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
Lauren skipped over to the snowman, and Richie playfully kicked the snowball back. She retrieved it and carefully set it back atop the snowman while standing on her tiptoes.Richie joyfully wagged his tail while circling around Lauren, even playfully rolling by her feet."Haha! Richie, are you cold? I'll crochet a sweater for you someday!"Richie barked as though he understood her. He wagged his tail excitedly and then threw himself at her, showering her cheeks with affectionate licks."Hahaha! That tickles, Richie. Stop fooling around!" Lauren laughed and tumbled onto the snowy ground, and they both rolled around in the snow with delight.Landon gazed tenderly at Lauren and the heartwarming scene, which was rare in his life. He had once believed that an ordinary, happy life was beyond his reach. To his surprise, Lauren had brought him the happiness that every ordinary man deserved."Mr. Landon, I never expected Richie to get along so well with Ms. Lauren. He used to nip at alm
Lauren shook her head furiously. Her heart pounded. She stammered, "I-I got it. I will only do it with you. Don't be upset, okay?"Landon had been treating her exceptionally well over the past few days. He had gifted her beautiful clothes she had only seen on Betty before—clothes she had never owned.What's more, the food at the private villa was delicious, even if it wasn't quite on par with Alyssa's cooking.In addition, Landon took care of her in every way, from drying her hair to feeding her and even sharing a bed, all without crossing any boundaries. Since he had been so good to her, she couldn't bear to do anything that might upset him."Good girl."Her eyes shimmered like a starry night, nearly making Landon kiss her. However, a sudden thought made him reassess his behavior. Was he acting like a pickup artist?Still, he really wished that Lauren could stay by his side forever. The idea of her marrying another man, being intimate with him, and having children tore at his
"No matter what, I will never approve of Lauren as my sister-in-law! Only one of us shall stay!" Zoe snapped and angrily opened the car door.She was surprised when Gary didn't budge. She asked, "Aren't you coming with me?""My apologies, Ms. Zoe. I'm … I'm Mr. Landon's employee, after all. It's inappropriate for me to get involved," Gary answered uneasily."Fine. I understand. I won't tell a soul about your help. In return, I need you to keep a close eye on Landon's activities," Zoe reminded him. Her pretty face was in stark contrast to the menacing look in her eyes. "I'll reward you generously if you do a good job."Gary shook his head with a loyal expression and declared, "I will be willing to do anything for you."Zoe left the car, slammed the door shut, and quietly cursed, "Pfft. He's just punching above his weight. I wouldn't have kept him around if he wasn't useful to me. I feel sick just sharing a space with him."Zoe knocked on the door, leading a few bodyguards and he
"Let go! Let go!" Donna screamed in pain, releasing Lauren's hand. At the same time, Zoe took a few steps backward in shock.Donna kicked and hit Richie, but he refused to release her."Don't hit Richie! No!" Lauren fell on top of the Dobermann to protect him.Filled with resentment, Zoe kicked Lauren again amidst the chaos."Zoe Harper!" A stern voice cut through the turmoil, making Zoe freeze. Her leg was suspended mid-air when she was caught red-handed.She stiffly spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. She mumbled, "L-Landon …"Landon stood tall at the entrance, seething with anger. His expression darkened.His chest heaved as his eyes glinted with an impending storm.Lauren, still unaware of Landon's return, hugged Richie tight and shut her eyes. She curled into a ball, quivering pitifully.Donna nearly fainted from the shock of Landon's arrival and momentarily forgot about her pain. No one had expected him to return so abruptly after he had gone out."Zoe, did