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
Elope…Jasper stared at Alyssa's pale and haggard countenance. His heart ached even more."I want to spend the rest of my life with Lyse. But Landon, I can't be so selfish. Lyse's family is different from me. I can abandon everything for her. Do you think I can sit with the idea of her abandoning her family for me? Will she be happy without her family's blessing and presence?"Jasper shook his head in agony. He repeated hoarsely, "I've taken away too much from her. I've almost ruined her in the process. Landon, I don't want to hurt her again. She can't lose anything else. That can't happen.""These are all your assumptions. Have you asked what Lyse wants?"Landon could read the room. He frowned. "It's raining cats and dogs tonight. Lyse must have suffered a lot to be with you."Family is important, but Lyse cares more for you and wants to be with you. If you were to give her your version of happily-ever-after and force yourself to let go, something more dangerous might have happe
Alyssa's feet were now adorned with wounds, streaks of blood, and dried-up residue. His heart was on the verge of shattering as he witnessed it."Lyse, I want to make you happy, but look at what I've brought you."Closing his eyes, Jasper drew in a deep, audible breath, struggling to hide the tightness in his hoarse throat.Suddenly, his phone vibrated. It was a call from Ben.Jasper rubbed his eyes as he stood up and went to the window to answer it. "Mr. Gorham, how is Grandpa doing?""Mr. Newton is doing well. He misses Ms. Alyssa a lot, so he sleeps very late. Mr. Jasper, have you found Ms. Alyssa? Mr. Newton asked about her before he went to bed." Ben sounded worried."I've found her. Tell Grandpa not to worry anymore when he wakes up. I will be by her side."However, he didn't know how long he still had with her."I'm sorry, Mr. Jasper…"Ben felt guilty. He uttered with difficulty, "It's my fault. If I had told you earlier about Ms. Alyssa's miscarriage, things wouldn't h
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