An hour earlier, Sophia had stepped quietly out of the hospital doors, a ghostly shadow haunted by restless thoughts.
For days, she''d kept her family at arm''s length, erecting an invisible barrier around her wounded heart.
Her soul felt raw, tormented by relentless doubts about Alex.
Perhaps she had always been mifair, perhaps she should have trusted him
sooner.
After all, their marriage was already torn to shreds; yet, somewhere deep inside, she knew Alex deserved an apology far greater than her pride allowed.
Paying a discreet detective employed by her family, Sophia easily covered the small clinic Alex ran near the slums.
Guided by the instructions of her GPS, she drove slowly through the grimy streets, her eyes hollow with anticipation and dread.
As she approached, the sight of bodyguards patrolling the perimeter, stern-faced and vignt, set her pulse racing
Her heart twisted painfully upon glimpsing Jasmine standing intimately close to Alex, radiating confidence and allure.
Sophia''s grip tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening as uncertainty gnawed at her courage.
Unaware of Sophia''s anguished gaze, Jasmine had already concluded her dealings with Alex.
Her sharp eyes, however, caught sight of Sophia''s familiar luxury car lurking nearby.
A sly, triumphant smile curled her lips.
Jasmine recognized instantly who the woman was-a rival whose mere existence ignited an instinctive,petitive fire in her
heart.
"Oh, that''s right!" Jasmine suddenly dered with a yful lilt, turning to Alex with eyes glittering mischievously.
"I almost forgot-I have one more special gift for you."
"A gift?" Alex raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. "What kind?"
"It''s a surprise," Jasmine whispered seductively, her voice dripping with allure. "Close your eyes."
Alex hesitated briefly, then shrugged off any suspicion and obediently closed his eyes, unaware of the storm that was about to
consume him.
In the silent darkness, a fragrance sweet as forbidden fruit enveloped him, causing his pulse to quicken dangerously.
Before he could react, warm, soft lips imed his own, stealing a kiss that felt like the spark of an inferno.
Alex froze, his entire body seized by shock as though lightning had pierced his soul.
Instinctively, he pulled back-but Jasmine''s slender arms, deceptively powerful, locked firmly around his neck like shackles forged from iron.
Never had he imagined such strength hidden beneath her delicate form.
Her intoxicating scent clouded his judgment, and, lost in that electrifying moment,
a reckless voice whispered in his mind, Why not?"
After all, Jasmine was undeniably one of Vancouver''s greatest beauties- irresistible, intoxicating, dan
Jus.
Surrendering to temptation, Alex returned her passionate embrace, sealing a betrayal he scarcely realized was urring.
In the distance, Sophia watched helplessly from behind tinted ss, her soul shattering into countless fragments as the truth stabbed ruthlessly into her heart. Chapter 253
The cruel image etched itself into her memory a nightmare she would never forget.
Her chest tightened, agony ring as tears blurred her vision, anger bolling fiercely beneath her despair.
It felt as though something precious, something she had always believed was unquestionably hers, had been viciously ripped
away.
Finally releasing Alex, Jasmine drew back, her cheeks flushed, her breath slightly
uneven.
For the proud, independent Jasmine, this impulsive act had been her first stolen kiss-a daring deration of desire.
"That was my first kiss," she murmured softly, her eyes shimmering with sincerity.
"My heart, my everything-it''s yours now." Jasmine''s radiant smile was mesmerizing, the flush on her cheeks amplifying her seductive charm.
Alex, cheeks burning with embarrassment, touched his lips tentatively, as if savoring the lingering warmth.
Yet his reflection was cut short by the sudden, furious roar of an engine.
A luxury car streaked dangerously past, ring its horn, nearly clipping the startled bodyguards.
Alex caught only a fleeting glimpse-a silhouette painfully familiar, unmistakable— and instantly recognized the hurt and fury behind that reckless escape.
"Wasn''t that...Sophia?" Jasmine''s voice was teasing, almost cruel in its innocence.
Alex nodded numbly, still dazed. "It was her."
"Shouldn''t you chase her down?" Jasmine inquired yfully, her eyebrow arched in mock concern.
"Exin what she just saw?"
"Exin?" Alex retorted bitterly. "We''re divorced. What''s there to exin? It''s not betrayal if there''s nothing left to betray."
“True enough,” Jasmine purred softly, a possessive gleam igniting her eyes.
"After all, you belong to me now."
Shaking herself slightly, Jasmine quickly shifted back to business.
"Anyway, tomorrow we''ll have our final meeting before the officialunch of Elixir Vitae. Pleasee to Hilton
Pharmaceutical''s main office. It will be our first-and I promise, ourst-formal business meeting. I won''t take up your time after that."
Alex sighed wearily. "Fine."
The next day, as Alex stepped into the Hilton meeting room, he was met by a tableau of influential figures, each radiating an aura of wealth and power.
Yet among these powerful individuals sat Dr. Joane, stern-faced and respected, whose presence left Alex visibly surprised. Jasmine swiftly approached, exining smoothly, "Kingston Pharmaceuticals wants Elixir Vitae to enter the interstate market. Having someone renowned like Dr. Joane endorse us is crucial for credibility."
Dr. Joane''s skeptical voice echoed sharply through the room.
t truly worthy."
"I haven''t agreed yet. I never endorse anything without thorough scrutiny. Not once have I found a p Jasmine''s smile widened knowingly. "With your discerning taste, Dr. Joane, I have no doubt you''ll be impressed."
Jasmine opened a luxurious velvet-lined box, revealing an emerald-colored pill that shimmered brilliantly under the light, resting with elegant precision inside.
With a theatrical flourish, she presented it reverently. "Here it is he Emerald Elixir." Joane carefully took the shimmering pill, inspecting it with keen precision.
Her face slowly brightened with approval. "Impressive rity, brilliant luster, and a remarkably pure fragrance-this pill is extraordinary!"
"Precisely!" Jasmine apuded with genuine pride.
"Emerald Elixir not only enhances beauty but grants longevity and youthfulness. If
you aren''t concerned about potential tampering, why not test it yourself?"
Dr. Joane chuckled defiantly, her pride shing boldly.
"Poison? What have I to fear from mere toxins?" Without hesitation, she swallowed the Emerald Elixir whole.
Instantly, a cooling sensation flooded her veins, cascading swiftly through her limbs, igniting vitality in every nerve.
Joane shuddered, overwhelmed by the surge of strength and rity rushing through her.
Her fatigue melted away, reced by unprecedented energy and rejuvenation.
She felt utterly reborn.
Awestruck, Joane nearly leapt from her seat, voice trembling with rare excitement. "Marvelous! This elixir is a priceless miracle-utterly phenomenal!"
"Tell me," Joane pressed urgently, her eyes wide with amazement, "who developed this Emerald Elixir? Where did the forme from? I must know!"
Overwhelmed by the elixir''s astonishing effects, she couldn''t hide her awe
For someone as discerning as Joane, the desire to uncover the creator behind such a masterpiece was unstoppable.
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