Page 11 of Hotel Mallois

"We need to terminate her contract. She's disobeyed an order, she's gone over my authority, and she's not fulfilling her work hours," Marjorie says with contempt. "Because of her rebellion, we're running behind and the rooms won't be ready as scheduled."

Silence falls in the office and only Jodie's broken breathing can be heard who, upon hearing her supervisor, feels fear climbing up her back and threatening to suffocate her until she passes out.

"She's Mrs. Taylor's employee," Lamir Kumar answers. "I remind you that she now works directly in the penthouse."

Marjorie releases air like a buffalo again. She knows she needs to be careful with these types of impulses, especially if they directly affect her boss.

"I'll be watching you," responds Marjorie, who has turned to address Jodie.

The phone rings and the director welcomes the truce. Katherine Taylor's secretary asks him to tell Jodie Sinclair to come up to the penthouse immediately.

"Go see Olivia," Lamir tells Jodie after hanging up the phone. "She wants to talk to you."

Jodie nods and leaves the office to find the elevator. Her body trembles, her mind is a hotbed of thoughts, and her ears buzz. She curses the moment her late brother left her such a burden. If he had done things right, her father would be alive, her mother out of the nursing home, and she would be running the family business. While the elevator goes up, Jodie loses herself in memories and how happy she was being a girl with the privilege of working in what she liked, going out for drinks with her friends, and enjoying the body of some woman in bed when she had the chance.

She rings the doorbell of her boss's penthouse and, confident that it will be Olivia who opens, she startles when it's Katherine who appears at the door.

"Come in," she asks Jodie and steps aside.

Jodie doesn't understand it, but her body boils with a number of negative feelings that she's not being able to control. Maybe it's the mountain of shit that has accompanied her for years, but what has put the cherry on top that day is that, after the confrontation with Marjorie and the conversation with the Mallois hotel director, she has to go up to give explanations to Katherine Taylor herself.

"What, do I have to tell you why I need an advance too?" Jodie roars. "I know my rights, and this is one of them. I know it can be approved or not, but I have every right to ask for it without having to justify myself or explain what the hell I want the money for."

To Katherine, who remains standing in front of Jodie with an impassive expression, inside her heart gives several taps warning her that something in the housekeeper's attitude has delighted her. The owner of the Mallois hotel realizes that Jodie Sinclair truly attracts her. Since she met her, there was something that made her particularly attentive to the housekeeper and she thought—wrongly—that Jodie constantly paraded through her mind only because Katherine had awakened a protective feeling given the woman's unfortunate situation. That face sharpened by seriousness, the gestures she makes with her hands, and that overwhelming attitude, are making Katherine's groin pulse with the force of a hurricane unexpectedly. But she is Katherine Taylor and, of course, she won't let Jodie dominate the situation.

"If you know your rights so well, please enlighten me. Maybe I need an update," asks the businesswoman in a flat voice. "What else are you entitled to?"

Jodie doesn't take long to answer. She has so much rage that she doesn't think about the consequences her outburst might have.

"I know I have the right to be treated with respect and not humiliated by a person who claims to be the head of housekeeping at your hotel. Marjorie is a bitch and I'm sick of her abuse," Jodie spits in front of her boss's gaze. "Now, if you want, fire me for being a snitch, but I'm tired of staying quiet."

Katherine doesn't say anything, not because she doesn't care, but because her employee is so nervous that shedoesn't think it's appropriate to ask questions that might worsen her state.

"How much money do you need?" asks the hotel owner, radically changing the subject.

Jodie lifts her head, closes her eyes for a moment seeking calm, and answers Katherine, who nods and walks down the hallway disappearing behind one of the doors. Jodie can hear a couple of beeps that she knows are from a safe and, after a few minutes, her boss stops in front of her.

"Here you have it," Katherine says and hands her a white envelope with the Taylor group logo. "You have as many hours off as you need to solve your problem. When you return, let Lamir know you're back. The money will be deducted from your next four paychecks, so your weekly salary won't be as affected."

Jodie's hand trembles when she receives the money and stores it in her uniform pants. She knows she needs to apologize to her boss for the attitude she's had, but she doesn't think it's the right time. She still has that ball of fire in her chest and prefers to be serene before speaking again. The housekeeper thanks her and leaves to head to the nursing home where her mother is interned.

Ten minutes later, Katherine Taylor walks with Mike to her hotel director's office. Upon entering the office, she finds Lamir with a tired face and Marjorie walking like a tigress while gesturing and letting out some profanity.

"Any problem?" asks Katherine, leaving them both paralyzed.

"No, Mrs. Taylor, none," answers Lamir nervously, as if Katherine were a boss to fear.

"I wanted to talk to you," says Marjorie who, although she tries, her anger shows on her face.

"Go ahead, Marjorie."

"We need to let go of one of the housekeepers. She starts her shift late, uses the phone during work hours when she knows it's forbidden, and disobeys the orders I give," explains Marjorie counting each reason with her fingers. "Jodie Sinclair isn't good for your hotel."

Katherine moves her head as if she's really listening to her.

"Maybe it's just my impression, but it seems you always have complaints about this woman in particular," points out Katherine with feigned ignorance. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that we hired her instead of your niece, would it?"

Marjorie Garcia tenses up. The Mallois is the best hotel in New York to work for and she wanted her niece to join the ranks as a housekeeper. The girl didn't pass the two interviews they gave her, she really didn't want to work and her aspiration wasn't to clean rooms, but to be a boss directly, even without having any type of experience. The position wasn't for her and after interviewing Jodie, they opted for her profile. Marjorie didn't take it very well.

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