After Clark's outburst, he turned and left in a hurry.Nyla felt a mix of emotions. It was clear that Clark was trying to avoid offending Damon while still preserving his pride. She couldn't understand why she had ever fallen for such a spineless man.Once he was gone, she resumed eating her steak as if nothing had happened.Before long, she noticed Damon's gaze fixed intently on her face. She looked up and asked, puzzled, "Is there something on my face? Why do you keep staring at me?""It's nothing," Damon replied. "I just thought you might be affected by what he said.""Why would I let him affect my mood? He's a stranger to me now. It's not worth getting upset over him," Nyla said."That's good to hear," Damon remarked.After dinner, they returned directly to the villa.…Meanwhile, it took over an hour at the police station for Clark to bail out Cindy.Cindy's eyes were red with anger. "That bitch Nyla! How dare she sue me? I won't let her get away with this!"The lawyer
Cindy turned to him in disbelief, her body trembling with rage. "Are you saying I'm embarrassing?""Isn't it true? Look at everything you've done recently—none of it has worked out. If you're incapable, stop making things worse!" Clark snapped.His anger was palpable, and his words were harsh and unforgiving.Tears streamed down Cindy's face as she choked out, "If it weren't for my useless husband and son, would I have to do all this? Now you complain that I'm making things worse. Why aren't you capable of bailing your dad out? Clark, I am so disappointed in you!"With that, she shoved the car door open and stormed off.Clark didn't follow her, his expression dark and stormy.Why couldn't Cindy understand him?With his current capabilities, he couldn't possibly get Cyrus out of the police station.Moreover, what Cyrus had done was a fact. The immediate priority was to take over the company from him and then figure out other ways to help, even if it meant just making his life a
Nyla frowned. "Wren, you agreed to this yesterday. Why are you suddenly changing your mind?"Nyla had arranged for them to go abroad with their safety in mind.She wouldn't let Cyrus off, and once Damon learned she had been using him, he wouldn't protect her anymore. She wouldn't have the energy to properly arrange for them by then.Wren looked helpless. "It's not that I don't want to go abroad, but your father is worried about you. He refuses to go overseas, no matter what."After a moment of silence, Nyla said firmly, "I'll go to the hospital tonight and persuade him myself."Wren's gaze was evasive. "Your father is still upset with you. It might be better to wait a few days. I'm worried that if you go tonight, you two might end up arguing again.""I need to go, even if it means arguing. Wren, I have work to do later, so I'll head back to the office now." With that, Nyla stood up and left.…When Damon found out that Nyla was going to the hospital that evening, he offered to
Seeing Nyla's hesitation, Wren whispered, "Staying here won't help. It'll only make your father more upset."Damon also looked at her with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I can handle it."After a moment's pause, Nyla finally nodded. "Alright then."She followed Wren out of the room, and the two sat down on a bench in the corridor. For a while, neither of them spoke.Wren turned to Nyla and broke the silence. "Nyla, staying in the country isn't so bad. The medical facilities here are quite good, and I—"Before she could finish, Nyla interrupted coldly, "Wren, did you suddenly decide not to go abroad because Gabriel is planning to come back?"Wren was momentarily taken aback, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes. "How did you find out about that?""He told me on the phone yesterday," Nyla replied.Wren frowned, surprised that Gabriel had informed Nyla so soon."Since you know, I won't beat around the bush. I really don't want to leave the country because he's coming back," Wr
"Did you finish talking with my dad?" Nyla asked.Damon glanced down at her and replied, "Yes.""I'll go in and say a few words to him, and then we'll head back," Nyla said."Alright," Damon agreed.Nyla entered the hospital room. To her surprise, Harrison's expression was less distressed than before. Though still stern, he seemed to have softened considerably."Dad, please reconsider going abroad for treatment. If you really don't want to go, I won't force you," Nyla said.Harrison looked up at her and said coldly, "No need to reconsider. I know what I want. As for you and Damon… I suggest you think it through. After all, he's Clark's uncle."If you're with him, you'll face not only public gossip but also opposition from the Sumners. The path with him will be much harder than it was with Clark."Nyla was taken aback by his response. She wondered what Damon had said to change Harrison's attitude so drastically."I've thought it through, Dad," she replied."As long as you've t
Nyla glanced at Cindy, who was clearly struggling to maintain her composure while attempting to apologize. The scene struck Nyla as somewhat amusing."Mrs. Sumner, did you really expect to come here, apologize, and ask me to drop the lawsuit after publicly accusing me of assault?" she asked.Cindy's expression faltered for a moment as she clenched her fists to suppress her anger."Nyla, I admit I was wrong. I'm apologizing now. Can't we just put this behind us?" Cindy asked."Sure," Nyla said, nodding. "But you need to issue a public statement clarifying that I didn't assault you and that it was you trying to tarnish my reputation. I'll drop the lawsuit if you do that."Cindy froze. They had come to resolve this privately, not to make it public. Releasing a statement would only highlight her attempt to malign her former daughter-in-law."Nyla, can we find another way to resolve this? We can negotiate," Cindy suggested."Embarrassed, are we?" Nyla's smile remained, but her eyes w
As they walked into the living room, Damon broke the silence. "Why did you accept the money instead of insisting on a public apology?"Nyla replied, "Even if she apologized, it wouldn't be sincere. Clark managed to persuade her to apologize privately because he doesn't want this to go public. If I had kept insisting, it would have only backfired."Damon studied her. "So, your goal was always just the money?"Nyla nodded. "Yes. If I had asked for the money myself, Clark might have accused me of extortion through his lawyers."Damon fell silent, his gaze distant as he pondered this. When he didn't speak again, Nyla turned to head back to her room.After a few steps, Damon's voice, tinged with resignation, came from behind her. "Nyla, if you just wanted the money, you didn't have to scheme like that. You could have told me directly. I could have helped you."Nyla paused and looked back at him, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "I'm scheming against Clark. He's your family.
Damon patted her head and said softly, "If I haven't earned your complete trust, then I still haven't done well enough."Nyla looked up at him, about to speak, when his phone suddenly rang."Did you change your ringtone?" she asked, noticing that Damon's phone sounded different from usual.Damon didn't answer. He picked up his phone and walked aside to take the call.For some reason, Nyla felt a wave of unease wash over her, and she couldn't help but frown.Soon, Damon ended the call and returned to her."I have to go out for a bit. You should go to sleep," he said.He turned to leave, but Nyla instinctively grabbed his hand. "Is it something important? Can you stay and keep me company? I…"She struggled to find a reason to keep him around.Was it just her inexplicable anxiety?The reason seemed a bit absurd even to her.Damon's gaze softened, and he nodded. "If you're scared, I can have the driver pick up Valarie to keep you company."Nyla opened her mouth, then slowly sho
"That's more like it," Valarie chirped.Nyla couldn't help but say, "Valarie, stop bullying Brandon all the time."Brandon turned to her and sighed dramatically. "Aunt Nyla, since you mentioned it, I have to say something. You have no idea what I've been through these past six months, I— Ouch!"Before he could finish, Valarie pinched his waist. "What was that? Tell me, Brandon. Have you been unhappy these past six months?""N-No... I've been very happy..." Brandon winced."Have I bullied you then?" Valarie pressed."No..." Brandon murmured.Valarie huffed. "If not, then keep your mouth shut, or Nyla will really think I mistreat you." Brandon gave her a pitiful look, lowering his head like a scolded puppy.Before they married, Valarie had been gentle and beautiful in his eyes. But after marriage, he realized how wrong he had been.Gentle and beautiful? All an illusion.If he stayed out drinking and came home late, he'd have to choose between sleeping on the couch or outside.
Taking Mia to work was exhausting, but every time she smiled at Damon, it made everything worth it."She'll be fine. Didn't you just say she loves us both equally? She'll cry for a bit, but if you stop taking her to the office, she'll get used to being at home," Nyla reasoned.Seeing Nyla's determination, Damon finally relented. "Alright, we'll try it tomorrow. But if she cries too much, you'll have to take her to the office.""Deal!" Nyla said....After getting ready for work the next morning, Damon kissed Mia on the cheek and headed for the door.As soon as he changed his shoes at the entrance, she reached her little arms toward him, asking to be held. She had grown so accustomed to going to the office with him every day that it had become a reflex.Damon glanced at Nyla. "Nyla, maybe today we should—"Nyla interrupted, "Nope. You go to work. And if you're free for lunch, don't bother coming home. If you need to work late, no rush to come back either."Damon chuckled. "You'
"Brandon, from now on, I'm entrusting Valarie to you," Jonathan said. "She's been spoiled by us and can be a little willful at times. I hope you'll be patient with her in your marriage, and I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together."Brandon held Valarie's hand tightly, his expression solemn. "Dad, don't worry. I'll cherish her with all my heart."Jonathan nodded, stepping down from the stage. He discreetly wiped away his tears.After exchanging vows and rings, Valarie and Brandon sealed their love with a kiss, surrounded by cheers and applause.…On the way home from the wedding, Nyla glanced at Damon. "I saw Mr. Weir wipe his tears so many times today. When Bunny gets married, you'll definitely be just like him, sneaking off somewhere to cry."Damon's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his gaze sharpening. "No one will ever be good enough for my daughter. If she never gets married, we'll take care of her for the rest of our lives."Nyla raised an eyebrow and
"Of course! When's the wedding?" Nyla asked.Valarie shook her head. "We haven't decided yet. He'll come to my house in a few days to discuss it with my parents."Nyla raised an eyebrow. "You're about to get really busy. Planning a wedding alone will take a lot of work.""Yeah, I'm already getting a headache just thinking about it," Valarie replied....For the next few months, Valarie was completely consumed by wedding preparations and work, barely having time to catch her breath.The wedding was set for August 8th, leaving them with less than six months to finalize everything.Valarie even traveled abroad several times to meet with designers and ensure her wedding dress was exactly what she wanted.Beyond the dress, she and Brandon spent hours discussing every detail—from the venue to the wedding favors and bouquet choices....After months of nonstop planning, the big day finally arrived.Valarie was already up, getting her hair and makeup done at 2:00 a.m.By the time N
Valarie looked up and saw the approaching glow.When the figure finally stopped in front of her, she realized it was Brandon.Frowning, she asked, "Where did you go? I waited so long for you. And what are you hiding behind your back?"Brandon flipped his phone face-down on the table, revealing the flowers he had hidden. Then he dropped to one knee."Valarie, I had planned a perfect proposal for you, but when you asked earlier about the meaning of wearing a wedding dress, I knew I couldn't wait any longer."Before I met you, my life revolved solely around work. I never paused for anyone—I never cared whether the sun was rising or setting, or if the moon was full or waning. But everything changed after I met you."I began cherishing the thought of greeting you every morning, sharing meals with you, and standing by your side for life."Valarie, I want every morning to begin with us waking up together, and every night to end with us holding each other as we fall asleep."Finally, B
Of course, every time they visited Valarie's home, Phoebe would subtly—or sometimes not so subtly—hint that they should get married.Brandon had always assumed Valarie wasn't interested in marriage since she never responded to those hints. He hadn't considered proposing.But today, seeing her so excited about picking out baby clothes made him start to imagine a future with her—building a family, raising a child.That thought filled his heart with warmth.After more than three hours of shopping, they finally left the mall, their arms full of bags.Once they loaded everything into the car, Valarie turned to Brandon. "I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat."Brandon nodded. "Sure. What are you in the mood for?""I'm not picky. Is there anything good around here? I don't feel like going too far," she replied.Brandon paused, then said, "There's a place with ethnic cuisine nearby. I went there once for a business meeting—it was pretty authentic. Want to give it a try?""Sounds g
Nyla was silent for a moment before nodding. "Alright. If you ever need Damon to help figure out Brandon's thoughts, just let me know.""I will. Don't worry about us, though. You just gave birth. Your main priority should be resting," Valarie said."Okay," Nyla replied.Valarie lingered in the bedroom for a while, but when she saw Nyla looking tired, she stood up and left.Downstairs, only Brandon was in the living room.Valarie walked over to him and asked, "Where's Damon?""He had something to take care of for work, so he went to the study. How's Aunt Nyla?" Brandon asked."She seems to be doing well, and the baby is adorable. Oh, right, I forgot to ask what the baby's name is. I only know her nickname is Bunny," Valarie said.Just thinking about Mia Sumner's cute little face made Valarie smile. She was already looking forward to the day the baby would call her godmother.A flicker of something crossed Brandon's eyes. "You really like kids, huh?""Of course! I've said befor
Once they were in the car, Nyla suddenly recalled Damon's phone call earlier. "By the way, what did Alexander want?"After a brief pause, Damon glanced at her. "He said Ms. Kinsey left you an inheritance and asked when we'd be able to go to Meristate to take care of it."Nyla pressed her lips together before replying, "Call him later and tell him to donate it or keep it for himself. I don't want it.""Alright," Damon replied.When they arrived home, Damon helped Nyla settle onto the couch, placing a pillow behind her back for support. Then, he said seriously, "Nyla, you've been through enough. Let's not have any more kids after this."During her first pregnancy with Mason, Damon hadn't been around, so he hadn't realized how difficult it was for her.Now, experiencing this pregnancy with her, every checkup and blood draw made his heart ache.Once Nyla gave birth, he planned to get a vasectomy. Two kids were enough for them.Nyla shot him a look. "This wasn't exactly planned, was
More than half an hour later, Nyla finally stirred from her nap.When she opened her eyes, she found Damon sitting by her bed, watching her. She froze for a moment, caught off guard.Rubbing her eyes, she realized he was still there and confirmed she wasn't dreaming.She slowly sat up, her voice still heavy with sleep. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in your study working?""I missed you, so I came to see you," Damon replied.Nyla narrowed her eyes. "You definitely have something to say if you're here all of a sudden."Damon chuckled, a little helpless. "I guess I can't fool you.""Of course not. I know you too well. Ever since I got pregnant, you've never come to see me like this in the afternoon," Nyla said."Alright. Go freshen up first, and I'll wait for you downstairs," Damon suggested."Okay," Nyla replied.After washing up, she went downstairs and sat beside Damon. "Alright, tell me. What's going on? You're acting all mysterious."Damon hesitated for a moment befo