Jade paced back and forth in the living room, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her frustration was bubbling over. All she wanted was to visit Mia and take a break from the suffocating tension in the house, but the men had turned her simple request into an argument.
“I don’t see what the big deal is!” Jade snapped, glaring at Milan, who stood across the room with his arms crossed, his expression as unreadable as ever.
“The big deal,” Milan said calmly, though his tone was clipped, “is that Vivienne is unpredictable. We can’t risk you walking out there alone.”
“I’m not going out there alone!” Jade countered, throwing her hands in the air. “I’m going to see Mia. You all know where she lives. What’s Vivienne going to do? Crash a girls’ night?”
“It’s not about her crashing a girls’ night,” Thiago said from his spot on the couch. His usual teasing smirk was absent, replaced with a serious frown. “It’s about the fact that she’s escalated. Fires, sabotage, bombed warehouses. Do you really think she won’t come after you?”
Jade crossed her arms tightly, her frustration mounting. “She hasn’t even come close to hurting me. She’s targeting you guys, not me.”
Enzo, who had been leaning against the doorframe, scoffed. “You think you’re untouchable just because she hasn’t made a direct move yet? That’s exactly what she wants you to think. Vivienne’s smart, Jade. She knows how to play the long game.”
“I’m not scared of her,” Jade said, her voice firm. “She can throw her threats around all she wants, but I’m not going to let her control my life.”
Milan stepped closer, his icy-blue eyes narrowing. “This isn’t about fear, Jade. It’s about being smart. You’re important to us, and we’re not going to risk losing you because you think you’re invincible.”
Jade’s chest tightened at his words, but her anger flared hotter. “I’m not asking you to risk anything! I’m just trying to visit my best friend. Is that too much to ask?”
“Yes, right now, it is,” Milan said bluntly, his voice like steel. “Until we know exactly what Vivienne’s next move is, you’re staying here.”
Jade’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Milan. I’m not some fragile piece of glass you need to keep locked away.”
“You’re under this roof because we’re protecting you,” Milan said, his voice unwavering. “That comes with rules. If you can’t follow them, then maybe you don’t understand how serious this situation is.”
Jade let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “So that’s it, huh? I’m just a prisoner now? I thought this was supposed to be my home too, but it’s starting to feel like a cage.”
Thiago sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stood up. “Jade, come on. It’s not like that. We’re just trying to keep you safe.”
“I don’t need you to keep me safe,” Jade shot back, glaring at him. “I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
“Not against someone like Vivienne,” Enzo said, his voice low but firm. “She doesn’t play by the same rules. You don’t know what she’s capable of.”
“And I’ll never find out if you don’t let me live my life!” Jade exclaimed, her voice rising. “I’m not going to let her—or you—dictate what I can and can’t do.”
Milan stepped forward, his tone softer but no less resolute. “You don’t understand the stakes, Jade. This isn’t about control or punishment. It’s about making sure you’re alive to argue with us tomorrow.”
Jade froze for a moment, his words hitting her like a punch to the gut. But instead of backing down, she narrowed her eyes. “Then tell me the truth. All of it. What aren’t you telling me about Vivienne? Why is she so determined to ruin all of you?”
The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Milan exchanged a look with Enzo and Thiago, but none of them spoke.
“That’s what I thought,” Jade said bitterly, stepping back. “You expect me to trust you, but you won’t even trust me enough to tell me the whole story.”
Thiago sighed heavily. “Jade—”
“Save it,” she interrupted, grabbing her phone and heading for the stairs. “I’ll stay home, but not because you told me to. I’m staying because I’m too tired to fight you all anymore.”