"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
"If I don't love you anymore, will you let me go?" Nyla asked.Clark's gaze turned cold as he answered, "No.""Then what's the point of asking? And wasn't it you who threatened me with my dad to move back in?" Nyla retorted.Meeting Nyla's calm gaze, Clark smiled self-deprecatingly and turned away, saying nothing more. He had indeed forced her to return.From the day he cheated, he should have expected this. He was just too confident, thinking her love for him would lead to forgiveness.They fell into silence.Soon, the driver pulled the car around."Let's get in," Clark said.Nyla glanced at her phone, canceled her ride order, and got in the car.The drive home was quiet. Neither of them spoke, and the driver didn't dare break the silence.When they reached the villa, Nyla was about to head upstairs when Clark spoke up. "Nyla, I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't protect you."His tone was serious, and Nyla paused for a moment before walking away without a word.As soon as sh
After work, Nyla took a cab to the Sumner residence. As soon as she was led into the living room by a maid, Marie's cold voice echoed. "On your knees!"Nyla stopped in her tracks, her expression calm as she looked at Marie. "Grandma, I don't know what I did wrong to deserve this."Cindy, sitting next to Marie, sneered with a sharp tone. "How dare you ask what you did wrong?! Why did you force Ms. Rainford to kneel and apologize to you in front of everyone last night? Do you even realize your status compared to hers?"This morning, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group terminated their contracts with the Sumner Group, causing billions in losses. The other shareholders are furious with Clark and are calling for a board meeting to remove him as the CEO. You're nothing but bad luck!"If it were not for affecting Clark, Cindy would have told Marie about Nyla's infertility and had Marie chase Nyla out of the Sumner family.Nyla met Cindy's hateful gaze with a composed look. "Jacqueline trie
Nyla smiled bitterly. There was no way she could go back tonight."No need. The gathering is close to Valarie's place. I'll stay with her tonight," she replied.There was silence on the other end before Clark's deep voice came through. "Are you still upset about last night?""No. I just haven't had a good chat with Valarie in a long time, so I plan to stay over at her place tonight," Nyla said, though she was lying.After another long pause, Clark finally said, "Alright, but if anything comes up, give me a call.""Got it," Nyla replied.After hanging up, her phone flashed a low battery warning, indicating only 20% charge left. She frowned, realizing she hadn't charged it since the previous night due to her busy schedule. Sighing, she turned off her phone to conserve battery.…Clark sensed something was off after the call but couldn't pinpoint what it was.Just as he was about to ponder the matter, Michael entered his office and reported, "Mr. Sumner, Gen Pharma and the Rain
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.
Cortez's light chuckle came from the other end of the phone. "If this is about Kajer Tech, I don't see the need for a private meeting. We can discuss it publicly once you've found your eldest daughter."Emerald suppressed her anger. "I want to know why you publicly went against me!"He could have spoken to her privately, but instead, he chose to humiliate her in front of everyone."I'm not going against you. You're just too greedy," Cortez sneered. "You deliberately transferred Kajer Tech's shares to your daughter so you could use the company's annual dividends as leverage over us. That way, we'd have no choice but to let you continue leading the Nixons. Am I wrong?"His mocking tone felt like a slap to Emerald's face, making her even angrier. "Cortez, don't forget—you're supposed to be on my side!"Cortez chuckled. "I've always said I only act in my own best interest. I supported you in the past because our interests aligned."But now? You're hurting my position. We're no longer
Emerald's expression darkened. "Cortez, that's a serious accusation. I have never tried to hollow out the Nixons. Since taking over, I've worked tirelessly for the family's success. If you choose not to believe me, so be it."She added, "If you insist on resolving the Kajer Tech issue first, then this meeting is over. We'll discuss it again once I find my daughter."Without another word, Emerald stood and left.The moment she was gone, murmurs erupted throughout the room—voices filled with frustration and resentment."We can't let Emerald keep leading the family like this! Who knows how much more damage she'll cause?"Several people turned sharp glares toward Cortez."Cortez, you've always backed Emerald. Did you really not know she's turned Kajer into her own company?""I bet he turned a blind eye because she gave him something in return!""Hold on. If Cortez was really benefiting from Emerald's deals, he wouldn't have called her out just now. I trust him."Cortez let out a c
Emerald frowned, her voice cold. "Cortez, we have more important matters to discuss.""In my opinion, this is the most important matter today," Cortez replied evenly. "If Kajer becomes your private company, won't the Nixons lose a significant portion of their annual revenue?"Emerald's expression remained unchanged. "You don't need to worry. Regardless of who owns Kajer Tech, my share of the dividends will always be reinvested into the Nixons."Cortez gave a slight smile, though his eyes held no warmth. "Emerald, that's just your word. How can we trust it?"If Kajer Tech truly has no ties to the Nixons anymore, doesn't that mean you'll have the power to use its revenue as leverage against other family members?"If someone upsets you, you can cut off their funding. How is anyone supposed to voice a differing opinion under those conditions?"Emerald's gaze darkened. "Cortez, I can assure you, that will never happen.""We're not children, Emerald. Promises mean nothing. My stance i
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