CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND TWELVE – UNREQUITED LUST

As she dressed, Jasmine couldn't help but smile at the thought of Carlos's face when she had called him out on his art knowledge. It wasn't kind, perhaps, but it felt good to assert herself, to show that she wasn't just some passive object to be protected or impressed. She wondered what the coming days would bring. More challenges, certainly. More attempts by the Cesaro children to figure her out, to assert their dominance. More navigating the complex social dynamics of the compound. But Jasmine felt, for the first time since arriving, that she might be up to the task. She had survived worse, after all. She had lost her husband, her art, her entire life. But she was still here, still fighting. The weekend arrived, bringing with it a grand family gathering at the compound. The sprawling gardens were transformed into a lavish party venue, with fairy lights twinkling in the trees and the soft strains of a live band floating through the air. Jasmine stood at the edge of the festivities