The chill that permeated the morgue was a constant reminder of the chasm between the world of the living and the dead.Standing in the shadows of the entrance, Alyssa and Jasper allowed Landon to say his final farewell to Angelina.Angelina's lifeless face looked as pretty as ever. Covered with a white cloth, she seemed to be sleeping peacefully with a smile. It was as if she was in the middle of a lovely dream she would never wake up from.Hanging his head, Landon grappled with waves of fury that threatened to crush and suffocate him. Gulping, he gently traced her lovely profile with trembling fingers. One thing bothered him—why was she smiling when she died? She took a shot to the stomach and fell from a high place. Her bones were crushed upon impact, which felt painful just from the sound of it.Was she not afraid of the pain, like any ordinary young woman?"You look pretty when you smile. Why didn't you smile more when you were still around?" Landon mumbled in all seriousn
"I heard that a few hundred citizens went protesting at the city hall today, demanding Mayor Hodgson's resignation!"A total of seven people had been arrested, including Zoe, Betty, and Freddy. They were under detention until they were formally indicted. Meanwhile, the Hodgson couple was devastated to learn that their only son lost his tongue and injured his balls. Minnie took ibuprofen multiple times a day to soothe herself, fainting frequently from all the crying. All her time awake was spent crying and begging her husband to bail Freddy out. "What else could you do aside from crying? It's all your fault that he ended up in this situation! You spoilt him!" Orlander pointed a finger at Minnie while he chided her. "He attempted to rape Lauren Beckett, the daughter of Javier Beckett! He certainly has great taste in women, doesn't he? He's not only ruining his future but also dragging me down with him."The entire nation has probably watched him take off his pants eagerly and top h
Jasper clenched his fist so hard that his veins bulged when he received the update. He jeered. "Javier is a great father, isn't he? He wouldn't give up on his terrible daughter no matter what.""This isn't about Betty. He is trying to save his face as the family patriarch." Xavier was furious. "I saw him busy taking care of Mr. Newton at the hospital while keeping tabs on Ms. Lauren's condition. I thought he had finally come around, but I was being naïve!"From the very beginning, he has been an egoistic person who only cares about himself. You can't expect him to self-reflect and change."Jasper turned around to stare at the gray sky. "Well, since he's all about saving face, I'll make him lose face."…As public opinion continued to brew, there were increasing calls to prosecute the six bullies. Betty was implicated as well, especially because she was a Beckett and Lauren's sister. In some way, her behavior was more despicable than that of Zoe and the rest."Betty Beckett harms
The press conference descended into chaos. The air was filled with the attendees' gasps and discussions about the surprise reveal."Is that the paternity test result for Javier and Betty Beckett? Is she not his daughter? This is straight out of a telenovela! I didn't see this coming.""Not long ago, Javier Beckett was defending Betty. Now, it's revealed that she is not his daughter. It feels so surreal!""Look at his face. He looks like he has just eaten poop. I bet he has just found out about the truth.""I would have killed myself if I found out the daughter I raised for 20 years was not mine.""He was in the dark when Sophia Kirkman killed his beloved wife. He remained clueless when he was cuckolded for years. What's wrong with him?""Probably blinded by love, eh? I'm surprised he could keep that crazy woman, Sophia Kirkman, around for years. He most certainly has… unusual patience."The mocking and disdainful remarks attacked Javier. He stared vacantly at the result on the s
"Javier, listen! Your child is kicking my belly. She took after your strength!""Javier, look! Betty's eyes and mouth resembled yours. She's a carbon copy of you!"A carbon copy of his? Javier's lips twitched uncontrollably in an ugly manner. Javier had always prided himself on his wits and the elite education he had received. He couldn't believe that he had been fooled by Sophia, an actress who had hailed from the slums.However, there was nothing he could do about it—Sophia was long dead.…Surrounded by the merciless media, the forlorn Javier escaped the press conference with the help of Neil and the other bodyguards.At first, he had planned to save the situation as the family patriarch, but he hadn't expected it to backfire. The Beckett family, riddled with scandals, now had one more stain on its history.He had become a clown. He finally got into the car, looking disheveled in his wrinkled suit and messy hair. The reporters pressed their lenses against the car window t
Jasper and Xavier returned to the hospital after accomplishing their mission. He was eager to share the exciting news with Alyssa, but he did not summon her when he learned that she was in discussion with Julien in the hospital's director's office regarding Lauren's treatment plan. Instead, he quietly waited for Alyssa in the guest room next to the office.After some waiting, he finally saw Alyssa approaching him in light, bouncy steps. "Jasper!"Smiling, he did not have a chance to rise because Alyssa had settled on the space between his spread legs, cupping his face and kissing him passionately. Her rosy lips brushed against his, and she made out with him with an intense hunger.His breathing grew heavy. Feeling aroused, he pulled her into his arms and deepened the kiss. He finally let go of her when she struggled to catch a breath and moaned softly. Between heavy breaths, he caressed her round and firm rump. He remarked, "Darling, you're acting weird.""What's wrong?" She li
The news of Betty's bloodline broke out and spread like wildfire beyond the Beckett Group's control. Newton, who remained hospitalized, was shocked and infuriated upon learning the news. He demanded to meet Javier during the night.He began berating Javier in front of Jasper and Alyssa, not caring about their presence."What did I say to you? You should lay low at this rocky moment. Besides, you should stay by Lauren's side as her dad because she remains unconscious. You shouldn't have done anything unnecessary!"Does public perception matter that much? My granddaughter is more important than any bullshit reputation!"As the head of the family, why did you bother explaining yourself in a hurry to people who don't matter? You seem more confused and unwise the older you get, and your decisions are undignified!"Newton turned pale and breathed heavily after scolding Javier. Seeing that, Alyssa hurriedly patted him on the back while Jasper handed him a glass of water."The situatio
"At first, Lyse started having suspicion of Betty's lack of resemblance to Dad, but she kept it to herself without digging deeper into it."It wasn't until Betty showed her true color and hurt Lauren that Lyse started questioning the difference in character between the two sisters. She then decided to run a paternity test, and the result proved her right." Jasper looked at Alyssa affectionately.He added flatly, "Lyse understood it was a huge deal. She repeatedly reminded me to deal with the matter prudently without making it public."It was me who decided to reveal the news at the press conference. She had nothing to do with it. Grandpa, please don't blame her."Newton's heart swelled when he learned the truth. He glanced at Alyssa with gratitude. "Alice, you've been a great help to our family. I can't possibly blame her for anything. In fact, I need to compliment her. Don't mistake me for your fool of a father."Javier clenched his fists. Feelings of shame bubbled in his chest.