Brandon noticed Nyla's cold attitude and sat down in silence. Neither of them spoke until Damon returned with the fruit."Why so quiet?" he asked.Nyla took the bowl of strawberries from his hands. "Nothing to talk about."Damon looked slightly surprised. Nyla rarely made her feelings about someone so obvious.He turned to Brandon and asked, "Did you do something to upset my wife?"Brandon was speechless.He was innocent! He hadn't even seen Nyla recently—how could he have offended her?Then it hit him. Valarie must have told her everything during her visit earlier. That had to be why Nyla was siding with her friend and giving him the cold shoulder.Realizing this, he grew anxious. "Aunt Nyla, I swear, there was nothing going on between me and that friend. Valarie misunderstood.""Oh," Nyla said flatly. "Then go explain it to her. She's the one dating you, after all."Thinking about Valarie's dinner plans that evening, Nyla suddenly chuckled. If Brandon knew about the younger
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
Nyla lifted her head to speak, but Clark grabbed her hand and smiled. "Grandma, we're working on it!"Nyla tried to pull her hand away, but Clark's grip was too tight.If he wouldn't let her be, she wouldn't make it easy for him either. She turned to Marie. "Grandma, I'm looking for a job right now, so having children might have to wait."The room fell silent.Clark's grip on Nyla's hand tightened painfully, and she winced.Damon glanced at Clark's hand on Nyla, noticing the bulging veins, then looked away indifferently.Clark’s aunt, Anne Sumner, sneered. "Nyla, don't blame me for being blunt. You've been married for years. How can you not have a child yet? If it weren't for Clark insisting on marrying you, do you think your family could have ever married into the Sumners?"You should be grateful. If you don't want to have Clark's child, there are plenty of women who do. If someone else steps in, you’ll be the one looking foolish."Besides, Anne thought, "Who knows if Nyla is
Clark stiffened abruptly, his expression darkening instantly. He tightened his grip on Nyla's chin before slowly releasing her and turning to face Damon.Meeting Damon's amused gaze, Clark forced a smile. "No. Uncle Damon, did you need something?"Damon smiled. "Your grandma sent me to call you both for dinner.""Thank you, Uncle Damon.""No trouble at all. But remember, this is the family home. Be mindful of your actions." As Damon spoke, he briefly glanced at the red mark on Nyla's chin, mockery evident in his gaze.Seeing Damon's eyes linger on Nyla, Clark frowned and stepped in front of her. "I understand, Uncle Damon."His tone and expression were not pleasant, and his gaze toward Damon betrayed a hint of wariness.Damon smirked and casually looked away. "Alright, let's go eat."After Damon left, Clark reached out for Nyla's hand, but she dodged him, walking away without a backward glance.Clark quickly caught up, gripping her hand firmly. "Behave, or I'll talk to your fa
Brandon noticed Nyla's cold attitude and sat down in silence. Neither of them spoke until Damon returned with the fruit."Why so quiet?" he asked.Nyla took the bowl of strawberries from his hands. "Nothing to talk about."Damon looked slightly surprised. Nyla rarely made her feelings about someone so obvious.He turned to Brandon and asked, "Did you do something to upset my wife?"Brandon was speechless.He was innocent! He hadn't even seen Nyla recently—how could he have offended her?Then it hit him. Valarie must have told her everything during her visit earlier. That had to be why Nyla was siding with her friend and giving him the cold shoulder.Realizing this, he grew anxious. "Aunt Nyla, I swear, there was nothing going on between me and that friend. Valarie misunderstood.""Oh," Nyla said flatly. "Then go explain it to her. She's the one dating you, after all."Thinking about Valarie's dinner plans that evening, Nyla suddenly chuckled. If Brandon knew about the younger
"I really don't know. I can barely remember how we even started liking each other. By the time I realized it, we already had feelings," Nyla explained.Seeing how serious Nyla looked, Valarie let out a sigh. "Fine. I guess I'll have to figure it out on my own."The two continued chatting for a while. Just as Valarie was about to leave, Damon walked in.She stood up to greet him but frowned slightly when she saw Brandon following behind him. Without a word, she completely ignored him.Brandon's face darkened for a moment, and he was about to say something when Valarie turned to Nyla and said, "Nyla, I'm heading out.""Okay, I'll walk you out," Nyla offered."No need. I've been here so many times—I know the way," Valarie dismissed.Watching Valarie disappear out the door, Brandon hesitated for a moment before turning to Damon. "Uncle Damon, I need to talk to Valarie. Give me ten minutes."Without waiting for a response, he rushed out after her.When he reached the entrance, he s
Nyla knelt in front of Mason and gently said, "Of course.""Thank you, Mommy!" Mason chirped.For the next week, Mason slept with Nyla and Damon every night. Only after he was completely sure they weren't going anywhere did he finally move back to his own room.…As soon as Valarie found out that Nyla and Damon were back, she drove straight to their house.The moment she saw Nyla, her eyes turned red, and she rushed over to hug her tightly. "I thought you were never coming back! You didn't even tell me—you just disappeared! Do you even consider me a friend?!"Nyla gently patted her back. "I didn't want you to worry.""And that's why you just left without a word?! You're a terrible person!" Valarie whined."Okay, okay, I admit it. I'm awful. I'm sorry, alright? Please don't be mad," Nyla coaxed.Valarie scolded her a little more before finally sitting down on the couch. "So now that you're back, you're not going back to Meristate, right?"Nyla shook her head. "Nope. I have not
"Alright, I'll let it slide this time. But from now on, we need to spend more time with Buddy. We can't let this leave a lasting emotional scar on him," Nyla said."Got it! Mission accepted!" Damon quickly replied.Nyla couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, I still need to take my dad home later. You should get back to work.""Why don't you let Dad stay here tonight?" Damon asked.Nyla sighed. "I tried, but he refused. He said he's used to living there and prefers to go back."Damon nodded. "Alright, but you're pregnant now. I'll take him home later.""Then let's go together. You drive," Nyla said."Okay," Damon agreed.Nyla left Damon's study and walked to the living room, where Harrison was sitting on the couch, playing with Mason.She sat down beside them. "Dad, Damon and I will take you home later.""No need. Just call me a car. I've already arranged for the housekeeper to meet me downstairs," Harrison refused."How can I be at ease with that? We'd rather take you ourselv
Nyla nodded. "I only just found out a few days ago."Alexander grinned. "That's amazing—double the good news!"He turned to Damon. "You'd better take good care of her when you're back. Otherwise, you'll have me to answer to."He was definitely going to visit them when the baby was born."I will. I promise," Damon replied.…The next morning, they boarded the plane home.After a long flight, they finally landed safely in Saintornia.As soon as they got off the plane, the first thing Nyla wanted to do was see Mason.When they arrived at the villa, simply standing at the front door made her eyes well up with tears.Damon steadied her and spoke gently. "Nyla, you're pregnant now. You shouldn't get too emotional."She wiped her tears. "I know... I just missed Buddy so much.""Let's go inside first," Damon said.The moment they stepped into the living room, they saw Mason sitting on the couch, watching TV with a blank expression.Nyla stared at him, afraid it was all just a dre
Damon chuckled, his voice low. "If Nyla takes the money, she'll keep thinking about Ms. Kinsey from time to time. Not taking it means she's truly ready to forget her."Seeing he couldn't convince either of them, Alexander sighed. "Alright, I'll hold onto the money for now. If you ever need it, just let me know."Damon nodded. "Okay."Later that night, Alexander thought it over and decided to deposit the money in a bank under Mason's name, setting it up as a fixed-term deposit for 13 years. It would be given to Mason when he turned 18.…Damon walked to Nyla's bedroom door and knocked softly."Come in," Nyla called.As he pushed the door open, he saw her sitting on the balcony, staring at the distant city lights, lost in thought.When she noticed him, she smiled. "You're here."Damon nodded and sat beside her. "Nyla, are you feeling down?""No, I just feel a little drained after everything that's happened. I really want to go back home," she replied.He gently took her hand.
Even Brian and Delia, whom Emerald had spoiled, were expendable in her eyes—if they ever posed a threat to her position, she wouldn't hesitate to give them up.To her, family had always come second to the Nixons.…At exactly 3:00 p.m., Emerald's car pulled up outside Alexander's villa.She stepped out and walked into the living room, where Alexander and Nyla were already waiting.Without a word, she sat down, picked up the documents on the table, and flipped through them.After confirming there were no issues, she signed the last page, then pulled a bank card from her bag and placed it on the table.She slid it toward Nyla. "The password is six zeroes."Alexander picked up the card and handed it to his assistant. "Go check it."Emerald's expression stiffened. "Alexander, what the hell does that mean?!"Was he trying to humiliate her by having his assistant verify the card right in front of her?"Aunt Emerald, it's for both our peace of mind. This way, there won't be any iss
Alexander was silent for a moment before meeting Emerald's gaze. "Fine, I'll help you secure your position as head of the Nixons, but I won't help you eliminate your opponents."As long as there were threats to her power, she wouldn't have time to target Nyla and Damon. Keeping a balance of power was the best way to keep Nyla safe.Emerald's expression darkened. "You don't trust me?"Alexander nodded. "Aunt Emerald, I'd like to, but you need to give me a reason to. Back in Saintornia, you promised Nyla you'd support Prospectus Technology, but the moment she arrived in Meristate, you tried to bankrupt it."Now, you're making promises without proof. How can I trust you?""Alexander, don't forget—I'm your aunt. We're family!" Emerald hissed."To me, Nyla is my cousin, so she's my family too. Think about my offer, Aunt Emerald," Alexander said calmly.He remained unbothered by the situation. He knew Emerald was already backed into a corner—without his help, she had no chance of hold
"Sure," Nyla replied.After Alexander left, she turned to Damon. "We really will make it back together, right?"Seeing the worry in her eyes, Damon pulled her into his arms. "Yes. I promise. Trust me."She didn't say anything more, simply resting against his chest. Deep down, however, unease still lingered.…Three more days passed, and George still hadn't found Nyla.Meanwhile, unrest within the Nixons was worsening. More and more people began openly opposing Emerald, demanding a new leader.Emerald was exhausted and overwhelmed. The stress took a toll on her body—she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital again.When she woke up, the doctor warned her that she couldn't keep pushing herself like this, or her health would suffer serious consequences."I understand," Emerald said flatly. "I'd like to be alone now."Sighing, the doctor left the room.Emerald stared out the window, her gaze distant.For years, she had fought relentlessly to become the head of the Nixons.