Can't Win Me Back

"Got it, Mr. Harper!" Harper Group's subordinates acknowledged before swiftly dispersing.

"I'm going to search for Amber too," Alyssa said, turning to leave.

Jasper caught her arm. "It's freezing. Go wait in the car."

Landon chimed in, "Lyse, listen to Jasper. Just wait in the car. We'll search for Amber."

"No I have to come too!" Alyssa sniffled. The sharp wind stung her face, leaving her nose raw and crimson, her eyes watering until they puffed into tender, swollen crescents. "Amber's in trouble because of me. I was careless-it's all my fault!" "Lyse..." Landon's heart sank at her remorseful expression.

Jasper's gaze softened as he studied Alyssa's pale face. "Her disappearance isn't your fault."

Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes as she shook her head. "Amber means everything to Axel. If anything happens to her, I won't be able to face him. I don't deserve to be his sister. Please, let me come with you."

Jasper and Landon failed to dissuade her. Reluctantly, they agreed.

Alyssa trudged ahead through the icy winds, her frail frame defying the elements. Jasper and Landon followed close behind.

Landon sighed. "She's so stubborn. Being this headstrong will wear her down." He glanced at Jasper, whose face was unreadable. "Lyse carries so much on her shoulders-her family, a massive corporation, and now running after some reckless man." Jasper's expression turned colder. "I never asked her to do anything for me. We're nothing to each other now, so she doesn't need to do anything for my sake."

"Fuck... You're such a cold-hearted bastard," Landon scoffed, punching Jasper's shoulder. "You've only gotten worse since you got sick."

Jasper kept walking, his chest tight. After a moment, he murmured, "Landon, you mentioned an ointment that worked wonders for Lauren's scars. Do you still have it?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I need a tube."

...

Meanwhile, Sheryl hastily bandaged her swollen nose and rushed to Seaview Manor to meet Justin. She didn't have time to tend to her injury.noveldrama

The study lay in darkness, with only moonlight seeping through the window. Its pale, cold glow carved shadows across Justin's frosty expression.

"Mr. Justin," Sheryl began, her voice sharp with frustration, "Remy is out of control!"

Sheryl's purpose for coming here was clear-toreport on Remy. She quickly added, "Not only did he hit me... but worse, he dared to pretend he was following your orders! With his combat skills, he could easily match Jasper, yet he somehow failed to subdue Amber? How is that possible?

"If I hadn't arrived in time to capture that bitch and eliminate this threat, she would have escaped. After that, taking her would have been nearly impossible with heightened security." en

Justin remained silent in the darkness, listening.

"Mr. Justin," Sheryl ventured, "Remy has been behaving more erratically lately. Could the medication be losing its effectiveness?"

"Open the box on the table," Justin finally spoke, his voice unnaturally somber in the quiet night.

Fighting through her pain, Sheryl approached and lifted the lid. Inside lay a pill of such deep blue it made the ones she'd given Jasper pale in comparison. "What is this?"

"The latest iteration of Crystal Ice," Justin replied, his cultured voice taking on an almost eager quality, as if sharing a fascinating secret. "Five times more potent than its

predecessor. A single dose el.14

create absolute dependency régardless of one's mental

fortitude."

His tone carried a clinical pleasure as he added, "Give it to Remy. And make certain you witness him take it."