Beckett Group and KS Group would hold their grand contract-signing ceremony at Berenike Hotel''s banquet hall in three days.


    Once signed, the contract would formally cement the deep alliance between the two corporations, making them mutual beneficiaries of Project A5.


    After the announcement, various media outlets flocked to the hotel well ahead of schedule, eager to attend the press conference.


    Ten minutes before it began, cameras and lenses were already trained on the stage. The coboration between two major corporations was a spectacle worth capturing.


    At 3:00 pm sharp, the emcee gave the opening remarks. Justin and Alyssa then walked onto the stage side by side, immediately engulfed by a wave of blinding camera shes.


    Justin, sharp and elegant in his tailored suit, gave Alyssa a subtle smile before pulling out a chair for her in a gentlemanly gesture.


    Alyssa''s gaze flickered as she sat down gracefully. Even if she felt that much of this was merely Justin putting on a show, she kept her expression neutral-no different from how Winston would handle it. After all, she was a mature businesswoman.


    Soft murmurs rippled through the crowd.


    "Wow, Mr. Justin is such a gentleman. He''s the future heir of Beckett Group and Mr. Javier''s eldest son. Yet he personally pulled out a chair for Ms. Alyssa. This partnership must be incredibly important to him."


    "Incredibly important? I''d wager he has his sights set on Ms. Alyssa. Noble or not, he is still a man, and no man can ignore such beauty."


    "But Ms. Alyssa is Mr. Jasper''s ex-wife. Mr. Jasper and Ms. Alyssa even got back together and nearly remarried. Yet Mr. Justin doesn''t seem to mind at all. He still offered to help her so willingly despite knowing their past.


    "If he marries her one day, he''ll have to face her ex-husband constantly. Isn''t that awkward?"


    "What''s awkward about it? There are wealthy women who married their stepsons after their husbands died, and they still lived sessful lives."


    "Aristocratic families areplicated. Ms. Alyssa should just find someone who isn''t one of the Beckett brothers..."


    Although the event centered around the corporate partnership, the public''s attention inevitably drifted toward trivial gossip.


    But that couldn''t be helped. As the old saying went, beauty was the downfall of men.


    Despite Alyssa being a rare talent in the business world, her looks were too striking. The public still chose to focus on her appearance, assuming her sess —and KS Group''s-was owed to her beauty and alluring figure.


    Alyssa and Justin took their seats side by side.


    This partnership was crucial. Sean, who had taken leave to spend time with his wife and child, hurried back to work earlier than nned just so he could stand by Alyssa''s side.


    Sean and Justin''s secretary came onstage together with the contracts. After cing them respectfully before Alyssa, they presented her a signing pen with both hands.


    Alyssa lowered her gaze and uncapped the pen.


    "Ms. Alyssa!" Sean whispered urgently, eyes widening.


    Startled, Alyssa looked down.


    Perhaps she had used too much force-the pen sttered ck ink across the pristine white fabric of her dress. A flicker of awkwardness and embarrassment washed over her.


    This was such a momentous


    asion. Even the slightest mistake


    would be magnified by the media t


    She did not fear personal embarrassment, but she feared tarnishing KS Group''s reputation by faiting to maintain a wless image.


    Her brows tightened briefly, but she proceeded to sign the contract with steadyposure, though an unease quietly tugged at her.


    "Looking forward to this partnership, Ms. Alyssa."


    Justin rose before she did and courteously extended his left arm. Alyssa paused, then stood slowly.


    Whether the media captured her stained dress no longer mattered. Their chatter would scatter like wind-she had been used to such things for years.


    But to her surprise, Justinpletely skipped the post-signing photo segment. Instead, he kept his body angled toward the audience, shielding her from direct view while gazing straight into her eyes after they shook hands.


    Alyssa pressed her lips together slightly as she met his dark, warm, quietly delighted eyes.


    He had noticed her predicament. Out of consideration, he chose to disregard protocol, doing whatever he could to keep the media from focusing on her.


    When the signing concluded, warm apuse spread across the hall.


    In the empty hallway outside the main doors, Jasper stood alone against the light.


    His silhouette appeared distant, lonely.


    The lively atmosphere inside and the cold stillness outside formed a stark contrast.


    He stared at the screen mounted to the wall, watching the image of Alyssa and Justin shaking hands. His broad shoulders slumped slightly, as if carrying an invisible weight heavy enough to crush him.