Jasper POVThroughout the rest of the day, I made sure to avoid any conversation that would bring up my teammate, I really don't want Valerie to know Selena is here in the states. " What would you like to eat?" Valerie took my hand in hers." Anything, I'm not craving anything".Valerie studies my face for a while staring at me. "You're not acting like yourself today, Is everything okay? Is there something you want to tell me?"Taken aback by her directness, I swallowed hard. "No, everything's fine, I'm just... tired from all the work."“Okay, then!” She nod patting my hand.It's been three days already, and our project submission and defense Is just around the corner. Selena and I have been meeting throughout these days at cafeterias, class and business school cafeteria. And I made sure we only talked about the project nothing more and she did the same.Stressed, I find myself sitting across from Selena once again, I cleared my throat, my eyes fixed on the laptop in front of me. "S
Selena POV " Jasper!" We suddenly heard Jasper's name as he held my arms. He turned and the next thing I heard was, " what's going on here?".Despite how weak I was, I turned slightly to see who it was only to see Valerie standing there. " Valerie.... and Jasper?" I glanced over at Jasper. this was the same Valerie Jasper rejected in front of me, the Valerie he acted he will never have anything to do with.. So Jasper wasn't two timing with that girl But Valerie?Seeing this I felt a sharp pain in my heart...i'm over this right? Why i'm I still hurt? Slowly I pulled my arm off his hands. "Let's go!" I turned to Ari and Gemma. Sniffling in my tears without letting them spill out... To think I thought we would have a chance after these days together, and how he acted caring like he always did, made me feel so stupid..Ari came to my side and held my other arm. " Let's go!" I repeat and smiled awkwardly. Ari and Gemma held me as I took slow steps." What was that for?" We heard Valerie
Selena POV" What?" I asked in shock." He just informed me when I called him" .Mateo coming to the states? With a shaky hand, I texts back to Lisa: "What does he want?"Immediately Lisa called back, " You of course!" She replied.My heart skips a beat at Lisa's reply.Mateo coming to the states to see me added to the pressure I'm in." Where are you right now?" Lisa asked." I'm at the hospital"" Hospital? Why what happened? Are you okay?" She asked.Hearing the word are you okay after having to go through what I went through earlier made me shake my head. " I'm not okay!”The day had been overwhelming and exhausting, and the idea of having to explain it all to Lisa felt like a huge task."What happened?" Lisa asked again, without any reply from me she add, “Please Selena say somethings, I'm worried."Closing my eyes I took a deep breath, gathering my strength for the conversation. "It's a long story," " Say it," Lisa pressed."Recall when you forced me to tell you what really happ
Jasper POV I walked into the General hospital and stopped at the reception area, Ari had told me Selena is at the General hospital." I'm looking for Selena Kings!" I said to the receptionist."Okay! But it would be best If you could just provide me with some information about your relationship to Miss. Kings, I'd be happy to direct you to her room."Wondering the best answer to give I finally replied clearing his throat. "I'm an...old friend of hers, and I just want to make sure she's okay."The receptionist's eyes narrowed slightly but then she nodded. "Very well, sir. Selena Kings is in room 214.”“ Thanks!” I replied and made my way through the bustling corridors of the hospital, my mind racing as I approached room 214. I’m not sure what I'm going to say when I see Selena, but I know I need to visit her.Reaching the door to her hospital room, I took a deep breath, my hand trembling slightly as I reaches for the handle." Who are you?" An approaching nurse asked me." I'm an..old
lJasper POVAri, noticing my look nodded "Sure, nothing. And that's why your jaw is so tense, you're looking like you're about to murder someone with your bare hands."I try to maintain my composure, shifting my gaze from Mateo and Selena to Ari. "I just don't like seeing Selena with some guy I don't know, that's all" I admit." Ahh, I see!” Ari nods, "You're worried about her, right?" he asked,"You don't want to see her get hurt huh.” Ari said in a mocking way.“ Stop, I'm being serious!” I glared at Ari and he giggled.Recalling what happened that night I shaked my head, the way Selena looked at Mateo at the hospital wasn't intimate at all or showed she likes him." Maybe...just maybe I might have made a mistake!" I mutter to myself.My thoughts still swirling, I try to push away the image of Selena and Mateo at the hospital, but it continues to haunt me. I find myself replaying the scene over and over in my mind, my doubts about my initial reaction growing stronger. "Maybe I was w
Jasper POVAri, noticing my look nodded "Sure, nothing. And that's why your jaw is so tense, you're looking like you're about to murder someone with your bare hands."I try to maintain my composure, shifting my gaze from Mateo and Selena to Ari. "I just don't like seeing Selena with some guy I don't know, that's all" I admit." Ahh, I see!” Ari nods, "You're worried about her, right?" he asked,"You don't want to see her get hurt huh.” Ari said in a mocking way.“ Stop, I'm being serious!” I glared at Ari and he giggled.Recalling what happened that night I shaked my head, the way Selena looked at Mateo at the hospital wasn't intimate at all or showed she likes him." Maybe...just maybe I might have made a mistake!" I mutter to myself.My thoughts still swirling, I try to push away the image of Selena and Mateo at the hospital, but it continues to haunt me. I find myself replaying the scene over and over in my mind, my doubts about my initial reaction growing stronger. "Maybe I was wro
Jasper POVAfter minutes sitted, Mrs Gonzalez walked in instead... " I forgot to make this announcement, we will be having a dinner party, you all can bring your partner!" Mrs Gonzalez said and walked out.“ Dinner party?” Everyone exclaimed happily.On hearing this my heart sank knowing fully well Selena and Mateo will undoubtedly attend the dinner party together, and the thought of seeing them as a couple made me so weak.The class continues, but my mind weren't there. Should I stay home or go? I wonder. "Is there any reason I can state so i won't go to the dinner party?" I asked Ari. "Nah, you need to be present." He replied. I glanced over at Selena and Mateo for a while and nod to myself, " I'll just stay home,after all it's weekend" I said to myself. After class I left and went home.*******it's weekend already and i stayed back in my room. Valerie still hasn't forgiven me from the misunderstanding will had because of Selena. On a second thought I realized my world has been
Selena POVI glanced up as soon as Jasper got asked the question, hearing this question posed to Jasper.I tried to keep my expression neutral, but inside, I was reeling. Does Jasper still have feelings for me?I watched as Jasper hesitated, his face turned a shade paler. Was he lying when he told me before that he will love me forever and will always be crazy about me without letting go? But then he lied and fell out of love for me! He cheated. My heart raced as I observed Jasper's reaction to the question. I know too well there was more to the story than he was letting on.Jasper seemed to be wrestling with himself, and I found myself unable to look away. I want to know what he would say.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jasper spoke. "I..." he began, his voice wavering slightly. "I can't answer that!" he filled a glass and gulped it down.... “ What?”Jasper finished his drink and slammed the glass on the table. Others started murmuring. Some teased him, while others lo
Aviva POVI took the hospital card from her, with my hands shaking. What had happened to my mother? And why had Levi been taking care of her? I thanked the neighbor and rushed out of the building, hailing a cab to the hospital. The ride was rough, my heart almost out of their place as I tried to process everything that had happened.When I arrived at the hospital, I rushed to the reception desk. “I’m here to see Leah Rogers,” I said, trembling, “Can you tell me which room she’s in?”“ Leah?” she glanced at the system before staring at me, “ No one named Leah Rogers here,”“ Sorry, Olivia Rogers not leah.”“Olivia Rogers is in room 208. I can show you the way if you’d like.”I nodded gratefully and followed her to the elevator. As we ascended to the second floor, my heart felt like it was going to explode. I had no idea what I would find in room 208.The receptionist led me down a quiet hallway and stopped in front of a closed door. “This is it,” she said, gesturing for me to enter.I
Aviva POV“About 48 hours before someone realizes that money is missing,” Armstrong replied, tensed up. “Or will we have no choice but to find a way to return the funds before then. Or better still we will place a fake amount there if we can't get it before then but I pray we can, let's continue!." We spend the next hours working tirelessly, our eyes red from lack of sleep and our fingers cramping from typing.But with every lead we followed, every strategy we tried, we were met with dead ends. The money was gone, vanished. And then, just as we were about to admit defeat, Armstrong’s face lit up with a sudden realization. “Levi,” he exclaimed. “Levi might have a backup. If anyone had the foresight to protect ByteForge’s finances, it would be him.” " It doesn't matter now, we are almost there" Nieves continued, " let's get over this in less than an hour guys focus!"Determined, we set to work, our fingers fixed on the keyboard. And finally, after hours of work, we saw it. A hidden a
Aviva POV “Please, Aviva,” Levi pleaded, “There has to be another way. You don’t have to do this.”I stared at him, “I’m sorry, Levi, But this is the path I’ve chosen. I won’t betray Elara.”, deep down I know fully well I can't place my mom's life in danger. I turned away from Levi, my heart in pain I couldn’t quite place it. I knew I’d hurt him, but I couldn’t back down. I owed Elara too much for that.Elara had promised me so much, a new life, a fresh start. But at what cost? Was it worth sacrificing my relationship with Levi? Was it worth the risk of losing everything I’ve worked for?For days I threw myself into my work at Global Reach, trying to bury my doubts and misgivings beneath paperwork and meetings. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the nagging feeling that I’d made a terrible mistake. But at least, I got to give mom the better life she had given me. my phone rang and i glanced at it to see the caller Id Levi but i avoided the call. for days Levi had been
Levi POVI left the cafe, my mind was racing. I knew that Armstrong was right. I didn't have much time. Global Reach Enterprises was circling like vultures, waiting for ByteForge Technology to fall.But there had to be another way, a way to save my company without giving in to Thier demands.I pulled out my phone and dialed Dad's contact, i had promised myself i would never asked Dad for help but i guess i need to break my promise. “Hello Dad,” I said when he answered. “I need your help." “Levi?” Dad asked in surprise, “What is it, son? What’s going on?”I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to say. “Dad, I’m in trouble. ByteForge is in trouble. I’m about to lose everything.”There was a long pause, and then Dad spoke. “I see. And what can I do to help?”" I want to know the real owner behind Global reach Enterprise, they want ByteForge , like there are desperate and any silly move from me might ruin everything, i want to know who i'm fighting not shadows" “T
Levi POVI sat in my office, replaying all that Aviva had said to me a while ago. For the past months my company ByteForge Technology has been going through a severe rough patch, is the breach thing Aviva talked about the cause? I sat down wondering.I paced around my office. Aviva’s words echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The security breach she mentioned could be the work of a disgruntled former employee? Or could it be something more sinister? As the CEO of ByteForge Technology I have to take this seriously. If someone was targeting our company, we needed to be prepared. But was Aviva telling the truth? Or was she part of something more nefarious?My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.“Come in,” I called, returning to my desk and trying to appear composed.My assistant, James, entered,“Sir, we’ve been contacted by Global Reach Enterprises. They want to speak with you about a…potential collaboration.”“Potential collaboration?
Aviva POVElara’s laughter faded away as she walked out, I could practically feel the tension in the room. We all knew what was at stake, what would happen if we failed.“Okay,” Parker said, breaking the silence. “So we get in, find the backup server, and get the info. Sounds simple enough.”I knew it wouldn’t be that simple, not with the high stakes and the security precautions in place. But I also knew that Parker was trying to lighten the mood, trying to keep us focused.The three of us left the conference room, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I could feel my legs getting heavy, making every step feel heavy and slow.“Don’t worry, Aviva,” Armstrong said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “We’ve got this. We’re going to get the information and get out, no problem.” I nodded, trying to smile. But I couldn’t help but feel creeped out. Something about this mission felt…off.Soon it got dark and we made our way towards Byteford Technology headquarters, disguising ourselves as janitors
Aviva POV“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Rutherford,” I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this position with you.”“Indeed,” Elara said, her gaze assessing me “I’m sure you’re wondering why we’ve reconsidered your application after all this time.”I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. “I am curious, Ms. Rutherford.”“Have a seat,” she gestured for me to sit. I sat down in the chair across from her, feeling as if I were being measured and weighed, Elara leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on me. “I’m not going to lie to you, Miss Rogers. We’re desperate. Our recent ventures haven’t been as successful as we’d hoped, and we’re in need of new blood.”A chill ran down my spine at her words. “And you believe I’m the right person for the job?”Elara smiled, a cold, calculating smile. “I believe you have potential, Miss Rogers. You impressed us during the initial interview, and your determination to find employment even after we
Aviva POVThe disciplinary committee was a panel of three stern faced executives, each with a folder of documents in front of them. Bianca took her seat at the head of the table.“Aviva Rogers,” she said, her voice clear and authoritative. “You stand accused of falsifying company records and conspiring with other employees to undermine the authority of your superiors. How do you plead?”I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died on my lips. I knew it was useless. Bianca had made up her mind.“We have compiled a significant amount of evidence,” one of the disciplinary committee interjected, “But we’re willing to offer you a deal. If you confess, we’ll let you leave with a slightly more favorable recommendation.”I glared at him, my hands balled into fists under the table. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” I replied instead of pleading, “I refuse to confess to crimes I didn’t commit. I was set up!”The committee members exchanged glances, “Very well,” Bianca smirked,“We will proceed
Aviva POV" She would not if we all work together, we can cover for you. Divide up the work so it looks like you’re doing it all yourself, but we’re helping behind the scenes. i promise we would do it just like you and no one will notice" Jeff advised.I hesitated. It was a risky plan, and part of me worried about the consequences if we got caught. But the alternative of failing to meet Bianca’s impossible deadline was even worse. I nod at least I'll be able to get a good night's rest. Feeling renewed with hope, I returned to my desk and began sorting through the files, dividing them up among Jeff, Clara, Dana and Sarah who suggested she would help. We’d have to work quickly and discreetly, and we can do it.The hours passed, we passed the files around, each of us working on different sections. We didn’t talk, didn’t even look at each other. Finally, the clock, near midnight, the last file was finished.“Are you sure no one will notice?” I whispered to Jeff as I placed the files ba