Woah, that was petrifying, wasn't it? And Lila's obsession is increasing a lot. Is she going to let Tania be taken to hospital in time? A) Yes B) No C) She'll let Tania go to hospital and arrange for her to get killed by doctors. Comment down your perspective;)
33"We've performed the surgery and luckily her blood group was available in the blood bank. There's no need to worry, Mr. Panther, your daughter is safe. She'll be shifted to a normal ward very soon." The doctor said with a smile before he retreated.Kyle, who had been standing away from the operation theatre let out a breath of relief. He looked down at his shoes as he turned around to leave. He came down to the side of the hospital building and slumped against the wall.He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit up one. Taking a huge drag, he ran a hand through his hair.He had been shaken out of his wits when he saw Tania on the floor of her room in blood. Foolish girl! Kyle snickered as he let out an outraged breath. She almost dragged him into a family drama he was not ready for."Kyle," Kyle didn't move even after hearing his name being called.A hand on his shoulder stiffened him. He refused to turn around. Kyle took another drag from his cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke. H
34Karson wiped the corner of his eyes with his thumb. Those memories made him weak and emotional. Sophia was his life. He wouldn't have married Ruby and taken in the son she brought if it wasn't for Sophia. She put a condition to marry her and take them in, and that she would come back when she felt fine. She said that Karson would be unjust to his other son and the woman he impregnated because he couldn't care less to use protection. But once he married Ruby, Sophia sent Divorce Papers through her lawyer and never came back. She just disappeared. She had left a message for him through her lawyer that it was his punishment for not keeping his díck in control during business trips. But Karson had told her it was a mistake. He didn't know when and how it happened. His drink was drugged and he didn't recall anything. Sophia was just too infuriated to listen. What's more, she also intended to take Kyle with her— their only son, the souvenir of their love. But he didn't let her take th
35Kyle stopped in front of his car in the parking lot. The minute his gaze fell on the front windscreen, his heart stuttered in guilt and desperation. He forgot everything about Tania's stupidity and the heated conversation he had with his father. All that came to his mind was that woman he hit days ago by the same car. He was taken back in that moment. Kyle grazed a hand over the windscreen. He had seen her that day but he was on a phone call, and missed to control his car in time, thus, hitting her over. He clearly remembered the blood he'd seen on the ground under her. And that letter... Kyle sighed guiltily. He still read that letter every night to remind himself of the blunder he had made so he would never stop from looking for her. He owed her. He owed her for killing her baby and insulting her by offering her money in exchange for the baby's death. Dialing Titus' number, he put the phone to his ear. Titus picked up the phone at the third ring and greeted him, "Good evenin
36"Hey maid, come here and clean this!" The exclamation set Jasmine's guts on fire.She swallowed the fit of anger rising in her throat and dragged her wheelchair with her hands towards the sitting area where Lucy was having a kitty party with her friends. All of them looked like a husband snatcher, homewrecker— because their were— all wearing clothes that hardly fit their bodies, and a lot of plastic on them."Y-yes," Jasmine pushed the tears of insult welling up in her eyes at the back and halted across from Lucy with a cleaning towel she had picked up from the kitchen. Jasmine had been observing the promiscuous woman for a while from the door of the kitchen. Lucy was not only humiliating her by sharing her story with her friends, but also making her work for her like she was the maid of the house, not the lady of the house.'Vince Garrison, I'm noting down every insult, every spiteful remark, every tear falling from my eyes because of you and your whóre. I will make you pay accord
37"I am not siding with you this time, Lucy. You are in the wrong! How could you bring your so-called friends home and let them in on our secret?"Jasmine's eyes were closed. She felt her body buzz with unease as she tried to move. She didn't know where she was but she heard people present around her. Considering the voice she heard and the name, it wasn't hard to guess that it was her husband and his mistress."And to say those friends of yours are mistresses and secret lovers of big business sharks out there. It could be dangerous. You're still married to my father and there's so much that could go wrong if he finds out about us." Vince drawled grimly.Although Jasmine had stirred back to consciousness, she pretended to be asleep. She wanted to listen to them. It could give her an opportunity to escape the prison Vince had built for her in their marital home, and the atrocities his mistress planned to make her go through."Are you scared?" Lucy laughed. "Are you— Vince Garrison, the
38Her chest rumbled when she felt something on her left leg. SHE FELT. Jasmine's heart banged in her chest because she ‘felt’. Her leg wasn't numb. It was very much healthy and responsive as before. "Aah! Use some spit, Vince! I'm sore from yesterday." It was Lucy's grip on Jasmine's ankle that tightened as she said those words. She was holding onto her leg while Jasmine's husband drilled into her. Although Jasmine's body fired up in indignation in realization that they were making out against the bed, she felt her heart swirl in gratitude and excitement. Her mobility was restored.It was probably because of the surgery she had. The doctor may have injected her with reversal agents after the surgery to weaken the hold of anesthesia so she could regain her mobility post surgery. And it also helped dissolve whatever was keeping her lower body from moving. It still felt unreal. Jasmine wanted to confirm it herself. Though she didn't open her eyes as that would have put her in risk sin
39"Am I dreaming? She can't be here. That's her, isn't that?" He was sitting in his black Bentley across from the hospital. Kyle had come here to discuss the possibility of adopting the hospital. It was in the heart of the city and vastly visited by the underprivileged community. However, its condition was dismal. The infrastructure was falling apart. It was staggering that the facility was still standing upright despite having weak and decaying walls. Kyle knew all that because he had taken a tour within. The dreadful condition of the wards and the fact that people still visited for treatment was why he decided to take this hospital under his wing. He was a mercenary at heart, but he still cared for the development of the society. After all, Kyle knew what it meant to have no money. He may be the heir to a billionaire father, he never really got to enjoy his wealth as a child. He had to work his way up to the top both as a child and an adult. He carved his own path, sweated bloo
40Kyle's POVI was pacing outside my bedroom restlessly. The doctor was here and he was inside the room with the woman. My eyes stilled on the closed door as my movements came to a halt. It's hard to believe that I have finally found her. She's in my room. On my bed. Well, I don't mean it in that way when I talk about bed, but until a few days ago, I was almost convinced that it was a ghost.I was close to giving up on finding her but she's here in my life again, in my house. My mind drifted back to that day I insulted her. I was rude. I shouldn't have offered monetary compensation for the loss of her child.A loss of life can't be compensated with money. I knew that well but my arrogance has gotten the better of me. But life is giving me another chance to make my wrongs right by sending the very woman in my path again.I straightened my back as the door clicked open."Well..." I raised my brow at the doctor who just stepped out.I saw him rubbing some sanitizer on his hands. Closin
68"Oh, since I made the soup for the ones who were on the table yesterday, I thought it's best to have them join us." Jasmine said. "Jojo has told me that this soup doesn't taste that good when it's cold." Jasmine turned to Kyle, her eyes blinking at him hesitantly, "I hope you don't mind it." Kyle didn't answer. He just nodded his head, avoiding to meet Jasmine's gaze. Unfortunately, he was a man with very little trust left. Kyle had lost faith in people and trusting everyone was difficult for him. Hence, he was easily swayed by Lila's words. He glared at Jasmine with blood in his eyes. 'I've grown to like you, Jessica. Didn't know you'd go around asking about my money. You must have believed you could replace your husband with me— another wealthy man— since I feel guilty over your child's death. You assumed my remorse towards your loss would make me yours.'He felt a bitter taste in his mouth for even liking her. What's more, all Kyle wanted to do was slap her food off the tabl
67"I have no other way to pay you back and I don't have access to my accounts either. Not that I was going to pay back in money. That would be an insult to your kindness. So—" "What's for breakfast?" Kyle asked, changing the topic. He smiled at her as if saying: You don't have to explain anything to me. I understood, and moved closer towards her. "For the record, I want you to know that I don't expect a pay back from you. I've told you why I'm doing it.""And I've told you why I'm doing this too." She raised an eyebrow.Once again, Kyle found himself staring at her, that strange feeling back again. He stared at her lips not out of desire but out of amusement. She did have a fierce mouth, and he liked very few women with a big mouth.They were lost in the moment, staring at each other in admiration. Lila had been, once again, hiding behind a pillar to overhear them. A fire of jealousy set in her heart. She seethed before coming out of the shadows to break their stare with her inter
66Kyle covered his face in self-loath and shame, recalling the conversation he had with Jasmine the other night. He felt remorseful for sharing so much about his life with her."How could I lose myself like that? She's a stranger. She's going to leave my house one day and we might never see each other again. I was a fool. I shouldn't have told her so much about me— about my past that not even my closest friends know completely." He sighed and rubbed his face."God, what if she uses it against me? What if she hasn't forgiven me for her loss? You can't trust a wounded woman. I'd be in great trouble if she released my past story to the news channels for revenge. The dark side of my life is mine alone. How could I slip out of my control emotionally because of her and pour out what I never told anyone? Damn, I've never been so foolish."He dragged himself to the washroom on heavy feet and took the most painful shower of his life. Kyle was feeling so bad inside that he didn't want to do an
65Jasmine couldn't react in time because he left her alone not before throwing a teasing salute at her. She was in shock and reeling at what he said. When she was able to make sense, she took a deep breath and smiled to herself. "He's being friendly with me. But the way we met and insulted each other.... It's surprising to see we could be so comfortable with each other. You're a nice man, Kyle. I'm glad God made us meet." She inhaled deeply. "I don't intend to keep any connection with you or anyone else... But in future, I'd like to pay you for what you've done for me." Then she washed her face and teeth and slipped under the blanket, calling it a night with an unwavering smile on her lips. On the other hand, Lila was fuming like a mad bull. She paced in the guest room back and forth as she couldn't erase the view she saw in Kyle's room a while back. "H-how could he? We are best friends and we never let anyone come between us. I've been so nice to him all these years since we wer
64Jasmine's eyes were moist. She looked at the layer of stiffness that had cracked and revealed his vulnerable side. She pitied the boy that he was in the past as at the same time she pitied his mother too. Jasmine believed that his mother might have her own reasons to leave him with his father— not knowing that she was actually hearing those words for the same woman who was also ‘her adopted mother’— Her adopted mother who gave Jasmine memories that she held on to survive! The pained looked on Kyle's face, the trembling in his lips from bad memories and the trauma of being abandoned as a child shone in his eyes bright. Since he looked so broken and miserable, Jasmine felt like hugging him. "You see this man here— he's just a handsome zombie. There's no heart here inside." He pointed at his chest, his lips pursed. "What hurts the most is the fact that my father also neglected me after my mom's departure. He married his mistress because of whom my mom left us... And the first thing
63Jasmine's voice shook with frustration. She didn't want to spill her heart out in front of a stranger she wasn't going to see again in future. But the emotions boiling and bubbling within her needed to be let out. She wanted to be heard and she couldn't help but rely on Kyle to be the listener. "I'm so sick of feeling like this! I'm sick of being the victim, poor, cheated-on wife. Mari is helpful but she's excessively careful towards me... Like she would hurt me with her words and actions if she's not careful. Even Jojo was keeping his distance from me when we were in the kitchen.""He acted as if I was fragile and his touch would break me. This is not how I was before I found out about my husband's betrayal. I've been an independent and strong woman. One who didn't need anyone's hand for support." Jasmine sobbed "You're still strong, Jessica. You went through so much and you're still smiling and living like a strong woman should. This is part of healing. You are doing what is rig
62"I'm so wounded that everything makes me want to jump at someone and scratch their face beyond repair. You have no idea what it feels to be capable but still have not enough strength to help yourself, Lila." Jasmine got up. Lila's eyes followed her movements, her mouth hanging open. Jasmine's rise was elegant and it did look like she came from wealth and power like herself where maintaining etiquettes was an important part of elite life. "It was nice meeting you, Lila, and thank you for your support. But I'm not looking for advice or sympathy right now.... I just need good memories that I will carry out of here." She gave a curt nod, making her point clear that she wasn't going to let anyone belittle her. As her eyes turned to Kyle, he straightened up, otherwise he had his chin in his hand and his eyes glued to her face, totally lost in her fierce but polite retort. "Hope you enjoy the food, Kyle. I don't care about others or what they think of the food I made— but the fact that
61"I... I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you. I thought—" "That's okay. I'll take care next time and make sure I cut on the oil." Jasmine smiled genuinely, thinking that Lila was really innocent. "No, I truly mean it. I'm sorry. I thought it was Jojo. If I knew you made everything today then I wouldn't have— I'm sorry. That might have sounded mean and we've not officially been introduced to each other. You must feel so bad because of me. But I didn't..." Lila trailed off, looking at Kyle regretfully as if she would cry if he didn't help her. Kyle let out a heave as he touched Lila's hand in her lap. All the three sitting on the other side of the table— Jasmine, Jojo and Mari— saw his hand movement too. "This beautiful crazyhead here is my most valuable, amazing, always available for me, sometimes cute and sometimes crazy, my forever partner in crime... My closest friend, Lila. Lila Calvin. She's a social media influencer and one of the best advisers I have in life." Kyle said with
60"Well, well, well… looks like someone’s having a grand feast! But I feel disappointed, Kyle. What have I done to not get an invitation? Your guest seemed to have gained her senses back too." Lila walked in on them as she refused to stay in the corner while a stranger was enjoying Kyle's attention and compliments. She sat down next to Kyle after kissing him on the cheek, her eyes fixed on Jasmine darkly. "I am sad! How can you do this to me?" "Oh, Lila," Kyle rolled his eyes the same way he did each time Lila threw an unnecessary tantrum. "Stop being ridiculous. You were out of town for a big brand's ad shooting, weren't you? And you said it'll take about a week or two before you come back. How could I have known it would be over within a week!" Lila's ears turned pink. She wasn't expecting Kyle to treat her with such offending boldness— like yeah, she knew that he assumed her as a 'good' best friend. But she still had a reputation. It felt like an insult in front of Jasmine and