My Very Bad Day And All That Happened After

NALANI’S POV 

“You're fired,” Stan Brunello, the head of my team, said as soon as I walked into his office.

My head spun around to see if there was anyone else in there who he could have been talking to other than me.

But it was just me.

I could feel my brows creasing into a tight frown.

“Did you just say… I'm fired?” I asked. 

He didn’t even look up from his desk. 

“The missing pearls, Nalani,” he said smugly, leaning back into his chair. “We found them in your locker. There's no point denying it.”

I almost laughed.

“You're joking, right? I asked. “How's that even possible?”

Earlier, word spread through the team about a guest missing their pearls worth over forty-five thousand dollars.

I didn't think twice about it. 

Why would I?

I didn't take them.

I went on to clean the suite assigned to me until Stan called me here.

Surely, there was a mistake.

Footsteps sounded softly behind me and with them came a wave of Dixie’s floral scent.

Immediately, my face fell.

This was about her. 

Of course. 

Dixie, Stan's fiancée, had had it for me since the Christmas party three weeks ago. 

And it didn't really matter what actually happened. 

Stan tried to kiss me at the party. I pushed him away. 

Dixie walked in at that exact moment and she has been on a mission to ‘deal with me’ as she swore she would.

So, this…?

This was her revenge. 

She drew closer until she stood next to me. 

The corner of her mouth  curved into a devilish smirk and she blew chewing gum in my face.

“Wouldn't be your first time,” she said. “You just can't help touching stuff that isn't yours, huh?” 

I ignored her.

“Stan,” I said as calmly as I could, considering the anger already rising inside me. 

“You weren't that drunk,” I said. “So, I know you remember what happened. All you have to do is tell her the truth. You know I didn't steal anything.”

Who was I fooling?

He kept a straight face.

“Look,” he said. “No need to drag this matter. Just clean out your locker and report to security before leaving.” 

He spoke with the authority he always seemed to lack.

I couldn't believe my ears. 

This same Stan who couldn't muster the courage to ask me out directly, suddenly had an attitude toward me.

The more I stared at him, the hotter my anger boiled. 

I had two options.

I could fight the accusation and give Dixie a chance to mobilise the rest of the team against me.

I bet she couldn't wait for me to go down that path. 

Or… I could just walk away.

I had planned to work for two more months at the hotel before I'd quit and go for my internship. 

And I was counting on those final paychecks. 

I had only just paid off my student loan. And I had my ailing grandmother, Nana, back at