"What?! How is that even possible…" Erin trailed off.She had expected the trending topic to be about Nyla's cheating scandal—not her own affair with a male model! And… revealing photos…She quickly turned her head and noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. Instantly, she scowled."Lucy, I have something to take care of. I'll talk to you later," Erin said, hanging up quickly.She immediately dialed the male model's number, but his phone went straight to voicemail.Damn it! He must have set her up! She wouldn't let him off the hook!Just as Erin frantically thought about how to resolve the mess, her phone began ringing incessantly.Seeing her father's name on the screen, she involuntarily trembled and threw the phone onto the floor, too afraid to answer.Her parents had surely found out by now. Answering the call would be like digging her own grave.Although she had indulged herself on the side, the Hulles' upbringing had been strict.Since her engagement to Damon,
Damon's gaze turned icy. "Why do you ask?""Because, no matter what, Ms. Hulle is still your fiancee, and the Hulles have many cooperative projects with Prospectus Technology. Publicly revealing her affair with a male model would be detrimental to both parties," Luca reasoned.After a moment of silence, Damon replied coldly, "You're overthinking it. What I'm doing has nothing to do with her."Luca lowered his gaze, not fully convinced. If it weren't for Nyla, there would be no reason to expose Erin's scandal."Is there anything else?" Damon's voice was sharp.It prompted Luca to quickly answer, "No, I'll head out now.""Mr. Hulle might come by in the afternoon. Just let him into my office," Damon said."Understood, Mr. Sumner," Luca replied.…Not long after lunch, Patrick stormed into Damon's office. "Mr. Sumner, is this how you treat Erin? Isn't it a bit excessive?"Damon set down his documents and looked up at Patrick.Patrick stomped into the office and slammed the door
Damon smiled. "There's no need for you to worry about that, Mr. Hulle."Patrick had come and left in a huff. As soon as he stepped out of Prospectus Technology, he immediately called Clark."Clark, I won't let you get away with this scheme against me!" he roared.He hung up without waiting for a response.Clark was left bewildered. When he tried calling back, it showed that Patrick was already on another call.Richard, who had been watching, frowned. "What's going on?"Clark put away his phone and shook his head. "I don't know. Mr. Hulle said I schemed against him... I have no idea what he means."After a moment of thought, Richard quickly pieced things together, especially after hearing about Erin that morning."It looks like your uncle has found out about your meetings with Patrick," Richard suggested."I'll find out what's going on," Clark said.Not long after, he returned with information about the situation.Richard sighed and said quietly, "Your uncle's termination of
Seeing that Cyrus wanted to say more, Richard sneered. "Don't forget that you were the one who found the doctor to hypnotize him. You knew exactly what you were thinking back then, so don't pretend to be the good guy now."Cyrus' face fell, and he took a deep breath, choosing to remain silent.Beside them, Clark's eyes flashed with a cold glint.Only if Damon became a fool would he lose the chance to compete for the company and Nyla. In that case, Clark might even be able to snatch Prospectus Technology away from Damon.In the living room, each person was lost in their own thoughts, and for a moment, no one spoke.…Shortly after Damon returned to the company, Luca knocked on the door and entered."Mr. Sumner, the Hulles have announced that your engagement to Ms. Hulle has been dissolved. They're doing this to salvage their reputation," he informed.Damon nodded. "Mm, there's no need to concern ourselves with this matter anymore.""Understood," Luca replied.At Damon's villa…
"Alright, it's time for your nap. When your dad gets home from work tonight, you can ask him about going to the amusement park," Nyla announced."Okay!" Mason agreed.Excited, he took over an hour to fall asleep.After covering him with a blanket, Nyla got up and sat on the sofa. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Damon.From Mason's eager expression earlier, she figured it would make him very sad if Damon refused his request. Thus, before Damon returned, she needed to convince him to take Mason to the amusement park.She received no reply after sending the message.By evening, Nyla could no longer hold back and dialed Damon's number. It rang a few times before he picked up."Mr. Sumner, I sent you a message this afternoon. I'm not sure if you saw it," Nyla stated.Damon's cold voice came through the line. "I saw it."Nyla wanted to ask why he hadn't replied, but she then realized their only connection now was Mason. It was normal for Damon not to want to respond.
Mason was thrilled, his cheeks flushed with excitement.After Damon left, he looked up at Nyla and cheered, "Mommy, Daddy said yes!"Mason was usually a reserved child, so seeing him so expressive made Nyla smile. "Yeah, I heard that."…In the following days, Mason eagerly counted down to Saturday, looking forward to it more with each passing day.Finally, Saturday arrived, and Mason woke up early.Nyla, who had light sleep, got up when he did.After they finished breakfast, Damon came downstairs. Seeing Nyla and Mason waiting on the couch, particularly Mason's eager expression, made Damon subconsciously speed up his breakfast.When they left, it was not even 8:00 a.m. yet.Nyla felt a bit worried. "Do you think the amusement park will be open this early?"Damon looked up from his documents, his expression nonchalant. "No worries;. I rented out the entire park."Nyla was taken aback.Damon noted her reaction and asked, "What's wrong?""Mr. Sumner, you know the whole point
As time passed, more and more people filled the amusement park.Nyla held Mason's hand tightly, preventing him from running around too much and avoiding collisions with others or the risk of getting knocked over.Suddenly, Mason pointed excitedly at a ride not far away. "Mommy! I want to ride that!"Following Mason's gaze, Nyla felt troubled. He wanted to go on the swinging pendulum ride, but she had never liked high-altitude attractions.She turned to Damon and said, "Mr. Sumner, I'm not really a fan of high-altitude rides. Why don't you take Buddy on that one? I think there's a version for kids."Damon stared at her, speechless.Before he could respond, Mason dashed in front of him, hugging his leg and shaking it. "Daddy! I want to ride it! Please! Jasper said his dad took him on it several times when they went to the amusement park!"Seeing the eager look in Mason's eyes, Damon had no choice but to nod. "Fine, but I can only go once with you.""Great! Thanks, Daddy!" Mason e
The familiar scent of pine momentarily caught Nyla off guard. It wasn't until the crowd cleared that Damon let go of her."Are you okay?" His cool, deep voice came from above her.Nyla pressed her lips together and replied softly, "I'm fine.""Good to hear," Damon said."Daddy, can you and Mommy ride the carousel with me?" Mason looked up at Damon, completely unbothered by what had just happened and unaware that Nyla had zoned out.Damon thought the carousel was childish, something only kids and women would enjoy. Just as he was about to decline, Mason grabbed his leg, looking up at him with eager eyes.Caught in Mason's hopeful gaze, Damon found himself relenting. "Alright, let's do it."They lined up at the carousel. Just as they were about to get on, Nyla's phone suddenly rang.When she saw it was Oliver, she looked up at Damon. "I need to take this call. If we get to the front of the line, just take Buddy on the ride."Damon, towering over Nyla, caught a glimpse of the nam
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