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“Yes, that one,” I interrupt her, a flush of embarrassment coming up my cheeks.
She bursts into laughter. “Jessy, you’ve got to admit, that’s quite the twist of fate.”
I roll my eyes, feeling a mixture of frustration and amusement. “Fate or not, it made for an interesting day. Oh, and I witnessed someone getting fired on my first day.”
Her laughter subsides, replaced by a more empathetic expression. “Ouch. Tough day, huh?”
I nod, taking another sip of my drink. “And to top it off, Ethan tried to bring up what happened last night.”
Chloe raises an eyebrow, a mischievous grin returning. “And?”
“I pretended not to remember. I mean, seriously, Chloe, if you hadn’t ditched me, I wouldn’t have bumped into him, and…”
She interrupts with a laugh. “Oh please, don’t put that on me. You’re a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”
I sigh, feeling a mix of frustration and self-blame. “I know, I know. It’s just...I can’t believe I ended up having a one-night stand with my boss on the night before my first day at a new job.”
Chloe leans in, her tone more serious. “Jess, don’t overthink it. It happened, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. Just focus on the job and take things as they come.”
She might be right, but as I stare into my drink, I got myself into this situation. I just have to avoid Ethan at all costs.
4
Ethan
The city outside my window is becoming quiet as the night settles in. It’s getting late, and I should be heading home after a long day, but there’s this nagging thought that has been on my mind all day.
Jessica, my new employee, the beautiful woman from last night. I hadn’t anticipated our paths crossing again, especially not in a professional setting.
I lean back in my chair, trying to focus on my work, but Jessica’s face keeps popping into my thoughts. Her brown eyes, her smile, and the time we spent together—it’s all making it hard to concentrate.
I take a deep breath, willing myself to put those images aside, but she’s a distraction I can’t seem to shake off.
I’m still trying to get her out of my head when Lysa walks into my office.
“Ethan, we need to talk,” she says, closing the door behind her.
I motion for her to take a seat. “Alright, what’s going on?”
Lysa inhales deeply before speaking. “I, uh, I had a bit of an accident with one of the company cars. It’s nothing major, just a scratch, but I thought I should let you know.”
I raise an eyebrow, getting a sense of where this is heading. “A scratch? Lysa, I already know about the crash,” I interject, my frustration evident in my tone.
“And it’s more than just a scratch. You bashed the car because you didn’t obey traffic rules. I can’t believe you’re using company property for personal errands.”
She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, realizing that the extent of her mistake is apparently public. “Ethan, I?—”
“I’ve been getting complaints about you, and it’s beginning to get out of hand.”
She shrugs with an air of nonchalance about her. “Ethan, it’s just a car. You can replace it. You’ve got the money for that, right?”
I exhale slowly, struggling to maintain composure. “Lysa, this is not about the car. It’s about trust and responsibility. We can’t overlook this blatant disregard for company rules.”
She leans back in her chair, seemingly unfazed. “Relax, Ethan. It’s not the end of the world. I can’t believe you’re making such a big deal out of it,” she scoffs.
I fix her with a stern look. “Lysa, this is the second incident in a short span of time. First, there was the mismanagement of funds, and now, there is the accident. I can’t ignore these issues.”
She waves it off, as if dismissing the severity. “Come on, Ethan. It’s not like I intentionally wrecked anything. These things happen.”
