Tom wondered if he had just gone from being Drake's lackey to Damon's errand boy. He sighed and summoned his secretary.Less than an hour later, the investigation was complete."Mr. Genge, the Watson Group hasn't signed any major contracts recently. However, they've been in contact with Mr. Mummery," Tom's secretary reported.Tom sneered. "I see. That'll be all."After the secretary left, Tom immediately informed Damon. "The Watson Group has been meeting with Drake. Looks like they're working together now. Be careful.""Got it," Damon answered.Hanging up, Damon placed his phone on the desk, his expression darkening as he thought things through.Drake's intentions were clear, and he was beginning to make moves against Prospectus Technology. As for Alexander, it was only a matter of time before he acted as well.The more Damon considered the situation, the darker his expression grew.Taking a deep breath, he called Spencer back into the office. "Spencer, how long have you been
Seeing Nyla's furious expression, Damon spoke calmly. "Nyla, don't get upset yet. Let me finish.""What's there to listen to?" Nyla snapped. "Do you really think Alexander and Drake wouldn't be able to find me and Buddy? Going abroad would be even more dangerous. Not only could we run into unforeseen incidents, but they could also find us and drag us back to Meristate."Damon stood and pulled her into his arms. "I understand what you're worried about. But if I'm suggesting sending you both away, it means I've already arranged everything to ensure your safety. Trust me, okay?""I won't do it!" Nyla shoved him away, her voice cold. "No matter what you say, I'm not agreeing to leave the country."With that, she turned and left the room.Damon's eyes filled with helplessness and pain as he watched her retreating figure.He knew why Nyla refused to leave—it was because she was worried about him. But he was just as concerned about her and Mason's safety.Because of their earlier argum
"Just some womanly matters. Don't pry," Nyla chided, though her tone lacked sharpness.Damon nodded. "Got it. Do you need me to drive you?""No, I'll take a cab," she replied."Alright," he said.As Damon drove away, Nyla slipped her marriage certificate into her bag and flagged down a taxi. Her destination: the restaurant where she had arranged to meet Alexander.…When she arrived, she found herself 30 minutes early. Yet, Alexander was already there."You're here," he remarked, standing as she approached."Yes," she replied, seating herself across from him.Her expression was composed, her gaze devoid of the resentment that once lingered there. "Why are you so early?""I didn't have anything else to do, so I came early," he said, shrugging lightly. "What did you want to talk about?"Nyla drew a steady breath before speaking. "I thought about what you said after I got home. You're right—she's my mother. I can't cut her out of my life completely. I'm willing to try to accept
"I encountered Buddy for the first time when he was three years old. Back then, I had no idea about my connection to you or that Buddy was your son." Alexander's tone was serious, his gaze unwavering.Nyla nodded thoughtfully. "Really? Buddy is that talented with computers? He's never shown any of that in front of me.""Yes, he's incredibly gifted—one of the most talented I've ever seen. That's why I took him on as my apprentice. Later, when I discovered our connection and learned he was your son, I liked him even more," Alexander explained.Nyla noticed the warmth in his eyes and felt a pang of something she couldn't quite place. Her gaze flickered. "It seems you understand Buddy better than I do.""I suppose I do, at least in some ways. Back then, Buddy told me you were always busy with work and rarely had time for him. We used to talk almost every night," Alexander recounted.Nyla sat silently, listening as he shared his memories. Her hands clenched slowly on her lap.So much
"Damon isn't right for you. Someday, you'll meet someone who is," Alexander said."Who's suitable for me isn't your decision to make." Nyla stood abruptly. "That's enough for today. I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye."Alexander realized his comment had upset her, but he managed a smile. "Alright."Returning to her car, Nyla took a deep breath and started the engine before driving away....Damon summoned Spencer to his office as soon as the latter arrived."There's no need to arrange for Nyla and Buddy to leave the country just yet. For now, focus on finding potential business partners," he instructed.Spencer looked slightly surprised but nodded. "Understood."As he turned to leave, his eyes fell on the ring on Damon's finger. Unable to hide his shock, Spencer paused.Over the years, Damon had never worn jewelry—he didn't like it. Thus, seeing him with a ring could only mean one thing: it was a couple's ring with Nyla."Mr. Sumner, is that ring from Ms. Kinsey?" Spe
After holding each other for a moment, Damon released Nyla just as his phone buzzed in his pocket.His expression darkened when he saw that it was Spencer calling. He swiped to answer. "What's going on?""Mr. Sumner, I reached out to the companies this morning, but every one of them rejected us. Mr. Walker from Excellence received a warning from someone."His secretary told me privately that they were threatened—if Excellence works with Prospectus Technology, they'd be bankrupted. Under this pressure, no company is willing to partner with Prospectus Technology," Spencer reported.At this rate, Prospectus Technology was heading straight for another financial crisis.Damon lowered his eyes, his tone icy. "Got it. I'll deal with it when I get back this afternoon."He hung up and met Nyla's worried gaze. "Damon, is it Drake or Alexander targeting Prospectus Technology?""If I'm right, it's Drake," Damon replied.He could tell that Alexander didn't want to create open hostility betw
Lydia frowned. "Ms. Kinsey, you barely ate anything..."Nyla shook her head. "I've had enough. I'm going upstairs to rest. Thank you.""Alright. Let me know if you get hungry later," Lydia reminded her."I will," Nyla replied.After Nyla left, Lydia sighed and glanced at the table, still laden with dishes.It wasn't just Nyla who had been eating poorly lately. Worrying about Damon's company had taken a toll on Lydia's appetite, too.Upstairs in the bedroom, Nyla sat at her vanity, staring at her phone. She hesitated to tell Valarie about her marriage to Damon.After a moment, she finally called her."Nyla, what's up?" Valarie answered."Valarie, I have something to tell you. Prepare yourself," Nyla warned.Valarie sounded alarmed. "What is it? Good news or bad news?""Good news, I guess," Nyla replied."Okay, spill. I'm ready," Valarie said."I got married to Damon," Nyla announced."What?!" Valarie's voice shot up an octave. "Say that again! Are you serious?"Nyla repli
After Damon finished speaking, the conference room fell into complete silence.It was a while before one of the shareholders stood up. "Mr. Sumner, you said yourself that you can't guarantee Prospectus Technology will pull through this."If the company goes bankrupt, I'll lose everything. I came to this meeting today to hear what you had to say. Now that I've heard it, I've decided to sell my shares."With that, he turned and left without a second glance.After he walked out, several other shareholders stood up and announced their intention to sell their shares as well.Before long, only seven or eight people remained in the room.Seeing that no one else was leaving, Damon broke the silence. "Does this mean the rest of you are willing to stay and weather the storm with the company?"A shareholder seated next to him nodded. "Yes. I'm staying. Over the years, this company has faced bigger challenges and survived. I don't believe we'll fall now. And even if we do, I'm willing to ta
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