LOGINJasper's brows knitted together. "A badge with the letter 'K' engraved on it? What does that mean?""Have you heard of Kings' Club in Mosgravia?" Cyrus asked. Jasper froze. Silence hung for a few seconds before realization struck. "Isn't that the club for overseas tycoons? The one that made headlines for inhumane and illegal trades? Its members are powerful figures from across the globe—foreign royalty, even Mosgravia's military chief is rumored to be among them.""That's right," Cyrus confirmed. "From what I found online, only high-ranking members carry this badge. Lower-tier members use poker cards as proof of identity. To reach the innermost circle, one must be recommended by a high-ranking member. At least, that's what the information suggests. I can't say for sure how accurate it is."He then added, "Oh, wait. There is one other way to enter the innermost circle—through the resignation or death of an original high-ranking member. In that event, the person they recommended aut
Alyssa felt a wave of nausea just imagining Justin's hypocritical smile. "A normal person could never, under any circumstances, understand the mind of a psychopath."Jasper turned to look at Alyssa, gazing deeply at her sharp, delicate profile. "Even though Justin is ruthless and unhinged, he is meticulous and rarely leaves a trace. Otherwise, he couldn't have maintained his facade for so many years while engaging in so many filthy, illegal operations without us noticing."So, while Justin might have been the one who murdered Sheryl, he wasn't the one who disposed of her body. Whoever handled that part was careless and left a mess behind."Alyssa's eyes locked with Jasper's. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was his secretary, Eden Huber. He's the only one left to do Justin's dirty work."Jasper nodded gravely in agreement. "If Eden really was involved, he could become the key witness to bring Justin down.""The entire bureau is focused on this case. I'll update you all as soon as
"Who did you say?" Jasper, Jonah, and Julien exclaimed in unison, their shock mirrored perfectly across their faces. A realization struck Jasper almost instantly. It had been ages since he last saw Sheryl. That woman had once clung to Justin's side like a shadow, yet she hadn't made a single appearance since Justin's arrest. He had assumed Sheryl was away handling some illicit business for him. He never imagined she was actually dead."Oh my goodness… That woman was vicious, but how could she just end up dead out of nowhere?" Julien shuddered, a chill crawling down his spine. Jonah wrapped his arms around Julien, rubbing away the goosebumps that had formed on his skin. "Cyrus, has the forensic pathologist found anything conclusive yet? What was her cause of death?""The autopsy is still underway, so there are no definitive results yet," Cyrus answered. "However, when we found her… her head was missing.""What the hell…" Julien muttered, shrinking back into Jonah's embrace. "
Cold sweat beaded Jasper's forehead as he staggered down the dimly-lit corridor, panting heavily and bracing a hand against the wall for support. With trembling fingers, he fumbled inside his breast pocket for his medication. But just as he managed to pull the bottle out and tip it toward his palm, his grip gave way. It slipped, sending pills scattering across the floor. His bloodshot eyes widened in frustration. "Dammit!" He tried to crouch down to gather the scattered pills, but the agonizing headache and sudden vertigo derailed his movements completely. He couldn't make his body cooperate. "Jasper! What's wrong?"Right on cue, Jonah and Julien rushed into the corridor, flanking him on both sides to catch his weight and steady him against the wall. Julien quickly scooped the medicine bottle off the floor, tipped a few tablets into his palm, and fed them to Jasper. His eyes were filled with concern. "Relax, Jasper. Take deep breaths." Jasper shut his eyes and followed Jul
When Alyssa and Jasper returned to Heightsnew Villa that evening, Jonah, Silas, Rose, Liam, and Winston's wives were already waiting for them."Jonah! Silas! Rosie! Colene!"The moment Alyssa stepped through the front door, the physical and emotional exhaustion of the day melted away. Like a pampered kitten finally returning home, she threw herself into Jonah's arms and rubbed her head repeatedly against his chest. "Hey, hey, hey! Look at you—a grown woman still acting like a spoiled little girl," Colene teased with a grin."That's perfectly fine. I like it when Lyse acts cute with me."Jonah lowered his head, his eyes brimming with affection as he gently stroked the back of Alyssa's head. "Lyse can always rely on me and ask anything of me. She can act spoiled and throw as many tantrums as she wants. As far as I'm concerned, she'll never have to grow up."Those words came straight from the bottom of his heart. In the entire family, Jonah was the one person who indulged Alyssa wi
Caught off guard by the sudden kiss, their lips met softly, their breaths tangling together. Instead of deepening it, Alyssa slipped her arms around Jasper's neck and clung to him with quiet dependence. Her kiss was tender and lingering, every breath warm and gentle against him. Jasper's entire back stiffened instantly. It felt as though someone had pressed pause on both his heartbeat and his breathing. His trembling fingers curled tightly around the armrests of the leather chair. Crimson slowly spread across his cheeks, the tips of his ears, and the corners of his eyes. A vein throbbed visibly at his neck while his Adam's apple bobbed hard. After what felt like forever, Alyssa finally pulled away, panting softly. Her face was thoroughly flushed, the intoxicating blush trailing all the way down her neck. "Hold me, Jasper…" she whispered.Her soft lips brushed lightly against the tip of his ear, now burning red. Her featherlight voice sent an uncontrollable tremor through his
Alyssa could see how Jameson slowly lowered his head into his arms, only revealing his bright eyes.Those eyes conveyed a lonely emotion, as if he were some wounded animal. Alyssa recalled how Jameson had this very same look in his eyes 15 years ago when Victor punished him by making him stand outsid
"Madam Penelope, you may not be aware of our family situation. Despite being a servant, Mrs. Rosie holds a high position in our family."Sophia started sarcastically, taunting Rosie. "She doesn't even respect us as the hosts of this house, let alone you as guests.""Sophia, you know very well why Mrs.
Jasper used 80 percent of his strength with that slap. He knew his hands, honed in military training, possessed immense power. Sophia wouldn't only be looking for her teeth if he used full force. She might even end up unconscious.He didn't want to give her an opportunity to leave. Many grievances b
Jasper didn't voice it out loud, but Alyssa was also his limit. However, in Alyssa's heart, was he truly her limit? He might not even measure up to Jameson in her eyes.As Jasper pondered, he experienced an overwhelming mix of discontent, anger, and loss, making it unbearable. He forcefully averted h







