Chapter 2

I woke up at seven in the morning. I was sitting on the carpet next to the couch, my neck aching like hell and my legs completely numb.

But none of that mattered. What mattered was that I hadn't had the dream all night.

Jasper was still asleep on the couch, lying on his side with one hand dangling over the edge.

"Morning, beautiful."

His voice startled me. Jasper opened his eyes, those deep brown eyes sparkling with amusement. He propped himself up, taking in my disheveled appearance.

"Wow, did you really watch over me all night?" He stretched lazily, that familiar smirk playing on his lips. "What's with the dramatics? Nothing happened last night."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "I was worried about alcohol poisoning."

"Oh?" Jasper leaned closer with that wicked grin. "Next time, if you dress a little sexier, I might not sleep so soundly."

A wave of humiliation and anger washed over me. And this was supposed to be my 'withdrawal medication'? This cocky, arrogant asshole?

But strangely, even being treated so casually, that suffocating sense of destiny in my chest hadn't disappeared. If anything, it felt stronger. Like invisible threads were pulling at me, making resistance impossible.

'Is this what Dr. Martinez meant by transference?'

"Can we try dating?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them, surprising even myself.

Jasper froze, his playful expression vanishing instantly. He stared at me for several seconds, then started laughing.

"You sure about that?" He leaned back against the couch. "I'm not exactly boyfriend material, sweetheart."

"I know." I stood up, looking down at him. "That's exactly what I want."

He narrowed his eyes, like he was reassessing me. Then he nodded. "Deal."

Two weeks later

On Valentine's evening, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Jasper stood outside our dorm in a fitted navy suit, holding a massive bouquet of red roses. When he saw me coming downstairs, he grinned. "Happy Valentine's Day, baby."

This wasn't like him at all. For the past two weeks, our "relationship" had consisted of occasional campus run-ins where he'd show up in his typical Alpha Sigma fraternity jacket, looking like the quintessential frat boy. But tonight...

"Why are you so formal today?" I accepted the roses, their petals still dewy.

"Because today's special." He offered his arm. "Come on, I got us a table at Crimson."

Crimson? That was the most expensive restaurant on campus, way beyond most students' budgets. I followed him toward the campus center, feeling like something was off.

The restaurant was dimly lit with flickering candles. Jasper specifically requested the window table—the most visible spot in the entire place. This was even stranger. He usually chose corner tables, claiming he didn't like being disturbed.

"This is way too exposed." I sat down, feeling uncomfortable.

"Exposed is perfect, isn't it?" He waved at some passing classmates. "Hey, take a picture of us and post it on Instagram. Tag both of us."

My eyes widened. Jasper Coleman, who never liked showing off relationships on social media, was actively asking for couple photos?

Throughout dinner, he seemed completely distracted. His phone lay on the table, lighting up every few minutes with new messages. He kept glancing at the screen, frowning slightly.

"The steak's great, right?" He tried to serve me food while talking, but ended up giving me decorative lettuce from the plate's edge.

"Jasper." I put down my knife and fork. "You're acting weird tonight. Is something wrong?"

He looked up at me, his gaze briefly focusing. "Nothing's wrong. Being with you is what matters."

But his words sounded like he was reading lines.

His phone rang again. This time it wouldn't stop, like someone was calling frantically. The caller ID showed "A."

Jasper's face changed.

"Sorry, I need to take this." He stood up. "It's important... uh, family stuff."

He hurried out of the restaurant. Through the glass window, I watched him pace back and forth in the plaza below, phone pressed to his ear.

'Family stuff?' I thought about that contact name "A."

On impulse, I got up and followed him outside.

The campus plaza was bathed in amber light. I hid behind a marble column, with a perfect view of where Jasper stood. He had his back to me, shoulders tense.

Then I saw her.

A girl approached from the library direction—wavy chestnut hair, wearing a fitted black dress. Even in the dim lighting, I could tell she was beautiful.

Aria. My roommate. Jasper's ex-girlfriend.

'So "A" is Aria...'

From this angle, I had a clear view of our table upstairs. That massive window was like a stage, displaying our entire intimate performance.

Jasper said, "How do you know I can't really fall in love with her?"

Aria smiled. "Don't you know what love feels like?"

Then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

I held my breath, watching them embrace under the amber streetlights. It was a passionate, possessive kiss, full of desperation and longing.

When the kiss ended, Aria touched his face gently. "Chaos and madness—that's what being in love feels like. So stop wasting yourself."

She turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the stone path. Jasper stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching her disappear into the night.

I leaned against the column, feeling the world spin around me.

The entire romantic evening, the roses, the photos—all of it was to make Aria jealous. I was just a tool to provoke his ex-girlfriend.

But what shocked me most was that the suffocating feeling about Gabriel had noticeably lessened.

'The withdrawal therapy is actually working.'

I watched Jasper slowly walk back to the restaurant, putting on that careless smile again. When he sat back down across from me, I had already composed myself.

"Sorry, family emergency." He fed me the same tired excuse. "Let's keep eating."

"No problem." I cut a piece of steak and put it in my mouth—it tasted much better now. "I understand."

Since you used me first, I can use you as medication too.

This game—neither of us gets to stay innocent.