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
Alyssa could stomach the divorce, but she would never want to lose to the Becketts.When Alyssa left the patient's room, she put on a pair of sunglasses to hide the fire in her eyes. She called Axel. He answered the call and yelped, "Lyse, you finally remember me!"Axel sounded cloying and begrudged. "You probably didn't know this, but Silas laughed at me and said you were giving me the cold shoulder. I freaked out! Fuck! I will never lose out to that prick!""You are all my brothers. Why would you fight for my favor? Don't make me sound like a playgirl, please. I'm not Cleopatra."Speechless, she fell silent before telling him in a hushed voice, "Axel, may I get your help on something?""Oh my god! What's with that tone of yours? I'm done for! Lyse, tell me, do you not love me anymore? Is our relationship cooling down?" Axel, ever the drama queen, turned into the melancholic lead of a soap opera. He continued, "Why do you sound formal with me? It looks like I should go back t
As subtle as Remy's expressions were, Jasper still noticed them. A slight twinkle flashed across his eyes. He did not have the time to continue entertaining Remy. He clenched his teeth, turned around, and started running toward Crater Mountain. Nevertheless, he had barely taken a few steps when gunshots were fired at his feet. Even so, Jasper kept his eyes fixed ahead and did not stop. Just then, another gunshot rang out. It wasn't until a bullet hit him in his right shoulder that the pain caused him to stumble. He almost fell to the ground but forced himself to stay on his feet. It was fortunate that he was shot in his right shoulder this time. After all, his left shoulder could not be injured any further. Otherwise, his left shoulder would be left in complete disability."If you take another step, the next shot will be in your left leg," Remy warned mockingly. Yet, his gaze was firm and fiery. "Jasper, I don't suppose you want to end up like your older brother, living in
A chill went down Jasper's spine. At that moment, staring down the barrel of the gun, one thought consumed him. It was the only thought that mattered—he had to stay alive to meet Alyssa!Jasper's mind raced. His gun was hidden under the driver's seat of his usual car, but today, he had taken a different sports car—one that wasn't equipped with a weapon. Panic gripped him for a split second before his instincts kicked in.The soldier within him stirred. Without warning, he jerked the steering wheel, ramming his car into Remy's.One of Remy's headlights was taken out and left rolling across the snow. All of a sudden, this prideful man was overwhelmed with anger. His eyes reddened with a strong sense of competitiveness, compelling him to pull the trigger. A shot rang out. The bullet sliced through the cold air, shattering Jasper's car window.From the very beginning, Remy hadn't intended to take Jasper's life. All Justin told him to do was to stop Jasper from meeting with Alys
"Jasper, you are such a jerk. If anything bad happens to Ms. Alyssa, you will surely regret it. You will live in regret your entire life!" Sean yelled. …The temperature tonight was -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The snowstorm in the woods on the mountain was getting stronger and stronger. The winds were freezing and bone-piercing as they blew against Alyssa's face. Trees swayed dramatically in the screeching winds, creating an inexplicable creepy atmosphere that added a feeling of desolation to Alyssa's sorrowful and depressive mood. She braved the bone-piercing winds and faced the heavy snowfall. With the help of her trekking pole, she plodded forward one step at a time. She did not have a destination in mind. She did not know where she was heading. Her heart had shattered, and she was beside herself. The decreasing temperatures discouraged her and made her lose all her motivation. For someone who had lost their willpower, being in the woods under extreme weather conditions wa
"Mr. Jasper, why do you say so?" Sheryl lifted her head and looked into Jasper's reddened eyes. She furrowed her brows and laughed out loud. "White Dove is from Solana City. This is also something that I wasn't able to predict. If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten you to make a trip here in vain, would I?" Sheryl was no longer that conniving bitch who used to act coy. Now, she had a powerful person backing her up. Jasper's violent rage did not scare her at all. "Why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?" Xavier marched forward furiously. He was even more inclined to serve her a slap. "Did you know that Mr. Beckett had an important date with Madam today? He only rushed her because of your stupid lead! Right now, you're telling us that White Dove isn't in Skydon but Solana City? What the heck are you scheming? Were you trying to ruin Mr. Beckett and Madam's date intentionally?" "Madam? Haven't Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alyssa broken up? Is it right for you to be referring to her
The skies started to turn dark. Alyssa's dark hair was covered in a layer of snow. As she stood alone at the foot of the majestic mountain, she looked tiny, fragile, and desolate. "Ms. Alyssa, it's snowing. Heavy snowfall is forecasted tonight." Elias walked to Alyssa's side. Noticing the redness on her face due to the cold and the dull look in her eyes, he had a moment of realization. He couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness within him. "It's getting late. I suppose something came up for Mr. Beckett, and he's unable to make it." "Why didn't he inform me if that is the case?" Alyssa mumbled in a low voice as she gazed toward the darkness. She choked back on her tears so softly that her grievance couldn't really be heard through her voice. Elias slapped himself on his forehead. "Ah, perhaps you didn't manage to receive Mr. Beckett's message? The reception at the foot of the mountain isn't quite stable. You might have missed it. Would you like to come to my office? You'l
Jasper held his breath. It felt as if his legs had been chained together. He was unable to move. Looking at a stiff Jasper from behind, Xavier noticed his shoulders trembling slightly. An ominous feeling rose within him. "What did you say?" Jasper questioned. He sounded as if he was forcing himself to hold himself back from getting emotional. "Mr. Justin once mentioned that you were saved by a female doctor when you were badly wounded on the battlefield many years ago. I heard that you have been searching for her and that you've been grateful toward her." Jasper's back stiffened up. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a frosty voice, "This is a private matter. Why would Justin have told you about it?" "Mr. Justin mentioned it to me because I also used to work as a doctor in Luminara. He was hoping that I could help with finding that woman. "I finally have news on her whereabouts now. Mr. Jasper, don't you want to see the White Dove again? She was the person who gave her all t
That night, Alyssa stayed in the presidential suite of Solana City's KS World Hotel. She couldn't bring herself to return to her own manor—not yet. The lingering memories of her breakup with Jasper were still too raw, and the thought of revisiting their former home felt like reopening an unhealed wound.The following morning, she was awakened by a knock at the door. Groggily, she slipped on her night robe and opened it to find Sean standing there, carrying a complete set of brand-new hiking gear.Alyssa smiled. "Thank you, Sean." "Ms. Alyssa, it's freezing today. Are you sure you want to go hiking?" Sean walked into the living room and placed the items neatly on the couch. He still felt somewhat worried. "It's alright if it's cold, as long as the weather is good."Alyssa gazed out the window. The sun was shining brightly. The thought of going hiking with Jasper today made it impossible for her to conceal the sweet smile on her face and the delight in her eyes. She still love
Remy's eyes were bloodshot; his expression twisted with disgust as he stared at Sheryl. He could hardly fathom how someone so deranged and vile had once been close to Jasper. Even if Jasper and Alyssa had separated, Sheryl was nowhere near worthy of Jasper's side; she was not even fit to be the dirt on Alyssa's shoes.A sudden flash of memory struck him—the image of Alyssa during that traffic accident. He recalled her mustering all her strength to crawl out of her wrecked car, her face bloody, her body broken yet defiant. He had never seen such a fierce spirit in a woman before.His heart pounded uncontrollably, the memory triggering a sharp pain in his temples. Remy closed his eyes, gasping for breath.Sheryl broke into wild, unhinged laughter. Her entire body shook as she spat out her words, "Oh, Jasper, you poor, clueless fool!"If he ever discovers that the woman he's been tormenting all this time is actually his savior—the one he's been desperate to repay—that would be an eart
Sheryl's eyes lit up. "And what might that reason be?"Justin's lips curved into a faint smirk, his voice calm yet carrying a cold, ethereal tone. "Besides Ms. Alyssa, there's another woman who holds great significance to Jasper. She's the only one who can compel him to act without hesitation." Remy, usually a man of few words, abruptly spoke up. "Is she the one you've mentioned before? The woman who saved Jasper on the battlefield?""After Jasper retired from the military, he was plagued by PTSD. He came back shattered, dispirited, even on the brink of taking his own life."During that time, I often spoke with him over the phone, urging him to hold on, to keep living. I reminded him that if I could endure this half-disabled existence, then surely, he could find a reason to go on."Justin's tone was leisurely, as though recounting something insignificant. He continued, "I told him that if he were gone, what would become of Beckett Group? More than that, he would leave Dad and G