CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO – IS SHE WELCOME?

As they gathered their few belongings and prepared to leave, Jasmine couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted. Would Marco have kissed her? Did she want him to? These questions swirled in her mind as they said goodbye to the kind gas station attendants and climbed into the waiting car. As they pulled away, heading back towards the compound and all the complications that awaited them, Jasmine glanced at Marco. He caught her eye and smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand reassuringly. And in that moment, Jasmine knew that whatever happened next, she was exactly where she was meant to be. As Marco and Jasmine settled back into the compound, the air was thick with tension. Despite their shared ordeal in the desert, the reality of their situation quickly reasserted itself. "I'll take the report to my father," Marco said, his voice soft but firm. "You should rest, Jasmine. You've been through a lot." Jasmine wanted to protest, to insist that sh