The man chuckled. “Are you one of those sent here to mess with me?” He shook his head. “How much did he pay you? I’ll double it so you won’t bother me here.”
I crossed my arms in response to his words and studied him from head to toe. He had the looks, the authority in his movements, and a domineering aura, but he lacked the right attitude. I shook my head.
“Who are you talking about?” Anya asked irritably. “I’m not causing trouble here. You’re the one causing a scene!”
The man’s expression soured instantly. “You know what, Miss, I don’t have time for your nonsense. Just tell me how much you want so you’ll shut up.”
I smirked. “She doesn’t need your money, Boy.”
The man’s gaze shifted from Anya to me. He furrowed his brow again. “You too, Miss?” He sighed. “Fine. You both win. How much do you need so I can have peace in my cottage?”
I rolled my eyes at his remarks. “Firstly, Mister, I don’t need your money. I could live my life without any worries. Secondly, the girl hiding behind me doesn’t need your money either. I can pay her salary.”
In that moment, the arrogance and furrowed brows disappeared. A smile crept onto his lips. “Seems like you’re testing my patience, Miss.”
“I don’t have time for nonsense.” I turned to Anya and took her wrist, guiding her out of the restaurant. “We’ll order room service later. Have your lunch in your cottage,” I instructed.
“Okay, Miss.”
I was relieved when the man didn’t follow us out of the restaurant. Though he was unfamiliar, his appearance and arrogance hinted at wealth. But I wasn’t concerned even if I had annoyed him. I had no time for him.
Since I didn’t know where the reserved cottages were, I had to ask one of the hotel staff for directions. They seemed informed, probably notified by the reception, and led me to a secluded cottage facing the sea. It wasn’t very large but spacious enough for two or three people.
“This is the closest cottage to the sea, Miss.”
I nodded. “That’s fine. Thank you for your help.”
The staff member smiled. “The second closest cottage is the red one next to the brown cottage.”
I looked in the direction he pointed. Indeed, there were two cottages, one red and one brown. I furrowed my brow. “Why is the second cottage farther from mine?”
The staff member scratched his head. “Sorry, Miss. This is the only cottage built close to the sea, reserved for special guests. The second closest are the two adjacent cottages.”
“Then who is staying in that brown cottage?”
The staff member gave a fake smile. “Sorry, Miss. We’re not allowed to disclose guests’ names.”
I nodded. They valued privacy, which was good. Since I was in the mood to accompany Anya, I led her to the red cottage. However, the closer we got, the more uneasy she seemed.
I paused and faced her. “What’s wrong?”
The resort staff member had already left after informing us about our cottage and other details. I understood; with many guests, they had other duties to attend to.
Anya looked down. “Because…”
“Because?”
“Earlier, Miss. That’s why it took me so long to return. The waiter said there was no restroom in the restaurant. So I asked the crew where your paid cottage was. They said it was here. I planned to use your paid cottage to use the restroom. When I saw that the closest cottage to the sea was empty, I thought it was yours.”
“Now I only have these two cottages to choose from. So I went into the wrong cottage and was surprised when a man suddenly spoke behind me. I ran out of that cottage and went straight back to the restaurant. I didn’t expect that man to follow me into the restaurant and start an argument.”
I smiled at Anya’s honesty. I nodded at her. “So you’re afraid to enter the red cottage?”
Anya nodded. “I’m worried I might see that man again.”
“How about we switch cottages? You can take the secluded one, and I’ll take the red one.”
Her eyes widened, and she immediately shook her head. “No, Miss. You wanted the one by the sea.”
“But you’re scared of the red cottage, right?”
Anya hesitated. “I’m not scared anymore, Miss. And I didn’t do anything wrong. I just made a mistake entering the wrong cottage.”
I grinned at her. “Don’t worry. He can’t touch you. If that man embarrasses you again, let me know so I can teach him a lesson.”
Anya beamed a smile, and we continued walking towards the cottage. She had her keys, so I raised an eyebrow. “How did you get into the wrong room if it was supposed to be locked?”
She sighed. “His cottage wasn’t locked, so I didn’t think twice and just went in. I thought the crew had already opened it since both cottages were reserved.”
I nodded. Her explanation made sense. I didn’t ask her further questions until we entered the small cottage. Inside, it wasn’t luxurious but clean, modest, and had a certain charm. The crew had clearly maintained it well.
I sat on the sofa and glanced around again. I wondered what my cottage looked like. The staff had mentioned that the secluded cottages were reserved for special guests. I couldn’t help but sneer. Who was mocking me? I wasn’t anything special, as far as I knew.
I grabbed my phone and called the resort’s reception. I ordered room service for the cottage. The receptionist asked for the cottage number, and I paused. I didn’t know the cottages were classified by numbers.
I asked Anya for her cottage key and saw the number on it. I relayed the information to the receptionist. After the call, I looked at Anya, who was sitting across from me, taking in the surroundings.
“You can explore around,” I said as I stood up. “Room service will be here soon. I’ll go to my own cottage.”
Anya stood up too and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Miss. This is the first time I’ve experienced something like this.”
I smiled back and headed out. Anya didn’t know why I was doing all this for her.