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
Nyla felt a wave of worry as she quickly got up and walked outside, replying, "Okay, I'll be there right away."…When Nyla arrived at the kindergarten, it was almost 1:00 p.m.As she approached the office door, she heard a cold female voice from inside saying, "I don't care who this student's parents are. If my son is hurt like this, I'm calling the police! We'll see each other in court!"Just as Nyla was about to enter, the door swung open. A well-dressed woman walked out, holding the hand of a four- or five-year-old child.Upon seeing Nyla, the woman stopped abruptly and exclaimed, "It's you!"Nyla was taken aback. She hadn't expected the child who had fought with Mason to be Jane's son.Her gaze dropped to the child Jane was holding. Though he was still small, it was already evident that he shared features with Jane and Gabriel.A cut marred his forehead. Although it had stopped bleeding, dried blood remained, making the injury appear quite alarming.The teacher, Laura Fer
Nyla smiled. "Ms. Ferrier, it's not that I don't trust you. I just think it's important to hear both sides of the story."Laura didn't respond, but her expression darkened, clearly displeased.Nyla remained unfazed. She turned to Mason and said, "Buddy, don't be scared. No matter what happened, Mommy will stand by you."If you didn't do anything wrong, I won't force you to apologize. But if you did, I'll apologize with you. How does that sound?"With Nyla's soothing voice, Mason finally spoke up. "I didn't do anything wrong! He stepped on my shoes first and called me a bastard. That's why we fought. And I didn't push him!"As he spoke, his eyes began to well with tears.Nyla gently patted his head and said softly, "Okay, Mommy will handle this."She stood up and addressed Laura, "Ms. Ferrier, you heard my son just now. If I'm not mistaken, there are cameras in their classroom."If they could check the footage, they would know exactly who was at fault.Just as Laura was about t
"Don't worry. Mommy will find out the truth. If you're innocent, I won't make you apologize," Nyla reassured him.Yelena snorted and warned, "What kids say can't be trusted. This situation needs to be resolved quickly. Ms. Kinsey, I hope you can be rational and not complicate things further."Laura looked troubled, unsure of how to handle the situation.Nyla stood her ground, meeting Yelena's gaze. "I will handle this rationally, but not by apologizing when I believe my child is innocent. I will investigate the truth myself and clear my son's name."Yelena's expression turned icy since Nyla refused to back down."I advise you to think carefully. If you offend the Wilkies, no kindergarten in Saintornia will accept your son," she warned.The office fell into an uncomfortable silence—it was so quiet that a pin dropping could be heard.Nyla raised an eyebrow and replied slowly, "Ms. Neale, I don't know how you've handled similar situations in the past—if you have forced those with l
Gabriel frowned. "That serious?"Wilhelm, standing next to Jane, rushed forward and hugged Gabriel's leg. Tears welled in his eyes as he cried, "Daddy, it hurts so much…"Seeing his son's nose crinkle in pain, Gabriel felt a pang in his heart. He crouched before him and gently stroked his head. "Wil, it will stop hurting in a few days. Just be good."Wilhelm managed to hold back his tears, sniffling. "I don't want to go to school… I'm scared…"His terrified demeanor only deepened Gabriel's distress. A flicker of rage ignited in his eyes—he wouldn't let whoever had hurt his son get away with it.Noticing his angry expression, Jane embellished the story of what had happened at school.By the end, she looked at Gabriel and said, her voice laced with discontent, "Nyla ruined me at Grandpa's birthday party. Now her son has hurt ours like this. I won't let it go!"Gabriel pursed his lips, remaining silent.Upon recalling how Jane had almost ruined Nyla's face by pushing her at the bi
"Do you think I don't dare to?" Jane snapped.The mere thought that Gabriel had once liked Nyla twisted Jane's jealousy around her heart like a creeping vine, tightening its grip and making it unbearable."I'm not saying you don't dare to do it. I just hope you consider the consequences. There's a meeting at the company, and since Wil is fine, I'll head back now," Gabriel replied.As he turned to walk away, footsteps rang out behind him. In the next moment, Jane's delicate hands wrapped around his waist."I'm sorry, Gabriel. I lost control earlier because of Wil's injury," she said.Gabriel glanced down at her hands around his waist, a flicker of disgust crossing his eyes.After a moment of silence, he held her hands and looked down at her, speaking gently. "Jane, I'm not angry.""Really?" Jane looked up at him, guilt evident in her eyes."Of course. I wouldn't be angry with you. You're my wife and the mother of my child. You're the most important person to me," Gabriel coaxed.
"Great-grandpa, a classmate pushed me on purpose, and my forehead hit the corner of the table. It hurt so much… I bled a lot…" Wilhelm complained.As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, making him look pitiful.Pedro's expression darkened as he demanded, "What kind of teachers does that kindergarten have? Our family invests so much every year. Are they just sitting around doing nothing?!"He turned his gaze to Jane and asked, "Did they expel the kid who pushed Wil?"Seeing Pedro getting to the point, Jane sighed. She feigned a troubled look as if weighing whether to reveal the truth."What exactly happened? Don't beat around the bush!" Pedro urged.Jane glanced at the nearby maid and instructed, "Take Wil out to play in the garden."The maid nodded and led Wilhelm away from the living room.Once the living room was left with just Jane and Pedro, she sat opposite him and said, "Grandpa, it might be hard to deal with the kid who pushed Wil."Pedro glared. "Hard to deal with?
Jane lowered her gaze, a flicker of resentment in her eyes. She would never allow herself to be overshadowed by Nyla forever."Alright, Grandpa, I know what I need to do," she replied."I'm tired now. You take Wil to play for a bit, and stay for dinner tonight," Pedro said.Once he left, Jane got up and headed to the garden.In the garden, Wilhelm was bossing a servant to climb a tree and pick the highest orange. The servant struggled but could barely reach the fruit.Wilhelm looked up, his small face showing impatience as he barked, "You can't even pick an orange? I'll have Great-grandpa fire you!"With his urging and threats, the servant gritted his teeth and climbed a bit higher until he finally managed to grab the orange.Unexpectedly, the moment he touched it, a loud crack echoed as a branch snapped beneath him.He fell to the ground, screaming in pain upon impact. "Ah! It hurts so much!"He clutched his broken leg, his face contorted in agony as cold sweat dripped from h
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
Damon put the file down and sat across from Nyla.Noticing two portions of breakfast on the table, he asked, "You haven't eaten either?""No," Nyla replied as she opened the packages and handed one to him. "I came to eat with you. Spencer told me he brought you breakfast this morning, but you didn't touch it.""I was too busy," Damon said."Being busy isn't an excuse to skip meals. I saw your assistants running around like crazy, and I heard they barely got any sleep last night. Is the issue with the company that serious?" Nyla asked."It's significant," Damon admitted. "Our chips might be causing malfunctions in our partner's machines. If that's confirmed, the company will face a massive compensation payout."Nyla frowned, worry flashing in her eyes. "I can't help much with work, but the least I can do is keep things in order at home. By the way, are you coming home tonight?""Probably not," he replied. "There's still a lot to handle.""Alright. Finish your breakfast. I'll hea
Gabriel took the document, skimmed its contents, and his face darkened."What is it?" Tom asked.Gabriel tossed the document onto the table with a cold laugh. "Nothing important. Damon's just trying to catch me off guard."The document contained evidence of Nyce Tech hiring paid posters to smear Prospectus Technology, but Gabriel wasn't worried.Soon enough, those allegations would become the truth.Tom glanced at the papers and grinned. "As long as it's not a big problem. Anyway, I should get going.""Fine, but don't forget your part in this," Gabriel said pointedly.There was a cold glint in Tom's eyes, though his smile remained. "Relax. I won't let you handle Prospectus Technology alone."After Tom left, Gabriel drained his wine in one gulp.As he prepared to head to his study, a maid approached with a concerned expression."Mr. Hackett, Mr. Wilhelm still refuses to eat," the maid informed him.Gabriel had brought Wilhelm straight back to the villa instead of letting him