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
Damon turned back, still smiling. "Is there anything else?"Richard gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll buy your shares at market price, but you have to sign right now!"Damon's smile deepened. "Market price was the offer earlier. You missed your chance. Unless it's double the market price, I won't agree."Richard nearly fainted with rage. "Damon, don't push your luck! Double the market price—how can you even ask for that?""I'm just talking business. You're free to decline," Damon replied."There's no way I'll agree to that! Market price, not a penny more!" Richard growled.Damon nodded. "Then, I'm afraid I have to say no deal. I'm not selling."Before Richard could respond, Damon was already out the door.Cyrus wanted to chase after him, but Richard stopped him. "Come back! Even if you catch up to him, he won't sell to you. We were wrong from the start."Richard had thought that holding the doctor card would give him leverage over Damon, but he had forgotten that Damon was never
Clark rushed forward, shouting at his parents, who were still arguing, "Stop fighting! Grandpa's passed out!"Cyrus and Cindy whipped around, stunned by the sudden turn of events. They immediately ceased their argument."Dad! Dad!" Cyrus dashed to Richard's side, desperately trying to wake him.Cindy, now panicking, quickly dialed emergency services.Richard's face was ashen, and he appeared completely lifeless.Fear gripped everyone's hearts. He couldn't die—not now. If he did, their chances of getting the Sumner Group would vanish.The sound of ambulance sirens grew louder. Soon, paramedics arrived, rushing Richard onto a stretcher and taking him to the hospital.Outside the emergency room…Cyrus and Cindy waited anxiously.Cyrus paced back and forth, muttering, "What do we do? What do we do?"Cindy sat in a chair, pale-faced, her hands tightly clasped together.Clark sat a little distance away from them, his expression dark as he remained deep in thought.After what felt
Damon glanced at Brandon coolly as he replied, "You're not seeing things. This is my son.""Your son?! Since when did you have a kid this old?!" Brandon exclaimed.He stared at Mason in shock before his gaze shifted to Nyla. His brow furrowed as he suddenly recognized her. "Wait... you are... Nyla Jayston?!"Brandon had only met Nyla a few times before. Since he wasn't great with faces, he hadn't formed much of an impression of her, especially after learning that she had fallen into the sea.If it weren't for the fact that Nyla was Valarie's close friend—and he had been pursuing Valarie for five years, knowing she visited Nyla's grave every year on her birthday—he probably would have forgotten about her completely.Nyla was surprised he remembered her and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Brandon.""Hello, hello!" Brandon replied, but as he spoke, a realization struck him.His eyes widened as he turned to look at Damon. It took him a moment to recover. "Uncle Damon, you really kept this under
Seeing Damon's confident demeanor, clearly having a plan in mind, Brandon finally felt a sense of relief."Okay, I get it. But Clark and Uncle Cyrus have gone too far. They'll do anything to get their hands on the Sumner Group," he grumbled.Damon remained indifferent, commenting, "It's not surprising. People will risk everything for money. If they don't bring me down, they'll never get the Sumner Group."Even though Damon was right, Brandon still believed that Cyrus and Clark were far too ruthless. If Clark hadn't cheated back then, he wouldn't have been kicked out of the Sumner Group. Meanwhile, Brandon wouldn't have had the chance to become the company's CEO.If one wanted something, one should work for it. Trying to take the easy way out would only lead to self-destruction.After wrapping up their conversation, Brandon lingered for a little while longer before leaving.Later, after putting Mason to bed, Nyla came downstairs to get some water.Seeing only Damon sitting on the
Valarie figured the woman Brandon mentioned was probably just a stand-in Damon had found to replace Nyla.She didn't care how Damon regained his memory after losing it for five years—what he was doing was clearly an insult to Nyla. She wasn’t going to let this go easily.Brandon wasn’t surprised by Valarie’s reaction. After all, if someone suddenly told him that a person who had been dead for years was still alive, his first reaction would be disbelief too."Valarie, I’m not joking. I really—" he tried to explain.Before he could finish, the call ended abruptly. When he tried to call back, he saw that the line was busy.Brandon frowned, thought for a moment, and turned his car around. He drove straight to Valarie’s place. Since she didn’t believe him, he was going to take her to see Nyla himself.…After hanging up, Valarie tore off her face mask and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She quickly changed into an outfit and drove off.Not long after leaving her hous
Brandon clenched his jaw, resolute. "Uncle Damon, Valarie really misunderstood. You're the bigger person here. Don't hold a grudge against her."Valarie broke free from Brandon's grip, stepping forward to face Damon again."I don't need his forgiveness. Even if it costs me my life today, I'm going to get justice for Nyla!" she snapped.Damon let out a cold laugh. "Justice? What do you think you know?"Realizing Damon's fury, Brandon quickly grabbed Valarie's arm, saying, "Valarie, you've really misunderstood. That woman is Nyla. It's my fault for calling you earlier—I should have told you in person. Hurry and apologize to my uncle!"Valarie shook off his hand, her tone icy. "Why should I apologize? Fine, if you say that woman is Nyla, then bring her out right now! I want to see just how much she looks like the real deal!"As her words fell, the temperature around them seemed to drop sharply.Brandon didn't dare look at Damon. Nonetheless, he suppressed his fear and sneaked a gla
"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
Damon's expression was icy as he spoke. "I've already sent the head of R&D with a team to investigate. Let's wait for their findings before jumping to conclusions."He added, "The Agihop 6th Gen isn't out yet. If the issue does lie in the Agihop 5th Gen, we should prepare for the worst—compensation payouts and the possibility of... bankruptcy.""What?!" A collective gasp echoed through the room, disbelief etched on everyone's faces."All this over a single batch of faulty machines from the Longbow Company? Isn't that a bit extreme?""Exactly. If the problem is with the Agihop 5th Gen chips, wouldn't paying compensation suffice?""Mr. Sumner, aren't you exaggerating?"The notion that Prospectus Technology could face bankruptcy over a single chip seemed absurd.Meeting their skepticism with a calm demeanor, Damon elaborated, "The news about Longbow Company's machines breaking down after using our chips has already spread.They're attributing the issue to Prospectus Technology's p
Damon's expression remained unmoved. "As I said, we'll investigate thoroughly. Asking us to accept responsibility before the investigation is complete seems unreasonable, doesn't it?"Jeffrey let out a cold laugh. "Fine, Mr. Sumner. But I hope you act quickly. Every day of delay costs us millions. The longer this drags on, the more Prospectus Technology will have to pay."With that, Jeffrey turned and stormed out of the room.Damon, his expression as icy as ever, summoned the head of the R&D department to his office."Take two of your team members to the Longbow Company and investigate the root cause of the machine failures. Determine whether it's our chips," Damon instructed."Mr. Sumner, it can't be our chips! We've invested so much in their development, and they've been on the market for over three years without a single issue. The problem must be elsewhere," the department head replied.Damon's tone sharpened. "I want accurate results based on the investigation—not assumption