The music from the Roberts' mansion yard throbbed in the air, a relentless beat that matched the pounding in her head. She needed a break from the overwhelming chaos of the party. Her vision was already getting blurry and she could barely see the faces of people around. Her survival instincts kicked in immediately as she fumbled for her cellphone. Thankfully, Seb's number was the first on her emergency call list. He had told her earlier to add his number to her emergency call list because he couldn't trust her sister and her mum. They had tried to harm her once. He just somehow couldn't stop thinking that they might be up to something sinister again. She started to dial the number but for some reason, it didn't go through. She stepped into the hallway leading to her bedroom, a wave of dizziness washed over her. The world spun, the floor tilted, and her legs buckled. She felt herself falling and a terrifying sense of helplessness engulfed her. Just before she hit the ground, a strong hand caught her, pulling her up. "Easy there, sweetheart," a gruff voice said, his grip firm and unyielding. "You're looking a bit pale. Let's get you to a bed." He said as he picked her up princess like, but the touch was rough and the movement was jarring making her cellphone drop in the hallway. She wanted to resist, but she felt numb. She was screaming in her head but no words came out. The man carried her to her bedroom, the door creaking open as they entered. He deposited her on the bed with a thud, muttering about her weight. He started to pull at her dress, his movements jerky and aggressive. She tried to resist, but her body felt heavy and her limbs were sluggish. A flash of light caught her eye as a camera pointed at her, its lens glinting coldly in the dim light. Panic flooded her, freezing her in place, a silent scream trapped in her throat. 'What was he trying to do?' she asked internally but no words came out.
"Don't worry, doll," the man said, his voice laced with a cruel amusement. "This is just for a few minutes. You'll be fine." He set the camera to take pictures automatically and climbed onto the bed beside her. Jasmine finally lost consciousness as she could no longer resist the effect of the drug.
Just then, the door swung open with a hard thud, and Sebastian stormed into the room, his heart racing with an adrenaline-fueled fury. He had sensed that something was wrong the moment she called and didn't answer his calls afterwards. It was so unlike her even though they hadn't bonded that much. And now, finding her vulnerable and at the mercy of another man, a primal rage ignited within him.
His gaze locked onto the intruder, a dark cloud of menace surrounding him. "Get your hands off her!" he roared, his voice low and lethal, echoing off the walls. He lunged forward, picking the man up like he was nothing more than a feather, his strength fueled by the protective instinct that surged through him. With a swift, powerful blow, Sebastian sent the man crashing to the ground, the thud reverberating like a gunshot in the stillness of the room.
Sebastian's chest heaved as he stood over the fallen figure, his eyes blazing with fury. He signaled to Leon, who had been behind to come and take care of him.
As the man lay unconscious on the floor, Sebastian turned to Jasmine, his heart breaking at the sight of her pale face. He rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms, whispering soothing words as he brushed the hair from her forehead. "I'm here, Jasmine. I've got you. You're safe now." The weight of his worry lifted slightly as he felt her breath against him, but the fear of what could have happened lingered in his chest. A wave of anger surged through him once more as he thought if he had came a minute later, the man might have already carried out his malicious plan.
Back outside, Ivy looked around and saw that Jasmine was nowhere near sight and she felt slightly happy. 'He must have almost gotten through with it.' she thought happily. But she started to panic after a couple of minutes when she hadn't received any message or pictures yet. She looked around and everything seemed normal, except of course, Jasmine was missing. She sighted Olivia talking heartily with their in-laws and signaled her from afar that she needed her attention.
Olivia and Ivy huddled in a slightly quiet corner. Ivy's brow was furrowed as worry etched on her face. "Mom, I'm starting to get nervous," she said in a hushed tone. "It shouldn't be taking this long. I told him to be quick."
Olivia thought for a while and finally said, "Relax, Ivy. You know how those things work. It takes time for the drug to kick in. He's probably just waiting for the perfect moment." The thought that something might have actually gone wrong crossed her mind because Jasmine is always so cautious. But she had seen Jasmine drink the champagne, so it had to be fine since no one was going to come to her rescue this time.
"But what if something goes wrong?" Ivy pressed, her voice trembling slightly. "What if he gets caught?"
Olivia placed a reassuring hand on Ivy's arm. "He's a professional. He knows what he's doing."
Ivy sighed, but her worry remained. "I just hope he gets her this time and I'll see if she'll keep on acting mightily."
"Of course." Olivia replied, a smile playing on her lips. "Her billionaire husband cannot help her this time when the whole public turns against her. Now that everyone knows that she's married, it'll be hard to explain why she's with another man at her sister's engagement party." Ivy's mood suddenly lighten up again, "Even Mr. Anderson would start doubting her fidelity ." She said, grinning from ear to ear.
They laughed heartily and Olivia led Ivy back towards the party, leaving the corner where the music was faint and their hushed conversation had taken place. They blended back into the crowd, their worries momentarily forgotten amidst the vibrant energy of the party.