Chapter 6. Bargaining With Fate

Reflexively, Mr. Hawthorne turned and walked away. Silence enveloped the scene for a moment, accompanied by memories of what had just happened. The curse hurled at him was not unfamiliar, the crucial question was why he chose to leave his territory.

Mr. Hawthorne felt displeased, his steps retracing the partition. Without Jasmine in sight, he was sure she was now in the walk-in closet because he had seen her leaving the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.

He quickly headed to the walk-in closet, finding Jasmine before she could fully reach the place. What he saw was the woman standing before him, breathing heavily as if she had just raced against time.

“I have given you a warning, mind your behavior if you still want your father to be safe.”

“W—what have I done?”

“You insulted me,” Mr. Hawthorne growled, his tone piercing.

“Ah, that... I was just surprised because someone suddenly appeared while I was fresh out of the shower,” Jasmine replied, trying to explain in confusion.

Mr. Hawthorne stared at Jasmine’s hair, the water droplets making her dry clothes wet. “Before getting dressed—“

“Where are my clothes?” Jasmine interrupted.

“Your clothes?”

Mr. Hawthorne felt momentarily confused, and after further thought, he realized what clothes Jasmine meant. “This morning, I smelled something foul in the bathroom. While searching for the source, I found a woman’s wet clothes hanging. I decided to dispose of them, but don’t worry, I didn’t throw them away conventionally so no one could take them. I burned everything,” he said lightly.

Jasmine’s expression changed drastically, her eyebrows nearly knitting together in anger. “Weren’t you taught etiquette not to touch other people’s belongings without permission?!”

Mr. Hawthorne found her words amusing, recalling that Jasmine had taken his shirt from the closet without permission first. “I replaced them with something of higher quality.” He pointed to Jasmine’s body. “The clothes you’re wearing now are far more valuable.”

Mr. Hawthorne took the towel from Jasmine’s hand, casually tossing it onto her head. “Before getting dressed, it’s best to dry your body first. Otherwise, your skin will be at risk of irritation and infection.”

Jasmine pulled the towel from her head, only to find Mr. Hawthorne was no longer in front of her. Leaving the walk-in closet, she found the man’s shadow again.

“Let me out of here!”

Mr. Hawthorne only smiled cynically without intending to turn around. His steps halted as they reached the sitting area, then he looked at Jasmine, who tried to appear brave.

“I’m going to find my father,” Jasmine said with determination.

“With your weak body?” Mr. Hawthorne smiled condescendingly. “You’d better realize your limitations before saying something like that.”

Mr. Hawthorne sighed and then sat down with his hands resting on the head of the sofa. “Even my trained henchmen haven’t been able to track him down yet.”

Jasmine felt trapped. Her intention to negotiate had reached a dead end. Only one option remained, the one she had been desperately avoiding—following Dr. Lawson’s suggestion. However, the thought of the role as a mistress always haunted her, leaving her torn.

Jasmine looked at Mr. Hawthorne, who was now leaning back with his eyes closed. “You’re right.”

Mr. Hawthorne slowly opened his eyes, looking at Jasmine who was now lowering her head.

“My father wouldn’t leave me alone in this situation. He should have come for me by now, but he hasn’t.” Jasmine clenched her fists, trying to dispel the negative thoughts about her father. “Perhaps my father really—“

“Thomas might be spending a hundred thousand dollars somewhere,” Mr. Hawthorne interrupted, not wanting to give up hope just yet.

Jasmine looked at Mr. Hawthorne, and somehow, his words brought her a sense of calm.

Mr. Hawthorne stood up, walking steadily towards Jasmine. “Let’s believe that because I won’t let him die without learning his lesson.”

The calmness Jasmine felt disappeared instantly, replaced by a strong urge to protect her father. With a hesitant tone, she asked, “If we manage to return the money in full, will my father be freed?”

Mr. Hawthorne paused for a moment, his eyes scanning Jasmine’s hopeful face. “No. When my money was taken, your father betrayed my trust. He holds significant secrets, and I can’t let him live.”

Those words crushed Jasmine’s hope, trapping her in darkness. She knew she had to do something to save her father, but how?

“Rest,” Mr. Hawthorne said, then walked towards the door.

Jasmine watched Mr. Hawthorne’s broad back slowly moving away. With heavy steps, she followed and grabbed his hand.

Mr. Hawthorne was surprised and slightly confused, then turned to Jasmine standing beside him. Before he could speak, Jasmine spoke first.

“Mr. Hawthorne, please!”

Mr. Hawthorne removed his hand from Jasmine’s grip, folding his arms across his chest. “I know what you’re going to say. My answer is still the same, I won’t let you go.”

“This time, I’m not asking to be released.”

Mr. Hawthorne’s gaze sharpened.

“I’ll do it, become your mistress.”

Mr. Hawthorne tried to understand Jasmine’s expression, delving deeper into the meaning of her words. Although his goal was to make Jasmine his mistress to ensure Thomas lost the happiness of his daughter, he found it odd to hear Jasmine’s acceptance.

“You resisted so hard that you wanted to jump off a high building, begged me to let you go. Now, in just a few days, you accept your fate.” Mr. Hawthorne’s expression was doubtful.

Would Jasmine’s plan be revealed so quickly? She wanted to save her father by winning Mr. Hawthorne’s heart, regardless of her own feelings, even if it meant being prey to a predator.

“I assume...”

Jasmine tightened her grip on the towel in her hand, hoping Mr. Hawthorne wouldn’t discover her plan so quickly.

“...that your awareness of your father’s debt has fully returned, and you are willing to pay it with your body.”

Jasmine swallowed hard, every word she heard felt like hell. Her acceptance contradicted her true desire. However, she felt relieved that her plan remained undiscovered.

“Before that, do you truly understand the meaning of your words?”

“I only need to serve you in this room, right?” Jasmine said firmly, hiding her anxiety.

Mr. Hawthorne stared at the determination in Jasmine’s eyes, unflinching even though the stare lasted a long time. “Good,” he said, then continued, “I want you to prove your resolve tonight, because I’ve been holding back my emotions towards your father for a long time and I need an immediate release.”

Tonight? That’s so soon. I’m not even fully recovered! Jasmine screamed internally.

“See you tonight, Miss Everhart.”

Mr. Hawthorne’s departure this time was not prevented, as Jasmine was struggling to maintain her sanity. Her body trembled, her breath caught, imagining the horror that would soon envelop her life.

“You can do this. It’s only for a short time,” Jasmine whispered, trying to encourage herself.