Valarie didn't wait for Nyla to respond and rushed out as if something were chasing her.With Valarie's departure, the living room fell into silence.Nyla lowered her gaze for a moment, hesitating before finally looking up at Damon.To her surprise, he was also looking at her. Their eyes met, but neither spoke.Eventually, it was Nyla who broke the silence."Mr. Sumner, I'm really sorry about what happened before. I'll compensate for the losses caused to Prospectus Technology. I have only one request—please don't hide Buddy from me," Nyla pleaded."I promise I won't. I also won't use Buddy to threaten you anymore. If you don't want to live here, you can take him and move out. But you can't go back to Capitarnia right now," Damon replied.If Nyla took Mason back to Capitarnia, he couldn't guarantee that Richard wouldn't try to kidnap Mason again. Keeping them in Saintornia was the only way he could protect them.Nyla was taken aback, staring at Damon in disbelief.Did she hear
Nyla stiffened instantly, her heart pounding. Panic flashed in her eyes as her mind raced with countless possibilities.Was Damon changing his mind?Damon seemed to read her thoughts. His expression remained indifferent, though his tone was reassuring. "Don't worry. I'm not going back on my word."At this, Nyla finally breathed a sigh of relief, though her heart still raced as she followed him into the study.Damon walked to his desk and picked up a folder. He retrieved a property deed and a set of keys, handing them to her."I've already transferred ownership of this house," he told her. "You and Buddy can move in."Nyla's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the deed and keys in his hand. She instinctively recoiled.He was giving her a villa?If someone had told her this moments ago, she would have thought they were crazy. Yet, here it was, happening in the most unbelievable way.Confused, she struggled to understand his intentions. "Mr. Sumner, this is too generous. I
Nyla's eyes instantly welled up with tears as she pulled Mason tightly into her embrace. Her voice trembled as she said, "Buddy, I'm happy as long as I have you."Mason reached out his little hand and gently patted Nyla's back, speaking in a mature tone. "Mommy, I'll be good. We'll be fine in our new place."Releasing Mason, Nyla wiped away her tears and smiled. "Okay, let's go to the new place together and start a new life."Mason nodded vigorously, his expression filled with determination.They didn't have much to pack, finishing in just a morning.During lunch, Nyla shared their plans to leave with Lydia.Lydia froze, nearly spilling the soup she held. She quickly set it down, her face filled with disbelief."Ms. Kinsey, why are you leaving so suddenly? Did Mr. Sumner not let you stay anymore?" she asked.Looking into Lydia's concerned eyes, Nyla felt a warm wave wash over her. Lydia had been so kind since her first day here. Now, as she prepared to leave, she felt reluctant
Meanwhile, Clark received word that Nyla had left Damon's villa with Mason.He smirked. "Looks like Lady Luck is on my side."He had been worried about how to get into Damon's villa to abduct Mason, but now, with Nyla moving out and Damon away on a business trip, it was the perfect opportunity."When do you want us to make a move?" the person on the line asked."Tonight. We'll exchange the child for the money," Clark replied.After hanging up, Clark got up and poured himself a glass of red wine, smiling to himself. Soon, Damon would be begging to hand over his shares....As evening approached, Nyla finalized a list of potential houses to visit in person the next morning.Finally pulling her gaze from the computer, Nyla saw Mason walk over and hug her arm. "Mommy, I'm hungry."Nyla glanced at the clock and realized it was already past 6:00 p.m."I'm sorry, Buddy! I got so caught up that I lost track of time. I'll have someone bring us dinner right away," she said.She ordere
When Nyla regained consciousness, she found her hands and feet bound. She was lying on a bed, and Mason was nowhere to be seen.From the room's layout and decor, she realized she was in a bedroom. It felt strangely familiar.Frowning in confusion, she barely had time to think before the door swung open, and a man in a suit walked in.Nyla's bewilderment turned to rage as she recognized him."Clark, you kidnapped me and Buddy? Where is he?! If anything happens to him, I swear I won't let you off, and neither will Damon!" she thundered.Clark narrowed his eyes and sat beside the bed, gazing at her with an unsettling affection. "Nyla, after so many years apart, we finally have the chance to talk. Let's not bring up those party poopers.""Where is Buddy?!" Nyla demanded, her eyes blazing with anger and disgust. "I'm asking you, where is he?!""Don't worry. He's safe—for now, at least," Clark replied."Why are you doing this? Are you crazy?" Nyla questioned, her voice sharp.Clark
Clark grabbed her chin, speaking each word deliberately. "I had planned to throw a wedding after we moved abroad, but if you're eager to start the honeymoon activities now, I won't mind."The way Clark's gaze drifted down to her chest made Nyla's stomach churn."Get off me!" Nyla shouted.Clark growled, "Looks like it's time to show you what I'm capable of!"As he reached to unbutton her shirt, his phone rang from his pocket. Seeing the caller ID, he released her and straightened his clothes."I'll be back," he said.Disgusted, Nyla turned her head away, refusing to look at him any longer.Clark didn't get angry. He simply turned and left the room.Once the door was securely closed, Nyla hurriedly freed her wrists and loosened the ropes around her ankles. She stealthily grabbed the lamp from the bedside table, hiding it behind her back.Not long after, Clark returned.Seeing Nyla still sitting on the bed in the same position, he smirked and approached her slowly. "Nyla, let's
Upon hearing this, Nyla's heart lurched, and her face turned pale. Mason had actually jumped out of a third-floor window!Nyla couldn't imagine how desperate he must have felt to do that. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached, and tears streamed down her face without her even realizing it. The person on the other end of the line noticed the silence and became alert. "Why aren't you talking?! You're not Clark?!"Nyla bit her lip hard, not daring to speak, and hung up. She rushed to the bathroom, filled a basin with water, and splashed it on Clark's head. He woke up soon, realizing he was tied up, and saw Nyla looking down at him.He paused for a moment before breaking into a smile. "Nyla, I didn't expect you to be so much smarter after five years apart."Nyla glared at him. "I don't have time for your nonsense. Where did you lock up Buddy?"Clark sneered. "You want to know? Go find him yourself. Saintornia isn't that big. If you search for ten days or half a
Nyla was frantic as she raised her voice. "I said don't worry about me! Buddy is what matters! Where is he? I'm going there right now!"Damon fell into silence on the other end."Say something!" Nyla urged."It's dangerous. I'll go find Buddy myself. Just stay put until my people arrive and leave with them," Damon instructed.Before Nyla could respond, he hung up.…Seeing Damon put his phone away, Spencer asked with concern, "Mr. Sumner, those people are armed. Shouldn't we involve the police?"Damon's eyes were icy as he replied, "Those people are desperate. If the police get involved, they might lash out and harm Buddy. You stay here and keep me informed if anything happens. I'll head over first."Spencer wanted to argue further but could see that Damon was unyielding. He simply reminded him, "Be careful!"…Clark, who had overheard the entire conversation, smirked.Damon wouldn't tell Nyla where Mason was, probably because he was worried about those armed men.Since Dam
"I'm not doing anything special. What's up? Aren't you supposed to be in a business meeting? How do you have time to call me?" Valarie asked.Brandon replied, "It's all taken care of. My flight is tonight. Want to meet up?"Valarie raised an eyebrow. "What time will you be back in Saintornia?""A little after 11:00 p.m.," Brandon answered.Valarie shook her head. "That's too late. You've been on a business trip for almost a week. You should just go home and rest."Brandon chuckled. "But I really want to see you. How about this? I'll have my driver stop by your place. We can see each other briefly, and then I'll head home. Sound good?"Valarie considered it. His route home would pass by her neighborhood anyway. "Alright. Just call me when you're close. I'm about to have dinner, so I'll talk to you later. Bye.""Okay," Brandon replied.After hanging up, Valarie entered the restaurant.Stefan had reserved a private dining room, and by the time she arrived, he was already inside.
Michelle hung up after delivering her threat.Stefan stood frozen, his body tense with despair.No matter what he did, it seemed he could never truly escape the Snowdens.If it weren't for them, he wouldn't be able to pay for his mother's treatment. Yet, they were the people he hated most. He despised them.He also despised his mother, Lily. If she had never given birth to him, he wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare, stuck in the mud with no way out.And yet… she was the only person who had ever shown him kindness.That fragile thread of family—thin and fraying—still tugged at his heart, holding him back. Even though it hurt, he couldn't bring himself to sever it.…Valarie had just returned home when her mother called her over. She changed into her house slippers and sat beside her."Valarie, when are you and Brandon getting married?" Phoebe asked.Valarie frowned. "Mom, we haven't even discussed that yet.""You're not getting any younger." Phoebe huffed. "You rejected every guy we
The two of them were eight years apart, with different interests and personalities.Some of Stefan's behavior struck Valarie as incredibly immature. But more importantly, she had never seen him in a romantic light.To her, he was more like a younger brother—someone she felt protective of, but not someone she could ever like that way.He should be dating girls his own age, and she should get back to living her own life.With that thought, Valarie accepted the money.Valarie: [Thank you for everything these past few weeks. And… I'm sorry about today.]…Stefan stared at the message on his screen in a quiet park, his lips curling into a mocking smile.Just as Brandon had said—Valarie had only been using him as a distraction. Now that she was back with Brandon, she'd discarded him without hesitation.Taking a deep breath, he deleted the chat and didn't reply.They had always been from different worlds. Now, things were simply returning to how they had been before.Still, he coul
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Valarie cut Brandon off, her gaze sharp with accusation.Brandon hesitated, caught off guard for a moment.After a brief pause, he nodded. "Yes, I did. Because I don't like how much attention you're giving Stefan. If it had been any other server handling the bill, would you still be questioning me like this?""There's no 'if.' I chose to be with you again, which means I'm not holding onto anything with Stefan. So, there's no reason for you to single him out," Valarie replied.Brandon's expression darkened slightly. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then held back. "Alright. I understand.""Good. Let's go home," Valarie said, and the car fell into silence.When they finally arrived at the Weir residence, Brandon broke the quiet. "Valarie, don't you think… things between us aren't the same anymore?"They were supposed to be a couple, yet they tiptoed around each other—testing boundaries, afraid to say the wrong thing.Valarie pressed her l
"Alright. I'm about to board. I'll talk to you later," Nyla said.Valarie replied, "Okay, have a great trip."After hanging up, Nyla turned to Damon and Mason, her eyes glowing with happiness.She had dreamed for so long of taking a family trip together. Now, that dream had finally come true.…Valarie and Brandon walked into the restaurant.As they sat down, a server approached with two glasses of water."Good evening, sir, ma'am—" Before the server could finish, his smile faltered.Valarie hadn't expected to see Stefan here. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.Just as she was about to speak, Stefan quickly regained his composure, adopting his usual polite smile. "Good evening. May I take your order? We just received fresh salmon and sea urchin today. I highly recommend trying them."Brandon raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of mockery in his gaze. "We'll take your recommendations. And add an order of Arctic shrimp sashimi as well.""Certainly, sir. Would you like anythin
Michelle frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? I already told my assistant to handle it.""Then why was my mom kicked out of her hospital room in the middle of the night?" Stefan shot back.Michelle's voice grew cold. "Forget about that. I should be asking you. Besides taking a few staged photos with Valarie, have you made any real progress?""What more do you want?" Stefan asked.She smirked. "I want something that will completely ruin her. You know what to do.""Send me 250,000 dollars for medical expenses first, or I'm done doing your dirty work," Stefan demanded.Michelle let out a mocking laugh. "Stefan, you know I can have your mother thrown out of the hospital for good with a single word, right?"He had no right to threaten her.Stefan retorted, "Oh, I believe you. But if you do that, I'll make sure the whole world knows everything you made me do. When that happens, Brandon will never want anything to do with you again.""You!" Michelle clenched her jaw, her fa
"Yeah, I just got home. How's your mother doing now?" Valarie asked."Her condition is stable. Veevee… I need to ask you something," Stefan said.A flicker of surprise crossed Valarie's eyes. "What is it?"There was a brief silence before Stefan spoke again. "Never mind, it's nothing important. Get some rest. Goodnight."Before Valarie could respond, he had already hung up.She set her phone down, deciding to invite Stefan out for dinner in the next few days and have an honest conversation with him.…After the surgery, Michelle remained unconscious for a full day before finally waking up.The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jayden sitting by her bedside."Michelle! You're awake!" Jayden exclaimed, relief flooding his voice as he quickly pressed the call button for the doctor.Once the doctor confirmed she was out of danger, Jayden exhaled deeply."Michelle, do you have any idea what I went through while you were unconscious? Please, don't ever do something so reckless a
The moment Brandon spoke, silence blanketed the room.Yale and Nolan both looked visibly uneasy.Jayden froze for a second, then his face twisted with disappointment. "Fine! From now on, we're strangers!"With that, he shoved Nolan aside and stormed toward the hospital entrance.Nolan frowned and turned to Brandon. "Brandon, Jayden was just upset. Did you really have to make it so final? How are you going to fix things later?""I don't plan to fix anything. Because of him and Michelle, Valarie and I fought countless times. Do you really think I should sacrifice my girlfriend for two so-called friends?" Brandon retorted.Seeing the indifference in his expression, Nolan suddenly regretted sending that message earlier. If he hadn't texted Brandon about Valarie being with another guy, none of this would have happened."I'm heading home," Brandon said before turning to Valarie, taking her hand, and leading her out of the hospital.Watching them leave, Nolan felt a surge of frustrati
A cold gust of wind blew through, and Brandon felt his heart sink.From the moment he first laid eyes on Valarie, he had made up his mind—he had to be with her, to marry her.He had pursued her for five years. They had finally gotten together, only to break up soon after.He had tried everything to win her back, but no matter what he did, she only seemed to drift further away.Was it really impossible for them to be together?"Valarie, you told me to stay away from Michelle for a month, and I did."Tonight, Jayden called to say that Michelle tried to commit suicide and is in the hospital being resuscitated. I still didn't go see her."I know I made a lot of mistakes before, but I've been trying to change. Can you give me one more chance?" he pleaded.Valarie remained silent for a long time. She knew she still had feelings for Brandon. When she met his pleading gaze, she felt herself softening.Finally, she looked at him and nodded. "Alright, but this is the last chance I'm giv