Can’t Win Me Back novel (Alyssa and Jasper) novel Chapter 1946

From the moment Jameson entered, his gaze was fixated on Alyssa with desire. She found herself unable to escape it, no matter how hard she tried.

Disgust curdled in her stomach, and she ripped her eyes away, muttering a scathing curse under her breath.

Jasper regarded Jameson with seriousness. He suppressed his anger and held Alyssa's hand tightly in his.

Jameson's gaze, lingering on their intertwined fingers, darkened. A teasing smile, out of place in the somber atmosphere, stretched across his lips.

Landon saw it too. His fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. He yearned for a peaceful farewell for his grandfather. If this weren't a mourning hall, he wouldn't hesitate to wipe that infuriating smirk off Jameson's face.

"My condolences, Mr. Landon," Victor offered, stepping forward with a hand extended. "Although considering your new position, perhaps Mr. Harper would be more fitting."

Landon met Victor's gesture with a cold stare. "I don't recall inviting you to the funeral."

Victor's face was flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and outrage. But as the head of the Schmidts, he couldn't afford to stoop to the level of a dead man. "As one of the Big Four, I shared a long association with Mr. Cornelius. Even without an invitation, it's only proper to offer my condolences."

"My grandfather had no need for your acquaintance," Landon replied tersely, his lips pressed into a thin line. "And he wouldn't have wanted to see you here."

If he allowed Jameson to provoke him, he risked being perceived as nothing more than an ill-tempered rich heir, becoming a laughingstock in the eyes of others. No matter the provocation, he couldn't afford to cause a scene that day.

Just as Victor basked in the perceived triumph of his son's defense, a voice, laced with icy authority, sliced through the tense silence. "Mr. Cornelius had no friends in the business world? What utter nonsense! What a preposterous claim!"

Jameson's eyes turned glacial. He turned slowly, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses with a deliberate show of composure.

Everyone in the room swiveled their heads toward the entrance, a collective gasp escaping their lips.