?


    The skies started to turn dark.


    Alyssa''s dark hair was covered in ayer of snow. As she stood alone at the foot of the majestic mountain, she looked tiny, fragile, and deste.


    ''Ms. Alyssa, it''s snowing. Heavy snowfall is forecasted tonight."


    Elias walked to Alyssa''s side. Noticing the redness on her face due to the cold and the dull look in her eyes, he had a moment of realization.


    He couldn''t help but feel a wave of sadness within him. "It''s gettingte. I suppose something came up for Mr. Beckett, and he''s unable to make it."


    "Why didn''t he inform me if that is the case?'' Alyssa mumbled in a low voice as she gazed toward the darkness. She choked back on her tears so softly that her grievance couldn''t really be heard through her voice.


    Elias pped himself on his forehead. "Ah, perhaps you didn''t manage to receive Mr. Beckett''s message? The reception at the foot of the mountain isn''t quite stable. You might have missed it. Would you like toe to my office? You''ll have coverage there."


    "Even if something came up... How could he stand me up?"


    Alyssa''s eyes were reddened. The cloud of mist she exhaled, and the moistness in her eyes blurred her vision. How could he do that? We''ve agreed to meet...


    ''It''s just a hike. If he can''t make it today, you can just reschedule. You can go on the hike another time."


    Elias chuckled awkwardly. He tried to console Alyssa. "Moreover, today''s weather isn''t great. It''s not good for hiking. It''ll be much better if you and Mr. Beckett reschedule for another day when the weather is good. It''s really cold. You should hurry up and head back."


    To his surprise, a determined look came across Alyssa''s face in the next second. She took a deep breath, then began stepping toward the entrance to Crater Mountain.


    "Ms. Alyssa, I''ll go with you if you really want to hike up the mountain!" Elias shouted from behind as he was worried for her.


    ''I''m fine!"


    Alyssa looked back. The gleam in her eyes was as bright as the snow on a winter''s night. "Have you forgotten what my nickname is? I''m Mountain Goddess!"


    Sadly, she could no longer seek refuge in Mountain God''s muscr arms.


    Jasper might have stood her up, but she would never do such a thing. She would fulfill their promise on her own.


    Three hourster, Jasper arrived in Skydon City on his private ne. With Xavier aspany, they rushed to the location where Sheryl had specified.


    It was a presidential suite at a five-star hotel.


    One after another, Jasper and Xavier stepped into the morous and empty room. Sheryl was the only other person in the room.


    She was sitting on the couch in the living room, sipping on some ck tea casually. That sense of urgency she had over the phone was nowhere to be seen.


    The moment Xavier spotted her, he burned with anger for some reason. He could not hide the piercing re in his eyes.


    She was a strong and independent woman, but he was just so tempted to charge at her and give her a p on the face. He did not know why he felt so either.


    Indeed, one need not have any reason to despise someone.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mr. Jasper, that was really quick."


    Sheryl ced her tea cup down and rose to her feet slowly. "I can see how important White Dove is to you, so much so that you chose to stand Ms. Alyssa up for her sake. That shows me how much more important she is to you than Ms. Alyssa is."


    Jasper''s chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Where''s the White Dove?"


    ''She''s no longer in Skydon City." Sheryl studied him with a slight smile on her face. Her smile, however, did not reach her eyes.


    Jasper widened his eyes. "She''s not here?"


    "She''s returned to Sna City." Sheryl was not bothered by Jasper''s shocked reaction at all. In a calm voice, she added, "She went back just an hour ago."


    Xavier''s face flushed red in anger. "She''s gone back to Sna City? Didn''t you say that she''s from Skydon City?"


    "I didn''t. All I said was that she showed up here. She''s actually from Sna City, but perhaps she just happened to show up here."


    Xavier clenched his teeth. He looked like he was about to erupt with rage. "Why, you fucking-''


    Jasper clenched his hands into tight fists. He strutted through the warmly lit room and got before Sheryl.


    Their eyes met.


    Jasper''s eyes were bloodshot, the redness in his eyes reflecting the surging rage within him.


    All of a sudden, he grabbed Sheryl by her cor. His grip was so tight that he was about to lift her off her feet. He growled, "Are you kidding me?"