"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
With the lawyer's efforts, Gabriel was temporarily released on bail.On the drive back, he turned to his secretary in the passenger seat. "How's the company doing while I was away?"The secretary's expression grew grim. "Mr. Hackett, since news broke about your arrest, the company's stock has been plummeting. Several shareholders have already started selling off their shares to cash out."Gabriel's face darkened as he growled, "Those old fools! They act high and mighty when things are going well, but the moment there's trouble, they rush to jump ship. A bunch of spineless idiots!""Some shareholders have even sold their shares at a loss..." the secretary added cautiously."Head to the company first!" Gabriel snapped.He couldn't let this continue. At this rate, Nyce Tech would collapse within a month."Understood..." the secretary replied.Philip, seated beside him, interjected with a frown, "Mr. Hackett, the priority right now is resolving the lawsuit Prospectus Technology has
The once-bustling top floor of Nyce Tech was eerily quiet. Only a few secretaries remained at their desks.Gabriel approached one of them with a scowl. "Where is everyone?"The secretaries froze at the sound of Gabriel's voice.After a brief moment, one of them looked up, confirming it was him, and quickly stood. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hackett.""I asked you a question," Gabriel repeated, his tone sharp. "Where is everyone else? Why is it so empty here?"The secretary stammered, "T-They've all resigned..."She didn't dare mention that she and the others still present were planning to quit as soon as their work was handed off.Gabriel's expression darkened. "Notify all shareholders to meet me in the conference room in 30 minutes.""Y-Yes, sir..." The secretary hurried off.Back in his office, Gabriel stared at the pile of untouched documents on his desk, his frustration mounting.A bunch of useless slackers! They hadn't even tried to delegate tasks to other shareholders in his a
Gabriel's face was grim, and he didn't speak.The conference room fell silent, the only sound the faint, heavy breathing of those present."Enough. I understand. For now, take care of the backlog of files on my desk. I'll handle the PR situation. I won't let Nyce Tech collapse!" he announced.His words did little to inspire confidence. The shareholders still looked deeply uncertain.From Gabriel's expression, it was clear the allegations of stealing Prospectus Technology's core technology were true.No wonder. That was how they had managed to release the Galaxy chip so quickly.If Prospectus Technology had solid evidence, just the charge of stealing data related to their chip's development would be enough to bankrupt Nyce Tech entirely. Even selling the company wouldn't cover the damages."Understood..." the shareholders chorused.Upon seeing their grimaces, Gabriel's expression darkened further. He waved them off impatiently. "Alright, that's it. You can all leave."The share
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Nyla replied in a disappointed voice, "Alright. Just make sure you eat something. I'll call Spencer later to check if you've eaten. Don't skip meals and upset your stomach.""Alright. I'll send you a picture when I eat," Damon replied."Make it a video call instead—how do I know you're not lying to me otherwise?" Nyla challenged.Damon chuckled helplessly. "Fine. I'll call you when I eat.""Okay. I won't bother you anymore. Get back to work," Nyla said.After hanging up, Nyla went to the kitchen and told Lydia to prepare fewer dishes for dinner since Damon wouldn't be home.Lydia nodded. "Got it, Ms. Kinsey. I'll skip the fish and greens.""Perfect," Nyla agreed.Back in the living room, Mason was busy putting his toys into a storage box.Nyla crouched down to help. "Buddy, why aren't you playing anymore?""I'm sleepy, Mommy. I want to take a nap," Mason said.Seeing his drowsy eyes, Nyla replied, "Alright. Let's fi
Nyla clutched her phone, her eyes wide with disbelief and confusion.How could Mason have been taken by Gabriel?Wait...She quickly dialed the villa's phone number, gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Buddy...The call rang and rang until it disconnected automatically. No one answered. Her heart sank.Frantically, she dialed Lydia's number next. Still, no answer.Suddenly, her mind flashed to the maid who had brought her orange juice earlier.That maid... she looked so unfamiliar. Nyla had felt a flicker of suspicion at the time, but Damon's call had interrupted her thoughts, and she'd let it go.Her face turned pale as realization dawned.If only she had been more alert—could Mason have avoided this danger?"Nyla! Nyla!"A firm hand grabbed her shoulder, shaking her back to reality.She looked up to see Damon's anxious face, and tears instantly welled in her eyes. "Damon... Buddy... Did Gabriel really take him? Tell me you're joking. You're lyin
Damon replied coolly, "Understood."He ended the call and discussed the plan with Nyla, ensuring the conversation wouldn't raise Gabriel's suspicions.Just as Nyla was about to dial, her phone lit up with an incoming call. Seeing Gabriel's name on the screen, she froze for a moment before exchanging a glance with Damon.Taking a deep breath, she answered. "Hello?""Nyla, you should be on your way by now. I've changed my mind. Go to the Sotoz subway station. Damon should head to the Marsh Street subway station. I'll have someone bring Mason to him there," Gabriel instructed.Sotoz and Marsh Street were in entirely different directions from the original locations he had provided—one to the east, the other to the west.However, Sotoz was only a few kilometers from Garmony Residence."Alright, I understand," Nyla said evenly."Don't try anything funny," Gabriel warned. "If you or Damon deviate from the plan, neither of you will ever see Buddy again."Clenching the phone tightly, N
Gabriel was initially furious, but as he looked closer, he noticed that Mason's eyes resembled Nyla's. His expression changed slightly, and he averted his gaze, deciding to ignore the boy. After all, Nyla would soon show up willingly.As for Mason, Gabriel had never planned on letting him go. His original intention had been to abduct both Nyla and Mason and immediately leave the country with them. As long as Mason was in his possession, he could use the boy to threaten Nyla into staying with him.Although the plan had taken a slight detour, everything was still within his control.Once his men brought Nyla to him, he could take them abroad. No matter how resourceful Damon was, he couldn't track them down.Thinking about his future life with Nyla, Gabriel smiled. He didn't notice that the ropes binding Mason's hands were gradually loosening.While Mason worked diligently to secretly free himself, his smartwatch suddenly began ringing.The abrupt sound startled Mason and Gabriel.
Seeing Nyla's agitated state, Damon pulled her into his arms. "I know. I know. I feel the same way. But we can't panic. The more we panic, the more mistakes we'll make. Buddy will be okay. I promise."Nyla gripped the front of his suit jacket, her tears soaking into his shirt. She tried to stay calm, but the thought of Mason in danger made her tremble with fear.Damon gently patted her back and spoke softly. "Let's go upstairs. We'll wait for Gabriel's call and any updates from my team."They went upstairs.Nyla sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on her phone, anxiously waiting for Gabriel's call.Damon stood by the window, his face grim, staring out as his thoughts churned.The tension in the room was palpable as the minutes dragged on.Finally, Nyla's phone rang.She snatched it up, her breath hitching when she saw Gabriel's name on the screen.Answering quickly, she asked, "Have you decided? Will you let me trade places with Buddy?""I will," Gabriel replied. "But you'll hav
"What exactly do you want?!" Nyla demanded.Hearing the urgency and anger in her voice, Gabriel chuckled. "Nyla, my original plan was to be with you, have a child, and spend the rest of our lives together."The words filled Nyla with disgust. But with Mason in Gabriel's hands, she dared not provoke him. Who knew what he might do?Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she said slowly, "Your goal is me. Taking Buddy doesn't help you. Just let him go, please.""Nyla, that's what I used to think," Gabriel replied. "But after Damon got me thrown in prison and ruined Nyce Tech, I've changed my mind."Nyla's grip on the phone tightened. "What do you want now?""I want Damon to feel the pain I'm going through. Since I can't bankrupt Prospectus Technology, taking Buddy will make him suffer as much as I have.""No! Don't!" Nyla trembled, a wave of terror washing over her. "Gabriel, I'm begging you. Don't hurt Buddy. Please... Let me trade places with him. Take me as your hostage instead
Nyla clutched her phone, her eyes wide with disbelief and confusion.How could Mason have been taken by Gabriel?Wait...She quickly dialed the villa's phone number, gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Buddy...The call rang and rang until it disconnected automatically. No one answered. Her heart sank.Frantically, she dialed Lydia's number next. Still, no answer.Suddenly, her mind flashed to the maid who had brought her orange juice earlier.That maid... she looked so unfamiliar. Nyla had felt a flicker of suspicion at the time, but Damon's call had interrupted her thoughts, and she'd let it go.Her face turned pale as realization dawned.If only she had been more alert—could Mason have avoided this danger?"Nyla! Nyla!"A firm hand grabbed her shoulder, shaking her back to reality.She looked up to see Damon's anxious face, and tears instantly welled in her eyes. "Damon... Buddy... Did Gabriel really take him? Tell me you're joking. You're lyin
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Nyla replied in a disappointed voice, "Alright. Just make sure you eat something. I'll call Spencer later to check if you've eaten. Don't skip meals and upset your stomach.""Alright. I'll send you a picture when I eat," Damon replied."Make it a video call instead—how do I know you're not lying to me otherwise?" Nyla challenged.Damon chuckled helplessly. "Fine. I'll call you when I eat.""Okay. I won't bother you anymore. Get back to work," Nyla said.After hanging up, Nyla went to the kitchen and told Lydia to prepare fewer dishes for dinner since Damon wouldn't be home.Lydia nodded. "Got it, Ms. Kinsey. I'll skip the fish and greens.""Perfect," Nyla agreed.Back in the living room, Mason was busy putting his toys into a storage box.Nyla crouched down to help. "Buddy, why aren't you playing anymore?""I'm sleepy, Mommy. I want to take a nap," Mason said.Seeing his drowsy eyes, Nyla replied, "Alright. Let's fi
Gabriel's face was grim, and he didn't speak.The conference room fell silent, the only sound the faint, heavy breathing of those present."Enough. I understand. For now, take care of the backlog of files on my desk. I'll handle the PR situation. I won't let Nyce Tech collapse!" he announced.His words did little to inspire confidence. The shareholders still looked deeply uncertain.From Gabriel's expression, it was clear the allegations of stealing Prospectus Technology's core technology were true.No wonder. That was how they had managed to release the Galaxy chip so quickly.If Prospectus Technology had solid evidence, just the charge of stealing data related to their chip's development would be enough to bankrupt Nyce Tech entirely. Even selling the company wouldn't cover the damages."Understood..." the shareholders chorused.Upon seeing their grimaces, Gabriel's expression darkened further. He waved them off impatiently. "Alright, that's it. You can all leave."The share
The once-bustling top floor of Nyce Tech was eerily quiet. Only a few secretaries remained at their desks.Gabriel approached one of them with a scowl. "Where is everyone?"The secretaries froze at the sound of Gabriel's voice.After a brief moment, one of them looked up, confirming it was him, and quickly stood. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hackett.""I asked you a question," Gabriel repeated, his tone sharp. "Where is everyone else? Why is it so empty here?"The secretary stammered, "T-They've all resigned..."She didn't dare mention that she and the others still present were planning to quit as soon as their work was handed off.Gabriel's expression darkened. "Notify all shareholders to meet me in the conference room in 30 minutes.""Y-Yes, sir..." The secretary hurried off.Back in his office, Gabriel stared at the pile of untouched documents on his desk, his frustration mounting.A bunch of useless slackers! They hadn't even tried to delegate tasks to other shareholders in his a
With the lawyer's efforts, Gabriel was temporarily released on bail.On the drive back, he turned to his secretary in the passenger seat. "How's the company doing while I was away?"The secretary's expression grew grim. "Mr. Hackett, since news broke about your arrest, the company's stock has been plummeting. Several shareholders have already started selling off their shares to cash out."Gabriel's face darkened as he growled, "Those old fools! They act high and mighty when things are going well, but the moment there's trouble, they rush to jump ship. A bunch of spineless idiots!""Some shareholders have even sold their shares at a loss..." the secretary added cautiously."Head to the company first!" Gabriel snapped.He couldn't let this continue. At this rate, Nyce Tech would collapse within a month."Understood..." the secretary replied.Philip, seated beside him, interjected with a frown, "Mr. Hackett, the priority right now is resolving the lawsuit Prospectus Technology has