Chapter 1335
Alyssa saw Landon approaching them, looking weak and sickly. She teased him immediately, "Gosh, Mr. Harper, what's wrong with you? Were you doing hard labor in your bedroom last night?"
"I... Never mind. Forget about it." He sighed in frustration. Where to start?
He couldn't possibly speak ill of Alyssa's brother in front of her, or he'd land Jasper in trouble as well. As Jasper's brother from another mother, he didn't have the heart to do so.
Alyssa knew he must have something on his mind, but she did not press on if he was reluctant to divulge.
"Do you want food? I'll make some for you," Jasper offered, turning around to look at Landon while busy with the cooking.
"Nah. I don't have appetite." Landon wandered to the fridge and opened the door to grab a bottle of water. Then, he downed the entire drink.
Crumpling the empty bottle, he took a deep breath before
announcing, "Lyse, Jasper, I will register my marriage with Lauren today."
Caught by surprise, they gasped, "What? Today?"
"Yes, today." Landon's eyes burned with passion. His voice broke." I've thought over it. The more I delay it, the more problems arise. I don't care if my family approves of my marriage. I'll get it registered for now.
"After that's done, Lauren and I will be legal spouses-she'll be my wife and the matriarch of the Harper Group! Even if Grandpa is against our decision, he has no choice but to let it go. Once I'm in charge of the Harper Group, I'll throw a grand wedding for Lauren. She'll surely understand my decision."
Jasper furrowed his brows, his attention completely diverted from the sunny-side-up eggs now burnt in the pan.
Landon went on, "Jasper, I'll go get my birth certificate from my mom soon. What about Lauren's? Can you get it by today?"
"Landon Harper, what the heck are you thinking? You're acting weird today," Alyssa chided him with a stern look.
"Why? All I want is to marry Lauren. Look at your faces. I was expecting applause and support," Landon retorted, his brows contorting in anxiety.
"Landon, you've been dating Lauren for a while. You were able to keep your calm before, but why did you lose it today?" Jasper turned off the stove and cast a worrying glance at his best friend.
He added, "By the way, our birth certificates are with Javier. If you demand to get it from him, he surely won't hand it over to you.
"After all, you greatly embarrassed him at the Jesseltons' event for Lyse's sake. You know Javier and his pettiness. If you ask him something, he'll take the chance to make you jump through hoops.
"If you upset him, he might arrange for Lauren to marry another. It's not like he cares about the Harpers because you are still dealing with the fallout from Zoe's action. To be clear, Javier does not want to be associated with the Harpers anymore."
"I..." Landon curled his fist.
"By the way, have you resolved your family conflict?" Alyssa addressed Landon with a seriousness that rivaled the couple's parents. "Do your grandpa and your mom approve of your marriage?
"If you elope with Lauren, aren't you worried that your grandpa will retract your appointment as the group president? What if your Uncle Preston takes advantage of the situation to eliminate you?
"You're Cornelius' only grandson, and he cherishes you like no
other. How would he perceive Lauren if you eloped with her? Your family will only look down on her."
"Lauren's my wife, my lover! No one is allowed to look down on her! "Landon bellowed, unable to accept her words. She made it sound like he was defenseless.
She shook her head disappointingly. "Landon, I don't doubt your love for Lauren, but have you thought things through? What do you want for yourself, and what kind of life would you want Lauren to live?
"You're currently faced with a dilemma-choose Lauren or Harper Group. You can't have your cake and eat it. If you fail to helm the company, you'll disappoint your father.
"If you insist on staying with Lauren, you need to mentally prepare yourself to be removed from the company leadership. Are you really going to let go of something in your sight?"
"Why can't I have both? I want to lead Harper Group, and I want to stay with Lauren!" His eyes twitched as he glared at Alyssa.
"No one's stopping you from dating Lauren. What you need to do now is keep your calm. Victory is on the horizon, so please don't mess it up," Alyssa argued with a frown, studying his face. "What happened between you and Lauren last night? Spit it out, and we'll be your judge. You're only going to go crazy if you keep everything to yourself."
"We're more worried that you'd do something rash," Jasper chimed in and served Alyssa breakfast.
He was more skilled in the kitchen than Mrs. Rosie now and surprisingly enjoyed the chore.
He added, "I messed up the breakfast, but eat it while it's hot." His handsome face was a stark contrast to the apron he wore. He looked comical yet sexy at the same time.
Alyssa grinned and wrapped an arm around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek as a reward. "There's your reward." She playfully tapped his chin with her fingers.
He responded enthusiastically to her kiss, savoring the sweetness of her breath.
In front of the couple, Landon sat dejected, like he had been cuckolded. He confessed, "I have a love rival."