"For how long?" Nyla asked.Seeing the worry in her eyes, Damon stroked her head, answering in a slightly hoarse voice, "Don't worry. With you and Buddy here, I won't do anything foolish. I promise."Nyla bit her lip, her concern evident."I promise," Damon said again, his tone firm. "If I left you and Buddy behind, I'd be the most selfish person alive. Trust me, okay?"Looking into his serious gaze, Nyla hesitated before finally nodding. "Alright. I'll be in the living room. If you get hungry, just let me know.""Okay. But don't wait up for me. I might sleep in the study tonight. Get some rest," Damon replied."Alright," Nyla conceded.Damon turned and walked toward the study, his steps heavy.Nyla's worry deepened as she watched his retreating figure. She was genuinely afraid that he might not be able to cope.For now, all she could do was trust him. Prospectus Technology's abrupt collapse was something he needed time to process and accept.After Damon disappeared around th
The first room—empty.The second room—also empty.By the time Nyla had checked every room, there was still no sign of Mason. Her patience was wearing thin, and her emotions were teetering on the edge of breaking.Gabriel's voice broke the tense silence behind her. "Nyla, don't worry. Buddy is in a very safe place. You just need to—"Slap!Before he could finish, Nyla spun around and slapped him hard across the face.The crisp sound echoed down the hallway, plunging it into silence.A bright red handprint bloomed on Gabriel's cheek, stark and glaring. Yet, instead of anger, he let out a faint laugh. "Nyla, you still don't trust me, do you? You still think I'd hurt you, is that it?"Nyla's gaze was icy. "I'll ask you one more time. Where is Buddy? If you don't tell me, I'll call the police."Gabriel might use gentle words, but his actions spoke differently. From his underhanded tactics that had brought down Prospectus Technology to taking Mason without her consent, everything he
Gabriel's expression changed when he saw the police. He hadn't expected Nyla to actually follow through and call them.One of the officers turned to him, his tone stern. "Is what Ms. Kinsey said true? Where is the child? If you don't hand him over, we'll have to treat this as a kidnapping case and take you into custody."Gabriel forced a smile and glanced at Nyla. "Nyla, didn't you just say you already know where Buddy is? Why involve the police if you've already found him?"Nyla scowled. "Yes, I know where he is, but the location requires your fingerprint for access. Now that the police are here, don't try any more tricks."A flicker of surprise crossed Gabriel's face. He hadn't expected her to figure out where Mason was being kept. That location indeed required his fingerprint to enter.When he'd taken Mason earlier, he had anticipated that Nyla would come looking for him, so he had locked the boy in his company office.Since Nyla already knew, and with the police present, cont
Nyla quickly comforted Mason. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Mommy's late."She hugged and consoled him for a long while before he finally calmed down, though his little body still trembled with occasional sobs, his cheeks streaked with tears.Nyla gently wiped his tears away, her voice soft. "No more crying now, okay? Mommy's taking you home."Mason sniffled. "Okay."When Nyla stood up, she noticed Gabriel still lingering nearby and frowned. "Why are you still here?"Gabriel ignored her question. He crouched down and looked directly at Mason. "Buddy, tell me—how did you get out of the office?"The security systems at Nyce Tech had always been flawless, yet right after locking Mason in his office, everything had gone haywire.It seemed impossible, but Gabriel couldn't shake the suspicion that somehow Mason was involved.Mason's eyes mirrored his mother's disdain. "Why should I tell you? You're a bad man! I hate you!"If it hadn't been for this man, he would have been home, enjoying d
No one dared to answer. In truth, they had made no progress—neither fixing the bug nor stabilizing the system.The silence in the conference room was suffocating.Heads lowered, each person desperate to avoid eye contact with Gabriel.Their collective silence only fueled his anger. He slammed the files on the table. "Get back to work! If this isn't resolved today, don't expect to leave!"Relieved to escape his presence, the team scrambled out of the room.Left alone, Gabriel pulled out his phone and reviewed the security footage from his office. He rewound to the moment right after he had locked Mason inside.At first, Mason tried the door but quickly realized it was locked. Then he began wreaking havoc—knocking over a teapot, pulling a painting off the wall, scattering important documents across the floor, and gleefully stomping on them.Gabriel's jaw tightened as he watched the destruction unfold, veins bulging in his temple.He continued to watch. Mason hopped onto Gabriel's
Hearing that, Nyla instinctively bit her lip and lingered at the door momentarily. In the end, she sighed quietly and walked away without saying anything more.When she returned to the living room, Lydia immediately approached her. "Ms. Kinsey, how is Mr. Sumner?"Nyla shook her head. "He's fine, don't worry. But he still doesn't want to come out to eat. Just keep the food warm for him tonight and take it to him whenever he feels like eating."Lydia nodded quickly. "Got it. Ms. Kinsey, you should go have dinner.""Okay," Nyla said, though she didn't have much of an appetite.Between Prospectus Technology's bankruptcy and Mason being forcibly taken by Gabriel earlier in the day, she was utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.Despite that, she had to force herself to eat for Damon and Mason's sake. They both needed her to stay strong.She sat down at the dining table, and Mason frowned slightly upon noticing it was just the two of them."Mommy, isn't Daddy coming to eat
However, things might change once Damon regained his footing.Hearing Caroline's unspoken caution, Nyla lowered her gaze and said earnestly, "I know you're saying this for my own good, but Damon is worth it."He spent five years alone without knowing if I was even alive, and he never let another woman into his life. I trust him. Even if I lose this bet, I won't regret it.""Alright," Caroline relented. "As long as you've thought it through. I'll support you no matter what. But if you stay in Saintornia, it'll be hard for us to see each other again."Caroline had decided to remain in Capitarnia while still studying there. Over the years, she had saved enough to buy a place for herself. Even before Nyla's return, Caroline was already searching for a property."That's okay. As long as we keep each other in our hearts, no distance is too far. Besides, our little family of three might move to Capitarnia someday. We'll have chances to meet," Nyla replied.Caroline chuckled. "Alright. I
"I know," Damon replied.Looking at his expressionless face, Lydia hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Mr. Sumner, what's your plan from here?""I'm not sure yet. For now, I'll handle the company's remaining affairs," Damon answered.Filing for bankruptcy didn't mean everything was finished. There was still a mountain of follow-up work to manage. Now that he had accepted Prospectus Technology's bankruptcy, his immediate priorities were tying up loose ends and suing Nyce Tech for stealing the company's core data.Lydia finally breathed a sigh of relief upon noticing that, despite his exhaustion, Damon didn't look utterly defeated. As long as he hadn't lost hope, that was what mattered. What she feared most was that Damon might crumble under the blow and let his thoughts spiral into something irreversible."Mr. Sumner, you didn't eat dinner last night. You must be hungry. Let me make you some breakfast. What would you like?" she asked.Damon pondered before answer
"What's up?" Jayden asked."You free for dinner tonight?" Yale invited.Jayden checked his schedule—no meetings, no social engagements.Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Who else is coming?""Just the two of us," Yale replied."Alright, send me the details," Jayden said.…That evening, Jayden pulled up in front of a high-end restaurant in Saintornia.As he stepped out of his car, Yale's voice came from the side. "Jayden, what a coincidence. We arrived at the same time."Jayden looked over, then waited for Yale to catch up before they walked inside together.Once seated in a private room, Jayden studied Yale. "You asked me to dinner alone. There must be something you want to talk about."Yale chuckled. "Can't hide anything from you. Let's order first."After placing their orders and the server left, Yale leaned back and met Jayden's gaze. "What's your plan with Michelle and Brandon? Are you really trying to set them up?"Jayden's fingers tightened slightly around his glass. H
At present, nothing mattered to Brandon except Valarie. If Jayden insisted on forcing him to see Michelle, their friendship might not survive.Yale nodded. "Got it. I'll mention it, but I won't push it if he doesn't listen."He and Nolan had a clear view of the situation and weren't planning on getting too involved. They didn't want to end up stuck in the middle, trying to please both sides and failing.…The news of Brandon stepping down as CEO of the Sumner Group spread quickly through Saintornia.As soon as Michelle heard about it, she called Jayden."Jayden, I just saw online that Brandon resigned as CEO of the Sumner Group. What's going on?" Her voice trembled with worry.There was a brief silence on the other end before Jayden responded in a low voice. "I don't know yet. I'll ask around.""Jayden, do you think it's because of that exposé you had someone post online? Maybe you should have them take it down. I want to see him, but I don't want him to leave the Sumner Group
Valarie opened the door and stepped out.After she left, Brandon pulled out his phone and dialed Yale. "Got time for a drink tonight?""Sure. But last I checked, Valarie keeps a tight leash on you. You sure you can go drinking?" Yale asked.Hearing the teasing in Yale's voice, Brandon lowered his gaze. "She doesn't care what I do anymore."She didn't even want him now, so why would she care if he went out drinking?"Alright then. I'll call Nolan and Jayden. You and Jayden need to settle your beef anyway. You two fighting online all the time is just making people laugh at you," Yale grunted.Brandon frowned. "If you invite him, I'm not going. I don't want to see him."If Jayden showed up, the first thing he'd do was try to convince him to see Michelle. And right now, just hearing her name annoyed him.If it weren't for Michelle, things wouldn't have spiraled so far between him and Valarie."Fine, fine. I won't call him. See you at the usual place," Yale said."Yeah," Brandon h
Damon's tone turned icy as he heard the confidence in Brandon's voice. "You'd better be fully prepared for this.""Uncle Damon, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing," Brandon reassured him.The company wasn't his biggest concern right now. There was something far more important.During this month off, he was determined to win Valarie back.As long as he stayed by her side, she wouldn't have time to spend with Stefan.Once they were back together, after a month, he'd return to work.It was the perfect plan."If that's the case, I have nothing more to say," Damon replied, clearly displeased, before hanging up.Brandon set down his phone and immediately drove to the Weir Group.After parking outside, he called Valarie. "Valarie, are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together.""I'm really busy today. I'll probably be working late," Valarie answered."That's fine. I can wait. We could grab a late-night snack instead," Brandon suggested.There was a brief silence on the
Brandon smiled. "I haven't set an exact timeline yet, but at a minimum, I'll be gone for a month.""A month? That's way too long! No, absolutely not. You can take a week at most.""Exactly. If you disappear for an entire month, the company may fall into chaos. We have several major deals lined up right now. Your absence would definitely cause problems."The shareholders protested.Finally, Wyatt spoke up, his voice firm. "Everyone, please calm down. Mr. Sumner has been working non-stop these past few years without a break. It's only reasonable that he take some time off now."As soon as he finished, another shareholder, Chester Baldwin, sneered. "Of course you'd want Mr. Sumner to take a break, Mr. Dodgson. After all, you've secretly been buying up shares from other shareholders over the past two years."You probably hold at least 10% of the company's stock by now, don't you? If Mr. Sumner steps down, you'll have a clear path to becoming the next CEO of the Sumner Group."There
The shareholders continued to talk over each other, giving Brandon no chance to speak.Only when they fell silent did he ask, "Are you finished?""Mr. Sumner, what kind of attitude is this? Your personal affairs caused this whole mess, yet you're acting as if it has nothing to do with you!" one shareholder demanded.Facing their angry glares, Brandon set the document in his hand aside."You've all said quite a bit, but the main point is that you want me to resign, right?" he said. "I can step down, but tell me, who do you plan to put in my place?"The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances.After a long pause, the lead shareholder spoke. "There are several capable shareholders in the company. We can select one of them to temporarily take over as CEO of the Sumner Group until you resolve your personal matters. Once that's done, you can return to your position."Brandon chuckled. "Mr. Dodgson, since you're speaking so confidently, I assume you've already decided on a replacement. D
For the next few years, Emerald would likely be too consumed with internal struggles to trouble Damon and Nyla.Nyla lowered her gaze. "Either way, what happens in Meristate no longer concerns us. I just want our family to stay together.""Mm," Damon murmured in agreement.…Over the next few days, Brandon focused solely on suppressing the online accusations of ingratitude. He worked late into the night, desperately trying to contain the fallout.Jayden stormed into Brandon's office, noticing that Brandon seemed more concerned with the company's reputation than visiting Michelle."Brandon, have you lost your mind over Valarie? You need to see Michelle today, no matter what!" Jayden demanded.Brandon's expression remained cold. "I already told you, I'm not going. I'm busy. Please leave."Jayden's face darkened as he grabbed the file from Brandon's hands. "Are you really willing to throw away our friendship over a woman?""She's not just any woman—she's my girlfriend. The woman
"It's not too early. It's just the right time," Valarie replied."Alright then," Nyla conceded and sat down beside her. "Well, on behalf of the baby, I'll say thank you in advance."Valarie reached out and gently touched Nyla's still-flat stomach. Her voice softened. "Baby, when you're born, your godmother will have an even bigger gift waiting for you.""What kind of gift?" Nyla asked.Valarie shot her a playful glance. "You'll find out when the time comes."As they chatted, Damon returned home. He was a little surprised to see Valarie but still greeted her, "Ms. Weir.""Good afternoon, Mr. Sumner," Valarie returned the greeting.Nyla turned to Damon. "Why are you back so early?""I came to grab a file. Figured I'd check in on you while I was here," Damon answered.Valarie rolled her eyes. "Hey, hey, can you not be so publicly affectionate? Some of us are still single, you know!"Nyla laughed. "Aren't you getting along pretty well with that younger guy?"At the mention of
Brandon's phone rang again.Seeing it was Damon, he took a deep breath before answering. "Uncle Damon.""What's going on with this trending news?" Damon asked.After a brief pause, Brandon replied, "I'll handle it. Don't worry about it.""I'm asking what happened. You and Jayden are friends. Why are you letting something this small turn into a scandal?" Damon questioned."It was my mistake. I promise I'll take care of it today," Brandon assured him."Good." Damon didn't say more before hanging up.Brandon set his phone down and immediately called the PR manager. "Get that trending topic taken down. No matter the cost."The PR manager hesitated. "Mr. Sumner, we've been trying to remove it. But each time we negotiate, the Gilmour Group raises their bid to keep it up. That's why it's still trending."Brandon frowned, silent for a long moment.The manager continued cautiously. "I remember you and Mr. Gilmour are close. Maybe you could speak to him directly and see what it would t