The Celibate Tycoon Has Fallen-Chapter 17: The Young Master’s Other Side

She just wanted to shut Dean Holloway up as fast as possible.

Hailey Jenkins’ breath caught—shit, they’d just poked the hornet’s nest.

Jasper Yale’s expression was unreadable. He tossed the bead bracelet onto the table—beads clattered against a nearby ornament.

Upstairs in the bedroom, Nancy Alden had just finished her bath with the help of a maid. Jasper came in carrying two books, and set them on her nightstand.

Nancy wrinkled her nose. "I don’t even like reading."

"Just afraid you’ll get bored. Something to kill the time."

"Jasper, there’s something dirty on your face."

"Where?"

Nancy propped herself up. "Come here."

Jasper leaned closer and Nancy wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his. "I’m scared to sleep alone. Stay with me tonight, okay?"

Jasper’s hand steadied her waist. "I’m right next door. What are you scared of?"

"No! Every time I close my eyes, I see my parents jumping off the building. I’ve had nightmares for days." Nancy clung tighter, pulled Jasper’s hand under the blanket, and pressed it onto her thigh.

Jasper could feel she was all bone, like there was no flesh.

Nancy kissed the corner of his mouth. Somehow, he thought of Yelena Hughes’ legs—soft to the touch, like creamy lamb fat.

He pried Nancy’s arm away. "Nancy, don’t move."

"I’m not..." Nancy kissed him harder, but the fire in Jasper refused to ignite.

He unclasped both her hands. "Stop!"

Nancy looked at him, dazed. "You’re disgusted by me, aren’t you?"

"Your body hasn’t recovered. You can’t do this."

"Why not? As long as you want to..."

Jasper squeezed her shoulders, pressing her into the big bed. "Wait until you’re better. There’s time."

"That year while I was in a coma, how did you get by?"

Jasper pulled the covers up higher. "Just got by."

"You really didn’t touch another woman?"

Jasper was not a gentle man. Even close as Nancy was to him, he still felt this cold indifference carved deep into his bones.

He asked her, "What answer do you want to hear?"

Nancy was stunned, covered her ears. "Forget it, I don’t want to know."

Jasper saw her shake her head, gently pulled her hands down. "Never happened. I won’t die without women, you know."

Nancy perked up instantly at that.

Jasper left the room anyway. Nancy stared after his retreating back, and the smile faded slowly from her lips.

Back in the master bedroom, Jasper headed straight to the bathroom. As he undressed, he glanced down.

There was actually a reaction.

Not from Nancy’s clumsy teasing just now—but from thinking about Yelena Hughes’ body.

This woman was addictive somehow.

He didn’t like her, but she was really damn good in bed.

Days in a row, Dean Holloway kept showing up for work with a hat on, not wanting anyone to see his injury, too humiliating.

Yelena Hughes was editing documents when Dean came over and tapped her on the shoulder. "Rose York is here again."

Her fingers paused. "Where?"

"Outside the gate. Holding up a banner."

Yelena didn’t say much; she pushed her chair out and left.

Rose York was clutching a banner with four bold characters—"A life for a life." Yelena went through the gate and quickly walked up to her.

She pulled the banner down, trying to get the kneeling woman to her feet.

As soon as Rose saw her, she grabbed Yelena’s leg. "Help me, please! I’m begging you, you’re a good person..."

Yelena’s heart clenched, struggling inside. "I’ve got everything ready. The article will go out tomorrow."

"Really?"

Yelena pulled her toward a bench to sit. "Put the banner away. If Felix Wood finds out, he’ll never let you off."

Rose lowered her head, looking gaunt and wasted.

Yelena messaged Dean Holloway to send two meal boxes over.

"Eat something first."

Rose held the meal box with both hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "Do you know what it’s like? Overnight—my mom gone, my kids gone—how do you keep living? Teach me, please..."

Yelena squeezed her chopsticks tight.

Felix Wood talked about this with a smile, even with a kind of smugness, since he left no evidence behind.

"I dug out all three of their bodies from that pile of bricks myself. All that was left of the house was a tiny room, couldn’t even fit the bodies together..."

Yelena squinted into the sunlight, her eyes stung and watered. A tear fell, and she didn’t wipe it away.

"Miss Hughes, I begged everywhere. You’re the only one—the only one who said you’d help me." Rose fixed her eyes on Yelena, and in that moment, Yelena finally saw a trace of life flicker in her eyes.

"Don’t blame me for clinging to you. I’m so sorry, I don’t want to either. But if I accept that it was really just an accident, I can’t go on living." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Yelena got it. She understood, felt it herself, pain making her hands tremble.

In the afternoon, she returned to her desk, staring at her phone in a daze.

She dug out Jasper Yale’s number and sent a verification message via WhatsApp.

He actually accepted it. Yelena had learned her lesson before, so she was extra careful this time.

She typed a few words with her finger and sent them off: "Hello, sir, this is Yelena Hughes."

"What is it?"

That tone—she couldn’t tell if it was Jasper or Nancy.

Yelena didn’t dare jump in with her request. "Do you remember last time? You said you’d protect me."

"Sort of remember."

This lukewarm attitude—could wear a person down.

Yelena wondered if the phone was in Nancy’s hands. She probed, "You’re not the sir, are you?"

"Want me to prove it?"

Yelena recklessly replied: Mm-hmm.

Jasper was in a meeting. Two groups below him were fighting over a plan, about ready to brawl.

He stared at his phone, quickly typed back: "How do you prove you’re Yelena Hughes?"

Her profile pic was her own photo. Yelena saw Dean Holloway leaning closer, so she hurriedly turned away.

"You can look at my profile pic."

Jasper tapped it open and zoomed in—a side profile, looking fresh, her eyes closed. But in Jasper’s eyes, she looked like she was trying to seduce him.

Yelena had prepped for this article for ages, afraid of Felix Wood’s retaliation. So no matter what, she had to cling tight to Jasper Yale’s support.

She stared at her phone, waiting for a reply.

A message popped up on WhatsApp: "That’s not enough. Doesn’t count."

Yelena was confused. Her face was right there—how could that not be enough?

"So how do you want me to prove it?"

Jasper replied: "Your chest."

Yelena saw that word and slapped her hand over her phone. Now she was sure it was Jasper on the other end.

She couldn’t help but flush. "I’m at work."

Hailey Jenkins walked up to Jasper Yale with a coffee, caught a glimpse of his screen out of the corner of her eye, saw him texting.

"Then go somewhere private."

This—

Hailey’s gaze landed on Jasper’s face. His young master looked ice cold, aloof, sharp and distant.

Did he even realize this cold, refined image matched with words like that made him look like he wanted to fuck until his legs broke?