Jared

Bullying our way past reception, we quickly obtained Jared's room information, wasting no time in making our way up to where he was staying. With a bouquet of flowers in hand and my face fixed into my best retail smile, I couldn't help but feel a surge of nerves coursing through me.

With a quick exchange of glances with Travis, we pushed open the door and entered the room, ready to confront Jared and seek the answers we so desperately needed.

I plastered on my best smile.

As Jared sat in the hospital bed, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as Travis and I entered the room. His gaze darted between us, a flicker of apprehension evident in his expression. But as his eyes met mine, a wave of recognition washed over him, and he visibly cowered beneath my gaze.

"Feeling better, honey?" Travis asked, his tone light and casual, masking the tension that hung in the air. "It's us from late night. On the road."

Jared's face immediately relaxed as he finally noticed the flowers in my hand, his suspicions momentarily forgotten. It was clear that he had been caught off guard by our unexpected visit, perhaps expecting us to come in disguise as we had done before.

He cast a wary glance at me, no doubt still processing the sight of me without the elaborate makeup and attire I had worn during our previous encounters.

"Jared Jameson, we meet again," I greeted him with a smile, trying to ease the tension that hung in the air.

Jared's eyes narrowed with suspicion as he regarded us. "How do you know about me?" he asked, his voice laced with apprehension.

"It's thanks to Emily that I know of you. If it weren't for her, we never would've met," I explained calmly, hoping to reassure him. "Take it easy, we aren't going to hurt you."

Jared's gaze flickered between us, uncertainty clouding his features. "Are you Emily's friends?" he asked hesitantly. "We have nothing to talk about if you're involved with her."

"It doesn't matter whether you believe we are or not. We didn't come here to talk about that," Travis interjected firmly, his voice carrying a hint of authority. "Don't forget who brought you here. You even got your blood on my expensive car. Your situation could have been worse than hers, you know."

Jared's eyes widened in alarm at the implied threat, his fear palpable in the air. "Are you threatening me? I'll go to the police!" he snapped, his voice tinged with defiance.

"Go ahead. When you go, you can tell them you got in a car with a drunk Emily. That you love her so much that you don't care that she beat you up," I taunted, unable to suppress the bitterness in my voice.

"That's not how it happened! I woke up in the car and she wanted me to die with her!" Jared snapped frantically, his words tumbling out in a rush of desperation. "She's like that and wants to marry me."

"Well, you just said she was trying to kill you, but you want to call the police on the good people who saved you and brought you here?" I challenged, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

"But you—"

"No, Emily did that. Emily hit you. Emily drove the car drunk with you in it. Emily wanted you to die, not us," I pointed out, my tone sharp with accusation. "Use your brain, we never threatened you."

Jared thought about it for a second, his expression pensive as he adjusted his glasses, a small gesture of composure amidst the chaos of the situation. "Fine," he conceded reluctantly, his voice tinged with resignation.

"Good, these are the messages Emily was sending her love interest while you two were engaged," Travis announced, pulling up the screenshots Jasper had sent him on his burner phone. "You recognize the number texting? You can track it yourself if you think I'm lying."

Jared's eyes widened as he studied the messages on Travis's phone, his disbelief evident in his expression. The truth was staring him in the face, undeniable and irrefutable.

"Emily misunderstood and thought this guy was dating my friend here. She hired a guy to do a hit and run and I took the hit for my friend. I'm currently recovering from bruised ribs and a broken wrist," I explained, my voice steady despite the weight of the words. Travis placed a hand on my shoulder in a silent gesture of support, his eyes reflecting the determination burning within me. "Travis is my best friend, and his life was targeted by Emily. I have to get justice for him."

As Jared continued to read through the messages, a myriad of emotions flickered across his face. There was a momentary flinch, a subtle twitch of his features, as if he were remembering something he didn't want to. Perhaps it was the realization of who Emily truly was, the woman he had nearly married, or maybe it was the sting of betrayal, the messages cutting through his pride like a knife.

And then, without a word, he handed Travis back his phone, his expression a mask of anger and disbelief. It was clear that he had reached his breaking point, his emotions boiling over in a storm of fury and resentment.

"Aren't you going to report it to the police? What do you want me to do?" Jared asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Report her," I said firmly, my gaze unwavering as I met his eyes. "You didn't see us, but I've heard that police weren't allowed to come see you yet."

"Why didn't I see you?" Jared asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I'm dead," I replied with a smile, the bitterness of the lie twisting in my mouth. It was a cruel deception, but one that felt like a small victory in the face of Emily's betrayal.

"Are you Alex by any chance? Isn't Emily your sister? Why would you want me to do this?" Jared pressed, his voice laced with curiosity and apprehension.

"Because I want her to suffer like I have," I told him, my words heavy with the weight of years of resentment and pain. It was a desire born out of years of betrayal and manipulation, a burning need for revenge that consumed me from within.

As Jared sank back into the bed uncomfortably, a sense of satisfaction washed over me. It was a twisted form of justice, but in that moment, it felt like the scales were finally tipping in my favor. "I'll keep my mouth shut about you and report her."

"Thanks, Jared, that's really all I want from you. Just tell the police the truth and don't tell anyone I'm alive," I said, my voice laced with a mixture of gratitude and determination. This was the beginning of the end for Emily, and I couldn't afford any slip-ups.

"You don't want money?" Jared asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Are you offering?" I joked, a hint of amusement creeping into my tone.

"No!" Jared stammered, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

"Thanks, honey. Good luck finding love in the future. Remember we were never here," Travis chimed in, handing the bouquet over to Jared with a mischievous glint in his eye. He pulled me from the hospital room, his other hand held up in a playful gesture, signaling for Jared to call him.

But as we rounded a corner, the sound of raised voices pierced the air, shattering the fragile calm that had settled over us. My heart leaped into my throat, a sense of dread gnawing at the edges of my mind.

I glanced to my left and my heart skipped a beat when I saw Jasper standing there in his police uniform. What was he doing here? Had he discovered our involvement in Emily's downfall?

Had he somehow connected the dots and uncovered the truth behind our actions? Or was his presence here merely a coincidence, unrelated to our clandestine activities?

"Please tell me what room he's in, I'm not understanding the rules!" Jasper begged, his desperation evident in his voice as he pleaded with the receptionist we had bullied earlier.

I instinctively ducked behind the partition, my heart pounding in my chest as I prayed that Jasper wouldn't spot Travis and me lurking in the shadows.

"Sir, first of all, we need to know your relation to the patient!" the receptionist replied, her frustration mounting as she tried to maintain control of the situation.

"He's my future wife! Is that good enough for you?" Jasper snapped, his voice laced with frustration and impatience.

"The name Alexander Todd or Travis Lombardi isn't in the database, sir!" the nurse exclaimed, her tone growing increasingly exasperated as she searched for any trace of our fabricated identities.

"I know he's here!" Jasper insisted, his voice rising with desperation as he refused to accept the nurse's denial.

"He's not here!" the nurse insisted, her tone firm and resolute as she stood her ground against Jasper's persistence.

Travis and I watched Jasper in pure shock as he freaked out, his frantic gestures and raised voice drawing the attention of nearby hospital staff and visitors. It was clear that he was on the brink of losing control, his desperation palpable in every word and movement.

Had he seen us enter the hospital somehow? Or had he stumbled upon some other clue that led him here?

"Someone's worried about you," Travis teased, a mischievous glint in his eye as he nudged me playfully.

I shot Travis a glare, my frustration mounting at his lightheartedness in such a tense situation. With a sigh, I made my way out from behind the partition, determined to put an end to Jasper's commotion before it attracted any more attention.

As Jasper caught sight of me, his expression shifted from agitation to apology, his features contorted with guilt and regret. He began to apologize profusely, his words tumbling out in a rush as he tried to explain himself.

With a wave of my hand, I silenced him, knowing that there was no time for explanations or excuses. The nurse glared at Jasper, her disapproval evident in her stern expression, before turning her attention elsewhere, eager to put an end to the disruption.

"Why are you looking for me?" I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface as I confronted Jasper.

"I was taking a statement for a robbery and I saw you guys so I tried to follow you but I was stopped," Jasper explained, his tone tinged with apology as he attempted to justify his actions.

"Fuck, why are you like this?" I demanded, my irritation evident in my voice as I struggled to comprehend Jasper's relentless pursuit.

"Ah, I heard about your sister," Jasper said, his words weighted with sympathy. "Lucky break, huh? You didn't have to do much."

"Yeah, it sure was," Travis chimed in, his laughter tinged with a hint of bitterness. "She was finally exposed as the animal she is!"

"Everyone's talking about it on YouTube, and there was lots of footage handed over to us to go through," Jasper sighed, his expression weary as he recounted the aftermath of Emily's downfall. Jasper pulled out his phone and brought up YouTube while a sense of trepidation washed over me like a tidal wave. I watched in silence as thumbnail after thumbnail flashed across the screen, each one a stark reminder of the livestream footage I had posted exposing my sister's true nature.

My stomach churned as I saw distorted images of Emily's face plastered across the screen. The sight of her downfall laid bare for all to see filled me with a strange mix of satisfaction and unease.

"For it all to happen in succession like that is crazy," Jasper commented.

"Yeah, it's been quite the rollercoaster," I replied, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to maintain a calm facade in front of Jasper.

"Yeah, crazy indeed," Travis chimed in, his tone light but I could sense the tension that lingered beneath the surface. We exchanged a quick glance, a silent communication passing between us as we tried to gauge Jasper's reaction.

As Jasper nodded in agreement, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was probing for more information, searching for any sign of guilt or deception.

"Hey, Jasper, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Travis asked, his voice laced with an air of casualness as he made an attempt to distract Jasper from the tense atmosphere that hung between us. Thankfully, it seemed to work, at least for the moment.

"I haven't celebrated Thanksgiving since I moved out of my parents' home, Travis," Jasper replied, his tone tinged with a hint of detachment as he returned his focus to his phone.

"Ah, why not? It's great! All the food and the... well, mainly just the food. Some people like to spend it with family, but y'know... I kinda love spending time with my family..." Travis trailed off, his attempt at small talk falling flat in the face of Jasper's disinterest.

"Since I have been here, I have had no reason to celebrate. My family is in Ireland right now, and I dont think they would celebrate Thanksgiving anyway," Jasper said distractedly, his attention still fixed on his phone screen.

"Well... if you wanted somebody to celebrate with, all you had to do was ask," Travis offered, his voice laced with genuine warmth as he extended the invitation to Jasper.

"I am not going to ask anybody, Travis. I do not need anybody to celebrate with. If I want to gorge myself until I pass out, I am going to do it by myself," Jasper snapped, his words sharp with frustration as he dismissed the idea of companionship with a wave of his hand.

"Well, excuse me. I just thought you might like to spend a holiday actually interacting with someone," Travis retorted, his tone tinged with a hint of hurt at Jasper's dismissive response.

Jasper sighed, a hint of remorse creeping into his voice. "Thank you, Travis. That is... thoughtful."

"If you want to come over on Thursday, I think I could cook something," I offered tentatively, hoping to bridge the gap between us and extend an olive branch to Jasper.

"Thanks, Alex. I think I'll take you up on that," Jasper said cheerfully, his demeanor shifting slightly as he accepted the invitation.

"Then it's a date," Travis exclaimed excitedly, his enthusiasm infectious as he looked between Jasper and me, a hopeful smile playing on his lips.

"Uh, sure. A date," I replied hesitantly, the word leaving a strange taste in my mouth as I considered the implications of spending Thanksgiving with Jasper and Travis. Despite my reservations, I couldn't deny the faint flicker of anticipation that sparked within me at the prospect of sharing the holiday with them.

For a while now, I had been pondering the nature of my relationship with Jasper. There had been moments when I had come close to asking him out for a drink after work, but each time, I had thought better of it at the last minute.

And now, here we were, with a Thanksgiving "date" looming on the horizon. The way Travis had casually mentioned it left me feeling uncertain. Was it really a date-date, or just a friendly gathering? I couldn't shake the nagging doubt that lingered in the back of my mind.

A dinner for three certainly wasn't the way I had envisioned starting a date, but then again, maybe this was just a stepping stone toward something more.

"I will see you on Thursday." I confirmed.

"Uh, yeah. See you then, Alex," Jasper replied before his radio crackled to life, pulling him away with a sense of urgency.

As I watched him hurry off, a mix of emotions swirled within me—hope, uncertainty, and a touch of nervousness.

As I mulled over the complex mix of emotions swirling within me, I couldn't deny the fact that I needed Travis' advice now more than ever. Despite Jasper's annoying tendencies and the lingering sense of distrust I harbored toward him, there was an undeniable attraction that I couldn't ignore.

With Jasper's departure and the promise of Thanksgiving looming on the horizon, I pushed aside my uncertainties for the time being, focusing instead on the tasks at hand. There would be plenty of time to ponder the intricacies of my relationship with Jasper later, but for now, I had a dinner to prepare and a holiday to celebrate.

Travis wasted no time in ushering me to the car, a sense of urgency in his movements. Without a word, he navigated through the bustling streets until we reached the supermarket, where he parked the car with haste.

"Good job inviting him! He totally won't look into it much now!" Travis said.

"It was necessary," I sighed.