What a bastard!"Jasper, my chest hurts …" Liana hurriedly went up to him and rested her head against his shoulder as she grumbled. "Since you're here, why don't we go shopping? You've never shopped with me. Look at Mr. Harper going shopping with Ms. White …"Jasper followed Alyssa's figure with his eyes."Fine."…Alyssa shuffled away, looking upset. Her ex-husband's sudden appearance was a buzzkill that ruined her good mood."Hey," she suddenly called out. Landon answered with a twinkle in his eye, "I'm here.""I'm in a bad mood. Why don't you share a few more jokes?"Landon was speechless at her request. "Well, I can certainly do that. If you're looking to cheer up, I can gather a few people and have fun at ACE tonight.""It's fine. I don't drink with guys I don't know." She shot him a cold look. "By the way, aren't you worried that Jasper might unfriend you if we keep hanging out?""Fuck. You guys are divorced. Even if it's not official yet, it's almost certain. I didn't
The fight over a necklace between the two influential men in Solana City, who each owned a Centurion Card, was the event of a century.The employee stammered in shock at the sight of the two black cards. "S-Sir, we only have one necklace left …""I know." Jasper looked away from Alyssa. "I am buying it exactly because there's only one."Liana almost jumped for joy as she awaited Jasper to give her the necklace. Alyssa pursed her lips at Jasper's insistence as bitterness welled up in her heart. He'd get Liana anything she wanted at all costs. When it came to Alyssa, though, he paid no attention to her feelings."Ignore him. Please charge it to my card and wrap the gift!" Landon arched his brows and rapped his knuckles on the glass display. "First come, first served.""Landon Harper." Jasper frowned. Landon stared at Jasper's sullen face and lowered his voice, "Jasper, you know me. There are not many women I'd like to buy a gift for. Can't you let me have my way this time, conside
Alyssa hastily went to the underground parking lot. "M-Ms. White! Alice!" Landon ran up to her and held her by the wrist. She spun around and cast an indifferent gaze at him."Let go.""What's wrong? Is it because of Jasper?" His throat tightened as he apologized gently, "I'm sorry. I didn't know he'd be here. Had I known, I wouldn't have brought you here."Alyssa was riddled with heartache when she thought of the box that Jasper had wanted to give her. She didn't need him to make up to her."Here. I'm returning this." She lowered her neck and took off the necklace, which she returned to Landon. "Anyway, thanks for the gift. Sorry, but I can't accept it."He was struck by her change of mind. "Were you taking advantage of me just now?""Sorry." Gloom crept over her face.Instead of feeling angry, Landon felt bad for her. He could tell that she needed more time to get over Jasper. No matter how long that'd take, he was willing to wait for her."It's fine. It's not a big deal. Y
Landon was frightened by the callous look in Jasper's eyes.Jasper had never been more incensed—not even when Liana left him and traveled abroad. Landon was merely joking, which was characteristic of him—wealthy but indiscreet, even more so in front of his good friends.He never thought that he'd cross a line by making a joke. It confirmed that the topic of Jasper's ex-wife was taboo.The bartender paled at the sight. Not many in Solana City had the guts to grab Landon Harper by his collar."Jasper, have you … fallen for Alice?" Landon had sobered up, and he was drenched in cold sweat."Haven't you noticed that you've been acting funny since the divorce?" Landon cast a deep look at him. "I'm your only friend from childhood. Aren't you going to tell me the truth?""I don't love her," Jasper growled."Fine, got it. I'll take your word for it.""Landon Harper!"Landon ignored Jasper's wrath and added, "Jasper, I'll repeat myself. If you have fallen for Alice and wish to get bac
"I tried pursuing my true love, only to be badly scarred." Alyssa tasted bitterness on her lips. She wore a crushed expression. "I met the right person at the wrong time. I'd never love again."Jonah furrowed his brows, concerned for his sister, who had given up on hope at her tender age. He tried a different approach and chuckled good-naturedly. "Lyse, chin up! You must have fallen hard for Jasper because you saw something in him. You didn't waste your youth on him. What can we say other than the two of you aren't destined for each other.""I thought I had good taste in men. I thought my lover was the perfect man. Looking back, I must have been blind …"Alyssa's phone vibrated. It was a call from Sean."Sean, what's wrong?" She picked up the call. "Ms. Alyssa! I finally got hold of you. The signal on your side is so crappy!" Sean gulped in excitement and went on, "Check Twitter's livestream feed now! Betty Beckett is live-streaming a press conference. She's offering a public a
Alyssa hurriedly picked up the call and cooed, "Silas!""Lyse, it's so damn hard to get hold of you. Were you on a call just now?" Silas sounded anxious."Is something wrong?" She frowned."Did Axel get in touch with you today?""No. Gosh, just tell me!"Silas sighed worriedly. "We went drinking last night and got drunk. That dude … He made an outrageous claim again!"Alyssa's heart sank upon learning that. Axel had a quirk—most people would never act on their drunk promises, but not Axel. He'd remember everything from the night before, even if he was wasted, and act on it the next day. That was one of his skills as a top spy."What did he say?" She had a bad feeling about it, which made her nervous."He said he'd kill Jas!"Her mind went blank. Had Jonah not grabbed her on time, she might have lost her balance."Axel flew a plane across 10,000 miles to avenge you. Last night, he announced that he'd teach Jas a lesson. He swore to at least cut off Jas' manhood, if not kill hi
"I'm not. Don't you look down on me," Jasper said. "I'm worried you'll be taken advantage of by fucking randos!" Landon cursed in a moment of anger."You think everyone's an animal like you?" Squinting, Jasper smirked and got into his car.…Jasper's Maybach cruised down an empty street."Mr. Jasper, the press conference has ended. There are more negative comments about Ms. Betty than before, and it's starting to affect our company's reputation," Xavier reported with concern while driving. "The fallout is worse than we expected …""Our company?" There was a gleam in Jasper's eyes. "It's only 'our company' when they need me to take care of the trouble that crops up."He had never seen the Becketts as his family. Apart from his grandpa, no one else in the family saw him as one of theirs, including his father, Javier.If so, he'd sacrifice Betty and watch his family break down that day. He did not consider Betty's misfortune a heavy punishment, considering how she had taken advan
Almost immediately, Jasper noticed the figure lurching at him at an incredible speed.Axel threw out solid and swift punches with the determination to cripple the latter. Jasper's eyes deepened as he dodged two of Axel's moves."Ho, you're something," Axel squinted his eyes and said mockingly. Eyes burning in anger, Jasper took a few breaths to compose himself.It had been years since he retired from active military duty. Although he kept up with his boxing training and workout sessions, it had been a while since he fought someone. He had to rely on his solid foundation and muscle memory to fight off the attacker.After a few rounds, Jasper picked up on the familiarity in the opponent's moves. The moves reminded him of the close-quarters combat lessons from the military academy he had attended."Who's this mysterious man?" wondered Jasper."Ouch—" Jasper was kicked hard in the abdomen and yelped in pain in that moment of distraction. Despite stumbling backward, he quickly steadie
Julien's questions sent the hall into an uproar. In an instant, the number of viewers on the live stream shot up to 50 million, and the comment section exploded."Dr. Lovelace has presented Mr. Jasper's examination reports. He never did drugs—he was framed! This is undeniable!""He risked his life to save Ms. Alyssa, yet ended up being manipulated, dismissed, and investigated like a criminal. He almost carried a lifelong stain on his name. What a despicable move by whoever did this!"Then, a comment appeared, saying, "Wasn't it Justin Beckett, the current president of Beckett Group, who orchestrated all of this? He set up his own younger brother just to seize power. What a vile man!"Yet, less than two seconds later, the comment vanished.But no matter how many trolls swarmed in or how quickly posts were deleted, the public's outrage could not be silenced. Suspicion against Justin surged, and tens of thousands of negative comments flooded the chat.Julien stood below the stage,
The once lively and fashion-loving Julien now seemed like a star that had lost its light. The radiance that once defined him had vanished. Julien walked past Jonah without stopping. The short distance between them gave Jonah a painfully clear view of the cross-shaped scar on Julien's cheek. His heart wrenched, the pain so intense that his vision blurred. He staggered. "Jonah, are you alright?" Fortunately, Landon was beside him and caught him just in time. Staring at Julien's slim figure, Jonah parted his dry lips, but no words came out.Bitterness filled the back of his throat, and his longing for Julien sent sharp, stabbing pains through his body.Julien stopped beside Jasper, offering him a small smile and a nod as a greeting.Then, his gaze turned fierce as he locked eyes with Justin's hypocritical expression."My name is Julien Lovelace. I was once Mr. Jasper's primary physician. Approximately six months ago, Mr. Jasper made a deal with Jameson to rescue Ms. Alyssa w
Alyssa stood at the doorway, her slim figure framed against the light, yet she seemed to tower over the room. Her presence commanded attention, filling the hall with an air of reverence and grandeur. From across the room, Jasper's dark eyes burned with intensity. To him, Alyssa was like a golden phoenix, its wings unfurling as it soared, radiating brilliance over everything in its wake. "Lyse!"Jonah and Landon stared in shock. They hadn't expected Alyssa to show up at the press conference. Camera flashes erupted once more."It's Ms. Alyssa Taylor!""We should address her properly now—she's the head of KS Group!" "Wait… Is she here to support Jasper? I thought they broke up?""What do you even know? They used to be in love!" Justin narrowed his eyes at Alyssa's frigid, determined expression. Slowly, his lips curled into a chilling, sinister smile.Alyssa met his gaze, suppressing the hatred surging within her. Then, with an air of composure, she turned to the crowd. "W
"That's rubbish. I never asked you to do anything like that!" Sheryl's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. She clenched her fists, longing to silence Sebastian."I didn't expect you to admit it," Sebastian said coldly. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his phone. After scrolling briefly, he held it up for all to see. "You were wary of me recording our conversations, but you never suspected I'd install a hidden camera in my office. This footage clearly shows you bribing and threatening me. With this evidence, denial is futile!"The crowd turned to Sheryl, their gazes heavy with shock and suspicion. When their eyes shifted to Justin, doubt lingered in the air.Sheryl's heart sank, her face draining of color.As cautious as she was, she had miscalculated. But it didn't matter. She had carried out the task herself, avoiding any direct mention of Justin's orders. Justin could still be saved.It was Sheryl who had fallen short in her responsibilities, and she was ready to tak
Jasper's eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Justin, a sharp, determined gleam in his dark eyes. "I will clear my name and restore my reputation, no matter the cost!" he declared, his voice ringing with resolve.The tension between Justin, standing on stage, and Jasper, positioned below, was palpable—like a killer whale facing off with a great white shark. The outcome was still uncertain."I, Landon Harper, swear on my name and the entirety of Harper Group that Jasper never did drugs. The whole situation was a setup!" Landon's voice resounded throughout the entire hall. The reporters buzzed with questions. "Who would do such a thing?"Landon refrained from directly naming Justin, aware that exposing the wolf in sheep's clothing would not be easy. Accusing him too hastily might provide Justin with an opportunity to counterattack, exploiting any gaps in their case.Landon had no fear of tarnishing his own reputation, but he was deeply concerned about the damage it m
Everyone turned to look behind them.Justin's icy gaze locked onto the doors, his expression dark and foreboding. The light pouring in from outside was blinding, piercing through the shadows like a blade. As the crowd squinted against the glare, two figures emerged, standing tall and resolute side by side.It was Jasper and Landon. Clad in a sleek black suit, Landon bore traces of dust but appeared otherwise unscathed. Jasper, however, was a stark contrast. His clothes were torn and bloodied, his appearance disheveled, but his demeanor was anything but defeated. Standing straight and proud, his frigid stare was enough to make the crowd shrink back, unwilling to meet his eyes."Mr. Justin," Landon began, his voice sharp and cutting, "you've gone to great lengths to keep Jasper from this press conference."Ever the rebel with the air of a street-hardened fighter, Landon didn't mince words. "To stop him, you sent assassins to ambush him. You had your people block his way in the
Meanwhile, the light above one of Taylor General Hospital's emergency surgery theaters flickered off. Moments later, the door swung open, and a doctor emerged, pulling down his surgical mask. Mandy hurried toward the doctor, her eyes brimming with worry. "How is that poor man doing?" "Mrs. Taylor, it's fortunate you brought him in when you did. Ten minutes later, and we might not have been able to save him. He went into shock from excessive blood loss, but he's stable now. I gave him a transfusion and sutured his wounds. He'll need rest and proper nutrition to recover fully."Relief washed over Mandy, and her tense body slackened. Her knees nearly buckled as she murmured, "Thank God… Thank God!" Once the doctor departed, Mandy instructed her driver to purchase the best blood-replenishing supplements available, sparing no expense.The driver had only been employed by the Taylor family for the past two years, so he was unaware of the true reasons behind Mandy's actions. To him, h
Soon enough, Jasper and Jonah found themselves surrounded by a horde of fighters. The atmosphere was charged with a vicious, merciless tension that heightened their awareness. They were now in the underground parking lot of Berenike Hotel.This was one of the Beckett family's properties, with Newton overseeing the construction personally.Berenike Hotel had always been the leader among all the five-star hotels in Solana City. Yet, on this day, when a critical press conference was about to begin, Justin chose to start a massacre in the hotel's parking lot, disregarding the potential damage to the hotel's reputation. His actions were utterly insane and perverse. "Shall we each take down ten of them?" Jonah nudged Jasper with his elbow. Narrowing his eyes, he added, "The press conference starts in ten minutes. Think you can wrap this up by then?"A cold, fierce glint flashed in Jasper's usually dull eyes. "I'll take down 15 and leave five for you." "Why only five for me?"Jasp
The golden iris stood as a symbol of triumph."Ms. Alyssa, we're on track. We'll make it to the press conference on time!" Sean declared, stepping on the accelerator with a fiery look in his eyes. "Safety first," Alyssa reminded him in a calm, steady voice. Surprisingly, at this crucial juncture, she appeared composed. "Taty is due soon, and you're about to become a father. As a family man, you shouldn't be as reckless as before." The thought of his unborn son brought a blissful smile to Sean's face, softening his fiery resolve.Alyssa closed her eyes, though her mind remained in overdrive. The truth was, she was forcing herself to stay alert. Ever since Amber's disappearance, she hadn't had a single restful night. The once carefree Alyssa, who could sleep through anything, was long gone. Her frayed nerves left her in a weakened state, but she held on.She had survived when others hadn't, and that resilience fueled her belief that she could endure again. This time, she wou