All the blood left her face.

I'm pregnant, she thought in shock. Pregnant. 

I do not want the burden of a wife. I do not want children. I want my freedom.

The sound of his voice echoed in her ears as if he were right there whispering the angry, harsh words making her flinch.  The image of his cold-indifferent face swimming before her.  She could easily imagine him looking her from head to toe with disdain as if she disgusted him knowing she carried his child in her womb. The bitterness and loathing dripping from his face, she would never forget. 

The room spun and her mind went blank like a sheet of paper, the disbelief sinking in. She could no longer deny the truth as it stared back at her. Five pregnancy tests lay before her as proof as she sat on the toilet seat cover, the tests resting on the floor on a white paper napkin.

What she found so ironic was his child, a child he didn't want, grew inside her and despite he not wanting a wife–she was still, in all intents and purposes, his wife.  But he got his freedom. He got rid of her.  

Pregnant, single and all alone. . .

Oh my God, she thought in misery.

For some time, she continued thinking not able to stand. What was she going to do? What was she going to say to her family? And most important how was she going to raise a baby?

She hadn't thought that far ahead in her life. She was so focused on continuing her fathers legacy and figured along the way she would fine her true love before having any thoughts of having children. The prospect of being a mother never ever had the opportunity to cross her mind. But fate had other plans it seems. She got the latter rather than the love part down leaving her with a great responsibility to accept. 

He wanted this.  Cristiano threw her out.  It killed a piece of her every time she remembered the words cutting so deep.  Her heart broke a little more.  The crack, she could almost feel it severing her heart in half down the middle in a zig zag. 

His lies cost her everything.  She paid with her soul. 

Just when she thought she'd be able to move on, feel anything again, pain ripped through her, exploding everywhere, searing her very skin. She couldn't contain the tortured sob that rose from her chest.  How much more pain could she bear before she completely shattered?

She hung her head for a few more minutes before she was able to move.  Her heart was beating with fear sounding abnormally loud in her ears.  Her legs trembled, using the wall for support.  How long it took her to reach her bedroom door felt like it lasted an eternity.
Jasmine curled up on the bed as hot tears came, sobs pouring out. 

All she saw was darkness.  Pure and utter darkness.

******
One week later

Couples held hands and children played as she sat alone on a bench at Hyde Park.  Seeing other peoples happiness made her sorrows grow. Nothing she did could erase thoughts of him–nor his unborn child now growing inside her.

She had been stupid, giving into her desires without thinking about the consequences.  Her mistakes left behind a dispirited, broken-hearted individual which she despised. Jasmine couldn't remember what kind of person she was before Cristiano entered her life and ruined it.

She twirled a length of her hair pensively around her finger and thought about how she was going to tell her parents about her pregnancy. Carrying Cristiano's child meant a great embarrassment, especially since she was stupid to fall for his lies when the writing was written on the wall from the very beginning. The truth of his deception will have to come out eventually and people will feel sorry for her and talk behind her back, but at least she wouldn't be alone. She would have someone who loved her and could not leave her.

She sighed, her eyes misted as she glanced down at herself. 

She was to become a mother.  A mother raising a baby without a father.  All alone. 

She hugged herself. 

The tears stopped.  Finally. 

She couldn't remember the last time she shed a tear.  Her heart was empty though.  If it wasn't for the thumps she felt when she touched the area below her breast she wouldn't have felt like her heart was beating.   It took some time to come to terms with the new surprise in her life hit her with. Fate kept throwing the unexpected at her.  She didn't know if it was a test or a life sentence.  Whatever it was that was happening to her, she was thankful she was still standing, still breathing, still alive.  Things could be worse.  There was worse things happening to millions of people in the world. 

A breeze passed by, ruffling the hair lying over her shoulders.  It was peaceful in the park.  The birds were chirping happily, the trees bracing themselves for the oncoming winter.  The clouds were sparse in the blue sky as they moved slowly.  Jasmine tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting the sun soak her face in the chilly air.

Sammy saw her face and his footsteps faltered. "I received your message. It sounded urgent."

Startled, Jasmine opened her eyes.

"What is it now? Did-did he contact you?? I swear I'll fücking kill the bastardo with my bare hands and ruin my gorgeous manicure doing it!" He declared.

"It's not him. Sammy, I need to talk to you."  She said, surprised that she managed to sound calm when everything inside her was exploding with an almost painful combination of shock and fear at the mention of Cristiano coming back.  It was hard enough for her to come to terms with her recent predicament in the last week before she could share the news with Sammy and the last thing she needed was confront Cristiano.

It's not like he'd come back, her bullying conscious cruelly reminded her. He doesn't want you. He doesn't want the burden of a wife. He wants his freedom.

She was trembling so badly that it was an effort just to stand upright. 

"Walk with me?" She asks, holding out her hand.

Sammy exhales loudly and takes her hand, casually strolling through the pathways of the park.

"Jazzy I hate suspense. Just spill what's on your mind! I'm dying here!"

Jasmine took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I'm pregnant."

Sammy stops walking, dragging her to a stop and turns to stare at her.

At first he's stunned than his face pales and the last emotion that shows up on his face is utter disbelief. She could scarcely remember the onslaught of emotions she felt when she found out.

"No fücking way." He managed to say his gaze flickering down her body.

"Five positive pregnancy tests don't lie." She confirmed, continuing to walk ahead, leaving him standing there as he fought the surprise of her declaration.

Sammy catches up to her in quick strides.

"How far? How long have you known? It's been nearly two months!" He exclaimed.

Jasmine drew a ragged breath into her lungs.

"I've know for a week now." She answers.

"Hold the hell on! Now you decide to tell me!" He screeched.

"I needed time to adjust to the news. You can imagine its not easy to swallow." She replied monotonously. 

Sammy began laughing. Hysterically. "I'm laughing through the pain y'all!"

He bent forward, clutching his middle. He sounded like a hyena on crack. After thirty seconds he was wheezing and wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Are you finished?" Jasmine asked calmly, appearing cool and composed. She would never take offense to his reaction. This was Sammy. He was unpredictable and even after everything that's happened he's still standing beside her.

That was loyalty.

"Man, I feel like I ran a damn marathon. And the only marathons I participate in are the ones involving martinis and watching homo-geddon." He says shaking his head humorously. "Oh, baby. I can't decide whether your situation was worse than your sisters. At the rate we goin' with all these surprises it looks like a tie." He mutters, wrapping his fur jacket closer to his chest and dabbing his face with his sleeves.

The sun seemed to almost vanish from above them, as clouds passed by.  The air was chillier without the suns rays and the entire park looked gloomy and dark.  The temperature matched her emotions.  The clouds matched the gloom in her heart.  Jasmine could not suppress the shudder that raked her body as she thought back to the events her sister had gone through. 

"Perhaps there is a curse on the St. James women.  Camelia went through hell and back still standing–threatened by a lunatic, captured, locked away like some animal, sold to a madman. . . And after all that happened, she was still strong and rebounded fairly quickly.  I wish I were as strong as her.  I feel like I'm going to expire at any moment."  She sighs, tucking the layers framing her face behind her ears.  "I'm never going to be same.  It's hard to accept the twists and turns my life has taken.  I feel different and I'm afraid nothing and no one can bring me back."

"Are you going to tell Gaston?" He asks quietly, as if mentioning him would break her as easily as glass. 

Jasmine swallowed heavily as her head bowed low and shook her head numbly.  "No.  He doesn't want me. Especially now that I have a child.  Even if he had a change of heart,  I cannot stomach him being around me because he feels obligated.  He wants his freedom and I'm going to grant him that."

"Everything happens for a reason.    The good Lord works in mysterious ways and never takes anything away from you without replacing it with something much better."  He nods at her abdomen.  "The best things in life aren't things." 

Jasmine stares unseeingly in the distance.  "Do you think a little part of him loved me?"   She heard herself ask.  She hadn't meant to say the words out loud, stiffening beside him.  "Never mind."

"I believe he was obsessed with you.  Is obsession the same as need or love?  No.  Obsession is one thing and need is completely another.  If a man really loves a woman he will never stop until he gets her.  No matter how many 'No's' or 'leave me alone' he hears.  If any part of that man loved you at all, he'd come back and beg you to have him back."

Jasmine scoffed.  "Too late for that."

Suddenly her phone rings.  Retrieving it from her bag it showed Sarah, her personal assistant on the caller ID.  Pursing her lips, Jasmine turned the phone off unprepared to answer her.

"Honey, don't be a Queen waitin' on a King. You are going to set the new standard. You're a Queen with no King." Sammy stiffened and brought two hands towards his face and slapped his cheeks. "Oh my Lord! Do you now what this all means? I never thought about it till now! Legally you are still a Queen, although they don't use that title, and your prince or princess is gonna be heir to a fucking throne! Long live the queen! Long live the queen!" Sammy began to chat. "I'm related to royalty y'all!

Jasmine nudged him in the stomach with her elbow. "Sammy! Stop it! You're attracting attention!"

"I hope karma slaps him in the face before I do. I'll cut his balls off and hang them as a Christmas ornament! If only he knew what he was leaving behind. You're probably the best thing that had ever happened to him." Sammy shakes his head sadly trying not to show his pity.

"Sammy, I can't thank you enough for staying here with me.  I know you were planning to go back to the states to begin your career but I have to say this and I mean it with all my heart:  you're going to make an amazing physiologist and I'm incredibly lucky."

"Awww, Jazzy.  You're my girlfriend.  What are besties for?" He gives her a side hug and Jasmine needing his support like she'd never needed it before, wraps an arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder, leaning on him. His comfort made her instantly feel better.

"Thank you." She says with upmost sincerity having the urge to cry.

Damn her pregnancy hormones. They were making her a weak mess.

"Jazzy."

The tone in which he used to say his given nickname for her had her lifting her head to make eye contact. "Yes?"

He took a calming breath and looked her dead in the eye. "I'm dying to know this one little detail and I swear on Chanel, I'll never ask you about anything so personal again. . ." He hesitates before drawing the courage to ask. ". . . Is–is. . . he a panty ripper?"

Jasmine went from wanting to cry to bursting out in laughter at the way he chose the words to his very personal question. Sammy always poked his nose where it's not wanted. However, she took no offense as her laughter subsided the instant she remembered.

Cristiano touched her body as if she were a rare gem. The tender care he exercised as if any wrong move might tarnish her allure or sparkle. But unlike a real diamond, which is the hardest and most durable substance on earth, her value declined and crippled once he got what he wanted–her virginity. She certainly felt like her self-worth went down the drain much like a lost diamond ring.

With nothing to compare her experience to except for romance books and scenes from movies, she had to admit, her first time with a man was truly a experience she would never forget. It might not have been special or any different to Cristiano, but to her, it was rare and beautiful. The only regret her mind refused to let her forget is, if only he were the man who loved her as much as she him.

It was as if Sammy expected to hear the worst as he eyes her critically.

"He was much more than that." She admits, with all seriousness putting him at ease.

He released an explosion of air from his mouth and gasped a second later. Sammy laid a hand over his heart softly and closed his eyes as if savoring the weight of her words.

"Oh. My. Sweet. Jesus." He says, with eyes still closed. "Give a moment to cope." He takes controlled breaths through his nose like he was meditating. "Stop! Stop it! I swore on Chanel, dammit! I can't ask anymore. I can't." He mutters to himself as though he were alone and struggling to regain his urges.

His reaction was hilarious but she couldn't manage another laugh in her depressed mood. Jasmine knew he was dying to ask for details and she was no way prepared to offer them even if he broke his promise and ended up asking her. Everything about that night appeared like a blur, but only thing she could be certain about that night other than the snap of her panties was the tender desperation in his eyes when they became one as they reached their climax together. She could have sworn their souls touched and wrapped around one another like they couldn't be separated. Just recalling the burst of euphoria once it happened had Jasmine feeling faint.

"I rest my case, then. . . Hot damn! This sounds better than the time I had a tropical orgasm." He says in a sharp lisp.

Jasmine quirks an eyebrow. "A tropical orgasm?"

"It's an alcoholic drink–Vodka, spiced rum, pink lemonade, and strawberry daiquiri mix. That shit is hella strong and intense with a hint of sweetness at the end." Sammy takes a fan out of his handbag and links their arms together and they walk as he fans himself dramatically.  "All this talk about panty rippin and orgasms got me sparkling."

"Since when do you use a fan?"  Eyeing the beautiful lace detail as he fans himself dramatically. 

"Since I met Superman!"  He giggles. 

Despite Jasmine's melancholy, she laughed at his hidden joke.  "He is definitely swoon worthy."

"Now let's get outta here and try one of England's popular desert: Spotted dick. I don't know about you, but we can both use some right about now!"
********

Some hours later, Jasmine and Sammy came back to the hotel, to find her assistant furiously pacing the lobby.

"Miss! I've been ringing you endlessly! We have a problem." Sarah insisted frantically.

Her eyes anxiously scanned their faces. 

Humphrey stood beside her, wringing his fingers together obviously agitated.  His eyes looked haunted and his face pale.  Jasmine could have sworn his legs were shaking.  She took in the fear in their eyes and noticed the pinched taunt lines on Sarah's face.

Something was very, very wrong.  Her heart triple thudded in her chest.

"What happened?!?" She nearly shouted, coming to a stop before her.

"I didn't know if I should call the police or you first.  I-I didn't know what to do!"

Jasmine grips Sarah's arms in a tight hold to keep her assistant from flailing her arms and try to calm her.  "Sarah, you have to breath.  Tell me what is wrong."

Sarah shakes her head.  "I can't.  You have to see it for yourself.  It's in the staff quarters."

"Madam, I-I don't believe that is a g-good idea."  Humphrey stuttered.

"It's alright, Humphrey.  I'd like to see for myself.  Lead the way."  Jasmine insisted.   

"Man, I've had enough surprises in the last year to last me a damn lifetime!" Sammy muttered.

They follow her assistant as Humphrey trailed closely behind.  Her legs were shaking so badly, Jasmine was afraid of tripping.  She focused on Sarah's stiff back, her mind coming up with the worst scenarios.  Did something happen to one of her employees?  Was someone hurt?  Could they have found an unwanted guest roaming around and causing destruction? 

Cristiano. . ?

Dismay washed over her.  Her blood turned cold in her veins.  The memory of the cold loathing in his eyes in those final moments before she left the castle filled her memory. Jasmine suddenly stilled, frozen in her tracks not able to move. 

"Jazz?"  Sammy whispered beside her.

She flinched. 

One look at her stricken face had him wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from collapsing. 

She tried to moisten her parched lips, but her mouth had gone dry.

"What if its him?"  She whispered, feeling defeated. 

"If he's here to see you.  The first thing he's gonna see is my fist. Let's move."  Sammy ordered. 

Jasmine could tell by the fierce resolve in his expression that he would do as he threaten and felt somewhat secure knowing Sammy would be able to help her fight him. 

Without another word, they followed Sarah and Humphrey.  Jasmine fed off Sammy's strength as he led her stiff figure.  The tick in his cheek jumped.  She felt the weight of countless stares watching her.  Humiliation washed over her and if she thought her legs would cooperate, she would have run from the hotel. 

She couldn't face him after he intentionally ripped out her heart and showed himself for the monster he was deep down.  God help her, how was she going to face him? 

Hotel security flanked the door. They couldn't meet her eyes, only nodding an awkward greeting. The tense silence went unbroken as they braced themselves for what met them inside and stepped over the threshold in sync. With a quick glance, she first noticed the personal office space was neat and nothing seemed out of place.

Jasmine almost sighed in relief until she spotted Reginald passed out on the floor. 

Jasmine and Sammy quickly rush to his side.

"Sarah! Humphrey!  Why is Reginald unconscious?" She checked his pulse. He was still alive. Jasmine exhaled loudly. "Thank goodness, there's still a pulse."

"My Man Reggie's been knocked out on His British ass. Where the hell is Superman when you need him?"  Sammy said. 

"Sarah? I don't understand. . . What is all this? What's happened? Who did this?" Jasmine asked, standing to her full height. "Why haven't you called someone to help him?"

Humphrey hastily wiped a tear that ran down his cheek and bowed his head.  Shuffling on his feet, he kneeled beside his unconscious  Uncle and rested a hand on his shoulder.  His hunched figure appeared so sad and broken Jasmine felt a pang of pity.  Tearing her gaze away she fastened her attention on Sarah who was struggling to stay composed.

"This is Marcus Cunnings quarters." Sarah explained slowly. "Reginald appears unharmed except for the gash on his forehead. He was struck on the head by. . ."

"Wait. Isn't Cunnings the guy you met with about the security tapes when the perv broke into the penthouse?" Sammy asked, standing, checking out his surroundings for the first time.

"Yes." Sarah answered for Jasmine who couldn't seem to form a coherent word.

For the very first time, she finally noticed the walls. Jasmine turned in a circle, shocked to her very core.  Every wall was pinned with pictures of her.  There must have been at least a hundred. She couldn't seem to shift her gaze from them.  Every picture captured all the different expressions she possessed and than some. 

All the missing pieces seemed to come together right before her eyes. 

She had assumed Cristiano was waiting for her Instead she met the unknown identity of the other man who tortured her.  How could she have missed it? 

Of course Marcus Cunnings broke into her home and erased the camera footage. He was the one stalking her, watching her all that time.  He was eventually going to kill her. 

At that moment, it was so quiet, she almost thought that it was possible to hear the rush of blood in her veins, the thrum of it pulsing in her temples. Covering her mouth with her fist she closed her eyes and focused on breathing through her nose before she lost the contents of her stomach and vomited. 

"Oh. My. Lord." The understanding sinking in as Sammy spoke. "What a deranged and dangerous mother fücker.  Look at this wall." Sammy cautiously walks over to a shelf and reaches for something Jasmine couldn't see, her eyes following the motion of his hand.  "He's infatuated with you–his perfect woman. Look, he even has a doll that resembles you."  He retrieves it from a shelf and turns to show her. 

No.

All the grey seemed to drained from her eyes, leaving her feeling lifeless.  Shock prevented her from feeling anything.  She blinked and felt the tension in her muscles turn rock hard as she registered what was before her.  She drew a deep breath.  Jasmine bit the inside of her lip until she tasted blood. 

Sarah ushers them ahead, giving her employer a distraught look. "That's not all. This way, Miss. . . I-I-Marcus is in the other room and he, he. . ."

"He's what!?!"  Sammy shouted, throwing the doll at the nearest wall and retreating a step, ready to pull Jasmine with him and bolt.

"Wait!" She exclaims, shaking her head, continuing to ramble. "He's–he's not. . .I heard the gun shot. . .and I had security breakdown the door."

"Ma'am, we must warn you, the sight is hideous."  One of the security guards called from his position at the door.  "If you insist going in and inspecting the crime scene, please do not touch anything.  The police will need the evidence untainted."

There was a connecting, slightly ajar door that she noticed immediately. Jasmine clung to her strength as she slowly entered, pushing the door wide open. She suddenly gasped in horror.

"Sarah, you need to call the police.  Now."  Sammy demanded, reaching Jasmine's side as she swayed where she stood. 

"The police are on their way." Sarah twisted her fingers together in a agitated motion.  "He's dead.  I believe it's a suicide." 

Jasmine finally felt the full impact of the weeks strike her overworked body and swayed, grasping the wall for support before reaching the end of her endurance and collapsing in a heap. 

She awoke sometime later, finding herself in her bedroom.  Disoriented and still dizzy, she blinked several times to clear her vision.  Sammy sat beside her on the bed flipping through a magazine. 

"What happened?"  She asked, finding her voice hoarse.

Sammy jumped beside her startled making the whole bed shake.

"Sweet Jesus!"  He makes the sign of the cross over his chest.  "You scared me to death!"  Shifting on the bed he turns to face her, his face solemn.  "You fainted after we found the fücker that's been stalking you.  I carried you up here and been waiting till you woke up.  How are you feeling?"

"I feel like the entire room is spinning."  She replied, closing her eyes and resting a hand over her forehead.  "I can't believe it. . .I'm still in shock, I think."

"The police arrived.  They found enough evidence at the crime scene to determine he was the sick fück murdering all those women that resembled you." 

"Oh my God."  Jasmine whispered. 

After all this time, he was right under her nose.  It explained how he couldn't find anyone breaking into the penthouse.  Of course, he had erased all the footage to make it look as though he was never there.  It made sense now that she thought about it.  How could she have been so naivé? 

"The sick bastard was insanely obsessed.  I can't believe how many pictures he had of you pinned in his office."

"Did you find out why he killed himself?"  She found herself ask. 

"Turns out Reggie stopped by to deliver some kind of message, found the pictures, confronted him about it.  They fought, Reggie ended up getting knocked out.  Some of the staff heard the commotion, tried breaking down the door.  That's when they heard the gunshot.  Deranged people like that can't live with themselves after they've been discovered. So, he killed himself before he could be held accountable for the crimes he committed and serve a life sentence in prison. In the end, these type of monsters feel like they won."  Sammy explained. 

"He would have killed me next."  She declared. 

Sammy shifted on the bed.  "You were probably the next one on his list especially since you've been back.  He would have grasped the opportunity to finish what he had started before something deterred him.  I heard one of the officers talk about the recent women he's  killed since we've been back, we just haven't been paying attention to the news lately."

Jasmine shivered too sick in the stomach and turned on her side wrapping her arms around her middle to ward off the chill in her bones.

"How's the bun in the oven? You okay?" Sammy asked, nodding at her middle.

Jasmine drew in a deep breath and pressed her hands to her slightly growing baby. It was just a tiny bump but it was evident enough for her to see.

"I think the baby is fine. I don't feel anything other than shock." She answered.

"Don't over do it. A fetus can feel their mothers distress. Since this whole nonsense is over and done with, focus on yourself and your well-being. You have a long road ahead."

Yes, she thought. A long, lonely road of uncertainty.

At least one of her worst nightmares was over and done with.  One down.  One more to go.

Her hand tightened over her abdomen as a new sense of foreboding brushed Jasmine's spirit.
________________________________________________________________________________

Did any of you suspect Marcus Cunnings? I'd like to hear some of your previous theories.

If you love Sammy and his witty comments do give His Camelia a read. I promise, he will not disappoint you! :)

Thanks for reading. Please vote, comment and add this story to your public readings lists!

-Shaz