"You've been freed?" Justin asked, his voice distant."Sir, I'm really sorry for troubling you. You even had to make arrangements for me," Sheryl said apologetically. "I just made use of my connections. It's nothing. Besides, I figured they'd summon you—Jasper did get his medications from you, after all."Sheryl, still shaken from earlier, lowered her gaze. "Is that cop, Rio Olson, one of us? He seemed eager to arrest Jasper, so I thought you might have recruited him. But during the interrogation, he was relentless. He wouldn't go easy on me at all.""He is one of Mr. Barrett's men. That's enough for now."Sheryl mulled over it for a moment. Then, she lowered her voice and said, "Sir, Jasper can only be charged for drug use. As a first-time offender, it's not enough to keep him behind bars. I suspect he'll be bailed out by the day after tomorrow."Justin chuckled softly. "So?" "It's a shame we couldn't take him down for good," Sheryl said through gritted teeth."Jasper has Gr
The board members were stunned into silence. One by one, they rose from their seats, greeting Newton respectfully. At Beckett Group, Newton's presence was akin to that of a king. Though he had long stepped away from the corporation's daily affairs, his influence remained unparalleled.He was not only an honorary board member of Beckett Group but also held similar titles in other renowned corporations. In the corporate world, Newton was nothing short of a legend.His unexpected arrival at the board meeting sent shockwaves through the room. The first words out of his mouth—an objection to the proposed motion—made it clear where his loyalties lay—with Jasper."Dad, what are you doing here?" Javier exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise as he rushed forward to steady Newton, who was visibly trembling.Justin narrowed his eyes as he stood up slowly. He was the last to rise to his feet. A flicker of something sinister danced in his gaze, an abyss of calculated intent hidden behind an
Also at a loss, Javier yelled anxiously, "Dad! Dad, are you okay? Get an ambulance now!" Panic erupted in the conference room, the air thick with chaos.Justin pushed through the crowd and knelt beside Newton, his gaze heavy with feigned concern as he studied Newton's pale, pained face. "Grandpa, are you having one of your episodes? Please, hang in there."Leaning closer, he whispered with a sinister chuckle, "You wouldn't want to miss seeing me take over Jasper's position as president of Beckett Group."Newton's bloodshot eyes widened as he struggled to speak. "Y-You... m-monster..."Justin's lips curled into a cold smile. "What a flattering compliment. Thank you."…Newton was rushed to the hospital after collapsing.Despite the urgency, neither Javier nor Justin accompanied him as the outcome of the critical board meeting loomed. With Jasper detained, Ben was the only one to stay by Newton's side.Watching Newton being wheeled into the ER, Ben's chest tightened with sorrow
"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
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
Jasper's gaze followed the movement of Justin's finger, landing on the nameplate on the desk.The nameplate that once read "Jasper Beckett, president" 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 president." 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 s
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
"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
Julien's questions sent the hall into an uproar. In an instant, the number of viewers on the live stream shot up to 50 million, and the comment section exploded."Dr. Lovelace has presented Mr. Jasper's examination reports. He never did drugs—he was framed! This is undeniable!""He risked his life to save Ms. Alyssa, yet ended up being manipulated, dismissed, and investigated like a criminal. He almost carried a lifelong stain on his name. What a despicable move by whoever did this!"Then, a comment appeared, saying, "Wasn't it Justin Beckett, the current president of Beckett Group, who orchestrated all of this? He set up his own younger brother just to seize power. What a vile man!"Yet, less than two seconds later, the comment vanished.But no matter how many trolls swarmed in or how quickly posts were deleted, the public's outrage could not be silenced. Suspicion against Justin surged, and tens of thousands of negative comments flooded the chat.Julien stood below the stage,
The once lively and fashion-loving Julien now seemed like a star that had lost its light. The radiance that once defined him had vanished. Julien walked past Jonah without stopping. The short distance between them gave Jonah a painfully clear view of the cross-shaped scar on Julien's cheek. His heart wrenched, the pain so intense that his vision blurred. He staggered. "Jonah, are you alright?" Fortunately, Landon was beside him and caught him just in time. Staring at Julien's slim figure, Jonah parted his dry lips, but no words came out.Bitterness filled the back of his throat, and his longing for Julien sent sharp, stabbing pains through his body.Julien stopped beside Jasper, offering him a small smile and a nod as a greeting.Then, his gaze turned fierce as he locked eyes with Justin's hypocritical expression."My name is Julien Lovelace. I was once Mr. Jasper's primary physician. Approximately six months ago, Mr. Jasper made a deal with Jameson to rescue Ms. Alyssa w
Alyssa stood at the doorway, her slim figure framed against the light, yet she seemed to tower over the room. Her presence commanded attention, filling the hall with an air of reverence and grandeur. From across the room, Jasper's dark eyes burned with intensity. To him, Alyssa was like a golden phoenix, its wings unfurling as it soared, radiating brilliance over everything in its wake. "Lyse!"Jonah and Landon stared in shock. They hadn't expected Alyssa to show up at the press conference. Camera flashes erupted once more."It's Ms. Alyssa Taylor!""We should address her properly now—she's the head of KS Group!" "Wait… Is she here to support Jasper? I thought they broke up?""What do you even know? They used to be in love!" Justin narrowed his eyes at Alyssa's frigid, determined expression. Slowly, his lips curled into a chilling, sinister smile.Alyssa met his gaze, suppressing the hatred surging within her. Then, with an air of composure, she turned to the crowd. "W
"That's rubbish. I never asked you to do anything like that!" Sheryl's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. She clenched her fists, longing to silence Sebastian."I didn't expect you to admit it," Sebastian said coldly. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his phone. After scrolling briefly, he held it up for all to see. "You were wary of me recording our conversations, but you never suspected I'd install a hidden camera in my office. This footage clearly shows you bribing and threatening me. With this evidence, denial is futile!"The crowd turned to Sheryl, their gazes heavy with shock and suspicion. When their eyes shifted to Justin, doubt lingered in the air.Sheryl's heart sank, her face draining of color.As cautious as she was, she had miscalculated. But it didn't matter. She had carried out the task herself, avoiding any direct mention of Justin's orders. Justin could still be saved.It was Sheryl who had fallen short in her responsibilities, and she was ready to tak
Jasper's eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Justin, a sharp, determined gleam in his dark eyes. "I will clear my name and restore my reputation, no matter the cost!" he declared, his voice ringing with resolve.The tension between Justin, standing on stage, and Jasper, positioned below, was palpable—like a killer whale facing off with a great white shark. The outcome was still uncertain."I, Landon Harper, swear on my name and the entirety of Harper Group that Jasper never did drugs. The whole situation was a setup!" Landon's voice resounded throughout the entire hall. The reporters buzzed with questions. "Who would do such a thing?"Landon refrained from directly naming Justin, aware that exposing the wolf in sheep's clothing would not be easy. Accusing him too hastily might provide Justin with an opportunity to counterattack, exploiting any gaps in their case.Landon had no fear of tarnishing his own reputation, but he was deeply concerned about the damage it m
Everyone turned to look behind them.Justin's icy gaze locked onto the doors, his expression dark and foreboding. The light pouring in from outside was blinding, piercing through the shadows like a blade. As the crowd squinted against the glare, two figures emerged, standing tall and resolute side by side.It was Jasper and Landon. Clad in a sleek black suit, Landon bore traces of dust but appeared otherwise unscathed. Jasper, however, was a stark contrast. His clothes were torn and bloodied, his appearance disheveled, but his demeanor was anything but defeated. Standing straight and proud, his frigid stare was enough to make the crowd shrink back, unwilling to meet his eyes."Mr. Justin," Landon began, his voice sharp and cutting, "you've gone to great lengths to keep Jasper from this press conference."Ever the rebel with the air of a street-hardened fighter, Landon didn't mince words. "To stop him, you sent assassins to ambush him. You had your people block his way in the
Meanwhile, the light above one of Taylor General Hospital's emergency surgery theaters flickered off. Moments later, the door swung open, and a doctor emerged, pulling down his surgical mask. Mandy hurried toward the doctor, her eyes brimming with worry. "How is that poor man doing?" "Mrs. Taylor, it's fortunate you brought him in when you did. Ten minutes later, and we might not have been able to save him. He went into shock from excessive blood loss, but he's stable now. I gave him a transfusion and sutured his wounds. He'll need rest and proper nutrition to recover fully."Relief washed over Mandy, and her tense body slackened. Her knees nearly buckled as she murmured, "Thank God… Thank God!" Once the doctor departed, Mandy instructed her driver to purchase the best blood-replenishing supplements available, sparing no expense.The driver had only been employed by the Taylor family for the past two years, so he was unaware of the true reasons behind Mandy's actions. To him, h
Soon enough, Jasper and Jonah found themselves surrounded by a horde of fighters. The atmosphere was charged with a vicious, merciless tension that heightened their awareness. They were now in the underground parking lot of Berenike Hotel.This was one of the Beckett family's properties, with Newton overseeing the construction personally.Berenike Hotel had always been the leader among all the five-star hotels in Solana City. Yet, on this day, when a critical press conference was about to begin, Justin chose to start a massacre in the hotel's parking lot, disregarding the potential damage to the hotel's reputation. His actions were utterly insane and perverse. "Shall we each take down ten of them?" Jonah nudged Jasper with his elbow. Narrowing his eyes, he added, "The press conference starts in ten minutes. Think you can wrap this up by then?"A cold, fierce glint flashed in Jasper's usually dull eyes. "I'll take down 15 and leave five for you." "Why only five for me?"Jasp
The golden iris stood as a symbol of triumph."Ms. Alyssa, we're on track. We'll make it to the press conference on time!" Sean declared, stepping on the accelerator with a fiery look in his eyes. "Safety first," Alyssa reminded him in a calm, steady voice. Surprisingly, at this crucial juncture, she appeared composed. "Taty is due soon, and you're about to become a father. As a family man, you shouldn't be as reckless as before." The thought of his unborn son brought a blissful smile to Sean's face, softening his fiery resolve.Alyssa closed her eyes, though her mind remained in overdrive. The truth was, she was forcing herself to stay alert. Ever since Amber's disappearance, she hadn't had a single restful night. The once carefree Alyssa, who could sleep through anything, was long gone. Her frayed nerves left her in a weakened state, but she held on.She had survived when others hadn't, and that resilience fueled her belief that she could endure again. This time, she wou