Chapter Thirty Four Henry snickered, his lips curling into a smile as he eyed the group of thugs advancing toward him. He could tell they thought they were intimidating. Tattoos, piercings, bulging muscles—they had the look, but looks weren't everything. He rolled his shoulders, subtly cracking his knuckles under his sleeve. No one knew this about him—not Jasmine, not even his closest friends. He could fight. Not just a couple of sloppy punches thrown in desperation. No, he used to be a boxer—a good one, too. That was how he made his money back in the day. Surviving with every jab and hook while getting through medical school on scholarship. He eyed the nine thugs, calculating. They were big, and that was their weakness. Big meant slow, obvious movements, glaring blind spots, and overconfidence. He could take them. He could beat them all senseless, leave them groaning on the pavement. But then his eyes flicked over to Jasmine, standing not far away. Her eyes were wide with worr
Chapter Thirty-Five Damon gritted his teeth, the words scraping out of his throat like shards of broken glass. “Over my dead body!” he spat, his eyes filled with defiance. His father’s face darkened, his patience snapping like a brittle twig. He swung his leg forward, the polished leather of his shoe connecting with Damon’s ribs in a swift, merciless kick. “You fool! You just destroyed our empire because of your stupidity!” the older man roared, his face twisted in fury. “Apologize, right now, before he ruins us completely!” Damon gasped for breath, barely holding himself upright. The fire in his eyes dimmed, but the arrogance remained. He shook his head slightly, defiance lingering in the curl of his lip. “He’s a nobody, Father. Just a pathetic—” Before Damon could finish, his father’s phone beeped again. The sound sliced through the tension like a knife, echoing off the cold concrete walls of the surrounding buildings. The old man’s eyes widened as he read the message, his hand
Chapter Thirty Six Zara raised her hand, her sharp, elegant features remaining calm as Grandmother Woods fumed beside her. “Please, Grandmother Woods,” Zara’s voice was smooth but firm. “The president is coming. There’s no need for alarm. Everything is under control.” Grandmother Woods huffed, crossing her arms, her anger still simmering. But seeing Zara’s composed expression, she nodded reluctantly. “Very well, Miss Zara. I trust you.” She sighed, clearly not happy but willing to wait. Suddenly, a commotion erupted near the entrance of the grand hall. The murmurs grew louder, heads turning in curiosity. Everyone’s attention shifted, eager to see who had arrived. Hoping it was the president, the guests hurried towards the entrance, excitement buzzing in the air. But it wasn’t the president. A tall, handsome man entered, wearing a flowing white gown with a red wrap around his head. His presence was captivating. Every step he took was confident, his movements graceful. The sc
Chapter Thirty Seven Henry stood in the corner of the hall, his sharp eyes never leaving Jasmine and the Prince of Dubai. His jaw clenched slightly, but he forced himself to remain composed. The prince was being respectful. He wasn’t pushing boundaries or invading Jasmine’s space. Every interaction was polite, almost gentlemanly, which helped ease the burning jealousy gnawing at Henry’s insides. Still, his hands remained tucked firmly into his pockets, his fists balled tightly. He hated this. Hated watching another man, especially one as powerful and wealthy as the prince, showing interest in his wife. But there was no room for rashness here. Henry knew the prince was a major client for the Consortium, and he couldn’t risk doing anything foolish. Jasmine, on the other hand, had no idea how much tension was brewing behind her. She was lost in her thoughts when her mother, a stern expression on her face, suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the bathroom. “Mother!” Jas
Chapter Thirty Eight The room buzzed with tension. The flashes from cameras still lit up Jasmine’s face, and the murmurs from the crowd grew louder. She stood frozen, her heart racing, unsure of what to do or say. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as Stella, satisfied with the chaos she had caused, watched from the stage, her eyes gleaming with triumph. Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get any worse, the Prince of Dubai slowly rose from his seat. Immediately, the room went silent. Every eye turned toward him, the weight of his presence commanding attention. Even the paparazzi stopped clicking, holding their breath in anticipation. The prince smiled, his gaze sweeping the room with a calm authority. His dark eyes held a quiet amusement, though his tone was sharp. “You are all naive,” he began, his deep voice cutting through the silence. “Clearly, none of you understand real taste and class.” Gasps echoed through the room, whispers bubbling up once again. The prince
Chapter Thirty Nine Jasmine’s breath hitched as the announcement hit her like a freight train. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she couldn’t move. The words repeated in her mind, sinking in deeper with each echo.“Jasper? My useless, drug-addict brother… chairman?” Her voice was barely a whisper, trembling with disbelief.She felt the world collapse around her. She had worked tirelessly for this moment, sacrificing her time, energy, and her very soul to ensure everything was perfect. Now, standing there in her finest gown, with everyone watching, it all felt like a cruel joke. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back, refusing to break down.From across the room, her grandmother’s cold voice pierced through the haze of emotions. “Stop whining, Jasmine,” Grandmother Woods said, her tone sharp and without an ounce of sympathy. “You didn’t hold up your end of the bargain.”Jasmine’s breath caught. “What?” Her voice was shaky, but she tried to hold on to h
Chapter Forty Gasps echoed through the Grand majestic hall as Henry Knight rose to his feet. The sudden movement drew every eye, and whispers cascaded like a waterfall. “That can’t be him,” someone murmured, disbelief coloring their tone. “Not that useless son-in-law,” another hissed, contempt evident. “Why is this nobody trying to pretend to be someone else?” a voice questioned, sharp and accusatory. “He should be escorted out for wasting the time of dignitaries,” an indignant guest proclaimed, their voice rising above the murmurs. Jasmine turned to her husband, tears streaming down her face, her expression a mix of shock and pleading. “What are you doing? Sit down, Henry. I don’t want anyone to insult you,” she begged, her voice trembling. Even the Prince of Dubai regarded Henry with suspicion , his gaze piercing and unyielding. Grandmother Woods struck her cane on the ground, the sharp sound reverberating through the room, her voice escalating in fury. “Why is this n
Chapter Forty-OneGrandmother Woods, her face lined with the wisdom of years and the weight of countless decisions, made her way towards Zara. The grand hall had quieted, but the tension in the air was almost tangible. Zara was busy packing her things, ready to leave. Grandmother Woods, knowing how much was at stake, could not let her go without answers."Zara," she called softly, trying to mask the urgency in her voice. She put on a calm expression, but underneath, the panic was building. "What's going on? Why are the Hexagon Consortium turning against us? Betraying and embarrassing our family like this?"Zara paused for a moment, but when she turned to face Grandmother Woods, her eyes were cold and resolute. “The deal," she said, her voice firm, "was made with Jasmine Knight, not Mr. Jasper Woods. That means everything your grandson has been doing is invalid, completely void."The words struck like a blow. Grandmother Woods stared, momentarily speechless. She had prided herself on