Damon stiffened and averted his gaze. "It's nothing.""Is your arm still hurting?" Nyla asked, trying to look at Damon's arm, but he turned away.He dismissed her concern. "It's fine. Let's get ready for dinner."He didn't even glance at Nyla as he walked past her toward the dining room.Nyla frowned, sensing something was off about his attitude. She thought back and realized his demeanor had changed after she returned to the car from the pharmacy.Could it be because she hadn't mentioned Ruby to him? Was he sulking?During dinner, Damon spoke only to Mason, ignoring Nyla unless she initiated the conversation.After dinner, seeing Damon head toward the study, Nyla quickly followed him."Damon, wait! I need to talk to you," she called out.His tone was somewhat cold when he replied, "What is it?"Nyla looked up at him. "Are you upset with me?"Damon avoided her gaze. "No.""If that's true, then why were you only talking to Buddy at dinner?" she pressed."You're overthinking
Damon picked up the car keys and said, "I'll take you there."Worried that Valarie might get into trouble at the bar, Nyla nodded. "Okay."…By the time they arrived at the bar, an hour had passed.When they found Valarie, she was already a bit dazed and being hit on by a drunken man. Nyla stepped forward and swatted the man's hand away from Valarie."Stay away from her!" she warned.The man, his face flushed with alcohol, turned angrily to face her. When he saw how beautiful she was, his eyes lit up. "Hey, gorgeous, what's your number—"Before he could finish his sentence, a chilling voice came from behind him. "Touch her, and you'll regret it!"The man turned to meet Damon's icy gaze. He shuddered, sobering up a little.Noticing Damon's distinguished appearance, the man awkwardly smiled. "Sorry, I mistook her for someone else."He quickly turned and left, clearly eager to avoid Damon.Nyla supported the dazed Valarie, who was nearly unable to stand. "Valarie, what happened
"Thanks, Lydia, I appreciate it," Nyla replied.Lydia shook her head with a smile. "It's no trouble."With that, she went to the kitchen.As soon as Nyla returned from fetching water in the bathroom, she heard Valarie's quiet sobs. She hurried to the bedside, setting down the basin of water, and gently nudged Valarie."Valarie, how are you feeling?" she asked.Valarie opened her eyes. Upon seeing Nyla, she began to cry even harder. "Nyla… is my life a failure?"Noticing her red-rimmed eyes, Nyla quickly knelt beside her and replied gently, "Why do you think that?""The Weir Group is in trouble, and I can't help at all… I'm clearly attracted to Brandon, but I'm too afraid of the age difference to pursue it. I decided to get engaged to Zayn for the Weir Group, but I'm not doing it wholeheartedly… And Zayn has a mistress…" Valarie confessed.She tried to convince herself that she didn't care, but it was impossible to feel completely indifferent, especially since Zayn's mistress ha
The study was still lit, and Damon hadn't gone to bed yet. Surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw Nyla. "What are you doing here? How's Valarie?""She's already asleep," Nyla answered.Noticing that Nyla seemed to have something to say, Damon raised an eyebrow."Damon, thank you for what you did tonight," Nyla said."Why are you being so polite? I'm your boyfriend—it's what I should do," Damon replied.After a moment of hesitation, Nyla appeared to make up her mind. She slowly raised her head to meet his gaze. "It's not just about tonight. You've always been good to me since we met. I owe you an apology and a thank you."The seriousness in her eyes made Damon press his lips together and approach her.As he drew closer, Nyla subconsciously stepped back and asked warily, "Why are you getting up all of a sudden?"Damon beamed. "Didn't you want to thank me?""Yeah, but you—" Nyla began.Before she could finish her sentence, Damon wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her
That night, Nyla couldn't sleep. As soon as she closed her eyes, the image of marrying Damon filled her mind, making it impossible to doze off.It wasn't until just before dawn that she finally managed to fall asleep.When she woke up in the morning, dark circles were evident under her eyes.During breakfast, Damon raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Didn't sleep well last night?"Nyla glared at the one responsible for her sleepless night. "Yeah.""Was it because I said I needed a wife?" Damon asked teasingly.Seeing him smile like a lovesick puppy, Nyla instinctively denied it. "Of course not! I was… worried about Valarie, so I couldn't sleep. What you said had nothing to do with it!""Nyla, I never realized you were so good at saying one thing and meaning another," Damon replied.Nyla gritted her teeth. "And I didn't know you could talk so much. It's early, and you won't stop chatting even over breakfast."Damon's smile widened as he continued to eat elegantly.His calm de
Damon was silent for a few seconds before telling Spencer, "Have him come to my office at 10:00 a.m."Spencer nodded. "Got it."Just as he was about to leave, Damon suddenly called him back. "Wait, go to the pharmacy and pick up some stomach medicine to send to the lab."Spencer knew exactly who it was for without needing to be told—no one else in the lab had the privilege of Damon personally sending someone to buy medicine for them."Okay, I'll head there right away," he answered.…Nyla had just arrived at the lab when Spencer walked in."Ms. Kinsey, this is the medicine that Mr. Sumner asked me to get for you," he informed her.Seeing the bag in Spencer's hand, filled with various stomach medications, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Mr. Hogg, I'm fine. I just overate this morning."Spencer handed her the bag. "Ms. Kinsey, just accept it. This is Mr. Sumner's kind gesture, and I need a good reason to report back.""Alright, please thank him for me," Nyla said, accepting the
Ruby's eyes instantly dimmed as she bit her lip, unsure how to respond.After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "Nyla, I know you're trying to help me, but I really can't. I need this extra income to make ends meet."Nyla sighed, her tone softening. "I understand your situation, but you also need to think about your future. If you fall behind on your experiments because you're out making deliveries, that will be a real shame."Ruby's eyes turned slightly red as she looked down, her voice trembling. "I'll try my best to balance my work with making deliveries. I won't let it affect the experiments."Nyla gently patted Ruby's shoulder and handed her a bank card. "Since you don't want to talk about your troubles, I won't pry. This money should get you through to next month. If it's not enough, come back and let me know. Try to avoid running deliveries for now."Ruby tried to decline. "No… Nyla, you've already helped me so much. I can't—" Before she could finish, Nyla firmly pres
Damon looked at Nathaniel coldly and asked, "How do you know this?""Recently, Rebecca has been making secret calls behind my back. I checked her call records, and they mostly came from abroad," Nathaniel explained, his expression indifferent, as if discussing something that didn't concern him.The office fell silent as Damon's eyes narrowed, weighing the trustworthiness of Nathaniel's words. Feeling anxious, Nathaniel hurriedly added, "As long as you give me this project, I'll keep an eye on Rebecca's every move and report back to you daily.""Nathaniel, Rebecca is your wife and the woman you've loved for so many years. Are you sure what you're saying is credible?" Damon asked.Seeing the doubt and coldness in Damon's eyes, Nathaniel quickly replied, "I haven't been in love with Rebecca for a long time now. If it weren't for you forcing me to marry her five years ago, she wouldn't even be alive today!"Damon's gaze turned even colder at Nathaniel's desperate attempt to distance
"That's more like it," Valarie chirped.Nyla couldn't help but say, "Valarie, stop bullying Brandon all the time."Brandon turned to her and sighed dramatically. "Aunt Nyla, since you mentioned it, I have to say something. You have no idea what I've been through these past six months, I— Ouch!"Before he could finish, Valarie pinched his waist. "What was that? Tell me, Brandon. Have you been unhappy these past six months?""N-No... I've been very happy..." Brandon winced."Have I bullied you then?" Valarie pressed."No..." Brandon murmured.Valarie huffed. "If not, then keep your mouth shut, or Nyla will really think I mistreat you." Brandon gave her a pitiful look, lowering his head like a scolded puppy.Before they married, Valarie had been gentle and beautiful in his eyes. But after marriage, he realized how wrong he had been.Gentle and beautiful? All an illusion.If he stayed out drinking and came home late, he'd have to choose between sleeping on the couch or outside.
Taking Mia to work was exhausting, but every time she smiled at Damon, it made everything worth it."She'll be fine. Didn't you just say she loves us both equally? She'll cry for a bit, but if you stop taking her to the office, she'll get used to being at home," Nyla reasoned.Seeing Nyla's determination, Damon finally relented. "Alright, we'll try it tomorrow. But if she cries too much, you'll have to take her to the office.""Deal!" Nyla said....After getting ready for work the next morning, Damon kissed Mia on the cheek and headed for the door.As soon as he changed his shoes at the entrance, she reached her little arms toward him, asking to be held. She had grown so accustomed to going to the office with him every day that it had become a reflex.Damon glanced at Nyla. "Nyla, maybe today we should—"Nyla interrupted, "Nope. You go to work. And if you're free for lunch, don't bother coming home. If you need to work late, no rush to come back either."Damon chuckled. "You'
"Brandon, from now on, I'm entrusting Valarie to you," Jonathan said. "She's been spoiled by us and can be a little willful at times. I hope you'll be patient with her in your marriage, and I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together."Brandon held Valarie's hand tightly, his expression solemn. "Dad, don't worry. I'll cherish her with all my heart."Jonathan nodded, stepping down from the stage. He discreetly wiped away his tears.After exchanging vows and rings, Valarie and Brandon sealed their love with a kiss, surrounded by cheers and applause.…On the way home from the wedding, Nyla glanced at Damon. "I saw Mr. Weir wipe his tears so many times today. When Bunny gets married, you'll definitely be just like him, sneaking off somewhere to cry."Damon's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his gaze sharpening. "No one will ever be good enough for my daughter. If she never gets married, we'll take care of her for the rest of our lives."Nyla raised an eyebrow and
"Of course! When's the wedding?" Nyla asked.Valarie shook her head. "We haven't decided yet. He'll come to my house in a few days to discuss it with my parents."Nyla raised an eyebrow. "You're about to get really busy. Planning a wedding alone will take a lot of work.""Yeah, I'm already getting a headache just thinking about it," Valarie replied....For the next few months, Valarie was completely consumed by wedding preparations and work, barely having time to catch her breath.The wedding was set for August 8th, leaving them with less than six months to finalize everything.Valarie even traveled abroad several times to meet with designers and ensure her wedding dress was exactly what she wanted.Beyond the dress, she and Brandon spent hours discussing every detail—from the venue to the wedding favors and bouquet choices....After months of nonstop planning, the big day finally arrived.Valarie was already up, getting her hair and makeup done at 2:00 a.m.By the time N
Valarie looked up and saw the approaching glow.When the figure finally stopped in front of her, she realized it was Brandon.Frowning, she asked, "Where did you go? I waited so long for you. And what are you hiding behind your back?"Brandon flipped his phone face-down on the table, revealing the flowers he had hidden. Then he dropped to one knee."Valarie, I had planned a perfect proposal for you, but when you asked earlier about the meaning of wearing a wedding dress, I knew I couldn't wait any longer."Before I met you, my life revolved solely around work. I never paused for anyone—I never cared whether the sun was rising or setting, or if the moon was full or waning. But everything changed after I met you."I began cherishing the thought of greeting you every morning, sharing meals with you, and standing by your side for life."Valarie, I want every morning to begin with us waking up together, and every night to end with us holding each other as we fall asleep."Finally, B
Of course, every time they visited Valarie's home, Phoebe would subtly—or sometimes not so subtly—hint that they should get married.Brandon had always assumed Valarie wasn't interested in marriage since she never responded to those hints. He hadn't considered proposing.But today, seeing her so excited about picking out baby clothes made him start to imagine a future with her—building a family, raising a child.That thought filled his heart with warmth.After more than three hours of shopping, they finally left the mall, their arms full of bags.Once they loaded everything into the car, Valarie turned to Brandon. "I'm starving. Let's grab something to eat."Brandon nodded. "Sure. What are you in the mood for?""I'm not picky. Is there anything good around here? I don't feel like going too far," she replied.Brandon paused, then said, "There's a place with ethnic cuisine nearby. I went there once for a business meeting—it was pretty authentic. Want to give it a try?""Sounds g
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