"Don't miss your break time," Andrew told Jasmin as her alarm went off.

She smiled at him, grabbed her phone from him before heading out to get lunch. Her relationship with Anita was on a rocky path and it became that way last week after she came out to her with the news of her pregnancy and told her Cainan was responsible for it when she asked. They still spoke to her from time to time, but she knew something changed and feared it was never going to be the way it used to be.

Being talk buddies with Andrew was fun but Anita was better and Jasmin wished that someday they could all work out some sort of friendship amongst themselves. Anita didn't share any bad blood towards Andrew and if she wasn't withdrawn with her, it wouldn't have been difficult for them to form a trio.

As Jasmin ate, Anita walked over to her table and dropped her lunch tray beside hers and sat and quietly they ate.

When she finished, she spoke, "There is an event tomorrow and George already got me placed in to wait and I wanted to ask if you are interested."

"Of course I am interested," she exclaimed with a wide smile and eager eyes.

Anita carefully stared at her, "Do you think Cainan will let you come?"

"Cainan would let me, he is my boyfriend, not my father," she replied, frowning slightly.

"I didn't mean to stir you up in the wrong way, it's just he is your boyfriend and the father of your unborn child, so I don't think it might sit so well with him. Still, I can't not tell you because you will feel hurt and betrayed when you find out about it."

Anita was right but even just reaching out was good news and she didn't want it to end.

"Cainan and I have an understanding about these things, he respects my job and I do the same for his." she elaborated.

"Jasmin..."

"If you're not going to give me the job say it, do not bring Cainan into it."

She got up and picked her tray but Anita got up after her. "Fine, you can come along, but one condition, you will talk to Cainan about it. George insisted you do that and get his consent because he doesn't want conflict or fall out and I agree with him. Cainan is a powerful billionaire and could take all our job with just a phone call if he feels crossed."

Cainan had a temper when crossed and she had witnessed it when he handled the reporters many weeks ago but she didn't think he would go as far as getting people fired... He only said that to the reporters to make them back off.

"Fine, I will talk to him, but I know he is going to agree to it."

....

"No way in hell am I granting you permission for that." was Cainan's flat reply and he dropped his cutleries on the table.

They were at her favourite local restaurant, getting bean cake, pap and bread but unlike the last time, Cainan was having a grilled beef and hot sauce which Jasmin had been tempted to take ever since it was delivered to him ten minutes ago.

"Your permission? What am I, ten?" her brow rose at the flatness of his tone as though he expected no contradiction. "I do have a say, don't I?"

"You do, and as long as "your say" is rejecting the offer, then it would be great. "

She glared and cussed at him in her head for being an asshole. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

"How come you have had the contract for over five weeks yet fail to read and understand it? I CAN tell you what to do. It is stated in the terms that I can choose to decline a request that doesn't sit well with me and this request is one of such requests."

"Asshole!"

He gulped the glass of red wine beside him, "That's one of the many names I've been called, at this point, it's more like a compliment."

"I gave Anita my word, Cainan, I cannot just go back to her and say, I'm sorry, my boyfriend doesn't like it because it would tarnish his reputation and bruise his ego."

"Yes exactly, use those words don't forget the ego and reputation, it would go so well together."

There was a huge difference between the man that was at her apartment a week ago and the one sitting across from her now and yet they were the same person.

How was that even possible?

She glared at him folded her arms across her chest, "You don't control me."

His darkened green eyes locked in hers, "You signed the contract that said that I do."

Sometimes Cainan was gentle and nice and other days he was a complete asshole and today was asshole day.

"Screw you! You probably only want things done your way or no way, I can see," she bit out at him.

"The fact that you're still working at that damn restaurant goes against what you just said. I never wanted you working there, but you got your way with that, the same can be said for your neighbourhood. Let's not forget you're pregnant!"

She rolled her eyes, "Let me worry about the pregnancy but did you think changing everything about my life was going to make our story more believable than it has been? No! It was only going to make me look like some golddigger or slut, whoring herself at you for money and with the pregnancy, everyone will believe I'm the one stringing you on with it." She paused a while to try and rephrase, but the words were out, she might as well carry on. "All I'm saving is that we both need this to work, and I'm doing my part."

He growled at her, "Your part is to do what I say, Ms Whyte and if that means no to your request of serving at some goddamn party, so be it. Do you understand?" He asked his voice commanding and rigid.

Her hand on the table clenched into a fist as she glared at him, his stone-cold nature was so unlikable, "I understand."

She did understand but he didn't understand, she had already given her words to Anita, in fact, she pressured her into giving her the job and Cainan was here barking orders and telling her to turn down the offer like he was her father. Backing out was going to crush Anita and George and they will never tag her along again and that was what Cainan was asking for.

"Aren't you going to eat the rest of your meal? He asked, after observing that she was no longer touching her food even though she had always finished it before.

"I lost my appetite," she told him, her voice cold and unfriendly.

He dropped his cutleries beside the plate still having much beef in it before him and rose to his feet, "Then let's get you out of here." He offered her his hand but she got up without taking it and walked past him.

She remained quiet all through the drive to her apartment. As soon as they arrived and Cainan turned off the car, he noticed Jasmin fastening her seatbelt in a haste, trying to quickly get out of the car and he locked the door. She tried to open the door and turned to glare at him when she found out it had been locked.

"I want to get down," she told him slowly, trying to sound as calm as possible.

Humour invaded his handsome face and didn't leave, "I can see that, but you didn't say goodnight."

"I didn't realize I had to say goodnight to you before leaving." she groaned.

"You always said goodnight."

"Well, I don't want to say goodnight tonight, are you going to tell me it's also part of the dos and don'ts written in the contract?"

His eyes flickered in amazement as he stared at her, "It isn't but I need you to say goodnight."

"I don't want to say it because I don't want you to have a good night, I want you to have a terrible night like the one I'm going to have."

He laughed, "Your witty responses are always charming." his words only made Jasmin burn in both anger and embarrassment.

"Let me out!"

"Not until you say goodnight." he firmly stated.

"Fine, goodnight, Mr Inferno."

He reached for her face with his hands and her breath cut in response because she didn't see this coming, and the anger she felt a moment ago, faded away. His fingers were delicately soft and tender as they caressed her cheeks and she found herself wanting to lean in more than she should and her eyes began to flutter.

The memories of their first kiss flooding back to her, the feeling and desire, the need was so real like it happened an hour ago despite being weeks.

His thumb lightly grazed on her bottom lips, and a soft purr left her mouth in response and though this gesture was so harmless, it caused chaos within her.

"Now was that so hard?" He asked, his voice coming out cocky and satisfied and he unlocked the car.

Jasmin pushed his hand away from her face and glared at him. He was good at the seducing game and using her lust for him against her. She opened the door and stepped out and was about to go when she paused and turned to him, not surprised when she saw that his eyes were still on her.

"What exactly do you want? A woman that will follow your every wish and wait on your call and instruction or one that has a mind of her own?"

"I want a woman that I can have fun with," He winked at her before starting his car. "good night, Ms Whyte."

...

After work closed, Jasmin returned home to shower and get ready for the party. Cainan has completely forbidden it last night when she informed him about it, but since he was her boyfriend and not her father or God, she decided to do otherwise. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of smirking while having his way with her.

She was sad about his refusal to let her do the job, nevertheless, she was going to turn it down even though that meant breaking her words, but after he smugly stated how he wanted a woman he could have fun with even if that meant pushing her to her knees, she wanted nothing more than to give him the middle finger and that was exactly what she was going to do.

The party kicked off at eight p.m., just like most normally do and Jasmin joined the rest waiters to serve and attend to the tables of the guest, this was a religious event from her observation of its activities, act and guest. She didn't really care which event it was, she was getting paid and that was the most important thing.

"I will need you to serve table three please, Egusi and amala" Jasmin request as Anita walked into the kitchen with an empty tray in her hand.

She had been asked to serve that order, but she got close and felt irritated by the smell and nauseous. She knew there was no way she would be able to serve the table without throwing up on them or their food and it wasn't because the food was disgusting, but because of her damn pregnancy. She couldn't ask the other waiter's to do it because she knew they won't and would probably think she was trying to push her work on them and she knew only Anita could help her out.

"Why can't you do it?" Anita asked in confusion as she dropped her tray on the counter.

She pressed her lips together and fidgeted with her fingers, "I get nauseous when I see or smell it. I can't stand it. I tried earlier and I almost threw up."

She looked concerned, "Is it because of the pregnancy?"

She nodded but she didn't want to be pitied by her, "Yes, I don't mean to put this on you but you have to help me." She gave Anita pleading eyes, "I will take your order next."

She walked to the counter, "You told Cainan about the nausea and he still let you come?"

"I don't think he needs to know about that, he already knows a lot as it is." She blurted out before she could stop herself and Anita paused and glanced at her with a scowl, "I meant..."

She didn't let her finish, "You don't have to explain anything to me, Jasmin, I'm still your friend regardless of the decisions you make."

Jasmin caught the last part of her words and read into their meaning. "You don't like Cainan, do you?" She asked curiously.

She shook her head, "I don't but he lied to me to get your number." She placed the order into her plate before walking out of the kitchen.

She knew Anita didn't like him, it was obvious with the way she spoke about him and she wanted to know why. There had been a change in Anita for a few weeks now and it seemed more than just because he lied to her.

Anita returned to the kitchen with an empty tray and, "Table six need fried rice and turkey," she informed Jasmin.

She nodded and picked up her tray, "I'll get it," she walked to the cooler and began to take the order out.

"You do not like Cainan," Jasmin spoke up, "do you two have a history?"

"Why would you ask that?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, you have been very different from the Anita I used to know and it all started after you found out that I was with Cainan."

This made her pause, "There's nothing to tell, Jasmin, I just don't trust Cainan, I don't think he should be with you. He's trouble and he wrecks everything that he touches."

Jasmin laughed it off, "Don't tell me you also believe those people spilling lies about him and the unfortunate circumstances that befell him."

"Are they unfortunate or are they nemesis for all the pain and havoc he caused in the world? Sure he did some good, but he also did a lot of hurt to a lot of people." She grounded out her voice filled with
spite.

"Are you one of those people he hurt?"

She turned to look at her with a wounded look on her face but she didn't reply instead, "Please take the orders to table six, we do not want to keep them waiting." She was sad.

Jasmin picked her tray up, having collected all the orders and made her way out of the kitchen when she heard Anita speak, "Just be careful with him is all I'm trying to say."

She dropped the tray and placed the order down for table six just like Anita required, but as she turned around, her heart almost stopped in her chest when she saw Cainan standing at the entrance of the hall with a hard look on his face and his eyes fixed on her.