Chapter 9
That afternoon, Jasmine stood in the airport terminal, one hand dragging her suitcase, the other holding
her phone.
On the screen was a message from Natalie. “The Campbells sent a car to pick you up, saying they want to
show you support.
“Jas, I don’t know what happened to you in Horinton, but just know we’ll always welcome you home.”
Jasmine felt tears brimming in her eyes. Just as she was about to reply, she heard a series of rushed footsteps from behind.
“Jas!”
Timothy and Matthew came rushing into the terminal, both slightly out of breath, their sweat beading on
their foreheads.
The former donned a sharp suit, clearly having left a meeting in a hurry. The latter wore sunglasses and a mask, like he were terrified of being spotted by paparazzi.
She raised a brow. “What are you guys doing here?”
Matthew pulled off his sunglasses, revealing slightly reddened eyes. “I’ve been thinking all night… Something about you leaving doesn’t feel right. Jas, why are you even going back to Jenvil?”
“I thought I’d told you. My mom misses me.”
Jasmine casually adjusted her scarf, the motion revealing faint bruises along her neck. The fingermarks hadn’t yet faded, and a rash still clung to her skin.
Timothy’s gaze locked on the purpling imprint, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “About yesterday… I lost control. Lyn is still at the hospital and-”
“I don’t care about her.” Jasmine cut him off, then glanced at her watch. “I need to get through security.”
“Wait!” Matthew called out with a trembling voice, his hand gripping her wrist. “Where’s your ring?”
Jasmine looked down at her bare finger. That simple silver band, dulled with age, had sat there for five
years.
It was a gift from Matthew, bought with his very first paycheck from acting. She had refused to replace it, even when it began to tarnish.
“I threw it away,” she said without a hint of emotion. “Trash belongs in the bin.”
His face turned ghostly pale.
Fă
The boarding announcement echoed overhead. Jasmine pulled her wrist free and turned to leave, only to be blocked by Timothy. “Seven years, Jas-we’ve known each other for seven years.”
His voice grew strained. “If… you ever run into any trouble in Jenvil, call me.”
She laughed, stunning the two shameless men. “Oh, you two. What made you think you could do anything
in Jenvil?”
Before either could react, Jasmine was already striding toward the VIP boarding gate. The plane took off. Through the window, she watched the skyline of Horinton shrink away beneath her.
Seven years ago, she had arrived full of hope. Now, she left carrying nothing but scars.
About two hours later, the plane touched down smoothly at Jenvil International Airport.
As soon as Jasmine turned her phone back on, a call from Natalie came through.
“Jas, the Campbell family’s there. Can you believe it? They sent a whole fleet of 12 Rolls-Royces! Even our family never rolled out this kind of show!”
The surprise in her voice was unmistakable. “I wonder why they do this.”
Jasmine, too, froze for a second. She knew the Campbells were taking the engagement seriously, but sending a convoy was on a whole other level.
As soon as she stepped out of the terminal, she came to a halt. 12 black Phantoms lined up in perfect formation. Each car had a uniformed driver standing beside it.
At the front of the line, a tall man stood with his back to her, speaking on the phone. As if noticing her gaze, he turned around, taking her breath away.
There Sebastian was-the heir of the Campbell family and her fiance on paper. He wore a sharp grey suit, but his sculpted features conveyed no readable emotions.
The only time his deep, intense gaze revealed anything was when he saw her.
“Ms. Lane.” He ended his call and walked over to her, asking, “Had a good flight?”
His baritone voice was surprisingly melodious, and Jasmine felt the tip of her ears warming up. “You can
say so. Thanks for asking.”
Sebastian nodded slightly and opened the car door for her. “Mrs. Lane is waiting for you at the Campbell
residence.”
Just as she was about to get in the car, a familiar voice shouted from behind. “Jas, wait up!”
Jasmine turned around and, sure enough, saw Timothy and Matthew running over. They had clearly caught the next flight to follow her.
The moment they saw Sebastian, their expressions stiffened simultaneously.
