OWNED BY THE BILLIONAIRE

BREAKING POINT

Chapter 7

Jasmine knew something was coming.

She felt it all day from the way Jason’s messages kept appearing on her phone.

Jason: We need to talk.

Jason: Now.

Jason: Stop ignoring me.

By the time she agreed to meet him, the sun was already setting.

The parking lot behind campus was nearly empty, the evening air colder than usual.

Jason was already there.

Leaning against his car.

Watching her.

The moment Jasmine walked closer, she felt the tension immediately.

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

Jasmine stopped a few steps away. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”

Jason let out a short laugh with no humor in it.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You stopped answering my calls. You barely text me back. You keep pulling away.”

His jaw tightened.

“That’s avoiding me.”

Jasmine swallowed, but for once, she didn’t rush to calm him down or explain herself.

Instead, she asked quietly,

“Why do you always act like I owe you an explanation for everything?”

Jason frowned immediately.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

He stared at her like she had suddenly become someone else.

Jasmine took a breath. “Why does everything feel like I’m doing something wrong just because I want space?”

“Space?” Jason repeated. “Since when do you need space from me?”

“That’s exactly the problem.”

“What problem?”

“You don’t even hear yourself anymore.”

His expression hardened slightly. “I treat you well.”

“You control me.”

The words landed heavily between them.

Jason pushed himself away from the car slowly.

“Control you?” he repeated. “I protect you.”

“From what?” Jasmine asked. “People talking to me? Looking at me? Existing?”

“You don’t understand.”

“No, you don’t understand,” she shot back. “Love isn’t supposed to feel suffocating.”

Something shifted in Jason’s face after that.

Not just anger.

Something desperate underneath it.

“You think I enjoy this?” he snapped suddenly. “You think I like watching people stare at you all the time?”

“That’s not my fault!”

“I KNOW!”

The sudden shout made Jasmine flinch.

Jason turned away briefly, dragging a hand through his hair like he was trying to calm himself down.

But he wasn’t calming down.

He was getting worse.

“You don’t get what this feels like,” he muttered.

Then suddenly, he grabbed her wrist.

Hard.

Jasmine gasped immediately. “Jason—”

“You don’t get it,” he said, voice uneven now. “You don’t understand what it’s like knowing you could leave whenever you want.”

Her heartbeat started speeding up.

“Let go of me.”

But his grip tightened.

“I can’t lose you.”

The words sounded broken.

Desperate.

But it didn’t change the fact that he was hurting her.

Jason stepped closer, backing her against the side of the car.

“Jason, stop.”

His hand moved to her waist, pulling her toward him like he needed to keep her there physically.

Not gentle.

Possessive.

Jasmine pushed against his chest. “Jason, this isn’t okay!”

For a second, he didn’t seem to hear her at all.

Like something inside him had snapped loose completely.

Then suddenly—

He froze.

His grip loosened immediately.

He stepped back so fast it almost looked painful.

Breathing hard.

Eyes wide.

“I…”

His voice cracked.

“I didn’t mean—”

Jasmine stood there trying to steady her breathing.

Jason dragged both hands over his face roughly.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I swear, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He looked genuinely shaken now.

“I don’t know what came over me.”

Jasmine stayed silent.

Jason stepped closer again, but slower this time.

“I just…” He swallowed hard. “I can’t lose you.”

There it was again.

That pressure.

That weight he always placed on her shoulders.

“You’re all I have,” he continued quietly. “If you leave me, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Jasmine’s chest tightened painfully.

“I need you,” he whispered. “You’re the only thing keeping me together.”

And suddenly, something inside her cleared.

Before she could second-guess herself, Jasmine stepped forward and slapped him.

The sound echoed across the empty parking lot.

Jason froze completely.

Jasmine’s hand trembled slightly, but her voice stayed steady.

“Don’t ever touch me like that again.”

Jason stared at her silently.

For the first time since she met him, he looked stunned.

“Jasmine—”

“No.”

Her eyes burned with anger now.

“I stayed because I thought you loved me. But love isn’t supposed to make me feel trapped.”

Jason looked panicked suddenly. Truly panicked.

“You don’t mean this.”

“I do.”

“You’re angry right now.”

“I’m finally thinking clearly.”

The words hit him harder than the slap did.

“I’m done feeling like I belong to you.”

Jason’s breathing became uneven again. “Please don’t do this.”

Jasmine looked at him for a long moment.

Part of her still cared about him.

That was the worst part.

But caring about someone wasn’t enough anymore.

“I’m leaving,” she said quietly.

The words hung heavily between them.

Jason looked like he wanted to stop her again.

But this time, he didn’t move.

Jasmine turned and started walking away.

Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Her hands still shook slightly.

But she kept walking.

Because she had finally said the truth out loud.

Even if deep down…

she still wasn’t fully ready for what came after it.