Wed to the Billionaire Brother of My Spouse by Doris

Chapter 12 Mom

Liam raced down the block with a box of cake and sweet treats for Jasmine.

Wiping her hands that had been sifting through the trash, Jasmine eyed Liam uneasily and took a cautious step back.

A life peppered with too many hardships had taught Jasmine to fear everyone, including Liam.

But Liam understood. He grinned and offered assurance. "They're all fresh and still sealed. Have a look for yourself."

Silent, Jasmine just stared at the ground, her fingers clenched tightly around the fabric of her pants.

She was hungry. She craved the offering. But she wouldn't beg.

"Here's the deal," Liam began, sensing her discomfort while he pointed toward the car parked curbside. "You're collecting bottles, right? Mr. Douglas sent these over. All this? Barely cost a hundred bucks. Pay it back to Mr. Douglas whenever you've saved up enough."

Jasmine followed the direction of Liam's gesture, Ethan...

She gave a small nod and accepted the cake. She would pay it back. She was determined to seize every opportunity to get closer to Ethan.

With her bag of scavenged bottles, Jasmine hobbled back the way she came.

Her ankle throbbed in pain, swollen from Zelda's cruel stomp.

Back in the storage space at The Douglas Family estate, Jasmine meticulously cleaned her hands and softly woke the slumbering Justin. "Justin, wake up, sweetheart. Let's have something to eat."

Daniel didn't bother keeping a close watch on her, knowing Jasmine wouldn't dare flee.

If she ran, she'd be caught and dragged right back.

What was the point in running?

Staying meant atonement.

Jasmine's desperate offer: donate a kidney, and she'd settle over two decades

free from any debt to

Free at last.

woke, his young eyes heavy with sleep. Then, spotting the tiny cake, he lit up, even

she handed him the treats. "Mom has a

amazing," Justin said, planting a kiss on her

"I'm... I'm

face gently,

emotion as she chuckled, but her tears betrayed her. "Be

beyond his years. He always knew to offer the first

save it for Justin.

refusing to

beside Justin, letting him lean on her as she took a

was genuinely, remarkably

locked away all those years, she'd nearly forgotten the taste of sweetness. "Mom, where's Dad? Is

Jasmine held her son close

had so many

that's why he's gone, and it's going to be a really long time

"Dad's a hero."

father for Justin, wanting nothing more than for her son to grow up healthy, happy, and whole, without feeling the void of having

have to go to

long time before I come

Justin

A pang of worry struck

to cry. "Mom,