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
They hadn't been contacted in recent years, and boredom was beginning to set in.The man removed his sunglasses, revealing bright, lively eyes that outshone all the women present. He replied, "Mm, get ready to work."At his words, the partying crowd dropped their wine and champagne glasses and rushed into the manor.There had originally been four rooms on the left side of the manor's second floor. Now, they were all connected to a long room with over a dozen computers set up.The group quickly seated themselves in front of their computers, powered them on, and turned to look at the man who entered last.The man powered on his own computer and announced, his expression unreadable, "I'm sending your tasks now."Soon, a file appeared on the group's computers. As they reviewed the contents, the room filled with the sounds of typing and clicking....When Nyla and Damon returned home after shopping, the cleaning lady had already left.As they entered the kitchen, Nyla began prepari
"She's not with me. You can't reach her right now?" Nyla asked."Yeah, she told me this afternoon she was going to a class reunion tonight. I offered to pick her up, but I got delayed by a meeting. By the time I got there, everyone had already left. And she's not answering my calls," Brandon explained.Nyla frowned. "Don't panic just yet. Did she say what kind of reunion it was?""I think it was a high school reunion," Brandon replied."Okay, I'll ask around," Nyla said.She and Valarie had been in neighboring classes in high school, so she knew quite a few people from Valarie's class.After hanging up, Nyla messaged someone from the other class to find out who had been at the dinner that night.When she learned that Valarie was unreachable, her contact immediately began asking around and soon called Nyla back. "Nyla, I just checked with the class president and others. They said a guy came by and took Valarie. They'd all been drinking a bit, and when they saw Valarie didn't re
The men charged toward the Genges' front door, ready to break it down, when suddenly the door swung open from the inside.Seeing the group of black-clad men outside, the person inside showed no fear. His gaze landed on Brandon."Mr. Sumner, Mr. Genge is waiting for you," he said.Brandon shot him a cold look. "You're not worthy to speak to me. If you don't want this to become a public spectacle, have Tom hand over my girlfriend."The man's expression froze slightly, and the tension in the air became palpable.The black-clad men stood by, waiting for Brandon's signal. The moment he gave the order, they would storm the residence.Brandon's patience wore thin due to the silence from the other side."Barge in," he ordered.As his men started to move, a deep voice came from behind the door. "Mr. Sumner, why make such a fuss?"Tom appeared at the door, smiling as if the dozen men outside posed no threat to him.Brandon stared at him blankly. "Mr. Genge, please hand over my girlfrie
"Brandon, you were just filling the emotional void I left in her life over the past five years. Give it time, and I'll show you who the right person for her really is!" Tom declared.Brandon dismissed his provocation completely. "Mr. Genge, there's a difference between a devoted boyfriend and a scumbag ex who cheated and got caught in bed. I think Valarie knows how to choose."Ignoring the ugly expression that twisted Tom's face, he turned away, carrying Valarie in his arms. He helped her into the car and instructed the driver to start driving.When the driver caught sight of Brandon's grim expression in the rearview mirror, he shuddered and nervously pulled down the privacy partition.Only after the partition was fully raised, and Brandon made no objection, did the driver finally breathe a sigh of relief.With the barrier up, the oppressive atmosphere dissipated, and the driver visibly relaxed.In the back seat, Brandon's gaze fell on Valarie, who was leaning against the left do
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