Next to Nyla, Delia was completely fixated on Andre's face, barely registering what he was saying.Every time Andre looked at Delia, she either smiled at him or appeared flustered. It was starting to give him a headache, so he did his best to avoid looking at her too often.However, Delia noticed his frequent glances at Nyla and became displeased. She began asking questions here and there, slowing the lesson significantly.When the class finally ended, Andre let out a slight sigh of relief and turned to Nyla. "Ms. Kinsey, the weather is nice today. Do you have time? I'd like to invite you to lunch."Before Nyla could respond, Delia interjected, "Andre, the estate is too far from the city. It's better to stay here and eat. I can have the chef prepare whatever you want."Andre smiled at Delia. "Thank you, Ms. Nixon, but I'd prefer to spend time alone with Ms. Kinsey."Delia froze for a moment, her eyes widening as she turned to look at Nyla with visible anger.It must be that Nyla
"You think I wouldn't dare?" Delia hissed.Nyla remained calm. "Whether or not you dare doesn't matter to me. I need to change. Please step aside."When Delia didn't move, Nyla pushed her aside and walked toward her bedroom.By the time she returned to the living room, she saw Delia sitting next to Andre, whispering something to him.Nyla approached, stopping a few steps away. "Andre, we can go now."Andre looked up and smiled. "Alright, Ms. Kinsey."He turned to Delia. "Thank you, Ms. Nixon, for sharing that information about Ms. Kinsey. I'll see you next time."Seeing Andre smile without any hint of distancing himself from Nyla, Delia stood up to block his path. "Andre, even knowing she has a husband and son back in her homeland, you still want to be with her?"Andre furrowed his brow and looked at Delia, his expression one of disapproval. "Ms. Nixon, Ms. Kinsey is your sister. I expect you to show her the respect she deserves."I'm having lunch with her because we're friend
It took several minutes before Damon finally released Nyla.He looked down at her and said, "You've lost weight. Andre told me you were sick, but I couldn't see you. Was it really tough on you?"Nyla shook her head. "It was a bit hard at first, but I'm almost better now."Looking at her lightly made-up face, Damon could tell she was saying that to avoid worrying him.When they used to meet, she never wore makeup—just her natural face. Makeup was either for looking pretty or just to enhance one's appearance.A wave of tenderness washed over him as he softly said, "Nyla, I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough, and that's why you had to suffer. Just hang in there a little longer. I'll take you back home."Nyla nodded, her gaze filled with trust. "I believe you. By the way, how did Andre agree to help us cover our tracks?"When Andre had first come to the estate to teach her, he hadn't been in contact with Damon. If he had been, he would have told her about it during their first lesson.
Damon looked at Nyla indulgently. "Okay, I'll cook for you every day.""By the way, how's Buddy now?" Nyla asked.She had been so focused on asking about Damon and Andre that she had forgotten to ask about Mason. The thought made her feel guilty."Buddy is doing well, but after you left, he stopped talking much. He stays in his room most of the time, only coming out for school or meals. I'm not sure what he's doing in there," Damon said.Nyla's heart clenched. "It's all my fault.""It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. There are plenty of people in the Nixons who are dissatisfied with Emerald. Plus, she tends to make decisions on her own."She won't stay in power for long. Soon, the three of us will be together again," Damon reassured her."Yeah," Nyla replied."Forget about these things for now. Let's just eat. We'll talk later," Damon encouraged.Nyla didn't have much of an appetite, but thinking of how Damon had made all this food for her, she forced herself to eat mor
Nyla nodded. "Mm, be careful."They walked into the hall—Andre heading toward Emerald's study, while Nyla went to her room.Just as she reached the second floor, she was stopped by Delia, who was waiting there.Delia glared at her, eyes full of jealousy. "Where did you and Andre go to eat?"After Nyla left with Andre earlier, Delia had planned to follow them. But when she was about to head out, Filipe informed her that not only had Emerald canceled her credit cards, but her driver and car had also been taken back.Filipe had also relayed a message from Emerald—when Delia finally came to her senses, her credit cards and car would be restored.Furious, Delia locked herself in her room for over an hour.When Emerald returned, she went downstairs to confront her mother. Of course, it ended in failure. After all, Emerald now controlled the family's finances.If Emerald refused to give her money, there was nothing Delia could do but seethe in anger.Nyla's expression remained indiff
There was a glint in Andre's eyes before his smile widened. "Don't worry, Ms. Kinsey. I've always seen Ms. Nixon as a younger sister."Satisfied with his answer, Emerald smiled. "Good. You probably have other things to do. I won't keep you.""Sure, Ms. Kinsey. Goodbye," Andre replied before turning to leave.As soon as he was gone, Emerald was about to resume her work when Filipe suddenly knocked and entered."Madam, Mr. Nixon got into a fight with someone from the Bumards at the bar last night," he reported.Emerald jumped to her feet. "What happened?! Where is he now?"Filipe's expression was grim. "He was captured by the Bumards. I just received a call from them asking us to go pick him up."Emerald's eyes flashed with fury. Her voice turned cold. "What an idiot!"The Bumards had been the Nixons' biggest rivals in recent years. Instead of avoiding them, Brian had run straight into their people—and fought. He was a fool!The Bumards hadn't called just to return Brian. They w
On the way back to the estate, neither Emerald nor Brian spoke. The atmosphere in the car was tense and heavy.When the car stopped at the estate entrance, Emerald didn't even glance at Brian. She opened the door and stepped out without a word.Brian quickly followed. It wasn't until they reached the door of her study that she finally turned around, visibly annoyed. "Why are you still following me? Go see the family doctor and get your wounds treated."Brian looked at her with guilt. "Mom, I'm sorry. It was all my fault. I promise I'll listen to you from now on."Emerald didn't bother to respond. She simply pushed open the door to her study and shut it behind her.…Not long after Emerald and Brian left the Bumard estate, a black Maybach pulled up at the entrance.As the car came to a stop, a maid immediately stepped forward and opened the back door.Damon got out, and the maid bowed his head slightly. "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Bumard has been waiting for you."Following the maid, Damo
"Alright. When I first met you, you said the same thing. I never thought you'd remain unchanged after all these years," Ross commented.Damon didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he asked about Edward's condition."I got word from the hospital. His health is deteriorating, and he probably only has a month left. So, within this month, Emerald will do everything she can to remove anyone who opposes her," Ross answered."The more she does, the more evidence we gather," Damon replied."Yes, but the situation is still far from optimistic. Many in the Nixon family still support Emerald," Ross reminded him.Damon smirked. "But she has one foolish son. Once word gets out that she traded the land in the south for Brian's sake, plenty of people will turn against her."Those who supported her weren't doing so out of loyalty. The moment they realized she couldn't fulfill her promises, they'd be the first to abandon her.When that happened, Emerald would find enemies everywhere, and her positio
"I'm not doing anything special. What's up? Aren't you supposed to be in a business meeting? How do you have time to call me?" Valarie asked.Brandon replied, "It's all taken care of. My flight is tonight. Want to meet up?"Valarie raised an eyebrow. "What time will you be back in Saintornia?""A little after 11:00 p.m.," Brandon answered.Valarie shook her head. "That's too late. You've been on a business trip for almost a week. You should just go home and rest."Brandon chuckled. "But I really want to see you. How about this? I'll have my driver stop by your place. We can see each other briefly, and then I'll head home. Sound good?"Valarie considered it. His route home would pass by her neighborhood anyway. "Alright. Just call me when you're close. I'm about to have dinner, so I'll talk to you later. Bye.""Okay," Brandon replied.After hanging up, Valarie entered the restaurant.Stefan had reserved a private dining room, and by the time she arrived, he was already inside.
Michelle hung up after delivering her threat.Stefan stood frozen, his body tense with despair.No matter what he did, it seemed he could never truly escape the Snowdens.If it weren't for them, he wouldn't be able to pay for his mother's treatment. Yet, they were the people he hated most. He despised them.He also despised his mother, Lily. If she had never given birth to him, he wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare, stuck in the mud with no way out.And yet… she was the only person who had ever shown him kindness.That fragile thread of family—thin and fraying—still tugged at his heart, holding him back. Even though it hurt, he couldn't bring himself to sever it.…Valarie had just returned home when her mother called her over. She changed into her house slippers and sat beside her."Valarie, when are you and Brandon getting married?" Phoebe asked.Valarie frowned. "Mom, we haven't even discussed that yet.""You're not getting any younger." Phoebe huffed. "You rejected every guy we
The two of them were eight years apart, with different interests and personalities.Some of Stefan's behavior struck Valarie as incredibly immature. But more importantly, she had never seen him in a romantic light.To her, he was more like a younger brother—someone she felt protective of, but not someone she could ever like that way.He should be dating girls his own age, and she should get back to living her own life.With that thought, Valarie accepted the money.Valarie: [Thank you for everything these past few weeks. And… I'm sorry about today.]…Stefan stared at the message on his screen in a quiet park, his lips curling into a mocking smile.Just as Brandon had said—Valarie had only been using him as a distraction. Now that she was back with Brandon, she'd discarded him without hesitation.Taking a deep breath, he deleted the chat and didn't reply.They had always been from different worlds. Now, things were simply returning to how they had been before.Still, he coul
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Valarie cut Brandon off, her gaze sharp with accusation.Brandon hesitated, caught off guard for a moment.After a brief pause, he nodded. "Yes, I did. Because I don't like how much attention you're giving Stefan. If it had been any other server handling the bill, would you still be questioning me like this?""There's no 'if.' I chose to be with you again, which means I'm not holding onto anything with Stefan. So, there's no reason for you to single him out," Valarie replied.Brandon's expression darkened slightly. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then held back. "Alright. I understand.""Good. Let's go home," Valarie said, and the car fell into silence.When they finally arrived at the Weir residence, Brandon broke the quiet. "Valarie, don't you think… things between us aren't the same anymore?"They were supposed to be a couple, yet they tiptoed around each other—testing boundaries, afraid to say the wrong thing.Valarie pressed her l
"Alright. I'm about to board. I'll talk to you later," Nyla said.Valarie replied, "Okay, have a great trip."After hanging up, Nyla turned to Damon and Mason, her eyes glowing with happiness.She had dreamed for so long of taking a family trip together. Now, that dream had finally come true.…Valarie and Brandon walked into the restaurant.As they sat down, a server approached with two glasses of water."Good evening, sir, ma'am—" Before the server could finish, his smile faltered.Valarie hadn't expected to see Stefan here. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.Just as she was about to speak, Stefan quickly regained his composure, adopting his usual polite smile. "Good evening. May I take your order? We just received fresh salmon and sea urchin today. I highly recommend trying them."Brandon raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of mockery in his gaze. "We'll take your recommendations. And add an order of Arctic shrimp sashimi as well.""Certainly, sir. Would you like anythin
Michelle frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? I already told my assistant to handle it.""Then why was my mom kicked out of her hospital room in the middle of the night?" Stefan shot back.Michelle's voice grew cold. "Forget about that. I should be asking you. Besides taking a few staged photos with Valarie, have you made any real progress?""What more do you want?" Stefan asked.She smirked. "I want something that will completely ruin her. You know what to do.""Send me 250,000 dollars for medical expenses first, or I'm done doing your dirty work," Stefan demanded.Michelle let out a mocking laugh. "Stefan, you know I can have your mother thrown out of the hospital for good with a single word, right?"He had no right to threaten her.Stefan retorted, "Oh, I believe you. But if you do that, I'll make sure the whole world knows everything you made me do. When that happens, Brandon will never want anything to do with you again.""You!" Michelle clenched her jaw, her fa
"Yeah, I just got home. How's your mother doing now?" Valarie asked."Her condition is stable. Veevee… I need to ask you something," Stefan said.A flicker of surprise crossed Valarie's eyes. "What is it?"There was a brief silence before Stefan spoke again. "Never mind, it's nothing important. Get some rest. Goodnight."Before Valarie could respond, he had already hung up.She set her phone down, deciding to invite Stefan out for dinner in the next few days and have an honest conversation with him.…After the surgery, Michelle remained unconscious for a full day before finally waking up.The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jayden sitting by her bedside."Michelle! You're awake!" Jayden exclaimed, relief flooding his voice as he quickly pressed the call button for the doctor.Once the doctor confirmed she was out of danger, Jayden exhaled deeply."Michelle, do you have any idea what I went through while you were unconscious? Please, don't ever do something so reckless a
The moment Brandon spoke, silence blanketed the room.Yale and Nolan both looked visibly uneasy.Jayden froze for a second, then his face twisted with disappointment. "Fine! From now on, we're strangers!"With that, he shoved Nolan aside and stormed toward the hospital entrance.Nolan frowned and turned to Brandon. "Brandon, Jayden was just upset. Did you really have to make it so final? How are you going to fix things later?""I don't plan to fix anything. Because of him and Michelle, Valarie and I fought countless times. Do you really think I should sacrifice my girlfriend for two so-called friends?" Brandon retorted.Seeing the indifference in his expression, Nolan suddenly regretted sending that message earlier. If he hadn't texted Brandon about Valarie being with another guy, none of this would have happened."I'm heading home," Brandon said before turning to Valarie, taking her hand, and leading her out of the hospital.Watching them leave, Nolan felt a surge of frustrati
A cold gust of wind blew through, and Brandon felt his heart sink.From the moment he first laid eyes on Valarie, he had made up his mind—he had to be with her, to marry her.He had pursued her for five years. They had finally gotten together, only to break up soon after.He had tried everything to win her back, but no matter what he did, she only seemed to drift further away.Was it really impossible for them to be together?"Valarie, you told me to stay away from Michelle for a month, and I did."Tonight, Jayden called to say that Michelle tried to commit suicide and is in the hospital being resuscitated. I still didn't go see her."I know I made a lot of mistakes before, but I've been trying to change. Can you give me one more chance?" he pleaded.Valarie remained silent for a long time. She knew she still had feelings for Brandon. When she met his pleading gaze, she felt herself softening.Finally, she looked at him and nodded. "Alright, but this is the last chance I'm giv