His Unveiled Passion novel Chapter 117

"Jasmine, tell me everything. What exactly happened?" Tessa asked.

"This is Anne Granger, my neighbor from the place I'm renting."

Jasmine let out a deep, weary sigh, her eyes brimming with sympathy. "Anne lost both her parents and has been relying on her older brother ever since. He started working at a young age to support her education, but—"

Her eyes started to shimmer with tears of sympathy as she picked up from where she left off. "Not long ago, Anne was diagnosed with leukemia. She had to drop out of school to begin treatment. In an effort to cover her mounting medical expenses, her brother Lucas took on grueling shifts at the factory, sometimes working over ten hours a day..."

As Jasmine spoke, Anne, who had just calmed down, suddenly broke into tears again.

"My brother had been pushing himself too hard. He was exhausted, and he didn't realize how badly his body was deteriorating. While working, he got his hand caught in a machine. Now, he's lost his entire right hand..."

Anne's sobs grew louder, her voice trembling. "I... I..."

Jasmine gently patted Anne's back. "Ms. Yates, Lucas is currently receiving treatment at the hospital. This is clearly a workplace injury, but the factory is refusing to compensate him. His boss gave him two months' salary and then fired him on the spot.

"They haven't provided any of the benefits he's entitled to—no lump-sum disability compensation, no medical benefits for the injury, and no assistance for re-employment."

Anne wept bitterly. "I know I don't have much time left… but Lucas still has his whole life ahead of him. He spent everything he had on my treatment, and now… now, he can't even pay for his own hospital bills. Ms. Yates, please… help us."

Tessa's heart tightened with sympathy, her expression softening. "I understand. Don't cry, okay? Can you take me to the hospital to see Lucas?"

"Yes, of course!" Anne nodded quickly. "I'll take you there right away."

…

Meanwhile, over at Marina Apartment, the real estate agent, dressed in a sharp black suit, was in the midst of her question.

"So, Mr. Gomez, what do you think of this?"

After showing Zachary several apartments in the building, the agent could tell by his expression that this one was his top choice.

Zachary slid his hands into his pockets, scanning the space. After a moment, he gave a slight nod. "This one will do."

The agent's face lit up, and he quickly pulled out the contract. "Would you like to sign it now?"

"Yes."

"Excellent!" The agent handed over the paperwork.

"So, Tessa, looks like we're neighbors now."

…

Anne sat rigidly in Tessa's Bentley, her hands tightly folded in her lap.

She gently tugged at Jasmine's sleeve. "Ms. Jasmine..."

"Is something wrong?" Jasmine asked.

Anne leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ms. Yates' car must be really expensive, right?"

Her gaze dropped to her shoes, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

Outside, the rain had left the streets slick with mud.

Anne's once-pristine white canvas shoes were now faded and worn, the toes marked with dirt. She instinctively rubbed one foot against the other, attempting to clean them.

Jasmine couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy as she observed her.