The day Vik was locked up was the longest and most agonizing of his life. He no longer wanted to live in constant fear. If they kept fighting with Emerald, they could end up dead.Mary looked at him. "Vik, do you really think Emerald will let us go? Do you think you can hide the truth about Brian's accident forever?"Vik's face went pale, and his entire body trembled. "Mom... I don't know what to do. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm scared."Mary stepped closer, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Vik, look at me."At her commanding tone, Vik summoned the courage to lift his head."The only thing we can do now is fight Emerald and Brian," she said."If we succeed, you'll never have to worry about Brian finding out about the accident because I won't let him live. If we fail, then the outcome will be the same as if we hadn't fought at all."She paused. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Think carefully about whether you want to fight."Vik swallowed hard. After a long
Mary looked at Vik expressionlessly. "Of course. He was ready to make you pay for Brian's leg. Do you still see him as your father?"Vik's expression shifted. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "But... he used to treat us well..."Although Vik had been deeply disappointed when he discovered that Edward was willing to sacrifice his leg for Brian's, he still couldn't bring himself to harm his father.Mary let out a cold laugh. "He did treat us well in the past, but didn't we treat him well, too?"She had been with Edward since she was 20, willingly playing the role of the woman he kept outside his marriage. She had once believed that Edward truly loved her.But today, she had come to a painful realization: no matter what, she and Vik would never compare to Brian and Emerald in Edward's heart.Even after Emerald and Brian drugged him and nearly killed him, Edward had chosen to stand by them. If that were the case, then Mary wouldn't hesitate to be ruthless either.Vik couldn't a
Mary pulled a document from her bag and handed it to Emerald. "You can check it carefully—it has Edward's signature."Emerald's expression remained cold as she took the papers. Sure enough, Edward's signature was on the last page.She slammed the document onto the table. "I heard Edward's health has been declining. Does he still have the energy to authorize you to attend the meeting?""Of course. After all, Brian lost a leg and can't inherit the Nixons anymore. But Vik is still perfectly fine. As Edward's son, he has every right to the family legacy," Mary announced.Emerald's face twisted with anger. "Mary, if you say one more word about Brian, I'll tear your mouth apart!"Mary chuckled. "Emerald, I'm just stating facts. Why are you so mad?""Shut up!" Emerald hissed.Tension crackled between them, but the other Nixon members quickly grew impatient.Cortez frowned. "Are we holding this meeting or not? If not, I'm leaving. I didn't come here to watch you two argue."Suppressin
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
Mary pulled a document from her bag and handed it to Emerald. "You can check it carefully—it has Edward's signature."Emerald's expression remained cold as she took the papers. Sure enough, Edward's signature was on the last page.She slammed the document onto the table. "I heard Edward's health has been declining. Does he still have the energy to authorize you to attend the meeting?""Of course. After all, Brian lost a leg and can't inherit the Nixons anymore. But Vik is still perfectly fine. As Edward's son, he has every right to the family legacy," Mary announced.Emerald's face twisted with anger. "Mary, if you say one more word about Brian, I'll tear your mouth apart!"Mary chuckled. "Emerald, I'm just stating facts. Why are you so mad?""Shut up!" Emerald hissed.Tension crackled between them, but the other Nixon members quickly grew impatient.Cortez frowned. "Are we holding this meeting or not? If not, I'm leaving. I didn't come here to watch you two argue."Suppressin
Mary looked at Vik expressionlessly. "Of course. He was ready to make you pay for Brian's leg. Do you still see him as your father?"Vik's expression shifted. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "But... he used to treat us well..."Although Vik had been deeply disappointed when he discovered that Edward was willing to sacrifice his leg for Brian's, he still couldn't bring himself to harm his father.Mary let out a cold laugh. "He did treat us well in the past, but didn't we treat him well, too?"She had been with Edward since she was 20, willingly playing the role of the woman he kept outside his marriage. She had once believed that Edward truly loved her.But today, she had come to a painful realization: no matter what, she and Vik would never compare to Brian and Emerald in Edward's heart.Even after Emerald and Brian drugged him and nearly killed him, Edward had chosen to stand by them. If that were the case, then Mary wouldn't hesitate to be ruthless either.Vik couldn't a
The day Vik was locked up was the longest and most agonizing of his life. He no longer wanted to live in constant fear. If they kept fighting with Emerald, they could end up dead.Mary looked at him. "Vik, do you really think Emerald will let us go? Do you think you can hide the truth about Brian's accident forever?"Vik's face went pale, and his entire body trembled. "Mom... I don't know what to do. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm scared."Mary stepped closer, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Vik, look at me."At her commanding tone, Vik summoned the courage to lift his head."The only thing we can do now is fight Emerald and Brian," she said."If we succeed, you'll never have to worry about Brian finding out about the accident because I won't let him live. If we fail, then the outcome will be the same as if we hadn't fought at all."She paused. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Think carefully about whether you want to fight."Vik swallowed hard. After a long
"You!" Edward was so enraged that he fainted on the spot.Mary sat down in a chair, her expression calm as she dialed a number on her phone. "Bring Vik back."Mary had already received word when Vik was taken by Emerald's men. She hadn't acted immediately, planning instead to use the situation to test Edward's feelings toward Emerald.To her surprise, Edward showed no concern for her or Vik.After hanging up, she glanced at Edward, still unconscious on the bed. As she thought about all the years she had spent with him, her gaze grew colder.Soon, the doctor knocked and entered. "Ms. Jewell, did something happen to Mr. Nixon?"Mary looked at the doctor, her voice cold. "From now on, I don't want his health to improve. You know what to do."The doctor's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly nodded. "Understood, Ms. Jewell.""Good. You can go now," she dismissed him.…An hour later, Vik was brought into the hospital room by Mary's men. He took a deep breath and pushed open the
Mary smiled. "Guess."Edward narrowed his eyes and tried to press the nurse's call button, but Mary quickly grabbed his hand to stop him."Edward, don't you think you've been too heartless toward me and Vik?" she asked calmly."Mary, Vik is my son, and so is Brian. If Vik caused Brian to lose a leg, don't you think he should pay for that with his own leg?" Edward shot back."You have two sons. One has already lost a leg. Are you really going to make the other one disabled too? If I were you, I'd make Vik your only heir—train and support him," she countered.Edward scowled. "Call Vik back here first, then we'll talk about the rest."Mary smirked and said slowly, "No need. As long as you're alive, you'll still be able to help me and Vik. How you stay alive, though, doesn't matter."She called out to the door, "Daniel, come in here."Daniel Belcher pushed open the door, looking surprised when he saw Mary holding Edward down on the bed."Ms. Jewell, what's the matter? Why did you
Edward did not believe Mary's explanation. He stared at her blankly, his face expressionless. After managing the Nixons for so many years, his cold gaze carried an undeniable pressure.Mary's anxiety was palpable. She nervously shifted her gaze, unwilling to meet his stare.The silence stretched on until Edward finally broke it, his voice chilling. "If you don't tell me, I'll have someone investigate."Mary panicked. "No! Please, don't!"If anyone discovered that Vik was responsible for Brian's car accident, Vik's life would be ruined. And Edward would never forgive him.But now, Mary had no choice but to tell Edward the truth. If she kept lying, Edward would surely see through it. She was trapped in a no-win situation."Since you don't want me to investigate, then tell me the truth," Edward demanded.Taking a deep breath, Mary hesitated for a long moment before finally giving in. She spoke slowly. "Brian had an accident and lost one of his legs."Edward's eyes widened in shock
Delia stared at Emerald, her eyes wide with disbelief, filled with confusion and helplessness. "I just wanted to move out. When did I say I wanted to sever ties with you?""Moving out is the same as severing ties, isn't it? I told you I wouldn't give you another penny. After you leave, are you really going to stay in contact with me?" Emerald asked.Delia was momentarily choked by Emerald's words. It took her a while to respond. "I just want to become independent, not sever ties with you."Of course, deep down, she also wanted to prove that the man she loved wasn't wrong. She had decided long ago that she would never marry anyone but Andre.Emerald didn't look at her and said nothing further.Delia sat down, continuing to stare at her. "Mom, how did you suddenly collapse and end up in the hospital? Do you have any test results? Let me see them."Emerald's tone remained cold. "Don't worry. I'm not going to die.""Mom, don't say such ominous things!" Delia whined.Emerald pursed
Emerald shook her head, wanting to refuse, but suddenly her vision went black, and she fainted.When she regained consciousness, she found herself in a hospital room. She stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, recalling how she had collapsed in the study earlier.Fully awake now, she sat up slowly and noticed an IV in her arm. She couldn't help but frown.The door to the room opened, and Filipe walked in.When he saw that Emerald had woken up, a look of relief flashed in his eyes. "Madam, you're finally awake! You've been unconscious for an entire day!"Emerald could hardly believe what she was hearing. Her frown intensified, and she asked, "How could I have been unconscious for so long?""The doctor said you've been sleep-deprived for a long time, and with the recent emotional strain, it caused you to cough up blood.“From now on, you need to get at least eight to ten hours of sleep each day, or your health will continue to decline," Filipe explained.Emerald's face darkened
"We'll see how long you can hold out!" Emerald challenged.Delia sneered. "Fine, you said it. Don't go back on your word!""Don't worry, I won't." With that, Emerald turned sharply and walked away.Once in her study, she sank into a chair. Her icy expression slowly turned to one of exhaustion.She had spent years fighting to become the head of the Nixons. But now, one of her children had lost a leg in a plot, and the other was infatuated with a man utterly unworthy of her.For the first time, she felt like a failure.Even though she had finally gained control of the Nixons, what was the point? She was still alone.Lost in thought, Filipe hurriedly knocked and entered. "Madam, Mr. Jayston was secretly taken from the hospital!"Emerald's angry voice echoed. "What were those people at the hospital doing? How could they let him be taken, with so many people watching?"Harrison was her only leverage over Nyla. If he disappeared, she would lose control of Nyla. But, as she considere