Crater Mountain was where Alyssa had first met Jasper 13 years ago. It was where Jasper had saved her life."Elijah, you say?" Alyssa asked excitedly upon hearing her friend's name."Yes, Mr. Elijah is retiring next month, so this month is his last. He'll be going home to his hometown after I take over." Elias sighed. He continued, "I saw your name in Mr. Elijah's books. You must be really important to him. I hope you can visit him sometime this month before he leaves. He has pancreatic cancer, and we don't know how long he has left …" "What?" Alyssa cried, sitting up straight."He was already in the third stage when they found it. You know how cancer can be. It's nearly unstoppable if untreated …""I understand," Alyssa said solemnly. "I'll visit him soon.""Please don't tell him I told you this, Ms. White. He's always been adamant about having a strong, independent image. He doesn't want others to see him weak or pity him, so …""I've known him for 13 years. Don't you worry
Sophia asserted, "I was the one who saved you when she turned her back on us! Your father and grandfather haven't stopped losing faith in you since that scandal at your grandfather's birthday!""Dad would never! He loves me the most!" Betty whined.A loud smack was heard as a hard slap landed on Betty's cheek. "What have I taught you all these years? Never, ever talk back to me!"Betty's ear was ringing with the force of the hit. She curled away, cupping her swelling cheek as she ground her teeth angrily."Now you've been toyed around again by that rotten brat Zoe Harper. Tell me. What else are you good for at this point? If you were born a man, this family would have crashed and burned in your hands!" Sophia was channeling all the rage she felt suffering at Jasper and Javier's hands. She continued, "If you didn't have what it takes, you should have just listened to what I say like your sister, Lauren, and not continuously give Alyssa Taylor the upper hand!"If your sister wer
The servants inhaled sharply, some even covering their mouths in shock. Did Sophia intend to take advantage of her marital status to turn the household upside down?All eyes were on Zoe and Penelope, the latter of whom had a look of utter surprise on her face."Darling, is what Mrs. Beckett is saying true?" Penelope asked Zoe.Zoe swiftly put on her act of innocence. "Of course not! Betty was the one who came up with the idea of getting someone to mimic the jewelry for Ada Kingsley!" Zoe said. Betty glared at her like she might slit her throat right now. "Stop with your filthy lies, Zoe Harper! You were the one who wanted to persuade Ada and make Alyssa fall from her pedestal! You were the one who came up with this idea!""Alyssa … Alyssa Taylor? What does this have to do with her?" Penelope asked, still surprised."I …" Now Zoe was stumped. She swallowed nervously, thinking Betty must be determined to end things with her now that she had brought up Alyssa."Where do you
"You were in Yoarkley for years. Only you would have the connections to find someone to do this dirty deed for you! If you lie to me again, I will call Tyson right now and have him fly over this instant!" Landon threatened. "Fly over?" Zoe retorted through gritted teeth. "That means you would have completed your preparations already. That means you might have even bought that man's favor. He'll just come and tell lies about me!"Things halted at this stalemate. "You really are quite cunning, Zoe Harper," Sophia said. Knowing that there was no way this conversation would progress in her favor with its current direction, she decided to bring up Alyssa again. "You used my daughter as a pawn to attack Alyssa, taking advantage of our competition with KS World Hotel to fulfill your little plan. If it succeeded, you'd win and never be found out as the culprit. "You could even push the blame entirely onto Betty! Unfortunately for you, Ms. Alyssa was Alexa herself. Otherwise, your e
There was a ringing in Betty's ears that consumed her senses entirely."Mom, save me! Mom!" she shrieked as the police dragged her away.Sophia couldn't bother to keep herself composed anymore. She dived at the policemen, trying to grab onto her daughter. "My Betty was framed! She's framed! How could you arrest her on the basis of a lie? What kind of law enforcement are you?"Landon stared coldly as Sophia and Betty wailed their lungs out. He just wanted the police to take them away as soon as possible so that he could finally have some peace."Please let go, Mrs. Beckett, or else we'll take you in for interfering with police duty!""But sir, my daughter is innocent! She is the one who framed her—Zoe Harper. She is standing right there!" Sophia glared at Zoe."This has nothing to do with me! Even if I did commission that counterfeit, I could just pay some fines. I have nothing to do with that information stealing whatsoever. Your daughter is the one who bit more than she could
Zoe retorted, "You can be an incel all your want, but Alyssa Taylor will never have eyes for you! You'll only end up with nothing!" "Zoe Harper!" Landon roared at his sister, making her flinch, frightened. "Even if she doesn't marry me, that still does not give you an excuse to harm, humiliate, or defame her! "She is a well-educated, respectable, and honest woman. Even though she's quick and lethal at times, she would never be the first to intentionally harm another person. "If, like you said, she tried to harm you, then you must've caused her trouble first!"Zoe was so angry she might pass out."Need I also remind you to give up on Jasper as soon as possible? The one woman he's interested in is Alyssa herself. Any person can see that fact clear as day except himself," Landon sneered.Even the way Landon mocked his friend was restrained!"You are coming with me to apologize to Alyssa tomorrow morning, in person," Landon snapped, then turned to leave."Are you out of your min
Yet those words had to come from his kin—his beloved kid sister. A deep part of him still didn't want to see her suffer from too harsh a punishment. The conflicting emotions pained Landon to no end."Are you having PMS or what?" Jasper flicked away the ash on his cigarette. "Seriously. What the hell is up with you?"Landon took a deep breath. "Zoe was the one who had someone make the counterfeit jewelry for Betty."Jasper's eyes darkened, but he remained silent."Did you know this from the start?"Jasper nodded. "I did."Guilt plagued Landon's heart. "Jasper, my sister is—""There's something else you should know now that it has come to this point." Jasper huffed out a puff of smoke. "Your sister was also the one who set up the reporters to catch Alyssa unaware."Landon's expression fell, as if he was stuck in quicksand that he could not pull himself out of.A moment later, he murmured weakly, "I'm sorry, Jasper."Jasper merely said, "The person who should be saying that is y
In the three days Alyssa stayed at home, she did nothing except eat and sleep like a farmed animal. Her three stepmothers took exceptional care of her. Lyla whipped up delectable dishes, leading to Alyssa gaining over three pounds in three days."I'm turning into a pig if I keep eating!" Alyssa groaned."Alright, just one last meal, dear," Lyla and Colene coaxed her toward the dining hall.With Winston and Jonah away in another state for an important event, Alyssa found herself sharing lunch with her stepmothers."Ms. Alyssa, good news!" Sean rushed in with a grin on his refreshing face. "The police have arrested Betty Beckett for suspected business crime. Sophia Kirkman is worried dead for her daughter, and Javier Beckett is busy bailing his daughter out!""It took them three whole days to arrest Betty. The Solana City Police Department certainly isn't as efficient as our Belbanks police," Alyssa remarked without surprise and gracefully dabbed her mouth with a napkin."They