Scandal

Jasmine had never been the kind of girl who spent the night at a man’s house. She’d always been cautious about relationships. Her family forbid her from getting swept up in things that could distract her from the path they had set her on. But last night, none of her usual reservations mattered.

The sun was just starting to rise. Jasmine woke up to the first streaks of morning light creeping in through the window. She looked around, but it was just her and an empty bed.

Elijah’s room was vast and luxurious, the soft hum of the birds outside offered comfort in a space so large it felt like she could get lost in. Her nakedness was a stark reminder of the crimes she had committed last night against Clara.

After Elijah’s confession, she hadn’t been able to think straight. He had been so honest, so raw, and learning the truth only intensified the chemistry between them. She should have left. She should have run out of there as soon as the first spark of attraction ignited.

But she didn’t. Instead, she stayed.

His touch added fuel to the fire that had been lit months ago. Last night had been a blur of whispered words, shared touches, and moments of intensity that neither of them had expected. There was no mention of the contract, or the complicated web of obligations Elijah was tangled in.

It was just them.

In that moment, Jasmine allowed herself to let go. The man who had been bound by his family’s expectations was free with her, even if only for a short while. Neither of them thinking about the morning after.

And now, she was lying there in his bedroom with the soft sheets tangled around her. The warmth of the blanket still clinging to her bare skin. It didn’t last long because the thought of Clara walking in at any moment gave her anxiety.

Something deep inside her told her it was time to go. The reality of her situation hit her like a cold splash of water. Elijah was engaged, and though he had shown her a glimpse of something real, she couldn’t afford to get lost in it.

She had to leave before it got any more complicated.

As quietly as she could, Jasmine slipped out of bed. Her clothes from the night before had been perfectly folded and placed on the chair across the room. She hurried across the room to dress before Elijah finished in the shower and changed her mind.

She didn’t bother looking back as she tiptoed toward the door, her heart thudding in her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was the guilt or adrenaline, but everything felt surreal. She just needed to get out of there and as far away from the chance of seeing Clara as possible.

The house was quiet as she slipped out into the hallway, the only sound was the soft padding of her feet on the carpet. She moved quickly to avoid him, but as she reached the front door… she froze. She listened for the running water of the shower, but instead she heard him call out.

“Jasmine?”, it sounded as if he began to search for her.

With a deep breath, she stepped out onto the porch closing the door behind her with a quiet click. She pulled her jacket tighter around her as the cool morning air hit her skin. The only option to leave was to walk because she didn’t have her car.

As Jasmine walked away from the house, her mind raced. What had she just done? The guilt gnawed at her. She hadn’t even left a note or said goodbye. Elijah deserved more than that. But the reality was, she wasn’t ready for anything serious, and she didn’t want to become just another piece of the puzzle in his complicated life.

“Good Morning, Miss Jasmine. Do you need a ride?”, a familiar voice rang out.

Jasmine turned around to see Phillip opening the back door of his car. She felt the weight of what had happened last night as she remembered getting out of that car yesterday.  She froze as the flooding of emotions overwhelmed her.

“Miss?”, Phillips voice rang out again.

She knew she couldn’t stay, “Umm. Yes. Please. Can you take me back to my dorm?”

“Yes Miss.”, he held the door until she was buckled safely in the backseat.

She tried to shake the thoughts off as he drove back to campus, taking the long way to her dorm. The cool morning air helped clear her head, but her stomach twisted with uncertainty. She was so used to keeping her emotions under control, but Elijah… his honesty and his touch were all too much. And now, she was left to deal with the fallout.

She wasn’t ready for any of it.

Lost in her thought, she hadn’t realized the car had arrived at her dorm. Phillip opened the door, and she rushed away from the car as fast as she could without saying a word. She stepped inside, trying to be as quiet as possible, but the door creaked loudly behind her.

She winced as she heard a cough coming from behind her.

Jasmine turned to face her best friend, who was standing at the small kitchen counter with a steaming mug of coffee. Maya’s eyes immediately locked onto her and there was a pause in the air. A heavy silence. Jasmine could see the questions written all over her face.

“You didn’t come home last night.” Maya said, her voice a mix of concern and disbelief. “Got something to say?”

Jasmine felt a familiar rush of guilt rise in her chest. She should have known Maya would be worried. She had known there was no way she could sneak in without her best friend noticing. But there was no easy way to explain this, no way to brush it off.

“I… I was out.” Jasmine said quietly, her voice betraying the truth she wasn’t ready to fully face.

Maya’s eyes widened. “You…spent the night at his house didn’t you?”

She set the mug down with a clink and stepped closer, her voice rising in shock. “Jasmine! Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been texting you all night! You didn’t answer a single one of my calls, so I checked your location.”

“I’m sorry, I…” Jasmine didn’t know how to explain it. The night had been too much to process, and now all she could feel was the burden of her choices, the uncertainty of what was going to happen next. “I just didn’t think…”

“I hope you didn’t think. You always overthink.”, Maya’s voice half-laughing and half-shocked, “Jasmine, you spent the night with a super-hot guy who is also rich and engaged. What a scandal?!”

Jasmine winced. She paced around the room, her hands gesturing wildly as she processed the information.

“Tell me everything.” Maya demanded, suddenly very serious. “Did you two…did you...?” Her voice trailed off as she raised her eyebrows into an expression of curiosity and disbelief.

Jasmine swallowed hard. There was no easy way to answer that. “Yes.” she said quietly, her face flushing. “But it wasn’t like that. We didn’t… We didn’t plan it. It just happened.”

Maya crossed her arms and leaned against the counter.

“Just happened?” she repeated, picking up and raising her cup as if she were toasting, “Okay, so tell me the full story. All of it. What happened last night? I want details.”

Jasmine could feel her face burning, but she knew Maya wasn’t going to drop it. She needed to get it out, needed to explain what had happened. After all, Maya was her best friend. She always listened, even when Jasmine wasn’t ready to say the words.

“Look, I know it was a mistake.”, Jasmine said, avoiding Maya’s gaze. “But after everything Elijah said about Clara, and his marriage... It was just complicated. He showed me the contract, and I saw how trapped he was. He...he kissed me, and I kissed him back. And then we just...we spent the night together.”

Maya’s jaw dropped. “Whoa, whoa. Pump the breaks babe. Stop beating yourself up. I am the last person to be judging. I am proud of you for getting out there. Also, what contract?”

“I am judging myself.”, Jasmine admitted, feeling the weight of her words. “I didn’t want to make things more complicated than they already are. And I feel terrible because his family signed a contract before he was born to make sure he married Clara. They aren’t in love, and they have never… you know… had sex. He said if he could choose, it would be me. I just don’t know what is real or if he just made up a story to take my virginity.”

Maya let out a breath and shook her head, “Don’t do that to yourself. It is okay to let loose and enjoy yourself. If he really wanted to marry that snob, he wouldn’t be sneaking around with you.”

She walked over and grabbed Jasmine by the shoulders, “Babe...you’ve got to admit it, right? You’re not just attracted to him, you want him. And that’s okay. There is nothing wrong with you. You did NOTHING wrong. You are both adults.”

Jasmine felt her stomach tighten. She couldn’t deny it. As much as she tried to push the feelings away, they were still there, lingering in the back of her mind. But wanting Elijah wasn’t enough. There were too many obstacles, too many reasons why they couldn’t be together.

“I know.” Jasmine said, her voice small. “I know.”

Maya paused, her expression softening. “You can’t keep ignoring your feelings. You deserve to be happy. This might not even be a forever thing, but if it makes you happy now, then just enjoy the ride until it’s time to get off.”

Jasmine nodded, feeling the love in Maya’s tone. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Elijah, or if she could even allow herself to go there again. But the night had changed something. The pull between them was undeniable and she didn’t know how long she could keep telling herself that it didn’t matter.