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
Jane smiled and praised, "You're such a good boy, Wil. Come here—Mommy wants to tell you something."Hesitant but trusting, Wilhelm slowly moved closer to her.The moment he was within reach, Jane grabbed his collar, her expression dark and menacing. "When I called you earlier, why didn't you come immediately?"Terrified, Wilhelm turned pale, tears brimming in his eyes. "Mommy… I was scared…""Scared of what?" Jane demanded."Scared you'd hit me… Waaaah…" Wilhelm cried.When Wilhelm had been staying with Gabriel, he'd worried he'd never see his mother again.But now, seeing her up close, she seemed frightening—nothing like the gentle mother he used to know.Jane's patience snapped at the sound of his crying. "Shut up! If you keep crying, I'll throw you out!"Wilhelm immediately clammed up, though he couldn't stop the little hiccups that followed. His face was streaked with tears, making him look pitiful.Just then, the door to the room opened, and Wendy walked in carrying som
Embarrassment flickered across Wren's face as she muttered, "I didn't… I just didn't know the situation before, okay?""If you don't know the situation, then don't meddle," Gabriel rebuked.After a moment of silence, Wren stole a glance at Gabriel and softly said, "Gabriel, this time it's my fault. I'm sorry. But Wil absolutely cannot be sent back to Jane. Who knows how she'll treat him? She's already proven she's capable of terrible things."Just thinking about Jane intentionally causing Wilhelm's allergic reaction made Wren's skin crawl. What kind of mother could be so cruel?"I know what I'm doing. From now on, if Jane contacts you, don't respond," Gabriel instructed.Wren quickly nodded. "Okay… I understand…""If there's nothing else, you can go. I have work to do," Gabriel dismissed."Alright… I'll leave now…" Wren answered.As Wren walked out of the villa, she finally let out a sigh of relief.Just as she was about to call her driver, her phone rang.Seeing that it was
Wilhelm froze at Gabriel's stern expression, shrinking behind Wren and peeking at his father with frightened eyes.Without looking at him, Gabriel called for a maid. "Take him to the Wilkies with the driver later."The maid nodded. "Understood."Just as the maid was about to lead Wilhelm away, Wren pulled the boy behind her and snapped, "Gabriel, can't you see how scared he is?"Gabriel finally lifted his gaze to her, his tone icy. "Weren't you the one who brought him to me and insisted I let him see Jane? Now that I've agreed, what more do you want?"Wren stiffened but quickly composed herself. "I only brought him because he was crying so pitifully. That doesn't mean I want him to live with Jane again."She wasn't stupid. It was clear that Wilhelm was better off with Gabriel than with Jane.If the divorce went through, Jane would eventually remarry, and who knew how much Wilhelm would suffer in her new household?At least with Gabriel, Wren could visit Wilhelm often, and he wo
Raymond and Gabriel stayed in the study for over an hour before emerging.By then, Raymond's expression had shifted from initial unease to radiant joy, his face brimming with smiles.It seemed the fortune teller had been right—Wren was indeed his lucky star.Despite his company's brush with bankruptcy, Gabriel not only promised to inject 70,000,000 dollars into it but also agreed to partner with them on future projects.The potential profits were enough to make it impossible for Raymond to hide his grin.Seeing his cheerful demeanor, Wren let out a breath of relief.Setting Wilhelm down from her lap, she turned to Raymond and asked, "So, you reached an agreement?""Yeap. I need to get back to the office, though. I'll have the driver pick you up later," Raymond replied."Alright. Will you be home for dinner?" Wren asked."Of course! Tonight, we'll celebrate properly," Raymond promised.After Raymond left, Wilhelm tugged on Wren's sleeve. "Grandma, when are you going to talk to
"Okay," Wilhelm answered.He accepted the bowl and took a couple of sips, then looked up at Gabriel and asked, "Daddy, where's Mommy?"Upon seeing the cautious look in Wilhelm's eyes, a complex expression crossed Gabriel's face.He crouched down to the boy's level and said gently, "Wil, from now on, you'll live with Daddy. Is that okay?"Wilhelm froze, tears welling up in his eyes. "Daddy, does that mean you don't want Mommy anymore?"Jane's words echoed in his mind—that Gabriel had a bad woman outside and didn't want them anymore.Now that his father didn't want his mother, it wouldn't be long before he didn't want him either, especially if he had a child with that bad woman.Gabriel sighed and spoke softly. "Wil, this is an adult matter that you won't understand. Daddy isn't abandoning Mommy. We're just going to live separately. But no matter what, both of us love you very much.""You're lying!" Wilhelm cried, throwing the bowl to the floor, where it shattered into pieces.H
Looking at Jane's self-righteous demeanor, Gabriel remained expressionless. His gaze was indifferent, as if she were a stranger of no consequence.His lack of reaction agitated Jane even more."Gabriel, why aren't you saying anything? Why?!" she shouted.Gabriel's voice was calm. "Because I think you're pitiful.""Pitiful?!" Jane repeated, then burst into laughter. "Do you think you're any less pitiful than I am? You abandoned your wife to be with Nyla, but has she even spared you a second glance? In the end, you and I are no different—we're both pathetic losers."Gabriel showed no visible reaction but said, "Jane, I'm not like you.""What's so different about you?" Jane demanded."I can make my own choices. You can't. Take this situation, for example—I can ensure you'll never see Wilhelm again, but there's nothing you can do to stop me," Gabriel stated.Jane froze, her laughter faltering. An overwhelming sense of unease gripped her. "What are you going to do?"Gabriel waved h
Although Wilhelm wanted more, he hesitated briefly before obediently putting down his spoon."Okay, Mommy," he said.His compliance sparked a brief flicker of guilt in Jane's eyes. But the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by a calm determination.After settling the bill, she led Wilhelm back to the car.As soon as they were on the road, Wilhelm began squirming in his seat, scratching himself furiously. His small face scrunched in discomfort as he complained, "Mommy… I don't feel good. I'm itchy all over…"Jane glanced at him and saw red spots breaking out across his skin."Hold on, Mommy's taking you to the hospital right now," she said.She sped toward the nearest hospital, reaching it in less than ten minutes.…By the time Jane pulled into the ER, Wilhelm's face was covered in hives. He was clawing at himself, leaving red marks all over his pale skin.Jane rushed to unbuckle him and carried him inside, moving quickly toward the emergency desk.A doctor
Wilhelm thought that when Gabriel was home, Jane never hit him without a reason.But ever since his father left, his mother had become unpredictable. Sometimes, even the sound of him making noise while eating would lead to punishment, forcing him to stand in the corner.He missed the mother who would kiss him and speak to him gently. He didn't want the mother who hit him for no reason."But Daddy's out there with another woman now and won't come home," he said.Although he was young, he understood a lot of adult issues.Lately, Gabriel hadn't been around. With Jane's constant hints, Wilhelm had started to believe that Gabriel had left because of a bad woman, choosing her over their family."Mommy, when I grow up, I'll protect you. I won't let any bad woman bully you!" Wilhelm vowed.Tears welled in Jane's eyes at his words, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. Yet, her moment of hesitation lasted only a second before her resolve hardened.The only way to give Wilhelm a comp
Besides, Nyla didn't even like Gabriel. It had always been him chasing her.What was Jane supposed to do—crack open his head and make him stop liking Nyla?Wren frowned, clearly irritated. "Alright, I'm not in the mood to talk about this. Go home," she said, waving Jane off.Jane protested, "Mom, we haven't even discussed how to bring Gabriel back to me and Wilhelm. I need your help.""What do you want me to do?" Wren asked."Later, call Gabriel and tell him Wilhelm has a fever and wants to see him. Get him to come home," Jane requested.Wren hesitated. Gabriel's attitude toward her had grown increasingly cold. If he found out she was conspiring with Jane to deceive him, it could further damage their relationship.Seeing her reluctance, Jane sighed. "Mom, do you really want to watch him chase after Nyla? With the way things are between you two now, do you think Nyla will treat you kindly if they end up together?""That's impossible! Nyla doesn't like him. They won't end up to