Episode 19 – Shadows of Temptation
Jasmine could barely sleep.
After the rooftop meeting with Callum, her mind was a battlefield—one where reason and emotion were at constant war. She had gone there expecting answers, but left with even more confusion and a burning ache she hadn't felt in years.
The way he'd looked at her.
The way he'd said her name with a vulnerability that didn't match his title.
It lingered.
So did his words.
"There's someone on the board trying to remove me… they're using you to get to me."
She rolled over on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her fingers brushing her lips absentmindedly. No kiss had happened—not yet. But there had been something in his eyes last night. A crack in his armor. A silent plea. And for a moment, just a moment, she felt like she wasn't just an employee to him.
She was something more.
---
The next morning at Phoenix Corp was like stepping into a room rigged with invisible wires.
Everyone looked sharp, tense. Jasmine noticed more security guards near the boardroom. Even the receptionist was jumpier than usual.
She walked briskly to her office, heeding Callum's warning to avoid the boardroom—but curiosity clawed at her. What was going on behind those glass doors?
Her phone buzzed.
> Unknown Number: Do not speak to anyone today. Watch. Listen. But don't react. — C
A shiver ran down her spine.
She knew it was Callum.
Why was he being so cryptic?
And why did the thrill of being involved in his secret world feel so intoxicating?
Still, she did as instructed. She kept her head down, buried in reports and spreadsheets. But her eyes wandered. Her ears strained to catch fragments of conversations.
"…leak came from someone close…"
"…the CEO's days might be numbered…"
"…saw her leave The Glass House last night…"
Her heart skipped. They were talking about her. About them.
By noon, she'd had enough. She stormed into the restroom and splashed water on her face. She needed to breathe. She needed to stop feeling everything so intensely.
As she stepped out of the restroom, she collided with someone.
"Careful."
That voice.
That scent.
Callum.
Her breath hitched.
He looked down at her, eyes unreadable. But there was something in them… a flicker of emotion that betrayed the mask he wore so well.
"Walk with me," he said simply.
She hesitated but followed.
He led her to the rooftop garden, away from eyes, away from ears. As soon as they were alone, he turned to face her.
"You're being watched," he said. "By the board, by the staff. You can't make a single misstep right now."
"Then why are you meeting me here?" she asked, voice tight.
"Because I needed to see you."
The wind blew her hair gently around her face, and for a second, he reached out like he might tuck it behind her ear—but stopped himself.
"I hate this," Jasmine whispered. "All of it. The games, the threats… I didn't sign up to be part of your war."
"I know," Callum said, stepping closer. "And I'm sorry."
His voice was raw. Honest.
"I should've never dragged you back into my world," he continued. "But I couldn't help it. The second I saw you again… I knew I was doomed."
Her heart stuttered.
He was close now. Too close.
"Callum…"
"I tried to stay away. I really did. But you walk into a room and I forget everything—every rule I made for myself, every wall I built."
The air between them grew thick. Her breath came faster. Her heart slammed against her chest.
"You left me," she whispered.
"I had no choice."
"There's always a choice."
His eyes dropped to her lips.
"You're right," he said softly. "There is a choice."
And then—
He kissed her.
It wasn't gentle.
It was desperate.
A kiss that carried five years of regret, longing, frustration, and raw, unspoken love. His hand gripped the back of her neck as hers clutched his shirt, grounding herself in the chaos of his touch.
The kiss deepened, their bodies leaning into each other like they had done this a thousand times before. Like they belonged.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathless.
Jasmine stepped back, eyes wide.
"This… this changes everything," she whispered.
Callum nodded. "Yes. And I don't care anymore."
"I do," she said. "Because I'm falling for you all over again. And I don't know if I'll survive it this time."
He reached for her hand.
"Then let me catch you."
But before she could respond, a phone rang. His again.
He answered, stiffening.
"I'm on my way," he said coldly, then turned to her. "I have to go. But tonight… I'll explain everything."
And then he was gone.
Leaving Jasmine alone with a kiss that shattered her defenses… and a heart that beat too loud in the silence.