"There is no longer any need for you and Jasper to remain entangled with one another. He is not your benefactor. The more you insist, the more hurt you will get. You are just self-sabotaging." "Liam, listen to yourself! How could you say something like that?"Alyssa's heart wrenched, and her eyes were bloodshot. "Back then, my miscarriage was an accident! I didn't even know I was pregnant. So how could he have possibly known?"It was my own choice to keep my miscarriage a secret. It had nothing to do with Jasper! How many times do I have to repeat myself?"That being said, Liam's expression remained unchanged. He was still as frigid as before."You are still young, Lyse. There are plenty of other men out there who are better than Jasper. They can give you whatever Jasper had given you. Even if they can't, we can." "He is the only one for me! I'm warning you again, Liam, don't stand in my way. Don't make me hate you!" Alyssa was like an agitated lioness. She gritted her teeth
Yet, for Amber, all those garments served only to gratify Jameson's visual desires and subsequently shed for the pleasure of other men.Was there anyone who really cared or worried for her? Was there? That said, there was no turning back for her. She no longer had any right to choose. She and Axel were destined to be enemies. They were also fated to be people from two different worlds. Amber took a deep breath, then wiped away the tear from the corner of her eye. Just as she was about to shut the door, a hand suddenly appeared and held onto the side of the door. Through the gap, she noticed a pair of dark and familiar eyes! "Carl?" Amber felt her chest tighten. She immediately hid the gastric medication behind her back. "You are still alive, Ms. Altman. Thank heavens!" Carl forced the door open and stormed into the room, slamming Amber to the wall in the process. Following behind him were two other subordinates. They entered the room and pulled out their guns silently.
It had been 24 hours since Jasper started standing outside Heightsnew Villa. He was just such a stubborn person. He couldn't rest in peace until he saw his lover and got his answers. Last night, Jasper witnessed the Schmidts' arrival. He presumed that they were there to find fault in the matter regarding David. He concealed himself in a corner and observed them. It wasn't because he was afraid. It was because he didn't wish to create trouble. He would bring trouble to Winston if he aggravated Victor by giving him the impression that he was in cahoots with the Taylor family. Jasper didn't mind cleaning up the mess after the Taylors. However, exposing himself now just wasn't the smartest thing to do. The sky was dark, and the wind was howling like mad. The wind blew against his body. The weight of the wind almost felt like the beating that he had taken the previous night. Jasper's eyes were dim and deep. Dark stubble had begun to emerge on his sharp jaw, accentuating his
There was no sign of Alyssa! "Damn it! This is not good! How could a person just disappear like that?" Silas wrapped his hands around his head. He felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest. Jonah and Liam noticed that Alyssa's bedding and closet had been turned upside down. They came to their senses immediately and ran toward the balcony. They inhaled the cold air sharply. There was a rope of more than ten long skirts knotted together. It was tied to the railing, dangling all the way to the ground floor. "Jonah, Alyssa has gone mad! This is the fifth floor!" Liam exclaimed with a tremble in his voice. He had gone as white as a sheet from the fright. "Alyssa, that mad woman! She's causing trouble for everyone with her rebellion!" Jonah was swamped by terror. His heart was pounding, and the vein in his temple was popping. "If any part of it were to have broken, she would have fallen to her death!" "Stop talking, Jonah! My heart can't take it!" Silas had his
When they realized someone had entered, the four men turned their attention toward the entrance. Their eyes twinkled, and their souls almost left their bodies when they saw Alyssa. Was tonight their lucky night? Despite the thunderstorm outside, a stunning woman had just walked right up to their door. Didn't this mean that they were about to get lucky? "What brings you here, my lady?" asked one of the men as he sized her up crudely. The way Alyssa looked at that moment was so enticing to them that they simply wanted to eat her up! "Sorry to bother all of you." Alyssa panted as her body shivered from the cold. "Could I borrow one of your cell phones, please? I will compensate you tremendously." One of them chuckled. "Compensate us tremendously? How do you plan to compensate us, miss?"The four men licked their lips. They approached Alyssa with lewd smiles on their faces. They said with a snigger, "How about if you let us feel you, kiss you, and get it on? You can also s
Jasper stared at the unfamiliar phone number on the screen. He was stunned for a moment. Not many people knew his personal number. Under ordinary circumstances, if unknown individuals had dialed his number by mistake, he would never have answered their calls.However, for some strange reason, his heart was racing this time. He couldn't restrain himself. Jasper selected the option to answer the call and raised his phone to his ear. "Who's this?" On the other end of the call, the winds and rain made it sound extremely noisy. "May I know who's calling?" Typically, Jasper would have hung up a long time ago. But this was an exceptional time when he actually went along with it. He waited for a response from the other end. "Jasper, it's me…"He heard Alyssa's weak, soft voice choppily from the other end. The gusts of strong winds disrupted the sound of her voice. Yet, he felt like a sharp sword had just stabbed right through his chest! "Lyse?" Jasper's eyes beamed with surpr
Jasper's men arrived right after him. Each with a flashlight in hand, they spread out and began their search for Alyssa.Jasper sprinted through the heavy rain, indifferent to the fact that his pants and shoes were covered in dirt. His blood-red eyes were brimming with concern."Slow down, Mr. Beckett! Watch your step!" Xavier stumbled along behind Jasper with much difficulty. He was befuddled. What the hell happened? Why was Alyssa at this terrible place on her own? …Alyssa took care of the four perverts. She beat them up till they were on their knees, begging for their lives. But it was also because of this that she had expended all her energy. She barely managed to keep herself together even as she forced herself to stay conscious. She had swiped one of the men's cell phones and got back in the rain. She continued walking forward blindly. At the same time, she was also afraid that the men would not be satisfied that they had lost and come after her. So, she didn't dare
Alyssa raised her gaze slightly as she grasped his sweaty hands weakly. "If I go to the hospital… My brother will find me soon and bring me back with them. Jasper, I don't want to go back. I want to be with you."Jasper choked achingly, "But, you have a high fever. It will damage your body.""It's okay. I just need to take some medication…"Following her utterance, Alyssa closed her eyes once again and slipped into unconsciousness.…The villa was serene during the wee hours of the morning. Lauren was sleeping soundly on her bed.Next door to her was Landon. He didn't go to the study. Instead, he brought his documents to his bedroom. This way, he could look after his wife without delaying his business.He had entered the core of the Harper Group and was extremely busy. Preston had handed a few projects to him. Landon had long stopped being a rich and free boy. He was now a very busy man.In the past, he didn't understand when Jasper said he was exhausted. Sitting around thinkin
Alyssa followed Jasper into the study. The door closed behind her with a soft click. She didn't move to switch on the lights or sit down. Instead, she stood quietly in the dim room.They faced each other, eyes locked. In the darkness, their gazes seemed brighter, charged with emotions that neither could put into words. Whatever stirred within them was tangled and silent—kept at bay by something unspoken, as if a wall had formed between heart and mouth. After a pause, Alyssa offered a faint smile. Her voice was soft, almost courteous. "Go ahead, Mr. Beckett. I won't be staying long tonight—I've made other arrangements."It was clear she didn't want to be alone in a room with him.Jasper's chest tightened, overwhelmed by a surge of emotion he couldn't define. His voice was rough when he finally spoke. "You didn't vote against the motion at today's board meeting. I wanted to know… are we still on the same side?"Alyssa's gaze lowered, her voice steady and calm. "You didn't object
In the evening, Xavier drove Jasper to meet with Newton. Along the way, news broke out that Sheryl had been bailed out. Xavier slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "Damn it! Why is it so hard to get rid of that woman?" "She is Justin's right hand," Jasper said, eyes shut as he leaned back in his seat. His jaw tightened. "You could even say she knows more about his secrets than anyone. As long as she's useful, Justin won't discard her so easily. This is how he operates."Xavier shook his head, teeth gritted. "Where the hell did she even come from? When you had me investigate her, I found nothing. Her background was spotless. "What's in her past that Justin would go so far to keep it hidden? A man like him can have any woman he wants, yet he clings to her—some pretty-faced idiot who only seems to make things harder for him."Jasper's gaze turned glacial. Xavier's casual remark struck him.He was right. Justin wasn't short on capable subordinates. So why Sheryl?Was Sh
This time, the injection did not bring the excruciating pain that once made Amber wish for death. Her chapped lips trembled, and tears streamed down her face as she gazed deeply into Remy's eyes. He, too, looked at her, his expression unreadable yet intense. Between them, no words were needed."Damien… Thank you…" Though her voice was barely audible, the weight of her words sank deep into Remy's heart. For once, he did not object to being called Damien.The truth was, ever since Amber had been taken, an unbearable pressure had settled over him, making each breath feel like a punishment—every day since had been plagued by self-reproach and regret.If he hadn't stopped her that night and let her go sooner, could she have avoided Sheryl? Could she have been spared the torture and humiliation?"You should know that those who enter this place never leave. Most don't even make it out alive."Remy's gaze was unwavering. Taking advantage of the surveillance blind spot, he placed his
"Mr. Lexington," the doctor greeted respectfully, lowering his head slightly. Everyone at the base knew who Sheryl and Remy were. They were the ones in charge, the decision-makers. So, everyone obeyed their orders without question. To the staff unaware of the facility's true purpose, Sheryl and Remy stood at the pinnacle of the hierarchy. Unbeknownst to them, someone more powerful lurked in the shadows."How has she been these past few days?" Remy asked, his expression unreadable."She's had some adverse reactions, but there are no signs of organ failure yet. Honestly, I'm surprised. She looks frail, but her body is incredibly resilient—stronger than some men, even."The doctor scoffed. "But I'm not sure if she'll make it past her fourth injection today. Last month, four test subjects didn't survive beyond that point. Their bodies have already been sent to the incinerator." Remy's jaw tensed. His voice was husky as he said, "As I've instructed, this woman must be kept alive.
Xavier seethed as he took in the insincere smile on Justin's face. Deep down, he was cursing him with every profanity imaginable. "Whatever makes you happy."Ignoring Justin's dark gaze, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead as he strode past him.Out of nowhere, Justin chuckled and asked, "Did you really think you had people on your side during the board meeting?"Jasper halted, his eyes narrowing. "Grandpa tried his best to shield you, but his health is failing by the day. How much longer do you think an old man can protect you?"Lowering his gaze, Justin idly adjusted the ruby cufflinks on his sleeves. His voice was casual yet cutting. "And Lyse—after how ruthlessly you discarded her, do you still believe she'll stand by you no matter what? That she'll fight alongside you like before?"The intense midday sun accentuated the sharp, aloof, and pallid features of Jasper's face as he stood, unyielding, in its glare. His pulse quickened. Finally, he answered, his voice a low rasp. "R
As the board meeting concluded, the crowd gradually dispersed.News of Justin securing his position as president and Alyssa joining the board quickly spread through Beckett Group.After the meeting, Alyssa escorted Newton back to Crescent Bay while Jasper remained at the corporation to handle some matters.With Xavier accompanying him, Jasper strode toward the chairman's office, his expression cold and unreadable.Nearby, a few employees huddled together, whispering."Psst! Do you think Alyssa joining the board means she's teaming up with Jasper to take down our new president?""People have been saying they broke up since they haven't been seen together for a while," another speculated."But at the press conference, Alyssa openly condemned Mr. Justin. That looked like she was siding with Jasper. So, are they still together or not?""Come on, to people like them, personal feelings don't matter—only their own interests do. Even if they broke up, they can still work together if it
When Jonah reached the bedside, he leaned in slowly, giving Julien an unobstructed view of his tanned skin, well-defined abs, and that devastatingly captivating face. Reclining against the headboard, Julien found himself lost in Jonah's eyes. His breath hitched, and his mind momentarily blanked as Jonah's mesmerizing gaze locked onto him. What could he do? His heart still betrayed him, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. He was a fool—a pathetic fool. Jonah braced his arms on either side of Julien's head, his dark eyes overflowing with a raw, possessive affection. It was as if he sought to consume Julien—just as he had last night."Julien, does it still hurt—" "Fuck you!" Julien's bloodshot eyes blazed as he swung his hand, landing a sharp slap across Jonah's face. The illusion of his frailty shattered. A crimson handprint bloomed on Jonah's cheek in a split second, the flesh puffing up visibly. But the sting barely registered. Not when the ache in Jonah's chest was alr
Justin frowned as a hint of surprise flashed across his dark eyes. He had assumed Newton's unannounced appearance at the board meeting—along with Alyssa's involvement—was a coordinated effort with Jasper to overthrow him as president. After mentally running through hundreds of countermeasures, the one possibility he hadn't considered was that everything would proceed smoothly in his favor. Javier was equally stunned, though this outcome aligned with his desires. Today, Justin wasn't merely his son but a constant shadow looming over him, a silent predator watching his every move and reminding him that his past actions weren't completely buried. Instead, this secret loomed like a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment, obliterating everything he'd built. And the person holding the detonator was Justin—his eldest son whom he had trusted above all others. With a dim gaze, Javier watched Justin rise to his feet amid the applause. Suddenly, Justin's voice seemed distant,
Justin curled his lips into a smirk, scoffing in silence. Newton had gone to great lengths to bring Alyssa into Beckett Group. This was his way of decentralizing power and keeping it in check, and he wanted to prevent Justin from having complete control. Unlike others, Javier couldn't hold himself back. He blew his top instantly, his face turning red like a tomato. "Dad, have you lost your mind? Don't you know who she is? She is KS Group's president—our direct competitor!"KS Group is also bidding for Project A5. No matter how much you favor her, you should at least recognize the limits. If you promote her, it's a blatant conflict of interest—outright cronyism!" Newton sneered. "I might understand your concern if I were promoting someone other than Alyssa."His gaze hardened. "Cronyism? A conflict of interest? I wonder who you're really talking about."With those words, he cast a knowing, enigmatic glance at Justin's blank expression. Just then, a board member from Javier's