Chapter 8
Old Mr. Lancaster slammed his cane hard against the marble floor.
“She said she’s pregnant with a Lancaster child, and you threw her out?!”
“And where’s Jasmine?”
I was still trapped in nightmares, flinching and mumbling in my sleep.
When I finally woke with a start, I saw an elderly man sitting at my bedside, silently wiping away
tears.
In the corner stood a tall man with a face like carved ice–cold and unmoving.
The moment I opened my eyes, the old man leaned forward, gripping my hand tightly.
“Sweetheart, you’re finally awake,” he choked, tears shining in his eyes. “I’m your grandfather.”
I furrowed my brows, confused–until I saw the man standing behind him.
“Miss Sinclair,” the man said, stepping forward. “I’m the volunteer who helped reconnect you with your family. Do you remember?”
“This gentleman… he’s the one your mother had us search for. He’s your maternal grandfather.”
At the mention of my mother, my tears spilled over.
I looked at the old man through blurred vision and sobbed, “Grandpa… Mom is gone. They flushed her ashes down the toilet.”
“I couldn’t protect her. I’m so sorry…”
The old man broke down and hugged me tightly.
“My precious girl… My Jasmine…”
“I was too late…”
A long silence passed.
When the old man finally looked up again, the softness in his eyes had turned into something fierce. Dangerous.
“Knox,
Chapter 8
,” he said in a low voice, “do it. I want everyone who hurt my daughter and granddaughter to
8.00%
DramaWave
vanish from this earth.”
The man in the corner–Knox Carter–took a step forward but said nothing.
His gaze fell on me instead.
“Are you sure you want him dead?” he asked.
11
The old man hesitated, as if remembering something, conflict flashing in his eyes.
But then he saw my shaved head, my battered body, and the rage in his
Still, he didn’t speak further–he was afraid of losing me again.
I looked up, my voice trembling with hatred.
“He doesn’t deserve to live.”
eyes returned.
Knox handed me a medical report. I took it, confused, and instinctively placed a hand on my
abdomen.
“Thirteen weeks pregnant,” he said flatly. “Even with all that blood loss, it didn’t come out.”
His tone was void of emotion, like he was reciting the weather.
My grandfather hesitated.
“Jasmine… if you want to keep it, I’ll raise the child for you.
But I shook my head firmly.
“I don’t want it.”
I wouldn’t let Damien’s blood take root in me.
The moment I said it, I thought I caught the faintest twitch of a smirk at the corner of Knox’s
mouth.
But when I looked again, his face was as stoic as ever.
After my grandfather left, Knox remained in the room.
I glanced at him, then looked away.
Opened my mouth, but no words came out.
Chapter 8
8.00%
Finally, after a long pause, I mumbled,
“Thanks for saving me. We’re even now.‘
He let out a dry laugh. “Even? Please. I didn’t even take all the cash from your pocket.”
My face flushed red.
Back then, Mom and I had just been kicked out of the Monroe house.
After paying the rent, we had twenty bucks to our name.
We had just finished cleaning the apartment when a bloodied man collapsed at our front door.
We hesitated for hours before finally dragging him inside.
We couldn’t even afford food, let alone medical care.
So… we searched his wallet.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “We were starving.”
By the time I’d earned enough to repay him, he was already gone.
Knox raised an eyebrow. “You’re lucky. Now I’m your bodyguard.”
“You’re my employer, Miss Sinclair. My princess.”
Then his brow furrowed.
“You really don’t know who your grandfather is, do you?”
I blinked. “Isn’t he just a regular businessman?”
Knox gave me a look.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
And just like he said–I did.
Chapter 8
