Jasmine's POV
I let myself into the clearing and walked passed where Tiffany was standing. I felt her eyes bore into my back and could feel the gears turning in her head as she wondered what I was up to. The woman never liked me so I couldn't blame her for being suspicious. Detective Brian had stood against the idea but when Richard's countdown hit seven seconds he had let me join the brawl. Whatever intensity that was filled in Tiffany's eyes, it couldn't be compared to Richard's. As I had predicted, he was clearly distracted. I was now near them as my eyes caught the two captives at Richard's feet. José was looking up at me though you could tell he was straining. He was covered in dried blood proving to be from previous beatings but even in that condition he still managed to offer me a small smile. My eyes dragged painfully to view Pharell. I felt my own breath hitch at the sight of him. He had sacrificed his life for us even though I had caused him pain by not telling him the truth about our son and that stunt I had pulled that landed him in jail. No wonder I was still in love with him.
"How about a new trade? Their lives for mine?" I asked squaring my eyes at Richard. He lowered his gun slowly his eyes never leaving mine. Perfect that's all they needed. Whatever happened next happened all too fast as agents erupted from the mansion perimeter and moved steethily towards Richard's men. This caused confusion on Richard's part and two agents grabbed him from behind, wrestling him to the ground. For a man his age, he was strong. I quickened my pace to reach Pharell who was too weak to pull himself from the ground. Tiffany's heeled boots could be heard behind me as we rushed to the men. I saw it before anyone could. Richard, who was now being taken away and was a small distance from his previous position, elbowed the agent to his side and punched the other one in one swift move pulling the gun from one of them and aiming at Pharell who was still on his knees trying to get up. I felt my legs moving inhumanly fast and as the gun went off I was in front of Pharell not sure if I had made it in time to save him from the bullet aimed at him.
Pharell's POV
My whole body was weak and I guessed a few of my bones had been broken during my beating. I had heard Richard's countdown die off as I awaited my death. When he had suddenly stopped before reaching one, I had raised my head slowly and met Jasmine's green eyes staring at me. I wanted to shout for her to leave, to not leave our son an orphan. I knew Richard wouldn't let anyone of us out here alive and Jasmine would be the only family Junior would have. But then I had heard movements and seen Richard been taken away by two men, I smiled inwardly, back up had arrived after all. I silentky thanked Brian, I knew I could trust him. I took my time to stand up as I heard Jose struggle too.
It was then that I felt someone in front of me protectively as a gun shot blared through the air. I braced for impact but there was already someone blocking me from the impact. I squinted my eyes and felt my heart freeze as the image before me became clearer. Jasmine fell to her knees and to the ground, she was shot. I don't know where the sudden energy came from or maybe it was fueled by my emotions. I crouched down quickly as I heard Richard screaming in despair and my mother gasp a few metres from where I was. I was now holding Jasmine as life drew from her body. I watched as she struggled to stay awake, not wanting to close her eyes. Warm tears escaped my eyes.
"Jasmine please don't leave me, don't leave us, think of Junior."
She coughed as if she was trying to speak and I shushed her telling her to save her energy. I was sure an ambulance was on the way, she would make it.
"I n-never meant to betray you Pharell, I love you. Take care of J-junior." The tears were now flowing freely on my face as I held her head watching her struggle to breath. She then relaxed, as if giving up.
"No Jasmine, help is on the way. Fight Jasmine, my beautiful flower." At my last words, the nick name I had called her everyday since I had met her in the storage room filled with underage girls about to be sold for sex, Jasmine Talaso died in my arms.
"Jasmine, wake up...wake up please...Jasmine." I felt am arm on my shoulder. I knew who it was even without looking. Samantha's presence was known to me by now and I breathed in her vanilla scent as I cried like a child in her arms. She always seemed to be there at my worst.
The ambulance arrived a little too late and Jasmine's body was put on a stretcher and covered with a white sheet. The paramedics came over to where I was, still on the ground holding onto Samantha. Jose was next to me in my mother's arms and I feared for his life, his breathing was ragged. I couldn't lose anyone else, I just couldn't. We were put on stretchers and as my fragile body made contact with the cold strecher, I took in tonight's events. Jasmine was dead, Richard was arrested, José was ny brother. I still felt angry, getting arrested was not the justice Richard deserved. He took away the mother of my child three and a half years ago and now she was dead, completely gone. I saw the guilt in her eyes as they became lifeless in her last minutes. But she had died in peace, I had seen that too as she sought forgiveness from me. I felt a pang of guilt from hating her all these years. I held too much contempt against the wrong people. I thought of my mother and how brave she had been to come back here so as to attempt to save us. Jose's story had revealed to me how much she had suffered. Not being able to be with your son like you should and lying to the man you love for years and then only for the man to die. José had sacrificed his life, a normal life to take care of Jasmine and my son. All this time I had thought bad of him and my mother, thinking they both abandoned me. Richard had brought nothing but suffering in my life and the lives of people I loved. But then again, I had faced my demons. I hadn't been strong enough to conquer them but with the help of my loved ones, I actually had. Everyone needs someone. Li had been right, you had to trust a little. My son's face came into my mind as I was lifted to the back of the ambulance. Jasmine had told me to take care of him and I would, with everything I had. I felt a hand holding mine as the ambulance doors closed. Samantha, she was here. My heart warmed as I drifted out of consciousness, I might have lost a lot, but I had gained a lot too.
