"If you don't want to die, apologize. Now."
Jasmine preened, basking in the protection.
At that moment, the truth finally dawned on my in-laws. The woman standing before them wasn't just a rude manager—she had a very specific, very intimate relationship with their son.
My father-in-law stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Apologize? To her?"
He glared at Jasmine with the authority of a patriarch. "You uneducated little—"
He never finished.
Jasmine's face twisted into a mask of rage. She grabbed a frozen ribbonfish from the nearest table—hard as a steel baton—and swung it with all her strength.
The frozen fish slammed into his mouth with a sickening crunch.
"Fuck you, old man!" she screamed. "You still dare to curse me?"
My father-in-law took blow after blow until blood filled his mouth. He spat out several broken teeth with a guttural wail, then collapsed.
Terror seized me. I lunged to shield him, but security slammed me into the carpet, pinning my limbs down.
"Leon!"
Zoe rushed to save her husband, but Jasmine caught her arm in a vice grip.
"Didn't expect an old hag like you to afford Hermès." Jasmine's eyes raked over her. "Your whole family's been sucking Tony dry for years, haven't you?"
"You cheap tramp!" Zoe's voice shook. "What exactly is your relationship with our Anthony?"
Even now, she refused to believe her son would cheat.
Jasmine smirked down at her. "I own this restaurant. And I'm Anthony Sanchez's current girlfriend." A cruel laugh escaped her. "Your useless daughter-in-law? On her way out."
Zoe trembled with rage. "What nonsense—"
She raised her hand to slap the younger woman, but Jasmine struck first. The blow sent Zoe crumbling to the floor.
"Mom!" I screamed.
Zoe had a severe heart condition. The shock triggered it instantly. She clutched her chest, gasping, curling into a ball of agony.
"Zoe!" Leon tried to crawl toward her, dragging his battered body across the floor. Jasmine's heel came down on his hand, crushing his fingers.
I struggled against the guards. Their grip was iron.
"Are you insane?" I shrieked. "They're Anthony's parents! If anything happens to them, he'll kill you!"
Jasmine froze. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, their hold loosening slightly.
"Manager Maxwell," one ventured, "this lady does resemble Mr. Sanchez. Could she really be—"