LOVE OR THOUGHTS | Book 1 || The Softest Petal of a Blue Rose

05 || Shadows of Deceit

**In San Jose**

Four months had passed since Taehler's estrangement from the Kan household. After inviting his family to his new house for a night, he had never seen them again.

Despite the physical distance, their phone conversations remained frequent and a constant in his life.

Taehler, the charming playboy with a heart of ice, had attempted to reform, tempering his usual pursuits outside of work.

He had even taken the initiative to learn to read people's emotions and expressions, but his efforts often ended in misinterpretation.

His struggle to understand others reflected his own emotional turmoil, which was like a labyrinth he couldn't navigate.

As a result, he had stopped trying to understand what others felt, resigning himself to a life of emotional numbness.

On this particular day, Taehler's old self briefly resurfaced. He had decided to indulge in his frequent activity: bringing a woman home to keep him company for the night, a fleeting distraction from the emptiness that gnawed at his soul.

The evening sun's soft glow and gentle music created a warm ambiance, soothing his weary soul.

The atmosphere was tranquil, a brief respite from the turmoil that simmered beneath his polished exterior.

Just as he emerged from the shower, ready to join his companion in bed, he was startled by the sudden, jarring sound of his front door bursting open, followed by a loud bang.

The tranquility was shattered, replaced by a sense of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach.

At that moment, Taehler regretted giving his family his address and wondered why he had bought a house so close to theirs.

Jasmine, his best friend, who had let herself in without so much as a knock, her presence as unexpected as a summer storm. Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous intensity, a harbinger of the chaos that was to come.

Jasmine pushed her way into the room with a confidence that bordered on recklessness, skipping formalities altogether.

With a flick of her wrist, she shooed the woman away, and then dragged  Taehler to another room, her mission unclear.

The air was thick with tension as Taehler's irritation palpably grew, his voice laced with annoyance as he asked, "What do you want?" The words hung in the air, a challenge that dared Jasmine to reveal her true intentions.

Jasmine's expression remained unyielding, her face a mask of determination. "Pack your bag, we're going to see the others," she replied, her voice firm, yet tinged with a hint of excitement.

Jasmine's words were a challenge that Taehler couldn't resist.

Taehler felt like his world was crashing down around him, the walls closing in on him like a suffocating trap. "What does he want?" he asked, referring to Skenjley, whose idea it was to take some time off to enjoy nature.

Taehler's question was laced with a hint of desperation, a plea to be spared from the impending doom.

Jasmine chuckled at Taehler's flustered expression, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "We're going to San Francisco to spend time together. A short vacation," she said, the words a cruel taunt that only served to heighten Taehler's anxiety.

Taehler let out a heavy sigh, his reluctance plain to see. "How many days?" he asked, hoping that it would be a mere day, a fleeting inconvenience that would soon pass.

"Two days," Jasmine replied, her voice laced with a hint of persuasion.

Taehler said firmly, "I'm not going," in a last-ditch effort to resist the inevitable.