Damon narrowed his eyes. It seemed Clark really didn't want to return to the Sumner Group."I'm in a meeting right now. I'll explain everything to you tonight," Damon said.Since Nyla and Clark weren't divorced yet, Damon didn't want the Sumners to know about his feelings for Nyla. Although he had fallen for her first, the Sumners would likely think she was the one who had seduced him.Richard didn't respond and just hung up.Damon called Spencer over and instructed quietly, "Find out where Clark is and bring him to see me after the meeting."…The meeting dragged on for over two hours before it finally ended.When Damon announced it was over, the department managers visibly relaxed.Back in Damon's office, his gaze turned cold when he saw Clark sitting on the couch.The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.Damon sat down across from Clark and said coldly, "No matter what you tell your grandfather, I won't give up on Nyla."Clark smiled. "Uncle Damon, whether you give up or
"Just say it was sent to you by someone named Pete," Damon replied.If Pete hadn't suddenly disappeared, Damon wouldn't have needed to find Valarie."Got it," Valarie said.After their discussion, Valarie decided not to stay for dinner with Damon, as they weren't close."If there's nothing else, I'll head out now," she said.Damon looked at her seriously. "Ms. Weir, please keep this matter confidential. I don't want anyone to know that I handed you this file.""Don't worry. I'll keep it to myself," Valarie assured him.Once Valarie left the restaurant, she went directly to Nyla's place.…When Nyla saw Valarie, she was pleasantly surprised. "Valarie, what are you doing here?"Valarie smiled. "I missed you, so I came by. Let me in first."Nyla stepped aside to let her in. Once they were seated in the living room, Valarie took the file from her bag and handed it to Nyla.Nyla took it with a puzzled expression. "What's this?"As soon as Nyla opened it and read a few lines, he
Nyla panicked and lunged at Clark. "Give me back my phone!"Clark stumbled backward from her sudden attack, struggling to regain his balance. He grabbed her hand and said coldly, "I came here today to discuss something with you."Nyla wrenched her hand away. "I have nothing to discuss with you."She looked up at him with a cold, unyielding gaze, her demeanor starkly different from the gentle woman he once knew."Nyla, I've informed my grandparents that I won't be returning to the Sumner Group. I'm planning to start my own business," Clark said.Nyla's expression remained unmoved. "What you do has nothing to do with me."Clark's gaze darkened. "Nyla, we're married. We're supposed to spend our lives together. Do you really want to make our relationship so strained?"His words struck Nyla as somewhat amusing. How could he still be dreaming that she would spend her life with him?Nyla's silence caused Clark's grip on the phone to tighten, his knuckles turning white.He took a deep
"Call me when you've made up your mind," Clark said.Nyla took her phone, her gaze lowered in silence. After Clark left, she quickly locked the door and propped a chair against it, finally feeling a bit of safety.After a moment of reflection, she called Damon.In the Sumner residence's living room…Richard and Marie sat on the sofa with grim expressions, while Damon stood nearby."Clark says you have feelings for a married woman. Is that true?" Richard asked, his gaze stern and scrutinizing.As Richard's most distinguished son, Damon was expected to uphold the family's reputation. Richard could not tolerate any scandal involving Damon and a married woman.Marie also looked displeased. Despite introducing Damon to many eligible young women, he hadn't shown interest in any of them. If it turned out he was interested in a married woman, it would be a major embarrassment.Realizing the matter couldn't be hidden for long, Damon decided to be straightforward. "Yes."Richard slammed
When Damon arrived at Nyla's place, it was already an hour later."What's going on?" he asked.Nyla looked up at him with reddened eyes. "Uncle Damon, can you help me find a place to stay? If I look for one myself, Clark might continue to harass me."Upon seeing the hint of vulnerability in her eyes, Damon's gaze hardened. "Did Clark come by earlier?"Nyla nodded. "Yes. I don't know where he got the keys, but he just walked in.""Alright. I'll handle the rental. Do you need help with the divorce?" Damon asked.Nyla looked down. "The divorce should be happening soon.""Got it," Damon replied.Noticing Damon's gaze resting on her, Nyla nervously clenched her hands and mustered the courage to look up at him. "If that's all, and since it's getting late, I'll see you out."Damon stood up. "No need. Get some rest."After leaving the neighborhood, Damon called Spencer. "Clark broke into Nyla's place tonight. Did the two people I asked you to arrange not notice anything?"The though
"Who gave you those documents?" Cyrus questioned.Clark's voice was icy. "Nyla sent these documents to me. Dad, did you really have something to do with the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident six years ago?"Cyrus's voice roared with anger. "How can you believe a woman over me?""It doesn't matter whether I believe you or not," Clark replied. "What matters is that Nyla is using these documents to force me into a divorce. She said if I don't agree, she'll turn them in to the police.""What?!" Cyrus ground his teeth, his voice filled with fury. "She must not be allowed to take those documents to the police!"Clark smiled bitterly. He had hoped, even if just a little, that the documents were fabricated by Nyla to pressure him into a divorce. Cyrus' reaction made it clear that everything in those documents was true."Dad, why did you do this? How am I supposed to face Nyla now?" Clark asked."I did it all for the Sumner Group. If I hadn't brought down Harris Pharmaceuticals, do you thi
When Damon arrived at the hospital an hour later, he found Nyla sitting in a chair outside the emergency room, her clothes stained with blood. She exuded a grim, lifeless aura.He frowned and quickly approached her, crouching down.Upon seeing her pale face, his gaze darkened. "Are you hurt?"Hearing Damon's voice, Nyla seemed to snap back to reality. Her red-rimmed eyes slowly focused. When she realized it was Damon, she suddenly reached out and hugged him, her voice trembling."U-Uncle Damon, Clark had an accident trying to save me… He's lost a lot of blood…" she stuttered.Noticing her unstable emotions, Damon gently patted her back and spoke softly. "It's going to be alright. Don't worry. He'll be fine.""What are you doing here?!" A sharp voice came from around the corner.Nyla instinctively pulled away from Damon and turned to see Cindy approaching them angrily, followed by Cyrus, who also looked grim.Cindy's gaze was like a knife, filled with murderous rage. Her son was
The corridor fell silent. Even the drop of a needle would have been audible.After an indeterminate amount of time, the emergency room door finally swung open.Cindy rushed forward to intercept the doctor. "Doctor, how is my son?""There's no immediate danger to his life, but he may never be able to walk again. Please be prepared for that," the doctor replied."What?" Cindy staggered back, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear. She grabbed the doctor's hand desperately. "Doctor, he's my only son. You have to save him!"If Clark were to become disabled, he'd lose any chance of inheriting the Sumner Group. Richard would never hand over the company to someone unable to walk.The doctor pushed her hand away and shook his head. "I've done all I can. The patient will be moved to a regular ward soon. You can visit him there."Cindy spun around to face Nyla and charged at her. "Nyla, you wretched woman! You've done this to my son. I won't let you get away with it!"Before she could rea
"Alright, let's take a nap. We still have to play with Buddy later," Damon suggested.Nyla shook her head. "Before we nap, there's something I need to tell you.""What is it?" Damon asked.She pulled a small notebook from her bag, flipped it open, and handed it to him. "This is what Buddy wrote last night—all the rewards he wants."I plan to buy the remaining ones over the next two days. I'll also prepare a few extra gifts. In the future, for his birthdays or holidays, just pick something from here and give it to him for me."As soon as she finished speaking, Damon frowned. "Even after you go to Meristate, you can still send him gifts yourself. Are you planning never to come back?""No, listen to me. I just want to be prepared. If I can stay in touch with both of you after I leave, then you won't need to use these gifts. I'll choose new ones every year and send them myself. I'm just getting these ready in case something happens," Nyla explained.Damon protested, "There won't be
Mason nodded excitedly. "Okay!"They returned to the changing area, showered, changed into fresh clothes, and took the shuttle to the restaurant.As soon as they sat down, a server approached. "Mr. and Mrs. Sumner, we have several types of cuisine ready. What would you like for lunch?"Damon looked at Nyla. "Nyla, you decide."Nyla glanced at Mason and noticed his eyes fixed on the roasted chicken leg. She couldn't help but smile. "I'd like a steak, but I think Buddy wants the chicken leg."Following her gaze, Damon saw that Mason's eyes were practically glued to the golden-brown roasted chicken leg. He chuckled. "Alright, we'll have the steak, and Buddy can have the chicken leg.""Understood. How would you like your steak cooked? Any dietary restrictions?" the server asked.Nyla shook her head. "Medium-well, and no restrictions."Damon replied, "Medium-rare.""Got it. And for Mr. Mason, besides the chicken leg, would he like anything else?" the server asked."No, that's all
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