As soon as Nyla finished speaking, Clark immediately agreed. His main priority was getting Nyla back by his side. Everything else could be dealt with later."Nyla, don't worry. I promise I won't overstep any boundaries. I swear."Nyla had heard these empty promises from him many times before and didn't take them seriously.Since she was going back, she was determined to protect herself. If Clark tried to force himself on her, she wouldn't let him get away with it."Okay. I'm heading back now. Drive safe," she said.…Over the next two days, Nyla rested and packed her things at home.On the day she was set to move, Valarie suddenly came to visit.Seeing Nyla unharmed, Valarie sighed in relief.However, her expression soon turned troubled. "Nyla, why didn't you tell me about being kidnapped?!"Noticing Valarie's disapproving look, Nyla explained, "I thought you were going through a rough time, and I didn't want to add to your stress. Since I'm fine, I didn't tell you."Valarie
Upon seeing Nyla's completely different attitude toward Clark—no longer the cold and distant demeanor she once had—Valarie's eyes flashed with frustration."Nyla, I hope you won't regret your decision today!" she said.With that, Valarie turned and walked away, feeling she might lose her temper if she stayed any longer.How had Nyla gone from being fine when she moved out previously to becoming so infatuated in less than a month?Fuming in her car, Valarie was about to start the engine when she suddenly had a troubling thought. When she had asked Nyla if she still had feelings for Clark, Nyla had hesitated. Moreover, her gaze toward Clark had been devoid of the previous affection and warmth—almost indifferent.Could it be that Nyla had some unavoidable reason for moving back?Valarie decided she would talk to her again in the near future.…After Valarie left, Clark said, "Valarie is always bad-mouthing me and ruining our relationship. You should have less contact with her in
Damon was reviewing documents in his office at Prospectus Technology when his personal phone suddenly rang.He answered, and Marie's booming voice came through. "Damon, come home for dinner tonight."Damon glanced at the pile of unfinished documents and immediately refused. "I'm busy.""No matter what, you must make time tonight. Otherwise, I'll go to your office and drag you home myself," Marie warned.Marie's commanding tone left Damon feeling helpless."There's too much to do today. I really can't make it," he said."No excuses. You must come back for dinner. Even with your busy schedule, you can always spare time for a meal," Marie insisted.Without giving Damon a chance to respond, Marie hung up.…By the time Nyla and Clark had moved Nyla's things back to the villa, it was already past 4:00 p.m.After taking a shower and changing clothes, they headed to the Sumner residence.As Clark pulled up to the entrance, Damon was about to walk in. Hearing the car, Damon turned a
Just a moment later, however, a trace of mockery flashed in Damon's eyes.Nyla had made it clear that she had no feelings for him. If he continued to pursue her, it would be nothing more than wishful thinking on his part."I got it," Damon replied.Marie had been about to persuade him further but was taken aback and looked at him with suspicion. She asked, "You're not planning anything bad, are you?"Damon stayed quiet.Seeing his silence, Marie frowned and was about to speak when footsteps echoed from the doorway."Madam Summer, Ms. Hulle has arrived."Everyone in the living room looked up to see a young woman in her 20s walk in.Erin Hulle, with her delicate features, was dressed in a light yellow spaghetti-strap dress. Her short hair grazed her collarbones. With her light makeup and elegant demeanor, she exuded a charm that was hard to ignore.Even Nyla, who had seen many beautiful women, couldn't help but be impressed by Erin's appearance.Marie's face lit up with a warm
Erin's smile stiffened slightly, but before she could say anything, Marie slammed her cutlery onto the table and chided, "Damon, is that how you serve food?!"She had wanted him to help Erin with the dishes to help them bond, but he nearly went so far as to place the whole plate in front of her. If word got out, it would surely offend the Hulles.Damon smiled at Marie. "Mom, if you know I'm bad at this, don't make me do it."Marie was fuming and about to explode, but Erin quickly intervened. "It's fine. I actually like fish, and it's more convenient this way. No need to keep troubling him to serve me."Seeing Erin's willingness to smooth things over, Marie beamed with satisfaction, growing even fonder of her."Erin, you're so considerate. This brat only knows how to make me angry. After dinner, take her home," she told Damon.Damon frowned, about to refuse, but Erin spoke first. "There's no need. I drove myself here."She could sense Damon's lack of interest in her, and forcing
If this were to get out, people might start saying she was being mistreated in the Sumners.Clark's smile deepened as he looked at Damon and said, word by word, "Uncle Damon, you probably don't know yet, but Nyla moved back today."Damon widened his eyes and turned his icy gaze to Nyla, who had remained silent.He wanted to ask her if she really intended to forgive Clark just like that, but he couldn't. He was only her husband's uncle. Beyond that, they had no other relationship. What right did he have to question her?Even though Nyla kept her head down, she could feel Damon's gaze on her. It sent a chill through her entire body, making her shiver involuntarily.After several seconds, Damon chuckled. "Well, that's good to hear."He looked away, a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold.Clark's gaze flashed with triumph. "Uncle Damon, you should focus on your own love life. I think Ms. Hulle and you are quite a match, don't you think, Nyla?"He turned to Nyla, seeking her op
Nyla stood still, sensing a dangerous vibe from Damon that made her instinctively want to flee."Uncle Damon, it's dark here, and it's not appropriate for us to be alone. I'll head back," she said, turning to leave.As she took a few steps, though, she heard footsteps behind her. Panicking, she tried to quicken her pace but stumbled and tripped.She lost her balance, but a strong hand grabbed her waist and pulled her back. Nyla fell into Damon's arms. She quickly pushed him away and stepped back.Damon narrowed his eyes, the menace in them intensifying as he remarked, "You use people and then discard them. You're quite skilled at that."Nyla bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. "Uncle Damon, thank you for just now, but we should keep our distance."Damon stepped closer, and Nyla instinctively tried to retreat but found herself against the door of the greenhouse. She had nowhere to go.When they were so close that they could hear each other's breathing, Damon looked down at her an
"Who's there?"In a split second, Damon pulled Nyla into the greenhouse and shut the door behind them.It was pitch black inside. He pushed her against the door, their bodies pressed tightly together. One hand rested on her waist, while the other gripped the doorknob, leaving no space between them.She could hear his steady heartbeat and whispered, "Can you let go..."Damon leaned in close to her ear, speaking so softly that only she could hear. "Someone's coming. If you don't want to be discovered, don't make a sound."Just then, footsteps approached the greenhouse door.Nyla's heart raced as the doorknob turned.After a few moments of trying and failing to open the door, the person outside sounded puzzled. "What's wrong with the door? Is it broken?"They lingered a bit longer, but finding nothing unusual, they mumbled something and left.Nyla finally exhaled in relief and asked, "Can you let go of me now?"Damon released her and was about to speak when Nyla's phone rang—it
Nyla's eyes were cold, lacking any warmth.Alexander sighed softly. "Nyla, I truly hope we can have a proper conversation. Aren't you curious at all about how your mother has been living abroad all these years?""There's nothing for me to be curious about," Nyla replied. "Mr. Kinsey, I have things to do, so I'll be leaving now."As she made to leave, Alexander stepped in front of her. "Your mother may be returning to the country next week. She wants to see you. When are you available?""I'm not," Nyla said, sidestepping him. She got into her car and drove off.As she drove, her mind wandered. Why was Emerald coming back now? Years ago, she had left so decisively. Why return now, to disrupt the peace Nyla had finally found?…After arriving home, Nyla sat down on the couch, lost in thought.She hesitated briefly before calling Valarie.When Valarie heard about Emerald's potential return, she immediately suggested, "If she wants to see you, you should meet her. And I think you
As soon as Mason set down the phone, a knock came at the door."Buddy, who were you talking to just now?" Nyla asked.Mason swallowed hard and called out, "Mommy, I wasn't talking to anyone. I was just… talking to myself.""It's late. Go to bed soon," Nyla urged."Okay, Mommy," Mason replied.The sound of footsteps faded from outside the door, and he let out a breath of relief. If Nyla had walked in just a moment earlier, he wouldn't have been able to explain himself....The next morning, Damon, Nyla, and Mason sat at the breakfast table.Damon set his tablet aside and suddenly turned to Nyla. "Nyla, let's get married."The thought of Drake circling Nyla like a predator had left Damon uneasy. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the verge of losing her.Nyla froze, looking up at him.Seeing the seriousness in his expression, she couldn't help but laugh. "Other people propose with a ring or at least some flowers."But you? You just hit me with a casual, 'Let's get m
"Grandpa, the hackers attacking our firewall are gone now. The firewall is fixed, and the company is operating normally again!" Theo exclaimed.Pedro remained calm. "I see. You can go back to work now."Theo was momentarily taken aback. "Grandpa, aren't you surprised?""I'm just tired. I'll head home now," Pedro replied.Seeing Pedro stand up to leave, Theo quickly stopped him. "Grandpa, since you're here, stay a bit longer. There are a few documents I don't quite understand. Could you help me out?"Pedro sat back down on the sofa upon noticing Theo's serious expression. "Bring them over."…An hour later, Pedro's face turned beet red with anger as he glared at Theo. "You're a complete failure! I regret handing the company to you. I might as well have given it to Jane!"Although Jane lacked boldness, at least she wouldn't make these rookie mistakes like Theo.Theo's face darkened. "Grandpa, how long has Jane been with the company, and how long have I been here? Isn't it normal
Pedro's expression changed slightly, and he instructed, "I'm on my way. Have the tech department fix it right away!"…By the time Pedro reached the company, more than an hour had passed.Theo sat in his office, fuming, demanding that the tech department resolve the issue within the next half hour.His secretary, visibly trembling, turned to leave but stopped to greet Pedro as he arrived. "Mr. Wilkie, you're here."Pedro nodded. "Get back to work."Once the secretary left, Pedro entered the office and shut the door behind him. "What's going on? It's just a firewall, and it still hasn't been fixed?"Theo's face remained furious. "Ugh, they're all useless—getting paid so much but can't do anything when it matters!"Pedro sat down on the sofa, his face hardening. "If it's not fixed in another half hour, I'll handle it myself."Theo sat across from him, scratching his head in frustration. "What can you do? I don't get it. The firewall was fine before, but now it's under attack out
Drake's smile deepened. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I can help both you and the Wilkie Group.""I asked, why should I trust you?" Pedro repeated."I can invest 10,000,000 dollars into the Wilkie Group right now, no strings attached," Drake said, pulling out his phone and making a call. "Transfer 10,000,000 to the Wilkie Group immediately."Not even 20 seconds after ending the call, Pedro's phone rang."Grandpa, someone just transferred 10,000,000 dollars into the Wilkie Group's account!" Theo exclaimed.Pedro's expression shifted, his voice steady yet wary. "Do not touch that money. Wait for my instructions.""Understood," Theo replied.Hanging up the phone, Pedro glanced at Drake. "Come inside. We'll talk."Inside the study, Pedro closed the door and turned to face Drake. "I believe you're capable of helping me deal with Damon. But I need to know—why are you going after him? Otherwise, I can't trust you."If this man were a plant sent by Damon to trap hi
"You're saying... we should team up with other companies to go against Prospectus Technology?" Theo asked.He frowned as he looked at Pedro. "But Prospectus Technology helped the Wilkie Group before. If we turn around and attack them now, won't people think we're ungrateful?"Pedro let out a cold laugh. "I gave Damon a chance—he chose not to take it. If that's the case, I have no choice but to be ruthless. The Wilkie Group must reclaim that 10% stake!"The thought of that stake being in Damon's hands felt like a sword hanging over Pedro's head, keeping him awake night after night.Initially, he had offered to buy back the shares, but Damon had refused, driven by greed."But—" Theo began."No buts! Do you want the Wilkie Group to end up under the name 'Sumner'?" Pedro leered at Theo, his face contorted with fury.Theo quickly said, "Grandpa, of course, I don't want that. But the Wilkie Group has just stabilized. If we rush into alliances with other companies, it may create future
"Rain boots?" Damon guessed."No," Nyla replied curtly."Galoshes?" Damon tried again.Nyla didn't bother responding."Knee-high socks?" Damon ventured."No! They're torn socks! Didn't you see the little ripped parts I drew?" Nyla cried."I thought those were just wear and tear," Damon reasoned.For a moment, Nyla doubted her artistic ability. Was she really that bad at drawing?"Damon, be honest with me. Are my drawings really that abstract?" she asked.Damon hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Not exactly. Some words are just harder to draw. Maybe try simpler ones next time."Mason, unbothered, chimed in, "Daddy, stop sugarcoating it. Her drawings are abstract."Damon glared at him. "Be quiet."Mason crossed his arms. "Fine. But I'm definitely not playing Pictionary with Mommy again!""Then I'll play with her!" Damon countered.Mason and Nyla were both speechless.Truthfully, Nyla didn't want to play this game anymore, either. She quickly said, "Alright, it's get
Damon let out a chuckle, his expression full of mockery. "A better life? Then where were you when the Jaystons went bankrupt? Why didn't you take her to Meristate to live this so-called better life then?"Let's not pretend—your real reason for coming back is obvious. No need to spout these hypocritical lies."The other end of the call fell silent.Alexander hadn't expected Damon to uncover his real reason for his arrival to Saintornia so quickly.After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Even if my motives aren't entirely pure, taking her and Buddy to Meristate would undeniably offer them a better life, wouldn't it?""A better life? Or a life of constant fear? I won't let her become a pawn in your family's power struggles. If you want to take her and Buddy, you'll have to go through me first," Damon gritted through his teeth."If she comes to Meristate with me, she'll have a strong chance of inheriting the Nixon fortune. Mr. Sumner, you haven't even asked Nyla how she feels—how do y
Nyla knew she wasn't some extraordinary beauty, and she had a child.Yet, as she thought about Drake's previous investigations into her and his ties to the Nixons, her brow furrowed. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, but it vanished before she could grasp it."Nyla, how about I ask Tom about this another day?" Valarie suggested.Although Nyla didn't want anything more to do with Tom, she couldn't bring herself to care when it came to Nyla."No need," Nyla replied. "Didn't you say Damon was the one who saved you yesterday? He might know. I'll ask him.""That works," Valarie said.Afterward, Nyla lost her appetite and barely ate before parting ways with Valarie and heading to Prospectus Technology.…When Spencer saw her, he looked visibly surprised. "Ms. Kinsey, what brings you here? Mr. Sumner is in a meeting right now, but you can wait for him in his office.""Alright." She nodded and entered Damon's office. She hadn't been seated long when he returned."Nyla, what are yo