Nerea held her friend in silence for a while, listening to her soft sobs. More than anyone, she understood Jade. She knew everything she had gone through at home, Jade silently endured her mother's contempt, the awful treatment from her stepfather, and to complete that triangle of bitterness, there was Allison…
Her half-sister was, without a doubt, the worst person Jade had ever met, envious, backstabbing, and wildly ambitious.
After a few minutes, Jade stood up.
"Let's clean up. We have to finish this room," she said, smoothing out her uniform.
"Are you okay?" Nerea stood as well, positioning herself in front of her.
"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need to let off some stress." She gave her a faint smile.
"Alright... though I do know how you could relax," Nerea raised and lowered her eyebrows suggestively, making Jade burst into laughter. "I knew that would make you laugh!"
"You're the best…"
[...]
"The party's on Monday," Nerea said with a big smile. "I'm so excited!"
"It shows," Jade mumbled while typing on her phone.
Nerea frowned at her friend's distracted mood and crossed her arms.
"We have to get all dolled up!" she squealed.
"Mhm." Jade stayed glued to her phone.
"Will you let me do your hair however I want?" Nerea asked, trying to see if Jade was paying attention.
"Yes."
Nerea exhaled loudly.
"And will you have wild sex with Dominick too…?" she added, expecting a reaction from her friend.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you want."
Nerea's eyes widened.
"You once said he'd be the last man in your bed. Why do you deny you want me as much as I want you?"
Dominick stood a few steps away, arms crossed.
Nerea was still in shock, mouth slightly open, while Jade—who had just noticed his presence—looked at him, confused.
"Excuse me?" she asked, putting her phone away.
"You're complicated…" he said as he stepped closer, "but not impossible to figure out. You know what I want."
Then he walked away, he had a meeting with Maximiliano.
Jade remained frowning, and when she glanced at Nerea, she just shrugged with an awkward smile.
Monday, January 30
The days had flown by without her realizing it. Between so much work, constant arguments with Dominick, and some disastrous visits to her house, Jade now found herself staring at the dress she would wear that evening. It was three in the afternoon, and her shift had ended early.
She touched the thin chain hanging from her neck, a gift from her father when she came of age. She smiled. She worked so hard for him; all her suffering was worth it.
Wiping away a treacherous tear, she stepped out of the room and into the hallway. She wanted to find Robinson.
She liked him more each day. She cared about him… she liked him, but he didn't stir in her that fierce intensity Dominick had awakened the day he kissed her just a few steps from the hotel.
She mentally slapped herself.
Dominick represented everything she despised in a man. And then there was Robinson so much like her father. Kind, calm, a genuinely good person.
She wondered—while staring at the elevator buttons—if that was the reason she liked him so much. The doors opened, and she stepped out. People moved back and forth; the lobby was moderately full.
Running a hand through her hair, her eyes scanned the area, looking for Robinson.
"You're looking for him, aren't you?"
Jade didn't need to turn around to know who it was. His voice... it was burned into her mind. Even if she kept rejecting him, he was there. Dominick was slowly making his way into her head.
"It's none of your business," she replied flatly.
"Yes, it is," he said, stepping beside her. "Why him?" he found himself asking.
"What?" she turned slightly.
"Why sleep with him when you could be with me? He's just a..."
"A bellboy?" she cut him off, jaw clenched.
Dominick's eyes widened when he realized what she was about to say.
"I didn't..."
"Doesn't matter. Guys like you are all the same."
She spotted Robinson and made her way toward him.
His face lit up with a smile as he saw her. Robinson had fallen for her from the moment they met—or at least, that's what he believed. Her sweet demeanor, her beauty—everything about Jade was perfect to him.
"I'm so happy to see you," he said, hugging her once she reached him.
"Me too," she agreed with a smile as she broke the hug. "I wanted to ask if you were going to the party…" she asked shyly, "since you couldn't go last year."
"I'll be there," he answered quickly.
She smiled again.
She was about to say something when Dominick's presence interrupted her.
"We need to talk," he demanded, placing a hand on her arm.
"I have nothing to talk about with you," she said, pulling away.
"Jade, I didn't mean to..."
"You heard her," Robinson cut him off, stepping in front of Jade. "She doesn't want to talk to you."
The lobby was engulfed in heavy silence, everyone alert to any movement from the two men radiating fury.
Jade was about to step in when someone called her, a third person unaware of the situation unfolding in the room.
Christian entered with a big smile on his face. His blond hair was messy, and his perfectly tailored suit looked a bit disheveled. It was clear he'd had a rough day.
He walked quickly toward Jade, completely ignoring the two men watching him, one with horror, seeing him for the first time in years, and the other with curiosity, not knowing who he was.
"I've missed you so much!" Christian wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. Jade let out a startled squeal.
"Put me down…" she murmured, embarrassed, as many people were staring. "I missed you too. You're an amazing friend."
Christian's expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly pulled himself together. Robinson cleared his throat to remind them that others were present.
"Oh, where are my manners?" Chris extended his hand to Robinson. "Christian Jackson. A pleasure."
Reluctantly, Robinson accepted it.
But when he turned to Dominick, the smile vanished from his face. His hand froze midair, and surprise completely overtook his expression. So much so that he didn't even know how to react.
Dominick was tense, his shoulders stiff, looking lost...
"Do… Dominick. It's good to see you," Christian stammered, still in shock. "I didn't know you'd be here too."
Jade looked at them both, frowning.
"You two know each other?" she asked.
Robinson slipped away quietly, summoned by a guest. Jade nodded at him but still waited for an answer.
Christian was about to speak, but Dominick interrupted him.
"Trust me, if I had known you'd be here, I never. Would've. Come," he declared harshly. He turned around and walked into the elevator.
"Christian?" Jade called. "How do you know Dominick?"
He turned to her and said, "He's my brother."
Then he did the same as Dominick. Before stepping into a different elevator, he took the room key the receptionist handed him.
Jade stood there, speechless for a few seconds, trying to process everything that had just happened.
[...]
"Brothers? Are you sure?" Nerea had the same shocked expression as Jade. "I didn't imagine that... Jackson is a common last name."
"Wait," Jade's eyes widened. "You thought they might be and didn't tell me?!"
"Slow your roll," Nerea raised an eyebrow. "First of all, I forgot. It's not like it was important," she rolled her eyes, her usual gesture. "Second," she counted on her fingers, "like I said, Jackson is a common surname. And third," she crossed her arms, "why do you care?"
Jade opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say. Nerea smiled triumphantly.
"Exactly. It's none of your business."
"You're terrible. Let's go eat something."
Jade got up and walked toward the door, hearing Nerea's laughter behind her.
Dominick
He was furious. He hadn't been able to talk to Maximiliano because he wasn't around, but now he was sure, he'd arrived and was in his office.
Like an enraged bull, he stormed into the office without bothering to knock.
The young woman sitting on Maximiliano's lap jumped up like a spring, trying to straighten herself. His hair was messy, and traces of lipstick were visible on his lips and neck.
"Out," Dominick demanded, breathing heavily. The girl looked at Maximiliano, silently asking what to do. He was staring at his friend, he knew something was wrong.
Dominick's eyes looked darker than usual. He was furious.
"I said, out!" he roared. The girl flinched and didn't wait for Maximiliano's confirmation. She bolted out of the office.
Maximiliano sighed deeply, checked the time on his watch, and already had an idea of what was going on.
"Dominick, calm down a little. Sit and have a glass of water," Maximiliano said as he stood up.
He adjusted his erection and buttoned his pants, then grabbed a glass and filled it with water.
Dom still stood near the door, eyes fixed on a point in space. It looked like he could explode at any moment. His hands were clenched into fists, his brow slightly furrowed, and the vein in his neck was pulsing on its own. Several minutes passed while Maximiliano hesitated, he might get punched if he got too close. It had happened before.
Dominick finally sat down, still silent. Maximiliano did the same behind the desk and handed him the glass.
"I don't care if he's a shareholder in the hotel. I don't want any excuses from you. But if you still want to be my friend… get rid of him." His tone was so calm, it caught Maximiliano off guard. Dominick usually reacted violently.
"Dominick, I…" he started to say, but Dominick stood up.
"By tomorrow morning, I want him gone," he said firmly.
He left without looking back, leaving Maximiliano with a heavy dilemma.
He wandered through the hallways absent-mindedly, a serious expression on his face, not knowing exactly where he was headed. He turned a corner and bumped into Jade.
She was preparing for a long argument the moment she realized it was him but she wasn't prepared for what she heard:
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you."
"It's not my fault, you were the one who…," she frowned, "wait... what?"
Dominick kept walking, but she trailed behind him.
"Did I hear that right?" she asked, puzzled. "You apologized?" She let out a little laugh. "This calls for a celebration, the bitter Dominick…"
He stopped, and she bumped into his back.
"Jade..." She stepped back a little, realizing from the tone of his voice that something wasn't right. "Today is not a good day for you to be around with your nonsenses. Please leave. I'm not responsible for what I say or do right now."
He started walking again. She stood there, stunned, but once again followed him. She was too curious to know what was going on.
«Must be because of Chris's arrival,» she thought.
She found him on the old balcony, the one they had closed off to guests because it was full of flowers and some bushes. No one really knew who had put them there, but Maximiliano hadn't done anything to remove them.
"I know it's unusual for me to ask or want to know why you're like this…" Jade began, somewhat shyly. She felt out of place, in unfamiliar territory at that moment. "But something's bothering you. You're not okay."
"I didn't ask for your opinion or your understanding. Leave," he snapped sharply, clearly upset.
Jade made a face and started questioning what had led her to do something so stupid, but she remembered his words, he'd warned her, and still, she wanted to be there.
«You must be really stupid, huh?» she thought.
She took a deep breath.
"I'm not leaving," she said firmly, her statement making Dominick turn around. The look he gave her would have made anyone else leave, but not her. And there she was, not exactly knowing what she wanted to achieve.
Dominick stepped closer, standing right in front of her. His breath brushed against Jade's forehead. She raised her face to look at him.
"I don't know what makes you think I want you here," he growled.
"Neither do I," she murmured, stepping back a step, only for him to cut off her retreat. "But it's clear you're not okay, and no matter how stupid it seems, everyone needs…"
"Save your motivational speech for someone who actually needs it. Go, Jade, before I lose my patience," he demanded, grabbing her by the arm.
His eyes were flashing with fury. He wanted to drag her away, but he also wanted to kiss her and possess her like an animal right then and there.
At that moment, he didn't know what to do. He couldn't clear his thoughts.
"You're rude. I can't reason with you. You should be more like your brother, he actually..."
Dominick saw red with rage at Jade's words. He gripped her arms tightly.
"Never compare me to him again. Do you understand?" His chest was rising and falling with anger. "Do you understand?!"
Jade's eyes widened, scared…