His Feisty Mistress

Chapter 3 : Breaking Stereotypes and Proving Worth

Megan P.O.V.

"She is absolutely thriving in her natural environment; after all, that is what every woman is best at, which is cooking and cleaning. I have no idea why she would even be in this building! " The statement made by the other candidate was not only offensive but also showed a complete lack of respect toward women. It was clear that they had no idea about my abilities and were making assumptions based on gender stereotypes. However, I was not surprised by their behavior as I had faced such discrimination before.

"f*****g assholes, why can't they just accept that women are capable of working just as well as men in this profession?" Giovanni muttered his annoyance while getting ready to cross over to the other side of the truck. I quickly reached out and grabbed his arm, drawing him closer to me while simultaneously lowering my voice to a whisper.It was heartening to see Giovanni's support, but I did not want him to get into trouble because of me. I knew I had to handle the situation myself, so I took a deep breath and walked over to the other side of the truck. The candidates were taken aback by my sudden appearance, and their expressions changed from smug to embarrassed.

"I heard what you said," I said in a calm yet firm voice. "And I want to remind you that this is a professional environment. Your comments are not only disrespectful to me but also to the Lieutenant and the entire team. I am here because I have the skills and qualifications required for this job, not because of any other reason."

The candidates looked sheepish and mumbled apologies, realizing the gravity of their words. Giovanni stood by my side, his arms crossed, and his expression still angry. I could tell that he was ready to defend me if needed.

"Let me make this clear. We do not tolerate any kind of discrimination or disrespect towards our colleagues. We are a team, and we work together to ensure the safety of our community. If anyone has a problem with that, then they are free to leave." Giovanni said

His words were powerful, and the candidates hung their heads in shame. I could see that they were surprised, and I hoped that they would treat their future colleagues with more respect.

"Since you men all believe that you are superior to women, I propose that we put your theory to the test. The three of you need to decide which one of you will compete against Megan head-to-head in the Physical Performance Test, the fitness test that all of you were required to pass in order to even be considered for the candidate program!" Giovanni said as he looked at them all over.

I could see the smug expressions on the faces of the three male candidates. They were clearly relishing the opportunity to prove their superiority over me. It made me angry, but I tried to keep my emotions in check.

Giovanni explained the challenge, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. The Physical Performance Test was no joke. It was a grueling series of exercises designed to test a candidate's physical fitness and endurance. I had passed it before, but it had been a close call. I knew that I would have to give it my all if I wanted to beat Michael.

Michael was the first to volunteer, and I could see the confidence in his posture. He was a tall, muscular man, and I knew that he had been an athlete in college. It was going to be tough to beat him, but I was determined to try.

As Giovanni stormed out of the room, I could feel the tension in the air. Michael approached me with a smirk on his face, "You are going to regret this, why don't you quiet now and spare yourself the shame" Michael said with a smile on his face. His words were like a punch to the gut. I could feel the anger rising within me, but I tried to keep my cool. I knew that he was trying to get under my skin, to make me doubt myself. But I was not going to let him win.

"You're the one who's going to regret this, Michael," I said, my voice steady. "I may be a woman, but I am just as capable as you are. And I'm not going to let your arrogance get in the way of my success."

Michael's smile faltered for a moment, and I could see a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But then he regained his composure and stepped closer to me.

"You're just a little girl playing in a man's world," he said, his voice low. "You don't have what it takes to be a firefighter. You're going to embarrass yourself in front of everyone."

I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I tried to channel it into determination. I knew that I had to stay focused if I wanted to beat him.

"We'll see about that," I said, my voice cold. "I'll let my performance speak for itself."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, feeling a sense of satisfaction. I knew that Michael was underestimating me, and I was going to use that to my advantage. I was going to train harder than ever before, and I was going to beat him at his own game.

As I left the room, I could hear the other candidates whispering amongst themselves. But I didn't care. I am focused on the task at hand, and I am going to show everyone that I belonged in this profession.

Giovanni P.O.V.

As I made my way back to my office, my mind was still reeling from the confrontation with the candidates. I could feel my hands shaking with anger, and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

It was hard for me to believe how haughty those candidates could be. Despite all the progress that had been made in terms of gender equality, there were still men in this field who thought that women didn't belong. It made me sick to my stomach.

I had known Megan for a few years, and I knew that she was one of the most capable firefighters I had ever met. She was smart, determined, and fearless. I would have done anything for her if she had asked for it, but this was the point at which I could no longer help her. She had to fight her own battles.

When I found out that we would have a woman joining us this year, I was aware that she would face a never-ending stream of obstacles. But given that the woman in question was Megan, I was confident that she would find a way to advocate for herself. She was not the type of person to back down from a challenge, and I knew that she would prove herself to be just as capable as any man on the team.

As I sat down at my desk, I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. It was 2021, and yet there were still people who thought that women didn't belong in certain professions. It was time for a change, and I was determined to do my part to make it happen.