Upon hearing that, Zoe glared at Freddy. She examined his face which was colored with anger, all because of Lauren.She had a feeling that Freddy's feelings for Lauren had changed. In the past, he displayed nothing but scorn toward Lauren. However, he seemed to be green in envy over Lauren now."No way… I can't let this slide!" His temples throbbed in fury. "Our families agreed on the marriage. Lauren Beckett shall be mine, and no one can take her from me!"As he was speaking, Zoe straddled him naked without warning and slapped him twice in the face. He looked confounded. "Zoe, w-what are you doing?""Freddy Hodgson, that's too much! Didn't you vow only to love me in this life? You said you only have me in your heart!" She glowered at him as she tightened her grip on his neck as if she wanted to suffocate him to death. "All your reactions show that you're catching feelings for that idiot. Tell me. Have you fallen for Lauren Beckett?""N-No, Zoe, I didn't! I'm marrying her to aveng
Zoe calmed down and said to Betty, "I have an important call to take. Wait for me. I'll make the arrangements and call you back."Then, she hung up on Betty and picked up Penelope's call with a sweet tone, "Hello, Mom…"Penelope sighed. She began hesitantly, "Zoe, come with me to visit Uncle Preston in the hospital. Your grandpa will be there as well.""Is Uncle Preston… hospitalized?""Landon beat him up badly. He suffered from serious injuries—he lost his arm, to be exact, and he's forever crippled. He drifts in and out of sleep all day. I hesitated to tell you about it because I'm worried that his bad condition would give you a scare.""What? Did Landon…" Stunned, Zoe cared less about Preston's misfortune than her own fate. She feared for herself now that Landon had dealt with Preston.Landon seemed to be getting serious. Based on Zoe's understanding of his character, she knew that this was just the start. He wouldn't go easy on Preston, and that was the price one had to pay f
"What?""Is that true?"Jasper and Alyssa exclaimed at the same time—one looking astonished, and the other agitated.Sean gulped. He was parched from rushing all the way here. "It's true! To prevent anyone from tampering with the result, I made Dr. Lovelace perform the DNA test in Mosgravia. The DNA test in Solana City was carried out in one of the Taylor family's hospitals. I even monitored the entire process!"Jasper's lashes cast a shadow under his eyes. He repeatedly read the outrageous and wicked results printed on the report. It clearly said that Betty was not related to Javier.Alyssa soon calmed down after all the agitation. The report had confirmed her longtime skepticism. She had started questioning Betty's bloodline from Betty's personality, character, and looks. Now, the truth had finally been revealed."Sean, did Julien say anything to you when you requested the DNA test?""Oh, he did." Sean looked amused. "He asked me if any one of Mr. Winston's wives was pregnant and if
"Why can't you even handle a minor task? Do you not want your bonus?" Jasper scowled.Alyssa kept her composure. "Xavier, calm down. Take your time.""After Betty left the hospital, my men had been tailing her. They saw her dragged into a white Bentley, and she stayed in that car for quite a while."Alyssa felt her heart sank at that information. She was plagued by unease.Jasper demanded. "Where did she go in that car?""She didn't go anywhere. After a while, they sent her back to her rental. She did not step out of the house for three days after that—not even taking out the trash."By then, our men realized something was off. They broke into her place and found her missing. She didn't even pack her bags."Alyssa questioned, "How about her passport and identity card?""She didn't take them with her at all. She literally vanished into thin air!" Xavier grew emotional and worried. "I had people stationed at the airport to monitor her movements. She had no money and no identifica
Preston quivered in anger. His face turned white. "Dad, how could you say so? Preston is your son too! I don't know how he'll live out the rest of his life after what Landon did to him!"You didn't offer him words of comfort or even hold Landon responsible. Instead, you're pinning the blame on him. Do you want him dead?" Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief and raged."How am I supposed to hold Landon responsible? He's the second largest stockholder of Harper Group and the company president. All the directors on the board pledged their loyalty to him. Laying a finger on him would mean hurting the company. "As the family patriarch, shouldn't I look at the big picture?"Preston clutched his bedsheet tightly. Anger festered in him. What Cornelius did wasn't "looking at the big picture", but sacrificing his second son.Cornelius knitted his brows and sank into a short silence. Then, he said resolutely, "Preston, I bought the flight tickets for you. Take a few days' rest before you emigra
Preston stared at her with a fake smile and a spiteful stare. "I'm now disabled thanks to your genius idea! It's pretty unfair that I'm struggling while you get away with it.""Uncle Preston, what else can you do now?" Zoe immediately distanced herself from the situation. "You were the one who released Lauren's mental health diagnosis on the board of directors' meeting. You arranged for Lauren to be put away. I wasn't part of it at all."No one would believe in empty accusations anyway. Do you have evidence to prove that I gave you the diagnosis? I'm afraid you can't drag me down with you.""Is that so?" Preston let out a loud cackle, which gave her the goosebumps. "Dear Zoe, do you really think that your actions were secret? Do you remember ganging up and bullying Lauren when you were in school?"Her heart felt like a jackhammer in her chest. Turning pale, she stammered, "W-What are you talking about? No one bullied her!""Well, I'm 30 years your senior. I'm more shrewd and exper
With help from a woman named "Ms. Gardner", Betty returned to Solana City successfully. After that, she hid in a single-story house in a small village on the outskirts of town, just like a wanted criminal. She only dared to roam around nearby and only left the house to purchase necessities. Other than that, she didn't dare to journey too far. She had no guts to stay at any hotel or inn. She feared that she would be captured by Jasper's men the moment she showed her face in the city. Her living condition was akin to a rat living in the sewers. This ignited the fire of hatred within her even more. She couldn't wait to get her revenge so that she could get out of her current situation. At nightfall, Betty and Zoe agreed to meet at a quiet café in the suburbs. When her coffee was served, Zoe caught a whiff of it and pushed it away in disgust. "What's this? Horse shit? Is this even drinkable?" Betty, on the other hand, drank her coffee calmly. "It's coffee from civet poop." "Poop my
Jasper patted the back of Landon's hand to calm him down. The veins were bulging from the back of his hand. "I know that you have been investigating Bill's cause of death all these years. Moreover, you've always had your suspicions about Preston, who has the strongest motive. It's just that you haven't found any evidence. "Sylvia is now bringing up divorce with Preston out of the blue. She even drafted this divorce agreement with such exorbitant demands. I'm certain that she has something on Preston—something that is fatally threatening to him. "Even if it's unrelated to Bill's death, it has to be something that will cause him to suffer the consequences of his own actions and spend the rest of his life in prison." "It must have been Preston! Who else could it have been?" Landon was reminded of Bill's death once again. An immense pain filled his heart, and his eyes became bloodshot. "Back then, both he and my father went to Southsmire for an inspection. The helicopter that they we
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