Se connecterJasmineI didn’t say a word. I just stood there watching her.“Oh!” Cassandra smiled sheepishly, her cheeks flushing a light pink as she stood in the doorway. “I didn’t know you were coming, sister, or I’d have made plans for you. Please, come in.”I looked past her shoulder at the cramped, dimly lit interior of her apartment, then shook my head. “I don’t want to.”“Oh.” She lowered her eyes, her shoulders slumping. “Okay. But I’d really like for you to sit down. I could make something for you... some ramen? It’s really all I have at home right now.”“I’m not here for dinner,” I said. “I’m just here to talk. What is your real name? Where did you grow up? Who put you up to this?”Cassandra bowed her head, her fingers twisting together nervously. “My name is Cassandra Vance, but you can call me Cassie.”I could have sworn I saw a twinkle of mischief in those blue eyes, but it was gone before I could be sure.“And nobody put me up to anything. I’m just...” She sniffled, her bottom lip tr
Jasmine[TRANSCRIPT: LATE-NIGHT LIVE STREAM — @CassieVance_Official]“...I didn’t ask to be born, you know? (sniffles, dabs eyes with a tissue). I just... I grew up in a two-bedroom apartment, working two retail jobs just to pay for my mom’s medicine. And all the while, my biological father’s name was on skyscrapers. I didn’t want his money. I just wanted him. I just wanted a father, like every little girl. But now he’s gone. And when I reached out to my older sister, Jasmine... (voice cracks, looks directly into the camera with wide, trembling eyes and unshed tears) she didn’t even bother with me. Her lawyers threatened me. They told me they’d destroy my life if I ever spoke his name. She has billions. Billions! And she wants me to hide in the dark like I’m a mistake. Like my life doesn't matter. But all I’ve ever wanted was a father. Can I not want that?…”[TRANSCRIPT: THE DAILY SHOWCASE INTERVIEW]“...Yes, this DNA report is fully authenticated. It’s right here. Anyone can look up
JasmineI rolled over for the hundredth time, the sheets twisting around my legs. The bedroom was dead quiet, save for the hum of the air conditioner, but my mind was screaming.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.I saw him stepping in front of me at my first public appearance, shielding me from Jason with his whole frame. It was the first time I had gotten a whiff of his cologne—that deep, comforting mix of ocean breeze and cedarwood.I felt the comforting weight of his arm wrapped around my hips, pulling me close. I remembered the exact, warm pressure of his fingers rubbing my knee during that agonizing television interview, silently grounding me when I started desperately rubbing my arm.I remembered the look in his chocolate-brown eyes when he pulled my fingers to his lips and softly kissed them. The image of his face under the soft, glowing lights in the night market was forever etched in my memory.How could I ever not like this man?A sharp, ragged sob caught in my throat,
Sebastian“She’s completely head over heels for you, Sebastian,” Laura’s voice had echoed through my phone earlier that morning. “Stop playing chess. Just go tell her.”Those words were the green light I had been waiting for. I was done waiting, done playing the patient ally, done pretending my chest didn’t ache every time she looked at me.I cleared out her favorite restaurant—the small, candlelit bistro overlooking the river—ensuring the doors were locked to the public. Just her, me, and the soft sounds of the water outside.Now, sitting across from her at our corner table, the flickering candlelight caught the golden flecks in her hazel eyes. But something was wrong. She was too quiet. Her shoulders were tense, and she kept staring down at her glass, tracing the rim over and over.I reached across the table, my fingers gently brushing against her wrist until she finally looked up.“Jasmine, look at me,” I said softly. My heart was beating a frantic, erratic rhythm against my ribs.
Jasmine“I mean, Sterling stock is down another four percent this morning, and Jason looked completely unhinged in that televised clip,” Laura said, taking a sip from her glass as we lay flat on our stomachs across my bed, a bottle of champagne sitting between us. “They are absolutely miserable.”She turned her head to look at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Does that make you happy?”“Hell yeah,” I answered excitedly, and we both burst into a fit of breathless laughter, rolling across the sheets and almost spilling the champagne. I had to scramble to lift my glass so I wouldn’t ruin my white duvet. “You think I’m going to say no, that I pity him? I’m no saint.”When we finally quieted down, I rolled onto my side, bopped Laura’s nose, and asked, “So, what’s happening with you and Marcus?”Laura’s face turned apple red, and she lowered her gaze. “I think Marcus is going to pop the question soon. I can feel it, although he is kinda shy.”“Marcus has never struck me as the shy typ
Jasmine“No, absolutely not that shade of gold,” Laura barked, waving off the makeup artist who was currently holding a shadow palette over my face. “It clashes with the emerald undertones. We need a soft champagne. Something that complements her hazel eyes without screaming for attention.”I sat helplessly in the vanity chair, staring at my reflection while a team of three people fussed over me. One was working on my thick, curly hair, pulling it into an elegant updo while leaving a few loose tendrils to frame my face.Laura, meanwhile, was rummaging through my walk-in closet.“Laura, please,” I groaned, wincing slightly as a bobby pin dug into my scalp. “It’s a small charity fundraiser. Why am I being subjected to all of this?” I gestured to the group of women.“Because,” Laura said, marching back into the room holding a garment bag like a trophy, “your ex-husband just spent the last forty-eight hours making a complete, unhinged fool of himself on national television. This is your f
Jason“Smile, Jason,” Victoria hissed under her breath, her fingers digging into the sleeve of my tuxedo. “The cameras on the left are watching us.”I loosened my jaw, plastering a stiff, practiced smile across my face as we walked down the red carpet of the Grand Imperial Gala. Flashbulbs went off
Jason“Are you that dumb, Jason?” Eleanor screamed. This was the first time I had seen her in a state of disarray. She was always perfect, not a hair out of place. Now, her clothes were damp, and her hair was sticking to her forehead as she paced the marble floor of the foyer. The storm outside was
JasmineThe car was still on the inside, but outside, it was the complete opposite. The rain lashed against the bulletproof windows, blurring my view of the city.And then I finally broke.The cold mask I had worn in the penthouse and on the driveway crumbled. I pulled my knees to my chest, buried
JasmineThe background jazz music was soothing as it wafted through the large dining hall. I found myself humming along until…“Another glass of the Dom Pérignon, Madame Sterling?” the waiter asked in a thick French accent, tilting the bottle. “Mr. Sterling is delayed, but there is no reason the ni







