A white winter day with fluttering snow was the perfect symbol of purity and romance. It was Christmas Eve. The time had come for Landon and Lauren's fairytale wedding at faraway Bernardia. The Becketts' and the Taylors' private planes set off. Both families landed at Bernardia Airport one after the other. Then, via Landon's arrangements, they were transported to a fortress where they would stay. Landon had booked the entire historic estate for a whole month. The fortress in front was to be used for their wedding reception, whereas the block behind was the accommodation for friends and family. In other words, if they wanted to stay on to enjoy Bernardia's beautiful scenery after the wedding, they could continue staying there temporarily while they toured around and soaked in the beauty of a foreign land. This estate was a historic site. Over the last century, it had never been rented out for anyone's private use. This was the first time in history and might also be the last.
Landon lowered his eyes and stared at the item in his hand. It was a gold pocket watch that was mounted with ruby and sapphire. He widened his eyes."Dad, this is…""This is a pocket watch that Jasper's great-great-grandfather passed down to his grandfather, Newton. It was then passed down to me." Landon felt like he had just heard a tongue twister, but he understood what was implied. Basically, it was a very precious item!"Now, I am giving it to you." A kind smile came across Javier's face. "This is an antique. It's an item that people at auctions will bid astronomical prices for. Don't underestimate its value." "Dad, this… This is too valuable. I can't accept it." Landon couldn't believe the amount of favor he was receiving. He declined immediately, "This is your family heirloom. You should be passing it down to Jasper. I don't deserve—""You're not an outsider. You are my son-in-law, and someone who's like a son to me. Why do you say that you don't deserve it?" Ja
There was silence. Jasper felt the chilly night breeze at Bernardia blowing across his face. He had an intense look in his eyes, and he could feel his heart pounding. Until today, he still had a glimmer of hope for Justin, who had once saved his life. With his own eyes, he had witnessed how the Schmidt brothers tore at one another and fought to their deaths. He didn't want the same cruelty to replay within the Becketts. "Jasper, I know that I'm unable to take care of myself because of my physical condition. Even so, I have always cared about Beckett Group. I think about Grandpa, Dad, you, and Lauren too." Justin's tone of voice was full of sincerity. "Firstly, I didn't know you were blowing the issue up from behind the scenes. All I did was look at it from Beckett Group's perspective. My intention was simply to protect our family's interests. "Secondly, even if I knew that you were the one behind all that, I don't think I would've done anything differently because everythin
Julien beamed from ear to ear. "Hi, Aunt Mandy, Madam Lyla and Madam Colene. Hey, Taty." "Where are you going, Jul?" Tatiana's eyes were wide with curiosity. "There's a famous brand of desserts at Bernardia. I wanted to buy some back for everyone to have a taste." "Yay! We get to have desserts, thanks to Jonah." Tatiana clapped her hands in joy. She really didn't treat him like an outsider. She simply spoke her thoughts. A sheepish smile flashed across Julien's face. He waved and headed off while humming a tune. When he brushed past Mandy, her sharp senses detected that peculiar scent from Julien. As she lifted her eyes, she caught a glance of his chest underneath his V-necked T-shirt. The faint, red marks on his chest made her blush!Mandy exhaled and remarked, "Young men are physically fitter indeed." She picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. She let out a cryptic smile. "What did you say, Mandy?" Lyla looked at Mandy with a confused look on her face. She didn't c
Julien squinted. Looking at the man's face, he didn't seem like he was lying. He didn't look like he was insulting him, either. Thus, Julien decided to let his guard down. Since he was a naturally curious person, he couldn't help but probe, "Do I really look like your friend?" "Very much so, especially your eyes. They're mesmerizing, like a fox's. My friend also had a similar, unforgettable gaze."The man nodded confidently. His gaze was still fixed on Julien, as he could not take his eyes off of him. "But at a closer look, you only look like him in appearance. Other than that, your expressions and mannerisms aren't alike. "Sorry… for thinking that you were someone else. I'm really sorry." "That's alright." Julien shrugged nonchalantly. "You can tell your friend about this when you get back. After all, it's quite a miraculous thing to know that there is a doppelgänger living in another part of the world." The man shook his head dejectedly. "I wish I could, but it's not pos
The man in the car looked in the direction of where Jonah and Julien had gone. Then, he took out his phone and examined the couple's intimate photo that he had secretly snapped. If he hadn't verified it previously, he would have been certain that they were Jonah and Blake, whom he knew. He gritted his teeth and floored it. …When they arrived at the door to the fortress, Julien thought of sharing his encounter at the dessert shop with Jonah. But he noticed the three luxurious cars that were stopped in the courtyard. He didn't recognize those vehicles. There were also bodyguards dressed in suits and standing guard outside. In a flash, he was distracted. "Oh? Didn't Landon say that only the Taylors' and Becketts' friends and family were invited for the wedding? Who else is here?" "It's Miley. She brought someone else with her too. Or to be more specific, it's someone who insisted on coming along with her." Jonah had his arms around Julien. He had a secretive look on his fa
Winston and Liam had smart and striking appearances. Their bearings were no less noble than that of royalty. "Dad! Liam!" Alyssa rushed over to them immediately. Winston forced a smile. Then, he directed a conflicted gaze toward Yuliana. Liam stared at Yuliana. There was a flicker in his eyes as he tightened his fists subconsciously. The moment Yuliana spotted Liam, her glistening eyes lit up and filled with eagerness. However, due to her noble identity, she could only restrain her emotions as she approached Liam step by step. Women were best at understanding other women. Alyssa could clearly sense that…The relationship between Yuliana and Liam wasn't that simple. They had a story. "Colonel." Yuliana looked up smugly and gazed at Liam with a deep look in her eyes. "Aren't you going to greet me?" Everyone's gazes were focused on this eye-catching pair in front of them. Liam gulped before taking a step forward. He lowered himself slowly and knelt on one knee. Then,
Yuliana, the princess of Kontina, risked getting reprimanded by her father when she returned home. That one kiss revealed her purpose for traveling all the way here. She had come only to meet with Liam. She was a princess who ran away from the royal family in order to meet her lover. This was such a romantic long-distance relationship and a fairy tale about true love. However, to the Taylors, they were burdened by immense pressure! "You abducted the princess, Miley. Is that okay?" Back in the room, Mandy held onto Miley's hand and asked anxiously, "You won't be in trouble with the royal family when you get back, will you? Will they make things difficult for you and Jeremy?" "It's fine, Mom. You don't have to worry. We are close to the royal family." Miley's voice was gentle and comforting. "Also, I'm not that dumb to abduct the princess. Yuliana thinks that she has run away from the royal family. But, in actual fact, I informed Her Royal Highness the moment Yuliana boarde
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