( SUMMARY )
Jasmine's life takes an unexpected turn after a one-night stand with a mysterious stranger leaves her pregnant. As a freshman in college, she's now carrying the child of billionaire Francesco Scordìa, but there's more to her baby's fath...
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Jasmine lay in the hospital bed, her heart still racing from the whirlwind of events that had unfolded. The sterile scent of the hospital room did little to soothe her frazzled nerves. Francesco sat beside her, his normally stoic expression softened by worry and guilt. The beeping of the machines monitoring her vital signs filled the room, a constant reminder of how close she had come to losing everything.
The doctor, a middle-aged woman with a kind but firm demeanor, stood at the foot of the bed, her clipboard in hand. She had just finished explaining what had happened, her tone professional but empathetic.
"Ms. Summers, it's fortunate that we managed to stop the bleeding in time," the doctor said, her eyes meeting Jasmine's. "The stress you've been under, coupled with the physical strain you endured, nearly caused a miscarriage. You and the baby are stable now, but I must insist that you go on complete bed rest. No stress, no physical exertion. You shouldn't be lifting so much as a finger."
Jasmine nodded, her throat tight with emotion. The doctor's words were a harsh reminder of how fragile her situation had become. She glanced at Francesco, who was listening intently, his jaw clenched as if he were barely holding back a flood of emotions.
"We'll make sure she follows your instructions," Francesco said, his voice low and serious. His gaze shifted to Jasmine, and for a moment, the intensity in his eyes made her forget about the machines, the pain, and everything that had happened.
The doctor gave a curt nod, scribbling a few notes on her clipboard before she left the room. As the door closed behind her, the silence in the room felt heavy, filled with unspoken words and unresolved tension.
Francesco took a deep breath, his hand reaching out to cover Jasmine's. "Jasmine, I'm sorry," he began, his voice tinged with regret. "For what I said during our argument... and for what happened afterward. None of this should have happened. Not to you."
Jasmine looked at him, her heart aching from more than just the physical pain she had endured. "Francesco, I don't understand. Why did this happen? Why are people trying to hurt me?"
Francesco hesitated, his eyes darkening as he struggled to find the right words. He had always been careful about what he revealed to her, protecting her from the darker side of his life. But now, it seemed inevitable that she would have to know.
"Jasmine," he started slowly, choosing his words carefully, "there are things about my life, about Scordìa Enterprise, that I've kept from you. Not because I wanted to lie to you, but because I wanted to protect you. But after what's happened... I can't keep you in the dark anymore."
Jasmine's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and curiosity swirling inside her. She tightened her grip on his hand, urging him to continue.
"Scordìa Enterprise isn't just a business," Francesco continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's... a cover. A front for something much bigger, something much darker. My family—we're involved in things that aren't exactly legal. I'm involved in things that aren't legal. We've built an empire, but it's not just built on business deals. It's built on power, control, and sometimes... violence."
