"Bitch, how dare you splash me in the face? Do you know who I am?" Dylan angrily wiped his face and cursed."I don't care who you are. You drugged a woman and tried to force her to drink it. You're worse than a dog." Alyssa casually flicked her hair, her eyes filled with seduction.Dylan was furious, and his rage was reaching its boiling point. How dare this woman insult him?If it weren't for the crowd around them, he would have rushed forward and slapped this despicable woman!At that moment, two bodyguards from the Gardner family caught up. Dylan immediately signaled them to take her away.She needed a good beating, and Dylan wanted Alyssa to learn her lesson on the bed.The two burly bodyguards lunged at Alyssa. Even though she was tipsy, her muscle memory allowed her to swiftly dodge their attacks, causing the two bodyguards to stumble."Too slow." Alyssa yawned."Capture her!" Dylan shouted angrily as he wiped his face.One of the bodyguards crawled up and reached out to
Dylan was so shocked that his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. So this was Jasper's secret ex-wife. Honestly, her beauty surpassed that of his sister by a considerable margin. His superficial and ostentatious sister wouldn't stand a chance against this absolute beauty if it weren't for her childhood friendship with Jasper."Mr. Beckett, even if she's your ex-wife, that doesn't justify me apologizing to her!" Dylan refused to back down, unwilling to lose face. "If she apologizes first, I'll pretend this never happened!""Your men might have done something to her if I hadn't arrived on time." Jasper's expression was as cold as ice. "Just because it didn't happen doesn't mean you're not at fault. Apologize."Dylan trembled inwardly but maintained his defiant stance.Alyssa's face flushed as the effects of the alcohol kicked in.She only heard something about ex-wife and apology, and she thought, "Does this despicable man expect me to apologize? I might as well twist his head off and
Alyssa's mind was clouded, and she even mistook Jasper for her brother. She choked and cried, "Why doesn't Jasper like me? Why ..."Jasper's heart skipped a beat, his thin lips tightly pressed together as he listened to her lament."I tried so hard. I really tried. But it seems the harder I tried, the more he disliked me. Why is that? Tell me!"Suddenly, she turned around and clung to Jasper while sobbing heavily in his chest. Her tears, running nose, and makeup smeared his clean shirt.He stood rooted to the ground, his throat tightening as he felt her scorching tears searing into his chest and saturating his heart.After a while, his voice deepened as he asked, "Do you really love Jasper?"Alyssa raised her tear-stained face, her cherry lips slightly parted.Jasper gulped as he struggled against the strong temptation of pure desire. He regretted asking that question.So what if she loved him? So what if she didn't? Their divorce was a done deal, and his life partner could onl
The next day, Alyssa woke up and vomited again."Lyse, I remember you used to have a good tolerance for alcohol. How did it get so bad?" Silas hurriedly handed her a glass of water and brought her some hangover medicine."I haven't had a drink in three years and suddenly drank so much yesterday. Of course, I couldn't handle it."Alyssa knew Jasper disliked women reeking of alcohol, so she quit drinking during their three years of marriage."If I didn't know you were dunk last night, I would have thought you were pregnant," Silas teased her."Haha. What would you guys do if I really got pregnant with Jasper's child?" A subtle look of pain flashed across her eyes."What else can we do? Of course, we'll take care of the child together. Regardless of who the father of the baby is, it's innocent."Although Silas hated Jasper to the core, his values were upright, probably due to his profession as a legal practitioner."Don't worry. Do you think I'll want to bear Jasper's child?" Alys
"I'd never fall for the same trap twice!" Alyssa thought determinedly.At that moment, she got messages from the "Taylor Family's Secret Society."Jonah: "Lyse, remember how they exposed the dirt on you yesterday? They've been deleted now, including the accounts. Jasper did it."Alyssa: "Wow, I'm so grateful to him."Axel: "What? Does he think everything's settled just because they've been deleted? Naive."Liam: "Too bad the Beckett Group's stock price only had a small effect this morning."Silas: "Lyse, even if we can't do anything to him right now, we should teach the Gardners a lesson."Alyssa: "That's for sure. I hold grudges, and they must pay."Alyssa called Sean. "Sean, spare me a moment."Sean entered the office promptly. "You called for me, Ms. Alyssa?""Have you prepared the materials and evidence as I told you?" Alyssatwirled in her seat with her arms on the armrest."Yes, I have everything ready to hand them over to the related department whenever you want.""No
Jasper kneaded his brows and muttered, "Alyssa Taylor … I feel like I've heard the name before." "I've researched more about Ms. Alyssa," Xavier said. Jasper's eyes lit up. He was pleased that the usually slow secretary was finally one step ahead of him at doing things."Tell me what you found.""In the end, I found nothing." Xavier's shoulders drooped, and he spread his hands.Jasper said, "Xavier, I believe you can get your early salary payment from the HR department." He seemed calm."Calm down, Mr. Beckett! It's not that I didn't investigate, but finding info on Ms. Alyssa is like searching for a top-secret file. It's just not available, so there's not much I can do."Xavier felt scared. He wiped off his sweat nervously. Xavier continued, "Don't you think that it's strange? She's Mr. Taylor's first wife's only daughter, but I can't find any information about her online. I even searched through all social media platforms. Yet, I still got nothing! I wonder if she lives in
"Jasper, have you looked into the matter? What's happening?" asked Javier while comforting Sophia."The culprit is Alyssa Taylor, the newly appointed general manager of KS Group." Jasper dropped his gaze to the ground. He didn't want to see the affectionate scene between Javier and Sophia. Javier had never treated him and his mother well when he was younger. Jasper suspected that Javier had long forgotten what his mother looked like."KS Group … The Taylors in Belbanks?" gasped Sophia. She covered her mouth. "That's the richest family in Belbanks! How did Lia offend them?""Our families have been on bad terms due to past issues between our ancestors. Their great-grandmother even swore not to have a marriage alliance with our family. Anyone who goes against that rule must cut ties with the family."Jasper was unbothered by that. His fiancée was Liana, not anyone from the Taylor family.However, those words still affected him, and he felt a surge of coldness. "Geez! I bet the
The next morning, Jasper dressed himself neatly. He appeared more dependable and sophisticated in his suit. He was going to KS World Hotel in the best state possible.Upon entering the lobby, he felt relaxed. Last year, he had visited the place and criticized it for being shabby and in need of many touch-ups. However, now it seemed like a whole new place. It was on par with five-star hotels.The new general manager seemed capable. Jasper believed he shouldn't underestimate her."This is the president of Beckett Group. Please relay the message that he would like to meet with Ms. Alyssa," Xavier said. Xavier faced many hurdles to reach Alyssa's administrative secretary, Avery."I'm sorry, but it's impossible without an appointment." Avery was being polite."The president of Beckett Group needs an appointment too?" Xavier's brows furrowed. "Why not?""You!" His face turned red with anger. He desperately wanted to file a complaint. "I'll make an appointment now. When can I m
"Younger brother?" Jonah echoed. The mention of Damien brought a sharp pang to his chest. Memories of the plane crash flashed before his eyes. He continued, his voice tight with emotion, "Even if he is my brother, he allied with the devil and chose a corrupt path. I am severing ties with him!"With that, Jonah slammed his arm down, a decisive gesture."Jonah! No!" Jasper shouted.In the next instant, Remy, with an almost unnatural calm, grabbed the blade of the dagger with his bare hand. Blood began to flow from his palm.Jonah's heart twisted in agony. Family meant everything to him, yet here he was, inflicting harm on one of his own."I didn't come here to stop you," Remy said, his voice low and strained as he met Jonah's reddened eyes. "But I must stop both of you. This is my mission."Jonah stared at him, stunned. "Why—""Because I work for Sir. I have no choice but to follow orders."Turning to Jasper, Remy said, "Go." …After watching them leave, Remy trudged through
Jasper and Jonah went to get Sebastian and Xavier out of the car. The four of them then bolted toward the other end of the alley. A clamor broke out behind them. Jasper glanced back, his heart pounding.Warmth surged through his hardened heart as he saw Axel holding his own in a brutal fight against over a dozen assassins, skillfully subduing them one by one."Jasper!" All of a sudden, Jonah stopped in his tracks. Jasper turned to see what had caught his attention, and his heart sank. Standing at the alley's end, silhouetted against the light, was a tall figure radiating a presence that commanded fear. Though the man's face was obscured, his unyielding presence was unmistakable. It was Justin's right-hand man, Remy."Mr. Beckett, w-what should we do?" Xavier stammered.With a fierce glint in his eyes, Jonah took a step forward. "I'll hold him back. The rest of you, keep going." "Xavier, take Dr. Bender to the press conference immediately. Don't let anything stop you." J
"Maggie, I love you!" Xavier typed.Maggie replied, "Xave, you're not usually this corny. What happened?" Xavier couldn't bring himself to tell her that those words were his final ones if something happened to him.His phone buzzed again. It was Maggie sending another message that read, "I love you too, Xave." Tears filled Xavier's eyes. His lips quivered, and his heart raced. He cursed under his breath. It was time to go all out. With that, he grabbed the machete, swung open the car door, and swiftly took down two of Jasper's attackers.But Xavier wasn't a fighter. He had no real combat experience. It didn't take long before a blade sliced into his arm, the deep cut searing with pain.Jasper's eyes widened. He roared, "Xavier, get back in the car!"Distracted, Jasper's opponent swung a machete at his face. Xavier gasped, "Mr. Beckett!"Luckily, Jasper dodged the strike, his reflexes quick. He retaliated by snapping the attacker's arm.Xavier, pale and shaking with pain,
Frightened out of his wits, Xavier yelped, covering his head and crouching low in his seat. It wasn't that he was a coward. He had been brave in the past, but this situation was unlike anything an ordinary person would face.Working for Jasper meant Xavier didn't have to worry about his livelihood, but every day was a gamble with danger. If this continued, he might have to keep Nitroglycerin on hand just to survive.Jasper, with his strong, muscular frame, shielded Sebastian beneath him.He knew the attackers were after Sebastian, the witness, aiming to eliminate anyone who could tip the scales against them. If they could take down Jasper too, or at least injure him severely, it would be a bonus.These people were ruthless. Sebastian, oblivious to the danger, was muttering the Lord's Prayer under his breath. He didn't know that the man protecting him was sometimes more powerful than any deity."Don't lift your heads! Arrows aren't like bullets—they can pierce glass but not the
Time was ticking. The press conference was about to begin. Landon escorted Sebastian out of the manor and into Jasper's car. He glanced at Jasper, who sat in the back seat, his expression calm and composed.With concern etched on his face, Landon said, "Jasper, let me come with you. I can't feel at ease otherwise."Jasper met Landon's gaze, firm and aloof. "Don't worry, Landon. You've done enough. It's time for you to step back."If Landon continued to help, he would only get caught up in the chaos. Despite his current difficulty in articulating his feelings, Jasper couldn't forget that this was his best friend, the one he'd stood by for more than 20 years. Landon had endured so much to finally be happy with Lauren, and Jasper wasn't about to be the one to disrupt that hard-earned happiness. Understanding Jasper's stubbornness, Landon turned to Xavier. "Call me immediately if anything happens.""Don't worry, Mr. Harper," Xavier reassured. With that, Sebastian climbed into
That said, this strategy came with its own risks. It was as if Jasper and Axel were placing all their bets on Remy for the time being."Justin doesn't control someone without a reason. Since he has control over Remy, he will make full use of him."Jasper's chest tightened, a weight pressing down on him like a massive rock. He continued, "The only way to find Amber is to understand Justin's intentions clearly."…The press conference was scheduled for 5:00 pm at Berenike Hotel's Conference Hall A on Saturday. At 3:00 pm sharp, Justin sat in the president's office at Beckett Group, his expression frigid. He sat upright on the couch while Sheryl, standing beside him, carefully tended to the wound on his left ear, changing its dressing with caution. It had been only two days since he was shot in the ear. His flesh had been stitched up, and the stitches looked like a grotesque centipede crawling along his ear. There was no way to conceal the injury unless he donned a shoulder-lengt
"Remy beat Sheryl up?" Jasper repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. Having wiped away his tears, Axel leaned in to listen to the phone call."Yeah! I saw it with my own eyes in the surveillance footage. He punched her—brutally!" Xavier's voice was filled with astonishment. He exhaled sharply before continuing, "I thought they were a close-knit group. Looks like even they have internal conflicts!"After a brief pause, he ventured, "Mr. Beckett, do you think we could use this as a breakthrough? Maybe Remy has been at odds with Sheryl for a while, and he's tired of working under Justin. Perhaps all he needs is a little push to turn against them. After all, didn't Ms. Altman join us because she hated everything Jameson did?"Jasper didn't give a direct answer. Instead, he spoke quietly, "It's a clever thought, but it's still uncertain. We don't really know Remy's intentions. Our interactions with him have been few, and they've always been risky confrontations. I don't know what he
"Didn't you say you had no idea what I was talking about? In that case, this ear is useless to you. You're already a crippled man anyway. You might as well be deaf too." Axel's hands trembled with restrained rage. The temptation to end Justin's life surged through him—he wanted to pull the trigger, to rip him apart limb by limb. But he had made a promise to Jasper—no lives would be taken. A promise was a promise."I will rescue my wife. But you'll lose more than just an ear if I fail." Axel seized Justin by the hair, his reddened eyes brimming with tears. His voice cracked with fury and anguish. "I will make you suffer a thousand times the pain Amber has endured."Without warning, he released Justin and stormed out."S-Sir! I will get someone to take you to the hospital right away!" Sheryl crawled to Justin's side, panic-stricken as her eyes fell on the pool of blood spreading across the floor. Her trembling hands fumbled with her phone, unable to keep a firm grip as she scrambl
"Sir!" Sheryl shouted. She was just about to get to Justin's side when two shots were fired near her feet. Screaming, she dropped to her knees, threw her arms over her head, and scurried under the table like a terrified animal.The air in the room grew heavy with menace.Justin, known as the devil of the night, was a man who thrived on chaos. His power and influence stretched across continents, and he'd faced countless threats without flinching.But as his visitor approached, an unfamiliar dread coiled in his chest. His hands gripped the couch's armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The terror was suffocating."Get out, all of you," the man commanded, his voice cold and sharp.The man remained fixated solely on Justin while Justin's guests fled in terror. "Help! Somebody!" Sheryl screamed, her voice muffled as she cowered under the table.No help would come. Outside, the others were either unconscious or dead.A deafening bang shattered the silence. The man fir