Birth Certificate

The past few days had felt like an eternity to Elijah. His every move was scrutinized, every moment with Jasmine watched closely. It felt as though every detail of her life was somehow tied to the mystery that was unfolding around them. 

He hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that Clara knew something important, something his team hasn’t found. The contents of the letter were still at question, as well as the validity of the bank and documents that Benjamin had left behind. Marshall and Maya were great at their job, but both came up empty handed. 

The walls seemed to be closing in with every passing day. The more he tried to get answers, the further they slipped away. The only thing for certain… the hitman was after Jasmine.

It wasn’t just the missing pieces of Clara’s plan that haunted him. It was the fact that Jasmine was being hunted. Hunted like an animal in the wild, an unarmed and defenseless prey.

What puzzled Elijah was the fact that Maya wasn’t forthcoming with what had happened during their impromptu investigation at the Marina. As much as Elijah tried to act like everything was fine, the tension between them was palpable. He didn’t want to admit it, but the pressure was getting to him.

This wasn’t the first time he doubted her. His thoughts spun. Obsessing over the things he didn’t know, especially the things that she wasn’t telling him. At this point he wasn’t sure he could trust her to keep Jasmine safe. 

Since the marina incident, Elijah had kept a closer eye on Jasmine. He didn’t want to suffocate her, but he couldn’t help it. The idea that she had been out of his sight, in danger, for even a moment made his instincts sharper. 

He was hovering, constantly in her space, and asking questions. He had never been the type of man that needed reassurance, but he needed to know that she was safe. That she wasn’t running into something she couldn’t handle. 

Jasmine had been unusually quiet, but she had gotten used to the intensity. She was on edge, but that was to be expected. What bothered him was the way Maya kept slipping away, as though she knew more than she was letting on.

That was when Maya finally got a breakthrough. Elijah had thought Maya was hiding something, and she was. She spent all of her spare time tracing back the information to check the validity.

She had gotten a message a few weeks back from a friend of a friend in the hacker community. The news was disturbing, but she had to check it out. Especially if it pertained to her best friend. 

Maya sat in the comfortable armchair in Elijah’s living room. Her fingers tapping impatiently on her keyboard as she waited for Marshall to arrive. Maya knew Elijah didn’t trust her, but it was smart to keep an eye on your hacker.

She had hoped to find something to prove herself trustworthy, and now she had the something. Something buried so deeply that it had been intentionally hidden. The information she had just confirmed was troubling, to say the least.

She glanced over at Elijah. He was sitting across from her, talking to Jasmine. The conversation was lighthearted, but Maya could tell Elijah was still on edge. There was a restlessness in his eyes that he couldn’t quite mask. 

She wasn’t sure if it was concern for Jasmine’s safety, suspicion about what had really happened at the Marina, or the fact that he wasn’t getting answers. Either way, the tension between them was thick and Maya felt every bit of it.

Her stomach twisted as she staired at the document on her screen. She wasn’t sure if it was nerves or the growing weight of the discovery, but she knew it was time to act. With a quick, subtle motion, she stood up and excused herself from the conversation. 

Elijah didn’t question her. He’d grown used to her disappearing when she had business to take care of. But this time, it wasn’t something she could keep from him much longer.

When Maya stepped outside, Marshall was already there. 

“We need to talk.”, Marshall said. His voice low, almost too quiet for her comfort. “I’ve doubled checked the information and found the original document.”

Maya gasped. She was too on edge, pacing as she processed the information. Marshall pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it slowly. He held it out to her without saying a word.

Maya’s eyes scanned the document, her stomach dropping the moment she knew what it meant.

“It’s his birth certificate.”, she murmured. Her fingers trembling as she touched the edges. “Benjamin’s real birth certificate. But… Do you know what this means? I hoped the screen was playing tricks on my eyes.”, her voice trailed off as she saw the names on the certificate.

Jasmine’s parents.

Maya’s breath caught in her throat. She had prayed that it wasn’t real. That Clara’s family hadn’t destroyed Jasmine’s this way. 

Someone had gone to great lengths to bury this truth, and now it was in their hands… threatening to shatter everything they thought they knew.

“Maya, this is big. This changes everything. We need to tell Elijah, now.”, Marshall said firmly. His voice taking on an edge of urgency.

Maya swallowed, her mind racing. She couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud. The secret that Jasmine’s parents were also Benjamin’s was too dangerous. It wasn’t just a family secret… it was something far darker.

And if Jasmine found out too soon, it could jeopardize everything.

“We need to tell him, but not in front of Jasmine. I don’t think she is ready to hear this. This will crush her. She might even go after Clara on her own.”, Maya finally whispered. The words coming out more slowly than she wanted. 

Marshall frowned, “It’s her family, but this isn’t my call. I am only hired to check information and find things or people. He’ll want to know, and soon. Jasmine isn’t just going to figure it out, this was too hard to come by.”

Maya nodded but felt the crushing weight of what they had to do. 

“We need to keep this quiet. Let me handle it.”, Marshall said as he reached for the door.

“Please just keep Jasmine out of it.”, Maya pleaded.

Marshall didn’t push her further, but his eyes told a different story. He understood the stakes. “I will do my best, Maya. This is serious. We can’t let Elijah find out about this from someone else. And Ms. Jasmine is wild and determine to make her own decisions. She’s stronger than you make her out to be, she doesn’t need your protection.”

Maya felt the chill of that warning settle into her bones. It wasn’t just about keeping secrets anymore. It was about survival and truth. If they couldn’t control the information, it would slip out… and when it did, it would bring everything crashing down.

Maya’s heart pounded as she made her way back in Elijah’s house, followed by Marshall. She knew what she had to do, but it didn’t make it any easier. Guilt washed over her as she thought about Jasmine being kept in the dark.

She had to keep her there, even if it felt wrong.

When she stepped over the threshold into the room, she was greeted by Elijah’s eyes. He was knee on small changes and was following her every move. She could feel his gaze on her.

It was intense, as he sat there watching, waiting for an answer to the sudden change in her demeanor. He was already questioning her loyalty to Jasmine, which didn’t help her nerves. Elijah picked up on the subtle body language that Maya hadn’t even know she was giving off. 

Jasmine was sitting on the couch, talking softly to him. Maya was aware of how close they were, too close for her to whisper. She could feel the tension building with every glance Elijah cast toward her. 

She tried to keep her expression neutral as she approached Elijah.

“Marshall’s here and he said he needs to discuss something with you.”, she said. Her voice low, but loud enough to get his attention.

Elijah stood up immediately, his posture stiffening. 

“What does he want?”, Jasmine asked.

Maya felt a pang of guilt, but she had no choice. She had to keep it together. “They actually need to talk. Alone. Jasmine and I can leave.”, Maya urged for privacy.

Elijah glanced at Jasmine, who was watching them closely. She seemed to sense the shift in the air, the sudden weight of something unsaid. Maya felt Jasmine’s gaze on her, sharp and searching.

“Sure?”, Jasmine said. Her tone was questioning, as a frown tugged at her lips. 

“Go ahead. It shouldn’t take long. I will come find you when we are done.”, Elijah nudged. 

But Jasmine hesitated, exchanging a brief look with Elijah. As  she was about to leave, there was something in her eyes that made him uneasy. He shook it off needing to focus, to hear what Marshall had to say.

Once the women were in the other room, Elijah turned to Marshall. His voice quiet but demanding. “What the fuck is going on, Marshall? I know you’ve found something. Is it about Clara or Maya?”

Marshall took a breath. He had to stay calm. 

“It’s about Jasmine.”, he said. His voice steady but clipped, “Maya just found something. Something buried deep, and it’s tied to Jasmine’s parents.”

Elijah’s face shifted, his brows knitting together. “What are you talking about?”

Marshall unfolded the birth certificate. He had to pull a lot of strings and search through a lot of documents to find it. Elijah looked at it, his face went pale as he took in the names. 

Jasmine’s parents. 

Benjamin’s name. 

The connection between them was undeniable.

Elijah looked back at Marshall, his mind working in overdrive. “This is what Benjamin found out. This is what was in the letter he wrote to Jasmine.”

“I’m not sure boss, but if Clara even thinks Jasmine knows… that’s enough to put out the hit.”, Marshall added. 

A slow realization hit him, and the pieces fell into place. 

“Do we know how much the hit is worth?”, Elijah asked. 

“5 million, sir.”, Marshall answered.

“For fucks sake.”, Elijah muttered. 

He paused, then spoke again. His voice cold and firm,  “We can’t let anyone know. Not even Jasmine. Tell Maya to keep this quiet. We can’t trust anyone with this information right now. We need to find out exactly what it means before we tell anyone.”

Marshall nodded, but he could feel the weight of it. They were standing on the edge of something dangerous. The buried secrets were piling up faster than they could handle. No one could be trusted, not even the team. 

But Elijah knew one thing for sure… the deeper they dug, the darker the truth would become. And if they weren’t careful, they would all be consumed by it.