‘Of course I’m not. It was Mother Dearest who decided to humiliate Oliver, not you.’

  ‘I still don’t know why she did it. I mean, Jake is nowhere near as qualified as Oliver in management.’

  Sydney sighed. ‘Who knows?’

  They moved to sit at the desk, both on opposite sides.

  ‘Is Ollie pissed off?’ Lauren asked, before taking a sip of her coffee.

  ‘Yeah, and it’s proven to be the tipping point for him. He wants out.’

  ‘As in . . . leaving the hotel?’

  Sydney nodded.

  ‘Does that mean . . . that . . . you’ll go with him?’ Lauren wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

  ‘Looks that way.’

  ‘Isn’t that a bit dramatic?’ Lauren pushed her cake aside, her appetite gone.

  ‘I don’t think so. I’m sick to death of Mum treating us like an afterthought. Why on earth should we stay somewhere where we’re not wanted?’

  ‘I want you here, Syd.’ Lauren dreaded to think what the future looked like without her sister by her side.

  As if reading her mind, Sydney said, ‘I’m not going to abandon you. I’ll always be there for you and Ben.’

  It was at that moment Lauren realised something that had been staring her in the face her whole life. Not that she blamed them, but everyone in her life always did what was best for themselves.

  Maybe it was time to prioritise her own happiness for once, to stop being the selfless martyr and start living life on her own terms. She picked up her phone and quickly typed in a message.

  Can we meet tonight?

  She hit send before she could second-guess herself. Whatever happened next, she knew one thing for certain – she was done being a passive participant in her own life. It was time to take control, to follow her heart instead of her head which so far had got her nowhere.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The man drove aimlessly, his mind consumed with thoughts of Fay, when his phone suddenly rang. He grabbed it from the passenger seat, glancing at the caller ID before answering.

  ‘Tell me you have good news,’ he growled into the phone.

  ‘Well, I’ve got news,’ the voice on the other end replied. ‘Not sure if it’s good or not.’

  The man’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. ‘What do you mean? Did you talk to the manager?’

  ‘Yeah, I talked to him all right. He’s not gonna forget our little chat anytime soon, if you know what I mean.’

  ‘And? What did he say?’

  There was a pause on the other end. ‘That’s the thing. He says he doesn’t know where Fay is. Claims he hasn’t seen her for ages.’

  The man slammed his hand against the dashboard, cursing under his breath. ‘Are you sure he’s telling the truth?’

  ‘Pretty sure. I can be very persuasive when I need to be.’

  The man took a deep breath, trying to rein in his frustration. ‘Okay, so the manager’s a dead end. What now?’

  ‘Well, that’s where it gets interesting. He said someone else showed up looking for Fay.’

  The man frowned. ‘Who?’

  ‘Her sister.’

  His blood ran cold. If Fay’s sister was looking for her, it was only a matter of time before she involved the police. And that was the last thing he needed.

  ‘Boss, if she starts poking around . . .’

  ‘I know,’ he snapped. ‘We need to find Fay before her sister does. Before anyone does.’

  He hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. This was getting more complicated by the minute. Not only did he have to worry about Fay exposing him, but now he had her nosy sister to deal with too.

  He needed to think, needed to come up with a plan. But first, he needed a drink.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Rain pushed the cleaning trolley along the corridor, her eyes scanning the door numbers as she navigated the hotel’s labyrinthine layout. The endless corridors seemed to stretch on forever, making her feel like she was in a maze. Up ahead, she saw Sarah standing outside a room, her eyes glued to her phone. Rain offered a tentative smile as she neared.

  ‘Hi, Sarah.’

  Sarah glanced up briefly, her expression unreadable. ‘Hey.’

  Just as Rain was about to pass by, Sarah suddenly grabbed the handles of the cleaning trolley, bringing Rain to an abrupt halt.

  ‘I heard you’ve been asking questions about Fay,’ Sarah said, her voice sharp and accusatory.

  Rain furrowed her brow, feigning confusion at Sarah’s pointed question. ‘Fay?’ she repeated, her voice carefully laced with innocence. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about.’ She held Sarah’s gaze, hoping her acting skills were enough to mask the truth that lurked just beneath the surface.

  Sarah’s eyes narrowed, her suspicion evident as she studied Rain’s face intently. ‘The cleaner you replaced.’

  ‘Oh yeah. Mr Larkins mentioned she’d just up and left. I just wondered why.’

  ‘Well, let me give you a piece of advice. Mind your own business.’

  Whoa, what’s her problem? Has she had a personality transplant?

  ‘Are you serious? Why can’t I ask questions about her?’

  Sarah fixed Rain with a cold, calculating stare.

  ‘Because your job is to clean, Rain,’ Sarah said, her words dripping with condescension. ‘That’s all. Remember that, and you’ll stay out of trouble.’

  With that, Sarah removed her hand from the trolley and walked away, leaving Rain standing there, stunned. This is getting weirder by the minute.

  A sense of unease settled over her like a suffocating blanket. Sarah’s cryptic warning echoed in her mind as she continued her way down the corridor.

  Finally finding the first room on her rota, Rain pushed open the door and walked into the spacious hotel room. Her heart sank as she took in the scene before her.

  The room was a disaster zone, a chaotic whirlwind of scattered plates, discarded rubbish, and general disarray. In that moment, Rain realised that Fay’s tales of the back-breaking work and endless challenges of being a cleaner were not mere exaggerations, but a stark reflection of the reality she now faced.

  I suppose I’d better get on with it. A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she imagined Mr. Larkins returning to check on her progress. Wouldn’t want to give him any reason to doubt my abilities on my first day.

  She started with the king-sized duvet cover. With great effort, she managed to wrestle it off the duvet, beads of sweat already forming on her forehead and she had barely begun.

  Just as she was about to tackle the sheet, Rain’s phone buzzed in her pocket. Fishing it out, she glanced at the screen and saw a message from Lauren staring back at her.

  Lauren wants to meet me. Her forehead creased in confusion. I wonder what for? I thought I’d made my feelings perfectly clear.

  No matter how she felt about Lauren, she would not succumb to being anyone’s second best.

  But even as she thought the words, a traitorous voice in the back of her mind whispered seductively. What if it’s important? What if she’s ready to leave her husband, to choose you?

  For a moment, Rain’s thumb hovered over the keypad, temptation warring with common sense.

  Rain shook her head.

  Stop it. She’s married. I have to stick to my decision. Not act like a lovesick teenager. I’m just as bad as Fay!

  As Rain wrestled with her conflicting emotions, she heard voices outside in the corridor. Wondering who it was, Rain stepped over the discarded bedding strewn across the floor and approached the door. Opening it slightly, she peered down the corridor, catching sight of Alex talking with a hotel guest. She could just about hear what she was saying.

  ‘Here you go, mate. Looks like you’re gonna have a hell of a party tonight,’ Alex said.

  Rain saw Alex take something from her pocket and hand it over to the man, and in return, he handed her money.

  ‘Let me know if you need anything else. I’m around until midnight,’ Alex said before sauntering down the corridor.

  Rain was dumbstruck.

  What the fuck! Alex is a drug dealer. No wonder she stays in the job, she’s got a great customer base.

  Rain closed the door with a soft click, her mind working overtime. This new revelation explained why Alex had warned her to keep her head down and not ask questions.

  Was there a possibility that Fay had been caught up in Alex’s scheme? Could that have been the reason she left the hotel, and it was nothing to do with her affair?

  I wonder if Lauren knows. Don’t be stupid! Of course, she doesn’t. Fuck. Do I tell her?

  Rain leaned back against the door, suddenly exhausted. All she’d wanted was to find Fay. She hadn’t signed up for this – the secrets, the lies, the constant feeling of being in over her head.

  For the next hour, Rain lost herself in the mindless drudgery of her work, trying to ignore the nagging voice in her head that kept whispering ‘what if’. She was so focused on her task at hand, she didn’t hear the soft click of the bathroom door opening behind her.

  ‘Rain?’

  The sound of Lauren’s voice made Rain jump, the stack of towels she’d been folding tumbling to the floor in a fluffy heap. She spun around to find Lauren standing in the doorway, an amused look on her face.

  ‘Did you get my message?’

  Rain swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. ‘Um, yes.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘I . . . didn’t have time. I’ve been busy working.’

  ‘I can see,’ Lauren said, glancing at the room behind her. ‘You’ve done a great job.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Rain said. ‘Glad it’s got the boss’s approval.’

  Lauren opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word out, a blood-curdling scream ripped through the air. They both froze, eyes wide with shock, before sprinting out into the hallway.

  A woman stood in the doorway of the room down the corridor, her face ashen, as she pointed at something inside. Lauren reached her first, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Are you all right? What’s happened?’

  The woman could only shake her head, a choked sob escaping her throat. Rain peered over Lauren’s shoulder into the room and felt her stomach lurch.

  A man lay crumpled on the floor, his skin a sickly grey, his eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling. He wasn’t moving. Wasn’t breathing.

  ‘Oh my god,’ Rain whispered, bile rising in her throat. ‘Is he . . .?’

  But Lauren was already in motion, dropping to her knees beside the man and pressing her fingers to his neck, searching for a pulse. When she found none, she turned to Rain, her expression grim.

  ‘Call an ambulance. Now!’

  Rain stepped out into the corridor, fumbling for her phone with shaking hands, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might explode in her chest. She gave the operator as much information as she could, relaying the man’s condition and their location while Lauren started chest compressions, her face set in lines of fierce determination.

  ‘The ambulance is on its way.’

  It wasn’t until Rain hung up that the pieces suddenly clicked into place with sickening clarity. The room, the man on the floor, the frantic woman sobbing in the doorway . . . This was the same room Alex had been standing outside earlier. The same room where she’d handed over a mysterious package in exchange for cash.

  Rain felt like she was going to be sick. If what she suspected was true, if Alex had sold this man the drugs that had caused his overdose . . .

  Finally, after what seemed a lifetime, the sound of pounding footsteps filled the corridor, the paramedics arriving in a flurry of activity. Rain pressed herself back against the wall, watching in stunned silence as they loaded the man onto a stretcher and rushed him out, the woman trailing behind, her face a mask of anguish.

  Lauren emerged seconds later, her face etched with exhaustion but a glimmer of relief in her eyes. ‘He’s unconscious, but he’s breathing.’

  Rain exhaled a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Thank you, God.

  Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, a tumult of emotions swirling within her – anger, regret, and self-reproach tangled together like a knot she couldn’t undo. Why hadn’t she spoken up when she had seen Alex’s shady dealings earlier? Why hadn’t she told Lauren or reported her to someone, anyone?

  Just then, a woman came rushing down the corridor.

  ‘Lauren! Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?’

  The newcomer pulled Lauren into a hug, and Rain realised that she was Lauren’s sister. The resemblance was uncanny.

  ‘I’m fine, Syd,’ Lauren assured her, but her voice shook slightly. ‘One of the guests . . . he collapsed. The paramedics think he OD’d. His poor wife found him. It’s their anniversary . . . She only popped out to buy an outfit and came back to find him on the floor.’

  ‘I’d better get back to work,’ Rain said, her voice barely audible as she turned away and retreated into the hotel room she’d been cleaning.

  As she picked up her discarded towels, Rain knew she couldn’t stay silent. Not anymore. Lauren needed to know the truth about what was happening in her hotel.

  Rain took out her phone and composed a text message to Lauren.

  I finish work at eight. I’ll meet you then.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The serene atmosphere of Sydney’s flat offered a welcome break from the intense moments Lauren had just experienced. Sydney retrieved two bottles of water from the fridge, offering one to Lauren as she joined her.

  ‘I dread to think what would have happened to that poor man if you hadn’t been there,’ Sydney said, taking a sip.

  ‘Tell me about it. I don’t think his wife will ever get over the shock. It must have been terrifying for her to find him like that.’

  Oliver walked into the room, casually tossing his keys onto the kitchen counter.

  ‘Hey, gorgeous,’ he greeted Sydney with a quick kiss on the lips. As he drew back, he studied her face, ‘What’s up? Did something happen?’

  Lauren sighed. ‘One of the guests OD’d.’

  Oliver’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What!? Are you serious?’

  Sydney nodded. ‘Didn’t you see all the commotion?’

  Oliver ran a hand through his hair, processing the information. ‘No, I was in a meeting. This is not a good look for the hotel. What if people start thinking there’s drug dealing taking place there?’

  Lauren shrugged. ‘Is that likely? There’s no evidence to say he didn’t just bring the drugs with him, or take them elsewhere first.’

  Oliver’s expression grew thoughtful as he considered their options. ‘All right, listen,’ he began, his voice calm and measured. ‘In case there is some dealing going on in the hotel, I think we should try to keep a lid on it for now. We don’t want to let anyone know we’re aware of it. It could tip off the wrong people and make things worse.’

  Sydney frowned. ‘No, we should just report it to the police and let them investigate.’

  Oliver held up a hand. ‘I know, I know. But let me do some digging first. I’ll try to find out more about what’s going on and who’s involved. We need to be smart about this. We don’t want the hotel’s reputation ruined if it’s simply a dealer delivering to the hotel from the outside.’

  Lauren reached out and squeezed Oliver’s hand. ‘Thank you, Ollie. Despite everything, you still care about this hotel as much as we do.’

  His repose was a reassuring smile. ‘That goes without saying. Right, I’ll leave you ladies alone. I need to get on with some paperwork.’

  Giving Sydney another quick kiss, he grabbed a drink from the fridge and left the room.

  ‘You’re so lucky to have him.’

  ‘I know. I tell myself that at least a hundred times a day.’

  Lauren’s phone buzzed catching her attention. Glancing down at the screen, she smiled as she read the message from Rain.

  Sydney, ever observant, arched an eyebrow at Lauren’s sudden change in demeanour. ‘Well, someone looks happy.’

  A delicate blush crept up Lauren’s cheeks as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her mind already racing ahead to the promise of seeing Rain again. ‘It’s Rain. We’re meeting for a drink when she finishes work.’

  Sydney gave Lauren a playful nudge. ‘Wait, hold on. I thought you said you weren’t gonna go there.’

  Lauren still wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing, but she had decided to play it by ear and see what happened.

  ‘It’s just a drink, Syd.’

  ‘If you say so,’ Sydney studied Lauren for a moment, then reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. ‘All I want is for you to be happy.’

  Lauren smiled, returning the squeeze with one of her own. ‘I know. I want to feel like I’m actually living my life.’

  ‘I get it. Tell you what, I’ll take Ben out for some quality auntie-nephew bonding time.’

  ‘Really? That’d be amazing. I think he’s starting to sense that things aren’t right between me and Jake.’

  ‘He’s a tough little guy. You just focus on having fun tonight.’

  ‘I’ll do my best. I should probably start getting ready,’ Lauren said, getting to her feet and giving Sydney a hug. ‘And remember, not too much sugar, otherwise Ben will be climbing the walls later.’

  ‘Cross my heart,’ Sydney said with a wink. ‘Now go!’

  ‘All right, I’m gone.’

  By the time it neared seven-thirty, Lauren’s nervous excitement had grown. She showered and slipped into jeans and a sleek black top, the plunging neckline teasing at the possibilities of the night ahead. Checking herself out in the mirror, Lauren barely recognised the woman staring back. When was the last time she felt this alive?

  Makeup on point and hair artfully curled, Lauren took a deep breath. Tonight was about new beginnings, stepping outside her comfort zone. No more playing it safe.

  When Lauren arrived at the bar, she scanned the room, searching for Rain amongst the crowd. Finding no sign of her, Lauren ordered a bottle of wine and made her way to a secluded table. As she sipped, her mind drifted to the rollercoaster day she’d had. From crisis management to . . . whatever this was with Rain.