Chapter 2: The Fine Print

Chapter 2: The Fine Print

Marcus, Chloe, and Mia leaned in, their collective breath held in a silent, anxious triangle around the computer monitor. Leo’s predatory grin had vanished, replaced by an unnerving calm as he tapped a single line of text on the screen with his index finger.

“This code here,” he said, his voice a low, instructional hum. “RATE_EMP_FRIENDS. It’s the ‘Friends and Family’ employee discount rate. It gives a massive fifty percent discount on the room. It’s a corporate benefit.”

Marcus stared, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Okay? So he got a discount. That doesn’t explain his behavior.”

“It doesn’t just explain it,” Leo countered, turning to face him. “It condemns it. Marcus, look at his profile again. What’s his status?”

“Celestial Tier,” Marcus answered immediately. It was the source of all his anxiety. “The highest level. It’s why I was so scared to challenge him.”

“Exactly.” Leo’s eyes glinted. “And according to the Corporate Code of Conduct, section seven, subsection B, paragraph three: ‘Employees and their designated Friends and Family utilizing the employee discount rate are ineligible to accrue loyalty points, tier credits, or any associated benefits for the duration of their stay.’”

He recited the rule with the effortless precision of a lawyer citing case law. The air in the office shifted. The weight of Harrison’s Celestial Tier status, which had been pressing down on them all afternoon, suddenly seemed to evaporate.

“He’s double-dipping,” Chloe whispered, her eyes wide with dawning comprehension. “He’s using an employee discount and still demanding the perks of a top-tier rewards member.”

“It’s more than that,” Leo clarified, his tone hardening. “He’s not just getting perks he isn’t entitled to. He’s representing the company. The employee rate explicitly states that anyone using it is considered an ambassador for the brand. Their conduct must be exemplary.” He gestured back towards the lobby, where the ghost of Harrison’s tirade still lingered. “Would you call his behavior… exemplary?”

The full weight of the situation finally crashed down on Marcus. His fear, however, didn’t vanish. It simply changed shape. “But… he’s still a Celestial Tier guest in the system. If I challenge him and I’m wrong, Corporate will crucify me. They always side with the high-value guest.”

This was the obstacle Leo had expected. Marcus was a man ruled by the corporate ladder, terrified of putting a foot on the wrong rung. He’d been burned before; it was written all over his cautious posture.

“You won’t be challenging a guest, Marcus,” Leo said, his voice firm, pulling the manager from his spiral of fear. He moved them back into the cramped office, turning it into a war room. He stood between Marcus and the two young women, a shield and a sword all in one. “You will be making a professional, manager-to-manager call to report a serious breach of the employee Code of Conduct. You won’t be emotional. You won’t mention his attitude or his abuse. You will stick to the facts.”

Leo’s gaze flickered to Chloe and Mia, who were watching with a fragile, desperate hope. He then looked back at Marcus, lowering his voice for the final, critical argument.

“Think about it, Marcus. What’s the bigger risk here? On one hand, you have a fraudulent guest who might complain that you correctly enforced company policy. On the other,” he said, nodding toward the girls, “you have two of your own staff members, who were verbally abused and humiliated. What do you think a formal HR complaint for fostering a toxic and unsafe work environment would do to your career? Which fire do you think Corporate is more interested in putting out these days?”

The blood drained from Marcus’s face. Leo had just reframed the entire conflict. It was no longer about placating one monstrous guest; it was about protecting his team and himself. He was the manager. This was his responsibility. The flicker of determination that had been buried under layers of anxiety began to burn brighter.

“Who do I call?” Marcus asked, his voice now steady.

Leo already had the information pulled up on his phone. “Mr. Richard Harrison is the Director of Sales at the Grand Sovereign Towers, downtown branch. I have the name and direct line for their General Manager, a Ms. Evelyn Reed.”

He handed the phone to Marcus. For a moment, the manager just stared at the number, his thumb hovering over the call button. He took a deep breath, straightened his skewed tie, and looked at the faces of his young staff. He saw their fear, their hope, and their silent plea for a leader to finally stand up for them.

He pressed the button.

The office fell silent, the only sound the faint, tinny ringing from the phone’s speaker. Leo gave Marcus a slight, encouraging nod.

“Yes, Ms. Reed? This is Marcus Thorne, Front Desk Manager at the Grand Sovereign Hotel… I’m well, thank you. I’m calling regarding one of your employees who is currently a guest at our property… Richard Harrison, yes, that’s him.”

Marcus’s voice was pure professionalism, stripped of all the earlier panic. He was following Leo’s script perfectly, outlining the discrepancy between the employee rate used and the rewards benefits being demanded. He detailed the specific policy Harrison was violating, quoting the section number Leo had given him. He never once mentioned the shouting, the insults, or the tears. He didn’t have to. The cold, hard facts of the fraud were damning enough.

“Yes, I have the folio right here… I see. Yes, I understand completely. Thank you for your time, Ms. Reed.”

Marcus ended the call and slowly lowered the phone, looking slightly dazed. “She… she sounded furious. Said this wasn’t his first time being reported for ‘inappropriate conduct’ while traveling. She thanked me for bringing it to her attention and said she would be… ‘handling it internally and immediately.’”

A wave of relief washed over Chloe and Mia. Mia let out a shaky laugh, and Chloe actually beamed, the first genuine smile she’d worn all day. They had won. The monster was going to be punished.

But Leo held up a hand, a glint of steel in his eyes.

Just then, a sharp, insistent beeping sound cut through the quiet relief. Out at the front desk, the switchboard was flashing. A frantic series of lights blinked beside a single label.

Incoming Call: External - Room 1201

Ms. Evelyn Reed was a woman of her word. Phase one was complete. The king in his castle was about to receive a most unpleasant summons from his home kingdom.

Marcus stared at the blinking lights, a look of awe on his face. “Leo… you did it.”

Leo shook his head, a chillingly calm smile gracing his lips. He looked from the blinking light on the switchboard to the hopeful faces of his team, the real reason for this entire campaign.

“That,” he declared, his voice a quiet promise of the chaos to come, “was just the professional courtesy. Now, the real fun begins.”