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?"

Next door at another restaurant

Sophia and Brandon had just arrived in their reserved private room when they ran into President Poe.

President Poe seemed surprised to see Brandon there. He paused for a moment, then broke into a wide grin. "Brandon? What brings you here today?"

As he spoke, he walked over and gave Brandon a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning to Sophia with a smile. "You two have already met, I assume? No introductions needed?"

Sophia shook her head with a smile. "No need, we've met."

"Good to hear," President Poe said with a chuckle. "I was going to introduce you two earlier, but I know how busy Brandon is with work. I didn't want to impose."

Brandon chuckled, "You should have introduced us sooner, President."

President Poe looked at him in surprise, teasing, "Did I hear that right? Brandon, the guy who lives and breathes work, 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 Sophia, I think."

Brandon cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed.

Sophia looked at President Poe, puzzled. "What?"

Poe, who gestured for them to sit and continued, "You're surprised too,

you dared to have a

we even dating?" Sophia couldn't help but ask, glancing at

at her, then turned back to President Poe with a grin. "President,

together. He was so worried you two would get too 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 end, he had no choice but to separate you two in class-one east, one west, one in front,

Sophia was speechless.

look. "Make sure to thank him for me, will

Poe, missing the sarcasm, nodded cheerfully.

Poe. "Let me formally introduce you:

was taken aback.

shyly smiled and greeted him, "Hello, President

President Poe was still

He wasn't one to

to keep up with

so he might not have recognized her

and Brandon's achievements as students. Still, he hadn't personally taught them and was a bit face-blind; a change of hairstyle could completely

at him with a smile. "President, shouldn't you have

remember faces," President Poe admitted, still a bit bewildered. He turned

and flipped open the folder he brought, revealing the science center design proposal. But the

frowned

Sophia explained apologetically. "But I'm also

"If she's your wife, why did you

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

science center's design competition at the university, he might never have known Sophia was

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

to Sophia. "It's all thanks to Sophia's

eye."

made it possible," Sophia

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 President Poe, "Sophia's

think young ladies should feel pressured to drink at

glass, clinking it against

naturally drifted back to the design plans for the

President Poe was absorbedChapter

"Hey, Auntie."

as Sophia stepped out of the

"Sophia, are you busy?"

voice came through

with a client," Sophia

fully recovered yet, so why are you working? What's up with that man? He brings you back without a word,

defended Brandon. "He's been really good to me. It's my choice 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

him," Amanda said with a hint of displeasure. "A man who drags you away against your will, who knows what he's really like? Don't

time Amanda had expressed her doubts about

with Amanda on this matter. She appeared easygoing, but she was strong-willed. Once she decided Brandon was a problem, no amount of explanation from Sophia would change her mind. Amanda just assumed Sophia was charmed by his looks

Amanda, Sophia opted to change the

today, right? Harvey has something urgent, and I need to go over there, so I can't make it for lunch. Just calling to let you

a slight sense of relief. Hearing Amanda's concerned tone, she couldn't help but ask, "Is

fine, no need to worry," Amanda said,

press further. "If you need

Sophia stood in the hallway outside the private room, leaning on the railing. Initially, she positioned herself where Brandon could see her but the restaurant was busy

eyes followed Sophia

she stopped at the doorway, he felt

President Poe, reviewing some

plans, occasionally glanced up

Sophia. He couldn't resist teasing,

sucha

afraid she

off"

sŵnovels

IMS

shook his head with a chuckle, apologizing to

check

got up

phone, Amanda continued to give Sophia some

assistant

the call.

hung up

in relief, turning to

s

narrow and bustling with people. As

her forehead, her brows

pain.

chase them! They went that way,

crunching footsteps and angry shouts echoed through the snow-covered

pale white parka was pulling another girl clad in a

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

the girl in the white parka kept dragging

over something, pulling the girl in

red coat burst

the white parka scrambled to her feet, quickly covering her friend's mouth with her hand, then crouched down

the snow,

the white parka hugged the other tightly as they rolled down a small slope, finally coming to a halt when her knee slammed

girl in the red coat scrambled to

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 pain was too much, and the tears flowed freely as she failed

of angry footsteps and shouts continued

girl in the red coat was paralyzed with fear, ng

struggled to get up, but it was no

when

a 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 be. They would recognize the

coat wouldn't draw attention in the snow, the girl in the white parka

and changing into the white parka but was

the white parka urged her to go, warning that the

the girl in the red coat nodded, summoning the courage to sprint down

girl in the white parka watched her friend disappear into the

snow, until she

red coat tightly. She was cold, scared, hungry, and exhausted, but she didn't dare

from bright to dark, and then

came.

Her friend didn't return.

and big brother never came

at the emerald bracelet on Marian's wrist, tears streaming down her cheeks without her even realizing

flashed through her mind like a movie

her

with growing alarm. She knew it

for two years

times, and while she often seemed momentarily lost when spotting it, she

silently, staring at the

a nearby room, catching sight of SophiaChapter

loud, immediately

certainty brought Sophia back to her senses a bit, her expression showing a hint of bewilderment,

Sophia's voice was still choked, "I wanted you to take it to my parents, but

suddenly turned

looking at Sophia, her eyes widening in alarm, staring at Sophia, who looked bewildered and unsure but could accurately recount

known each other for so long, and Sophia clearly didn't remember. She

Sophia had amnesia? How could she remember something that only the two

things so casually. I've had this bracelet for as long as I can remember. How

tone was so sure yet confused, a certainty that slowly pulled Sophia's rationality back

bracelet on Marian's

her Sophia, so she knew her, and they were probably quite

chaotic images in her mind were real, why would she let

sadness and despair of the girl in the white puffer coat

on Marian's hand. But in the next second, the arm she had released was

it, it's yours," Brandon's voice came softly to her

to her side. One hand was gripping Marian's arm through her clothes, and the other had already pulled the bracelet off

turned

threats to her

looked at her coolly. "What really happened

loud, yet it brought that suffocating feeling of near-death rushing

pale. "I don't know. I've

the bracelet had been with her since she could remember. After all, so

looked at her coldly. "You're

tears streaming down as she shook her head desperately. "It's been with me since I can remember.

more and more

who had

seen her return and grew worried. She came out to look for

She quickly approached but stopped abruptly when she saw Brandon opposite her. Her hand, which was about to move