THE MAFIA'S MISTAKEN BRIDE

CHAPTER 66

Xavier's POV 
 
There is a scumbag that I need to get rid of before I can finally be able to let Jasmine go if truly that is what she wants.
 
That scumbag is Sebastian and it comes with eliminating every member of Vicenzo's group as well.
 
Only then can I have peace of mind.
 
Knowing full well that he is still out there, perhaps waiting patiently for the right time to strike, I am going crazy with worry.
 
I have no idea where Jasmine is. I don't know if she is okay wherever she is or if she has fallen into his trap.
 
Hoping for the latter, we kept looking for her for days until we found a trail. My men were also at work every single hour, both on the computers and on the streets.
 
Finding Jasmine wasn't as hard as finding Andre. Andre had everything planned for days or even months before striking but Jasmine's actions were rash. 
 
It wasn't planned.
 
She left with my credit card. The same one I gave to her in Italy. I didn't ask her for it because I wanted her to have access to money at any time.
 
Ever since that day, she never used it. And I never demanded it back from her.
 
Now, I am more than glad that I didn't. Because it is working to my benefit now.
 
Just an hour ago, a purchase was made with my card and we have been able to trace her location. She is still in New York but in a different part of the city.
 
As though the heavens also want to punish me for my actions towards her, rain begins to pour heavily. But that isn't going to stop me from finding her tonight.
 
As soon as the car stops in front of the small hotel where she is lodged, I want to get out, uncaring about the rain when Ethan stops me.
 
He comes out of the car and turns around to open the door for me with an umbrella. 
 
I really do not feel the need to use an umbrella. I am desperate to see her. I want to be sure that she is here indeed. 
 
I want to know if she is fine. And safe. 
 
I don't want finding her to be as hard as finding Andre. It will drive me crazy. 
 
One minute Andre would be found here and the next minute, she would be gone again like a ghost. 
 
Not taking the umbrella from him, I step out of the car, looking towards the exit before walking forward. Ethan follows me quickly after closing the car door with the umbrella wide open shielding me from the rain.
 
I am tempted to tell him to use it instead but I keep quiet.
 
He opens the door and we enter. 
 
Even though my insides are in disarray, I manage to keep a calm composure with my hands in my pants pocket.
 
When we get to the middle-aged receptionist, she flashes me a smile. I examine the place and it doesn't even look like a hotel. 
 
Maybe she thinks hiding here was the best and we wouldn't be able to find her. She could easily lodge in a five-star hotel with the credit card but she didn't. She chooses her instead.
 
"Hi, how may I help you?" I catch a glimpse of a gum in her mouth which she is trying so hard to hide. 
 
Ignoring her, I turn to Ethan and he speaks up. "We are looking for Jasmine Cooper. She lodged her five days ago. Can you please tell us her room number?"
 
Silence falls.
 
I look up to see her smile is wiped off her face. She doesn't seem like a professional so bribing her wouldn't be so hard.
 
Shaking her head, she mutters. "I'm sorry but we don't give out our client's information."
 
Ethan spares me a glance and I nod. He stretches his hand towards her and she takes the bundle of money immediately.
 
"She's a pretty young lady, right?" she demands, flashing us a bright smile while she pockets the money. 
 
I nod.
 
"With strange white hair?" she asks again and I blink.
 
Strange white hair? Did she take off the wig again? 
 
I nod again.
 
She smiles again and points towards the exit. "She stepped out a few minutes ago. Maybe you should check her in the bookstore two streets away."
 
I raise a brow at her in suspicion. 
 
"If she isn't there, then you can come wait for her or leave your number so I can call you as soon as she is back."
 
Lazily, I signaled to Ethan to give her the number. After doing that, I walk towards the exit. I don't want to take any chances. If she is in the bookstore like she said, I hope to find her there and if she isn't, then Ethan can see her as soon as she gets here.
 
Also, if the receptionist is lying, Ethan will figure that out because he will stay back here while I go check the bookstore.
 
I take the car key from Ethan without a word. Briskly, I walk to the car, throw it open and slump in before igniting the car engine into action.
 
It is still raining but now it is not as heavy as before.
 
I drive past the first street, glancing around for the sight of a bookstore nearby.
 
I wonder if what she is saying is even true. How can a bookstore still be open at this time?
 
I keep driving, ignoring the banging of my head. I get to the second street but there is no bookstore in sight.
 
A hiss leaves my mouth as I stop the car so I can reverse back to the hotel. I can feel anger flaring inside of me.
 
Just then, I see a figure. 
 
A familiar figure of a white-haired woman with a black tote bag hanging loosely on her shoulder as she folds her arms around her bosom, walking aimlessly by the roadside.
 
I need no soothsayer to tell me this is Jasmine.
 
Her back is to me and she seems to be going back to the hotel.
 
Without hesitation, I stop the car and jump out, racing towards her.
 
"Jasmine", I call out, when I am close. She stops walking but does not turn back.
 
She is drenched from hair to toe just like I am and it is still pouring. Now I regret not taking the umbrella from Ethan.
 
If only I had it with me, I would use it to shield her from the rain so she doesn't catch a cold.
 
I halt in my tracks when I am a meter away from her, waiting for her to turn to me but she isn't moving.
 
"Jasmine Cooper?" I call out again, more like a question as I begin to doubt if she is the one or not.
 
Just then, it hit me.
 
I called her Jasmine, not Andre.
 
For the very first time, I called her Jasmine, loud enough for her to hear. I'm sure she is still shocked by all of this. The fact that I knew she was Andre all along. The fact that I know she is Jasmine Cooper instead just like she told me.
 
Slowly, she whirls around, her hair moving in slow motion with the wind. Then she faces me, her beautiful face just the way I remembered, her bright brown eyes staring intensely at her in surprise.
 
A smile leaves my mouth followed by a wave of relief.
 
I was scared.
 
Afraid I would never find her. Scared I would never be given a chance to make things right or ask her to forgive me.
 
I was terrified that we would never see each other again.
 
"Xavier?" she calls out, more like a whisper, utterly shocked to the bones to see me here. 
 
I smile again. 
 
Jasmine is naive. So innocent and sweet.
 
Seeing how surprised she is has indicated that she never knew she could be traced with the purchase she made with my credit card. 
 
Andre would never make that mistake.
 
Seeing her now has left me totally speechless. I thought I had a lot to say to her but now I can't find my voice.
 
I don't know what to say first. Whether to tell her sorry or to tell her how hard we have searched for her or how worried I have been.
 
I don't know if hugging her is the best thing to do right now or kneeling to plead with her to come back with me.
 
Thunder rumbles in the distance, jerking us both back to life as she trembles slightly. That breaks the jinx because I take a step closer, summoning up enough courage to wrap my hands around her to protect her from the cold.
 
But she beats me to it.
 
Before I can engulf her in a tight embrace with my arms securely around her body, she runs into my arms and slams her lips to mine, making my eyes go wide in disbelief.

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