chapter thirty-four

Chapter 34

The following morning, Jasmine woke up feeling like she had barely slept. The weight of everything that had happened in the last few days sat heavily on her chest, but she pushed it down, forcing herself into a routine.

She wasn't going to let this consume her.

After getting dressed, she made her way across town to visit Penelope. The boutique was as charming as ever, filled with soft pastel hues and elegant lace gowns hanging from gold racks. The scent of fresh peonies lingered in the air—a signature touch Penelope insisted on.

Her best friend lit up as soon as she saw her. "Jas! Finally, you grace me with your presence."

Jasmine smiled, hugging her. "I've been busy."

Penelope pulled back, giving her a skeptical look. "Busy doing what? You barely texted back."

Jasmine hesitated. She hadn't figured out how to explain the whirlwind of events without sending Penelope into a panic. So instead, she deflected.

"Work, mostly." She gestured around. "Speaking of, how's the boutique?"

Penelope narrowed her eyes, clearly sensing the evasion but letting it slide for now. "It's good. Bookings are filling up fast. Luka even helped out the other day—shocking, I know."

Jasmine laughed. Luka, Penelope's younger brother, was far from the responsible type. The thought of him helping in a wedding boutique was almost comical.

They spent the next hour catching up, Penelope talking animatedly about her latest clients while Jasmine nodded along, grateful for a moment of normalcy.

But as she sat there, sipping on her tea, she couldn't shake the lingering thoughts about Antonio.

Who exactly was he?

The night before, after getting home, she had tried searching for him online again. But every result had been the same—corporate interviews, generic news articles, but nothing real. No personal details, no traces of his past beyond his rise as CEO of AR Corporation.

And certainly nothing about his involvement with the underworld.

It was like someone had scrubbed his entire existence clean.

"Earth to Jasmine?"

She blinked, realizing she had completely zoned out.

Penelope smirked. "Who's got you so deep in thought?"

Jasmine shook her head. "No one."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure. You're acting weird."

Jasmine forced a smile. "Just tired, that's all."

Penelope studied her for a moment before sighing. "Fine, keep your secrets. But if you need to talk, you know I'm here, right?"

Jasmine nodded. "I know."

She wished she could tell Penelope everything. But until she figured out what exactly she was caught up in, she wasn't ready to put her best friend in danger.

Later That Day – The Office

Jasmine walked into her clinic, greeting Lana at the reception before heading straight to her office. She had barely settled in when there was a knock on her door.

"Dr. Harrington?" Lana peeked inside. "Your new client is here. Mr. Laurent."

Jasmine straightened. She remembered meeting him briefly at the event, though she hadn't expected him to reach out for therapy so soon.

"Send him in," she said.

A moment later, Mr. Laurent stepped inside—a distinguished man in his early fifties, dressed impeccably in a dark suit. Despite his composed appearance, there was a weariness in his eyes.

"Dr. Harrington," he greeted, offering a polite smile. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

Jasmine gestured to the chair opposite her desk. "Of course, please have a seat."

As he settled in, she observed him carefully. Something about him seemed… unsettled.

"My wife recommended you," Mr. Laurent began. "She said you were quite insightful."

Jasmine nodded. "I'm glad she felt that way. What brings you in today?"

He exhaled, clasping his hands together. "I've been struggling with…certain pressures. Both personal and professional."

Jasmine tilted her head. "Would you like to elaborate?"

There was a pause before he finally spoke. "Let's just say I'm in a position where… mistakes aren't tolerated."

Something about the way he said it sent a chill down Jasmine's spine.

She kept her expression neutral. "That sounds like a lot to carry."

Mr. Laurent gave a hollow chuckle. "You have no idea."

Jasmine's mind raced. She had a feeling this wasn't just about corporate stress. There was something more—something unspoken.

And for the first time, she wondered if Mr. Laurent's problems were tied to the very same world Antonio lived in.