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
However, the bullet did not hit Axel."Ugh … It hurts …" Alyssa, who had shown up from nowhere, hugged Axel tightly. The bullet had hit her in the left shoulder.Although Landon had only fired off a wax bullet, it had caused severe damage.Alyssa was drenched in sweat and trembling. Even so, she would not let go of Axel no matter what happened.Jasper's eyes widened in shock. His heart sank, and he felt as though he was falling from a high place.All the pain in his body was nothing compared to the blow he received when Alyssa shielded the attacker.She might be his ex-wife, but when she saw her ex-husband attacked, the first thing on her mind was to protect the assailant who'd almost beaten him to death."Alice White, how could you do this to me?" he seethed. What she had done was outrageous. She was technically the accomplice to the attacker."Lyse!" Axel looked at Alyssa frantically and held her frail shoulder. When he checked his hand, it was stained with her blood.Taking
Axel and Amber had only spent half a month together before the former was called back to report for work. The night before his departure, they spent hours lost in each other, their passion unrelenting. Again and again, they exchanged kisses, their love pouring forth in an endless tide."Amber, three months… Just give me three more months." When their fervor finally waned, Axel held Amber close in his arms. They rested against the headboard, leaning into one another, too exhausted to move yet unwilling to let sleep claim them."Once I finish all the missions I've taken on, I'll hand in my resignation. After that, I'll spend all my time with you," Axel murmured, his voice steady with resolve. "We'll go wherever you want. If you want fun, I'll have fun with you. If you want chaos, I'll spend my life going crazy with you."Axel wasn't one for flowery words. He simply spoke from the heart. Right now, his heart only wanted Amber—forever.Amber nestled closer, her soft smile masking t
"Sir." Sheryl immediately stood and greeted Justin respectfully as he entered the room. "What are you doing here?" Justin's cold gaze swept over her as he strolled leisurely to the couch and sat down.Sheryl quickly explained, "I received a parcel for you from the administrative secretary half an hour ago. I thought it might be something important, something you wouldn't want too many people to handle. So, I waited for you to return and open it personally.""A parcel?" Justin frowned. Why would anyone send him a parcel to Beckett Group, of all places? How strange. Sheryl presented the parcel to him with both hands. He took it from her and then opened it right before her. After removing three layers of wrapping, each from outside and inside the box, the parcel turned out to contain only a plain white envelope. His expression darkened. It felt like someone was toying with him.Then, he looked down and opened the envelope, which contained a stack of photographs. Pinching a co
"Don't be so pessimistic, Jonah," Alyssa said. Perhaps having just seen Jasper and going through that heart-stopping moment made Alyssa emotional. Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "If you truly love someone, you don't need to possess him to find happiness. Isn't it enough to know he's alive, well, and living freely somewhere in this world?""You're right, Lyse." Sorrow filled Jonah's voice as he smiled bitterly. "Julien has already lost and sacrificed too much for my sake. I don't deserve to have such a good man. He'll only find true happiness by leaving me."…After Justin took over as CEO of Beckett Group, his first move was to wrest control of the A5 Project bid from Jasper's hands.Though Jasper had failed as the leader of Beckett Group, as the eldest son, it was only natural for Justin to inherit the position of power. Justin was aware of lingering opposition within the corporation. Some doubted whether he possessed the decisiveness and singular capability Jas
Sebastian understood what Alyssa wanted. There wasn't substantial proof to prove that Jasper had abused drugs in the first place. The substance found in his blood was simply supporting evidence. As long as they found the right opportunity to reveal that, it wouldn't completely exonerate him, but it could at least divert public suspicion."Okay, okay… I'll do that. I'll do everything you say!" Sebastian promised. …After emerging from the Bender residence, Landon took Zayne away to keep him under close watch and ensure Sebastian wouldn't retract his statement. Landon planned to release him only after Sebastian fulfilled Jasper and Alyssa's request."Landon, it's really nice to see you. How's Lauren doing lately?" Afraid of looking at Jasper, Alyssa had no choice but to speak with Landon."She's doing great." A tender look came across Landon's eyes at the mention of Lauren. Landon blushed and continued, "We're now trying for a baby." "Really? That's wonderful!" Alyssa was
While Alyssa spoke, Jasper remained expressionless next to her. Even so, he still couldn't help but peer at her from the corner of his eye. Others might feel that she was being too assertive and aggressive with that fierce gaze in her eyes, but for Jasper, that evoked an inexplicable feeling within him. To him, she looked even more attractive than she normally was. It was as if she gave off a captivating glow. Sebastian slumped to his knees again. Alyssa's words struck him like a ton of bricks. Still, he had already chosen the wrong side—Sheryl's side. What could he do now? He had no choice but to see it through to the end.After all, he had seen the news two days ago. Jasper was no longer the CEO of Beckett Group. He held no authority anymore. Aligning with Justin had seemed like the right decision.If he betrayed Justin and switched sides, he would surely be doomed."Mr. Jasper... Ms. Alyssa," Sebastian stammered, desperation etched into his voice. "What's the point of comin
In the living room of the Bender residence, Sebastian clung tightly to Zayne, whose bruised and battered body slumped limply on the floor. They held onto each other for warmth as they shivered. Meanwhile, Alyssa and Jasper sat on the couch, but not without leaving a massive gap between them. Once deeply in love, their current distance was a heartbreaking contrast to the intimacy they had shared. It was heartbreaking to see them like this. Alyssa took a quick peek at Jasper's cold, expressionless face before turning her dull gaze away. Her hands lightly rested on her shoulders, where his touch still lingered—a ghost of warmth that refused to fade."How dare you attack my friend?" Landon sneered, towering over Sebastian and Zayne. His black leather gloves creaked as he clenched his fists. "You wouldn't know fear if it slapped you in the face. Maybe I should teach you a lesson.""M-Mr. Harper… Everything happened so quickly. Z-Zaynie just reacted out of fear and ended up overrea
Alyssa's chest rose and fell. The tip of her nose and her eyes were red. She simply stared blankly at Jasper and couldn't say a word. Without Jasper around, she never realized that fear was an emotion that she could feel. She wasn't afraid of God or the devil. She had fought the dark and evil forces of the world with bravery. But fear overtook her when Jasper appeared just in time to shield her from danger.She wanted to cry, her heart softening. The façade of strength she had built crumbled, leaving her feeling like a fragile pebble in Jasper's hands.She had never known she could feel fear like other women, but it was only with him.Ignoring the pain in his back, Jasper held Alyssa by her trembling shoulders, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. Once he confirmed she wasn't physically hurt and was likely in shock, he exhaled in relief."M-Mister…"Wide-eyed and mouth agape, Sebastian watched Jasper appear out of nowhere. He was shaking uncontrollably, as if his soul had lef
Sebastian recognized the stunning Alyssa immediately. Alarm bells rang in his head as he stumbled back a step. "W-What are you doing here?"Everyone in Solana City knew about Alyssa and Jasper's inseparable bond. Guilt churned in Sebastian's stomach. He couldn't even meet Alyssa's bright, piercing eyes, knowing he had betrayed Jasper."Dr. Bender, please step into my car. There's something we need to discuss." Alyssa's slight smile masked the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior."There's nothing to talk about," Sebastian stammered, fumbling with his keys in a desperate attempt to escape. Turning on his heel, he headed toward his house. But Alyssa's voice cut through the tension. She sneered. "When you schemed against Mr. Jasper, you didn't just wrong him. You wronged KS Group—the company that stands behind him. You should've known I'd come for you."Sebastian froze, his back to Alyssa, trembling."You stupid bitch! What are you trying to do to my father? How dare you thre
"Cyrus, go ahead!" Alyssa leaped to her feet, her anticipation palpable."Sebastian Bender himself doesn't have any history of illegal activities, and his income records appear clean. But there's something odd about him."Alyssa pressed, "How so?" "I looked into Sebastian's assets and income sources. His son is a gambling addict and his wife is gravely ill. Despite being in a high-income bracket, his son has drained the family of nearly everything, leaving Sebastian with just a house and a car."Yet, just two days ago, Sebastian managed to pay for his wife's bone marrow transplant surgery and covered her hospitalization fees—over 500,000 dollars in total. On top of that, he cleared his son's debts of more than three million dollars owed to loan sharks."Alyssa had put the call on loudspeaker, so Sean caught every word. "That son of his is an absolute piece of trash!" Sean exclaimed, his frustration boiling over. "He'd be better off dead!"Cyrus added, "The most suspicious par