hapter 25 – Back To Beg
The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. I hadn’t slept a wink.
My mind had been racing all night–regret, guilt, and confusion swirling in my head like a storm I couldn’t escape.
I could have loved Jasmine after Evelyn died but instead I maltreated and cheated on her.
Now look at what’s happening. She’s gotten someone better and now it feels like I’ll die.
The way the kids treated her was also partly my fault. If only I could turn back time I wouldn’t have even left her when we were in high school.
I turned and saw the kids already awake. The sextuplets sat close together on the hotel bed, their faces unusually quiet and serious.
“Dad,” Caleb said softly. “When are we going to find Mommy Jasmine again?”
“Yeah,” Charlotte added, “we need to say sorry.”
I rubbed my hands over my face and sat up. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I don’t even knov where she stays, apart from that house we went to.”
Chloe frowned. “Can we go back there?”
I opened my mouth to answer–but just then, the hotel room phone rang. I quickly reached over and answered.
“Good morning, sir,” the receptionist said. “A lady is here to see you. Her name is Jasmine.”
My heart skipped. “Jasmine?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Let her in. Please.”
The kids all jumped up, eyes wide with hope.
“Is it really her?” Clara asked.
I smiled. “Yes, they said it’s-”
The door opened.
But it wasn’t Jasmine.
It was Bianca.
The room went cold.
Bianca walked in with a bright smile. “Good morning, babies!”
But the kids didn’t run to her like they used to. Instead, they just stood there–staring. No smiles.
No excitement.
“Why did you lie to us?” Camden asked, voice trembling with anger. “You said Jasmine killed our mom!”
“Yeah,” Cole added, “you made us hate Jasmine!”
Bianca laughed nervously. “What are you talking about? I am your mother and Jasmine is the
Chapter 25
5:22 pm 222
bad guy.”
“No, you’re not!” Charlotte snapped. “We know the truth now!”
“You tricked us!” Chloe cried. “Because you wanted Daddy, you made us hate our real mom!”
Bianca’s smile faded. She turned to me, trying to laugh it off. “Henry, they’re just confused. It was all a misunderstanding, just a little joke. I didn’t mean any harm.”
I stood up. “Get out, Bianca.”
She blinked. “What?”
“You heard me. Leave. Now.”
“You’re serious?” Her voice cracked. “After everything between us? You love me, Henry!”
I clenched my fists. “If you don’t want me to do something we’ll both regret in front of the kids,
leave. Now.”
She took a step back. “I don’t believe this. Henry-”
The door burst open again.
It was my grandfather.
He looked from me to Bianca, and his face hardened.
“You!” he growled. “You have no place here. Men–get her out.”
Two of his guards stepped inside.
“Wait, wait!” Bianca shouted as they grabbed her arms. “Henry, say something!”
I stayed silent.
The kids watched, not saying a word as she was dragged out the door, kicking and screaming.
The moment the door shut, Caleb stepped forward.
“Grandpa,” he said, “we’re sorry.”
Clara nodded quickly. “We hurt Jasmine. We believed Bianca because she lied. She said Jasmine didn’t love us. But she did.”
“She’s our real mom,” Camden whispered. “And we almost let her die because of lies.”
My grandfather looked at them, then at me.
“That’s why I’m here,” he said. “We’re going to see Jasmine. Now.”
We all got in the car and drove to the Larkin mansion. No one spoke on the way. Even Charlotte stayed silent, her arms around Chloe.
Rose opened the door when we arrived. Her eyes were cold.
“I’m only letting you in because of him,” she said, nodding to my grandfather.
The kids stepped forward.
“Aunt Rose,” Cole said, “we’re sorry.”
“We didn’t mean the things we said yesterday,” Clara added. “We were wrong.”
Rose sighed, the anger softening a little. “The person you should be apologizing to is your mother.”
We nodded and followed her into the sitting room. Everything was quiet.
Chapter 25 – Back To Bea
2/3 82.2%
5:22 pm
DDR
The kids sat down, their eyes fixed on the hallway. My hands were sweaty, my heart beating like a drum.
We waited. And waited. No one spoke.
Every sound made us flinch–a creak, a step, a distant voice.
We sat there, holding our breath, waiting for Jasmine.
C
5:22 pm £22.
Jasmine’s Pov
