Chapter 163 Ethan was Jasmine's Salvation
"Your skin is amazing; how do you maintain it?" Branson became bolder, reaching out to play with Jasmine's hair.
Jasmine's body tensed, her heart racing as that suffocating feeling surged once more. Nausea washed over her in waves.
But she... must endure.
She had to take down Branson for Ethan, which meant she had to... let him get carried away.
"Make-up... that's also pretty expensive," Jasmine spoke with a trembling voice, trying to calm herself down.
Branson smiled and moved closer to Jasmine, thinking she was hinting at something. "Jasmine, I hear many socialites in Silverlight City know you; seems like you're quite capable."
Branson made a suggestive remark. "How about we have dinner together on your day off?"
Jasmine nodded. "Sure..."
"Knock, knock, knock!" Someone knocked at the door.
Branson appeared irritated, evidently displeased by the interruption of his enjoyable moment.
Jasmine was pretty and had a great figure with particularly fair skin. Branson, a man who'd been with countless women, could tell right away that Jasmine was a catch.
If Ethan's assistant was so eager to please him, it surely meant Ethan was very keen on winning him over.
"Mr. Branson, Mr. Ethan sent me to ask what your terms are for the vice president position. Feel free to express your wishes; he will try to accommodate you, hoping you..." Jasmine took the opportunity to distance herself from Branson, speaking with deep intent.
Branson nodded with a smile, clearly understanding Jasmine's implication.
Ethan was showing one hundred percent sincerity.
Branson replied, "Ah, I've been with the company for such a long time. I'm not greedy, just deeply connected to my colleagues from the investment department. We've been together for over a decade. If Mr. Ethan could merge the investment and project departments, I could manage both..."
Jasmine feigned surprise at Branson's statement. "Mr. Branson! The investment department has always been independent. You want to merge it with the project department?"
Branson, the cunning old fox, was displaying his greediness quite evidently. Yet, all of this fell perfectly within Jasmine's calculations. As he ventured into making bold demands, carried away by his own desires, it signaled that his downfall was imminent.
"It's going to be difficult?" Branson looked at Jasmine tentatively.
"Not necessarily…" Jasmine smiled. "Mr. Branson, I will discuss it with Mr. Ethan. If it works out, on your end..."
Branson instantly understood what she was trying to convey. "Don't worry, I'll cover all your makeup and skincare expenses for a year," Branson said, his smile laden with deeper intentions, as he hooked Jasmine's chin with his hand.
He was becoming more brazen.
Jasmine stepped back, cracking a smile as she opened the door and nearly fled Branson's office.
The feeling… it was almost suffocating.
She ducked into the restroom, feeling a terrible churning in her stomach. Hugging the toilet, Jasmine began to vomit. Her eyes were red and swollen as she gripped her hands tightly.
She couldn't give up. She had to be there for Ethan...
And it had to be soon.
She had to ruin Clara's trump card when she showed up, delivering to her a most unwelcome surprise.
After vomiting for a while, Jasmine sat weakly on the toilet, taking a long time to recover.
Her depression and anxiety had improved noticeably since meeting Ethan, but it wasn't enough... She continued to experience numbness and rigidity in response to stress, her limbs appearing to stiffen, with noticeable physical symptoms.
Branson's repulsive smirk and the way he came close haunted her mind.
"Jasmine?" Outside, Liam was looking for her.
Jasmine's hands trembled as she stood up, washing her hands in a hurry and taking a deep breath as she looked at her pale reflection in the mirror.
"Jasmine, Mr. Ethan is looking for you." Liam sounded resigned; he had truly become Jasmine's errand boy.
Ten minutes had barely passed since Jasmine left, yet Ethan had already dispatched him to find her. It felt unnecessary given they were still within the confines of the company; there was nowhere she could have possibly disappeared to.
"Okay." Jasmine nodded.
When Liam noticed Jasmine's pallor, he stepped closer. "Are you okay?"
"Don't touch me!" Jasmine pulled away from Liam in horror, her breathing erratic.
After a moment, Jasmine stood still in shock. "I'm sorry, I zoned out."
Liam was startled by Jasmine's sudden movement, her eyes evidently filled with fear. "It's okay…"
Jasmine shyly looked down, her eyes tinged with redness.
"Mr. Ethan is waiting for you, are you all right?" Liam was concerned about Jasmine's state.
He fished out a few pieces of White Rabbit creamy candy from his pocket and handed them to Jasmine. "Here, have some candies. You look very pale."
"It's nothing… I probably just didn't sleep well last night," Jasmine explained quietly.
"Jasmine." At the end of the hallway, Daniel stood waiting for her. "Come here."
Jasmine shuddered with fright and instinctively hid behind Liam.
Liam furrowed his brow, shielding Jasmine. "Sorry, Sir, but it's working hours, and Mr. Ethan is looking for Jasmine."
"Liam, aren't you being a little overprotective?" Daniel scoffed. "I'm just here for a regular handover; it's the workday, after all."
Liam remained silent.
"Jasmine, there's a document on my desk. Can you fetch it for Mr. Ethan?" Daniel asked Jasmine.
"I'll get it," Liam volunteered, smiling and signaling for Jasmine to go back to Mr. Ethan's office while he would go and collect it.
Daniel smirked.
Once Liam left, Daniel spoke in a low voice, "Jasmine, with your mom getting out of prison soon, being a fraudster and a trafficker's daughter, how do you expect Ethan to clean up your reputation?"
Jasmine's steps came to a rigid halt, her breath quickened, and she turned her back to Daniel.
Seeing Jasmine stop in her tracks, Daniel knew he had hit her weak spot. He walked over slowly, grabbed the back of Jasmine's collar, and dragged her into the safety corridor.
"Let me go!" Jasmine looked at Daniel in panic, about to scream, but Daniel covered her mouth.
"Jasmine, dare to scream, and watch as I take my chances with you right here. Tomorrow's headlines will surely capture the drama." Daniel's voice was vile, his grip on Jasmine's hands tightened with rage.
Jasmine stared at Daniel with fear, her gaze trembling.
"I warned you before, Jasmine, if you mess with my brother... I won't let it slide."
Jasmine fixed a contemptuous glare on Daniel, her eyes filled with disgust and hatred.
Daniel's irritation intensified as he couldn't bear Jasmine's expression. "Jasmine! Let me tell you, you belong to me... Even if I don't love you anymore, you are not allowed to fall for someone else..."
His voice was thick with menace, yet couldn't hide the hoarseness and the undertone of pleading.
In his selfishness, he couldn't bear the thought of Jasmine loving another. She embodied his entire youth, once a pristine white rose now marred by stains. She remained the ever-present thorn piercing his heart.
"Are you listening to me?!" Daniel gripped Jasmine's chin, intending to force a kiss.
"Mmph!" Suddenly, Daniel yelped in pain.
Jasmine drove her knee into Daniel's abdomen with force, grabbed a nearby broomstick, and struck Daniel's head hard.
Blood began to flow from a gash on Daniel's forehead.
Jasmine, frightened to tears, stumbled into a corner, threw down the broomstick, and desperately tried to escape.
Daniel reached out and managed to snatch at the collar of her shirt.
It was that sensation again. That feeling of brushing against hope, only to be yanked back mercilessly into the depths of hell.
Just like six years ago.
She was on the verge of escaping to the doorway of her room, on the cusp of opening the door and fleeing, but that man had her pinned in a corner, dragging her back.
"Bang!" The door to the emergency exit was kicked open. Just as Jasmine felt the looming threat of being swallowed by darkness at Daniel's hands, a flood of light poured in from the outside world.
A strong arm grasped her wrist and pulled her into an embrace. In that moment, Jasmine felt as though she had surfaced from the depths of the ocean, emerging into the warm embrace of sunlight.
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