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Astor sat in his study, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the edge of his desk. The silence in the room was interrupted only by the faint hum of the air conditioner and the occasional creak of the old floorboards. He stared at the documents in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere.

The clues he had been gathering were beginning to form a pattern—one that made his stomach churn. Whoever was targeting him was calculating, methodical, and always one step ahead. But now, they were making their moves more personal, and Charlotte and Jasmine were in the crosshairs.

He reached for his phone and dialed Harrison, his private investigator.

“Any updates?” Astor asked, his tone sharp.

“Not yet,” Harrison replied. “But I’ve narrowed down the possibilities. Whoever’s behind this has inside help. I’m tracking down their movements, but it’s delicate. If we push too hard, they might go underground.”

“Push harder,” Astor snapped. “I want answers yesterday.”

“Yes, sir,” Harrison replied before the call ended.

Astor exhaled slowly, his frustration mounting. He couldn’t afford to let this spiral out of control—not when it involved Jasmine.

\---

Meanwhile, Charlotte was in the kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast. The sound of her phone ringing made her jump slightly, and she quickly dried her hands before answering.

“Hello?”

“Charlotte, my dear!” Aunty Tanya’s cheerful voice boomed from the other end.

Charlotte forced a smile, though Aunty Tanya couldn’t see it. “Hi, Aunty Tanya. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she said. “But more importantly, how are you? And how’s my little Jasmine?”

“We’re fine,” Charlotte replied, keeping her tone light. “Everything’s fine here.”

There was a pause, and Charlotte could almost hear Aunty Tanya narrowing her eyes. “You don’t sound fine, Charlotte. What’s going on?”

Charlotte sighed, leaning against the counter. “It’s just... a lot to adjust to. But we’re okay, really.”

“Hm,” Aunty Tanya said, clearly unconvinced. “Let me speak to Jasmine. I haven’t heard her voice in so long.”

Charlotte glanced at the clock. “She’s at school right now, Aunty Tanya,” she said.

“School?” Aunty Tanya repeated. “Ah, of course. Well, make sure she calls me as soon as she gets back. I want to hear all about her adventures.”

“I will,” Charlotte promised.

“And Charlotte,” Aunty Tanya added, her voice softening, “if there’s anything you need—anything at all—you call me. Don’t try to do everything alone.”

“I won’t,” Charlotte said, though the words felt hollow.

\---

That afternoon, Jasmine bounded through the front door, her backpack swinging wildly as she ran into the living room.

“Mommy, I’m back!” she called, her voice bright and cheerful.

Charlotte appeared from the hallway, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Welcome back, sweetheart,” she said, kneeling to hug Jasmine. “How was school?”

“It was fun!” Jasmine said, her eyes sparkling. “We learned about butterflies today.”

“Really? That sounds amazing,” Charlotte said, brushing a strand of hair from Jasmine’s face. “Go wash your hands, and I’ll get you a snack.”

Jasmine nodded and skipped off toward the bathroom, her laughter echoing through the halls.

Charlotte’s phone buzzed on the counter, and she picked it up to see Aunty Tanya flashing on the screen. She answered quickly, holding the phone to her ear.

“Charlotte?” Aunty Tanya’s voice was warm and expectant.

“She’s back from school,” Charlotte said with a small smile. “I’ll put her on.”

“Finally!” Aunty Tanya exclaimed. “I’ve missed that little voice.”

Charlotte called Jasmine back into the room and handed her the phone. Jasmine took it eagerly, pressing it to her ear.

“Hi, Aunty Tanya!” Jasmine said excitedly.

“Jasmine, my darling!” Aunty Tanya’s voice was so loud that Charlotte could hear it clearly even without the phone. “How are you, sweetheart? Are you being a good girl for Mommy?”

“Yes, I am!” Jasmine said proudly.

“That’s my girl,” Aunty Tanya said with a laugh. “And how’s school? Are you learning lots of new things?”

“Uh-huh! But guess what, Aunty Tanya?” Jasmine lowered her voice conspiratorially, her face lighting up. “I saw Daddy!”

Charlotte’s heart stopped. Her eyes widened in panic as she quickly reached for the phone.

“Jasmine?” Aunty Tanya called, confused.

Charlotte snatched the phone from Jasmine’s hand, her movements almost frantic. “Sorry about that,” she said hastily, forcing a laugh. “Don’t mind her—she’s just too desperate for attention sometimes.”

“Desperate?” Aunty Tanya repeated, her tone sharp. “Charlotte, what’s going on?”

Charlotte’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Before she could think of a response, the sound of footsteps made her freeze.

Astor stepped into the room, his commanding presence filling the space. His eyes swept over the scene, taking in Charlotte’s tense expression and Jasmine’s excited face.

“Daddy!” Jasmine shouted, her voice filled with pure joy. She dropped the toy she had been holding and ran to him, her small arms reaching out.