This time, Nyla didn't hang up but chose to answer the call. "Hello."The voice on the other end trembled with agitation. "Ms. Jayston, you finally answered! My name is Ryan Davey. My father, Vincent Davey, was one of the workers who died in the Harris Pharmaceuticals accident six years ago."I saw the news about you sending Cyrus to prison. I want to meet with you. I have some evidence. Are you free now?"Nyla remembered the name Vincent Davey, but..."Are you really a victim's family member?" she asked."If you don't believe me, we can arrange to meet somewhere. Don't worry. I mean no harm. I just want to give you the evidence and hope you can help me seek justice for my father and the other victims," Ryan said.Nyla was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I'll give you an email address where you can send the evidence.""That won't work. I need to meet you in person to feel comfortable handing over the evidence." The caller's voice was filled with wariness, indicating a l
Damon's black Maybach pulled up next to Nyla's car, drawing their attention.Nyla frowned slightly, while Ryan looked at the car with a puzzled expression.A moment later, Damon stepped out and walked toward them.Ryan was startled. He had met Damon once before, back when he worked for Cyrus. Although he doubted Damon would remember him, he feared that all his previous efforts might be in vain and that his plans for his daughter's treatment abroad could unravel if Damon recognized him in front of Nyla.With this in mind, he quickly turned to Nyla and said in a low voice, "Ms. Jayston, let's stay in touch."Without waiting for her response, he swiftly turned and left.As Ryan hurried away, Damon frowned but chose not to follow. Instead, he stopped beside Nyla's car and asked, "Who was that man standing by your car?"He was certain he had seen that man somewhere before.Nyla replied coolly, "Just someone asking for directions."Damon didn't believe her. Who would come into an un
Damon's heart ached as he thought about Nyla's indifference toward him today.Guilt gnawed at him, accompanied by a nagging sense that he might lose Nyla for good if he didn't set clear boundaries with Rebecca soon.Pushing his turbulent thoughts aside, he picked up the internal line and instructed, "Find out who the man talking to Nyla in the parking lot this morning was."After reviewing the surveillance footage, Spencer quickly brought Ryan's information to Damon's office."Mr. Sumner, Ryan has had no prior interactions with Ms. Jayston, but his father was a victim in the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident," he reportedDamon skimmed through Ryan's details, his brows knitting together as he paused on Ryan's photo.Ryan had a distinctive appearance, marked by a mole at the left corner of his mouth—an easily recognizable feature for anyone who had seen him before.Damon was certain he had encountered him somewhere before, though he couldn't recall where.Setting the file aside, h
Clark's gaze was so intense it felt like it could burn a hole through Jordyn.Jordyn's hand trembled uncontrollably as she held the soup, nearly causing the bowl to fall to the floor. She was certain that if Clark weren't so badly injured, he would have gotten out of bed to strangle her and demand answers."C-Clark, I was just so scared… You used to love Nyla so much… I was afraid you might rekindle that old flame…" she stammered.Clark sneered. "So, you decided to spill everything online without my permission? You went ahead and made our marriage public?"His gaze, once tender, turned icy.A wave of unfairness swelled inside Jordyn. If he hadn't been photographed hugging Nyla, she might not have been threatened by Rebecca or insulted as a mistress online.The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.She looked at him with tearful eyes and said, "If you weren't still involved with Nyla and had answered my calls, none of this would have happened! Besides, is there so
Damon's expression darkened as he immediately stood up, instructing coldly, "Keep watching them and have the driver bring the car downstairs."He had an ominous feeling, and his instincts were usually spot-on.…At the restaurant, Nyla was direct. "Mr. Davey, you said you'd only hand over the evidence if we met in person. Can you give it to me now?"Ryan nodded. "Of course."He pulled a file from his bag and handed it to Nyla, his expression solemn. "Ms. Jayston, I hope you can use this evidence wisely and secure justice for my father."If Nyla hadn't suspected that Ryan had ulterior motives, she might have been deceived. He was playing the role of a helpless man seeking justice for his father perfectly—his eyes red and full of frustration."Alright. If the evidence is useful, I will give it to my lawyer as soon as possible," Nyla replied.As she flipped through the file, her face turned pale, and her hands trembled."Are you sure this evidence is real?" she asked."I swear o
Damon clenched his jaw, and anger flared in his eyes. "You were the one who started this. When it ends is up to me."Nyla looked at him coldly. "Damon, don't you think you're being unreasonable? If you really cared about me, you wouldn't have reconciled with Rebecca. Now you're coming back to bother me. Do you want me to be your mistress?"Damon's gaze was icy. "I said I'd need three months.""I've also said that I'm not willing. If you truly feel even a shred of guilt, then stop bothering me," Nyla retorted.She grabbed her bag and turned to leave.Only after she got into the car did her emotions settle.…Back at the restaurant, Damon sat stiffly, his presence radiating coldness.Suddenly, his phone rang.As soon as he answered, a panicked voice came through. "Mr. Damon, you need to come back to the Sumner residence immediately!"…By the time Damon arrived at the residence, over an hour had passed.Walking into the living room, he saw Clark sprawled on the floor—his hair
If Richard really let Clark return to the Sumner Group, who knew? It might just go bankrupt one day."You can go now. There's no need for you to come here anymore. Your affairs are no longer my concern, and I won't deal with you again," Richard said.Clark's eyes flashed with panic as he realized that Richard was truly disappointed in him. He quickly crawled forward and grabbed Richard's leg."Grandpa, I know I was wrong! Please forgive me this once. I promise I'll listen to everything you say from now on," he pleaded.Richard looked down at him, his gaze void of emotion. "I've given you too many chances, and you've never appreciated them. From now on, you're on your own. Whatever you do, you'll have to face the consequences yourself."With that, he turned and left.Clark tried to chase after him, but the service staff stopped him. "Please leave, Mr. Clark.""Get out of my way!" Clark's voice was commanding, but the service staff didn't budge.As Damon stood to leave, he passed
Jordyn hadn't expected Clark to hit her. Too stunned to react, she stumbled back several steps. If she hadn't grabbed onto the cabinet by the entrance, she would have fallen.Her face turned pale as she clutched her stomach, tears welling up in her eyes. "Clark... I'm pregnant... How could you hit me?"Clark sneered. "Why couldn't I? I warned you to take care of yourself and rest, but you stabbed me in the back the first chance you got. You're just a liability. We're getting the divorce papers tomorrow!"Shock flashed across Jordyn's face as she stared at Clark, taking a few moments to process his words."No! I don't agree to a divorce! I won't divorce you!" Jordyn cried.She had worked so hard to marry Clark, and she would rather die than leave him."You don't get a say in this! After the divorce, you can keep the baby or get rid of it. I don't care!" Clark shouted.Realizing he wasn't bluffing, Jordyn panicked. She grabbed his arm, sobbing. "Clark, you can't do this to me! If
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.