It seemed that Spencer had taken his words to heart. Oliver liked smart people. While he wasn't afraid of confronting Prospectus Technology, it would be best to resolve this matter quietly.…By the time Oliver arrived at Nyla's house, it was already past 7:00 p.m.When the doorbell rang, Nyla was helping Mason practice his writing. Upon opening the door to find Oliver, her eyes lit up with surprise. "You're back!""Yeah, I brought a gift for Buddy," Oliver replied.Nyla accepted the gift, a smile spreading across her face. "He was just saying a few days ago that he wanted this toy. I can't believe you got it for him today.""This shows that Buddy and I are in sync," Oliver said, his warm gaze on Nyla enough to melt ice.Feeling a bit flustered under his gaze, Nyla looked away awkwardly. "Have you eaten yet?"Oliver shook his head. "Not yet.""Then sit down and play with Buddy for a bit. I don't have much food left, but I can make you some egg and cheese toast."Oliver nodded
Nyla froze for a moment, her face flushing instantly. She had been so worried about Mason lately that she hadn't had time to consider her feelings for Oliver.In truth, she didn't need to think too hard—she had already decided to give things a try with him."Oliver, I've made up my mind. I want to give us a chance, but I've always thought of you as just a good friend, so I can't promise I'll definitely fall in love with you," she said.Oliver had treated her exceptionally well over the years, doing so much for her. She felt that no one else would care for her like he did, and she didn't want to deceive him. She appreciated everything he had done, but gratitude alone wouldn't be enough for a lifetime together.At her words, disappointment flashed in Oliver's eyes, but he understood that feelings couldn't be forced."Alright, let's give it some time. How about three months? If after that you still can't love me, we'll just remain friends," he said.Nyla felt a pang of guilt. "I'm s
Oliver noticed the way Nyla's ears reddened, sensing her shyness but choosing not to comment on it. He nodded. "Alright. I have a full day of meetings tomorrow. Let's plan for dinner the day after.""That depends on whether I have to stay late for experiments," Nyla replied."Okay, I know you're busy. I'll check in with you again the day after," Oliver said easily.As Nyla walked him to the door, Oliver hesitated before asking, "You don't have to see me out, but... can I give you a hug?"Before he even finished, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.Oliver froze, his eyes wide in disbelief. He had prepared himself for rejection, so her response caught him completely off guard.After a moment of shock, joy surged through him. He gently returned the embrace, treating her like something fragile and precious."Nyla, I'm really happy you're willing to respond to me," he said, his voice unsteady.Feeling the depth of his emotions, Nyla loosened her hold and replied sin
What was Spencer up to with his investigation into Nyla and his private meeting with Oliver? The thought of the Raynor Group trying to snatch the amusement park project made Damon's expression harden.Was Spencer betraying him? No, that didn't make sense.Over the years, many had tried to pry Prospectus Technology's secrets from Spencer, but none had succeeded.There was no way Spencer would betray him.Besides, Spencer had been looking into Nyla before this. There had to be some other reason.After a moment of contemplation, Damon called Luca."Mr. Sumner, how may I assist?" Luca's voice was tense.Damon's late-night calls usually meant something was wrong. It had happened enough times that Luca had grown anxious whenever Damon called him after hours."You're close with Spencer. Have you noticed anything off about him lately?" Damon asked.Luca hesitated, recalling Spencer's earlier inquiry about a photo. Should he tell Damon? He suspected that Nyla's child might be Damon's,
The taxi driver chuckled at the sound of the navigation voice coming from the back seat. The kid looked small, but he certainly seemed cautious.Mason's school wasn't far from the Prospectus Technology branch, and they arrived in less than half an hour. After paying the fare and stepping out, Mason looked up at the towering skyscraper, at least dozens of stories high, excitement gleaming in his eyes.He walked into the building but was stopped at the front desk."Excuse me, young man, who are you looking for—" the receptionist began, but her eyes widened in shock as she realized she was looking at a miniature version of Damon. She could hardly believe it.Was this Damon's child? But Damon wasn’t married, right? Could this boy be a love child?At that moment, she felt like she had stumbled upon a huge secret.Seeing the receptionist staring at him in silence, Mason frowned and said, "I'm here to see your boss. His name is Damon Sumner."The receptionist was momentarily speechless
"Where did you come from? Let me take you back," Spencer said.Just as Mason was about to answer, the rapid click of high heels echoed down the hallway.Spencer and Mason turned to see Nyla striding toward them, her face set in a scowl.Before Mason could hide, Nyla called out, "Buddy, come here!"Her anger was barely contained as she fixed her stern gaze on Mason.That morning, as soon as she arrived at the lab, she had received a call from Mason's kindergarten teacher, saying he was missing. Panic had nearly overwhelmed her. Frantic, she had reached out to Oliver, and together, they had quickly tracked Mason's whereabouts.She had never imagined Mason would be bold enough to come directly to Prospectus Technology to find Damon. He had somehow convinced himself that Damon was his biological father. Otherwise, he wouldn't have shown up here.Nyla hurried to Mason's side, pulling him protectively behind her while glancing at Spencer warily. "Mr. Hogg, I apologize for any trouble
Nyla's heart sank at Damon's words. She absolutely could not let him conduct a paternity test. If he did, everything would fall apart.She met Damon's gaze. "Mr. Sumner, if I remember correctly, you have a fiancee. If you want a child, she can give you one. Isn't it a bit absurd to demand a paternity test for someone else's child?""Your strong reaction makes me wonder if you're feeling guilty, Ms. Kinsey," Damon shot back."I'm just pointing out that you're causing trouble where none exists. We've never met before, and we have no connection, isn't that right?" Nyla retorted.Damon's eyes turned cold. Before coming to Capitarnia, he had truly had no interactions with Nyla. That was precisely why he insisted on a paternity test.As he remained silent, simply glaring at her, Nyla pressed on, "Since you have nothing more to say, we'll be leaving."Just as she was about to take Mason away, Damon's cold voice cut through the air. "You're not leaving Prospectus Technology without my pe
Spencer fell silent after Damon's reprimand, not daring to utter another word.In the tense standoff, Mason tugged at Nyla's shirt and spoke timidly. "Mom, I'm scared."Nyla's heart ached as she pulled Mason closer, her glare cold and unwavering at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, you've frightened my son."Seeing Mason's terrified expression caused Damon's heart to flinch slightly, but his face remained stern.Oliver, exuding an oppressive aura, interjected, "Mr. Sumner, if you don't give us a satisfactory explanation today, this won't end here."Damon's expression darkened. He dismissed Oliver's warning, but with Mason present, he refrained from arguing in front of the child.After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. "The paternity test can wait for now, but Nyla, I will get to the bottom of this. If he is my child, I will never allow him to stay with a woman like you!"Nyla froze momentarily, fury rising within her.A woman like her? What did he know about her? She had given birth to
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