Chapter 89

The next morning, Anastasia woke to the smell of fresh coffee and something delicious cooking. She padded to the kitchen to find Cassian had gone all out with breakfast—eggs Benedict, fresh fruit, pastries from her favorite bakery.

“This is way too much,” she laughed, taking in the spread.

“I wanted to spoil you a little. Eat up, then I’ll drive you to work,” Cassian said, already dressed for the day.

“You don’t have to do that. I can drive myself.” Anastasia wasn’t ready for her coworkers to see them together yet.

“Your call. Just text me if you need anything. I’ve got a client dinner tonight, so I’ll be late.”

“No problem,” Anastasia nodded, settling in to enjoy the feast he’d prepared.

After breakfast, she headed to her office. The jewelry designs for Sonia were almost finished—today she needed to send the preliminary sketches for approval. Anastasia got absorbed in her work immediately. Around noon, her phone started buzzing with an unknown number. Probably a spam call, so she ignored it. But whoever it was kept calling back. Finally, annoyed, she picked up.

“Anastasia, it’s me.” The voice made her blood run cold.

She almost hung up immediately.

“Don’t you dare hang up. Meet me for lunch. Now,” Jasper demanded.

“I’m working, Jasper. We have nothing to talk about,” Anastasia said, her jaw tight.

“Either you come meet me, or I’m coming up to your office. Your choice,” he said with that same entitled tone she remembered too well.

Fucking asshole.

Anastasia closed her eyes, fighting the urge to tell him exactly where he could go. “Fine. Café Milano. Fifteen minutes.”

She was curious what bullshit he was planning to pull now. They were done—completely done.

“See you there.” He hung up before she could say anything else.

Jasper couldn’t explain why hearing about Anastasia and Cassian together made him feel so twisted up inside. He just knew he had questions that needed answers, and he was going to get them.

During her lunch break, Anastasia walked to the café, wearing a camel-colored wrap dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her long dark hair fell in loose waves, and she’d kept her jewelry minimal—just a delicate gold chain.

Jasper was already there when she arrived. The sight of her made him do a double-take. There was something different about Anastasia—she carried herself with more confidence now, more self-possession.

Anastasia slid into the seat across from him, her expression guarded. “You have ten minutes. Then I’m gone, and I don’t want you calling me again.”

Jasper studied her face, thrown by how completely she’d shut him out. This wasn’t the Anastasia who used to hang on his every word, who’d looked at him like he was everything. Now her eyes were cool, distant. The love that used to shine there was completely gone.

“You’re different,” Jasper said, fishing for some kind of reaction.

Anastasia checked her phone. “People grow up, Jasper. What did you want?”

She had zero patience for whatever mind game he was trying to play.

Her coldness hit him harder than he’d expected. His jaw clenched as he forced himself to ask the question that had been eating at him.

“I heard you’re with Cassian Rhodes now. Is that true?”

Anastasia’s eyebrow arched, and she couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “My personal life isn’t really your business anymore, is it?”

The audacity of this guy. They were broken up. What right did he have to interrogate her about anything?