Pressure

I looked helpless on the floor, being left just like that.

I wanted to cry and laugh, and at the same time, I pitied myself.

This is how life was too unfair. A poor person like me should not cross paths with wealthy people like them.

Either I will receive insults and criticism; it is a law for peasants in this circle not to provoke these high and mighty members of High Society.

How sad is the reality? My annoyance with that man hasn't subsided yet. I still felt upset.

"Huh. I could not believe someone had called me a person from the zoo!"

I wanted to scream, but of course, I could not do that.

The insult was more extreme than my schoolmates in college calling me Ranch Girl, which I didn't get annoyed about because it was true. I was born and grew up on a ranch. What's wrong with it?

Although I had several animals I cared for, that could not be mistaken as a place like a zoo.

The zoo is where wild animals live, including the mighty lions.

"You are the one who is from the zoo! Your Animal Kingdom!"

In the end, I could not help but scream in the hallway. But after I heard the echo of my voice, I was woken up by my insanity.

How embarrassing is that?

I look around to check if no guest is gossiping around. When I don't see anyone else, I sigh with relief. I'm glad that on this floor, only a few guests were staying since it was super expensive to book a presidential suite. And it made me realize I would bump into more of these super-rich people during my five days here.

'Then I must ensure not to cross paths with them!' I remind myself of this.

In today's incident, maybe it was partially my fault too. Suddenly, I exited my suite in a hurry. But I didn't expect that someone was standing in front of the door. Who would stand at someone's front door except for the hotel staff?

And yet, I was criticized. They didn't need to throw insults at me.

But knowing these wealthy men, they are indeed high and mighty. I better ignore them next time rather than spend my precious minutes fuming in anger. Still, I wanted to live longer.

With this mindset, I comforted myself. I pursed my lips and got up from the floor, beaming as if nothing had happened.

However, when I was about to enter my suite, I seemed to catch someone's silhouette, then a flash in my direction.

When I raised my head and looked around at my surrounding, I found no one.

Is it just my imagination? Or was this hotel haunted?

Suddenly, the hair in my body rose, having these scary thoughts.

But I am sure. I caught a figure in the corner of my eye.

"Gosh! Stop thinking of ghost stories, Krishna! I was alone in this massive hotel suite. I'm going to sleep alone tonight!"

And this thought even worries me.

"Where are you, Camilla!?"

~

Meanwhile...

ROWAN POV

I could not measure the deep frown on George's face. As curious as I am, I began interrogating him.

"What's the matter, George?"

I asked my big brother when he emitted a dark aura from his body throughout the day, which made many people uncomfortable.

'How pitiful.' How unfortunate that the woman in front of my suite was not spared from his wrath. She looked confused and annoyed by the incident. I recalled her expression.

I wonder who she was.

She's staying in the presidential suite, so I assumed she's from a wealthy family. But whose family? I have met most of them already, even those nouveau riche.

However, since I landed and met George in this city, the irritation on his face never disappeared.

"Do you know that woman?" I queried, hoping to get some information why he had been in a stern mood all day.

"Who's a woman?" George creased his forehead. It looked true that he didn't recall the woman just now.

Seeing this, I confirmed that his bad mood was caused by something else and that I didn't need to guess.

"Did grandma arrange another blind date for you again?" I asked George, and the grim expression on his face said it all.

~

GEORGE POV

I climbed inside the Bentley and sat down comfortably on the seat when Rowan began throwing questions at me that even irritated me. I cast a sidelong glance at him.

'What girl is he talking about?' I tried to dig into my memory. If Rowan was talking about the girl I bumped into, she was just insignificant, and I was not interested.

"Grandma forced me to tell her which hotel suite I stayed in," I replied to his query, and it annoyed me when I saw the teasing smile on his lips. I glared at him, turned my head, and looked outside the window.

I often throw this question at Rowan. "Why are they forcing me to get married when I have no plan to settle down?" I shifted my gaze toward him and added, "I told them to let you marry first and produce an heir if they were excited to have a great-grandson."

Even though I knew I sounded ridiculous, I could not help but snap out in front of Rowan. I closed my eyes when I heard his snorts.

"We both know that I am only an adopted," he said, and I could sense the bitterness in his voice.

"I'm sorry. But I meant nothing every time I brought you up on this matter." I gazed at Rowan; he looked at me like he was already getting used to it.

So I said, "You already know this—I always think of you as my real-blooded brother."

I tried to liven up our conversation but could not force myself to feel delighted. I, the biological heir, have no freedom to do everything, such as marrying the woman I love, and Rowan has even the pressure to please our elders.

"Let's hit the pub after the welcome dinner tonight," I said, reaching Rowan's hand and patting his palm back to comfort him. Rowan looked at me and nodded.

"Okay," he replied nonchalantly.

Looking at Rowan's side profile, I could not fathom his thinking. I sighed in my heart. I know he was affected by my mood.

Since he ignored me, I shrugged a shoulder and buried my back in the car seat, waiting for my assistant to drive us to our next meeting.

~

ROWAN's POV

George kept talking next to me. But my ears were not keen on listening as I didn't focus on him but on the woman who exited the elevator, then entered the black Maybach waiting in front of it.

I don't know who she is, but she looks intriguing.