Chapter 36 Jasmine's Two Extremes in Life
Stellar Enterprises.
"Mr. Douglas, these are the findings of the investigation concerning Jasmine. Please take a look; it's quite a mess," Liam said as he handed the documents to Ethan.
Glancing at the papers, Ethan noted Jasmine's life seemed split into two distinct chapters. The first, her shining era as the Wilson family heiress, was marked not only by academic excellence and innate talent but a long list of awards and honors. She had even been accepted into Stanford University with the highest score.
Romantically, life was smooth sailing throughout high school, where she dated Daniel, and they were blessed by their parents.
However, her life took a nosedive from its peak into an abyss—not just any abyss, but hell itself.
With the true Wilson family heiress's return, Jasmine, the counterfeit, became a pariah, vilified by all, tumbling from her pedestal into abysmal depths.
First, she was cast out by the Wilsons, followed by scandalous headlines that tarnished her reputation. Next, she was disgracefully discarded from her engagement by the Douglas family, earning the scorn of the masses.
Then came an unexpected pregnancy, further sullying her name, as she endured crushing pressure yet, she remained determined to have the child.
Upon the child's birth, she was ruthlessly taken to court by the united front of Evan and Daniel.
In the courtroom, Jasmine didn’t utter a single word in her defense. No matter what the opposing attorney accused her of, she just accepted it.
She ended up being sentenced to five years for extortion, of all things.
Extortion?
Ethan furrowed his brow, struggling to picture Jasmine, with her timid nature, extorting Daniel and the Wilson family.
It was clear as day to anyone paying attention—the girl was ruffling feathers among the elite, and the Wilsons and Douglases had teamed up to put her behind bars.
"Can't find anything on the kid's father?" Ethan mulled over the paperwork with a frown.
"It's precisely because we can't find him that I've advised you to steer clear of this mess," Liam whispered discreetly. "Think about it; does Jasmine seem like the type to strong-arm anyone? Obviously, she's taking the fall for someone. Why else would she keep mum about the child's father? I bet he's the one pulling the strings behind the extortion."
"Maybe you should lay off the detective novels," Ethan said dryly, tossing aside the files. "Keep digging. There's nothing you can't find?"
"Mr. Douglas... there's a little boy downstairs..." the secretary said with a tap on the door and a quiet query. "He—he claimed that he's your son. We're not sure what to make of it, and have sent a security guard to handle the situation."
Liam was taken aback. "You have a son, Mr. Douglas?"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening as he eyed Liam.
"I'll have the security guard take the boy to the police station then," Liam suggested, glancing at the clock. "Mr. Douglas, you have a video conference with our partners overseas in five minutes. You might want to get ready."
Ethan nodded and stood, preparing to leave for the conference room. He then paused to inquire, "How old is the kid? What's his name?"
"Claims he's five. Goes by Justin."
Ethan arched an eyebrow. So, Jasmine's son.
"Have the security guard keep an eye on the child. I'll head down shortly."
The secretary was surprised. "But the meeting?"
"Postpone it."
With an air of detachment, Ethan exited his office and briskly made for the elevator.
Stunned, Liam followed. "Mr. Douglas, this Jasmine... Justin—her little... son? She's playing high-stakes games by sending a five-year-old to the company to claim you as his father."
In Liam's view, Jasmine was cunning to the core, even exploiting her own child without fear of the dangers a little one might face.
What if something really went wrong? What would she do then?
Ethan, however, was unfazed. If Jasmine wasn't clever enough, she wouldn't even catch his attention.
"Smart women make things easier," Ethan remarked nonchalantly.
With a smart woman, there wouldn't be as much hassle when dealing with the aftermath.
Liam nodded in understanding. A smart woman knew what she wanted and, once she got it, wouldn't cause trouble down the line.
But women like Miss Harper were a real headache – always wanting love, caught up in their emotions.
In this cutthroat society, where did all this love come from? Especially for a man like Ethan – he didn't need love.
His world was about weighing pros and cons and strategic planning.
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