Wren's voice was pleading, but a chill ran down Nyla's spine. This must be the real reason she had called.Nyla had already been blackmailed by Clark numerous times with the promise of a kidney donation for her father, only to be betrayed when the kidney was given to Jordyn's father instead."Wren, I can't agree to this," Nyla replied firmly. "A person can't live without bottom lines. If I compromise this time, I'll be letting Clark control me forever."She had compromised too many times before, each instance leading to more pain and betrayal from Clark. She wouldn't trust him again, nor would she compromise.There was a long silence on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of the call being disconnected.Nyla had no intention of calling back. She simply put down her phone and went to take a shower.…The next few days passed quietly.Clark didn't reach out, and Nyla's life returned to its calm routine.Just when she thought she could approach Richard in about a wee
Richard's call at that moment filled Clark with dread."Grandpa..." he began hesitantly.Richard's voice crackled with anger. "Don't call me Grandpa! I don't have such a foolish grandson! The news about that woman's pregnancy has caused a huge scandal, and it's already affecting the Sumner Group's stock prices. You need to resign and leave the company immediately!"Clark's face drained of color. "Grandpa... what about my transfer to the subsidiary?""Don't even think about it. The board is extremely dissatisfied with you right now. You need to handle this scandal. If you can't clean up this mess, don't bother coming back to the company!" Richard bellowed.The words struck Clark like a bolt of lightning, and panic washed over him. "Grandpa, I promise I'll resolve this as quickly as possible. There won't be a next time. If the board members have concerns, I'm willing to start from the bottom at the subsidiary."If he was expelled from the Sumner Group altogether and barred from the
Brandon didn't get angry. He calmly replied, "At least I won't cause a scandal that tanks the company's stock price by getting a mistress pregnant. Don't you agree?"Clark glared at him, an intense and menacing aura surrounding him. "Get out!""I'll wait for you to pack up your office so that I can move in tomorrow," Brandon taunted.Soon, everyone left the office, leaving Clark alone. He swept the documents off his desk in a fit of rage and stormed out.…An hour later, Jordyn entered Clark's car with a small suitcase through the back gate of her apartment complex."Clark, thank goodness for you. I really don't know what I would've done without you…" she said.Clark drove in silence, his face dark and stormy.Sensing his foul mood, Jordyn bit her lip. "Clark… Shouldn't we try to suppress the news about my pregnancy?"Clark's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "You don't need to worry about that. Your priority now is to make sure the baby is born."A glint appeared in Jord
When Nyla saw the so-called "evidence" on Clark's phone, her eyes filled with sarcasm. "So, based on this chat screenshot, you've decided it was me?""That's not all," Clark replied, his tone cold. "There's also a recording."He played the recording right in front of Nyla.As she listened, she finally understood—it was all a setup, specifically designed to frame her. She couldn't figure out what the person behind this stood to gain."This voice does sound a lot like mine," Nyla said calmly. "However, if you take it to a forensic lab, you'll see it's been fabricated."Clark's gaze was full of disappointment as he looked at her. "I gave you the evidence you asked for, but you're still denying it? Nyla, when did you become so malicious?""Is it that I'm malicious, or that you want to believe I am? You didn't even bother to have this recording or the chat logs authenticated, yet you've decided it was me. If I really wanted to leak Jordyn's pregnancy, would I leave such obvious eviden
Nyla had not yet confronted Jordyn about bribing the maid to swap her dress last time. Just days later, Jordyn was already pushing her luck again.Considering the so-called evidence against her, Nyla found it laughable. The fact that Clark believed it without even verifying it showed just how blind and foolish he had become.After a moment's thought, Nyla called Michael. She obtained the audio being used as evidence from him and immediately sent it to a reputable forensic agency in Saintornia. Given the money involved, they promised results within three days.Nyla then packed a few changes of clothes and checked into a hotel, knowing Clark would likely come looking for her the next day. Until the results arrived, she had no intention of engaging in any pointless arguments with him.As expected, as soon as she arrived at the office the next morning, she received a call from Clark. His voice was agitated, almost frantic. "Where are you? You didn't come home again last night?! Were yo
"I don't need the Sumner Group to deal with you," Damon said, his voice cold.Clark's expression darkened. He scoffed. "Nyla and I are married. Whatever happens between us is none of your business.""Even as her husband, you have no right to force her into something she doesn't want to do," Damon replied, his tone unwavering.Besides, it wouldn't be long before Clark and Nyla were divorced.The two men locked eyes, and the tension between them was palpable, the air around them seeming to drop in temperature."Clark, stop harassing me. I'm not going to agree with what you just proposed, no matter what," Nyla said coldly.Clark felt a chill in his heart. Nyla knew how important the Sumner Group was to him, yet she still refused to help.With Damon standing there, he realized that trying to reason with her was futile."Nyla, I'll come back another time," Clark said.Nyla frowned. No matter how many times he came, she knew she wouldn't change her mind. Before she could respond, he
Clark didn't believe Jordyn's words, but he chose not to respond. Suddenly, his phone rang."Mr. Sumner, more photos and details about your affair with Jordyn have been exposed. The online backlash is intense, and... the Sumner Group just released a statement saying you've been dismissed," Michael informed him.The statement from the Sumner Group didn't mention Clark's resignation. It stated that he had been fired, indicating that Richard was genuinely furious.Clark clenched his phone and took a deep breath before replying, "I understand. Let me know if there's anything else.""Okay," Michael replied.After hanging up, Clark took a moment to collect his thoughts, grabbed his coat, and left.Jordyn called after him, but he ignored her completely.He drove to the Sumner residence and, upon arriving, did not go inside. Instead, he knelt at the entrance.Richard and Marie were taking a walk in the garden when they were informed of the situation.Richard snorted. "If he wants to k
Cyrus was livid. "How dare you blame me? You raised such a worthless son who can't even manage one mistress properly!""Shut up!" Cindy retorted, her chest heaving with anger. "If you hadn't been out of the house all the time with your string of mistresses, Clark wouldn't have turned out like this. He learned it all from you!"Cyrus sneered. "I'm not going to argue about old grievances. It's pointless now. You'd better not make things worse. If you really anger the old man, Clark might never get back into the Sumner Group."After all, the Sumners had more than one heir.As Cyrus was about to leave, Cindy tried to stop him but was shoved aside, nearly falling. When she managed to steady herself and looked around, Cyrus had already disappeared.…Clark had been kneeling at the Sumner residence entrance all night. When it started pouring rain in the middle of the night, he stayed put, enduring the downpour until he collapsed.The next morning, a maid found him unconscious at the do
"We can sign an agreement if you're still worried. I promise never to challenge your custody of Wilhelm in my lifetime," Jane assured.Seeing her determination, Gabriel remained silent.Noticing his hesitation, Jane gripped the armrests of her wheelchair tightly. "Gabriel, you're already hesitating, even though you haven't remarried yet. How can I believe you'll treat Wilhelm fairly in the future?"Gabriel's gaze turned cold. "No matter what, Wilhelm will be better off with me than with you. When and how much of the shares I give him is my decision, not yours."With that, he turned to leave.As he reached the doorway, Jane's voice echoed behind him. "If you don't transfer half your shares to Wilhelm, I won't leave the country!"Gabriel paused, then glanced back at her mockingly. "Whether you leave or stay means nothing to me. And why would you think your refusal to leave is a threat to me?""Gabriel, you're a bastard!" Jane shouted.Gabriel smirked and left without another word
Wilhelm froze for a moment, his eyes welling up with tears as confusion and hurt clouded them."Mommy, do you really not want me anymore?" he asked, his voice trembling.Jane's gaze flickered with a brief trace of pain as she looked at Wilhelm sitting pitifully on the floor. But the softness in her eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared.She stared at him coldly. "That's right. I never wanted you. I hit you to try and get your father to come back."The other day, when I took you out for steak, I deliberately let you eat that hazelnut cake. You started itching later because you're allergic—that was intentional, too. I wanted you hospitalized so I could force your father to see me."Her tone grew harsher. "Now that Gabriel and I are divorced, you're of no use to me. You're just a burden. Taking you with me would only drag me down."And I hate your father. Naturally, I hate you, too. Don't show up in front of me again!"Wilhelm sat frozen, her words cutting into him like shards of
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