Chapter 9. Santaro Hotel.

CHAPTER 9.

SANTARO HOTEL.

Luca swiftly hailed a cab, utilizing the remaining money in his possession, and headed to Santaro Hotel, leaving Aiden at the bar. Aiden sat there, dumbfounded, as he witnessed my departure.

A few minutes later, Luca arrived at Santaro Hotel. True to its name, it was an expansive and luxurious establishment, boasting an upscale restaurant within its premises. Santaro Hotel held a prominent position among the top three most expensive hotels in the city, and it didn't fall short of its reputation. People esteemed it highly for its lavish accommodations, bars, clubs, delectable cuisine, inviting pools, and much more. Consequently, it primarily attracted a lot of affluence. Anyone spotted inside Santaro Hotel was immediately deemed filthy rich! .

Luca stood outside the hotel, taking in the opulence of the building. Did George truly instruct him to meet here? He gulped, a mischievous smirk playing across his face. He scanned the surroundings, locating the hotel entrance. Unbeknownst to him, a man in a sleek black Tesla car was discreetly recording his every move as he entered the premises.

In an attempt to quell his nerves, Luca heaved a deep sigh and stepped inside. However, his progress was swiftly interrupted by a voice.

"Hey, stop right there!" A petite woman with blonde hair called out to Luca, making her way toward him. She scrutinized him for a moment and let out a disappointed sigh. In all fairness, she had a point. Luca's attire could easily be mistaken for that of a janitor. He wouldn't even pass as a waiter since all the waitstaff at Santaro were impeccably dressed in Louis Vuitton suits.

Luca halted and looked at the woman with raised eyebrows. "Why are you blocking my way?"

"Where do you think you're going, sir?" she asked in a polite tone.

Luca was confused. "I'm going inside, of course."

His response sounded confident, but it only provoked a burst of hysterical laughter from the woman. "You must be quite the joker, or perhaps Joseph the dreamer, if you think I'll allow you into Santaro Hotel. You're clearly dreaming!"

Initially confused, Luca couldn't help but ask, "Are men not allowed inside the hotel?"

The woman rolled her eyes and gave him an assessing look from head to toe. "Men like you aren't welcome here."

Luca quickly followed her gaze, noticing how it lingered on his clothes and overall appearance. "I really have an appointment to attend. Please, you have to let me in," Luca stated firmly.

The woman scoffed. "An appointment? I haven't seen a bigger joker like you in a long time. Well, be my guest, sir. I've encountered plenty of your kind, and I promise you, even if the heavens were to come down, you won't be granted entry to Santaro Hotel."

Luca was taken aback. Did they have some previous encounter that would explain her hostility?

"Have we met before? Or perhaps in a dream?" Luca inquired.

"Well, Mr. Pickpocket, I don't need to know you to figure out why you're here," she sneered, her disgust evident. "Either you're here to pickpocket or, when you fail, you resort to begging. I wonder why you thieves think you can come here and get away with such behavior."

Luca felt a surge of anger at her words. Did she just call him a thief?

He wanted to cause a scene but restrained himself. Being in a posh restaurant, he knew that drawing attention would not sit well with George, especially if it ended up in the media. Meanwhile, the man in the Tesla had stepped out of the car and carefully scanned the surroundings. His name was Leo, one of Sara's informants who was on her payroll.

Leo approached Luca and the woman, clearing his throat, and inquired, "What's happening here?"

When the woman turned around and saw Leo, she smiled. He was the epitome of what she considered an ideal customer for Santaro Hotel. Neatly dressed in a Gucci shirt, Prada shoes, and a Rolex watch adorning his wrist, he fit the image perfectly.

The woman smiled softly. "This way, sir. How may I assist you?"

Upon hearing her soft and respectful voice, Luca was taken aback.

"What the actual fuck?" he thought. "Really? This ugly woman can be so respectful and composed?”

Leo waved the woman aside and turned to Luca, who was engrossed in his phone, trying to reach George.

"Hey, mister, are you okay?" Leo asked with a smug smile, but Luca paid him no mind.

When George finally answered the call,He wasted no time. "Boss, where are you?"

"I'm already in front of Santaro Hotel," Luca replied.

"Then come in already! We've been waiting for you! Please come in immediately."

Luca glanced at the woman one last time before informing George, "One of your staff members has refused to let me in. I've been waiting here for the past twenty minutes, and she won't stop mocking me either." He spoke slowly, noticing the woman watching him with disdainful glares, while Leo walked away and settled himself comfortably at the nearest table, where he could easily keep an eye on Luca.

George shouted angrily, "Who the hell did that? What kind of stupid person dared to keep you waiting outside even for a minute!" He paused and apologized, "Please, Lord Ercole, don't take it to heart. I'll be down there in a minute."

Luca smiled. "Fine, I'll be waiting for you down here."

The woman looked at him for another moment before taunting him again. "You must think I'm a fool, right? Screw you and your fake-ass calls if you think I'll fall for such petty tricks," she burst into mocking laughter. "You must be a lunatic if you think I'll let you in to wander around and pester the dignitaries.”

This time, her words pierced Luca's skin, and he was tempted to retort. However, before he could utter a word, his eyes caught something very familiar. His eyes weren't deceiving him in the slightest—it was his sister-in-law, Alessia!

As she almost walked past him, a deep voice asked, pointing at Luca, "Madam, isn't this your sister's husband?"

Alessia stopped abruptly when she saw Luca. "He is not my in-law, but my sister's stripper pauper," she mocked, walking closer to him. "His only specialty is his dick, nothing else," she remarked.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Luca.

Luca didn't bother to reply, knowing what would come next. But Alessia continued to taunt him even further.

"Hey, brother-in-law, you can never afford Santaro Hotel, so go back to fucking your crippled wife at home!"

Luca turned to her with a shrug. "Well, sister-in-law, I hope you're not here for whoring. I'm here on Mr. George's invitation. And you?"

Alessia was stunned.

"I hope you find a better dick to keep you at home instead of constantly searching for one!" Luca smirked knowingly. Her reaction spoke volumes—he had gotten under her skin before she could get under his.

"George invited you here, or are you pestering him for some tips on how to maintain yourself? I know my sister won't give you any cash," she laughed awkwardly, attempting to brush off Luca's insults.