CHAPTER 7

Axel jerkily pulled the phone away from his ear, cutting the call with Jayla mid-conversation. With his heart racing, he turned toward Audrey, his fiancée, who was at the door, her arms crossed, suspicion clear in her eyes.

"To whom were you talking to?" Audrey asked this time more softly, but still laced with curiosity.

Axel thought fast and put his best smile to diffuse the tension: "Oh, it's nothing. You know this shopping mall I work at? They want to throw a party, and I suggested, 'Why not do it at the beach?'  I was talking with a colleague about that.

Audrey's brow furrowed a moment longer, suspicion yet in her gaze. Axel's heart pounded against his chest as he worked to will the calmness down into his limbs, his lips curling into a well-rehearsed smile. It was an instant change in mood; Audrey softened, her head lighter now as she laughed-the wave of her hand dismissed the matter.

Ah, that's all? I was starting to think you were planning on keeping some kind of secret from me." She moved in closer, placing her hand on his arm. "You know, baby, you don't have to explain it to me. I know you better than anybody. We have been together for five years; I trust you completely.

Axel swallowed hard and nodded, placing a kiss on her forehead. "You know me. I'd never hide anything from you."

Audrey beamed, pulling him in for a kiss, and Axel obliged, the knot of guilt that had formed in his chest twisting tighter. When they finally parted, she yawned and stretched. "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late."

Axel watched her disappear into the bedroom, the smile faltering the instant she was out of sight. At the soft click of a door shutting, he leaned back against the kitchen counter, his mind racing. He was off the hook this time, but Jayla… She wasn't about to let it go.

He opened the room, got into bed, and waited till he felt Audrey was asleep, then got out of bed and went to the bathroom in the quietest manner possible, his heart going into palpitations merrily. He suddenly snatched his phone, opened it in a flash, and began messaging Jayla with fingers flying across the keyboard.

* "Hey, Jayla, my bad for cutting the call earlier. My cousin came over and gave me a scare. That's who you heard. I am so sorry I hung up like that on you. Hope we are cool?

He paused for a moment and stole a glance at himself in the mirror above the sink. A smirk twisted his lips. "I'm one bad sweet guy," he snickered, running a hand through his hair. "I can get any lady that I want with just the snap of my fingers.

With that, he was back under the comforter beside Audrey, his mind already plotting his next move.

Meanwhile, Jayla had been pacing around her room as the thoughts in her head elbowed each other for space. *Who was that woman? * The voice she had heard did seem near and inhaled with such closeness that the fact Axel had ended the call so suddenly, without saying a word to clear up the moment, gnawed at her.

An angry jealousy mixed with hurt was brewing inside of her, about which she wouldn't have the slightest idea how to handle.

Without thinking about it, Jayla reached for the first thing her hand landed on-her hairbrush and sent it across the room. It slammed against the wall with a loud thud, but that was not enough. That burning anger inside of her just seemed to get even hotter.

She reached for a pillow, violently throwing it onto the bed; by each second, her heart was racing. The sump of unshed tears began to cloud her eyes as she dug again into her dresser-a framed photo of her and Jasmine-and slapped it down, The glass shattered into pieces.

Then in one swift second, she screamed frustratedly, unable to do any act first.

The door swung open in an instant, and Jasmine flung in, her eyes wide with alarm. "Jayla! What is going on in the world?

Jayla froze, her chest heaving; her eyes moved to take in the surroundings: shattered glass and pillows everywhere. Jasmine stood there, her face pale, with shaking hands, taking in the chaotic view.

"I-I'm okay," Jayla stammered, her voice shaky and uneven. She forced a weak smile, hoping it would mask the turmoil that threatened to boil over inside. "It's nothing, I just. I got really angry because. one of my friends." She fished for an excuse. "Her boyfriend cheated on her and knocked some girl up, and I just snapped. You know how it is."

Jasmine's expression turned soft in sympathy, though her concern didn't quite dissipate. "That's terrible… I'm so sorry she's dealing with that." She leaned in toward Jayla, lowering her voice. "What's her name? Maybe I know her?

Something, anything, flailed around in Jayla's mind for an explanation. "You might not know her. She's sort of a new friend."

Jasmine leaned back in her head, studying Jayla. "I probably know her. You're always telling me about your friends, and I met most of them. What's her name?"

Jayla swallowed as the weight of her lie intensified. "Uh, her name's…Mila."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed slightly as her expression turned skeptical. "Mila? I don't think you've ever spoken about her before."

Jayla forced a laugh, hopefully casual-sounding. "See? I told you, you probably don't know her."

There was silence for a moment. Jasmine watched Jayla with quiet suspicion, yet didn't press the issue further. "Well, I'm sorry she's going through that. That's painful."

Jayla nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah… it is."

Jasmine leaned forward and gave her a light hand squeeze. "Okay, well, I'll just leave you to clean up now. But if you want to talk about anything, I'm here."

"Thanks," Jayla grumbled. Her heart still racing.

Jasmine gave her a soft, reassuring smile, but once out of the room, Jayla knew her sister doubted her. The door softly clicked shut with just a hint. Jayla stood in the middle of her room staring at the mess she had made.

She put her hand against her forehead, the shake of her head heavy. *What is wrong with me? Why did I blow up like that?* A weak laugh escaped her as reality began to sink in. "Axel, you're turning me into a complete mess."

Jayla heaved a deep sigh and began picking up the pieces of the broken photo frame and flung them in the dustbin. She checked the time-it was late. *Tomorrow I will sort this out with him,* she thought. *Tomorrow I will ask him who that woman was. Right now, I need to cool down.* 

Lying in Axel's apartment, Audrey lay next to him, deep asleep; her breathing was slow and soft. Axel lay awake, looking up at the ceiling. Then, his phone softly buzzed on the bedside table, and he leaned over to check the message notifications from Jayla.

He opened the chat window and quickly typed:

*"Hey, I'm so, so sorry again about just now. The lady you heard was my cousin; she just appeared out of the blue. She's in town for a few days, and that caught me off guard. I didn't mean to upset you, Jay. Hope you understand!"*

Axel hit send and slipped his phone back under the pillow. Very amused at how easily lies fell off his tongue. He could do this game as long as he needed to. Women were easy to charm, easy to control-he knew that.

He looked over at Audrey first to make sure she was still sleeping, then pulled the blankets up over him. Lying like that his mind started to wander back to Jayla. She is right where he wants her, just like all of the rest.

Axel took one final glance at his phone then closed his eyes, asleep.

Back at the house, Jasmine couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Jayla, and this name 'Mila' didn't sit right. She knew all of Jayla's friends, old and new, and had never heard any of them being referred to as Mila. The way Jayla reacted, her room in disarray-that wasn't anger for a friend.

Still, Jasmine pushed the thought aside. There was one thing much more immediate: she had to focus on the biggest night gala of the year, which was tomorrow, and she hadn't chosen an outfit yet.

Panic crawled up her spine as she quickly made her way into her closet, rummaging through the expensive dresses hanging neatly inside. Her fingers brushed over silk, sequins, and velvet… yet she knew just what she'd wear.

She pulled out a light-pink, beige, and ecru Chanel tweed. A real classic piece that shimmered just enough to hint at its presence without overwhelming anything. It had set her back the infinitesimal sum of $8,400, and she knew it would be perfect for the night.

She carefully laid the dress on her bed before grabbing her Versace wild leopard Athena medium tote bag, the perfect complement to the outfit.

She stepped back for a moment, surveying the ensemble. Her angst released just a hair. *At least I have got this sorted, she thought to herself as she exhaled a sigh. Now it was time for the next day was going to be huge.

The sun filtered in through the blinds, soft beams crossing the room as Jayla stirred awake. Everything swirled back into her head in a mad rush: what took place last night, the fight with Axel, the jealousy surging through her, the lie she had fed Jasmine. Yet, though the questions still swirled, as she reached over for her nightstand phone, she saw a new message waiting for her from Axel himself.

 "Hey Jay, sorry I cut the call. My cousin unexpectedly came over so suddenly and caught me off guard. Not to worry about, anyway! I hope we're cool for today.

Jayla stared at the message, her heartbeat slowing from its frantic rhythm. Cousin? she thought, rereading Axel's explanation of who he was. Immediately, her mind replayed the woman's voice-that sharp question about the beach. It didn't seem like a cousinly thing to say, but she so wanted to believe Axel. She wanted it not to be what she had feared.

She smiled a bit and ran her thumb along the screen as she typed her response.

* "S'all good! Still on for today. CU @ Seabreeze cove."

The moment she hit send she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Maybe she had overreacted last night. She didn't like that she'd lied to Jasmine, but she couldn't let this ruin her day. Axel had explained himself, and today she'd figure out the truth in person. For now, it was time to get ready.

Jayla sprang from the bed and ran to the wardrobe. She wanted something casual but cute, beach-worthy at least, and settled on a light sundress in soft, perfect for the warm summer's day with her favorite sandals. Twirling in front of the mirror, her smile was back on. Today was going to be a good day.

At Seabreeze Cove

A cool breeze at Seabreeze Cove brushed against Jayla's skin as she stood by the parking lot down the beach, overlooking the expanse of it. She could hear the waves crashing far away and the gleeful sounds of children playing close to the shore. The beach was teeming with people, but then all this receded to the background as Axel emerged, walking towards her.

Axel smiled, relaxed in light, casual shorts and a fitted white T-shirt. As he neared her, he lifted his hand in a wave, the smile wide as he caught sight of her.

"Hey," he greeted migrating in closer, pulling her into a quick hug. "You look amazing."

Jayla's heart fluttered as she found herself smiling back at him. "You too."

They walked down to the beach together, where Axel had brought a picnic blanket to lay out. Jayla allowed herself to be swept up in the rhythm of the day- her earlier worries of Axel's cousin slipping through as they went for a swim, playing beach volleyball, even renting a kayak for a quick paddle just to take it out into the shallow waters.

Between the sun, the laughter, and the games, Jayla found herself laughing more than she had in weeks. Light from Axel's jokes and the teasing during the volleyball game, the easiness of the conversations seemed to feel like the tension of last night had never happened.

Still, there had been something hanging in the back of her mind. She waited until they were sitting on the blanket-the sun reaching for its well-desired spot below the horizon-that she brought it up.

"So. about last night," she started in a soft tone. "That woman I heard. she sounded pretty upset."

Axel straightened just a hair before catching himself and bursting out laughing. "Yeah, my cousin. She's just ever been the dramatic type. Came in asking all kinds of questions because she overheard our conversation. You know how family is.

Jayla searched for that telltale sign in a split second where he would let the lie seep into his features. Easy smile, casual tone-just maybe this was a non-issue; maybe she had jumped to conclusions.

She nodded, her eyes dipping to slowly eclipse the doubt. "Yeah, guess that's just the way family goes.".

Axel leaned in and squeezed her hand; his eyes softened at the merger with hers. "Glad you came out today. It's been fun, right?

Jayla smiled, squeezing his hand in response. "Yeah, it has.

Meanwhile, back home, Jasmine was a whirlwind of energy. The morning sun peeked from her window, highlighting the glint of the Chanel dress as she twirled before the mirror. Mauve, beige, and ecru colors simply set off her complexion, and she knew this dress would make a statement tonight at the gala.

Her leopard-print Versace Athena tote lay on the bed, and Jasmine delicately threw her essentials inside— lipstick, her phone, a small perfume bottle, and her favorite compact mirror.

Everything had to be just so perfect. Already, she is hallucinating about seeing James tonight and all her old school friends dancing and laughing at the making of new memories at the biggest night gala of the year.

It was early evening now, and she was ready. Stepping out of the house, the summer evening had fallen warm and agreeable as she crossed the lawn to the waiting car outside. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she slid into the backseat of the sleek black sedan.

"Let's go," she said to the driver, her heart already racing in anticipation.

The minute Jasmine came out of the car at the venue itself, she was greeted by the twinkling light of the gala, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement. 

The grand entrance to the event was draped with opulent fabrics and chandeliers hanging high above crystallized everything into glittering reflections on the marble floors.

Taking a deep breath as she entered through the doors, instantly feeling the energy of the place surge right through her. The interior was strikingly beautiful: high ceilings, crystal glass chandeliers, people dressed well, milling about and laughing as soft music played in the background. Flowers and candles adorned the tables, casting a romantic glow across the space.

"Jas!" A familiar voice called out, and Jasmine spun around as James sauntered up toward her, looking fit as dapper as ever in his tailored suit. He smiled broadly at the sight of her before tugging her into a hug the minute he reached her.

He drew back and eyed her dress. "You look stunning. This is going to be one hell of a night.".

Jasmine erupted into a fit of giggles, the excitement inside her already threatening to spill over. "You don't look so bad yourself. Ready to dance the night away?" James smiled and offered her his arm. "Always." 

They went further into the event, surrounded by the grandeur of the night. Jasmine spotted a few of her old school friends just near the dancing floor, and upon seeing them, her face lit up. Hey! It's been forever! Ma. " one of them called out, pulling Jasmine into a tight hug. 

The easy camaraderie slid into place almost at once as old times were remembered and shared with peals of laughter. 

Soon enough, the music got more lively, and Jasmine found herself on the dance floor, spinning and twirling with James in the middle of the floor, the lights above reflecting rainbows on the highly polished marble beneath their feet.

Everything Jasmine had hoped for was the energy of the gala, reconnecting with old friends, the carefree fun of dancing away just right. 

 After a few hours of dancing, Jasmine glanced at her phone, realizing that it was already past 9 PM. 

The night had flown by in such a rush, and as much as she did not want the evening to come to a close, she knew she needed to get going. She walked over to James, still chatting with some of his friends.

"I think I'm going to head out," Jasmine said, tapping him on the shoulder. "It's getting late." 

James raised an eyebrow. "I can drop you off if you want." Jasmine shook her head, a small smile dancing on her lips. "Nah, I'm a grown woman, remember? I can get home on my own. Besides, I've taken a few fighting skills classes one's messing with me."

James chuckled, pulling her into a quick hug. "All right, if you say so. Just text me when you get home." Promise, Jasmine said, waving across the group of friends as she made her way out of the gala, into the warm night air that wrapped around her as she stepped onto the quiet street. 

The walk to her car was short, but as she reached the corner of the parking lot, a shadow moved within her peripheral vision.

Then came three men out of that darkness, their eyes locking on hers in a slow, almost deliberated motion.

"Hey, pretty lady," one of them called, curling his lip. But Jasmine's heart quickened, the knuckles of one hand knitting the more firmly on the strap of her Versace tote. 

She was not going to be intimated,  "Back off," she said, returning in a voice perfectly even, perfectly firm. Instead, the men closed in, rounding on her like a prey. 

One of them lunged for her bag, and in an instant-quicker was Jasmine-she turned into his grasp and connected a square punch to his jaw that sent him falling across the ard while the other two closed in fast. 

She was strong, yet not invincible; she fought hard, blocking and delivering strikes, but could not take them altogether. One of them hit her with a strong push, sending her crashing onto the ground. She felt her leg twist, going up at a sickening angle, and an ensuing pain shot up her body.

A sharp cry escaped her lips as her vision began to blur and she struggled to rise again, her heart pounding in her chest. The men circled in closer, and she knew she couldn't fight them all off.

Her leg throbbed, her breath coming in ragged gasps, and she did the best she could to push through the pain, but it was too much.

As they closed in, Jasmine knew she had run out of time.