It had been a long, stressful week for Jade. A full seven days had passed since her interview at The Butterfly Agency, and yet, the bitter taste of that moment still lingered.
It was Saturday her day off. She was at the park with Gabriel, sitting under the shade of a large tree. He was talking non-stop, licking a popsicle, trying his best to cheer her up. She hadn't quite been herself since that disastrous interview.
A group of girls walked by, clearly smitten by Gabriel. They giggled, greeted him sweetly, and moved along, casting Jade suspicious glances.
Jade smirked. "Your fan club is growing, Romeo."
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Jealous?"
She snorted. "Of what? Girls who fall for a pretty face and no brain?"
"Wow. That hurts."
Just as he was about to defend himself further, Jade's phone buzzed. She glanced down.
Unknown Number.
Frowning slightly, she opened the message.
"Miss Jade Lee, this is the butterfly Agency. We require yout servicesas a server tonight for a private charity event , The Anti-FamineGala. Please confirm your availability.
Her eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"
Gabriel leaned closer. "What's wrong?"
She blinked, then looked up slowly, stunned. "You're not going to believe this…"
Gabriel raised a brow. "What?"
Jade shoved her phone toward him. "Read for yourself."
He scanned the message, his expression shifting from confusion to amusement. "They actually contacted you? After what happened last week?"
Jade crossed her arms. "Apparently, they want me to work as a server tonight. Not as an assistant. Not as an event planner. A server. Again."
Gabriel gave her a mock-sympathetic look. "Well, at least you're moving in circles of the rich and spoiled. Maybe next time, they'll let you mop their golden floors."
She laughed dryly. "Honestly, I should say no. But… it's money."
She texted back one word: Available
.
.
.
Jade got ready for the event, slipping into the uniform sent by the agency , a simple yet elegant server's outfit. It fit perfectly, hugging her frame just enough to feel confident without drawing too much attention.
Just as she was finishing her makeup, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Gabriel:
"Don't get toofired uptonight. I know you ."
She rolled her eyes and chuckled before typing back:
"Excuse me? I can berefined and gentle when I want to "
A second later, he replied with a laughing emoji.
Her mother wasn't home she had a night shift at the clinic. But before leaving, she had wished Jade good luck with that warm, proud smile that always made her feel like she could do anything.
Standing in front of the mirror, Jade took a deep breath.
"Alright," she whispered to herself. "Just one night. Be cool, be classy... and definitely don't throw water on anyone."
With that, she grabbed her bag and headed out.
.
.
.
In the Evening,
The garden was lit like a dream.
Soft golden lights hung delicately from the trees, casting a warm glow over the lush greenery. A gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh roses and champagne. The sound of a distant piano mixed with laughter and conversation as guests in designer suits and shimmering gowns strolled beneath the stars.
Jade walked carefully along the cobblestone path, balancing a silver tray. She felt oddly confident tonight, maybe because she knew her work.
As Jade moved gracefully through the garden, offering drinks to the elegantly dressed guests, a few members of the Butterfly Agency were present, mingling and overseeing the flow of the event.
Among them was Mrs. Fontaine, who immediately spotted Jade.
Her eyes narrowed, filled with disdain.
"I still don't understand," she muttered to Julien, who stood beside her with a discreet smile, "why she was selected to serve tonight."
Julien didn't respond, but the memory of Jade's boldness at the agency flickered in his mind, making him smirk.
Mrs. Fontaine, clearly unable to resist the urge, called out sharply, "You. Come here."
Jade turned and walked toward her with a polite smile and a spark of sarcasm in her tone.
"Mrs. Fontaine. What a... pleasure."
She added quickly, "Always a delight to see familiar faces."
Mrs. Fontaine picked up a flute of champagne from the tray and then, deliberately, dropped it on the grass.
The glass shattered softly against the stone path.
With a haughty tilt of her head, she looked at Jade.
"Pick that up. And clean it. Immediately."
Jade blinked. Her hands tightened on the tray.
*This old witch did that on purpose...* she thought bitterly. But she held her tongue. No drama tonight.
Biting back her pride, she slowly crouched down to gather the shards.
Mrs. Fontaine leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper.
"I told you, you were made for this. Picking up trash."
A cruel smile curved her lips.
Jade didn't respond to Mrs. Fontaine's provocation. Instead, she kept repeating to herself like a mantra:
"No drama tonight. No drama tonight."
It was the only thing keeping her from throwing the tray in that woman's face.
She took a deep breath, stood up after cleaning the mess, and walked away with her head held high.
A soft chime echoed through the garden as someone tapped her glass.
Camilla Baldwin, elegant and glowing in a designer gown, stood at the front. The crowd quieted.
With a charming smile, she raised her voice.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here tonight to support this meaningful cause. And now, please welcome the man who made all of this possible, Daniel Ooman."
Jade froze mid-step, her eyes darting toward the front.
"Daniel? He organized this event?"
She watched as he walked toward Camilla, composed and effortlessly captivating. His dark suit fit him like a second skin, and the soft garden lights seemed to follow him.
He took the mic from Camilla and spoke in his usual calm, deep tone.
"Thank you for attending tonight's gala. Your support will go a long way in helping fight hunger where it matters most. I appreciate each and every one of you for being part of this cause."
His words were brief, but they carried weight. The crowd clapped.
Jade, hidden among the servers, couldn't take her eyes off him.
"why do you keep showing up in my life, Mr Midnight?"