Jasmine’s Pov
Chapter 3 – Kidnapped
Grandfather’s cane hit the marble tiles with a loud, bone–shaking crack as he stepped forward. “Who did this?” His voice wasn’t frail like his age would suggest. It was iron steel and filled with rage.
Silence.
The sextuplets stood there, heads down, shoulders stiff. Pretending to be the innocent little angels they weren’t.
But I saw it.
Clara’s lips twitched into a cruel smile before she lowered her head again.
Henry’s face had gone pale. “I… I didn’t know. I swear.”
Grandfather turned his glare to him. “Don’t swear, Henry. Your ignorance is your shame.”
I cradled Miso’s tiny body in my arms, his white fur stained crimson, my tears dripping onto his lifeless face.
“He was just a puppy.” I whispered brokenly. “He didn’t deserve this.”
Grandfather turned back to the children, his cane slamming the ground again.
“You think this is a joke? You think it’s funny to harm the innocent?”
They flinched.
“You will each receive twenty lashes tonight,” he thundered. “And for the next month, no outings no toys, no electronics. You will wake at dawn and scrub every inch of this estate until your hands bleed.”
Clara gasped. “But Grandpa-!”
“Silence!”
“But it was a prank-”
“A prank?” Grandfather roared. “You call this a prank? On a living creature? Shame on you!” Henry tried to speak, but Grandfather cut him off with a glare. “This is my house. And Jasmine is still my granddaughter–in–law. If she wants you all thrown out, I’ll do it myself.”
Henry stepped back, looking as stunned as I felt.
For a fleeting moment, I almost–almost–felt protected.
But it was too late. Far too late for any of them to save me now.
I walked past them, ignoring the whispers, ignoring the hateful glares from the kids.
In the garden, I dug a small grave with my bare hands. Dirt caked my nails, my tears mixing with the soil as I buried the only creature who’d ever loved me unconditionally.
“I’m sorry, Miso,” I sobbed, my cries muffled by the night.
He had been my comfort. My anchor in this hellish house. And now he was gone, just like that.
And something inside me snapped.
5:13 pm 5
Later that night, I was walking through the east corridor when I heard them.
Whispers and giggles.
The soft, cruel footsteps of six demons in children’s bodies.
I turned around.
There they were. Each holding a candle, their faces glowing in the flickering light, their smiles twisted and cold.
“You told on us,” Charlotte said sweetly, her voice dripping with venom.
Clara stepped forward, her eyes glinting. “Grandpa punished us because of you.”
“I didn’t tell,” I muttered, moving to walk past them.
But Caleb blocked my path. “You cried like a baby. We saw you.”
“Where’s your puppy now?” Cole sneered.
Tears stung my eyes, but I bit them back. “Get out of my way.”
“Or what?” Camden smirked. “You’ll tattle again?”
“You’re powerless now,” Chloe added with a wicked grin.
They circled me like wolves and slowly they turned the candle as the hot wax poured onto my skin.
Before I could shout, a new voice echoed down the hallway, smooth and sweet like poisoned honey.
‘Children, that’s not how we treat family.”
I froze.
She walked in like she owned the place.
Bianca.
The woman the children worshipped. The woman Henry truly loved. The woman who made sure I never forgot I was nothing in this house.
Her emerald satin robe shimmered under the chandelier lights, her red hair cascading over her
shoulders like fire.
‘Mommy Bianca!” the kids cheered, rushing into her arms.
*My babies,” she cooed, kissing them on the forehead. “Did you miss me?”
‘Always!” Clara beamed.
She finally turned her gaze on me, her smile fake and cold. “Oh. Jasmine. Still here?”
clenched my fists. “What do you want, Bianca?”
Bianca hadn’t been at the party. She couldn’t. Henry’s grandfather despised her. But that didn’t stop Henry from parading her around in private.
‘d caught him once, video calling her in the bathtub.
He told me coldly, “Mind your business, Jasmine. I married you for my dead wife’s sake. You’re just a placeholder. I can go out all night with whoever I want.”
5
5:14 pm 25
That was six months ago, I stayed on for the kids, but even that is over now.
“I heard about poor Miso,” Bianca purred mockingly. “Tragic. But maybe now you can focus or healing. Alone.”
I clenched my jaw. “Get out of my way.”
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You poor thing. Always playing the victim. No family. Nc friends. No place.”
I
And before I knew it, she grabbed my hair tightly as I tried to scream but she clamped her hands over my mouth and nose.
I thrashed in her grasp, my screams muffled while the children giggled and resumed pouring me hot wax on my body.
“Is anyone here?” Henry’s voice sounded down the hallway.
The kids pulled away while Bianca pushed me aside as I gasped from air, my eyes red and bloodshot and my body caked with hot wax and pain.
Bianca had almost smothered me to death.
Bianca beamed. “Henry!” She wrapped her arms around him. “I was just comforting Jasmine. She’s been so… overwhelmed.”
Henry looked at me, frowning. “Jasmine, what’s going on now?”
“She yelled at us!” Caleb piped up.
“She said she hated us,” Camden added quickly.
“She scared Charlotte,” Clara whimpered.
Still gasping for air, I snapped. “What? That’s a lie!”
“She’s upset about the dog.” Bianca said with a fake sigh. “Let’s be patient with her.”
Henry’s eyes hardened. “Jasmine, this is getting out of hand.”
I turned away, my heart shattering all over again.
They would never see me. Never hear me.
I went back to my room where my suitcase sat waiting. Like me.
Ready to go.
I checked my phone.
My flight confirmation
came in.
And the documents I’d requested… would arrive by morning.
All I had to do was survive until then..
The next morning, my phone buzzed violently.
A message.
“Aunty Jasmine, help us! We’ve been kidnapped!”
Another message followed.
“They took us to the forest behind the estate. Please don’t tell Grandpa or Daddy. They’ll kill us if
3/4 9.25
5:14 pm ER
you do
My heart stopped.
Even though the sextuplets don’t love me and often bully me, they are still children, six lives, and
I can’t just ignore them..
I grabbed my keys and ran.
The estate woods were dense. The GPS pin they sent led me to the cliff’s edge.
“Kids?” I called, panting. “Clara? Caleb?”
I heard Rustling followed by cruel laughter.
“You fell for it,” Clara grinned.
Six figures emerged from behind the trees, dressed in black and holding crossbows.
The sextuplets quickly surrounded me on the other three sides, and behind me were cliffs and bottomless cliffs!
“You actually came,” Charlotte giggled.
“You should’ve left when we told you,” Caleb sneered.
“You’re ruining everything!” Clara screamed.
“You took Daddy!” Charlotte yelled.
“Time to take it back,” Caleb hissed.
“And avenge our mother!” Chloe roared.
As soon as Chloe finished speaking, the sextuplets stared at me fiercely. They drew their crossbows at the same time and aimed at my temples, the center of my forehead, my heart, my eyes, and my legs.
“No… please…“My heart thundered in my chest
The next second, six sharp arrows flew towards me from six directions!
