Jasper accompanied Alyssa to the infirmary. The doctor wasn't there, so Alyssa grabbed iodine and bandages before treating her injury skillfully. "I'll do it," Jasper offered coldly while approaching her. Alyssa turned away from him in frustration. She replied icily, "It's fine." Jasper was known to be a stubborn man. He was an extremist, in a sense. He could either ignore Alyssa as though she didn't exist or meddle in her affairs whenever he felt like it. Hence, he grabbed Alyssa's wrist tightly. "Just stay put, Alice!" he commanded. Alyssa was surprised by the order. Soon, she felt a cool sensation coming from her wrist.Jasper was applying the ointment to Alyssa's injury. He focused on dabbing the cotton bud on her injury as gently as he could. His long eyelashes lowered slightly when he looked down at Alyssa's wrist. Whenever he exerted force with his bony wrist, Alyssa could see the light blue veins underneath his pale skin. They made his hand look very attractive.
On their way to their destination, Alyssa stared out the window. She didn't glance at Jasper.Obviously, she was being hostile to him.Jasper kept glancing at Alyssa from time to time. There were times when he wanted to ask her a question, but he found it difficult to speak up.Newton's villa was located in Crescent Bay in Solana City. Stretches of mountains surrounded the area, making it tranquil and scenic. The neighborhood was like a paradise hidden from the rest of the city."Grandpa, I'm here to visit you!" Alyssa smiled brightly the moment she stepped into the villa. Her clear voice was akin to a nightingale's sweet call. Truthfully speaking, she was a little worried because of what happened to the bracelet. She had to spend a long time mustering her courage. Then, she finally walked through the front door. "You're here, Alice! I missed you so much!" Newton exclaimed from his wheelchair. Ben was wheeling him out.The old man perked up instantly when he finally saw his
Alyssa looked a little surprised. But she quickly lowered her head. Even though she did her best to suppress her emotions, Jasper could still see a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.It made his heart pound wildly. His cheeks flared in embarrassment as well.At that moment, Jasper's phone started vibrating in his pocket. He fished it out to look at the caller ID. Then, he left the study immediately.Jasper leaned against the wall in the corridor as he stared at the word "Lia" on his phone screen. Finally, he picked up the call silently."Jasper, are you still mad at me?" Liana's cries drifted from the other end of the line before Jasper could say anything."No," he replied emotionlessly.But Liana clearly felt that Jasper was still angry at her. "C-Can you come over to my place right now? I miss you so much, Jasper! I can't even sleep because of how much I miss you …"Liana confessed to Jasper in a soft and sweet tone."Not tonight. I need to keep Grandpa company.""You're a
Meanwhile, Liana was also crying on the other end of the line."Alice knew that Grandpa never liked me, yet she kept using him just to cause trouble for me! She's such a shameless bitch!"Jasper kept staring at Alyssa the whole time, so he didn't hear what Liana said.Alyssa was bawling her eyes out without a care in the world, but Jasper could feel her raw emotion. His heart pricked in pain whenever he saw a teardrop dripping off her chin. "What's wrong, Alice? Please don't scare me." Newton had been through a lot in life, yet he couldn't help but panic when facing a woman's tears.Alyssa kept sobbing the whole time. "Grandpa, I … I broke the bracelet! I've been trying so hard to fix it, b-but I just can't …"That's why I thought I could make a new bracelet which is the same as the old one, but … but I was afraid that you'd get mad at me once you find out …"She continued crying. "I'm sorry for lying to you, Grandpa! I'm so sorry …"Alyssa trembled as she cried her heart out.
After replying to Newton's question, Jasper moved to stand next to Alyssa. He stared at her quietly. He could still see tear tracks on her pretty face. Her hair covered half of her face, making her look even more pitiful and frail. Alyssa blushed in embarrassment. Another teardrop dripped off her eyelashes at that moment.Jasper's focus was now on Alyssa's eyelashes. He could feel his chest heaving slightly as he stared at her eyelashes in a daze. "Hurry up and apologize to your wife, you stupid brat!" Newton urged angrily. "Why do I have to apologize to her? I didn't make her cry." Jasper frowned in confusion. Newton widened his eyes furiously. "Alice's your wife, damn it! Are you expecting me to comfort your own wife? Are you that stupid?" "Grandpa, Jasper and I are already divorced, so I'm not his—" "I don't care! He never did anything for you during your three-year marriage! He owes you that apology from the start!" Newton's expression darkened when he heard the
"What?"Jasper widened his eyes immediately. His fork clattered on the floor. When Alyssa noticed how alarmed he looked, her heart sank."Ms. Gardner threw a fit at home earlier while screaming your name, Mr. Beckett. She's emotionally unstable right now. Madam Sophia has requested you to visit her as soon as you can. She's worried that Ms. Gardner might harm herself—" Before Xavier could finish, Jasper got up. He bolted out of the dining room immediately. "You ingrate! I'll disown you if you dare visit that Gardner woman!" Newton slammed a hand on the dining table furiously. Unfortunately, it was too late. Jasper's silhouette had already disappeared from everyone's sight. "Goodness, why am I stuck with an ingrate as my grandson? I've achieved so much in my lifetime, yet I can't save your marriage! Oh, Alice, this is all my fault!"Newton shook his head with a heavy sigh. He felt nothing but guilt when he looked at Alyssa once again.Alyssa's eyes were clear and calm. She
"Mr. Jasper, you're blessed to have such an amazing wife as Madam Alice."Jasper looked dazed at that moment. He thought he could see Alice looking up at him with doe-like eyes that looked innocent yet aggrieved at the same time.She would never care about him ever again. It would be a lie if Jasper claimed he wasn't disappointed at all."Alice isn't a blessing. She's a curse."Jasper returned to his bedroom gloomily. To his surprise, he noticed a box sitting on the coffee table.He recognized it immediately as a package from the tailor. So he opened the box while thinking that his suit was patched.As expected, the fancy suit was laid within the box. It looked brand new. Jasper couldn't spot any stitches on the fabric. The tailor in charge of patching up his suit was very skilled, to say the least.He couldn't help but smile in satisfaction."Mr. Jasper, you still care about Madam Alice, right?" Mrs. Rosie asked happily upon noticing Jasper's smile. "I like the suit she ga
The morning sunlight was warm and gentle. Alyssa woke up in her soft bed and did a full-body stretch under the blanket. She stretched her arms as far as she could with her bottom lifted. Her demeanor was like that of a drowsy cat.She changed into a white athleisure outfit and went rowing at the lake in the backyard as usual.Sean had freshened up early in the morning. He stood by the lake with a water bottle in his left hand. A clean towel hung on his right arm. He waited for Alyssa to be done."The videos of Betty harassing our hotel employee have been taken down from the internet. Even the trending keywords were gone." Sean handed her the white towel and thoughtfully opened the bottle cap for her. He continued, "There is some online traction on the scandal right now, but it will die down in no time. I don't think anything will come out of it.""That's unsurprising. The Beckett Group's PR and legal machinery are the best in Solana City. Plus, Jasper has taken over those departm
Justin curled his lips into a smirk, scoffing in silence. Newton had gone to great lengths to bring Alyssa into Beckett Group. This was his way of decentralizing power and keeping it in check, and he wanted to prevent Justin from having complete control. Unlike others, Javier couldn't hold himself back. He blew his top instantly, his face turning red like a tomato. "Dad, have you lost your mind? Don't you know who she is? She is KS Group's president—our direct competitor!"KS Group is also bidding for Project A5. No matter how much you favor her, you should at least recognize the limits. If you promote her, it's a blatant conflict of interest—outright cronyism!" Newton sneered. "I might understand your concern if I were promoting someone other than Alyssa."His gaze hardened. "Cronyism? A conflict of interest? I wonder who you're really talking about."With those words, he cast a knowing, enigmatic glance at Justin's blank expression. Just then, a board member from Javier's
Despite his age, Newton exuded the same energy and sharpness he had in his younger days, even when surrounded by the board members brimming with vigor. Despite his quiet presence in the wheelchair, an intimidating atmosphere clung to him. In an instant, Javier was transported back to the days when he worked under Newton's strict supervision."Good day, Mr. Javier and all fellow board members. I assume no one has any objections to my presence at this meeting?"Newton's gaze swept across the room, a perfunctory smile gracing his lips."Of course not. You are part of the corporation's board of directors!" the members responded immediately.Newton nodded. "Much has happened within the corporation lately. Our shares have been fluctuating amid the controversy. "As you all know, I had intended to retire after dedicating most of my life to this company. I wanted to step aside for the younger generation rather than hover over them like a specter, micromanaging everything. "However,
Jasper's arrival plunged the conference room into an uneasy silence, and heavy tension settled over the space. Justin looked up, his expression a frozen mask. A palpable chill emanated from him. Javier's eyes widened in surprise. "Jasper? What are you doing here?" "Even though I'm no longer the president of Beckett Group, I remain a shareholder and board member. It's only natural for me to be here," Jasper replied smoothly as he strolled to his seat. As he passed behind Justin, he abruptly stopped. Without a moment's notice, he struck the back of Justin's chair. The sudden impact made Justin flinch. "Am I right, Justin?" Justin's expression darkened. Forcing a smile, he replied, "As a board member, you have the right to attend, even if you're no longer involved in operations. There's no issue.""If that's the case, why wasn't I informed about this meeting?" Jasper lowered himself into his seat, legs slightly parted, exuding an air of indifference. Yet, beneath the nonc
Beckett Group was, in essence, Javier's heart and soul, forged from his own labor. "Justin set me up, framed me for drug addiction, and bribed my primary physician to give false testimony—all so he could drag me down. The fact that he dared to target me like this means he's willing to betray anyone."Jasper took a deep breath, forcing down the rage roiling inside him as Javier remained silent. "Fine. Even if you insist this is just a family matter, Justin's reputation is already in ruins, and the corporation's stock prices are fluctuating. Are you really going to stand by him, even now?""Justin has explained everything to me. He wasn't aware of the bribery. That female doctor who worked for him acted on her own. Besides, she's been arrested. The backlash against Justin will settle in time…"Jasper listened, his face unreadable, but his heart clenched painfully. A lump rose in his throat, suffocating him.He had lost his mother at a young age, but he had never longed for his fa
Julien's merciless, hate-filled words hit Jonah like a ton of bricks. The pain was unbearable, a gut-wrenching ache that shattered his heart.Under the dim lighting, Julien vaguely noticed a sorrowful tear forming at the corner of Jonah's eye. But before it could fall, Jonah forced a blink, swallowing his emotions whole. Despite Jonah's attempt to brace himself, sorrow engulfed him, a tidal wave of despair. His features mirrored the devastation ripping through his heart. As Evan opened the driver's side door, Julien lurched forward and vomited again. The sickening sound of him retching echoed in the air as if he were expelling everything inside him. "Judas, Mr. Lovelace looks like he's suffering from alcohol poisoning. We should take him to the hospital."Evan's worry deepened at Julien's condition. Jonah wordlessly removed his suit jacket and began cleaning the mess in the car. His chest tightened painfully as he watched Julien groaning, clearly suffering. Then, without he
Jonah's gaze burned with a mix of longing, sorrow, and something deeply affectionate. The world swam back into focus as Julien looked at Jonah. Without preamble, he asked, "Are you new? How much do you charge per night?"Light-headed and grinning, Julien reached out a hand, his fingers brushing softly against Jonah's cheek. "You're pretty good-looking," he said, his voice slurred. Then his expression shifted. "Why do you… look so much like someone I hate with every fiber of my being?"Jonah's heart clenched. Even so, he slid his arms around Julien's waist. Trembling, he pulled Julien into his arms. "I'm new here. Could you help me meet my target tonight, Mr. Lovelace?"Julien's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Jonah. Jonah's eyes teared up as he held Julien's waist tightly. "I promise you won't be disappointed," he said, his voice deep. Watching from the shadows below the stage, Evan nearly gagged at Jonah's sultry tone. Was this really the Judas he knew? The man sounded downri
The bar was alive with striking lights and thundering music, and the air was thick with the scent of tobacco and alcohol. The atmosphere was one of moral decay—corrupt, degrading, and vile. "Where's Julien?" Jonah's voice cut through the noise, his tone icy and sharp. When Jonah stepped inside, the eyes of several men turned toward him, their gazes filled with illicit intent."Why, hello there. Are you here alone? Are you feeling lonely?" A sexy man sauntered over, draping himself over Jonah's shoulders. He let his hands linger with a playful squeeze. "If you're bored, I'd be happy to keep you company." Jonah's expression darkened. His hands trembled, veins bulging with barely contained rage. Suddenly, Evan burst through the crowd, his face twisting in alarm at the sight of Jonah surrounded by a swarm of predatory men. Evan yelled, "Don't touch him!" A heavy thump reverberated through the room. Gasps erupted as people scrambled back.The man who had draped himself over
Rafe stated, "But Beckett Group is in the middle of a storm right now. If I insisted on giving your corporation the project, my superiors would investigate me. I wouldn't be able to escape unscathed!""If you're investigated, I'll make sure you can still live a life of luxury—even if you lose your job." Justin's tone darkened. "But if you turn against me, you won't just suffer a few losses. You'll lose everything."Under the dim moonlight, Justin fiddled with his antique tea cup, his gaze narrowing. "You've worked so hard to get to where you are. Are you prepared to lose it all?"After ending the call, Justin turned to Remy, who stood quietly at the side. "Sheryl is still being detained. She can't be bailed out for another two days. I need someone to watch over the research lab. You'll handle that."Remy was taken aback. "I failed my last mission. Aren't you going to punish me?"Justin's smile was cold and insincere. "It wasn't your fault. You were ambushed. If not for that, I tru
Remy pursed his lips, bending down to pick up the fallen poker card. It was the King of Spades—an entry pass to Kings' Club. "My attacker was…" Remy's pupils constricted as he tightened his grip on the card. "It can only be that dear uncle of mine, always claiming to see me as his own son." Justin's lips curled into a sinister smile. "He's trying to get rid of my right-hand man, taking advantage of my internal feud with Jasper. Weakening me is just his first step toward gaining control over me."He's been a fugitive ever since his successful prison break, never returning to Cyrris after receiving his life sentence. His power base remains in Kontina. "I'm the last surviving Dutton. The Dutton Group, as a cover, has declared bankruptcy and severed all ties with the country. "My dear uncle has taken a huge risk just to target me. He sent his men to attack you in Solana City. What a delightful surprise. It seems he truly doesn't trust me, his only remaining family."Remy lowere