11. Diamond Cups

Chapter Eleven

Jasmine’s mother froze, her eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, she looked as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard. But then, a slow, cruel smile spread across her face. It was the first time Henry had seen her smile in a long while.

“Good,” she sneered. “I agree. Start packing your stuff, Henry, because I know my daughter. She’s too naive to win against real business sharks. You’ll be out of here soon enough.”

With that, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The echo of the door reverberated through the house, leaving a suffocating silence in its wake.

Jasmine, who had been sitting motionless the entire time, suddenly broke down. Tears streamed down her face as she sank to the floor, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

“Why would you say that?” she cried, her voice barely a whisper as she looked up at Henry with wide, tear-filled eyes.

Jasmine woke up before dawn, the room still bathed in the soft gray of early morning. Her hear