Clark felt a wave of relief. It was fine as long as Nyla didn't find out about that matter."Nyla, I blocked her a long time ago. She used a different number to contact me, and I hung up right away. I didn't agree to have dinner with her," he lied.Clark looked at her with a pained expression, as if he were the one who had been wronged.If Nyla hadn't known about his disgusting affair with Jordyn, she might have believed him. Now, she couldn't let him know she had been secretly gathering evidence of his infidelity.Nyla looked down and forced herself to say, "Maybe I misunderstood you. Sorry."Seeing her soften, Clark spoke gently. "Rest assured. I promised you I wouldn't have anything more to do with her, and I won't break that promise."His words made Nyla want to vomit. How could he lie to her so effortlessly?!She didn't understand how the sincere and passionate boy she once knew had turned into this deceitful man."So, why are you here today?" she asked."I... I just want
The weekend flew by, and soon it was Monday.Nyla returned to the R&D department to continue her experiments.Lucia also came back to work, but she was much more low-key than before, pretending not to see Nyla and completely lacking her previous arrogance. Whether she had truly learned her lesson or was just biding her time to scheme again was unclear.The day passed quickly. Nyla received a call from Valarie just before the end of the workday, inviting her out to dinner. Since she had no other plans, she agreed.…When Nyla arrived at the restaurant, she noticed a young man, around 20 years old, sitting next to Valarie. He was full of youthful exuberance, and Nyla couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.As soon as she sat down, Valarie eagerly introduced him, "Nyla, this is my new boyfriend. What do you think?"The young man blushed and looked down shyly when Nyla's gaze fell on him, his ears turning red."Where did you find such an innocent-looking guy? He's not still in college,
Spencer and Damon stopped in front of Nyla.Spencer smiled and said, "What a coincidence, Ms. Jayston. You're also having dinner here tonight?"Nyla nodded. "Yes. I had plans with a friend.""I'll go get the car. How about I drive you home afterward?" Spencer offered."No need, I drove here," Nyla replied."Alright then. Could you please keep an eye on Mr. Sumner? He's had a bit too much to drink, and I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone," Spencer asked.Nyla glanced at Damon. Despite the faint smell of alcohol, he seemed perfectly sober.Sensing her doubt, Spencer explained, "Mr. Sumner always appears sober, whether he is or not. He might look fine, but he could actually be quite drunk."Remembering how Damon had helped her several times before, Nyla felt it would be unkind to refuse. "Alright, I'll watch over him."Satisfied, Spencer quickly walked to the parking lot.Once he left, silence settled between Nyla and Damon. His presence was impossible to ignore, so Nyla
The restaurant's lighting cast a soft glow over Damon's normally cool profile, making his expression appear much gentler as he looked at Nyla.The photo could easily be misinterpreted.It was simply the angle—Damon had been speaking to her and naturally looked her way, which happened to be caught on camera.Nyla immediately called Valarie. "What's the deal with that photo? Who took it?""You're finally up! That photo was taken by a somewhat well-known photographer who posted it on their profile. It blew up, and now everyone online is saying you and Damon are a perfect match."Nyla was speechless.Although the photo only showed their profiles, anyone who knew them could easily recognize them. No wonder Clark was so furious earlier."It's just the angle. I'll contact Clark's uncle to sort this out," Nyla said.If this got any bigger, it would only cause her more trouble. She decided to call Spencer instead of contacting Damon directly.When Spencer heard about the photo, he quic
"I don't need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do," Damon said coldly, plunging the office into silence.The tension between him and Clark was palpable as they stared each other down, neither willing to back off.Sensing the intensity of the situation, Spencer quickly intervened, "Mr. Clark, Mr. Damon has been dealing with the photo situation since this morning. Maybe you should head back for now."Clark turned to Spencer, his tone icy. "Mr. Hogg, you've been with my uncle for a few years now. I hope you can talk some sense into him, remind him not to—""Clark!" Damon's voice cut through sharply, his eyes filled with a storm of anger. "Say one more word, and you can forget about staying as the Sumner Group's CEO."Clark's hands clenched tightly at his sides, feeling both humiliated and frustrated. He knew Damon had the power to oust him from his position.He glared at Damon, enunciating each word, "I hope you know what you're doing, Uncle Damon."With that, he turned an
When Clark saw Nyla's eyelashes flutter, his eyes flashed with satisfaction.Nyla bit her lip and said coldly, "I need to go to work. Can you leave now?"Upon noticing her distant attitude, Clark's gaze darkened. He didn't want to push her too hard as it would only worsen their relationship."I'll drive you," he offered."No need."With that, Nyla pushed him out and closed the door behind him.…Upon arriving at the office, Nyla noticed her colleagues sneaking glances at her.She remained expressionless, assuming they had all seen the photo online.After placing her things at her desk, she was about to head to the lab when Sasha approached her, whispering, "Nyla, about that photo online... Is it true? Does Mr. Sumner really like you?"Immediately, everyone around them perked up their ears.Everyone knew about the incident where Damon protected Nyla during the lab explosion, risking his own safety. Now, with the photo circulating online, they couldn't help but speculate about
Kenneth stood in a hospital corridor, staring at the bill with worry. Hearing Lucia's voice, he replied seriously, "Within the next few days."He was completely out of money. With Mabel in police custody, his only option was to follow Lucia's plan to get the money for medical expenses."I'll be waiting for your good news then," Lucia said, hanging up with a smirk.Once Kenneth kidnapped Nyla, she would ensure both of them perished at the scene, leaving her free of worry.…In the lab.Nyla was preparing to continue her experiment when she received a message from Genevieve, asking her to come to her office.When she arrived, Genevieve greeted her with a smile. "Nyla, how was the business trip to Rontana with Mr. Sumner?"Nyla pursed her lips. "It was fine. Is there something you need?""Headquarters is very interested in the project you're working on. Since it's funded by Prospectus Technology, they've decided to have you work there for a while to avoid Mr. Sumner having to con
Once Nyla got home, she contacted Spencer, who instructed her to come to the CEO's office the next morning for fingerprint registration and access cards.After hanging up, Nyla felt anxious. Clark already suspected Damon of having ulterior motives toward her. Now that she was going to work at Prospectus Technology, there could be serious trouble if Clark found out.For now, though, she could only take it one step at a time and deal with it when it happened.…The next morning, Nyla got up, freshened up, and drove to Prospectus Technology.After parking her car, she went to the reception and mentioned she was there to see Spencer. Upon confirming her identity, the receptionist led her to the elevator. "Ms. Jayston, the CEO's office is on the top floor."Nyla nodded. "Thank you."She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.As it ascended, she noticed it was her first time at Prospectus Technology and had heard that all their elevators were scenic. Now, sh
Jane smiled and praised, "You're such a good boy, Wil. Come here—Mommy wants to tell you something."Hesitant but trusting, Wilhelm slowly moved closer to her.The moment he was within reach, Jane grabbed his collar, her expression dark and menacing. "When I called you earlier, why didn't you come immediately?"Terrified, Wilhelm turned pale, tears brimming in his eyes. "Mommy… I was scared…""Scared of what?" Jane demanded."Scared you'd hit me… Waaaah…" Wilhelm cried.When Wilhelm had been staying with Gabriel, he'd worried he'd never see his mother again.But now, seeing her up close, she seemed frightening—nothing like the gentle mother he used to know.Jane's patience snapped at the sound of his crying. "Shut up! If you keep crying, I'll throw you out!"Wilhelm immediately clammed up, though he couldn't stop the little hiccups that followed. His face was streaked with tears, making him look pitiful.Just then, the door to the room opened, and Wendy walked in carrying som
Embarrassment flickered across Wren's face as she muttered, "I didn't… I just didn't know the situation before, okay?""If you don't know the situation, then don't meddle," Gabriel rebuked.After a moment of silence, Wren stole a glance at Gabriel and softly said, "Gabriel, this time it's my fault. I'm sorry. But Wil absolutely cannot be sent back to Jane. Who knows how she'll treat him? She's already proven she's capable of terrible things."Just thinking about Jane intentionally causing Wilhelm's allergic reaction made Wren's skin crawl. What kind of mother could be so cruel?"I know what I'm doing. From now on, if Jane contacts you, don't respond," Gabriel instructed.Wren quickly nodded. "Okay… I understand…""If there's nothing else, you can go. I have work to do," Gabriel dismissed."Alright… I'll leave now…" Wren answered.As Wren walked out of the villa, she finally let out a sigh of relief.Just as she was about to call her driver, her phone rang.Seeing that it was
Wilhelm froze at Gabriel's stern expression, shrinking behind Wren and peeking at his father with frightened eyes.Without looking at him, Gabriel called for a maid. "Take him to the Wilkies with the driver later."The maid nodded. "Understood."Just as the maid was about to lead Wilhelm away, Wren pulled the boy behind her and snapped, "Gabriel, can't you see how scared he is?"Gabriel finally lifted his gaze to her, his tone icy. "Weren't you the one who brought him to me and insisted I let him see Jane? Now that I've agreed, what more do you want?"Wren stiffened but quickly composed herself. "I only brought him because he was crying so pitifully. That doesn't mean I want him to live with Jane again."She wasn't stupid. It was clear that Wilhelm was better off with Gabriel than with Jane.If the divorce went through, Jane would eventually remarry, and who knew how much Wilhelm would suffer in her new household?At least with Gabriel, Wren could visit Wilhelm often, and he wo
Raymond and Gabriel stayed in the study for over an hour before emerging.By then, Raymond's expression had shifted from initial unease to radiant joy, his face brimming with smiles.It seemed the fortune teller had been right—Wren was indeed his lucky star.Despite his company's brush with bankruptcy, Gabriel not only promised to inject 70,000,000 dollars into it but also agreed to partner with them on future projects.The potential profits were enough to make it impossible for Raymond to hide his grin.Seeing his cheerful demeanor, Wren let out a breath of relief.Setting Wilhelm down from her lap, she turned to Raymond and asked, "So, you reached an agreement?""Yeap. I need to get back to the office, though. I'll have the driver pick you up later," Raymond replied."Alright. Will you be home for dinner?" Wren asked."Of course! Tonight, we'll celebrate properly," Raymond promised.After Raymond left, Wilhelm tugged on Wren's sleeve. "Grandma, when are you going to talk to
"Okay," Wilhelm answered.He accepted the bowl and took a couple of sips, then looked up at Gabriel and asked, "Daddy, where's Mommy?"Upon seeing the cautious look in Wilhelm's eyes, a complex expression crossed Gabriel's face.He crouched down to the boy's level and said gently, "Wil, from now on, you'll live with Daddy. Is that okay?"Wilhelm froze, tears welling up in his eyes. "Daddy, does that mean you don't want Mommy anymore?"Jane's words echoed in his mind—that Gabriel had a bad woman outside and didn't want them anymore.Now that his father didn't want his mother, it wouldn't be long before he didn't want him either, especially if he had a child with that bad woman.Gabriel sighed and spoke softly. "Wil, this is an adult matter that you won't understand. Daddy isn't abandoning Mommy. We're just going to live separately. But no matter what, both of us love you very much.""You're lying!" Wilhelm cried, throwing the bowl to the floor, where it shattered into pieces.H
Looking at Jane's self-righteous demeanor, Gabriel remained expressionless. His gaze was indifferent, as if she were a stranger of no consequence.His lack of reaction agitated Jane even more."Gabriel, why aren't you saying anything? Why?!" she shouted.Gabriel's voice was calm. "Because I think you're pitiful.""Pitiful?!" Jane repeated, then burst into laughter. "Do you think you're any less pitiful than I am? You abandoned your wife to be with Nyla, but has she even spared you a second glance? In the end, you and I are no different—we're both pathetic losers."Gabriel showed no visible reaction but said, "Jane, I'm not like you.""What's so different about you?" Jane demanded."I can make my own choices. You can't. Take this situation, for example—I can ensure you'll never see Wilhelm again, but there's nothing you can do to stop me," Gabriel stated.Jane froze, her laughter faltering. An overwhelming sense of unease gripped her. "What are you going to do?"Gabriel waved h
Although Wilhelm wanted more, he hesitated briefly before obediently putting down his spoon."Okay, Mommy," he said.His compliance sparked a brief flicker of guilt in Jane's eyes. But the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by a calm determination.After settling the bill, she led Wilhelm back to the car.As soon as they were on the road, Wilhelm began squirming in his seat, scratching himself furiously. His small face scrunched in discomfort as he complained, "Mommy… I don't feel good. I'm itchy all over…"Jane glanced at him and saw red spots breaking out across his skin."Hold on, Mommy's taking you to the hospital right now," she said.She sped toward the nearest hospital, reaching it in less than ten minutes.…By the time Jane pulled into the ER, Wilhelm's face was covered in hives. He was clawing at himself, leaving red marks all over his pale skin.Jane rushed to unbuckle him and carried him inside, moving quickly toward the emergency desk.A doctor
Wilhelm thought that when Gabriel was home, Jane never hit him without a reason.But ever since his father left, his mother had become unpredictable. Sometimes, even the sound of him making noise while eating would lead to punishment, forcing him to stand in the corner.He missed the mother who would kiss him and speak to him gently. He didn't want the mother who hit him for no reason."But Daddy's out there with another woman now and won't come home," he said.Although he was young, he understood a lot of adult issues.Lately, Gabriel hadn't been around. With Jane's constant hints, Wilhelm had started to believe that Gabriel had left because of a bad woman, choosing her over their family."Mommy, when I grow up, I'll protect you. I won't let any bad woman bully you!" Wilhelm vowed.Tears welled in Jane's eyes at his words, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. Yet, her moment of hesitation lasted only a second before her resolve hardened.The only way to give Wilhelm a comp
Besides, Nyla didn't even like Gabriel. It had always been him chasing her.What was Jane supposed to do—crack open his head and make him stop liking Nyla?Wren frowned, clearly irritated. "Alright, I'm not in the mood to talk about this. Go home," she said, waving Jane off.Jane protested, "Mom, we haven't even discussed how to bring Gabriel back to me and Wilhelm. I need your help.""What do you want me to do?" Wren asked."Later, call Gabriel and tell him Wilhelm has a fever and wants to see him. Get him to come home," Jane requested.Wren hesitated. Gabriel's attitude toward her had grown increasingly cold. If he found out she was conspiring with Jane to deceive him, it could further damage their relationship.Seeing her reluctance, Jane sighed. "Mom, do you really want to watch him chase after Nyla? With the way things are between you two now, do you think Nyla will treat you kindly if they end up together?""That's impossible! Nyla doesn't like him. They won't end up to