Daniel feared Ethan, as did everyone in the Douglas family - in fact, all of San Francisco feared him.
"Take them to the back," Daniel whispered, instructing the nanny to escort Jasmine to the servants' quarters, anxious that Ethan might become enraged.
Ethan was a man particular about cleanliness; he'd moved out upon adulthood and rarely returned home. His presence today was a rarity indeed.
"Little troublemaker," the nanny muttered bitterly after Ethan had left the balcony, and with a boot to his body, she knocked Justin to the floor.
Jasmine clutched her child in a panic, hugging him tightly to her chest as her voice choked with emotion. "We don't belong here; we need to get back home!"
No sooner had she spoken than she attempted to leave with Justin in her arms.
Justin was just a kid; how could Daniel inflict such violence on him?
"Jasmine, you better face reality," Daniel said, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her back.
Justin didn't cry when the nanny knocked him to the ground; he was tough. But after seeing Daniel bully his mom, he couldn't hold back the tears. "Let go of my mom!"
"Daniel...I've already agreed to donate my kidney; what more do you want?" Jasmine sobbed as she desperately pleaded with him. Couldn't he just let her go?
"Jasmine, if it wasn't for you and your mother conspiring to steal Serena's life, she wouldn't be battling severe depression, and she wouldn’t have nearly died in that car accident!" Daniel despised Jasmine.
Jasmine's gaze fell helplessly; the harm was done, and she could do nothing to change that. "I didn't... Daniel, why won't you believe me? I didn't conspire with the Averys; I knew nothing."
Serena claimed that her years with the Avery family were torturous. They concocted lies about Richard, her supposed brother, who had molested her from a young age, leaving deep, traumatic scars and severe depression.
Everyone believed Serena, not Jasmine and Richard; after all, they were the children of the instigators.
Richard recounted how their family tried their hardest to make amends with Serena. Feeling guilty, their mother gave up her children's only chance at education to Serena. She worked night and day to provide a good life for Serena.
At sixteen, Richard dropped out of school to provide for his sister, hoping to improve her life.
After a heated argument with his overly biased-mother, the truth came out inadvertently.
Overhearing this, Serena fled to the Wilson family, slandering Jasmine, accusing her and the Averys of collusion and plotting the whole scheme.
It was only then that Jasmine discovered she wasn't the birth daughter of the Wilsons.
"Looks like five years behind bars didn't make you reflect at all," Daniel said, pushing Jasmine away as disgust mounted in his eyes.
"Don't touch my mom." Justin wanted to protect his mom, but he knew he was too small to stand a chance against Daniel.
"Dad!"
Out of nowhere, Justin cried out 'Dad!' and hurled himself towards the man who had just appeared at the door.
The expression on Ethan's face went stone-cold in an instant.
The nanny and Daniel looked at Ethan in panic.
Everyone in the Douglas family knew about Ethan's severe obsession with cleanliness.
He detested anything unfamiliar coming near him, especially people.
And there was this kid, covered in dirt, his clothes a mess, daring to...
Everyone, including Jasmine, inhaled sharply in shock.
Jasmine's voice trembled as she looked at Ethan, anxious and at a loss for words. "I'm so... Mr. Douglas, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
Ethan, the man who dominated the business sector in San Francisco, was the only one who could save her.
She had met Ethan once during a family banquet at the Douglas estate when her wedding was arranged with the family. He was the pillar of the Douglas family, untouchable and unapproachable.
Rumors in the business world painted Ethan as ruthless and fierce; those who crossed him never had a pleasant end.
But Ethan didn't shove Justin away. Instead, he simply looked down at the boy.
This little one was savvy.
He knew who held the power in the house, clinging to the strong at such a young age, with depths of cunning. "How old are you?"
Ethan's voice was deep, a tone that would have sent most kids into tears.
But not Justin.
"I'm five." Justin's voice was clear as crystal.
Ethan's gaze shifted to Jasmine, who seemed on the verge of falling to her knees, his brows furrowing slightly.
The Wilson family heiress... it had been almost six years since he'd seen her last.
Their last encounter had been at the Douglas family banquet as well. Back then, Jasmine was the pride and joy of the Wilson family, her smile imbued with naivety and foolishness. Years had not been kind, and now she looked like a shell of her former self, a twisted shadow of the person she once was.
"Mr. Douglas, I'm sorry..." Jasmine tried to pull Justin away. Her thoughts were jumbled as she struggled to find a way to spark Ethan's interest.
But Justin clung to Ethan, refusing to let go. "Daddy."
Jasmine was terrified; her eyes were red and trembling incessantly, much like a frightened little rabbit too scared to fight back. "Justin, he's not your father... How about Mom takes you to find your daddy, okay?"
Ethan tried to withdraw his leg, but the little guy was clinging on tight.
His gaze shifted back to Jasmine, suddenly realizing that the faint scent emanating from her was strikingly familiar.