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    Jasper stumbled into the hotel''s back garden and stopped by the pond. He panted hard, feeling as if he were drowning. Even so, he could not return to his usualposure.


    As he shook all over, he bent down and grabbed a handful of snow. The bone-piercing cold spread through his body, but he still couldn''t suppress the throbbing pain in his temples.


    His eyes became bloodshot. He stuffed that handful of snow into his mouth and swallowed all of it.


    He couldn''t suppress it. He couldn''t suppress it at all.


    The pills. He needed those pills!


    "Mr. Jasper? What are you doing here?" Sheryl''s surprised voice came from behind Jasper.


    He held his breath, his fingers tightening around the snow in his grasp, veins bulging as he clenched his fists. Slowly, he straightened his back and turned to face her.


    "I came out for some fresh air," he answered in an extremely hoarse voice.


    Sheryl narrowed her eyes and studied him. "Mr. Jasper, you look awful. Are you feeling unwell?"


    "I''m fine." A drop of sweat trickled down Jasper''s face.


    "Mr. Jasper, you must let me know promptly if you have run out of those medications."


    Sheryl stared at his back with a grim look in her eyes. She took another step closer. "The medication has to be taken on time ording to the proper dosage. Otherwise, how long will it take for your headaches to be gone? Eventually-


    Jasper closed his reddened eyes and cut her off without warning. "I''m much better now. I don''t need it for now."Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    A sinister look shed across Sheryl''s eyes. Right after that, she put on a gentle smile and gently patted Jasper on his shoulder.


    Jasper knitted his brows together tightly and tumed around.


    As he locked eyes with Sheryl, she tilted her head up, her eyes gleaming with a yful light. She stood so close that the mist from her breath lightly touched his chin.


    Coincidentally, Alyssa witnessed this flirtatious scene with her own eyes. Her heart wrenched. Frantically, she avoided them by hiding behind a faux rock. Yet, she couldn''t help but peek at that romantic pair in the snow through the gap in the rocks.


    She was surprised to see Sheryl smiling sweetly at Jasper, just like a young woman would at her first love. After that, she retrieved a delicate-looking gift box from the pocket of her white coat and handed it to Jasper. "Mr. Jasper, it''s your birthday tomorrow. Here''s a small gift for you. Happy birthday to you in advance." Jasper lowered his eyes and responded in a frigid voice, "I don''t celebrate my birthdays."


    "We''re friends, and it''s just something inexpensive. Why don''t you just ept it?"


    Sheryl blinked. She looked at him with an innocent and sad gaze. "I''ve bought the gift. There''s no way that you can return it to me. Just throw it away if you don''t want it. Don''t return it to me."


    As she said that, she arrogantly stuffed the gift box into Jasper''s arms.


    There was a quiver in Jasper''s eyes. He was surprised to see that Sheryl''s actions reminded him somewhat of Alyssa''s.


    When they were still together, Alyssa would throw tantrums and lose her temper at him all the time. Yet, no matter how ridiculous she was in kicking up a fuss, he would amodate her, pamper her, and dote on her.


    He figured that he must have loved her very much in the past.


    Nheless, why did he suddenly be unable to love her? Why couldn''t he feel that heart-racing, deep affection he had for her and her only?


    "Thank you."


    Jasper epted Sheryl''s gift and opened the box in front of her. Inside was a delicately designed tie bar. Alyssa''s eyes turned red as she watched the interaction between them from afar.


    As she drew a deep breath, it seemed like she''d taken in all the coldness the world could offer. The chill wrapped around her heart, which began to ache as if it were fracturing. She felt as though her heart might shatter any moment.


    She was also about to shatter as a person.


    "Mr. Jasper, do you like it?" Sheryl twirled her hair by her ear and tapped her toes on the ground. She had a gentle and flirty look in her eyes. It had been a while since she had long hair, but her old habits would still show inadvertently.


    In addition to feeling sad, Alyssa''s heart skipped a beat while she looked fixedly at Sheryl.


    Something about Sheryl''s actions had stirred an intense feeling within her. She hardly knew Sheryl-they were strangers. Yet, strangely, she kept feeling as though they''d crossed paths in the past.