"You—" Amber glared at him in embarrassment. Her eyes were dewy and sparkling.Axel tilted his head with a roguish smile. He tapped his lips to remind her.Suddenly, he frowned and spun around. A group of smiling kids had gathered by the backdoor of the classroom to watch the drama unfold. Their cute heads peeked out of the door, one on top of another, which was rather hilarious to see.They would have made a fuss if they could speak."You rascal!" Amber's face reddened. She shoved him away before fleeing and herding the kids back into the classroom.Her scolding sounded flirtatious to Axel. His smile deepened when he relished her remark.Amber returned to the podium after soothing the children. When she looked up, she found Axel shamelessly sitting in a chair by an unoccupied table in the last row. He folded his arms and rested them on the table, blinking obediently like he, too, was a student.She flustered under his watch. It wasn't until she took a few deep breaths that she
Though Amber tried to kick Axel out, he shamelessly stuck around. However, he merely observed her from a distance without disrupting her work.He watched as she joined the cooks to prepare food. Despite her petite frame, she stirred the food in the industrial cooking pots with ease. She harvested, washed, and cut the vegetables expertly, as if it were second nature.With his arms folded across his chest, Axel became engrossed in her actions. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheek. Despite her disheveled appearance while working, he found her beauty captivating.Every time they crossed paths, she carried herself like a flawless masterpiece, catching the attention of the opposite sex. However, Axel found her prettier in her current state—more vibrant and real.As Amber's "friend", Axel was invited to lunch with the other kids when food was served. Amber stood in a line with two other teachers to serve food."Thank you, Ms. Altman!" The kids
Amber remarked flatly, "That sounded so pervy."Axel's expression collapsed. He argued, "I was a brother who doted on his sister! You just don't get it!"He took care of Alyssa for another reason. Before their mother passed away, she called the four siblings to her bed and reminded the brothers to take care of Alyssa to the best of their ability. He recalled Jennifer comforting them, "Don't cry. Please don't think that Mommy is not around anymore. Mommy will be in the sky, looking after you and protecting you."He teared up at the thoughts—a lump formed in his throat."That was really sweet." Amber stared at her reflection on the water, which resembled Alyssa. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, and she hurriedly hid the reflection with clothes. She added, "Ms. Alyssa certainly grew up in happiness."Despite taking on Alyssa's face, Amber knew her fate was the opposite of Alyssa's. Alyssa was the daughter of a wealthy family who was raised in love and great care, unlike herse
Amber returned to the laundry room after helping the teacher.Upon her return, she was forced up against the wall by Axel, who pressed his body against her and stared into her eyes.Her heart was beating uncontrollably. Drawn into his bright and sharp gaze, she found herself falling helplessly for him.She longed for a ray of light to shine through the cracks and illuminate her dark life. His eyes turned out to be the source of light she had been searching high and low for."Ms. Altman, did you leave something behind just now?" he teased her in a low chuckle that ended with a seductive lilt."What…" Her voice trailed off. She grabbed the edge of the wall firmly as her heart pounded like a drum.Grinning, he casually brushed his nose tip against hers. The gentle and cheeky move resembled the touch of a lover. Suddenly, he rasped, "You left my heart behind."Amber, whose heart had been racing, broke into laughter. Axel raised a quizzical brow at her. "Tsk! What are you laughing at
Amber stared at the sparklers vacantly as tears welled up in her eyes. She clutched her fists, holding back her emotions."Come join me! Let's have some fun." Axel bounced up to her and handed her a sparkler with eyes that shone bright like the sun.She accepted the sparkler with trembling fingers, knowing that he must have come prepared with them. It was impossible to get this stuff at the remote location of the orphanage.The light from her sparklers danced on her face. A smile appeared on her face. She took on a resemblance to the girl in the locket when she smiled."Do you like that massive fireworks show I put on for you the last time?" He glanced at her before asking.Staring at the sparkler in her hand, she replied softly, "Yeah.""Well, that doesn't mean anything. I'm not as rich as Landon Harper. Can't afford a showy performance worth tens of millions," Axel blurted out.She flashed a faint smile at him, having been used to his blunt and outspoken manner—probably the re
At midnight, Amber arrived at a countryside villa in her sportscar. She had changed into a flaming red slit dress and styled her long, dark hair into a bun that was held together by a golden hairpin.Her style, classic and alluring, was to Jameson's taste. However, she was dressed to the nines for a nasty deal. She ran her cold fingertips through the hem of her dress and chuckled bitterly. What a waste of high-grade silk and top-notch tailoring! Her perfect attire and her dignity would end up being trampled by the beasts she would host.She received a video call from Wesley when she was about to leave her car. The video call was their preferred way of communication as it was impossible to be tapped."Wesley," she began with a forced smile."Ms. Altman, are you about to…" Wesley choked up emotionally at the sight of her beauty. As an employee at The Millennium, he knew what that would signify."What's the matter? Is everything alright?" Amber hurriedly shifted the topic of conver
The women gaped in shock at Amber's calmness in the face of the two devils. Just like them, Amber was petite and vulnerable. However, she appeared towering and invincible in their eyes due to her courage.The two men exchanged gazes. One man, examining her with a lascivious look, suggested, "You'll take two pills, then! Tell us how you feel after that!"Knowing Amber's importance to Jameson, the two guests dared not force her to take too many pills to avoid getting into trouble.Amber shook two blue pills onto her palms and stared squarely at them. Then, she took the pills without water. The other women teared up from concern and fear for Amber.Within a minute, her ears started ringing, and her heart rate increased. Her body went into an uncontrollable seizure."Ms. Altman! Ms. Altman!" The worried screams of the women were the last thing she heard before the dizziness overwhelmed her. She fell face-first onto the floor and passed out.…Amber opened her eyes and found herself
Amber stared in shock at Axel's confident expression. Her heart was racing, and she thought she had misheard. In her 25 years of life, she was nothing but an accessory to Jameson—a disposable tool in his business dealings.She had never owned anything to her name. To her surprise, Axel made the wild claim that he was her man. She replayed his words in her mind.The Tsulu man cussed loudly and attempted to snatch the gun from the ground, only to be shot twice—one in the left shoulder and the other in his right leg. He howled in pain and fell onto his knees.Seeing that, Amber snatched the man's gun and held it firmly before aiming it at him. The man finally faltered and begged for mercy. It seemed that men, when naked, were in their most vulnerable state. He pleaded, "Don't! Don't shoot me!""Spit it out! What are the drugs that Jameson Schmidt gave to you? Are they common drugs or narcotics?" Shedding off her usual coyness, Amber looked furious, like a beast that had been crouching
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