Alyssa looked at the handsome man in front of her.He had sunk down on one knee while looking up at her affectionately."I heard that my dear sister wants to punish me." The man's lips curled into a mischievous smile."Axel …" Alyssa murmured in a soft tone."Whew! I was so relieved when I heard you call my name."Axel Whitaker was the fourth scion of the Taylor family. No one would have thought that a cold and distant man like him was capable of smiling at his sister brightly.He wrapped a muscular arm around Alyssa's waist and held her tenderly. Then, he stuck his other hand into his trench coat's pocket and fished out a bar of chocolate. Axel proceeded to tear open the packaging with his teeth before feeding the chocolate to Alyssa."This chocolate bar is a local specialty at Artoria. Besides, it's your favorite as well. Give it a taste.""Axel!"Alyssa leaned forward to hug Axel tightly. For some reason, she felt like crying all of a sudden. Soon, her tears started stainin
"Haha! Hasn't anyone warned you about ripping your pants if you're not careful? You should be mindful of your own limits!" Axel burst into laughter on the spot.It had been a very long time since he was able to laugh so heartily. After all, the atmosphere at the secret spy headquarters was always very tense and serious.Jonah's expression softened as he watched his younger brothers mess around. At that moment, he couldn't help but reminisce about the past. "Speaking of gifts, look at what I got Lyse."Axel's eyes glinted mischievously as he showed the others a silver rectangular box while looking excited. After punching in a complex passcode, Axel opened the box and revealed the contents for all to see. Jonah froze up while Silas inhaled sharply in return."The R&D department in the headquarters created this gun recently. There's a mix of ammo and tranquilizers in this revolver. Lyse can spin the cylinder to the left if she is in danger. The tranquilizers are more than enough t
Alyssa ended up staying at Stellus for the next three days.She barely slept as she wanted to craft the perfect emerald bracelet, the exact replica of the one Newton had given her. If she got tired, she'd nap in the workshop. Once she woke up, she'd take a few bites of food before continuing work.The other men worked their respective jobs during the day. They turned down all business and social invitations just to have dinner with their sister at night.Jonah and his brothers prepared a fancy dinner that night. It consisted of Alyssa's favorite dishes. Still, she played with her food moodily while propping her cheek with a hand. The men were anxious about Alyssa's current state. But they didn't know how to help her out.They knew nothing about jewelry, after all."Ms. Alyssa." Alyssa snapped out of her thoughts before turning to look at Don wearily.The latter placed a beautiful jewelry box in front of her."What's this, Uncle Don?" "Why don't you open it and find out for y
"I told him not to contact you ever again. Also, I was quite mean to him. I wonder what he was thinking back then.""Good job. I won't let a filthy bastard like him into my life ever again. After all, I'm the beloved sister of the KS Group's president.""Of course. All the men in the KS Group worship the very ground you walk on." Jonah smiled lovingly while patting his younger sister. "Jonah, give me your phone," Alyssa said.Jonah handed his phone over to her. He looked confused. "Your birthday's the passcode.""Got it."Alyssa tapped on the contact list and blocked Jasper's phone number."How brutal." A small smile appeared on Jonah's face."I gotta end things once and for all with him. That bastard won't learn his lesson if I don't take the extreme approach." Alyssa's gaze grew icy the moment she brought up her ex-husband. …It was safe to say that Jasper could barely eat or sleep over the past few days. All because of his ex-wife's disappearance. Ever since Alice we
Some hotel guests started crowding in the lobby to watch the drama."Ms. Beckett, please calm down. You'll ruin your reputation if you keep causing trouble here. Why don't we discuss this matter in the parlor?"The front desk manager was so nervous that he kept sweating profusely. At the same time, he did his best to convince Betty to calm down. "If your employee has the guts to steal from a VIP like me, doesn't that mean she'll do worse things to the other guests?" Betty slammed a hand on the marble counter. Then, she placed her other hand on her hip. She kept glaring at the manager furiously the whole time. The crowd exchanged looks with each other. Some of them obviously recognized Betty.They knew that she was a daughter of the Beckett family. But if they didn't look at her face, they would have thought it was a shrew causing trouble for the hotel."I-I didn't steal anything!" the housekeeper stammered timidly with her head bowed."How dare you talk back to me!"Betty j
Jasper felt that he treated Alice very well other than the fact that he didn't love her. When she was still living at Seaview Manor, she enjoyed all the luxuries money could give. The housekeepers there served Alice well, and no one caused her any trouble.Heck, Jasper even gave her a supplementary credit card. He was never one to skimp out on money, after all. Alice never used that card in her purchases over the past three years. Still, her life as the Beckett family's young madam was much better than her life as a medical aide in the nursing home.How dare Alice say such things in public! She made it sound like she had gone through many hardships and torment!The more Jasper thought about it, the angrier he became. His eyes started to become bloodshot as he gritted his teeth tightly. "Tch! You sure are stubborn, huh? Since you're the manager of this hotel, I'll be straightforward. Your hotel needs to provide me with a solution regarding this incident today."Betty continued
Everyone was shocked when they heard the statement.Betty and her friends dropped their jaws in astonishment as well. Sean showed the necklace to Betty. A cold expression was apparent on his handsome face."Ms. Beckett, take a look at this necklace. Is it the one you lost?""W-Well …"Betty accepted the necklace and studied it. Then, she started shrieking at the top of her lungs. "Ah! My poor necklace! What happened to it? Who ruined my necklace?"Everyone stared at the necklace. Soon, they realized that the necklace was broken into a few segments."Our manager ordered us to search every inch of the presidential suite the moment she received news of your missing necklace. In the end, we found it under the couch."The thing is, your necklace was already ruined when we found it. We don't know what happened to it as well," Sean explained coolly."See? I told you she's just causing a fuss over nothing! She didn't remember where she had left the damn thing! That's why she was just
Jasper and Alyssa made eye contact with each other, And everyone went silent. It was as though time had been frozen for a moment. "That's Mr. Beckett! It really is him!" Someone quickly recognized Jasper. "J-Jasper!" Betty didn't expect to see him there. Naturally, she felt anxious.Deep down, she was still scared of Jasper. Even though Sophia kept referring to him as the bastard son of the Beckett family, he was still in charge of the Beckett Group."Xavier, take Betty away. Hurry up," Jasper ordered stonily.Some people were recording and taking photos of the whole incident quietly. If Jasper were to drag the matter out any longer, the Beckett Group's reputation would be at risk. All thanks to Betty's actions. Xavier quickly dragged Betty out of the lobby without wasting any time.Alyssa chuckled coldly on the inside before averting her icy gaze.That was Jasper's true form. He was cold and emotionless, just like a robot.He could care less about the victim and culprit in
Julien's questions sent the hall into an uproar. In an instant, the number of viewers on the live stream shot up to 50 million, and the comment section exploded."Dr. Lovelace has presented Mr. Jasper's examination reports. He never did drugs—he was framed! This is undeniable!""He risked his life to save Ms. Alyssa, yet ended up being manipulated, dismissed, and investigated like a criminal. He almost carried a lifelong stain on his name. What a despicable move by whoever did this!"Then, a comment appeared, saying, "Wasn't it Justin Beckett, the current president of Beckett Group, who orchestrated all of this? He set up his own younger brother just to seize power. What a vile man!"Yet, less than two seconds later, the comment vanished.But no matter how many trolls swarmed in or how quickly posts were deleted, the public's outrage could not be silenced. Suspicion against Justin surged, and tens of thousands of negative comments flooded the chat.Julien stood below the stage,
The once lively and fashion-loving Julien now seemed like a star that had lost its light. The radiance that once defined him had vanished. Julien walked past Jonah without stopping. The short distance between them gave Jonah a painfully clear view of the cross-shaped scar on Julien's cheek. His heart wrenched, the pain so intense that his vision blurred. He staggered. "Jonah, are you alright?" Fortunately, Landon was beside him and caught him just in time. Staring at Julien's slim figure, Jonah parted his dry lips, but no words came out.Bitterness filled the back of his throat, and his longing for Julien sent sharp, stabbing pains through his body.Julien stopped beside Jasper, offering him a small smile and a nod as a greeting.Then, his gaze turned fierce as he locked eyes with Justin's hypocritical expression."My name is Julien Lovelace. I was once Mr. Jasper's primary physician. Approximately six months ago, Mr. Jasper made a deal with Jameson to rescue Ms. Alyssa w
Alyssa stood at the doorway, her slim figure framed against the light, yet she seemed to tower over the room. Her presence commanded attention, filling the hall with an air of reverence and grandeur. From across the room, Jasper's dark eyes burned with intensity. To him, Alyssa was like a golden phoenix, its wings unfurling as it soared, radiating brilliance over everything in its wake. "Lyse!"Jonah and Landon stared in shock. They hadn't expected Alyssa to show up at the press conference. Camera flashes erupted once more."It's Ms. Alyssa Taylor!""We should address her properly now—she's the head of KS Group!" "Wait… Is she here to support Jasper? I thought they broke up?""What do you even know? They used to be in love!" Justin narrowed his eyes at Alyssa's frigid, determined expression. Slowly, his lips curled into a chilling, sinister smile.Alyssa met his gaze, suppressing the hatred surging within her. Then, with an air of composure, she turned to the crowd. "W
"That's rubbish. I never asked you to do anything like that!" Sheryl's bloodshot eyes burned with fury. She clenched her fists, longing to silence Sebastian."I didn't expect you to admit it," Sebastian said coldly. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his phone. After scrolling briefly, he held it up for all to see. "You were wary of me recording our conversations, but you never suspected I'd install a hidden camera in my office. This footage clearly shows you bribing and threatening me. With this evidence, denial is futile!"The crowd turned to Sheryl, their gazes heavy with shock and suspicion. When their eyes shifted to Justin, doubt lingered in the air.Sheryl's heart sank, her face draining of color.As cautious as she was, she had miscalculated. But it didn't matter. She had carried out the task herself, avoiding any direct mention of Justin's orders. Justin could still be saved.It was Sheryl who had fallen short in her responsibilities, and she was ready to tak
Jasper's eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Justin, a sharp, determined gleam in his dark eyes. "I will clear my name and restore my reputation, no matter the cost!" he declared, his voice ringing with resolve.The tension between Justin, standing on stage, and Jasper, positioned below, was palpable—like a killer whale facing off with a great white shark. The outcome was still uncertain."I, Landon Harper, swear on my name and the entirety of Harper Group that Jasper never did drugs. The whole situation was a setup!" Landon's voice resounded throughout the entire hall. The reporters buzzed with questions. "Who would do such a thing?"Landon refrained from directly naming Justin, aware that exposing the wolf in sheep's clothing would not be easy. Accusing him too hastily might provide Justin with an opportunity to counterattack, exploiting any gaps in their case.Landon had no fear of tarnishing his own reputation, but he was deeply concerned about the damage it m
Everyone turned to look behind them.Justin's icy gaze locked onto the doors, his expression dark and foreboding. The light pouring in from outside was blinding, piercing through the shadows like a blade. As the crowd squinted against the glare, two figures emerged, standing tall and resolute side by side.It was Jasper and Landon. Clad in a sleek black suit, Landon bore traces of dust but appeared otherwise unscathed. Jasper, however, was a stark contrast. His clothes were torn and bloodied, his appearance disheveled, but his demeanor was anything but defeated. Standing straight and proud, his frigid stare was enough to make the crowd shrink back, unwilling to meet his eyes."Mr. Justin," Landon began, his voice sharp and cutting, "you've gone to great lengths to keep Jasper from this press conference."Ever the rebel with the air of a street-hardened fighter, Landon didn't mince words. "To stop him, you sent assassins to ambush him. You had your people block his way in the
Meanwhile, the light above one of Taylor General Hospital's emergency surgery theaters flickered off. Moments later, the door swung open, and a doctor emerged, pulling down his surgical mask. Mandy hurried toward the doctor, her eyes brimming with worry. "How is that poor man doing?" "Mrs. Taylor, it's fortunate you brought him in when you did. Ten minutes later, and we might not have been able to save him. He went into shock from excessive blood loss, but he's stable now. I gave him a transfusion and sutured his wounds. He'll need rest and proper nutrition to recover fully."Relief washed over Mandy, and her tense body slackened. Her knees nearly buckled as she murmured, "Thank God… Thank God!" Once the doctor departed, Mandy instructed her driver to purchase the best blood-replenishing supplements available, sparing no expense.The driver had only been employed by the Taylor family for the past two years, so he was unaware of the true reasons behind Mandy's actions. To him, h
Soon enough, Jasper and Jonah found themselves surrounded by a horde of fighters. The atmosphere was charged with a vicious, merciless tension that heightened their awareness. They were now in the underground parking lot of Berenike Hotel.This was one of the Beckett family's properties, with Newton overseeing the construction personally.Berenike Hotel had always been the leader among all the five-star hotels in Solana City. Yet, on this day, when a critical press conference was about to begin, Justin chose to start a massacre in the hotel's parking lot, disregarding the potential damage to the hotel's reputation. His actions were utterly insane and perverse. "Shall we each take down ten of them?" Jonah nudged Jasper with his elbow. Narrowing his eyes, he added, "The press conference starts in ten minutes. Think you can wrap this up by then?"A cold, fierce glint flashed in Jasper's usually dull eyes. "I'll take down 15 and leave five for you." "Why only five for me?"Jasp
The golden iris stood as a symbol of triumph."Ms. Alyssa, we're on track. We'll make it to the press conference on time!" Sean declared, stepping on the accelerator with a fiery look in his eyes. "Safety first," Alyssa reminded him in a calm, steady voice. Surprisingly, at this crucial juncture, she appeared composed. "Taty is due soon, and you're about to become a father. As a family man, you shouldn't be as reckless as before." The thought of his unborn son brought a blissful smile to Sean's face, softening his fiery resolve.Alyssa closed her eyes, though her mind remained in overdrive. The truth was, she was forcing herself to stay alert. Ever since Amber's disappearance, she hadn't had a single restful night. The once carefree Alyssa, who could sleep through anything, was long gone. Her frayed nerves left her in a weakened state, but she held on.She had survived when others hadn't, and that resilience fueled her belief that she could endure again. This time, she wou