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
Setting aside Winston's titles, he was first and foremost a father. He had promised Jennifer to protect their children as long as he was alive.…Following the exposé, Jonah and Julien's relationship created a huge stir online. One could only imagine the level of insults hurled at them by the public and KS Group's business rivals, who wished for the company's downfall.Someone wrote, "What the fuck? That's revolting. Don't homosexuals lead a promiscuous life and are prone to getting AIDS?""How obscene! That's against the law of nature.""The homosexual circle sounds pretty messed up. They could sleep with anyone. True love doesn't exist for them.""Jonah Taylor's image is irreparably ruined. He was once the perfect president of KS Group, but he's done for now!""I'm more shocked by his lover. It's Julien Lovelace of the Lovelace Group! OMG! The rich certainly chase after thrills.""What a waste of two hotties!"The Taylor family was in disarray after the scandal. Lyla, Colene
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