Owned By The Playboy Billionaire

05: Confronting Errors

RIVER'S POV

I was busy reading all the papers on my table, and most of them were about a business proposal. Since the Media Generation was transferred under Inigo's name, many investors kept coming and coming.

"Good afternoon, sir. It's already lunchtime; are you not taking your lunch?" My personal secretary, Lindsay, asked. I glanced at my wristwatch and realized it was indeed lunchtime, but due to the amount of work I had, I hadn't noticed the time.

"Alright, Ms. Clark, take your lunch," I ordered, still keeping my eyes on the papers I was reading. With so many proposals, I didn't know which ones to approve and which ones to reject.

"Ah, I'll just have it later, sir; I'll wait for you," she hesitantly said. "Maybe an important call might come, and I won't be able to answer."

"No, take your lunch; just transfer any calls to me automatically; I'll filter them," I said without looking at her.

"Are you sure, sir?" She asked with concern, which finally made me look at her and lose patience as I set down the paper I was holding.

"How many times do you want me to repeat myself, Ms. Clark?"

"Ah, uh, sorry. Okay, sir, I'll go ahead then; I'll be back soon." She quickly excused herself and closed the door to my office.

I leaned back in my swivel chair and rubbed my temples. Her persistence had drained my desire to go through all the papers in front of me. Just as I was about to pick up the paper again, the telephone on my desk rang.

It rang a few times before I answered. "Hi, good afternoon." I answered the call smoothly.

"Hi, may I talk to Mr. River Sanders?" My eyebrows rose at the sound of a man's voice.

"Yes, speaking."

"Oh, hello, Mr. Sanders. This is Jules Monroe." I decided to call you because I’ve heard the news that your staff didn't let the woman I sent to you enter. I tried to call your number, but it did not ring." I furrowed my eyebrows at his words.

"What do you mean they didn't let her in?" I asked confusedly, as I knew the woman he sent was with me in the suite.

"She wasn't allowed in, but your staff didn't tell her why, and she didn't insist. I'm calling because I'm worried you might think I didn't fulfill our agreement when in fact there was a misunderstanding on your side," he explained.

"Are you saying the woman you sent wasn't the one with me last night?" I asked incredulously. Then who is that girl? I couldn't help but wonder about the sweet yet sad face of the woman with me last night.

"I don't know; she sent me a report saying nothing happened during her visit, so if you were with someone else last night, well, that's not my concern anymore. It is irrelevant whether you have a problem with the woman you were with last night."

"Okay, no worries, I have no problem with her," I clarified. "If this is all you want to tell me, I’ll end this call." I didn't wait for him to respond before ending the call.

After putting down the phone, I stood up to go to the reception area to find out what happened last night. That's why I felt something off about the woman I was with last night. She wasn't like the usual women I encounter. I headed straight to Chloe's office. I knew it was lunchtime, and it wasn't my habit to summon my employees because I respected their break time. However, I found myself in need, so, unable to maintain composure, I decided to visit her office personally.

"I need to clarify something," I said seriously as I entered her office, and she quickly stood up and approached me.

"What is it, sir?" she politely asked. I sat down on the couch. "Coffee or tea, sir?" she asked hurriedly. I didn't often go there, and if I did, I was sure there was something I didn't like about what happened.

"No." I declined. "Summon all the receptionists for a moment," I ordered, and she immediately followed me. I waited for a few minutes inside her office, and when she returned, she brought the receptionists I had called for.

"They're here, sir; the others are off today, and I left one at the reception," Chloe said. I sat down and watched them.

"I just want to know how another woman entered my suite?" To avoid any confusion, I asked directly. I noticed they exchanged glances, so I knew immediately that there was a mistake last night. When I looked at Chloe, she immediately avoided eye contact. "I want to know!" I shouted because I didn't like their actions. "Will you tell me, or will I fire all of you?"

"Ah, Sir River, the truth is, there was a big mistake that really happened last night," Chloe quickly replied. "But I've already fired the receptionist who made the mistake."

"Did you act without informing me of everything? Negligence of duty is what you're doing! If Mr. Monroe hadn't called me, I wouldn't have known that this had happened. You acted because you didn't want to inform me, didn't you?"

"I-I'm sorry, Sir."

"And you weren't here last night, so how did you know that a mistake had occurred?" I asked, remembering.

"B-because, sir, the rec—"

"Tell me the truth, or I will fire you!" I shouted at her when I sensed she was planning to lie to me.

"She came to us, sir, and she was very angry about what happened."

"Explain to me what really happened, because I really don't understand why such a mistake occurred."

"What happened was, Sir, when you called the reception and said a woman was coming, and we should let her into your suite; after that, another woman arrived who said she had a room reservation under the name of Ryder Saunder, and—"

"Ryder Saunder?" I repeated the name she mentioned because it sounded familiar to me.

"Yes, because your name is River Sanders, sir, Jen assumed you were the one she was referring to, and since you called us, she really thought that was the woman you were talking about. However, we discovered this morning that Ryder Saunder had indeed reserved a separate room." I shook my head at the enormity of the mistake that had occurred.

"Did you at least get the name of the woman?" She paused at my question, so I already knew the answer. I shook my head at the mistakes my employees were making. Despite being a 5-star hotel, it appears that my staff lacks proper training.

I didn't experience any remorse personally. But it would still be a big scandal for the Peninsula Hotel, so before that happens, I need to intervene.

"Bring back the receptionist who made the mistake last night, but give her a one-week suspension. You can't let her go because she's the one at fault for what happened. If the woman I was with last night decides to press charges, this hotel will be in big trouble."

"Alright, sir, I'll call her immediately," she quickly responded, then I left and returned to my office.

When I got back, Lindsay was already there. "I thought, sir, you hadn't eaten yet, so I came back quickly," she greeted me.

"Ms. Clark, call Ulysses; I have something important for him to do," I instructed her before finally entering my office.

As soon as I sat down, I immediately called my security personnel to request a copy of the CCTV footage from last night. I need to get a clearer picture of the woman I was with last night.

That's almost all I focused on, and I couldn't concentrate on my work anymore. I also couldn't understand what I really wanted to know. With all of these things on my mind, I just leaned back and closed my eyes, feeling my headache worsen with the sudden problem that came my way.

I didn't know how long I had been leaning back with my eyes closed when I heard faint knocks. "Come in," I said, then I straightened up.

Lindsay said as she opened the door, "Sir River, Sir Ulysses is here."

"Alright, let him in," I said.

"Good afternoon, sir," Ulysses greeted me as he entered. "You have something for me to do?"

"Yes, take a seat," I said, pointing to the couch in my office. Then I stood up, carrying the printed copy of the screenshot I got from the CCTV. "I want to find this woman. Although I lack specific details about her, she had a connection with Ryder Saunder." He then picked up the papers I laid out in front of him. "If you can get any details about her, let me know immediately."

"Alright, sir, I'll keep you updated; is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"That is all for the time being; I simply need to know where that woman is." I really couldn't understand why I felt something different about her. That was really unusual. So I couldn't explain it. I softly added, "Every small detail about her," as I gazed at her printed face on the paper.

"Okay, sir, I'll get on with it," he said as he bid me farewell.

"Alright, if you have any questions, just call me." Then I remembered to grope for my cellphone. "Wait, where is my cellphone?" I asked myself this question because I hadn't held my cellphone all day. I couldn't hold it because I was too busy. "How long do you think it will take you to find that woman?"

"Are you in a hurry, sir? Because, based on the information you gave me, it's quite difficult to find her. Ryder was a very common name, as was Saunder’s last name." I looked again at the face printed on the paper.

"If you can make it as soon as possible, because I'm really in a hurry."