Chapter 3: The Secret Behind The Perfect Reviews
The next morning, The Grand Regent looked different.
Not because anything had changed.
Because I finally saw it clearly.
Luxury could hide many things.
Beautiful marble floors.
Golden decorations.
Five-star ratings.
Perfect photographs online.
But none of those things mattered if the people behind the doors forgot humanity.
I woke before sunrise.
Lily was still asleep.
For a few moments, I simply watched her.
She looked peaceful.
That was all I wanted for her.
A normal childhood.
A childhood where she didn’t have to understand loss.
Where she could still believe people were good.
I left her with the hotel nanny service while I began my inspection.
Not as Ethan Vance.
As a guest.
Daniel followed quietly.
He knew better than to interrupt.
The first place I visited was the breakfast area.
A family entered.
The mother was carrying a baby.
The father looked exhausted.
A waiter greeted them warmly.
I smiled slightly.
Good.
Then another guest approached the counter.
An elderly man with a suitcase.
He asked politely if he could have a table near the window.
The hostess looked annoyed.
“There are no tables.””
The man looked around.
Several empty tables were visible.
“Those?””
“Reserved.””
“When will they be available?””
The hostess shrugged.
“Not sure.””
I looked at Daniel.
He noticed too.
The problem wasn’t one receptionist.
The problem was becoming a pattern.
We continued.
The housekeeping department.
The kitchen.
The customer service office.
Everywhere I looked, I found two different worlds.
Employees who cared.
And employees who had learned nobody was watching.
By noon, Daniel looked exhausted.
“Sir…”
I closed the folder in my hand.
“Yes?””
“I had no idea.””
I looked at him.
“That’s why we are here.””
He lowered his eyes.
“I focused too much on revenue.””
“And forgot people.””
He didn’t argue.
Because he knew.
Later that afternoon, I requested a complete report.
Employee complaints.
Guest feedback.
Security footage.
Internal reviews.
Everything.
Then something caught my attention.
A pattern.
Negative incidents involving guests who appeared less wealthy were often dismissed.
Complaints from luxury clients received immediate attention.
But ordinary travelers?
They disappeared into paperwork.
I stared at the documents.
“This isn’t just poor training.””
Daniel looked concerned.
“What is it?””
“Someone created a system where appearances matter more than people.””
He became quiet.
That evening, I called a private meeting.
Not with executives.
With employees.
Housekeepers.
Servers.
Front desk workers.
Maintenance staff.
The people who saw everything.
Lupita attended.
She looked nervous.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” I told them.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, an employee raised his hand.
“Sir?””
“Yes?””
“Are you really going to listen?””
The question surprised me.
“Yes.””
“Because many managers say that.””
I nodded slowly.
“And then?””
“They punish whoever complains.””
The room became silent.
I looked at Daniel.
His expression changed.
He understood.
Fear had become part of the culture.
I stood.
“Anyone who reports a problem honestly will be protected.””
No one moved.
So I continued.
“I am Ethan Vance. I own this company.””
Shock spread through the room.
But I raised my hand.
“That is not why you should speak.””
I looked around.
“You should speak because every guest who enters this hotel deserves respect.””
For the first time that day, people began opening up.
Stories came out.
A supervisor who mocked foreign guests.
A manager who ignored complaints.
Employees who received promotions because they impressed executives, not because they cared.
And then Lupita quietly spoke.
“Sir…”
Everyone turned.
She looked nervous.
“But there is something else.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
“I think someone has been hiding complaints before they reach management.””
The room went silent.
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Lupita looked down.
“Certain reports disappear.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
Someone wasn’t just failing.
Someone was protecting the failure.
“Who?””
Lupita shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
I looked at the city outside.
The storm from the previous night had ended.
But another storm had just begun.
May you like
Because my hotel had a secret.
And whoever was hiding it had no idea the owner had finally come looking.
