Rebirth: Revenge of the abandoned heirress-Chapter 30: Challenge

Jazmine placed her hand against the wall, fighting off the dizziness that was determined to make her give up. At that point, she heard a quiet knock.

"Who is it?"

Jazmine was wary of Rosaline's next move; she was reluctant to open the door. Rosaline had no limits. She could fall to any level to reach her motives. Because today, Jazmine had failed all of Rosaline's schemes, she was even more sure that her sister would take extreme measures to get back at her.

There was no answer. Only another knock.

After much contemplation, Jazmine decided to open the door. Because even if she didn't open it, if Rosaline wanted to, she could easily gain access to her room with the master key.

"Mr. Anderson...?" She was surprised. "What are you doing here at this time?"

Instead of answering her, he walked in and closed the door behind him. Before Jazmine could say anything in objection, he asked—

"Why didn't you finish your tea?"

"I was feeling nauseated... I explained it back then... Is there anything, Mr. Anderson?"

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He didn't walk all the way here just to ask her that, did he?

"How much of it did you drink?"

Did he somehow learn that the tea was spiked? Could it be that it was not only Rosaline but David Anderson who had tried to drug her? A flood of bad possibilities rushed through her muddled mind.

"I don't remember correctly. A few sips, I assume..." Jazmine's eyes lingered on the bedside table where her cell rested.

If it was true that they both had planned something together, then she had to inform Amelia or Frank at least.

But before she could make a move, David noticed her intentions, grabbed her arm, and made her face him, forcing her to meet his calm, unfathomable eyes.

"Answer me correctly. How much of it did you drink?" His voice was smooth yet held an extreme sense of strength and power. One couldn't simply refuse to answer his question.

"Half a cup." Her heart was beating loudly. She was alone with him in the room. She hadn't even brought her bodyguard with her.

David let go of her wrist, slowly.

"If that was all you wanted to ask, you can leave now."

"I didn't come here to leave."

"What do you mean?"

"We are a married couple. It is a natural thing that we share a room."

Jazmine: "..."

"Our marriage was—"

"Was only due to pressure from the elders?" David finished her words with a hint of scoffing. "You've already said that once. Whatever the reason for which we got married, it is still a marriage. We signed those papers. We made our vows in front of God. We are a married couple in the eyes of the whole world and, of course, in the eyes of your very own family. So the only right thing to do is that I stay the night with you to prevent any more irritating rumors."

Since when did he care about rumors? Jazmine knew there were ulterior motives behind his actions.

"I don't care about rumors—not enough to share a room with a stranger. And I expect you wouldn't, either."

Something flickered in David's eyes when he heard the word stranger, but, like always, it disappeared before any emotion could make its appearance on his face.

"So you are free to leave."

Silence.

"If you wouldn't leave, I will."

Jazmine picked up her cell and coat and opened the door.

David pushed it closed with a loud thud.

Jazmine stared at him, astonished.

"Don't defy me. I said you would stay the night with me in this room. So you will."

Was it a threat?

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Anderson. I am the master of my own choices," Jazmine's voice was composed and serene, "and I don't follow other people's orders."

"I don't care whatever you do and whatever you don't. But you will not step out of this room tonight."

If it was someone else, they would immediately relent to his order.

Who was he? The great David Anderson. The heir of the Anderson Empire.

But it was Jazmine, who challenged his fierce warning gaze with her equally unrelenting one.

Why was he so bent on not letting her leave?

"I'd like to see how you plan on stopping me."

"Don't... tempt me, Jazmine... You'll regret it."

Jazmine couldn't tolerate being ordered around by him—not after what she had endured in her past life.

In her past life, she had always feared him. But in this life, she wanted to challenge him, to show him that she wasn't the same weakling he could oppress. She challenged him with her resolute eyes, never looking away, and turned the knob.

Or... she tried to, because she had just reached the door when a strong arm grabbed her and pushed her against it.

Her coat slipped from her hands and noiselessly landed on the floor.

"Mr. Anderson, you wouldn't—"

Before she could complete her sentence, warm, wet lips covered hers.