Jasper never believed in coincidences. Still, when it involved Liana, he fervently wished that everything that had happened was a coincidence."Mr. Beckett!" Xavier jogged up to him, panting, and handed him a phone with both hands. "Here is the footage of Madam Sophia, Ms. Betty, and Ms. Gardner's activities from tonight that you requested! I gathered the files. Please take a look!""My guy, you're fast!" Landon changed his mind about leaving and went up to take a look.Jasper carefully poured through the footage, holding his breath."Looking at the footage, Ms. Gardner not only interacted frequently with Madam Sophia, but she also contacted Ms. Betty in private. What's more bizarre …" A gleam flashed across Xavier's eyes. "... is that Ms. Gardner did not show up in the vicinity when I checked the footage of Mr. Jonah and Ms. Alyssa entering the room.""Hah, that's interesting." Landon sneered. "If she wasn't even in the area, how did she know that Mr. Jonah and Ms. Alyssa were sh
Jasper was numb and calm, but his curt remark was damaging to Liana. She froze up and felt her cheeks burning in shame. It was as though she had been slapped a few times.Javier and Sophia were stunned by the turn of events. Only Betty had a guileful smile on her face. After the events from that night, she had seen Liana for who she was—an obnoxiously conceited bitch who had manipulated her to attack the others. Liana was unsuitable to marry into their family. Betty even hoped Jasper would cut Liana off forever instead of pausing the marriage."Jasper, are you giving me up?" Shocked and scared, Liana held to his arm as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Are you ditching me after you learned that Alice White is from the Taylor family? Did you regret your divorce?""Alice White or Alyssa Taylor, she has no bearing on my decision to put a halt to our marriage." He slowly but surely freed his arm from her grip. There was nothing but coldness in his eyes. He continued, "I've warned you n
"Jasper did not even inform us when he decided on the divorce. Of course, he wouldn't tell me his intention to call off the marriage!""Those are different things!" Sophia's voice was shrill, unlike her usual comforting tone. "Jasper does not love Alyssa Taylor at all. Unlike Alyssa, Lia is Jasper's childhood sweetheart. They have a deep bond!""Right. That's beyond me too. If they share a deep bond, what else did Liana want from him? Why couldn't she behave instead of stirring trouble with Ms. Alyssa? "She has humiliated our family with the infidelity drama in front of Dad. I will not help her this time, and I can't guarantee whether the marriage will happen!"His chest tightened when he recalled Newton's taunt. "I wouldn't have advised Jasper to seek divorce if I had known better. Liana is not the right match for our family; worse, she's a troublemaker. It's indeed hard to get along with those from different backgrounds!"Sophia's shoulders slumped when she realized that Javier
Liana was baffled by Sophia's slap."I warned you not to drag Betty into any plan of yours, or I won't help you out!""Aunt Sophia, I was wrong! It was a careless mistake! I will not do it again." Despite the boiling hatred in her, Liana had to beg for forgiveness repeatedly.Sophia looked at the lowly woman with disdain. She wouldn't have helped a stubborn and manipulative woman like Liana to marry Jasper if only there were a better candidate from the Kirkman Family.Still, she refused to give up on Liana after many years of grooming her niece. Disgusted by the night's events, she felt like she had swallowed a fly. Still, she had to endure the setback."Alice White is the daughter of the distinguished Taylor family. You cannot lay a finger on her. Winston Taylor is known for doting on his children. Your top priority is to win Jasper's heart and marry him according to the plan!" Sophia looked terrifying with her taut lips and the bright red lipstick."But he makes it clear that h
"How about the Beckett Group?" Alyssa asked."I heard they didn't make any progress too.""It's good to know that we haven't fallen behind. We're still on the starting line just like they are.""But we have more competitors than the Beckett Group! I heard that ten luxury hotels across the nation are fighting to host Ada Kingsley's wedding!""The Beckett Group and the Taylor Group are the benchmark for hotels in the nation. Ada Kingsley is too fussy to host her wedding in smaller hotels." She took a bite of the sandwich and squinted. She continued, "Keep in touch with her team. I want to move her with sincerity. She has an event in the country at the start of next month, where I'll meet her in person and secure the deal. Time for the Beckett Group to give up!"Whoever messed with her business deals would have to suffer. …Many young couples were waiting for their turn at the entrance to the city hall early in the morning. They were either hugging or taking photos sweetly.The
"It's fine as long as you make it here before 5:00 pm. We'll have to wait a day more if the city hall is closed." Alyssa dropped a chilly remark and marched to the entrance, leaving Jasper behind. His throat tightened.He was brought back to the day they registered their marriage three years ago. As he was notified of an emergency meeting by Yoarkley's project manager, he had no choice but to stay back at the company. After the meeting, he had to host a VIP who dropped by. When the meeting was over, it struck him that he had forgotten to inform Alyssa about the postponement of the marriage registration.The memories of that day were vivid and cruel. When he rushed over to the city hall, the place was almost empty. There, he found Alyssa alone, looking downcast. Her frail figure appeared lonely and pitiful.He did not expect her to wait a day for him. Her stubbornness was one of a kind.He had wanted to apologize to her. However, he did not do so because he struggled with mixed em
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Jasper grabbed his lower elbow on the right with his left hand but failed to stop the shaking. The ballpoint pen fell with a thud onto the floor.Feeling odd, Alyssa finally paid him attention and checked him out. He looked pale, and his hair was a mess. She spotted dust on his black suit and some tear and wear near the lapel and shirt collar.What was he up to before this? Why did he appear a little disheveled?Puzzled, she picked up the pen and handed it to him.Finally, the two forms were signed. The staff wrapped up the procedure, and the divorce was finalized."All the best to both of you."Staring at the divorce certificate as she left the city hall, she struggled to describe her feelings. They dragged out the divorce to the point that she had gotten over the initial heartache. More than anything, she felt a wave of relief.She had once lived solely for love and learned her lesson. After reuniting with the Taylor family, her only wish
At that moment, Alyssa so wanted to be Colene's pet, Bobo, and tear that bastard into pieces! In the three years of marriage, they had slept in separate rooms and never held hands. She was disgusted at how he shamelessly initiated the skinship after the divorce.His heart seemed to have broken into half."Mr. Beckett!" A Porsche stopped in front of them. Xavier hopped out worriedly. "Are you mad? You should have gone to the hospital after the car crash! You're not taking your health seriously!""It won't kill." Jasper struggled to open his eyes. Still, he couldn't see Alyssa clearly. "You're the mad one."Alyssa was stunned. She finally learned the reason behind his tardiness and why he was so out of it to the point that he couldn't hold a pen.He had been involved in a car crash!"You should have gone to the hospital! Do you think you're invincible? What if there's internal bleeding? The delay might lead to paralysis, do you know that?" She glared at him as her heart leaped to
Justin curled his lips into a smirk, scoffing in silence. Newton had gone to great lengths to bring Alyssa into Beckett Group. This was his way of decentralizing power and keeping it in check, and he wanted to prevent Justin from having complete control. Unlike others, Javier couldn't hold himself back. He blew his top instantly, his face turning red like a tomato. "Dad, have you lost your mind? Don't you know who she is? She is KS Group's president—our direct competitor!"KS Group is also bidding for Project A5. No matter how much you favor her, you should at least recognize the limits. If you promote her, it's a blatant conflict of interest—outright cronyism!" Newton sneered. "I might understand your concern if I were promoting someone other than Alyssa."His gaze hardened. "Cronyism? A conflict of interest? I wonder who you're really talking about."With those words, he cast a knowing, enigmatic glance at Justin's blank expression. Just then, a board member from Javier's
Despite his age, Newton exuded the same energy and sharpness he had in his younger days, even when surrounded by the board members brimming with vigor. Despite his quiet presence in the wheelchair, an intimidating atmosphere clung to him. In an instant, Javier was transported back to the days when he worked under Newton's strict supervision."Good day, Mr. Javier and all fellow board members. I assume no one has any objections to my presence at this meeting?"Newton's gaze swept across the room, a perfunctory smile gracing his lips."Of course not. You are part of the corporation's board of directors!" the members responded immediately.Newton nodded. "Much has happened within the corporation lately. Our shares have been fluctuating amid the controversy. "As you all know, I had intended to retire after dedicating most of my life to this company. I wanted to step aside for the younger generation rather than hover over them like a specter, micromanaging everything. "However,
Jasper's arrival plunged the conference room into an uneasy silence, and heavy tension settled over the space. Justin looked up, his expression a frozen mask. A palpable chill emanated from him. Javier's eyes widened in surprise. "Jasper? What are you doing here?" "Even though I'm no longer the president of Beckett Group, I remain a shareholder and board member. It's only natural for me to be here," Jasper replied smoothly as he strolled to his seat. As he passed behind Justin, he abruptly stopped. Without a moment's notice, he struck the back of Justin's chair. The sudden impact made Justin flinch. "Am I right, Justin?" Justin's expression darkened. Forcing a smile, he replied, "As a board member, you have the right to attend, even if you're no longer involved in operations. There's no issue.""If that's the case, why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Jasper lowered himself into his seat, legs slightly parted, exuding an air of indifference. Yet, beneath the nonc
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa
Julien's merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.Under the dim lighting, Julien vaguely noticed a sorrowful tear forming at the corner of Jonah's eye. But before it could fall, Jonah forced a blink, swallowing his emotions whole. Despite Jonah's attempt to brace himself, sorrow engulfed him, a tidal wave of despair. His features mirrored the devastation ripping through his heart. As Evan opened the driver's side door, Julien lurched forward and vomited again. The sickening sound of him retching echoed in the air as if he were expelling everything inside him. "Judas, Mr. Lovelace looks like he's suffering from alcohol poisoning. We should take him to the hospital."Evan's worry deepened at Julien's condition. Jonah wordlessly removed his suit jacket and began cleaning the mess in the car. His chest tightened painfully as he watched Julien groaning, clearly suffering. Then, without he
Jonah's gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate. The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, "Are you new? How much do you charge per night?"Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah's cheek. "You're pretty good-looking," he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. "Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?"Jonah's heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien's waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. "I'm new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?"Julien's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah. Jonah's eyes teared up as he held Julien's waist tightly. "I promise you won't be disappointed," he said, his voice deep. Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah's sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downri
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay—corrupt, degrading, and vile. "Where's Julien?" Jonah's voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp. When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent."Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?" A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah's shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. "If you're bored, I'd be happy to keep you company." Jonah's expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage. Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men. Evan yelled, "Don't touch him!" A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.The man who had draped himself over
Rafe stated, "But Beckett Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn't be able to escape unscathed!""If you're investigated, I'll make sure you can still live a life of luxury—even if you lose your job." Justin's tone darkened. "But if you turn against me, you won't just suffer a few losses. You'll lose everything."Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. "You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?"After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. "Sheryl is still being detained. She can't be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You'll handle that."Remy was taken aback. "I failed my last mission. Aren't you going to punish me?"Justin's smile was cold and insincere. "It wasn't your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I tru
Remy pursed his lips, bending down to pick up the fallen poker card. It was the King of Spades—an entry pass to Kings' Club. "My attacker was…" Remy's pupils constricted as he tightened his grip on the card. "It can only be that dear uncle of mine, always claiming to see me as his own son." Justin's lips curled into a sinister smile. "He's trying to get rid of my right-hand man, taking advantage of my internal feud with Jasper. Weakening me is just his first step toward gaining control over me."He's been a fugitive ever since his successful prison break, never returning to Cyrris after receiving his life sentence. His power base remains in Kontina. "I'm the last surviving Dutton. The Dutton Group, as a cover, has declared bankruptcy and severed all ties with the country. "My dear uncle has taken a huge risk just to target me. He sent his men to attack you in Solana City. What a delightful surprise. It seems he truly doesn't trust me, his only remaining family."Remy lowere