In the deep of the night, Alyssa was soundly asleep by Jasper's side while he pored through the financial reports and project proposals.All of a sudden, he heard a knock on the door, followed by Rosie's worried voice. "Mr. Beckett, Madam Alyssa, are you asleep?"Jasper tiptoed to answer the door to avoid waking up Alyssa. "Mrs. Rosie, it's late. Why aren't you sleeping yet?""Mr. Beckett, Mr. Axel is here!""Mr. Axel? Lyse's brother?" He was taken aback."Yes! He looks quite upset. He's in the living room. Please check on him!" Mrs. Rosie reported.At that time, Alyssa rubbed her eyes groggily and shuffled up to Jasper in her fuzzy slippers. "Jasper, did you just say that Axel was here?""Sorry for waking you up." He gently held her by the waist with a tender look.She leaned against him, their bodies separated only through a layer of silk fabric. "I'm fine, but I'm worried about Axel. He won't show up late at night for no good reason. Jasper, let's meet with him now."…Jas
Alyssa and Jasper found themselves speechless at Axel's newfound feelings. They had always perceived Axel as a carefree player who never knew how to love, a man who cherished his freedom more than anything else.The truth came as a shock to the couple, especially to Alyssa, who knew Axel better than anyone else.When she first requested Axel to get closer to Amber, he grinned evilly and promised to carry out the mission flawlessly. He might lose an organ in the process, but never his heart.He had completed his mission. Though Alyssa had no idea if he had sacrificed his organs at any point, one thing was for sure—he gave his heart to Amber."Are you being serious, Axel?" she asked him for confirmation, gaping at him.Axel returned her gaze with seriousness. "Lyse, I never understood your obsession with Jasper, but I think I know now."He did not address her question, but his reply was more touching than a mere confirmation.Jasper, standing behind them, closed his eyes bitterly.
"Lyse doesn't know you're meeting me, right?" Axel lowered his voice with ragged breathing."She's asleep." Jasper glanced at him deeply. Frowning, he questioned, "Axel, you look unwell. Are you feeling sick? I'll get my grandpa's physician to check on you."Axel ushered Jasper into his room and shut the door. Letting out a sigh, he walked to the couch, where he gritted his teeth and took off his torn black shirt under the dim light.Jasper's pupils dilated in shock. He gasped at the horrific wounds across Axel's muscular body, some with scabs and some still bleeding. What shocked Jasper was the palm-sized burnt injury on Axel's back. Axel's honeyed skin turned a shade of red. Bloodied fluids oozed out of the burst blister."How did it get this bad?" Jasper's heart nearly stopped. He hurried over and helped Axel to take a seat."Jameson Schmidt sent assassins after me and Amber. Later, they set a fire around the villa to burn us alive." Axel clenched his jaw when he recalled the
Amber followed Carl to the venue with a stoic demeanor, even though she was drenched in a cold sweat and dragged her feet.She recalled the pot of roses thrown out by Jameson, and she went through all possible worst-case scenarios.Jameson had always cherished the red roses. His sudden decision to throw them out and his act of summoning her suggested that he had found out about the tapping device.When she snapped back to reality, she shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened her eyes again, they shone with a determined look as if she was ready to face her execution.Death was inevitable anyway. Having mentally braced herself for the worst, she found herself unshaken by fear.…Amber was led to the ghoulish basement, where countless people lost their lives in executions.A few guards stood in the corners of the basement. Clad in an impeccable grey suit, Jameson lounged on the red velvet couch in the middle of the space. Legs folded, he enjoyed a glass of red wine.His r
Wesley was severely injured, his life hanging by a thread.Amber gritted her teeth. A torrent of rage flooded her heart, threatening to spill over. Jameson held her waist so tightly that she was unable to move. Even if she could move, how on earth was she supposed to get there?"I can't believe I trusted and nurtured you. Yet, you chose to betray Mr. Schmidt! You good-for-nothing traitor!"Carl, already violent, was incensed. His outrage burned hotter than ever. He yearned to torture Wesley relentlessly, a display of his unwavering loyalty. "Do you have any idea what you've done by selling us out?" "What… if… I did?" Wesley rasped weakly, slumped sideways. "It... didn't... change... my decision..."Wesley's words piqued James' interest. He raised an eyebrow, taking a deliberate sip of wine. Amber's lips trembled as she stared at Wesley, who was on the brink of death. She counted down in her heart, barely breathing!"Why did you betray Mr. Schmidt? Speak!" Carl glared at him
Amber heard Jameson clearly but felt torn between her mind and body. She couldn't utter a response."Go. Now," Jameson urged, his gaze turning icy.A shiver wracked Amber as she rose, her dress clinging uncomfortably to her cold sweat. She was alive, but she felt as if she had died over and over again.She walked toward Wesley; a few steps felt like a lifetime.Wesley's hands were bound, so he used his head to prop himself up. He swayed as he kneeled before her.He had known he would die the moment he was captured. However, he wasn’t resigned to a meaningless death; he wanted to die with dignity.Carl approached and took Amber's cold hand, placing a gun in it and forcing her fingers to grip the handle.Despite the blood covering his face, Wesley offered her a wan smile, a gesture meant to comfort Amber.Tears welled in Amber's eyes as she squeezed them shut. The dank basement was a slaughterhouse. She opened her eyes again. Wesley's left eye was swollen and bloodshot; he co
The next day, Julien arrived alone at Alyssa and Jasper's villa."Jul, where's Jonah?"Alyssa and Julien sat in the living room while Jasper, ever the considerate host, brought out a platter of cut fruits for their guest. "Jonah is at home taking care of Dad and managing some household errands. We're leaving for Mosgravia in two days."A sweet sentiment welled up in Julien's eyes as he addressed Winston as "Dad" so naturally.Alyssa looked at him, feeling uneasy. She wondered if Jonah had destroyed the photos of his ex. "Lyse, I'm here because the medication test results are out," Julien announced, his voice firm as he handed them the document. Alyssa tore open the brown envelope while Jasper quickly sat beside her. "The breakdown seems complex," Alyssa said. She was a surgeon, so she knew very little about pharmaceuticals. Jasper, however, perused the document with ease. "Is this considered medication, not a drug?""It is a type of medication. I've checked the contents.
They hadn't finished their conversation about the medication when another problem emerged.Xavier drove Jasper's Rolls-Royce as they sped to the police station, a heavy atmosphere settling in the car. Cyrus was waiting at the police station, his expression intense. "Everything was fine. How did Uncle Nathan end up involved in a murder?" Alyssa asked eagerly. "We received a report last night that a male body was found in an obscure alley on South Harmony Street in the West City District. He was severely beaten, with many signs of lacerations and heavy impact. "The victim had a Northern Cardinal badge on his chest. After confirming his identity, it turned out he was a member of The Ivory Gang," Cyrus explained calmly. Cyrus continued, "The alley is near a high-end membership club. It's usually empty during the day, and guests drive directly into the basement car park at night. No one walks in that alley. "It was an old lady who was collecting recyclables that found the body