However, Alyssa was pulled out of her thoughts as Jasper engaged in a fierce brawl with Jeffrey. Each punch he delivered was forceful and rapid.The three other men ran toward Jasper, aiming their knives at him. They were determined to kill him. There was no other option."Jasper, look out! Behind you!" Alyssa shouted, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.Since Jasper hadn't fully recovered, facing Jeffrey alone would be a daunting task for him. Now, things were worse with the trio of attackers closing in on him.Not only that, Jeffrey was a merciless man whose each move aimed to kill.Jasper was empowered when he heard Alyssa's warning. Without looking back, he grabbed the attacker's wrist and snapped it. The attacker's agonizing scream pierced through the night.Alyssa's heart was pounding wildly. Memories of Jasper's valor on the battlefield flooded her mind.In the next instant, she watched as he decisively stabbed the attacker. As a doctor, she realized that Jasper hadn'
Nina threw herself in front of Alyssa, protecting the latter with her feeble frame. Her opened arms fell limply, and her body collapsed onto the floor.Jasper and Sean were shocked by the sight. Alyssa hugged Nina, only to feel the wetness in her hands. Trembling, she lifted her hand and teared up at what she saw."Nina! You—""Ms. Alyssa, listen …" Nina was losing her consciousness fast.She opened her mouth with difficulty as the color drained from her face. Alyssa hurriedly stopped her from speaking. "Stop talking! You need to conserve your energy. I'll get you to the hospital!" Crying, Alyssa tried to lift Nina in her arms, but she failed because she was too exhausted from the fight. Instead, she offered, "I'll stop your bleeding!"Nina shook her head, muttering, "It's too late. I know … Sophia's secret … She … killed Madam Anne … the evidence … the phone …"Alyssa felt a sharp pang course through her body. A coldness enveloped her. She looked at Jasper through tears as h
After Alyssa and Sean left with the Taylor siblings, the police arrested the attackers. With blood everywhere, the scene looked like a mess with blood.Jasper stood frozen on the spot with the gun in his hand. Given his combat skills, taking down the attackers had been a piece of cake. Still, he felt more exhausted than he had during his days on the battlefield.Cyrus approached him with two policemen and, after casting a look at the gun, said sternly, "Please come to the police station with us to assist in the investigation.""Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Xavier exclaimed, shielding Jasper from the authorities, his face flushed.He explained, "Mr. Beckett wrestled the gun away from the attacker! You can't possibly suspect him as the shooter, can you? If it hadn't been for Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa would have—""Enough, Xavier. Stop it." Jasper cut him off and calmly faced Cyrus. "Fine. I'll go.""Mr. Beckett, please don't misunderstand us. I'm not treating you as a suspec
"Liam, I can never make amends for what I've done," Alyssa mumbled as she closed her eyes in pain and cried in Jonah's arms.The Taylor brothers had seen Alyssa cry before. In fact, she was a crybaby. In public, she presented herself as a capable and invincible career woman. Only her brothers knew that she was just an ordinary young lady who was emotionally vulnerable and needed attention.However, Alyssa seemed to be badly affected this time. They guessed that it would take her longer to recover from the shock.Silas and Liam had been briefed on the situation while they were on their way to the hospital. They had learned that Sean was badly injured but alive, with a chance of recovery. However, the young lady named Nina had lost vital signs upon reaching the ICU. Alyssa had nearly knelt on the floor there, begging the surgeons to save Nina's life. Everyone prayed hard that the brave and pitiful woman would survive the ordeal."Jonah, I heard Sean's suffered a serious injury.
"Why were you there tonight?" Alyssa whispered, tears glistening in her eyes."It was all because of Nina. She bumped into me at Seaview Manor this afternoon and informed me about the meeting tonight," Jasper confessed. "I went to the park because I was worried."His concern was justified. Alyssa recalled the huge secret Nina had revealed before losing consciousness. Tensing up, she trembled harder. She hesitated to disclose the information to Jasper.Instead, she touched the front pocket of her shirt, where she had stored Nina's broken phone.Frowning slightly, Jasper removed his jacket and draped it over her, wrapping it tightly around her. She stared blankly ahead without resistance. At that moment, her sole focus was on Sean and Nina's well-being, leaving her with no energy to spare for anything else.She inquired, "Have the police arrested that man?""They've issued a warrant for him. The police and my security team have set up roadblocks across the city, including the r
Everyone gathered around the surgeon and stared at him nervously.The surgeon exhaled deeply, shaking his head somberly as he disclosed, "The bullet caused significant damage to her organ, leading to a hemorrhage. "Frankly, there was little hope from the moment she arrived at the hospital. I regret to inform you, Ms. Alyssa, that we couldn't save her. We tried our best."As a doctor herself, Alyssa understood the weight and emotions behind the phrase "we tried our best".The Taylor family members lowered their heads defeatedly. Liam removed his military beret as a sign of respect to the late Nina.Even though they had known that Nina's chances of survival were slim when they had stepped into the hospital, it still hurt to hear the confirmation. Alyssa was the only person in disbelief."No! That can't be real. Nina is strong. How could she have died?" Alyssa tugged at the surgeon's arm and repeatedly yelled as she spiralled into hysteria."Lyse, calm down!" Jasper hugged her fro
Alyssa vowed to take revenge for Sean, Nina, and every single one of Sophia's victims.…Jasper lingered by the window at the end of the corridor. It was past midnight, but sleep eluded him. He stared out of the window, his eyes red.He had called Landon and asked him to meet up right away. After Landon had coaxed Lauren to sleep, he had instructed Angelina to watch over Lauren before rushing to meet with Jasper.With a cigarette between his lips, Landon suddenly remembered that he was at the hospital. He put the cigarette out impatiently. "Jasper, don't worry. I've reached out to the gangs, and they will do anything I ask them to. The attacker will lay low because the authorities are after him, but he doesn't have an escape route anymore. My men will secretly look for him in Solana City three times a day. His fate is sealed.""Thanks, bro." Jasper placed a hand on Landon's shoulder. "Have you told Lauren about Nina?"A troubled expression crossed Landon's face as he rubbed his
Sophia and Betty received news of the shooting incident and Nina's death. After learning that Alyssa and Sean were hospitalized and the police were searching for Jeffrey, they became frightened and anxious."Mom, w-what do we do? Ah—" Betty was cut off when Sophia glared at her and slapped her across her sweaty face.Betty stumbled, colliding with the coffee table. She winced in pain. For someone who never lifted a finger in her daily life, Sophia sure was fierce when punishing her own daughter.Betty's face swelled instantly. Clutching her cheek, she sobbed vehemently, casting resentful glares at Sophia through her messy locks."You good-for-nothing! Did I ever tell you to meddle in this affair? I asked you and Jeff to get rid of that maid, but I never wanted Alyssa dead!" Sophia hissed.Despite burning in rage, Sophia had to keep her voice low. She continued harshly reprimanding, "Don't you know Alyssa is Winston Taylor's beloved daughter? She's also Newton's favorite and the
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
"I will take it if my condition flares up," Remy said, his voice devoid of emotion as he stared blankly at the bottle in his hand. With a feigned smile, Sheryl replied, "Sir instructed me to ensure you took the pill."A chill ran down Remy's spine. Knitting his brows together, he questioned, "But why?" "This is Sir's order. Why are you questioning it?" Sheryl's smirk turned cold and mocking. "What, are you afraid Sir has ill intentions toward you? Have you lost your trust in him?"Remy held his breath. "No, that's not it." "Remy, swore before Sir to serve him loyally for the rest of your life. You pledged to give him your very being. You haven't forgotten that, have you?" Tilting her chin slightly upward, Sheryl shot him a frosty sidelong glance. "Even if Sir fed you poison, shouldn't you take it without hesitation? Why are you hesitating? Don't disappoint Sir."The suffocating pressure in Remy's chest intensified. It felt as though someone had a rifle trained on him, forcin
Hell on Earth? This place resembled a decrepit hospital. But why had Sheryl described it as "hell on Earth"?Amber's body convulsed uncontrollably, her consciousness flickering between clarity and haze. Fragments of memory surfaced—a dim recollection of drinking with Carl in the cellar after The Millennium's closure. She'd despised working with Carl but had cozied up to him for the sake of extracting information.Carl had revealed that "Sir" was deeply entrenched in the pharmaceutical industry. With connections to Mosgravia's government officials and elite circles, "Sir" wielded considerable power and ran a thriving business. Since his business revolved around pharmaceuticals, clinical trials were inevitable. To facilitate this, Sir owned a private hospital in Mosgravia.That hospital, however, was merely a façade. Beneath its sterile exterior, three basement levels housed patients—unwilling subjects for experimental drugs.Amber shivered. This place bore an uncanny resemblance t
"Amber will be fine," Jasper said confidently. "Based on Justin's way of doing things, he won't harm her for now. She's still useful t o him. He'll exploit her to control you and Alyssa, and to keep me from taking him down."Gripping Jasper's arm, Axel pleaded, "Jasper, I have to save my wife… What should I do?" His eyes were red, brimming with unshed tears.Steadying his breath, Jasper replied, "Even if it comes to killing Justin, it shouldn't be your hands that get dirty. I'll do it.""Are you kidding me? If we're taking that bastard down, we do it together!" Axel's expression was fierce and unyielding. "We went through the same military academy. We have to fight side by side!""Justin is my older brother. It's my family's matter to handle. And don't think I'm doing this for your sake—I have my own reasons."After a moment of silence, Jasper's voice softened. "I came to see you today for another reason. When you get home, don't blame Lyse. She's been torturing herself with g