Jasmine’s Pov
“You vicious woman, today you can finally die miserably!”
“Finally, we killed the murderer of our dead mother with our own hands! We have avenged our mother!”
The sextuplets spoke in unison, their voices fierce, each child’s face filled with the pleasure of
revenge.
TWANG.
Pain exploded through me.
And everything went black.
A low humming sound pulled me from the dark. My eyelids felt like bricks. My throat burned. My whole body… it didn’t feel like mine.
I opened my eyes. Bright, white ceiling. Circular windows. A soft beeping sound beside me.
I was lying down. Strapped to tubes. A clear one in my hand. A needle in my arm. Something cold on my chest.
My heart started to race.
What is this? Where am I?
tried to sit up–pain exploded through my side. I cried out, gasping.
“No, no, don’t move!”
That voice.
I turned my head, slowly.
He stepped into view. Tall, lean, slightly older. His hair was neater, darker now. But I’d know that voice anywhere.
“Douglas?” I croaked.
He rushed to my side, his hand instantly covering mine. “It’s me. You’re safe now, Jasmine.”
I blinked through the blinding pain and tears. “You’re… here?”
He smiled softly. “Yeah. I’m here.”
My chest trembled. “Am I… alive?”
He let out a shaky breath. “You are. And you’re going to be okay.”
“But I–I fell. I remember arrows. I remember falling,” I whispered, voice cracking.
Douglas sat beside me. “You were shot with six arrows. They hit you almost at once. You were standing at the edge of the cliff when it happened.”
I flinched. That part I remembered. The faces. The betrayal. The sound of their bows snapping.
“I fell, didn’t I?” I asked.
“You did,” he said. “But you didn’t hit the ground.”
“What?”
5:14 pm
“You clung to a boulder just beneath the edge. Somehow, even after being shot like that, you didn’t let go.”
I stared at him. “But I passed out.”
“You did. By the time we got to you, you’d lost so much blood. You were barely conscious.”
“How… how did you even find me?”
“I tracked your phone. I’d been worried, Jas. I hadn’t heard from you. Something felt wrong.”
Tears spilled down my cheeks. “You saved me…”
He nodded, his own eyes turning glassy. “I thought I lost you. But you’re still here.”
I tried to lift my hand to touch him but winced again.
“Don’t force it,” he said gently. “You’re hooked up to pain meds, blood transfusions. You’re stil healing.”
I looked around slowly. “Where… are we?”
He smiled faintly. “Private jet. I had you moved from the cliffside straight to emergency care. This was faster. Safer.”
“Douglas…” My voice trailed off. “We grew up
in a one–room apartment. You used to sell old
comics just so we could eat dinner. How in the world do you have a private jet now?”
He chuckled. “A lot’s changed since we last saw each other.”
“Ten years,” I whispered. “It’s been ten years.
“I know,” he said, a shadow passing over his face. “We lost time.”
We both went quiet for a moment.
My chest ached–both physically and emotionally.
Douglas was my only family left. After Mom and Dad died in that fire, we had no one but each
other.
He was only seventeen when I left. We had one fight–just one–and I disappeared into Henry’s
world.
And now… he was the one who pulled me out of the abyss. Literally.
“You look… good,” I said softly.
“You look like hell,” he joked.
I cracked a small smile. “Yeah… I feel like it too.”
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair off my forehead. “I can’t believe how strong you were. Holding onto a rock while bleeding out. That’s something else.”
I blinked. “I didn’t even know I was that strong.”
Douglas looked serious. “You always were. You just forgot.”
I swallowed hard.
“So,” I said, shifting my eyes back to the ceiling. “You’re successful now?”
“I run my own business. Partnerships. Logistics. High–stakes recovery.” “Must be pretty high–stakes if you’re using jets like taxis,” I muttered.
Chapter 4-1 Survived?
5:14 pm
He laughed. “It’s not that glamorous. But it gets the job done.”
I studied him. “You’re really not the skinny boy who used to cry when I scraped my knees.”
“No,” he said, then added, “and you’re not the reckless girl who used to think love could fix
everything.”
That hit deep.
Silence again.
Until the door opened.
I looked over, confused.
A man stepped inside.
He was tall. Maybe 6’3. His suit looked expensive. Sharp lines. Pressed cuffs.
He had dark eyes, full lashes, and skin that practically glowed under the cabin lights.
His hair was neatly styled. His jaw was carved like stone.
I couldn’t look away.
“Uh.” I blinked.
Douglas stood up. “Jasmine, I want you to meet someone.”
The man stepped forward with calm, confident strides.
“Silas,” Douglas said. “This is my business partner.”
Silas gave me a slight nod. “Pleasure.”
Even his voice sounded… expensive.
I blinked again. My throat was suddenly dry. “Hi…”
Douglas looked at me, then back at him. “And…” He hesitated. “He’s also your husband–to–be.”
I froze.
My ears rang. My heart stopped.
“What?” I whispered.
5:14 pm 22
