Chapter 508 - 504: Trouble at Cleanscape

With that, Felix Vance stormed out of the house, his retreating figure radiating absolute finality.

Finn Vance stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving with a turmoil of emotions. He never imagined that the son he had doted on his entire life would react so strongly to the news of his remarriage.

He hadn’t even considered that his son would object.

In his mind, his son was an adult—an independent individual who no longer needed to rely completely on his father.

That was why he had waited until after his son’s college graduation to look for a new partner. His duty as a father was, in a way, complete, and it was time for him to start a new life for himself.

But in the end, he had grossly oversimplified things.

"Sheila, I’ve spoiled our son rotten," Finn Vance muttered, looking down at the photo of his late wife in his hands, his expression a mixture of helplessness and dejection.

Although Jasmine Sterling had used work as an excuse to cancel her evening date with Finn Vance, she had ended up staying late at the office to work anyway.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her office door.

Jasmine raised her head in surprise and glanced at the time. It was almost eight o’clock. ’There shouldn’t be anyone left in the office at this hour.’

Slightly perplexed, she blinked and called out, "Come in."

The door pushed open, and Finn Vance appeared at the entrance.

Jasmine rose to her feet, her expression one of shock. "Mr. Vance? What are you doing here!"

"Jasmine." Finn Vance stepped inside. "I came to apologize," he said, his expression complex and filled with unconcealable guilt.

Jasmine understood at once. Finn Vance already knew that Felix Vance had come to see her.

"I’m so sorry. I had no idea Felix came to see you. He’s arrogant, and if he said anything inappropriate, I sincerely apologize on his behalf. Please, don’t take it to heart."

Finn Vance’s apology was utterly sincere. He knew his son’s temperament well; a rash visit to Jasmine would have undoubtedly been unpleasant.

At his words, Jasmine offered a faint smile. "It’s all right. He was just expressing his feelings. As your only son, he certainly has that right. I understand."

Finn Vance was moved by her understanding. "Thank you."

"Since you’re here, please, have a seat." Jasmine gestured toward the sofa. "I think it’s time we had a proper talk."

A problem had surfaced, and they needed to sit down and discuss it.

It had to be resolved, after all.

Finn Vance nodded and walked over to the sofa to sit down.

Jasmine sat down across from him and let out a soft sigh. "Mr. Vance, we’re not young anymore. We can’t afford to be reckless for the sake of a relationship. There are too many things to consider, too many worries."

Her opening words sent a jolt of panic through Finn Vance. "Jasmine, you’re not going to end things with me over this, are you? I truly like you—the more I get to know you, the more I do. I sincerely want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I believe you." Jasmine looked at him gently. Although they hadn’t made their relationship official, she knew that of all the men who had pursued her over the years, Finn Vance was the best in every respect.

"But for people our age, is liking each other enough?" Jasmine asked, the words difficult to say.

It was cruel, but it was also realistic.

Finn Vance choked, unable to speak. He simply gazed at Jasmine, his eyes full of affection. He understood the meaning behind her words, which was precisely why he was speechless.

Jasmine avoided his gaze and said softly, "Felix isn’t an immature child. He has a deep-seated fixation, and it’s not something we can change with a few words. He’s your only child. I can’t be the reason you two become estranged. So, if Felix truly cannot accept me, then we should..."

"...just end it here."

The moment she said those three words, "end it here," Finn Vance felt his limbs go cold.

"Don’t—don’t say that, Jasmine." Scrambling to his feet, Finn Vance rushed forward, grabbed her hand, and half-knelt before her.

Jasmine looked at him, not resisting.

"I’ll figure something out. Please, can you just give us a little more time? Give us a chance?" he said, his voice firm despite his trembling fingertips.

Because he really, truly liked Jasmine.

"Is that even possible?" Jasmine asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Finn Vance nodded emphatically. "It is. Trust me!"

Their eyes met. In Finn Vance’s gaze, Jasmine saw vulnerability, pleading, and an overwhelming affection for her that he was reluctant to let go of.

Her heart softened, and she finally nodded.

After all, over the past month, she too had grown fond of Finn Vance. He was, without a doubt, a good man.

However, early the next morning, trouble struck at the Cleanscape storefront.

Jasmine Sterling was just about to leave her house when she got a call from Manager Tate. She hurriedly drove to the office.

The company’s employees were gathered outside the storefront, and curious passersby couldn’t help but stop to gawk at the commotion.

"Jasmine’s here!"

Someone shouted as Jasmine’s car pulled up, and Manager Tate rushed over to meet her. "Jasmine!"

"What happened?" Jasmine asked, her expression grim as she got out of the car.

Manager Tate’s expression was just as grim. "We just reviewed the security footage from last night. A few people showed up outside after two in the morning, carrying buckets of paint and spray cans. Lotus, from the front desk, recognized one of them—it was Mr. Vance’s son, the one who came to see you yesterday."

Jasmine walked closer. The company’s once clean and beautiful facade was now a chaotic, garish mess of paint. The word "HOMEWRECKER," sprayed in bright red, was particularly glaring—an obvious insult directed at her.

"Jasmine, the camera at the main entrance is in plain sight, and the whole area is under surveillance," Manager Tate added. "For them to be so brazen, they must feel completely untouchable. They’re obviously not afraid of being caught."

Jasmine stared at the scene, anger surging within her. This company was her life’s blood; she had personally approved every detail of the storefront’s design and decor. Now, it was vandalized beyond recognition. No matter how composed she was, she couldn’t possibly act as if nothing had happened.

"Do we have any staff to spare today?" Jasmine asked, forcing herself to remain calm.

Manager Tate shook his head. "All of our cleaning crews are fully booked today."

Jasmine gave immediate instructions. "First, call the police. Then, hire a crew from another cleaning company to come and clean the facade."

"Jasmine, it’s oil-based paint, and it’s all over the glass as well," Manager Tate reminded her hesitantly. "I don’t think we’ll be able to get it back to how it was."

Jasmine knew that, of course. She nodded. "Just do the best you can. We’ll replace all the glass and repaint the walls later. Make sure you keep all the invoices for the renovation work; we’ll need them to claim damages."

"Understood."