*****"Veronica," Jasmine repeated, her voice tinged with recognition as she observed the person who had just slapped the car bonnet hard."Layla said you were practically dead, disappearing into thin air after getting pregnant!" Veronica exclaimed, a hint of ridicule evident on her face as she addressed Jasmine."I hope seeing me has changed your opinion," Jasmine said, her voice carefully controlled as she addressed Veronica and the others gathered around. She knew this group well; they could easily be considered Layla's followers.Veronica scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "Don't flatter yourself, Jasmine. Just because you decided to grace us with your presence doesn't mean anything has changed. You look as poor as you were. By the way, you hit my car" she retorted, her tone dripping with disdain."I was a little distracted, I apologize," Jasmine began, her tone sincere as she addressed Veronica. "But I can see that your car is fine, just got a few scratches," she added, gestur
***** Jasmine suddenly felt a shadow hover over her, tall and wide as if a tree stood before her. She looked up and found herself gazing into the face of Damon. His eyes, sharp and narrow, twitched as he spoke. “How much money do you need, Jasmine?” he asked, his voice carrying the weight of something unspoken. "What?" Jasmine inquired since she could not comprehend what he was trying to express. Besides, what exactly was he doing here? She turned her head and noticed a black automobile on the opposite side of the road. "My question is not such hard to understand. I inquired how much money you needed right now since you were sobbing on the road, which must be because of money," Damon said without feelings in his voice. Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she licked her bottom lip, a gesture of skepticism as she gazed upon the man before her. In her years, she had never encountered one so lacking in the ways of communication. "I have no need to seek your aid, nor do I recognize any k
*****Jasmine stood up to leave. On the way she thought about how she would spend her days without a job because all are savings had been given to the house. She did not know how but all the work had suddenly been taken away from her and she had no one to blame.Suddenly she bumped into a man, "Oh, I am sorry! I was bit distracted, sir,""Jasmine!""Oh... Uncle Bittle! It is good to see you again!" Jasmine politely said. Uncle Bittle was a little bit older than her father, but he used to hang out in their house when she was a teenager."I was not sure it was you, Jasmine, but my assumption is correct," Uncle Bittle replied. "I heard you no longer reside here, so you are returning to your house to visit your father!""No, I was just here!?" Jasmine struggled to answer as she believed Uncle Bittle did not know anything about their family matter."Are you aware that your father is seriously unwell as a result of cancer?" Mr Bittle inquired, seeming surprised. Jasmine blinked a few times
***** "I cannot stand how she talks to your mother," Paul said to Layla, his voice tight with frustration. He then turned his stern gaze to Jasmine, continuing, "She has been taking care of your father all these years while you ran away—hiding somewhere to save your face. If you really want to be in this house, the least you can do is say some good words and ask for her forgiveness." Kesha's heart swelled with pride as she looked at her soon-to-be son-in-law with pleased eyes. She had not expected him to stand up to Jasmine, who had once been his love and with whom he had shared a strong bond, witnessed by everyone. Jasmine's face reddened with a mixture of anger and shame. "The only thing I've asked for is to meet my father, and that's it. I haven't asked anything from any of you, nor do I wish to interrupt your time. But if you're not willing to give me a chance, I'll gladly leave now. Maybe one day I will get a chance to see my father somewhere outside of this house," she said wi
*****"Alright then," Jasmine replied, tucking the letter carefully into her shoulder bag. She waited with bated breath, her curiosity piqued by the gravity of the situation."Please, make sure to visit me again," Ronald said, his voice tinged with regret and a weak smile playing on his lips. "I owe you and your mother an apology. And as for my health, don't concern yourself too much—it's the result of my own actions, and I must face the consequences."Jasmine nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. "I will come back soon. Take care of yourself, Dad."Ronald's eyes softened, a flicker of hope in their depths. "Thank you, Jasmine. It means a lot to me."Jasmine got up from her seat and headed toward the exit before stopping at the door and giving a glance to get her father over her shoulder as if She wasn't ready to leave, not without knowing if there was anything more her father wanted to say, even though she had been gently urged to depart.With a sigh, she walked out of the room and head
***** Jasmine was preoccupied with the letter, her suspicions reaching new heights. As she drove hastily towards her house, her phone rang. It was a call from Ceece. She picked up and put it on speaker, focusing on the road as she drove attentively. The sun was setting, and she assumed Payne must have already returned home with Nadia. "Hello, Ceece. Tell Payne I'm on my way home and will be there soon!" Jasmine said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the turmoil in her mind. "Jasmine, I’m not at home," Ceece's voice came through, fraught with anxiety. "There's a problem I’ve found myself in, and I don't know anyone else here who can help me out of this." Jasmine's grip on the steering wheel tightened, concern washing over her. "You sound tense! What happened?" she asked, pulling over to the side of the road to give the conversation her full attention. There was a momentary pause on the other end before Ceece continued, her voice trembling. "I tried to help you, Jasmine, but
*****"Though I admire your confidence," one of the men sneered, stepping closer to Jasmine, "you still lack the kind of beauty that usually catches his eye. You can go, but it won’t make a difference. Seeing him or begging for time won’t change your fate." His gaze was lecherous, and it made Jasmine feel exposed, as if he was undressing her with his eyes.Jasmine’s anger flared, not just at the men, but at the situation itself. How could Ceece, usually so intelligent and careful, have made such a reckless mistake? She tightened her grip on Ceece’s hand, feeling her friend’s fear and using it to fuel her resolve."You have caring nature but I am not required of it," Jasmine said, "I would like to know where your boss is!?"The man sneered at Jasmine's fiesty nature before turned around, saying, "Follow me!"Ceece hurriedly tugged Jasmine's hand, stopping her from going, " I don't think you should go and meet his boss: who knows what kind of character he own!"Jasmine coldly turned aro
**** The kiss did not last long because Damon hadn't intended it to be more than a lesson. He wanted to prove that his kiss was not disgusting. He pulled away abruptly, leaving Jasmine breathless and furious. She gritted her teeth and swung her fist at him again, but this time Damon caught it mid-air. His other hand grabbed her chin, forcing her to look directly at him as he spoke coldly, "Do not tell me you are disgusted by me?" Jasmine's eyes blazed with defiance, her teeth clenched in anger. She was about to hurl an insult at him when the door suddenly burst open. Both of them turned to see a woman standing in the doorway. It was Linda, the person Damon had been waiting for. "Babe, what is happening?!" Linda exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and irritation as she stepped into the room. She shot a sharp glance at Jasmine, her eyes narrowing. Linda had been thrilled all morning after receiving Damon's call, but the scene before her was not something she had expected or was pl
★★★★ "Ellie!" Gary tried to approach Harley's mother, but he stopped him, saying, "Don't come close to mom. I didn't lay my hands on you just because of her even though I was on the verge of ripping your neck off your body. So, Again count yourself lucky!" Harley growled at his father. Just then, one of Harley’s men interrupted. "Boss, this woman is fainting!" Harley’s gaze shifted briefly to Amanda before he gave his orders in a cold, merciless tone. "Take her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn’t die, and ensure she gets proper treatment at our camp." Amanda tried to protest, but her words failed her as she collapsed. Without hesitation, Harley’s men carried her away, leaving the scene in tense silence. By that time, Harley's mom mustered up some strength and looked at her husband with pain and tears. Earlier, when Amanda said those things about Gary, she denied them without a second thought, even though somewhere in her heart, a bad feeling was swirling. But, in the end, she wa
★★★★"Are you hurt?" Harley asked, concern lacing his voice."Yeah, my foot," Nadia winced, her grip tightening around his neck. "I think something’s stuck in it."Without hesitation, Harley scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently as he made his way inside, his jaw set with determination."It's Amanda, and she has more people inside," Nadia cautioned him so that he could have his gun ready."Humph!" Harley hummed only, then took her to a place where there was little light and a small place to sit. He carefully laid her down, turned on the phone's flashlight, and said, "Hold it up on your feet and let me see what it is?"Nadia's face was tired and sweaty, but her eyes were calm seeing Harley in front of her eyes. She got the phone and held it up, only then did they both notice a nail embedded in her left foot.As soon as Harley touched the nail, Nadia cried out, clutching his hair in her palm as her agonizing voice erupted, "Oh, it’s hurt!"Harley looked up at Nadia’s painful f
★★★★★ "I don't know how...." Harley's mother's hands were shaking as she held the gun in her hand. "There's no time for a lesson! Just put the muzzle on my handcuffs and shoot!" Nadia shouted, her impatience growing as Amanda's people could show up at any second. "Alright," Harley's mother muttered, exhaling sharply. She pressed the muzzle against the lock and fired without hesitation. The handcuffs snapped open instantly. Nadia forthwith ran to Amanda and pulled her back by her hair before Amanda could able to run out of the room. "Let me go, bitch!" Amanda protested, trying to scream. But Nadia held her back with her arm around her neck. Suddenly Amanda's men arrived with guns drawn. Seeing them, Amanda screamed, "Don't just stand there and help me!" She gritted her teeth and spat at the people who should have been running to her aid. "Don't come close to her if you want her alive and well?" Nadia yelled, holding Amanda tightly as she tried to strike a deal for them to escape.
★★★★★Meanwhile, Harley returned home and learned from the servant that his father had been awake for a while but had ordered no visitors until he permitted it. Ignoring the warning, Harley marched straight to his father’s room. Rather than knock, he pounded on the door.His father’s irritated voice boomed from within. "I warned you—I don’t want any interference! If you all want to keep your jobs, stay out of my business!"At that moment, Harley responded by firing on the door lock and then kicking it open. Gary ran to the corner in fear, his back hitting the wall. When Gary saw that it was Harley who had shot at the door, he blurted out, "What's going on in your head? You could have called me!" "Where are they?" Harley yelled with murderous eyes."Who are you talking about?" Gary replied, trying to sound calm, but miserably failed under his son's intense gaze. Harley clenched his teeth and rushed to his father, who tried to escape, but Harley grabbed him by his throat and howled, "
★★★★★ Jasmine was exhausted, thirsty and going through the ripping pain in her shoulder, but she made sure she reached out for her husband, who was looking for her crazily. "Hello... it's me!" Jasmine said in a tired voice and crawled away from the dead man. Since it was almost dark, she took refuge behind a tree and decided to stay there until Damon came. "Where are you?" Damon's harsh voice broke out, full of impatience and tension. "Come and get me. I am tired and I...I killed a man who wanted to kill me," Jasmine said, "Also a group of people took Nadia with them. She is in danger too. Bring men," Jasmine said, closing her eyes. "Hang in there!" Damon said. There was a sense of reassurance in his voice that calmed Jasmine and she replied, "Okay!" And she touched her shoulder where she felt pain. Meanwhile, Harley reached the mansion where Amanda's father was busy in the swimming pool with some young lady. As soon as they entered, they all started screaming in fear becau
★★★★★"I don’t know anything!" Harley’s mother stammered, her voice trembling as she scrambled towards Nadia, who sat handcuffed in the corner. "In my sleep, I felt someone’s hand on my face, and I jolted awake. I tried to fight, and Harley’s father did the same, but they injured him before dragging me out of the villa. It was dark outside.""I think it’s the same people who brought you here. They pretended to be the police and tricked me," Nadia said calmly as she looked at Harley's worried mother."How is his father?"Nadia felt bad hearing Harley's mother's worried voice."When I left the villa, a doctor monitored him and the doctor said he is fine and has no injuries," Nadia said."You are not lying to me, are you?" Harley's mother asked again just to believe Nadia was not saying the positive just to keep her calm."Why would I lie to you to keep you satisfied when both of our lives are at stake? I was thinking about your son. I'm afraid he won't deal with this situation patiently
★★★★Nadia didn't go to her house. Instead, she went to Jasmine's house. All the way she kept wondering if Amanda was really that stupid. Knowing Harley's nature, how could she dare to attack his mother, and why did she think that kidnapping Harley's mother would make it easier for her to get back into his life?When she was about to enter Jasmine's house, a police car blocked her way, which shocked Nadia, and she quickly got out of the car in confusion and asked, "What happened, Sir?!" At the same time, Jasmine saw Nadia and the police from the balcony, where she was walking with a coffee mug in her hand. So, she decided to go and see what the matter was."Are you Nadia Hazelwood?" a policeman asked.Nadia replied, a little nervously, "Yes, sir, I am Nadia Hazelwood. Is something wrong?""We found illegal substances in your house. You have to come with us to the police station," the cop said, showing off the handcuff to Nadia who could no longer stop herself from panicking as she mut
★★★★ As the morning dawned Nadia found herself pinned down by a strong arm around her waist and unable to breathe. But what scared her the most was the thought that Harley was naked. She moved quickly and looked under the sheets, but he wasn't naked; he was wearing his boxers, and she sighed with relief. Then she tried to push his hand out of her to get up, but he grumbled, "Let me hold you a little longer." "I have a lot of work to do; hugging won't buy me time," Nadia grumbled. "You work in my office, and as your boss, I am ordering you to remain on the bed with me; if you're so free, you can show me your care by kissing me," Harley said. "Stop your nonsense, Harley. Your mother will come anytime and I will feel ashamed," Nadia put her hand on his face and tried to push him away, but she couldn't. Though his sleeping face looked innocent and peaceful, which urged her to stare at him for a long time, she refused to do that since she was embarrassed to show her affection. Suddenl
★★★★★"Uh..huh! What did you hear him talking about?" Harley replied calmly."He was talking to someone in the garden who I couldn't see so I was standing near the wall and listening to their conversation, then I heard your father say that if that person can't achieve what he has been given to do then he should kill himself or your father will kill him," Nadia said with shock and fear in her eyes as she thought that Harley’s father was going to harm someone."Hmmmm... Dad is consumed by the greed to get the power. That is why he abruptly came here with Mom," Harley said, making his way to the bed, his hand unbuttoning his shirt, while he added, "Let him do what he wants. I'm glad you found something entertaining in this house!""How come you are so relaxed even after knowing all this? What if he is plotting something dangerous against you because I felt he has no sympathy for you or no care that you are his son," Nadia said impatiently putting both her hands on her waist as she did no