Return of the Crowned Heiress novel Chapter 349

The maid hesitated, trying to politely decline. "Ms. Rosario, could you stay in the room next door? It has great lighting as well."

Johanna wandered around the room, her eyes catching a half-used bottle of sunscreen on the table. An object like that could only belong to a woman.

Feigning curiosity, she asked, "Who stayed here before? This sunscreen must've been left by the previous guest, right?"

The maid nodded curtly. "Yes," she said, not offering any further information.

Johanna didn't push. She smiled and said, "I'll stay in this room. Please tidy it up for me and throw out anything unnecessary, thanks!"

With that, she let the sunscreen slip from her hand, and it dropped into the trash with a dull thud.

The maid looked even more uncomfortable, hesitating before gently advising, "Ms. Rosario, without Mr. Russell's approval, we're not allowed to make such decisions. I must insist you take the room next door instead. All the guest rooms are decorated the same, so there really isn't much difference."

Johanna's patience was wearing thin after being refused twice in a row. However, her soft, graceful demeanor didn't waver. Smiling sweetly, she replied with a subtle firmness, "And what if I insist on staying in this room?"

"Then I'll have to get permission from Mr. Russell," the maid responded evenly.

Speak of the devil, Stephan appeared just then.

His brows furrowed when he saw Johanna standing in the room where Felicia had once stayed for over a month. Without any hesitation, he ordered, "Move her to the first floor. She's not allowed upstairs."

With that, he strode toward his master bedroom, changed into fresh clothes, and left the villa without glancing back. The rumble of the car engine echoed as his sleek black vehicle disappeared down the driveway.

Johanna had no choice but to settle for a room on the first floor.

The sprawling mountainside villa was massive. The first floor wasn't just for guest rooms. It also housed entertainment areas like a private theater and game room. The basement level featured a gym, living quarters for the staff, and other utility spaces.

But Stephan's words weren't just about assigning her a room—they were a clear boundary. The second floor was his private domain, one that was evidently open to someone else but firmly closed off to her.