"What are you thinking so seriously about?" Jasmine asked as she waves her hand at Catherine's face. Catherine quickly snapped out of her daze.

"I was thinking about how I would clear up my schedule so I could help you out. You did this for us, your employees so as your employee and best friend I should help you out of this," Catherine lied without batting an eyelid.

"Sorry Cat, but it is stated in the contract that no one is allowed to help me and the most unlucky thing is that the contract takes effect from tonight. I need to wrap up all my work today so I can drop over at his mansion later," Jasmine said in a miserable tone as she stood up and approach her desk.

"Jasmine, as your employee, I am sorry to see you go through this for us. Even without running this company, you would have lived a blissful life but for our sake, you had to sacrifice so much so I say thank you, boss. You will always and forever remain the best boss to me," Catherine who was now on her feet said with gratitude as she bows to show appreciation.

"It's ok Cat. All I am worried about is what punishment my father is gonna give me for going against his wishes yet again. I am certain he will not let this matter slide, he will strike again and who knows what schemes he has up his sleeve," Jasmine now sitting in her executive seat said in a worried tone.

"Dont worry because we are in this together," Catherine said smiling just to assure Jasmine that everything will be alright. Jasmine just smiles back at her uttering no word.

Despite Catherine's assuring words she still felt uneasy. She knows her father very well. If there is something her father hates the most, then that is no other than losing to someone. And she and her elder sister seem to have gotten this trait from him.

There is no time her father loses to her that he will not do something major. This strategy of his has been going on since she was a child so she couldn't help but feel very anxious.

Catherine exited the office when she saw that Jasmine was busy. An hour later her phone rang but Jasmine ignored the call when she saw that it was her father's assistant who called her.

She continued to work until it was almost time for dinner. Since today was her first day to fulfil her promise Jasmine left the office quite early so she could meet up with the task ahead of her.

The drive from her office to Jackson's mansion took her forty-five minutes. Just like her earlier visit there, everyone welcomed her so warmly that it made her feel weird.

"Ice Prince, is that the manner your employees greet all your guests or am I the only one they greet differently?" Jasmine asked the moment she entered the sitting room and saw Jackson sitting on the couch with his legs crossed and a magazine in his hands.

"Maybe they treat you so special because they admire you. I mean you are this beautiful so why won't they be partial in the way they welcome you?" Jackson asked as he slowly raised his head to stare at her.

"Did you just compliment that I am beautiful? Do you realise that it is not only your employees who act weirdly but also you?" Jasmine asked as she dropped her handbag on the couch. She did not bother to sit, she just went to the kitchen directly. Jackson stood up and follow her.

"Are you not happy that they are treating you exceptionally? I will definitely scold them for being partial so tell me if the way you are welcome makes you uncomfortable?" Jackson said. He failed to mention that he was the one who ordered them to treat her that way each time she visits the mansion.

"If there is someone who is making me uncomfortable with the way he behaves that person is you and not them so don't scold them. I believe I will get accustomed to this soon?" Jasmine said as she began to bring down the utensils she will need.

"The way I treat you makes you uncomfortable?" Jackson asked surprised to hear that he made her feel uncomfortable.

"I know there are occasions you treat me good but I am not used to the way you behave now so I suggest you stick to how icy you usually are. I mean being icy is part of your charms didn't you know that?" Jasmine asked as she smiled sweetly at him.

"I thought since we were partners that I should treat you differently but since you say you love my icy self more than my gentle self then I guess that cannot be helped?" Jackson said. Although he didn't let it show the truth was that he felt happy to be complimented by her.

"Yeah, it can't be helped. Despite that you can be very annoying sometimes, I find your icy expression cute especially when you are furious. I am certain I am the only one who finds that expression of yours people hate cute. I know I sound crazy right now but I have always been considered strange since I was a child so I guess that cannot be helped too," Jasmine said as she rinses the pot and other cooking utensils inside the kitchen sink.

"You are not the only one who is considered weird. Apart from others who think that I am strange even my mum says I act strangely sometimes so you see, the two of us have something in common," Jackson said as he watched her from where he was standing resting his back against the kitchen counter.

"You are right about that," Jasmine instantly agreed not understanding the hidden meaning behind Jackson's words.

"Do you need assistance? I can help you if you want," Jackson said as he walked towards where she was standing with the rinsed veggies.

"You know how to cook?" Jasmine asked in surprise as she temporarily raised her head to stare at him.

"Yes," Jackson replied in a carefree tone.

"Was the Smith Family not a wealthy family so how could the employees carelessly allow their Young Master to enter the kitchen?" Jasmine asked in a serious tone.

"Those employees of yours should be thankful they were not working for my family because I am certain my father would have murdered them all they if they had allowed the son he wishes to have to enter the kitchen not to mention letting him cook," Jasmine said bluntly before she focused her attention on what she was doing.

"Honestly my family's employees were not the ones who let me Into the kitchen but I forced them to let me into the kitchen," Jackson relayed honestly. He stares at the lady who turned and gave him a disapproving gaze.

"Why did you do that? Wasn't their food tasty enough that you had to enter the kitchen to prepare a meal for yourself?" The curious Jasmine questioned him yet again. Jackson was so happy to see how interested she was in knowing more about him.

"Their dishes were fabulous but I had no choice but to enter the kitchen and cook for my heartbroken mum who was mourning my dad's death at that time. Because of the pains my mum was in due to my dad's death, she refused to eat or drink water....," Jackson trialled just to ensure that she was listening to his story.

"I was forced to enter the kitchen to cook with the hopes of convincing her with the meal I prepared. Luckily my plans worked back then. Starting from that day, I began cooking for my mum with the help of our chef until she got better," Jackson concluded. He was so happy with the direction the conversation was going. He was in love with the friendly atmosphere. He wished every day would always be like how it was right now but with Jasmine's personality, he knew he was wishing for the impossible.

"Wow, I can't believe we had similar hobbies in the past," Jasmine remarked as she smiled sweetly at him. She momentarily postpones what she was doing and stood to talk to him.

"In the past, since I was a big troublemaker like I am right now, I was sent to my grandma's place by my mum because of my dad. At the time I arrived at my grandma's mansion she was pretty Ill and the most painful part of it was that she didn't have an appetite and you know without eating she can't take her pills," Jasmine said.

"Seeing my usual lively grandma lying on the bed looking so paled, I had no choice but to try and come up with solutions in how to resolve my grandma's appetite problem and preparing a meal for her under the watchful eyes of her employees was the only solution I came up with. To cut the long story short, since then I have always cooked for my grandma whenever she visits us the mansion. My grandma is the only person I have ever entered the kitchen to cook for and out of all the people I know, you had to become the second person," Jasmine said before she turned and concentrated on her work.

(Hi darling readers, we are in 324 cheers now)