LOGINAlyssa, riding in her Rolls-Royce adorned with the Spirit of Ecstasy, made her way toward Belbanks. Sean, seated in the passenger seat, glanced at the rearview mirror repeatedly, his concern for Alyssa deepening with every look. She appeared dreadful—her face as pale as a white rose trembling in the freezing wind.There was a profound loneliness about her, as though she were on the verge of wilting away. Cautiously, Sean asked, "Ms. Alyssa, are you… are you alright?" Alyssa leaned her head against the icy car window. As the trees flashed past outside, Jasper's bandaged hand surfaced in her mind.She exhaled heavily, her chest feeling stifled as the wrenching pain in her heart intensified. Was he badly hurt? Was he in pain? Would his daily life be affected? He had already taken a bullet to the shoulder, been struck in the back by an arrow, and swallowed life-threatening medication that damaged his central nervous system—all because of her. With yet another injury added to th
On the other end of the hallway, Jasper stood with his back to the glow of the setting sun. His tall, commanding figure made him look like a flawless, timeless sculpture."Why should I check on him?" Alyssa asked, lowering her gaze. The sheer restraint she exerted made her voice stiff—so much so that it hardly sounded like her own. "Jasper is injured. He most likely hurt himself while fighting the assailant." Standing beside her, Justin calmly studied Alyssa's expressionless face. "No matter what, it happened because he wanted to save you—""Things are truly over between him and me," Alyssa interrupted. "I've already turned back once for his sake. I won't put myself through that again."The resolve in her striking eyes made the man before her seem like nothing more than a stranger. "I only have one heart. I don't wish to waste it on someone irrelevant anymore. Let me take you home, Mr. Justin."A broad smile spread across Justin's face. "Alright," he replied.The two of them wal
Alyssa lifted her eyes icily, only to see Sheryl storming toward her in a fury. "Alyssa, you really are a freaking jinx!" While stomping in her direction, Sheryl shouted, "Mr. Jasper nearly lost his life several times back when you were still together. Now that you two have separated, you've dragged Mr. Justin into this because of the bad luck you carry with you. "Can't you stop jinxing others? Can't you just stay away from Mr. Justin? He wouldn't have been so badly hurt this time if he hadn't tried to protect you!""Well, it's not like I asked him to protect me," Alyssa replied coolly, crossing her arms over her chest. Alyssa leaned back casually against her chair, her gaze sharp and mocking as it swept over Sheryl's flushed face. "Mr. Justin is a well-respected man and the future heir of Beckett Group. Logically speaking, someone of such value should prioritize his own safety when facing danger."Seeing Alyssa's indifference only made Sheryl's lips tremble. She was on the v
Inside the lounge, Justin removed his blazer, revealing the pristine white shirt and black vest beneath it.Alyssa's eyes widened slightly. Justin's clean, white shirt was riddled with slits from shattered glass. Jarring, ghastly bloodstains soaked the fabric, leaving her at a complete loss as to where to begin treating him. "What's wrong, Dr. Alyssa? Why are you so stupefied?" Justin curled his lips upward faintly, panting lightly. Even at a time like this, he was still teasing her. He continued, "Didn't someone say she was an amazing surgeon? Aren't you going to treat your patient's external injuries?" "Thank you, Mr. Beckett. Thank you very much." Alyssa snapped back to her senses and let out a bitter chuckle despite herself. "If you hadn't shielded me earlier, I'd be the one pierced by glass and looking like a porcupine right now." "Lyse." Justin leaned over the armrest of the couch, resting his sharp chin on his crossed arms. In a warm, low voice, he said, "All my life, I
Instantly, the entire hall erupted into chaos as guests began murmuring among themselves. Not only had this plain-looking young man infiltrated the banquet by disguising himself as a waiter, but he had also attempted to assassinate both Justin and Alyssa—heirs to elite families—using a blade.The moment he injured even one of them, his life was effectively over. What on earth had driven him to gamble his future and his life so recklessly? And why had he accused Justin of murder and labeled Alyssa an accomplice?There was simply too much shocking gossip being unleashed all at once. The guests could barely keep up.At that moment, the hotel's entire security team swarmed into the hall. They moved to take the assailant away, but Jasper continued to pin the man to the ground, showing no intention of releasing him."Please hand him over to us. We'll take it from here. We wouldn't want you to get hurt," the head of security said politely as he approached Jasper.However, Jasper remain
"Mr. Gentry is right there. Let's head over and have a word with him," Justin said, his tone warm as he guided Alyssa with a gentlemanly poise. "I've arranged for a champagne tower to be brought over shortly. Shall we do the honors together?" Perhaps it was due to Alyssa's exceptionally sharp sixth sense as a woman, but she suddenly felt as though someone was watching her from the shadows. She glanced back with feigned nonchalance, and her heart nearly stopped. A familiar, tall shadow flashed past the entrance. Though she caught only a fleeting blur, she recognized it immediately.It was Jasper.Was he here today? Had he been watching her silently from the shadows all this time?Tagging along with Justin, Alyssa approached Rafe. The three of them chatted lightly, though Alyssa's mind was clearly elsewhere.Some time after, a waiter arrived, pushing a trolley bearing a champagne tower toward Justin and Alyssa amid applause from the crowd. He spoke respectfully. "Here is the cha







