The Seventh Miserable Bride

The familiar embrace provided her with a sense of security, but it could not vanquish the sadness in her heart. Sebastian Simons hugged her so tightly as if he wanted to crush her into his body. He said in a shaky voice, "Yasmine, it's great that nothing happened to you. I almost went crazy when I heard the news. I really can't imagine what I'd do if something bad happened to you. Ever since I heard the news at 4 a.m earlier today, my heart seemingly stopped beating for the past five hours. Yasmine, if I can't protect you, I'd rather not live. Yasmine, Yasmine..."

Sebastian's words of concern were somewhat incoherent due to his anxiety. Yasmine was nearly out of breath under his hug. She didn't say a word but just listened to the man next to her. Gradually, Sebastian felt something was off. He loosened his arms and held her shoulders, asking with concern, "Yasmine, what's wrong? Why are you so pale?"

Yasmine Taylor remained silent. She was still immersed in shock and could not seem to compose herself. She could still faintly hear Richie's filthy abuse ringing in her ears. Her body became colder. Suddenly, she lost control and threw herself into Sebastian's arms, crying pathetically, "What should I do? Sebastian, Leighton's dead. What should I do..."

Sebastian was also extremely taken aback. He comforted her in a hurry, "Don't cry. Tell me, what happened?" Yasmine cried until she was gasping for breath. She couldn't forget that day when she was taken to the Lind family for the first time many years ago, she squatted at the doorstep and refused to enter. A boy, who was slightly younger than she was, walked up to her and tilted his head, asking, "Are you hungry? I'll steal an apple for you."

At that time, Leighton Lind was only ten. He was very sweet but much more dim-witted than his peers. That day, when he handed over a big red apple to Yasmine, she never regarded him as a fool again. For nearly ten years, she treated Leighton as her younger brother. Even though she hated his parents, she had never been angry with him. At that time, Richie and his wife almost made her lose her virginity to Leighton. She hadn't told Sebastian about this until now. She just hoped that the poor child could have a proper and complete family, but now, he had left this world because of her...

The more Yasmine thought about it, the more woeful she became. Sebastian placed her in the car and then went to the police station to get a grasp of the situation. She was so depressed now that he couldn't draw anything out of her.

About 20 minutes later, Sebastian came out with a dreary face. It all became clear to him. He got into the car, hugged Yasmine, and said out of heartache, "It's not your fault. It's just an accident. Don't put the blame on yourself. Perhaps his parents had done all kinds of evil deeds and God ended up punishing the wrong person..."

When she finally stopped crying, Yasmine drifted to sleep in Sebastian's arms from sheer exhaustion. She hadn't closed her eyes throughout the entire day and night. That sudden assault tormented her both physically and mentally.

It was already early the next morning when she woke up. She had a nightmare and her hair was soaked in a cold sweat.

She looked around and realized that she was in a totally unfamiliar environment. She was probably in a hotel. She opened the door and went out. Sebastian was sitting on the couch in the living room, busy with his laptop.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He slowly turned around and saw that it was Yasmine. He quickly got up and walked to her. "Why are you up so early?"

Yasmine answered weakly, "I've been sleeping for a long time."

She glanced at his laptop, "You should go back if your work needs you. I'm fine now. I'm going to the hospital to visit Gabriel later."

"I'll go with you,"

Sebastian's gaze was very firm. After breakfast, they went to the hospital together.

It was unclear whether Gabriel had lucked out or that Richie was too nervous to commit the crime at that time, but the knife had only gone into his shoulder blade. After a timely rescue and recuperation, he could sit up and talk like a normal person.

When Yasmine stood in front of him, her eyes were bloodshot and swollen like walnuts. Gabriel stared at her for a while and grinned. "I'm not dead yet. Why did you cry much?"

He didn't know that there was another reason beyond the fact that Yasmine had blamed herself for his injury.

Sebastian stepped forward and said seriously to Gabriel, "Thank you for taking the knife for Yasmine. I'll remember your kindness forever."

Gabriel looked at him and said mockingly, "I took the knife for Yasmine. What rights do you have to remember this act of kindness for her?" The implication of his words was for Yasmine herself to remember, not Sebastian.

"As her husband,"

Sebastian answered calmly. Gabriel's sarcasm did not upset him.

"Aren't you two divorced?"

"I wasn't there when she signed the papers. After that, I tore up the agreement, so legally, she's still my wife."

A trace of sadness flashed across Gabriel's eyes. "Well, I saved your wife's life. How are you going to repay me?"

"As long as I am capable of it, I will do anything you want."

Gabriel turned to look at Yasmine and said to her, "Madeline, please excuse us. I'm going to have a man-to-man talk with President Sebastian."

Yasmine didn't question him and walked out of the ward silently. As soon as she left, Gabriel went straight to the point. I'll want Yasmine to work at Goldeap Corporation for three years. I'll let her go back to you after that."

Sebastian refused without even thinking about it. "I'm sorry. With all due respect, I can't agree with that."

"Why can't you? I am only requesting for her to stay here for another three years and not for a lifetime. You two have been separated for two years anyway, would another few more years make any difference? "That is precisely the point. Yasmine and I have been apart for two years that I don't want to be separated from her anymore, not even for another minute,"

Gabriel looked a little unhappy, and his gaze was slightly cold. "You should know that if I refuse to forgive her for tricking me before, she would not get back together with you. Now that I had saved her life, she owes me even more. If I said that I wouldn't let her go, she definitely wouldn't leave. Even if she's not with me, she will not be with you. You and I both know she's the kind woman who would not build her own happiness on other people's suffering."

"So, what do you want then?"

"Well, since you were unwilling to accept my proposal just now, I'll give you two more choices. First, you take the knife in my place, but I can't guarantee you'll be lucky enough to survive. It doesn't matter if you end up dying. I'll take good care of Yasmine for you. "Second, transfer all the shares of Yaslor Corporation to me, and the grudges between you and me will be written off. You can take her away, but you'll have nothing."

Sebastian stared at him indifferently. "Does it have to be this way?"

"This is what you owe me. In order to help you overcome your career crisis, she lied to me and concealed your relationship from me. If I sue her, the court will suspect her of fraud. You should think twice before answering. I wouldn't want to lose both my money and my love."

Sebastian turned around and walked out of the ward. In the long corridor, Yasmine stood silently in front of a window. Her thoughts drifted so far away that she did not even notice a person standing beside her.

"Yasmine."

He called her softly.

"Hmm?"

She turned around and waited for him to continue.

"If Gabriel refuses to forgive you, you wouldn't be with me then, right?"

Yasmine was startled but she nodded blankly. "Yes." "Right, I got it."

She still had something else to say, but he had already spun around to head back to the ward.

Without any hesitation, he told Gabriel, "If you want the shares of Yaslor Corporation, you may take them. From now on, we don't owe each other anything."

Just as he was about to leave, Gabriel shouted, "Wait a minute."

"Anything else?"

"Have you thought it through? Your father's company is now an empty shell, and all the money you took out from Yaslor Corporation has been used for reinvestment. Now, the new products on the market are your only hope to turn it around. Are you really giving it up like this?"

"If I have all the riches in this world without having anyone who is able to give meaning to my life by my side, then what's the point of possessing all this wealth?"

Gabriel suddenly smiled. He waved his hand, "Please let Madeline in."

Yasmine followed Sebastian to the ward. Gabriel suddenly took her hand and then slowly handed it over to Sebastian.

"Please treat this woman well. She's worthy of your love."

He then turned to Yasmine and continued, "Please take good care of this man. He's worthy of your care."

Sebastian was a tad confused and nervous. He didn't know why Gabriel's attitude had suddenly changed. However, Yasmine nodded with tears in her eyes, without any confusion on her face.

Gabriel sighed with regret. "I really don't want to give up the woman I've loved for two years just like this. I'm willing to let go not to prove my generosity, but because I've seen the true love between you two." After leaving the hospital, Sebastian exclaimed, "If Gabriel was not my love rival, I really want to be friends with him. He's a very honest person."

Yasmine refuted him weakly. "Didn't he already give us his blessings?"

"He threatened me just now."

Sebastian described the man-to-man conversation that they had earlier in the ward. Yasmine raised a bitter-sweet smile grumpily, "He was trying to test your sincerity."

"I did not think about it that way at first."

The two of them came to Chuck's house. As soon as they entered, her uncle asked coldly, "Why didn't you stay with Gabriel at the hospital?"

Yasmine replied in submission, "Gabriel has his family to accompany him. I'm here to tell you..." She paused for a moment, knowing what she was about to say next would definitely make her uncle and aunt angry. "I'm going to stay with Sebastian."

"Are you crazy?"

As expected, her aunt was the first to jump up. "Gabriel risked his life for you but still you gave up on him. Are you out of your mind?"