Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 303: Creepy Comfort

Chapter 303: Creepy Comfort

Emily’s life was literally a dumpster truck on fire. She had lost Derek. Who may or may have not been cheating on her, with plastic Penelope. Then she had found out that thanks to her mother’s interfering, she most likely would never find closure on the issue.

She would always be wondering if Derek had strung her along or if he had been genuine.

Now she even had the added complexity of not knowing whether to be angry at her mother, or grateful. Because at the end of the day, Emily understood where her mom had been coming from. She had seen Emily hurt, and Derek showing up at her doorstep had felt like disrespect. So Jane Molson had sent him away. So rather than deal with things right away, Emily had decided to take some time to herself. At first she had not been certain on where exactly she was going. But now that she had arrived, she had to admit... it made a certain kind of twisted sense.

For her to be where she was, after all, her life had gone up in flames. It was only fitting that she be at the one place where she had almost been burned to death by an angry crowd.

Unlike the last time that she had been there. There was no crisis to solve.

She had no job. Which meant she had no boss, and having no boss given the circumstances of their relationship. Now meant that she also did not have a boyfriend. Life was funny sometimes.

The last time that Emily had been to the small town of Joy. She’d had a job and a boss, just not a boyfriend. Then for a few short months, she’d had all three, and now in one fell swoop, she had lost everything.

Deciding to stop focusing too much on the disaster that her life had become.

Emily instead focused on getting a ride out of the airport, and once that was done. She turned her attention to talking to her driver. Not really paying attention once she discovered his love for football. But just letting him keep going, his voice helping keep her out of her own head.

Even during the flight, Emily had known exactly where she was going to stay once she arrived at Joy. The motel that they had been at, the first time that they had slept together.

She had made the decision despite knowing how creepy the place could be. And as the car pulled up in front of it, Emily was pleasantly taken aback. It looked nothing like the straight out of a horror film monstrosity that she and Derek had been in the first time.

The entire place had actually been redone. The grass had been tamed into something that looked green and soft. Instead of yellow and dying in places. The cracks on the wall that had been visible even from the outside were gone, and as Emily walked into the reception area.

She found that the stains in the ceiling had also been taken out, and she could not spot any mould or spider webs. It was fantastic. But she had to wonder where the money had come from.

Had the old man who had greeted them the last time finally kicked the bucket, and new management had taken over? Maybe one of his kids, or grandkids had renovated the place using the insurance payout from his death.

Emily had been just about to accept that that was the most likely thing that had occurred.

When she finally reached the reception desk, and had to suppress a startled squeal as the chair turned around to reveal the old man staring at her with his glassy eyes. The motel might have lost its creepy quality.

But the old man had retained his and then some. Emily was not one to be negative, but the last time that she and Derek had been there. She had been pretty certain that the old man would not make it another week, but somehow he was still alive and kicking.

Either the old man had discovered the secret to immortality, or he was actually a zombie. Or maybe he came with the motel. So long as it stayed standing, then he too would remain in the land of the living.

But the mystery of why the old man, just would not kick the bucket, was not for Emily to solve. She had come there to handle her own business. Not to worry about other people’s. With that thought in mind, Emily held the old man’s unnerving gaze and smiled widely at him.

"Hello. I do not know if you recognize me, but my name is Emily Molson. I was here a few months ago,"

Had she been in the city, Emily would not have brought that up at all.

After all, no one had time to memorize anybody’s face unless that person looked sketchy and even then, after a few months, they would have been forgotten. This was a small town though, so it was likely that the old man still remembered her.

But whether he remembered her or not. Emily had no idea because a few seconds after asking he was still just staring at her, not saying anything.

Choosing not to be deterred by the less than welcoming reception, Emily stayed in place, her smile not wavering. The old man just continued to stare, his wheezing breath, faltering a few times like he was about to stop breathing altogether.

There was just no way that the motel had had customers since then.

Even now, Emily was beginning to second guess her decision to come to that particular motel. There was still time, she could just turn back and go. But something made her not turn around and leave, instead she leaned further in.

"The last time that I was here. I stayed in a particular hotel room and I would love to stay there again," She said. The old man finally showed some reaction. His eyes moved to her side and he seemed to be looking for something behind her.

Finding nothing, he settled back on her again.

"It’s been painted recently. You cannot stay there, but the room next to it is free," The old man’s voice sounded like withered old tree branches cracking and falling apart. Yep, he definitely made up for the creepy factor that the motel was now missing.

A too pale hand held out a set of keys for her, and Emily gladly took them.Making her way to the room next to the one that they had stayed at. Emily did not look back at the old man, so she did not see the way that his brows furrowed as he took her in.

Although he had not answered when she had asked. The old man remembered exactly who the young lady was. The last time that he had seen her, she had been in the company of her man, and now she came on her own, looking as though her world had died.

Something had definitely happened.