Chapter 21

Caleb’s voice turned icy, as if he desperately suppressed some emotion. Though his expression remained impassive, his imposing presence intimidated most. But Yasmin was undeterred. She tilted her head and chuckled, “What’s wrong, Caleb? Are you too domineering to allow your employees medical attention? Or is it that you won't let your own wife go to the hospital?”

Caleb inhaled deeply, forcing calm despite Yasmin’s injury. “Yasmin, I’ll take you to the best doctor,” he said, a hint of panic in his voice. “Right now.”

Yasmin stepped back, shaking her head. “Caleb, don’t you understand? From the moment you chose to protect Veronica, I decided to leave you.” She thought, Just as you chose to leave me for Veronica, I’m choosing divorce!

The deep disappointment in Yasmin’s eyes pierced Caleb’s heart, suffocating him. He wanted to explain that he hadn’t seen her and instinctively protected Veronica. If only he’d seen Yasmin… He hadn’t meant to do it.

Fortunately, Yasmin’s burn wasn’t severe. The chowder wasn’t scalding, and the immediate icing helped. Still, blisters formed. At the hospital, the doctor drained them, applied medication, and bandaged the wound, advising a dressing change in a week.

Adrian was unusually quiet, a stark contrast to his usual confident demeanor. “Adrian, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep this from you. My situation with Caleb… it’s complicated. I didn’t want to involve you.” With divorce imminent, she hadn’t seen the need to broadcast her marriage. Who could have predicted this?

Adrian forced a smile, his expression a mix of guilt and regret. “Yasmin, please don’t say that. It’s my fault for not realizing your relationship with Caleb sooner.” He gazed deeply at her, hesitating before asking, “Yasmin… are you okay?”

Yasmin was stunned. She hadn’t expected his concern. A wave of warmth and bittersweet emotion filled her heart. She smiled and nodded. “I’m fine, Adrian. Thank you. You’re a great person!”

Adrian lacked the courage to ask why Veronica was with Caleb if Yasmin was his wife. Why was Caleb’s affair with Veronica public knowledge? Why were they so intimate in public? The wealthy kept their secrets, and he didn’t want to embarrass Yasmin.

When Brenda learned of Yasmin’s injury, she rushed to Grant Group to collect her. Yasmin finished her work, completed the handover, and left early. The moment Brenda saw the bandaged hand, her heart ached. She stood outside Grant Group for thirty minutes, loudly cursing Caleb by name, so loudly that security intervened.

“I can’t believe he let you go to the hospital with another man! Is he even a man?” Brenda fumed.

Yasmin, clearly enjoying the drama, said, “He didn’t want to at first, but Veronica’s hand suddenly twitched, scaring her. She turned pale, crying, and begged Caleb to take her to the hospital.”

“And he just took her?” Brenda was shocked and furious, resuming her tirade for another ten minutes.

Yasmin sighed. “Too bad I have to attend the auction tomorrow with this hand.” Tomorrow was the quarterly auction at Dunville Auction House, where the emerald bead necklace Veronica and Wanda had sold would be auctioned.

“What’s wrong? You look cute,” Brenda countered. “Just wait. I’ll make you the most stunning person at the auction. You’ll steal the show!”