CHAPTER TWD – THE CONFRONTATION
“Shih, don’t say that “There was a quale of movement from the other side of the dost an ts, no doubt, moved closer tooller not to her husband, Jasmine’s husband. “You wer young and got caught up in the whibend. Anyone could have made that mistake.”
“Young and stupidu nove like it.” Doan’s self–deprecating tone squeezed jasmine’s aching bout: “ mapped myself in a lila news truly wanted, and now I’ve draped you intothis mess as well. You deserve so much better, Lila”
“Hey.. Lila’s voice was little more than a whisper “We’re in this together. I chose to be with you, no matter how complicated things got. Tecause what we have one in atte
There were no more words after that, only the undeniable sounds of a passionate kiss Tips moving feverishly together, hands roaning over fabric in desperate coeurs. The Intimacy of those roses she had shared matten with Ethumpierced Jamie’s soul like a twisting dir
Tho wam’s just sorne harmless flotation or emotional attais. He husband and his cooker
carrying on old romance right here in this offios, as the reality crashed
her, Jasmine had to dump a tremblinghand over her mouth is sille the anguished sab that threatenedto burst forth
Tears blurred her vision, but she couldn’t bear to move for that spec, to leave and accept that her marriage had disintegrated into shards of betrayal.
She remained form, gated by the are callin Ethan’s word about her and their life together. So many years, semuany memories and dreams, all meaningless to him now. Tally, when she could no longer held back the current of game named and warbled kindly back towards the altEL
She didn’t know where she was going, the just had to get out of this place that now represented her unravelingreality.
The spacious lobby tired dizzying an ound her as she fought for steadying breath. Her feed her woodenly towards the revolving door, one shaky step after another
“bra. Delamets Kayla’s concerned volo cut through the leg. “Str. Delacroix, and you alright?”
Jamie squadher eyes shut,cing the treacherous tears to halt their desce down her cheek.
Slowly, sheared to face the bright–red receptionist who had been so encouraging about her romantic lunchtime plans just minutes ag. What are that all soomed now. “Th…I’m fine, kayla. Thank you” The bald–shes on her vorgun, but she couldn’t bear to renal the mortifying truth. Not here, not to this cheery stranger. Kayla’s perfectly arched brotted together epttrally as she took in Jasmine’s stricken patio andreddened eyes. “You don’t look fine at all, as there anything bean==” “No,wally. I’m alright.” famine mustered a tremulous se, though she could Kayla did’t buy it for second “jer should be going”
Shi unaway before the younger woman could protest further
Each step out the doon and in the bright alternoon sunshine felt heavier than the last, as if her feet were being weighed down by the crushing pain blossoming through her very coon, How could she ever go or after that
Taurine’s steps fallared as the need the building’s extermind span with the anguish of Fan’s callous words, the visceral sounds of his betrayal.
But another emotion began burning through the devastation – a searing rage at how coudly he had discarded their marriage, their sacred wown, all for this tameday Hing
Her hands clenched into tight fits as a surge of uncharacteristic boldness emboldened her. No, she would not think away and allow Frhan’s cowardice to have the final say. He didn’t get to trample all over her dignity like this.
Pivoting sharply on her heel, Jasmine marched backwards the ator bank with purposeful rides
She jabbed the call button with a more foc un cry, then impatiently capped her foot as the waited for the c knew actly where she was headed
The ride up med to take an elemity. With each passing floor, her anger bubbledhotter until she three explode. How! How dare Ethan sit in smug judgment over their relationship after carelessly squandering in himmali?
doors open. This time, she didn’t need to check the directory
By the time the deca opened on Ethan’s floor, Jasmine was trembling with a potent mix of cage, but, and nervous afumaline. Shared down the hallway, not even bothering to make lacking of the heels against the tide this time. „Ethan’s office door tras ajat, the hushed murmurings from within now clearly audiak jasmine don’t pause or site- the wall. The abrupt invasion shamed the intimacy of the scene before her
Ethan and
she then the door open with enough boice to make it slamagaima
moment, a teme välence stiched between them as Jaunie struggled indic
sprang apart from their close embrace, apes widening in shock and panic. For a long moment, a meet amid the scent of emotions chokingher
“Tasmine_we_“Dilun was the first break the stillness, his words trailing all weakly as he seemed there was nications that could unds this “Don’t,” Jasmine hissed, munstering every ounce of her dinding control. Her eyes boued into Lils with an accusatory glare. “Don’t you dare try to explain this way.”
To her surprise, the younger woman didn’t come or look abashed in the slighorge. In fact, Lila squared her shoulders defiantly she lied her chin to meet jasmine’s fiery gaze head–on “And why shouldn’t we, Jasmine Her tone dripped with condescending pky. “You barged in here making sumptions about something that has nothing to do with you”
“Nething to do with me?” Jasmine sputtered in disbelief. She rounded on her husband with a incredulous glare. “Tihan, see you going to let her speak to your wife Lke that?” His pained expression and refusal to meet her eyes was all the answer she needed. Sicked realization flooded through her he was on Lila’s side in this. The ultimate betrayal. “That’s right, Jasmine,” Lila purred, disking her arm possessively around Ethan’s walt and pulling him “He’s my husband in every way that matters now.” White–Bọt anger licked at Jasmine’s nerve endings. “You delusional little here! You think this this fling with a married man love?”
“Our love is very real,” Lila that back without hesitation. “More real and passionate than whoever dead thing you he had going on. He just trapped, but I’ve set him fore indially be happy
Trapped?” Jasmine whirled an Ethan again,ding to hear the truth directly from his mouth no matter how much eviscerated her. “Is that how your marriage? some kind of
For a long, agonizing mustment,
moment, The only sound was their ragged bathing filling the tension–dunched spars. Then, finally, Ethan med no find his voice, “Jasmine. Invent meant to hurt you like this. Things just got so complicated boween is, and then Lila came along and-
́ “And what?” she cut him off, angs and hurt lacing every word “You just decided our vot, our commitment to each other meant nothing?” Ethan’s shoulders slumped in regration.kaw this devastating, but maybe, maybe it’s for the best if we just end things. Clearly and ically” The cruelty of his matter–of–fact one struck Jasmine like a physical blow. She gasped out abimer, incredulous laugh at hot tearnstung ben eyes. “You’re you’re actually suggesting we got divorced? Just like that?
I would be the most died latinhastily “could provide you want to avoid any sandal or drama
The shum portack of jasmine’s palmarios Ethan’s cheek cut him off abruptly, he has even eaked she moved to strike him until the sting reverberated up her arm.