Chapter 2. Trapped in the Shadow

In the darkness of the room, Jasmine's body collapsed on the bed as if thrown into a terrifying dream world. She quickly sat up and scooted backwards while staring vigilantly in one direction—Mr. Hawthorne, the man who was posing a threat to her.

"P—please... don't...!" cried Jasmine, with tears rolling down her cheeks relentlessly.

Mr. Hawthorne untied the tie that was hanging loosely, and stepped up onto the bed. "Thomas must realize the repercussions of his actions. He will lose the happiness of the daughter he fought so hard for."

"My father will surely come! He will definitely come and bring you your money, we just need to wait for him for a while—"

Jasmine's words trailed off as Mr. Hawthorne grabbed her by both shoulders, leaving her unable to feel the bed she had just sat on. The man's body overpowered her vision, the sadistic gaze came closer and managed to shake her life.

"Stop saying things that can't happen, your father won't escape my hands after returning!"

"I'll do anything, except being your mistress. Housework or whatever you want. Mr. Hawthorne, please..."

Mr. Hawthorne grinned with sharp intelligence. "Why? Is it because you don't want your virginity taken away?"

Jasmine shook her head quickly. "No! I don't even have it anymore, so there's nothing of value to be gained from touching me."

Mr. Hawthorne's face showed doubt, then anger. "Nice try, Miss Everhart. You lied just to make me want to let you go. Unfortunately, you didn't succeed in fooling me."

"I did not lie!"

"Oh, yeah? Then let's prove it."

Feeling that she had failed to bargain, Jasmine bit down hard on the hand that gripped her. She did not hesitate to leave the room immediately and stepped towards the exit. With her heart racing, she tried to find a way to open the door. It was only then that she realized that access to the penthouse required Mr. Hawthorne.

Jasmine looked around her in the hope of finding an alternative exit. She spotted a door near the kitchen, and hurriedly approached it. Through the door she found a beautiful courtyard with a view of the city lights shining. A waist-high fence enclosed the yard, and soft moonlight touched the calm waters of the swimming pool. He paused for a moment, mesmerized by the beauty that had suddenly appeared in the middle of his escape.

"Don't even think about jumping off this building." The beauty was interrupted by Mr. Hawthorne's voice.

Jasmine immediately turned to the source of the voice, Mr. Hawthorne's figure was in both her eyes. Slowly, she backed away until her waist touched the railing.

Mr. Hawthorne remained forward, his gaze unblinking as he examined the bite marks on her hands. "It feels like being attacked by a wild animal."

Jasmine's gaze was fixed on the railing she was holding onto. This building was too high, she couldn't imagine how badly she would get hurt if she jumped off. Honestly, she still wanted to live, wanted to see her father even though she didn't know how he was doing. However, she also could not ignore the fact that Mr. Hawthorne wanted to make her a mistress.

"Please, let me go..."

"You're just wasting energy, Miss Everhart," Mr. Hawthorne hissed in a cold voice.

Not knowing the word surrender, Jasmine shook her head violently. A reckless move led her to climb over the fence, but soon her body fell into Mr. Hawthorne's strong grasp.

Mr. Hawthorne pushed Jasmine away from the fence and said firmly, "There is no room for your escape."

Jasmine resisted the rescue, her thoughts were jumbled and the desire to escape guided her steps. Determinedly, she tried to climb again for the sake of freedom, unaware that Mr. Hawthorne was ready to take drastic measures. With a sudden movement, Jasmine's body was lifted and thrown into the swimming pool. The sound of the water broke the silence of the night, marking the end of Jasmine's desperate attempt to jump off the tall building.

Jasmine's breath hitched as she made it to the surface, then with all her might she reached for the edge of the pool while recovering her blurry vision. Mr. Hawthorne just watched expressionlessly as Jasmine struggled to get ashore, ending up frozen in a corner, and hugging her trembling body. A strong wind swept across the heights during the night, adding discomfort to Jasmine's body that had just come out of the pool in wet clothes.

Mr. Hawthorne approached Jasmine, reached out and said, "Do you still want to die?"

A vengeful look flashed in Jasmine's eyes. She couldn't believe the words Mr. Hawthorne had spoken.

"It turns out Thomas has a stubborn daughter," Mr. Hawthorne said as he forcibly pulled Jasmine into the room.

"Let me go!"

Mr. Hawthorne immediately turned his body around the moment they were in the closed room, gripped Jasmine's shoulders tightly, and sternly said, "I don't have much time to spend on such insignificant matters, Miss Everhart. If you still want your father to live, you'd better watch your behavior!"

Although hateful, Jasmine could not argue if it was about her father's safety. She could only remain silent, without changing her hateful expression.

Mr. Hawthorne released his grip, looking at Jasmine appraisingly. "You're making the situation complicated and troublesome." He crossed his arms and continued, "You can dry off in my room."

Jasmine was indeed cold, but she had no intention of accepting kindness from a man who treated her so rudely.

Understanding Jasmine's stubbornness, Mr. Hawthorne voiced another offer, "Want me to dry it for you? But I can't guarantee my self-control if I see you without clothes."

Jasmine shifted backwards, her awareness noticed by Mr. Hawthorne, who sparked a sly smile on his face.

Mr. Hawthorne touched Jasmine's neck, his intense gaze tracing the woman's body. "The pool water has already made your clothes wet, so I can clearly see your beautiful curves."

Jasmine widened her eyes, quickly moving away while covering her body with her hands. However, Mr. Hawthorne's eyes continued to look at her. Having no other option, Jasmine was forced to follow Mr. Hawthorne's words to dry off in his room.

Mr. Hawthorne stared at Jasmine's departure, then he lit a cigarette with a quiet gesture. He enjoyed the wait as he gazed out the penthouse window at the view of New York City.

***

Mr. Hawthorne felt that he had waited too long. He headed for his room, entering without knocking, only to be met with something beyond his prediction.

Jasmine did not try to escape this time. Instead, she was found asleep on the floor, hugging her knees with her head resting on the nightstand. Mr. Hawthorne laid Jasmine down on the bed. Just as he was about to pull back the covers, he realized that the clothes she was wearing was his shirt. A faint smile appeared on Mr. Hawthorne's lips, laughing at the situation where he forgot about the change of clothes and Jasmine boldly took his shirt from the closet.

After tucking her in, Mr. Hawthorne did not leave immediately, as he watched Jasmine sleep peacefully. "Just a small fight has exhausted a stubborn princess. Let's see what else you will do tomorrow to resist your fate."