"I was aware. I knew it from the beginning. But what choice did I have?" Gina trembled violently as she grew hysterical. "I'd rather sweep everything under the rug than open up my daughter's wound and put her in harm's way."She's just managed to get a footing, and things were looking up, but you came along and messed it all up! She nearly lost her life because of you—you arrogant, wealthy pricks who judge us from the comforts of life. What gives you the right?"Alyssa felt a stinging pain in her chest. With her usual sharp wit, she could have retorted. However, the weight of guilt left her speechless."You're being naïve." Jasper, keeping his composure, placed his hand on Alyssa's waist. He appeared as omniscient as divinity. "You're currently enjoying a short-lived peace because the Schmidt Group is in hot water. The Schmidts are too preoccupied to pay attention to you, especially with David Schmidt still in detention."Gina's expression froze. Her bloodshot eyes looked vacant.
Maggie finally regained consciousness the next afternoon. She found Gina and Xavier waiting by her bed. Feeling touched, she wrapped Gina in an embrace. The mother and daughter cried and cried after the close brush with death yesterday.Xavier thought he must be feeling emotional because he was getting old. He shed a few tears but quickly wiped them away. As an uncle figure to Maggie, he resolved to keep a tough exterior."Mom, I won't change my mind no matter what you say." Maggie gently wiped away Gina's tears with a look of determination. "I have decided to testify in court. No one could help me if I don't fight for myself; not even Ms. Alyssa and Mr. Beckett."Sobbing, Gina confessed, "Maggie, I… I feel so bad for you.""Mom, do not stop me from testifying if you feel bad for me. I'm doing this to seek justice on behalf of the victims of David Schmidt."Xavier's eyes wavered upon hearing Maggie's declaration. His heart pounding, he found that Maggie seemed to have grown up ove
"I had thought Josh or Victor would be the mastermind, but it was the doing of David's man," Cyrus explained with doubt. "I was worried that David would pull some tricks, so I sent someone to keep an eye on his attorney. After all, he hasn't met with anyone except for his attorney."But we found nothing suspicious about his attorney. We dug into his call log—he did not contact the culprit.""That's odd. Did one of David's men act without permission out of his loyalty to David? Was he worried that David's scandal would be publicized? Does David even have a lackey who's that sharp-witted?" Frowning, Alyssa fell into deep thought. Then, she suddenly chuckled. "Maybe Josh had a card up his sleeve and pulled an act of killing with a borrowed knife.""Is he using David?" Jasper wondered in a low, icy voice."As impatient as Josh, he must have wanted to silence Maggie after his men noticed we had reached out to her." Alyssa might be hot-tempered, but she always remained cool-headed in t
Josh, of course, had gotten wind of the culprit's arrest. He had prepared himself for the outcome, but he lost sleep when he learned that Cyrus was the police on the case. His mind whirred nonstop to come up with solutions."Mr. Schmidt, there is no need to panic," Josh's right-hand man, Cliff McMahon, advised with a sly grin. "You foresaw this coming and made the necessary arrangements, didn't you? "Besides, you never had any direct contact with Magnus Vale. Since his wife and children are in our hands, he will not rat on you. He has no choice but to keep his mouth shut for his family's sake.""It's not enough to keep his mouth shut," said Josh, who rubbed his sore forehead. There was a threatening gleam in his eyes with dark circles. He added, "We need him to point a finger at David. There needs to be a mastermind responsible for the assassination, or the Taylors will not let this slide because they're a crazy bunch."Cliff nodded furiously. "You're right."Josh lifted the wh
Following the arrest of Magnus Vale, who broke into Maggie's room to harm her, Maggie and Anora, accompanied by their families, arrived at the police station to file a formal report against David. They were under the protection of private security, courtesy of Alyssa and Jasper.The charges against David for sexually assaulting minors were firm. There was no getting away with it. The media thronged the police station, and the news spread rapidly.Throughout the process, the police carefully maintained the confidentiality of the two victims. Although the media failed to capture any photos of the two girls, the news still dominated the headlines.The headlines read, "David Schmidt's Sexual Assault Allegations Confirmed,""Victims' Families Allege Threats from the Schmidts.""David Schmidt Suspected of Orchestrating a Contract Killing.""David Schmidt Faces Inescapable Doom."The public opinion online marked a swift turn. Commentaries that had previously doubted and criticized Tati
"Dad, David engaged in contract killing and attempted murder! Besides, it was Cyrus Taylor who caught him red-handed. Even if I hired all the top attorneys from across the nation, they could not save David's ass!" Josh countered. He was banking on Victor not laying a finger on him, as he had built a strong faction in the Schmidt Group and bagged a lucrative project in Tsulu from Jonah. So, he acted fearlessly. "Just admit that you're upset at me. Why would you compare me to Jimmy?"Have you forgotten all I have done for you over the years and my sacrifices for the company? I deserve a little credit, don't you think? Plus, it's David who got us into trouble. We wouldn't be in this mess if he didn't think with his dick. The entire family will be dragged down if we keep cleaning his mess for him.""Dad, calm down. I think Josh has a great point there," Jameson drawled. "You might think I am heartless, but I, too, agree that you'll need to give up on David in the interest of the compan
Jameson flexed his fist, veins bulging from his force. Feeling horrible, Josh kicked his feet and grabbed Jameson's hands, which were wrapped around his neck.Jameson jeered, "All it takes is some taunting for you to silence the two victims. Tsk, tsk. You're stupid and gullible. So, what makes you think you could take me on?"Josh's eyes wavered. He was overwhelmed by humiliation. "You're not that hopeless, though, considering you knew to take advantage of David to carry out the act. I thought I could take down every one of you this time, but I guess I'll have to wait."Then, Jameson let go of Josh and left the meeting room cackling. Josh, alone in the meeting room and drenched in sweat, panted heavily.…Even though Alyssa and Jasper did not show up in front of the media, they were present at the police station to keep guard over Maggie and Anora.Xavier and Sean tagged along for the statement recording. Not only that, Sean, well-versed in law, helped the families with the paper
In the street from across the police station, Alyssa had waited for a while in Jasper's arms.Nestling against him softly, she sweated as she reported, "I received a text from Cyrus. He said he had asked a few close colleagues to keep tabs on the case. As of just now, apart from David Schmidt's attorney, no one from the Schmidt family has attempted to defend him. They did not make any moves at all."It so happened that Alyssa was on her second day of the period, which was usually the worst. Jasper had advised her to stay home, but she was stubborn. Now, suffering from period cramps, she wiggled in his arms like an eel.She silently thought, "Guess I need to listen to Jasper for once and take a good rest.""Josh always plays long-term. All he wants right now is to hide away, I bet. There's no way he would defend a notorious and hopeless villain. He would only turn himself the next target of public wrath."Holding her in his right arm, he placed a hand on her lower abdomen and cares
"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
The skies started to turn dark. Alyssa's dark hair was covered in a layer of snow. As she stood alone at the foot of the majestic mountain, she looked tiny, fragile, and desolate. "Ms. Alyssa, it's snowing. Heavy snowfall is forecasted tonight." Elias walked to Alyssa's side. Noticing the redness on her face due to the cold and the dull look in her eyes, he had a moment of realization. He couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness within him. "It's getting late. I suppose something came up for Mr. Beckett, and he's unable to make it." "Why didn't he inform me if that is the case?" Alyssa mumbled in a low voice as she gazed toward the darkness. She choked back on her tears so softly that her grievance couldn't really be heard through her voice. Elias slapped himself on his forehead. "Ah, perhaps you didn't manage to receive Mr. Beckett's message? The reception at the foot of the mountain isn't quite stable. You might have missed it. Would you like to come to my office? You'l
Jasper held his breath. It felt as if his legs had been chained together. He was unable to move. Looking at a stiff Jasper from behind, Xavier noticed his shoulders trembling slightly. An ominous feeling rose within him. "What did you say?" Jasper questioned. He sounded as if he was forcing himself to hold himself back from getting emotional. "Mr. Justin once mentioned that you were saved by a female doctor when you were badly wounded on the battlefield many years ago. I heard that you have been searching for her and that you've been grateful toward her." Jasper's back stiffened up. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a frosty voice, "This is a private matter. Why would Justin have told you about it?" "Mr. Justin mentioned it to me because I also used to work as a doctor in Luminara. He was hoping that I could help with finding that woman. "I finally have news on her whereabouts now. Mr. Jasper, don't you want to see the White Dove again? She was the person who gave her all t