Oooh! They just started being respectful and warm towards each other and this person had to come and look at them with evil eye! You know who it is, don't you? 😏 Will she succeed in making Jasmine look bad in front of Kyle?
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
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
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
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 ri
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 thin
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 we
1Jasmine wiped the tear about to fall from the corner of her left eye as she looked forward. That's what she was going to do after the experience she had today— look ahead of her. She fisted her hands to her sides, watching as impatient vehicles zoomed past her on the busy road. The black and white strips of the zebra crossing made her temples ache. The same black and white dots started blinking and throbbing on the border of her vision. She felt the smooth texture of the parchment she was holding burn in her closed palm— it was the gift she had prepared for her husband. Pain tore through her as the smoothness of the paper turned into unbearable heat. Her hand shook, but she didn't let her grip loosen or more tears fall. 'It's useless to cry on a man who compared my womb to a barren land!' She reminded herself. However, his words triggered emotions she was battling to keep buried in. Tears blurred her vision as her emotions rose up through her like a tide. Jasmine couldn't help b
2When Jasmine stirred back to her senses, she found herself on a hospital bed. The back of her left hand was covered with an IV needle. She tried to move when a man's emotionless voice shook her to the core."Don't move! You just had a miscarriage."The words skipped her heartbeats. Her breathing came to a halt as her throat closed up. Jasmine wanted to cry but her tears had dried up.She sat rigidly like a model used in art studios for painting. Her mouth was sealed tight and her cheeks drained of color. Although the disclosure of the miscarriage weighed down on her, she didn't feel a single ounce of remorse. Miscarriage. For some women, 'miscarriage' was a word filled with trauma and pain. Women who couldn't get pregnant even after trying a hundred times, doing a hundred things, prayed for a miracle to happen to get pregnant. To such women, the mere mention of 'miscarriage' would bring overwhelming anxiety and trauma. But then there were some women who didn't want to do anything
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 we
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 thin
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 ri
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
59Jasmine mentally facepalmed and held her breath. She cursed herself for saying that. "W-why don't you come and sit down? I'll serve you food."His dark eyes suggested that he was in for a playful conversation. Nevertheless, her pink face made him sigh and let it be. The woman had never given him anything but sharp words in her right mind. This had to be a mistake.Kyle sank in his chair. He subtly lifted his eyebrows in surprise at the swan he saw in his plate. Since he heard their conversation, he called Mari over and said, "This is lovely, Mari. Perhaps, you should teach this to Lila someday." "S-sure, sir. And thank you." He stayed quiet while Jasmine served food on his plate. There were a variety of dishes. Each one smelled delicious. After Jasmine was done giving a portion of each to him, she folded her hands and stood beside him with hopeful expression. "Aren't you going to join me?" Kyle frowned. "I'll..." Jasmine took a deep breath. "Thanks. But Mari, Jojo and I will ea
58Ruby collapsed on the floor as tears left her eyes. Fear, the likes of which she had never known, consumed her. Kyle's threats reverberated in her ears, making her mind to conjure the images; and damn, they caused her belly to surge with intolerable fright. "H-he knows about my secret. He knows Tania is my biological daughter! H-he will use her to punish me. M-my daughter, my beautiful daughter... S-she..." Ruby trailed off as she shook her head. She slapped her cheeks to regain her senses and cleaned her face. Kyle might have threatened her, he wouldn't do anything if she got him whatever he wanted from Karson."He spoke about a sign. I should have been concerned if he had shown interest in Karson’s property. What issues can arise from signing non-inheritance related documents?" She told to herself. If one sign can get Kyle Panther off her back and away from their lives, she would do it at any cost. Because Kyle Panther had nothing to lose if he didn't get that sign. But she w
57"Oh, but I'm still your husband's only legitimate heir. Who do you think his property will go to if I file for it?" His voice was cold and exact. Ruby was caught off guard and rendered speechless. She hated the fact that the test of time had steeled the boy she bullied for entertainment into a fierce, cunning and ruthless man with no weakness. She shuddered on the inside, realizing that she had no leverage over him. She couldn't hurt a single hair strand on his head now. The boy had indeed grown up to be the devil himself. "Y-you won't dare. You voluntarily walked out of the house and refused your father's provision when you were a child. You have no right to demand anything. The law will never allow it." She tried to act strong. But Kyle saw through her fear. She knew as much as he did that nothing was impossible for him. He had law in his back pocket. Law was like a stress ball in his hand that he squeezed and unsqueezed as he liked. "That's what you think? Haha, age is real