Chapter 5: The Son at the Center of the Dispute
The following morning, David arrived at the breakfast table before anyone else.
He had barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered Jasmine standing in the drawing room with that document in her hands.
He remembered the confusion on her face when she realized she had been removed from the family property.
Most of all, he remembered Jessica's explanation.
She had done it because she wanted her son to have the property too.
David understood a parent's desire to protect a child.
He had spent years working to provide security for his family.
He wanted Jasmine to have opportunities.
He wanted Jessica's son to have opportunities as well.
But he had never agreed that protecting one child required secretly excluding another.
And he couldn't understand why Jessica had decided that it did.
When Jasmine entered the kitchen, she looked tired.
“Good morning, Dad.””
David looked up from his coffee.
“Good morning. Did you sleep?””
“A little.””
She sat across from him.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Jasmine asked the question that had been troubling her all night.
“Do you think Jessica really believes I'm going to sell the property?””
David considered his answer.
“I think she convinced herself that it was a possibility.””
“But why would she think that about me?””
“I don't know.””
He reached across the table and took her hand.
“What I do know is that a fear isn't proof. She should have spoken to us instead of making a decision based on something you never said you intended to do.””
Jasmine nodded slowly.
“I don't want her son to lose anything because of me.””
David's expression softened.
“You don't have to sacrifice your own interests to prove that you care about him.””
“But I don't want everyone to think I'm selfish.””
“Wanting to be treated fairly isn't selfish.””
He squeezed her hand gently.
“There's a difference between asking for everything and asking not to be secretly pushed aside. You've done the second.””
Jasmine looked down at their joined hands.
For years, she had tried to maintain peace in the family.
Whenever Jessica made a critical comment, Jasmine often chose not to respond.
Whenever disagreements arose, she tried to stay out of them.
She had told herself that if she remained respectful and patient, things would eventually become easier.
Now she wondered whether her silence had encouraged Jessica to believe she could make decisions on Jasmine's behalf.
David seemed to recognize what she was thinking.
“You don't have to remain silent just to keep everyone comfortable,” he told her.
Before Jasmine could respond, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Jessica entered the kitchen.
She looked as though she had spent the night thinking about the previous day's argument.
“David, can we talk?””
He released Jasmine's hand and sat back.
“Of course. What do you want to discuss?””
Jessica glanced at Jasmine.
“Privately.””
Jasmine immediately began to stand.
But David stopped her.
“You can stay. This concerns her too.””
Jessica's expression tightened.
“I wanted to talk about the family.””
“And Jasmine is part of the family.””
Jessica took the chair beside them.
For a moment, she appeared unsure how to begin.
Finally, she said, “I've been thinking about what happened yesterday.””
David waited.
“I understand that you're angry because I didn't tell you about the transfer.””
“That's one reason.””
“And I admit that I should have spoken to you first.””
Jasmine watched her stepmother cautiously.
It was the closest Jessica had come to acknowledging that she had done something wrong.
But Jessica continued.
“I still believe my son deserves security. I don't want him growing up feeling that he has less of a future than Jasmine.””
David leaned forward.
“Has anyone told him he deserves less?””
“No.””
“Have I ever refused to consider his future?””
Jessica hesitated.
“Not directly.””
“Then what are you afraid of?””
Jessica looked frustrated.
“I don't want to wait until it's too late.””
“Too late for what?””
“For him to receive something that belongs to the family.””
David studied her.
“You keep talking as though Jasmine is going to take everything away from him. But you have no evidence that she intends to do that.””
Jessica's voice rose slightly.
“I'm his mother. I'm supposed to think about these things.””
“And you should. But you cannot use your responsibility to him as a reason to disregard your responsibility to be honest with me.””
Jessica fell silent.
Jasmine finally spoke.
“I've never wanted to take anything away from your son.””
Jessica turned toward her.
“You might feel differently when you're older.””
Jasmine's face changed.
“That's exactly what you said yesterday.””
“Because it's true. People change.””
“Then why couldn't you wait until there was an actual reason to worry?””
Jessica looked away.
Jasmine continued, her voice quiet but firm.
“You didn't ask me whether I wanted the property. You didn't ask Dad what he intended to do with it. You didn't even tell me that you were worried. You just made the decision.””
Jessica pressed her lips together.
“I thought I was preventing a future argument.””
“You created an argument that didn't exist.””
The words surprised even Jasmine.
She had never spoken to Jessica so directly before.
David looked at his daughter, not to silence her but to let her finish.
Jasmine took a shaky breath.
“I don't want to compete with your son. I don't want to argue about who deserves more. But I won't pretend it didn't hurt when I found out that you had removed me without telling me.””
For the first time, Jessica looked genuinely uncomfortable.
Perhaps she had expected Jasmine to cry.
Perhaps she had expected her to become angry and demand that the property remain hers.
Instead, Jasmine was explaining that the secrecy had hurt more than the paperwork itself.
David turned toward his wife.
“This is what you need to understand. We can discuss the children's futures without treating them as enemies.””
Jessica looked down at the table.
Then she said something that made David's expression change.
“My son knows about the transfer.””
Jasmine froze.
David slowly raised his head.
“What?””
Jessica swallowed.
“I told him I was arranging things so he would have a secure future.””
“Did you tell him that Jasmine was being removed from the property?””
Jessica didn't answer immediately.
That hesitation was enough.
David pushed his chair back slightly.
“Jessica, did you tell your son that he was receiving this property at Jasmine's expense?””
“I told him that I was trying to make sure he wasn't left out.””
“That isn't what I asked.””
Jessica looked at him.
“I explained that I had contacted the lawyer.””
David stared at her.
“So your son knew you were doing this before Jasmine did.””
Jessica's face flushed.
“He's my son. I wanted him to understand.””
“And my daughter had to discover it through an official document?””
Nobody spoke.
Jasmine felt a new wave of hurt.
She had been excluded from a decision about her own future, while Jessica's son had apparently been informed about the plan in advance.
She didn't know whether he had supported it or understood its full implications.
But she knew one thing.
He had been told something that she had been deliberately kept from knowing.
David stood up.
“I want the entire transfer reviewed before anyone discusses this property as though the matter is settled.””
Jessica looked alarmed.
“What are you planning to do?””
“Find out what happened and determine what can legally be done.””
“And my son?””
David paused.
“Your son deserves to be treated fairly. So does Jasmine. But neither child should be used to justify secrecy or pressure.””
Jessica lowered her eyes.
The conversation was over, but the questions were multiplying.
Had Jessica acted entirely on her own?
What had she told her son?
And what exactly had been submitted to the lawyer?
David intended to find out.
Later that morning, a message arrived confirming that the lawyer had prepared the file for review.
David read the message and looked at Jasmine.
“The documents are ready.””
Jasmine's stomach tightened.
“What do they say?””
“We're about to find out.””
He picked up his keys.
Jessica stood abruptly.
“David, I think I should come with you.””
He looked at her.
“You can come if you're prepared to answer questions honestly.””
“I am.””
David held her gaze.
“Then you shouldn't have anything to fear from the truth.””
May you like
Jessica didn't reply.
And as they prepared to leave, she realized that the conversation she had hoped to control was now moving beyond her reach.
