Jade sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her heart felt like it was in freefall, sinking deeper with every passing second. She didn’t want to go. No, she told herself for the fifth time, I really don’t have to go. I could just disappear and never show my face again.
But she knew that wasn’t an option. Her phone call with Claire replayed in her mind. “They want to see you in the office immediately.” The words had been calm, professional, but Jade could feel the undertone of something she couldn’t quite place—like a warning or an impending storm.
Pulling herself up, she smoothed down the modest blouse she’d thrown on and adjusted her black slacks. Her mind raced with scenarios, each worse than the last. I’ll walk in, and they’ll look disappointed. Milan will calmly tell me I’m fired, Enzo will smirk like it’s a joke, and Thiago… She groaned. Thiago will probably laugh, because of course he would.
The thought alone made her cringe. She shoved her shaking hands into her pockets as she left her apartment and made her way to the office.
The ride up the elevator was agonizing. Jade stared at the floor numbers ticking upward, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. By the time the doors slid open, she felt like her legs were made of lead. The office was quieter than usual—it was probably just her imagination, but every noise seemed to amplify as if mocking her.
Claire, the receptionist, glanced up as Jade approached. This time, however, she smiled. “You can go straight in. They’re waiting for you.”
The warmth in Claire’s voice threw Jade off. Why is she smiling? Is she enjoying this? Her stomach churned as she nodded weakly and walked to the large conference room doors.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed them open and stepped inside.
There they were. Milan, Enzo, and Thiago were standing near the table, all three men looking as composed and confident as ever. Milan stood tall and crisp in his navy suit, his icy-blue eyes sharp as they flicked to her. Enzo leaned casually against the table, a sly smirk playing on his lips, his dark hair a little more tousled than usual. Thiago, on the other hand, stood with his arms crossed and his weight shifted lazily onto one foot, a glint of amusement already flickering in his dark eyes.
Her heart plummeted.
“We just wanted to tell you—” Enzo began, his deep voice smooth, but Jade didn’t let him finish.
“I know, I know!” she blurted out, her words tumbling over one another. Her face was hot as she rushed to explain herself. “I’m so sorry. I should have behaved properly, and I never should have drunk that much. It was completely inappropriate. I swear I’m not usually like that!”
Enzo’s smirk faded slightly as he exchanged glances with the other two men. Thiago raised an eyebrow, clearly baffled, but Jade kept going, the words pouring out faster than she could stop them.
“Please, if you could give me another chance, I promise I’ll prove myself to you. I’ll work twice as hard. I’ll—”
“Jade,” Thiago interrupted, frowning. “What are you talking about?”
Jade froze, her mouth slightly open. “The video…” she stuttered, her voice barely audible now. “Of us… on the internet?”
For a moment, there was silence. Then Milan chuckled—a low, smooth laugh that made Jade’s face burn even more. “Really?” he said, shaking his head, his lips curling into a smirk. “Do you think we called you here to fire you?”
Jade blinked, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. “Isn’t… isn’t that why I’m here?”
“No, silly,” Enzo said, his smirk turning back into something lighter, almost amused. “You’re here because your uniform is ready.”
Jade stared at them, stunned. “My… uniform?”
Thiago uncrossed his arms and grinned, shaking his head as though she were the most dramatic person on the planet. “Yeah. The one for your new job? Remember? Flight attendant. Private airline. That whole thing?”
“You didn’t call me here to… fire me?” she asked, her voice still small and unsure.
“No,” Milan replied, his tone calm but teasing. “If we wanted to fire you, Jade, we wouldn’t waste your time—or ours—by bringing you all the way here.”
Jade let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. The relief hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her weak in the knees. “Oh my god,” she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest. “I thought… I thought you were going to—”
“Fire you?” Thiago finished for her, his grin widening. “You really need to relax, Gasolina Queen.”
Jade groaned, covering her face with both hands. “Please don’t call me that.”
“It’s too late,” Enzo said, his voice dripping with amusement. “The name’s already out there.”
Milan gave her a small smirk. “On a serious note, Jade,” he said, bringing her attention back to him. “The video isn’t an issue. Things happen. What matters is how you handle yourself moving forward. Understood?”
Jade nodded quickly, her cheeks still burning. “Yes. Absolutely. I’ll be professional, I promise.”
Thiago winked. “And maybe stay away from tequila next time.”
“Noted,” Jade muttered under her breath, earning chuckles from all three men.
“Come on,” Enzo said, pushing off the table and walking toward the door. “Let’s get you fitted. Your new uniform isn’t going to admire itself.”
Jade sighed, feeling the last remnants of panic dissolve into something almost—almost—humorous. As they walked out, she glanced at Milan and asked quietly, “You’re sure you’re not mad?”
Milan’s lips quirked into another smirk. “If anything, you’ve made this job far more interesting than we anticipated.”
Jade groaned again, covering her face. This job is going to kill me.