Chapter 40 Serena is Truly Malicious
Outside the Courtyard.
The nanny was engrossed in lively conversation with a few others, indifferent to Jasmine's fate.
A black sedan drove in, causing the nanny to snap to attention with a start. "M...Mr. Ethan."
Why was Ethan back at this time?
He never returned at this hour on any normal day.
Ethan stepped out of the car with a little one in tow.
The nanny's face drained of color, realizing this was Jasmine's bastard child.
"Mr. Ethan, how did you—"
"Where's Jasmine?" Ethan asked, his voice heavy with concern.
"I haven't... haven't seen her," The nanny stammered, quickly shaking her head.
Justin peered toward the backyard, where the sounds of smashing could be heard, and bolted in that direction.
This wasn't his first time a the Douglas Family Estate; he and his mom had been confined there before.
"Justin!" Liam, worried about the youngster, followed right behind.
The warehouse was padlocked from the outside, yet there were clear signs of someone on the inside.
"Open up!" Liam shouted.
But the nanny, trembling with fear, hesitated to unlock the door.
"Can't you hear me?" Ethan's voice was dangerously quiet.
"Mr. Daniel... said no one... no one should touch it," the nanny quickly made up an excuse.
Ethan's expression darkened, and he knew trouble had unfolded.
He strode over with purpose and kicked the warehouse door wide open.
James, driven into madness, charged out, eyes bloodshot, wielding a stick, obviously provoked and out of control.
"Jasmine!" Ethan rushed inside; his brow furrowed as he surveyed the dusty warehouse.
In a corner, nearly buried under debris, Jasmine lay gasping for air, too weak to respond.
Justin ran toward his mother.
Ethan's heart clenched, and he hurriedly lifted a wooden plank off Jasmine, gasping at the sight of her bloodied and barely alive.
Justin stood frozen, his Iron Man falling to the ground.
Protectively, Liam covered Justin's eyes. It pained him to see a five-year-old's first reaction to his mother lying in a pool of blood wasn't to scream or cry, but a silent swelling of tears.
The boy's response only deepened Liam's heartache, softening his voice. "Justin, Mom's going to be okay. Let's go outside with Uncle, okay?"
After a long silence, Justin asked softly, "Uncle, is Mom going to die?"
His calm question stung the air.
"Why would you ask that? Of course not," Liam, cradling Justin in his arms, managed to say despite the boy's messy state.
"Mom said... Dad is a hero, who fights bad guys, and she might have to go too," Justin murmured.
Liam's stride stiffened. He turned to glance at Ethan, who was carrying Jasmine out from the warehouse.
Ethan, silent through it all, had a look of grim determination on his face.
Liam was well aware that Ethan was furious.
Screams echoed from the courtyard.
Clutching Justin, Liam stepped outside and saw James in a frenzy, relentlessly beating Sophia, the nanny, with a stick.
"You lousy bitch, thought you could hurt me? No chance, I'll kill you."
"I'll end you!"
Sophia was bleeding from her battered head, crying and begging for help, but no one dared approach the unhinged James.
If the security guards hadn't arrived when they did, she would have likely been beaten to death.
Ethan, holding Jasmine in his arms, gave Liam a cold glance as they got into the car. "Call the cops. Find out who locked Jasmine and James in the warehouse. There should be courtyard surveillance footage. That'll serve as evidence of her attempt at murder. Get a lawyer. We're pressing charges."
The nanny, pale with terror, cried out for mercy. "Mr. Ethan, I beg you, spare me; it wasn't me, it was Miss Serena. She said James was mentally ill and locked him and Jasmine in the warehouse. I had nothing to do with it, please, Mr. Ethan, spare my life."
Ethan gave the nanny an indifferent look. "If Serena is the mastermind, tell that to the police."
With that, he shut the car door.
Nearby, three bodyguards struggled to restrain James, who was still threatening to kill the nanny.
Jasmine weakly opened her eyes, gazing outside with a profound look.
Ethan watched her with curiosity. Serena's motive for trapping Jasmine and James in the warehouse was clear, and it was certainly not as simple as just wanting Jasmine dead.
James, pushing forty and without a woman, was known to have caused harm due to his manic depression mostly from assaulting women.
That Serena... she was vicious indeed.
But looking at Jasmine, though injured, her clothes were intact, with no signs of assault.
It suggested she wasn't as timid and defenseless as she appeared.
Moreover, when James's manic episode was triggered, he burst out of the warehouse and targeted the nanny for a beating with such intent...
"I'm very curious; what did you say to James?" Ethan's interest in Jasmine grew.
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