"Mr. Sumner, long time no see. I heard Prospectus Technology recently invested in the government project in the east suburb.""I'm also interested in that project. I wonder if you could give me a chance to get a piece of the action, Mr. Sumner?"Damon, who lacked the patience for idle chat, reluctantly paused to acknowledge the men speaking as it was Marie's birthday party. He greeted them with little enthusiasm."Good evening, Mr. Lowe."While Damon was being cornered by business associates, Nyla had already dismissed the man she was speaking with and was seeking a quiet place to rest.Suddenly, a maid from the Sumners rushed up to her. "Ms. Jayston, Ms. Cindy has asked to see you. She's waiting for you at the pavilion in the garden."Nyla glanced toward Marie. Seeing that Cindy was indeed absent, she frowned slightly. "Did she say what it's about?""No, but it seemed quite urgent. Ms. Jayston, you should go quickly," the maid urged.Noting the urgency in the maid's gaze, Nyla
Just then, a maid hurried over to Damon. "Mr. Damon, Ms. Jayston suddenly fainted. I couldn't find Mr. Clark."Hearing this, Damon looked up, his voice cold. "Where is she?""She's upstairs now. Madam Summer and the others are busy with the guests. You should go and check on her," the maid replied.If it were any other time, Damon would have noticed something was off. Nyla had fainted, so why hadn't a doctor been called? Instead, they were asking him to check on her.However, having drunk the spiked glass of wine Cyrus had given him earlier, Damon felt dizzy and sluggish. He didn't immediately realize something was amiss.By the time he noticed, he was already in Clark's room."Mr. Damon, Ms. Jayston is inside," the maid said.Damon stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I'll wait here for the doctor."Entering without knowing what was happening could lead to unforeseen consequences.It was becoming clear to Damon that this was a trap set by Cyrus. He hadn't ant
"Uncle Damon, wake up," Nyla said, pushing him away.She quickly got out of bed and watched him warily, gripping the bedside lamp tightly, ready to use it for self-defense if he charged at her.Damon nearly fell off the bed from her push.After a few seconds, he looked at her in confusion, his usually cold face now flushed. His eyes burned with a fierce intensity, as if a fire were scorching right through one's heart."Come here," he commanded.Nyla frowned but stayed where she was.Damon looked dangerous. His gaze was filled with a predatory desire as if he might devour her at any moment.Nyla's mind raced, trying to understand Cyrus' motive.Tonight was Marie's party. Had Cyrus chosen this moment to create a scandal, intending to make it look like she and Damon were having an affair?No, this would not only embarrass the Sumners but also severely offend Damon. It was more likely that Cyrus wanted Damon to have relations with her and then use this as leverage to blackmail him
Nyla froze upon hearing Jordyn's voice."Jordyn, I've warned you before. I have no intention of marrying you. And what right do you have to bring a gift to my grandmother? Are you some mistress I'm keeping on the side?" Clark demanded.After a brief silence, Jordyn's voice trembled as she responded. "Clark… I'm not foolish enough to think you'll marry me. I just wanted to deliver a gift to your grandmother to thank you for finding a kidney for my father...""Shut up!" Clark's voice was cold and cutting. "Jordyn, if you mention this again, I won't let it slide!""Clark…" Jordyn pleaded."Get out, now!" Clark's voice was filled with anger.Jordyn seemed frightened. After a moment, she replied softly, "Clark… Please don't be angry. I'll leave right away…"The sound of her high heels faded, signaling her departure. Soon after, Clark also left.Nyla remained seated on the grass, her head lowered, her body hidden in the darkness. It was as if the night had swallowed her whole, mergin
When Clark saw Cyrus, his scowl deepened."Got it. I'll go over right away," he said in a deep voice.After Clark left, Cyrus looked at Nyla with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How did you manage to escape?""Dad, what are you talking about? I don't understand," Nyla replied, her face displaying apparent confusion as if she genuinely didn't know.Cyrus sneered, his eyes growing colder. "You'd better truly not understand."Only after Cyrus turned and walked away did Nyla finally release her tightly clenched hands. Her palms ached, but her expression remained unchanged.As the evening approached its end, Damon finally made an appearance. He had changed into a different outfit, his hair slightly damp, and his complexion pale. His chiseled features were as cold as a glacier, radiating an icy aura.Noticing his mood, those who had intended to approach him quickly backed off. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of his displeasure.Marie noticed him and looked slightly disp
Before leaving, Damon ordered that the service staff who had followed Cyrus' orders be bound and brought directly before Marie and Richard."These traitorous servants need to be dealt with sooner rather than later," he said.Richard's face darkened. "What's going on here?""You should ask my dear older brother about that," Damon replied.Richard turned his cold gaze to Cyrus. "You explain."Cyrus grimaced. He hadn't expected Damon to expose the matter so publicly.The living room fell silent as everyone's eyes focused on Cyrus, who remained unwilling to speak."If you don't explain, I'll investigate it myself!" Richard slammed the table, his eyes burning with anger.It was clear that Damon's dramatic display meant Cyrus' actions were anything but simple.Under Richard's icy stare, Cyrus felt the mounting pressure. He was about to reveal everything when he looked up and met Damon's smirking gaze."Cyrus, you should understand the gravity of the situation," Damon reminded him.
Clark frowned, displeasure evident in his eyes.Nyla didn't even glance at him as she opened the car door and got in.During the drive back, they remained silent. At traffic lights, Clark glanced at Nyla several times, as if he wanted to say something.Nevertheless, Nyla kept her gaze fixed out the window, offering no indication that she wanted to talk.When they reached Nyla's building and she was about to get out of the car, Clark finally spoke up. "Nyla, does Dad's scheme against Uncle Damon tonight have anything to do with you?"Nyla turned to him, her eyes cold. "Why would you think it's related to me?"Clark's gaze grew heavy. After a long pause, he shook his head. "No reason. I just noticed you disappeared for a while earlier, so I thought I'd ask.""If you really want to know the truth, you should ask your dad," Nyla said and then pushed the car door open to leave.…At home, Nyla sat on the sofa and pulled out her phone to find Damon's contact information. After a mom
Nyla shook her head. "That's not what I meant. I just want to say that, whether or not the divorce goes through, I'm very grateful to you, Uncle Damon.""I don't need your gratitude in words," Damon replied.Nyla looked up, meeting Damon's deep, penetrating gaze. Unease washed over her, and she quickly averted her eyes."Then... what do you want?" she asked."Once you've divorced him, I'll tell you what I want," Damon answered.Nyla bit her lower lip. "Alright."It wasn't until she left Damon's office that she finally felt the weight of his intense, probing gaze lift.Nyla let out a breath of relief. A vague idea of what Damon might want lingered in her mind, but since she had already made up her mind, she wouldn't regret whatever she had to sacrifice.As she reached the elevator, she ran into Erin coming out.Upon seeing her, Erin's eyes narrowed, and the smile on her face vanished instantly."Ms. Nyla, if I'm not mistaken, this is the CEO's office, not your lab," Erin remar
After changing their clothes, Damon led them to a shallower spring more suitable for Mason. He stepped in first to test the temperature, then carefully lowered Mason into the water.As soon as Mason felt the warmth, he beamed. "It's so cozy!"Damon chuckled and let go once he was sure Mason was steady. The shallow depth was perfect for Mason, as the water reached his neck when seated.For Damon and Nyla, however, it was a bit too shallow.After Mason adjusted to the spring, Damon turned to Nyla. "Should we move to one of the deeper springs? This one feels a little chilly."Nyla hesitated, glancing at Mason as he splashed around. "But I'd feel uneasy leaving Buddy here alone.""I'll call for some staff to keep an eye on him. He'll be fine," Damon said.After a moment of thought, Nyla nodded. "Alright."Once the staff arrived to supervise Mason, Damon led Nyla to a nearby, deeper spring.As she sank into the warm water, which reached up to her shoulders, she sighed in satisfacti
Drake stormed off, his anger radiating with each step.Reaching his car, he kicked the door hard in frustration. The action brought little relief, so he pulled out his phone and dialed a number."Put a hold on the collaboration between MK and the Kinsey Group. Don't move forward until I return," he commanded.Whatever the person on the other end said only fueled his fury."Do as I say! I'll take full responsibility for any consequences!" he growled before abruptly ending the call.Breathing deeply to suppress his rage, Drake yanked open the car door and sped away.…Two hours later, Damon pulled up to a luxury hot springs resort.Nyla's face lit up with delight as she turned to him. "I've always wanted to visit this place, but you've been so busy with work that I never mentioned it."Damon smiled. "Spencer recommended it. I might have to give him a raise when we get back."In the back seat, Mason's curiosity was piqued—he'd never been to a resort before.As the family exited
"Enough with the overthinking!" Lydia chided. "Take this time to relax. Once they're back, you'll probably be driving late nights again.""Fair enough," Walter remarked.…In the car, Damon glanced at Nyla. "The place we're going is a bit far. You and Buddy should rest. I'll wake you when we get there."She nodded. "Okay."Leaning back, she closed her eyes but couldn't fall asleep. Thoughts of leaving Damon and Mason in just three days weighed heavily on her.After a while, she opened her eyes, gazing at Damon with a mixture of longing and reluctance.Sensing her stare, Damon turned to her briefly. "What's wrong? Can't sleep?""Yeah," she admitted softly. "I just wanted to look at you. Don't mind me."Damon smiled. "Nyla, do you really think I can drive normally with you staring at me like that?"His teasing tone made her roll her eyes. "Buddy's here. Be serious!"From the back seat, Mason piped up, "Mommy, I covered my eyes! Pretend I'm not here. I can't see or hear anythin
Nyla and Damon exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh."Let's go upstairs and pack too," Damon suggested. "Otherwise, Buddy will be all done and rushing us."Nyla nodded. "Alright."The two headed to their bedroom, each packing clothes for the next few days.Since Nyla needed to gather her skincare products and makeup, Damon finished first. He walked over, intending to help, but she waved him off."Just stay put," she said. "If you touch this, you'll mess up everything I've just organized. Besides, you don't even know what's what."Damon chuckled, leaning against the dresser. "Fine. I'll just watch you."He didn't argue—makeup wasn't his forte. To him, all the lipsticks looked the same, though Nyla insisted there were big differences.It took another ten minutes before she finally zipped up her bag.Damon grabbed their suitcases and carried them downstairs, where Mason was already waiting.Upon seeing them, Mason's eyes lit up. "Mommy, Daddy! Are we leaving now? Where
Harrison's response was immediate. "I'm not going. I've lived in Saintornia all my life, and I'm used to it here. Besides, with my health as it is, I don't have many years left anyway. I'd rather not move around."Nyla's heart sank. "Dad, you'll live a long and healthy life."Harrison gave a faint smile. "At my age, with my body the way it is, every day is a gift. The only thing I can't stop worrying about is you. Otherwise, whether I live or die wouldn't matter to me.""Please take care of yourself," she implored."I will. Since your mother is willing to entrust the company she's built over the years to you, make sure you work hard and don't let her down," he advised.In Harrison's mind, Emerald was still the gentle and kind woman he'd known years ago. He had no reason to doubt what Nyla told him."I will," Nyla replied.After sitting with him a while longer and discussing a few things, she finally took her leave.When she returned to the car, her eyes were red, and tears shim
Nyla bit her lip, forcing a lighthearted tone. "I was just talking casually. Don't take it seriously. Besides, you're not the type to believe in these things anyway, right?""But when it comes to you, I can't afford not to believe," Damon replied."I promise I'll make sure to come back safely. Besides, no matter what, she's still my mother. She wouldn't truly harm me," Nyla reasoned."Alright," Damon answered.The two hugged quietly for a while before Damon finally loosened his grip on Nyla. Still, his gaze remained fixed on her, unwavering.Feeling his intense stare, Nyla shifted uncomfortably. "Why are you staring at me like that?""I just want to take a good look at you," he said.Nyla pressed her lips together before leaning up to plant a kiss on his lips. "I'm tired. Let's sleep.""Alright." Damon turned off the light, plunging the bedroom into darkness. The only illumination came from the soft moonlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains.Snuggling into Damon's
Understanding Nyla's concerns, Damon reassured her, "Don't worry. I won't do anything."They had only three days left together. He wished time would slow down so he could savor every moment with her. He had no intention of wasting even a second.Nyla shot him a skeptical look. "Really?""Really. I swear," he replied with a serious expression.Reluctantly, she nodded. "Alright, but you have to keep your word.""Of course," Damon promised.Once upstairs, he handed her a towel. "You go ahead and shower first.""Okay," Nyla replied.As the sound of running water filled the room, Damon walked to the window, pulled out his phone, and made a call."Prepare for departure to Meristate tomorrow. The mission is to protect someone indefinitely," he instructed.The voice on the other end said something, and Damon replied, "It's my wife, Nyla Kinsey."After ending the call, Damon slipped his phone into his pocket and gazed at the night sky, his expression hardening. He vowed their separat
After what felt like a long time, there was a knock at the study door."Come in," Damon called.Nyla opened the door and stepped inside, surprised to find Damon standing by the window. "Damon, don't you have work to do?"Damon turned to face her. "No, I rescheduled everything for the next few days. I also called Buddy's kindergarten to request some time off for him.""Mm." Nyla nodded. "There's something I wanted to discuss with you.""What is it?" Damon asked."I just saw one of Buddy's reward requests. He wants to go on a trip with both of us. I was thinking... maybe the three of us could spend the next three days together and take a short trip," Nyla suggested.A flicker of surprise crossed Damon's face before he nodded. "Alright, I'll find a resort for us.""Thank you," Nyla replied."There's no need for thanks between us," Damon said softly, then paused. "But... how do you plan to tell Buddy about you leaving?"The question made Nyla falter, her gaze dropping to the floo
Damon nodded. "Alright. I'll do everything I can to grow Prospectus Technology. I'll bring you back."Nyla couldn't help but smile. "Good. Don't look so serious. After all, she is still my mom. She wouldn't go that far."Damon forced a small smile. "When are you leaving?""In three days," Nyla answered."That soon?" Damon asked."Yes. So I want to spend these next three days with you and Buddy," Nyla replied.Damon nodded. "I'll clear my schedule for the next three days. I'll also call Buddy's kindergarten to excuse him from class.""Okay," Nyla replied.Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by Mason's voice. "Mommy? Are you in there? I finished my list!"Nyla quickly wiped her tears and said, "I'm here, Buddy! Wait for me in the living room. I'll be right out."She turned to Damon and said, "I'll go check on Buddy. Finish up here and join us when you're done."Damon nodded silently, and Nyla left the study.After a quick stop in the bathroom to wash her face a