Chad Blackstone is a self-made billionaire with a cold demeanor, his heart frozen after a devastating betrayal by the one woman he loved—Ava Reeds. When Ava unexpectedly reappears, determined to rekindle their relationship, Chad devises a bold plan to show her he’s moved on and that's where she comes in. Jasmine Withers, a fiery, no-nonsense woman. Desperate for funds to cover her mother’s medical expenses, Jasmine signs a contract to act as Chad’s fiancée. She doesn’t care about Chad’s icy attitude or his complicated past; she just needs to hold up her end of the bargain. What starts as a simple charade takes an unexpected twist when Chad invites Jasmine to a luxurious Christmas retreat. Among the snow-dusted peaks and glittering holiday magic, their staged romance becomes dangerously real. But Ava isn’t ready to let go without a fight, and her desperate schemes threaten to destroy everything Chad and Jasmine have built. As the stakes rise, Chad must confront his past and decide whether he’s willing to risk his heart again. What begins as a calculated business arrangement quickly spirals into a whirlwind of scandal, rivalry, and unexpected passion. In a game of love, revenge, and redemption, who will come out on top—and who will end up heartbroken? With a dazzling smile, she strode to Chad and slid her arm around his, pulling herself snugly against his side. The movement was seamless, natural, and impossible to ignore. “What are you doing?” Chad hissed, his tone low and sharp “Playing the part,” Jasmine whispered back, patting his chest as if calming a restless dog. “Relax, Mr. Blackstone. You hired me for this, remember?” Jasmine turned her attention to Ava, her smile turning just a shade sharper. “Hi, I’m Jasmine. Chad’s fiancée.”
View MoreChad dragged a hand down his face as he stepped into the hallway. He had walked out on Jasmine, but it wasn't the end. He just needed a moment to understand what the hell was going on. Jasmine's words still rang in his head, repeating constantly.He couldn't help but think about the way she had said it, as if she hated admitting it, as though she was fighting whatever she felt. He couldn't blame her. He himself couldn't even say the words. Did he feel it, or did he not?And the worst part was, he felt something too. A flutter in his chest, one he had only ever felt for Ava.His steps quickened, his palm forming a fist. He didn’t know what pissed him off more. Was it the look on Jasmine’s face, how broken she had looked over something that wasn’t even real? Or was it the fact he actually felt something too?But it wasn’t him. He didn’t kiss Ava. So what the hell was going on?His jaw tensed as he pulled his phone from his pocket, the unread text staring back at him.Ava: Come to the
Jasmine's fingers tightened as she watched Ava walk away. Now, what was she supposed to do? She couldn't run, she should.Instead, she did the only thing she could do. She turned to the nearest server and grabbed another glass of wine. Then another.Jasmine and alcohol were the biggest enemies but she didn't care that it burned or the way people glanced at her. If anyone had a problem, they could take it up with someone else. She was pissed and confused all at the same time. A bitter laugh escaped her lips. What was the worst Ava could do? She had already humiliated her, exposed her, and made it clear that she wasn’t welcome here.Jasmine downed another sip of wine, her thoughts spinning. How else was she supposed to deal with emotions she didn't even understand?She took another glass ready to drown it down when a hand rested in her shoulder making her tense. “Slow down. You don't want to cause a scene. Rich or Classy men are still men.” Jasmine turned to see Jordan watching her w
Evening came sooner than later. As expected, everyone was excited for the Christmas Eve party. It happened once every year except for the last three years when Ava was out of the country.Unlike most years, this one was different, even the air felt different.The grand hall had been transformed into something out of a winter fairytale. Jasmine stood at the far end of the hall observing. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed. With the way Georgia and the others spoke of the party, she had expected something extravagant, not the bore it was turning out to be.Jasmine never thought she would be here. Not after everything that had happened the night before. Yet, here she was, standing in a room full of people on Christmas Eve.With so many people in the room, it was much warmer, and for that, she was grateful, especially since she had chosen to wear the emerald dress that had miraculously been placed on her bed.She knew the dress was from Chad, even though she hadn’t seen him to confi
Jasmine looked back at Chad waiting for him to speak. “Are you done?” Chad sighed. She didn't understand what kind of question he was asking her and why it pissed her off. She shot him a glare. “Are you seriously asking me that?”Chad gave her a blank look she didn't even understand and crossed his arm, his cold blue eyes narrowing at her. “What?” She asked, still unable to understand the look he was giving her.Chad fingers found their way to the bridge of his nose, before his head fell forward. “So are you going to tell me why you felt the need to interrupt?”Jasmine let out a dry laugh. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I was tired of watching your ex-girlfriend grope my fiance in public?”His brow arched and though a part of him was glad that Jasmine had showed up before he let something stupid happen,he still wasn't going to show it. “I know what I’m doing, Jasmine.”She rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah right. You had everything completely under control. I'm guessing that was y
Jasmine woke up the next morning on edge, she looked at the side of the mattress, the sheets were perfectly tucked making her wonder if it was all in her head or if someone had truly been with her the previous night.Shaking her head she sat up, there was no way in hell Chad would have stayed with her on the same bed, the man rather moped the sea than do that.She looked around the room, there were no signs of Chad at all. A shame. She'd wanted to use him as a little distraction to get over her lingering unease. She never remembered her dreams but she'd also had a bad feeling about them when she woke up and last night was one of those dreadful days. Jasmine showered in less than ten minutes, flipped on her red and white fur coat before stepping out of her room. It wasn't exactly the most interesting place to be.Once she walked out of her suite, the decorations in the hall overwhelmed her. Unlike the other days where it was just a simple Christmas tree and light, this time it was a
Chad walked out of Ava suite taking a deep breath as the elevator door closed.He closed his eyes, his back pressing against the cold wall. It was his first one on one conversation with Ava since their breakup and he'd always avoided her cause he never knew how he'd cope with talking to her after all these years.His heart squeezed, the wall he'd built over it almost cracking.She was gone. The woman he'd love from all those years was gone and all he'd seen was just a selfish woman who just wanted something from him and was using tricks to get it. He could see right through her. The elevator door opened and so did his eyes. He was hurt but the feeling was slowly fading, being replaced with something ice-cold and frozen. He stepped out of the elevator and walked back to the guest wing. He'd been hoping to get something out of her but it was pointless, she wasn't going to tell him anything.It was already midnight when Chad arrived at his suite, he slowly opened his suite door walkin
Chad managed to keep calm just enough to avoid Jasmine asking any more questions that he wasn't in the mood to answer. Some part of him felt a disturbed feeling for the way he spoke to her but he shoved the feeling right back to where it came from. He couldn't afford to feel anything for anyone. Chad walked confidently through the halls, adjusting his suit as if to ready himself. He was going to speak to Ava, trying to find out what exactly what she was up to even when he had promised himself he'd never get involved with her again. It was still early evening, around 5pm but due to the cloud covering the sky it looked a few hours to midnight. Chad made his way to the other wing of the mansion–Ava’s wing. He pushed the elevator button and watched it close. He saw a staff member just outside the door looking like she wanted to protest against him stepping to this side of the mansion. Another staff member cut up to her before she opened her mouth and whispered something that made h
Curiosity kills the cat. That was what Jasmine had heard since she was growing up, yet the need to know what Ava was talking about kept biting her. She fiddled with her clothes, contemplating her next move, but then the room door suddenly opened, and Chad strolled to the wardrobe. She watched as he searched through the walls of perfectly hung shirts until he finally pulled out a small briefcase that looked like it could also pass as a box. Completely ignoring her presence, he unlocked it, and paper piles fell from it. Chad searched for half a minute, his usually expressionless face filling with concern. “Where is it?!” He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he swiped through it. After another minute he slammed it shut causing Jasmine to flinch a little. His frustration was clear and the usual calm and composed wall he wore was now replaced by raw unease. “What are you looking for?” she finally asked. Chad's mind was in his own business, completely oblivious to what Jasm
Jasmine's conversation with Georgia was the definition of pointless. She tries to get Georgia to say something about her and Jordan and why she'd been balling her eyes out because of him. After half an hour of trying to get her to feel comfortable enough to talk. Georgia ended up excusing herself, practically running out of the scene the moment she saw Jordan approached. She was very sure that wasn't how people were supposed to react when seeing their soon to be husband. Jasmine didn't bother waiting for him to speak and turned, walking away from him. She couldn't go back to the lodge, Chad was still there and after their kiss, she wasn't ready to be anywhere close to him yet. She moved wherever her feet could take and ended up on the other side of the mansion. Coming to think of it she'd never really been on this part of the house. It was a different area entirely, though it was painted in the same white and grey as the entire house, this part just looked different. Ahead of he
The First Meeting Chad Blackstone sat in his office, gripping the edge of his desk as Peter, his trusted assistant, stood nearby. The news had hit him like a punch to the gut.“Ava Reeds is back in town,” Peter said cautiously, watching his boss for a reaction.Chad’s jaw tightened. “Why now?” he muttered, his voice low and tense. “After three years... Why the hell would she come back?”Peter shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not sure, but word is she’s attending some high-profile events. The media’s already buzzing about her return.”Ava. His Ava. The woman he’d once thought he’d spend his life with. The woman who’d left him broken and humiliated.Why? His chest tightened, anger and something far more bitter swirling within him. Three years. It had been three years since she’d vanished from his life without an explanation, taking his trust and his heart with her.His mind drifted to the past, no matter how much he fought against it. Ava. His childhood sweetheart. The girl he’d once though...
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