Chapter 20

Jasmine flipped the pancake over, admiring its perfect golden color, her mouth watering just at the sight of them.

She had decided to try and get her husband to love her again. She couldn't understand why he was so cold to her when she had done nothing to deserve any of that.

It was five-thirty in the morning and she liked how quiet the kitchen was. She had dismissed the maids, who had been shocked when she came to meet them that she wanted to prepare a meal.

Cara had Insisted on staying but had left after much persuasion from Jasmine who wanted to impress her husband.

She was a good cook, remembering all those times she used to cook in her house, with Rose and her stepmother always seeming to find one complaint or the other. The one time Maria had complimented her meal, Rose threw a fit and Jasmine had to suffer for it.

After a few minutes, she was finally done and went back to her room to catch a few minutes of sleep before time for breakfast.

Cara watched as Jasmine dressed up and trudged to the dining table, her joy radiating from even a mile away.

"I made this," she said as she sat down and then added as an afterthought. "I hope you enjoy it."

Matt said nothing but wondered why she would go through the pains of cooking. Was she trying to impress him?

"What is this?" He spat out the meal quickly, wondering how something could taste as though it was bathed in salt.

"What is it?" Jasmine questioned and then quickly spat out the pancake she was chewing, it tasted as though it was doused with vinegar instead of syrup.

"Don't eat that!" She snapped, making the children stop, just before they could take a bite off their pancake.

She shook her head rapidly. This was supposed to be her best pancake yet, but now, she didn't even know what to say as she was sure that it wasn't what she made.

"It was.. it was actually. I didn't make this.."

"Sure, sure. I made it myself," Matt replied in a mocking tone as he signaled for a maid to come nearer.

"This isn't what I made! It tasted better than this! I.."

"Get me something edible, please. And get rid of this trash. Some people are better off not trying anything." He said to the maid, cutting her off. He wasn't even listening to her in the first place anyway.

"Matt! I know how to cook!" She was already getting angry and the first thing that came to her mind was that the meal had been tampered with.

It was the only explanation and the day before, after what Leila did, she became suspicious of anyone and everyone again.

"Look it was…"

"Seriously, Jasmine. I get that you want to maintain face, but that..that's a waste of resources."

Jasmine curled her fist into a ball and chucked softly. "It's not like you're going to believe any other thing I say anyways. For some reason, you think I'm such a liar or.."

He said nothing and focused on the paper in front of him.

He had gone to the kitchen that day to get something so early when he had seen someone who liked his wife cooking. He blinked rapidly to be sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him and to his amazement, it was indeed her. She was in a good mood as she was humming as she worked.

Matt wondered how she managed to joyfully prelate such nonsense.

The maid came with another meal just before Jasmine could say something else and she kept quiet as she sat down, making a mental note to question the maids.

They ate in silence and immediately she was done, she stood up and walked to the kitchen.

"Who tampered with the meal I prepared?" She questioned and they bowed, the maids in the kitchen dared not look at her face.

"Not me," your highness," they all muttered and Jasmine stormed out of the room and made her way to the maid's quarters.

"Your Highness," Cara called out, as soon as she heard what had happened from two gossiping maids whom she had decided would be used as an example for others.

Jasmine sighed and turned around to meet Cara. "I need to find out who did this," she said and Cara nodded.

"I'll help you, Your Highness. You should just, relax."

Jasmine couldn't relax and kept pacing around in her room. She wished there was some sort of camera that would've caught something useful.

Cara had gone around, asking every maid and guard, but it was as though nothing had happened and she had given up.

"Did you find her?" Cara questioned quickly, as soon as she entered the room. She shook her head and Jasmine sighed.

"I'm sure…"

Jasmine closed her eyes and then opened them immediately as she realized something. Rose had tried to collect her husband many years back, through the use of a witch, but now it could be possible that she had gone back to the same witch or another stronger witch.

Matt had told her that he didn't hate her. It means that there was a chance for him to love her again.

Thinking about it now, Jasmine was sure that a witch's curse was the only way that was possible, for a living man to suddenly stop being so caring.

"Cara.."

There was a knock on the door and she glanced at it, prompting Cara to walk towards it.

Cara returned almost immediately. "Your Highness, someone is here to see you. She had been insistent on seeing you since. Said her name is Maria and she is your mother.."

When Jasmine heard the name, she stood up. It was the woman that plagued her nightmares for years. The same woman who made her go through hell.

Jasmine scoffed. The ghosts of her lady were finally beginning to appear and she was going to entertain them.