A Slumdog Heir

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Call a member of this family in charge of the hotel and ask about it," he says 

"Yes, that I can do" Marissa agrees. 

Marissa takes out her phone quickly and dials a number. 

"Yes, did we not judge to your satisfaction?" The voice had asked when he answered the phone

"No, you did too well. However, it is not why I had called" Marissa says 

"What is it then?" He inquires

"It is about Colin" Marissa starts

"Him again? Didn't you say there is no problem?" He asks confused

"I did but this is about you" Marissa blurts out

"I'm listening" Marisa could hear him take in deep breaths from the other end of the phone

"Did you not promise to keep him out of play and without a job?" Marissa asks

"Of course and I intend to keep it" He answers sharply

"Looks like you are not" Marissa objects

"What do you mean?" His voice twitches 

"It looks like Colin might likely have been offered a job in your hotel" Marissa explains in a haste, she wanted to make sure Colin's life was miserable

"That is not possible. How would you even know that?" 

"Do you doubt me?"Marissa questions angrily

"No, it is not. Someone would have called from the hotel to let me know if something of this like would have happened. Besides, it is too late to offer someone a job, especially one looking like Colin" He objects 

"What if he was offered a place to stay?" Marissa suggests

"The hotel is clear on its rules and the fact that we do not run a charity there" 

"I called because I am right in front of your hotel and have been here for about 2 hours now" 

Marissa admits

"Okay?" He was still confused about the whole conversation and was trying to get Marissa's point

"I had followed Colin from home after we passed the judgment, just to make sure that something like this does not happen" 

Marissa says

"And did it happen?" He asks

"I wouldn't have called if it didn't. I saw Colin walk into your hotel and it has been more than an hour now and he isn't out yet" 

Marissa explains

"Are you serious?" 

He asks

"I damn am. It is either he was offered a job or a place to stay"

Marissa says

"Give me a few minutes to make a call to the hotel"

He says hurriedly

"Sure, do not keep me waiting. It is not appropriate to keep a young woman waiting"

Marissa says, smiling.

"What did he say?" The new lover had asked 

"He said to wait" 

"For how long?"  Her lover querked his brows

"Soon, just give him some time"  

"Good evening, Sir" the receptionist greeted, speaking over the telephone

"Why would you do something like that?" The boss had asked her, angry 

"Something like what, sir?" The receptionist asks, confused

"Why would you offer someone a job without telling me?" The boss said angrily

"I do not know what you're talking about, sir" The receptionist admits

"So you offered him one of the rooms to sleep in, eh?" The boss questions 

"Sir, please calm down" 

The receptionist pleaded confused

"You let someone like this into my hotel and you tell me to calm down?" He queried 

"I have no idea of what you're saying, sir" the receptionist insisted 

"Okay, let me get this straight" He continued

"Alright sir" 

"What you mean is that you didn't offer a room to anyone or a job to anyone at all?" 

He asks

"I would do no such thing without your permission, sir. The cameras can prove that" the receptionist answered calmly 

"Oh, give me a few seconds to process all of this"He says 

"Okay sir" The receptionist agrees

"Sorry for my outburst" He apologized 

"I understand, sir" She smiles over the phone

"It's just that someone had called me to say you did so" He sighs

"Who would do something like that?" She could feel her hand shiver, was someone trying to implicate her?

"Oh, just someone watching the hotel closely" He answers sensing her worry and fear

"Are you sure you did none of those things?" He repeats 

"I didn't do them, sir" She assured

"Alright, there is nothing to fear then" He lets out a sigh of relief

"I guess" She smiles

"If that is all, I will be wishing you goodnight then" 

 "Goodnight, sir" the receptionist repeated 

"Wait! But did you have a customer?" 

 The thought had just suddenly occurred to him. Marissa had insisted that she saw him walk in. 

What if there was a possibility that he was a customer and not a beggar or job hunting at this time? 

Besides, he had always been curious about Colin. Not in an inappropriate way though. 

There was just the aura about him, something just feels off. 

"Yes, a very rich one at that. He wanted the presidential suite and ordered the most expensive meal" 

She answers

"Oh, great to hear that" He says

Surely, that could not be Colin. He could never afford that in all of his lifetimes. 

"By chance, do you remember this customer's name?" He asked, curious just to allay the confusion 

"I believe it was Colin, sir" 

She answers 

"Colin? The Colin? What was his surname?" 

He asks, fearing what the answer would be

"He said he didn't have one" She says

"Describe how he looked" He ordered 

"Unkempt, dirty. At foray look, one wouldn't know he had that kind of money" 

She replies

"Where is he now?" He asks, his heart beating rapidly

"In his room" She answers

"Make sure he doesn't leave, I'll be there soon" He orders

"Is there anything I should be worried about?" The receptionist asks 

"Just do your job and ask no questions. One simple task, make sure he does not leave" 

He warns

"Yes, sir" 

She says feeling bad that she might have overstepped her boundaries

"Marissa, are you still at the hotel?" He had asked when he called back 

"Took you long enough" Marissa had said 

"Are you still on the premises?" He asks

"Yes" 

Marissa answers 

"Good, wait for me, I'll be there in a few minutes?" He says

"Why do you..." 

Marissa starts but paused at the beep of the call

"He hung up, he hung up on me," Marissa said turning to her new husband. 

"Must be something important" 

He suggests

"Too important that he wouldn't listen to me?" 

She asks

"He said to wait, we will wait and see what it is. For all we know, it might be worth the trouble" 

He explains

"I hope so, I do" 

Marissa says. 

"I have just found out that Colin is indeed in the hotel" he started when he arrived 

"There was no doubt about that after all" 

Marissa had chipped in 

"Just not to beg or look for a job" 

"What is he here for then?" Marissa asks, wide-eyed 

"He booked a room, the presidential suite, and ordered the most expensive meal"

He explains

"Well, that is not possible, is it?" Marissa queried 

"It is. It has already happened" 

He answers

"Oh, my God!" 

Marissa shrieks, putting her hands over her mouth as if suddenly remembering something 

"What is it?" 

They both asked

"He was with us for three years and never worked" 

Marissa starts

"We all know that" 

They answered 

"Yes but for him to afford someplace like this, it means that he has been stealing from us for the last three years" 

Marissa explains

"Christ! How could one man be so heartless?" 

Her husband says

"He steals not only women but money as well, that I can see much" 

He adds

"He didn't steal me" Marissa retorted 

"If you look at it from this point of view, he did" 

Marissa's new husband had said. 

The three of them quickly rushed towards the reception and got his room number. 

"Are you sure he's still in there?" 

The boss asked the receptionist 

"He has not moved since he came in" 

She answers 

"Good" 

They quickly used the elevator and in a few seconds, they were at the door, Colin's door. 

"That must be the food" 

Colin had said, he was wondering how long it would take them to get it to him. 

"What took you so..." Colin was saying until he saw the faces. 

He was looking at a pair of angry eyes. 

There was his ex-wife, her newfound victim, and one member of one of the top families. 

"How is it possible for you to afford this?" Marissa screamed 

"Because I can" Colin calmly answered 

"You lying son of a bitch. All these years, you have done nothing but steal from my family"

Marissa screams  

"What?" Colin was surprised 

"It's the only way you can afford a place as this" Marissa explains 

"How did you even find me?" An angry Colin had asked "

My family owns the hotel, dumbo" he finally spoke up.