Dinnertime arrived, and the four of them were famished. To celebrate Silas and Rose's newfound romance, they decided to visit Belbanks' most renowned local restaurant.Jasper took the wheel while Alyssa sat next to him in the front passenger seat. They allowed Silas and Rose to claim the backseat. After all, they just got together. It was understandable that they would be all over each other. Alyssa and Jasper, however, couldn't help but avoid the rearview mirror. The only sounds reaching them were occasional smacks."Ouch, Rosie," Silas winced, rubbing his hand. "Can you be a little lighter? I am your husband, you know." His playful tone made it clear he wasn't bothered by their audience.Despite the playful pain, his affection was evident."Whose permission did you think you had to let your hands wander like that? Quite bold of you, isn't it?"Silas tightened his embrace around Rose's waist, sending a warm flush creeping up her cheeks. As Rose nestled against his chest, a wave
Alyssa said, "Silas, you're stuffing yourself silly! Rose hasn't even taken a bite because she is busy taking care of you. Is this how you care for her?"Alyssa savored the prawns and fish Jasper had prepared for her. Her eyes widened. "Silas, if you mistreat Rose in any way, I'll introduce her to Liam, Axel, and Cyrus. We'll see if you can still eat like that then!"Silas choked, sputtering in terror, nearly dropping his plate.Rose blushed and patted his back gently. Then, she offered him her water. "Madam, please stop teasing me.""R-Rose, cough. I'm sorry," Silas stammered, quickly putting some food on Rose's plate. His face flushed red, on the verge of tears. "It's my first time being a boyfriend. Please don't be mad I haven't been taking care of you. Give me some time. I'll learn, slowly... no, quickly, as fast as I can!"Rose, slightly embarrassed, pursed her lips. She playfully poked his chest. "There's no rush, Silas. We have plenty of time."Alyssa and Jasper exchanged
Silas grew serious."Calm down, Lyse. You need to watch out for your health," Jasper said, holding onto Alyssa's trembling hands. "Especially after you just ate. You have a weak stomach; getting angry might make it worse."Alyssa sat down angrily. Jasper quickly embraced her and kissed her temple.Though he was calming her down, she still quivered in anger.Rose said through uneven breathing, "This really is Josh's doing. I'd asked Clarissa before why she didn't rebel against him. Times have changed, after all. She could've sued for divorce and made Josh pay at any point in time so long as she had ample evidence."But… Clarissa was really terrified of Josh. It almost seemed like Josh had some deadly upper hand over her, making it so that she never dared make a move, even if it meant meeting her death at his hands one day. Clarissa ran off before I could finish talking to her."Silas' gaze darkened somewhat when he gazed at Rose's pale face. He'd noticed how she had reacted. It wa
Meanwhile, Lauren had finally gotten into Solana City Arts Academy after Landon pulled some strings, thus granting her a spot as an associate student.Lauren quickly began her first week of classes.Though she sat in the last row of each classroom every time and even hid herself behind the large easel, she still caught the attention of the male students in class.None of them were in the mood to pay attention anymore. They kept on arching their necks to get a peek at Lauren.But Lauren was so focused on listening in class and drawing that she never once noticed the other boys. She had to pay attention as she wanted to absorb everything the art teacher was saying. After all, Landon had helped her secure this spot, so she didn't want to waste it.When class ended, Lauren began clearing up her station.Some of the male students urged one of their friends forward in Lauren's direction. The male student then took a deep breath and walked over to the last row."Apologies for coming la
"From now on, I need to care for Landon just like how Alyssa had cared for Jasper," Lauren promised.Angelina felt both endeared and sad upon hearing this. She was glad that Landon and Lauren's relationship had been far less eventful than Jasper's and Alyssa's. Lauren would never suffer by Landon's side the way Alyssa had with Jasper.But it was a good thing that Alyssa was patient enough and that Jasper realized how he truly felt in time, finally enabling both of them to reunite."Angie, if Landon isn't coming home for dinner tonight, then there's no point for me to go back either." Lauren held Angelina's hand and said, "I want to practice in one of the drawing rooms. Can we have dinner at a restaurant later instead?""W-What did you just say, madam?" Angelina was stunned.Lauren was both autistic and had high social anxiety. She'd never had a meal outside the house, even after dating Landon for so long. Lauren was always hesitant whenever Landon got them a spot at a restaurant a
Lauren's pencils fell to the floor as she flinched in shock.She then saw a human body fall outside the window, followed by a loud slam.Lauren immediately rose from her chair, her body strung tight. She sheepishly walked over to the window and looked downstairs.Her mind went blank in an instant. She clasped her mouth in fright and stumbled backward, legs beginning to quiver.A woman had fallen off the building and was lying dead on the ground outside.Panic ensued just then as screams of terror rang out from downstairs.Lauren's heart pounded heavily in her chest. She grabbed her teddy bear and promptly ran out of the classroom, not even bothering to pack anything else."Angie… Angie, where are you?" Lauren cried as she ran through the hallways. The image of the dead woman had branded itself into her mind.After running to who-knows-where, there came frantic footsteps from behind Lauren, followed by panicked wails."Help! Someone has been murdered! Help!" Murdered?Lauren
It was a premeditated act of revenge."Chief Taylor, we've got bad news!" Another policeman rushed over, covered in sweat. "The killer is at the rooftop with a hostage! He threatened to jump to his death with the hostage if we refused to release him."Then, he handed a phone to Cyrus. Cyrus took the phone and saw the scene of Denver bellowing at the policemen with a female hostage in his arms.His eyes widened in shock as he recognized a pale-looking and tear-stricken Lauren in Denver's grip. His heart sank, and panic surged through his veins.How could Lauren be the hostage?Cyrus, who had always dealt with the toughest armed criminals with calm, found himself breathing unevenly. He immediately dashed toward the rooftop.At the same time, Angelina rushed toward him with fury in her eyes, holding Lauren's teddy bear."Is the hostage… Madam Lauren? Is that true?" She sounded teary.Cyrus nodded with a serious face. She looked like she was on the brink of a breakdown. She offer
Lauren's voice squeezed Cyrus' heart."Cyrus, save me…" Lauren's face was devoid of color. Tears rolled down her cheeks, which hurt to watch. He so wanted to comfort her, but such an attempt might provoke the criminal and place her in greater danger.He cast a deep glance at Lauren before shifting his attention to Denver's crazy eyes. He said, "Denver Whitman, please calm down. That young lady is innocent. She has no idea about your backstory and doesn't even know the five students. She's just an innocent outsider."How about this? I'll take her place as the hostage. You'll set her free."Lauren watched Cyrus approach Denver through tears, crushed by feelings of guilt. She thought, "How could I have been so dumb? I should've waited for Angie in the classroom. If only I had run faster!" Alas, it was too late to regret.Denver growled when he saw Cyrus approaching, "Don't come any closer, or I'll slit her throat and jump off this rooftop. We'll meet our end together!""You think I
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