Chapter 20 Rain at the Skyrend
Chapter 20 Rain at the Skyrend
Pamela stood just behind Megan, her very presence a quiet show of support.
“The Roffes have no say in your family affairs,” she said sharply, “but are you telling me you can meddle in my family business today?”
Her voice carried, crisp and deliberate. “Then hear this–I’m announcing right now that this party does not welcome you, Sabrina. No matter who brought you, I’m sorry, but you’ll leave the same way you came.”
The words landed like a stone in still water–everyone heard them.
Pamela’s husband, arriving fashionably late, caught the tail end of her declaration. He didn’t yet understand the details, but there was no mistaking where he needed to stand–by his wife.
The situation was clear enough.
Either Sabrina left, or the Greens and the Storms would cut ties for good.
Dustin knew the weight of that choice.
His gaze dropped slightly, and the air around him seemed to tighten, heavy enough to crush.
From the second–floor balcony, Alisa finally couldn’t resist and clapped.
“Well done! Truly. What a performance.”
Her voice broke the hush like a pebble skipping across a silent lake.
Then came Alisa’s applause–sharp, deliberate–like a pebble tossed into the water, sending ripples across the silence.
Every gaze followed her as she descended the grand staircase, her expression serene yet commanding, a quiet smile resting on her lips.
1
Pamela’s defense of Megan had been a gamble on the hope that Alisa was somewhere in the building.
Now, seeing her appear, the tension in her chest eased. Thank God–she’d chosen the right side.
From the sidelines, Nydia’s eyes glinted with interest. She slipped through the crowd and came to stand at Pamela’s side.
Sabrina’s gaze snapped to Alisa, sharp enough to cut, every inch laced with frost.
Alisa stopped before them, and though no one said it, the air seemed to split into two opposing camps.
“Sabrina,” she said evenly, “don’t you understand? This party doesn’t welcome you, and neither does my hotel.”
Sabrina blinked in surprise. “This hotel is yours?”
“Whose else would it be?”
That was clearly not the answer Sabrina had been expecting.
Alisa’s gaze slid to Dustin, and she said, “Mr. Dustin–ever the gallant hero–charming, I’m sure. But you’re an eyesore all the same. My hotel won’t be hosting either of you.”
The meaning was unmistakable: both of them could leave.
It was no longer just the Greens shutting their doors to Sabrina.
Now Skyrend Hotel was expelling both Dustin and her together.
Dustin’s anger only deepened, though his expression hardly changed. When he spoke, his voice carried an even colder edge.
TNO
1/3
3:15 PM
0
Chapter 20 Rain at the Skyrend
“So. Ms. Roffe, are you saying you speak for your family now?“”
Alisa let out a soft laugh. “Why don’t you watch and see?”
+5 Free Coins
Megan added smoothly, “Every member, of the Roffes calls the shots here, Mr. Dustin. You needn’t concern yourself.”
The Roffes were nothing if not united–and fiercely protective of their own.
Their empire was vast, with three generations living under one roof, and not once had they fallen out over profit.
That alone made them rarer than most families in the world.
It was one of the things Alisa admired most about them.
Dustin could read the room well enough to know he was beaten. He wasn’t the sort to linger where he wasn’t wanted.
“Fine,” he said. “As long as you don’t regret it.”
He cast a glance at Sabrina before heading for the door.
She lowered her eyes and followed without a word.
Alisa’s calm voice followed them out. “It’s pouring outside, Mr. Dustin. I’m sure a hero like you isn’t afraid of getting wet. In that case, my hotel won’t trouble itself to offer you an umbrella.”
Both of them said nothing.
Outside, the rain came down in heavy sheets.
From the hotel entrance to the parking lot was a walk of three or four minutes, and without an umbrella, staying dry was impossible.
Which, of course, was exactly what Alisa intended.
Once Dustin and Sabrina had been shown the door, the roorn quickly regained its earlier warmth and chatter.
People were like that–cold, self–serving, always weighing their advantage.
And in high society, it was even more pronounced.
No one here would jeopardize a business connection over something so trivial.
By around ten o’clock, the party had wound to a close.
Pamela had, by standing beside Alisa, openly offended the Storms.
But she wasn’t concerned. The Garner Group wasn’t some hollow name–it had stood tall in Qodon for decades, not something the Nelsons could topple with ease.
Besides, everyone had seen it: Pamela’s target from start to finish had been Sabrina, not Dustin.
What Pamela cared about now was whether Alisa was satisfied with the side she had chosen.
After the last guests departed, she made her way to Alisa’s office, intending to claim a little credit for the evening.
She hadn’t expected to be met by a towering display cabinet.
Her eyes went straight to the second compartment on the first shelf, where a single teacup rested.
She knew that cup–there was no mistaking it.
2/3
3:16 PM P
Loving!
Chapter 20 Rain at the Skyrend
But on the very top shelf sat a camera.
+5 Free Coins
Pamela was still staring when Alisa walked in from the hall. “You did well tonight,” Alisa said evenly. “The party’s over; you should see the guests off. What brings you here?”
3/3
