“Mrs. Bamford crossed the line this time,” Robert thinks, “Waylen was so thoughtful when he purchased the Zuri Hotel as a gift for her. Why would she throw his kindness in his face like that?”
“Well, we know Mrs. Bamford got hurt,” Robert said, trying to soothe Waylen, “Mrs. Bamford has been behaving oddly lately and perhaps she felt the need to even the score with the dog. Maybe it’s a good thing—she’s about to run the Zuri Hotel and that kind of aggression shows she has the right temperament for it.”
Waylen scowls at Robert.
“What the hell is the man talking about?” Waylen thinks, “Surely Robert knows nothing about managing a hotel. He just babbles on about nonsense to change the subject.”
Waylen drops his phone on the ground and walks to the sofa. Lucky retrieves the phone and follows Waylen to the sofa, carrying the device gently in his mouth.
“Sir, Lucky picked up your phone,” Robert says.
“I’m not blind, am I?” Waylen snaps.
Waylen takes the phone from Lucky’s mouth. The device is covered in dog saliva and he tosses it to Robert to clean. Robert pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, but Lucky snatches the phone out of his hand and takes it back to Waylen.
“Give it to Robert,” Waylen commands the dog.
Lucky ignores Waylen and rubs against his master’s arm, the phone still in his mouth. Waylen takes the handkerchief from Robert and uses it to remove the phone from Lucky’s mouth. The surveillance video begins to play again.
“You hurt me and I need to borrow some of your hair, okay?” Leilani says coaxingly, “Don’t worry. It’ll grow back.”
Waylen stares at the phone transfixed. Leilani gently torches a small patch of fur on Lucky’s neck and then plucks a few strands of the burnt hair. She applies them to the scratch wounds on her arm.
“Nanny taught me to do this,” she tells the dog.
She doesn’t believe the superstition, but she figures it can’t hurt to ward off bad luck.
Tinder laughs out, “I can’t believe Mrs. Bamford believes that silly old superstition.”
“Why are you laughing?” Waylen snaps.
Tinder stops immediately, “I just find Mrs. Bamford’s way of treating the dog rather charming and unexpected.”
“I thought you just said that my wife was odd and wanted to even the score,” Waylen growls.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
Tinder is amazed when Waylen’s face broke into a huge smile.
Leonie and Mrs. Florence Bamford sit in the elderly lady’s sitting room. Leonie sniffles and takes a handkerchief from a servant to wipe her nose.
“Granny, Waylen just gave the Zuri Hotel to Leilani,” she says, “Daddy was planning to give it to Diana as a wedding present. How can Waylen just give it to Leilani in my sister’s absence?”
Mrs. Florence Bamford is stunned by the news, “Are you sure about that?”
“Who knows what spell that woman is casting on Waylen?” Diana asks, “Zuri Hotel is like Diana’s child. I’m sure he wouldn’t take it away from her if he weren’t under some terrible influence.”
Mrs. Bamford pats Leonie on her back to console her, “Waylen always has his plans. I know he won’t treat your family unfairly.”
A servant offers Leonie a glass of water, “Here, take this, Miss Summers it has soothing honey in it.”
“I know your sister is a businesswoman devoted to her career, but I wonder what she’s been doing all these years abroad,” Mrs. Bamford says.
She overheard Waylen talking about Diana when she carried blood pressure drugs to her husband.
“I think she’s busy doing research,” Leonie answers, “She’s visiting almost every five-star hotel in the world to learn how to best manage them. To be honest, we’re not sure where she is.”
Mrs. Florence Bamford nods. She knows that Diana came to talk to Francis Bamford on the day of Waylen’s marriage. She wonders what sort of deal the woman struck with him.
Diana has almost vanished in the last few years. Her family claims they don’t know her contact information and haven’t heard from her in a while. They say that she’s so focused on studying and learning, she’s cut contact with the outside world.
Mrs. Florence Bamford long suspected that Waylen might have a soft spot for Diana, but the overheard conversation confirmed it. She realizes her grandson cares for Diana, not Leonie.
“Granny?” Leonie prompts.
“Yes, dear?” Mrs. Florence Bamford pulls herself away from her thoughts and explains, “I think Waylen did it for your sister.”
“For my sister? That doesn’t make any—”
Mrs. Florence Bamford gives Leonie a solemn look, cutting her off.
“Tell me, dear, what would you do if Waylen liked your sister and not you?”
Leonie bites her lower lip and her eyes darken.
“If that were true, then I wouldn’t do anything to get in the way,” Leonie says, “Diana is my sister and I care deeply for Waylen. I’m willing to give them a chance to be happy with each other.”
As far as Leonie is concerned, her family will benefit if Diana marries Waylen. It stings a little that Waylen prefers her sister, but Leonie isn’t about to admit that to Mrs. Florence Bamford.
“You’re so kind, Leonie. You do live up to my expectations,” Mrs. Bamford murmurs.
The elderly lady puts down her mug and beckons for Leonie to come nearer. She whispers something in the girl’s ear, and Leonie’s eyes widen.
“Are you telling me the truth about Waylen wanting that woman to get pregnant?” Leonie asks, shocked.
Mrs. Bamford nods determinedly.
“I suppose it makes sense,” Leonie murmurs.
The morning sunshine comes in through the gauzy curtains, casting shadows on the floor. Servants wake Leilani for breakfast. She grabs the clock on the nightstand and sees that it’s already 8:00 AM. She asked the servants to wake her so she can prepare to start her first day as owner of the Zuri Hotel.
She doesn’t know how she finally managed to get to sleep last night. She felt like she tossed and turned for hours. She stretches and notices that the left side of the bed is cold and the sheets are unwrinkled.
One of the maids seems to read the question on her face, “Lucky was ill last night so Mr. Bamford stayed there with him.”
“I know,” Leilani says.
“Waylen is so concerned about that dog,” Leilani thinks, “He was so mad at me yesterday—almost madder than when he thought I was cheating on him. I suppose Lucky is out of bounds for me.”
She slides out from beneath the warm quilt, takes a brief shower, and goes downstairs. She hears a voice coming from one of the sitting rooms.
“Quickly, I have an important shoot today,” Leonie’s voice commands.
“Okay, Miss Summer.”
Leilani pauses outside the sitting room door to watch.
Leonie’s makeup artist bends over, using a brush to apply powder to Leonie’s face. A team of stylists presents various dresses to Leonie, waiting for her to pick one.
Leonie opens one eye to look at the dresses and points at a light green one, “That one.”
“You have such good taste,” a stylist compliments her, “This one goes well with your complexion and brings out your glow.”
Leonie spies Leilani outside the door and says, “Really? Whose complexion is better—mine or Leilani’s? “
The stylist answers without hesitation, “Of course yours is better. Mrs. Bamford always has this miserable look, like an abandoned wife. How can she compare to your youthful glow?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply