The Weirs' villa was expansive, and reaching the garden required walking down a winding path.With everyone else gathered in the main hall, the path was quiet and serene. Flowers and neatly trimmed shrubs lined the way, their fragrance mingling with the night breeze to create a calming atmosphere.As Nyla approached the garden, she suddenly heard a low, muffled groan from the nearby bushes. Her steps faltered, and she glanced toward the sound, feeling a pang of unease.Without a second thought, she turned and began hurrying back the way she had come.Before she could get far, a hot hand clasped around her waist."Ah!" Nyla screamed in surprise, only to be met moments later by a fiery, demanding kiss.The familiar scent of pine filled her senses, and she stared in shock. The man kissing her was none other than Damon!Before she could react, Damon's hands slid from her waist to her back. She shivered and tried to push him away, but his grip was too strong. She bit his lip hard.W
The sounds of fireworks jolted Damon, who was lying in the flower bed, awake. He slowly sat up, his clothes in disarray and scratches scattered across his chest.A look of shock crossed his face.He recalled seeing Nyla before losing consciousness and couldn't resist hugging and kissing her.The memory made his expression darken. He quickly straightened his clothes and picked up his phone to call Nyla, but despite numerous attempts, his calls went unanswered.His frustration mounting, Damon immediately contacted Spencer to find out Nyla's whereabouts. After ending the call, he hurried outside to the villa.The driver, already stationed at the entrance, saw Damon approaching and quickly came over. "Sir, are we heading back now?"Damon didn't answer. His face was grim as he got into the car.The driver, unsure of what was happening, hesitated to make any decisions without instructions and waited in the driver's seat.Damon stared intently at his phone, his expression serious. Whe
Seeing Nyla's indifferent gaze, Damon realized that continuing the discussion tonight would be futile."Then get some rest. We'll talk again tomorrow," he said."There's no need to talk, Mr. Sumner. Please don't come back to disturb my peaceful life," Nyla replied coldly.The chill, combined with a hint of disdain in Nyla's eyes, struck Damon like a heavy blow, leaving his face pale."Then I'll... leave for now. If you feel unwell, just call me," he offered.Nyla did not respond. She simply walked to the door and opened it.Damon pressed his lips together, standing in the living room for a moment before sighing and leaving.After closing the door, Nyla leaned against it, exhaling softly as her emotions churned.Downstairs, Damon's face was stormy with anger."Bring Rebecca to me!" he roared.…Less than an hour later, two men in black suits brought Rebecca into Damon's villa.Damon sat on the sofa, his gaze cold and filled with rage.Rebecca had never seen him like this be
Nathaniel turned to Rebecca in disbelief, gritting his teeth. "Rebecca, what does Damon mean by this?"Rebecca shook her head, tears streaming down her face, but she refused to speak.At that moment, Nathaniel understood everything.Despite being with him, Rebecca had still been seeking opportunities to be with Damon. The realization made him feel foolish for wanting to stay with her.He chuckled bitterly, his expression growing cold. "Since you still have feelings for Damon, let's break up."For years, he had silently loved Rebecca, but her attention always seemed to be on Damon, never on him. No matter how deeply he loved her, her lack of response over time had worn him down.Rebecca was stunned, panic flashing in her eyes. She reached out to grab Nathaniel, but he avoided her touch.Without looking back, he walked away."Nathaniel!" Rebecca cried, her face turning pale as she hurried to chase after him.She stopped him at the villa's entrance, her eyes filled with regret an
Rebecca knew she had truly lost Nathaniel this time. He had always been unconditionally tolerant of her, which had made her increasingly reckless, assuming he would always be by her side.After crying, she slowly got up and headed back to Damon's villa.As if anticipating her return, the villa's staff stopped her at the door and handed her the document Damon had given her in the living room."Ms. Austen, Mr. Sumner asked that you sign this document and sever all ties with him," the housekeeper said.Rebecca's face flushed with anger. "Where is Damon? I want to see him!"The housekeeper's eyes flashed with disdain. "Mr. Sumner isn't here right now. I'd advise you to sign the document and take the money. Mr. Sumner's patience is limited."Infuriated, Rebecca raised her hand to slap the arrogant housekeeper, but her hand was quickly caught.The housekeeper roughly pushed her, sending her crashing to the ground. The document was tossed in front of her."Ms. Austen, I am not your se
Damon nodded with a smile. "Alright. What would you like for lunch? I'll bring it to you."Nyla was taken aback by Damon's unexpectedly pleasant demeanor. She hesitated for a moment before replying awkwardly, "No need. I've bought groceries and will cook for myself.""Okay. If you're free tonight, we—" Damon began."I'm not free," Nyla interrupted, slamming the door in his face.A trace of helplessness crossed Damon's expression as he watched the door close. He then turned and left with a smile.Once he was gone, Nyla took a moment to calm herself before returning to the living room to study.…In the afternoon, Valarie came over."Nyla, why did you suddenly move back here? What if Gabriel comes looking for you again?" she asked."He won't come during the day. I need to start looking for a place of my own anyway. I can't stay at your place forever," Nyla replied.Valarie looked slightly displeased. She had intended to offer that Nyla could stay at her house for as long as nee
"Gabriel, do you really have to be this disgusting?" Nyla snapped.Her blatant disgust and anger made Gabriel's smile falter.After a long pause, he finally met her gaze and said seriously, "Nyla, one day you'll realize that I'm the one who's truly right for you.""I would never like you. You're like a rat in a sewer—dark, filthy, and repugnant. Who could like someone like that?" Nyla shot back.Gabriel smiled at her description. "You're right."Even a rat in the sewer wanted to see the sunlight and reach for it.Gabriel left, but his words lingered over Nyla like a shadow she couldn't shake off.Valarie looked at her with concern. "Nyla, maybe you should come stay with me. I feel like Gabriel has lost it, and I'm worried about what he might do."She couldn't understand how the gentle boy she had known could transform into the menacing and terrifying man he was now.Nyla shook her head. She couldn't stay at Valarie's place forever. "No need. If he keeps bothering me, I'll just
Damon's end of the line was silent. After a moment, he hung up.For the next month, Damon did not appear before Nyla. Other than occasional updates from Valarie, Nyla had no further encounters with him.Nyla spent her days immersed in her studies. It wasn't until her period was delayed by more than a week that she began to feel uneasy.However, recalling her previous body checkup results, which indicated she was infertile, provided some comfort. She reassured herself that the delay must be due to the stress of studying.Despite her attempts to calm herself, anxiety lingered. She donned her coat and went downstairs to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test. She needed confirmation before she could truly relax.Half an hour later, Nyla's eyes widened in shock as she saw two lines on the test. Wasn't she supposed to be infertile?Moreover, she had taken a contraceptive pill for added safety—how could she still be pregnant?After the initial shock, panic set in.Nyla quickly made an
Valarie widened her eyes in surprise. "Alright, but there are a lot of questions here. It might take me a day or two to finish. You're not in a hurry, are you?""No rush, but the sooner, the better. I really appreciate your help," Damon said.Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Valarie smiled. "It's no trouble at all. I'm happy to help with the wedding preparations."After parting ways with Damon, Valarie returned to her office.As soon as she sat down, her phone rang. It was Brandon."Valarie, what did my uncle want? Did he give you a hard time?" he asked.Hearing the tension in his voice, Valarie set the file down. "Why would you think he would give me a hard time?"There was a brief silence before Brandon spoke again, his voice low. "I was worried he might blame you for my decision to leave the Sumner Group.""You're overthinking it. He asked me to help with something unrelated. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up," Valarie replied."Valarie—" Brandon began.Before he co
Damon lowered his head to look at Mason and took the drawing from his hands.The picture showed a family of four—him, Nyla, Mason, and a little girl—standing under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds.Damon smiled and pointed to the little girl in the drawing. "Who's this?""That's my little sister. I hope Mommy gives me a baby sister," Mason said earnestly."What if it's a baby brother instead?" Damon asked.Mason paused, then nodded confidently. "If it's a brother, I'll protect him too."Damon's smile deepened at Mason's innocent expression. "Well, it looks like our Buddy is growing up. You're already thinking about protecting your little sibling.""Daddy, when are you and Mommy going to give me a little sibling?" Mason asked."Soon. It won't be long now," Damon answered.Mason's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Daddy, you're not lying to me, are you?""Of course not. When have I ever lied to you?" Damon asked.Mason huffed. "You've lied to me plenty of times.
"I've got it. You can let go. I promise I won't drop it," Stefan's roommate reassured him.Stefan's fingers tightened briefly before he slowly released his grip. "Yeah."His roommate carried the cake over to the others, calling them to share. He kept a piece for Stefan.That piece remained untouched until Stefan went to bed.…Over the next few days, Brandon appeared at the Weir Group every day. Sometimes, he brought food; other times, flowers.Valarie was beyond annoyed. She'd told him repeatedly to stop pestering her, but he refused to listen. Eventually, she ignored him altogether.On Friday evening, Valarie spotted Brandon's car parked by the curb as soon as she stepped out of the office.By then, she was used to seeing him there. She walked directly to her car, pretending he didn't exist.Just as she reached it, Brandon called out from behind, "Valarie."Valarie pressed her lips together and turned to face him. "What do you want?""Valarie, are you free tonight?" he ask
As Stefan stared at the candle, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. He pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish.After a moment, he opened his eyes and blew out the candle. "Thank you, Veevee.""No need to thank me. But I'm curious—what did you wish for?" Valarie asked.Stefan smiled. "If I tell you, it won't come true, right?""Fair enough. Here, this is your birthday present," Valarie said.When Stefan saw the black box she handed him, he looked surprised. "Isn't the present all those clothes?""Those were just extras. This is the real gift," Valarie replied.Stefan hesitated, taking the box. "Can I open it now?"Valarie nodded. "Of course."He carefully untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. As soon as he saw what was inside, shock flashed across his face."This is..." he murmured.Inside the box was a key."I bought you an apartment near the university. That way, you won't have to stay in the dorms anymore," Valarie explained.Stefan immedia
Michelle reached for her phone on the table.Just before her fingers could brush it, Jayden's hand shot out faster, snatching it away.She looked up at Jayden, her teary eyes flashing with defiance. "Give me back my phone!"Jayden took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Michelle, it's not too late to stop. If you really did send Stefan to get close to Valarie, then tell him to back off."Michelle nodded. "Fine. No matter what I say, you won't believe me. So, let's say I did send him. What are you going to do? Tell Brandon?"Jayden fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Before coming here, he hadn't even considered what he would do if Michelle was behind this.Would he tell Brandon? Or pretend he didn't know?"Whether you were behind this or not, you need to call Stefan and tell him to stop seeing Valarie. If Brandon finds out about your relationship, he won't believe anything you say again," Jayden warned.Michelle's eyes filled with disappointment. "So, you don't believe me eith
It usually took Stefan ten minutes to walk from the dorm to the school gate, but today, he made it in just five.The moment he saw Valarie, a wave of happiness surged inside him.He knew it now. He had truly fallen for her."I had some errands nearby and happened to pass by your school. Then I remembered I still had something to give you," Valarie explained.Stefan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What is it?""You'll find out later. Let's eat first," she suggested.Stefan nodded. "Okay."…Neither Valarie nor Stefan noticed Jayden, who had secretly taken a photo of them from a distance.Behind Jayden, Yale frowned. "Jayden, isn't it a bit inappropriate to secretly take photos of Valarie?"Jayden glanced at him. "What's wrong with it? She's the one sneaking around on Brandon, having dinner with another man. I'm just taking a picture. What's the big deal?""But Valarie and Brandon broke up. She's free to date whoever she wants now. Besides... that guy could be her younger bro
"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