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    Tears welled up in Alyssa''s eyes as she wrinkled her nose slightly and pushed her luck. "A friend? Lover? Ex- lover? Or... someone who''s unable to move on?"


    Jasper''s eyes were as dark as the night sky. "I don''t know."


    Alyssa stared at the cold, emotionless man before her, overwhelmed with helplessness. No words could describe the disappointment she felt.


    "You''ve seen me now. You may leave."


    To her surprise, in the next second, Jasper shoved the door open without warning. As he had exerted too much force, Alyssa stumbled and let out a small gasp as she fell backward.


    In an instant, Jasper lunged forward, wrapping a muscr arm around her waist and pulling her close. Their bodies pressed together, so close she could feel his warmth, their breaths mingling in the space between them. Jasper could even see, with much rity, those tiny pores on Alyssa''s supple skin.


    "L-Let go of me..." Alyssa''s heart raced as she squirmed in his grip.


    Jasper''s grip on her waist was unrelenting, and each time she tried to wriggle free, it only seemed to heighten the flirtatious tension between them.


    "You said you were exhausted. But you seem to have plenty of energy now."


    His breathing deepened, and without another word, he scooped her up into a princess carry and strode into the hospital ward.


    "You hurt your leg, so don''t move around unless you intend to extend your stay here.''


    Alyssa welled up silently. She curled up meekly in his arms.


    Even though Jasper was taking only a few steps, Alyssa wished he could just hold her like this forever.


    Jasper gently set her down, but as soon as she left his arms, his muscles tensed, and a wave of unexinable sorrow swept over him. His chest tightened in difort.


    Under the light, something caught his eye. His gazended on two gray strands nestled in Alyssa''s otherwise dark hair. Those two strands stood out like a sore thumb.


    "Ouch!" Alyssa yelped, rubbing her temple and ring at him as Jasper plucked a strand of gray hair. "You''re graying," he said seriously.


    Alyssa froze. Her eyes brimmed with tears again. Memories flooded back-when they lived together, she''d often sit behind him in his study, plucking out his stray gray hairs.


    "Woah... Jasper, you''re done for. You''re getting old! I just took these outst week, and now there are more!"


    Jasper would chuckle, looking up from his work. "I know how much you love ying with my hair, so I grew a few more to keep you entertained."


    "I heard that when men have white hair, it''s a sign of decreased libido..."


    "Oh? Is that so?" Jasper would then pull her onto hisp, his warm hands roaming, reigniting the spark between them. "I''m sure my darling knows my libido best."


    Alyssa blinked away her tears, her heart aching as she pped his hand away. The gray hair floated to the ground as she cried, "I hate you, Jasper. I hate you so much!"


    Jasper frowned. "But why?"


    "Don''t you know that gray hair shouldn''t be plucked? I''ll end up growing more of it!" Alyssa''s face flushed red. Frustrated, she clenched her fists. "I''m only 26. It''s bad enough that I''m stressed to the point of getting gray hairs


    -I don''t want to age like you!"


    Jasper''s eyes darkened as he took in Alyssa''s teary gaze, her flushed cheeks, and her adorable outburst. For a moment, his mind went nk, and his breathing grew unsteady.


    Then, without hesitation, he leaned in, bracing his arm against the wall beside her head, and kissed her deeply. He couldn''t help himself.