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Chapter_13
Jasper’s heart raced as he heard Liana’s voice crack with panic. Her cry for help sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins. He didn’t hesitate—no thought of danger, no consideration for the mob of reporters awaiting him outside. His protective instinct overpowered any rational thought.
“No, Mr. Jasper!” Xavier’s voice broke through the urgency of the moment. “You can’t go! The reporters will swarm you.”
Jasper’s jaw clenched, his gaze hardening. He didn’t care about the press or the risk. “I’m going,” he said firmly, before striding out the door without another word.
The frenzy outside Beckett Group was already reaching a boiling point when Jasper arrived. Reporters bombarded Liana with a barrage of questions, their cameras flashing relentlessly. The air was thick with noise and tension as Liana stood, a poised but fragile figure amidst the chaos. Despite her soft, innocent demeanor, a wicked glint of satisfaction sparkled in her eyes as she fed into the narrative she’d carefully crafted.
Liana played her part, feigning distress as the cameras closed in on her. “Thank you, everyone, for your concern,” she smiled through gritted teeth, her voice just a bit too smooth. “Mr. Beckett and I will be sure to notify you once we have news to share.” Her smile never wavered as she continued, “As for Mr. Beckett’s ex-wife… I know very little about Ms. White. Please, don’t attack her. She and Mr. Beckett are no longer together. Let her live in peace.”
The reporters’ buzz grew louder as they shifted their focus to her every word. Liana, sensing the moment slipping out of control, took a step back, her act of the meek woman threatened by the press quickly losing its power. Then, out of nowhere, an arm swept around her shoulders, pulling her toward the safety of the entrance.
“You’re finally here, Jasper,” Liana whispered, a breathless relief in her voice as she clung to him, a small sob escaping her lips.
Jasper’s silence spoke volumes. He didn’t need to say a word. His grip on her was firm, unwavering, but his mind was elsewhere, as if sensing something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. The cold feeling creeping through him as he glanced around hinted that there was something—or someone—watching.
Alyssa’s figure remained in the shadows, a lone observer in the comfort of her office. The sight of Jasper so intimately protective of Liana brought a sharp pang of something she couldn’t quite define. Part of her wanted to scream, to accuse him, but another part, buried deep within, couldn’t help but ache.
So, you’re protecting her. Have you ever protected me?
The question rang in her mind like an unforgiving drumbeat, louder and louder until it drowned out everything else. She closed her eyes, but the memories flooded in—memories of a night two years ago when she had called out to him in desperation, alone in her pain, only to be met with silence.
In the secret chat room, the tension was palpable as Jonah dropped the bombshell. “The editor-in-chief of Solana Daily… replaced. Your ex-husband’s doing.”
Alyssa blinked as she absorbed the information. So he’s still controlling the narrative, even now.
Then came Silas with his news. He wasn’t just a hacker; he was a machine, relentless in his pursuit of truth—or in this case, whatever could be used to bring Liana down. Silas had dug up something far more personal, far more salacious than any of them had expected.
The photos came through in quick succession—Liana, with a man who wasn’t Jasper, in a very compromising situation. It was all over her Instagram, buried beneath layers of carefully curated photos and controlled appearances. The fitness trainer was a piece of the puzzle, but Alyssa’s eyes narrowed as she pieced together the rest of it.
But what really struck her was the medical file. The photos of stretch marks, a body forever altered by pregnancy, confirmed a long-buried suspicion: Liana had been hiding her past. The lies about her health, the rumors about her relationships—they were all connected. Alyssa’s mind raced with the possibilities.
“Would you believe me if I told you Liana had given birth in Mosgravia?” Silas’s voice crackled through the phone. “These are photos of her stretch marks after her pregnancy.”
Alyssa’s breath caught in her throat.
So it’s true. She’s been hiding it all this time.
But what struck her deeper was the realization that Liana and Jasper had never been intimate. That secret, at least, had been kept hidden. And with it, Alyssa felt a strange sense of relief—not because it mattered to her, but because it meant that Jasper wasn’t betraying her in that way. Not yet, anyway.
“Good,” she muttered, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. At least I don’t have to feel disgusted that he’s with her now.
Silas, ever the provocateur, wasn’t about to let her wallow in self-pity. “Cheating is still cheating, Lyse. What are you going to do? Let this bastard get away with it?” His words were sharp, cutting, but Alyssa was already beyond that. She didn’t want to be tied to Jasper anymore, not even in her anger.
“I’m not settling for less than what I deserve, Silas,” Alyssa said, a cold, distant edge to her voice.