Chapter 8: A Generous Gift
"No, keep the jacket." Marienne pressed a hand against Anna's back, ensuring the fabric stayed draped over her shoulders. "I brought some of your clothes to the room, but it's better to keep you covered as we go through reception, don't you think?"
Her saccharine smile made Anna's stomach twist. There it was—that subtle sting, carefully hidden beneath her supposedly selfless act. Marienne could never do a good deed without leaving a bruise behind.
Yet, to Anna's surprise, she didn't attempt to humiliate her in front of the receptionist. Instead, she simply collected the key card, flashed another polished smile, and led the way to the elevators.
"I'm sorry again, Anna," Marienne finally spoke as they stepped out onto the quiet hallway leading to the room. "I know it's not my place to say anything, but I was really shocked by the way Colette treated you. If anything, I tried to convince her to let you stay with us until you could... do something with your life."
Stay with us? Do something with your life?
Anna's grip tightened on the fabric of the borrowed jacket, her nails pressing into the soft material. Marienne's words slithered into her ears like poison, spreading thick and suffocating through her veins.
"Would you like a drink?" Marienne continued breezily, already crouching in front of the mini bar. "I turned the heating on, but I think alcohol would do the trick faster. And you like to drink, don't you? Robert told me you drink quite a lot."
She suddenly paused, covering her mouth with a delicate hand, her expression twisting into a mockery of guilt. "Oh... I'm sorry. Is that a sensitive topic? He told me he was concerned about you, drinking so much—"
"I'll drink," Anna cut her off, her voice flat as she shrugged off the jacket and tossed it onto the small couch beside the bed. "Get me something strong."