Can’t Win Me Back

"That's fine too, but you should keep it a secret from Winston. He's still unwell, after all." Jasper looked concerned at the mention of Winston. He seemed to regard Alyssa's father as his family now.

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

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

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

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

a prostitute. The harassment even extended to Jasper, branding him a bastard child and suggesting that Anne was riddled with

the woman people painted her to be. Even if she were guilty as accused, his love for

and Preston promptly admitted her to the VIP ward

said weakly,

"It's all my fault. I'll never leave you out there alone from now on. Even if Landon holds a knife to my neck, he won't make you leave me. No one can take

missed you..." Zoe

Preston remarked while casting an amused look at his niece.

grinned smugly when she met Preston's

ward flung open, sending in a chilling breeze. Landon showed up, his tall figure dressed in an immaculate black suit. The black jacket draped across his shoulders fell onto