Chapter 17
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Alessa was cast aside like a piece of torn rag. She didn’t give a damn about it anymore. With a cruel smirk curling on her lips, she went on to spill the beans.
“Do you want to know what I found in your car? Jasmine’s stocking! You two must’ve done it a lot of times in there, huh?
“She’s nothing more than a moron who’s willing to debase herself and remain as your mistress for four long years!
“Martin, you chose not to believe in her. You saw how I tortured her and chose me every time, yet you think that I was the one who chased her away. News flash, you’re the reason she walked out!”
Every time Alessa’s words reached him, Martin’s expression darkened, and he clenched his
fists.
“It would seem that you failed to realize what you have done wrong,” he said as he gestured for his bodyguards to pin her to the floor once more. Then, they dragged her away as she screamed bloody murder.
Once they were back at his villa, Martin ordered his bodyguards to lock Alessa in the
basement, forcing her to repeat what she had once done to slander Jasmine. Only this time,
she was the victim.
She was forced to carry a bowl of boiling soup, her hands instantly turning red, and she got blisters from the burns. Sometimes, she would be made to kneel for a whole day. Should she pass out from it, they would still make her kneel the moment she regained consciousness.
During that time, Martin never once checked on Alessa. He had far more important matters to attend to. Ever since he came to terms with his feelings for Jasmine, he swore he would win
her heart back.
He made his way to Nora’s place in Corvalis, knocking on the door.
Nora swiftly ran over to get the door, but she didn’t expect to see Martin. The smile on her face froze before it was replaced with disdain. “What are you doing here?”
Martin was fully aware of his mistakes, and he came with gifts. Flashing a smile at her, he said, “I never made the time to visit you ever since you returned to the country, but I bought all of these for you, Nora.”
Nora couldn’t care less about his attempt to patch things up, but Jasmine was right about one thing. No matter what happened, she and Martin were siblings–blood was thicker than water.
Chapter 17
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With an icy expression, she let him into her place before exposing his true intention. “You’re here to ask me about Jasmine, right? Tough luck. As I said, I won’t tell you anything. You can drop that idea now.”
Martin walked through the door, placed the gifts on the table, and replied softly, “Nora, I know I made some mistakes, and I intend to make up for it. Can you please tell me where Jasmine went? I won’t let Alessa hurt her anymore.
“From here on out, I will treat Jasmine the way she deserves to be treated. Aren’t you two close friends? Once we get together, you’ll be able to see her every day.”
Nora immediately said, “With or without you, Jasmine and I are still close friends. What matters is that she’s happy. I don’t care where she lives.
“Martin, you’ve hurt her one too many times. What makes you think you can salvage this relationship? You explicitly told me that Alessa was your future wife.”
He was stumped and fell silent.
However, Nora was a forthright person. A wave of anger rose in her chest when she thought about the misery Jasmine suffered. Martin’s silence only fueled her sarcasm, making her words that much sharper.
“Not only did you slap me for Alessa’s sake, Martin, but you also slapped Jasmine. Yeah, you might’ve admitted that you made some mistakes, but has it ever occurred to you that it’s too little, too late?
“Want to know something? Jasmine is having a good, happy life overseas right now!”
What she said made Martin falter for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he bowed slightly to her. “Nora, I know what I did wrong, and Alessa has gotten her just desserts. If you don’t believe me, I can take you to her and let you see for yourself.
“Please tell Jasmine that I’m aware of my mistakes now. She loved me so much that she held onto me for eight years. That’s almost a decade, Nora. I’m sure she’ll forgive me. Help me this once, I beg you.”
The more Martin spoke, the faster his words came as if something unseen was chasing him.
Even his eyes turned red.
But everything he said was utterly absurd to Nora. This was the first time he had been this laughable in her eyes.
“So, you did know that she was in love with you for eight long years. But how did you treat her? You thought of her as nothing more than a sex partner. Worse, you saw her as a maid that you could summon or abandon at will!
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“You were the one who killed off her love for you. She’s gone now, and you’ve just realized your mistakes. Martin, she’s a person with feelings. She feels pain, too!”
Martin’s guilt deepened upon hearing her words. His eyes reddened, he got down on his knees, his voice hoarse. “Nora, let me see Jasmine once, at least. That’s all I ask. If she still doesn’t forgive me, I will never disturb her again.”
This was the first time Martin had begged someone in his entire life. And now, he was actually on his knees, pleading with his own sister, no less, for the sake of Jasmine, someone who had walked out on him.
The last thing Nora expected was for her proud brother to take it this far. That said, she could never betray her best friend for Martin’s sake, either.
She clenched her teeth in frustration as she spoke. “I can help you ask her. If Jasmine is willing to see you, I’ll give you her current address.”
At first, Martin had given up hope, but his eyes immediately lit up as he eagerly nodded.
