Love among the Pretenses

The night was rich and deep, with brilliant lights highlighting the city's high level of sophistication.

In the CEO's office on the top floor of the Emerald Hotel, Josh Robertson furrowed his brows as he glanced over the quarterly report in his hands, clearly dissatisfied.

A gentle knock interrupted him.

"Come in." Josh said, his voice crisp and clear.

It was Albin Bailey, the front desk manager, who entered with a respectful demeanor after carefully closing the door. "Mr. Robertson, we have a guest causing trouble."

Josh remained unmoved, his cold gaze still fixed on the report, his tone indifferent. "Isn't that something the front desk should handle?"

"We noticed the badge on her clothing. It seems to be the emblem of a hotel star inspector." Albin replied cautiously.

This time, Josh finally looked up, his brows knitting even tighter in thought.

After a moment, he picked up his coat from the desk. "Let's go take a look."

A hotel star inspector was someone who periodically assessed various aspects of a hotel to determine if it qualified for a star upgrade or to maintain its current rating. Therefore, every hotel took the arrival of a star inspector very seriously.

Josh took the elevator down to the seventh floor, where the standard guest rooms were located. As he entered, he saw a young woman with her back to him, talking incessantly, surrounded by several helpless staff members.

Seeing Josh, the staff were about to greet him, but he silenced them with a gesture.

"Do you all think you can just push me around?" Eva said, turning her head as she followed everyone's gaze, pausing when she saw Josh. She then tossed her head defiantly. "Hmph, sending a handsome guy won't make me give in!"

She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a face that wasn't particularly beautiful but was quite proper, and her voice was delicate, not like someone deliberately causing trouble.

"What happened?" Josh asked expressionlessly.

Simon Flynn, seeing him as a savior, explained, "The toilet in this guest's room was clogged."

"Just call someone to unclog it."

Did he really need to teach them something so simple?

Simon looked troubled. "But this guest won't let us into the bathroom."

Josh shifted his gaze to the tightly closed bathroom door. Seeing this, Eva rushed over, spreading her arms wide to block the entrance. "No way! That's my privacy!"

Simon said, "Then how do we know if the toilet was really clogged?"

They had already wasted more than half an hour on this issue.

Eva retorted, "Can't you smell it yourself?"

Everyone except Josh looked as if they were filled with helplessness. His eyes fell on the badge on her chest, confirming it was indeed the unique mark of a star inspector.

"How shameless!" Eva crossed her arms over her chest, wearing an expression that screamed, "You're a pervert."

Josh, having encountered all sorts of people, wasn't unfamiliar with such imaginative individuals. Considering her status, he couldn't rule out the possibility that this was part of an assessment test.

"Miss, may I know your name?"

"My name is Eva Stephens."

Josh pondered for a moment before saying, "Miss Stephens, how would you like this matter to be resolved?"

Eva scoffed, "How to resolve it is your problem. I'm only here to defend my dignity!"

With that, she stood like a warrior at the bathroom door, arms crossed.

If Josh weren't present, and if she weren't in a special position, everyone would have wanted to give her a piece of their mind!

"Miss Stephens, I understand you. How about this? You call someone from outside to unclog it. You don't have to show yourself, and we'll cover the cost. Is that acceptable?" Josh said, demonstrating his extraordinary patience and ability to handle situations.

Eva pursed her lips, considering his suggestion, her eyes darting back and forth before she nodded. "I guess being handsome does make a difference."

For the hotel's honor, Josh continued, "It's our privilege to have you inspect the Emerald Hotel, Miss Stephens. We will arrange for you to stay in the presidential suite upstairs, ensuring your satisfaction."

After a moment of silence, Eva's lips trembled. "Is this some kind of trick?"

Seeing Eva's startled expression, Josh chuckled softly. "No, Miss Stephens, you've misunderstood. It's complimentary, including all the hotel's entertainment facilities and dining options. You can enjoy them to your heart's content."

Confirming she wasn't dreaming, Eva swallowed hard. "All free?"

Such a sincere apology it was!

"Yes. In addition, we'll provide you with 24-hour personal service." Josh assured her, striving to please.

It seemed that after a streak of bad luck, fate was finally showing her some mercy. Given the circumstances, how could she refuse?

Eva quickly regained her usual composure, smoothing her hair and clearing her throat. With a flourish of her hand, she pointed at Josh. "You are really good at handling troubles. So you take care of it."

Everyone gasped, but Josh raised a hand to stop Albin, who was about to rush forward. His eyes were inscrutable, but his tone remained calm. "Alright."