A Meeting with the Past
Jasmine Carter wasn't sure why she agreed to meet Luke.
Maybe she wanted closure.
Maybe she wanted to see if he regretted his choices.
Or maybe—deep down—she just wanted proof that she had made the right decision.
Either way, she found herself at their old café, waiting for the man who had once been her whole world.
---
A Familiar Face, A Different Feeling
The bell above the door chimed.
Jasmine didn't have to look up to know it was Luke.
She had memorized the sound of his footsteps.
When she finally lifted her gaze, her stomach twisted.
Luke Caldwell looked… different.
His shirt was slightly wrinkled.
His usually neat hair had a messiness to it.
And his eyes—
They looked tired.
Like he wasn't sleeping.
Like something was eating at him.
He sat across from her, exhaling slowly.
"I wasn't sure you'd come," he admitted.
Jasmine stirred her coffee, her expression blank. "Neither was I."
Luke's lips pressed together. "Jasmine—"
"Just get to the point," she cut in, voice firm. "You said you wanted to talk."
---
The Weight of the Past
Luke hesitated before leaning forward.
"I just wanted to see you," he said quietly. "To check on you."
Jasmine's fingers tightened around her mug.
He had spent months ignoring her in their own home.
Now he wanted to check on her?
She let out a short, humorless laugh. "That's funny. You didn't care when I was breaking in that house, but now you do?"
Luke exhaled, looking frustrated. "You know that's not true."
Jasmine's jaw clenched. "No, Luke. I don't."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Luke murmured, "Are you happy?"
Jasmine blinked at the question.
Was she happy?
She wasn't sure yet.
But she was free.
And that was enough.
"I'm getting there," she finally said. "And I'm not looking back."
---
Luke's Unspoken Regrets
Luke studied her for a moment.
She wasn't the same woman he had left behind.
She didn't look lost anymore.
She looked… stronger.
And for the first time since she walked out of his life, he wondered—
Had he made a mistake?
But it was too late to ask that now.
Instead, he simply nodded.
"I see."
Jasmine stood up, grabbing her bag. "If that's all, I have somewhere to be."
Luke didn't stop her.
Didn't beg her to stay.
But as she walked away, something in his chest ached.
And that's when he realized—
She was really gone.
---
Moving Forward
Jasmine stepped outside, inhaling the crisp evening air.
She had spent so long chasing after Luke.
But this time?
He was the one left behind.
And for the first time in forever—
She felt at peace.
She didn't need his love.
She didn't need his validation.
She had herself.
And that was enough.
New Beginnings, Uncertain Paths
Jasmine Carter didn't expect to feel so weightless after walking away from Luke.
For so long, she had imagined this moment—leaving him behind, finally moving forward.
She thought it would be painful.
But instead?
She felt free.
---
A Celebration, A Distraction
That evening, Rita insisted they go out.
"You're done with that loser," she said, dragging Jasmine to her closet. "We need to celebrate."
Jasmine hesitated. "Rita, I—"
"No. No excuses." Rita tossed a dress at her. "You're getting dressed. We're going to the club. You're going to have fun."
Jasmine sighed but didn't argue.
Maybe her sister was right.
Maybe it was time to stop mourning the past.
---
A Night of Recklessness
The club was packed.
Music vibrated through the floor, neon lights flashing across the sea of dancing bodies.
Jasmine hadn't been in a place like this in a long time.
Not since before Luke.
Rita dragged her to the bar.
"To new beginnings," Rita said, clinking their glasses together.
Jasmine took a sip, the burn of alcohol warming her throat.
She wasn't sure if she was ready for a new beginning…
But she was willing to try.
---
An Unexpected Encounter
Jasmine made her way to the dance floor, letting the music drown out her thoughts.
She wasn't paying attention to the people around her.
Not until she felt a gaze—intense, unwavering.
She turned, and her breath hitched.
A man sat at the VIP section, sipping his drink.
He wasn't dancing.
He wasn't talking to anyone.
He was watching her.
And when their eyes met—
He smirked.
Jasmine felt something stir in her chest—something unfamiliar.
Something dangerous.
She quickly turned away, heart pounding.
She wasn't here for that.
She was here to forget.
But as she lost herself in the music, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was still being watched.
---
A Shift in the Air
Jasmine eventually left the dance floor, needing a break.
She headed toward the bar, but just as she reached for her drink—
A deep voice spoke behind her.
"You looked like you were having fun."
She turned sharply.
The man from the VIP section stood before her.
Up close, he was even more striking.
Tall.
Sharp jawline.
Dark eyes that didn't miss a thing.
Jasmine swallowed. "Do I know you?"
His lips curved slightly. "Not yet."
She exhaled. "Look, I'm not looking for anything—"
"Neither am I," he cut in smoothly. "Just making conversation."
Jasmine hesitated.
Something about him felt dangerous.
Not in a bad way.
But in a way that made her feel seen.
Before she could respond, Rita appeared.
"There you are!" Her gaze flickered to the man beside Jasmine, eyebrows raising. "And who's this?"
The man's smirk deepened.
"Asher. Asher Donovan."
Jasmine felt her stomach twist at the name.
Something told her this wasn't the last time she would be seeing him.
And for the first time in a long time…
She wasn't sure if that was a good thing.
A Name That Lingers
Jasmine Carter told herself she wouldn't think about him.
Asher Donovan.
It was just a name.
Just a brief encounter.
Just a man she would never see again.
At least, that's what she wanted to believe.
But as she lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, his voice echoed in her mind.
"You looked like you were having fun."
His voice had been deep, smooth, confident.
Like he already knew she would remember him.
Jasmine sighed, rolling over.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
She was supposed to be moving forward.
Not getting caught up in a stranger's gaze.
---
The Aftermath of a Night Out
The next morning, Jasmine woke up to the smell of coffee and the sound of Rita humming in the kitchen.
Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled to the table, groaning as she sat.
Rita smirked. "You look like hell."
Jasmine grabbed a piece of toast. "Thanks."
Rita took a sip of her coffee. "So… are we going to talk about him?"
Jasmine blinked. "Who?"
Rita gave her a look. "The insanely hot guy from last night. Asher."
Jasmine frowned. "There's nothing to talk about."
"Oh, please." Rita rolled her eyes. "He was into you."
Jasmine scoffed. "He was just making conversation."
Rita smirked. "Right. And I'm the Queen of England."
Jasmine ignored her.
She wasn't going to entertain this.
She had bigger things to focus on.
Like her job.
Like figuring out what to do with her life now that Luke was in her past.
Asher Donovan was not part of that plan.
---
A Familiar Name, A Shocked Expression
Jasmine arrived at work, hoping to bury herself in tasks and forget about last night.
But as she walked past the office break room, she overheard a conversation that made her stop in her tracks.
"Judge Donovan is in town," one of her coworkers said.
Jasmine froze.
Judge Donovan?
Another coworker whistled. "That man is something else. Smart, filthy rich, and impossible to read."
"Not to mention, he's never had a scandal," someone added. "No affairs, no messy breakups—hell, no relationships at all."
Jasmine's mind raced.
Asher Donovan.
The man from last night wasn't just anyone.
He was a judge.
And apparently, a very well-known one.
She inhaled sharply.
Why hadn't he mentioned that?
Not that it mattered.
She wasn't going to see him again.
Right?
---
An Unwelcome Reminder
That evening, Jasmine was just about to leave work when her phone rang.
Luke.
She almost didn't answer.
Almost.
With a sigh, she picked up.
"What do you want?"
There was a pause.
Then Luke's voice came through, quieter than usual.
"I saw you last night."
Jasmine's grip on her phone tightened. "And?"
Luke hesitated. "You looked… different."
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "That's called moving on, Luke. You should try it."
A tense silence followed.
Then, finally—
"I just… I hope you're okay," he murmured.
Jasmine let out a humorless laugh. "I'm better than okay."
And for the first time—she meant it.
She hung up before he could say another word.
Luke Caldwell was her past.
And she wasn't looking back.
---
A Lingering Thought
As she walked home, Jasmine's thoughts drifted once again.
Not to Luke.
But to a pair of dark eyes and a smirk that seemed dangerous in all the right ways.
She told herself it was nothing.
But deep down—
She knew this wasn't the last time she would hear the name Asher Donovan.
---