Jade sat cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone as she sipped on a cup of green tea. It had been a draining first day back at work. She still felt the sting of Milan’s cold gaze, Enzo’s teasing smirk, and Thiago’s sharp remarks from earlier. Welcome back? Hardly.
She sighed, opening her messages. Sure enough, there was a new one from Clair, titled “Schedule for Tomorrow.”
Jade’s eyes scanned the details:
“Rome. Departure: 8:00 a.m. Arrival: 11:30 a.m. Dress appropriately. Pack lightly.”
Jade groaned, letting her head fall back against the headboard. Rome. Another city, another whirlwind trip, and probably another headache dealing with the men. She’d barely had time to process her return, and now she was being whisked off again.
The small corner of her mind that still found excitement in travel piped up. It’s Rome. History, culture, amazing food… But the larger part of her, exhausted and resentful, shut that voice down. This wasn’t a vacation.
She stared at the message for a moment longer before typing a reply to Clair:
Jade: “Got it. I’ll be there on time.”
The response came almost immediately:
Clair: “Good. Car will pick you up at 6:30 a.m. sharp. Don’t be late.”
Jade muttered under her breath. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Later that evening, Jade sat at her small desk with her suitcase open beside her. Packing had become a mechanical process by now: tailored skirts, blouses, a few casual outfits for “just in case” moments, and essentials for long flights.
Her grandmother peeked into the room, a curious smile on her face. “Another trip?”
Jade nodded, folding a crisp white blouse and placing it neatly into the suitcase. “Rome this time.”
“Rome!” her grandmother exclaimed, stepping inside. “That sounds exciting. Will you have time to see the city?”
“Probably not,” Jade said with a shrug. “It’s all work.”
Her grandmother’s smile softened as she placed a gentle hand on Jade’s shoulder. “You work so hard, Jade. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.”
Jade smiled faintly. “I’ll try.”