It was clear to Lucia that Genevieve wasn’t going to let her off the hook. She took a deep breath and said slowly, "I understand. Whatever decision the company makes, I will accept it."With that, she turned and left.As soon as she exited Genevieve's office, she could no longer contain her anger. She stormed back to the R&D department.Nyla was engrossed in her work, looking through some documents, when she heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind. As soon as she turned around, a slap landed hard across her face.The sharp sound of the slap silenced the entire room, drawing everyone's attention to the two women.Lucia had used all her strength, causing Nyla’s head to snap to the side. A red handprint quickly appeared on her pale cheek, and it swelled rapidly.Nyla looked up, her gaze cold as she stared at Lucia.Despite herself, Lucia felt a flicker of fear under Nyla's clear, unyielding gaze and instinctively wanted to step back. But once she remembered the
Damon gave him a cool glance. "It seems like you have a lot of free time lately.""No, no, not at all. I still have plenty of files to sort through this afternoon..." Spencer quickly ducked his head, silently vowing to rein in his curiosity next time.…After Nyla iced her cheek for about ten minutes, the burning pain subsided, so she returned to her desk.As soon as she sat down, her colleague, Sasha Yates, rolled her chair over and whispered, "Nyla, everyone is talking about what happened between you and Lucia. What happened? Why did she suddenly hit you?"Nyla didn’t want to blow things out of proportion. If she made a big deal out of it, Lucia might lose her job. Considering she had just joined the company, forcing Lucia out would make her colleagues think she was scheming, which would make her work life difficult.Besides, despite Lucia's recent data tampering, she had produced some valuable research in the past, and the company would likely handle the matter privately.Nyl
"No way! They wouldn't betray me!""If you think it's Nyla, then show me evidence. If you don't have any, keep your mouth shut. The company is already being lenient with you, so don't push your luck."Facing Genevieve's penetrating gaze, Lucia felt like all her schemes were laid bare. She lowered her head, feeling a bit guilty. "I understand. I'll go back to work now."Genevieve didn't respond and picked up a file to read.Lucia knew that Genevieve was clearly angry, so she didn't dare say more and left the office quietly.…Back in the R&D department, the first thing she did was walk over to Nyla's desk."Nyla, playing dirty tricks behind someone's back isn't a real skill. I suggest you focus on your work. After all, you've got a three-month probation period. If anything goes wrong, you won't get the permanent position. Don't you agree?"Nyla remained expressionless at Lucia's smug expression, lowering her gaze to continue reading her documents.Before Lucia could say more, t
Nyla indifferently looked away from the anger practically pouring from Clark's eyes. "No one. I tripped and fell.""You fell and managed to slap yourself on the face?"Nyla lowered her gaze and spoke softly. "This is my business. Can you just leave it alone?"Clark grabbed her hand firmly, his voice serious. "You are my wife. Someone hit my wife, and you think I can just ignore that?""I told you it's my business, and I've already handled it. Just give me the clothes."After a moment of tense silence, Clark relented, seeing Nyla wasn’t going to say more."Let me drive you home.""No need. The subway takes just ten minutes."Clark frowned at the resistance and cold distance in Nyla's eyes."Nyla, I’m not asking you to forgive me right now. But I hope you won’t reject my kindness. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee what I might do."A flicker of sarcasm crossed Nyla's eyes as she caught the threat in his last words."Clark, is this what you mean by not forcing me anymore?""I just
Clark's nonchalant words made Lucia feel like she had fallen into an icy abyss. She knew all too well that he had the power to follow through, and the Pollards lacked the means to resist.She raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face."Keep going."At first, Lucia felt the sting on her face, but after a while, her cheeks went numb, and she was simply repeating the action mechanically. She didn’t know how long it had been or how many slaps she had dealt herself.Just as Lucia felt she might pass out, Clark finally got up and walked over to her. He looked down at her as if she were an insignificant insect. "Ms. Pollard, I hope you remember this lesson. Avoid my wife in the future. Next time, I won’t be so lenient."With that, he walked past her without waiting for a reaction, followed by his bodyguards who had been there to prevent her escape.The room was soon empty except for Lucia.Her tightly wound emotions finally unraveled, and she covered her face, sobbing un
Clark sensed there was more to Cindy's words. He was about to inquire further when a maid assisted the semi-drunk Cyrus Sumner into the living room.Clark frowned upon seeing Cyrus and simply said, "Mom, I'm heading back now."With that, he turned and walked past Cyrus to leave.Cyrus frowned but said nothing.…Back at the villa, Clark called his secretary, Michael Parkin, instructing him to purchase a mansion in Jordyn's name.Michael sounded surprised. "Mr. Sumner, if Mrs. Sumner finds out...""Be discreet. Don't let anyone know, especially Nyla."If Nyla found out Jordyn was keeping the baby, she would be more determined to divorce him. Thinking about it made Clark feel troubled."Alright, I understand."Ending the call, Michael sighed softly.This was no different from pushing Nyla away. Clark's affair was already unforgivable—now, keeping a woman outside was like digging their marriage's grave.Michael knew he was just a secretary and had to do as Clark ordered.…O
"It seems I've overestimated your kindness. After all, your son cheated first, yet you splash water on your daughter-in-law. Such a bizarre mother-in-law is indeed rare."With each word Damon uttered, Cindy's expression darkened further. In the end, it turned icy."Damon, this is a family matter. As an outsider, it's best you not interfere."Damon arched an eyebrow. "I wasn't planning to interfere, but don't you think it's too much to bully a young girl like this?"Cindy only dared to be so audacious because she knew the Jaystons were bankrupt. Even if she treated Nyla harshly, they couldn't do much to her.Cindy gritted her teeth in anger. "Too much? Just because Clark has a woman on the side, she throws a fit, moves out, and even talks about divorce. Who's really being too much?""Isn't Clark at fault for the affair in the first place? It's the Sumners who wronged Nyla, not the other way around. If you can't see this, I don't think Clark should continue working at the Sumner Gr
Clark paused, frowning. "What do you mean?""Ask her, and you'll know," Nyla replied curtly, then walked past him without another word.Clark immediately called Cindy. "Mom, did you go see Nyla today?"Cindy, still smarting from her confrontation with Damon at the restaurant, sneered at his question. "She went to complain to you? Truly shameless!"Clark's eyes flashed with anger. "Mom, I told you not to interfere in my matters with Nyla. Why didn't you listen?""If I didn't do it for you, do you think I'd willingly go to see her? She's making a fuss about you having a woman on the side. Can't even manage a woman… Others would see you as a joke if they knew!""This is our business. If you keep going to Nyla in secret, I won't care about Dad's affairs anymore.""You—"Clark didn't give her a chance to speak and hung up abruptly. He pocketed his phone, visibly frustrated.He hadn't settled his affair, and now Cindy was causing trouble for Nyla. If he were Nyla, he wouldn't forgiv
"What's up?" Jayden asked."You free for dinner tonight?" Yale invited.Jayden checked his schedule—no meetings, no social engagements.Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Who else is coming?""Just the two of us," Yale replied."Alright, send me the details," Jayden said.…That evening, Jayden pulled up in front of a high-end restaurant in Saintornia.As he stepped out of his car, Yale's voice came from the side. "Jayden, what a coincidence. We arrived at the same time."Jayden looked over, then waited for Yale to catch up before they walked inside together.Once seated in a private room, Jayden studied Yale. "You asked me to dinner alone. There must be something you want to talk about."Yale chuckled. "Can't hide anything from you. Let's order first."After placing their orders and the server left, Yale leaned back and met Jayden's gaze. "What's your plan with Michelle and Brandon? Are you really trying to set them up?"Jayden's fingers tightened slightly around his glass. H
At present, nothing mattered to Brandon except Valarie. If Jayden insisted on forcing him to see Michelle, their friendship might not survive.Yale nodded. "Got it. I'll mention it, but I won't push it if he doesn't listen."He and Nolan had a clear view of the situation and weren't planning on getting too involved. They didn't want to end up stuck in the middle, trying to please both sides and failing.…The news of Brandon stepping down as CEO of the Sumner Group spread quickly through Saintornia.As soon as Michelle heard about it, she called Jayden."Jayden, I just saw online that Brandon resigned as CEO of the Sumner Group. What's going on?" Her voice trembled with worry.There was a brief silence on the other end before Jayden responded in a low voice. "I don't know yet. I'll ask around.""Jayden, do you think it's because of that exposé you had someone post online? Maybe you should have them take it down. I want to see him, but I don't want him to leave the Sumner Group
Valarie opened the door and stepped out.After she left, Brandon pulled out his phone and dialed Yale. "Got time for a drink tonight?""Sure. But last I checked, Valarie keeps a tight leash on you. You sure you can go drinking?" Yale asked.Hearing the teasing in Yale's voice, Brandon lowered his gaze. "She doesn't care what I do anymore."She didn't even want him now, so why would she care if he went out drinking?"Alright then. I'll call Nolan and Jayden. You and Jayden need to settle your beef anyway. You two fighting online all the time is just making people laugh at you," Yale grunted.Brandon frowned. "If you invite him, I'm not going. I don't want to see him."If Jayden showed up, the first thing he'd do was try to convince him to see Michelle. And right now, just hearing her name annoyed him.If it weren't for Michelle, things wouldn't have spiraled so far between him and Valarie."Fine, fine. I won't call him. See you at the usual place," Yale said."Yeah," Brandon h
Damon's tone turned icy as he heard the confidence in Brandon's voice. "You'd better be fully prepared for this.""Uncle Damon, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing," Brandon reassured him.The company wasn't his biggest concern right now. There was something far more important.During this month off, he was determined to win Valarie back.As long as he stayed by her side, she wouldn't have time to spend with Stefan.Once they were back together, after a month, he'd return to work.It was the perfect plan."If that's the case, I have nothing more to say," Damon replied, clearly displeased, before hanging up.Brandon set down his phone and immediately drove to the Weir Group.After parking outside, he called Valarie. "Valarie, are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together.""I'm really busy today. I'll probably be working late," Valarie answered."That's fine. I can wait. We could grab a late-night snack instead," Brandon suggested.There was a brief silence on the
Brandon smiled. "I haven't set an exact timeline yet, but at a minimum, I'll be gone for a month.""A month? That's way too long! No, absolutely not. You can take a week at most.""Exactly. If you disappear for an entire month, the company may fall into chaos. We have several major deals lined up right now. Your absence would definitely cause problems."The shareholders protested.Finally, Wyatt spoke up, his voice firm. "Everyone, please calm down. Mr. Sumner has been working non-stop these past few years without a break. It's only reasonable that he take some time off now."As soon as he finished, another shareholder, Chester Baldwin, sneered. "Of course you'd want Mr. Sumner to take a break, Mr. Dodgson. After all, you've secretly been buying up shares from other shareholders over the past two years."You probably hold at least 10% of the company's stock by now, don't you? If Mr. Sumner steps down, you'll have a clear path to becoming the next CEO of the Sumner Group."There
The shareholders continued to talk over each other, giving Brandon no chance to speak.Only when they fell silent did he ask, "Are you finished?""Mr. Sumner, what kind of attitude is this? Your personal affairs caused this whole mess, yet you're acting as if it has nothing to do with you!" one shareholder demanded.Facing their angry glares, Brandon set the document in his hand aside."You've all said quite a bit, but the main point is that you want me to resign, right?" he said. "I can step down, but tell me, who do you plan to put in my place?"The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances.After a long pause, the lead shareholder spoke. "There are several capable shareholders in the company. We can select one of them to temporarily take over as CEO of the Sumner Group until you resolve your personal matters. Once that's done, you can return to your position."Brandon chuckled. "Mr. Dodgson, since you're speaking so confidently, I assume you've already decided on a replacement. D
For the next few years, Emerald would likely be too consumed with internal struggles to trouble Damon and Nyla.Nyla lowered her gaze. "Either way, what happens in Meristate no longer concerns us. I just want our family to stay together.""Mm," Damon murmured in agreement.…Over the next few days, Brandon focused solely on suppressing the online accusations of ingratitude. He worked late into the night, desperately trying to contain the fallout.Jayden stormed into Brandon's office, noticing that Brandon seemed more concerned with the company's reputation than visiting Michelle."Brandon, have you lost your mind over Valarie? You need to see Michelle today, no matter what!" Jayden demanded.Brandon's expression remained cold. "I already told you, I'm not going. I'm busy. Please leave."Jayden's face darkened as he grabbed the file from Brandon's hands. "Are you really willing to throw away our friendship over a woman?""She's not just any woman—she's my girlfriend. The woman
"It's not too early. It's just the right time," Valarie replied."Alright then," Nyla conceded and sat down beside her. "Well, on behalf of the baby, I'll say thank you in advance."Valarie reached out and gently touched Nyla's still-flat stomach. Her voice softened. "Baby, when you're born, your godmother will have an even bigger gift waiting for you.""What kind of gift?" Nyla asked.Valarie shot her a playful glance. "You'll find out when the time comes."As they chatted, Damon returned home. He was a little surprised to see Valarie but still greeted her, "Ms. Weir.""Good afternoon, Mr. Sumner," Valarie returned the greeting.Nyla turned to Damon. "Why are you back so early?""I came to grab a file. Figured I'd check in on you while I was here," Damon answered.Valarie rolled her eyes. "Hey, hey, can you not be so publicly affectionate? Some of us are still single, you know!"Nyla laughed. "Aren't you getting along pretty well with that younger guy?"At the mention of
Brandon's phone rang again.Seeing it was Damon, he took a deep breath before answering. "Uncle Damon.""What's going on with this trending news?" Damon asked.After a brief pause, Brandon replied, "I'll handle it. Don't worry about it.""I'm asking what happened. You and Jayden are friends. Why are you letting something this small turn into a scandal?" Damon questioned."It was my mistake. I promise I'll take care of it today," Brandon assured him."Good." Damon didn't say more before hanging up.Brandon set his phone down and immediately called the PR manager. "Get that trending topic taken down. No matter the cost."The PR manager hesitated. "Mr. Sumner, we've been trying to remove it. But each time we negotiate, the Gilmour Group raises their bid to keep it up. That's why it's still trending."Brandon frowned, silent for a long moment.The manager continued cautiously. "I remember you and Mr. Gilmour are close. Maybe you could speak to him directly and see what it would t