Chapter 210 Jasmine Aims to Prevent the Brown Family from Recovering
In Ethan's sprawling abode, Jasmine sat at the dining table, gripping her phone tightly.
Richard had already called her, telling her to stay out of it and let May learn her lesson.
If no one bailed her out, she'd be locked up for twenty-four hours for disturbing public order.
Today, she would have time to reflect inside.
Soon after, the police station called again.
"Is May your mother?" the officer's voice cut through the tension, probing for clarity amidst the turmoil.
Jasmine's response was swift, a mix of defiance and resignation. "Sorry, I don't have a mother. Does she have proof otherwise?"
The officer, taken aback by Jasmine's retort, hesitated momentarily, the complexity of their familial dynamics evident. "Let her reflect at the station for a day. When it's time, you can come and pay a $500 fine," he concluded before abruptly ending the call.
Jasmine heaved a sigh of relief, thinking of calling Ethan, wondering how he was doing at Stellar Enterprises...
"Jasmine, Ethan's place is so big!" Emily came out of the bathroom, her eyes wide with envy. "Which woman will have the honor of being the mistress of this house?"
Jasmine's response was measured, her silence speaking volumes amidst Emily's musings.
Undeterred, Emily continued, her tone pragmatic yet tinged with a hint of longing. "You need ambition, Jasmine. Win Ethan over, make him love you fiercely. All of this could be yours."
Jasmine's hands clenched involuntarily at Emily's words, the weight of her aspirations bearing down on her shoulders.
"It's a shame we don't have wealthy backgrounds. These rich guys would never choose to marry women like us," Emily said, sitting in front of Jasmine, gazing at her. "We need to stay rational, protect ourselves from getting hurt, and avoid falling too deeply."
Jasmine nodded in agreement, a silent acknowledgment of the precarious path ahead.
"By the way, do you know about Veronica? She got out of prison a couple of days ago. Being from Silverlight City originally, we got in touch and planned to hang out sometime," Emily changed the subject.
Jasmine looked up at Emily. "Veronica got out?"
"Yeah, apparently her husband had a change of heart," Emily cursed. "Men are no good. Veronica was foolish, taking the fall for her husband. She got locked up for four and a half years for cooking the books and tax evasion, taking all the blame for herself."
Veronica had been the legal representative for her husband's company. When things went south, her husband threw her and the accountant under the bus to take the fall.
"Now he's out there prospering," Emily scoffed. "I didn't dare tell Yanmei, but I work at the IF luxury store, remember? The other day, I saw her husband with a young, seductive woman buying a purse—the most expensive one, over a million for a single bag!"
Emily was visibly upset.
Jasmine was shocked. "Does Veronica know about this?"
"Of course not," Emily shook her head.
Jasmine felt a pang of sympathy for Veronica, who had taught her quite a lot while she was in prison and had helped her through her suicidal phase.
"We should tell her," Jasmine asserted, a flicker of determination igniting within her.
"But is it really okay to just tell her outright? She tends to be a bit naive when it comes to love." Emily wasn't sure how to proceed.
"The mistress and her husband must have been shopping at the luxury store before, right?" Jasmine asked Emily.
"Without a doubt. That sly one is practically a VIP there, a diamond member," Emily replied, a tinge of frustration in her voice. "Do you know what it takes to be a diamond member? It means dropping at least ten million bucks there."
Jasmine gasped, taken aback by the staggering figure. "Imagine if there's a new release, super pricey. She'd bring her man along and he'd foot the bill. We could set it up for Veronica to see it firsthand."
"That's a cunning plan." Emily agreed with a nod.
Lost in her thoughts, Jasmine absentmindedly scrolled through her phone.
"It's wild how small this world can be," Emily remarked, slapping her thigh. "Guess who Yamei's husband's mistress is."
Jasmine shook her head, intrigued.
"Zelda's cousin, a rising starlet in the entertainment scene. She made her debut by riding on the coattails of the Brown family name, even went as far as claiming Mr. Patrick from SHC Group as her cousin-in-law," Emily found the whole situation bizarre, as all roads seemed to leading back to the Browns.
"Browns, again..." Jasmine muttered, a hand rising to her forehead.
Talk about an interconnected web where enemies collide.
"If you're worried about stepping on the Browns' toes, maybe we should reconsider?" Emily suggested, concerned for Jasmine's well-being.
Jasmine shook her head resolutely. "This time, it's too much of a coincidence..."
She bit her lip, a determined glint in her eye. "What's the mistress' name? I'll look her up."
She refused to remain idle, waiting for fate to play its hand.
Once Ethan spurns the arranged marriage with the Browns, it would undoubtedly enrage Howard, who would then aim to seize Ethan's shares.
Jasmine pondered to herself, 'If she destroys the Brown's reputation beforehand, would Howard reconsider the marriage alliance then?'
The Brown family, already reeling from Zelda's bullying and assault scandal, was vulnerable. If it emerged now that a Brown family relative was the home-wrecking mistress, even Harper's best efforts to garner sympathy in public wouldn't salvage their reputation.
All Ethan had to do was strike while the iron was hot, and the Browns would be left in ruins. At that point, even if Ethan rejected the marriage, he'd be as justified as Henry.
"Jasmine... are you finally taking action?" Emily's gaze bore into Jasmine's.
Meeting Emily's eyes, Jasmine nodded resolutely. "There are lines I won't cross. Justin and Ethan are off-limits..."
Emily smiled. "Then take him down. I'm rooting for you."
Jasmine remained silent, her tightly clenched hands slowly relaxing.
Emily reached out, enveloping Jasmine in a comforting hug. "You've endured so much all these years."
Jasmine shook her head softly. She had grown accustomed to it all...
"Harper doesn't deserve Ethan. He deserves so much better," Jasmine finally spoke, her voice hoarse with emotion.
"What sort of family background, what kind of refined grace, makes someone worthy of a man like Ethan?" Emily whispered.
The first thing that popped into Jasmine's mind was the identity of the true heiress of the Cunningham Family. "The heiress of the wealthiest Cunningham Family is still a mystery. Perhaps only a fortune of that caliber could match Ethan's."
Emily's eyes widened in surprise, then she half-jokingly quipped, "What if it's me?"
Both Jasmine and Emily burst into laughter at the absurd thought.
"We shouldn't entertain such lofty dreams," Emily remarked as she reached for an apple. "What's so great about those wealthy families anyway? They're all heartless. Our manager says the rich stay rich because they lack a conscience—if they had one, they couldn't make money."
Jasmine chuckled softly. "It's not all black and white... Ethan, for example, is different."
A flush crept onto Jasmine's cheeks as she praised Ethan.
"Getting defensive, are we?" Emily teased with a grin.
"No..." Jasmine mumbled, glancing away.
"Don't fall too hard. If something blossoms between you two, I'll be the first to celebrate. But if it doesn't work out, don't beat yourself up over it, okay?" Emily's tone was sincere.
Jasmine nodded firmly.
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