As night fell, Jameson went to Schmidt Residence to have dinner with Victor. The once lively dinner table was now silent, with only Victor and Jameson sitting by it.Jameson told Victor what happened in the Taylor family while eating.Victor chuckled out loud. "I was wondering why that old fox Winston hasn't been making an appearance recently. So he's in the ICU? I still remember how he used to boast about his good health. Health my ass! I bet he's worn himself out with all those wives of his!"Jameson silently drank his water.Victor raised his glass to Jameson. "Now that Winston Taylor has fallen, his family and company must have descended into chaos. They're only acting like everything's fine on the surface. If something happens to Jonah Taylor, then KS Group really will have no one to lead them now. We'll have a chance to get our revenge against them!"Just then, someone called out, "This is our time, Dad!"Josh strode into the dining room, lips twitching from excitement even
Winston was immediately hospitalized at the VIP ward of a Belbanks hospital owned by the Taylors.When Alyssa and Jasper sent Winston to the hospital, Jonah and Julien had been waiting for them. After a few days of separation, Alyssa noticed that Julien had lost weight and looked pallid. It was as though he had recently recovered from a serious illness.Without wasting time, the hospital staff wheeled Winston into the treatment room, and Julien followed suit. Before entering the room, he turned to cast one last glance at Jonah, mouthing, "Don't worry. I got you."Everyone's heart sank when the doors slammed shut. Jonah stared squarely at the room with bated breath and heartache. Winston's ailment and Julien's health weighed heavily on him.That morning, Julien had complained about a dull pain in the wounds on his back. Jonah had wanted him to rest, but upon learning about Winston's health issue, Julien scrambled up with renewed vigor and insisted on traveling to Belbanks.On their
Jonah tentatively asked, "Lyse, would you harbor resentment toward me if I ever lied to you?"Alyssa's eyes widened in astonishment. "Resentment" was a weighty term to introduce into their conversation. She hadn't anticipated such a question from Jonah."Jonah, did something happen? Why that sudden question?" She grabbed his muscular arm and swung it gently. "Just tell me what's on your mind. Don't give me a scare, okay?"Jonah stared at the ground with a dispirited look on his face."Jonah, no matter what you did, I'll always see you as my brother. I won't hate you." Alyssa choked up with emotions, perhaps from the compounding stress of Winston's situation and Jonah's moody remark. "Whatever happens, just know that you're the best. You're irreplaceable!""You silly goose." Smiling wryly, he stroked her head softly as Jasper watched on.In the past, Jasper would have turned green in envy at the sight. However, he was solely concerned about Jonah at that moment. For some reason, h
Cyrus advised Silas, "Jonah has been protecting us forever. He cares for everyone in the family and never once complains about the suffering he has been through. "He doesn't owe us anything. All he does is in the family's best interest. I know you're worried, but that was out of line. How disappointing!"Taken aback, Silas realized the harshness of his remark. Gritting his teeth, he turned away.Jasper felt uneasy to witness the Taylor siblings' fallout. Their relationship was what he had always hoped for. Hence, he wished they could remain close and friendly to uphold his ideals."Someone… leaked your dad's condition at the company meeting on the internet." Eyes red from crying, Mandy said, "The entire nation probably heard about it by now. "Even Miley and Jeremy got the update in Kontina. They've just boarded a flight back to Belbanks and will be here in five hours. They'll be by Winston's side in no time."Alyssa felt her blood turn cold. She quickly logged into Twitter on h
The Taylors were astonished to find Julien at the hospital. Mandy's eyes widened in surprise as she dashed over to him. "Why are you here?""Jonah's dad is in trouble. I have to show up to help, no matter what it takes, Aunt Mandy." Julien grinned, his lovely face covered in sweat.Feeling horrible, Mandy stared at her feet. She was the one who chased Julien out of Heightsnew Villa, alerted the Lovelaces about it, and the reason Julien was humiliated in front of the Taylors.She hadn't expected Julien to have dropped everything to help the Taylors when they were in trouble, which would put him at risk of getting punished by the Lovelaces. This showed that he was serious about Jonah.Nevertheless, if the true love between Julien and Jonah would only land them in hot water, she'd rather Julien treat Jonah as one of his many flings."Julien, how's Dad doing?" Alyssa and the rest of her family surrounded Julien, casting worried looks at him."Please brace yourself before listening to
Jasper's languid tone pained Landon. "Jasper, stop sounding so defeated. Chin up, won't you? Sometimes, when I struggle to face the boomers in top leadership as the company president, I mimic what you do."You're my role model, and you need to act like one. Who else am I going to learn from?"To Landon, who lost his father young, Jasper was more than a true friend; he was also an older brother who contributed significantly to Landon's growth.Jasper managed a smile, his frosty expression softening. Still, Landon's remark failed to lighten up his mood.Right after Jasper ended the call, everyone else's phones buzzed with notifications in unison.Sean, who had been out dealing with work matters on Alyssa and Jonah's behalf, hurried back frantically. "Mr. Jonah, I have bad news!"As the words rolled off his tongue, he turned white and froze on the spot upon noticing the other family members present. Alyssa, Jasper, and the others had checked the push notifications on their respect
Utterly stunned, Mandy's hand halted mid-air, the sting of impact pulsing through her palm. She had landed a hard slap on Jonah's face instead.Julien gazed at Jonah, who had unhesitatingly shielded him, his heart pounding so hard that it was about to explode. "Jonah, I…""Aunt Mandy, please do not hit Julien. He's not to be blamed. It's all my fault."A deathly silence descended on the corridor after Jonah addressed Mandy. His calmness in the face of unyielding pressure felt the more pitiful. "Julien has suffered through beatings for me and the Taylor family. I do not ever want to put him through anything like that. I will protect him to the best of my ability."Jonah's declaration caught everyone by surprise. Meanwhile, Julien's head hung low. Though Jonah's gesture touched him, he found himself weighed down by guilt and self-blame. Since childhood, Edgar and Mandy had instilled in him the belief that he was the hope of the Lovelace family, thus impressing upon him the expectat
With a meaningful look, Winston shifted his gaze from Jonah to Julien.Moments later, he rasped, "Jonah, let's have a private chat."…Winston and Jonah were alone in the room. Winston stared out the window with his back to Jonah without saying a word.Jonah had expected a barrage of questioning and scolding, but they did not come. The silence, however, proved more agonizing than direct confrontation."Dad, everything you've read and seen is true. I'm sorry," Jonah broke the silence and apologized profusely to Winston. "I'm deeply sorry for all the time and energy you invested in me, only to end up being a disappointment. This is entirely my fault. I only ask one thing—please don't make things difficult for Julien."Winston remained silent. Seeing that, Jonah slowly straightened up and suggested, "I know my scandal has landed KS Group in a crisis. I will turn in my resignation tomorrow and kickstart the handover transition. I will also step down from the board of directors."Hea
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