Chapter 3 Devil's den

Jasmine walked out of the cosmetic shop where she works as a saleslady. She turned her mobile phone on as she looked at it with tired and droopy eyes. 10:35 pm it displayed. A sigh escaped from her mouth as she put her phone back in her side bag, continuing her walk back home.

She was walking peacefully when her eyes caught the glimpse of the teen couple in the bus stand, they were holding each other's hands and there was a small smile adorning their lips. She paused, recalling the similar situation that had happened in her life, when he was alive. Deja vu.

Intertwining her hands with his he put them in his jacket's pocket as he pulled her closer to him, giving her his warmth to survive that cold night.

"Leave my hand Chris, people are watching" Jasmine said as she tried to pull her hand back but that only made him grip on it tighter.

"So what? I'm holding my girlfriend's hand. Why should I care about others?" He asked and shrugged his shoulders, making her chuckle. She knew that was coming, he always says that when she try to pull herself away from him in public.

"You and your Goddamn stubbornness" she shook her head lightly and leaned her head on his shoulder as they stared at the moving vehicles.

"It's so beautiful, especially in this weather" she said and snuggled more into him.

"Yes, it's so beautiful, with you in my arms" he uttered, making her blush involuntary. She tried her level best to hide the small smile that appeared on her face. He always makes her go all crazy and shy with his cheesy romantic lines.

"That's cringe" she lied and she knows he knows that too.

"Oh really my Princess?" He asked, emphasizing the word princess.

"Then I'll try something new" he said as he stood straight, looking straight into her forest green orbs as he smiled mischievously.

Chris cleared his throat making her look at him with curious eyes,

"I know that I'm not Cristiano Ronaldo but we can surely get Messy!" He said and a smirk made its way on his alluring lips, making him look like the senior pervert boy in every college.

A gasp left her mouth when she registered the meaning and she looked at him with wide yet surprised eyes, in utter disbelief. She knows he's straight forward but everytime when he utters things like this she will go nuts.

"Ouch! What was that for, woman?" Chris whined when Jasmine's dainty hand made contact with the rough skin on his arm.

"You better shut that mouth of yours Chris or-" "Or?" He cut her off and grinned like a kid. He always loved to make her angry and angry Jasmine is a whole different story.

Jasmine blinked rapidly when her little flashback ended, falling back to the ugly reality. She sighed for the nth time as she walked past them.

Jasmine rubbed her both palms together and blew lightly. Last week she was informed about her new schedule and now she has to work till 10 pm and it'll be extended to 10:15 pm after cleaning, changing her uniform and bidding goodbye to her colleagues. The change in weather should also be mentioned. Well,

When sorrows come they come not single spies, but in battalions.

"Gosh! If I don't get home anywhere soon I'm sure as hell will be frozen to death" she murmured and forced her legs to move forward with a new pace.

Jasmine was walking peacefully while talking to herself when a small kid ran towards her direction like a sports car with no control. He was panting like he ran a marathon and the boy when he was just a few inches away from her fell into the ground after being tripped by a stone.

He immediately muffled his little cries by pressing his palm over his mouth as he got up slowly. Jasmine who saw it all ran towards the boy as she tried to help him stand. That boy flinched and tried to get away from her first but when he noticed no harm he let her help him. She slowly squat down and observed his face. His face was covered with dust and dirt from the road, his clothes were torn and he was bare footed and above all, the fear in his eyes. hey were moving rapidly like they saw something they shouldn't.

"Hey what happened kiddo?" Jasmine asked while smiling at him. She held his tiny hands in hers as she waited for his reply. That little boy gulped and again gulped, observing his surroundings and then back at her.

"Tell me. Why are you so afraid?" She asked again.

"There" he pointed his index finger while turning back, "I saw someone with a gun there. Not one they were many, everyone had guns and- and" he stuttered.

Jasmine's heartbeat accelerated hearing this. She never expected this. She thought he was running away from any abusers or anything else.

"And?" She asked, her voice quivered in fear and trepidation.

"And they were torturing a man. I think they are going to kill him. I ran away as soon as I saw it" he finished and the next second he ran away, for his dear life.

Jasmine was in a dilemma. Suddenly something entered her mind, a similar situation. She stood up while clutching her hand back tightly. Her heart hammered against her chest in a wild rhythm. She looked up and there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead. There was no trace of a single star in that pitch-black sky. She wanted to turn around and choose another road but something inside her stopped her from backing away. Maybe! Maybe she can help that man? Maybe, Maybe she can send those bloody killers out there in jail? She couldn't find the murderers of her beloved boyfriend but she can surely give the killers there a lesson right? She thought.

Hesitantly she moved her legs forward, while making no sound. She walked like a cat, making her way towards the place that boy mentioned.

"BANG" her steps were halted when the sound of metal clashing against skin resounded in the air followed by a muffled scream. Her eyes widened and lips parted slightly. She badly wanted to turn around and walk back like she knew nothing but her defensive mind didn't let her. She can't let any poor man lose his life because of some narcissist men.

Jasmine took a deep breath, filling her lungs and took two more steps and she saw something that will never leave her mind, that'll haunt her life from now on, a haunting nightmare.

There were about fourteen men, dressed in black attire, some holding guns and some metal tools. In their middle stayed a man, on his knees, his face and body was covered with his own blood and the pungent smell of blood spread in the air making her feel like puking. His face was almost unrecognizable, it was badly punched and there were a lot of slits. His hands and legs were tied up with metal wires and a gun pressed against his forehead.

She followed the hand which holds the gun, slowly tracing up. His sleeves were folded till his elbow and she clearly saw the green and red veins that popped out from his hands. She dragged her pupils up and noticed he was wearing only his shirt, his blazer was off and the first two buttons were undone, displaying his toned tanned skin. Then his neck which was adorned by a beautiful medium sized silver chain and then his sharp jawline, his tempting lips, his straight edged nose and last his hazardous gray eyes.

They are captivating, literally screaming terror. They were tempting yet scary. It's said that we can easily find the emotions and personality of a person through his eyes and one look at his eyes and it was clear that he's more than dangerous.

" Are you willing to tell the truth, Joseph?" Ethan asked while pushing the gun further into that man's head.

"Sir... It was your Father. He ordered me to tell the truth. I'm sorry" Joseph apologized while groaning.

Ethan sighed and pulled his gun away. His father has come to know about his little play with his partner's daughter. Karina being the sympathy seeker acted her level best to manipulate his parents and now they want him to marry her. It took him no time to realize that the father and daughter had planned all this.

Jasmine immediately pulled her cell phone out as she immediately opened the camera, recording each and every scene, she made sure his face and his actions were clear.

"I kept you in my office because of your skills but look at you now, backstabbing your own boss." Ethan chuckled menacingly.

"Sir, it was your Father. I was helpless" Joseph tried to reason.

"Well that doesn't mean you can go against my fucking word Joseph. You should've said you don't know anything. It's my personal life and I hate it when someone intrudes in it" he sounded lunatic and Jasmine shivered slightly hearing the authority in his venom filled voice.

"You shouldn't have done that Joseph. Not when you know me this well." Ethan asserted. That void face and the gun in his hands added more fear in that man's heart. The man in front of him is no less than an animal and he doesn't want to die. He wants to live but now that seems like a greedy wish for him.

"I won't kill you-" Ethan said impassively.

For a second that man looked up with hope in his eyes.

"You yourself will do that honor" Ethan stated like that's what was going to happen and the next second he threw the same gun at the helpless man who lost all his hope.

"Now let's wrap it up fast. Take that gun and kill yourself. It'll be simple and the best for you" Ethan uttered with an emotionless face. His eyes bored holes on that man's face as he stood there like a pillar.

"Sir... Please one chance." Joseph begged lastly. No one wants to die, at least not a painful death. Not when the future has a lot to offer.

Ethan sighed and shook his head as he took the cigarette box from his pocket. He slowly slided out a cigarette from the packet and he put it in between his lips, lighting up with a lighter. He puffed out a good amount of smoke right on Joseph's face and Jasmine scrunched her face watching this.

"You know I don't give people a second chance. I do not leave people usually but when I do..... I leave them forever" he said and it sounded like he was telling his past experience.

"Now do it" he ordered but that man couldn't find the courage to take his own life. His hands shivered when he tried to grab that gun.

Exhaling in pure annoyance Ethan rolled his eyes,

"Felicia isn't?" He blurted out while glaring at him.

"Wh-What?" Joseph queried. His eyes widened in trepidation and worry.

"Your daughter. Isn't her name Felicia?" He asked and that man nodded his head. Suddenly a new wave of fear hit him.

"Isn't she going to get married?" He inquired and nodded his head when Joseph agreed.

"It'll be beautiful to see your daughter crying on the altar on her wedding day watching her dead fiance right?" Ethan smirked and asked with a questioning tone.

Jasmine gasped at those harsh words. How can someone be so cruel and say things like that to a father? The look on Joseph's face made her look at him with pity. He's using Joseph's weakness, his daughter.

Joseph shook his head negatively as tears for the first time dropped out from that old man's eyes.

"Listen to me and your daughter will be free and will live a good life" he uttered and that old man nodded his head, giving up. He can't risk his daughter's life, his gem, his world, His little ellie.

Jasmine's hands shivered when she saw him taking the gun in his wrinkled hands as he pressed the barrel against his temple and closed his eyes, probably thinking about the happy times with his family. Ethan watched impassively, his face shown no emotions.

"BANG" Jasmine took a step back when Joseph fell into the ground with a thud, the gun in his hand fell on the floor making another clicking sound. Jasmine tried her level best to not to scream after witnessing such dreadful sight. She watched someone taking his own life or to be precise someone forcing the other to take his own life as he watched it with full interest.

"Clear the mess. Make sure it doesn't reach my dad's ears. You get me?" Ethan asked menacingly as he walked back to his porsche and just when he was about to open the door his muscular physique stopped.

Jasmine gasped and immediately cut the call from her best friend. She looked up and her heart skipped a beat when she found everyone's eyes on her except that one man. His back was facing her. He chewed his lips when he realized someone saw things they shouldn't have.

Jasmine without wasting a milli second turned around and ran like a deer who accidentally showed up in front of a hungry lion.

"Trespassers have to be prosecuted!" Ethan smirked and stated. Slightly tilting his head he ordered,

"And i want that trespasser at my penthouse by tomorrow morning, Steven" with that he got into his car and left that place knowing his men will do the work within seconds.

On the other hand Jasmine took the shortcuts and ran fast without looking back. She didn't stop for once cause the footsteps of his men were clear like crystal. Her heart hammered against her ribcage without any rhythm when the footsteps got closer and now she knows, there's no end.

But she can't leave him all free like that, he needs to be punished. She's also a daughter and she knows the pain of losing her parents. This video will be great evidence and she can sue him easily.

She stopped on her track when her hair was gripped on a steel like grip. Jasmine winced and trashed in pain. The desperation to get herself free was high and Jasmine like a manic writhed under their hold. The next thing she knew was a stinging pain in her head as she dozed off, beware of the things that'll happen in the future.

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