At dinner, the Taylor family and the guests enjoyed the feast in harmony and savored the Chateau Lafite Rothschild that Winston had stored for years.For Winston and Victor, the dinner was just another ordinary catch-up, like what they always did 20 years ago. The only difference was the presence of their children.Furthermore, Victor had an ulterior motive this time—to assess his future daughter-in-law.David sat across Alyssa at the long and wide table while Jameson was seated beside her. Jameson had gained the upper hand because he was closer to her.David could only stare with envy as his brother attentively cared for Alyssa. He almost crushed the utensils in frustration as he agonized at starting on the wrong foot. That little prick Jameson had gained a head start!Jameson discovered Alyssa's penchant for seafood, particularly crabs and shrimps, through their previous dinner date. If there had been no time limit, she would have indulged in seafood all day long.With that k
David's face fell when Jameson made a jab at him. He curled his fists.The Taylor family chose to ignore the siblings' rivalry, except for Victor, who shot Jameson a furious glance."She still needs something to warm her up. Lyse, I'll get you some white wine. It's perfectly fine to enjoy a little drink." Jameson smiled gently, ignoring the pale David.She coughed and replied, "I'm fine with anything." Feeling uneasy about being caught in the middle of the two siblings, she declined their offers in an attempt to defuse the situation. "I'd actually prefer a beer—"Surprisingly, they turned to her at the same time, warning, "No! You might get gout!"…When the dinner drew to a close, Jameson excused himself from the table and headed to the washroom. There, he dispensed loads of handwash into his hands. His pale hands looked like they were specimens in Formalin. He scrubbed his hands until they turned a shade of red.After five times of handwashing, he brought his hands to his
As long as Jasper could meet her …The doors to Heightsnew Villa groaned as it slowly opened. Jasper's heart leaped into his throat, and he tensed up. He leaned forward and stared a hole into the gates. Even his breathing grew heavier in anticipation.His heart sank when Jameson appeared in his vision with an amused expression. He watched as his rival walked up to him."Mr. Beckett, isn't it rather inappropriate to arrive unannounced on a quiet night like this?" Jameson's eyes held a mocking glint.Jasper remained composed and smirked. "That's none of your business. The Schmidts don't run Belbanks.""Are you always this stubborn and this pathetic of a sore loser?" Scoffing, Jameson said, "I know why you showed up, and I know what's on your mind. "You regretted choosing Liana over Lyse. You finally recognized your foolishness after being lied to, and you're now on a mission to get back with Lyse to recoup your losses and save some dignity."What do you take her as? A tool to e
Jasper, standing with his back facing her, felt a thrill in his heart as a smile flashed across his lips. However, he did not have the courage to face Alyssa.Meanwhile, Jameson pursed his lips. A storm was brewing in his eyes. Alyssa and Jasper might have divorced on bad terms, but he sensed the complicated feelings that lingered between the two."Since you're already here, why don't you clear the air before you leave?" She took a step forward and stared at Jasper's straight back. "Don't skulk around like a thief. You're going to give me nightmares."His Adam's apple moved. He turned to her and said, word by word, "Nothing. I've just been losing sleep these past few days."She frowned as she was puzzled by the relationship between his Belbanks trip and his insomnia. Was his insomnia related to her?Speechless, she felt unfairly blamed for his troubles. She certainly hadn't caused him any problems!"Take your sleeping pills if you're having trouble sleeping. Coming to Belbanks
Winston grew stern like he was at the court. "Lyse only eats the shrimps peeled by you and me. She has never allowed any other men to serve her! "That Jameson fellow was overly passionate toward her. He almost hand-fed her the food, and she did not seem resistant. Tell me, what's their relationship? Has Lyse fallen for him?""Dad, you don't sound like you like Jameson," Jonah pointed out. Winston responded with a silent pout."Jameson and Lyse have known each other since childhood, and they get along well after reuniting. It was rare to see her getting along with someone from the opposite sex. "On top of that, we are family friends with the Schmidts. It will be good news if they end up with each other," Jonah calmly explained his rationale."You know Uncle Victor's agenda for this visit. He intended to set up a marriage between the Schdmits and the Taylors. Why else would he have brought his two single sons along? He had his eyes on Lyse!" Winston stared at the ground and shoo
There was a period of relative calm between the Berenike Hotel and KS World Hotel on the surface, but they were secretly competing with each other.Their potential client, Ada Kingsley, was an international star who was an icon of the entertainment industry. She loved high-profile, extravagant events, and naturally, she would scoff at any wedding sponsors that were not luxury brands.It was public knowledge that Ada herself was a seasoned jewelry collector. She had even hosted small-scale private jewelry exhibitions, showcasing pieces worth no less than millions.For her grand wedding, she made a strict request at the two competing hotels—offering her one-of-a-kind jewelry crafted by true masters."Ada made it clear that she wanted something one of its kind to match her superstar status," Xavier reported the request by Ada's assistant word by word to Jasper and the upper management in the meeting. He continued, "She also mentioned that she has no limits for the design and desig
Jasper's eyes darkened. "No. She's bound to give it her all if she takes action, striking out all potential opponents. That's why we must win over Alexa before she even starts."The staff and directors were still dubious. It didn't seem likely that Alyssa could tackle someone like Alexa when their company was having trouble already."I want a complete dossier on Alexa's personal life before the day is over. Exclude any information pertaining to Alexa's professional endeavors," Jasper directed.Just then, the design department head muttered, "Sir, we're able to give you everything under the sun about Alexa's professional information, but as for her personal info … there's only one thing available.""Yes?""Alexa is … a woman."…The next day, Alyssa found herself craving her favorite comfort food after returning to her office post-meeting."Get me some fried chicken and beer, will you, Sean? I'm hungry," Alyssa requested while playing her video game.Sean chuckled. "Aren't you
Sean's jaw dropped in astonishment. But Alyssa remained calm. She yawned and muttered, "What's with the name-calling, hm? Look. You scared my secretary.""Why did you sever all communication after returning to Solana City, Alexa? Everyone on the team has been praying and hoping for your swift return." Tears welled up in Sliva's eyes."I'm sorry, dear. I won't be able to return to you guys for a long time. I need to help my family out here. You'll have to take charge of the firm in Yoarkley in my stead." Alyssa sighed. She continued, "Don't worry about the funding, though. My previous designs will fetch prices that can keep the firm running for the next couple of decades. "But please tell everyone not to delay their own progress and ambitions for my sake. If it's their wish to leave the firm and pursue greater heights, they have my full blessings. "The same goes for you, Sliva. Don't wait for me."Sliva rubbed her eyes. "I … I would never leave your team, Alexa.""You've hel