?


    Alyssa balled her hands into fists as she pressed them against the faux rock. All her focus was now directed onto Sheryl instead of Jasper.


    At this moment, Sheryl picked up the tie bar from its box. While Jasper was distracted, she clipped it onto his tie.


    Jasper was taken aback. He quickly stepped back, but Sheryl was quicker, and the tie bar was clipped on.


    "Mr. Jasper, it suits you really well.


    Sheryl''s eyes were captivating, and her voice was sultry. If she were speaking with any other man, they would be easily captivated by her. "It looks like I made the right choice."


    Jasper''s eyes dimmed. Yet, out of courtesy and because Sheryl worked for Justin, he did not react in any way that would put her in a difficult spot.


    Alyssa''s eyes reflected a deep sorrow as she watched them, her gaze carrying the silent destion of a snowstorm beginning to overtake her heart. Even so, she forced herself to stay rational.


    She pulled out her cell phone, wanting to record Sheryl''s every move. However, her vision was blocked, and all she could see was darkness.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A hand with slender fingers gently covered her eyes. Then, she heard Justin''s husky and gentle voice say, "Don''t watch them anymore."


    Alyssa''s chest tightened. She spun around in a panic. Her pupils constricted as she stared at Justin''s face.


    Just as she was almost about to lean back against the faux rock behind her, Justin wrapped his arms around her and put his palms against the rock. The back of his hand prevented her shoulders from brushing up against the hard rock.


    He was attentive, gentlemanly, and caring.


    No matter how one looked at it, he was the perfect gentleman. Yet, he sent chills throughout Alyssa''s entire being. "Have you been standing here for a long time? Your face has turned red from the cold."


    With depth in his eyes, Justin pulled open his coat to cover Alyssa''s thin frame, shielding her from the cold. "Let''s go back. You''re going to catch a cold."


    Alyssa''s back stiffened up. She avoided his deep gaze and said, "I don''t feel cold."


    The cold barely registered with her, as her heart had grown almost entirely numb.


    Justin leaned forward a little and uttered in a deep voice, "You''re sad."


    Alyssa stubbornly denied it, even though her eyes were red. "I''m not."


    "I''m talented in identifying what others feel." In a gentle voice, Justin added, "But only if that''s someone I truly care about."


    *Justin, if you truly care about me as you say, you wouldn''t put me in this position," Alyssa said, meeting his gaze with a mocking smirk. "I have no intention of bing a woman tangled up with her ex''s older brother."


    Justin had never seen her smile like that. She was like a thorny red rose and a coneflower standing fearlessly in a


    storm.


    ''Don''t listen to those chatter. They are just envious of you," he said in a raspy voice.


    Alyssa''s smile was dazzling. "Oh, they''re envious that I can toy with the older brother after finishing with the younger? That I might just bring down all the men in the Beckett family at once?"


    "Are you afraid of me?" Justin asked out of the blue.


    Alyssa''s heart raced even though she appeared calm. "We bear no grudges against one another. Why would I be afraid of you?"


    "All''s good as long as you''re not afraid of me." Justin let out a long sigh of relief. Then, he removed his coat and wrapped it tightly around Alyssa.


    Alyssa widened her eyes. She wanted to take his coat off, but his grip on thepel kept her constrained.


    ''Ms. Alyssa, I''m not physically fit. I do not have any power in Beckett Group, nor do I possess business acumen. At the same time, Grandpa is not fond of me.


    "I admit that I amcking in many wayspared to Jasper. But there''s one thing you can trust me on-no matter when and what happens, I will not break your heart."


    His dark eyes looked so tender, sincere, and profound.


    Nevertheless, to Alyssa, it felt like his eyes would be an abyss of etemal damnation once she took a wrong step.


    Justin''s public appearance with Alyssa at the Beckett family''s party stirred up endless spection. They even became a trending topic.


    Not only that, news about Jasper and Alyssa''s breakup spread like wildfire.


    Feeling down, Jasper left the venue before the party even ended.


    After getting into the car, he ripped off the tie bar that Sheryl gave to him. With a repulsed look in his eyes, he flung it carelessly at Xavier, who was driving.


    "That''s for you."