Four Hearts Beat as One

Prologue

"Jasmine's eyes fluttered open, the dim light of dawn creeping through the windows like a thief in the night. She reached out, hoping to find Antonio's warm embrace, but his side of the bed was cold and empty. A pang of fear struck her heart like a match, illuminating the darkness.

She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and reached for her phone. No messages. No Calls. Just the silent, haunting echo of their last argument, the words they couldn't take back.

Jasmine's mind raced with the worst-case scenarios as she threw off the covers and padded to the kitchen. The coffee maker beeped, a harsh reminder of their routine, their life together. She poured herself a cup, the bitter taste a reflection of her mood.

As she sipped her coffee, Jasmine's thoughts turned to Antonio's latest project, the one he'd been pouring his heart and soul into.

"Had he finally found success? Or had it consumed him, driven him further away from her?"

Jasmine's phone buzzed, breaking the silence. She jumped her heart racing, hoping it was Antonio. But it was just a text from her sister, checking in. Jasmine sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment. She quickly typed out a response, trying to sound cheerful, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the feeling that Antonio was hiding something from her. She tried to push the thoughts away, but they lingered, making her feel anxious and uncertain.

Jasmine's sister, Sofia, was always intuitive, and her message only added to Jasmine's growing unease.

"Hey, sis, just checking in. Is everything okay? You seem distant lately."

Jasmine took a deep breath and tried to compose herself before responding. She couldn't let Sofia know anything was wrong, not yet.

"Hey, Sofia, yeah, everything's fine. Just busy with work and stuff. Don't worry about me!" She hit send and hoped her sister would buy the lie. But as she waited for a response, her anxiety only grew.

Sofia's response came quickly, and Jasmine's heart sank as she read the words.

"Jasmine, I know you're lying. Something's going on. Tell me the truth."

Jasmine felt a lump in her throat as she realized her sister had seen through her facade. She hesitated, unsure of what to do next."

Jasmine's mind raced as she tried to come up with a response. She couldn't tell Sofia the truth that Antonio was acting strange and she was starting to doubt their relationship. But she couldn't keep lying to her sister either. She took a deep breath and decided to come clean.

"Sofia, Im sorry. I didn't want to worry you. But Antonio and I are having some issues. I'll fill you in later, okay?"

"Sofia's response was immediate. "Jasmine, oh my god, what's going on? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over?"

Jasmine felt a wave of gratitude towards her sister. She knew Sofia would be there for her, no matter what.

"Thanks, Sofia. I appreciate it. But I need to figure this out on my own. Just be there for me, okay?"

As Jasmine tried to gather her thoughts, she heard a noise behind her. She turned to see Antonio standing in the doorway, a look of guilt on his face.

"Jasmine, I need to talk to you," he said, his voice low and serious.

Jasmine's heart sank as she realized her worst fears were confirmed. Antonio was hiding something from her, and she was about to find out what it was."

As Antonio approached her, Jasmine could see the weight of his secrets bearing down on him. She felt a surge of anger and hurt, but she kept her cool, waiting for him to speak.