Ss grew serious.


    "Calm down, Lyse. You need to watch out for your health," Jasper said, holding onto Alyssa''s trembling


    hands. "Especially after you just ate. You have a weak stomach; getting angry might make it worse."


    Alyssa sat down angrily. Jasper quickly embraced her and kissed her temple.


    Though he was calming her down, she still quivered in anger.


    Rose said through uneven breathing, "This really is Josh''s doing. I''d asked rissa before why she


    didn''t rebel against him. Times have changed, after all. She could''ve sued for divorce and made Josh


    pay at any point in time so long as she had ample evidence.


    "But... rissa was really terrified of Josh. It almost seemed like Josh had some deadly upper hand


    over her, making it so that she never dared make a move, even if it meant meeting her death at his


    hands one day. rissa ran off before I could finish talking to her."


    Ss'' gaze darkened somewhat when he gazed at Rose''s pale face. He''d noticed how she had


    reacted. It was as if she was in rissa''s shoes instead of being an outsider.


    There must be so many things Rose was hiding from Ss.


    "The Schmidts are hosting a cocktail party in two weeks and have already sent invites to all sorts of


    powerful and influential people." Jasper''s eyes glinted coldly. "Xavier informed me on our way here


    earlier that Javier had received an invite."


    "Huh? Why didn''t we receive any? Where''s the respect?" Alyssa huffed.


    Jasper sped her shoulder and said hoarsely, "I''m afraid Jameson might want to personally deliver it


    to you here in Belbanks."


    Ss held Rose''s hand under the desk and mumbled, "Will he stop being so jealous for once?"


    Alyssa''s eyes narrowed fondly. "If Jamesones over, I''ll shove the invite up his ass and tell him to


    scram!"


    Jasper chuckled and kissed her on the lips.


    "Now I understand. rissa must''vee to get a custom dress from Rose because Josh forced her


    to. All the guests are bound to dress up morously during the cocktail party. Someone as egoistic as


    Josh would definitely want his own wife to shine," Alyssa concluded and shook her head in pity. "Josh


    would probably beat rissa to near death again if she didn''t."


    Alyssa was truly concerned for that poor woman.


    Jasper''s lips pulled taut when he recalled how he''d judged rissa at first. Guilt welled up in his chest.


    "Madam, I was wondering whether you and Mr. Jasper could find a way to win rissa over to our


    side. If she can testify that Josh abused her, the odds would tip in our favor against the Schmidts!"


    Rose said.


    Alyssa sighed dully. "Things aren''t that simple, Rose. The Schmidt family is one of the four great


    families and is even on par with the Beckett family in Sna City. Jasper and I have battled against


    them for so long, yet their stronghold barely shifted an inch, even after losing two of their children and


    that project in Tsulu.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "The Sparks family is incredibly miniscule inparison to the Schmidt family. Their patriarch has long


    retired. What power would rissa have to back her up against Josh? Even if she goes against him,


    what will happen to her family? The Schmidts are capable of destroying the Sparks in an instant if


    they''re crossed."


    Rose was at a loss for words. She really was too naive.


    There were many things in this world that couldn''t be achieved with just passion and persistence.


    Reality was always crueler than fiction.


    "Rose does have a point, Lyse," Jasper said after some consideration. "rissa has been by Josh''s


    side for years. She must know more about him than just how cruel and bloodthirsty he can be.


    "rissa might even know his deepest, darkest secrets. If she does join us, it''ll be much easier for us


    to take down Josh, with the addition of the evidence Axel provided."


    Alyssa''s brows were furrowed. "But that brings us back to square one—why would rissa help us?


    She must really value and love her family if she''s able to suffer so much pain."


    "That''s only because rissa has a weakness." Jasper smiled. "All we have to do is make it so that


    she doesn''t, no?"


    Alyssa suddenly understood what Jasper meant. "Are you saying we should back the Sparks family


    up?"


    "That''s a great idea!" Both Ss and Rose said at the same time.


    "I''ll send someone to follow rissa starting tomorrow and get Xavier to obtain information about her


    family. We need to find a key point to strike and upturn her barriers," Jasper decided firmly. It was quite


    encouraging to hear, even as none of them were certain about the oue.


    Alyssa intertwined her fingers with Jasper''s, eyes glowing brightly. "Josh will never expect the greatest


    key to his downfall to be right beside him!"