Chapter 1: Shadows of the Past I
‘Don't act so forward around here. I hate rebellious kids like you the most, Jas!’
The last memory Jasmine had of Kayden, the older boy from the neighboring house, was wondering if it was wrong for her to see him as a prince and dreaming of having him for herself. Jasmine never looked at any other man besides him. She simply loved and admired him. That was truly all she thought.
‘You're annoying. Can you stop following me already!’
At that time, Jasmine acknowledged that she found Kayden's scolding amusing and never felt ashamed. Even when Kayden had a girlfriend, she still clung to him and refused to let him go. No matter who tried to stop her, she wouldn't listen, believing that she had the first claim and no one else had the right. But she was wrong. When Jasmine turned eighteen, Kayden punished her to teach her a lesson. From then on, the young woman barely wanted to go near him again.
“Are you still thinking about the past, Jas?” her mother asked with a smile when she noticed her daughter's distant demeanor.
“Just a little, Mom. I haven't been back here for many years, and everything has changed so much,” Jasmine, now twenty-five years old, had just returned from another city after her father's death. She turned to smile at her mother, who had visibly aged over the years.
“But your bedroom is still the same, dear. Let's go take a look.” Mrs. Amy led her daughter upstairs to the second floor of the wooden house, which had been renovated with concrete two years prior. The upper floor had a white wooden balcony surrounding the house.
As soon as Jasmine entered her bedroom, she broke into a wide smile. The room had just a small bed with white curtains, a wardrobe, and a dressing table. The bedroom window could be opened wide to view the neighboring house. In the past, she liked to use this spot to secretly watch a certain someone, but now the view next door was no longer the same.
The old two-story wooden house next door had been transformed into a modern two-story house that towered over hers, so much so that one had to look up to see the second floor of the house.
“When did Aunt Maria build a new house, Mom?”
“About five years ago, I think. Your Aunt Maria's business has been thriving, becoming wealthy rapidly.”
“With such a high fence, you and Aunt Maria probably don't sit and have a chat like before, do you?”
“That's about right, Jasmine. Maria started working at a company and isn't a housewife like me anymore. But she's talented, managing the company to become well-known. With Kayden lending a hand, it's become even more prosperous.” Her mother's words made Jasmine pause at the mention of his name.
It seemed like the circumstances had made the gap between them even greater. In the past, she could just slip through the old wooden fence to play in the house next door. But now, with a heavy two-meter-high concrete wall in the way, how could she possibly cross over? She had to accept the situation that they were living separate lives.
“Are you hungry, Jas? Driving such a long distance must be exhausting,” said Mrs. Amy, touching her daughter's shoulder as she stood staring at the wall of the house next door.
“I'm used to it, Mom. At Dad's farm, I often drove long distances too,” the young woman replied with a smile. Her father had a new family, but he took care of her until she graduated from university. When he passed away from a terminal illness, Jasmine decided to give half of the inheritance, which was the house and land of the farm, to her father's new wife.
“You're not angry with me, are you, Mom, for giving half of Dad's inheritance to Aunt Flora and little Niana?”
“Your father gave it to you because he trusts that you, my daughter, will handle everything fairly. Why would I be angry with you for that, dear?”
“Auntie Flora was very good to father, and little Niana is adorable. I don't want them to have any difficulties.”
Even though it hurt that her father turned away from her mother, Jasmine eventually accepted the reality of the situation.
“Hmm, I know.”
“But you are my mother, the person I love most in my life.”
The young woman walked over to embrace her mother, fully understanding why she was sent to live with her father. Simply being a dessert vendor wouldn’t have been enough to support her through university. Even just the water and electricity bills were almost a monthly struggle.
‘Father said he wouldn't support me if I didn't live with him. He said it was unfair for my mother to raise me alone.’
In the past, Jasmine didn’t feel happy about her father's condition, but certain events made her not want to stay there any longer. Moving to live with her father became the last resort she had.
“I’m going to stay with you for good now, mom. I’ve given the other house to Auntie Flora, but I still have some of my father’s savings.”
“I’m glad you chose to stay with me, Jas, but since you’ve been living on a farm, what will you do for work here, dear?” Her joy was mixed with concern.
“I’m not sure yet, mom. For now, I just want to rest. I have some money, especially with what my father left, so I can live comfortably for a while.”
“That’s fine, take all the time you need to rest. I’m still selling desserts as usual. Lately, I’ve been getting orders to deliver to shops, so I haven’t set up a stall as often. How about you help me make desserts while you’re resting, so you won’t get bored? I’ve had to turn down several customers because I couldn’t keep up. Most of them want the desserts in the morning, and I can’t make them in time. But if you help me, I think we can manage.” Mrs. Amy saw an opportunity to increase her income with her daughter’s help.
“That sounds good, mom. It’ll keep me from getting bored, just like you said.” Being someone who has always worked hard, she agreed with her mother.
“Help me sell desserts, and if we have enough strength, I’ll open a shop. What do you think, Jas?”
"Hmm, really, Mom? It might be worth trying. You have a lot of customers, and if we open a shop and have some help, we might get rich before we know it."
"That's true."
The mother and daughter shared a happy laugh as they planned their future together. Even though they didn't have a big house or a daughter with a stable job, Mrs. Amy didn't feel any resentment.
"Put your clothes in the closet first, Jasmine. I'll go down and make dinner. Oh, and after you finish putting your clothes away, you can take a shower and rest. When it's time to eat, I'll call you."
"Okay, Mom." Jasmine watched her mother leave the bedroom, a smile spreading across her face with contentment.
Even though her mother didn't attend the funeral of her father, Jasmine knew that her mother had already forgiven him. When love fades, people often go their separate ways. Love cannot be forced. Thinking about this made her feel a bit ashamed. Years ago, she was young and selfish, doing many things without thinking about how others would feel. If she could go back, she would never do those things again.
"What are you doing, Jas!"
"You are sick, so I came up to take care of you."
"This is my bedroom."
"Aunt Maria allowed it."
"And what are you wearing? You silly girl!"
"Uh..."
"Who taught you to behave with a man in his room like this? Get out and go back to your own house!"
She didn't know what possessed her to go without a b*a into a man's room. Mrs. Maria didn't know because she was wearing a robe outside, but once inside Kayden's bedroom, she took it off, leaving only a thin nightgown that revealed everything.
"What were you thinking, Jas, behaving so inappropriately?"
She has no idea what possessed her to try and seduce a guy like that. No wonder Kayden yelled at her so fiercely. Then he tossed her out of the room along with her robe.
‘Don't act so brazenly around here. I can't stand wild kids like you, Jas!’
