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Chapter_30
Chapter 30
Jasper trudged into Seaview Manor, soaked through from the rain. The dampness clung to his clothes, making his movements heavy and slow. Rosie hurried over with a cloth, but he waved her away dismissively, his mind clouded by the events that had unfolded. He made his way upstairs, his face a picture of exhaustion and frustration.
Rosie glanced at Xavier, concern evident on her face. “W-What’s wrong with him? Did someone offend him?”
Xavier sighed, shaking his head slightly. “You should comfort him later. He’s been deceived.”
“Deceived?” Rosie asked, her voice laced with confusion. “But he’s so sharp, so smart. How could he have been deceived? Should we call the police?”
Xavier paused for a moment before responding. “It’s complicated. The police can’t do anything about it. But fortunately, justice has a way of prevailing.”
Rosie frowned, recalling how she’d tried to warn Jasper about various scams. “I told him to download an anti-scammer app ages ago. But he never listened. Now look at him—he’s a victim.”
Xavier couldn’t help but smile bitterly, recognizing the irony of the situation. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if it was money-related. But this time, the liar played on Jasper’s pride.”
Upstairs, Jasper walked through the halls with a hollow expression, his thoughts consumed by the deception that had taken root in his life. The sting of betrayal left him feeling like a shell of the man he once was. He barely noticed when a maid spoke.
“Mr. Jasper, Ms. Gardner is here. Mr. Javier is asking for you. He’s in the study,” the maid informed him politely.
Jasper gave a small, indifferent nod and continued on his path. He reached Javier’s study, his footsteps heavy with the weight of his thoughts. As soon as he entered, Liana ran toward him, her arms wide in an eager embrace.
“Jasper, you’re finally here!” she exclaimed, as though her whole world had been waiting for him to arrive.
He didn’t return the hug immediately, his body stiff as sorrow seemed to hang in the air between them. He simply stared at her with distant eyes.
“Jasper, how did it go? Have you met Ms. Alyssa?” Javier asked, his voice stern but expectant.
As chairman of Beckett Group, Javier typically stayed out of matters that didn’t concern the company directly. But recently, Sophia had been insisting that he intervene, reminding him of the potential benefits.
“Jasper will protect Liana and her family. He genuinely cares for her,” Sophia added, her voice sweet with manipulation. “If he spoke to Ms. Alyssa personally, Taylor Group would hardly refuse him. Beckett Group isn’t just any small company. If they offend us, it could hurt their reputation here in Solana City.”
Javier nodded, but his eyes were hard as he listened to his wife’s words. It was a strategy they had used for years, flattering Jasper and raising expectations, only to later turn the blame onto him if things went wrong.
“Enough, both of you,” Jasper said, his voice flat and hollow. “Let’s stop right here.”
Javier furrowed his brows, his confusion clear. “What do you mean by that?”
“I won’t help Gardner Group anymore,” Jasper stated plainly. “That’s it.”
With those words, he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving Liana and her parents stunned in his wake.
Sophia’s smile froze on her face, replaced by a nervous tension. “Javier… he’s joking, right?” she asked, her voice quivering slightly.
Javier didn’t respond, his expression unreadable as he processed what had just happened. The silence in the room was suffocating.
Back in his bedroom, Jasper stood drenched, too mentally exhausted to care about cleaning up. His thoughts were consumed by the events of the day, the realization that he had been deceived gnawing at him.
“Why wouldn’t you meet me, Alyssa Taylor? Are you hiding something? Or do you think I don’t deserve the truth?” His mind raced with doubts and questions, unable to find answers.
Meanwhile, Liana was growing frantic, her voice rising in distress. “All the orders are canceled! The products will rot in storage, and we can’t pay the workers. If this continues, we’ll go bankrupt!”
Her usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a woman desperate to save her family’s business. But Jasper could only look at her with weariness, his heart no longer invested.
“It’s getting late. I’ll have Xavier drive you home,” he said, his voice tired.
“Jasper, what happened? Why did you change your mind? Just tell me, please!” Liana’s plea rang in the air, but Jasper remained silent, too drained to explain.
But then, something caught his eye—a detail that made his stomach drop. The box containing the suit was missing. It had been there earlier, on the headboard. Now, it was gone.
He stood up abruptly, pushing Liana’s hands off of him. “Where is it?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
“What’s wrong?” Liana asked, confused.
“The box! The one with the suit!” Jasper’s tone turned frantic as he scanned the room.
At that moment, Rosie appeared in the doorway, concern written across her face. “Yes, Mr. Jasper?”
“Where’s the box on the headboard? There was a suit in it!” Jasper’s voice was strained with urgency.
Rosie looked puzzled. “I didn’t touch it. You told me not to touch anything Madam Alice gave you when I do the cleaning.”
The answer did little to reassure him. Anxiety built up in his chest as he realized something was off, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a far bigger problem.