Ch. 2421..2430

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."

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!"

Chapter 2422 "Jameson and Carl have been eliminated. Who else could be targeting Amber?"

A sharp glint flashed in Jasper's eyes as a thought struck him. "Could it be Justin or Sheryl?" he asked, his voice low and tense.

He recalled seeing Justin in the living room earlier that evening, wide awake instead of resting. Was Justin waiting for something? Or perhaps, provoking him in subtle defiance?

"They are the only ones I can think of with a grudge against Amber."

Alyssa's anxiousness made her voice tremble. "Having worked for Jameson for years, Amber must have visited Mosgravia multiple times to meet with Sir-who is, in fact, Justin.

"Justin wouldn't have met anyone else besides Jameson. But how could he leave no trace after all those interactions? Amber must have figured out his true identity. And Justin he must have realized who she is, even with her changed appearance."

Jasper's expression darkened. "So he decided to eliminate her as a precaution."

Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes, threatening to spill. "We've already uncovered his lies and started suspecting his crimes. Why did he have to go after Amber?"

Jasper's gaze hardened. "Because your brother, Axel, loves her deeply. Now that she's part of the Taylor family, Justin doesn't just want to get rid of her he wants to use her to manipulate you and Axel."

It had been a long time since laughter had left Jasper's lips. But now, a laugh burst from him, dark and laced with anger." Yes, this is just like Justin. For 20 years, he guilt-tripped me with the fact that he'd saved my life. He is now using the same tactic to exploit someone else's weakness. It's his tried-and-true method."

Desperation gripped Alyssa as she clutched Jasper's hands. "But doesn't that mean there's still hope? If Amber is useful to them, they might not hurt her."

Her hands were soft but icy cold. Jasper instinctively curled his fingers, holding hers tightly.

Suddenly, Alyssa's phone rang.

She glanced at the screen, and her heart sank.

"Who is it?" Jasper asked as he gazed deeply at her.

"It's Axel..." Alyssa was on the verge of tears.

Jasper nodded. "Go ahead and answer it. This is too serious to keep from him. You know that."

Alyssa rubbed her eyes, then answered Axel's call in a trembling voice, "Axel..."

"Lyse, why did Amber drive out alone in the middle of the night? I haven't been able to reach her cell. Are you able to get in touch with her?"

Axel, who was usually unperturbed by all adversities in the world, was so anxious about being unable to reach Amber that his throat had gone dry.

"Axel, how did you know that Ambs went out?"

"I installed a tracker in her car. It alerts me whenever she leaves Belbanks," he admitted. Sensing that something was amiss, his voice grew more urgent. "I saw her heading toward Solana City-Domere Mountain, specifically. Why would she go there?"

Domere Mountain?

Alyssa and Jasper exchanged alarmed glances. In unison, they exclaimed, "She went to The Millennium?"

After Amber was knocked out, two of Sheryl's subordinates carried her up a vehicle and drove off.

Meanwhile, Sheryl climbed into her luxurious Bentley, its interior kept cozy by the car's heating system. She frantically wiped the blood from her fingers with an alcohol wipe, muttering in disgust, "Filthy. Absolutely revolting,"

The dark winter night stretched on as the Bentley sped through the cold. Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes, jolting the car to a violent stop.

Sheryl screamed as she was thrown forward, her forehead colliding painfully with the back of the front seat. Tears sprang to her eyes from the stinging impact.

"What the hell was that?" she snapped.

Her driver stammered an apology. "I'm sorry, Ms. Gillis. I'm so sorry..."

"What happened?"

"A car it cut us off."

Sheryl rubbed her sore nose, glaring ahead. Her annoyance froze into shock as she saw the figure illuminated by her headlights.

Remy stepped out of the car blocking their path, his expression icy. He strode toward the Bentley with deliberate, menacing steps.

Chapter 2423noveldrama With a piercing gaze, Sheryl glared at Remy, who stood in front of her car with an air of frigidity around him.

The temptation to ram her car into the crestfallen man was almost irresistible, but she didn't dare. Remy was Justin's right-hand man, and even her audacity had limits.

Instead, Sheryl pulled her white coat snugly around her, stepped out of the car with feigned composure, and strode toward him.

Hostility crackled between them as their eyes locked.

Sheryl broke the silence. "Remy, is there nothing you'd like to update me about?" she asked with a sinister look in her eyes.

Stiffly, Remy asked, "Where did you take that woman?"

"How shameless of you to question me. Mr. Justin was wise to send me as backup. Otherwise, Amber would have escaped without a trace!"

Gritting her teeth, Sheryl took a step closer to Remy. "Is this how you handle tasks entrusted by Mr. Justin? The unstoppable Remy, brought to his knees by a wild brat? Or did you let her go intentionally? Are you planning to betray Mr. Justin?"

Remy's gloved hands curled into fists, his jaw tightening. The word betray hit harder than he cared to admit. He had never entertained such a thought, yet Sheryl's accusation stirred something deep within him.

Though he stood tall and rigid, her words left a crack in his resolve.

Sheryl, emboldened, reached for his collar, but Remy stepped back, causing her to lurch forward and stumble awkwardly.

Humiliated, she snarled, "Remy, I'm warning you-don't you dare try anything funny. This worthless life of yours exists only because of Mr. Justin. If not for his mercy, the sharks would've devoured you, and your corpse would've rotted on the shore!

"So, know your place. Be Mr. Justin's loyal dog. Should you dare to stray, I'll make sure your end is worse than being shark bait!"

Before she could gloat further, a sharp pain exploded across her nose. The world became a dizzying blur as she spun through the air before slamming into the ground.

"Who are you calling a dog?"

Remy's glacial stare fell on Sheryl's crumpled form. His fists tightened as he spoke, each word sharp as ice, "If I'm a dog, what does that make you? Nothing but a powerless bitch, all bark and no substance."

Sheryl's hands shot to her bloodied nose as tears welled in her eyes. "How dare you hit me! I can't believe you would hit a woman!"

Her entire face a fortune in plastic surgery and monthly maintenance that ran to tens of thousands and now Remy's punch had left her nose grotesquely askew. Through the fog of what felt like a concussion, pain blazed white-hot across her face.

"Consider yourself fortunate you're one of Mr. Justin's lackeys. Those words alone would have been enough reason to slit your throat."

Sheryl shuddered, momentarily forgetting her agony. There was something uniquely terrifying about how Remy delivered his most ruthless threats in that unnervingly calm voice.

Realizing he'd get nothing more from her, Remy turned to leave. Then he stopped abruptly, looking back. "What did you say earlier?"

"W-What?" Sheryl stammered, still clutching her nose.

"You mentioned something about Mr. Justin rescuing me... by the shore?" His voice softened, but his eyes darkened with curiosity a rare and unsettling sight. "Why was I by the shore? Why was I in the sea?"

Sheryl's chest tightened.

Justin had warned her never to reveal anything about Remy's origins. In her frustration, she'd let a small detail slip, and now Remy's sharp mind had latched onto it.

But it was just a fragment of information... surely it wouldn't lead to anything catastrophic, would it?

Clinging to that fragile hope, she could only console herself.

Chapter 2424 After studying Sheryl for a moment, Remy turned and left.

"M-Ms. Gillis, are you okay?"

One of Sheryl's subordinates came forward to help her up.

"Useless bastard! Why didn't you step in when he hit me earlier?" Sheryl's voice trembled with fury as her gaze fell on the crimson stains marring the pristine snow.

Stammering, the subordinate replied, "R-Remy acted too quickly. Everyone in the organization knows how good of a fighter he is. None of us stood a chance against him!"

"S-Something wasn't right about him tonight." Sheryl watched Remy's retreating figure disappear into the distance, her voice dropping to a menacing murmur. "I need to report this to Mr. Justin in person immediately."

Inside his car, Remy gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands but made no move to drive.

Closing his eyes, he felt a suffocating sensation rise in his throat, as though he were drowning in an endless, hopeless sea. He was just a speck, sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.

A sharp, splitting pain tore through his head.

His temples throbbed, and his body felt as though it were being dragged into a whirlpool of darkness.

Gasping for air, Remy clutched the necklace around his neck with trembling hands.

It contained pills that could save his life at this very moment. Each dose brought calm, washing away the pain and stabilizing his emotions.

Gritting his teeth, he yanked the necklace off and hurled it out the window.

To his surprise, the throbbing in his head began to subside. A strange sense of relief bloomed in his chest, as though unseen chains had been broken.

The skies were still dark at 5:00 am.

Several black vehicles surrounded the entrance of The Millennium.

As Alyssa stepped out of the car with Jasper, a sharp gust of wind sent a chill through her. She shivered involuntarily. Jasper glanced at her. He remembered how much she hated the cold-how she would curl against his chest for warmth during winter nights or seek his hands to keep hers warm when they went out.

"Alyssa," Jasper called out to her suddenly.

The moment Alyssa spun around, she felt a weight on her shoulders.

Jasper had draped his coat over her. With a firm gaze, he said, "Keep this on. It's cold."

Alyssa's eyes welled up. Hastily, she tried to return the coat. "I'm fine."

"Keep it on. You don't like the cold." Jasper's hands pressed firmly on her shoulders.

Choking slightly, Alyssa stammered, "Y-You... remember that?"

Jasper's lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned and walked toward Landon, who had just arrived.

Alyssa stood frozen, her eyes reddened. Pulling the coat tighter around her, she watched Jasper's retreating back. "Hasn't The Millennium been sealed off? Why would Amber come here in the middle of the night?" Landon asked, his brow furrowed.

Xavier came running toward them, panting. "Mr. Beckett, we just found Ms. Altman's car. It was parked nearby!"

"She must have been investigating something," Jasper said grimly. "Amber lived here for a long time before this. Aside from Jameson, no one knows The Millenium better than she does."

"Axel is already on his way to Solana City!"

Alyssa walked toward them, her heart pounding with unease. The oppressive darkness around them made her feel as though danger lurked in every shadow. "We need to search The Millenium thoroughly. If Amber was in trouble, she would have left some kind of trace!"

Jasper's gaze lingered on her before he nodded.

Landon turned to his subordinates, "You heard Ms. Alyssa! Search every corner of this place. Whoever finds a clue will be handsomely rewarded!"

Chapter 2425

"Got it, Mr. Harper!" Harper Group's subordinates acknowledged before swiftly dispersing.

"I'm going to search for Amber too," Alyssa said, turning to leave.

Jasper caught her arm. "It's freezing. Go wait in the car."

Landon chimed in, "Lyse, listen to Jasper. Just wait in the car. We'll search for Amber."

"No I have to come too!" Alyssa sniffled. The sharp wind stung her face, leaving her nose raw and crimson, her eyes watering until they puffed into tender, swollen crescents. "Amber's in trouble because of me. I was careless-it's all my fault!" "Lyse..." Landon's heart sank at her remorseful expression.

Jasper's gaze softened as he studied Alyssa's pale face. "Her disappearance isn't your fault."

Tears welled in Alyssa's eyes as she shook her head. "Amber means everything to Axel. If anything happens to her, I won't be able to face him. I don't deserve to be his sister. Please, let me come with you."

Jasper and Landon failed to dissuade her. Reluctantly, they agreed.

Alyssa trudged ahead through the icy winds, her frail frame defying the elements. Jasper and Landon followed close behind.

Landon sighed. "She's so stubborn. Being this headstrong will wear her down." He glanced at Jasper, whose face was unreadable. "Lyse carries so much on her shoulders-her family, a massive corporation, and now running after some reckless man." Jasper's expression turned colder. "I never asked her to do anything for me. We're nothing to each other now, so she doesn't need to do anything for my sake."

"Fuck... You're such a cold-hearted bastard," Landon scoffed, punching Jasper's shoulder. "You've only gotten worse since you got sick."

Jasper kept walking, his chest tight. After a moment, he murmured, "Landon, you mentioned an ointment that worked wonders for Lauren's scars. Do you still have it?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I need a tube."

...

Meanwhile, Sheryl hastily bandaged her swollen nose and rushed to Seaview Manor to meet Justin. She didn't have time to tend to her injury.

The study lay in darkness, with only moonlight seeping through the window. Its pale, cold glow carved shadows across Justin's frosty expression.

"Mr. Justin," Sheryl began, her voice sharp with frustration, "Remy is out of control!"

Sheryl's purpose for coming here was clear-toreport on Remy. She quickly added, "Not only did he hit me... but worse, he dared to pretend he was following your orders! With his combat skills, he could easily match Jasper, yet he somehow failed to subdue Amber? How is that possible?

"If I hadn't arrived in time to capture that bitch and eliminate this threat, she would have escaped. After that, taking her would have been nearly impossible with heightened security." en Justin remained silent in the darkness, listening.

"Mr. Justin," Sheryl ventured, "Remy has been behaving more erratically lately. Could the medication be losing its effectiveness?"

"Open the box on the table," Justin finally spoke, his voice unnaturally somber in the quiet night.

Fighting through her pain, Sheryl approached and lifted the lid. Inside lay a pill of such deep blue it made the ones she'd given Jasper pale in comparison. "What is this?"

"The latest iteration of Crystal Ice," Justin replied, his cultured voice taking on an almost eager quality, as if sharing a fascinating secret. "Five times more potent than its predecessor. A single dose el.14 create absolute dependency régardless of one's mental fortitude."

His tone carried a clinical pleasure as he added, "Give it to Remy. And make certain you witness him take it."

Chapter 2426

"Five times more potent than the previous version? Are you sure it's safe for Remy to consume this?" Sheryl picked up the pill, unease flickering across her face.

As much as she despised Remy, she couldn't deny his prowess as a fighter and his value as Justin's right-hand man. Having him around would certainly ease Justin's workload, prompting her to double-check.

"It won't kill him, but it won't be pleasant either. Don't worry-it's temporary," Justin replied, a sinister smile curling his lips. He continued nonchalantly, "When he takes the pill, his adrenaline will spike, flooding him with energy while his muscles tense. He'll feel both pain and euphoria. Then, it will fade, leaving him dependent on the drug moving forward."

The implication was clear to Sheryl. Justin intended to control Remy through addiction.

"Remy wasn't born for the shadows," Justin continued, his gaze darkened. "He's just a victim of post-traumatic amnesia, his nervous system subdued with sedatives and anesthetics. That's the only reason he's compliant. But dormant instincts always awaken. "His outburst tonight? A warning sign. To prevent further incidents, the solution is simple-severe addiction. Don't you agree?"

A shiver ran down Sheryl's spine.

She had been involved in every aspect of Justin's dealings, including RC's development of these new drugs. She knew all too well the monstrous transformation awaiting anyone who consumed that pill.

"Mr. Justin, what if Remy reacts adversely to the drug and becomes useless to you?"

"A useless man is just trash. Naturally, a piece of trash has to go where it belongs."

With a dismissive wave, Justin signaled her to leave.

Sheryl's body turned cold. What she didn't realize what she would only understand upon her death-was that this chill foreshadowed her own fate.

Landon tore down the police tape without hesitation, sending his men to search The Millenium. He'd shoulder any consequences himself. But their search yielded nothing.

en When day broke, a group of them searched the mountain behind The Millennium.

Despite days of exhaustion, Alyssa pressed on ahead of Jasper and Landon, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. She thought of Axel, who had hung up abruptly after hearing of Amber's disappearance. She knew his silence stemmed from anger, fear, and anxiety-he didn't want his words to terrify her more.

After searching for some time, Xavier suddenly shouted, "Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa, look! There's a blood trail!"

Everyone dashed forward, finding a line of crimson droplets leading into the distance.

"Assuming that this is the central point where it all happened, spread out and search for her!" Jasper commanded, and the team moved with precision, their actions mirroring trained police officers.

Alyssa tried to join the search, but Jasper held her back. "You're completely worn out. Take a break."

"I'm fine..." she protested, trying to pull away.

"Come here." This time, Jasper wouldn't let her stubbornness win. He drew her into his arms, hands settling naturally at her waist, holding her firmly against him. Landon's lips curved into a relieved smile as he watched them embrace. Jasper still cared for Alyssa, even if his words said otherwise.

Alyssa trembled in Jasper's arms, head bowed like a child who'd caused some terrible disaster.

"Why are you crying again? Your tears never stop," Jasper muttered, frowning at her soft sobs. "You've always been strong, Alyssa."

"I've never been strong... It was all just a front..." she whispered, her tears dampening her lashes. "Not for a single moment... was I truly strong."

Something indefinable surged through Jasper, leaving his throat desert-dry as he swallowed.

Chapter 2427

Jasper wanted to console Alyssa but found himself at a loss for words. So, he remained silent.

"Disappointed, aren't you?" Alyssa sniffled as she smiled bitterly.

"Not at all."

Perhaps he had been expecting too much.

As a woman, she was intelligent, capable, and a strategist for victory. Beyond that, she boldly stepped forward to fight against the dark forces. She was strong and perfect as she was why should he expect her to be anything more? Yet, seeing Alyssa's vulnerable side unsettled him. Something tugged at his heartstrings, a deep ache he couldn't ignore.

"I found it! I found Ms. Altman's cell phone!"

With more manpower and better visibility as the sun rose, it didn't take long to locate Amber's bloodied phone.

"Ambs..."

Alyssa's face drained of color as terror gripped her at the sight of the bloodstained device.

Jasper, on the other hand, remained composed. He tried powering on the phone, and to their surprise, it turned on.

"What's the password?" Jasper asked gently, his voice steady as his gaze met Alyssa's tear-filled eyes.

With trembling hands, Alyssa took the phone and entered Axel's birthdate. The screen unlocked instantly.

In the photo album, they found images of documents.

Amber, wary of unexpected events, had saved a copy of the documents on her phone.

Instinctively, Jasper leaned in, his head close to Alyssa's as they studied the contents together.

Both proficient in Grunslandish, they read through the document with ease.

Landon, curious, peeked over their shoulders. Unfortunately, his lack of Grunslandish skills rendered the text incomprehensible to him.

"RC Biotechnology Research Institute. That's the organization behind the human drug experiments. They're the ones who released that drug!"

Her fiery gaze locked with Jasper's.

"Yeah. These photos must be of the documents Amber found at The Millenium. Jameson probably didn't have time to take them with him and left them behind."

"In that case," Landon interjected, his voice anxious, "was Amber being hunted because of this?"

Alyssa's grip on the phone tightened, her expression sharpening. "If she found this document at The Millennium, it proves Jameson was RC's representative in Cyrriso en "He likely kept this experiment report as leverage against RC. Now that Jameson and his men are dead, who else would want this document?"

The atmosphere grew tense.

All signs pointed to Justin and Sheryl. They were the only ones wary of Amber.

Jasper's face betrayed no emotion, but his bloodshot eyes burned with barely contained rage.

"Damn it. That darn bastard!" Landon roared, clenching his fists.

"But, there's something I don't understand.Alyssa took a deep breath, forcing herself to think clearly. "Why would Amber call me at such a critical moment? She's the type to face danger alone, even if it means risking her life. She wouldn't drag others into it."

Jasper's deep voice cut through her thoughts. "You and she are alike in that way."

Alyssa's heart skipped a beat, but she pressed on. "If she called me, it must have been for something important."

Despite her efforts, the answer eluded her.

"You should head back home and rest. Take care of yourself." Alyssa's miserable appearance made Jasper's Chest feel stuffy. "I'll get in touch with Axel. We were in t the same military academy and share a good rapport. He might listen to me."

Landon shook his head in disbelief. Jasper had a sharp tongue and little tact-convincing Axel seemed like a stretch.

In the end, Jasper and Landon escorted a drained Alyssa into the car, leaving Xavier to drive her back to her place in Belbanks. "Jasper, what do you think-"

Before Landon could even finish his sentence, a loud crash startled him.

Jasper, his eyes blazing, had slammed his fist into the car window, shattering it.

After suppressing his fury for so long, he finally let it explode in front of Landon after Alyssa had left.

"I won't spare him," Jasper growled, his voice trembling with rage.

"Who?"

"Justin and that bitch working under him."

Chapter 2428

When Axel heard the news, he immediately returned to the city where his organization was based.

Without even reporting back to work, he booked the earliest red-eye flight to Cyrris. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, and when he emerged from the arrival gates, an ominous air surrounded him. A black luxury car awaited him at the exit. Standing in front of the car were Jasper and Xavier, who had been waiting anxiously for his arrival.

Axel's gaze locked onto Jasper's fiery eyes. His presence radiated fury, unrestraint, and a barely contained viciousness.

A strong gust of wind swept through the terminal. Snow danced in the air, tangling both Jasper's and Axel's hair into disarray.

"Let's talk in the car, Axel," Jasper said in a low, measured voice.

Red-eyed, Axel insisted, "I need to find my wife right now."

"That's exactly why I'm here. Get in the car, and we'll talk." Jasper turned on his heel. His tone grew colder. "But let's be honest-you won't find her no matter how urgently you act, will you?"

Grinding his teeth to suppress the storm of rage inside him, Axel finally climbed into the car with Jasper.

The atmosphere in the car was heavy and gloomy.

Jasper wasn't directly connected to Amber, but she had once fought alongside them. Her disappearance weighed heavily on him, especially after seeing Alyssa cry her heart out over it.

"Lyse and I went to the scene where Amber vanished," Jasper began. "We found blood trails."

Axel didn't let him finish. A guttural growl escaped his lips as he slammed his fists against the car window repeatedly. His entire body trembled with barely contained anguish, and the veins on his forehead bulged as sweat dripped down his face. "Axel, calm down!" Jasper barked, gripping Axel's swollen fists tightly, forcing him to stop.

"Did you find out who took her?" Axel's voice was raw, his fury barely contained as his blood roared in his veins.

Jasper fell silent for a moment. Although brief, it felt like an eternity.

"Amber uncovered critical evidence at The Millennium," he finally said. "She found a report on the human drug experiments that shook Solana City previously. "After leaving The Millenium, she headed to the mountain behind it. That's where she was ambushed. It's also where Alyssa and I found her cell phone. "Given Amber's past work with Jameson and her indirect connections to Justin and Sheryl, Alyssa and I strongly suspect Justin is behind her abduction." Despite the car's heating system blasting at full power, the air inside felt frigid, as if they were on the brink of disaster.

"I want to kill them both," Axel growled, his bloodshot eyes slowly meeting Jasper's. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all," Jasper replied evenly. "But I will stop you from doing it."

"Fuck!" Axet shoved Jasper's hands away. "Jasper, are you wasting my time? Do you think I'm joking? My wife is missing! If it were Lyse who disappeared, would you be this cold, this indifferent?"

Jasper remained stoic, his expression unreadable.

Axel sneered bitterly. "Oh, how stupid of me. I forgot. Lyse doesn't mean anything to you anymore, does she? She doesn't make your heart race like she once did."

A pained smile tugged at Axel's lips, his eyes brimming with anguish. "You don't love her anymore. You can't even understand what love is now. So how could you possibly understand how I feel?"

Jasper swallowed hard, his voice rough when he finally spoke. "I'm stopping you, not because Justin is my brother or because I'm dismissing your pain.

"If you go through with this, you'll have blood on your hands. You'll become a fugitive, hunted for murder remember you once told me you wanted a peaceful life. You said Amber dreamed of living in the light."

Amber wanted to live in the light.

Axel's bloodshot eyes flickered with a glimmer of realization. He closed them, wrestling with the emotions warring inside him.

"You can ignore everything else, Axel," Jasper said, his voice firm yet tinged with an unfamiliar emotion. "But you cannot ignore the love of your life." "What if Amber-"

Chapter 2429 "Amber will be fine,' Jasper said confidently.

"Based on Justin's way of doing things, he won't harm her for now. She's still useful to him. He'll exploit her to control you and Alyssa, and to keep me from taking him down." Cripping Jasper's arm, Axel pleaded, 'Jasper, I have to save my wife... What should I do?"

His eyes were red, brimming with unshed tears.

Steadying his breath, Jasper replied, "Even if it comes to killing Justin, it shouldn't be your hands that get dirty. I'll do it."

"Are you kidding me? If we're taking that bastard down, we do it together!" Axel's expression was fierce and unyielding. "We went through the same military academy. We have to fight side by side!"

"Justin is my older brother. It's my family's matter to handle. And don't think I'm doing this for your sake-I have my own reasons."

After a moment of silence, Jasper's voice softened. "I came to see you today for another reason. When you get home, don't blame Lyse. She's been torturing herself with guilt these past few days. She loves Amber deeply."

Axel clicked his tongue. "Do you think so little of me? That's Lyse we're talking about-my sister. I love her with my life. Why would I ever blame her?"

A lump rose in Axel's throat as he recalled Alyssa's sobs. Forcing back his tears, he added, And why are you only focused on me? What happens to Lyse if you get your hands dirty? I'm not allowed to take Justin's life, but neither are you!"

Jasper shot Axel a cold side-eye. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Damn it. Are you seriously asking that? Lyse still loves you, even now. Whether you lose your mind, become paralyzed, or-God forbid-impotent, you owe her accountability!"

"Lyse is a remarkable woman," Jasper murmured, his deep eyes shadowed with restraint. He tumed to gaze out the window. "I fall short in every way. She deserves someone better."

An unconscious Amber was trapped in a recurring nightmare, a suffocating loop of darkness, malice, and hopelessness. Over and over, she relived the torment of her time with Jameson.

In her dream, she was curled in a filthy basement at The Millenium, naked and covered in bruises. The door creaked open, and a tall, muscular figure stepped in.

"Axel..." she whispered through her tears, looking up.

But his face remained obscured, hazy and indistinct.

"Do you regret it?" Axel's voice was cold, emotionless. "Do you regret taking Jameson's hand back then just to survive?"

Amber wept silently.

She regretted it. She regretted choosing Jameson. If she could go back, she'd rather freeze to death on the streets than accept his twisted salvation.

"Ms. Gillis, she's not dead, is she?" a voice asked.

"Dead? Here, death is a luxury. She won't die so easily.

Suddenly, Amber's eyes shot open, bloodshot and wild. Her body convulsed violently, terror etched on her face as every nerve screamed in agony.

"She's awake!"

Expressionlessly, Sheryl withdrew the taser from Amber's body, curling her lips into a sly smile.

Amber's body continued to spasm from the electric shock as she lay on the bed, her mouth agape and eyes unfocused. Yet she forced herself to scan her surroundings.

The room was encased in cold, crumbling dark-gray walls, resembling a hybrid of a hospital and a prison.

"From now on, you will be known as Number 59," Standing by the window with two other medical staff, Sheryl, in her lab coat, leaned in close to Amber's pale face. She smiled menacingly and murmured, "Welcome to my turf-hell on Earth."

Chapter 2430 Hell on Earth? This place resembled a decrepit hospital. But why had Sheryl described it as hell on Earth"?

Amber's body convulsed uncontrollably, her consciousness flickering between clarity and haze. Fragments of memory surfaced-a dim recollection of drinking with Carl in the cellar after The Millennium's closure. She'd despised working with Carl but had cozied up to him for the sake of extracting information.

Carl had revealed that "Sir' was deeply entrenched in the pharmaceutical industry. With connections to Mosgravia's government officials and elite circles, "Sir" wielded considerable power and ran a thriving business.

Since his business revolved around pharmaceuticals, clinical trials were inevitable. To facilitate this, Sir owned a private hospital in Mosgravia.

That hospital, however, was merely a façade. Beneath its sterile exterior, three basement levels housed patients-unwilling subjects for experimental drugs.

Amber shivered. This place bore an uncanny resemblance to Carls grim description. Could this be where Justin and Sheryl conducted their drug experiments?

Scoffing through her labored breaths, Amber mustered a response. "Hell on Earth? D-Did you think... I'd be... afraid?"

She fixed Sheryl with a defiant glare, her chest heaving with effort. Determined to go down fighting, Amber added, "All those days by Jameson's side... were hell.. It's... just death... W What's there... to fear?"

Sheryl's face twisted in fury. "It's just death? In your dreams!"

Grabbing Amber's chin, she hissed, "Listen carefully, you bitch. I am a god here. I control everything here. If I'm in a good mood, I might go easy on you. Otherwise, I'll make you beg for death."

Amber's eyes betrayed no emotion, a stoic defiance that only deepened Sheryl's frustration. Fuming, Sheryl slapped her. "To hell with Jameson! He was just one of Sir's lackeys, and you? You're nothing but a pet he trained. A slut who's slept with countless men!

"Now that you're with Axel and backed by the Taylor family, you think you've become someone Important? If Axel saw how you served the other men, he'd never want you. You're a disgusting piece of shit!

Amber's lashes fluttered, and tears slid down her cheeks. Sheryl's words mirrored her darkest fears, and hearing it from her amplified its cruelty.

There are some things I can share with you since you won't escape this place anyway." Stroking Amber's tear-streaked face, she continued sinisterly, "I killed Jameson."

Amber's eyes widened at that "And Jimmy wasn't the only one. So don't provoke me-you have no idea what I'm capable of.

With that, Sheryl strode out like a victor, flanked by two medical staff. The heavy metal doors slammed shut, the deadbolt locking with a menacing finality.

Amber lay motionless, her body paralyzed except for her eyes. She gazed at the blinking green light of the surveillance camera in the top comer.

She prayed-not for rescue, but for Alyssa and Jasper to find her lost phone and the evidence she'd hidden beneath the tree. They were her last hope to expose Justin's darkness.

Late that night, Sheryl emerged from the final ward after logging data from a new experiment.

Remy stood motionless in the corridor, his imposing presence radiating a chilling intensity.

She broke into an icy smile before slowly walking up to him. "That woman is locked up here. She will become one of Sir's many test subjects. At least, her life will serve a purpose."

Under the dim lighting, Remy's narrowed eyes glinted coldly. He exuded a menacing presence, like a predator on the verge of attack Sheryl continued, her tone sharp. "Though you failed the task Sir assigned you, he's gracious enough not to punish you. Your loyalty has earned his leniency."

She retrieved a small plastic bottle from her lab coat a single blue pill inside the one she received from Justin.

"Sir noticed your medication supply was running low," she said, handing it to him. "This is an Improved formula. It'll ease your headaches significantly."

Remy studied the bottle, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and accepted it.