"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
Jasper finally woke up the next day in the afternoon. He repeatedly dreamed of the same scene.Years ago, he was dispatched on a tough mission on the Luminara battlefield. Fifty of them had to sneak into the enemy's territory to kill the terrorists and save the ten hostages.The youthful but vile abductors each held an assault rifle. They had been killing since they were five years old. The place was a hell on earth with endless bloodshed.Jasper had not been assigned to the mission at first. He requested to be sent on the mission, which was how he came to be part of the suicide squad."Young man, are you married?""No.""Why would you join the mission if you're single without kids? We are all married with children. If something happened to us, at least we left behind a legacy."He merely smiled at them with a fearless attitude toward death. "I'm fearless exactly because I have nothing worth losing."At that time, the two most important women in his life had left him, one after
Mrs. Rosie quickly corrected herself on the thought of Alice's request, "I saw it when I helped you change last night! I was shocked to see the huge bruise!"Thinking back to the heart-stopping moment from last night, he recalled the warmth from Alice's body as she rested in his arms. He remembered holding onto her tiny waist. A strong and unexplainable desire to protect her arose in him.Swallowing hard, he felt the urge rising in him, but it didn't take long before he collected himself. His expression hardened as he decided that Alice was not worth the sympathy because she had slapped and mocked him, even after he put aside his ego to apologize.The family butler announced right then, "Mr. Jasper, Mr. Harper is here to see you. He's waiting in the living room."Jasper pursed his lips. "Tell him to meet me in the study."…Betty was elated at Landon's unannounced visit. She hurriedly put on a high couture pink dress that she had recently bought. Next, she retouched her makeup
Betty's makeup-clad face froze up as she shuddered."Are we close? It's not nice to touch me all over without my permission." Landon forcefully withdrew his arm from her hold. "I-I'm sorry. I saw you as my brother because you're Jasper's friend. Nothing more than that …" She worried that he might come to detest her, so she had to explain herself."You're his sister, not mine. Mind your manners next time," he dropped a frosty remark and left. He wouldn't want a random stranger to dirty that precious shirt Alice had bought for him. Betty clenched her fists hard. Suddenly, Landon stopped dead in his tracks, put a hand in his pocket, and squinted at her. She quickly wore a smile as her heart thumped loudly."Landon might be tough on the outside, but he is soft on the inside. He must care about me!" she thought excitedly."I can't wrap my head around the recent fashion trends.""What?" She was taken aback."I didn't know that people were putting lipstick on their teeth now. I lear
Landon blushed when he added, "And she has more than one suitor!"Last night, he could think of nothing else but Alice's remark on his way home.She had confessed to him, "I wouldn't learn to love without Jasper. I will not fall for another man after leaving him."Why not? Why couldn't she?Of course, he would never let Jasper know. Why would he give Jasper something to gloat over?At the same time, Jasper was struck by a belated realization. Pain twisted his heart."Is this what it is, Alice? You giving up on your happiness just to get even with me?" he wondered. …Business was good at the KS World Hotel with a 40% increase in occupancy rate and a full house at the restaurant every day.The hotel employees worked hard in high spirits, encouraged by Betty Beckett's apology. They felt that their efforts were seen and knew Alyssa would speak up for them if they were bullied. The results were good because the morale was high.Alyssa happily checked the monthly financial report
How unbelievably cruel of you to bully your younger sibling, Betty Beckett!"Mrs. Rosie, look, I understand, truly. But please remember that I am not Jasper's wife anymore. I'm an outsider who has no say in family matters." Alyssa was helpless despite her feeling indignant. "I know. But who else can I count on except for you? I can't talk to anyone about this." Mrs. Rosie wept."Hey, d-don't cry." Alyssa felt sorry for the old lady and gently comforted her, "I have taken note of Lauren's situation. Please take care of her for now. I'll help her out if I get the chance to do so.""Thank you! Thank you, Madam Alice!" Mrs. Rosie expressed immense gratitude and reluctantly ended the call.Alyssa sighed after the phone screen went dark."Is she the old lady at the Becketts that you've mentioned before?" asked Jonah after taking a sip of tea."Yeah. She's an honest and kind soul who raised Jasper. She was good to me when I lived at the Becketts'."She would not hesitate to reciproca
Tears and heartbreak were part and parcel of a committed relationship.Alyssa had shed enough tears for Jasper. It was time to put everything behind her.…The days flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was Newton Beckett's birthday. The Beckett family accorded the old man's birthday event with high importance. For the occasion, Javier had splurged on a hundred-million-dollar mansion as a gift, which became the venue for the celebration.The event attendees were notable figures in Solana City's high society, ranging from business tycoons to Newton's old friends from the Painter's Society—a couple of whom were locally famous artists.Liana and Betty had started their preparation a week ago for the event. They busied themselves with dress selection, facial care, and manicure sessions. They showed up at the event looking like it was their big day, competing with the other ladies to grab the spotlight.Unfortunately, the exterior design of the mansion ran in contrast to their flamboyan
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
That night, Alyssa stayed in the presidential suite of Solana City's KS World Hotel. She couldn't bring herself to return to her own manor—not yet. The lingering memories of her breakup with Jasper were still too raw, and the thought of revisiting their former home felt like reopening an unhealed wound.The following morning, she was awakened by a knock at the door. Groggily, she slipped on her night robe and opened it to find Sean standing there, carrying a complete set of brand-new hiking gear.Alyssa smiled. "Thank you, Sean." "Ms. Alyssa, it's freezing today. Are you sure you want to go hiking?" Sean walked into the living room and placed the items neatly on the couch. He still felt somewhat worried. "It's alright if it's cold, as long as the weather is good."Alyssa gazed out the window. The sun was shining brightly. The thought of going hiking with Jasper today made it impossible for her to conceal the sweet smile on her face and the delight in her eyes. She still love
Remy's eyes were bloodshot; his expression twisted with disgust as he stared at Sheryl. He could hardly fathom how someone so deranged and vile had once been close to Jasper. Even if Jasper and Alyssa had separated, Sheryl was nowhere near worthy of Jasper's side; she was not even fit to be the dirt on Alyssa's shoes.A sudden flash of memory struck him—the image of Alyssa during that traffic accident. He recalled her mustering all her strength to crawl out of her wrecked car, her face bloody, her body broken yet defiant. He had never seen such a fierce spirit in a woman before.His heart pounded uncontrollably, the memory triggering a sharp pain in his temples. Remy closed his eyes, gasping for breath.Sheryl broke into wild, unhinged laughter. Her entire body shook as she spat out her words, "Oh, Jasper, you poor, clueless fool!"If he ever discovers that the woman he's been tormenting all this time is actually his savior—the one he's been desperate to repay—that would be an eart