Angelina's face was tight with anger. "We had the upper hand initially, but we never thought that Inigo had called for backup! They were skilled in combat and ready to kill. It was a miracle that our men came home alive."Landon punched on the table, his knuckles cracking. Not only did they fail to capture Inigo, but the clash nearly cost the lives of Landon's men. Landon's ego was badly bruised."Mm… Landon… What's wrong? Who made you upset?"Frozen in shock, everyone turned to the stairs and found Lauren standing there. Wearing a crumpled white camisole dress and hugging a bear that Alyssa bought for her, she groggily rubbed her eyes, looking innocent.While she was speaking, one of the straps slid off her shoulder, offering a glimpse of her fair complexion. She was very close to exposing herself. Her neck and collarbone area were filled with hickeys, evidence of the passionate night she had spent with Landon.Xavier quickly shut his eyes in fear while Jasper shifted his gaze to
Alyssa lowered her gaze and kept her silence. Noting her dampening mood, Jasper held and caressed her hand. "Lyse, I know you feel sorry for Lauren, but Landon loves her. With his abilities and family background, he is more than capable of protecting her.""Yes, I know that. In fact, I am grateful to him." Alyssa's gratitude had nothing to do with Landon's acceptance of Lauren. She was thankful to God that Landon was able to see the good in Lauren and patiently stayed by her side.Shortly after, Landon returned to the living room, appearing more fatigued than ever. Jasper released a deep sigh. "Landon, that must've been tough for you.""She's my partner. I'll do anything for her." Landon did not blame Angelina for the oversight and resumed the conversation. "Where were we? Oh, right! I thought it over—Inigo is a wanted man who has no power in Solana City. How could he possibly bribe the locals into helping him out?"Could this be part of Jameson's plan? Is he secretly protecting In
"Lyse, what's on your mind?" Jasper questioned, visibly concerned.Landon and Angelina cast worried looks at her."Xavier made a great point there. We all know Jameson is cunning and ruthless. He could well get rid of Inigo discreetly, and that's something he has been working on, but his weapon of choice has just been delivered."When Landon and the others were trying to grasp the meaning behind her words, things clicked for Jasper. Jasper asked, "Are you referring to the private jet?"She nodded hard. Her eyes were filled with worry. "Jameson can't hurt Inigo on the ground; dealing with his enemy in the air is easier. Besides, once he flies Inigo out of Cyrris, we can't stop him anymore. He could do anything he wanted to that guy."That was a terrible yet brilliant move by Jameson.Looking agape at Alyssa and clapping like a seal, Landon praised, "Lyse, you're smart! You're godlike!""Stop flattering me. Think of a solution now," urged Alyssa, who felt a burden on her chest.
On the same night, Alyssa and Jasper decided to move back home. Before they left, Lauren cried her heart out in Alyssa's arms, crumpling Alyssa's black dress in her tight grip and staining Alyssa's outfit in tears.People would have thought the two were saying a final farewell.Alyssa spent some time consoling Lauren and promised to visit. Besides that, she reminded Landon to bring Lauren out for fresh air instead of treating her like a bird in a gilded cage.Landon immediately vowed to do so. Hugging his crying wife, the two stood at the entrance and watched as Alyssa and Jasper departed.On the journey, Alyssa couldn't hold back anymore. Tears slid down her cheeks like fallen stars in the night sky."Lyse, don't cry." Jasper breathed heavily when he saw her crying. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and offered a comforting hug. He rubbed his chin on her hair, saying, "You'll see each other again. If you miss Lauren, just invite her to stay at our place."Or how about I buy
Days of worry had driven Tatiana to the brink of insanity. Shedding tears, she said, "Mom and I tried to come up with a solution. The Lynch family tried to get help, but we all failed to get him out.""What? Why did you only tell me now?" Alyssa gasped, her heart leaping into her mouth."Lyse, keep calm. You don't want to scare Taty," reminded Jasper. He held his hand and gently calmed her down. "Tell Taty not to panic and share everything with you."Taking a deep breath, Alyssa apologized with guilt. "Sorry, Taty. I was too harsh on you earlier. Don't cry. Tell me everything. I'm eager to know which idiot laid a finger on my staff. I'll make them pay for it!"Although they were panicking, Jasper had to stifle a laugh when he heard Alyssa's adorable threat."It's… It's the Schmidts." Tatiana sobbed. "I think his family was upset that he got beaten up after what happened to me. They're now giving Sean trouble."Sean was arrested for aggravated assault. David Schmidt even underwe
Alyssa widened her eyes, staring blankly at Jasper's attractive side profile. Tatiana fell silent on the other end of the line. She was sobbing quietly."What's wrong? One of you is staring at me. The other one went quiet." Grinning, he pinched Alyssa on her cheeks. "Is no one willing to trust me?""No, that's not it…" Tatiana said with gratitude, "Jasper, thank you so much for helping Sean. I'm really thankful.""We're family. Don't mention it." Once Jasper soothed Tatiana's emotions, he hung up and instructed Xavier, "Make a turn. Let's head to the police station."Xavier immediately made a U-turn."Jasper, what's your plan?" Worry was etched on Alyssa's face. On the contrary, he appeared calm. "No matter what, let's focus on saving Sean for now." Sighing, Jasper locked his fingers with her and tightened his grip. "Taty and Sean went through a lot just to be together. I do not wish to see them going through a tough time anymore. I want to protect them from harm."Alyssa held
Alyssa's formidable presence hung over Gabe like the sword of Damocles. He chuckled nervously. "How about some tea for now?""It's fine. That's some truly expensive tea that I can't possibly accept," Alyssa addressed him coldly, crossing her legs. "Release my secretary from detention. This is a private matter between the Taylors and the Schmidts. Stay out of this if you still want a promotion and want to avoid trouble."Alyssa had always gone straight to the point without wasting time. That nearly wiped off Gabe's smile, but he persisted, "Ms. Alyssa, I understand your feelings, but based on my three decades of experience dealing with multiple cases in the department, those brought in are mostly guilty."Sean Lynch might be one of your staff, but he has committed aggravated assault after beating up David Schmidt. Besides, I've turned in the assessment results to my superiors."Frowning deeply, Alyssa tightened her fists on the arm of the chair. Gabe went on, "You might be two imp
Gabe nearly shed tears of relief when Josh showed up to the rescue. Following closely behind Josh was Simon Lynch, to everyone's surprise.After the call just now, Josh was plagued by concern and decided to drop by. He also reached out to Simon and updated the latter, inviting him to settle this issue concerning David.Initially, Simon thought of refusing as he had not gotten over Josh's humiliation. However, when he learned of Alyssa and Jasper's intervention, he immediately grabbed the chance to humiliate the couple.Alyssa gritted her teeth as rage flashed across her eyes. Josh's despicable face resembled that of a movie villain."Mr. Schmidt, I had no idea you engaged Simon Lynch's legal assistance." Jasper snickered. "You probably know his relationship to Sean, don't you?""Of course. So what?" Josh flashed a malicious smile. "Is there anything wrong with hiring Simon Lynch, the top attorney, to work on my brother's case?""Why doesn't Simon Lynch support his own brother? In
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