15. Jasmine
Chapter fifteen
Jasmine
“Jasmine, stop crying,” Ana says softly, running her hand down my back. “I hate to see you this way.”
I wipe the back of my hand across my face angrily. “It seems like all I do is cry where Alec is concerned. I’m done with him.”
“Has he explained why he hid the truth from you and Riley?”
“I don’t know. I walked away before he could say anything.”
“Don’t you think you should hear him out?” Ana asks. “He may have something to say. You cannot—” she stops talking when I glare at her.
“Really? What excuse does he have? You’re asking me to listen to him weave me another web of lies and deceit.”
Ana leans back on the couch, her face a mask of bewilderment. “This still feels like a dream. I feel like anytime soon, I’ll be awake. ”
I wonder what Riley and Alec are talking about. Would they resolve the problems between them? Can Riley go back to trusting Alec?
“If my parents owned Ace Corps, I’d never shut up about it,” Ana says. “There has to be a reason why he didn’t mention it. And that explains the polished cars and personal butler. Oh, Alec is living the life.”
I roll my eyes and turn away from her. It seems there’s no escaping Alec tonight because everywhere I go, his name is being mentioned. Riley has also advised that I listen to whatever Alec has to say, and I’m considering it.
However, when it comes to the area of a romantic relationship with Alec, I think it’s over. “Ana, I don’t want to be with Alec anymore.”
She sits up. “Jasmine? Because of this?”
“Yes,” I cry. “Did you see that girl he was out with? She’s gorgeous! And she’s the heir to the Sicily Corps! Do you know how huge that is?”
“I don’t think any of this matters to Alec, so you must keep your attention on him and not side distractions,” Ana frowns. “And besides, you are pregnant. Are you thinking about that at all?”
I slump further on the couch, realizing I can no longer decide based on my feelings alone. I’d have to think about a baby. For a split second, I consider terminating the pregnancy, and in the next, I’m overcome with a crippling wave of guilt for thinking about it at all.
“Jasmine…” Ana puts an arm around my shoulder. “I understand your disappointment and anger. I really do. But please, don’t make any brash decisions yet. When will you tell Alec about the pregnancy? ”
“He was supposed to return on Sunday, so that’s when I planned to tell him. Now that he’s back, I don’t know.”
Ana sighs. “I think you should—”
She’s interrupted by the shrill ring of the doorbell. “You expecting anyone?” I ask.
“No. Hold on.” Ana walks to the door and swings it open. I sit up frantically when I hear Alec’s voice, but before I can run up the stairs, he’s already in front of me.
“Jasmine—” he grabs my hand. “Please, I need you to listen to me.”
I try to jerk out of his hold, but he won’t let me. “Jasmine, please.”
From the corner of my eyes, I see Ana retreat up the stairs and out of sight, leaving Alec and me alone.
“Jasmine, I can explain.”
“Explain what?” I yell. “You’ve been lying to me this entire time. Our relationship is built off lies. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
“You aren’t stupid, Jas.” Alec’s eyes melt into a pool of sadness and remorse. This is the reason I don’t want to see him. With Alec before me, it’s hard to maintain my annoyance. Especially when he looks genuinely sorry.
“Please, let me explain everything to you.”
For a moment, I’m tempted to insist that he leave, but instead, I nod. “I’ m listening.”
“Jas…” Alec rises and begins to pace before me. “My life is a lot more complicated than you know. Just because I’m heir to Ace Corps doesn’t mean I have it all; I don’t.”
He holds my gaze. “I never had a normal childhood. Since I was born, I was raised a certain way. I didn’t enjoy the things children and teenagers my age enjoyed…” Alec’s eyes cloud and I can tell he’s no longer here. He’s thinking back to his boring childhood. A twinge of pity swirls in my belly.
“I managed to convince my parents that I wanted to study in New York because I wanted to know how it feels to be a normal person. In France, no one ever spoke to me like a friend. Everyone was my subject, and it was hard to have a normal conversation because everyone was trying to get in my favor. It was exhausting.”
He starts to pace again. “My parents agreed that after school, I return home to take over the company and marry Eve Sicily.”
At the mention of the brunette beauty I saw on TV, my heart breaks again. “It was in New York that I met Riley, and he changed my life.” A smile crosses Alec’s face.
“He was the first person I knew who treated me as an equal. Riley would buy me a meal without expecting anything in return. He would flare up and get upset with me, hit me, and make silly jokes, all of which were new to me. I knew it was because he didn’t know who I was, so I decided to keep it that way.”
“On school breaks, when I would go to France, I counted each day until I had to return to New York. I led two different lives, but my life here in New York is the happy version of me. I was scared that if I told Riley, then things would change.”
“And then what about me?” I ask, shaking my head.
Alec kneels before me and takes my hand in his. “I’ve always had feelings for you, Jasmine. And this is one of the reasons I didn’t want to get involved with you. It was too complicated, and I wasn’t ready to deal with all of it yet. Until I finally had you.”
He raises my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to the inside part of my wrist. “I swear I was going to tell you. I was just bidding for a good time…”
“Alec, stop.” I try to push him away. “You knew you were supposed to marry Eve, so why did you start a relationship with me? You led me on.”
“You see this?” Alec touches the promise ring on my finger. “It’s not just an art piece; it’s a promise.”
“What do you mean?”
“The only reason I went on that date with Eve was to break things off with her. It's not like there was anything between us in the first place.”
My heart expands in my chest. “What?”
“Yes.” He nods. “Marrying her would do us both a great disservice. I won’t be happy, and neither will she. Eve deserves someone who truly loves her.”
I stare into Alec’s eyes, wondering how to make sense of this new information. There’s a lot to consider, but his breaking things off with Eve seems like a huge compromise.
“Why do you want to be with me, Alec? Eve’s parents are billionaires; I’m sure that’s why your family wants you both together. I don’t—”
“You’re right.” He nods. “Absolutely. A marriage between Eve and I will cause an alliance between the two most powerful business brands in France. It’s a business transaction; that’s all it is.”
“You see?” I shake my head. “I cannot offer you that. I’m a broke graduate who doesn’t even know the next step to take in her life. You’d be better off with Eve.”
“I’m better off with you,” Alec insists. “I don’t care about the money. I care about you. I love you.”
It doesn’t matter how often I hear this confession; it brings me to my knees each time. “Alec…”
“It’s true.” He lowers himself onto the space beside me. “I want you to trust me and hold my hand. Eve means nothing to me; you’re the one I love.”
“But your parents—”
“I already told them about you and—”
“What?” I freeze in shock. “What did you tell them?”
“I told them it’s you I love and want to marry.”
“And I guess they weren’t too happy about that, were they? ”
Alec lowers his gaze, and I get my answer before he even says anything. “That’s because they haven’t met you.”
I pull away from him and am about to walk away feeling hurt when Alec grabs my arms. “Let’s go to France.”
“What?” My eyes widen as I turn to him.
“Yes.” His eyes harden. “I want my parents to meet you. I’m very sure they will love you.”