"You used to criticize Ariana, calling her distant and untouchable. Now, you're pretending to be the victim? You're no saint!"

Ignoring her outburst, Jasper tranquillized Brielle, blindfolded her, and left her in an unmissable location for Theodore.

He then retreated to a nearby warehouse and returned carrying Ariana.

He gestured towards the ship, his words a chilling murmur, “Look, Ariana. That ship will soon explode, taking Theodore down to the sea's depths. Witness his end, so that your heart can finally let go of him and make room for me.”

Struck by his words, Ariana wrenched herself from Jasper's grip and ran towards the ship. But she had only taken a few steps when an earth-shattering explosion erupted from the ship. Flames and debris filled the air, and the ship instantly succumbed to chaos and destruction.

The pier was cast in an ominous red glow, the flames dancing wildly and illuminating the scene.

Ariana stood rigid, her body frozen for a moment before she collapsed onto the hard ground. The sensation of suffocation seized her, her mind consumed by the growing sense of despair. Despite her mouth cruelly taped shut by Jasper, a blood-curdling scream managed to escape her Lips.

Jasper watched her with a chilling detachment before he moved towards her. Helping her to her feet, he peeled off the tape from her mouth, his hand tracing her tear-stained face.

"Forget him," he murmured.

"I can let you keep the baby. I will take good care of both of you.”

Ariana's head shot up, her eyes blazing with an almost bloodshot rage.

She sunk her teeth into Jasper's hand with fierce determination, the taste of blood staining her lips. Despite his frantic efforts to shake her off, she clung on relentlessly, her eyes, alight with pure loathing, boring into him.

Jasper howled in pain, finally managing to wrest his hand free.

Infuriated, he landed a harsh slap on her, sending her sprawling to the ground. He spat, “Are you mad? You fell for a Lunatic! He didn't even blink an eye when his mother took her Life right before his eyes!"

Ariana's response was muted, her heart heavy with a cocktail of grief and rage. She glared at Jasper, her eyes a storm of confusion and resentment, as if ready to lash out at him at any moment.

Jasper's smirk widened at her hesitation, his words growing increasingly callous.

“You're clueless, aren't you? Aimee and Theodore are both crazy. What kind of love could you possibly hope for from a madman? He could hang himself right in front of you, or worse, harm you and your unborn child. Ariana, he doesn't love you. He doesn't even understand what Love means. He has a heart of stone."

Ariana's gaze never faltered from Jasper's, her icy stare remaining unyielding as he spiraled further into his frenzied monologue. She maintained her silence, her hands tied behind her struggling against the bindings. Despite the ropes cutting into her flesh, leaving her hands raw and bloody, she continued her struggle, her eyes filled with hatred and fixed on Jasper.

Tired of her resilient silence and his own unsuccessful attempts to manipulate her, Jasper decided to stop his tirade.

He hauled her to her feet and hustled her onto the boat. The explosion had triggered a wave of chaos, and he knew it wouldn't be Long before people descended onto the scene. Eager to avoid a confrontation, he roughly pushed Ariana onto the deck and tried to power up the control terminal. Despite his repeated attempts, it stubbornly remained unresponsive.