Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ novel Chapter 11

The first stage

It was the worst hangover I’d ever had, and it wasn’t even about the toxic level of alcohol I’d consumed the night before. Sure, ten thousand dollars sounded great. It would have been my first real step to gathering the amount of money I needed, but at the same time, I felt as if I was getting myself involved in a bank robbery!

I trusted my abilities, but i felt much safer when I used them from my computer at home or in our workshop. I had never had to sneak anywhere and plug into some other, off-line system to take control of it. I couldn’t believe that I had agreed to something like this!

I felt like we were engaging in a top-secret operation that required perfect planning, high precision, and an incredible amount of luck. Our mission had been divided into two stages. The first stage had to take place two days before the engagement party, and it was meant to get access to the hotel’s computers connected to the ballroom, while the second stage was about the actual engagement party event. Liam organized the whole logistical side of the operation, but I was the one responsible for its most crucial elements…

It was early Wednesday morning, and with Friday’s engagement party coming in two days, it was our time to act.

“I cannot believe that I’m actually doing this,” I grunted, putting on the hotel’s uniform. “It’s all good, Cora. You have your backdoor pass. All you need to do is go to the first floor, where the ballroom’s sound engineer’s room is, walk inside, pretend to clean it and work your magic on their computer.” Liam shrugged as if it was the easiest thing to do. I gave him a wry smile. “Don’t say it like that. You’re not the one doing it.”

“I know that it’ll be perfect. Trust me. You have nothing to worry about.” His beaming grin and his carefree words were exactly the reason why I was getting more and more restless.

Nevertheless, I’d agreed, and I wasn’t going to back out. I put on the navy blue fitted skirt and jacket, which made me look like a fancy stewardess and tied my blond hair into a slick ponytail.

“How do I look?” I asked teasingly, turning around in front of Liam. “Crazy hot…” he murmured. I laughed, mocking his remark. “Yeah… I already feel like a sexy little thief.” “I’m serious. The color matches your deep blue eyes… You look like most men’s sexual fantasy, ” he said, slightly blushing.

I had to admit that his words placed a blush on my face as well. It wasn’t because I had any problems with acknowledging the fact that some guys found me attractive, but I think I just missed that tickling feeling in my stomach. Perhaps my healing time was over, and I needed to find myself a decent guy to fall in love with… which was hard, considering the men around me were either computer freaks or gay. Furthermore, the freshly heartbroken and slightly emotionally unstable Liam was a hundred percent out of the question. I exhaled my newly discovered source of frustration, clearing my head before I got in the car that was supposed to take me to the Blue Crystal Hotel.

Paris Stapp

The car parked in front of the backdoor, which was reserved as the hotel’s staff entrance. Fortunately, Liam got me a legit pass, giving me the identity of a temporary replacement employee. I was replacing an actual member of the hotel staff, who was paid enough to fake illness. That way, I wouldn’t have to pretend to know anyone, and I could easily excuse myself by saying that I was there for only one day.

I passed security without any problems. The good fact was that this hotel was enormous and with people working in shifts, it was impossible to memorize all the faces. It was convenient since no one stopped me on my way to the first floor, asking if I was new there. Even so, my heart hammered wildly, and I had to clench my fists to stop my hands from trembling.