THE FORGOTTEN DAD

Chapter 57: A Kiss of Longing, A Tear of Goodbye

Jasmine's heart was pounding in her chest, the sensation overwhelming as she tried to process what had just happened. They were still on the boat, the vast ocean of Perhentian Island stretching out endlessly around them, but all she could focus on was Emil—on the raw emotion in his eyes, the fear in his voice when she had nearly drowned. He had saved her life, but more than that, he had bared his soul in those frantic moments.

His confession—those words that had been locked away for so long—still echoed in her mind. He had apologized so many times before, but there was something different now. Something real. Seeing him like this, so terrified of losing her, had chipped away at the shield she had built to protect herself. And now... it was like everything inside her was crumbling.

As she looked into his eyes, watching the way his gaze kept flickering back to hers, she knew what she wanted. She didn't care about the past, not in that moment. She didn't care about the pain or the betrayal. All she wanted was to kiss him, to feel him close again, and to let herself remember what it was like to love him without fear.

Without thinking, Jasmine leaned in and kissed him.

It wasn't a soft, hesitant kiss. It was passionate, filled with longing and desperation—the kind of kiss that spoke of everything they had lost and everything they had been through. It was a kiss that had been building for years, through the pain, the heartbreak, the distance. Emil's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her against him as he kissed her back with just as much intensity.

In his arms, Jasmine felt a strange sense of peace. As much as her mind screamed at her to hold on to her anger, her heart couldn't deny the pull she still felt toward him. She had missed this—missed him. The warmth of his embrace, the way he made her feel safe, the way he kissed her like she was the most important person in his world.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless. Emil's forehead pressed against hers, his voice trembling as he spoke. "I can't lose you, Jasmine. Not again. I swear, I'll never let you go."

Jasmine's throat tightened at his words, the vulnerability in his voice cutting through her. She had spent so long resenting him, but seeing him like this, so open, so raw... it was almost too much to bear. "Emil," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, "when you asked me if there was a chance for us... did you mean it? Were you really serious?"

Emil's hands gently cupped her face, his eyes soft but determined. "Jasmine, I've never been more serious about anything in my life. I've loved you since the day we met, and I've never stopped. Not for a single second. I know I messed up—I know I hurt you—but you're the only one I want. You and Eva... you're my family. I'll give up everything else if it means I can be with you two. I don't care about the company, or Ruby, or anything else. All I want is you."

Jasmine's heart clenched painfully. The tears that she had been holding back started to fall, the floodgates finally breaking open. "I'm sorry, Emil. I'm so sorry... I should have stayed. I should have believed in you when you were in jail. I was wrong to leave you."

Emil shook his head, his thumb gently brushing away her tears. "No, Jasmine. Don't apologize. You did what you had to do. It wasn't your fault. I was the one who failed you. But I swear to you, I'll spend the rest of my life making it right. I'll never hurt you again."

Jasmine could see the sincerity in his eyes, the raw emotion behind every word he spoke. And for the first time in a long time, she believed him. She believed that they could have a future together.

"I missed you," she whispered through her tears, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek. "I missed this. I missed being with you."

Emil closed his eyes, leaning into her touch as if her hand was the only thing keeping him grounded. "I missed you too, Jasmine. Every day. I've never stopped thinking about you."

For a moment, it felt like everything was finally falling into place. The past was behind them, and they could finally move forward. They kissed again, slower this time, savoring the moment as if they were trying to make up for all the time they had lost.

But just as they returned to the shore, the peace they had found was shattered.

There, on the beach, was Dae Ho. And with him was Eva, playing in the sand, laughing as she called him "Daddy."

Jasmine's stomach dropped. She had been so caught up in the moment with Emil that she hadn't thought about what this would mean—about how Dae Ho would feel.

Emil stiffened beside her, his protective instincts flaring as he saw them together. Without hesitation, he scooped Eva into his arms, cradling her close as if he needed to shield her from the storm that was coming. With his other hand, he grabbed Jasmine's, holding onto her tightly. "Why are you here?" Emil demanded, his voice sharp as he glared at Dae Ho.

Dae Ho stood slowly, his expression unreadable, but Jasmine could see the anger simmering beneath the surface. His eyes flicked to where Emil held both Jasmine and Eva, and his jaw clenched. "Don't touch my fiancée or my daughter," Dae Ho spat, his words laced with venom.

Eva squirmed in Emil's arms, confused by the tension in the air, but Emil didn't let go. His grip on Jasmine's hand tightened. "Eva is my biological daughter," Emil growled, his voice low and dangerous. "And Jasmine..."

Before Emil could say more, Jasmine quickly stepped forward, cutting him off. "Dae Ho, we need to talk. Alone."

Emil's brow furrowed in confusion, but he didn't protest as Jasmine led Dae Ho away. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her back, but she knew this was something she had to face alone.

Inside her room, the tension between her and Dae Ho was palpable. He paced the floor, his expression twisted with frustration and hurt. "So, this is it," he said, his voice shaking with anger. "This is why you left me. It's because of my mother, isn't it?"

Jasmine looked away, her heart heavy. "Your mother made it clear that I wasn't good enough for you. She wanted you to have a future that didn't involve me. And I didn't want to stand in the way of that."

Dae Ho let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "My mother... she doesn't get to decide my future. I thought you knew that. I thought you knew how much I love you."

Jasmine's chest tightened at his words. She knew Dae Ho loved her—he had been nothing but good to her, and to Eva. But there was something missing. Something that had always been missing, no matter how hard they had tried to make it work.

"I know you love me, Dae Ho," Jasmine whispered, her voice trembling. "And I love you too. But I've been feeling uncertain about our engagement for a while now. It's not just about your mother..."

Dae Ho's eyes darkened, and his voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. "This is about Emil, isn't it? You still love him."

Jasmine's breath hitched. She didn't want to hurt him, but she couldn't lie either. Not anymore. She lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, Dae Ho. I never meant to hurt you."

Dae Ho's face crumpled, and in that moment, Jasmine saw the vulnerability that he had been trying so hard to hide. He stepped toward her, his hands trembling as he reached out and pulled her into a desperate embrace. "Don't leave me, Jasmine. Please. I still love you. I'll always love you."

Jasmine closed her eyes, her heart aching for him. She had never wanted things to end this way, but deep down, she knew it had been inevitable.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I really am."

And with those words, she knew their chapter had come to an end.