The Seventh Miserable Bride

Yasmine Taylor's body, which was submerged in the water stiffened out of a sudden. Panic was apparent through her eyes as she stared at the man before her. "What's wrong, Sebastian?", she asked. "Nothing is wrong. I just want to know if you have anything else to say to me."

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She wanted to say something, but as soon as she thought of her mother-in-law's tears and warnings, she retreated. Even though her heart felt as if it had been pierced through with a knife, she still did not express her true thoughts. "No.", she replied.

She could certainly feel the stiffness of Sebastian Simons' body, it was even stiffer than hers. After a long silence, Sebastian suddenly smiled and said, "You are so scared. I was just teasing you. If I didn't know you so well, I would have thought that you have done something that would upset me.",

"Sebastian, please don't behave like this. It makes me feel scared."

"Scared? Why? Did you really do something wrong?"

Just as Yasmine was about to deny it, Sebastian placed his fingers on her lips so that she couldn't continue with her words and said. "Forget about it. The answer you've always given me is no."

There was a saying that goes, 'Love fades when you get closer'. It was true. This was proven for Yasmine and Sebastian. Although they were now united as one, the love between them seemed to have gradually faded away.

He took her to the shower and gently bathed her. Yasmine let him do whatever he wanted to her, like a wooden doll. After half an hour had passed, he took her back to the bedroom. Yasmine quickly put on her pajamas and got up. I'm going downstairs to get some water," she said to Sebastian.

She hurriedly left the bedroom and went straight to the kitchen downstairs. She stood beside the water dispenser in the kitchen as she gasped for air. She was out of breath. Although he didn't say anything, she could still feel the pressure overwhelming her.

"Yasmine..."

Suddenly, she heard Tiffany's voice coming from behind her. She was so startled that her hand trembled and the cup in her hand fell onto the ground. She turned around and said, "Tiffany."

"Do you have something on your mind? You look down recently."

"Nothing. Why are you not asleep at this hour?"

"I can't fall asleep. I have something on my mind."

"What's the matter?" she asked, feeling a little uneasy.

Tiffany Simons gave Yasmine a meaningful look as she was contemplating if she should tell Yasmine about the CD. Looking at the uneasy look on her face, Yasmine immediately understood what was going on. "Did... did you find out about it?"

"About you lying to my brother?" Tiffany asked carefully.

"...Yeah."

"Yes, I found out about it, Yasmine, why did you do this? Don't you love my brother?"

Yasmine's eyes immediately blurred. "No, it's not that I don't love him. I had no choice."

"But why him? He's pitiful enough. Why are you being so cruel to him?"

"Sorry, Tiffany, there are some things that you don't understand."

"I really don't. I don't understand your complicated perspective on love. Throughout my whole life, I have only two wishes. First, my brother and his wife can love each other. Second, I can be with Fynn Jaymond."

Yasmine looked at Tiffany as she slowly stepped forward to hold her shoulders and said, "You are a kind girl. Your wish will come true."

Outside of the kitchen, a figure which was standing in the dark left quietly with firm steps...

Yasmine was overwhelmed by anxiousness for the next couple of days. She received a phone call from Richie Lind-

"Let's meet up." He went straight to the point.

"When and where?"

"This Saturday, 10 o'clock in the morning, at Starville Cafe."

"Okay."

She did not refuse, because she had a hunch that Richie would have something important to tell her if he had suddenly asked her to meet up with him.

On Saturday morning, Yasmine took her bag with her and left the house after having breakfast. She did not drive. As Sebastian's car drove passed her, he stopped and asked, "Where are you going? Do you want me to drop you off?"

Her eyes sparkled as she shook her head. "No, I'm good. I've already made plans with Lily to go shopping.."

"Oh, Have fun then."

He gave her a meaningful look, then started the engine and drove off...

Yasmine, without any inexplicable reasons, panicked again. She had always felt a sense a danger whenever she looked into his eyes, but she still didn't want to think too much about it.

When she arrived at the appointed place, Richie was not there yet. She sat down at a corner and looked out of the window with a worried look on her face.

The clouds were very white and fluffy, floating freely in the sky. She was envy of the clouds which were unconstrained and free.

Yasmine was deep in her thoughts that she didn't know how much time had passed. Suddenly, she could hear someone calling her name excitedly. "Yasmine... Yasmine..."

She came back to her senses and her eyes was fixed at the person who called her name. "Leighton? Why are you here?", she asked.

"My dad took me here." Leighton Lind turned around with a smile on his face and pointed at Richie, who was not far behind him.

Richie slowly came over and sat down with a serious expression. "He has been pestering me to let him see you. I can't help it, so I brought him here."

Yasmine nodded stiffly. "Then why did you ask me out?"

Richie took out a 100 dollar note from his wallet and handed it to his son. "Leighton, there is a shop downstairs. Go and buy a pack of cigarettes for me."

"Okay."

Leighton took the money and was hopping and jumping like a child as he exited the cafe. As he was looking at Leighton, Richie sighed, "He will only be this happy when he sees you." Yasmine remained silent. Richie went straight to the point. "I'm here to make a deal with you."

"What deal?"

"I know it's impossible for you to marry my son. Although it would be hard, this is the only way for my son to have something that he can look forward to. This is the deal. I won't force you to divorce, but every month, you will have to spend a whole day with Leighton. What do you think?"

Yasmine pondered for a moment and was a little uncertain. "Are you serious? As long as I spend one day every month to accompany Leighton, the engagement between him and I will be canceled?" "Yes." She hesitated for a moment and nodded, "Okay. I will agree with that. I will keep my promise to accompany him once a month. I hope you will also keep your promise and leave me alone."

"It's a deal."

As soon as Richie finished his words, Leighton bought a cigarette and came back. In addition to the pack of cigarettes, he was holding a stalk of blue rose which had water dripping from it, in his hand. He complacently handed the flower to Yasmine and said, "Yasmine, I bought this for you. Do you like it?"

"Yes."

Yasmine took it with a smile on her face and put the flower aside.

"Leighton, I will take you to the park after this. Do you want to go?" Yasmine asked.

"Okay, Yes. I want to go."

Leighton danced with excitement. Yasmine was a little surprised. "I..."

"From today onwards."

As soon as Richie reminded her in a low voice, she didn't say anything anymore.

After the three of them walked out of the cafe, Leighton asked his father excitedly, "Dad, are you coming with us?"

"I won't go. I'll wait for you at the hotel."

Richie and Yasmine looked at each other meaningfully, and they shared a tacit understanding. After Richie left, Yasmine led Leighton out of Odish Street.

She took him to the largest amusement park in City B. She pointed to a merry-go-round and said, "Leighton, go on this. I'll wait for you here."

"Okay."

Leighton ran over obediently, sat on the merry-go-round, and grinned widely to expose his white teeth. Yasmine looked at him and suddenly felt that it was too bad to be a fool after all. At least, they wouldn't have too many worries like how normal people did.

"Yasmine, Yasmine..."

Leighton waved his hands excitedly. Yasmine smiled and waved back at him. "Leighton you are amazing. Go, Leighton!"

At this time, she had never expected that Richie would be nearby taking photos of them with a camera.

Yasmine accompanied Leighton at the amusement park for the whole day and played all kinds of carnival games. It was not until evening that she dragged Leighton, who was reluctant to leave, back to the hotel where Richie was staying.

"Did you have fun Leighton?"

"I'm so happy."

Leighton nodded, pulled Yasmine's arm and said, "Yasmine, can you play with me like this every day?"

Yasmine glanced at Richie and smiled awkwardly. "That won't do. I still need to work."

"Oh..." Leighton lowered his head gloomily. Richie pointed at the house and asked, "Would you like to go in and have a seat?"

"There's no need. I'm going back now."

She patted Leighton on the shoulder and said, "We will play again next time. Goodbye."

"Woo, woo..."

When Leighton heard that Yasmine was going to leave, he was so sad that he cried. She wanted to comfort him, but she was worried that she would not be able to leave if she did so, so she pretended to be heartless and left immediately.

"Leighton, don't cry. The person you like will be yours. Even if she can't be yours, Dad will not allow her to be anyone else's either."

Richie printed out all the photos that was taken on the camera that night, and then sent them to Simons Corporation before he left City B the next day.

He didn't specifically note who the recipient of the parcel was and only stated that the person in charge should receive it. Fynn was the President's secretary and he would usually be the one to handle these packages. When he received this parcel, he opened it as usual, but he was surprised and confused when he saw the photos inside.

He looked at them one by one, and the more he looked at them, the more confused he was. Who was the man in the picture? Who sent these photos here?

The door to the president's office creaked open and he hurriedly hid the photos under his arm in panic. "President Sebastian, what can I do for you?"

"What are you looking at sneakily?"

Sebastian was puzzled. Fynn shook his head and said, "No...it's nothing."

Fynn had a big flaw which was also his good trait was that, he was not good at lying. As long as he lied, his eyelids would twitch continuously, and anyone could tell whether he was telling the truth or not. "What's behind you?"

Sebastian casually pointed behind Fynn. Fie turned his head and said, "No, there's nothing at all."