“What did you just say?” Carl asked in disbelief. Just moments ago, Jasmine had been fighting off Manuel. And now, suddenly, she was holding Carl back, stopping him from striking the man down. Her grip on Carl’s arm tightened. She was terrified—not just for herself, but for him. If Carl hurt Manuel further, whoever stood behind that spoiled bastard would surely come after him. Unlike her, Carl didn’t have a powerful name to shield him. “Just stop it now, Carl.” Jasmine drew a deep breath, her voice trembling. “T-Thank you for helping me. But you don’t need to take this any further. Let’s just… apologize to Mr. Smith.” Carl’s jaw dropped. “Do you even hear yourself, Jasmine? He tried to rape you in front of everyone—and you want me to apologize to him instead?” Frustration welled up in Jasmine’s chest. “You don’t understand, Carl. Mr. Smith isn’t just some ordinary man! We need to end this here—before it gets worse!” Carl let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head at her words. He h

Inside the Smith mansion, Marcos Smith sat frowning over a half-empty glass of wine. The room smelled of smoke and expensive liquor. A man burst in, breathless, panic written on his face.“Sir! We just got word—young master is in the hospital now!” the man announced.Marcos froze mid-sip, brows locking together as he stared at the messenger. “What happened to him?” he demanded.“The man said he was stabbed in the crotch,” came the reply.Marcos’ fingers tightened around the glass until the stem slipped and the crystal shattered in his palm. For a heartbeat the room went silent.“Bring me to my son. Now!” he ordered, voice cold and hard.—At the hospital, Marcos rumbled through the corridors. People and staff moved aside when they saw the men trailing behind him—armed, silent, dangerous. Patients whispered as he passed.“Isn’t that Marcos Smith? The Smith Gang leader?” one asked.“Yes. What is he doing here?” “Whatever’s happening, it can’t be good,” another muttered.But the staff

In an instant, the entire hospital where Manuel was confined became surrounded by the Smith Gang. They formed a perimeter—armed, alert, and watching everything that moved.Inside, the hospital’s operations continued as if nothing had changed. Doctors and nurses still moved about, but fear was etched into every step. No new patients or visitors were being allowed inside. Most were turned away before they even reached the main doors.Jasmine’s car stopped right in front of the building. Through the tinted glass, she immediately noticed the line of men standing guard outside. Each one carried a gun, the metallic glint catching the sunlight. Her chest tightened.No. I have to do this, she told herself firmly. This is the least I can do… so I’ll never owe Carl anything again.She was about to step out when three men approached her vehicle, raising their guns toward her.“You need to leave. Now!” one of them barked.Jasmine swallowed hard. As expected, every one of them was armed to the tee

“Jasmine!”Carl instantly grabbed the gun from the floor and fired—hitting Marcos in the shoulder. The man’s grip on both the weapon and Jasmine loosened, and in the next second, Carl’s powerful kick sent him crashing backward.“Jasmine!” Lea called out in panic.Carl immediately helped Jasmine to her feet, his movements both gentle and protective. He noticed her blouse had torn slightly, so without hesitation, he took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.“Y-You’re here,” Jasmine whispered, disbelief written all over her face.Carl gave a short nod, his eyes steady as he patted her arm reassuringly.For the first time since she’d been dragged into this nightmare, Jasmine felt a flicker of safety. The chaos around her seemed to blur, replaced by the quiet certainty in Carl’s gaze.“Go now,” he said firmly. “I’ll take care of this.”Jasmine hesitated, her eyes filled with worry. “But—”Carl tapped her arm again, a calm authority in his voice. “I’ll be fine.”Lea took Jasmine b

The three of them were in the hospital’s emergency room. After the gang members who were still conscious were caught, order finally returned to the hospital.The gang members were taken away and brought to the station—Marcos Smith among them.“Thank God the police arrived on time!” Lea exclaimed, still shaken. “I thought I was going to die back there! Don’t ever do that again, Ms. Garcia!” she added dramatically.Jasmine sighed, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed while Lea stood beside her. Across the room, Carl sat quietly as a nurse tended to the scratches on his arm.“You’re right. Thanks for calling the police. I didn’t expect Mr. Smith to turn out that insane,” Jasmine said tiredly.Lea frowned. “Huh? I didn’t call the police. When I got here, those stupid gang members were already lying flat on the floor!”Now it was Jasmine’s turn to look confused. “What? If it wasn’t you, then who—”“Jasmine!”Both women turned toward the door when they heard someone call her name. It was