Back in the US Jade has a race to run... had a bit of trouble uploading I hope it ges up


Chapter 17


Jade and Hazel touched down at Andrews Air Force Base after a long flight from the summit. The events of the past few days had left Jade exhausted, but the sight of Andre and his daughter Sirrah waiting near the tarmac brought a flicker of relief. It was time to hand over Gio and Georgia, Trina's twins, to ensure their safety.

As they stepped off the plane, Hazel clung to Jade's side, her eyes darting nervously. Gio and Georgia, wide-eyed and scared, followed closely behind. Jade spotted Andre waving at them, and beside him stood a young woman. Jade blinked, taken aback. Sirrah looked almost exactly like her mother, Tori—same sharp features, same intense gaze, only her skin was a shade darker, and her presence had a quieter, more thoughtful energy to it.

"Jade," Andre greeted her warmly, though his eyes flicked to Gio and Georgia with a somber understanding. "Good to see you again."

"You too, Andre," Jade replied, then turned her gaze to Sirrah. "And you must be Sirrah."

Sirrah smiled, shy but confident. "I am. Nice to finally meet you, President West." Her voice carried the same lilt as Tori's, making Jade's heart stutter for a moment.

Jade nodded. "It's Jade. And these two," she gestured to the twins, "are Gio and Georgia. They're… scared, but they're safe with you now."

Andre kneeled down to the twins' level, his deep, soothing voice washing over them. "Hey, guys. I know this is all a little scary, but you're going to be okay. I've got you."

Sirrah stepped forward, her warmth palpable as she smiled gently at them. "We'll take care of you. You're safe now, I promise."

Hazel, standing beside Jade, stared at Sirrah, her face turning slightly pink. Jade noticed, glancing at her daughter with an amused smirk. Sirrah hadn't caught on, busy reassuring the twins.

Jade nudged Hazel slightly, whispering, "Already, huh?"

Hazel's blush deepened, and she scowled lightly. "Mom," she hissed, mortified.

Jade chuckled quietly as they both watched Andre and Sirrah continue to comfort Gio and Georgia. Sirrah's calming presence seemed to be working, as the twins started to relax just a little. When Andre picked up Gio and Sirrah took Georgia's hand, the twins hesitated but eventually allowed themselves to be led away.

"They're in good hands," Jade murmured softly, more to herself than anyone.

Once the introductions were complete and the twins safely handed over, Jade and Hazel headed toward their car, with Sirrah casting a brief smile toward Hazel. Jade caught it, her teasing grin growing wider.

"Crush at first sight, huh?" Jade whispered once they were in the car, and they began the drive toward the White House.

Hazel buried her face in her hands. "Mom, please…"

Jade laughed, a rare lightness in her tone. "I'm just saying. Sirrah's a good kid. She's got that 'Vega' charm. You could do worse."

Hazel peeked out from between her fingers, her blush still noticeable. "I barely said two words to her."

"Two words are all it takes sometimes," Jade teased. She couldn't help herself—seeing Hazel blush over someone was endearing, especially with everything they'd been through.

Hazel grumbled under her breath, but there was a tiny smile playing at her lips, and for the first time in days, Jade felt a bit of normalcy return. As they drove, Jade's mind wandered briefly to Tori and the weight she carried back in Germany, but at least for now, Gio, Georgia, were safe. That was enough.


Jade barely had time to breathe as she stepped onto the White House grounds, her heels clicking against the pavement with an urgency that matched the pace of her thoughts. The press conference was looming—something she should have anticipated would be eventful—but between the summit, the chaos surrounding the Yerbanian plane, and the pressing international relations, she hadn't had the luxury of following the news cycle.

Now, as she entered the Oval Office, her cabinet waited, tension hanging thick in the air. The right-wing media had latched onto rumors swirling about her private meeting with the Yeranian Chancellor. A meeting that had lasted one long, intimate night. Jade knew the implications—they were suggesting more than a diplomatic discussion had taken place. Worse, speculation was mounting that the Chancellor was a lesbian, with women from her past stepping forward to confirm it.

Jade sat down at the head of the table, barely catching her breath. The cabinet members exchanged uneasy glances as they prepared to debrief her on the Yerbanian situation.

"Madam President," her Chief of Staff began, "we have a situation. The news cycle has picked up steam, and they're not just talking about the Chancellor anymore. They've found your petition for divorce in the public records."

Jade clenched her jaw. She hadn't even told the nation yet.

She took a deep breath. "What else?"

"The speculation about you and the Chancellor has… evolved. Because you're openly queer, they're connecting the dots. And with the Chancellor's past coming to light, it's… complicated."

Jade's stomach tightened, but she didn't flinch. "And the Yerbanian plane? Have we confirmed the full extent of what happened?"

Her Secretary of Defense spoke up. "The plane's been redirected to Germany as planned. Tori—chancellor Vega—has been cooperating. She laid out the security threats and intelligence measures in place. She's kept her cards close, but from what we gather, she has no clue who orchestrated the attempt on her life. She insists it isn't the people, but she's been isolated and our own security are working through the scene."

Jade nodded, processing. "And the Chancellor?" she asked, knowing her team would try to dodge the personal implication if they could.

There was a heavy silence before her Chief of Staff answered. "She told us she disclosed some sensitive intel to you privately. We didn't press for details. It's the meeting itself that's getting attention. The media is painting it in a… particular light."

Jade sighed. "They're not going to let this go, are they?"

"No, ma'am. And with the divorce petition out there, it's fueling the fire."

"I haven't even announced the divorce," Jade muttered, running a hand through her hair. "Well, I'm not going to lie to you all." She straightened up, her eyes hard as steel. "Yes, I have strong feelings for her. Tori has always been my greatest love. But I will put this country first, as I've always done."

Her cabinet members shifted, exchanging looks of uncertainty. Finally, her Chief Advisor spoke. "We recommend that you stay away from the Chancellor for now. Any further contact might fuel the rumors, and that's the last thing we need with this kind of media frenzy."

Jade clenched her fists on the table but nodded. "Understood."

A knock on the door came too soon. "Madam President, it's time for the press conference."

Jade stood, brushing her suit jacket down, her face a mask of calm determination. She could feel the weight of her personal life unraveling in public, but this was the job. The country came first.

In the press room, the lights were blinding. Cameras clicked, reporters shuffled, and the tension was palpable. Jade approached the podium, her heart pounding, but her expression remained composed.

"Good afternoon," she began, her voice steady, "I have an important announcement to make. As you may have learned, I have filed for divorce from my husband, Beck Oliver. This decision was made after much thought and reflection, and it is a mutual, amicable separation. Our marriage has come to an end due to irreconcilable differences, but I want to reassure the American people that this will not affect my ability to lead."

She paused, letting the words settle over the room.

"This is a personal matter, but I recognize that as your President, my life is often in the public eye. I will continue to serve this country with the same dedication and focus, and I ask for your respect and understanding as my family navigates this transition."

The reporters murmured, but no one interrupted her.

"I want to make it clear that my priority is, and always has been, the welfare of this country. I will continue to act in the best interest of the American people, regardless of the personal changes in my life."

She looked directly into the cameras, her gaze unflinching. "Thank you."

As she stepped away from the podium, questions erupted from the press. "Madam President, what about the Chancellor? Are the rumors true about your relationship?"

Jade didn't pause, didn't look back. She knew this was just the beginning of the storm, but for now, her statement was made. Let them speculate all they wanted. She had a country to run.


Jade slumped into her seat on Air Force One, exhausted after the whirlwind Cabinet meeting and Hazel's enthusiastic debrief with her siblings. She barely had time to process the information before she was back in campaign mode, flying to New Hampshire to prepare for the primaries. Her political team wasted no time setting up a strategy meeting on the plane.

As the meeting kicked off, the atmosphere was tense. The conservative faction in the U.S. had been hammering her administration over the situation in Yerba, accusing Jade of being too lenient on a dictator—Tori. And, of course, they weren't letting her personal history with Tori slide either.

"Jade, they're calling you soft on tyranny," one of her advisors, Mark, said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "They're twisting your past relationship with Tori Vega and implying that you're compromising U.S. interests to protect her."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Of course they are," she muttered, leaning back in her chair. "Look, Tori's not a dictator. She's trying to fix a mess left by decades of corruption. They don't know half of what she's dealing with."

Her communications czar, Eliza, shifted in her seat uncomfortably, her cheeks turning a shade pinker than usual. Jade's eyes flicked toward her but didn't say anything—yet.

"We need to take a firmer stance," Mark continued. "You need to distance yourself from her, at least publicly. The Chancellor is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. soon, and the media will be all over it. If we're not careful, the narrative will spiral out of control."

Jade waved a hand dismissively. "The Chancellor's safety is our priority, not appeasing the media circus. She's not the enemy. We'll make sure everything is secure, and the press can stop making up stories about who I'm in bed with."

At that last comment, Eliza turned beet red and looked down at her tablet. Jade sighed inwardly, knowing exactly why Eliza was acting weird. Beck had already confessed everything to her on a panicked phone call just a few days ago. Jade had reassured him then, but now she had to deal with the awkward tension in the room.

"Alright, let's wrap this up," Jade said. "We'll figure out the messaging once Tori—sorry, the Chancellor—lands. I'm not throwing her under the bus just because the conservatives are clutching their pearls."

The team nodded, shuffling their papers and standing to leave. As the room emptied, Eliza lingered, clearly wanting to say something but too nervous to bring it up.

"Just spit it out, Eliza," Jade said, crossing her arms. "I already know."

Eliza's eyes widened. "You—what? You know?"

"About you and Beck," Jade replied casually. "He called me freaking out, thought he'd ruined everything. It's fine."

Eliza blinked, her face a mix of relief and confusion. "Wait, it's fine?"

Jade smirked. "Eliza, Beck and I aren't together anymore. We're filing for divorce, remember? He can sleep with whoever he wants. I don't care."

"But… I—he—" Eliza stammered. "I didn't know he told you."

"Of course he did," Jade said with a shrug. "We don't hide things from each other. Well, except that I haven't exactly had time to tell him about… Tori." She raised an eyebrow.

Eliza's jaw dropped. "Tori? As in Tori Tori?"

Jade nodded, a grin spreading across her face. "Yeah. That Tori. Saw her in Yerba. Let's just say she… reignited a few old feelings."

Eliza looked like she was about to faint. "Oh my God, Jade. This is… a lot."

Jade laughed. "Welcome to my life. Beck hooks up with you, I run into Tori in a political disaster zone, and suddenly I'm a walking hormone. It's like a soap opera, but with nuclear codes."

Eliza still looked flustered, but Jade's humor seemed to ease her tension a bit. "I—I didn't mean for it to get so complicated," Eliza said softly.

"Relax, Eliza. Seriously, it's fine," Jade said, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm more stressed about this campaign and the rumors than I am about who Beck is sleeping with. Hell, if I cared about that, I would've lost my mind a long time ago."

Eliza managed a small smile. "You really don't care?"

Jade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Eliza, I'm dealing with national security, the media trying to make me out to be the next Marie Antoinette, and juggling feelings for my ex. Trust me, the last thing on my mind is Beck's love life."

Eliza let out a nervous laugh. "You're… handling this better than I would."

Jade shrugged. "What can I say? I'm used to chaos."

With that, she stood, ready to get some rest before they touched down in New Hampshire. "Look, just keep doing your job, and don't worry about me. We've got bigger things to deal with than Beck's escapades."

Eliza nodded, clearly relieved. "Thanks, Jade. I—I appreciate it."

Jade winked. "Anytime. Now, go get some sleep. You look like you've been carrying this guilt for days."

As Eliza left the room, Jade leaned back in her chair, letting out a long breath. The campaign, the rumors, Tori, Beck—it was all a tangled mess, but somehow, she'd keep it together. She always did.