It's her, Jasmine!

As soon as Investigator Fox got into his car after leaving Alexis Han behind in the restaurant, he slumped into the driver's seat and let out a deep breath. He so much hates coming across all these arrogant socialites who thought that the world rotates around them and their money. 

He closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, steeling himself for the task ahead, his mind made up to find Jasmine. He has less than a day left to report back to Clyde and he couldn't afford to disappoint the demanding CEO nor be able to come up with an unreasonable excuse – as Clyde would term it.

Just as he was about to start the engine, his eyes darted to the rearview mirror and he saw her. Jasmine. His heart skipped a beat, but he couldn't be sure if it was because of fear or excitement. He squinted, trying to convince himself that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, but how could he mistake that long, black hair for anyone else's. It's her, Jasmine.

Without a second thought, he jumped out of the car and ran towards her, "Jasmine," he half-yelled and half-whispered.

Jasmine who had gone to eat out with Brad heard her name and turned to the direction of the call, Brad followed suit and there she saw Fox. At first, she was taken aback and doubted that it was him because he couldn't be back from the states now.

Remembering that she no longer hears any news about the Andersons private life, she convinced herself that it was possible that he had returned from his study. 

Hug.

Fox had thrown all cautions to the wind and hugged her while she was in her thoughts. As if that's all she needed at the moment, her walls came crumbling down and she burst into tears. The fat drops of tears wetting his clothes. But he didn't mind. 

After what felt like eternity, he released her from the hug and he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. Brad, who had been standing by awkwardly during this exchange, felt a surge of anger at the sight of Jasmine's tears.

"Hey," he called out, stomping his foot on the ground. "baby Jas, what's happening? Who's he?"he asked Jasmine, protectively. 

"Who's he?" Fox asked Jasmine, sizing Brad, who was dressed gayishly. 

Cough. Cough.

Jasmine coughed awkwardly and smiled at Fox, "can we all go somewhere and talk?" She proposed, dragging them towards the same restaurant Fox came from.

As if a bell rang, Fox remembered that Alexis might still be there, so he changed his mind. "Why not we talk somewhere else, Jas?" he proposed as his eyes scanned the area till it landed on a playground not far from them. They all walked towards there and sat down on a nearby bench. 

Jasmine introduced Brad and Fox to each other and she made mention of Ava to Fox, filling him up on what has happened to her after he left home to the States and how the Andersons cut off ties with her and pushed her away. As she spoke, her voice cracked and tears welled up in her eyes and cascaded down her smooth cheek, triggering the soft nature of Fox.

Brad, hearing Jasmine's story for the first time was shocked and could only imagine the pains Jasmine must have passed through in the hands of the people she took as family. He could only imagine the pain she must have felt living with them. 

"It's okay, baby Jas." He consoled her, "thank goodness you're no longer a member of that evil family. Who would believe that beneath their acts of benevolence lies so much evil. If they can do this to their own blood, then nobody is exempted," Brad stated, his anger rising every second as he spit and cursed the Andersons not minding that Fox is still an Anderson.

Fox, on the other hand, was the only one amongst them that knows that Jasmine is not an Anderson, so he could only keep mute and watch Brad trash talk his family. If not that he trusted Jasmine and had seen how she was treated in his home, he wouldn't have believed her. He sighed, drew Jasmine into his arms and gave her a long hug, as if telling her 'I'm sorry for all the pains my family made you pass through.'

After their sorrowful 'get together', Fox exchanged contact numbers with Jasmine and Brad, promising to keep in touch. He then left, but not without telling her where he lives and that the door is always open for her if she wants to come around.

After he left, Jasmine was quiet and looked melancholy, Brad, in order to cheer her up, decided to take her on a street walk. "How about we get some ice cream?" He suggested and she immediately bought the idea. 

"You know, he was the only one in the Andersons home who treated me with respect and kindness," Jasmine began after they strolled for some time. "He always makes me feel like I matter, too."

Brad hesitated for a moment, but then he couldn't help but ask the question that had been on his mind, "Why do they hate you so much?" 

"I don't know, Mrs. Anderson particularly, never liked me. She treated me worse than the lowest servant. She wouldn't let me play with Giana, nor let her come close to me. It was like I was a threat to her just by existing." she said the words slowly and sorrowfully.

"If I may ask, is she your mother? I mean, are they your parents? Mr and Mrs Anderson?" Brad asked the question carefully.

"hehehe" she giggled, "how could you ask something like that? Of course, they're my parents. I grew up with them and they also trained me in school." She replied, Her voice was strong and confident, but there was a small note of uncertainty underneath the surface. It was almost like she was trying to convince herself of something.

"Hmmm, if you say so then", Brad agreed with a pinch of salt. "Let's go back, it's getting late and it's cold outside," he suggested, to which she agreed. There was an unspoken tension between them, as if they both felt like there was something unsaid.

As they walked back to where their car was parked, they passed a sleek black Maybach parked on the side of the road. Its tinted windows made it impossible to see who or what was inside. 

As they passed the Maybach, the window suddenly rolled down. They didn't notice, but at that moment, a camera shutter clicked, capturing their image. Inside the car, the photographer smiled to himself, satisfied with the shot. He looked at the photo for a few moments, then quickly dialed a number on his phone. It rang once, twice, and then…

"Hello boss," he said as soon as the call connected. A grunt was heard in response to his greetings. "The task is completed, I'm coming over right now," he said proudly as he disconnected the call, started the car and sped off, leaving dust behind as a proof that he was there.