"I've looked into Winston's video that got leaked online," Axel muttered with a hint of menace.Jasper lifted a brow in amusement as he pressed his lips unyieldingly. He had wanted to quietly resolve the issue for Winston and Jonah without Alyssa knowing, but it seemed like Axel had beaten him to it. Axel had tirelessly fought him for first place in class during military school. They often engaged in battles as students, but Jasper never anticipated that the competition would persist long after graduation. It appeared that Axel refused to give him a chance to prove himself.Thankfully, Axel wasn't a female, or they might end up in an enemy-to-lover trope.Jasper's gaze hardened. "Dominic was behind this, right?""Awesome. Mr. Beckett, you seem to solve cases through guessing," mocked Axel with a grin."The angle of the footage clearly proved it was a camera in the meeting room. After I sent Winston to the hospital, I immediately made Mr. Benton delete the footage. I believe so
Jasper held back the urge to roll his eyes as he tapped out of the chat.…Alyssa, seated in another room, repeatedly scrolled through the malicious comments online. Heartbroken and tearing up, she nearly crushed the phone screen. Silas and Liam kept her company, not knowing what to do except to exchange looks because they'd never come across such a situation."Lyse, don't fret about it. Jonah and Julien aren't in the entertainment industry. The scandal will die down after a while," Silas comforted Alyssa.He sighed, feeling sorry for Jonah."Sure, the gossip will eventually die down, but Jonah and Julien will be scarred forever." Alyssa closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Jonah is the president of KS Group. We might own the company, but Jonah's reputation and public image have taken a huge hit. "This is what the mastermind wishes to see—to tarnish Jonah's reputation so that he couldn't face the public."Julien isn't a public figure, but the Lovelace family i
Silas and Liam exited the room and closed the door behind them to offer Alyssa and Julien some privacy."Julien…" Alyssa called out to him softly.Suddenly, she found herself at a loss for words. It did not seem like an appropriate time to comfort him or discuss his relationship with Jonah. After what felt like a long silence, Julien hung his head low as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Lyse, I'm sorry."Shaking her head furiously, she gently comforted him, "Julien, this is not your fault. You don't owe anyone an apology. There's nothing wrong in loving Jonah.""It's my fault…" Julien mumbled with his head kept low like a criminal. His confident self was nowhere to be seen. "Aunt Mandy was right. I ruined Jonah's life. Things would have been different if I had listened to her."Lyse, I am at fault. I'm being selfish. I would rather be the one to pay the price. I'm willing to sacrifice anything as long as Jonah isn't hurt. I would like everything to go back to how it was, but I thi
"What?" Enraged, Alyssa snapped impatiently, "Son of a bitch! How dare they challenge me when I'm still pissed at them? It's time to teach them a lesson!""Jonah is with Winston. I haven't informed them about the Lovelaces yet." The look in Jasper's eyes hardened. He whispered, "We all know the reason the Lovelaces are here. "Jonah ought to refrain from appearing during this delicate period. The same goes for Winston. Otherwise, the Lovelaces would make a greater fuss about it. God knows what they'd resort to doing.""Hah! Try me." Her eyes were filled with rage when she recalled the suffering that the Lovelaces inflicted on Julien. "Julien is a kind young man who got beaten up all because he wanted to treat Winston. "The Lovelaces clearly treat Julien as their punching bag! How dare they call themselves his family? They have no right to!"Jasper nodded knowingly. "Well, this is a conflict between the Taylors and the Lovelaces. As an outsider, it's not my place to interfere in t
Aidan followed closely behind Joseph with fury as he ranted and badmouthed Julien. If he could, he would crucify Julien. "That's why we couldn't find him for days! It turns out he went to Jonah Taylor. Jonah Taylor kept him hidden!"Just look at him! He led a promiscuous life with the foreigners abroad, but he didn't change his ways after coming home. Not only that, he got involved with Jonah Taylor out of anyone else. It's a disgrace to the family! If Grandpa learned about this—""Shut up!" Joseph's irritation increased when he heard Aidan's rants. If only he could seal Aidan's lips! "As the oldest son, you're outperformed by Julien in medical expertise, and you don't have talent in business either. "How could you even fail at making Julien toe the line? That was a simple task. You are a good-for-nothing!"Anger pulsed through Aidan. He felt unfairly implicated. Meanwhile, Joseph's eyes were colored by rage. "If you had told me about Julien's ridiculous affairs early on, the scan
"Do you even deserve to call yourself Julien's family?" With a chilling expression, Liam stepped forward, "This is an eye-opening situation on one of my rare trips back home. "I'm curious as to what kind of family would physically hurt their child over a personal grudge, even going as far as to strip him of his human rights and keep him grounded.""Right! You must be an animal to do that!" Silas chimed in indignantly."You know nothing. This is a Lovelace family affair. Those who go against our family rule shall be punished. It's something we've long agreed on. I bet it must be hard for a non-monogamous and disrespectful family like the Taylors to wrap their head around morals." Joseph snickered at Liam and Silas. In contrast to Aidan's quick temper, Joseph was calm and calculative as he took a swipe at the Taylors.Frowning hard, Liam cracked his fingers. "Say whatever you want, but you shouldn't dream of getting anywhere near Julien with me around, not to mention bringing him
Upon hearing Nathan's commands, the hooligans who had their hands in their pockets suddenly brandished weapons out of nowhere."H-How dare you?" Aidan's voice trembled. He seemed badly shaken. "Do you not know our family's standing in Belbanks? We're just second to the Taylors! You're only bringing trouble to yourselves if you mess with us!""Haha! Even a kid knows that the Taylors are the wealthiest in Belbanks. But I haven't heard of the Lovelace family." Nathan stretched his neck to loosen his muscles. Then, he snickered. "Anyway, I've finally met the Lovelaces in person. Second to the Taylors, huh? I guess that's only in Belbanks. Once you step out of this city, you're a fucking nobody! Hahaha!"The other gang members joined Nathan in his laughter. Silas guffawed. Even Liam, who always looked serious, betrayed a grin."You—" Aidan was at a loss for words. Joseph glared at his useless son, who not only made a joke out of himself but also made the Lovelace family into a laughin
"I'd be damned! That chick is so hot!" A few of the Ivory Gang members, attracted by Alyssa's beauty, were distracted from the fight.Jasper keenly picked up on the vulgar remarks. He quickly pulled Alyssa into a hug in a protective stance. He had to always be on his guard because Alyssa was simply too stunning."What are you staring at? And be polite!" Nathan, aware of Alyssa's status, went up to slap the three guys on their heads."Stop it! Stop fighting!" Julien bellowed at the men.He wasn't angry over his family being beaten, just disappointed at how his esteemed father had brought security over to provoke the Taylors and even got into a fight with the gangsters. In his eyes, Joseph was no different than the hooligans."Enough! Back off!" Nathan said and yawned. He didn't care to continue the fighting as the Lovelaces seemed badly defeated by the Ivory Gang anyway."Dad, how could you do this as the head of the Lovelace family?" Julien confronted Joseph, clenching his fist a
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