Feeling touched, Alyssa kneeled in front of Lily on one knee and flashed a brilliant smile. "Don't worry! I'll be a good friend to Jimmy."…Jameson took off his jacket and strode to the kitchen in his white shirt and gray vest. Alyssa, though a guest, felt uneasy about having him cook for her. Hence, she followed him into the kitchen."I'll lend you a hand. You don't even have a chef. It would take ages to prepare the dishes," Alyssa softly suggested, her eyes fixed on the exquisite ingredients laid out on the table. She couldn't resist the urge to start cooking herself and began rolling up her sleeves."No worries. Everything's ready to go. The seafood dishes will be ready in no time," Jameson reassured her, a concerned look in his eyes. "Lyse, I remember you're allergic to smoke. It's quite oily and smoky in the kitchen. Why don't you join my mom in the living room for a chat instead?"A surprised expression crossed her face as she tensed up. She stammered, "H-How did you kno
The dinner was filled with merry laughter. Jameson wanted to serve a bottle of wine from his precious collection, but Alyssa found herself sipping on juice, thanks to Lily's insistence. Over the course of the evening, she downed various types of fruit juices.After dinner, Claire entertained Lily in order to give Jameson and Alyssa some personal time. Jameson then took Alyssa on a tour of his villa, graciously sharing his antique collection. They marveled at notable pieces such as Paulo Gagarin's "Impressionist Oil Landscape Painting", Van Gogh's "Landscape with Snow", a vase from the Victorian era, and many more treasures, each of which would be worth a significant amount at auction.Alyssa stood before the table, examining the paintings with a magnifying glass. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, clearly infatuated with the items."Do you like them? I'll wrap them up for you to take home if you wish," Jameson offered with a warm smile as he rested his arm on the bed.While she w
Alyssa still held Jasper's name in high regard. Jameson's eyes had a gleam when he saw his love rival calling up his crush. He called out softly, "Lyse."Her eyes deepened. She decided to pick up. "Hello?"Jameson was filled with disappointment as well as resentment toward Jasper.Meanwhile, Jasper gazed at the illuminated windows from a distance, uncertain of where she was or if he would get to see her. His voice was hoarse."Lyse, it's snowing. The first snow in Solana City this year.""Right," she responded flatly. "So, what's the matter?"Jasper was taken aback by her reaction. After a brief pause, he mustered the courage to suggest, "May I invite you to enjoy the snow tonight?""Do you have the memory of a goldfish?" she asked with a frown."Um, no.""Do you understand the state of our relationship now? Do you think it's appropriate for us to do that?""Well, it's still better than spending time with Jameson Schmidt," Jasper commented enviously.Simultaneously angered a
Jameson tightly embraced Alyssa the moment she fainted. His eyes grew darker as he spiraled into madness.…Meanwhile, Jasper found himself lightly dusted with snow. He waited faithfully by the entrance, prepared to spend the night there.Suddenly, the villa's gates swung open. Jasper jolted with excitement, only to feel his heart sink as he witnessed a pale Jameson marching toward him.He shot Jameson a tense look and curled his fists. He asked, "Where's Lyse?"Jameson adjusted his glasses with a menacing grin, filled with the triumph of a victor. He replied, "She'll be spending the night at my place. She won't be going home or watching the snow with you because she's resting now. "If you have any decency left and if you care about your image, you should leave immediately. I need to return to her."Jasper felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He retorted, "Jameson, are you happy now? You're only with Alyssa because you played dirty!""Sure. So what?" A greedy look fla
The next morning, Alyssa woke up groggily, still disoriented.Her eyes suddenly fluttered open, and she bolted upright in bed. She found herself in a monochromatic room, the scent of incense wafting through the air, making her feel relaxed."This is a man's bedroom ... Jameson's room?" Alyssa gasped, her head throbbing as if she had been struck in the head.The only thing she recalled from last night was the fight with Jasper. After that, her memory blanked. Heart racing, she quickly left the room.In the kitchen downstairs, Jameson was making breakfast for Alyssa. He was wearing a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up.He was bathed in the morning sunlight that cast a gentle, almost ethereal glow over his features. He looked like a soft painting.Jameson frequently cooked, but he never bothered with an apron as he never wore the same outfit twice."Jameson," Alyssa called out to him. He cast a gentle glance and said, "Lyse, you're up. How are you feeling?""Jameson," Alyssa b
"Lyse, Silas, Cyrus, Sean, and I are in front of Jameson's villa," Jonah said tersely, his voice as commanding as thunder. He provided her with a sense of security."Jonah, I'm all good. You guys overreacted …" Alyssa mumbled and massaged her temples, trying to visualize the absurd situation unfolding outside."Overreacting? Lyse, you spent the night at another man's place! As your brothers, we were almost in tears!" Silas yelled, his voice nearly hoarse."Did that guy lay a hand on you? Did you stay willingly, or did he trick you into it? I've got a pair of handcuffs ready for him!" Cyrus turned into a hot-blooded policeman, ready to barge in and arrest Jameson on the spot."Calm down! All of you!" Alyssa instructed, frantically slipping on her heels and leaving the villa. Outside, several luxury cars had surrounded the vicinity.Sean was the first to rush up to her, his eyes filled with tears. He held onto her shoulders and asked, "How are you? Are you okay? Did Jameson Schmidt
Jonah checked his wristwatch, his expression turning icy. He began, "Jameson, I know Lyse very well. She has never spent the night at a man's place in her life."Yet, she was at your place last night. I need an explanation.""You never allowed her to stay out, but you supported her when she decided to elope. For three years, you kept her marriage to that jerk a secret from Uncle Winston. "You let her suffer at her in-laws' place, living without any official recognition," Jameson stated calmly, taking a seat across from Jonah.Jonah's breath briefly stopped. Lips downturned, he taunted, "Oh, is that what you're doing? You're comparing apples to oranges. Lyse willingly married Jasper out of love. "As her brother, I might not agree with her decision, but I had to respect it. You, on the other hand, are a different case."Jameson's eyes wavered as he started to falter.Jonah continued, "I know Lyse isn't into you. If you persist, you'll not only anger her but also change my impres
Landon's private jet touched down at Solana City International Airport under the cover of night. Zoe descended the stairs from the aircraft, wrapped in an opulent fur coat, her radiant brown curls cascading around her. She slipped into the waiting car that had come to pick her up.After the incident with the counterfeit necklace, Landon had grounded Zoe, going so far as to confiscate her phone. He had wanted to cut off her communication with her terrible friends, who had a bad influence on her.In protest, Zoe had resorted to starving herself after bouts of crying and frustration. Penelope couldn't bear to see her daughter suffer. So she had persuaded Landon to release Zoe and send the latter back to Yoarkley for a period of self-reflection instead.By the time it was winter, Landon had reluctantly permitted Zoe to return to Cyrris. Boredom had consumed her in Yoarkley, and Landon hadn't visited her once. It had been too much!Zoe couldn't contain her frustration. "Where's Land