The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

"Jasper, you're back," Justin greeted with a faint smile. Even so, his grip on Alyssa only tightened, showing no sign of letting her go. His eyes gleamed with an

intense possessiveness.

Alyssa's heart skipped a beat. As she looked into Jasper's deep, distant eyes, tears welled up quietly. At that moment, she felt her entanglement with Justin was nothing short of disgraceful.

Nevertheless, having come this far with her act, she knew all her efforts would be in vain if she gave up now. So, she had no choice but to keep playing her part.

Instead of pulling away from Justin, she even curved her lips slightly in a faint smile.

"Hi, Mr. Jasper."

Mr. Jasper?

Jasper's expression darkened. His fists clenched, his eyes unreadable.

"W-What are you two up to?" he asked hoarsely.

Justin's eyes twinkled slightly as he maintained his calm, elegant smile. "I hosted a guest at Seaview Manor tonight. We happened to discuss a business partnership, so I invited Lyse over for dinner as well.

"We just finished, and I was about to send her home. If I'd known you were coming tonight, I would've asked you to join us."

"Join us?" Jasper forced a cold smirk. "If I were around, you probably wouldn't have the appetite to eat. Besides, wouldn't I have ruined the mood for you and Ms. Alyssa?"

His icy, mocking words pierced Alyssa's heart. Her gaze faltered.

"Jasper, you're much more adorable now than before. At the very least, you've developed a sense of humor."

Justin brushed past Jasper casually, still holding Alyssa by the hand. "It's getting late. I'd better send Lyse home so she can rest. We'll chat another time."

As Alyssa passed Jasper, her silky dark hair brushed lightly against his shoulder, carrying a familiar scent that lingered in the air.

His heart thudded violently, and he parted his lips slightly. He couldn't help turning around, only to see the frail Justin, who was always afraid of the cold, removing his wool coat and draping it gently over Alyssa's shoulders by the door.

For some reason, Jasper's heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. He stared fixedly at Alyssa's back, waiting. Waiting for her-the woman who had always hated Justin-to refuse his kind gesture.

But instead, she lifted her alluring face toward Justin and smiled sweetly. "Thank you," she said.

"No worries. The night breeze is chilly. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Jasper watched helplessly as the two left together, Justin's arm casually resting around the small of Alyssa's back.

To Jasper, Justin's gentlemanly gestures were nothing but a blatant claim of ownership. He clenched his jaw so hard he could taste the tang of blood at the back of his throat as his chest rose and fell heavily.

Seaview Manor was cloaked in silence in the dead of night.

After everything that had happened, the place no longer felt like a home. It was more like an extravagant yet desolate palace—a stage for power struggles.

Xavier hurried through the dim, empty corridor, its creepy atmosphere resembling that of a horror movie set. No timid soul would dare linger here for long.

Fortunately, Xavier wasn't afraid of ghosts. He'd met people far more terrifying than any ghost.

"Mr. Beckett, are you in there? It's me!"

He knocked urgently. After a moment, a muffled voice came from within. "Come in..."

Xavier pushed the door open and froze in shock. Empty bottles of red

wine, whiskey, and other spirits

littered the coffee table or

One even

rolled to a stop at his feet.

The room was dimly lit by a single floor lamp. Jasper sat slumped on the floor,

leaning against the couch, chugging red wine straight from the bottle.

"Mr. Beckett, what are you doing? You shouldn't be drinking like this-not in your current condition!"

Frightened and frustrated, Xavier

ет

rushed over, snatching the empty bottle from Jasper's hand. With all his strength, he helped him sit upright on the couch.

"Dr. Lovelace warned you repeatedly. The medication he developed can keep your condition stable, but you must not overdrink or let your emotions spiral!

"If your central nervous system is thrown off again and the medicine loses its

effect, not even God can save you! Is this really what you want?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted a drink. My chest feels tight."

Jasper closed his eyes wearily, his breath heavy with alcohol.

"A drink? It looks like you've finished every drop in your wine cabinet! At this rate, you'll be reaching for the white wine next!"

Xavier hurried to pour a glass of warm water, then found two tablets and helped Jasper swallow them.

Julien's medication supply was

already running low. Xavier knew he had to contact him soon to replenish it before Jasper's conditiono

spiraled out of control.

Concerned, Xavier asked, "What happened, Mr. Beckett? Why are you drinking like this?"

"Xavier, my chest... feels tight."

Still tipsy, Jasper thumped his fist weakly against his chest.

Worried he might hurt himself, Xavier caught his hand. "What happened? Did that bastard Justin give you trouble again? Tell me!"

"Alyssa... do you really have to take your act this far?"

Jasper's bleary eyes half-closed as he muttered, "Are you really just pretending? Or... have you already fallen for him?"

Xavier was stunned. "Him" could only mean Justin.

"Mr. Beckett, to be honest, deep down, you've never moved on from Madam Alyssa... You still care about her, don't you? You still love her, right?"

As Xavier spoke, he discreetly took out his phone and turned on the recorder, hoping to capture Jasper's confession.

But in the end, all he recorded was Jasper's soft snores-he had already passed out drunk on the couch.

Chapter 700

Patricia watched Marian's silhouette fade away at the restaurant's entrance, her smile slowly vanishing with it. Once Marian was out of sight, Patricia's expression turned serious and anxious again.

She reached for her phone on the table, unlocked it, and was about to open an app when she hesitated, as if it were something dangerous. She tossed the phone back onto the table, taking deep breaths to calm herself. But after only a couple of seconds, her trembling hand reached for the phone again.

With a few more deep breaths, she nervously opened the search engine and typed in the phone number for YUCN University. Seeing the numbers pop up on the screen, she steadied herself and dialed.

"Hello, could you please tell me if there's still a teacher named Wendy Cooper at your university?"

at

and Brandon had just arrived in their reserved private room when

for a moment, then broke into

shoulder before turning to Sophia with a smile. "You two have already met, I assume?

with a smile. "No need, we've

introduce you two earlier, but I know how busy Brandon is with work. I didn't

chuckled, "You should have introduced us sooner,

wanted to meet a girl? Just the other day, the former principal and your class advisor were chatting about you. They said you're one of the most outstanding students but also the one they worry about the most. Apparently, a few of you have been openly

his throat,

President

for them to sit and

you dared to have

Sophia couldn't help but ask, glancing at Brandon, surprised by

back to President Poe with a grin. "President, you're

to talk to you directly and risk upsetting you, so he lost sleep over it for days. In the end, he had no choice but to separate

Sophia was speechless.

an amused look. "Make sure to

sarcasm, nodded cheerfully.

turning to President Poe. "Let me formally

Poe was taken

and greeted him, "Hello, President

President Poe was still

He wasn't one to

to keep up with

might not have recognized

a change of hairstyle could completely throw him

a smile. "President, shouldn't you have kept a

Poe admitted, still a bit bewildered. He turned to Sophia, "Weren't you called Arlene Bright

revealing

Poe frowned

explained apologetically. "But I'm

she's

a long story," Brandon said. "I'll explain it all to you another time. In

design competition at the university, he might never have known Sophia was still

of each other's existence, drifting further apart in their

President Poe responded with a laugh, turning to Sophia. "It's all thanks to Sophia's talent that her work stood out and caught

eye."

appreciation that made it possible," Sophia

his glass in a toast, while his other hand gently placed a freshly poured cup of warm tea into Sophia's hand. Smiling, he explained to President Poe, "Sophia's not feeling her best, so she'll be sticking

grinned, "Absolutely, I don't think young ladies should feel pressured to

that, he raised his own glass, clinking it against

into their seats, the conversation naturally drifted back

President Poe

"Hey, Auntie."

out of the private room, she answered

"Sophia, are you busy?"

familiar voice came through the

discussing work with a client," Sophia

recovered yet, so why are you working? What's up with that man? He brings you back without a word, and then you're off to

to work. It's not even that exhausting, just a bit of paperwork that I can finish in half an hour. You don't need to

"A man who drags you away against your will, who

time Amanda

Brandon was a problem, no amount of explanation from Sophia would change her mind. Amanda just assumed Sophia was charmed

reach an understanding with Amanda, Sophia opted to change the subject. "So, Auntie, why

as expected. "Oh, we were supposed to have lunch today, right? Harvey has something urgent, and I need to go over there, so I can't make it for lunch. Just calling to

replied, feeling a slight sense of relief. Hearing Amanda's concerned tone, she couldn't help but

need to worry," Amanda

you

on the railing. Initially, she positioned herself where Brandon could see her but the restaurant was busy and as she unconsciously stepped aside to let people pass, she gradually moved out of Brandon's

notice. His eyes

he felt a bit more at ease but his gaze never

President Poe, reviewing some

glanced up at

attention on Sophia. He couldn't

sucha

eye afraid she

off"

sŵnovels

IMS

head with a chuckle,

check

that, he got up and

to give Sophia some

her assistant

up the call. After

hung

relief, turning to head

s

and bustling with people. As

reached up to her forehead, her brows knitting together

pain.

They went that way,

and angry shouts echoed through the

white parka was pulling another girl clad in a bright red coat, both running

the red coat was sobbing, saying she couldn't run

the girl in the white parka kept dragging her along,

something, pulling the girl in the white parka down with

the red coat burst

her friend's mouth with her hand, then crouched down to lift her onto

their similar sizes, she could barely move, and not knowing how to carry someone properly, she stumbled through the snow, only to have the red coat girl's foot catch on a dried-out tree branch, sending them both tumbling to the

a halt when her knee slammed into a protruding rock. The pain made tears spring to

to her feet, looking helplessly at her

the urge to cry, the girl in the white parka bit her lip to hold back her tears. She tried to stand, using the rock for support, but the

angry footsteps and

coat was paralyzed with fear, ng closer

struggled to get up, but it

her eyes lit up when she saw a small cabin not too far

bracelet from her wrist-a string of emerald beads-and handed it to the girl in the red coat. She told her to run to the cabin, where her mom, dad, and big brother would

the snow,

in the red coat hesitated, taking the bracelet and changing into

in the white parka urged her to go, warning that the

the red coat nodded, summoning the courage to

white parka watched

with the snow, until she was

gone, clutching the exchanged red coat tightly. She was cold, scared,

as the sky turned from bright to dark, and then

came.

Her friend didn't return.

grandparents, parents, and big brother never

Marian's wrist, tears streaming down her cheeks

images flashed through her mind

completely, making her

Sophia with growing alarm. She knew it was the bracelet that

had been classmates for two years and colleagues for

while she often seemed momentarily

sight of Sophia crying silently, staring at the