THE FORGOTTEN DAD

Chapter 58: The Choice That Breaks

Dae Ho stood in Jasmine's room at the resort, his heart sinking further with each word she spoke. Jasmine had made her decision—no matter how much he pleaded, her heart was no longer his. She had chosen Emil.

"Dae Ho, it's over." Her voice was low but firm, her words heavy with finality. "We can't keep pretending."

Dae Ho couldn't breathe for a moment. His chest felt hollow, his hands cold at his sides. Everything he had tried—every promise, every declaration of love—had fallen on deaf ears. Jasmine's heart had always belonged to Emil, and now that she was rejecting him, it became clear that there was nothing left to salvage.

Suddenly, a bitter laugh erupted from Dae Ho's throat, surprising even himself. The sound was sharp and devoid of humor, filling the room with an uncomfortable tension.

"What's so funny?" Jasmine asked, her brows knitting together in confusion. There was a tremor in her voice as if she couldn't fully comprehend the shift in him.

Dae Ho's laughter faded, replaced by a chilling calmness. He looked at Jasmine, his eyes dark, an unsettling smile curling on his lips. "You really think you can just walk away from me, Jasmine? Like it's that simple?"

She blinked, a flash of uncertainty crossing her face. "What are you talking about?"

Dae Ho reached into his pocket and casually pulled out his phone, unlocking it with a swift movement. "You see, Jasmine," he said, scrolling through his notifications, "there's something you should know."

He turned the phone around, holding it up for her to see. Her heart stopped when her eyes landed on the headlines splashed across the screen:

"Aurelius Hotels President Dae Ho Kim to Marry Jasmine Leah Park, Emil Langston's Ex-Wife!"
"Engagement Confirmed: Dae Ho Kim and Jasmine Park Set to Wed. Details Inside."

The articles were accompanied by a picture of them together—Jasmine, Dae Ho, and Eva—taken on the day of their engagement. A day she had tried to forget, a day that now seemed to mock her.

Jasmine's hands trembled as she grabbed the phone from his hand, her pulse racing. "What is this?!" Her voice cracked, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "Why would you tell the media we're getting married? I never agreed to this!"

Dae Ho didn't react to her anger. His expression remained unnervingly calm. "It's already out, Jasmine," he said with a shrug. "The whole world knows now. You can't back out. Everyone is expecting the announcement soon. Aurelius Hotels confirmed it to the press. You have no choice."

Jasmine's mind spun, panic clawing at her chest. She stared at him, barely able to process the magnitude of what he had done. "You... you had no right!" she shouted, her voice rising in desperation. "How could you do this without asking me? You lied to everyone!"

Dae Ho's gaze hardened, the calm facade cracking slightly. "I didn't lie. This is happening, Jasmine, whether you like it or not. The hotel's reputation is on the line. My reputation is on the line. You can't just walk away from this."

Jasmine felt as though the walls were closing in on her. Her breathing became erratic, her thoughts a tangled mess of disbelief, anger, and helplessness. "Take it down," she demanded, throwing the phone back at him. "Take it down now!"

"I can't," Dae Ho replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's too late. The news is out, and the public is waiting. Our marriage is inevitable now."

Jasmine's eyes welled with tears as she shook her head in disbelief. "This isn't you, Dae Ho," she whispered. "I don't even recognize you anymore."