Seeing Clark's pleading look, Nyla wondered how he had the nerve to seek her out. And to ask her to help for the sake of the love they once shared?If she could go back in time, she would have thrown the flowers right back at him and told him to get lost when he confessed his feelings."I can't help you. You caused this, and you should face the consequences," she said.She brushed past him and headed for the elevator.Nyla had barely taken two steps when he grabbed her hand.Clark's eyes were bloodshot, and his once-handsome face was contorted with rage, making him look somewhat terrifying."Nyla, are you really this heartless? When we divorced, you took over 700,000 dollars from me, and now you won't even ask Damon for help? I'll ask you one more time: Are you going to help me or not?!" Clark's eyes were wide with resentment, and his breathing was ragged.Nyla's heart sank.Clark was clearly agitated. Who knew what he might do if she refused?"Fine… I'll talk to him for you.
Although Clark was holding Nyla, her displeasure was evident.Clearly, she was unhappy with the situation. Additionally, his hand was concealed inside her coat, which seemed highly suspicious."What are you doing here?" Damon demanded.His cold gaze settled on Clark as he tapped lightly on the desk, emanating an oppressive aura.Clark leaned closer to Nyla and whispered, "Speak."His hand, hidden behind Nyla, shifted slightly, causing her to go rigid.At that moment, Damon finally realized what felt so off.His eyes turned icy as he fixed his sharp gaze on Clark. It was as if it could cut through him at any moment."Clark, it seems you really want to join your father!" Damon threatened.Intimidated by Damon's aura, Clark's hand on Nyla's waist trembled.He took a deep breath and forced himself to meet Damon's eyes. "Uncle Damon, if I hadn't done this, you wouldn't have agreed to see me, right?""I'm giving you three seconds to let her go. Otherwise, I'll ensure you understan
Clark shook his head. "How could that be? I just hope you understand that someone with nothing can be fearless."He turned and left after speaking.Back in the car, Clark shook his sleeve, and a knife fell out, its blade glinting coldly.He picked it up and sneered. If Damon hadn't agreed earlier, this knife would have been pressed against Nyla's neck.He wouldn't have done that unless absolutely necessary, though. After all, Nyla was once his wife.…Only Nyla and Damon remained in the office.The room fell into silence, with neither of them speaking.Nyla took a deep breath and looked at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, I'm really sorry about this morning. I didn't expect him to show up and use me to threaten you."Damon frowned. "You don't need to apologize for what Clark did."Her pale face clearly indicated Clark's actions had shaken her.."I also caused you trouble, and I appreciate you saving me. If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work now," Nyla added.As she turned to le
"Maybe," Nyla answered.Damon released her and stepped back, his expression returning to its usual coldness."Alright. I won't bother you again until I've sorted things out with Rebecca," he promised.After Nyla left, Damon dialed an international number. "How's the investigation progressing?""Mr. Sumner, we're still looking into it. However, Ms. Austen's previous hospital was a private facility with strict privacy protections, so I haven't been able to access her medical records yet," the other party reported."I want results within three days!" Damon barked.After ending the call, Damon set his phone down, his eyes icy with frustration. Rebecca had better not be lying to him!Spencer knocked and entered the office with several documents. "Mr. Sumner, these are the files for this afternoon's meeting.""Mm." Damon glanced up and said in a low voice, "Send someone to keep an eye on Clark. Make sure he doesn't get a chance to approach Nyla again."Spencer hesitated for a moment
When Nyla arrived at the lab, it was close to the start of her shift.She had just changed into her white lab coat and walked in when she saw Melody with her head down, furiously typing on her phone, her face flushed.Hearing footsteps, Melody suddenly looked up. Upon seeing Nyla, she quickly hid her phone behind her, looking somewhat guilty."Nyla..." she said."Mm, let's get ready for the experiment," Nyla replied.Noticing Nyla's nonchalance, Melody couldn't help but think about the harsh comments she had seen in the group chat about Nyla, which made her blood pressure rise.They hadn't interacted with Nyla personally, so why were they speaking about her like that? Moreover, Melody was certain Nyla wouldn't get involved with someone like Clark again.However, the leaked photo did seem to show Clark hugging Nyla, and they did appear quite intimate.Melody wanted to ask Nyla about it but feared Nyla might think she didn't believe her, like those others.Her preoccupation with
The two of them didn't discuss the matter further, and Melody quickly refocused on her experiments.…On his way back to the company, Clark received a call from Jordyn."Clark, did you go see Nyla?" Jordyn's tone was accusatory and filled with anger.Clark frowned and replied coldly, "Jordyn, have you forgotten your place? You have no right to question me.""No right? Don't forget we're married now, and I'm carrying your child! You were out in public hugging Nyla—how can you treat me like this?" Jordyn cried.Clark let out a cold laugh. "You really think that just because we registered our marriage, you get to control my life? I can get a divorce just as easily as I got married. If you don't know your place, feel free to leave!"He ended the call without giving Jordyn a chance to respond, threw his phone onto the passenger seat, and drove the car with a scowl.He was already regretting marrying Jordyn on impulse and the trouble it had caused.As Clark was contemplating when to
Jordyn's eyes widened in shock."Who are you?! What nonsense are you talking about?" she cried out.A light laugh came through on the other end of the line. "Whether it's nonsense or not, you know in your heart. If I don't see you in an hour, be prepared to face the consequences."The call ended with a click, snapping Jordyn out of her daze. Her mind raced as she paced anxiously in the living room.She had already dealt with Holden Vance, so there shouldn't be anyone else who knew about this. How could the caller possibly know?If Clark discovered that the child wasn't his, he would certainly not let her off easily.The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.There was no time to dwell on it. Palate Royale was at least a half-hour drive away. Regardless of whether the caller had real evidence, she had no choice but to go there.Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Jordyn grabbed her car keys and headed out.…Forty minutes later, Jordyn pulled up to the ent
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Jordyn demanded.Rebecca smiled with satisfaction. "Ms. Cheatham, don't be upset. I'm here to help you.""Help me?" Jordyn looked at Rebecca as if she had just heard a bad joke, her gaze tinged with sarcasm. "What exactly can you do to help me?""Help you become Mrs. Jordyn Sumner, of course," Rebecca replied."We're already married. Do you want to see the marriage certificate?" Jordyn shot back.Rebecca regarded her indifferently, her tone light and airy. "Aside from that piece of paper, what else do you have? As far as I know, none of the Sumners, including Clark, seem to take you seriously."Jordyn clenched her hands tightly, her expression falling."Ms. Austen, perhaps you should focus on your issues. I've heard your family background isn't exactly impressive. Whether you can secure that piece of paper is another matter entirely!" Rebecca hissed.Rebecca's calm demeanor faltered slightly, her gaze growing colder. "It seems you're not int
Brandon noticed Nyla's cold attitude and sat down in silence. Neither of them spoke until Damon returned with the fruit."Why so quiet?" he asked.Nyla took the bowl of strawberries from his hands. "Nothing to talk about."Damon looked slightly surprised. Nyla rarely made her feelings about someone so obvious.He turned to Brandon and asked, "Did you do something to upset my wife?"Brandon was speechless.He was innocent! He hadn't even seen Nyla recently—how could he have offended her?Then it hit him. Valarie must have told her everything during her visit earlier. That had to be why Nyla was siding with her friend and giving him the cold shoulder.Realizing this, he grew anxious. "Aunt Nyla, I swear, there was nothing going on between me and that friend. Valarie misunderstood.""Oh," Nyla said flatly. "Then go explain it to her. She's the one dating you, after all."Thinking about Valarie's dinner plans that evening, Nyla suddenly chuckled. If Brandon knew about the younger
"I really don't know. I can barely remember how we even started liking each other. By the time I realized it, we already had feelings," Nyla explained.Seeing how serious Nyla looked, Valarie let out a sigh. "Fine. I guess I'll have to figure it out on my own."The two continued chatting for a while. Just as Valarie was about to leave, Damon walked in.She stood up to greet him but frowned slightly when she saw Brandon following behind him. Without a word, she completely ignored him.Brandon's face darkened for a moment, and he was about to say something when Valarie turned to Nyla and said, "Nyla, I'm heading out.""Okay, I'll walk you out," Nyla offered."No need. I've been here so many times—I know the way," Valarie dismissed.Watching Valarie disappear out the door, Brandon hesitated for a moment before turning to Damon. "Uncle Damon, I need to talk to Valarie. Give me ten minutes."Without waiting for a response, he rushed out after her.When he reached the entrance, he s
Nyla knelt in front of Mason and gently said, "Of course.""Thank you, Mommy!" Mason chirped.For the next week, Mason slept with Nyla and Damon every night. Only after he was completely sure they weren't going anywhere did he finally move back to his own room.…As soon as Valarie found out that Nyla and Damon were back, she drove straight to their house.The moment she saw Nyla, her eyes turned red, and she rushed over to hug her tightly. "I thought you were never coming back! You didn't even tell me—you just disappeared! Do you even consider me a friend?!"Nyla gently patted her back. "I didn't want you to worry.""And that's why you just left without a word?! You're a terrible person!" Valarie whined."Okay, okay, I admit it. I'm awful. I'm sorry, alright? Please don't be mad," Nyla coaxed.Valarie scolded her a little more before finally sitting down on the couch. "So now that you're back, you're not going back to Meristate, right?"Nyla shook her head. "Nope. I have not
"Alright, I'll let it slide this time. But from now on, we need to spend more time with Buddy. We can't let this leave a lasting emotional scar on him," Nyla said."Got it! Mission accepted!" Damon quickly replied.Nyla couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, I still need to take my dad home later. You should get back to work.""Why don't you let Dad stay here tonight?" Damon asked.Nyla sighed. "I tried, but he refused. He said he's used to living there and prefers to go back."Damon nodded. "Alright, but you're pregnant now. I'll take him home later.""Then let's go together. You drive," Nyla said."Okay," Damon agreed.Nyla left Damon's study and walked to the living room, where Harrison was sitting on the couch, playing with Mason.She sat down beside them. "Dad, Damon and I will take you home later.""No need. Just call me a car. I've already arranged for the housekeeper to meet me downstairs," Harrison refused."How can I be at ease with that? We'd rather take you ourselv
Nyla nodded. "I only just found out a few days ago."Alexander grinned. "That's amazing—double the good news!"He turned to Damon. "You'd better take good care of her when you're back. Otherwise, you'll have me to answer to."He was definitely going to visit them when the baby was born."I will. I promise," Damon replied.…The next morning, they boarded the plane home.After a long flight, they finally landed safely in Saintornia.As soon as they got off the plane, the first thing Nyla wanted to do was see Mason.When they arrived at the villa, simply standing at the front door made her eyes well up with tears.Damon steadied her and spoke gently. "Nyla, you're pregnant now. You shouldn't get too emotional."She wiped her tears. "I know... I just missed Buddy so much.""Let's go inside first," Damon said.The moment they stepped into the living room, they saw Mason sitting on the couch, watching TV with a blank expression.Nyla stared at him, afraid it was all just a dre
Damon chuckled, his voice low. "If Nyla takes the money, she'll keep thinking about Ms. Kinsey from time to time. Not taking it means she's truly ready to forget her."Seeing he couldn't convince either of them, Alexander sighed. "Alright, I'll hold onto the money for now. If you ever need it, just let me know."Damon nodded. "Okay."Later that night, Alexander thought it over and decided to deposit the money in a bank under Mason's name, setting it up as a fixed-term deposit for 13 years. It would be given to Mason when he turned 18.…Damon walked to Nyla's bedroom door and knocked softly."Come in," Nyla called.As he pushed the door open, he saw her sitting on the balcony, staring at the distant city lights, lost in thought.When she noticed him, she smiled. "You're here."Damon nodded and sat beside her. "Nyla, are you feeling down?""No, I just feel a little drained after everything that's happened. I really want to go back home," she replied.He gently took her hand.
Even Brian and Delia, whom Emerald had spoiled, were expendable in her eyes—if they ever posed a threat to her position, she wouldn't hesitate to give them up.To her, family had always come second to the Nixons.…At exactly 3:00 p.m., Emerald's car pulled up outside Alexander's villa.She stepped out and walked into the living room, where Alexander and Nyla were already waiting.Without a word, she sat down, picked up the documents on the table, and flipped through them.After confirming there were no issues, she signed the last page, then pulled a bank card from her bag and placed it on the table.She slid it toward Nyla. "The password is six zeroes."Alexander picked up the card and handed it to his assistant. "Go check it."Emerald's expression stiffened. "Alexander, what the hell does that mean?!"Was he trying to humiliate her by having his assistant verify the card right in front of her?"Aunt Emerald, it's for both our peace of mind. This way, there won't be any iss
Alexander was silent for a moment before meeting Emerald's gaze. "Fine, I'll help you secure your position as head of the Nixons, but I won't help you eliminate your opponents."As long as there were threats to her power, she wouldn't have time to target Nyla and Damon. Keeping a balance of power was the best way to keep Nyla safe.Emerald's expression darkened. "You don't trust me?"Alexander nodded. "Aunt Emerald, I'd like to, but you need to give me a reason to. Back in Saintornia, you promised Nyla you'd support Prospectus Technology, but the moment she arrived in Meristate, you tried to bankrupt it."Now, you're making promises without proof. How can I trust you?""Alexander, don't forget—I'm your aunt. We're family!" Emerald hissed."To me, Nyla is my cousin, so she's my family too. Think about my offer, Aunt Emerald," Alexander said calmly.He remained unbothered by the situation. He knew Emerald was already backed into a corner—without his help, she had no chance of hold
"Sure," Nyla replied.After Alexander left, she turned to Damon. "We really will make it back together, right?"Seeing the worry in her eyes, Damon pulled her into his arms. "Yes. I promise. Trust me."She didn't say anything more, simply resting against his chest. Deep down, however, unease still lingered.…Three more days passed, and George still hadn't found Nyla.Meanwhile, unrest within the Nixons was worsening. More and more people began openly opposing Emerald, demanding a new leader.Emerald was exhausted and overwhelmed. The stress took a toll on her body—she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital again.When she woke up, the doctor warned her that she couldn't keep pushing herself like this, or her health would suffer serious consequences."I understand," Emerald said flatly. "I'd like to be alone now."Sighing, the doctor left the room.Emerald stared out the window, her gaze distant.For years, she had fought relentlessly to become the head of the Nixons.