silent moans

THE BUSINESS CARD

Jasmine's POV

The library was quiet... the only sound was the flipping of pages and the soft tapping of keyboards. I was buried in a stack of old newspapers and documents... trying to find any mention of my Dad's business or the accident. Mika was sitting next to me... her eyes focused on the screen of her laptop.

"Anything yet?" I asked... my eyes feeling tired from all the reading.

"Not much... just some old articles about the business and how successful it was," she said as she continued scrolling.

I sighed as I leaned back on my chair... my mind racing. I know there's something more to this... I can feel it. My Dad was a careful man... he wouldn't just lose everything in a day. And the accident... it just doesn't make sense.

"Jasmine!!... look at this!!" Mika suddenly said... her voice sounding excited.

I leaned forward and looked at the screen... it was an old article about a partnership between my Dad's company and Bartle Billions.

"What does it say?" I asked... my heart beating fast.

"It says here that the partnership was terminated just a few days before the accident... and there were rumors of a fallout between your Dad and the CEO of Bartle Billions," she said and I frowned.

"Why would they terminate the partnership?" I asked and she shook her head.

"It doesn't say... but it mentions that your Dad was planning on taking legal action against them," she said and I stayed silent.

Legal action? Against Bartle Billions? That's one of the most powerful companies in the city. If my Dad was really planning on doing that... then he was definitely onto something.

"Mika... we need to find more information about this fallout," I said and she nods.

"I'm on it Jasmine... let's see what else I can find," she said as she started typing away.

I went back to the newspapers... searching for any more mentions of the partnership. After a few more hours... I finally found something. It was an old interview with one of my Dad's former employees.

"Mika... listen to this," I said and she stopped typing.

"It says here that my Dad was worried about some missing funds in the company... and he suspected that someone from Bartle Billions was involved," I said and her eyes widened.

"Missing funds?... that's a huge accusation Jasmine," she said and I nods.

"I know... and it says here that he was planning on presenting the evidence to the board... but the accident happened before he could do that," I said and she stayed silent.

This can't be a coincidence. The fallout... the missing funds... and then the accident. It's all connected. Someone wanted to stop my Dad from revealing the truth... and they were willing to go to any lengths to do it.

"Jasmine... if this is true... then your life might be in danger," Mika said... her voice sounding worried.

"I know... but I can't just let this go Mika... I need to find the truth... for my parents," I said and she nods.

"I'm with you Jasmine... let's find that evidence," she said and I smiled.

We spent the rest of the day searching for any more information... but we couldn't find anything else. It seems like someone went through a lot of trouble to erase any evidence of what happened.

★★★

🤍 Jayson's Penthouse 🤍

🌹 Jayson's POV 🌹

I got back home and as expected... I was still in a bad mood. The leak... my mother's disappointment... and the pressure of fixing everything. It was all too much.

I walked towards the bar and poured myself a drink... the cold liquid sliding down my throat. I needed something to take my mind off things.

I was about to sit on the couch when my phone started ringing... it was Noah.

"What is it Noah?" I asked... my voice sounding irritated.

"Sir... we found out who leaked the information," he said and I stood up.

"Who was it?" I asked... my eyes turning cold.

"It was one of the interns sir... she was paid by a rival company to steal the files," he said and I scoffed.

"An intern?... how did she get access to those files Noah?" I asked and he stayed silent.

"I'm waiting Noah!!" I yelled and he finally spoke.

"She used your login credentials sir... we think she might have seen you typing them in," he said and I slammed my glass on the table... the glass shattering into pieces.

"Find her Noah!!... and make sure she never works in this city again!!" I yelled and he nods nervously.

"I'll get to it right away sir," he said before hanging up.

I sighed as I looked at the shattered glass... this is just great. My own stupidity let someone steal from me. I need to be more careful.

I was about to start cleaning up the mess when my eyes caught something on the floor. It was a small piece of paper... it must have fallen out of the file my mom gave me.

I picked it up and looked at it... it was a business card.

"Silent Moans... for all your needs."

I frowned... what kind of business is this? And why would it be in the file my mom gave me?

I turned the card over and there was a name written on the back.

"Jasmine."

I immediately remembered the girl from the library... the one I couldn't stop thinking about. Could it be her? No... that's impossible.

I shook the thoughts off and threw the card in the trash. I have more important things to worry about. I need to fix this mess and I need to do it now.

I sat on the couch and closed my eyes... trying to clear my head. But no matter how hard I tried... I couldn't stop thinking about that name.

Jasmine.