Ch. 1581..1590

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1581-Alyssa listened to Mandy's words, eyes slowly tearing up.

Battered and bruised…

Barely breathing.

What suffering did her mother go through to have nearly lost her life in a foreign country?

Jasper held on to Alyssa's trembling hand, asking Mandy curiously, "During all the years Mrs. Taylor was here in Belbanks alone and after giving birth to so many children, did she never once thought to contact her own family or return to her home country?"

Mandy shook her head, eyes downcast. "No, not once. Winston even changed Jennifer's lawful nationality and gave her a new identity, cutting her off entirely from her past."

Both Jasper and Alyssa were even more confused now. What did Jennifer undergo to be willing to hide her identity and permanently part ways with her home country?

Alyssa was all the more curious about her mother's identity now.

"I don't have answers for whatever more you might want to ask, Lyse. Your father has also privately reminded me on countless occasions to never tell you this information about your mother," Mandy said.

She then held Alyssa's hand and pleaded tearfully, "I don't know why Winston is doing this, but you must trust him. He truly did love Jennifer and loves you in turn.

"All he does, he does for your well-being, nothing else. So, Lyse, just pretend I never told you about Jennifer today. Don't ask Winston about it. Okay?"

Alyssa loved her mother deeply, but she didn't want to trouble Mandy, so she could only nod tearfully.

Winston's health had once again deteriorated due to Dominic's actions, just as he had started to show signs of improvement.

Fortunately, Julien arrived in time to check up on Winston and gave him some medications to stabilize his condition.

When Julien returned to his office and shut the door, he slumped back in his chair, exhausted to the max. As Winston's primary doctor, he was under great pressure.

Winston was his lover's father, after all. Who could understand the pressure of having to execute your job well in front of your future father-in-law?

Julien splayed himself on the desk with his mouth crumpled up grumpily. Julien had helped Winston whenever the latter had a sudden and dangerous decline in health, saving him from death's door countless times.

It had been three whole days of no sleep and long hours spent standing on his feet, making him both exhausted and hungry. But Jonah, heartless as he was, only worried over Winston and never once checked in on Julien.

Julien, accustomed to wine and the company of men, had always navigated life effortlessly, winning over whomever he pleased. But encountering Jonah changed everything, as Julien found himself in uncharted territory, experiencing the discomfort of being outplayed by another man.

Someone knocked on the door just then.

"Julien."

Julien's heart raced, and his grip around the door instinctively tightened.

Jonah's gentle call of his name had made him instantly slip into a daze

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1582-All of Julien's anger had dissipated in an instant.

"You must be exhausted from the past couple of days of working. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?" Jonah held up a plastic bag in his hand.

He continued, "I remembered that you mentioned you don't usually eat carbs.

Instead, you have fried chicken to reward yourself when you're under a lot of stress and tired. So I've brought you some fried chicken. I don't know what flavor you like, so I bought several."

Julien swallowed hungrily.

In the end, he still let Jonah enter the office.

But to save his pride, Julien put on a poker face and sat back in his chair, refusing to look at Jonah. "There's no need to be so polite, Mr. Jonah. Helping the sick and injured is my duty as a doctor, so I'll always perform to my best."

"Is someone angry?" Jonah asked instead, ignoring how distant Julien was being.

Julien blinked quickly. "W-Who's angry here? Not me."

"If you weren't angry, why were you crying?"

Julien's heart pounded wildly, and his cheeks flushed. He instinctively glanced at the mirror on the wall.

In the reflection, Julien's lips were pulled tight and cheeks extremely flushed, looking like someone's angry wife.

Jonah chuckled silently and took out the boxes of fried chicken, arranging them in front of Julien. He even set the utensils and tissues down neatly by the side.

"You've worked really hard these past few days," Jonah rasped, showing some self-restraint.

Julien's heart trembled as he met Jonah's eyes.

Jonah wiped his hands with a tissue and sat across from Julien. "I've just been unable to spend time with you because of my father's illness and my family members all being here. I'm the eldest child, after all.

"Naturally, I had to tend to my father and console my family. In addition, I have to make time for company affairs to strengthen morale. So I had no choice, Julien. I'm really sorry."

Julien's chest heaved greatly as the urge to cry struck him again. He quickly took a big bite of a piece of fried chicken. "What's the apology for? Weirdo…"

Jonah's smile deepened as he gazed at Julien. "Have some more. You've lost a lot of weight already.

"The taste is not bad. Remember to get ketchup next time. I prefer original flavored chicken with ketchup," Julien said, eating his chicken. He then regarded Jonah's outfit and smiled. "That was fast. Seems like you really like this suit, huh?"

"I do." Jonah nodded seriously.

Julien suddenly leaned toward Jonah and said, "Well, do you like your suit better or me?"

Jonah's eyes ran across Julien's body, exuding a seductive air. "Is there a difference?"

Frustrated, Julien tore into another drumstick, knowing he wouldn't get the response he wanted from Jonah.

"Of course not. What else would you like in return? Feel free to ask."

The moment Jonah said this, Julien suddenly grabbed his chin and kissed him right on the lips.

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1583-"Mr. Jonah, you're such an intelligent man. I'm sure you must know what I want based on this kiss alone, no?" Julien panted out, cheeks flushed as he clung to Jonah's neck.

Jonah's lips pulled tight for a moment, now stained with oil. His hands clenched slightly as he said, "Wipe your mouth first next time."

Julien licked his lips and grinned sneakily. "No."

Alyssa spent her days deep in thought after hearing about her mother's past from Mandy. She lost her appetite after feeding Winston his dinner and ended up staring out the window in the hallway in a daze.

She found herself suddenly embraced by a familiar body, feeling the man's presence instantly surround her.

Jasper hugged her tight, tucking his chin into her neck as he murmured, "Aren't you going to eat anything? I had Xavier buy so many of your favorite foods."

"I'm not hungry." Alyssa's dim eyes grew downcast.

"Not hungry? I still remember how you finished an entire grain bowl in the middle of the night." Even now, Jasper was still in awe of Alyssa's massive appetite.

Alyssa's head hung low as she choked out, "Jasper, I miss my mom."

Jasper caressed her cheek, feeling sad for her. "Don't be sad, Lyse. Mrs. Taylor is at peace in heaven now. I'm sure she misses you often, too."

Alyssa tried holding her tears back but was unable to in the end. Jasper then consoled and kissed her until she calmed down.

Afterward, Jasper held her hand, a sudden idea coming to mind.

"Come on, Lyse. There's someplace I want to show you."

An hour later, Jasper's car came to a stop at Northuria Sea's shoreline.

The couple stood on the beach hand-in-hand as they watched the sun setting on the horizon. The sun's golden rays formed a magnificent sight.

"This is where Mrs. Taylor was rescued 30 years ago." Jasper gazed at Alyssa and said warmly, "I know you want to learn and understand everything about your mother, Lyse. So from now on, I'll go with you to wherever your mother has been and find out about her past with you, okay?"

Tears flooded Alyssa's eyes as she rested her head on Jasper's chest, a warm joy slowly washing the sadness in her heart away.

"Do you think my mother is one of the daughters of the king of the sea?" Alyssa suddenly asked.

Jasper gave it some thought. "She could be a child of the sea itself."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"What do I do, Jasper? I feel like I can't rest well without knowing everything that happened to my mother."

He suddenly asked, "Lyse, could your mother have been Kontinian?

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1584-Alyssa's eyes lit up with the brilliance of a thousand suns. She immediately hugged Jasper by the waist. She asked, "Why did you say so?"

He wrapped an arm around her waist. Their figures overlapped on the beach.

He replied, "It was a wild guess."

"Hmph…" Her mouth was downturned, visibly disappointed.

It worried Jasper to see Alyssa upset. Panicking, he racked his brain and explained, "I remember that Kontina is the closest country to the Northuria Sea.

Isn't Kontina's maritime territory connected to the Northuria Sea? I can't think of any other country that fits the description.

"That makes me wonder if your mom had illegally migrated from Kontina to escape from something back in Kontina. After all, Belbanks boasts the second largest port in Cyrris."

Alyssa anxiously asked, "Why does it have to be Kontina? Doesn't Tsulu border the Northuria Sea as well?"

"Tsulu is a little too far. Besides, didn't Mandy say that your mom was badly injured when Dominic found her? There were no ships nearby, so she must have swam a great distance. Also, we share more similarities in appearance with the Kontina citizens than the Tsulu people. Based on my analysis, I believe your mom might have hailed from Kontina."

As Jasper presented his case, he gradually thought it was a plausible guess.

Alyssa shared the same sentiments. She happily stood on tip-toe and gave him a peck on his lips.

The suggestive sounds made her blush. Jasper, aroused by her response, started kissing her on her moist, rosy lips. His tongue pried open her teeth, licking and nibbling his way in as he savored her sweetness.

Her heart drummed when she heard the sexy sounds. She indulged in the long, passionate kiss as she gradually lost her grip on reality.

Jasper aggressively planted hickeys on her neck.

"Mmph… You jerk! Are you seriously thinking of." Alyssa shoved him weakly as she melted under him.

"Do you want it?" His breathing grew labored. He teased her, "Aren't you worried that someone would walk in on us?".

She rolled her eyes at him. His thought process was dubious. This was not a matter of distribution of tasks.

"Besides, you'll catch a cold if we stay around. I don't want you falling sick."

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1585-"That's fine too, but you should keep it a secret from Winston. He's still unwell, after all." Jasper looked concerned at the mention of Winston. He seemed to regard Alyssa's father as his family now.

Alyssa nodded and lowered her gaze. "I won't ask Winston about it. I won't force him to talk if he doesn't want to. I'll learn about Mom's past through my own investigation.

"There's just one thing that boggles my mind. What exactly was it about my mom's past that Winston wanted to keep it a secret? I'm fine with him keeping things from me when I was a child, but as my mom's only daughter, I deserve to know everything about her now that I'm all grown up.

"I don't care if Mom had a spotty background. Even if she were a wanted criminal internationally, she would always be mommy dearest to me."

Jasper listened to her words silently as he grappled with the heartache. He was transported back to the time he lived at the filthy and dingy slums, where he recalled hearing insults and curses hurled at Anne.

People labeled her a dance hall girl and a prostitute. The harassment even extended to Jasper, branding him a bastard child and suggesting that Anne was riddled with sexual diseases from all the random men she slept with.

He refused to believe that Anne was the woman people painted her to be. Even if she were guilty as accused, his love for her would remain unwavering.

Upon Zoe's return to Solana City, Penelope and Preston promptly admitted her to the VIP ward of the best hospital.

"Mom, Uncle Preston, thank you for bringing me home," Zoe said weakly, her complexion pallid as she leaned against her mother.

"My poor child! You've been through a lot." Penelope couldn't stop her tears from falling. "It's all my fault. I'll never leave you out there alone from now on.

Even if Landon holds a knife to my neck, he won't make you leave me. No one can take away my precious daughter from me!"

"Mom, I've missed you…" Zoe sobbed uncontrollably.

"Zoe, I immediately told your grandpa about what happened to you. He was close to tears," Preston remarked while casting an amused look at his niece.

"Your grandpa will never drive you out of Solana City. Just focus on getting better. Don't worry about anything."

Zoe grinned smugly when she met Preston's eyes.

Without warning, the door to the VIP ward flung open, sending in a chilling breeze. Landon showed up, his tall figure dressed in an immaculate black suit.

The black jacket draped across his shoulders fell onto the floor when he shrugged, and his assistant quickly caught it.

"L-Landon…" The timid Zoe held onto Penelope tightly.

"Landon, Zoe is still unwell. What are you trying to do?" Penelope shielded Zoe and cast a wary look at him.

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1586-Landon took a step forward expressionlessly but was stopped by Preston.

Preston forced a smile. "Landon, let's be civil here. Zoe is your sister, after all.

Don't be angry at her. I've watched you and Zoe grow up. I still remember how much you doted on her when you were still a kid…"

"This is our family matter. Do you even have a say in this?" Landon replied frostily, without a care for Preston.

The smile froze on Preston's face.

"Landon, he's your uncle. How could you talk to him with that attitude?"

Penelope's face flushed in anger and embarrassment.

Landon ignored Penelope and focused on Zoe. He said, "I need to talk to Zoe.

Can the two of you step out for a bit?"

Zoe shook like a leaf in Penelope's arms.

Of course, Penelope would never leave Zoe to face Landon alone. She immediately declined, "We're all family here, including Preston. Just spit it out."

"Fine. I wanted to be respectful, but you don't seem to care for Preston and Zoe's dignity. So be it; not like I care." Landon approached Zoe and barked, "Zoe Harper, you're smart to come up with faking sickness to return and work with Uncle Preston.

"Uncle Preston is really something, too. How did he get you drugs to stop your heart? Pretty ruthless of him, eh? But it makes sense. You're not his child anyway. If his plan works, you'll owe him a favor. If you die in the emergency room, tough luck, but he will have nothing to do with it. He's really covered all the bases."

Landon succinctly exposed the evil plan between Preston and Zoe. Their faces fell.

Penelope's eyes darted between Preston and Landon in disbelief. "Landon, wwhat did you say?"

Landon smirked. "Mom, you dote on Zoe the most. When she got an injection or took some medication, you'd lose sleep over it. But here, Uncle Preston fucking fed your daughter drugs.

"Sure, Zoe might have made the wrong decision because she was young and naive, but what about Uncle Preston? He should have known better."

Zoe turned white. Her eyes darted, and she didn't reply to the accusation. At the same time, Penelope nearly lost her mind. She glared at Preston and questioned in a shaky voice, "Preston, is Landon telling the truth?" "Penny, that's nonsense!" More resilient and shameless than Zoe, Preston refuted, "I treat Zoe as my daughter, and you know it. How in the world would I ever put her in harm's way?

"Besides, Landon's men had monitored Zoe's movements in Yoarkley like she was a criminal. No one could get anywhere near her. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't reach out to her."

Landon lazily taunted him, "Oh, Uncle Preston, you're being humble. If there's anyone in the family who could do that, it'd be you. I know the details of the crimes you committed over the years.

"I can convey your wish to Grandpa. Your presence or lack thereof makes no difference in Harper Group anyway."

Preston choked up in anger. His cheeks flushed, and his face turned white.

He understood the depth of Penelope's love for her children. She would risk her life for Landon and Zoe.

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1587-Zoe's forehead was dotted with sweat. She clutched tightly onto the bedsheet.

She had always taken Landon as a man of courage but lacking in wits. No matter what she had done, all it took was some sweet talking and begging to make him turn a blind eye to her mistakes.

Now, it seemed that she had been gravely mistaken all the while. Landon had wittily exposed her and Preston. The reason he had fallen for her lies in the past was due to his unconditional trust in her.

They were no longer siblings at this point; just enemies, and Landon was a formidable one at that. No wonder the sly Preston had battled Landon for years to no avail!

Preston remained glowering at Landon, who had no patience for him. Landon shoved past Preston and stood in front of Zoe. "Zoe Harper, my advice for you is to lay low and don't try anything funny."

Landon's murderous squint gave Zoe goosebumps. He added, "If you harass Lyse, Jasper, and Lauren again, not even Grandpa could protect you from the consequences. I, will, hurt, you."

His words were laced with resentment and threat.

Eyes wavering, Zoe looked into Landon's impassive eyes as she dealt with the anger, discontentment, and disappointment.

Landon once called her name with a doting smile. He loved holding her hand and was so proud of having a talented sister. All that seemed distant now.

Zoe had always assumed that Landon belonged to her and only her. How did he end up pouring all his care and affection onto Lauren?

Her heartache turned into resentment when she recalled how Landon had hurt her because of Lauren.

In Landon's eyes, she could not even compare to Alyssa, who was divorced and infertile.

She seethed in silence. "Landon Harper, do not blame me for what unfolds.

Things happen all because you sided with outsiders over your family. You deserved this!"

Penelope was anxious and hurt upon seeing her son threatening her daughter.

Their once-happy family was now filled with hatred. However, she did not know how best to mediate or discipline them.

Before leaving, Landon suddenly remarked with passion and hope in his eyes, "Mom, Lauren, and I will get engaged when I'm officially appointed the company president.

"According to Solana City's marriage custom, you should pick one item from the dowry given to you by Grandpa. As Lauren's future mother-in-law, you will hand the item to her in person."

Penelope bit her lips and sank into silence. She was obviously reluctant to do so.

"I know you might not want to part with your dowry, and that's fine. I totally understand. That's why I'm only here to bring up this matter." Landon flashed Penelope a careless smile and glanced at his assistant. The said assistant immediately draped the jacket over his shoulders.

Landon added, "If you refuse to give Lauren an item from your dowry, I'll make that decision on your behalf.

"Since I am the custodian of a few pieces of collector items before Dad's passing, I'll pick the best piece of jewelry for Lauren and tell her it's from you. I believe you won't have an issue with this. It's all for the Harper Group's reputation. Right?"

Penelope seethed in anger upon hearing Landon's words. The air in the VIP ward was heavy and tense after Landon's departure.

"Mom, just look at Landon! Since when has he become such a scary man?" Zoe shed crocodile tears. "Is he choosing that woman over us and the Harper family?"

Feeling powerless, Penelope sighed. "Zoe, let it be. You know Landon's character well. What good will it do to go up against him?"

I don't care for anything else as long as you're by my side, safe and sound. Just let Landon be…"

Zoe was frustrated at Penelope's cowardice. How could she surrender before putting up a fight?

Soon, Penelope left the ward to pick up Zoe's health checkup report. When the door closed, only Preston and Zoe remained in the room.

Zoe immediately turned menacing, a stark difference from her innocent and feeble persona from earlier.

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1588-Zoe sneakily raised a brow. "Of course, dear Uncle Preston."

"The board meeting is around the corner. Your grandpa will officially announce Landon's appointment as the president of Harper Group. After that, he and Lauren Beckett will get engaged.

"Hah! Your brother is successful in his career and relationship. I guess our show has come to an end." Preston shoved a cigarette between his lips and moved it up and down.

"Who said so? The show's about to start!" Zoe snorted.

"My dear niece, what do you have in mind?"

"An idea struck me. Perhaps we were working toward the wrong direction all along." Zoe lazily leaned against the headboard and suggested chillingly, "Landon Harper is a tough nut to crack. If so, why don't we work on Lauren Beckett instead?

"For one thing, she's dumb. She's been a loser since middle school and is easy to manipulate. All I need to do is to appeal to her conscience, convince her with facts, and explain the consequences. She'll change her mind about the engagement if she truly loves Landon."

Preston grinned widely. "Oh, appealing to her and convincing her? What a creative way to describe 'threatening Lauren Beckett!'"

"Gosh, all that matters is you understand my intention. But…" A troubled look crept up her face.

"Landon keeps that bitch under tight protection. I don't have her personal contact, and I can't get near her in any way, even if I have a brilliant plan."

Preston thought about it and smiled. "That's simple. I will send my men to monitor them. When she's alone at home, I'll let you know.

"Landon is at his busiest now. I don't think he can juggle everything. He'll slip up at times."

"Well, I'm happy to work with you, Uncle Preston." Zoe flashed a conniving smile at him.

Landon eagerly went home after wrapping up that day's work. His exhaustion went away at the thought of Lauren awaiting him at home. He felt aroused just thinking of her adorable expression, bright eyes, tiny waist, and alluring body.

It was not an overstatement to say that Lauren was the source of his energy.

"Darling!" Landon instantly hugged Lauren and engaged in a hot and steamy kiss, even when Angelina was right by their side.

Lauren responded to him, accompanied by throaty moans. Her soft body pressed tightly against his.

"Ooh… Darling, you smell so good, and you taste so sweet." Landon reluctantly moved away from her moist lips and kissed her on the forehead. "Tell me. Did you miss me?"

She pursed her lips and nodded shyly.

"You're about to be my wife. Why are you acting shy around me?" Landon lovingly pinched the tip of her nose.

"Madam Lauren is too shy to express herself. She missed you a lot." Grinning, Angelina revealed, "Since afternoon, she asked me when you'd come home for a few times. Even I feel anxious. I nearly brought her to the office to look for you."

"A-Angie, I did not." Lauren grasped the hem of her dress and blushed hard.

"You did, darling. I want you to miss me!" Landon acted like a teenage boy to get what he wanted. He placed an arm around Lauren's waist and insisted, "After we're married, you have to wait for me at home every day. Promise me that, in 10 or even 20 years, you'll still be as clingy as you are now."

"Okay. I'm fine with it as long as you like it." She nodded shyly.

Lauren's submissiveness was the wet dream of all men.

Angelina couldn't help but smile again. Thanks to Lauren, she had a chance to witness Landon acting all lovey-dovey.

After changing into loungewear, Landon gracefully sat by the dining table.

Lauren and Angelina stared intently at him. Sensing their eyes on him, he rubbed his face and asked, "Is there something wrong with my face?"

Angelina explained, "Mr. Landon, you've changed. In the past, you never changed your clothes before dinner, and you'd never sit in a prim and proper way."

Lauren nodded. "That's right. Landon, you are elegant. You're getting more like Jasper."

"Is that so?" He sat up straight and mercilessly tore a drumstick off the grilled whole chicken. Then, he bit into it and started munching heartily. "Who made the grilled chicken? It's delicious!"

After eating the chicken drumstick, Landon belatedly realized that Angelina had cooked up an oyster feast for everyone that night.

"Mr. Landon, seafood won't fill you up. Eat more of the oysters to boost your stamina." Angelina politely placed the largest oyster on Landon's plate with a knowing smile.

After the hearty dinner, Landon had a lot of work waiting for him, but he sat on the living room rug and played the board game Lauren newly bought as though he had all the time in the world.

"That won't be appropriate, Madam Lauren. I'll do it."

However, Lauren stubbornly sat Angelina on the couch and ran to the kitchen.

After Lauren left, Landon's expression immediately sank.

Can’t Win Me Back Chapter 1589-Zoe sneakily raised a brow. "Of course, dear Uncle Preston."