The rain fell softly outside the window of the small apartment, creating a soothing yet haunting rhythm. Jasmine sat silently by the window, her gaze distant as she stared at the thin mist enveloping the streets of Edinburgh. The sound of raindrops seemed to be her only companion in this new place she had come to for her escape.Two days had passed since she arrived in this city, bringing with her only a small suitcase and a handful of hopes for finding peace amidst the chaos in her mind. Her phone had remained off since she arrived, with no intention of checking it. Jasmine knew well that this action would cause confusion and worry among those who knew her."Patricia must be struggling," Jasmine thought, remembering her manager who was always quick to handle work contracts now left unattended. She could imagine Patricia's tense face as she tried to calm clients and explain Jasmine's absence.Seth, her faithful boyfriend, must be furious. This was the first time Jasmine had run away w
Jasmine blinked as the morning sunlight began to stream through the window, waking her from a sleep that was finally somewhat restful. The sound of birds chirping outside and the rustling of leaves in the morning breeze slowly made her open her eyes and lift her body from the bed. There was no more thunder and storm from the night before; now, there was only a bright morning with dew still clinging to the leaves.Jasmine sighed with relief, feeling a little better than the night before. She stepped to her bedroom window, opened the curtains, and let the fresh air in. The first morning sunlight she felt in Edinburgh warmed her chilled body. It was a pleasant change from the rainy days that had greeted her arrival."Today seems like it will be a good day," Jasmine thought with a small smile.With renewed enthusiasm, Jasmine intended to freshen up. After showering and getting dressed, she stood in front of the mirror, trying to convince herself that everything would be alright. Her mind
Elsewhere, far from Edinburgh where Jasmine was trying to calm her mind, her family was in chaos. Evelyn, her stepmother, along with Lucas, her father, and Seth, her stepbrother, were desperately trying to find out Jasmine's whereabouts."Didn't you ask where Jasmine was going at that time?" Seth asked in a high-pitched tone, making Evelyn sigh harshly."How many times do I have to tell you, she just said she was going to work," Evelyn replied, growing exasperated with the chaos Jasmine had left behind."Then why did you let her go? Didn't you find it suspicious with the large bag she carried and the absence of Patricia accompanying her?" Seth raised his voice further, prompting Lucas to rise from his seat."Watch how you speak to your mother, Seth," Lucas said firmly. Seth rarely referred to Evelyn as his mother, and even now, he probably still didn't accept her as such. The tension between them was palpable."You should focus on your engagement to Monica, which will take place in a
After receiving the call from Jasmine, Seth immediately instructed his subordinates to trace the location of the phone. Sitting in the airplane seat, Seth's eyes were fixed on the window showing the dark night sky. His mind was swirling, trying to figure out what steps to take upon arriving in Edinburgh. There were no other clues left by Jasmine, and his subordinates had not reported any success in finding her trail. Seth had instructed them to check every flight on the date Jasmine left the city, but there was still no breakthrough.Arriving in Edinburgh, Seth felt worried. He rented a car and headed to the apartment he had booked earlier. It was late at night when he arrived, and physical and mental exhaustion started to set in. He placed his suitcase in the corner of the room and sat on the edge of the bed, trying to piece together a plan."Where should I look?" Seth muttered softly, frustrated. Edinburgh was a big city with many places Jasmine could have gone to. He took out his p
Doubtfully, Jasmine got into the car as Seth opened the door for her. For a moment, they sat in silence. Seth kept watching Jasmine, while Jasmine didn't even dare to meet Seth's gaze."What's wrong?" Jasmine finally asked, mustering the courage to break the tense silence. Her voice sounded fragile, filled with suppressed emotions.Seth let out a frustrated breath, holding back the mounting frustration. "Mine, do you know how worried I was when I found out you were nowhere to be found?" Seth's voice trembled with a mix of anger and concern."Why?" Jasmine asked, still staring at her sweaty palms, trying to contain the turmoil within her."Why? Of course, how could I be okay when you're out of reach?" Seth answered, his voice rising slightly, showing his desperation.Jasmine finally lifted her face and looked at Seth with wounded eyes. "But there's Monica, isn't there? Why do you need my presence again?" Jasmine snapped, her voice starting to tremble, revealing the anger she had been h
Jasmine sat quietly at the edge of her bed, feeling the coldness of the white sheets contrasting with the warmth of her body. She had been in this unfamiliar room for quite some time. This room, dominated by white tones, was her favorite. Seth must have prepared this room especially for her. Jasmine sighed softly, trying to calm the anxiety that was beginning to creep into her heart."Alright, there's no use in just sitting here," she muttered to herself.With cautious steps, Jasmine began to circle the spacious room. The high ceiling and clean white walls gave an airy impression, almost as if the room had no boundaries. The abstract paintings hanging on the walls added an unexpected artistic touch.Jasmine walked towards the large window on the side of the room. She reached for the thick curtain and pulled it aside. Instantly, sunlight filled the room, illuminating every corner with its warm glow. The view outside the window took her by surprise and left her stunned. In the distance,
Jasmine frowned as she heard the sound of crashing waves so distinctly. She remembered that the house she was staying in was near the beach, but only now did she realize how loud the sound of the waves was. Even with her eyes closed, the loud sound of the waves drew nearer, making Jasmine open her eyes wide.At that moment, Jasmine felt like she was choking. She struggled to move and breathe. All around her was water. Jasmine didn't know why she was in the water. Was she drowning? Had Seth thrown her into the sea? Her mind was filled with terrible thoughts.In the next moment, Jasmine realized she was facing a large glass barrier. Was she in an aguarium? she thought, still trying to hold her breath. Sguinting her eyes, she could vaguely see the view in front of her. It was the room she was staying in. Then who is that? Jasmine thought when she saw two familiar silhouettes in her room. Jasmine's eyes widened when she saw it was Seth and Monica. It was then that Jasmine knew the video r
Jasmine didn't know when she fell asleep. The last thing she remembered was the tears that kept flowing after her argument with Seth. The man she loved deeply had managed to restrain her this far. Her head felt heavy, her eyes swollen, and her body tired as if all her energy had been drained just to cry over the fate of this love, full of trials.That morning, Jasmine woke up in Seth's embrace. The warmth of Seth's body, which had been her shelter, now felt like shackles restraining her. Seth gently kissed her neck, a gesture that usually made Jasmine feel calm, but this time only made her more restless. She gripped the blanket around her, seeking refuge from the mixed emotions flooding her heart."Mine, are you awake?" Seth asked softly, but with anxiety in his voice. Jasmine didn't answer, just remained silent in uncertainty. Seth, feeling no response, tried again. "You've been crying for too long, Mine. Can such sadness stay with me? Am I not enough for you, Mine?"Jasmine remained
Jasmine gazed at Lily, who was now sleeping soundly in her bassinet. The quiet night was accompanied by the gentle ticking of the wall clock. Moonlight streamed through the window, providing just enough dim light to see her daughter's tiny face. Jasmine slowly reached out her hand, caressing the soft, rosy cheek as gently as a cloud. Her touch was so delicate, as if she feared disturbing the sweet dreams that might be filling Lily's mind."My child," she whispered softly, barely audible. "You mean everything to me."Since Lily's arrival, Jasmine felt that happiness had finally found its way to her. A feeling that once seemed so foreign now blossomed in her heart. The pain she had once endured seemed repaid in full by Lily's presence. A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered the long nights filled with tears, now replaced by the baby's small laughs and giggles.Yet, behind all this happiness, there was a shadow of fear that constantly haunted Jasmine. Sometimes, she feared th
Seth walked quickly towards the nursery, cold sweat running down his temples. Panic gripped him after realizing the fatal mistake he had just made. "How could I forget that bag?" he thought, frantically. His briefcase contained important documents that should never fall into Jasmine’s hands. He needed to retrieve them before Jasmine opened it.However, as the nursery door opened, he saw his worst fear realized. Jasmine stood there, holding the document he wanted to keep from her. Her eyes widened as she read its contents, then she looked at Seth with a gaze full of questions and disappointment."Seth, what does this mean?" Jasmine's voice trembled, reflecting the turmoil in her heart. She held up the document, pointing it at Seth. "It says that I'm not Mommy's child. How is that possible?"Seth stood stunned in the doorway, feeling as if the world was collapsing around him. He knew this moment would come, the moment he had feared for so long. "Jasmine, let me explain," he said, trying
Jasmine glanced at the clock on the wall, which showed ten in the morning. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace, slow and torturous. Her impatience waiting for their baby’s birth often left Jasmine confused about how to spend her days.Today, she decided to organize the baby items she had just bought with Seth. With a smile on her face, Jasmine pulled out tiny socks from the shopping bag, a blue and white combination that looked adorable in her hands. She then moved on to the clothes, hats, and shoes, feeling her heart swell with joy as she imagined the little angel who would soon be in their midst.In the middle of tidying up, Jasmine suddenly remembered something. "The cute sweater we bought, where did I put it?" she thought, furrowing her brow. With her already large belly, she slowly rummaged through the shopping bags around her. However, the sweater was nowhere to be found."Ah, where did I put it?" Jasmine grew more anxious. She decided to search in another room, trying to reca
Jasmine had spent the entire day in silence, her mind in turmoil. Monica's words kept replaying in her head, making her restless. Jasmine wasn't sure what Monica intended by mentioning those things, especially since she had never intended to discuss her pregnancy, neither publicly nor with her family.She felt like nobody cared about her, so she assumed people wouldn't be too interested in her latest news, including her mother, Evelyn. However, Monica's words made Jasmine reconsider. Should she inform her mother and Lucas about this happy news? What if they got angry and disapproved, especially if they found out it was Seth's child?Jasmine didn't know what steps to take. Monica had left a puzzle about what Seth knew about Evelyn's news. Jasmine started to wonder if Seth was keeping a secret from her."Mine," Seth said, now sitting beside Jasmine. Jasmine was startled, not even realizing Seth had come home."Seth, you're back? When did you come in?" Jasmine asked again, making Seth lo
Monica sat in the backseat of her luxurious car, her black sunglasses framing her graceful face. Her sharp gaze was fixed on a modest house not far from where her car was parked by the roadside. Nearly ten minutes had passed, and she remained patiently waiting, counting each passing second."Are you sure this is their house?" Monica broke the silence with a low yet firm tone, her eyes still glued to the door of the house.The bespectacled man sitting next to the driver turned to Monica. "Yes, Miss. Miss Jasmine used to live here first, and Mr. Seth joined her just a few weeks ago," he explained calmly.Monica nodded slowly, but her patience was wearing thin. "Should I find out more, Charles?" offered Charles, Monica's personal secretary, in a polite yet attentive manner.Monica shook her head. "No need, let's just wait. I have plenty of time today." Her voice exuded confidence, though a hint of impatience flickered across her face.Time crawled by, but Monica's patience was finally re
Seth looked over at Jasmine, who was busy with the flower arrangement in front of her. The room was filled with the fresh fragrance of flowers, creating a calm and warm atmosphere. Seeing his wife engrossed in her work, Seth smiled. He walked over, carrying a glass of Jasmine's favorite juice."Beautiful flowers," Seth said softly, enough to make Jasmine look up. She greeted her husband's smile with a sweet smile of her own."Thank you," Jasmine replied, gently taking the juice from Seth's hand. "You always know how to make me feel better.""Drink it slowly. I need to call Fito first," Seth said, gently touching Jasmine's shoulder. Jasmine nodded slowly, understanding that Seth always had many things to take care of.Seth walked away with his phone in hand, but his eyes occasionally glanced at Jasmine, who was once again focused on her flowers. With her growing belly, Jasmine looked so beautiful and graceful. She always found peace in arranging those flowers.While waiting for the cal
Seth woke up to the gentle movement beside him. He immediately sat up, his eyes scanning the darkness as he saw Jasmine trying to get out of bed."Mine, where are you going?" he asked, his voice hoarse from just waking up."I just need to go to the bathroom," Jasmine replied, her voice soft but clear.Seth glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was still early morning, and he realized it was probably the umpteenth time Jasmine had gone to the bathroom that night."Are you okay? Are you feeling uncomfortable?" he asked, wanting to make sure Jasmine was alright.Jasmine smiled softly and nodded. "I'm fine. I talked to the doctor, and this is normal for someone as far along as I am in my pregnancy."Seth sighed, then without a word, he got out of bed and lifted Jasmine into his arms. Jasmine let out a small squeal."Seth, put me down. You should get some sleep. I can go to the bathroom by myself," Jasmine protested, but Seth didn't listen. He gently set her down near the bathroom
The sun was already setting when Jasmine stepped out of the hospital. The cool evening air greeted her, bringing new hope after days filled with anxiety and pain. Seth was beside her, vigilant as always. He carefully watched Jasmine's steps, ensuring her every move was safe."Today, we finally get to go home," Jasmine murmured with a relieved tone. "Thank you for always being by my side."Seth just nodded, his smile warm and loving. The journey home felt shorter than usual. Perhaps it was because this time, they were no longer burdened by uncertainty. The modest house where Jasmine had been staying for the past few months now felt warmer and more inviting.Upon reaching the front door, Seth gently guided Jasmine inside. He ensured her every step was steady, leading her with great care. Jasmine looked around the interior of the house with sparkling eyes. This was the place that had given her a sense of security, and now, with Seth by her side, it felt even more complete."Do you need a
Monica followed Seth’s firm and brisk steps. They moved through the quiet hospital corridors until they finally arrived at a small garden at the back of the building. The garden was peaceful, with only the sound of trickling water from a small fountain in the corner. Seth stopped and turned, staring at Monica with a sharp gaze.“How far will you take me?” asked Monica, her voice slightly trembling despite her effort to appear calm. She felt her heart beating faster than usual.Seth took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before speaking. “Tell me why you are here?” he asked, repeating the question he had asked several times along the way.Monica shrugged, displaying the indifference that often served as her shield. “I’ve told you, I’m just meeting an old friend. I’m not lying, I swear,” she replied casually. However, Seth was not easily convinced. He stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them, and stared at Monica with a look full of suspicion.“Don’t mess with me and Jasm