On the other end of the hallway, Jasper stood with his back to the glow of the setting sun. His tall,manding figure made him look like a wless, 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 assant." 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 walked away right in front of Jasper.


    He parted his lips slightly, but a lump lodged in his throat, leaving him unable to utter a single word.


    "Mr. Jasper, I''ve picked up your prescribed medications. Let''s go," Xavier said as he hurried over.


    When he saw Alyssa supporting Justin as they left, helplessness and frustration washed over him. He blurted out, "Ms. Alyssa... How could she do this? Why does she have to get so close to that scorpion? At the very least, she should consider how this would make you feel, Mr. Jasper."


    "Why should she care about how I feel? We no longer have any ties." His eyes remained fixed on the direction Alyssa had gone, his gaze dark and somber. Slowly, he clenched his bandaged hand into a fist at his side. "Right now, to Alyssa, Justin is the most important person."


    Even Xavier felt his heart ache at those words.


    He had witnessed Jasper and Alyssa''s story from start to finish. Once, they had loved each other with unshakable devotion, standing together through life and death alike. Even when the sky seemed to copse, they clung tightly to one another.


    Now, they had be strangers who understood each other better than anyone else. Worse still, Jasper had to watch the woman he once loved stand beside his enemy. Every encounter felt like another piece of his heart being carved away.


    "Mr. Jasper, your wound has reopened!" Xavier cried out in rm, staring at the blood soaking through the bandage.


    "It''s nothing," Jasper replied, his face pale as he strode forward. "Let''s go."


    After seeing Justin off to his car, Alyssa received a call from L. Winston had moved his fingers unexpectedly earlier that day, and his heart monitor had shown unusual fluctuations—signs that he might be regaining consciousness.


    "Lyse, go stay with Mr. Taylor at the hospital. I''ll visit him once I''ve settled things on my end," Justin said.


    Relief spread across his face as he added, "It would be wonderful if Mr. Taylor really does wake up."


    "Then I''ll head over now. Have a safe trip, Mr. Beckett."


    Alyssa nodded lightly, turned around, and left without hesitation.


    Justin maintained his gentle smile as he watched her slender figure disappear. However, the moment the car window rolled up, that expression vanishedpletely.


    Without a word, he raised his hand. Like a scorpion striking without warning, he pped Sheryl hard across the face.


    The sharp sound echoed.


    Sheryl''s head snapped to the side. Her cheek reddened and swelled instantly, yet she dared not make a sound.


    "Have I been so


    lenient that you have forgotten your ce?" A faint, sinister smile curved his lips. "After al these years by my side, you still Haven learned. You still don''t know what should be said and what should remain unspoken."


    "I-I''m sorry, Mr. Justin," Sheryl stammered, her head lowered. "I


    panicked because I was worried. I couldn''t think straight was just


    afraid something might happen to you..."


    Tears welled up in her eyes. At that moment, she looked no different from Liana Gardner-the woman who had once perfected the art of appearing weak and pitiful.


    In the past, she had managed to deceive the naive Jasper, who knew nothing of love. Unfortunately, the man before her now was far more terrifying more frightening than any supernatural entity. ''


    "I know exactly what you''re thinking," Justin said tly. "Don''t do it again."


    He gazed out the window, a flicker of delight crossing his eyes as a thought urred to him. "Lyse is extremely important to me. No one is allowed to touch her. No one but me.


    "If this happens again, you''ll be joining that woman, Amber. And when that timees, don''t even think about leaving that ce."


    "U-Understood..." Sheryl replied shakily.


    "Any news from Uri yet?" Justin asked, closing his eyes to rest. "My patience is limited. I don''t like to be kept waiting."


    A cold, vicious gleam shed through Sheryl''s eyes. "We''ll take action once he contacts me. Don''t worry. That nuisance will soon vanish from the face of this earth."