Chapter 5 Questioning My Existence

Susan's POV

I was a broke twenty five year old, former ace anchor, with no prospects and a mountain of debts- going into a hotel with a stranger I had only met tonight.

I stepped into the grand lobby of the Crystal Palace hotel, with my nerves fluttering and my stomach in a twist.

"Welcome sir." The doorman said bowing with a smile, as we walked into the hotel, "Welcome ma'am."

I felt so out of place in the luxurious surroundings.

I nodded and gave a small smile.

Despite my nerves being a wreck, the doorman deserved that much for his cheery attitude.

Whereas, my companion strode past the doorman, not giving a damn about his greeting. He paid no attention to his surroundings like he could care less.

Money, it seemed, made people feel entitled and invincible.

At the reception, the young lady at the counter seemed startled to see us or rather him.

"We-welcome sir!" She stuttered, a little too loud as she avoided the eyes of the Hoodie Stranger. She winced at her own voice.

An older man that appeared to be a manager, given his impeccable suit and well groomed hair, came to welcome us.

"Are you having a pleasant evening sir?" The man said in a formal tone.

"Depends," The Hoodie Stranger replied, his voice very low and deep. "Is it all set?" He repeated the question he had asked on the phone.

"I will lead you right there sir." The manager said smiling, gesturing with his hand towards a glass elevator.

Was I missing something?

Who really was this guy?

Why did he have everyone quaking in their boots?

The elevator was all glass and I could see all that was happening outside of it.

The three of us got in, and the manager pressed the top button, which was marked 'P' in an elegant font.

'P' as in Penthouse?

How rich was this guy?

Crystal Palace penthouse was worth over a hundred grand, for just a night!

I gulped as the elevator began to move. The all glass walls made for a breathtaking view. The view of the hotel through the glass made my mouth drop open.

I watched, mesmerized, as the floors we stood on became the floor below us. I looked behind me and saw other hotel guests, with their polished looks moving about on their various floors. I was mesmerized.

The Hoodie Stranger stood tall and stoic, his presence both calming and intimidating. I stood beside him, while the manager stood in front of us watching the elevator doors.

As we got to the top floor, the doors opened with whoosh and we were led to a private foyer, with a single door at the end.

The manager walked to it, and produced a key card in his pocket. He swiped the card and the doors unlocked.

"Your penthouse suite, sir." The manager said, holding the door open for us.

I was a bit hesitant to go in, with the thought of this rich stranger's intentions making me worry.

But after the Hoodie Stranger had gone in, it looked awkward watching an elderly man hold a door open for me and I sighed and stepped in. It was the height of opulence.

The manager stepped in and dropped the key card on the living room table.

"Will that be all sir?" He asked.

The rich stranger waved his hand in my direction, "Find out what she would need, and take care of that." He then left us both in the room, and walked to the balcony of the suite to pick a call.

The manager turned to me, "What kind of clothes would you like in your wardrobe, Miss Carter?"

"Excuse me? How do you know my name?" I shook my head, "I don't even know what I'm doing here...."

I didn't know what to make of this and I really needed to know what the hell was going on.

He smiled understandingly, "This is now your new residence, Ms Carter. Mr Howard hopes that you get all you need to make sure your stay in the penthouse is as comfortable as possible."

"Mr Howard? Is that his name?" I said pointing at the balcony.

The manager nodded.

"I'll make sure your wardrobe is all set up for tomorrow morning."

I was too stunned to speak.

"But why? Why me?"

He smiled again and said, "You should get some rest."

The Hoodie Stranger aka Mr Howard, came back into the room and headed straight to the door, then he turned back to me and said, "Request for whatever you will need, and it will be taken care of."

With that said, they both walked out and left me wondering what in the world I had gotten into.

••••

I stretched like a cat on my luxurious queen sized bed.

I didn't want to get up.

For some reason, my pillows felt softer than usual- or maybe I was imagining it. I couldn't tell.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and lazily yawned. I stretched, feeling more relaxed than I had felt in a long while.

It took me a few seconds to figure out where I was. I blinked, feeling disoriented. Then last night came back to me.

Oh my goodness!

I had thought it was a dream!

This was real!

I was at the Crystal Palace penthouse. I smiled, as I lay back on the silky smooth sheets, and stared at the ceiling.

I didn't know how long this moment would last, but I wanted to relish it.

But a knock on the door brought me back to reality.

I got up and opened the door, only to find the manager from last night standing at the door. I narrowed my eyes as I saw that he was with some outfits on a wheeled rack.

"Good morning, Miss Carter. Hope you had a lovely night's rest?" He said in that overly rehearsed mechanical way that threw me off.

"Uh... Yes I did. It was lovely sir." I said, stepping back to let him in.

His demeanor broke as a genuine smile curved the side of his lips. "You can call me Harrison." He said, "I'm the manager of The Crystal Palace."

"Ah... yes, sure." I said, unsure of how to respond.

He looked at the drawn motorised curtains and walked up to the bedside table. He pressed a button and the curtains immediately opened, revealing a breathtaking panoramic view of the midtown Manhattan skyline.

I hadn't noticed the excellent view last night, and seeing it for the first time, I was in awe.

The opposite wall was floor-to ceiling windows overlooking the city. My mouth dropped open as I rushed to them. I threw them open and stepped onto the balcony to appreciate the view the better.

"Woah!" I exclaimed, "This is stunningly beautiful."

I could see The Chrysler Building from where I stood and appreciate all that made New York monumental.

I felt my eyes water at the sight.

Harrison cleared his throat, reminding me that he was still there.

"Oh sorry about that!" I said with a giggle.

I stepped back into the room.

He was standing by the elegant French doors with gold handles, looking dapper in his impeccably tailored $2000 black suit. He must be making quite a fortune from his job.

That thought reminded me of the fact that I still did not have a job.

"I got carried away." I said more to myself than to him.

He pointed at the dresses he had brought and said, "Courtesy of Mr Howard. If there is an outfit here you do not like, let me know and I will fix your wardrobe to your taste."

Everything was perfect. No change needed. The wardrobe matched the clothes I usually liked to wear as a reporter.

One thing still bothered her though.

"I don't understand, why is he doing all of this?" I asked, because no matter how much I tried, I couldn't wrap my head around why he was putting so much effort into making me comfortable. He was yet to demand anything from me yet too.

He smiled kindly at me.

"I'm sure you'll be told soon enough."

He then clapped his hands and a sumptuous spread of delicacies was brought in by some waiters. My mouth began to salivate as I looked at the meal that had been prepared. My stomach growled loudly in anticipation and Harrison smiled again.

"I beg to take my leave now." He bowed and stepped out of the suite.

As I munched on my eggs, my phone lit up as it began to ring.

The sound immediately set off alarm bells in my mind, as I was briefly reminded of how I had been in torment for days anytime I got a call.

It was always a debtor asking for their money. But now, I no longer owe the Mafia. I had nothing to be afraid of anymore. My hoodie hero had seen to that.

No caller id.

This was not look good. I sighed and picked the call.

"Hello?" I said hesitantly.

"It's me."

From the gravelly voice, I could already tell it was the guy in the hoodie aka Mr Howard (as Harrison called him).

I exhaled slowly as my shoulders relaxed in relief.

"Hey," I replied, trying to seem casual, despite the awkwardness I felt.

What do you say to someone who paid 400k to your debtors and didn't ask for anything from you?

"Uhm... Thanks for last night-"

He cut me off sharply before I could finish, "Don't worry about it." He said in a clipped tone that demanded no argument. "Someone would arrive at your door in a few minutes. His name is Bruno. He will bring you to the office. Follow him."

"Wait- what office?" I wanted to ask.

But the line was dead.

I had so many questions racing through my mind, and I was determined to get answers.

Less than a second after, as I was still staring at her phone, someone knocked.

I opened the door, and stared at the gentleman before me. He was about same height as me, but was slightly older. Maybe in his early forties. He had a look of boredom or disdain on his face. Or both. I couldn't tell.

"Bruno?" I asked, unsure.

He gave me a once over, with a,

'I'd much rather be doing anything else but this' expression on his face.

"You must be the infamous Susan Carter." He said with a smirk.

I knew immediately that I didn't like him.