Chapter 3: The Weight of the Crown
Veronica’s face lost every ounce of its practiced vanity. Her skin turned a shade of gray that matched the scuffed tires of the wheelchair she had shoved.
"I... I didn't know," she stammered, her voice cracking. "She looked... I thought she was just..."
"You thought she was a servant?" The Captain stepped into her personal space. "She is the daughter of Julian Thorne."
The name hit the room like a shockwave. Julian Thorne wasn't just a businessman; he was the primary shareholder of the Belvedere Hotel group, a tech mogul whose influence touched every corner of the globe. He was a man who didn't just fire people; he erased them.
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"This hotel," The Captain continued, his voice amplified by the lobby's acoustics, "is not a place for 'your kind' of people, Ms. St. James. It is a place for guests. You are no longer a guest."
Veronica looked around, hoping for an ally—a friend, a PR manager, anyone—but the lobby had cleared. The people who had been laughing at her jokes five minutes ago were now filming her on their phones, their expressions devoid of sympathy. She realized then that she wasn't just being banned; she was being documented.
