The terrible morning

 

****

With the morning's arrival, Jasmine awoke with a groan, only to find herself amidst unfamiliar surroundings. The jolt of realization snapped her fully awake, prompting her to sit up, and her curiosity instantly ignited.

As Jasmine scanned the room, her gaze darted eagerly in search of the mysterious man, but all she found was a space filled with nothing but her scattered clothes. Plus, she found her sleeping mask away from her reach.

Jasmine hurriedly got out of bed and put on her clothes before leaving. However, she ran into the maid, who was pushing a tray loaded with food.

"I have been advised that at 10:00 a.m., I must offer you a protein-rich meal, therefore before you leave this place, I will ask you to eat this food," the maid remarked plainly.

Jasmine was going to object to the meal, but before she could even form a sentence, the maid had already spoken.

“I sincerely hope you would heed his advice, provided that you are fulfilling the terms of the contract that my master gave you. And he hands this to you to read." The maid went on, offering Jasmine the letter, which caused her to furrow her brows in perplexity.

After accepting the letter, Jasmine returned to the room as the maid wheeled the tray inside. It was then that she saw the blood stain on the bed.

As Jasmine immersed herself in the contents of the letter, the maid briskly strode to the bed, deftly removing the sheet before making her exit.

"I cannot donate sperm for IVF; that won't work. This is the only viable option for me to have a child. But I didn't know you were a virgin."

Jasmine felt her face flush with embarrassment as she read the message. She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "If you don't get pregnant, don't contact me again or try to find me, or it could end badly for you. But if you do get pregnant with my child, there will be support for your health and daily needs until the baby is born."

Breathing out, Jasmine sank into the bed, the letter clutched in her palm while her gaze lingered on the food. Her thoughts were complicated.

****

With each passing month, Jasmine's belly swelled, nearing its crescendo at nine months. The delivery date was approaching quickly. In addition, her mother was doing well. Though she refrained from visiting her mother, her heart was not calming down today by any means. So she donned a loose cloth to conceal her baby belly and went to the hospital to see her mother.

Although she had no intention of going in front of her mother, she was compelled by an unexplained impulse. She only wanted to see her mother from a distance, which was why she took such a tremendous risk.

She drove her own car and arrived at the hospital. As soon as she got out of the car, she felt pain and it drastically altered her demeanor.

As she approached her mother's ward, she heard noises from within, as if her mother was speaking to someone.

She stopped herself from entering as she sought to hear the talk.

And then she heard the woman's voice,

"Rest assured, my father hasn't contributed a penny to your daughter's account for your treatment. At her mere 18 years, how could she possibly be amassing such a substantial sum? And, pray tell, where might she be lurking now?"

It was Layla's voice, demanding to know where Jasmine was—she had vanished for months and her number had stopped working, out of the blue. But what surprised her was that Jasmine's mother had continued to receive therapy without any hindrance—this was unreal.

"I fail to comprehend your insinuation, Layla. But rest assured, my daughter has landed a lucrative job that affords her the means to support my treatment, a responsibility her father deliberately overlooked," Jasmine's mother confronted Layla with steely resolve. She was in good health and spoke with Jasmine every day. She last saw her two months ago, when Jasmine informed her that she had taken a job in another town and would be unable to meet with her every day.

"Is that so? With all due respect, as someone with your experience, how could you possibly buy into such a far-fetched idea?" Layla jestingly prodded at Jasmine's mother's confident beliefs.

"I can't possibly fathom your line of thinking, so spare me the confusion and be clear," Jasmine's mother shouted in agitation, her voice carrying the weight of her frustration.

"Well, I can't shake the thought that she's tangled up in something unsavory, perhaps cozying up to some wealthy older man," Layla remarked unabashedly, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips as she held nothing back.

"What? Are you out of your mind?" Jasmine's mother screamed at the top of her lungs, her disbelief turning into fiery outrage. "Paul, why aren't you putting a stop to this madness? Despite your separation from Jasmine, you still understand her better than anyone!"

"Paul is present too.." Jasmine placed her palm on her mouth and gasped.

"She's not the same person anymore," Paul replied to Jasmine's mother, his words tinged with a mixture of sadness and simmering anger. Despite his reluctance to hurt Jasmine's mother, his frustration and disappointment with Jasmine gnawed at him relentlessly.

"Leave this room at once. I won't stand for you poisoning my mind against my daughter with your vile insinuations," Jasmine's mother seethed with fury, her anger directed fiercely at both Paul and Layla.

At the time, Jasmine made her entry in order to save her mother's health.

"You think it's okay to bully my mother? Get out this instant!" Jasmine's voice thundered as she pushed open the door and entered the room, her eyes blazing with determination.

"Jasmine, it feels like an eternity since we last laid eyes on you," Layla exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement at finally seeing Jasmine in person. "We've been worried sick about you, darling. Where have you been hiding yourself all this time?"