by Tia Wylder
“How precious. Have both of you forgotten how toxic you’ve been to each other?” Deborah said snidely as she struggled to get to her feet. Jasmine and Mark exchanged a look, and Jasmine took a threatening step towards Deborah.
“A toxicity that was perpetuated by your manipulation. I thought Mark was the cruel one, but it’s obvious now that you’ve been the one behind our misery. Do you not even care about your daughter? Do you not care about her happiness?” Jasmine demanded.
“I don’t care about any of this bullshit! I want the payout I deserve, the one I earned after putting up with this idiot and his hellspawn for so long,” Deborah screamed. Jasmine’s mouth hung agape, and the soft sounds of sniffling reached her ears. She wheeled around, spotting Jenny herself hiding behind the shrubbery-- the same shrub she’d been hidden behind mere moments prior.
“You… don’t love me? But you’re… you’re my mommy,” Jenny choked out. Deborah snorted, turning her cruel gaze upon the young girl.
“You were a consolation prize. A rather poor one, at that,” Deborah said coolly. Before the older woman could process what was happening, Jasmine launched herself forward and tackled the cruel woman to the ground. She raised her fist threateningly, her teeth bared almost ferally as she was overcome by protective instinct for Jenny; her charge, her little friend. Deborah screamed, cowering beneath the other woman as she tried to scramble away.
“I’m going to say this once, and you listen very closely. You are to leave this property, and never show your face ever again. You’re a piss poor excuse for a wife and an even worse mother. You don’t even deserve to be called a mother. I’ll let you up, but when I do, you leave. If you don’t, I can and will kick your ass,” Jasmine snarled. Deborah nodded nervously, fear shining in her gaze. Jasmine was for once grateful for her obvious size advantage and drew herself off of the other woman. Deborah jolted to her feet, half running and half crawling away from the scene. Jasmine felt smug for half a second before turning in the direction Jenny had been standing. The young girl rushed towards her, wrapping her arms around Jasmine’s legs and sobbing against her. “Honey, I’m so sorry,” Jasmine murmured.
“I’m not crying over her. I’m so happy you’re back,” Jenny sniffled. A warmth settled over Jasmine, a warmth that only intensified as Mark stepped towards them. He rested a hand atop Jenny’s head for a moment, to soothe her. Then, he slipped a hand into his pocket. Jasmine watched curiously, her eyes widening as he produced the emerald necklace she had thrown at him. He stepped forward hesitantly, his expression warm.
“I know I have a lot left to prove. I know I’ve done wrong by both of you, but… I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making it right. If you’ll allow me, Jasmine,” he said softly. Jasmine felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, and she nodded her head slowly.
“I love you,” she whispered as he stepped forward to slip the necklace around her neck.
“I love you too,” Mark murmured. He leaned in to kiss her, stopping short as he realized Jenny was still clutching Jasmine’s legs. He frowned, dropping into a crouch beside her. She turned a cheeky grin towards him, reaching up to tug at Jasmine’s shirt.
“If daddy gets a kiss, so do I! I love both of you!” Jenny exclaimed. Traces of tears were still visible on her cheeks, but a brightness in her gaze spoke volumes about the future the three would spend together. Mark grinned, rolling his eyes and scooping Jenny up in his arms. At the same time, both he and Jasmine pressed a kiss to the girl’s chubby cheeks. Jenny giggled ecstatically before shoving their faces together. “Now you,” she ordered with glee. Jasmine and Mark considered each other for a moment before meeting for a sweet kiss.
At that moment, Jasmine felt as if she truly belonged. And for the first time in her life, she felt as if everything would turn out alright.
“Eww, that’s enough! Let me down!” Jenny squealed, and Mark allowed her to scamper off. He rose upright, turning warm eyes upon her. However, traces of uncertainty were still in his gaze. She reached out to cup his face in her hands, brushed her thumbs beneath his eyes to wipe away tears he didn’t seem to know he was shedding.
“Happy tears?” She asked gently. He smiled, nodding his head.
“That is… if you’ll stay,” he murmured. He drew Jasmine into his arms, resting his chin atop her head. She settled contently against him, rubbing her palms up and down the plane of his back.
“There’s nowhere else I would rather be, Mark,” she smiled. He searched her eyes for any signs of deceit, but she knew he would find none. She had never been so certain of something in her life. This was her family. This was her something to live for.
And sometimes, it’s as simple as that.
---
Around three months later found Jasmine dutifully working in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for her makeshift family. That day marked the end of her ‘contractual obligations’ with Mark, and she was certain things couldn’t get any better. She rested a hand idly upon her stomach as she flipped the ham and cheese omelet she was making for Jenny. In the time they’d spent together, Jasmine and Mark had only grown closer. It was the closest Jasmine had ever been to anyone, let alone a lover. Mark felt the same, stealing kisses from her at every opportune moment and never ceasing to tell her how much she meant to him. A single thread of doubt still lingered in the quilt of her mind, but she paid it little mind. She was sure that Mark would have kicked her out long ago if he didn’t feel anything for her.
Deborah hadn’t shown her face, but then again, that wasn’t surprising either. Jenny seemed more relieved than anything and had quietly admitted that Jasmine seemed more like a mommy than Deborah ever had. On top of everything else, Jasmine had taken on providing Jenny’s homeschooling. She’d never expected to be a mother, but she felt much the same as the little girl she’d come to treat as her own. It was almost like she could never love another child as much as she loved her young charge. Then again, she would likely change her mind because of a nagging feeling.
As she finished the last touches on Jenny’s breakfast, adding a dash of salt and pepper, she turned to call the father and daughter duo to breakfast. She was startled to see Mark lingering at the doorframe, watching her with a rather pensive expression. She smiled warmly, inching towards him and grabbing him in a tight embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder, exhaling a fluttery sigh of satisfaction. He seemed tense, and while she tried not to worry too deeply about the possibilities, she could tell that he had something on his mind.
“Penny for your thoughts?” She said mildly, drawing away from him and looking him in the eye. He seemed reluctant to meet her gaze, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.
“It’s been three months,” he said carefully, and Jasmine felt as if a trap door had been opened beneath her. The thread of doubt in her mind multiplied, and she struggled to keep her breathing even as the man met her gaze. “Your contract technically ends today. It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it?” He smiled nervously. Jasmine frantically tried to think of things she may have done wrong, things that would make him want her to leave. She had been certain things were going so well, but…
“But?” She managed, feeling a single tear make a trail down her cheek. Mark’s eyes widened, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head fiercely.
“No buts. It’s been a wild ride, the best three months I could have asked for. There were a few hiccups along the way, but I wouldn’t change what we have for the world… except,” he paused, drawing away to meet her gaze. “I’ve been working really hard to prove how much I love you. I was just curious as to if I’d had much success in that department,” he asked shyly. Jasmine wiped her eyes hurriedly, chuckling in response to the question.
“Of course. You’ve proven yourself a thousand times over. I still… I still worry, but I couldn’t see myself anywhere but here… with you,” she murmured. He smiled broadly, seeming pleased by the answer. Taking a step back, he fumbled in his pockets for a
moment. Thinking nothing of it, Jasmine returned her attention to the food she was preparing.
“Do you think we should call Jenny for breakfast? I don’t want her food… to get… cold,” she trailed off, glancing towards Mark and feeling as if her heart would leap out of her chest. He was on the floor, poised on one knee with a ring box in front of him. He was sweating bullets but had an expression of hopefulness on his face. “Mark…?” She whispered, gasping as he popped open the top of the box. Inside sat a beautiful diamond ring with emerald accents, the exact shade of the emerald on her necklace. She reached up to touch it subconsciously, the tears beginning to spill anew.
“I know things got off to a rocky start. But over these past few months, I’ve only fallen deeper and deeper in love with you. You’ve been a mother to my daughter when no one else would, you’ve been a friend to me, but more than anything, I’ve come to realize you’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. I know this may seem sudden, but… Jasmine, I can’t keep it inside any longer. Will you marry me?” He implored, his voice cracking throughout the speech. Jasmine stared down at him, blinking as she heard a soft hissing noise.
“Pssst,” someone called from the stairs. Mark looked just as confused as her, and Jasmine looked up to see Jenny watching from between the rungs of the stairs rail. “Say yes, Miss Jasmine! Say yes,” Jenny urged loudly. Mark snorted, pressing his face into his palm. “What, Daddy, I’m helping,” she called out with a pout.
“Jenny, I told you to stay upstairs, this is a very private moment and--” Mark began.
“Yes,” Jasmine interrupted him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt collar. He stared up at her through wide and disbelieving eyes.
“W-what?” He stuttered out.
“She said yes!” Jenny screamed, bolting into the kitchen with them. The young girl bounced on her heels, and Jasmine felt her heart swell with warmth at the sight. Mark’s cheeks grew flushed, and with the smile that he was giving her, she was certain her heart would beat out of her chest. He nodded his head once, slipping the ring on her finger. He rose to his feet, and a loud sniffle echoed through the room.
“Jenny…? Are you crying?” Jasmine asked gently.
“I’m just so happy,” Jenny giggled. “You’ll be my real mommy now! For real!” She said ecstatically. Jasmine nodded, feeling a strange stirring in her gut. Almost as if something within her were vying for attention.
“I have a bit of news, myself,” Jasmine said carefully, and the man turned a curious gaze upon her. She hesitated for the briefest of moments before reaching out, capturing his hand in her own. In one swift motion, she pressed his palm across the expanse of her slightly pudgy stomach. He stared at her in confusion for a long moment, and both jolted away from each other to cover their ears as Jenny squealed louder than either of them had ever heard.
“I’m gonna be a sister!” She screamed, rushing forward to rest her palm on Jasmine’s stomach. Mark raised a brow, looking at his daughter and his fiancée with a curious expression. The words struck him abruptly, and he surged towards Jasmine to gently touch her stomach as well.
“You’re… you’re pregnant?” He asked, awe tinging his voice.
“Yep. You’ll be a daddy again. And yes, Jenny, you’re right. You’ll be a big sister. It’s a big responsibility. Do you think you can handle it?” She said in faux serious tones.
“Of course, I can!” Mark exclaimed, and the two females looked at him with exasperation and amusement.
“She’s talking to me, daddy. Gosh,” Jenny huffed. Jasmine grinned but nodded her agreement with Jenny’s assertion. Mark reddened but kept his hand on Jasmine’s stomach with a look of sheer happiness. “I’ll be the best big sister in the world. And you two will be the best parents in the world…,” Jenny paused, looking at the two. “You already are,” she added with a small smile.
The pieces having finally fallen into place, Mark scooped Jenny up in his arms and pulled Jasmine in for a warm embrace. The three, who had wanted for love in different ways, found themselves completed in the most magical way. A baby was on the way.
Jasmine mused that it was funny how things worked out. It was a once in a lifetime experience, selling your virginity. She simply hasn’t expected it to end with her happily ever after.
However, it did just that.
RIGHT BEFORE EACH BOOK TITLE:
Beautiful Revenge
PROLOGUE
A heart monitor beeped mournfully across from me as I watched, helpless, while my sister’s life slipped away. Nurses had come and gone, and a doctor had given me the, “it’s out of our hands now” speech hours before. So, the only thing left to do was sit quietly, holding Josie’s hand, and wonder where the hell everything had gone so wrong.
I had been sitting in my studio apartment, studying for a Criminal Law exam, when my cell phone rang, startling me. It was two in the morning, and no one ever called me this late. I was in my second year of law school, and everyone who knew me knew better than to bother me while I was studying. But I didn’t recognize the number, so I answered, half-asleep and immersed in a world of sentencing hearings and mens rea.
“Is this Ava Webber?” a gruff voice croaked out on the other end of the line.
“It is.”
“Miss Webber, this is Sergeant Johnson of the LAPD. I’m sorry about the late hour, but I’m afraid I need you to come to the hospital at once.”
I didn’t process anything he was saying. I was too tired, and somehow, I wasn’t convinced the conversation we were having was real. “What? Why would I come to the hospital? Who is this again?”
“Sergeant Al Johnson of Los Angeles Police Department. Miss Webber, your sister Josie has been in a terrible accident, and you are listed as her emergency contact. It is imperative that you come to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai immediately. I will be waiting for you to discuss things further when you arrive.”
And with that, he hung up, and I sat in my desk chair, not processing what I had just been told. My sister Josie was my only family; our parents had died when I was just a teenager, and Josie had taken care of me until I turned eighteen. Since I left for college, and then law school, we hadn’t seen each other as much as I would have liked, but she would always call me when something was wrong. The idea that she was hurt… and scared… alone in the hospital?
I left my books and any thought of my test the next day and sped over to the hospital in my run-down old hatchback. As soon as I got to the hospital, an older, distinguished man in a gray suit walked up to me when he heard my name.
“Miss Webber?”
I nodded, a sick feeling building in my stomach.
“I’m Sergeant Johnson. Miss Webber, about four hours ago, your sister Josie was spotted driving erratically in the Hollywood Hills. A witness reported seeing her take one of the curves at around 70 mph, and her car flipped off the side of the road and into the canyon. Her car was wedged between a pair of trees and some rocks, and it took the rescue team considerable time to extract her. You will have to get an update on her condition from her doctor, but it doesn’t look good. I’m sorry, Ava.”
The world started to spin around me, and the Sergeant caught me before I could hit the floor. It took another hour before they would let me see Josie, and when they did, I thought I might pass out for real. She was barely breathing, her chest only rising and falling intermittently. Her face looked like she’d gone ten rounds with a prize fighter, and her arms were both secured in traction because it appeared they’d decided to cast her in her current state was premature. The only reason I didn’t burst into tears right away was that I was afraid Josie might hear me.
Hours passed until I could see the sun coming up through a tiny window in the back of Josie’s room. I felt my starting to doze off when a groan brought me back to consciousness. One of Josie’s eyes was open, looking around the room in a panic. When it rested on me, she seemed to calm for a second. I jumped up from my seat.
“Jo? Honey
? Can you hear me? You were in an accident. Can you speak? Can you tell me what happened?”
She groaned again but took a deep breath. “Ava… He cheated on me. I loved him, and he…”
I got closer to her and tried to make sense of what she said. “Who cheated on you, honey? What are you talking about?”
“My boyfriend,” she whispered. “Zachary Graham. He cheated on me. He broke… my heart.”
Her eye closed again, and she let out a long sigh. Suddenly, the heart monitor stopped beeping and switched to a high-pitched squeal, which brought nurses and doctors running from all directions. A nurse shoved me out of the room and slammed a door in my face. All I could do was watching, powerlessly, as my sister’s heart stopped beating for good.
At that moment, I had no idea who Zachary Graham was, but one thing was for sure…
