Chapter 41 Ethan
Jasmine said nothing. She just closed her eyes and pretended to faint.
She was afraid of being seen through.
Ethan's gaze was like the scorching sun, seemingly able to expose her completely, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Liam glanced at the little guy buckled up in the passenger seat, who was silent as a mouse. He just couldn't find it in himself to tease Justin any longer. "Your mom's going to be okay, buddy. She's tough."
With that, Justin mustered the courage to steal a glance back at his mom.
He wasn't scared easily and blood never fazed him. What scared him to the core was the thought of losing her.
Ethan furrowed his brow, instinctively removing his suit jacket to cover Jasmine, shielding the bloodstains from view. He didn't want the child to be frightened.
With eyes filled with concern, Justin looked at Jasmine and then at Ethan. "Dad, you'll always protect me and Mom, right?"
Ethan hesitated, unable to make such a promise. He knew his limitations.
He couldn't always watch over Jasmine.
If she didn't learn to toughen up, life would never be easy for her and her son.
"I'm sorry..." Ethan was sincere, and it hurt to tell the truth.
Justin's eyes brimmed with tears as he turned away and settled back into his seat, a look of dejection washing over him.
Throughout the ride, Justin looked like he was lost in his own little world. He was only five years old, with round cheeks hinting at baby fat. But now, his large eyes and fluttering long lashes were moist with unreleased tears.
For some unknown reason, Ethan found himself irked by the boy's sadness.
Adjusting his tie, Ethan eventually gave in, took a pen, and grabbed Justin's hand to jot down his private number on the boy's palm. "Think you can remember this number?"
This was Ethan's personal line, known only to Liam and no one else at the company.
Ethan reserved that number for the few he truly cared about.
Liam shot an astonished glance at Ethan, realizing he'd taken a real liking to the kid.
But to be frank, even Liam found himself sympathizing with this kid. This was too much for a five-year-old to bear.
Justin's eyes sparkled with a glint of hope. "I've got it memorized."
With a raised eyebrow, Ethan challenged, "Let's hear it then."
And Justin recited it flawlessly.
"There you go, kid—sharp as a tack," Liam said with a chuckle.
Ethan looked at Justin squarely. "If you're ever in danger, you call me, okay?"
"Are you really like a superhero, Dad? If I call, you'll come rescue me?" Justin asked anxiously, his sensitivity getting the best of him.
Ethan knit his brows together, remaining silent. He couldn't make that assurance.
As Liam parked the car, it pained him to see the little guy so disappointed. "Here, remember Uncle Liam's number too. I'll only say it once, but you can call me if you're in trouble. I'll come to your rescue just the same."
Liam got out and opened the car door for Justin, his heart aching just a little for the brave little boy.
Justin quietly noted down Liam's phone number.
Ethan got out of the car and made a move to embrace Jasmine.
Jasmine was now awake and instinctively shrank away from Ethan in a frightened panic.
Ethan stood outside the car door, gesturing for her to get out on her own.
Jasmine stumbled out of the car, but for her, the world was spinning, and she ended up collapsing into Ethan's arms.
Taking a step back in alarm, Jasmine kept her head down and started to walk towards the hospital.
"Mom..." Justin ran over and took hold of his mother's hand.
Shivering, Jasmine didn't want to scare Justin, so she reluctantly wrapped Ethan's jacket around herself.
The jacket was stained with her blood, a stain that seemed like it could never be washed out.
Ethan's clothes were so expensive; she knew she could never afford to repay him.
Tears filled her eyes as she gripped Justin's hand a little tighter.
"According to the report, Jasmine suffered a lot in prison and eventually developed suicidal tendencies. That’s when the guards applied for psychological therapy for her, citing severe depression with accompanying speech disorders—in other words, she won't speak unless she wants to..."
Liam let out a sigh.
The kid, Justin, really got the short end of the stick – he was still just a child.
But Jasmine, well, they say one reaped what they sow.
She brought this upon herself and dragged her child into it.
"Why does she seem so terrified of men approaching her?" Ethan asked.
She must have gone through many traumatic experiences for her to react this way.
"I heard she was mistreated. At first, she kept explaining to everyone that she didn’t mean to betray Mr. Daniel. But no one believed her, and eventually, she stopped talking."
Ethan furrowed his brow; she was indeed a complicated woman.
In the sterilization room.
The doctor administered anesthesia to Jasmine and started stitching her up.
She sat there the whole time, quiet, with a hollow look in her eyes, like a soulless doll.
"If it hurts, just let me know," the doctor whispered, trying to comfort her.
Jasmine didn't flinch or make a sound.
"Your eardrum is perforated, and there's still bleeding in the ear canal. You'll need to rest after the anti-inflammatory injection and keep water out of your ears for a while."
After treating her wounds, the doctor wrapped up her left ear which was now deaf.
And just like that, she was completely hearing-impaired on her left side.
"Can you hear clearly with your right ear?" The doctor asked on her right side.
Jasmine nodded.
The doctor glanced at Ethan. "After the IV drip, she can be discharged."
"Thank you." Ethan replied with a note of gratitude, then stepped in front of Jasmine. "I asked Liam to take the kid out."
He didn't want Justin to be scared by the sight of his mother getting stitched up.
"Thank you," Jasmine murmured softly.
Ethan reminded her, as the police were due to arrive shortly, "This time the evidence is solid. The nanny won't be able to cover for Serena. Speak your mind to the police," he urged Jasmine not to make the same foolish, timid mistakes.
This was the chance he was giving her.
If Jasmine didn't seize it, he would wash his hands of her for good.
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