New Feelings - Part 1

Benjamin was surprised, then chuckled, his gaze towards her becoming more and more gentle. "You figured it out, didn't you?"

"You got injured tonight while you were out, didn't you?" Jacqueline guessed.

"You're sharp. That's right. Just a scratch and the doctor patched me up," Benjamin replied. "But I can still ride horses with you."

"No, stop it, don't you care about yourself?" Jacqueline frowned, taking a step towards him as she asked seriously.

Benjamin teased, his eyes smiling.

"This isn't something to joke about," Jacqueline asserted, annoyed by Benjamin's attitude, which she found lacking in seriousness.

But from Benjamin's perspective, Jacqueline was the one taking the story too far. In this inspection task, Benjamin had been careless and got shot in the left thigh, and with what he had been through in his mafia life, it was just a scratch. He wondered how shocked his little girl would be if she knew he had almost lost an arm and an eye in a fierce battle.

She didn't understand him or the life he was living, he thought, but that made her worth getting to know more in his eyes. Benjamin decided not to let her know anything related to the mafia. She should just remain a little princess, living her whole life in her castle.

"I'm sorry," Benjamin said in an effort to soothe Jacqueline.

Hearing that, she realized she might have made it too complicated. She didn't think she should be annoyed with Benjamin, who was both a mafia boss and the main target in her mission.

Jacqueline bowed her head slightly, her demeanor no longer sharp, her voice gentle, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Benjamin leaned his face closer to hers.

Feeling his breath and voice inches away from her, Jacqueline's cheeks flushed and warmed. She squeezed her eyes shut to endure this embarrassing atmosphere, "I overreacted."

"Because you're worried about me, aren't you?" Benjamin's voice, full of temptation like a devil. He scrutinized her beautiful face meticulously while Jacqueline was distracted by her own thoughts.

He saw her bite her lip, then spoke, her voice almost carried away by the wind, "Yes..."

He heard what she said, but still pretended not to, "What was that?"

"Yes," she repeated, but louder.

"Sorry, the wind's too loud," Benjamin continued his teasing, waiting to see what she would say.

Jacqueline opened her eyes, taking a few moments to be surprised by how close Benjamin was, but she remained patient, "I... I worry about you."

Benjamin chuckled, a few sparks of light in his eyes, Jacqueline would never admit that her heart felt strange to him.

"I – CAN - NOT – HEAR – YOU," Benjamin said slowly, word by word.

Jacqueline realized she was being teased by Benjamin, she looked straight into his eyes, speaking loudly, "I don't want my future husband to be crippled because of his recklessness."

Then she immediately ran away when she realized she had just yelled at a mafia don, and... because she felt embarrassed by her own words.

Benjamin chased after her, "Wait with Jane, we haven't finished talking... Ouch!"

Hearing his painful grunt, she turned back, realizing he was almost bending over due to the wound on his leg.

Jacqueline left her embarrassment behind to rush to him. She supported him, feeling the weight of his body, worrying about his condition. "Are you okay? How's your wound? Let's go downstairs quickly, I'll call the doctor," she pleaded.

"It's not that serious," Benjamin reassured.

But Jacqueline wasn't convinced, she led him towards the stairs, where Helena had been standing at the bottom.

"Helena, call the doctor now, please" Jacqueline's voice became desperate.

...

Benjamin lay on the sofa. His trousers had been loosened for the doctor to easily examine the wound.

"It's hard to believe you called me for just a wound like this," the doctor said while bandaging Benjamin's wound.

"Not me," Benjamin sighed.

"The girl Helena mentioned, huh?" The doctor took his scissors to cut the bandage. "It's quite courageous of a lady to face your giant ego."

Benjamin propped up on one elbow, "I've never needed a doctor for such trivial things."

"But a minor wound could cost your life if it gets infected, sir," the doctor finished bandaging and was now tidying up his tools.

"You couldn't move without making a noise?" Benjamin put his hand on his forehead, closing his eyes to rest.

The doctor shrugged, he could say more. No one could confront Benjamin's giant ego, the doctor thought.

Stepping outside, the one waiting for him was Jacqueline, not Helena.

"How's he doing?" Jacqueline asked.

The doctor looked at the unfamiliar girl, her sun-kissed hair and turquoise eyes. Was she the one Helena called "Lady," he wondered.

And... she resembled Jasmine from the Martin family.

"You are..."

"I'm Jasmine Martin, nice to meet you, you must be Mr. Turner's personal doctor," Jacqueline greeted with a polite smile.

She didn't know that the doctor standing before her saw through her lie, but he didn't expose it.

The doctor couldn't think someone as shrewd as Benjamin wouldn't know what was going on.

"I'm Josh Wilson. Yes, I only provide my services to Mr. Turner, nice to meet you, Miss Martin," he shook hands with Jacqueline. "Regarding Benjamin, he's okay, but he needs to limit vigorous activities for the healing process to proceed correctly."

Jacqueline felt relieved by what she heard. Helena appeared shortly after and escorted the doctor out of the mansion.

The doctor didn't close Benjamin's room tightly. Through the gap, Jacqueline saw Benjamin sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

"Who?" realizing someone was watching him, Benjamin immediately raised his head, his sharp gaze shooting toward her, making her body instinctively shiver.

"It's me, Jasmine," Jacqueline said.

"Jane? My God, haven't you slept yet? Let me open the door for you."

"No, don't get up, the door's not locked," Jacqueline gently pushed the door and entered the room.

"Can't sleep?" he asked while pouring tea for her.

Jacqueline sat opposite him, "No, I haven't slept, I've been waiting while the doctor checked on you. Does it hurt?"

Benjamin, who was focusing on pouring tea, looked up at her, "It doesn't. Don't ask me silly questions like that. You know who I am, right?"