"Mr. Beckett, we have dealt with the three students per your and Madam Alyssa's orders. The family company of one student was on the brink of bankruptcy after getting embroiled in some scandals, including questionable product quality. The police followed the trail of evidence and uncovered criminal evidence against his father, who was arrested this morning."Another student was found to hire prostitutes, organize group sex, and have a penchant for BDSM. I made someone else distribute his photos and videos online from an overseas IP. Netizens are now 'enjoying' his works. I'm afraid his father's political career has met an end because of his scandal," Xavier reported with enthusiasm.Jasper nodded in satisfaction. "How about the remaining student?""Well…" After a pause, Xavier lowered his voice, "The third student suffered the worst fate. From what I heard, he had been abducted. He was later found with ten or so slash wounds on his body, but none was fatal. He was castrated by the a
"Landon, you're home early today," Jasper replied to Landon's greeting."Darling, I'm home. Why don't you give me a hug after a long day?" Landon beamed as he opened his arms at Lauren. The black coat, which was loosely draped on his shoulders, fell onto the floor, but he did not bother to pick it up.Despite feeling oddly nervous, Lauren obediently went up to Landon and sneaked into his arms like an adorable kitten. He wrapped his tall and muscular body around her, carrying with him the warmth from the car heater that seeped into her skin. The warm sensation helped soothe her emotions."Landon, don't be angry," she mumbled in a voice only audible to them."Hm? Why would I be angry at you for no reason?" he whispered in a raspy voice."I-I…" Lauren had learned to carefully ponder her words before voicing them aloud. After some thinking, she chose to keep her thoughts to herself."If you've done something to upset me, just give me a kiss, and I won't be angry at you anymore." Land
Alyssa understood what Lauren was trying to say. She let out an awkward cough. It had already been a while since Alyssa was married and had a long-term partner. So, she wasn't too embarrassed to talk about the matters in the bedroom. She asked in a serious voice, "Lauren, are you ready to become a mother?" "A… mother?" Lauren was taken aback. She felt as if this word was far from her grasp. To be frank, she wasn't ready. She even felt like she was not yet an adult. Moreover, she had a condition. She wasn't even sure if her children would be affected. That said, she knew that Landon yearned to start a family with her. Each time they made love, when he was at his climax, he would mumble in her ear, "Let's start a family… Lauren, Let's have a few children… Doesn't matter if they're boys or girls. I will love them as long as they're yours…"A conflicted look came across Lauren's face. "I… haven't thought about that. Do you plan to bear children for Jasper, Alyssa?" This on
In the study, Landon tried to pour Jasper a drink but was rejected. "My driver's not with me today. I won't be drinking as I need to drive." "I didn't expect you and Alyssa to come over tonight." Landon picked up the glass that Jasper turned down and drank from it instead. Then, he placed it back down. His tall frame leaned against the side of the table relaxedly. He retrieved a cigarette from his cigarette box and lit it naturally. He inhaled so deeply that he almost looked avaricious. It was as if he wanted to fill his lungs with smoke. "Are you in a bad mood?" Jasper squinted at him. "I'm alright." "You've previously mentioned that Lauren doesn't like the smell of cigarettes, so you've cut down on smoking for her sake. I can see that your ashtray is looking like a mass grave. You've been smoking double the amount from last time, haven't you?" Right after, Jasper started speaking like he was Landon's elder. In an exceptionally serious tone, he questioned, "Do you wa
After coming out from Sage Manor, Alyssa and Jasper sat in silence in the car for quite a while. Finally, Alyssa broke the silence. "Jasper, I… I will make a trip home tonight. Aren't you leaving for a long-distance trip tomorrow morning? You can just go back to Seaview Manor. Or you can come to my place for the night, too." Jasper was still worried about Landon. So, he frowned and agreed, "Alright. I'll drop you off at Heightsnew Villa then. I'll see you again tomorrow night." Upon returning to Heightsnew Villa, they exchanged a farewell kiss that conveyed their reluctance to part ways.After watching Alyssa go into the house, Jasper's gaze became glum. He took out his phone and dialed Xavier's number. "What are the updates from the hospital?" "That man died from excessive bleeding. His parents are also prominent figures in Solana City. They are insisting on taking this to court. "The problem is that the police are also now involved. It would get tricky if their investi
Under Jasper's orchestration in secret, the subordinate under the Harper Group took the initiative to turn himself in. He admitted to his crime on the spot and gave his testimony by providing all the details of his offense. All he said matched the situation perfectly. There was sufficient evidence for the police to conclude the case. Although the student's father still wanted to look into his son's death further, his capabilities were limited, and he could only accept the outcome as it was. At the same time, Preston was quick-witted. He had already gotten an understanding of the ins and outs of the incident. The moment he found out that Lauren was the one who was taken hostage, he knew that this incident had to be connected to Landon. The cruelty of the crime had Landon's name written all over it! "What? The background of the man who turned himself in was clean?" Preston's eyes were as wide as saucers. "That's right. His background has been wiped clean. He does not have a s
"Hi, Landon. Hi, Uncle Preston." Zoe stopped right in front of them. A sweet smile came across her face. She was pretending to be nice. "Oh, hey, Zoe! Are you feeling better?" Preston asked, pretending to be concerned. "I'm much better. Thanks for asking, Uncle Preston." "That's good to hear. You're a precious one in the Harper family. Your Grandpa and mother would be sad if anything bad happened to you!" Preston uttered these words for Landon to hear. Following that, he shot Zoe a look before walking away while humming a tune. "What are you doing here?" Landon glared at her frigidly. "I made some chicken soup for Grandpa, so I'm bringing it to him while it's still hot." Zoe blinked. She had an innocent look in her eyes. "Landon, you're not going to stop me from being nice to Grandpa, are you?" Landon's deep and icy gaze narrowed as he raised his hand, pointing dominantly at her face.Although he hadn't said a word, Zoe's heart started racing out of fear. Her hands,
Cornelius asked, "That lady from the Beckett family has a mental condition?""That's right, Grandpa." A vicious look flashed across Zoe's gleaming eyes. She continued, "She and the entire Beckett family have been hiding Lauren's condition from you all along. She actually has severe autism. In other words, she is mentally disabled. "I was in the same middle school as her. At that time, other classmates would call her 'dumb' and 'idiot' behind her back. She also quit her tertiary studies halfway because of her condition." "No wonder I've always felt that there was something strange about her every time I met her. Despite being 21… or is it 22? Her mind is still like a child's. Turns out that it's because of her mental problem! "As expected, Sophia's offspring is indeed problematic! Even though she died, she still left her retarded daughter to wreck my precious grandson!" Cornelius started coughing. He was so consumed by anger that he started to feel unwell. He coughed continuous
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