Page 77 of Tempted

“But, Daddy. You didn’t answer my question. Will she be back soon?” Chelsea pressed.

“I hope so, baby. I haven’t given up yet.”

This answer seemed to satisfy his daughter as she snuggled deeper into her blanket. “Me neither,” she whispered back with a yawn.

Victor stroked her cheek and stood up, his heart heavy. How was he going to tell his children Jasmine might not want to come back?

He’d never been so scared in his life as a medical team raced into the room to assist a distressed Jasmine. He and his mother had been shooed into the waiting room where they stayed an agonizing hour before learning that they’d gotten Jasmine’s cramping under control. Stress had beenthe cause of her premature contractions.

The doctors thought it was best that he leave because it would upset the patient. But he didn’t leave before he’d gotten into a confrontation with the artist.

“It’s okay, son, we’ll just visit on another day,” his mother assured him as they stood outside Jasmine’s hospital room.

Just then Jason stepped outside. “That wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“And who are you again?” Madeline glared at Jason. When she wanted to be, quiet intimidating.

Jason however seemed unfazed. “With all do respect, Mrs. Meade. You’ve already heard Jasmine. She doesn’t want anything to do with either of you and I’ll make sure to enforce that request.

“And you think it’s a good idea to keep a child away from his father?” Victor demanded.

“What I think is that I’ll take good care of Jasmine and the baby. I’m all she needs. You already saw what happened when you’re around. Do you want to be the reason she loses this baby?”

That had taken the wind out of Victor’s sails. He’d already caused Jasmine enough pain. If she lost the baby he’d never forgive himself. “Fine, I’ll leave for now but just tell her that I’ll be here when she’s ready to talk. I’ve been working on her case and I think there’s enough evidence to have her sentence overturned.”

The other man didn’t say anything at first as if he was trying to mull it over.

“Please tell her,” Victor implored. “She can contact me anytime. I can send you the documents I have for her to look over.”

“It’s not up to me, Meade. If she wants to talk to you then that’s up to her.”

Victor hadn’t heard from Jasmine since. And yet as the days passed he silently prayed that she’d contact him if for nothing else than to discuss her case with him.

He hated himself for realizing too late how much Jasmine meant to him. Even if one day she found in it in her heart to forgive her, he didn’t think he could forgive himself. Perhaps it was a justifiable punishment that he’d have to spend the rest of his days without her love, warmth and touch. But until she had the baby, he wouldn’t pressure her. But after the delivery, all bets were off.

With a heavy sigh, he closed Chelsea’s bedroom door and headed down the hall to check on Tyler. His son was fast asleep. Victor visited Adam’s room next. He knocked and waited to be invited in before opening the door. Adam was lounging on his bed scrolling through his phone. “Hey, just checking in.”

“I’m good, Dad.”

“Okay. Don’t stay up to much later. You have that big game tomorrow. You’ll need your rest.”

Adam put his phone down and gave him a half smile. “I know. You don’t have to check in on me every night.”

“I know, but I like to. Good night.”

“Night, Dad. Don’t you stay up too late either. Old men need their sleep. ” Adam winked.

“Ha ha, smarty pants. Just remember who hands out the allowances around here.” Closing the door behind him, Victor headed downstairs to his study. The second he sat down in his chair, his phone rang. It was a little past nine. It wasn’t that late but he didn’t receive many calls around this time. He glanced at the caller id but didn’t recognize the number. His first instinct was to ignore the call but a nagging sensation in the back of his head told him to pick up. “Hello?”

There was silence on the other end of the line.

“Hello?” he repeated.

Again he was greeted with nothingness.

Convinced it was a prank call, he was about to hang up when he heard the faint whisper of his name from a familiar voice. “Victor.”

His heart seized within his chest. It couldn’t be? Had he dreamed this call into existence? Still unable to believe it was really her, he cautiously asked, “Jasmine?”

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