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

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

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

marked by a

ask yourself —how have I treated you since we were kids?" "You've treated me very well," Jasper answered, his

with Justin, four years his senior,

Jasper first entered the Beckett family, his life seemed bleak, as he was met with disdain from

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

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

sitting in the wheelchair today, unable to

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

it too, just to keep me going."

know that I

Alyssa.

to spend time with me

humans have

being overseas and away from home on my own for so many

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

too, crave the companionship of

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

brother, once so detached from the world, longed for a family? And the woman he

Jasper's chest tightened.

Alyssa and Justin had shared a smile in the snow -covered courtyard, their eyes