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

I'm sorry." The darkness in Justin's

do you still have feelings for her? You haven't let go, have you?"

marked

the same mother, but ask yourself —how have I treated you since we were kids?" "You've treated me very

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

seemed bleak,

him when the household staff mistreated him

the one who had put his own life on the line

one sitting in the wheelchair today, unable to

you can see, I'll be bound to this wheelchair for the rest of my

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

I don't

Alyssa.

willing to spend time with me

humans have

home on my own

my life is just going to drift

crave the companionship of someone |

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

brother, once so detached from the world, longed for a

Jasper's chest tightened.

Justin had shared a smile in the