When Oliver received Nyla's call, he was in the middle of packing up his personal belongings. Despite working at the Raynor Group for five years, there wasn't much that was solely his.His voice, as always, was gentle. "Nyla, what's wrong? Shouldn't you be in the lab right now?"Nyla felt a sting in her nose, and her voice grew hoarse. "Oliver, did you get forced out of the Raynor Group because of me?"Although she tried to keep her emotions in check, Oliver could still hear the slight tremble in her voice, as if she were on the verge of tears.He remained silent for a couple of seconds before replying softly, "This has nothing to do with you. I've been wanting to take a break for a while, and now's as good a time as any.""Liar!" Nyla snapped.She wasn't naive. She knew how much effort and ambition he had poured into his work—things he never openly shared.Taking a deep breath, Nyla spoke softly but firmly. "Oliver, I'm sorry. This is my fault. I'll find a way to make it right.
As soon as Gerrard finished speaking, he felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees.Damon's expression had darkened noticeably.Still, Gerrard asked, "You really don't remember anything? Nyla was your nephew's wife. Even if you don't remember her name, surely her face should have left an impression."Nyla was beautiful—the kind of beauty that was hard to forget. Although Gerrard had only met her once, her image remained vivid in his mind.Damon's face grew colder as he tried to recall the name and face of Clark's ex-wife. Yet, his mind was blank.In his memory, Clark had brought his wife to family gatherings after their marriage, but right now, he couldn't recall a single detail about the woman. Even the events of Clark's marriage and divorce felt hazy.Damon had never been close to Clark.After Damon's car accident, Richard had sent Clark abroad for some mistake, and Damon had stopped paying attention to him. He had only learned about Clark's divorce much later. Sin
The moment the words left Damon's mouth, he regretted them.His expression darkened instantly. He had no idea why he had said something that sounded so much like petty jealousy toward another man.Nyla was caught off guard as well, freezing for a moment.Before she could respond, Damon added coldly, "Don't get the wrong idea. I just figured since you went ahead and had my child on your own, you must really like me."Nyla pressed her lips together, her gaze indifferent as she looked at him."You're overthinking it, Mr. Sumner. The fact that I gave birth to Buddy was an accident, and it had nothing to do with you. I don't like you," she replied.Damon let out a snicker. "Good. Any man liked by a woman like you is unlucky."Nyla's face darkened. She hadn't expected the amnesiac Damon to be so vicious with his words."Mr. Sumner, I'm here to talk about Oliver, not to discuss which man I like," she said."He tried to compete with Prospectus Technology for a project and lost, costin
Everyone turned to look toward the door. The first thing they noticed was a pair of long legs, followed by Damon's cold, imposing face.His gaze landed on the hand clutching Mason's collar.Regina felt a chill run straight through her spine, and she shivered. Instinctively, she let go of Mason.At that moment, she had a terrifying sense that Damon might just chop off her hand. It was only a gut feeling, but his glare alone filled her with fear.Nyla hurriedly caught Mason, her gaze full of concern. "Buddy, are you okay?"Mason nodded. "Mommy, I'm fine…"His eyes kept darting toward Damon, an unusual glimmer in them.Whenever other kids had bullied him in the past, it had always been just his mother standing up for him. He had dreamed that one day his father would show up out of nowhere and make those bullies pay for hurting him and Nyla.Now that his father had truly appeared, his feelings were complicated.On the one hand, he wanted his father to protect him and Nyla. On the
The teacher didn't understand why the CEO of Prospectus Technology was claiming to be Mason's father. However, she knew that if she allowed Regina to continue her tantrum, her own job might be in jeopardy.Regina remained oblivious to her silent warning. She glared at the teacher and said coldly, "You don't need to say anything more. My son was beaten up so badly this time. I must make that little bas— Mason pay for it!"Damon smiled—anyone familiar with him would recognize this as a sign of his growing fury."And what kind of price do you want my son to pay?" he asked.Regina mistook his question as a sign of fear and sneered. "He should get on his knees and apologize to my son, promise never to lay a hand on him again, and compensate us for 15,000 dollars in medical expenses!"Damon nodded. "Is that all? Shouldn't your son also get a full check-up? There might be some internal injuries that aren't visible."Regina was taken aback, clearly not expecting Damon to be so cooperativ
Regina looked up in shock as Noah pushed through the crowd, his face filled with anger.A wave of guilt flashed in her eyes as he approached. She scrambled to her feet, flustered."Honey... why are you here?" she asked weakly.Noah's expression was dark, his voice tightly controlled to keep from shouting. "If I hadn't come, who knows what kind of scene you would have caused? Can't you just stay home? Do you have to come out here and make a fool of yourself?"There was no hiding the disgust in his eyes as he looked at Regina, who had once been his employee.After a work dinner one night…Regina managed to get into Noah's bed but then disappeared the next day. He searched for her for a while but eventually gave up when she couldn't be found.To his surprise, she showed up at his door six months later—pregnant, with a fetal sex determination report in hand. Noah's mother had always wanted a grandson and threatened to disown him if he didn't marry Regina.Reluctantly, Noah agreed t
"I'll leave the house, the car, and all the savings to you and Kayden. I don't want anything," Noah said.He then pushed past the stunned Regina and walked away.Watching him leave with such determination, Regina finally panicked. She quickly chased after him and blocked his path. "Honey, I'm sorry! Don't leave me and our son! I promise I'll apologize! Please don't do this! I'm scared!"Noah looked at her expressionlessly. "Let's get a divorce. I'll prepare the papers, and you'll just need to sign them.""No!" Regina cried, her eyes brimming with tears.Confusion and disbelief clouded her gaze. She couldn't understand how a simple fight between their son and a classmate had escalated to this point.What she didn't realize was that this was just the last straw. Her previous tantrums and unreasonable behavior had led to this moment, but she thought it was just about this one incident."I won't divorce you! Noah, don't even think about leaving me and our son! I know you've been see
Before Noah could finish his sentence, Damon interrupted, "Mr. Conway, at Prospectus Technology, we value capability. As long as you handle this matter properly, it won't affect your job. But it's best if you learn to balance your family and work."Noah's previously dim eyes lit up abruptly, and he quickly assured him, "Don't worry, Mr. Sumner. I'll take this to heart and make sure it never happens again!"Damon nodded and turned to leave.Noah walked over to Kayden, pulling him up from the floor as he said coldly, "I'll take you to apologize to Mason in a couple of days."Regina, standing nearby, looked at him. "Honey—"Noah turned and struck her hard, causing her to fall to the floor.Covering her face in disbelief, she stared at him. "You actually hit me?""If you want to die, do it yourself! Don't drag Kayden down with you!" Noah hissed.He then grabbed the trembling Kayden and left.Regina clutched her face, fury filling her eyes, but she gritted her teeth and chased afte
Under Tim's leadership, the Westcott Group maintained its position as one of the top four families in Capitarnia, leaving the other three far behind.After reading the file, Gabriel closed it and asked coldly, "I asked you to arrange a meeting with Mr. Westcott. What's their response?"The secretary hesitated. "Mr. Hackett, Mr. Westcott's secretary hasn't responded. It seems they aren't interested in meeting with you."Gabriel wasn't fazed. The document made it clear that Tim was proud and highly selective in his dealings. Such a person wasn't easily approached.For Damon to even gain the Westcott Group's consideration, he must have put in significant effort.Still, there was an opportunity as long as the contract wasn't signed."No need to wait for a reply. I'll go to the Westcott Group myself tomorrow morning," Gabriel said."Understood, Mr. Hackett," the secretary replied.…At 7:00 a.m. the next day, Gabriel was already standing outside the Westcott Group. The sun hadn't f
Damon nodded. "Got it. Have the PR department continue contacting major media outlets to remove any negative commentary about Prospectus Technology. We can't let this situation escalate further."In the business world, public opinion could be lethal. Most people were naturally inclined to follow the crowd. Without knowing the full picture, they could easily be misled.If the narrative that Prospectus Technology's chips were faulty spread too far, restoring their reputation later would require monumental resources. It was critical to stop this from snowballing now."Understood, Mr. Sumner. By the way, how's the deal in Capitarnia coming along?" someone asked.Upon hearing that, Damon's previously tense expression relaxed slightly. "Progress is decent. Barring any unforeseen issues, we should be able to sign the contract in a couple of days."The group on the call let out a collective sigh of relief.Once the deal was signed, Prospectus Technology would recover some of its losses
"We can sign an agreement if you're still worried. I promise never to challenge your custody of Wilhelm in my lifetime," Jane assured.Seeing her determination, Gabriel remained silent.Noticing his hesitation, Jane gripped the armrests of her wheelchair tightly. "Gabriel, you're already hesitating, even though you haven't remarried yet. How can I believe you'll treat Wilhelm fairly in the future?"Gabriel's gaze turned cold. "No matter what, Wilhelm will be better off with me than with you. When and how much of the shares I give him is my decision, not yours."With that, he turned to leave.As he reached the doorway, Jane's voice echoed behind him. "If you don't transfer half your shares to Wilhelm, I won't leave the country!"Gabriel paused, then glanced back at her mockingly. "Whether you leave or stay means nothing to me. And why would you think your refusal to leave is a threat to me?""Gabriel, you're a bastard!" Jane shouted.Gabriel smirked and left without another word
Wilhelm froze for a moment, his eyes welling up with tears as confusion and hurt clouded them."Mommy, do you really not want me anymore?" he asked, his voice trembling.Jane's gaze flickered with a brief trace of pain as she looked at Wilhelm sitting pitifully on the floor. But the softness in her eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared.She stared at him coldly. "That's right. I never wanted you. I hit you to try and get your father to come back."The other day, when I took you out for steak, I deliberately let you eat that hazelnut cake. You started itching later because you're allergic—that was intentional, too. I wanted you hospitalized so I could force your father to see me."Her tone grew harsher. "Now that Gabriel and I are divorced, you're of no use to me. You're just a burden. Taking you with me would only drag me down."And I hate your father. Naturally, I hate you, too. Don't show up in front of me again!"Wilhelm sat frozen, her words cutting into him like shards of
If Wilhelm stopped wanting to see Jane, the bond between them would naturally fade over time."No! I don't want food!" Wilhelm cried, hurling Gabriel's phone onto the car seat.He began pounding on the car door, trying to open it. "I want to see Mommy! I want to live with her, not you!"Gabriel, his patience wearing thin, locked the doors with a sharp click and turned to Wilhelm, his expression darkening."Your mother doesn't want you. Even if you find her, she won't take you. I'm the only one you have now," he said."I hate you! I don't want to be with you! I don't want you as my dad!" Wilhelm screamed.Gabriel's restraint, already fraying after days of tantrums, finally snapped. He stared at his son and said coldly, "It doesn't matter whether you want me or not. No one wants you now except me."Jane didn't want Wilhelm. The Wilkies wouldn't want him either."That's not true!" Wilhelm sobbed uncontrollably. "Mommy wants me. Mommy's just mad. If I'm good, she'll take me back! S
Lydia nodded. "Okay, Ms. Kinsey."Shortly after, Lydia returned with Mason by her side.When Mason saw Gabriel and Wilhelm standing at the door, he frowned and turned to Nyla. "Mommy, why is Wilhelm here?"Nyla patted his head gently. "He's here to apologize to you.""Oh." Mason's response was wary, clearly unconvinced.Gabriel observed Nyla's affectionate interaction with Mason, his eyes flickering with a trace of emotion. He turned to Wilhelm. "What did you promise me before we came?"Wilhelm's reluctance was evident. He had agreed to apologize, but only under the threat of losing his chance to see his mother."Mason, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you yesterday. I hope you can forgive me," Wilhelm said, his voice subdued.Mason didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked up at Nyla, silently seeking her guidance."Buddy, this is your decision to make," Nyla said softly. "I'll respect whatever you decide."Mason lowered his head, thinking for a moment.Finally, he s
Brandon sighed and placed the items on the desk. "Aunt Nyla, this crisis is unlike anything Prospectus Technology has faced before. If things go wrong, the company can go bankrupt."Uncle Damon prepared these after finding out Buddy is his son, but he hadn't found the right time to give them to you."Keep them for now. If Prospectus Technology collapses, he'll need this to start over."After a moment's silence, Nyla nodded. "Alright, I'll hold onto them. Is this the only reason you came?""Yes, I need to get back to work," Brandon replied."I'll see you out," Nyla offered.After sending Brandon off, she returned to the study and placed the documents and bank card in the safe upstairs.The next morning…As Nyla was getting dressed, Lydia knocked on the door."Ms. Kinsey, there's a man outside who says he's your brother," Lydia informed her.Brother?Thinking it was likely Gabriel, Nyla's expression turned cold. "I don't know him. Tell him to leave.""Understood," Lydia said
Damon put the file down and sat across from Nyla.Noticing two portions of breakfast on the table, he asked, "You haven't eaten either?""No," Nyla replied as she opened the packages and handed one to him. "I came to eat with you. Spencer told me he brought you breakfast this morning, but you didn't touch it.""I was too busy," Damon said."Being busy isn't an excuse to skip meals. I saw your assistants running around like crazy, and I heard they barely got any sleep last night. Is the issue with the company that serious?" Nyla asked."It's significant," Damon admitted. "Our chips might be causing malfunctions in our partner's machines. If that's confirmed, the company will face a massive compensation payout."Nyla frowned, worry flashing in her eyes. "I can't help much with work, but the least I can do is keep things in order at home. By the way, are you coming home tonight?""Probably not," he replied. "There's still a lot to handle.""Alright. Finish your breakfast. I'll hea
Gabriel took the document, skimmed its contents, and his face darkened."What is it?" Tom asked.Gabriel tossed the document onto the table with a cold laugh. "Nothing important. Damon's just trying to catch me off guard."The document contained evidence of Nyce Tech hiring paid posters to smear Prospectus Technology, but Gabriel wasn't worried.Soon enough, those allegations would become the truth.Tom glanced at the papers and grinned. "As long as it's not a big problem. Anyway, I should get going.""Fine, but don't forget your part in this," Gabriel said pointedly.There was a cold glint in Tom's eyes, though his smile remained. "Relax. I won't let you handle Prospectus Technology alone."After Tom left, Gabriel drained his wine in one gulp.As he prepared to head to his study, a maid approached with a concerned expression."Mr. Hackett, Mr. Wilhelm still refuses to eat," the maid informed him.Gabriel had brought Wilhelm straight back to the villa instead of letting him