LOGINJasmineThis isn’t normal; it can’t be.Oddly, I don’t feel weird or put off about getting to know him under different circumstances.“Faye,” I say warmly, hand stretched out towards him. “Faye Sinclair.”I don’t dare say, Jasmine.The warmth of his hand seeps into mine the moment our palms make contact.A sharp jolt surges through my entire body, every nerve twitching as his somewhat mesmerised gaze holds mine.“Vladimir,” he responds, his lips lowering to my hand. “Vladimir Kensington.” He says, then his breath scorches my hand as his lips press softly against my skin.My breath catches in my throat; my hand retreats in a sudden pull at his gesture. This may be pretend, but my mind clearly doesn’t feel that way.He lets out a scoff, drawing my eyes back to him.“Are you immune to touch or generally uncomfortable with men?”“Excuse you!” I snap back immediately. “I don’t think it’s polite to kiss a lady you just met.”“I didn’t kiss you. Miss Faye.” His brows knit together.My cheeks
Jasmine I don’t know why I’m doing this, but I’m doing it. ‘Hey, Walter. I just wanted to check in. I hope you’re okay and work is going great. Everything is fine on my end.’ Send. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent that. My grip tightens around the phone as I watch the message tick once for sent and twice for delivered. “Great, it’s a masked ball,” Vladimir’s voice forces my gaze away from my phone as he walks towards me, who’s leaning by the door of the car, waiting for him for the past five minutes. Cherry’s SUV was accompanied by two security cars, while ours stopped a few blocks from the event because Vladimir had to confirm something. “Masked bal-, what does that mean?” I ask stupidly, trying to hide how my heart begins to thunder in my chest because I almost feel guilty texting Walter right now. Wait… what?He stops in front of me… too closely, and I lean back even further, trying to avoid any other lipstick-flavor check, even though I haven’t gotten over the last one. “It m
Jasmine Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but what the fuck? I look amazing! This is the best I’ve seen myself in my whole life! If I weren’t the one who put myself in this dress, shoes, and makeup, then maybe I would have doubted that I was the reflection I see in the mirror. My smile widens so much my cheeks hurt. I swirl around in the mirror again, just to see the whole of me, and that open lower back, connected by white pearls resting softly on my waist, isn’t the only highlight of this Maroon dress. It’s almost disturbing that he knows my exact fit. A floor-length, sleeveless mermaid silhouette, and my first-ever gold accessories. Earrings, necklace, bangles, finger rings, and even an ankle bracelet. And let's not forget the fancy black ribbon to hold my curly hair in a messy bun. Of course I’m not letting my hair fall straight just because he said he liked it. I roll my eyes at my reflection, still adjusting myself to see how breathtaking the back view is. If only W
Vladimir “Sir, did you say he was attacked by a robber?” The officer asks again, clearly looking at my bruised knuckles while my face remains stone cold. “What’s your name?” I ask, and I catch the way his eyes light up. “Detective Seung, sir,” he responds, trying eagerly to hold my gaze.“Right. Seung,” I smile at him. “Did I stutter when I said he was attacked by a robber, or do you want to confirm with your head of department. What’s his name again…” I stall for a moment. “Chief Park. He called me this morning and said if I had any trouble, I should update him.” His throat bobs. “He was robbed, Seung. Do you have a problem with my testimony?” I raise a brow, keeping my expression as cold as possible. He looks at my knuckles again, contemplating whether he would like to keep his job or his mouth shut. And I give him credit for that, because it almost takes him thirteen solid seconds to chose he likes his job and whatever he’s being paid. That’s a new record. “Okay, sir, thank
Jasmine My breath catches in my throat as my eyes snap open. I jolt upright, gasping for air like I’ve been pulled out of a nightmare, but I don’t remember what happened. My eyes scan the room, which is only lit by the dim night lamp. Then comes the burst of thunder and the sound of the heavy downpour, which must have woken me up. My hands spread across the sheets as that enticing, heavy scent of his oud cologne hits my senses, but the space beside me is empty. My fingers brush against a cold object, which turns out to be my phone. The screen flickers on, displaying 2:00 AM, half the display glitching black before Face ID unlocks the device. It opens straight to my call log as I desperately try to push back what feels like a distant nightmare, but seeing the name ASSHOLE as my last outgoing call sends a harsh wave of goosebumps across my skin. Instantly, the terrifying memory of Han Ji trapped on top of me comes rushing back, immediately followed by the bloody image of Vladimir b
Jasmine I thought I knew what fear was, thought I’d seen the worst situation that could ever happen, but I was wrong. There’s nothing more terrifying than knowing what’s about to happen, but your limbs give out on you while you’re conscious. My pulse is in my ear, my eyes searching for anything that I can use to defend myself, while I scream at the top of my lungs as I’m being pulled by the ankle toward him. “Stop! Get the hell away from me! I continue to scream, but there’s nothing more I can do. The look on his face makes my stomach twist. Han Ji! He’s excited, the wildest smirk on his lips as I try to struggle but obviously can’t. He crawls on top of me, hands pressed on both sides of my head, keeping me locked between him. Goosebumps erupt across my skin as irritation coats me like a second skin. “What’s wrong, princess? Never had a man on top of you before?” he grins like a maniac, while my heart almost explodes in my chest. “W—Wait… Wait,” I stutter breathlessly. “You d







