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 was momentarily stunned before she looked down and said calmly, "Ms. Hulle, I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm not close to Uncle Damon.""You're family. How can you not be close? Ms. Nyla, you're not unwilling to help me, are you?" Erin asked, her gaze probing.During her last visit to the Sumner residence, Erin had noticed something strange about the way Damon looked at Nyla.After some reflection, she decided to investigate Nyla further and discovered that Nyla was now working at Prospectus Technology. Erin planned to assess Nyla's attitude toward Damon.Nyla excused herself, "Ms. Hulle, it's not that I don't want to help you. I really am not close to him. I have unfinished work in the lab, so I must go."With that, she stood up and left.Erin watched Nyla walk away, a cold glint in her eyes. It seemed Nyla wasn't going to be easy to deal with, so Erin would need to proceed with caution.…Back in the lab, Nyla continued her experiments.Time flew by, and she didn't real
Brandon sighed and placed the items on the desk. "Aunt Nyla, this crisis is unlike anything Prospectus Technology has faced before. If things go wrong, the company can go bankrupt."Uncle Damon prepared these after finding out Buddy is his son, but he hadn't found the right time to give them to you."Keep them for now. If Prospectus Technology collapses, he'll need this to start over."After a moment's silence, Nyla nodded. "Alright, I'll hold onto them. Is this the only reason you came?""Yes, I need to get back to work," Brandon replied."I'll see you out," Nyla offered.After sending Brandon off, she returned to the study and placed the documents and bank card in the safe upstairs.The next morning…As Nyla was getting dressed, Lydia knocked on the door."Ms. Kinsey, there's a man outside who says he's your brother," Lydia informed her.Brother?Thinking it was likely Gabriel, Nyla's expression turned cold. "I don't know him. Tell him to leave.""Understood," Lydia said
Damon put the file down and sat across from Nyla.Noticing two portions of breakfast on the table, he asked, "You haven't eaten either?""No," Nyla replied as she opened the packages and handed one to him. "I came to eat with you. Spencer told me he brought you breakfast this morning, but you didn't touch it.""I was too busy," Damon said."Being busy isn't an excuse to skip meals. I saw your assistants running around like crazy, and I heard they barely got any sleep last night. Is the issue with the company that serious?" Nyla asked."It's significant," Damon admitted. "Our chips might be causing malfunctions in our partner's machines. If that's confirmed, the company will face a massive compensation payout."Nyla frowned, worry flashing in her eyes. "I can't help much with work, but the least I can do is keep things in order at home. By the way, are you coming home tonight?""Probably not," he replied. "There's still a lot to handle.""Alright. Finish your breakfast. I'll hea
Gabriel took the document, skimmed its contents, and his face darkened."What is it?" Tom asked.Gabriel tossed the document onto the table with a cold laugh. "Nothing important. Damon's just trying to catch me off guard."The document contained evidence of Nyce Tech hiring paid posters to smear Prospectus Technology, but Gabriel wasn't worried.Soon enough, those allegations would become the truth.Tom glanced at the papers and grinned. "As long as it's not a big problem. Anyway, I should get going.""Fine, but don't forget your part in this," Gabriel said pointedly.There was a cold glint in Tom's eyes, though his smile remained. "Relax. I won't let you handle Prospectus Technology alone."After Tom left, Gabriel drained his wine in one gulp.As he prepared to head to his study, a maid approached with a concerned expression."Mr. Hackett, Mr. Wilhelm still refuses to eat," the maid informed him.Gabriel had brought Wilhelm straight back to the villa instead of letting him
Damon's expression was icy as he spoke. "I've already sent the head of R&D with a team to investigate. Let's wait for their findings before jumping to conclusions."He added, "The Agihop 6th Gen isn't out yet. If the issue does lie in the Agihop 5th Gen, we should prepare for the worst—compensation payouts and the possibility of... bankruptcy.""What?!" A collective gasp echoed through the room, disbelief etched on everyone's faces."All this over a single batch of faulty machines from the Longbow Company? Isn't that a bit extreme?""Exactly. If the problem is with the Agihop 5th Gen chips, wouldn't paying compensation suffice?""Mr. Sumner, aren't you exaggerating?"The notion that Prospectus Technology could face bankruptcy over a single chip seemed absurd.Meeting their skepticism with a calm demeanor, Damon elaborated, "The news about Longbow Company's machines breaking down after using our chips has already spread.They're attributing the issue to Prospectus Technology's p
Damon's expression remained unmoved. "As I said, we'll investigate thoroughly. Asking us to accept responsibility before the investigation is complete seems unreasonable, doesn't it?"Jeffrey let out a cold laugh. "Fine, Mr. Sumner. But I hope you act quickly. Every day of delay costs us millions. The longer this drags on, the more Prospectus Technology will have to pay."With that, Jeffrey turned and stormed out of the room.Damon, his expression as icy as ever, summoned the head of the R&D department to his office."Take two of your team members to the Longbow Company and investigate the root cause of the machine failures. Determine whether it's our chips," Damon instructed."Mr. Sumner, it can't be our chips! We've invested so much in their development, and they've been on the market for over three years without a single issue. The problem must be elsewhere," the department head replied.Damon's tone sharpened. "I want accurate results based on the investigation—not assumption
Upon noticing Nyla's flushed cheeks, Damon's eyes darkened further."Nyla, need some help with your bath?" he asked, his voice low and enticing.Nyla snapped out of her daze, quickly pushing him away. Her wary gaze made him look like some kind of dangerous predator."No need, I'll do it myself," she replied.If she let him help, they might not come out of the bathroom for two hours.Disappointment flickered in Damon's eyes. "You really don't need help?""Mm-hmm. Now go. If you have nothing to do, play with Buddy downstairs. I'm going to shower," Nyla said, grabbing her pajamas.She darted into the bathroom as though something was chasing her, locking the door behind her with a sharp click.Hearing the lock, Damon chuckled softly, shook his head, and left the bedroom.Downstairs, Mason was playing with toys in the living room. He didn't even glance up at the sound of Damon's footsteps, already able to distinguish between Damon and Nyla's steps. Just as Damon reached the sofa,
Damon raised an eyebrow and said flatly, "It's not about my approval. It's about ensuring the safety of the other children."Gabriel kept his gaze low, anger flickering in his eyes. What else could he say?"Understood. I've learned my lesson today, Mr. Sumner," he gritted through his teeth.The crowd began to disperse.Most parents hurriedly took their children and left, keeping a noticeable distance from Wilhelm and Gabriel as they passed, still wary that Wilhelm might lash out unpredictably.Before long, only Damon, Nyla, and Mason remained at the gate with Gabriel and Wilhelm.Gabriel turned to Damon with a cold expression. "If there's nothing else, Mr. Sumner, I'll take Wilhelm and leave now.""Mr. Hackett, shouldn't your son apologize to Buddy?" Damon asked.Gabriel's expression hardened.Taking a deep breath, he looked down at Wilhelm and said sternly, "Wilhelm, apologize to Buddy."Wilhelm lifted his chin defiantly. "I won't! I didn't do anything wrong!""Wilhelm, beh
Offending too many people could lead to trouble. If someone ever decided to stab Gabriel in the back, it was unlikely anyone would be willing to help him.Gabriel's eyes darkened as he glanced at Damon, but he quickly spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, your words seem a bit unfair. Wilhelm has always gotten along well with his classmates."Before Buddy transferred, there hadn't been any issues. Everyone can attest to that, and Ms. Ferrier can confirm it as well."It was indeed Wilhelm's fault this time, but kids pushing and shoving during arguments is normal. Accusing him of bullying other children feels like an overreach, don't you think?"Damon smiled. "I'm merely raising a valid concern, not accusing him outright. However, if he can publicly shove Buddy today, who's to say he won't shove another classmate tomorrow?""You're speculating about things that haven't happened. Mr. Sumner, it seems excessive to assume the worst about a child this young," Gabriel countered."Oh, you misunderstand
"No! I hate you! I don't want to live with you!" Wilhelm yelled."Whether you like it or not, the court decided you're staying with me," Gabriel stated flatly.As they argued, Nyla and Damon approached, holding Mason's hand.Wilhelm's eyes flickered with jealousy and resentment when he spotted Mason.Summoning unexpected strength, he broke free from Gabriel and lunged at him.Why did Mason get to have loving parents while his were abandoning him?!The attack was so sudden that no one could react in time.Mason was shoved to the ground, wide-eyed with shock.Wilhelm was about to strike him when Damon pushed him aside and pulled Mason up."Buddy, are you okay?" Damon asked, his voice full of concern.Mason nodded. "I'm okay, Daddy."Luckily, his thick winter coat had cushioned the fall.Wilhelm, sprawled on the ground after being shoved, stared blankly at the scene. He watched as Damon and Nyla fussed over Mason, checking him for injuries.When he had fallen, his mother had