Can’t Win Me Back

In that dimly lit room, Justin's face turned completely gloomy. Still, he stared at Zachary with a blank, emotionless gaze, as still and chilling as death itself.

When their eyes met, Zachary felt a twitch in his eyelid, followed by an unsettling chill that crept down his spine, raising goosebumps across his skin.

"What exactly do you think I know, Uncle Zachary? I'm afraid I do not understand." Justin narrowed his eyes sinisterly.

"Wow, as expected of the Beckett family's eldest son. You've picked up most of Javier's acting skills, haven't you?"

Zachary took a slow, deliberate drag from his cigar. He knew Justin's health was fragile, but still, he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke in his direction, daring him to react.

*20 years ago, you orchestrated the whole kidnapping scheme. You hired Gustav and his gang to abduct you and that bastard Jasper. You thought you could play both sides-secure a hefty ransom worth over a hundred million dollars, and throw in an extra 50 million for good measure. Quite a fortune back then, huh?"

Justin listened with an eerie calmness, his gaze as hollow and unfeeling as ever, as though Zachary's words held no weight.

the process,' Zachary continued. "At the time, Javier was just a figurehead, with Mr. Beckett Senior holding all the power in the Beckett Group.

stone. Eliminate Jasper, the obstacle to your inheritance and your attention, and, by also playing the victim, win back your grandfather's favor. At the same time, you would be free from suspicion too. With Jasper gone, you'd be the sole heir, the apple of

you devised a plan that killed two birds with one stone. You

but it didn't reach his eyes. Zachary's compliment, if it could even be called

underestimated human greed. Gustav betrayed you, tumed you into his hostage, and planned to use you as leverage to extort more money from the Becketts. A cruel smile spread across Zachary's face. "In the end, Gustav realized Jasper was nothing but an illegitimate child, someone the family would eventually discard. Conversely,

I say that you went for wool

"Uncle Zachary, I suppose your time in prison

conveniently left out. When Justin discovered that he was Gustav's target, he didn't

regardless, Justin decided to at least

unharmed, while he, the eldest son, had voluntarily put himself in harm's way, enduring torture at the kidnappers' hands. He sustained grave injuries simply to save

stir

weight of regret and guilt for the rest of their lives, no matter