Chapter Two

Jasper's expression remained calm in the face of her question, and even when he finally spoke, "I need a wife to deal with family affairs. Sometimes I need to be present at some occasions with a wife by my side.” He shrugged casually, like this was all nothing to him, “If you can be this person, then I'll help you carry out any form of revenge that you need."

He didn't even sound like he was proposing to her, more like he was explaining the terms of a deal with her. And the more he spoke, the more familiar he seemed. Like she had met him once in a lifetime.

But it didn't matter how well he proposed the terms of the relationship, or if he was going get to help her carry out her revenge, or the very fact that Antonio was a complete scumbag, the fact remained that there was no way she was going to be able to devote herself to Jasper D'Angelo without the psychological burden of being with Antonio these past years.

Love didn't exactly work that way. And her feelings for her ex had never been a lie.

This was certainly no child's play.

And there was something else weighing heavily on her chest…something that even greatly outweighed the heart break she felt.

If she rejected Jasper now, the theft accusation Flora filed against her would fall through.

Once the company lawyers pushed it forward, she wouldn’t just lose her reputation, she would actually get arrested.

Like actual prison.

And her mother’s surgery would never happen.

So she thought about it from a different angle and considered the fact that being entangled with someone like Jasper, with his social status, was not a loss.

In fact…it was probably the only way she would survive.

But the more she thought and stayed quiet, the more Jasper's impatience grew.

"Look, I do not have all the time in the world to wait for you to make your decision. If you aren't willing, you can go and be on your way."

Jasmine bit her lower lip and shook her head. If she left here without saying yes, she had no idea who else was going to help her take her revenge.

Or pay the hospital bills stacked in her bag…or even clear her criminal charge.

So finally, she stifled her hesitation –and the mild humiliation she felt– and nodded.

"Alright then. I agree. I’ll be your mistress.”

Jasper smiled in satisfaction and tapped the desk with his fingers, "Great. I'll send someone over to you as early as 9:30 in the morning. He’ll take you to the Civil Affairs Bureau so we can finalize this deal as soon as possible.” He raised a perfectly carved brow at her and said sternly, “Don't be late."

She nodded obediently, despite misgivings within her heart. She had no idea what the future would hold after they left that civil affairs bureau building tomorrow.

Before she could leave, he calmly said,

“Your mother’s hospital information. Send it to my assistant.”

She froze in place.

“What… why?”

“The surgery will be paid for today,” he said flatly, like it meant nothing.

But her throat tightened instantly.

He was solving the one problem that had kept her awake every night.

She didn’t even know how to thank him. But he didn’t seem to care for her gratitude, he had already looked away.

But he looked away because if he looked at her any longer, he might remember too much.

That rainy night.

That little girl who had saved him and disappeared.

And the more he looked at Jasmine… the more certain he became they were the same person.

The next day came, and just as Jasper said, his assistant came to pick her up and took her to the civil affairs bureau. The legal formalities of their ‘relationship’ were concluded quickly, and in a few hours she was legally bound to Mr. D'angelo.

She was his mistress.

But while the entire thing was surreal to Jasmine, Jasper strode out of the building like nothing had happened. He just put on his glasses when he stepped out into the sun and made his way to his car. But before he could get in, Jasmine tugged at the hem of his jacket and made him turn to her, "President D'angelo, I just want to remind you of the contract we have.” She wanted to say more, but didn’t. His gloomy face was somewhat intimidating.

He leaned closer to her so that she caught a good whiff of his cologne. And in a voice that was low and as silky as loose butter, he whispered, “From now on, you are Mine, Jasmine.” He breathed out possessively, and it made Jasmine’s breath catch. “You will do well to not forget."

“I won’t.” Jasmine whispered.

Then he added in more quietly, almost dangerous tone,

“And while you’re with me, no one touches you. Not your ex. Not anyone. You belong under my protection.”

She nodded quickly. “Of course.”

"Good. Go ahead and gather the perfume samples and all the necessary information about them and give them to my assistant. I'll help you arrange them."

"Alright." she said, heaving out a breath and forcing herself to ask for something else that mattered to her right at that moment, "I just have one more request.”

He arched a brow again, in that intimidating fashion. But she knew he was listening.

“I need to ask that you don't make our… relationship official just yet. Please." she didn't know how he would interpret her request and quickly added, "There are some things…some personal affairs that I need to get sorted out. So all I need is a little time."

She needed to confront the people who framed her. She needed to prove she didn’t steal my own formula…

She couldn't tell, through the glasses he wore, whether he was angry or not, and waited in trepidation for his reply,

"Later by 6:00pm, be over at D'angelo Inc. If I’m n not there when you arrive, Wait for me"

"Alright," She didn’t argue. Instead she nodded, and released a breath of relief as she watched him get into the car and drive away.

She couldn’t help but feel like there was a big war that was waiting for her in the near future.

A war for her name, for her freedom and her mother’s life.

And her entanglement with Jasper was going to be her weapon.

But suppressing those thoughts, she went to the mall and got a designer suit, before making her way to Luigi Inc.

Between yesterday and that moment, Antonio had called her close to thirty times. But she responded to one of those calls.

She would make sure Antonio had a taste of his own medicine.

When she got to Luigi Inc. Antonio's assistant, Giovanni, rushed out to meet her at the entrance, "Ah! There you are! Antonio has been running mad looking for you!"

She was aiming for his insanity to be honest. it was crazy really, that she had worked as a free laborer for two years. So much so that even a janitor had a higher rank in this company than she did. How else was Antonio able to call her and request for her and become barking mad when she was MIA for only a few hours?

He had not seen anything just yet. There were things coming that were going to make him lose his damn mind.

With a 'humph' she walked past the assistant into the company, her head high. Aside from Antonio, Giovanni, and her friend, Flora, no one else knew that she was the one responsible for the highest-paid perfumes that were being created in the company.

But everyone else saw Flora as the one responsible. No one saw or cared for the sweat and dedication he put into the company.

She never really cared for the praise or recognition. But now, she just wanted those pair of scumbags that hurt her to pay.

When she got to Antonio's door, she heard his uproar from within, "how can you say that you don't know where she is? Quickly find her if you know what is good for you!"

Jasmine rolled her eyes at the sound of him and could bet anything he was shouting at her assistant, Maria. It was time to get her out of the lion's den.

She knocked softly on the door and opened it up, as soon as she entered, Antonio's eyes fell on her and he rounded on her, "Where have you been? I've been calling you since yesterday?"

She squinted angrily at him. The son of a gun had been cheating on her and still had the audacity to shout at her.

She liked to believe that she had good temper management, but still found herself responding to him angrily, "I like to believe that my life is solely mine and I have the free will to go anyway I wish with.”