★★★★"I’m not going anywhere," Jasmine whispered, a deep heartache gripping her as she held the kids close. At that moment, she felt at home, with no reason to believe this was all a lie.She gently rubbed the backs of both children before standing up and looking down at their faces. It dawned on her that, indeed, both of them resembled Damon more than herself."Jasmine!" Nadia called out as she rushed toward her, embracing her tightly, tears slipping from her eyes. She had spent days praying, and it wasn't until this morning that Damon told her he would be bringing Jasmine home tonight.Jasmine returned the hug, though she couldn't quite place Nadia in her memory."Don’t worry, you’ll remember us soon! I always told you Paul wasn’t a good guy, and this time he’s gone beyond imagination," Nadia said angrily."You know him too?" Jasmine asked."Yes, we were all in college together. Then one day, you kicked him out of your life. You hated him," Nadia answered."We’re so happy... so happ
★★★★ As soon as the morning arrived, Paul returned to the house after spending the night at the hotel with that unknown woman. He had no idea how he ended up in that room with her since the last thing he remembered was sitting at the counter having drinks. Suddenly, a certain smell hit his nose, and everything after that was a blur. "Madeline!" Paul shouted frantically when he saw the front door open and didn’t see Jasmine in the house. "Sir," the caretaker rushed out of Jasmine’s room and said, "I think madam has run away through the window. There are clothes on the bed, and the window is open." Hearing that, Paul rushed to the room and saw the clothes she had worn the previous day, with the window wide open. His blood boiled as he stormed out, slamming his fist on the small wooden table. He shouted at the caretaker, "Where were you? I told you not to leave the house until she was asleep!" "Sir... Sir, I was sure she wouldn't wake up," the caretaker replied, her voice trembl
★★★★★"Call an ambulance!" Kesha shouted as her daughter fell to the ground, unconscious.Meanwhile, Damon crouched beside Jasmine, grabbing her head and seeing the blood. He quickly placed his handkerchief on the wound. "Why didn’t you use the knife I gave you? I told you I would take care of everything!""I'm fine, Damon. It just feels like my head is spinning," Jasmine said, placing her hand on Damon’s chest."I'm taking you to the hospital," Damon insisted, helping her stand up. But before he could, Paul attacked Damon from behind, kicking him away from Jasmine."You're mine. You will come with me. Just a couple of days, and you'll forget everything. I can't let him ruin this opportunity," Paul said, leaning forward to grab Jasmine, thinking of running away with her. But Damon swiftly put his gun back in his waistband, grabbed Paul by the collar, and slammed his head against the shelf."Do you want to know why I didn’t take your life? Because Jasmine is fine. However, I’m plannin
★★★★★ After what felt like an eternity, Jasmine slowly unfurled her eyes, the soft hum of hospital machines filling the room. The sterile white ceiling above her was unfamiliar, and for a fleeting moment, panic surged through her—hadn't they been on the ship? Her heart raced as she pushed herself upright, her hands trembling against the sheets. Before she could process her surroundings, a nurse hurried to her side. "Please, don’t move so quickly! You need to take it easy," the nurse said gently, her tone both firm and reassuring. Jasmine blinked, still groggy, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "Where’s my family?" Her words carried the weight of her desperation, her mind racing to find Damon’s face, to know that he was safe. The nurse offered a soft smile, the kind that made Jasmine feel like she was in safe hands. "I’ll get them for you," she said kindly, already turning toward the door. "They’ve been waiting since early this morning." As the nurse left, Jasmine allo
★★★★ "No... Is it just me overthinking, or have you two somehow become good friends?" Jasmine teased, glancing between Damon and Harley. "Now, that would be a miracle." Damon scoffed, his expression twisting with distaste. "Babe, 'friend' isn’t exactly the word I’d use. The definition changes when it involves him." He shot Harley a look that suggested his tolerance was barely hanging by a thread. Harley leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed casually but with a smirk that betrayed no offence. "Trust me, the feeling’s mutual. I’m not here to hold hands with Damon Colley. I came to check on you, that’s all." "No, you’re here because you’re following Nadia," Ceece chimed in, her voice laced with amusement as she threw Harley a knowing grin. "In your absence, things between them have gotten... thick." Jasmine’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze darting over to Nadia, who was suddenly very interested in the floor. The blush creeping up Nadia’s cheeks gave her away, despite her
★★★★★ Nadia bit her inner cheek, every instinct telling her to run, but something kept her rooted in place. She needed to hear Harley, to know for sure. She had never truly allowed herself to fall for anyone, which made it even harder to believe that Harley might have deceived her. "It’s been years, Amanda. You can’t be real, can you?" Harley said, his tone cool as he pushed her off his shoulder. "Years don’t erase feelings," Amanda replied confidently, stepping closer. "I know you still think about me, or you would’ve said you hated me by now." Nadia exhaled sharply, disappointment settling deep in her chest. But Harley’s reply was the only thing keeping her from walking away. "Why are you here?" Harley asked, his voice low with a mix of irritation and wariness. "I’ve been in town for a while," Amanda began, her voice smooth. "Then I heard Damon is getting married, and I thought this would be the perfect chance to see you. I don’t want you to think I’m here because of him anymor
★★★★★Nadia could feel the intensity of her emotions, the tug-of-war between her mind and her heart. Her chest felt heavy with frustration, and her inability to shove him away or slap him only deepened her anger. Finally, she pushed him, her hands hitting his chest with more force than she intended. "Don’t you dare try this with me again!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "I’m not some other girl, Harley. Don’t think you can treat me like the rest. Next time, I won’t just warn you—I’ll make sure you regret it." Her voice cracked as she grabbed her phone, turning her back on him, but just as she stepped toward the door, Harley grabbed her wrist.“This isn’t over,” he said firmly, his grip tightening slightly. "You don’t get to storm off like this without giving me an explanation. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? What happened?"Nadia yanked her hand free from his hold, her eyes burning with the sting of unshed tears. "Because," she spat out, "I finally came to my senses.
★★★★★The next morning, Nadia informed Jasmine that she wouldn’t be able to attend the post-celebration at her house as initially planned. She had arranged a private lunch with a close circle of friends, and her schedule was tight. Nadia was preparing for an important interview and Jasmine, understanding the situation, nodded without much question. Nadia slid into her car, feeling a surprising sense of clarity. The previous night had been a turning point, a quiet moment when she had managed to push thoughts of Harley into the farthest corners of her mind. As she drove toward the office, a smooth half-hour ride through the city’s streets, her mind started working through the layers of the day ahead. The company she was visiting for the interview had an impressive reputation—one she had thoroughly researched in the hours leading up to this meeting. The figures added up in her head. If she landed this job, the salary alone would be enough to buy her a decent house and maybe even that c