Just as Nyla and Valarie were about to leave after finishing dinner, they ran into Oliver again, who had just completed his business meeting."Ms. Jayston, Valarie, what a coincidence," Oliver greeted them warmly.Valarie raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes. "It really is."Oliver turned to Nyla, his tone gentle. "Ms. Jayston, did you two have any drinks tonight? I can give you a ride home if you need."Nyla shook her head. "No. We didn't drink, and both of us drove here. But thanks for the offer, Mr. Raynor."A flicker of disappointment crossed Oliver's face, but he quickly recovered with a smile. "Alright then, maybe we can grab a meal together sometime."Valarie chimed in with a smile. "I doubt there'll be a chance for that. Nyla is leaving for Capitarnia in a few days."Oliver froze for a moment. "Ms. Jayston, why are you moving to Capitarnia?"His eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at Nyla."I'm planning to work there," Nyla replied.She didn't want to sh
The room fell silent for a few seconds, Nyla's hand on the door handle, unmoving. She wanted to hear how Harrison would respond—whether he would defend her or…Finally, Harrison's voice, weak and strained, broke the silence. "Don't mention her in front of me again. From now on, I'll act as if I never had this daughter."Nyla's hand slowly relaxed, and she looked down with a bitter smile.It seemed Harrison was truly disappointed in her and no longer wanted to acknowledge her as his daughter. That was fine, though. It allowed her to leave without any regrets.Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked away.Wren watched the shadow at the door disappear, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.Turning back to Harrison, she put on a smile. "Well, I know you. You're just upset. You're still angry because she hasn't come to see you during this time. If she had come, you'd probably be overjoyed."Harrison snorted and said nothing more.After a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you th
As Nyla spoke, she fumbled for the car's ignition and slammed it.Hearing the engine roar to life, the man immediately reached into the car, attempting to open the back door.Without hesitation, Nyla floored the gas pedal, and the car surged forward, dragging the man with it.He didn't let go. Instead, he clung to the door and growled, "You're dead, you filthy bitch!"Nyla tried to accelerate to throw him off, but not only did he hold onto the door but also started climbing into the car. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her face growing paler.Finally, she made up her mind and slammed the gas pedal again, accelerating rapidly.Now the man showed real fear. "Stop! You filthy bitch! Or I'll kill you!"At this speed, he could be thrown off and killed instantly if he wasn't careful.Just as Nyla was about to throw him off, a large truck appeared directly before her, barreling toward her.Her face went pale, and she swerved sharply to the right.The car slammed into a tree,
"That's it?" Jordyn asked in disbelief.She had expected Rebecca to ask her to kill Nyla herself."Yes, that's it. After you finish this, you can go pick up your parents and brother," Rebecca replied calmly."Okay," Jordyn muttered.After ending the call, Rebecca smiled, her heart brimming with satisfaction. She had no intention of letting Nyla die quickly. No, she planned to strip her of every shred of dignity, to turn her life into a living hell....Damon was in the middle of a meeting at Prospectus Technology when the door suddenly burst open. Spencer rushed in, looking frantic.Everyone in the conference room shot him disapproving looks."Mr. Hogg, we're in the middle of a meeting. What on earth do you think you're doing?!" a shareholder admonished."I can't believe Mr. Sumner still keeps such an unprofessional secretary!" another complained.A shareholder sneered. "Yeah, is he this reckless when Mr. Sumner negotiates with partners?"Ignoring the irritated glances, Spen
Before Spencer could finish speaking, he was silenced by Damon's icy, murderous glare.Damon's lips were pressed into a thin line as he stood by the elevator, his face expressionless. However, the cold, oppressive aura he exuded made it clear that no one should approach him.…During the ride to the accident site, Damon remained silent, lost in thought.As they approached the scene, they saw the area cordoned off with police tape."Stop the car," Damon ordered.As soon as the vehicle came to a halt, Damon flung the door open and swiftly headed to the burned-out car.A police officer stopped him before he could cross the tape."It's dangerous inside. Unauthorized personnel aren't allowed in!" the officer warned.Damon ignored him and continued forward.The officer made a move to stop him again but was suddenly pulled back by someone nearby. "Are you crazy? Do you even know who Damon Sumner is?"The officer frowned, about to protest, when the lead investigator on the case appr
"What did you just say?!" Jordyn's face twisted with a mix of disbelief and fury.Rebecca had stabbed her in the back!Grabbing her phone, Jordyn dialed Rebecca and screamed, "Rebecca, you bitch! How dare you play me like this? I won't let you get away with it!"Rebecca's voice oozed with mockery. "Did you really think I'd give you the chance? Jordyn, you only have yourself to blame for knowing too much and trying to use it against me."With that, she hung up.Seething, Jordyn tried calling back, but a sharp pain pierced the back of her head. Feeling something wet, she reached up and found her hand smeared with blood.Panic surged through her. She spun around to flee, but before she could reach the door, someone yanked her by the hair. She was dragged backward and slammed to the floor.The door slammed shut with a deafening bang.Jordyn trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by terror. Ignoring the pain, she scrambled backward, her eyes wide with fear as a man slowly advanced tow
Clark stood frozen, like a statue."Mr. Sumner…" Michael called out."I'm going to find Nyla. I refuse to believe she's in danger!" Clark cried.He shoved Michael's phone back into his hands and turned toward the elevator.Michael quickly blocked his path. "Mr. Sumner, there's a very important international meeting later. You can't leave now."The meeting was crucial for a major company deal. If Clark skipped it, it would severely offend the other party.Clark's face went ashen, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He hesitated for a moment, clearly torn.After a deep breath, he turned and headed for his office. "Keep an eye on the police station. Notify me immediately if there's any news.""Got it," Michael promised.As Clark reached the office door, he suddenly remembered the strange text message from Jordyn earlier. He spun around and ordered, "Find out where Jordyn is right now!"He dialed Jordyn's number, but it rang with no answer.…Near a river on the east s
The man didn't say a word. He walked silently up to Nyla and handed her a tuna melt sandwich.The fact that he offered her food suggested he probably wasn't planning to kill her—at least not right now.Nyla took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up at the man. "Why have you kidnapped me? For money? Or something else? Are you following someone's orders?"When she mentioned the possibility of orders, she saw the man's eyes widen sharply. She was certain now that he had been sent by someone who deeply hated her."Are you going to eat or not?" The man's voice was rough and cold as he stared at her."I'll pay you double whatever they offered. And the one who orchestrated this—it's either Jordyn or Rebecca, right?" Nyla asked.Aside from them, no one else had a motive to kidnap her.Seeing the man's expression change again, she knew she had guessed correctly."I can offer you double the benefit, just let me go—"Before she could finish, the man slammed the plate onto the grou
Jane could make a promise like this to obtain shares in Prospectus Technology, but who could guarantee she wouldn't go back on her word in the future for her own benefit?Besides, Damon would never give her an opportunity to join Prospectus Technology.Her expression changed again, clearly unprepared for Damon's blunt refusal.Yet, if she kept the 10% shares of the Wilkie Group, she would gain nothing. Worse, Pedro might pressure her into giving them to Theo.Rather than let the shares go to waste, she'd rather sell them."Mr. Sumner, can we reconsider? Even if it's just 0.5% of your shares, I'd be willing to accept that," she negotiated.Damon remained unmoved. "Ms. Wilkie, please leave."Jane studied his resolute expression and finally understood—acquiring shares in Prospectus Technology was no longer an option.Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze directly. "Mr. Sumner, since you're unwilling to exchange shares, how about I sell you the 10% I own in the Wilkie Group?"Dam
Pedro scowled as he said coldly, "She's about to leave the country. What's the point of holding so many shares?"It's not that we're unwilling to give her money, but you all know the situation at the Wilkie Group. Even if we were to give her the money, it will have to wait until the company stabilizes."Jane sneered. "You make it sound so reasonable. If I handed over all my shares to Theo, I'd be lucky to see a penny from him. That's assuming he'd even bother to get my name right!"Pedro glared at her. "Are you really going to push me?""You're the one forcing me," Jane replied, her voice icy. "Even if the shares rot in my hands, I'll never give them to Theo!""Fine! You're a truly good granddaughter!" Pedro snapped, his voice brimming with fury.The meeting ended on a sour note, with everyone leaving in frustration.…Back at the villa, Ruth sat beside Jane. "Now that they couldn't get the shares, they'll surely come up with other ways to take them from you. Jane, don't let yo
Theo's expression darkened as he stepped forward, looking down at Jane. "Say that again!"Jane raised an eyebrow. "What? You can't take it? Want to make a move?""You!" Theo clenched his fists, and for a moment, he was tempted to strike Jane."Enough!" Pedro's sharp voice echoed. "Isn't this enough chaos? Keep quiet, both of you!"Theo's expression changed, and he took a deep breath, saying nothing more.Jane knew she was no longer in line to inherit the Wilkie Group. She had become a mere pawn, no longer of any use to Pedro, so there was no need to pay her much attention.She glanced at Pedro, her voice flat. "Grandpa, you called me here today just to talk about Gabriel being arrested?"Pedro frowned. "Gabriel's arrest will damage the Wilkies' reputation. Stay home for a while and finish your travel documents. I want you to leave the country."Jane sneered. "Got it."She knew she was now a discarded pawn in Pedro's eyes. Of course, he would want her to leave as soon as possib
If Falcon didn't make contact within a month, it would mean something had happened to them."Alright, I understand," Spencer replied.He turned and left the office, sighing once outside. He could only hope they couldn't reach Falcon because of some kind of accident, not something worse.Once the office door closed, Damon's gaze darkened.If he wasn't mistaken, Falcon had likely been found by the Nixons, though Damon wasn't sure whether they were alive or dead.The Nixons, the hidden power behind Drake, were far bigger and more mysterious than he had imagined.While he was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang.Upon seeing that it was Gabriel, his expression immediately turned cold.As soon as he answered, Gabriel's furious voice came through. "Damon, are you really going to drive me to the brink?"The legal team from Prospectus Technology had filed a lawsuit against Nyce Tech for illegally stealing trade secrets and submitted evidence of other criminal activities to the cou
"It's going alright. We're slowly getting back on track, but I'm still worried. I don't know if this is the right call," Damon answered.Using the money in Mason's account might save Prospectus Technology, or it could drag him further into trouble.Nyla looked at him, her voice soft. "Right or wrong, it's the only option right now. We'll just have to take it one step at a time. It won't be any harder than it is now."If Prospectus Technology went bankrupt, they didn't know how Gabriel would retaliate against their family. As long as the company remained intact, they would be safe."I'll protect you and Buddy, no matter what. No one will hurt you," Damon vowed.He had already decided that if things went south, he would find a way to get Nyla and Mason to safety.The oil was reaching temperature as they spoke.Nyla dropped the meatballs in. "Don't worry so much. We'll be fine. The three of us will be alright."Damon walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her with a hum.
Not long after Tom left, Gabriel's secretary rushed into the office, panic in his voice. "Mr. Hackett, I can't find where the money for Prospectus Technology came from. It's as if it just appeared out of nowhere. I—""Get out!" Gabriel's bloodshot eyes and contorted face radiated fury, making him look terrifying.The secretary froze, then quickly turned and left, shutting the door behind him.It was over.With Prospectus Technology saved, Gabriel had lost his leverage over Damon. And with it, Gabriel's chance of being with Nyla was gone too...."Mr. Sumner, with this new investment, the company will be back on track soon. I'll start reaching out to the employees who left. If any of them are willing to return, we can reinstate them right away," Spencer said with a smile in Damon's office."Got it. Go ahead and handle it," Damon replied."Understood!" Spencer chirped before exiting the room.Damon opened a file on his desk, but his thoughts kept wandering.He wasn't sure if us
Nyla went upstairs while Damon returned to his study.Instead of diving into his paperwork, he sat at his desk, wrestling with the dilemma of whether to use the money in Mason's account to save Prospectus Technology. Hours later, he made a decision....The next morning, Damon left for the office after breakfast.Meanwhile, Mason was heading upstairs to change when Nyla called him back. "Buddy, starting today, you don't need to go to school. You'll stay home with me for a while to study instead."Mason blinked in surprise. "Why?"Nyla stroked his hair, her tone gentle. "I'm not working right now, so I can help you practice writing at home. We'll do this for a while before you go back to school. Does that sound good?"School wasn't that important to Mason, so he nodded easily. "Okay."Relieved that he didn't press for more details, Nyla let out a soft sigh. Lying to kids could be exhausting.At the office…Damon had just stepped in when Spencer arrived, his expression grim.
Mason hadn't expected his master to say they'd meet in person soon."Of course. Have I ever lied to you?" the young man replied."No!" Mason chirped.After hanging up the phone, the thought of meeting his master lifted Mason's spirits. He jumped off the toilet, phone in hand, and walked out of the bathroom.Back in his room, a knock came at the door."Buddy, are you in there? Can you open the door? Daddy wants to talk to you," Damon said.Hearing Damon's gentle voice, Mason hesitated briefly but eventually opened the door."Daddy, if you're here to ask about my master like Mommy, I'm not going to tell you," he stated.Damon smiled, reaching out to pat Mason's head. "Don't worry. I'm not going to ask. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Mommy and I talked earlier, and she won't press you on it anymore either. She was just worried, that's all.""My master wouldn't hurt me!" Mason defended."I know, Buddy. Mommy's just concerned about you. She already feels bad
Nyla had wanted to discuss things properly with Mason, to make him open up slowly and tell her the truth.Now, she felt the urgency to figure out how that money had come about as soon as possible.She rarely spoke so sternly to Mason, so he was startled and dropped the block on the floor.Mason's eyes were red, but he stared at Nyla defiantly, refusing to speak.Nyla pressed, "Buddy, who is this master of yours?"Why would they give Mason so much money out of the blue?"I won't say!" Mason responded firmly.Nyla's brow furrowed in anger as her patience wore thin. "If you don't tell me, I'll take away all your electronics starting today."Mason yelled, "I hate you, Mommy! You're not the loving mommy you used to be anymore!"After shouting, he spun on his heel and ran upstairs.Moments later, the slam of his door echoed through the villa.Hearing the commotion, Damon emerged from the study and walked into the living room. He saw Nyla standing there, visibly upset."What happe