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, and so can

sorry." The darkness in Justin's eyes hid any trace

he asked, “Jasper, do you still have feelings for her? You haven't let

deeper, marked by

mother, but ask yourself —how have I treated you since we

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

Beckett family, his life seemed bleak, as he

show him care, standing by him when the

put his own life on

the one sitting in

I'll be bound to this wheelchair

it too, just to keep me going."

know that I don't deserve

Alyssa.

time

humans have

and away from home on my own for

myself if my life is just

crave the companionship of someone |

normal life—to get married, start a family, and have a happy

for a family? And the woman he wanted to share that

Jasper's chest tightened.

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