At the sa ti...
Haji made his way back toward Lola’s ward, unaware that Silo and Cedrick had already left without him. As he walked down the corridor, he spotted Izu erging from another direction.
Seeing him, Haji slowed down, then jogged forward. "Hey!" he called out.
Izu paused, giving him only a fleeting side glance before continuing at a slower pace. When Haji caught up, he imdiately cut to the chase.
"Since your boss and his people are paranoid, I’m guessing you’re already investigating the incident?"
He didn’t bother with small talk. After all, everyone under Atlas seed unusually tense since the accident.
Izu thought for a mont, then answered curtly, "Yes."
"Anything weird you’ve found out?"
"Why are you asking?"
"I’m Lola’s bodyguard," Haji replied without hesitation. "She writes my paycheck."
"But you’re not stationed beside her," Izu countered.
Haji’s face twisted, a vein pulsing on his forehead. "That’s because your boss is already paying a whole squad to do that! She’d feel suffocated if I hovered around her every second of every day."
Izu didn’t respond right away. He wasn’t particularly fond of Haji’s brash tone, but picking a fight wasn’t worth it.
"And she’s my friend," Haji added, clicking his tongue. "If there’s any trace of foul play, I want to know. So tell —was it an accident or not?"
They reached the parking area, and still, Izu said nothing. Haji stopped walking, irritation crossing his face as he watched Izu approach a parked car where a few n were waiting.
"One huge tantrum from ," Haji said dryly, "and she’ll make replace you. She keeps the big guy because, unlike you, he’s actually tolerable. That’d make everyone happy—your boss, knowing Big B’s with her, and her, since she’d finally get so peace from ."
Izu glanced back. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"
"It’s a prediction," Haji shot back, stepping closer until only a few feet separated them. His tone dropped, quiet but sharp. "You don’t trust ? Fine. I don’t trust you either. But if you or your boss ever betray her, I’ll take as many of you down with as I can."
A faint glint flickered in his eyes. "Now—how’s the investigation going? Any sign of foul play?"
"We’re still checking—double-checking—just to make sure," Izu finally answered, giving him sothing to work with. "So far, all we found was that the glue used on the overhead lights hadn’t fully dried."
"Not glued properly?"
"Yes." Izu nodded. "We questioned the guy in charge of handling those lights. He said all materials were fine and that any defective ones were kept in a separate section. He suspects soone accidentally grabbed from the wrong box."
He paused, clicking his tongue. "Satisfied? Don’t worry. If it were anything else, we’d have already handled it."
"Then where are you going now?"
Izu turned slightly. "To re-check the site."
For Izu—and everyone else—it was nothing more than an accident, sothing no one could have predicted. Still, protocol under the Order required him to verify every possible angle.
But as he reached for the car door, Haji’s voice stopped him.
"There was maintenance on the set earlier," Haji said, his eyes narrowing. "And I swear I saw one of those maintenance crew guys near Lola’s ward just now."
Izu froze, his brows knitting together. "Are you sure about that?"
"One hundred percent," Haji replied with a shrug. "I’m good with faces. That’s why I hate her damn makeup. Every look she wears sticks in my head. I don’t forget easily."
*****
anwhile, at another hospital...
"Mom."
lissa’s voice pulled Jasmine out of her spiraling thoughts.
Jasmine turned toward the bed, where lissa lay pale and exhausted after donating blood. Relief shimred faintly in her daughter’s tired smile.
"Dad’s going to be fine," lissa murmured. "So don’t worry anymore."
Jasmine had refused to be in the room during the transfusion, claiming she couldn’t bear to watch. lissa had accepted that excuse. Now, seeing her mother’s shaken expression, she wanted to comfort her.
"And I’m... I’m sorry, Mom," she whispered, guilt glinting in her eyes. "I’m sorry for not listening to you."
Jasmine swallowed hard and forced a gentle smile. She took lissa’s hand and nodded.
"Of course," she said softly. "lissa, why don’t you rest now? The doctor said you need to sleep and regain your strength."
"Will you stay here, Mom?"
Jasmine hesitated but nodded, squeezing her hand. She brushed lissa’s hair back as the girl’s eyelids grew heavy. Within monts, lissa was asleep—emotionally spent but finally at ease knowing her father was safe.
Jasmine, however, remained still beside the bed. Her hand stopped midway through another comforting stroke. Her eyes lingered on her daughter’s sleeping face, studying every detail with trembling restraint.
Her vision blurred, the corners of her eyes turning red.
For years, Jasmine had looked at lissa with nothing but pride and affection. But now... now, she noticed things she had never questioned before.
Her fingertips traced lissa’s cheek.
"You don’t look like , do you?" she whispered. "Your eyes... your nose..."
Aside from her attitude—and that stubborn will—there was little of Jasmine in lissa. It was a truth she had always brushed aside. After all, lissa had always resembled her father more.
That resemblance was one of the reasons Lawrence had adored her so much.
Jasmine used to think it was normal, that their child would simply grow to look more like him over ti.
But tonight, under the harsh hospital light, the truth settled uncomfortably in her chest.
"You look just like him," she whispered shakily, "and... her. A mix of you both."
Was it because she was starting to believe Doctor Tyler’s claim—that Loren had swapped their children? Or was she just losing her mind from all the doubts clawing at her?
She didn’t know.
But one thing had beco clear: she finally understood where that "brat" Lola got her eyes.
She got them from her mother. From her. Jasmine.
Just then, a soft knock ca from the door. Jasmine hurriedly wiped her tears and turned, only to see Mike stepping in.
"Mike!" she gasped, rushing toward him but keeping her voice down. "How is she? How’s Lola?"
Mike glanced at the bed where lissa was sleeping before facing her. Seeing the desperation on Jasmine’s face made sothing in his chest tighten.
"She’s fine, thankfully—"
Before he could finish, Jasmine exhaled sharply, relief flooding her features. Her knees nearly buckled, and Mike caught her just in ti.
"Jasmine," he said firmly, steadying her.
"Hah..." She let out a trembling sigh, clutching his arm. "I’m so glad she’s fine."
"Jasmine," Mike repeated, his tone harder now. He tugged her arms slightly so she’d look at him. "Why are you acting like this? We’re not even sure yet. Are you really going to believe that doctor?"
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