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.

can see her, and so

Justin's eyes hid any

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

voice grew deeper, marked by a few

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

years his senior, a brother who

his life seemed bleak, as he was met with

by him when the household staff

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

would have been the one sitting

you can see, I'll be bound to

permanent part of it too, just to

know that I don't

Alyssa.

time with

all humans have

away from home on my own for so many years, I

is just going

the companionship of

a family, and have a happy and fulfilling

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

Jasper's chest tightened.

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