"Nyla, don't feel like it's a bother. It's what I should do, and I'm really glad you called me tonight," Damon replied.At the very least, he sensed that Nyla needed him.A flicker of emotion crossed Nyla's face before she lowered her head and said, "I'm a bit tired, so I'll head to my room now. You should get some rest too.""Alright," Damon answered.Without another glance at him, Nyla pushed open the door to her room. Once it was shut behind her, she exhaled softly, finally feeling a bit relieved.She placed a hand over her chest, feeling her heartbeat quicken, and couldn't help but smile wryly. Then, she grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom for a shower.As Nyla disappeared behind the door, Damon's expression turned cold. He quickly walked downstairs and headed straight for his study.Spencer acted swiftly, taking less than an hour to identify the mysterious caller."Mr. Sumner, the person is Howard Rowley, 29 years old. He works as a security guard at Ms. Kinsey's
"Yeah, it's a security guard from your apartment complex. But I think there's more to it," Damon replied.A security guard?Nyla frowned, trying to recall any interactions, but she couldn't remember ever talking to the security guards at her complex. Besides, a guard wouldn't say things like "Welcome back" to her.Noticing her frown, Damon said calmly, "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it. For now, I'll have the driver take Buddy to and from school, and you can commute with me. That way, I can ensure your safety."Thinking about the messages from last night, Nyla felt that chill creep up her spine again. She nodded. "Okay, I'll listen to you."After finishing breakfast, the driver took them to the office. On the way, Damon asked if they needed to keep their relationship a secret.Nyla thought for a moment and replied, "No need. It's not something we can hide for long anyway, so let's just go with the flow."A spark lit up in Damon's eyes as he answered, "Alright."When the car
Ruby shook her head, lowering it in guilt. "Nyla, I'm sorry. I didn't sleep well last night... I promise I won't make any mistakes this afternoon."Seeing Ruby's exhaustion and the dark circles under her eyes, Nyla realized she truly hadn't rested well, so she didn't scold her further. "Alright, go get some lunch and take a good rest.""Okay, thank you. I'll finish organizing the documents and then head out," Ruby replied.Nyla didn't say anything more and left the office, heading to the top floor to find Damon.Not long after Nyla left, Ruby's phone started ringing. Seeing the number flashing on the screen, her face went pale, and she didn't pick up.The calls kept coming like an ominous reminder.She grabbed her phone, intending to block the number, but hesitated at the last moment.Very soon, her phone rang again. She took a deep breath and answered, "I sent you all the money I had last night. I don't have any left!""Ruby, your brother has been taken by the debt collectors.
Sullivan smiled. "I've been here for a little while. You were on the phone, so I didn't want to interrupt.""Oh," Ruby replied, her expression clouding.If Sullivan had been there for a while, he must have overheard her call.Any positive impression she had of him faded immediately—someone who eavesdropped on others' conversations couldn't be trusted.Noticing her displeasure, Sullivan quickly added, "I apologize. I really didn't mean to listen in. That's why I stayed outside the door. But your voice was loud enough that people in the next lab could probably hear you too."Ruby frowned. "Did you need something? If not, I'll be heading to lunch.""I was just dropping off some documents for Nyla. Since she's not here, could you please hold onto them and give them to her this afternoon?" Sullivan asked."Sure," Ruby answered.After placing the documents in her drawer, she was about to head to the cafeteria. When she reached the door, though, she noticed Sullivan was still there, s
After Damon recovered his memories, he replayed everything about Nyla in his mind countless times, remembering it all clearly.The two ate in silence, the only sound in the office being the clinking of cutlery and dishes.While eating, Nyla stole glances at Damon.His movements were graceful, and she found herself drawn to him without realizing it. He was also undeniably handsome, which explained why so many women chased after him.Noticing Nyla's gaze, Damon looked up at her.Their eyes met, and Nyla felt a pang of embarrassment, like she'd been caught red-handed.She quickly averted her gaze and said awkwardly, "Heh… these shrimp are pretty good…""If you like them, I'll have Spencer order them again tomorrow. Is there anything else you'd like?" Damon asked.Nyla glanced at him, but when she met his deep, dark eyes, she quickly looked away again. "No, just the shrimp is fine. You don't have to order only what I like. Get some things you like, too," she replied.Damon looke
Ruby shook her head and replied, "I'm fine, Nyla. Just didn't sleep well. What did you want to discuss?"There was no way a lack of sleep could cause such swelling, but Nyla didn't push. She understood that everyone had things they preferred to keep to themselves."I'm planning to change the catalyst for the experiment. Can you see if we can try these options this afternoon?" Nyla proposed, handing Ruby a piece of paper with the catalysts she had in mind.Ruby glanced over it and picked out two options. "I think these two are worth trying. I've tested the others before, and they didn't work well—the reaction time was too long."Nyla nodded. "Alright, let's go with your suggestions."After finalizing the plans, Nyla was about to return to her desk when she added quietly, "If you're facing any difficulties, you can talk to me. Don't let it affect your work."Ruby blinked, clenching her hands. "I understand."Whether because of Nyla's words or not, Ruby seemed more focused that aft
Margaret's tone was matter-of-fact, as if Ruby were an object to be discarded at will. She didn't even consider whether Ruby would agree.As far as she was concerned, as long as Hansel could be saved, Ruby's life was expendable. After all, Hansel was the lifeline of the Jenners. If they lost their son, she and her husband wouldn't be able to go on.Ruby let out a short, bitter laugh, which soon escalated into a loud, almost hysterical one."What are you laughing at? Are you crazy?" Margaret's voice was sharp, filled with anger.When Ruby finally stopped laughing, she spoke in a low, steady voice. "Do you know why I took your call?""Why?" Margaret asked."Because I wanted to see just how disgusting the things you'd say could be. You didn't disappoint me," Ruby replied.Her voice, rough and hoarse from laughing so hard, was unsettlingly calm. It gave Margaret a sinking feeling."Ruby, what are you planning to do?" Margaret asked, unease creeping into her tone.Ruby smiled and s
Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "I'm not escorting you. This just happens to be my way home too. I can't just avoid this road because you're on it, right?"Ruby frowned but couldn't argue with his logic. After a few moments of silence, she turned and walked off quickly.Sullivan stayed about four to five meters behind.This annoyed Ruby, so she quickened her pace, hoping to shake him off. No matter how fast she walked, he kept his distance until she entered her apartment building. Only then did he stop following.Back in her apartment, she slipped off her shoes and walked to the couch, feeling exhausted.Her phone buzzed. It was a Messenger message from Nyla.Nyla: [Hey, I noticed you didn't seem well today. If there's anything troubling you, don't hesitate to talk to me. I'll help you figure things out. Stay strong!]Ruby stared at the message for a moment before simply replying: [Okay.]At a popular seafood restaurant in Saintornia…Nyla looked at Ruby's brief response and felt