By the time the last guest had left the Montague Hotel’s grand ballroom, the glamour of the night had faded into exhaustion.
The chandeliers still cast a golden glow over the room, but now, instead of elegantly dressed guests sipping champagne, there were hotel staff—waiters, waitresses, and cleaners—moving between tables, collecting empty glasses, stacking plates, and sweeping away the evidence of yet another high-society gathering.
And in the middle of it all, Eurydice Santiago was aggressively wiping down a table, as if scrubbing the memory of her very public humiliation.
Unfortunately, the memory was alive and well among her coworkers.
The Cleanup Gossip Circle
“You know,” Amelia Vasquez mused, balancing a tray of empty flutes, “I thought tonight would be boring. But thanks to someone making history, this might just be my favorite shift ever.”
Eurydice groaned. “I hate you.”
Amelia smirked. “Hate is just love with extra steps.”
Nearby, two other waitresses—Carla and Janine—were stacking plates, but their hushed giggles told Eurydice exactly what they were talking about.
“Did you see it happen?” Janine whispered to Carla.
“Oh, I definitely saw it,” Carla whispered back. “One second, Montague is untouchable. The next? Splash!” She mimed throwing a drink.
Eurydice dropped her cloth and dramatically buried her face in her hands. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”
“Nope,” Amelia chirped.
Another waiter, Miguel, passed by carrying a tray of half-eaten hors d’oeuvres. “Damn, Santiago. I’ve worked here three years and never seen anyone get away with that. Usually, Montague doesn’t even look at us, let alone let a server spill something on him and walk away unscathed.”
Eurydice groaned louder. “You’re all enjoying my suffering way too much.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Carla agreed.
Janine shook her head. “No, but seriously. The weirdest part? He didn’t even get mad.”
Eurydice lifted her head. “Right?! That was so much worse than if he had actually yelled at me.”
Miguel leaned on a nearby chair. “I bet he was just too shocked to react. The man is basically hotel royalty. No one messes with him.”
Janine nodded. “Or maybe… he thought she was cute.”
Eurydice nearly choked on air. “WHAT?!”
Amelia, who had been drinking water, actually choked.
Carla shrugged. “I mean, think about it. He remembered your name, Eurydice. Conrad Montague—who probably doesn’t even remember half the people he works with—looked you dead in the eyes and said it like he was memorizing it.”
“That’s not flirting,” Eurydice sputtered. “That’s… I don’t know, some CEO hit list moment! He’s probably waiting for the perfect time to have me banned from the city.”
Amelia coughed, recovering from her near-death experience. “You know what, though? Carla has a point. If Montague had anyone else’s name in his mouth, it’d be for a business deal. But you? A random server? Why remember you?”
Eurydice pointed a cleaning rag at her. “You’re officially the worst best friend.”
Miguel chuckled. “Or maybe he was impressed. You did what no one else has dared.”
Janine sighed dreamily. “It’s like something out of a romance novel.”
Eurydice’s eye twitched. “I would prefer if my first encounter with a billionaire didn’t involve ruining his suit in front of half the city.”
Amelia patted her shoulder. “Too late, babe.”
As the last of the dishes were taken to the kitchen, Manager Philip Gaines stepped into the ballroom, his arms crossed, eyes scanning the room like a hawk.
Eurydice immediately busied herself stacking chairs, hoping he wouldn’t call her name.
But of course, luck was not on her side.
“Santiago,” Philip said, his voice making her stiffen.
Here we go.
She turned, trying to look as innocent as possible. “Yes, sir?”
Philip eyed her for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, he muttered, “I still don’t understand how you’re still employed.”
Amelia snorted.
Eurydice winced. “I promise, I’ll never spill anything on anyone important again.”
Philip pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just… don’t make me regret not firing you tonight.” He glanced at the ballroom. “You and Vasquez, finish up with the glassware. Then you’re free to go.”
Eurydice saluted dramatically. “Yes, boss.”
Philip just walked away, shaking his head.
By the time Eurydice stepped through the front door of her small apartment, exhaustion had fully taken over. The scent of garlic and simmering spices filled the air, making her stomach growl on cue.
Her mother, Isabel Santiago, stood at the stove, stirring a pot with practiced ease, her expression calm—the exact opposite of how Eurydice felt after the night she had. The warm glow of the kitchen lights made the space feel cozier than ever—a stark contrast to the cold elegance of the Montague Hotel.
“You’re home late,” Isabel said without looking up. “Long shift?”
Eurydice let out a loud, dramatic groan as she dropped her bag onto a chair and flopped onto the couch like a ragdoll.
“Mom,” she whined. “I had the absolute worst night of my life.”
Isabel arched an eyebrow, finally glancing at her daughter. “Oh? Did you trip and take down a whole table?”
Eurydice scoffed. “Pfft, please. If only it were that simple.”
From the hallway, Leo Santiago, her younger brother, peeked into the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. His hair was sticking up in five different directions, and he wore an old hoodie that was practically swallowing him whole. “Did you get fired?”
“No,” Eurydice grumbled. Then, after a beat, she muttered, “Surprisingly.”
Leo blinked, confused. “Wait… that was an option?”
Isabel turned off the stove, setting a pot lid in place before turning to fully face her daughter. “Alright, what happened?”
Eurydice groaned, burying her face into a pillow. “You know how I said I was working as a server for this fancy gala?”
“Yes.”
“Well… I kind of, accidentally, maybe—” she muffled the last part into the pillow before mumbling, “spilled wine on Conrad Montague.”
Silence.
Eurydice peeked up, expecting immediate panic.
Instead, Isabel just gave her a long, unreadable look. Then, slowly, she asked, “You spilled wine… on the Conrad Montague?”
Leo let out a low whistle. “Wow. You didn’t just trip, you speed-ran your way into a lawsuit.”
Eurydice groaned. “It wasn’t my fault! Someone knocked into me, and the glass just flew—” she waved her hands for dramatic effect “—and then bam! Right onto his ridiculously expensive suit.”
Isabel crossed her arms. “And what did he do?”
“That’s the thing!” Eurydice sat up, throwing her hands in the air. “He did nothing! No yelling, no firing me on the spot—he just stared at me like I was some sort of puzzle and told me to get another tray.”
Leo snickered. “Maybe he’s plotting your downfall in secret.”
Isabel shook her head, suppressing a smile. “And here I was, hoping you’d have a quiet night for once.”
Eurydice pouted. “Mom, shouldn’t you be, like, hugging me right now and telling me everything’s going to be okay?”
Isabel walked over, leaned down, and kissed the top of her head before flicking her forehead lightly.
“Ow!” Eurydice clutched her forehead.
“There. A little affection, a little reality check,” Isabel said, smirking. “Now, wash up and eat. You look like you’re about to collapse.”
Leo grinned. “Better eat up. You’ll need the energy for when Montague inevitably finds you and demands compensation.”
Eurydice grabbed a napkin and threw it at him. “Go back to bed, gremlin.”
Leo dodged effortlessly, laughing as he retreated to his room.
As Isabel placed a plate of food in front of her, Eurydice sighed, slumping into her chair. The night had been chaotic, but at least home still felt the same.
And right now? That was all she needed.