Where You Belong

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"Are you Marion Nette?"

Mari snaps up, straightening her back. She glances away from the counter and her eyes widened. She feels her palms sweating, staring at the man as if to analyze if he's a threat. Of course, Mari didn't want to believe that this man was a bad guy. However, she can never be too sure, right?

"Yes, my name is Mari." She awkwardly gestures to her name tag. The man chuckles. He had slicked back, blonde hair with piercing blue eyes. She feels herself squirming under his gaze. He was wearing a dark blue suit, similar to what her bosses wear or what Caleb wears when he's being "serious". "I'm sorry... but uh, why do you need me?"

"Oh, Forgive me for not introducing myself!" The mysterious man chuckles. "My name is Maxwell Monroe. You can call me Max. I come from Paradise Hotels all the way in LA." She stiffens at the mention of Paradise. "Ah, have you heard about us before, Ms. Mari?"

She shakes her head. "Oh! No. I'm just- It's nothing actually. You still haven't explained why you wan to talk to me." She pauses briefly. "Unless it's to see my boss? I'm pretty sure he's-"

"No! That's not why I'm here." Max says. "I'm here for you."

"For me?! Wh- Why?! I didn't do anything!" She should have seen this coming. Maybe it's because she was late to work that one time? Maybe her boss got angry and told Caleb? Is she getting fired? Where was she going to go?! As she starts to spiral, she feels someone grab her shoulders.

Max smiles at her. "No worries! You aren't in trouble or anything." She opens her mouth to speak but he keeps on going. "No, I want to hire you!"

"... I'm sorry... what."

Mari almost thought that was her voice. She was thinking the same thing anyway. However, judging by how deep it was, she knew that it wasn't hers. In fact, she recognized it clear as day.

Upon turning her head to the side, she was greeted with Caleb with Ashton behind him, apologizing to a taller, older woman that she hasn't seen before. He looked different. Despite wearing the same clothes as he normally does, the expression on his face was unlike anything she's seen from him.

Caleb Moore, to her at least, was always stoic and calm. He never let anything get to him and it always got on her nerves. His cool nature unintentionally made her feel like she was overanalyzing every single thing and in return, she did as much as she could do try and make him lose his composure even if just a bit.

One thing she didn't expect was Max being the only person alive to make him look that angry. Caleb starts to speak, his tone ice cold. "Max. What are you doing here? You didn't even bother to call."

Max rolled his eyes, the charm wearing off. "Is that really how you greet your cousin?" Mari's eyes widened. Cousins? "And besides, Mom called in for the both of us. She didn't mention me?"

Caleb doesn't respond to that. A tense silence fills the lobby. The older woman sighs, glancing at Mari before back to the two men. "Boys. Would you both at least be grown ups and take this in private? People could start asking questions about why the heirs to the biggest hotels in the country are bickering. It's bad press."

"I'm not-"

"-the heir anymore." She finishes for Caleb. "I know but bad publicity is still bad publicity and you wouldn't want to end up with more tabloids talking about you, right?"

He shifts in place for a while until he lets out a frustrated sigh. "Alright. Fine."

Caleb grabs his cousin's wrist and heads off to a more private spot. Mari was still reeling from that whole reveal. She didn't expect both of them to be related. The woman approaches her. She freezes, thinking she was going to be scolded too but no. Instead, the woman extends a hand. "Scarlett Monroe. Caleb's aunt and Maxwell's mother. I apologize for my boys-"

"It's okay!" Scarlett nods and walks towards the direction of the casino. Mari lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She then glances at the direction where Caleb and his cousin went.

"You're gonna eavesdrop?" Ashton asked, bluntly. He rests his elbow on the counter and his chin on his palm. Mari scowls. Curse him for reading her like an open book. "Well, I have someone to covering my shift so I can join."

"Thought you were going to scold me..."

He chuckles. "Normally I would but I'm just as curious as you are." He then shrugs his shoulders, looking at the spot where both men once were. "Besides, we both know Caleb won't tell us anything."

"Yeah, you're right." She moves away from the counter and gestures him to follow. They walk through the halls, trying to find out where the two had ran off to. "Can't believe this Max guy managed to get under Caleb's skin before I did! So unfair."

He rolls his eyes. "Geez, Mari. You really are competitive."

Her retort dies at the tip of her tongue when he hears yelling coming from a secluded corner of the hotel, just behind a staircase. These guys really aren't discreet at all... She pulls Ashton behind some statue to hide as they listen to the conversation.

"Why are you even upset, Caleb?! It's not like I killed her!" Mari freezes, she looks up at Ashton who also looks shocked at Max's words. "What happened to Camilla was tragic. Believe me, I really am sorry-"

"Her name was Milly." Caleb says with disdain in his voice. "She never liked it when people used the name Camilla. But you wouldn't have known that, would you?"

Max scoffs. "Of course I wouldn't have known! You really blame me for not attending a funeral?! After she was born, I was already busy with college and I would be getting full control over Paradise Hotels when I graduate so it was a lot of pressure-"

"Sounds like a huge load of excuses." Caleb mutters, his tone low. "Do you have any idea how old she was when she died?"

"Uh...?" Max was taken aback by the question. It had been years since he even thought about Milly's death. Meanwhile, Mari was still baffled that Caleb's sister had died at all. He mentioned her in passing sometimes but she just assumed that she was studying in some school far from Las Vides. Not that she died. Ashton seemed less so, she didn't know why, but still uncomfortable.

"Mari.. maybe we should-"

"She was like... 15, right? or 16?" Max's reply was met with silence. "13...? There's no way, right?"

"She was 10." Those words sent a shiver down Mari's spine. She glanced at Ashton again who was just as mortified. Guess he didn't know about that part.

"My baby sister was 10 when they found her in the lake." Caleb's voice shook. "And no one in this family cared! Not my father, my mother, Carter, Cass and Chris! No one! And I expected you to be there!" He tries to calm himself down but it was futile. "Your mom was there... she and I were the only ones looking at her gravestone. You weren't there. You were the one who said you'd always be by my side. When my siblings hated me, you stepped up and said you saw me as the younger brother you never had." He shoves his finger towards Max's chest. "Why weren't you there? Why doesn't anyone in this family care about her?! Even Aunt Lottie. She was there to see how I was doing. Not because she cared about Milly."

Max said nothing to that. Mari thinks it's cause he doesn't know what to say. She would be silent too if Caleb yelled at her like that.

"Caleb, I-"

"And you waltz in here like nothing happened? Like I'd still see you as family after you abandoned me. You didn't call this entire time! Last time I saw you was when she was still alive!" He exclaims, breathing heavily. "And now, you want Mari? One of my best friends?" He glares at his cousin. "You can take away the entire hotel and casino from me. But I am not losing her."

Max steps back a bit as if he saw something on Caleb's face. Ashton knew what he saw. He doesn't even need to see Caleb to know. Mari, oblivious as ever, didn't notice what he did. It was evident in his voice. Mari brought a light to him that he didn't know still existed. All the competitions, the comfort, the playful banter. It brought back a spark to him. There was a stark difference between him before meeting her and after. Ashton, being present for both, noticed them like night and day.

Maybe that's why Caleb didn't want Mari to go. She was his source of light. Maybe even more. Ashton doubts either of them realize it though.

Caleb shoves Max out of the way, staring straight at the two eavesdroppers. His cousin scurried away while he remained glaring at them. He looks at Ashton before his gaze lingers on Mari. When it does, the light in his eyes came back. Brief and small, but still there. Ashton smiled to himself.

Caleb's usual expression was back on. "Mari, don't let your boss catch you here. I may have to report you." She gawks as he walks away.

"Could you believe him?! He's back to being his usual self. Ugh, he's so frustrating." She runs after him, likely to ask about everything she just overheard.

Knowing him, he'd probably pretend that nothing happened but she saw it. They both did. And she wouldn't stop until she knew how to make it better.