All Chapters of Festive Deception: A Jasmine For Christmas : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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

Jasmine sat on the edge of her tiny apartment’s worn couch, her laptop perched on the coffee table. The email from Chad’s assistant had arrived an hour ago, the attachment glowing ominously on the screen like a trap. It still felt like a dream to her.She scrolled through the document, her heart sinking with every clause. The terms were laid out in painstaking detail: the conditions of her role, the timeline, and the stipulations on her conduct.Her mother’s treatment was prominently listed under “benefits,” as though it were a corporate perk. Immediate care, all expenses covered, and access to the country’s top specialists. She hesitated, Mr. Chad Blackstone isn't someone you can easily mess with, and she wasn't willing to subject her life to misery. Yes, she's sure that acting as Mr Blackstone's fiancee was going to be misery.Her phone buzzed, breaking her focus. She grabbed it quickly, her chest tightening when she saw the hospital’s number.“Hello?”“Ms. Wither,” a nurse’s voice

Chad relaxed comfortably on his plush black leather couch, a champagne glass clutched tight to his left hand. He cocked his head to the right and took a sip of the reddish liquid while he wallowed in his thoughts.Chad's mind remained on the fierce stunt Jasmine had pulled back at the gala. He was amused by her skills. He recalled the way Jasmine had effortlessly put Ava in her place. Her sharp wit and confident demeanor left Ava stunned and speechless.A small approving smile crept on Chad's lips as the memory of Ava's surprised face flashed before his eyes. Jasmine was a wild card and a valuable asset. He didn't regret picking her out for this Job. Just as Chad was starting to feel a spark of interest in Jasmine, Peter knocked softly on the door before entering."Sir, I have some news," Peter spoke, his voice remained calm and even.Chad gazed out the floor-ceiling windows of his luxurious penthouse apartment. The city lights flashed below. He released a heavy sigh and raised a bro

"We have dinner with my family tonight," came Chad's clipped tone, straight to the point as always."What?" Jasmine whispered harshly, leaning against the corridor wall. "Tonight? You can’t just spring this on me, Chad!”"Not my choice," Chad replied evenly. "The rumors about us have reached my grandfather, and he’s summoned me home to answer for them. And by me, I mean us. Be ready by 7.”"Chad, this is insane," Jasmine said, glancing nervously at the closed hospital door. "I’m at the hospital. My mom—”"I’ll send a car," Chad interrupted. "And Jasmine, prepare yourself. Mentally, physically, emotionally. My family isn’t exactly... welcoming.”"Welcoming?" Jasmine’s voice rose slightly. "You’re telling me this now?""You’ll be fine," Chad assured her, though his tone lacked warmth. "Stick close to me. If anything feels overwhelming, I’ll handle it. But make no mistake, Jasmine—they’re going to push, and I need you to hold your ground."She swallowed hard, her chest tightening with un

Ava wasn’t done collating the invites. She had more families to bring in. She needed the top families, the families that had zero tolerance for people without money. She already sent an invitation to the Volkovsky twins. Those girls were pretty, rigid and evil; if Jasmine came to this retreat, she would regret it if Nikolania and Valerina didn’t like her. They would eat her for breakfast, they believed everyone was beneath them. The next family on her list was the Montclair’s, Lucien and Henri, the guys were chronic womanizers and would go after anything. She fancied them at some point but those boys were going to pose a constant challenge for Chad and his new beau. Her next family was probably the most vile, the perfect bad girls, Charlise and Charlotte Ronald. They did any and everything wrong, they were shallow, blunt and there was no holding them back. They had no limits with their father’s money and they had gotten charged for driving under the influence, and so many other thi