Secret Words(36)

"Okay," he said but continued his worried interrogation. "Does your mum know you're sick?"

"No."

"You don't sound too good, Jasmine. You should tell your mum so she can visit you and make sure you're okay."

Damn you. Why do you have to be so caring?

"I wish I was there to take care of you," Kane continued tenderly.

A tear escaped her. "I have to go, Kane. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

There was a short silence before he acquiesced. "All right. Have a good rest, baby. I love you."

"Bye." She hang up and buried her face in her pillow.





*******





"I'm so sorry I'm ruining your trip," Jasmine said guiltily to Ari.

"Don't be silly. I came here for the weekend so you could help me heal my broken heart. Now it just means I get to return the favour," Ari responded softly.

"Thank you," she said sincerely as her doorbell rang. "That'll be Sam and Kris."

She opened the door and watched her friends' smiles transform into shock.

"Jaz, what the hell?" Kris asked while Sam stared at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.

She chuckled despite her grief. "Geez, I must really look a mess to have that kind of reaction."

Her friends gently pushed their way in, taking her with them.

"This is Ari, girls," she said, smiling at her new chum. "Be nice to her so she can enjoy her weekend. I'm not being much of a help."

Sam and Kris warmly introduced themselves to Ari before all three of them turned their attention back to her in dismay.

"Have you been crying all night?" Sam asked.

"All night and all of this morning, I'd say," Ari said. "When she picked me up from the airport, I almost didn't recognise her."

"This could only mean one thing," Sam said gravely.

"That Kane Summers hurt you, didn't he?" Kris asked in a demanding tone, hands on hips.

"No," she sniffed, her heart once again contracting at the thought of how much she would be hurting him.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm breaking up with him," she whispered.

"Why?"

"I have no choice. I have to."

"Okay, let me make some tea and coffee, then you'll start from the beginning," Sam said, already filling up the kettle with water.

She nodded, grateful that her friends were around her. She needed all the support she could get. She was already falling apart and she hadn't even done the deed yet. Somehow, she had to find the strength to do it for Kane.

She held on to hope that sometime in the very near future, George's conscience would kick in and he would stop all this craziness. Then after that, maybe she and Kane could be together again.





~~~~~~~





"There must be some other way," Sam said insistently. "How stupid is it that you guys are in love and you allow some thieving dickhead to tear you apart?"

"If you can tell me what I can do to be absolutely sure nothing sullies Kane's name, I'm all ears," Jasmine said.

"This is doing my head in," Kris muttered, pressing her hands to her forehead. "Tell me again why you can't tell Kane about this?"

"Because either he would insist on fixing this thing, or at the very least ignore George's threat. He can't do either of those. George's threat was clear. He will do something that would damage Kane's reputation if I don't stay away from him. News about Kane has already started appearing, not just in architectural publications, but in other places, too. I even found an article that said he should be nominated for Bachelor of the Year!"

"Really?"

"Yes. I think he'd pass up on that. But you see, if they see me with him, they'll be interested in who I am. Then George could just easily swoop in with his malicious untruths."

"Well, if lies do come out about the two of you, surely you could refute that?" Ari asked.

"But not after they have already done some damage. Kane has told me that some clients with international standing don't want negative publicity attached to them, so some may desert his firm if that happens. It's not just about his reputation; it's also about his business and all the people who work with him."

"So you'll really break up with him?"

"I have to," she replied resolutely. "But I won't stop looking for George so I can put a stop to this mess. I just hope I have enough self-restraint not to wring his neck when I do find him."

"Well, the sooner we find George Fucking Paulson, the better," Kris declared. "Then even if you have to stay away from Kane now, hopefully it won't have to be for too long."

"Yes, we'll help you sort this out anyway we can," Sam said.

Ari nodded her head enthusiastically.