Jasper didn't voice it out loud, but Alyssa was also his limit. However, in Alyssa's heart, was he truly her limit? He might not even measure up to Jameson in her eyes.As Jasper pondered, he experienced an overwhelming mix of discontent, anger, and loss, making it unbearable. He forcefully averted his gaze from Alyssa's captivating beauty, no longer looking at her.As if they shared a telepathic connection, Alyssa stole a glance at him. Upon witnessing his cold, determined gaze fixed ahead, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.Sophia shivered violently. Her heart leaped into her throat, making it difficult to breathe. Now, Javier had lost control over Jasper, and her man was no longer a reliable pillar of support.If he found out she had caused his mother's depression to worsen, there would be no escape for her! She had bribed a maid back then. This maid was the one Anne trusted the most, second only to Rosie. She made her change the depression medication to a central nerv
Landon smirked. His lips curled as he looked at Alyssa. "Grandpa, truth be told, when I first saw Alyssa, I was deeply captivated. I immediately pursued her passionately."Zoe gritted her teeth as she listened, despising every bit of it."What? You pursued this Taylor girl?"Surprised, Cornelius asked with curiosity, "Why didn't you two end up together? I heard people say you're quite the ladies' man."Penelope was speechless hearing the conversation."Well, she wasn't interested in me," Landon confessed, scratching his head sheepishly."Even you weren't good enough? Does she think she can marry someone from heaven?" Cornelius was somewhat displeased. But considering Alyssa's ex-husband was Jasper, his grandson's defeat wasn't too embarrassing.…"30 years ago, a guy named Ronald Branson worked at TS Network. He not only teamed up with you in numerous shows but also served you in various capacities for a long time. Your connection with him is quite peculiar. "Even Lyla an
Meanwhile, Ronald had endured three days and three nights of relentless questioning at the detention center. The harsh lights glared down, tormenting both his mind and body.But under the layers of pressure, he stood his ground. As long as he thought of Sophia, as long as he thought of the lady who filled his thoughts day and night, the one he couldn't get close to, he would endure it even if the sky collapsed.At that moment, the interrogation room door swung open, and Cyrus strolled in with an indifferent expression. In front of the suspects and criminals, he no longer resembled the affluent and noble Cyrus Taylor. Instead, he had the demeanor of a gangster. Even people from the criminal underworld would address him with respect. Cyrus yawned and casually pulled out a steel chair, sweeping his long legs as he sat down."Smith, make a cup of coffee for Mr. Branson to refresh him. The night has just begun.""Yes, Chief Taylor."Ronald sneered. He then asked through gritted t
Cyrus' gaze darkened as he added in a cold, harsh tone, "So the claim you made earlier about hating Lyla out of love for her is completely baseless."Ronald clenched his jaw, sneering, "Even if you find out, so what? I am indeed Sophia's fan. I love her madly. I can do anything for her, including killing Lyla!"Furious, Cyrus's shoulders shook, and he yearned to crush Ronald's despicable head."But when it comes to my relationship with Sophia ... Well, there isn't any. She has no ties to me. It's all just my one-sided wish. I'm ready to do anything for her, even if it involves dying or killing. And she doesn't have to be aware of any of it."Ronald's audacious words stemmed from his confidence that being charged with intentional harm, the worst-case scenario would be attempted murder. Jasper and Lyla were unharmed, and even if the Taylor family wanted to go after him, there wasn't much they could do.Unfortunately, he failed to fulfill the task Sophia assigned to him.Cyrus kne
Javier regarded Sophia with a cool and lowered gaze, his icy stare concealed beneath his thick lashes. "Did you secretly instruct Ronald to attack Lyla in the last incident, Mrs. Beckett?" Alyssa suddenly changed the topic."I didn't! Everything was Ronald's idea, and it has nothing to do with me!" Sophia clutched Javier's suit, her teary eyes blurred. "Javier, I bear no grudges against Lyla. Why would I do that? I'm the lady of the Beckett family. Lyla is just Winston Taylor's mistress! Why would I bother with a concubine like her?"With a scowl, Javier ordered her sternly, "Sophie! Stop talking." "Ms. Sophia Kirkman, you can insult me, but you cannot insult my family." Alyssa's gaze sharpened as she pointed her finger directly at Sophia's tearful and sinister face. "Be careful. If you dare to insult Lyla again, I might slap you too!"The room fell into an awkward silence. People from the Harper family also wore a dumbfounded expression.Cornelius shook his head and
Penelope choked at Alyssa's words, her heart rate becoming irregular.Alyssa couldn't help but notice that Penelope's comebacks were not as sharp as Sophia's. It seemed ridiculous to Alyssa that Penelope dared to challenge her with such responses."Alyssa! How dare you contradict my mother like that! You're so disrespectful! She's your elder!" Zoe, holding Cornelius, acted like a watchdog, barking loudly at Alyssa.Jasper overheard, and his eyebrows tightened, expressing clear disdain for Zoe."Does age automatically make someone an 'elder'? Following that logic, I'm also your elder. Is it appropriate to address elders this way?"Alyssa, who was a head taller than Zoe, coldly looked down at her, intensifying the pressure on Zoe.Zoe trembled, her lips quivering. She was afraid to retort further for fear of Alyssa's harsh words.Penelope was aware that Cornelius wouldn't create problems for Winston's daughter over such a minor issue. So she kept sending frantic eye signals to Lan
"Don't you worry, Zoe. Things won't end so easily. I'll be sure to get back at them for you!" Penelope consoled her daughter, a coldness glinting in her eyes."How? Landon is the one in control of the family right now, and he's on such good terms with Jasper and Alyssa. What could you possibly do?" Penelope snarled, "If Landon won't let you be with Jasper, then no way is he going to be together with that retarded Beckett girl! You have Grandpa on your side. "Grandpa wouldn't just let our family reputation be tarnished like this. He's definitely going to facilitate your wedding with Jasper while keeping Lauren away from our family!""Landon isn't budging at all to our attempts, Mom. Don't you think he knows exactly what we're up to?" Zoe cried anxiously, "He protects that nitwit Lauren like she's some prized toy! When would we ever get the chance to do anything?""Our chance will come. As much as Landon adores Sophia's silly little daughter, he can't possibly keep her around with
"W-What are you doing, Jimmy?" Panicked, Alyssa instinctively tried to shove him away.But in Jasper's eyes, her struggle was seen as playing hard to get.Jameson remained silent, only tightening his grip around her. His eyes were filled with mockery and sarcasm when he met Jasper's angry ones. Jameson never once loosened his hold around Alyssa, even as she continued to struggle.It felt like knives were stabbing into Jasper's heart, slowly killing him. His entire being buzzed with pain as goosebumps swept over his skin. The sight of Alyssa in Jameson's embrace felt worse than death and far more painful than being wounded on the battlefield.With his face now pale, Jasper turned away and stumbled back into the house.Only then did Jameson loosen up his arms. Alyssa swiftly escaped from his grasp, eyes burning with anger."Don't do that again, Jameson. This is the last warning you'll have, or I'm ending our friendship!" "I'm … I'm sorry, Lyse." Jameson quickly put on an innoce
"Ms. Gillis, I've searched her thoroughly. She doesn't have anything on her." Sheryl's brows knitted in frustration. "How can that be? Where's her cell phone?" "There wasn't one." Sheryl, no longer concerned about dirtying herself, stepped forward, grabbed Amber by her hair, and forced her to meet her gaze."You bitch," Sheryl snarled. "You came to The Millennium at this hour for a reason. What did you find? Hand it over, and I might spare your worthless life!"Amber spat a mouthful of bloody saliva directly onto Sheryl's face."Fuck! You bitch!" Glaring at Amber, Sheryl rolled her sleeves up and slapped her twice in the face. Even so, it wasn't enough to quench her fury. She yelled, "Take her back!" Two of Sheryl's subordinates moved forward, dragging a limp Amber away. Sheryl's reddened eyes burned with fury as she wiped the spit off her face. She was teetering on the edge of madness."Search the area! Retrace her steps and leave no stone unturned!"…Jasper drove to
Jasper strode out of the room and hurried down the stairs, his pace so brisk that Xavier had to jog to keep up. As Jasper reached the living room, he spotted Justin sitting upright in his wheelchair, alone. Their eyes locked when Jasper was just a few steps away.Hostility flickered between their gazes.Curling his lips upward into a slight smile, Justin asked, "Jasper, heading out at this hour?"Xavier gritted his teeth, loathing the self-righteous air Justin exuded, as if he always held the upper hand. The sight made him want to charge forward and knock Justin clean off his wheelchair."It's late. Why aren't you in bed?" Jasper asked coldly, his tone as sharp as his glare. "It seems that broken body of yours is still holding up.""Jasper, you seem to be in a rush. Did something happen? Do you need my help?" Justin maintained the smile on his face, disregarding Jasper's sarcastic remark. "It's none of your business."Without another word, Jasper swept past him. Justin's
Jasper lay restrained on the bed, his body writhing violently as waves of agony crashed over him. A towel clenched between his teeth muffled his cries, though it could not silence the torment. Every inch of his skin felt as if it were being devoured by thousands of invisible ants—a relentless, gnawing pain brought on by withdrawal.He knew he could no longer rely on the medication. Time and again, the temptation clawed at him, urging him to surrender and take the easy way out. Relief was just a pill away. But Jasper's willpower, though battered, refused to shatter. Anne's words echoed in his mind, a guiding light in the darkness. She had always taught him to be a righteous man—one with a clear conscience. Curling into himself, Jasper shut his bloodshot eyes. He couldn't disappoint Anne. He couldn't let down those who believed in him. He had to resist the dark side. Outside the room, Xavier glanced at his wristwatch. Judging the timing to be right, he pushed the door open and l
"How about now? Is Ms. Altman at home?" Alyssa asked urgently."She isn't," Clark replied. "She drove out the back gate alone around 11:00 pm. Our security personnel stopped her then, but she said she was just going out for some fresh air because she had trouble sleeping. She promised she wouldn't be long, but it's strange—she hasn't returned even now."Alyssa's ears began to ring, her heart sinking like a stone.When she ended the call, her nightgown clung to her skin, drenched in cold sweat. Her trembling hand gripped the phone tightly.She thought of calling Jonah, but he was still searching for Julien in Mosgravia. He wouldn't be able to return in time. Silas wasn't home tonight; he was likely with Rose. Besides, he was more of an academic than a fighter—not someone who could help in a crisis. Getting him out of bed in the middle of the night couldn't possibly solve any of their problems. Axel had returned to his organization, leaving Cyrus as the only one accessible who mi
Amber's eyes reddened as she darted toward the trapdoor in The Millennium, tears streaming down her face.Remy had let her go. He actually spared her! Didn't this prove that he was Damien? That his true nature lingered, even if his memories of the past had been lost?Hope and excitement bubbled within her as she ran. She had to reach Alyssa immediately and share this evidence—this incredible news!Emerging from the trapdoor, Amber navigated the tangled paths among the weeds on the mountain behind The Millennium.Suddenly, she froze. Her breath hitched. Beams of white light shone from all directions, focusing on her. The cold, unyielding spotlights told her everything—she was surrounded, the target of an ambush. Amber's heart pounded in her chest. Cold sweat slicked her palms as her fingers clenched tightly around her dagger. The veins on the back of her hand throbbed with adrenaline.Six assassins in black emerged from the shadows, their flashlights cutting through the gl
Amber glared at Remy through her bloodshot eyes, thrusting her gleaming blade toward his chest. In her early days of being Jameson's follower, the first lesson drilled into her was how to kill quickly and efficiently. Refinement wasn't necessary—only results mattered. Yet, despite mastering the techniques, she had never put them into practice. Deep down, Amber feared the sight of blood and loathed the idea of taking a life.And now, of all people, it was Remy forcing her to cross that line.The blade's tip hovered mere inches from Remy's heart when hesitation gripped her. Axel's voice echoed in her mind, raw with emotion. "Amber, I keep feeling that Remy is my fifth brother, Damien. We miss him… We want him to come home!"Her pupils dilated. The blade wavered, its deadly intent dissipating.That single moment of doubt was all Remy needed. With a calm, calculated motion, he seized her wrist and twisted it sharply.Amber gasped in pain, her grip faltering as the blade clattered
The password to Jameson's room was Alyssa's birthday. Jameson had always believed himself to be a devoted man, taking pride in that notion. Yet, in Amber's eyes, his devotion was nothing more than a pathetic joke—a sentiment she couldn't help but detest.Taking a steadying breath, Amber began rummaging through the drawers and shelves with swift precision.Years of observation had taught her that Jameson had hidden several secret compartments in this room, places meant to conceal vital information. Unless Jameson or Carl disclosed their existence, even the police might not have uncovered them.After what felt like an eternity, sweat beading on her forehead, Amber discovered a hidden compartment beneath a floor sculpture.As she pried the brick loose, her breath hitched. Inside the compartment lay a waterproof plastic bag containing a document and a USB drive.Amber retrieved the document. Her heart raced as she realized its contents—a research report from Mosgravia's RC Biotech
Ever since getting together with Axel, Amber had lived each day in bliss. Yet, when Winston assured her that he truly accepted her and approved of her marriage to Axel, that bliss reached its peak. For so long, Amber had struggled with feelings of inferiority, never truly believing she deserved Axel's love. Deep down, she had resolved to step away if Winston disapproved or insisted Axel marry a woman from a reputable family—a match more fitting of his status.She wouldn't have hesitated to leave if it meant sparing Winston and Axel any conflict. Amber loved Axel wholeheartedly and was willing to sacrifice everything for him.But instead of rejection, she found warmth. The Taylor family embraced her as one of their own, showing her kindness and understanding rather than disdain for her past.She could never repay such compassion. "Winston… Thank you. Thank you…" Amber's tear-filled eyes glistened, their brightness undimmed despite all the darkness she had endured. Winston s
Amber stifled a laugh and teased, "Stop talking, Mr. Whitaker. You're going to sound like a broken record if you keep going." …After breakfast and a quick packing session, Axel departed from Heightsnew Villa. Amber spent her day helping the Taylors with various tasks. She assisted Mandy in organizing documents for Lovelace Group's projects, helped Lyla with cooking, and even joined Colene in feeding her horse. With Tatiana's due date approaching, Amber also pitched in for her shower preparations.Amber had always been a diligent person, but today, she seemed particularly intent on keeping herself busy. She was counting down the hours until nightfall. After dinner, the Taylors sat in the living room and chatted casually as they always did. The warm, familial atmosphere filled the space, and Amber joined in, her perceptive nature making her a seamless part of the group.When everyone retired to their rooms, Amber rose to help the helpers clear the table. "Amber." Startled