Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter_98
Jasper’s grip on his chair tightened, his heart sinking at the mention of Sophia and the diagnosis. Depression. The word hit him harder than he expected. He glanced at Newton, whose face had darkened at the mention of Sophia.
“Severe depression?” Jasper repeated, his voice low. “Is that what she’s really dealing with?”
Xavier nodded gravely. “Yes, sir. Madam Sophia didn’t want to cause any trouble by directly contacting you, so she asked me to relay the message. She believes Ms. Gardner’s situation needs urgent attention.”
Jasper’s mind immediately started to race. Liana… How could he have missed it? He had seen the signs, the sudden emotional outbursts, the frantic calls. But the weight of her actions had clouded his judgment. He had been so focused on the tension between them, the constant pull of their unresolved issues, that he hadn’t noticed how far gone Liana truly was.
The table seemed to grow heavier around him, the food that had been laid out in front of them no longer holding any appeal. Jasper’s thoughts turned inward as he processed what he’d just heard.
“She’s been like this for some time, hasn’t she?” he asked quietly, almost to himself.
Xavier, unsure how much to say, hesitated before answering. “Madam Sophia’s been trying to manage it quietly, hoping it wouldn’t get worse. But now that it’s been confirmed…”
Jasper ran a hand through his hair, frustration and confusion mixing together. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him. It was hard to reconcile this version of Liana with the one he had known. The one who had always been so demanding, so intent on controlling everything. Had it all been an act to hide her pain? Or had her bitterness toward Alyssa truly been rooted in something deeper?
“Alice, do you know anything about this?” Newton asked, his voice cutting through Jasper’s thoughts.
Alyssa, who had been silently observing the exchange, looked up. She shook her head gently. “I… I didn’t know. I never imagined that she might be dealing with something like that.”
Jasper looked at Alyssa, unsure of what to say. She had always seemed so calm, so composed in front of everyone. But in that moment, he could see the shift in her demeanor—she wasn’t indifferent. She was concerned.
“I’m sorry,” Jasper finally said, turning toward Alyssa. “I didn’t mean to drag you into all of this.”
Alyssa, still holding back the last remnants of her tears, gave him a small, understanding smile. “It’s alright, Jasper. I can’t control what’s happening with Liana. But… if she really is struggling, it might be a good idea to help her. Not for her sake, but for everyone else’s peace of mind.”
Jasper nodded slowly, still processing the weight of the situation. His thoughts were all over the place—he had to figure out how to handle Liana, but he couldn’t ignore what was going on between him and Alyssa either. There was so much left unsaid, too many unresolved feelings between them.
The silence at the table was thick, as if everyone was waiting for someone to say something that would make sense of the chaos. But for now, there were no easy answers.
“Jasper, you’re not alone in this,” Alyssa added softly, almost as if reading his mind. “You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”
Her words, quiet as they were, struck a chord in him. Jasper finally looked up at her, meeting her gaze. She might not know all the answers, but she was willing to help him find them. That, in itself, was more than he could have asked for.