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
However, Oliver quickly adjusted his expression and walked toward Nyla and Mason.As Nyla stepped out of the elevator with Mason, she looked surprised to see him. "What brings you here today?"Oliver's demeanor was warm. "I came to check on you and Buddy."He then turned to Damon. "Mr. Sumner, thanks for sending Nyla and Buddy back. Just hand me the backpack."He reached for the backpack in Damon's hand, but the latter subtly moved it out of reach, his expression cool. "No need. Buddy is my child. It's my responsibility."Oliver raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. When he pulled his hand back, he noticed the bruise on Mason's face. "What happened to Buddy?"Nyla kept her explanation brief. "He got into a fight at school, but it's all been sorted out.""How did it get so bad?" Oliver asked."The other kid was hurt worse. Let's not stand out here. Come inside," Nyla said.She opened the door. As she turned to take the backpack from Damon, he suddenly spoke up. "Ms. Kin
Nyla turned around and said indifferently, "Alright, I won't see you out, Mr. Sumner."Damon's gaze darkened further as he sensed her dismissive attitude. He knew she wouldn't call him. Even if she didn't, it was fine—the principal would notify him."Goodbye," he replied.After Damon left, Oliver hesitated for a moment before asking how Damon had ended up coming back with them that day.Nyla couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "You've been holding that in for a while, haven't you?"Oliver exchanged a glance with her and laughed. "I'm just a bit curious."Nyla briefly recounted how Mason had gotten into a fight at school and how Damon had arrived not long after her.After hearing this, Oliver frowned. "Nyla, with something that serious happening, why didn't you contact me?"Nyla pressed her lips together and looked down. "I was too anxious at the time. It didn't occur to me."Besides, she had just learned that Oliver had been forced to resign because of her and Mason. Even if s
Hugh stiffened for a moment before his expression turned furious."What we're discussing is how you'll do anything to get back into the Raynor Group. I asked you to leave because you're jeopardizing the company's interests for a woman. I won't tolerate that!" he barked.Oliver nodded, his gaze cold. "Isn't it because you want Fred to take my place and use me as a stepping stone?"Hugh shot up from his seat. "What nonsense are you talking about?!"His face was flushed with rage, but Oliver noticed a flicker of guilt in his eyes."Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, we both know the truth. I just want to understand why you're paving the way for Fred at my expense," Oliver said calmly."That's enough!" Hugh slammed his hand on the table, shouting, "I don't want to argue about this useless stuff! You'll get your position back, but I'm very disappointed in you!"Meeting Hugh's enraged gaze, Oliver chuckled. "Dad, I've been disappointed in you too."With that, he turned and left.B
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
Valarie turned to the couch and saw Stefan sitting there, watching her with concern."You stayed here all night?" she asked, surprised."Yeah." He nodded. "You drank too much last night. I was worried about you, so I stayed to look after you.""That must've been exhausting," Valarie remarked.Stefan shook his head. "It wasn't. How do you feel now? I bought you breakfast and made you honey water this morning. If your head hurts, the honey water should help.""I'll wash my face first." Valarie got out of bed and went to the bathroom.While freshening up, she noticed several faint red marks on her neck and chest—suspiciously like hickeys. She frowned slightly.When she stepped out, Stefan was still on the couch, looking especially well-behaved.Valarie sat across from him, pointed at her neck, and asked bluntly, "Did you do this?"The moment the words left her mouth, Stefan's face turned bright red. He lowered his head, avoiding her gaze. "I... I couldn't help myself. But I swear
After placing Valarie on the couch, Stefan stepped out of the private room to answer the call.Michelle sneered. "Stefan, tomorrow is the deadline for your mother's medical bill, and you haven't made any progress."Looks like you really don't care about the money. Or… have you gotten close to Valarie and don't need it anymore?"What a pity. Valarie still doesn't know you have ulterior motives. Do you want me to help tell her?"Stefan lowered his head, his eyes dark with emotion. "I'll send the photos in a bit."He hung up without hesitation.Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he didn't return to the private room immediately. Instead, he leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. The swirling smoke obscured his features, making it impossible to read his expression.It felt like his entire life had been shrouded in darkness since birth. No matter how hard he fought, he could never break free.His phone buzzed with a new message from Michelle.Michelle: [Stefan, your mo
Nyla continued. "And Buddy?""Mr. Mason has already gone to bed," Lydia reported.Nyla nodded, then turned and made her way to the study.She gently pushed the door open and saw Damon fast asleep on the couch. Quietly, she stepped inside.The couch wasn't very big—perfect for her to nap on while reading. But for someone as tall as Damon, it looked rather cramped.As she moved closer, she noticed he hadn't even loosened his tie before falling asleep. A flicker of distress crossed her eyes. He must have been exhausted from all the wedding preparations.Carefully, she reached out, loosened his tie, and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. Then she grabbed a blanket and draped it over him.After making sure he was comfortable, she left the room as quietly as she had entered.Since she wasn't sleepy yet, she decided to sit in the living room for a while.Just as she settled on the couch, Lydia approached with a shawl. "Mrs. Sumner, the temperature drops at night. Keep warm.
Nyla was momentarily stunned but reached out to accept the gift."Can I open it now?" she asked.Alexander nodded. "Of course."She lifted the lid and found a stunning ruby necklace inside, surrounded by diamonds that shimmered like a star-studded sky. It was breathtaking—impossible to look away from."It's beautiful. Thank you," she gasped."As long as you like it, that's all that matters. By the way, where's Buddy?" Alexander asked."He's probably in the main hall," Nyla answered.Alexander chuckled. "Alright. I'll go look for him."As soon as he left, Valarie let out a gasp of amazement. "Nyla, who was that guy? I just saw this necklace on the news a while ago. It was auctioned off for 20,000,000 dollars to a mysterious buyer! And now, I see it in real life—right here!"Nyla was taken aback. She hadn't expected the necklace to be that valuable.She examined it again. Aside from its beauty, it didn't seem all that special."Are you sure it's worth so much?" she asked.Val
Opening the food container, Nyla found it filled with all her favorite snacks. She couldn't help but smile."Valarie, you barely ate anything earlier. Want some?" she asked.Valarie glanced at the food, raised an eyebrow, and replied, "I'm already full—from all the PDA I've been force-fed today."Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was already 2:00 p.m.Valarie led Nyla out of the dressing room, where Harrison waited at the entrance, seated in his wheelchair.The moment Nyla saw him, her eyes welled with tears. "Dad."Harrison's voice thickened with emotion. "I'm here to walk you down the aisle."Nyla squeezed his hand as they descended the stairs together.At the entrance to the grand hall, Nyla held her bouquet with one hand and her father's hand with the other, her heart racing with anticipation.The doors swung open.Damon stood at the end of the aisle, dressed in a sharp white suit. His eyes locked onto Nyla's, filled with nothing but love and tenderness.E
At that moment, Nyla finally understood what Damon had meant by a "surprise."Her eyes welled with emotion as she turned to Valarie. "Where is he now?""I'm not sure, but he's probably still handling the wedding preparations. Try on the dress first and see if it fits!" Valarie said with a grin.Nyla blinked back her tears and nodded. "Okay."With Valarie's help, she slipped into the wedding dress.It fit her perfectly—just as she had imagined.Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she felt a bit dazed.It had been so long since she'd last worn a wedding dress—so long that she had almost forgotten what it felt like.Beside her, Valarie admired the sight. "You look gorgeous! My best friend never disappoints. Oh, wait—there's still this!"Nyla turned to see Valarie holding a diamond-studded tiara. She couldn't help but smile."Let me put it on for you," Valarie offered."Okay."Valarie carefully adjusted the tiara on Nyla's head, making sure it sat just right."Perfect," sh