Chapter 120 Congratulations, Princess Jasmine
Chapter 120 Congratulations, Princess Jasmine
Jasmine’s POV
The more I try to sniff in my tears, the more they pour out. And being in this tight embrace with my mom isn’t helping matters.
Her warmth somehow makes me a lot more vulnerable than I have ever been.
For the hundredth time, she says,
“Baby, it’s okay.”
And I nod like it would stop me from crying.
We are already outside the hall where the event is still ongoing, but I can still feel people looking at me, and it’s not in a bad way.
Some even walked up to me to say congratulations, while others just smiled my way.
For something as huge as this, I feel like I am underreacting, and my brain just hasn’t processed it yet.
All he said was his team would speak to me, but all my hormones are running on overdrive.
“Congratulations.”
A small voice from below forces my burning eyes open, and I see it’s my baby brother.
He is smiling like he understands how huge this is or how much I have prayed for this day.
Without much thought, I withdraw from my mom and take him into my arms, squeezing him tightly in a hug that I fear he can’t breathe in.
It takes him giggling in what I’d call discomfort—or maybe I am wrong—for me to drop him and crouch until we are at the same eye level.
“Thank you, Timothy.” I sniff, wiping off a lone tear. “Did you keep the chocolate for me?”
I watch his head bob instantly with excitement before he leans in to whisper,
“It’s under your pillow in your room.”
I can’t be crying all over again. It just feels surreal. This is what I have been preaching for.
The feeling of completeness.
Having a family that cares. A sibling to pick on and be playful around—although this one is younger, I’d never trade him for anyone—a guy who is genuine and intentional about me, and lastly, getting noticed by a top gallery owner.
What more could I ask for?
Something in me shifts, then I realize that I haven’t seen Xavier since. Last I checked, my mom said Timothy was with him, but not anymore, obviously.
And I don’t think it’s wise to ask Timothy about him. I doubt he’d have an answer.
“Thank you for the chocolate,” I say softly, rising to look around.
“Is this where we finally head to your apartment, you big crybaby?” My mom quirks from behind, her voice laced heavily with excitement.
I squint at her before pointing out,
“Xavier isn’t here.”
It comes out heavier than intended.
And she seems to notice because her smile falls a little.
“He was here all through, baby,” she assures, but it doesn’t calm me.
I genuinely want him here. Right now.
“He already prepared a car to take us back to your apartment.”
“Why didn’t he come pick us up?”
She looks away before running her hand through her hair. Is there something happening that I don’t know about?
“The car is here.”
With that, she turns around and walks towards it, while I follow suit with Timothy’s hand in mine.
What is going on?
………………………………………………………
The drive here was a little awkward. My mom kept avoiding eye contact with me, and it’s obvious that she is hiding something.
Probably her and Xavier.
“Is this it?” she asks as we approach the apartment building, and I nod in affirmation.
I don’t know how to feel knowing that my mom is about to enter our apartment. This place holds a lot of unholy memories, and it somehow feels awkward, but I try to shrug it off.
Today has already been a lot. I doubt I’ll have the mental strength to point out my disappointment at Xavier’s absence despite knowing how rough getting here was.
But the moment the living room doors open, everything fades away like it was never there.
I blink rapidly to be sure that I am not imagining things. Because it would actually be easier to do that right now.
Confetti pops first. His friends and some strangers are in the room, cheering so loudly that it’s almost deafening.
There is a huge banner stretching from one end of the living room to the other, and it reads:
‘Congratulations, Princess Jasmine. You have hit a milestone.’
My legs remain frozen at the entrance while I search for my favorite human in the small crowd.
The moment my eyes connect with his soft ones, a burning sensation spreads from my heart to settle in the pit of my stomach.
He paves his way through the crowd with a cake and a large smile.
Before I can think of anything, my legs are already running as fast as they can, and I’m already jumping on him.
Instinctively and quickly, he wraps his arm around me tightly, dropping the cake carefully on a table with his other arm.
Every single ounce of anger I thought I felt towards him melts away, and all that is left is the urge to kiss him and cry all over again in his arms.
He beats me to the first by tilting my head up and taking my lips. The second round of cheers disappears into the background like they don’t exist.
“You did it,” he mumbles against my lips, dipping in to give me a small bite that makes me moan into his.
“We did it,” I correct, pulling away to hold his perfect eyes with my teary ones.
If humans had a limit to the amount of tears they could produce in a day, I would have hit it a long time ago.
“Get a room!” my mom screams, and I quickly get down, turning a little to see her hand covering Timothy’s eyes.
Fuck.
I never thought of him. Or anyone at all.
“Well, well. I guess this is where the love story began,” she starts, looking around and smiling proudly.
Before I can tell Xavier anything, I am instantly pulled away by the guys, and they start raining congratulations on me while pouring me a drink.
“Here you go, Princess,” Xavier says from behind, handing me a small box.
My curiosity almost gets the best of me because I am already unwrapping it before halting.
“Open it! Open it!” my mom cheers with a glass of wine in hand.
And I almost roll my eyes.
I guess I was the only curious one.
Somehow, the rest of the crowd picks up the cheer, and I am now forced to open it.