Chapter 12 - JASMINE COLE, FORENSIC ANALYST
Two years later, Jasmine had new glasses.
Better apartment.
Still too many books.
Bigger salary.
And letters after her name.
CFE.
Certified Fraud Examiner.
She kept her old gray cardigan.
Out of spite.
Barrett promoted her.
Her specialty:
Vendor fraud and executive-control failures.
Because apparently trauma could become expertise if handled carefully.
She traveled.
Spoke at conferences.
Never about Derek publicly.
Her work belonged to her.
Drake Industries transformed too.
Derek returned as chief executive under an independent board chair.
His unilateral authority reduced.
He accepted.
Several questionable divisions sold.
Illegal revenue streams abandoned or disclosed.
Some former associates left angrily.
Others stayed because legitimate money remained money.
Derek became less feared.
He complained about this.
Jasmine laughed.
They dated steadily.
Separate homes.
Separate finances.
No rescue fantasy.
Then Derek met Evelyn.
Jasmine almost canceled.
Her mother was nervous.
Derek more.
Unexpected.
At dinner, Evelyn said:
“You’re exactly what I warned her about.”
Jasmine’s fork stopped.
Derek answered calmly.
“Powerful?”
“Dangerous.”
“Yes.”
No denial.
Then:
“I spent years telling Jasmine men like you would never notice her.”
Derek looked at Jasmine.
“I noticed her immediately.”
Her mother flinched.
Then Derek added:
“That does not mean attention from me determines her value.”
Jasmine nearly kicked him under table for being too emotionally competent.
Therapy.
Probably.
After dinner, Evelyn said:
“He’s less awful than I expected.”
High praise.
Then Derek asked Jasmine:
“Do you want to move in?”
She stared.
“No.”
His face fell.
Then:
“Okay.”
“Ask me next year.”
Hope restored.
One year later:
“Yes.”
But not Derek’s penthouse.
They rented a new place together first.
Neutral.
Both chose.
Separate offices.
Bookshelves negotiated violently.
Marcus visited once.
His relationship with Jasmine remained complicated.
He had helped expose his father’s role.
Also manipulated her background investigation.
He apologized without asking forgiveness.
Jasmine accepted limited cordiality.
Then Marcus handed her something.
“My father’s last letter.”
Why her?
It mentioned Thomas.
Marcus Vale Sr. wrote before death:
Thomas shouted one thing through smoke that I never told anyone.
Jasmine froze.
What?
“He said, ‘Tell Jazzy I was coming home.’”
She cried.
Not because new conspiracy.
No clue.
No money.
Just a father’s final intention.
He had been coming home.
All her childhood, Jasmine believed he chose not to.
That sentence gave back something no court could.
May you like
Then Derek held her.
Only after she reached for him first.
