CHAPTER 3

Jasmine hurried out of the hotel room before the man could wake up, and she got home some minutes later, only to be greeted with a resounding slap across her face.

Her head jerked to the side from the impact, and she clutched her throbbing cheek, stunned as she saw Gloria and Charlotte standing in front of her.

“You ungrateful brat!” Gloria’s spat with venom. “How dare you play a fast one on us? Why didn’t you go to Samuel Wilson’s hotel room like you were told?”

Jasmine’s mouth quivered as she tried to explain. “M-mom, I-I thought—”

“Don’t call me that!” She snapped in revulsion. “I can never be the mother to a cheap whore like you.”

“Don’t waste your breath on her, mom,” Charlotte placed a calming hand on Gloria’s shoulder while giving Jasmine a dirty glare.

“Aren’t you shameless?” She smacked her teeth distastefully. “It hasn’t even been 24 hours since you broke up with Jacob and you’re already sleeping around.”

“I wasn’t sleeping around,” Jasmine defended, her chest tightening as she gave Gloria a desperate look.

“Mom, I really went to room 98 like I was told. But, I didn’t know Samuel Wilson wouldn’t be—”

“Enough with those lies,” Gloria cut her off sharply. “I clearly told you to go to room 86 and not 98! Is this how you repay us after taking care of you despite not being our blood? ”

“86?” Jasmine’s brows furrowed in confusion. “B-but, the text said—”

“Oh keep quiet, and own up to your actions for once!” Charlotte rudely cut through her words.

Deep within her, she reveled in satisfaction as she recalled how she had intercepted her mother’s text to Jasmine.

She sent her the wrong room number to get her in trouble. And the look on Jasmine’s face at the moment, made her scheme all the more worthwhile.

“Mom, you need to throw her out,” she continued, eager to add more fuel to the fire. “A traitor like her doesn’t deserve to live under our roof.”

“You’re absolutely right, my dear,” Gloria agreed and curled her lips in disdain as she glared at Jasmine.

“I regret the day I brought you into my home. I should have just left you to rot in that orphanage!”

“Seriously, just disappear already!” Charlotte added with equal venom. “Nobody wants you here!”

Jasmine couldn’t believe the pure hatred oozing from the two women she had considered family all her life.

Their biting words knocked the breath out of her lungs, and her chest tightened with each passing second.

It took her a moment to regain her strength, and she wiped the tears that fell from her eyes.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll leave. But first,” she gave Gloria a pleading gaze. “Please give me the information about my birth parents.”

“Did you really think we were going to give you that information?” Gloria scoffed deviously. “We don’t even have it. For all we know, they could be dead.”

“W-what?” Jasmine's eyes widened in disbelief. “You lied to me just to make me do your bidding?”

“Yes, and so what?” Charlotte interjected, raising a challenging brow. “You failed anyway, so we owe you nothing now.”

“Exactly,” Gloria supported before pointing a warning finger at Jasmine.

“Before we return from Ophelia Wayne’s birthday party, ensure you’re out of this house. I don’t care where you go as long as we never have to see your face again.”

>>>>>>

Jasmine sighed as she threw the last of her belongings into her small suitcase, the sting of Gloria and Charlotte’s words still lingering in her mind.

She wasn’t sure where to go, all she knew was that it had to be faraway from all the painful memories that surrounded her.

Hoisting her suitcase upward, she dragged it along, but paused when her gaze landed on the jewelry box on her vanity table.

It was the birthday gift she had prepared for Jason’s grandmother, Ophelia Wayne. But with everything that had happened, she didn’t think it was still a good idea to give it to her.

Grabbing the box from the dresser, she extended her hand to toss it into the trash, but froze as a thought crossed her mind.

Ophelia had always been good to her, and it wouldn’t be fair if she left without saying goodbye.

Holding on to that thought, she decided to go see the old lady.

With a final glance at the room she had grown up in, she clutched the jewelry box tightly and left the house.

>>>>>>>>>

The party at the Wayne mansion was already in full swing when Jasmine arrived.

She nervously adjusted her blue sundress, and subconsciously fiddled with the jewelry box as she entered the grand hall.

Charlotte spotted her the moment she walked in. “What’s that bitch doing here?” She muttered scornfully under her breath.

Jason, who was standing beside her, overheard her and turned to her.

“Who are you talking—” he began, but trailed off as he followed her line of sight to Jasmine.

His jaw clenched instantly as he remembered how she bruised his ego by calling off their engagement.

The memory was still fresh in his head, and it made him angry the more he thought about it.

“Excuse me,” he muttered to Charlotte, and without waiting for her to respond, he walked away to clear his head.

Jasmine’s eyes frantically darted around as though she was searching for someone, and her whole body stiffened the moment she heard Charlotte’s mocking voice.

“Bold of you to show your face here. Aren’t you ashamed?”

Jasmine hesitantly turned to face Charlotte. “I just need to see Grandma Ophelia for a moment, and I’ll be out of here,” she replied plainly.

She moved to sidestep her, but Charlotte extended her hand, blocking her path.

“And what could you possibly want to see my future grandmother-in-law for?”

Jasmine gripped the jewelry box tighter. “I don’t think it’s any of your business,” she shot back.

“Oh really?” Charlotte tilted her head, then suddenly shrugged as though she was letting it go. “Fine, you can go then. Don’t let me stop you.”

Jasmine released a breath she didn’t know she was holding and immediately began walking away.

But Charlotte set a foot in her path, and she tripped, landing on the floor with a thud.

“Oops,” Charlotte gasped as though she hadn’t tripped her on purpose. “ You should really watch your steps.”

Jasmine ignored her as she scrambled to retrieve the jewelry box that had fallen a few meters away.

Just as she was about to reach for it, Charlotte stomped on her hand with her heel.

“Ahh,” Jasmine cried out as the pointy heel dug painfully into her palm.

“And what might this be?” Charlotte mumbled curiously as she bent down to pick the box and inspected it.

“Charlotte, please stop. You’re hurting me,” Jasmine begged with gritted teeth as she tried to pull her hand free.

At first Charlotte ignored Jasmine’s plea, but when she noticed some of the guest’s curious gazes directed at them, she quickly lifted off her foot.

“Oh my gosh, I didn’t see your hand there,” she muttered in feigned remorse to the hearing of the guests, and that was all it took for them to lose interest.

Jasmine clenched her teeth in pain as she clutched her throbbing hand and

rose to her feet.

Her eyes narrowed at her jewelry box in Charlotte’s grasp and she tried to snatch it. “Give me that! It’s not yours!”

But Charlotte swatted her hand away, and taunted her. “Why are you getting so aggressive? I just want to see what you got my grandmother-in-law.”

She then opened the box, and her eyes glistened with mischief as she saw the bracelet nestled inside.

At that time, Jason returned after having a drink and she quickly showed it to him.

“Jacey, look at what Jasmine got your grandmother. Isn’t it too tacky?”

Jason took the bracelet from her, and eyed it with disgust. “Very tacky,” he agreed.

Then, he spitefully waved it at Jasmine. “What sort of cheap thrash is this?”

Jasmine met his gaze squarely.

“You might think it’s trash, but I went through a lot to get it,” her voice was steady, despite the pain from her throbbing hand. “Please, just give it back to me.”

“Go get it then,” he smiled wickedly and tossed the bracelet to the floor.

Jasmine tried to reach for it, but before she could, Charlotte stomped on it and a sharp crack echoed.

“Oh no,” Charlotte’s hand flew to her mouth in feigned dismay. “Looks like your bracelet is broken. Now, you can’t give it to Grandma Ophelia.”

“Nice one, babe,” Jason praised her, deliberately trying to hurt Jasmine more. “You’ve just saved my grandma from receiving the world’s tackiest gift.”

Jasmine gaped at the broken bracelet in disbelief, and her knees buckled due to the shock of it all.

She was about to fall, but a strong hand caught her by the waist at that moment.

Jasmine froze as the familiar scent wrapped around her and her mind instantly wandered to the mysterious man from last night.

She turned to look at him, and her eyes widened just as Jason blurted, “Uncle?!”