"Ms. Jayston, I discovered that Steven has had contact with someone from the Preston Group. However, it appears you have no personal grievances with them, so there would be no reason for them to target you," Pete said.Nyla tightened her grip on the phone. "Actually, there is some personal animosity. I understand the situation now, Mr. Monaghan, so there's no need for further investigation."If you have the time, could you check whether Robert Palfrey from Contelligence has had any contact with employees from Prospectus Technology?""Certainly. I'll look into it right away," Pete replied.After ending the call, Nyla transferred some money to Pete. Once he confirmed receipt, Nyla closed the chat. She placed her phone in her bag, paused for a moment, and then called Damon.The call connected quickly.Damon's voice carried a hint of tension. "Nyla... what's wrong?"Nyla pressed her lips together, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes before she composed herself. "Mr. Sumner, I'm not
Nathaniel called his secretary into the office and said coldly, "Contact Steven and have him prepare to attack Nyla."The secretary, Troy Cantrill, noticed the cracked screen of his phone on the floor and replied, "Understood, Mr. Preston. I'll handle it right away."He picked up the phone, left the office, and immediately ordered a new one to be delivered.…When Steven received the call, he was at a prenatal check-up with his girlfriend.Learning that he needed to attack Nyla, he hesitated. After all, Nathaniel had only instructed him to scare Nyla, not to harm her.Noticing Steven's hesitation, Troy said coldly, "Mr. Abney, do you think that money was easy to come by?"When Nathaniel first approached Steven, he was struggling to meet a request for 80,000 dollars from his girlfriend's parents. They had threatened to force her to have an abortion if he couldn't come up with the money.Nathaniel had found and given him 150,000 dollars to track and harass Nyla. Nathaniel had als
Camila asked him several times, but Steven just said he was too tired from work.After dropping Camila off at home, Steven watched her walk away and made up his mind. He was determined to protect her and the baby, even if it meant committing a crime.He called Troy, gritting his teeth. "I'll do what you asked, but I need to wait until my girlfriend gives birth.""No way. That's too late," Troy replied.Steven sneered. "Mr. Cantrill, I can always tell Nyla what you're planning. You're just looking for a scapegoat. Am I not even allowed to decide on the timing?""If you tell Nyla, there's no telling if your child will even have a chance to be born," Troy warned."Mr. Cantrill, if anything happens to my family, I'll post our phone conversation online. You wouldn't want this to blow up, would you? I just need two months," Steven negotiated.Troy was silent for a moment before saying coldly, "I'll consult with Mr. Preston and get back to you."…Upon hearing this, Nathaniel sneered
Hector sneered. "You certainly have the means to cover her compensation, Mr. Sumner."Damon looked at him and said slowly, "I'd cover her compensation—if she's actually responsible for this.""Who else could it be? The email was sent from her computer. That's a fact, isn't it?" Hector asked.If he weren't afraid of future retaliation from Damon, he'd almost accuse him of deliberately shielding Nyla."It was indeed sent from her computer, but there's no evidence of her communication with Contelligence," Damon replied."That email is evidence enough. What more do you need? Mr. Sumner, are you hesitating to pay?" Hector pressed.If the board were to be the fall guy, he would be the first to refuse!"Mr. Warner, today's meeting is to determine the exact compensation amount, not to discuss whether I'm willing to pay," Damon stated.Hector snorted and fell silent.After an hour of discussion, the agreed-upon compensation amount was 200,000,000 dollars.As the meeting ended, Hector
Rebecca felt a slight relief seeing the panic on Nathaniel's face. Turning her head away, she said coldly, "I already told you that what happened that night should be considered as if it never occurred. If you're having second thoughts, we can still be friends.""No!" Nathaniel took her hand and said gently, "I don't want to be just friends. I want to be your boyfriend."As she looked into his deep, affectionate eyes, Rebecca felt no emotional stir but decided to play along with a shy demeanor. "Okay."Moved by her act, Nathaniel instinctively cupped her chin and leaned in to kiss her.Rebecca, startled, quickly pushed him away. "No… There are too many people in the restaurant. Someone might see us."Noticing her pale face, Nathaniel frowned. "Do I look that unpresentable?""It's not that… It's just that my breakup with Damon hasn't been made public yet. If someone who knows us sees us, it might reflect poorly on you," Rebecca explained."I don't care," Nathaniel insisted."Eve
Gabriel smirked. "Don't worry. If you do as I say, your mother will be safe."Melody glared at him, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred. "Gabriel, you're so untrustworthy! I was blind to have ever fallen for someone like you!"As she thought about how he had coerced her into borrowing 30,000 dollars from Nyla and wondered what other schemes he might have, Melody felt a wave of despair.Was there truly no way to expose his true nature?Gabriel looked down at her, showing no sympathy for the tear stains on her face. Instead, he found her tears annoying.He pinched her chin and said coldly, "Tomorrow morning, go to Prospectus Technology and report her. The 30,000 dollars she transferred to you tonight is your hush money."Melody's eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head. "No! I won't help you frame Nyla!"She finally understood the real purpose behind Gabriel's demand for the 30,000 dollars from Nyla. Trembling, she realized how dangerous this man was—he truly intended to
Seeing Nyla so agitated, Spencer spoke up. "Nyla, do you have anything else to say?"Nyla didn't respond to him. Instead, she looked directly at Melody and asked, "You're sure the 30,000 dollars I gave you was hush money, right?"For a brief moment, Melody's expression faltered, but she quickly nodded. "I'm sure.""Okay." Nyla calmly pulled out her phone. "I recorded our call last night."As soon as she said that, Melody's face turned pale.Gabriel, sitting nearby, tensed up, his expression darkening. His eyes narrowed, and his hands clenched on the table instinctively.He hadn't expected this—Nyla had been cautious enough to record the conversation even in that situation.Nyla placed her phone on the table and played the recording. The voices from the call echoed through the dead-silent conference room. The more it played, the paler Melody became.When the recording ended, Nyla put away her phone and looked coldly at Melody. "If you don't want to admit it, I can show the times
Melody stood frozen for a moment, stunned by Nyla's questions.After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Does it really matter? As long as you know I did it, isn't that enough?""Of course it matters. When the police come, they'll ask for these details too. If your answers don't match Contelligence's, it will be clear someone else is behind this," Nyla replied.If Contelligence had been interested in Prospectus Technology's research data from the start, they wouldn't have made it public. They'd know it would lead to a lawsuit. The fact that they released it meant they never intended to keep it. Their goal was simply to target Prospectus Technology.More importantly, Nyla had checked the security footage after growing suspicious of Melody. Melody had been delivering meals to her from the cafeteria every day, and the surveillance had never cut out. There had been no opportunity for her to drug Nyla's food or drink.Melody bit her lip and took a deep breath. "Then I'll answer those q
"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
Damon's tone turned icy as he heard the confidence in Brandon's voice. "You'd better be fully prepared for this.""Uncle Damon, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing," Brandon reassured him.The company wasn't his biggest concern right now. There was something far more important.During this month off, he was determined to win Valarie back.As long as he stayed by her side, she wouldn't have time to spend with Stefan.Once they were back together, after a month, he'd return to work.It was the perfect plan."If that's the case, I have nothing more to say," Damon replied, clearly displeased, before hanging up.Brandon set down his phone and immediately drove to the Weir Group.After parking outside, he called Valarie. "Valarie, are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together.""I'm really busy today. I'll probably be working late," Valarie answered."That's fine. I can wait. We could grab a late-night snack instead," Brandon suggested.There was a brief silence on the
Brandon smiled. "I haven't set an exact timeline yet, but at a minimum, I'll be gone for a month.""A month? That's way too long! No, absolutely not. You can take a week at most.""Exactly. If you disappear for an entire month, the company may fall into chaos. We have several major deals lined up right now. Your absence would definitely cause problems."The shareholders protested.Finally, Wyatt spoke up, his voice firm. "Everyone, please calm down. Mr. Sumner has been working non-stop these past few years without a break. It's only reasonable that he take some time off now."As soon as he finished, another shareholder, Chester Baldwin, sneered. "Of course you'd want Mr. Sumner to take a break, Mr. Dodgson. After all, you've secretly been buying up shares from other shareholders over the past two years."You probably hold at least 10% of the company's stock by now, don't you? If Mr. Sumner steps down, you'll have a clear path to becoming the next CEO of the Sumner Group."There
The shareholders continued to talk over each other, giving Brandon no chance to speak.Only when they fell silent did he ask, "Are you finished?""Mr. Sumner, what kind of attitude is this? Your personal affairs caused this whole mess, yet you're acting as if it has nothing to do with you!" one shareholder demanded.Facing their angry glares, Brandon set the document in his hand aside."You've all said quite a bit, but the main point is that you want me to resign, right?" he said. "I can step down, but tell me, who do you plan to put in my place?"The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances.After a long pause, the lead shareholder spoke. "There are several capable shareholders in the company. We can select one of them to temporarily take over as CEO of the Sumner Group until you resolve your personal matters. Once that's done, you can return to your position."Brandon chuckled. "Mr. Dodgson, since you're speaking so confidently, I assume you've already decided on a replacement. D
For the next few years, Emerald would likely be too consumed with internal struggles to trouble Damon and Nyla.Nyla lowered her gaze. "Either way, what happens in Meristate no longer concerns us. I just want our family to stay together.""Mm," Damon murmured in agreement.…Over the next few days, Brandon focused solely on suppressing the online accusations of ingratitude. He worked late into the night, desperately trying to contain the fallout.Jayden stormed into Brandon's office, noticing that Brandon seemed more concerned with the company's reputation than visiting Michelle."Brandon, have you lost your mind over Valarie? You need to see Michelle today, no matter what!" Jayden demanded.Brandon's expression remained cold. "I already told you, I'm not going. I'm busy. Please leave."Jayden's face darkened as he grabbed the file from Brandon's hands. "Are you really willing to throw away our friendship over a woman?""She's not just any woman—she's my girlfriend. The woman
"It's not too early. It's just the right time," Valarie replied."Alright then," Nyla conceded and sat down beside her. "Well, on behalf of the baby, I'll say thank you in advance."Valarie reached out and gently touched Nyla's still-flat stomach. Her voice softened. "Baby, when you're born, your godmother will have an even bigger gift waiting for you.""What kind of gift?" Nyla asked.Valarie shot her a playful glance. "You'll find out when the time comes."As they chatted, Damon returned home. He was a little surprised to see Valarie but still greeted her, "Ms. Weir.""Good afternoon, Mr. Sumner," Valarie returned the greeting.Nyla turned to Damon. "Why are you back so early?""I came to grab a file. Figured I'd check in on you while I was here," Damon answered.Valarie rolled her eyes. "Hey, hey, can you not be so publicly affectionate? Some of us are still single, you know!"Nyla laughed. "Aren't you getting along pretty well with that younger guy?"At the mention of
Brandon's phone rang again.Seeing it was Damon, he took a deep breath before answering. "Uncle Damon.""What's going on with this trending news?" Damon asked.After a brief pause, Brandon replied, "I'll handle it. Don't worry about it.""I'm asking what happened. You and Jayden are friends. Why are you letting something this small turn into a scandal?" Damon questioned."It was my mistake. I promise I'll take care of it today," Brandon assured him."Good." Damon didn't say more before hanging up.Brandon set his phone down and immediately called the PR manager. "Get that trending topic taken down. No matter the cost."The PR manager hesitated. "Mr. Sumner, we've been trying to remove it. But each time we negotiate, the Gilmour Group raises their bid to keep it up. That's why it's still trending."Brandon frowned, silent for a long moment.The manager continued cautiously. "I remember you and Mr. Gilmour are close. Maybe you could speak to him directly and see what it would t