Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

"Mr. Beckett, Ms. Alyssa, we're here. This is Maggie Madison's home," announced Xavier while scanning the environment.
Having grown up in a highly educated family, Xavier had performed dirty work for Jasper over the years, but never had he
witnessed such an awful living environment. Since they did not have bodyguards with them, he felt quite tense.
Unlike Xavier, Jasper calmly got out of the car. As it had rained earlier, Jasper stepped right into a muddy puddle as soon as he
disembarked. The mud splashed all over his expensive shoes, but he remained unbothered and seemed at home.
"Mr. Beckett! Look out! The ground—" Xavier tried to warn Jasper, but it was too late.
Jasper said casually, "It's fine."
Alyssa had wanted to follow suit, only to be lifted off the seat. She gasped and panickedly wrapped her arms around Jasper's
neck.
He had lifted her into his arms because he didn't want her to walk in the mud. He grinned and said, "What are you panicking
over? I always have a good grip on you."
"Mm... You should have warned me. I was shocked!" Punching his chest playfully, she understood his concern and said, "It's just
a water puddle. I'm not that fussy. Look, I had my fair share of hard times abroad. I'm not a flower in a greenhouse."
"That was the past. You have me now." He slowly placed her on the ground and held her by her waist.
He silently vowed, "Now that you have me, Lyse, I will treat you like a princess."
Frowning in confusion, she asked, "Xavier, why did you take a detour to Maggie Madison's place? The other girl lives closer. We
could have visited her before Maggie. It's along the way."

"Uh, Madam. The girl and her family. They refused to see you and Mr. Beckett," Xavier hesitantly admitted with a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Jasper furrowed his brows. Alyssa took his hand with a determined look in her eyes and said, "There's no need
to explain. I understand their feelings. We're not parents, and it's hard for us to imagine what they're going through. The victim
must be mentally tortured right now and sensitive to any changes.
"Even if we visit them with good intentions, they might feel pressured because of our social standing. Besides, it's
understandable that they refuse to entertain us after how the Schmidts had threatened them before this."
Looking tense and hostile, Jasper nonetheless nodded after careful consideration. The girls' parents hailed from an ordinary
family, lacking power and wealth. They were vulnerable against the Schmidts, who could easily crush them. The victim's parents
likely did their utmost to protect their daughter.
Alyssa and Jasper both felt sorry for the victim. The trio made their way to the top floor of the apartment. The sights on their walk
sent shivers down Xavier's spine. As a clean freak, he found the stained walls, accumulated trash, and unruly children unsettling.
"Do you find this apartment intolerable?" Jasper spoke, wrapping an arm around Alyssa's shoulders.
He calmly explained, "The slum where I lived with my mom before returning to the Beckett family was far worse than this."
"N-No, Mr. Beckett, I..." Xavier's heart leaped into his throat as he struggled to come up with a reply.
"The conditions of a home are less important than living with the people you love. Anywhere was home for me as long as I was
with my mom. After she passed, I can never see Seaview Manor as home, no matter how comfortable it is. I miss the time I lived
with my mom."

He teared up from recounting memories. Tightening his grasp on Alyssa's waist, he rasped, "Thankfully, I have Lyse by my side.
I. I have a home again."
Fame, power, and wealth held no significance to him. All he ever wanted was to build a simple and cozy home with his lover.