Jasper stared at those three pills in shock. The coldness of the unknown surged and stirred within his chest. Jameson was a schemer, a man who thrived on manipulation. Every word he spoke could be part of an elaborate ploy. Maybe these pills were poison, a way to kill him without the mess of bloodshed."If I take all of them, will you let Lyse go?" Jasper's voice cracked, hoarse with pain.Jameson chuckled nonchalantly. "Of course." "Did you think that I would believe you? Show yourself or get those lapdogs of yours to come at me if you want me dead. Let's fight face-to-face. If not, you might as well just shoot me." Jasper then slammed his fist into the glass and added, "Don't use such a vicious tactic. I won't fall for it!" "Choose between the two," Jameson said, his grin widening. "If it's not you, it'll be her. The decision is yours, Jasper." Jasper's heart was wrenched. "Jameson, don't you dare touch Lyse!""It looks like you've made your choice." Jameson picked up th
Jasper felt a pain unlike any he had ever known. It wasn't a physical agony like having flesh torn away, but a slow, excruciating torture akin to being slowly sliced by a blunt blade. It was a hundred times worse than dying instantly.His mind raced through a chaotic sequence of images, like a black-and-white movie playing backward. He saw people retreating and leaving—Javier, Anne, Newton, Landon, Lauren, Jonah, Axel…He reached out desperately, trying to grasp any of them, but they were slipping away, one by one.Finally, the image settled on Alyssa's radiant face. "Lyse... Don't go..."Tears streaming down his face, he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her. But she dissolved into golden dust, vanishing into the frigid air."No!"A beep sounded in his ear as if everything had been reset. Darkness enveloped him, and he fell unconscious.Now, there was just silence. Jameson stood motionless, staring at the fallen man. He wasn't sure if he was dead, but deep down, he was
A mysterious manor sat at the top of a mountain in Kontina. The green scenery around it was enchanting. In a dimly lit bedroom, a calm and soothing incense burned quietly in an antique burner. White smoke drifted through the air, dispelling all traces of unease, restlessness, and noise from the room.Alyssa lay still on the soft, spacious bed, a peaceful expression on her face as she slept. She was still dressed in her pure and elegant wedding gown, looking so delicate and ethereal that she seemed untouchable—more enchanting than even Sleeping Beauty herself.In the shadows, a tall man sat in a wheelchair, his back to the light, silently watching Alyssa."Sir, I've examined her thoroughly and confirmed that she has no external injuries," Sheryl reported. Despite her limited surgical training, she had the skill to conduct basic examinations. "Her blood test is also complete. There are traces of tranquilizers and sedatives, but nothing harmful to her health."A hint of sarcasm crep
Jameson was arrested on the spot by the Kontinian authorities. They also found massive amounts of drugs and firearms on Rose Island. At the same time, that beautiful rose garden was proven by the relevant authorities to have been used for planting poppies in the past. The news of Jameson's arrest spread like wildfire throughout Kontina. Cyrris also caught wind of this news, which made headlines and became a trending topic. The media was flooded with comments from Kontinian citizens, all echoing the same sentiment—overjoyed and relieved. It was as if Christmas had come early.The evil influence of the Schmidt Group had once seemed like an impenetrable web, shadowing all of Kontina's skies. Jameson had maintained the guise of a charitable businessman, but countless people had suffered under his power, oppression, and violations. It was just that no one had dared speak out before, harboring their resentment in silence. Now, with this cancerous blight finally being cut out, th
Alyssa was unaware that three days had passed since that day she resisted Jameson on the bed with all her might. After being unconscious for three days and nights, she finally woke up, weak and disoriented, in a hospital bed."Lyse is awake… Lyse is awake!" Having not slept or eaten properly for three days, Miley was so excited that she burst out in tears. Alyssa's family members, who had been waiting outside, flooded the room instantly and surrounded her. "Jonah… Axel… Miley…"Alyssa's half-open eyes struggled to focus. She forced herself to look at the familiar faces surrounding her."That's great… That's great. Lyse remembers us!" Miley held tightly onto Alyssa's cold hands. In the end, she still couldn't stop herself from crying tears of joy. Even though Jeremy had brought in the country's top specialist to examine Alyssa, the doctors had worried about the long-term effects of her extended unconsciousness. Thankfully, she had woken up, allowing everyone's tense emotions to
"Lyse, calm down. Listen to me!" Jonah felt a sharp pain in his chest, emotions swirling inside him. He knew he couldn't keep the truth from Alyssa but had to explain it in a way that didn't make things seem worse than they were."Jasper got hurt fighting Jameson on Rose Island. He's been unconscious since then. But don't worry, aside from being shot in the left shoulder, he has no other external injuries, and his internal organs are fine.""Left shoulder… again?" Alyssa's eyes brimmed with tears. Her heart ached for him. "Back on Shelland Island, Jasper hurt his left shoulder saving me. Now, he's been shot there again? His left shoulder will be ruined for life!"A tear rolled down her cheek as if the bullet had pierced her heart too."Don't worry, Lyse," Miley said quickly. "Jeremy and I found the best surgeon in Kontina to remove the bullet and operate. Jasper's arm will be fine. He might have some pain, but it won't stop him from living normally.""If it's just an external in
"Julien, what did you find?" Jonah approached Julien quickly, wrapping an arm around his waist and gently caressing him. With his other hand, he pulled the CT scan from Julien's grasp.Julien narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do you know how to read it?" Jonah was honest. He answered in a deep voice, "I don't. Please enlighten me, darling." Julien pouted, giving Jonah a playful jab in his firm abdomen with his finger.He knew Jonah's heart was heavy, and he wasn't in the mood to flirt. Regardless, Julien just wanted to lift his spirits after all the exhaustion. Julien had been tirelessly thinking of ways to help Jasper since the moment he stepped onto Kontinian soil."Jul…" Alyssa turned her head to look at Julien. With her eyes filled with tears, she looked extremely pitiful. "Lyse, I'm here with you too." Julien's chest tightened. He smiled. With a gleam in his eyes, he said warmly, "Don't be afraid. With me here, Jasper will definitely wake up." Alyssa nodded firmly. Eve
Ever since Alyssa woke, she had hardly left Jasper's side, forsaking sleep and rest with no regard for her own health.Three more days dragged by, though for her, it felt like months—years—decades.The time that passed was agonizing. This wasn't the first time Jasper had been hurt because of her. She had been through the fear and panic before, when his life hung by a thread or when he lay in a deep coma. Yet, this time was different. For reasons she couldn't understand, the calm and rationality she once had had vanished.She gripped his hand tightly, her fingers woven with his. Fear surged through her like an avalanche, threatening to drown her from the inside.This was a fear that she had never felt. That intense helplessness tormented her mentally every second of the day.In just one week, Alyssa, once proud and radiant, had withered like a pale white rose. She was gaunt, fragile, and exhausted. Her hospital gown looked so big on her emaciated frame that it looked like it