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
"Aunt Sophia, I'm so lucky to have you!" Liana almost shed tears of gratitude.There was a sudden commotion among the guests as the socialites turned their attention to the main entrance. There, Jasper and Landon made their way together to the venue. The two accomplished men instantly became the center of attraction. As scions of the Beckett family and the Harper family, respectively, they were the subject of photographers and the heartthrobs to all ladies.Both men were dressed in suits. Jasper opted for an all-black attire that gave off a stoic and imposing air. In contrast, Landon wore an all-white suit, looking clean and refined."Oh my God! Mr. Beckett and Mr. Harper are here!""I can die happy now that I've seen them in person!""Look at Mr. Beckett's long legs! And that face—he's too perfect to be a human. He looks like a main character in a dating sim!""Don't forget Mr. Harper! I'm swooning at his devilish grin! I have a thing for him."Liana noticed Landon checking o
Liana noticed that Jasper had been fixating on Alice ever since Alice showed up. Fueled by insecurity and rage, she started plotting her moves."Alice!" Landon flashed a broad smile and waved at her. She nodded softly and returned the smile while Betty turned green with envy at his enthusiasm.Just as Alyssa was about to brush shoulders with Jasper, he suddenly reached out to hold her arm. "Where are you going?""I can't stay by your side, Mr. Beckett." She slowly removed her arm from his grasp with a faint smile. Anger flooded his veins. He wanted to say something, only to be interrupted by Sophia, who approached them arm in arm with Liana."Alice, I'm so glad you came. I thought you were going to skip the event."They instantly became the center of attention as the guests speculated the relationship between the stunning beauty and the Beckett Group."Mrs. Beckett, I have no reason to be absent. Grandpa has been looking forward to celebrating his birthday with Jasper and me," Al
A hush silence hung in the air before the crowd buzzed in excited whispers. The guests had not expected to come across the juicy gossip at the birthday event.The look in Alyssa's eyes hardened. Yet, she remained composed. Everything was under her control. Landon ran to her worriedly and panted heavy and hot air all over her. Concerned, he mumbled, "Alice …"She turned around, her face lighting up with a bewitching smile. "It's fine."He was once again smitten by her irresistible smile."Sophia, let's keep the focus on Grandpa's birthday. Enough with the gossiping, especially not about my private life." Jasper's eyes simmered with hostility and fury."Forgive me, Jasper, for speaking without thinking." Faking a guilty expression, Sophia chuckled. "I just wanted to introduce Alice to our guests today who might not know her. "She was once our daughter-in-law after all. Even after the divorce, we can't have people looking down on her because of her background."Sophia had craftily
Alyssa followed Jasper into the study. The door closed behind her with a soft click. She didn't move to switch on the lights or sit down. Instead, she stood quietly in the dim room.They faced each other, eyes locked. In the darkness, their gazes seemed brighter, charged with emotions that neither could put into words. Whatever stirred within them was tangled and silent—kept at bay by something unspoken, as if a wall had formed between heart and mouth. After a pause, Alyssa offered a faint smile. Her voice was soft, almost courteous. "Go ahead, Mr. Beckett. I won't be staying long tonight—I've made other arrangements."It was clear she didn't want to be alone in a room with him.Jasper's chest tightened, overwhelmed by a surge of emotion he couldn't define. His voice was rough when he finally spoke. "You didn't vote against the motion at today's board meeting. I wanted to know… are we still on the same side?"Alyssa's gaze lowered, her voice steady and calm. "You didn't object
In the evening, Xavier drove Jasper to meet with Newton. Along the way, news broke out that Sheryl had been bailed out. Xavier slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "Damn it! Why is it so hard to get rid of that woman?" "She is Justin's right hand," Jasper said, eyes shut as he leaned back in his seat. His jaw tightened. "You could even say she knows more about his secrets than anyone. As long as she's useful, Justin won't discard her so easily. This is how he operates."Xavier shook his head, teeth gritted. "Where the hell did she even come from? When you had me investigate her, I found nothing. Her background was spotless. "What's in her past that Justin would go so far to keep it hidden? A man like him can have any woman he wants, yet he clings to her—some pretty-faced idiot who only seems to make things harder for him."Jasper's gaze turned glacial. Xavier's casual remark struck him.He was right. Justin wasn't short on capable subordinates. So why Sheryl?Was Sh
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