"Well done." Alyssa pecked Jasper's cheek, and the sound was loud.Being rewarded again, Jasper closed his eyes contentedly. "There's one more thing. There's movement on the Schmidt family's side.""Oh? What did they do?" Alyssa instantly became alert."They're planning to hold a press conference to clarify what happened at the venue last time.""Clarify? I think it's more like distancing themselves." Alyssa chuckled and drew a heart on Jasper's chest."Timothy has fallen. It's not just a talent groomed by the Schmidt family that has been ruined. They're all on edge, fearing repercussions from above."Jasper's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. "To show sincerity, Schmidt Group will definitely hold a press conference as quickly as possible. It should be in the next two days.""Hmph! Although that corrupt Timothy is unforgivable, the Schmidts' two-faced demeanor is truly hateful.""Don't worry, Lyse. I said I would avenge Taty. I won't easily give up. If they hurt you or any
Silas had a solid and reliable set of evidence, so from the moment Timothy stepped into the Investigative Bureau, he wouldn't see the light of day again.Daisy always acted domineering and arrogant, so not a single person was willing to help her at this critical moment. Everyone avoided her like she was some kind of virus.Except for following Victor and Josh's orders to hold a press conference and publicly apologize like a tool for Schmidt Group, she had no other options.But why should she, a lady, do something so shameful?The men of the Schmidt family, being close biological relatives, actually pushed her out to be publicly humiliated. Each of them hid behind her. Were they really human?The press conference was scheduled for the day after tomorrow.These days felt like an eternity for Daisy. She lost her appetite, suffered from insomnia, and was easily irritable.She spent her entire afternoon in the wine cellar, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Thinking about her years of
Agitated by Jameson's words, Daisy rushed to Belbanks overnight in a drunken state.Winston was at home that night. Neil was helping him take his medicine, and Mandy was checking his blood pressure.Winston's blood pressure had been skyrocketing due to the stress caused by Alyssa over the past few days. However, as the chairman of KS Group and a magnate, he still couldn't find Alyssa.After a few days, he had transitioned from initial anger to a simple concern for his daughter's safety. His emotions gradually stabilized.He kept inquiring about Alyssa's situation from Jonah and the others, but they kept their lips sealed.Jonah and Axel knew that, no matter what Winston said, he was deeply concerned about Alyssa. His overly intense reaction and actions were also driven by his concern.So, as long as they kept him worried about her, his resentment and hatred toward Jasper could be somewhat diverted."Winston, I don't mean to scare you, but you really need to take care of your hea
"Throughout my life, there hasn't been a moment when I lived for myself. I hope my children, especially Lyse... can live freely. Don't let her be like me. Let her have the power to pursue her own happiness."Her own happiness…Winston quietly mused, directing his thoughts to Jenny, his late wife, questioning whether Alyssa's chosen path was genuinely leading her toward happiness.Winton was so desperate for answers that he hoped Jennifer could appear in his dreams and tell him the answer.Right at that moment, a knock sounded from outside the study.Before Winston could respond, Colene pushed the door open, shouting, "Winston, Mandy, that crazy bitch from the Schmidt family is here! She's asking to see you and Lyla."I didn't let her in, so she's causing a ruckus in the front yard! I can smell alcohol on her. She's probably drunk.""Are you talking about Victor's daughter, Daisy? What is she doing here?"Winston complained angrily, "How did Victor teach his children? A young la
Daisy, intoxicated and unsteady on her feet, fell into a squat, inadvertently exposing herself as her skirt flipped up. Clark quickly turned his face away, afraid of catching a glimpse.Just then, a stream of yellowish and foul-smelling water cascaded from overhead, soaking Daisy from head to toe.Following that, a tangy and disgusting stench reached her nose. She raised her arm to sniff and almost vomited her dinner from last night.What was this smell?It was tangy and pungent, making her nauseous."Who is it? Who poured this on me? Who?" Daisy howled at the sky like an angry dog."Who told you to yell and disturb us?"Raising her chin, Colene walked briskly out of the front gate. "Look, even the heavens find you unpleasant. They poured a bucket of water on you to sober you up. Shut your filthy mouth and get out of here.""It's you... You poured this on me!" Daisy glared, her teeth chattering from the cold wind."Why do you assume it was me? If rain can fall from the sky,
Winston continued, "This torturous approach doesn't seem like Jasper's style. It's more like Lyse's work."Mandy's eyes flickered at his words. At once, she linked arms with him. "Winston, it's getting late. You should go to sleep."…Alyssa was afraid that Winston might find her at her home in Solana City, and she didn't want to stay at a hotel. So she had been with Jasper in Landon and Lauren's home.Lauren was the happiest about that.She already had a deep fondness for Alyssa, and the infrequency of their meetings made her cling to her every chance she got. Given the opportunity, Lauren stayed by Alyssa's side every day.This left Jasper with only nighttime for some alone time with Alyssa.So, every night, he would connect with her in bed, refusing to stop until she was exhausted and begging beneath him. It was as if he was trying to compensate for any lost intimacy during the day.Alyssa was truly speechless. She had encountered penny pinchers but never someone so calculat
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the press conference.At 5:00 pm, various media outlets gathered in the hotel's largest hall. Cameras were set up, angles were adjusted, and reporters had their laptops ready, waiting for Daisy's appearance."Speaking of which, I thought it would be Victor or Josh stepping forward. I didn't expect it to be Daisy. She's quite bold. Her husband is in jail, and she still has the energy to hold a press conference.""Those men in the Schmidt family are smart. They're using Daisy as a shield, making her the target.""Tsk, tsk! The rich really lack humanity. I pity Daisy.""Pity? Timothy received bribes of tens of millions, enough to keep him in prison. Do you believe that none of that dirty money found its way into her pocket?"Anyway, I don't. They're just abandoning each other in times of trouble."Soon, it was 7:00 pm.With a mournful expression, a bare-faced Daisy arrived, wearing a black suit. Lowering her head, she walked onto the stage
The Schmidt family had truly raised a bunch of maggots that were rotten to the core."N-No... It's not… It's not true."Daisy's face turned crimson, as if all the blood in her body had gathered in her face. She almost hysterically shouted, "That recording is fake! It's fake!"I don't know any fortune teller... It's not me speaking in there! It's all fake! Someone is framing me!""Framing you? Ms. Daisy, please take a look at this. How do you explain this?"The reporter held up his phone.At that moment, all the reporters' phones in the room started ringing, causing a thunderous noise.Everyone lowered their heads to look at their screens and saw a post suggested by Twitter. It was a video of Daisy meeting a fortune teller privately. She was handing money to the fortune teller.Even though the video was clearly recorded without her knowledge, it unveiled her underhanded actions entirely."Ms. Daisy!"Just then, a bodyguard rushed up, pulling the stiffened Daisy down from the s
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa
Julien's merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.Under the dim lighting, Julien vaguely noticed a sorrowful tear forming at the corner of Jonah's eye. But before it could fall, Jonah forced a blink, swallowing his emotions whole. Despite Jonah's attempt to brace himself, sorrow engulfed him, a tidal wave of despair. His features mirrored the devastation ripping through his heart. As Evan opened the driver's side door, Julien lurched forward and vomited again. The sickening sound of him retching echoed in the air as if he were expelling everything inside him. "Judas, Mr. Lovelace looks like he's suffering from alcohol poisoning. We should take him to the hospital."Evan's worry deepened at Julien's condition. Jonah wordlessly removed his suit jacket and began cleaning the mess in the car. His chest tightened painfully as he watched Julien groaning, clearly suffering. Then, without he
Jonah's gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate. The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, "Are you new? How much do you charge per night?"Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah's cheek. "You're pretty good-looking," he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. "Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?"Jonah's heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien's waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. "I'm new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?"Julien's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah. Jonah's eyes teared up as he held Julien's waist tightly. "I promise you won't be disappointed," he said, his voice deep. Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah's sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downri
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay—corrupt, degrading, and vile. "Where's Julien?" Jonah's voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp. When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent."Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?" A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah's shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. "If you're bored, I'd be happy to keep you company." Jonah's expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage. Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men. Evan yelled, "Don't touch him!" A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.The man who had draped himself over
Rafe stated, "But Beckett Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn't be able to escape unscathed!""If you're investigated, I'll make sure you can still live a life of luxury—even if you lose your job." Justin's tone darkened. "But if you turn against me, you won't just suffer a few losses. You'll lose everything."Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. "You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?"After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. "Sheryl is still being detained. She can't be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You'll handle that."Remy was taken aback. "I failed my last mission. Aren't you going to punish me?"Justin's smile was cold and insincere. "It wasn't your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I tru
Remy pursed his lips, bending down to pick up the fallen poker card. It was the King of Spades—an entry pass to Kings' Club. "My attacker was…" Remy's pupils constricted as he tightened his grip on the card. "It can only be that dear uncle of mine, always claiming to see me as his own son." Justin's lips curled into a sinister smile. "He's trying to get rid of my right-hand man, taking advantage of my internal feud with Jasper. Weakening me is just his first step toward gaining control over me."He's been a fugitive ever since his successful prison break, never returning to Cyrris after receiving his life sentence. His power base remains in Kontina. "I'm the last surviving Dutton. The Dutton Group, as a cover, has declared bankruptcy and severed all ties with the country. "My dear uncle has taken a huge risk just to target me. He sent his men to attack you in Solana City. What a delightful surprise. It seems he truly doesn't trust me, his only remaining family."Remy lowere
The hospital ward grew heavy with silence. Mandy and Neil stared at Alyssa, stunned beyond words. "M-Ms. Alyssa, you knew that man was Mr. Damien?" Neil asked, disbelief etched into his voice. "Yes." Alyssa's reply was quiet, her lips pressed into a thin line. She lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "We found out when Cyrus took Damien's cigarette butt for a paternity test."Mandy approached Alyssa, her shoulders trembling slightly. "So, you and Cyrus knew… and you both kept it from me?" Mandy said, her voice catching in her throat, tears welling up. Alyssa felt a sharp pang in her chest. "Mandy, I'm sorry. It was my decision. Cyrus had nothing to do with it."Mandy's tears fell freely now, her grief spilling out in raw sobs. "Do you know what it's been like for me all these years, thinking Damien was gone? Winston, Miley, Lyla, and Colene kept telling me to move on. I tried to accept that he was dead, that we'd never find his body. But I never did."Her vo
The hospital ward was bathed in a dim, yellow glow from the bedside lamp. The silence was thick, yet the room held a strange warmth—an unfamiliar comfort that felt oddly familiar to Remy.Pain radiated through his body as he struggled to sit up. His eyes fell on Mandy, who was asleep beside his bed. Her hair was a mess, and her swollen eyes suggested she'd been crying. She was sound asleep. Remy stiffened. His breath quickened as he stared at her fragile figure. Slowly, he leaned forward, his fingers lifting slightly, tempted to reach out.Just as his hand hovered close, Mandy's lashes fluttered. In her sleep, she murmured, "Damien… Damien… I miss you so much…" Tears slipped down her cheeks, silent and unbidden.A pang tugged at Remy's heart. Without thinking, he brushed away her tears with his calloused fingers. The moment his skin touched hers, a jolt shot through him, sharp and electrifying. Pain throbbed at his temples, but beneath it was a warmth he didn't want to let g
Justin's casual question hit Javier like a thunderclap. Shock rippled through him, freezing his expression. His voice trembled with fear as he barked, "What nonsense is that? Are you accusing me of causing Chester's death? I'm your father—how could you think I'd do such a thing?""It's not an accusation. Just the facts," Justin replied coolly, crossing his legs and savoring his tea with unsettling calm. "And I'm not condemning you. In fact, I understand why you did it. I'm facing the same dilemma now."Javier's breathing grew ragged. He had watched Justin grow from a child into the man before him—now a predator, circling with quiet menace."You were meant to be the heir as the eldest son," Justin continued, his voice smooth as silk. "But Grandpa favored Uncle Chester, handing him major projects, grooming him in plain sight. "Uncle Chester's reputation soon eclipsed yours. He was a natural leader, adept at business, with one fatal flaw—he was kind. Too kind. Unlike you."Justin