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
"What the hell? She scared the shit out of me.""Jeez. Isn't she from the Harper family? Why was she so rude? Doesn't she know any manners?"Zoe had always been accustomed to getting her way, both at home and abroad, whether it involved throwing a tantrum or making outright demands. She had vented some of her current frustration and anger just like that, especially when thinking about what Jasper had said to her.Now that she was back in the country, in front of all these guests who were part of Solana City's upper echelon, she realized that she should reconsider how she portrayed herself in public.Zoe cleared her throat, feigning composure. She then began playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony.Having graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Yoarkley had its benefits. The music flowed effortlessly with each stroke of her fingers on the keys, allowing her earlier outburst to fade into the background of everyone's minds.Betty stormed over from the back of the hotel to her moth
"What did I tell you, Mom? I told you Lauren was plotting to ruin my plans!" exclaimed Betty. Betty was outraged seeing Lauren there, her wine-red gown catching everyone's attention, even though her sister hadn't the least bit of makeup on. Jealousy burned in her like a flame that refused to die. What was worse was that Lauren's gown matched Landon's, making them look like a couple!At this moment, they even bore a resemblance to a bride and groom attending their own wedding! Betty felt like her purple gown was a slap in her face right now. "I know Lauren better than anyone else, Betty!" Sophia gritted out. "She might be 22, but her mental state and behavior are no older than a child of 10 to 12 years old! "She's still a child with no concept of romance, nor would she be smart enough to think about stealing Landon away from you!"Betty calmed down somewhat after that, though her teeth remained clenched."Things have become more complicated for you. Since Newton's birthday di
A car honked furiously in the distance, its headlights glaring at Lauren as she stood frozen in the middle of the street. Fear gripped her, rendering her unable to move. The vehicle rushed toward her, and in her terrified state, she shut her eyes tightly."Lauren, watch out!"Just then, Landon ran out into the street, diving straight for Lauren and pulling her out of harm's way at the very last second. Before they fell onto the pavement, he used his body to shield her fall, his shoulder slamming into hard rock. Pain shot through his entire arm, nearly making him cry out.The car driver also swerved to the other side of the road to avoid hitting Lauren, ramming right into a couple of decorative flowerbeds. Luckily, he was unhurt.Landon was about to ask if Lauren was okay when she clambered out of his grasp and ran off."Hey! Hey, Laurie! Come back, goddammit!" Landon nearly choked himself with how upset he was. He couldn't help but spat under his breath, "What an ungrateful br