Chapter 49 SHC Group
Evan’s complexion shifted, and he rose abruptly. “Ethan?”
Ethan had previously meddled in Jasmine’s affairs. What was he trying to do now? Was he aiding Jasmine?
Jasmine really did have a way about her. How did she manage to get Ethan to lend her a hand?
How low had he sunk to accept such a disgrace of a woman?
Fingers curling into fists, Evan's expression turned dark as he left the living room.
"Get in touch with Daniel—I'm heading to the Douglas family’s home!"
To bring Jasmine back!
...
On the bus to Boston, Jasmine was curled up in a corner, nibbling on a chicken sausage.
She had fare-evaded, fearing the Wilsons and Douglases might track her down using her ID.
Her stop was coming up soon.
It was likely she'd have to remain in hiding from now on.
Stepping off at the station, Jasmine munched on a bag of potato chips while searching for a payphone to call Richard.
"Bro..."
"Jasmine, where did you go?" Richard's voice was laced with anxiety.
"Bro, don't worry about me; I'm fine. Just give me your bank account info, and I'll send money every month once I start working," Jasmine whispered, taking out a notebook and pen.
"You just got to a new city, settle in first," Richard said, his voice filled with concern. "Don't worry about us."
"It's for Justin's savings; he'll need it for medical expenses," Jasmine's voice cracked slightly.
Holding back tears and trying not to break down, Jasmine continued, "Bro... I'll be okay."
"Today, Ethan came by. He took Justin for a check-up. I'm not sure what his intentions are."
Jasmine paused as she held the phone. Ethan had come?
"Bro, Ethan is different from Daniel," she tried to clarify. "But it's right for us to keep our distance from the Douglas family."
"Don't worry about us; they can't touch us."
"It's Justin, he had several nosebleeds today. We had to go to the hospital to stop them. We really need to find his biological father..." Richard's voice trembled, not wanting to upset Jasmine.
"I know, and I'll find him." That was partly why Jasmine had come to Boston.
That year at the hotel in Silverlight City, besides Jordan and his crew, the most likely candidate was Henry Patrick of SHC Group. He was the one who had found her after her mishap, assuring her that as long as she was with him, he'd take care of her and she wouldn't go to jail.
"Jasmine, take care of yourself out there," Richard's voice was low.
Jasmine murmured an acknowledgment as she jotted down his bank card number, promising she would keep in touch before ending the call.
She stood there, momentarily dazed while taking in the unfamiliar cityscape around her.
How was she to arrange a meeting with Henry?
SHC Group—no inferior rival to Stellar Enterprises—wielded considerable power in Boston, a force untouchable by the average person, its reach extending far beyond the confines of Silverlight City.
Her introduction to Henry was serendipitous, sparked during a ballet performance where Jasmine had captured the crowd with her electrifying solo. After her act, word quickly spread that a high-profile figure had taken a keen interest in her.
At nineteen, steeped in the folly and innocence of youth and fiercely opposed to such propositions—especially with Daniel in her heart—Jasmine's disdain knew no bounds. She turned Henry down flat. This only fueled his competitive desire.
For a span of time, Henry went to great lengths to learn everything about Jasmine, even tracking her down at her school.
Eventually, Jasmine's patience wore thin, and harsh words were exchanged. After that, Henry receded into the background.
Back then, she had no inkling of the formidable figure she had spurned.
It was only behind bars that Jasmine learned of the stature of the Patrick Family within the SHC Group—a might that rivaled the Douglas Family, making them titans of the business world. Even the partnerships between Stellar Enterprises and SHC Group were on an equal footing.
The fateful night six years earlier had seen Jasmine at a charity ball in Silverlight City—a night marred by a scandal involving a dispute over the true heiress—a scene from which Jasmine had intended to stay away.
However, Evan sought her out, insisting she had to attend on behalf of the Wilson Family, given that the invitation bore Jasmine's name. Out of obligation to the Wilsons, she went.
Unbeknownst to Jasmine, that night was the setting for a devious plot woven by Evan and Serena.
There, she once again crossed paths with Henry, who nonchalantly offered her sanctuary in Boston if she ever found Silverlight City unbearable, asserting he had more than enough means to support her.
But Jasmine rebuffed him again, taking refuge in a corner with a glass of wine handed to her by an unfamiliar face, only to later slip into a heavy, muddled daze.
During her five years of incarceration, Jasmine replayed that evening over and over in her mind, pondering the identity of the man who might have entered her room. Out of all the potential culprits, Henry lingered at the forefront of her thoughts, for she had indeed crossed him.
"Need a place to stay, miss? Hotel! Need a cab?"
Outside the station, hawkers called out to Jasmine, who stood hesitantly, clutching the mere $500 she had on her – not nearly enough for a hotel stay.
She slunk away from the train station, found a 24-hour bank, and curled up in a corner to rest.
It was too late today; she'd look for work tomorrow.
First, she had to settle down, then she could figure out how to confront Henry and get some answers.
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