There was a flicker in Spencer's eyes, but he remained silent.Richard paid no mind and continued. "If remembering something is more painful than forgetting it, then it's better not to remember. At least that way, one can live a bit more happily. What do you think, Mr. Hogg?"Spencer finally understood Richard's plan. "So you brought in that hypnotist to deal with Mr. Damon?"Richard smiled. "Mr. Hogg, that's a harsh way to put it. I simply want my son to stop suffering."Spencer's eyes narrowed. "Have you ever considered what Mr. Damon thinks about this?""He's obsessed with Nyla right now. If I asked him, he'd never agree. But look at how thin he's become. If he keeps tormenting himself like this, his health will fail in a few years. Do you expect me to watch my son die young over a deceased person?" Richard grew emotional as he spoke.Spencer wasn't interested in arguing—it wouldn't change anything, and he knew he couldn't make Richard listen."What do you want me to do?" he
"Mr. Damon…" Spencer called out.The moment Damon turned around, Spencer's steps faltered.The look in Damon's eyes was completely different from the blank, lifeless gaze he had after Nyla's fall into the ocean.Now, his eyes were cold and distant, reminiscent of the ruthless and decisive CEO of Prospectus Technology from before.It was clear that Richard's hypnosis had worked."What's the matter?" Damon asked.Richard sat across from Damon, his gaze fixed darkly on Spencer. He planned to handle any inappropriate remarks from Spencer privately if necessary.Spencer stood still, his eyes lowered, and remained silent.Compared to the emotionless Damon he had encountered after Nyla's death, Spencer found this version of Damon to be preferable.For the living, perhaps forgetting was indeed the better option.As Spencer remained silent, Damon frowned slightly.Richard's expression darkened, and he signaled to Frank beside him. If Spencer mentioned Nyla in front of Damon, his men
Nyla hurriedly left before Caroline could respond.As she rushed off, Caroline couldn't help but sigh.It would take an hour to get from the conference center to the kindergarten, and it was already almost 4:30 p.m.Nyla pressed the button for the elevator and began rummaging through her bag for her phone and car keys.When the elevator doors opened with a ding, Nyla walked in with her head down and didn't notice the man in a suit walking out at the same time.She bumped into him unexpectedly and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."Since she was looking down, she didn't catch a glimpse of his face, only noticing that he was quite tall—despite wearing high heels, she barely reached his shoulder.The man didn't respond and simply brushed past her.Nyla didn't think much of it. She stepped into the elevator, pressed B1, and finally found her keys and phone.Just as the elevator doors closed, she looked up and saw the man's back. His well-tailored black suit,
Nyla glanced at Mason, who was waiting at the table for dinner, and hesitated."Caroline, I really don't have time tonight. The nanny is on leave, and I'm not comfortable leaving Buddy at home alone," she explained."Why don't you bring him along? I can look after him for a while. Once you're done with the investor, you can take him back home," Caroline offered.Hearing Caroline's urgent tone, Nyla realized it would be difficult to avoid tonight's party.She bit her lip and said softly, "Let me ask Buddy."After ending the call, Nyla walked over to the dining table and crouched down to face Mason. "Buddy, Mommy needs to go to a celebration party tonight. I'm not comfortable leaving you at home alone. Would you like to come with me? It won't take long."Mason looked at her, thought for a few seconds, then nodded. "Okay."He jumped off his chair and headed to his bedroom.Nyla followed him and watched as he grabbed his portable language practice tape from his room. She felt a bit
As they chatted, the door to the venue suddenly swung open, plunging the room into silence.Someone stood up first, walking excitedly toward the entrance. "Mr. Sumner, I can't believe you're here!"Nyla turned around. The moment she saw the man at the door, her face went pale, and she froze in place.Her first instinct was to run.Remembering that Mason was still in the hotel, she quickly grabbed her phone from her bag and called Caroline.Mason looked almost identical to Damon. If Damon saw him, he would immediately realize Mason was his son. If Damon decided to fight for custody, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance."Caroline, take Buddy and leave right now!" she urged, her voice trembling.Caroline's confused voice came through the phone. "What happened?""I'll explain later. Just get him out of here!" Nyla pressed.Hearing the panic in Nyla's voice, Caroline didn't ask any more questions. "Okay. I'll take him out right away."After hanging up, Nyla finally let out a brea
Nyla didn't dwell on it and continued the conversation.After talking for a while, Damon weighed his options and decided to invest in Nyla's lab.By the time the party ended, it was already past 10:00 p.m.Nyla and Edgar stood at the entrance, bidding farewell to Damon and the other investors.…The secretary Damon had brought along was Luca Fleming. He had been with Prospectus Technology for four years and had been trained by Spencer, so his working style mirrored Spencer's.On the way back, Luca couldn't help but comment, "Ms. Kinsey is not only beautiful but also very capable. She must have a lot of admirers."Damon, engrossed in his documents, glanced up at him. "Are you interested in pursuing her?"Luca quickly waved his hands. "Oh, no, not at all! Someone like her would never go for someone like me."At least he had some self-awareness.Damon gave no further response and returned his attention to his files.He didn't disagree with Luca's assessment. Given the income Ny
If it weren't for Caroline, Nyla wouldn't be where she was today.Five years ago…After falling into the sea, Nyla miraculously survived when a kind stranger rescued her. At that time, she didn't want to return to Saintornia or have any ties with her past. Thus, she reached out to Caroline, who took her away.It took three months for her to fully regain her emotional stability.By then, everyone she knew in Saintornia believed she had died. She decided to take her mother's surname, and as for the baby she was carrying, he also miraculously survived.For the next few months, Nyla stayed in the apartment Caroline rented for her, preparing for her exams while managing her pregnancy.It wasn't until the following year that she had the opportunity to reapply for graduate school. From that point on, she juggled her studies and raising her child.…These past few years hadn't been easy, but Nyla felt content. If Damon hadn't suddenly reappeared, her life would have continued on its pe
Mason nodded. "Yes, I missed you."Oliver's smile widened, his gaze softening even more. "I missed you too, and I brought you a gift."As he spoke, he pulled out a set of books from behind him, almost as if performing a magic trick."Last time I saw you, you were reading this series at home, so I bought the original edition while I was abroad. Do you like it?" he asked.Mason's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Uncle Oliver!"He eagerly took the books and flipped through them, his usually calm expression finally revealing the youthful excitement of a child his age.Nyla smiled wryly at Oliver. "You didn't have to go through all that trouble. That must have been expensive."Since moving to Capitarnia five years ago, it hadn't taken long for Oliver to find her.Over the years, he had helped her immensely—allowing her to focus on her work while keeping Mason's existence hidden.Like Caroline, Nyla owed Oliver so much.It wasn't that she hadn't noticed Oliver's feelings—she knew.
"Yeah, I just got home. How's your mother doing now?" Valarie asked."Her condition is stable. Veevee… I need to ask you something," Stefan said.A flicker of surprise crossed Valarie's eyes. "What is it?"There was a brief silence before Stefan spoke again. "Never mind, it's nothing important. Get some rest. Goodnight."Before Valarie could respond, he had already hung up.She set her phone down, deciding to invite Stefan out for dinner in the next few days and have an honest conversation with him.…After the surgery, Michelle remained unconscious for a full day before finally waking up.The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jayden sitting by her bedside."Michelle! You're awake!" Jayden exclaimed, relief flooding his voice as he quickly pressed the call button for the doctor.Once the doctor confirmed she was out of danger, Jayden exhaled deeply."Michelle, do you have any idea what I went through while you were unconscious? Please, don't ever do something so reckless a
The moment Brandon spoke, silence blanketed the room.Yale and Nolan both looked visibly uneasy.Jayden froze for a second, then his face twisted with disappointment. "Fine! From now on, we're strangers!"With that, he shoved Nolan aside and stormed toward the hospital entrance.Nolan frowned and turned to Brandon. "Brandon, Jayden was just upset. Did you really have to make it so final? How are you going to fix things later?""I don't plan to fix anything. Because of him and Michelle, Valarie and I fought countless times. Do you really think I should sacrifice my girlfriend for two so-called friends?" Brandon retorted.Seeing the indifference in his expression, Nolan suddenly regretted sending that message earlier. If he hadn't texted Brandon about Valarie being with another guy, none of this would have happened."I'm heading home," Brandon said before turning to Valarie, taking her hand, and leading her out of the hospital.Watching them leave, Nolan felt a surge of frustrati
A cold gust of wind blew through, and Brandon felt his heart sink.From the moment he first laid eyes on Valarie, he had made up his mind—he had to be with her, to marry her.He had pursued her for five years. They had finally gotten together, only to break up soon after.He had tried everything to win her back, but no matter what he did, she only seemed to drift further away.Was it really impossible for them to be together?"Valarie, you told me to stay away from Michelle for a month, and I did."Tonight, Jayden called to say that Michelle tried to commit suicide and is in the hospital being resuscitated. I still didn't go see her."I know I made a lot of mistakes before, but I've been trying to change. Can you give me one more chance?" he pleaded.Valarie remained silent for a long time. She knew she still had feelings for Brandon. When she met his pleading gaze, she felt herself softening.Finally, she looked at him and nodded. "Alright, but this is the last chance I'm giv
Brandon didn't respond. He stepped out of the elevator, seized Valarie's wrist, and yanked her behind him.Valarie nearly lost her balance. As she steadied herself, she heard his cold warning. "Stefan, stay away from Valarie. If you don't, you won't be able to handle the consequences."Stefan met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "Mr. Sumner, you just made her almost fall. Let go of her."Brandon let out a sarcastic laugh. "She's my girlfriend. It's none of your business."Valarie immediately yanked her wrist free. "Brandon, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this in the middle of the night?"Brandon turned to her. "And what about you? What are you doing here so late? Don't tell me you've actually fallen for this kid who's younger than me."At first, he hadn't taken Stefan seriously. He had assumed Valarie was just using him to get back at him.But as she grew kinder to Stefan, panic began to creep in.Brandon was terrified that she really liked Stefan
Stefan looked at Valarie, his eyes red. "Veevee, thank you! I'm sorry for causing you trouble.""It's fine, it's not a big deal. Go check on your mom," Valarie said.After Stefan left, Valarie turned to the nurse. "Can I pay the hospital fees now?"The nurse nodded. "Yes, you can."Once Valarie finished paying and the nurse confirmed the transaction, she said, "Ms. Weir, I'll have my colleagues move Mr. Foley's mother back to her room now.""Okay," Valarie replied.She didn't argue with the nurse. After all, the hospital was just following protocol. Stefan's mother had been behind on payments for over two weeks, and the fact that they hadn't moved her out sooner was already lenient.Before long, Stefan's mother was back in the ICU.Seeing the medical equipment reconnected, Stefan let out a breath of relief.After confirming his mother's condition was stable, he turned to Valarie. "Veevee, I really don't know what I would've done without you tonight. Thank you. I promise I'll f
Yale shook his head. "No idea. Let's check on Michelle first."He had no intention of getting involved in whatever had happened between Brandon and Valarie."Alright," Nolan replied.When they reached the ER, Michelle was still being treated.Jayden sat in a chair in the hallway, head down, lost in thought. Hearing footsteps, he slowly looked up.When he saw that Brandon wasn't with them, he let out a bitter laugh. "Of course, he didn't come. Heartless bastard."Yale sighed. "Jayden, you can't blame Brandon for this. He promised Valarie he wouldn't see Michelle for a month."Given Brandon's personality, he wouldn't break his promise, no matter the trouble Michelle stirred up."So a stupid promise means more than someone's life?" Jayden shot back.Yale frowned. Seeing that Jayden wasn't in the mood to listen to reason, he didn't argue. In his opinion, Michelle had brought this on herself. If she thought attempting suicide would make Brandon cave, she was dead wrong.If he we
Nyla looked at Valarie. "What do you mean, giving each other looks? Just eat. I made your favorite—spicy chicken."Valarie nodded. "Okay."As they ate, Damon glanced at Brandon. "When are you going back to the company?"It had been nearly a month since Brandon left the Sumner Group. If he stayed away much longer, the people he had trained might start siding with someone else.Brandon paused mid-bite, instinctively glancing at Valarie across the table. She didn't even look his way.After a brief silence, he lowered his gaze. "In a few days.""Alright." Damon didn't press the issue.Brandon was the CEO of the Sumner Group. Damon couldn't keep treating him like a subordinate.Halfway through the meal, Brandon's phone rang.Seeing Jayden's name on the screen, he frowned and ignored it. But the phone rang again. And again.After declining multiple calls, he realized the others at the table were all looking at him.He picked up the phone. "It might be urgent."Stepping aside, he
"I just wanted to see if you'd tell me the truth. Now I know—you don't trust me," Jayden said.Michelle cried, "Fine! I admit it. I sent Stefan after Valarie. I wanted him to ruin her relationship with Brandon! Go ahead and tell Brandon if you want! I don't care!"She stood, ready to leave.Before she reached the door, Jayden's voice echoed behind her."I won't tell Brandon," he said. "But I won't help you anymore, either. There's still time to stop this. You can walk away now."Michelle's footsteps faltered momentarily, but she didn't turn back. She had never regretted her choices—why would she stop now?As long as she could have Brandon in the end, she wouldn't give up.If Jayden refused to help, she'd just have to figure it out on her own.…That evening, as Valarie got off work, she received a call from Nyla."Valarie, come over for dinner tonight! Oh, and by the way, I sent you a thank-you gift last night. Make sure you accept it," Nyla said.Valarie had seen Nyla's mon
"Whether or not you're having me followed, who I choose to spend time with is my business. I hope you'll stop prying into my private life," Valarie said.Brandon grabbed her wrist, his voice low and firm. "Valarie, the month is almost up. Don't forget the promise you made."She pulled away. "There's still a week left. We'll talk when the time comes."With that, she turned and left.Brandon watched her go, frustration darkening his face.The anonymous photos he'd received that morning were still fresh in his mind, making his expression even stormier.Forcing himself to stay calm, he pulled out his phone and called his assistant. "Find out who sent those photos to my email this morning."After hanging up, his mood remained grim. It was time to give Stefan a warning.Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang again.His eyes flickered with annoyance at the unfamiliar number. Without hesitation, he rejected the call and blocked it.Ever since he'd cut off Michelle, she'd been