"Ms. Alyssa wants you to go in." Sean turned aside as though Jasper was infectious."Thank you."Sean snickered, openly displaying his disgust. "You don't have to thank me. It's all because of Ms. Alyssa's generosity. I would have beaten you up and thrown you out." With that, he left the back kitchen.Jasper inhaled and stepped into KS World Hotel's spotless back kitchen that looked like a sterile lab with white decor and stainless steel tables and equipment.The air was quiet. The only thing he heard was his breathing and his beating heart.Turning a corner, he spotted a slender figure standing by the wide table that only highlighted her petite frame. Today, Alyssa was charming in the white chef uniform, her hair tied and tucked neatly into the chef's hat. She wore a transparent mask on her face and was fully focused on shaping a ball of dough into pastry. She did not even notice his presence.His eyes turned misty when he recalled Mrs. Rosie's words. She told him, "Mr. Ja
Alyssa's eyes wavered, and she sprung to her feet by pushing herself away from Jasper's muscular chest. She hurriedly stumbled backward and slammed her back against the fridge door.Her breathing remained uneven. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Despite having a face mask on, she could feel the heat from his lips lingering on hers.Damn it! Why did she …Gasping for air and flushed with emotion, she angrily tore off her mask and tossed it to the floor. It was now contaminated and utterly useless.Meanwhile, Jasper slowly rose to his feet, leaning against the table's edge. There was a hint of exhaustion in his face, like a beast after a hearty meal.He pursed his lips to maintain composure, but his heart continued to race."Does your back hurt?" He was still in a daze after the accidental kiss. Still, he maintained his composure. His tone sounded icy, just like usual."None of your business!" She seethed with anger over him helping himself to one of her pastries. "I never perm
"Sophia is a calculative cunt. I'm concerned that they might try something against you. I wanted to give you a heads-up so you can be prepared," said Jasper.Alyssa's clear eyes flickered before she turned away."That's all. I'll leave you to your work now." He shot her another loaded gaze before leaving."Wait, Jasper," she suddenly called out to him. He felt his chest tighten as he swiftly turned back."Why did you tell me all of that? You're the type to look at the big picture. Whoever from the Beckett Group takes over the Ada Kingsley account will still boost the influence and reputation of Berenike Hotel. It's something you've been working on." She threw him a quizzical look. "So, why did you tell me that?""Because I want you to win," he responded with a genuine and innocent look in his eyes. It was a rarity after his many years of hustling in business."And why do you want me to win?""You were once my wife—"She cut him off with a scoff. "You never showed me any kindnes
Two weeks away from Ada Kingsley's wedding, Alyssa was busy updating the proposal from Ada's comments. She also had to oversee the on-site decorations and review crucial documents concerning materials, costs, and manpower. On her worst day, she managed to grab only three hours of sleep.Still, she enjoyed the hustle. As long as there was something in it for her, she would feel invigorated by the frenzy.After joining the team meeting in the morning, Alyssa returned to her office, where she munched on her sandwich and approved documents.Sean knocked on the door to deliver coffee and shook his head at her tired and adorable look. "Eating while working is bad for your health.""I don't have time! I have another fashion event to attend later this afternoon," Alyssa replied, taking a hearty bite of her sandwich without once looking up from the documents."Why is your schedule so packed today? I was about to book a spa for your relaxation during your free time." Sean felt sorry for h
"That's not all! How could they walk the red carpet after Ada Kingsley? Who do they think they are?""I didn't take any photos of them. Just a waste of my storage space.""I know Betty is Javier Beckett's daughter, and I heard that Zoe is Landon Harper's sister. They might not be famous, but they're filthy rich. I bet they paid a huge sum to show up last!"Betty and Zoe entered the venue with satisfaction, thinking that they had garnered enough attention.To their dismay, they found reporters clamoring to interview celebrities like Ada or brand designers. No one wanted to interview the two young ladies at all."This is unacceptable! Are they blind?" Betty stomped when she was given the cold shoulder. "How dare they ignore us? They don't know their stuff! Don't they know I could end their careers if they get on my bad side?""Reporters are only after those who are worth something. They'll come after you like sharks lusting for blood if you're famous, well-connected, or influential
Alyssa did not attend the jewelry show to flaunt her status as Winston Taylor's daughter. She had two goals. Firstly, to address the allegations of snatching the opportunity from Beckett Group through media interviews to stop the speculations. Secondly, she delivered pastries to Ada at the venue, mainly to monitor Betty's movements and gain control over the situation. She would never allow that calculative bitch to gain the upper hand.Ada showed up with a distinguished middle-aged man dressed in a brown suit."Ms. Alyssa, allow me to introduce you," Ada said with a smile. "This is Vincent Carter, the global CEO of AX and a dear friend of mine.""Vincent, this is Alyssa Taylor, the manager of KS World Hotel. She's a talented lady!"Vincent, a native of Yoarkley with blonde hair and blue eyes, hailed from a blue-blooded family."Mr. Carter, it's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Solana City," Alyssa greeted him with a warm smile as she extended her hand."Nice to meet you t
"Alyssa Taylor should have known such basic rules of the industry!""Of course she does! Maybe she just wanted to take advantage. These businesswomen always play dirty. Perhaps she had used the same tricks to win Ada Kingsley's trust and beat Mr. Beckett!""Tsk tsk. To think that I admired her before. Now, looking at her again, she seems quite shameless."Zoe snickered, feeling victorious for getting Alyssa into trouble. She thought that Alyssa had become too arrogant and decided to teach her a lesson that day, with the best approach being character assassination.Little did Zoe know that Jasper had arrived late and had witnessed the scene. He stood in the shadows quietly and cast an icy glare at the gloating woman.Tall and gorgeous like a deity, he stood stiffly in his suit and wore a glum expression."Mr. Beckett, that girl is bullying Madam!" Xavier was worried.Jasper pursed his lips and leaned forward. The look in his eyes hardened as he halted in his tracks. "Let's wait
There was a collective expression of shock among the onlookers.Even Ada Kingsley, who was not only Vincent's good friend but also Alexa's number one fan, found herself taken aback by Alyssa wearing jewelry from the elusive "Dark Rose" collection—a name she had heard of but never seen. She briefly experienced a rare moment of envy at Alyssa's wealth.Alyssa quietly cast Vincent a grateful look. There was no need for her to explain herself. This was Vincent's turf, and it was his job to address those who were up to no good. She wouldn't need to lift a finger for something as insignificant as Zoe's slander.Jasper's eyes had never left Alyssa. There was a hint of envy in them. He was sure that Alyssa knew that man, and the two shared a close relationship at that."Who's that old man?" Jasper demanded to know."Vincent Carter is the global CEO of AX. His grandfather holds the title of the last Duke of Yoarkley, and his grandmother is the founder of AX. In simple terms, they own the b