Can't Win Me Back



Chapter 2421

Searching for Amber without direction would be pointless. Jasper made a swift decision to bring Alyssa back to the manor, shielding her from the relentless chill of the wind. Once inside, he immediately began organizing the search. He deployed his men and contacted Landon, requesting additional support.

The two of them sat together on the couch.

This time, there was no space between them. It was as though an invisible force drew them closer, their proximity feeling natural yet electric. Neither could say who had moved first.

Alyssa, however, was in no mood to dwell on their closeness. Wrapped in her down jacket, she curled up on the couch, her arms hugging herself tightly. A quiet frostiness emanated from her as she sat in silence, listening to Jasper's calm and methodical calls to mobilize his team.

In the past, his composed presence would have been enough to ease her mind. But now, her thoughts were a tangled mess, each one like a razor claw tearing at her heart.

The pain was unbearable, coursing through her body and leaving her trembling. She felt suffocated by the storm of emotions bottled up inside her.

"Madam, please take off your jacket," Rosie urged as she approached with a steaming cup of tea. "You'll catch a cold if you stay in it for too long. Drink this while it's hot-it'll help warm you up."

"I'm fine," Alyssa murmured, pushing the cup back gently. "Give it to Mr. Jasper instead."

"He's as tough as they come. He grew up rolling in the snow and swimming in icy lakes during his military days. You don't need to worry about him."

Jasper, overhearing Rosie's remark while still on the phone with Landon, glanced over.

Alyssa's face was the color of bleached linen, her body convulsing with silent sobs, all while she desperately tried to project an image of calm, her down jacket doing little to conceal the tremors that racked her frame.

She looked fragile, like a snow sculpture on the verge of collapse.

After ending his call with Landon, Jasper reassured tenderly, "Landon is on his way here. Don't worry. Ms. Altman will be fine."

"Thank you, Mr. Jasper." Alyssa handed the untouched tea to him with both hands.

"I'm fine."novelbin

Lowering his eyes, Jasper caught sight of Alyssa's hands, their once-perfect skin now bearing the marks of frostbite.

A sharp pang gripped his chest, the weight of it pressing harder with every passing second. The sorrow brewing within him clawed at his composure, demanding release, each ache making him painfully aware of how deeply it cut.

He wanted to ask if her wounds still hurt, but Alyssa spoke first. "Is Landon coming now?"

"Yeah." Jasper nodded.

"How about Lauren? Will she be okay on her own?"

"Lauren is no longer a child. After going through so much, she has become more independent and tough. Plus, Mr. Diaz is watching over her. She will be fine."

Frowning, Jasper leaned closer and reached for the zipper of Alyssa's jacket. "It's warm inside. Keeping the damp jacket on will only make you colder."

Alyssa lowered her gaze, subdued and distracted. She didn't resist as he unzipped the jacket. Beneath it, she wore only a white silk nightgown. The delicate fabric shimmered faintly under the dim light, a stark contrast to the dark night outside.

Her black hair fell loosely, partially veiling her breasts, lending her an air of innocence and quiet allure.

Jasper stiffened up. His throat tightened as he swallowed hard.

Only at this moment did Alyssa realize that all she had on under her jacket was her thin nightgown. Frantically, she wrapped her jacket around herself and lowered her eyes shyly.

She and Jasper were once married once lovers who had been so deeply and intimately connected. Yet now, the tension between them felt like that of strangers experiencing a fragile, newfound intimacy.

Sensing the shift, Rosie had quietly left the room.

After calming himself down, Jasper probed in a raspy voice, "Did Amber say anything during her last call to you?" "No... She didn't have time to." Alyssa's voice wavered.

She hesitated; the memory of that loud, ominous bang echoed in her mind. Her lips turned pale as she recounted, "I think she dropped her phone. I heard something tumbling, and then the call cut off. That's all I know."

Jasper's brows knitted in thought. "It's almost daybreak. Why would she call you at such an odd hour, alone and in danger?"

His tone sharpened, his mind already piecing together the puzzle. "If she was in trouble, she could've called the police, Axel, or Cyrus. Why were you her first choice?"

Alyssa pressed her lips together, unable to answer. The same question had been haunting her.

"Understanding her motive is critical," Jasper continued. "It's the key to figuring out where she went and what happened. Without that, the authorities won't help they require at least 48 hours to file a missing person report.

"We need to act fast. You'll have to contact Cyrus and get him to pull surveillance footage from the roads to trace her movements."

Alyssa nodded, her voice trembling as she speculated, "Amber might've had something urgent to tell me but got caught before she could. She's skilled in combat, so her attackers must've been armed-and not just one, but several.

Alyssa ran her fingers through her hair. "She'd most likely become a target the moment she left home. No, wait-she's been targeted all along. They were just biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike!"