Jasmine found herself smiling at Viel who had waited for her at her work. Viel is wearing his long white sleeve polo while its first two buttons are unattached to each other, which reveals his bare upper chest. He leaned over to his car while looking at his watch. Viel was waiting for Jasmine for two hours at the parking lot.
"Hey. Sorry, I kept you waiting, I need to finish some articles." Jasmine explained to Viel with a sorry smile on her face.
"It is fine." Viel replied and went to his car's boot, "Here, for you." He said as he gave her a bouquet of jasmine flowers.
"Thanks," Jasmine replied and happily went inside Viel's car. Viel immediately started his car once Jasmine had taken her seat beside him. The ride had started quietly, Viel focuses his gaze on the road while Jasmine admires the view from the outside. She loved how they pass the trees, houses, and parks.
"Find anything familiar?" Viel softly mumbled and gave a short glance to Jasmine in his car's mirror. Jasmine confusingly looks at him in reply and lets her attention be caught by the beautiful view outside the window. It was the first day where the sun has risen after all the rainy days because of the typhoon.
"Your eye color and the dried leaves color are similar." She mocked and continue to watch the scenery.
"I will take that as a compliment, and you have the same name with the flower," Viel replied and it made Jasmine smile a little and once again, she felt a familiar touch in her heart.
"Are we going to your friend's annual ball?" She asked him.
"No. We are going on our date." Viel said while he had the twinkle in his eyes.
"Where?" Jasmine exciting asked, forgetting the scenery outside.
"Secret but, I am sure you will love it." Viel sadly said. Jasmine ignored him again and started playing with her phone and wear her earphones. Jasmine knew this was just a part of their pretend relationship in the eyes of the public, so she knew better to think that the way Viel treated her was all just an act.
While playing with her phone she accidentally clicked her playlist and that made her emotional because of its lyrics, she began to watch the scenery again but now, with different emotions. As Jasmine felts the song lyrics deeper, the harder it is for her to hide her emotions. She does not understand why she felt these kinds of emotions. She always wondered why; Why she is longing for something she does not know? Jasmine shook her head as she tried to empty her thoughts and played a happy song to cheer her up.
"Are you okay?" Viel asked. Jasmine noticed the hint of wariness in his voice.
"Of course, I am." She said back to her sarcastic self while her eyes were swere till in the window beside her. She ignored another question coming out from Viel's lips and continue to focus on the scenery to calm her down. As she watches how the leaves fall from the trees, she noticed a beautiful lady standing beside the stoplight; she noticed the smudged eye shadow of the lady and noticed how lifeless the lady looks. She felt shivers in her spine as she watches the lady from afar. Jasmine felt uncomfortable and decided to focus on her other side, which is Viel.
They arrived at the restaurant safely. The restaurant has a vintage feel on it, they are seated at their reserved table on the side of the balcony. Viel is the one who ordered for them, he ordered steak for both and lasagna for Jasmine to try. While they are waiting for their orders, they had a little conversation about the food. Jasmine was informed that Viel is regular in the restaurant with his real fiancée when they were still together.
"Did she contact you regarding our relationship?" Jasmine asked him while using air quotes as she mentioned the word 'relationship' and he sadly shook his head as a response. Jasmine felt pity for him yet continued to ask.
"What if, she already moved on?" She asked him quietly afraid to hurt him.
"I cannot imagine her being with another guy. I cannot handle that." Viel whispered with a sad expression from his eyes with that response, Jasmine stopped asking as she noticed Viel swallowed nervously with her question.
"Too cheesy. I cringe." Jasmine teased him again, trying to light up the mood but it did not work.
Their dinner was very awkward, they both did not utter a single word since the food arrived and that is not because they are hungry but because of the atmosphere between them, it was suffocating and because of that Jasmine tried her best to ease the tension.
"Sorry for my attitude earlier. I promise; I will help you to get her back." Jasmine promised and that made Viel smile. Viel was about to reply when his phone rang, he looked at his phone to know who the caller is and smiled when he read who was it.
"I need to answer this call." He whispered to Jasmine and excused himself. Jasmine, however, was worried if the caller was his lover. She waited until his call will end but sadly it might never end for, he did not come back.
The caller must be his lover; It must be her. Jasmine concluded as she went home alone. The image of the face of Viel still lingers at the back of her mind and his words, "Something important came up, I need to go now. I am sorry." before he left, she could still hear it as if it were being said to her, repeatedly. She was down and yet she does not understand why.
Every step she takes closer to Viel's mansion her breath becomes heavier, and as the leaves fall from the trees her tears slowly started to fall. She let her emotions get over her despite being confused with everything. Where did the sarcastic Jasmine go? She asked herself.
"Here, you need it." A soft voice said to her and handed her a handkerchief. Jasmine looked up at the woman who is kind enough to let her borrow her handkerchief. It was the woman earlier, the woman who had her eyeliner smudged. She looked better now, Jasmine said in her mind.
"Thank you."
"It is just a handkerchief; I have tons of them, so I do not care if I shared it to those who are in need." The woman said and left. Jasmine wiped her tears away and hailed a cab.
The driver at first was hesitant if he would talk with Jasmine but when he expressed he decided to keep quiet and play some happy music. The ride went quietly and long, there was hectic traffic in the road they took hence, Jasmine arrived at Viel's mansion late.
As Jasmine arrived at Viel's place, she quickly noticed the open lights at the main door. When she opened the door, she saw Viel pacing back and forth and his left hand massaging his temple, she stopped in her place while she stared at Viel's figure, when Viel sensed Jasmine in the doorway; he stared at her in relief.
"Why are you late?" He asked worriedly.
"The cab took the hard road. The traffic was so hectic." Jasmine explained as she felt the need to but deep inside her she wanted to lash out at him but has no energy to do it.
"You should have called me, Jasmine! I was anxiously waiting for you to come home for hours." He exclaimed, relieving the emotions he had been hiding. Jasmine swallowed nervously as she noticed the worried look from his beautiful amber eyes.
"I am sorry, my phone died while looking at the navigation because I walked from the restaurant to the bus stop." She explained with a hint of annoyance in her voice; she was starting to get annoyed by him, he left her there if someone has the right to complain it was her not him.
Viel was taken back by what he heard from Jasmine; he looks at her in the eyes down from her feet. He noticed Jasmine is wearing two-inch pointed heels. He felt guilty.
"What are you doing?" Jasmine asked while maintaining her shocked expression. Viel kneels to Jasmine and took her heels off her then carried her, bridal style, on the way to her bed.
"H-hey!" Jasmine stuttered as she felt her blood rising to her cheeks.
"I am sorry," Viel asked forgiveness genuinely and gently sat her in her bed. He kneels to Jasmine again and started to massage her toes.
"I am sorry that you needed to walk in heels; I am sorry for leaving and complaining why you are late. It is my fault." Jasmine was touched by his actions and calming voice.
"Good thing you realized." She softly replied. Jasmine stared at Viel who is focused on massaging her feet. The way he caresses her feet made her smile; it was full of care.
"Was it her?" She bravely asked the bachelor; she felt as if her heart stopped beating the moment those words came out from her mouth.
"No. Just business meeting." He claimed without looking at her. Unknowingly why, Jasmine felt it was not completely the true thing that happened.
"Oh, I thought it was her." She said and ignored her gut feeling.
"Why are you jealous, Love?" Viel teased her while using the endearment again.
"Why would I? This is just our little deal remember." She answered with an annoyed expression plastered on her face.
"Do not tell me, you are falling for me already?" Jasmine jokingly asked him and dramatically put her hair at the back of her ear.
She waited for his answer but he remains silent instead Viel chuckled at her action and focused himself on massaging her feet on the hand, Jasmine unconsciously starts to observe Viel's features; from his classic pompadour haircut down to his straight-edged nose, luscious lip, and strong jawline. His face structure is perfect for his triangle face shape.
No wonder, other ladies are crazy about him; Jasmine said to herself. While she was appreciating the bachelor's handsome looks, her heart began to race again. Little did she know, she is already on the edge of falling for the billionaire bachelor.