Hey, just the 7th chapter of the book and Lila is showing her evilness! Will she really succeed in claiming Kyle... Or she's going to be friendzoned forever! Stay tuned for more!
8Kyle was grateful for having a friend like her. He reached out for her hand and held it as his eyes shone in brotherly affection. "Thanks, Lila. What would I ever do without you? I don't think anyone would have understood my situation better than you."Lila's lips curled with a soft smile, "Kyle, I'm here for you. You are regretful and it's enough." Then they resumed eating their food. After a few bites, Kyle raised his head with a thoughtful look."I'm thinking to go to the hospital and investigate myself, Lila. What do you say?""Hmm, good idea. Would you mind if I join you?" She asked as this situation was a little more serious than it seemed.Kyle never took interest in any person or in their pain ever before. But if he was asking to go to investigate that woman, it was a bad sign. It also meant that the woman could be a problem for Lila. Hence, if she could go, she could thwart his efforts to find her. It was best for that woman to remain gone.Kyle agreed with a grateful smi
9She blinked her eyes, tearing out of her trance. Max was sizing her up with a look of excitement while her skin smoldered with goosebumps. His lecherous gaze roamed over her, lingering on the hospital gown and her fragile state. The smirk tugging at his lips made it clear he couldn’t care less about her injuries or what she’d been through. He was simply pleased she was alone and within his reach.Max was a wolf dressed in the skin of a sheep. His eyes always seemed to devour women's bodies, and Jasmine couldn't help but wonder if he could see through their clothes. He had the unmistakable air of a pervert, and his presence made her feel vulnerable and unsafe.Jasmine gulped her anxiety below her throat and tried to look unfazed by their encounter. Max was shameless and depraved. She couldn't appear weak in front of him, else he would feed on it. "Excuse me," She firmly stated and tried to brush past him, trying to escape quickly. She was not prepared to face this pervert while she
10She moved lightly to avoid alerting them. They were bulky and given her condition if she got caught then she could forget seeing the next morning. The men seemed unafraid as though this wasn't the first time they had a girl alone in an alley. So Jasmine moved in a crouched position.The alley was dark and the noise of water leaking from drainage pipes helped her move without the fear of getting caught. The girl's whimpers pumped her courage, compelling her to use the end part of the rod. Jasmine shoved it into one of the men's left knees."Aargh!" He winced and fell sideways, holding his affected knee.While he was rolling on the floor, Jasmine used the opportunity to her advantage and hit him hard on the head. The other man probably thought too highly of his strength as he remained occupied by the bare breásts of the girl, suckling on them even after his accomplice was wincing in pain on the ground.When he parted from the girl, Jasmine impulsively jabbed the rod's end between his
11"Are you okay?" The girl was at Jasmine's side at once. She crouched down and helped her sit straight and placed some worn out and smelly cushions under her back."You were profusely bleeding and your.... Dress was completely dirty. So I removed it and wiped your body with a sponge." She said as she sat with her tattooed legs tucked under her and went on, "And then I dressed your wounds. You also had a raging fever so I called a doctor to take a look at you.""A doctor?" Jasmine's eyes widened.She was a patient who escaped from a hospital. Having a doctor come over to see her meant danger."Yeah, but don't worry. I've changed your clothes before that and destroyed your hospital dress. Besides, the doctor was from a local clinic. So you need not worry."Jasmine heaved in relief. She looked around the room and the girl noticed."I know it's not that good but this is all I could afford on my own." The warmth of her smile echoed in her voice.Speechless, as that's not what Jasmine was
12She took a nap and when she woke up, it was evening. Birdie was moving around in the kitchen. Jasmine realized she was able to get up without feeling excruciating pain. The meds were working. "Hey," She greeted Jasmine in the kitchen which was a corner in the apartment. "Good evening. How are you feeling now?" "Amazing, all thanks to you." "Happy to hear that. Why don't you go and wash your face and hands, Jas. I made some soup for you.""Thank you." Jasmine obeyed and joined Birdie for their snack cum dinner. The girl skipped three days of work because of her. Whatever they had in stock was supposed to be their meal unless she resumed working again. The following night was pretty silent as Birdie was tired. She fell asleep earlier. However, Jasmine was left staring at the ceiling. Because Birdie couldn't sleep in the light, they switched all the lights off to meet her requirements. Although Jasmine preferred to keep a night bulb on as complete darkness left her feeling unset
13"Oh my god! What a surprise, baby!" Birdie squealed and squeezed the man on the door in her arms while Jasmine stared at the two enveloping each other, smiling and swirling around."I missed you so much, Birdie. I had a dream that you were in danger. So... You see, I had to ask for a quick leave and come here.""Not that I was far away! My boss was kind enough to give me some days with you." The man said happily, lifting Birdie and kissing her hair.His stubbled face was weighed down with weariness. In his eyes, Jasmine saw exhaustion. They were red as if he had not had sleep for a week. But that's how he always looked. Jasmine knew that because he was HENRY, the person who delivered vegetables and fresh fruits at her marital house she shared with Vince.He was in his mid twenties, a man who did his job seriously. Not to forget to mention that he had always been kind to Jasmine. After all, Jasmine was the one who always showed him the way to the kitchen to bring the vegetable and fr
14He came inside, patted Birdie on the back and she stepped into the kitchen to make some coffee. Meanwhile Henry came towards Jasmine and sat down on the floor."But you see, we are a broke couple. Our house is hardly any bigger than the size of your shower room.... And my girlfriend is naive. She's an emotional fool and easily gets fooled by people. My worry is justified, isn't it?""Please, forget what I said earlier and feel like you're home. I assure you that you are safe here. Be comfortable and don't mind my presence. Assume that I never came."Jasmine warily moved back onto the couch, suddenly feeling sweaty. Henry's changed demeanor caused her body to throb. Her ears began to blare with a beep sound while her heart began to jump up and down. His complete change in attitude seemed like those peaceful minutes before the arrival of chaos."No thanks, Henry. I don't want to cause any more trouble than there already is. I will leave in the evening—""Oh, no, you are not. Mrs. Gar
15Both Birdie and Jasmine froze in terror as they saw a man in a dark suit, hands casually in his pockets, leaning against the corridor wall behind Henry."Vince," Moisture gathered in the corner of Jasmine's eyes as her lips trembled. All the energy in her evaporated. Jasmine just stood there, speechless. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. The sound of his approaching footsteps echoed like a clap of thunder, resonating through the air like a sonic boom. "Hi, wifey!" Vince waved a hand at her with a smirk. He used to be an extremely handsome man when Jasmine fell in love with him. His curly blonde hair added to his charm. His gray eyes were captivating and seemed to sparkle with warmth. His features appeared strong and well-defined, giving him a hot yet refined look. And when he used to smile earlier, his whole face used to light up, making him even more attractive. But now... The same blonde curly hair seemed overly styled. His gray eyes looked dull and lifeless. His feat
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
56"Your mother was a gone case. She may have been a successful businesswoman, she lacked trust and perseverance! Other women in her spot would fight to hold their family and relationships together. But your mom— that narcissistic woman preferred to leave her husband and son for the sake of her so-called dignity." She took another sip and sniggered. "And then what? She died a painful death in isolation with no one to look after her." Kyle's body stiffened as all the blood rushed to his head.He didn't exactly know how painful Sophia's death was, but he was aware that she had cancer. She discovered it when it was already the last stage. "It's no fun talking about her! She left too soon. I didn't even get to see her properly.""But you were there for a while, weren't you? Why don't we relive some of the old time? We had so much fun, after all." She grinned while Kyle's face became white as memories flooded back to his mind. "You've turned into a meek little boy who always cried after
55Kyle was wrapping up for the day. He had an online conference and it just got over five minutes ago. He was sitting with his head resting on his hands on the desk as he kept his eyes closed to relax himself before preparing to leave. Sun was half set, painting the world with a red and orange hue. Shadows of the buildings outside the window grew bigger on the ground while the birds returning to their nests squawked. Kyle had slipped into a slumber but a knock on the door sounded and he sat up straight. As he ran his hands on his face, Titus trudged towards the desk with a somber look. His eyebrows were drawn together and it could be seen that he had a file in his hands— one that he clutched tightly with his fingers. Kyle observed that look and raised an eyebrow. "Why do you look like someone asked for one of your kidneys from you?" He attempted to joke but there was no shift in his PA's expression. He nervously placed the file he was holding onto the desk, and slid it towards h
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
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
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