THE MAFIA'S MISTAKEN BRIDE

CHAPTER 63

Jasmine's POV 
 
After making sure that Xavier is out of the bedroom, I step out of the bathroom with wobbling legs and my heart pounding erratically within my rib cage.
 
It wasn't a dream.
 
I have pinched myself several times while in the bathroom so I could wake up from this sweet dream but I am still here, standing and not on the bed, wide awake.
 
That was a confession, wasn't it?
 
Hate is the opposite of love. Xavier wanted us to tell each other lies about how we felt and he said he hated me.
 
Hating me means he likes me.
 
No. He loves me.
 
Something jumps inside of me, almost forcing me to physically jump up in excitement.
 
Everything seems too good to be real. It is fast. Unbelievable. Exciting. Sweet. And fulfilling, even though I can't say just how we got to this stage.
 
When did all of this start?
 
When did our feelings of hatred and disdain for each other change slowly to love?
 
Is love the right word?
 
Even though I am still not clear on everything, that confession means a lot and has cleared a lot of doubts in my heart.
 
What matters is that he loves me. 
 
He does. His eyes said it all. He does not need to come out straight to tell me he loves me. I know he does and I do too.
 
My phone beeps, jerking back to reality. It's a text.
 
With curiosity, I move close to the drawer where the phone is lying. I don't know how we got back to our bedroom last night from the penthouse and I don't even know if I was able to eat the meal he prepared for me.
 
Seeing myself in a different cloth and with him right beside me, half-naked made me go wild and crazy with my thoughts.
 
I thought we did it.
 
But obviously, we didn't.
 
I don't know if I am glad that we didn't.
 
As soon as I get a hold of my phone, something else makes a beeping sound but it isn't my phone.
 
I turn my eyes back to the drawer to see another phone. It is Xavier's. He must have forgotten to go out with it or perhaps, he is still within the premises and he will be back soon.
 
I don't know who came to call him or why he was called but I can't wait for him to be back so we can talk.
 
Talk about us.
 
It is high time we do that.
 
Swiping my phone unlocked, I click on the SMS notification and Mr. Moore's number pops up.
 
My heart skip a beat.
 
"Promise fulfilled. You are a free woman now."
 
My body stilled.
 
I blink once, twice and my heart begins to beat again as my eyes widen at the realization that Andre is back.
 
Andre Moore is back.
 
That bitch is finally here.
 
Instead of the undiluted happiness I have always dreamt of feeling whenever she is caught, all I feel right now is disappointment and sadness engulfing my heart.
 
Why now?
 
Why does it have to be now?
 
My phone beeps again and my eyes flash to the message immediately.
 
"I wish you a good life, Jasmine Cooper."
 
Tears prick my eyes. I don't know if it is because of the message or as a result of the new reality of Andre's homecoming.
 
What is my fate?
 
I am still trying to recover from the news when Xavier's phone beeps too. Without hesitation, I pick it up and swipe it open.
 
"Release my wife and let Jasmine go", the message says.
 
Did Xavier take his wife? What the hell is happening?
 
With intense curiosity eating at me, I find myself scrolling up to see the previous messages but an image has me gasping and shooting to my feet.
 
It's Andre.
 
My guess is right. 
 
Andre is back and is right here in the mansion.
 
The picture says it all. She is sitting confidently on the torture chair in the other building. The same torture chair which held onto Vicenzo's torn skin. 
 
She does not look scared or threatened. She has a hard look on her face. Her hands are tied and her legs too.
 
She looks so much like me and I scroll up to avoid being too emotional for someone who has put me through a lot here.
 
My heart skips a beat again when I see another unclear message.
 
"When are you letting Jasmine go?" Mr. Moore asks him.
 
"That is none of your damn business. Find your daughter ASAP!"
 
What?!
 
Jasmine? Xavier knew I wasn't her.
 
I scroll up again, my hands trembling, more tears threatening to spill down my face.
 
"When will you tell her?"
 
"It's none of your business, Nicholas!"
 
I scroll up, my heart beating twice its normal rate now.
 
"Fucking tell her anything else about Andre and you will have yourself to blame!"
 
This was a message from Xavier. There was no reply from Mr. Moore.
 
I am tempted to scroll up again and see more but my hands are too heavy at this point. Then it hits me.
 
The timing.
 
Quickly, I scroll down back to the image.
 
The message was sent last night. Around the time we were at the penthouse. 
 
A whimper leaves my mouth when it dawns on me that Xavier has been lying all along to me. No wonder he asked me if I would stay if he asked me to. He knew I was her but he kept me here against my will. He made me suffer for her sins. He made me marry him forcefully. 
 
He mistreated me. He was harsh and cruel to me even after knowing I was innocent.
 
I should have known. 
 
He is truly a jerk.
 
Without thinking, I slam both phones on the floor, uncaring about the damage they would do before I storm to the closet.
 
As fast as possible, I grabbed the only thing I came here with. My black jacket and leather skirt. Hurriedly, I change into them, then whirl around immediately to pick up my shoes.
 
When I am done, I move to the mirror staring right back into the eyes of a woman who was happy a while ago because she thought she had finally found love in someone she least expected and now has sadness lurking in every corner of her eyes because she had been deceived and betrayed.
 
I don't know what I am doing but I find my hands going to my wig. Carefully, I pull it away from my hair before brushing my real white hair with my fingers to untangle the edges.
 
I need to go now.
 
Xavier might be back anytime soon and I can't let him see me trying to escape.
 
He doesn't need to know. I don't even need to let him know that I know too. He can easily let me go now that Andre is back and he promised to let me go when she is back but I can't face him.
 
I don't want to see him.
 
I don't know how I am going to escape away from here with all the guards around but I know I have to do this or I will never be able to.
 
All I know is that I am going to leave here today, right this minute no matter what happens.
 
With desperation and determination setting in, I turn back slowly, take a last look at the room and another at the two smashed phones on the floor before taking the exit out of the room and out of his life.

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