"A million?" Victor guessed."Ten million," Jonah revealed.Jonah, born into wealth, seemed to have an unusual definition of a small sum of money.Victor, cheered up by Jonah's lone support, said, "Thank you for your support, Jonah!""Pfft. Careful not to lose your shirt." Winston did not hold back when he addressed his son.Jameson asked softly, "Lyse, which horse will you bet on?"Without looking at him, Alyssa said flatly, "I'm not betting. It's best to stay away from gambling."With Alyssa remaining hostile to him, Jameson tried to shrug it off and turned to speak to Winston instead. "Uncle Winston, I'll join in on the fun too. I am betting on Blaze from KS Group. Just like Mr. Jonah, I'm putting down ten million."Victor nodded approvingly at his youngest son's move."Not bad, Jimmy. You've got good taste. At least, you're better than my son," Winston remarked with a smile.Once again, Jameson had scored points with Winston."Well, this is just entertainment. What matte
Jasper and Alyssa might have only exchanged glances without a word, but everyone felt the affection between them. No words were needed when two people were in love. The way they looked at each other and their actions were proof.Victor frowned and turned to Winston, who appeared equally troubled. Alyssa grumbled at Jasper, "Fine! I don't care. You're an ATM yourself, so bet however much you'd like." She turned away with a faint smile.Meanwhile, Jameson was fuming because he had been ignored. Jasper noticed the change on Jameson's exquisite face, giving off a devilish feeling.Instead of feeling triumphant, Jasper worried that Jameson might be scheming again, and he didn't want to see Alyssa hurt. So, he closely followed behind her, offering her protection, as dependable as a rock.The tycoons had placed their bets by now. Landon didn't bet on the Becketts' or the Taylors' horses. He took Lauren's suggestion and bet on a shiny racehorse that didn't seem very competitive, all beca
Still, Javier confidently addressed Ezzo, "Mr. Ezzo, the Beckett Group owns our racecourses in Solana City and other cities. We're considered the most experienced in developing racecourses."Hearing that, Cornelius scoffed under his breath. "Pfft. That's very cocky of him."Victor could no longer hold back and opined, "Mr. Javier, the Beckett Group indeed owns racecourses, but it's an overstatement to claim that you're the most experienced in building one. We're the host of the horseracing event this year. You do know that this is the largest racecourse in Solana City, don't you?"Javier calmly argued, "That's because it's built new. Back in the day, the Beckett Group was unrivaled."Equally irked, Victor countered with an example of Winston's, "The KS Group built its racecourse 30 years ago. Not only was it the largest in the country, but it is also the only racecourse in Belbanks until today. Quite a stretch to say that you're the most experienced in racecourse building when Wins
To Jasper's surprise, Alyssa frowned and decisively stepped on his toes with her heels, sending pain across his body. It was one thing to have his expensive tailored shoes ruined; it was another to suffer from a crushing pain."Behave yourself, Mr. Beckett," Alyssa chirped and flicked her hair. Strands of her hair brushed against his cheek, tempting him. She warned, "If you don't, I'll see to it that your toes are crushed by horse hooves."Lowering his gaze, he croaked, "When we get home, can we—""We'll talk about that later," she cut him off.Despite her stubbornness, she was overwhelmed by embarrassment. Her lashes flickered.Meanwhile, Jasper felt sorry for himself. It seemed that Alyssa had the final say when it came to intimacy."I believe everyone here has a rich experience in maintaining racecourses and horse breeding. It's a close fight." Ezzo seemed excited. An idea crossed his mind. This was a great chance to test them out. "Why don't we start a little competition at
All eyes were on Winston. He asked sternly, "What's wrong?""Our equestrian was injured by another horse when he was on a stroll with Blaze."The Taylors exchanged shocked glances. Eyes widening, Winston gasped with concern, "What? How's he doing? He's safe, right?"Winston might be a ruthless businessman, but he was exceptionally generous to his residence staff. More than the competition, he was worried about the condition of the equestrian.Neil wiped away his sweat. "He suffered from multiple injuries and a broken elbow, but he's overall fine. I've arranged for him to be sent to the hospital. Anyway, he can't participate in the race anymore."Winston let out a long sigh. "Gosh. Oh, well, I'm glad he's fine."Lyla softly reminded them, "Whose horse was responsible for that? The owner must be held accountable.""Don't worry, Madam Lyla. The Taylors will not be taken advantage of. I've taken care of the matter. The owner will assume full responsibility."Putting aside the matte
Alyssa's decision blew Zoe's mind. Betty guffawed and teased her, "Wow, you're great at making predictions, aren't you?""Hmph! Let her be. She'll only overexert herself and fall on all fours!" Zoe's teeth clattered from rage as she stared hatefully at Alyssa's confident expression.Winston was doubtful and concerned. "Lyse, can you do it?""Dad, you know me best." She winked playfully at her father.Winston, Lyla, and Jonah exchanged gazes. Alyssa might be adept at horse riding, but horse racing was an entirely different matter."Ms. Alyssa, horse racing is not a child's play. Moreover, this race concerns an important business opportunity and your family's reputation. It's fine to stay out of the race. Better than falling off the horse in the race, don't you think? Mr. Taylor would be heartbroken if that happened," Cornelius remarked.He was subtly warning her about losing face in the race, which was worse than losing the race itself. Everyone present assumed that she would lose
Even as Zoe's grandfather, Cornelius admitted that Alyssa was a fine young lady with wits and guts. If only Landon had considered dating Alyssa, Cornelius would have considered giving his blessing."Dad, Lyla, Jonah, time's running out. I'll go change." With that, Alyssa coolly waved at her family and left the seat with Neil."Lyse, be careful!" Lyla called out to her worriedly. Alyssa turned around and briefly gestured "okay" at her."Fine. Since she can't sit still even for a minute, she can join the race," Winston grumbled.He was worried for Alyssa but refused to openly display his emotions. At the same time, Jasper's passionate gaze followed Alyssa until she vanished from sight."Surprised, aren't you? You probably didn't know Lyse is good at horse riding." Jameson approached him with a smile, causing him to frown.The two good-looking men stood side-by-side like something out of a painting. One wouldn't have known that they were archenemies."Lyse is God's gift to me," J
Betty silently scoffed at Zoe, thinking, "Tsk! Seriously? You're the biggest bitch here."After a long silence, Betty sighed and fueled the fire, "Even if you marry Jasper, you're in for a rough ride. He's infatuated with that bitch, and he might cheat on you."Jasper cheating? Zoe rubbed out the cigarette as she imagined all sorts of humiliating scenes in her mind and upset herself. She vowed, "I must get rid of Alyssa once and for all!""That's easier said than done. The tricks you have up your sleeve are not enough to take down Alyssa. Don't you know how powerful the Taylors are? Do you really think you have what it takes to deal with her? You would have defeated her long ago if you could," Betty said as she rubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray. She added, "I prodded around. They say Alyssa's pretty good in horse riding. She was the champion of some regional junior championships. She was even interviewed by foreign media, unbeknownst to everyone. I guess that bitch is going
"Amber will be fine," Jasper said confidently. "Based on Justin's way of doing things, he won't harm her for now. She's still useful t o him. He'll exploit her to control you and Alyssa, and to keep me from taking him down."Gripping Jasper's arm, Axel pleaded, "Jasper, I have to save my wife… What should I do?" His eyes were red, brimming with unshed tears.Steadying his breath, Jasper replied, "Even if it comes to killing Justin, it shouldn't be your hands that get dirty. I'll do it.""Are you kidding me? If we're taking that bastard down, we do it together!" Axel's expression was fierce and unyielding. "We went through the same military academy. We have to fight side by side!""Justin is my older brother. It's my family's matter to handle. And don't think I'm doing this for your sake—I have my own reasons."After a moment of silence, Jasper's voice softened. "I came to see you today for another reason. When you get home, don't blame Lyse. She's been torturing herself with g
When Axel heard the news, he immediately returned to the city where his organization was based. Without even reporting back to work, he booked the earliest red-eye flight to Cyrris. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and when he emerged from the arrival gates, an ominous air surrounded him. A black luxury car awaited him at the exit.Standing in front of the car were Jasper and Xavier, who had been waiting anxiously for his arrival.Axel's gaze locked onto Jasper's fiery eyes. His presence radiated fury, unrestraint, and a barely contained viciousness. A strong gust of wind swept through the terminal. Snow danced in the air, tangling both Jasper's and Axel's hair into disarray."Let's talk in the car, Axel," Jasper said in a low, measured voice.Red-eyed, Axel insisted, "I need to find my wife right now." "That's exactly why I'm here. Get in the car, and we'll talk." Jasper turned on his heel. His tone grew colder. "But let's be honest—you won't find her no matter ho
Jasper wanted to console Alyssa but found himself at a loss for words. So, he remained silent. "Disappointed, aren't you?" Alyssa sniffled as she smiled bitterly."Not at all." Perhaps he had been expecting too much. As a woman, she was intelligent, capable, and a strategist for victory. Beyond that, she boldly stepped forward to fight against the dark forces. She was strong and perfect as she was—why should he expect her to be anything more?Yet, seeing Alyssa's vulnerable side unsettled him. Something tugged at his heartstrings, a deep ache he couldn't ignore."I found it! I found Ms. Altman's cell phone!" With more manpower and better visibility as the sun rose, it didn't take long to locate Amber's bloodied phone. "Ambs…"Alyssa's face drained of color as terror gripped her at the sight of the bloodstained device. Jasper, on the other hand, remained composed. He tried powering on the phone, and to their surprise, it turned on. "What's the password?" Jasper asked g
"Five times more potent than the previous version? Are you sure it's safe for Remy to consume this?" Sheryl picked up the pill, unease flickering across her face. As much as she despised Remy, she couldn't deny his prowess as a fighter and his value as Justin's right-hand man. Having him around would certainly ease Justin's workload, prompting her to double-check."It won't kill him, but it won't be pleasant either. Don't worry—it's temporary," Justin replied, a sinister smile curling his lips. He continued nonchalantly, "When he takes the pill, his adrenaline will spike, flooding him with energy while his muscles tense. He'll feel both pain and euphoria. Then, it will fade, leaving him dependent on the drug moving forward." The implication was clear to Sheryl. Justin intended to control Remy through addiction. "Remy wasn't born for the shadows," Justin continued, his gaze darkened. "He's just a victim of post-traumatic amnesia, his nervous system subdued with sedatives and anes
"Got it, Mr. Harper!" Harper Group's subordinates acknowledged before swiftly dispersing. "I'm going to search for Amber too," Alyssa said, turning to leave.Jasper caught her arm. "It's freezing. Go wait in the car." Landon chimed in, "Lyse, listen to Jasper. Just wait in the car. We'll search for Amber.""No—I have to come too!" Alyssa sniffled. The sharp wind stung her face, leaving her nose raw and crimson, her eyes watering until they puffed into tender, swollen crescents. "Amber's in trouble because of me. I was careless—it's all my fault!""Lyse…" Landon's heart sank at her remorseful expression.Jasper's gaze softened as he studied Alyssa's pale face. "Her disappearance isn't your fault."Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes as she shook her head. "Amber means everything to Axel. If anything happens to her, I won't be able to face him. I don't deserve to be his sister. Please, let me come with you."Jasper and Landon failed to dissuade her. Reluctantly, they agreed. Alyssa
After studying Sheryl for a moment, Remy turned and left."M-Ms. Gillis, are you okay?" One of Sheryl's subordinates came forward to help her up."Useless bastard! Why didn't you step in when he hit me earlier?" Sheryl's voice trembled with fury as her gaze fell on the crimson stains marring the pristine snow.Stammering, the subordinate replied, "R-Remy acted too quickly. Everyone in the organization knows how good of a fighter he is. None of us stood a chance against him!""S-Something wasn't right about him tonight." Sheryl watched Remy's retreating figure disappear into the distance, her voice dropping to a menacing murmur. "I need to report this to Mr. Justin in person immediately."Inside his car, Remy gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands but made no move to drive.Closing his eyes, he felt a suffocating sensation rise in his throat, as though he were drowning in an endless, hopeless sea. He was just a speck, sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.A shar
With a piercing gaze, Sheryl glared at Remy, who stood in front of her car with an air of frigidity around him. The temptation to ram her car into the crestfallen man was almost irresistible, but she didn't dare. Remy was Justin's right-hand man, and even her audacity had limits. Instead, Sheryl pulled her white coat snugly around her, stepped out of the car with feigned composure, and strode toward him. Hostility crackled between them as their eyes locked.Sheryl broke the silence. "Remy, is there nothing you'd like to update me about?" she asked with a sinister look in her eyes. Stiffly, Remy asked, "Where did you take that woman?" "How shameless of you to question me. Mr. Justin was wise to send me as backup. Otherwise, Amber would have escaped without a trace!"Gritting her teeth, Sheryl took a step closer to Remy. "Is this how you handle tasks entrusted by Mr. Justin? The unstoppable Remy, brought to his knees by a wild brat? Or did you let her go intentionally? Are yo
"Jameson and Carl have been eliminated. Who else could be targeting Amber?"A sharp glint flashed in Jasper's eyes as a thought struck him. "Could it be Justin or Sheryl?" he asked, his voice low and tense.He recalled seeing Justin in the living room earlier that evening, wide awake instead of resting. Was Justin waiting for something? Or perhaps, provoking him in subtle defiance?"They are the only ones I can think of with a grudge against Amber." Alyssa's anxiousness made her voice tremble. "Having worked for Jameson for years, Amber must have visited Mosgravia multiple times to meet with Sir—who is, in fact, Justin. "Justin wouldn't have met anyone else besides Jameson. But how could he leave no trace after all those interactions? Amber must have figured out his true identity. And Justin—he must have realized who she is, even with her changed appearance."Jasper's expression darkened. "So he decided to eliminate her as a precaution."Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes, threaten
Searching for Amber without direction would be pointless. Jasper made a swift decision to bring Alyssa back to the manor, shielding her from the relentless chill of the wind. Once inside, he immediately began organizing the search. He deployed his men and contacted Landon, requesting additional support.The two of them sat together on the couch.This time, there was no space between them. It was as though an invisible force drew them closer, their proximity feeling natural yet electric. Neither could say who had moved first.Alyssa, however, was in no mood to dwell on their closeness. Wrapped in her down jacket, she curled up on the couch, her arms hugging herself tightly. A quiet frostiness emanated from her as she sat in silence, listening to Jasper's calm and methodical calls to mobilize his team.In the past, his composed presence would have been enough to ease her mind. But now, her thoughts were a tangled mess, each one like a razor claw tearing at her heart. The pain was u