Chapter 4: My Best Friend Knew Everything
I read the message again.
Then I read it a third time.
She doesn't know anything about your situation. Just make sure she falls for you before she finds out.
My best friend's name sat above those words like a signature on a death certificate.
Jasmine.
The woman who had held my hand after my last breakup. The woman who had helped me choose the brown dress I was wearing that afternoon. The woman who had looked me in the eyes just two weeks earlier and told me Romeo seemed like the kind of man who could finally give me the love I deserved.
My throat tightened.
I looked at Selena.
"How long have you had this?""
Selena's expression softened, but only slightly.
"Three days.""
"And you didn't contact me?""
"I didn't know you personally. I didn't have your number. All I knew was what I saw on his phone.""
She turned the screen toward me again.
"At first, I thought it was some woman he was trying to impress. Then I saw your picture.""
My stomach twisted.
"What picture?""
Selena scrolled through the conversation.
There it was.
A photograph of me standing outside a restaurant, laughing at something Jasmine had said. I remembered that evening. Jasmine had taken the picture while we were waiting for our food.
I had assumed she'd wanted to post it.
Instead, she had sent it to Romeo.
Beneath the photograph, Jasmine had written another message.
That's her. She's serious about relationships, so don't play with her too long. She might actually believe you.
My fingers went cold.
Romeo stepped forward.
"Listen, that conversation isn't what it looks like.""
I turned toward him.
"Then what does it look like, Romeo? Explain it to me.""
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
I held up the phone.
"Did Jasmine give you my number?""
He looked at Selena, then at me.
"Yeah.""
"Did she tell you about me before we met?""
"She mentioned you.""
"Did she tell you I wanted a serious relationship?""
He rubbed his beard.
"She said you were looking for something real.""
"And you decided to pretend you wanted the same thing?""
"That's not how it happened.""
"Then tell me how it happened!""
My voice echoed through the apartment.
Romeo flinched.
Selena leaned against the kitchen counter, watching him with exhausted disbelief.
He dragged both hands over his head.
"Jasmine told me you were a good woman. She said you had your life together. She thought we might be good for each other.""
I stared at him.
"That message says something very different.""
"Because she was mad at me!""
Selena straightened.
"Mad about what?""
Romeo shot her a warning look.
She immediately recognized it.
"What?"" she demanded.
"You got another secret now?""
He shook his head.
"Leave it alone.""
"No. You've been telling everybody to leave everything alone all afternoon. I'm tired of it.""
I looked between them.
"What was Jasmine mad about?""
Neither answered.
Then Selena pushed herself away from the counter.
"Tell her about the money.""
Romeo's expression hardened.
"Selena, don't.""
She laughed bitterly.
"Why? You want to keep acting like you just happened to meet her?""
I took a step toward him.
"What money?""
Romeo stared at the floor.
"Jasmine owed me a favor.""
"What kind of favor?""
"She needed help with something.""
"How much money, Romeo?""
He hesitated.
Selena answered for him.
"Two thousand dollars.""
I blinked.
"What?""
"She borrowed money from him," Selena continued.
"Then she introduced you two.""
Romeo shook his head.
"It wasn't like that. I wasn't paying her to introduce us.""
"Then why did you need a favor?"" I asked.
He exhaled sharply.
"Because Jasmine told me you were somebody who could help me get into a better position at work.""
I stared at him.
My job.
I was an operations coordinator for a property management company. My cousin worked in commercial real estate, and I'd mentioned that to Jasmine more than once.
Romeo had been asking questions about my connections from our very first date.
At the time, I'd thought he was simply interested in my life.
Now every conversation rearranged itself in my memory.
"You asked me about my cousin," I whispered.
Romeo said nothing.
"You asked me whether he knew people who invested in real estate.""
"That was just a conversation.""
"You asked whether I could get you an introduction.""
"I never asked you for money!""
"No. You asked me to trust you first.""
His jaw tightened.
"You're making me sound like some kind of criminal.""
I stared at him, stunned by his ability to make himself the victim while standing in the middle of the damage he'd caused.
Selena shook her head.
"That's what he does. Every time you catch him in a lie, he starts talking about how you're making him look bad.""
Romeo pointed toward the door.
"Both of y'all need to get out of my apartment.""
I almost laughed.
His apartment.
The place where he'd promised me a future. The place where I'd sat beside him believing I was finally safe enough to let my guard down.
Now he wanted us gone because we'd stopped believing him.
I picked up my handbag properly and walked toward the entrance.
"Gladly.""
Romeo followed me.
"Baby, wait.""
I kept walking.
"Don't call me that.""
"Can we at least talk tomorrow?""
I turned so sharply that he nearly collided with me.
"No. You don't get to schedule another conversation after I leave here. You don't get to call me tomorrow and explain a few details while hiding the rest.""
He looked at me with something resembling panic.
"I made mistakes.""
"You made choices.""
"People make mistakes.""
"People also tell the truth when they're given the chance.""
For a moment, he looked as if he might argue.
Then he lowered his voice.
"I do care about you.""
I searched his face for the man I'd thought I knew.
"Maybe you care about how I make you feel. Maybe you care about what I can do for you. But you don't get to tell me what your love looks like after showing me what your lies look like.""
I stepped into the hallway.
Selena remained inside the apartment, staring at Romeo.
Before the door closed, I heard her say, "You really messed everything up this time.""
Then the door shut.
I walked to the elevator with trembling hands.
By the time I reached the parking garage, tears were sliding down my cheeks. I sat in my car without starting the engine, staring at the message on Selena's phone that I'd photographed with my own.
I wanted to call Jasmine.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted her to tell me there was some explanation that didn't make me feel like a fool.
My phone vibrated.
Her name appeared on the screen.
*Jasmine calling.*
I stared at it until the call ended.
Then a text arrived.
Girl, before you do anything stupid, let me explain what happened.
I wiped my face with the heel of my hand.
A second message appeared.
Romeo is going to lie and make me look bad. Please don't believe everything Selena tells you.
I felt a chill run down my back.
Jasmine already knew Selena had exposed her.
But she didn't know what I had seen.
I typed one question.
Why did you tell Romeo to make sure I fell for him before I found out about his situation?
The typing indicator appeared immediately.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally, her answer arrived.
Because I was trying to protect you.
I stared at the words.
Protect me?
From what?
Before I could respond, another message appeared.
There's something about your family that Romeo knows. Something you need to hear from me before you hear it from him.
My hands stopped trembling.
Something about my family.
I read the sentence again, then called her.
She answered on the first ring.
"Girl," Jasmine whispered, "please don't hang up.""
I pressed the phone against my ear.
"Start talking.""
She took a shaky breath.
Then she said the one thing I had never expected to hear.
"Your cousin Marcus wasn't the reason Romeo wanted to meet you.""
"Then who was?""
Jasmine went silent.
May you like
And when she finally answered, the truth she gave me was worse than the lie.
"Your father.""