Chapter 3Boundless Jasmine

I learned at a very young age that genuine affection is the most unreliable thing. My mother was deceived by what she called ‘true love.’ She spent her entire life as a mistress, firmly believing it was true love. She always told me that one day, my biological father would drive up in a Maybach to pick her up, and we would be acknowledged by his family.

When I was little, I, too, was misled by her. I eagerly waited for my father to pick me up.

Until I didn’t have enough money for school fees, and my mom took me to kneel and beg my aunt.

Until I was too afraid to buy sanitary pads to save money, only daring to use toilet paper from the school bathroom.

Until I burst into tears when someone accidentally knocked over the Children’s Day cupcake provided by the school.

Only then did I understand that affection doesn't fill your stomach. It can't keep me alive. Affection is a joke.

But that’s not what I told Raymond. I told him I offered him my true heart. Because I loved him, I never made demands, never put him in a difficult position. Because I loved him, as long as I could be by his side, I was willing to endure the parade of women around him.

This, of course, wasn’t entirely a lie. I loved Raymond’s money, I loved his resources. I loved the red carpet he laid out for me, allowing me to rise quickly. Yes, how could that not be love?

Raymond thoroughly enjoyed feeling so utterly adored by me. I thought he was a little pathetic. If he had ever truly loved someone, or been truly loved, he would have instantly seen that my fervent affection was an act. If you truly love someone, how could you tolerate a third person?

Perhaps my acting was too good. All these years, people came and went around him, but he never replaced me.

But now, I wanted to replace him.