Page 108 of What Happens in Paradise

‘I don’t want to hear it!’ she snapped. ‘Jasmine, you’re fired. Pack your things and leave. Immediately!’

‘But—’

‘No!’ she barked. ‘I’ll be launching a full investigation, so you’ll hear from legal in due course. Clear out your desk now before I call security!’

‘Enough!’ Alejandro stood up, his nostrils flaring. ‘Do not speak to Jasmine like that!’

‘It’s okay.’ I went to touch his shoulder, grateful that he’d stood up for me, but then pulled back. Given the situation, any form of physical contact wasn’t a good idea. ‘I’m leaving.’

As I got up, I tried to stop my bottom lip from quivering, then left the room, my head hung low and my shoulders slumped.

I was so close to having everything.

And now, thanks to my own stupidity, I’d lost it all.

39

ALEJANDRO

Puta madre.

We were fucked.

I was still standing in front of Hazel’s desk, my jaw tense and anger consuming every part of my body.

Jasmine must be devastated.

She had done such good work in Jamaica and was probably expecting Hazel to promote her. That was what I had hoped too when I got the message to come in earlier. But I could not have been more wrong.

When Hazel had started asking me questions about our visit to the café and the hotel we stayed in, I knew something was wrong. I wanted to message Jasmine to warn her, but then she walked into the office.

Although things had ended badly between us, it did not mean the way I felt about Jasmine had changed. Unfortunately, love was not an emotion that could be shut off in just a few days.

I had not seen her at all for days, which was unusual, so I knew she must have been avoiding the restaurant when I was working. I wished I could say I had been happy about that because she hurt me and I did not want to see her again, but that was not true. I still longed for her. I still wanted her. I missed her. And when she walked into the office, all of my feelings flooded back to the surface.

Which was why right now, I wanted to run to Jasmine and take care of her.

‘Sit down!’ Hazel snapped.

Reluctantly, I did as she asked.

‘Now I’m going to need you to tell me how Jasmine took advantage of you so I can file a report.’

‘I already told you!’ I shouted, anger bubbling in my chest. ‘Jasmine did not take advantage of me.Ipursuedher. I have liked her for months.’

‘Alejandro, you are a very talented chef and you’re doing great work here. If you tell me how Jasmine, a manager in a position of power, took advantage of you, forced herself on you during a work assignment, which let’s be honest, is obvious from the way she’s shamefully mauling you in that video, then pressured you into staying over at a hotel so that she could lure you into her bed, then I can launch a formal investigation and press criminal charges. We will of course organise any counselling and support you may need to help you through this trauma.’ She softened her voice, like she gave a shit about me.

‘For the last time, Jasmine did not force herself on me, orlure meinto her bed! I am a grown man. I make my own decisions and everything was mutual and consensual. You made a mistake firing her. She is fantastic at her job and a good, honest woman.’

‘I don’t think you realise what you’re saying. If you are telling me that you willingly had sexual relations with your superior, that will be gross misconduct and I will have no option but to let you go.’

I swallowed hard. I had been so focused on worrying about Jasmine that my mind had blocked out the ramifications for my own life.

Hazel was going to fire me. Losing my job didn’t just affect me. It meant I would no longer be able to help Evita.

This was very, very, bad.

But there was no way I could let Jasmine take the blame.

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