Chapter 4

Jasmine dragged her suitcase behind her and swung by the research institute's housing office to grab the key to her temporary dormitory. The room was tucked into a corner on the top floor, decent enough to get her through the next two weeks. She hit the stairs with a heavy cardboard box full of random stuff and a stack of books, only to run right into Niall and Kendra coming down. Kendra had a folder in one hand, her head tipped toward Niall as they chatted, and she almost plowed straight into Jasmine. She let out a quick "Whoa" and caught the box as it slipped from Jasmine's arms. "Ms. Chetney, what are you moving? This thing's heavy. Let me carry it up for you," Kendra said warmly, her smile bright and eager. Jasmine hugged the box tighter and shifted out of reach. "No, thanks." "Don't worry. I'm stronger than I look," Kendra said, reaching for the box again. Just then, Niall, who'd been hovering quietly off to the side, stepped in and took the box from Jasmine's arms. Kendra chuckled. "Niall, your hands are for precision experiments. They're way too valuable for grunt work like this." Niall looked up, his eyes turning a shade warmer. "They're not as precious as yours." It was a tone Jasmine had never heard from him before—light, teasing, touched with fondness. It sounded casual, so she never saw it coming when the words hit her hard in the chest. When Jasmine had first started as Niall's assistant, she tried to haul a heavy stack of files. She lost her grip, and they went spilling across the floor just as he walked by. She scrambled to gather them, flushed and frantic, afraid he'd think she was clumsy. He stopped for half a second, looked over the mess, then moved on. He didn't say anything and didn't bother to help. All he did was have the administrative department issue her a wheeled cart afterward. He would never be the guy who said "I'll do it", much less toss out a playful, affectionate line about her hands being too precious for carrying anything heavy. Kendra laughed at Niall's words, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "Niall, you're making fun of me again!" Niall let the joke go and asked, "What floor?" "Fourth," Jasmine answered, acutely aware of how dry she sounded. Kendra and Niall headed up the stairs side by side, slipping right back into easy banter. She chattered about a few funny quirks in the data from their last experiment, and he tossed in a comment here and there. The air between them was light and easy. Jasmine trailed after them without a word, staying a few careful steps back. None of this was new to her. This had been her place for ten years now, trailing after Niall. She'd watched his back as he walked away alone, and later watched Kendra slip into place beside him. She'd lived like a shadow at his heels, running to keep up but never quite finding a way into his world. When Jasmine reached Unit 402, she took out her key and unlocked the door. Inside was a bare little room with a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and its own bathroom, all of it spotless. Niall set the cardboard box down by the door without a second thought. Then he glanced around the tiny room and turned back to Jasmine, as if something had just occurred to him. "Why did you decide to stay in a dorm?" Jasmine pulled her suitcase inside and said evenly, "I sold our house." She let the words hang there and waited. Maybe he would press her, or sound surprised, but there was nothing but silence behind her. Finally, he spoke, casual as if none of it really mattered. "If you weren't comfortable there, you could've moved somewhere else. You didn't have to put yourself through this." Jasmine straightened up and turned to face Niall. It was painfully clear he didn't care about the house they were supposed to share, or her reasons for moving out. Maybe he hadn't believed her at all when she said they should call off the engagement the night before. Standing just behind Niall, Kendra watched the whole thing with a faint smirk. "Ms. Chetney, you can go on unpacking. Niall and I have to swing by the data center." Niall gave Jasmine a small nod before leaving with Kendra. Jasmine stayed where she was, staring at the empty doorway until her gaze dropped to the red marks on her hands. Putting herself through this? What she'd really put herself through were years of giving herself to Niall that never seemed to count for anything. All that devotion to him only ever came back as bank transfers. She'd risked her life for him and only ended up with an engagement born out of guilt. She was nothing compared to Kendra, who could make him smile and treat her like she was precious. The bitterness hit Jasmine late but hard, surging up until it flooded her chest and choked off her breath.