Nyla recognized the woman as the one she had seen outside the restaurant last night, and her face fell.Why had Damon told her he was going out to socialize when he was meeting his niece?As Nyla pondered this, they walked toward the villa."Miss, is that woman the mistress you're trying to catch?" the driver asked.Nyla shook her head. "No, she's his niece."The taxi driver's expression turned sympathetic as if he saw Nyla as a foolish woman defending her husband.Once Nyla composed herself, she calmly asked the driver to take her back to Damon's villa.Confirming she didn't want to go inside to catch him cheating, the driver started the car and left.Meanwhile, Damon followed Charlotte inside the villa to a bedroom on the first floor.Charlotte opened the door, saying, "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston is inside.""Okay," Damon replied.Charlotte had initially planned to accompany him, but as soon as he entered, Damon closed the door behind him.The room had been transformed into
"Of course not… but how can I trust your words?" Harrison asked.He looked coldly at Damon, his eyes filled with anticipation and doubt. After all, when Nyla had fallen into the sea, the chances of survival were slim. He hadn't held out hope for her being alive over the past five years.Damon took out his phone, navigated to the album, and held the screen out for Harrison to see.Harrison's eyes widened in disbelief as he exclaimed, "Nyla… It really is Nyla! She's alive! Where is she now?""You don't need to worry about that. She's doing well, but I haven't mentioned you to her yet. Once you're feeling better and can stand, I'll bring her to see you," Damon said."Really?" Harrison asked, his gaze hopeful. But it quickly turned to guilt and regret. "She probably… doesn't want to see me again…"The last time he and Nyla had met had not been pleasant. She had completely cut ties with him and stopped visiting him since then.He had regretted it long ago and had wanted to call her t
Seeing Mason's doubtful look, Damon coughed lightly to cover his unease."What nonsense are you talking? I'm just a bit tired from work today. It's getting late. Let's tidy up the toys, go upstairs, take a shower, and get some sleep," he replied."Okay," Mason agreed readily.After they finished cleaning up the toys, Damon asked Lydia to take Mason upstairs for a bath while he went to his study.Once seated, he picked up a document to read. However, thoughts of Nyla's words from that evening kept flashing through his mind, making him feel restless. He suspected she might know he was lying to her but wasn't sure.After considering it further, Damon realized he couldn't hide the truth forever. It might be better to probe Nyla's feelings toward Harrison the next morning.If Nyla wanted to see Harrison, he would tell her the truth. If she was still resistant to the idea of meeting him, then he'd wait until Harrison was feeling better before gradually bringing it up.Upstairs…After
As Valarie and Zayn arrived at her house, they saw Brandon waiting at the gate.Brandon thought about how he had treated Zayn like a brother, only to have Zayn go after Valarie—stealing his girl. The urge to punch Zayn in the face surged within him."She's my girlfriend. Anything that pertains to her involves me too," Zayn told Brandon.Brandon's fists clenched at his sides, his body tense and his face cold enough to freeze.Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, he asked Valarie, "What did your call earlier mean?"Before Valarie could answer, Zayn chimed in with a smile, "You came all the way here to ask about that call? We were just playing Truth or Dare at the club. Valarie lost and chose Dare. It was to call you and confess her feelings. I didn't think you'd rush here just over a phone call."The color drained from Brandon's face, turning pale in an instant. He stared at Valarie as he asked, "Is what Zayn said true?"Valarie bit her lip, unable to meet his gaze. "Yes…""Gr
The dining room fell silent.After a long pause, Nyla finally asked, "Where is he now?""Do you want to see him?" Damon responded, his gaze fixed on Nyla's face, determined not to miss any hint of emotion.Nyla looked away, her tone cold. "No. If he's in the hospital, I can help pay his medical bills or find him a caretaker. If he's living alone, I can hire a caregiver.""His biggest wish is probably just to see you again," Damon suggested.Nyla set down the bread and knife, pushed her chair back, and stood up. "I'm going outside to wait for you."As she turned to leave, her eyes were reddened.By the time Damon stepped out of the villa, Nyla had managed to calm herself, her expression returning to normal. Seeing him, she opened the car door and got in.On the way to the office, Damon tried to start a conversation with Nyla several times but held back in response to her indifference.It wasn't until the car stopped in the underground parking and Nyla reached for the door to ge
Brandon shook his head. "No, the Weir Group is at the end of its rope. Instead of selling off my shares in the Sumner Group and losing everything, I'd rather work hard to lead the Sumner Group and help rebuild the company."Damon replied, "As long as you're sure.""Uncle Damon, I came here today to ask you for a favor," Brandon said."What is it?" Damon asked."I remember that Prospectus Technology has been negotiating a few big deals with the Updike Group lately. I hope you won't work with them," Brandon stated.He looked at Damon with a pleading gaze, but Damon showed no signs of being swayed. Instead, he questioned, "You want me to compromise my business for personal reasons?"The intimidation from Damon made Brandon lower his head in fear, unable to meet his gaze. Still, he willed himself to say, "It's not just about my own interests.""Oh?" Damon inquired with a smirk, though there was no warmth in his eyes. "Then tell me, what else is there besides wanting to take personal
The two of them were pressed closely together, and Damon's suit was already half-drenched. Meanwhile, Nyla was completely naked.Just thinking about the scene made Nyla feel a mix of embarrassment and frustration.If she had known it was Damon outside, she definitely wouldn't have asked him to bring her pajamas.Biting her lip, she instinctively tried to push him away.Just as her hands pressed against his chest, however, his low voice rumbled from above, "Do you want to fall again?"Nyla froze for a moment, then lowered her eyes and said, "Y-You can let go of me now. I've steadied myself…"Damon looked down at her. She had her head slightly bowed, her face flushed, and her long hair was still dripping water.They were so close that the rising and falling of their chests stirred some unbidden thoughts. She had no idea just how tempting she looked in that moment.Damon's breath quickened, and he struggled to control himself, trying not to act on his desires. Despite that, his bo
Feeling Damon's warm fingers running through her hair, Nyla instinctively clenched her hands on the table and tensed up."Maybe I should just do it myself," she said, starting to turn away.Damon placed his hand on her shoulder."I'll do it." His voice was deep, carrying an irresistible authority.Nyla bit her lip and stopped insisting.The only sound in the bedroom was the hairdryer.After about ten minutes, the noise finally ceased."All done. Take a look," Damon said.Nyla reached up to feel her hair. It felt smooth and dry. She turned to look at Damon. "Thank you."Damon glanced down at her, but his eyes quickly shifted away when they caught a glimpse of the V-neck of her nightgown."Let's head downstairs for dinner," he said."It's too late. I won't be eating tonight," Nyla replied.She wanted to maintain her figure and had a rule about not eating anything after 8:00 p.m."Lydia said you've been too tired lately and made all your favorite dishes. Are you sure you want
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
Andre's voice was cold. "What are you trying to say?""I know you hate me. I don't have much time left, so I'm not afraid of your revenge. But my daughter is innocent. I hope you'll stay away from her and stop deceiving her. You're only with her to get back at me, aren't you?" Emerald asked.Andre let out a mocking laugh. "Even if you're dying, I won't let you off so easily."Compassion had long since abandoned him—the day his family fell and his sister lost her life."Fine. If you want to expose me to the media or whatever else, I won't resist. Just stay away from my daughter," Emerald warned.Andre shook his head. "No, I'll continue seeing Delia. Before you die, I want you to experience the pain I've endured all these years. So just sit back and watch, then leave this world with guilt and regret."With that, he turned and walked away.Emerald took a deep breath, her eyes turning cold.She had planned to leave Andre alone, but since he refused to listen, she saw no reason to s
Damon was concerned that Nyla wasn't as calm as she appeared, and he feared she might regret her decision in the future.It wasn't until she disappeared at the top of the stairs that Damon finally dialed Alexander's number. "She said she doesn't want to see Ms. Kinsey. I'll try to talk to her in the next few days, but if she really doesn't want to, I won't force her.""Alright, thank you," Alexander replied.After hanging up, Alexander put his phone away and walked toward the hospital room.Inside, Delia gripped Emerald's hand tightly, her eyes swollen and red from crying. "Mom, why don't we visit a few more hospitals for another check-up? You've always been healthy. How could you suddenly be sick? This must be a misdiagnosis!"In contrast to her daughter's panic, Emerald remained remarkably calm. "Delia, I've already been to three different hospitals, and the results were all the same. There's no need for more tests.""How am I supposed to believe that you only have six months l
Brandon widened his eyes in disbelief. "Seriously?""Of course. I'll have Spencer book the tickets now," Damon said, pulling out his phone.Before he could make the call, Nyla quickly stopped him. "Damon, there's no need. I don't actually want to go to the movies.""You sure? If you do, I can book the tickets now," Damon reassured.Brandon smirked. "Uncle Damon, you seriously didn't realize Aunt Nyla was just trying to give you an easy way out?"Nyla laughed softly. "I really don't want to go. Plus, I'm a little tired. I'd rather just go home and rest."Just as Brandon was about to respond, he suddenly winced and turned to Valarie. "Why'd you pinch me?"Valarie blinked innocently. "When did I pinch you? Are you imagining things?""You definitely—" Brandon began.Before he could finish, Valarie interrupted, "Alright, alright. Our movie is about to start. Let's go!"She turned to Nyla. "Nyla, we'll head out first. You should go home and rest. You've got a baby to take care of."
"Valarie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have given you the silent treatment for so long. I wasn't even angry anymore. I just… couldn't bring myself to reach out first," Brandon said.Valarie frowned slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Then why is it that every time I texted you or came to see you, you acted so cold? And now, as I'm leaving, you suddenly run over and hug me like you don't want me to go. Don't you think you're being unreasonable?"Brandon lowered his gaze. "Because I felt like if I let you walk away, we might really break up."Valarie pressed her lips together and remained silent.To be honest, when she turned to leave just now, breaking up had definitely crossed her mind.How could a relationship where communication didn't work, and every conflict led to silence, last?After a moment of silence, Brandon looked up at her again. "Valarie, I know ignoring you all this time hurt you. I'm sorry. I was just trying to figure out how we could be together in a way that fel
Phoebe scowled. "Not planning yet? You're over 30 now. Nyla is already on her second child, and you still don't know when you're getting married?"Valarie stayed silent.Phoebe's frustration deepened. "You're already this old, and your father and I still have to worry about your marriage. When will you finally settle down?""Even if I wanted to get married, it's not something I can decide on my own! Why do you always put the blame on me?" Valarie grumbled.With how things were going between her and Brandon, marriage wasn't even on the table—breaking up seemed more likely.Phoebe narrowed her eyes. "So it's Brandon who doesn't want to get married? I told you not to date someone younger, but you wouldn't listen. Now look, you don't even know if or when he'll propose!"Valarie had had enough. "Marriage, marriage, marriage! That's all you talk about! If you keep pushing me, I'll move out tomorrow.""You—" Phoebe choked on her anger.Not giving her mother a chance to argue, Valarie
Valarie opened the box and found a red V-neck gown inside."This is gorgeous!" she exclaimed."Try it on," Nyla urged."Okay!" Valarie took the dress into the dressing room.Less than two minutes later, she stepped out. "Nyla, it fits perfectly."Nyla looked up, her eyes lighting up with admiration.Dressed in the red gown, Valarie exuded confidence and elegance, like a queen. It was impossible not to be drawn to her."I knew my taste wouldn't fail me! This dress was made for you—every curve is accentuated just right. You look absolutely stunning! If I weren't a woman, I'd probably fall for you right now!" Nyla gushed.Valarie laughed, covering her mouth. "You're exaggerating. But I really do love this dress. Thank you, Nyla!""There's no need to thank me. We don't do that between us! Oh, by the way, why don't you go downstairs and let Brandon see it too?" Nyla suggested.Valarie's smile faded slightly. "Forget it. He probably wouldn't care anyway.""You two still haven't ma