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She sits up. “Jasmine? Because of this?”
“Yes,” I cry. “Did you see that girl he was out with? She’s gorgeous! And she’s the heir to the Sicily Corps! Do you know how huge that is?”
“I don’t think any of this matters to Alec, so you must keep your attention on him and not side distractions,” Ana frowns. “And besides, you are pregnant. Are you thinking about that at all?”
I slump further on the couch, realizing I can no longer decide based on my feelings alone. I’d have to think about a baby. For a split second, I consider terminating the pregnancy, and in the next, I’m overcome with a crippling wave of guilt for thinking about it at all.
“Jasmine…” Ana puts an arm around my shoulder. “I understand your disappointment and anger. I really do. But please, don’t make any brash decisions yet. When will you tell Alec about the pregnancy?”
“He was supposed to return on Sunday, so that’s when I planned to tell him. Now that he’s back, I don’t know.”
Ana sighs. “I think you should—”
She’s interrupted by the shrill ring of the doorbell. “You expecting anyone?” I ask.
“No. Hold on.” Ana walks to the door and swings it open. I sit up frantically when I hear Alec’s voice, but before I can run up the stairs, he’s already in front of me.
“Jasmine—” he grabs my hand. “Please, I need you to listen to me.”
I try to jerk out of his hold, but he won’t let me. “Jasmine, please.”
From the corner of my eyes, I see Ana retreat up the stairs and out of sight, leaving Alec and me alone.
“Jasmine, I can explain.”
“Explain what?” I yell. “You’ve been lying to me this entire time. Our relationship is built off lies. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
“You aren’t stupid, Jas.” Alec’s eyes melt into a pool of sadness and remorse. This is the reason I don’t want to see him. With Alec before me, it’s hard to maintain my annoyance. Especially when he looks genuinely sorry.
“Please, let me explain everything to you.”
For a moment, I’m tempted to insist that he leave, but instead, I nod. “I’m listening.”
“Jas…” Alec rises and begins to pace before me. “My life is a lot more complicated than you know. Just because I’m heir to Ace Corps doesn’t mean I have it all; I don’t.”
He holds my gaze. “I never had a normal childhood. Since I was born, I was raised a certain way. I didn’t enjoy the things children and teenagers my age enjoyed…” Alec’s eyes cloud and I can tell he’s no longer here. He’s thinking back to his boring childhood. A twinge of pity swirls in my belly.
“I managed to convince my parents that I wanted to study in New York because I wanted to know how it feels to be a normal person. In France, no one ever spoke to me like a friend. Everyone was my subject, and it was hard to have a normal conversation because everyone was trying to get in my favor. It was exhausting.”
He starts to pace again. “My parents agreed that after school, I return home to take over the company and marry Eve Sicily.”
At the mention of the brunette beauty I saw on TV, my heart breaks again. “It was in New York that I met Riley, and he changed my life.” A smile crosses Alec’s face.
“He was the first person I knew who treated me as an equal. Riley would buy me a meal without expecting anything in return. He would flare up and get upset with me, hit me, and make silly jokes, all of which were new to me. I knew it was because he didn’t know who I was, so I decided to keep it that way.”
“On school breaks, when I would go to France, I counted each day until I had to return to New York. I led two different lives, but my life here in New York is the happy version of me. I was scared that if I told Riley, then things would change.”
“And then what about me?” I ask, shaking my head.
Alec kneels before me and takes my hand in his. “I’ve always had feelings for you, Jasmine. And this is one of the reasons I didn’t want to get involved with you. It was too complicated, and I wasn’t ready to deal with all of it yet. Until I finally had you.”
He raises my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to the inside part of my wrist. “I swear I was going to tell you. I was just bidding for a good time…”
“Alec, stop.” I try to push him away. “You knew you were supposed to marry Eve, so why did you start a relationship with me? You led me on.”
“You see this?” Alec touches the promise ring on my finger. “It’s not just an art piece; it’s a promise.”
“What do you mean?”
