Jasmine was woken up with the buzzing of her phone that was placed close to the lamp stand. Sluggishly,she opened her eyes and then used her back hand to rub off her sleepy eyes. She covered her eyes when she saw the brightness of the sun greeting her through the windows.
"Its morning already. What time is it now?". She mumbled with a yawn and sat up. Her phone started buzzing again,so she stretched her hand the table pick up the phone. She didn't care to look up the caller, she slide it and placed the phone on her ear.
"Hello". She answered in a groggy tone.

"Hi Brandy. Looks like I'm the first caller to wake you up. Its exactly what I wanted. How are you doing today?" Ray said with a grin on his end.

Jasmine quickly sat up,widening her eyes. The sleep in her eyes wiped off immediately when she recognized it was Ray's voice. She wasn't expecting his call,she didn't even wished to speak with him this morning not after what happened yesterday. 'Why didn't I even look at the caller before receiving the call in the first place?',Jasmine questioned herself face palming herself inwardly with a sigh.

"Brandy?". Ray called when she didn't reply.

"Ugh. I'm fine. Why did you call so early?". She replied abruptly.

"Nothing much. I miss you that's why I'm calling. I didn't get to hear your voice last night before sleeping,so I decided to call first thing this morning." Ray said with enthusiasm.

"Oh.OK." Jasmine replied abruptly again.

"Sweetie,are you OK? You're sounding weird." Ray replied with a worried tone sensing something was wrong with Jasmine response. She wasn't feeling excited as usual.

"Nothing. I need to go now. I want to prepare and go to my dad's company. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Jasmine replied and hanged up.

"Hello,hello,hello..." Ray said but found out that she has already dropped the call.
"What's wrong? Why is she cold towards me this morning? Maybe she had a nightmare of me,or she woke up on the wrong side of the bed". He sighs and shrugged. "I'll get to talk to her later, I think by then her mood would be better." He added before doing fifteen pushups and headed to the bathroom.
******
Jasmine had seen her friend,Emily off to the motor park to board a bus back to Lagos this morning before she came to her dad's company. A lot was going on her mind while she was heading to her office on the fifth floor. She was thinking of the beautiful moments she had with Ray few days ago,but at the same time she was making a decision of shutting him off her life. To her,its something she really needs to do. She's thinking of calling him out after work to meet up with him and tell him what's on her mind and she's also having a rethink of what Emily had told her 'don't let him go, babe. Hold on to him,he really loves you. He'll be hurt if you chose to leave him this way. You need to fight for what yo love,babe. Don't just let him go all because you want Sylvia to be happy and you'll end up making yourself sad. This were the words of Emily to Jasmine before she left to Lagos. Jasmine sigh with confusion on what to do. Not looking where she was going, she bumped her face on something hard, no, not something but someone.

She rubbed her forehead still looking downward and mumbled something under her breathe.

"Won't you at least say sorry for bumping on me?". The masculine voice said with a smirk.

Jasmine furrowed and raised her head up to see who it was. She gaped and fixed her gaze on the handsome guy that was putting on a blue shirt and a black suit with a light brown chinos trouser in front of her. "Raymond". She mumbled still staring at him while her heart was beating fast at the sight of him. She couldn't help admiring how gorgeous he looks today.

"Yeah,Brandy. Are you OK?". He asked wanting to touch her face but she flinched.

"Please excuse me. I need to get to work." She said walking past him to enter the elevator. She pressed the button and got inside waiting for it to close. Just as it was about closing, a foot stepped in making it not to close. He was here again. Raymond.

He got inside with her and stared at her while they wait for it to take them up. "May I ask why you're being cold towards me?". Ray asked breaking the silence.

"Nothing." She replied.

"No. It can't be nothing. Its so clear that you're avoiding me,so how is it you're telling me there's nothing wrong. There must be something. Did I offend you knowingly or unknowingly? Please just tell me I'll apologize." He said with a plea in his eyes.

Jasmine stood there quietly thinking of what to do. Should she call it off or listen to her friend, was a decision she finds hard to make.

"Please answer...." He trailed off when the elevator door opened and Jasmine ran out. He also ran out with her and closed the pace. He held her wrist and pushed her lightly to the wall and rested his both hands on the wall leaving her in the middle.

Jasmine stared at him speechlessly. His breathing was fast so was hers. His face was close to hers. "Please.... Let...me go." Jasmine stuttered.

"No,Brandy. I wouldn't let you go until you tell me why you're acting this way. Please." He said calmly cupping her face in his palm.

"I...I'm.. Sorry. I can't do this anymore." She said in a low tone but was heard by Ray.

"You..can't do what,sweetie?". He asked nervously.

Jasmine swallowed the lumps in her throat and said. "I can't go on with you. It's not right."

Ray chuckled. "You're joking right?". He asked hopefully.

"No. I'm serious, Raymond." She replied shutting her eyes.

Ray's jaw dropped and he flinched away. "But...why..I mean why are you doing this? I thought we're good. I thought you'd stick to me till I sort out things. Why are you shutting me off so suddenly?". Ray asked in an husky tone.

"Because..its the best thing to do." She replied avoiding his gaze.

"How can this be the best thing to do, Brandy?". He whisper-yelled.

Jasmine shivered. She saw how hurt he was when she looked through his eyes. "I'm sorry,Raymond. I want the best for you two. I can't let you stand her up on your engagement day. She'll be heartbroken and unhappy if you do this to her and I can't let that happen. She really needs you,and I think she loves you based on the way she was talking yesterday when...." She trailed of in realization on what she just said. She just made a mistake by mentioning she saw her yesterday.

"You were with Sylvia yesterday?". He asked with a raised brow walking closer to her now. Jasmine nodded in affirmative order.

"I see. She must have brainwashed you to believe she loves me. Isn't it?". He scowl.

"Hey,you don't have to speak to me in that manner. She didn't brainwashed me,maybe... Maybe you did after all." Jasmine retorted and hate herself right now for saying the last sentence.

Ray grimaced. "Ah. Really? So now you're saying I deceived you with all what I said, right? I see. Now I know. I think right now I'll have to grant that wish of yours. I'll let you be like you wanted. Goodbye, Jasmine." He said and walked away.

Jasmine managed to walk herself to her office and shut the door. She rested her back on it and slowly slide down and sat on the cold ties. She hugged her knees to her body and buried her face on her laps. She had tears streaming down her face.
***
The rest of Jasmine's day wasn't a happy one. She worked her butt off to forget everything. But instead of her to forget,memories kept coming to her head. A knock distracted her from what she was typing on the system.

"Sweetheart, you're still here?". Williams asked.

"Yes,dad. I've got some things to finish up. There's still time." Jasmine replied.

"There's still time? Its past 6 already and everyone has gone home left with you,me and the manager. Its unlike you,by now you must have been home or shop. Is everything OK?". Williams asked.

"Yes,dad. I'm fine. You can go ahead,I'll come home soon." She replied with a tight smile.

"OK. If you say so. The company is yours anyway,you can do whatever you like in here. But don't stay out too long,OK?." He asked and she nodded.
"Do take care." He added and pecked her forehead before heading out.

An hour later Jasmine finally left the company building and drove off to Kency's garden which was thirty minutes drive from the company.

She brought out a medium bowl of vanilla flavor ice cream from her car and went to sit on the wooden bench that was painted white and black and started eating the ice cream. She was crying while eating it. The first time she's crying over a guy. She's seen girls cried over a guy most times on the soap operas she watches or Korean dramas and she kept wondering why girls should be crying over a guy just because there are no longer with the guy or the guy left them for someone else. Right now she understands what they feel inside when they go through a breakup. If someone had told her she'll be in their shoes today,she wouldn't believe it,but here she is eating ice cream like them. She took more full spoons of the ice cream and sniffle.

"That's why I never wanted to be in love with anyone. I should have just love and marry myself." She muttered to herself and ate more ice cream.

She heard someone chuckled behind her and she freezes. The spoon of ice cream she wanted to put in her mouth hanged in the air. Fear gripped her.
"Who....are..you? Ple....ase don't...hurt me". Jasmine stuttered without looking back.

"Hahahahaha. Don't worry,I won't hurt you,I'll only just have a good time with you. How about that?". The masculine voice said.

" Good.....time?". Jasmine asked shivering. The only good time she understands male strangers says to a lady in the books she'd read is to rape a lady. Her eyes widened with a gape and the spoon in her hands fell on her laps making the ice cream to pour on her clothes.

"Yes,baby. Good time." The masculine voice replied with a smirk using his hands to touch her hair to her cheek. Meanwhile, he was still standing at her back and hadn't shown his face to her.

Jasmine shut her eyes tight,and prayed to God silently to help her out of this mess she'd got herself into. She regretted coming out by this time of the night all alone. "Please. Don't. Hurt. Me." She pleaded calmly.

What a cliffhanger I just left you guys in! Sorry to do that. *smiles*. The next chapter will be coming up soon. What do you guys think? Would Jasmine be raped or killed? Who's gonna rescue her from this stranger?

Don't afford to miss the next chapter. See you soon! Much love❤💋

I want to make a shout out to @bee_letzTry. Thanks for your DM. It really encourages me to do more.

I hope most of my readers DM me or vote the chapters to encourage me to do more. Thanks.