Chapter 16
“Room 3601, Pines Hotel?”
Emelia’s heart sank when she heard the address Rhett gave before the call disconnected.
Rhett was in trouble.
If this had happened in the past, Emelia would have immediately called Justin for help in such emergencies.
But now Justin had already run off to his mistress, and their marriage was crumbling with divorce imminent. She couldn’t bring herself to bother him with this mess.
Emelia didn’t have time to hesitate. Her mind raced as she dashed into the bedroom, grabbed a coat at random, and rushed out without even fixing her hair.
She jogged to the garage, her hands shaking so badly that she struggled to insert the key. The tires screeched as she sped toward Pines Hotel.
Only when Emelia reached the hotel’s imposing entrance did she realize she knew nothing about this place.
As she approached, a tall, imposing security guard stepped forward, blocking her path.
His professional demeanor was stern as he said coldly, “Miss, you’ll need a VIP card to enter. Please present your card.”
At the mention of the VIP card, Emelia’s eyes widened with shock and helplessness.
She’d never been here before. How could she possibly have a membership card?
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as her voice rose with urgency. “My brother is inside. He’s in serious trouble. I must go in and rescue him. Can you take responsibility for the consequences if you delay me?”
Emelia was filled with regret. Her usual reclusive lifestyle that kept her from social outings had now trapped her outside these doors.
“Miss, these are our rules,” the security guard said, his expression remaining impassive.“I can’t let you in without a VIP card. Please don’t make this difficult for me.”
His tone offered no flexibility, as if Emelia were just another unimportant passerby.
“I can get a card right now,” Emelia said frantically, fumbling for her wallet.“Money isn’t an issue…”
Then she realized she’d rushed out without it.
She pulled out her phone instead, fingers shaking as she swiped through payment options. Her heart sank when she saw that the transaction limit wouldn’t cover the membership fee.
“Damn it!” she cursed inwardly, her anxiety and anger boiling over with no outlet for release.
