Chapter 7: A Father's Legacy
Sienna pushed open the double doors to the laundry room.
Standing near a table stacked high with folded table linens was Victoria Sterling. She was dressed in a plain black skirt and white collared shirt—the standard uniform mandated by the board as part of her court-approved community restitution and corporate probation.
Victoria was arguing with an elderly woman, Mrs. Gable, who had worked in the hotel's laundry division for twenty-two years.
"I told you, these napkins aren't folded correctly!" Victoria was saying, her voice strained and irritated. "The crest needs to face outward! If the ballroom manager sees this, it reflects poorly on the entire event!"
Mrs. Gable stood quietly, her hands red and swollen from decades of manual work, her head lowered politely. "I apologize, Miss Sterling. The steam iron on station four is leaking water, so I had to fold them manually to keep them dry—"
"I don't need excuses!" Victoria snapped, picking up a stack of linens and tossing them back onto the sorting table. "Just do it right!"
"Victoria."
Sienna’s voice was quiet, but it stopped Victoria instantly. Victoria turned around, her face flushing red with a mixture of embarrassment and lingering pride.
Sienna walked slowly into the room, stopping beside Mrs. Gable. She picked up one of the napkins, inspecting the damp corner where the steam iron had leaked. She turned to Mrs. Gable, her voice softening completely.
"Mrs. Gable, please take your break early today," Sienna said gently. "I'll have maintenance replace the heating element on station four within the hour."
Mrs. Gable looked up, surprised, then nodded with deep gratitude. "Thank you, Miss Mercer."
Once Mrs. Gable left the room, Sienna turned her attention back to Victoria. The silence between them was heavy, filled with the hum of the industrial dryers in the background.
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"My father had a rule, Victoria," Sienna said softly, placing the napkin back on the table. "He said you can measure a person's character by how they treat someone who can do nothing for them. You still don't get it, do you?"
Victoria looked away, her posture defensive, but her eyes held a new, fragile uncertainty.
