Chapter 96

The moment those words left Whitney's lips, Jasmine felt a tightness seize her chest. That familiar weight pressed down again, like a stone lodged in her ribcage, making it difficult to breathe. Then, as if struck by a jolt of electricity, Joshua suddenly shifted to the side, putting a noticeable distance between himself and Whitney. Her expression froze. The smile that had been carefully maintained on her face stiffened in an instant. But she quickly composed herself, doing everything she could to keep the collapsing smile in place. Before she could say anything else to reinforce the illusion of closeness between her and Joshua, he stood up without warning. His expression was cool and unreadable. "I'm going to the restroom," he said simply. Without another word or glance, he walked away. As his figure disappeared, the last traces of Whitney's forced smile fell apart. Her face turned cold. She cast a sharp, resentful glance in Jasmine's direction. Jasmine stared at the dishes in