Chapter One

PROLOGUE

The hospital corridor smelled nothing like flowers.

It smelled like antiseptic and the fear of the patients in here.

It smelled Like the bills she couldn’t afford.

Jasmine Romano stood outside the ward with a thin white envelope crushed tightly in her trembling hands. The paper was already wrinkled from how hard she had been squeezing it.

Outstanding balance: €86,400.

If the payment wasn’t completed within 72 hours, her mother’s treatment would be stop.

Her vision blurred.

Inside the room, her mother slept quietly while the machines beeped. She had oxygen tubes running beneath her nose, and her chest rose and fell rising weakly like every breath she took was borrowed.

Seventy-two hours.

That was all the time the hospital gave to find the money she needed to pay.

Jasmine pressed her forehead against the cold wall and swallowed the sob clawing up her throat.

“I’ll fix this, Mama,” she whispered. “I promise.”

Meanwhile, Across Venice, in the top floor of D’Angelo Inc., a man watched the rain slide down the glass walls of his office.

Jasper D’Angelo rarely remembered the past.

It was useless. Weak.

But when Jasmine suddenly reappeared on his life, he was forced to remember her.

Her scent filled his mind as she watched him with tears streaked eyes.

He felt like he had known those eyes, once upon a time. And he was so caught up in those familiar eyes that possibly belonged to the girl who once saved him, that he failed to truly pay attention to the video she played on her phone.

“Antonio, my love.” The woman in the video cooed, “Tell me, do you love me, or that piece of scum jasmine?" the woman asked, her voice a low catlike purr, set to entice the hearer,

"Oh, baby girl, you should know without needing to ask that I only love you. Jasmine is a woman without any style. And once the perfume competitions are done tomorrow, she'll be out of our lives for good."

"I love you, Antonio. This is why you are the absolute best."

At this point, the video was paused.

Jasmine put away her phone, and with reddened eyes, and a constricted throat, she finally spoke, "That is Antonio Luigi, the president of Luigi Inc. and also my boyfriend for the past five years."

She sniffed and continued, "When he started his company, I wanted nothing more than to support him. I worked in the laboratory without any desire for a salary, but to see him thrive. I wanted to build an empire with him.”

Her lips trembled.

“But just this afternoon, I caught him cheating on him."

She tried to hold it in, but her voice still cackled.

“And while I was dealing with that… the hospital called me. My mother collapsed this morning. The doctors said she needs surgery immediately.”

Her fingers tightened around her bag.

“I don’t have the money, Mr. Jasper. I don’t even have half.”

Silence filled the office.

"So… I tried to sell one of my perfume formulas privately to raise money."

She swallowed hard.

"Flora –the girl in the video– found out. She stole the formula, reported me to the company, and told everyone I was trying to steal intellectual property. They filed a complaint."

Her eyes reddened further.

"If it goes through… I could be arrested for theft."

Even saying it made her chest tighten.

Prison.

And her sick mother would be alone. They were all each other had.

From the other side of the desk, Jasper lifted his gaze and laid it on her coldly.

But for a split second, his eyes sharpened.

Because the moment she said her name… something stirred in his memory.

A small girl.

There was rain, blood… and someone shielding him when he was young.

The resemblance was unsettling.

"How is it that you need me to help you?" he asked calmly.

She bit her lower lip, stifling her tears.

"Mr. Jasper… please, please help me make them pay. I'll do anything you want."

From the other side of the desk, Jasper lifted his gaze and laid it on her coldly.

"How is it that you need me to help you?"

She bit her lower lip, and managed to stifle her tears before speaking,

"There will be a national perfume competition tomorrow, and I am aware that your company will be entering. There is a perfume that I have worked on and researched on for months now. I'd like to join your team. With that perfume."

“It’s the same formula they’re accusing me of stealing. Because it’s mine.”

Jasper was not impressed by her offer, and the lazy way he spoke to her told her as much.

"D'Angelo Inc. has already decided on the perfumes that it wants to be entered… miss."

She gulped with effort but didn’t back down. Antonio and his lover really had to pay, "I know that. But you could also enter my perfume as a substitute, Mr. D'Angelo."

"You're still a new perfumer." Jasper said unhurriedly, "And so, you can always enter the competition without being under a company. My company doesn’t need to enter with your perfume"

D'Angelo Inc. was a very important perfume company and had been the only one she could think of to carry out her plan. So she might have been for a moment, but she was not deterred.

"Okay. But consider this. Should the perfume I present not be suitable for you, then you are free to take the copyright of all the perfumes I produce for the next two years. Does that work?"

But even the sincerity in her expression seemed to leave him unfazed and she was slowly losing her footing.

Even then, she still tried.

"Mr. D'Angelo, as long as you accept my proposal, I promise that I'll do whatever you want."

At her words, Jasper raised a brow.

"Anything, miss Romano?"

She nodded enthusiastically,

His gaze lingered on her face again. He was studying her more closely now, like he was confirming something only he understood.

"And if my ultimatum was for you to be my

Mistress?" he asked without missing a beat, but he might have as well punched her in the gut,

"What… what did you say?"

"You said you'd do whatever I asked. Well, I'm asking you to be my mistress," he said, his patience slowly waning. Why was the girl acting as if she had never heard the word Mistress before?

"I.."

"of course, if you wish not to. Then you can be on your merry way."

She clenched her fists.

He was asking her to become his whore. Indignation and humiliation flared up and she almost refuted his offer.

She thought of Antonio and Flora laughing behind her back.

The theft accusation, the police report and most especially – Her mother’s surgery bill.

“And if I… become your mistress, you really promise to help me make that scumbag pay for hurting me?"

"You promise to clear the charges against me… and pay for my mother’s treatment?"

“That’s the deal.” He said coolly.

But as cool as he was, she didn’t think he was lying.

But she was undoubtedly surprised by his offer though.

After all, Jasper D'Angelo was handsome and crisp. With the body of a male body, and an aura that left the whole of Italy longing for him. And he wanted to be with her?

That was too much for her to take in, let alone, believe.

She pinched her side to be sure that she was not dreaming. And the pain she felt told her that she was indeed awake. Very much so.

She opened her mouth to finally speak,

"But, Mr. D'Angelo, why in the world would you want me?"

For the first time, Jasper didn’t answer immediately.

Because the truth was… he wasn’t sure if this was coincidence or fate.

But he had a strong feeling this woman was the girl who once saved his life.

And this time around… he wasn’t letting her get away from him.