His Boundless Desires

Boundless 5: His Being Possessive

HAHAHA sorry, typo! My internet is weak. Anyway, Lauren, I have a party to attend tonight!

Alright, take care, I typed back, staring at the screen in complete disbelief.

Group chat?! Do Andrew and Caleb actually know each other?!

My head was pounding from trying to connect the dots. What on earth was going on between them? Exhaustion eventually won, and I fell into a restless sleep filled with lingering doubts.

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. I checked my alarm and gasped in sheer panic—it was already 5:30 AM! I was supposed to be at the hotel before 6:00 AM!

I scrambled out of bed, threw on my uniform, and bolted out the door. Running in a tight pencil skirt was absolute torture, but somehow, I managed to arrive at the hotel right on time, looking surprisingly presentable.

I started my shift at the front desk as a Lobby Ambassador. But as I worked, I couldn't stop wondering about Caleb. If he's an employee here, where is he right now?

"Good morning, sir/ma'am! Welcome to the Cornwell Luxury Hotel!" I greeted the guests stepping through the grand doors to make their reservations.

Three hours passed quickly, and my performance was going smoothly. Standing in high heels was exhausting, but I was amazed by the sheer volume of wealthy guests checking in.

Most of them were high-profile businessmen and women, along with elite tourists.

Where is Caleb? His face popped into my head again, making me groan inwardly. Ugh, why do I keep thinking about him?! Focus, Lauren!

Suddenly, a woman walked through the main doors. Her intimidating presence made me feel instantly small, but I put on my best professional smile and approached her.

"Hello, ma'am! Good morning and welcome to the Cornwell Luxury Hotel!" I greeted warmly.

"What's so good about the morning?" she scoffed, raising an eyebrow disdainfully.

I kept my smile intact and offered to assist her with her luggage. Damn, beautiful woman, but what a nasty attitude!

"I want the best suite in this hotel," she demanded haughtily.

"And call Caleb immediately. I have a proposal for him, and I'm sure he's going to love it."

My mind stalled. She knows Caleb?! Was he really just an employee here, or was he something much bigger?

I personally escorted her up to her luxury suite, carrying her bags.

"Hurry up! You're moving like a snail. I need to rest before I meet Caleb," she snapped as we walked down the corridor.

Like I care about your schedule! You brought way too many bags anyway, I muttered silently.

"Here you go, ma'am. Enjoy your stay!" I said politely, setting her luggage down.

Just as I turned to leave, the door opened, and Caleb stepped into the room wearing a tailored black suit that looked criminally good on him.

He froze when his eyes landed on me, looking as if he had just seen a ghost. I glared at him. Hello, are you going to move out of my way or what?

"Oh my god, Caleb!" the woman squealed dramatically.

She shoved past me, throwing her arms around Caleb's neck in a tight embrace.

"Enjoy your stay, ma'am," I blurted out coldly. Without looking back, I turned on my heel and walked briskly down the hallway.

So that's what it is... don't tell me he's an escort or an entertainment guy for rich hotel guests?! No wonder he gets huge cash tips!

I let out a bitter laugh as I returned to my post in the lobby, though a strange, annoyance flared in my chest.

"Hi! Are you the new girl here?" a friendly voice suddenly asked.

I turned to see a female colleague smiling at me. "Yes! I'm the new Lobby Ambassador."

"I'm Dell! An old employee here," she introduced herself.

A wave of relief washed over me. An old employee! "I'm Lauren Jade Valeria. Nice to meet you!"

"Looks like we'll be working together a lot," Dell smiled warmly.

"Thank goodness! At least I won't feel so lost anymore."

"By the way, let me take you to lunch later at the hotel's main restaurant."

"A restaurant inside the hotel?" I asked, confused. "Really?"

"Yeah! Didn't they mention it during your orientation?"

"No, not really."

"Well, now you know! HAHAHA!" Dell was playful and bubbly; I could tell we were going to get along great.

Working with her made the shift fly by. She was hilariously talkative and knew all the ins and outs of the building.

"It's already 11:00 AM! Let's go, Lauren," Dell said, tapping my shoulder.

"Where are we going?"

"Lunch! All staff eat at 11:00 AM here."

"Oh, awesome!"

I followed Dell through the staff corridors, and my jaw dropped when we stepped into the lavish dining area she was talking about.

“If we eat here, do we have to pay for it?” I asked, looking around the lavish dining area.

“Yeah, but we get a fifty percent employee discount,” Dell explained.

“Honestly, I don’t know why the boss doesn’t just make staff meals free. Guess business-minded people really believe every single cent counts.”

“Makes sense,” I muttered.

She gestured for me to follow her, and we hurried toward the service counter before our lunch break ran out. But as I approached the cashier, a wave of panic washed over me.

“Oh no... Dell, I don’t have any cash on me!” I squeaked. “Literally all I have in my wallet is my transportation money to get back to my apartment!”

“Wait, let me check my bag. I might have some extra—” Dell started, but she was cut off as a low, deep voice purred right against the back of my neck.

“Take whatever you want, hubby. I’ll pay for it.”

His towering body was pressed so closely against mine that I could feel the heat radiating off him. I spun around, my heart hammering against my ribs, only to meet Caleb’s dark, amused eyes.

Dell gasped, her jaw practically hitting the floor. “W-What? Hubby?!"

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, trying to step back, but there was nowhere to go.

“Just checking on my hubby to make sure she’s eating properly. Hmm?” he murmured, casually reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

This man is completely out of his mind! I went out with him once yesterday, and now he was acting like he owned me. Major clingy-boyfriend energy.

“Dell and I have this covered, thanks. You can leave now,” I said, flashing him a tight, overly sweet smile.

He looked over at the cashier, tossed a casual wink, and turned back to me. God, he’s so weird.

“Here. Take this,” he whispered.

Before I could protest, he slid a sleek card directly into my front breast pocket. At the same time, his broad hand rested firmly on the small of my back.

“Fix your posture, Lauren,” he murmured in a husky voice. “I like seeing those curves.”

A fiery blush rushed up my neck and scorched my cheeks. Right here in public?!

He gave me a tantalizing smirk and strolled away. I turned to Dell, completely mortified, unsure if she was swooning or holding back a fit of laughter.

“My god, Lauren!” Dell squealed, dragging me away from the counter after we grabbed our trays. “Is he your boyfriend?!”

“What?! No!” I hissed under my breath as we sat down at a corner table.

“Are you serious?” she asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

“Yes! Besides, he’s just an employee here too, right?” I explained, trying to sound convincing.

Dell stared at me like I had two heads.

“An employee? Girl, I’ve been working at this hotel for almost seven years, and I have never seen that man work a single shift here!”

My brain stalled. “What?”

“And look!” She pointed at the card sticking out of my pocket. “That’s a black card, Lauren. A black card!”

I pulled the card out and stared at the weighted, unbranded obsidian metal. Realization hit me like a bucket of ice water. Who on earth is he?!

I glanced around the cafeteria, hoping to spot him and throw his card back at him, but he had completely vanished into thin air. Like a ghost.

“But... he’s the one who interviewed and hired me!” I argued weakly.

“Really?” Dell leaned in, her eyes wide. “Girl, I swear to you, he does not work here.”

That sneaky bastard!

He had been playing me from the very beginning—touching me, teasing me, and giving orders, all while pretending to be a regular worker!

“Or maybe... he’s one of the tycoons who visits the hotel,” Dell added thoughtfully. “Wait, where did he interview you?”

“Room 104,” I answered.

Dell choked on her water. “Room 104?! That room is strictly private! Only ultra-VIP guests with high-level appointments can access it! Word around here is that it’s the personal suite of the actual hotel owner! When I was hired, I wasn’t even interviewed in person—just a phone screening!”

With every bite of food I took, memories of what happened inside that room flashed through my mind—his hands, his warmth, his relentless teasing.

“T-Tycoon?” I swallowed hard. “What kind of person is a tycoon anyway?”

“Wait, what’s his full name? Maybe I recognize it,” Dell asked.

“Caleb Jayce Cornwell.”

Dell instantly froze, coughing violently. “WHAT?! Cornwell?!"

“Yeah... why? I couldn’t even find his name on the internet.”

“Lauren, are you blind?!” Dell gasped, slapping her forehead. “Have you not noticed the name of this hotel?! Cornwell Luxury Hotel!”

My chewing came to a dead halt. I stared at her, completely frozen.

“Oh...” I blinked, trying to rationalize it. “Wait... no. Maybe it’s just a coincidence?”

“So, he personally interviewed you, hired you, and had you wrapped around his finger, all without you realizing who he actually was?” Dell summarized, looking at me with absolute awe.

“Well... when you put it like that...”

“HAHAHA! Wow, Lauren,” Dell teased.

“I honestly thought he was your secret rich boyfriend. He’s so insanely handsome, too!”

“I am not letting him get away with this,” I grumbled, crossing my arms. “I need to figure out what his game is.”