Chapter 24 My account balance
JASMINE
“But Jace,” Richelle added bitterly, “found it amusing. So he stayed. Just to be a thorn in Damien’s side.”
Ray shook his head. “It’s… messy.”
My stomach twisted.
“What could have been so bad?” I asked quietly.
They both shook their heads at the same time.
“We don’t know,” they said in unison.
I took a slow sip of my coffee, staring into the dark liquid as thoughts churned in my mind.
What could destroy a friendship that deep?
Should I ask Damien?
The answer came immediately.
No.
That was far too personal. Whatever happened clearly left scars, and I wasn’t about to pry into wounds that deep. I shook the thought away, refusing to let it linger.
I had better things to focus on.
“I should get back to work,” I said, standing up. “Thanks… for the warning.”
They both nodded, watching me go.
As I walked away, the thought hit me unexpectedly.
Friends.
I never thought I’d hear myself refer to coworkers like that. A small smile tugged at my lips as I headed toward the elevator.
I slumped into my chair the moment I reached my office, setting my coffee down beside my laptop. The familiar hum of the building surrounded me, comforting in a strange way.
Almost without thinking, I opened my banking app again.
The numbers still stared back at me.
Mocking. Unbelievable.
I shook my head, disbelief still buzzing through me. I made a mental note to ask Damien how he even knew about my secret savings account.
There was no way I could use that money.
No way.
It felt wrong.
Like stealing.
If Damien thought I’d accept that amount without question, he was dead wrong. I wasn’t a gold digger. I’d never been.
My irritation spiked.
I shot up from my chair, grabbing my laptop as I stormed out of my office. My heels clicked sharply against the floor as I made my way down the hall, annoyance fueling my steps.
I stopped in front of Damien’s office and hesitated.
Then, carefully, I pushed the door open, making sure not to create too much noise in case he was in a meeting.
My eyes immediately landed on a familiar figure standing in front of Damien’s desk, his back to me.
Damien looked up from the documents he was reviewing, and our eyes met.
For a split second, I got lost in the depth of his emerald gaze—sharp, intense, unreadable.
Then I looked away quickly, heat creeping into my cheeks when I realized how long I’d been staring.
The man with his back to me turned around.
Round glasses.
Chestnut curls falling messily over his forehead.
Recognition hit instantly.
A warm smile spread across his face as I stepped further into the office.
“Sorry for the interruption,” I said meekly, suddenly self-conscious. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
Damien’s gaze lingered on me, assessing, before he spoke.
“It’s fine, tes— Jasmine.”
I cringed internally.
Hearing my full name from him felt… strange. I’d grown so accustomed to tesoro—whatever the hell that meant—that anything else sounded foreign.
“So,” he added coolly, “you stuck around after all.”
That was when it clicked.
“Sebastian?” I asked, smiling softly as memories of my first day flooded back. “Wow, it’s been a while.”
Sebastian grinned. “Good to see you again, Jasmine.”
“Am I missing something here?” Damien’s husky voice cut in.
I turned to him, only to find his head tilted slightly, green eyes sharp with curiosity.
“Sorry, sir,” Sebastian said quickly. “I’ll get on it.”
Damien gave a curt nod.
Sebastian walked past me toward the door, offering a small, reassuring smile on his way out—one that clearly meant see you around.
The door clicked shut behind him.
“What’s wrong, tesoro?” Damien asked, his tone returning to its usual calm authority.
The nickname grounded me more than I liked to admit.
“I think there’s been some kind of mistake,” I began.
His brow lifted slightly.
I felt my heart skip.
I shook it off and walked around the desk, placing my laptop in front of him. He adjusted it, eyes scanning the screen.
“What am I supposed to be looking at?” he asked flatly.
“My account balance,” I replied.
Silence.
“Yes,” he said slowly. “And?”
“The amount there is outrageous,” I said firmly. “I haven’t worked here long enough to earn this much, Damien.”
Something flickered in his eyes—brief, unreadable.
Only then did I realize I’d called him by his first name.
I didn’t care.
“So you’re saying…” he drawled.
“I’m saying you need to take it back,” I snapped. “Or reverse it. I’ll send it back myself if I have to. I can’t accept this.”
He leaned back in his chair, expression hardening.
“It’s not my money, Jess,” he said calmly. “It’s yours. You worked for it.”
My shoulders sagged.
“What? Why?”
“You’ve been working hard,” he continued evenly. “It’s your reward. I’m not taking it back. End of discussion.”
He waved a dismissive hand, pushing my laptop slightly away and turning back to his desk.
“But—”
“Don’t be a baby, tesoro,” he interrupted. “Now go get ready for the party. I’m picking you up at eight.”
I stared at him.
“Don’t keep me waiting.”
Final.
I scoffed, snatching my laptop back.
“I’m definitely not using any of his money,” I muttered to myself as I walked out. “I’ll find a way to send it back.”
I could feel his eyes on me all the way until the door closed.
And somehow… that made my heart race even faster.
~ DAMIEN ~
I couldn’t help the sheepish grin that tugged at my lips as my mind drifted back to the look on Jasmine’s face.
Pure disbelief.
Outrage.
Determination.
She had looked like a child being denied her favorite chocolates—ones placed just out of reach on the highest shelf—equal parts offended and stubbornly resolute. It was almost amusing.
Almost.
She never failed to intrigue me.
Most women I’d encountered in my life would have begged for my money without a shred of shame. Some flirted. Some cried. Some made promises they had no intention of keeping.
They all wanted the same thing, and they all thought they deserved it simply because they existed in my space.
And then there was Jasmine
Complaining because money was given to her. Talking about returning it as if it were a mistake. As if it burned her hands to hold onto it.
She wanted to give it back.
The thought alone made my grin deepen.
She wasn’t impressed by numbers or power.
She wasn’t dazzled by what I could offer. If anything, she seemed more irritated by it. That kind of integrity was rare. Dangerous, even. It made her unpredictable—and unpredictability had always been my weakness.