"Alright. I'll keep paying your salary during these three months," Damon replied.Spencer shook his head. "That's not necessary. I've been working nonstop for years. I'll treat this time as a break to recharge."Besides, Spencer thought Damon would need the money if he planned to start over. Paying him would only add to Damon's burden.Damon, who had spent years navigating the business world, easily saw through Spencer's intentions but chose not to point them out.He nodded. "Alright then.""If there's nothing else, Mr. Sumner, I'll head out. Please don't hesitate to call or message if you need anything," Spencer said."Mm," Damon hummed in response.After Spencer left, Damon turned on his computer and got to work.Upstairs in the bedroom…Nyla woke from a nightmare, gasping for breath. She looked around, taking a few moments to realize she was in the bedroom, then ran downstairs.She pushed open the study's door to find Damon seated at the desk, working. A wave of relief was
After breakfast, Nyla drove Mason to school while Damon headed directly to the office.On the way, Mason asked, "Mommy, is Daddy upset about something these past couple of days?"Nyla glanced at him. She and Damon hadn't told Mason about Prospectus Technology's bankruptcy, fearing it would upset him.At five years old, he likely wouldn't fully grasp its implications. Still, they had underestimated his perceptiveness. Even at his age, Mason could easily pick up on the emotions of the adults around him.Over the weekend, Damon had spent most of his time in the study, barely interacting with Mason. Naturally, Mason had noticed something was amiss.Reaching out, Nyla gently tousled his hair. "Yes, Daddy has been a little upset lately, but don't worry—he'll feel better soon."Mason nodded, though he didn't completely understand. "Okay."Before long, the car pulled up in front of Mason's kindergarten.After walking him inside, Nyla paused to speak with his teacher, Ms. Ferrier, at th
Nyla frowned. "What are you trying to say?"Gabriel hesitated before explaining, "On Friday, when I left Buddy in my office, the company's system suddenly had issues during that same timeframe. I—"She cut him off sharply, "Are you suggesting my five-year-old son somehow sabotaged your company's system? Do you even realize how ridiculous you sound?"Gabriel stood in silence, his expression awkward. Even he knew how absurd it sounded."I don't have time for your nonsense," Nyla commented. "Instead of pointing fingers at Buddy, maybe you should look into whether your system was already faulty."With that, she shoved past him and left.Gabriel stood there for a moment, watching her car disappear down the road before finally heading back to his vehicle.…As Mason walked into his kindergarten classroom, he quickly noticed his classmates giving him odd looks.He ignored them, found his seat, and waited quietly for the teacher to arrive.After a while, one of the children approache
It turned out Mason's father had gone bankrupt, which was why Mason's mother was considering marrying Wilhelm's father.Wilhelm stormed up to Mason and shoved him. "Mason, I won't let your mom marry my dad! Your family goes broke, and now your mom wants to marry my dad to become my stepmom? No way! I won't let you get what you want!"Mason nearly lost his balance but quickly steadied himself, his cold gaze locking onto Wilhelm.Despite being only five years old, there was already a trace of Damon's commanding aura in Mason's expression—a look that demanded respect and fear.It startled Wilhelm, making him instinctively take two steps back.Realizing their classmates were watching, Wilhelm forced himself to stand tall and glare back. "What are you staring at me for? I'm just telling the truth! Your mom's doing something shameless, and I'm not allowed to say anything about it?"He had made up his mind—there was no way Nyla would marry Gabriel!"My mom would never marry your dad. S
Gabriel nodded. "I understand. But I know both children's personalities well. Buddy isn't the type to start trouble. Wilhelm, on the other hand, has been difficult at home lately. I'd guess this was his doing again, wasn't it?"Laura's expression changed before she nodded. "Based on what I've gathered, it seems that Wilhelm insulted Mason first, which led to the fight."However, Mason threw the first punch, so he's not entirely blameless."Nyla, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "Ms. Ferrier, what exactly did Wilhelm say to Buddy?"Laura looked troubled. She hesitated, clearly reluctant to share. The things Wilhelm had said were inappropriate, and she felt awkward repeating them in front of the parents."H-He said something about you wanting to marry Mr. Hackett and become his stepmother," she finally managed to say.The room went quiet again.Nyla let out a cold laugh and turned to Gabriel. "Did you teach him to say that?"Gabriel's expression changed slightly. "Nyl
"You're Mommy's most precious treasure. If you ever got hurt from fighting, it would break my heart," Nyla said.Mason hung his head, staying quiet for a while before finally nodding. "Okay, I understand.""Good. We'll go to the hospital now. After the checkup, I'll take you home if everything's fine, and you can skip school for today," Nyla explained.Mason nodded. "Okay."…When they arrived at the hospital, Gabriel and Wilhelm were already waiting at the entrance.Nyla held Mason's hand as they approached them, her expression cold. "Let's go."Noticing her frosty demeanor, Gabriel stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Nyla, this was really just an accident."Nyla replied coolly, "You don't need to explain. I don't care."With that, she quickened her pace, making it clear she didn't want to continue the conversation.Gabriel watched her slender figure as she walked away, his gaze darkening."Daddy, you're hurting my hand!" Wilhelm's complaint broke through Gabriel's thoug
"Nyla, I promise this won't happen again," Gabriel assured.Nyla didn't respond. She simply took Mason's hand and walked away.Gabriel and Wilhelm stood there for a moment before finally leaving, neither of them noticing the figure watching from the corner of the hospital lobby.Brandon dialed Damon's number again. "Uncle Damon, you don't need to come. Aunt Nyla already left with Buddy."I asked around and found out that Buddy and Wilhelm fought at school this morning. Aunt Nyla and Gabriel were here to get them checked out, but they've already gone their separate ways."There was a pause before Damon's cold voice came through the line. "Got it."Then he hung up.…When Nyla brought Mason home, Lydia looked surprised to see him. "Ms. Kinsey, why isn't Mr. Mason at school?""He'll stay home with me today. Buddy, go wash your hands and change your clothes," Nyla said.Mason nodded and ran upstairs.Lydia didn't press further but mentioned, "Mr. Sumner called earlier to check i
Nyla reached out and hugged Damon. "I'm not going to leave you. Whether you're the CEO of Prospectus Technology or just an ordinary person, you're still the one I love. I love you—not the company behind you.""Nyla, I'm sorry. I've been too sensitive lately," Damon said, his voice heavy with remorse."It's not your fault. It's normal to have moments of self-doubt when facing such a major setback. You just need to remember one thing: I'm never going to leave you. That's all that matters," she replied softly.Damon didn't say anything more. Instead, he tightened his embrace around Nyla.Suddenly, the sound of small footsteps echoed through the quiet room.They both turned toward the staircase and saw Mason coming downstairs in his pajamas.Damon released Nyla and faced the boy. "Buddy, why aren't you asleep yet?"Without answering, Mason ran up to them, clutching a card in his small hands. He held it out to Damon. "Daddy, I heard your company is in trouble because there's no money
Nyla went upstairs while Damon returned to his study.Instead of diving into his paperwork, he sat at his desk, wrestling with the dilemma of whether to use the money in Mason's account to save Prospectus Technology. Hours later, he made a decision....The next morning, Damon left for the office after breakfast.Meanwhile, Mason was heading upstairs to change when Nyla called him back. "Buddy, starting today, you don't need to go to school. You'll stay home with me for a while to study instead."Mason blinked in surprise. "Why?"Nyla stroked his hair, her tone gentle. "I'm not working right now, so I can help you practice writing at home. We'll do this for a while before you go back to school. Does that sound good?"School wasn't that important to Mason, so he nodded easily. "Okay."Relieved that he didn't press for more details, Nyla let out a soft sigh. Lying to kids could be exhausting.At the office…Damon had just stepped in when Spencer arrived, his expression grim.
Mason hadn't expected his master to say they'd meet in person soon."Of course. Have I ever lied to you?" the young man replied."No!" Mason chirped.After hanging up the phone, the thought of meeting his master lifted Mason's spirits. He jumped off the toilet, phone in hand, and walked out of the bathroom.Back in his room, a knock came at the door."Buddy, are you in there? Can you open the door? Daddy wants to talk to you," Damon said.Hearing Damon's gentle voice, Mason hesitated briefly but eventually opened the door."Daddy, if you're here to ask about my master like Mommy, I'm not going to tell you," he stated.Damon smiled, reaching out to pat Mason's head. "Don't worry. I'm not going to ask. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Mommy and I talked earlier, and she won't press you on it anymore either. She was just worried, that's all.""My master wouldn't hurt me!" Mason defended."I know, Buddy. Mommy's just concerned about you. She already feels bad
Nyla had wanted to discuss things properly with Mason, to make him open up slowly and tell her the truth.Now, she felt the urgency to figure out how that money had come about as soon as possible.She rarely spoke so sternly to Mason, so he was startled and dropped the block on the floor.Mason's eyes were red, but he stared at Nyla defiantly, refusing to speak.Nyla pressed, "Buddy, who is this master of yours?"Why would they give Mason so much money out of the blue?"I won't say!" Mason responded firmly.Nyla's brow furrowed in anger as her patience wore thin. "If you don't tell me, I'll take away all your electronics starting today."Mason yelled, "I hate you, Mommy! You're not the loving mommy you used to be anymore!"After shouting, he spun on his heel and ran upstairs.Moments later, the slam of his door echoed through the villa.Hearing the commotion, Damon emerged from the study and walked into the living room. He saw Nyla standing there, visibly upset."What happe
Damon had never met anyone from the Nixons, but it was clear they had ties to both Drake and Mason.He sensed it wouldn't be long before he encountered someone from this enigmatic family. When that moment came, he hoped to finally uncover their motives for involving Mason.…That evening, when Damon returned to the villa, he called Nyla into the study."I have something important to tell you," he said, his tone serious.Noticing his expression, Nyla looked puzzled. "What is it? Does it have to do with the money in Buddy's account?"Damon nodded. "Yes. Five years ago, shortly after Rebecca returned to the country, a mysterious group abroad began investigating you."Later, I discovered that the person behind the investigation was Drake Mummery, a senior executive at MK Company in Meristate. He's connected to the Nixons—a powerful family in Meristate."Today, I found out that all the money in Buddy's account came from someone within the Nixons."Nyla's face turned serious, a mix
Mason nodded. "I know. That's the money I earned myself.""You earned?" Nyla repeated.The couple stared at Mason in disbelief. How could a five-year-old possibly earn that kind of money?Damon frowned and crouched beside him. "Buddy, do you know there's 1 trillion dollars in that account? Do you understand how much that is?"Mason shook his head. "No... but it really is the money I earned."Damon asked, "Then tell Daddy, how did you earn it?"Mason hesitated, his expression conflicted. "Daddy... can I not tell you?"He had promised the person who helped him earn the money that he wouldn't reveal anything about it."Buddy, if you don't tell us, we can't be sure if this money is really yours," Damon replied gently but firmly.Mason thought for a moment before shaking his head again. "I can't say."Damon was about to push further when Nyla placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.She turned to Mason, smiling softly. "Okay, if you don't want to tell us, we won't force you. Go ba
Damon remained silent, his face set in a grim expression. If this card truly contained the staggering amount claimed, the situation was anything but reassuring.After verifying the balance at the bank, his expression grew even darker.Sensing something amiss—especially given Damon's lack of joy—Spencer grew uneasy."Mr. Sumner... isn't it good that the card holds this much money?" he asked hesitantly.Damon's gaze sharpened. "Head back to the office. I need to deal with something at home.""Understood," Spencer replied, though confusion lingered on his face.Damon left swiftly.Spencer stood by, watching the car disappear down the road, his thoughts clouded.Shouldn't they be celebrating? With this amount, saving the company should have been a sure thing.…Less than an hour later, Damon arrived at the villa.Nyla was lounging in the living room, watching TV.When she saw him enter, her brow furrowed slightly. "Why are you back so early?"Damon settled across from her, pla
The bodyguards hesitated before quickly leaving.Gabriel turned back to Damon with a grin. "Now can we talk?"Damon walked into his office without a word, and Gabriel followed.Sitting behind his desk, Damon glared at him coldly. "What do you want to discuss?"Gabriel smiled. "Mr. Sumner, with Prospectus Technology on the brink of bankruptcy, it's pointless to keep spending money fighting Nyce Tech in court. How about I give you some money, and you drop the lawsuit? What do you think?"Damon's expression hardened. "I doubt you can afford the price I have in mind.""I'm offering 10 billion dollars. You can take the money and start fresh. How about it?" Gabriel proposed.He had considered the amount for a long time, clearly confident that Damon wouldn't refuse.Silence filled the office.After a long pause, Damon snickered. "Gabriel, you colluded with Henry to steal Prospectus Technology's core trade secrets. Now you want me to let you off the hook for 10 billion dollars? Dream
Nyla reached out and hugged Damon. "I'm not going to leave you. Whether you're the CEO of Prospectus Technology or just an ordinary person, you're still the one I love. I love you—not the company behind you.""Nyla, I'm sorry. I've been too sensitive lately," Damon said, his voice heavy with remorse."It's not your fault. It's normal to have moments of self-doubt when facing such a major setback. You just need to remember one thing: I'm never going to leave you. That's all that matters," she replied softly.Damon didn't say anything more. Instead, he tightened his embrace around Nyla.Suddenly, the sound of small footsteps echoed through the quiet room.They both turned toward the staircase and saw Mason coming downstairs in his pajamas.Damon released Nyla and faced the boy. "Buddy, why aren't you asleep yet?"Without answering, Mason ran up to them, clutching a card in his small hands. He held it out to Damon. "Daddy, I heard your company is in trouble because there's no money
"Nyla, I promise this won't happen again," Gabriel assured.Nyla didn't respond. She simply took Mason's hand and walked away.Gabriel and Wilhelm stood there for a moment before finally leaving, neither of them noticing the figure watching from the corner of the hospital lobby.Brandon dialed Damon's number again. "Uncle Damon, you don't need to come. Aunt Nyla already left with Buddy."I asked around and found out that Buddy and Wilhelm fought at school this morning. Aunt Nyla and Gabriel were here to get them checked out, but they've already gone their separate ways."There was a pause before Damon's cold voice came through the line. "Got it."Then he hung up.…When Nyla brought Mason home, Lydia looked surprised to see him. "Ms. Kinsey, why isn't Mr. Mason at school?""He'll stay home with me today. Buddy, go wash your hands and change your clothes," Nyla said.Mason nodded and ran upstairs.Lydia didn't press further but mentioned, "Mr. Sumner called earlier to check i