Can’t Win Me Back

Jasper remained silent.

His hands balled into tight fists at his sides, trembling ever so lightly as a dark expression settled over his face.

After amoment of silence, Justin offered a casual smile, ignoring the tension on Jasper's face as he moved past him.

"Justin, I've always respected you since I was young." Jasper's voice broke the silence, hoarse and strained, with his back turned to Justin.

“There are things I can compromise on, but some matters, I can't." Justin, his back still facing Jasper, narrowed his eyes and asked, " Such as?" "My need to see her now." A fierce determination lit Jasper's darkened eyes.

"Justin, I won't deny your feelings for her.

It's none of my business.

But you have no right to stop me from seeing her either.

"If you and Ms.

Alyssa are officially together, I'll never go near her again.

You won't even need to say a word.

I'll give you both my blessings and wish you a happy life together." As Jasper said "happy life", his throat tightened, and a bitter taste of bile rose at the back of his mouth.

Still, he continued, "But as long as she's not yours, we're equals in her eyes.

can see her, and

The darkness in Justin's eyes hid any trace of emotion on his

have feelings for her? You haven't let go, have you?" A lump rose in

voice grew deeper, marked

treated you since we were kids?" "You've treated me very well," Jasper answered,

his mind, moments of warmth shared with Justin, four years his senior, a

Beckett family, his life seemed bleak, as he was met with

was the first to show him care, standing by him when the household staff mistreated him and offering him a

who had put his own life on the line to help Jasper escape that

have been the one sitting in the wheelchair today,

see, I'll be bound to this wheelchair for the rest

it too, just to keep me going." Panting slightly, Justin managed a bitter

that I

Alyssa.

time with me despite my broken

all humans

on my own for so many years, I

ask myself if my life is just

companionship of someone

too, want a normal life—to get married, start a family,

world, longed for a family? And the woman

Jasper's chest tightened.

the earlier scene at the orphanage, where Alyssa and Justin had shared a smile in the snow -covered courtyard, their