Lily's Alzheimer's had progressed into the later stages, making Jameson desperate for the new drug to work in order to save her."Reach out to Chief Novak. Tell him to get someone dependable to clean up the mess.""Got it."At the same time, Jameson's phone buzzed. He immediately sat upright when he saw the caller ID. Taking a deep breath, he answered the phone, "Sir.""Did your experiment fail again?" Justin's resonant voice weighed on Jameson's heart. Jameson, though knowing that the blame fell on the research team, not him, still felt nervous when confronted. "Yes.""Oh, well. We have lots of ground-breaking work to be done." Justin's tone softened as if he was consoling himself. "But great idea there. I didn't expect us to get the Lovelaces involved in this scheme in no time. Jimmy, I was right about you. Looking back, I made the right decision to support and nurture you."Precious and distant memories flooded Jameson's mind at the mention of his nickname.The young and ad
The sky that had been overcast for days finally cleared up on the day of Angelina's funeral.Standing in front of her headstone in the silent cemetery, Landon placed a bunch of white daisies on her grave with a look of despair. Beside the bouquet rested the broken lucky charm.Following that, Alyssa and Jasper offered their bouquet. The rest of the Taylor siblings were also present, alongside Julien, Rose, and Jordan. They offered Angelina flowers and prayers.The women at the site wept while the men tried their best to hide their grief, offering comfort to their partners.Only Cyrus, the policeman who had experienced his fair share of life and death, teared up ever since he arrived at the scene. He did not share many encounters with Angelina, but every time they met, she left a deep impression on him, especially the time at the amusement park.When he first met Angelina, she gave the impression of being arrogant and uptight. After their first exchange, he found her a jolly and hu
Axel fixed his gaze in the direction of the forest. The lady, who seemed to sense his eyes on her, nimbly hid behind a tree.Meanwhile, Lauren wept in the wheelchair, staring deeply at Angelina's photo. She cried silently in deep grief, tears staining her cheeks. Worried about Lauren's health, Alyssa walked up behind her and placed both hands on her shoulders to offer comfort.Eyes swollen and twitching, Lauren gently revealed a new teddy bear from under her blanket, much to Alyssa's surprise. The teddy bear was similar to the one Alyssa had gifted Lauren.Ben, who was affected by the somber mood, said in a raspy voice, "This bear is no longer on sale in the country. I had someone purchase it from overseas, per Ms. Lauren's request."Lauren tried to get up from the wheelchair, but her legs gave away, perhaps from being bedridden for some time. Seeing that, Cyrus approached her to render assistance, but Landon was a step ahead of him.Landon carried Lauren in his arms and placed
Landon lowered his head with a bashful look. He confessed, "I'm the one who's worried that you might not want to attend."Choking on emotions, Cyrus went up and offered him a hearty hug.When Landon entered the car, he saw Lauren leaning her head against the car window and wrapped in the blanket while getting some shut-eye. In her feeble condition, she had pushed her limits by embarking on this outing even with the help of a wheelchair."The window is chilly. Come rest your head here." He opened his arms and pulled her into an embrace. Then, he rubbed his chin on top of her head.The car cruised toward the hospital.Leaning against Landon's chest, Lauren suddenly cast a puzzled look at him upon feeling something solid in his suit."Does it bother you?" After some hesitation, he retrieved Angelina's diary from within his jacket.Lauren's eyes, red from crying, widened in surprise. She recognized the notebook as Angelina's diary. One night, she couldn't fall asleep as Landon was o
Toying? Amber felt her racing heart skip a beat. Surrounded by Axel's scent, she quickly lost her passion. From Jameson to the tycoons she was forced to entertain, all men treated her like a plaything, and Axel was no different.She was delusional to think he'd be special, but he disappointed her.Suppressing the heartache, she flashed a bitter smile with tears in her eyes. "Mr. Axel, you seem to be in high spirits today. What do you wish to engage in? SM? 69?"Her voice was reeking with sexual appeal, and so was her body. However, the look in Axel's eyes hardened. Holding her shoulders, he pressed her back against the tree bark. He fixed his deep gaze on her face before staring at her chest, as though he was looking for a way to her heart. "You look pretty lovely in the windbreaker."Although his tone still had a playful edge, she blushed in embarrassment while attempting to remove the windbreaker. Pressing against her hand, he stopped her and put the windbreaker back on. "Keep
Amber's heart pounded against her ribcage as her organs contorted in fear. Despite the panic, she did not betray a hint of emotion. She owed her exceptional mental fortitude to the training administered by Jameson, which she now employed against him.In her silence, he grinned maliciously and advanced slowly toward her. All of a sudden, he produced a gun from his waist and pressed the muzzle against her sweaty forehead."M-Mr. Schmidt!" Carl turned pale at the sight as his heart leaped into his throat."Amber Altman, were you the traitor? Answer me," he confronted her word-by-word with a murderous look in his eyes.She stared into his eyes but remained silent."Answer me!" he roared, the veins in his hands bulging in anger."Yes," Amber admitted, knowing there was no escape. The moment Jameson aimed the gun, he had known about her betrayal. This was no interrogation.Driven by his ruthless nature, he wanted the woman—whom he had raised and molded into Alyssa's doppelgänger—to be
In the next moment, Jameson wrapped the arm holding the gun around her waist and pulled her closer until their bodies pressed. "Good job. Not only do I not blame you, I need to praise you. You revealing the information to Angelina messed up her plans, forcing her into solo action. She fell into Preston Harper's trap and lost her life because of it."Her death put Landon Harper into agony. His hair greyed overnight."She remained stoic. Every word coming from his mouth ripped a piece of her heart out, the bloody and shameful mess scattering across the ground."Keep up with your plan and go big. I know you won't disappoint me." He released her and examined her figure. "Axel Whitaker's clothes look good on you. Remember to wear the same windbreaker at his funeral."…When Amber returned to her bedroom, the shades of sunset illuminated her lifeless face.Stumbling to the full-length mirror, she slowly removed the black windbreaker. Fully naked, she revealed the shameful marks on her
The two of them sat in silence, feeling helpless as if they had been stranded on a deserted island during a storm."I have something that might or might not be of help to you." A thought occurred to Wesley. Wesley began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Aidan Lovelace of Lovelace Pharmaceuticals met with Jameson Schmidt two nights ago and had a private chat in a lounge."The revelation introduced a frown to Amber's face.Wesley recounted, "That guy showed up like he was ready to take down anyone, but he seemed calmer after the talk. I was stationed outside the lounge with another colleague but couldn't hear anything because of the excellent soundproofing." He let out a frustrated sigh.Still, the information provided Amber with a lead. Lovelace Pharmaceuticals was the top pharmaceutical company in the nation. From what she heard, Jameson had been running the pharmaceutical business on Sir's behalf in Cyrris. Therefore, Jameson's priority must be to beat the Lovelaces, his busines
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