn’t just in him to be violent to women that way, or lay his hands on them. His palm tightened into a fist as he dropped it to his side, it was the first time someone would stand up to him and talk to him that way and he actually didn’t know how to deal with it.

“Watch your mouth!” He growled, his voice resounding like thunder.

“I promise you! I will not just make sure you’re fired here, I’ll make sure you never get the opportunity to have a job anywhere else, as long as you’re still in this country!” He threatened.

She scoffed with a small smile eyeing him contemptuously as she slowly turned to look at him.

“I dare you!” She gritted audaciously a taunting smile on her face.

“I know your type! You’re just bluff!” She said as she turned around and stormed off in anger, all the other staff just stared at her, admiration in their eyes knowing that could never grow the balls to do such.

But Gabriella was wrong, Jayden wasn’t just bluffing

or was he?!!

****

Evening …

6:00pm …

“Sweet baby Jesus!” Jayden gasped as he walked into his room and turned on the lights.

His mother was seated on his beds legs crossed and her hands elegantly resting on her thighs.

“What are you doing in my room and why js everywhere so dark!” He hissed as he walked towards the windows and began to pull everything open.

His mother didn’t utter any statement, her eyes fixed on her image in the mirror infront of her, just as he was done opening the windows, the evening ray of sunshine filtered in adding a dusk glow to the room.

“Don’t scare me like that again,” he muttered as he walked towards her, leaned on the dressing table she was facing, legs crossed and hands around his chest.

She gently picked up her phone beside her on the bed and handed it over to him.

“What’s that!” He grumbled, begrudgingly taking the phone from her.

It was a video, he pressed play and began to watch the video, his eyes went temporarily shut cursing under his breath.

“So what do you plan to do right now, ground me like a child?! Take away my allowance?! Just tell me what you want to do and let’s get this over with!” He replied handing back her phone to her.

“I can see you’ve made up your mind to continually embarrass and soil this family’s name!” His mother - Gina finally said.

“A sex scandal?! What the hell has gotten over you!”

“When did you become so unrecognizable, how did you become so irresponsible and stupid!” She growled, he slowly rubbed his palm in this forehead, frustrated that he was having this conversation with his mother.

“Look Mum, it’s just a sex tape right! It’d die down with time, can we not talk about it right now?! I’ve had a long day and I’m really not in a very good mood,”

“To hell with you and your good moods!” She snapped, standing up from his bed.

“To hell with your bad mood and the long day you had!” She spat angrily again,

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?! Look I’m tired of cleaning up your mess every time!”

“And now, it’s time for you to man up and take responsible your self!” She yelled.

“Then fine! Go ahead name it, what do you want me to do?!” He asked.

“Since you’re jobless that’s why you have the time to go around doing all these nonsense you do! I’ve decided to make you work as an intern at the company!” He released as loud scoff, unfolding his hands from around his chest as he stood upright.

“Me?! An intern at my own father’s company?!”

“And it doesn’t stop there, I’ve made arrangements with Camilla Rodriguez and she has agreed to marry her daughter to you despite your mess!”

“What?! You want me to marry Isabella?!”

“It’s pretty much what I just said!” Gina retorted,

“And if I don’t?!”

“Get ready to be tagged the black sheep of this family and be disowned! I would never give you any access to me or the family name ever again!”

“Mum! Don’t be ridiculous, Isabella is not even my type!”

“Then make her your type!!” His mother yelled.

“I’m sick and tired of your irresponsible, dirty and irritating behavior!”

“You know what?! This is very insane! I’m not going to do it! Never ! you won’t force me to marry someone I don’t love!” He replied.

“Oh please! Spare me! What do you know about love!”

“No this is a joke, I’m just gonna go and grab a drink, this is actually a joke!” He said repeated as he grabbed his keys from the table and headed for the door.

“If you walk out of that door, you’ve made your decision Jayden and this would be the last time you would have the opportunity to be called my son!” She threatened.

He paused in his tracks and slowly turned to look at her.

“You would disown me because of this?!”

“Dare me!” She snickered, he scoffed loudly shaking his head side to side almost furiously.

“You won’t do shit mum! You’re joking!” He said as he turned around walked out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him.

“Arghhh!” Gina exhaled as she dropped back on the bed.