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.

see her,

I'm sorry." The darkness in Justin's eyes hid any trace of emotion on his

asked, “Jasper, do you still have feelings for her? You haven't let go, have you?" A lump rose in Jasper's throat, and his

grew deeper, marked by

yourself —how have I treated you since we were kids?" "You've treated me

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

his life seemed bleak,

him when the household staff

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

would have been the one sitting in the wheelchair today, unable to move

you can see, I'll be bound to this

medications are the permanent part of it too, just to

know that I

Alyssa.

spend time with me despite my

humans have

overseas and away from home on my own for so many years, I often feel

if my life is just going to drift away like

crave the companionship of someone

want a normal life—to get married, start a family, and have a happy and fulfilling relationship."

a family? And the

Jasper's chest tightened.

earlier scene at the orphanage, where Alyssa and Justin had shared a