"Understood. As for Ms. Wilkie..." Shane inquired."Go ahead with the signing as usual," Gabriel replied."Got it," Shane answered.After ending the call, Gabriel's expression turned icy.If Nyla had never returned, he might have spent the rest of his life with Jane for Wilhelm's sake. But now that Nyla was back, Jane had become nothing more than an obstacle—one that needed to be removed.As for Wilhelm, Gabriel was confident he would quickly accept Nyla as his new mother.When Gabriel's secretary entered after a knock, he couldn't help but comment on the rare sight of Gabriel's smile, "Mr. Hackett, you seem to be in a good mood today."Gabriel, known for his stoic demeanor and unapproachable aura, rarely displayed his emotions openly. "Not bad," he replied casually."These are the quarterly financial reports for the company. Please review them when you have time," the secretary said, handing him a file.Gabriel accepted it with a nod. "Alright. You can go."After the secr
"Mr. Hackett, I look forward to working with you," Tom said.After finishing their conversation, Gabriel left first.Over half an hour passed before Tom finally stepped out of the private room.Turning a corner, he bumped into Brandon and Valarie.Brandon had his arm around Valarie's shoulder, and both of them were smiling.When they saw Tom, their smiles faltered.Valarie averted her gaze, pretending not to see him, while Brandon's expression cooled. He greeted, "Mr. Genge, fancy seeing you here. What a coincidence.""Indeed," Tom replied with a slight smile.His gaze lingered on Valarie's indifferent profile, a mix of frustration and longing flickering in his eyes. At his sides, his hands slowly clenched into fists.There was a time when Valarie's eyes had been filled with him, her heart wholly his.Now, she wore that detached expression whenever she saw him. Watching her smile sweetly at another man while sparing him not even a glance felt like being pierced repeatedly by
Was Michelle trying to stir the pot?Before Valarie could respond, Brandon looked up at Michelle, his tone slightly cold. "None of you are my girlfriend, so why would I treat you the same?"Michelle's smile froze, and an awkward silence settled over the room.Jayden's grin faded as he said, "Brandon, Michelle was just trying to be friendly. Was it necessary to be so harsh?""I was simply stating facts. If she finds that harsh, perhaps the issue lies with her," Brandon replied calmly.Jayden frowned, ready to retort, but Yale cut in before he could, "Alright, that's enough. Let's not ruin the mood. Today is about Brandon introducing his girlfriend to us—they're the main event."Jayden still looked upset but decided to hold his tongue.Michelle, on the verge of tears, glanced at Brandon with a pitiful expression. "I'm sorry, Brandon. I didn't mean to upset you and Valarie. Maybe I should leave so I don't ruin the atmosphere."She reached for her bag and moved as if to leave.Jay
"Oh, I believe you—no need to get upset," Valarie replied.Jayden remained silent, though his expression darkened. For some reason, her words only fueled his anger.Michelle, realizing she had been thoroughly ignored, turned to Jayden and said, "Jayden, you don't need to leave. I'll go by myself."She grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room. As she passed Brandon, she noticed he didn't even glance in her direction. Her face went pale, and she took a deep breath before walking quickly out of the private room.Jayden glared at Brandon. "I never thought you'd change so much just because of a relationship. All these years of brotherhood—do they really mean less to you than a girlfriend you've barely started dating?"Brandon had heard enough and let out a cold laugh. "Of course my girlfriend means more to me than you do. Who do you think you are? Are you going to marry me? Have kids with me?"My girlfriend is my priority. If you don't like her, then you don't like me. I suggest yo
There was a sparkle in Brandon's eyes, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "Valarie, thank you."His intense and heartfelt gaze made Valarie feel a little self-conscious. She looked away and said, "It's getting late. You should head home.""Alright. You get some rest. Goodnight," he replied."Goodnight," she answered.After watching Brandon's car disappear down the road, Valarie turned and went inside.…On his way back, Brandon received a call from his secretary, Charlie Jean."Mr. Sumner, I've been thinking about something, and I decided it's best to let you know," Charlie said."What is it?" Brandon asked."Last night, I was out for dinner and saw our marketing manager having a private meal with Mr. Genge. They seemed quite familiar with each other," Charlie reported.Charlie explained that he had been attending a university reunion at a private restaurant when he unexpectedly spotted Huxley Lightner.Huxley hadn't noticed him, but Charlie had debated whether to repor
"Many of these partner companies are subsidiaries of Prospectus Technology's key collaborators!" Spencer exclaimed.Looking over the list, it became crystal clear—Tom's target wasn't just the Sumner Group. It was Prospectus Technology itself!If Damon hadn't asked Spencer to investigate the night before, this connection might have gone completely unnoticed."Mr. Sumner... does this mean the Genge Group is planning to go after Prospectus Technology?" Spencer asked.Damon's face darkened. "Tom wouldn't dare take on Prospectus Technology directly—not now. He's likely planning to target the Sumner Group first.""What should we do now?" Spencer asked."We'll make sure his projects fall through. Keep digging into the Genge Group's dealings," Damon instructed.Spencer nodded. "Understood. I'll handle it right away."…Over the next few days, Nyla noticed Damon had become even busier than usual.Whenever she joined him for lunch at the office, he was either locked in meetings or just
After dinner, Nyla played with Mason for a while before asking Lydia to prepare him for bed. She stayed up in the living room, engrossed in a book, waiting for Damon to return.…Ruby went to the police station, only to be told she couldn't see Sullivan. She tried asking about the situation but couldn't gather any information.Frustrated and helpless, she returned home.That night, she tossed and turned, unable to find restful sleep.The following morning, she woke up feeling heavy and groggy.When Nyla saw her tired eyes and dark circles in the lab, she asked, "You didn't sleep well?""No," Ruby admitted."Because of Sullivan?" Nyla pressed.Ruby hesitated before nodding. "I went to see him last night, but I couldn't. I don't even know what's going on."After a brief pause, Nyla said, "Ruby, have you considered that you might be... a bit too concerned about him?""Nyla, he's saved me twice. How can I not care?" Ruby replied firmly."I get it. But this situation is out of y
Damon pulled Nyla into his arms, his expression amused. "Thank you for the compliment."Looking at his serious face, Nyla couldn't help but laugh.As they walked into the living room, Mason came running toward them on his little legs. In his excitement, he stumbled just before reaching Nyla and fell forward into her arms.She quickly caught him, helping him stand upright before gently chiding, "Buddy, slow down next time, or you'll hurt yourself."Mason held out a piece of chocolate, his face glowing with pride. "Mommy, I got a gold star at kindergarten today. This is the chocolate my teacher gave me as a reward. I saved it for you!"He remembered how much his mother loved sweets and wanted to share it with her.Nyla's heart softened as she looked into his expectant eyes. She took the chocolate from his hand, noticing it had melted slightly in the wrapper after being held for so long."Thank you, Buddy. Why did your teacher reward you with a gold star today?" she asked.Mason 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
Offending too many people could lead to trouble. If someone ever decided to stab Gabriel in the back, it was unlikely anyone would be willing to help him.Gabriel's eyes darkened as he glanced at Damon, but he quickly spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, your words seem a bit unfair. Wilhelm has always gotten along well with his classmates."Before Buddy transferred, there hadn't been any issues. Everyone can attest to that, and Ms. Ferrier can confirm it as well."It was indeed Wilhelm's fault this time, but kids pushing and shoving during arguments is normal. Accusing him of bullying other children feels like an overreach, don't you think?"Damon smiled. "I'm merely raising a valid concern, not accusing him outright. However, if he can publicly shove Buddy today, who's to say he won't shove another classmate tomorrow?""You're speculating about things that haven't happened. Mr. Sumner, it seems excessive to assume the worst about a child this young," Gabriel countered."Oh, you misunderstand
"No! I hate you! I don't want to live with you!" Wilhelm yelled."Whether you like it or not, the court decided you're staying with me," Gabriel stated flatly.As they argued, Nyla and Damon approached, holding Mason's hand.Wilhelm's eyes flickered with jealousy and resentment when he spotted Mason.Summoning unexpected strength, he broke free from Gabriel and lunged at him.Why did Mason get to have loving parents while his were abandoning him?!The attack was so sudden that no one could react in time.Mason was shoved to the ground, wide-eyed with shock.Wilhelm was about to strike him when Damon pushed him aside and pulled Mason up."Buddy, are you okay?" Damon asked, his voice full of concern.Mason nodded. "I'm okay, Daddy."Luckily, his thick winter coat had cushioned the fall.Wilhelm, sprawled on the ground after being shoved, stared blankly at the scene. He watched as Damon and Nyla fussed over Mason, checking him for injuries.When he had fallen, his mother had