Chapter <b>272 </b>


    After a few moments of silence, Damon answered coldly, head over right after my meeting”


    N arrived at the top floor at noon, only to be stopped by Spencer.


    “Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner isn’t in his office right now,” he informed her.


    Ish


    she still in a meeting?” she asked.


    Spencer shook his head, his gaze fixed on her. “No. He got a call from Mr. Richard this morning. He went back to the Summer residence and hasn’t returned yet.”


    N’s heart sank. She didn’t need to guess–it was clearly about what had happened earlier that morning


    “I see. Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Hogg,” she replied.


    Noticing that her expression remained unchanged, Spencer frowned. “Ms. Jayston, aren’t you going to go over there?”


    “Even if I did, it wouldn’t help. Besides, seeing me would only make the Sumners more upset,” N answered calmly.


    “This whole situation started because of <b>you</b>. Shouldn’t you stand by Mr. Sumner and face it together?” Spencer’s gaze was filled with disapproval, his tone turning cold.


    It wasn’t his ce to meddle in Damon’s personal life, but N’s attitude made him feel that Damon’s efforts were going unappreciated. Damon was standing up to his entire family for her, yet she seemed content to <b>hide </b>behind him rather than share the burden.


    “Mr. Hogg, if he wanted me by his side, he would’ve asked me himself–not had you deliver the message. N replied.


    Already frustrated, Spencer’s response grew more blunt. “If that’s how you feel, then there’s nothing more


    to say.”


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    N wasn’t angry. She understood Spencer’s protective instincts toward Damon after working with him


    for so many years.


    As N stepped out of the elevator<b>, </b>she bumped into Melody, <b>who </b>was on her way to lunch.


    “N, weren’t you supposed to have lunch with Mr. Sumner? Howe you’re back so soon?” Melody <b>asked</b>, surprised.


    “Something came upst minute. I’ll just order takeout,” N replied.


    Melody smiled and looped her arm through N’s. “Why order takeout? Let’s go to the cafeteria together!”


    N wanted to refuse, but before she could say anything, Melody had already pulled her back into the


    elevator.


    ww


    N


    Meanwhile, Damon was kneeling in the Sumner residence’s living room as Richard struck his back with a


    thick cane


    “I’ll ask you one more time–are you going to break things off with that woman or not?” Richard demanded.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Damon kept his back straight, his expression defiant as he met Richard’s eyes without flinching. “Dad, no matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same.”


    Richard raised the cane again and brought it down hard on Damon’s back, opening up yet another wound among the many that already marked his skin.


    Sitting nearby, rk watched with a smug look, feeling deeply satisfied. His side still ached from the kick Damon had given him that morning, and he was itching to grab the cane from Richard and strike Damon himself.


    This moment was too good to waste. It would be a shame if N didn’t see it.


    With that thought, rk sneered, snapped a photo, and sent it to her.


    N felt all eyes on her as soon as she walked into Prospectus Technology’s employee cafeteria. Almost everyone was sneaking nces at her, most of them filled with malice.


    “Tsk, I wondered what was so special about her. She’s not even that pretty. Must be really good at ying her cards, though, getting not one but two Sumner men to fall for her,” someonemented.


    “Please, Mr. Sumner’s just having some fun. You think he’d actually marry a divorced woman? He’ll get <b>bored </b><b>soon </b>and dump her,” another said.


    “Some women just don’t know their ce. They think just because they’ve climbed up once, they can do it again. But they’re only setting themselves up for a big fall!” another chimed in.