Axel placed his hand in his pockets in a callous manner. Cocking his head, he asked, "Is Lyse here?"Rosie examined him. "Are you a friend of Madam's?""No."A realization set in. Rosie widened her eyes and stared at him vigilantly, "You're not an admirer, are you? Are you Mr. Beckett's love rival?"Rosie was acquainted with most of Alyssa's visitors to the villa, especially men. As Axel was a stranger to her, she did not trust him at all."Pfft." Smirking, he arched a brow playfully. "If I were her admirer, Jasper wouldn't have stood a chance! He would've been out of the game ages ago!"What a wild, arrogant man!Rosie was about to snap at Axel when she heard Jasper's worried tone. "Mrs. Rosie, do we have aspirin or ibuprofen at home?"At the same time, his eyes lit up when he found Axel at the door. "Axel, my dearest brother-in-law! It's you!""Oh, you sweet talker." Grinning, Axel marched in boldly. Rosie's jaw fell when she realized Axel was one of Alyssa's brothers. She c
Jasper grappled with heartache. The contrast between his tall figure and his helpless demeanor made him the more pitiful.Axel shot up from the bed and grabbed Jasper's collar. Fixing a piercing gaze on Jasper, he bellowed, "What have you done to my sister? Did you force her into BDSM?""No…""Why is she bruised all over? Fuck! You should've been the sub even in BDSM!" Axel's grip inadvertently tore one of Jasper's buttons loose. Their faces were mere inches apart.Axel continued, "We raised Lyse like she was our daughter. She is precious to us. Nothing good has happened to her ever since she dated you. How dare you mistreat her in such a way?"You may appear a gentleman on the surface, but your behavior in the bedroom is nothing short of savage. You should consider her feelings in the bedroom! How could you hurt her to satisfy your needs?"Stay there. I'm getting that housekeeper of yours to check the injuries on Lyse's body, and I'll double that on yours."Axel was visibly fur
Axel's pupils dilated from the shock, but he gathered himself in no time due to his professional training. The same cannot be said for Xavier, who was freaked out and screamed, "Oh, my God!"With steeled eyes, Jasper hugged Alyssa tightly and turned her face into his chest. "Lyse, don't look at it."He was concerned that the scene would only spook her out and exacerbate her fever symptoms. Little did he know that Lyse was undaunted after witnessing much worse horrors on the battlefield years ago.Far from feeling scared, she examined the scene with curiosity. At the same time, Axel grew excited at the situation. He opened the car door with a twinkle in his eye. "Damn it! Are people getting so professional now? Did he put on makeup? That was pretty frightening. I'll go check it out. If he's fine, I'll make sure he isn't!"Before Axel left the car, the victim got out of the car and ran away while dancing like a madman. Despite not being in the bustling downtown, the man's odd behavio
"Lyse is like Dr. House. She gets excited at the sight of corpses," Axel couldn't help but tease his sister."Did that guy drop dead just like that? By hitting his head against the divider?" Xavier grappled with the lingering fear when he recalled the horrifying expression on that man.Alyssa, having spent a mere few minutes with the corpse, suspected there was more to the man's death. She analyzed, "That might not be the case. Before he fainted, he exhibited symptoms of a seizure. "Besides, the muscles across his body contracted rhythmically while he lost consciousness. Epilepsy is a plausible cause of death, but we'll need to wait for the post-mortem report.""Epilepsy? People might think he overdosed." Axel pushed his tongue against his cheek, still indulging in the scene out of a horror movie just now. "I had experience dealing with some drug addicts when I was abroad. They looked exactly like the man just now when they were high or experienced withdrawal symptoms—zombie-like.
Jasper's family name and his good looks added to the pressure of the doctor who received him. The doctor asked cautiously, "Um… Mr. Beckett, what brings you here?"His shaky tone betrayed his nervousness, but he immediately assured Jasper with confidence, "Don't worry, Mr. Beckett. Our hospital prides itself on tight patient confidentiality. I will not say a word about your visit to me today."Jasper wasn't too concerned about the gossip surrounding his visit to the men's health specialist. After all, his loyalty and love for Alyssa was a widely-known fact.Although the speculations might sting his ego, it did not bother him very much. Given how subservient he acted around Alyssa, he could handle the rumors of his alleged "erectile dysfunction" if it happened."Doctor, I have a question." A look of trouble crept up his face after a pause. "Can a vasectomy potentially lower one's libido?""The primary purpose of a vasectomy is to prevent sperm from being ejaculated for fertilizatio
"Why are you seeing a men's health specialist? Something wrong down there?" Axel walked up to Jasper, a playful gaze traveling from Jasper's eyes to his crotch. "I've seen that thing of yours. You had an erection even when you were unconscious. It certainly doesn't seem useless."Jasper's expression froze in awkwardness. Was he supposed to thank Axel for that remark?Right then, a nurse approached Jasper and handed him a form. "Mr. Beckett, please keep this form safe. Do come to the hospital at 9:00 am tomorrow for the surgery."Jasper accepted the form with a nod. After the nurse left, Axel grabbed the form from Jasper. Upon taking a better look, he screamed, "Are you getting a vasectomy?"Jasper felt flustered at Axel's loud disclosure of his medical information in public. Axel, realizing he had been too loud, stopped himself and dragged Jasper to a quiet corner for a talk. He questioned, "Dude, what's going on?""You're aware of Lyse's condition. If I get a vasectomy, she won't
Axel slept in the guest bedroom that night while Alyssa and Jasper cuddled in their bed.Jasper let Alyssa rest her head on his arm while occasionally kissing her on her forehead, which was no longer hot to touch. Fortunately, her fever seemed to have reduced in intensity.Languid and flushed, she purred as she nestled comfortably in his arms. Her vulnerable state and misty eyes stirred a desire within him to conquer her, but he firmly refused to act upon it. The deeper his love, the more he needed to exert self-control."Did Axel… tell you any nonsense?" Alyssa couldn't help but worry, knowing that Axel took after Winston's foul mouth.He shook his head and tucked her in. "Rest early and get well soon. We need to get up early the day after.""Right. We need to attend Angelina's funeral." A pang of sorrow pierced through her. Her tears started to well. "The recent events are tragic. I really hope nothing of that sort repeats. I want happiness for everyone.""Of course, Lyse. We'l
The light in Jameson's eyes dimmed when he learned about it. "Make him wait for me in another lounge."After settling the other client, Jameson took some time off to join Aidan at the lounge next door. Right after he opened the door, Aidan, who was drinking alcohol to calm his nerves, shot up and rushed up to him.Aidan glared at him. "What went wrong? Why did people die from it?""Mr. Aidan, I'm afraid I have no clue what you're talking about," Jameson wondered with a calm smile, a stark contrast to Aidan's panic.Although no one else was in the lounge, Aidan made sure to speak in a whisper, "Are there quality issues with the latest delivery you provided for me? I distributed it just twice, and people had been overdosing and dying on it."Still smiling, Jameson brushed off Aidan's worries. "Drugs are poison. Isn't it normal for addicts to die from overdosing?""But I have not seen a man who went crazy and dropped dead after taking it twice!""Well, now you have." Aidan turn
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