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 they

He paused for a moment, then

the shoulder before turning to Sophia

a smile. "No

to introduce you two earlier, but I know how busy Brandon is with work.

chuckled, "You should have introduced

actually 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 dating, including you and the top student, someone named

his throat,

President Poe, puzzled.

President Poe, who gestured for them to sit and continued, "You're surprised too, huh? You seemed like

turns out you dared to have a

but ask,

then turned back to President Poe with a grin.

involved and neglect your studies. But he didn't want to talk to you directly and risk upsetting you, so he lost sleep over it for days. In the

Sophia was speechless.

an amused look. "Make sure to thank

nodded cheerfully. "I'll be sure to pass that

suddenly pulled Sophia closer, turning to President Poe. "Let me formally introduce you: my girlfriend, and wife,

taken aback. "She's

shyly smiled and greeted him, "Hello,

President Poe was still in

He wasn't one to

to keep up with

he might not have

hairstyle could completely throw

"President, shouldn't you have kept a

I wouldn't remember faces," President Poe admitted, still a bit bewildered. He turned to Sophia, "Weren't

he was mistaken and flipped open the folder he brought, revealing

frowned

Arlene before," Sophia explained apologetically. "But

turning to Brandon. "If she's your wife, why did you ask me

it all to you

genuinely grateful if it hadn't been for the science center's design

Sophia might have remained unaware of each other's existence, drifting further apart in their separate

for that," President Poe responded with a laugh, turning to Sophia. "It's all thanks to Sophia's talent that her

eye."

your appreciation that made

joined in, "Sophia's talents are undeniable, but it also takes someone with a good eye to recognize them, President Poe. Here's to you." He raised 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

I don't think young ladies should feel pressured to drink at events like

that, he raised his own glass, clinking it against Brandon's and Sophia's

naturally drifted back to the design

Poe was absorbedChapter

"Hey, Auntie."

out of the private room,

"Sophia, are you busy?"

familiar voice came through

work with

fully recovered yet, so why are you working? What's up

Brandon. "He's been really good to me. It's my choice to work. It's not even that exhausting, just a bit

away against your will, who knows what he's really like?

Amanda had expressed

she was strong-willed. Once she decided Brandon was a problem, no amount of explanation from Sophia would change her mind. Amanda

Amanda, Sophia opted to change the subject. "So, Auntie, why did

has something urgent, and I need to go over there, so I can't make it for

reschedule," Sophia replied, feeling a slight sense of relief. Hearing Amanda's concerned tone, she

to worry," Amanda said, not offering further

you need anything,

private room, leaning 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

His eyes followed Sophia from the

she stopped at the doorway, he felt

President Poe, reviewing some

up

on Sophia. He couldn't resist teasing,

sucha

afraid

off"

sŵnovels

IMS

with a chuckle,

check

that, he got up

phone, Amanda continued to

assistant urged

the call. After

Sophia hung

turning to

s

narrow and bustling

instinctively reached up to her forehead, her brows knitting together

pain.

went that way,

the crunching footsteps and angry shouts echoed through the

clad in a bright red coat, both

coat was

girl in the white parka kept dragging her along, desperate to

coat tripped over something, pulling the

girl in the red coat burst into

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

to carry someone properly, she stumbled through the snow, only to have the red coat girl's

rolled down a small slope, finally coming to a halt when her knee slammed into a protruding

red coat scrambled to her feet, looking helplessly at her

tried to stand, using the rock for support, but the pain was too much, and the tears flowed freely as

footsteps and shouts

paralyzed with fear, ng closer

parka struggled to get up, but

eyes lit up when

coat. She told her to run to the cabin, where her mom, dad, and big brother would be.

bright red coat wouldn't draw attention in the snow,

coat hesitated, taking the bracelet and changing into the white parka

parka urged her to go, warning that the bad guys

summoning the courage

in the white parka watched her friend disappear into

snow, until she was

fixed on the direction her friend had gone, clutching the exchanged red coat tightly. She was cold, scared, hungry, and exhausted, but she didn't dare

sky turned from bright to dark, and then dark

came.

Her friend didn't return.

parents, and big brother never came for her

stared vacantly at the emerald bracelet on Marian's wrist, tears streaming down her cheeks

flashed through her mind like a movie

completely, making her forget

with growing alarm. She knew it was the bracelet that triggered this

had been classmates for two years and colleagues

Sophia had seen the bracelet countless times, and while she often seemed

Sophia crying silently, staring at the