Erin turned to Jacqueline. "You know her?"If she remembered correctly, Jacqueline had also just returned to the country not long ago.Jacqueline sneered. "Of course I know her. She's good friends with that slut clinging to Tom."The mere thought of Valarie filled Jacqueline with disgust. If she hadn't gone abroad, there was no way Valarie would have gotten close to Tom.Originally, Jacqueline had planned to deal with Valarie today, but since Valarie hadn't shown up, targeting Nyla would suffice.Surprise flashed in Erin's eyes, and she frowned. "What are you planning to do?"Jacqueline pondered for a moment before removing the diamond necklace from her neck. "I heard her family isn't well off, so it's understandable if she resorts to stealing."There was a glint in Erin's eyes, but she didn’t stop Jacqueline.With the Sumners' influence, Nyla wouldn’t face severe consequences. However, if she were branded a thief, it would tarnish the Sumners' reputation. And who would want a
Clark frowned, about to speak, when a loud female voice suddenly echoed in the banquet hall. "Oh no! My necklace is missing!"The voice was so piercing that it immediately drew everyone's attention.Staff members quickly approached her. Upon hearing about the missing necklace, they turned on the lights, illuminating the ballroom as bright as day."Ms. Rainford, don't worry. We'll have our staff search for it right away. If it's here, we should be able to find it quickly."Jacqueline looked anxious and said, "Why not check the security cameras? We should be able to find it quickly. I'm sure I lost it here."The staff member apologized, "I'm sorry, Ms. Rainford. To ensure the privacy and security of the charity gala, there are no cameras in the ballroom."Jacqueline was aware of this already. She was simply trying to convey her urgency. "Please help me find it. The necklace was a birthday gift from Tom, and it means a lot to me.""Of course, Ms. Rainford," the staff member assured
With Nyla's words, everyone began to grasp the absurdity of the situation. They turned to Erin and Jacqueline with expressions of displeasure.Jacqueline had lost her own necklace. What did that have to do with them? Why should their bags be searched because of her mistake?A necklace worth millions? They could easily afford several of those. There was no need to resort to theft.A cold glint appeared in Erin's eyes as she noticed the unfriendly looks from the crowd. She hadn't anticipated Nyla being so sharp-tongued and difficult to handle. Soon enough, she would make her pay.Erin sighed and said helplessly, "I suggested this to clear everyone's names and help Jacqueline find her necklace. It means a lot to her.""What does that have to do with us? If it was so important, she should've kept it safe at home instead of wearing it out.""Exactly! She lost it herself and now wants to search our bags? I don't agree with that!""Hah! If you care about the necklace so much, I'll buy
"Nyla, am I not giving you enough money? Why would you do something like this?!" Clark demanded.Nyla glanced at him, noting the unfamiliar fury in his eyes. She even suspected that if they weren't in a public setting, he might have grabbed her by the neck and demanded answers.She smiled. "Clark, you've really changed."He used to trust her completely, but now he seemed to think she was capable of stealing from someone else. It appeared that when a person's heart changed, they also became blind to reality.Taking the diamond necklace out of her bag, Nyla held it up for Jacqueline to see. "Ms. Rainford, take a good look. Is this your necklace? If I remember correctly, Ms. Hulle described your necklace's pendant as a swan encrusted with diamonds."Under the light, the necklace Nyla held was a delicate heart-shaped pink diamond, clearly different from Erin's description. This was the necklace Nyla had worn to the event.Jacqueline's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! My neckla
"Or do you think your apology is worth that much, Mr. Genge?"Everyone turned to the door as Damon walked in with Lincoln Gunton, the host of the charity event.Lincoln wore a smile, but Damon's demeanor was icy, exuding an unwelcoming aura.Tom's gaze darkened. If only Clark had been present, he might have been able to resolve the situation amicably. With Damon involved, however, things were likely to become much more complicated.Clark's expression was also grim. Nyla had almost agreed to his suggestion, but Damon's arrival threatened to jeopardize the Sumner Group's cooperation with Gen Pharma."Mr. Damon, this was Jacqueline's mistake. I've assured you that she will apologize and compensate Mrs. Sumner in any way possible," Tom said, hoping to show respect to the Sumners.He knew that if things escalated further, it would reflect poorly on everyone involved.Damon stopped a few steps away, his gaze frosty enough to freeze someone in place. "If Jacqueline had been falsely acc
Jacqueline screamed, clutching her dress in desperation, her eyes filled with terror. "No! Don't come any closer! I'll kneel and apologize!"She had initially thought Damon was merely trying to scare her, but now she saw that his men were actually advancing. He was mad. She would rather be dead than exposed in front of everyone. Kneeling and apologizing seemed preferable.Damon's expression remained icy as he sneered. "Alright, back off."The men in black retreated, leaving Jacqueline on the floor, desperately holding onto her dress. Her hair and clothes were in disarray, and she looked utterly disheveled.Trembling with fear, she crawled over and knelt before Nyla."Ms. Jayston, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have framed you. I was wrong. I'll never do it again. Please forgive me..." she pleaded.Nyla regarded her with indifference, feeling no sympathy. Had she not discovered the necklace in her bag, she might have been the one facing humiliation now."Ms. Rainford, there's no need to
Clark was indignant as Damon scolded him, his hands clenched at his sides. Anger flashed in his eyes."Uncle Damon, Nyla is my wife. How I handle things is none of your business!" he snapped.Damon sneered. "At least Tom knew to protect Jacqueline. You, on the other hand, are both unfaithful and cowardly. I don't know how the Sumners ended up with someone as useless as you."Clark gritted his teeth and said coldly, "At least I'm not coveting someone else's wife.""Do you believe I can have you two divorced by tomorrow?" Damon threatened.He had only held back out of respect for Nyla, waiting until she was ready to make her own decision.Clark's face twisted with resentment. He knew Damon had the power to do just that. Even if Damon took Nyla away from him right now, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. As the CEO of the Sumner Group without any shares, he was no match for Damon."Uncle Damon, don't push it too far!"He had endured a lot, but Damon's blatant support for
A cold gleam flashed across Tom's eyes. Was Jacqueline being used by Erin? Although he didn't agree with Jacqueline's actions, she did them for his sake."Don't do this kind of thing again. Damon is ruthless and never shows mercy. Going against him will only lead to trouble," he warned her.Seeing Tom's stern expression, Jacqueline bit her lip and cautiously said, "Tom, Ms. Jayston wasn't hurt at all. If I just apologized, it would be over. But she refused to let me off. Could it be because of Ms. Weir?"Tom narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "You mean she did it to get back at you for Valarie?""Aside from that, I can't think of any other reason why she would be so relentless," Jacqueline replied.Nyla and Valarie were good friends, and Valarie had misunderstood Tom's relationship with Jacqueline. If Nyla was teaching Jacqueline a lesson on Valarie's behalf, it would make sense.Seeing Tom's grim face and silence, Jacqueline didn't say anything more. She knew that speaking too m
Then, Stefan was enveloped by the fragrance.When Valarie's arms wrapped around his waist, his body stiffened as though he had been struck by an electric jolt.Before he could respond, she had already released him.Smiling, she said, "Thanks for dinner and for showing me around campus tonight. Goodnight.""G-Goodnight..." Stefan stammered.As Valarie walked away, the faint scent of gardenias lingered for a moment before fading, leaving Stefan with an inexplicable sense of loss.He stood there, watching her car until it disappeared from view. Only then did he snap back to reality and head toward his dorm.Just as he reached the building, his phone rang. Seeing the name "Michelle" on the screen, he hesitated before stepping aside to answer."What do you want?" he asked."Nothing much. Just wondering how things are going with Valarie," Michelle replied."It's whatever. If that's all, I'm hanging up," Stefan said.A cold laugh echoed from the other end of the line. "Stefan, if y
"Fine, Brandon. Don't regret this!" Jayden snapped and hung up the phone.Brandon set his phone down and walked out of his office.…When Jayden returned to the hospital ward, Michelle looked at him with anticipation. "Jayden, what did Brandon say? Did he agree to come?"Meeting Michelle's hopeful gaze, Jayden pressed his lips together and lowered his eyes, unable to meet hers. "Michelle... Brandon's been really busy with work lately, so he doesn't have time to visit. But once he's less busy, he'll come see you—""You don't have to lie to me," Michelle cut him off, her gaze falling as she gave a self-deprecating smile. "He's not busy… He just doesn't want to come, does he?""Michelle..." Jayden walked over to the bedside, wanting to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say."Jayden, can I have some time alone?" Michelle asked quietly.Seeing the heartbreak on her face, Jayden felt a sharp pang of sadness. He also felt a growing sense of unfairness toward her.She had been i
Valarie raised an eyebrow and called Stefan.The call was answered almost immediately, followed by a nervous voice. "V-Veevee? You're calling me?""Did I interrupt anything?" Valarie asked."N-No! Not at all! I'm just surprised, that's all," Stefan replied.Valarie smiled. "Have you eaten yet?""I... uh... n-not yet... There's a new menu in the cafeteria. It's really good. Want to come try it?" Stefan asked.His cautious, hopeful tone tugged at Valarie's heart."Sure. Give me 20 minutes," Valarie said.After hanging up, she drove straight to Saintosh University.…The moment Valarie parked near the entrance, she saw Stefan walking toward her.She stepped out of the car and met him halfway. "Have you been waiting for me this whole time?"Stefan shook his head. "No, I just got here."As he spoke, he avoided her gaze, his eyes darting nervously.They walked across campus together, Stefan eagerly pointing out buildings and landmarks.Valarie laughed. "You know, I actually at
Valarie pushed him away, her expression impassive. "Say that again when the month is over.""You can trust me. I'll keep my promise," Brandon assured her.A flicker of sarcasm crossed Valarie's face, but she remained silent.She walked into the villa, and only once the door clicked shut behind her did Brandon turn and leave.Back in her bedroom, Valarie collapsed onto the couch, pressing her fingers to her throbbing temples.…The following days passed in a blur of work.Valarie was so consumed that she barely had time to eat.Every now and then, her youthful admirer would text her, asking what she was up to. If she had a free moment, she'd send a brief reply. Otherwise, she ignored him.Thankfully, he was tactful enough not to press when she didn't respond.By Friday evening, the preliminary phase of the project was complete, and Valarie finally had the chance to enjoy a proper weekend.She called Nyla, hoping to meet for drinks.There was a brief pause before Nyla's voice
"Just go, Brandon. I don't want to argue with you here," Valarie said.Upon seeing her cold expression, a sharp pain stabbed at Brandon's chest. Without a word, he turned and walked away.Only when his figure disappeared through the restaurant's doors did the young man finally release Valarie's hand."Are you okay, Veevee?" he asked softly.Valarie exhaled, offering a small smile. "I'm fine. Let's finish eating."But throughout the rest of the meal, she was clearly distracted.The young man noticed and did his best to make her laugh, but her mood remained subdued.After dinner, Valarie offered to drive him back to his university.The drive was quiet, her energy subdued—nothing like the lively spirit she'd had when they first met up.When they reached the campus gate, he turned to her. "Veevee, do you... still have feelings for that guy from earlier?"Valarie hesitated before answering, "No, I'm just tired. Don't overthink it. Get some rest.""When can I see you again? I'll t
Valarie frowned and coldly asked, "Brandon, what are you doing here?"Brandon glared at her, frustration thick in his voice. "Valarie, I should be the one asking you that. You promised me that if I stayed away from Michelle for a month, you'd forgive me. So why are you here, on a date with another man?"His tone dripped with jealousy, but Valarie remained unfazed."I did say that," she replied calmly. "But if I remember correctly, we're already broken up. Who I see and what I do is none of your business, is it?"Brandon's face darkened. "You say we're broken up, but I never agreed to that. We just had a fight. And if you're seeing someone else while we're in a rough patch, that's not fair to us, is it?"Before Valarie could respond, the man across from her spoke up. "It's fine, mister. Even if I'm just a backup for her, I'm willing."The words hung in the air, and the entire restaurant fell silent.Brandon's anger flared, and he let out a laugh, though it was devoid of humor. He
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