Nicholas burst out laughing and shook his head repeatedly. He wasn't disagreeing with what Cyrus said. Rather, he was feeling remorse over how much he had sacrificed over three years. He felt like it was not worth it at all. At this very moment, he was extremely regretful and sorry.He wasn't regretful about going down the wrong path and losing the reputation he had worked so hard for. He regretted that his righteous and upright self had become a slave to the devil. "Other than the evidence of your crimes that we found at your home, is there anything else you'd like to tell us?" Cyrus questioned with a serious look on his face."Yes." Nicholas lowered his eyes. "I was involved in Aidan's case too. Jameson instructed me from behind the scenes." Cyrus was shocked. "You killed Aidan? Didn't he die by suicide?" "He did, but Jameson forced him to his death. Jameson wrote and forged a suicide note for him in advance and then asked the lawyer to give it to Aidan so that he'd h
"Mr. Beckett and Ms. Alyssa share your concerns. They've already planted people to surveil the hospital area and even among the nurses caring for your wife. But these are all done in secret. You should know why." A sharp glint flashed in Cyrus' eyes. Nicholas was overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thank you… Thank you, Ms. Alyssa. Thank you, Mr. Beckett." He couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his face. …Later that afternoon, after the interrogation, Cyrus led his colleagues from the Criminal Investigation Unit and the search team to that construction site in the eastern district. With the help of the police search dogs, they were soon able to retrieve the woman's decomposing body from the cement foundation. The body was taken back to the station for autopsy. Cyrus then ordered another group of officers to the resort where the crime happened. They were to examine the surveillance footage for more leads. However, the chances of finding anything useful were slim. Even so, Cyrus
The hospital corridor was eerily silent in the dead of the night. The lone nurse on duty drowsed at the nurses' station, oblivious to the flashing red light from the malfunctioning surveillance camera down the hall.A figure clad in a white doctor's robe and mask darted past the station, his movements purposeful. He carefully scanned his surroundings before pushing open the door to Natalie's ward and slipping inside.The patient lay curled up in bed, seemingly fast asleep. The intruder crept closer, a glint of steel catching the dim light as he drew a dagger from his sleeve. He raised the weapon high and stabbed the person on the bed. All of a sudden, his vision went dark. Unexpectedly, the person on the bed leaped up and threw the blanket over his head! Panic surged through the assassin. He flailed wildly with the dagger, ripping the blanket free. But before he could react further, the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead froze him in place."Don't move. Not unless
Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed across the vast night sky. It felt as if the heavens themselves were about to crack open."Has this day finally arrived?"Jameson stood with his back to Carl, hands clasped behind him, projecting an image of strength and resolve. His posture did not hint at defeat, despair, or emptiness. Yet, a profound loneliness emanated from him, tugging at the heartstrings.He had been a high achiever, a man of success and ambition. He had thrived like a firework that rocketed into the sky, exploding in a blaze of color that illuminated Solana City's night. He had been magnificent, passionate, and impossible to ignore. But in the end, all he was left with was a wasteland of ash."Once, I craved everything. I yearned to return to Solana City and make the Schmidts pay for what they'd done. I wanted to reclaim everything that was rightfully mine, and I dreamed of aiding Mr. Justin in seizing control of Solana City."But ultimately, I realized that none of
Jameson said, "What's there to be afraid of? I've faced and done far more terrifying, darker, and more evil things over the years."Trembling slightly, Jameson lowered his eyes. His face was pale. He reached out a hand as if to catch a butterfly but grasped at nothing. A moment later, he let his arms hang by his side. He curled his fingers into tight fists but still seemed powerless."Right now, all I want is to see Lyse one last time before I die."…The hired assassin was apprehended, and Natalie was transferred to a hospital under KS Group's care.After returning, Axel, with his superior hacking skills, identified the cellphone number's owner and the outgoing message's origin within a few hours. He was demonstrably more efficient than the police's Digital Forensics Department. After all, he was a seasoned professional.…The hush of night blanketed the manor. Jasper and Alyssa's bedroom was a scene of post-coital bliss. Their clothes lay scattered on the floor, and the
Jasper worried about Axel facing danger alone. He threw on clothes as quickly as possible and contacted Cyrus and Xavier, prepping them for a trip to The Millennium.He was determined to help Axel save Amber, their secret ally and Alyssa's future sister-in-law. No matter what, he wouldn't stand idly by.A pang of longing struck Jasper before he even left. He tiptoed back to their room, kneeling by the sleeping Alyssa. Brushing a strand of hair from her face, he leaned in, kissing her forehead, nose, and finally, her lips."Mmph… Jasper… Don't go…" Alyssa mumbled in her sleep, her eyelashes fluttering.Jasper's breath hitched. He fought the urge to stay, placing a gentle hand on her cheek. His chest rose and fell rapidly with each difficult breath. He knew he shouldn't linger. The longer he watched, the harder it would be to leave."Sleep tight, baby. I promise I'll be here when you wake up."…Meanwhile, Cyrus received the evidence from Axel. Armed with an arrest warrant, he led
"We… We are just escorts at The Millennium. We don't know anything… Please don't kill us!" Despite being in the face of two remarkably charming men, the two female escorts were on the brink of tears in fright. In a deep voice, Jasper questioned, "Why is The Millennium closed? Why are you two the only ones left? Where'd everyone go?" "We don't know the details," stammered the bolder of the two, pushing the other woman behind her for protection. "It's an internal matter. We're just lowly escorts."The woman in back added in a meek voice, "C-Carl dismissed everyone overnight. He gave us severance pay and told us to leave. The Millennium is no more. As for the rest, we have no idea..."Jasper's pupils constricted. A cold sweat slicked his skin. They hadn't given their game away; Jameson had abandoned everything in Solana City. He had fled the city, likely to escape punishment for his crimes."What about Amber? Where is she?" Axel shouted, glaring at them. The two women panicked. T
The call was from Jason. Jasper's face lit up. He answered the call immediately. "Hello, Mr. Derullere." "Mr. Beckett, there's been a major upheaval at Schmidt Group!" Jasper had sent Jason's wife and son overseas and hired professional bodyguards to ensure their safety. Jason no longer had anything to fear and could now openly join forces with his savior. "Right now, Schmidt Group has been taken over by the acting vice president. Moreover, it has been secretly acquired by a holding company in Kontina. A company I've never heard of before," Jason explained.A cold gleam flickered in Jasper's eyes. As an experienced businessman, he understood Jameson's intentions. He was certain Jameson was the owner of that holding company. It was a classic business tactic—repackaging oneself like old wine in a new bottle."Jameson is getting desperate as his dirty deeds are coming to light," Jasper said, his voice calm and deep. His mind raced. "Schmidt Group has become a risk to him. He cle
"Mr. Lexington," the doctor greeted respectfully, lowering his head slightly. Everyone at the base knew who Sheryl and Remy were. They were the ones in charge, the decision-makers. So, everyone obeyed their orders without question. To the staff unaware of the facility's true purpose, Sheryl and Remy stood at the pinnacle of the hierarchy. Unbeknownst to them, someone more powerful lurked in the shadows."How has she been these past few days?" Remy asked, his expression unreadable."She's had some adverse reactions, but there are no signs of organ failure yet. Honestly, I'm surprised. She looks frail, but her body is incredibly resilient—stronger than some men, even."The doctor scoffed. "But I'm not sure if she'll make it past her fourth injection today. Last month, four test subjects didn't survive beyond that point. Their bodies have already been sent to the incinerator." Remy's jaw tensed. His voice was husky as he said, "As I've instructed, this woman must be kept alive.
Xavier seethed as he took in the insincere smile on Justin's face. Deep down, he was cursing him with every profanity imaginable. "Whatever makes you happy."Ignoring Justin's dark gaze, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead as he strode past him.Out of nowhere, Justin chuckled and asked, "Did you really think you had people on your side during the board meeting?"Jasper halted, his eyes narrowing. "Grandpa tried his best to shield you, but his health is failing by the day. How much longer do you think an old man can protect you?"Lowering his gaze, Justin idly adjusted the ruby cufflinks on his sleeves. His voice was casual yet cutting. "And Lyse—after how ruthlessly you discarded her, do you still believe she'll stand by you no matter what? That she'll fight alongside you like before?"The intense midday sun accentuated the sharp, aloof, and pallid features of Jasper's face as he stood, unyielding, in its glare. His pulse quickened. Finally, he answered, his voice a low rasp. "R
As the board meeting concluded, the crowd gradually dispersed.News of Justin securing his position as president and Alyssa joining the board quickly spread through Beckett Group.After the meeting, Alyssa escorted Newton back to Crescent Bay while Jasper remained at the corporation to handle some matters.With Xavier accompanying him, Jasper strode toward the chairman's office, his expression cold and unreadable.Nearby, a few employees huddled together, whispering."Psst! Do you think Alyssa joining the board means she's teaming up with Jasper to take down our new president?""People have been saying they broke up since they haven't been seen together for a while," another speculated."But at the press conference, Alyssa openly condemned Mr. Justin. That looked like she was siding with Jasper. So, are they still together or not?""Come on, to people like them, personal feelings don't matter—only their own interests do. Even if they broke up, they can still work together if it
When Jonah reached the bedside, he leaned in slowly, giving Julien an unobstructed view of his tanned skin, well-defined abs, and that devastatingly captivating face. Reclining against the headboard, Julien found himself lost in Jonah's eyes. His breath hitched, and his mind momentarily blanked as Jonah's mesmerizing gaze locked onto him. What could he do? His heart still betrayed him, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. He was a fool—a pathetic fool. Jonah braced his arms on either side of Julien's head, his dark eyes overflowing with a raw, possessive affection. It was as if he sought to consume Julien—just as he had last night."Julien, does it still hurt—" "Fuck you!" Julien's bloodshot eyes blazed as he swung his hand, landing a sharp slap across Jonah's face. The illusion of his frailty shattered. A crimson handprint bloomed on Jonah's cheek in a split second, the flesh puffing up visibly. But the sting barely registered. Not when the ache in Jonah's chest was alr
Justin frowned as a hint of surprise flashed across his dark eyes. He had assumed Newton's unannounced appearance at the board meeting—along with Alyssa's involvement—was a coordinated effort with Jasper to overthrow him as president. After mentally running through hundreds of countermeasures, the one possibility he hadn't considered was that everything would proceed smoothly in his favor. Javier was equally stunned, though this outcome aligned with his desires. Today, Justin wasn't merely his son but a constant shadow looming over him, a silent predator watching his every move and reminding him that his past actions weren't completely buried. Instead, this secret loomed like a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment, obliterating everything he'd built. And the person holding the detonator was Justin—his eldest son whom he had trusted above all others. With a dim gaze, Javier watched Justin rise to his feet amid the applause. Suddenly, Justin's voice seemed distant,
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