Jasper tried to suppress his cough. Nevertheless, upon entering the villa, a fit of coughing seized him, likely triggered by inhaling the blend of cold and warm air."Mr. Jasper!" Mrs. Rosie exclaimed and went up to him. She felt sorry looking at him coughing his lungs out. "What's wrong? You have a bad cough. Did you catch a cold?""I'm fine. Mrs. Rosie, just get me some water," he instructed, hiding the fact that he was injured.That did not lessen Mrs. Rosie's concerns. "But you don't look fine at all! Why don't we get the family doctor to check on you?""I'm really fine. I just need to take some medications," he reassured her with a smile.Just then, the butler, Barry Durham, announced, "Mr. Jasper, Mr. Javier would like to talk to you in his study."… Jasper frowned at the scene that greeted him in Javier's study. Javier was on the couch with Sophia, both dressed in matching silk nightrobes. She had put on some light makeup, and her hair was tousled. She leaned limply in
"Indeed, I am. Is there a problem with that?" Jasper's nonchalant reply nearly gave Javier and Sophia heart attacks.Sophia stared resentfully at Jasper's indifferent look as she lurked behind Javier like a ghost. Her eyes held an ominous quality as if she were bestowing an evil curse upon Jasper.Javier shook in rage as he growled, "Jasper Beckett, have you forgotten your roots?"Jasper snickered. "Thanks for reminding me over and over again that I'm your son. Otherwise, I might have forgotten.""You ungrateful brat!" With his eyes burning with anger and a dizzying sensation overwhelming him, Javier pointed at Jasper. He seethed, "I'll ask you one last time—are you dead set on attending the Taylor Family's event this weekend?""Oh, dear child, how can you be so wrong?" Sophia seized the right timing and put on the façade of a worried mother. "It's not my party that I care about. But you knew your dad and Winston don't get along well, and Alyssa has been giving us trouble repeated
Sophia reveled in satisfaction. Javier had better whip Jasper with all his might. Even if Jasper survived the whipping, they'd have at least released the pent-up anger and humiliation.…All the servants at Seaview Manor were summoned to the first-floor main hall and assembled in a few rows.Betty couldn't contain her delight upon hearing about Jasper's whipping. She sought out Lauren, who had nearly slipped her mind. "Hey, you idiot!"Betty kicked the door open. Lauren, who was sketching, dropped her pencil onto the floor at the sudden intrusion. "W-What's going on, Betty?""It's time to witness the spectacle downstairs! Jasper is about to get whipped! Hahaha!" Betty cackled like a maniac.Lauren felt her heart skip a beat. "Jasper? But why?""It's all because that insolent little shit insulted Dad to his face!" Betty replied with a malicious grin. "Hmph! Does Jasper truly believe he's untouchable just because he's the company's president? He wouldn't have gotten the position i
Javier had summoned everyone in the villa to the main hall. Jasper was surrounded by the crowd, isolating him further.Jasper had shed his suit, unveiling his well-defined muscular physique beneath a thin white shirt. His masculine contours were visible through the fabric.Javier had wanted Jasper to be punished in front of everyone to humiliate him. To his dismay, Jasper won hearts by standing stubbornly in the middle of the crowd.The maids around him covered their mouths and blushed, struggling to suppress excited squeals. Even when Jasper was receiving a punishment, he looked as stunning as ever.When Javier noticed that Jasper had no intention of admitting his wrongdoing, he menacingly waved the whip in his hand, producing a bone-chilling, cracking sound as it struck the ground."Kneel!" Javier commanded.Jasper's eyes bore a defiant look as he sneered, "Do you think I would?""You—" Javier began."I'm standing right here. Whip me if you must. Spare me the nonsense," Jaspe
Alyssa reflexively held Jasper when he fell toward the ground. She was startled by the warm liquid on her hands. When she slowly unfurled her palm, she was shocked by the massive amount of blood.Then, she noticed the long, humiliating lash marks on Jasper's broad back. His white shirt was now stained red from the bleeding.Unable to contain her anger, her eyes flashed with fury as she questioned, "Jasper, are you okay?"Covered in sweat, he lay in her arms and muttered, "Are you worried about me?""Bullshit!" she blurted out without thinking. His heart raced with delight as he grinned. "Thank you, Lyse."Feeling angry, she hissed at him, "Shut up! You're badly injured. Stop talking. I don't want to hear a word from you."He smiled bitterly and whispered in her ear, "Okay."Alyssa's sudden appearance left everyone in astonishment. Lauren, who had witnessed the entire incident from the sidelines, welled up with tears at Alyssa's timely intervention.On the other hand, Sophia a
A powerful voice caught everyone's attention, and to their surprise, it was Newton who had arrived at the entrance with Ben by his side. Alyssa's presence was so commanding that neither Javier nor Sophia had noticed Newton's arrival."Grandpa!" Jasper and Alyssa exclaimed simultaneously, with Alyssa appearing particularly close to Newton.Sophia instantly grew flustered and sweated in Newton's presence."Dad, what brings you here?" asked Javier, his hand trembling in astonishment."If I hadn't made it here on time, my grandson would have been whipped to death," Newton growled in his wheelchair, looking authoritative. He shook emotionally at the sight of a heavily injured Jasper and anxiously asked, "Jasper, are you okay?""I'm fine, Grandpa." Jasper flashed him a reassuring smile. "Ben, please call my physician to attend to Jasper.""Of course, Mr. Newton," Ben replied, promptly making the call.Sophia tugged at Javier's shirt and shifted the blame toward Alyssa, saying, "Oh
The spacious hall remained quiet. Amused, Alyssa blinked and smiled.Jasper was cheered up by the animated look on her face and put behind the pain he was enduring. He fixed his eyes on her with a contented smile.In the meantime, a hushed astonishment gripped the onlookers as they watched Newton berating the current patriarch, Javier, in their presence. The public scolding was doubly humiliating, given Javier's prominent social standing. He had turned into a punchbag.Javier, nursing a wounded ego, flushed with anger and hissed, "Barry, please get everyone to leave the hall.""No! No one is allowed to leave before we settle this matter once and for all!" Newton declared with authority. When she was angry, Alyssa bore a striking resemblance to Newton, as if they were blood relatives."Dad, what do you mean?" Javier inquired, his brows furrowing in anger."It means exactly what you think it is!" Newton responded, his eyes half-closed as he taunted his son, "If you can bruise Jas
Alyssa widened her eyes in shock and stared at Jasper."KS Group has been competing against us for a long time. Your beloved Alyssa has been finding trouble with the Beckett Group, leading to stock price volatility and causing a loss of a few billion dollars!"We are finally hosting an event on the weekend to network with the high society of Solana City. As the company president, Jasper refuses to uphold the company's reputation and instead sides with our rival! How can I not be furious with him?"Alyssa's eyes widened even further in disbelief, and her heart skipped a beat."Is the event in question Sophia's birthday party?" Newton questioned.Javier replied, "Yes, it's her birthday party, and it's also a rare networking opportunity.""Alright, if Jasper isn't going, count me out.""What?" Javier's expression fell."Not only am I not attending, but I'll be joining Alice at Winston's wife's birthday party. What do you say to that? Are you going to beat me into submission, too?"
Jasper lay restrained on the bed, his body writhing violently as waves of agony crashed over him. A towel clenched between his teeth muffled his cries, though it could not silence the torment. Every inch of his skin felt as if it were being devoured by thousands of invisible ants—a relentless, gnawing pain brought on by withdrawal.He knew he could no longer rely on the medication. Time and again, the temptation clawed at him, urging him to surrender and take the easy way out. Relief was just a pill away. But Jasper's willpower, though battered, refused to shatter. Anne's words echoed in his mind, a guiding light in the darkness. She had always taught him to be a righteous man—one with a clear conscience. Curling into himself, Jasper shut his bloodshot eyes. He couldn't disappoint Anne. He couldn't let down those who believed in him. He had to resist the dark side. Outside the room, Xavier glanced at his wristwatch. Judging the timing to be right, he pushed the door open and l
"How about now? Is Ms. Altman at home?" Alyssa asked urgently."She isn't," Clark replied. "She drove out the back gate alone around 11:00 pm. Our security personnel stopped her then, but she said she was just going out for some fresh air because she had trouble sleeping. She promised she wouldn't be long, but it's strange—she hasn't returned even now."Alyssa's ears began to ring, her heart sinking like a stone.When she ended the call, her nightgown clung to her skin, drenched in cold sweat. Her trembling hand gripped the phone tightly.She thought of calling Jonah, but he was still searching for Julien in Mosgravia. He wouldn't be able to return in time. Silas wasn't home tonight; he was likely with Rose. Besides, he was more of an academic than a fighter—not someone who could help in a crisis. Getting him out of bed in the middle of the night couldn't possibly solve any of their problems. Axel had returned to his organization, leaving Cyrus as the only one accessible who mi
Amber's eyes reddened as she darted toward the trapdoor in The Millennium, tears streaming down her face.Remy had let her go. He actually spared her! Didn't this prove that he was Damien? That his true nature lingered, even if his memories of the past had been lost?Hope and excitement bubbled within her as she ran. She had to reach Alyssa immediately and share this evidence—this incredible news!Emerging from the trapdoor, Amber navigated the tangled paths among the weeds on the mountain behind The Millennium.Suddenly, she froze. Her breath hitched. Beams of white light shone from all directions, focusing on her. The cold, unyielding spotlights told her everything—she was surrounded, the target of an ambush. Amber's heart pounded in her chest. Cold sweat slicked her palms as her fingers clenched tightly around her dagger. The veins on the back of her hand throbbed with adrenaline.Six assassins in black emerged from the shadows, their flashlights cutting through the gl
Amber glared at Remy through her bloodshot eyes, thrusting her gleaming blade toward his chest. In her early days of being Jameson's follower, the first lesson drilled into her was how to kill quickly and efficiently. Refinement wasn't necessary—only results mattered. Yet, despite mastering the techniques, she had never put them into practice. Deep down, Amber feared the sight of blood and loathed the idea of taking a life.And now, of all people, it was Remy forcing her to cross that line.The blade's tip hovered mere inches from Remy's heart when hesitation gripped her. Axel's voice echoed in her mind, raw with emotion. "Amber, I keep feeling that Remy is my fifth brother, Damien. We miss him… We want him to come home!"Her pupils dilated. The blade wavered, its deadly intent dissipating.That single moment of doubt was all Remy needed. With a calm, calculated motion, he seized her wrist and twisted it sharply.Amber gasped in pain, her grip faltering as the blade clattered
The password to Jameson's room was Alyssa's birthday. Jameson had always believed himself to be a devoted man, taking pride in that notion. Yet, in Amber's eyes, his devotion was nothing more than a pathetic joke—a sentiment she couldn't help but detest.Taking a steadying breath, Amber began rummaging through the drawers and shelves with swift precision.Years of observation had taught her that Jameson had hidden several secret compartments in this room, places meant to conceal vital information. Unless Jameson or Carl disclosed their existence, even the police might not have uncovered them.After what felt like an eternity, sweat beading on her forehead, Amber discovered a hidden compartment beneath a floor sculpture.As she pried the brick loose, her breath hitched. Inside the compartment lay a waterproof plastic bag containing a document and a USB drive.Amber retrieved the document. Her heart raced as she realized its contents—a research report from Mosgravia's RC Biotech
Ever since getting together with Axel, Amber had lived each day in bliss. Yet, when Winston assured her that he truly accepted her and approved of her marriage to Axel, that bliss reached its peak. For so long, Amber had struggled with feelings of inferiority, never truly believing she deserved Axel's love. Deep down, she had resolved to step away if Winston disapproved or insisted Axel marry a woman from a reputable family—a match more fitting of his status.She wouldn't have hesitated to leave if it meant sparing Winston and Axel any conflict. Amber loved Axel wholeheartedly and was willing to sacrifice everything for him.But instead of rejection, she found warmth. The Taylor family embraced her as one of their own, showing her kindness and understanding rather than disdain for her past.She could never repay such compassion. "Winston… Thank you. Thank you…" Amber's tear-filled eyes glistened, their brightness undimmed despite all the darkness she had endured. Winston s
Amber stifled a laugh and teased, "Stop talking, Mr. Whitaker. You're going to sound like a broken record if you keep going." …After breakfast and a quick packing session, Axel departed from Heightsnew Villa. Amber spent her day helping the Taylors with various tasks. She assisted Mandy in organizing documents for Lovelace Group's projects, helped Lyla with cooking, and even joined Colene in feeding her horse. With Tatiana's due date approaching, Amber also pitched in for her shower preparations.Amber had always been a diligent person, but today, she seemed particularly intent on keeping herself busy. She was counting down the hours until nightfall. After dinner, the Taylors sat in the living room and chatted casually as they always did. The warm, familial atmosphere filled the space, and Amber joined in, her perceptive nature making her a seamless part of the group.When everyone retired to their rooms, Amber rose to help the helpers clear the table. "Amber." Startled
Axel and Amber had only spent half a month together before the former was called back to report for work. The night before his departure, they spent hours lost in each other, their passion unrelenting. Again and again, they exchanged kisses, their love pouring forth in an endless tide."Amber, three months… Just give me three more months." When their fervor finally waned, Axel held Amber close in his arms. They rested against the headboard, leaning into one another, too exhausted to move yet unwilling to let sleep claim them."Once I finish all the missions I've taken on, I'll hand in my resignation. After that, I'll spend all my time with you," Axel murmured, his voice steady with resolve. "We'll go wherever you want. If you want fun, I'll have fun with you. If you want chaos, I'll spend my life going crazy with you."Axel wasn't one for flowery words. He simply spoke from the heart. Right now, his heart only wanted Amber—forever.Amber nestled closer, her soft smile masking t
"Sir." Sheryl immediately stood and greeted Justin respectfully as he entered the room. "What are you doing here?" Justin's cold gaze swept over her as he strolled leisurely to the couch and sat down.Sheryl quickly explained, "I received a parcel for you from the administrative secretary half an hour ago. I thought it might be something important, something you wouldn't want too many people to handle. So, I waited for you to return and open it personally.""A parcel?" Justin frowned. Why would anyone send him a parcel to Beckett Group, of all places? How strange. Sheryl presented the parcel to him with both hands. He took it from her and then opened it right before her. After removing three layers of wrapping, each from outside and inside the box, the parcel turned out to contain only a plain white envelope. His expression darkened. It felt like someone was toying with him.Then, he looked down and opened the envelope, which contained a stack of photographs. Pinching a co