A hand picked up the file and handed it to Valarie as its owner apologized, "Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you."Hearing the voice, Valarie snapped her head up in shock.It was Tom! Wasn't he abroad?!"What are you doing here?!" she demanded.Her eyes betrayed her disbelief—there was no joy in them.Tom felt a pang in his heart, suppressing his disappointment."I came to discuss business with Mr. Weir," he replied.Valarie's expression remained cold as she took the document from him, walking past him into the office without a second glance.As the door closed behind her, Tom felt a wave of sorrow. He had been too confident, believing that Valarie would never leave him. Now, he realized how foolish he had been.Inside the office, Valarie tossed the file onto Jonathan's desk and snapped, "Dad, why are you suddenly collaborating with Tom?"After the way Valarie and Tom had ended things, the Weirs and Genges hadn't worked together for years.Jonathan picked up the file, his
Word quickly spread about how coldly Valarie had treated Tom in public.As soon as Valarie entered the Sumner Group, she sensed the strange stares from those around her.At first, she thought it was just her imagination. However, when she bumped into a manager she had previously met during a partnership discussion, and the manager hesitated, she could no longer ignore it."Ms. Maddock, is something going on? Why do the employees here keep looking at me strangely today?" she asked.The manager paused for a moment before speaking quietly. "Ms. Weir, I heard that you had an unpleasant encounter with Mr. Genge at the Weir Group today."Valarie's breakup with Tom five years ago had been highly publicized. Since many of the Sumner Group's employees had been with the company for years, they were familiar with her history with him.After all, it had made headlines when Valarie caught Tom cheating, and he had been vilified for it.Following that incident, Tom disappeared abroad for five
Valarie's expression softened upon seeing his sincere demeanor. "Brandon, since I agreed to be with you, it means I'm not going to get involved with other men. My meeting with Tom today was just a coincidence. You can't get jealous without reason. Do you think that's fair?""No, I promise I won't do this again!" Brandon said, shaking his head vigorously.Valarie felt her last bit of annoyance fade at his earnestness."Think about it. If I got jealous every time you talked to another woman, wouldn't you find that unreasonable?" she asked."No, I'd be happy if you did that. It would show you care about me," Brandon answered.Valarie was rendered speechless.Noticing her frustration, Brandon quickly changed the subject. "By the way, the cafeteria at the Sumner Group is pretty good. You didn't get a chance to try it when you were here for meetings before. Would you like to check it out with me today?""Sure," she replied.He took her hand, leading her out.…In the back seat of a
After listening, Nyla was so angry that she felt like hitting someone. "That jerk! How could he have the nerve to come back?!"Damon got up and walked over to her, patting her back. "Alright, it's not worth getting worked up over someone like that. Besides, Valarie is with Brandon now. He'll take good care of her.""That's different," Nyla countered.Just because Valarie was happy now didn't mean the hurt Tom had caused her in the past had disappeared."If you don't like him, just skip the party," Damon suggested.Nyla was about to respond when Damon's phone rang. Seeing that it was a call from the hospital, he quickly answered."Mr. Sumner, Mr. Jayston's health has improved enough for him to be discharged. When would you like to come in to handle the paperwork?" a nurse asked.Hearing this, Damon felt a wave of relief. "I'll be there shortly."Nyla overheard the conversation. When Damon ended the call, she said, "I'll go with you.""Okay," Damon answered.…On the way to th
After marrying Wren, Harrison had treated her and Gabriel as well as he could have. Even after falling seriously ill, he had set aside money for their security.However, shortly after his kidney transplant, Wren suddenly filed for divorce.Before leaving, she had told him she didn't want to spend her life confined to a hospital and home—she wanted her own life, her freedom. Not long after, she remarried a wealthy businessman.Now, she had come crying to him, claiming the businessman was treating her poorly and that she wanted to return to him, insisting she still loved him.Harrison didn't believe a word of it."We were married for nearly ten years. Even though we're divorced now, I don't want to speak harshly to you. Just leave and don't come looking for me again. I don't want to see you," Harrison said.Wren burst into tears at his words, asking, "Harrison, are you really so heartless?""I don't know what you think you can gain from me, but you'll get nothing. You can leave no
"Okay, thank you for your hard work," Nyla replied."It's no trouble at all. I'll get back to cleaning now," the cleaning lady replied.Nyla nodded. "Sure."The cleaning lady quickly returned to the kitchen, and soon the sounds of clattering came from inside.Nyla helped Harrison sit down on the sofa. He looked around the living room with a sense of nostalgia.His eyes landed on the lines on the wall that marked Nyla's height, and he couldn't help but smile. "Nyla, go stand by that height chart. I want to see how tall you are now."Following his gaze, Nyla smiled and walked over to the entrance, leaning against the wall.The highest mark barely reached her waist, and Harrison sighed softly. "I remember the last height mark was made by your mother."Nyla nodded, a hint of sadness crossing her face. Not long after that line had been recorded, her parents had divorced.The day Emerald had left the country, Nyla had been on her way to an out-of-town competition. She hadn't even ha
Nyla opened the left drawer of the desk, relying on her memories, and sure enough, her childhood photo album was there. She pulled it out, dusted it off, and opened it.The first page displayed a photo of her at one-month-old. She was lying on a bed, wearing a pink knitted hat adorned with colorful flowers, and dressed in matching knitted clothes her mother had made.Looking at the rosy-cheeked baby, Nyla couldn't help but smile.Damon had approached her from behind, peering at the album in her hands, and smiled back. "You were so cute as a kid."Nyla turned around and handed him the album. "Take your time looking through it. I'll see what else Dad might need."Damon nodded. "Okay."Stepping out of the bedroom, Nyla didn't see Harrison in the living room.After searching around, she found him on the balcony.Harrison stood by the railing, gazing at the nearby elementary school playground with a hint of nostalgia.He had lost quite a bit of weight during his hospital stay and w
Damon blinked and nodded. "Yeah, maybe it's just someone who looks a lot like your mom."Nyla didn't dwell on the topic any longer. She placed the photo back in the album and closed it. "I'm heading to the supermarket to pick up some essentials. Want to come with me?""Sure," Damon agreed.After putting the album back in the drawer, Nyla and Damon left the house together.At the supermarket, Nyla walked ahead, picking out items while Damon pushed the cart behind her. Their attractive pairing caught the attention of several shoppers.Once they had finished gathering the essentials, they approached the spice aisle.Nyla turned to Damon and asked, "Should I buy some spices and groceries? We could cook dinner at my dad's place tonight.""Sounds good to me," Damon replied."What do you feel like eating?" Nyla asked."Anything's fine," Damon answered.Nyla stared at him, slightly annoyed. "You've been distracted since we entered the store. Is there something on your mind?"Damon s
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
Damon's expression was icy as he spoke. "I've already sent the head of R&D with a team to investigate. Let's wait for their findings before jumping to conclusions."He added, "The Agihop 6th Gen isn't out yet. If the issue does lie in the Agihop 5th Gen, we should prepare for the worst—compensation payouts and the possibility of... bankruptcy.""What?!" A collective gasp echoed through the room, disbelief etched on everyone's faces."All this over a single batch of faulty machines from the Longbow Company? Isn't that a bit extreme?""Exactly. If the problem is with the Agihop 5th Gen chips, wouldn't paying compensation suffice?""Mr. Sumner, aren't you exaggerating?"The notion that Prospectus Technology could face bankruptcy over a single chip seemed absurd.Meeting their skepticism with a calm demeanor, Damon elaborated, "The news about Longbow Company's machines breaking down after using our chips has already spread.They're attributing the issue to Prospectus Technology's p
Damon's expression remained unmoved. "As I said, we'll investigate thoroughly. Asking us to accept responsibility before the investigation is complete seems unreasonable, doesn't it?"Jeffrey let out a cold laugh. "Fine, Mr. Sumner. But I hope you act quickly. Every day of delay costs us millions. The longer this drags on, the more Prospectus Technology will have to pay."With that, Jeffrey turned and stormed out of the room.Damon, his expression as icy as ever, summoned the head of the R&D department to his office."Take two of your team members to the Longbow Company and investigate the root cause of the machine failures. Determine whether it's our chips," Damon instructed."Mr. Sumner, it can't be our chips! We've invested so much in their development, and they've been on the market for over three years without a single issue. The problem must be elsewhere," the department head replied.Damon's tone sharpened. "I want accurate results based on the investigation—not assumption
Upon noticing Nyla's flushed cheeks, Damon's eyes darkened further."Nyla, need some help with your bath?" he asked, his voice low and enticing.Nyla snapped out of her daze, quickly pushing him away. Her wary gaze made him look like some kind of dangerous predator."No need, I'll do it myself," she replied.If she let him help, they might not come out of the bathroom for two hours.Disappointment flickered in Damon's eyes. "You really don't need help?""Mm-hmm. Now go. If you have nothing to do, play with Buddy downstairs. I'm going to shower," Nyla said, grabbing her pajamas.She darted into the bathroom as though something was chasing her, locking the door behind her with a sharp click.Hearing the lock, Damon chuckled softly, shook his head, and left the bedroom.Downstairs, Mason was playing with toys in the living room. He didn't even glance up at the sound of Damon's footsteps, already able to distinguish between Damon and Nyla's steps. Just as Damon reached the sofa,
Damon raised an eyebrow and said flatly, "It's not about my approval. It's about ensuring the safety of the other children."Gabriel kept his gaze low, anger flickering in his eyes. What else could he say?"Understood. I've learned my lesson today, Mr. Sumner," he gritted through his teeth.The crowd began to disperse.Most parents hurriedly took their children and left, keeping a noticeable distance from Wilhelm and Gabriel as they passed, still wary that Wilhelm might lash out unpredictably.Before long, only Damon, Nyla, and Mason remained at the gate with Gabriel and Wilhelm.Gabriel turned to Damon with a cold expression. "If there's nothing else, Mr. Sumner, I'll take Wilhelm and leave now.""Mr. Hackett, shouldn't your son apologize to Buddy?" Damon asked.Gabriel's expression hardened.Taking a deep breath, he looked down at Wilhelm and said sternly, "Wilhelm, apologize to Buddy."Wilhelm lifted his chin defiantly. "I won't! I didn't do anything wrong!""Wilhelm, beh