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"Enjoy the Presidential Suite with your assistant. I sincerely hope you brought cash." / Chapter 2 / 20

Chapter 2 - The Midnight Walk of Shame

Back in London, the opulence of the Aster Grand Presidential Suite felt suffocating rather than luxurious. Harrison stood in the center of the sprawling marble-tiled living room, his knuckles white as he stared down at his phone screen.

Declined. Transaction Refused. Please Contact Card Issuer.

He tried his secondary corporate card. Declined. He tried his personal backup card. Declined.

"Harrison, babe, room service is refusing to deliver the champagne," Khloe whined, stepping out of the master bedroom wrapped in a plush hotel bathrobe, her hair damp from the marble soaking tub. "They said our account is flagged for non-payment. What’s going on? Didn’t you expense this stay under the corporate tier-one protocol?"

"Shut up, Khloe," Harrison snapped, his face draining of color as a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. He dialed Elena’s number again for the fortieth time. Straight to voicemail.

He didn't know it yet, but the corporate travel portal had already sent an automated alert to his chief financial officer back in Chicago: CRITICAL ERROR: MASTER LINE OF CREDIT REVOKED BY PRIMARY GUARANTOR.

Panic clawed at Harrison’s throat. He needed to check out immediately, but his luggage was currently being held by front desk management pending a valid payment method. When he finally marched down to the lobby in his wrinkled designer shirt, demanding an explanation from the concierge, the manager’s polite smile was laced with razor-sharp ice.

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I stepped past the door frame, my leather shoes clicking softly against the linoleum floor.

I stepped past the door frame, my leather shoes clicking softly against...

The screech of the chopper’s rotor blades vibrated directly through the freezing slate beneath my spine. The blinding white vortex of snow kicked up by the downdraft burned my eyes, but I forced my lids open, locking my gaze onto the amber visor of the rescue specialist dropping out of the sky.

The screech of the chopper’s rotor blades vibrated directly through the...

Daniel stepped toward the bed, his polished leather shoes squeaking against the pristine hospital linoleum. He reached for the tray table, his fingers brushing the edge of the papers. His voice was low, coated in a practiced, corporate calm that made my stomach churn worse than the spiked blood pressure.

Daniel stepped toward the bed, his polished leather shoes squeaking agai...

"Mr. Miller, your company cards have been blocked globally by the issuing financial institution, and your primary guarantor has officially severed all ties with your corporate registry," the concierge stated smoothly, loud enough for passing British aristocrats to overhear. "Furthermore, the hotel requires immediate settlement of the last three nights' incidental charges—totaling twelve thousand pounds—or we will be forced to involve local law enforcement for attempted service fraud."

Harrison stood paralyzed in the glittering lobby, his executive prestige shattering into a million pieces. The mighty provider was completely broke, stranded in a foreign country, and utterly helpless.

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