Seeing Mason's fawning expression, the man couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, stop sucking up. You didn't recognize me for so long. What's the deal? Has my charm faded, or have you just forgotten all about your master?""You were wearing a mask and a hat, and you pulled me straight out of that hiding spot. I was terrified, thinking you were a bad guy. How could I possibly know it was you?" Mason countered.The man raised an eyebrow. "So this is my fault, huh?""Of course not!" Mason switched to full flattery mode, reaching up to massage the man's shoulders with a wide grin. "Master, you're the best-looking, the most amazing! Just next time, don't cover yourself up like that. It was scary—I thought I was being kidnapped!""Alright, go sit back down," the man instructed.Instead of returning to his original seat, Mason slid into the spot right next to the man, looking up at him with wide, admiring eyes. "Master, how did you even know I got kidnapped? And how did you find me and re
Damon's tone was sharp and probing, his gaze cold and filled with suspicion.Alexander knew Damon must have already uncovered his basic identity, but not his connection to the Nixons.He smirked. "Buddy and I share a special bond. I was nearby, and he was hungry, so I brought him here for dinner before taking him home."As for how I knew about his kidnapping... I don't believe I owe you an explanation, Mr. Sumner."With that, Alexander looked at Mason. "Buddy, your parents are here now, so I'll leave you with them. Goodbye."Mason nodded. "Okay!"Alexander gave Nyla a fleeting glance before turning and walking away with a smirk.Damon stared at Alexander's retreating figure, his expression icy.Only after Alexander drove off did Damon crouch down to Mason's level. "Buddy, who is this man? How do you know him?"Mason had always been cautious around strangers. If he'd told Alexander his name, they must have already known each other.Yet when Damon had investigated Nyla and Maso
Nyla Jayston was in her third month of trying to conceive when she saw a message on her husband Clark Sumner's phone from a contact named "Jordyn Cheatham".Jordyn: [I think my new nightgown is a bit tight. Why don't you come over and check if it fits?]Attached was a selfie of a woman in a deep V-neck red slip dress, her cleavage partly exposed, exuding seduction.Nyla's grip on the phone tightened. She scrolled up and found Clark and Jordyn's previous exchanges to be strictly work-related, which made her frown.'Was the text sent by mistake? Or…'A hand wrapped around Nyla's waist from behind, breaking her thoughts.Clark pressed his warm body against hers and gently nibbled her earlobe. "Honey, I'm all cleaned up. Do you want to do it on the couch or the bed?"Before Nyla could respond, Clark picked her up and laid her on the couch, his tall frame looming over her."Since you're not saying anything, I'll choose. Let's do it on the couch," Clark said, his voice husky and his
Nyla downed her drink in one gulp. She had never imagined Clark would betray her. Seeing him in bed with another woman felt like a dagger through her heart."I just can't believe it. He loved you so much. He didn't seem like the type to cheat. Maybe there's a misunderstanding," Valarie suggested.Nyla let out a cold laugh. "I saw it with my own eyes. How could that be a misunderstanding?"The room fell silent.Watching Nyla drink like there was no tomorrow, Valarie grabbed the glass from her hand. "Even if he cheated, you shouldn't punish yourself by getting drunk. What are you going to do now?""I'm getting a divorce. Just thinking about him with that woman makes me sick."Upon seeing the defiance in Nyla’s red eyes, Valarie's heart ached. "Don't think about it now. You need to rest. Decide what to do next once you’re calm. I'll take you home."Nyla shook her head. "No... I don't want to go back."Returning to that house would only bring back the sickening images of Clark’s be
On Nyla's way back, she hesitated for a long time before finally messaging Damon, someone whose contact she had had for three years but had never contacted.Nyla: [Uncle Damon... Can we pretend tonight never happened? I was really drunk and went to the wrong room.]She waited for a long time, but there was no response from Damon. Frowning, she sent another message.Nyla: [?]As soon as she sent it, a red exclamation mark appeared: [You are no longer friends with this user. Please send a friend request to continue chatting.]Nyla bit her lip. Damon had deleted her. He must not want to bring this up again. Relieved, she finally felt a bit of peace.…When Nyla got home, it was already past 6:00 a.m.As soon as she opened the door, she saw Clark sitting on the sofa. He turned sharply at the sound of the door, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night."Where were you last night? I called you dozens of times. Why didn’t you answer?"Clark stood up and walked quickly toward her, r
Nyla froze for a moment, then struggled desperately. Just the thought of Clark kissing another woman the night before filled her with disgust and rage."Let go!"Her struggles were futile against Clark, who only tightened his grip around her waist.As she fought, her towel loosened, revealing her body. His gaze darkened, and he felt a rush of desire.Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and Nyla quickly noticed the change in Clark. Furious, she bit him hard, tasting blood in their mouths.Instead of letting go, Clark's other hand slipped under Nyla's towel. She had nothing on underneath, having just come out of the shower. She stiffened and struggled even more fiercely."Clark, get off me!"Clark ignored Nyla, his fingers teasing her sensitive spots. "Nyla, you need me too, don't you?"Nyla’s struggles were in vain, and she grew increasingly desperate. As Clark positioned himself, she closed her eyes in despair. "Clark, don't make me hate you."Clark halted abruptly. Se
Seeing the coldness in Clark's eyes, Nyla realized how blind she had been to fall in love with such a man.Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she refused to show any vulnerability in front of him. She yanked her hand away, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs. The only thought in her mind was to find a job quickly so she could move out and divorce Clark.She grabbed a random outfit, tied her hair up with a hairpin, and went back downstairs. She was never one to fuss over her appearance. In the past, she had dressed up for the Sumners' gatherings to make a good impression. Now, she couldn't care less.Hearing her footsteps, Clark looked up.Nyla wore a fitted white dress, her waist so slender it seemed it could be encircled with one hand. Her hair was secured with a jade hairpin, revealing her delicate neck. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The grace she exuded was just like when they first met. However, the look in her eyes now was devoid of any warmth."Let’s go," she said
Nyla lifted her head to speak, but Clark grabbed her hand and smiled. "Grandma, we're working on it!"Nyla tried to pull her hand away, but Clark's grip was too tight.If he wouldn't let her be, she wouldn't make it easy for him either. She turned to Marie. "Grandma, I'm looking for a job right now, so having children might have to wait."The room fell silent.Clark's grip on Nyla's hand tightened painfully, and she winced.Damon glanced at Clark's hand on Nyla, noticing the bulging veins, then looked away indifferently.Clark’s aunt, Anne Sumner, sneered. "Nyla, don't blame me for being blunt. You've been married for years. How can you not have a child yet? If it weren't for Clark insisting on marrying you, do you think your family could have ever married into the Sumners?"You should be grateful. If you don't want to have Clark's child, there are plenty of women who do. If someone else steps in, you’ll be the one looking foolish."Besides, Anne thought, "Who knows if Nyla is
Damon's tone was sharp and probing, his gaze cold and filled with suspicion.Alexander knew Damon must have already uncovered his basic identity, but not his connection to the Nixons.He smirked. "Buddy and I share a special bond. I was nearby, and he was hungry, so I brought him here for dinner before taking him home."As for how I knew about his kidnapping... I don't believe I owe you an explanation, Mr. Sumner."With that, Alexander looked at Mason. "Buddy, your parents are here now, so I'll leave you with them. Goodbye."Mason nodded. "Okay!"Alexander gave Nyla a fleeting glance before turning and walking away with a smirk.Damon stared at Alexander's retreating figure, his expression icy.Only after Alexander drove off did Damon crouch down to Mason's level. "Buddy, who is this man? How do you know him?"Mason had always been cautious around strangers. If he'd told Alexander his name, they must have already known each other.Yet when Damon had investigated Nyla and Maso
Seeing Mason's fawning expression, the man couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, stop sucking up. You didn't recognize me for so long. What's the deal? Has my charm faded, or have you just forgotten all about your master?""You were wearing a mask and a hat, and you pulled me straight out of that hiding spot. I was terrified, thinking you were a bad guy. How could I possibly know it was you?" Mason countered.The man raised an eyebrow. "So this is my fault, huh?""Of course not!" Mason switched to full flattery mode, reaching up to massage the man's shoulders with a wide grin. "Master, you're the best-looking, the most amazing! Just next time, don't cover yourself up like that. It was scary—I thought I was being kidnapped!""Alright, go sit back down," the man instructed.Instead of returning to his original seat, Mason slid into the spot right next to the man, looking up at him with wide, admiring eyes. "Master, how did you even know I got kidnapped? And how did you find me and re
Mason put on a sweet, obedient expression. "Okay."After selecting his food, he handed the menu back. "Can I go now?"The man nodded. "Go ahead."Mason quickly headed for the door. As he reached it, he glanced back and saw the man still sitting calmly, making no move to follow him.Suspicion crept into his mind. Why wasn't the man worried about him escaping?The man raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Not going?""N-No, I'm going now," Mason stammered.Fearing the man might change his mind, Mason bolted out the door and raced down the hallway.The man smiled, then removed his mask and took a sip of his red wine.Instead of heading to the restroom, Mason made a beeline for the restaurant's exit. If he could just get outside, he could find a phone and call his parents to come and save him.Although he didn't believe the strange man would hurt him, he was still afraid.He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, and soon the entrance came into view.Ten meters.Nine mete
Nyla had calmed down by the time Damon arrived. Seeing him, she stood up and said, "Just now, Gabriel said some mysterious person took Buddy away."Damon turned to Luca, his tone sharp. "Have you found out who it was?"Luca shook his head. "Not yet, Mr. Sumner. The surveillance footage from the neighborhood entrance during that time has been deleted. We're still working on recovering it.""How long will it take to recover?" Damon pressed."We're not sure yet," Luca admitted.Damon's expression darkened, and the atmosphere grew tense. "Not sure? What does that mean? If you can't even recover a simple surveillance video, why are you still here?"Luca swallowed hard. He wasn't an expert in surveillance recovery, but he knew better than to say so.Bowing his head, he replied, "Yes, Mr. Sumner. I'll push them to work faster.""Get it done in an hour. And check the surrounding houses. Most people have security cameras these days. Take a team and see if anyone's footage captured the s
The man burst into laughter. "Oh, I'm terrified. Go ahead, call him to come and beat me up."Realizing his threats weren't working, Mason glared at him, glancing around for a chance to escape.The man left him no opportunity, shoving him into a nearby car and instructing the driver to start the engine.Mason noticed he wasn't tied up, sparking a glimmer of hope. He turned to the man. "Where are you taking me?"He silently resolved to find a way to contact his parents and let them know his whereabouts."You said it yourself—I'm a kidnapper. I'm going to sell you, of course," the man replied.…Damon had just arrived at the subway station when his phone buzzed with a call from one of his men."Mr. Sumner, we've found Gabriel. He's unconscious at the apartment door, but there's no sign of Mr. Mason," the subordinate reported.Damon's expression darkened. "Wake Gabriel up and make him tell you where Buddy is."Ending the call, he turned to his driver. "Stop the car."As soon as
The man chuckled. "It seems like you don't want to leave here after all."As soon as he finished speaking, Gabriel felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck. Darkness overtook him, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.The man looked down at him with disdain before stepping over his limp body and heading into the living room.After scanning the area and finding no sign of Mason, he began searching each room one by one.Meanwhile, Mason was curled up inside a storage compartment under the bed in the bedroom.He had initially planned to climb out of the window, but the five-story drop below had sent him scrambling back inside.While searching the room earlier, he had discovered the cabinet under the bed and squeezed himself in, determined to stay hidden until Gabriel left.Just as Mason was preparing to sneak out, footsteps echoed from the doorway. He froze, holding his breath in terror and silently begging that Gabriel wouldn't find him.The footsteps grew louder, stopping
The knocking persisted, darkening Gabriel's expression with each sound. It was clear the person outside knew he was inside but refused to leave.He exhaled deeply and quietly moved Mason to the bedroom before returning to the door. In a low voice, he asked, "Who is it?""Hello, I'm here to check the gas lines. Could you open the door, please?" the other party replied.Gabriel hesitated before saying, "I'm busy today. Come back tomorrow.""Sir, our inspections are time-sensitive. Last time, you weren't home. It'll only take five minutes," the person explained.When Gabriel remained silent, the voice pressed on. "Sir? Are you still there?" "I said come back tomorrow!" Gabriel snapped. "I don't have time today." Deciding to ignore the persistent visitor, he retreated to the living room and made a call. "Some guy claiming to check the gas is at my door. Get up here now and deal with him!"The line remained silent for a moment, and Gabriel's instincts flared.Something was wrong.
Mason froze momentarily before glaring at Gabriel. No wonder his mother didn't like this fellow. He didn't like him either.The two stared each other down in tense silence until Gabriel's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, squinting slightly before answering."Mr. Hackett, the plane is ready to go. You can take off anytime. When will you be here?" a voice on the other end asked.Gabriel checked the time. "Around 8:00 p.m.""Got it," the caller replied before hanging up.Gabriel lowered the phone and turned his gaze back to Mason, his expression unreadable.He hesitated, debating whether to send the boy away first. It would be safer. As long as Nyla couldn't see Mason, she'd agree to his terms and leave with him."I need to pee!" Mason's loud declaration cut through Gabriel's thoughts, his face darkening instantly.Gabriel growled, "I already told you—if you need to pee, just do it in your pants."Mason crossed his arms, defiant. "Are you scared I'll run away? A grown man
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