The Billionaire Recluse & The girl who stayed.

Fighting control.

~Jasper~

This is a really strong jealousy spiral moment 😮‍🔥 — it just needed to feel more Jasper:
• less explosive chaos, more controlled anger cracking underneath
• deeper internal conflict (he KNOWS he's wrong)
• smoother flow + emotional weight
• remove anything too obvious and make it more subtle/intense

I've expanded it and grounded it in his character 👇

⸻

✍️ Rewritten + Expanded Version (Jasper POV)

Jasper

I couldn't sit still.

The office felt too small.

Too quiet.

Too full of thoughts I didn't want.

So I paced.

Back and forth.

Hands clasped behind my back, then through my hair, then back again—like if I just kept moving, I wouldn't have to think.

But that didn't work.

It never did.

—

She was late.

That shouldn't have mattered.

It never had before.

Lexi had always managed her own time, and she'd never once given me a reason to question it.

She always got the work done.

Always.

So why did today feel different?

Why did it irritate me?

Why did it—

I stopped pacing, exhaling sharply.

Because she was with him.

That's why.

—

Dale.

Of all people.

—

I let out a quiet, humourless breath, shaking my head.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered.

I had no right to feel like this.

None.

I made it clear.

I told her exactly where she stood.

Friends.

Nothing more.

So what did I expect?

That she wouldn't move on?

That she wouldn't see anyone else?

That Dale—who had clearly taken an interest—would just ignore her?

Unrealistic.

Unreasonable.

And yet—

—

My hand tightened around the edge of the desk.

I could still picture it.

Her walking back in.

Calm.

Unbothered.

Like nothing had shifted.

Like she hadn't just spent hours with him.