Nyla turned to the doorway and saw Tom approaching with a cold expression. She sneered. "Mr. Genge, what do you want?"Tom looked at her icily. "Let Jacqueline go.""You should know that Valarie is still unconscious in the ICU because of her. What right do you have to ask me to let her go?" Nyla demanded."Even if you throw her out now, it won't wake Valarie, and she has already been punished as she should be," Tom reasoned.Nyla scoffed. "What punishment?"Tom frowned, finding Nyla's demeanor quite unpleasant. Even now, she wouldn't let Jacqueline go, despite Jacqueline already being in such a dire state."If you throw her out, you'll definitely offend the Rainfords. If the Rainford Group and the Sumner Group clash because of this, the Sumners won't spare you either," Tom warned.Nyla raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "So, Mr. Genge, are you looking out for my best interests?"Tom's gaze grew colder due to the sarcasm in her voice. "Regardless of your intentions, if you dare
"Okay, I'll take you there," Spencer offered."No need. I drove myself," Nyla declined.…Less than half an hour later, Nyla arrived at the hospital. Seeing that Valarie had truly woken up, she let out a deep sigh of relief, and her eyes misted over.When Phoebe saw her, her expression darkened. "Ms. Jayston, you're not welcome here."Valarie frowned and looked at her mother. "Mom, what are you doing?"Phoebe snorted. "If it weren't for her birthday, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation.""These two things have nothing to do with each other," Valarie retorted. "Just because I had an accident on my way to dinner doesn't mean it's my fault for going to that restaurant.""Well, I don't want you to have any more contact with her," Phoebe insisted."Whether or not I stay friends with someone is none of your business!" Valarie asserted."You!" Phoebe was furious, her face turning pale. She slammed the bowl she was holding onto the table and barked, "Fine! You're all grown u
The servant didn't give Nyla a chance to resist and tossed her directly into the basement.The basement, usually reserved for rarely used items, was cold and dark.After locking her in, the servant left.Nyla took out her phone but found there was no signal, so she had to abandon the idea of calling for help. As soon as her phone's light went out, the basement was plunged into darkness once more.…Around 10:00 p.m., the basement door opened, and Clark walked in with a grim expression."Do you realize your mistake now?" he asked.Nyla looked at him, her eyes devoid of warmth. "Clark, I've already explained everything. You refuse to listen, and I don't think I've done anything wrong."Clark's face darkened, and his gaze turned icy. "Since you won't admit your mistake, you can stay here tonight and reflect on it."With that, he turned and left.The basement door was shut again, cutting off all light from the outside.…The next day, Damon came looking for Nyla."Where is Nyl
Clark looked at Damon with derision, itching to expose everything. If that happened, Richard and Marie would be disappointed in Damon and might reconsider passing the Sumner Group to him."Clark, if anything happens to her, I won't let you off!" Damon threatened.He then walked over to Nyla, intending to pick her up.Nyla instinctively took a step back.Damon's gaze hardened. Ignoring her resistance, he lifted her off the floor in front of Clark."Uncle Damon, put me down. I can walk on my own," Nyla protested.Damon glanced at her and asked, "Are you sure?""Yeah," she replied.Seeing her insistence, Damon remained silent for a few seconds before setting her down as requested."Thank you," Nyla said softly."I'll help you," Damon offered."Alright," Nyla conceded.With Damon's support, Nyla slowly made her way out of the villa.Clark watched them with rage, but he knew he couldn't stop them.Once outside the villa, Nyla looked at Damon with gratitude. "Uncle Damon, thank
Clark glowered immediately. "Why are you only finding this out now?!"Michael, sounding innocent, replied, "Mr. Sumner, I wanted to investigate earlier, but you told me not to. I decided to look into it again only after I ran into Ms. Weir's parents at the hospital last night when I went to visit a friend."Realizing he had been too angry and might have overreacted, Clark took a deep breath. "From now on, make sure to investigate these matters as quickly as possible!""Understood," Michael replied.Just as Clark was about to hang up, he remembered that Nyla had left with Damon earlier. He added sternly, "Find out where Nyla and my uncle are now."Michael quickly confirmed the information.After learning that Damon had dropped Nyla off at her apartment before leaving, Clark felt a mix of relief and guilt. He had wrongly accused Nyla and locked her in the basement for a whole day.After a moment of hesitation, he decided to wait a few days for Nyla to calm down before apologizing
It was over an hour later when Nyla finally arrived at the hospital.Upon seeing that Nyla had only brought soup, Valarie's face fell with disappointment.Nyla sat down beside her, opened the container, and said, "Alright, just hang in there a few more days. Once you're out of the hospital, you can eat whatever you want."Valarie sighed and resignedly took the spoon. "By the way, I heard that the two people who forced me to jump were hired by Jacqueline?"Recalling the nightmare that had unfolded when those men barged in, Valarie felt as though it had been a terrible dream. If she hadn't jumped, who knew what might have happened next?Nyla nodded, her expression darkening. "Yeah. She said she only intended for them to take some indecent photos of you, not to force you to jump."Valarie scoffed. "Am I supposed to believe that nonsense? If I hadn't jumped, who knows what those men would have done to me?""I also took some pictures of her. If she ever tries to leak your photos, she
Nyla spent some time with Valarie and left after Phoebe arrived.…The next morning, as Nyla was heading to work, she saw Michael standing a short distance away and frowned. Initially, she planned to ignore him, but he quickly approached her and stopped right in front of her."Mrs. Sumner, this is a gift from Mr. Sumner," Michael said.Nyla glanced at the jewelry box in his hand, her face expressionless. "What does Clark mean by this? Is it a slap in the face followed by a prize?"Michael shook his head, trying to stay calm. "No. This is Mr. Sumner's apology gift. He's too afraid to come himself, so he sent me to give it to you."Nyla took the box, opened it, and found an expensive diamond necklace inside.Just as Michael let out a sigh of relief, Nyla tossed both the box and the necklace into a nearby trash can."Mrs. Sumner!" Michael exclaimed.Nyla looked at him, her voice cold and deliberate. "Go back and tell him that I won't accept such a half-hearted apology."With tha
Was Nyla really just going to let Clark have his way? It seemed that the only way to distance herself from him was to get a divorce.Before she could do that, Harrison's kidney surgery needed to be completed. Otherwise, Clark would continue to use the situation to threaten her. If she relied solely on herself, she would have to wait in line for a kidney, not knowing how long it might take.Nyla looked up at Clark and said coldly, "If you want me to move back, fine."Clark's face lit up with hope, but her next words made his smile freeze."I will move back in after my father's kidney transplant is completed," she said.A heavy silence fell over the hallway.Clark clenched his fists. If he hadn't rashly given the kidney to Jordyn's father, he would have agreed immediately. With no new kidney donation available now, he couldn't make that promise.Seeing his silence, Nyla assumed he intended to use the kidney donation to keep threatening her and grew even colder in her gaze."If yo
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