Seth stared at the large mirror in front of him. Two gunshot wounds, still not fully healed, were now clearly visible with the bandages still perfectly attached to his body. Every small movement made him grimace, but the physical pain wasn't what tortured him the most. His mind was constantly haunted by Jasmine's face, missing somewhere, in the hands of Danzell who ruined all his plans.Seth clenched his jaw tightly, anger boiling inside his chest. How could Danzell just vanish with Jasmine like that? Seth had mobilized all his men to search, but to no avail. Long nights were spent filled with tension and disappointment. And when they failed, his anger often exploded."Damn it!" Seth yelled, slamming the medicine bottle on the table. Once again, his men came back empty-handed. "Are you guys working or just pretending?""S-sorry, Boss," one of his men replied, his face pale. "We've tried every place we know."Seth sighed heavily, rubbing his face roughly. "Get out. I need some time alo
Jasmine gazed at the tree that now stood tall without a single leaf clinging to its branches. Autumn was almost over, and the air was growing colder, biting into her skin. Her breath appeared almost frozen in the cold weather around her, creating a thin mist in the air. She tightened her jacket, trying to fend off the creeping cold.Suddenly, a warm scarf wrapped around her neck. Startled, Jasmine turned around to find Danzell standing behind her with a warm smile."Do you want to go for a walk outside?" he asked in a strangely calming, friendly tone.Jasmine looked at Danzell with confusion. "You're letting me walk outside, beyond this house?" she asked, her voice full of disbelief."Yes, if you want to, why not? Though you might feel a bit uncomfortable because I'll have my men follow you. You know, it's not safe right now," Danzell replied, looking at her with understanding. "And there might be some people who recognize you as Jasmine Harold. There’s been some bad news about you, a
Today, Jasmine decided to make a second attempt to escape. She knew that continually asking to go for walks every day would be very suspicious. This time, Jasmine would try to escape directly from the house on her own.First, Jasmine searched for tools like a knife or other sharp objects that could aid her escape. Second, she had to know the times when the guards changed shifts in the middle of the night. And third, she had to plan meticulously by identifying places that the guards rarely patrolled, so she could slip out undetected.She scribbled a map in her notebook, plotting a route she had studied over the past few days during her outings. She knew where the bus stop was and the route to the subway. However, while she was engrossed in her map, someone suddenly took the book from her hands. Jasmine was startled to find Danzell had entered her room without her noticing.“What are you drawing?” Danzell asked, examining the scribbles in Jasmine’s notebook.Jasmine quickly thought of a
When Jasmine thought she could escape from Danzell and start a new life, she didn't realize that all her plans could fail because Seth had now taken over watching her.That night, Seth planned to raid Danzell's residence and bring Jasmine back into his arms. But to his surprise, Jasmine herself emerged from the house without him having to fight Danzell. From a distance, Seth, who was spying, saw Jasmine leaving Danzell's house. "Looks like she's escaping," thought Seth.He immediately ordered his men to follow Jasmine. Seth himself got out of his car, maintaining a distance while following Jasmine as she entered the train carriage. Seth also noticed Danzell’s men starting to search for Jasmine at the train station. However, Jasmine managed to hide, making Seth smile. His girl indeed had the smarts to evade someone.***Jasmine, now in a taxi, thought she had successfully escaped. However, she was unaware that behind all this, Seth was closely watching her. The taxi continued to drive
Jasmine slowly opened her eyes, a dry feeling in her throat making her cough softly. Her head throbbed intensely, causing her vision to blur for a moment. With great effort, she tried to focus her sight. The room was dark, illuminated only by dim lights centered right above her. She winced as the throbbing in her head intensified, but when she tried to move her hands, her movements abruptly stopped. She was startled to find both her hands and feet tightly bound.The surroundings began to become clearer to Jasmine's eyes. There was only darkness surrounding her, a contrast to the dim light of the lamp. Slowly, her memory returned. Déjà vu. This situation felt like something she had experienced before. The name suddenly popped into her mind."Seth," she murmured softly. She knew who had put her in this situation. Suddenly, a heavy and familiar voice sounded not far from her."Are you awake?" the voice asked, making Jasmine squint to search for the source of the sound. But all she saw wa
Jasmine winced as her stomach growled, unable to suppress her hunger, and her throat felt as dry as a desert. She moved her hands, feeling the bindings on her wrists becoming increasingly painful. "Damn it! Where is someone to untie these knots?" she grumbled while continuing to tug at her hands.After the previous servant placed the food on the nightstand and left, no one came to untie Jasmine's bindings. Frustration began to envelop her heart. Like a heavyweight criminal detained, she felt powerless and trapped."Hey! Is anyone out there! I'm thirsty!" Jasmine called out hoarsely, hoping someone would hear her. But there was no answer. The room was silent, with only the sound of her heartbeat adding to the loneliness."Damn it! At least untie these bindings so I can take care of myself," she shouted again in desperation. Finally, the door opened, revealing the annoying man who had met Jasmine before. His face looked annoyed by Jasmine's disturbance."Hey, miss. You're so noisy," he
Jasmine woke up with a strange feeling. There was a gentle touch on her face, rousing her from a restless sleep. Slowly, she focused her still blurry vision. In front of her, Seth sat with his hand paused in the air, as if hesitant to continue his movement."Seth?" murmured Jasmine, trying to make sure if the figure in front of her was real or just an illusion from her dream."Yes, you're awake," Seth replied with a heavy voice that made Jasmine more alert. She opened her eyes wide and tried to sit up, although her body felt weak.Jasmine's eyes fell on her wrists, now free from the bindings, although still red and sore. She looked at Seth with a mixture of anger and confusion."Do you need anything?" Seth asked in a flat tone, reaching out his hand again to touch Jasmine's face. However, Jasmine immediately pushed his hand away roughly."Don't touch me!" Jasmine said sharply. Seth fell silent, looking at her for a moment before standing up. His face showed little expression, seemingl
Jasmine stared at Alex sitting in front of her. Her eyes didn't leave each spoonful that entered Jasmine's mouth, as if making sure whether Jasmine really ate it or not. There was a tension that was hard to ignore between them."Is there poison in this food?" Jasmine suddenly asked, making Alex shrug indifferently."I don't know, I didn't prepare it. Do you think I handle everything about you?" Alex replied flatly, his gaze starting to wander around the room. His gaze paused for a moment at the darker corner of the room before he asked, "What's that smell?"Jasmine sighed before answering nonchalantly, "I filled the bathtub with all the bath bombs."Alex immediately looked at her with wide eyes. "What?" he exclaimed, getting up from his seat and quickly walking to the bathroom. He was shocked to see the bathtub overflowing with foam, covering the floor and its surroundings."Why did you do that?" Alex asked confusedly, looking at Jasmine who was now placing the empty tray on the bedsi
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