Jade

Chapter 17

Jade stepped out the airport into the warm LA sun, her oversized Saint Laurent sunglasses perched on her face. She was dressed April for the weather in vintage Dior "Candy factory" pop art pants and a white tube top that exposed her Swarovski crystal belly ring. Her Rene Caovilla chandelier Crystal copper pink sandals tapped against the pavement as she headed towards the driver holding a sign with her name.

Asante had insisted on sending a driver to pick her up, and when she slid into the sleek black SUV, she was greeted with a small bouquet of white roses resting on the seat next to her. She grabbed the envelope that was tucked into the bouquet before pulling out the card.

It's only right a young fly Cali nigga got you to come out to LA, can't wait to see you
— Asante

She playfully rolled her eyes at the card, chuckling as she tucked it back into the ivory colored envelope.

A short drive later, the car slowly pulled up to Asante's tucked-away spot in the Hollywood Hills. The sleek black SUV crept up the winding driveway surrounded by tall hedges and sleek iron gates. The house slowly came into view—an ultra-modern crib with sharp edges, black glass windows, and concrete that screamed "money." What caught Jade's eye was the highly sought after Mercedes Benz Maybach G 650 Landaulet parked in the circular driveway.

The front door opened as the driver helped her out the car, Asante stepping out the house in a simple grey Thom Browne sweatsuit. The fit of his sweatsuit hugged him just right, emphasizing his toned chest and arms. She loved when he dressed it up real clean, but the chill shit was starting to become her favorite.

He chuckled as his eyes dropped to the Birkin hanging on her arm, his deep voice cutting through the air. "Damn, you really brought the Wirkin on the trip? You don't take no breaks, huh?"

She thought it was so corny that he referred to her work birkin as a "Wirkin" but she still couldn't help but to laugh. "I was practicing my lines on the flight, and I started reading Allegiance."

Jade had made it through the first two chapters of Allegiance, and so far, her thoughts were a tangled mix of curiosity and doubt. The deeper she got into the book, the more it felt like maybe she was overthinking everything. The events described in the book were outrageous—intricate deals, dangerous alliances, and wealth born of secrets that stretched far beyond her understanding.

She didn't know everything about what her family was involved in before she was born or even during her childhood but if they were doing all the things this book talked about, she felt like she would know something about it.

Still, the nagging suspicion wouldn't fully go away. She questioned if she was just being paranoid or if her doubts were rooted in shock, shock at how she landed this role in the first place, how perfectly things seemed to align for her.

Despite her growing skepticism, Jade wasn't ready to dismiss the book entirely.

"Wait, hold up." He chuckled, his eyes trailing to the small luggage pile behind her. "Why you got so many bags? We just out here for the weekend."

"Well two of those are mostly empty cause I have some shopping I need to do while I'm out here." She said as he laughed, shaking his head.

He opened the massive glass door to the home before Jade to step inside. It was clean and modern with floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed the late afternoon light to bounce off the marble floors and sleek furniture.

He pulled the massive glass door open and stepped aside, letting Jade walk in first. The cool air inside hit her skin as she took in the space, her eyes widening. The house was clean and modern, every detail curated to perfection. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the open-concept living room, letting the late afternoon light spill across the marble floors and sleek, minimalist furniture.