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
Jasper's heart belonged to someone else. There were times when he felt Alice was wasting her life and beauty being with him. His gaze wandered toward her and finally fell on her slender wrist. Sure enough, she was still wearing the bracelet his grandfather gave her. Even though it didn't match her outfit today, she couldn't bear to take it off. It was obvious she loved it. Jasper narrowed his eyes, and his heart was racing. The Georgian Sky-Blue Porcelain Chalices attracted intense bidding. The auctioneer was overwhelmed! "Ten million!" "Twenty-five million!" "Twenty-seven million!" "Forty million." Jasper elegantly raised his bidding paddle. He constantly called out the highest number in the whole room. Everyone was taken aback. Alyssa was also surprised and glanced at him inadvertently. This man didn't have a good eye for women, but his taste for antiques was pristine. Jasper noticed her gaze. His dark and amber eyes swept over, locking with her gaze. Immedi
The mysterious lady was very conceited. However, her actions continued to astonish the audience. "Mom, did I hear it right?" Betty was in disbelief, a look of surprise plastered on her face. "That country girl bid 60 million? How could she ask for such a high price?! Is she putting on an act?" Sophia remained silent, but her cold gaze was fixed on Alyssa. Suddenly, she recalled something and turned to look at Winston's second wife, Mandy. A cold smile crept on her lips as a smug thought crossed her mind. She wondered if Alice could survive the Taylor family if she wanted to go from rags to riches. "70 million," Jasper said and raised the paddle calmly. The light shone on him, creating an outline of his silhouette. He looked so stunning that it was hard for anyone to look away. He had raised the price to a new height. It left others determined to bid frustrated as they didn't have the means. "75 million." Alyssa didn't falter. She raised the paddle again without hesit
Justin curled his lips into a smirk, scoffing in silence. Newton had gone to great lengths to bring Alyssa into Beckett Group. This was his way of decentralizing power and keeping it in check, and he wanted to prevent Justin from having complete control. Unlike others, Javier couldn't hold himself back. He blew his top instantly, his face turning red like a tomato. "Dad, have you lost your mind? Don't you know who she is? She is KS Group's president—our direct competitor!"KS Group is also bidding for Project A5. No matter how much you favor her, you should at least recognize the limits. If you promote her, it's a blatant conflict of interest—outright cronyism!" Newton sneered. "I might understand your concern if I were promoting someone other than Alyssa."His gaze hardened. "Cronyism? A conflict of interest? I wonder who you're really talking about."With those words, he cast a knowing, enigmatic glance at Justin's blank expression. Just then, a board member from Javier's
Despite his age, Newton exuded the same energy and sharpness he had in his younger days, even when surrounded by the board members brimming with vigor. Despite his quiet presence in the wheelchair, an intimidating atmosphere clung to him. In an instant, Javier was transported back to the days when he worked under Newton's strict supervision."Good day, Mr. Javier and all fellow board members. I assume no one has any objections to my presence at this meeting?"Newton's gaze swept across the room, a perfunctory smile gracing his lips."Of course not. You are part of the corporation's board of directors!" the members responded immediately.Newton nodded. "Much has happened within the corporation lately. Our shares have been fluctuating amid the controversy. "As you all know, I had intended to retire after dedicating most of my life to this company. I wanted to step aside for the younger generation rather than hover over them like a specter, micromanaging everything. "However,
Jasper's arrival plunged the conference room into an uneasy silence, and heavy tension settled over the space. Justin looked up, his expression a frozen mask. A palpable chill emanated from him. Javier's eyes widened in surprise. "Jasper? What are you doing here?" "Even though I'm no longer the president of Beckett Group, I remain a shareholder and board member. It's only natural for me to be here," Jasper replied smoothly as he strolled to his seat. As he passed behind Justin, he abruptly stopped. Without a moment's notice, he struck the back of Justin's chair. The sudden impact made Justin flinch. "Am I right, Justin?" Justin's expression darkened. Forcing a smile, he replied, "As a board member, you have the right to attend, even if you're no longer involved in operations. There's no issue.""If that's the case, why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Jasper lowered himself into his seat, legs slightly parted, exuding an air of indifference. Yet, beneath the nonc
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa
Julien's merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.Under the dim lighting, Julien vaguely noticed a sorrowful tear forming at the corner of Jonah's eye. But before it could fall, Jonah forced a blink, swallowing his emotions whole. Despite Jonah's attempt to brace himself, sorrow engulfed him, a tidal wave of despair. His features mirrored the devastation ripping through his heart. As Evan opened the driver's side door, Julien lurched forward and vomited again. The sickening sound of him retching echoed in the air as if he were expelling everything inside him. "Judas, Mr. Lovelace looks like he's suffering from alcohol poisoning. We should take him to the hospital."Evan's worry deepened at Julien's condition. Jonah wordlessly removed his suit jacket and began cleaning the mess in the car. His chest tightened painfully as he watched Julien groaning, clearly suffering. Then, without he
Jonah's gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate. The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, "Are you new? How much do you charge per night?"Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah's cheek. "You're pretty good-looking," he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. "Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?"Jonah's heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien's waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. "I'm new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?"Julien's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah. Jonah's eyes teared up as he held Julien's waist tightly. "I promise you won't be disappointed," he said, his voice deep. Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah's sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downri
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay—corrupt, degrading, and vile. "Where's Julien?" Jonah's voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp. When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent."Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?" A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah's shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. "If you're bored, I'd be happy to keep you company." Jonah's expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage. Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men. Evan yelled, "Don't touch him!" A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.The man who had draped himself over
Rafe stated, "But Beckett Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn't be able to escape unscathed!""If you're investigated, I'll make sure you can still live a life of luxury—even if you lose your job." Justin's tone darkened. "But if you turn against me, you won't just suffer a few losses. You'll lose everything."Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. "You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?"After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. "Sheryl is still being detained. She can't be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You'll handle that."Remy was taken aback. "I failed my last mission. Aren't you going to punish me?"Justin's smile was cold and insincere. "It wasn't your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I tru
Remy pursed his lips, bending down to pick up the fallen poker card. It was the King of Spades—an entry pass to Kings' Club. "My attacker was…" Remy's pupils constricted as he tightened his grip on the card. "It can only be that dear uncle of mine, always claiming to see me as his own son." Justin's lips curled into a sinister smile. "He's trying to get rid of my right-hand man, taking advantage of my internal feud with Jasper. Weakening me is just his first step toward gaining control over me."He's been a fugitive ever since his successful prison break, never returning to Cyrris after receiving his life sentence. His power base remains in Kontina. "I'm the last surviving Dutton. The Dutton Group, as a cover, has declared bankruptcy and severed all ties with the country. "My dear uncle has taken a huge risk just to target me. He sent his men to attack you in Solana City. What a delightful surprise. It seems he truly doesn't trust me, his only remaining family."Remy lowere