INICIAR SESIÓNEveryone turned toward the sound of approaching footsteps at the same time. In the next instant, Justin's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. Alyssa and Jasper stared in shock. They exclaimed in unison, "Cyrus?"Cyrus gave a brief nod. Then, without wasting a second, he led two subordinates straight toward Javier. "Mr. Javier, please come with us."He had been brief, addressing Javier with a politeness that went straight to the point. Javier's lips curled into a bitter smile. He cast one last, lingering look at the closed doors of the emergency room before directing a tender gaze toward Jasper and Alyssa. He observed them quietly, as if every second were a final fleeting chance to memorize their faces. Jasper had never grown up under Javier's care. Though Javier claimed to have loved Anne above all others, he had never legally wedded her, nor had he given her his whole heart while she lived. Worse, he had neglected and failed their only son. Only now, in the eleventh h
Justin's smile was nothing more than a mask for his malice. The sarcasm in his voice made one's skin crawl. Javier snorted, then burst into laughter. It grew louder and wilder by the second until his cackling echoed through the empty corridor. For the first time in his life, he laughed without restraint—completely unguarded. As the eldest son of the Beckett family of his generation and the chairman of Beckett Group, he had been subjected to the strictest upbringing since childhood. His manners, etiquette, even his posture—everything had been meticulously shaped in the image of aristocracy. He had lived his entire life within invisible lines drawn for him. To meet the expectations of an heir, he had always followed the rules, playing every role to perfection—an obedient son, a respectable chairman, a stern father. There was barely a moment when he could truly be himself. No—there was one. Only once in his life had he chosen to live for himself. That was when he brought Jaspe
The devastating shock and crushing news finally proved too much for Newton's frail body. He collapsed, unable to endure any longer. Alyssa, Jasper, Ben, Javier, and the others gathered anxiously in the corridor outside the hospital's emergency room. Every second stretched endlessly, their hearts suspended in dread. Alyssa stood apart in a corner, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face, her fear and worry laid bare. As Jasper thought of Newton fighting for his life behind those closed doors, his gaze fell on her tear-streaked face. His hands clenched into fists at his sides until his knuckles blanched and the veins on the back of his hands bulged. The pain in his chest was beyond words. Just as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and stepped toward Alyssa, the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed down the corridor, unnervingly steady. It was Justin. Jasper's eyes darkened. He stopped in his tracks, tightening his grip around the handkerchief. Justin approac
The moment Newton finished speaking, a heavy silence descended upon the room, pressing down on everyone's hearts. Alyssa was deeply shaken. A surge of emotions rose within her, leaving her reeling for a long moment. Though she had never met Chester, Newton's words painted a vivid picture of him—kind, generous, gentle, and deeply empathetic. In some ways, it almost felt as though Jasper resembled Chester more than Javier ever had. It was a cruel twist of fate that such a good man had died so young, never given the chance to live a full life. Then, a sudden thought struck her. Because of the twisted bond between Chester and Javier, it felt as though fate had played a cruel joke on them all. Jasper, who had remained silent all this while, finally spoke. "Dad, I don't understand you."He lifted his gaze to Javier, his eyes reddened with emotion. His voice trembled as he continued, "You and Uncle Chester grew up together. You lived under the same roof, attended the same school, a
Alyssa and Jasper exchanged a knowing glance. Though they could feel the sting of the truth, their compassion stopped them from pursuing that line of thought. To them, Javier could hardly be considered a good husband. His performance at work was mediocre, and he lacked exceptional talent. Yet, in the end, he had still raised Jasper and pulled him out of a life steeped in darkness and uncertainty. If not for Javier, Jasper might have perished in the slums as a child. In that case, he would never have met Alyssa—never known her, never married her, never shared such a deep and passionate bond with her. Moreover, Javier had always been a devoted son to Newton. That alone proved he was not entirely devoid of conscience. So how could he have fallen so far as to harm his own brother? That was nothing short of monstrous. Javier's face was as pale as a ghost, sweat pouring down his temples. The suit he had worn for over 24 hours was soaked through with cold perspiration. Frantic, Rory
Alyssa was reminded of the past the moment she heard Javier had arrived. Knowing he had never been particularly fond of her, she rose to her feet. "Grandpa Newton, I'll step out for a while so you and your family can have some space."Jasper's gaze darkened, his heart skipping a beat. He was about to ask her to stay, but Newton beat him to it. Grabbing Alyssa's slightly cold hands, Newton pulled her back down beside him. "What nonsense are you spouting, Alyssa? You're not an outsider. If anything, you're closer to me than my own son. You're my most beloved granddaughter-in-law!"Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes. "Grandpa Newton…" Newton snorted. "Just be yourself, even in front of Jasper's father. Do as you please. You and I are family. As for him and me…. Hmph, that's another matter entirely."At that, Jasper's lips curved faintly. Moments later, Ben led Javier in, with Rory trailing behind. Javier was usually impeccably dressed, carrying himself with quiet authority. But today
"You're not Sean. Let go of me," Tatiana stammered, her face reddening with embarrassment as she attempted to free herself from Simon's grasp. However, she could barely exert any energy with how weak she was."Oh? Only Sean can hold you, then? Do you fancy him?" Simon teased, gazing at her flushed, d
When Alyssa realized she was completely cornered, she yelled, "Help! Somebody—Mmph—"Jasper lost his composure when he heard her screams. Gripped by a sense of urgency, he sealed her mouth with a kiss and stopped her from shouting.Her eyes wavered, and her mind went blank like a grenade had gone off
The night of the charity auction at KS World Hotel did not disappoint. Neither KS Group nor MINT had put much effort into promoting the event. But the local news media and netizens were still all over it like bees to honey, given it was in the name of charity. MINT was an internationally renowned ma
Alyssa frowned. Why did that sound so weird? It was like someone had flavored a floral perfume with old socks.The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet. Neither spoke.After some time, Jasper said, "That's all I wanted to tell you. Goodnight.""Hey!" But Jasper had already hung up."What the hell? Was he drun







