"Lyse, I cannot leave you. Not even for a moment," Jasper said. Alyssa looked up at him slowly. Her eyes were filled with tears. Jasper wiped her tears dry. He felt pained to see her cry. "So… the first person you fell in love with was me?" Alyssa was determined to get an answer. Jasper probed carefully. "Do you want to know my honest answer?" "Of course I do." "No, it wasn't you." "Jasper! You're a jerk!" Alyssa's blood boiled. She punched him repeatedly on his chest. "How did I never realize that you were someone like this? You're such a jerk! Get out! Leave Mrs. Rosie with me. Take nothing else and leave!" Jasper let her hit him as much as she wanted. Despite his shaky voice, he responded seriously, saying, "You are the one I love the most, Lyse. You are the one that I want to marry. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."It is exactly because of this that I want to bare my heart to you. I want to be completely honest with you. I no longer wish to hide anyth
Alyssa's heart was still racing. She played it cool and asked, "After that… You've never tried to look for that woman?""I've never stopped searching for her. But I don't even know her name or what she looks like. There's no way for me to look for her." Jasper chuckled to himself. "I gave her a nickname—the White Dove. It represents hope. I was able to return from the battlefield alive all because of her. That was how I began to hope again." Alyssa's eyes welled up again. At this point in time, she was content regardless of whether he knew of her identity as the White Dove. …Jasper and Alyssa tidied up the kitchen and the living room. They took a bath together and changed into a clean set of matching pajamas. They were about to go upstairs to rest when Xavier returned. "Welcome back, Xavier. Have you had dinner? I'll warm something up for you if you haven't eaten," Alyssa asked in a concerned tone. The way she spoke to him wasn't like an employer speaking to an employee at
"Madam fell in love with you at first sight?" Xavier's eyes widened. He was burning with curiosity. Jasper had a dull look in his eyes. He poured some wine for himself to drink. This was meant to be fine wine that tasted rich and sweet. However, he could only taste a burning bitterness at the back of his throat as he drank it. "It's a pity that we can never go back in time. I cannot become the one who falls in love with her first. This will be something that I regret in my entire life." There was something else he regretted. His greatest regret of all was that he had caused Alyssa to lose the child that she longed for. She lost the child that was most precious to her. And in that, she had lost the chance to become a mother. Jasper let out a heavy sigh. It almost felt like it even hurt to breathe. "I will do my best to make her happy. I'm just not sure if I will be able to do it well." After all, happiness was subjective. It would only count if the other party felt satisfied.
"I understand… I just couldn't help it earlier today. I will definitely be more rational next time." Xavier stood up and smiled regretfully at Jasper. "You are only human. It's not wrong to have feelings. You didn't do anything wrong, so you don't have to be like this. Since you have found the right one for you, you should then aim for the right timing." Jasper got out of his seat and took a few steps toward the cellar door. All of a sudden, he stopped in his tracks and squinted. "You didn't give Maggie a tacky luxury item as a gift, did you? That's boring, thoughtless, and meaningless. If so, I'm not surprised to hear that she didn't accept your present." Xavier felt called out. He was so ashamed.…All the way back home, Lauren was a little sulky. She didn't say much either. By the time they crawled into bed, Landon couldn't restrain himself any longer. His eyes were filled with passion. He slipped his hand under her white-colored nightgown.Their fingers interlocked wit
How could an envious Landon be placated? Well, only through showing off his money. …David was officially being indicted by the prosecution of a few major crimes. The Schmidt family's stance toward this was clear as day. They had completely abandoned David, just like how they had abandoned Daisy. After all, the Schmidt Group would fall apart if they continued associating with trash like David. Despite being locked up at the detention center for a week, no one had come to rescue him. Instead, it was his arch-enemy who came—Jameson Schmidt. "Hey, you son of a bitch."David was in his gray-colored prisoner uniform. His hair looked unkempt, and his stubble was growing out. He sniffed and continued, "Are you here to mock me, too? If so, you can come over together with Josh next time. I'm not that free to meet with you assholes every other day!" "You say that you're not free. But, aren't you here to see me anyway?" The corners of Jameson's lips curved upward. He laughed coldl
"Motherfucker! Back you up?" David blurted the most insulting vulgarity he could think of. His eyes became bloodshot. "Jameson, I can't believe that you even brought this up, you son of a bitch! Josh and I are blood brothers, at the very least. He had watched over me when we were young. "You're just a bastard child that that bitch gave birth to after cheating with the bodyguard. Don't you feel ashamed for coveting our family's wealth?" Carl glared at David and tightened his fists as he watched David spew vulgarities. Jameson, on the other hand, maintained a faint smile on his face. It was as if he was completely unbothered by anything David was saying. "You set me up. You exposed those frivolous matters between me and those women. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be the subject of the police's investigation. I wouldn't have ended up in this situation otherwise! The real instigator is you! It was all you, damn it!" "David, do you think that I'm truly the instigator?" Jame
"Of course. I can hand them to you now." It was as if Jameson had expected David to raise a condition as such. He pushed a brown envelope to David. "This envelope contains the evidence that I've gathered. These may not be sufficient to prove that Josh contracted a killer. But it should be enough to help in your appeal. "You're not allowed to bring these in with you now. You can request to meet your attorney, then give your attorney full authority to handle this." David examined the contents of the envelope. He weighed his options. Finally, he made up his mind.He signed his own name on the agreement for the transfer of shares. He then put his thumbprint on the document. Jameson refrained from smiling too widely. Behind his classy gold-framed glasses, he tried to hide the ferocious look in his eyes. He looked just like a hungry predator ready to pounce on its prey. "I look forward to working with you, David. I will come and pick you up in person on the day when you're release
"How about the plane?" Inigo asked. "You'll just need to first retrieve the money. Once you've ascertained that you're not being followed or chased, you can leave any time," Jameson chuckled. His gaze was cold. "Well, hurry up, then! I'm so done with this shithole!" Inigo couldn't get used to the place. Plus, he wasn't able to go out in the open. He was already at his wits' end. Jameson stepped on the white handkerchief and kneaded it with his shoe. "As long as you go along with my arrangements, I will make sure you have a smooth departure." …The next morning, Alyssa and Jasper heard the shocking news—David was found dead in the shared bathroom at the detention center. They had heard that he died in a bizarre and horrifying manner. When he was discovered, rigor mortis had already set in. His face was puffed up and discolored. His cause of death was strangulation by the stainless steel shower hose, which was still wound around his neck when his body was discovered. It lo
This time, the injection did not bring the excruciating pain that once made Amber wish for death. Her chapped lips trembled, and tears streamed down her face as she gazed deeply into Remy's eyes. He, too, looked at her, his expression unreadable yet intense. Between them, no words were needed."Damien… Thank you…" Though her voice was barely audible, the weight of her words sank deep into Remy's heart. For once, he did not object to being called Damien.The truth was, ever since Amber had been taken, an unbearable pressure had settled over him, making each breath feel like a punishment—every day since had been plagued by self-reproach and regret.If he hadn't stopped her that night and let her go sooner, could she have avoided Sheryl? Could she have been spared the torture and humiliation?"You should know that those who enter this place never leave. Most don't even make it out alive."Remy's gaze was unwavering. Taking advantage of the surveillance blind spot, he placed his
"Mr. Lexington," the doctor greeted respectfully, lowering his head slightly. Everyone at the base knew who Sheryl and Remy were. They were the ones in charge, the decision-makers. So, everyone obeyed their orders without question. To the staff unaware of the facility's true purpose, Sheryl and Remy stood at the pinnacle of the hierarchy. Unbeknownst to them, someone more powerful lurked in the shadows."How has she been these past few days?" Remy asked, his expression unreadable."She's had some adverse reactions, but there are no signs of organ failure yet. Honestly, I'm surprised. She looks frail, but her body is incredibly resilient—stronger than some men, even."The doctor scoffed. "But I'm not sure if she'll make it past her fourth injection today. Last month, four test subjects didn't survive beyond that point. Their bodies have already been sent to the incinerator." Remy's jaw tensed. His voice was husky as he said, "As I've instructed, this woman must be kept alive.
Xavier seethed as he took in the insincere smile on Justin's face. Deep down, he was cursing him with every profanity imaginable. "Whatever makes you happy."Ignoring Justin's dark gaze, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead as he strode past him.Out of nowhere, Justin chuckled and asked, "Did you really think you had people on your side during the board meeting?"Jasper halted, his eyes narrowing. "Grandpa tried his best to shield you, but his health is failing by the day. How much longer do you think an old man can protect you?"Lowering his gaze, Justin idly adjusted the ruby cufflinks on his sleeves. His voice was casual yet cutting. "And Lyse—after how ruthlessly you discarded her, do you still believe she'll stand by you no matter what? That she'll fight alongside you like before?"The intense midday sun accentuated the sharp, aloof, and pallid features of Jasper's face as he stood, unyielding, in its glare. His pulse quickened. Finally, he answered, his voice a low rasp. "R
As the board meeting concluded, the crowd gradually dispersed.News of Justin securing his position as president and Alyssa joining the board quickly spread through Beckett Group.After the meeting, Alyssa escorted Newton back to Crescent Bay while Jasper remained at the corporation to handle some matters.With Xavier accompanying him, Jasper strode toward the chairman's office, his expression cold and unreadable.Nearby, a few employees huddled together, whispering."Psst! Do you think Alyssa joining the board means she's teaming up with Jasper to take down our new president?""People have been saying they broke up since they haven't been seen together for a while," another speculated."But at the press conference, Alyssa openly condemned Mr. Justin. That looked like she was siding with Jasper. So, are they still together or not?""Come on, to people like them, personal feelings don't matter—only their own interests do. Even if they broke up, they can still work together if it
When Jonah reached the bedside, he leaned in slowly, giving Julien an unobstructed view of his tanned skin, well-defined abs, and that devastatingly captivating face. Reclining against the headboard, Julien found himself lost in Jonah's eyes. His breath hitched, and his mind momentarily blanked as Jonah's mesmerizing gaze locked onto him. What could he do? His heart still betrayed him, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. He was a fool—a pathetic fool. Jonah braced his arms on either side of Julien's head, his dark eyes overflowing with a raw, possessive affection. It was as if he sought to consume Julien—just as he had last night."Julien, does it still hurt—" "Fuck you!" Julien's bloodshot eyes blazed as he swung his hand, landing a sharp slap across Jonah's face. The illusion of his frailty shattered. A crimson handprint bloomed on Jonah's cheek in a split second, the flesh puffing up visibly. But the sting barely registered. Not when the ache in Jonah's chest was alr
Justin frowned as a hint of surprise flashed across his dark eyes. He had assumed Newton's unannounced appearance at the board meeting—along with Alyssa's involvement—was a coordinated effort with Jasper to overthrow him as president. After mentally running through hundreds of countermeasures, the one possibility he hadn't considered was that everything would proceed smoothly in his favor. Javier was equally stunned, though this outcome aligned with his desires. Today, Justin wasn't merely his son but a constant shadow looming over him, a silent predator watching his every move and reminding him that his past actions weren't completely buried. Instead, this secret loomed like a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment, obliterating everything he'd built. And the person holding the detonator was Justin—his eldest son whom he had trusted above all others. With a dim gaze, Javier watched Justin rise to his feet amid the applause. Suddenly, Justin's voice seemed distant,
Justin curled his lips into a smirk, scoffing in silence. Newton had gone to great lengths to bring Alyssa into Beckett Group. This was his way of decentralizing power and keeping it in check, and he wanted to prevent Justin from having complete control. Unlike others, Javier couldn't hold himself back. He blew his top instantly, his face turning red like a tomato. "Dad, have you lost your mind? Don't you know who she is? She is KS Group's president—our direct competitor!"KS Group is also bidding for Project A5. No matter how much you favor her, you should at least recognize the limits. If you promote her, it's a blatant conflict of interest—outright cronyism!" Newton sneered. "I might understand your concern if I were promoting someone other than Alyssa."His gaze hardened. "Cronyism? A conflict of interest? I wonder who you're really talking about."With those words, he cast a knowing, enigmatic glance at Justin's blank expression. Just then, a board member from Javier's
Despite his age, Newton exuded the same energy and sharpness he had in his younger days, even when surrounded by the board members brimming with vigor. Despite his quiet presence in the wheelchair, an intimidating atmosphere clung to him. In an instant, Javier was transported back to the days when he worked under Newton's strict supervision."Good day, Mr. Javier and all fellow board members. I assume no one has any objections to my presence at this meeting?"Newton's gaze swept across the room, a perfunctory smile gracing his lips."Of course not. You are part of the corporation's board of directors!" the members responded immediately.Newton nodded. "Much has happened within the corporation lately. Our shares have been fluctuating amid the controversy. "As you all know, I had intended to retire after dedicating most of my life to this company. I wanted to step aside for the younger generation rather than hover over them like a specter, micromanaging everything. "However,
Jasper's arrival plunged the conference room into an uneasy silence, and heavy tension settled over the space. Justin looked up, his expression a frozen mask. A palpable chill emanated from him. Javier's eyes widened in surprise. "Jasper? What are you doing here?" "Even though I'm no longer the president of Beckett Group, I remain a shareholder and board member. It's only natural for me to be here," Jasper replied smoothly as he strolled to his seat. As he passed behind Justin, he abruptly stopped. Without a moment's notice, he struck the back of Justin's chair. The sudden impact made Justin flinch. "Am I right, Justin?" Justin's expression darkened. Forcing a smile, he replied, "As a board member, you have the right to attend, even if you're no longer involved in operations. There's no issue.""If that's the case, why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Jasper lowered himself into his seat, legs slightly parted, exuding an air of indifference. Yet, beneath the nonc