"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
At the same time, the mood was tense in the general manager's office at KS Grand Hotel.Alyssa stood before the floor-to-ceiling window with her hands on her back. Her sleek figure exuded an air of power and dominance."Has anyone ever asked you to upload that video?""You wanted me to upload something that would spark controversy …" Sean stood behind her with a straight back and a glum face."Sean, you are my secretary. Not only that, we grew up together. You should have known my pet peeve!" She turned around. "You mix your personal agenda while working for me. I know what's going on. You wanted to boost my perception online—using my kindness to further highlight Betty's wrongdoing."The more she spoke, the more he lowered his head because each word went straight to his heart."But I'm telling you now. I don't need it." Her look grew icier. "I lent a helping hand because I could. It was out of moral value. No matter how much I hate Betty, I wouldn't attack her by claiming the mo
"Are you dumb? Do you not know the reason you're trending? How could you be proud of that?" Sophia berated Betty.Betty rubbed her forehead angrily. She wasn't dumb—she was just momentarily distracted when Alice trended along with her."S-So, what do I do? The scandal is bad for me. Now that everyone knows Alice saved the girl, I can't fight back against public opinion. Am I really going to be crushed by that country bumpkin?""I've talked to your dad on your behalf. He says that you should never clarify or apologize in any way. Just keep quiet about it!" Sophia said in a low voice. She continued, "Jasper will settle this for you anyway. He won't allow any threat to the Beckett Group. Just keep a low profile and ride this out. Don't do anything stupid in public. Got it?"Betty felt better after being comforted by Sophia. She hung up and continued shopping at the luxury store she owned with the two friends she met at the bar last time.At the same time, a Rolls-Royce rolled to a
"You heard her? This bitch wanted me to apologize to that hotel employee …" Betty cackled. "Did you hit your head or something?"When Betty threw her head back laughing, her two plastic girlfriends were laughing hysterically as well."Why couldn't Betty complain as a hotel guest? Her necklace was broken. And she received crappy service.""That's right! How dare you ask for an apology? Do you own the hotel? There's no end to this."Sean squinted at the ladies. He believed the two dumb women would frantically take back their words when they found out that Alyssa owned all the KS Grand Hotel branches in the country."Aren't you worried that this incident might ruin the image of Beckett Group that Jasper has carefully maintained? You might bring shame to the company." Alyssa carelessly stared at Betty."Hmph! Don't you dare threaten me. I'm not the president of the company. Why would I care?" Unbothered, Betty rolled her eyes. Betty continued, "It's Jasper's job as the president to
"Why not? I'm not sitting back and waiting to be attacked by an animal." Alyssa dusted her hands and glared at Betty."D-Did you just call me an animal?" Betty's face reddened in anger.At that moment, the door opened. Alyssa looked across and felt a chilly air swept by her.Next, she watched in shock as Jasper showed up in front of them. The ex-couple looked stunned when they locked eyes.Alyssa looked away coldly as though he was a stranger. He pursed his lips. There was a heavy look in his eyes as he wrestled the frustration deep inside."Jasper!" Betty seemed to have found her savior. Crying and wailing, she complained to him, "Alice White has gone mad! She slapped me in the face! You'll have to see to this!""Yeah, it was me. Her cheeks are probably still burning." With a smirk, Alyssa proudly admitted to slapping Betty."Why are you here?" He gave her an unfeeling look."What do you think?" In the past, Alice always stared at him with light in her eyes. She appeared to
"Alyssa… you do?" Newton's bleary eyes brightened slightly.Alyssa hesitated before whispering, "But Grandpa Newton, my idea is quite drastic. It might even affect Beckett Group's shareholder equity—including yours and Mr. Javier's interests."Newton's expression shifted as he pieced it together. "Alyssa, you're thinking of—""Yes," she admitted. "During the recent drop in Beckett Group's share prices, I seized the opportunity to acquire a small portion of shares. I already hold some."If you're willing, could you transfer part of your shares to me? This would make me one of the major shareholders and secure me a seat on the board of directors. Together, we, along with Jasper, could hold enough shares to counter Mr. Javier and Justin."At the very least, we'd prevent Justin from gaining complete control of the corporation."Alyssa frowned as she weighed the pros and cons aloud. "Right now, Mr. Javier is siding with Justin. Even if Justin doesn't gain ownership of Mr. Javier's sha
Also at a loss, Javier yelled anxiously, "Dad! Dad, are you okay? Get an ambulance now!" Panic erupted in the conference room, the air thick with chaos.Justin pushed through the crowd and knelt beside Newton, his gaze heavy with feigned concern as he studied Newton's pale, pained face. "Grandpa, are you having one of your episodes? Please, hang in there."Leaning closer, he whispered with a sinister chuckle, "You wouldn't want to miss seeing me take over Jasper's position as president of Beckett Group."Newton's bloodshot eyes widened as he struggled to speak. "Y-You... m-monster..."Justin's lips curled into a cold smile. "What a flattering compliment. Thank you."…Newton was rushed to the hospital after collapsing.Despite the urgency, neither Javier nor Justin accompanied him as the outcome of the critical board meeting loomed. With Jasper detained, Ben was the only one to stay by Newton's side.Watching Newton being wheeled into the ER, Ben's chest tightened with sorrow
The board members were stunned into silence. One by one, they rose from their seats, greeting Newton respectfully. At Beckett Group, Newton's presence was akin to that of a king. Though he had long stepped away from the corporation's daily affairs, his influence remained unparalleled.He was not only an honorary board member of Beckett Group but also held similar titles in other renowned corporations. In the corporate world, Newton was nothing short of a legend.His unexpected arrival at the board meeting sent shockwaves through the room. The first words out of his mouth—an objection to the proposed motion—made it clear where his loyalties lay—with Jasper."Dad, what are you doing here?" Javier exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise as he rushed forward to steady Newton, who was visibly trembling.Justin narrowed his eyes as he stood up slowly. He was the last to rise to his feet. A flicker of something sinister danced in his gaze, an abyss of calculated intent hidden behind an
"You've been freed?" Justin asked, his voice distant."Sir, I'm really sorry for troubling you. You even had to make arrangements for me," Sheryl said apologetically. "I just made use of my connections. It's nothing. Besides, I figured they'd summon you—Jasper did get his medications from you, after all."Sheryl, still shaken from earlier, lowered her gaze. "Is that cop, Rio Olson, one of us? He seemed eager to arrest Jasper, so I thought you might have recruited him. But during the interrogation, he was relentless. He wouldn't go easy on me at all.""He is one of Mr. Barrett's men. That's enough for now."Sheryl mulled over it for a moment. Then, she lowered her voice and said, "Sir, Jasper can only be charged for drug use. As a first-time offender, it's not enough to keep him behind bars. I suspect he'll be bailed out by the day after tomorrow."Justin chuckled softly. "So?" "It's a shame we couldn't take him down for good," Sheryl said through gritted teeth."Jasper has Gr
With years of experience as a criminal investigator and a naturally sharp mind, Cyrus' instincts flared the moment he heard Rio's question.Gabe slammed the table, his voice a thunderclap of rage. "Rio Olson! What nonsense are you spouting? Have I been too lenient with you? Dr. Gillis is a doctor, and I'm a police chief. How would I know her? Stop letting your imagination run wild!"Gabe's face flushed crimson as he glared at Rio.Unmoved, Rio stared back, confusion etched on his face. "Then why are you stopping me from investigating Sheryl by the book? I don't get it."Jasper's test results were positive, and we found drugs hidden in his office. That alone suggests drug abuse. To secure a conviction, we need to trace his supplier. Otherwise, this case will collapse in court."Let's not forget—Jasper's attorney is Steven Lynch, a top-tier ex-judge who's handled multiple high-profile cases."From his position outside the office, Cyrus could only catch fragments of the conversation
"Now that we're on this topic, there's something I need to tell all of you," Alyssa said, her expression grim. Her tone turned cold as she continued, "I highly suspect that Sheryl is actually Liana Gardner."Her words left the Taylor brothers stunned."I don't have concrete evidence—no confession, no DNA proof. But when I called her 'Liana' at that run-down hospital, she turned around. Her reaction was odd, to say the least. Beyond that, her mannerisms, habits, and private behavior are eerily similar to Liana's."Alyssa smiled confidently. "And most importantly, I trust my instincts.""No wonder!" Silas suddenly shot to his feet, his eyes wide. "When I first saw her at the hospital, when she brushed past me, I felt this strange sense of familiarity. So, she's Liana? That means my gut feeling was right all along!"Jonah's expression grew serious. "If that's true, Jasper is in even greater danger. Liana's return—under a new identity, working alongside Justin no less—means she's play
Silence filled Alyssa's office. Since the incident that led to Jonah and Julien's heartbreaking breakup, everyone had avoided mentioning Julien, even though the sorrow of it lingered like a heavy shadow.Alyssa had suggested the second option because she believed Julien might be the key to turning the tide in their favor. But where was Julien now?After the fallout, he had disfigured himself, consumed by hatred toward Jonah, and left without hesitation. Would he return? Could they even find him?"Let's try to think of something else," Cyrus said, shaking his head dejectedly. He understood Jonah's situation all too well. "I'll go look for him." Jonah closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, they glistened with unshed tears. The redness in his gaze betrayed his heartbreak. "Some of my former subordinates are still in Mosgravia. I'll contact them for help. I'll find Julien, even if it means sacrificing sleep and meals. No matter what it takes, I'll bring him back."Silas
Alyssa couldn't bring herself to go home, so she stayed at her office. Unease gnawed at her as long as Jasper's situation remained unresolved. Everything else seemed insignificant in comparison.When Cyrus updated her, a troubling realization struck—something was off about the witness, Sebastian Bender. As soon as Jonah, Silas, and Cyrus heard about Jasper's predicament, they agreed to travel overnight and meet Alyssa at the KS Group office.Worried that Alyssa and Sean might overexert themselves, the three brothers brought food to lighten the tense atmosphere with a touch of familial warmth."Sean, Taty asked me to bring this for you," Silas said, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "She made this soup herself and insisted you finish every last drop."A playful smirk tugged at his lips. "I checked the ingredients. They're all... nutritious for men."Sean's face flushed crimson as he pressed his lips together. Guilt flickered in his eyes. "She should be resting. She's due to give b
That night, Sheryl was brought into an interrogation room adjacent to Jasper's for questioning. Rio was Gabe's subordinate, but he wasn't privy to the full details of the situation. All he knew was that completing this task could give him an edge over his rival, Cyrus, and secure his standing within Gabe's ranks.To Rio, Cyrus was nothing more than a privileged man from a prestigious family, competing unfairly with those less fortunate. Rio was determined to prove himself superior, showing Cyrus how he dealt with Jasper, his future brother-in-law, and forcing him to admit defeat.Fearless in the face of wealth and authority, Rio boldly took on the president of Beckett Group, Jasper. He believed such audacity would earn him public admiration and a sterling reputation.However, Rio never considered the possibility that Sheryl might have her own stakes in this matter. To him, she was just another suspect."Mr. Beckett claims you provided him with the drugs," Rio began, his tone ster