A Daddy for Christmas

Shadow Network

THE evening was beginning to wear in. Jasmine stepped into the master bedroom, her mind still buzzing from a long day that had started with high level meetings at her real estate firm and ended with a last minute delivery at her luxury cosmetics warehouse. As the fifth-highest-ranked business mogul in the country, she had an empire to oversee, yet she kept most of it hidden, even from her own husband. Collins thought she managed a modest jewelry store, a story she had carefully woven to shield him from her secret world. And that was what a few others around her thought too, for she was very secretive and reserved.

It was almost time to tell him the truth anyway. Tomorrow was their fifth wedding anniversary, and she had decided it was finally time to reveal the full scale of her life. Her secret investments, her fashion consultancy, her skincare line, each part of her life was a piece of the puzzle she had kept hidden from him. She had built this empire on her own, a fierce and anonymous player in the business world. But now, as she closed the door and sank into the chair before her dressing mirror, she wondered how Collins would react.

Her eyes caught the small silver frame on the vanity. She reached out, picking up the wedding portrait from five years ago. They had met at a mutual friend’s gala, a lavish event where she had pretended to be just another guest, hiding behind her graceful exterior. She remembered how he had spotted her across the room and approached her with an easy smile, seeing her as just Jasmine, not the influential mogul she actually was. It had been refreshing, even freeing.

She set the frame down with a sigh and leaned back, kicking off her heels. Her phone buzzed beside her, snapping her out of her thoughts. The familiar alert made her heart jump, an encrypted message from one of her hacker contacts, an inner circle who knew her only as Jay.

The message was brief but enough to send a chill through her spine.

“Possible threat: shadow network targeting Collins. Details unclear. Stay alert.”

Her breath caught. Collins? What could he possibly be involved in that would attract the attention of a shadow network? She scrambled to her feet, her mind racing, searching for a pair of more comfortable shoes, then she grabbed her car key. She had to find out more, but time was of the essence.

As she darted towards her closet, she almost collided with a small figure standing in the doorway.

“Mommy!”

Jasmine stopped abruptly, her daughter Karissa’s bright smile easing some of the tension in her chest. The five-year-old looked up at her with big, curious eyes, her backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Are you going somewhere?”

Jasmine softened, kneeling to Karissa’s level.

“Just a quick errand, sweetheart. How was school?”

Karissa’s face lit up as she began recounting her day, every detail animated and cheerful.

“We painted today! Miss Lydia said mine was the prettiest.”

Jasmine’s heart melted.

“Of course it was, darling. You are my little artist.” She placed a gentle kiss on Karissa’s forehead, holding her hands for a brief moment.

“I will be back soon, okay?”

A maid approached quietly, waiting nearby to take Karissa to her afternoon snack. With one last squeeze of her daughter’s hand, Jasmine turned and hurried out of the room, her mind fixed on the cryptic message. Whatever this shadow network was planning, she needed to know more. Soon she was at the parking lot, walking up to her navy blue coloured BMW i7. Her chauffeur immediately walked out of nowhere and began heading towards the car.

She quickly turned to him.

“Um, Matthew?” She called.

“Ma'am.”

“Don't worry, I will drive myself. It is just a small business I can't handle,” she said.

Matthew nodded in comprehension, stepping aside.

“Alright ma'am,” and as mysteriously as he came out, he went in.

Jasmine had her own key, already in her hands. She punched a button on the key and the car chirped, making a beeping sound, the flash of the car’s taillights lightening up the objects closest to it.

With that, she opened the car door, slipped in and zoomed off.