The Other Woman
Jasmine's mind went blank.
She stood frozen in place, staring at Luke as if she had imagined his words. Surely, she had heard him wrong. Surely, he wasn't standing there, in the home they shared, confessing to this.
But the way his shoulders tensed, the way his jaw locked—that told her she had heard him just fine.
Still, she needed to hear it again, needed to be sure.
"What did you just say?" she whispered.
Luke exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand down his face. "Jasmine—"
"Say it again."
He hesitated. "She's pregnant."
A sharp, ringing noise filled her ears. Her knees wobbled, and she barely managed to keep herself upright.
She had been worried about their distance. She had made excuses for his coldness, told herself that things would get better. That he was just dealing with the stress of the surgery.
But all along, he had been keeping this from her.
"How long?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Luke hesitated again, and that hesitation told her everything.
"Luke."
He swallowed, avoiding her eyes. "Three months."
Jasmine's stomach dropped.
Three months.
Her fingers curled into fists.
"That's…" She swallowed hard. "That's before the surgery."
A month before. When she had been at her weakest, in pain, recovering from having a part of herself cut out for him—he had already betrayed her.
The betrayal burned in her chest like acid. "So while I was in a hospital bed, barely able to move, you were—"
"Jasmine, it's not what you think."
A hollow laugh escaped her. "Not what I think? Oh, really? Then explain it to me, Luke. Make it make sense."
His hands clenched at his sides. "It was a mistake."
She let out another laugh, this one broken. "A mistake?"
"I didn't mean for it to happen."
"Oh, so you just accidentally fell into another woman?" Her voice rose, raw and sharp. "That's what you're telling me?"
Luke flinched, but he didn't answer.
Jasmine took a shaky step back. Her chest felt too tight, like her heart was being squeezed. "And now what?" She lifted her chin, though her body trembled. "You're bringing her here to live with us?"
Luke hesitated.
And then, the final blow came.
"She's already outside."
Jasmine's breath hitched.
Her head snapped toward the door, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Outside.
The woman—his mistress—was already outside.
He hadn't just confessed. He had already made up his mind. Planned it.
A cold, sharp pain shot through her chest, a deep ache that stole her breath.
She had given him everything. She had given him her love. Her kidney.
And in return, he had brought her to their doorstep.
Jasmine's fingers twitched. For the first time in her life, she wanted to hit something. To scream.
But she swallowed it down.
Slowly, she turned back to Luke. "Bring her in."
His brows furrowed in surprise. "What?"
Jasmine's lips curled into a brittle smile. "Bring. Her. In."
Luke hesitated. "Jasmine, this doesn't mean—"
"I said, bring her in." Her voice was eerily calm, but inside, she was cracking.
Luke exhaled, rubbing his neck before turning toward the door.
Jasmine clenched her fists. She wasn't sure what she was expecting—someone young, maybe, someone naive. Some random girl he had met in a moment of weakness.
But when the door opened, and Belle Anderson walked in, Jasmine felt like she had been punched in the gut.
She knew her.
Not well, but enough.
Belle was beautiful—gorgeous, even. Chestnut-brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect waves, and her light green eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She looked fragile, like a woman who had been wronged.
Like a victim.
And Jasmine wanted to laugh.
Belle lifted a hand to her stomach—already showing the faintest swell.
"Jasmine," she said softly, voice laced with guilt. "I'm so sorry."
Jasmine felt her nails bite into her palms.
She didn't want to hear an apology.
She wanted answers.
---
The Art of Deception
Belle shifted uncomfortably under Jasmine's silent stare.
"I never meant to come between you two," Belle said, her voice small, hesitant. "It just… happened."
Jasmine let out a soft exhale. She didn't want to cry.
But her entire world was crumbling in front of her.
"And now what?" Jasmine said coolly. "Are you here to take responsibility? To tell me how much you love Luke?"
Belle's lips parted, but no words came out.
Luke cleared his throat. "Jasmine—"
"No," Jasmine cut in. "You had your turn. I want to hear it from her."
Belle swallowed. "I…" She looked away. "I don't know what to say."
Jasmine let out a hollow chuckle. "How about, 'I should have stayed away from a man who was engaged'?"
Belle flinched. "I didn't know at first—"
"At first." Jasmine shook her head. "But you still stayed."
Belle's eyes watered.
And Jasmine hated that she felt even the tiniest flicker of sympathy.
Her chest ached, her throat burned, but she refused to let it show.
Because she had already lost.
Luke had chosen.
And Jasmine… Jasmine was being pushed aside.
Belle wiped at her eyes, her fingers trembling. "I don't want to fight with you."
Jasmine exhaled. She was so tired.
Her heart was torn apart, bleeding, shattered.
But she refused to break.
Instead, she gave Belle a small, unreadable smile.
"You don't have to fight with me," Jasmine said softly. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Belle's brows pulled together. "What?"
Luke stiffened.
Jasmine turned to him, her expression unreadable. "You expect me to leave? Just like that?"
Luke's jaw tightened. "Jasmine, this isn't—"
"You owe me, Luke."
Silence.
Jasmine took a step forward. "You owe me your life."
Luke's throat bobbed as he swallowed.
Jasmine tilted her head, her voice eerily soft. "Did you forget? I gave you my kidney. You wouldn't even be standing here if it weren't for me."
Belle shifted uncomfortably.
Luke looked away.
Jasmine's lips curled.
He hated it.
He hated when she reminded him.
Good.
Let him hate it.
Because Jasmine wasn't done yet.
---