Lily grabbed Jameson's arm with a nervous expression and insisted, "I want to sit with you. I don't want to be alone here!"Everyone at the table exchanged looks."Hey, Mandy, why do I feel that Mrs. Schmidt … acts a little weird?" Colene elbowed Mandy and asked quietly."I heard from Winston that Mrs. Schmidt has Alzheimer's. It looks like a particularly bad case. She doesn't even recognize us," Mandy whispered back."Oh gosh, Alzheimer's at such a young age? Poor woman …" Colene sighed and cast a sympathetic look at Lily.Jameson looked at Alyssa helplessly as Lily refused to let go of him.After some hesitation, Alyssa tapped Jasper on the shoulder. "Mr. Beckett, could you do us a favor and change your seat?"He looked up slowly with an astonished and aggrieved expression. "Why should I? I was here before them."Landon bit his lip, trying not to burst into laughter. Jasper was indeed quite petty!"The timing of your arrival isn't the issue. As you can see, Mrs. Schmidt does
Alyssa, looking skeptical, silently gave Jasper a look. She didn't understand what he was up to by provoking Jameson."Just some everyday goods. I ran a typical business," Jameson responded, adjusting his glasses. Only the stiffness of his lips betrayed the anger simmering beneath his facade.He added, "Mr. Beckett, I must say you're quite imaginative. I know you hold a grudge against me, but you shouldn't question my character and disregard my hard work because of it."Jasper put on an amused expression.Jameson continued, "I'm different from you. You smoothly rose up the ranks within Beckett Group and swiftly became a young businessman. "You were chosen as the heir by your grandfather. You will never understand the challenges of building a business from scratch."Alyssa took a sip of champagne after hearing Jameson's biting reply. It stirred some of her memories. She was among the few who truly comprehended Jasper's tough journey to the position of Beckett Group's president.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Let us welcome the star of tonight, Madam Lyla!"Applause erupted in the hall."Lyla! Lyla!" Alyssa cheered happily and clapped hard.At that moment, Winston, looking dapper in a black tuxedo, led Lyla onto the stage."Damn! Dad looks incredibly handsome," Cyrus remarked, impressed by Winston's youthful appearance."He might have overdressed for the occasion, don't you think? People might mistake him for getting married a second time," Silas commented, his gaze fixed on the stage with keen interest."It would have been his fifth wedding," Landon corrected while playing with Lauren's hand. He joked, "Not too bad. At least I can still count with one hand."He made a face and behaved himself when Mandy and Colene glared at him.Silas, feeling hungry, swiped a piece of dessert and sneaked it into his mouth when no one was looking. However, Rose, seated at another table, caught his sly move and playfully called him out, "Hey, why
"How I wish I could touch the dress!""The Taylor family's prestige is the only thing that could bring Sharon out of retirement. Winston Taylor's social status must be exceptionally high. On the other hand, I doubt Sharon would even consider making a dress, even if Mrs. Beckett begged her."Jasper widened his eyes and turned around to stare at Alyssa in disbelief. She was smiling softly. He belatedly realized that Alyssa was Sharon, another one of her many identities after Alexa!His breathing quickened, and he felt a jolt of electricity. How could a woman perfect her talent across multiple industries? Alyssa seemed like a superhuman to him.Alyssa sensed his intense gaze and turned to him. She was taken aback by his reddened eyes."What's with that look? Are you sick?" she taunted him heartlessly."I never thought that you were … Sharon," he croaked, still staring keenly at her."Why are you that surprised? This isn't your first encounter with Sharon," she said with a chuckle
"Are you talking about Lyla Nelson, Winston Taylor's third wife and a has-been-actress? Why would Sharon design a dress for her?""Amazing! I am absolutely smitten with the black and red dress!""Why can't Lyla Nelson have Sharon design her dress? She was once an award-winning actress under TS Network. My parents are still her fans!""I'm a huge fan of hers too. Oops, I just revealed my age.""She was famous many years ago. She became Winston Taylor's mistress and gave birth to his child before marrying him. A woman like her doesn't deserve Sharon's attention.""This is a case of sour grapes. Any woman who bears a child for Winston Taylor gets millions in return. I would have gladly become his fifth wife and given birth to an entire football team." This particular comment received a thousand likes. It seemed like society's morals were declining, with money taking precedence over love."Lyla might be a third wife, but she's a winner! Just look at Sophia Beckett. Nobody attended
"Mom, calm down." Betty approached Sophia shakily. She took a seat beside Sophia and continued, "I hate seeing you so upset. How can I help?""If you want to help, how about getting rid of Lyla Nelson for me? Can you do that?" Sophia gritted her teeth."I—" Betty was at a loss for words."I thought Lyla married Winston because she had no other choice and that she would be a worthless mistress forever. She's a loser who bore a useless daughter for him," Sophia remarked bitterly.Betty thought that Sophia's remark backfired on herself, for Sophia had given birth to two daughters."I never thought that Winston loved her so much as to throw her a huge birthday party and even hire Sharon to design a dress! How could Lyla enjoy a more glamorous life than me?" Sophia's face reddened, and she fought back tears. The more glamorous Lyla's life became despite starting off as a mistress, the more Sophia felt like a joke as Javier's only wife."Mom, anger won't solve anything. We should f
A thunderous applause broke out in the hall. One guest commented, "Mr. Taylor might not have bought a property or jewelry for his wife, but he generously donated five million dollars to her charity foundation. That shows how much he cares about her.""Mr. Taylor's gift is creative and meaningful, unlike the other husbands who always buy their wives the same gifts. "This not only elevates Lyla's stature but also builds a positive image for the Taylor family. It's a win-win solution."Newton, Victor, and Jonah were seated together at the same table just below the stage.Victor grumbled under his breath, "What's that guy using to maintain his youthful appearance?" He turned to Jonah and inquired, "Jonah, what's your dad's skincare like? He's aging backward. Just tell me."Jonah offered a humble smile. "He probably uses some makeup."Victor and Winston had been silently competing against each other for decades."Oh, where did he hire his makeup artist from? That's a pretty natu
Josh leisurely sipped his red wine, his expression dripping with disdain. He commented, "Jimmy has always been a smart aleck. He doesn't understand that trying too hard will backfire on him."While he might have pleased Alyssa with that gift, little does he know he's pissed Dad off. Dad still holds the power."David grinned and added, "Well, let Jimmy grovel at the Taylors' feet and watch everything fall apart around him!"As expected, Victor's expression soured. He clenched his jaw and shot a piercing look at Jameson. He was shocked to see Lily there with Jameson.The emcee brought Jameson's gift onto the stage, and everyone watched on with interest. Lyla looked at Winston with hesitation. Winston put his arm around her waist and said, "He put in time and effort for this gift. Let's take a look."Winston's expression changed when he saw the gift, and his gaze silently turned to Jameson. The other guests exclaimed and praised the gift with an intensity that rivaled their surpris