The gory and bloody scenes from Anne's death haunted Sophia. Suddenly, Sophia's scream pierced the air. Drenched in sweat, she quivered with pale lips."Mrs. Beckett, are you alright?" Sensing something was amiss, Simon inquired in shock."I-I'm fine." She curled her fists under the table and forced herself to stop thinking about Anne."Mrs. Beckett, you have not answered my question." Simon repeated, "You need to be frank with me on whether or not you're involved in other murders. This is crucial for me to defend you in court."You know very well that Alyssa and Jasper will take advantage of the death of a maid to attack you until you're done for. They will try their best to look into your past and submit unfavorable evidence against you in court. All these are plausible."Sophia couldn't stop trembling. She bit her lip hard."I am asking you the question for no other reason than to increase our chance at winning. You need to be honest with me. Give me your full trust and cooper
"Just wait and see. One day…" Betty's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Javier and Betty spun around to look at the visitors, only for their faces to fall.Jasper and Alyssa had showed up at court, followed by a few members of the Taylor family—Jonah Cyrus, Tatiana, and Winston's three wives. They expressed their support for the victim through their actions.Landon would have shown up to express his support at such a critical time, but he decided to keep Lauren company at home because the case involved Lauren's mother. He worried Lauren might suffer a breakdown when she learned about the details.Betty clenched her jaw as her eyes rested on Alyssa, but the latter did not pay any attention to her at all. With no way to release her anger, Betty raged on silently.Alyssa wore light makeup for the trial and a white pantsuit with her self-designed sapphire brooch on the chest. She carried herself with elegance and class.Jasper stood tall beside her in a smart and ta
"It's fine. Dad is at the meeting," Jonah replied while quietly casting a loving gaze at Alyssa. "I came over because I was worried about Lyse and wanted to lend a hand if any emergency arises.""Woah, Jonah, you're doting on her like she's your daughter," Cyrus complimented Jonah earnestly as he stared conflictedly at Alyssa and Jasper. "But we're not going to have many opportunities to stay by her side. Now that she has her protector, she will not need us as much.""Such is life. Ever since her 18th birthday, I braced for the day she no longer needs me." Jonah was flooded with memories of Alyssa's smiling face. Despite the bitterness, he only had blessings for Alyssa instead of envy. "Isn't it nice that we can entrust her to Jasper? It's also about time we 'retire' from her life."The murmurs ceased after the plaintiff, the attorneys, and the prosecutor filed into the court. Sean and Simon took their seats on both sides, the tension between them palpable."Sean, good luck!" Tatia
Except for the audience members hired by Javier, every other individual in the public gallery directed hateful looks at Sophia. Even Betty glared disdainfully at Sophia, who had always been thinking of ways to sell her off.Sophia had made the necessary preparations for her court appearance. She had asked to use the restroom before the trial, where she touched up her face to make herself appear like a pale, tortured woman. Topped with her pitiful look, she could convince almost anyone.As expected, when Javier met her pleading gaze, he was instantly transported back to the day of their first encounter. His steeled heart started to waver."You evil bitch! I want you to take responsibility for killing Nina! An eye for an eye!" Gemma struggled to keep her emotions in check when Sophia showed up. Quivering, she growled and sobbed, touching the hearts of the audience.However, Sophia, acting like she was innocent, teared up and shook her head helplessly. Whatever happened in the public
The audience fell silent. Even those audience members hired by Javier to fill the seats were affected by Sean's speech that explained the ordeal faced by Nina. In the end, they cast disdainful and acrimonious looks at Sophia.Once again, Alyssa was brought back to the scene of Nina's brutal death. Feeling heartbroken, she covered her ears with her hands and shut her eyes tightly, feeling like she was in an enclosed space. Sweat dotted her forehead as she struggled to breathe."Lyse, don't think about it. I'm here for you," Jasper comforted her and pulled her into a hug. He guided her to rest her forehead on his shoulder.Although Nina wasn't Alyssa's family, Alyssa's kind soul was irreparably scarred and traumatized after witnessing Nina's death."Jasper… I feel like I'm at fault," she sobbed and whispered in his ear.Her words nearly broke his heart. Tearing up, he consoled her, "Don't say that. Lyse, you're not at fault. The two people in the dock are the sinners."After Sean d
Without Sophia's strategies, Betty could not survive, like a parasite who had left its host.Meanwhile, Sophia and Jeffrey were attacking each other in court, bringing Javier so much shame that he wanted to leave the scene.After the plaintiff and the defendant delivered their opening statements, the trial entered the most crucial round of witness examination and questioning.It was Simon's time to spring into action. Chuckling, he stretched and stood up relaxedly. "Mr. Snyder, you claimed that the defendant paid you off to get rid of Ms. Carle, but there's no evidence to back up your claim. I have a reason to suspect that you're lying and framing my client to get away from your crime.""I did not lie! I told the truth. I never had any exchange with the maid at all. Why would I kill her for no reason?" Jeffrey nervously defended himself.Sean fixed a stern gaze on Simon's animated face and silently clenched his fist. The secret recordings by Nina were in Sean's possession. She had
Sean had kept his silence during Simon's animated cross-examination, which made him appear like he was at a disadvantage.Seated in the public gallery, Tatiana felt her heart leaping into her throat. Her eyes were sore from focusing on Sean throughout the proceeding.Worried about Sean, she hated that she couldn't be of help to him. All she could do was to silently cheer him on."We'll pass the floor to the plaintiff's defense," Steven announced and gave Sean a look of affirmation.The Lynch brothers rarely interacted with each other as adults. They were not as close as other siblings, and on top of that, they were active in different professional fields. Still, Steven and Sean were at least upright, never once acting against their principles compared to the corrupted Simon.Meanwhile, Simon had always looked down on Sean and repeatedly described Steven as a strait-laced, puritanical goody-two-shoes. Simon perceived himself as the pillar of the family, staunchly believing that he,
"Of course, Your Honor." Sean regained his composure and cast a loaded look at Alyssa and Jasper's direction.The couple gave him a stern nod, after which he proceeded to land a sharp gaze on Sophia, "Sophia Kirkman, you claim that you have never committed murder. I will repeat my question to you. Are you telling the truth? This is your last chance at coming clean."Simon nearly burst out laughing at Sean's crude tactics. He glanced disdainfully at his silly brother, thinking, "Sean, you are too inexperienced to take me down. How dare you think of winning against me in court by asking that stupid question? Only a fool would admit to murder.""No! I can't even hurt a fly. I would never murder a human being," Sophia confirmed while her mind whirled. Thinking back about the past, she had always instructed others to do the dirty work for her. Given her stature, she would never dirty her hands. Therefore, she announced confidently, "Ask me as many times as you want. My answer remains t
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
Searching for Amber without direction would be pointless. Jasper made a swift decision to bring Alyssa back to the manor, shielding her from the relentless chill of the wind. Once inside, he immediately began organizing the search. He deployed his men and contacted Landon, requesting additional support.The two of them sat together on the couch.This time, there was no space between them. It was as though an invisible force drew them closer, their proximity feeling natural yet electric. Neither could say who had moved first.Alyssa, however, was in no mood to dwell on their closeness. Wrapped in her down jacket, she curled up on the couch, her arms hugging herself tightly. A quiet frostiness emanated from her as she sat in silence, listening to Jasper's calm and methodical calls to mobilize his team.In the past, his composed presence would have been enough to ease her mind. But now, her thoughts were a tangled mess, each one like a razor claw tearing at her heart. The pain was u
"Ms. Gillis, I've searched her thoroughly. She doesn't have anything on her." Sheryl's brows knitted in frustration. "How can that be? Where's her cell phone?" "There wasn't one." Sheryl, no longer concerned about dirtying herself, stepped forward, grabbed Amber by her hair, and forced her to meet her gaze."You bitch," Sheryl snarled. "You came to The Millennium at this hour for a reason. What did you find? Hand it over, and I might spare your worthless life!"Amber spat a mouthful of bloody saliva directly onto Sheryl's face."Fuck! You bitch!" Glaring at Amber, Sheryl rolled her sleeves up and slapped her twice in the face. Even so, it wasn't enough to quench her fury. She yelled, "Take her back!" Two of Sheryl's subordinates moved forward, dragging a limp Amber away. Sheryl's reddened eyes burned with fury as she wiped the spit off her face. She was teetering on the edge of madness."Search the area! Retrace her steps and leave no stone unturned!"…Jasper drove to