Jasper squeezed Alyssa's hand, his gaze holding a somber weight. "There's something I need to discuss with you." …In the room, Lauren clung tightly to Angelina, her warm tears soaking Angelina's black suit. "Look, Madam Lauren. I'm right here with you. I'm completely fine," Angelina reassured her, returning the embrace. Though her voice was steady, tears welled in her eyes. "Those people only wanted to scare you. You're alright now. It's all over… "Such a thing won't happen again. Nothing but happiness awaits you and Mr. Landon." "Landon and I… do we even have a future?" Lauren's voice was barely a whisper. Angelina's chest clenched at that question. She promptly answered, "Don't think like that, Madam Lauren. What happened wasn't as big a deal as it seems. Mr. Landon, Mr. Jasper, and Ms. Alyssa will handle everything. Things will return to normal!" "Angie… I'm not stupid. I know why this happened. It's because of the Harpers. They don't want us together." Lauren's lashes
Back in their room, Jasper confided in Alyssa about Zoe and Betty. He could have kept it secret, but respecting Alyssa's wishes for transparency, he opted for honesty. Keeping secrets would land him in trouble, and the thought of facing Alyssa's wrath was enough to deter him.After all, appeasing an angry Alyssa wouldn't be an easy feat. She might not even let him touch her for days or even weeks, and no words could describe this sort of misery. Alyssa listened intently, her eyes narrowing dangerously. The look in her eyes was so intense that it would make anyone's heart race. "Lauren has endured so much unfair treatment, and it's all because of her sister, Betty." In the next second, Alyssa snatched up her teacup in a fit of anger and flung it across the room, shattering it into pieces. Jasper's chest tightened. He took Alyssa's hand and examined it carefully. He then cradled it gently between his palms and comforted her. "Getting so worked up like this isn't good for your
The more one knew their enemy, the higher their chances of victory. Just like Alyssa predicted Jameson's rash move against David, she also knew Betty would be brimming with pride right now.While the rest of the Becketts reeled from Lauren's ordeal, Betty reveled in worldly pleasures. She barhopped and indulged in excessive drinking. Fueled by alcohol, she even gossiped about her autistic sister with her unsavory friends. She exploited her family's pain for entertainment, releasing years of pent-up hatred.Since Sophia's death, Betty had kept a low profile. She didn't dare to make any rash moves either. However, after joining forces with Zoe, a realization dawned on her—even without Sophia, she could still hold her own against those people. She could manipulate them as she pleased. That night, chaos reigned in the private room. Betty was engaged in frenzied dancing with a charming male model, egged on by the surrounding crowd. Intoxicated by alcohol, she shamelessly struck vari
Landon spent a single, sleepless night at the hospital. He worked tirelessly, making phone calls to arrange a press conference and contacting renowned psychiatrists and psychologists worldwide, all to secure the best treatment for Lauren.Cornelius, however, seemed determined to overwhelm Landon. He disregarded Landon's well-being and dumped nearly all the company's affairs on him. Jordan could only watch helplessly, on the verge of tears.The next morning, while receiving an IV drip, Landon received a call from Angelina. Upon hearing that Lauren was more stable, he yanked the needle out immediately. Then, he got up and headed out the door as he threw on his black coat. "Jordan, get the car!" "Mr. Landon, waiting for the medication to finish wouldn't delay your visit!" Jordan exclaimed. Landon's suffering was evident. He'd lost a significant amount of weight in just two or three days, and it pained Jordan to see him like that."I'll be fine," Landon replied tersely, already st
Landon's mind conjured images of Cornelius' cruel words, tearing down the happiness he'd fought so valiantly for. Watching Landon's face pale in panic, tears welling in his eyes, Ben felt a pang of guilt. Even so, he could only say in a low voice, "Mr. Landon, I'm sure you're very familiar with Ms. Lauren's condition. "Mr. Newton never intended to marry her off, as marriage isn't suitable for her. With Mr. Newton, Mr. Jasper, and Ms. Alyssa, she has all the care she needs for life.""Rather than being somebody's wife, Ms. Lauren is more suited to live a carefree life with the Becketts. You're not wrong, though. One could only say that this was a destined meeting, but not one meant to last."When you get back home, don't make things awkward with your family. Mr. Newton doesn't expect you to fight against them. Let's just put an end to things here. At least you've got beautiful memories to look back upon. Don't you think so?" Ben knew how cruel his words were toward Landon, who w
After a night of excessive partying, Betty was woken up by a waitress in the washroom. She didn't even have time to clean up the filth from the lower part of her body before she slipped out through the back door. By the time she stumbled out, the sun was high in the sky. It was already the next afternoon. In no condition to return to Seaview Manor looking like a mess, Betty returned to her exclusive suite at the Berenike Hotel to scrub away the remnants of the previous night. Vivid memories of her encounter with the muscular model kept replaying in her mind."Damn," she thought, "size really does matter."It was a shame she hadn't exchanged contact information with him. She would have enjoyed a repeat performance.Once cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes provided by a staff member, Betty was once again the picture of a refined lady. She instructed her driver to take her back to Seaview Manor.Upon entering, she heard voices coming from the living room."Do we have visitors
Orlander boomed with laughter, his voice radiating warmth and generosity. "My son has been smitten with Lauren since school! After seeing her again at the Schmidt's cocktail party, he couldn't get her out of his mind. Freddy genuinely cares for Lauren. Your concerns are unfounded!"Minnie chimed in, "Exactly! You could say Freddy and Lauren are childhood sweethearts!"Betty scoffed inwardly. Childhood sweethearts indeed, except Lauren wasn't Freddy's sweetheart.Javier's frown eased upon hearing their words.The Hodgsons then left Seaview Manor in their luxury car. Orlander and Minnie sat together, with Freddy facing them. "It seems Mr. Javier has a favorable impression of you." Orlander sat with his legs crossed. He had now come round. In a more relaxed tone, he remarked, "While Lauren may not be your social equal, you're right—marrying her would boost my chances in future elections. Moreover, your career prospects would certainly improve as Javier's son-in-law."Though Fre
Betty's breath hitched. The sight of Jasper was like a predator spotting its prey, sending a primal jolt of fear through her. She longed to disappear, to vanish into some dark, forgotten corner.Javier shot Jasper a cold glance before rising and approaching them. "Dad, why didn't you tell me that you were coming? I could have welcomed you properly." "I'm not a guest here; I'm returning to my own home. I don't need a grand welcome," Newton replied sarcastically, his tone laced with disdain for Javier. Their strained relationship was palpable.Javier's expression darkened at his father's sharp retort. It was a clear reminder that Seaview Manor belonged to Newton, not him—just because he lived there, it didn't mean that he owned the place. "Grandpa, I heard that Lauren has been recuperating at your place. How is she? Is she feeling better?" Betty hurried over and stood behind Javier. She immediately made herself look like she was showing concern for her sister. "Lauren is doing mu