Can't Win Me Back

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Jasper remained silent. His hands balled into tight fists at his sides, trembling ever so lightly as a dark expression settled over his face.

After a moment of silence, Justin offered a casual smile, ignoring the tension on Jasper's face as he moved past him.

"Justin, I've always respected you since I was young." Jasper's voice broke the silence, hoarse and strained, with his back turned to Justin. "There are things I can compromise on, but some matters, I can't."

Justin, his back still facing Jasper, narrowed his eyes and asked, "Such as?"

"My need to see her now." A fierce determination lit Jasper's darkened eyes. "Justin, I won't deny your feelings for her. It's none of my business. But you have no right to stop me from seeing her either.

"If you and Ms. Alyssa are officially together, I'll never go near her again. You won't even need to say a word. I'll give you both my blessings and wish you a happy life together."

As Jasper said "happy life", his throat tightened, and a bitter taste of bile rose at the back of his mouth. Still, he continued, "But as long as she's not yours, we're equals in her eyes. You can see her, and so can I. If that bothers you, I'm sorry."

The darkness in Justin's eyes hid any trace of emotion on his face. In a cold, detached voice, he asked, "Jasper, do you still have feelings for her? You haven't let go, have you?"

A lump rose in Jasper's throat, and his gaze went blank.

"Jasper," Justin's voice grew deeper, marked by a few dry coughs. "We may not share the same mother, but ask yourself-how have I treated you since we were kids?"

"You've treated me very well," Jasper answered, his breath shallow.

Memories flooded his mind, moments of warmth shared with Justin, four years his senior, a brother who had always been like a father to him.

When Jasper first entered the Beckett family, his life seemed bleak, as he was met with disdain from many. Justin was the first to show him care, standing by him when the household staff mistreated him and offering him a sense of warmth.

Justin was also the one who had put his own life on the line to help Jasper escape that terrifying kidnapping incident. Otherwise, Jasper would have been the one sitting in the wheelchair today, unable to move freely.

"As you can see, I'll be bound to this wheelchair for the rest of my life. And the medications are the permanent part of it too, just to keep me going."

Panting slightly, Justin managed a bitter smile. "I know that I don't deserve Ms. Alyssa. But she's willing to spend time with me despite my broken body.

"Jasper, all humans have feelings. After being overseas and away from home on my own for so many years, I often feel lonely and lost. Oftentimes, I'd ask myself if my life is just going to drift away like this.

"I, too, crave the companionship of someone I love. I, too, want a normal life-to get married, start a family, and have a happy and fulfilling relationship."

Jasper was stunned. His older brother, once so detached from the world, longed for a family? And the woman he wanted to share that with was Alyssa.

Jasper's chest tightened. He recalled the earlier scene at the orphanage, where Alyssa and Justin had shared a smile in the snow-covered courtyard, their eyes filled with joy.

In contrast, every time Alyssa saw him, her eyes were either brimming with tears or clouded with sorrow. He had once been the man she loved. Now, he was only a source of her pain.

"If someone like Ms. Alyssa could be by my side, I'd have no regrets," Justin said, his voice filled with a humble plea. "Jasper, please give me a chance to get to know her better. Help me.

Jasper's entire body tensed, his jawline sharp as he struggled to suppress his emotions. He stood frozen, not even realizing when Justin left.

Not long after, the door to Alyssa's hospital room opened.

Sean stepped out, holding a thermal flask. He was taken aback when he saw Jasper standing rigidly in the hallway. Then his face fell as he mocked, "You got here fast this time."

Jasper's lashes quivered slightly. In a low voice, he said, "Mr. Lynch, I want to see her."

"Oh, really? Ms. Alyssa isn't some animal at the zoo you can just go look at."

With a roll of his eyes, Sean turned toward Alyssa's ward, muttering, "Wait here."