“What are you doing?!” Jasmine burst into the courtyard just in time to see the Nanny kick Justin.
Her voice trembling, she instinctively charged forward, shoving the Nanny aside to shield Justin in her arms. “Justin, Mom’s here; it’s okay.”
Justin cried out in pain. “Mom...”
Jasmine held Justin tightly, shaking as she looked up at those who were tormenting a child.
At the Douglas residence, even the servants’ demeanors were revolting.
“Your son’s taking after you, huh? He chose thievery over decency, stealing Casey’s toy and even breaking it,” the nanny said mockingly from her moral high ground. “Apples don’t fall far from the tree.”
“I've heard this child is nothing but a bastard. Who knows who his father is—probably another no-good thief. What can you expect from the offspring of a thief and some wild man?” The servants continued to mock Justin and Jasmine.
Jasmine was once a high-society heiress, now she found herself ranked even below the servants.
All because her child had no father.
"Justin don't listen..." Jasmine covered her child's ears, shielding him from their foul language.
"Where do you think you're going? Make him kneel and apologize to me, or I won't let this go," Casey demanded, his young age belying the domineering attitude he had picked up from Lisa and Daniel.
Just as the nanny had said, apples didn’t fall far from the tree, with Lisa and Daniel being siblings, it was no surprise Casey resembled Daniel—especially in that imperious demand that Justin kneel, a gesture straight out of Daniel's playbook.
"Our young master Casey is talking to you; are you deaf? A pair of thieves!" The nanny callously shoved Jasmine back to the ground.
Instinctively protecting Justin, Jasmine reinjured her ankle, the pain sending chills through her body.
"Justin wouldn't steal your toy," Jasmine affirmed, believing in her son's good nature and obedience.
"It was him! He has to apologize to my Iron Man!" Casey insisted on an apology—not just any apology, but an apology to a toy.
Although it was mere childish squabbling, Jasmine felt humiliated.
Everyone seemed to feel entitled to shame her and Justin freely.
"Mom..." Justin's eyes brimmed with tears as he clung to Jasmine. "Mom, I'll apologize."
“But Mom...” Justin's voice was trembling; he didn’t want to see his mother wronged. He was just five years old. "I didn't steal Iron Man. It broke when he left it there, and I just wanted to fix it."
Jasmine tightened her hold on her son, embracing him firmly. "Mom believes in you, Justin. You don't need to apologize."
Patting his back, Jasmine knelt on the ground and spoke softly. "Master Casey, I apologize. I stole your toy and broke it. Will that do?"
Casey stood haughtily with his hands on his hips. "Bad woman, you thief."
"She is a thief! She stole another heiress's life and now she roams around stealing in our home."
Jasmine found it bitterly ironic; she had only just returned, and everyone knew she wouldn't steal a child's toy, yet because of a tarnished reputation, she was the target for all slander.
"What's going on? Where's my necklace I left on the washbasin?" Lisa emerged into the foyer, her tone displeased.
She rarely came home, but today she returned to pick up her child, Casey.
Just a few hours had gone by; the household staff seemed to have dirty hands.
Several servants exchanged looks of panic and anxiously bowed their heads.
Suddenly, one pointed at Jasmine. “It was her, definitely her. She’s a thief, a recidivist. She just admitted to stealing young master Casey’s toy for her son."
Lisa’s face darkened as she approached and glanced over.
Upon seeing Jasmine again, a flicker of surprise crossed Lisa’s eyes before her expression turned stern. "Jasmine?"
She had heard from Daniel that Jasmine was out of jail. Was it actually true?
“How shameless you are, bearing a bastard child," Lisa fumed, thinking Jasmine had come to bother her brother after causing her own family great embarrassment. "After all these years, you dare to show up here with your child! Are you planning to latch onto my brother?"
Silent, Jasmine looked down, protectively holding Justin close.
"Miss, she definitely took the bracelet," a servant seized the opportunity to throw shade.
Jasmine felt too drained to explain. Would anyone believe she had just come back?
"Did you take my bracelet?" Lisa watched Jasmine with an almost amused expression.
Who would’ve thought five years in prison could change a person so profoundly?
"I didn’t...” Jasmine’s voice was hoarse as she spoke.
"And how can you prove it?" Lisa raised an eyebrow provocatively.
"Miss, have her strip. If she has nothing to hide, she won’t refuse," the nanny suggested with biting sarcasm.