NEVER KNEW HIS WORTH

Jasper rests his back on the headboard of the king-sized bed in his bedroom staring intently at the figure laying beside him. He shook his head and sighed heavily thinking about his fate and life generally.

The lady beside him was supposed to be the coolness of his eyes to make him feel good, achieved, and happy. But no! it was the other way round. Instead, she seemed to be the babe of his life. Ever since they got married, he has not been at all happy. Not even for a minute, especially when she's around him.

Rather than leaving him to contend with her irresponsible attitude, she adds salt to his wound by crossing his path and doing whatever she likes without regard for him. All she knows was making trouble without answering for her atrocious actions.

"Till when will I have to tolerate her and endure her excesses?" Jasper asked no one but himself deeply in thought about his situation. Who was he to blame for his marriage's unluckiness?.

He attempted to stand up, and the door of the room flung open. It was his five-year-old daughter. She ran straight into her father's arms snuggling her face on his broad chest and her body in his embrace before looking up at him.

"Good morning daddy," she greeted in her babyish accent.

"Good morning baby. Hope you slept well?"Jasper sat her on his lap and ruffled her hair with his strong manly hand.

"Yes daddy, I slept well," she muttered word for word.

"What about you dad?. Your eyes look big" she reached out and touched his face using her small, soft thumb to rub the dark eye circles underneath his eyes.

"Hey sweetie, you just hurt daddy with your words. Are you telling me my eyes looks like that of an owl?" Jasper joked over his daughter's statement.

"I'm sorry daddy, I didn't mean to say that. But I'm not lying. You can check the mirror" Jasmine directed her face to where the large standing mirror was positioned.

"It's alright baby, let's go freshen up. Dad's eye will not be big anymore after a cool bath," he said looking deep into his daughter's eyes only to realize that she was not listening to what he said.

Her attention had been diverted to the figure on the bed. While she looked at the laying figure, a possibility had crossed her mind.

"Daddy, did she make you angry again?." Jasmine asked with a bit of anxiety.

"No baby, she didn't. Dad didn't give her the chance to."

Ever since Jasmine was born, the only person she's close to was her father. Her mother had ceased to act like her mother since she began to sit and suddenly went to the bad. All Jasmine knew was that she has a mother, but doesn't know how it feels to be cared for by one.

"Really?" she asked cupping her father's face in her little hands and Jasper nodded affirming her question.

"You're not lying to me?" she asked with doubt.

"Of course not. Daddy does not dare lie to you." he pinched her cheek lightly with a beatific smile.

They left the room for Jasmine's room where Jasper bathed her quickly and dressed her in her school uniform after which he entered the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He served Jasmine's food and packed her lunch in her lunch bag.

"Delicious" Jasmine complimented raising her thumb to her dad.

"As usual" Jasper replied curtly with a wink and returned to his room to dress.

Minutes later, the two were set for their day's activities. They entered Jasper's car and zoom, they're gone. Jasper dropped her in her school compound and bade her goodbye.

"Take care of yourself daddy!" she smiled at her father and pecked his cheeks.

"Sure. You too darling, be obedient as usual and don't fight anyone".

Satisfied that his daughter entered her class safely, he drove straight to his workplace.

*

*

"Good morning boss," one of the employees bowed her head as the CEO of the company entered the company's building.

"Morning Celine. Where are the rest?" the CEO asked referring to the other employees.

"They are at the meeting hall waiting for you sir," Celine answered directing her hand towards the direction of the hall.

"Good, let's go," he said and walked briskly down to the hall.

"Good morning everyone" he greeted them raising his voice to accentuate his presence and immediately, they all stood up and greeted him.

"I hope you're all doing well," he said more or less like he was asking them.

"Yes sir." he nodded with a relief sigh making all the employees laugh.

"Today, I ought to assign new jobs to you, but I'll be giving you time to refresh yourselves today. We all know that the past week has not been easy on us. So you can just utilize the rest of today completing your previous works." he paused for a while to allow his words to sink into their minds.

"I appreciate your hard work here. We all know that this company will not be where it is today without you guys. As a result, I want you not to relent in your efforts for us to prosper more. Thank you."

he concluded his speech and left for his office while the employees clapped in happiness.

"Oh my!. What a boss, so caring and understanding" one of the female employees giggled like a baby.

"Get your ass to your office right now. You know he's married" said another lady.

"Like they love each other" the first lady scoffed and they dispersed. And that's just the fact everyone knows of, but never dare speak about. Their boss' marriage.

Meet Jasper Callaghan, the number one youngest and most famous businessman everywhere across the continent. The only child of the Callaghans. So much brilliant, intelligent, handsome, obedient, and filial. He completed his secondary education at the age of fifteen and his university education at the age of twenty-one. Then he took over the family's company at the age of twenty-two.

To outsiders, he seemed to be happy and had anything a man would ever wish for. Every young lady dreamed of him to be their sun God who would make their life so good.

Truth to be told, he enjoyed life before he clocked eighteen when he was engaged to the nightmare of his life– Cassandra. On his eighteenth birthday, his parents got him engaged to Cassandra, the daughter of one of his father's friends which made him abandon his real love and forgo some things he wished to have for himself.

Jasper entered his office and sat on his swivel chair after he removed his suit and hung it on the chair.

"What's up man?" a masculine voice said jolting him from his world of calculations.

"Hey Carl, how are you doing this morning?" Jasper stood up and hugged the man that entered his office. It was his assistant who was as well his childhood friend. He has almost the same authority as Jasper in the company matters and the two friends love and cherish each other so much.

"I'm good Jasper. How's Jasmine?" Carl asked not bothering to ask about Cassandra. With his closeness to Jasper, he knows clearly well that asking him about her would mean opening the wound in his heart.

"She's fine. I took her to school this morning."

"Man, you're trying as a father. I can't just imagine myself doing all these at this young age of mine."

"You'll learn it when you get bitten by the love bug"

"Not necessarily Jasper."

"Let the time come first. That aside, how's the mission you went for?" asked Jasper. Carl moved closer to Jasper and whispered something into his ear.

"For real?" he asked for affirmation and Carl nodded.

"Man, you're the best. I owe you one. I guess we have to move faster, in order to have the first hit."

"Sure," said Carl. Just then, the ringing of Jasper's phone interrupted their discussion. "Excuse me, I want to take this call," he said and moved away from his desk but closer to the window.

"Hello, am I speaking to Mr. Callaghan?"

"Yes, you are. How may I help you?"

"I'm making this call from your daughter's school. I'm her new class teacher......."

"What happened to my daughter?" Jasper interrupted not allowing the caller to finish what was to be said.

"She's been crying for a while now. By the time, it's almost an hour. No one has been able to stop her, we've all tried our best, but it proved futile."

"Don't worry, I'll be there in the next few minutes," he said and disconnected the call without listening to any other thing from the teacher.

"I'm sorry Carl, we'll have to go there at a later time. Jasmine is not feeling well at school. I..."

"It's okay, I understand," said Carl. He knew the extent Jasper loves Jasmine since she's the only thing that gave him joy in his home.

In his car, Jasper started driving with a stern look on his face.

"I'll make sure the one who made Jasmine cry is punished." he stepped up the pedal so he would reach the school fast. He's well aware of Jasmine's character. She's not a crybaby. Instead, she's calm and collected just like he was. For her to cry, it's definitely something so hurting.