Before Nyla could respond, Damon interjected coldly, "Mr. Hackett, she probably doesn't have the time."As he spoke, he stepped in front of Nyla, blocking Gabriel's view.Gabriel looked directly at him, unperturbed. "Mr. Sumner, Nyla hasn't answered yet, and you're speaking for her. Isn't that a bit domineering?"The two men held their ground, both roughly the same height, as the atmosphere grew tense between them.Damon exuded an icy aura, as if he could freeze anyone in place.Meanwhile, Gabriel maintained a slight smile, seemingly unaffected by the tension.The living room fell into a heavy silence, each breath audibly punctuating the quiet.Nyla frowned and spoke coolly. "Gabriel, I heard your mother has remarried. We have nothing to do with each other anymore, and I don't want to have dinner with you."Gabriel's smile faltered, a flicker of disappointment appearing in his eyes.He lowered his gaze and said softly, "Nyla, I know you still hold a grudge for what happened be
"Do you want that kind of mom then?" Gabriel asked."Of course I want one like that! I wish Mommy could play with me, come to my school events, and cuddle with me at night while I sleep..." Wilhelm went on, not noticing the growing seriousness in Gabriel's gaze.Gabriel finally smiled and started the car, assuring Wilhelm, "Don't worry. I'll make sure you have the kind of mom you dream of."Wilhelm's eyes lit up, but a hint of disappointment crept into his expression as he murmured, "But... Mommy is really busy and hardly has time for me...""She'll have time," Gabriel promised."Really?" Wilhelm asked, his tone hopeful.Gabriel chuckled. "When have I ever lied to you?"Wilhelm's face brightened with excitement as he looked at Gabriel. "Daddy, when will Mommy have time to play with me then?""Soon," Gabriel replied and stared ahead as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. His knuckles turned pale while his gaze darkened.…Time flew, and soon Saturday arrived.Damon had
Nyla glared at Damon. "Could you please be a bit more serious?"Damon feigned innocence and replied, "I was talking about my biceps. What's not serious about that? Or are you the one having lewd thoughts?"Seeing the mischievous glint in Damon's eyes, Nyla realized he was teasing her on purpose.Just as she was about to respond, Mason's voice called from up ahead, "Daddy, Mommy, come over here! Let's take a picture!"Nyla took a deep breath, pushed Damon away, and hurried forward without looking back.Damon watched her stomp off with a fond smile. They quickly caught up with Mason, who was bouncing with excitement in a small gazebo."Mommy, let's take pictures here!" Mason exclaimed.Nyla nodded. "Sure."While they chatted, Damon had already set down his backpack and pulled out his phone. "I'll take the pictures."He joined Nyla and Mason, standing together for a few shots, then turned to Mason with a grin. "Now, you take a picture of Mommy and Daddy!""Okay!" Mason agreed ha
After they finished eating and rested for a bit, they set off to head back down. The descent was much faster than the climb, and they reached the halfway point in less than half an hour.Mason walked quickly and would occasionally run when the path was flat.Nyla kept an eye on him, reminding him to slow down, but she wasn't watching the stones under her feet. She stepped on one and slipped."Ah!" she cried out.A sharp pain shot through her ankle as she stumbled toward the railing.Damon quickly grabbed her hand to steady her."Are you okay?" he asked.Nyla's face turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. "I think I twisted my ankle.""Hold onto the railing. Let me check it," Damon instructed.Once she was stable, he crouched down to examine her ankle. Seeing that it was swollen, he frowned. "It's swollen—you probably sprained it."He stood up, turned his backpack around to the front, and crouched down again. "Get on my back. I'll carry you down," he told Nyla."B
"The bathroom is slippery. What if you fall again?" Damon asked."I'll be careful," Nyla promised.Damon shook his head. "No. I'm running the bath. You're using the bathtub today."As he turned to leave, Nyla quickly grabbed his arm. "Then ask Lydia to help me instead."Damon glanced back at her, raising an eyebrow. "Lydia is busy making dinner. Besides, I'm your boyfriend. Do you not trust me?"Nyla felt her cheeks heat up, unable to meet his gaze. It took her a moment to find her voice."Men and women are different," was all she managed to say."Why are you worried? I've seen all of you," Damon replied.Nyla was at a loss for words. How could he say something so embarrassing in such a calm tone?!She glared at him. "Damon, don't push it!"What she didn't realize was that her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were wide and wet—unintentionally captivating.Damon's gaze darkened, like flames igniting in the darkness, ready to burn everything in its path.Realizing the danger
Damon's voice was deep, carrying a seductive quality that made it hard to ignore.Nyla's eyelashes fluttered as she looked up at him. She broke into a radiant smile and replied, "No need, you can go now."Her smile was so dazzling that it momentarily left Damon in a daze.After a pause, he replied with a hint of disappointment, "Alright then.""Just go already. If you stay here any longer, the water in the bathtub will get cold," Nyla urged.Damon raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help you?""I really don't need it," Nyla insisted.If he stayed, how could she bathe properly?"Fine." Damon sighed and straightened up, his disappointment evident as he turned and left.Only after he disappeared from the bathroom doorway did Nyla finally breathe a sigh of relief. She began removing her clothes, careful not to put too much pressure on her injured foot. Limiting her steps, she carefully made her way to the edge of the bathtub.However, once she reached t
Nyla just wanted Damon to leave, so she replied with a frown, "I'll pay you back for it.""No way, this shirt means a lot to me," Damon said.Nyla ground her teeth in frustration. If it meant so much to him, why hadn't he treated it better?"What exactly do you want?" she asked.She glared at him, but given that she was sitting in the bathtub with her body partially exposed, it was more alluring than threatening.Damon's gaze deepened, and he grasped her hand before leaning in to kiss her again.Just before their lips touched, his low, gravelly voice whispered in her ear, "I want you."Nyla clenched the edge of the bathtub tightly, her body instinctively tensing.In a moment of distraction, one of them accidentally hit the shower switch. Steam quickly filled the bathroom, drowning out all sound.…The bath lasted for over two hours.When Damon finally stepped out of the bathroom, holding a flushed Nyla, he wore a satisfied smile. He set her down on the bed and went to grab a
Mason quickly pushed his confusion aside when he saw his favorite barbecue ribs and focused on eating.After finishing dinner, Nyla was just about to head back to her bedroom when Damon walked up to her and effortlessly picked her up.Seeing Lydia cover her mouth and chuckle, Nyla felt her cheeks flush. She quickly whispered in Damon's ear, "I can walk on my own.""You walk too slowly. I'm carrying you," Damon insisted.Nyla couldn't argue with him, so she went along with it.Instead of taking Nyla to the bedroom, Damon carried her to his study."Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting soon? Why are you taking me to your study?" she asked."You can rest on the sofa in my study and read. I'll take you upstairs after the meeting," he replied.Nyla frowned. "Will it disturb your meeting?"Damon smiled. "No."Their relationship had finally made substantial progress that day, and with Nyla's foot injured, Damon wanted to seize the opportunity to move into her room. He wasn't sure w
"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