Not long after, Brandon arrived.Nyla was in the living room playing with Mason. Brandon greeted them briefly before heading straight for the study to meet Damon."Uncle Damon, why did you call me over?" Brandon asked.Damon glanced at him and asked, "How's the situation with your fight with Tom? Have you handled it?"Damon sat at his desk, and though he was seated, Brandon immediately felt an unprecedented pressure as soon as their eyes met.His smile faltered, and he stiffly replied, "It's still being handled. I hired some online trolls, and now there's a lot of criticism about Tom online."Damon's gaze hardened. "Stop wasting time on that. Deal with the disloyal partners at the Sumner Group as soon as possible. And keep an eye on Charlotte. She might be working with the Genge Group."Brandon listened attentively at first, but then couldn't help but exclaim, "No way! Does Charlotte really not know that Tom is targeting both the Sumner Group and Prospectus Technology? Is she ou
After leaving the Genge residence, Karter dialed Damon's number."Mr. Sumner, Tom has been stringing me along. It seems like he's not planning to go after the Sumner Group in the short term," Karter reported.Damon's tone was indifferent as he replied, "Got it. Just keep in touch with him for now—apply some pressure.""Got it. But what about my 'mistress'? If I keep seeing her so often, my wife is bound to find out. Even if I had a hundred mouths, I couldn't explain it," Karter said hesitantly.After a brief silence, Damon said, "You've been wanting to land the Zigler Group's project, right? Tomorrow, I'll arrange a meeting with Mr. Zigler. Whether you get the project or not depends on you."Upon hearing this, Karter instantly felt lighter. His back stopped aching, his legs no longer hurt, and he set aside his worries about his wife finding out.After all, he'd had plenty of mistresses in the past—what difference would one more make?"Thanks, Mr. Sumner! You're a true lifesaver!
After all, Charlotte was Brandon's cousin, and he didn't want to see her stray down the wrong path.The next morning…As soon as Damon arrived at the office, Brandon walked in."Uncle Damon, I need to talk to you about Charlotte," he said.Damon's gaze grew cold."What about her?" he asked.Damon had already told Charlotte that her company wasn't capable of handling the project she wanted to pursue and had even suggested several projects better suited for it.However, she had turned them all down, determined to go after that one risky venture. He hadn't intervened further.Unexpectedly, she had asked him yesterday not only to partner with her on the project but also to involve the Genge Group.Damon had refused outright, unwilling to engage."Uncle Damon, even if Charlotte has made mistakes, she's still family. I think you're being too harsh on her," Brandon said.After a long pause, Damon replied coldly, "Brandon, both you and Charlotte are adults now, running your own comp
After leaving Prospectus Technology, Brandon headed straight to the office.Since he could no longer rely on Damon, he decided to focus on improving himself from that point on.The day passed quickly, with Brandon spending most of his time in meetings or reviewing documents.It wasn't until Charlie reminded him about a client meeting in the evening that he realized it was almost 6:00 p.m.He set the file down and cleared his throat. "Got it. Please send me the time and address on my phone.""Okay, Mr. Sumner," Charlie replied.Once Charlie left, Brandon skimmed through more files.When the time came, he got up to meet the client.…By the end of the meeting, it was already past 8:00 p.m.He had just seen the client off and was about to head back when he noticed Valarie and a man laughing and chatting as they walked out of a nearby restaurant.His expression shifted slightly as he turned to look at them. They both seemed to notice him, glancing in his direction.When Valarie
"Seth, when you have time, let me take you out for a meal," Brandon offered casually.Seth shook his head. "I'll be busy for a while, but when I'm free, I'll invite you and Valarie out for dinner.""That sounds good. It's getting late, so take your time heading back," Brandon cautioned."Thank you for dropping me off today," Seth replied."You're welcome," Brandon answered.Once Seth was gone, Valarie's expression turned cold. "Brandon, what was all that about?"Brandon feigned innocence. "Nothing. I just saw you having dinner with Seth, so I stopped by to say hello. I didn't want you to get too tired, so I offered to drive him back.""Are you saying you weren't suspicious of me and him, and you just came over to 'chat' with him?" Valarie retorted.Brandon looked genuinely aggrieved. "Valarie, you're being unfair. I really just wanted to say hello.""Did saying hello really require you to subtly ask if Seth had a girlfriend?" Valarie countered sharply.Brandon maintained a se
After some hesitation, Valarie decided to put the matter out of her mind for now. She drew the curtains, grabbed her pajamas, and headed for the shower.The next morning…After getting up and freshening up, Valarie went downstairs and noticed Brandon sitting at the breakfast table with her father.She hesitated for a moment but quickly walked over and sat down, pretending nothing was wrong."What are you doing here?" she asked.Brandon smiled. "Valarie, your car is at my place, so I came to give you a ride to work.""I told you before that I'd have the driver pick it up from you," Valarie said, her tone flat."You'll have a hard time without your car this morning," he replied calmly.Valarie felt a twinge of annoyance. She could always ask the driver to take her or even call a cab—what was the big deal?She didn't respond, but her expression betrayed her irritation.Sensing the tension, Jonathan stood up and said, "I've finished breakfast. I'll head to the office first. Since
Brandon paused before replying, "They've already been used. Why?"Damon replied, "Find a way to get the workers to leak the news that the materials are substandard. Make sure it reaches Tom's ears."Brandon met Damon's cold gaze, remaining silent for a moment before nodding. "Got it."Damon stood up and instructed, "Get someone trustworthy to handle this. Once the news spreads, Tom will likely find an opportunity to target the Sumner Group."If Tom hadn't gone quiet all of a sudden, Brandon wouldn't have been asked to release this information.Brandon nodded in acknowledgment.After their discussion, Damon left.…Back at Prospectus Technology, Spencer knocked on the door before entering the office."Mr. Sumner, Sullivan has confessed to embezzling over 450,000 dollars in research funds for drug development. However, he's already spent all of it, so it's unlikely we'll be able to recover the money."Although 450,000 dollars wasn't much for Prospectus Technology, the incident
Ruby nodded in understanding. "Alright, I understand. Thank you."Paul stood up after she spoke. "I still have some work to finish. I'll take my leave now."Once Paul left, Ruby gazed at the box in her hands, feeling puzzled.She pondered over it for a moment before trying her birthday as the password, but it didn't work. She tried several other possible passwords related to Sullivan, but each attempt resulted in an error.Eventually, after too many incorrect tries, the lock disabled itself for two hours.Unable to think of any other possibilities, she decided to set the box aside for now and left the café.…News of the Sumner Group's alleged use of substandard construction materials had begun to spread quietly within the company.Huxley was in the middle of a meeting with his team to discuss next month's work plans when his assistant suddenly rushed over."Mr. Lightner, y-you need to see this!" the assistant exclaimed, handing him a phone.Huxley's face darkened as he read
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