Alyssa leaned into her chair with a faint smile playing on her lips. "You lamented to Winston how broke you were, and he paid for that 50 million dollars out of his pocket for his only brother."Because of that, he had a stroke, which led to the company's situation today. The losses from the falling stock price and his medical expenses could amount to billions, but you're not directly responsible for that, so I won't hold you liable."But you need to return the 50 million dollars you misappropriated. It's only fair to return what you stole. It's not only the rule of law but also a moral rule."The directors fixed astonished looks on Dominic, whose face was twitching from the shock and humiliation. Even Edward, who had been speaking up for Dominic, fell silent."The 50 million has been taken care of. Even if Winston was the one paying, it's considered paid at the end of the day!" Seething, Dominic snapped, "This was in the past, but you insisted on bringing it up. You're making a pr
Alyssa's booming voice delivered a great shock to the meeting attendees. Her confidence and imposing air reminded them of Winston Taylor.Dominic, whose legs were shaking uncontrollably, mustered his courage and slammed his hand on the table. He rose in anger to face off against Alyssa. "Alyssa Taylor, you have no right to sack me, even if you're the daughter of the chairman and the company president! "Are you treating the board of directors meeting as your personal playground? You're out of control. You'll need to start a vote to remove me from my roles!"He had taken a jab at Alyssa's previous remark of him treating the company as his private bank. Alyssa thought him petty and snorted. "Yeah, right. That's why I convened this meeting to discuss your matter."As Edward was Dominic's business partner—he had even been forced to invest in the two hotels—he could not possibly watch Dominic go down. Once again, he took Dominic's side. He began, "Alyssa…""She's Ms. Alyssa for you."
Panic gripped Dominic, who almost had a heart attack. He could tell that everyone present, including Edward, must have signed the NDAs, as no one told him about the agreement."You were the only one at the meeting who didn't sign an NDA. Besides, only an employee could access the security control room to steal the security footage," Sean explained, displaying the evidence he had gathered while glaring at Dominic.Dominic looked worried and frustrated. "KS Group employs a huge number of employees. There are thousands of employees working in just this building, and many have access to the control room. You're just attempting to pin all the blame on me!"Alyssa smiled in amusement and shook her head. "I wouldn't have easily traced it back to you if you had uploaded the footage through the public WiFi at a train station, airport, or café."Perhaps you're not too familiar with the technicalities of committing such an act because of your age. You decided to upload the footage with your p
The directors stared at each other hesitantly. Finally, one of the eldest directors spoke up with a cautious and polite smile. "We will vote for you, Ms. Alyssa. We shall follow your orders in the future."The rest of the directors immediately agreed with him.The rest of the meeting went on smoothly after Alyssa settled Dominic. After checking off her three items on the agenda, she gracefully sat up in her chair and beamed at the directors. "I appreciate you taking the time to attend the meeting. "Let's work well together for the future of KS Group. I won't take up more of your precious time. That's all for today."Then, she marched toward the door in great strides with Sean following closely behind. Once again, she came to a stop behind Dominic and turned to face him. Slowly bending over, she whispered to him with disdain, "Just look at you. You have nothing to defeat me with."Dominic shook in anger.She cautioned him, "Uncle Dominic, I won't hurt you if you find a nice place
Jasper gently held Alyssa's chin as he kissed her on the lips, smudging her lipstick. He traced her lips with his, as he relished in her loveliness.After reveling in a passionate kiss, they parted right before flames of desire further consumed them. Staring at her flushed cheeks and moist lips, he smiled in satisfaction. "Your lips are lovelier than the roses.""You're such a clingy man. Every time we meet, you will ask for a kiss or more. Can you give me a breather? Gosh!" She slid into his arms and poked him on the chest, her favorite move when she flirted with him.Every time she was in a low mood, she'd poke or caress his chest. The physical touch almost always cheered her up."Well, I want to kiss you and take you. Will you allow me to? Hm?" Jasper whispered affectionately, his lips brushing against her earlobe. Shuddering slightly, she offered an answer in the form of a deep blush on her cheeks.They cuddled on the couch and stared at the flaming roses, savoring each mome
Corey gasped in shock, "Word by word?"Victor barked at him, "Of course! Nonsense!""Uh, Mr. Josh said… marrying that bitch is the dumbest decision you made in your life.""Oh, fuck him!" Victor punched his bed and glowered in resentment. "The dumbest choice I made in life was putting unconditional trust in him, nurturing and promoting him to the role of company president. It was my error in judgment."At the end of the day, Victor acknowledged that he had made unwise decisions as he recalled the events that had happened at the cocktail party. Josh had schemed against him and Lily but kept it a secret for years, which led to his reputation loss and created a crisis for the Schmidt Group. He was suddenly gripped with the murderous urge to face off against Josh in the detention center."Mr. Josh also claimed that Mr. Jameson did not come home to Solana City from Kontina to help you out. Mr. Jameson has always been sharpening his knife and bidding his time to avenge his mother and
Jameson had openly displayed his ambitions. Victor finally saw his true colors.Had he not fallen for Jameson's perfect acting, and had he trusted Josh more, he wouldn't have met with the dilemma. He regretted not keeping Josh as the president, instead oppressing him and unknowingly offering Jameson an opportunity to take power.It didn't matter if Jameson helped the company out of the crisis. Victor knew that he would go against his own interest by negotiating with a sly opponent like Jameson, even if Jameson were his son.Trying to be rational, Victor calmed down and caved in. His tone softened. "Jimmy, I allow Lily to stay with us at the Schmidt Manor, but I can't transfer the stocks to you as you wish."Jameson adjusted his glasses. He quipped, "Well, but didn't Josh transfer his stocks to you as you wish?""Josh is serving concurrent sentences; I'm afraid he'll spend the rest of his life in prison. Since Clarissa has divorced him, I will be the one to inherit his company shar
Bad news spread like wildfire. News of Dominic being kicked out of the board of directors and fired due to misappropriation of company funds spread through the company in no time. It was certainly a cathartic event.Dominic's abuse of power was a known secret within the company for many years. Therefore, everyone was glad to see Alyssa purging individuals like Dominic right after she was appointed the company president.Dominic went home in despair. Upon stepping into the house, he flung his coat at the maid in anger. Taken aback by his action, the maid failed to catch the coat in time. The coat fell onto the floor. However, such an insignificant event triggered Dominic, who went up and kicked the maid, causing her to wince in pain on the floor and struggle to get up.He growled, "Useless thing! Get lost!"At that moment, Renee rushed over with a worried look. "Dad, is it true that you're sacked?"Even Renee, who only cared about shopping and getting beauty enhancements, had heard
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
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