Episode 5: Lines That Shouldn't Be Crossed
Jasmine sat in the back of the sleek black car, her hands resting tensely in her lap as Callum drove in silence. The city lights passed them in a blur, but her mind was a mess of questions and warnings—especially the last message she received.
You won't come back the same.
She stole a glance at Callum. His grip on the steering wheel was firm, his gaze fixed ahead, unreadable as ever. He hadn't said a word since they left the building. But the silence wasn't awkward—it was loaded. Like there were too many things neither of them dared say aloud.
"Where are we going?" she asked finally, her voice quiet.
He glanced at her briefly. "Somewhere you need to see."
Not exactly comforting.
After another ten minutes, he pulled into a gated estate on the outskirts of the city. The guards at the entrance didn't question him—just opened the gate with a nod. Jasmine's curiosity flared as the car cruised down a long driveway, leading to a modern mansion that looked like it belonged in a luxury magazine.
Callum parked the car and stepped out. Jasmine followed, her heels tapping against the polished stone path as they approached the front door. He didn't bother with a key. A fingerprint scan later, the door clicked open.
"I live alone," he said as he led her inside.
She believed him. The place was immaculate, but not lived-in. It had the sterile beauty of a space that was more for show than comfort. The kind of home where secrets were kept behind thick walls and drawn curtains.
Callum stopped in the living room, turning to face her. "I brought you here for a reason."
Jasmine crossed her arms. "You keep saying that, but you never get to the point."
His jaw tightened. "Because once I do, you can't unknow it."
She blinked, trying to read the storm behind his eyes. "Try me."
Callum walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a folder. Thick. Heavy. He handed it to her without a word.
Jasmine hesitated, then opened it.
Her own name stared back at her from the first page.
Photos. Documents. A full background check. Her education, her family, her past jobs—even things she thought no one knew. Her breath caught.
"You ran a background check on me?" she asked, stunned.
"I had to," he said, voice low. "You're not just an assistant, Jasmine. Not to me."
She looked up at him, heart racing. "What does that mean?"
Callum moved closer, his expression finally cracking—just a little. "It means I noticed you before your résumé ever hit my desk. It means I watched you walk into that interview and knew you were going to change everything."
His words sent a shiver down her spine, and not all of it was fear.
"Then why all this?" she asked, gesturing to the folder.
"Because the world I live in doesn't allow mistakes. And feelings… they're the biggest mistake of all."
She stared at him, her voice quiet. "Are you saying you have feelings for me?"
Callum didn't answer with words. Instead, he stepped even closer, so close she could feel the heat of his body, the tension crackling in the air between them. His hand brushed her cheek gently, his thumb lingering for a moment too long.
"Does it scare you?" he asked.
"Yes," she admitted. "But not for the reasons you think."
Callum tilted his head. "Then tell me. What scares you?"
She met his gaze, refusing to back down. "You. The way you hide pieces of yourself. The way you watch everything but say so little. I don't know if I can trust you… and yet, I don't want to walk away."
For a long moment, he just stared at her. Then, finally, he spoke.
"I've hurt people before, Jasmine. Not always intentionally. But the damage... it doesn't go away."
She felt the weight behind his words. Whatever had happened in his past, it had left scars. And somehow, she knew those scars ran deep—far deeper than he'd ever admit.
"I'm not asking you to fix me," he added. "But if you stay, you have to understand... there's no going back."
Jasmine took a breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "Then maybe I won't go back."
Their eyes locked, the air between them heavy with all the things they still didn't know how to say.
And just as she thought the moment might break, Callum's phone buzzed.
He checked the screen, and immediately, his expression shifted—darkened. Whatever softness had been in his eyes vanished.
"We have to go," he said sharply.
"What is it?" Jasmine asked, stepping back.
Callum didn't answer. He grabbed his coat, his entire body language shifting from vulnerable to controlled.
Something had changed.
She followed him back to the car, her heart pounding with a new kind of fear. The man she had just begun to understand… was now shutting down again.
They were already back on the road when Jasmine finally asked, "Where are we going now?"
Callum's jaw clenched. "Someplace I never wanted to take you."
And just like that, she knew—whatever was waiting on the other side of this drive… it wasn't just a secret.
It was a truth that could change everything.
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