Lauren suddenly commented, "Alyssa slept with Jasper before."Landon, caught by surprise, stared at her in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"Lauren bit her lips and whispered with a frown, "It happened about two years ago. One night, I wandered around my home because I couldn't sleep. "I saw Alyssa entering Jasper's bedroom. At that time, Jasper didn't like her much, and they rarely shared a bed. Most of the time, they slept in separate rooms."Alyssa suffered a lot in the three years she was married to Jasper. I could tell that she loved him, but she didn't dare to get closer to him. She could only stay by his side quietly. At night, when Jasper was not home, she would lie in his bed, wear his shirt, and use his cologne, but he never found out about that."She loved him very much. She was willing to humble herself for him. I felt sorry for her."Even Landon sympathized with poor Alyssa, who had given her heart to Jasper. A farewell wasn't the most painful thing in love—an unreq
Alyssa was admitted to a VIP room at Taylor General Hospital. Connected to an IV, she felt utterly drained but far from drowsy.Jonah sat beside her, carefully tending to the wound on her ankle while resting her leg on his knee. Alyssa, finally sensing the pain, frowned in silence.Jonah inquired, "Lyse, you weren't at your place in Solana City last night. You didn't come home to Belbanks either. Where did you go?"His hand trembled slightly as he spoke. Detecting her silence, he pondered, "Were you with Jasper?"Jonah always approached the topic of Jasper cautiously, knowing it was a sensitive spot for Alyssa. He added, "Julien mentioned you brought him to meet Jasper, but it didn't go well. He also mentioned you received a call and left. Did you meet Jasper afterward?"Alyssa finally cast him a hollow glance and croaked, "Jonah, I hate myself. I feel so shameless …""Silly thing. What are you talking about? You should have self-esteem," Jonah replied, his heart bleeding for Aly
The Taylor siblings were all present out of concern for Alyssa. Liam was the only one absent, being in the military."Jonah, why did Lyse have an accident out of the blue?" Tatiana gasped, tears brimming in her eyes.Feeling bad, Sean wanted to hug Tatiana, but he knew his place as a secretary. It would be inappropriate to do so in front of the other Taylor siblings.He brushed away his thoughts, but his passionate gaze lingered on Tatiana.Perhaps a man of his standing was only good enough to stand guard for Tatiana."Right, Jonah. Lyse is an excellent driver. Her skills are as good as mine. There's no reason she'd ram into someone's car. By right, she would have been the one who speeds on the roads," Axel said in confusion.On Axel's way to the hospital, he was gravely concerned by Alyssa's condition, which was rare for someone who had never flinched at the gunpoint of criminals on his missions.Huddled in the corridor, Silas and Cyrus cast worried glances at Jonah. The air wa
Despite the dim environment, Julien noticed the anger and tears in Jonah's eyes. It was a shock to him.Jonah was oblivious to his allure at that moment. Julien was deeply attracted to the pain and vulnerability underneath Jonah's tough exterior.Jonah collected himself and fixed his gaze on Julien. "What's the matter?"Squinting, Julien approached Jonah slowly. Their eyes met, and their breaths intermingled.Suddenly, Julien reached out and gently caressed the corner of Jonah's eye. Jonah's heart raced, and his breathing grew heavy."I know you feel bad for your sister. I understand your feeling," Julien whispered into Jonah's ear. "But promise me, don't do anything rash. You wouldn't want to worry your princess, right? I'll be worried about you, too."Jonah's ears turned red. Some unknown emotions stirred within.Julien straightened his back and put on an impish smile once more. "I won't ask for a ride because you're busy. Looks like I can't go home anytime soon. I should buy
"You were by Jasper's side throughout their three years of marriage. You knew what he had done to Alyssa, and he has to make amends to her as long as he's alive," Landon reminded Xavier.Xavier felt a stab in his heart when he recalled Alyssa's helplessness when she was living with the Becketts. Despite that, she remained a loyal and loving wife to Jasper.Tears rolled down Xavier's cheeks as he lamented Jasper's suffering. However, he knew that Alyssa had suffered a lot of heartache as well. …Xavier didn't want Jasper to wake up and have no one by his side, so he crashed on Jasper's couch that night without changing.He woke up the next morning without an alarm and reflexively looked in Jasper's direction. He was shocked to find the bed empty. Where did Jasper go?"Mr. Beckett? Mr. Beckett?" Xavier shot up from the couch and panickedly looked around the room for Jasper.He found Jasper all dressed up and marching out of the bathroom. Jasper was dressed in a three-piece suit,
Sean opened the car door and stepped out from the passenger seat. Today, Jonah called him in for a temporary role, turning him back into the secretary of the CEO of KS Group. He dressed in a high-end, tailored gray suit, and his sharp gaze added an overwhelming charm to his already handsome appearance.Women in the vicinity admired him, but he didn't seem to care. He went to open the back door and gave a polite nod."Mr. Jonah, please."Jonah remained composed. His handsome features were devoid of any emotion. Exiting the car, he immediately elicited astonished reactions from the women nearby."Oh, my God! He's so handsome! He's going to be my dream material for tonight!""You're so greedy! You already have Mr. Beckett in your dreams, and now you want to add another one?""Is he really that handsome? I think he's not as good-looking as our Mr. Beckett.""You just don't get it! This guy has a totally different vibe than Mr. Beckett. Mr. Beckett is eye-catching with his hand
"Mr. Jonah, we appreciate your presence, but using force against Beckett Group's staff is inappropriate, both in terms of etiquette and reason, isn't it?"Ignoring his words, Jonah responded, "Is Jasper coming out, or should I go in?"Xavier's anger surged at Jonah's actions, and his expression darkened. "I'm sorry, Mr. Beckett is in a meeting and cannot meet with you. Please leave!"Ignoring Xavier, Jonah lifted the corner of his lips and advanced toward him. Xavier felt a little uneasy as he extended his arm to block Jonah.The next moment, Jonah made a move. Xavier couldn't even see what happened. His arm was twisted behind his back, and then he was forcefully thrown. Xavier fell to the ground, and his arms were dislocated. He endured the pain. Clenching his teeth and with a sweaty forehead, he could only watch as Jonah and Sean entered through the door.The atmosphere inside the conference room was solemn.Jasper occupied the head of the conference table with a king
Jonah took a few steps and stood in front of Jasper. He looked down on Jasper's pale face with contempt."Jasper, you truly deserve to die." The next moment, Jonah suddenly leaned forward, knocking Jasper off the chair! The two men fell heavily, and Sean exclaimed in shock, "Mr. Jonah! Be careful!" Jasper's back suffered a severe blow, and it felt as though his internal organs shook with it.Suddenly, a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes. Jonah stared at him with a fierce gaze. He held a sharp cross-shaped dagger high, aiming at Jasper's pupils, as if about to deliver a cruel punishment.Sean panicked and shouted, "Mr. Jonah! Stop!" He comprehended Jonah's feelings entirely. He, too, shared his resentment toward Jasper for robbing Alyssa of her innocence.However, Jonah would be caught up in endless trouble if he harmed Jasper, and Alyssa would be plunged into deep self-blame! This was never the situation Alyssa wanted to see. Jonah should not soil his hands for su
"Younger brother?" Jonah echoed. The mention of Damien brought a sharp pang to his chest. Memories of the plane crash flashed before his eyes. He continued, his voice tight with emotion, "Even if he is my brother, he allied with the devil and chose a corrupt path. I am severing ties with him!"With that, Jonah slammed his arm down, a decisive gesture."Jonah! No!" Jasper shouted.In the next instant, Remy, with an almost unnatural calm, grabbed the blade of the dagger with his bare hand. Blood began to flow from his palm.Jonah's heart twisted in agony. Family meant everything to him, yet here he was, inflicting harm on one of his own."I didn't come here to stop you," Remy said, his voice low and strained as he met Jonah's reddened eyes. "But I must stop both of you. This is my mission."Jonah stared at him, stunned. "Why—""Because I work for Sir. I have no choice but to follow orders."Turning to Jasper, Remy said, "Go." …After watching them leave, Remy trudged through
Jasper and Jonah went to get Sebastian and Xavier out of the car. The four of them then bolted toward the other end of the alley. A clamor broke out behind them. Jasper glanced back, his heart pounding.Warmth surged through his hardened heart as he saw Axel holding his own in a brutal fight against over a dozen assassins, skillfully subduing them one by one."Jasper!" All of a sudden, Jonah stopped in his tracks. Jasper turned to see what had caught his attention, and his heart sank. Standing at the alley's end, silhouetted against the light, was a tall figure radiating a presence that commanded fear. Though the man's face was obscured, his unyielding presence was unmistakable. It was Justin's right-hand man, Remy."Mr. Beckett, w-what should we do?" Xavier stammered.With a fierce glint in his eyes, Jonah took a step forward. "I'll hold him back. The rest of you, keep going." "Xavier, take Dr. Bender to the press conference immediately. Don't let anything stop you." J
"Maggie, I love you!" Xavier typed.Maggie replied, "Xave, you're not usually this corny. What happened?" Xavier couldn't bring himself to tell her that those words were his final ones if something happened to him.His phone buzzed again. It was Maggie sending another message that read, "I love you too, Xave." Tears filled Xavier's eyes. His lips quivered, and his heart raced. He cursed under his breath. It was time to go all out. With that, he grabbed the machete, swung open the car door, and swiftly took down two of Jasper's attackers.But Xavier wasn't a fighter. He had no real combat experience. It didn't take long before a blade sliced into his arm, the deep cut searing with pain.Jasper's eyes widened. He roared, "Xavier, get back in the car!"Distracted, Jasper's opponent swung a machete at his face. Xavier gasped, "Mr. Beckett!"Luckily, Jasper dodged the strike, his reflexes quick. He retaliated by snapping the attacker's arm.Xavier, pale and shaking with pain,
Frightened out of his wits, Xavier yelped, covering his head and crouching low in his seat. It wasn't that he was a coward. He had been brave in the past, but this situation was unlike anything an ordinary person would face.Working for Jasper meant Xavier didn't have to worry about his livelihood, but every day was a gamble with danger. If this continued, he might have to keep Nitroglycerin on hand just to survive.Jasper, with his strong, muscular frame, shielded Sebastian beneath him.He knew the attackers were after Sebastian, the witness, aiming to eliminate anyone who could tip the scales against them. If they could take down Jasper too, or at least injure him severely, it would be a bonus.These people were ruthless. Sebastian, oblivious to the danger, was muttering the Lord's Prayer under his breath. He didn't know that the man protecting him was sometimes more powerful than any deity."Don't lift your heads! Arrows aren't like bullets—they can pierce glass but not the
Time was ticking. The press conference was about to begin. Landon escorted Sebastian out of the manor and into Jasper's car. He glanced at Jasper, who sat in the back seat, his expression calm and composed.With concern etched on his face, Landon said, "Jasper, let me come with you. I can't feel at ease otherwise."Jasper met Landon's gaze, firm and aloof. "Don't worry, Landon. You've done enough. It's time for you to step back."If Landon continued to help, he would only get caught up in the chaos. Despite his current difficulty in articulating his feelings, Jasper couldn't forget that this was his best friend, the one he'd stood by for more than 20 years. Landon had endured so much to finally be happy with Lauren, and Jasper wasn't about to be the one to disrupt that hard-earned happiness. Understanding Jasper's stubbornness, Landon turned to Xavier. "Call me immediately if anything happens.""Don't worry, Mr. Harper," Xavier reassured. With that, Sebastian climbed into
That said, this strategy came with its own risks. It was as if Jasper and Axel were placing all their bets on Remy for the time being."Justin doesn't control someone without a reason. Since he has control over Remy, he will make full use of him."Jasper's chest tightened, a weight pressing down on him like a massive rock. He continued, "The only way to find Amber is to understand Justin's intentions clearly."…The press conference was scheduled for 5:00 pm at Berenike Hotel's Conference Hall A on Saturday. At 3:00 pm sharp, Justin sat in the president's office at Beckett Group, his expression frigid. He sat upright on the couch while Sheryl, standing beside him, carefully tended to the wound on his left ear, changing its dressing with caution. It had been only two days since he was shot in the ear. His flesh had been stitched up, and the stitches looked like a grotesque centipede crawling along his ear. There was no way to conceal the injury unless he donned a shoulder-lengt
"Remy beat Sheryl up?" Jasper repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. Having wiped away his tears, Axel leaned in to listen to the phone call."Yeah! I saw it with my own eyes in the surveillance footage. He punched her—brutally!" Xavier's voice was filled with astonishment. He exhaled sharply before continuing, "I thought they were a close-knit group. Looks like even they have internal conflicts!"After a brief pause, he ventured, "Mr. Beckett, do you think we could use this as a breakthrough? Maybe Remy has been at odds with Sheryl for a while, and he's tired of working under Justin. Perhaps all he needs is a little push to turn against them. After all, didn't Ms. Altman join us because she hated everything Jameson did?"Jasper didn't give a direct answer. Instead, he spoke quietly, "It's a clever thought, but it's still uncertain. We don't really know Remy's intentions. Our interactions with him have been few, and they've always been risky confrontations. I don't know what he
"Didn't you say you had no idea what I was talking about? In that case, this ear is useless to you. You're already a crippled man anyway. You might as well be deaf too." Axel's hands trembled with restrained rage. The temptation to end Justin's life surged through him—he wanted to pull the trigger, to rip him apart limb by limb. But he had made a promise to Jasper—no lives would be taken. A promise was a promise."I will rescue my wife. But you'll lose more than just an ear if I fail." Axel seized Justin by the hair, his reddened eyes brimming with tears. His voice cracked with fury and anguish. "I will make you suffer a thousand times the pain Amber has endured."Without warning, he released Justin and stormed out."S-Sir! I will get someone to take you to the hospital right away!" Sheryl crawled to Justin's side, panic-stricken as her eyes fell on the pool of blood spreading across the floor. Her trembling hands fumbled with her phone, unable to keep a firm grip as she scrambl
"Sir!" Sheryl shouted. She was just about to get to Justin's side when two shots were fired near her feet. Screaming, she dropped to her knees, threw her arms over her head, and scurried under the table like a terrified animal.The air in the room grew heavy with menace.Justin, known as the devil of the night, was a man who thrived on chaos. His power and influence stretched across continents, and he'd faced countless threats without flinching.But as his visitor approached, an unfamiliar dread coiled in his chest. His hands gripped the couch's armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The terror was suffocating."Get out, all of you," the man commanded, his voice cold and sharp.The man remained fixated solely on Justin while Justin's guests fled in terror. "Help! Somebody!" Sheryl screamed, her voice muffled as she cowered under the table.No help would come. Outside, the others were either unconscious or dead.A deafening bang shattered the silence. The man fir