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
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