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
By doing this, Jameson made it seem as if he was considerate of Alyssa's feelings, showing how much he cared for her. But all Alyssa felt was a wrenching pain in her heart, and it sickened her.He was killing her from the inside."Are you joking, Mr. Schmidt?" Remy glanced at a pale Alyssa, then looked at Jameson with disdain. He scoffed, "I'm not Ms. Alyssa's family, nor am I your friend. Why should I be a witness to your marriage? "It already makes me feel sick to be standing here. Yet, you want me to participate? You disgust me." Alyssa's reddened eyes glistened with tears. She stared at Remy pitifully. Remy's lashes quivered slightly before he looked away and turned around. He wasn't sure if he simply didn't want to watch or couldn't bear to.Even though Remy refused to do the honors, Jameson wasn't peeved. He stared lovingly at the stiff woman in his arms. In a tone overflowing with the joy of a groom-to-be, Jameson remarked, "Oh well, it doesn't matter. It makes no dif
At first, Jameson had no intention of touching her. His love for her was so profound that he couldn't bring himself to do it.He was well aware that this wedding was far from perfect, decent, or presentable. In fact, it was almost absurd. But the fact that she refused to even pretend or put on a show during his final days was unbearable.Alyssa watched as Jameson's chest was gradually exposed, a bead of sweat trailing down his sculpted abs, his skin flushed with a pink hue of arousal.Her eyes widened in terror, her face burning with embarrassment.It hurt. It hurt all over. Pain spread throughout her insides and to every nerve ending.Just as his hands reached to tear her nightgown, he caught a glint of cold steel in his peripheral vision. He held his breath. Somehow, Alyssa had gotten her hands on a sharp knife. She had positioned it right at his chest in the blink of an eye. She would be aiming at his heart if she moved it a little to the side. "Where did you get that f
The warm, early morning sun bathed Rose Island in golden light. The fine, white sand on the beach shimmered with a dazzling radiance. The bedroom Alyssa was in was as dark as night. Heavy, luxurious velvet curtains blocked out the sunlight completely.In such an atmosphere, someone exhausted from a night of struggle could easily sleep through the day. But Jameson woke up early.After a night of relentless nightmares, he was drenched in cold sweat, his face ashen. The moment he opened his eyes, he reached out frantically, his hands trembling.He exhaled in relief when he felt the warmth of Alyssa's body beside him. Then, he sat up in bed.The bed was a mess, not from lovemaking but from Alyssa's frenzied struggles the night before.At the very last moment, Jameson forced himself to suppress his urge to dominate her. He leaned weakly against the headboard, watching Alyssa's delicate face as she slept. His chapped, pale lips curled into a relieved and blissful smile.Slowly, he
Jameson looked exceptionally calm. He stared at Alyssa's sleeping face with a fiery gaze. "You can take Lyse away, but not right now." Remy's gaze turned cold. "How dare you go against Sir's orders?" "As I said—not right now." Jameson covered his mouth and let out a few deep coughs. As he lowered his hand, he quickly curled his fingers inward to hide the blood on his palm. "Love, hate, and all these grudges—Jasper and I have been at odds for so long. Today is the day to settle our scores. This is such a critical moment. How could Lyse not be by my side?"Remy furrowed his brows, his expression one of bewilderment as if he were facing a mad doomsayer. "What in the world are you going to do?" "I know that Sir has always had some feelings for Lyse. It was just that he wasn't willing to show it." Jameson stopped coughing. Slowly and elegantly, he buttoned up his shirt as if this were a regular morning. "But, even if Sir were to have Lyse, he'd just be like me—unable to win her
Remy's face was an immense shock to Axel and Jasper, a staggering sight that hit them with the force of a bombshell. Axel, in particular, stared in disbelief, a quiver in his voice as he cried out, "Damien! Damien, is that really you?"Remy, however, stared back with a cold, emotionless gaze, his eyes as still as a tranquil pond."Axel, calm down. Have a good look!" Jasper, though internally stunned, managed to steady himself. Having never met Damien alive and only seeing him in the Taylors' family photos, he was able to quickly calm down.With a tense jaw, he remarked, "Damien was reported dead in a plane crash. It's been years, and they never recovered his body. How could he still be alive?"This could be someone who merely resembles Damien, a ploy by Jameson to throw us off. Axel, keep your wits about you. Don't let yourself be fooled!"When Remy heard Jasper's words, he couldn't help but frown. Here was another one. No, there were two of them. That man named Damien truly
Jasper's jaw was clenched tight as he sprinted forward, the sharp branches of the path leaving angry scratches on his face. The pain barely registered as he pushed on. His legs were numb from the relentless pace, but he continued, sustained only by his determination to rescue Alyssa. His legs trembled under him when he finally reached the manor, and he stumbled slightly against the biting cold wind.Had it been someone else, they would have crumbled and been unable to stand up again.No one was keeping watch outside the manor. It was eerily quiet. Jasper took a steadying breath, his grip tightening on his gun. Each step on the white rock tiles felt heavy as he approached the door. With a calm yet wary demeanor, he pushed it open and entered.The luxurious living room was empty. Even so, Jasper's heart raced, sensing an unseen danger. He was as focused and tense as a volcano poised to erupt.His intuition, honed by experience and training, told him something was amiss. A glint c