"Even if he's my older brother, it doesn't change the fact that he kidnapped Nyla," Damon replied firmly.Cindy's eyes flashed with anger due to Damon's unwavering defense of Nyla. "Damon, you're defending Nyla because you like her. She's just a woman—how can she be more important than your own brother?!""What?!" Marie turned sharply to look at Cindy, her face a mask of disbelief. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Have you lost your mind?!"How could Damon possibly like Nyla? She was his nephew's wife!Richard's expression grew grim, his gaze toward Cindy sharp.Cindy, now resolute, bit her lip and continued. "Mom, I overheard Damon confess his feelings for Nyla when I visited her in the hospital once. I didn't tell you before because I was worried you couldn't handle it. But seeing Damon now ignoring his brother's well-being for the sake of an outsider, I couldn't keep it to myself anymore!"Marie took a step back, collapsing onto the sofa, her expression dazed.Damon liked Ny
"Do you really like her?" Richard's voice was authoritative and stern, carrying the weight of his position."Yes," Damon answered.Richard's eyes betrayed his irritation. "Then you'd better stop pursuing her, or the consequences will be more than the Jaystons can handle."Nyla reporting Cyrus to the police had crossed Richard's bottom line. He couldn't allow Clark to be associated with her any longer, nor let the Sumners be embarrassed.Damon's gaze turned icy as he met Richard's eyes. "Dad, if you go after the Jaystons, I'll go after the Sumner Group."The Sumner Group was Richard's lifelong achievement—his pride and creation.Richard's gaze flared with anger. "You really want to go against the Sumners for the sake of a woman?""Dad, it's not about going against you. It's about you interfering with my feelings," Damon replied."If you were with any of the women your mother introduced, we wouldn't have said a word. But you know Nyla is your nephew's wife, and you still choose t
Damon was furious that Nyla had taken such a dangerous action without consulting him.On top of that, Cyrus had caused the Jaystons' bankruptcy, and Damon himself was a Sumner. He wasn't sure if Nyla might also harbor some resentment toward him.After sitting in the car for a long time, Damon was about to leave when he saw Nyla walking out of her building in casual clothes, carrying two bags of trash. His gaze automatically settled on her, and his previously cold demeanor softened.Nyla noticed Damon's car as well and hesitated for a moment. After tossing the trash into the bin, she walked over to his car.As she stopped a few steps from the car, the window on the driver's side rolled down. Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke for a while.Finally, Nyla bit her lip and spoke slowly. "Uncle Damon, are you here… to reprimand me?"Damon's gaze darkened, then he smirked. "If I were here to reprimand you, do you think you'd be standing here talking to me?"Nyla turned pale and f
"Mmph!" Nyla's eyes widened in shock.Was Damon out of his mind?!First, he had forced a kiss on her in the private room, and now he was doing it out in the open… If someone saw them, she couldn't even imagine the consequences.She tried to push him away with her hands against his chest, but his body was like a wall of steel. No matter how hard she pushed, he didn't budge."Uncle Damon— Mmph! Let… Let go…" She struggled to speak.Damon pressed against her, his eyes blazing with anger. She had kept the fact that she had set Cyrus up to kidnap her a secret, and now she wanted to distance herself from him.As if!Anger flashed in Nyla's eyes when she saw that Damon had no intention of letting her go. She bit down hard on his lip.Damon winced and released her, sneering. "Are you a dog?""What does that have to do with you? Don't forget, I'm your niece-in-law!" Nyla hissed.Damon raised an eyebrow at her attempt to use her status to make him let her go. "You sent Clark's father t
Nyla and Damon came from entirely different worlds. At present, his interest in her seemed like just a fleeting impulse. He would eventually grow tired of her.It was better to avoid the pain of abandonment than to start something that would inevitably end in disappointment.After all, she wasn't an 18-year-old girl who might naively believe that Damon would marry her. Given his background, he would surely choose a partner of equal standing in the future.Nyla didn't want the stigma of having seduced her husband's uncle, nor did she want to suffer another blow to her love life.She pushed her inappropriate thoughts aside and headed to the bathroom for a shower.Just as she was about to go to bed, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was Clark, she hesitated for a moment before answering."Nyla, I heard you called the police and had Dad arrested?" Clark's voice was filled with disbelief as if Nyla had committed a heinous crime.She let out a light laugh, her eyes flashing with mock
Cindy immediately intervened when she learned that Nyla wanted a divorce from Clark."Your dad is still in the police station. If you divorce her now, it will only make it harder for her to relent later. As long as she's still your wife, we can at least mitigate the sentence with a letter of forgiveness if your dad is convicted. If you divorce her now, things will only get worse," she said.Clark's face was grim. "She has evidence of my involvement in the kidnapping. If I don't go along with her demands, she'll turn that evidence over to the police."Cindy frowned, anger flashing in her eyes. "That scheming woman! She really came prepared! But the more she acts like this, the more you can't divorce her right now. Otherwise, who knows what she'll do to the Sumners.""Mom, do you still naively believe that if I delay the divorce, she'll let the Sumners off the hook?" Clark asked.Nyla was determined to sever ties with the Sumners by sending Cyrus to jail.After this incident, neith
The past eight years felt like a dream.Fortunately, it was over now, and there would be no more entanglements in the future.Clark's eyes flashed with anger upon seeing Nyla's relieved expression. He turned to Jordyn and said coldly, "Did you bring your ID card?"Jordyn was momentarily stunned, but then her eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! Clark, you…""Give it to me. We're registering our marriage now," Clark said curtly.Jordyn quickly pulled out her ID card from her bag and handed it to Clark, her face alight with anticipation. She had been waiting for this day!Last night, upon learning that Clark would be divorcing Nyla today, she had rushed to bring her ID card. She planned to use their child as leverage to see if Clark would marry her after the divorce.To her surprise, he proposed marriage to her first!Clark took her ID card with a stony expression and handed it, along with his own, to the staff. "Get us registered!"His face was stern, and his tone was rigid, show
Both Nyla and Wren turned their heads simultaneously, realizing that Harrison had woken up.Nyla hurried over to help him, but he pushed her away."Nyla, you've disappointed me greatly," he said.Confronted with her father's disappointed gaze, Nyla felt hurt. "Dad… even you don't understand me?"She had done it to seek justice for him, hoping that, even if no one else understood her, he would."What good does understanding you do? The matter is over now. Digging it up only affects your life. You still have a long way to go. If you send Cyrus to prison, what if the Sumners retaliate against you?" Harrison asked.He was no longer in a position to protect her. By pursuing this, she was risking her entire future."Should I just pretend nothing happened and continue living in mutual disdain with Clark for the rest of my life?" Nyla retorted."Whether you stay with him or not doesn't change the fact that Harris Pharmaceuticals is bankrupt. Is there any way to remedy this situation no
Valarie widened her eyes in surprise. "Alright, but there are a lot of questions here. It might take me a day or two to finish. You're not in a hurry, are you?""No rush, but the sooner, the better. I really appreciate your help," Damon said.Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Valarie smiled. "It's no trouble at all. I'm happy to help with the wedding preparations."After parting ways with Damon, Valarie returned to her office.As soon as she sat down, her phone rang. It was Brandon."Valarie, what did my uncle want? Did he give you a hard time?" he asked.Hearing the tension in his voice, Valarie set the file down. "Why would you think he would give me a hard time?"There was a brief silence before Brandon spoke again, his voice low. "I was worried he might blame you for my decision to leave the Sumner Group.""You're overthinking it. He asked me to help with something unrelated. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up," Valarie replied."Valarie—" Brandon began.Before he co
Damon lowered his head to look at Mason and took the drawing from his hands.The picture showed a family of four—him, Nyla, Mason, and a little girl—standing under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds.Damon smiled and pointed to the little girl in the drawing. "Who's this?""That's my little sister. I hope Mommy gives me a baby sister," Mason said earnestly."What if it's a baby brother instead?" Damon asked.Mason paused, then nodded confidently. "If it's a brother, I'll protect him too."Damon's smile deepened at Mason's innocent expression. "Well, it looks like our Buddy is growing up. You're already thinking about protecting your little sibling.""Daddy, when are you and Mommy going to give me a little sibling?" Mason asked."Soon. It won't be long now," Damon answered.Mason's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Daddy, you're not lying to me, are you?""Of course not. When have I ever lied to you?" Damon asked.Mason huffed. "You've lied to me plenty of times.
"I've got it. You can let go. I promise I won't drop it," Stefan's roommate reassured him.Stefan's fingers tightened briefly before he slowly released his grip. "Yeah."His roommate carried the cake over to the others, calling them to share. He kept a piece for Stefan.That piece remained untouched until Stefan went to bed.…Over the next few days, Brandon appeared at the Weir Group every day. Sometimes, he brought food; other times, flowers.Valarie was beyond annoyed. She'd told him repeatedly to stop pestering her, but he refused to listen. Eventually, she ignored him altogether.On Friday evening, Valarie spotted Brandon's car parked by the curb as soon as she stepped out of the office.By then, she was used to seeing him there. She walked directly to her car, pretending he didn't exist.Just as she reached it, Brandon called out from behind, "Valarie."Valarie pressed her lips together and turned to face him. "What do you want?""Valarie, are you free tonight?" he ask
As Stefan stared at the candle, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. He pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish.After a moment, he opened his eyes and blew out the candle. "Thank you, Veevee.""No need to thank me. But I'm curious—what did you wish for?" Valarie asked.Stefan smiled. "If I tell you, it won't come true, right?""Fair enough. Here, this is your birthday present," Valarie said.When Stefan saw the black box she handed him, he looked surprised. "Isn't the present all those clothes?""Those were just extras. This is the real gift," Valarie replied.Stefan hesitated, taking the box. "Can I open it now?"Valarie nodded. "Of course."He carefully untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. As soon as he saw what was inside, shock flashed across his face."This is..." he murmured.Inside the box was a key."I bought you an apartment near the university. That way, you won't have to stay in the dorms anymore," Valarie explained.Stefan immedia
Michelle reached for her phone on the table.Just before her fingers could brush it, Jayden's hand shot out faster, snatching it away.She looked up at Jayden, her teary eyes flashing with defiance. "Give me back my phone!"Jayden took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Michelle, it's not too late to stop. If you really did send Stefan to get close to Valarie, then tell him to back off."Michelle nodded. "Fine. No matter what I say, you won't believe me. So, let's say I did send him. What are you going to do? Tell Brandon?"Jayden fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Before coming here, he hadn't even considered what he would do if Michelle was behind this.Would he tell Brandon? Or pretend he didn't know?"Whether you were behind this or not, you need to call Stefan and tell him to stop seeing Valarie. If Brandon finds out about your relationship, he won't believe anything you say again," Jayden warned.Michelle's eyes filled with disappointment. "So, you don't believe me eith
It usually took Stefan ten minutes to walk from the dorm to the school gate, but today, he made it in just five.The moment he saw Valarie, a wave of happiness surged inside him.He knew it now. He had truly fallen for her."I had some errands nearby and happened to pass by your school. Then I remembered I still had something to give you," Valarie explained.Stefan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What is it?""You'll find out later. Let's eat first," she suggested.Stefan nodded. "Okay."…Neither Valarie nor Stefan noticed Jayden, who had secretly taken a photo of them from a distance.Behind Jayden, Yale frowned. "Jayden, isn't it a bit inappropriate to secretly take photos of Valarie?"Jayden glanced at him. "What's wrong with it? She's the one sneaking around on Brandon, having dinner with another man. I'm just taking a picture. What's the big deal?""But Valarie and Brandon broke up. She's free to date whoever she wants now. Besides... that guy could be her younger bro
"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