"Today, I have two items I'd like to announce…"Colene paused. She had a fiery gaze in her eyes. "The first announcement is that I will officially take over Nathan's position. I will be managing Ivory Group and Ivory Gang's 13 divisions in Solana City. "The second announcement is that from this moment onward, drugs will be completely banned within The Ivory Gang!" Right at that moment, the conference room was in an uproar as a complete ban on drugs was a massive blow to them.Within less than six months, almost all of The Ivory was under the drug's control. All 13 divisions, from the lowest of ranks to the highest, were involved with the drug.Furthermore, the hefty profits from the drug were splendid. Colene's announcement was messing with their slices of the pie! "I disagree!" "Me too!" The meeting attendees started shouting their disagreement. Colene clenched her hands into fists on the table. Her eyes became reddened. On the other hand, Alyssa looked overly calm as
"Everyone, please make sure that you've made a well-thought-out decision. You will no longer be part of The Ivory the moment you step out this door. "From today onward, you cannot seek profit under the name of The Ivory. And you will no longer be under the organization's protection the moment you leave this place." Alyssa squinted. She rested her arms on the armrest gracefully. With a tap of her foot, she spun her chair around and faced them. "Gang life was never about violence. It's about knowing the ways of the world. I hope none of you assumed that your safety all these years was because people feared your names." Everyone in the group looked at one another. A look of diffidence flashed across the eyes of a few division heads, whose divisions were not as big as Harry's. "What are you trying to say, Ms. Alyssa? Are you threatening us?" Harry gave her a fierce stare. "The Ivory is able to have business dealings and survive till today because my father has been supporting y
"Landon?" Alyssa's eyes widened. She stared at Landon's handsome face in shock. In an instant, her eyes lit up! "Mr. Landon?" Colene, who was standing beside her, was also astonished. She was aware that Landon had only been staying by Lauren's side ever since she was hurt. He had no time for the business world or the underworld. He had been keeping a low profile. Other than at Cornelius' funeral, he hadn't reappeared in public. This was the second public appearance since then. The rebelling division heads, including Harry, were staggered to witness Landon's entrance. Some of them were so shocked that they stumbled backward. Landon was no longer just a Harper family member. He had now taken over as their head!"Hello, Ms. Colene. Hi, Lyse." Landon narrowed his eyes slightly. He slipped his black coat off his broad shoulders. Jordan, who was behind him, caught it in his hands. "Jasper told me that there would be a big upheaval at The Ivory today and asked me to come over
Alyssa comforted Colene before turning her gaze toward Landon. "Landon, why did you suddenly come here?""Jasper notified me, of course," Landon replied with a gentle smile."He couldn't come himself and was worried about you and Madam Colene, so he asked me to come over. After all, people in the underworld still have a little respect for the Harper family."Colene, being her optimistic self, couldn't resist teasing, "Oh, Mr. Landon, don't be modest. Compared to your influence, I'm really nothing.""What influence do I have? It's all my grandpa's lingering influence." Landon chuckled wryly.Alyssa asked with concern, "How is Lauren? Is she okay?"Landon's eyes turned gentle at once. "She's gained some weight from my feeding, but she's doing well.""Has she... started speaking?"Landon's long lashes fluttered as he shook his head. "After we finish the wedding, I plan to take her on a trip around the world. We'll see a doctor along the way.""That sounds good." Alyssa smiled. "M
Nathan's case made no progress despite the Ivory being saved.Cyrus followed Alyssa's orders and had people secretly keep an eye on Aidan's movements.After taking care of Victor's funeral, Jameson visited Lily at Solana City's top nursing home.Thin as a stick, Lily sat in a wheelchair with her back to Jameson. A nurse attended to her as she basked in the sunlight in the courtyard.But seeing that, Jameson felt endless heartache. Her frail body seemed like it could turn to ashes at any moment under the sun, scattering in the wind."Mr. Schmidt, your mother's condition... is very poor," the doctor said worriedly while shaking his head."She's in the late stages of Alzheimer's. Not only is her memory fading, but her language abilities are also declining gradually. And with her heart condition, it's even more dangerous in this late stage of the disease."Jameson took a deep breath and pressed his pale lips tightly together."There's no miracle drug to cure Alzheimer's. My advice
"W-Who are you... Who are you?" Lily's bloodshot eyes widened, and she scratched wildly in the air, leaving two bloody marks on Jameson's face."You're not my son... Jimmy is not as wicked as you! He's not!"Jameson remained kneeling. Without moving, he watched Lily go mad with a cold and resolute expression.He felt like he was going mad too—just that his madness was quiet.Upon hearing the commotion, two nurses hurried over to restrain Lily, who was trembling and struggling."Call the police... Call the police... He's a murderer... A murderer!"But who would believe the words of a late-stage Alzheimer's patient?Lily shouted incoherently and was eventually pushed away by the nurses."Mr. Schmidt... don't be too upset. Madam Lily is not in her right mind now. Don't take her words to heart," Carl kept comforting Jameson.Witnessing the scene, even he felt extremely uncomfortable, let alone Jameson."How much longer... How much longer will it take?" Jameson closed his eyes. Hi
"They're backed by the Beckett Group. The only person who dares to do this is Jasper."Jameson slowly lifted his gaze, revealing the depth of darkness behind his golden-rimmed glasses. "Well, well, he's starting a social media war.""What's most annoying is that we can't remove this hashtag from the trending list! That would be like walking into his trap." Carl was quite smart.At that moment, a phone call came in.Jameson lowered his eyes and saw "Ms. Gillis" on the screen. He clenched his teeth and answered."Mr. Schmidt, why is there so much going on on your end? It's reached Mr. Justin's ears now. What's going on?" Sheryl's tone was stern, clearly demanding answers."It's Jasper's doing. He wants to make it chaotic and use public opinion to suppress me so that I can't act freely."Jameson was already simmering with rage, and with Sheryl's attitude, he was on the brink of exploding. "I'll call Mr. Justin to explain later.""Hmph! Save it. Mr. Justin is furious right now. He'
Jasper's eyes turned cold. Just as he was about to call the director of Solana Daily, Javier's call came in. He sensed trouble and wanted to avoid Alyssa while answering. Yet he feared she'd think he was hiding something, so he reluctantly turned and picked up the phone. His voice was barely above a whisper."Yes, Dad?""Did you order the release of that news about the human drug experimentation on Solana Daily's official Twitter?" Javier's tone was stern."Yes.""I've already issued orders to take it down. As for the hashtag, even if we don't remove it, someone else will!"Jasper frowned, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. "No, it can't be removed."Alyssa glanced at him with a poker face."It's not that I want to remove it; it's an order from above. First of all, this news is suspected to be fake news. It wasn't confirmed by the official source before being released."This has already caused a lot of pressure on the higher-ups. People are scared! If we don't handle it, trou
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