Virgin Dot Com Novel

[Jasmine's POV] Monday morning, I stare at my phone like it's a bomb. Two necessary conversations I've been dreading since Saturday. Telling my ex-partners that I'm marrying the man who was always the right choice. Asher first. Rip off the Band-Aid. He answers on the second ring. "Hey, what's up?" "Hey. I have news." My voice comes steadier than I expected. "Let me guess. You and Liam are engaged." No hesitation, no surprise. Just certainty. "How did you-" I'm genuinely shocked. "Come on, Jasmine. It's been obvious for months.

Congratulations." His voice is warm, genuine, completely without bitterness. Relief floods through me so intensely I have to sit down. "You're really okay with this?" "I'm really okay." He sounds amused by my surprise. "Elena and I are building our own life. You and Liam deserve to build yours. The girls are happy. That's what matters." The ease of this conversation is disorienting. I'd braced for anger or hurt or complicated emotions. Instead, he's just... happy for us. "Thank you. For being so-" "Mature? Reasonable?" He laughs. "We've all grown up, Jazz. What we tried didn't work.

But what we each have now does. That's worth celebrating." "Will you come to the wedding?" The question comes before I can second-guess it. "It'll probably be weird, but-" "Will it be weird?" He interrupts. "Yeah, probably. But I'd like to be there. The girls would want me there." "Then you're invited. With Elena, if she wants to come." "She will. She likes you, you know. Admires how you've handled all this." There's respect in his voice that makes my chest tight. "She saved us during mediation. I'll always be grateful for that." I mean it completely.

"She's good at seeing clearly when I can't." The affection in his tone is obvious. "Listen, I need to get to a meeting. But really, Jazz. Congratulations. You and Liam are good together. Always were." "Thanks, Asher." "Anytime." The call ends, and I sit in the quiet aftermath. One down. One to go. Finn answers breathless, background noise suggesting he's mid-recording session. "Can I call you back?" "It's important." Something in my voice makes him pause. "What's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong. Liam proposed. We're engaged." The words rush out before I lose courage. Silence.

Long enough that I check if the call dropped. Then: "Oh. Wow. Congratulations." His voice is wrong. Forced cheer layered over something raw and hurt. "Finn, are you okay?" I already know the answer. Longer silence. Background noise fades-he must have moved somewhere private. "Yeah. No. I don't know. I'm happy for you. I am. But also..." "Also what?" I prompt gently. "It's really over, you know? Like, legally, permanently over. You're marrying someone else." The words come thick, heavy. "As long as you weren't married, there was theoretical possibility. Fantasy of reunion.

Now that door slams shut." The honesty in his admission breaks something in my chest. "Finn-" "I know it's stupid. I'm with Sienna. You've been separated for six months. But marriage is... it's final." He takes a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. This isn't fair to you. You should be happy, and I'm making it about me." "You're allowed to feel however you feel." I keep my voice steady, supportive. "I'm sorry if this hurts you." "Don't be sorry. Marry him. Be happy. Just..." He pauses, gathering himself. "Give me some time to process, okay? I'll come to the wedding. I'll be supportive.

I just need a minute to grieve what we were." "Okay." The word comes soft. "Take all the time you need." "And Jasmine?" His voice shifts, becomes more solid. "He's lucky. You're the best thing that ever happened to any of us." My throat tightens. "You too, Finn. You're the best thing that happened to me too. Just... not forever." "Not forever," he echoes. "But for a while, we were everything." "We were." I let myself acknowledge that. "And I'll always be grateful for what we had. What we tried to build." "Me too." He clears his throat, pushing past emotion. "I need to go. But congrats.

Really. You deserve this." "Thanks, Finn." "Love you, Jazz. Even if I'm not in love with you anymore." "Love you too. Even though we're not in love anymore." The distinction matters. The call ends, leaving me staring at my phone in the quiet house. Two conversations, two completely different reactions. Asher's moved on completely, found his person, genuinely happy for me. Finn's still processing, still grieving what we were even while building something new with Sienna. Both valid. Both part of this complicated evolution. Liam finds me twenty minutes later, still sitting in the same spot.

"How'd it go?" "Good. Complicated. But good." I lean into him when he sits beside me. "Asher's completely fine. He and Elena are coming to the wedding." "And Finn?" "Finn needs time. But he'll be okay. He's just... grieving." I take Liam's hand. "He said you're lucky." "I am lucky." He kisses my knuckles. "Luckiest man alive." "He also said I'm the best thing that happened to them." The words feel important to share. "Past tense." "Past tense," Liam repeats. "Because present and future tense, you're the best thing that happened to me." The certainty in his voice makes my chest ache.

"We're really doing this. Getting married. Making it permanent." "We're really doing this." He pulls me into his lap, holds me close. "How do you feel about telling them? About them knowing?" "Relieved." The word surprises me, but it's true. "They took it well. Better than expected. We're all moving forward." "In different directions." "But forward nonetheless." I rest my head on his shoulder. "Asher with Elena. Finn with Sienna. Us with each other. The girls connecting all of us." "Evolution complete," he observes. "Evolution complete," I agree.