The morning sun filtered through the grand dining room windows as Jasmin stepped in, her posture straight, her expression neutral. Another day, another round of demands. The Meyers were already at the table—Davina, sharp-eyed and immaculate, Henry quiet behind his newspaper, and Andy scrolling on her phone, half-asleep. Peaceful, for once.
Jasmin exhaled. Maybe today would be different.
Then Davina's fork scraped sharply against an empty butter dish. "Where is Anna! We're out of butter now!" Her voice cracked like a whip. "Hey, can someone do something about this!"
An older maid scurried in, breathless. "Master, I'm sorry I'm late... I was calling Anna too."
Davina's eyes narrowed. "Where the heck is she! Did I tell her to ask permission to leave? No! I want you to call her back here immediately!"
"But she said she's coming back tomorrow morning. She's at the clinic right now."
Before Davina could explode, Henry's phone buzzed. He glanced down, his face tightening as he read a message: There is something I need to tell you, sir. Urgent.
Jasmin noticed the shift—the way his knuckles whitened around the phone, the slight tremor in his jaw. But Davina saw only his distraction.
"Do you hear what I'm saying now!" she snapped.
"I hear what you're saying," Henry muttered.
"You're not even listening! You're too busy texting while I'm trying to hold this family together. And yet you complain that I don't care?"
He exhaled sharply. "Why is the butter a big deal now!"
"Because you act like the victim—like I'm always wrong! I'm doing what's right for this family!"
"Enough with that shit!" Henry roared, slamming his hands on the table.
Davina didn't flinch. She grabbed her coffee and hurled it at him. Dark liquid splattered across his shirt, his face. Andy recoiled. "Mom, seriously! Can you stop that! I hate this!"
Jasmin stood frozen, her pulse steady but her heart aching. She'd seen this before—the rage, the power plays, the children caught in the wreckage.
Henry stood, chair scraping back. Without a word, he walked out.
Davina's eyes burned. She turned to her bodyguards. "You have a job to do!"
Martin, the lead guard, shifted uncomfortably. "Ma'am?"
Jasmin didn't move. She watched, silent, as the storm built.
Davina's voice sliced the air. "Jasmin, take Andy to school. I won't tolerate slackers. Martin—beat Henry up. Until he can't walk. Got that?"
Martin froze. "But... punish Mr. Meyer?"
"Are you still standing there?!" Davina shrieked. "I'm your boss! Go. Now!"
Jasmin saw the hesitation—the conflict in Martin's eyes. But then duty won. Or fear. He left.
Andy pushed her plate away, tears in her eyes. "I can't believe this," she whispered before fleeing upstairs.
Davina turned to Jasmin, icy calm. "You know what to do."
"You think you're such a diva, you can act and mess with your bodyguards all you want, huh?" Jasmin said, her hands planted firmly on her hips, her gaze piercing like a laser.
Davina leaned back in her chair, a smirk playing on her lips. "You don't care what I tell you? Let's see how good you are at being a bodyguard. You will if you can still mess with my business as well." Her tone was dripping with challenge, and the air between them crackled with tension.
Jasmin giggled in disbelief, shaking her head. "Don't ever try to challenge me. You don't deserve to own the company; Janina deserved it. She's the most hardworking bodyguard in the first place." Her words were sharp, intended to cut deep.
Davina laughed, amusement flickering in her eyes. "What? Seriously? What do you want me to do—give her a trophy to her grave? This is a family business, not a charity." The sarcasm dripped from her voice like honey, sweet but laced with bitterness.
Before she could react, Jasmin made a swear sign behind Davina's back, a silent protest that only deepened the smirk on Davina's face. "Get out of my sight before I change my mind about challenging you, dear." The dismissal was clear, and Jasmin felt the weight of her words.
With a heavy sigh, Jasmin turned to leave, the tension in the room still palpable as she headed upstairs. She had a job to do. As she reached the top of the stairs, she found Andy, lazily sprawled on her bed, completely engrossed in her phone.
"Hey you, it's time for you to go to school now!" Jasmin called out, but Andy barely registered her presence, lost in her digital world. "Hey! You go now, or else I will do this the hard way," Jasmin warned, her patience wearing thin.
Andy shot her a sarcastic look that could rival any seasoned comedian. "Hard way, my ass." The defiance in her voice was unmistakable, igniting a spark of mischief in Jasmin.
In a daring move, Jasmin snatched the phone from Andy's grasp, eliciting a gasp of indignation. "It's either you want to stay here or you're coming to school right now!" Jasmin declared, her voice firm.
Andy's annoyance transformed into fury. "I need my phone back!" she yelled, her face flushed with anger.
"You will get your phone back if you come with me to school now!" Jasmin retorted, her resolve hardening.
In an attempt to regain control, Jasmin pulled Andy downstairs, gathering her bag and school supplies as they went. But Andy, fueled by rebellion, yanked her arm away.
"You can't do this to me!" she whined, her voice rising in protest.
Jasmin's heart raced. "I don't care if you don't want to study! You go to school now!" Her exasperation spilled over, igniting a battle of wills that showed no signs of resolution. This was more than just a morning; it was a clash of personalities, a test of authority, and perhaps a lesson in compromise that neither of them saw coming.
Jasmin managed to pull Andy toward the car, determined to drive her to school. As they settled into the vehicle, Andy's rebellious spirit flared once again. In a swift motion, she lunged for Jasmin's phone, but Jasmin was quicker, shoving it deep into her bra.
"You think that would be too easy, huh?" Jasmin said, her focus split between the road and her antics. Andy fumed beside her, visibly irritated.
"You give me my phone now! Don't you see we're going to school? You should obey me!" Andy demanded, her voice a mix of desperation and defiance.
Jasmin couldn't help but laugh. "Really? Prove to me you're going to school after that and not running off somewhere. I'm not your babysitter, but your bodyguard, and I need respect!"
As they approached the school, Jasmin pressed the gas pedal a little harder, eager to get this ordeal over with. The car hit a bump, jarring Andy violently against her seat. "Hey, are you trying to kill me?" Andy exclaimed, gripping the dashboard as she braced herself. "You better give my phone back right now!"
"Not so fast! I'll make sure you're actually going to school first, and then I'll take a picture of you," Jasmin shot back, her tone almost teasing.
Andy's eyes widened in disbelief. "What is this? Why do you have to take a picture of me?!"
"Shut up! Now we're going to school, bratty sis!" Jasmin declared, unbuckling her seatbelt with a determined expression.
Both girls exited the car, Jasmin keeping a watchful eye on Andy as they approached the school's entrance. She snapped a quick picture of her, capturing the fury etched on Andy's face. "Say cheese!" Jasmin teased, her laughter ringing out.
"Satisfied?" Andy asked sarcastically, irritation bubbling beneath the surface after being unexpectedly photographed.
"So you won't blame me for not going to school, huh?" Jasmin replied, a playful grin on her face. She slipped Andy's phone back into her hands, and Andy quickly snatched it away, her annoyance palpable.
As Andy stepped through the school's entrance, her path was abruptly blocked by Tim, a classmate who had been watching her closely. "Andy, why are you ignoring my calls? I told you to talk to me!" he demanded, his tone a mixture of confusion and frustration. "Isn't it because of what your father did? We can't be together because of him!"
Andy felt a surge of disgust and anger. "Are you serious? He slept with your mother, and why should I be happy about it?"
Tim's face tightened, the tension in the air thickening. "Don't make a scene here, Andy."
"Why? Because it's true that your mother is a whore trying to ruin my family!" Andy shot back, her voice rising, unaware that Jasmin was still observing them from a distance.
Tim's temper flared, and in a sudden, violent motion, he slapped Andy hard across the face. "Don't you dare yell at me!" he barked, his fury boiling over as he forcefully grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the boys' bathroom. No one intervened, but Jasmin felt a surge of adrenaline and followed them quietly, her heart pounding in her chest.
"You can't do this to me! Or else I will call my own security!" Andy warned, her voice trembling but defiant. Tim laughed, a cruel sound that echoed in the empty hallway.
"Oh really? You really think you can stand up for yourself? You're just a rich spoiled brat because of how your mother raised you. You think your family is perfect, huh?" His mockery cut deep as he pushed her into the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind them.
In a moment of desperation, Tim tried to tear at Andy's clothes, and she fought back fiercely, but he was too strong. The struggle between them was chaotic, filled with fear and anger. Just then, Jasmin, hidden behind the bathroom door, caught sight of the unfolding horror and felt her heart sink.
"Is that how you treat a woman?" Jasmin's voice rang out, fearless and clear as she stepped into the room. Tim froze, his eyes darting to her, a mixture of surprise and fear crossing his face.
Tim's laughter echoed through the alley, a mocking sound that made the tension in the air crackle. "So you brought your babysitter here," he sneered, his eyes flicking to Andy, who stood nervously by Jasmin's side.
"Leave Andy alone, before you get hurt," Jasmin warned, her voice steady despite the chaos. But Tim was unyielding, his bravado masking the fear that lurked beneath.
"Hey, I can do whatever I want right now, ey. I don't care if you're babysitting Andy." The words dripped with arrogance, and Tim lunged forward, attempting to rip Andy's shirt.
In an instant, Andy's reflexes kicked in. She slapped Tim's hand away and yelled for help, panic evident in her voice. Jasmin didn't hesitate; she pulled Tim back and delivered a swift kick to his gut. He doubled over, gasping for breath, but the fight was far from over.
"Someone…" Tim struggled to find his voice, but Jasmin's kick to his face silenced him. As his friends surged forward, they were ready to retaliate.
The first guy swung a bottle at Jasmin's head, but she was quicker. With a fierce determination, she kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling back. The blonde guy lunged, attempting to grapple her, but she bit his arm, twisting it and delivering a punishing elbow drop that left him reeling.
Andy watched in a mix of confusion and admiration. "Stop it now!" she pleaded, her voice cracking.
Jasmin turned to the boys, her eyes fierce. "So this is how you feel superior? Many are scared of you because of how you behave. Learn to apologize to Andy, or I will report all of you to school to end this situation."
Tim, slowly gathering himself, let out a derisive laugh. "Apologize? I would never do such a thing." He scoffed, trying to command his friends to stand down, but they remained defiant.
"Saying sorry would hurt your ego, wouldn't it?" Jasmin challenged, her gaze unwavering as she sized up Tim's bravado.
Tim shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Really? It's Andy's fault for behaving like a bratty girl, anyway. Feminist!"
"I'm only stating the fact. Stop fighting with Jasmin, now!" Andy begged, desperation creeping into his tone. But Tim was too stubborn to heed the warning.
Jasmin sighed, her annoyance palpable. "I don't care how feminist I am or what you call me. Andy can be bratty, but you have no right to assault her over an insult. What a pathetic man you are."
"You have no right to tell me what I am or what I have to do!" Tim snapped, reaching for Andy. But Jasmin intervened, pushing Andy out of the way. Tim stumbled, slipping on the shards of glass from the broken bottle, and chaos erupted again as the two boys launched themselves at Jasmin.
The blonde man jabbed a punch at her, but she was ready. She grabbed his arm, kicking his knee before delivering a powerful uppercut that sent him reeling. Meanwhile, the other guy struggled to contain her, but Jasmin was a whirlwind, dancing away and using the chaos to her advantage.
"Do not underestimate me," she thought, as she skillfully maneuvered around her opponents, determined to protect Andy no matter what.
The two guys had no choice but to help Tim to stand up while Tim was holding his severed wound to his knee. The sight was grim, blood seeping through his fingers, but the adrenaline surged in Tim's veins, urging him to push through the pain.
"I'm not finished yet!" Tim exclaimed defiantly, his voice wavering between bravado and anguish. Jasmin sighed, exhaling the annoyance that had built up since the moment this whole mess began.
"That will be your problem," she said dismissively, grabbing Andy by the arm and pulling him away from the scene, leaving Tim to his own devices in the boys' bathroom.
Once outside campus, Jasmin's fingers flew across her phone's screen, sending a text to Davina about the incident. Andy, still visibly shaken, glanced nervously at her.
"Come on, you don't need to tell Mom about this," he pleaded, his tone laced with worry.
Jasmin raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Are you afraid of him, don't you?"
Andy immediately shook his head, frustration bubbling to the surface. "No, I'm not afraid of him! You have no idea who he is. Now he can hurt my mom for informing her!"
A smirk crept across Jasmin's face, her mind racing with thoughts. "Oh really? Let me tell you something, Andy. You have to tell me your mother's secretary's name."
Andy stared at her in disbelief, her eyes wide. "Why do you even have to know that?"
"Why do you ask? I have my own work to do," Jasmin replied nonchalantly, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
Andy's irritation flared. "I told you not to mess with Tim again!"
"Really? You allow his alpha thing to go on around the school while everyone is scared of him? Some even praise him like a leader?? You let him abuse you, and somehow you need to learn to protect yourself because you're a coward!" Jasmin shot back, irritation fueling her words as she pushed Andy slightly out of her frustration.
"You can't say that!" Andy protested, her voice rising.
"Then try me. I'm not afraid of anything… even his superior being, fuck! Tell me Tim's full name."
"Tim Mortez," Andy muttered, the name slipping from her lips like a curse.
Jasmin nodded, a glint of determination in her eyes. With a small snippet of information gained, she felt the gears of her mind turning, plotting her next move. Something had to be done about Tim Mortez, and she was just the person to do it.
The stakes were rising, and the battle lines were being drawn. In a world where fear ruled the halls, Jasmin was ready to challenge the status quo.
----
Outside the opulent mansion, a tense drama was unfolding. Henry was frantically texting Anna, the maid, his fingers flying over the screen in urgency. He was unaware that Martin, his bodyguard, was standing just a few feet away, awaiting orders from Davina.
"I'm sorry I have to do this, sir," Martin warned, his brow furrowing with the weight of his duty. Henry barely glanced up from his phone, dismissing the warning with a scoff. But before he could retort, Martin's fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling backward.
Blood trickled from Henry's nose as he wiped it away with an angry swipe. "Are you out of your mind?!" he shouted, fury igniting in his eyes.
"I already told you, sir, that Ms. Davina ordered me to do so. I need to do it," Martin replied, his voice steady despite the chaos.
"You're a useless bodyguard! You should show me some respect!" Henry spat, but Martin remained unfazed. Ignoring the insult, he continued his assault, delivering swift kicks to Henry's chest before grabbing him and slamming his head against the car door. As Henry crumpled to the ground, Martin stepped back, his job done.
Martin re-entered the mansion, where Davina sat at her laptop, a satisfied smile playing on her lips as she reviewed the footage from the CCTV. "Good job, Martin. You've done well. That's why I chose you to be my bodyguard," she praised, her eyes sparkling with approval.
"I was hoping that Andy won't be mad at you," Martin said, his tone serious, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.
"Andy has no right to question my orders, especially when she needs to behave just like I did with Henry," Davina replied firmly, her expression hardening.
Martin hesitated before speaking again. "I was thinking if you and Jasmin would stop making challenges regarding finding a bodyguard."
Davina sighed, irritation clear on her face. "That's none of your business, Martin. If you want to get paid all day, it's simple: more action, less complaint."
"But—" he started, but her glare silenced him.
"Stop meddling in my life and decisions that aren't related to you. Don't you want to stay on the roster of bodyguards?" she snapped, her tone final.
Martin took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of frustration rising within him. He knew better than to push Davina further. For now, he would comply and keep his thoughts to himself, even as the tension in the mansion simmered just below the surface.
Jasmin drove back to the mansion, the sun setting in a palette of orange and pink behind her. The wheels crunched on the gravel driveway, and she felt a familiar knot of tension in her stomach. She noticed Henrik on duty, his face bruised and weary, a stark contrast to the opulence of their surroundings.
"You need a second job now?" Jasmin asked, her voice laced with skepticism as she stepped out of the car.
"Um…yes, I need some part-time for Marvin's future, you see," Henrik replied, his tone defensive, as he absentmindedly rubbed a bruise on his cheek.
"Oh, then keep being a good dad, alright? While Davina needs to know my report," Jasmin responded, a hint of sarcasm creeping into her voice.
As she entered the mansion, the sight of Henrik's battered face shocked her. He was seated at the dining table, picking at his food, while Davina, oblivious, sipped champagne served by the maid. There was a stark contrast between the two—Henrik's visible struggle and Davina's nonchalance.
"What happened to Henry? Are you going to blame me for that?" Jasmin asked, her sarcasm sharper now.
Davina let out a hollow laugh. "He needs to be disciplined at times. You should praise Martin for being the best bodyguard I've ever hired—not even thinking about competing with me, with her pathetic dead best friend."
"So you encourage bodyguards to be violent anytime instead, huh?" Jasmin shot back, her irritation bubbling.
Henrik slammed his hand on the table, the sound reverberating through the room. "You're being so selfish, Davina!"
"Selfish? You disrespect me, and you deserve that!" she spat, her eyes narrowing.
"I don't want to see your bodyguard from now on!" Henrik's voice echoed in the lavish dining room.
"Who are you to dictate my decisions? Remember, I'm the one who helped you build your own company. You don't remember where you came from," Davina retorted, her tone icy.
Jasmin, fed up with their bickering, interjected, "Anyways, I am tired of listening to your personal affairs. I'm informing you that someone attacked Andy. You should both worry about that instead of arguing."
"Don't give me that parenting lecture! Florentin doesn't count as he could give you my family company!" Davina shot back, dismissing Jasmin's concern.
"And now you're not wondering why Andy hasn't come home yet? You need to teach her colleague, Tim Mortez, a lesson," Jasmin insisted, crossing her arms.
Henry's expression darkened. "A lesson? Stay out of it, Jasmin!"
Davina shot him a furious look. "I'm the one making decisions for them, not anyone else."
"Informing her mother would be a good idea. She's very familiar with Henry. Tim's mother was his personal secret, who was flirting with him," Jasmin revealed, her voice steady.
The glass of champagne slipped from Davina's grasp, shattering on the floor as shock washed over her. "Seriously, Henry? Flirting with your own secretary?"
Henry shook his head, disbelief evident in his eyes. "Jasmin is a liar."
"Or maybe you're implying your own daughter is a liar. Andy hates Tim because of that," Jasmin countered, her voice rising.
The tension in the room was palpable as Henrik's guilt surged. He clenched his fists, ready to lash out at Jasmin, but Martin stepped in, his presence calming the storm brewing in Henrik's eyes.
"You have no idea why Andy became a spoiled brat and lies about what she wants to say—that's what a rebellious teen does!" Henrik shouted, frustration seeping into every word.
"Right now, I'm going to talk to Andy about this matter," Davina declared, her voice firm.
"Look, Andy misinterprets things. It's my problem with my addiction. I've been watching porn; I've always been professional at work. Even if it's too hard, okay? I discipline them the way you are very professional. I was doing that to my secretary!" Henry exclaimed, desperation creeping into his voice.
Davina sighed deeply, disappointment etched on her face. "Is that so? You discipline her child by attacking Andy and firing her!"
"Come on, Davina, you can't do that! She's a single mother; she needs a decent pay and a decent job."
"You even care about her?" Davina scoffed, her disbelief apparent.
"My employees are like my family, of course I care about their families. Unlike you, who never cared about how important it is for me to have a son. You never cared about that!" Henrik shot back, his voice rising with anger.
In a fit of rage, Davina hurled her plate at Henrik, the food scattering across the table. "Davina! Davina, come back here!" he called after her, but she was already storming out of the room, leaving the tension hanging heavy in the air.