Can't Win Me Back

"Nonsense!" Winston's pupils quivered. He slammed his hands on the couch's armrest in anger. "How could you find out about the royal family just as you wish? Moreover, if your feelings for that young woman are true, you shouldn't get close to her with an ulterior motive!ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

"In order to see you, she stepped out of her palace and came all the way to another part of the world. You are clearly very important to her. She's fallen in love with you!

"If you intend to use her, how is this fair for her? Do you think that the royal family will forgive you for playing with their princess's heart? Did you think that the special agents under the Kontinian royal family are just for show?"

Liam's heart was pained. He was standing with his hands by his side. His hands started trembling uncontrollably. He curled his fingers into tight fists.

Of course, he understood Winston's point. He wasn't a heartless person.

However, without clarity on Jennifer's past, Winston's anxieties would fester, poisoning any chance of a happy future with Yuliana. Only by laying those ghosts to rest could he proudly stand beside Yuliana and dare to dream of a future with her.

"You and that princess... have to break it off immediately. You cannot be together."

"Dad, since I was young, you have always praised me. You said that I was your most obedient son.'

Liam couldn't hold back the waves of despair within him. His eyes were swollen as he blinked hard. He choked, "I have never rebelled against you. But this time, I want to ask that you give Yuliana and me a chance to be together. Can you?"

"No!"

Winston blew his top. His entire body started shaking involuntarily, and his speech became unclear. "It's either her... or me... You choose!"

Immediately after, Winston's world went black. His limb stiffened, indicating somatization!

"Dad!"

The shock drained the color from Liam's face instantly. He stepped forward to check on Winston.

"Dad!"

Alyssa, who was eavesdropping outside, barged into the room too. She got in touch with Julien while she performed first aid on Winston in a composed manner.

"Dad... I didn't mean to make you mad... I'm sorry!" Liam, a grown man, knelt helplessly by Winston's side. His eyes filled with tears.

Alyssa and Jonah did not inform the other Taylor family members about Winston's episode. They only enlisted the help of Jasper and Julien.

After all, Landon and Lauren's wedding ceremony would take place the next day. No one wanted to cause trouble for the couple during such a happy occasion.

After taking his medication and receiving basic treatment from Julien, Winston's condition stabilized. He lay in bed and dozed off.

"He was still okay before this. What happened?" Julien questioned in a worried tone as he stood right next to Jonah.

"It was my fault... It was all my fault! It was all because of me. I disobeyed him, so Dad..."

Liam hung his head low in self-reproach. The strong feeling of guilt was like a thorny vine that encircled his beating heart.

Jasper wrapped his arm around Alyssa's waist. Noticing how downcast she looked, his sixth sense told him that something upsetting must have happened.

"If it were someone else who said

that, I'd believe him. But I will never believe that you would do something like that, Liam." Jonah shook his

head. He looked utterly confused.

"Jonah, Jul, and Jasper." Alyssa took a deep breath. In a soft voice, she said, "Could the three of you go out for a bit? I'd like to have a chat with Liam privately."

The trio looked surprised. Even so, they picked up on Alyssa's cue and left the room.

"Lyse, are you... okay?" Jasper lowered his eyes to look at her. He looked extremely concerned.

"I'm alright. Wait for me outside." Alyssa gave him a squeeze on his hand. She shot him a gentle smile to reassure him.

Soon enough, only Liam and Alyssa were left standing by Winston's bed.

"Lyse, I..."

"Liam, I want to talk to you about Mom."

Initially, Alyssa had prepared herself mentally to talk about Jennifer. Even so, she still welled up with tears instantly.

"Based on Dad's reaction tonight

and my investigations and

speculations from before, there is no

doubt that Mom is a Kontinian who

ended up in Belbanks after O encountering some adversity.

"Also, there's another thing that I can be almost certain about.

"Mom is closely connected with the Kontinian royal family. Not only that, this is a connection that Mom and Dad never ever wanted to revisit. It's also a secret that they don't want us to find out."