So Lila and Jasmine are going to have a meeting. What will she do? A) try to harm Jasmine B) pity her C) leave her alone Please do vote and follow me too if you like the story.
47Mari scooted away from the door to avoid getting caught by the evil woman inside. Lila wasn't a nice woman. Her character matched the saying: Good looks don't necessarily mean a good character. She just had a nice body and pretty face whereas on the inside she was more evil than Medusa— and she was obsessed with her boss like Sherkhan was obsessed with Mowgli in Jungle Book. It wasn't a nice obsession though! She was insecure and didn't try to hide her emotions. Lila treated other women poorly as if she had the right to. Mari knew all this because she had a nightmarish experience with her. On the day she was hired, Lila was in the house. She had been utterly humble in front of Kyle when Mari had come. But the moment he left, Lila grabbed her by the hair and pinned her to the floor. "You look young and your skin is so soft. It would be a shame having a dirty burn scar on it! If you don't want it on your face, you better keep your eyes down and never go to Kyle's room unnecessari
48"Kyle... It's n-not what you think. I wasn't doing anything wrong!" Lila stammered. She was caught red-handed. Her mind was blank and she couldn't form a sentence, let alone lie to defend herself."Explain? You're trying to drench her even though you know she's burning! What's wrong with you?" Kyle pushed her aside. It was done with gentleness but to Lila it was like a forceful shove. "I'm not lying, Kyle. There's something you don't know and I—" "Stop pretending, Lila! I saw you, alright. You would have dumped cold water all over her if I didn't come. Are you insane?" Kyle moved Jasmine to the other side and away from the wetness. He fetched towels from the restroom and rubbed them on the mattress to clean it. On the other hand, Lila sweated profusely. She felt tears scorching in the back of her eyes. For decades she maintained her mask of politeness in front of him, but now it was going to blow off over a small thing she wasn't even intending to do with full wickedness. It was
49"W-what are you doing?" Jasmine pulled her foot back, staring at the maid, Mari, with dumbstruck eyes."Sorry, miss, if that startled you. I was just... Massaging your feet." She said with a flicker of her lashes while Jasmine's mouth hung open.She knew where she was but waking up to find a young woman massaging your feet was a bit too much. She wasn't a VIP guest— just a normal scarred and wronged individual who was rescued by her boss.Jasmine tried to sit straight, nevertheless, the pain in her abdomen stalled her movement. She gritted her teeth as she also sensed an undeniable tautness in her limbs. It was as if she hadn't moved in years and lack of mobility had left her body with rigidity.Seeing her struggle to get up, Mari beamed helpfully as she came to Jasmine's help."Don't exert pressure on yourself, Miss. You've been laying in one position for three days now, it's going to hurt if you suddenly try to move!"Three days? Jasmine stared at Mari.She looked around her in th
50Jasmine's eyes widened! She was about to go down when a hand came around her waist and pulled her back. Jasmine hit a hard chest before a deep growl echoed in her ears. When she looked up, her eyes met two pools of darkness. She blinked her lashes, composing herself from the shock of fall and began to contemplate her surrounding. "Woman, why are you bent on ending your life?" She heard. Kyle was standing holding her in his arms... Tightly. His eyebrows were drawn together in disappointment. A scowl was on his lips while the veins around his neck throbbed dangerously. He had been so happy to hear from Mari that his guess had gained her senses. He couldn't stay back at office and decided to come and see her. The last three days worried him badly. He was scared for her. While her stab wound was healing, her fever wouldn't go down. His concern had increased so much that he stayed in her room to take care of her the first two nights all by himself. He stayed awake, touching her for
51"You're my guest for as long as you are here. You won't have to worry about anything. Mari is also going to keep you company so you don't feel lonely." He glanced over his left shoulder at Mari who was standing in the corner. She had an unrecognizably teasing look on her face. Jasmine ignored her as she looked back at Kyle. "I still don't understand why you're doing this for me. You do understand that by saving me you've already compensated me for my loss, don't you?" "I just..." Kyle raised his brows casually. "I just want to do it. Do you mind it?" Jasmine shook her head. "I'm getting vip treatment. Why would I mind?" "Keep that attitude. I like it." He said with a look that could have floored any woman, thought Jasmine. "Hey, I still don't know your name." Kyle added. "Neither do I!" Jasmine lied. "Well, I'm Kyle. Nice to meet you, miss..." "Jessica." Jasmine gave him a small smile, hating the fact that she had to lie to him. It hurt her to deceive him by giving him a
52Jasmine's heart thudded violently in her chest. She felt as though a bucket of very very cold water was poured on her. "Are you insane? I'm sure there's something wrong with your observation. Your boss and I... It's impossible!" She exhaled, shocked and amazed, as she redirected her hazel eyes to the rabbits playing across from her. It's not like Jasmine hated hearing that. Kyle was a handsome and desirable man. If she were single with no brutal memories of a failed marriage, she would have lost her heart to him. Men like him were easily and quickly snatched from the market of bachelors. She would have done the same, but their relationship was a little... Complicated and it couldn't have a name. Damn, they didn't have a relationship in the first place! She was just a woman he saved, and from what she recalled about him— wasn't he a playboy who had a longggggg list of one night stands and ex-girlfriends?No, she definitely didn't intend to judge him because of his personal relati
53"Can you forgive me, miss?" Mari batted her lashes in remorse. "What for?""For overwhelming you with my stupid assumptions! You've been severely hurt by your husband and I can see that you're struggling to get over the pain of his betrayal, and by wrongly assuming there was something between you and my boss, I probably put you in a miserable position and triggered your anxiety.""No, I'm okay." Jasmine lied. "Being mistreated by one man and then learning that another is interested in you while you're still healing— sounds painfully agonizing to me. And it's not okay! I truly feel pathetic. Please, forgive me." "Well, I'll forgive you if you help me fill my stomach." Jasmine pouted cutely. "I'm suddenly hungry." "My mother taught me her hometown's traditional dish! It's made with bread and milk and it's sweet. I'll make it for you." Mari beamed happily as she took Jasmine's hand to help her back in the mansion. She cooked a delicious delicacy that Jasmine ate clumsily, spilling
54Mari had to lie as she was told, and her employer believed because his guest did fall in his presence on the first night she was brought home. "Maybe you're right." Jasmine said, breaking her trance. "I did fall that night but my entire body was buzzing with pain back then, so I didn't notice.""But if you look at it, it seems like I've been pinched!" "No!" Mari almost screamed. "I... I mean, you're overthinking, miss.""Haha, you're right. But I won't be surprised if my husband's mistress did this to me in the hospital while I was sedated." "Is she really that cruel?" Mari meekly asked. For her, no one was crueler than Lila. She was unbeatable and could wear the crown of the concerned title eternally. “You sound like you know someone who is worse than my husband's mistress!” Jasmine smirked. “Don't ask me about them! They can battle with the devil and come back unscathed. They possess a level of cruelty that could potentially cripple even the devil.” Mari exaggerated with wide
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