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
Mason nodded. "Okay.""Good. When you receive a gift, you should feel happy, not worried. Now, go wash up for dinner," Nyla encouraged with a smile."Okay!" Mason chirped.…After dinner, Damon retreated to his study to work, only returning to the bedroom late at night.Seeing that Nyla was still awake, he frowned. "Didn't I tell you not to wait up for me? Staying up late isn't good for you.""I wasn't waiting for you tonight. I just couldn't sleep," Nyla admitted."Why? Did something happen?" Damon asked.She considered telling him about Mason but decided against it.Shaking her head, she replied, "It's nothing, really."Damon had been working hard lately, and she didn't want to distract him with other concerns.Damon studied her, his expression knowing. "Nyla, your face gives you away. If you don't talk about it, you're not going to fall asleep tonight, are you?"He smiled, despite his exhaustion. He made time for Nyla because, while work was important, so were she and Ma
Ruby's face paled as she gripped the hem of her shirt. "Nyla, I'm not trying to go against Prospectus Technology. I just want to hire a lawyer and see if there's anything I can do to help him.""That's your business," Nyla replied coldly. "You don't need to discuss it with me. It's late—let's leave it at that."After ending the call, Nyla took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger.To be fair, Ruby hadn't done anything wrong. After all, Sullivan had saved her twice, so it made sense that she'd want to help him.However, Ruby should have handled this privately, finding a lawyer on her own instead of asking Nyla for assistance.When Damon came out of the bathroom, towel-drying his hair, he noticed the irritation on Nyla's face and raised a brow. "Who upset you?""No one," she muttered.After a brief hesitation, she asked, "By the way, is Sullivan really going to be locked up for life?"Damon paused mid-motion, his tone tinged with jealousy. "Nyla, why are you so concerned a
Sullivan snickered. "I don't need your help. Since you don't care about me, don't come here again. I don't want to see you."He turned away without a second glance at Ruby.Ruby was silent for a moment. Then, she said in a low voice, "If you don't want to see me, I won't come again. If you need anything, just have the lawyer pass on the message."She added, "Sullivan, you saved me twice, and I'm grateful for that. Everything I said today was for your sake. It has nothing to do with anyone else."Sullivan remained motionless, staring at the white wall as though it held some deep fascination.With a sigh, Ruby turned and walked away.It was only as her figure disappeared through the door that Sullivan glanced in her direction.The lawyer, Paul Vernon, addressed him, "Mr. Heseltine, if you don't cooperate, there's not much I can do for you."Sullivan looked at Paul, his tone indifferent. "I'll cooperate, but you need to do one thing for me."Paul nodded. "As long as it's within l
Gabriel hung up without hesitation.Tom glared at the phone. If he didn't still need Gabriel, he wouldn't tolerate this kind of attitude from anyone!Suppressing his frustration with a deep breath, he immediately instructed his assistant to arrange a meeting with the Sumner Group's largest supplier.Over the past two weeks, all his attempts to schedule a meeting had been flatly rejected. His patience was wearing thin.As expected, it didn't take long for his assistant to call back with an update. "Mr. Genge, Mr. Basham still refuses to meet with you."Tom smirked. "Since he's so determined to ignore my generosity, it seems he'd rather swallow the bitter pill. Send him those photos—him and his mistress, all wrapped up nicely."The assistant hesitated. "Mr. Genge, if we take this route, it will completely ruin your relationship with Mr. Basham.""I gave him a chance, and he chose to throw it away. If he wants war, we'll give him war," Tom replied."Understood, I'll take care of i
Karter glowered, not expecting Tom to have discovered that. He took a deep breath before asking coldly, "What's your problem with the Sumner Group?"Tom simply replied, "Because I'm tired of always being in someone else's shadow."Karter remained silent, scowling.Tom smiled. "You wouldn't want your wife to keep controlling you, would you? Help me, and I can help you seize control."Although Karter was the CEO of the Basham Group, his wife held the shares. That was why he had gotten rid of his mistresses and begged her for forgiveness all these years after she found out about his affairs.Now that his current mistress was pregnant and he intended for her to keep the child, it was clear that he was planning to seize the shares.Tom watched Karter as if weighing his options, showing no rush for a response.Karter was silent for a long moment.Finally, he said, "Fine. I'll do it. But if you cross me, I'll make sure you regret it.""Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Basham," T
It was Jayden's birthday tonight, and Brandon had only planned to drop off a gift and leave.However, as soon as he had entered the private room, Jayden had pulled Michelle along to apologize to him.After much persuasion, Brandon had reluctantly agreed to stay for the celebration. The group had drunk quite a bit, and someone had suggested they play a game.After losing a round, Brandon had chosen "Dare". The group had urged him to kiss Michelle through a tissue. He had been about to refuse when Valarie stormed in, her face dark with displeasure.…Valarie's gaze was cold and filled with disappointment. "Brandon, I told you before that I wouldn't interfere with your friendships, but clearly, you've completely betrayed my trust."If Brandon truly cared about her, he wouldn't keep hanging around Michelle with such unclear boundaries. His so-called friends wouldn't dare make such bold jokes at her expense."Valarie, it's just a game. I've already explained it to you. Do you really
When Damon received the call earlier, it had woken Nyla as well.She shook her head gently. "It's fine. Did you handle Brandon's situation?""Mm," Damon hummed in response."Good. Then get changed and rest," she urged."Alright," he replied.…Early the next morning, Brandon was woken by a call from Charlie."Mr. Sumner, the video of your fight with Mr. Genge is all over the Internet. People are talking about it nonstop. It's damaging the company's image," Charlie reported.Brandon massaged his throbbing temples and replied, "Do whatever it takes to suppress it. I'm on my way to the office."Half an hour later, he arrived to find several shareholders waiting outside his office, their expressions stormy.The lead shareholder sneered as he approached. "Mr. Sumner, do you have any idea how much damage last night's incident has caused the company?""Do you know what people are saying online? They're questioning your ability to manage the company when you can't even control your
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