Mine is My Obsession

"Keep it up, Jess, looking good,"

"Look to the left, just like that, hold it."

All eyes were now fixed on a model who was skyrocketing to fame, a stunning model with a tall and captivating figure, just like most models. However, she had her own allure, not just her beauty, but also her personality.

"She's annoying, but unfortunately, she's beautiful."

"Yeah, you can't do anything about her good luck."

"Isn't God unfair to us?" Molly said, holding a few pieces of clothing in her hands.

"Hey, you're eating from her hand, so just accept it, okay? Keep your complaints to yourself," Lusy said, smiling mockingly at her colleague. Before Molly could respond to her friend's taunt, Lusy immediately nudged Molly's arm while looking back where a man was now approaching with his blank face and, unfortunately, he was handsome.

"Is the photoshoot still long?" he asked, making Lusy and Molly remain silent without blinking, until they realized themselves and received questioning glances from their interlocutor.

"Oh, yes, maybe a few more outfits for Jess," Molly replied, making the man nod before leaving a thin smile in their minds. Molly and Lusy just watched his sturdy back move away and approach the set.

"There she is, the luckiest one that makes me jealous the most," Molly said, making Lusy nod in agreement this time.

"Does their whole family really inherit godlike looks?" Molly murmured again when she saw how beautiful Jasmine was and the man who was asking them.

"Hey, they're not a real family," Lusy said, making Molly return her friend's gaze.

"I thought it was just cheap gossip," Molly guessed.

"Who knows, the media doesn't clearly report on their family, like it's taboo to discuss and for the public to know," Lusy replied, finally pulling Molly's hand to find a seat and move away from the photoshoot set a little bit.

"Are you curious?" Lusy asked, seemingly seeing Molly's enthusiastic expression.

"You're her assistant, I'm afraid you'll report me to your boss," Lusy said, making Molly sigh irritably.

"Hey, you know, I never mix work matters with my curiosity. I'm professional," Moly replied, making Lusy snort. Yes, it could be said that Moly was always curious about circulating gossip, even if it was just cheap gossip or unclear news, making Lusy sigh roughly.

"Listen, I'm not saying this is the truth. You know, I heard it from someone else too," Lusy said, making Moly nod with shining eyes, making Lusy sigh roughly again.

They...

"Great job, Jess. You're always reliable," Ramon said as he walked towards Jasmine, showing the camera in his hand, filled with photos of Jasmine in various poses.

"Yeah, I know," Jasmine replied, making Ramon chuckle.

"I like your answer," Ramon replied, then handing the camera he held to his assistant.

"Only my answers you like?" Jasmine asked, making Ramon silent as he looked at Jasmine's beautiful face, which didn't even care about the conversation they were having. Ramon knew for Jasmine, all of this was just small talk.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?" Ramon invited because there was no point in continuing their previous conversation.

"It seems..."

"Mine __" someone interrupted from behind them, making Ramon immediately look to see who was interrupting their conversation.

Meanwhile, Jasmine just sighed as if feeling tired. She didn't need to turn around to know who was coming. From his heavy voice and the way he called her name, Jasmine knew it was Seth, her beloved older brother.

"Are you done?" Seth asked.

"Oh yes, we just finished. Long time no see, Mr. Harold," Ramon said.

"Yeah, not many chances for us to meet," Seth replied, pulling Jasmine's waist closer to him, and it didn't escape Ramon's sight as he clearly saw how protective Seth was of Jasmine.

"What are your plans after this?" Seth asked, looking at Jasmine who had been avoiding his gaze.

But before any of them could answer, someone approached them and came closer to Ramon.

"Ah, I think I should go now. There are some tasks waiting for me," Ramon replied, making Seth just smile thinly.

"What about your lunch invitation earlier?" Jasmine said before Ramon could turn around. Ramon glanced at Jasmine for a moment before looking at Seth, who only showed a cold, flat expression. It was always difficult for Ramon to read what expression Seth had, but clearly Ramon could feel the tension rising. Yes, it seemed they were indeed spiritually related, as Ramon equated Jasmine and Seth's expressions, which were always difficult to guess.

"I apologize, I forgot that I already had prior plans and ended up inviting you," Ramon said with a regretful face, making Jasmine pout disapprovingly.

"Next time, you should prioritize your invitations to me," Jasmine said, then walked away leaving Ramon and Seth behind. They watched Jasmine's back as she walked towards the dressing room followed by her assistant.

"Yeah, I guess you're used to her attitude like that," Seth said, making Ramon nod.

"In that case, I should go see her right away. I don't want to bear the brunt of her annoyance," Seth said, then left to catch up with Jasmine to the dressing room, leaving Ramon silent. Somehow, he felt unfit to have a conversation with a Seth Harold.

Moly was about to help Jasmine remove the dress she was wearing, which now showcased her beautiful back, when the dressing room door opened to reveal Seth standing silently on the threshold, making Moly slightly startled.

"Oh..." Moly's words trailed off.

"You can leave, Moly. That's enough for today. You can enjoy your time and tell Patricia to cancel all my schedules," Jasmine cut in, making Moly widen her eyes.

"Everything, Miss?" Moly asked incredulously because for today alone Jasmine's schedule was full until the evening, so how could she cancel it just like that.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Jasmine asked, making Moly just stay silent. Yes, this wasn't the first or second time it had happened, making Moly have to start getting used to it, as she had only joined as the assistant to this top model a few months ago.

"May you be blessed, Patricia," Moly thought, knowing that her manager would be the one to bear the consequences of Jasmine's attitude. Moly then chose to leave immediately and enjoy her free time. Moly glanced briefly at Seth, who was just staring straight at Jasmine, before closing the dressing room door, leaving the two of them alone.

"You look upset, Mine," Seth said as he walked closer, while Jasmine chose to remove the accessories she was still wearing. She just stared at her reflection in the large mirror in front of her. Jasmine didn't care about Seth's question.

"Did I do something wrong?" Seth asked again, now standing right behind Jasmine, making Jasmine's movements stop as she felt Seth's cold hand touching the skin of her back, feeling Seth slowly unzip the dress that was still clinging perfectly to her body.

"I apologize if I have made a mistake," Seth said softly again, making Jasmine sigh roughly. It was always like this, she would easily melt just with the apology Seth always said to her.

It was clear how a small child curled up in a dark and stuffy room, in a worrying condition. She could only cry, enduring the pain all over her body, which now appeared bruised in several parts.

The heartbreaking situation was something she often experienced; her agonizing cries were not from the blows and violence he received, but from the heartache of never receiving love like other children. Her childhood was only filled with fear and anxiety.

The small door in front of him slowly opened, increasing the child's fear. She widened her eyes as someone approached with a belt in hand.

"I beg you, I promise I'll never misbehave again, I'll be a good child," the child sobbed. However, it seemed like a futile plea as the person began to swing the belt in their hand.

Jasmine immediately opened her eyes wide, sweat dampening the side of her face, her heart pounding fast, and her body trembling. Once again, the nightmare plagued her sleep. Jasmine didn't know how long she had been experiencing this continuously, lately making her sometimes afraid to even close her eyes.

"Are you okay?" A deep voice beside her asked, making Jasmine immediately turn to look at Seth, who was staring at her with concern. Seth sat right beside her with a book in his hand, making Jasmine immediately shift her gaze to the clock, which showed midnight.

"Did you have a bad dream again?" Seth asked, then reached out his hand and gently stroked Jasmine's temple, making Jasmine immediately grab Seth's hand and hold it tightly. The cold touch of his hand made Jasmine feel comforted. Jasmine placed Seth's palm on the side of her face, realizing that someone was now beside her making her feel calmer, just like when she was a child, experiencing something bad.

"Should we meet with Cindy?" Seth asked, now moving closer to Jasmine and lying down, observing how Jasmine's face still looked fearful.

"I'm fine," Jasmine replied.

"Lately, you've been having frequent nightmares, is something bothering you?" Seth asked, moving his thumb on Jasmine's face, making Jasmine pause, looking at Seth's face that always made her feel calm.

"I don't know, maybe something is bothering me," Jasmine replied nonchalantly. However, before Seth could ask further, Jasmine diverted the conversation.

"Since when have you been in my room?" Jasmine asked.

"For the past two hours," Seth replied.

"You couldn't sleep?"

"No, I just miss you," Seth replied, making Jasmine sigh irritably. It was the same answer Seth always gave, but it always managed to make Jasmine's heart beat faster, even though Jasmine always denied it.

"Lately you've been staying at home more often and always coming into my room," Jasmine said, causing Seth's thumb movement to pause. Seth gazed deeply into Jasmine's eyes.

"I just want to enjoy the home atmosphere," he said, a lie that Jasmine could see through. Seth never felt comfortable at his own home. He would only come occasionally if his father asked. Yes, Seth did decide to leave home after graduating from school, and since then he kept his distance from his father, whom he was never close to in the first place. That was what Jasmine knew.

"Do you always take every question of mine as a joke? You never answer seriously," Jasmine complained, shifting her sleeping position. Jasmine turned her back to Seth and tried to close her eyes. Jasmine didn't know what was on Seth's mind. It was too difficult to guess. But Jasmine felt like Seth always treated her as trivial.

The next moment, Jasmine felt Seth's strong hand encircling her waist, his warm breath caressing the nape of her neck, making Jasmine only able to bite her lower lip to contain the sensations Seth was giving her.

"Go back to sleep, I'm sure a busy schedule awaits you tomorrow," Seth whispered, making Jasmine chuckle. However, the calming scent of Seth always managed to make Jasmine feel comfortable and slowly drift back to sleep.

From the beginning, Seth's presence was a blessing that Jasmine felt, but fate played with them. Jasmine didn't know whether becoming a family could make her feel grateful or the opposite.

Jasmine was startled when her phone rang loudly, making her immediately look to the side of her bed. Seth was no longer there, and the sun was already rising outside. Yes, and that was a common occurrence. Jasmine then reached for her phone where Patricia's name was displayed on the screen.

"Jess," she exclaimed, making Jasmine grimace.

"Patty, it's still early, do you want to ruin my mood?" Jasmine complained.

"Oh God, seriously. Jess, did you cancel our contract with Milo?" Patricia asked, sounding annoyed, making Jasmine pause for a moment as if remembering.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you," Jasmine answered casually.

"Why?"

"Because I don't feel like going to Hawaii right now. Why should we go all the way there for a photoshoot?" Jasmine replied, and she was sure Patricia was cursing her out by now.

"Come on, Jess, it's not just that we'll do in Hawaii, we_"

"Yeah, I know, and I don't want to do it. Just handle them and tell them I'll pay the fine," Jasmine replied, then decided to hang up the phone just like that. Jasmine then chose to get ready immediately because she didn't want to make her manager even more upset due to her carelessness with her schedule today.

Jasmine descended the stairs. She planned to go straight to her activities, but her steps halted when it seemed like people were waiting for her at the dining table.

"Jasmine, we're waiting for you," said a middle-aged man who had a face similar to Seth's, whom she had long called Daddy. This left Jasmine with no choice but to approach and pull a chair right next to Evelyn.

"How's work? Is everything going smoothly?" Lucas asked, making Jasmine nod.

"Yes, everything is going as usual," Jasmine replied shortly, hoping to end Lucas's further questions.

"Good then," Lucas replied. Jasmine was about to reach for some bread, but her hand stopped when Evelyn grabbed her wrist. Jasmine immediately looked at her mother who was now smiling at her. Understanding the meaning behind the smile, Jasmine abandoned her intention and opted to sip the juice nearby.

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"Not just_"

"Jasmine is on a diet, she has a photoshoot in Hawaii next Sunday," Evelyn interjected, making Jasmine look at her mother incredulously, but unable to refute.

"Ah, but still, you have to take care of your health, okay?" Lucas said, making Jasmine smile thinly. Seth didn't miss any of this.

"Oh yes, Seth, don't forget to have dinner with the Sanchez family tonight," Lucas said, making Jasmine immediately look at Seth, who was also looking at her.

"You'll have dinner outside?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes, and your mother said your schedule is very busy until later, so we don't want to disturb your activities. Besides, tonight's dinner is just a regular one for Seth and Monica," Lucas explained.

"Monica?" Jasmine asked, feeling unfamiliar with the name.

"Yes, Monica Sanchez. She's the daughter of Daddy's friend and also an old friend of Seth. Just consider it their reunion, right, Seth?" Lucas said, making Seth nod and smile faintly.

Seth immediately followed Jasmine's steps as she suddenly left the dining table.

"Mine!" Seth exclaimed, but Jasmine seemed to ignore him, continuing towards her parked car. She shouldn't have joined the family breakfast in the first place.

"Mine!" Seth snapped, grabbing Jasmine's arm, which she promptly shrugged off roughly. Jasmine glared at Seth disapprovingly before turning to grab the car door handle.

"Are you angry?" Seth asked, causing Jasmine to fall silent.

Was she angry? If so, what reason should she give? Why did Seth seem to consider her anger normal, making Jasmine feel even more insignificant to him?

"I planned to tell you after breakfast. I didn't know if Daddy would bring it up again," Seth explained, causing Jasmine to clench her fists. With all her strength, Jasmine composed her expression.

"You don't need to explain anything to me, Seth," Jasmine replied, making Seth more certain of her anger. Seth approached, and Jasmine could smell his scent permeating her senses.

"Wait for me in the car, I'll drive you," Seth said heavily, making Jasmine clench her jaw. Then she turned around, now facing Seth directly. Their close proximity made it harder for Jasmine to contain her emotions, especially when meeting Seth's gaze.

"Let's just handle our own affairs, Seth. Never interfere in anything between us again. It would be better for you too," Jasmine said, pausing. This time, Jasmine saw Seth hardening his jaw. Did her words disturb Seth's mind, Jasmine thought, and Jasmine didn't care.

"Enjoy your dinner later," Jasmine said, then truly left, leaving Seth silent, watching Jasmine's car getting farther away.

Molly and Patricia could only remain silent. They had to maintain their composure all day, as any slight mistake would surely ruin Jasmine's already unstable mood. And that would inevitably lead to their increasingly difficult tasks.

"Patty, what's my next schedule?" Jasmine asked after checking her phone for the past thirty minutes. They had just finished an interview for one of the leading magazines, and of course, there were still several schedules ahead for Jasmine.

"We have to meet Mrs. Cortes for the fashion show event in Milan. After that, there's a magazine signing and..." Patricia paused her speech, the last event wasn't too important, and Jasmine usually declined it. So, Patricia planned not to inform Jasmine about it, that was her initial plan.

"Tell me everything without skipping anything," Jasmine said, prompting Molly to lean towards Patricia out of curiosity about their last schedule. After that, her eyes sparkled as if Molly herself really wanted to attend that event.

"Tonight Taylor is hosting a party, and I've already mentioned if..."

"I'll come," Jasmine interrupted.

"Yes, I've..." What?" Patricia asked to confirm with Jasmine's response.

"Prepare my stuff for the party and align it with the theme," Jasmine said as she got up from her seat. She then walked out, leaving Patricia speechless in disbelief, while Molly immediately looked at Patricia with enthusiasm.

"Are we really going to Taylor's party?" Molly asked, making Patricia shake her head.

"Why?" Molly asked.

"Did you also hear that Jess is coming to Taylor's party?" Patricia asked, making Molly nod.

"Ah, I thought I misheard. She rarely wants to go to parties, especially Taylor's party."

"Isn't this a great opportunity? Sometimes I envy Lucy who goes in and out of parties, while we only attend formal events. And yet I'm an assistant to a top model," Molly grumbled, making Patricia sigh in annoyance.

"What do you expect when working with Jasmine?" Patricia asked while tidying up their belongings. She had to pack up and prepare for Taylor's party.

"Of course, an artist's life is full of parties and fun nightlife, and after so long, I can finally experience it. I think Jess is in a good mood," Molly said, eagerly anticipating the party, while Patricia was thinking the opposite.

"I think we're going to face a big problem," Patricia muttered, which was ignored by Molly.

Meanwhile, Jasmine, now in her car, could only massage the bridge of her nose. Her head was throbbing, and she needed headache medicine. Jasmine began rummaging through her bag before her phone rang.

"Are you coming to Taylor's party?" a brief message from Ramon made Jasmine pause for a moment before responding.

"Yes," Jasmine replied shortly without bothering to wait for Ramon's reply. She tossed her phone onto the seat next to her. Jasmine needed to lift her mood, and going to Taylor's party, in Jasmine's opinion, wasn't a bad idea.

As Molly suspected, the top celebrity party was truly extraordinary. One of the renowned nightclubs was now filled with celebrities and VIPs, including Jasmine herself. All eyes were now on the beautiful yet arrogant model. Of course, her presence aroused curiosity and wonder. It was rare to see someone like Jasmine Harold at a night party.

"Wow, I'm really touched, our queen model finally graced my party," Taylor said, drawing even more attention from the crowd. Meanwhile, Jasmine just glanced at Taylor's friendly yet somewhat theatrical face.

"Well, I just happened to have an empty schedule, so I decided to come. Besides, wouldn't it be rude if I kept turning down your invitations?" Jasmine replied with her arrogant tone, making Taylor just smile thinly. Jasmine knew Taylor was one of those who never liked her, and Jasmine didn't care.

"Alright then, enjoy the party. I hope you're comfortable," Taylor said, not wanting to linger too much with Jasmine as it might ruin her own party.

Jasmine then chose to walk towards the bar, followed by Patricia and Molly.

"You guys enjoy the party, don't mind me," Jasmine said as she called the bartender and ordered a drink.

"No, I'll stay here," Patricia replied, causing Jasmine to turn towards her manager.

"Come on, Patty, just enjoy yourself. Consider it entertainment for both of you, so don't mind me. I promise I won't cause any trouble," Jasmine said, knowing how worried Patricia was about her. However, before Patricia could respond, Molly pulled her arm.

"Come on, what Jess said is right. We should give her time to improve her mood," Molly said as she continued to pull Patricia away.

Meanwhile, Jasmine started sipping her drink. She then glanced at the time on her phone. Right now, they must be having dinner, right? Jasmine imagined the two families meeting for dinner and discussing Seth and Monica's arranged marriage.

Just the thought made Jasmine's heart beat fast but painfully. She immediately took a gulp of her drink.

"Wow, you'll get drunk right away if you drink it like that," a deep voice said, now sitting beside Jasmine, making her furrow her brow as she felt the drink she just consumed burning her throat.