Danny

“Not yet ready?” Danny looked at her suspiciously when she opened the door and closed it behind her again.

“Oh, it’s fine now. But to be honest, my boyfriend is inside.”

“Since when did you have a boyfriend?” Danny said with a deadpan look and she wanted to punch him.

‘Way to go, dear friend. You really know to poke where it hurts the most,’ she wanted to snarl at him.

“You were single for the longest time,” Danny continued and she truly wanted to punch him on the gut, or the face.

“I have a boyfriend!” Vivian said defensively.

“I just hid it from everyone since I can’t reveal who he is,” she continued and Danny just raised an eyebrow. He clearly didn’t believe a word she said.

“He’s a celebrity from another country,” she said in a lower voice but loud enough so the ones inside would hear.

“Huh? Stop playing with me Vee. Are you having delusions now?” Danny looked at her and soundlessly mouthed:

“Are you really alright? Are you sure no one is blackmailing you?”

“Humph. That’s rude you know. Just enter and see for yourself,” Vivian replied. She finally understood that Danny was indeed trying to check her room for the intruders.

Vivian realized that Danny must have suspected she was being held captive and was just let out to avoid suspicions. He thought she was in danger so he acted the way he did.

“I am safe and sound. No need to worry,” she said aloud and Danny’s eyes widened and his expression was saying, “You idiot!”

But she had no choice or the people inside would end up thinking that she was indeed cheating. Vivian had to clarify that Danny was truly just worried about her.

“So you didn’t let me enter since your boyfriend is stark naked inside and the room is a mess because you two have been fooling around and I might see scattered condoms and undergarments?” Danny glared at Vivian as Zander continued to watch the two suspiciously.

“Of course not! It’s not like that. His friends are also inside. We are having a movie marathon,” Vivian quickly reasoned.

‘Damn this bastard. Why do friends always embarrass their own friends? This is so annoying.’

Vivian opened the door and walked to her so-called “boyfriend” and gave him a peck on the cheek to let Danny see.

Her husband possessively wrapped an arm around her waist as he stood beside her to greet Danny. The others just looked at Danny while remaining seated.

“Do you believe me now?” Vivian begrudgingly asked.

The two other guys with Danny went to check the bathroom. But everyone already knew it was just a charade.

“Vee,” Danny looked at her after he cautiously eyed each person in the room.

“Black clothes, caps, shades. They are the intruders aren’t they?”

Vivian sighed audibly in exasperation. They still couldn’t fool Danny.

‘Why the heck are all of these people wearing all-black anyway?! They are yelling to the world they are suspicious.’

She internally lamented how they should have worn something more casual-looking.

They were too eye-catching with the black suit they were wearing. Include their height and broad shoulders and people would be intimidated to even stand near them.

If not for the fact that they were all good-looking, people might have collapsed in fear at the sight of them. With their pretty faces, they at least looked like models or celebrities. Which did not help at all, since they were supposed to be in hiding.

“They are not intruders. As I said, he is my boyfriend.”

“Then why did they have to hack our surveillance system?”

Danny was obviously complaining and he was appealing to her with his eyes that he needed justice.

“Are you the ones who did it?” Vivian pretended to ask her husband, despite knowing they surely did.

They must have rushed to find her as soon as possible. Someone tech-savvy must be among his cohorts. Billionaires almost always have those kinds of people (she read from novels at least).

“Ah, yes,” her husband slowly nodded as if he was in trouble. He didn’t look like he regretted it in the least though.

“Sorry for the trouble we caused. We can’t let people see us. We were supposed to fix it once we get out of here,” Albert quickly stood up and explained to Danny.

“Who are you to my girlfriend anyway?” her husband suddenly said and tightened his arm around Vivian’s waist as if to prove he was her boyfriend. He was acting like he was the possessive and jealous type.

Danny ignored Zander’s question and looked at Vivian.

“Vee, you could have just told me in advance,” Danny scolded her.

Zander frowned and his lips pursed; obviously displeased that he was ignored.

“Sorry. I will, if there is a next time,” Vivian immediately answered.

“You’re not into drugs or anything illegal are you?”

Danny once again eyed her and everyone in the room and he glanced at the table and drinks.

All the guys in the room looked dangerous and intimidating despite their good looks so Danny was suspicious of them.

“Huh?! Of course not! Danny, of all the things you would suspect me to do,” Vivian incredulously frowned at her friend.

“If I’m into such a thing you would have known since a long time ago.”

“Right. I was just making sure. Don’t leave me in the dust again you hear?!” Danny said with stern eyes directed at her.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll make sure to inform you next time,” Vivian acted all cute and her husband cleared his throat as if in a growl of protest. She blinked when Zander wrapped both arms around her, hugging her from behind.

Vivian looked up to him and he looked displeased. He was acing the act of the jealous husband role. She gave him another peck on the cheek as if to soothe him and Danny rolled his eyes.

“Ugh. Damn it! I can’t stand couples,” Danny said and walked to the door, beckoning the two guys he brought with him.

“Vee, you’ll have to treat my crew and the guards. They were all tense and nervous when I told them what to do a while ago. My guests were also disturbed and surely this will reflect negatively on our rating. It’s truly displeasing. And to think that you are the cause of this,” Danny sighed and held his temple like he was having a terrible headache.

Danny then narrated how he had instructed everyone to pretend to check the bathroom for the water pipes problem, so they could check if any of the intruders were hiding, without anyone getting hurt.

The guards were all armed and Danny gave them permission to use force when necessary to prevent any victims among their customers. That was why he kept on insisting to check the bathroom.

They did not inform everyone about intruders to avoid causing panic and alerting the said intruders.

Only Vivian was informed since Danny knew she could be dead calm in a lot of situations. And yet, the said intruders were actually her visitors.

“I’ve caused everyone quite a headache,” Vivian grumbled and as she was about to fetch her wallet, her husband beat her to it with a single glance at Albert who quickly handed half an inch of bills to Danny.

It was a million, so Danny blinked as he suspiciously eyed Vivian and her supposed boyfriend. Vivian herself was surprised as well.

‘Damn this rich guy.’

She glared at her husband. It may be spare change to him as a multi-billionaire but that’s a lot to commoners like herself.

“This is for the trouble we caused. I believe we can’t compensate you enough for the tense atmosphere we have created, so please take it as a gift,” Albert explained as he added another bundle from who knows where. It was now two million.

Vivian rolled her eyes in exasperation. Her husband must have thought that her friend was dissatisfied with the amount which was why he gestured for Albert to add the next bundle.

Danny was now staring at her wide-eyed. Wordlessly asking her what kind of guy she had picked up and from where.

“This is too much. I was thinking a meal was enough,” Danny hesitated but the look in his eyes clearly said he was tempted. That was two months' worth of all his employees’ salaries in that hotel.

“Then accept it as my token of gratitude for keeping my girlfriend safe. I am relieved to know that she has friends like you who could expose themselves to danger for her sake,” Zander said when Danny was reluctant.

He then added that Danny and his men have to say that they had resolved the case about the surveillance hack and the intruders and not reveal anything about them.

Danny looked at Vivian, wordlessly asking if it was truly fine and she smiled in agreement.

“No need to be shy. Treat your crew to a meal consecutively and give them a bonus or something. If you still have room to spare then spend it for yourself at a spa or bar,” she coaxed Danny to finish the issue.

If not, her husband might end up offering more. Vivian knew that her friend loved money, as much, if not more than she did.