The air inside the Find-Bodyguard company headquarters was a charged, metallic blend of sterile efficiency and raw, physical energy. Fabienne, crisp in her tailored suit, led the way, navigating the wide-open floor plan. Around them, dozens of men and women, built like granite and moving with purpose, handled gear, consulted maps, or jogged lightly on a specialized indoor track.
Jasmin stopped dead just past the massive glass entrance, her green eyes wide. The scale of the operation was breathtaking—it wasn't just an office, it was a fortified, high-tech fortress of human capability.
"This is so amazing, and there's a lot of people here too, huh," Jasmin murmured, utterly transfixed. Her gaze drifted back to the stylized, predatory logo—a snarling metallic wolf's head—etched onto the glass of the entry vestibule. A flicker of recognition crossed her face. She'd seen that wolf before, on Janina's ID card.
"Well, I've worked here for so many years, and I'm a trusted employee because I finally earned a lot of clients. They give me a high salary because of that," Fabienne explained, pulling her friend forward.
"But I recognize the logo. I can't believe that Janina might have been working here," Jasmin said, the realization settling in.
"You're right. Janina was also working here for longer, but not for long," Fabienne clarified, her tone becoming slightly clipped. "As I can remember, I trained her many times when she tried to do boxing."
"Wow, so you have to do a bit of exercise?"
"Yes, we do. And especially we always do small training here inside. We walk on the small training base, which sometimes means climbing the actual rock wall, practicing shooting at the post, practicing sparring with your partner, then also fighting with your partner without a weapon." Fabienne's chest swelled a bit with pride.
"I think that's cool," Jasmin admitted, momentarily impressed.
"I know it does. And I think you are going to be great if you apply for a job here."
They eventually reached the applicant waiting area—a sea of nervous, highly qualified individuals waiting their turn. Fabienne and Jasmin settled into two empty chairs.
"Oh, okay, and now we are going to wait for them," Jasmin sighed, instantly losing her patience.
"Many people want to be a permanent bodyguard, so they want to apply here. I know that this job was good for you, just like what you did last time protecting me," Fabienne reassured her.
"Great. And now I guess this is the only job that I can do now," Jasmin replied, then frowned. "Oh, and I am so thirsty right now."
"Ugh, I guess we can buy water later on, but just be patient now."
"No, I'm really thirsty, and I want something to drink."
With a sudden, violent movement that made the nearest applicants jump, Jasmin snatched an ornamental flower vase nearby, dumped the flowers onto the floor, and smashed the vase against the side table to empty it. Her eyes fell on the large, decorative aquarium bubbling innocently against the far wall. She strode over, dipping the vase into the murky, fish-inhabited water.
"Are you going to drink that, Jasmin??" Fabienne whispered, horrified.
Jasmin took a large gulp. Her face immediately twisted into a mask of pure revulsion. She spat the awful, brackish water out with explosive force—a shower of aquarium debris landing dramatically onto the shoes of three male applicants waiting nearby.
"Ugh... that's freaking disgusting!" one of the men complained loudly, wiping his pant leg.
Jasmin didn't even turn around, dropping the vase back into the aquarium with a loud clang. "Ugh... people are being so negative today. I don't care what they are going to say to me."
Fortunately, the three complaining men immediately gathered their papers and headed toward the restroom to clean up, effectively vacating the queue.
"Oh, but at least we have an early time now. I guess that we're next," Fabienne noted, seizing the unexpected opportunity.
"Good one, at least we don't have to wait any longer."
They were ushered into the corner office. When Florentin looked up from his desk, he didn't expect to see Fabienne. He certainly didn't expect the disheveled chaos walking beside her.
"Fabienne, what are you doing here?" Florentin asked, irritation already coloring his tone.
"Well, I'm not here to apply for a job. My friend here needs an instant job, after all, she made a failure finding her job herself," Fabienne explained, maintaining a deadpan expression.
"Who then?"
"I am, but anyway, that was a nice drink you have here." Jasmin walked straight past Fabienne, snatched the glass of water Florentin was moments away from drinking, and gulped it down.
Florentin's face went white. "That was just rude! And who are you?"
"I'm Jasmin Hoppe. Well, I'm like looking like Janina Schneider, am I?" she said, placing the empty glass back down heavily.
"Oh yes, you have the looks of Janina, and I know you're not, because I know the news reported that she's dead. Anyway, you are that extremely rude, and don't you know that I'm the boss in this company?"
"So what? I don't care who's the boss here. What will happen if you're the boss of the company? That would change yourself then?"
"Ah, really, so trying to play sarcastic to me," he leaned forward, narrowing his eyes.
"Don't tell me you're like another womanizer guy," Jasmin countered carelessly.
"Hey, show me some little respect here, and remember that you are now in my office!"
"Fine, this is your office. Go ahead, adore and kiss your little pathetic office then."
Florentin stood up, pure rage thrumming through his chest. Fabienne quickly placed a hand on his arm, forcing him back into his seat. "Florin, I think you don't have to get angry with her. She wasn't here to insult you or everything; she was trying to have a stable job now."
"No, Fabienne! This is ridiculous, and I don't want her to work here if her attitude is like that!"
Jasmin suddenly bounded to the side of his desk. Before he could react, she leaned down, snatched his tie, and yanked him forward hard, their faces inches apart. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, she licked a stripe across his cheek.
Florentin gasped, paralyzed, believing for a heart-stopping second that he was about to be assaulted or seduced.
"Are you out of your mind, Flo boss?!" Jasmin asked, releasing his tie and bursting into laughter, her psychotic personality fully visible as she watched him tremble.
"Oh, I was just trying to tell you, you have to stop what you're doing, and it's not that fair that you're like ruining everything here," Florentin stammered, still nervous.
"I think I'm not ruining everything."
"Oh, I see it does."
"I'm not going to yell it out for ya!"
Fabienne decided she'd had enough. "I guess let's start going now, and I am getting freaking impatient. I don't care about that stupid drama that you're going through, Florentin, and if you don't want to start this job now, maybe Jasmin would seduce you at any minute. She can do that, because she doesn't care."
Florentin swallowed hard, running a panicked hand across his licked cheek. "Fine, so let's do it. And I think you should give me a resume, Jasmin."
Jasmin tossed a crumpled document onto his desk. Florentin smoothed the paper out, expecting a typical, if slightly flawed, application. What he read next made him slump back in his chair, utterly defeated by the sheer, unadulterated madness of Jasmin Hoppe.
Name: Jasmin Hoppe
Contact no: Unknown.
Marital Status: Single
Birthday: 15.5.89.
Career objective: F*cking I don't know about my freaking objective, sex life is awesome. Sex: 10 times I did.
Position applied for:
A seducerChop your brains.Gun-reaper
Work experience: Work?
Educational Background: 1995-2001 Primary: Städtische Gemeinschaftsgrundschule Haspetal, Ennepetal
Achievements:
Akyat bahay gangAchieving for having sex 10 times in a day, yes!GangFor not being Pabebe and Paepal ever!Not being gossip girl, meddler and significant other.For feeling a man's dicks, delicious!
Special Skill:
Beating peopleGuarding floorsNot being PabebePeeing on other wall if neededMaking toolsGun handler
Other skills:
Wiping butt.Handymen-handymenButcherDriving driverMaking explosivesOf course literally can talk, duh!
I hereby this is certify true and not with lie...thingy...
Signature: Jasmin Hoppe.
Florentin lowered the paper slowly, his hand shaking. He looked from the resume to Jasmin, who smiled back, utterly serene in her chaos. Fabienne merely sighed. The boss of Find-Bodyguard knew, in that terrifying moment, that he was utterly out of his depth.
"But I was even thinking this so far... and I think it is not right to apply for a job when I saw you make a joke of it..." Florentin comments after he looks at the papers, still feeling disappointed.
"Ugh... I guess you really hate this, but I didn't write that resume. Alody just helped me, and I told her to follow my instructions and stop being so choosy!" Jasmin said confidently, convinced she had done nothing wrong.
"Oh really? And I thought you were serious about that and actually read what your friend wrote." Florentin shot back, irritation creeping into his voice.
He handed the resume back to her, but Jasmin struggled to read it, her frustration rising as she put it back in his hands.
"Ugh... I can't even read that!"
"Then what the heck did you write that for?!"
"Are you deaf?! What did I tell you last time? I said Alody wrote that and I told her what to write so I could read it! You have two eyes and shouldn't have difficulty reading every letter and dot!"
"Seriously, Florentin, don't you think you can't just accept Jasmin? And by the way... I also want to tell you that she has schizophrenia," Fabienne interjected, trying to calm the situation.
"Schizophrenia?! I mean, if she has that disorder, what is she doing here?" he asked, incredulity evident in his tone.
"To find a job, idiot! Jasmin wants to find a job, and you have to give her a try. She's a mom like me, but she has three kids to support and no father around! She's applying for this job!" Fabienne's voice grew more intense.
"Ah, so she has three children now?"
"Yes! Two daughters and one son. So that should clarify things for you."
"Okay, but I need to know if she lives alone, considering her schizophrenia."
"Well, someone is taking care of her. First, her brother, then her friend, and her eldest child, who is a teenager."
"Hmmm... I suppose with the resume I read, I don't like it. What if she applies to another company and they don't accept her? And Jasmin didn't graduate from college; she only finished primary school."
"That's just what you think! Seriously, I can give you a shot. I can still manage as a personal bodyguard," Jasmin interjected, her voice firm.
"So, you already know how to be a bodyguard?" Florentin raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! I had to pretend to be Janina in that case. I was trained to be a bodyguard there. This is the only job I could get."
"Really?"
"Yes! So, is having a mental issue an issue for you?"
"Technically, yes. All the people applying for jobs are mentally healthy, and that's important for being a bodyguard."
"Really? Is there some sort of rule you made up? That's just funny! If you don't see it, it's freaking funny! You should trust me, as usual."
"I don't think I'm going to accept you for that."
"Are you making a joke now?"
"No, I'm deciding what's right. It's not good for you to be a bodyguard with a mental issue. I don't want to be careless here, but I'm the boss, and I'm the one who decides."
"For me, there's no 'boss.' You don't know what I know. I have skills to beat people up, don't you know that? I was part of a gang before!"
"So, do you have the guts to do it?"
"I have more guts than you do! When I pulled your tie, you looked scared. Don't you think I have guts now? I've literally used guns! I know what that is."
"Okay, fine. But you need to do a short training to prove to me that you deserve to work in this company. Just to prove you're not lying to me."
"I won't be, and I can really prove it to you."
"But this time I will accept your résumé. I want to test your skills. So please come back tomorrow; the training starts then."
"Good! I would be happy to get trained. Don't worry."
Afterward, they went to the ice cream shop, where Fabienne decided to treat them both.
"Finally, you have a job! You don't have to waste this opportunity now," Fabienne said, enjoying her sundae.
"Oh, I knew that's what you were going to say! I told you he would accept me, even if the resume was terrible," Jasmin replied, pride swelling in her chest.
"No, I convinced him to do so. I think he really wants to see if you're good at it during the training. He wants to test you," Fabienne explained.
"That should be easy, right?"
"Yes, it will be very easy. I'm happy you'll officially be a bodyguard!"
"And if you're working in that company, what are you mostly doing there?" Jasmin asked, curiosity piqued.
"Oh, I'm going to train there too. They need you to do a training for an hour, and then it's up to you if you want to stay there. That company is nice, and I really like it."
"That's cool! I guess I'd want to stay there as long as I can. This is what I've been waiting for, to have a job! Finally, I have one, and it's not hard to find a job after all."
"That's only what you think. Other people have a hard time finding jobs, and I know you're lucky," Fabienne reminded her.
"It's great that I'll finally have a job! I can tell Sidel and Walter. They've been expecting me to find a stable job."
"But what about Martin?" Fabienne asked, a teasing glint in her eye.
"About him? Do you think I'm concerned for him? You must be ridiculous!" Jasmin rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I was just thinking about how you felt about him. I'm sure you care about Martin," Fabienne teased.
"Actually, I don't! He can be a babysitter for all I care. I don't care if he's sad or feels sorry for me."
"Really?"
"Yes! Besides, the other girl, Janina's friend, can be in love with him. There's no shortage of women today!"
"Oh, I know! I hope you can say that because I've seen how close you've been getting with Martin. What is this, Jasmin and Aladdin?"
"But his name is Martin!"
"Yes, but your love story sounds like a Disney tale."
"No way! I'm not in love with him! I admit he's been there for me, but he's just taking care of my kids, that's all."
"Okay, fine. I don't want to argue about that."
In Zurich, where David and Fred were trying to find solace in a mansion, the weight of their circumstances loomed large, overshadowing the serene beauty of the Swiss landscape outside.
" This is a good idea, David," Fred said, his voice buoyed by an optimistic smile. "We're safe here. The gunman won't chase us. We can finally relax."
David, however, wore an unsure smile, anxiety flickering in his eyes. "But for how long? I'm not even sure."
"Don't worry," Fred reassured him, his confidence unwavering. "I can protect you and your daughter. I have connections here in Zurich who can keep her safe."
"I just want what's best for her," David replied, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "I'm sorry for being so cranky, even in a place like this."
"I understand," Fred said, his tone softening. "But you need to relax. She'll sense your tension."
"You're right." David nodded, trying to push the worries from his mind.
Just then, David's phone buzzed, breaking the uneasy moment. It was Fabienne, the bodyguard he had hired.
"Hello?" David answered, his heart racing.
Fabienne Olner here.
"Yes, I remember you."
-Please, I want you to come to Zurich this week. Not next week—this week.
Hmm... Mr. David, you can be hasty at times, but I'm ready and trained. You can trust me.
"I trust you now. Where are you from?"
Wuppertal. You can find my info on . Why do you ask?
"Just making sure. I'm a bit on edge."
Okay, I'll be there tomorrow. Send me your address.
"Sure. See you tomorrow."
With that, David hung up, a knot of anxiety still churning in his stomach.
Meanwhile, in a bustling financial office, Judith and Walter faced the sharp gaze of their potential employer, Leonie.
"So, are you both applying for a job?" Leonie asked, her tone scrutinizing.
"Yes, we need a job like yours," Walter responded, trying to keep his composure.
"Your last job was at Heinen, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Does that mean we're hired?"
"No," Leonie replied curtly. "I don't accept applicants connected to the Hoppe family. Your sister is a psychopath."
"Excuse me?" Walter retorted, his voice rising in disbelief.
"Jasmin Hoppe ruined my friend's life. Sonja Heinen was my closest friend, and your sister embarrassed her family. Do you really think I'd hire you?"
"Don't accuse Jasmin like that! She's fighting for justice!" Walter shot back, anger boiling beneath his skin.
Leonie's expression hardened. "Your sister's actions have consequences. She's to blame for Sonja's downfall, and I won't forget that."
"Just because you're connected to Sonja doesn't mean you can judge Jasmin!" Judith interjected, her voice steady, but fierce.
"Enough!" Leonie snapped. "You can leave my office now."
Walter and Judith exited, frustration simmering between them.
"This is ridiculous," Walter said, shaking his head. "Why does she have to be so mean?"
"She'll never understand what Jasmin went through," Judith replied, crossing her arms in indignation.
"Let's just find another job," Walter sighed, feeling defeated. "One that doesn't involve Sonja's friends."
Their search for employment had just begun, but as they left, the tension of their past hung heavy in the air.
Back at the party they had attended earlier, Martin sat alone, picking at a slice of cake, the festivities around him a blur.
"You seem a bit serious. Are you enjoying the party?" Celine asked, concern etched on her face.
"I'm fine," Martin replied, though his heart wasn't in it. "I just miss Janina."
"I don't think it's just Janina," Celine pressed. "Is it Jasmin?"
"Do you think I'm in love with her?" Martin asked incredulously.
"It seems like it," Celine said gently. "If you still love Janina, it shouldn't stop you from being happy, even if she's gone."
Martin sighed heavily, contemplating her words. "I don't love Janina anymore... I think I'm in love with Jasmin now."
"Have you told her?"
"No, how could I? She doesn't know how to love. She's emotionally flat."
"You should try talking to her," Celine encouraged.
"I just want her to be happy," Martin said, determination rekindled in his voice. "I want to help her kids, to be there for her."
"Don't let your feelings hold you back," Celine said, her eyes glinting with understanding.
With a newfound resolve, Martin decided to bring cake to Jasmin. He gathered the remaining slices, ready to make a gesture that could change everything.
When he arrived at Jasmin's home, he knocked on the door, his heart racing.
Sidel opened it, surprise evident on her face. "Martin! What are you doing here?"
"I brought something for your mother," he said, trying to keep his tone casual.
"She's asleep," Sidel replied, her voice softening.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure."
Stepping inside, Martin placed the slices in the fridge before approaching Jasmin's room. He peered in to see her peacefully sleeping. He gently kissed her forehead, a wave of affection washing over him.
"Sleep well, Jasmin," he whispered, before slipping out of the room, hopeful for what tomorrow might bring.