“I'm sure we can resolve this quickly,” Emily said.
Derek turned toward her again.
There was something in the way she remained composed that seemed to infuriate him.
He was used to employees becoming frightened when he raised his voice.
Emily did not appear frightened.
She was respectful, but she did not grovel.
That distinction mattered to him.
“What's your name?” he demanded.
“Emily, sir.”
“Emily what?”
“Emily Carter.”
He looked at her name badge.
“Guest Relations Assistant.”
“Yes.”
He smirked.
“So you're basically a servant.”
Olivia inhaled sharply.
Emily felt heat rise in her cheeks.
“I'm here to assist our guests, Mr. Langford.”
“That's what I said.”
He leaned closer.
“And I suggest you start acting like it.”
Emily could have walked away.
She could have called her supervisor immediately.
But she knew that escalating the situation might create additional trouble for Olivia and the rest of the team.
So she did what she had been trained to do.
She remained calm.
“Sir, I can contact our reservations department to confirm the corporate authorization. That should take only a few minutes.”
“A few minutes?”
Derek struck the counter with his palm.
“I don't have a few minutes!”
His voice carried across the lobby.
The pianist near the lounge stopped playing.
Olivia reached discreetly for the telephone beneath the desk.
“Please don't shout at our staff,” Emily said.
The words were gentle.
But Derek heard only defiance.
His eyes narrowed.
“Excuse me?”
Emily swallowed.
“We're doing everything we can to help you. We just ask that you speak to us respectfully.”
For a moment, Derek stood perfectly still.
Then he smiled.
It was not a pleasant smile.
“Respectfully?”
He repeated the word as though it were ridiculous.
“You think you can tell me how to behave?”
Emily noticed that a few guests were now watching openly.
She lowered her voice.
“I'm not trying to tell you how to behave. I'm simply asking—”
“You're asking?”
He laughed.
“Let me explain something to you, sweetheart. I don't take instructions from people who wear name tags.”
Olivia stepped forward.
“Mr. Langford, I'm going to call our duty manager.”
Derek snapped his fingers at her.
“You stay out of this.”
The sharp sound made Olivia flinch.
Emily moved slightly between them.
“Sir, there's no need for that.”
Derek looked down at her.
Then his eyes shifted toward her carefully arranged blonde hair.
The style was simple: a low bun secured at the back of her head, with a few soft strands framing her face.
It was the same hairstyle her mother had taught her to wear when she was a teenager.
Derek pointed at it.
“Look at you,” he said contemptuously. “Standing there with your perfect little hair and your fake smile.”
Emily stared at him.
“I don't understand.”
“You think you're better than me.”
“No, sir.”
“You think because you're pretty, you can embarrass me in front of everyone.”
“That's not what I'm doing.”
He moved closer.
“Then apologize.”
Emily hesitated.
“I'm sorry the check-in process has been frustrating.”
“Not good enough.”
She felt her stomach tighten.
“What would you like me to do?”
Derek's smile disappeared.
“I want you to say you were wrong.”
Olivia interrupted.
“Mr. Langford, Emily hasn't done anything wrong.”
Derek rounded on her.
“I said stay out of it!”
Several guests turned toward the disturbance.
A hotel security officer near the entrance began walking toward the desk.
But before he reached them, Derek noticed an object on the counter.
A small black grooming case had been left beside a courier envelope.
It belonged to a private barber who had just arrived for an appointment with a different hotel guest.
The barber, distracted by a telephone call, had briefly set the case down while speaking to the concierge.
Derek saw the compact electric hair clippers through the partially open zipper.
An ugly idea entered his mind.
He reached into the case.
Emily noticed the movement.
“Sir, that doesn't belong to you.”
Derek lifted the clippers.
He pressed the switch.
A harsh mechanical buzzing filled the air.
Olivia's expression changed.
“Mr. Langford, please put those down.”
Derek glanced at Emily.
“You seem very proud of your appearance.”
Emily stepped backward.
“Sir?”
“Maybe you need a lesson in humility.”
At first, she could not believe what he was implying.