Chapter 4

A single bottle of the wine on her tray was worth two hundred thousand dollars. Even if Willow dared to try it, she didn't have the money to afford the consequences of a failed attempt at such an expensive venture. "Sounds good. Pour the wine," Wyatt decided on behalf of everyone. Just to be sure, Willow asked again, "Are you sure?" "Of course, I'm sure. Stop wasting time and pour the wine!" Wyatt urged. Willow opened a bottle of wine with relief after receiving confirmation. She walked over to Christopher, who was seated at the innermost spot, accompanied by two beautiful women. She brought two glasses and placed them in front of the women, then bent over to pour the wine. Unbeknownst to her, her neckline was low, and her skirt had ridden up while pouring the wine, revealing a tantalizing view. Jasper caught sight of this scene, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. Willow proceeded to pour wine for Christopher, Frederick, and Wyatt's companions. Once she was done, she straightened up with a professional smile and said, "Please, ladies, enjoy." Following the approval of the distinguished young men, the young ladies raised their glasses and took a sip. Their consensus was unanimous: "It's delicious!" Women who mingled in such gatherings knew the unspoken rules for pleasing the wealthy young men. Who would risk being cast aside by daring to say the wine wasn't good? Those who stood out or drew attention to themselves may become targets, after all. "Did you hear that? It's good. Isn't it time you poured one for Mr. Jasper? He's our main star tonight. If you neglect him, you won't be able to handle the consequences," Wyatt ordered Willow as he looked up. Tonight, the Four Aristocrats of Buscen City had gathered because Jasper had just returned to the country. They were celebrating his return. Understanding the situation, Willow quickly approached Jasper's side with the wine bottle, bending over to pour him a glass. She poured the wine carefully, failing to notice the man's intense gaze fixed on her exposed neckline. After pouring, she looked up and said respectfully, "Sir, please enjoy the wine." Their eyes met with that action, and it felt as if his gaze pierced through her soul with how intense it was. Her heart trembled in fear. She swiftly reflected on whether she had done something wrong or provoked him. Otherwise, why would he look at her with such a sharp gaze? "Sir, are you alright?" Willow thought she had made a mistake and spoke with a cautious and gentle voice. To Jasper's ears, her voice sounded like a soft whimper, much like the woman's voice from five years ago. That night, the woman had called out tenderly. She had sounded fragile and helpless. This woman's voice, why was it so similar to hers? Five years ago, he had been in an aerial battle with his enemy in a helicopter. He was drugged and injured, and he fell from the helicopter. After his encounter with that woman, he had gone abroad for treatment and had been overseas ever since. He only returned to the country today. However, he sent his secretary out the next day after that fateful night to find that woman. The secretary reported that a collapsing building had killed the woman. Had his intel been mistaken? The voice was merely similar, and she wasn't the one, right? Willow's heart raced as he stared at her with eyes like a beast waiting to pounce. She quickly stood up, intending to step back and create some distance between them. But her feet had gone numb in the time she knelt to pour the wine, and in her haste to rise, she lost her balance. She stumbled forward, falling right into his embrace. To make matters worse, her face landed heavily on his. The man's skin was firm, his temperature scorching. The heat traveled from Willow's cheek to her heart, causing it to tremble and race wildly. The other three watched this scene excitedly, taunting, "Oh, Jasper, seems like lady luck is here for your love life, huh?" "Oh my goodness, woman, what's your name? You've sure got guts!" "I can't believe what I'm seeing. Mr. Jasper being taken down by a woman? Gosh, this is something I'll remember for a lifetime." Willow was in a state of panic, trying to get up in a hurry. She placed her hands on his chest to push herself up, but in her frantic state, her hands slipped, and she fell onto him again, her face smashing against his. She became even more flustered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." She was so frightened that her body went limp. She no longer had the strength to support herself and was about to roll onto the sofa. Just as she exerted some force to move, the man reached out and caught her wrist tightly. His gaze was deep and cold, his expression calm but hiding a barely perceptible excitement. "What's your name?" Moments ago, he had doubted whether she was the woman from that night. But her face—gentle, soft, and carrying a hint of sweet tenderness—ignited the desire he had long buried deep within him. While he hadn't gotten a clear look at the woman's face that night, when he left, he had deliberately touched her face, memorizing the unique sensation of her cheek. It was unmistakable and held a sweet softness that had deeply touched his heart. How could there be another woman who gave him the same kind of feeling? Years of training had made Jasper stronger than the average person. Coupled with his fluctuating emotions, he didn't realize how strong his grip was. He was crushing Willow's wrist, and she was in both pain and panic. 'Oh no, I must have offended him when I accidentally fell on him!' She hurriedly explained, "Sir, I'm just a waitress here to deliver items and promote wine. I didn't mean to seduce you. I really lost my balance just now. I apologize for any inconvenience caused." She tried to pull her hand out forcefully, but the man wouldn't release her. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain. Jasper's cold and deep gaze was fixed on her. "Answer my question. What's your name?" "Lara Smith," Willow replied. She had used her mother's ID for part-time work to directly deposit the money into her mother's account, making it easier for her to buy things for her children. Jasper's eye twitched, and he let go of her hand. The village he had fallen into years ago was full of people with the family name "Nason". With her hand free, Willow's heart raced. She bowed to him, "Sir, please enjoy your time. I'll take my leave." After speaking, she turned around and hurriedly left. Worried that someone important in the V8 private room might hold her accountable, Willow quickly found the leader and received the commission for the wine sales along with an hourly wage for her part-time work. Then, she left Cloud Realm. Inside the V8 private room, Wyatt noticed Jasper's unusual reaction to the woman. He teased, "Mr. Jasper, do you need us to bring her before you?" Jasper's gaze flicked toward him. "You're the one with the most free time here. We still haven't found anyone for the construction work. Why don't you..." "Alright, I'll shut up. Forget I said anything. Mr. Jasper, this wine is really good. Give it a try." Wyatt tactfully changed the subject. Jasper didn't drink. Instead, he left the private room and called the head of his security team. "About the woman I had you look for five years ago, are you sure she's dead?" Jasper's voice was cold and composed, carrying a hint of anticipation.