Damon glanced at Nyla, noticed her with her head down, lost in thought, and frowned involuntarily. Ever since she had taken that call from Oliver at noon, she had been acting this way. Did Oliver really hold such significance for her?"Daddy…" Mason called out.Damon snapped back to reality and looked down at Mason, scooping him up in his arms. "Sure. If you like it, we can come here every week.""Yay!" Mason clapped his hands excitedly, his cheeks flushed with joy.Since they had played late into the day, they decided to find a nearby restaurant for dinner.After placing their orders, Nyla headed to the restroom.The restaurant featured wooden partitions between each table, adorned with lush green leaves. It was both beautiful and provided a degree of privacy.As Nyla walked past the partitions toward the restroom, a surprised voice suddenly called out to her, "Nyla?"She froze at the sound of the voice. Turning her head stiffly, she saw it was indeed Oliver. An involuntary wa
Mason hadn't seen Oliver in a while, so his face lit up with excitement. "Okay!"As soon as Mason spoke, he sensed Damon's gaze on him. It seemed his father wasn't too keen on having Oliver join them for dinner.However, he had already agreed, and he didn't want to chase Oliver away, especially since he really liked him and wanted to eat together.Oliver sat down next to Nyla and turned to Damon. "Sorry to intrude."Damon's expression was indifferent. "If you knew it was an intrusion, Mr. Raynor, you shouldn't have followed Ms. Kinsey here in the first place, should you?"Catching the sarcasm in Damon's tone, Oliver remained unfazed and smiled. "I've always had meals with Nyla and Buddy before, and I thought you wouldn't mind since you know my relationship with Nyla."Damon remained silent, his face stoic. Admitting he minded would make him seem petty while claiming he didn't mind felt uncomfortable. Ultimately, he chose to ignore Oliver, treating him like he was invisible.Howe
"I already know most of what happened between us. I've done you and Buddy wrong, and I'll do my best to make it up to you both," Damon said.Nyla looked up in disbelief, clearly surprised that Damon would say something like that.Under her intense gaze, Damon awkwardly turned his eyes away and coldly added, "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just feeling guilty.""Don't worry. I won't misunderstand. Whatever happened before is in the past. I won't get carried away or use Buddy to entangle you," Nyla replied firmly.Damon felt a wave of irritation wash over him, and his voice turned even colder. "That's for the best!"With that, he turned and left the bedroom.As the bedroom door closed, the room fell silent, save for Mason's soft breathing.Nyla pressed her hand against her restless heart, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts. She went to the wardrobe, grabbed her pajamas, and prepared to take a shower.…When Nyla and Mason got up the next morning, Damon had already left for a bus
Nyla looked at Clark calmly as she asked, "Is that so?"Clark was momentarily stunned, not expecting her response. He quickly replied, "Of course! We were so in love before. Have you forgotten?""Of course I haven't forgotten," Nyla said, raising an eyebrow. "And I have something to tell you too.""What is it?" Clark asked.Nyla beckoned. "Come a little closer." Confused, Clark stepped toward her.Just as he was a few steps away, she suddenly slapped him.The sharp sound echoed in the living room, leaving a clear handprint on Clark's face. His expression twisted in anger."Nyla!" His voice was filled with fury, and his gaze turned dark and cold.Nyla smiled, shaking her aching hand. "Your skin is really thick. My hand hurts now. This slap is for what I didn't get the chance to do five years ago. Consider it payback."Clark gritted his teeth, forcing himself to suppress his anger. "Nyla, you've slapped me and vented your anger. Does that mean I can pursue you again now?"Nyl
"Whoever is scheming against Prospectus Technology behind our backs must have a lot of nerve!"Damon cast a cold look at the agitated shareholders, and they immediately fell silent.He then announced, "I've already sent people to investigate. I will inform everyone as soon as we have results. For now, focus on the tasks at hand. Prospectus Technology has weathered many storms over the years and emerged unscathed. This minor issue won't bring us down."Damon's words reassured everyone, and their expressions visibly relaxed.They were reminded that even if they lacked faith in themselves, they should trust Damon. As long as he was around, the company would not falter.The meeting lasted over three hours before everyone finally dispersed.Upon returning to his office, Damon called Luca in and asked, "What's the situation with Prestige Corp.?""Mr. Sumner, I was just about to report to you. Prestige Corp. has been losing money since last year and is essentially an empty shell now,"
Clark's expression turned sour as he demanded, "Dad, didn't you hear Grandpa's warning just now? Or is a brother who abandoned you more important than your own son?"Cyrus sighed. "I just want to talk to the doctor about the likelihood of Damon successfully recovering his memory. And no matter what, he's still your uncle.""Uncle? He's not even a part of the Sumners!" an angry voice said from the doorway.Cyrus and Clark turned their heads.Cyrus glared at Cindy as she approached. He scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? Isn't the family chaotic enough already?"Cindy scoffed and sat across from them. "Clark, do you remember when I told you that your uncle doesn't have the right to compete with you for the Sumner Group?"Clark nodded. "Yes. What do you mean by saying he isn't part of the Sumners?"Cyrus was angry. "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. I think she's been idle for too long and lost her mind. How could I not know whether Damon is my brother?"Cindy smirked,
It took several minutes before Cyrus finally spoke in a low voice. "Mom is already gone, and Damon will soon hand the company over to Clark. Just pretend you don't know about this. Bringing it up won't do any good."Cindy sneered at him. "I'm not interested, but if you keep being soft-hearted toward Damon, then don't bother calling Clark your son! Let's see if Damon even cares about your compassion!"Cyrus fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed deeply. "Fine, I understand."…At 8:00 p.m., Damon arrived at the Sumner residence right on time.As soon as he walked in, the atmosphere in the living room became tense. In addition to Cyrus' family and Richard, Brandon was also present.Richard looked at Damon expressionlessly. "Take a seat. On the table is the share transfer agreement for the company. As long as you sign it, I'll let you see Dr. Herbert immediately."Damon walked over to the table, picked up the document, and calmly read through it.He didn't rush to sign. Instea
Brandon sneered. "Don't even think about it. I'd rather give my shares to a beggar than to someone like you—a schemer who expects everything without putting in any effort.""You!" Clark shouted, raising his fist and swinging it toward Brandon's face.Before he could make contact, a bone-chilling voice stopped him. "If that punch lands, I can guarantee you'll never set foot in the Sumner Group again."Damon's tone lacked any hint of threat, but Clark felt certain he meant every word.Richard snapped back to his senses, shouting, "Clark! I didn't call you here tonight to fight! If you want to fight, take it outside!"This provided Clark with a way to back down. He lowered his hand and glared at Brandon. "I'll let you off tonight, but you'd better not have done anything illegal at the company these past few years. When I take over, I won't show any mercy."Brandon scoffed. "You're all talk with nothing in hand. If the company ends up in the hands of someone useless like you, it'll g
Back in the car, Gabriel's expression was so dark it seemed he might explode."Mr. Hackett, I don't think Mr. Sumner is likely to collaborate with Nyce Tech. Should we approach Mr. Genge instead?" his secretary asked cautiously.The secretary had doubted Damon would agree to meet with Gabriel from the start, and now it seemed his instincts were right.Although Tim had deceived them, Nyce Tech's losses were still manageable. There was no urgent need to rely on Damon for assistance.Gabriel shot him a cold glare. "What do you know?"The secretary flinched under the stare and dared not speak again."If Damon refuses to meet me, start reaching out to Prospectus Technology's other shareholders. I don't believe they all blindly follow him," Gabriel instructed.The secretary nodded. "Understood.""Take me back to the office," Gabriel said curtly.In Prospectus Technology's CEO office on the top floor…Nyla had just finished setting out the dishes and called Damon over to eat."I'll
Gabriel suppressed his emotions and forced a smile. "Nyla, are you here with Buddy to bring Mr. Sumner dinner?"Nyla acted as though she hadn't heard him and strode past him into the lobby, her demeanor cold and distant.Gabriel's expression darkened. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Nyla, do you hate me so much that you won't even speak to me?"Nyla frowned. "Please move.""Nyla..." Gabriel's voice softened, his hurt evident. His gaze held a trace of sadness.She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with disdain. "Gabriel, you and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. You've been targeting Prospectus Technology behind the scenes for months. Do you really think we can have a civil conversation?"Her tone carried a clear defense of Damon, stoking jealousy in Gabriel.She only saw his actions against Prospectus Technology but ignored how Damon and Tim had schemed against him together."Nyla, do you know why I named my company Nyce Tech?" he asked abruptly.
"Why are you here so early?" Damon asked.Upon seeing the dark circles under his eyes, Nyla's heart ached. "Spencer told me about your schedule this morning. Buddy and I missed you, so we came by."Damon walked over. "Yeah, I have to head to a meeting soon and won't have much time to spend with you two.""We understand," Nyla said softly.Damon gave her a brief hug before crouching to embrace Mason. "If all goes well, I might finish early tonight and be home for dinner.""Okay. I brought you breakfast. Eat something before your meeting," Nyla said with a gentle smile.As Damon ate, Mason and Nyla watched him."You've gotten thinner. Are you not eating properly?" Nyla asked, concern evident in her voice.Damon sipped his coffee and reassured her, "It's fine. Things will calm down soon."Just as they were finishing, Spencer entered to remind Damon about the meeting."Bring the materials to the conference room. I'll be right there," Damon instructed.Once Spencer left, he turne
After Gabriel stormed out, Tim couldn't hold back his laughter. "Haha, Gabriel's expression just now was priceless. I was going to leave him hanging, but he insisted on throwing money at me. He really set himself up for failure."Damon didn't comment.Tim finally stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "You've got an evening flight to catch, right? Let's handle the contract now."Damon walked over and sat across from him, pulling out the contract. "I've already marked the sections that need revisions."Tim took the document, reviewed the highlighted parts, and immediately called his assistant to revise them. Once corrected, the updated version was printed, signed, and stamped.By the time everything was finalized, over an hour had passed.Satisfied, Damon tucked one copy into his bag and stood up. "If any issues come up, let me know."Tim nodded. "Sure."As Damon reached the door, he paused and turned to Tim. "By the way, Gabriel doesn't let things slide. You outmaneuvered him
After a brief moment of anger, Gabriel regained his composure, his gaze turning cold. "Damon, Mr. Westcott assured me he wouldn't partner with Prospectus Technology. Otherwise, he wouldn't have signed this contract with me. Stop lying."Damon remained unfazed and spoke calmly. "Believe me or not, it makes no difference to me."With that, he turned and continued into Tim's office with Spencer following close behind.Gabriel stared at Damon's retreating back and instructed his secretary, "We're going back inside. I need to see for myself whether Damon or Tim is lying to me."Trailing Damon, Gabriel stormed into Tim's office.Seeing both men enter together, Tim raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Hackett, what brings the two of you here together? Is there an issue with your contract as well, Mr. Hackett?"The subtle emphasis on "as well" struck Gabriel like a ton of bricks. His expression darkened."Mr. Westcott, you assured me at the restaurant that you wouldn't c
"Mr. Westcott, I'll return the money to him right away," Crystal said quickly.Tim waved dismissively. "No need. Tomorrow, go to the finance department and collect 8,000,000 dollars. After that, you don't need to come to the company."Crystal's face turned pale. She knew all too well that this sum of money was a breakup fee."Mr. Westcott, I truly realize my mistake. Please, give me another chance..." she pleaded, reaching out to grab his sleeve.The moment she saw the cold look in his eyes, her hand froze mid-air, and she dared not move any closer.Tim stood tall, looking down at her with an icy expression. He spoke slowly. "You should be grateful to Mr. Hackett. If he'd only given you a few hundred thousand, that's all you'd be getting from me as well. But 15,000,000 dollars in total for three years? I'd say that's more than enough."He added, his tone final, "I don't want to make this uglier than it has to be. Let's part on good terms."Crystal's face went ashen. She wanted t
"Would you happen to have a moment later? I'd love to discuss something," Gabriel asked.Tim smiled. "What a coincidence. I suppose I can spare a few minutes for a chat.""Excellent," Gabriel replied.Standing, Crystal smoothed her dress. "I'll freshen up."She knew better than to linger during Tim's business discussions."Your lipstick needs touching up. Take your time," Tim said mildly."Of course," Crystal answered.She found a quiet spot and sat for over half an hour, waiting until she received a bank notification confirming a deposit of 7,000,000 dollars.Satisfied, she returned to the table, only to find Tim dining alone."Tim, when did Mr. Hackett leave?" she asked, quickening her pace to sit across from him.Tim continued cutting his steak with deliberate precision. "No talking while eating."Although his tone was calm, Crystal had been with him long enough to sense his simmering anger.She pressed her lips together, instinctively explaining, "Tim, I'm sorry. Mr. Ha
By midday, Tim still refused to see Gabriel.Gabriel, considering taking a break and returning later, received a call from his secretary."Mr. Hackett, I found out Mr. Westcott has a girlfriend. Perhaps she could help arrange a meeting," his secretary said.A spark lit in Gabriel's eyes. "Send me her details right away."The secretary quickly forwarded the information.Tim's girlfriend, Crystal Glasco, came from an average family and worked as his assistant.Her background was straightforward—a bachelor's degree and a job at the Westcott Group right after graduation, where she became Tim's assistant.Their relationship, however, was more about Tim keeping her than about them being equals. That said, their three years together suggested Tim held some level of affection for her.After reviewing the details, Gabriel immediately called his secretary back. "Find a way to contact Crystal. I need to meet her today."…At around 8:00 p.m., Crystal entered an upscale restaurant in Cap
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