CH003

The judge, a stern-looking woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes, adjusted her glasses and looked down at Jasmine from the bench. She shuffled the papers in front of her before clearing her throat.

Jasmine stood in the center of the courtroom, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the sides of the wooden podium. The room was silent, save for the soft rustling of papers and the occasional murmur from the gallery. She glanced briefly at her lawyer, who gave her a nod, though his eyes betrayed a deep concern.

She knew there was nothing he could do for her anymore, the false witnesses that had come in to testify against her with planted evidences already made it hard for it to.

"Jasmine Jaiswal Ruge," the judge began, her voice echoing through the courtroom.

"You stand before this court having been found guilty of multiple counts of insider trading and embezzlement. These are serious crimes that have caused significant financial harm and have undermined public trust in our financial institutions."

Jasmine felt her knees weaken as the weight of the judge's words settled over her. She glanced at Mia, sitting in the front row of the gallery, tears streaming down her face. She could see Mia's lips mouthing, "Stay strong," but Jasmine could barely muster the strength to nod.

It still felt like a dream to her, a trance she was waiting for someone to wake her up from.

"Throughout this trial, evidence has shown that you benefited from illicit activities that generated millions in illegal profits," the judge continued.

Her eyes darted hazily to Arun and Maya who sat all cuddled up among the people.

He had planned this all along. It wasn't an error. He had used her name in the accounts of all of his illegal proceeds, making it very easy for her to take the fall... Which she had stupidly agreed to take because she had been blinded by her love for him.

But it wasn't entirely her fault was it. She was just in love. He had promised her that he would get her out after a month or two when the glee from the public would reduce.

"Despite the claims of your defense, the evidence points to your involvement and complicity in these schemes. The damage caused by your actions extends beyond financial loss; it has eroded the integrity of the financial markets and harmed countless innocent investors."

The judge paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in as the crowd murmured. Jasmine felt a tear escape and roll down her cheek. She bit her lip, struggling to maintain her composure. She wouldn't let people see her cry, especially not her step sister.

"In considering the appropriate sentence, this court has taken into account the severity of the offenses, the extent of the financial damage, and the need for deterrence," the judge said. "However, I also recognize that you have no prior criminal record and that there may have been mitigating circumstances influencing your actions."

Jasmine held her breath, praying for some leniency, though she knew the odds were slim.

"Therefore, it is the judgement of this court that you, Jasmine Jaiswal Ruge, be sentenced to a term of 25 years in federal prison," the judge pronounced, her voice unwavering. "This sentence reflects the seriousness of your crimes and the need to hold accountable those who commit such acts of financial fraud. You will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years, provided you demonstrate good behavior and participate in rehabilitative programs."

The courtroom erupted in murmurs and whispers as the sentence was delivered. Jasmine felt her legs give way, and she clutched the podium to steady herself. The judge's gavel struck the sound block, calling for order.

This was it, this was her end. The end of jasmine Jaiswal who had been filled with numerous dreams of her future.

Was the the future she promised, at her mother's grave to live? Rotting in jail for as long as possible?

A tear wanted to escape her eyes as she was being led out of the court room but she managed to hold it back in.

"Look whom we have here, if it isn't the almighty Jasmine" Maya said as she walked over to where she and a soldier stood.

She was trying to mock her.

Arun wasn't by her side this time around. He was by the corner with reporters, probably exonerating himself from the crime and pledging his ignorance of the sins of his wife.... Ex wife rather.

" Didn't I warn you Jasmine? I told you not to feel at home. Imagine. Father cheated on my mother with your fucking stupid mom and you think you, the illegitimate daughter would be let to live in peace?" She began to sneer at her.

Jasmine shaked her head. She wasn't in the mood for her talk. She already used to it, the taunting from her and her brother towards her for being the illegitimate daughter.

"I made a promise to myself and that was never to see you happy. I'll do anything in my power to ruin whatever happiness you may get anytime or day. That is my damn promise to you" she completed and moved close to Arun who had come to where she was .

" Sign these divorce papers Jasmine. Maya and I have agreed to give you a portion of my wealth. I think that would be a good incentive for you to start life afresh whenever you're released from jail" he said and Maya giggled by his side, holding his arms tighter and closer.

Jasmine was too stunned to speak. She didn't imagine this would happen even in her darndest dreams. She had been the pioneer of the business that had skyrocketed his wealth and made him enter the list of the biggest billionaires in the country, was this how he was really repaying her sacrifice.

"What was it that I didn't do for you, Arun?" Her teary voice betrayed the words troubling her mind out of her mouth.

Mia patted her back with tears filling her own eyes, trying to keep her in check as they waited for the police lady that would lead her to the car that would take her to the correctional facility.

"You did too much. Too much that I never asked for. "

" Did you really think he'd fall in love with someone like you Jasmine? Oh come on. You're not That girl!!! What makes you think he'd be with you after I dumped him? He literally belongs to me" Maya chipped in.

" She's right Jasmine. You were just a substitute I used to get closer to Maya after our breakup. You were just her replacement then but now she's returned to me" he began to say without any atom of emotion being felt in his words.

"You're supposed to understand and accept the money I'm offering you. It'd go along way in helping you. Besides, I heard your father has already disowned you. Just sign the divorce papers and take the money in your name. That's your share of the proceeds of our little secret" he said and rolled his eyes.

"I planted the evidences and everything used in convicting you. Isn't that enough reasons for you to know that I was never into you and only used you for my own benefits?" He finished, telling all be wanted to without waiting for her to reply.

Hearing his last words felt like a dagger was stabbed into her chest and she couldn't control it when tears began to drizzle down her face.

" Oh shut your fucking trash up Arun!! Don't get me started with you. I'll teach you a lesson in Qhezon City. I'll show you hell for betraying my friend this way!!" Mia blurted, clenching her fists at him.

" Worry about your sick mother first Mia Llama. I heard you couldn't even afford to pay off her hospital fees What gives you the right to speak when the almighty Arun Ruge is?" Maya fired back at her and she momentarily recoiled to her shell.

Jasmine stared into Arun's eyes even though he ignored her's, his hand still stretching out the divorce papers to her.

"Why did you say yes to something you knew you didn't want?. I waited for five years at your feet for you to love me back. I fucking waited for you to get over her, for me, for us. You knew you didn't want any of these all along,why did you use me? Why did you fucking use me?"

" Ours was a tale of a love that could never be, Jasmine. We're bound by an intoxicating allure of what can never be, so let us do each other the favor of our freedom"

A tear fell from her left eye. Why her of all people. Were the mistreatments she endured at her step mothers hands not enough?

Slowly, she stretched her cuffed hands out to him reaching for the divorce papers. She had made up her mind. This would be the last time she would shed a tear because of him.

Straining her hands, she bent and signed them, but cancelled out a clause that was on one of the lines.

Maya scoffed when she noticed it.

"Too much for your fallen ego, Jasmine. You'd be starting life afresh when you're out of prison. The money we're offering you is going to help you. Don't act on a high horse and reject it. Who knows what you might plan to steal next when you get out " she mocked and laughed.

Mia's troubled face also told her not to reject the money. More than her fallen ego, she was also supposed to be thinking about her life after prison, she couldn't just throw the alimony away.

"I want nothing from you Arun and I will take nothing from you"

Arun scoffed and exchanged a glance with Maya who held her laughter in her mouth.

" One day, we'll meet again. I do not know when but I do know that it is sometime soon. You'll look at me the way I looked at you, but I won't feel a thing. I'll walk right past you without flinching and then inside you would be dying at how long it took you to realize it was me whom you had fallen in love with" Jasmine said with so much confidence before the soldier came and began to drag her away.

" You should think about getting freed from jail first. Who goes about making empty threats when their freedom is yet to be guaranteed?" Maya said the last time as Jasmine got dragged out of the courthouse.

She hated her so much and everything she seemed to have that made her happy, she always found this huge urge to take it away from her. It had become a habit of hers from their childhood.

"Let's leave baby, I wouldn't want the reporters asking you any more questions concerning your ex wife nor her arrest. The questions you should be entertaining now should be about business and belonging to the billionaires club at thirty". Maya's voice came but this time around softer than how it had been before with her step sister.

Arun allowed her and they walked hand in hand out of the courthouse to the car waiting for them outside of it.

Mia growled at their lovey dovey displays. How she hated the two of them with everything in her.

Minutes into their drive, a voice on the radio reported, "Breaking News!!! The bus transporting Jasmine Jaiswal, the convicted woman making waves currently on the internet was involved in a car crash and exploded, incinerating her, the driver, and the soldier into ashes."

As the radio announcer's words sank in, Maya's eyes widened in shock. She turned to Arun, her face pale.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered, her voice in disbelief mingling with a hint of fear. "She's... gone."

Arun held her hands tighter, his knuckles turning white. A mix of emotions flashed across his face—relief, guilt, and a trace of something darker.

"Well, that solves one problem," he muttered, trying to mask his unease with indifference. "No loose ends."

Maya swallowed hard, trying to process the news. "I can't believe it ended like this," she said.

"But you're right... it's over."

Arun nodded, his expression hardening. "We move on. Focus on the future, on us."

Maya forced a smile, though the unease lingered. "Yes, the future," she echoed and slowly began to look outside of the roofers of the car...