All Chapters of Festive Deception: A Jasmine For Christmas : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The walk to their room was silent and the both of them didn't say a word. Jasmine could feel the space between them still filled with tension. Coming to think of it, she didn't really know the reason why Ava and him had separated and truthfully, she didn’t care, that wasn't what she was paid for and her job, was not to pry into his personal affairs. Chad swiped his key card between the door and it immediately opened. As soon as they entered, the door shut behind them. She sighed, exhausted. It was well past 9 PM, and after the long annoying exchange with Ava, she was ready to crash. They were sure the next day would be far more intense than today. It was a retreat after all. Without saying anything else,she walked over to the bed, took two pillows and a blanket. “Where are you going?” Chad asked. She turned to look at him, adjusting the blanket over her arm. “The couch,” she answered simply. “Unless you want us to sleep on the same bed?” His sharp blue eyes studied her for a mi

Chad stormed out and walked back to the direction of the mansion leaving Jasmine bubbling in frustration. He was so confusing and unbelievable, she just couldn't understand him. She followed after him. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded, quickening her pace to catch up. At first, he didn’t answer, his shoulders tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "How do you expect me to play the part of your fiancée when you won’t tell me anything?" she pressed. "What the heck is up with you?" That made him stop. Slowly, he turned, his expression unreadable, but his voice was ice-cold. "I pay you to be my pretend fiancée—not to pry into my personal life," he said sharply. "Know your limit." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Jasmine standing in the cold. Jasmine stood frozen in place, her breath forming small clouds in the chilly air as Chad disappeared into the distance. Had they just had their first fight? It was a strange realization, conside

Jasmine followed Chad as he walked into the retreat mansion. She didn't know whether to call it a mansion or hotel because as big as it was, it held at least thirty plus guests. The moment they stepped into the mansion they heard a voice coming through the speakers. "Attention all residents of the Reed's retreat, due to severe weather conditions, there is an official lockdown. No one goes out. Please remain indoors and follow all safety protocols given by staff until the storm clears." Whispers followed as the guest watched the snow fall outside, all looking confused by the sudden storm. Meanwhile, Jasmine glanced at Chad who she half expected some kind of reaction, but he paid no attention to the warning and continued walking. She ran after him as they reached their suite. He pushed the door open, stepped inside, and without hesitation, dropped his bags on the sofa. For a second, Jasmine thought he might actually stay. Maybe, this storm had forced him to slow down and face what

Jasmine's heart was still racing as she searched the area. She didn't know what her next move would be but she had to act. After searching the highs and lows of the house she ended up back in her room but the moment she opened the door she saw Chad He was sitting at the edge of the bed lowering his head lost in thoughts. The lights in the room were turned off leaving the place dark. Frustration bubbled inside her. "Where have you been?" she demanded, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. "I've been looking for you all morning, Chad. People have started to suspect things." “Watch your tone.” He said coldly and she shivered for a second before continuing. "Are you even listening to me?" she crossed her arms. "We agreed to this arrangement, but you disappearing like this is making things worse. If you don’t want to be here, then why did you even bother?" Still, nothing. Jasmine clenched her jaw. "God, I don’t know why I even care anymore. Maybe because I'm the one stu

Chad spent the rest of the night thinking about the news he had gotten a few days ago. Peter had reported the investigation looking into his family's case had brought up some new suspicion about someone surviving the explosion. The very idea of someone surviving that fire that'd taken out almost the entire neighborhood made a shiver run down Chad’s spine. For years, he had accepted the brutal truth that his family was gone, wiped from existence in that fiery destruction. No bodies to bury, just ashes and the worst of all was that he couldn't even identify theirs. Now, after all this time, someone was claiming otherwise? He exhaled sharply, pressing his fingers against his temples. “Damn it.” His mind had been running with wild thoughts ever since then he needed to escape not just because of Jordan but because he didn't understand what exactly was going on and not so many miles away from the scene. Who? Who could have possibly survived? Peter had been only mentioning that certai