"Why did you come back so late tonight?" Clark asked."Had some things to deal with," Nyla answered.Clark didn't press further and simply nodded. "By the way, we've found a kidney donor for Dad. If everything goes well, he can have the surgery in a month."Nyla paused mid-action while changing her shoes, looking up at him in disbelief. "Really?"Clark felt his breath catch at the sight of her excited expression and bright eyes, which reminded him of when they first got together."Yes," he replied."That's great! Thank you!" Nyla exclaimed.Her gratitude was heartfelt. If they hadn't found a match, her father's health wouldn't have held out much longer."We're husband and wife. It's my responsibility," Clark said dismissively.Nyla pursed her lips and remained silent. To her, they had long ceased to be husband and wife. They were just two strangers bound by a piece of paper."Regardless, I really appreciate it," Nyla reiterated.Noticing the distance in her gaze, Clark felt
When Nyla woke up, she blinked at the white ceiling above her and took a moment to recall what had happened."You're awake! Do you feel any discomfort?" Nyla turned her head to see Damon, who looked worn out, standing by her bedside. She shook her head. "Aside from some pain in my abdomen, I'm fine. How long was I out?""A full day," Damon replied.Nyla frowned. "That long?""Yes, the stab wound damaged your spleen," Damon explained.The doctor had said that if the wound had been a centimeter deeper, Nyla could have bled out and might not have survived.The more than ten hours Damon had spent waiting outside the operating room had been the most agonizing of his life, each second stretching into eternity.Pale and weak, Nyla slowly sat up. "Did they catch the attacker?"Damon nodded, his voice icy. "Yes. He was the son of the owner of a rival company to Prospectus Technology. After their bankruptcy, he was pursued by creditors and chose to take revenge on me."He lowered his
Damon's expression was grim, and his voice was icy. "I suppose I was just being delusional."With that, he turned and left.Clark glanced at Nyla, his eyes burning with anger. "What was that about the bar? Why wasn't I aware?""Was there a need to tell you? Could you have gone back in time to protect me?" Nyla retorted.Clark gritted his teeth. "Nyla, you know I don't want you getting involved with my uncle!"Just the thought of Nyla getting hurt because of Damon, and potentially ruining his own plans, made Clark's anger boil over.Nyla's expression remained indifferent. "I don't want you getting involved with Jordyn either, but you still sneak off to see her, don't you?"Clark's face darkened, but he couldn't refute her.Seeing his face turn red, Nyla let out a small laugh. "Enough. Just go. I really don't want to see you right now."Clark stared at her in silence for a long time, his eyes cold. "Don't forget, with just one word from me, your father's kidney transplant might
Leaving the hospital room, Clark saw Damon standing not far away. He approached with a stern expression. "Uncle Damon, did you wait here just to say something to me?"Damon's eyes were cold. "I'm the one who has feelings for her. If I find out you're making things difficult for her, I'll ensure you lose everything you have."Clark sneered. "You're quite the romantic, Uncle Damon. If you loved someone other than my wife, I might even be touched."The thought of Damon coveting Nyla made Clark wish Damon would disappear from this world. If Nyla hadn't intervened, the one in the hospital bed would have been Damon!"You two will get divorced eventually," Damon stated flatly.Clark glared at Damon. "Even if I die, I won't divorce her. If you have the courage, go ahead and kill me.""Do you think I wouldn't dare?" Damon scoffed.Damon's oppressive aura felt like an impenetrable wall, closing in on Clark. His hands clenched tightly at his sides, as fear began to creep in despite his out
As soon as Clark returned to the company, several angered shareholders stormed into his office."Mr. Sumner, what's going on with Prospectus Technology? I just spoke with their manager, and he said they won't be continuing their partnership with the Sumner Group. You brokered this deal, so you need to take full responsibility!"If the Sumner Group lost the Prospectus Technology contract, it would cost them at least 100 million dollars. Coupled with the previous contract losses with Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group because of Nyla, the shareholders' dissatisfaction with Clark had reached its peak.Clark looked up at them, noting their angry faces. He spoke calmly. "Please don't worry. I will find out what happened and give you an explanation. For now, return to your work.""No way. You need to call Damon in front of us, or we can't trust you!"Clark's gaze turned cold as he looked at Jason Dinsmore, a shareholder who held 3% of the company.Although Jason's shares were not signif
Although Clark was smiling, Jason felt a chill run down his spine, leaving him uneasy.After several moments of silence, he finally managed to say, "Mr. Sumner... my grandson didn't mean it. If you let him off this time, I promise he won't make such a foolish mistake again..."Seeing the fear in Jason's eyes, Clark felt no sympathy. "It seems your grandson isn't that impressive. He's in his 20s and still needs you to beg on his behalf."Realizing Clark was throwing his previous words back at him, Jason felt a surge of anger.Still, he swallowed his frustration and said through gritted teeth, "Mr. Sumner, it was my fault for not teaching my grandson properly.""If you can't even discipline your own grandson, you shouldn't be pointing fingers at me," Clark replied.Jason felt utterly humiliated but forced a smile. "Of course... Regarding my grandson's actions...""As long as you know what to say and what not to say in the future, your grandson will be fine," Clark warned.Jason q
Clark stared at her coldly and asked, "Why are you having someone watch Jordyn?"Nyla paused before replying calmly, "If I don't monitor her, how will I know when you meet up with her and lie to me again?"Clark frowned but then suddenly relaxed. "Nyla, you still care about me, don't you?"Otherwise, she wouldn't have someone monitoring Jordyn to see when they met.Nyla looked up at him, seeing the joy in his eyes. She thought he was truly confident, so much so that he believed she still liked him.Nevertheless, his misunderstanding was useful, saving her a lot of trouble."I just don't want to be constantly cheated on, nor do I want to live in your lies," she replied.Her cold demeanor only convinced Clark further. He believed her recent actions were meant to get his attention and win him back from Jordyn.He knew her well. If she didn't love him anymore, she wouldn't have returned. Getting close to Damon was just another way to make him jealous."Nyla, I promise you, I have
"I haven't eaten yet," Clark said."Then go wash your hands. I'll get the food ready," Jordyn replied warmly.All evening, Jordyn chatted about her day, and Clark felt his heart gradually leaning toward her. Despite the strength of his previous feelings for Nyla, her constant coldness was causing them to wane.…Meanwhile, Nyla was about to go for a walk after finishing her dinner when she received a call from Pete."Ms. Jayston, your husband's men found me. They warned me to stay away from Jordyn or they'd call the police," Pete said.Since Pete began investigating the Harris Pharmaceuticals accident, he had an assistant keeping an eye on Jordyn. Unfortunately, the assistant was inexperienced and had been caught quickly."It's fine. You don't need to monitor her anymore. I'll transfer your payment shortly," Nyla said.She had been monitoring Jordyn to gather evidence of Clark's affair, but it no longer seemed necessary. Once she had the evidence needed to send Cyrus to priso
If Wilhelm stopped wanting to see Jane, the bond between them would naturally fade over time."No! I don't want food!" Wilhelm cried, hurling Gabriel's phone onto the car seat.He began pounding on the car door, trying to open it. "I want to see Mommy! I want to live with her, not you!"Gabriel, his patience wearing thin, locked the doors with a sharp click and turned to Wilhelm, his expression darkening."Your mother doesn't want you. Even if you find her, she won't take you. I'm the only one you have now," he said."I hate you! I don't want to be with you! I don't want you as my dad!" Wilhelm screamed.Gabriel's restraint, already fraying after days of tantrums, finally snapped. He stared at his son and said coldly, "It doesn't matter whether you want me or not. No one wants you now except me."Jane didn't want Wilhelm. The Wilkies wouldn't want him either."That's not true!" Wilhelm sobbed uncontrollably. "Mommy wants me. Mommy's just mad. If I'm good, she'll take me back! S
Lydia nodded. "Okay, Ms. Kinsey."Shortly after, Lydia returned with Mason by her side.When Mason saw Gabriel and Wilhelm standing at the door, he frowned and turned to Nyla. "Mommy, why is Wilhelm here?"Nyla patted his head gently. "He's here to apologize to you.""Oh." Mason's response was wary, clearly unconvinced.Gabriel observed Nyla's affectionate interaction with Mason, his eyes flickering with a trace of emotion. He turned to Wilhelm. "What did you promise me before we came?"Wilhelm's reluctance was evident. He had agreed to apologize, but only under the threat of losing his chance to see his mother."Mason, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you yesterday. I hope you can forgive me," Wilhelm said, his voice subdued.Mason didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked up at Nyla, silently seeking her guidance."Buddy, this is your decision to make," Nyla said softly. "I'll respect whatever you decide."Mason lowered his head, thinking for a moment.Finally, he s
Brandon sighed and placed the items on the desk. "Aunt Nyla, this crisis is unlike anything Prospectus Technology has faced before. If things go wrong, the company can go bankrupt."Uncle Damon prepared these after finding out Buddy is his son, but he hadn't found the right time to give them to you."Keep them for now. If Prospectus Technology collapses, he'll need this to start over."After a moment's silence, Nyla nodded. "Alright, I'll hold onto them. Is this the only reason you came?""Yes, I need to get back to work," Brandon replied."I'll see you out," Nyla offered.After sending Brandon off, she returned to the study and placed the documents and bank card in the safe upstairs.The next morning…As Nyla was getting dressed, Lydia knocked on the door."Ms. Kinsey, there's a man outside who says he's your brother," Lydia informed her.Brother?Thinking it was likely Gabriel, Nyla's expression turned cold. "I don't know him. Tell him to leave.""Understood," Lydia said
Damon put the file down and sat across from Nyla.Noticing two portions of breakfast on the table, he asked, "You haven't eaten either?""No," Nyla replied as she opened the packages and handed one to him. "I came to eat with you. Spencer told me he brought you breakfast this morning, but you didn't touch it.""I was too busy," Damon said."Being busy isn't an excuse to skip meals. I saw your assistants running around like crazy, and I heard they barely got any sleep last night. Is the issue with the company that serious?" Nyla asked."It's significant," Damon admitted. "Our chips might be causing malfunctions in our partner's machines. If that's confirmed, the company will face a massive compensation payout."Nyla frowned, worry flashing in her eyes. "I can't help much with work, but the least I can do is keep things in order at home. By the way, are you coming home tonight?""Probably not," he replied. "There's still a lot to handle.""Alright. Finish your breakfast. I'll hea
Gabriel took the document, skimmed its contents, and his face darkened."What is it?" Tom asked.Gabriel tossed the document onto the table with a cold laugh. "Nothing important. Damon's just trying to catch me off guard."The document contained evidence of Nyce Tech hiring paid posters to smear Prospectus Technology, but Gabriel wasn't worried.Soon enough, those allegations would become the truth.Tom glanced at the papers and grinned. "As long as it's not a big problem. Anyway, I should get going.""Fine, but don't forget your part in this," Gabriel said pointedly.There was a cold glint in Tom's eyes, though his smile remained. "Relax. I won't let you handle Prospectus Technology alone."After Tom left, Gabriel drained his wine in one gulp.As he prepared to head to his study, a maid approached with a concerned expression."Mr. Hackett, Mr. Wilhelm still refuses to eat," the maid informed him.Gabriel had brought Wilhelm straight back to the villa instead of letting him
Damon's expression was icy as he spoke. "I've already sent the head of R&D with a team to investigate. Let's wait for their findings before jumping to conclusions."He added, "The Agihop 6th Gen isn't out yet. If the issue does lie in the Agihop 5th Gen, we should prepare for the worst—compensation payouts and the possibility of... bankruptcy.""What?!" A collective gasp echoed through the room, disbelief etched on everyone's faces."All this over a single batch of faulty machines from the Longbow Company? Isn't that a bit extreme?""Exactly. If the problem is with the Agihop 5th Gen chips, wouldn't paying compensation suffice?""Mr. Sumner, aren't you exaggerating?"The notion that Prospectus Technology could face bankruptcy over a single chip seemed absurd.Meeting their skepticism with a calm demeanor, Damon elaborated, "The news about Longbow Company's machines breaking down after using our chips has already spread.They're attributing the issue to Prospectus Technology's p
Damon's expression remained unmoved. "As I said, we'll investigate thoroughly. Asking us to accept responsibility before the investigation is complete seems unreasonable, doesn't it?"Jeffrey let out a cold laugh. "Fine, Mr. Sumner. But I hope you act quickly. Every day of delay costs us millions. The longer this drags on, the more Prospectus Technology will have to pay."With that, Jeffrey turned and stormed out of the room.Damon, his expression as icy as ever, summoned the head of the R&D department to his office."Take two of your team members to the Longbow Company and investigate the root cause of the machine failures. Determine whether it's our chips," Damon instructed."Mr. Sumner, it can't be our chips! We've invested so much in their development, and they've been on the market for over three years without a single issue. The problem must be elsewhere," the department head replied.Damon's tone sharpened. "I want accurate results based on the investigation—not assumption
Upon noticing Nyla's flushed cheeks, Damon's eyes darkened further."Nyla, need some help with your bath?" he asked, his voice low and enticing.Nyla snapped out of her daze, quickly pushing him away. Her wary gaze made him look like some kind of dangerous predator."No need, I'll do it myself," she replied.If she let him help, they might not come out of the bathroom for two hours.Disappointment flickered in Damon's eyes. "You really don't need help?""Mm-hmm. Now go. If you have nothing to do, play with Buddy downstairs. I'm going to shower," Nyla said, grabbing her pajamas.She darted into the bathroom as though something was chasing her, locking the door behind her with a sharp click.Hearing the lock, Damon chuckled softly, shook his head, and left the bedroom.Downstairs, Mason was playing with toys in the living room. He didn't even glance up at the sound of Damon's footsteps, already able to distinguish between Damon and Nyla's steps. Just as Damon reached the sofa,
Damon raised an eyebrow and said flatly, "It's not about my approval. It's about ensuring the safety of the other children."Gabriel kept his gaze low, anger flickering in his eyes. What else could he say?"Understood. I've learned my lesson today, Mr. Sumner," he gritted through his teeth.The crowd began to disperse.Most parents hurriedly took their children and left, keeping a noticeable distance from Wilhelm and Gabriel as they passed, still wary that Wilhelm might lash out unpredictably.Before long, only Damon, Nyla, and Mason remained at the gate with Gabriel and Wilhelm.Gabriel turned to Damon with a cold expression. "If there's nothing else, Mr. Sumner, I'll take Wilhelm and leave now.""Mr. Hackett, shouldn't your son apologize to Buddy?" Damon asked.Gabriel's expression hardened.Taking a deep breath, he looked down at Wilhelm and said sternly, "Wilhelm, apologize to Buddy."Wilhelm lifted his chin defiantly. "I won't! I didn't do anything wrong!""Wilhelm, beh