Chapter 126 Ethan Always Protects Jasmine
Serena's eyes were red as she clung desperately to Daniel's clothes. "Daniel... I won't apologize. Why should I apologize to her? What makes her think she deserves an apology from me?”
Daniel's expression was grim; he knew Ethan’s temperament well. Even Howard's intervention might not sway Ethan, let alone his.
He looked up at Jasmine, hoping she would voluntarily put an end to it all.
After all, Jasmine was forever indebted to Serena, a debt she knew she could never fully repay in her lifetime.
Jasmine, with her head bowed, stood right behind Ethan.
"What are you looking at her for? Look at your girl," Ethan stepped in front of Jasmine, perfectly blocking Daniel's view of her.
Jasmine felt the weight of her presence before her, and that sheer sense of security instantly eased her racing heart.
"Jasmine, why should I apologize to you?" Serena cried out to Jasmine, her eyes still red.
With Ethan around, Daniel couldn't protect her.
Serena was indignant.
Why should she...
Jasmine didn’t speak; she just kept her head down.
"Jasmine, you owe me. If it weren't for you taking over my life, you should've been dead by now. Even if I killed you, I wouldn't have to apologize!" With Daniel unable to assist her, Serena screamed at Jasmine in tears.
"So, Miss Avery is admitting she spread rumors about Jasmine out of personal spite?" Liam stepped forward, offering a summary of what Serena had implied.
"Serena, are you out of your mind dragging us into your beef with Jasmine?" Tom had just hung up the phone, utterly deflated after a brutal tongue-lashing from his grandparents, father, and mom. It was depressing.
Tom was boiling with anger, and now even Daniel's actions were irritating him. "Daniel, can't you control your woman? She's been spreading rumors for years. If it wasn't for your sake, she wouldn't be let off the hook so easily!"
Daniel was furious as he warned Tom with a stern gaze.
Tom let out a frustrated snort, clearly infuriated.
The others had also faced reprimands from their families. Nobody dared to cross Ethan—it was his influence keeping their wrath at bay.
"Ethan, we acknowledge our role in this situation, too. We'll definitely hold Serena accountable for the rumors, and it was our mistake not to have stepped in earlier to clear Jasmine's name. We apologize first!" They exchanged glances and quickly said sorry to Jasmine, fearing a lawsuit.
If things went south, their families would skin them alive.
And it was clear to anyone that Ethan was now backing Jasmine.
Times had changed; tables had turned.
Ethan remained silent, simply glancing at Jasmine.
She instinctively inched closer to Ethan, a clear rejection of their company.
"Get out!" Ethan's frown was all it took to speak volumes.
They gasped and scampered off without looking back.
"Bro, I didn’t start anything with her, I—" Tom approached to explain, his face flushed.
"You, too, get out." Ethan was visibly impatient.
"Okay, okay..." With a swift pivot, Tom retreated and made a swift exit.
Liam couldn't help it and snickered.
Tom halted, stepping back to Liam and pointing a finger at him. "Just you wait, I haven't forgotten that slap."
Liam rolled his eyes, opting to stay silent.
Tom huffed, gave Jasmine a last agitated look, and stormed off.
It wasn't hard to guess that Daniel and Serena were giving Jasmine a hard time again, but this time, they had hit a wall.
"Daniel..." Serena looked at Daniel nervously, clearly not wanting to apologize.
But without an apology, Ethan showed no intention of letting her off the hook.
"Bro, you don't get the whole picture with Jasmine and Serena. It was Jasmine who stole Serena's life first. If anyone's at fault, it's Jasmine. Serena lost twenty years of her life to her, suffering all along," Daniel tried to justify Serena's actions.
"So, your mom was somewhat malnourished when she was pregnant with you," Ethan said, frequently glancing at his watch, clearly running out of patience.
Everyone knew Ethan's schedule was jam-packed today, all thanks to Kimberly's meticulous planning. A single hiccup involving Serena had managed to disrupt the company's workflow, not to mention the CEO's personal time.
"I heard Daniel's mom was the other woman when she was pregnant with him. She was living in constant uncertainty—just a poor student with nothing to her name. No wonder Mr. Douglas mentioned she was malnourished during her pregnancy."
"Yeah, I heard that too. The mistress rose to the top."
The company's employees whispered among themselves, no one daring to speak too loudly. Yet the murmurs spread, and everyone could hear.
Daniel's expression grew darker and darker, his gaze filled with animosity as he looked at Ethan.
Serena was panicking, unsure of what to do, her eyes darting toward Evan.
Evan kept his head down, his silence persistent.
He felt humiliated but couldn't just abandon his sister and leave.
"When Jasmine and Serena were switched as babies, both were innocent infants without a choice in the matter—both victims. The real culprit has been charged and locked up. You keep saying that she owes you a life, but what about her own life? How can you repay that?" Ethan challenged Serena with a frosty tone.
"Or do you think that only the Wilson family's life is worth something? The luxurious lifestyle, the superior social status? In Jasmine's eyes, she'd rather live with her biological brother, and grow up doted on by Richard. She doesn't need riches—just a peaceful family life is more than enough, better than all the pretense in the Wilson household."
Ethan's gaze settled on Evan.
These words were also meant for him.
Despite claiming to love his sister, his demeanor drastically changed the moment he discovered Jasmine wasn't his biological sibling. The so-called deep sibling bond of the past twenty years was apparently nothing but sheer hypocrisy.
Such a display of familial affection was utterly nauseating.
Evan's fingers clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, but no words of rebuttal came out.
Ethan's words were like finely crafted jewels, cutting and precise.
"It's because her mom coveted our family's wealth and deliberately let her daughter enjoy life while making me suffer with them!" Serena shouted back sharply.
Throughout my investigation, including conversations with neighbors, it's clear that the Avery family poured their hearts and souls into you, Richard. He's been wearing threadbare clothes while you flaunted new ones each season.
To afford your education at top schools, Richard's mother worked day and night. You and Jasmine attended the same schools, and received the same education. How could the Averys match the Wilsons' level of education? You dropped out because your grades were poor, and you failed to get in, didn't you?"
There was no point in sparing Serena's feelings—she was beyond repentance.
Serena froze, panic-stricken, as she faced Daniel. "That... that was because of the Averys' guilt."
Ethan couldn't bother with more words for such a foolish woman. She was an irritant to him.
"Serena, you're in the wrong this time. Apologize to Jasmine, and I'll take you home," Evan urged in a hushed tone, grasping Serena's wrist, pleading for her to stop.
If this continued… he would be the first to crumble.
Ethan was right; What had Jasmine done wrong…?
Yet, what had he done to Jasmine over the years?
At this moment, he wanted to escape. He didn’t even have the courage to look at Jasmine.
Together, they had ruined Jasmine— especially him.
Six years ago, he had watched someone enter Jasmine's room, watched as she was bullied, violated...
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