Sean and Jasper tensed up in confrontation."Oh, Mr. Beckett. I wonder if I should call this a pleasant coincidence or bad luck," Sean was smiling but harsh with his words."Is Alyssa Taylor in there?" Jasper questioned with a scowl. Liana's heart was racing, and she went numb at the mention of Alyssa's name."Why? Can't she be here?" Sean smirked and retorted, "It's not like you booked the entire garden to yourself.""Tsk, Mr. Beckett did nothing except ask a question! What's with your attitude?" Xavier chided Sean."Really? It's pretty shameless of you to make that claim. You're giving me second-hand embarrassment," Sean mocked him with a frown."You—""Enough, Xavier," Jasper stopped Xavier. Then, he questioned flatly, "What's Alyssa doing here?"Sean's cold gaze swept past Liana, who was clinging to Jasper. With an arched brow, he snickered. "She's here for the same reason as you are!"Jasper's frown deepened after learning that. Alyssa had indeed developed an interest in
Alyssa had always been like that. She would be completely focused on an object of her interest and fall into a world of her own.Suddenly, it occurred to her that Jameson was waiting for her. She quickly spun around to find him patiently standing on the side, this time with a straw basket in his hand filled with pink roses that carried an understated beauty.The breathtaking charm of the flowers reminded her of a quote from Wislawa Szymborska, which said, "Only a rose blooms as a rose, no one else.""Ms. Taylor," Jameson addressed her while approaching with the flower basket."Oh, don't step in here! Be careful not to dirty your clothes!" she hurriedly stopped him when she noticed his sparkly clean outfit. However, he made his way through the thorny shrubs in an attempt to get to her.She pursed her lips in embarrassment."Ms. Taylor, this is for you." His eyes were as soft as the sunset colors when he handed her the basket."Thank you, but I can't accept your gift," she turned
Jasper, looking grim, was experiencing an emotional rollercoaster at the moment. Alyssa did not share the same sentiment. She merely felt unlucky to have run into him.Bumping into Jasper in the lovely rose garden was akin to stepping on dog shit—a mood killer. She secretly grumbled, thinking that she might need to start reading her fortune of the day before leaving her house.Liana, clinging tightly to Jasper, was an eyesore to Alyssa.Jameson leaned closer to Alyssa and chuckled into her ear. "Don't panic. I'm here for you."Feeling ticklish, she thought, "What's there to panic about? I'll take things as they come.""Ms. Taylor, what a coincidence!" Liana was no longer the belligerent young lady from before. She asked softly, "Is this gentleman your boyfriend? You make a perfect couple."Alyssa had a deadpan look in her eyes. She obviously wanted to ignore Liana. However, Jameson replied, "Thank you for your compliment. Though, I'm not her boyfriend yet."Alyssa had not caug
Jasper's entourage stared at each other in shock, especially Xavier, who looked like he was struck by lightning.Noticing Jasper's grim expression, Liana tried to be thoughtful and quickly comforted him. "Jasper, don't worry. It's just a rose garden. You can still reach out to the many rose gardens across the country."Jasper removed his arm from her grip while she was talking. The impact of his movement caused her to stumble backward in an embarrassing moment."Let's go, Mr. Schmidt." Alyssa didn't bother to take another look at Jasper and Liana. She beamed gently at Jameson instead."Sure. I've made a reservation at the restaurant. We can leave at any time now."Jasper felt suffocated when Alyssa and Jameson exchanged smiles. His brows knitted in anger as he stepped forward to stand in Jameson's way."Mr. Schmidt, let's talk in private." Jasper did not falter even after he had lost the deal."If this is about the rose garden project, I have nothing more to discuss with you." J
As the visitors gradually exited the rose garden, only Alyssa and Liana were left behind in the endless sea of roses.In the fading light, Alyssa's bare face looked as luminous as the moon, to the envy of Liana. Putting aside their grudges, Liana had to admit that Alyssa was an extraordinary beauty. Alyssa's beauty evoked fear and resentment in Liana. After all, Alyssa had spent three years under the same roof with Jasper, despite their relationship being a sham marriage.She bit the bullet and went up to Alyssa while flicking her straight hair. She no longer looked like the frail woman when she was around Jasper. She flashed Alyssa a victorious grin."You found a new lover pretty fast. Quite skillful, aren't you? You should have done that sooner. No matter how much you bother Jasper, he will not take another look at you."Alyssa stared at Liana, as though she was staring at a madwoman. "Why would I want his attention like a peacock?"Liana choked and silently cursed at Alyssa.
Alyssa stated, "You could get plastic surgery or change your name, but you'll never cover up your past no matter how hard you try. "The clues will show up if we look closer. I choose to keep my silence, not because I am nice. I couldn't be bothered because it's none of my business, that's all."If you try me again, don't blame me for airing your dirty laundry."Liana felt her heart tighten. She was sickened by Alyssa's threat, as though she was sucked dry.…Alyssa and Jameson were gone when Jasper emerged from the rose garden. After the conversation with Jameson, Jasper stood alone like a statue in the chilly breeze for a while.The night had fallen. Jasper arranged for Liana to be driven back to the hospital while he returned to Seaview Manor with Xavier.During the trip, Xavier sweated profusely and apologized furiously to Jasper with a reddened face. "Mr. Beckett, I'm so sorry! Punish me in any way you want! It's all my fault for not doing my research and failing to recog
Jameson arranged a molecular gastronomy dinner for Alyssa, the perfect meal for someone who loved a surprise.The air-flown bluefin tuna was fresh and succulent. The fish and chip amuse-bouche served was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Additionally, the blackfish was extremely fresh and melted in her mouth. In conclusion, every single dish that night was amazing.After enjoying the good meal, she ordered some alcohol. Drinking helped to liven the air.Jameson and Alyssa, both knowledgeable, conversed about a wide range of subjects, including literature, music, and video games. He was able to chat about any topic.What surprised her the most was that they played the same asymmetrical multiplayer game. Both of them loved playing the role of killer.Alyssa chatted animatedly on the topic of games. Her face was flushed as she gestured wildly in growing excitement.He merely offered simple replies with a doting smile, allowing her to babble on.After he wined and di
Alyssa's Bugatti disappeared into the night. Jameson nudged his glasses with an uncontrollable smile. His heart fluttered with burning passion.…The La Voiture Noire sped on the flyover. Alyssa rolled down the window to enjoy the night breeze. She fell into deep thought while staring at the cityscape across the river."Ms. Alyssa, have you warmed up to Mr. Schmidt? That was fast." Clutching the steering wheel, Sean asked in a stuffy manner."I guess so. We had a lot to talk about.""He might have saved you before, but he had also stalked you to our neighborhood. You should be careful around him," Sean grumbled."Maybe he did so because he recognized me and was curious to know more. I think he's a decent fellow after two meetings with him. Sometimes, he does sound a little funny, though. Is it because Kontina is more liberal than us?" Her eyes sparkled, and she added, "Most importantly, he is playing the same game as me! He's my soulmate! We even made a pact to crush the newbie