As soon as Mabel heard that, her face paled further. Her mother had been in a car accident half a month ago, and the surgeries and hospitalization had already cost 7,000-8,000 dollars. Her savings were nearly depleted. If her father couldn't find a job soon, they wouldn't be able to afford the medical expenses next month.Lucia's father was an executive at a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology, so pleasing Lucia could easily secure her father a job. This was why Mabel was willing to be Lucia's lackey.Her hesitant gaze hardened as she looked at Lucia and said, "Okay, I'll do as you say."Lucia showed no surprise at this. She raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Good. As long as you handle this well, I'll have my dad arrange a job for your father tomorrow."After Mabel left, Lucia glanced toward the lab with a smirk.…Meanwhile, Nyla ground the drugs and sequentially added them into a beaker along with the solvent, using a glass rod to initiate dissolution. Once the reaction was near
"Mr. Sumner!"Genevieve stared in panic at Damon's back. If anything happened to him in the lab, her position as the head of the R&D department would be in jeopardy.Nyla quickly backed away, raising her hand to shield her face. Some of the liquid sprayed directly onto her hands, causing quick burns that left black scars, the pain almost making her cry out.Suddenly, a suit jacket covered her head, and her wrist was firmly grasped. Through the gap in the clothing, she saw the distinct knuckles of the hand holding hers, dry and warm against her skin.In a daze, before Nyla could react, the person had already pulled her to the nearby sink, turning on the faucet and rinsing the areas of her hands burned by the concentrated sulfuric acid.It wasn't until the water flowed over the back of her hands that she snapped back to reality, quickly pulling the suit jacket off her head and withdrawing her hands from Damon's grasp."Mr. Sumner... I can handle this myself..." She lowered her gaze
Genevieve paused, looking at Damon in disbelief. From her limited interactions with him, she knew he wasn't the type to go out of his way to help others. He certainly wouldn't personally escort an employee from a company he had invested into the hospital.Lucia knew Damon was Clark's uncle, but hearing him offer to take Nyla to the hospital sparked a wave of jealousy. She had seen Damon on TV, when he founded Prospectus Technology, and admired him greatly. Meeting him in person, she found him even more handsome than on screen and was instantly smitten.Moreover, while Damon and Clark were uncle and nephew, their positions in the business world differed vastly. If Lucia could be with Damon, she could easily overshadow Nyla in the future.Thinking this, she quickly said, "Nyla, I'll accompany you. It's inconvenient for you to go alone and handle registration and such."Nyla glanced at Lucia. Initially surprised by Lucia's sudden kindness, she understood when she noticed Lucia's linge
"Who said I'm not pursuing it?""How do you plan to pursue it?" Nyla looked at Damon, somewhat unsure. If he wanted money, she had just sold that house in Karlinan, so she should be able to afford it. She just hoped he wouldn't ask for too much.Her demeanor, in Damon's eyes, resembled that of a startled rabbit, evoking a sense of pity. He involuntarily frowned. "Do you always stare at men like that?"Nyla lowered her gaze. Weren't they talking about his injury? What did her gaze have to do with anything?Before she could come up with a response, Damon continued. "You said someone switched your reagents today? If someone really targeted you, I'll hold the mastermind responsible when Genevieve finds out the truth."As soon as he finished speaking, the elevator reached the first floor."Let's go. We need to treat the injuries first."With that, Damon walked out.Since he was going to the hospital for treatment as well, Nyla didn't dwell on it. Besides, it wasn't convenient to hai
Clark stared expressionlessly at Damon, a hint of mockery flickering in his eyes. "What do I mean? I think you understand very well, Uncle Damon. Besides the one overseas, you've never shown any interest in women before. Now you're making exceptions multiple times for Nyla. Don't tell me it's out of respect for me.""As her husband, you're never around when she's wronged. Instead of reflecting on yourself, you're lecturing me." Damon's expression darkened, and he exuded an oppressive aura that sent shivers down one's spine.Clark's confidence visibly wavered. "Next time something like this happens, please inform me in advance, Uncle Damon. I don't want any other men near my wife. I hope you understand."Damon sneered lightly. "I'm not that free. If you need others to inform you about her situation, maybe your marriage doesn't need to continue."With that, he walked away. He didn't even glance at Clark's displeased face.Only after Damon disappeared at the end of the hallway did Cl
"I'll take you back. With your hand injured, it's inconvenient for you to cook. You should move back to the villa for now. Once your injury heals, you can go back to your rental place."There was a flash of dissatisfaction in Nyla's eyes as she looked at Clark in displeasure. "I'm just injured, not paralyzed. I can take care of myself."They locked eyes for a moment, and Clark eventually relented. "Fine. Then I'll have the maid prepare meals and deliver them to you every day."Seeing Nyla still wanting to refuse, he added in a low voice, "Choose between coming back to the villa with me or having the maid send you meals."Having been with Clark for eight years, Nyla knew his personality well. He was never easy to persuade. If she refused again, he might actually go as far as forcing her back to the villa and keeping her there. "I'll choose the second option."The tension in Clark's lips finally relaxed at her words, and his gaze softened as he looked at her. "I'll send you back."
In just over an hour, Mabel appeared several times on the surveillance footage. By the third time, she seemed visibly flustered. If the labels of dilute sulfuric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid had indeed been swapped, Mabel was undoubtedly the prime suspect.Genevieve stopped the surveillance footage and instructed her assistant to notify Mabel to come to her office.Upon hearing that Genevieve wanted to see her, Mabel immediately became nervous, glancing involuntarily at Lucia, who was sitting diagonally across from her.However, Lucia didn't even look her way, appearing calm and nonchalant as if nothing was amiss. Left with no choice, Mabel reluctantly followed Genevieve's assistant to the office.Just as she arrived at the door, her phone vibrated—it was a message from Lucia.Lucia: [No matter what Genevieve asks, insist that you have nothing to do with it. You don't know anything. If you dare to drag me into this, you know the consequences.]Mabel replied with an "Okay",
Mabel's hands trembled with fear as she spoke in a shaky voice. "Just now, Genevieve told me that a team from Prospectus Technology came over. They collected several fingerprints from the labels of dilute and concentrated sulfuric acid. They're going to collect our fingerprints this afternoon to compare."Lucia's gaze darkened as she gritted her teeth, staring at Mabel. "You fool! Didn't you know you should wear gloves when you swapped the labels?""I... I was too panicked. I just forgot... and by the time I remembered, it was too late..." Mabel was on the verge of tears. "Lucia, what do I do... You have to help me..."Lucia looked impatient. "How can I help you? Can I magically change another person's fingerprints?"When Nyla's flask exploded during the experiment, Damon's secretary immediately ordered the lab and adjacent reagent storage room to be sealed off. They never had a chance to wipe the fingerprints off the labels. Moreover, Lucia hadn't expected Mabel to be so foolish a
After the maid left, Warren dialed Emerald's number. "I heard Edward woke up. Is that true?"Emerald, on her way back to the estate, furrowed her brow. "Yes.""So, what's your plan now? Once Edward recovers, he'll want you to return control of the Nixons to him," Warren asked.A flash of frustration crossed Emerald's face. "We'll see. I have things to take care of, so I'll talk to you later."She hung up and set her phone down, still unsettled.The land issue remained unresolved, and now Edward had woken up. The people who were already unhappy with her because of the land might side with Edward. She needed to come up with a solution, or things could spiral out of control quickly.She had finally secured her position. Even if Edward recovered, she wasn't going to give it up without a fight.As she thought it over, George's call came through. "Ms. Kinsey, we've captured Darcy. Should we bring him to the estate now?"A cold glint crossed Emerald's eyes. "Yes."…Upon returning t
"I'll handle things with Nyla's father. Now that my aunt is looking for you and Nyla, you two should stay in and avoid being seen by anyone for now," Alexander said.Damon nodded. "Got it."Just as Alexander was about to speak, his phone rang.His face instantly darkened after he answered the call. He stood up and said, "I have to go. If you need anything, just call me."With that, he quickly left.Once he stepped out of Damon's villa, he got into the car and told the driver, "Take me to the Kinseys."…An hour later, Alexander's car arrived at the Kinsey residence. He got out and rang the doorbell.When the maid saw him, she hesitated. After all, Warren had given strict orders to cut ties with Alexander. If he showed up again, they were instructed not to open the door.Noticing the maid's hesitation, Alexander furrowed his brow and said in a low voice, "Open the door."After a brief pause, the maid nervously looked at him and replied, "Mr. Alexander, it's not that I don't wa
If there were nothing special, Vik wouldn't possibly go to Chyland."We're not sure yet, but he's the only one going for now," George replied.Emerald furrowed her brow, sensing that something was off. She said coldly, "Stop him. Don't let him leave the country.""Understood," George answered."Have you found any leads on Nyla? Any clues?" Emerald asked."No, not yet," George replied.Emerald instructed, "Keep looking."After hanging up, Emerald placed her phone on the desk, her face clouded with anger.Where were Nyla and Damon hiding? Even George couldn't track them down. It seemed she would have to speak with Ross.…The next morning, Emerald went straight to Ross' residence.When Ross saw her, he smiled, appearing in a good mood. "Emerald, what brings you here today?"Emerald got straight to the point. "Ross, where have you hidden my daughter?"Ross raised an eyebrow in surprise. "If I'm not mistaken, didn't your people rescue Ms. Nixon from Darcy already?"Emerald sn
After Vik left, Edward looked at Mary. "Mary, is something bothering you? You look so pale."Mary forced a smile. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about when you'll fully recover.""Didn't the doctor say I could be discharged in half a month? Don't worry, I'll get better, and I won't let Emerald bully you anymore," Edward promised.His expression turned cold as he recalled the things he had overheard Emerald say while he had been unconscious.He would never allow her to continue running the Nixons. Neither Brian nor Delia would inherit the Nixons, either.Moreover, his worsening condition before had been due to Emerald poisoning him. He wouldn't let her get away with it."Alright…" Mary answered.…Emerald quickly received the news that Edward had woken up.When Filipe reported the news, he saw Emerald's dark expression and couldn't help but lower his gaze. "Madam, do you want to go to the hospital?"Although Edward and Emerald's marriage had long been a mere formality, the
Before Mary could respond, the door to the hospital room opened suddenly, and Vik hurried in.His face lit up with joy when he saw that Edward was awake, and he rushed to the bedside. "Dad, you're finally awake!"Edward patted his shoulder. "Yes, both of you have been through a lot."Vik shook his head. "It's not hard. For us, the best thing is that you woke up."Edward had only just regained consciousness and was still far from fully recovered. After a brief conversation with them, he grew tired.Seeing his exhaustion, Mary urged him to rest and went to the kitchen to prepare food for him.Not long after, Vik followed her into the kitchen. "Mom, I need to talk to you about something."Mary, washing vegetables, glanced over. "What is it?""I might have to leave for a while," Vik said quietly.Mary froze for a moment, then turned to him, her confusion clear. "Why? Your father just woke up, and now that no one will bother us. Why would you leave at this moment?"Seeing the conf
Emerald knew all too well that prosthetic limbs could never truly replace a person's own leg, but all she could do was suppress her own pain and sadness and comfort Brian.When his sobs gradually faded away, she left, her eyes red.…Back in her study, Emerald immediately called George, her voice cold as she said, "Make sure you find out who planned Brian's accident as soon as possible."George's voice was serious. "Understood, Ms. Kinsey. I'll do everything I can to track down the culprit. Also, there's something else I need to report.""What is it?" Emerald asked."After Damon took Nyla from Mr. Bumard's manor, they haven't been seen for the past few days. Finding them may be more difficult than expected," George reported."Keep looking. I don't believe they've disappeared into thin air," Emerald ordered."Got it, Ms. Kinsey," George replied.Emerald hung up, her irritation simmering beneath the surface. She picked up a few documents and continued working.…Edward slowly
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