Alyssa and Miley heard Coleneâs muffled shouts from the horseâs back, followed by a chorus of laughter.
Speechless, Alyssa said, âWell, I donât mind, as long as Coleneâs happy.â
Miley slowly sat on the couch and looked hesitant to speak. Alyssa sat by her side and took her arm.â
Miley, you must have something to discuss with me when you knock on my door this late. Is it related to Jameson?â
âI remember he visited our home when he was younger. You seemed close to him,â Miley said flatly.
âYes. We were classmates in elementary school,â Alyssa reminisced. âI fended off the class bullies for him, and he started sticking around me because he was grateful.
âI didnât have many friends in the class due to my family background. Since everyone kept their distance, I had no choice but to be friends with Jameson.
âTo be honest, it was a happy time in my childhood. Later, Jameson went to Kontina with his mom, and we lost contact for 15 years.â
âSo, heâs practically a stranger after all these years,â remarked Miley knowingly.
âExactly. I couldnât even recognize him at first. When he was younger, he looked fair and somewhat feminine. Now, heâs a tall, handsome guy.â
âBetween Jasper and Jameson, whoâs hotter?â Miley playfully winked at Alyssa.
âMiley, did Jasper bribe you or something? Why do you keep bringing him up? Itâs such a mood dampener, grumbled Alyssa, who pouted in frustration.
âLook, Lyse, Iâm not against you dating anyone. Victor Schmidt is Dadâs good friend, so Iâm sure his son will not treat you poorly. Itâs just thatâ¦â Mileyâs voice trailed off. She looked a little worried when she recalled Jamesonâs profile that her assistant had found.
She explained, âJameson Schmidt is not what he seems. I secretly looked into his background. He runs a huge, complex business in Kontinaâ that spans many industries.
âKontinaâs society is not as simple as Cyrrisâ. Itâs hard to tackle the organized crime and drug trade. The politicians and businessmen there are corrupt, and they work with each other. Jeremyâs first task when in power is to address the illegal drug trade and corruption.â
Alyssaâs heart leaped to her throat. âWow, life is going to be tough for you and Jeremy!â
âStop changing the topic,â Miley reminded her. âGiven the scale of Jamesonâs business in Kontina, itâs highly likely that heâs involved in organized crime and gangs.
âI even heard that he was once discreetly called in by the prosecution for interrogation over his involvement in drugs but was released due to a lack of evidence.â
âWhat did you say?â Alyssa was shocked.
âHeâs safe now because thereâs no concrete evidence, but thereâs no smoke without fire. He must have been a top suspect if the police looked into him.
âBesides, the prosecutor who interrogated him was Jeremyâs student. That fellow is an upright and honest character. He would never be bribed and wouldnât accuse anyone without evidence.â
Miley clasped Alyssaâs hands worriedly. âLyse, you can be friends with him, but donât be too involved with a dangerous man like him.â
Alyssa blinked as she sank into deep thoughts. Then, she nodded gently. âMiley, Iâm an adult who has my fair share of real-world experience. Iâve witnessed the ruthlessness of a warzone and experienced the dark side of humanity. Iâll keep your words in mind. I know what to do.â
**
A Five days later, a procession of black luxury cars lined the entrance of Seaview Manor in the evening.
Bodyguards in black, adorned with golden pins bearing the Harper Group insignia, stepped out of the cars.
âMs. Zoe!â
âMadam Penelope!â
âMr. Cornelius!â