The Request

A month had passed since the awkward heart-stopping moment in the mansion. She was still feeling the sting of the lingering memory. She couldn't process how a stolen glance had cost her the job. That job could have given her the freedom to focus on graduating without the stress of over drafting her bank account.

Jasmine had settled back into her simple, quiet routine. Life after college was her main focus minus the weight of her past hanging over. It haunted her like a storm cloud, but it was her main driving force. She just needed to finish this year, even if it meant never feeling the rush of adrenaline again... or the pain of missing something that was never hers.

Her part-time odd jobs kept her afloat financially, but they didn’t offer much in the way of excitement or savings. Jasmine had intentionally kept her distance from anything resembling the world Elijah lived in. She had tried to dismiss that brief, undeniable chemistry between them as nothing more than a fleeting distraction. It’s not like he called or showed up to confess his love for her.

He was getting married, and she was a nobody. It was merely a mirage that would disappear if she simply kept her mind busy. It didn't help that the dreams kept coming. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. The yearning looks in his eyes that she couldn't deny. Something inside of her knew that he didn't want to marry Clara, but she didn't understand why he was still going along with it.

Even if Jasmine could forget, Maya wouldn't let her. Every now and then, Maya would make comments that reminded her of that moment in the hallway when their eyes locked, the way he whispered he wanted her, and the way his hands shot tingles all over her body. There was no denying the air between them felt like it was charged with something… something undeniable and unspoken.

Part of her wishes she never told Maya.

Jasmine was sitting in her apartment curled up on the couch with a cup of tea. Diligently trying to work through a particularly difficult assignment on her laptop... her thesis. It was the last large assignment standing between her and a master's degree.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table. She reached for it absentmindedly, not expecting anything that would derail her progress... or lack thereof.

Elijah: “Hello, Jasmine.”

Jasmine froze, her fingers hovering over the screen. The message was simple enough and his tone appeared polite, but she couldn’t help the flicker of hesitation that washed over her.

Questions rolling in as panic set in. She had to snap out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed again.

Elijah: ”You left something at the house. I can bring it by, or you are more than welcome to come pick it up. Clara is in Paris this week.”

Her first instinct was to decline. To ignore the message and keep moving forward with her life, focusing on her studies. She stared at her phone screen, unsure of what to do. The rational part of her screamed to just ignore him.

But something, something in the message made her pause. Elijah had just messaged her privately. How did he get her number? And he had specifically mentioned Clara was busy. Was this an invitation? Maybe he was simply being polite because of how Clara had fired her. Her mind raced with a checklist of items she had taken there. Usure of what she could have left.

The longer she thought about it, the more she realized she was overthinking. He was just a man, right? Just a man whose fiancée employed her, then fired her. Taking a deep breath, she typed out her response, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach.

Jasmine: " Hello Mr. Daniels, thanks for reaching out. I have everything important to me. You can just toss it.”

She tried to convince herself that she didn't want anything to do with him. Yet, part of her knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Elijah: "I can just bring it by."

Jasmine: “I appreciate the offer, but I’m really busy with school right now. Whatever it is, you can keep it or trash it. Hope you understand. Have a good day.”

She hit send, immediately feeling a sense of relief. There, that was it. She had put a stop to it. Whatever it was. No more distractions.

But the relief was short-lived. A few moments later, her phone buzzed again.

Elijah: “I will not take no for an answer. I would also like to discuss something with you. In private.”

Jasmine stared at the message, her fingers gripping her phone tightly. Her pulse quickened, and her mind raced. Why am I even considering this?

She wasn’t the type to get involved in anything that felt too personal, too tangled. She had made that mistake before, letting herself get wrapped up in the possibility of a life that wasn’t meant for her. She didn’t want to get attached to feelings that couldn’t be returned.

But here he was again, asking to talk… privately. Despite herself, despite all her better judgment, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe this was different. Jasmine knew she had to be careful.

But if she said no now, would she regret it? Would she always wonder about what might have been, what could have happened if she’d agreed to talk?

With a sigh, she placed her phone on the coffee table and rubbed her temples. This was stupid. She was being stupid. But she couldn’t help it.

After a few minutes, she picked up her phone and began typing, her fingers hesitating as she composed the message.

Jasmine: “Alright. I’ll talk. I can come by tomorrow. I need to catch the bus because my car is broken.”

She hit send, immediately feeling a mix of relief and anxiety.

Elijah: “My driver will be there to pick you up at 9:00am.”

Her jaw dropped. She wasn't expecting this, but she didn't have time to debate if she should accept. If she didn't go, he would just show up. She didn’t want to bring drama to the one place she found peace.

Jasmine: “Okay.”

What the hell had she just agreed to? It had been weeks since she’d set foot in that home. And after that uncomfortable incident with Clara, she hadn’t expected to hear from Elijah again.

The next day, a black car pulled up outside of the building at 9:00am exactly. It was sleek and clean. It was a statement vehicle and was a simple show of the wealth Elijah and Clara possessed.

“Jasmine?”, a man asked as he opened the back door.

“Hello, yes I am Jasmine.”, she smiled politely.

He held the door until Jasmine was fully seated, then he closed it and returned to the driver’s seat. He was a tall and slender man. Respectful, but she assumed that was due to the nature of his position.

“I was instructed to take you to the Manor.”, he spoke while starting the car.

“Yes, thank you. Can I ask your name?”, Jasmine replied nervously. If she were to be kidnapped it would at least be nice to know the name of the person responsible.

“Phillip, ma’am.”, he replied before driving off.

As they arrived at the Daniels’ mansion, Jasmine was full of anxiety. She had carefully dressed down, keeping her look as neutral as possible. She was here to talk and get whatever she had left, nothing else.

Elijah greeted her at the door, wearing a casual t-shirt and jeans. Nothing like the polished suits she had seen him wear the few times they’d interacted. There was an ease to him today, a slight smile on his lips that made her heart skip a beat, but she tried to ignore it. He wasn’t her problem.

“Hey, Jasmine. Thanks Phil.” Elijah said warmly, stepping aside to let her in while nodding at the driver. “Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Jasmine replied, trying to sound casual, though her heart was beating faster than she would have liked. “You mentioned I left something. Where is it?”

Elijah led her down the hallway to a large room that had been converted into a spacious home office. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with leather-bound volumes and first editions. There was a massive wooden desk in the center, papers scattered across it haphazardly.

“Here it is,” Elijah said, gesturing toward the cluttered desk. “It’s a mess, I know. I have been so busy with everything, and I haven’t had the time to clean it up. Honestly, it’s been driving me crazy.”

Jasmine nodded, setting down her bag and walking toward the desk. He handed her a piece of paper, “A check?” she said, trying to push aside the feeling of discomfort that still lingered between them.

“Clara never paid you for the last day you worked. We also pay severance to those who leave, for discretion of course.” Elijah said, casually.

Jasmine gasped, “This is too much. I can’t accept this. I didn’t earn it.”, she tried to hand the check back, but he refused to take it. “Fine. At least let me earn it. I can clean your office for you.”

“Deal”, he smirked. No one had refused to take his money before.

She could feel his presence in the room, could sense his eyes on her from time to time as she organized the papers, sorted through the files. It was hard not to notice him, the way he would occasionally lean against the doorframe, the soft smile on his lips, the way he would comment on the progress she was making.

It was a quiet job, but the silence between them wasn’t awkward. It was just… there.

Every so often, their eyes would meet, and that same electricity would spark; so brief, so subtle, but so intense. Jasmine had to remind herself to focus. This was a job. This was just a job.

And yet, as the morning passed and the office began to take shape, Jasmine realized that this was more than just about organizing papers. It was about something unspoken between them, something neither of them had addressed directly but that lingered in the air.

She didn’t know where this would lead, but she couldn’t deny that something had changed. Something had shifted between them, and now it was a matter of whether or not she would acknowledge it.

Jasmine asked softly, “You said you wanted to talk?”