Crater Mountain was where Alyssa had first met Jasper 13 years ago. It was where Jasper had saved


    her


    life.


    “Elijah, you say?” Alyssa asked excitedly upon hearing her friend’s name.


    “Yes, Mr. Elijah is retiring next month, so this month is hisst. He’ll be going home to his hometown


    after


    I take over.” Elias sighed.


    He continued, “I saw your name in Mr. Elijah’s books. You must be really important to him. I hope you


    can


    visit him sometime this month before he leaves. He has pancreatic cancer, and we don’t know how


    long


    he has left…”


    “What?” Alyssa cried, sitting up straight.


    “He was already in the third stage when they found it. You know how cancer can be. It’s nearly


    unstoppable if untreated…”


    “I understand,” Alyssa said solemnly. “I’ll visit him soon.”


    “Please don’t tell him I told you this, Ms. White. He’s always been adamant about having a strong,


    independent image. He doesn’t want others to see him weak or pity him, so …”


    “I’ve known him for 13 years. Don’t you worry.”


    After ending the call, Alyssa sat back in the swing, dazed. She was on the verge of crying.


    “Ms. Alyssa? Who is Elijah Forrest? Are-Are you okay?” Xavier crouched before her, handing her a


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    handkerchief to wipe her tears away. 2


    “An old friend.”


    Alyssa’s heart was hurting terribly. “Help me find any local skilled gastroenterologists, Sean. I need to


    help.


    my friend with all my might.”


    “On it, miss.” Xavier nodded. He always respected her privacy, never probing if she wasn’t ready to


    reveal


    to him.


    Another phone call soon came. It was Alyssa’s fashion mentee, Rose Emerson.


    “Rose.”


    “You’re a horrible woman, ma’am! How could you? How could you do this to me? You’re Alexa, the


    jewelry designer Alexa! And you never told me a single thing about that? How could you lie to me? I


    should call


    “Did you just find out? What kind of inte are you using? 2G?” Alyssa snorted, then used the


    handkerchief Sean gave her to wipe her tears away.


    She continued, “Why don’t I get a perm or something? That way, I can hide from the police with my


    new


    identity.”


    Sophia was truly in a precarious situation. Jasper had humiliated her. Meanwhile, Javier had tly


    declined to cate her. All her years of hard work andposure had gone to waste in a day’s time.


    So she did the only thing she knew to do-drag Betty along with her to see Zoe Harper.


    “You’re so useless! If you had half of the intelligence your father had, we wouldn’t be here right now!”


    Irritated by Betty’s emotional outburst, Sophia sumbed to her frustration and prodded her finger into


    Betty’s forehead, marking her otherwise wless skin.


    T


    Sophia continued, “You really thought you could band together with that little bitch Liana back then,


    huh?


    Thought you could have a hold over her?”