My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)
Chapter 580

As soon as he left, the receptionists began to murmur again. But this time, I was their topic of conversation.

Cecil Parker looked at me and did not seem to like me at all. "Arianna, can you tell me how a cleaner like you became the person in charge of the two most relaxing positions in our hotel? You're cashing in without doing much work. How did you manage to do that?"

That was a very strange question. Someone echoed, "Yes. Arianna, tell us. We're young while you're older, prettier, have good work experience to match and know just how to kiss up to the top."

Cecil sneered and said disdainfully, "I don't think this is about kissing up to the top, but rather kissing and sleeping with men! I heard that women are like wolves when they get to their thirties. It looks like Mr. Zelson can't escape the charm of an old woman. I guess sleeping your way up beats working hard like the rest of us!"

I looked right at them as I heard myself getting called old and accused of seducing men.

How good it must have felt to be young, to speak without a single care or consideration for others.

My gaze fell on the freshly poured water on the table. I got up and stood in front of Cecil. I was not angry, but my tone was frigid. "Yes, I'm already thirty, but I'm only four or five years older than you. You may want to think carefully about how I looked when I was still in my mid-twenties."

I raised my eyebrows and continued, "When I first entered the job market, I had just gotten hitched. The workplace environment then was much more complicated compared to how it is now. I, too, met colleagues who were just a few years older than me, and who were in high positions. But at the time, I only thought of how to work hard instead of how best to attack her."

"When I look at you now, I suddenly see how important family upbringing and education are. They taught me to look up to outstanding people and to work hard to catch up to them, and not to degrade them. Miss Parker, I think your family upbringing is quite...mediocre!"

Though these words were not harsh, they were not exactly an easy pill to swallow as it involved one's upbringing and character.

Cecil was still very young. When she heard such unpleasant words from me, she got mad and raised a hand in preparation to land a slap my way.

I was not a silly and naive girl in my twenties. I raised my hand to stop her assault. I then picked up the glass of water on my table and poured it at her delicate face.

"Miss Parker, you will be punished if you keep talking nonsense. Remember to think before you speak next time." I no longer had the mood to finish my work, so I left the office immediately.

"Ah..." She shrieked in anger. "Arianna, you're such a b*tch. Just you wait!"

The sound of her breaking down followed soon after. I paid it no mind and went straight home.

Norman returned with Anne. The little fellow had been shadowing me a lot recently; likely because I gave her quite a scare when I fell sick. She was probably worried that something would happen to me again, so she kept following me around.

As we ate, Norman suddenly looked at me and said, "A developer in Jarold City will visit and stay at the hotel tomorrow. You may need to go out to welcome him. You'd also need to arrange his schedule in Hovell for the next few days. The higher-ups intend to let this developer take over the hotel after what happened."

I sat there startled for a moment. Then, I asked in a perplexed manner, "Why would a developer take over a hotel?"

He smiled and explained, "The hotel is basically surrounded by wastelands. The developers' eyes aren't on the hotel, but rather at the development of the land around the hotel. Hovell has developed well in the past two years. With the bountiful sceneries of nature and tourists in Hovell, it's only a matter of time before the city is developed into a tourism city."

That was true. Hovell was not very large but its natural scenery was astoundingly gorgeous, especially in autumn when the small town would be surrounded by ripe blossoms. This humble city would then look like it was floating in a sea of flowers.

In addition, there were many magnificent waterfalls and ethnic groups near the small city. Nowadays, more retirees from big cities would migrate to smaller towns or cities with a beautiful environment. Indeed, Hovell was an optimal place to retire in.