When the door opened, Landon slid into the living room speedily, worried that Alyssa might change her mind. "Gosh, it's so hard to visit you. The entrance fee is pretty exorbitant."Under the lights, Alyssa's curves were accentuated by the tight robe on her body. Her tiny waist and buttery skin were luscious. He swallowed hard upon casting his eyes on her."Mr. Harper, your eyes are wandering elsewhere," Sean reminded him with much hostility."It's human nature to love beauty. I'm looking at her with the sole intention of admiring an artwork," he grinned and talked his way out of it shamelessly. It was the first time Sean had come across a man who'd reframe his inappropriate behavior into something noble."Is LAN's sculpture in this box?" She stared keenly at the box in his arms."Yes. I bought two sculptures from her—one for Jasper's grandpa and the other for you." His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Alice, LAN's artworks are handmade. She'll only put ten items on sale every ye
Alyssa said, "Let's do another one.""But you promised to do me a favor!" Landon frowned like a little brat."I really can't agree to that." Alyssa put on a serious face. "I promised Grandpa to show up as his daughter-in-law for the birthday. I will have nothing to do with the Beckett Family after that. "I'm afraid I'll only upset him if I show up to his birthday with a male partner. It's my wish to grant him a memorable 80th birthday. I don't have much time with him, anyway …"A tinge of wistfulness crept into her eyes."Alice, you're a lovely woman. Jasper lost out on you because he's blind!" Landon sighed. Upon second thought, he wouldn't have had a chance with Alice had it not been for Jasper's mistake. Jasper's loss was Landon's gain—a chance at love and happiness!"That's why I wanted us to do another one." She caressed the sculpture with much affection."How about you call me by my name? 'Mr. Harper' sounds too formal." He blinked earnestly."Is that it? My favors don
Twenty minutes later, Jasper showed up in front of Alyssa's villa. He rolled down the windows and stared at the warm lights from the windows, frustrated at the thought of Landon and Alice alone.Frowning, he clutched his phone in his sweaty palm. The screen showed the photo of Alice in a sexy, silky nightdress that showed off her lovely curves.She had only worn loose cotton pajamas in the past, which made her look pregnant. After the divorce, she had let loose of herself and turned into a siren who captivated men everywhere!His firm chest rose and fell. Looking at the photo, he tugged on the perfect knot on his tie. He felt a rush of temptation. …On the other hand, Landon stared at Alyssa with a long face while she chomped on the blue cheese chicken sandwich. He grew up in a very sheltered environment, where his mom doted on him and catered to his fussy tastebuds. He would never eat something like blue cheese."Aren't you eating? It won't be nice when it gets cold," she wonde
The screen went dark, but Jasper's angry eyes were etched on Alyssa's mind. How could that bastard dare to threaten Landon with the divorce? That was tasteless. "Is he seriously thinking of keeping me under his thumb forever using the divorce?" she thought furiously."Alice, I'm sorry." Sniffling, Landon felt a little uneasy. "It's all my fault for being a big mouth. I shouldn't have told him …""It's not your fault." She took a deep breath and cracked her knuckles. "That shameless prick Jasper Beckett is to blame! He just won't let me live in peace."Landon had always acted macho and arrogant in front of ladies. The women around him were mostly submissive and quiet. Therefore, he was flustered by Alyssa's outburst, which was his first experience of being subjugated by a woman.Thunder clapped, followed by bolts of lightning. Rain was coming."Let's have dinner. Ignore him." She left in anger. Standing by the entrance, Landon threw a glance at the door when he was struck by a mo
The winds howled in the downpour as a flash of purple lightning struck. Alyssa recalled that Jasper was standing under a tree just now.The thought terrified her, especially because Jasper was on his phone. Was he asking to be struck by lightning?"Jasper Beckett, I will never meet you out there. Stop calling me and go home now!" Her eyes had turned red."I will not leave if you aren't coming out." His tone was steely."Madman. You're an asshole!" Her face was flushed in anger. She cussed while making her way to the stairs to get out of the villa. Sean called out to her repeatedly but failed to stop her.…Jasper grasped the phone tightly in his hand with a deep frown. Standing firmly, he stared at the door of the villa.He breathed heavily, his eyes lit up with hope when the door was finally opened. Alyssa made her way to him with a jacket on her shoulders and a huge black umbrella in her hand. The wind messed up her hair. She looked frail in the rain, as though she'd be blow
"Ackk—" Despite Jasper's best efforts to hold the pain, he let out a deep groan. Still, he held on tightly to Alyssa.Her eyes wavered in shock as her heart beat against her chest. "Jasper, are you alright?""I'm fine. Get into the car." He endured the pain and grabbed her wrist stubbornly.The rain poured down as she was dragged into the car, speechless at Jasper. The car's interior was dark, damp, and filled with the warmth of their breaths.He threw his wet jacket onto the front passenger seat. His eyes were half-hidden behind his damp bang. He still looked hot even when he was a mess.Still frightened, Alyssa recalled Jasper's hug at that terrifying moment just now. She had mixed feelings about it.In their three years of marriage, he had never hugged her. She finally experienced comfort and safety in his arms."Is that what Liana has been enjoying daily?" she wondered. She smirked at the thought. It didn't matter because he was not hers anymore."Did Jonah Taylor buy you
"Why?" Jasper's eyes wavered in shock as he frowned. He had taken a while to build up the courage for the apology. For that, he lost sleep for a week.At first, he had planned to apologize to Alice at Newton's birthday event. However, when he heard that Landon had shown up at Alice's place, he could wait no more and immediately rushed over to meet her.He was confused by his rash action as he had never behaved in this way in the past. He knew there was a switch button for his emotions, but it slowly dawned upon him that Alice was in control of it."Liana should be apologizing to me. Why would you do that on her behalf? Are you showing off your love for her?" Her icy gaze pierced through him. "If she committed a murder, would you take the punishment for her as well?""Alice, I'm here to offer a sincere apology!" He raised his voice."I feel you're here to anger me." She chuckled. Her eyes were dripping with iciness. "You shouldn't throw around your apology. It's an affront.""Are
"Yeah, he's not worth it …" Alyssa mumbled in a daze.Landon inhaled sharply. He had a heartache seeing the shattered look in her eyes."Alice, why don't we try it out?" Alyssa's brows knitted tightly."Take your time to accept me. I'm no gentleman, but I'm willing to try for your sake!"At the very least, he believed he would be better to her than Jasper."Landon, I'm exhausted. Please don't put me in a difficult place." She glanced at him dejectedly."Alice …" His breath grew shallow. He felt sorry for her."It's late. I really want to go to bed. You should go home soon." She shoved him aside and dragged herself into the bedroom."Are you … and Jonah a thing? What's your relationship with him? Are you dating him seriously or using him to get back at Jasper?"She was taken aback by Landon's pointed questions and curled her fists. "That's none of your business.""I don't see any trace of him in your villa. If he's really your boyfriend, why isn't there a pair of men's slipp
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
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa
Julien's merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.Under the dim lighting, Julien vaguely noticed a sorrowful tear forming at the corner of Jonah's eye. But before it could fall, Jonah forced a blink, swallowing his emotions whole. Despite Jonah's attempt to brace himself, sorrow engulfed him, a tidal wave of despair. His features mirrored the devastation ripping through his heart. As Evan opened the driver's side door, Julien lurched forward and vomited again. The sickening sound of him retching echoed in the air as if he were expelling everything inside him. "Judas, Mr. Lovelace looks like he's suffering from alcohol poisoning. We should take him to the hospital."Evan's worry deepened at Julien's condition. Jonah wordlessly removed his suit jacket and began cleaning the mess in the car. His chest tightened painfully as he watched Julien groaning, clearly suffering. Then, without he
Jonah's gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate. The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, "Are you new? How much do you charge per night?"Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah's cheek. "You're pretty good-looking," he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. "Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?"Jonah's heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien's waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. "I'm new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?"Julien's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah. Jonah's eyes teared up as he held Julien's waist tightly. "I promise you won't be disappointed," he said, his voice deep. Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah's sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downri
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay—corrupt, degrading, and vile. "Where's Julien?" Jonah's voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp. When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent."Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?" A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah's shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. "If you're bored, I'd be happy to keep you company." Jonah's expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage. Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men. Evan yelled, "Don't touch him!" A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.The man who had draped himself over
Rafe stated, "But Beckett Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn't be able to escape unscathed!""If you're investigated, I'll make sure you can still live a life of luxury—even if you lose your job." Justin's tone darkened. "But if you turn against me, you won't just suffer a few losses. You'll lose everything."Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. "You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?"After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. "Sheryl is still being detained. She can't be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You'll handle that."Remy was taken aback. "I failed my last mission. Aren't you going to punish me?"Justin's smile was cold and insincere. "It wasn't your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I tru
Remy pursed his lips, bending down to pick up the fallen poker card. It was the King of Spades—an entry pass to Kings' Club. "My attacker was…" Remy's pupils constricted as he tightened his grip on the card. "It can only be that dear uncle of mine, always claiming to see me as his own son." Justin's lips curled into a sinister smile. "He's trying to get rid of my right-hand man, taking advantage of my internal feud with Jasper. Weakening me is just his first step toward gaining control over me."He's been a fugitive ever since his successful prison break, never returning to Cyrris after receiving his life sentence. His power base remains in Kontina. "I'm the last surviving Dutton. The Dutton Group, as a cover, has declared bankruptcy and severed all ties with the country. "My dear uncle has taken a huge risk just to target me. He sent his men to attack you in Solana City. What a delightful surprise. It seems he truly doesn't trust me, his only remaining family."Remy lowere