CHAPTER 03: GODMOTHER

CASTIEL'S POV

The limo came to a halt in front of the hotel.

The staff members were already lined up at the entrance in their burgundy uniforms, waiting for my arrival. The general manager, Jessica Baron was standing in front of the bunch with her hands neatly folded in front of her, a small smile plastered on her face.

I knew Jessica on a personal level. She was me and my twin brother's godmother and my father's long time best friend. After my mom died giving birth to Cassian and I, Jessica had stepped in to help my father raise us. I loved and appreciated her so much. And I was forever grateful for what she had done for us.

The driver opened the door for me, and I didn't miss how every employee straightened immediately.

I stepped out of the car slowly, adjusting the sleeve of my cream blazer before lifting my eyes toward the building in front of me.

The Sterling Hotel (Austin).

Most people only knew the Miami branch now— the towering luxury hotel that had become the face of Sterling Hotels worldwide.

What they didn't know was this hotel right here was the very first Sterling hotel ever built.

This was where everything started, in Austin, before the billions, the private jets and the headlines. This city had once been home to the Sterling family long before the world knew our name.

This hotel was my father's dream. He built the company from nothing, with no family money, no investors or powerful connections. Just long nights, absurd loans, and years of sacrifice.

Back then, the building had only been twelve floors with a small restaurant attached to it. My father used to work at the front desk himself during the day, then handle bookkeeping late into the night.

My grandma once told me how he barely slept during those years.

But somehow, he made it work.

One hotel became two.

Two became five.

And eventually, Sterling Hotels grew into one of the biggest luxury hotel companies in the country.

My father called this hotel the heart of the company.

It had changed a lot since those early days.

Now it stood tall over downtown with its glass walls shining under the Texas sun. Gold details lined the entrance doors, and expensive cars filled the circular driveway.

It screamed luxury, power and perfection.

Exactly what the Sterling name represented now.

"Welcome back to Austin, Mr. Sterling," Jessica grinned, walking towards me.

I chuckled, pulling her into my arms when she got closer. "Don't play with me Jess."

Jessica laughed softly and hugged me back tightly.

"You know I have to stay professional in front of the staff," she whispered

I rolled my eyes playfully before pulling away from her. "You've been calling me Cas since I was born. I think the staff can survive hearing it."

Some of the employees looked surprised, probably because Jessica rarely smiled at anyone. She barely showed any affectionate unless it involved Cassian or me. Jessica was known for being strict, sharp, and no-nonsense type of a person. Employees feared her almost as much as they feared my father.

The moment she noticed their reactions, her face immediately shifted back into business mode.

"You all can return to work now," she told them calmly.

Almost instantly, the staff scattered in different directions, returning to their respective duties.

Jessica turned back to me once everyone was gone.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Good." I said. "How have you been?"

Before she could answer, flashes from cameras suddenly exploded nearby. A few reporters stood behind the security barriers across the driveway.

"Castiel! Over here!"

"Mr. Sterling, is it true Sterling Hotels is opening a new branch in Dubai?"

"Any comments on the merger rumors?"

Security quickly moved in front of us while reporters continued shouting questions from behind the barriers.

Jessica leaned closer to me as we walked toward the entrance. "They've been waiting here since this morning."

"Of course they have."

Being a Sterling meant never having peace for too long.

The moment we stepped inside the hotel lobby, the noise from outside faded away completely. Cool air brushed against my skin instantly. I glanced around slowly and everything still looked exactly the way I remembered it.

Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting warm golden light across the white marble floors. Fresh flowers sat on nearly every table, filling the air with a soft floral scent.

The guests moved around the lobby dressed in expensive suits and designer dresses while soft piano music played quietly in the background. And the employees were rushing around carefully, making sure every guest was satisfied.

I liked that.

"It still amazes me sometimes," I said quietly as we walked toward the private elevators.

Jessica looked at me. "What does?"

"How much this place has changed."

A small smile appeared on her face. "That's hard work. Your father's hard work."

I smiled faintly.

Indeed.

My father was a true inspiration.

"We've prepared the penthouse suite for your stay," Jessica said as we stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the top floor before the doors closed quietly behind us.

She then glanced at me. "I thought Stan was the one coming?"

I shook her head slightly. "No. Dad decided to go to Chicago instead."

Sterling Hotels owned twenty luxury hotels across the country, so someone was always traveling. Either my father, myself, or members of the executive board were constantly moving from city to city handling inspections, meetings, and evaluations.

Which was why I was here in Austin now.

Jessica frowned a little but nodded.

I didn't know what but there was something fishy going on between them. The way dad avoided Jessica like a plague lately was suspicious.

Something definitely happened between her and my father. And whatever it was, neither of them wanted to talk about it.

I leaned against the elevator wall and crossed my arms.

"You know," I started casually, "for two people who have known each other for over thirty years, you and Dad have been acting strangely lately."

"Cas—"

"No, seriously," I interrupted. "Every time I mention him, you act weird. And every time you come up in conversation, Dad suddenly remembers he has somewhere else to be."

Jessica rubbed her temple lightly. "It's complicated."

I raised an eyebrow.

That answer alone told me everything.

"What did he do?" I asked.

Her eyes snapped toward me immediately.

"Why are you assuming he did something?"

I gave her a look.

"Because I know my father. He is emotionally constipated and terrible at communicating."

Jessica laughed.

She shook her head lightly. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself about. We are fine."

I stared her for second and then shrugged.

"If you say so."

The elevator finally reached the penthouse floor with a soft ding. Jessica stepped out first, and I followed behind her.

The private hallway was quiet and elegant, with soft golden lights running along the walls and expensive artwork hanging between the suites.

"You're staying for a week?" she asked.

"Maybe longer," I replied. "Depends on how the evaluations go."

She nodded slowly before looking at me carefully.

"You work too much, Cas."

I laughed softly. "I learned from the best."

"That's exactly what worries me."

I smiled faintly but said nothing.

The truth was, work had become my entire life. Running Sterling Hotels wasn't easy. People only saw the money, the designer clothes, and the luxury. They didn't see the pressure I endured on a daily basis. The endless meetings, long contracts. The constant fear of failure. As CEO, every decision rested on my shoulders, and sometimes it felt exhausting pretending I had everything under control.

Jessica stopped in front of the penthouse doors and handed me my keycard.

"Your luggage is already inside."

"Thank you."

She studied my face for a moment before speaking again. "You should get settled in and when you ready come down to my office. I'll have all the files ready."

I nodded. "Alright."

Jessica gave me one last nod before finally walking away down the hallway. I watched her disappear around the corner before turning toward the doors. After sliding the keycard through the scanner, the doors unlocked and I stepped inside.

The suite was massive. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the skyline while warm sunlight poured across the marble floors. The living room was decorated in cream, gold, and dark wood, giving the place an elegant but comfortable feeling.

My luggage had already been neatly arranged near the bedroom doors. I walked toward the windows and stared down at the city below.

This was my home, or at least it used to be. And something about being back here felt different this time. I couldn't explain it, but ever since I landed at the airport, I had this strange feeling deep in my chest that, I was missing something.

Something important. Something very precious.

It didn't make any sense, so I didn't want to dwell on it. But still, the feeling wasn't going away.

A small sigh escaped my lips.

I was probably just exhausted.

Right then, my phone suddenly rang and a smile immediately spread across my face the moment I saw the caller ID.

I quickly answered the call and placed the phone against my ear.

"Hello, Doc." I said, and Cassian laughed.

"Hey, Cas."

Unlike me, my twin brother had never wanted anything to do with the family business.

While I spent years learning how to run Sterling Hotels, Cassian chose medicine instead. He became an obstetrician and built a completely different life for himself. And surprisingly, dad supported his decision completely.

As much as he loved the company, he never forced either of us to follow his path.

A few months ago, Cassian transferred from Miami back to Austin. He claimed he simply wanted to come home again.

Honestly, I think Austin always held a special place in both our hearts.

"How was the flight?" he asked.

"Long and exhausting."

"You're being dramatic. It's only a few hours."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "You try sitting through meetings for six hours before getting on a plane."

"That sounds like a you problem, CEO Sterling."

I laughed, sitting down on the bed.

"I'm serious, Cassie. Dad is trying to kill me with work."

"Mhm," he hummed. "And yet you still refuse to take a vacation."

"See who's talking, while you work straight eighty-hour shifts at the hospital."

"That's different."

"How?"

"People die in my job, Cas."

True.

"So," he continued, "how's Austin so far?"

I glanced back toward the large windows overlooking the city.

"Kind of strange."

"What do you mean?"

I frowned slightly. "I don't know. Something feels... off."

"Maybe because you haven't been back in a while."

"Maybe."

But deep down, I knew it was more than that.

I just couldn't explain it yet.