Then, Josh flashed a generous smile and patted Jameson on the shoulder, saying, "Dad is getting old, and recent events have taken a toll on him. It's time for him to rest. Come to me for work discussions instead of bothering Dad.""That's right, Jimmy. You have a lot to learn from Josh—he's the president after all," Victor chimed in, reinstating his trust and respect for his eldest.Jameson glared at Josh, his deep eyes spelling danger, but managed a humble smile. "Josh is indeed capable. I have much to learn from him. Josh, best of luck with your new project."…Leaving the study with a scowl, Jameson walked down the corridor. Josh caught up, calling out, "Jimmy, why the rush? Dad wants to have dinner with all of us.""Do you really want to have dinner with me?" Jameson spun around and fixed his piercing gaze on Josh."Of course. Why not?" Josh broke into a smile, unable to suppress the glee from his recent victory. "I enjoy seeing you seething from losing out to me. More than a
"Lyse is like a pure and innocent goddess to me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get any nearer to her. You will never understand the extent of my pain." Jameson shut his eyes and grappled with the piercing heartache.His heart drummed against his ribcage, begging to be freed. Trapped in despair, it was a howling beast demanding to be released."I had once wanted the best for her. But now, I even entertain the idea of hurting her. If she's a goddess, I'd like to defile her, pulling her to my level…"He thought, "Alyssa Taylor, I am a cunning scorpion. A scorpion is cruel in nature. It'd sting the frog that helps carry it over the river."But I won't kill you. I'll simply love you in my own way."…It didn't take Jasper long to get his hands on the addresses of the two young girls. The next afternoon, Xavier drove Alyssa and Jasper to meet with the two victims in the hope of convincing them to serve as witnesses in court.To avoid imposing pressure on the girls' families,
"Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa, we're here. This is Maggie Madison's home," announced Xavier while scanning the environment.Having grown up in a highly educated family, Xavier had performed dirty work for Jasper over the years, but never had he witnessed such an awful living environment. Since they did not have bodyguards with them, he felt quite tense.Unlike Xavier, Jasper calmly got out of the car. As it had rained earlier, Jasper stepped right into a muddy puddle as soon as he disembarked. The mud splashed all over his expensive shoes, but he remained unbothered and seemed at home."Mr. Beckett! Look out! The ground—" Xavier tried to warn Jasper, but it was too late.Jasper said casually, "It's fine."Alyssa had wanted to follow suit, only to be lifted off the seat. She gasped and panickedly wrapped her arms around Jasper's neck.He had lifted her into his arms because he didn't want her to walk in the mud. He grinned and said, "What are you panicking over? I always have a good gr
Alyssa looked up into his eyes which burned with passion. She understood him well even without exchanging words.Alyssa, Jasper, and Xavier went to the top floor past a narrow corridor and stood in front of the door of the innermost unit. Before they could knock, an old woman with a walking stick slowly made her way down the stairs.Upon seeing the trio in black suits, the old woman appeared triggered and started trembling. Tapping her stick hard on the ground, she hissed, "H-How dare you show up at the Madisons' again? "Do you think you can easily bully the poor single mother and her daughter, thinking they don't have anyone to stand up for them? They said they would retract the lawsuit, so what more do you want? Do you want them dead?"Alyssa and Jasper exchanged glances, knowing that the Schmidts must have shown up to threaten and harass the Madison family. They could imagine the snicker on the faces of those bullies from the Schmidt family."No… Ma'am, please calm down. We're
Gina exclaimed, "I see that you've got a hidden agenda. You are on the same side as David! He was the one who arranged for you to come over and harm Maggie. Am I right?" Alyssa responded, "No! I…""You didn't have good intentions either! I can't believe that you operated on that bastard. You are just siding with the enemy! I want you to get out! Don't ever come and bother Maggie again!" Gina shouted painfully at Alyssa. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at her. Alyssa was anxious. Right before Gina could slam the door closed, Alyssa reacted speedily by putting her hand on the side of the door."Mrs. Madison! I am really here to help Maggie! Please hear me out!" In her anger, Gina picked up a newly-opened bag of laundry powder which was sitting on the window sill. Without another word, she flung it at Alyssa's face! Sweat formed on Alyssa's forehead. It was too late for her to dodge it.All of a sudden, she felt a strong force pushing her away. Immediately after, she foun
Jasper and Alyssa spun around immediately. "Taty?" they exclaimed at the same time. Alyssa widened her eyes. She was overjoyed. She let go of Jasper's hand and ran toward Tatiana, who was standing alone by the side. She gave Tatiana a warm hug. "How long have you been waiting for? Why didn't you go in? Mrs. Rosie is in. She recognizes you, and she'd let you in. Why were you just waiting here?" "I'm sorry for just showing up like this, Lyse. Sorry for bothering you and Jasper." Tatiana's voice sounded weak. Listening to her like that made Alyssa feel bad. "Don't be silly. Do you know how much I missed you?" Alyssa stroked Tatiana's soft cheeks and smiled. "Two days ago, your brother-in-law, Jasper, was just suggesting for us to go on a trip after this busy period. We can even travel around the world!" Jasper was stunned to hear Alyssa's words. In the next instance, his heart filled with warmth. His brows relaxed, and he broke into a smile. Tatiana had long acknowledged h
Jasper's hand was on Alyssa's waist. He pulled her in closer to him slowly. The corner of his lips curved upward as he gave her a helpless look. Alyssa consistently brimmed with captivating ideas, and her perpetual desire ensured there would never be a dull moment in her company."Lyse, I know you are just trying to comfort me." Even though Alyssa wasn't fussed, Tatiana couldn't help but feel an immense guilt weighing on her. Her eyes turned red as she said, "You wouldn't have been dragged into this if it wasn't because of me. "You wouldn't otherwise have become the Schmidt family's target for revenge. It's all my fault. I was too weak and stupid. That's how it came to this." Upon saying that, Tatiana's tears started flowing. Her teardrops dripped onto the back of her hand. This tugged at their heartstrings. Alyssa gave Jasper a look. He was taken aback. He then quickly leaned forward toward the tea table. He pulled two pieces of tissue from the tissue box and handed them to
Alyssa and Jasper were shocked. They exclaimed in unison, "What did you say, Taty?" After her deliberation, Tatiana's expression was calm and resolute. "It doesn't matter if I have to give my statement at the police station or testify against David in court. I will take the witness stand. I'm willing to do it. "I just want David to be brought to justice, and to ensure that justice is served on behalf of those women. No matter how immense the pressure, I can handle it." At this moment, it was as if the air around them had frozen. At first, Tatiana thought that they would strongly support her idea. To her surprise, both Alyssa's and Jasper's faces turned glum. They didn't say a word. "Even though David didn't get his way with me, it was still an assault attempt. Moreover, I'm sure that I will be able to garner the people's attention when I step forward to accuse him, especially with a status like mine. "Then, the Schmidts wouldn't be able to shut people up even if they wanted
Even without Jasper's presence, he was confident that the Taylors and the rescue team would have been able to save Alyssa. It became clear what the person manipulating Remy had been aiming for.But why had Remy let Jasper go at that crucial moment? Had he experienced a sudden change of heart? Or was he, in fact, Alyssa's brother, Damien?Jasper's mind filled with all kinds of thoughts. Before he could dwell too deeply, there was a knock at the door. Xavier hurried over to open it, freezing in shock when he saw who stood outside. "Mr. Winston?"Winston was leaning on Silas for support, his expression grim. "Mr. Beckett is in there, isn't he? May I have a word with him?" Xavier quickly stepped aside, gesturing for Winston and Silas to enter.When he saw the elder he respected standing at the door, Jasper struggled to rise from the bed despite his exhaustion. "Mr. Winston…" "You are wounded. Stay put!" Winston insisted, swiftly moving forward to gently press Jasper back down
"Next time? There won't be a next time."Tears flowed down Alyssa's face, soaking Jasper's shirt with each drop. Her voice was quiet but steady, carrying the weight of her heartache. "Jasper… I'm drained. Sometimes, I think it might be better if you just forgot about me. It would be easier than this. Every time I let myself hope, all I get in return is disappointment."Jasper's chest tightened as her calm words pierced through him. Waves of emotion surged inside him, and a lump rose painfully in his throat.…It was fortunate that Jasper had found Alyssa in time to administer first aid. After rushing her to the ER, she slipped into unconsciousness. That being said, she was extremely lucky to have escaped death. Nevertheless, she needed to remain in the ICU for further observation. Aside from treating her frostbite, the doctors needed to assess whether her internal organs or brain had been affected.With the severity of Alyssa's condition, Sean couldn't keep the truth from Winsto
"Jas…"Alyssa looked at Jasper with an unfocused gaze. Her breaths were shallow, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Mentally, she was confused. "Yes, it's me—Jasper!"Jasper's heart clenched as he saw the color drain from her face. Her body trembled uncontrollably, fragile as a leaf caught in the wind. She resembled the kitten he had saved as a child—frozen and alone in the alley that bitter winter night. A deep sorrow flooded his chest."Jas… per…" Alyssa murmured his name, her voice strained, her tongue numb from the cold.A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "It seems… like I am about… to freeze to death… How could he be here… He will not come back… He doesn't want me anymore…" Alyssa's vision blurred as her eyelids grew heavy. She began to lean, her body sagging to one side."Alyssa! Stay awake!" Jasper's heart was pierced, the pain unbearable as he saw the denial in her eyes. He forced himself to pu
Elias frowned deeply; his worry etched onto his face. "We've been shouting Ms. Alyssa's name the whole way. With so many of us calling out, she should've heard us by now if she were nearby!"In a deep voice, Jasper said, "The wind is too strong, and then there's the heavy snowfall. Our voices are being drowned out. Lyse might not hear us at all."Lyse. Her nickname slipped from his lips before he even realized it."I'm just afraid she's injured—or worse, fainted. If she blacks out in this cold…" Elias trailed off, his voice heavy with dread. "On a day like this, she won't survive long. She'll freeze to death."The group exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words tightening their chests.It wasn't that Elias was being a doomsayer. Rather, this was the cruel reality that might actually happen. Crater Mountain claimed lives every year. Danger lurked unpredictably in the woods on the mountain—anything could unfold."Let's split up," Jasper commanded, his eyes fixed on t
The snow was falling heavily, and the chilling winds howled through the night.Remy had no car, so he trudged through the snow alone, each step more exhausting than the last.His thoughts were consumed with Alyssa—was she still alive? In danger? And Jasper's unrelenting resolve to reach her, even after being shot and drenched in blood.Remy pressed his calloused, trembling hand to his chest. His heart hammered in his ribcage erratically.A sharp, searing pain shot through his temples, blurring his vision. He collapsed to his knees in the snow, his body racked with agony. The pain surged deep within him, and his eyes felt like they were going to burst from their sockets. It was unbearable.His breath came in ragged gasps. His hands scrambled for the necklace hanging from his neck—inside it was a hidden medicine box.Justin had told him that the medication in there could calm him down and relieve him of any pain. It would be able to save his life. But in his desperate haste, the
As subtle as Remy's expressions were, Jasper still noticed them. A slight twinkle flashed across his eyes. He did not have the time to continue entertaining Remy. He clenched his teeth, turned around, and started running toward Crater Mountain. Nevertheless, he had barely taken a few steps when gunshots were fired at his feet. Even so, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead and did not stop. Just then, another gunshot rang out. It wasn't until a bullet hit him in his right shoulder that the pain caused him to stumble. He almost fell to the ground but forced himself to stay on his feet. It was fortunate that he was shot in his right shoulder this time. After all, his left shoulder could not be injured any further. Otherwise, his left shoulder would be left in complete disability."If you take another step, the next shot will be in your left leg," Remy warned mockingly. Yet, his gaze was firm and fiery. "Jasper, I don't suppose you want to end up like your older brother, living in
A chill went down Jasper's spine. At that moment, staring down the barrel of the gun, one thought consumed him. It was the only thought that mattered—he had to stay alive to meet Alyssa!Jasper's mind raced. His gun was hidden under the driver's seat of his usual car, but today, he had taken a different sports car—one that wasn't equipped with a weapon. Panic gripped him for a split second before his instincts kicked in.The soldier within him stirred. Without warning, he jerked the steering wheel, ramming his car into Remy's.One of Remy's headlights was taken out and left rolling across the snow. All of a sudden, this prideful man was overwhelmed with anger. His eyes reddened with a strong sense of competitiveness, compelling him to pull the trigger. A shot rang out. The bullet sliced through the cold air, shattering Jasper's car window.From the very beginning, Remy hadn't intended to take Jasper's life. All Justin told him to do was to stop Jasper from meeting with Alys
"Jasper, you are such a jerk. If anything bad happens to Ms. Alyssa, you will surely regret it. You will live in regret your entire life!" Sean yelled. …The temperature tonight was -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The snowstorm in the woods on the mountain was getting stronger and stronger. The winds were freezing and bone-piercing as they blew against Alyssa's face. Trees swayed dramatically in the screeching winds, creating an inexplicable creepy atmosphere that added a feeling of desolation to Alyssa's sorrowful and depressive mood. She braved the bone-piercing winds and faced the heavy snowfall. With the help of her trekking pole, she plodded forward one step at a time. She did not have a destination in mind. She did not know where she was heading. Her heart had shattered, and she was beside herself. The decreasing temperatures discouraged her and made her lose all her motivation. For someone who had lost their willpower, being in the woods under extreme weather conditions wa
"Mr. Jasper, why do you say so?" Sheryl lifted her head and looked into Jasper's reddened eyes. She furrowed her brows and laughed out loud. "White Dove is from Solana City. This is also something that I wasn't able to predict. If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten you to make a trip here in vain, would I?" Sheryl was no longer that conniving bitch who used to act coy. Now, she had a powerful person backing her up. Jasper's violent rage did not scare her at all. "Why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?" Xavier marched forward furiously. He was even more inclined to serve her a slap. "Did you know that Mr. Beckett had an important date with Madam today? He only rushed her because of your stupid lead! Right now, you're telling us that White Dove isn't in Skydon but Solana City? What the heck are you scheming? Were you trying to ruin Mr. Beckett and Madam's date intentionally?" "Madam? Haven't Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alyssa broken up? Is it right for you to be referring to her