JASPER: I'll Be Gentle

The dining room atmosphere is bustling, bright, and light. A complete opposite to my existence. Laughter fills the air, courtesy of my parents, Kiara, her fiancé, Damon Orlov, his parents, and the one person I don't want here – Rhys Volkov.

Mom's blue eyes sparkle as she chats with Rhys, clearly smitten. Kiara giggles at his jokes. And I'm starting to think Rhys is the star of the night, eclipsing Damon, whose gentle smile and handsome face initially caught my attention.

But I can't shake the feeling that he might be just as cunning as Rhys.

Rhys lavishes praise on my mom, "No, No, no! Theresa, you are stunning, flawless."

Mom blushes like a teenager, her cheeks flushing pink. "Oh, now you're just teasing me."

Rhys gasps dramatically. "Oh I would never!"

"Oh stop," Mom giggles, playfully waving her hand at him.

What the... I stifle a gag, surprised by Rhys's effortless charm around adults.

While everyone engages in lively conversations, I'm lost in my thoughts, struggling to shake off memories of my messy breakup and block out Rhys's presence. But he's sitting right next to me, making it impossible to ignore him.

Mom's voice cuts through my mental fog. "Oh no! Jasper was such a quiet baby, always calm but grumpy. It worried me sick."

Her words spark laughter from everyone, except Finn, who's shooting daggers at me from across the table. I doubt anyone notices, though - Finn always looks at me like he's plotting my demise.

"Oh! Can I see his baby pictures?" Rhys asks out of the blue.

"Huh?" Shock fills my soul. I glance at him, and he's grinning at Mom, who excitedly rises from her chair.

"I'll go get them," she says, hurrying out of the room.

"Mom, no!" I groan, burying my face in my hands, mortified. How did this dinner take such a disastrous turn?

Kiara teases, "Come on, you know Mom loves reliving your baby days." She slices her steak with a smirk, while I glare at mine, stabbing it with unnecessary force.

"She doesn't have to show them to him," I mutter, shoving a bite into my mouth. I can feel Rhys's intense gaze on me. Hot and cold, making my skin prickle.

It's infuriating! I just want to slam his head on the table!

"I got it!" Mom exclaims, clutching the photo book to her chest. I glance at Rhys, and he's beaming as he takes the book from her, handling it like a precious gift.

Kiara teases, "Stop looking so embarrassed, Jas."

Damon chuckles softly, "Stop teasing him, he's already so red."

I shoot Rhys a glare, my eyes twitching as he flips through the book, grinning at each photo. Mom stands beside him, and they both coo, laugh, and point at my pictures, making me want to sink into the floor.

After what feels like an eternity, they finally finish, and the conversation shifts to Kiara and her fiancé. Everyone starts discussing their story. How they met, when they met, wedding plans, and locations. I tune out, relieved to no longer be the center of attention.

As we finish the main course, dessert arrives, and I confess, Mom's legendary strawberry cheesecake is the only reason I've stayed this long.

I rub my hands excitedly as she slices me a generous portion. As I take my first bite, the sweetness explodes on my tongue, and my world brightens.

But just as I savor the taste, Rhys's voice cuts through the bliss, draining the sweetness from the moment. "Jasper attends GoodRich Elite College, right? Kiara mentioned you're a freshman."

My spoon hovers, then slowly returns to my plate. I frown at Kiara, who laughs nervously, clearly unsure why I'm irritated or what's behind my tension with Rhys.

Rhys has been spewing lies about our past, claiming we were great friends in high school, reunited by fate through this perfect dinner. What a fucking liar!

Mom gushes, "Yes, he started a few weeks ago," beaming at Rhys like he's her newfound son.

I cross my arms, frowning deeply, feeling a pang of possessiveness. He's stealing my mom's attention!

Then, Rhys drops a bombshell. "I'm a recent graduate of GoodRich Elite College, and I've decided to continue my studies with a master's program at the same college. Why don't you let him live with me? We're family now. I'll take care of him." His excitement is clear, but my entire being turns cold.

"No!"

"Yes!" Mom and Finn chime in unison, their agreement slicing through my objection.

My eyes twitch as I stare at them, my mind racing with desperation. I'm doomed.

Rhys beams like a kid on Christmas morning, his excitement unnerving. "Thank you, Mr. Morgan and Theresa," he says, his eyes twinkling as he winks at Mom.

Her face blooms with a bright blush, and she looks away, flustered.

What is going on?!

Finn forces a smile, "No, thank you. It's a wonderful honor to have you take him. He's... quite out of control."

His words make me roll my eyes.

Rhys raises an eyebrow, his eyes locking onto mine. That look, the one that screams 'you ruined my life,' makes my heart stutter. I break eye contact, breathing harder.

"Mom... I can take care of myself,"

Mom's smile is reassuring, but misguided. "I know you can, sweetie. But Rhys is offering kindly. He'll be family soon. It won't hurt to stay with him."

Oh, Mom, poor, sweet, innocent, naive Mom... it will hurt. So much.

Kiara turns to Damon, her baby blue eyes sparkling. "He'll be okay with Rhys, right?"

Damon nods, his gentle smile reassuring. "Of course."

How does he fucking know that?!

His parents offer me brief, encouraging smiles, but I'm seething inside. The urge to scream and slam Rhys's head against the table is overwhelming.

Rhys chimes in, waving his hands enthusiastically. "Yup! He's in good hands – mine!"

I shoot him a venomous glare. 'Fuck you!' I think, biting back the words.

Rhys flashes a manic grin. "Don't worry, I won't bite. I'll be gentle."

Gentle my ass!

I roll my eyes, looking away from him. Mom's beaming, her dimples remarkable, completely oblivious to the danger lurking beneath Rhys's facade.

"You'll stay with him, right?" she asks, seeking confirmation.

I sigh heavily, defeat weighing me down. "Yes, Mom, I'll live with him."

The words feel like a fucking death sentence. But I can't say no to mom. She's my sweet mother.