"Don't you even think about it! She is Winston Taylor's daughter. Besides, she's also someone whom Mr. Jasper cares for deeply. Do you want to get fired? Pay more attention to your surroundings and report any discrepancies to me immediately!""Oh my goodness!" Ada gasped suddenly. "Is that Alexa's 'Ragnarok' that you're wearing, Ms. Alyssa?""Yes, ma'am," Alyssa acknowledged, gesturing toward her brooch. Amid their intense focus on her, the yellow diamond-studded, internationally award-winning piece in her breast pocket remained entirely overlooked."Alexa's 'Ragnarok?' The renowned and elusive jewelry designer, Alexa?""Haven't you seen the news? This brooch is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! A single ten-carat yellow diamond studded on it is worth over ten thousand. Every jewelry collector wants their hand on this amazing piece!""She truly does present herself well as Belbanks' richest heiress!""Not even Sophia Kirkman's 'Halcyon' can compare. Forget it. No jewelry ca
Ada was left stunned. She was rendered speechless by a mixture of gratitude and awe. For years, she had relentlessly pursued a piece of jewelry from Alexa, but her efforts had always come to naught. It was no surprise that she now felt an overwhelming sense of joy as Alyssa presented her with this exquisite gift."N-no, no, I cannot accept this, Ms. Alyssa. It is far too precious of a gift," Ada politely declined. She had to keep her appearances up, after all."This brooch has been my solace during the darkest times of my life, soothing my wounded soul. I've since learned my lesson," Alyssa said. "That's why I want you to have this brooch as a blessing from me, in hopes that your endeavors come to fruition no matter what."Jasper winced, as if a bullet had pierced his heart. A shiver ran down his spine at Alyssa's confession."Oh! Well then … I graciously accept your gift. Thank you, truly!" Ada carefully cradled the brooch in her hands, her smile stretching wide.Her image as
Just like that, Alyssa and Ada left the hall, walking closely together as if they were lifelong friends.An awkward and tense silence settled over the crowd. Jasper silently watched as Alyssa left, fury slowly building in his chest. She had stolen his project last time, and now she had taken his guest.Jasper thought that Alyssa Taylor was just like a thief, heiress or not. He instinctively clutched his chest, feeling an ache in his heart.It seemed like something had also been taken away with Alyssa's departure.…The paparazzi were still relentless, camped outside the main entrance of the Berenike Hotel. They should have dispersed by now, assuming that Ada had checked into the presidential suite and retired for the night. However, the number of paparazzi showed no sign of diminishing.Sean had secretly tipped them off, claiming that something big would happen tonight."Why on earth are we here freezing our backsides off? What kind of major news could possibly be unfolding?
The party at Berenike Hotel continued, though it had lost a significant amount of its enthusiasm with the departure of their guest of honor.Zoe had longed to show off in front of Ada to feed her unbelievably swollen ego. But now that the celebrity was gone, all her hard work and planning had gone down the drain—all because of that sneaky bitch Alyssa.Jasper stood in the hallway, watching the green Rolls Royce drive away in the dark of the night. His posture was rigid and stoic, and the air around him seemed to go down a few degrees."This might not sound very nice, Mr. Jasper, but I believe we've been played the fool again," Xavier reported shakily. He continued, "Everyone online is focused on Alyssa and her hotel, leaving ours in the dust. Even Mr. Javier has caught wind of it."Berenike Hotel's reputation is facing serious scrutiny, with some malicious comments questioning whether our standards of hospitality have declined …"Xavier was practically drenched in cold sweat by
"What transpired between Alyssa and me is a private matter and no one else's concern. She's already moved on from the past, so please refrain from dredging up old affairs to create a scene," Jasper stated firmly.Zoe nearly hissed at that, though fear still quivered in her heart. She couldn't believe that Jasper was still defending Alyssa. "Now that Ada has left, you're free to leave if you'd rather not continue with your charade. I'll have someone send you back home." Jasper turned away and left Zoe standing alone in the hallway.Next to him, Xavier expressed his disapproval with a tsk before departing with his boss. He couldn't help but wonder if this irate, seemingly immature individual was truly Landon's sister.She appeared rather unsophisticated. "Jasper. Jasper! Jasper Beckett!" Zoe screamed. Jasper only came to a halt when she called his full name."You're protecting her because you love her, don't you? She's all you can think about, isn't it?" Zoe screeched."No," h
Like a vulnerable creature finding safety, Lauren instinctively nestled in the person's arms.Landon looked down in surprise, feeling the front of his shirt soaked through. He could sense the warmth of her skin through the damp fabric of her dress as it made contact with his own. His breathing picked up slightly, and he tightened his grip around her waist."Laurie?" he murmured hoarsely.Lauren clung to his arm, staying mute."Are you hurt?" Landon asked, worried.She weakly shook her head, her vulnerability tugging at Landon's heart.When the two guards saw Landon there, their attitude took a 360-degree turn. They quickly paid their respects. "Good evening, Mr. Landon!""What happened just now?" Landon asked nonchalantly, his arms still wrapped around Lauren."N-nothing much, sir," the guard that had snapped at Lauren earlier shot him a courteous smile. "This young lady claimed to be Ms. Ada Kingsley's fan, but we couldn't let her in. She didn't have an invitation. When she
"You don't approve?" Landon's smile deepened.Lauren's eyes were downcast as she nodded."I think they deserved far worse, though."Landon couldn't help but stroke her hair. "You're Jasper's sister. It's only right that I stand up for you when they push you around. I've gone easy on them this time. I didn't want to scare you."Lauren could feel the warmth of his palm on her head. She closed her eyes and nestled into it, much like a contented little kitten. Betty just so happened to stumble upon this scene as she walked out from the main event hall. She was shocked to find her demure little sister all the way here."You bitch! I knew you were seducing my man!" she shrieked, then stormed up to them. But she quickly caught herself.Landon was here. She couldn't lose her precious image before him and make him dislike her even more. Betty had learned some useful things from Liana, so she could restrain herself even more now.She decided to hide in a corner to observe the two.Land
Landon booked one of the presidential suites upstairs in Berenike Hotel and promptly had his female secretary buy a gown for Lauren. He then had his secretary help Lauren get dressed while he waited in the suite's living area.His fingers rhythmically tapped on the sofa's armrest as he waited. Were he in a black suit, he would have the appearance of a groom awaiting his bride's arrival.The bedroom door soon opened. His secretary walked out with Lauren, a smile on her face. "Ms. Lauren is ready, Mr. Harper."Landons' gaze shifted to Lauren, who timidly approached him in a wine-red lace-trimmed gown, her eyes blinking innocently.He was taken aback for the slightest second.Landon's world had always been filled with chaos, violence, and women, but he had never met such a pure, sincere woman as Lauren.He worried that he might tarnish her purity if he gazed at her any longer."Why did you get her this color? She's still young. Pink or peach would have been more suitable." Landon