It wasn't a heavy slap. Compared to before, Jasper could treat this as a gentle caress from Alyssa. The thought made him smile.Meanwhile, Alyssa wondered what was wrong with the bastard. Had he no shame?"W-Why are you taking my clothes off?" Alyssa asked, wrapping her arms around her chest as she blushed unknowingly.Jasper gazed tenderly at her. "I'm tending to your wound."What an outrageous reason! Jasper was really getting worse by the day!"You … you could have waited until I was dressed in something more suitable or cut my sleeve off right away. Why did you have to strip my shirt off?" Alyssa's face was flushed red as she glared at Jasper.Even her chest had a pink flush on it now. "How shameless can you be?""We used to be married, Alyssa. We've slept together both during marriage and after the divorce," Jasper replied.Alyssa's breath hitched for a moment. Her lips pulled taut as she recalled how Jasper had begged her to satiate him that night. The feeling of his wa
What Jasper would give to devour Alyssa whole. That way, she would always be a part of him and could never escape."Jas—mmh—" Alyssa's words were muffled as Jasper ravaged her lips. Her eyes were moist, whether from grievance or from being overwhelmed by the kiss.Jasper wasn't going to let her go that easily. Their night was surely going to be a sleepless one.He was able to skirt his hand around her injury and gently remove the final shred of clothing on her body.With it, Alyssa's defenses crumpled. Her body softened under his touch in an instant."I'll … I'll be gentle this time, Lyse. Can you trust me, please?" Jasper murmured.Alyssa closed her eyes as she moaned softly. Jasper took that as a 'yes'.The temperature in the room increased as their passion was unleashed.Jasper kissed Alyssa again, no longer restraining himself, though he was gentle.He had improved since last time. Alyssa didn't feel any pain anymore. Instead, she felt pure waves of pleasure that made her
Hot air blasted out of the pan. Jasper wiped away the sweat on his face and sighed. "Dammit. Burnt again."Only then did Alyssa see the countless burnt eggs in the trash bin beside the stove."Pft. The heat is too high, silly. You'd go through an entire chicken farm without succeeding at this rate," she teased.Jasper's heart skipped a beat as he turned around, meeting Alyssa's eyes."Did I … wake you?" he asked nervously."No, my biological clock did. I don't have a habit of sleeping in," Alyssa replied. She then pointed at the trash bin beside him, teasing, "You're lucky Sean isn't around to see this. He hates it when people waste food. If he had been here, he would have made you scoop everything back out and eat it.""I would be fine with that. I never wasted food during my time in the army," Jasper replied lightly.It wouldn't be a first for him.Alyssa knew how serious Jasper could be at times and that he was indeed capable of doing something like that. She hurriedly wav
Jasper didn't pursue the matter. All he could think about was how guilty he felt about Alyssa's allergy."Don't cook. I'll get Xavier to buy us breakfast or cook something for us himself. His cooking may not be as good as Sean's, but it'll do," Jasper said.He noticed that Alyssa was barefoot and frowned before lifting her up into his arms."Ah! What are you doing?" Alyssa hurriedly clung onto his shoulders."Don't you know to take better care of yourself? How could you walk barefoot here? The floor is so cold," Jasper said.He set Alyssa down on the table and knelt down before her. He then cupped one of Alyssa's feet in his hands.Jasper's familiar warmth seeped into her skin, heating her up and making her narrow her eyes lightly in pleasure. She didn't want to reveal it too much, though."Rosie told me it's important for women to keep their feet warm, or else they get sick when they're old." Jasper gazed lovingly at Alyssa. "Don't walk barefoot anymore.""I was worried, so
Despite Alyssa's objections, Jasper walked to the entrance and opened the door. "Mr. Beckett?"Jasper appeared in front of Xavier, carrying Alyssa bridal style in his arms. The two of them also looked unkempt, as if they had just woken up. Oh my god … oh my god!Xavier's jaw dropped. He saw them in a completely different light. His imagination ran wild, and his face turned red.Did this mean that his dream couple had finally reunited? Could he finally die in peace now? "Put me down, Jasper!" Alyssa cried out in his ear. She felt so awkward that she wanted to dig a hole for herself. "Can he come in, Ms. Alyssa?" Jasper asked her in a soft, gentle voice while fixing his gaze on her. Alyssa was completely subdued in front of Xavier. She stared at Jasper angrily, but could only nod. "Ah, can I come in too, then?" Both Jasper's and Alyssa's eyes widened at the sound of a familiar voice. To their surprise, Landon appeared from behind Xavier! He narrowed his sharp eyes as h
Xavier gave Alyssa two thumbs-up. "You're brilliant, Madam!" he praised. Jasper's lips curled upward. He was extremely pleased to hear that salutation. Alyssa was embarrassed and annoyed at the same time. But she was even more curious about what happened next. She pressed him on, saying, "Go on!" "Then, I went through hoops to find out that Sophia has a secret account at Randerland Bank. I'm not sure how much money she has in there. "But I was able to find out the sum that she was transferring from that account to Solana Bank. It was exactly 200 million dollars!" Landon raised his brows. He couldn't help but mock, "200 million dollars? Wow, that bitch really stole a fortune for herself." Jasper's gaze turned cold. "That must be the money that Jeffrey demanded from her. It must be the money for him to escape and keep silent," Jasper sniggered. "But what was more shocking to me was how Sophia could withdraw the ginormous sum of 200 million dollars so easily. Plus, it was wi
It was as if Alyssa and Jasper had read each other's minds. They both cried out simultaneously, "An eye for an eye. She needs to be sentenced to death!" "That's right! The death penalty!" Xavier nodded in agreement. His face was red with anger. "Heck, I just can't understand why Mr. Javier fell in love with Sophia! She's got neither compassion nor beauty. Mr. Beckett Senior is a wise man, yet he has such a foolish son!"Landon clenched his fists in anger. His eyes were burning with rage. "What must we do in order for Javier to give up on that bitch completely?""Only if Mr. Javier found out about Sophia's affair and her bastard child." Xavier added smoothly, "Reputation is of utmost importance to someone of a high status, just like Mr. Javier. If he finds out that his partner has been cheating on him, I'm sure that he will no longer be on her side!"How much of a sore loser would he be if he were to tolerate such a thing?" Alyssa chimed in, "Yeah. She cheated on him, and i
Since Sophia's 200 million dollars were deposited in Randerland Bank, that indicated that the money in that account was dirty money from her corrupt acts. Her ability to withdraw 200 million dollars as she wished suggested that the sum she had embezzled was astronomical. It was probably money she reaped from various sources within Beckett Group. Other than that, she must have also used her status as the chairman's wife to receive bribes. "Xavier, has Sophia already transferred the money to Jeffrey?" Jasper asked softly, with a glint in his eyes. "She has." "Has he withdrawn the money?" "Not yet. It's such a large sum of money. He would probably need a dump truck to fit all that money. It would be too obvious if he transported the cash. He still needs to make a getaway." Jasper nodded slightly and said, "Right. Then, you should call the cops right now. Have them freeze Jeffrey's account." "On it, Mr. Beckett." Xavier got up to get it done immediately. Indeed, it would
"Maggie, I love you!" Xavier typed.Maggie replied, "Xave, you're not usually this corny. What happened?" Xavier couldn't bring himself to tell her that those words were his final ones if something happened to him.His phone buzzed again. It was Maggie sending another message that read, "I love you too, Xave." Tears filled Xavier's eyes. His lips quivered, and his heart raced. He cursed under his breath. It was time to go all out. With that, he grabbed the machete, swung open the car door, and swiftly took down two of Jasper's attackers.But Xavier wasn't a fighter. He had no real combat experience. It didn't take long before a blade sliced into his arm, the deep cut searing with pain.Jasper's eyes widened. He roared, "Xavier, get back in the car!"Distracted, Jasper's opponent swung a machete at his face. Xavier gasped, "Mr. Beckett!"Luckily, Jasper dodged the strike, his reflexes quick. He retaliated by snapping the attacker's arm.Xavier, pale and shaking with pain,
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