Theo's expression darkened as he stepped forward, looking down at Jane. "Say that again!"Jane raised an eyebrow. "What? You can't take it? Want to make a move?""You!" Theo clenched his fists, and for a moment, he was tempted to strike Jane."Enough!" Pedro's sharp voice echoed. "Isn't this enough chaos? Keep quiet, both of you!"Theo's expression changed, and he took a deep breath, saying nothing more.Jane knew she was no longer in line to inherit the Wilkie Group. She had become a mere pawn, no longer of any use to Pedro, so there was no need to pay her much attention.She glanced at Pedro, her voice flat. "Grandpa, you called me here today just to talk about Gabriel being arrested?"Pedro frowned. "Gabriel's arrest will damage the Wilkies' reputation. Stay home for a while and finish your travel documents. I want you to leave the country."Jane sneered. "Got it."She knew she was now a discarded pawn in Pedro's eyes. Of course, he would want her to leave as soon as possib
Pedro scowled as he said coldly, "She's about to leave the country. What's the point of holding so many shares?"It's not that we're unwilling to give her money, but you all know the situation at the Wilkie Group. Even if we were to give her the money, it will have to wait until the company stabilizes."Jane sneered. "You make it sound so reasonable. If I handed over all my shares to Theo, I'd be lucky to see a penny from him. That's assuming he'd even bother to get my name right!"Pedro glared at her. "Are you really going to push me?""You're the one forcing me," Jane replied, her voice icy. "Even if the shares rot in my hands, I'll never give them to Theo!""Fine! You're a truly good granddaughter!" Pedro snapped, his voice brimming with fury.The meeting ended on a sour note, with everyone leaving in frustration.…Back at the villa, Ruth sat beside Jane. "Now that they couldn't get the shares, they'll surely come up with other ways to take them from you. Jane, don't let yo
Jane could make a promise like this to obtain shares in Prospectus Technology, but who could guarantee she wouldn't go back on her word in the future for her own benefit?Besides, Damon would never give her an opportunity to join Prospectus Technology.Her expression changed again, clearly unprepared for Damon's blunt refusal.Yet, if she kept the 10% shares of the Wilkie Group, she would gain nothing. Worse, Pedro might pressure her into giving them to Theo.Rather than let the shares go to waste, she'd rather sell them."Mr. Sumner, can we reconsider? Even if it's just 0.5% of your shares, I'd be willing to accept that," she negotiated.Damon remained unmoved. "Ms. Wilkie, please leave."Jane studied his resolute expression and finally understood—acquiring shares in Prospectus Technology was no longer an option.Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze directly. "Mr. Sumner, since you're unwilling to exchange shares, how about I sell you the 10% I own in the Wilkie Group?"Dam
Theo's expression froze. If he had been willing to pay for the shares she held, he wouldn't have sought her out in the first place."Jane, don't push your luck. Don't forget, Grandpa gave you 10% of the Wilkie Group's shares because he wanted you to divorce Gabriel. You didn't lift a finger, so why should you keep those shares?!" he snapped.Jane raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Why? You just said it yourself. The 10% shares were my compensation for divorcing Gabriel. So why should I hand them over just because you're shameless?""You—" Theo's face darkened.Pointing a finger at her, he spoke coldly. "Don't forget, the Wilkies will still provide you a monthly allowance once you go abroad. If you cross me now, don't expect to see a single penny from us!""Fine, then I won't take it! And don't think you can take advantage of me!" she shot back.He wanted her shares without offering anything in return—his audacity was unmatched."Fine. Don't regret it!" Theo stormed out, slamming the
Gabriel lowered his gaze, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes.Once Jane took Wilhelm away, he would have no further concerns. He wouldn't let Damon off the hook for ruining him.After leaving the police station, Jane immediately had her assistant handle Wilhelm's international travel paperwork and booked tickets for the next morning.When she arrived home, Wendy had already brought Wilhelm back.As soon as Wilhelm saw Jane, he rushed into her arms. "Mommy!"Jane patted his head and said, "Wil, how about we have a meal with your grandparents later?"Wilhelm looked up at her cautiously. "Mommy, now that you've brought me here, are you going to send me back to Daddy's place later? I don't want to go back there...""Don't worry. I won't. From now on, you'll stay with me," Jane reassured him.Wilhelm's face brightened at first, then his expression dimmed slightly. "But what about Daddy? Won't he come with us?"Jane's smile faded as she looked at Wilhelm. "I've already separa
"If I don't take him with me, should I just watch him fend for himself?" Jane defended.Ruth sighed. Wilhelm was her grandson, and she naturally wanted what was best for him. But that shouldn't come at the cost of sacrificing her daughter's happiness for the rest of her life."I'm not saying that, but if you want to take him abroad, I absolutely disagree. If it's unavoidable, then leave him here. Your father and I will take care of him," she said.Jane immediately refused. "No, I've already arranged for his travel documents. We're flying out together tomorrow morning. I won't leave him here."Once Pedro and Theo found out she had sold the shares of the Wilkie Group to Damon, they would be furious.By the time that happened, she wouldn't be in the country, and Wilhelm would just become the target of their anger.As for her parents, they were Pedro's son and daughter-in-law. He wouldn't mistreat them, and Theo wouldn't dare to, either.Ruth's anger flared. "Why don't you ever list
Andrew and Ruth stared at Jane, their faces full of disbelief.Andrew was the first to speak. "Jane, is what Theo said true? Did you really sell the Wilkie Group's shares to Prospectus Technology?"Jane bit her lip, her face tense and silent.Her silence confirmed their worst fears.Andrew's expression darkened, anger flashing across his face as he leered at her. "Are you out of your mind? Why would you sell the shares to Prospectus Technology?!"Ruth's eyes reddened, and she turned away, avoiding Jane entirely.Although Ruth often criticized Pedro's methods, she had always sided with Andrew when it came to major decisions, especially regarding company shares.Pedro glared at Jane coldly. "I'll give you three days to get those shares back. If you can't, you're no longer part of this family. I'll disown you!"Andrew was appalled. He quickly spoke up. "Dad, this matter—""Shut up!" Pedro interrupted sharply. "You can't manage the company, and you can't even raise your daughter p
Andrew frowned. "Are you crazy?""Yes, I'm crazy! I want a divorce!" Ruth yelled.Andrew's hands clenched into fists."Our child is still here, and you're spouting nonsense. Aren't you ashamed? I'm not going to argue with you," he said coldly.Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode toward the study.Ruth stayed on the sofa, tears streaming down her face. She didn't follow him.Watching her mother's distress, Jane felt a pang of guilt."Mom, I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, Dad wouldn't have lost his temper," she said, her voice soft with regret.In Jane's memory, her parents had always been close and rarely quarreled, especially in her presence. For her father to lash out like this, he must have been pushed to his limits.Ruth wiped her tears and looked at Jane, her expression softening. "Jane, I was furious when Theo told us you sold the shares to Damon. I couldn't understand why you'd sell them to an outsider."But now, I've thought it through. If you hadn't s
Valarie widened her eyes in surprise. "Alright, but there are a lot of questions here. It might take me a day or two to finish. You're not in a hurry, are you?""No rush, but the sooner, the better. I really appreciate your help," Damon said.Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Valarie smiled. "It's no trouble at all. I'm happy to help with the wedding preparations."After parting ways with Damon, Valarie returned to her office.As soon as she sat down, her phone rang. It was Brandon."Valarie, what did my uncle want? Did he give you a hard time?" he asked.Hearing the tension in his voice, Valarie set the file down. "Why would you think he would give me a hard time?"There was a brief silence before Brandon spoke again, his voice low. "I was worried he might blame you for my decision to leave the Sumner Group.""You're overthinking it. He asked me to help with something unrelated. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up," Valarie replied."Valarie—" Brandon began.Before he co
Damon lowered his head to look at Mason and took the drawing from his hands.The picture showed a family of four—him, Nyla, Mason, and a little girl—standing under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds.Damon smiled and pointed to the little girl in the drawing. "Who's this?""That's my little sister. I hope Mommy gives me a baby sister," Mason said earnestly."What if it's a baby brother instead?" Damon asked.Mason paused, then nodded confidently. "If it's a brother, I'll protect him too."Damon's smile deepened at Mason's innocent expression. "Well, it looks like our Buddy is growing up. You're already thinking about protecting your little sibling.""Daddy, when are you and Mommy going to give me a little sibling?" Mason asked."Soon. It won't be long now," Damon answered.Mason's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Daddy, you're not lying to me, are you?""Of course not. When have I ever lied to you?" Damon asked.Mason huffed. "You've lied to me plenty of times.
"I've got it. You can let go. I promise I won't drop it," Stefan's roommate reassured him.Stefan's fingers tightened briefly before he slowly released his grip. "Yeah."His roommate carried the cake over to the others, calling them to share. He kept a piece for Stefan.That piece remained untouched until Stefan went to bed.…Over the next few days, Brandon appeared at the Weir Group every day. Sometimes, he brought food; other times, flowers.Valarie was beyond annoyed. She'd told him repeatedly to stop pestering her, but he refused to listen. Eventually, she ignored him altogether.On Friday evening, Valarie spotted Brandon's car parked by the curb as soon as she stepped out of the office.By then, she was used to seeing him there. She walked directly to her car, pretending he didn't exist.Just as she reached it, Brandon called out from behind, "Valarie."Valarie pressed her lips together and turned to face him. "What do you want?""Valarie, are you free tonight?" he ask
As Stefan stared at the candle, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. He pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish.After a moment, he opened his eyes and blew out the candle. "Thank you, Veevee.""No need to thank me. But I'm curious—what did you wish for?" Valarie asked.Stefan smiled. "If I tell you, it won't come true, right?""Fair enough. Here, this is your birthday present," Valarie said.When Stefan saw the black box she handed him, he looked surprised. "Isn't the present all those clothes?""Those were just extras. This is the real gift," Valarie replied.Stefan hesitated, taking the box. "Can I open it now?"Valarie nodded. "Of course."He carefully untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. As soon as he saw what was inside, shock flashed across his face."This is..." he murmured.Inside the box was a key."I bought you an apartment near the university. That way, you won't have to stay in the dorms anymore," Valarie explained.Stefan immedia
Michelle reached for her phone on the table.Just before her fingers could brush it, Jayden's hand shot out faster, snatching it away.She looked up at Jayden, her teary eyes flashing with defiance. "Give me back my phone!"Jayden took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Michelle, it's not too late to stop. If you really did send Stefan to get close to Valarie, then tell him to back off."Michelle nodded. "Fine. No matter what I say, you won't believe me. So, let's say I did send him. What are you going to do? Tell Brandon?"Jayden fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Before coming here, he hadn't even considered what he would do if Michelle was behind this.Would he tell Brandon? Or pretend he didn't know?"Whether you were behind this or not, you need to call Stefan and tell him to stop seeing Valarie. If Brandon finds out about your relationship, he won't believe anything you say again," Jayden warned.Michelle's eyes filled with disappointment. "So, you don't believe me eith
It usually took Stefan ten minutes to walk from the dorm to the school gate, but today, he made it in just five.The moment he saw Valarie, a wave of happiness surged inside him.He knew it now. He had truly fallen for her."I had some errands nearby and happened to pass by your school. Then I remembered I still had something to give you," Valarie explained.Stefan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What is it?""You'll find out later. Let's eat first," she suggested.Stefan nodded. "Okay."…Neither Valarie nor Stefan noticed Jayden, who had secretly taken a photo of them from a distance.Behind Jayden, Yale frowned. "Jayden, isn't it a bit inappropriate to secretly take photos of Valarie?"Jayden glanced at him. "What's wrong with it? She's the one sneaking around on Brandon, having dinner with another man. I'm just taking a picture. What's the big deal?""But Valarie and Brandon broke up. She's free to date whoever she wants now. Besides... that guy could be her younger bro
"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