Nyla paused as she was about to pick up some food, then looked down. "There's nothing I want."Earlier this year, Clark had promised to take time off to celebrate her birthday with an island vacation, something she had always wanted to do. Only a few months later, it seemed he had completely forgotten about it. This was just as well—it would make it easier for her to deal with him without any unnecessary feelings of sympathy."Then I'll have to think carefully about what to get you. If there's anything you want, you can always tell me.""Sure."After dinner, Clark told Nyla to watch TV on the sofa while he cleaned up the dishes. Previously, when they wanted some alone time, they would give the service staff a few days off, and Nyla would cook herself.Nyla nodded and left. In the past, she would have taken pity on him for being tired after a day's work and cleaned up herself. Now, she no longer felt that way.After cleaning up and wiping down the table, Clark washed his hands in
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Genevieve's voice came through."Alright, the police might call you to the station tomorrow to take your statement. Make sure your phone is available.""Okay. Thank you for handling this, Genevieve."Genevieve sighed and said earnestly, "Nyla, you're still young. Unlike me, you don't think about the long-term consequences when making decisions. But sometimes, giving others a chance is also giving yourself a chance.""I understand. But I can't be lenient with everyone. If Mr. Sumner hadn't been there today, I might have been disfigured."Moreover, this issue could affect her job. If she got fired from Park Pharmaceuticals because of this, what pharmaceutical company would hire her in the future? It was not that she wasn't willing to let Mabel off, but the latter wasn't willing to let her off.Genevieve realized she couldn't persuade Nyla, so she said nothing more and hung up.Nyla put down her phone, thinking abou
"Ms. O'Neill, we need your assistance regarding today's lab explosion at Park Pharmaceuticals. Please come with us."Mabel was panicking, her body trembling uncontrollably."What do you mean... What does the explosion have to do with me? Why do you need my help?""You'll find out the details at the police station, Ms. O'Neill.""I'm not going! I didn't do anything wrong. Ask me whatever you need to here!"Seeing Mabel's agitation, the two police officers exchanged a look. One of them spoke sternly. "Ms. O'Neill, if you refuse to cooperate, we will have to use force."The officers' solemn expressions made Mabel uneasy.While she hesitated, Lucia spoke up from across the room. "Mabel, it's just a routine investigation. Go with them. It won't be a big deal. I'll go with you."Seeing Lucia's cold expression, Mabel reluctantly nodded. "Alright."…At the police station.Mabel was taken to give a statement, and the officers asked Lucia to wait outside.Unable to sit still, Lucia
Nyla's eyes lingered on the stain, her gaze betraying a hint of mockery. "It must be tough for you, finding time to flirt with other women and still managing to drop by the police station to see me."Clark was taken aback and frowned. "What do you mean?"Nyla's expression remained indifferent. "Next time you want to act all caring, at least wipe off the lipstick on your collar first. Otherwise, it just looks ridiculous."Without waiting for Clark's reaction, she hailed a cab and left.Clark glanced down at his collar, his expression darkening when he saw the lipstick stain. He tried calling Nyla to explain. After several unanswered calls, her line eventually went straight to voicemail. Clearly, she had blocked him.His gaze grew cold upon realizing their relationship, which had just started to improve, had once again hit rock bottom. He sped off toward Nyla's apartment complex but was interrupted by a phone call halfway there. Whatever was said on the other end made his grip on th
"Okay."As Spencer walked out of the office, he couldn't help but frown, pondering Damon's attitude toward Nyla.Earlier today, Damon had immediately called Nyla to question her about the suits, clearly irritated by her attempt to distance herself from him. Considering Nyla was Damon's niece-in-law, Spencer hoped he had overthought the matter....After breakfast, Nyla headed straight to Park Pharmaceuticals.After giving her statement last night, Genevieve had messaged her, saying she could return to work today and that the company would handle the situation with Mabel.To her surprise, a middle-aged man stopped her at the entrance of Park Pharmaceuticals. His face was dark and lined with exhaustion, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair disheveled. He looked at her pleadingly."Ms. Jayston, please, I'm begging you to let my daughter go. My wife was in a car accident and is still in the hospital. I haven't found a job yet, and if my daughter stays in jail, our family will fall apart
Sasha couldn't help but speculate. Normal people would run from danger, but Damon had run toward it to protect Nyla.Nyla was taken aback, then frowned. "You're overthinking it. He's my uncle.""What?!" Sasha's voice shot up, drawing the attention of everyone in the R&D department. Her face turned red, and she quickly lowered her head.She whispered, "Are you serious? You don't even share the same last name. Are you lying to me?""Why would I lie? I can't go into details, but nothing could happen between us. He doesn't like me that way."Despite Sasha's lingering doubts, she could only nod at Nyla's confident assurance. "Alright then.""Stop gossiping and get to work," Nyla said as she turned on her computer to read some research papers.The morning passed quickly. Just before noon, Nyla received a call from Wren."Wren, what's up? Is there something wrong with my dad?"Wren's gentle voice came through the line. "No, he's stable. Do you have time for lunch today? Let's meet up
If Harris Pharmaceuticals hadn't gone bankrupt, Clark wouldn't have dared to flaunt his affair so brazenly.Wren looked at Nyla with guilt. "Your father and I owe you an apology. You've been through so much, bearing this burden alone. It must have been really tough."Nyla shook her head. She wasn't as upset now as she had been when she first discovered Clark's infidelity. "I'm fine. I took a chance, hoping he wouldn't betray our relationship. I just lost the gamble."She had no regrets about her choice because she had chosen the Clark who once loved her, not the deceitful man he had become."It's okay. You'll find someone better in the future."Nyla smiled faintly. Whether she found someone else or not didn't matter. She just wanted to get the divorce and claim her fair share of the assets. "Wren, please don't tell my dad about the affair. His health isn't good, and I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it."Wren nodded. "I understand. Don't worry."After Nyla and Wren finished
Nyla frowned and looked at Clark with displeasure. "Who I ate with is none of your business, is it?"A dark gleam passed through Clark's eyes as he lowered his voice. "Nyla, I'm not trying to monitor you. I just want to be part of your life.""Are you really trying to be part of my life, or are you feeling guilty about taking Jordyn to that dinner today?"Clark widened his eyes, his heart sinking. Nyla had seen them."Today was about meeting a client. She handled this client before she left the company, so she knows the situation better. That's why I brought her along. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to misunderstand."Nyla smiled. "Do I really need to misunderstand your relationship with her?""Nyla, I can assure you that there's nothing between us now. The only person I love is you."Nyla wanted to ask him why Jordyn had to dress so seductively and hold his arm like a date since it was just a business meeting. Anyone who saw them would think Jordyn was Clark's girl
Watching Mason dash away, Nyla couldn't help but smile. But that smile quickly faded as she thought about their imminent separation."Nyla, why are you staring after Buddy like that?" Damon's voice snapped her back to reality.She turned to him, quickly masking her sadness. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how fast time flies. Buddy's already five years old."Damon slid an arm around her waist. "It might feel fast to you, but not to me. When I think about the five years we lost, I can't help but feel regret. If we'd been together all that time, the three of us would've been so happy."The mention of those lost years made Nyla sigh.If only she had trusted Damon more back then, they wouldn't have missed out on so much time together.And now, just as they had reunited, they were about to be separated again."I'm sorry, Damon..." she murmured.Seeing the guilt in her eyes, Damon pulled her into his arms, his voice soft. "There's nothing to apologize for. For me, as long as
After getting dressed and stepping out of the break room, Nyla spotted Damon sitting behind his desk, looking refreshed as he worked.She shot him a glare, unable to suppress her annoyance.Damon rubbed his nose, feeling a bit guilty. "Honey, why didn't you rest a little longer?""It's almost time to pick up Buddy from school. Are you still busy with work?" Nyla asked."There's just a little left to do, but I can finish it at home. Let me grab my things, and we'll pick up Buddy together," he answered.Nyla considered telling him to stay and finish his work but remembered they only had three days left together. She nodded. "Okay, I'll wait for you."Five minutes later, they were on their way downstairs.Since Nyla had driven over, Damon decided to take her car to pick up Mason.During the ride, Nyla stared out the window, lost in thought about how to tell Damon she'd be leaving for Meristate.Damon noticed something was off but didn't press her. He figured he'd wait until after
Seeing the flicker of guilt in Alexander's expression, Nyla said, "If you really feel sorry for Buddy and me, promise me one thing.""What is it?" Alexander asked."If I ever ask for your help after going to Meristate, you have to help me no matter what," Nyla said.Alexander smiled. "You might find that once you become the Nixons' successor, I'll be the one asking you for help.""So, is that a no?" Nyla asked.Seeing her serious expression, Alexander finally nodded. "Fine, I promise.""Let's hope you won't break your word," she replied.Alexander offered, "If you don't believe me, I can swear on my life."Nyla shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I have other things to do, so I'll be leaving now."…Nyla headed straight to Prospectus Technology.Damon was surprised to see her arrive unexpectedly. "Nyla, why are you here at this hour?""I missed you, so I came to see you," Nyla answered.Her gaze was tender, filled with love—and a hint of sorrow so subtle it was almos
Emerald looked at Nyla and asked, "What are your conditions?""First, Buddy stays in Saintornia. He can't come to Meristate with me. Second, I need you to provide resources to Damon's company to help him take it international. Third, I want full control over my marriage decisions," Nyla stated firmly.Emerald narrowed her eyes and pondered briefly before letting out a soft laugh. "Once you join the Nixons, you and Damon will belong to two entirely different worlds."As for Buddy—if you leave him here, his life trajectory will end up just like yours. Are you sure you want to leave him behind?"Nyla's second condition wasn't difficult for Emerald to guess. She could see where this was heading, though Nyla clearly underestimated the Nixons. Even with abundant resources, Damon could never compete with them.As for Nyla's third condition? Once she was in Meristate, who she wanted to marry would hardly be her decision to make."I'm sure," Nyla said resolutely. "You want me to go to Mer
A moment later, Nyla entered the restaurant.Alexander stood quickly and led her toward their table."Nyla, just a heads-up—your mom's used to giving orders, so her words might come across as commanding. Be prepared," he said again, his tone cautious."Okay," Nyla replied evenly, following him.In less than two minutes, they arrived at the table."Nyla, this is your mom," Alexander said, then turned to the woman sitting before them. "Aunt Emerald, this is Nyla. Doesn't she look just like you?"Emerald and Nyla's eyes met, neither speaking for several long moments.After what felt like an eternity, Emerald raised her chin slightly. "Sit down."Her tone was devoid of any warmth.As Nyla looked at the woman in front of her, she found it impossible to reconcile this commanding figure with the gentle, loving mother she remembered from childhood.She sat across from Emerald and spoke directly. "I've heard from Alexander that you want me to go to Meristate."Emerald nodded, her gaz
"Exactly, Mr. Sumner, please help us out!"Damon's expression remained indifferent while facing the hopeful gazes of the group. "I can help you, but tell me—what can you offer in return?"He wasn't a philanthropist, and given these people had previously worked against Prospectus Technology, there was no way he would let them off easily."Mr. Sumner, whatever you ask—if we can do it, we will!"The others echoed in agreement, desperate to save their businesses.Damon nodded. "Alright, I have only one condition—join me in taking down Drake."Relief washed over the group. Some even looked incredulous.Was that really his only condition? After all, even if Damon hadn't explicitly asked, they'd likely side with him against Drake once their companies were back on their feet.The humiliation Drake had subjected them to was a bitter pill none of them were willing to swallow."Mr. Sumner, that's it? That's all you're asking?"Damon turned his cold gaze to the man who spoke. "Yes. But l
"If you force her, she'll resist even more. And don't forget, she has unresolved feelings about the past," Alexander reminded her.Emerald's face darkened. "What does she have to resent? If it weren't for what happened back then, she wouldn't even exist. She should be grateful I brought her into this world!"Alexander frowned. "If you want her to follow you to Meristate, you'll need to tone it down. She's not like Brian and Delia, who grew up with you.""Fine. I'll meet her tomorrow and see," Emerald replied.After divorcing Harrison and moving abroad, Emerald had initially thought about Nyla often. But over time, as her business grew and she had Brian and Delia, her thoughts of her eldest daughter faded.Now, she only cared about Nyla because the Nixons needed her as a successor. Otherwise, she might never have thought about her again.Emerald knew she had wronged Nyla, but she had gone through so much over the years. Besides, she had a son and a daughter who listened. She no lo
Hearing Damon's response, Nyla finally felt relieved. "That's good to hear.""Let's eat," Damon said."Okay." Nyla picked up her utensils, ready to grab some food when her phone suddenly rang.Seeing Alexander's name on the screen, her expression shifted slightly. She set her utensils down and answered.As soon as the call connected, Alexander's voice came through. "Nyla, your mom's flight lands in two hours. I'm heading to the airport to pick her up. Do you want to come along?"Nyla clutched her phone, her breathing growing heavier. It took her a few seconds to respond. "No, I'm busy tonight. Anything else?""How about tomorrow? Can we meet somewhere? She really wants to see you," Alexander asked."We'll see," she said hurriedly, then ended the call.Noticing her pale expression, Damon took her hand and said softly, "If you don't want to see her, then don't. You don't have to force yourself."Taking a deep breath, Nyla shook her head. "No, I want to see her. I just... I'm not
Drake's ultimate target was Nyla. If Prospectus Technology fell, no one could protect her or Mason.The companies that had sided with Drake acted out of self-interest, but they now regretted their decisions. Damon could gain significant strength by reestablishing cooperation with them.Of course, Valarie had her own motives. She wanted to repay Summer Coates for saving her life and hoped to restore their collaboration."Whether or not she can stay out of it, talking to her won't help. Stop dragging her into this," Brandon said."Brandon, who are you to order me around?" Valarie retorted.Pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, Brandon replied, "Can you stop being unreasonable? I'm not threatening you. I'm reminding you. Don't forget—the Weir Group avoided bankruptcy only because of my uncle."Valarie laughed coldly. "You're right. He did save the Weir Group, and I'm grateful. But that doesn't mean he can interfere in everything I do."Without giving him a chance to respo