Nyla met Clark's cold gaze. With a scoff, she snatched the flowers and supplements from his hands, tossing them into the trash can.Spencer's eyes widened with shock, quickly shifting to anger. "Ms. Jayston, how could you do that? Mr. Damon came to see you, and you—"Before he could finish, Damon had already turned and left, his presence so chilling that it sent shivers down one's spine.Spencer, struggling to control his frustration, hurried to catch up with Damon."Mr. Sumner, are we just going to leave like this?" Spencer asked.The situation felt unbearably humiliating. After all, Damon had helped Nyla numerous times before, but she had repaid his kindness with disdain."What else? Storm into the room and demand an explanation?" Damon retorted.He wasn't the type to grovel. Plenty of women wanted to be with him—he didn't need her specifically.Sensing the frostiness in Damon's gaze, Spencer felt a chill rise from his feet and dared not speak further. Damon was clearly in a
However, Damon had no intention of pursuing the matter, so as a mere secretary, Spencer had no place to comment.Nyla glanced at the young woman standing next to Spencer. She had a baby face, shoulder-length hair, and eyes that smiled like crescent moons, giving her a very cute appearance."Ms. Jayston, my name is Melody Sorley. I just graduated from university. It's nice to meet you," Melody introduced herself."Hello, I'm Nyla Jayston," Nyla replied simply.With many tasks in the lab, Nyla was indeed struggling to manage everything on her own. Having an assistant would be a significant help."Thank you, Mr. Hogg," Nyla said gratefully.Spencer's expression remained cold. "No need to thank me. It's my job. I'll be going now. If you need anything, just message me on the company network."Understanding that Spencer's displeasure was related to Damon, Nyla chose not to get angry. She nodded and said, "Okay."After Spencer left, Melody turned to Nyla and asked, "Can I call you Nyl
Erin chatted with Damon, her smile evident. Although Damon only responded occasionally, the atmosphere between them remained fairly harmonious.Ever since Erin and Damon had sat down next to Nyla and Melody, Nyla kept her head down, quietly eating. She hoped to finish quickly and leave.Suddenly, a somewhat shy voice came from nearby. "Ms. Jayston..."Nyla turned to see a tall, muscular man holding a bouquet of red roses. He stood a few steps away, looking at her nervously. She frowned, sensing something was off.As expected, the next moment, the man extended the roses toward her."Hi, my name is Dylan Lomas. From the moment I saw you, I fell in love at first sight. Could you give me a chance... to pursue you?" Dylan confessed.Nyla often received such confessions back in university, but this was the first time since marrying Clark.It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was packed. Everyone's eyes were on her and Dylan.After a few seconds of silence, she said calmly, "I'm sorry,
Upon hearing Damon's affirmative response, Erin's face lit up, ready to continue mocking Nyla.Melody suddenly interjected, "Ms. Hulle, you've got one thing wrong. Nyla is both beautiful and capable, which is not something people can simply envy."Erin's expression froze, and her eyes betrayed a flicker of anger. She huffed. "I never said Ms. Nyla wasn't capable—just that her looks give her many advantages."Tired of Erin's thinly veiled sarcasm, Nyla decided to speak her mind.She turned to Erin and said, "You claim my looks give me benefits, but doesn't your family background provide you with plenty of advantages too? Otherwise, you wouldn't be sitting here having lunch with Ms. Summer, would you?"The world was never fair, and wanting everything was simply being greedy.Erin was rendered speechless, her face turning an ugly shade.Nyla picked up her tray and stood up, announcing, "I'm done. Enjoy your meal."Melody quickly followed her. "Nyla, I'm sorry. I spoke too quickly
Spencer looked puzzled and asked, "Mr. Sumner, why are we investigating this employee?""I hired you to do your job, not to ask questions," Damon replied curtly.Meeting Damon's icy gaze, Spencer quickly lowered his head. "I'll get right on it."Soon, Spencer delivered a printed report on Dylan to Damon.After reading it, Damon said coolly, "Find an excuse to send him on a business trip. I don't want him in the company for the next six months."Spencer found this odd but didn't dare ask further questions upon recalling their previous exchange. He nodded. "Understood. I'll handle it immediately."…Dylan left the cafeteria, agitatedly clutching the flowers in his hand. He considered throwing them away but felt it would be a waste.After a moment's thought, he sent a message to a recent fling, inviting her to dinner. He figured dinner would naturally lead to inviting her to his place afterward.Feeling better with this plan, he was about to head back when he received a friend re
Taking a deep breath, Dylan said slowly, "Alright, I'll follow your lead."…Nyla had been busy in the lab until after 10:00 p.m. due to problems with her experiment. As she gathered her things and prepared to leave, she received a call from Clark.His slightly icy voice came through as soon as she answered. "Why aren't you home yet?""I'm wrapping up now. I'll be home soon." Just as Nyla spoke, the elevator doors opened.She was about to step in when she saw Damon standing inside. She hesitated for a moment.Their eyes met, and Damon's were filled with frost. His entire demeanor radiated a chilling aloofness.Nyla bit her lip, unsure if she should enter. Given Damon's attitude toward her at lunch, he clearly didn't want to see her.Clark's voice came through the phone, asking if he should come pick her up.Nyla snapped back to reality and replied, "No need. I drove. Just wait for me at home."She hung up and could feel Damon's sharp gaze on her, making her palms sweat as she
Nyla shook Clark off, dismissing him with indifference. "You're overthinking it."Clark was dissatisfied with her dismissive response, and his gaze grew colder.After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he softened his tone. "Nyla, I know you feel wronged, but Grandma is getting old. I hope you can be more understanding."Nyla found his words laughable. Whenever the Sumners were involved, Clark's solution was always for her to endure. She had previously ignored these issues because she loved him, but now she realized she would always come second to his family and career."Don't worry. I have no issues with her," she said calmly.After all, she no longer cared about Clark, so why would she care about anyone else?Seeing her calm demeanor, Clark dropped the topic and said, "By the way, Mom invited us over for dinner tomorrow night."Nyla was surprised. Cindy had never liked her and rarely invited them over since their marriage. However, if she could get into Cyrus' study, she mi
"You accuse me of harassing her? Do you have any evidence? If not, I'll call the police and report you for assault. You might end up spending a few days behind bars!" Dylan threatened.Clark remained unfazed. "Go ahead, but don't be surprised if it's you who ends up in jail."Dylan's bluster lost its impact as Clark's calm demeanor persisted. Gritting his teeth, Dylan snapped, "Fine! Just wait. You'd better hope I don't see you again!"With that, he turned and stormed off.Clark watched him go with cold, steely eyes. Someone like that dared to harass Nyla?Clark turned to her, his expression dark. "Why didn't you tell me someone was bothering you?"It was clear from her reaction that this man had been a recurring problem.Nyla pressed her lips together. "I didn't expect him to get physical. I rejected him yesterday."She hadn't anticipated Dylan's persistence despite her clear refusal.Clark sneered. "Tolerating people like him only emboldens them. I'll call Uncle Damon later
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