𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢 - Rafe Cameron

①②

...

The next morning, Jazmine came downstairs, expecting to see Rafe, but the house was empty. She felt a small pang of disappointment but quickly shook it off. She had more important things to do today.

Deciding to make the most of her time, she headed into town, straight to the office where the Cameron properties were managed. Her goal was clear: review and start the process of transferring the leases on the Cameron estates.

She reminded herself why she was here, despite the pleasant moments she'd had with Rafe. Business came first, and she couldn't afford to get distracted.

"Good morning," Jazmine said as she walked into the office, her voice calm and steady. "I'm here on behalf of Ward Cameron."

The woman behind the desk, Lynda, looked up with a polite smile. "Good morning. How can I assist you today?"

"My employer has asked me to retrieve the documents related to the properties registered in his name," Jazmine said, maintaining her professional demeanor. "He's planning to make some changes."

"We'll need a document to verify your authorization for that," Lynda replied, her tone shifting slightly more formal.

Jazmine reached into her bag and handed over the papers. "Here it is."

Lynda examined the document carefully before nodding. "Everything seems to be in order. What changes will we be making today?"

"He wants to update the names on the property titles," Jazmine said, keeping her expression neutral.

Lynda raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in her voice. "That's quite unusual. Typically, a family member would handle this sort of thing in person."

Jazmine's gaze didn't falter. "With his passing, his children are still in mourning. I've been entrusted to take care of it on their behalf."

If Rafe planned to double-cross her, Jazmine knew she had to protect herself. No matter how close they had grown, how many moments they had shared together, she never lost sight of why she was really there. Living with him, experiencing those fleeting glimpses of something real, didn't erase the fact that her guard had to stay up. She reminded herself that trust was a luxury she couldn't afford—not with everything on the line.

Lynda's expression softened, a touch of empathy crossing her features. "I see. That's very considerate of you."

Jazmine gave a small, polite smile. "I know. Thank you."

...

As Jazmine walked along the beach, the waves crashing gently in the background, she found a quiet spot and sat down, taking in the view. Her eyes drifted to a cluster of tiny turtles struggling to make their way to the water, their little flippers flailing in the sand. She couldn't help but smile at their determination.

"You're so cute," Jazmine murmured, crouching down to watch them more closely, her voice soft with uncharacteristic tenderness.

"Don't touch them!" a voice called out from behind.

Jazmine turned her head slightly and saw Kiara standing there, hands on her hips, looking concerned. Jazmine gave her a faint smile, trying not to seem too annoyed by the interruption. "I know, Kiara. I grew up near a beach too. I'm not clueless."

Kiara blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off by Jazmine's familiarity with her. The heat of the sun was almost overwhelming, the air thick and heavy. Jazmine reached for a large palm leaf that had fallen to the sand and held it over the small turtles, providing them some much-needed shade.