Chapter 4

Inside the private room, clinking glasses and noisy chatter filled the atmosphere. Jasmine sat in a corner, watching Caesar surrounded at the center. Despite that, his eyes always followed Sabrina's every move. When Sabrina reached for a drink, he would open the cap for her before she even touched it. When her dress got a slight drop of wine on it, he immediately handed her a handkerchief. Even when she coughed lightly, he quietly turned up the air-conditioning temperature. Jasmine had never experienced a single one of these small, gentle gestures. She numbly downed another glass of alcohol, feeling her heart getting slowly shredded as though it was carved at with a dull knife. Over the past year, when she and Caesar did nothing but sleep together, she'd never seen him lose control even at the most intense moments. "The bottle has landed on Mr. Snee!" someone suddenly called out. "Time for your punishment!" Laughter filled the room as someone handed him a tablet. "Everyone says Mr. Snee is the purest-hearted and with the fewest desires in the industry, so we won't make it hard. We'll show you two pictures, and you just need to quickly pick the one person who makes your heart race!" The first set of pictures showed a popular female celebrity and Sabrina. Without hesitation, Caesar glanced at the tablet and said, "Sabrina." The room erupted in cheers. Sabrina lowered her head with a flushed face, unable to hide the smile on her lips. Jasmine's fingers dug into her palm. One pair of photos after another flashed by, and Caesar chose Sabrina every single time without hesitation. Unable to take it anymore, Jasmine got up and headed to the restroom. But just as she took a few steps forward, another round of loud cheers erupted behind her. She turned and saw her own photo displayed next to Sabrina's on the tablet. "Woah!" The crowd got excited. "Now this is interesting! Ms. Booth is the most beautiful in the industry, and no actress can compare to her! If Mr. Snee still picks Ms. Harding, that really says something." Everyone turned to look at Caesar, but he remained unusually silent. Jasmine froze where she stood, feeling her heart thundering in her chest. A few seconds later, she heard Caesar say in a low voice, "Sabrina." Jasmine felt as though her world had collapsed in that moment. Amid the roaring cheers in the room, she stumbled into the restroom, turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on her face. Still, it couldn't douse the searing pain inside her. After a long while, Jasmine looked up at her reflection. The girl in the mirror was breathtakingly beautiful, yet she had suffered a crushing defeat. When she came out of the bathroom, the hallway lights were dim. Just as she turned a corner, she was blocked by several drunken men. "Hey, beautiful, can I get your number?" The lead man reeked of alcohol as he reached out to touch her face. Jasmine stepped back, her back hitting the cold wall. "Get lost!" she shouted. "Why are you acting all high and mighty?" Another man grabbed her wrist. "With you wearing this, aren't you begging for it?" As she struggled, Jasmine's gaze pierced through the crowd and met Caesar's, who was standing at the door of the private room. She saw him frown slightly, and just as he was about to step forward, Sabrina's sudden cry came from behind. "Ah!" Caesar immediately turned around and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?" "I think I twisted my ankle…" Sabrina said, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm fine. You should go help Jasmine first." Caesar squatted down to check her ankle. "Don't bother with her. She can handle herself." That one sentence seemingly pierced through Jasmine's heart like a knife. The ruffian's hand had already reached her waist, and his disgusting alcohol breath hit her face. "Come play with me…" Jasmine grabbed a wine bottle from the hallway console and smashed it against the wall. "If you don't want to die, get lost!" she shrieked. Shards of glass cut her hand, and blood dripped down her fingertips. Then, while taking advantage of the man's dazed state, she quickly fled. … After the gathering ended, Jasmine didn't want to get into Caesar's car, so she stood alone by the roadside waiting for a taxi. With her high heels stepping into a puddle, Sabrina walked over holding an umbrella. "Jasmine, you don't have a car? How about I take you home?" Jasmine looked at the car key in her hand—the latest model sports car—and suddenly smiled. Roderick really was generous, gifting such a nice car to a stepdaughter. "No need." Jasmine curled her lips into a dazzling smile. "It feels dirty to ride in a car of a mistress' daughter." Sabrina's expression instantly darkened. Finally, she dropped her act and grabbed Jasmine's wrist. "Jasmine! Say that again!" "Will saying it again change the fact that you're a mistress' daughter? Let go!" Jasmine retorted. In the midst of their argument, a pair of blinding headlights suddenly shone in their direction. Jasmine turned her head and saw an out-of-control car speeding straight toward them. In a split second, Jasmine saw Caesar dash forward and yank Sabrina into his arms. Meanwhile, she was knocked to the ground with a deafening thud.