Seeing the disappointment in Nyla's eyes, Clark felt as if a hand was squeezing his heart, making it hard to breathe."Nyla, I know that no matter what promises I make now, you won't believe me. But I will prove it with my actions. I will keep my word."Nyla had no intention of listening to his promises. She brushed past him and walked away.Just as Clark was about to follow her, his phone in his pocket rang. He answered, and his secretary's serious voice came through. "Mr. Sumner, there's a problem with one of our deals."Clark's expression darkened. "I'll be there right away."By the time he ran to the exit of the complex, all he saw was Nyla getting into a taxi and leaving. He pursed his lips, turned around, got into his car, and drove to the company. Once he dealt with work, he would come back to sort things out with Nyla.…When Nyla arrived at the restaurant, Valarie was already there."Nyla, you're finally here! I've got some gossip to share with you."Nyla sat down acr
Two very different voices spoke at the same time.Valarie turned around and saw a tall woman not far behind her. The woman, Jacqueline Rainford, had fair skin and wavy hair, and wore a red strap dress. Jacqueline's hand was pointing at the suit Valarie had her eye on.Noticing Valarie's gaze, Jacqueline smiled and said, "Miss, I plan to buy this suit as a gift for my boyfriend. We're meeting soon. Could you let me have it?"Valarie really liked the suit and didn't want to give it up, but Jacqueline's polite request made her hesitate.The sales associate next to her spoke up. "Ms. Weir, this suit is the only one in our store. As a VIP customer, you have priority purchasing rights."Upon hearing this, Jacqueline's expression immediately turned sour. There was just one suit—she must have it."What do you mean by this? Are you showing favoritism?"Despite Jacqueline's aggressive tone, the sales associate remained calm, maintaining a professional smile. "Miss, our VIP customers do ha
Nyla walked over and took Valarie's cold hand, whispering, "Valarie, maybe there's some misunderstanding. Don't be too upset."Valarie nodded. "Mm, I know."She wouldn't believe Jacqueline's words until Tom himself confirmed them in person.Soon, Tom's secretary, Fred Sailor, arrived.He hurried over to Jacqueline, completely unaware of Valarie and Nyla standing nearby. "Ms. Rainford, Mr. Genge is in a meeting, so he sent me."Jacqueline pointed her chin in the direction of Valarie and Nyla. "There, they're the ones trying to take the suit from me."Fred turned to speak but froze when he saw Valarie and Nyla. His face paled."Ms. Weir..."At that moment, Fred had only three words in his mind: "It is over."Valarie was Tom's current girlfriend, while Jacqueline was Tom's childhood friend. Fred hadn't expected Jacqueline to run into Valarie on her first day back in the country, let alone in such an unpleasant situation.Noticing Fred's unusual reaction, Jacqueline frowned. "You
"No need, you can have him," Valarie said flatly.A man entangled with other women wasn't worth keeping—it would only cause her grief.Jacqueline was stunned and couldn't respond before Valarie turned and walked away.Fred paled and hurried after Valarie. "Ms. Weir, this is a misunderstanding. At least give Mr. Genge a chance to explain."Valarie stopped and looked at him coldly. "Three months ago, he went to Meristate, and I couldn't reach him for three days. Later, he explained he was busy with work. Was he really busy with work?"Seeing Fred's momentary panic, Valarie smirked mockingly. "Now, can you still confidently say this is a misunderstanding?"She did like Tom, but she wasn't a fool. She had chosen not to pursue the matter then, hoping to give him a chance, but he had let her down."Mr. Genge and Ms. Rainford didn't do anything. Ms. Rainford's pet dog died, and she was in a bad state, so Mr. Genge—""No need to explain. It's unnecessary."Jacqueline's confidence in c
Nyla widened her eyes sharply, shaking off Clark's hand as she took a step back. "What does it have to do with you?""You and Uncle Damon stayed at the same hotel that night," Clark said coldly. "Not long after you left, he left too. And the hotel's surveillance footage from that time was deliberately deleted."If it weren't for a streetlight camera across from the hotel, Clark wouldn't have known any of this. The hotel's surveillance footage of Nyla's comings and goings was deleted. If nothing shady happened, why delete the footage?The more Clark thought about it, the angrier he became. His eyes turned even redder. What he found unusual about Damon's behavior finally had an explanation.Seeing Clark's disappointed look, Nyla laughed coldly. "Clark, do you think I cheated on you just like you did, and with your uncle no less?"Clark didn't speak, but his bloodshot eyes were fixed on her, clearly confirming her suspicion."So, what now? You think I cheated on you. What are you go
For three years of marriage, Nyla endured constant restrictions, only to be repaid with Clark's infidelity. Now, she was done compromising her happiness. She would live comfortably on her own terms.After finishing her meal, Nyla washed the dishes, brewed a pot of tea, and settled on the balcony with a book, basking in the sunlight. As she read, drowsiness overcame her, and she fell asleep on the lounge chair. When she woke up, dusk had already settled.She washed her face in the bathroom and decided not to make dinner. Grabbing her keys, she headed out to eat. When she opened the door, she was startled to find Clark standing in the shadows and instinctively took a step back."Nyla, it's me." Clark's voice was dry, indicating he had been standing there all afternoon.Nyla frowned. "What are you doing here?""Nyla, can you really not forgive me?"After a moment of silence, Nyla looked at him calmly. "Clark, when you cheated with your secretary, you must have spent a lot of money a
Nyla nodded. "Yeah.""Your suitor must be quite wealthy. I remember that bracelet symbolizes a lifetime of love for only one person. He must really like you."A discreet flash of sarcasm crossed Nyla's eyes as she placed the bracelet back in its box. "Maybe."Seeing Nyla's lack of enthusiasm, Sasha felt a bit uneasy but didn't press further. Over time, she had learned that although Nyla appeared gentle and approachable, she was very private about certain matters. Besides, they weren’t close enough for such intimate discussions.As Nyla closed the jewelry box, Lucia happened to pass by. She caught a glimpse of the diamond bracelet inside and felt a surge of jealousy. After her previous experience at the bar, she decided not to confront Nyla and walked away.…In the evening, as Nyla exited the company, she saw Clark standing a short distance away. She paused and looked at him.Upon seeing her, Clark quickly approached. "Nyla, let's have dinner together tonight."Nyla lowered her
Nyla ensured she accounted for everything and reclaimed every penny.When they arrived at the restaurant, Nyla was surprised to find it empty except for them."You booked the whole place?" Nyka asked."Yes, I know you don't like crowded places," Clark replied."I'm used to it now. You don't have to go through so much trouble."Clark looked at Nyla sincerely. "Nyla, we missed out on a lot because I was so busy before. From now on, I'll make sure to give you all the special moments you deserve."His gaze was filled with the same love and tenderness as when they were first in love.Nyla's heart ached, and she turned away, holding back her tears.If he had said this before he cheated, she might have been moved, but it only felt bitter now. From the moment he cheated, there was no going back.Seeing Nyla's silence, Clark reached out to hold her hand, but she pulled away. Disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure."Nyla, we'll take it slow until the
The porcelain shattered against the floor, tea splattering everywhere.Emerald's gaze remained fixed on the broken shards, her eyes burning with rage.Filipe, who had been walking down the hallway, entered the room.Upon seeing the mess on the floor, he didn't seem the least bit surprised. Instead, he turned to Emerald and said, "Madam, Mr. Nixon has woken up."At those words, the anger on Emerald's face was replaced by a flicker of relief. She immediately stood and hurried toward Brian's room.Before following, Filipe glanced at the nearby maids, who were trembling in fear, and instructed, "Clean this up.""Yes, sir!" the maids answered in unison.Only after Emerald and Filipe had left did the maids finally breathe a sigh of relief, quickly grabbing cleaning supplies.…A short while later, Emerald arrived at Brian's bedroom.He was already sitting up in bed, eating some soup. His face was pale, drawn with exhaustion and a deep sense of despair.From the moment he had woken
Mary's face turned pale in an instant. "What did you do to Darcy?!"She leered at Emerald, her eyes burning with rage.Emerald smiled. "Nothing much. Just putting him back where he belongs."Then, with a teasing lilt, she added, "But the way you're so concerned about him makes it easy to suspect there's something more between you two."Mary's expression grew even uglier."Emerald, what nonsense are you talking about?! Darcy and I are completely innocent!" she snapped.Emerald raised an eyebrow. "No need to get so worked up. I was just making an observation. But now that Darcy is out of the picture, you should face reality—there's no one left in the Nixons to support you."You can forget about your little dream of Vik taking over. The only thing you should focus on now is taking care of Edward. Once he's gone, I'll give you and Vik some money so you can leave. But if you try anything foolish again, don't blame me for what happens next."Mary ground her teeth. "Don't get too comf
For years, Tony had watched Darcy lose himself over Mary, taking increasingly reckless risks for her. He had always known that one day, Darcy would destroy himself because of her.Darcy's expression twisted with rage. "Tony, I will never forgive you!"Tony ignored him and turned to Emerald. "Madam, we've secured Ms. Nixon. As for Mary and Vik, they're still in the hospital under Edward's men's watch. We weren't able to bring them in."Emerald nodded. "You've done well. From now on, you will take over all of Darcy's operations.""Understood, Madam," Tony replied.Darcy's face contorted in fury. "Emerald, you have no right to do this! If Edward finds out, he won't let you get away with it!"Emerald's smirk was cold. "Edward is lying in a hospital bed, barely able to move. Do you really think he has time to deal with you?"As of this moment, you are no longer part of the Nixons. Everything you had—your wealth, your status—I will take it all back. Since you believe you earned it you
A cold glint flashed in Darcy's eyes when he saw that Emerald remained completely calm—and could even smile."Emerald, we've known each other for so many years. I don't want things to get ugly. You already have more wealth than you could spend in a lifetime, and with Brian losing a leg, he's no longer a viable successor to the Nixons. If you step down now, I won't make things difficult for you," Darcy said.Emerald set down her teacup, her expression steady as she met Darcy's gaze. "I've told you before—my chosen successor is my eldest daughter, Nyla, not Brian. So whether or not Brian is injured has nothing to do with the future of the Nixons."Darcy's face darkened. "So you're refusing to settle this peacefully?""The moment you came to my estate and kidnapped my daughters, a peaceful resolution was off the table," Emerald replied.As soon as she finished speaking, more than a dozen men in black emerged from the shadows, swiftly surrounding them.Darcy's expression changed inst
Once his men left, Darcy freshened up and walked into the living room.Mary and Vik were already awake.He turned to Mary. "Mary, take Vik to the hospital after breakfast to stay with Edward. Leave the rest to me."Mary nodded, though her gaze was filled with worry. "Be careful.""I've weathered bigger storms than this. A small matter like this is nothing," Darcy reassured her.After breakfast, Mary and Vik left while Darcy prepared to call a meeting.Just as he was about to gather his allies, his phone rang.He narrowed his eyes when he saw Emerald's name on the screen. Answering, he said, "Emerald, what brings you to call me at this hour?""I'm back. Come to the estate immediately," Emerald said coolly.Darcy's expression darkened. He hadn't expected her to return so soon."You're not joking, are you?" he asked."You'll know when you get here." With that, Emerald hung up.A sense of unease crept into Darcy's heart. He immediately called one of the family members who had p
No matter how furious Warren was, Alexander didn't look back. He was certain that Emerald would reach out to him soon and agree to his terms.At present, she had no one else to rely on. Even the people she could use, she didn't fully trust. Besides, the condition he proposed wasn't that difficult.After Alexander left, Warren fumed for a while before finally calming down. He then dialed Emerald's number and relayed everything Alexander had said, word for word.There was a brief silence on the other end before Emerald's cold voice came through. "Ignore him. If he wants to go against me for Nyla's sake, I want to see how long he can keep it up!"Warren quickly tried to soothe her. "Don't be too upset. Alexander is still young. It's normal for him to act impulsively. Once he thinks things through, he'll come back."Emerald let out a cold laugh. "He knows exactly what he's doing. If we wait for him to come to his senses, who knows how many years that'll take? I won't let him threaten
As Mason's mentor, Alexander couldn't just sit by and watch his family fall apart.After a long pause, Damon finally said, "Alright. I'll give you one more chance."When Nyla came out of the shower, Alexander had already left.Hearing sounds from the kitchen, she walked over and found Damon cooking pasta."Damon," she called softly.He turned to her with a small smile. "All done? Go sit down. The pasta will be ready soon.""Okay," she replied.Five minutes later, Damon brought out a steaming plate of pasta and placed it in front of her. "Eat up. Get some rest after this."The delicious aroma filled the air. Nyla picked up her utensils and glanced at Damon. "Aren't you eating?"He shook his head. "I'm not hungry.""Alright," she answered.As she ate, she finally had the chance to ask about his conversation with Alexander."He said he'd help us return home and make sure we're never dragged into the Nixons' business again," Damon said.Nyla nodded. "Do you think he's telling
After speaking, Damon took Nyla and left.Once they got into the car, Nyla turned to him. "Where are we going now?""We'll head back to my villa first. Emerald should be too preoccupied to bother you for now. After that, we'll take things one step at a time," Damon answered.Nyla leaned against his shoulder and murmured, "Mm. I never want to be apart from you again.""Me neither," Damon replied.…More than an hour later, the car pulled up in front of Damon's villa.As soon as they got out, they saw Alexander standing by the entrance, as if he had been waiting for a long time.Damon's expression turned icy. "Mr. Kinsey, what are you doing here?"At the same time, he instinctively positioned Nyla behind him.Alexander noted Damon's protective stance, and his gaze darkened slightly. "Relax. I'm not here to take Nyla away. I'm here to help you."Damon let out a cold laugh. "We don't need your help."If it hadn't been for Alexander, Nyla wouldn't have been taken to Meristate in
"You did a lot too. You negotiated directly with Darcy and risked offending him just to save me." Nyla's gaze into Ross' eyes was full of gratitude.Ross smiled. "It was my honor to help you and Damon."After a brief hesitation, Nyla couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer. "How do you know Damon?"Before coming to Meristate, she had no idea that Damon was acquainted with someone as powerful as Ross.The night Emerald had thrown her out of the estate, she hadn't walked far when a car suddenly pulled up in front of her. Two men in black had gotten out, taken her without explanation, and brought her to Ross' estate.At first, she had assumed she was being kidnapped. It wasn't until Ross mentioned that he knew Damon—and even called him right in front of her—that she realized he had no ill intentions.Later, Ross had been a great help to both her and Damon.Nyla couldn't help but wonder what kind of relationship the two men had for Ross to go so far for them.Ross chuckled. "Da