Chapter 25

Chapter 24
Hurrying up the stairs like her life depended on it, she ran through series of thoughts as to why her step sister was here and what had transpired to make her husband chat and laugh with her over a glass of juice.

Knowing the history between her husband and her step sister, her husband is not even supposed to be anywhere near her step sister not to talk of entertaining her in their palace.


Closing in on them, she overheard their conversation.
"Wow, your wife is unbelievable" Rose said in between laughter.

_Huh! Me?_
She slowed down her pace in order to know where the conversation was headed. Her ears etching for more information.

What could they really be saying about me? Jasmine thought. What is my sister up to this... Her train of thoughts cut short by the next statement her step sister made.

"She couldn't even make pancakes! Easy to make breakfast. That must have been the funniest thing ever!"

Jasmine's heart skipped a bit as her cheeks slowly turned red with embarrassment. She felt as though the ground should just open and swallow her whole and somehow, she wished she didn't hurriedly return home.

_Home!_ The word struck deep. She had only experienced the true definition of a home when her mother was alive. Now, she could only wish for that.

Home is where I should find peace, home is where my heart should be, home is where _I_ should be. Home was once here, now it is slowly being taken away from me. She thought, sighing with indignation.

"I have never been more disappointed in anything than I was with the pancakes", Matt said laughing hard.

Jasmine, jolted back to the present by her husband's voice, stood transfixed with mouth agape. Surprised by her husband's sudden sense of humor, she watched him laugh, wondering why she has not been able to get him to smile for years now but her step sister who just appeared from the blues has gotten him to laugh.
Her face wrenched with disgust as she pondered on which emotion to act on; anger, frustration, jealousy or pain as her eyes swelled with tears.

_I've had enough of all this!_

Hurriedly walking towards them, she could only think of a million and one things to say and do but no constructive idea on how to act without breaking any more rules and embarrassing herself any further.

Getting closer to them, she decided to care less.
_To hell with their rules!_ Screamed the voice in her head. Immediately, she grabbed the glass her step sister was holding and before anyone knew what was happening, emptied the remaining content on her.

"What the heck!", screamed Rose in annoyance, looking at Matt for some sort of help.

Matt, who had never expected such reaction from his wife was completely taken aback by her action and took some steps backward. Staring from sister to sister, he had no words to say and didn't know how to calm the situation.

"Next time, you won't stand there and talk shit about me" retorted Jasmine.

Rose lips parted as if to say something but was silenced by the wave of Jasmine's hand.
"You just came out of the blues; out of nowhere! You come into my home and then the only thing you think is conversation worthy is your sister? Can you even lift up a pan?"

Shifting her gaze to Matt, her eyes burned with anger mixed with a hint of hurt. She had never felt so betrayed before.
"Really Matt? You two think it's okay to just converse about others and make fun of them? Need I remind you that this is same girl that used her witchcraft on you, this is same girl that was dishonest. This is same girl that hurt me. For goodness sake Matt..." She paused, rubbing her head, trying to calm the headache. "...I am your wife and as a husband you are to have my back!"

Matt didn't know what to do at this juncture. He knew saying more would only result to more problems. He could see how much Jasmine was hurting and didn't want to add to it. He had never seen her in such a mood before and felt bad that he had to be the one to put her in such a situation.

_I think it's best I leave. A lot has happened within the space of two hours and I can't phantom what's happening_

He made to go but suddenly, against his will he spun round and was soon trying to wipe off the drink off Rose's face and cloth.
Rose gave her sister a sinister look and turned to Matt, a soft smile playing on her lips as she watched Matt struggle to wipe off the drink from her dress.

"Thank you Matt but I think it's best you check up on your wife so as to keep her in check because with the rate at which she's going, she might just lose it one day".

Matt looked at his wife, yearning to calm her down but instead turned his gaze back to Rose.

"Let her be, she doesn't need me nor anyone around her, whenever she's ready, she'll come around".
Rose smiled at this and was ready to leave. As soon as she got to the exit, she turned back to get one more glance at her sister before finally heading out with Matt accompanying her.

Rose while exiting the veranda, couldn't help but wonder how and where her sister was really getting such audacity from.
_A cowardly slave girl who couldn't stand up for herself, now has the effrontery to pour a drink on me? No! I won't take this... It seems I underestimated this girl, I have to devise a more concrete plan. This one is already blowing up in my face._

She stole a glance at Matt and knew he was truly still struggling. She muttered to herself, "I also need to do something about this one and fast".