Split Love

CHAPTER 40

Sitting in her room, Jasmine held an old photo album and stared at the pictures as if she were seeing everything for the first time. It was as if all that new information painted those photos with new colors. That little girl wasn't Jasmine, it was her sister, Grace.

Grace was born, lived for happily 7 years, and then Micah's father took her life. Her boyfriend's father killed her 7-year-old sister and her parents. He ripped away her chance to get to know them and for them to be a normal family.

A tear ran down her cheek as Jamie looked at probably one of Grace's last photos. Debra always said that was the last photo Jasmine took with her mother before the car accident. But knowing the real story, she now knew that it was the last photo of Grace next to their mother. The date said July 1st. 16 days before her death, Jamie's mind automatically read.

Hours earlier, Jamie analyzed the documents until her vision blurred. And then, she organized all the papers as she found them—inside the briefcase, inside the winter coat, in the closet.

And at that moment, a mental confusion that prevented clear thoughts began to take over her. Her mind had begun to struggle sickeningly, trying to understand who she really was and her feelings for Micah - the man she imagined marrying and having a family with - and not Mikhail - the mobster who ended her family. She wanted to hate him with everything she had, but her heart was too stubborn.

Suddenly, she felt an immense urge to cry and scream at the world. A mixture of anger, sadness, and mourning. For the first time in her life, Jasmine was feeling the pain of losing her parents. And that hurt like hell.

But she knew the consequences of succumbing to those feelings. And like a cornered animal, lost and scared, she stood up, put on her sneakers, and a minute later, walked out the front door.

She ran as fast as she could down the street as tears ran down her face. But when she reached the North Bridge, it became too much. She stopped trying to catch her breath but an anguish that was growing quickly in her chest spread throughout her lungs and didn't allow them to fill as they should. With her hands resting on the stone guardrail, she felt her heart contract as she sobbed out tears.

The torpid effect she had gotten into since her conversation with Agent West had clearly worn off. And all the bad feelings hit her too hard. Was this Logan West's fault? Maybe he wasn't the angel who appeared to rescue her as she had thought. Maybe he was sent straight from hell to steal all her joy and hope.

Jamie felt her knee give way and without the strength to hold on, she let her body hit the ground. The tears made her vision blurry but huddled next to the bridge's guardrail, she took her phone from her pocket and called him.

- Jasmine? - His deep voice sounded confused.

- I'm not Jasmine. - She tried hard to mask her crying.

- What? What are you talking about?

- My real name is Bethany.

- What? - He sounded distant at first and after a few seconds of silence, he understood. - You found out?

- Yes.

- How? - So she had his full attention.

- I found my real birth certificate, and my name is Bethany Rose Hudson. - She finally said her real name out loud for the first time. She swallowed feeling her heart contract. - I was born on the day my family died.

He remained silent and Jamie tried hard not to whimper.

- It makes no sense. - He said after a while. - For you to be born on the day your mother died... - Agent West's voice trailed off.

- Either she's not my mother, or she was pregnant. - She said, anyway.

- The chances of her not being your mother, - He didn't need to finish. Jasmine was very similar to her mother, there was no doubt about some kinship. - And if you weren't their daughter, you wouldn't be in the Program.

Her biggest fear had been confirmed. Micah's father hadn't just killed her family, he shot a pregnant woman in the head. She shouldn't even exist.

- How could he? He killed a child and a pregnant woman. Why? He was angry with my father and not.. - The tears made her stop talking. She sobbed.

- This is who they are, Jasmine. They kill innocent people without blinking, they steal, they infiltrate large corporations to benefit themselves. They don't feel sorry for anyone and will never regret it. That's why I need your help. You're too close to Roman, and I know you'd get information without being inside. Without putting yourself in danger. He's never been around another woman like this, he'll talk to you.

- But how am I going to do this? And, - She took a deep breath and her voice came out as a whisper. - I still love him.

- Jasmine, he...

- I know! You don't need to remind me who he is. - She tilted her head back and looked at the sky that contained orange specters of a late afternoon. - But I'm just an ordinary girl. Which, by the way, shouldn't have even been born. I shouldn't be here.

- It's true, you shouldn't be here. But you are. - His voice was powerful and penetrated the shield in her mind. - Call it fate, God, or whatever, but you are the surviving daughter of a woman who was shot while pregnant. And your father was Aaron Hudson, the federal agent killed by Andrei Romanov. What were the chances of you, in this tiny town, being brought face to face with Roman? The son of that hateful man who had your family murdered. - He made a brief pause. - This is your chance to avenge your family, Jasmine. Many people don't have that chance. And Mikhail belongs in prison.

She took a deep breath. Her body was still shaking and her subconscious tried to warn her but, West was right, what were the chances?

- I'll help you, - She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and then stood up. -But I need to do one thing first.

- What are you going to do? - She remained silent. She wouldn't tell him. So he asked again, alarmed. - What are you going to do, Jasmine?

- You said you needed my help, right?

- Not this way. Talk to me.

- I'm sorry for disturbing your holiday, Agent West.

- Jasmine, I'll come to you.

- There is no need. Goodbye for now. - Jamie ended the call and a text message notification appeared on her phone screen.

6:32pm - Micah: Everything ok?

6:40pm - Jasmine: Perfect. You?

A call from West appeared on the screen, but she declined before putting her phone in her pocket. The whistle of a firework rising into the sky sounded, and her gaze quickly lifted. The night began to fall over the valley when blue and red fireworks began to light up the sky.