"Oh, stop," Jane replied, blushing deeper as she playfully slapped Gabriel on the arm before they headed upstairs together.As they showered, a thought nagged at Jane. How did Theo know what she and Gabriel had discussed in the garden?"Gabriel, only you and I were near the rockery. How did Theo get a recording of our conversation?" she voiced her doubt.Gabriel gazed down as he tightened his arm around her waist, murmuring, "It was dark. Maybe he was hiding nearby, and we just didn't notice."Although Jane still felt something wasn't quite right, her thoughts were soon interrupted as Gabriel entered.She let out a moan, gradually swept away by the intensity. She wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering herself to the moment.For some reason, she felt that Gabriel was unusually passionate tonight.…Nyla had been silent the entire ride back, refusing to look at Damon.When they pulled up in front of the villa, she opened the car door to get out, only for Damon to catch h
"Are you saying that if I admit I'm jealous, you'll try to make it up to me?" Damon asked.They were so close that his breath grazed Nyla's ear, tickling it like a feather's touch.She looked up at him and smiled. "That's right.""I'm jealous, then. What are you going to do about it?" Damon said.Without another word, Nyla cupped his face and kissed him lightly. "Don't worry. I only have eyes for you—I wouldn't look twice at anyone else."Her eyes sparkled like a million stars, and Damon could see his reflection in them.When he didn't respond, merely gazing at her, Nyla raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Sumner, are you saying you're not happy with this approach?"Damon slid his hand behind her neck and kissed her deeply.When they finally broke apart, their clothes were a little disheveled.Damon kissed Nyla's collarbone softly, his voice low and raspy. "I'm more than satisfied."It was after midnight when they finally entered the villa.As soon as they walked in, Lydia came over to
Nyla quickly asked Leon which hospital he was in and booked a ride to get there.…When Nyla arrived, Leon was already waiting at the entrance."Nyla, I'll show you the way. Sullivan's at Block 2," Leon said.Nyla nodded, following him to the inpatient wing. As they approached the building, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks a few steps from the entrance.In front of her, entering the inpatient wing, was Damon, who had told her that morning he was going to the company. There was no mistaking that back.Stunned, Nyla stood there, her mind blank for a moment.Damon had lied to her—again.What on earth was in this hospital that compelled him to lie time and again?Leon noticed that Nyla had fallen behind and turned back. "Nyla, you—"Before he could finish, Nyla began walking quickly toward the inpatient building.He followed her, a bit taken aback. "Nyla, there's no need to rush. I know which room he's in."Nyla looked at him, expressionless, and said, "Leon, I have some
"Nyla, I really didn't mean to keep this from you. I just hadn't figured out how to tell you... Your father is in really bad shape. The doctor said he might not have much time left..." Damon explained.Nyla's hands tightened slowly.After a long pause, she replied, "I'm feeling really overwhelmed right now. I need a moment to calm down."Seeing her pale face, Damon felt a twinge of concern. "Okay, I'll stay with you.""No need," Nyla said, rejecting his offer.As soon as she spoke, the elevator arrived. She stepped inside, and Damon tried to follow, but a look from her stopped him in his tracks.Nyla didn't walk far, though. After exiting the elevator, she sat on a bench in a pavilion at the inpatient building, lost in thought.Over the past few years, she hadn't thought much about Harrison and hadn't kept up with how he was doing. After all, they had ended things on such bad terms that she had lost all hope for him.During their last meeting five years ago, although Harrison h
As Nyla stepped out of the elevator, she saw Damon still standing where she had left him. When he caught sight of her emerging, his initially downcast eyes brightened."Nyla…" he called out.She bit her lip and approached him. "I'm sorry about earlier. I wasn't angry with you. I was just really shocked and didn't know how to face my dad."Seeing the guilt in her eyes, Damon gently patted her head, his voice soft. "I understand. I just didn't want to see you upset."He knew he should have told her beforehand about his secret meetings with Harrison. Even if she had been angry, it would have been expected."Yeah, I… want to go see him," she said."Okay, I'll take you there," he replied.Even though Nyla had prepared herself mentally, she couldn't help but tear up the moment she saw Harrison's emaciated form up close.Damon gently patted her back and whispered, "You don't have to worry too much. The doctor said his condition is serious, but there's still a chance for recovery. As l
"Nyla, I'm sorry. If it hadn't been for the company going bankrupt back then, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much," Harrison said.Nyla shook her head. "Dad, it's all in the past, and I'm doing fine now."After talking for a while longer, a nurse entered to remind Harrison to take his medication and get his IV.Nyla stood up. "Dad, make sure to rest well. I'll come back to see you tomorrow."Harrison's eyes flashed with reluctance. After five years apart, he hadn't had enough time to absorb Nyla's presence before they had to part again.Noticing his disappointment, Nyla smiled. "I'll visit you every day from now on."Harrison was momentarily stunned but then nodded quickly. "Okay, just be careful on your way back."As Nyla left the hospital room, she spotted Damon sitting on a chair in the corridor. He was tall, and sitting down made him appear somewhat constrained, his long legs particularly noticeable.Damon caught her gaze and looked up, instantly breaking into a smile.
"By the way, what do you think of Sullivan Heseltine?" Nyla asked.Damon paused for a few seconds, realizing he had no idea who that was. "Sullivan Heseltine?""He's an employee from Prospectus Technology, assigned to work with me on this project. He's the team leader," Nyla explained.Damon still had no impression of him and raised an eyebrow. "What about him?""Nothing. If you don't know him, forget it," Nyla replied.Damon quipped, "Why are you asking me about another guy? Aren't you afraid I'll get jealous?"Nyla shot him a playful glare. "I just asked casually. Do you really get jealous that easily?""Of course I do! You have a way of attracting attention, and that makes me insecure," Damon teased."Who's attracting attention? I see women stealing glances at you every time you walk into the office. If I were as jealous as you, I'd have run out of jealousy by now," Nyla huffed.Damon's gaze deepened, a hint of melancholy in his expression. "But I've never seen you get jeal
"I'm being serious," Damon said."I don't want to deal with you right now. Walter, look for a pharmacy up ahead and stop the car," Nyla requested.Walter nodded and soon pulled over at an intersection."Ms. Kinsey, there's a pharmacy here," he informed her."Great," Nyla replied, turning to Damon. "I'll go buy some medicine. Wait here for me."Damon wanted to stop her, but seeing the worry in her eyes, he swallowed his words and nodded. "Okay."As Nyla got out of the car and walked toward the pharmacy, she bumped into a delivery person rushing out, causing the medicine in their hands to fall to the ground."Sorry, I didn't mean to," Nyla apologized.The delivery person bent down to pick up the medicine when a shocked voice called out, "Ruby?!"Ruby looked up, recognizing Nyla, and a hint of panic flashed across her face. "N-Nyla…""Did you leave work early just to make deliveries?" Nyla asked.Ruby hurriedly picked up the fallen medicine, avoiding eye contact with Nyla. "I'm