Axel retorted, "Otherwise, which other bastards would I be talking about?"Axel then took a cigarette and placed it between his lips. Rage was evident on his face as he remarked, "I'm not sure what Lyse is thinking. She is divorced already. And that bastard's name has been dragged through the mud. Why is she wasting so much effort to attend to his medical condition? Let him rot and die.""Just think of her as rescuing a stray dog, then. Don't take this too personally," Silas comforted him."Huh? Do you think Julien will treat this bastard?""I think he might. Lyse always gets the job done.""Okay. I hardly get to come back. Now that I am here, I can't leave empty-handed."Axel took a long drag of his cigarette. His eyes lit up with a blazing fire. He exhaled a ring of smoke. "Why don't I sneak into that bastard's operating room and …"He slid his hand across his neck as he spoke.Caught off guard, Silas shuddered. Shocked, he said, "Don't you dare act recklessly. If you touch e
Axel's eyelashes fluttered as his heart raced. His heart rarely beat so fast. He was reacting to the woman who couldn't keep her hands to herself.He wasn't moved emotionally. The woman in his arms looked exactly like Alyssa. So it felt like he was caressing his sister. He didn't know what to do as his "sister" seduced him."Hmm … I-I'm about to puke." Amber's eyes welled up in tears. Her body went limp.She drank a lot and had too much to dance. Her stomach was churning madly. It was unbearable. "Handsome, c-c-can you bring somewhere to puke? I can't hold it in anymore."If it were another woman, Axel would have darted to the other side of the room—the further, the better. He wouldn't want to get puked on.However, he couldn't say no to that face of hers. He held Amber's soft waist up with one hand. He carried her with his arm effortlessly and walked toward the restroom in large strides. Everyone on the dance floor was dumbfounded."Shit! That handsome man is so strong! I
Amber was in utter disbelief. She never expected to feel such emotions for any man other than Jameson."The ladies' restroom? Look at this urinal. Do you think this is the ladies' restroom?"Axel smiled. "I think you're the one that needs to leave, miss."Amber's face turned even redder. She lowered her head and thought of a quick escape plan. Axel, out of her expectation, grabbed her wrist and pulled her back hard.Once again, Amber slammed into the man's sturdy chest hard. Her scalp tingled from the collision. Her heart was racing.Axel looked at her, a deep glint in his eyes. His lip curled slightly. It was teasingly charming. "How can you leave? You didn't even thank me yet.""T-Thank you." Amber's eyes flickered. Her breathing was growing erratic. "Has anyone told you that you looked like someone?" Axel's warm breath landed on the reddened tip of her nose. His indifferent gaze became somewhat gentler.Amber's heart tightened. She tried her best to escape, but Axel held he
"Sorry." Amber's face turned red, and her consciousness blurred."I told you, with this face of yours, even in Solana City, it should only appear at The Millennium at night! You're my carefully crafted trump card, my possession."You do what I tell you to do, and you don't have the qualifications to show off, let alone to be arrogant!"Jameson's eyes were full of malice. He increased the pressure of his grip on her neck as if he wanted to strangle her to death. Sitting in the passenger seat, Carl saw that Amber was about to collapse and hurriedly pleaded for her, "Mr. Schmidt, Ms. Altman can't take it anymore! Please spare her this time for her loyalty and devotion to you over the years!"Although it's her fault for violating your orders by sneaking back, isn't it to see you? Everything she did was for you. Please spare her this time."Jameson coldly stared at Amber's beautiful face and exhaled a breath before loosening his grip on her.Amber was soaked in sweat at this moment,
For a moment, Rose was both surprised and embarrassed. She tightly pressed her lips together, not daring to make a sound.One of the foreigners challenged Silas in Furancian. "Who are you? Get out of the way! This has nothing to do with you!""If I didn't see this, then it has nothing to do with me. But since I did, I'll take things into my own hands," Silas replied in fluent Furancian with a sly smile."Damn! This guy's Furancian was surprisingly good!" Rose was secretly surprised.What kind of creatures were Alyssa's brothers? Not only were they hot, but they were also so intelligent.Moreover, Silas looked somewhat sexy, speaking Furancian. Rose couldn't help but blush."Who are you?" the other one said in Vitelian, his expression gradually becoming grim. "Get lost!""I'm your father," Silas answered in Vitelian as well.Suddenly, his face turned stern. "Don't challenge my patience. Let her go!""Guards!" a man roared, and several men in black suits quickly ran over from th
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed.A miserable scream came from behind as the bodyguard, who attempted to harm Silas, was hit in the head by a trash can that had suddenly flown over. With that, he crashed heavily to the ground.This scene left everyone else dumbfounded. They actually withdrew their aggressiveness, and none dared to approach anymore."Silas! Why is your reaction so slow?"Silas abruptly turned around to see Axel, hands casually in his trench coat pockets, shaking his head as he walked toward them.The trash can that this guy had kicked over just now had genuinely scared them.Still gripping Silas' suit jacket, Rose slowly opened her reddened eyes. As she raised her pale face, she locked eyes with him."Are you ... okay?"Silas lowered his eyes in response to her passionate gaze. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, then pounded like a crazy drum."I'm fine. Let's get out of here.""Get out? You punched our boss. None of you will get out of here!" The bodyguards surr
"My mother's first pregnancy was quadruplets, and I'm the second oldest. I resemble my eldest brother a lot. Axel looks like my third brother. They both take after my mother."Normally, Silas would never discuss family matters with others.However, for some reason, he wanted to satisfy her curiosity. It happened to be a way to divert her attention. She was truly anxious and nervous earlier."Oh ... so it seems Madam looks half like your mother and half like Mr. Taylor."Rose's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Madam really has inherited the essence of both parents."Hearing that, Silas couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, he noticed that Rose was very thin, even thinner than Alyssa.Her beautiful shoulders protruded, making her look like the perfect model for all clothes. However, there was no shortage in areas where there should be flesh.For some reason, Silas felt a twinge of tenderness. He gradually tightened his grip on her shoulders."Who were those two men who bullied you? W
On the other hand, Axel had already taken care of the two foreigners, including the group of weak bodyguards.He beat them up and locked them in the restroom of a private room, hanging a sign outside that said, "Do Not Disturb".They were all too weak for him, not even enough to warm up.Since Axel couldn't afford to create too much commotion, he quickly ended the fight. After all, he was in Solana City and not abroad. He had to be cautious, given his status.After leaving the nightclub, Axel received a call from Silas."It's all settled, Silas. You can relax and enjoy some alone time with your girlfriend. They won't bother you again," he said, yawning."She's not my girlfriend. Stop talking nonsense!" Silas sounded annoyed, with a hint of frustration."Tsk, tsk, do you think I'm dumb or blind? The guy who cares less about everything suddenly turns into a hero tonight. The girl knows your name and even threw herself into your arms. You two are obviously more than friends."Axel
"Jas…"Alyssa looked at Jasper with an unfocused gaze. Her breaths were shallow, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Mentally, she was confused. "Yes, it's me—Jasper!"Jasper's heart clenched as he saw the color drain from her face. Her body trembled uncontrollably, fragile as a leaf caught in the wind. She resembled the kitten he had saved as a child—frozen and alone in the alley that bitter winter night. A deep sorrow flooded his chest."Jas… per…" Alyssa murmured his name, her voice strained, her tongue numb from the cold.A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "It seems… like I am about… to freeze to death… How could he be here… He will not come back… He doesn't want me anymore…" Alyssa's vision blurred as her eyelids grew heavy. She began to lean, her body sagging to one side."Alyssa! Stay awake!" Jasper's heart was pierced, the pain unbearable as he saw the denial in her eyes. He forced himself to pu
Elias frowned deeply; his worry etched onto his face. "We've been shouting Ms. Alyssa's name the whole way. With so many of us calling out, she should've heard us by now if she were nearby!"In a deep voice, Jasper said, "The wind is too strong, and then there's the heavy snowfall. Our voices are being drowned out. Lyse might not hear us at all."Lyse. Her nickname slipped from his lips before he even realized it."I'm just afraid she's injured—or worse, fainted. If she blacks out in this cold…" Elias trailed off, his voice heavy with dread. "On a day like this, she won't survive long. She'll freeze to death."The group exchanged uneasy glances, the reality of his words tightening their chests.It wasn't that Elias was being a doomsayer. Rather, this was the cruel reality that might actually happen. Crater Mountain claimed lives every year. Danger lurked unpredictably in the woods on the mountain—anything could unfold."Let's split up," Jasper commanded, his eyes fixed on t
The snow was falling heavily, and the chilling winds howled through the night.Remy had no car, so he trudged through the snow alone, each step more exhausting than the last.His thoughts were consumed with Alyssa—was she still alive? In danger? And Jasper's unrelenting resolve to reach her, even after being shot and drenched in blood.Remy pressed his calloused, trembling hand to his chest. His heart hammered in his ribcage erratically.A sharp, searing pain shot through his temples, blurring his vision. He collapsed to his knees in the snow, his body racked with agony. The pain surged deep within him, and his eyes felt like they were going to burst from their sockets. It was unbearable.His breath came in ragged gasps. His hands scrambled for the necklace hanging from his neck—inside it was a hidden medicine box.Justin had told him that the medication in there could calm him down and relieve him of any pain. It would be able to save his life. But in his desperate haste, the
As subtle as Remy's expressions were, Jasper still noticed them. A slight twinkle flashed across his eyes. He did not have the time to continue entertaining Remy. He clenched his teeth, turned around, and started running toward Crater Mountain. Nevertheless, he had barely taken a few steps when gunshots were fired at his feet. Even so, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead and did not stop. Just then, another gunshot rang out. It wasn't until a bullet hit him in his right shoulder that the pain caused him to stumble. He almost fell to the ground but forced himself to stay on his feet. It was fortunate that he was shot in his right shoulder this time. After all, his left shoulder could not be injured any further. Otherwise, his left shoulder would be left in complete disability."If you take another step, the next shot will be in your left leg," Remy warned mockingly. Yet, his gaze was firm and fiery. "Jasper, I don't suppose you want to end up like your older brother, living in
A chill went down Jasper's spine. At that moment, staring down the barrel of the gun, one thought consumed him. It was the only thought that mattered—he had to stay alive to meet Alyssa!Jasper's mind raced. His gun was hidden under the driver's seat of his usual car, but today, he had taken a different sports car—one that wasn't equipped with a weapon. Panic gripped him for a split second before his instincts kicked in.The soldier within him stirred. Without warning, he jerked the steering wheel, ramming his car into Remy's.One of Remy's headlights was taken out and left rolling across the snow. All of a sudden, this prideful man was overwhelmed with anger. His eyes reddened with a strong sense of competitiveness, compelling him to pull the trigger. A shot rang out. The bullet sliced through the cold air, shattering Jasper's car window.From the very beginning, Remy hadn't intended to take Jasper's life. All Justin told him to do was to stop Jasper from meeting with Alys
"Jasper, you are such a jerk. If anything bad happens to Ms. Alyssa, you will surely regret it. You will live in regret your entire life!" Sean yelled. …The temperature tonight was -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The snowstorm in the woods on the mountain was getting stronger and stronger. The winds were freezing and bone-piercing as they blew against Alyssa's face. Trees swayed dramatically in the screeching winds, creating an inexplicable creepy atmosphere that added a feeling of desolation to Alyssa's sorrowful and depressive mood. She braved the bone-piercing winds and faced the heavy snowfall. With the help of her trekking pole, she plodded forward one step at a time. She did not have a destination in mind. She did not know where she was heading. Her heart had shattered, and she was beside herself. The decreasing temperatures discouraged her and made her lose all her motivation. For someone who had lost their willpower, being in the woods under extreme weather conditions wa
"Mr. Jasper, why do you say so?" Sheryl lifted her head and looked into Jasper's reddened eyes. She furrowed her brows and laughed out loud. "White Dove is from Solana City. This is also something that I wasn't able to predict. If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten you to make a trip here in vain, would I?" Sheryl was no longer that conniving bitch who used to act coy. Now, she had a powerful person backing her up. Jasper's violent rage did not scare her at all. "Why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?" Xavier marched forward furiously. He was even more inclined to serve her a slap. "Did you know that Mr. Beckett had an important date with Madam today? He only rushed her because of your stupid lead! Right now, you're telling us that White Dove isn't in Skydon but Solana City? What the heck are you scheming? Were you trying to ruin Mr. Beckett and Madam's date intentionally?" "Madam? Haven't Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alyssa broken up? Is it right for you to be referring to her
The skies started to turn dark. Alyssa's dark hair was covered in a layer of snow. As she stood alone at the foot of the majestic mountain, she looked tiny, fragile, and desolate. "Ms. Alyssa, it's snowing. Heavy snowfall is forecasted tonight." Elias walked to Alyssa's side. Noticing the redness on her face due to the cold and the dull look in her eyes, he had a moment of realization. He couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness within him. "It's getting late. I suppose something came up for Mr. Beckett, and he's unable to make it." "Why didn't he inform me if that is the case?" Alyssa mumbled in a low voice as she gazed toward the darkness. She choked back on her tears so softly that her grievance couldn't really be heard through her voice. Elias slapped himself on his forehead. "Ah, perhaps you didn't manage to receive Mr. Beckett's message? The reception at the foot of the mountain isn't quite stable. You might have missed it. Would you like to come to my office? You'l
Jasper held his breath. It felt as if his legs had been chained together. He was unable to move. Looking at a stiff Jasper from behind, Xavier noticed his shoulders trembling slightly. An ominous feeling rose within him. "What did you say?" Jasper questioned. He sounded as if he was forcing himself to hold himself back from getting emotional. "Mr. Justin once mentioned that you were saved by a female doctor when you were badly wounded on the battlefield many years ago. I heard that you have been searching for her and that you've been grateful toward her." Jasper's back stiffened up. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a frosty voice, "This is a private matter. Why would Justin have told you about it?" "Mr. Justin mentioned it to me because I also used to work as a doctor in Luminara. He was hoping that I could help with finding that woman. "I finally have news on her whereabouts now. Mr. Jasper, don't you want to see the White Dove again? She was the person who gave her all t