In the ward, Rose weakly leaned against the bedside, hooked up to an IV. The morning sunlight spilled onto her pallid face, creating a beauty that made others feel bad for her."Rose," Alyssa softly called her name, her eyes reddened.For a moment, she couldn't believe that the frail woman before her was the same carefree and cheerful apprentice she knew."Madam?" Stunned, Rose quickly pulled her needled hand under the blanket."What happened?"Alyssa sat by the bed and gently held Rose's hand, asking with concern, "How did it come to this? Who bullied you?"Rose bit her lip and remained silent."Tell me quickly. I'll stand up for you.""I was just dizzy from low blood sugar. It's nothing serious.""Even now, you won't tell the truth? Do you not know you have a heart condition? How long do you plan on keeping it from me?"Alyssa was so frustrated that her face was flushed, and she tightened her grip on Rose's hand. "Silas told me you received a call last night. After that c
Alyssa exclaimed, "What?"Alyssa abruptly stood up from her chair, staring at Silas in disbelief. "Illegitimate daughter? The Emerson family's illegitimate daughter?""So it's understandable that she hid her background from you." Looking at Rose's background check, Silas felt uneasy for some reason.Compared to those who openly expressed their sadness and misfortune, he felt more sympathetic toward Rose, who kept everything inside."Rose is such a fool." Alyssa felt as though her heart was cut with a knife, making it hard for her to breathe."The two foreign men Rose drank with last night are high-level executives from a foreign construction company. They're involved in business dealings with the Emerson family."Considering Rose's conversation with her father last night, it seems like the Emerson family arranged everything.""This is outrageous! Did they actually make their own daughter drink with clients for business? George, that heartless scum, is he out of his mind?"Aly
George would probably have regretted it if he had known that he was talking to Winston's second son, Alyssa's second brother. He might even wish he were dead."You don't need to talk so arrogantly here. If you dare to have any ideas about Rose again, you'll see me deal with you." Silas tilted his jaw slightly, smirking coldly.In terms of arrogance, who could be more arrogant than someone from the Taylor family?"You—" George was furious. He roared, "Who the hell are you?"Silas swallowed and somehow had the courage to put his hand around Rose's slender shoulder, pulling her into his arms.Caught off guard, Rose didn't dare to move, and her heart was in turmoil."I'm Rose's boyfriend."After saying that, Silas directly hung up the phone, not giving George a chance to retort.The ward suddenly became very quiet.Both Silas and Rose remained silent."Uh, don't get me wrong. I was caught up in the moment just now." Silas quickly tried to cover for his unintentional words."I di
At exactly 7:00 pm, after the business conference, all the big shots and elite figures of Solana City rushed to Berenike Hotel to attend the cocktail party.Alyssa sped in her black Bugatti, with Julien tightly gripping the door handle on the passenger side. He stared straight ahead, not daring to say a word throughout the journey.He was afraid that saying too much would make him throw up last night's dinner.Finally, when they arrived at the hotel, Alyssa executed a beautiful and precise drift, smoothly parking in the designated spot."Get out." Alyssa unbuckled her seatbelt.Julien didn't move. His face was as pale as paper.Noticing no response from him, Alyssa blinked and waved her hand in front of him. "Hey, what's wrong? Petrified?""I ... want ... to ... vomit." Julien's face turned purple, and he was not doing well at all.Alyssa yelled, directly kicking him out of the car. "If you need to vomit, do it outside, not in my car!"The moment the car door opened, Julien st
"Being the center of attention is not what matters. What matters is that Mr. Beckett likes it."Since Alyssa was not too far away, she could distinctly hear Renee's words. She raised her eyebrows slightly.Julien looked at Renee's pretentious look, and the nausea he had just suppressed seemed to rise again."Renee, do your best. Be considerate to Mr. Beckett, and he'll gradually be moved by you."Dominic didn't forget to belittle Alyssa. He sneered. "You're my daughter. No matter what, you're better than that divorced Alyssa. Renee, be confident. You're not inferior to Alyssa at all."It's just that you and Mr. Beckett lack a bit of fate, but that's not important. Fate can be created. Alyssa and Mr. Beckett embody the essence of a complete lack of fate. Otherwise, why would they be divorced?"As Alyssa listened silently to the father and daughter's big words, her cool face showed no emotion.Meanwhile, Julien stared at Dominic and his daughter leaving the parking lot with wide e
Renee remarked, "Look at the way you're putting it. Lyse, aren't you always low-key? You never attend such public events.""Oh? Then you'll have to get used to it," Alyssa retorted. Alyssa narrowed her eyes at Renee with an intriguing expression. "From now on, I'll frequently appear in public. I think we should meet often to catch up."Renee's face showed an awkward smile, but she was exploding with anger on the inside."Miss, please show your invitation," the staff politely asked Alyssa."I don't have an invitation," Alyssa said openly.Renee covered her mouth and laughed sardonically. She finally found a chance to turn the tables."Lyse, has it been a long time since you attended such high-end events? Don't you know you need an invitation to enter? You're causing trouble for the staff like this."The staff also looked awkward. "I'm sorry, miss. You can't enter without an invitation.""I'm Alyssa Taylor," Alyssa said indifferently.The word "Alyssa Taylor" was like a thunde
Jasper responded, "I'm just curious.""I didn't do much. I just disfigured her," Landon revealed.When Landon recalled the pitiful state Betty was in when she was tortured in the warehouse that day, he couldn't help but laugh."Oh, no wonder. I was wondering why I hadn't seen her lately. She's probably too embarrassed to show her face in public anymore."Jasper nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly looked at Landon seriously. "During this time when you've been staying with Lauren, you didn't do anything to her, did you?"At this question, Landon's heart skipped a beat.He suddenly recalled the scene from last night where he and Lauren were entangled in the bathroom, kissing as if they couldn't bear to part. At once, he felt a rush of heat from his lower abdomen.Just as he was unsure how to answer, Xavier urgently ran over from the other end of the corridor."M-Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa is here."Hearing that, Landon widened his eyes and looked at Jasper.Meanwhile, upon hearing t
There were many people around.But the moment when Jasper and Alyssa made eye contact, it seemed as if everything fell silent, and all the noise around them disappeared.Seeing her crush, Renee was so excited that her eyes lit up.She quickly took out her powder compact and touched up her makeup. Then she walked toward Jasper excitedly.However, she had only walked halfway when several socialites crowded around, pushing her to the outermost circle.Renee anxiously clutched her dress.Why was it so difficult to get close to Jasper?But Alyssa had secretly married this outstanding man. Why was God so unfair? Why did Alyssa get all the good things?The more Renee thought about it, the more annoyed and unfair she felt. She angrily squeezed her way to the front.Jasper was just right in front of her. After thinking briefly, she pretended to be unsteady. With a shout, she directly threw herself at Jasper.At once, Jasper frowned. He had wanted to dodge, but with people on all sides
Searching for Amber without direction would be pointless. Jasper made a swift decision to bring Alyssa back to the manor, shielding her from the relentless chill of the wind. Once inside, he immediately began organizing the search. He deployed his men and contacted Landon, requesting additional support.The two of them sat together on the couch.This time, there was no space between them. It was as though an invisible force drew them closer, their proximity feeling natural yet electric. Neither could say who had moved first.Alyssa, however, was in no mood to dwell on their closeness. Wrapped in her down jacket, she curled up on the couch, her arms hugging herself tightly. A quiet frostiness emanated from her as she sat in silence, listening to Jasper's calm and methodical calls to mobilize his team.In the past, his composed presence would have been enough to ease her mind. But now, her thoughts were a tangled mess, each one like a razor claw tearing at her heart. The pain was u
"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