Jasper brushed his inner lip against his teeth. A headache crept in, and he immediately sobered up. He had never taken the initiative to kiss a woman before. The only two times that happened was when Liana pressed herself against him. Even then, he merely allowed her to kiss the corner of his lips.He surprised himself when he couldn't get enough of his kiss with Alice. It was unfathomable."I drank too much tonight. I couldn't sober up no matter what." He leaned helplessly against the bed and massaged his forehead. "I can't drink like this anymore. I'll only get myself into trouble.""Bullshit! You took advantage of my poor Alice and kissed her when you were 'drunk'! You're the worst bastard ever!"Curling his fists, Landon circled the room in anger. He would have beaten Jasper up if Jasper weren't injured. Jasper insisted that he lost control of himself under the influence of alcohol. Still, he couldn't deny that it felt exceptionally sweet and lovely when his lips touched he
Alyssa squinted coldly at Silas. "You called me earlier tonight and worried that Axel would make a move on Jasper. Why the sudden change in your attitude?""So it was you who ratted me out! Silas, you little shit!" Axel scrunched up his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I'll tear you into pieces!""How dare you speak to your brother like that? You little rascal! Lyse, don't hold back. What he needs is a good lesson. You should have thrown him into the fire." Silas decided to add fuel to the fire since Alyssa wouldn't listen to him anyway. Knowing Axel was in grave trouble, he wanted to stay out of it. "Axel, are you not ashamed of yourself for talking to Silas like that? Aren't you going to admit your fault?" She was incensed."What fault? I beat up Jasper just for you!" Axel was adamant and rebellious."You wretched thing!" Alyssa slapped the armrest but accidentally pulled on her wound. She moaned in pain and flinched a little."What's wrong, Lyse?""Are you okay? You're scaring
The image of an affluent socialite that Betty had carefully crafted for years fell apart at the press conference. That night, she returned to Seaview Manor weak and defeated. The maids had to help her into the house.She wailed, "Mom, you must get back at them for me! I'm so upset!"Her face was tear-stricken and full of snot. "Everyone's cursing me online. I can't go out in public anymore!""What can I do? Should I slap Jasper or force him to hand over the role of president to you, little dimwit?" A furious Sophia pointed a finger at Betty's teary face. "What did I tell you before you left? I told you to recite my script, word by word, and never put on any makeup! You needed to show up bare-faced to appear sincere!"Sophia went on, "But what did you do instead? You went against everything I planned. You deserved everything that happened to you. What's the point of crying in front of me? Even your dad has given up on you!""Mom, it's all my fault. I should have listened to you.
Jasper solemnly took the yearbook proffered and began skimming through.His opponent from that night had a similar physique to him. Though he wore a mask, Jasper felt the man was very familiar. They must have met once before.His understanding of Axel's background was limited. Their military school followed a policy of safeguarding identities and related issues. But now that Jasper knew of his identity as Alice's brother, the clouds were clearing up.After some time, Jasper leaped up in surprise, staring at the yearbook on his knee. The gesture surprised Xavier, who also jumped slightly at the commotion."Did you see something, sir?""Hm … him, of all people?" Jasper murmured to himself.The man he'd hone in had a wide, handsome smile. Below his picture was the name "Axel Whitaker.""Axel Whitaker … Whitaker … No wonder he seemed to know her!" Jasper exclaimed.He had fond memories of the man. The two were one of the strongest individuals in the school. Their only worthy oppone
Alyssa was supposed to be busy managing the KS World Hotel in her office. The reality was, she was playing a survival game in her office. In the game, Alyssa was a chainsaw-wielding maniac. To win, she had to kill survivors. Cans of ice-cold beer and a plate of fried chicken were on the desk before her. Those were the foods she often enjoyed while playing her games. She had no interest in the extravagant opulence of lavish restaurants and elite bars. Nothing could beat a good barbecue or a plateful of grits.Alyssa recalled pushing through her allergies to learn cooking while married to Jasper. An old saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach," fascinated her. So, she learned to cook. She hoped her cooking would finally make Jasper do more than just quietly eat the food at the table.Alyssa had registered for the culinary classes at Solana City's top culinary school. She was the only female student there for an entire year.She graduated at the top of her class. H
That evening, Jonah had his Rolls Royce parked outside the hotel. It caught the attention of every onlooker within the vicinity. Meanwhile, a black Maybach waited on a corner of the street.Jasper watched the Rolls Royce from the backseat of the Maybach. Soon, Alice emerged from the hotel with Sean.She was stunning tonight. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, framing her quaint features. She wore a beautiful satin dress in aquamarine. It hugged her waist perfectly. She looked like some ephemeral creature.While Jasper looked at her, bitterness filled his chest.Why had she never dressed up for him in their three years of marriage? She was always in those cotton tees and plain white shoes.He could've given her everything, just like Jonah Taylor was doing now.Why did she hold back all those years? Why did she portray herself as the victim in their relationship? And why did she sow doubt among everyone else regarding his ability to treat his woman kindly? Jasper watch
The Rolls Royce entered the grand mansion through its tall gates. As it did, numerous outside housekeepers and servants within exclaimed with joy. They shared the joyous news to whoever they could. "Ms. Alyssa is finally home!" came the excited cries.As Jonah and Alyssa got out of the car, they were greeted by two lines of house staff led by the house butler. The staff members respectfully bowed and greeted, "Welcome home, Ms. Alyssa!""We've missed you, Ms. Alyssa!"Alyssa put her hand on her forehead, slightly overwhelmed by the sonorous welcome."Alyssa, you're finally home!" someone exclaimed.Alyssa turned to see who it was and spotted Mandy in the doorway. Beside her was a short-haired woman with a kerchief tied around her neck.Alyssa recognized her as Winston's newest and youngest wife, Colene Waters.She smiled and went up to the two women, hugging them both. "Mandy, Colene," she greeted kindly.Jonah beamed upon seeing this. Being the most powerful family in Belban
Xavier immediately smacked himself in the cheeks, feeling like he had misspoken.Jasper stared ahead, the manor's lights reflecting in his eyes. He could faintly hear laughter coming from the building. At that, his heart sank into an icy pit of hopelessness.It seemed Alice was truly leaving an impression on Jonah Taylor's family.Jasper had considered the Taylor family to be incredibly intricate. Winston Taylor had one wife before. But he had three wives now. None of them got registered at City Hall. They would surely make it tough for Alice to marry into the family. He'd thought she might give up then and there.However, it seemed like he had thought wrong. It sounded like Alice was truly getting along with the rest of the Taylor family. He could hear their laughter even from this distance!How close had they become …Jasper was getting more distraught by the second. He had never felt so tense, so desperate. Even his breaths were becoming uneven. "Do you have any cigarettes o
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