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
"I don't want to hear it!" Valarie shouted. "I thought we were best friends, but you treated me like this."Seeing Nyla alive and well in front of her was initially exciting.However, as the reality sank in—that Nyla had hidden the truth from her for five years, causing her so much pain—a wave of disappointment washed over her.She realized she had been the only one suffering all this time while Nyla was alive and well, even back with Damon.Valarie felt like a joke. Nyla was already with Damon, and here she was, foolishly seeking justice for her.Not wanting to look at Nyla any longer, Valarie turned and quickly walked to her car.Once inside, she slammed the gas pedal and sped away.Brandon hurriedly jumped into his car to chase after her.Nyla bit her lip, instinctively glancing at Damon, who had remained silent. To her surprise, she noticed a red handprint on his cheek.Upon realizing it was from Valarie, guilt flashed in Nyla's eyes. "Mr. Sumner, I'm so sorry... I didn't
Damon nodded with a hum.The two fell into silence.Nyla put away the ice pack and looked up at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, could you give me Brandon's contact information?"Damon narrowed his eyes. "What do you need his number for?""I'm worried about Valarie… I want to check if he's caught up with her," Nyla explained.Seeing the worry and guilt in Nyla's eyes, Damon reassured her, "Don't worry. With him there, Valarie will be fine.""I'd still like his contact number. I can only relax once I know Valarie is okay," Nyla insisted.Damon frowned and was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.Upon seeing Brandon's name on the screen, his eyes turned cold, and he took a moment to answer."Uncle Damon, can you send Aunt Nyla over?" Brandon's anxious voice came through. "I caught up with Valarie, but her emotions are really unstable right now. She's locked herself in the car and won't come out."I think Aunt Nyla needs to come over and clear up the misunderstanding between them."
Nyla grabbed Valarie's hand and tried to explain."Valarie, I didn't mean to hide this from you. There's so much going on behind the scenes," she said.Valarie pulled her hand away. "What kind of hardship could justify lying to me all these years?"Taking a deep breath, Nyla slowly recounted her experiences over the past few years.As Valarie listened, her anger gradually shifted to surprise and heartache.In the end, she hugged Nyla and cried. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you."Nyla, also in tears, returned the embrace. "I'm the one who should apologize."Watching the misunderstanding between the two women clear up, Brandon finally breathed a sigh of relief.He turned to Damon and said, "Uncle Damon, thank you for bringing Aunt Nyla over."Damon frowned. "Didn't I tell you? She's not your aunt."Brandon glanced at him. "Uncle Damon, don't you like her?""Why would I like her?" Damon replied.Noticing Damon's frown, Brandon couldn't help but chuckle. "If you don't like her,
Damon listened to Luca a while longer before slamming his phone against the wall, his expression icy.The next morning, as Nyla came downstairs, she sensed an unusual atmosphere in the villa.Lydia, who usually greeted her with a smile, was busy in the kitchen and barely acknowledged her with a quick wave.Even Maddie, who often made sarcastic remarks, didn't glance her way at all today.After sitting down at the table with Mason, Nyla was about to greet Damon when he abruptly stood and left without even looking at her.Watching his cold retreat, she bit her lip, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.What was going on with Damon? Was he still upset about last night?As Damon exited, the oppressive atmosphere in the living room lightened, and it felt noticeably warmer.Mason, oblivious to the strange vibe, looked up at Nyla and whined, "Mommy, I want the pancakes you make. Can you make some for me?"Suppressing her worries, Nyla nodded. "Sure, I'll make them right now. Yo
Upon seeing Nyla, Damon tightened his grip on his pen, his knuckles turning white. Coldly, he replied, "No, I don't like greasy food."He refocused on the documents, his frown revealing how upset he was. It would take a fool not to recognize that Damon was angry with her.Nyla bit her lip and took a deep breath before entering the study. As she approached, Damon looked up and snapped, "I'm working. Get out!"His icy gaze froze her in place, and her face paled slightly. "Mr. Sumner, are you still upset about last night?" she asked.Damon shot her a cold look. "No. Can you leave now?"Nyla didn't budge, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "But… your attitude is making me anxious. Did I do something wrong?"Damon scoffed. "Anxious? What do you have to be anxious about?"If it weren't for Luca's investigation, he wouldn't have believed that the person behind Stephen was her. He had just started to feel something for her, only to discover she was using Stephen and Prestige Corp. to s
Damon looked down at her, his eyes filled with disgust. "You can scheme against me, but I can't keep you from seeing Buddy?""If you hadn't taken Buddy away and threatened that he wouldn't come back to me, I wouldn't have to do this!" Nyla cried.Damon let out a cold laugh. "So it's all my fault?"Nyla's expression hardened as she replied firmly, "That's not what I meant, but you're at fault too. Buddy has been with me since he was little, and you had someone take him from our home without saying a word. Don't you think that's excessive?"Upon recalling the fear she felt the night Mason was taken, Nyla's expression turned icy. No matter what happened, she wouldn't let Damon take Mason away from her again."Looks like you don't see any problem with your actions. In that case, forget about seeing Buddy!" Damon declared.He tried to push past her and leave.In a panic, Nyla grabbed his arm. "No! I won't let you hide Buddy away again!"Feeling the softness of her grip, Damon went r
Lydia quickly brought the first-aid kit and said, "Ms. Kinsey, please go sit on the couch. Let me take care of your injury."Nyla shook her head, looking gratefully at Lydia. "No need. I can do it myself.""Let me help. It's not easy for you to do it alone," Lydia advised.Seeing Lydia's insistence, Nyla finally nodded. "Alright, Lydia. I'll trouble you."Nyla gently wiped the tears from Mason's face and said softly, "Buddy, don't cry anymore. Mommy is fine."Mason sniffled, gripping the hem of Nyla's shirt tightly, his eyes filled with fear.Nyla led Mason to the couch and sat down while Lydia quickly and skillfully tended to her wound.As Lydia picked up the first-aid kit to leave, she noticed Damon still standing there with a stern expression.Unable to hold back, she spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, I don't know what conflict you have with Ms. Kinsey, but it's not right to let her get hurt. You shouldn't fight, especially in front of Buddy. He's still young, and your constant arguing
"That's more like it," Valarie chirped.Nyla couldn't help but say, "Valarie, stop bullying Brandon all the time."Brandon turned to her and sighed dramatically. "Aunt Nyla, since you mentioned it, I have to say something. You have no idea what I've been through these past six months, I— Ouch!"Before he could finish, Valarie pinched his waist. "What was that? Tell me, Brandon. Have you been unhappy these past six months?""N-No... I've been very happy..." Brandon winced."Have I bullied you then?" Valarie pressed."No..." Brandon murmured.Valarie huffed. "If not, then keep your mouth shut, or Nyla will really think I mistreat you." Brandon gave her a pitiful look, lowering his head like a scolded puppy.Before they married, Valarie had been gentle and beautiful in his eyes. But after marriage, he realized how wrong he had been.Gentle and beautiful? All an illusion.If he stayed out drinking and came home late, he'd have to choose between sleeping on the couch or outside.
Taking Mia to work was exhausting, but every time she smiled at Damon, it made everything worth it."She'll be fine. Didn't you just say she loves us both equally? She'll cry for a bit, but if you stop taking her to the office, she'll get used to being at home," Nyla reasoned.Seeing Nyla's determination, Damon finally relented. "Alright, we'll try it tomorrow. But if she cries too much, you'll have to take her to the office.""Deal!" Nyla said....After getting ready for work the next morning, Damon kissed Mia on the cheek and headed for the door.As soon as he changed his shoes at the entrance, she reached her little arms toward him, asking to be held. She had grown so accustomed to going to the office with him every day that it had become a reflex.Damon glanced at Nyla. "Nyla, maybe today we should—"Nyla interrupted, "Nope. You go to work. And if you're free for lunch, don't bother coming home. If you need to work late, no rush to come back either."Damon chuckled. "You'
"Brandon, from now on, I'm entrusting Valarie to you," Jonathan said. "She's been spoiled by us and can be a little willful at times. I hope you'll be patient with her in your marriage, and I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together."Brandon held Valarie's hand tightly, his expression solemn. "Dad, don't worry. I'll cherish her with all my heart."Jonathan nodded, stepping down from the stage. He discreetly wiped away his tears.After exchanging vows and rings, Valarie and Brandon sealed their love with a kiss, surrounded by cheers and applause.…On the way home from the wedding, Nyla glanced at Damon. "I saw Mr. Weir wipe his tears so many times today. When Bunny gets married, you'll definitely be just like him, sneaking off somewhere to cry."Damon's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his gaze sharpening. "No one will ever be good enough for my daughter. If she never gets married, we'll take care of her for the rest of our lives."Nyla raised an eyebrow and
"Of course! When's the wedding?" Nyla asked.Valarie shook her head. "We haven't decided yet. He'll come to my house in a few days to discuss it with my parents."Nyla raised an eyebrow. "You're about to get really busy. Planning a wedding alone will take a lot of work.""Yeah, I'm already getting a headache just thinking about it," Valarie replied....For the next few months, Valarie was completely consumed by wedding preparations and work, barely having time to catch her breath.The wedding was set for August 8th, leaving them with less than six months to finalize everything.Valarie even traveled abroad several times to meet with designers and ensure her wedding dress was exactly what she wanted.Beyond the dress, she and Brandon spent hours discussing every detail—from the venue to the wedding favors and bouquet choices....After months of nonstop planning, the big day finally arrived.Valarie was already up, getting her hair and makeup done at 2:00 a.m.By the time N
Valarie looked up and saw the approaching glow.When the figure finally stopped in front of her, she realized it was Brandon.Frowning, she asked, "Where did you go? I waited so long for you. And what are you hiding behind your back?"Brandon flipped his phone face-down on the table, revealing the flowers he had hidden. Then he dropped to one knee."Valarie, I had planned a perfect proposal for you, but when you asked earlier about the meaning of wearing a wedding dress, I knew I couldn't wait any longer."Before I met you, my life revolved solely around work. I never paused for anyone—I never cared whether the sun was rising or setting, or if the moon was full or waning. But everything changed after I met you."I began cherishing the thought of greeting you every morning, sharing meals with you, and standing by your side for life."Valarie, I want every morning to begin with us waking up together, and every night to end with us holding each other as we fall asleep."Finally, B
Of course, every time they visited Valarie's home, Phoebe would subtly—or sometimes not so subtly—hint that they should get married.Brandon had always assumed Valarie wasn't interested in marriage since she never responded to those hints. He hadn't considered proposing.But today, seeing her so excited about picking out baby clothes made him start to imagine a future with her—building a family, raising a child.That thought filled his heart with warmth.After more than three hours of shopping, they finally left the mall, their arms full of bags.Once they loaded everything into the car, Valarie turned to Brandon. "I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat."Brandon nodded. "Sure. What are you in the mood for?""I'm not picky. Is there anything good around here? I don't feel like going too far," she replied.Brandon paused, then said, "There's a place with ethnic cuisine nearby. I went there once for a business meeting—it was pretty authentic. Want to give it a try?""Sounds g
Nyla was silent for a moment before nodding. "Alright. If you ever need Damon to help figure out Brandon's thoughts, just let me know.""I will. Don't worry about us, though. You just gave birth. Your main priority should be resting," Valarie said."Okay," Nyla replied.Valarie lingered in the bedroom for a while, but when she saw Nyla looking tired, she stood up and left.Downstairs, only Brandon was in the living room.Valarie walked over to him and asked, "Where's Damon?""He had something to take care of for work, so he went to the study. How's Aunt Nyla?" Brandon asked."She seems to be doing well, and the baby is adorable. Oh, right, I forgot to ask what the baby's name is. I only know her nickname is Bunny," Valarie said.Just thinking about Mia Sumner's cute little face made Valarie smile. She was already looking forward to the day the baby would call her godmother.A flicker of something crossed Brandon's eyes. "You really like kids, huh?""Of course! I've said befor
Once they were in the car, Nyla suddenly recalled Damon's phone call earlier. "By the way, what did Alexander want?"After a brief pause, Damon glanced at her. "He said Ms. Kinsey left you an inheritance and asked when we'd be able to go to Meristate to take care of it."Nyla pressed her lips together before replying, "Call him later and tell him to donate it or keep it for himself. I don't want it.""Alright," Damon replied.When they arrived home, Damon helped Nyla settle onto the couch, placing a pillow behind her back for support. Then, he said seriously, "Nyla, you've been through enough. Let's not have any more kids after this."During her first pregnancy with Mason, Damon hadn't been around, so he hadn't realized how difficult it was for her.Now, experiencing this pregnancy with her, every checkup and blood draw made his heart ache.Once Nyla gave birth, he planned to get a vasectomy. Two kids were enough for them.Nyla shot him a look. "This wasn't exactly planned, was
More than half an hour later, Nyla finally stirred from her nap.When she opened her eyes, she found Damon sitting by her bed, watching her. She froze for a moment, caught off guard.Rubbing her eyes, she realized he was still there and confirmed she wasn't dreaming.She slowly sat up, her voice still heavy with sleep. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in your study working?""I missed you, so I came to see you," Damon replied.Nyla narrowed her eyes. "You definitely have something to say if you're here all of a sudden."Damon chuckled, a little helpless. "I guess I can't fool you.""Of course not. I know you too well. Ever since I got pregnant, you've never come to see me like this in the afternoon," Nyla said."Alright. Go freshen up first, and I'll wait for you downstairs," Damon suggested."Okay," Nyla replied.After washing up, she went downstairs and sat beside Damon. "Alright, tell me. What's going on? You're acting all mysterious."Damon hesitated for a moment befo