Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter_15
Golden rays bathed the sky as the sun began to set, casting an ethereal glow. Inside the back seat of a luxury car, Jasper sat hunched, his gaze fixed out the window, mind heavy with the weight of recent events. His thoughts lingered on the confrontation with Liana, the bitter calls from his grandfather, and the truth he was slowly unraveling about Alice.
“I’ve handled the social media accounts spreading rumors about Madam Alice, Mr. Jasper. The accounts are shut down, and we’ve issued a lawyer’s letter. But the news about your marriage… we couldn’t remove it from the trending searches. Things are looking tough,” Xavier reported, voice filled with apology.
Jasper barely acknowledged him, lost in thought. He had so many questions he could never ask Alice. The memory of their last conversation, bitter and unresolved, stung him. There was so much left unsaid, and now it felt like there was no way to bridge that gap. What could he possibly say now? The weight of the situation felt like a boulder pressing down on him, suffocating him with every breath.
As the Rolls-Royce neared Seaview Manor, Jasper’s expression darkened. “Stop the car,” he instructed.
The chauffeur obeyed without question, pulling over. Jasper got out, not waiting for Xavier to speak. His feet carried him to a nearby vintage atelier, the glowing lights illuminating a collection of perfectly tailored suits in the window. Above the door, the plaque read Eternity, the same word inscribed on the box Alice had prepared for him—her last gesture before everything fell apart.
The door’s wind chimes jingled as he stepped inside, the familiar smell of fabric and old wood enveloping him. An elderly tailor greeted him, his eyes lighting up when he noticed the man’s sharp demeanor.
“Are you here to pick up a custom suit or get something tailored?” the old man asked.
Jasper hesitated, then spoke, his voice low. “About a month ago, did a woman in her twenties come here to have a men’s suit tailored?”
The tailor’s face lit up with recognition. “Ah, yes! A young woman, very talented! She worked so hard, always arriving early and leaving late. She made every stitch with such care. She was making the suit for her beloved, she said.”
Jasper’s heart skipped a beat at the word beloved, the pain of the past few weeks surging within him. He swallowed hard before speaking again. “Did she—did she come every day?”
The tailor nodded. “Every day, on time, without fail. She would work tirelessly. I even asked her, ‘Is it for your father or boyfriend?’ She blushed and said it was for her beloved. Such a bright look in her eyes, I thought she must love him very much.”
Jasper’s chest tightened. Beloved… The word echoed in his mind, but it felt like a distant memory, like someone else’s story. Was it possible? Had Alice truly loved him all this time?
“She spoke so fondly of him,” the tailor continued, oblivious to Jasper’s growing turmoil. “I had no idea she was married at such a young age. It made me wonder, who is the lucky man?”
Jasper swallowed hard, the realization settling on him like a weight. “I’m her beloved,” he said quietly, the words tasting bitter as they left his lips.
The tailor’s eyes widened, but he nodded, as if the connection made perfect sense. “You two are a perfect match,” he commented, though Jasper barely heard him.
Jasper walked out of the atelier, his steps unsteady. The sky was darkening, the sun slipping behind the horizon, and the world around him seemed to fade into a blur. Alice loved him? Why had she left him? Why had she changed so completely? He couldn’t understand, couldn’t reconcile the woman he remembered with the one who seemed so distant now.
As the luxury car pulled away, Jasper’s phone rang. He checked the caller ID with a sigh—it was Landon.
“Hello?” he answered, voice tight.
“Hey! Let’s go out tonight! Everyone wants to celebrate,” Landon’s voice rang out, teasing.
“Celebrate what?”
“Well, that depends on you. Are we celebrating your marriage or your divorce?”
Jasper groaned, but Landon’s laughter was contagious. “Alright, alright. See you tonight.”
Meanwhile, at a bustling nightclub in Solana City, Alyssa, dressed in a glittering silver dress, was making waves as she entered with her brother, Silas. The attention she drew was instant, and Silas, ever the protective brother, wrapped his arm around her.
“You’re overdressed for this, Lyse,” he warned, eyeing the men who couldn’t seem to tear their eyes off her.
She smirked, taking a sip of her wine. “Maybe. But I like the attention.”
Elsewhere, Jasper and Landon were making their way to a private room at the ACE nightclub. Jasper’s crisp suit contrasted with the laid-back atmosphere, and Landon shook his head, amused.
“You’re out here in a suit like you’re about to negotiate a sale!” Landon joked.
Jasper glanced around disinterestedly, but then something—or rather someone—caught his eye. Alice? His heart stopped. She was standing across the room, looking nothing like the woman he had known. And beside her was none other than Jonah Taylor.