Tears welled up in Alyssa's eyes as she clung desperately to Remy's shirt, wrinkling it in her grip. "I miss Dad and my brothers. I miss Jasper… Please let me go home… Okay? Please…"Remy listened in silence, his steps firm and unyielding, offering no response."Return Lyse to me!" Jameson, unaware of how he looked, chased after them frantically and blocked Remy's path, his eyes bloodshot with desperation."You haven't married Ms. Alyssa yet. Technically, she's not yours." Remy stared at Jameson's pale face, his gaze calm and unbothered. "And if I handed her to you, do you think you could carry her?"Jameson trembled, his weak body betraying him as he withdrew his shaking hands.Though Alyssa was physically and mentally drained, her mind was unusually clear after the recent shock. Remy's words hinted at something deeper. Was Jameson's body deteriorating to the point of collapse?The sea breeze was growing stronger, howling through the night.Remy continued walking, holding Alyss
"What's wrong, Jonah? Is something on your mind?" Seeing that they were alone, Jasper seized the chance to approach Jonah. His gaze was firm as he pressed on, "Did something happen when you were in the palace?"Everyone's overwhelmed by Lyse's situation. The psychological pressure on you must be just as intense, maybe even more than the rest of us."Jonah met Jasper's concerned gaze, feeling moved. "Jasper, I really appreciate you noticing how I'm feeling, even at a time like this." "Don't say that, Jonah. We're family. To me, you and Lyse are equally important." Since losing contact with Alyssa, Jasper had been restless, plagued by sleepless nights and a constant state of anxiety. Every shift in the moods of those around him only magnified his own stress, making him hypersensitive and on edge. "What really happened?""To be honest, not much." Jonah pursed his lips. "After entering the palace, I met the king. He was kind and friendly, giving me a personal tour. We even dined tog
What terrified Jasper even more was that the timeline of the hunt for Felicity perfectly aligned with the ages of Jonah and his four brothers.When too many coincidences occur, they might not be coincidences at all.Adding to the unease, Anthony had summoned Jonah—whom he had never met before—into the palace out of nowhere. He treated Jonah with unusual warmth, even gifting him a personal artifact."Jonah, when you met His Royal Highness at the palace, was Her Royal Highness there as well?" Jasper suddenly inquired.Jonah shook his head. "Nope. Her Royal Highness never showed up." "How about the prince?" "I heard the prince's health isn't good. A few years back, he could still attend meetings with political leaders, state visits, and charity events with His Royal Highness. But last year, he became bedridden. He had turned down all his duties to focus on recovery. I didn't get the chance to meet him."What kind of illness had kept him bedridden for two whole years? It had to be
With the royal family's approval, a massive search operation was launched.In the blink of an eye, another five days passed. The search parties scoured 20 islands of varying sizes, yet Alyssa remained elusive.Logically, if Jameson had intended to settle on an island, he would have brought ample manpower and supplies. The search shouldn't have been this difficult. But the reality was that the search and rescue mission proved far more challenging than anyone had anticipated.Adding to the difficulties, the recent weather at Kontina had been terrible. Stormy seas severely hampered the operation.On the fifth night, Miley brought some dishes into the room. Seeing Jasper's tired and bloodshot eyes, her heart wrenched. She urged, "Jasper, you can't keep exhausting yourself like this. Your body won't hold up! Please, have something to eat, even if it's just a small bite.""Thank you, Miley. Just leave it here. I'll eat in a bit," Jasper answered in a hoarse voice. Even so, he remained s
"Invite her in to have a seat." Jasper's icy expression softened slightly.After some time and Miley's gentle persuasion, Amber entered with her head lowered. "Thank you, Mr. Beckett," she said, offering a deep bow. Since being rescued, she hadn't found the right moment to properly express her gratitude to Jasper.Jasper's eyes held a faint, dull gleam. "No need to thank me. I didn't do much. Axel was the one who saved you.""I spent a significant amount of time in Kontina when I worked for Jameson," Amber said, her expression serious. "So, I have a certain level of understanding about this country. I hope that I'll be able to be of some help," Amber offered with a serious expression on her face. Jasper was taken aback. Only now did he recall that Amber had once worked under Jameson, making her knowledge invaluable. No one knew him better.Standing by the table, Amber scanned the map, its surface dotted with red crosses. She gently shook her head. "Searching like this isn't the
Everyone in the room was astounded by Jasper's sudden proposition. "Mr. Beckett's hunch is spot on. Ms. Alyssa could very well be on Rose Island!" Amber's eyes sparkled with hope. She chimed in, "I remember overhearing Carl mention that Jameson bought an island. He was obsessed with it, always vacationing and relaxing there."I didn't think much of it back then. Jameson owns so many properties that an island seemed trivial. But now that I think of it, it feels suspicious."If it was just another island, why would he care so much about it, checking on it personally so often? This isn't like him at all. He's probably been planning this for a while. That island must be his last hideout!"If someone else had said that, others might have doubted it. But, as Jameson's former trusted subordinate, Amber's theory was plausible."We'll leave now. I'll pilot the helicopter myself to get us to the island!" Jasper's heart pounded like stormy waves crashing against his chest.His eyes were bl
To Alyssa, these five days felt like hell on earth. She couldn't bring herself to eat or drink, and within two weeks, she had become as thin as a wisp. She lay limply on the bed, her delicate shoulder blades trembling.She looked pitiful, yet her appearance stirred a desire to conquer and spoil her, never having to worry that she would leave. During these five days, Alyssa was constantly on edge. Though she was so exhausted she could have slept for days, she only dared to take brief naps, never allowing herself to fall into a deep sleep.She was afraid—afraid that Jameson would eventually lay his hands on her.So far, he had only held her and kissed her, but she couldn't trust that the madman wouldn't decide to take things further on a whim.In the wee hours of the morning, the night sky turned dark and ominous as strong winds began to howl.Jameson injected himself with adrenaline in the study. Emerging from the room, he dragged his weary body through the dimly lit corridor,
"What did you say? Wedding… right now?" Alyssa trembled, pressing her hands against his chest. She glanced at the trees swaying wildly in the storm outside the window, wondering if she'd heard him wrong."Yes, right now." Jameson's gaze was deep, gentle, and full of affection.Alyssa's eyes widened in shock. Jameson suddenly wanted to marry her in the dead of night under such terrible weather conditions.Could it be that he knew his hideout had been exposed? Had Jasper and her brothers discovered her location? Was that why Jameson was rushing his plans?Jameson sat on the bed, wrapping his arms around her. He leaned down, picked up a pair of red heels he had prepared, and carefully slipped them onto her feet, one by one."When I was young, my mother told me that a bride who gets married on a rainy day is someone with a temper." He stared intently at her pale face, his gaze calm and deep. His cold lips brushed light kisses against her cheeks. "Look at the storm outside. It just