Chapter 3

As the sun peeked over the horizon and Adele's catchy tune "Hello" filled my room, I begrudgingly answered my blaring phone. My voice sounded groggy as I croaked out a hesitant "Hello?" into the receiver.

"ARE YOU STILL ASLEEP?" Jasper's voice boomed through the line, catching me off guard and making me jump in bed. Irritated by his sudden outburst, I snapped back, "Jeez! What the hell are you yelling for?"

"We were supposed to meet today!" He replied impatiently.

I glanced at my watch and realized it was only 9:00 am. I couldn't understand why he was in such a rush. It wouldn't take all day to meet his friends, would it?

Before I could respond, he interrupted, "Just be ready in 30 minutes. I'm coming to pick you up." And with that, he abruptly hung up.

"Well, good morning to you, too," I muttered under my breath, reluctantly dragging myself out of my warm, cozy bed.

In a frenzy, I hastily threw on some clothes, took a quick shower, and let my hair air dry. I brushed my teeth, applied minimal makeup, and slipped on my beloved purple Converse sneakers. As I was tying my shoelaces, I heard a blaring horn outside. I rolled my eyes, knowing it was Jasper getting impatient.

"Enough with the honking!" I yelled as I stormed out of my house. Jasper looked dashing in his dark blue t-shirt that brought out his mesmerizing blue eyes, paired with khaki pants. Despite my annoyance, I couldn't deny his good looks. He flashed me a charming smile before honking again, teasingly. Annoyed, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut.

"Hey!" Jasper protested, "be gentle with my baby, won't you!?" I shot him a withering glare, still annoyed at his impatience. He shook his head and revved up the engine, and we sped off towards our destination.

"Did I say 'start'? Scratch that, he took off like a rocket, effortlessly weaving through traffic. As I struggled with my seat belt, I couldn't help but admire his fearless driving. I decided against telling him to slow down, knowing he would only go faster to provoke me.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he pulled over on a street lined with high-end fashion boutiques.

"We're going shopping!" He grinned at me, his excitement contagious.

Although I couldn't help but wonder how I would afford anything without a dime to my name, I kept my concerns to myself. It dawned on me that I didn't have to shop; he could indulge in his spending spree alone.

"I don't really need anything," I told him. "You didn't wake me up this early just to be your shopping buddy, did you?"

He looked at me incredulously and exclaimed, "You must be joking! Look at what you're wearing—a faded purple t-shirt. My girlfriend, no, the girl I plan to marry would never wear something like that. Consider this shopping trip my treat."

I stared at him in disbelief, caught off guard by his audacity. True, my t-shirt may have been a bit worn out, but it was my favorite. Who did he think he was, judging my clothing choices?

"I don't need you to buy clothes for me," I objected.

Jasper rolled his eyes, a condescending smirk on his face. "Oh, don't be so modest, darling. Think of it as your work uniform!"

That was it. I was furious. He was going to pay for his arrogance. I stormed out of the car, slamming the door with all my might. Jasper muttered a curse under his breath as we walked into the store.

As I browsed through the racks, a blonde, slim salesgirl approached us, casting flirtatious glances at Jasper. He reciprocated, and it was clear that they were smitten with each other. I couldn't believe my eyes, and my anger grew.

I politely interrupted their mutual admiration and declared, "We're looking for some chic attire. Something stylish."

Jasper raised an eyebrow, amused by my sudden assertiveness, while I smiled sweetly.

"Sure thing! Just let me know your size, and I'll find some great options for you," the salesgirl, Matilda, said, her attention still focused on Jasper as if I was invisible.

"Um, size 8?" I said tentatively, feeling belittled.

Despite her reluctance to part from Jasper's company, Matilda eventually obliged and went to fetch some clothes in my size. Meanwhile, Jasper began rummaging through the racks, grabbing items in a careless manner. He handed me a worn-out red t-shirt, which I couldn't fathom wearing. Not only was it in tatters, but it was also hardly decent enough to be seen in public!

"I can't wear that!" I protested firmly.

Jasper looked puzzled. "Why not? It looks cool!"

I shook my head and explained my reservations, which left him crestfallen.

Soon after, Matilda returned with a vibrant selection of clothes. She handed me a stunning red cowl-neck top that instantly caught my eye. However, the exorbitant price tag made me gasp; it would likely deplete my food budget for the next two weeks! With regret, I put it back on the rack.

Jasper, however, was undeterred and insisted I try on everything he had picked out. He eagerly handed me a pile of shirts and an astonishing eight pairs of jeans to top it all off.

I used to despise trying on clothes, it was a real annoyance for me. But there I was, reluctantly making my way to the fitting room, already knowing what would and wouldn't look good on me. I pushed aside the rack of yellow clothes, a color that never seemed to suit me, and picked up a purple top instead. As I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I was taken aback. The top was simple yet stunning, and I instantly fell in love with it, not even bothering to check the price tag. My shopping reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Have you found anything you like?" Jasper's voice echoed through the door, and I stepped out to see his eyes widen in admiration. "Oh, definitely getting that one," he said with a grin. I handed Matilda the pile of yellow clothes, not wanting to dwell on them as they clashed horribly with my hair. Matilda gave me a disapproving look before grabbing some other items. We continued in this way, with me trying on different outfits and Jasper giving his approval or disapproval. Surprisingly, we were in agreement on almost everything. By the time we left the store, my stomach was grumbling with hunger.

Jasper shot me a knowing smirk, his eyes glinting with mischief. "What's up? Skipping breakfast today? Did I rush you out of bed too quickly?"

I felt a pang of embarrassment as I didn't want to admit that my kitchen was empty. I brushed it off with a casual shrug. "No worries, I'm fine."

He flashed me a sympathetic smile. "My bad. Let's go get you some breakfast."

We walked leisurely to a charming cafe, leaving our bags in Jasper's car. As soon as I sat down, the mouth-watering aroma of sausages being cooked filled the air. I couldn't resist, and I ended up ordering three fluffy pancakes, a rich mocha, and indulgent chocolate waffles. I hadn't been eating well lately, so I savored the chance to indulge. Jasper looked astonished as I asked for more sausages.

"You definitely have an impressive appetite," he teased.

I reasoned with myself that if I ate enough now, I wouldn't have to worry about food for the rest of the day. Plus, I had always had a healthy appetite. When we finished, Jasper generously paid the bill, and we headed to the shoe store.

Jasper's contagious enthusiasm was palpable as he helped me pick out shoes. It felt invigorating to spend time shopping, something I hadn't done in a long time. Suddenly, my phone rang, and my heart sank as I saw the caller ID. It was the nursing home. I answered quickly, trying to maintain my composure, aware that Jasper was nearby.

"Hello?" I picked up the ringing phone.

"Ms. Levine, just a-" the voice on the other end started, but I cut her off.

"Mrs. Hansley, I'll have the money for you today," I interjected.

"Really?" Mrs. Hansley's pleasantly surprised response came through the receiver. "Thank you, dear. I appreciate your promptness."

"I'm happy to help," I assured her. "It's no trouble at all. You're just doing your job, and I'll make sure to take care of my payments."

After ending the call, I caught Jasper's curious gaze. Flashing him a smile, I asked, "Would it be possible to get an advance?"

He raised his eyebrows but quickly replied, "Sure." Together, we stowed the bag of shoes with the clothes in his car and set off.

"Please tell me we're finished shopping," I groaned, feeling exhausted.

"We are," he confirmed, starting the car.

"Where to?" I inquired.

"My place," he said, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"I need to give you the advance, and to make it more convincing, we should live together," he explained. "Plus, my friends want to meet you."

I mulled over the situation, wondering what I had gotten myself into. Nevertheless, he had a point, and I had no other choice. As we drove in silence, I couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical about living with him. We eventually arrived at his home, and I gazed around the luxurious neighborhood. It was evident that Jasper had refined taste. I turned and saw him struggling with the bags. Without wasting much time, I went to help him. Together, we went into his well-kept house, and as I stepped into the room, I carefully placed the bags cradled in my arms onto the polished floor.

As I glanced around the interior, I was pleasantly surprised. Despite being a bachelor living alone, Jasper took obvious pride in maintaining his space immaculately.

"Your place is quite impressive," I remarked, nodding my head in approval.

Jasper let out a sigh of relief and kicked off his shoes, one flying off to the right and the other to the left. Without bothering to place them on the shoe rack, he went to the fridge and began unloading his stash of beer that he had picked up on the way back.

"Feeling hungry?" he asked, turning to me.

I shook my head in response, prompting a shrug from him as he retrieved something from the fridge and popped it into the microwave to heat up.

"Hey, my friends will be here soon, why don't you freshen up and change into this?" he tossed a bag my way, and I gasped upon seeing the beautiful cowl-neck top that I had previously admired but couldn't afford.

"It's stunning, but I really need to hurry to the nursing home," I said, realizing that I needed to return quickly before Jasper's friends arrived.

"Take all the time you need, but hold on, I almost forgot something," he stated, reaching into his pocket and handing me the money. "This is the advance you required, no strings attached."

As I counted the cash, I felt appreciative of Jasper's generosity, which would cover my mother's expenses for three weeks. I couldn't help but grin at his kindness.

Jasper suggested, "Managing your expenses can go a long way in solving some of your problems." Unfortunately, he had to ruin the almost perfect day that had been pleasant until then.

"I'll seek your guidance when I require it. Until then, please refrain from offering unsolicited opinions," I retorted, hastily retreating to the bathroom and slamming the door behind me. To calm myself down, I splashed water on my face a few times.

"Stay composed, Cassandra! Remember, he's just a self-centered and wealthy jerk. His conduct is unlikely to change, and he doesn't care about you. He showered you with those presents only to uphold his reputation in front of his acquaintances," I reminded myself sternly.

After giving myself an empowering pep talk, I swiftly slipped into a gorgeous red top that I knew was worth every penny. I took the time to style my hair and apply some kohl and lip gloss. When Jasper caught sight of me, he was taken aback, nearly dropping his beer can. I smirked confidently, grabbed my bag, and made my way out.

"I won't be long, honey," I sneered, as I headed for the door.

"Come back soon!" Jasper called after me, but I was already on my way, checking my watch with a sense of urgency.