Fated love: the unwanted bride

Just as she arrived at the office, before she could even pour a cup of coffee, the receptionist handed her an envelope.

“Jasmine, this is for you.”

“Hmm?”

Jasmine was curious, an envelope?

She opened it with a hint of bewilderment and it turned out to be an invitation identical to the one Joe Heath had received.

Red background, gilded text, festive decorations.

Upon opening, it wasn’t unexpected.

Sylvan Cheney, Yolanda Fern.

Seeing Joe’s invitation and receiving one herself were two different matters, her fingers nonetheless quivered slightly.

Her complexion changed momentarily, but quickly returned to normal, only a dull light flickered in her eyes.

Jasmine tucked the invitation away and placed it in her drawer.

She got up and went to the pantry to pour a cup of coffee.

The weather outside was fine.

“Jasmine, you look a bit unwell, are you feeling okay?” a colleague asked with concern.

Jasmine snapped back to reality: “Huh? No.”

“You say ‘no’, but you’re spilling your coffee. Is something bothering you?”

Jasmine looked down, quickly cleaned the table with a rag.

“I probably didn’t sleep well last night, really, I’m fine.” Jasmine replied with a smile.

“If you’re feeling down, I can go shopping with you tonight.”

“Okay.”

Jasmine smiled and responded casually.

An ambiguous emotion was spreading throughout her heart, and she wasn’t confident about what this feeling was. It was like something that had been submerged in water suddenly floating to the surface.

Jasmine walked back to her desk with her coffee.

She felt an uncontrollable headache.

After she turned on her computer, she started to work.

There were several press releases to send out, and a few strategies to finalize…

She was busy every moment.

Maybe it’s a good thing if it’s always this hectic.

The invitation was buried under a stack of books in her drawer.

While she was focused on drafting, the phone on her desk rang.

“Hello?”

“Jasmine.”

Jasmine’s hand paused.

The voice, she wasn’t familiar with, yet it made her tremble inexplicably.

It seemed like a thousand threads were spread out in an instant.

The voice was gentle, like a March breeze amongst willows.

“Hello, you are …” Jasmine’s expression was somewhat confused.

“I’m Yolanda Fern.” The voice at the other end of the line responded with a smile.

“Oh …” Jasmine was a bit disoriented.

Yolanda Fern… all her understanding about Yolanda Fern was from others, they had never spoken before.

But how strange, she felt as if they had known each other for a very long time despite never having met in person.

Her impression of Yolanda Fern was of a gentle, beautiful, virtuous wife and good mother.

The last time she saw Yolanda Fern was the morning before she had left for overseas—

Morning fog with dew, stretches of withered grass.

Yolanda and Chale Cheney stood together, behind them was the tall, steady Sylvan Cheney.

They were a peaceful and harmonious family.

She admitted, at that moment, she felt a tinge of sourness.

Not because Yolanda Fern was with Sylvan Cheney, but because she dreamed of having a stable home herself.

No one wishes to live a vagrant life amidst chaos and turmoil.

“Jasmine, did you get the invitation?” Yolanda’s voice was gentle as ever.

“Yes, I received it.”

Jasmine replied calmly.

Yolanda was different from Lana Fern, facing Lana Fern, she still had some courage.

But Yolanda, her gentleness left her emotionless.

“I’m glad you got it. I’ve always wanted to invite you, but I heard you were overseas, it took a while to find your address, and I was afraid the invitation might get lost.”

“It didn’t, I received it.”

“That’s good to hear, sorry it’s a little late, hope you don’t mind.”