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
Noticing something off in Valarie's tone, Nyla quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?""Let's talk when we meet. I'll come to your office around noon," Valarie replied."Okay," Nyla said.After confirming the time and place, Valarie quickly hung up."Did something happen? You look tense," Damon asked with concern.Nyla shook her head. "I'm not sure. Valarie wants to meet me at noon."From Valarie's tone, it sounded like something serious was going on.Damon's gaze turned serious as he studied Nyla's expression.Lowering his voice, he asked, "Nyla, if I help the Weirs through this crisis, will you give me a chance for a fresh start? What do you think?"Nyla bit her lip, feeling the urge to scold him for taking advantage of the situation.However, she knew the Weirs' survival wasn't Damon's responsibility. She could leverage his feelings to get him to help, but that wouldn't be fair to him.After spending time together recently, she realized she still had feelings
Back at the office, Nyla was getting ready for her lunch break when she received a call from Caroline."Hey, Nyla, try to schedule your experiment reports during work hours from now on," Caroline requested.Nyla was taken aback. "Why? Isn't everyone busy with experiments during work?""Mr. Sumner said he'll be present for future progress reports, so we need to arrange them during office hours," Caroline explained.Nyla finally understood. Damon must have requested this for her sake. However, changing the reporting time just for her might delay everyone else's experiments.With that thought, she replied, "I'll talk to Mr. Sumner about it and see if we can adjust the schedule.""Don't push yourself too hard. After everything that happened with Mr. Sumner, didn't you say you didn't want too much contact with him?" Caroline asked.Caroline had previously objected when Edgar suggested assigning the experiment project to Nyla. But since she had her own unfinished project, she ultimate
"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