Winston's tone of voice sounded increasingly firm. "Not only are you and Jasper together, but he's also staying at your house in Solana City?" he questioned. Jasper's ears perked up at the vague sound of his name being mentioned. Instantly, Alyssa's eyes became dark. "What do you mean, Dad? Did you send someone to follow me?" "Is there any issue with me being concerned for my daughter?" Winston answered her with a question. He wasn't going to humor her any longer. Alyssa chuckled. "I was alone overseas for five, six years. You've never sent anyone to follow me. During the Christmas holidays, you've never sent me any Christmas cards or well wishes. Why are you suddenly being concerned now?" A fire of rage rose within Alyssa. She put her hand on her waist and continued, "Are you possessed, or do you just have too much free time on your hands because you're about to retire?" Jasper furrowed his brows and remained expressionless. Alone overseas? And it was for five to six yea
A horse racing event was hosted in Solana City every year. It was an event that garnered the attention of the entire nation. Wealthy and reputable families would meet at the racecourse. On the surface level, they looked friendly with one another. In reality, they were cunning and competing with one another in secret. Hence, this was a rare networking opportunity for the elites. Many of the major renowned projects in Solana City, and even throughout Andgalbia, were signed at the horse racing event. This was why many would do all they could to obtain a ticket to the horse race. It was so that they could move up the ranks and achieve great success. Ever since that day when Javier forbade Betty's attendance, she became ill from her rage. Ulcers broke out in her mouth, and she could barely eat anything due to the pain. During the night, her anger would also wake her up from her sleep. All she did was reprimand a few helpers. She couldn't understand why Javier wanted to punish
"Without it, I would rather die!" Sophia cried out. Betty hadn't had any first-hand experience with medication reliance. Though Sophia wore a crooked expression, she gleaned a fleeting insight into the agony of drug withdrawal."About Jeffrey … Have you managed to deal with him?" Sophia suddenly inquired in a sly manner. Betty's heart dropped. She replied softly, "I have arranged someone to handle it. The only thing is, that person hasn't gotten back to me till now. I'm afraid that they haven't done it yet." "So useless! All of them are good-for-nothings!" Sophia opened her eyes wide in fury. "Mom, we're talking about a prison here. It's good enough that I was able to find someone to do the work for you. "His movements in there are limited. Unlike the outside, he can't just do as he wishes. So, please just wait a little longer. We should hear back very soon." "Wait? How can I bear to wait? Each day that Jeffrey is still alive … My heart is just like a cat on a hot tin ro
"Calm down, Mom. I have an idea," Betty said in Sophia's ear. "You can wear diapers on the day. Wouldn't that be foolproof?" "D-Diapers?" Sophia flushed red from shame. "No one other than me would know about it anyway. You can just go ahead and wear it. Dad has finally eased up, so you need to dress up and attend the horse race to flaunt your beauty. You must get through this and capture Dad's heart again!" That was right. Betty was right. It was an opportunity that was hard to come by. She had to do her best to mend her relationship with Javier."At this moment … This would be the only way." Diapers it was! It wasn't as if there were no adults who wore diapers! As long as Betty made no mention of it, no one else would find out! "Can you help me with something, Mom?" Betty seized the opportunity and made a request. "You little brat, what deal do you want to strike with me this time?" Sophia stared at her with angry eyes as she felt that Betty was being more and more
That suit was associated with so much hurt and had always been one of Jasper's prized possessions. No one was allowed to touch it. Nonetheless, he still wanted to get a new set of clothing from Alyssa for good luck. It would be a symbol of a brand new and successful beginning with her. "Do you really like the clothing that I make for you?" Alyssa blinked and tickled him under his chin. She said, "It's not a problem to make one for you. But don't force yourself to wear it if it's not to your taste. I don't want you to force yourself just because of me, even if it's a set of clothing." Suddenly, Jasper felt a lump in his throat, and his eyes welled up. He kept quiet for a while, trying to contain his surging emotions within himself. He replied in a husky voice, "Actually, I've always liked it. I was just being stupid and stubborn at that time. I didn't want to admit it and didn't know how to express myself. "I know I'm being too greedy, Lyse. But, I still hope that I can re
It turned out that Mandy, Lyla, and Colene had gone to church. After church, they went on a shopping spree. They also visited a trending café before returning to Heightsnew Villa, feeling satisfied. In the eyes of the world, they were in awkward positions. People expected them to scheme against one another and to have a cut-throat relationship behind closed doors. However, the trio were close, like three peas in a pod. At times, even Alyssa felt deep jealousy when she witnessed their sisterhood. Winston must have saved the universe in his past life for him to have Mandy's, Lyla's, and Colene's loyalty toward him in this life. "Woah! Why didn't any of you bring me along? I'm sad now …" Alyssa teased. She was sitting on the swing in the garden. Like a young and energetic youth, she swung back and forth with the tip of her toes sweeping on the ground. "Oh, dearest Alyssa, it's not that we didn't want to bring you along!" Colene approached her from behind and put her arms a
After a while, Mandy, Lyla, and Colene nodded. "That explains it. It is already quite fortunate that Winston didn't storm into the Beckett family or skin Jasper alive." Before they could probe Alyssa further, Clark hurried over and informed them, "Ms. Alyssa, Mr. Winston is back. He asked for you to go to his study." "Got it." Alyssa took a deep breath and prepared to leave. Behind her, Mandy, Lyla, and Colene were worried that Winston would be difficult. So, the three of them also expressed their wish to follow along. …In the study, Winston was drinking tea while sitting on the sofa. His expression was glum. Whenever he met with Alyssa in the past, they were always joking around merrily with one another. The air around them was always lively and warm. It was extremely rare for them to have so much tension. "I wanted to speak with Lyse in private. What are all of you tagging along for?" Winston gave a displeased, side-eyed glance at his wives. He forcefully set hi
Later on, Alyssa learned that her troublesome classmate had dropped out of school just three days after the incident.The family's business faced bankruptcy, and her father was incarcerated. Upon realizing the wrongs she had committed against Alyssa, her mother lived in perpetual anxiety.In the end, she succumbed to a bout of serious illness. As such, it was a miracle that Winston hadn't done anything to Jasper yet. It was Alyssa who was the creator of this miracle. If it weren't for her telling him over and over not to touch Jasper, he might have already sent someone to assassinate him!He probably wouldn't need to get the job done personally. Jonah and Axel would most likely have already gotten rid of Jasper. "Dad, at the end of the day, I am also hugely responsible for the failure of the marriage." Alyssa didn't address him by his name again. She had a serious look on her face, making it obvious that she was very persistent and earnest about this relationship. "Back
Even without Jasper's presence, he was confident that the Taylors and the rescue team would have been able to save Alyssa. It became clear what the person manipulating Remy had been aiming for.But why had Remy let Jasper go at that crucial moment? Had he experienced a sudden change of heart? Or was he, in fact, Alyssa's brother, Damien?Jasper's mind filled with all kinds of thoughts. Before he could dwell too deeply, there was a knock at the door. Xavier hurried over to open it, freezing in shock when he saw who stood outside. "Mr. Winston?"Winston was leaning on Silas for support, his expression grim. "Mr. Beckett is in there, isn't he? May I have a word with him?" Xavier quickly stepped aside, gesturing for Winston and Silas to enter.When he saw the elder he respected standing at the door, Jasper struggled to rise from the bed despite his exhaustion. "Mr. Winston…" "You are wounded. Stay put!" Winston insisted, swiftly moving forward to gently press Jasper back down
"Next time? There won't be a next time."Tears flowed down Alyssa's face, soaking Jasper's shirt with each drop. Her voice was quiet but steady, carrying the weight of her heartache. "Jasper… I'm drained. Sometimes, I think it might be better if you just forgot about me. It would be easier than this. Every time I let myself hope, all I get in return is disappointment."Jasper's chest tightened as her calm words pierced through him. Waves of emotion surged inside him, and a lump rose painfully in his throat.…It was fortunate that Jasper had found Alyssa in time to administer first aid. After rushing her to the ER, she slipped into unconsciousness. That being said, she was extremely lucky to have escaped death. Nevertheless, she needed to remain in the ICU for further observation. Aside from treating her frostbite, the doctors needed to assess whether her internal organs or brain had been affected.With the severity of Alyssa's condition, Sean couldn't keep the truth from Winsto
"Jas…"Alyssa looked at Jasper with an unfocused gaze. Her breaths were shallow, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Mentally, she was confused. "Yes, it's me—Jasper!"Jasper's heart clenched as he saw the color drain from her face. Her body trembled uncontrollably, fragile as a leaf caught in the wind. She resembled the kitten he had saved as a child—frozen and alone in the alley that bitter winter night. A deep sorrow flooded his chest."Jas… per…" Alyssa murmured his name, her voice strained, her tongue numb from the cold.A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "It seems… like I am about… to freeze to death… How could he be here… He will not come back… He doesn't want me anymore…" Alyssa's vision blurred as her eyelids grew heavy. She began to lean, her body sagging to one side."Alyssa! Stay awake!" Jasper's heart was pierced, the pain unbearable as he saw the denial in her eyes. He forced himself to pu
Elias frowned deeply; his worry etched onto his face. "We've been shouting Ms. Alyssa's name the whole way. With so many of us calling out, she should've heard us by now if she were nearby!"In a deep voice, Jasper said, "The wind is too strong, and then there's the heavy snowfall. Our voices are being drowned out. Lyse might not hear us at all."Lyse. Her nickname slipped from his lips before he even realized it."I'm just afraid she's injured—or worse, fainted. If she blacks out in this cold…" Elias trailed off, his voice heavy with dread. "On a day like this, she won't survive long. She'll freeze to death."The group exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words tightening their chests.It wasn't that Elias was being a doomsayer. Rather, this was the cruel reality that might actually happen. Crater Mountain claimed lives every year. Danger lurked unpredictably in the woods on the mountain—anything could unfold."Let's split up," Jasper commanded, his eyes fixed on t
The snow was falling heavily, and the chilling winds howled through the night.Remy had no car, so he trudged through the snow alone, each step more exhausting than the last.His thoughts were consumed with Alyssa—was she still alive? In danger? And Jasper's unrelenting resolve to reach her, even after being shot and drenched in blood.Remy pressed his calloused, trembling hand to his chest. His heart hammered in his ribcage erratically.A sharp, searing pain shot through his temples, blurring his vision. He collapsed to his knees in the snow, his body racked with agony. The pain surged deep within him, and his eyes felt like they were going to burst from their sockets. It was unbearable.His breath came in ragged gasps. His hands scrambled for the necklace hanging from his neck—inside it was a hidden medicine box.Justin had told him that the medication in there could calm him down and relieve him of any pain. It would be able to save his life. But in his desperate haste, the
As subtle as Remy's expressions were, Jasper still noticed them. A slight twinkle flashed across his eyes. He did not have the time to continue entertaining Remy. He clenched his teeth, turned around, and started running toward Crater Mountain. Nevertheless, he had barely taken a few steps when gunshots were fired at his feet. Even so, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead and did not stop. Just then, another gunshot rang out. It wasn't until a bullet hit him in his right shoulder that the pain caused him to stumble. He almost fell to the ground but forced himself to stay on his feet. It was fortunate that he was shot in his right shoulder this time. After all, his left shoulder could not be injured any further. Otherwise, his left shoulder would be left in complete disability."If you take another step, the next shot will be in your left leg," Remy warned mockingly. Yet, his gaze was firm and fiery. "Jasper, I don't suppose you want to end up like your older brother, living in
A chill went down Jasper's spine. At that moment, staring down the barrel of the gun, one thought consumed him. It was the only thought that mattered—he had to stay alive to meet Alyssa!Jasper's mind raced. His gun was hidden under the driver's seat of his usual car, but today, he had taken a different sports car—one that wasn't equipped with a weapon. Panic gripped him for a split second before his instincts kicked in.The soldier within him stirred. Without warning, he jerked the steering wheel, ramming his car into Remy's.One of Remy's headlights was taken out and left rolling across the snow. All of a sudden, this prideful man was overwhelmed with anger. His eyes reddened with a strong sense of competitiveness, compelling him to pull the trigger. A shot rang out. The bullet sliced through the cold air, shattering Jasper's car window.From the very beginning, Remy hadn't intended to take Jasper's life. All Justin told him to do was to stop Jasper from meeting with Alys
"Jasper, you are such a jerk. If anything bad happens to Ms. Alyssa, you will surely regret it. You will live in regret your entire life!" Sean yelled. …The temperature tonight was -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The snowstorm in the woods on the mountain was getting stronger and stronger. The winds were freezing and bone-piercing as they blew against Alyssa's face. Trees swayed dramatically in the screeching winds, creating an inexplicable creepy atmosphere that added a feeling of desolation to Alyssa's sorrowful and depressive mood. She braved the bone-piercing winds and faced the heavy snowfall. With the help of her trekking pole, she plodded forward one step at a time. She did not have a destination in mind. She did not know where she was heading. Her heart had shattered, and she was beside herself. The decreasing temperatures discouraged her and made her lose all her motivation. For someone who had lost their willpower, being in the woods under extreme weather conditions wa
"Mr. Jasper, why do you say so?" Sheryl lifted her head and looked into Jasper's reddened eyes. She furrowed her brows and laughed out loud. "White Dove is from Solana City. This is also something that I wasn't able to predict. If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten you to make a trip here in vain, would I?" Sheryl was no longer that conniving bitch who used to act coy. Now, she had a powerful person backing her up. Jasper's violent rage did not scare her at all. "Why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?" Xavier marched forward furiously. He was even more inclined to serve her a slap. "Did you know that Mr. Beckett had an important date with Madam today? He only rushed her because of your stupid lead! Right now, you're telling us that White Dove isn't in Skydon but Solana City? What the heck are you scheming? Were you trying to ruin Mr. Beckett and Madam's date intentionally?" "Madam? Haven't Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alyssa broken up? Is it right for you to be referring to her