Chapter 10

Calvin couldn't believe that he'd signed the divorce agreement. Then it hit him. Jasmine had handed him some papers to sign a month ago. He'd assumed it was just another request for money, so he barely glanced at the document before scribbling his signature. Only now did he realize that it was a divorce agreement! But why hadn't Jasmine told him about it? She loved him, didn't she? She'd never left, no matter how badly he treated her. So why now? Why would she divorce him out of nowhere? For the first time, Calvin realized that he didn't understand her at all. He demanded, "Why didn't you stop her, Mom? I never wanted a divorce." Amelia felt even more confused. She'd always believed that Calvin felt nothing for Jasmine. She'd never imagined that he'd refuse to divorce her. "But Jasmine is already gone, Calvin. And I believe she's made up her mind for good. Now that the divorce is final, you should let go and move on." Her words only fueled Calvin's rage. "That divorce doesn't mean anything. I never agreed to it. She belongs to me, and even death won't change that. I won't let her go!" Amelia fell silent. Calvin hung up, his face contorted with fury. He turned to Vanessa and demanded, "Find out where Jasmine is." Vanessa was stunned. Wasn't Olivia the one Calvin truly loved? Jasmine divorced him without making any fuss. Shouldn't that have been a relief? So why did he look like the one who had been discarded? Olivia was equally confused. She'd assumed that Calvin would leave Jasmine and marry her once she returned from abroad. Yet nothing was going the way she'd imagined. Could Calvin actually have feelings for Jasmine? Olivia didn't think so. After all, he spent every single day with her, not Jasmine. Olivia tried to make sense of it. She figured that it had to be Calvin's pride. He could demand a divorce, but never Jasmine. His ego wouldn't allow it, so he held on to her instead. No other explanation made sense. … Jasmine slept soundly in her new home. The next morning, she met with Amelia's assistant to finalize the transfer of the villa at Clearwater Gardens. After signing the paperwork, Jasmine went to a real estate agent to list the property for sale. Recognizing the villa's value, the agent greeted her with over-the-top politeness and repeatedly assured her that it would sell quickly. Jasmine didn't doubt it. Once the process was underway, she put it out of her mind. Then, she made her way to the hospital to visit Delilah. Delilah was far more stable now. Her hospital days were made brighter by the friends she'd made. Loneliness was no longer a shadow over her. When Jasmine arrived, she found Delilah in high spirits, playing cards with the other patients. Smiling, Jasmine set the fruits on the table, washed the knife, and began slicing them into pieces. Once she finished, she carried the slices over and shared them with the group. Then, spearing a piece with a fork, she lifted it to Delilah's lips. Delilah took a bite without hesitation. "Didn't Calvin come with you, Jas?" Jasmine's expression froze. "No. He's busy. He'll visit when he can." "Oh, when are you two having kids? I can't wait to babysit for you." The illness had stolen chunks of Delilah's memory. Some days, she barely remembered what happened the day before. Even now, she still thought Scott Group was operating as usual and James was just away on a business trip. She was also convinced that Jasmine had only recently gotten married. Calvin had often accompanied Jasmine to visit Delilah back when they were newlyweds. Although he was confined to a wheelchair, his distinguished background, striking looks, and respectful manner with elders had earned Delilah's approval. But as time passed, Calvin stopped visiting. Delilah, of course, no longer remembered this. In her mind, Jasmine and Calvin remained the picture of marital bliss. And Jasmine, fearing it might distress Delilah, wasn't ready to reveal the truth about their divorce. Jasmine fished some change from her purse and placed it onto the card table, deftly shifting the conversation. "Mom, my head starts pounding whenever you bring up having children. Just focus on the game! And try not to lose all my money." Delilah laughed, that same bright, carefree laugh she always had. "Your dad trusts me with his whole fortune. Why would I bother with your few coins?" Jasmine played along. "True enough. Dad's always spoiled you rotten." Once Delilah finished her game, Jasmine led her outside to bask in the sunlight. "Jas, I've been in the hospital for almost two months now. Why hasn't your dad come back yet? Did you call him?" Delilah asked, her tone innocent. Jasmine explained, "He's still overseas, finishing his project. But he promised he'd come back as soon as possible." Delilah let out a weary sigh. "He's always married to his work. Once he's deep in a project, the rest of the world disappears." Then, abruptly, her face clouded with confusion. "But I've texted him many times. Why hasn't he replied?" Knowing that Delilah wouldn't remember this the next day, Jasmine lied effortlessly. "He probably hasn't seen them. You know how he gets. Once he's focused, his phone might as well not exist." Delilah grumbled, "I won't let him leave again once he's back. At his age, he should be handing things off to his team. Can't he make more time for me?" "You're right. I'll talk to him about it," Jasmine said, siding with her. Delilah's expression lit up when she heard that. Later, Jasmine left the hospital and returned to her apartment. … After a few days of rest, Jasmine began her new job. She had kept up with her piano practice over the past three years, so her skills were still sharp. The audition went smoothly, and she moved into the probationary period without a hitch. Grinning, Penny encouraged her. "See? I told you that you'd nail it. Once you're officially in, dinner's on me. We'll go somewhere fancy." Jasmine thanked her, though a flutter of nerves stirred in her chest. After all, this was her first real job. She'd rehearsed in advance to ensure she wouldn't falter during lessons. Fortunately, her first two students were easygoing. So far, their dynamic was going smoothly. The music academy enforced a rigorous probation period, keeping Jasmine busy from dawn till dusk. Each night, exhaustion dragged her straight into sleep the moment she collapsed into bed, leaving no space for lingering thoughts of her failed marriage. One night, after her late shift, she received a call from Helen Poulter, the hospital caregiver, telling her that Delilah had gone missing. Jasmine's stomach lurched. Clutching her phone, she hurried out, but in her panic, she stumbled and fell hard to the ground. A jolt of pain seared through her ankle. Gasping, she grabbed the railing and tried to haul herself up, but her limbs refused to obey. "Are you okay?" A man's voice rang out from behind her. She turned around, squinting against the light to make out the tall, lean figure standing just beyond it.