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.

her, and so

in Justin's eyes

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

deeper, marked by a few

not share the same mother, but ask yourself —how have I treated you since we were kids?" "You've

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

his life seemed bleak, as he

standing by him when the household staff mistreated him

one who had put his own life on the line to

the one sitting in the wheelchair

can see, I'll be bound to this

are the permanent part of it too, just to keep me going." Panting slightly,

know that I don't deserve

Alyssa.

she's willing to spend time with me despite

humans have

away from home on my own for so many years,

ask myself if my life is just going to drift away like

crave the companionship of someone |

family,

a family? And the woman he wanted to share

Jasper's chest tightened.

Alyssa and Justin had shared a smile in the snow -covered