"It hurts..." Nyla muttered, sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her delicate brows were tightly knitted, and her face was ghastly pale.The doctor arrived with her medication for gastritis around the same time.The intention was to have her take the medicine first. However, she was clenching her teeth so tightly that it was impossible to get her to swallow the pills.In this situation, the only option was to administer IV fluids.Once the IV was set up, the doctor turned to Damon and said, "When she wakes up, give her some light foods like chicken soup.""Got it."After giving a few more instructions, the doctor and the staff left."Mr. Sumner, maybe you should go get some rest. I'll keep an eye on Ms. Jayston," Spencer suggested.Damon glanced down at his hand, still tightly gripped by Nyla. His expression darkened.While the doctor had been setting up the IV earlier, he had tried to pry her hand away but had failed, which was why Nyla's other hand was used for the IV."Do
Nyla was dazed for a few seconds before she felt an indescribable warmth well up inside her.After getting up, washing up, taking her medicine, and eating her chicken soup, she decided to thank Damon properly. After all, she had been holding onto his hand all night, and he probably hadn't had a good rest.When she reached the door of the room next door, it opened from the inside just as she reached out to knock.Damon, with slightly damp hair and dressed in a fresh outfit, seemed to have just taken a shower."Mr. Sumner, I came to thank you for last night. I appreciate it," Nyla said.Seeing Nyla's eyes lowered, her hands awkwardly clasped in front of her, Damon thought she seemed a bit uncomfortable and nervous around him.Upon realizing this, his mood unexpectedly soured. He pressed his thin lips together."There's no need for thanks. Just make sure to speak up if you're feeling unwell next time. Don't make things difficult for others," he said.His indifferent tone made Nyla
Nyla pressed her lips together and said, "It's clear that the people at Skyray Medical are eager to secure this partnership. They might even send someone to follow us. If they find out we're going to the herb production base, they might prepare in advance."This meant they wouldn't be able to assess the true quality of the herbs at the base.Spencer smiled and said, "Don't worry, Ms. Jayston. We have ways to evade Skyray Medical's people."Relieved to hear they had a plan, Nyla nodded and said no more.…Around 2:00 p.m., a car arranged by Spencer arrived at the hotel to pick them up.Shortly after they got in, the driver glanced at the rearview mirror and said, "We're being followed."Spencer remained calm. "Ignore them."Trying to lose them would only alert Skyray Medical. By acting unaware, they could keep Skyray Medical's people complacent.In less than half an hour, the car stopped at the entrance of the busiest mall in Rontana. They got out and walked into the mall, with
Upon noticing the strong, firm hand around her waist and feeling its warmth seeping through the thin fabric, Nyla's face turned bright red. She quickly steadied herself, avoiding eye contact."Thank you, Mr. Sumner," she said.Damon withdrew his hand nonchalantly and said in a deep voice, "Watch where you're stepping even when looking at herbs."Nyla nodded. "Got it."From then on, Nyla was careful to watch her step, determined not to trip again. "These are the dried rauvolfia."A staff member casually handed a dried rauvolfia root to Damon, who inspected it briefly before passing it to Nyla."Take a look," he said.The rauvolfia looked no different from the ones Skyray Medical had shown them that morning. They would need to test it to determine the active ingredient content.Nyla turned to the staff member and asked, "Typically, what's the alkaloid content in rauvolfia?""It's usually around 0.1%. Anything higher is quite rare," the staff member replied.Actually, 0.1% was a
Bill quickly suppressed his dissatisfaction, maintaining a friendly smile, as he was quite the strategist."Of course, Mr. Sumner. Our company is very sincere about forming a long-term partnership with Prospectus Technology. I hope you will consider it seriously," Bill said.Damon nodded. "Yes, Mr. Jenkinson. Let me toast to you."The two continued chatting, and before long, they had finished a bottle of wine.Damon's usually pale face was now tinged with a faint red, and his typically cool eyes showed a hint of intoxication. Under the overhead light, his striking features were even more captivating, making it hard to look away.Catching herself staring, Nyla quickly averted her gaze."Ms. Jayston, a toast to you," Zoe said.Nyla turned to see Zoe holding out a glass of red wine, smiling warmly."I'm sorry, Ms. Quinn, I don't drink," Nyla replied."This is a low-alcohol red wine, very mild and with a rich, smooth taste. You should give it a try," Zoe insisted.As Zoe spoke, s
Back in the room at the restaurant.Half an hour had passed, and Nyla still hadn't returned.Damon's frown deepened. "Spencer, call Nyla."Bill quickly intervened, "Mr. Sumner, no need to worry. Zoe is with her, so nothing will happen."Damon pursed his lips, remaining silent and clearly in a foul mood.Bill hurriedly poured him another drink, not too concerned. After all, Nyla was just a regular employee. Even if Damon found out the truth later, he wouldn't make a big deal over a woman.Spencer called Nyla, and her phone started ringing in the room. She hadn't taken it when she went to the restroom.Seeing the unhappy looks on Damon and Spencer's faces, Bill quickly said, "Let me call Zoe to check."He dialed Zoe's number and put it on speaker. "Zoe, why are you not back with Ms. Jayston yet?"Zoe's calm voice came through. "Mr. Jenkinson, Ms. Jayston couldn't clean the wine stain off her clothes, so I'm helping her buy a new outfit. She's trying it on now. We'll be back soon
The man clearly hadn't expected Nyla to wake up at that moment and push him off the bed, so he cursed in frustration."Who are you?!" Nyla backed away, frantically searching for something to defend herself with, her face full of panic and fear.The man sneered, his tone lewd. "I'm the guy who's gonna make you feel amazing."With that, he lunged at her.A small red light blinked in the corner of the room, recording everything that was happening.As the man charged at Nyla, she swung a table lamp at his forehead. He screamed in pain, feeling warm liquid trickle down from his head, and slapped her hard."Bitch! You dare hit me? I'll make you pay!" he roared.He snatched the lamp from her and threw it to the floor, pinning her down. He grabbed her collar and yanked it hard, popping the buttons off and exposing her chest and bra.Lust and greed filled his eyes as he pulled her bra strap down, his expression lecherous.Nyla struggled desperately, and her nails scratched the man's fa
Damon sat by the bedside, his expression calm as he watched Nyla.The last memory before she passed out rushed back into Nyla's mind. She bit her lip and looked down. "Mr. Sumner, thank you for saving me."If he hadn't arrived in time, she could only imagine what might have happened."This happened because I didn't consider everything carefully enough. I'm sorry," Damon said.Upon meeting Damon's earnest gaze, Nyla's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked away."It's not your fault. No one could have predicted that Skyray Medical's people would do something like this," Nyla replied.Besides, Zoe had not only tried to have her assaulted but had also planned to record it, likely intending to blackmail her after she refused to accept the bribe.Thinking about it made her eyes turn cold.Seeing Nyla's downcast eyes and pale face, Damon's gaze darkened. "Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"Nyla shook her head and hesitantly asked, "What about Zoe?""Don't worry. She's
Jane smiled and praised, "You're such a good boy, Wil. Come here—Mommy wants to tell you something."Hesitant but trusting, Wilhelm slowly moved closer to her.The moment he was within reach, Jane grabbed his collar, her expression dark and menacing. "When I called you earlier, why didn't you come immediately?"Terrified, Wilhelm turned pale, tears brimming in his eyes. "Mommy… I was scared…""Scared of what?" Jane demanded."Scared you'd hit me… Waaaah…" Wilhelm cried.When Wilhelm had been staying with Gabriel, he'd worried he'd never see his mother again.But now, seeing her up close, she seemed frightening—nothing like the gentle mother he used to know.Jane's patience snapped at the sound of his crying. "Shut up! If you keep crying, I'll throw you out!"Wilhelm immediately clammed up, though he couldn't stop the little hiccups that followed. His face was streaked with tears, making him look pitiful.Just then, the door to the room opened, and Wendy walked in carrying som
Embarrassment flickered across Wren's face as she muttered, "I didn't… I just didn't know the situation before, okay?""If you don't know the situation, then don't meddle," Gabriel rebuked.After a moment of silence, Wren stole a glance at Gabriel and softly said, "Gabriel, this time it's my fault. I'm sorry. But Wil absolutely cannot be sent back to Jane. Who knows how she'll treat him? She's already proven she's capable of terrible things."Just thinking about Jane intentionally causing Wilhelm's allergic reaction made Wren's skin crawl. What kind of mother could be so cruel?"I know what I'm doing. From now on, if Jane contacts you, don't respond," Gabriel instructed.Wren quickly nodded. "Okay… I understand…""If there's nothing else, you can go. I have work to do," Gabriel dismissed."Alright… I'll leave now…" Wren answered.As Wren walked out of the villa, she finally let out a sigh of relief.Just as she was about to call her driver, her phone rang.Seeing that it was
Wilhelm froze at Gabriel's stern expression, shrinking behind Wren and peeking at his father with frightened eyes.Without looking at him, Gabriel called for a maid. "Take him to the Wilkies with the driver later."The maid nodded. "Understood."Just as the maid was about to lead Wilhelm away, Wren pulled the boy behind her and snapped, "Gabriel, can't you see how scared he is?"Gabriel finally lifted his gaze to her, his tone icy. "Weren't you the one who brought him to me and insisted I let him see Jane? Now that I've agreed, what more do you want?"Wren stiffened but quickly composed herself. "I only brought him because he was crying so pitifully. That doesn't mean I want him to live with Jane again."She wasn't stupid. It was clear that Wilhelm was better off with Gabriel than with Jane.If the divorce went through, Jane would eventually remarry, and who knew how much Wilhelm would suffer in her new household?At least with Gabriel, Wren could visit Wilhelm often, and he wo
Raymond and Gabriel stayed in the study for over an hour before emerging.By then, Raymond's expression had shifted from initial unease to radiant joy, his face brimming with smiles.It seemed the fortune teller had been right—Wren was indeed his lucky star.Despite his company's brush with bankruptcy, Gabriel not only promised to inject 70,000,000 dollars into it but also agreed to partner with them on future projects.The potential profits were enough to make it impossible for Raymond to hide his grin.Seeing his cheerful demeanor, Wren let out a breath of relief.Setting Wilhelm down from her lap, she turned to Raymond and asked, "So, you reached an agreement?""Yeap. I need to get back to the office, though. I'll have the driver pick you up later," Raymond replied."Alright. Will you be home for dinner?" Wren asked."Of course! Tonight, we'll celebrate properly," Raymond promised.After Raymond left, Wilhelm tugged on Wren's sleeve. "Grandma, when are you going to talk to
"Okay," Wilhelm answered.He accepted the bowl and took a couple of sips, then looked up at Gabriel and asked, "Daddy, where's Mommy?"Upon seeing the cautious look in Wilhelm's eyes, a complex expression crossed Gabriel's face.He crouched down to the boy's level and said gently, "Wil, from now on, you'll live with Daddy. Is that okay?"Wilhelm froze, tears welling up in his eyes. "Daddy, does that mean you don't want Mommy anymore?"Jane's words echoed in his mind—that Gabriel had a bad woman outside and didn't want them anymore.Now that his father didn't want his mother, it wouldn't be long before he didn't want him either, especially if he had a child with that bad woman.Gabriel sighed and spoke softly. "Wil, this is an adult matter that you won't understand. Daddy isn't abandoning Mommy. We're just going to live separately. But no matter what, both of us love you very much.""You're lying!" Wilhelm cried, throwing the bowl to the floor, where it shattered into pieces.H
Looking at Jane's self-righteous demeanor, Gabriel remained expressionless. His gaze was indifferent, as if she were a stranger of no consequence.His lack of reaction agitated Jane even more."Gabriel, why aren't you saying anything? Why?!" she shouted.Gabriel's voice was calm. "Because I think you're pitiful.""Pitiful?!" Jane repeated, then burst into laughter. "Do you think you're any less pitiful than I am? You abandoned your wife to be with Nyla, but has she even spared you a second glance? In the end, you and I are no different—we're both pathetic losers."Gabriel showed no visible reaction but said, "Jane, I'm not like you.""What's so different about you?" Jane demanded."I can make my own choices. You can't. Take this situation, for example—I can ensure you'll never see Wilhelm again, but there's nothing you can do to stop me," Gabriel stated.Jane froze, her laughter faltering. An overwhelming sense of unease gripped her. "What are you going to do?"Gabriel waved h
Although Wilhelm wanted more, he hesitated briefly before obediently putting down his spoon."Okay, Mommy," he said.His compliance sparked a brief flicker of guilt in Jane's eyes. But the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by a calm determination.After settling the bill, she led Wilhelm back to the car.As soon as they were on the road, Wilhelm began squirming in his seat, scratching himself furiously. His small face scrunched in discomfort as he complained, "Mommy… I don't feel good. I'm itchy all over…"Jane glanced at him and saw red spots breaking out across his skin."Hold on, Mommy's taking you to the hospital right now," she said.She sped toward the nearest hospital, reaching it in less than ten minutes.…By the time Jane pulled into the ER, Wilhelm's face was covered in hives. He was clawing at himself, leaving red marks all over his pale skin.Jane rushed to unbuckle him and carried him inside, moving quickly toward the emergency desk.A doctor
Wilhelm thought that when Gabriel was home, Jane never hit him without a reason.But ever since his father left, his mother had become unpredictable. Sometimes, even the sound of him making noise while eating would lead to punishment, forcing him to stand in the corner.He missed the mother who would kiss him and speak to him gently. He didn't want the mother who hit him for no reason."But Daddy's out there with another woman now and won't come home," he said.Although he was young, he understood a lot of adult issues.Lately, Gabriel hadn't been around. With Jane's constant hints, Wilhelm had started to believe that Gabriel had left because of a bad woman, choosing her over their family."Mommy, when I grow up, I'll protect you. I won't let any bad woman bully you!" Wilhelm vowed.Tears welled in Jane's eyes at his words, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. Yet, her moment of hesitation lasted only a second before her resolve hardened.The only way to give Wilhelm a comp
Besides, Nyla didn't even like Gabriel. It had always been him chasing her.What was Jane supposed to do—crack open his head and make him stop liking Nyla?Wren frowned, clearly irritated. "Alright, I'm not in the mood to talk about this. Go home," she said, waving Jane off.Jane protested, "Mom, we haven't even discussed how to bring Gabriel back to me and Wilhelm. I need your help.""What do you want me to do?" Wren asked."Later, call Gabriel and tell him Wilhelm has a fever and wants to see him. Get him to come home," Jane requested.Wren hesitated. Gabriel's attitude toward her had grown increasingly cold. If he found out she was conspiring with Jane to deceive him, it could further damage their relationship.Seeing her reluctance, Jane sighed. "Mom, do you really want to watch him chase after Nyla? With the way things are between you two now, do you think Nyla will treat you kindly if they end up together?""That's impossible! Nyla doesn't like him. They won't end up to