Jasper remained silent. His hands balled into tight fists at his sides, trembling ever so lightly as a dark expression settled over his face. After a moment of silence, Justin offered a casual smile, ignoring the tension on Jasper's face as he moved past him. "Justin, I've always respected you since I was young." Jasper's voice broke the silence, hoarse and strained, with his back turned to Justin. "There are things I can compromise on, but some matters, I can't."Justin, his back still facing Jasper, narrowed his eyes and asked, "Such as?""My need to see her now." A fierce determination lit Jasper's darkened eyes. "Justin, I won't deny your feelings for her. It's none of my business. But you have no right to stop me from seeing her either."If you and Ms. Alyssa are officially together, I'll never go near her again. You won't even need to say a word. I'll give you both my blessings and wish you a happy life together."As Jasper said "happy life", his throat tightened, and a b
One minute later, Sean came back out of the room. His expression was conflicted as he looked at Jasper. "Ms. Alyssa doesn't want to see you. Please leave." Jasper balled his hands into fists. "Why?" Sean sniggered coldly. "Why? Maybe because she's finally woken up. She doesn't want to make the same mistake twice or lose her dignity by chasing after a man who gives her nothing but indifference."Jasper's face paled, and he fell silent. Sean's heart ached as he remembered all the suffering Alyssa had endured recently. His eyes welled with unshed tears.Struggling to suppress his anger, Sean said, "Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa is completely exhausted. Since she doesn't want to see you, please just leave. Don't bother her anymore."…In the study at Seaview Manor, Sheryl laid out all her findings for Justin without holding back."I have reason to believe that the woman named Clara Whitaker is actually Jameson's substitute for Alyssa—Amber Altman!" Sheryl watched Justin, who was sit
The moment Alyssa's eyes met Jasper's, her heart skipped a beat. Her thoughts tangled in a whirlwind, like a ball of yarn unraveled in haste. How long had he been waiting there? Had he been here all night?She couldn't tear her gaze away from his captivating, reddened eyes. Tears threatened to spill, and her heart ached. And just then, she was reminded of the scene at the orphanage the day before—how Jasper had held Sheryl tightly in his arms under that tree.Alyssa's frail body trembled. She shifted her gaze away from his face, feeling a tightness in her throat.In this life, she had faced some incredibly trying times.During her time with Doctors Without Borders, she endured some of her harshest moments—starvation, freezing cold, and over ten days without a shower. Yet, even in those circumstances, she never felt completely defeated. But now, in front of Jasper, she was on the verge of breaking down.Just as she was about to shut the door, Jasper shot to his feet and char
Tears welled up in Alyssa's eyes as she wrinkled her nose slightly and pushed her luck. "A friend? Lover? Ex-lover? Or… someone who's unable to move on?" Jasper's eyes were as dark as the night sky. "I don't know." Alyssa stared at the cold, emotionless man before her, overwhelmed with helplessness. No words could describe the disappointment she felt. "You've seen me now. You may leave." To her surprise, in the next second, Jasper shoved the door open without warning. As he had exerted too much force, Alyssa stumbled and let out a small gasp as she fell backward. In an instant, Jasper lunged forward, wrapping a muscular arm around her waist and pulling her close. Their bodies pressed together, so close she could feel his warmth, their breaths mingling in the space between them.Jasper could even see, with much clarity, those tiny pores on Alyssa's supple skin. "L-Let go of me…" Alyssa's heart raced as she squirmed in his grip. Jasper's grip on her waist was unrelenting,
The moment Jasper's lips touched Alyssa's, an overwhelming wave of emotions surged through his chest and rushed to his head. He pinned Alyssa's supple body to the bed, kissing her clumsily and forcefully. Her eyes shimmered with tears.At first, she struggled slightly, gasping for air. But soon, she surrendered to the kiss she had longed for, lifting her hips and grabbing onto Jasper's shirt as she kissed him back.Their breaths intertwined, creating a beautiful harmony. Jasper's gaze deepened as he looked into her moist eyes and at her delicate nose, which, at its tip, was flushed a rosy pink. That night, they lingered in a breathless kiss. Suddenly, the sound of a ringing phone pierced the moment. Jasper's and Alyssa's eyes flew open as though jolted awake from a dream. At the same time, an immense pain shot through Jasper's head and spread throughout his body.He pulled away from the kiss and dashed out of the hospital ward without looking back. Alyssa trembled as she kne
"Amber, thank you for sharing such crucial information with me. If Justin is this so-called Sir, I have even more reason not to distance myself from him."On the contrary, I should go with the flow and get closer to him. It's the only way to expose his true colors and uncover his schemes." "No, don't!" Amber's unease was palpable. "Sir is extremely dangerous. After years of following him, even Jameson has only seen 10% of his capabilities. There could be someone even more powerful backing him from the shadows."And with Mr. Jasper in his current state, he won't be able to protect you like he used to. If Justin sets his sights on you, wouldn't it make it harder for you and Mr. Jasper to repair your relationship?"Upon hearing that, Alyssa held her breath. Agony surged like waves in her heart. "Lyse, I know you're a righteous person. You're a heroine among us women, better than many men. But you're not invincible. There are challenges you can't face alone, and you need protection
Alyssa only stayed in the hospital for two short days before returning to KS Group to oversee the company. Since Winston had stepped back due to health issues, he only offered Alyssa private advice on major decisions she had to make. Other than that, he left everything to her and refrained from interfering.The temperature had been dropping for two consecutive weeks, and snow continued to fall. Yet, Alyssa hadn't heard any news about Jasper. She had hoped that their kiss would mark a new beginning, but now it seemed more like a farewell.On this day, after a strategy meeting with KS Group's top executives, Alyssa returned to her office to review the tender proposal for the Solana City A5 real estate project. Known as Project A5, this was a significant five-year initiative backed by the government, attracting widespread attention for its immense potential.If executed well, the project would bring tremendous value and offer businessmen a gateway into the political arena, giving the
Julien paused and sighed. "That said, I feel like Jasper will choose the former—his career. A man who's reached the top in life will never let himself fall back to the bottom. Especially someone as prideful and with such high self-esteem as him.""Beckett Group is the result of Jasper's sweat and effort. I was his wife for three whole years. I know better than anyone how hard he worked to get where he is today." Alyssa shook her head in anguish. "He will never give up on Beckett Group, no matter how much it drains him.""There's no cure for drug addiction. The only way to overcome it is through sheer willpower. All I can do is help him find some relief. I'm sorry, Lyse," Julien said, his voice strained with pain."Don't say that, Jul. You've done a lot for Jasper. You've done more than enough…" Alyssa blinked, her eyes swollen. "Oh, right. Mandy and I visited Uncle Joseph the other day. He asked me to pass on a message to you. He wanted me to tell you… that he's sorry."A long si
While Alyssa spoke, Jasper remained expressionless next to her. Even so, he still couldn't help but peer at her from the corner of his eye. Others might feel that she was being too assertive and aggressive with that fierce gaze in her eyes, but for Jasper, that evoked an inexplicable feeling within him. To him, she looked even more attractive than she normally was. It was as if she gave off a captivating glow. Sebastian slumped to his knees again. Alyssa's words struck him like a ton of bricks. Still, he had already chosen the wrong side—Sheryl's side. What could he do now? He had no choice but to see it through to the end.After all, he had seen the news two days ago. Jasper was no longer the CEO of Beckett Group. He held no authority anymore. Aligning with Justin had seemed like the right decision.If he betrayed Justin and switched sides, he would surely be doomed."Mr. Jasper... Ms. Alyssa," Sebastian stammered, desperation etched into his voice. "What's the point of comin
In the living room of the Bender residence, Sebastian clung tightly to Zayne, whose bruised and battered body slumped limply on the floor. They held onto each other for warmth as they shivered. Meanwhile, Alyssa and Jasper sat on the couch, but not without leaving a massive gap between them. Once deeply in love, their current distance was a heartbreaking contrast to the intimacy they had shared. It was heartbreaking to see them like this. Alyssa took a quick peek at Jasper's cold, expressionless face before turning her dull gaze away. Her hands lightly rested on her shoulders, where his touch still lingered—a ghost of warmth that refused to fade."How dare you attack my friend?" Landon sneered, towering over Sebastian and Zayne. His black leather gloves creaked as he clenched his fists. "You wouldn't know fear if it slapped you in the face. Maybe I should teach you a lesson.""M-Mr. Harper… Everything happened so quickly. Z-Zaynie just reacted out of fear and ended up overrea
Alyssa's chest rose and fell. The tip of her nose and her eyes were red. She simply stared blankly at Jasper and couldn't say a word. Without Jasper around, she never realized that fear was an emotion that she could feel. She wasn't afraid of God or the devil. She had fought the dark and evil forces of the world with bravery. But fear overtook her when Jasper appeared just in time to shield her from danger.She wanted to cry, her heart softening. The façade of strength she had built crumbled, leaving her feeling like a fragile pebble in Jasper's hands.She had never known she could feel fear like other women, but it was only with him.Ignoring the pain in his back, Jasper held Alyssa by her trembling shoulders, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. Once he confirmed she wasn't physically hurt and was likely in shock, he exhaled in relief."M-Mister…"Wide-eyed and mouth agape, Sebastian watched Jasper appear out of nowhere. He was shaking uncontrollably, as if his soul had lef
Sebastian recognized the stunning Alyssa immediately. Alarm bells rang in his head as he stumbled back a step. "W-What are you doing here?"Everyone in Solana City knew about Alyssa and Jasper's inseparable bond. Guilt churned in Sebastian's stomach. He couldn't even meet Alyssa's bright, piercing eyes, knowing he had betrayed Jasper."Dr. Bender, please step into my car. There's something we need to discuss." Alyssa's slight smile masked the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior."There's nothing to talk about," Sebastian stammered, fumbling with his keys in a desperate attempt to escape. Turning on his heel, he headed toward his house. But Alyssa's voice cut through the tension. She sneered. "When you schemed against Mr. Jasper, you didn't just wrong him. You wronged KS Group—the company that stands behind him. You should've known I'd come for you."Sebastian froze, his back to Alyssa, trembling."You stupid bitch! What are you trying to do to my father? How dare you thre
"Cyrus, go ahead!" Alyssa leaped to her feet, her anticipation palpable."Sebastian Bender himself doesn't have any history of illegal activities, and his income records appear clean. But there's something odd about him."Alyssa pressed, "How so?" "I looked into Sebastian's assets and income sources. His son is a gambling addict and his wife is gravely ill. Despite being in a high-income bracket, his son has drained the family of nearly everything, leaving Sebastian with just a house and a car."Yet, just two days ago, Sebastian managed to pay for his wife's bone marrow transplant surgery and covered her hospitalization fees—over 500,000 dollars in total. On top of that, he cleared his son's debts of more than three million dollars owed to loan sharks."Alyssa had put the call on loudspeaker, so Sean caught every word. "That son of his is an absolute piece of trash!" Sean exclaimed, his frustration boiling over. "He'd be better off dead!"Cyrus added, "The most suspicious par
The atmosphere in the room was oppressive, the air seemingly turning ice cold. The tension was so thick that it felt as if it could be cut with a knife."What do you think?" The smile on Justin's face widened as his roguish gaze fixed on Jasper from behind.Instead of answering him directly, Jasper delivered a more cutting response. He scoffed. "I get it now." Tilting his sculpted chin upward, a vicious gleam flashed in his eyes. "Someday in the future, you'll regret the decision you made 20 years ago."Justin's brows furrowed deeply at the remark."That was your one and only chance to get rid of me. Too bad you missed it." With that, Jasper turned on his heel and strode off, exuding the confidence of a lone ranger.As the door swung shut, Justin tightened his grip on the pen, the veins on the back of his hand pulsating with tension.…After finishing work that morning, Alyssa learned about Jasper's bail through the trending topics on Twitter. At the same time, a shocking
Jasper's gaze followed the movement of Justin's finger, landing on the nameplate on the desk.The nameplate that once read "Jasper Beckett, CEO" had been replaced with "Justin Beckett" without Jasper's knowledge.Justin had been impatient—erasing all traces of Jasper in the Beckett Group overnight."We held an emergency board meeting yesterday morning," Justin said, his tone calm yet cutting. "With an overwhelming majority vote, I've replaced you as the corporation's CEO." He leaned forward, resting his chin on a triangle formed by his well-defined fingers. "Have your secretary hand work over to mine soon. I've packed your belongings and sent them to Seaview Manor. Thanks for all your hard work these years, Jasper. You can leave the future of the Beckett Group in my hands now."The room fell into a tense silence. Jasper's lashes quivered briefly before he broke into a smile. With one hand in his pocket, he sank onto the couch with a calm, almost careless air. Legs slightly apar
Sitting upright, Jasper didn't want to impose. "Alright, then. Whatever you're comfortable with," he said to Steven. Noticing the haggard look on Jasper's face, Xavier said out of concern, "Mr. Beckett, I'll send you back to Seaview Manor so you can get some rest." "No, let's go to Beckett Group." Jasper lowered his eyes. In a deep voice, he continued, "The regular meeting with higher-ups starts in an hour. Inform all department directors to be in the conference room on time."…An hour later, Jasper arrived at Beckett Group Tower. He disregarded all the strange looks he was getting from the employees as he made his way through the building. With Xavier trailing behind, he took the private elevator directly to the conference room.Nevertheless, the look in his eyes dimmed the moment he opened the doors. Xavier blurted out, "What's going on? Where is everyone? I notified everyone about the meeting!" As Jasper stared at the empty conference room, something started simmerin
"Alyssa… you do?" Newton's bleary eyes brightened slightly.Alyssa hesitated before whispering, "But Grandpa Newton, my idea is quite drastic. It might even affect Beckett Group's shareholder equity—including yours and Mr. Javier's interests."Newton's expression shifted as he pieced it together. "Alyssa, you're thinking of—""Yes," she admitted. "During the recent drop in Beckett Group's share prices, I seized the opportunity to acquire a small portion of shares. I already hold some."If you're willing, could you transfer part of your shares to me? This would make me one of the major shareholders and secure me a seat on the board of directors. Together, we, along with Jasper, could hold enough shares to counter Mr. Javier and Justin."At the very least, we'd prevent Justin from gaining complete control of the corporation."Alyssa frowned as she weighed the pros and cons aloud. "Right now, Mr. Javier is siding with Justin. Even if Justin doesn't gain ownership of Mr. Javier's sha