Once She Came Like a Flash novel Chapter 55

**TITLE: Faith Didn’t Survive Time – by Aadi Sharma**
**Chapter 55**

At the break of dawn, Azure Villa was enveloped in a stillness that felt almost sacred. The sun had yet to fully rise, and the world outside was painted in soft shades of gray, but inside, Alison was already stirring, her mind racing with thoughts that refused to let her linger in sleep.

Once she had splashed water on her face and brushed her hair into some semblance of order, she reached for her phone, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation. As she descended the elegant spiral staircase, her eyes flickered to the screen, and her heart sank. Three missed calls.

“Who could it be at this hour?” she mused, her brow furrowing slightly. She initially assumed it was Renee, but her heart dropped when she saw the name—Jasper.

“Why did my brother call me?” she wondered aloud, a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach.

The realization hit her like a cold wave. Ever since Renee had gone to negotiate with Everest Group on behalf of Genome Tech the day before, Alison had braced herself for the inevitable fallout. Jasper was probably gearing up to give her a stern talking-to about her reckless ambitions.

With a resigned sigh, she pressed the call-back button, her mind racing with what he might say.

“Are you calling me for something?” she asked, her voice steady, though her heart raced.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the living room, startling her.

Alison hurried down the remaining steps, her curiosity piqued. There he was—Jasper, lounging on the plush sofa, absorbed in whatever was playing on his tablet. She blinked in surprise, taken aback by his unexpected presence.

“What are you doing home?” she blurted out, her voice tinged with disbelief. Jasper was a creature of habit, usually lost in work or jet-setting to meetings. Seeing him here, in their family home, felt oddly out of place.

Jasper glanced up at her, his expression cool and unreadable. “All thanks to your employee, Ms. Whitley,” he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

That one statement spoke volumes, igniting a flicker of concern within Alison.

“Uh… What does that mean? Did Renee piss you off?” she asked, her brow knitting together in confusion.

She recalled the message Renee had sent her the previous evening, a brief summary of events that had unfolded. Alison had assumed Renee was safe with Adam by her side, and thus, she hadn’t given it much thought. Besides, after a late night out with friends, she had silenced her phone, hoping for a few precious hours of sleep.

Luke, hovering nearby, chimed in with a knowing smirk. “Ms. Whitley got completely wasted and made a scene. Mr. Zeller had no choice but to come back home.”

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