Silence came after Jasmine dropped the amount.
Elias took a step closer, his voice low, cold. "You think I can’t afford that?"
"You’re right. I can. But I’m not giving you a cent."
Jasmine’s jaw dropped. "You asked how much!"
"I asked you to measure what you think your daughter’s worth. And now I know...it’s a number." Elias turned, ready to walk away.
But Jasmine grabbed his arm.
"I will keep bothering her if you don’t give me the amount, or..." Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, eyes narrowing. "Or maybe I’ll just get her to marry a better man than you. Someone who wouldn’t even hesitate to give a million to his mother-in-law."
Elias’s smile was sharp, humorless.
"You think I’m the type who hesitates?" He leaned down, just enough for his words to reach only her ears. "I’m the type who lets you talk, just so you can bury yourself deeper."
She paled slightly, but he didn’t wait for her to speak again.
"But well... being a perfect husband," he straightened up, tone suddenly light, "I agree. A million, right?"
Jasmine blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift.
Elias reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone. "I’ll wire it now," he said, calmly tapping the screen. "Just give me the account number. This is a one-time deal."
Her lips parted, stunned. "Wait, you’re serious?"
He looked up, eyes cool. "Dead serious. And once I send this, you disappear from her life. Completely."
Jasmine stared at him, stunned, still trying to process. "So you mean... you’ll actually give me the amount I asked for, if I agree to cut ties with my own daughter?"
Elias gave a slight nod, his voice unwavering. "Exactly. You name your price. I pay for it. And you walk away... for good."
"Wait, I... how can I do that? She’s still my daughter—"
"Nope. She’s my wife," Elias said, eyes fixed on his phone as he typed something. "Agree?" He finally looked up.
Jasmine swallowed hard. "When you say ’disappear’... you mean like, within this country, right?"
"Out of this city," Elias replied coolly. "You can’t be anywhere near her."
He paused, then rolled his eyes up, like calculating something trivial. "Two hundred kilometers radius sounds fair, don’t you think?"
Jasmine blinked. "You’re joking."
He smiled faintly. "I don’t joke about boundaries. Especially the ones I’m willing to pay for."
Jasmine stood in silence for a moment, staring at him as he continued typing on his phone.
’It’s not like he’ll check my every move’, she thought, before finally smiling. "Okay, deal."
"Deal?" Elias raised his head, "Then sign here..." he pulled out his stylus pen and handed it to her alongside his phone.
Jasmine’s smile faltered for half a second.
Elias held the phone steady, screen glowing with a contract already prepared. His voice was calm and precise. "You said ’deal.’ I don’t do verbal agreements."
"You were ready to sell your daughter," he added coolly. "Now all I’m asking is a signature to make it official."
Jasmine hesitated. "You’ll really transfer the money?"
He gave a small, unreadable smile. "You’ll feel it before the pen leaves the screen."
He offered the stylus again. "Go ahead, Mrs. Sinclair. Seal the deal."
With a shaky breath, Jasmine took the stylus. Her fingers hovered for a second before she pressed it to the screen and signed her name.
The moment the last stroke was done, Elias smiled. "Your account number?"
Jasmine keyed it into the phone. As soon as she hit the final digit, Elias tapped once. A chime sounded.
"There," he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "Payment sent. You have until tomorrow. After that, I’ll send someone to escort you out."
He took a step back, gaze cold. "Goodbye, Mrs. Sinclair."
"Wait, can I say something to Daisy one last time?" Jasmine asked, her voice edged with a hint of hope.
Elias didn’t even blink. "Sadly, no."
"I just want to say goodbye!" She insisted, taking a step forward. "It’s the least I can do."
He stopped, turned slightly, and looked at her like she’d asked for something ridiculous. "You should’ve thought of that before putting a price tag on her."
"I mean it," she insisted. "Just one goodbye."
He scoffed. "For what? Closure? Guilt relief?" His tone turned mocking. "Or do you just want one last chance to pretend you ever mattered?"
Elias shook his head slowly. "Daisy doesn’t need your goodbye. She’s doing just fine without your hellos."
She frowned, dissatisfaction appeared on her face.
And Elias, he walked straight to the car, leaving Jasmine standing still for a moment.
"This won’t do..." she muttered under her breath, eyes narrowing.
Elias slid into the car. "Let’s go."
His fingers tapped the wheel, then paused. He glanced back up to Jasmine, who was still standing there, and now... she was smiling.
The engine started with a low growl. He pressed the pedal but immediately slammed the brakes a second later.
Jasmine had thrown herself in front of the car, palms against the hood, wild-eyed.
"DAISY!" she shouted. "Just one minute! I need to talk to her! Daisy, please... just one last thing!"
Inside the car, Daisy flinched. She turned to Elias, alarmed. "Oh God! What happened? What did you talk about with her just now?"
Before he could answer, Jasmine moved to Daisy’s side of the car, banging on the window.
"Daisy! Daisy, please! I promise I won’t ever disturb you again after this. Just give me one moment. One."
Elias’s jaw tightened. He didn’t turn to Daisy, didn’t even blink. His fingers drummed once against the steering wheel before curling into a fist.
Daisy, after a beat of silence, rolled down the window. "What is it?"
Jasmine’s face twisted into something like sorrow. "I just wanted you to know... you’ll always be my daughter." She glanced at Elias, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"Even if your husband had to remind me what you’re worth. Right, son-in-law?"
Daisy’s eyes narrowed. Elias still.