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Chapter_92
Alyssa’s pulse quickened, the words hanging in the air like an unspoken challenge. Jasper’s grip tightened on her wrist, and despite the growing tension, she stood her ground, refusing to let his presence have any sway over her. His arrogance, his cold, possessive nature—it all resurfaced in that one harsh declaration.
“I said, let go of me, Jasper,” Alyssa bit out, her voice steady but laced with fury. The way he had once controlled every part of her life seemed like a distant nightmare now, and she wasn’t about to let him slip back into that role.
The crowd around them had mostly dissipated, but a few lingering staff members exchanged nervous glances, sensing the impending clash between the two former spouses. The air in the lobby was thick with unspoken tension, and it felt like the building itself was holding its breath.
Jasper, for the first time, seemed caught off guard. His grip on her wrist wavered for a split second, and in that moment, Alyssa seized the opportunity. With a swift motion, she twisted her arm free from his hold, taking a step back. The space between them seemed charged, every inch of it an unspoken declaration of defiance.
“Don’t even think about it,” she warned, her eyes locking with his, as if to challenge him to take another step.
Jasper’s jaw clenched. His mind raced, memories of their past, their marriage, and the many times he’d had control over her. Yet here she was now—no longer the meek woman he had once known. Alyssa had become someone he barely recognized, and it unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
“Do you really think you can stop me, Alice?” Jasper’s voice was lower now, a dangerous edge creeping in. “You’re just as stubborn as ever, aren’t you?”
Alyssa’s lips curled into a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re not the man I used to know, Jasper. And I don’t owe you anything.”
She turned sharply, heading toward the infirmary, leaving him standing there. Every step she took away from him felt like a silent victory, but inside, her heart was pounding. She could feel his gaze burning into her back, but she refused to acknowledge it.
Jasper watched her retreat, a mix of frustration and something darker flickering in his chest. For a moment, the power he had once wielded over her seemed like it had slipped completely out of his grasp, and it left him feeling strangely hollow.
But his pride wouldn’t let him back down. He had always been a man who took what he wanted, and this time, it seemed no different. Yet, as he stood there, the thought of Alyssa’s words—“you’re just a stranger to me”—echoed in his mind, hitting him harder than he expected. Was that really how she saw him now?
Before he could act on his impulse, a voice broke through his thoughts.
“Jasper, we need to talk,” Xavier’s voice was calm but firm, stepping into the space between him and Alyssa’s retreating figure. “Let it go for now. You’re not helping anyone by pushing her.”
Jasper’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not pushing her. I’m trying to understand what happened to the woman I once knew.”
Xavier shook his head, a subtle look of sympathy in his eyes. “You need to stop seeing Alice as someone you can control. She’s moved on, Jasper. Maybe it’s time for you to do the same.”
Jasper’s teeth clenched, and for a moment, it seemed like he might snap, but he swallowed his frustration and straightened. “Fine. But I’ll handle this in my own way.” His voice was cold, calculated.
Xavier sighed but said nothing more, knowing full well that Jasper was only fooling himself.
Alyssa, now in the infirmary, leaned against the wall, trying to collect herself. The pain in her wrist throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the emotional strain. It had taken everything in her to stand up to him, to finally see him for who he really was. The man she had once loved no longer existed—not in the way she remembered.
Yet, even now, as she faced the pain from his touch, there was still a part of her that couldn’t shake the past. She had moved forward, built a life for herself, but that history was never truly gone.
Just then, the door to the infirmary creaked open, and a familiar voice called out, “Alice?”
She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
“Jasper,” she said softly, but her tone was firm. “You need to leave. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”
Jasper stood at the threshold, his posture stiff, his expression unreadable. “We need to talk about what happened—”
“No,” Alyssa interrupted, cutting him off. “You don’t get to do this anymore. You don’t get to come in and out of my life like it’s nothing.”
Her words were final, and with that, she turned away, her gaze focusing on her wrist as the nurse gently cleaned the wound. Jasper stood frozen at the door, his internal conflict boiling over. The woman he had once controlled now stood there, a stranger to him, someone he couldn’t dictate anymore. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
For the first time, Jasper Beckett realized he might have lost her for good.