Can't Win Me Back

Back at Seaview Manor, Jasper was taken aback after being hung up on by his prideful ex–wife.

The woman had become so cold, and she was no longer the wife who had begged him not to divorce her. It seemed she had felt nothing for him in the three years they were married and was simply tolerating him for some unknown purpose. The mere thought of it had him seething.

“Your coffee, Mr. Jasper.”

Xavier walked in only to find Jasper looking grave. He couldn’t help but ask, “Have you … contacted Madam Alice? Have you gotten her new phone number?”

Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose as irritation flashed in his eyes. He was infuriated after not achieving what he set out to do. He had believed he’d be better off after Alice left, only to end up boiling with anger after learning that she had gotten together with Jonah. “How dare she do this to me?” he thought.

“I’ll find another opportunity. I don’t want to think about her right now,” he said and took a sip of coffee. The next moment, his brows furrowed. “What’s wrong with this coffee? It’s bad.”

“II followed the recipe that Madam Alice left me. How is that possible?” Xavier scratched his head in astonishment.

“Recipe?”

“She handed me a notebook before she left, and it contains all your preferences, right down to the details–what should be avoided, how to prepare your coffee … It even lists what dishes you took an extra bite of according to the date,” Xavier explained as he handed Jasper the notebook.

The man took it, and there was some hesitation before he flipped it open.

Her neat handwriting immediately caught his eye, reflecting her once–deferential character.

“Add a little salt to the coffee to improve the flavor. Jasper likes it that way.”

“Jasper had two bowls of the seafood stew I prepared with fresh scallops this morning. I should make it more often.”

“Jasper isn’t a fan of sweet foods. Perhaps a light dessert like milk pudding or fruit jelly would appeal to him more.”

“I bought a few ties for Jasper last year, and he never used the red one. Jasper hates red…”

Jasper, Jasper, Jasper … His name was in nearly every sentence.

He held his breath as he turned every page, as if he were afraid a single exhale would send the words flying. His eyes darkened as he crumpled the pages.

“Quite the skill at trying to figure someone out. What is this if not her machinations at work?”

He had mixed feelings as he read through everything recorded in the notebook, but it didn’t stop him from tossing it into the bin with a flick of a wrist.

“Hey! Don’t throw that away! Madam Alice worked hard on it for three years. Why would she jot down these notes if she didn’t care about you? It’s obvious you held an important place in her

heart.” Xavier hurried to retrieve it with a pained expression.

“Stop referring to her as Madam Alice. She doesn’t deserve to be referred to that way!”

That was when a mess of voices came from outside the study. It sounded as if it was coming from the right of the corridor, which was where Alice’s room used to be.

“Go take a look and see what’s going on.” Jasper knitted his brows wearily.

Xavier left the study before quickly returning with a complicated look in his eyes.

“It’s Ms. Gardner, sir. She’s … Umm…”

“What happened to Lia?”

“She’s throwing out Madam … I mean… your ex–wife’s belongings.”

Liana was currently running amok in Alice’s room,

“Slut! Bitch! You’re just a village girl. All this arrogance just because you got an old man to spoil you? What’s the big deal about that st* pid bracelet? How dare you look down on me?”

Alyssa hadn’t taken anything with her when she left after signing the divorce papers. That gave Liana a lot to play with. All the skincare products and accessories by her bed were haphazardly thrown to the floor like garbage.

The room was a wreck when Jasper arrived.

“What are you doing, Lia?” He frowned.

“I hate how there are still traces of your lives together! It’s like Alice is still here!”

Liana bawled when she noticed Jasper approaching. “If it weren’t for her… would we have lost three whole years together? Anyone can see she stole my position… Why are you acting as if I’ve hurt her? Am I some kind of mistress?”

“You’re not a mistress, Lia. You’re imagining things.”

His gaze darkened as he leaned down to pick up an emerald frog ornament. What he saw took him aback. It was winking and holding up a peace sign, which amused him enough to pull an involuntary smile.

That was when Liana began to rummage through the closet to toss out Alice’s clothes.

“What’s this?” She opened a large box to find a well–tailored men’s suit made of high–quality fabric nestled within. “Heh… This must be a gift she prepared for Mr. Taylor. It seems she found a backup plan to guarantee herself a cushy life long ago!”

Jasper’s eyes widened as he took the box.

“Just look at how horrible she is, Jasper! Here I thought she married you because she truly loved you. I believed she would cherish you, but it turns out she was just here to climb the social ladder. She took you for a fool!”

1

Her eyes were bloodshot as she picked up the fruit knife on the coffee table. There was no hesitation as she rushed up to rip the suit to shreds. Jasper was quick to keep the box protected in his embrace, but as a result, the blade cut his arm instead. Blood immediately soaked through the white shirt.

“Ah! I–I’m sorry, Jasper!” The knife she held clattered to the floor as she covered her mouth in fear, her mind going blank. |

“Oh my god! What’s happening here?” Sophia arrived with some maid in tow only to see Jasper injured, his blood was staining the white carpet under him. “Jasper! Why … Why is there a knife here?”

“Xavier, have the chauffeur escort Ms. Gardner home.” He sighed as he endured the pain.

“I don’t want to go home yet, Jasper … I want to be with you!” Liana anxiously clung to the man.

“Oh, it’s getting late. Why not let Lia stay the night, Jasper? You’re injured, and she can take care of you.” Sophia took the opportunity to put her two cents in. She wanted nothing more than to deliver Liana right into Jasper’s bed tonight for her own interests!

“There’s no need. She should go home.” The man was being unusually resolute.

“You and Liana will be married sooner or later …”

“We’ll be together day in and day out once she marries me. It’d be better for her to remain home before marriage. She can spend more time with her family that way. Alice and I have yet to finalize the divorce procedures. It’s still inappropriate for Lia to stay with me here.”

There was nothing Sophia could say to that.

After Jasper saw the crying Liana off, he sighed at the mess and ordered the maids to tidy the

room.

“Look at this, Mr. Jasper!”

Xavier took out an exquisite costume from the closet in amazement. Jasper approached to appraise the garment himself. The pink fabric was silky to the touch and embroidered with a delicate and lifelike peony. Its value was clear from a single glance. The peony was stunning… He blinked, not quite knowing what to think.

“It looks like an opera dres. Could… Madam Alice be an opera singer? It’s beautiful!” Xavier didn’t hesitate to express his sincere sentiment. Alice had amazed him multiple times today. She was such a

lively and beautiful woman. He just couldn’t wrap his head around why Jasper disliked her.

“Have you ever heard of this saying?”

“Huh?”

“A ruthless woman holds no affection for those around her!”

Jasper’s mouth tightened into a thin line as an inexplicable restlessness welled up in him.