In the Shadow of the CEO のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

 Jia had never been to the airport before, but if asked, she would have adamantly insisted that there was no such thing as a special terminal for VIP passengers only. Surely they had to come through the same dog door just as everyone else did, even if they happened to also have a celebrity’s welcome waiting for them once they disembarked.She was, of course, completely wrong.The Lamborghini coasted down a road that forked just ahead, with one lane leading into the airport pick-up area and the other going off in some other mysterious, winding direction marked only with a bland, forgettable sign: “616 DESIGNATED PICKUP.” It was cryptic and vague; on a dark night, she wouldn’t have ever chosen to wander that way.But of course, that was the lane that Atlas chose to take, because why not. At least it was broad daylight right now - if some modern day highway bandits were lying in wait for some unsuspecting driver to come alo

 The men standing in front of the air stairs politely refused Jia entry until, faced with no other immediate options, she began to loudly call for Mark’s attention from the ground. The jet’s clamshell door was still open, and she could clearly hear the string of loud complaints and a cacophony of clinking glass bottles from inside.“Mark, I’m coming up!” she announced, making sure that her voice would carry up the stairs and into the cabin. Though she didn’t often flaunt it, she knew how to project her voice after years of working in busy food service establishments, and Mark must have heard her even past the racket he was currently enduring. “Tell them to let me in!”“Everything - stop that, please let go - everything’s fine here, Jia! We’ve got it all under control - ow!”“I don’t think that’s true, Mark, so if you could just let me help -”“Leave me alone, I own everything in her

 It was like walking into something straight out of a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous magazine foldout.Jia tried hard not to stare at the luxurious furnishings that filled the room. On the side of the penthouse she had just entered, there were plush sofas and couches angled around a massive television that was wider than she was tall. Another few paces revealed a sleek electric fireplace on the floor below the screen as well. The digitally simulated flames were already going, and she remembered that Atlas had instructed Lydia to set up a team to clean the place before their arrival.She wondered briefly how the other woman was doing, but decided to hold that thought for later when Dolly made a suspicious retching sound in the back of her throat. Oh, no, she wouldn’t, Jia thought with gritted teeth. With the intoxicated woman’s arm hooked over her shoulder, she dragged the stumbling woman toward the narrow hallway off to the side. There had to be a bedroom

 Jia studiously avoided paying any attention to Atlas, who sat on the other side of the booth with a visibly unsettled aura about him. Dolly, on the other hand, was sitting next to her and poring intently over an oversized, laminated tri-fold menu in her hands. Her knee bounced under the table.“I think they’re all good,” Jia said, opting for a safe, neutral answer to the question the woman had just asked. “Lamb burger, maybe?”Dolly flipped the page. “East Coast French Chicken Burger,” she read aloud, ignoring Jia’s suggestion. “What exactly about this entree is French? I don’t know half of these ingredients - I’ve never even heard of this sauce.”Jia leaned over to look at the description. “Blueberry chipotle barbecue sauce,” she read. “Oh, that’s a local favorite. You’d love it. I’ve heard it tastes great with the uncured bacon and avocado relish.”“That’s not French at all,” Dolly repeated, but she pulled the menu closer and squinted at the en

"Ms. Munson. I mean - Dolly. Everything okay?"The woman answered her with a long, slow blink. "That's what I was about to ask you," she said lightly. "You, uh, having some problems?""No," said Jia. "Just a minor hiccup. Did you need me for anything? I was just about to rejoin you."Easy, easy, she told herself. She couldn't seem like she was in too much of a rush to change the subject. She had gone through these paces far too many times with previous employers to make a silly mistake like that now. The more defensive and hasty she seemed, the more curious she would make them."I was just tired of looking at him. He's awful company."Well, she was right about that. If only Dolly knew exactly how awful Atlas was, all the horrible things he had done to Jia in the one night and one day since they had very unluckily reunited. She allowed herself to indulge in the fantasy of exposing all his mi