Sean looked up instantly upon hearing the sound of a sharp, playful woman's voice. Daisy was walking out with her arms crossed in front of her. Following behind her were a secretary and some bodyguards. They stood a few steps above, staring down at him. "I was wondering who it was. It turns out that it's Ms. Alyssa's little secretary, Tatiana's ex-boyfriend."Sean's eyes darkened. "What are you talking about?" "Are you saying that you had no idea? I feel sorry for you …"Daisy clicked her tongue and shook her head. She handed her phone to the secretary and said, "Take this. Show it to this pitiful little secretary and let him have a good look. He needs to wake himself up." The secretary received the phone in his hand and walked in front of Sean. He turned the screen toward Sean. It was a photo featuring Tatiana supporting David by the arm! Because of the photo's angle, their expressions appeared suggestive, hinting at something more happening between them. Their bodies we
At the end of the quiet corridor, the soft moonlight cast a glow on a pair of striking figures. "Ouch! It hurts. It hurts so bad …""I'm sorry, Lyse. I'll be gentler." Alyssa's small frame was leaning against the wall. Her fair and soft skin glistened under the moonlight.The fluttering of her long eyelashes and how she looked biting her scarlet lips made her look extraordinarily lovely. In front of her, Jasper was kneeling on one knee. He removed her burgundy-colored heels and gripped her thin ankle with one hand. With the other hand, he held the tip of her toes while he massaged her foot carefully. "You are really annoying. Why did you have to dance so fast? I sprained my ankle only because I was trying to keep up with your steps. Can't you just be more considerate of me?" Alyssa pouted and complained coquettishly. "It's my fault, Lyse. You can hit me however you want when we get home if that helps you vent your frustration. Or … you can hit me now, too." Jasper felt
Jasper understood what Alyssa meant. He felt for her and hugged her, saying, "I know that it's because of Tatiana. All you are doing is to prevent the marriage alliance between her and the Schmidt family." How well he understood her actually made her feel sad. She mumbled coyly in his arms, "What I hate is … is that I'm still not powerful enough. This is the only method I could think of. Don't you think I'm being so silly?" Jasper felt suffocated upon hearing that. He caressed her back gently and replied, "No, I think it's very smart of you. This is the best method at this moment. "Furthermore, I think that Ezzo wouldn't hold a grudge against Uncle Winston over this small matter. A true businessman will know how to weigh their pros and cons. I don't think that he will choose the KS Group. "There's also nothing to be afraid of, even if you fail to partner with Jesselton Incorporated. With me in charge, I will not go easy on the Schmidt Group. Alyssa was moved. Her eyes w
Not many people knew about the relationship between Tatiana and Sean. But the Schmidt family was one of them. It was very bold of the Schmidt Group to do Sean dirty like that! "How did you get in, Sean?" Jasper asked in a concerned voice. "I was surrounded by people from the Schmidt Group. Nonetheless, I still found a way. I stole one of the bodyguards's access cards and snuck in," Sean explained. His face was pale and drenched in cold sweat. Jasper chuckled, "What a painstaking effort the Schmidts had to go through to stop you!" Jasper's eyes were ablaze with fury. However, he forced himself to remain calm in front of Alyssa. Jasper said in a cold and steady voice, "You're quite badly hurt. You've already been injured before. You shouldn't delay treatment. I'll have Xavier send you to the hospital right now." "No! I'm not leaving! I need to see Taty! I want to take her away with me!" Sean screamed at the top of his lungs. "Mr. Lynch, please be more reasonable." Jasper
After being insulted by David, Tatiana didn't dare to tell Winston and Jonah about it. She could only swallow her tears and hurry away from the banquet hall alone. As she made her way through the crowd, a waitress bumped into her. Shortly after, she felt a prick on her arm, as if she was stung by a bee, but the pain soon vanished. "I'm sorry, miss." The waitress apologized immediately. "No … No worries." Tatiana didn't think too much about it. She turned and walked away briskly. The waitress watched from behind as Tatiana walked away. A sly smile came across her face. …Tatiana's soft, black hair blew in the night breeze as she stood on the balcony alone. She stared at the cold, moonlit sky while she wiped her tears dry silently. If only Sean were around, he would never allow her to be treated unjustly or be bullied. However, she had already decided to part with the one she loved. From now on, Sean was no longer a part of her life.If so, shouldn't she have one last p
The echoing tap of Jonah's leather shoes reverberated nervously through the corridor. Cold sweat broke out on his brow as he sprinted, simultaneously attempting to reach Tatiana.His call went through, but nobody answered it.Abruptly, Jonah came to a standstill, startled by the faint ringtone he could barely discern. His heart raced as he traced the sound to the balcony.There, he found Tatiana's phone lying on the ground, and on the screen, Jonah's name was prominently displayed."Taty! Where are you? Taty!" Jonash screamed from the balcony, but there was no response."Jonah, how did Taty disappear?"Alyssa and Jasper rushed over to him hastily. Sean, who was injured, followed after them. "The security is stringent here. They keep records of everyone coming in and out. How could Tatiana just vanish?"I can't fathom this. Taty has to be somewhere within the castle. There's no way she would leave this place."Sean was like an ant on a hot pan. Tears streamed down his face, mixi
Sean's mind drifted to the worst-case scenario.If Taty were no longer a virgin, he wouldn't despise her. He would still take her as his wife. No matter the circumstances, she would always be perfect and pure in his eyes.Alyssa, consumed with regret, cursed vehemently. "I can't believe David had tarnished my good name. If I had known about his malicious intentions toward Taty, I would have let him die on the operating table.""I'll arrange for someone to discreetly handle David's men."Jasper was resolute and wanted to act fast. "David is a coward. He would never set such a sinister trap. His underlings must know something."A cold glint flashed with a swish.No one noticed when Jonah had unsheathed his cross-dagger. Yet, the intensity in his eyes was more menacing than the weapon itself. "I haven't used this dagger in a long time. Since that fucker David wants to play, I will play along."…Tatiana was carried into the guest room, unconscious, and tossed onto the bed.Her
As David brought Tatiana into the room, undressing and subjecting her to molestation and humiliation, Tatiana was partially conscious.Despite being aware, her limbs felt weak, and she couldn't summon the strength to open her eyes, let alone retaliate.The situation became even more harrowing for her. She would rather pass out or perhaps even die. Various thoughts raced through her mind. When she finally opened her teary eyes in shock, a desperate moan escaped her lips as she struggled in Sean's arms."Don't touch me … Don't touch me!""Taty, look at me! Look at who I am." Sean held his tears as he hugged her tightly.The sensation was as if a blunt knife had forcefully ripped open Sean's chest, extracting his beating heart from his sturdy body. He clenched his fingers so tightly that they seemed on the verge of breaking.As Tatiana heard the familiar voice, a glint flickered in her dreary eyes.She stared at Sean, afraid that it was all her imagination. Then, she cautiously c
Hell on Earth? This place resembled a decrepit hospital. But why had Sheryl described it as "hell on Earth"?Amber's body convulsed uncontrollably, her consciousness flickering between clarity and haze. Fragments of memory surfaced—a dim recollection of drinking with Carl in the cellar after The Millennium's closure. She'd despised working with Carl but had cozied up to him for the sake of extracting information.Carl had revealed that "Sir" was deeply entrenched in the pharmaceutical industry. With connections to Mosgravia's government officials and elite circles, "Sir" wielded considerable power and ran a thriving business. Since his business revolved around pharmaceuticals, clinical trials were inevitable. To facilitate this, Sir owned a private hospital in Mosgravia.That hospital, however, was merely a façade. Beneath its sterile exterior, three basement levels housed patients—unwilling subjects for experimental drugs.Amber shivered. This place bore an uncanny resemblance t
"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