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
Nyla frowned. "Uncle Damon, I've explained this many times. If you insist on thinking that way, I can't stop you."Damon smiled, his cold demeanor momentarily softening. It made it difficult to look away. "Nyla, is it really so hard to admit that you like me?"Under the intensity of his dark eyes, Nyla's heart rate quickened. She clutched the hem of her hospital gown, feeling as if something was slipping out of her control.After a long pause, she pressed her lips together and spoke. "Uncle Damon, I'm your niece-in-law. If word got out about what you're saying, do you know what the consequences would be?""I can protect you," Damon claimed.Nyla laughed lightly. "Clark said similar things before, but that didn't stop him from cheating after we got married."When a man wanted to win over a woman, he'd say anything. Whether he could follow through was another matter.Damon's face darkened. "I'm not like him."Nyla shook her head, looking at him seriously. "What's the difference?
Cindy took a deep breath. "Do you know about Nyla and Damon?"Clark's expression shifted, and Cindy gnashed her teeth. "So you do know! That woman actually dares to cheat on you!"Hearing Cindy's harsh words about Nyla, Clark furrowed his brow. "Mom, it's not what you think. This has nothing to do with Nyla. It's Uncle Damon being presumptuous."Cindy sneered. "Presumptuous? Do you think I'm a fool?! If she wasn't making advances on Damon, would he even notice her?!"Clark's face darkened. "If you keep insulting Nyla, I'm leaving right now."Seeing him get up to leave, Cindy shouted, "You stop right there!"Clark ignored her and continued walking. Enraged, Cindy stood in front of the door. "Don't think you can leave until I'm done talking!"Observing her unreasonable behavior, Clark remained expressionless. "What else do you want to say?""You're just going to let her cheat on you with your uncle?" Cindy demanded."I've already told you, Nyla doesn't like Uncle Damon. He's the
Cyrus scowled and spoke in a low voice. "Don't worry about this. I'll figure something out."Cindy was momentarily taken aback but then frowned at him. "What are you planning to do?""Just focus on your social gatherings. Leave the rest to me," Cyrus said, walking past her into his study.Once inside, Cyrus pondered for a moment. With Marie's birthday next month, he realized he could use the occasion to his advantage.By the time Damon and Nyla were together, he could leverage that situation to threaten Damon into providing the funds he needed.With this plan in mind, Cyrus sighed in relief. His frustration over the lack of funds dissipated.To him, women were merely playthings. As long as they served a purpose, he would use them to get what he needed. Even if Damon had feelings for Cindy, Cyrus wouldn't hesitate to maneuver her into Damon's bed and deal with the aftermath later.As for Clark, Cyrus would find him a more suitable marriage partner in the future.In the CEO offic
The other party smirked. "The money will be transferred to you tonight. You know what to do with the report.""Don't worry. I understand how things work when money is involved.""Pleasure working with you," the other party replied.…The day before Nyla's discharge, Pete finally replied to her message.Nyla planned to meet him after leaving the hospital, but this time they arranged to meet at a café rather than a bar.When Nyla saw Pete, she was taken aback. Although it had only been a short while, Pete was visibly injured—his left hand was in a cast, and he had a crutch beside him."Mr. Monaghan… How did you get hurt? Was it related to the investigation?" she asked.Pete handed her a USB drive and said in a low voice, "Ms. Jayston, this is all I could find. I can't investigate further. It's too dangerous."Noticing Pete's reluctance to discuss his injuries, Nyla decided not to press the issue. She accepted the USB drive with a nod."Understood. I'll transfer your payment sho
"No, why?" Nyla asked.Her mind was still preoccupied with when she would visit Lucia, so she had paid little attention to Clark."Nyla, the reason I haven't visited you these past few days is that I've been swamped with work. Uncle Damon deliberately terminated his partnership with the Sumner Group to target me, and I only managed to resolve this issue this evening," Clark explained.Nyla nodded. "I see."Clark felt exhausted due to her cold response. He had been getting only four hours of sleep each night due to his busy schedule and looked worn out, but Nyla seemed oblivious, still sulking.In the past, Clark would have tried to appease her. Now, he didn't feel like saying anything more. He fell silent, and the dining room was soon filled only with the clinking of cutlery.After dinner, Clark went straight to his study, while Nyla drove to the police station.Lucia's case had not been decided yet, so she was still in jail. After some time apart, Lucia looked pale and demorali
Damon replied coolly, "Understood."He ended the call and discussed the plan with Nyla, ensuring the conversation wouldn't raise Gabriel's suspicions.Just as Nyla was about to dial, her phone lit up with an incoming call. Seeing Gabriel's name on the screen, she froze for a moment before exchanging a glance with Damon.Taking a deep breath, she answered. "Hello?""Nyla, you should be on your way by now. I've changed my mind. Go to the Sotoz subway station. Damon should head to the Marsh Street subway station. I'll have someone bring Mason to him there," Gabriel instructed.Sotoz and Marsh Street were in entirely different directions from the original locations he had provided—one to the east, the other to the west.However, Sotoz was only a few kilometers from Garmony Residence."Alright, I understand," Nyla said evenly."Don't try anything funny," Gabriel warned. "If you or Damon deviate from the plan, neither of you will ever see Buddy again."Clenching the phone tightly, N
Gabriel was initially furious, but as he looked closer, he noticed that Mason's eyes resembled Nyla's. His expression changed slightly, and he averted his gaze, deciding to ignore the boy. After all, Nyla would soon show up willingly.As for Mason, Gabriel had never planned on letting him go. His original intention had been to abduct both Nyla and Mason and immediately leave the country with them. As long as Mason was in his possession, he could use the boy to threaten Nyla into staying with him.Although the plan had taken a slight detour, everything was still within his control.Once his men brought Nyla to him, he could take them abroad. No matter how resourceful Damon was, he couldn't track them down.Thinking about his future life with Nyla, Gabriel smiled. He didn't notice that the ropes binding Mason's hands were gradually loosening.While Mason worked diligently to secretly free himself, his smartwatch suddenly began ringing.The abrupt sound startled Mason and Gabriel.
Seeing Nyla's agitated state, Damon pulled her into his arms. "I know. I know. I feel the same way. But we can't panic. The more we panic, the more mistakes we'll make. Buddy will be okay. I promise."Nyla gripped the front of his suit jacket, her tears soaking into his shirt. She tried to stay calm, but the thought of Mason in danger made her tremble with fear.Damon gently patted her back and spoke softly. "Let's go upstairs. We'll wait for Gabriel's call and any updates from my team."They went upstairs.Nyla sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on her phone, anxiously waiting for Gabriel's call.Damon stood by the window, his face grim, staring out as his thoughts churned.The tension in the room was palpable as the minutes dragged on.Finally, Nyla's phone rang.She snatched it up, her breath hitching when she saw Gabriel's name on the screen.Answering quickly, she asked, "Have you decided? Will you let me trade places with Buddy?""I will," Gabriel replied. "But you'll hav
"What exactly do you want?!" Nyla demanded.Hearing the urgency and anger in her voice, Gabriel chuckled. "Nyla, my original plan was to be with you, have a child, and spend the rest of our lives together."The words filled Nyla with disgust. But with Mason in Gabriel's hands, she dared not provoke him. Who knew what he might do?Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she said slowly, "Your goal is me. Taking Buddy doesn't help you. Just let him go, please.""Nyla, that's what I used to think," Gabriel replied. "But after Damon got me thrown in prison and ruined Nyce Tech, I've changed my mind."Nyla's grip on the phone tightened. "What do you want now?""I want Damon to feel the pain I'm going through. Since I can't bankrupt Prospectus Technology, taking Buddy will make him suffer as much as I have.""No! Don't!" Nyla trembled, a wave of terror washing over her. "Gabriel, I'm begging you. Don't hurt Buddy. Please... Let me trade places with him. Take me as your hostage instead
Nyla clutched her phone, her eyes wide with disbelief and confusion.How could Mason have been taken by Gabriel?Wait...She quickly dialed the villa's phone number, gripping her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Buddy...The call rang and rang until it disconnected automatically. No one answered. Her heart sank.Frantically, she dialed Lydia's number next. Still, no answer.Suddenly, her mind flashed to the maid who had brought her orange juice earlier.That maid... she looked so unfamiliar. Nyla had felt a flicker of suspicion at the time, but Damon's call had interrupted her thoughts, and she'd let it go.Her face turned pale as realization dawned.If only she had been more alert—could Mason have avoided this danger?"Nyla! Nyla!"A firm hand grabbed her shoulder, shaking her back to reality.She looked up to see Damon's anxious face, and tears instantly welled in her eyes. "Damon... Buddy... Did Gabriel really take him? Tell me you're joking. You're lyin
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Nyla replied in a disappointed voice, "Alright. Just make sure you eat something. I'll call Spencer later to check if you've eaten. Don't skip meals and upset your stomach.""Alright. I'll send you a picture when I eat," Damon replied."Make it a video call instead—how do I know you're not lying to me otherwise?" Nyla challenged.Damon chuckled helplessly. "Fine. I'll call you when I eat.""Okay. I won't bother you anymore. Get back to work," Nyla said.After hanging up, Nyla went to the kitchen and told Lydia to prepare fewer dishes for dinner since Damon wouldn't be home.Lydia nodded. "Got it, Ms. Kinsey. I'll skip the fish and greens.""Perfect," Nyla agreed.Back in the living room, Mason was busy putting his toys into a storage box.Nyla crouched down to help. "Buddy, why aren't you playing anymore?""I'm sleepy, Mommy. I want to take a nap," Mason said.Seeing his drowsy eyes, Nyla replied, "Alright. Let's fi
Gabriel's face was grim, and he didn't speak.The conference room fell silent, the only sound the faint, heavy breathing of those present."Enough. I understand. For now, take care of the backlog of files on my desk. I'll handle the PR situation. I won't let Nyce Tech collapse!" he announced.His words did little to inspire confidence. The shareholders still looked deeply uncertain.From Gabriel's expression, it was clear the allegations of stealing Prospectus Technology's core technology were true.No wonder. That was how they had managed to release the Galaxy chip so quickly.If Prospectus Technology had solid evidence, just the charge of stealing data related to their chip's development would be enough to bankrupt Nyce Tech entirely. Even selling the company wouldn't cover the damages."Understood..." the shareholders chorused.Upon seeing their grimaces, Gabriel's expression darkened further. He waved them off impatiently. "Alright, that's it. You can all leave."The share
The once-bustling top floor of Nyce Tech was eerily quiet. Only a few secretaries remained at their desks.Gabriel approached one of them with a scowl. "Where is everyone?"The secretaries froze at the sound of Gabriel's voice.After a brief moment, one of them looked up, confirming it was him, and quickly stood. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hackett.""I asked you a question," Gabriel repeated, his tone sharp. "Where is everyone else? Why is it so empty here?"The secretary stammered, "T-They've all resigned..."She didn't dare mention that she and the others still present were planning to quit as soon as their work was handed off.Gabriel's expression darkened. "Notify all shareholders to meet me in the conference room in 30 minutes.""Y-Yes, sir..." The secretary hurried off.Back in his office, Gabriel stared at the pile of untouched documents on his desk, his frustration mounting.A bunch of useless slackers! They hadn't even tried to delegate tasks to other shareholders in his a
With the lawyer's efforts, Gabriel was temporarily released on bail.On the drive back, he turned to his secretary in the passenger seat. "How's the company doing while I was away?"The secretary's expression grew grim. "Mr. Hackett, since news broke about your arrest, the company's stock has been plummeting. Several shareholders have already started selling off their shares to cash out."Gabriel's face darkened as he growled, "Those old fools! They act high and mighty when things are going well, but the moment there's trouble, they rush to jump ship. A bunch of spineless idiots!""Some shareholders have even sold their shares at a loss..." the secretary added cautiously."Head to the company first!" Gabriel snapped.He couldn't let this continue. At this rate, Nyce Tech would collapse within a month."Understood..." the secretary replied.Philip, seated beside him, interjected with a frown, "Mr. Hackett, the priority right now is resolving the lawsuit Prospectus Technology has