Chapter 23
JASMINE
Finished
I clutch my purse as I walk into the banquet hall, which is bustling with activity. It doesn’t feel like a family gathering; rather, I’m walking into the den of my enemies. I accept the cool, refreshing water from the waiter while I gaze at Fiona, who is surrounded by my father and her mother.
She stands dazzling in a beautiful dress that gracefully showcases her curves, and she is the centre
of attention..
Unwillingly, I feel a surge of bitterness searing my insides, cutting deep like a sharp saw.
Thinking about it, my father has always treated Fiona better than me; she was exposed to success. at an early age, while I remained the hidden daughter, a blemish that reminds my father of my mom’s infidelity.
Knowing now that there is a possibility that Fiona is his real daughter and he has invested so much in her while deeply scorning me makes my blood trickle with resentment.
“Jasmine!” My Dad waves, walking towards me smiling. “I’m so happy you could make it,”
I clench my purse even tighter, smiling coldly as I meet Petra’s gaze; this is no family reunion; I’m here to seek answers.
“Can I speak to Petra for a minute?”
Petra’s eyes narrow in displeasure as she stares at me through the rim of her glass of wine.
“Oh, come on, Jasinine, she’s your mother; why don’t you address her as such? Don’t be so formal. with your family,”
I scrunch my nose in disgust at my father’s words, “I know who my mother is, and she’s already dead. She is the woman who shamelessly snatched her friend’s husband,” I say, earning a chorus of loud gasps, I scoff at the shocked look in their gazes.
“Jasmine, don’t talk about what you don’t know!” My Dad pins me with a look that earns several stares in our direction. “Come here, you little bitch!” Petra hisses, tugging my wrist and dragging me out of the hall.
The moment we are outside, I snatch my
there?” Her words are filled with anger free from Petra’s grip. “What did you just say
manage to hide properly.
hand back but there is also a tiny spark of fear that she doesn’t
“I know everything Petra. I know you are a homewrecker who stole your friend’s husband. I also know that my mom and you started a 30 million dollar company, which is now estimated at nearly 100 million. Isn’t it great? I can get 50 million without even doing anything
I smirk deeply with satisfaction, watching the blood drain out of Petra’s gaze. I know right now. she is thinking about the equity agreement that she didn’t manage to get from me, and right now,
8:27 PM c d
Chapter 23
- me.
Finished
“What nonsense are you spouting? Who told you that my company has anything to do with your mother?! Did you have too much drink and lost. your senses?”
“QR International’s initial form is Serene Beauty Perfumery, isn’t it? That’s the company my mother established, and she holds 50% of the company’s equity, which was stated very clearly in her contract. If something happened to her, her daughter, also known as me, has the absolute right to inherit it.”
I recite those words, and Petra’s entire body trembling with fury, her fists clenched, as though she is about to pounce on me; I hold her gaze squarely, daring her to.
“Even though my mother is gone, the contract detailing her ownership of Selena Beauty Perfumery still exists, and the legal benefits are still in effect. No matter what you do, you cannot deny that I own half the equity of this company.”
“You- bitch!” Petra explodes “I underestimated you. If I knew you would become this huge problem, I should have nipped you in the bud before you bloomed.”
1 arch a brow, crossing my arms at her statement, “Is that a threat? You already sent someone to search my grandmother’s house for that contract, didn’t you? No matter how hard you try, you cannot take away what is rightfully mine,”
I just need her to confess to it so that when I take the matter to court, it will be much easier to prove it, but Petra probably guessed my intentions, and she inhales deeply as though trying to calm her anger.
“What nonsense are you spouting?! Don’t slander me with some accusation you made up! You shouldn’t make claims without evidence,” She says in a calm voice which is laced with deadly intensity.
“Petra, you and my mother have been close friends since you were young. I cannot understand how shameless you have to be to seduce my father and take my mother’s place, then chase me out of the family. You even wanted to harm me time and again. You’re such a vicious woman, you’re the home wrecker!” I say each word clearly and a sinister light flicker in Petra’s gaze.
“You already know how your mom died. She died in the passenger seat of a car while shamelessly having sex with a rich man. Your father fell in love with me after receiving heartbreak from your slutty mother!”
My teeth grit together in barely suppressed rage, “Shut up. You have no right to talk about my mother like that!”
“Why? Are you angry to hear that the whore who gave birth to you is a shameless wretch, and since you’re her daughter, I should advise you not to be as wretched as your mom, but it seems I’m already too late, you’re already selling yourself to rich men, isn’t that how you got to work in a big company?”
At this point, I cannot hold onto my sense of reason anymore. I reach out to pick up the cock tail from a nassing waiter then fling the water at Petra without hesitation
Chapter 23
“Ah!” She screams like a banshee, growing frenzied with anger.
Finished
“I will never give up on taking back the equity. You’ll either give me half the equity of this company, or I’ll see you in court.” I glare at her with finality and quickly turn to leave when a strong wave of dizziness attacks my head.
I stagger backwards, a harsh breath slipping from my mouth as my eyes begin to water, control starting to slip from my mind.
What is happening?
I had drink carlier, but it hadn’t been alcohol. It was simply water.
That?!”
do you think you are? You wretch! You’ll never get any part of my company, you hear
Petra’s voice turns blurry as the world starts to spin and when she suddenly snatches my wrist in an iron grip, my eyes slowly focus to see her gaze gleaming with malicious intent.
“Knowing you are going to come today, I already prepared a nice surprise for you,” She pushes me roughly towards the hotel. My legs nearly give way, but I noticed that this is a different entrance, and not where the anniversary is ongoing.
“Let g_go!” I rasp, but my movements are weak, my legs feel as heavy as lead.
“You’re still a little girl when it comes to playing games. Don’t you enjoy men so much? I already made the preparations; you’re going to be satisfied tonight. What better way for a whore to die than being fucked to death?”
Petra snatches my purse from my arm. No! My cellphone is inside.
The hallway in this path of the hotel is empty, consuming me with an eerie feeling. I open my mouth to scream, yet it only comes out weak, and suddenly, a different pair of hands cover my mouth, and I’m being yanked against a chest, the man holding me so tightly, suffocating me further.
“Ensure to take good care of her, and remember to record, I want it to be in the front page news first thing tomorrow,” I hear Petra say to the man.
“She’s beautiful, ma’am, you don’t need to pay me for this. I’ll give her the night of a last time,”
The man drags me inside the elevator, the walls swallowing my screams.
