Sean grinned. "Miss, you're truly wise. I've been monitoring the Gardner family these past few days, and I have indeed found some progress.Alyssa smiled. "As expected, without Jasper's help, the Gardner family can only find ways to raise money to cover their losses. But I thought they would sell their houses and land. I didn't expect them to sell only their jewelry. "Hmm, it seems they can still afford it with their vast fortune. Burning their last bit of money slowly so they could hold out as long as they could. It is more satisfying to see them suffer than dealing them one direct blow."Sean coldly snorted. "This is karma for the Gardner family!"Alyssa didn't say anything more. She casually flipped through the pawnshop records.Hardly anyone knew that the Taylor family owned two large, well-established pawnshops in Cassadia and Bellbanks. Since Winston liked collecting antiques, and rare treasures, he secretly opened these pawnshops to acquire the unexpected and precious item
On the weekend, at the Solana Auction House.A crowd of journalists gathered outside the venue. They had to wait outside to protect the privacy of the wealthy. Those who joined the event were genuine antique collectors and investment bankers. They were here for business and not to seek media exposure like celebrities. They weren't interested in interviews. They only focused on valuable treasures for auction—except for Sophia, Rosaline, and Liana.Every year, Sophia would attend the event in her best attire. She would turn the high-end charity auction into a red carpet moment for her. She would block the entrance and let the media take photos. She would only leave after being persuaded by the staff, looking disgruntled.It seemed she feared people might forget she was the washed-up star who had climbed to a higher status by breaking up someone else's family over two decades ago.That led to Javier not attending the event personally for the past two years. Presumably, he felt it wo
Xavier covered his mouth. He almost choked on himself before holding back his laughter. Jasper felt a surge of resentment in his chest. He coldly responded, "I don't see a future with her, and we can never go back to the past. I won't do something so shameless." Without bothering to elaborate, Landon shrugged. He swiftly changed the topic, "Are there any items you want from today's auction?" "Yes, the Antique Rosewood Chair. I plan to buy it as a birthday gift for my grandfather." "You have good taste! I can help you secure it. If someone tries to compete with you, I'll find a way to convince them otherwise." "No need," Jasper calmly shook his head. "The auction is about charity. If the item is meant to be mine, it will be mine. I won't force something that isn't meant to be. That would take away the joy of the auction." The two entered the venue and walked straight to the first row reserved for VIPs. Only those from prominent families or elite individuals could sit th
Alyssa's words left everyone stunned. The others eyed Sophia oddly, one after another. They had no idea that the beautiful woman before them was Jasper's ex-wife. They only thought that Alyssa must be from a prestigious family with a background worth billions. She had such confidence to confront Javier Beckett's wife! Sophia was so infuriated that her body trembled. She sneered, "Look at you, Alice. You've changed now that you've found someone better to leech onto. I never realized you could be so eloquent in the past." Alyssa raised her eyebrows. She was completely indifferent to Sophia's mockery. "I treat others the way they treat me. I speak politely to those who are polite to me and straightforward to those who are rude. What does that have to do with leeching onto others?" Sophia's face turned red. She was completely frustrated. "Ms. White, my mom is your senior. How can you be so disrespectful?!" Betty immediately refuted after seeing her mother being humiliated.
Alyssa was always ready to break things off with Jasper. So she had to carry her marriage certificate around. The marriage certificate had become a tool to expose the truth and reveal the misdeeds of these women! The Kirkman sisters had no way to refute it. After all, Alyssa and Jasper were still legally married as of now, so what could they say? They would only make things worse if they argued back. "Let everyone judge for themselves who is the other woman in this case!" With that, Alyssa put away the papers, turned around, and left amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, leaving Liana in place, feeling ashamed and furious! ... The auction would start in less than five minutes, and almost all the VIPs were seated. Sophia and Betty sat in the third row. When they entered, Betty's eyes were fixed on Landon. "He looks so handsome.""The security in the Harper family's charity event is very tight. They won't allow us to switch to the front row no matter how hard I try." So
Alyssa wasn't wearing a cumbersome evening gown. Instead, she chose a black suit of her own design. Adorning her chest was another masterpiece from the top jewelry designer, Alexa. It was a brooch made of yellow diamonds. She made a very spectacular entrance. Her fashion style was simple and distinctive. It effortlessly overshadowed the group of spoilt upper-class people. They were all pampered princesses. But Alyssa had always been a domineering queen! Liana couldn't take her eyes off Alyssa. She was resentful and bitter as she watched Alyssa become the center of attention. At this moment, two ladies beside her gasped as they looked at Alyssa. They began to chat. "Oh my goodness, who is this lady? She exudes such grace!" "She's still so young. Otherwise, I would've mistaken her for some successful businesswoman. Her presence outshines even the wealthy men here!" "Do you see that brooch on her chest? That's Alexa's legendary masterpiece, 'Ragnarok'! Someone offered a bi
Alyssa's round eyes turned cold. She gave Landon a deadpan look. Jasper noticed his indecent behavior, and his face turned dark! "How did I do just now?" Landon returned to Jasper's side with a grin, nudging his elbow."Great. I'll kill you if you try that again," Jasper replied with a chilling glint in his eyes. Landon felt hopeless as he said, "Why are you always picking on me? You're harder to deal with than all the hundreds of girlfriends I've had combined!" Soon, the first auction item was presented to the audience. It was a landscape painting from the 20th century. It was a simple brushwork painting that captured the essence of the scenery, truly a masterpiece. But, the artist wasn't famous, so the starting price was only one million dollars. Jasper's interest in antique artworks was limited. However, he had his fair share of knowledge since his grandfather and father were both avid collectors. He immediately recognized the painting upon seeing it. There was an id
Jasper scowled, and he pursed his lips. Since Alice could afford nine million, ten million wasn't a big deal. She stopped not because she couldn't afford it but because she gave up. It was obvious that she did it on purpose. But he couldn't say anything. After all, no one forced Liana to spend a fortune on the painting. It was all on her. Several more items were auctioned, and Alyssa remained composed. She didn't make any moves at the moment. Jasper's sole focus was getting the Antique Rosewood Chair, so he remained still. Next up was a pair of Antique Emerald Ornaments donated by Madam Sophia on behalf of the Beckett Group. The starting price was two million. Alyssa sneered and shook her head disdainfully. She would rather bid on the first painting replica than spend a large sum on those two useless stones. Anyone who would buy them was a fool. As expected, there were only a few bidders. The auctioneer tried hard to promote the items. But in the end, they were sold for
The once lively and fashion-loving Julien now seemed like a star that had lost its light. The radiance that once defined him had vanished. Julien walked past Jonah without stopping. The short distance between them gave Jonah a painfully clear view of the cross-shaped scar on Julien's cheek. His heart wrenched, the pain so intense that his vision blurred. He staggered. "Jonah, are you alright?" Fortunately, Landon was beside him and caught him just in time. Staring at Julien's slim figure, Jonah parted his dry lips, but no words came out.Bitterness filled the back of his throat, and his longing for Julien sent sharp, stabbing pains through his body.Julien stopped beside Jasper, offering him a small smile and a nod as a greeting.Then, his gaze turned fierce as he locked eyes with Justin's hypocritical expression."My name is Julien Lovelace. I was once Mr. Jasper's primary physician. Approximately six months ago, Mr. Jasper made a deal with Jameson to rescue Ms. Alyssa w
Alyssa stood at the doorway, her slim figure framed against the light, yet she seemed to tower over the room. Her presence commanded attention, filling the hall with an air of reverence and grandeur. From across the room, Jasper's dark eyes burned with intensity. To him, Alyssa was like a golden phoenix, its wings unfurling as it soared, radiating brilliance over everything in its wake. "Lyse!"Jonah and Landon stared in shock. They hadn't expected Alyssa to show up at the press conference. Camera flashes erupted once more."It's Ms. Alyssa Taylor!""We should address her properly now—she's the head of KS Group!" "Wait… Is she here to support Jasper? I thought they broke up?""What do you even know? They used to be in love!" Justin narrowed his eyes at Alyssa's frigid, determined expression. Slowly, his lips curled into a chilling, sinister smile.Alyssa met his gaze, suppressing the hatred surging within her. Then, with an air of composure, she turned to the crowd. "W
"That's rubbish. I never asked you to do anything like that!" Sheryl's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. She clenched her fists, longing to silence Sebastian."I didn't expect you to admit it," Sebastian said coldly. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his phone. After scrolling briefly, he held it up for all to see. "You were wary of me recording our conversations, but you never suspected I'd install a hidden camera in my office. This footage clearly shows you bribing and threatening me. With this evidence, denial is futile!"The crowd turned to Sheryl, their gazes heavy with shock and suspicion. When their eyes shifted to Justin, doubt lingered in the air.Sheryl's heart sank, her face draining of color.As cautious as she was, she had miscalculated. But it didn't matter. She had carried out the task herself, avoiding any direct mention of Justin's orders. Justin could still be saved.It was Sheryl who had fallen short in her responsibilities, and she was ready to tak
Jasper's eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Justin, a sharp, determined gleam in his dark eyes. "I will clear my name and restore my reputation, no matter the cost!" he declared, his voice ringing with resolve.The tension between Justin, standing on stage, and Jasper, positioned below, was palpable—like a killer whale facing off with a great white shark. The outcome was still uncertain."I, Landon Harper, swear on my name and the entirety of Harper Group that Jasper never did drugs. The whole situation was a setup!" Landon's voice resounded throughout the entire hall. The reporters buzzed with questions. "Who would do such a thing?"Landon refrained from directly naming Justin, aware that exposing the wolf in sheep's clothing would not be easy. Accusing him too hastily might provide Justin with an opportunity to counterattack, exploiting any gaps in their case.Landon had no fear of tarnishing his own reputation, but he was deeply concerned about the damage it m
Everyone turned to look behind them.Justin's icy gaze locked onto the doors, his expression dark and foreboding. The light pouring in from outside was blinding, piercing through the shadows like a blade. As the crowd squinted against the glare, two figures emerged, standing tall and resolute side by side.It was Jasper and Landon. Clad in a sleek black suit, Landon bore traces of dust but appeared otherwise unscathed. Jasper, however, was a stark contrast. His clothes were torn and bloodied, his appearance disheveled, but his demeanor was anything but defeated. Standing straight and proud, his frigid stare was enough to make the crowd shrink back, unwilling to meet his eyes."Mr. Justin," Landon began, his voice sharp and cutting, "you've gone to great lengths to keep Jasper from this press conference."Ever the rebel with the air of a street-hardened fighter, Landon didn't mince words. "To stop him, you sent assassins to ambush him. You had your people block his way in the
Meanwhile, the light above one of Taylor General Hospital's emergency surgery theaters flickered off. Moments later, the door swung open, and a doctor emerged, pulling down his surgical mask. Mandy hurried toward the doctor, her eyes brimming with worry. "How is that poor man doing?" "Mrs. Taylor, it's fortunate you brought him in when you did. Ten minutes later, and we might not have been able to save him. He went into shock from excessive blood loss, but he's stable now. I gave him a transfusion and sutured his wounds. He'll need rest and proper nutrition to recover fully."Relief washed over Mandy, and her tense body slackened. Her knees nearly buckled as she murmured, "Thank God… Thank God!" Once the doctor departed, Mandy instructed her driver to purchase the best blood-replenishing supplements available, sparing no expense.The driver had only been employed by the Taylor family for the past two years, so he was unaware of the true reasons behind Mandy's actions. To him, h
Soon enough, Jasper and Jonah found themselves surrounded by a horde of fighters. The atmosphere was charged with a vicious, merciless tension that heightened their awareness. They were now in the underground parking lot of Berenike Hotel.This was one of the Beckett family's properties, with Newton overseeing the construction personally.Berenike Hotel had always been the leader among all the five-star hotels in Solana City. Yet, on this day, when a critical press conference was about to begin, Justin chose to start a massacre in the hotel's parking lot, disregarding the potential damage to the hotel's reputation. His actions were utterly insane and perverse. "Shall we each take down ten of them?" Jonah nudged Jasper with his elbow. Narrowing his eyes, he added, "The press conference starts in ten minutes. Think you can wrap this up by then?"A cold, fierce glint flashed in Jasper's usually dull eyes. "I'll take down 15 and leave five for you." "Why only five for me?"Jasp
The golden iris stood as a symbol of triumph."Ms. Alyssa, we're on track. We'll make it to the press conference on time!" Sean declared, stepping on the accelerator with a fiery look in his eyes. "Safety first," Alyssa reminded him in a calm, steady voice. Surprisingly, at this crucial juncture, she appeared composed. "Taty is due soon, and you're about to become a father. As a family man, you shouldn't be as reckless as before." The thought of his unborn son brought a blissful smile to Sean's face, softening his fiery resolve.Alyssa closed her eyes, though her mind remained in overdrive. The truth was, she was forcing herself to stay alert. Ever since Amber's disappearance, she hadn't had a single restful night. The once carefree Alyssa, who could sleep through anything, was long gone. Her frayed nerves left her in a weakened state, but she held on.She had survived when others hadn't, and that resilience fueled her belief that she could endure again. This time, she wou
In an instant, the woman burst into tears. Remy, in an alarmed state, scanned the area outside the car. Satisfied that he was momentarily safe, he loosened his grip on the woman, only to discover his palms were damp. The woman's face was drenched in tears. As he stared into her misty eyes, recognition dawned on him—she was the woman who had chased him at the hospital, frantically calling him "Damien". This could only mean she was Damien Taylor's mother. Remy straightened abruptly, putting distance between himself and Mandy. A surge of emotion tightened his chest, leaving him shaken. Silence blanketed the car. Despite her usual composure, Mandy was overwhelmed. Her tears were unstoppable as she gazed at him. Nothing else seemed to matter. At that moment, Mandy's driver opened the car door and climbed in, saying, "Mrs. Taylor, here are the desserts you ordered for Mr. Taylor—"Remy's reddened eyes darkened. His muscles tensed as he reached for the door handle, ready to l