Hearing the hesitation in Caroline's voice, Nyla pressed her lips together, understanding her meaning."Don't worry, Caroline, I won't let personal feelings affect my work. Plus, Mr. Sumner is the CEO of Prospectus Technology. He won't have the time to worry about a small project," she replied.Caroline sighed in relief but added, "Nyla, if you feel pressured, I'll talk to the professor.""It's fine. I don't have anything else going on in Saintornia right now, so I might as well finish this project before heading back," Nyla reassured her.Seeing her insist, Caroline decided not to push further and said quietly, "Alright, I'll send you the project details in a bit. Leon and Ruby will come to Saintornia in a couple of days to assist you.""Okay, got it," Nyla answered.After ending the call, she quickly received the project documents from Caroline.When she opened them, her feelings grew complicated—she hadn't expected to have the opportunity to work with Prospectus Technology ag
After Nyla and her group introduced themselves, Ethan smiled and said, "Alright. Mr. Colwell and Ms. Jenner, your accommodations are ready. I'll take you there now.""Thank you," Leon and Ruby replied.Prospectus Technology had arranged for Leon and Ruby to stay in apartments just two blocks from the company. They each had a one-bedroom unit, and there were other out-of-town staff members on the same floor.Seeing that they were satisfied with the arrangements, Ethan said apologetically, "Ms. Kinsey, I should have treated you all to a welcome dinner today, but I have a meeting shortly."If there's nothing else, please come to the office at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. I'll have someone issue your work IDs and access badges and give you a tour of the company."Nyla nodded. "That's alright, Mr. Jack. We can handle dinner ourselves.""Alright, I'll get going then. I apologize for the inconvenience today," Ethan said as he excused himself.After Ethan left, Nyla planned to let Leon and Ruby
Nathaniel turned his head and widened his eyes when he saw Nyla.It was only recently that he learned she was alive and had returned with Damon's child.However, he didn't care much about this. After all, he had already fallen out with Damon. Even if Nyla came back, they couldn't make amends.He stared at Nyla for a few seconds before looking away, expressionless. "It's none of our business. There's no need to pay attention."Even though Nathaniel's tone was indifferent, Rebecca noticed his grip on the cutlery tighten. Clearly, he wasn't as nonchalant as he pretended to be.Rebecca set down her utensils and asked Nathaniel, "Don't you think it's unfair? Nyla came back unharmed, and she even had Damon's child, but we were the ones caught in his revenge. Especially you—the Preston Group almost went bankrupt."You've worked so hard over the past few years to keep things afloat, facing so much disdain and hardship."Nathaniel sneered. "Rebecca, don't think I don't know what's going
As soon as Nyla entered the villa, she saw Damon and Mason sitting on the living room floor, playing with building blocks.Mason was quick, but Damon was even faster and wasn't going easy on his son. While Mason was only halfway done, Damon had already finished."I win," Damon declared, his expression calm and tone flat.However, if one looked closely, they might catch a hint of amusement in his eyes.Mason pouted but said nothing.Playing games with his father was no fun—he hadn't won a single round tonight. He sniffled, thinking it would be more enjoyable to play with his mother.Noticing that Mason seemed upset, Damon raised an eyebrow and said, "You'll need a lot more practice if you want to beat me.""Fine…" Mason replied reluctantly.Suddenly, a soft laugh came from nearby.Mason and Damon both turned to see Nyla standing by the sofa, smiling warmly at them.She wore a gray trench coat over a cream V-neck sweater and light jeans, paired with classic round-toed loafers.
Damon turned back to Nyla and said, "I'll walk you upstairs."Nyla shook her head. "No need, it's already late. You should head back. Thanks for bringing us home."With that, she stepped out of the car, carrying Mason.Damon handed her the car keys, saying, "If anything comes up, feel free to reach out."Nyla paused. That strange feeling she'd had at the hospital resurfaced. She vividly remembered how Damon's attitude toward her had shifted since he'd woken up.It made her suspicious—could Damon have regained his memory?Despite her suspicions, this wasn't the time to test him. She took the keys and nodded. "Okay, Mr. Sumner. Thank you for tonight."Damon didn't say anything more. He watched as Nyla and Mason disappeared into the stairwell before driving away.…In the following days, after Nyla coordinated with Leon and Ruby, they began working on their project in Prospectus Technology's lab.The project was a collaboration with Prospectus Technology's team to develop a trea
It wasn't that Leon didn't want to work with Nyla—he was just annoyed by Brody's attitude. Why should he give in to Brody? Who did Brody think he was?As the workday was ending, Nyla asked Leon to wait for her after they finished, saying she had something to discuss.Throughout the day, Ruby had become friendly with Tina, and they left together like old friends.Leon waited in the lab for a while before Nyla approached him with her car keys, asking him to come along.Once they were in the car, she turned to him and asked, "What do you want for dinner? Pick a place. It's on me."Leon frowned. "Nyla, if you're trying to apologize for today, there's no need. I was planning to join the experiment team anyway. I just didn't like Brody's attitude, but I understand why you did what you did."If she hadn't stopped him earlier, he and Brody might have ended up fighting."It's not an apology—just a way to make up for the frustration you felt today," Nyla explained."Alright, then I won't
When Nyla saw the name "Oliver" flashing on her screen, she smiled and answered the call. "What's up?""Nyla, I have two tickets to an auction. Would you like to go with me? I heard there will be some beautiful jewelry on display, and I thought you might be interested," Oliver invited.Nyla raised an eyebrow, surprised that he had asked her to an auction."When is it?" she inquired."Tomorrow night," Oliver replied.Nyla thought for a moment. She didn't have any plans for the evening, so she agreed, "Sure, you can pick me up tomorrow."After ending the call with Oliver, she set her phone down and noticed Leon looking at her with a mischievous grin."Nyla, you look so happy. Was that your boyfriend on the other end?" he asked.Nyla smiled and openly admitted, "Yep. Jealous?"Leon, who had been single forever, always made it his birthday wish to find a partner.Unfortunately, since he practically lived in the lab, he had little chance to meet women. The female lab mates weren't
"Okay," Nyla answered.After seeing Oliver off, she bathed Mason and put him to bed.Hesitating for a moment, she texted Damon to ask if he was free the next night, as she planned to drop Mason off.Damon responded quickly.Damon: [I'm free. What's up?]Nyla: [I'm going to an auction tomorrow night, and I might be back late. Buddy should be asleep by then, and I don't want him to be scared if he's alone at home.]Damon was typing for several minutes before his reply came through.Damon: [Okay. I have to attend the same auction, but Lydia can put Buddy to bed.]Nyla hadn't expected him to be going too, but Lydia was a better choice than the new nanny.Nyla: [Alright.]Damon didn't reply after that, so Nyla put her phone away and went to shower and sleep.…After exiting the texting app, Damon called Spencer from his study. His voice was cold as he instructed, "Get me a ticket for tomorrow night's auction."Spencer sounded surprised. "But Mr. Sumner, you said you weren't int
"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
Damon nodded. "Got it. Have the PR department continue contacting major media outlets to remove any negative commentary about Prospectus Technology. We can't let this situation escalate further."In the business world, public opinion could be lethal. Most people were naturally inclined to follow the crowd. Without knowing the full picture, they could easily be misled.If the narrative that Prospectus Technology's chips were faulty spread too far, restoring their reputation later would require monumental resources. It was critical to stop this from snowballing now."Understood, Mr. Sumner. By the way, how's the deal in Capitarnia coming along?" someone asked.Upon hearing that, Damon's previously tense expression relaxed slightly. "Progress is decent. Barring any unforeseen issues, we should be able to sign the contract in a couple of days."The group on the call let out a collective sigh of relief.Once the deal was signed, Prospectus Technology would recover some of its losses
"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