Jasper's soul felt like it had been torn apart, and his heart twisted with a crushing pain.What had he ever done for Alyssa? Nothing.He had never proposed to her and given her anything she deserved as his wife. He left her behind on their first night of marriage and slept in a separate quarter.He had never celebrated festivals or anniversaries with her nor bought her any gifts. That year, when she was involved in a car crash with Newton, he did not even rush to her side promptly.All of these terrible actions paled in comparison to the fact that he had been in love with another woman, squandering Alyssa's best years and making a mockery of her love.His eyes welled up with emotion. He tightly clasped her hand, pressing it against his chest while breathing heavily.He felt remorseful for his past actions, but it was too little, too late.Like Jonah, Liam understood the depth of Alyssa's suffering over the years. The thought of it broke his heart every time. He began, "Jasper
Jasper stood there, unfazed by the words hurled at him. He was immune to the shaming as he had gone through it many times.Jonah approached him with a sour face and advised him, "Mr. Beckett, Lyse hasn't met Liam for a long time. I think she'd prefer meeting him over you. Your presence will not help her recovery. "You'll only be standing in the way of a family reunion. You don't have to worry now that she's with family. There's no reason for you to stay. Please go home."Jonah's eyes looked dead as he addressed Jasper in a flat tone. Despite that, Jasper felt the stabbing pain from Jonah's words that froze his blood.…Outside the hospital, the outpour had stopped. The skies brightened, like a melancholic swath of blue velvet.Jasper walked out with heavy footsteps, gripping a wet coat in his hand. He seemed to feel Alyssa's lingering warmth on the fabric. Feeling chilly, he clutched the coat tighter."Jasper, Lyse has given up too much for you.""Did you know that she almost
Xavier, Sean, and Landon were shocked by Jasper's sudden fainting spell. Fortunately, they happened to be just outside the hospital's entrance. Without hesitation, Landon and Xavier rushed to assist the doctors and nurses in sending Jasper into the emergency room.Meanwhile, Sean found himself rooted to the spot at the far end of the corridor. He watched with concern as they wheeled the pale Jasper with blood-stained lips into the emergency room.Why did Jasper suddenly faint? Was it a ploy to gain sympathy?None of it added up. Jasper had seemed perfectly fine throughout their journey to the hospital until this sudden collapse."Mr. Landon, is Mr. Beckett going to be ..." Xavier clenched his fists, tears welling up in his eyes."He'll be alright," Landon reassured him. He glanced fearfully at the emergency room sign and mumbled, "Jasper will pull through. He's the toughest, coolest, and bravest guy I've ever known. He'll be just fine."At that moment, one of Jonah's bodyguards
Landon and Xavier transferred Jasper to another hospital under Jasper's persistent requests.Jasper lay on a pristine white bedsheet in his room, hooked to an IV drip. The ordeal had taken its toll on him, but he still appeared remarkably handsome, much to Landon's envy."You scoundrel. I bet you'll be a casanova even in the afterlife. Tsk tsk, you sinner," teased Landon with an amused expression. He sat facing the back of his chair with his legs spread and his arms folded on the backrest."You're mean." Jasper slowly opened his eyes with rage. He couldn't breathe properly from the pain. "I was puking blood, and here you are, talking about my looks. I've always been better-looking than you. Does that annoy you?" "Ah, come on now. I was just trying to lighten the mood in case you were getting bored," Landon responded. Landon was concerned for Jasper's health but hesitant to delve too deeply into that conversation, fearing it might come across as cheesy."Don't worry, you're not
"It's my duty to protect her. I would never ask for any reward or praise," Jasper remarked. He closed his eyes as a dull pain pulsed in his chest. "I am only making amends for wronging her in the last three years.""With your life?""Well, I can't make amends with money, can I? Do you realize how wealthy her family is?" Jasper's temper flared.Landon scratched his head. Right, Alyssa could afford anything with her wealth.Jasper's thoughts drifted to the memory of her pale face in his arms, which only intensified his heartache. He wondered if she was awake now and if her fever had subsided. He also couldn't help but worry if she suffered any fractures from hanging onto the cliff. She was all he could think about.Taking a deep breath, he clutched his bedsheet tightly as if trying to kill a budding urge.Had he truly fallen for her?His heart raced at the thought of it. His breaths grew heavy, and his cheeks flushed."Hm, why are your cheeks red? Do you have a fever?" Landon
However, Landon obediently stumbled backward after Alyssa shot him a death glare, like one of Cleopatra's many male lovers.Xavier swiftly went up to her and said, "M-Madam—""Madam? What?" Alyssa frowned."Uh, Ms. Alyssa, Mr. Beckett switched hospitals because he didn't want you to worry about his injuries. He wanted you to focus on your recovery," Xavier muttered meekly. Xavier felt nervous every time he had to face Alyssa, who had grown assertive and abrasive. She had become the complete opposite of her past acquiescent self."He's overthinking, then. I am not going to worry about him," replied Alyssa with a snicker and a lift of the brow."But you wouldn't have quickly located him if you weren't worried about him, right?" Xavier bit the bullet and retorted."You—" She glared at him.Jasper secretly grinned as he rested against the headboard. Xavier might be a little slow and clumsy and didn't always do his job right. However, he had redeemed himself and pleased Jasper wi
Jasper, who had always been prideful and rebellious, went along with Alyssa. He rolled over just as instructed.Alyssa pressed her lips, surprised by his lack of protest. The huge area of bruises on his wide and muscular back now lay exposed before her eyes.At that moment, her eyes wavered. Despite her best efforts to keep her emotions in check, she couldn't help but feel extremely bad for him.He mistook her silence for shock and attempted to roll over again, but she pinned him down and ordered, "Stop moving around. I need to take a better look.""The doctor said the bruises would slowly go away as I heal," he remarked in a low voice. It was strange how he seemed to be trying to console her when he was the one who was injured."Like I can't tell," she fired back, annoyed.Her sharp retort caught him off guard, and he responded with a hint of amusement, "I didn't know you were such a firecracker when you were still with me. I am amazed by that sharp tongue of yours and your guts
Jasper was strong despite being injured, much to Alyssa's surprise. With a glimmer in his eyes, he pulled her toward him. She fell into his arms, and their bodies pressed against each other.Jasper pinned her down by resting his left hand on the back of her waist. It was still hooked to the IV drip."Jasp—" Alyssa teared up from the anxiety. Her words were cut short by his sudden kiss. His damp and warm lips brushed against her. Upon tasting her sweetness, he became a beast out of control, kissing her aggressively and taking her in.Meanwhile, Alyssa was dizzy from the kiss and unknowingly moaned. She tightened her grip on his chest, leaving behind red marks.She was going through a mix of emotions—shame, humiliation, grievance … Driven by those emotions, she gave him a bite on the lip. Surprisingly, he did not flinch and only hugged her tighter as she bit him deeper.The metallic taste of blood spread in their mouths. He endured the pain she inflicted on him but did not let go