Capítulo 4: Silent Encounter.

As the cleaner's gaze fell on Hailey, the cleaner promptly stood up, and Hailey issued her instructions, "I have done what I needed to do. Return to my room by five in the morning. Don't be late."

The cleaner nodded in acknowledgment, responding with respect, "Yes, Ma'am." Following this, they exchanged clothes, and the cleaner departed from Hailey's room.

Subsequently, Hailey reached for her phone, dialing Mr. Andre's number. The phone rang twice before he answered, "Hello, Ma'am."

"Mr. Andre, you can leave. I will be staying in the hotel for tonight. Come back tomorrow as early as possible," Hailey ordered with authority.

Mr. Andre nodded in compliance, and replied, "Yes, ma'am."

Hailey hung up with a click, placing her phone on the bedside table.

Sighing deeply, she slumped onto her bed, closing her eyes and surrendering to the softness beneath her. As she laid there, contemplating the day's events, a sense of dread enveloped her. She anticipated this feeling for some time now, and she was yet to become accustomed to it.

'I still don't want to believe it, but unfortunately, it was real,' she ruminated, pulling the covers over her head. 'He has crossed the line, and I can't just ignore it. I will make him pay,' she vowed as she drifted off to sleep.

***

At precisely five in the morning, a gentle knock resonated on Hailey's room door. Hailey directed her gaze towards the wall clock, confirming the hour – 5:00 am, and promptly opened the door. "You're punctual; I like that," Hailey commended as she welcomed the cleaner inside and closed the door behind her.

Following their planned course of action, Hailey donned the cleaner's uniform once again and proceeded towards Mason's room. Utilizing the master key as she had done before, she entered the dimly lit room. There, Mason laid with a companion in his embrace on the bed, engaged in peaceful slumber. Nuzzling her neck gently, the girl caressed Mason's chest with tenderness. It appeared that neither of them was awake, a sight that Hailey preferred not to dwell on, as her sole focus was on retrieving the camera discreetly.

Silently navigating to the shelf opposite the bed, Hailey extended her hand among the books. After a moment of careful exploration, her hand made contact with the sought-after camera, which she promptly retrieved. Turning her attention back to Mason, she observed him stir in his sleep, causing a momentary freeze as she held the small camera. After a few suspenseful seconds, Mason settled again, resuming his gentle snoring. Seizing the opportune moment, Hailey turned away and discreetly slipped the camera into the pocket of the uniform.

With nimble steps, she traversed the hallway and made her way back to her room. Upon reaching her room door, she entered and securely locked the door behind her.

Hailey retrieved the camera from her pocket, approaching the bedside table with a deliberate sense of purpose. Placing the device carefully on the surface, she turned to the cleaner and uttered appreciatively, "Thank you for cooperating with me."

The cleaner respectfully bowed her head, expressing gratitude, "I'm glad I could be of help; thank you for the money." The exchange of clothes completed their transaction, prompting the cleaner to leave Hailey's room.

Gazing at the camera on the table, Hailey's expression shifted to determination as she clenched her fist. "He will pay, mark my words," she whispered resolutely. Retrieving the camera once more, she secured it in her handbag before exiting the room.

Once outside, Hailey strolled down the hallway, heading back towards the elevator. Pressing the button, she patiently waited. The door opened a few minutes later, allowing her entry. As the doors closed, the elevator initiated its descent, smoothly moving towards the lobby level. Hailey patiently stood until the elevator came to a halt and she stepped outside as the doors opened.

Navigating towards the receptionist table, Hailey unintentionally collided with someone, who was in the process of entering the lift.

Startled, she quickly apologized, "I apologize; I didn't see you," avoiding direct eye contact but noting the stranger's impeccable dressing. He wore a meticulously tailored charcoal gray suit, complemented by a crisp white dress shirt, a perfectly knotted silk tie, and polished leather shoes.

The stranger, offering a blank expression, responded casually, "No problem."

Hailey gracefully nodded her head, her steps echoing against the polished floor as she turned to walk away. The stranger, hands tucked nonchalantly in his pockets, observed her departure with a fixed gaze, his deep obsidian eyes tracking her every move. Following her journey to the reception desk, he continued to watch intently as she engaged in conversation with the receptionist.

While his gaze still lingered, an unexpected hand gripped the stranger's shoulder, causing him to startle.

Turning around, he faced the wrathful expression of his assistant, this man was Alexander Zhu. His chestnut hair was impeccably styled, adding a touch of refinement to his overall appearance. Brown eyes, sharp and observant, reflected a keen intellect. Dressed in a meticulously tailored black suit, the snugly fitted jacket accentuated his lean frame, while a crisp white dress shirt beneath exuded sophistication. A silk tie, perfectly knotted, introduced a subtle dash of color, harmonizing with the earthy tones of his hair and eyes. Polished leather shoes completed the ensemble.

"Young master Zhan, I have been looking for you everywhere," Alexander exclaimed.

Adrian Zhan calmly removed Alexander's hand from his shoulder, brushing off imaginary dust from his sleeve before standing upright. With meticulous precision, he straightened his tie and ensured that his cufflinks were perfectly aligned and adjusted his raven-black hair. Clearing his throat, he addressed Alexander, "I only came here to check something. Let's go."

He walked away from the elevator, purposefully striding toward the hotel's exit. Alexander maintained a close distance, following in his wake as they navigated through the revolving doors, making their way towards the sprawling parking lot. They approached a sleek black limousine stationed there, ready to whisk them away. With synchronized movements, they entered the luxurious vehicle, the chauffeur promptly closing the door behind them as the engine hummed to life, propelling them away from the hotel.

As the limousine gracefully maneuvered through the city streets, Alexander seized the opportune moment to share his findings. Pulling out his phone, he said, "I discovered something while I was looking for you."

Adrian redirected his attention towards Alexander, intrigued by the revelation. With a tap on the screen, Alexander presented a photo capturing the essence of their newfound intrigue. In the image, a young lady with glossy, ebony hair cascading in sleek waves stood out against her fair skin.

Her hazel eyes radiated confidence as she adorned a distressed denim jacket, adorned with an eclectic array of enamel pins. Beneath, a vibrant graphic tee injected a burst of color into her ensemble. High-waisted leather pants accentuated her figure, and chunky combat boots completed the striking look.

Adrian scrutinized the photo with a furrowed brow and inquired, "Who's she?"

Alexander's eyes widened, and he cleared his throat before responding, "She's an E-celebrity named Eliza, and this is one of the recent pictures she posted on her social media page. Interestingly, the clothing she's wearing happens to be one of our unreleased designs."

A subtle smile slowly graced Adrian's features, a knowing glint in his dark eyes as he absorbed the revelation. Curiosity lingering, Alexander couldn't help but press, "What are we going to do about this, sir?"

Adrian chuckled softly at Alexander's question. "We are not going to do anything," he calmly asserted.

Alexander's eyebrow cocked in disbelief, prompting him to question, "You mean we are just supposed to sit back and watch her ruin our reputation?"

In Alexander's mind, a lingering thought arose: 'Has my boss finally run mad?'

Adrian laughed once more, dismissing any concerns. "Don't worry about it; all will be alright in due time, and the culprit will be punished severely."

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Alexander wasn't sure what Adrian meant and pondered how long Adrian would wait before taking action.

Adrian reassured him, "I'm afraid you'll have to trust me on this one, Mr. Zhu."

Alexander let out an exasperated sigh, his concern evident as he nodded in acknowledgment. His gaze shifted to Adrian, only to notice blood trickling from Adrian's nostrils, a painful expression clouding his eyes, and his fingers trembling violently.

Worry etched on his face, Alexander exhaled and voiced his concern, "Sir, you will have to go to the hospital."

Adrian met Alexander's gaze as a strained smile crept up his lips and he said, " You of all people know I don't need to go to such places."

Alexander began to laugh as he retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket, reaching out to tend to Adrian's nose. A flinch from Adrian prompted him to withdraw his hand.

"What are you doing?" Adrian inquired, glaring at Alexander with intensity.

"Your nose was bleeding, so I thought I should help stop the bleeding," Alexander explained as he retracted his hand.

"It doesn't matter, I will do it myself," Adrian replied, pulling out his own handkerchief to clean the blood himself.

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