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
Lauren learned how to conceal her feelings. When she got home, she would close herself in the drawing studio. She focused on painting and didn't show her emotions. Angelina didn't notice anything amiss with Lauren. If there were anything to say about the difference in Lauren, it would be in her artwork. Their hues had become duller, they were darker, and they had become more bewildering to Angelina. Lauren heard that Landon had returned home that evening to see Cornelius. She felt anxious about it, so she painted in the studio while she waited for him to come home. Nevertheless, even after an extensive period, he had not returned home. Eventually, unable to keep herself awake any longer, Lauren succumbed to sleep at her desk amidst her watercolors.By the time Landon rushed back, it was already in the wee hours of the morning. He noticed that Lauren had fallen asleep with her head on the desk. She had gotten smears of colorful paint all over her face. A loving smile spread a
It was in the early hours of the morning. The hospital corridor was quiet. The operating theater light had been illuminated for ten consecutive hours. Jasper was sitting up straight on the bench. Both his body and facial expression were still. Yet, his gloomy gaze and the popping veins on the back of his hands that were on his knees revealed the nervousness within him. Even so, sitting opposite him was an even more nervous pair of siblings. They were Clarissa and Hendrix Sparks. Till now, Hendrix had no idea how much his sister suffered in the Schmidt family. More than that, he couldn't believe that the Schmidts, whom they had always admired, weren't the ones who offered to save their father. Instead, it was Alyssa. Another 30 minutes passed before the operating theater light was turned off. The Sparks siblings held onto each other's hands tightly. Jasper also couldn't help but get up to his feet. The door opened, and an exhausted Alyssa walked out from the operating room i
Jasper and Alyssa were utterly shocked. They helped Clarissa up from the ground immediately. "Please get up, Ms. Sparks! Don't do this!" As Clarissa's older brother, Hendrix's heart ached for her. He, too, tried to help her up. "Ms. Alyssa… Thank you… Thank you very much…"Clarissa's voice was breaking from all that crying. She spoke incoherently. "The favor that you've done for my father… I will pay you back with my life…"Alyssa shook her head gently. "You don't have to pay anything back to me. I just hope that you can free yourself from Josh and the Schmidts. That is the outcome that I wish for the most." …Oscar was transferred to the VIP ward for observation. In the lounge next door, the Sparks siblings sat across from Jasper and Alyssa. Clarissa had her eyes lowered as she rolled up her sleeve with her shaking hands. When Hendrix saw the scars that covered her arms, he lost it. He enveloped Clarissa in his arms and started crying his eyes out. "It's alright, Hend
Clarissa furrowed her brows in anger. "Then… Then, what can we do? Does the law really have no hold against these financial tycoons?" "What Jasper means is that we need something that's even more earth-shattering." Alyssa looked into Jasper's dark eyes as if she was able to see right through him. "When going against Josh, we have to hit the bullseye so that he doesn't have a chance to get back up. "The only way is if he gets punished both by the heavens and on the earth." The look in Jasper's eyes reflected his understanding of Alyssa. He resonated with her so deeply that his blood pulsed through his veins. He couldn't help but put his arm over her shoulders and hold her. She was the one who understood his innermost feelings the most. Clarissa looked down as she thought about it deeply. After a moment, she lifted her eyes again and looked at them with a determined gaze. "Josh has a kink. He likes to record sex videos in secret. "Not only did he use the funds from the Bright
Landon carried Lauren back into their room. In a few swift moves, he removed her white cotton dress, which had been stained with colors. He picked her up and entered the bathroom with her. He ran a warm bath in the bathtub. Carefully, he lowered her into the tub. He was afraid that he couldn't refrain himself, so he didn't join her. Instead, he sat by the side of the bathtub, rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt, and wiped her body down gently. He realized that Lauren had become thinner recently. She wasn't as plump as she used to be when he fed her all the good food. Her tummy was flat, her prominent clavicle, her sharp chin…Landon pursed his lips. He couldn't stop the pain in his heart.All of a sudden, he started to regret it. If he hadn't taken over this position, he would have been able to accompany Lauren every day. Their days would be boisterous. Wouldn't that be lovely? But, if he hadn't fought for it, Harper Group would have ended up in Preston's hands in the en
All of a sudden, Landon was no longer motivated to go to work. As he kissed Lauren's moist lips, he lifted his hand to tug at his tie. "Don't…" Lauren panted softly. She grabbed his hand and said, "It's already tied. Don't ruin it. Wait until you come home…""Okay. Compensate me when I come back tonight then," Landon whispered in her ear in a sultry voice. Lauren blushed. She nodded shyly. Angelina had prepared breakfast. It was almost time, but she only stayed standing by the door. She knew that it was best that she didn't bother them. She could hear the sound of flirtatious remarks coming from the room. She lifted the corners of her lips into a slight smile. Landon always stuck close to Lauren until the very last moment before he left the house. "Here's a small gift for you, darling." Landon picked Lauren up and placed her on the chair in front of the vanity table. Then, he opened the rectangular jewelry box. "Ah… It's beautiful!" Lauren gasped as she laid her eyes o
Lauren and Angelina arrived at the venue together, but Angelina was stopped by members of the student union and security guards at the entrance."I'm sorry, but you can't enter without a student ID."The school had tightened security due to the previous incident, especially for large events like this one.After being rejected, Angelina looked embarrassed. Normally, she would have fought with anyone who stopped her, but she couldn't do that at school. She didn't want to embarrass Lauren and make her life difficult in school."Angie, I'll be fine," Lauren said, holding Angelina's slightly calloused hand and gently squeezing it. "If you're worried, just wait here for me. If anything happens, you can rush in to protect me, right?"Reluctantly, Angelina agreed. "Alright, Madam Lauren. I'll wait here. If you feel sick, just send me a text."Lauren nodded and followed the crowd into the auditorium.As the event began, the doors were closed.The timid Lauren didn't dare to sit in the f
"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
Despite his age, Newton exuded the same energy and sharpness he had in his younger days, even when surrounded by the board members brimming with vigor. Despite his quiet presence in the wheelchair, an intimidating atmosphere clung to him. In an instant, Javier was transported back to the days when he worked under Newton's strict supervision."Good day, Mr. Javier and all fellow board members. I assume no one has any objections to my presence at this meeting?"Newton's gaze swept across the room, a perfunctory smile gracing his lips."Of course not. You are part of the corporation's board of directors!" the members responded immediately.Newton nodded. "Much has happened within the corporation lately. Our shares have been fluctuating amid the controversy. "As you all know, I had intended to retire after dedicating most of my life to this company. I wanted to step aside for the younger generation rather than hover over them like a specter, micromanaging everything. "However,
Jasper's arrival plunged the conference room into an uneasy silence, and heavy tension settled over the space. Justin looked up, his expression a frozen mask. A palpable chill emanated from him. Javier's eyes widened in surprise. "Jasper? What are you doing here?" "Even though I'm no longer the president of Beckett Group, I remain a shareholder and board member. It's only natural for me to be here," Jasper replied smoothly as he strolled to his seat. As he passed behind Justin, he abruptly stopped. Without a moment's notice, he struck the back of Justin's chair. The sudden impact made Justin flinch. "Am I right, Justin?" Justin's expression darkened. Forcing a smile, he replied, "As a board member, you have the right to attend, even if you're no longer involved in operations. There's no issue.""If that's the case, why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Jasper lowered himself into his seat, legs slightly parted, exuding an air of indifference. Yet, beneath the nonc
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa