Ch. 2031..2040
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2031-The look in Alyssa's clear eyes beceven more distant.
Jimmy-the nicknseemed distant, almost forgotten, tucked away in the recesses of her mind. Yet now, it echoed in her ears once again.
The youth with an innocent and tender smile from her past appeared again in her mind.
Unfortunately, life's hardships and the cruelty of humanity had transformed the said youth into a despicable devil.
There was no other way than for her to ensure that justice was served by getting rid of this devil. She had to do this for the sake of her loved ones and those who were controlled and harmed by him.
Jameson noticed Alyssa's absent-mindedness. He thought that his words moved her.
Waves of passion crashed within him, and his breathing becheavier. He lowered his eyes. He couldn't help himself and leaned in for a kiss that he had been yearning for.
A sharp crack sounded in the dark stairwell.
The next moment, Jameson froze.
He felt a sharp coldness on his neck, and his lips went pale. He narrowed his eyes and smirked.
"You're still as agile as before, Lyse. Is it because Jasper can't give you a sense of security? Is that why you have to force yourself to be on guard to protect yourself?" Alyssa looked at him with a piercing gaze. She held her butterfly knife firmly against his throat.
"Jasper and I are man and wife. We are partners and comrades in arms. No one else can replace the sense of security he gives me. I was never a woman who sought out protection from another man anyway. I am capable of protecting myself. When necessary, I can also give my all to protect Jasper." Jameson's eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he was about to devour her.
He groveled through the thorny darkness all his life. Although all he had achieved had cwith Justin's support, it was still a grueling and bloody journey for him.
No one had ever shielded him from harm. He even had to protect his poor mother with his frail body.
At this very moment, his most beloved woman was declaring to his face that she wanted to protect the person he hated. Undeniably, she was cruelly slashing his heart into pieces and stomping on them! "Jameson, don't you think that it's funny that you're making yourself a pawn?" Alyssa scoffed. She tilted her butterfly knife to an angle. "With all the evil deeds that you've done so far, do you even have any humanity left within you? Do you deserve to be negotiating with me? What right do you have to askto give up on Jasper? "It doesn't matter if it's in this life or the next. I will never choose you.
"Also, put a stop to your evil deeds if you still have any hint of conscience within you. Otherwise, I will not care about the cost or the consequences. I will destroy you and the person hiding behind you completely, even if it means that I have to give up my life!" Upon saying that, Alyssa made a swift, long cut along the collar of Jameson's expensive suit. She pushed him away and strutted off.
With a loud wham, the door to the stairwell slammed shut.
The sensor light above Jameson lit up. He bit down hard on his lip as he lifted his hand and touched the part of his neck where it hurt.
He looked down and was shocked to see blood staining his fingers. He burst out laughing, and a mad look flashed across his eyes. Then, Carl's voice cfrom the other side of the door. "Are you in there, Mr. Schmidt?" "Cin." Carl entered immediately and softly closed the door behind him. Jameson had his back toward him. Carl asked, "Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Taylor and the others are about to leave. Do you want to see them off?" "What difference does it make? No matter how hard I try to please Winston, he won't change his attitude toward me."
Jameson continued staring at the lood on his fingertips. All that filled is mind was the image of Alyssa's uscious tips, making his heart e lutter. He continued, "His current son-in-law is Jasper, who's able to ower himself to the point where he ucks up to Winston and the "aylors. That's something I can't do.
"The only one I care about is Lyse."
Carl harrumphed. "Other than bootlicking, what does Jasper know?
Of all things, Ms. Alyssa and Mr.
Taylor accept that side of him!" Carl had a look of disdain on his face.
Angrily, he remarked, "I don't understand why she has a soft sppt for him." Lyse has tound out about my dealings with Aidan in secret."
Jameson's eyes were wintry. He tightened his fists. "She's even found out that have been instructing Aidan to sell the so-called 'drugs' and using The Ivory Gang members to perform drug experiments." Carl was astonished. "What? How did she find out so quickly?" Alyssa was.
remarkable! She might be a woman, but she was a force to be reckoned with! "Julien is now half a family member of theirs. Nathan is the leader of The Ivory Gang and is close to her. Plus, her brother, Cyrus, is the leader of the Criminal Investigation Unit.at's just a matter of tbefore Lyse gets answers to her questions." Even at this point in time, Jameson's eyes were still filled with admiration for Alyssa.
"Was Aidan the only person whom Ms. Alyssa found out about? How about Chief Novak?" Carl couldn't help but feel worried.
"I don't think she's found out about him. He's such a significant witness. If she did, the emotional Lyse that I know would have called the cops on me."
Jameson pushed his golden-framed glasses back. He smiled slightly. "Though Lyse did remindthis time. We do need to be more careful.
"I understand Lyse and Jasper's approach. Since they've found out about Aidan, he is now a ticking tbomb to us. So, l have to be one step ahead of them and wipe him out. "The drug has yom)beenp m distributed lo half of solana City through the underground market.
Aidan isn't worth much to us anymore.' With a sinister look on his face, Carl commented, "It's also a risk to keep him." "I am someone who likes to make the most out of something. We must ensure that his sacrifice is worth it." Jameson observed his own menacing reflection on the glass of the cabwhere the fire hydrant was stored.
He looked like a man and a monster at the stime.
"As the saying goes, clothes make the man. But, I would still need to rely on Joseph, Aidan, and all the other Lovelaces to wash the dirt off me."
"Don't worry. They will definitely Be the pnesto take the blame. Isn't this what you've already agreed upon with Mr. Justin?" Carl added, "I will notify Chief Novak to make the preparations accordingly over the next few days." "It's about tto make our move with The Ivory too,"
Jameson remarked coldly before turning around and brushing past Carl.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2032-The next day, a piece of groundbreaking news spread across Solana City and throughout the entire country.
Jameson was officially promoted to Schmidt Group's chairman and chairman of the board. He also inherited all of Victor's inheritance.
Victor's funeral happened five days later.
Jameson arranged a grand funeral for his father. It was comparable to the Harper family's funeral. One could say that it was even more showy than that.
Harper Group was previously in a state of danger and devastation. In comparison to that, there was an endless stream of people who cto pay their
final respects to Victor. It truly portrayed how extensive his connections were and how deep-rooted the Schmidt family was in Solana City.
More importantly, over the past two years, the inconspicuous Jameson had saved Schmidt Group from the verge of collapse multiple times, demonstrating his strength as a leader.
Naturally, many businessmen flocked toward him. They wanted to be in Jameson's good books so that they could hitch a ride on Schmidt Group's ship to success.
What they didn't know was that this ship would only end up hitting an iceberg.
When that happened, they would be completely wiped out! At the KS Group's headquarters, Alyssa was seated in the president's office with a frown on her face. She was looking at the news about Jameson on her tablet.
Just then, Cyrus called. "Lyse, I've gone back to the crscene twice over the last few days to look it over. I still haven't found any clues. The person who finished him off was too meticulous. I can't help but wonder if it might have been an inside job!" Alyssa leaned forward and pressed her arms against the table. She buried her forehead in her palms and pondered.
An inside job? For sreason, all her suspicion was directed toward Nicholas.
She wasn't relying on her sixth sense or anything of that sort. Instead, she considered all the evidence they had gathered up until now and all the people around Jameson who could benefit from this.
Nicholas was the only one who had such capability and sufficient motive.
He was like an inconspicuous puzzle piece. He was a puzzle piece that filled in the gap perfectly.
"It isn't good to keep dragging this on, Lyse. If Nathan is still unable to provide evidence to prove his innocence, he will be officially swn v lprosecuted by the prosecution Cyrus exclaimed in a concerned votee. Content belongs english"There's no other choice. We have to drag this on no matter what."
Alyssa took a deep breath. She was enraged. In a raspy voice, she said, "Cyrus, look into Aidan over the next few days and Lovelace Group as well.
"Aidan is one of the distributors of Jameson's drugs. If we get a hold of any evidence of his 'drug dealings,' we can then have him in our control. We will then be able to find out more about Jameson's crimes from him!" "Lyse, I am an experienced criminal investigator. I have sent people to look into this before you even mentioned it." "Thank you, Cyrus." The look in Alyssa's eyes turned deep.
"Also, you have to monitor Aidan's movements closely. He might have bodyguards with him 24/7. Still, make sure that all of you look out for his safety too. S It was a risky move for her to have mentioned Aidan intentionally in front of Jameson at that time.
Aidan's exposure would surely make Jameson uneasy. Based on how vicious he was, he would definitely find a suitable opportunity to get rid of Aidan.
Mad dogs would also have a normal appearance.
Only when they were disturbed and angered they would show their true selves. They would only bare their teeth, attack, and tear at their targets then.
It was not simply a gof wits between her and Jameson, It was also a face againstline.
Right after Alyssa hung up her call with Cyrus, Sean knocked on the door and walked. in.*Ms. Alyssa, your ride lis ready. You can make your way to The Ivory Group at any time."
"Okay.
This was also the best way to lure the viper out.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2033-Alyssa lifted her wrist and checked the time. "I'll eat before we go. I need to recharge. Who knows if there might be a war to fight?" Sean frowned. "Are you sure you want to head there alone, Ms. Alyssa? Aren't you at least going to inform Mr. Beckett so he can keep a lookout for you?" The Ivory might be an organization, but it was actually an organization of outlaws! "Who says that I'll be alone? Colene will be there, won't she?" Alyssa responded casually.
"But…" "Plus, Jasper is occupied. He has other things to attend to." Alyssa's gaze was fiery, and she had a bearing of a sharp-witted commander. "We have to make our moves separately so that The Ivory will not end up in chaos." In the afternoon, Marc was in the VIP ward at the hospital. His sideburns had started to go gray.
He was seated in his bed with his back against the headboard while being hooked onto an IV drip. He had just thrown up the lunch that he had just eaten.
Ever since Nathan was arrested, Marc's aging body took a turn for the worse.
Two days ago, Colene cback to visit him. They hadn't seen each other in years and weren't the kinds of people who knew how to express their feelings. Both of them sat there quietly.
Neither of them spoke up even after around an hour. It was as if they were competing with each other, creating a childish yet bitter atmosphere.
Finally, Colene broke the silence when Matilda Osborne brought food over. She helped Marc up and fed him.
Colene thought about how Marc used to be high and mighty. Yet, he had cto a point where he was almost losing his ability to feed himself.
Colene could no longer hold it in and burst out in tears.
Matilda sat by Marc's bed and held his dry hands. She choked on her tears. "Mr.
Waters, Ms. Colene still cares for you." She was a woman who stayed by Marc's side for half his life. She wasn't his first, but she was his last.
She wasn't given an official status. People from The Ivory addressed her as "Ms. Osborne" whereas Colene would address her politely as "Aunt Tilda".
"That brat… She's been having a good life with Winston." Marc had the usual intimidating expression on his face. However, his eyes becmoist, and his heart was moved.
"What does it matter? Power and reputation cannot be taken with us to the afterlife. So, we don't have to be bothered by other people's opinions of us."
Matilda was bright-eyed, and her smile was tender. "The most Veimportant thing is that we live a comfortable and happy life. You might think that they're not a match for one another, but Ms. Colene has been living a happy life. "Plus, despite his age, Winston managed to maintain his youthful look-like a man in his 40s. He's good-looking, rich, and probably the last of his kind. Ms. Colene is the one who scored herself a good catch." Marc clicked his tongue. "You're singing praises about another man even though I'm still right here. Aren't you afraid that I'd lose it?" He made an angry face.
"Look at you. You're already a grown man…" Matilda lifted his rough hand and put d it against her cheek. She rubbed his hand on her cheek gently and continued, "Plus, no matter how kind Winston is, he's not my type. /// love this fearless and manly man of mine." "Let's get married, Matsy," Marc blurted.
His eyes were filled with a level of tenderness that was rarely seen. "If… If you don't mind the way I am right now." Matilda was floored. She welled up with tears of surprise and joy.
"Forget it… It's too late." Marc shook his head and smiled bitterly. In a voice laced with remorse and regret, he added, Pdon't have long to live.
You're still young… You have a whole life ahead of you.
"Just forget that I ever said that."
Matilda was so touched that her eyes were filled with dears. Just as she was about to give him her response, a knock sounded at the door.
"Mr. Waters, Schmidt Group's chairman, Mr. Jameson Schmidt, is here." "Who?"
After he asked that question, Jameson waltzed into the rogg with Carl trailing behind him?, incomprehensible hint of glee could be seen in Jameson's dark eyes.
Marc's eyes darkened.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2034-The Ivory Group was facing troubles both internally and externally. They were like a cat on a hot tin roof. Marc's right hand, Nathan, had been arrested, and Colene had gone to take charge of the gang.
Matilda was the only person he had left by his side.
Marc took a deep breath. His gaze was gloomy. He studied Jameson's arrogant face and the mysterious intention in those eyes behind his gold-framed glasses.
Matilda had seen all kinds of crafty people after being by Marc's side for so many years. Jameson was giving off an air of wild ambition and murderous intent. She had a feeling that Jameson wasn't here for a friendly visit.
"You don't look too good, Mr. Waters. I can see that you are very sick." Carl had already moved a chair over for Jameson without waiting for Marc's prompt.
Jameson then helped himself and sat down elegantly.
His attitude was arrogant and condescending. He wasn't here to pay a hospital visit. He was here to challenge him! Matilda was enraged. She was about to speak up when Marc said, "Mr. Schmidt, if you chere to visit me, you've seen me. Can you leave now?" His gaze was frigid.
"Don't be impatient, Mr. Waters." Jameson leaned back and crossed his legs. In a calm tone, he explained, "Coming to visit you is just one part of it. My main purpose for coming is to talk business with you." "You and I… We have nothing to talk about!" Marc was starting to feel weak. "Show him the way out, Matsy!" "I want to acquire The Ivory Group." With a cold smirk on his face, Jameson went straight to the point and revealed his ambition. He was highly conceited!
"What… What did you say?" Marc burned with anger, and his pale face flushed red.
The Ivory was built on his blood, sweat, and tears! And he didn't do it on his own. Winston had given him endless help from behind the scenes all these years. He had pumped in a total of over 300 million dollars to help land them projects in and out of Solana City. He did all these to help the organization get back on the right track.
Colene, Alyssa, and the rest of the Taylors were oblivious to this. Winston had forked out his own money to help the Waters family. Furthermore, he never intended for them to pay him back! Right now, Jameson was here to covet The Ivory? How could he put up with this? If he did, it was equivalent to having this son of a bitch trample all over him! Marc chuckled. "It isn't tfor bed yet, but you're already in dreamland, Mr. Schmidt?" Marc's eyes were filled with fury, and his body trembled. "The Ivory is not a listed company. So, you cannot simply acquire Ivory Group as you wish. I disagree with this, so just forget about it!" "That's true. That's why I visited, especially to discuss this matter with you."
Jameson pushed back his glasses lightly. He maintained his composure.
Casually, he lifted his pointer finger and pointed upward.
"The entire country knows I have officially taken over Schmidt Group. Half of Solana City belongs to me, and the other half to Beckett Group.
If you intend for The Ivory to ecestablished in Solana City, 'ou should be mindful of whose side 'ou're on Otherwise, I will compete vith you on the business side hings and have the authorities visit our territories every other day. Do ou think that the business dealings ox it The Ivory would be able to last?" Matilda could clearly feel the blood draining from Marc's hands. In his anxiousness and rage, he started shaking uncontrollably.
"No matter what, it will be a dead end for The Ivory. Since this is the case, you might as well sell it to me. For the price I'm offering, there wouldn't be many who could turndown." Jameson opened his palms, and Carl respectfully presented him with a stack of checks. Jameson smiled and said "With this amount of your treatments. Not only thatmoney, you will have enough they will be enough for you and your wife tedive comfortably for the rest of your life. "If you miss out on this opportunity, no one will want The Ivory when it falls apart in the future. No one would take it even if you gave it to them for free." Jameson wrote down a string of numbers that an average person could only dream of. He tore out the check and handed it to Carl. Then, Carl walked over and gave it to Marc.
Marc's breathing was labored as he received the check in his hands.
Jameson's smile beceven wider. But his delight didn't last for long. Marc tore his check worth hundreds of millions into shreds! Jameson's face dropped, and the look in his eyes becfrigid.
"Even if The Ivory ends up getting sold off to someone else, it will never be sold to you!" Marc's eyes bulged with anger. He flung the shreds of paper at Jameson, and they fell to the ground. "Take your filthy money and scram!" Carl glared at him. He was about to charge at him when Jameson lifted his hand calmly and stopped him. "If this is your response, I shall use a different approach with you." He narrowed his eyes and gave him a half-smile. "If you agree to sell The Ivory to me, I can guarantee that your adopted son, Mr.
Nathan, gets through this hurdle.
"He is about to be prosecuted for murder. If he's lucky, he'd get a death sentence. If he's not, he would be sentenced for life.
"If you sell The Ivory to me, I will make sure he's returned to you. Once you sign the transfer agreement, I promise Mr. Nathan will return to your side in one piece within a week." Marc was aghast. His chest tightened.
On the surface, Nathan was his subordinate. But deep down, he had been treating him like his own son.
How could he bear to see him die?
While Marc was feeling conflicted and troubled, Carl plagedl the Deh'and transfer agreement before him.
Though it was only a few thin sheets of paper, they felt like a tonne of bricks weighing on his thighs.
Marc picked up the pen with his shaky hands. He hovered the tip of his pen over the signature area but was reluctant to put his ndown.
"Mr. Waters…" Matilda's heart wrenched. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Jameson lifted his wrist to look at his watch. His impatience was written on his face. "I'm a busy man.
I don't have tto hesitate with like this.
Hurry up and make your decision Na mich he did to at but Mr.
S Marc was devastated. At last, he made his decision.
He was about to put his signature down when he heard a fierce angh deep voice that showted) "Hold up!"
That voide Pesounded like a church bell ringing in a quiet cathedral, giving him a wake-up call.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2035-Marc paused. He looked up and toward the door in shock.
That strong, dissuasive voice was familiar. It was like a sharp knife that stabbed through Jameson's heart. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. Slowly, he turned around.
Jasper's cold gaze glanced over him. He stormed into the ward, with Xavier following behind him gallantly.
"Mr. B-Beckett!" In a flash, Marc's defeated eyes lit up.
Even though he had never met this exceptional man, oddly enough, Jasper gave him a sense of peace. After all, everyone knew that Jasper was Winston's future son-in-law.
Winston wouldn't misjudge a person. He was willing to hand his beloved daughter, Alyssa, into Jasper's hands. Clearly, Jasper was an outstanding young man and a hidden gem.
He was unlike the son of a bitch before him, who only looked kind on the outside, but was a cunning viper on the inside.
"What are you doing here, Jasper?" Jameson questioned with a horrified look on his face.
"I'm here for the spurpose as you." Jasper's tone was neutral. He did not sound like he was showing off his power or challenging him.
Even so, he had an air of nobility around him, which inevitably intimidated the people around him.
In comparison, Jameson's sly smile looked overly forced. It was repulsive to look at.
Carl had his fists clenched as he glared at Jasper. Xavier tightened his fists too.
He readied himself to have a go at him.
"I heard most of your conversation with Mr. Waters when I was outside earlier."
Jasper lifted the corners of his lips into a smile. A tender and loving gaze flashed across his eyes. "I'm sorry. I was influenced by my wife to eavesdrop. Hope you don't mind, Mr. Waters." Jameson was enraged. Anger thrummed to his veins, and he becsuffocated with rage.
"Of course not! It is my privilege to meet you, Mr. Beckett!" Marc was old enough to be Jasper's father. Yet, he maintained a humble attitude before him.
"Mr. Waters, The Ivory is what you've worked hard your entire life for. You cannot sell it." Jasper gave Jameson a quick, cold glance. "Even if you wanted to put it up for sale, you can never sell it to someone like Mr. Schmidt. Moreover, not a single word of his can be trusted." Jameson shot to his feet, and his chair toppled behind him.
"He claims that he will help you with rescuing Mr. Nathan. You will suffer a double whammy if he changes his mind and goes back on his word after you've signed the contract.
"He has used this strategy multiple times. If you do not believe me, you can very well pay a visit to Mr. Josh Schmidt and Ms. Daisy Schmidt in prison. Then, you will get to learn about Jameson's ways." Marc widened his eyes. He had a sudden revelation. His desperation to save Nathan earlier almost made him fall into Jameson's trap.
He could very well have spoken empty words to deceive him. The probability of him going back on his words was high. "Please leave, Mr. Schmidt." Jasper's appearance made his fear of Jameson vanish completely. The sharpness in his eyes returned. "Even if I had to burn Ivory Group to the ground, I will never let you get your hands on it! "As for Nathan, I believe there is justice in this world.
No one can ever be above the law!" Jameson's plan was so close to success.
Thanks to Jasper's interference, he fell at the last hurdle.
"Since this is the case, I can only say that I'm really sorry to hear that."
Jameson's eyes turned red with anger. Amidst his refusal to admit defeat, he let out a cold laugh. He gave Jasper a vicious glare before storming out with Carl.
The tense atmosphere in the ward eased up slowly.
Matilda's face ran white. Marc held onto her hand tightly. He comforted her by caressing her hand gently.
She had been by Marc's side for more than ten years. She was used to seeing violence happening in front of her. But what Jameson brought with him earlier was a battle without any violence. It scared the living daylights out of her.
"Mr. Beckett, thank you for earlier."
Marc exhaled. He looked at him with sincere eyes. "If you want to lead The Ivory… I am willing to step down and hand the entire organization over to you. I will not ask for a single cent from you'""Mr. Waters, J have never thought fracquiring The ivory. Ivory Group will always belong to you and Madam Colene." Jasper smiled slightly. "I cto comfort you. You have been concerned and troubled over what happened to Mr. Nathan.
Jameson's appearance at this twas only to ambush your psychological defense and trick you into handing The Ivory to him. "Fortunately, all could be turned around. From now on, I will assign bodyguards to watch over you. I will not allow anyone from the Schmidt Group to bother you."
"Mr. Beckett, thank you very much,"
Marc choked. From the bottom of his heart, he was touched.
These senior members of The Ivory took pride in their seniority in the group. Furthermore, Marc was always unwell. So, they had long et made plans to tear down The Ivory.
Even when they were before Colene Waters herself, they did not show any respect to her at allyWide-eyed, Oplene Chidled, "Everyone, dogs are my father's favorite animal. Also, we've always had a rule that it is forbidden to consdog meat at The Ivory. Yet, you are all acting out collectively like this. What is the meaning of this?" "We didn't even have tto eat because we had to rush here for this damn meeting. There aren't many restaurants nearby either. There was only one dog meat stew restaurant that had decent food. Are you saying that we should starve ourselves, Ms. Colene?" "Plus, it's our freedom to eat whatever we want! Women are such troublemakers, poking their noses into everything!" It was indeed their freedom to eat anything they wanted.
More than ten of The Ivory's higher-ups were seated around the table. They had cigars and whiskeys on the table in front of them. Brazenly, they gobbled down their bowls of dog meat stew in Colene's face.
The slurping noises were neverending, making her blood boil.
However, they were treating the conference room as their canteen. They were clearly challenging the Waters family's boundaries! Colene was fuming. Her breathing quickened, and her temples throbbed.
She couldn't leave them be. But if she stopped them and they retaliated, today's meeting would not happen again! As she contemplated what to do, she heard crisp sounds of clacking heels walking closer to them.
These senior members of The Ivory took pride in their seniority in the group. Furthermore, Marc was always unwell. So, they had long et made plans to tear down The Ivory.
Even when they were before Colene Waters herself, they did not show any respect to her at allyWide-eyed, Oplene Chidled, "Everyone, dogs are my father's favorite animal. Also, we've always had a rule that it is forbidden to consdog meat at The Ivory. Yet, you are all acting out collectively like this. What is the meaning of this?" "We didn't even have tto eat because we had to rush here for this damn meeting. There aren't many restaurants nearby either. There was only one dog meat stew restaurant that had decent food. Are you saying that we should starve ourselves, Ms. Colene?" "Plus, it's our freedom to eat whatever we want! Women are such troublemakers, poking their noses into everything!" It was indeed their freedom to eat anything they wanted.
Alyssa was dressed in a smart, black suit. She carried a strong bearing with her as she strutted into the conference room, much to everyone's surprise
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2036-"Lyse…?" Colene was floored to see Alyssa's sudden appearance.
Colene was a strong woman who would not even shed a tear even if she was shot three times. At this moment, she was moved to tears to see her savior descending from heaven.
The senior gang members only felt that Alyssa looked somewhat familiar.
Most of them were boorish men who mingled in the underworld. They wouldn't have had a chance to cin contact with a daughter of a wealthy family like Alyssa.
Even if they met her, they would only presthat she was an immature woman with her looks.
Sof them even started laughing as if she were a joke.
Colene clenched her hands into angry fists. She hit the roof! She didn't mind if others laughed at her. But if they looked down upon Alyssa, she would show them who the boss was! That said, Alyssa didn't give Colene a chance to react.
With a frigid look in her eyes, she walked calmly toward the man who called Colene a troublemaker.
She had one hand in her pants pocket, seemingly relaxed; with her other hand, she lifted the casserole that contained the hot stew.
In the next second, everyone gasped in shock. Following that was a loud cry.
Alyssa had flipped the entire casserole over the man's head! "Ah!" He leapt to his feet. He looked like a mess, and his scalp felt like it was burning! "You were the one who said that women were troublemakers, weren't you?" Alyssa crossed her arms in front of her chest. She curled her lips and gave off an air of arrogance. "Not only are women troublemakers, we are also merciless when we're triggered. So, this is a reminder to you. Remember-never anger a woman ever again." The senior members in the room had known each other for decades. They had already conspired with one another in secret for their mutual benefit.
They couldn't stand the fact that heir fellow gang member had been Issaulted by a woman. Each of hem slammed on the table and stood to their feet. They glared iercely at Alyssa, who still had a alm expression on her face.
"You bitch! How dare you hit me! Where the fuck did you cfrom?" The man removed the casserole on his head and smashed it on the floor. Without waiting for Alyssa to introduce herself, Colene waltzed over and shielded Alyssa behind her. She stared back at the members angrily.
"This is Ms. Alyssa Taylor, the daughter of Mr. Winston Taylor, KS Group's chairman! If any of you dare to so much as touch her, I will cafter you even before Mr. Winston does!" Everyone was astonished. Instantly, the rowdy conference room fell into silence.
The man, who was covered in stew, shuddered. He stopped himself from cussing.
The greasy stew was spilled all over the table and the floor. Naturally, it splashed all over Alyssa too.
She removed the blazer of her expensive suit, which had been stained. She flung it at the man and said, "Wipe it down. Let's get on with the meeting."
Colene sat at one end of the conference table. With the sogol expression on herlface, Alyssa sat down next to her, giving her a great sense of security.
"We're having The Ivory's internal meeting today, Ms. Colene. Yet, you invited an outsider to sit in with tis.
This isn't in agcordance with our rules, is it?" This question cfrom Harry Mendez, a member whom everyone addressed as "Haz". He was one of the respected members of the group.
Although succinct, her words were full of intimidation! After such an upheaval, the senior members lost their appetite. They assumed their seats in an annoyed and unserious manner.
Alyssa lowered her eyes and remained silent.
Colene scoffed. "All of you treated our Ivory Group's conference room as your canteen. You even Consumed dog meat kight here. Were you following our rules?" Colene looked at the room coldly. Her response shut everyone up temporarily.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2037-"Today, I have two items I'd like to announce…" Colene paused. She had a fiery gaze in her eyes. "The first announcement is that I will officially take over Nathan's position. I will be managing Ivory Group and Ivory Gang's 13 divisions in Solana City.
"The second announcement is that from this moment onward, drugs will be completely banned within The Ivory Gang!" Right at that moment, the conference room was in an uproar as a complete ban on drugs was a massive blow to them.
Within less than six months, almost all of The Ivory was under the drug's control.
All 13 divisions, from the lowest of ranks to the highest, were involved with the drug.
Furthermore, the hefty profits from the drug were splendid. Colene's announcement was messing with their slices of the pie! "I disagree!" too!" The meeting attendees started shouting their disagreement.
Colene clenched her hands into fists on the table. Her eyes becreddened.
On the other hand, Alyssa looked overly calm as she remained seated confidently next to her.
"This directive is absurd, Ms. Colene! The Ivory's rule is that we are not to have drug dealings. But what we're selling is a type of medication, not a drug! Why can't we sell it?" Harry was someone who sold significant amounts of the medication. He protested the moment he heard that drugs were going to be banned.
"You declared that drugs would be banned for no good reason. This is equivalent to cutting off our members' access to making money! Business hasn't been good in the first place. The 13 divisions were only able to get by thanks to the sales of the drugs. How will everyone make a living if you call for a ban like this?" "That's right! It's immoral to sever our avenue for making a living!" The members were all in agreement with one another.
"Although that product isn't a narcotic, it is an illegal medication. Because of this product, a few lives have been lost within Solana City. Sof the deaths have even been linked to The Ivory!" Trying to get through to them was exhausting. In a clear voice, Colene continued, "The person who developed the medication did it with ulterior motives. They might have an even more harmful purpose behind doing so. If we do not ban the medication now, it will be too late when the entire organization keels over! "The police are already on high alert because of this.
They also already have their eyes on The Ivory. If we don't put a stop to this, our members will really end up not being able to make a living!" "That would just be their luck. It's not the drug's fault!" et Harry refused to yield to Colene's instructions. With a wave of his hand and a gleam of greed in his eyes, he added, "Even other gangs in the other areas are short of supply for this medication right now. There is an inflation in the price per pill. It is the perfect tto earn big bucks.
"You say that the coppers are on high alert? That sounds like a good thing to me! As the saying goes, high risk, high returns!" Colene was burning with so much rage that her stomach started cramping.
She was already losing her cool even though it had barely been an hour since she sat down in this seat. At this moment, she finally understood why Marc's health had been deteriorating all these years.
"Ms. Colene, since you want to ban the medication, we have nothing else to discuss with you!" Harry got up. He had a gloomy expression on his face. The others followed suit, demonstrating their rebellious attitude.
"From now on, I am officially leaving The Ivory's management! "I will be in charge of my own earnings. The Ivory does not have to bother about me. My comrades and I will no longer work for the Waters family!" Harry declared.
Colene rolled her eyes.
"The sgoes for us!" Seven or eight division heads had risen to their feet in the blink of an eye. "'d be an idiot not to take the profitable route now!
Sinde the. Waters family wishes for us to be out of a job, there's no point in us pursuing this matter!" More than half of the senior members went against Colene. It looked as if they had conspired to do so beforehand.
Their attendance today wasn't to paste the metering Just as they were about to leave the conference room, Alyssa, who had been sileht alvalong, finally spoke up.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2038-"Everyone, please make sure that you've made a well-thought-out decision. You will no longer be part of The Ivory the moment you step out this door.
"From today onward, you cannot seek profit under the nof The Ivory. And you will no longer be under the organization's protection the moment you leave this place." Alyssa squinted. She rested her arms on the armrest gracefully. With a tap of her foot, she spun her chair around and faced them. "Gang life was never about violence. It's about knowing the ways of the world. I hope none of you assumed that your safety all these years was because people feared your names." Everyone in the group looked at one another.
A look of diffidence flashed across the eyes of a few division heads, whose divisions were not as big as Harry's.
"What are you trying to say, Ms. Alyssa? Are you threatening us?" Harry gave her a fierce stare.
"The Ivory is able to have business dealings and survive till today because my father has been supporting your organization behind the scenes. Yet, your naivety was telling you that all of you were the ones who built The Ivory's success. That's ridiculous, don't you think?" Everyone was dumbfounded.
The Taylor family invested in The Ivory Gang from behind the scenes? They had never known about this.
"Each of your 13 divisions uses ten million from the Taylor family to maintain your businesses annually. These are all recorded in your accounts. I'm not making this up." Alyssa rested the side of her head on her palm. She smiled.
"Those of you who no longer wish to stay in The Ivory will also lose this support from the Taylor family. As for the drug that you rely on… Too bad." Alyssa's cold chuckle made the senior gang members go numb! "My brother, Cyrus, is chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit. Those of you who have been in the underworld would have heard of him.
"What if I were to ask him to check on all of you every other day and get him to force all of you to suspend your businesses half the tbecause of your distribution of illegal drugs? How are you going to continue running your businesses then?
"He is a perfectionist. The moment he locks his eyes on his targets, he will keep pursuing them until he captures them." Upon saying that, two or three others, who weren't as shameless as Harry, sat back down quietly.
Harry continued glaring at Alyssa, as if he was trying to tear her into pieces with his piercing gaze.
He had made such a big fuss up until now. He would be embarrassing himself if he were to back down now.
Others might not have cared about their pride as much when they returned to their seats. But he was not going to be humiliated like that.
"Ms. Alyssa, you can't scare me. I et have been working under Mr. Marc for decades. You can say that I contributed to half of The Ivory's success today. I am well-respected in the underworld and also by Mr. Marc himself! ne "All these years, we have contributed more than enough to the Waters family. You claim that you spend ten million dollars a year to keep us afloat. But what we've given to the Waters family amounts to more than that! Not only are we being oppressed, we're not even allowed to consdog meat. We've had enough of such miserable days!" Harry was a man who was well-versed in stirring people up.
After all, he knew that mentioning the ban on dog meat would rile the others up.
"Comrades! Let's go!" Even though three members had returned to their seats, five others followed behind Harry.
Right at this moment, Sean barged in the door. He walked in with a frigid look in his eyes. Shadowing behind him were two rows of bodyguards dressed in blacsurrounded everyone in the They conference room. The Ivory's senior members were taken aback.
Alyssa and Colene also had surprised looks on their faces.
Then, Sean turned to his side and gestured politely for semeane to"
A tall man in a black coat marched confidently into the ropm as he m watched everyone with his sharp and vicious eyes.
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2039-"Landon?" Alyssa's eyes widened. She stared at Landon's handsface in shock.
In an instant, her eyes lit up! "Mr. Landon?" Colene, who was standing beside her, was also astonished.
She was aware that Landon had only been staying by Lauren's side ever since she was hurt. He had no tfor the business world or the underworld. He had been keeping a low profile.
Other than at Cornelius' funeral, he hadn't reappeared in public. This was the second public appearance since then.
The rebelling division heads, including Harry, were staggered to witness Landon's entrance. Sof them were so shocked that they stumbled backward.
Landon was no longer just a Harper family member. He had now taken over as their head! "Hello, Ms. Colene. Hi, Lyse." Landon narrowed his eyes slightly. He slipped his black coat off his broad shoulders. Jordan, who was behind him, caught it in his hands.
"Jasper toldthat there would be a big upheaval at The Ivory today and askedto cover. I love to be part of the excitement. I can see that he really didn't lie to me," Landon chuckled.
Looking into Landon's bright eyes, Alyssa pressed her trembling lips together.
She welled up with tears.
She tried her best to control her emotions so that she wouldn't actually cry.
How long had it been since the last tshe saw a smile like that on Landon's face?
It was a long, long tago…
He was a man who used to roam freely and proudly throughout Solana City.
After such an arduous journey, this man had finally returned.
"Everyone, I'm sure that I am no stranger to any of you." Landon looked at everyone in the room with a perfunctory smile. Then, he fixed his cold eyes on Harry. "Although my grandfather is no longer around, the Harper family has started to engage in legitimate businesses. As the saying goes, 'Every cloud has a silver lining."" He looked down and fiddled with the platinum wedding ring on his ring finger. "To those of you who walk out from this place today -Not only will The Ivory disown you, but you will also not be recognized by the Harper family.
"The world can be a dark and cruel place. I wish you all the best." These words were, without a doubt, words of threat! However, a threat coming from Landon was ten times more powerful than Alyssa's.
They knew that the late Cornelius used to be a powerful and mighty leader.
Even Marc, who had once shot to fame, could not be compared to him.
Subsequently, the Harper family entered into the business world. Eventually, Bill directed their family business toward the legal route.
Even so, many people in the underworld still admired Cornelius. They might not have voiced their thoughts, but they relied on the Harper family because of their reputation.
If they got on The Ivory's bad side, they might still be able to catch a breather if they held out.
If they got on Harper Group's bad side, they would lose their Solana City position.
Moreover, Preston died a mysterious death in the hospital even though he was under the close watch of the police. Word was going around that Landon was the one behind it.
Harry chose to leave The Ivory. But the other division heads had chosen to stay.
The organization's foundation was safe.
"Don't worry, Colene. Jasper and I will think of a way to get Mr. Nathan out
Can Not Win Me Back Chapter 2040-Alyssa comforted Colene before turning her gaze toward Landon. "Landon, why did you suddenly chere?" "Jasper notified me, of course," Landon replied with a gentle smile.
"He couldn't chimself and was worried about you and Madam Colene, so he askedto cover. After all, people in the underworld still have a little respect for the Harper family." Colene, being her optimistic self, couldn't resist teasing, "Oh, Mr.
Landon, don't be modest. Compared to your influence, I'm really nothing." "What influence do I have? It's all my grandpa's lingering influence." Landon chuckled wryly.
Alyssa asked with concern, "How is Lauren? Is she okay?" Landon's eyes turned gentle at once. "She's gained sweight from my feeding, but she's doing
well." "Has she… started speaking?" Landon's long lashes fluttered as he shook his head. "After we finish the wedding, I plan to take her on a trip around the world. We'll see a doctor along the way." "That sounds good." Alyssa smiled.
"Maybe during one of her trips, she'll be deeply impressed by the beautiful scenery and start speaking." "I hope so." Landon's eyes sparkled with hope.
As the group entered Ivory Group's underground parking lot, a familiar Maybach pulled up not far away and stopped in front of them.
"Lyse!" Even before Xavier opened the door, Jasper had swiftly gotten out of the car and embraced Alyssa. "Sorry for being late." "You're just in time. We just cout." Alyssa stood on tiptoe as she rubbed her cheek against Jasper's jawline intimately. "How was it? Is Mr. Waters alright?" "As you expected, Jameson went to see Mr. Waters. He wanted to acquire the Ivory. I stopped him." Jasper's tone was casual, showing no sense of pride in what he had done.
"Thank you so much, Jasper." Colene was moved to the point of choking up.
Jasper smiled. "We're a family. It's what I should do." "Now that the crisis is resolved, I'll go back to accompany Lauren." Landon was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and looked at Colene. "Madam Colene, should I send someone to handle that troublemaker's business?" Colene shook her head. "Forget it. Let him be. He's all bark and no bite. He can't stir up any trouble." Then Landon and Colene each got into their cars and left.
As soon as Alyssa got into the car, Jasper pulled her onto his lap and embraced her tightly. Their lips met in a passionate kiss as they eagerly entwined with each other. S Only when they kissed with such fervor that Jasper's eyes turned red with passion and Alyssa's head spun did they reluctantly separate.
"We've won the first battle. Want to celebrate?" Jasper's gentle and hoarse voice teased her ears.
"Um… I'm a little hungry." Alyssa sat in his arms with her arms around his neck.
"Is that old lady's hotdog store still open? We haven't been there in 9h long time. Im craving it) Jasper smiled and pecked her lip gently.
"Alright, let's go." With that, the Maybach sped away.
Not far away, Jonah and Julien stood there, witnessing everything.
"I told you. You were nervous for nothing." Julien squinted his eyes and poked Jonah's cheek with his fingertip. "With Mr. Beckett protecting her, who dare's to bully her? Who can' bully her?" "Yes, you're right about everything, darling." Jonah wrapped his arms around Julien's waist and touched his nose with his "From now on, I'll focus on protecting you. It's tforto step down from being Lyse's brother
She effortlessly transitioned from a commanding presence to a soft, tender woman.