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
Nyla suggested, "I think he aimed the van at me deliberately. This might not have been an accident."The two officers exchanged a glance before one of them addressed her. "That's a possibility we can't rule out, but we'll need to wait for the investigation results. From what we know now, the most likely cause is drunk driving. Have you had any recent conflicts with anyone?"Nyla thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not that I can think of.""Understood. We'll investigate that possibility further. If you remember anything else, please let us know," the officer replied."Alright, thank you," Nyla said.After the officers left, Nyla couldn't help but replay the details of the van charging at her.Could this really have been an accident? But... who would drink in the early morning?After waiting outside the ward for a while and confirming that Clark's condition had stabilized, Damon wanted to take Nyla home to rest.However, she refused, "I'm not tired. I want to stay here a
"Dad, Mom, it's getting late. Nyla can stay here with me. You should head home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow morning," Clark said.Cindy had initially wanted to stay and care for Clark, but upon realizing that his condition was caused by Nyla, she agreed to Clark's request. "Alright. I'll come back tomorrow."After they left, Nyla turned to Damon. "Uncle Damon, thank you for today. You should go home and rest. Let me walk you out."Damon frowned, his demeanor growing colder. "You're exhausted too. I'll arrange for a caregiver to come soon. I'll take you home.""No. I'll stay here to take care of him tonight," Nyla insisted.Understanding her stubbornness, Damon nodded after a few seconds of silence. "Alright."He turned and walked toward the door, and Nyla got up to see him off.When she returned, she noticed Clark's expression had changed slightly. Pretending not to notice, she sat down by the bedside.After a long silence, Clark finally spoke. "Nyla, can you stop bein
After watching Nyla enter the apartment complex, Damon left.On his way back to the company, he was deep in thought about how to ensure that Clark and Nyla would divorce smoothly.Since Clark's legs were now disabled from saving Nyla, he might use this as leverage to keep her with him. Damon's gaze grew colder as he considered this possibility.Meanwhile, in Cyrus' study…"Make sure that driver keeps his mouth shut. If this leads back to me, I won't let you off!" he barked.A man in his 30s, with his head lowered, stood before Cyrus' desk and replied, "Mr. Sumner, don't worry. He was dying anyway. He'll definitely keep quiet for the sake of his family."Cyrus nodded, his eyes filled with calculation. "Good. Make sure the money for his family is in cash. Leave no evidence.""Understood!" the man answered.After his subordinate left, Cyrus leaned back in his chair with a cold smirk.…In the evening, Nyla arrived at the hospital with a thermos of soup, only to hear Clark's furi
"Drink the soup first. I'll think about what you said," Nyla replied."Nyla, my dad said that as long as you don't hand the evidence over to the police, you can ask for whatever compensation you want," Clark said.Nyla placed the bowl on the table, her expression unreadable as she looked at Clark. "I said I would consider it. Focus on your recovery. I'll visit you again tomorrow."After Nyla left, Clark called Cyrus, frustration evident in his voice. "She still hasn't agreed."Cyrus sneered. "I told you the self-pity trick wouldn't work, but you wouldn't listen. Are you finally giving up?"Earlier, Cyrus had planned to kill Nyla outright, but Clark suggested staging a self-pity act, pretending that he had been disabled while saving her. This was supposed to soften her heart and persuade her to destroy the evidence. But it had all been for nothing."I didn't expect her to be so heartless. Even with my legs ruined, she won't relent. She wants a divorce and won't destroy the evidenc
However, Cyrus was Damon's older brother. If Damon knew about this, he probably wouldn't help her.After thinking for a while without coming up with any clear answers, Nyla decided not to dwell on it any further and planned to find an opportunity to ask Damon directly.…The next morning, Nyla went to the hospital to visit Clark.When she opened the door to the ward, she saw Jordyn sitting by Clark's bedside, feeding him chicken soup.She paused and said indifferently, "Looks like I'm interrupting."There was a hint of provocation in Jordyn's eyes, but she quickly set the bowl down, stood up, and said awkwardly, "No, no. Since you're here, I'll leave now. I'll come back to see Clark after you're gone…"Before Nyla could respond, Clark spoke up. "Jordyn, please step outside. I need to talk to her."Jordyn nodded. "Alright. I'll be right outside. Call me if you need anything."As she passed by Nyla, she whispered, "Nyla, you won't win against me."Nyla smiled. "Don't worry. I'v
"Only what you can actually get is truly important. Do you understand? There are so many injustices in this world. Not everyone receives an apology or justice. Justice doesn't align with the truth—it aligns with power," Clark said.Nyla looked at him with cold eyes and replied, "So, according to you, I should just accept your so-called compensation as if it were charity and act like nothing ever happened?""I hope you understand what's most important for you right now. Be realistic. Pursuing fairness has little real meaning," Clark elaborated.Nyla took a deep breath. "As long as I believe it's meaningful, that's enough."Upon seeing her firm expression, Clark's gaze darkened. "So you're determined to hand over that evidence to the police, no matter what?""I said I need time to think," Nyla insisted.Finally, the last trace of warmth left Clark's eyes. He looked at Nyla with a blank expression and said, "Understood. You can go now."Seeing him like this made Nyla feel uneasy.
Damon was in a meeting when he suddenly stood up, his voice low and urgent. "I understand. I'll have people look into it right away."Spencer, who was nearby, immediately approached him. "Mr. Sumner, what's going on?""Dismiss the meeting. We'll continue tomorrow. Contact the two people I asked you to arrange to protect Nyla immediately. She's missing," Damon instructed.Spencer was astonished, realizing the seriousness of the situation. "I'll handle it right away."As soon as Damon returned to his office, Spencer knocked on the door with a grim expression and said, "Mr. Sumner, the two guards reported that Ms. Jayston's car has been heading out of town. I've already asked them to try and intercept it.""Alright. Send me her current location," Damon requested."Got it," Spencer answered.After sending the location, Spencer's phone rang. He answered it, and his face turned ashen as he listened."Mr. Sumner… the person in the car… isn't Ms. Jayston…" he said.Damon's eyes widene
Seeing the flicker of guilt in Alexander's expression, Nyla said, "If you really feel sorry for Buddy and me, promise me one thing.""What is it?" Alexander asked."If I ever ask for your help after going to Meristate, you have to help me no matter what," Nyla said.Alexander smiled. "You might find that once you become the Nixons' successor, I'll be the one asking you for help.""So, is that a no?" Nyla asked.Seeing her serious expression, Alexander finally nodded. "Fine, I promise.""Let's hope you won't break your word," she replied.Alexander offered, "If you don't believe me, I can swear on my life."Nyla shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I have other things to do, so I'll be leaving now."…Nyla headed straight to Prospectus Technology.Damon was surprised to see her arrive unexpectedly. "Nyla, why are you here at this hour?""I missed you, so I came to see you," Nyla answered.Her gaze was tender, filled with love—and a hint of sorrow so subtle it was almos
Emerald looked at Nyla and asked, "What are your conditions?""First, Buddy stays in Saintornia. He can't come to Meristate with me. Second, I need you to provide resources to Damon's company to help him take it international. Third, I want full control over my marriage decisions," Nyla stated firmly.Emerald narrowed her eyes and pondered briefly before letting out a soft laugh. "Once you join the Nixons, you and Damon will belong to two entirely different worlds."As for Buddy—if you leave him here, his life trajectory will end up just like yours. Are you sure you want to leave him behind?"Nyla's second condition wasn't difficult for Emerald to guess. She could see where this was heading, though Nyla clearly underestimated the Nixons. Even with abundant resources, Damon could never compete with them.As for Nyla's third condition? Once she was in Meristate, who she wanted to marry would hardly be her decision to make."I'm sure," Nyla said resolutely. "You want me to go to Mer
A moment later, Nyla entered the restaurant.Alexander stood quickly and led her toward their table."Nyla, just a heads-up—your mom's used to giving orders, so her words might come across as commanding. Be prepared," he said again, his tone cautious."Okay," Nyla replied evenly, following him.In less than two minutes, they arrived at the table."Nyla, this is your mom," Alexander said, then turned to the woman sitting before them. "Aunt Emerald, this is Nyla. Doesn't she look just like you?"Emerald and Nyla's eyes met, neither speaking for several long moments.After what felt like an eternity, Emerald raised her chin slightly. "Sit down."Her tone was devoid of any warmth.As Nyla looked at the woman in front of her, she found it impossible to reconcile this commanding figure with the gentle, loving mother she remembered from childhood.She sat across from Emerald and spoke directly. "I've heard from Alexander that you want me to go to Meristate."Emerald nodded, her gaz
"Exactly, Mr. Sumner, please help us out!"Damon's expression remained indifferent while facing the hopeful gazes of the group. "I can help you, but tell me—what can you offer in return?"He wasn't a philanthropist, and given these people had previously worked against Prospectus Technology, there was no way he would let them off easily."Mr. Sumner, whatever you ask—if we can do it, we will!"The others echoed in agreement, desperate to save their businesses.Damon nodded. "Alright, I have only one condition—join me in taking down Drake."Relief washed over the group. Some even looked incredulous.Was that really his only condition? After all, even if Damon hadn't explicitly asked, they'd likely side with him against Drake once their companies were back on their feet.The humiliation Drake had subjected them to was a bitter pill none of them were willing to swallow."Mr. Sumner, that's it? That's all you're asking?"Damon turned his cold gaze to the man who spoke. "Yes. But l
"If you force her, she'll resist even more. And don't forget, she has unresolved feelings about the past," Alexander reminded her.Emerald's face darkened. "What does she have to resent? If it weren't for what happened back then, she wouldn't even exist. She should be grateful I brought her into this world!"Alexander frowned. "If you want her to follow you to Meristate, you'll need to tone it down. She's not like Brian and Delia, who grew up with you.""Fine. I'll meet her tomorrow and see," Emerald replied.After divorcing Harrison and moving abroad, Emerald had initially thought about Nyla often. But over time, as her business grew and she had Brian and Delia, her thoughts of her eldest daughter faded.Now, she only cared about Nyla because the Nixons needed her as a successor. Otherwise, she might never have thought about her again.Emerald knew she had wronged Nyla, but she had gone through so much over the years. Besides, she had a son and a daughter who listened. She no lo
Hearing Damon's response, Nyla finally felt relieved. "That's good to hear.""Let's eat," Damon said."Okay." Nyla picked up her utensils, ready to grab some food when her phone suddenly rang.Seeing Alexander's name on the screen, her expression shifted slightly. She set her utensils down and answered.As soon as the call connected, Alexander's voice came through. "Nyla, your mom's flight lands in two hours. I'm heading to the airport to pick her up. Do you want to come along?"Nyla clutched her phone, her breathing growing heavier. It took her a few seconds to respond. "No, I'm busy tonight. Anything else?""How about tomorrow? Can we meet somewhere? She really wants to see you," Alexander asked."We'll see," she said hurriedly, then ended the call.Noticing her pale expression, Damon took her hand and said softly, "If you don't want to see her, then don't. You don't have to force yourself."Taking a deep breath, Nyla shook her head. "No, I want to see her. I just... I'm not
Drake's ultimate target was Nyla. If Prospectus Technology fell, no one could protect her or Mason.The companies that had sided with Drake acted out of self-interest, but they now regretted their decisions. Damon could gain significant strength by reestablishing cooperation with them.Of course, Valarie had her own motives. She wanted to repay Summer Coates for saving her life and hoped to restore their collaboration."Whether or not she can stay out of it, talking to her won't help. Stop dragging her into this," Brandon said."Brandon, who are you to order me around?" Valarie retorted.Pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, Brandon replied, "Can you stop being unreasonable? I'm not threatening you. I'm reminding you. Don't forget—the Weir Group avoided bankruptcy only because of my uncle."Valarie laughed coldly. "You're right. He did save the Weir Group, and I'm grateful. But that doesn't mean he can interfere in everything I do."Without giving him a chance to respo
Nyla pursed her lips, remaining silent.Seeing her hesitation, Valarie added, "Nyla, just think about my suggestion. I believe it makes sense to cooperate with them for now. Once we deal with Drake, we can address their past actions. What do you think?"Nyla looked at her. "I understand. I'll think about it. You should head back now."With that, she stood and left.Valarie's argument had some merit, but Nyla could tell she wasn't only considering things from her and Damon's perspective. Valarie likely wanted Damon to go easy on the companies that had previously turned on Prospectus Technology.Back in her bedroom, Nyla sat in a lounge chair on the balcony, thinking for a long while before dialing Damon's number.The call was answered quickly."Nyla, what is it?" Damon asked."Valarie came to see me just now. She asked me to intercede for the companies that turned on Prospectus Technology and to convince you to give them another chance," she replied.There was silence on the ot
"Actually, my daughter is friends with Valarie. I could ask her to help set up a meeting with Nyla," one person said hesitantly.Jerry's face lit up. "Yes, let's do that."Another person clapped him on the back. "Well done. Didn't know you still had an ace up your sleeve!"The man shrugged. "I usually don't pay attention to who my daughter befriends. I didn't expect it to come in handy now.""Well, it's a reminder for us all. I'm going home to tell my kid to start making more friends."…An hour later, Nyla received a call from Valarie. "Nyla, are you home? I need to talk to you about something.""I'm home," Nyla replied, arranging a flower in a vase. "What's up? Can't you just tell me over the phone?""It's better in person. I'll be there in 30 minutes," Valarie replied.Though Valarie said 30 minutes, she arrived in less than 20. As she stepped into the living room, she saw Nyla kneeling on a cushion by the sofa, carefully arranging flowers in a vase on the table."Nyla," s