ă€ŠTrading My Ex for His Uncleă€‹


 Chapter 1

    N Jayston was in her third month of trying to conceive when she saw a message on her husband rk Sumner''s phone from a contact named "Jordyn Cheatham". Jordyn: [I think my new nightgown is a bit tight. Why don''t youe over and check if it fits?]

    Attached was a selfie of a woman in a deep V-neck red slip dress, her cleavage partly exposed, exuding seduction.

    N''s grip on the phone tightened. She scrolled up and found rk and Jordyn''s previous exchanges to be strictly work-rted, which made her frown. ''Was the text sent by mistake? Or...''

    A hand wrapped around N''s waist from behind, breaking her thoughts.

    rk pressed his warm body against hers and gently nibbled her earlobe. "Honey, I''m all cleaned up. Do you want to do it on the couch or the bed?"

    Before N could respond, rk picked her up andid her on the couch, his tall frame looming over her.

    "Since you''re not saying anything, I''ll choose. Let''s do it on the couch," rk said, his voice husky and his eyes filled with a flicker of fire that made N blush instantly.

    N was already beautiful, and the slight flush on her cheeks made her look like a tempting, ripe, juicy peach under the light.

    rk''s gaze grew darker. He leaned in to kiss N, but she suddenly turned her head away.

    Sensing her resistance, he looked at her with confusion. "Honey, what''s wrong?"

    rk, usually assertive at work, now looked at N with a mix of confusion and hurt, which softened her heart momentarily. Despite that, she hadn''t forgotten the explicit selfie she had just seen. She stopped him with one hand on his chest and held up his phone with the other, showing him the screen. "Exin this first."

    rk nced at the screen and immediately frowned, grabbing the phone to make a call. It was quickly answered.

    "Mr. Sumner, what can I do for you?"

    rk glowered, and his voice turned icy. "I didn''t know my secretary started soliciting clients."

    There was a moment of silence before Jordyn''s panicked voice came through. "M-Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry. That message was meant for my boyfriend. I must have sent it to you by mistake..."

    "Next time it happens, pack your things and leave!" rk hung up and looked back at N, his expression softening, even showing a hint of grievance. "Honey, she sent it by mistake. If you''re still upset, I''ll fire her tomorrow. It''ste now, so let''s not waste time on someone unworthy. We haven''t seen each other in a week. You need to make it up to me tonight."

    rk pulled N in for a kiss, but her mood was ruined despite the issue being cleared up. She wasn''t in the mood anymore and pushed him away. "I''m tired tonight. Let''s continue tomorrow."

    A sh of disappointment crossed rk''s eyes, but he didn''t pressure her. "Alright, you sleep first. I''m not tired yet, so I''ll go to the study to handle some work." "Okay."

    It started raining heavily in the middle of the night.

    The sound woke N, and she reached out only to feel the cold space beside her. She nced at the clock-3:16 a.m.

    N wondered whether rk was still working.

    She got up, put on a robe, and went to the study, but it was dark and empty. Her grip on the doorknob tightened, and her heart sank.

    N''s phone suddenly chimed, startling her in the quiet night. Seeing that it was a text from a stranger, she had a gut feeling that reading it would mean no turning back for her and rk.

    A thunderp boomed outside, startling her into identally pressing it.

    [Still awake? Because your husband isn''t with you?]

    [I was scared because of the thunder and power outage, and he came tofort me.]

    [Don''t you want to know where your husband is?]

    As N read the messages and the boastful tone, her hands trembled uncontrobly. After a long while, another text came in with an address and a series of digits.

    N bit her lip, grabbed her car keys, and drove straight there.

    By the time she reached the vi, it was past 4:00 a.m.

    She entered the code, and the door unlocked.

    The living room lights were on. From the entrance to the bedroom door, a man''s suit and a woman''s lingerie were strewn about, revealing the urgency of their actions. Seeing the torn red nightgown at the bedroom door, N felt a sense of absurdity.

    Although the distance from the entrance to the bedroom was only a few meters, it felt like an eternity to N. Standing at the bedroom door, she felt light-headed and dizzy. She reached out, trembling, and slowly pushed the slightly open door.

    The sight of the messy bed and the naked couple entwined-their heavy breathing filling the room-pierced N''s heart. The couple was so engrossed that they didn''t notice her standing there.

    N''s hand on the door frame turned white from gripping it too hard, leaving red marks on her palm. She had been with rk for eight years, from school days to marriage, envied by everyone around them. Until today, she had never imagined betrayal between them.

    Now, reality dealt her a cruel blow. Even the most sincere wedding vows couldn''t withstand a fickle heart.

    Unable to bear the sight, N turned and stumbled out, driving away. She stopped by a bar on the way and decided to go in.

    By the time Vrie Weir arrived, N had already downed two bottles of whiskey, her gaze slightly unfocused. "Vrie, you''re here..."

    Seeing N surrounded by several men, Vrie frowned. "All of you, leave!"

    "No, they''re fine hereˇŞ"

    "I said, leave!" After driving the men away, Vrie sat next to N. "What happened? Did rk really cheat on you?"

    Vrie was N''s university roommate and had witnessed N and rk''s journey from school to marriage. She had seen rk treat N well all these years, so she couldn''t believe he would cheat. Upon hearing rk''s name, N''s gaze dimmed, and the heart-wrenching pain came rushing back. "I don''t want to hear that name right now."

 Chapter 2

    N downed her drink in one gulp. She had never imagined rk would betray her. Seeing him in bed with another woman felt like a dagger through her heart.

    "I just can''t believe it. He loved you so much. He didn''t seem like the type to cheat. Maybe there''s a misunderstanding," Vrie suggested.

    N let out a coldugh. "I saw it with my own eyes. How could that be a misunderstanding?"

    The room fell silent.

    Watching N drink like there was no tomorrow, Vrie grabbed the ss from her hand. "Even if he cheated, you shouldn''t punish yourself by getting drunk. What are you going to do now?" "I''m getting a divorce. Just thinking about him with that woman makes me sick."

    Upon seeing the defiance in N''s red eyes, Vrie''s heart ached. "Don''t think about it now. You need to rest. Decide what to do next once you''re calm. I''ll take you home."

    N shook her head. "No... I don''t want to go back."

    Returning to that house would only bring back the sickening images of rk''s betrayal. Each recollection made her feel nauseous.

    Seeing N''s reluctance, Vrie didn''t insist. "I''ll book you a hotel room then."

    After booking a room, Vrie took N to the hotel entrance. "Are you sure you don''t want me to take you up?"

    N shook her head. "No, you go rest. I''ll be fine."

    She waved with the room card and walked into the hotel.

    Seeing N walk steadily, Vrie finally breathed a sigh of relief and drove away once N was inside the hotel. What she didn''t know was that N, when drunk, appeared sober but was actually a mess inside.

    N entered the elevator, scanned her card, and the elevator began to ascend.

    Soon, the doors opened with a ding.

    As N stepped out onto the carpet, her legs almost gave out. She steadied herself against the wall, massaging her aching temples while searching for her room number.

    The alcohol was taking its toll, and her vision blurred.

    She found Room 8919 and tried the card on the door. Hearing no beep, she frowned and was about to push the door when it suddenly opened.

    N froze. Before she could react, arge hand yanked her into the dark room.

    The door mmed shut, cutting off the light from the hallway. She was pressed against the door, a man''s breath hot against her ear, making her shiver. The familiar scent of pine filled her senses, but before she could ce it, she felt the warmth of his lips on hers.

    "Mmph!" Realizing what was happening, N struggled.

    Damon was strong, and with the alcohol dulling her strength, her hands felt weak, almost inviting as she pushed against his chest. Damon''s hands roamed her body, leaving a trail of fire, and her body grew more responsive under his touch.

    N tried to push him away, but he easily caught her wrists and pinned them above her head.

    "Let- Mmph! Let me go..."

    He stopped kissing her and chuckled. "No need to y hard to get."

    His fingers traced her cor, the cool touch making her shudder. His body heat seemed to melt her, and her legs grew weak.

    In the dark, N''s senses heightened. She felt Damon unbuttoning her clothes, her mouth dry, herst bit of rationality warning her that this was going too far.

    "Let me go!" She mustered all her strength to push him, but he simply picked her up and threw her onto the bed.

    The bed was soft, so N didn''t feel pain, but the impact made her head spin. She tried to get up, but Damon pinned her down. Soon, her clothes were gone, and they were both nearly naked.

    He pressed against her, ready. His dominating presence made her tremble. She pushed against his chest, biting her lip to stay calm and clear-headed.

    "Mister, I think I entered the wrong room. Please let me go..." N''s voice shook with tension.

    "Tsk!" Damon''s voice was impatient, his tone cold. "Still ying?"

    He was about to get up and kick N out when the room light suddenly came on. N had identally hit the light switch in her struggle.

    The sudden light made Damon squint. He was shocked when he saw the terrified woman beneath him.

    N, recognizing Damon, felt the blood drain from her face. The fear sobered her instantly. She couldn''t believe it-the man who almost vited her was rk''s uncle, Damon Summer!

    "Uncle Damon..."

    N had always been wary of Damon. He was the youngest son of Richard Sumner and Marie Thorne, doted on by them and known for his unpredictable, cold nature. Even outsiders avoided crossing him. When she married rk, he had warned her to steer clear of Damon.

    "Shut up!" Damon''s face was dark, his gaze icy, as he contemted whether to silence her for good.

    Then, his eyes shifted to her bare chest, darkening further. He turned away, getting off the bed. "Get dressed and get out!"

    As Damon moved, N caught a glimpse of him where she shouldn''t, and her face turned red with embarrassment.

    Upon seeing her flushed face, Damon''s expression soured even more. "Still not leaving?"

    N could not care less about her embarrassment as she hastily dressed and left without looking back.

    Once outside, she checked the room number and realized her mistake-it wasn''t Room 8919, but Room 8916!

    She had entered the wrong room and almost slept with her husband''s uncle. The thought made her headache worse. She should have let Vrie take her up. Unfortunately, it was toote for regrets now.

    After N left, Damon dialed a number with a glower on his face. "Delete all surveince footage from the Empire Skyview Hotel tonight!"

    Upon hanging up, he looked at the messy bed and sheets and lit a cigarette, his irritation growing.

    He had almost slept with his nephew''s wife... What a mess!

 Chapter 3

    On N''s way back, she hesitated for a long time before finally messaging Damon, someone whose contact she had had for three years but had never contacted. N: [Uncle Damon... Can we pretend tonight never happened? I was really drunk and went to the wrong room.]

    She waited for a long time, but there was no response from Damon. Frowning, she sent another message.

    N: [?]

    As soon as she sent it, a red exmation mark appeared: [You are no longer friends with this user. Please send a friend request to continue chatting.] N bit her lip. Damon had deleted her. He must not want to bring this up again. Relieved, she finally felt a bit of peace.

    When N got home, it was already past 6:00 a.m.

    As soon as she opened the door, she saw rk sitting on the sofa. He turned sharply at the sound of the door, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night. "Where were youst night? I called you dozens of times. Why didn''t you answer?"

    rk stood up and walked quickly toward her, reaching out to grab her hand, but she pulled away.

    He froze, about to speak, but she spoke first, her tone icy. "You can stay out all night, but I can''t?"

    N had always been gentle. In their eight years together, they had hardly ever argued. This was the first time she had spoken to him so coldly.

    rk sensed something was wrong and noticed her red, swollen eyes. His expression changed, and his hand clenched at his side. "You know, don''t you?"

    His voice was calm, without a trace of guilt or panic, as if he had expected this day toe.

    Upon seeing his unapologetic demeanor, N''s long-suppressed emotions finally exploded. She swung her bag at him, her eyes red with fury, like a madwoman.

    All the good times they had shared, all the happy moments, were shattered the moment she saw him in bed with another woman. They could never be pieced together again.

    "rk Sumner, how could you do something so disgusting?! If you didn''t love me anymore, you could have divorced me. Why did you have to hurt me like this?"

    N had assumed that no third party could evere between them. Unfortunately, reality gave her a harsh p, waking her from the lies he had woven and turning her love for him into a joke. Seeing her red, tear-filled eyes, rk felt a pang in his chest. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. "N, I''m sorry..."

    N shoved him away, wanting tough but only tears came. "Don''t touch me with your filthy hands!

    "Is it that hard to stay faithful?

    "Since we got married, I''ve met many excellent men, and some have shown interest in me. But I''ve never crossed the line. If I can do it, why can''t you?!"

    rk clenched his fists when he saw the disappointment and anger in her eyes.

    "N, you''re the only one I love... It was just an ident with her..."

    His exnation sounded so weak that N found it bothughable and nauseating.

    "So you''re saying I could sleep with another man and then tell you it was an ident? That I may have betrayed you physically, but my heart still belongs to you?"

    A sh of ruthlessness crossed rk''s eyes. "If you dare, I''ll kill you and that man together in bed."

    Seeing his icy gaze, N felt a chill in her heart. If he knew betrayal was unforgivable, why would he still betray her?

    She took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Do you remember what I told you when you proposed?"

    She had said that if he ever betrayed her, she would not forgive him but leave him.

    rk''s expression changed. "I will not let you leave!"

    N wiped her tears, her expression a mixture of ridicule and hatred. "Whether you agree or not, I''ve made up my mind. I''m divorcing you. You don''t deserve my forgiveness." With that, she ignored his reaction and went upstairs.

    rk stared at her back, his gaze dark.

    Back in the bedroom, N went straight to the bathroom to shower, unable to stand the smell of alcohol on herself. While applying body wash, she noticed red marks on her chest and paused. The image of Damon''s hands roaming her body shed through her mind, making her frown. She scrubbed the marks hard until the skin around them turned red, trying to erase his touch. After her shower, she saw rk sitting on the bed with his head down, lost in thought. She frowned and decided to ignore him. They would be divorced soon anyway.

    rk looked up and saw Ning out in just a towel. Her damp hair dripped water, her freshly washed face flushed like a blooming rose with an enticing fragrance. The towel barely covered her hips, revealing her long, fair legs. His breath hitched, his gaze glued on her.

    N didn''t notice rk''s reaction. She walked to the wardrobe to grab her pajamas when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind.

    "N..." rk''s voice was husky, filled with undisguised desire.

    rk had been thinking about how to win her back downstairs after she left. The only way he could think of was to have a child with her. He hade upstairs to discuss this with her, nning to take it slow. However, he lost control upon seeing her just out of the shower.

    In the past, such behavior would have stirred N''s feelings, but all she felt now was disgust. She turned and pushed him away, her gaze full of revulsion. "Don''t touch me. I feel dirty."

    Hurt shed in rk''s eyes. He grabbed her hands, his expression earnest. "Didn''t you always want a child? Let''s have one now, okay?"

    N shook him off at his matter-of-fact attitude. "That was before. I might have a child in the future, but it won''t be yours."

    Her words enraged rk. He grabbed her and threw her onto the bed, pinning her down. "Say that again!"

    His eyes were full of anger, but N didn''t care. "It doesn''t matter how many times I say it. I''m disgusted by you. I''d rather die than have your child."

    As soon as she finished speaking, rk kissed her fiercely.

 Chapter 4

    N froze for a moment, then struggled desperately. Just the thought of rk kissing another woman the night before filled her with disgust and rage. "Let go!"

    Her struggles were futile against rk, who only tightened his grip around her waist.

    As she fought, her towel loosened, revealing her body. His gaze darkened, and he felt a rush of desire.

    Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and N quickly noticed the change in rk. Furious, she bit him hard, tasting blood in their mouths.

    Instead of letting go, rk''s other hand slipped under N''s towel. She had nothing on underneath, having juste out of the shower. She stiffened and struggled even more fiercely. "rk, get off me!"

    rk ignored N, his fingers teasing her sensitive spots. "N, you need me too, don''t you?"

    N''s struggles were in vain, and she grew increasingly desperate. As rk positioned himself, she closed her eyes in despair. "rk, don''t make me hate you."

    rk halted abruptly. Seeing N filled with despair and pain, like a fragile porcin doll about to shatter, made him pause. He wanted her desperately, but a voice in his head warned that if he took her now, it would be the end of them.

    He stared at her, his hand tightening around her waist. After several tense seconds, he suddenly let go and got off the bed, leaving the room quickly.

    The door mmed shut with a loud bang, making N flinch. She clutched the nket tightly.

    ...

    For the next few days, rk didn''te home.

    N called him several times to discuss the divorce, but he didn''t respond.

    ...

    The weekend arrived.

    N was in the living room, sending out job applications when she heard the front door open. rk walked in, looking haggard.

    They stared at each other in silence until N broke it, closing herptop and standing up calmly. "Since you''re back, let''s talk about the divorce."

    rk frowned. "I told you, I won''t divorce you. I''m here to remind you that we have to go to the family dinner tonight."

    The Sumners held a monthly dinner, and ever since their wedding, rk and N had attended together. The family wasn''t kind to N, often treating her poorly. She endured it because she believed rk loved her.

    After seeing him with another woman, however, she couldn''t lie to herself anymore.

    "I don''t want to go. Go by yourself."

    rk''s expression turned impatient. "N, how long are you going to keep this up?"

    He had ignored her calls and messages, hoping she would calm down, but she was still the same.

    "I''m not keeping anything up. I just want a divorce."

    Upon hearing the word "divorce", rk''s patience wore thin. He looked at N as if she were unreasonable.

    "Divorce? You haven''t worked since we got married. How will you support yourself? Whichpany would hire you? And what about your father''s exorbitant medical bills? Can you afford those? "N, you''re not a teenager anymore. You''re 28. It''s time to grow up.

    "I''m the CEO of the Sumner Group. I face temptations all the time. Sometimes, it''s hard to resist, but those women will never take your ce as my wife. What more do you want?"

    rk couldn''t understand why N didn''t see that he still loved her, even if he couldn''tmit to being with her forever.

    Seeing rk''s arrogant demeanor, N couldn''t reconcile this man with the shy boy who had once blushed while confessing his love and promising never to hurt her. Maybe this was his true self-selfish, proud, and condescending.

    "If being mature means tolerating your infidelity, then I''m sorry, I can''t do that. Find someone else. Here are the divorce papers I''ve had drafted. Sign them when you have time." rk nced at the documents, sneering when he saw the section on asset division. "Quite the appetite you have, asking for half my assets. Do you really think that''s possible?" "I deserve it. Why not?"

    rk chuckled, his tone mocking. ˇ°Look around this house. Did you buy anything here? I''ve been covering your father''s medical expenses for years. If we tally things up, you should be paying me. Should I have mywyer do the math?"

    As N watched his bitter expression, she couldn''t believe she had once loved this man. He had hidden his true self so well that, until she caught him cheating, she had thought he was a great guy.

    "Don''t forget, if it weren''t for me giving you that patent, you wouldn''t be the Sumner Group''s CEO. And you were the one who told me to stay home after we got married. If I had continued my research, I would have earned far more than what you''ve given me."

    Unfazed, rk replied, "Who would believe you about the patent now?

    "I don''t want to argue about money, but if you insist on a divorce, we''ll have to settle ounts. N, as long as you drop the divorce idea, my money is still yours to use."

    "rk, you''re despicable!"

    Since he refused to divorce, she''d have to sue. She turned to leave, but he blocked her. "Change your clothes. We''re going to the family dinner."

    "I said I''m not going. Tell them I''m not feeling well."

    rk grabbed her wrist. "N, I''m running out of patience. Don''t force me to cut off your father''s medical expenses."

    "You wouldn''t dare!"

    rk took out his phone and called his secretary. "Cancel my father-inw''s medical payment for next month-"

    Furious, N grabbed his phone and ended the call. "You''re crossing a line, rk."

    "Crossing a line?" rk''s gaze was full of contempt as he yanked her closer. "Everything you have is because of me. Don''t you think you''re the one crossing the line? Change your clothes, or I have numerous ways to make youply."

 Chapter 5

    Seeing the coldness in rk''s eyes, N realized how blind she had been to fall in love with such a man.

    Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she refused to show any vulnerability in front of him. She yanked her hand away, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs. The only thought in her mind was to find a job quickly so she could move out and divorce rk.

    She grabbed a random outfit, tied her hair up with a hairpin, and went back downstairs. She was never one to fuss over her appearance. In the past, she had dressed up for the Sumners'' gatherings to make a good impression. Now, she couldn''t care less.

    Hearing her footsteps, rk looked up.

    N wore a fitted white dress, her waist so slender it seemed it could be encircled with one hand. Her hair was secured with a jade hairpin, revealing her delicate neck. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The grace she exuded was just like when they first met. However, the look in her eyes now was devoid of any warmth.

    "Let''s go," she said.

    They drove to the Sumner residence in silence.

    As they arrived and were about to get out of the car, a ck Range Rover sped up and stopped abruptly in front of them.

    Upon recognizing the car, rk''s expression darkened. It was Damon''s car, someone he both feared and disliked.

    Damon was known for his reckless and unpredictable behavior. He had refused to take over the Sumner Group when Richard wanted him to run thepany, choosing to start his own business instead. Everyone had expected him to fail, but within five years, hispany had grown to be worth several times more than the Sumner Group.

    rk couldn''t stand Damon, partly out of jealousy. Once, ament rk made about Damon reached Damon''s ears, and in retaliation, Damon refused to coborate with the Sumner Group, costing them millions.

    Damon rarely attended family dinners, and rk had hoped to avoid him.

    Luck wasn''t on his side today-they met at the door.

    He didn''t notice N''s stiffened expression when she saw Damon get out of his car.

    rk opened the car door and greeted, "Uncle Damon."

    Damon nced at him indifferently, his gaze brieflynding on the passenger seat before he nodded and walked into the house.

    N let out a deep breath. When Damon looked her way, she had forgotten to breathe, fearing he might say something outrageous. He was known for his unpredictable nature, always doing whatever he pleased. Fortunately, he said nothing.

    She decided she needed to talk to him privatelyter.

    As rk and N walked into the living room, they saw it was already filled with people. Richard and Marie, the family heads, were chatting with Damon. He was the kind of person who naturally stood out in a crowd.

    Noticing N''s gaze on Damon, rk frowned. "Why are you staring at my uncle?"

    N withdrew her gaze and replied coolly, "None of your business."

    Her coldness irritated rk. "N, you know I don''t like you paying attention to other men."

    Ever since they got together, rk had been extremely controlling, not allowing N to interact with other men. She used to think this was a sign of his love, but now it seemedughable.

    She sneered. "And I don''t like you sleeping with other women, but you seem to enjoy it just fine."

    rk said through gritted teeth, "This is a family dinner. We''ll deal with thister."

    "If you don''t want me to bring it up, then stay out of my business," she retorted.

    rk didn''t want to cause a scene now because it might affect the Sumner Group and his standing with Richard, who still held all thepany''s shares.

    As they talked, Marie called out, "N, rk, you''re here! Come sit down!"

    N took a deep breath, forcing a smile as she approached. She might not like the Sumners, but she maintained basic manners.

    "Hello, Grandpa, Grandma," she greeted with a smile.

    Marie, who had been urging Damon to settle down and get married, looked pleased to see the couple. "Come, sit down."

    She turned to Damon with a hint of dissatisfaction. "Look at rk. He manages thepany well and has a beautiful wife. They might have children soon. And you? Almost 30 and still single. If you don''t bring a girlfriend next time, don''t bothering!"

    Damon nced at the couple with a smirk. "She is indeed beautiful."

    He just wondered how that petite frame would suffer if she were to have children.

    N frowned, feeling ufortable with Damon''s gaze.

    rk also noticed the inappropriate way Damon looked at N. It wasn''t the look of an elder but more like a man admiring a woman. His hand clenched into a fist, and his body tensed.

    Marie sighed. "My point is, when will you bring me a daughter-inw?"

    "Depends. If I meet someone I like, maybe I''ll bring her back tomorrow," Damon replied nonchntly.

    "You''re too picky! I''ve arranged a good match for you. Date''s tomorrow, don''t ruin it."

    "Then you''ll probably have to apologize to another old friend tomorrow."

    Frustrated, Marie snapped, "You''re going to drive me crazy!"

    Damon nced at rk. "rk''s been married for years. Instead of pushing me, why don''t you encourage him to have kids?"

    Marie nodded, realizing Damon wouldn''t listen to her. She turned to N and rk, her expression softening. "N, you and rk have been married for a few years now. When are you nning to have children?"

 Chapter 6

    N lifted her head to speak, but rk grabbed her hand and smiled. "Grandma, we''re working on it!"

    N tried to pull her hand away, but rk''s grip was too tight.

    If he wouldn''t let her be, she wouldn''t make it easy for him either. She turned to Marie. "Grandma, I''m looking for a job right now, so having children might have to wait."

    The room fell silent.

    rk''s grip on N''s hand tightened painfully, and she winced.

    Damon nced at rk''s hand on N, noticing the bulging veins, then looked away indifferently.

    rk''s aunt, Anne Sumner, sneered. "N, don''t me me for being blunt. You''ve been married for years. How can you not have a child yet? If it weren''t for rk insisting on marrying you, do you think your family could have ever married into the Sumners?

    "You should be grateful. If you don''t want to have rk''s child, there are plenty of women who do. If someone else steps in, you''ll be the one looking foolish."

    Besides, Anne thought, "Who knows if N is fertile?"

    She sounded like she meant well, but her gaze at N was filled with an air of superiority.

    Marie frowned at Anne, disapproving. "Anne, enough."

    Anne pursed her lips but stayed silent.

    Marie turned back to N with a kind smile. "N, you and rk are still young. If you don''t want children yet, that''s fine. Just don''t overwork yourself. Our family isn''t short on money. You can work if you want, but take it easy."

    N nodded. "I understand, Grandma."

    With that, the awkward moment passed, and the room returned to its previous warmth.

    Seeing the attention shift away, rk pulled N out of the living room. Once they reached the gazebo in the backyard, he released her. "N, have you lost your mind? Do you want everyone to know about our fight?"

    N rubbed her sore hand and said, "I was just being honest."

    "Honest?" rk scowled. "Should I call your father then?"

    Harrison Jayston was ill and couldn''t handle stress. N nned to divorce rk before breaking the news to him gently.

    She red at rk. "You wouldn''t dare! You were the one who cheated. What right do you have to be so self-righteous?"

    rk clenched his hands, a flicker of guilt crossing his face before it was reced by impatience. "I promised it wouldn''t happen again. If you don''t want to see Jordyn, I''ll fire her. What more do you want?" N felt like there was amunication breakdown between them and turned away. "I don''t want to argue with you here."

    When rk saw her red-rimmed eyes, he softened. "N, I truly know I was wrong. Just don''t mention divorce, and I''ll make it up to you. I love you. I can''t let you go."

    N found itughable. How could he im to love her while being with another woman? Just thinking about him with someone else made her sick.

    "I will never forgive you."

    Betrayal was her bottom line. She couldn''t pretend nothing had happened or reconcile with him.

    rk knew N well enough to understand that he had to be patient. He believed she still had feelings for him. Otherwise, she would have made a bigger scene when she found out. As long as he refused to divorce her, she would eventually forgive him.

    "Fine, we won''t talk about it now. If you don''t want kids yet, we''ll postpone it to two yearster. Since you want to work, I''ll have my secretary find you a position at the Sumner Group."

    Nughed at his arrangement, a mocking look in her eyes. "rk, do you see me as a puppet you can control?"

    Hurt by her gaze, rk frowned. "How am I controlling you? You don''t want kids now, so I agreed to wait two years. You want to work, so I''ll arrange it. What more do you want?"

    "Stop pretending. I don''t want kids because I want a divorce. I want to work to sever ties with you."

    rk looked at N''s stubborn face, displeased. Since their wedding, she had been like a canary in his cage. He couldn''t let her go.

    "As long as I don''t agree, this marriage won''t end. Even if you tell awyer I cheated, do you have proof?"

    rk''s confident tone and controlling demeanor made N step back, trembling with anger. She finally saw how selfish and disgusting he was. She had wasted eight years the best years of her life, from 18 to 26-loving this man.

    "You make me sick, rk!"

    Seeing the undisguised disgust in N''s eyes, rk grabbed her chin to force her to look at him. "N, I understand you''re angry, but I don''t want to hear those words again."

    His N should love him forever. He couldn''t stand her looking at him with such contempt.

    N pped his hand away. "Don''t touch me! You''re filthy."

    "Filthy?" rk snickered, stepping closer and pinning her against the gazebo''s pir, kissing her forcefully. If she didn''t stop saying things he didn''t like, he would shut her up another way. N turned her head away. rk''s warm lipsnded on her cheek, making her skin crawl. "Let me go, rk!"

    "Fine, as long as you stop saying things that hurt me."

    "Never!"

    "Then, I''ll have to silence you my way."

    He grabbed her chin, kissing her fiercely. Just as his lips were about to meet hers, a soft cough interrupted from behind them.

    "rk, am I interrupting something?"

 Chapter 7

    rk stiffened abruptly, his expression darkening instantly. He tightened his grip on N''s chin before slowly releasing her and turning to face Damon.

    Meeting Damon''s amused gaze, rk forced a smile. "No. Uncle Damon, did you need something?"

    Damon smiled. "Your grandma sent me to call you both for dinner."

    "Thank you, Uncle Damon."

    "No trouble at all. But remember, this is the family home. Be mindful of your actions." As Damon spoke, he briefly nced at the red mark on N''s chin, mockery evident in his gaze.

    Seeing Damon''s eyes linger on N, rk frowned and stepped in front of her. "I understand, Uncle Damon."

    His tone and expression were not pleasant, and his gaze toward Damon betrayed a hint of wariness.

    Damon smirked and casually looked away. "Alright, let''s go eat."

    After Damon left, rk reached out for N''s hand, but she dodged him, walking away without a backward nce.

    rk quickly caught up, gripping her hand firmly. "Behave, or I''ll talk to your father!"

    N''s attempt to pull away halted, a wave of helplessness and anger washing over her. If she hadn''t agreed to be a housewife back then, she wouldn''t be under his control and threats now.

    She needed to find a job quickly, earn enough to pay her father''s medical bills, and free herself from rk. Until then, arguing about divorce was pointless.

    Having made up her mind, N stopped struggling and let rk lead her to the dining room.

    ...

    After dinner, everyone went home.

    As rk and N arrived at their vi, rk locked the car doors, making no move to get out.

    N frowned. "What are you doing?"

    "We need to talk."

    "If it''s about the divorce, there''s no need. I won''t bring it up for now."

    rk''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "For now?"

    "Yes."

    Seeing N''s indifferent expression, rk pressed his lips into a thin line, his displeasure evident. He knew it would take time for her to ept his infidelity. As long as she didn''t mention divorce, he believed he had a chance to win her back.

    After a moment, he nodded. "N, I''m d you''re giving me another chance."

    N ignored his words, staring at him nkly. "Can you unlock the car now? I''m tired and want to rest."

    With a click, the doors unlocked.

    N immediately got out, heading into the vi without looking back.

    By the time rk reached the bedroom door, he found it locked from the inside. He sighed, a smile tugging at his lips.

    In the early days of their marriage, she''d lock the door to show she was angry when he had been too rough in bed. She''d let him in after a few days.

    His smile deepened. "Never mind," he thought, "I''ll win her over slowly."

    They had a lifetime together. As long as she stayed by his side and had feelings for him, she''d eventually forgive him.

    Inside the bedroom, N was choosing an outfit for her interview the next day. After picking a few options, she sent photos to Vrie, asking for her opinion.

    Vrie called immediately. "Why are you suddenly job hunting? Have you sorted things out with rk?"

    N''s voice was calm. "Not yet. I need a job first. I have no ie. Once I have enough money for my dad''s medical bills and my living expenses, I''ll discuss divorce." "So you''re going to live with him like nothing happened?"

    "Of course not. I have some money saved. I''ll find a ce to move out after the interview tomorrow."

    N realized that divorce couldn''t be rushed. Without a job or money, she couldn''t afford awyer, let alone face the Sumner Group''s legal team. She needed the best divorcewyer she could find. She had no intention of leaving with nothing. rk was the one who betrayed their marriage. Why should she leave empty-handed? If she had the means, she''d make him leave with nothing instead. As for her father''s medical bills, she felt no guilt using rk''s money. Her research back then had earned rk millions. Her father''s medical expenses were a drop in the bucket.

    "Whichpany are you interviewing with?"

    "Park Pharmaceuticals."

    "You''re going back to drug research?"

    "Yes. I''ve kept up with the field even though I haven''t been working. It''s what I know best."

    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner? Come work at my ce. I can rmend you."

    Nughed. "You alwaysin about your boss. You''ve painted him as a tyrant. Are you sure you want me to join you?"

    There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before a male voice chimed in. "Vrie, since when am I a tyrant?"

    The voice was distant butced with a dangerous edge.

    Vrieughed nervously. "N, uh... I''ve got to go. Let me know how the interview goes. We''ll have lunch."

    Before N could respond, Vrie hung up.

    Noting thete hour, N raised an eyebrow. Vrie was usually disciplined in her routine. Having someone over, especially her boss, at this hour was unusual. She''d have to dig for details the next day. N set her phone down and chose a modest light green dress, appropriate for the interview. She then put the other clothes away, grabbed her pajamas, and headed to the bathroom.

    After the shower, she dried her hair,pleted her skincare routine, and went to bed.

    ...

    Meanwhile, in the study.

    rk hesitated before anonymously posting online, asking for advice on winning back his wife after cheating. The responses urging him to divorce and let her go infuriated him, so he deleted the post. As he was about to head to bed, his phone rang. It was a message from Jordyn.

 Chapter 8

    "A friend of yours?"

    A sh of disgust crossed Lucia''s eyes. "No, someone I dislike."

    "Anyone you dislike must not be a good person," the colleague said, trying to tter her.

    Lucia appreciated it. "Let''s not talk about it. It''s a mood killer."

    When N arrived at the restaurant, Vrie was just getting there too.

    Linking arms, they walked in together.

    "How did the interview go?"

    "It went alright, but I''m not sure if I''ll get the job."

    "If you don''t, just try anotherpany. There are plenty of pharmaceuticalpanies in the city. Anypany would be lucky to have you."

    "Thanks for the confidence, but I haven''t worked in ab for years."

    Drug research required a lot of experience, and aside from the three years N had spent in theb during her graduate studies, she didn''t have much professional experience.

    "Don''t

    worry. Once you start working, you''ll catch up quickly," Vrie said.

    She knew that N had always been dedicated, often working tirelessly for results and data. "Enough about that. Last night on the phone, I heard a man''s voice. What''s going on?" Vrie blushed, avoiding N''s gaze. "Did you? Are you sure?"

    N stared at her. "Vrie, I''m not hard of hearing. I clearly heard a man at your cest night.

    Vrie''s cheeks reddened further. She knew she couldn''t avoid it. "Alright, alright. It was my boss... We''re dating."

    N didn''t respond, her eyes fixed on a spot in the restaurant, growing red.

    Vrie''s heart sank. Following N''s gaze, Vrie saw rk sitting with a woman who was crying and asionally giving him a longing look.

    Chapter B

    Vrie couldn''t believe rk would be so brazen, openly bringing his mistress to a public ce. "Is that the woman he''s seeing?"

    "Yes." N tried not to care, but seeing them together felt like a hand tightening around her heart. It made it hard to breathe.

    "I''m going to confront her! How dare she unt her affair in public!"

    N quickly grabbed Vrie''s arm. "Don''t."

    Confronting them would only humiliate herself further.

    "How can you stand this..." Before Vrie could finish, she saw N''s near-tearful expression and felt a pang in her heart. "Don''t cry. He''s not worth it!"

    N rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I know."

    The moment rk cheated, he stopped being worth any of her feelings. However, after loving him for eight years, it was impossible for her to simply switch off her emotions. Eventually, she would distance herself from him until he was nothing but a stranger.

    Without looking back, N turned and walked away.

    rk sensed someone staring at him, but when he looked up, he saw no one.

    Next to him, Jordyn continued to sob softly, further irritating him.

    He lit a cigarette and said coldly, "If you won''t get rid of it, I have ways to make sure you don''t carry it to term."

    rk grabbed his phone, ring at the message with a dark expression. He and Jordyn had always used protection, so either she was lying, or she had tampered with the condoms. Either way, it crossed a lin

    for rk.

    He called her directly. "Where are you right now?"

    Jordyn felt a pang of bitterness when she heard the anger in his voice. "rk, I''m pregnant. Aren''t you happy at all?"

    rk let out a coldugh. "Are you sure it''s mine?"

    "rk, you''re the only man I''ve ever been with. Wouldn''t you know better if it''s yours or not?"

    Her tone was usatory, with a hint of grievance, but rk just felt annoyed.

    "Get rid of it."

    The only woman he wanted to have children with was N. Women like Jordyn, who threw themselves at him, were just for fun. He never took them seriously. "No, this is our child. I''m keeping it."

    rk frowned in irritation. If he had known she was so troublesome, he wouldn''t have touched her. "I''m asking onest time, where are you?"

    There was a brief silence before Jordyn''s tearful voice came through. "Are you nning to force me to. have an abortion?"

    rk didn''t reply, his silence answering her.

    "If you don''t want this child, I''ll raise it on my own. I won''t let it know who its father is..."

    Before she could finish, rk hung up and instructed his secretary to find out where she was.

    When N discovered his affair, he quickly learned that Jordyn was behind it and kicked her out of thepany. He didn''t expect her to have a backup n.

    That child couldn''t be born. If it was, his rtionship with N would be truly over.

    Late that night, N, half awake, heard the car engine start but didn''t think much of it.

    The following morning.

    During breakfast, the housekeeper mentioned that rk had left in a hurry during the night, possibly due to an issue at work.

    N didn''t respond, sipping her milk with a hint of mockery in her eyes.

    An issue at work? It was more likely he was rushing to see that other woman.

    0

    A1

    As she left, she messaged Vrie to ask where they should meet for lunch.

    Vrie replied with a restaurant address.

    N put away her phone, got in her car, and set the GPS

    What she didn''t notice was a woman in ab coat with delicate makeup staring in her direction with at slight frown.

    The woman''s colleague, also in ab coat, nced where she was looking but only saw N''s car disappearing around the corner. "Lucia, what are you looking at?"

    Lucia Pord shook her head. "Nothing... I thought I saw someone I knew. Must have been mistaken."

 Chapter 9

    Jordyn''s sobs stopped abruptly, her eyes filled with grievance. "rk, my feelings for you are genuine."

    The thought of her scheming made rk feel a surge of disgust. "What''s your ''genuine feelings'' worth?"

    He pulled out a bank card and tossed it on the table, his expression cold. "There''s 300,000 dors on this card. Take the money and get an abortion. Otherwise, I''ll have my bodyguards drag you to the hospital. You know what to choose."

    Jordyn hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the card with trembling hands and ran out of the restaurant

    in tears.

    rk called his bodyguards to make sure they followed her to the hospital, then hung up in frustration. Upon seeing the photo of N on his screen saver, his expression softened. Without much hesitation, he called her.

    It rang for a long time before she answered.

    "What do you want?"

    N''s cold tone was like a bucket of ice water, instantly cooling

    rk''s previously warm heart from thinking of her. He clenched his phone tightly, trying to hide his disappointment. "Nothing, just wanted to hear your voice. Have you eaten?"

    N''s eyes shed with sarcasm, rk was with Jordyn and still had time to think about her-he really was a multitasking master.

    "I''m eating now. If there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up.

    There was a brief silence on the other end before rk''s deep voice came through. "Okay. I won''t workte tonight. Let''s have dinner together when I get home."

    The only response rk got was the sound of the call ending

    In the private room.

    Vrie spoke angrily after N put down her phone, "He''s such a scumbag! Eating with his mistress while calling to ask about you!"

    She used to think rk was one of a kind and believed he would make N happy.

    N picked up the menu, her eyes downcast. "Let''s not talk about him. It''ll ruin my appetite. Let''s order,"

    Seeing N try to stayposed, Vrie felt a pang of sympathy. She knew that when it came to matters of the heart, only time could heal. No amount of words from others would help.

    Luckily, N was clear-headed and had no ns to forgive rk.

    After ordering, they chatted casually.

    Suddenly, Vrie remembered something. "By the way, I heard Prospectus Technology is nning to invest in Park Pharmaceuticals. If I remember correctly, Prospectus Technology''s CEO, Damon Summer, is

    10

    N paused at Damon''s name, gripping her ss a bit tighter as she recalled the heat of his breath on her ear that night. The invasive feeling still made her shudder. She forced the memory away and replied w

    a hum.

    "Do you want to consider applying to a differentpany? It''d be awkward to see the Summers if you divorce rk."

    N shook her head, setting down her ss. "Even if I join Park Pharmaceuticals, I''ll just be a regr pharmacist. He wouldn''t notice me. Besides, rk and his uncle aren''t close."

    Moreover, rk was the one who had cheated. If anyone should avoid awkwardness, it should be the

    Sumners, not her.

    "Since they aren''t close, can you ask his uncle for help with the divorce?"

    "Even if they don''t get along, they''re still both Sumners. Do you think he''d help me?"

    "Good point..." Vrie sighed, looking disappointed.

    N couldn''t help but chuckle. "Divorce isn''t something that can be rushed. Right now, my priority is finding a job and moving out. The rest will follow."

    "Alright, I''ll take the afternoon off to help you look for a ce."

    "No need. I can handle it."

    Vrie nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but call me if you need anything. Move on a weekend, and I''lle help

    "Don''t worry. I won''t hesitate to ask when I need you."

    After lunch, they parted ways at the restaurant entrance.

    N contacted several agents and looked at a few ces, preferring a one-bedroom apartment that was over 60 square meters. She liked the decor and location, but the rent was steep. Considering her dwindling bank bnce, she decided on a cheaper apartment farther from downtown. Despite that, she chose to wait for the interview results from Park Pharmaceuticals before signing the

    lease.

    It was past 6:00 p.m. when N returned to the vi.

    rk was sitting in the living room. Hearing the door, he looked up and was momentarily stunned.

    4

    N wore a light green dress with her hair in a high ponytail, revealing her slender, fair neck. She looked put together and lively with a hint of yfulness.

    Since their wedding, she had to attend events with him and adhere to the standards of a wealthy wife even at home. Once, rk''s mother visited and criticized her for wearing casual clothes and a bun at home rk had to admit that this lively version of N was far more attractive and captivating than the version restrained by the Sumners'' rules. Yet, alongside his attraction, a sense of unease crept in, as if she coul

    leave him at any moment.

    "Where did you go today? Patricia said you left right after breakfast."

    N changed her shoes as she responded. "I went job hunting"

    "Whichpany? Do you need me to make a call for you?"

    N f

    frowned at him. "This is nty business. I don''t want you involved."

    If he intervened, it would be no different from being under his watchful eye at the Sumner Group.

    Seeing the resistance in her eyes, rk felt hurt. "N, I just want to help."

    "Thanks, but no thanks." She walked past him, heading upstairs.

    As she passed the sofa, rk grabbed her wrist.

    her

    In the next second, a bouquet appeared in front of her. It was the same Juliet roses he had given when he confessed his love. The flower symbolized a protective, pure, sincere, selfless, and evesting love. Si Now, seeing the fresh roses, N felt nothing but irony. Her marriage with rk, tainted by his infidelity. no longer deserved words like "sincere" and "evesting".

    Upon seeing her silence, rk''s voice softened. "I passed by a florist today and thought of getting you some flowers."

    N pulled her hand away, looking him in the eye. Her gaze held nothing but disgust, impatience, and coldness-no trace of love remained. "No need. I never liked these flowers,"

 Chapter 10

    pter 10

    rk froze for a moment and instinctively said, "But you always buy these flowers when you go to the florist."

    N looked away, rk had probably forgotten that he had given her Jullet roses the day he confessed. It didn''t matter anymore. If he could betray their rtionship, it was no surprise that he couldn''t remembe "That was in the past."

    She walked past him directly to the bedroom. She could feel his gaze on her, but she no longer cared if her words hurt him.

    After changing clothes anding downstairs, the housekeeper had already set dinner on the table. "Mr. and Mrs. Sumner, dinner is ready."

    N nodded and went straight to the table, starting to eat without even ncing at rk.

    rk frowned but said nothing, silently sitting across from her.

    The housekeeper, Patricia Bambra, noticed the tension between them and guessed they had argued. She picked up the flowers from the coffee table, smiling at N. "Mrs. Sumner, should I arrange these flowe "No, just throw them away."

    In the past, even when they argued, N had never been this cold. Patricia was momentarily at a loss and looked toward rk.

    Without lifting his head, rk said indifferently, "Do as she says. Throw them away."

    Patricia regretted her words, realizing she had said the wrong thing. She quickly put the flowers down and retreated to

    the kitchen. After a moment''s hesitation, she sent a message to rk''s mother, feeling that this argument was different from the ones before.

    After dinner, N got up and headed back to the bedroom. Just as she was about to close the door, a hand stopped it.

    "N, are you nning to stay this cold to me forever? We''re supposed to spend our lives together-Id rather you hit or scold me than give me the silent treatment."

    N remained expressionless as she looked up at rk, noting his helpless expression, just like after their past arguments when he would try to coax her.

    He always tried to downy his behavior, exploiting her soft heart to gain'' forgiveness.

    After eight years together, she knew him too well. Forgiving him this time would only lead to countless future betrayals. Once someone crossed the line, they''d only bring deeper hurt each time.

    "If it were me who cheated, could you remain calm and even forgive me so quickly?"

    rk''s grip tightened on the door handle, his veins bulging. His eyes were filled with anger and at dangerous intent. If he ever saw N with another man, he knew he wouldn''t be able to stop himself from killing

    N found his sudden cold demeanor amusing. "See? You can''t do it yourself, so don''t force it on others."

    rk looked at her and said deliberately, "N, I will give you time to ept this, but you need to understand that I will never let you go."

    He knew N was job hunting to prepare for leaving him, but he was determined to show her that all her efforts were in vain.

    rk''s eyes, filled with possessiveness and obsession, made N''s heart

    lurch, and a chill ran down her spine. She knew that beneath his gentle facade, he could be uncontroble. If she insisted on a divorce, things would not end well between them.

    When rk saw the fear in N''s eyes, he realized he had scared her and softened his expression. "Don''t be afraid. As long as you stay by my side, I won''t hurt you."

    He reached out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, but she instinctively stepped back, leaving his hand hanging in the air.

    The tension hung for a few seconds before rk casually retracted his hand.

    *I''m going on a business trip tomorrow for half a month. When Ie back, I''ll move back into the bedroom. Be ready for it."

    N closed the door, her back already damp with sweat. She understood his message-he was giving her two weeks to ept and forgive his infidelity. She needed to move out as soon as possible.

    Her phone chimed with a message from Park Pharmaceuticals'' HR department. She had been hired, though the sry was lower than she had hoped.

    With no better options, she confirmed her start date for the following Monday and immediately contacted the real estate agent.

    The next day, N signed a one-year lease for an apartment, paying three months'' rent upfront. After paying, she had only a few hundred left in her ount.

    She didn''t rush back home but instead bought cleaning supplies and thoroughly cleaned the new By noon, she was exhausted but felt aplished seeing the tidy apartment. Over the next few days, N packed her belongings at the vi.

    On Saturday, Vrie came to help her move.

    Patricia was puzzled when she saw N with a suitcase. "Mrs. Sumner... are you going on a trip?" N shook her head, smiling. "I''m moving out. Thank you for taking

    care of me all these years." Patricia was taken aback. She had sensed something was wrong between N and rk. They used to spend so much time together, but recently they barely interacted. Besides, N call him every night.

    "Mrs. Sumner... did you and Mr. Sumner have a fight?"

    N''s hand tightened on the suitcase handle. After a few seconds, she replied softly, "Not really. I found a job, and living outside will be more convenient."

    With that, she nodded politely to Patricia and walked out without looking back.

    Watching her leave, Patricia felt a growing sense of unease and quickly called rk.

    "Mr. Sumner, Mrs, Sumner just left with a suitcase!"

    rk was escorting a business partner to the elevator when he received the call. The words made his smile freeze, and his mood darkened instantly. He hadn''t expected N to leave while he was away! "Got it." Ending the call, rk quickly called N.

    N wasn''t surprised to see rk''s name on the screen. She knew he''d be informed the moment she left

    the vi.

    Pressing her lips together, she answered the call.

    As soon as it connected, rk''s angry voice came through. "N, I don''t agree with you moving out. Go home immediately!"

 Chapter 11

    rk''smanding tone made N Instinctively frown. "Whether you agree or not, I''m moving out."

    N''s indifferent tone fueled rk''s anger even more. His voice rose. "Don''t forget, your father''s medical expenses-"

    Before he could finish, N coldly interrupted, "rk, ifl remember correctly, your Uncle Elijah''s son is returning from studying abroad soon: You wouldn''t want your affair to be known to the Summers at this tim Elijah Sumner, rk''s second uncle, wasn''t very capable, so Richard had invested a lot in Elijah''s son. After all, the Sumner Group was so big that they couldn''t give everything to rk.

    Over the years, rk had always performed well in front of Richard. Now was a crucial time. He couldn''t let N tell Richard about his affair.

    N had also considered this point in her choice to move out at this time.

    There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a while, there was a lowugh. "N, I never realized before that you were a rabbit that would bite."

    rk''s voice was chilly, clearly filled with anger.

    before but now they were

    N lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling a bit sad. They had been so in love before, but now threatening and disgusted with each other. "You taught me this."

    rk didn''t respond. After a coldugh, he hung up.

    N put down her phone, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, and forced herself not to think about rk anymore.

    Vrie saw the vulnerability sh in N''s eyes as she turned around and sighed inwardly. N

    had truly loved rk. It would probably take a long time for her to let go of the pain and disappointment of his betrayal

    Once they finished moving and unpacking. N nned to treat Vrie to dinner, but Vrie refused. "I have a date with my boyfriend tonight. Besides, you''ve just moved out, and everything costs money. It''s Before N could say anything. Vrie hurriedly left. Knowing that Vrie cared about her, N fel wave of warmth in her heart

    Although she had lost love, she still had friendship and family love, which was enough to make her hopeful about life again.

    After Vrie left, N didn''t n to eat out. She decided to go to the grocery store to buy some Seasonings and groceries to cook at home.

    With her keys in hand, she walked to the nearest store,

    Having bought what she needed and leaving the grocery store, she realized it had started raining heavily

    outside. It urred to her that the weather forecast had indeed mentioned rain In Saintornia recently.

    N stood at the entrance, deciding to wait until the rain eased before heading back.

    In a ck Maybach on the roadside, Spencer Hogg saw N standing at the grocery store entrance and felt a sense of familiarity. He looked a few times before saying, "Mr. Sumner, Isn''t that Ms. Jayston stand Spencer had met N a few times when he apanied Damon to banquets. However, if he

    remembered correctly, rk and N lived in the southern part of the city. Why would she be there at this hour, without any service staff or drivers?

    Damon, who was looking at the documents in the back seat, turned his head to look at the somewhat distressed woman holding a bunch of things and standing awkwardly at the grocery store entrance. He with "Ms. Jayston seems to be trapped by the rain. Should we give her a ride? Just as Spencer finished speaking-he realized that the temperature in the car had dropped a few degrees.

    "Do you have nothing to do?"

    Realizing Damon''s displeasure, Spencer quickly exined, "Ms. Jayston is your niece-inw, isn''t she? If it were another woman, I wouldn''t dare to speak out.

    "Besides, we don''t know when this rain will stop. It''s quite dangerous for Ms. Jayston to be outside alone at thiste hour."

    Damon scoffed lightly as he recalled how N had gotten the room wrong that night. It had been quite dangerous. Such a foolish woman was rare. If she had encountered another man that night, she might hav of.

    When Damon didn''t speak, Spencer hesitated and asked, "Mr. Sumner, should we go or...

    "You just said she''s my niece-inw. If I turn a blind eye now, won''t others say Ick empathy?"

    Spencer was rendered speechless, thinking that Damon usuallycked empathy anyway.

    N waited for a while. Seeing that the rain was not only continuing but seemed to be getting heavier, she hesitated about hailing a cab.

    Just then, a ck Maybach stopped right in front of her.

    The rear window lowered, revealing Damon''s cool face,

    N was taken aback, clearly not expecting to meet him here.

    "Get in. I''ll take you back," he said coldly, his face devoid of expression, giving off an intimidating vibe. N took a step back and shook her head. "Uncle Damon, it''s okay. The rain will stop in a while." Damon f His imposing presence almost took N''s breath away She involuntarily tightened her grip on the bag she was carrying.

    Before she could refuse, the front passenger door suddenly opened, and Spencer got out to take the things from her hands. "Ms. Jayston, get in the car. This rain willst at least another hour, and it''s windy her might catch a cold."

    N couldn''t refuse any longer as Spencer had already put her things in the trunk. She bit her lip and opened the car door to get in. As soon as she sat down, the faint woody fragrance on Damon Invaded her Her hands, hanging by her side, subconsciously clenched the hem of her shirt.

    The memory of that night when she almost went too far with Damon was too vivid, making her feel awkward just being with him.

    Damon seemed not to notice N''s difort. He put down the documents in his hand and looked at her. "Why did youe so far to get groceries?"

    "I moved here recently. Uncle Damon, you can drop me off at the entrance of The Fleur."

    "Did you have a fight with rk?"

    "No, I found a job recently, and living here is closer to thepany."

    Damon didn''t speak again, and the car fell silent.

    Soon, the car stopped at the entrance of The Fleur, and N silently breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Thank you for sending me back, Uncle Damon."

    She was about to push the door and get out when suddenly an umbre was handed to her.

    N immediately noticed Damon''s hand, as she was someone who appreciated hands. She had even developed a liking for rk starting from when she saw his hands.

    The joints of the hand holding the umbre were distinct, fair, making it hard for her to look away.

    "Take it."

    She instinctively refused. ''No need, I can run back-

    Before she finished speaking, Damon''s somewhat impatient voice sounded. "Do you want to get soaked like a drowned rat?"

    N went silent. After hesitating for a moment, she still took the umbre from Damon. "Thank you...."

    Damon didn''t say anything, his expression somewhat indifferent.

    As N got out, Spencer had already taken the things from the trunk. "Ms: Jayston, should I send you upstairs?"

    No need. I don''t have much stuff. I can manage on my own."

    Spencer didn''t insist either. After all, Damon had a meetingter.

    After handing N''s things to her, he got back in the car and left.

    Watching the ck Maybach''s tail lights disappear from sight, N turned and walked toward her rented apartment.

    #

    In the car, Damon picked up the documents and said with a nk face, "Find out what''s going on between N and rk."

 Chapter 12

    On Monday morning at eight sharp, N arrived punctually at Park Pharmaceuticals.

    The HRpleted her onboarding and showed her around thepany, familiarizing her with the departments'' locations. Afterward, she was escorted to the office of the R&D department manager.

    The R&D manager, Genevieve Reeve, was a woman in her 40s with a neat short haircut. She was not one to smile easily, giving off a serious vibe.

    "Have a seat," she said after N sat down. "I''ve reviewed your resume. You achieved quite a bit during your school days, but you haven''t been in theb for the past few years. You''ll start as an assistant." "Okay."

    Genevieve approved of N''s calmposure without any hint of dissatisfaction. She liked subordinates who were down-to-earth. So far, N seemed reliable.

    Genevieve stood up and addressed N. "Let me introduce you to your colleagues."

    She led N into the R&D department and raised her voice. "Everyone, hold on a moment. We have a new member in our department today. N, please introduce yourself."

    N stepped forward with a smile. "Hello, everyone. I''m N Jayston, your new recruit in the R&D department. There''s a lot I may not be familiar with initially, so please guide me along the way."

    As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden exmation came from her left. ''Lucia! You added the wrong reagent!"

    N turned toward the voice and recognized the frantic woman tidying up the reagents. She was surprised to see Lucia there.

    Lucia''s father, Clement Pord, was the procurement manager at Harris Pharmaceuticals, where he and Harrison had developed a close friendship from their university days. As a result, the Jayston and Pord However, after the Jaystons went bankrupt, the Pords quickly distanced themselves, and Lucia even blocked N.

    Later, N learned from Vrie that at a high school reunion, Lucia had imed she never considered N a friend and had only been nice to her because of her father''s job at Harris Pharmaceuticals This revtion had made N realize that not everyone who smiled at her genuinely liked her-some simply found her useful.

    Genevieve looked at Lucia, frowning. "What''s going on? Aren''t you usually the most careful?"

    Pouring out the reaction sk with the wrong reagent in a hurry, Lucia looked guilty as she nced at Genevieve. "I got distracted for a moment. I''m sorry."

    Lucia usually did her work meticulously, so Genevieve didn''t continue to chastise her, just reminding her to be more careful next time.

    "Since you have more experience in experiments, N will assist you for now. Brief her on theb protocols and get her up to speed."

    1,3

    Lucia lowered her head, concealing her underlying disdain. "Okay."

    After giving a few more instructions, Genevieve left.

    Lucia looked at N with a fake smile. "N, I didn''t expect you to work at Park Pharmaceuticals. I saw you from a distance at thepany gate a few days ago. I couldn''t believe it was really you."

    N didn''t miss the hint of disdain in Lucia''s eyes. She looked at Lucia Indifferently without responding to herment. "What do I need to do today?"

    Lucia''s smile froze. She bit her lip, looking somewhat aggrieved. "N, are you still ming me for what happened before? When your father''s pharmaceutical factory had that incident... My family would have b if I hadn''t distanced myself from you. You understand my situation, right?"

    Although the others appeared to be focused on their work, they

    were all actually listening attentively. Given Lucia''s words and N''s reaction, it seemed there was some past conflict between the two, and it was likely juicy gossip.

    N didn''t want to engage in reminiscing with her.

    She said expressionlessly, "Ms. Pord, I''m here to work, not to dwell on the past. Besides, you just added the wrong reagent, and the experiment needs to start over from scratch. If you don''t get a move on, th Lucia gritted her teeth inwardly upon seeing the unfriendly looks from her colleagues. She hadn''t. expected N to be so sharp-tongued after all these years.

    Still smiling and intentionally softening her voice, Lucia said, "You just started today, and there isn''t any specific work for you to do yet. You can start by washing those reagent bottles over there."

    N nced over where Lucia pointed, a corner where there were 70-80 reagent bottles needing cleaning. It seemed like she had been assigned all the umted reagent bottles in the entireb.

    Lucia''s smile grew a bit smug as she watched N look at those bottles without saying a word. Once N refused, she would go straight to Genevieve to tell on her.

    Genevieve detested people who were both arrogant and ipetent, so she would surely start to dislike N. This meant Lucia could easily manipte her in the future.

    However, N didn''t say anything and simply walked toward the corner where the reagent bottles were piled up.

    Watching N''s back, Lucia smirked. Now that N was in her hands, she could do whatever she wanted. She would make N regret evering to work at Park Pharmaceuticals! N worked straight through until 9.00 p.m., cleaning all the reagent bottles.

    When she finally put down the brush, she felt like her back wasn''t her own anymore.

    She got home after 10:00 p.m. and took a shower before preparing to sleep. Just as she set down her phone, it pinged.

    N frowned slightly when she took a look. She recognized the profile picture-it was rk''s secretary.

    The day after she found out about rk''s affair, she had deleted Jordyn from her contacts. She couldn''t believe Jordyn had the nerve to add her again.

    N ignored it, but Jordyn clearly wasn''t giving up. She sent a message.

    Jordyn: [Ms. Jayston, I''m pregnant.]

    N froze, her fingers gripping the phone until they turned white.

    After a pause of more than ten seconds, she calmed down. She took a screenshot and sent it to rk, then promptly blocked Jordyn to avoid being revolted by her again. rk''s response came quickly.

    rk: [N, this is an ident. I will handle it properly promise she won''t appear in front of you again.]

    N felt his promise was insincere. He had made simr promises before, and what had happened then?

    She didn''t reply and simply deleted their chat history.

    Over the next few days, whenever N arrived at theb, Lucia assigned her a bunch of menial tasks. As forb protocols and how to conduct experiments, Lucia didn''t say a word. Soon, a week passed.

    On Friday evening, Genevieve came to theb to check on N''s progress.

    Seeing her cleaning theb, Genevieve frowned and asked Lucia, "What''s going on? I didn''t hire her to do menial tasks."

    Lucia put on an innocent look, somewhat helpless as she said, "It''s not that I don''t want to assign her work. She hasn''t done experiments in years, so she can only start with the basics. That''s why she''s only doing these tasks for now."

 Chapter 13

    Genevieve looked at N. "Have you gained anything in theb these days?"

    *I''ve observed that the current focus in theb is

    on developing drugs for cardiovascr diseases. The progress of drug development is about 50%plete, and we''re preparing for the experimental stage using mice."

    Upon hearing that, Genevieve''s expression brightened slightly, and her gaze toward N carried a hint of approval. "Well done. How about your learning progress with theb equipment?" "It''sing along."

    On the side, Lucia frowned at N. "N, I know you''re eager to conduct experiments, but experiments are serious business. There are several instruments we

    haven''t used recently. How can you say you''ve almost learned them?"

    Nmented tly, "I''ve used these instruments during my university years."

    "You said it yourself, that was years ago. You haven''t been in ab for quite some

    time. You need to learn everything again from scratch. We''re dealing with drug development here. There''s no room for any carelessness."

    "How do you know I haven''t learned from scratch?"

    Lucia bit her lip, disappointment evident as she looked at N. "You''ve been doing menial tasks in theb these days. How could you find time to learn? Don''t lie just to impress Genevieve." N smiled. "So you know too. With all the odd jobs assigned to me these days, I haven''t had the chance to learn how to use theb equipment."

    Lucia froze, subconsciously digging her nails into her palms. She had underestimated N!

    "N... Are you implying that I deliberately prevented you from learning how to use the equipment?"

    "Why would I? I appreciate your ''care'' for me."

    Lucia wanted to say more, but Genevieve interrupted her, "Alright, since you say you''ve almost learned everything, there''s an extraction involved in today''s experiment. You''ll be handling this step." N nodded and went to operate the equipment.

    Initially, Lucia had nned to wait for N to make a mistake so she could seize the opportunity to make Genevieve dislike her. Unexpectedly, every step N took was precise and wless.

    It wasn''t until Genevieve praised N that Lucia snapped out of her reverie, a long-forgotten panic rising in her heart.

    Before N''s family went bankrupt, people only saw N and ignored Lucia whenever they were together. Now, she felt like she was going back to living in N''s shadow.

    Was she destined to live under N''s shadow forever? She refused to ept that!

    After praising N, Genevieve called her into her office and handed her a document. "Thepany is preparing to develop a drug for treating asthma. Other researchers are currently upied, so I intend to

    assign this project to you. Do you feel confident about it?"

    N was astonished. She hadn''t expected Genevieve to entrust her with such an important task so quickly.

    After reviewing the materials, she looked at Genevieve, "I can''t handle this project independently."

    "I know. Lucia''s current project will wrap up in another month or two. By then, I''ll have her teame over to assist you."

    Upon hearing Lucia''s name, N couldn''t help but frown. Given Lucia''s dislike toward her, she doubted Lucia would cooperate well. In fact, she might even scheme behind her back.

    Although they were in the sameb, there would be no escape if Lucia decided to target her.

    With that in mind, N nodded. "Alright, I understand."

    "Good. Work hard on this. Come to me with progress reports every week from now on. You can start preparing.

    As N left Genevieve''s office, Lucia stopped her when she reached the entrance of theb.

    "N, you did this on purpose, didn''t you?"

    N remained unfazed by Lucia''s furious expression. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand.".

    Lucia sneered. "I''ve assigned you those''menial tasks these days, and you didn''t say a word. Wasn''t it your n to wait until Genevieve came around and make her think I was targeting you?" N hadn''t intended to waste time arguing with Lucia, However, seeing Lucia so confidently usatory, she looked at her with a hint of seriousness. "Are you saying you haven''t targeted me?''

    "Even if I did, so what? Every new persones in like you did. Do you still think you''re the Ms. N Jayston, expecting the whole world to revolve around you?"

    As N observed Lucia''s sardonic demeanor, she realized how blinded she had been before, actually believing that Lucia was genuinely treating her as a friend.

    "I''m not the type of neer to swallow grievances. Don''t mistake me for a pushover. Let bygones be bygones. If you continue with your petty schemes against me in the future, I won''t hold back because of o Lucia initially wanted to retort, but an involuntary sense of guilt rose within her upon meeting N''s icy gaze. It left her momentarily speechless and mentally nk.

    N ignored her and walked away.

    After work, N returned home, cooked, ate quickly, and then began researching materials for drug development. As she delved deeper into her research, drowsiness crept over her, and she fell asleep on her In a daze, she felt someone lifting her and cing her gently on her bed. Turning over, she prepared to go

    back to sleep but suddenly remembered she lived alone, which startled her awake.

    23

    She abruptly opened her eyes, only to see rk''s handsome profile, which simultaneously relieved and infuriated her.

    She sat up, ring at rk with a cold expression. "How did you get in?!"

    "N, I haven''t slept for three days so I could rush back. Let me rest for a while, okay?" rk''s voice was hoarse andden with exhaustion.

    N noticed that his usually impably styled short hair was slightly messy, his eyes were bloodshot, and a shadow of stubble covered his chin. He looked somewhat disheveled.

    In the past, she would have felt sorry for him, but now, she only felt annoyed.

    rk had not rushed back because he wanted to see her sooner. He was afraid she would expose Jordyn''s pregnancy scandal to the Sumners, affecting his position in the Sumner Group. "Leave my house right now, or I will call the police." As N spoke, she reached for her phone on the bedside table.

    Before she could dial, rk snatched the phone away. He looked at her with a pained expression, as if she hadmitted an unforgivable offense. "N, do you really despise me this much now?" N took a deep breath to calm herself. "This question is meaningless. Leave. I don''t want to see you."

    "I won''t leave. You''re my wife, and wherever you are, I''ll be there."

    N frowned. She was about to speak, when her phone, gripped tightly in rk''s hand, suddenly rang.

    ac

    Seeing it was a call from the hospital, rk answered without hesitation.

    "Ms. Jayston, pleasee to the hospital immediately. Your father has suddenly copsed!"

 Chapter 14

    N''s face turned pale as she snatched the phone back from rk''s hand. "I''ll head there right away!"

    rk grabbed her hand. "I''ll go with you."

    Without giving N a chance to refuse, he pulled her along toward the door.

    N tried to shake off his grip but failed, frowning in frustration. "Let go of me. I can go by myself."

    rk looked back at her with a hint of helplessness. "N, your father''s health is at stake right now. Let''s put aside our argument forter, okay?"

    N had wanted to point out that their situation wasn''t just a simple argument, but her father''s condition was more pressing. She didn''t have the energy to argue with him either. They rushed to the emergency room, where they saw Wren Hackett anxiously waiting on a bench in the corridor, her eyes red.

    N hurried over. "Wren, what happened? Wasn''t Dad''s condition stable all this time? Why did he suddenly copse?" The doctors had previously assured them that as long as Harrison avoided stress, his condition would remain stable.

    Wren couldn''t hold back her tears once she saw N. It took her a while before she could speak. "I don''t know... Clement and his daughter came to visit your father this evening. "After they left, your father remained silent. When I asked if something had happened, he didn''t respond. Then suddenly he started coughing up blood and passed out..." N''s expression turned icy cold.

    The Pords had quickly distanced themselves from the Jaystons after the bankruptcy of Harris Pharmaceuticals. They hadn''t visited Harrison in years, so their sudden appearance today clearly wasn''t for good intentions.

    Afterforting Wren and seeing her calm down, N stood up and went to the stairwell, calling Lucia directly. "Lucia, what did your father and you say to my father today at the hospital?" There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone, followed by Lucia''s nonchnt voice. "N, my father and I visited your father and reminisced about the past. What''s the matter?"

    Her casual tone sparked anger in N. "What did my father do to wrong your family? Do you and your father have any conscience?"

    If it weren''t for Harrison, Clement wouldn''t have secured the position of procurement manager at Harris

    Pharmaceuticals, nor would he be where he is today.

    Instead of showing any gratitude, they repaid kindness with malice, rushing to the hospital to provoke him. It was like nurturing an ungrateful viper.

    "N, I wasn''t nning to visit your father, but you insisted oning to Park Pharmaceuticals, which

    left me feeling unsettled. Thus, I had to make you feel the same way."

    "So that''s how it is..." N lowered her gaze, her grip on her phone tightening slowly.

    She hadn''t wanted to deal with Lucia, but thetter had harmed her family. She wouldn''t endure it any

    longer.

    "You will pay for your actions today."

    Lucia scoffed. "Sure, I''ll wait and see."

    She had heard that rk was having a passionate affair with his secretary. Soon, N would probably be kicked out. Without the Sumners''s protection, getting rid of N would be as easy as squashing an ant N didn''t waste any more words with Lucia. She hung up and anonymously sent the files she had prepared earlier to Genevieve''s email.

    When she returned to the emergency room, the surgery light had just gone out.

    Wren quickly stood up and walked to the operating room door, waiting. Seeing her trembling. N walked up and supported her.

    The door to the operation room swung open, and a doctor emerged.

    "Doctor, how is my husband?" Wren asked anxiously.

    "He''s temporarily out of danger, but from now on, he must avoid any stress. Otherwise, his body might not hold out until the day of the kidney transnt."

    Wren let out a heavy sigh of relief, wiping tears from her eyes and nodding repeatedly. "Okay... Okay, 1

    understand."

    "Well monitor his heart rate tonight. You can take turns staying with him. If you have any questions, please press the call button."

    Shortly after the doctor left, Harrison was wheeled out by the nurses.

    Still under the effects of anesthesia, hey unconscious, his eyes closed tightly. His face, gaunt from illness, highlighted his prominent cheekbones, and hisplexioncked any color. N couldn''t help but burst into tears at the sight.

    Since the bankruptcy of Harris Pharmaceuticals, Harrison had fallen ill and spent most of the past few years in the hospital, growing increasingly frail.

    rk wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "N, don''t worry. Dad will get better."

    N wiped away her tears and discreetly pushed him away. "Mm."

    Her indifference made rk feel a stab of disappointment. It seemed she still wasn''t willing to forgive

    him.

    Back in the hospital room, rk asked Wren to go home and rest first. He would stay with N there for the night

    After Wren left, he sat down beside N and gently took her hand. "N, it''ste now. Why don''t you go get some rest?"

    23

    N shrugged off his hand, her gaze devoid of warmth "rk, there''s no need for you to pretend to be a good husband or son-inw here.

    Ever since you cheated on me, we could never be together again. Leave. I don''t want to argue with you in the hospital."

    Knowing she was upset, rk didn''t argue with her. He crouched down in front of her, looking at her tenderly. "N, I''m not pretending. Whether it''s caring for you or Dad, it''s all from my heart. Why do you always twist my good Intentions?"

    N stared coldly at him. "Because all your good intentions have a purpose. You''re humbling yourself now just to make me forgive your affair, aren''t you?"

    "Whether you forgive me or not, I can make sure you can''t leave me. I don''t want to see you sad, so I''m willing to coax you. Do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to?" rk''s presumptuous demeanor disgusted N to the core. He had betrayed her, yet he had the audacity to say such shameless words.

    N turned away, refusing to engage with him further. Whatever he said, she would never forgive him.

    In the middle of the night, Harrison finally woke up.

    "Dad, you''re awake? Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?"

    "No... Where''s Wren?"

    Wren and Harrison were both in their second marriages, each bringing a child into the family.

    When they nned to marry, N was already 18 and had no objections. After their marriage, treated N well, and they lived harmoniously as a family.

    1. e. Wren

    During the downfall of Harris Pharmaceuticals and Harrison''s illness, Wren remained faithfully by his side. It was then that N truly understood their genuine love for each other.

    "She''ll be here tomorrow to take care of you. She went home to rest for now."

    Harrison nodded. "I''m fine. It''ste now, You and rk should go back and rest."

    With the Jaystons'' decline and N''s marriage

    into the Sumners, it was a significant social climb. He didn''t want his daughter to face difficulties because of him. Visiting him in the hospital once or twice might not incur rk''s resentment, but over time, he wo N knew Harrison didn''t want to affect her rtionship with rk, and it filled her with bitter sorrow." Dad, it''s okay. I''ll stay here tonight with you."

    rk chimed in. "Yeah, Dad. N and I are here for you. It''s only right."

    Harrison sighed. "With Wren taking care of me, you two don''t need toe here all the time. Just live your lives well. That''s more than enough."

 Chapter 15

    rk hurried forward and squatted beside Harrison. "Dad, rest assured. I''ll always treat N well,"

    "Mm. As long as you treat her well, that''s all I ask for."

    Seeing Harrison''s eyelids droop from the lingering anesthesia, N quickly called out to him. "Dad, the anesthesia hasn''tpletely worn off yet. You can''t sleep." Throughout the night, N and rk took turns watching over Harrison. As dawn approached, the effects of the anesthesia began to fade, allowing Harrison to finally rest. Shortly after dawn, Wren arrived with freshly made soup. "N, rk, you two stayed up all night. You should go home now. I''ll take care of things here."

    After a night of vigil, N could barely keep her eyes open. She nodded. "Okay, Wren. If there''s anything. call me. I''ll be resting at home on Saturday and Sunday

    Wren unintentionally frowned as she thought, "Hasn''t N been unemployed? Why would she mention resting on weekends?"

    Before she could ask, nurses entered to conduct examinations on Harrison. She pushed aside her doubts and decided to ask Nter.

    As N and rk exited the hospital, N nned to hall a taxi, but rk stood in her way. "N, I''ll drive you home."

    N considered for a moment. There were things she needed to discuss with him as well, "Alright."

    Inside the car, N turned to face rk calmly. "rk, you don''t need toe to

    the hospital anymore. I''m not ready to tell Dad about our divorce yet, and I don''t want us to pretend everything is fine in front of

    him."

    rk paused before starting the car, then looked at N after a long silence. "N, I''ve said that divorce is not an option. But you''ve tested my limits repeatedly so I have to teach you a lesson." "What do you mean?" N asked.

    The moment she finished speaking, the car door locked, and the ck Cayenne shot forward like an

    arrow.

    Since N hadn''t worn her seatbelt, her head mmed hard against the seatback, causing her to scrunch her face up in pain.

    rk remained silent, his cold gaze fixed ahead. Veins popped on his hands as he gripped the steering wheel, and the car kept elerating.

    N paled in fear and dared not speak further. A sense of dread washed over her. She shouldn''t have gotten into rk''s car. This man was clearly insane!

    Soon, rk''s car stopped at the entrance of the vi. He got out and opened the passeriger door. "N, get out."

    "Take me back to my rental."

    Seeing N unmoving, rk simply carried her.

    As N was lifted into the air, she instinctively clutched rk''s neck, her expression filled with anger. rk, what are you doing? Let me go!"

    rk said nothing, carrying her into the vi. It wasn''t until they reached the bedroom that he finally ced her on the bed.

    "You''ll stay in the vi these next few days. Once you''ve thought things through, I''ll let you leave. If by Monday you still haven''t figured it out, I''ll help you resign from Park Pharmaceuticals." N snapped her head up to re at him. "Who do you think you

    are?"

    rk chuckled, his expression still gentle. "N, I''ve spoiled you too much these past few years that you speak of divorce at every turn now. It''s okay. In these next few days, I''ll show you that you can''t leave me."

    Sensing the danger emanating from him, N tried to retreat, but he grabbed her ankle. The next moment, he pulled her forcefully toward him.

    "Ah!" N eximed as rk sealed her lips with his.

    Realizing his intentions, she tried to push him away, fear and disgust shing in her eyes. He pinned her hands down on the bed, hisrger build pressed down on hers.

    "Move away! Don''t make me hate you!"

    Seeing the hatred in N''s eyes, rk gripped her chin. "N, this won''t work anymore. Even if you hate me, I''ll make you carry my child. Only like this will you stop thinking about leaving me."

    "Do you

    think I''ll give birth to the child with our current circumstances? Even if I get pregnant, I won''t let the child see this world."

    "That''s fine. If you abort it, we''ll keep trying-until you''re willing to give birth to it."

    rk''s eyes, filled with recklessness, made N understand that he meant every word. She was overwhelmed with fear.

    "You''re insane, just insane."

    "Even if I''m crazy, it''s all for you."

    N''s clothes were ripped, revealing her bra and fair skin.

 Chapter 16

    A chill swept over N, causing her to tremble uncontrobly.

    rk''s gaze darkened as he noticed the faint curves on her chest, and he leaned down to kiss her corbone.

    "Don''t touch me!" N struggled desperately, but she was pinned by rk.

    The inherent power disparity between a man and a woman left her with no chance of escape. Her face contorted with disgust and anger. Even the slightest touch from him made her feel nauseous to the

    extreme.

    "N, your refusal won''t work this time."

    Only by getting her pregnant would she stay by his side

    rk ignored N''s disgusted gaze and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

    The next moment, N bit down hard on rk''s lips, the taste of blood spreading in their mouths.

    rk released N, wiped the blood from his mouth with a sneer, and gripped her chin to force her to look at him. "N, you can''t escape today."

    Just as he leaned down to kiss her corbone again, a series of knocks suddenly sounded at the door.

    Mr. rk, Mr. Damon is here."

    rk frowned in confusion. Damon had never visited before, so why was he suddenly there?

    After a moment''s thought, he replied, "Understood. Tell him I''ll be down shortly."

    After the maid left, rk looked at N. "Wait here for me."

    N turned her head away without saying a word.

    rk didn''t force her to respond. Instead, he straightened his clothes and left the bedroom.

    Once the door closed, N heaved a sigh of relief, feeling like she had narrowly escaped a disaster. She quickly got up, walked to the window, scanned the turf below, hesitated for a moment, then closed her e rk found Damon sitting on the sofa with a cold expression when he came downstairs, Damon''s serious demeanor made him uneasy.

    "Uncle Damon, what brings you here today?"

    "What''s going on between you and that secretary of yours?"

    "What?" rk''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    How did Damon know about this?

    "I won''t repeat myself. I heard you and that woman have a baby. You know what happens to the men of the Sumners when they cheat, right?"

    rk turned pale, his gaze filled with panic. "Uncle Damon, I promise to handle this. Please don''t tell Dad and Grandpa.ˇ±

    Damon stared at him coldly, devoid of any warmth. "If you''re afraid now, why did you cheat in the first ce?"

    Richard and his younger brother, Simon Sumner, founded the Sumner Group

    together. When they achieved sess, Simon grew disdainful toward his wife, who had stayed by his side faithfully. He Indulged himself, and his infidelity nearly bankrupted thepany after a deceitful woma and leaked confidential information.

    This led to Simon''s expulsion by the shareholders. Within a month, he spiraled into decline andmitted suicide by jumping into a river. His wife and child disappeared from Saintornia without a trace. Since then, Richard established a rule in the Sumner family: any betrayal of a partner, regardless of capability, disqualified one from taking over thepany.

    If Damon hadn''t found out that N was renting outside and found it strange enough to let his secretary investigate, he wouldn''t have learned that his usually mature and steady nephew would do such a thing "Uncle Damon, I failed to resist temptation at first, but I regret it now. Please give me another chance."

    Damon stood up, radiating a terrifying aura. "You shouldn''t be pleading with me. You should be pleading with your wife. If you can''t even control your own desires, how can you handle the Sumner Group?" With that, he didn''t wait for rk''s reply and left.

    Once Damon''s figure disappearedpletely from the doorway, rk felt the pressure on him disappear. In just two minutes, he had broken out in a cold sweat!

    But why would Damon suddenly be concerned about his affairs?

    Before rk could make sense of it, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang. Seeing his mother''s name, he

    blinked.

    As soon as he answered, an angry voice echoed. "rk,e to my ce right now!"

    There was a pause before she added, "Don''t bring N. Your secretary is here with me."

    At these words, rk instantly understood. Jordyn must have told his mother, Cindy Sharrock, about the pregnancy. Otherwise, Cindy wouldn''t be this angry.

    "I''ming over immediately." His voice was cold and subdued, struggling to suppress the anger he felt.

 Chapter 17/18

    If rk had known Jordyn would be so troublesome, he would never have let himself get involved with her in the first ce. Hanging up, he nced upstairs and took a deep breath before briskly walking towar As Damon approached his car at the vi entrance, he noticed Spencer standing nearby with an odd expression.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Spencer hesitated for a moment before replying, "Mr. Sumner, you better see for yourself..."

    Damon opened the car door with a slight frown. Inside, he found N looking disheveled and staring at him nervously. Anyone seeing this scene without knowing the context would likely assume he had done so Damon mmed the car door shut and demanded coldly, "What''s going on?"

    "L... I don''t know. Ms. Jayston just limped out of the vi and said she wanted you to give her a ride..."

    "And you let her get in?"

    Damon''s irritation was palpable. He hade here today to warn rk aspensation for the night he almosty his hand on N. From the moment he stepped out of the vi, he wanted nothing more to d Sensing Damon''s displeasure, Spencer involuntarily shrank back and lowered his head. "Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry. It won''t happen again."

    If it weren''t for the fact that N was Damon''s niece-inw, he wouldn''t have dared to let her into the car.

    "If there''s a next time, you''ll be mining in the desert."

    "What should we do now? Should I ask Ms. Jayston to get out?"

    Damon sneered. "If someone sees hering out of my car in disarray, I won''t be able to exin myself."

    Spencer hung his head even lower. He should have locked the car when he saw N.

    "Alright, get in the car first."

    Damon took off his suit jacket and threw it onto N.

    Initially, N feared that Damon would kick her out of the car. They had only met a few times, and she didn''t know his temper.

    As she pondered how she would escape if Damon intended to kick her out, the car door suddenly swung open, and a coat flew toward her.

    In an instant, it blocked out all light, but Damon''s voice echoed clearly.

    "Put it on."

    The scent of pine mingled with a hint of tobo drifted to her nose. She bit her lip, reached up to take the coat off her head, and put it on. Damon''s warmth still lingered in the coat.

    N lowered her gaze, subconsciously gripping the hom of the suit jacket. Besides rk, this was the first time she had worn another ihan''s clothes, especially in such an awkward and disheveled state. The next moment, Damon got into the car, calmly instructing the driver to start driving

    As the car pulled away, N caught sight of rk''s car passing by, causing her heart to skip a beat. It wasn''t until rk''s car disappeared from view that she breathed a sigh of relief. Regaining herposure, she turned to Damon. "Uncle Damon, thank you for today. Please drop me off at where one can find a taxi."

    Damon turned to look at her indifferently. "What do you think the taxi drivers will make of you in your current state?"

    N turned extremely embarrassed. She had been so anxious to escape that she had forgotten to change her clothes. It was true-she wasn''t presentable for hailing a taxi now. *Then please just drop me off at the entrance of my building."

    "Mm."

    Damon watched her, his brows suddenly furrowing. His piercing gaze made N''s palms sweat nervously. She kept feeling that he was displeased.

    "Uncle Damon... what''s wrong?"

    "You''re sitting on my documents."

    Realization finally struck N. When she had gotten into the car earlier, she felt something underneath her. However, she had been so afraid that rk woulde and drag her back that she ignored it. "I''m sorry..."

    She quickly picked up the documents, hesitating about whether to hand them to Damon

    Spencer, in the passenger seat, reached out and took the documents from her when he sensed her embarrassment. "Ms. Jayston, give them to me."

    N knew that Damon probably wouldn''t touch those documents again.

    The car fell into silence, and no one spoke.

    It wasn''t until the Maybach stopped at the entrance of The Fleur that N breathed a sigh of relief. Being in a confined space with Damon was too overwhelming. It had kept her tense involuntarily. She pushed open the door and got out of the car. "Uncle Damon, thank you for today. I''ll wash the jacket and send it to yourpany''s reception."

    "No need, just throw it away."

    N''s grip on the car door tightened, her fingertips turning white. She bit her lip and lowered her gaze, speaking softly. "Okay, sorry for the trouble, Uncle Damon."

    As soon as she closed the door, the ck Maybach began to drive away. Based on Damon''s earlier attitude, she guessed he didn''t like her.

    Damon was naturally aloof, and their few encounters had been far from pleasant. It was only natural he disliked her.

    N turned and slowly walked toward her apartmentplex, soon disappearing into the stairwell.

    Inside the ck Maybach, Spencer kept his head down and stayed silent, sensing Damon''s icy aura. had thought Damon might show some leniency since N was his niece-inw.

    He

    Given that Damon had dismissed the coat N tried to return, it was clear he was cold toward all women except Marie. Spencer made a mental note never to act on his own again.

    Damon closed his eyes to rest, but he could still smell the faint scent of gardenias from N''s presence in the car, making him inexplicably irritable. "Open the windows."

    The rear windows rolled down halfway, letting in a cold breeze that dispersed the lingering gardenia scent.

    Damon finally felt his irritation ease.

    Suddenly, Spencer''s phone buzzed. He opened the message, frowning as he read it.

    "Mr. Damon, Mr. rk has gone to see your sister-inw... Jordyn is there too. It seems she has been staying at the vi for a few days. Your sister-inw ns to have her keep the baby." Damon sneered. "Cindy''s getting more foolish by the day."

    "Should we inform the family?"

    "No need. Pull our men back."

    Damon had already warned rk out of kindness. If rk and Cindy couldn''t see reason, they would have no business thinking about taking over the Sumner Group.

    When rk arrived at his parents'' house and saw Jordyn and Cindy chatting andughing together, a cold glint shed in his eyes.

    He was utterly sick of Jordyn. After taking his money, she had disappeared from the hospital and then from his life. She had only resurfaced to inform N of her pregnancy while he was on a business trip, furth Now, she had cozied up to his mother, clearly winning her over.

    "Mom, what is the meaning of this?"

    Cindy noticed his scowl and calmly sipped her coffee before replying, "Sit down. Let''s talk about Jordyn''s pregnancy."

    rk nced at Jordyn, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "There''s nothing to discuss. This child is not to

    be born."

    He had made one mistake and wouldn''t repeat it. If this child were born, his rtionship with N would be beyond repair.

    Cindy mmed her cup down in anger. "That''s your child and my grandchild. How can you dismiss it so easily?"

    "It''s just an ident. If you want a grandchild, N and I will work on it."

    "Work on it? How many years have you been married? Every time we visit the family, do you know what your aunts say? If she can''t have children, maybe she should step aside."

    rk turned icy. He stared at Cindy, enunciating each word clearly. "Mom, I will not divorce N, and I will not marry this woman. If you keep talking like this, I won''te around anymore. As for her pregnancy As he finished speaking, six burly bodyguards entered the room, moving to grab Jordyn and take her away.

    Cindy mmed the table. "I dare you to touch her!"

    The bodyguards paused, recognizing Cindy''s authority as rk''s mother. She wouldn''t harm her son but could make life difficult for them. They feared the repercussions of her retribution.

 Chapter 19

    "Take her to the hospital." rk was cold, his gaze devoid of any warmth as he looked at Jordyn.

    Under his gaze, Jordyn felt despair and sadness, tears streaming down her cheeks. "rk, I truly love you Can''t Mrs. Summer ept me and the baby I''m carrying?"

    rk was full of disgust. "You''re just a mistress. What right do you have topare yourself to her?"

    Jordyn felt humiliated, choking back sobs. "During the time we were together, did you ever love me, even a little?"

    rk sneered. "Do you know any man who falls for an escort?"

    He had entertained Jordyn only because she pursued him aggressively and was willing to do anything in bed. Love and sex were clearly distinct in his mind.

    The color drained from Jordyn''s face-she looked as if she might copse.

    She couldn''t believe rk saw her as nothing more than a disposable ything. She refused to ept this. After all her efforts to get pregnant, she couldn''t stand being discarded like trash. "Please, Ms. Cindy, save my baby. I don''t want to lose him. He''s your grandson too."

    When she came to Cindy, she brought along the report for her baby''s gender identification. Cindy had shown her kindness only because the child she carried was a boy.

    Cindy immediately went to Jordyn''s side, taking her hand and ring at rk. "If you dare take her away today, I will die right here in front of you!"

    Cindy never thought N was good enough for rk, believing someone from a fallen family had no ce by his side. She intended to use Jordyn to

    force a divorce between them. Jordyn herself would never be epted into the Sumners either. She was merely a means to an end.

    rk frowned. "Mom, have you forgotten the family rules set by Grandpa? If you let Jordyn have this child, I will have nothing to do with the Sumner Group.

    Cindy was appalled, then she gritted her teeth. "You don''t need to worry about that. I can ensure they won''t find out."

    "Uncle Damon already knows. Do you think you can keep it a secret?"

    Cindy was shocked. "How does Damon know?"

    "That''s irrelevant. What matters now is getting rid of this baby."

    Seeing Cindy hesitate, Jordyn felt a surge of fear. "Ms. Cindy, this is your grandson. How can you be so cruel?"

    Jordyn looked pitiful as she cried, but Cindy

    didn''t spare her a nce. Compared to an unborn child, rk was far more important. Children couldeter, but if rk fell out of favor with Richard, he would never inherit the Sumner Group. With a hardened heart, Cindy ordered, "Take her to the hospital.ˇ±

    Jordyn was dragged away, wailing. She was soon thrown into a car and driven to the hospital.

    12

    Cindy red at rk, her face twisted with anger. "Are you satisfied now?"

    "Mom, please stay out of my affairs with N. Whether you like her or not, she''s my wife, and it''s not your ce to discipline her."

    Seeing rk defend N only fueled Cindy''s anger. "Am I wrong? She''s not worthy of you. Married for three years and not a single child. She just freeloads off you. What''s the point of keeping a woman like tha rk frowned, about to speak, when his phone rang. Seeing it was a call from the vi, he answered.

    "Mr. Sumner, I went to call Mrs. Sumner for dinner, but she wasn''t in her room. The security footage shows she got into Mr. Damon''s car...

 Chapter 20

    "Send me the surveince footage."

    After the call ended, the maid quickly sent the video.

    As rk watched N jump from the second floor, disheveled, into Damon''s car, his expression grew darker. When he drove past earlier, Damon didn''t even call out to him. Damon never meddled in others'' business-why was he helping N?

    The thought of N being seen in such a state by another man ignited rk''s fury. He didn''t need to guess. She had likely returned to her rented apartment.

    Cindy, having seen the footage too, gritted her teeth. "I told you she''s not good enough for you. Look at what she''s wearing! She''s brought shame to the Summers!" rk''s expression was one of frustration as he red at Cindy. "Mom, this is my fault. You judge N without even knowing the whole story. Isn''t that unfair? "What do you mean? I''m standing up for you, and you''re defending her? I''m your mother! Don''t you want what''s best for you?"

    think I

    Seeing Cindy''s pained expression, rk felt a wave of irritation. "This is between N and me. You don''t need to help me. Just stop belittling my wife in front of me."

    Without waiting for her response, he turned and left quickly. He didn''t go back to the vi but headed to N''s apartment.

    N had ordered takeout and was in the shower back at her apartment. Just as she finished drying her hair, she got a call from Wren.

    "Wren, what''s up?"

    Wren''s gentle voice came through. "N, I just wanted to ask if you''ve started working recently."

    N hadn''t nned to hide this from them, and with Lucia''s hospital visit, it wouldn''t stay a secret for long, "Yes, I have."

    There was a long silence on the other end before Wren spoke again. "Are you and rk fighting?"

    N had been preparing for pregnancy recently, so this sudden decision to work suggested something had happened.

    "It''s not exactly a fight." N lowered her gaze, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair. "Wren, it''s a long story. I''ll exin when we have time."

    Wren sighed. "I don''t understand young people''s issues, but rk seems like a good kid. Every couple has arguments. You need to understand and support each other to make it work."

    N bit her lip, saying nothing. rk had been good at pretending. If she hadn''t discovered his affair, she might still be fooled into thinking he was a good husband.

    A sudden knock at the door startled her. She walked toward it, saying into the phone, "Wren, my takeout

    T

    is here. I''ll talk to youter. If

    ole anything about my dad, please let me know

    After hanging up, she called out, "Just leave the takeout at the door."

    Without a peephole or installed surveince, she couldn''t see who was outside. She waited by the door, estimating when the person would leave, before opening it. When she saw rk outside, her first instinct was to shut the door, but rk''s hand blocked it. "N, I''m sorry about today... I was too impulsive..."

    N felt nothing seeing the guilt on his face. "I don''t want to see you right now."

    "N, I promise I won''t force myself on you again. Can you give me another chance? I will make it up to

    you."

    rk spoke earnestly, but N only felt likeughing. There would be no such thing as just one affair- there would always be more. She would never forgive him. However, if she said something to provoke him, he definitely wouldn''t leave tonight.

 Chapter 21

    "Got it, but I need some time to process this. Please leave now."

    rk frowned, noticing N''s indifference. "N, I said I''d give you time, but can you stop pushing me

    away?"

    Frustrated by his persistence, N looked him in the eye. "You say you''ll give me time, but have your really? The day after I found out about your affair, you tried to force yourself on me, and today you did it again.

    "From the start, I haven''t seen any real remorse from you. You''re just trying to smooth things over quic

    quickly, but I can''t move on that fast. At least not right now. Do you understand?"

    Seeing the redness in N''s eyes, rk felt a pang of guilt and regret. He reached out to hold her, but she stepped back and avoided his touch, leaving his hand suspended awkwardly in the air.

    "rk, in all these years of marriage, I''ve never wronged you. We''ve been together for eight years, not eight months or eight days.

    "You betrayed me and expect me to ept it quickly. Do you think that''s possible? Unless my feelings for you were fake, no normal person could adjust that quickly.

    "I can''t calmly ept your infidelity so soon. I''m begging you, please stop pushing me."

    Initially, N just wanted rk to leave, but as she spoke, she couldn''t help but choke up.

    Ever since discovering rk''s affair, she had been trying not to think about him. She would

    keep herself busy enough to fall asleep the moment she hit the bed, hoping time would dull the pain of betrayal. However, rk''s relentless pressure left her no time to heal. rk''s heart ached at the sight of her tear-filled eyes. "N... I''m sorry..."

    Ever since N mentioned divorce, he had apologized many times, but this was the first time it felt

    sincere.

    N wiped her tears, gradually regaining herposure. "Just go. I don''t want to see you right now."

    rk pressed his lips together, wanting to stay but knowing she wouldn''t agree. He nodded reluctantly. You''re living alone outside, so be careful. If anything happens, call me."

    N didn''t respond, her expression cold.

    As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of a ck suit jacket draped over the sofa. He paused, recognizing it as the one Damon had worn during his visit.

    Damon, who never meddled in others'' affairs, not only helped N leave the vi today but also gave her his jacket. Thest time they went to the family home, rk noticed Damon''s subtle nces at N. Despite this, Damon was his uncle, and he had no interest in women. It must be a coincidence.

    Not wanting to dwell on it, rk quickly left.

    Downstairs, he received a call from his subordinate.

    "Mr. Sumner, the doctor refuses to perform the abortion on Ms. Cheatham. Her uterine lining is too thin,

    Chagar 21

    and there''s a high risk of severe bleeding

    Clerk''s expression darkened instantly "Find another doctor. There must be someone willing to do it."

    He hung up abruptly.

    The subordinate, fearing the consequences, hesitated before calling Cindy

    After hearing the situation Cindy hesitated for a long time before making a decision. "Bring her back!"

    rk didn''t visit N for the rest of the weekend and the enjoyed a rare period of calm

    On Monday morning, N had just awed at the R&D department when Genevieve stormed in, furious, She confronted Lucia in front of everyone tua,e to my office right now!"

 Chapter 22

    Instantly, everyone in the R&D department turned their eyes to Lucia.

    Genevieve had never spoken to Lucia in such a harsh tone before, leaving Lucia more surprised than embarrassed. "Genevieve... what''s wrong?"

    Genevieve didn''t respond and simply turned to walk back to her office.

    As Lucia felt the curious gazes of her colleagues, her face turned red with embarrassment. When her eyes met N''s, her anger red even more. She was certain N was waiting to see her make a fool of he Suppressing her rage, she bit her lip and followed Genevieve into the office.

    As soon as the door closed, Genevieve threw a document onto the desk in front of her. Take a look!"

    Her tone was full of disappointment, and her gaze on Lucia was disapproving.

    Confused, Lucia picked up the document and began to browse. Her face grew paler with each page, and her hands started to shake. How could this have happened?

    Upon

    seeing Lucia''s guilty expression, Genevieve''s voice grew colder. "I used to think you were meticulous in your work. Do you even realize what you''ve done? Tampering with experimental data? Do you know how "Genevieve... I know I was wrong. I just wanted to make our data look better..."

    Genevieve let out a bitterugh. "Are you sure you only wanted the data to look better? The first batch ofb mice showed variousplications, yet you didn''t record any of it. You falsified the records, saying e Lu panicked under Genevieve''s icy stare. She had been so careful-how had she gotten caught?

    Suddenly, she thought of N. The details in the report matched the timeline since N joined thepany. It had to be herl

    N had been there only a week and had already noticed the falsified data.

    Lucia bit her lip hard, seething with anger and hatred. She wished she could storm back to the department and p N, that wretched woman!

    "Genevieve... I''m so sorry. We''ve been developing this drug for over a year with no progress. I got desperate and made a terrible mistake. Please, forgive me this one time. I swear it won''t happen again!" Genevieve stared at Lucia coldly, scrutinizing her.

    Lucia couldn''t meet her eyes and looked down, feeling even guiltier.

    After a few long minutes of silence, Genevieve finally spoke. "I''ve already reported this to the headquarters. I''ll try to speak on your behalf, but the final decision is out of my hands."

    For years, Genevieve had believed Lucia to be diligent and conscientious. But after seeing the report exposing her data falsification, she lost all respect for Lucia and had no intention of covering for her. Lucia looked up in disbelief. "Genevieve... you could have covered this up for me. Why did you report it to

    the headquarters? Does one mistake erase all the hard work I''ve done?"

    She had spent countless nights working on experiments, sometimes even sleeping in theb. Why was Genevieve focusing only on her mistake and not acknowledging her efforts?

    When Genevieve saw that Lucia showed no real remorse, her voice hardened. "The hard work you''ve

    done is what you''re paid for, especially when ites to developing life-saving drugs. I can ept failure in experiments, but I will not tolerate fraud. No excuses."

 Chapter 23

    It was clear to Lucia that Genevieve wasn''t going to let her off the hook. She took a deep breath and said slowly, "I understand. Whatever decision thepany makes, I will ept it."

    With that, she turned and left.

    As soon as she exited Genevieve''s office, she could no longer contain her anger. She stormed back to the R&D department.

    N was engrossed in her work, looking through some documents, when she heard the sound of hurried. footsteps approaching from behind. As soon as she turned around, a pnded hard across her face. N looked up, her gaze cold as she stared at Lucia.

    Despite herself, Lucia felt a flicker of fear under N''s clear, unyielding gaze and instinctively wanted to step back. But once she remembered the report N had filed against her, her confidence returned, and "This p is just a lesson for scheming against me behind my back. If you dare-

    Before Lucia could finish her sentence, N grabbed her hair and pped her back just as hard.

    Lucia was stunned-she never expected the usually gentle N to retaliate. By the time she regained her, senses, her face was flushed with rage.

    "How dare you hit me?!" she yelled, raising her hand to strike N again, but her wrist was caught mid-air She leered at N, her eyes zing.

    N leaned in, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear. "Are you sure you want to make a scene and let everyone know you tampered with the data? The R&D department has more than just your gets the best projects and resources. Do you think the others will stay quiet if they find out?"

    Lucia''s expression changed. The final decision from the headquarters hadn''te through yet. If she caused amotion now, it could make things worse for her.

    Gritting her teeth, she spat, "You just wait!"

    She wrenched her hand free and stormed off, thinking about how her father had connections with some higher-ups who might be able to help her.

    After Lucia left, a female colleague who was on good terms with N approached her. "N, your face is swollen. There are some ice packs in the fridge. Let me get one for you to reduce the swelling." N nodded. "Thank you, but I''ll go get it myself. Don''t let me disrupt your work."

    She quickly walked to the break room, found a clean towel, and wrapped an ice pack in it, pressing it gently against her swollen cheek. The pain made her wince slightly.

    She wondered how long it would take for the swelling to go down. She cherished her appearance-what

    woman didn''t?

    In hindsight, she thought she should have hit Lucia even harder.

    Near the railing on the second floor of the department, Spencer, who had watched the whole scene unfold, couldn''t help but remark, "I didn''t expect Ms. Jayston to be so tough despite her gentle appearance." Damon remained expressionless, but a hint of interest appeared in his eyes. It seemed his niece-inw wasn''t the meek and docile person he had thought. Confronting enemies head-

    on like that might not always be beneficial in the workce, but it wasn''t his concern.

    "Let''s go," he said.

    They hade to check on the progress of an experiment but ended up witnessing an unexpected drama instead.

    Spencer hurried to catch up with him. "Mr. Sumner, should we investigate what happened?"

 Chapter 24

    Damon gave him a cool nce. "It seems like you have a lot of free timetely.

    "No, no, not at all. I still have plenty of files to sort through this afternoon... Spencer quickly ducked hist head, silently vowing to rein in his curiosity next time.

    After N iced her cheek for about ten minutes, the buming pain subsided, so she returned to her desk.

    As soon as she sat down, her colleague, Sasha Yates, rolled her chair over and whispered, "N, everyone is talking about what happened between you and Lucia. What happened? Why did she suddenly hit y N didn''t want to blow things out of proportion. If she made a big deal out of it, Lucia might lose her job Considering she had just joined thepany, forcing Lucia out would make her colleagues think she wa Besides, despite Lucia''s recent data tampering, she had produced some valuable research in the p and thepany would likely handle the matter privately.

    past,

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing, just some personal issues."

    Seeing that N didn''t want to borate, Sasha didn''t press further. "Okay, but be careful. Lucia may seem understanding and easygoing, but she holds grudges. After this, she will certainly to target you." "I understand."

    N knew Lucia would hold a grudge but wasn''t worried. As long as she acted with integrity, she had nothing to fear from Lucia''s schemes.

    Meanwhile, Lucia called her father. After exining the situation, Clement replied, "Got it. I''ll make a call." Lucia waited anxiously. Even if she had to leave Park Pharmaceuticals, it couldn''t be because of data ta Thankfully, Clement acted quickly. He called back shortly, reassuring her that everything was handled.

    Since Lucia''s actions hadn''t caused significant damage, thepany intended only a minor punishment- docking her one month''s sry and giving her a verbal warning.

    Near the end of the workday, Genevieve called Lucia to her office to discuss the resolution from the headquarters.

    Despite Lucia''s frustration at Genevieve for reporting the incident, Lucia knew it was unwise to confront her superior. "I understand, I will take this as a lesson and ensure it never happens again." Genevieve remained indiffefent. "Good. This matter is being handled privately by thepany. Don''t spread the word about your sry deduction, or thepany will have to take more serious action." "I understand... But what about the person who reported me? What does thepany n to do about

    them?" Losing a month''s sry wasn''t a big deal, but Lucia couldn''t let this go unchallenged. If she had to suffer, so should N.

    "The report was anonymous. There''s no way to find out who did it, so this matter is closed. Don''t dwell on it."

    Lucia bit her lip. "It had to be N. The reported experiments match the ones we''ve been conducting since she joined. The data and timeline fit perfectly."

    Genevieve frowned, clearly displeased. "You have evidence to support that im?"

    "The timing of the experiments listed in the report is evidence."

    Genevieve''s gaze hardened. "You never considered that someone from your own team might have framed N? They''ve been working with you all along and are fully aware of your data tampering. It wouldn''t I

 Chapter 25

    "No way! They wouldn''t betray me!"

    "If you think it''s N, then show me evidence. If you don''t have any, keep your mouth shut. Thepany is already being lenient with you, so don''t push your luck." Facing Genevieve''s prating gaze, Lucia felt like all her schemes wereid bare. She lowered her head, feeling a bit guilty. "I understand. I''ll go back to work now." Genevieve didn''t respond and picked up a file to read.

    Lucia knew that G

    Genevieve was clearly angry, so she didn''t dare say more and left the office quietly.

    Back in the R&D department, the first thing she did was walk over to N''s desk.

    "N, ying dirty tricks behind someone''s back isn''t a real skill. I suggest you focus on your work. After all, you''ve got a three- month probation period. If anything goes wrong, you won''t get the permanent position. Don''t you agree?

    N remained expressionless at Lucia''s smug expression, lowering her gaze to continue reading her documents.

    Before Lucia could say more, the woman next to her snapped, "Hey, are you deaf or mute? Didn''t you hear Lucia talking to you?"

    "Oh, Mabel, don''t be so harsh. I just wanted to warn someone who only dares to y tricks behind others backs," Lucia interjected.

    Mabel O''Neill snorted. "If anyone dares to mess with you again, I''ll make sure they can''t stay in the R&D department!"

    N frowned. Lucia and Mabel''s constant chatter was so annoying she couldn''t focus on her work. Her expression turned cold. "Lucia, thatment about ying dirty tricks fits you better. If you''re really that Lucia was taken aback before she red at N with a gaze full of venom. "Very well. We''ll see about that."

    ANE

    She then dragged Mabel away.

    Finally, it was quiet again.

    N thought she could finally concentrate on her research. Immersed in several papers, she took notes as she went. Before she knew it, it was well past working hours.

    The ringing of her phone snapped her back to reality, and she saw it was already past 6:00 p.m.

    Seeing rk''s name on the caller ID, she hesitated. If she didn''t answer, he might just show up at her apartment. With a sigh, she answered the call. She didn''t want to confront him until she had the means to handle him.

    "What''s up?"

    Her voice must have sounded too cold because there was a brief silence on the other end.

    "N, the weather is getting cooler. Patricia told me you didn''t bring your fall clothes. I''ve brought some for you."

    N lowered her gaze. "Where are you now?"

    "Downstairs at your office."

    "Give me five minutes."

    She hung up, quickly shut down herputer, packed up, and left.

    As she stepped out of the building, she spotted the ck Cayenne parked by the curb.

    rk, dressed in a gray suit, leaned against it. His tall frame and handsome features drew many admiring nces.

    N walked up to him quickly, her expression indifferent. "Where are the clothes?"

    rk''s eyes lit up with joy upon seeing her, but his expression quickly shifted. He reached out to touch

    her cheek, catching her off guard. She didn''t pull back until his warm palm cupped her face.

    rk''s gaze turned dark and cold, and he exuded a menacing aura. "Who did this?"

 Chapter 26

    N indifferently looked away from the anger practically pouring from rk''s eyes. "No one. I tripped and fell."

    "You fell and managed to p yourself on the face?"

    N lowered her gaze and spoke softly. "This is my business. Can you just leave it alone?"

    rk grabbed her hand firmly, his voice serious. "You are my wife. Someone hit my wife, and you think I can just ignore that?"

    "I told you it''s my business, and I''ve already handled it. Just give me the clothes."

    After a moment of tense silence, rk relented, seeing N wasn''t going to say more.

    "Let me drive you home."

    "No need. The subway takes just ten minutes."

    rk frowned at the resistance and cold distance in N''s eyes.

    "N, I''m not asking you to forgive me right now. But I hope you won''t reject my kindness. Otherwise, can''t guarantee what I might do."

    A flicker of sarcasm crossed N''s eyes as she caught the threat in hisst words.

    "rk, is this what you mean by not forcing me anymore?"

    "I just want to drive you home. How is that forcing you?"

    Seeing his self-righteousness, N pressed her lips together, too tired to argue. She knew he would only stick to his point.

    She quickly thought it through. She might as well use a free driver and avoid the crowded subway, so she replied, "Fine, then. Thanks." Seeing her agree, rk finally smiled.

    rk left after dropping her off at home and helping carry the clothes upstairs.

    Back in his car, he didn''t start the engine but called his secretary instead.

    "I want to know who hit my wife today at Park Pharmaceuticals within half an hour."

    After rk left, N dragged the suitcase to her bedroom and started unpacking. It was mostly long sleeves and autumn coats and pants-clothes she often wore.

    The way they were folded suggested rk had packed them himself. For a moment, she felt a twinge of softness, but remembering his betrayal quickly erased it.

    Once she was done organizing her clothes, she headed to the kitchen to make dinner.

    Her current life, though much busier than being a housewife, felt fulfilling. She had no desire to return to waiting at home for rk every day. Besides, they could never go back.

    At 10:00 p.m. in a VIP room of a bar in Saintornia.

    rk sat on the sofa, his expression icy as he looked at the woman kneeling on the floor in disarray. His gaze was cold and unforgiving.

    Feeling rk''s oppressive aura, Lucia couldn''t stop trembling, her heart full of fear.

    "Ms. Pord..."

    At the sound of rk''s voice, Lucia shuddered violently.

    Tonight, she hade to the bar with Mabel to celebrate not being fired. However, after a few drinks and some dancing, several men in ck had suddenly dragged her out and brought her there. The moment she saw rk, she immediately knew he was there about her hitting N earlier that day.

    "Mr. Sumner, I was wrong... Please, let me go..."

    Her terror and desperation satisfied rk. He raised an eyebrow. "How did you p my wife today? p yourself the same way now. When I''m satisfied, I''ll let you go. How about that?" Lucia bit her lip, trying to suppress her fear.

    Just as she was about to speak, rk seemed to read her mind and added, "Ms. Pord, if you''re reluctant to, that''s fine. Just know that the Pords won''t be able to survive in Saintornia anymore."

 Chapter 27

    rk''s nonchnt words made Lucia feel like she had fallen into an icy abyss. She knew all too well that he had the power to follow through, and the Pordscked the means to resist.

    She raised her hand and pped herself hard across the face. "Keep going."

    At first, Lucia felt the sting on her face, but after a while, her cheeks went numb, and she was simply repeating the action mechanically. She didn''t know how long it had been or how many ps she had dealt he Just as Lucia felt she might pass out, rk finally got

    up and walked over to her. He looked down at her as if she were an insignificant insect. "Ms. Pord, I hope you remember this lesson. Avoid my wife in the future. Next time, I won''t be so lenient."

    With that, he walked past her without waiting for a reaction, followed by his bodyguards who had been there to prevent her escape.

    The room was soon empty except for Lucia.

    Her tightly wound emotions finally unraveled, and she covered her face, sobbing uncontrobly. She had never suffered such humiliation in her life.

    "N! I swear I won''t let you off so easily!" Lucia thought resentfully.

    When Lucia got home and saw her swollen face in the mirror, her hatred for N intensified. It had to be N whoined to rk, which was why he came to find fault with her tonight.

    The thought filled Lucia with anger and jealousy. The Jaystons had gone bankrupt and were now beneath the Pords. So why did N get to marry rk while she couldn''t even secure a wealthy heir as her

    husband?

    She resolved to find a man of higher status than rk and crush N under her feet!

    As rk exited the bar, he received a call from his subordinate. Whatever was said made his expression darken considerably, and he hung up before driving straight to Cindy''s ce.

    Cindy was waiting in the living room, not surprised at all by the anger on rk''s face. "There''s no need for you to be angry. I''ve decided to keep the child."

    rk''s face turned ashen. "Mom, are you out of your mind? If the others find out, you know the

    consequences."

    "The doctor said that an abortion could be fatal for both mother and child. Besides, if you hadn''t been reckless, this child wouldn''t exist. Let her have the baby, and I''ll handle everything." "How exactly do you n to handle it?"

    "We''ll take it one step at a time. Besides, you and N have been married for years, and she still isn''t

    pregnant. Who knows if she can even have children? If she can''t, then Jordyn''s child can be raised by her."

    rk fell silent. He and N had been intimate often, and they hadn''t deliberately used protection. Yet, even after trying for several months, they still had no children. Cindy''s suggestion made him question whe Seeing his silence, Cindy continued. "This is decided. Your father and Elijah can''t take over the Sumner Group. The old man won''t kick you out over a woman."

    rk frowned. "Mom, have you forgotten about Uncle Damon?"

    If Damon wanted toe back and inherit the Sumner Group, all of rk''s efforts over the years would

    be in vain.

    Cindy sneered. "Don''t worry. He doesn''t stand a chance against you."

 Chapter 28

    rk sensed there was more to Cindy''s words. He was about to inquire further when a maid assisted the semi-drunk Cyrus Sumner into the living room.

    rk frowned upon seeing Cyrus and simply said, "Mom, I''m heading back now."

    With that, he turned and walked past Cyrus to leave.

    Cyrus frowned but said nothing.

    Back at the vi, rk called his secretary, Michael Parkin, instructing him to purchase a mansion in Jordyn''s name.

    Michael sounded surprised. "Mr. Sumner, if Mrs. Sumner finds out..."

    "Be discreet. Don''t let anyone know, especially N."

    If N found out Jordyn was keeping the baby, she would be more determined to divorce him. Thinking about it made rk feel troubled.

    "Alright, I understand."

    Ending the call, Michael sighed softly..

    This was no different from pushing N away. rk''s affair was already unforgivable-now, keeping a woman outside was like digging their marriage''s grave.

    Michael knew he was just a secretary and had to do as rk ordered.

    Over the next few days, Lucia took leave and did note to work.

    N officially entered theb to start developing drugs. She thought life would continue quietly, but Cindy came to her on Friday night.

    They met at a restaurant near N''spany.

    Just as they sat down, Cindy said, "I heard you moved out because rk has another woman outside."

    N paused flipping through the menu and looked up at Cindy.

    Seeing Cindy''s displeasure, N closed the menu and said calmly, "It seems like in your eyes, this is just a trivial matter."

    "Of course. If rk didn''t like you, do you think you could marry into the Sumners with your background? As the wife of the future decision-

    maker of the Sumner Group, you''ll only hold rk back if you can''t even tolerate this."

    N chuckled at Cindy''s self-righteousness.

    When N and rk were fine, she wouldn''t argue with Cindy, even if thetter said things she didn''t like, out of respect for Cindy being rk''s mother. But she didn''t intend to endure it anymore.

    "It seems you must have had a lot of experience when you were young, given your tolerance."

    It was said that when Cyrus

    was young, he had many admirers, and his womanizer reputation spread throughout the upper ss in Saintornia. Because of this reputation, Richard removed him from the candidate list of sessors to the S Group and began to train rk.

    Cindy scowled, her eyes betraying her revulsion. "Is this your attitude when you talk to your elders? Your upbringing is truly exceptional!"

    N stood up nonchntly. "I don''t need you to worry about my upbringing. If you have time, it would be best to keep an eye on your son because I really can''t understand what kind of family would raise a married man who has an affair."

    The mockery in her tone infuriated Cindy. She took the water in front of N and sshed it on her face.

    N wanted to avoid it, but it was toote. The water sshed onto her face, and the side of her hair and coat were immediately soaked. She frowned, about to speak when suddenly a few tissues were handed to her.

    "Here, wipe yourself."

    N was surprised to see Damon handing her the tissues. She took them and murmured a thank you. Cindy hadn''t expected to run into Damon there, especially not while he witnessed her sshing water at her daughter-inw. She felt a momentary flush of embarrassment.

    "Damon... What are you doing here?"

    "I just came for a meal with a client. I didn''t expect to witness such a spectacle."

    Cindy''s expression darkened. "I''m just teaching this inexperienced daughter-inw of mine a lesson. I am sorry you had to see this."

    Damon smirked, but his eyes held no warmth.

    "My subordinates informed me earlier that you intend to keep the child that rk h they had it wrong. I didn''t think you''d be so foolish." outside. I thought

 Chapter 29

    "It seems I''ve overestimated your kindness. After all, your son cheated first, yet you ssh water on your daughter-inw. Such a bizarre mother-inw is indeed rare."

    With each word Damon uttered, Cindy''s expression darkened further. In the end, it turned icy.

    "Damon, this is a family matter. As an outsider, it''s best you not interfere."

    Damon arched an eyebrow. "I wasn''t nning to interfere, but don''t you think it''s too much to bully a young girl like this?"

    Cindy only dared to be so audacious because she knew the Jaystons were bankrupt. Even if she treated N harshly, they couldn''t do much to her.

    Cindy gritted her teeth in anger. "Too much? Just because rk has a woman on the side, she throws a fit, moves out, and even talks about divorce. Who''s really being too much?"

    "Isn''t rk at fault for the affair in the first ce? It''s the Sumners who wronged N, not the other way around. If you can''t see this, I don''t think rk should continue working at the Sumner Group." Cindy paled, trembling uncontrobly. "Damon, whose side are you on?"

    "I''m on neither side. I''m just advising you to be a kinder person if you want your son to inherit the Sumner Group."

    Under Damon''s icy gaze, Cindy took a deep breath, picked up her bag, and left.

    "Uncle Damon, thank you... for today..."

    Damon turned to look at N. He briefly nced at her wet clothes stuck to her chest, then casually averted his gaze.

    "You don''t call me Uncle Damon for nothing. It''s the least I should do. Let me take you home. You''re in no condition to catch a cab right now."

    With that, he turned and headed toward the door,

    N followed his gaze and nced down. Her soaked white shirt had be nearly transparent, revealing a

    tantalizing hint of cleavage. She bit her lip and subconsciously covered herself, feeling her cheeks flush.

    In the car, N sat pressed against the door, trying to minimize her presence.

    Thankfully, Damon remained engrossed in his documents, not sparing even a nce her way, which put her at ease.

    When the car stopped at the entrance of The Fleur, N prepared to get out when Damon suddenly spoke. "If you want to divorce rk, I can introduce you to divorcewyers."

    Although rk was Damon''s nephew, cheating was something Damon found unforgivable. Moreover, the way Cindy had publicly treated N today showed she had little regard for her daughter-inw. N paused, her fingertips gripping the handle turning white.

    The inside of the car fell quiet for several seconds before N spoke softly. "Thank you, Uncle Damon.

    When I need it, I wille to you for help."

    Damon furrowed his brows but didn''t press further. "Okay."

    As N got out of the car and watched it disappear from view, she turned to head into her building. Unexpectedly, she saw rk standing at the entrance, ring at her with a dark expression. N''s gaze hardened as she pretended not to see him and walked past.

    As she passed by rk, he grabbed her wrist. "N, was it Uncle Damon who just dropped you off?"

    His questioning tone made N ufortable. She shook off his hand coldly. "It''s none of your business.

    rk blocked her path, about to speak, when he noticed her partially damp shirt. His expression darkened further. "What happened to your shirt?"

    Once rk thought of N being in the same car as Damon in her current state, his eyes shed with unsettling hostility. She belonged to him alone, and he would never allow another man toy a finger on

    her.

    Ny?a scoffed. "You should ask your mother about that.

 Chapter 30

    rk paused, frowning. "What do you mean?"

    "Ask her, and you''ll know," N replied curtly, then walked past him without another word.

    rk immediately called Cindy. "Mom, did you go see N today?"

    Cindy, still smarting from her confrontation with Damon at the restaurant, sneered at his question. "She went toin to you? Truly shameless!"

    rk''s eyes shed with anger. "Mom, I told you not to interfere in my matters with N. Why didn''t you

    listen?"

    "If I didn''t do it for you, do you think I''d willingly go to see her? She''s making a fuss about you having a woman on the side. Can''t even manage a woman... Others would see you as a joke if they knew!" "This is our business. If you keep going to N in secret, I won''t care about Dad''s affairs anymore."

    "You-"

    rk didn''t give her a chance to speak and hung up abruptly. He pocketed his phone, visibly frustrated.

    He hadn''t settled his affair, and now Cindy was causing trouble for N. If he were N, he wouldn''t forgive him either.

    After standing downstairs for a while, rk finally went upstairs. He took a deep breath before he knocked on the door of N''s apartment.

    Soon, N''s indifferent voice came from inside. "I don''t want to see you today. Please leave."

    A bitter feeling surged in rk''s heart. "N, I didn''t know about my mom seeing you. I just told her not to

    interfere in our affairs.

    "I just want to see you. Once I see you, I''ll leave. Okay?"

    He waited for a long time without hearing any response from inside. His heart sank. He knew very well that N wouldn''t open the door for him tonight. After lingering outside the door for a while, he turned and left.

    In the car, rk immediately called Michael. "Find out what my mom said to my wife today."

    Just as he was about to hang up, he suddenly remembered that Damon had brought N back earlier." Also, find out how Damon knows my wife."

    Damon had a rebellious personality and did things ording to his own wishes. When he was in a bad mood, he wouldn''t even do Richard and Marie favors, let alone send someone unfamiliar home. rk absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel after he set his phone down.

    If once was a coincidence for Damon, twice in a row couldn''t be idental.

    Thinking of this, rk glowered.

    He had been with N for eight years and knew very well that she was the type of woman men loved the

    most-pure yet seductive, irresistible to men,

    Even though he had strayed with Jordyn, it was only a momentary novelty, not genuine affection.

    If Damon dared to covet his woman, he wouldn''t let it go easily-even if Damon was his uncle.

    Michael acted swiftly.

    As soon as rk returned home, a video was sent over. He clicked on it, and it showed surveince footage of Cindy and N at the restaurant earlier in the evening.

    When rk saw Cindy''s assertive demeanor and the derogatory remarks she made to N, his gaze turned icy.

    It seemed he had been too lenient in what he had said to Cindy over the phone earlier. He knew Cindy didn''t approve of N. Still, he had always assumed that even if she wasn''t satisfied, she would treat N

 Chapter 31

    rk realized how badly Cindy had been treating N in private. Had she been speaking to N this way for the entire three years of their marriage whenever he wasn''t around?

    When rk saw Damon in the surveince footage, his grip on his phone tightened, his knuckles turning

    white.

    Watching Damon stand up for N made rk feel a mix of anger and helplessness. He was N''s husband. He should have been the one standing by her side, but he hadn''t been there. If N hadn''t told hir The more rk thought about it, the more guilt he felt. He had failed N and their eight years of love.

    He turned off the video and sent a message to his secretary.

    rk: [If my mother asks you to handle my father''s matters in the future, ignore her.]

    Michael: [Understood. Do you still want me to investigate your uncle?]

    rk: [Go on.]

    N had expected rk to stay away for a few days after what happenedst night. To her surprise, she opened the door the next morning to find him standing there with a bouquet. rk''s eyes lit up with hope when he saw her. "N-"

    "What do you want?" she interrupted, sounding impatient. It was a weekend, and she didn''t want rk to ruin it.

    "N, I know what happenedst night. I promise it won''t happen again. Has my mom always been like this to you? Why didn''t you ever tell me?"

    N could onlyugh. "Did you ever care? You''ve known your mother for years. Don''t you know what kind of person she is?"

    Under N''s piercing gaze, rk averted his eyes, unable to meet hers.

    Nughed mockingly. "rk, in the past three years, you''ve had plenty of chances to find out how your mother treated me in private, but you never wanted to. Isn''t that right?" rk opened his mouth to defend himself, but no words came out. What was there to say?

    Since their wedding, he hadn''t cared about her feelings as much as he used to. When sheined,

    he''d dismiss her and use work as an excuse, expecting her to handle her emotions alone. Cindy dared to treat N that way because of his inaction.

    "Haven''t I hinted at it before? You always pretended not to understand because, in your eyes, my suffering didn''t matter.

    "If it weren''t for your affair and my decision to divorce you, you might never have realized how your mother treats me."

    "N, I am sorry..."

    rk''s face was pale. Besides those four words, he didn''t know what else to say. Anything he said now would be too little, toote. Any excuse would be meaningless.

    "Ever since I found out about your affair, you''ve been apologizing. But bted apologies can''t undo the pain I''ve endured."

    N had once had faith in their love, so she endured Cindy''s hostility. She didn''t care if others thought she was unworthy of rk. As long as the two of them were happy together, it was enough. However, the moment she discovered his infidelity, her years of patience became a cruel joke.

    Now, she was done enduring.

 Chapter 32

    Seeing the disappointment in N''s eyes, rk felt as if a hand was squeezing his heart, making it hard to breathe.

    "N, I know that no matter what promises I make now, you won''t believe me. But I will prove it with my actions. I will keep my word."

    N had no intention of listening to his promises. She brushed past him and walked away.

    Just as rk was about to follow her, his phone in his pocket rang. He answered, and his secretary''s serious voice came through. "Mr. Sumner, there''s a problem with one of our deals." rk''s expression darkened. "I''ll be there right away."

    By the time he ran to the exit of theplex, all he saw was N getting into a taxi and

    leaving. He pursed his lips, turned around, got into his car, and drove to thepany. Once he dealt with work, he woulde back to sort things out with N.

    When N arrived at the restaurant, Vrie was already there.

    "N, you''re finally here! I''ve got some gossip to share with you."

    N sat down across from Vrie, ced her bag on the chair next to her, and raised an eyebrow. "What gossip?"

    "I heard that Lucia somehow pissed off rk a week ago and got pped in a private room. Her face was so swollen she looked like a pig."

    N paused as she was about to pour herself some water. She looked up at Vrie. "Who told you that?"

    "A girl I''m friends with. She was at the bar that night and saw the whole thing."

    N looked down, saying nothing, but she understood. rk must have investigated

    the incident and punished Lucia for hitting her. However, his actions would only make Lucia hate her more and make her life at thepany even harder. "N... N?"

    N snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Vrie. "What is it, Vrie?"

    Vrie looked exasperated. "That''s what I wanted to ask you. I''ve called your name several times, and you were daydreaming. What were you thinking about?" "Nothing much..." N shook her head. "I probably didn''t sleep wellst night. By the way, why did you suddenly ask me out to go shopping today?" Vrie, who usually preferred staying in bed over the weekend, had unexpectedly asked her out.

    A blush crept up Vrie''s cheeks. "His birthday ising up, and I want to pick out a gift for him. I thought you could help me choose."

    Seeing Vrie''s shy and expectant look, N couldn''t help but tease her. "Who was it that swore off rtionships and called them foolish?"

    Vrie fested her chin in her hands, her gaze full of tenderness. "That was before I met him. After I met him, I realized I''m filled with anticipation before I sleep every night because I get to say good morning to him the next day the moment I open my eyes."

    N pretended to be grossed out. "Alright, enough with the mushy stuff. If you keep being this lovey- dovey, I''m going home."

    "Okay, okay, I''ll stop."

    Vrie noticed N was smiling, but there was a sadness in her eyes that she couldn''t hide. She sighed inwardly. She had invited N out because she didn''t want her to stay cooped up at home.

    It had only been a short time since N found out about rk''s affair. When N was alone, she would likely be lost in thought or even cry in secret, but she always put on a facade of calm in front of others. Vrie didn''t want to bring up rk and reopen her wounds. She just hoped N could move on soon and start a new chapter in her life.

    After lunch, they headed to the mall.

    As soon as they walked into a men''s clothing store, Vrie''s eyesnded on a ck suit disyed in the center of the store.

    "Could you take that suit down for me to see?"

    "I''d like that suit, please!"

 Chapter 33

    Two very different voices spoke at the same time.

    Vrie turned around and saw a tall woman not far behind her. The woman, Jacqueline Rainford, had fair skin and wavy hair, and wore a red strap dress. Jacqueline''s hand was pointing at the suit Vrie had her

    eye on.

    Noticing Vrie''s gaze, Jacqueline smiled and said, "Miss, I n to buy this suit as a gift for my boyfriend. We''re meeting soon. Could you let me have it?"

    Vrie really liked the suit and didn''t want to give it up, but Jacqueline''s polite request made her hesitate.

    The sales associate next to her spoke up. "Ms. Weir, this suit is the only one in our store. As a VIP customer, you have priority purchasing rights." Upon hearing this, Jacqueline''s expression immediately turned sour. There was just one suit-she must

    have it.

    "What do you mean by this? Are you showing favoritism?"

    Despite Jacqueline''s aggressive tone, the sales associate remained calm, maintaining a professional smile.

    "Miss, our VIP customers do have priority purchasing rights. Perhaps you could take a look at our other suits. We have many other excellent options-"

    Before she could finish, Jacqueline cut her off, "All the other suits in your store are too low-ss. I wouldn''t even use them as rags. This is the only one worth my time. How can I be a VIP customer?" "If you purchase suits from our store more than 12 times in a year, you can be a VIP customer."

    Jacqueline scowled. "Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"

    "Not at all. If you don''t believe me, you can check the conditions for bing a VIP at our store."

    Jacqueline snorted. "Wait, I''m going to make a call. I must get this suit today."

    She dialed a number and, with a coquettish tone, said, Tom, I found a suit that I want to buy for your birthday, but they''re making it difficult for me because I''m not a VIP."

    The person on the other end probably asked for the location. Jacqueline provided the address and hung up, then looked at the sales associate with a haughty expression. "Wait, my boyfriend will be here soon."

    Seeing Jacqueline''s arrogant demeanor, Vrie couldn''t help but roll her eyes. Why were there always people who thought they were superior to others?

    Initially, she had considered letting Jacqueline have the suit, but now she had changed her mind. Turning to the sales associate, Vrie smiled. "Please pack up the suit for me and charge my card." She handed her card to the sales associate, who took it and was about to retrieve the suit when Jacqueline blocked her way.

    "My boyfriend will be here soon. I won''t let anyone touch this suit before he arrives."

    Vrie had never encountered such an audacious person before. Raising an eyebrow, she said, "There''s a firste, first served rule for everything. Do you expect us to waste our time waiting here with you? Please move aside."

    Jacqueline red at her with disdain. "Do you know who my boyfriend is? He''s Tom Genge, the CEO of Gen Pharma. If you know what''s good for you, you''ll

    let me have this suit. Otherwise, I''ll make sure you regret it."

    As soon as Jacqueline finished speaking, N snapped her head to look at Vrie. If she remembered correctly, Vrie worked at Gen Pharma-and her boyfriend was Tom, the CEO.

    As expected, Vrie''s face turned pale, and she trembled slightly. Biting her lip, she said slowly and clearly, "Fine, I''d like to see how you n to make me regret it."

 Chapter 34

    N walked over and took Vrie''s cold hand, whispering, "Vrie, maybe there''s some misunderstanding. Don''t be too upset."

    Vrie nodded. "Mm, I know."

    She wouldn''t believe Jacqueline''s words until Tom himself confirmed them in person.

    Soon, Tom''s secretary, Fred Sailor, arrived.

    He hurried over to Jacqueline,pletely unaware of Vrie and N standing nearby. "Ms. Rainford, Mr. Genge is in a meeting, so he sent me."

    Jacqueline pointed her chin in the direction of Vrie and N. "There, they''re the ones trying to take the suit from me."

    Fred turned to speak but froze when he saw Vrie and N. His face paled.

    "Ms. Weir..."

    At that moment, Fred had only three words in his mind: "It is over."

    Vrie was Tom''s current girlfriend, while Jacqueline

    was Tom''s childhood friend. Fred hadn''t expected Jacqueline to run into Vrie on her first day back in the country, let alone in such an unpleasant situation. Noticing Fred''s unusual reaction, Jacqueline frowned. "You know her?"

    Fred had no time to answer Jacqueline''s question because Vrie was now looking at him with a half- smile. "I just heard Ms. Rainford say her boyfriend is Tom Genge. Is that correct?" "Ms. Weir, there must be some misunderstanding. Why don''t we wait until-"

    Before Fred could finish, Jacqueline cut him off coldly, "Mr. Sailor, what could be misunderstood? It''s only a matter of time before Tom and I are together. So, saying he''s my boyfriend isn''t wrong."

    Jacqueline''s eyes were filled with determination and confidence. She had grown up with Tom, and the families had always intended to match them.

    When she was in high school, she had avoided settling down too soon by studying abroad. After experiencing life overseas, she realized Tom was the best match for her. She

    returned this time with the intention of marrying him.

    Fred just wanted Jacqueline to stop talking. If she continued, Tom would likely be in big trouble

    tonight. "Ms. Weir, Ms. Rainford and Mr. Genge have known each other since childhood, so they are quite close." Before Vrie could respond, Jacqueline frowned and said, "Why are you exining to her? Wh

    Suddenly, Jacqueline seemed to realize something and looked at Vrie with a sharp, cold gaze. After scrutinizing Vrie for a few seconds, she sneered

    and raised an eyebrow. "You do have some looks. Tell me, how much does Tom pay you per month? I''ll give you ten times that amount. Just stay out of our way."

    Her words were filled with contempt, and she looked at Vrie with scorn, clearly mistaking her for

    someone who sold her body.

    However, Vrie wasn''t angry at Jacqueline''s insulting

    words. It wasn''t worth arguing with someone like her. She smiled faintly and said, "A dirty mind sees everything as dirty. I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. I am currently Tom''s legitimate girlfriend."

    Jacqueline''s face darkened, and disbelief filled her eyes. When she left, Tom had liked her. How could he possibly be with another woman?

    "Ms. Rainford, you said you and Tom''will be together sooner orter. Are you that eager to be the third party?"

    "Shut up!" Jacqueline gritted her teeth and red at Vrie. "Tom is just ying with you. With our 20-plus years of rtionship, you should know what really matters."

    "20-plus years, and you still aren''t together. Is that something to be proud of?"

    "That''s because I went abroad, giving you the chance to swoop in. Now that I''m back, do you think I can''t make him break up with you within a month?"

    Vrie smiled, but there was no warmth in her gaze.

 Chapter 35

    Paradse 31

    "No need, you can have him," Vrie said tly.

    A man entangled with other women wasn''t worth keeping-it would only cause her grief.

    Jacqueline was stunned and couldn''t respond before Vrie turned and walked away.

    Fred paled and hurried after Vrie. "Ms. Weir, this is a misunderstanding. At least give Mr. Genge a chance to exin."

    Vrie stopped and looked at him coldly. "Three months ago, he went to Meristate, and I couldn''t reach him for three days. Later, he exined he was busy with work. Was he really busy with work?"

    Seeing Fred''s momentary panic, Vrie smirked mockingly. "Now, can you still confidently say this is a misunderstanding?"

    She did like Tom, but she wasn''t a fool. She had chosen not to pursue the matter then, hoping to give him a chance, but he had let her down.

    "Mr. Genge and Ms. Rainford didn''t do anything. Ms. Rainford''s pet dog died, and she was in a bad state, so Mr. Genge-"

    "No need to exin. It''s unnecessary."

    Jacqueline''s confidence in iming Tom as her boyfriend stemmed from his usual interactions with her. He was so attentive that even a phone call from her could make him send his secretary to assist her, no matter how busy he was.

    Vrie suddenly recalled a time when she sprained her ankle while hiking. Using thest bit of her phone''s battery, she called Tom, who didn''t answer but texted back, saying he was in a meeting without even a phone died. If not for a kind couple she encountered, she might have spent the night on the mountain.

    It was today that she realized Tom wasn''t incapable of caring for someone else''s feelings. It was just that, in his eyes, she wasn''t important enough.

    As Vrie left the mall, she sent Tom a message.

    Vrie: [Let''s break up.]

    She then blocked him.

    Seeing Vrie''s red eyes, N said softly, "Vrie, if you want to cry, just cry."

    She didn''t intend to console Vrie excessively. After all, only the person involved truly understood the rtionship. From today''s events, it

    was clear that Tom hadn''t maintained appropriate boundaries with other women, allowing Jacqueline to act so arrogantly.

    Vrie wasn''t one to act impulsively. It was best to support her decision silently.

    Vrie wiped away her tears and tried to sound upbeat. "Out with the old, in with the new. Plenty of young guys are after me, and younger ones have simpler histories- no messy childhood sweethearts or female confidantes.

    "But seriously, what bad luck do we have? One husband cheats, and one boyfriend is involved with another woman."

    Seeing Vrie act tough, N felt a pang of sympathy. "Why don''t you stay at my ce tonight?"

    Being together was better than overthinking alone.

    Vrie shook her head. "No. I''ll get a hotel room and think about what to do next."

    "Are you sure you don''t need me with you?"

    "I''m sure. You know me-if I need you, I won''t be shy about it."

    "Alright."

    N didn''t insist and went home after dropping Vrie off at a hotel.

    As she

    stepped out of the elevator, she saw rk standing at her door with a glower. She frowned, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist before she could speak and asked icily, "Where did you go the night you didn''t

 Chapter 36

    N widened her eyes sharply, shaking off rk''s hand as she took a step back. "What does it have to do with you?"

    "You and Uncle Damon stayed at the same hotel that night," rk said coldly. "Not long after you left, he left too. And the hotel''s surveince footage from that lime was deliberately deleted."

    If it weren''t for a streetlight camera across from the hotel, rk wouldn''t have known any of this. The hotel''s surveince footage of N''sings and goings was deleted. If nothing shady happened, why del The more rk thought about it, the angrier he became His eyes turned even redder. What he found unusual about Damon''s behavior finally had an exnation.

    Seeing rk''s disappointed look, Nughed coldly. "rk, do you think I cheated on you just like you did, and with your uncle no less?"

    rk didn''t speak, but his bloodshot eyes were fixed on her, clearly confirming her suspicion.

    "So,v

    what now? You think I cheated on you. What are you going to do about it?"

    rk slowly clenched his hands at his sides. One was his wife, the other his uncle. Could he expose them to the world? If it had been anyone else, he would have made them suffer. But it was Damon. He coul "N..." His voice was hoarse as if he''d made a tough decision. "We both betrayed each other. Why don''t we just forgive and forget, and start over?"

    "You think that''s possible?"

    "You also betrayed me. Let''s call it even. Let''s forgive each other and go back to how things were. Isn''t that good?"

    N smirked. "I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. I never betrayed you, and I don''t intend to forgive you."

    rk frowned, doubt shing in his eyes. If she really had nothing with Damon, why would Damon help

    her so often?

    Seeing rk''s disbelief, N didn''t bother to exin further. After all, it would be him who would suffer. He should have a taste of what he had put her through-he deserved it. "Did you really... never betray me?"

    "If you like being a cuckold, think I betrayed you. Fine by me." N pushed past him, opened the door, and

    went inside.

    After resting on the couch for a bit, she opened herptop to organizest week''s experimental data when her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

    I''m not giving up. I will make rk divorce you!]

    N read it with a nk face and then deleted it. This woman truly loved rk, or she wouldn''t keeping back to provoke her like an annoying cockroach. Despite that, N was curious about what the

    woman would do next.

    If rk were to cheat on her again when she was "prepared to forgive him, he would probably feel guilty, leading to a better settlement in the divorce. Even if he weren''t filled with guilt, N would ensure he ga

    After organizing her data, N closed herptop, grabbed some ingredients from the fridge, and started making lunch. In less than half an hour, she had two dishes and a soup on the table.

    She removed her apron, served the meal, and grabbed her tablet from the sofa to the dining table. She turned on a variety show and

    watched it while eating, feeling she hadn''t had such a rxing meal in ages.

    She was naturallyid-back, but many of her habits had been forced to change by Cindy after marrying rk.

 Chapter 37

    For three years of marriage, N endured constant restrictions, only to be repaid with rk''s infidelity. Now, she was donepromising her happiness. She would livefortably on her own terms.

    After finishing her meal, N washed the dishes, brewed a pot of tea, and settled on the balcony with a book, basking in the sunlight. As she read, drowsiness overcame her, and she fell asleep on the lounge cl She washed her face in the bathroom and decided not to make dinner. Grabbing her keys, she headed out to eat. When she opened the door, she was startled to find rk standing in the shadows and instinctively took a step back.

    "N, it''s me." rk''s voice was dry, indicating he had been standing there all afternoon.

    N frowned. "What are you doing here?"

    "N, can you really not forgive me?"

    After a moment of silence, N looked at him calmly. "rk, when you cheated with your secretary, you must have spent a lot of money and effort on her, right?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Seeing the confusion in rk''s eyes, N found it somewhat amusing. Was he pretending to be oblivious?

    "You were willing to spend money and effort on a mistress, taking her out and showing her a good time. But when ites to me, all you do ise here to beg for forgiveness without offering anything else?" rk frowned, his expression shifting from confusion to disbelief. "N, as long as you forgive me, you can use my money for anything you want. Isn''t my love more important than material things?" N couldn''t help butugh. "I used to care about your love, but in the end, you betrayed me. And you weren''t even willing to spend money or effort on me. How can I believe you love me?" As the saying went, "Where a man''s money goes, his love follows."

    It was just that N didn''t care about rk''s love anymore. Since she had decided to divorce, she would take as much as she could from him, Jewelry and such personal items wouldn''t be divided in the divorce

    anyway.

    Seeing the ridicule in N''s gaze, rk pursed his lips with a dark expression as he pondered.

    N didn''t waste any more words and pressed the elevator button to leave. Given rk''s character, he would soon figure things out. Regardless of his feelings, they couldn''t divorce now. His reputation would p After eating at a restaurant near her apartment, N returned to find that rk had left. She didn''t pay it much mind, watched some variety shows, and then went to bed.

    The weekend flew by, and soon it was Monday.

    As N stepped into the R&D department, she saw a bouquet of fiery red roses on her desk, next to a

    luxury branded jewelry box. She picked up the card on the roses and opened it.

    [N, from the moment I first saw you, I felt you were like a zing rose, setting my heart on fire. I thought about it all night and decided to pursue you again. I hope you''ll give me a chance.]

    It was signed "Yours forever, rk" with a heart pierced by an arrow drawn at the end.

    N put the card in her bag and opened the jewelry box, revealing a sparkling diamond bracelet.

    Her colleague, Sasha, couldn''t help bute over, her expression envious. "N, who sent this? Is it from. a suitor? I saw that bracelet on TV. It''s worth thousands!"

    +25

 Chapter 38

    N nodded. "Yeah."

    "Your suitor must be quite wealthy. I remember that bracelet symbolizes a lifetime of love for only one person. He must really like you."

    A discreet sh of sarcasm crossed N''s eyes as she ced the bracelet back in its box. "Maybe." Seeing N''sck of enthusiasm, Sasha felt

    a bit uneasy but didn''t press further. Over time, she had learned that although N appeared gentle and approachable, she was very private about certain matters. Besides, they weren''t close enough for such i

    As N closed the jewelry box, Lucia happened to pass by. She caught a glimpse of the diamond bracelet inside and felt a surge of jealousy. After her previous experience at the bar, she decided not to confron

    In the evening, as N exited thepany, she saw rk standing a short distance away. She paused and looked at him.

    Upon seeing her, rk quickly approached. "N, let''s have dinner together tonight."

    N lowered her gaze, her hands slightly clenched. After a moment, she looked up at him, her expression calm. "Alright."

    Relieved by her affirmative response, rk smiled. "I booked a reservation at your favorite restaurant, but/ if you prefer something else tonight, we can switch."

    N shook her head. "No need. That''s fine."

    As they approached the car, rk hurried ahead to open the passenger

    door for N. Since their wedding. rk had been so busy with work that they rarely had the chance to dine out together. Ironically, he seemed to find the time after she discovered his affair. With that thought, a trace of mockery crossed N''s eyes.

    Once N was seated, rk closed the door and walked around to the driver''s side. As he started the car, he asked casually, "You didn''t like the bracelet I sent you? Why aren''t you wearing it?" "I like it, but it''s not practical to wear while doing experiments."

    rk fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "N, I don''t oppose you working, but doing experiments is exhausting. You used to stay up all night for it in university. I don''t want you to be so tired. Let me

    His primary concern was that he had discovered Damon''spany had invested in Park Pharmaceuticals and was now one of its shareholders.

    Although N imed there was nothing between her and Damon, rk instinctively wanted to minimize their interaction. His affair with Jordyn had started simrly-

    too much time spent together leading to apse in judgment. He didn''t want to make the same mistake again.

    N frowned at him. "This is the work I love. No matter how tiring or hard it is, I find joy in it. I hope you

    can respe

    my choice."

    rk''s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white.

    Sensing that their rtionship was finally beginning to thaw, he didn''t want to risk another argument that could bring them back to square one. Reluctantly, he decided to let it go for now, nning to address it a "Alright, I''ll respect your decision. But if you ever want to quit, just do it. I can support you."

    N smiled, saying nothing. rk could more than support her-

    he was already supporting a mistress. Ten more wouldn''t be an issue for him, apparently. He seemed to forget that the money he was spending was their marital assets.

 Chapter 39

    N ensured she ounted for everything and reimed every penny.

    When they arrived at the restaurant, N was surprised to find it empty except for them.

    "You booked the whole ce?" Nyka a

    asked.

    "Yes, I know you don''t like crowded ces," rk replied.

    Tmuss

    used to it now. You don''t have to go through so much trouble."

    rk looked at N sincerely. "N, we missed out on a lot because I was so busy before. From now on, I''ll make sure to give you all the special moments you deserve. His gaze was filled with the same love and tenderness as when they were first in love.

    N''s heart ached, and she turned away, holding back her tears.

    If he had said this before he cheated, she might have been moved, but it only felt bitter now. From the moment he cheated, there was no going back.

    Seeing N''s silence, rk reached out to hold her hand, but she pulled away. Disappointment shed in his eyes, but he quickly regained hisposure.

    "N, we''ll take it slow until the day you can forgive me."

    N looked at him. "We''ll see."

    She knew that day would nevere.

    During dinner, rk tried to make conversation, but N''s responses were indifferent. Noticing herck of interest, he felt a pang of sadness but knew he had no right to expect her to treat him as she used to. N, however, wasn''t going to let rk ruin her meal. The steak at this restaurant was excellent, and she didn''t want to waste such good food because of him.

    After dinner, rk drove her home. When they arrived, he called out to her just as she was about to get out of the car.

    "What''s up?"

    "I have a gift for you."

    He handed her a property deed.

    "The apartment you''re renting is in an old neighborhood and not very safe. I bought you a ce near your office. You can move in whenever you like. It''ll be more convenient for work." N looked at the property deed, surprised. "I''m fine where I am.ˇ±

    "No problem. I bought it for you, and you can move in whenever you want."

    N nodded and took the deed. "Okay, thank you."

    rk looked at her with a hint of helplessness. "N, we''re married. This is what I should do."

    N didn''t respond to that. Instead, she told him, "It''s gettingte. I have some experimental data to upload. Take care on your way back."

    "Sure. Don''t overwork yourself."

    "Got it."

    After getting out of the car, N walked toward the building.

    rk kept his car parked by the roadside, hoping she would look back. She didn''t, even as her figure disappeared from sight.

    rk remembered their university days when they were dating. He would walk N to her dorm every night, and they would linger downstairs, reluctant to part until it was close to curfew. After they got married, However, she was giving him a chance now, and he believed they would eventually reconcile.

    Back home, N ced the diamond bracelet next to the property deed and pulled out her phone to make a call.

 Chapter 40

    The real estate agent was stunned when he heard N''smission offer to sell a house. "Ms. Jayston, are you sure the house is in Karlinan?"

    He was puzzled. If N had a property in Karlinan, why did she need the one-bedroom apartment he had found for her in the old neighborhood? "Yes," she replied. "I''ll give you the address and the code. Bring potential buyers to see it, and I''ll give you 3-% of the sale price asmission."

    N knew that real estate agents typically took 1-3% of a property''s sale price asmission. Given that the fully renovated house in Karlinan could fetch around 1.1- 1.2 million dors, the agent stood to make a decent sum.

    "Ms. Jayston, I have a question. If you already have a ce, why did you choose to live in the old neighborhood instead of Karlinan?"

    N didn''t want toplicate matters, so she replied tly, "It''s not mine. It belongs to a friend."

    "Oh, got it. Send me the address and code, and I''ll take some photos to list the property tomorrow.

    "Thanks."

    After hanging up, N found the property deed and sent the unit number and code to the agent, who responded with an "OK" emoji. N then closed the chat.

    Noticing that Vrie had updated her social media, N clicked on it. It was a simple post with a ck image and a caption: [Started with love, ended with heartbreak].

    N pursed her lips. After a few moments of thought, she called Vrie. After several attempts with no answer, she

    started to worry. She then remembered that they had previously shared their locations via phone, so she quickly opened the location-

    sharing app and saw that Vrie was at her family home. Relieved, she decided to change and go check on her.

    Just as she stood up, Vrie called back.

    nak up with Tom?

    N answered quickly. "Vrie, are you okay? Did you really break up with Tom?"

    "Yes," Vrie replied, her voice thick with tears.

    "Don''t be sad. You always said that when the old goes, the new wille. It''s not worth it to be upset over a jerk."

    Vrie sniffled but sounded determined. "You''re right. Being single again is great. Tomorrow, I''m going to the university to find a younger boyfriend." "I support you."

    Vrie couldn''t help butugh at how serious N sounded. "Okay, I''ll bring him to meet you once I find

    one.

    They chatted for a while longer before hanging up.

    N put down her phone and sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. She and Vrie seemed to have a knack

    for meeting jerks. She just hoped Vrie would move on quickly.

    N nced at the property deed and the sparkling bracelet on her desk, then simply put them in a drawer and got ready for bed.

    Thanks to the property''s prime location in Karlinan, N''s house quickly attracted interest. It was sold for 70,000 dors below market value. Once the contract was signed, the buyer promptly transferred the en

    N transferred the agreedmission to the agent, who was all smiles. "Ms. Jayston, if you or any of your friends ever need to sell another property, please let me know."

    Seeing his cheerful expression, N couldn''t help but smile back. "Sure."

    Back home, the first thing N did was take out 10,000 dors to hire a private detective to follow Jordyn.

 Chapter 41

    When N caught rk cheating with Jordyn, it had such a profound impact on her that her mind had gone nk, and she had even forgotten to record video evidence.

    However, knowing Jordyn''s persistence, she would definitely continu¨¦ pursuing rk. Once they rekindled their rtionship, N could obtain evidence to force rk to agree to a divorce.

    N and rk had been together for eight years, and she didn''t want to resort to plotting against him. But he refused to divide their assets and wouldn''t agree to a divorce, so she felt she had no other choice. After N exined her requirements to the private detective, their conversation ended. She

    opened her banking app and stared at the remaining bnce of close to 1,000,000 dors, lost in thought. She needed to find a way to make this money her personal asset.

    As she was contemting, her phone suddenly rang. She was surprised to see it was Genevieve.

    "Genevieve, what''s up?"

    "N, Mr. Sumner, the CEO of Prospectus Technology, will be at theb tomorrow to check on the progress of the experiments. Come to work early and get prepared." Prospectus Technology''s CEO... N was rather certain it was Damon.

    She recalled her previous encounters with Damon, which had left her feeling embarrassed each time, and unconsciously pursed her lips. Would she sh with Damon again? Not hearing N''s response, Genevieve thought she was nervous and added, "Don''t worry too much. Just follow your usual routine tomorrow."

    "I understand," N snapped back to reality and replied softly.

    After hanging up, she opened herputer to review the experiments she needed to prepare for tomorrow. Satisfied with the n, she washed up and went to bed.

    Whether it was psychological or not, N had several nightmares throughout the night, all involving Damon. She didn''t sleep well at all.

    Upon waking, she had almost forgotten those dreams, only recalling the feeling of falling in each one.

    When she arrived at thepany just after 7:00 a.m., she found that most of her colleagues in the R&D department hadn''t arrived yet.

    After preparing the instruments and chemicals needed for today''s experiment, she began her work. If she progressed quickly today, she might be able to move some of tomorrow''s tasks up. As it approached the start of the workday, the other colleagues finally entered theb, yawning in theirb

    coats.

    Sasha came in with a yawn, noticed N grinding drugs in a mortar-with several more already ground beside her-and widened her eyes in surprise.

    "N, why are you here so early today?"

    N nodded investors areing to check on the experiment progrem today, so came in early to

    crepare

    "Oh, I see

    Visits from superiors or investors to theb weremenzurenols, Sasha was red dom yawning again she walked over to her own desk.

    Despite that, words socken unwittingly could sometimes have unintended consequence

    Mabel heart Nvia''s words just as she entered. There was a glimt in her eves before she turned offto find

    Upon hearing what Maicel had to say, Lucia''s was narrowed coldly it seemed like she could settle the score today for what happened lust time. She leaned incline to Mabel''s ear and whispered a tow words. Ma

    Lucia snickered "Have you forgotten how sweilen my face was that day? This is just traching her a lesson. If you don''t do as i say, my Tamily might not be able to help with your father''s ob

 Chapter 42

    As soon as Mabel heard that, her face paled further. Her mother had been in a car ident half a month ago, and the surgeries and hospitalization had already cost 7,000- 8,000 dors. Her savings were nearly depleted. If her father couldn''t find a job soon, they wouldn''t be able to afford the medical expenses next

    month.

    Lucia''s father was an executive at a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology, so pleasing Lucia could easily secure her father a job. This was why Mabel was willing to be Lucia''sckey.

    Her hesitant gaze hardened as she looked at Lucia and sald, "Okay, I''ll do as you say."

    Lucia showed no surprise at this. She raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Good. As long as you handle this well, I''ll have my dad arrange a job for your father tomorrow."

    After Mabel left, Lucia nced toward theb with a smirk.

    Meanwhile, N ground the drugs and sequentially added them into a beaker along with the solvent, using a ss rod to initiate dissolution. Once the reaction was nearlyplete, she filtered out the residue a time in herb notebook.

    This process was repeated five or six times until all the previously ground powder was dissolved.

    During the distition process, N stepped away briefly to retrieve 20 milliliters of dilute sulfuric acid from the adjacent reagent storage room, intending to add it to the reaction mixtureter.

    Shortly after N left the storage room, a furtive figure sneaked in and switched thebels on the bottles of concentrated and dilute sulfuric acid.

    While Mabel did this, her hands trembled. After all, this was her first time plotting against someone like this. After switching thebels back, she hurriedly left.

    Back in theb, N finished distilling the reaction mixture, dismantled the sk and condenser, and began setting up

    a new reaction apparatus. Just as she was about to ignite the alcoholmp, footsteps and voices approached the door.

    Everyone in theb turned to see Genevieve entering with a smile on her face, Behind her were over a dozen well-dressed people, led by Damon.

    By chance, Damon''s eyes met N''s, but he quickly looked away as if they were strangers.

    Genevieve spotted N and quickly said, "N,e over here! Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Sumner, CEO of Prospectus Technology. He''s the one investing in the asthma treatment drug you''re Currently N walked up to Damon and greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Sumner. I''m N Jayston, responsible for the -development of the asthma treatment drug."

    "Hello. We''re just here to observe today. No need to be nervous. Just proceed with your experiments as usual,"

    "Understood."

    Genevieve smiled at N. "N, continue with your experiment."

    N nodded, then turned and resumed her work at theb bench. She was dressed in a white coat, with her long hair tied back, focused and drawing the attention of others without realizing it. Damon raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise shing in his

    s eyes.

    This N waspletely different from the one who had married rk and be a full-

    time housewife. Apart from her attractive appearance, she now exuded a lively energy that was a stark contrast to her previous reserved and uninteresting demeanor.

    After N lit the alcoholmp, she tilted her head slightly as she jotted down in her notebook: [8:37 a.m., began heating.]

    When the thermometer in the triangle sk showed a temperature of 75ˇăC, she began pouring the dilute sulfuric acid into the sk. After pouring in just a few milliliters, the solution in the sk suddenly boiled rapidly.

    Realizing something was wrong, N quickly stopped, but it was already toote.

    The sk suddenly exploded, sending shards and solution sttering everywhere.

    Everyone in theb was startled and instinctively moved back.

    Genevieve was appalled. She was about to urge Damon to hurry out of theb, but he swiftly moved toward N instead.

 Chapter 43

    "Mr. Sumner!"

    Genevieve stared in panic at Damon''s back. If anything happened to him in theb, her position as the head of the R&D department would be in jeopardy.

    N quickly backed away, raising her hand to shield her face. Some of the liquid sprayed directly onto her hands, causing quick burns that left ck scars, the pain almost making her cry out. Suddenly, a suit jacket covered her head, and her wrist was firmly grasped. Through the gap in the clothing, she saw the distinct knuckles of the hand holding hers, dry and warm against her skin.

    In a daze, before N could react, the person had already pulled her to the nearby sink, turning on the faucet and rinsing the areas of her hands burned by the concentrated sulfuric acid-

    It wasn''t until the water flowed over the back of her hands that she snapped back to reality, quickly pulling the suit jacket off her head and withdrawing her hands from Damon''s grasp.

    "Mr. Sumner... I can handle this myself..." She lowered her gaze, ignoring the strange emotions that had just surged within her. Damon was rk''s uncle, so his help earlier was likely due to his rtionship with After N rinsed her hands for a while, the burning sensation finally subsided. She turned off the water and nced around the messyb, subconsciously biting her lip.

    "Mr. Sumner, let''s go out first."

    The two walked out of theb, and N was about to return the jacket to Damon when she met his icy gaze. She tightened her grip on the jacket, feeling that Damon was furious-and the object of his anger.. was her...

    She understood it. No investor would be pleased to see their investment project encounter such difficulties.

    Genevieve hurried over, relieved that Damon was unharmed, then turned to N with a frown. "N, what exactly happened? How did the explosion happen suddenly?"

    N was about to speak when Damon interrupted in a deep voice. "Let''s go to the hospital first."

    Genevieve widened her eyes in panic. She quickly looked at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, are you injured?!"

    "Not me, her."

    "I''m fine. I can go to the hospitalter. Genevieve, I added the dilute sulfuric acid required for today''s experiment earlier, When I added it, I felt something was wrong. Someone must have switched it with. concentrated sulfuric acid."

    Genevieve''s expression immediately turned serious. If someone had deliberately tampered with it, that person was beyond reprehensible.

    The failure of this experiment today wouldn''t only offend Damon, but N would also face consequences for her work mistake, possibly even losing her job.

    Lucia was both angry and resentful as she took in Genevieve''s changing expression, evident that she

    believed N''s words. Lucia remembered clearly that Genevieve not only didn''t believe her when she imed that N was the one behind the anonymous report, but Genevieve also rebuked her. Why was Genevieve not doubting N''s truthfulness this time?

    Lucia looked at N. "N, we haven''t figured out what happened yet. Both concentrated and dilute sulfuric acids are stored in the storage room. It''s possible you misread thebels when you fetched them. Ho Genevieve nced at Lucia coldly before saying in a stern tone, "Mr. Sumner, I will investigate this matter thoroughly and provide you with an exnation."

    Damon''s eyes narrowed. "I''ll be waiting."

    Genevieve nodded and looked at N, her tone not particrly friendly. "Go to the hospital to treat your Injuries first. You don''t have toe to work for the next few days. We''ll wait for the investigation results. If N had indeed mistakenly taken the wrong reagent, she might not be allowed to independently conduct drug research anymore. "Okay, understood."

    N turned to leave, but Damon suddenly spoke up. "I''ll take you

    there."

 Chapter 44

    Genevieve paused, looking at Damon in disbelief. From her limited interactions with him, she knew he wasn''t the type to go out of his way to help others. He certainly wouldn''t personally escort an employee from apany he had invested into the hospital.

    Lucia knew Damon was rk''s uncle, but hearing him offer to take N to the hospital sparked a wave of jealousy. She had seen Damon on TV, when he founded Prospectus Technology, and admired him gre Moreover, while Damon and rk were uncle and nephew, their positions in the business world differed vastly. If Lucia could be with Damon, she could easily overshadow N in the future.

    Thinking this, she quickly said, "N, I''ll apany you. It''s inconvenient for you to go alone and handle. registration and such."

    N nced at Lucia. Initially surprised by Lucia''s sudden kindness, she understood when she noticed Lucia''s lingering gaze on Damon. Did Lucia have a crush on Damon now? Being able to momentarily forg disagreements showed Lucia''s adaptability.

    "No need. I can manage on my own."

    That statement was directed at both Damon and Lucia, N briskly walked toward the elevator, and just as she reached it, another figure appeared beside her.

    "It''s not convenient to hail a cab right now. I''ll take you. Damon''s cold voice came from above N''s

    head.

    She looked up to meet his unwavering gaze and frowned. "Mr. Sumner, thank you for your kindness, but there''s no need to trouble yourself."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the elevator arrived. She entered first, and Damon followed.

    "I don''t like repeating myself, I also need to go to the hospital, so sending you is just along the way."

    Upon hearing this, N turned to him abruptly. "Did the concentrated sulfuric acid ssh onto you too?!"

    N''s widened eyes, as she stared at Damon like a startled rabbit, made him itch to pat her head. However, considering her status, he refrained and averted his gaze, responding with a cool hum. "Where are you injured?"

    N''s eyes filled with guilt. Someone had clearly tried to harm her by switching the dilute sulfuric acid with the concentrated one, and Damon ended up getting involved because of her. "On my back."

    N reached out to grab his shirt to turn him around and inspect his injuries, but she hesitated halfway, realizing it wasn''t appropriate.

    Damon looked at her fair hand by his side, a dark glint crossing his eyes. "What''s wrong?

    N withdrew her hand and lowered her gaze. "Mr. Sumner, could you turn around so I can see where exactly you''re injured and how serious it is?"

    "Okay."

    Seeing several ck burns from the concentrated sulfuric acid on the back of Damon''s white shirt, N couldn''t help but bite her lip.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry for implicating you today. I''ll cover all your medical expenses," she said in a guilty

    tone.

    Damon turned back around. "No need. It won''t cost much."

    Compared to himself, he was more concerned about the injuries on N''s hands. After all, girls cared more about their appearance in his impression. If scars marred her originally wless hands, she would lik

    "It''s not about the money. Today''s incident was my fault, so covering your medical expenses is the least I can do... I''m really grateful that you''re holding me responsible."

 Chapter 45

    "Who said I''m not pursuing it?"

    "How do you n to pursue it?" N looked at Damon, somewhat unsure. If he wanted money, she had just sold that house in Karlinan, so she should be able to afford it. She just hoped he wouldn''t ask for too

    Her demeanor, in Damon''s eyes, resembled that of a startled rabbit, evoking a sense of pity. He involuntarily frowned. "Do you always stare at men like that?"

    N lowered her gaze. Weren''t they talking about his injury? What did her gaze have to do with anything?

    Before she coulde up with

    a response, Damon continued. "You said someone switched your reagents today? If someone really targeted you, I''ll hold the mastermind responsible when Genevieve finds out the truth."

    As soon as he finished speaking, the elevator reached the first floor.

    "Let''s go. We need to treat the injuries first."

    What, Damon walked out.

    Since he was going to the hospital for treatment as well. N didn''t dwell on it. Besides, it wasn''t convenient to hail a cab right now.

    N benefitted from Damon''s presence. Several doctors were already waiting at the hospital entrance, ready to escort them to treat their injuries.

    Jordyn happened toe out of the hospital and saw N and Damon getting out of the car together. She immediately took out her phone and snapped a photo.

    She had been blocked by rk before, so she sent the photo to rk''s most trusted secretary, Michael.

    Jordyn: [Michael, if I''m not mistaken, this is Mrs. Sumner, right? Why is she at the hospital with rk''s uncle?]

    Michael didn''t reply to her, but he did inform rk about the incident.

    After all, after he reported that N and Damon had stayed at the same hotel on the same night, rk had thrown his phone on the spot. Now the two were together in the hospital again. As expected, when rk saw the photo on Michael''s phone, he glowered instantly. He immediately called N

    The call was about to hang up automatically before the other party answered.

    "Yes?" N''s cold voice came through, and rk''s hand holding the phone kept tightening. He took a deep breath before asking. "Where are you?"

    There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before N spoke. "At work. If you have something to say, say it. If not, I''ll hang up."

    "Nothing."

    As soon as rk said that, N hung up directly.

    rk smirked icily. He had finally persuaded himself to believe that there was nothing between N and Damon, but what did she do? Going to the hospital with Damon and lying to him! *Prepare the car. We''re going to the hospital."

    The nurse spoke after N put down her phone, "Ms. Jayston, treating the wound might be a bit painfulter. Please bear with it."

    "Mm. will this scar?" N asked.

    "This wound isn''t too deep. If you take good care of itter, it should recoverpletely."

    With that assurance, N finally felt relieved.

    On the other side, Damon had his wounds treated and left the treatment room first.

    His wounds were on his back. They were just minor burns, requiring only a few days of medication.

    As soon as he walked out of the treatment room, he saw rk approaching with an icy expression, his face filled with anger.

    from!

    rk only spoke when he stood in front of Damon. "Uncle Damon, I hope you''ll stay away wife in

    the future."

    Damon raised an eyebrow, sensing the guard and hostility in rk''s gaze. He chuckled, and the temperature around him dropped sharply. "What do you mean by that? Do you think I have ulterior motives towa

 Chapter 46

    rk stared expressionlessly at Damon, a hint of mockery flickering in his eyes. "What do I mean? I think you understand very well, Uncle Damon. Besides the one overseas, you''ve never shown any interest in

    me."

    "As her husband, you''re never around when she''s wronged. Instead of reflecting on yourself, you''re lecturing me." Damon''s expression darkened, and he exuded an oppressive aura that sent shivers down one'' rk''s confidence visibly wavered. "Next time something like this happens, please Inform me in advance, Uncle Damon. I don''t want any other men near my wife I hope you understand."

    Damon sneered lightly. "I''m not that free. If you need others to inform you about her situation, maybe your marriage doesn''t need to continue."

    With that, he walked away. He didn''t even nce at rk''s displeased face.

    Only after Damon disappeared at the end of the hallway did rk take a deep breath, push open the door, and walk in.

    N had just finished having her wounds treated and was preparing to leave when she saw rk walking in through the door. She frowned. "Why are you here?"

    Seeing her openly distant and indifferent expression, rk felt a wave of helplessness. On his way there. he had already had Michael investigate. N''s experiment had suddenly exploded today, and Damon had happened to be on the scene, so he had sent her over on the way.

    Despite that, rk still felt uneasy. He wished he had been there instead so that he could have protected her and prevented any harm froming to her.

    "I heard you were injured, so I came to see you." His gaze fell on N''s freshly bandaged hand. "What did the doctor say?"

    N lowered her gaze, calmly saying, "It''s nothing serious. You don''t need toe over specifically next time."

    rk''s expression immediately turned cold. "N, I''m your husband. Are you really going to let me pretend I don''t know when I''m clearly aware that you''re hurt?"

    "That''s not what I meant. I just think you''re busy, anding over for such a small matter not only wastes time but also serves no purpose.

    "Do you think your injury is a small matter?"

    Under rk''s probing gaze, N pursed her lips and remained silent.

    *Do you remember when you used to tell me even if you just slipped and almost fell by ident?"

    "You said it-that was before. People mature over time.

    rk walked up to N, staring at her calm face, and said slowly, "N, it''s not that you''ve matured. It''s that you no longer want me to be a part of your life. You want to gradually distance us in this way and eve

    #

    N''s hands trembled slightly at her side as she looked up at him.

    "You''re overthinking it. I really just think this is a small matter and not worth telling you to worry about."

    "Then why can Uncle Damon?"

    N furrowed her brow. What did Damon have to do with this?

    "When the experiment went wrong earlier, your uncle happened to be in theb. He was also injured and needed toe to the hospital for treatment. Thus, he brought me along."

    Seeing N mention Damon without any change in expression, rk''s heart, which had been hanging. finally settled back into ce.

    "Well, even though he''s my uncle, he''s still another man. If you encounter any problems in the future, just call me directly."

    N didn''t n to seek rk''s help, but she also didn''t want to continue dwelling on this matter with him. As such, she nodded perfunctorily. "Got it. I''m going back now. You should head back to thepany too."

 Chapter 47

    +25 BOHUS

    "I''ll take you cook. You should move back to the

    back. With your hand injured, It''s inconvenient for you to vi for now. Once your injury heals, you can go back to your rental ce."

    ?

    There was a sh of dissatisfaction in N''s eyes as she looked at rk in displeasure. "I''m just injured, not paralyzed. I can take care of myself." They locked eyes for a moment, and rk eventually relented. "Fine. Then I''ll have the maid prepare meals and deliver them to you every day." Seeing N still wanting to refuse, he added in a low voice, "Choose betweening back to the vi with me or having the maid send you meals."

    Having been with rk for eight years, N knew his personality well. He was never easy to persuade. If she refused again, he might actually go as far as forcing her back to the vi and keeping her there. "I''ll choose the second option."

    The tension in rk''s lips finally rxed at her words, and his gaze softened as he looked at her. "I''ll send you back."

    When he found out that N hadn''t moved to Karlinan, he frowned. "Why didn''t you move there?"

    "I''m used to living there. That can wait."

    Seeing her reluctance to discuss further, rk felt a twinge of difort but restrained himself from saying more.

    On the way back to N''s rental house, he had intended to chat with her, but as soon as he got in the car, he received a call from a business partner. The call didn''t end until they were near N''s apartmentplex.

    Turning to look at her delicate but nk face, rk felt a bitter pang in his heart.

    Previously, when they were alone together, N would always talk animatedly with a smile on her face, as if she would never tire of it. Now, she seemed indifferent, and they sat in rtive silence. "N, be careful not to get your wound wet these days. If there''s anything inconvenient in your daily life, just give me a call."

    N nodded with a straight face. "Got it."

    rk could see that she didn''t seem to take his words to heart, and his expression turned deste. Sensing the change in rk''s mood, N remained unresponsive.

    In the past, she used to be concerned about his busy work schedule, always attentive to his moods, wanting their time together to be rxing-

    it had be a habit. It seemed she should get rid of this habit for good.

    Soon, the car stopped at the entrance of the apartmentplex.

    rk wanted to apany N upstairs, but she refused. "I had a failed experiment today, plus my hand injury. I''m not in a good mood right now. I want to be alone. You should go back to thepany."

    Without giving rk a chance to speak, she closed the car door and walked away.

    The temperature inside the car instantly dropped.

    Michael, in the passenger seat, hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Mr. Sumner, I heard. that when a woman is upset, giving her a handbag can usually cheer her up. Should we get one for Mr rk furrowed his brow. "Arrange it."

    "Alright."

    Sensing the atmosphere in the car lightening up a bit, Michael instructed the driver to head back to the

    rk''s expression still bore a trace of gloominess. After all, he had clearly seen N''s attitude toward him today, which was no different from rejecting him outright.

    No matter what, he had been the one to cheat first. N''s current demeanor toward him was something he deserved. He just didn''t know how long it would take for her to forgive him and for them to reconcile. Genevieve sat behind her desk in the R&D Department Manager''s office at Park Pharmaceuticals, reviewing theb''s surveince footage from this morning.

    There were no cameras in theb or the reagent storage room, so she could only watch the footage from the corner cameras.

    After watching it repeatedly, Genevieve''s gaze finally settled on Mabel.

 Chapter 48

    In just over an hour, Mabel appeared several times on the surveince footage. By the third time, she seemed visibly flustered. If thebels of dilute sulfuric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid had indeed. been Genevieve stopped the surveince footage and instructed her assistant to notify Mabel toe to her office.

    Upon hearing that Genevieve wanted to see her, Mabel immediately became nervous, ncing involuntarily at Lucia, who was sitting diagonally across from her.

    However, Lucia didn''t even look her way, appearing calm and nonchnt as if nothing was amiss. Left with no choice, Mabel reluctantly followed Genevieve''s assistant to the office.

    Just as she arrived at the door, her phone vibrated-it was a message from Lucia.

    Lucia: [No matter what Genevieve asks, insist that you have nothing to do with it. You don''t know anything. If you dare to drag me into this, you know the consequences.]

    Mabel replied with an "Okay", and Lucia quickly unsent the message.

    Mabel put her phone away and pushed open the door to the office.

    Genevieve looked at her without much of an expression. "Have a seat."

    As Mabel sat down across from Genevieve, she feigned confusion. "Genevieve, what can I do for you?"

    "This morning, you were in and out of theb and R&D department several times. What was the reason for that?"

    Mabel subconsciously balled her hands on her knees while she answered in a calm demeanor, "I went to theb this morning to prepare for an experiment and realized I had forgotten to record some data from "During this time, did you visit the reagent storage room?"

    "No." Mabel shook her head, then looked at Genevieve with disbelief. "Genevieve, are you suspecting me? I have no grudge against N. How could I possibly harm her?"

    Seeing the hurt in Mabel''s eyes, Genevieve calmly said, "I''m not suspecting you. I''m just nning to question everyone who was in theb this morning. Since there''s no surveince in the reagent storage room Upon hearing this, Mabel breathed a sigh of relief. She had taken a gamble, banking on the absence of surveince in that area. She was confident that any suspicions would not stick to her.

    Naturally, Genevieve didn''t miss the change in Mabel''s expression and continued calmly. "Although there''s no surveince, Mr. Sumner''s team has arrived. They extracted several fingerprints from thebels of acid. They n topare them with the fingerprints of everyone in the R&D department.

    "If no one''s fingerprints match, we can basically rule out the possibility of someone swapping thebels.

    The smile on Mabel''s face gradually stiffened. She had been too panicked at the time and hadn''t even

    remembered to wear gloves. If they checked fingerprints, she would be done for!

    "When will Mr. Sumner''s peoplee to collect our fingerprints?"

    "They''ll probablye this afternoon, but don''t worry. Collecting fingerprints won''t take long. It won''t dy your experiments."

    "... I see..."

    have a

    "Well, I don''t else here. You can go back to work."

    Mabel didn''t know how she made it back to her desk. The thought of Damon''s teaming in the afternoon to collect her fingerprints and discovering she had swapped thebels of dilute and concentrated sulf She looked up at Lucia, her gaze pleading for help.

    Lucia frowned, then got up and walked toward the restroom.

    Mabel quickly followed.

    Entering the restroom, Lucia made sure the stalls were empty before locking the door. Her voice was cold as she questioned, "What''s with that mournful expression?!"

 Chapter 49

    Mabel''s hands trembled with fear as she spoke in a shaky voice. "Just now, Genevieve told me that a team from Prospectus Technology came over. They collected several fingerprints from thebels of dilute and concentrated sulfuric acid. They''re going to collect our fingerprints this afternoon topare."

    Lucia''s gaze darkened as she gritted her teeth, staring at Mabel. "You fool! Didn''t you know you should wear gloves when you swapped thebels?"

    "I... I was too panicked. I just forgot... and by the time I remembered, it was toote..." Mabel was on the verge of tears. "Lucia, what do I do... You have to help me..."

    Lucia looked impatient. "How can I help you? Can I magically change another person''s fingerprints?"

    When N''s sk exploded during the experiment, Damon''s secretary immediately ordered theb and adjacent reagent storage room to be sealed off. They never had a chance to wipe the fingerprints off the I "But I can''t lose this job. Otherwise, I won''t be able to afford my mom''s medical bills..."

    Mabel was willing to do anything for Lucia to secure a job for her father so they could earn money for her mother''s medical expenses. If she lost the job, what would be the point of it all?

    Seeing Mabel''s unstable emotions, Lucia knew she had to find a way to cate Mabel, or she would also be implicated.

    "Don''t worry for now. I heard there''s a localpany researching simtion gloves that replicate even fingerprints. I''ll figure out a way to get you a set. You should be able to get through this afternoon." "Really?" A glimmer of hope shed in Mabel''s eyes as she looked excitedly at Lucia.

    "Yeah. Go back to work for now. I''ll make a call to my dad."

    "Okay."

    After Mabel left, Lucia called Clement. "Dad, I need your help with something."

    Meanwhile, Genevieve was on the phone with Spencer

    After listening to Genevieve''s exnation, Spencer chuckled. "Ms. Reeve, I''ll need to consult with Mr. Sumner about this."

    After hanging up, Spencer walked into Damon''s office and knocked.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Reeve from Park Pharmaceuticals needs our help. She wants us to send a team over to collect fingerprints from everyone in their R&D department."

    Damon frowned, looking up at him. "Reason?"

    "She said it''s to determine if anyone tampered with thebels on the reagents used by Ms. Jayston during -her experiment."

    "Understood. You handle this matter."

    After Spencer left, Damon returned to the documents, but he found it hard to focus.

    Earlier, when N''s wounds were being tended to, he noticed seven to eight wounds of varying sizes on her hands. She had endured quite a lot, not making a sound when the wounds were being treated.

    Thinking about it, Damon furrowed his brow involuntarily. Why did he bare whether she was in pain or not? She wasn''t his wife.

    Irritated, he opened a drawer, took out a lighter, and lit a cigarette, trying to suppress his restless emotions.

    Back at home, N didn''t have to wait long before the doorbell rang

    Checking the monitor, she saw it was Michael and went to open the door.

    "Mr. Parkin, what''s the matter?"

    "Mrs. Sumner, Mr. Sumner sent you this purse."

 Chapter 50

    Surprise flickered in N''s eyes when she saw thetest luxury bag of the season in Michael''s hands..

    "Why would he suddenly send me a purse?"

    "Mr. Sumner said you weren''t in a good mood, so he wanted to send you a gift to cheer you up."

    N didn''t particrly desire luxury bags, but since rk sent it, she had no reason to refuse. She nodded and took the purse from Michael. "Alright. Please thank him for me."

    Seeing that N didn''t seem particrly thrilled, Michael tentatively asked, "Mrs. Sumner, you don''t like the bag?"

    "It''s fine. I prefer gold over bags, though."

    After all, gold had better liquidity and could also be crafted into beautiful jewelry.

    Michael was stunned, not expecting N''s preferences to be so in and blunt,

    "Alright, understood. I''ll let Mr. Sumner know, I''ll head back to work now."

    After seeing Michael off, N returned to the living room, ced the bag on the table, and took a few photos to send to Vrie.

    Vrie: [?]

    N: [Help me check how much this bag can sell for.]

    Vrie: [rk''s gift?]

    N: [Yeah.]

    Vrie immediately called N.

    "That bag is thetestunch. Conservatively, it could sell for over 300,000 dors. There are only two in Saintornia right now. It''s not easy to find. rk went through quite some trouble to please you." N lowered her gaze, her face devoid of any emotion

    "See if anyone is interested in buying this bag. I want to sell it."

    Vrie was somewhat surprised, but considering N''s character, she found it reasonable and said, "If you don''t want it, sell it to me. I''ve been looking for this bagtely, but couldn''t find one." "Come over to pick it up give it to you.

    I''ll

    "Really? Giving me a 300,000-dor bag just like that, can you bear it?"

    "I don''t have any attachment to it. Besides, it''s rk''s money anyway."

    Compared to the money rk spent on Jordyn, this bag was like a drop in the ocean.

    "Never mind. If you don''t want money, I won''t take it."

    "Then buy it from me at the original price."

    13

    "Okay, I''ll have someonee over to pick it upter. I have a social engagement tonight."

    In the evening, rk finished work and returned to the vi.

    The service staff had already packed up the meal and were ready to deliver it to N when he told them, Pack a bit more. I''ll have dinner with her." "Yes, Mr. Sumner."

    The servants repackaged the meal, and rk took it and drove to find N.

    When the doorbell rang. N was binge-watching a TV series. Seeing rk on the monitor with two food containers, N frowned.

    She opened the door but didn''t intend to let him in.

    "Give it to me."

    rk understood her meaning but didn''t move. There was a hint of grievance in his charming eyes as he

    looked at her.

    "N, I was busy at noon and didn''t eat lunch. I came straight here after work just to have dinner with you.

    N wanted to say he didn''t have toe and she hadn''t asked him to, but considering her n, she stepped aside to let him in after a moment of hesitation.

    rk''s tall figure made the already small living room seem somewhat cramped as he entered. He ced the food containers on the dining table, opened them, and then called N over to eat. "Your birthday is in half a month. What do you want for your birthday this year?"

 Chapter 51

    N paused as she was about to pick up some food, then looked down. "There''s nothing I want."

    Earlier this year, rk had promised to take time off to celebrate her birthday with an ind vacation, something she had always wanted to do. Only a few monthster, it seemed he hadpletely forgotten ab it would make it easier for her to deal with him without any unnecessary feelings of sympathy.

    "Then I''ll have to think carefully about what to get you. If there''s anything you want, you can always tell me.

    "Sure."

    After dinner, rk told N to watch TV on the sofa while he cleaned up the dishes. Previously, when

    they wanted some alone time, they would give the service staff a few days off, and N would cook herself.

    N nodded and left. In the past, she would have taken pity on him for being tired after a day''s work and cleaned up herself. Now, she no longer felt that way.

    After cleaning up and wiping down the table, rk washed his hands in the kitchen before sitting down

    next to N.

    She scooted over a bit to create some distance between them and turned to him. "Now that we''ve had dinner, when are you nning to leave?"

    rk looked at her helplessly. "N, I just sat down. Since the night you didn''te home, we haven''t had a proper conversation. If this continues, the problems between us will only grow bigger." There was a sh of sarcasm in N''s eyes at rk''s emotional plea. The only solution to their problems,

    from the moment he cheated, was divorce.

    "What do you want to talk about?"

    "My cheating was definitely my fault. How long do you n to punish me?"

    The uncertainty of not knowing when N might forgive him was too torturous for rk. He wanted a

    timeline.

    N''s hands tightened slightly at her side, and she looked down. "I said I don''t know. Maybe when I no longer love you, I won''t care about this anymore."

    A wave of bitterness washed over rk. He would rather she hate him forever than stop loving him. At least if she hated him, it would mean she still thought about him.

    After a long silence, he stood up and left quietly.

    it was only when N heard the door close that she rubbed her teary eyes. Why did he have to act so affectionate now, after cheating on her? No matter what he did, they could never go back to how things

    were.

    Suddenly, her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. Seeing it was Genevieve, she quickly answered.

    "Genevieve, is there any news about what happened this morning?"

    #

    "Yes, it''s basically clear. Someone did switch thebels of the dilute sulfuric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid."

    N bit her lip. "Who was it?"

    "Mabel."

    "As expected."

    After the explosion this morning, N''s first suspect had been Lu. However, Lucia wouldn''t be foolish enough to do it herself, so it had to be herckey.

    "I called to ask how you want to handle this. Do you want to call the police or settle it privately?"

    N raised an eyebrow. It seemed Genevieve preferred to settle it privately. Otherwise, she would have just called the police

    without asking her opinion. It was just that N hadn''t done anything to Mabel, yet thetter had tried to ruin her face....

    Thinking about this, N said coldly, "Call the police."

 Chapter 52

    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Genevieve''s voice came through.

    "Alright, the police might call you to the station tomorrow to take your statement. Make sure your phone is avable." "Okay. Thank you for handling this, Genevieve,"

    Genevieve sighed and said earnestly, "N, you''re still young. Unlike me, you don''t think about the long-

    term consequences when making decisions. But sometimes, giving others a chance is also giving yourself a chance."

    "I understand. But I can''t be lenient with everyone. If Mr. Sumner hadn''t been there today, I might have been disfigured."

    Moreover, this issue could affect her job. If she got fired from Park Pharmaceuticals because of this, what pharmaceuticalpany would hire her in the future? It was not that she wasn''t willing to let Mabel off, but thetter wasn''t willing to let her off.

    Genevieve realized she couldn''t persuade N, so she said nothing more and hung up.

    N put down her phone, thinking about how Damon had used his suit to protect her from the concentrated sulfuric acid this morning. She frowned. This was the second suit she had ruined for Damon. Should N had always disliked owing people anything. After a few moments of hesitation, she went onto a bespoke clothing website, estimated Damon''s size, and ordered two suits, sending them directly to Prospectu

    In Genevieve''s office.

    Genevieve looked at Spencer, who was sitting opposite her, and said tiredly, "Mr. Hogg, Ms. Jayston wants to call the police."

    If Spencer hadn''t personallye to oversee this, she might have tried to persuade N further, considering this could affect Mabel''s future. Then again, if they hadn''t found out it was Mabel, N would have taken the fall, and she had almost gotten disfigured. This incident could also change N''s future.

    Spencer nodded. ˇ°Alright, I understand. I''ll handle this personally. Mr. Sumner said that such an incident also indicates ack of oversight at Park Pharmaceuticals. He hopes you''ll strengthen employee manage in the future."

    "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Hogg."

    After Spencer left, Genevieve picked up the fingerprintparison report on her desk and sighed. They hadn''t actually found any fingerprints on thebels. They had spread this false information to see if anyor mistake.

    The fingerprints collected that afternoon had beenpared with those taken when the employees were hired. Everyone else''s matched, except for Mabel''s, which didn''t match at all. If she hadn''t tried to deceit

    good.

    Mabel met Lucia for dinner at an upscale restaurant, having safely navigated the fingerprint collection

    that afternoon.

    *Lucia, your dad is amazing! He actually got those realistic gloves. When I wore them this afternoon, it felt a bit weird at first, but then it felt just like my own skin,

    Lucia''s eyes gleamed with pride. "Of course. This kind of thing is a piece of cake."

    "Now that the issue with N is over, she''ll probably be fired tomorrow morning and won''t appear in front of us again. About my dad''s job...

    "Don''t worry. I''ll talk to my dad tonight. It''ll be settled by tomorrow."

    As they were talking, two police officers entered the restaurant and walked straight toward their table. At first, they thought there might be a fugitive in the restaurant. However, when the officers stopped at their

 Chapter 53

    "Ms. O''Neill, we need your assistance regarding today''sb explosion at Park Pharmaceuticals. Pleasee with us."

    Mabel was panicking, her body trembling uncontrobly

    "What do you mean... What does the explosion have to do with me? Why do you need my help?"

    "You''ll find out the details at the police station, Ms. O''Neill."

    "I''m not going! I didn''t do anything wrong. Ask me whatever you need to here!"

    Seeing Mabel''s agitation, the two police officers exchanged a look. One of them spoke sternly. "Ms. O''Neill, if you refuse to cooperate, we will have to use force." The officers'' solemn expressions made Mabel uneasy.

    While she hesitated, Lucia spoke up from across the room. "Mabel, it''s just a routine investigation. Go with them. It won''t be a big deal. I''ll go with you."

    Seeing Lucia''s cold expression, Mabel reluctantly nodded. "Alright."

    the polic

    At the police station.

    Mabel was taken to give a statement, and the officers asked Lucia to wait outside.

    Unable to sit still, Lucia quickly walked out of the station to call Clement.

    "Dad, the police just took Mabel to the station for questioning. Don''t you know some high-ranking officers? Can you-

    Before she could finish, Clement angrily interrupted her, "Shut up!"

    Startled by his outburst, Lucia was momentarily speechless.

    Clement''s angry voice came through the phone again. "Do you know how much trouble you''ve caused me? Just getting that glove for you almost cost me my job because I offended Damon! Don''t drag me into With that, he hung up, not caring about Lucia''s reaction.

    The police interrogation was effective, and Mabel, feeling guilty, quickly confessed. However, she was careful not to mention Lucia.

    After an hour, it was announced that Mabel was being detained.

    Lucia was now in a panic, fearing that Mabel might eventually implicate her. As she stood there, unsure of what to do, N walked into the police station.

    Seeing her, Lucia struggled to contain her anger and frustration. She nearly confronted N about whether this was her doing. She restrained herself, watching coldly as N entered the interrogation

    room.

    After giving her statement, N stepped out of the station and was immediately confronted by Lucia.

    "Did you do this to Mabel?"

    N found it amusing and raised an eyebrow. "You orchestrated for Mabel to harm me, and now that your n backfired, you have the nerve to use me? You really are shameless." Lucia didn''t deny it but merely sneered. "N, you got lucky this time. But I don''t believe you''ll always be this lucky.*

    With that, she turned and left.

    N was about to hail a cab when a ck Cayenne pulled up in front of her. rk got out of the driver''s seat and sighed in relief when he saw that N was safe.

    "N, my friend told me you were at the police station giving a statement, so I rushed over. I''m d you''re alright."

    Seeing the worry and concern on rk''s face, N was initially moved-only to notice a bright red lipstick stain on the cor of his white shirt.

 Chapter 54

    N''s eyes lingered on the stain, her gaze betraying a hint of mockery. "It must be tough for you, finding time to flirt with other women and still managing to drop by the police station to see me." rk was taken aback and frowned. "What do you mean?"

    N''s expression remained indifferent. "Next time you want to act all caring, at least wipe off the lipstick on your cor first. Otherwise, it just looks ridiculous."

    Without waiting for rk''s reaction, she hailed a cab and left.

    rk nced down at his cor, his expression darkening when he saw the lipstick stain. He tried calling N to exin. After several unanswered calls, her lind eventually went straight to voicemail. Clearly, she

    had blocked him.

    His gaze grew cold upon realizing their rtionship, which had just started to improve, had once again hit rock bottom. He sped off toward N''s apartmentplex but was interrupted by a phone call halfway car around and left.

    N had just

    gotten home when her phone buzzed with messages from the private investigator she had hired previously. She took a deep breath and opened the messages. Despite bracing herself, the photos of rk embr There were four or five photos, all showing rk and Jordyn together.

    N smiled bitterly, and her eyes involuntarily reddened. She had been right not to trust rk. Otherwise, she would have been a fool.

    Suppressing her sorrow, she transferred money to the private investigator and asked him to continue monitoring rk and Jordyn before closing the chat app.

    The next morning, N received a call from Damon shortly after getting up.

    "Did you buy those suits?" His cool voice, tinged with a hint ofziness, came through the phone.

    "Yes, I damaged two of your suits. It wouldn''t sit well with me if I didn''t rece them."

    "You owe me much more than just those two suits. If you really want to repay me, shouldn''t you do more?"

    N sensed Damon''s displeasure and bit her lip, feeling confused. She had expected him to ept the suits, and that would be the end of it. Why was he angry? Despite her confusion, she didn''t dare voice her thoughts. Based on their interactions, she knew Damon wasn''t someone who easily listened to others.

    "Uncle Damon, how would you like me to repay you?" she asked.

    There was a pause on the other end, then the call abruptly ended.

    N frowned, hesitating for a moment before deciding not to call back. Damon seemed off today, and she didn''t want to risk catching him in a bad mood.

    Thinking he might be upset about something else, N put down her phone and went to freshen up.

    #

    In the CEO''s office at Prospectus Technology.

    Damon put down his phone while Spencer, standing nearby, asked cautiously, "Mr. Sumner, what should I do with these suits?"

    away." Damon frowned at the two suits Spencer was holding and said coldly, "Throw them Sensing Damon''s foul mood, Spencer quickly turned to leave but was stopped by Damon''s voice.

    "Wait."

    Spencer turned back and saw Damon''s stern expression. Hesitantly, he suggested, "Mr. Sumner, maybe! should send these suits to your vi. Ms. Jayston probably spent a lot of money, and they are your size nodded. "Since you put it that way, send them to the vi.

 Chapter 55

    "Okay."

    As Spencer r walked out of the office, he couldn''t help but frown, pondering Damon''s attitude toward N.

    Earlier today, Damon had immediately called N to question her about the sults, clearly Irritated by her attempt to distance herself from him. Considering N was Damon''s niece-in-w, Spencer hoped he had overthought the matter.

    After breakfast, N headed straight to Park Pharmaceuticals.

    After giving her statementst night, Genevieve had messaged her, saying she could return to work today. and that thepany would handle the situation with Mabel.

    To her surprise, a middle-aged man stopped her at the entrance of Park Pharmaceuticals. His face was dark and lined with exhaustion, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair disheveled. He looked at her pleadingly. "Ms. Jayston, please, I''m begging you to let my daughter go. My wife was in a car ident and is the hospital. I haven''t found a job yet, and if my daughter stays in jail, our family will fall apart."

    N instinctively took a few steps back, frowning.

    still in

    This man resembled Mabel, indicating he was likely her father. However, there was no way Mabel could have described her appearance to him since she was detained. As such, this had to be another of Lucia''s "Your wife''s car ident has nothing to do with me. I haven''t done anything to Mabel, yet she tried to ruin my face and my career. I have no obligation to forgive her."

    N tried to leave, but the man, Keh O''Neill, blocked her path again.

    ''Ms. Jayston, I''m desperate. What will it take for you to let Mabel go? I''ll kneel if I have to."

    Keh dropped to his knees in front of N.

    N''s eyes shed with disgust. She detested being emotionally ckmailed into forgiving someone who had wronged her. Just because their family was suffering didn''t mean Mabel could harm others without "Kneeling won''t change anything. I''m not giving a letter of forgiveness. The court will decide her punishment, not me."

    N walked past Keh and quickly disappeared from sight.

    Across the street, Lucia smirked as she recorded the scene on her phone. She thought N would be trashed byizens once this video hit the Inte. With N''s reputation in tatters, Park Pharmaceuticals Keh stood up and approached Lucia, his demeanor submissive. "Ms. Pord, I did as you asked... About my wife''s medical bills..."

    "Don''t worry. I just had 15,000 dors transferred. It shouldst until Mabel is out."

    hank you so much, Ms. Pord. Meeting you has been a blessing for our family."

    Lucia''s eyes flickered with disdain. She sent Keh away with a few words and then forwarded the video to a social media influencer, instructing them to embellish the story and make it go viral.

    Due to N''s injured hands, she couldn''t conduct experiments for a while. She had to stay at her desk, reviewing literature and researching experiment directions.

    As soon as she sat down, Sasha approached her. "N, how''s your hand?"

    "Much better. The doctor said I shouldn''t get them wet for a while, but they should heal in about two weeks."

    Sasha nodded. "That''s good to hear.

    After a moment of hesitation, she locked eyes with N and asked, "By the

    way, when the sk exploded yesterday, everyone ran out, but Mr. Sumner took off his jacket and rushed straight to you. Do you think he might have feelings for you?"

    "Thank you so much, Ms. Pord. Meeting you has been a blessing for our family."

    Lucia''s eyes flickered with disdain. She sent Keh away with a few words and then forwarded the video to a social media influencer, instructing them to embellish the story and make it go viral.

    Due to N''s injured hands, she couldn''t conduct experiments for a while. She had to stay at her desk, reviewing literature and researching experiment directions.

    As soon as she sat down, Sasha approached her. "N, how''s your hand?"

    "Much better. The doctor said I shouldn''t get them wet for a while, but they should heal in about two weeks."

    Sasha nodded. "That''s good to hear."

    After a moment of hesitation, she locked eyes with N and asked, "By the way, when the sk exploded yesterday, everyone ran

    out, but Mr. Sumner took off his jacket and rushed straight to you. Do you think he might have feelings for you?"

 Chapter 56

    Sasha couldn''t help but specte. Normal people would run from danger, but Damon had run toward it to protect N.

    N was taken aback, then frowned. "You''re overthinking it. He''s my uncle."

    "What?!" Sasha''s voice shot up, drawing the attention of everyone in the R&D department. Her face turned red, and she quickly lowered her head.

    She whispered, "Are you serious? You don''t even share the samest name. Are you lying to me?"

    "Why would I lie? I can''t go into details, but nothing could happen between us. He doesn''t like me that way.

    Despite Sasha''s lingering doubts, she could only nod at N''s confident assurance. "Alright then."

    "Stop gossiping and get to work," N said as she turned on herputer to read some research papers.

    The morning passed quickly. Just before noon, N received a call from Wren.

    "Wren, what''s up? Is there something wrong with my dad?"

    Wren''s gentle voice came through the line. "No, he''s stable. Do you have time for lunch today? Let''s meet up."

    "My office is quite far from the hospital, How about dinner instead?"

    "Sure, you decide."

    After hanging up, N felt a bit puzzled about Wren''s sudden invitation.

    That evening, N arrived at the restaurant. As she waited for Wren, she noticed a familiar car pull up to the entrance. The back door opened, and a woman stepped out. In an instant, N recognized Jordyn.

    Jordyn wore a red strapless gown, her long wavy hair cascading down her back, and her makeup was impable. She exuded a charm that could captivate any man. Soon, rk stepped out of the car, and Jordyn naturally took his arm as they walked fnside. If N weren''t his wife, she might have thought they made a perfect couple. When N and rk got married, he had promised to walk through life with her hand in hand. That promise seemed to belong to another woman now.

    rk and Jordyn didn''t notice her and went straight into a private room.

    N turned her attention back to her surroundings just as Wren arrived.

    After ordering, N looked at Wren and asked, "Wren, is there something you want to talk about?"

    Wren nodded, her expression gentle. "I heard you and rk had a fight. I haven''t had a chance to ask you because of your father''s situation. How are things between you two now?"

    N pressed her lips together, her knuckles turning white from gripping the cup. "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?"

    Wren sighed. "I saw rk with another woman at the hospital a few days ago. Is he... having an affair?"

    N''s hand trembled, spilling some tea. Despite knowing her father was hospitalized at the same hospital, rk still dared to take his mistress there. It was as if he didn''t care if his infidelity was exposed. After a moment of silence, N nodded. "Yes."

    "As I expected." Wren looked angry. "What do you n to do about it?"

    She had initially thought rk would be a good partner for N, but now she realized she was wrong.

    "I n to divorce him, but he refuses to split the assets. I''m trying to gather evidence of his affair now." N knew that just having evidence of infidelity wouldn''t be enough to get half of the assets. She needed s Wren frowned. "Given his family''s status, they won''t willingly give you half the assets. And with your father in the hospital waiting for a kidney transnt, our options are limited in helping you."

 Chapter 57

    If Harris Pharmaceuticals hadn''t gone bankrupt, rk wouldn''t have dared to unt his affair so brazenly.

    Wren looked at N with guilt. "Your father and I owe you an apology. You''ve been through so much, bearing this burden alone. It must have been really tough."

    N shook her head. She wasn''t as upset now as she had been when she first discovered rk''s Infidelity. "I''m fine. I took a chance, hoping he wouldn''t betray our rtionship. I just lost the gamble." She had no regrets about her choice because she had chosen the rk who once loved her, not the deceitful man he had be.

    "It''s okay. You''ll find someone better in the future."

    N smiled faintly. Whether she found someone else or not didn''t matter. She just wanted to get the divorce and im her fair share of the assets. "Wren, please don''t tell

    my dad about the affair. His health isn''t good, and I''m afraid he won''t be able to handle it.

    Wren nodded. "I understand. Don''t worry."

    After N and Wren finished their meal, they were about to pay the bill when people came out of the private room where rk and Jordyn were.

    N quickly noticed rk and Jordyn walking in the center of the group and turned to block Wren''s view.

    "Wren, I just remembered I have something to do. Let me take you back to the hospital."

    After selling her house, N had bought herself a small car.

    "If you''re busy, I can take the subway back."

    ˇ°It''s fine. I have something I need to tell you."

    Hurriedly, N guided Wren out, managing to avoid running into rk and his group. Given Wren''s temper, a confrontation would be inevitable.

    Someone at the front of the group from the private room noticed N''s silhouette. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. If he wasn''t mistaken, that should be N. He nced at rk, who was whispering to Jordy Outside, Wren saw N''s cute pink car and couldn''t help but smile. "This car suits you well."

    N smiled back. "I thought so too. I fell in love with it at first sight."

    Once inside the car, N handed Wren a sealed bag from the back seat. "Wren, here''s 30,000 dors in cash. Use half for my dad''s medical bills and keep the rest for your expenses." Wren was taken aback. "Where did you get so much money?"

    "rk gave me a bag, which I sold to a friend for 300,000 dors. I thought it would be too risky to give you the entire amount at once, so I''m giving it to you in Installments."

    Seeing N''s calm demeanor, Wren felt a pang of sadness. "Your father and I have failed you..."

    "Wren, this has nothing to do with you or my dad. I used to think rk''s and my money were shared, but

    after he cheated, I realized I was too nalve."

    N had given up her patent for a heart disease medication worth billions to be with rk, allowing him to take the credit while she became a housewife. She had forgotten that without her own career and finan Fortunately, it wasn''t toote. She still had a chance to start over.

    After dropping Wren off at the hospital, N stayed for a while to talk with Harrison before heading home. As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw rk standing by her door.

    He was leaning against the wall, a cigarette in hand. When the light came on, he squinted slightly. Seeing N, he extinguished the cigarette and walked straight toward her. "I heard

    you went to Round Roof today. Who did you eat with?"

 Chapter 58

    N frowned and looked at rk with displeasure. "Who I ate with is none of your business, is it?"

    A dark gleam passed through rk''s eyes as he lowered his voice. "N, I''m not trying to monitor you. I just want to be part of your life."

    "Are you really trying to be part of my life, or are you feeling guilty about taking Jordyn to that dinner today?"

    rk widened his eyes, his heart sinking. N had seen them.

    "Today

    was about meeting a client. She handled this client before she left thepany, so she knows the situation better. That''s why I brought her along. I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to misunderstand." N smiled. "Do I really need to misunderstand your rtionship with her?"

    "N, I can assure you that there''s nothing between us now. The only person I love is you."

    N wanted to ask him why Jordyn had to dress so seductively and hold his arm like a date since it was just a business meeting. Anyone who saw them would think Jordyn was rk''s girlfriend, not his secreta Despite that, she didn''t ask. It no longer mattered

    "rk, one lie often requires many more to cover it up.

    "N, you don''t believe me?"

    rk stared at N intently, his gaze filled with hurt and sadness.

    N found itughable. She wanted to believe him, but shouldn''t he give her a reason to?

    "I had a long day at work. I don''t want to talk about this. Please leave."

    Upon seeing N''s cold expression, rk''s hands clenched at his sides. His initial guilt and unease slowly turned into frustration. He had humbled himself, yet she still treated him with disdain. He could have Sometimes, being with her was lessfortable than being with Jordyn. At least Jordyn wouldn''t give him a hard time.

    With that, he said nothing more. When N walked past him without a word, he didn''t stop her or try to -exin further.

    At home, N grabbed some clothes and headed for the shower. When she came out, she saw that she had over ten missed calls from Vrie. Since Vrie had called her so many times in such a short perio She quickly called back, and Vrie picked up after just two rings. "N, check the Inte! You''re trending!

    N was surprised. She went online and saw that she was the top trending topic.

    [Park Pharmaceuticals'' Employee Forces Colleague''s Father To Kneel]

    After clicking on the trending post, she saw a video of Mabel''s father kneeling before her. The camera angle was perfect, capturing Keh''s helpless expression. Meanwhile, thements were filled with insults directed at her.

    [How can someone be so disgusting? I heard her colleague''s father is just an honest farm worker, and she made him kneel! Bullying the honest folks!]

    [This woman is too much. Park Pharmaceuticals should consider firing her!]

    [I hope one day her parents have to kneel to someone too. Maybe then she''ll understand how it feels.]

    As N read the hatefulments, her eyes turned cold.

    After not hearing N speak for a while, Vrie anxiously asked, "N, what''s going on?

    Vrie had known N for years and knew she wasn''t the type to make someone kneel in public. There had to be a misunderstanding, but she couldn''t defend N online without knowing the full story

 Chapter 59

    "It''s a long story. Just let me handle it," N said and hung up.

    As she watched the number of hatefulments against her skyrocket, her expression grew colder.

    On the other side, rk had just returned to his vi when he received a call from Michael. "Mr. Sumner,

    with someone posted a video of Mabel''s father kneeling to Mrs. Sumner. The Inte is blowing up people cursing her. Should we take the video down?"

    rk''s gaze darkened. After a moment, he replied, "No leave it up. I''ll deal with it when shees to me."

    He thought he had been too lenient with N recently, which was why she had been so cold toward him. This incident would remind her of her ce.

    Damon also heard about the online attack on N and immediately contacted her, asking if she needed help removing the video.

    N felt a pang of bitterness hearing Damon''s calm voice over the phone. The video had been circting for over an hour, so there was no way rk didn''t know about it. Yet, the one person who should care the most hadn''t reached out to her. Instead, it was Damon who called to offer help.

    "Uncle Damon, no need. I can handle this myself.

    "Are you sure?" Damon asked, his doubt evident.

    N couldn''t help but smile. "Yes, I was cautious enough to record our conversation whe me outside the office the other day. I''ll upload the recording online."

    he confronted

    Damon was surprised but impressed by her foresight. "Good. If you need anything, you can always contact Spencer."

    "Thank you, Uncle Damon."

    After hanging up, N uploaded the recording with a scheduled release and set her phone aside to apply a face mask. Lucia had gone to such lengths, so N decided to let her bask in her fleeting triumph.

    As the online vitriol against N intensified, Lucia grew more pleased with herself. At first, she feared rk might intervene on N''s behalf, but seeing no signs of it, she concluded he had no intention of helping

    With the current trajectory, Park Pharmaceuticals would likely buckle under public pressure and fire N

    by tomorrow.

    The thought of never seeing N again filled Lucia with satisfaction. Using a fake ount, she added a few more hatefulments against N before preparing to go to bed, Suddenly, a notification popped up on her phone. Taken aback, she quickly went back online. N''s post had shot to the top of the trending list.

    Lucia hurriedly clicked on it and found the audio recording of the conversation between N and

    Keh.

    12

    Lucia gritted her teeth as she read through thements. The tide had turnedpletely.

    [Oh my god! The reason he knelt was that his daughter almost disfigured N! And N didn''t even ask him to kneel. The influencer who posted is so shameless!]

    [Apologizing to N. My dad is a farm worker too, so I was quick to judge without knowing the full story. Sorry, sorry, sorry.]

    [It''s not just the influencer. The me''s on the colleague who tried to disfigure N and the person who filmed this video. They clearly had malicious intent. It must be someone close to N, probably a coworker.]

    [Goodness, working with someone who''s constantly watching you from the shadows is terrifying. It''s disgusting, like a rat in the gutter.]

 Chapter 60

    Seeing the hatefulments directed at her, Lucia was so furious she nearly crushed her phone. She hadn''t

    expected N to be prepared for Keh''s confrontation from the start. Now, not only had N managed to clear her name, but Lucia might also get implicated.

    Panicking, Lucia contacted the influencer who had posted the video and asked them to delete it. However, she was told that the ount had been locked and couldn''t be essed.

    Lucia''s heart sank. How could this happen right after N released the recording? Could it be rk''s doing?

    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. If they traced this back to her, she''d be

    finished.

    Desperate, she rushed to Clement, who was in his study.

    After listening to Lucia''s exnation, Clement pped her hard across the face. "You idiot! Are you trying to get us all killed?"

    He had warned her before not to go against N, but she hadn''t listened and had gone behind his back to create this mess.

    Lucia''s cheek stung, but she ignored the pain and knelt in front of his desk. "Dad, you''re the only one who can help me now. I know I was wrong. I promise I won''t go against N again. Please help me one mo time."

    Clement felt nothing but annoyance when he saw Lucia cry. If she weren''t his only child, he wouldn''t bother with her. "Get out!"

    "Dad..."

    "If you don''t leave now, you can handle this yourself!"

    Relieved by Clement''s promise, Lucia quickly got up and left the study. Instead of returning to her room, she went to the kitchen. Knowing Clement was still angry, she decided to make some soup and use deliv Less than half an hourter, Lucia brought a bowl of soup to the study. The door was slightly ajar. As she was about to knock, she heard Clement''s deep voice from inside.

    "Cyrus, don''t forget that without my help all those years ago, your Sumner family wouldn''t be wre it is today."

    Lucia paused, a look of confusion crossing her face. All those years ago? Instinctively, she thought of the ident six years ago at Harris Pharmaceuticals. Thepany copsed within a month of the incident a stroke. Meanwhile, Clement had moved to anotherpany and climbed the ranks.

    Cyrus was rk''s father. Lucia had never seen any interaction between Clement and Cyrus, so they shouldn''t know each other by right.

    Lucia''s hands gripping the tray turned pale, and her heart raced. Could there be more to that ident than she knew?

    She leaned closer to the door, trying to listen more intently, but she pushed too hard and the door swung

    open.

    Startled by the noise, Clement quickly ended his call.

    As the door opened, Lucia met Clement''s murderous gaze. She shivered. "Dad..."

    Realizing it was Lucia, he softened his expression but still looked displeased. "When did you get here?"

    Under his scrutinizing stare, Lucia steadied her nerves and said softly, "I just got here. I brought you some chicken soup.

    As she approached Clement''s desk, trying to hide her fear, he watched her coldly without speaking. She set the soup down, and only then did she feel a bit relieved when he didn''t do anything else. "Dad, did you handle my issue?" she asked nervously.

 Chapter 61

    "I''m looking into it. It should be resolved in the next couple of days."

    A flicker of joy shed in Lucia''s eyes. "Thanks, Dad!"

    "Don''t celebrate too soon. If there''s a next time, I won''t intervene," Clement warned sternly.

    "Got it. I''ll go back to my room and sleep now. You should get some rest too," Lucia replied, turning to leave.

    Just as she turned, Clement spoke again in an ominous voice. "Lucia, you better not have overheard something you shouldn''t have. Don''t expect me to overlook family ties if you did."

    Lucia could hear the warning in Clement''s tone and bit her lip. When she turned back to him, her expression was filled with confusion. "Dad, what shouldn''t I have heard? I don''t understand."

    Clement looked at her coldly. Seeing her puzzled expression, as if she truly hadn''t heard anything, he suppressed his suspicions. "It''s better if you don''t understand. Go rest now."

    It wasn''t until Lucia locked the door behind her when she returned to her bedroom that she realized she was drenched in cold sweat. She had sensed Clement''s hostility earlier-

    it was the first time he had ever looked at her with such icy eyes. But it only confirmed her suspicions that whatever Clement had mentioned was definitely rted to the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident years ag Despite that, she dared not investigate further. If Clement found out, she couldn''t bear the consequences. Taking a deep breath, she decided to bury this matter deep inside her heart- she wouldn''t utter a word about it.

    rk had waited for over an hour, but N still hadn''t called him. Growing impatient, he called Michael. Has N contacted you to help remove the video?"

    There was a moment of silence before Michael responded. "Mr. Sumner, half an hour ago, Mrs. Sumner turned the tide with a recording of her conversation with Keh. She probably... doesn''t need our help Thinking about how rk had said he would wait for N toe to him for help, Michael wondered if rk felt mocked. Nheless, he wouldn''t dare tell rk this.

    rk questioned, "Why didn''t you report this to me?"

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry, it''s my negligence," Michael answered.

    The key was that he also did not expect that rk hadn''t paid attention to the change in public opinion online.

    Your full attendance bonus this month is docked. It''ll be a week''s sry if there''s a next time." With that, rk hung up.

    Thinking about how N would rather solve things herself than call him for help, rk felt a surge of frustration and immediately called her.

    The phone rang for a long time before N answered. Before he could say anything, her irritated voice

    came through. "Do you realize what time it is?"

    She had finally fallen asleep only to be woken up by rk''s call, leaving her in a foul mood.

    "Why didn''t you call me to help with what happened tonight?"

    rk''s usatory tone made Nugh. Did he expect her to beg for his help?

    "Why would I call you?"

    "I''m your husband. If you had just told me, I would have had Michael take down the video. But you didn''t even send me a message. You don''t regard me at all."

    Every word rk spoke was filled with anger, and his tone was colder than ever.

    N didn''t know how to describe

    what she felt at that moment. It was as if the man who once loved her had vanished before her eyes, and she could only watch helplessly. All her emotions drained away. leaving only a sense of helplessness.

    She turned on her bedsidemp, sat up, and spoke calmly. "You are my husband, but only in name. If you truly cared about me, you wouldn''t wait for me to beg for your

    help knowing I was being wronged. You would have acted on your own.

    "rk, you don''t care about me. You just want to win."

 Chapter 62

    rk believed he was in control of the marriage. So, when he discovered that N had handled the incident on her own without asking for his help, he angrily called to question her.

    If it had been the rk from eight years ago, he wouldn''t have waited for her to surrender-he would have protected her at all costs. The 28-year-old rk was no longer the same as his 20-year-old self. N lowered her gaze, her eyes involuntarily reddening

    The silence on both ends of the line was deafening, with only their breaths audible. After over a minute of this, rk still hadn''t spoken.

    Not willing to wait any longer, N ended the call. She rubbed her tear-stained eyes and couldn''t help but chuckle bitterly.

    She felt useless. Despite vowing not to let him affect her anymore, she still felt hurt. rk had upied eight years of her life. Perhaps she needed another eight years to slowly move on.

    In the living room of the vi, rk didn''t have the courage to call back after N hung up. When she used him of wanting to win rather than caring for her, it felt like a punch to his heart, rendering him speechless.

    He couldn''t understand why things hade to this between them. He should have feltpassion for her, but instead, he wanted to use this situation to make

    her submit, to be like the gentle andpliant Jordyn. Maybe N hadn''t changed at all. Maybe it was him who had changed.

    At that thought, he messaged Michael, instructing him to investigate the video incident thoroughly.

    Michael worked quickly and had everything figured out by the next morning.

    "Mr. Sumner, it was Mrs. Sumner''s colleague, Lucia Pord. She''s likely also involved in theb explosion incident."

    rk''s expression turned icy. "Then teach her a lesson

    "I looked into it. Lucia''s father, Clement Pord, used to be the purchasing manager at Harris Pharmaceuticals. After Harris Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt, he joined a subsidiary of the Sumner Group and is no

    rk sneered. Then let''s start with Clement."

    "Understood."

    Not long after Michael left, Cyrus showed up, surprising rk.

    Since being ousted from the list of heirs, Cyrus had been given a subsidiarypany to manage by Richard. Most expected it to fail under Cyrus'' yboy ways, but he had surprisingly made it thrive. Though "r Cyrus'' phndering ways meant he rarely came home, resulting in a distant father-son rtionship with

    rk, with their meetings limited to holidays and special asions.

    "Dad, what brings you here?"

    "I heard you''re nning to fire Clement?"

    rk frowned. "How did you find out?"

    "Never mind how I know. You absolutely cannot fire him."

    Seeing Cyrus'' stern and serious demeanor, rk pressed his lips together. "Give me a reason."

    "You''ll understandter. If you don''t want this matter reaching your grandfather and him knowing you fired a subsidiary executive over a woman, then do nothing.

    rk scoffed. "Are you threatening me?"

    "Yes. You have one minute to decide. If you can''t make up your mind, I''ll call your grandfather immediately."

    They stared at each other, icy determination in their eyes. As the seconds ticked by, Cyrus'' expression grew colder with each passing moment.

 Chapter 63

    rkˇŻs expression was tense, filled with anger. He knew Cyrus could definitely follow through on his threats. After all, Cyrus had never cared about him.

    Finally, he called Michael, his voice cold. ˇ°DonˇŻt take any action against Clement for now.ˇ±

    Hanging up, he red at Cyrus. ˇ°You can leave now.ˇ±

    Cyrusˇ® gaze darkened. ˇ°One day, you will understand that everything I do is for your own good.ˇ±

    rk didnˇŻt reply. Instead, he picked up a file, pretending he hadnˇŻt heard anything.

    There was a sh of coldness in Cyrusˇ® eyes at rkˇŻs indifferent face before he turned and quickly left.

    Michael was already on his way to the subsidiarypany when rkˇŻs call came. Finding the situation inexplicable, he turned back. Just as he entered the office, a chill ran down his spine, as if he had stepped into an icy wastnd. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, regarding Clement-ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry about it. Just spread the news that it was Lucia who filmed the video.ˇ±

    Seeing rkˇŻs cold expression, Michael dared not ask further questions. He nodded before leaving.

    When Lucia arrived at work in the morning, she immediately felt the odd nces from others. Especially in the R&D department, none of her colleagues struck up a conversation with her. Every time she tried to speak, they either seemed too busy or intentionally ignored her, clearly isting her.

    It wasnˇŻt until she went to the restroom that she heard voices inside discussing her.

    ˇ°Lucia usually acts nice and innocent, but who knew she was so malicious behind our backs? She actually filmed that video to nder N. From now on, who would dare to associate with her?ˇ±

    ˇ°Heh, no wonder N was at odds with her from day one at work. Looks like she knew her true colors.ˇ±

    ˇ°Better keep our distance from her in the future. Who knows? She might snap a video of us and post it online just because she doesnˇŻt like us.ˇ±

    Listening to the gossip, Lucia was furious beyond measure. DidnˇŻt Clement promise he would handle this? Why did everyone in thepany know it was her doing?

    Right, it must be N!

    She for found N and dragged her to the stairwell.

    "N, are you spreading rumors in thepany that I filmed the video of forcing Keh to kneel?"

    Seeing Lucia''s agitated state, N remainedposed. "You did something shameful. Shouldn''t you feel guilty after it''s exposed? How are you still boldly using me like this?" "So it''s really you!"

    N raised an eyebrow, thinking that Lucia''sprehension skills were seriouslycking. When did she ever admit to anything? N was also puzzled about who might be secretly helping her.

    Upon arriving at thepany in the morning and learning about the situation, her first thoughts were of Vrie and Damon. However, both denied any involvement when she asked them. "Believe what you want," N said dismissively. She turned to leave, done wasting time with Lucia.

    However, Lucia stepped forward and blocked her path, her gaze filled with anger and resentment. "You need to exin right now that this has nothing to do with me!"

    N found it amusing how confidently Lucia wasmanding her even after doing something wrong.

    "Dream on," N replied and turned to walk away, but Lucia grabbed her.

    As they struggled, neither noticed how close they were getting to the stairs.

    Suddenly, Lucia stepped into empty space, pulling N along as they tumbled down the stairs together...

 Chapter 64

    When rk arrived, N had only just woken up. Due to a mild concussion, she felt dizzy and nauseous as soon as she opened her eyes, so she kept them shut while lying down.

    Sensing someone sitting beside her hospital bed, she thought it was Vrie returning with medicine.

    "Vrie, I feel awful. I think I''m going to be sick..."

    Seeing N''s furrowed brows and her pale face covered in cold sweat, rk was heartbroken. He quickly grabbed a tissue from the nearby table and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

    As rk came closer, N caught a whiff of his cologne and suddenly opened her eyes wide. When she saw that it was indeed rk, she turned her head away and said with disgust, "Don''t touch me."

    Her resistance was clear in her eyes. rk''s hand froze in midair before he withdrew it and sat down. "Fine, I won''t touch you. Just let me know if you need anything."

    N was feeling so ufortable at the moment that she didn''t bother trying to get rk to leave. She simply closed her eyes as if he didn''t exist.

    Vrie then returned with the medicine. Upon seeing rk, she raised an eyebrow before she smirked. Mr. Sumner, you came to see N. Aren''t you afraid your lover will get jealous?"

    Ever since N had told Vrie about rk''s affair, Vrie had seen him attending numerous business events with Jordyn, who always posed as his secretary. A few times, unable to stand Jordyn''s hypocrisy, Thinking of how N had loved such a scoundrel for eight years made Vrie furious.

    rk''s displeasure shed in his eyes. His voice was deep as he said, "I am N''s husband. It''s only right, for me to take care of her. As for you, Ms. Weir, if you have nothing else to do, you may I J." Vrie''s expression turned mocking. "You don''t seem to have the authority tomand me, and I''m notfortable leaving N with you."

    The two locked eyes, a cold tension filling the air, almost like an electric current passing between them.

    Their

    staring contest was interrupted by N''s cough, prompting Vrie to quickly walk to the bedside. and speak gently. "N, are you still feeling ufortable?" "Yeah, I want some water."

    Upon hearing this, rk quickly poured a ss of water and handed it over. Vrie frowned but took the ss of water and helped N take a few sips

    After just a couple of sips, N felt too ufortable to drink more.

    Vrie''s heart ached upon seeing N in such distress and her hatred for Lucia intensified.

    Although Lucia was in worse condition, suffering from multiple fractures and a concussion, it was entirely her own fault.

    Once Lucia recovered, Vrie wouldn''t let her off so easily!

    Suddenly, N''s phone on the table rang.

    rk noticed the caller ID as "Uncle Damon" and squinted. Before he could react, Vrie answered the call. rk''s gaze turned Icy when he heard Damon wasing to see N, and his presence seemed to Vrie noticed his unpleasant expression but ignored it, dismissing it as his usual moodiness.

    Soon, Damon arrived, apanied by Spencer holding flowers and fruits.

    Vrie stood up with a smile. "Mr. Sumner, you came in person!"

    Earlier, she had thought Damon was being courteous on the phone and would perhaps send a secretary

    over at most.

    Compared to rk, Vrie had a much better impression of Damon. At least he didn''t engage in affairs.

    "I happened to be nearby," Damon said as his gaze fell on N lying pale on the hospital bed. His brows furrowed involuntarily. "What did the doctor say? Is it serious?"

    "Mild concussion, some minor scrapes. She should be fine in a few days," Vrie answered.

    Damon nodded, about to say something when a cold voice cut in.

 Chapter 65

    Uncle Damon, thank you foring to see N, but you''re usually busy, so there''s no need for you toe in the future." rk''s tonecked politeness, and his gaze toward Damon was filled with hostility, pra Damon looked at him calmly, showing no sign of being provoked.

    rk felt frustrated and ground his teeth in anger. Damon''s attitude made him feel like his punch hadnded nowhere.

    Damon ignored rk''s remark, turned to Vrie, and said, "Ms. Weir, I have another meeting shortly. I''ll take my leave now."

    Vrie nodded. "Alright, I''ll see you out."

    "No need," Damon replied.

    As Damon turned to leave, rk followed and intercepted him in front of the elevator, staring at him with a stern expression. "Uncle Damon, I hope you understand that N is my wife and your niece-in-w, not just some random woman. I hope you don''t have any inappropriate thoughts."

    Damon nced at rk, his gaze devoid of warmth. "If I were you, I''d be more concerned about my wife''s condition right now, not other trivial matters."

    Under Damon''s icy gaze, rk''s hands clenched into fists by his side. "Of course. I care about N''s condition, but that doesn''t mean I can neglect other things."

    Damon chuckled, a hint of mockery shing in his eyes.

    "If I recall correctly, just a few days ago you were gallivanting around with your secretary. Instead of warning me, you might want to figure out how to keep it hidden from your grandfather." Before rk could respond, the elevator doors opened, and Damon walked straight in without ncing back at him.

    Even as the elevator descended, rk''s face remained grim.

    He returned to the hospital room over ten minutester.

    N had already fallen asleep, but her sleep seemed restless, her brows still furrowed.

    rk sat down across from Vrie and noticed the bouquet on the table, which seemed ring. Suddenly, he stood up, grabbed the flowers, and walked out.

    Seeing his actions, Vrie couldn''t help but frown. Just as she was about to speak up, she thought about how-N had finally managed to fall asleep and reluctantly followed rk out. When she saw him tossing Damon''s flowers into the trash at the end of the hallway, she hurried over. rk, are you insane? These are flowers from N''s visitor. Who are you to throw them away?" rk''s expression remained indifferent. "I''m her husband. I have the right to handle things for her."

    Vrie was almost amused by rk''s audacity. She used to think he had a good personality and truly loved N. Today, she realized she had been blind.

    "Never mind that Damon is your uncle. Even if a friend had sent those flowers to N, you have no right to dispose of them."

    rk looked coldly at Vrie. "Ms. Weir, considering you''re N''s close friend, I don''t want to argue with you. But I have a bad temper. If you continue to meddle in our affairs, the Weirs might not fare well." Vrie sneered. "Are you threatening me?"

    "Not a threat, just a reminder."

    "Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Sumner. But since you know I''m N''s friend, I won''t stand by and watch her be mistreated."

    rk''s eyes grew cold as he was about to speak when his phone rang. Seeing Jordyn''s name on the screen, he frowned.

    Vrie also noticed the name, and a hint of disgust shed in her eyes.

    He went.

    disgusting, juggling between his mistress and begging N for forgiveness.

 Chapter 66

    "Mr. Sumner, if you no longer love N, please let her go, considering the eight years of your rtionship.

    "Don''t continue clinging to a mistress while refusing to divorce her, draining whatever little love is left between you."

    With that, Vrie turned and left without caring how unpleasant rk''s expression became.

    rk''s fingers holding the phone turned faintly white, his gaze heavy and cold. His phone kept ringing. and he walked to the stairwell to answer.

    "What is it?"

    Jordyn''s voice sounded grave from the phone. "rk, I have something important to tell you."

    "I''m busy right now." Just as rk was about to hang up, something said on the other end froze him in ce. After several seconds, he spoke in a low voice. "I''lle see you shortly."

    Back in the hospital room, Vrie saw that N had woken up and quickly approached her bedside." N, I''ve already asked for soup to be prepared for you. It should arrive soon. Just rest a little longer.'' "Okay."

    Not long after, rk pushed open the door and entered the room.

    Seeing his grim expression, Vrie sneered. "Mr. Sumner, finished chatting with your mistress?"

    rk frowned at her, clearly displeased. If Vrie hadn''t been N''s friend, he would have dealt with the Weirs long ago for speaking to him like that.

    "N, there''s a contract issue at thepany. I need to go back to handle it. I''lle back after it''s resolved," rk told N.

    Ny with closed eyes, not responding, clearly uninterested in engaging with him.

    Beside her, Vrie mocked, "Is it really apany issue, or is it something with Jordyn? Mr. Sumner, you should know in your heart."

    rk looked coldly at her. "Vrie, because you''re N''s friend, I''ve been tolerant of you. If you don''t want the Weirs to suffer bankruptcy, stop challenging my limits again and again."

    Maybe Vrie had been working behind the scenes to incite N''s resistance to him. Upon thinking that, rk''s anger red, his gaze darkening even more.

    Hearing him threaten Vrie, N frowned and opened her eyes to look at him. "If you''re leaving, just go. Don''t bothering tonight. Vrie is here."

    Her detachment pierced rk. "N, it really is apany matter that''s forcing me to leave."

    His exnation didn''t seem to matter to N anymore

    "It''s fine. Just go," she said.

    Seeing N close her eyes again, rk pursed his lips and turned to leave.

    As the hospital room door opened and then closed, the room fell silent.

    Vrie held N''s hand, gritting her teeth. "N, ignore him. Once you''re better, I''ll arrange for male escorts at the club for you-

    one each day. Since this scumbag won''t divorce, let''s give him a heap of cuckoldry!"

    N couldn''t help but smile, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. "No need. He''s not worth me ruining myself."

    "How is this ruining yourself? It''s called enjoying life! When I move out from home in a while, I''ll get myself a male escort." N was rendered speechless.

    After leaving the hospital, rk drove straight to find Jordyn. As he opened the door, he asked coldly," What''s the report?"

    Jordyn stepped aside to let him in, handing him a medical report from the table.

    "rk, I didn''t mean to look... When you and Ms. Jayston were having your checkup, I hadn''t left the Sumner Group yet, so I used my number. That''s why when the report came out, the clinic called me to pick When Jordyn was rk''s secretary, she managed his daily life, including tasks like picking up reports. rk ignored her exnation and opened the medical report.

    When rk saw that N had been diagnosed with infertility, he suddenly tightened

    his grip on the report, his fingertips turning faintly white. He hadn''t expected that after three years of trying, it was N who couldn''t conceive!

    and Ms.

    Noticing his unpleasant expression, Jordyn spoke cautiously, "rk, previously, when you Jayston weren''t nning for children, you only did routine checkups. If it weren''t for this preconception check, maybe you-

    "That''s enough!" rk coldly interrupted her, his gaze intense as if he could devour her.

    Jordyn couldn''t help but tremble, not daring to speak again.

    "Has anyone else seen this medical report besides you?" rk asked.

    Jordyn shook her head, cautiously replying, "No... rk are you nning to keep this matter a secret?"

    "It''s none of your concern. Pretend you know nothing about it. If a single word leaks out, I''ll make sure you suffer, he warned.

    Hurt flickered in Jordyn''s eyes. "Don''t you trust me? And... even now that you know Ms. Jayston can''t bear children, you don''t n to divorce her?"

 Chapter 67

    "I won''t divorce her. Even if I did, I''d never marry you. Just carry the child to term, and that''s all you need to worry about. The rest isn''t your concern!" With that, rk stormed out, medical report in hand.

    After the door mmed shut, Jordyn wiped a tear from her eye with a smirk.

    rk didn''t return to the hospital that night.

    N had sensed it long before, so she couldn''t say she was disappointed.

    After a few days of recuperation in the hospital, N had recovered about 70-80%. Aside from asional dizziness, she was mostly fine. The doctor said she could be discharged that afternoon. "N, I have something to do this afternoon. I''ll send my driver to take you home," Vrie offered.

    "No need. I don''t have much stuff. I''ll just take a taxi," N replied.

    During N''s hospital stay, rk hadn''t visited after the initial appearance. It had been Vrie taking care of N, causing Vrie to miss out on a lot, which made N feel quite guilty.

    "I''ll still have the drivere. He''s free this afternoon anyway. I have to go now. Let me know when you get home." Vrie hurriedly left.

    N continued organizing her clothes and personal items. Hearing the hospital room door open behind her, she thought it might be Vrie returning for something, so she turned with a smile. Seeing it was Jordyn, she frowned. She hadn''t expected to see this woman again, but evidently, she had underestimated her shamelessness. "You''re not wee here. Please leave."

    Seeing N''s cold gaze, Jordyn smirked. She moved to sit down by the bedside uninvited, provocation.

    gaze full of

    "I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to see you. I''ve been feeling under the weather these days, and rk has been with

    me, so I didn''t have time toe see you," Jordyn said, her tone devoid of any true apology.

    N looked indifferent. "He was busy, so he sent a mistress to visit me?"

    Jordyn was annoyed but quickly reverted to her previous smug smile, standing up and approaching N.

    "Ms. Jayston, I don''t know if you''ve heard, but love doesn''t have a sequence. The one who isn''t loved back is the mistress. Now that rk refuses to divorce you, it''s only because he''s worried about his position Finally, N stopped what she was doing. Looking at Jordyn''s smug expression, she spoke calmly "Love may not have a sequence, but shouldn''t there be some sense of propriety?

    "Calling yourself a mistress with such superiority, it''s a first for me. Even if rk doesn''t.love me anymore, as long as we''re not divorced, you two can only skulk around like rats in the gutter.

    "You say he loves you, then why hasn''t he loved you enough to divorce me? Don''t overestimate your importance. He may have many mistresses, but there seems to be only one Mrs. Sumner."

    Jordyn''s face paled slightly, her hands by her side subconsciously clenched. She hadn''t expected N to be so sharp-tongued.

    However, it seemed N wouldn''t be able to exin herselfter even if she had a hundred chances.

    N kept her head down as she continued packing her things when suddenly, Jordyn grabbed her wrist. She instinctively pulled away and caused Jordyn to stagger back, bumping into the cab next to the b

    "Ouch!"

    "N, what are you doing?!"

    N turned around to see rk walking into the hospital room with a dark expression.

    So this was what had been in store for her.

    "You saw-everything, didn''t you? Do you still need to ask me?" N retorted.

    Jordyn sat on the floor, her face pale with pain, but she managed to force a smile. "rk, don''t me Ms. Jayston. It''s my fault for wronging her. It''s only right for her to get angry at me."

    rk quickly walked over to help her up, his gaze at N now cold. "She''s weak. Even if you''re angry, you shouldn''ty hands on a pregnant woman!"

    ley as well.

    N''s grip on her clothes tightened involuntarily, her gaze meeting rk''s, now icy

    Was he blind?

    Jordyn was pregnant, but wasn''t N a patient too?

    Clearly, it was Jordyn who hade to her hospital room looking for trouble, yet rk immediately assumed it was N''s fault without asking for the cause and effect. Their eight years of rtionship seemed to count for less than a secretary who had been with him for only

    a year.

    "If you

    don''t want me toy hands on her, then don''t let her swagger in front of me." N''s indifferent expression made rk even more displeased.

    At that moment, rk didn''t know if he was angrier that N hadn''t exined herself or that she seemed indifferent to him. "Apologize!"

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    N felt like she was listening to a joke. She had never seen a husband embrace his mistress and order his wife to apologize to the mistress.

    "Do you think she deserves it?" she asked incredulously

    Tears welled up in Jordyn''s eyes as she clutched rk''s sleeve, choking out, "rk, please don''t make things difficult for Ms. Jayston. It''s my fault. As long as it calms her down, she can treat me however she

    wants."

    rk gave Jordyn a cold nce. "Shut up."

    Sensing rk''s anger, Jordyn trembled uncontrobly, lowered her gaze, and said nothing more.

    Watching them embrace, N felt only mockery. Was this what rk had meant by having nothing to do with Jordyn? Was he taking N for a fool?

    Unable to bear watching further, N hastily stuffed her belongings into her bag and turned to leave.

    "Stop!" rk yelled.

    Footsteps echoed behind her, and the next moment, arge hand grabbed her wrist.

    Before N could react, rk pulled her forcefully toward the exit.,

    His grip was strong, causing N to stumble, nearly falling.

    When she tried to shake him off, his grasp on her wrist was like a vice, leaving her no chance to break free.

    It wasn''t until he dragged her into the stairwell and backed her against the wall that he forced her to look up at him from below, his eyes burning red.

    "N, do you still have any feelings for me?''

    When rk had embraced Jordyn, he had hoped to see signs of anger or sadness on N''s face, even the slightest hint. Unfortunately, the result disappointed him. She showed neither anger nor sadness, only At that moment, his heart felt like it was being squeezed, the unbearable pain spreading through every fiber of his being.

    More than N''sck of exnation, what he found even harder to ept was her indifference toward him now.

    Upon seeing rk''s red eyes, N''s expression shed with scorn. "What do you think?"

    rk pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "If you don''t have any feelings left, it''s okay. We still have a lifetime ahead, and there wille a day when you''ll care about me again."

    N pped his hand away, trembling with anger. How could he expect her to love him as before while he tangled with Jordyn? Didn''t he think it was unfair to her?

    "rk, must you disgust me?"

    She had only wanted a divorce, to get what rightfully belonged to her, and then draw a clear line between

    them. But he had gone too far.

    rk''s gaze darkened. "Even if I disgust you, I won''t let you leave. N, we''re destined to be entangled for a lifetime."

    A lifetime... Once such a beautiful term for them, now felt like a shackle.

    "rk... My stomach hurts so much..." Jordyn''s voice suddenly came from behind him. He turned around, about to tell her to leave, but he abruptly noticed her pale face, and his gaze darkened, He looked back at N. "Wait for me. I''ll take you home."

    N looked away without saying a word.

    rk''s eyes shed with helplessness upon seeing her stubborn demeanor. He let go of her and turned to walk toward Jordyn, his gaze turning icy. "I''ll take you back to the ward." After they disappeared from view, N turned and left directly.

    While rk sent Jordyn back to her ward, he remained silent, his face stern.

    Sensing the heavy atmosphere around him, Jordyn wanted to speak several times, but each time she hesitated and remained silent.

    When they reached the door of the ward, rk was about to turn and leave. Jordyn''s face paled in panic, and she quickly reached out to grab him.

    "rk..."

    rk''s icy gaze fell on Jordyn''s hand, which was pulling at his sleeve. "Let go."

    Intimidated by his cold stare, Jordyn instinctively released her grip.

    "rk, I just heard that Ms. Jayston was also in this hospital today, so I went to see her."

    rk smirked mockingly. "You know very well if you were there to see her or to provoke her. Do you think just because she can''t have a child, you can marry me with this child?"

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    After all, before knowing

    that N couldn''t have children, Jordyn wouldn''t have dared to provoke N while pregnant. rk hadn''t exposed Jordyn''s clumsy acting in front of N just now simply because she was carrying his child. Th

    Jordyn''s fingers trembled as she bit her lip, tearfully looking at him. "rk, I didn''t mean that..."

    Impatience shed in rk''s eyes. "You better really didn''t."

    Jordyn bit her lip, sounding disappointed. "Were you... Using me to test Ms. Jayston just now?"

    rk knew she had plotted against N but hadn''t exposed her. She had thought he had feelings for her, but it turned out she had deceived herself.

    rk pinched Jordyn''s chin, his gaze full of disdain. "You''d better straighten yourself out. I like smart women, but being too clever is just stupid."

    As Jordyn froze, rk released her and walked away.

    Tears fell from Jordyn''s eyes as she watched him leave. Subconsciously, she touched her abdomen. Although she knew she could not beat N now, she had a trump card with this baby.

    One day, she and the child would weigh more than N in rk''s heart. He hadn''t paid any attention to N while they were hospitalized together because she was feeling unwell from the pregnancy. As Jordyn thought about it, determination shed in her eyes.

    In another VIP ward on the same hospital floor, Lucia was infuriated upon hearing that N had been discharged. They had both fallen down the stairs, but why had she ended up with multiple fractures, bruises Lucia had initially thought about using N as a shield when they fell, but instead, she had ended up being the one sacrificed for N. The more she dwelled on it, the angrier she became..

    A series of knocks sounded on the door. Irritated, Lucia asked, "Who is it?"

    The door opened, and Keh walked in with a fruit basket and an ingratiating look. "Ms. Pord, I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to see you."

    Lucia was already annoyed, so her mood worsened at the sight of Keh, "What are you doing here?"

    Even her service staff wouldn''t ept such a shabby fruit basket, let alone her.

    Keh ced the fruit basket down and sat beside the hospital bed. "Ms. Pord, the money you gave mest time is almost gone... My wife''s medical bills...I can''t keep up with them..."

    Lucia frowned coldly. "I gave you 15,000 dors, and you''re telling me you''re out of money in just a few days? Do you think I''m an ATM?"

    Keh, feeling guilty, awkwardly replied, "I thought I shouldn''t always bother you... so I took some to the casino to try my luck. If I had won, I wouldn''t have toe to you again. I didn''t expect my luck to be s

    Lucia snickered. "What does that have to do with me? Given my rtionship with Mabel, giving you 15,000 dors was already more than generous."

    Keh scowled as Lucia refused to give him more money. "Ms. Pord, are you nning

    to cut us off? Don''t forget, Mabel went to jail for helping you. If she hadn''t done so, I wouldn''t have needed toe to you for money.

    "If you cut us off, I''m afraid I won''t be able to keep quiet about what Mabel and I did for you."

    Lucia''s expression grew cold, and a murderous intent surged in her eyes. A middle-aged man with no background dared to threaten her now.

    Keeping her head down, she suddenly devised a n. If executed correctly, she could deal with both N and Keh.

    She looked up at Keh with a smile.

    "How could I cut you off? It''s just that I don''t have much money myself. But if you''re willing to listen to me, I''ll make sure you get more money than you could ever spend in a lifetime."

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    When Keh heard that, greed filled his eyes. "Never be able to finish spending in my lifetime? So we''re talking hundreds of thousands?"

    A hint of mockery shed in Lucia''s eyes. What a country bumpkin-he couldn''t even conceive of anything beyond hundreds of thousands.

    "If this n seeds, we''re not talking hundreds of thousands-we''re talking millions!"

    "Really?" Keh''s cheeks flushed red from excitement as if he could already see millions beckoning to

    him.

    "Of course. Come closer, and I''ll exin carefully to you." Lucia lowered her voice, and Keh nodded eagerly, excitement evident in his eyes.

    In the end, he looked at Lucia earnestly and said, "Ms. Pord, I''ll do whatever you say as long as it gets me the money."

    After Keh left, Lucia sneered. Before long, all the people she detested would disappear from this world.

    N had not been home for long when rk came knocking.

    N could see from the surveince monitor that he looked angry. She pretended not to notice and went straight to her bedroom

    She had originally thought that he would leave if she didn''t open the door for him and made him wait outside for a while. She hadn''t expected him to call a locksmith right away.

    Upon hearing the door open, N initially thought she had misheard. It wasn''t until the footsteps approached closer to the bedroom that she quickly got up to lock the bedroom door.

    rk twisted the doorknob but couldn''t open it and looked somewhat helpless. "N,e out. Let''s talk, okay?"

    N didn''t say anything but called the police.

    Soon, the police arrived.

    It wasn''t until the police knocked on the bedroom door and exined their purpose that N opened it.

    rk was subdued by two police officers, his hands cuffed behind his back, looking

    He frowned at N. "N, exin to the police that we''re husband and wife."

    remely disheveled.

    N looked at him coldly and then told the police officers, "Officers, he and I are indeed married, but we are currently separated. He suddenly hired a locksmith to break into my home today, and who knows wha It would be best if they could detain him for a few days to teach him a lesson.

    The police officers nodded and looked at rk. "Come with us to the station."

    "N, I hired the locksmith because you didn''t open the door for me, and I was worried about you," rk said earnestly, but N found itughable.

    She was certain that not only would they have argued, but her safety might have been threatened if she had opened the door when rk was fuming earlier.

    "You can save these exnations for when you''re making your statement to the police. If you ever try to enter my home again without my consent, I''ll have no choice but to take legal action against you." rk w suffered such indignity.

    At the police station, he refused to speak until hiswyer arrived and negotiated directly through thewyer.

    Under thewyer''s mediation, coupled with rk and N''s marriage certificate, the police released him but still issued a verbal warning. "Even if you''re married, you can''t break and enter like that."

    Thewyer nodded repeatedly and had to listen to the police for a while before leading rk away. As soon as they left the police station, rk ordered coldly, "Take me to N."

    Thewyer looked at him, somewhat helpless. "Mr. Sumner, I suggest you calm down before seeing Ms. Jayston. Otherwise, if she applies for a restraining order from the court, it will negatively impact thep

 Chapter 71

    Upon hearing that, rk''s expression darkened, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to plummet,

    After a long silence, he finally spoke. To the office."

    For the next few days, rk did not bother N again, and she enjoyed the peace.

    When Vrie finished her tasks, she went straight to N, urging her to apany her to the hospital.

    "Why are we going to the hospital? It''s not time for a check-up yet," N asked.

    Seeing N''s confusion, Vrie rolled her eyes. "Have you forgotten who caused you to fall down the stairs?"

    "I remember, but so what?"

    "Since you remember, let''s go. We''re going to demandpensation for your medical expenses and emotional distress, Vrie said.

    When they arrived at the hospital, Lucia was having lunch with her parents.

    Seeing N, Clement was momentarily taken aback but then gave a friendly smile. "N, are you here to visit Lucia?"

    Vrie sneered and sat down on the sofa, raising an eyebrow at Clement.

    "Mr. Pord, your daughter not only fell down the stairs herself but also caused N to fall, resulting in a mild concussion and asional dizziness.

    "Don''t you think the Pords shouldpensate her for lost wages, medical expenses, and emotional distress? Vrie questioned.

    Upon hearing this, Lucia turned livid and red at Vtie.

    "Vrie, don''t use me. Which eye of yours saw me causing her to fall? I was the one who got hurt more severely, so she should be the onepensating me!" Lucia snapped. Having dealt with Lucia''s maniptive behavior before Vrie had always kept her at arm''s length.

    It was N-under the impression that she and Lucia had grown up together and were best friends-who failed to see through Lucia''s facade.

    The Jaystons'' bankruptcy ultimately revealed Lucia''s true colors, leading to their fallout.

    Reflecting on this, Vrie looked at Lucia with disdain. "You got hurt worse because you fell first and tried to drag N down with you, but you failed."

    "You!" Lucia was furious. She wanted to retort, but Vrie cut her off coldly.

    "If you don''t want the story about you staging a scene to kneel in front of N and hit the Inte, ruining your reputation, then stop arguing with me," Vrie threatened.

    Clement, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere, smiled and said, "Ms. Weir, there''s no need to be angry. Regardless of whether Lucia is at fault or not, I''ve watched N grow up. I''m willing to cover her Vrie raised an eyebrow, her gaze icy.

    "Mr. Pord, you certainly know how to say the right things, but let''s be clear-

    N isn''t so down and out that she needs charity from the Pords. What we''re asking for ispensation, not a handout," Vrie rified.

    Clement''s smile faltered for a moment before he turned to N. "What kind ofpensation are you looking for, N?"

    Meeting Clement''s seemingly gentle gaze, N found it hypocritical.

    When the Jaystons went bankrupt and her father was hospitalized from the shock, Clement hadn''t even. bothered to visit, not even for appearances. Now, he was pretending nothing had happened, speaking to Seeing N remain silent, Vrie assumed she was about to ask for an apology from Lucia and quickly interjected, "We want 150,000 dors inpensation and an apology from Lucia."

 Chapter 72

    "Impossible! I won''t apologize to her!" Lucia growled.

    Vrie smirked as she observed. Lucia, who was visibly agitated, brimming with resistance and anger.

    "Ms. Pord, if you refuse to apologize, we''ll see you in court. If I''m not mistaken, spreading false rumors can lead to a prison sentence if the post receives more than 5,000 shares, correct?" Vrie said. Lucia''s previously arrogant demeanor was suddenly dampened as if doused with a bucket of cold water. Her face turned pale at the thought of imprisonment and the potential ruination of her life.

    Clement''s face darkened but quickly resumed its previous gentle expression.

    "Lucia, just apologize to N. As the older person, you should be the bigger person," he advised.

    Vrie frowned at Clement''s words, sensing an implication that they were being unreasonable today.

    Before she could respond, N spoke up. "Mr. Pord, It''s not about her age or any obligation to give in. It''s about her wrongdoing and the need for her to apologize. Please don''t act as if she''s being unjustly

    treated."

    Clement was taken aback. He hadn''t expected the usually gentle N to be so direct.

    "You''re right, N. It''s my oversight," he said.

    N remained indifferent. It wasn''t an oversight-he was clearly downying the situation.

    Lucia bit her lip, reluctantly turning to N. "I was wrong before, N. I''m sorry."

    Seeing Lucia''s unwilling expression, N ignored her and turned to Vrie. "Val, did you hear anyone speaking just now?"

    Vrie caught on quickly and shook her head. "Nope, but I think I heard a mosquito buzzing."

    Lucia was so furious she wanted to tear the room apart. Unfortunately, under Clement''s cold gaze, she had no choice but to raise her voice and apologize again.

    "N, I''m sorry. I was wrong before. I hope you can forgive me!"

    Finally, N turned to her with a smile.

    The smile felt mocking to Lucia.

    "Ms. Pord, what exactly did you do wrong? If you don''t exin, how will I know?" N asked.

    "You!" Lucia pointed a finger at N, about to curse her out, but Clement interrupted coldly, "Lucia!"

    Under his icy gaze, Lucia reluctantly said, "I shouldn''t have had Keh kneel and apologize to you on purpose. I shouldn''t have recorded the video and posted it online to ruin your reputation. And I shouldn''t h She said it loudly, her voice cracking with frustration and tears by the end.

    N remained calm, nodding only after Lucia finished speaking. "Alright. I ept your apology."

    Back in the car, Vrie couldn''t help butugh. "Lucia''s face when she apologized was priceless. I wish I could''ve recorded it and watched it over and over."

    N smiled at her. "Alright, enough about that. Did you record the audio?"

    "I did. I''ll send it to you now," Vrie replied.

    Once N received the recording, she saved it to her cloud storage. If Lucia dared to bother her again, she would release the recording and let everyone know what kind of person she really was. After N and Vrie left, the atmosphere in the hospital room turned icy.

    Clement''s earlier smile had vanished, reced by a re as he stared at Lucia.

    "Dad-"

    Before Lucia could finish, Clement pped her. "Idiot!"

    He thought Lucia was absolutely useless since she couldn''t even handle N and had gotten caught in her own schemes.

    Lucia clutched her face, filled with fear and dread..

 Chapter 73

    "I am sorry, Dad," said Lucia.

    "If you can''t scheme properly, just stay out of trouble. Don''t make me cut ties with you."

    With that, Clement stormed out.

    The next two days were the weekend, so N rested at home before returning to work on Monday. Her hands had mostly healed, and she was ready to continue her experiments in theb.

    As soon as she arrived at thepany, Genevieve hurried over to her.

    "N, get ready. You''re going on a business trip to Rontana with Mr. Sumner," Genevieve said.

    N was taken aback, looking a bit puzzled. "Mr. Sumner? Damon Sumner?"

    Genevieve nodded. "Yes. Mr. Sumner found apany in Rontana that produces the ingredients you need for your asthma medication research. You''ll be going there with him to conduct an on- site inspection and determine the medicinal ingredients'' efficacy."

    N frowned. "Doesn''t Prospectus Technology have a dedicated evaluation team for this?"

    Genevieve replied, "The evaluation team is currently on a business trip to another city. Since this is your area of expertise, thepany decided to send you instead. Prepare tonight. Mr. Sumner will pick you up from your ce at seven tomorrow morning." Genevieve seemed very busy and quickly left after giving the instructions, heading to the meeting room

    with her files.

    The next morning arrived quickly.

    N got up and washed up.

    Seeing it was almost time, she grabbed her suitcase and headed downstairs.

    As she opened the door, she saw rk standing there, holding breakfast in one hand and about to knock on the door with the other. N frowned, her gaze showing impatience.

    "N, where are you going?" rk wondered if she was nning to move to avoid him.

    "None of your business. Move," she said.

    rk didn''t budge, his eyes locked on N''s cold face. "N, no matter where you move within the city. I''ll find you. Moving is pointless."

    N sneered. "Don''t worry. I''m not nning to avoid you."

    rk was the one who had cheated. He should be the one feeling guilty, not her.

    "If you''re not moving, then why are you dragging a suitcase?" he asked.

    N checked the time, unwilling to waste any more on him. "I''m going on a business trip. Now move."

    Upon hearing her exnation, rk breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Where are you going on a business trip? For how long?"

    N shoved past him, exasperated. "If you have time to bother me, why not spend it with your lover? Keep her busy so she doesn''te and cause trouble for me."

    rk was caught off guard by her push, almost dropping the breakfast. "N, I brought you your favorite from university..."

    N didn''t even turn around, hurrying toward the elevator.

    rk looked at the breakfast in his hand with a bitter smile. Back in university, he used to wait for her outside her dorm with these. Every time, her eyes would light up at the sight of them. Eventually, he got jeal behind his back, leading her to hug him to grab them.

    Now, she wouldn''t even spare him a nce.

    rk walked up to N, still offering the breakfast. "N, take these for the road."

    N ignored him, treating him like he was invisible.

    Bitterness filled rk''s gaze, but he said nothing, silently following her into the elevator.

    When they reached the ground floor, he frowned as the doors opened.

    "Spencer, what are you doing here?" he asked.

 Chapter 74

    Seeing the clear displeasure in rk''s eyes, Spencer spoke up. "Mr. rk, Ms. Jayston is going on a business trip with Mr. Damon. I''m here to help her with her luggage."

    As he reached out to take N''s suitcase, a hand blocked his way.

    "If I remember correctly, she works for Park Pharmaceuticals. Why should she go on a trip with my uncle?

    rk questioned.

    The thought of N spending time with Damon made rk''s eyes sh with anger. As a man, he knew that Damon''s gaze on N wasn''t purely familial.

    "Prospectus Technology''s

    evaluation team is out of town, and the factory Mr. Damon is inspecting produces the exact ingredients Ms. Jayston needs for her research. So, she''s been arranged to apany him," Spencer exined.

    rk sneered. "If my uncle needs someone, I can pull a few people from the Sumner Group

    N frowned. "rk, this is my job. Can you not cause trouble?"

    Seeing her cold expression, rk felt his heart sink. Did she not realize Damon had other intentions toward her?

    "You''re not going on this trip. If needed, I''ll find you another job," rk said, his tone domineering.

    N felt a surge of anger and scoffed. "Not going? Are you my boss or the owner of Park Pharmaceuticals? What right do you have to stop me?

    With that, she pushed past him, dragging her suitcase toward the door.

    rk quickly followed but stopped short when he saw Damon standing by the car, his expression turning grim.

    He walked up to Damon. "Uncle Damon, did you deliberately arrange for N to go on this trip with you?"

    Damon''s gaze turned icy. "If you''re not thinking straight, see a psychiatrist. Stop being paranoid and assuming everyone is as twisted as you."

    "I can get you evaluators from the Sumner Group if you need them," rk insisted.

    Damon''s eyes were cold, his presence intimidating. "You think just because you''re the CEO of the Sumner Group, you can do whatever you want?"

    If rk weren''t his nephew, he would have had someone check if his brain was filled with mush.

    Under Damon''s intense gaze, rk felt a flicker of guilt but remained resolute for N''s sake.

    "I just don''t think it''s appropriate for you to be too close to N. After all, she''s your niece-inw. It would be best to avoid scandals," rk said.

    Seeing rk''s wary expression, Damon sneered. "It seems you have too much free time. I''ll speak with your grandfather about having your cousin join the Sumner Group to learn about management." rk''s face turned ashen at the threat. Before he could respond, Damon got into the car.

    rk understood this was a warning and clenched his hands. If he kept interfering with N''s business trip, his position as CEO might be at risk.

    Did this mean he had to watch N spend time alone with Damon?

    While he was lost in thought, Spencer loaded N''s suitcase into the trunk. He could only watch as N got into the car silently, his face dark with anger and frustration.

    As he stared after the ck Maybach driving away, resentment and unwillingness churned inside him. Once he officially took over the Sumner Group, he wouldn''t have to fear Damon anymore.

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    rk vowed to repay this humiliation one day.

    Inside the car, N could feel the tension radiating from Damon, who was clearly in a bad mood. Although he was reading through some documents, his stern profile and the cold aura around him were unmistakable.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry about what happened this morning." N said, breaking the silence.

    Damon turned to her and frowned slightly, noticing her guilty expression. "Why are you apologizing?"

    "I didn''t handle my personal matters well and ended up troubling you...

    Damon''s gaze darkened, and his tone betrayed his displeasure. "That''s rk''s fault, not yours. Don''t worry

    about it."

    He couldn''t understand how the Sumners produced such a jerk. Not only had rk cheated, but he also had the audacity to keep pestering N.

    N was surprised by Damon''s response. After recalling how he had previously offered to introduce her to ¨˘ divorcewyer, it made sense. It seemed that he wasn''t as unreasonable as rk had made him ou

    to be.

    They arrived in Rontana around 4:00p.m.

    The deputy general manager of Skyray Medical, Bill Jenkinson, personally came to pick them up, demonstrating thepany''s sincerity in wanting to coborate with Prospectus Technology.

    Bill was in his 40s, plump, with a kind smile,

    "Mr. Sumner, wee! Our CEO had an important meeting this afternoon and couldn''t make it, s

    sent me to pick you up. You must be tired after the flight. I''ll take you to your hotel first. This evening, our CEO will host a wee dinner at Greenfair Hotel," Bill said.

    Damon wore a rxed smile. "Thank you for the hospitality, Mr. Jenkinson."

    "You''re too kind, Mr. Sumner. This way to the parking lot."

    On the way to the hotel, Damon introduced N and Spencer to Bill.

    When Bill learned that N was the evaluation specialist, he looked at her with renewed interest.

    "I didn''t expect someone so young to be dedicated to testing. It''s true that you can''t judge a book by its cover," Billmented.

    Earlier, upon noticing how attractive N was, Bill had assumed she was Damon''s secretary and felt somewhat

    disdainful. He had encountered many beautiful women apanying business partners who were essentially mistresses posing as secretaries.

    -Anyone could perform a secretary''s job, but an evaluation specialist required expertise. This included recognizing all the equipment and ing effectiveponents from the medicinal ingredients. The coboration with Prospectus Technology relied heavily on the evaluation specialist, so Bill''s gaze at

    N was now more respectful.

    N smiled graciously. "You''re too kind, Mr. Jenkinson

    Noticing Bill''s gaze lingering on N, Damon furrowed his brow imperceptibly.

    Upon sensing Damon''s displeasure, Spencer quickly interjected, "Mr. Jenkinson, Mr. Sumner is very interested in the cultivation of your medicinal herbs. Could you tell us more about it?" This sessfully diverted Bill''s attention, and he turned to discuss it with Damon.

    Spencer secretly breathed a sigh of relief as the cold atmosphere seemed to lighten. His intuition had been right...

    But was Damon''s focus on N purely because she was his niece-inw, or was there another reason? Spencer didn''t dare to delve too deeply into it.

    Upon reaching the hotel, Bill escorted them to their rooms and then left.

    Since there were only three of them on this trip and N was the only woman, they had booked three separate rooms.

    N unpacked her luggage and was about to sit down when her phone rang.

 Chapter 76

    N''s eyes shed with annoyance when she saw rk''s name on the caller ID, and she hung up Immediately. He called several more times but finally gave up when she didn''t answer.

    On the other end, rk threw his phone on the floor in anger, his expression dark and menacing. Michael, send someone to Rontana to keep an eye on things. I want to know immediately if anything goes

    wrong."

    He didn''t want to be kept in the dark if he was being cheated on.

    Michael thought about advising against it but didn''t dare after seeing rk''s gloomy face. "Alright, I''ll handle it.ˇ±

    After Michael left, rk stared at the documents on his desk, his brows knitted in frustration.

    He couldn''t focus on a single word. The thought of N potentially spending time alone with Damon made him feel like a swarm of ants was crawling all over his heart.

    However, given his current position, he couldn''t afford to go against Damon.

    A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. The office door opened, revealing Jordyn, impably dressed and wearing a ck deep V-neck dress.

    rk''s frown deepened when he saw it was her.

    "What are you doing here?" he asked.

    His gaze was filled with disdain and coldness, piercing Jordyn''s heart and causing her smile to falter for a

    moment.

    She quickly regained herposure and walked over with a medical report in hand, handing it to rk. rk, I had a checkup today. The doctor said the baby is very healthy."

    rk nced at the report with an indifferent expression. "Got it. There''s no need toe here specifically to tell me this. And stop showing up in front of my wife."

    Jordyn''s knuckles turned white, as she gripped the report, her eyes welling up with tears. She lowered her gaze and said softly, "I understand..."

    Seeing her downcast and trying hard to hide her sadness, rk couldn''t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He was reminded of his own cautious behavior around N, and his tone softened slightly. "Your main priority now is to have a healthy baby. I won''t let you down, he said.

    Initially, he hadn''t wanted to keep the baby when he found out Jordyn was pregnant. However,

    the doctor refused to perform an abortion, citing that her uterine lining was too thin and an abortion could cause severe bleeding. Therefore, the child had to be born.

    Moreover, whenever he faced rejection from N, it was Jordyn whoforted him.

    Gradually, rk''s attitude toward Jordyn and the baby had softened considerably.

    Jordyn looked up, her eyes still wet with tears, looking pitifully vulnerable. She smiled through her tears and said, "I know. I just couldn''t help but share the joy with you..."

    Seeing how easily she was appeased by a few words, rk felt his heart soften even more. "Come here."

    Jordyn walked over, and rk pulled her into hisp.

    "Ah..." She gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

    The slit in her dress revealed her long, fair legs, stirring rk''s long-suppressed desires. Ever since N discovered his infidelity, he had been holding back his urges. His breathing grew heavier at the sight.

    When rk thought about N going on a business trip with Damon and what might happen, his gaze darkened. His hand moved up Jordyn''s dress. Sensing his actions, Jordyn melted.

    "rk..." Her hands pressed against his chest in a pretense of resistance that felt more like an invitation.

    "Call me rko."

    "rko...

    "Again."

    The office soon filled with the sounds of heavy breathing.

    Jordyn''s upper body was pressed against the desk, her dress hiked up around her waist as she writhed and moaned.

 Chapter 77

    rk held Jordyn''s waist tightly, losing himself in his frenzied release, his eyes dark and brooding.

    After what felt like an eternity, just when Jordyn thought she might pass out, rk finally pressed into her onest time as they both reached their climax.

    When it was over, Jordyn was about to pick up her underwear when a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Her face, which had been flushed moments ago, turned pale. "rk... my stomach hurts..."

    rk''s expression changed as he remembered that Jordyn was still in the early stages of pregnancy and that he hadn''t held back at all. He quickly scooped her up and rushed out of the office.

    That evening, N received a message from Spencer and was about to head out when her phone buzzed with an alert from the private investigator.

    After reading the message, her face turned ashen.

    rk had been calling her earlier, and now he was in the hospital after having sex with his mistress.

    The sheer disgust she felt was overwhelming. Fortunately, she never intended to forgive him. Otherwise, she didn''t know how she could have coped with this.

    Taking a deep breath, she messaged the private investigator to continue monitoring the situation, then put her phone away and headed out.

    Despite her efforts to stayposed, the news affected her mood. She barely ate anything at dinner and was unusually quiet.

    Several times, Skyray Medical''s representatives spoke to her, but she failed to respond promptly. If it weren''t for Spencer stepping in to smooth things over, their hosts might have been quite displeased. As the dinner concluded, Spencer finally let out a sigh of relief.

    On the way back to the hotel, Damon frowned as he looked at N. "I don''t appreciate employees who bring their personal feelings into their work."

    Although N wasn''t an employee of Prospectus Technology, her actions represented thepany when she was with Damon.

    Understanding her poor performance that night, N lowered her head. "I''m sorry, Mr. Sumner."

    I''m not looking for apologies. If you bring this attitude into your experiments, I can''t trust that you won''t make mistakes, Damon said.

    "Mr. Sumner, I promise it won''t happen again," she assured him.

    Damon''s intense gaze bore into N, the pressure emanating from him causing her to clench her fists and bite her lip until it turned white. "You better mean it," he warned.

    Had she been a Prospectus Technology employee, she would have been fired by the end of the dinner.

    Damon wasn''t one to give second chances.

    Spencer, sitting in the front, noticed N''s lowered head and didn''t dare to speak up for her. After all, challenging Damon''s anger was asking for trouble.

    Back at the hotel, they retired to their rooms.

    N closed the door and sat on the couch, carefully saving each photo the private investigator had sent.

    Despite having the evidence she needed, she didn''t feel any joy. She couldn''tprehend how rk could promise to stay faithful while simultaneously cheating with Jordyn. Didn''t he realize that his actions were eroding thest remnants of their good memories together?

    N couldn''t wrap her mind around it and decided not to dwell on it.

    Taking a deep breath, she ced her phone face down on the table and got up to prepare for bed. Just then, her phone vibrated.

    Seeing that it was someone from Skyray Medical, N was filled with confusion. She answered, and a gentle female voice came through. "Ms. Jayston, this is Zoe Quinn. You left your scarf at the restaurant. I''m on my way to return it to you. Which room are you in?" Zoe asked.

    Scarf? N recalled that she had worn a dress and hadn''t brought a scarf.

    "Ms. Quinn, I wasn''t wearing a scarf tonight. You must be mistaken," N said.

    "No mistake, Ms. Jayston. You''ll understand once you see it," Zoe insisted.

    Upon hearing this, N realized what was happening. The scarf was just an excuse. Zoe was looking for an opportunity to build a connection.

 Chapter 78

    It seemed there might be some issues with Skyray Medical''s goods.

    N lowered her gaze, thought for a few seconds, and then said, "Okay, I''m in Room 802. Ms. Quinn, your cane directly." Soon, Zoe arrived. N opened the door and stepped aside to let her in.

    After they sat down, Zoe handed her a bag with a smile. "Ms. Jayston, this is your scarf. Please check if everything is in order."

    The moment N took the bag, she knew it weighed more than just a scarf. She picked up the scarf and saw several stacks of cash underneath, roughly estimating around 30,000 dors.

    N put the scarf back and pushed the bag toward Zoe. "Ms. Quinn, this scarf is too valuable. I can''t ept it."

    Zoe''s smile didn''t waver, her voice gentle. "Ms. Jayston, it''s not valuable at all. We might have many more opportunities to meet in the future."

    N pressed her lips together, her expression calm as she looked at Zoe. "Ms. Quinn, what do you want me to do?"

    "Ms. Jayston, you''re an evaluation specialist, so you should understand. It''ste, so I''ll leave you to rest," Zoe remarked.

    As Zoe turned to leave, N handed the bag back to her. "Ms. Quinn, please take the scarf back. As long as yourpany''s products meet the quality standards, I''ll approve them."

    Zoe''s smile stiffened for a moment.

    Seeing that N was genuinely refusing and not just being polite, she reluctantly took the bag. "Ms. Jayston, Skyray Medical''s products are of good quality. I hope we have the chance to coborate with Prospe After Zoe left, N went to wash up and go to bed.

    N woke up with stomach pain in the middle of the night. She realized she hadn''t eaten much at dinner, likely causing a re-up of her gastritis.

    When rk first took over the Sumner Group, he would often workte. N had developed the habit of waiting for him to eat together, which eventually led to her developing gastritis.

    She had managed it well over the years, almost forgetting about it.

    N turned on the bedsidemp, ordered medicine through a delivery app, and called reception to ask for

    some warm water.

    After arranging everything, she was pale with pain, and cold sweat dotted her forehead.

    Every minute felt like an eternity as she waited.

    When she heard the knock on the door, she was curled up on the bed, too weak to get up.

    Spencer, just leaving after briefing Damon, saw a hotel staff member with a ss of water standing outside N''s room. He walked over to ask what was going on.

    The staff member exined that N had requested warm water a few minutes ago, but there was no response when she knocked.

    Spencer frowned. "Do you have a spare key card?"

    "Yes, I''ll go get it," the staff member replied.

    While the staff member went to get the card, Spencer tried calling N several times, but she didn''t answer, and his worry grew. He informed Damon, whose expression turned cold. "What happened?" Damon asked.

    "I''m not sure. Ms. Jayston isn''t answering her phone, Spencer replied.

    The staff member soon returned with the spare key card.

    As soon as they opened the door, they saw N curled up on the bed, unconscious and covered in cold

    sweat.

    Damon quickly walked in and instructed Spencer, "Find a doctor.

    As Damon reached the bedside, N suddenly grabbed his hand, He paused, then tried to pull his hand away, but her grip was too tight.

    Not wanting to hurt her by pulling too hard, he frowned and let her hold on.

 Chapter 79

    "It hurts..." N muttered, sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her delicate brows were tightly knitted, and her face was ghastly pale.

    The doctor arrived with her medication for gastritis around the same time.

    The intention was to have her take the medicine first. However, she was clenching her teeth so tightly. that it was impossible to get her to swallow the pills. In this situation, the only option was to administer IV fluids.

    Once the IV was set up, the doctor turned to Damon and said, "When she wakes up, give her some light foods like chicken soup."

    "Got it."

    After giving a few more instructions, the doctor and the staff left.

    "Mr. Sumner, maybe you should go get some rest. I''ll keep an eye on Ms. Jayston," Spencer suggested.

    Damon nced down at his hand, still tightly gripped by N. His expression darkened.

    While the doctor had been setting up the IV earlier, he had tried to pry her hand away but had failed, which was why N''s other hand was used for the IV.

    "Do you think I can rest in this situation? Damon asked.

    Following Damon''s gaze, Spencer noticed their sped hands and quickly changed the subject. "I''ll get some chicken soup for Ms. Jayston."

    "Okay."

    As Spencer left, the room fell into silence, except for N''s asional murmurs.

    go

    Damon looked down at her sweat-drenched face, her features scrunched up in pain, and felt a pang of sympathy. But then he remembered she was rk''s wife, his niece-inw, and his gaze turned cold.

    In N''s pain-induced haze, she unknowingly held onto something warm. She grasped tightly, thinking it might relieve her stomachache a bit.

    When dawn broke, N slowly woke up.

    The first thing she saw was Damon''s face, magnified and close.

    She blinked in surprise, taking a few seconds to realize it was real, and gasped, instinctively pulling away.

    Her head hit the headboard hard, making her wince in pain. "Ouch!"

    Her movement roused Damon, who saw her holding her head and furrowed his brows. "You''re up?"

    Seeing Damon''s Indifferent gaze, N Ignored her pain and quickly asked, "Mr. Sumner, why are you in my

    room?"

    Damon''s expression darkened. "Last night, you passed out from stomach pain. When I came to your

    bedside, you grabbed my hand so tightly I couldn''t pry it loose. I had to wait here until you woke up."

    N''s confusion turned into embarrassment. She had indeed grabbed something in her pain-induced daze, but she hadn''t expected it to be Damon''s hand!

    She wondered what he would think of her. Would he see her as a weirdo?

    Noticing her changing expressions, Damon raised an eyebrow.

    "Mr. Sumner... I''m really sorry. I didn''t mean to. I must have thought you were my motherst night..."

    Damon was speechless.

    Seeing his displeased expression, N quickly added, didn''t mean you look like my mother. It''s just that your hand felt warm, like my mother''s."

    As soon as she said that, she regretted it. Her exnation only made things worse.

    As expected, Damon''s expression became gloomy. With a coldugh, he got up and left N''s room.

    Realizing he was upset, N opened her mouth to apologize further but thought better of it and said nothing. After Damon left, the oppressive atmosphere lifted)

    N breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to see the chicken soup and medicine left by her side.

 Chapter 80

    N was dazed for a few seconds before she felt an indescribable warmth well up inside her.

    After getting up, washing up, taking her medicine, and eating her chicken soup, she decided to thank Damon properly. After all, she had been holding onto his hand all night, and he probably hadn''t had a good

    rest.

    When she reached the door of the room next door, it opened from the inside just as she reached out to

    knock

    Damon, with slightly damp hair and dressed in a fresh outfit, seemed to have just taken a shower.

    "Mr. Sumner, I came to thank you forst night. I appreciate it," N said.

    Seeing N''s eyes lowered, her hands awkwardly sped in front of her, Damon thought she seemed a bit ufortable and nervous around him.

    Upon realizing this, his mood unexpectedly soured. He pressed his thin lips together.

    "There''s no need for thanks. Just make sure to speak up if you''re feeling unwell next time. Don''t make things difficult for others," he said.

    His indifferent tone made N feel even more ashamed. "I understand."

    "Alright. Prepare yourself and be ready to leave for Skyray at 8:00 a.m.," he instructed.

    Back in her room, N felt a bit down. The events fromst night seemed to have left Damon dissatisfied with her.

    When she thought it was all because of rk, her mood worsened. She resolved not to let him affect her feelings any further.

    By around 9:00 a.m., they arrived at Skyray Medical.

    They were greeted by Bill, who showed them the medicinal herb cleaning and processing workshop, as well as the production workshop. He then took them to the testingboratory.

    *Ms. Jayston, which herb would you like to test?" Bill asked.

    Looking at the herbs on the tray, N frowned slightly but chose one of them. "Let''s test this one."

    Bill smiled. "Alright."

    N carefully cut, ground, and filtered the herb, setting up the experimental equipment to extract the active ingredients. She was meticulous and precise in her approach, and with her striking appearance, her m For a moment, Damon''s gaze was drawn to her.

    N looked even more beautiful while focused on her experiment, her concentration lending her an irresistible allure that drew attention.

    After

    extracting the active ingredients, N weighed them on a scale-0.06 grams.

    Given the herb''s original weight of 3.2 grams, the active ingredient high.

    counted for 1.875%, which was quite

    When N shared the results with Damon, Bill let out a small sigh of relief and smiled at him.

    "Mr. Sumner, our herbs at Skyray Medical are strictly managed from cultivation to harvesting ording to standards, which is why the active ingredient percentage is so high. You won''t regret choosing to cooperate with us," Billmented.

    "Mm, this percentage is quite good, and the herb quality is excellent," Damon remarked.

    "So, what do you think about the cooperation?" BIII asked.

    "We don''t need to rush on the cooperation details just yet. Considering Prospectus Technology''srge demand, I need to evaluate thoroughly, Damon replied.

    Bill nodded repeatedly. "Of course, Mr. Sumner. Please take your time to consider. How about lunch in ourpany''s cafeteria today?"

    "Sure."

    After a tour and lunch, Bill sent Damon and the others back to their hotel.

    Back at the hotel, Damon asked N, "What do you think of the active ingredient percentage from today?",

    "If all the herbs from Skyray Medical have this quality, partnering with them will be a guaranteed win. However, herbs of this quality have high growth requirements, sorge- scale production is difficult," she answered.

    "Alright. We have some free time this afternoon. Let''s visit the nearby herb production base," Damon said.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter B1

    N pressed her lips together and said, "It''s clear that the people at Skyray Medical are eager to secure this partnership. They might even send someone to follow us. If they find out we''re going to the herb pro This meant they wouldn''t be able to assess the true quality of the herbs at the base.

    Spencer smiled and said, "Don''t worry, Ms. Jayston. We have ways to evade Skyray Medical''s people."

    Relieved to hear they had a n, N nodded and said no more.

    Around 2:00 p.m., a car arranged by Spencer arrived at the hotel to pick them up.

    Shortly after they got in, the driver nced at the rearview mirror and said, "We''re being followed."

    Spencer remained calm. "Ignore them."

    Trying to lose them would only alert Skyray Medical. By acting unaware, they could keep Skyray Medical''s peoplecent.

    In less than half an hour, the car stopped at the entrance of the busiest mall in Rontana. They got out and walked into the mall, with Skyray Medical''s people following them inside.

    Damon headed straight for a clothing store on the third floor, a store that only admitted members. The people tailing them could only observe from nearby.

    Inside, a sales associate led them to the fitting rooms. Mr. Sumner, the clothes are ready. After changing, you can leave through the back door."

    Once they changed clothes, the associate handed their original clothes to two men and a woman, who then changed into them and sat on the store''s lobby sofa with their backs to the door. The tailing agents initially grew anxious when they lost sight of them but rxed upon spotting the decoys.

    Meanwhile, Damon and the others exited through the back door, taking an elevator to the basement where another car awaited them.

    As they got in, N couldn''t help but say, "We can''t stay in one store all afternoon. They''ll get suspicious." Spencer chuckled. "Don''t worry, Ms. Jayston. We won''t be exposed."

    The decoys would continue shopping in the mall for three to four hours, giving them ample time to visit the herb base and return.

    The car drove out of the city, stopping at the entrance of Rontana Meds Base. They got out and walked inside, nked by fields of herbs emitting a faint, pleasant aroma.

    Soon, a representative approached them, exining the growth and usage of various herbs.

    "Mr. Sumner, the rauvolfia you need is over there. Let me show you," the representative said.

    Damon followed him, asking indifferently, "Do medicinepanies in Rontana supply all their herbs from here?"

    The man nodded. "Yes. Largepanies like Sandhosh, Skyray, and Newfarm all source from here."

    Damon said nothing more until they reached the rauvolfia ntation.

    "The rauvolfia is just blooming and still growing. Let me show you the dried herb products," the representative replied. The herbal aroma was much stronger inside the drying room.

    N looked around curiously at the various herbs. She had only ever seen these herbs in theb, never in such quantity.

    Absorbed in her surroundings, she didn''t notice the small slope ahead and suddenly slipped.

    "Watch out." A cool male voice sounded in her ear as she fell into a warm embrace.

 Chapter 82

    Upon noticing the strong, firm hand around her waist and feeling its warmth seeping through the thin fabric, N''s face turned bright red. She quickly steadied herself, avoiding eye contact. "Thank you, Mr. Sumner," she said.

    Damon withdrew his hand nonchntly and said in a deep voice, "Watch where you''re stepping even when looking at herbs"

    N nodded. "Got it."

    From then on, N was careful to watch her step, determined not to trip again. "These are the dried.

    rauvolfia."

    A staff member casually handed a dried rauvolfia root to Damon, who inspected it briefly before passing

    it to N.

    "Take a look," he said.

    The rauvolfia looked no different from the ones Skyray Medical had shown them that morning. They would need to test it to determine the active ingredient content.

    N turned to the staff member and asked, "Typically, what''s the alkaloid content in rauvolfia?"

    "It''s usually around 0.1%. Anything higher is quite rare," the staff member replied.

    Actually, 0.1% was a decent percentage. If Skyray Medical truly sourced all their herbs from there, then the high percentage they showed that morning was likely staged to hike up prices.

    N handed the herb back to the staff member with a smile. "Thanks. I''ve got a good idea now."

    While they were inspecting the herb base, the people at Skyray Medical were busy as well.

    Bill called Zoe into his office.

    "What do you think? Is Mr. Sumner interested in partnering with us?" he asked.

    This morning, he had hinted several times at signing a contract, but Damon deftly sidestepped the topic each time.

    However, Damon hadn''tpletely shut it down, only saying he needed more time to consider.

    If they could secure this partnership, Skyray Medical''s profits would double this year, so Bill was very

    Invested in this deal.

    Zoe shook her head. "I''m not sure. The other night''s gift didn''t win N over. If we could sway her, the deal would be in the bag." Thinking of N, Bill lit a cigarette, feeling irritated.

    She had turned down 30,000 dors. Was she truly above material desires, or did she want more?

    "There''s 150,000 dors on this card. At dinner tonight find a chance to give it to her. If she takes it, fine.

    If she refuses, you know what to do."

    Zoe took the card and nodded. "Understood, Mr. Jenkinson."

    In the evening. Damon and his group returned to the clothing store to change back into their original clothes.

    Back at the hotel, N rested for a while before it was time to head out again.

    They were leaving tomorrow afternoon, and Skyray Medical was hosting a farewell dinner tonight.

    N wasn''t fond of such social events but had no choice but to attend.

    When they arrived at the restaurant, Bill was already there to greet them with a friendly smile. "Mr. Sumner, pleasee in."

    After they sat down in the room, Bill poured a drink for Damon and offered a toast. "Mr. Sumner, I toast to you."

    Damon raised his ss, clinked it against Bill''s, and downed his drink in one gulp.

    Bill refilled his ss before sitting down. "Mr. Sumner, you''re leaving tomorrow. Can we finalize the partnership tonight? Or do you have any concerns we can discuss?"

    Damon smiled faintly, but his deep eyes gave nothing away. "Mr. Jenkinson, Skyray Medical''s herb quality is impressive. However, this trip was mainly for assessment. I''ll need to discuss the details with our board back at thepany."

    A flicker of dissatisfaction crossed Bill''s eyes. He had gone out of his way these past two days to amodate them, nearly turning thepany upside down. And now, Damon was saying he needed more tim discuss it?!

 Chapter 83

    Bill quickly suppressed his dissatisfaction, maintaining a friendly smile, as he was quite the strategist.

    "Of course, Mr. Sumner. Ourpany is very sincere about forming a long-term partnership with Prospectus Technology. I hope you will consider it seriously," Bill said.

    Damon nodded. "Yes, Mr. Jenkinson. Let me toast to you."

    The two continued chatting, and before long, they had finished a bottle of wine.

    Damon''s usually pale face was now tinged with a faint red, and his typically cool eyes showed a hint of Intoxication. Under the overhead light, his striking features were even more captivating, making it hard to l Catching herself staring. N quickly averted her gaze.

    "Ms. Jayston, a toast to you." Zoe said.

    N turned to see Zoe holding out a ss of red wine, smiling warmly.

    I''m sorry, Ms. Quinn, I don''t drink," N replied.

    "This is a low-alcohol red wine, very mild and with a rich, smooth taste. You should give it a try," Zoe insisted.

    As Zoe spoke, she pushed the wine ss closer.

    N reached out to refuse. As soon as her hand touched Zoe''s, thetter''s hand suddenly tilted, spilling at portion of the wine onto N''s cor.

    "Oh no... I''m so sorry, Ms. Jayston. I must have had too much to drink and lost my grip..." Zoe quickly put down the ss and grabbed a napkin to dab at the wine on N''s cor.

    Themotion immediately drew everyone''s attention in the room.

    Damon''s gaze darkened, and he subtly furrowed his brow.

    Next to him, Bill was disgruntled and questioned coldly, Zoe, what''s the matter with you? How could you spill the wine like that?"

    Zoe seemed frightened, her hands trembling as she dabbed at N''s cor, her face full of remorse.

    "I''m so sorry, Mr. Jenkinson. It wasn''t on purpose..." she said.

    Seeing Zoe''s pale face and remorseful gaze, N pursed her lips and said, "Mr. Jenkinson, it''s fine. I''ll just go to the restroom to clean up."

    After all, they were all just employees, and she didn''t want to make things difficult over a small mistake.

    "Alright, it''s my fault for not managing my staff better. I apologize," Bill replied.

    N lowered her gaze and turned to leave the room.

    As N started to clean her cor in the restroom, she noticed in the mirror that Zoe had followed her.

    Turning to face Zoe, N said, "Ms. Quinn, it was just an ident. Don''t worry about it."

    "Thank you, Ms. Jayston."

    N didn''t respond and turned back to the sink to wash the wine stains from her cor. When she finished, she looked up to find Zoe still standing there, a hint of confusion crossing her eyes.

    Zoe stepped forward and took out a card from her bag, offering it to N with a smile. "Ms. Jayston, I''m truly sorry about tonight. I hope you''ll ept my apology."

    Seeing the gilded card, N finally understood that Zoe''s earlier clumsiness had been a setup for this

    moment.

    "How much is on this card, Ms. Quinn?" N asked.

    "150,000 dors. If you can persuade Mr. Sumner to partner with Skyray Medical, there will be more toe," Zoe promised. N''s eyes shed with surprise. She hadn''t expected Skyray Medical to go to such lengths to win her

    over.

    However, she wasn''t an employee of Prospectus Technology and had no intention of epting such unearned money.

    "Sorry, but I don''t have the power to influence Mr. Sumner''s decisions. You''ve got the wrong person," N said. With that, N turned to leave.

    The next moment, Zoe''s cold voice sounded behind her. "In that case, I must apologize to you in advance. Ms. Jayston."

    Before N couldprehend the meaning of those words, a sharp pain struck the back of her neck, and everything went ck as she lost consciousness.

 Chapter 84

    Back in the room at the restaurant.

    Half an hour had passed, and N still hadn''t returned,

    Damon''s frown deepened. "Spencer, call N."

    Bill quickly intervened, "Mr. Sumner, no need to worry. Zoe is with her, so nothing will happen."

    Damon pursed his lips, remaining silent and clearly in a foul mood,

    Bill hurriedly poured him another drink, not too concerned. After all, N was just a regr employee. Even if Damon found out the truthter, he wouldn''t make a big deal over a woman.

    Spencer called N, and her phone started ringing in the room. She hadn''t taken it when she went to the restroom.

    Seeing the unhappy looks on Damon and Spencer''s faces, Bill quickly said, "Let me call Zoe to check." He dialed Zoe''s number and put it on speaker. "Zoe, why are you not back with Ms. Jayston yet?" Zoe''s ca "Alright." Bill hung up and smiled at Damon. "See, Mr. Sumner? No need to worry."

    He felt a twinge of doubt. Was Damon really this concerned about a regr employee?

    Damon nodded, his voice calm. "Of course. With Ms. Quinn apanying her, I''m reassured."

    "Good, good. Let''s continue drinking." Bill said.

    While Bill was distracted, Damon gave Spencer a meaningful look.

    Understanding immediately, Spencer discreetly messaged their team to find out N''s current location.

    Soon, a reply came, and Spencer''s expression changed drastically. He looked at Damon in shock. "Mr. Sumner, Zoe has knocked out and taken away Ms. Jayston

    Damon shot to his feet, his anger palpable as he leered at Bill with killing intent. "Where did you take her?!

    Without Bill''s approval, there was no way Zoe would dare to act against N.

    Startled by Damon''s fury, Bill trembled involuntarily, hastily saying, "Mr. Sumner, please calm down. There must be some misunder-"

    Before he could finish, Damon''s hand was around his throat.

    Damon red down at Bill, his expression terrifying like a demon from hell. Bill''s soul quaked, and his body shivered uncontrobly.

    Escape was the only thought in Bill''s mind, but with Damon''s grip tightening around his neck, it was Impossible. Overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure, fear surged within him. "... I''ll talk. N is... in a hotel room... on the sixth floor."

    Damon''s eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened further. "Room number."

    "I... Cough, cough... I don''t know..."

    Seeing Bill''s face tuming purple and his eyes starting to lose focus, Spencer quickly intervened, afraid it might lead to fatal consequences.

    "Mr. Sumner, finding Ms. Jayston is more urgent right now," Spencer urged.

    Damon released his grip, and Bill''s plump body slid off the chair. He copsed onto the floor, coughing violently.

    "If anything happens to her, I''ll make sure you pay with your life," Damon threatened.

    Bill shuddered violently, terror in his eyes.

    Without another nce, Damon stormed out.

    When N regained consciousness, she found herself in a dimly lit room. A man beside her was unbuttoning her clothes.

    "Ah!" she screamed and shoved him away.

 Chapter 85

    The man clearly hadn''t expected N to wake up at that moment and push him off the bed, so he cursed in frustration.

    "Who are you?!" N backed away, frantically searching for something to defend herself with, her face full of panic and fear.

    The man sneered, his tone lewd. "I''m the guy who''s gonna make you feel amazing."

    With that, he lunged at her.

    A small red light blinked in the corner of the room, recording everything that was happening.

    As the man charged at N, she swung a tablemp at his forehead. He screamed in pain, feeling liquid trickle down from his head, and pped her hard.

    "Bitch! You dare hit me? I''ll make you pay!" he roared.

    warm

    He snatched themp from her and threw it to the floor, pinning her down. He grabbed her cor and yanked it hard, popping the buttons off and exposing her chest and bra.

    Lust and greed filled his eyes as he pulled her bra strap down, his expression lecherous.

    N struggled desperately, and her nails scratched the man''s face, making him even angrier.

    He pped her twice more. Her ears rang and her mind was fuzzy, draining her strength to fight back.

    The man started to pull her pants down. Her struggle was in vain, her heart sinking into despair.

    Just as he was about to pull off her underwear, a loud bang came from the door.

    Before the man could react, he was kicked off N.

    The weight on N lifted, and a warm jacket was draped over her.

    The familiar scent of pine reached N''s nose. She slowly opened her eyes to see Damon, and finally felt at ease, cking out right after.

    When Damon broke down the door, his eyes immediately turned bloodshot. He saw the man on top of N and kicked him off her. Noticing her swollen face, disheveled hair, and near- naked body, he quickly covered her with his jacket, fury burning in his eyes.

    After Damon pulled the jacket over N, he stood up and walked slowly toward the man cowering in the

    corner.

    Sensing the danger, the man started shaking even more violently. "Please let me go- Ahhh!"

    Damon stomped on the man''s crotch, his scream echoing through the sixth floor.

    Bill and Zoe were brought in by Damon''s men just in time to witness this, fear evident in their eyes. They were thrown to the floor next to the man, who was now pale with pain and terror. "Mr. Sumner, what should we do next?" Spencer asked

    Damon''s expression was icy as he nced at the camera in the corner. "Whatever she did to N, make

    sure these two men do the same to her. Have someone watch over them."

    Zoe''s face turned ashen, and she immediately knelt, pleading, "Mr. Sumner, please! It was Mr. Jenkinson''s orders-

    She tried to crawl toward Damon but was kicked aside by Spencer,nding pathetically on the floor.

    Damon walked over to the bed to pick up the unconscious N and strode out of the room.

    Behind him, Zoe''s screams and pleas gradually faded into hopeless sobs.

    When N woke up, she shot upright, her eyes still filled with panic and fear. The sudden movement caused a sharp pain in her hand, and she looked down to see an IV drip. "You''re awake?"

 Chapter 86

    Damon sat by the bedside, his expression calm as he watched N.

    Thest memory before she passed out rushed back into N''s mind. She bit her lip and looked down. Mr. Sumner, thank you for saving me."

    If he hadn''t arrived in time, she could only imagine what might have happened.

    "This happened because I didn''t consider everything carefully enough. I''m sorry," Damon said.

    Upon meeting Damon''s earnest gaze, N''s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked away.

    "It''s not your fault. No one could have predicted that Skyray Medical''s people would do something like this, N replied.

    Besides, Zoe had not only tried to have her assaulted but had also nned to record it, likely intending to ckmail her after she refused to ept the bribe. Thinking about it made her eyes turn cold.

    Seeing N''s downcast eyes and pale face, Damon''s gaze darkened. "Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?"

    N shook her head and hesitantly asked, "What about Zoe?"

    "Don''t worry. She''s been punished appropriately. Prospectus Technology won''t be working with Skyray Medical anymore," he reassured her.

    N bit her lip and nodded. "Thank you for taking care of it, Mr. Sumner."

    "Get some rest. The doctor will check on you soon. If everything is fine, you can be discharged," he said. "Okay."

    N wasn''t tired, but Damon''s overwhelming presence made it impossible to ignore him. Plus, they had nothing to talk about, so she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Unexpectedly, she actually fell asleep.

    When N woke up again, it was 2:00 p.m. The IV was gone, and she felt much better.

    Damon, who was reading documents on the sofa, looked up at her and said in a low voice, "There''s porridge on the table."

    "Thank you, Mr. Sumner," N said.

    Feeling hungry, N got up, washed up in the bathroom, and then started eating her soup. It was her favorite, chicken soup.

    After a few sips, she looked up at Damon. "Mr. Sumner have you eaten lunch yet?"

    "Yes. The doctor said all your health indicators are normal. Once you finish your food and change, we''ll head to the airport and return to Saintornia," he replied.

    "Okay." She continued eating.

    Shortly after, Spencer walked in with a stack of reports, Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston''s discharge papers are ready.ˇ±

    Damon nodded. "Leave them there."

    N put down her spoon and looked at Spencer. "Mr. Hogg, can I see the hospital bill? I want to know the

    cost."

    Before Spencer could move, Damon looked at her and said, "Don''t worry about the hospital fees. This counts as a work injury, so you don''t have to pay."

    "Okay." Seeing Damon''s determined expression, N didn''t argue and continued eating.

    .w

    Half an hourter, they left for the airport.

    On the way, N learned from Spencer about Zoe and Bill''s fate.

    Zoe and the man she had hired were arrested for criminal offenses. Meanwhile, Bill was fired from Skyray Medical and faced jail time for embezzlement and incitement tomit a crime. Spencer didn''t share the details of what had happened in that room afterward, wanting to avoid scaring her.

    N was satisfied with this oue. She felt no sympathy for Zoe and the others. They got what they deserved.

    They arrived back in Saintornia after 11:00 p.m.

    N showered and went straight to bed.

    The next two days were the weekend, so she didn''t have to work.

    She slept in the following morning, got up, and went to buy groceries for the next two days.

    While she was picking fish in the fresh produce section, she suddenly heard a sweet female voice from not far away.

 Chapter 87

    "rko, I''m shopping for groceries. What would you like for dinner?"

    N looked up. Upon seeing who it was, her expression darkened. It was Jordyn.

    Seeing Jordyn''s smiling face and shy demeanor, N felt a wave of disgust. It seemed like the "rko" Jordyn was talking to was rk.

    Thinking about what those two had done until they ended up in the hospital made N feel sick. She quickly grabbed the fish and turned to leave with her cart. Jordyn didn''t notice N and continued talking on the phone with rk, who sounded indifferent. "I won''t be

    rk hung up before Jordyn could respond.

    Putting down his phone, rk checked his messages and saw that hisst message to N from a few days ago was still unread. Irritation shed in his eyes.

    His restless thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by Michael entering the room. "Mr. Sumner, we just got a call from Rontana. They said nothing unusual happened, except for two nights. from Skyray Medical. Your uncle rescued her," Michael informed rk.

    "What?!" rk''s face darkened with anger. "Why am I just hearing about this now?"

    "They saw your uncle carrying Mrs. Sumner out... They didn''t dare report it until they confirmed the details, "Michael replied.

    rk''s expression grew even darker, his gaze filled with menace.

    Noticing his boss'' chilling aura, Michael trembled slightly and kept his head down:

    "Understood. You can go." As Michael reached the door, rk''s icy voice stopped him. "Make sure those responsible are dealt with."

    "Mr. Sumner, your uncle already handled them, and they''re all in custody now," Michael said.

    "Then make sure they stay there. Permanently," rk instructed.

    Seeing the killing intent in rk''s eyes, Michael felt a shiver of fear and quickly nodded. "Yes, sir."

    After Michael left, rk called N, but the line was busy. He put down his phone, thought for a moment, then got up and left.

    When N got home with her groceries, she found rk waiting by her door. Her expression immediately turned cold.

    "N, were you out buying groceries?" he asked.

    N ignored rk, treating him as if he were invisible, and moved to unlock her door, but he blocked her.

    "N, are you still mad about me not letting you go on that business trip?" he asked.

    N looked down, her gaze filled with disgust and impatience. "No."

    rk sighed in exasperation. "You''re clearly upset. You always ignore me when you''re angry."

    He reached for her grocery bags, but she pulled away, stepping back with a mocking expression.

    "rk, you think I wouldn''t find out about your disgusting affair with Jordyn just because I was away on a business trip?" she questioned.

    rk''s face paled, a guilty look shing across his features. ˇ°N, did someone say something to you?"

    Clutching the grocery bags tightly, N realized her words almost revealed that she had someone. watching him.

    She quickly recovered and sneered. "Say something to me? I overheard Jordyn calling you at the supermarket earlier, asking about dinner. If you had really cut ties with her, how could she still contact you? Dor

 Chapter 88

    rk felt a wave of relief. It was fine as long as N didn''t find out about that matter.

    "N, 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.

    rk looked at her with a pained expression, as if he were the one who had been wronged.

    If N 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. N looked down and forced herself to say, "Maybe I misunderstood you. Sorry."

    Seeing her soften, rk 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 N 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.

    here tod

    "So, why are you here today?" she asked.

    "L... I just wanted to ask if your business trip went well," he replied.

    N frowned. Did hee all this way just to ask something so trivial?

    "It went fine. If there''s nothing else, you should leave," she said.

    rk sighed. "N, I''m your husband. I don''t want outsiders to know about your grievances while I remain in the dark."

    N looked up sharply and met his knowing gaze, her expression turning cold. "Are you having me followed?"

    "Not followed, protected," he corrected her.

    N snickered. "Protected? When I was knocked out and nearly assaulted, where were your so-called protectors?"

    He spoke so righteously, but she knew he had someone follow her to see if she and Damon would do anything inappropriate.

    rk''s hands clenched at his sides, his eyes shing coldly. If she had just listened to him and not gone on that trip, none of this would have happened. He knew he couldn''t say that out loud, though. "N, my men arrived just as my uncle saved you, so they didn''t step in..."

    N didn''t believe a word of his nonsense but didn''t want to argue further. "Say what you want. I don''t want to light. Just leave."

    She brushed past him and grabbed her keys to open the door, but rk suddenly grabbed her wrist. "N, there''s one more thing."

    "If you have something to say, just say it. Don''t touch me," she said.

    She shook off his hand, clearly annoyed.

    Although rk''s heart burned with frustration at her rejection, he knew their rtionship was strained and held back his temper. "You must have noticed that my uncle... treats you differently. I hope you can keep your distance from him," rk asked.

    N''s expression remained indifferent. "We only interact for work. I haven''t noticed anything special.

    "How exactly should I keep my distance? Should I turn and walk away whenever I see him? Or should I move to another city to avoid him?"

    "That''s not what I meant."

    "Then what did you mean?" N asked, her tone mocking. "If you''re so worried, why don''t you talk to him instead? Telling me this makes it seem like you think I''m easy to bully." ming her for another man''s interest in her, rather than addressing it with that man, was no different from saying a woman was to me for being assaulted because of how she dressed. rk stiffened, embarrassment and shame crossing his features. "N-"

    She chided him, "Enough. If you don''t have the guts to tell your uncle to stay away from me, then don''t say such disgusting things to me!"

    With that, she turned and went inside, closing the door behind her.

    Taking a deep breath to calm herself, N carried her groceries into the kitchen and began to put them away.

 Chapter 89

    The weekend flew by, and soon it was Monday.

    N 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 N andpletelycking 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. N received a call from Vrie just before the end of the workday, inviting her out to dinner. Since she had no other ns, she agreed.

    When N arrived at the restaurant, she noticed a young man, around 20 years old, sitting next to Vrie. He was full of youthful exuberance, and N couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow.

    As soon as she sat down, Vrie eagerly introduced him, "N, this is my new boyfriend. What do you think?

    The young man blushed and looked down shyly when N''s gaze fell on him, his ears turning red.

    "Where did you find such an innocent-looking guy? He''s not still in college, is he?" N asked.

    "You guessed it," Vrie replied.

    N was speechless. She had assumed Vrie had just been joking about finding a college boy, but she acted so fast.

    Giving Vrie a thumbs-up, N picked up the menu. "Let''s order. I''m starving."

    Once they had ordered, N chatted with Vrie while the young man beside Vrie meticulously fed her snacks.

    N began to wonder if he was under some sort of threat from Vrie to agree to be her boyfriend. Before long, the dishes arrived, and just as N was about to dig in, a cold male voice echoed. "Vrie, who All heads turned simultaneously.

    Not far away, Tom stood with a stormy expression, ring at Vrie.

    If not for Jacqueline standing beside him, he would have looked exactly like a man who had just discovered his girlfriend was cheating on him.

    Vrie''s eyes remained indifferent, but she smirked. "Mr. Genge, this doesn''t seem to concern you, does

    it?

    Tom''s gaze grew colder, and he started toward her, but Jacqueline quickly grabbed his arm. "Tom, tonight''s dinner is important. Whatever misunderstanding you have with Ms. Weir, deal with it after the dinner." Tom lowered his eyes, suppressing his anger, and turned to walk toward another room.

    +25 BON

    Jacqueline hurried after him.

    The group couldn''t hear what Jacqueline said, but they saw Tom leave immediately after hearing her

    words.

    N turned back to see Vrie''s calm face, seemingly unbothered. She swallowed theforting words she was about to say.

    Dinner continued in a somewhat heavy silence.

    After they finished eating. Vrie sent the young man to get the car.

    Standing at the restaurant entrance, N couldn''t hold back her curiosity. "Are you serious about this guy?

    Vrieughed. "I was joking. He''s just my neighbor''s kid, who grew up following me around. I was going to exin it to you, but then I forgot."

    Once the young man brought the car around, Vrie waved goodbye to N and left.

    N was about to get her car when someone called her name from behind.

    She turned to see Spencer and Damon walking toward her.

    Damon seemed to have been drinking-his face was a bit flushed, and the top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, revealing a well-defined corbone

    His suit jacket hung casually

    over his arm, and his innate elegance made it hard not to stare at him. Seeing him, N suddenly remembered the nonsensical things rk had said to her a few days ago. Damon had ulterior motives toward With his status and looks, he could have any number of women at his beck and call. Why would he have designs on her?

    Thinking that, N couldn''t help butugh.

    Under the streetlight, Damon was momenta

 Chapter 90

    Spencer and Damon stopped in front of N.

    Spencer smiled and said, "What a coincidence, Ms. Jayston. You''re also having dinner here tonight?"

    N nodded. "Yes. I had ns with a friend."

    "I''ll go get the car. How about I drive you home afterward?" Spencer offered.

    "No need, I drove here." N replied.

    "Alright then. Could you please keep an eye on Mr. Summer? He''s had a bit too much to drink, and I don''t feelfortable leaving him alone, Spencer asked.

    N nced at Damon. Despite the faint smell of alcohol, he seemed perfectly

    sober.

    Sensing her doubt, Spencer exined, "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, N 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 N and Damon. His presence was impossible to ignore, so N stared at her shoes to avoid his gaze. "How are you feeling?" Damon asked suddenly.

    N was taken aback, then realized he was referring to the incident in Rontana where she had almost been assaulted. She looked up. "I''m much better now. The ringing in my ears is gone too." "Good." With that, Damon fell silent again.

    N resumed staring at her shoes, feeling time drag on. She didn''t notice Damon''s asional nces at her, nor did she see a photographer capturing their interaction from a passing car.

    A ck Maybach pulled up to the restaurant, and Spencer helped Damon into the car. "Thank you, Ms. Jayston. Where''s your car parked?"

    "Just outside the restaurant," she replied.

    N waved goodbye and walked to her car.

    Seeing her get into a pink car, Spencer couldn''t help butment. "This model is really popr with womentely. My girlfriend is thinking about getting one too but hasn''t decided on a color yet." Damon nced out at the pink car and said indifferently, "It does look nice."

    Back home, N took a shower and went to bed.

    Early the next morning, the was woken by the sound of her phone ringing.

    Groggily, she answered, "Hello?"

    "N, what''s with the photo online?!" rk''s angry voice came through the phone, making N frown.

    What was he ranting about so early in the morning?

    "What photo?" she asked.

    "The one of you and Uncle Damon at the restaurant! Do you know how many people have called me about it this morning?!" he thundered.

    Photo at the restaurant?

    Confused, N hung up and was about to check the Inte when she saw dozens of messages from Vrie.

    Vrie: [N, what''s with this photo?]

    Vrie: [Don''t you think Damon looks at you with some affection?]

    Vrie: Where are you?! Show up! Does Damon really like you?

    Vrie: [Did he hide his feelings because you got married but still can''t help looking at you?]

    Reading these messages, N was speechless.

    Why did everyone think Damon had feelings for her?

    However, when she finally saw the photo, she was stunned.

    The photo showed her and Damon standing outside the restaurant. She was looking down, while Damon had turned slightly to gaze at her, a soft light in his eyes.

 Chapter 91

    The restaurant''s lighting cast a soft glow over Damon''s normally cool profile, making his expression appear much gentler as he looked at N.

    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.

    N immediately called Vrie. "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." N was speechless.

    Although the photo only showed their profiles, anyone who knew them could easily recognize them. No wonder rk was so furious earlier.

    "It''s just the angle. Il contact rk

    uncle to sort this out," N 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 quickly reassured N, "Ms. Jayston, we''re already in touch with the photographer to handle it. Don''t worry.

    "Thanks. Let me know once it''s resolved."

    Spencer was apologetic. "Of course. I''m really sorry about this. If I''d known, I wouldn''t have asked you to watch over Mr. Sumnerst night."

    N pressed her lips together. "What''s done is done. Just handle it as quickly as possible."

    She hoped not too many people had seen the photo.

    "Alright, I''ll get back to work now," Spencer said.

    Spencer put away his

    phone and turned to Damon, who was seated at his desk. "Mr. Sumner, our team is already en route to the photographer''s ce. We''ve also contacted the social media tform to delete the photo, but some pe Damon''s expression was icy. "Delete all you can."

    At that moment, the office door burst open.

    rk stormed in, mming a printed copy of the photo onto the desk. "Uncle Damon, staring at my wife so openly-isn''t that too much?!"

    Damon slowly looked up, meeting rk''s furious gaze with a cold, detached expression. Despite being seated, he exuded an aura that overshadowed rk.

    "It''s just a misleading photo. Is this really worth all this fuss?" Damon asked.

    rk sneered. "Misleading? Can you honestly say you have no feelings for N?"

    +25 BONU

    Damon''s gaze remained impassive. "Whether I do or not is none of your business."

    Upon feeling the oppressive tension and seeing Damon''s icy stare, rk''s anger red even more. "If you don''t back off, I''ll tell Grandpa and Grandma and let them handle this." Damon raised an eyebrow, his demeanor turning dangerously cold. "Are you threatening me?"

    rk instinctively took a step back under Damon''s chilling gaze but quickly regained his resolve, driven by his jealousy over N.

    "Uncle Damon, I wouldn''t dare threaten you. I''m just reminding you that N is off-limits," rk asserted.

 Chapter 92

    "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 rk was palpable as they stared each other down, neither willing to back off.

    Sensing the intensity of the situation, Spencer quickly intervened, Mr. rk, Mr. Damon has been dealing with the photo situation since this morning. Maybe you should head back for now."

    rk 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-"

    "rk!" 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."

    rk''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 red at Damon, enunciating each word, "I hope you know what you''re doing, Uncle Damon."

    With that, he turned and stormed out of the office.

    Even after leaving Prospectus Technology, rk couldn''t shake off his ang....... He pulled out his phone to call N. But knowing she wouldn''t pick up if she saw it was him, he decided to drive over to her ce

    .92

    N had just finished breakfast and was putting on her shoes to head to work. As she opened the door, she was surprised to see rk standing there with a cold expression.

    "What are you-" she started, but rk shoved the door open, grabbed her wrist, and pushed her against the wall.

    "N, I told you to stay away from my uncle. It seems you didn''t take me seriously," he said.

    He pinned her in ce, his hand moving down her face, his eyes filled with a dangerous glint.

    The image of Damon gazing at her with what looked like affection in that photo filled him with jealousy and rage, fueling his irrational

    behavior.

    His hand continued downward, hovering near her throat.

    N''s neck was slender and delicate, seemingly easy to snap with just a bit of force.

    Feeling rk''s gaze fixated on her neck, as if contemting whether to strangle her, sent chills down N''s spine and made her skin prickle with goosebumps.

    rk was insane!

    She shoved him away, gritting her teeth. "That photo is just a matter of perspective. We were talking at the time."

    "Oh, really?" rk, seemingly unbothered by her push, smiled mockingly. "N, you know I can''t go against my uncle. So you better behave and stay away from him, or I can''t promise what I might do."

    263

    His tone was gentle, but it sounded more like a threat to N.

    She took a deep breath, locking eyes with him. "Don''t worry. I have no interest in him and will never fall in love with him."

    All she wanted now was to gather evidence for a divorce from rk and distance herself from the Sumners forever.

    rk scrutinized her, trying to gauge the sincerity of her words.

    After a moment, he smiled slowly. "N, I''ll believe you this time. But if this happens again, I''ll make sure you''re properly punished." He emphasized the word "punished" with a chilling tone.

 Chapter 93

    When rk saw N''s eyshes flutter, his eyes shed with satisfaction.

    N bit her lip and said coldly, "need to go to work. Can you leave now?"

    Upon noticing her distant attitude, rk''s gaze darkened. He didn''t want to push her too hard as it would only worsen their rtionship.

    "I''ll drive you," he offered.

    "No need."

    With that, N pushed him out and closed the door behind him..

    Upon arriving at the office, N noticed her colleagues sneaking nces at her.

    She remained expressionless, assuming they had all seen the photo online.

    After cing her things at her desk, she was about to head to theb when Sasha approached her, whispering, "N, 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 N during theb explosion, risking his own

    safety. Now, with the photo circting online, they couldn''t help but specte about the nature of their rtionship.

    Seeing the curiosity in Sasha''s eyes, N responded calmly. "It''s not true. It''s just the angle of the photo. We ran into each other at the restaurant entrance and exchanged greetings." Sasha looked puzzled. "Just that simple?"

    Before she could ask more, N headed to theb with her experiment report.

    On her way, she ran into Luciaing out of the restroom.

    N pretended not to see Lucia and continued walking, but Lucia couldn''t resist making a snide remark." Some people really know how to y their cards right, getting both Sumners wrapped around their fingers. I''m impressed."

    Lucia had been fuming since seeing the photo that morning. She couldn''t believe that N, knowing about her interest in Damon, would be so shameless as to flirt with him.

    Thements online pairing N and Damon only fueled her anger.

    She had tried to expose N as Damon''s niece-inw in thements, but herments wouldn''t go through.

    Soon after, all photos and rted tags were deleted, clearly a move by the Sumners.

    N turned

    to Lucia, noticing the barely concealed Jealousy in her eyes, and couldn''t help but smirk. "If you''re so jealous, why don''t you try taking a photo like that yourself? Though I doubt Mr. Sumner would give you the

    Lucia was angered and sneered. "I wouldn''t stoop to your level. Married and still flirting with other men. Is rk not enough for you?"

    N raised an eyebrow! "If you''re so concerned about our marital affairs, why don''t you install a camera at my house? Then you can satisfy your curiosity 24/7.

    Lucia gritted her teeth. "Don''t get too cocky, N. If you keep walking down this path, you''ll run into trouble eventually."

    "And I suggest you get your jealousy treated. Don''te to me with your nonsense." With that, N turned and walked away, ignoring Lucia.

    Lucia shot daggers at N''s retreating figure, her eyes filled with rage and disgust.

    She pulled out her phone and called Keh, her voice cold. "When are you going to make your move?!"

 Chapter 94

    Keh stood in a hospital corridor, staring at the bill with worry. Hearing Lucia''s voice, he replied seriously, "Within the next few days."

    He waspletely out of money. With Mabel in police custody, his only option was to follow Lucia''s n to get the money for medical expenses. "I''ll be waiting for your good news then, Lucia said, hanging up with a smirk.

    Once Keh kidnapped N, she would ensure both of them perished at the scene, leaving her free of worry.

    In theb.

    N was preparing to continue her experiment when she received a message from Genevieve, asking her toe to her office.

    When she arrived, Genevieve greeted her with a smile. "N, how was the business trip to Rontana with Mr. Sumner?"

    N pursed her lips. "It was fi

    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 constantly travel back and forth to check on the progress.

    N was taken aback, frowning slightly. "How long will it be? And does Prospectus Technology have ab?"

    Genevieve smiled. "I''m not sure about the exact duration, but likely until the project progresses

    significantly. As for theb, Prospectus Technology bought a building next to their headquartersst year and converted it into ab, so it''s ready for use."

    If the project''s progress was the measure, it could take at least a year or two. Drug development involved both pharmacological and clinical trials, with the former alone possibly taking years. Seeing N''s reluctance, Genevieve added, "You''ll get a daily travel allowance of 30 dors."

    A daily allowance of 30 dors meant an extra 600 dors a month, a tempting offer for N. Instantly, her reluctance disappeared.

    "Genevieve, when do I start?" she asked.

    Genevieve couldn''t help butugh. "If possible, it would be best if you start tomorrow. You can wrap up your current experiment today and head to Prospectus Technology tomorrow to meet Mr. Hogg." N was surprised by the urgency but figured that starting sooner would mean receiving the travel allowance sooner, which was a good thing.

    "Alright, Genevieve. I''ll finish up my work today and organize my materials," N said.

    "Good. If you have any problems at Prospectus Technology, feel free to contact me.

    +25 BOI

    Returning to theb, N packed up her equipment and headed back to her desk. The day passed quickly. After gathering her materials and personal belongings, she turned

    off herputer and informed Sasha about her transfer to Prospectus Technology.

    Sasha was initially stunned but then her eyes widened. "You''re switching jobs?"

    Her voice was loud enough to catch the attention of everyone nearby, including Lucia.

    N shook her head. "No, thepany is sending me to Prospectus Technology toplete this project beforeing back."

    Since other colleagues had been sent to otherpanies for projects before, Sasha wasn''t too surprised. "I see. I heard Prospectus Technology has many

    handsome and wealthy single men. If you meet any, remember to introduce me. My family''s been nagging me about marriage nonstop," Sasha said.

    Nughed, not expecting that to be her concern. "Sure. If I find anyone suitable, I''ll let you know."

 Chapter 95

    Once N got home, she contacted Spencer, who instructed her toe to the CEO''s office the next morning for fingerprint registration and ess cards.

    After hanging up, N felt anxious. rk 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 rk 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, N 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."

    N 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, she could see it for hersell.

    As the elevator rose, the city''sndscape unfolded before her, giving her a sense of openness.

    Soon, the elevator reached the top floor. N walked out and down a long corridor to reach the CEO''s

    ice.

    When her rtionship with rk was good, she had visited him at the Sumner Group''s office, but their setup was different from Prospectus Technology''s. Prospectus Technology had several times more secretaries than the Sumner Group.

    Even though it was just after 8:00a.m., all the secretaries were busy at their desks, with phones ringing

    non-stop.

    After searching for a while, N spotted Spencer at the desk outside the CEO''s office, sorting through documents. She quickly approached his desk. "Mr. Hogg." Spencer looked up, saw it was N, and stood up. "Ms. Jayston, you''re here. I''ll take you toplete the onboarding process."

    Although N was sent by Park Pharmaceuticals, she still needed to go through the formalities.

    "Thank you, Mr. Hogg," she said.

    "You''re wee."

    Afterpleting the onboarding process, Spencer showed N where the cafeteria was before taking her to theboratory building.

    Theb building was connected to the main building by a long corridor, about 400-500 meters long.

    Since theb building was newly operational and had few projects, N was assigned her own office andb. She was very pleased with the spacious and well-litb.

    During her university days, she had had to share ab with senior students, often coordinating time to use the equipment. Now, having her ownb, she wouldn''t have to worry about that.

    "Ms. Jayston, here''s your meal card. The cafeteria is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you have any questions, feel free to call me ore to the CEO''s office."

    N took the card and nodded. "Got it. Thank you, Mr. Hogg."

    Back at the CEO''s office, Spencer knocked and entered Damon''s office.

    Damon was reviewing documents, bathed in the morning sunlight that streamed through the window.

    He looked like he had stepped out of a painting-a sight that would undoubtedly drive his admirers wild, given his looks and aristocratic air.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jaystonpleted her onboarding this morning. Spencer informed him.

 Chapter 96

    Damon looked up at Spencer, his expression cool and detached. "Got it."

    Seeing Damon''s Indifferent reaction, Spencer felt he might be overdoing it by bringing this up. After reminding Damon about the 10:00 a.m. meeting, he turned and left. At noon, N took her meal card to the cafeteria.

    As soon as she walked in, she was stunned by the luxurious setup. It looked more like a five-star restaurant than a cafeteria.

    The food at each station was meticulously prepared and visually appealing. Moreover, the prices were incredibly low, almost the same as a university cafeteria.

    The cafeteria had three floors, offering a variety of cuisines.

    N lined up at one of the food stations, collected her meal, and found a seat in a corner.

    Tasting the soup, she was surprised at how delicious it was,parable to what she had tasted at five-star restaurants before.

    She had heard people online say that Prospectus Technology''s cafeteria was like a five-star restaurant and thought it was an exaggeration. She realized it was true now.

    No wonder people joked that once someone joined Prospectus Technology, dieting became a thing of the past.

    Focused on her meal, N didn''t notice the curious and admiring nces from those around her. Soon, news of a new, beautiful employee spread throughout thepany''s internal chat groups, along with a ca Everyone was curious about which department she worked in.

    Unaware that she had be a hot topic among Prospectus Technology employees, N returned to theb after lunch.

    It wasn''t long before someone approached Spencer to ask about her.

    The chat group of the CEO''s office was buzzing with activity, with everyone tagging Spencer to inquire about N.

    [Mr. Hogg, that pretty girl who joined today must have some connections, right? You personally handled her onboarding. Now everyone in thepany is curious about the department she''s in.]

    [Yeah, and I saw how courteous you were to her. Is she rted to some high-level executive?]

    [I saw her too this morning. She''s really stunning. Even as a woman, I couldn''t help but take a second look.

    Reading the messages, Spencer was a bit surprised. He didn''t expect N to cause such a stir on her first day at Prospectus Technology.

    +25 BO

    After thinking for a moment, he replied in the group.

    Spencer. [Stop guessing. She''s a research developer sent over from Park Pharmaceuticals, and she isn''t avable.]

    After sending that message, Spencer closed the chat app and went back to his documents.

    Back in theb, N started her afternoon experiments. As the reaction began, she sat nearby, timing and recording the experiment.

    It was then that she received a message from rk.

    rk: [I''m downstairs at Prospectus Technology. Come down immediately, or I''lle up to find you myself.]

    N frowned, surprised that rk found out about her working at Prospectus Technology so quickly. After a moment of thought, she called him,

    The phone barely rang twice before he picked up, but he stayed silent.

    "My transfer to Prospectus Technology was apany decision. There''s no point in youing here," she said.

    "Then you can quit," he rebuked.

    His matter-of-fact tone made Nugh in disbelief. "I''m not quitting. If you''re so worried about me and your uncle, why don''t you put a surveince camera on me?"

    With that, N hung up. If rk actually stormed into Prospectus Technology, he would only embarrass himself and potentially offend Damon, which would backfire.

    In the car, rk gripped his phone in anger, his eyes cold. He had warned N, and now she dared to start working at Prospectus Technology. It seemed she needed to be taught a lesson. That evening, N was cleaning up herb equipment when she received a call from Harrison.

    The atmosphere was tense when she arrived at the hospital room.

    Seeing her, Harrison spoke coldly. "N, quit your job tomorrow."

    Damon looked up at Spencer, his expression cool and detached. "Got it."

    Seeing Damon''s indifferent reaction, Spencer felt he might be overdoing it by bringing this up. After reminding Damon about the 10:00 am. meeting, he turned and left.

    At noon, N took her meal card to the cafeteria.

    As soon as she walked in, she was stunned by the luxurious setup. It looked more like a five-star restaurant than a cafeteria.

    e prices were

    The food at each station was meticulously prepared and visually appealing. Moreover, the incredibly low, almost the same as a university cafeteria.

    The cafeteria had three floors, offering a variety of cuisines.

    N lined up at one of the food stations, collected her meal, and found a seat in a corner.

    Tasting the soup, she was surprised at how delicious it was,parable to what she had tasted at five-star restaurants before.

    She had heard people online say that Prospectus Technology''s cafeteria was like a five-star restaurant and thought it was an exaggeration. She realized it was true now.

    No wonder people joked that once someone joined Prospectus Technology, dieting became a thing of the past.

    Focused on her meal, N didn''t notice the curious and admiring nces from those around her.

    Soon, news of a new, beautiful employee spread throughout thepany''s internal chat groups, along with a candid photo of N''s profile taken by someone.

    Everyone was curious about which department she worked in.

    Unaware that she had be a hot topic among Prospectus Technology employees, N returned to theb after lunch.

    It wasn''t long before someone approached Spencer to ask about her.

    The chat group of the CEO''s office was buzzing with activity, with everyone tagging Spencer to inquire. about N.

    [Mr. Hogg, that pretty girl who joined today must have some connections, right? You personally handled her onboarding. Now everyone in thepany is curious about the department she''s in.] [Yeah, and I saw how courteous you were to her. Is she rted to some high-level executive?]

    1

    I saw her too this morning. She''s really stunning. Even as a woman, I couldn''t help but take a second look.

    Reading the messages, Spencer was a bit surprised. He didn''t expect N to cause such a stir on her first day at Prospectus Technology.

    Theb building was connected to the main building by a long corridor, about 400-500 meters long.

    Since theb building was newly operational and had few projects, N was assigned her own office andb. She was very pleased with the spacious and well-litb.

    During her university days, she had had to share ab with senior students, often coordinating time to use the equipment. Now, having her ownb, she wouldn''t have to worry about that.

    "Ms. Jayston, here''s your meal card. The cafeteria is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you have any questions, feel free to call me ore to the CEO''s office."

    N took the card and nodded. "Got it. Thank you, Mr. Hogg."

    Back at the CEO''s office, Spencer knocked and entered Damon''s office.

    Damon was reviewing documents, bathed in the morning sunlight that streamed through the window.

    He looked like he had stepped out of a painting-a sight that would undoubtedly drive his admirers wild, given his looks and aristocratic air.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jaystonpleted her onboarding this morning," Spencer informed him.

 Chapter 97

    N''s steps faltered, and she red at rk. "What did you tell m, ad?!"

    Before rk could respond, Harrison shouted, "You''re questioning rk? How could you betray him with his uncle?!"

    N''s fingers trembled with rage. She couldn''t believe rk had the gall to twist the truth, and even more, she couldn''t believe her father had fallen for it.

    "Dad, do you really see me as that kind of person? You didn''t even ask me, and you just believed rk''s side of the story, thinking I betrayed him?!" she questioned.

    N took a deep breath, deciding not to hide rk''s infidelity any longer. "Do you know it was he who-"

    "N, your dad was so upset earlier that he almost fainted. The doctor said he can''t take any more stress. Do you really want to push him to the brink?"

    rk''s loud voice drowned out N''s words.

    She clenched her hands at her sides, her hatred for rk reaching a peak. "If you know my dad can''t take stress, why did youe here and tell him nonsense?!!

    rk sighed, looking helpless. "Fine. If you say there''s nothing between you and my uncle, then I''ll believe you. Just move back home and I won''t hold anything against you." Harrison, who had just calmed down a bit, got agitated again. "You moved out?!"

    N took another deep breath and spoke slowly. "Dad, I''ll exin everything to youter. Right now, you need to focus on getting better. Please don''t get involved in our issues." "Move back home immediately! Married couples shouldn''t live apart!" Harrison ordered.

    Harrison and N''s mother had divorced after sleeping in separate rooms. He didn''t want N to go down the same path. Besides, if N left rk, she might be vulnerable to bullying. rk quickly tried to soothe Harrison. "Dad, don''t worry. I''ll talk to N. I''m sure she''lle back home.

    soon."

    Seeing rk''s seemingly conciliatory act, N was furious. "rk, can you stop pretending and making everyone sick?"

    She hadn''t revealed rk''s misdeeds out of concern for Harrison''s health. Yet, rk had exploited that, ndering her in front of Harrison.

    Harrison frowned and was about to speak when the hospital room door opened.

    Wren walked in with a thermos, smiling as she saw both N and rk. "N, you and rk came to visit your dad?"

    N nodded briefly, then looked at rk. "Our problems are between us. Don''t bring it up in front of the elders. Let''s settle this outside." With that, she turned and left the room.

    Harrison called after her, but she ignored him.

    Wren nced at rk, her brows furrowing slightly. She was aware of his affair, and seeing him now filled her with disapproval and dissatisfaction. rk didn''t notice her gaze. He turned to Harrison and said, "Dad, today was my fault. Don''t be angry with N. I''ll handle this. Please don''t worry." Harrison sighed. "N has been spoiled by me since she was little. For my sake, please be more patient

    with her."

    "Don''t worry. She''s my wife. I''ll take good care of her," rk assured him.

    With that, rk nodded to Wren and left the room.

    As he stepped out, he saw N waiting at the end of the hallway. She was clearly waiting for him.

    rk smiled and walked toward her.

    As soon as he reached her, she pped him hard across the face.

 Chapter 98

    Instantly, a red handprint appeared on rk''s face. His gaze toward N was chilling. "How dare you hit me?!"

    N met his furious eyes and said slowly, "Why wouldn''t I? You''re the one who cheated, yet you have the audacity to nder me in front of my dad. Don''t you deserve to be hit?"

    As soon as she finished speaking. rk grabbed her chin and pushed her against the wall, his eyes filled with anger.

    "N, it''s your fault for not listening to me. If you had obeyed, I wouldn''t have had to go to your father," he imed.

    N sneered. "If you dare approach my dad again, I''ll expose your affair."

    "If you''re not afraid of aggravating his condition, go ahead," rk dared her

    rk''s nonchnt tone fueled N''s rage, her hands clenched at her sides. "rk, how did you be so despicable?!"

    rk leaned closer. He could see the disgust and anger in N''s eyes and tightened his grip on her chin.

    Jiu

    "N, I just want you back by my side and to stay away from my uncle. You''re the one provoking me," he said.

    Taking a deep breath, N said, "I won''t be threatened by you, and I won''t quit my job."

    "You don''t have to quit. I''ll give you a week to move back to the vi. N, this is my final concession. If you don''tply, I''ll have to take drastic measures," he warned.

    His threatening tone made N stiffen. She couldn''t believe she had once loved such a shameless man, but regretting it now was useless.

    "And if I refuse? What drastic measures will you take?"

    "You wouldn''t want your father to lose his ce on the kidney transnt list, would you?" he threatened. N looked at him in disbelief. "rk, you''re inhuman!

    He used Harrison against her, knowing he was her greatest concern!

    rk smiled slightly, whispering in her ear, "I''ll be waiting for you toe back

    He then released her and left without another word.

    N returned home after 8:00 p.m.

    She didn''t turn on the lights and walked to the couch, her mind a tangled mess, unsure of whom to confide in.

    She had nned to pretend toply with rk, gather evidence, and then file for divorce. However, his shamelessness was beyond her expectations.

    +25 BONU:

    Should she really give in and move back?

    As N was lost in thought, she heard a faint noise from the bedroom. Frowning, she wondered if she was imagining things.

    She stood cautiously and walked to the door to press the light switch.

    The living room lights didn''t turn on.

    She nced outside and saw the neighbor''s lights were on, feeling a surge of fear.

    Reaching for the door handle, she opened the door and ran out.

    As soon as the motion sensor light turned on, however, someone pushed her back into the living room.

    The person who had been waiting outside walked in and shut the door, cutting off the light.

    N fell back heavily, her face contorted with pain, but her mind was racing.

 Chapter 99

    People were hiding in both the bedroom and by the door, indicating a premeditated attack.

    N scrambled to her feet and ran toward the kitchen. Unfortunately, she only managed a few steps before someone grabbed her arm and mmed her against the wall. "Who are you? Why are you- Mmph!"

    Before she could finish, one of her attackers pinned her down and pressed a cloth against her nose. A pungent smell filled her nostrils, and her vision began to blur.

    Soon, two masked men dragged arge suitcase out of N''s apartment.

    Since it was just past 8:00 p.m. and most people were home from work, there weren''t many people around, so the men didn''t attract much attention.

    They quickly reached the back gate of the building, where a nondescript van without a license te was parked in the shadows.

    They loaded the suitcase into the trunk and drove off toward the outskirts of the city.

    Spencer hurried into the CEO''s office at Prospectus Technology with a document in hand.

    "Mr. Sumner, this file was just sent back by our partner. They said there might be an issue with the experimental data, but I''m not a technical expert. As such, I can''t pinpoint the problem," Spencer said. Damon nced at the file and said, "Call N.ˇ±

    Spencer nodded and quickly called her.

    N''s phone vibrated in the dark living room for a long time before stopping.

    Spencer tried calling several times, but N didn''t answer.

    "Mr. Sumner, should I go to Ms. Jayston''s ce with the document?" Spencer asked.

    "Go ahead."

    When N woke up, she found herself crammed into a confined space, which felt like a suitcase.

    Panic and fear washed over her. Although she usually remained calm, this was her first time experiencing a kidnapping, and she knew she was in constant danger.

    Her captors could decide to kill her at any moment.

    After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she noticed that she was moving, likely in a vehicle. Where were they taking her?

    She gave it some thought. She wasn''t staying somewhere affluent and hadn''t offended anyone. Besides,

    captors had clearly nned it based on how they had abducted her.

    her

    After considering everyone she had interacted with, she concluded that the most likely person behind her

    kidnapping was Lucia.

    Suddenly, the car stopped.

    N heard the trunk open and quickly closed her eyes. Momentster, she felt the suitcase being lifted. and roughly dropped to the ground.

    Pain shot through her body as if every bone had been shattered, but she bit her lip hard to keep from making any noise.

    If they realized she was awake, there was no telling what they might do. For now, it was safer to pretend

    to be unconscious.

    She heard voices outside.

    "I brought her here for you. Now give me the money you promised."

    There was a brief silence before a familiar male voice responded.

    "Wait, I don''t have the money yet. Once I get it, I''ll pay you immediately."

    The first man''s voice rose in anger. "Keh, are you ying me? I agreed to help you kidnap her, not to get involved in extortion. Give me my money now, or I''ll spill everything about what you made me do. D

 Chapter 100

    "Even if you spill the beans, I don''t have any money now. And if this gets out, you''ll be going to jail too!" Keh responded.

    As the argument grew more intense, N finally recognized the man who had kidnapped her-Mabel''s father, Keh.

    She had only met him once. How did he know where she lived? How had he gotten into her home?

    This wasn''t something a regr farm worker coulde up with. Someone must have been behind it, and that person was obviously Lucia.

    Gradually, the argument outside died down, followed by the sound of a car starting.

    Soon, everything was silent.

    N held her breath, not daring to make a sound.

    Suddenly, she felt the suitcase being moved and heard the wheels rolling on the ground. She realized she was being dragged somewhere, and her mind raced as she considered how to escape.

    N cautiously unzipped the top of the suitcase a little, but the outside was pitch ck except for the shlight held by the person dragging her.

    Unable to see her surroundings, N knew she couldn''t make a rash move.

    After about ten minutes, the person brought her to an abandoned building and started dragging her upstairs. Each step made her body m painfully against the stairs, but she bit her lip to keep from making a Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the man stopped

    Keh put down the suitcase and called Lucia. "I''ve got her. What''s next?"

    Lucia, who had been waiting nearby, said, "I''ll be there soon.

    When Lucia arrived, she opened the suitcase right away and reprimanded Keh, "You idiot! Why didn''t you tie her up? What if she escapes?"

    "I was in a hurry and forgot..."

    "Moron!" Lucia cursed, realizing it was toote to fix it.

    Seeing N was still unconscious, she smirked and pped N hard twice, waking her up.

    you want?"

    N slowly opened her eyes, pretending to be groggy and terrified. "L-

    Lucia, what do Seeing the fear on N''s face, Lucia felt a surge of satisfaction. "N, didn''t expect this, did you?" "Are you crazy? Kidnapping is a crimel" N tried to talk while assessing her surroundings. Ev

    Lucia sneered. "Since I''m daring enough to kidnap you, I have a way out."

    With that, she signaled to Keh.

    A knife was pressed against N''s throat. "N, I''ll give you a chance. Call rk and ask for help. If he''s willing to pay, I''ll let you go. How about that?"

    N frowned, wary of Lucia''s intentions. Something felt off. If Lucia only wanted money, she wouldn''t be showing herself because she knew N would tell rk everything if she survived. Lucia had no intention of letting her go alive!

    From Keh''s earlier conversation with the other man, N deduced that Keh was in this for the money. Lucia, however, wanted

    her dead but didn''t want to be implicated, so she had Keh do the dirty work.

    Once N was dead, Keh would take the fall. Lucia likely didn''t n to let Keh live either, ensuring no loose ends.

    Noticing N''s hesitation, Lucia smirked. "If you don''t call, you''ll die now."

    N knew calling rk was her only chance. If he came with help, she might survive. "Okay, I''ll call him."

    "Give me the number, and I''ll dial it. Think carefully about what to say," Lucia warned.

    Lucia dialed rk''s number and put it on speaker.

    After a few rings, a soft, feminine voice answered instead of rk.

 Chapter 101

    "Who is this?"

    N''s expression changed as she recognized Jordyn''s voice. "This is N. I need to speak to rk. Put him on the phone."

    A lightugh came from the other end. "Oh, rko? He''s in the shower right now and probably can''t take your call. If you need something, Ms. Jayston, just tell me, and I''ll pass it on."

    N bit her lip, her hands clenching at her sides. "Jordyn, I''ve been kidnapped-"

    Before she could finish, Jordyn cut her off, "N, do you really think using such a pathetic lie will get rk toe to you? If you want to see him so badly,e find him yourself. But he''s with me and our baby tonight, so he doesn''t have time for you."

    N knew that this was a matter of life and death. She couldn''t afford to hold a personal grudge. "I''m really kidnapped... Just tell him this-"

    "If you''re really kidnapped, then go ahead and die. Without you, my baby can be legitimized, and I can be with rk." Jordyn''s voice was filled with malice. She hung up immediately.

    N''s heart sank. Fear, despair, and hopelessness overwhelmed her.

    Jordyn genuinely wanted her dead. Jordyn wouldn''t let her get in touch with rk, and he might never know about this call.

    Maybe she shouldn''t have made that call. From the moment rk cheated, she was disposable to him.

    At that moment, she truly lost all hope in him. Eight years of feelings vanished into thin air.

    Seeing the despair on N''s face, Lucia sneered. "Looks like rk isn''t

    ou off early."

    Keh''s voice turned serious. "Ms. Pord, what do you mean by that? If you kill her, I get nothing!"

    Lucia smiled and looked at Keh. "Don''t worry. If you kill her, I''ll give you 300,000 dors. How about that?"

    Keh hesitated, fear shing in his eyes. He only wanted to kidnap N to get money for his wife''s treatment, not tomit murder.

    Seeing his hesitation, Lucia urged, "Why are you hesitating? N knows we kidnapped her. Do you think she won''t turn us in if we let her go? If you don''t want to go to prison, you have to kill her!" Under Lucia''s persuasion, Keh''s resolve wavered. He started contemting whether to kill N.

    By then, N had calmed down. She knew she couldn''t die there. "Don''t be fooled by her. She wants you to kill me so she won''t be med for murder. She ns to pin it all on you."

    Lucia''s face twisted with anger. "N, shut up! Keh, do it now! Don''t you want to save your wife?!"

    "If you kill me, she''ll either kill you, or you''ll end up in prison. You won''t get anything you want!" N yelled.

    Seeing Keh''s firm expression waver again, Lucia grew furious. "You bitch, shut up!"

    Keh looked at Lucia, his eyes betraying his suspicion. "Lucia, is she right? Are you trying to pin it all on me?"

    Lucia''s expression stiffened. "You believe her? She''s just trying to save her own life!"

    "If that''s not true, then you do it," he said.

    Keh wasn''t stupid. N''s words made him realize that Lucia had been trying to distance herself from the crime. He handed the knife hovering near N''s neck to Lucia. This was N''s chance. She pushed Keh away, quickly grabbing the shlight and sprinting toward the stairs.

    Meanwhile, Spencer arrived at N''s apartment and immediately sensed something was wrong.

    The door was ajar, and it was pitch dark inside. He called out but got no response. He dialed N''s number, only to hear the phone vibrate from inside

    Carefully pushing open the door, he saw the messy living room but no sign of N. His face darkened, and he quickly contacted Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston is missing!"

 Chapter 102

    Damon''s expression darkened. "What happened?"

    "Ms. Jayston''s home is a mess. Her phone is on the couch, but she''s gone," Spencer replied.

    "Find out what happened immediately!" Damon ordered.

    Within half an hour, Spencer discovered that N had been kidnapped and quickly informed Damon.

    As the unmarked van drove into the city, it was abruptly stopped by a group of men in ck.

    The driver, taken aback, opened the door to ask what was going on and was immediately kicked to the ground, kneeling in pain.

    "Ah!" he screamed as his knee shattered, his face pale and covered in cold sweat.

    Spencer''s expression was icy. "Where did you take her?"

    The man''s eyes flickered with panic, and he shook his head quickly. "I don''t know what you''re talking about="

    Spencer sneered. "You don''t understand? Then we''ll make you understand."

    At hismand, the men in ck pounced on the man, his screams filling the air.

    In less than five minutes, the man begged, "Stop! Stop! I''ll talk... I''ll talk...

    Spencer gestured for the bodyguards to stop and crouched down in front of the man. "Where is she?"

    Chapter the

    176 ROMBUS

    "She''s... She''s in an abandoned building about ten kilometers east of the city..."

    Spencer frowned. That was an abandoned hotel project by an overseas investor, left deste after a financial copse.

    "Why did you kidnap her?" Spencer asked.

    Fearing another beating, the man quickly spilled everything. He had hoped to be released afterward but was instead sent to the police

    station.

    With the matter resolved, Spencer reported it to Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, he''s confessed. They took Ms. Jayston to an abandoned hotel about ten kilometers outside the city. The kidnapper doesn''t know her personally.

    "It was arranged by his distant rtive, Keh O''Neill, who promised. him 30,000 dors for his help. Keh is Mabel''s father. Mabel is Ms. Jayston''s colleague responsible for theb explosion."

    As Spencer finished, Damon''s ck Maybach sped off like an arrow.

    Spencer, startled, quickly got into another car and followed.

    Meanwhile, N ran down the stairs with a shlight in hand as Keh chased after her.

    It wasn''t long before he caught up, snatched the shlight, and punched

    her hard in the stomach.

    N spat blood, her strength drained, and copsed.

    As Keh grabbed her, she felt a wave of despair. She knew no one wasing to save her. She might really die here tonight.

    N didn''t want to die. She wanted to fight back, but a sharp pain in her neck made her lose consciousness.

    The click of high heels echoed on the stairs as Lucia approached with a knife, her face dark. "If you had tied her up properly, she wouldn''t have had the chance to escape. You''re utterly useless." Keh stayed silent, deep in thought.

    Lucia stood before the unconscious N, her expression cold. "I hate people who think they''re clever. This time, your cleverness won''t save you."

    She raised the knife toward N''s neck, but Keh grabbed her wrist.

    "What are you doing?!" she yelled.

    "She can''t die yet," Keh said.

    Lucia''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You believed her lies about me wanting to stay out of this. And now that I''m ready to kill her, you''re stopping me?!"

    "I won''t trust you until I see the money," he replied.

    Keh had realized that Lucia''s true intention was to kill N and that she had no intention of helping him get the money to save his wife and daughter.

 Chapter 103

    If N died, not only would Lucia refuse to pay him, but she might also turn on him and use him of murder.

    Keh had no power or influence, and with Mabel in jail, there was no way he could fight against Lucia. Keeping N alive was more advantageous for him now.

    "Are you crazy? rk Sumner might already know we''ve kidnapped her. The longer we wait, the worse it gets for us!" Lucia yelled.

    "As soon as I see the money, you can kill her. I won''t care," he replied.

    Lucia was furious. "It''s the middle of the night. How can I transfer money now? We''ll have to wait until the bank opens in the morning!"

    Keh was just as useless as his daughter, Mabel, always messing things up. Even if she could transfer the money, she would have to use an overseas ount to avoid detection.

    "I don''t care. I just want the money," he insisted.

    As they argued, a distant light grew closer.

    Lucia was appalled and ordered, "Hurry! Take her to the rooftop!"

    Realizing the urgency, Keh stopped arguing and quickly dragged N upstairs.

    Soon, they reached the top floor.

    Despite being the "rooftop", the abandoned hotel only had five stories. From their vantage point, they could see a convoy of cars speeding toward them.

    Their kidnapping attempt had been exposed!

    Lucia thought that she wouldn''t lose as long as she had N, even if

    *OR DOW

    rk arrived so quickly.

    "Give her to me!" Lucia demanded, but Keh didn''t move.

    "Lucia, you ordered me to kidnap her. Transfer the promised 700,000 dors to my ount now, or I won''t hand her over!" he demanded.

    Lucia nced at the edge of the rooftop, just a few steps behind Keh. She tightened her grip on the knife, her gaze cold. Since Keh wouldn''t cooperate, there was no use keeping him around. Taking a deep breath, she said slowly, "Fine. I''ll transfer the money now."

    She pulled out her phone and pretended to make the transaction. After a few seconds, she looked at Keh. "It''s done. Check your ount."

    Hearing the notification, Keh released N, who copsed to the ground.

    As he checked his phone, Lucia suddenly rushed at him. "Die!"

    Keh sensed the danger toote. He stumbled back, stepped off the edge, and fell from the rooftop.

    The sound of his body hitting the cement was dull and heavy.

    Damon had just exited his car when he saw a figure plummet from above. He hurried toward the twitching body on the ground, his hands clenching unconsciously and his expression tense as a wave of panic washed over him.

    Realizing it wasn''t N, he sighed in relief but noticed his palms were sweaty.

    Spencer caught up to him, nced at the body, and said, "Mr. Sumner, that''s Keh O''Neill. Ms. Jayston should be upstairs."

    Without a word, Damon turned and rushed into the hotel.

    Meanwhile, on the rooftop.

    Lucia''s expression turned maniacal after pushing Keh down. She knew there was no turning back now.

    Seeing N regaining consciousness and crawling toward the stairs, Lucia smiled, slowly walked over, and crouched beside her. "N, who would have thought you''d end up like this?"

    She wasn''t in a hurry to kill N anymore. She wanted to torment her first, repaying all the humiliation she had endured.

    "Where should I start? Maybe your hand?" she wondered aloud.

    With that, Lucia raised the knife and plunged it into the back of N''s hand.

 Chapter 104

    As the knife pierced N''s hand, she let out a muffled groan, her face turning pale from the pain. Blood flowed from her wound, creating a gruesome sight.

    Lucia smirked and pulled the knife out, causing blood to spurt.

    N bit her lip hard to stifle a scream.

    Lucia''s smirk widened at N''s pained but restrained expression." Didn''t think you were this tough. Let''s see how long you canst."

    Lucia raised the knife again, aiming for N''s heart.

    Just as the de was about to reach its mark, a sharp pain shot through Lucia''s wrist, and the knife ttered to the ground.

    Lucia stared in disbelief at the dart lodged in her wrist. She looked up and saw someone running toward her.

    Panicking, she bent down to retrieve the knife, but a powerful kick sent her flying before she could. She hit the ground hard and spat out blood before losing consciousness.

    Spencer quickly kicked the knife away and helped N up. "Ms. Jayston, are you okay?"

    N was shocked to see Spencer. She hadn''t expected him toe to her rescue and wondered how he knew where to find her.

    Still, relief washed over her as she looked at Spencer with gratitude. She knew that without his timely intervention, she would have died at Lucia''s hands.

    "Thank you, Mr. Hogg." N''s voice was weak from her injuries and blood loss.

    Spencer, not daring to take credit, nced behind him at Damon, who

    #

    exuded a cold aura.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ll go subdue Lucia," he said.

    "Go ahead," Damon replied.

    After Spencer left, N looked up at Damon, about to speak, but he suddenly bent down and lifted her into his arms.

    She gasped, instinctively wanting to wrap her arms around his neck. However, she stopped herself, remembering her dirty and injured hands.

    "Mr. Sumner, thank you for rescuing me, but I can walk. Please put me down," she said.

    Being carried by Damon felt strange to N, especially since he was rk''s uncle. She wanted to keep her distance from him.

    Damon looked down at her and asked, "Are you sure you can walk?"

    N bit her lip, about to insist she could, but Damon was already striding forward with her in his arms.

    She nced up at his resolute expression, her heart skipping a beat. She lowered her head and stayed silent.

    When they reached the ground floor, a doctor was already there.

    After quickly bandaging N''s wounds and stopping the bleeding, the doctor turned to Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, from the initial examination, Ms. Jayston has only sustained some external injuries. She''s not in immediate danger, but she should still go to the hospital for a thorough checkup. The wound on her hand is deep and needs a tetanus shot."

    Damon nodded. "Do as you said."

    N wanted to say she could go to the hospital herself, but one look at Damon''s cold eyes made her hold her tongue.

    She felt that Damon was very angry, exuding a terrifying aura. It was safer not to talk to him right now,

    Soon, Spencer returned with the unconscious Lucia,

    "Mr. Sumner, what should we do with her?" he asked,

    "Break her hands and send her to the police, I don''t want to see her out on the streets again," he ordered.

    Damon''s voice was chilling, making N tremble. Despite this, she had no intention of pleading for Lucia. After all, Lucia had tried to kill her, so she deserved this oue.

    However, thinking about how Damon had saved her again left her unsure of how to repay him.

    After Spencer and his men left, Damon got into the car and drove N to the hospital.

 Chapter 105

    On the way to the hospital, N kept ncing at Damon. She looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

    Damon turned to her, his voice deep. "What do you want to say?"

    N bit her lip. "Mr. Sumner, I was just wondering... How did you know I was kidnapped? And how did you find me?"

    "Spencer had some experimental data he wanted to ask you about. When he couldn''t reach you on the phone, he went to your house and found you missing. So, we investigated," he exined casually, but N felt a surge of gratitude.

    "Mr. Sumner, I really appreciate it... If you and Mr. Hogg hadn''t arrived in time, I might not have survived the night."

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent. "Don''t think too much about it. The most important thing for you now is to recover."

    N fell silent and lowered her gaze, deciding she must find a way to repay Damon.

    As they neared the hospital, N looked at him again. "Mr. Sumner, it''s already veryte. You can drop me off at the hospital entrance, and I''ll handle the check-up myself. You should go home and rest." Damon didn''t respond until the car stopped at the hospital entrance. He unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, and lifted N in his arms again, heading into the hospital.

    N bit her lip. "Mr. Sumner-"

    "It won''t take long," he interrupted her

    They had only taken a few steps when they were stopped.

    rk stood there, his expression icy, speaking slowly and clearly."

    Uncle Damon, thank you for saving N. I''ll take it from here."

    17

    His hair and clothes were d a friend at the police station, he might not have even learned N had been kidnapped.

    veled. If he hadn''t received the call from

    The thought of Damon being the one to rescue N while she was most helpless filled rk with jealousy and anger. If he had been the one to save her, perhaps their strained rtionship could have been mended.

    Damon''s grip on N tightened, his gaze darkening.

    Seeing that Damon had no intention of letting go, rk smiled. "Uncle Damon, don''t forget, I am N''s husband. If people see you-carrying her into the hospital and take a picture of it again, it may cause misunderstandings.

    "You wouldn''t want my wife to suffer because of baseless rumors, right?

    rk was confident that if Damon cared for N, he wouldn''t let her reputation be tarnished.

    As expected, Damon''s expression wavered.

    Before Damon could speak, though, N spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, please put me down. I can walk."

    After a moment of silence, Damon set N down.

    rk moved to carry her, but she pushed him away. "Don''t touch me!"

    The memory of being on the brink of death, with Keh''s knife at her throat while rk had been with Jordyn, filled N with disgust. rk''s hand froze in mid-air, his expression darkening. "N, I know I disappointed you by not getting to you in time, but I only just found out-

    N cut him off calmly, "It doesn''t matter anymore."

    To her, he was just a stranger now, and she didn''t want to waste any more feelings on him.

    For some reason, rk felt a sudden panic. It seemed he was truly losing N.

    While he stood there in shock, N limped past him toward the hospital.

    rk clenched his fists, and suddenly, he seemed toe to a decision. He quickly walked over, forcibly picking her up and carrying her inside. N struggled fiercely. "rk, put me down!"

    rk ignored her, his face grim and filled with determination. He couldn''t lose her.

    Damon stood watching as rk carried N away. His gaze was dark and stormy, with something brewing in his eyes.

 Chapter 106

    N struggled throughout the journey, trying to make rk put her down, but to no avail.

    When rk finally ced her on the emergency room bed, he pressed her hands down and said in a low, serious tone, "N, I''m in a bad mood right now. You''d better behave."

    Detecting the threat in his voice, N shook off his hands and looked at him coldly. "What does your bad mood have to do with me? If you like obedient behavior, you should go find Jordyn. I''m not capable of being as understanding as she is."

    rk stared at her impassive profile and suddenly smiled. "N, are you jealous?"

    N frowned, unsure of where he got that idea from. She didn''t want to argue with him, so she let him think whatever he wanted.

    Soon, the doctor arrived, conducted a thorough examination, and rebandaged N''s injured hand. He advised her to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation.

    Once in the hospital ward, N noticed that rk hadn''t left and felt a flicker of annoyance. "You can leave now."

    I''m staying here with you," he said.

    Seeing rk''s serious expression, N turned away in disgust. "Do you think your presence here now makes any difference? Where were you when I was kidnapped?" "N, I didn''t know you were kidnapped..."

    N smiled mockingly. "Of course you didn''t know because you were busy having an affair with Jordyn."

    Chapter the

    rk instinctively I

    an to exin, "I wasn''t

    Suddenly, he seemed to realize something, his gaze darkening. "How do you know I was with Jordyn at that time?"

    N stared at him, enunciating each word, "Because I called you, but it was Jordyn who answered. At my most desperate and scared moment, you were with another woman. How can you face me now and act as if nothing happened?"

    rk''s face turned pale, and he shook his head in disbelief. "No... I didn''t have any iing calls..."

    He couldn''t bear to think about how desperate N must have felt when Jordyn answered the phone while she was begging for help.

    N sneered, "You should ask Jordyn about it."

    "N, I''ll investigate this matter thoroughly. If it turns out that Jordyn responsible, I won''t let her get away with it!" he promised.

    N didn''t believe a word he said. She slowly looked up, her gaze icy. If it is her, how will you take revenge? Make her abort the baby, or have her go through what I did?"

    Her cold eyes were filled with stubbornness, demanding an answer.

    rk frowned, feeling that her attitude was somewhat aggressive. She wasn''t like this before-she used to be kind and gentle.

    Seeing that he didn''t respond, N chuckled. "rk, do you know what I find most disgusting about you? It''s that you neither want to divorce me nor cut tiespletely with Jordyn. Do you think I''ll tolerate your behavior like your mother tolerates your father''s mistresses?"

    "N, I never thought that way... I just.."

    "You just think I can''t live without you, which is why you feel free to hurt

    +258OWN

    me so recklessly," she said.

    rk''s hands clenched at his sides, a flicker of despair in his eyes. He couldn''t refute N because everything she said was true. He did think she couldn''t leave him and didn''t want to let her go. N smiled bitterly as she averted her gaze. "Just leave, I don''t want to see you right now."

    The door to the hospital ward opened and closed, and N''s expression turned cold again.

    After leaving the hospital, the first thing rk did was find Jordyn.

    When Jordyn saw him return, her face lit up with joy. "rko... you''re back- Ah!"

    Before she could finish, rk grabbed her by the hair, yanking her closer with an icy re.

 Chapter 107

    "Jordyn, it seems I''ve been too kind to youtely, and you''ve forgotten your ce," rk remarked.

    The pain in Jordyn''s scalp made her eyes well up with tears, and rk''s menacing expression terrified her.

    "rk... what are you saying? I don''t understand..."

    "You don''t understand? If that''s the case, then you should go outside N''s ward and stay there until you do," he said. Jordyn''s face paled as she realized what was happening. "I didn''t know

    . Ms. Jayston called and said she was kidnapped. I thought she was trying to get you to go to her ce... I''m sorry..."

    The moment she finished speaking, rk pped her hard. The force was so great that if he hadn''t been holding her hair, she would have fallen.

    Jordyn let out a cry of pain, feeling her face burn as it started to swell.

    rk looked at her with a chilling re. "She is my wife. Even if she was manipting me, as long as I''m willing, it''s not for you to interfere. If you don''t want to end up dead, don''t try to test my limits." Just thinking about how close Jordyn came to causing N''s death made rk want to strangle her.

    His gaze was so terrifying that Jordyn trembled uncontrobly. She had never seen him this angry before. However, her jealousy grew as she thought about how his anger was all for N.

    Why didn''t that bitch die? If N had died, she wouldn''t be suffering like this now...

    "rk... I know I was wrong... I''m sorry. I didn''t know Ms. Jayston was

    really kidnapped..."

    Tears flowed continuously from Jordyn''s eyes, her face a mask of fear and regret.

    rk released her and turned to leave.

    Only when he was gone did Jordyn wipe away her tears, her initial sadness and fear reced by a calm demeanor,

    She got up, walked into the bedroom, and pulled out a file from the deepest drawer of the bedside table. It wasbeled "Medical Examination Report" in bold letters,

    She had made a copy of the medical reports for rk and N when she first got them. Now, the reports were about toe into y,

    While holding the file tightly, Jordyn''s eyes were filled with cold resolve.

    The next morning, N was woken by amotion,

    As soon as she opened her eyes, the hospital room door was flung open. Lucia''s parents barged in, pushing the nurse aside.

    As soon as Jade Emerson reached the bedside, she began wailing. " N... Lucia grew up with you. She''s just lost her mind this time. For the sake of your past rtionship, can you forgive her this once?ˇ± Despite Jade''s tears, N''s expression remained unchanged. "Mrs. Pord, you''re looking for the wrong person. At this point, it''s more effective to consult awyer."

    Jade was stunned, staring at N in disbelief. "You and Lucia used to be so close. Are you really going to disregard all that?"

    N smiled faintly, speaking slowly. "She was nice to me before only because I was the daughter of Harris Pharmaceuticals'' boss, and your

    husband was the purchasing manager there. She needed to tter me to secure your husband''s position,

    "And as for sentiment, she''s done something as extreme as kidnapping me and trying to kill me. It seems there''s no sentiment left to discuss between us,"

    Jade''s gaze turned icy upon seeing that N, despite her smile, had no intention of letting Lucia off.

    "N, you''re fine. Why won''t you let Lucia go? After all I''ve done for you, how did you be so vicious?" Jade asked,

 Chapter 108

    "Vicious?" N scoffed. ''Is it not vicious when your daughter had her colleague plot against me, almost ruining my face? Or when she deliberately had someone kneel in front of me, filmed it, and posted it online to incite people to cyberbully me?

    "And kidnapping me, almost getting me killed-don''t tell me that''s not vicious?"

    Jade tried to retort but was momentarily stunned by N''s icy gaze, forgetting what she was going to say

    Seeing N''s sharp-tongued response, Clement said coldly, "N, your father is not well. If he finds out about your kidnapping, he''ll likely be very worried."

    N shot a sharp look at Clement, her hands tightening under the covers. She was about to respond when the door to the room was suddenly pushed open. "Mr. Pord, you''re quite bold, even daring to threaten people."

    Clement stiffened as he turned and saw Damon''s cold gaze fixed on him. He looked visibly uneasy. "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here?"

    As a department manager of a Prospectus Technology subsidiary, Clement had seen Damon a few times during visits to the Prospectus Technology headquarters. Damon''s eyes shed with displeasure. "Do I need to report my whereabouts to you?"

    Noticing Damon''s anger, Clement hurriedly lowered his head. "N-No need..."

    After confirming that N was fine, Damon turned his attention back to Clement. "Mr. Pord, do you know that N is part of the Sumners?"

    Clement broke out in a cold s at under Damon''s intense scrutiny. "Mr.

    Sumner... I..."

    He gritted his teeth and turned to N. "N... No, Ms. Jayston... I apologize for my earlier remarks. I hope you can forgive me. As for Lucia, she did make a mistake, and we will ept whatever judgment the court deems appropriate. We won''t argue about it."

    Jade, incredulous, shouted, "Clement, what are you saying?!"

    "Be quiet!" Clement shot Jade a cold nce, and she was immediately silenced by his stare.

    Seeing Clement''s obsequious behavior, N realized the benefits of power and influence. Clement had been threatening her just moments ago, and he was apologizing now.

    "Mr. Pord, I hope you mean what you say and that you won''t appear in front of my father again," N demanded.

    "Of course, of course... Mr. Sumner, we''ll take our leave now," he said.

    Damon didn''t even nce at him, instead turning to N. "How''s your recovery today?"

    "Much better."

    Seeing N''s face was no longer pale but had regained some color,

    Damon nodded.

    Clement understood that Damon was ignoring him and that the matter was essentially settled, so he quickly pulled Jade away.

    Once they were alone, N looked at Damon. "Uncle Damon... thank you for helping me again today."

    Damon frowned slightly, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "You used to call me ''Mr. Sumner''. Why the sudden switch to ''Uncle Damon''?

    And am I really that old?"

    N lowered her gaze and smiled. "You said earlier that I''m part of the Sumners. Besides, you are my uncle, age aside."

    "Just call me Mr. Sumner from now on," he said.

    N pressed her lips together. "At work, I''m an employee, so it''s appropriate to call you Mr. Sumner. But privately, by seniority, I should call you uncle." Displeasure shed in Damon''s eyes when he saw that N was deliberately maintaining distance.

 Chapter 109

    "Do as you like," Damon said.

    "Okay. Uncle Damon, you''re busy with work. If you don''t have to, don''t waste your timeing to see me," Nmented.

    Damon raised an eyebrow, his gaze scrutinizing N. "Is this how you treat someone who saved your life?"

    N looked up at him and said slowly, "It''s precisely because you saved my life that I should be more grateful. I don''t want to waste your time when you''re so busy, Uncle Damon." Seeing her repeatedly address him as "Uncle Damon", a constant reminder of their rtionship, Damon suddenly leaned in closer.

    Startled by his magnified face, N backed away quickly, as if avoiding the gue.

    Just as Damon was about to speak, the door to the room was pushed

    open.

    "N-" rk''s voice halted abruptly when he saw Damon.

    From rk''s perspective, Damon''s movement seemed like he wanted to kiss N.

    rk''s expression turned icy as he strode to the bedside, ring at Damon. "Uncle Damon, I''ve told you before to stay away from N!"

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent, his gaze so cold it seemed it could freeze someone.

    rk red back at him without fear. N was his wife, and Damon''s interest in her was unjustifiable.

    Feeling the temperature in the room plummet, N frowned. "If you two want to argue, do it outside. I need to rest."

    As soon as she spoke, both men looked at her, and the tension in the room seemed to vanish as othing had happened,

    "Rest well. I''lle see you tomorrow," Damon stated,

    rk sneered. "I''ll take good care of N, so you don''t need to worry, Uncle Damon."

    Damon nced at him. "You also have a pregnant mistress outside, Can you manage both?"

    "That''s my concern. Just take care of yourself and stop fixating on someone else''s wife," rk retorted,

    "rk! Shut up!" N red at rk. She had intended to discreetly distance herself from Damon, but now that rk had brought it up, how was she supposed to interact with Damon in the future? Ignoring rk''s gaze, N turned to Damon and said, "Uncle Damon, please be careful on your way back."

    Her tone was respectful, like a junior addressing a senior, which made Damon''s gaze turn colder. He didn''t say anything else and turned to leave.

    Once Damon had disappeared from the doorway, N told rk, "You should leave too. I don''t want to see you."

    "N, you''re not developing feelings for my uncle, are you?" he asked.

    Seeing the suspicion in rk''s eyes, N felt only calmness, no longer affected by the previous sadness or anger. "What you choose to think is your business, not mine."

    All she wanted now was to recover from her injuries, reveal rk''s affair to the Summers once she was discharged, and get a divorce, distancing herself from him.

    After the disappointment fromst night, she no longer wished to see rk even once more.

    N''s cold attitude fueled rk''s anger.

    He gripped her chin forcefully. "Does your refusal to exin mean you''re admitting it?!"

    rk''s grip on N''s chin was intense, and she felt as if it might be crushed. She looked up, seeing the pain in his eyes, and a hint of sarcasm crossed her face. Pushing his hand away, she said tly, "Get out."

 Chapter 110

    rk sneered and was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was Jordyn, he coldly ended the call.

    "N, do you really think my uncle likes you? If he genuinely cared

    about you, he wouldn''t have tried to seduce you while you were still my wife. The fact that he''s acting like this now just shows he''s ying with you..."

    N was disgusted by rk''s words and looked at him coldly. "rk, I''ve told you before-don''t assume everyone is as vile as you."

    "Vile? Is he having inappropriate thoughts about you as an elder not vile?" he taunted.

    N''s expression turned even colder. "What right do you have to criticize others? You haven''t even dealt with your mistress and her unborn child. rk, the truly vile person here is you." rk''s expression darkened, and his gaze toward N was filled with chilling anger.

    "N, it seems you''re not learning your lesson." He smirked and dialed a number on his phone. "Stop looking for a kidney donor for my father-inw."

    N was taken aback, and she tried to grab rk''s phone, but he was prepared. He quickly stepped back, keeping his distance.

    "rk, are you insane?! Have you forgotten what you promised me?!"

    N''s gaze shifted from anger to hatred. Despite being the one who had cheated first, rk was now hurting her even more. He knew how crucial a kidney donor was for Harrison. Just because they had argued, he was halting the search for Harrison''s kidney.

    rk had promised her that he w find a way to treat her father when he made her give up the patent Just a few yearster, he was now breaking his word.

    N realized how selfish and ruthless the man she had fallen for was.

    rk ended the call without any expression and walked to the bedside, gripping N''s chin. "N, this is just a lesson. Remember this pain. If you anger me again, you''ll experience this kind of pain over and over."

    N''s eyes were red, and she raised her hand to p him.

    Before she could reach him, he grabbed her wrist. "You''d better think carefully about the consequences of this p."

    "rk, are you really trying to make me hate you?"

    rk smiled. "Hate me if you want. Either way, we''re destined to be entangled for life."

    Seeing the madness in rk''s eyes, N shivered with chills rising from her heart. Was she really doomed to never escape him?

    Noticing N''s evident distress, rk grinned with satisfaction. "N, if you behave, I''ll treat you well and keep those around you safe. Understand?"

    N clenched the nket tightly as she stared at him. "rk, you''d better stay firmly in your position as the CEO of the Sumner Group."

    Hearing the underlying threat in her words, rk raised an eyebrow." Don''t worry. Even if I go to hell, I''ll drag you down with me." "You''re crazy!" she yelled.

    "If you know I''m crazy, then stop challenging my limits," he replied.

    Noticing N trembling, rk released her, straightened up, and said, "I have work to do. I''lle see you again this afternoon."

    +25 BON

    Shortly after rk left, N received a call from the police, asking her to go to the station to give a statement.

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    After N gave her statement, she was about to leave when an officer stopped her.

    "Ms. Jayston, the suspect wants to see you. She says she won''t say anything until she meets you. Can you please cooperate and speak with her?" the police officer asked. N frowned, suspecting that Lucia might have ulterior motives.

    Seeing her concern, the officer continued. "Don''t worry. You''ll be separated by ss, so she won''t be able to harm you."

    N agreed reluctantly. "Alright then."

    When she arrived, Lucia was already waiting on the other side of the ss.

    Lucia looked calm, probably knowing that no matter how much she hated N, she couldn''t do anything

    now.

    N picked up the phone and spoke in a cold tone. "What do you want to say to me?"

    Lucia smirked. "N, do you think you''ve won?"

    N remained indifferent, her gaze devoid of any emotion. She thought even hating Luc¨Şa seemed

    excessive.

    "You''re overthinking it. I''ve never tried to win against anyone. Your own greed and extremism have led to this," N remarked.

    "Hah, what I hate most is your indifferent attitude while taking advantage of everything," Luc¨Şa said.

    Looking into Lucia''s obsessive eyes, N felt that Luc¨Şa had truly lost her mind.

    "Lucia, I''m not here to listen to your nonsense. If you don''t have anything useful to say, just confess to your crimes. The evidence is clear, so even if you remain silent, you''ll still be convicted." N set the phone down, ready to leave.

    "N, do you know the ident at Harris Pharmaceuticals wasn''t an ident but a deliberate act?*

    Lucia asked.

    N froze. She brought the phone back to her ear and coldly asked, "What do you mean by that?"

    "Can''t you understand when you''re so smart? That ident was part of a scheme against Harris Pharmaceuticals, and it involves rk''s father. Isn''t it ironic that you married your enemy''s son?" Lucia

    revealed.

    N''s grip on the phone tightened, her knuckles turning white as a storm of emotions raged inside her.

    The ident at Harris Pharmaceuticals was connected to Cyrus?

    N gritted her teeth, trying to remain calm. "Why should I believe you?"

    Believe it or not, it''s up to you. If you prefer to stay in the dark and sleep next to your enemy''s son, that''s your choice. It''s really a pity for your dad, who should have had a smooth life but was struck innocently and fell so seriously ill. It''s truly tragic!"

    Lucia''s expression was mocking, with a look of feigned sympathy in her eyes.

    N stared at her coldly and asked, "That ident had something to do with your father too, didn''t it?"

    Lucia nodded. "Yes. Otherwise, why would he suddenly be an executive at a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology?"

    Lucia hadn''t wanted to expose Clement, as she was still hoping he would help her. Two hours ago, however, Clement had sent awyer to tell her to plead guilty and fend for herself, clearly indicating he was done with her.

    Since he no longer considered her his daughter, she saw no reason to protect him any longer.

    N didn''t remember how she left the police station until she suddenly heard a shout.

    "Watch out!"

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    N was suddenly yanked from behind and mmed to the ground.

    Arge truck roared past her. Her body ached, but she felt numb, sitting on the ground in a daze.

    "Are you alright?" The person who had pulled her to safety waved a hand in front of her face, thinking she was stunned by the recent events.

    N nodded. "I''m okay... Thank you...

    "Are you really sure?"

    "Yes."

    After confirming she was truly fine, the good Samaritan reminded her to stay alert while crossing the street, then left with a frown.

    Instead of going home, N went to visit Harrison.

    When N arrived, her father was undergoing dialysis.

    Wren was surprised to see her and quickly wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, forcing a smile. "N, what brings you here?"

    N sat beside her and lowered her gaze. "I came to see my dad."

    Wren sighed. "We don''t know when a matching kidney will be found... Your father''s health is deteriorating/ and each dialysis session is very painful. It breaks my heart to see him like this..." Her eyes reddened again as she spoke.

    N stayed silent, staring at the floor, lost in thought.

    Wren then noticed her bandaged hand and asked, "What happened to your hand? How did you get injured?

    "It''s nothing, just a minor injury from an experiment. It will heal in time," N replied.

    Seeing N''s nonchnt demeanor, Wren frowned in concern. "You should be resting at home when you''re injured. There''s no need toe to the hospital. I''ll take care of your father, so just focus on your work."

    N nodded. "Yes. Wren, thank you for everything."

    "No need to mention it. I''m his wife. He never mistreated me when he was sessful. If I were to leave him now, I''d truly be heartless," Wren said.

    They had a genuine rtionship, not just a partnership.

    As they spoke, Harrison finished his dialysis and came out.

    Seeing his pale face and lips made N''s eyes sting.

    If it weren''t for that ident, Harrison wouldn''t have fallen so ill so quickly. Thinking of this, N

    subconsciously clenched her hands at her sides.

    "N, how did you get hurt?" Harrison looked at N''s bandaged hand with a pained expression.

    After she and rk left that day, Harrison had regretted the things he had said. He had wanted to contact her but was afraid she was still upset.

    "It''s just a minor injury."

    N''s indifferent attitude made Harrison feel even more heartache and guilt. She used to cry at the slightest injury, but due to the Jaystons'' downfall, she had to learn to be strong. "N... I said some things I shouldn''t have. I apologize. You''ve probably endured a lot being married to rk over the years, haven''t you?"

    N was momentarily taken aback, her nose suddenly feeling a bit sore. She fought back the tears and replied softly, "It''s alright."

    "I''ve thought a lot these past few days. If you want to live elsewhere, you can. I won''t force you to move back. You''re my only daughter, and all I want is for you to be happy." N nodded. "Yes, Dad, I understand. I''m not upset with you."

    "Good. Regardless, don''t let yourself suffer. I''d rather not treat my illness than for you to be mistreated in the Sumners," Harrison said.

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    N frowned and leered at Harrison. "Dad, what are you saying?! If you say something like this again, I won''te to see you anymore."

    Before Harrison could respond, Wren quickly spoke up. "Alright, Harrison, stop. You should consider how much this upsets N."

    Seeing the sadness in N''s eyes, Harrison sighed and didn''t say anything more.

    After settling Harrison back into his room, N was about to leave when she couldn''t help but ask, "Dad, has the cause of the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident ever been determined?" Harrison was taken aback and then frowned. "Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?"

    "I recently watched some safety ident videos and wanted to know what happened during that incident. After all, I work in ab and need to be cautious to prevent simr idents," she lied.

    "I don''t remember the specifics. It''s been so long, and I''d prefer not to talk about it," Harrison replied. Noticing Harrison''s reluctance, N didn''t press further. "Alright, I understand."

    As she was about to leave, the hospital door swung open, and rk walked in. "N, you should have told me you wereing to see Dad. I would havee with you."

    Seeing rk, N was reminded of the threats he had made to her that morning, and a wave of distaste washed over her.

    The fact that he knew she was visiting Harrison and arrived just in time suggested he might have had someone follow her. He was probably worried she''d tell others about his behavior this morning. N took a deep breath, looked up at rk, and forced a smile. "I didn''t want to bother you since I thought you might be busy."

    rk''s steps faltered due to her smile. Since learning of his infidelity, she had not smiled at him. Her expressions had been filled with either disgust or annoyance.

    He had almost forgotten that she used to greet him with a smile and warm eyes.

    Subconsciously, his gaze softened a bit. "Even if I''m busy, I can always find time toe with you."

    N nodded. "Alright, I''ll let you know next time in advance so we cane together."

    "Sounds good."

    rk turned to Harrison and exchanged a few words with him.

    Harrison''s attitude was noticeably colder than before. Previously, Harrison, thought rk treated N well, and therefore, he always found rk favorable. However, since rk mentioned during hisst visit that N had moved out and refused to return, Harrison could no longer view him the same way.

    If rk truly cared for N, she wouldn''t have had to move out.

    Harrison felt a deep sense of guilt and remorse, realizing he had upset N by siding with rk and

    ming h¨¦r.

    "If you''re too busy, you don''t have toe. I understand, Harrison sad

    N pressed her lips together, aware that Harrison was intentionally being cold toward rk because he knew she had been wronged.

    "Dad, even if I''m busy, I''ll make time to visit you."

    Harrison wanted to say more but decided to keep quiet upon seeing Nyle''s troubled expression.

    After spending some more time together with Harrison, N left with rk.

    While waiting for the elevator, rk looked at N and said softly, "M, I was wrong this morning ve

    arranged for the search for a kidney for Dad to continue. I hope you can forgive me

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    N looked up at rk and saw the apology in his eyes.

    She nodded and said, "Yes, I''ve thought it over. I''ve been too cold toward you. And between spouses, it''s not just about forgiveness."

    rk was momentarily stunned, then his eyes filled with joy. "N, are you serious?"

    He had expected that N would still be angry and that he would have to spend time cating her. To his surprise, her attitude had changed in just a morning. She was no longer as cold and resistant as before.

    N smiled. "Of course. Although I haven''tpletely forgiven you yet, I realize I shouldn''t continue to hold grudges. I''ll move back to the vi in a couple of days."

    "Really?"

    Although rk didn''t understand why N had suddenly changed her mind, the important thing was that she was willing toe back to him. Nothing else mattered.

    "Yes, juste and pick me up when the timees," she replied.

    Alright."

    Seeing N''s demeanor soften from before, rk hesitated for a moment, then carefully asked, "N... would you have dinner with me tonight? It''s been a long time since we''ve eaten together..." N was silent for a few seconds.

    Just when rk thought she was going to refuse, she nodded. "Sure, just send me the location."

    rk''s face lit up with excitement. "I''lle pick you up."

    He had a feeling that N would fully forgive him soon.

    "Okay," she said.

    rk dropped N off at the entrance of her apartment and left.

    As soon as his car was out of sight, her smile turned cold.

    To investigate the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident thoroughly, she needed to stay close to rk. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have the chance to approach Cyrus.

    Taking a deep breath, N turned and walked to her apartment.

    In the evening, rk drove to pick up N.

    When she appeared, he was momentarily taken aback.

    It was clear that N had made an effort to look presentable. Although she wore only a dress and light makeup, she looked very different from when theyst met. "

    "N, you look beautiful today," he praised.

    N seemed to shyly lower her head. Without saying a word, she opened the passenger door and got in

    the car.

    rk reached out to hold her hand, but she pulled away.

    "I''ve only agreed to move back and improve our rtionship. It doesn''t mean I''ve forgiven you, so I''m not ready for any intimate gestures right now. I hope you understand," she exined. rk''s gaze dimmed, but he nodded. "I understand. I''ll wait until you''ve fully forgiven me."

    There was a hint of sarcasm in N''s downcast eyes. If it turned out that the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident was indeed rted to Cyrus, her hatred for rk would only deepen. Forgiving him was impossible.

    Seeing she said nothing else, rk didn''t press further and started the car.

    Half an hourter, they stopped outside a restaurant. As they got out, they ran into Damon and Spencer.

    Damon frowned when he saw N and a trace of coldness shed in his eyes.

    Didn''t the doctor say she needed to stay in the hospital for observation? Why was she out and about now -and with rk?

    Noticing Damon''s gaze on N, rk stepped in front of her to block the view and said in a low voice," What a coincidence, Uncle Damon. Are you here for dinner too?" Damon looked at him, his gaze devoid of warmth.

 Chapter 115

    "Yes, here to discuss business," Damon said.

    rk smiled and replied, "Then I won''t keep you. N, let''s go inside."

    N nodded, her gaze lowered, and followed rk into the restaurant.

    Damon''s expression darkened as he watched their retreating figures, his displeasure almost palpable. Spencer internally groaned at the disgruntlement emanating from Damon-why was he always the one suffering?

    After a moment of hesitation, Spencer finally mustered the courage to remind Damon, "Mr. Sumner, the meeting time is approaching."

    Damon didn''t respond, scowling as he walked inside.

    rk was in a good mood tonight. N wasn''t as cold as before, and he had managed to turn things around with Damon.

    Under the candlelight, his gaze toward N softened considerably. "N, I''m so d you''re willing to give me another chance. I promise I won''t let you down!"

    N barely registered his words, nodding absentmindedly. "Yeah, I believe you."

    She continued to cut her steak, the light casting a warm glow over her.

    The scene was quiet and pleasant. rk''s gaze was filled with affection as he looked at her.

    N didn''t notice his expression, her thoughts preupied with her earlier encounter with Damon. She hadn''t even greeted him-he must think she was ungrateful. Even if he did think so, she nned to keep her distance from him. If she could, she''d rather never have interacted with him. At least then, she wouldn''t feel guilty now. "N... N?"

    rk''s voice pulled her back to reality. She looked up at him. "What did you say? Sorry, I was so focused on cutting my steak, I didn''t hear."

    "I was saying, how about I host a birthday party for you at home this year? It''ll be more lively," rk suggested.

    N shook her head. "No, I don''t like events with too many people."

    "Alright. If you want any gifts, just let me know," he said.

    "Okay." N set down her knife and fork and stood up. "I''m going to the restroom."

    Once she was around the corner and out of rk''s view, she felt a sense of relief. She had no feelings for rk anymore, but maintaining a fake smile in front of him was exhausting, However, she''d get used to it in time. As long as she could uncover the truth about the ident, she

    could endure everything else.

    The restaurant wasrge, with the restrooms located down a long corridor lined with private dining

    rooms.

    As N emerged from the restroom and walked past the first private room, the door suddenly flew open. A hand reached out and yanked her inside.

    "Ah!" N''s scream was quickly muffled by the door closing behind her.

    The room was pitch dark, and her heart raced.

    As she struggled, she suddenly smelled a mix of alcohol and pine.

    It was Damon!

    N froze in her struggle, biting her lower lip in fear.

    "Uncle Damon-"

    Before she could react, a sharp pain hit her lips. Damon bit her.

    N gasped in shock and tried to push him away, but her hands were pinned to the wall, unable to move. She could only submit to his will. "Mmph..."

    She struggled desperately, terror and panic flooding her.

    Damon was her husband''s uncle-how could they...

 Chapter 116

    Sensing N''s struggle, Damon paused and abruptly released her.

    N trembled with anger, torn between wanting to hit him and remembering that he had saved her life. She bit her lip hard and remained silent, though she was deeply hurt inside. What did he think of her? He knew she was rk''s wife-his nephew''s wife-and still dared to do something like that!

    The more N thought about it, the more wronged she felt, and tears streamed down her face.

    The Sumner men were all despicable!

    Damon''s gaze grew colder in the darkness, his entire demeanor radiating chill, as he heard N''s sobs.

    "Why were you so distant from rk before, even wanting a divorce, but now you''re having dinner with him as if nothing happened?" he asked.

    Damon''s usatory tone made N frown. Even though he had saved her before, what he had just done and the question he was asking now were far beyond eptable.

    She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and said coldly, "Uncle Damon, it''s normal for a married couple to have dinner together. But what you did just now, as an elder, ispletely out of line." Damon''s voice was icy. "Out of line? Didn''t you seduce me first?"

    N instinctively retorted, "When did I-"

    Suddenly, she stopped, remembering the night she had found rk cheating and ended up in the wrong

    room.

    Seeing her silence, Damon asked, "Cat got your tongue?"

    "I''ve already exined that night at the hotel-it was an ident. If you don''t believe me, there''s nothing more I can do," she said.

    "Whether it was an ident or not, it happened," he remarked.

    N''s expression hardened. Was he trying to pin this on her?

    "As long as nothing happened in the end, it doesn''t count," she retorted.

    "You mean I can do whatever I want to you as long as I don''t go all the way, and you''ll just pretend nothing happened?" he asked.

    "That''s a misleading interpretation. I''ve exined that night. Believe it or not, I''m grateful for your help. Still, that doesn''t give you the right to do as you please with me."

    After saying that, N tried to push past Damon and find the door, but she was yanked back as soon as her hand touched the handle.

    Damon''s voice was filled with anger. "That mistress is pregnant with rk''s child. Soon, she''ll give birth. Can you tolerate another woman having his child and even sharing him with her?" N took a deep breath and shook off his hand, saying coldly, "That''s my business, not something for you

    to worry about."

    "So you love him so much that you''re willing to forgive him even if he''s unfaithful?" he asked.

    "Yes!"

    N''s voice was filled with resolve. To uncover the truth about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident, she had to stay close to rk.

    Besides, her rtionship with Damon could never go any further. He had helped her many times and saved her life this time, and it would be a lie to say she wasn''t moved.

    Any woman would be touched by a man like him who was capable and had been so helpful. But that was all it could ever be-just a fleeting attraction.

    Once she returned to the Sumners, she would bury those feelings deep inside her, never to be seen again. Her rtionship with Damon couldn''t and wouldn''t continue. As her words echoed, an oppressive silence enveloped the room.

    After what felt like an eternity, though it might have been just seconds, Damon''s chilling voice broke the silence. "Get out!"

    His tone was filled with disgust, causing N to quiver. She quickly yanked open the door and fled.

 Chapter 117

    N went back to the restroom and sshed cold water on her face.

    Looking at her red eyes in the mirror, she couldn''t help but smile bittery.

    Damon must be disgusted with her now. He would probably be as cold toward her as he was before Maybe that was for the best-they shouldn''t have any connection at all

    After calming down and letting her eyes return to normal, she left the restroom.

    When N returned to the table, rk''s gaze immediately fell on her swollen lips

    "N, what happened to your mouth?" rk''s expression was dark, and his tone was icy.

    N lookedpletely out of ce, as though she had just indulged in pleasure. With Demon in the restaurant, rk couldn''t help but be suspicious.

    N maintained herposure. "I noticed my lipstick was smudged when I looked in the minor, so I cleaned it off. I must have been too rough, which is why my lips are swollen "Really?" rk''s eyes were fixed on her, his gaze filled with doubt.

    N frowned, her expression growing cold as well. "What''s with the interrogation? If you don''t believe me, that''s one thing, but don''t act like you''re questioning a criminal Seeing that N remained unflustered and even defiant, rk pushed aside his suspicions. "N, I''m sorry. I was just concerned, and that made me sound aggressive." N gave a coldugh. "That''s not ''concern but an interrogation."

    With that, she grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

    As she reached the restaurant''s entrance, rk ran after her. "N, I''m sorry. I was out of line. Please forgive me this time."

    N remained silent and cold, but she stopped walking

    "You know how my uncle is... I''m worried about what he might do. When he goes mad, no one can stop him," rk said.

    N looked down, filled with scorn. Wasn''t rk the same when he lost his temper?

    "I''ll keep my distance from him, but if you keep using me without cause, I won''t tolerate it," she asserted.

    Seeing her soften a bit, rk finally rxed and quickly promised, "I won''t do it again."

    Since N had just agreed to move back, he didn''t want anything to ruin their rtionship.

    As they were talking, a group of people in suits walked out of the restaurant. Leading them was Damon, his face dark and radiating a dangerous aura. rk frowned and wanted to move in front of N, but Damon didn''t even nce at them. He got into his car and left.

    rk furrowed his brow, feeling that something was off about Damon''s mood He brushed off assuming it was just a business deal gone wrong "N, let me take you home."

    "Mm." N''s expression was indifferent, but her hands glenched at her sides

    After dropping N off downstairs, rk looked reluctant. Wyle, I really don''t want to let you go Wify don''t you move back in tonight? I''ll have the maide over tomorrow to pack up your things Seeing his eagerness, N frowned. "No. I don''t like others handling my things"

    rk knew her well enough to ept her decision. "Alright then."

    "By the way, even though I agreed to move back, I want us to sleep in separate rooms. When you''ve resolved things with your mistress, I''ll consider moving back into the bedroom. Until then, you can''t be intimate with me without my permission," N demanded

 Chapter 118

    As soon as N finished speaking, rk immediately agreed. His main priority was getting N back by his side. Everything else could be dealt withter. "Ny?a, don''t worry. I promise I won''t overstep any boundaries. I swear."

    N had heard these empty promises from him many times before and didn''t take them seriously.

    Since she was going back, she was determined to protect herself. If rk tried to force himself on her, she wouldn''t let him get away with it.

    "Okay, I''m heading back now. Drive safe," she said.

    Over the next two days, N rested and packed her things at home.

    On the day she was set to move, Vrie suddenly came to visit.

    Seeing N unharmed, Vrie sighed in relief.

    However, her expression soon turned troubled. "N, why didn''t you tell me about being kidnapped?!"

    Noticing Vrie''s disapproving look, N exined, "I thought you were going through a rough time, and I didn''t want to add to your stress. Since I''m fine, I didn''t tell you." Vrie red at her. "How could you keep something like this from me? If I didn''t know someone working at the police station, I might still be in the dark!"

    ''I''m sorry. I should have told you. I promise I won''t hide anything like this again."

    ''Is there going to be a next time?" Vrie asked.

    ''No, I mean I''ll inform you of any major issues immediately in the future," N rified.

    Vrie gave a reluctant huff at N''s sincere expression. "That''s better. But are you really okay?"

    "Yeah, just some minor injuries. Nothing serious."

    "That''s good." Vrie then noticed the packed bags and boxes in the living room and frowned. "You''re moving?"

    "Yes." N nodded and told Vrie about her n to move back to the vi,

    Vrie''s expression turned extremely grim. "N, are you crazy? rk cheated and got another woman pregnant, and you still want to go back? Are you out of your mind?" N understood Vrie''s disbelief. If someone had told her ten days ago that she would be moving back to rk''s vi, she would have thought they were insane too. "Vrie, I have reasons for moving back that I can''t share with you right now," N said,

    The Harris Pharmaceuticals incident involved too many people. Investigating it could interfere with many interests and lead to unexpected dangers, so it would be better if fewer people knew. "What could possibly make you go back to that jerk? Don''t tell me you still have feelings for him?!" Vrie

    asked,

    N was about to deny it when she noticed a gray jacket sh by at the door. The words she was about to say changed direction.

    "Actually, I still have some feelings for him. This move is conditional-if he''s willing to cut ties with his mistress, I-"

    "Enough!" Vrie interrupted sternly. "I thought you were someone who could handle rtionships with maturity. I was wrong. If you want to go back and suffer, I can''t stop you. But let me tell you: that jerk will never change!"

    "Ms. Weir, are you talking about me?" rk''s cold voice came from the doorway, his gaze icy as he

    looked at Vrie.

    Vrie sneered. "I didn''t expect you to be so self-aware. Yes, I''m talking about you, you scum!"

    rk''s expression darkened, and he exuded menace.

    N looked at him indifferently. "Since you''re here, you can start by helping me move these things downstairs."

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    Upon seeing ispletely different attitude toward rk-no longer the cold and distant demeanor she once had-Valerie''s eyes shed with frustration.

    "H, I hope you won''t regret your decision today" she said.

    With that, Vne turned and walked away, testing the might lose her temper if she stayed any longer.

    How had N gone from being fine when she moved out previously to bing so infatuated in less than a month?

    Fuming in her car, Vrie was about to start the engine when she suddenly had a troubling thought. When she had asked N if she still had feelings for rk, N had hesitated, Moreover, her gaze toward rk had been devoid of the previous affection and warmth-almost indifferent

    Could it be that N had some unavoidable reason for moving back?

    Vrle decided she would talk to her again in the near future.

    111

    After Vrie left, rk said, "Vrie is always bad mouthing me and ruining our rtionship. You should have less contact with her in the future"

    N frowned and replied coldly, "She''s my friend. Whether she''s good or bad isn''t your concern. Besides, she''s not wrong, is she?

    rk''s eyes shed with anger as N defended Vrie. Was he not as important to her as a friend? But, realizing he was indeed at fault, he couldn''t argue back strongly, Seeing N turn back to her packing and not intending to engage with him, he hesitated but walked over

    to her.

    "N, I''m sorry, I was too emotional earlier. I shouldn''t have spoken ill of your friend," he said.

    N''s previously cold expression softened slightly. She nodded and said, "Yes, Vrie is my best friend. I hope you can respect her."

    After what happened today, rk''s dislike for Vrie was deep-seated,

    However, he knew it was unwise to argue with N about her right now. He nned to address the issue of Vrieter, once N had forgiven him.

    "Alright, I''ll listen to my wife."

    N''s gaze remained calm as she looked down.

    "Oh, by the way, we need to move quickly. Grandma and Grandpa have invited us for dinner tonight," rk mentioned.

    N''s curiosity was piqued. The Sumner elders were known for their quiet lifestyle and rarely invited younger family members over except for their monthly family dinners.

    "Why the sudden invitation?" she asked.

    rk smiled. ˇ°Grandma wants to introduce a potential girlfriend to Uncle Damon. She''s afraid the girl might feel shy being alone, so she thought it would be good for you to join them for dinner since you''re around the same age. Looks like you''re helping out again."

    N was distracted, nearly dropping the photo frame she was holding.

    After a few seconds, she managed a smile. "That''s good. If Grandma is introducing someone, she must be carefully chosen."

    "Of course. She''s the daughter of Builders Property''s boss. She just returned from studying abroad," rk mentioned.

    The owner of Builders Property had amassed a fortune through real estate before shifting hispany''s resources to the new energy vehicle industry.

    Thepany had thrived, and now his worth was over ten billion. His daughter was a suitable match for Damon, which exined why the Sumner elders were so eager.

    Seeing that N remainedposed, rk looked down thoughtfully.

    Could it be that N had never been attracted to Damon at all?

 Chapter 120

    Damon was reviewing documents in his office at Prospectus Technology when his personal phone suddenly rang.

    He answered, and Marie''s booming voice came through. "Damon,e home for dinner tonight." Damon nced at the pile of unfinished documents and immediately refused. "I''m busy." "No matter what, you must make time tonight. Otherwise, I''ll go to your office and drag you home myself," Marie warned.

    Marie''smanding tone left Damon feeling helpless.

    "There''s too much to do today. I really can''t make it," he said.

    "No excuses. You muste back for dinner. Even with your busy schedule, you can always spare time for a meal," Marie insisted.

    Without giving Damon a chance to respond, Marie hung up.

    By the time N and rk had moved N''s things back to the vi, it was already past 4:00 p.m.

    After taking a shower and changing clothes, they headed to the Sumner residence.

    As rk pulled up to the entrance, Damon was about to walk in. Hearing the car, Damon turned around, his eyes narrowing slightly upon seeing the license te. His expression became distant. N noticed Damon first from inside the car and subconsciously tightened her grip on the seatbelt. rk also saw Damon, and his gaze darkened. "Let''s get out."

    As soon as N stepped out of the car, rk walked over and took her hand.

    At that moment, N''s skin crawled. If Damon hadn''t been watching, she would have pulled away from rk''s touch.

    Noticing N''spliance, rk smiled and led her toward Damon. "Uncle Damon, what a coincidence."

    "Mm." Damon''s gaze passed over their joined hands before settling on N''s face. "Why aren''t you saying hello?"

    N flushed with embarrassment. She had assumed that Damon would ignore her after what had happened in the restaurant. However, she didn''t expect him to make things difficult in front of rk. She bit her lip and murmured, "Uncle Damon."

    Damon''s gaze lingered on her red lips for a moment before he turned away coldly.

    Noting Damon''s frosty attitude toward N, rk was slightly surprised but quickly masked it with a smile. "Uncle Damon, N is quite shy. You might scare her like that."

    "If she''s scared, she shouldn''t have been brought along," Damon retorted.

    With that, Damon turned and walked away.

    Watching his retreating figure, N felt a wave of indescribable sadness. From the look he gave her, it was clear he genuinely disliked her.

    Although this was the oue she wanted, she felt no joy at all.

    As rk led N into the living room, Damon was already seated on the sofa, talking to Richard and

    Marie.

    Upon seeing the smiles on Richard and Marie''s faces, rk''s gaze darkened.

    No matter how hard he tried, their attitude toward him was always lukewarm, unlike the enthusiasm they showed Damon.

    "Grandpa, Grandma," the couple greeted.

    Marie looked at rk and N with a smile. "rk, N, you''re here. Have a seat. Ms. Hulle will be here shortly."

    After exchanging greetings with the elders, N took a seat next to rk but kept a slight distance from

    him.

    Marie didn''t pay much attention to them. After all, their presence was merely a formality for tonight.

    "Damon, do you remember what I told you earlier? Be attentive to Ms. Hulle tonight, or I won''t forgive you!"

    Damon''s peripheral vision caught sight of N, who was staring at the floor, lost in thought.

    Noticing herck of reaction to Marie''s words, Damon exuded a chilly aura.

 Chapter 121

    Just a momentter, however, a trace of mockery shed in Damon''s

    eyes.

    N had made it clear that she had no feelings for him. If he continued to pursue her, it would be nothing more than wishful thinking on his part.

    "I got it," Damon replied.

    Marie had been about to persuade him further but was taken aback and looked at him with suspicion. She asked, "You''re not nning anything bad, are you?"

    Damon stayed quiet.

    Seeing his silence, Marie frowned and was about to speak when footsteps echoed from the doorway.

    "Madam Summer, Ms. Hulle has arrived."

    Everyone in the living room looked up to see a young woman in her 20s

    walk in.

    Erin Hulle, with her delicate features, was dressed in a light yellow spaghetti-strap dress. Her short hair grazed her corbones. With her light makeup and elegant demeanor, she exuded a charm that was hard.

    to ignore.

    Even N, who had seen many beautiful women, couldn''t help but be impressed by Erin''s appearance.

    Marie''s face lit up with a warm smile as she stood up and said, "Erin,e sit by me."

    Erin smiled and gracefully walked over to sit next to Marie.

    After a bit of small talk, Marie seemed even more pleased with her, almost ready to arrange Damon and Erin''s engagement on the spot.

    "Oh, let me introduce you. This is my son, who''s almost 30 and still unmarried," Marie said, her tone full of disdain.

    Following Marie''s gaze, Erin looked over with a reserved smile. She greeted, "Hello, Mr. Damon. I''ve heard that you founded Prospectus Technology in your 20s. My father always speaks highly of you."

    Erin had noticed Damon the moment she walked in.

    Initially, she had been displeased with her parents arranging this blind date and nned to brush it off and decler. However, after seeing Damon in person, she found herself intrigued.

    His calm demeanor and aloof air were deeply attractive to her. She had to have this man.

    Damon''s expression remained unchanged, his gaze toward Erin cold. He greeted her back, "Hello, Ms. Hulle."

    Sensing his indifference, Erin became even more determined to win

    him over.

    With everyone present, Marie called them to dinner. She introduced Erin to rk and N during the dinner, but Erin paid little attention, focusing almost entirely on Damon. Once everyone was seated, Marie instructed the service staff to serve.

    the dishes.

    Throughout the meal, rk attentively served N, while Damon remained cold and aloof, making no effort to assist Erin.

    That caused Marie to frown and nag, Damon, don''t just focus on your own meal. Help Erin with some dishes she can''t reach."

    Damon frowned and was about to refuse when he noticed rk leaning close to N, whispering something that made her smile. His gaze darkened instantly.

    He turned to Erin, his expression suddenly softening, and asked, "What would you like to have, Ms. Hulle?"

    Although Erin was surprised by his change in demeanor, she didn''t

    show it as she answered, "Anything is fine with me."

    Damon nodded, reached for the te of fish that rk had just handed to N, and ced it in front of Erin. The entire dining room fell silent.

 Chapter 122

    Erin''s smile stiffened slightly, but before she could say anything, Marie mmed her cutlery onto the table and chided, "Damon, is that how you. serve food?!ˇ±

    She had wanted him to help Erin with the dishes to help them bond, but he nearly went so far as to ce the whole te in front of her. If word got out, it would surely offend the Hulles. Damon smiled at Marie. "Mom, if you know I''m bad at this, don''t make me do it."

    Marie was fuming and about to explode, but Erin quickly intervened." It''s fine. I actually like fish, and it''s more convenient this way. No need to keep troubling him to serve me."

    Seeing Erin''s willingness to smooth things over, Marie beamed with satisfaction, growing even fonder of her.

    "Erin, you''re so considerate. This brat only knows how to make me angry. After dinner, take her home," she told Damon.

    Damon frowned, about to refuse, but Erin spoke first. "There''s no need. I drove myself here."

    She could sense Damon''sck of interest in her, and forcing him to drive her home wouldn''t help. It would be better to retreat and advanceter.

    With Builders Property and Prospectus Technology about to cooperate soon, she''d have plenty of opportunities to get closer to him.

    Marie thought Damon''s attitude had upset Erin, so she red at him.

    Damon ignored her, his expression remaining indifferent. After all, he had never agreed to this blind date. Marie had arranged it on her own. If he had known the dinner was a matchmaking attempt, he wouldn''t have

    Erin''s gaze fell on the couple opposite her. Seeing how attentively rk cared for N, she couldn''t help but remark, "Mr. rk is really good to Ms. N."

    rk peeled a shrimp and ced it on N''s te, then looked at Erin with a teasing smile. "No need to envy. Once you and Uncle Damon are together, he''ll treat you just as well."

    Erin nced at Damon''s indifferent face, doubting he was the type to dote on a woman like that.

    As expected, Damon coldly replied, "Don''t assume everyone is like you. And if I''m not mistaken, you didn''t always treat her this well. Did you do something to feel guilty about?"

    rk''s smile froze, and his gaze turned icy as he looked at Damon.

    The unusual tension between them made Erin frown, sensing something unsaid.

    After a moment, rk pulled N closer and smiled. "You''re overthinking it, Uncle Damon. N and I are very close."

    N lowered her head, suppressing the urge to push away rk''s arm around her. She knew that if she wanted to stay with him, she couldn''t always appear cold and distant. Otherwise, he would start to question her reasons for returning.

    Damon chuckled. "If you''re so close, why did she move out?"

    Marie looked at N in surprise, her brows furrowing. N had moved

    out?

    In truth, Marie wasn''t entirely satisfied with N as a granddaughter-in-

    Jaw.

    Before N and rk married, the Jaystons had already gone

    bankrupt. Marie suspected that N had married into the Sumners for their money.

    However, rk had knelt at the front gate for three days, insisting he

    would marry no one else, and no one could dissuade him. Finally, Marie and Richard relented.

    After the wedding, N had been well-behaved and sensible, which gradually reduced Marie''s bias against her.

    Upon hearing that N had moved out now, Marie found her dissatisfaction resurfacing.

 Chapter 123

    If this were to get out, people might start saying she was being mistreated in the Sumners.

    rk''s smile deepened as he looked at Damon and said, word by word, " Uncle Damon, you probably don''t know yet, but N moved back today."

    Damon widened his eyes and turned his icy gaze to N, who had remained silent.

    He wanted to ask her if she really intended to forgive rk just like that, but he couldn''t. He was only her husband''s uncle. Beyond that, they had no other rtionship. What right did he have to question her?

    Even though N kept her head down, she could feel Damon''s gaze on her. It sent a chill through her entire body, making her shiver involuntarily.

    After several seconds, Damon chuckled. "Well, that''s good to hear."

    He looked away, a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold.

    rk''s gaze shed with triumph. "Uncle Damon, you should focus on your own love life. I think Ms. Hulle and you are quite a match, don''t you think, N?"

    He turned to N, seeking her opinion.

    N forced a smile and nodded as she said, "Yes, Ms. Hulle is elegant and beautiful. She and Uncle Damon do seem well-suited."

    "Then let''s take your word for it, Ms. N," Erin said with a smile, though her gaze was scrutinizing N.

    She couldn''t shake the feeling that Damon treated his niece-inw differently.

    The rest of the meal was somewhat silent, with everyone lost in their

    thoughts.

    Near the end of dinner, rk received a call from his secretary, informing him of an issue at thepany that needed his attention.

    He nned to take N with him, but Marie interjected, "You go handle the work. N will stay here. I want to talk to her." After a moment''s hesitation, rk told N, "Wait for me here. I''lle back to pick you up once I''ve dealt with the issue." N nodded. "Okay."

    Seeing his worried expression, Marie asked with a frown, "What? You don''t trust her here?"

    "No, Grandma, I''ll head to thepany now," rk answered.

    Shortly after rk left, Erin also got up to leave.

    Marie smiled warmly at her and said, "Erin,e visit us often."

    "Yes, I''ll be sure to visit regrly. I hope I won''t be a nuisance," Erin replied.

    "Not at all. If it weren''t sote, I''d ask you to stay longer. Damon, see Erin out," Marie said.

    After Damon and Erin disappeared through the doorway, Marie turned to N with a serious expression and said, "Come with me."

    Half an hourter, N followed Marie out of the study.

    "Remember what I just told you?" Marie asked.

    N lowered her gaze and nodded. "Yes, Grandma, I remember."

    "Good. Now that you''re part of the Sumners, your actions reflect on us. It''s normal for couples to argue, but if it gets out, it will ember

    Sumners," Marie reminded her.

    "Yes, Grandma," N replied.

    Seeing N''s obedience, Marie didn''t say anything more and turned to go back to her bedroom.

    N walked out of the living room, nning to wait for rk in the garden pavilion.

    The garden was dimly lit, with only a few lights. As she reached the pavilion, she realized someone was already there.

    It was Damon!

    His expression was icy, and he looked unhappy.

    N frowned and was about to leave when Damon''s cold voice stopped her. "Come here!"

 Chapter 124

    N stood still, sensing a dangerous vibe from Damon that made her instinctively want to flee.

    "Uncle Damon, it''s dark here, and it''s not appropriate for us to be alone. I''ll head back," she said, turning to leave.

    As she took a few steps, though, she heard footsteps behind her. Panicking, she tried to quicken her pace but stumbled and tripped.

    She lost her bnce, but a strong hand grabbed her waist and pulled

    her back.

    N fell into Damon''s arms. She quickly pushed him away and stepped back.

    Damon narrowed his eyes, the menace in them intensifying as he remarked, "You use people and then discard them. You''re quite skilled at that."

    N bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. "Uncle Damon, thank you for just now, but we should keep our distance."

    Damon stepped closer, and N instinctively tried to retreat but found herself against the door of the greenhouse. She had nowhere to go. When they were so close that they could hear each other''s breathing, Damon looked down at her and said, "But I don''t want to keep my

    distance."

    N took a deep breath, looked up at him, and said, "Uncle Damon, Ms. Hulle is more suitable for you. She''s beautiful and-" Before she could finish, her eyes widened in shock. Damon grabbed her chin and kissed her, swallowing the rest of her words. N was stunned. For a moment, she waspletely frozen. This was

    10

    the Sumners'' home. Was he out of his mind?!

    When she regained herposure, she shoved him away and warned," Uncle Damon, have some respect!"

    Fury filled N as she red at Damon with icy disdain.

    "If I hear you mention any other woman again, I''ll have to shut you up my way," Damon said, his tone serious.

    N clenched her hands at her sides. She turned her gaze away and said coldly, "If you don''t want to hear it, I won''t say it. Can I leave now?"

    If anyone saw her alone with Damon in the middle of the night, who knew what they would think?

    Marie already disliked her. If Marie discovered Damon''s feelings for her, who knew what she would do?

    Damon''s demeanor grew even colder. "Do you really not want to be around me that much?"

    "Uncle Damon, given our rtionship, is it appropriate for us to be alone, together? You might not be affected, but have you considered what people will say about me?" In the end, N thought Damon''s feelings were just a fleeting

    infatuation. If he truly cared about her, he wouldn''t risk her reputation by cornering herte at night.

    Damon''s gaze grew even colder as he questioned, "Who dares to speak. ill of you?"

    N scoffed. "You can''t control what others say."

    "I think you''re not afraid of others seeing us. You''re afraid rk will see us. Moving back so quickly-are you worried that woman will threaten. your position?" Damon asked.

    N turned her head away, her expression indifferent, as she answered, "Since you know, you shouldn''t be bothering me."

    Damon grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. His expression was chilling as he dered, "N, I''m not someone you can easily provoke. You should have anticipated the consequences when you first involved me."

    "I already told you that was an ident," N said.

    Damon chuckled. "Let''s say the hotel incident was an ident. But what about the times I saved you? Don''t you think you owe me?"

    N bit her lip before asking, "What do you want me to do?"

    "That''s for you to decide," Damon replied.

    N pushed him away, about to speak, when suddenly a shlight beam illuminated their direction.

 Chapter 125

    "Who''s there?"

    In a split second, Damon pulled N Into the greenhouse and shut the door behind them.

    It was pitch ck inside. He pushed her against the door, their bodies. pressed tightly together. One hand rested on her waist, while the other gripped the doorknob, leaving no space between them. She could hear his steady heartbeat and whispered, "Can you let go..."

    Damon leaned in close to her ear, speaking so softly that only she could hear. "Someone''sing. If you don''t want to be discovered, don''t make a sound."

    Just then, footsteps approached the greenhouse door.

    N''s heart raced as the doorknob turned.

    After a few moments of trying and failing to open the door, the person outside sounded puzzled. "What''s wrong with the door? Is it broken?"

    They lingered a bit longer, but finding nothing unusual, they mumbled something and left.

    N finally exhaled in relief and asked, "Can you let go of me now?"

    Damon released her and was about to speak when N''s phone rang- it was rk.

    She was about to answer when Damon said coldly, "If you''re not afraid of him finding out we''re alone in here, go ahead and answer."

    N looked at Damon in disbelief. "Uncle Damon, don''t you think you''re being a bit despicable right now?"

    The Damon tonight felt like a stranger to her, nothing like the man she

    thought she knew. She couldn''t understand why he wouldn''t leave her alone.

    "Do you really think rk will leave that other woman for you? Unless she loses the baby, she''ll always be between you two," Damon said.

    This foolish woman could have asked for his help to divorce rk, but instead, she stubbornly chose to go back to him.

    "No matter what, it has nothing to do with you, does it?" N snapped, her voice cold and her hand trembling slightly as she held her phone. "N!" Damon''s voice was filled with anger.

    N remained calm. "If you want to tell rk that we are together, go ahead. I''m answering the phone."

    She answered the call, and rk''s voice came through. "N, why did it take you so long to pick up? I''ll need more time here. Someone from the house will take you back."

    N lowered her gaze and replied, "Okay. Don''t worry about me. Focus on your work."

    After hanging up, she looked at Damon.

    The dim light from her phone illuminated only part of his cold, stern face. She could sense his anger, but regardless of whether she divorced rk, she couldn''t give Damon what he wanted. Instead of continuing this way, it was better to sever tiespletely.

    "Uncle Damon, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be going," she said. Damon remained silent, but the air around him grew even colder. N didn''t expect him to respond. She opened the door and left. After that night, Damon stopped seeking N out. Even when they

    crossed paths at work, he treated her with indifference, as if they were strangers.

    N''s life returned to normal. She thought they would never interact again until Erin unexpectedly approached her a weekter.

    At a cafe near Prospectus Technology...

    Erin and N sat across from each other by the window.

    Erin asked, "Ms. N, I feel like Damon is a bit distant with me. Since you''re his niece-inw and work at Prospectus Technology, can you help me? I want to pursue him."

 Chapter 126

    N was momentarily stunned before she looked down and said calmly, "Ms. Hulle, I''m afraid I can''t help you. I''m not close to Uncle Damon."

    "You''re family. How can you not be close? Ms. N, you''re not unwilling to help me, are you?" Erin asked, her gaze probing.

    During herst visit to the Sumner residence, Erin had noticed something strange about the way Damon looked at N.

    After some reflection, she decided to investigate N further and discovered that N was now working at Prospectus Technology. Erin nned to assess N''s attitude toward Damon.

    N excused herself, "Ms. Hulle, it''s not that I don''t want to help you. I really am not close to him. I have unfinished work in theb, so I must go."

    With that, she stood up and left.

    Erin watched N walk away, a cold glint in her eyes. It seemed N wasn''t going to be easy to deal with, so Erin would need to proceed with

    caution.

    with

    Back in theb, N continued her experiments.

    Time flew by, and she didn''t realize it was already past 6:00 p.m. until rk called. "N, I''m downstairs at Prospectus Technology. I''ll pick

    you up.

    N packed her things and headed to the elevator.

    Prospectus Technology''s workday ended at 5:00 p.m., and Damon didn''t encourage overtime, so the office was nearly

    tv at

    this hour.

    When the elevator arrived from the top floor, N saw Damon and Erin inside. She hesitated for a moment.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Hulle," she greeted

    Erin smiled and nodded at her, while Damon''s expression remained cold, as though he were deliberately ignoring her.

    N had noticed that when the elevator doors first opened, Damon had been chatting with Erin, a faint smile on his face.

    It seemed he truly disliked N, but this was the reaction Erin had been hoping for.

    Stepping into the elevator, N turned her back to them.

    Erin''s soft voice broke the silence. "Mr. Damon, I know of a newly opened restaurant that''s quite good. How about we go there for dinner tonight?" "Sure, you decide," Damon replied in his deep voice.

    N couldn''t help but sense a hint of warmth in it.

    If he and Erin ended up together, they would make a good match.

    Ignoring the difort in her heart, N focused on the floor number. For the first time, the descent from the eighth floor to the first seemed interminable.

    Her subtle movements didn''t escape Damon''s notice, and his gaze grew even colder.

    Finally, the elevator reached the first floor.

    As N stepped out, she heard Erin''s cheerful voice. "Mr. rk and Ms. N seem to get along well. He even picks her up from work."

    The elevator doors closed, heading to the basement level. N didn''t

    hear Damon''s response, but he likely agreed with Erin.

    rk''s car was parked by the curb outside Prospectus Technology.

    N walked over, opened the door, and sat down.

    rk handed her a bouquet of sunflowers.

    "I remember you used to love sunflowers. Did I get it right this time?" he asked.

    Seeing the careful look in his eyes, N felt no emotional stirrings. Since the time she had been kidnapped and called rk for help-only to have Jordyn answer-she had felt nothing for him. She smiled and took the flowers. "Thank you. I really like them."

 Chapter 127

    As rk started the car, he said, "I''m d you like them. How about I pick you up from work every day from now on?"

    "There''s no need for that. I''ve bought myself a car, and you''re busy with work," N replied indifferently, causing rk to drop the idea.

    Even though N had moved back in, rk felt she was even more distant from him now. This feeling troubled him, and he didn''t know how to restore their previous closeness. The car grew quiet.

    N turned to look out the window, lost in thought. In the past, she always had something to say when they were alone. Now, she didn''t initiate any conversation.

    rk sighed inwardly and decided to take things slowly.

    As they neared the vi, rk''s phone rang from his pocket.

    "N, can you get my phone?" rk asked.

    N retrieved the phone and saw "Jordyn" shing on the screen.

    rk frowned and said, "No need to answer it."

    He had warned Jordyn not to contact him, but she ignored him. This made him both angry and a bit guilty. He nced at N, expecting her to be upset or jealous, but she remained calm. "Better answer it, just in case it''s something important," she said, putting the call on speaker and holding the phone in front of him.

    rk''s ck Cayenne came to a screeching halt in the middle of the road.

    He looked at N with a mix of disbelief and hurt. Had she epted the situation, or did she simply not care anymore?

    "rk... my stomach hurts. Can youe over?" Jordyn''s panicked voice came through the speaker.

    rk felt a surge of annoyance and snapped, "Why are you calling me about a stomachache? I''m not a doctor. Contact Michael if there''s a problem. Don''t call me again." Before Jordyn could respond, rk grabbed the phone from N and hung up. "Maybe you should go check on her. What if it''s serious-" N began. to say.

    "Shut up!" rk roared, his eyes filled with anger as he looked at N. She frowned but remained silent, not wanting to provoke him further.

    The silence in the car was suffocating.

    After several minutes, rk finally spoke, his tone icy. "Aren''t you going to say anything?"

    N pressed her lips together and replied calmly, "If you''ve calmed down, let''s drive home."

    "N!" rk growled, his eyes bloodshot. "You''re suggesting I go to Jordyn, and you''re not the least bit upset?"

    What he really wanted to ask was whether she no longer loved him, but he was too afraid to hear the answer.

    N''s expression remainedposed. "She''s pregnant. It''s natural for you to take care of her."

    rk let out a bitterugh. "And what about you? Are you okay with your husband being with another woman?"

    "Even if I were not okay with it, would that stop you from going?" N retorted.

    Her clear eyes seemed to pierce through him, prompting rk to say reflexively, "If you say you don''t want me to go, I won''t see her!"

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    Nughed lightly, her gaze indifferent as she said, "Do you even believe what you''re saying? If you really didn''t want to see her, you wouldn''t have allowed her to keep the baby or stay in the city. With your power, you could have easily taken care of that."

    "The baby... I had no choice but to let her keep it..." rk exined.

    N lowered her gaze and spoke slowly. "You don''t need to exin yourself to me. I don''t want to argue about it anymore. If you want to see her, I can leave and take a taxi home."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the ck Cayenne sped off.

    Less than half an hourter, they arrived at the vi.

    N was about to get out when rk said coldly, "N, remember, you''re the one pushing me toward her."

    "If you really want to be with her, I won''t me you. I came back prepared to ept her and the child," N replied.

    rk didn''t look at her and said coldly, "Get out!"

    N got out of the car. As soon as she closed the door, rk sped away. Watching his car disappear, a trace of mockery shed in her

    eyes.

    rk still couldn''t let go of Jordyn, yet he wanted N to be the bad guy.

    N wondered when he had be so despicable. She could hardly recognize him anymore.

    Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked into the vi.

    Patricia hurried over and took the flowers from her, asking, "Mrs. Sumner, should I put these flowers in your bedroom?"

    "No, just leave them in the living room," N replied.

    She didn''t want to be reminded of rk every time she saw the flowers in her bedroom.

    "Okay. By the way, where''s Mr. Sumner? He asked the kitchen to

    prepare your favorite soup for tonight''s dinner," Patricia inquired.

    "Jordyn isn''t feeling well. He went to be with her. I''ll go change. Prepare dinner," N said.

    Patricia looked at her, surprised that she didn''t seem upset. She had assumed N had returned to win rk back from Jordyn, but now it

    seemed otherwise.

    Lost in thought, Patricia didn''t notice N heading upstairs.

    N changed into casual clothes in her room.

    When she came back down, she found Cindy sitting on the living room

    sofa, looking angry.

    Seeing N, Cindy sneered and threw a document at her feet.

    "No wonder you haven''t gotten pregnant in three years. It turns out you''re a barren hen!" Cindy snapped.

    N frowned as a sense of dread crept over her. She picked up the document and opened it.

    As N''s face grew paler, Cindy said coldly, "Since you can''t have children, make way for someone who can. I won''t let my son waste his life with a woman who can''t bear children!"

    23

    Ignoring Cindy, N stared at the medical report in disbelief, her hands trembling.

    After marrying, they hadn''t used protection. N had assumed this was because she was consciously avoiding fertile periods, but it turned out she was unable to conceive.

    She forced herself to stay calm, wondering if the report was a

    fabrication orchestrated by Cindy to pressure her into divorcing rk.

    "Where did you get this report?" she asked.

    Cindy sneered. "From the hospital where you had your checkup, of course! Do you think I''d fake something like this?"

    Her eyes filled with disdain as she continued. "If you don''t believe me, call the hospital and ask them to send another copy."

    N pressed her lips together and sat down across from Cindy, cing the report on the table. "If you want me to divorce rk, you should talk to him, not me."

    Cindy gritted her teeth. "You think I won''t? Once he knows you''re barren, he''ll divorce you immediately!"

    "I hope so," N replied.

    Cindy scowled, not expecting N to be so defiant even after learning she couldn''t have children.

    She growled, "N, don''t forget that you rely on the Sumners for everything. Without us, you''re nothing!"

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    N remained unfazed by Cindy''s words. Had she not be a housewife after marrying rk, she could have maintained her current. lifestyle on her own.

    "Mrs. Sumner, didn''t you know? I didn''t want toe back. It was your son who forced me. Why don''t you go tell him to kick me out?" N

    said.

    Cindy''s face flushed red with anger as she pointed at N. "You!"

    Finding it pointless to argue with Cindy, N stood up and said, " Patricia, I''m hungry. Let''s start dinner,"

    Seeing N''s tant disregard, Cindy was livid and immediately called rk toin. To her dismay, he coldly told her to leave the vi and refused to take any more of her calls, not even giving her a chance to tell him that N couldn''t have children.

    Cindy was nearly driven to a heart attack by the frustration.

    He had truly forsaken his mother for his wife!

    After Cindy left, N called the hospital where she had her checkup and requested a copy of her report. When the report arrived, it was identical to the one Cindy had given her.

    Staring at her phone in disbelief, N decided to get a second opinion. and contacted another health center to schedule a new exam.

    After making the appointment, she set the matter aside for now and went to have dinner.

    After dinner, N watched TV on the sofa for a while before heading to her room around 9:00 p.m.

    As soon as she entered her bedroom, her phone rang. Noting that it was the private investigator she had hired, she walked out to the balcony to take the call.

    "Ms. Jayston, I haven''t found any useful information about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident from six years ago yet. However, I did locate an ex-employee who seems to know something but won''t talk. I''ll keep trying."

    N''s eyes narrowed. "Okay. If you need more funds, let me know. I''ll handle it."

    "Do you still want me to keep an eye on your husband and Jordyn?" the private investigator asked.

    "No, focus on the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident for now," N replied, her expression serious.

    The employees who knew about the incident at Harris Pharmaceuticals seemed to have vanished. If there was a cover-up, it would be difficult

    to uncover.

    Suddenly, she thought of someone and told the private investigator, Look for a man named Godric Wyatt. He was the assistant manager of the procurement department at Harris Pharmaceuticals. He might know something."

    Godric had worked under Clement and had not been heard from since Harris Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt. Rumor had it that he had returned to his hometown. He might have some information. "Understood, Ms. Jayston. I''ll look into it right away," replied the private investigator.

    After hanging up, N took a deep breath.

    To uncover.

    truth, she knew she needed to start with Cyrus.

    However, given rk''s strained rtionship with Cyrus, getting close to him would not be easy.

    As she pondered this, her phone buzzed with a message from Vrie, surprising her.

    She opened it to find photos of rk and Jordyn in a bar''s private room. Despite the dim lighting, their intimacy was evident.

    N couldn''t believe that Jordyn would go to a bar while pregnant. Then again, with rk by her side, she probably felt safe.

    Vrie sent a voice message next. "What''s with rk bringing that woman to a bar? He''s calling her his secretary. It''s infuriating. Are you really going to stick with this guy? Dump him already!" N lowered her gaze, about to respond, when Vrie suddenly called her on video.

    Answering, N was shocked by what she saw.

    In the dimly lit bar, Damon had punched rk to the floor with an icy expression.

    "OMG! Damon is so cool! He did what I always wanted to do! Is he on a purge? If so, he should just beat that jerk to death!" Vrie gushed.

 Chapter 130

    N widened her eyes and quickly asked, "Which bar are you at?ˇ±

    "The one on Tancy Street, where we went before. Are youing?" Vrie asked.

    "Yes," N answered, hung up, and hurriedly changed clothes to go out.

    As N started the car, she hesitated. She worried that showing up might escte the situation, especially since she wasn''t sure if Damon had hit rk because of her. If it was for another reason, her presence would be pointless and embarrassing.

    N doubted Damon would do anything for her after their fallout at the Sumner residence.

    After calming herself, N''decided against going.

    Just as she returned to her bedroom, her phone rang. It was Vrie. N, I was wrong. Damon wasn''t trying to purge. He was standing up for Erin, who had a conflict with Jordyn at the mall earlier." N gripped her phone with a bitter smile. It was a good thing she hadn''t rushed over-she would have made a fool of herself.

    "I see," she replied.

    Vrie continued. "But do you think Damon and Erin are dating? He seemed pretty protective of her."

    N looked down, her expression indifferent. "Maybe. I don''t know."

    "Anyway, it made me happy to see rk get punched. When are youing over? I still need to grill you about moving back in. You can''t just brush me off," Vrie said. "I''m noting over anymore. I''m tired today. Let''s talkter," N said and hurriedly ended the call.

    Putting down the phone, she forced herself to stop thinking about Damon. He and Erin were both single and well-matched. A woman like Erin seemed suitable for him. Meanwhile, Erin was in the bar''s private room, holding an ice pack and intending to apply it to Damon''s hand, but he pulled away.

    "No, thanks. I can do it myself." His voice was cold, a stark contrast to the impulsiveness he had shown when hitting rk. He seemed like a different person.

    Over the past few days, Erin had gotten a sense of Damon''s personality and reluctantly handed him the ice pack.

    "Mr. Damon, you were too impulsive. I was fine, and it was Mr. rk''s secretary who offended me. It''s unfair to hit him," Erin said.

    To her, Damon didn''t seem like someone who acted on impulse. His actions felt more like a release of pent-up frustration than an act of defense.

    Damon''s expression remained cold. "He deserved it. He can''t event control his own people."

    Sensing something deeper in his words, Erin was about to probe further when the private room door opened.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Hulle, sorry I''mte,

    Erin set aside her questions and smiled at the neer. "We were early. Please, have a seat."

    Around 11:00 p.m., N was half-asleep when a knocking sound woke her. She frowned, turned on the bedsidemp, and looked toward the

    apt

    door without moving.

    "N, open the door. I need to talk to you." rk''s voice sounded from the other side.

    N didn''t move or change her expression.

    "It''ste. Whatever you have to say, let''s discuss it tomorrow," she replied.

    rk didn''t respond, but the knocking grew more insistent. It was clear he wouldn''t leave until she opened the door.

    N took a deep breath and raised her voice. "rk, if you keep knocking, I''ll move back to my apartment tomorrow."

    The knocking stopped abruptly.

    N ignored it, turned off themp, and went back to sleep.

    The next morning, as N descended the stairs, she saw rk sitting at the dining table with a gloomy expression. His face was bruised and

    swollen.

    N was taken aback by the severity of rk''s injuries. She sat down at the table, and Patricia quickly brought her breakfast.

    When rk realized that N had no intention of inquiring about his injuries, his expression grew colder. "N, can''t you see my injuries? Aren''t you going to ask about them?"

    N regarded him calmly. "Is it necessary? You probably got hurt while you were with Jordyn. I''m not interested in the details."

    rk''s expression darkened, and he nearly crushed the utensils in his grip. He wanted to tell her that Damon had struck him but struggled to find a way to bring it up. He feared that stating it outright would make

    him seem petty.

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    Feeling frustrated and aggrieved, rk watched as N finished her breakfast and left the table. As he stared at her retreating figure, he mmed his fork and knife onto the table, startling Patricia, who was seated nearby.

    "Mr. Sumner, is the breakfast not to your liking?" Patricia asked.

    rk rose from his seat and departed without responding, hist expression stern.

    As soon as he got into his car outside the vi, his phone rang. Seeing that it was Cindy calling, he answered with a frown. "Mom, what''s the matter so early in the morning?"

    "rk, did you know N can''t have children?!" Cindy demanded.

    rk''s expression turned icy as he asked, "Did Jordyn tell you?"

    "Never mind who told me. If she really can''t have children, you need to divorce her immediately!" Cindy insisted.

    Hermanding tone made rk''s gaze harden. ˇ°Mom, this is between N and me. You don''t get to make decisions about it. Also, I don''t want anyone else in the Sumners to know about this. If it gets out, it won''t benefit me in any way. I hope you understand that."

    Cindy was infuriated. "I wouldn''t want to tell anyone! Your aunt is alwaysining about N not having kids. If she finds out N can''t have children, she''ll mock me behind my back!"

    "Just pretend you don''t know. How we handle this is our business," rk said, his tone final.

    Upon hearing rk''s warning tone, Cindy''s anger intensified. She was trying to help him, and now he was shutting her out?

    mer 131

    "Fine! If you don''t want me involved, I won''t interfere! But don''te crying to me if you regret itter!" With that, Cindy hung up angrily. rk''s eyes remained cold as he drove directly to Jordyn''s ce.

    N parked her car outside her office building and walked to the elevator, where she encountered Erin.

    Erin held a file in one hand and a food container in the other, smiling warmly.

    "Good morning, Ms. N," Erin greeted when she saw N.

    N nodded in return. "Good morning, Ms. Hulle."

    "Have you had breakfast? I brought some, and I don''t think Mr. Damon and I can finish it all. Would you like to join us?" Erin invited.

    "No, thank you. I''ve already eaten," N replied.

    Erin looked a bit disappointed. "That''s too bad. I brought breakfast from. Amy''s Shack."

    Amy''s Shack had been a popr spot for decades, often requiring at least a month''s wait for average customers. For someone like Erin, though, nothing was out of reach.

    N smiled and said, "That is a shame."

    They chatted casually until the elevator reached the seventh floor.

    As N stepped out, Erin suddenly spoke up. "Ms. N,st night when Mr. Damon and I were at the bar for business, I saw Mr. rk and his secretary there too. They seemed... quite intimate." N instinctively turned back but saw only the elevator doors closing.

    As she walked to theb, she reflected on Erin''s words. Was Erin

    offering a friendly warning, or did she already know about rk''s affair?

    Regardless, N dismissed the concern. She was focused solely on her work and uncovering the truth about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident from six years ago. Everything else was irrelevant. Back in theb, she quickly immersed herself in her tasks.

    For most people, experiments might be tedious, but N enjoyed the methodical process. It was simpler than dealing with people.

    Experiments had only two oues-sess or failure.

    People, on the other hand, introduced countless variables, and a slight misstep could unintentionally offend someone.

    When Erin entered Damon''s office, he was reading documents. Without looking up, he said, "Ms. Hulle, just leave the files on the desk. I''ll review them when I''m free."

    Raising an eyebrow, Erin remarked casually, "Mr. Damon, I ran into Ms. N downstairs. She seems unaware of Mr. rk''s affair."

    Damon frowned and looked up at her. "Ms. Hulle, this doesn''t concern you, does it?"

    Seeing the coldness in his eyes, Erin felt her heart sink. Her suspicions were confirmed. She asked, "Mr. Damon, does Ms. N know you like her?"

 Chapter 132

    Damon''s expression turned icy as he looked at Erin and said, "Ms. Hulle, I hope you understand the implications of what you''re saying."

    Erin smiled, showing no fear. "Of course I do. I wonder if you understand the consequences of your actions. Coveting your nephew''s wife-if this gets out, you know what will happen to Ms. N."

    Damon''s eyes narrowed. "Are you threatening me?"

    "Not at all. I intend to help you," Erin replied.

    Damon asked, "Oh? How exactly do you n to help me?"

    Sensing the cold aura around Damon, Erin took two steps closer and said, "Mr. Damon, you should know that even if Ms. N divorces your nephew, you two can never be together. But if you choose to be with me, I''ll help keep your secret."

    Damon let out a coldugh, each word dripping with ice. "Ms. Hulle, I don''t like you and will never be with you.

    "If this gets out, Prospectus Technology will immediately cancel all contracts with Builders Property and never cooperate again. You should consider if Builders Property can handle those consequences." Seeing the seriousness in his gaze, Erin realized he meant every word. How was he willing to risk everything with Builders Property just for N?!

    An oppressive silence filled the office.

    After a long pause, Erin finally spoke. "Rejecting me will be the biggest mistake you ever make."

    Marrying her meant gaining control of Builders Property. Many men

    would jump at the chance to be with her, yet Damon was so ungrateful.

    What hurt the most was losing to a woman she deemed inferior in every

    way.

    Damon''s expression remained unchanged. "Ms. Hulle, I have work to do. You may leave."

    Biting her lip, Erin turned and left the office.

    The silence that followed was even more stifling, and Damon''s demeanor grew colder.

    Spencer knocked and entered. "Mr. Sumner, you''re scheduled to review Ms. Jayston''s experiment progress at ten. Should I-ˇ±

    He

    was abruptly cut off by Damon''s cold tone. "I''m not avable. Send Zachary. From now on, he''ll handle all updates on her experiment."

    Spencer was surprised. If Damon wasn''t interested, why insist on N working there? The work could have been done at Park Pharmaceuticals just as well.

    "Understood," he replied.

    After Spencer left, Damon took a deep breath, trying to suppress his irritation and focus on his documents. However, he couldn''t concentrate and soon tossed the papers aside, lighting a cigarette in frustration.

    At 10:00 a.m., N was separating solutions when Spencer arrived with a few men in suits.

    "Ms. Jayston, this is Mr. Zachary Keane from Prospectus Technology. He''ll be your new contact for the experiment. Any updates or needs should go through him," Spencer said

    N was taken aback and asked, "Mr. Sumner isn''t overseeing this experiment anymore?"

    She remembered being sent here to ensure Damon could monitor the experiment''s progress.

    Spencer nodded. "Yes. Mr. Sumner is busy and won''t be able to follow up on this."

    N pressed her lips together, realizing that Damon wasn''t too busy- he simply didn''t want to see her.

    A clear separation was probably for the best, sparing them both the awkwardness.

    "Alright, I understand," she said.

    After N briefly updated Zachary on her experiment''s progress, the group of men left.

 Chapter 133

    N added the solution to the sk and began the reaction before sitting down to write her experiment records.

    She soon found herself distracted until her phone rang, jolting her back to reality. Seeing that it was rk, she answered. "What''s up?"

    "N, there''s a charity g tonight. Come with me," rk said.

    N hesitated for a moment before replying, "Alright. What should I wear?"

    "No need to worry about that. I''ll have my secretary prepare something for you," rk assured her

    Since rk was taking care of it, N didn''t dwell on the matter. After confirming the time, she hung up.

    Time flew by, and soon it was the end of the workday.

    N finished filling out her experiment records, cleaned the equipment, put everything back in ce, and locked theb before leaving.

    N and rk arrived at the g around 7:00 p.m.

    After getting out of the car, rk asked her to link arms with him and whispered, "You know most of the people here. I''ll be discussing business, so just mingle and chat." "Got it," she replied.

    rk nced at N.

    She was wearing a white strapless silk gown adorned with lifelike white

    silk roses on the bodice, which highlighted her delicate corbones.

    A small, exquisite diamond ne glittered around her neck, and her straight hair flowed naturally down her back like fine silk. With just a touch of makeup, she was stunning,

    If he could, he would keep her hidden away at home, away from everyone else. It was because of a few interactions with her that Damon had developed inappropriate feelings. rk''s face darkened as he thought about it.

    Sensing his change in mood, N frowned slightly and said, "Let''s go. inside."

    Once inside the ballroom, rk quickly left N to chat with the Sumner Group''s business partners.

    Despite the visible bruises on his face, everyone pretended not to notice and politely inquired about his condition.

    rk imed he had fallen, then swiftly redirected the conversation to business matters.

    With Vrie unable to attend that night, N took a ss of juice and found a quiet corner to sit in. She was waiting for someone specific who hadn''t arrived yet and wasn''t interested in mingling. After all, she knew that once she divorced rk, these connections would no longer matter.

    Unbeknownst to N, she had already caught someone''s attention the moment she walked in.

    Erin, having been rejected by Damon earlier, was in a foul mood and felt a surge of resentment upon seeing N.

    The person next to Erin followed her gaze and noticed N sitting quietly in the corner. "Erin, I heard you recently had dinner with the

    Sumners. How did it go? Did you win over Damon?"

    Erin''s expression darkened. "Don''t bring that up. There are plenty of men in this city besides him. And having dinner with the Sumners is normal. Builders Property and Prospectus Technology are business. partners."

    Recalling how she had humbled herself earlier and Damon''s

    indifference only fueled her anger. She downed her drink in one go, her gaze on N growing cold and scrutinizing.

    "What''s the matter? Did N offend you? Want me to teach her a lesson?" the person beside her asked.

 Chapter 134

    Erin turned to Jacqueline. "You know her?"

    If she remembered correctly, Jacqueline had also just returned to the country not long ago.

    Jacqueline sneered. "Of course I know her. She''s good friends with that slut clinging to Tom."

    The mere thought of Vrie filled Jacqueline with disgust. If she hadn''t gone abroad, there was no way Vrie would have gotten close to Tom.

    Originally, Jacqueline had nned to deal with Vrie today, but since Vrie hadn''t shown up, targeting N would suffice.

    Surprise shed in Erin''s eyes, and she frowned. "What are you nning to do?"

    Jacqueline pondered for a moment before removing the diamond ne from her neck. "I heard her family isn''t well off, so it''s understandable if she resorts to stealing."

    ar

    There was a glint in Erin''s eyes, but she didn''t stop Jacqueline.

    With the Sumners'' influence, N wouldn''t face severe consequences. However, if she were branded a thief, it would tarnish the Sumners'' reputation. And who would want a thief around? Jacqueline walked to a corner, called over a waiter, and whispered something to him. The waiter then took the diamond ne and left.

    N was asking Vrie why she hadn''t attended the charity g when a waiter suddenly appeared beside her with a tray of juice and desserts. "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner asked me to bring you some refreshments."

    N was surprised and nced over at rk, who was not far away.

    At that moment, he turned to look at her and smiled.

    "Just leave them on the table, thank you," N said.

    "As you wish," the waiter replied as he ced the drinks and desserts on the table and then turned to leave.

    Unnoticed by anyone, the waiter casually brushed his right hand against N''s bag as he left, allowing a diamond ne to slip from his sleeve into her bag.

    Vrie soon replied to N''s message.

    Vrie: [Tom and Jacqueline are attending, so I didn''t want to be there.]

    After the argument at the mall with Jacqueline, Vrie had broken up

    with Tom.

    Tom had refused to ept it and even visited Vrie at home to talk. She had avoided seeing him and had handed in her resignation, staying away from the office entirely. Now, she made a point of avoiding any events involving the two of them.

    After responding to Vrie, N put away her phone, picked up her bag, and headed to the restroom.

    As N opened her bag to retrieve a tissue, she noticed the diamond

    ne inside.

    A cold gleam shed in her eyes. Someone at the g was trying to set

    her up.

    She quickly deduced that it must have been the waiter who delivered the drinks and desserts, as no one else had the opportunity.

    It was a crude but malicious trick. If the ne were found in her bagter, the Sumners would be humiliated tonight.

    20

    She raised an eyebrow, considering flushing the ne down the toilet. Just as she was about to do so, a thought struck her. She then put the ne back in her bag. When N returned to the banquet hall, the lights had dimmed, and the charity g was about to begin. She found rk and sat down beside him.

    rk asked, "Where did you go? I messaged you, but you didn''t reply."

    "I was in the restroom," N answered.

    rk didn''t say anything more. He reached for her bag, but she refused, saying, "No need. I''ll hold it."

    rk''s hand froze, and he withdrew it, his expression indifferent. "Next time, reply to my messages. I worry when I can''t find you."

    N lowered her gaze. "Got it."

    Her tone was casual as if she hadn''t really listened.

 Chapter 135

    rk frowned, about to speak, when a loud female voice suddenly echoed in the banquet hall. "Oh no! My ne is missing!"

    The voice was so piercing that it immediately drew everyone''s attention.

    Staff members quickly approached her. Upon hearing about the

    missing ne, they turned on the lights, illuminating the ballroom as bright as day.

    "Ms. Rainford, don''t worry. We''ll have our staff search for it right away. If it''s here, we should be able to find it quickly."

    Jacqueline looked anxious and said, "Why not check the security. cameras? We should be able to find it quickly. I''m sure I lost it here."

    The staff member apologized, "I''m sorry, Ms. Rainford. To ensure the privacy and security of the charity g, there are no cameras in the

    ballroom."

    Jacqueline was aware of this already. She was simply trying to convey. her urgency. "Please help me find it. The ne was a birthday gift from Tom, and it means a lot to me."

    "Of course, Ms. Rainford," the staff member assured her.

    The staff began a thorough search.

    After ten minutes, they still had not found the ne.

    Jacqueline''s anxiety grew. "Could you check again? The ne is worth millions, but more importantly, it has special meaning to me. I''m certain I had it when I got out of the car."

    Erin chimed in. "I remember your ne. The pendant is a swan made of hundreds of diamonds. I saw you wearing it earlier and evenplimented it."

    "Yes, that''s the one," Jacqueline confirmed.

    With no other options, the staff searched once more but still came up empty-handed. Jacqueline''s eyes filled with tears as she struggled to hold back her emotions.

    Tom frowned and said in a low voice, "It''s just a ne. If you want, I''ll buy you another er. Let''s not dy the g."

    Jacqueline bit her lip and said slowly, "Tom, I don''t want to dy the g either, but the staff has already searched twice and hasn''t found it. I suspect someone either stole it or found it and is not returning it." The room fell silent, with everyone looking uneasy. No one wanted to be used of theft.

    Jacqueline, tears in her eyes, nced around nervously. "I apologize for taking up everyone''s time, but this ne means a lot to me. If someone took it, please return it. I promise I won''t pursue the matter." Her words sparked a murmur of conversation among the guests.

    "If someone did take it, they won''t admit it now," one guest remarked.

    "Yeah, and she said it''s worth millions. Who here isn''t already worth billions? Why would anyone steal it?"

    "Still, if there''s a thief among us, we need to find them. It''s unsettling to think about attending future events with them around."

    "Find them? How? There aren''t any cameras in the ballroom."

    Erin pursed her lips before suggesting, "I have an idea. If we search everyone''s bags, we can clear this up quickly."

    Before Erin could finish, N coldly interjected, "Ms. Hulle, I disagree with your suggestion. We haven''t done anything wrong, so why should we be treated like criminals and have our bags searched?

    "Moreover, Ms. Rainford losing her ne is her own issue. Turning

    this event upside down for her ne seems inappropriate, doesn''t it?

    125 BONS

 Chapter 136

    With N''s words, everyone began to grasp the absurdity of the situation. They turned to Erin and Jacqueline with expressions of displeasure.

    Jacqueline had lost her own ne. What did that have to do with them? Why should their bags be searched because of her mistake?

    A ne worth millions? They could easily afford several of those. There was no need to resort to theft.

    A cold glint appeared in Erin''s eyes as she noticed the unfriendly looks. from the crowd. She hadn''t anticipated N being so sharp-tongued and difficult to handle. Soon enough, she would make her pay. Erin sighed and said helplessly, "I suggested this to clear everyone''s names and help Jacqueline find her ne. It means a lot to her."

    "What does that have to do with us? If it was so important, she should''ve kept it safe at home instead of wearing it out."

    "Exactly! She lost it herself and now wants to search our bags? I don''t agree with that!"

    "Hah! If you care about the ne so much, I''ll buy you a new one right now. Stop dying the charity g."

    Seeing the crowd siding with N, Jacqueline bit her lip, her eyes filled with disdain. If this continued, her n to frame N tonight would fail. She needed another approach.

    Taking a deep breath, Jacqueline addressed the group, "Everyone,

    please calm down. I wanted to give the person who took my ne a chance to return it discreetly, but since they won''t, I have no choice but to expose them.

    "I had a tracker installed in the ne to prevent it from getting lost."

    As she spoke, she pulled out her phone and began tapping on the screen, seemingly searching for the ne''s location. Beside her, Tom frowned but remained silent. Soon, Jacqueline eximed, "Found it!"

    All eyes turned to her as she looked at N, who stared back with cold eyes. "Ms. Jayston, I can''t believe you took my ne!"

    The room fell silent once again.

    The Sumners were wealthy-it didn''t seem likely that N would steal a ne.

    However, when Erin suggested searching everyone''s bags earlier, N had strongly opposed it. If she wasn''t guilty, why would she react so strongly?

    Everyone''s gaze shifted to N''s bag, including rk, who now looked suspicious. Earlier, he had tried to help N with her bag, but she had refused. In hindsight, her reaction did seem odd. If the ne was indeed in her bag, it would disgrace the Sumners.

    "Pft!" N couldn''t help butugh. She hadn''t expected Jacqueline to lie so brazenly about having a tracker. If she hadn''t known the truth, she might have been fooled.

    "Ms. Rainford, are you sure?" N asked calmly.

    Seeing N''sposed demeanor, Jacqueline said coldly, "The tracker shows the ne is closest to you. It must be in your bag. Do you dare open it to check?"

    N nodded. "Sure, but if the ne isn''t in my bag, how do you n to apologize? using someone falsely is a crime."

    Jacqueline smirked at N''s confidence, thinking she wouldn''t be so brazen when she opened her bagter. "If it''s not there, I''ll get on my

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    knees and apologize."

    N raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

    "I stand by my word!" Jacqueline dered.

    "Alright, everyone here can be witnesses. Ms. Rainford said if the ne isn''t in my bag, she''ll kneel and apologize," N repeated.

    Jacqueline clenched her teeth icily. "Enough talk. Just open your bag."

    N smiled and opened her bag, revealing a diamond ne glittering under the lights.

    Jacqueline''s face lit up with a triumphant sneer.

    "Ms. Jayston, you imed you didn''t take my ne. What is this in your bag then?" she demanded.

    People near N saw the ne and began looking at her with disdain and contempt.

    "Wow, I can''t believe Mr. Sumner married a thief. The Sumners'' reputation is ruined tonight!"

    "I had a feeling something was off when she refused to let us search her bag. Turns out she did steal Jacqueline''s ne!"

    "People from wealthy backgrounds who fall from grace can have twisted minds. Now she''s stealing for money!"

    The mocking and contemptuous gazes made rk feel utterly humiliated. He turned a cold stare toward N..

 Chapter 137

    "N, am I not giving you enough money? Why would you do something. like this?!" rk demanded.

    N nced at him, noting the unfamiliar fury in his eyes. She even suspected that if they weren''t in a public setting, he might have grabbed her by the neck and demanded answers. She smiled. "rk, you''ve really changed."

    He used to trust herpletely, but now he seemed to think she was capable of stealing from someone else. It appeared that when a person''s heart changed, they also became blind to reality.

    Taking the diamond ne out of her bag, N held it up for Jacqueline to see. "Ms. Rainford, take a good look. Is this your ne? If I remember correctly, Ms. Hulle described your ne''s pendant as a swan encrusted with diamonds."

    Under the light, the ne N held was a delicate heart-shaped pink diamond, clearly different from Erin''s description. This was the

    ne N had worn to the event.

    Jacqueline''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! My ne must still be in your bag!"

    N handed her the bag with a smile. "Why don''t you check for yourself?"

    Jacqueline grabbed the bag and frantically searched through it, pulling out everything inside. Despite several attempts, she still couldn''t find her ne.

    There was nothing. How could there be nothing?!

    Upon seeing Jacqueline''s growing panic, N''s smile deepened. "Ms. Rainford, have you found it?"

    Jacqueline''s face contorted with rage. "You must have hidden it somewhere else! Where did you hide it? Give it back to me!"

    "Ms. Rainford, don''t you think that''s ridiculous? You were the one who confidently imed your ne had a tracker and that the signal wasing from my bag. Now that you can''t find it, you think it must be hidden elsewhere?" N asked. "If you have a tracker, you should be able to locate the ne, right? Why don''t you try again?"

    Jacqueline''s face turned ashen as she tightened her grip on N''s bag.

    The people around them quickly understood what had happened: Jacqueline had nted her ne in N''s bag to frame her, but N had caught on and turned the tables.

    The crowd''s gazes toward Jacqueline grew disdainful. She was getting exactly what she deserved for trying to frame N with such despicable tactics.

    Jacqueline bit her lip in silence, and N, maintaining a calm tone, asked, "Ms. Rainford, you promised that if your ne wasn''t in my bag, you would kneel and apologize, correct?" Jacqueline shouted, "Shut up! I''m not kneeling to you!"

    Tom, who had been silent until now, spoke up sternly. "Jacqueline, that''s enough!"

    Although he had seen through Jacqueline''s scheme, Tom-who had grown up with her as a childhood sweetheart and his first love-couldn''t bear to see her humiliated in front of everyone. He turned to rk and said, "Mr. Sumner, this is Jacqueline''s fault. I apologize on her behalf. Whateverpensation Mrs. Sumner wants, I will provide. Please, let this go."

    Before rk could respond, N snickered and raised an eyebrow at

    Tom. "What''s your rtionship with Ms. Rainford that gives you the right to apologize on her behalf? And I don''t needpensation. I just want Ms. Rainford to keep her word." Tom''s expression darkened. "I thought you were reasonable, Mrs. Sumner.

    "Being reasonable doesn''t mean being a pushover. If I don''t stand up for myself now, people will think they can walk all over me," N retorted.

    rk, feeling a pang of guilt, realized his mistake.

    However, he also knew that the Sumner Group had many business dealings with Gen Pharma, Offending Tom could jeopardize future coborations. It seemed wiser to appease him now for the sake of future business.

    "N, why don''t we let this go? You didn''t suffer any loss, and Mr. Genge has offeredpensation. How about Ms. Rainford just apologizes?" rk suggested.

    N found itughable. rk had learned to weigh the pros and cons too, and she was the one being sacrificed.

    Just as she was about to respond, a cold voice came from the entrance of the banquet hall. "Framing the Sumners for theft and expecting a simple apology to settle it? Mr. Genge, do you take the Sumners for fools?"

 Chapter 138

    "Or do you think your apology is worth that much, Mr. Genge?"

    Everyone turned to the door as Damoh walked in with Lincoln Gunton, the host of the charity event.

    Lincoln wore a smile, but Damon''s demeanor was icy, exuding an unweing aura.

    Tom''s gaze darkened. If only rk had been present, he might have been able to resolve the situation amicably. With Damon involved, however, things were likely to be much moreplicated. rk''s expression was also grim. N had almost agreed to his suggestion, but Damon''s arrival threatened to jeopardize the Sumner Group''s cooperation with Gen Pharma.

    "Mr. Damon, this was Jacqueline''s mistake. I''ve assured you that she will apologize andpensate Mrs. Sumner in any way possible," Tom said, hoping to show respect to the Sumners. He knew that if things escted further, it would reflect poorly on everyone involved.

    Damon stopped a few steps away, his gaze frosty enough to freeze someone in ce. "If Jacqueline had been falsely used of theft today, would you ept just a simple apology and some tokenpensation? If that''s your standard, I''ll make sure she experiences. exactly what N went through."

    Before Tom could respond, a dozen men in ck swiftly entered the room and surrounded Jacqueline. The onlookers quickly stepped back, not wanting to be caught in the middle of the unfolding drama. "Damon, what do you mean by this?" Tom demanded.

    Damon''s smilecked warmth. "If Ms. Rainford doesn''t kneel and apologize as promised, I''ll have her stripped right here and now so she can experience the humiliation she deserves." Surrounded by the men in ck, Jacqueline paled with fear. "Tom...

    save me...

    The thought of being stripped in public was more terrifying than death. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Tom, her face etched with dread.

    Tom''s expression turned dark, and he leered at Damon with barely. contained rage. "Damon, must you go this far?"

    "Your woman tried to frame a member of the Sumners, and now you me me for being harsh? Don''t you feel ashamed?" Damon snapped.

    Tom sneered. "Even Ms. Jayston''s husband agreed to my solution. Who are you to interfere?"

    Damon turned to N and asked coldly, "Do you ept Tom''s proposal?"

    Knowing that Damon was standing up for her, N replied firmly, "I don''t. I want Ms. Rainford to keep her word."

    "You heard her," Damon said, turning to Jacqueline. His icy gaze made her shiver. "Ms. Rainford, you have ten seconds to decide-kneel or strip. Your choice." Tom''s anger anger

    boiled over. "Damon, don''t think you can do whatever you want in Saintornia. If you anger the Rainfords and Genges, you won''t have an easy time."

    "Five seconds," Damon counted.

    Seeing that Damon had no intention of backing down, Tom rushed forward to take Jacqueline away.

    Before he could reach her, one of the men in ck punched him to the floor. Two others pinned him down to prevent further interference.

    "Time''s up, Ms. Rainford. Since you won''t choose, I''ll choose for you," Damon announced.

    As he finished speaking, the men in ck moved toward Jacqueline.

    "Jacqueline!" Tom shouted, his face paling.

    He struggled to get to her but was held firmly down, helplessly watching as the men in ck closed in on Jacqueline.

 Chapter 139

    Jacqueline screamed, clutching her dress in desperation, her eyes filled with terror. "No! Don''te any closer! I''ll kneel and apologize!"

    She had initially thought Damon was merely trying to scare her, but now she saw that his men were actually advancing. He was mad. She would rather be dead than exposed in front of everyone. Kneeling and apologizing seemed preferable.

    Damon''s expression remained icy as he sneered. "Alright, back off."

    The men in ck retreated, leaving Jacqueline on the floor, desperately holding onto her dress. Her hair and clothes were in disarray, and she looked utterly disheveled.

    Trembling with fear, she crawled over and knelt before N.

    "Ms. Jayston, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have framed you. I was wrong. I''ll never do it again. Please forgive me..." she pleaded.

    N regarded her with indifference, feeling no sympathy. Had she not discovered the ne in her bag, she might have been the one facing humiliation now.

    "Ms. Rainford, there''s no need to discuss forgiveness. You''re merely fulfilling your promise. We''re all adults here, and we must be responsible for our actions," N stated.

    Though Jacqueline was seething inside, she dared not show it. "I... I understand..."

    Tom, having freed himself from the guards, swiftly moved to Jacqueline''s side. He draped his jacket over her and then lifted her into his arms. His eyes darkened as he red at Damon.

    "This isn''t over," he said before hastening out with Jacqueline.

    Erin, witnessing Damon''s ruthlessness for N''s sake, felt a jolt of fear mingled with jealousy.

    She knew that if she had been in Jacqueline''s ce, she might have suffered the same fate. Despite this, her fear only strengthened her resolve to win Damon''s favor. She was determined to make him fall for her, no matter what.

    As Tom and Jacqueline left, Lincoln attempted to ease the tension." The charity auction is about to begin. Let''s return to our seats and not let this incident ruin the evening."

    Given Lincoln''s status, no one dared to oppose him. Moreover, his failure to intervene earlier had indicated his support for Damon''s

    actions.

    With this understanding, everyone forced smiles, and the atmosphere quickly became lighthearted again, as if nothing had urred.

    rk, however, was displeased with Damon''s actions. He had hoped to use the incident to gain favor with Tom, which could have benefited their future business dealings.

    Now, any potential cooperation was jeopardized, and it would be a miracle if Gen Pharma didn''t turn against the Sumner Group.

    Frowning, rk approached Damon. "Uncle Damon, even if you wanted to y the hero, you shouldn''t have been so harsh. You''ve made enemies of both the Rainfords and the Genges." "Come with me," Damon replied tersely.

    As Damon walked toward the balcony, rk hesitated but followed.

    Once they were alone, rk was about to speak but was silenced by Damon''s cold gaze.

    "You couldn''t even stand up for your own wife. How are you any

    different from a piece of garbage?" Damon demanded.

 Chapter 140

    rk was indignant as Damon scolded him, his hands clenched at his sides. Anger shed in his eyes.

    "Uncle Damon, N is my wife. How I handle things is none of your business!" he snapped.

    Damon sneered. "At least Tom knew to protect Jacqueline. You, on the other hand, are both unfaithful and cowardly. I don''t know how the Sumners ended up with someone as useless as you."

    rk gritted his teeth and said coldly, "At least I''m not coveting someone else''s wife."

    "Do you believe I can have you two divorced by tomorrow?" Damon threatened.

    He had only held back out of respect for N, waiting until she was ready to make her own decision.

    rk''s face twisted with resentment. He knew Damon had the power to do just that. Even if Damon took N away from him right now, he wouldn''t be able to do anything about it. As the CEO of the Sumner Group without any shares, he was no match for Damon.

    "Uncle Damon, don''t push it too far!"

    He had endured a lot, but Damon''s tant support for N and interference tonight made him worry that Damon might do something even more outrageous next time.

    "If you don''t want me to go too far, treat your wife better. If you think you can sacrifice her to please others, maybe I should consider taking over the Sumner Group," Damon warned.

    Panic and rage surged within rk. This was a clear warning and threat from Damon.

    10

    How dare he? Damon was the one coveting N, yet rk couldn''t say anything and had to endure his threats!

    Despite his anger, rk knew that defying Damon would only lead to his own downfall. He needed to gain control of Richard''s shares and be the real decision-maker in the Sumner Group to stop being at Damon''s mercy.

    Taking a deep breath, he said, "N is my wife. I will treat her well. Uncle Damon, you should just mind your own business!"

    With that, rk stormed off.

    Damon watched him leave coldly, then turned and walked toward the door. He hade tonight to finalize a deal with Lincoln. Now that it was done, there was no reason to stay.

    Just as he left the banquet hall, N stopped him. "Uncle Damon, thank you for tonight."

    Without Damon''s intervention, rk would have pressured her into letting Jacqueline off the hook. She was genuinely grateful.

    Damon looked at her with indifference. "No need. I only helped because you''re part of the Sumners."

    With that, he walked past her and left.

    Feeling his cold attitude, N lowered her gaze to hide her fleeting disappointment.

    Returning to the banquet hall, she found a random seat at the back, not bothering to look for rk.

    Meanwhile, Tom put Jacqueline in the car. Once inside, she finally broke down, sobbing uncontrobly as she clung to him. "Tom, I was so

    scared... You have to help me get revenge..."

    If Damon hadn''t shown up tonight, she wouldn''t have been forced to kneel and apologize to that bitch N. Now, everyone might secretly mock her for it. All of this was Damon and N''s fault.

    Tom didn''t speak, silentlyforting her until she calmed down. Then he asked, "You had no grudge against N. Why did you set her up like that?"

    Jacqueline hesitated, then bit her lip. "I saw Ms. Hulle didn''t like N. I thought if I helped her, it might benefit yourpany''s project with her father''spany... I didn''t expect..."

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    "If I don''t love you anymore, will you let me go?" N asked.

    rk''s gaze turned cold as he answered, "No."

    "Then what''s the point of asking? And wasn''t it you who threatened me with my dad to move back in?" N retorted.

    Meeting N''s calm gaze, rk smiled self-deprecatingly and turned away, saying nothing more. He had indeed forced her to return. From the day he cheated, he should have expected this. He was just too confident, thinking her love for him would lead to forgiveness. They fell into silence.

    Soon, the driver pulled the car around.

    "Let''s get in," rk said.

    N nced at her phone, canceled her ride order, and got in the car.

    The drive home was quiet. Neither of them spoke, and the driver didn''t dare break the silence.

    When they reached the vi, N was about to head upstairs when rk spoke up. "N, I''m sorry about tonight. I didn''t protect you." His tone was serious, and N paused for a moment before walking away without a word.

    As soon as she returned to her room, her phone rang. It was Vrie.

    "N, did Jacqueline try to set you up tonight?" Vrie asked.

    N was surprised. "How did you know?"

    "Tom called to question me out of nowhere, asking if I told you to go after Jacqueline. I asked around with some friends who were at the event," Vrie answered.

    She was furious about the whole situation. To her, Jacqueline and Tom were just a pair of scumbags-not worth her time.

    N pressed her lips together before saying, "I just wanted to teach her a lesson so she won''t mess with me again."

    Vrie warned, "Be careful. Jacqueline holds grudges. She won''t let this go after being humiliated."

    "Okay, I''ll be cautious," N affirmed.

    There was a brief silence before Vrie''s apologetic voice came through. "N, I''m sorry. She probably targeted you because of me."

    "It''s not your fault. You can''t control what other people think," Nforted her.

    The real issue was Jacqueline''s malicious intent.

    "But how did you turn things around on her tonight? What happened to her ne?" Vrie asked, intrigued.

    N''s expression remained calm. "I left it somewhere. Whoever finds it will probably return it to her."

    Jacqueline likely wouldn''t be happy to see that ne again.

    Vrie and N chatted for a while longer before Vrie ended the call, knowing N had to work the next day.

    After a shower, N dried her hair,pleted her skincare routine, and went to bed.

    Meanwhile, Jacqueline was far from sleep.

    Ten minutes ago, a maid had brought her a box, saying it was delivered

    by the charity event staff. Inside was her diamond ne.

    Seeing it made her rage re up again. She grabbed the ne and smashed it to the floor, sending the diamonds flying.

    "Get out! Get out!" she screamed.

    The maid, startled, quickly left the room.

    Jacqueline''s hatred burned as she stared at the shattered ne. She vowed to repay N for tonight''s humiliation.

    The next day, as N was about to leave work, she received a call from the Sumner residence, summoning her. Her heart sank-she guessed it. was about the previous night''s charity event.

    Going alone would mean facing their harsh treatment. Involving rk would likely result in him ming everything on Damon. Although Damon had helped her the previous night, she didn''t want to burden him further.

    With that in mind, she messaged rk, saying she was going out with colleagues for dinner and that he didn''t need to pick her up.

    Chaparat

 Chapter 143

    After work, N took a cab to the Sumner residence. As soon as she was led into the living room by a maid, Marie''s cold voice echoed. "On your knees!"

    N stopped in her tracks, her expression calm as she looked at Marie. "Grandma, I don''t know what I did wrong to deserve this."

    Cindy, sitting next to Marie, sneered with a sharp tone. "How dare you ask what you did wrong?! Why did you force Ms. Rainford to kneel and apologize to you in front of everyonest night? Do you even realize your statuspared to hers?

    "This morning, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group terminated their contracts with the Sumner Group, causing billions in losses. The other shareholders are furious with rk and are calling for a board meeting to remove him as the CEO. You''re nothing but bad luck!"

    If it were not for affecting rk, Cindy would have told Marie about N''s infertility and had Marie chase N out of the Sumner family.

    N met Cindy''s hateful gaze with aposed look. "Jacqueline tried to frame me with a nest night, then the Rainford Group terminated the contracts today. It shows they don''t respect the Sumners or the Sumner Group.

    "Besides, she offered to kneel and apologize if the ne wasn''t found on me. I don''t think I did anything wrong."

    Marie''s expression turned colder. "If you don''t understand your mistake, then go stand in the old wing until you figure it out."

    At hermand, two maids stepped forward, ready to drag N if she resisted.

    The old wing was situated on a secluded hillside a few hundred meters

    Chop 143

    from the estate. It was a cold, eerie ce, visited only during family ceremonies.

    Despite her fear, N maintained aposed demeanor and walked out of the house with her head held high.

    Watching her unrepentant departure, Cindy seethed with anger. "Mom, don''t send her any food. Lock her up for three days, and she''ll admit her mistake!"

    Marie had intended to teach N a lesson and then have her apologize to Jacqueline in person. She hadn''t anticipated N''s stubbornness, her refusal to admit her fault, or her reluctance to apologize. "Enough! I know what to do. You can go now. Don''t bother me unless it''s important," Marie said.

    She found Cindy''s pettiness irritating. If Cindy weren''t rk''s mother, Marie wouldn''t have paid her any attention.

    Sensing Marie''s displeasure, Cindy left in frustration.

    The two maids locked N in the old wing and departed. As their footsteps faded, silence enveloped the old wing.

    N had only visited the old wing during the day in the past, and it had never seemed particrly frightening.

    Now, as darkness fell and the old wing grew dim, the eerie silence and the rows of paintings heightened the spooky atmosphere.

    The temperature in the old wing was several degrees lower than

    outside, and N, dressed lightly, felt the chill. She grabbed a small rug and ced it in a corner. Sitting with her back against the wall, she tried to suppress her fear.

    Marie had summoned her alone, clearly not wanting to alert rk or Damon. N reassured herself that she would likely be released after

    Choler TAS

    enduring the night.

    Suddenly, her phone rang, startling her in the quiet of the old wing. Seeing that it was rk, she took a deep breath and answered.

    "Where are you? I''lle pick you up after your gathering," rk said.

 Chapter 144

    N smiled bitterly. There was no way she could go back tonight.

    "No need. The gathering is close to Vrie''s ce. I''ll stay with her tonight," she replied.

    There was silence on the other end before rk''s deep voice came through. "Are you still upset aboutst night?"

    "No. I just haven''t had a good chat with Vrie in a long time, so I n to stay over at her ce tonight," N said, though she was lying.

    After another long pause, rk finally said, "Alright, but if anythinges up, give me a call."

    "Got it," N replied.

    After hanging up, her phone shed a low battery warning, indicating only 20% charge left. She frowned, realizing she hadn''t charged it since the previous night due to her busy schedule.

    Sighing, she turned off her phone to conserve battery.

    rk sensed something was off after the call but couldn''t pinpoint what

    it was.

    Just as he was about to ponder the matter, Michael entered his office and reported, "Mr. Sumner, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group refuse to meet, and several smallerpanies that closely work with them are also terminating their contracts."

    rk was furious, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "If they want to terminate, let them. They won''t get away without paying the penalty fees!"

    Michael looked worried. Terminating contra ts was one thing, but now

    the shareholders were discussing demoting rk to vice CEO.

    "Mr. Sumner, perhaps... you should ask your wife if she''s willing to apologize to Ms. Rainford?" he suggested.

    An apology from N might resolve all their problems.

    rk''s face darkened. "No, she won''t agree. And apologizing now will make it look like the Sumner Group is afraid of Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group. It will set a bad precedent."

    The issue wasn''t just about the apology anymore. Jacqueline had been at fault from the start. If things escted further, it would be more embarrassing for the Rainfords.

    "So, are we just going to sit and wait without doing anything?" Michael asked.

    "You can leave for the day," rk replied.

    Michael was too worried to leave. If rk were demoted, it would affect him as well. He offered, "I''d rather stay here and wait with you."

    The atmosphere was tense in the boardroom.

    Richard sat at the head of the table while the shareholders looked

    increasingly disgruntled.

    "Mr. Richard, this situation was caused by Mr. rk. He should be held ountable. Are we supposed to bear the losses together?" one

    shareholder said.

    "Exactly. He offended two partners at a single event. If he can''t manage his own wife, how can he manage the Sumner Group?" another asked.

    "He''s young and needs more experience. Once he''s more capable, he can return to the CEO position," a third suggested.

    Richard listened to the shareholders''ints in silence, his face stern. As their voices gradually faded, he finally spoke.

    "Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group were at fault first. If we demote him now, it will seem as though the Sumner Group is afraid of them. Under rk''s management, your annual dividends have increased by hundreds of millions.

    "Now, just because a few partners have terminated their contracts, you all want to remove him? What are your intentions?

    "Or do you want to bring him down to rece him with your own people? "he questioned, eyeing the shareholders critically.

    Che

 Chapter 145

    With Richard''s words, the entire meeting room fell into silence.

    Everyone lowered their heads, too intimidated to speak. Each person had their private reasons for wanting to remove rk from his position.

    After a long pause, a shareholder finally broke the oppressive silence." Mr. Richard, we were simply too anxious... The Sumner Group lost billions in just one morning..."

    Richard scoffed. "Billions? Is that a significant amount? He can recoup that in less than a year. If anyone wants the CEO position, prove your worth!"

    Disregarding their reactions, Richard stood up and left the room, heading directly to rk''s office.

    "Grandpa..." rk began.

    "Shut up! If this happens again, I won''t step in to save you!" Richard snapped.

    Under Richard''s furious gaze, rk lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I understand."

    "By the way, Brandon will be returning to the country soon. When he arrives, arrange a position for him at the Sumner Group. Make sure it''s a challenging role, not something trivial where he won''t learn anything," Richard instructed.

    A sh of hostility crossed rk''s eyes. It was clear Richard was preparing to groom Brandon Sumner and eventually choose between him and rk as his sessor.

    "Alright, I''ll handle it," rk replied.

    Richard left with a dismissive snort.

    While the immediate crisis was averted, rk felt the weight of his precatious situation. With Brandon joining thepany, his position was at risk. He needed to ensure that he remained the sole heir to the Sumner Group.

    rk returned to the vi past midnight. He went to N''s room and found it empty, just as he had expected.

    Frowning, he hesitated before calling her, but her phone was off. His expression darkened, and he instructed Michael to find Vrie''s phone

    number.

    After receiving the number, he called immediately.

    Vrie answered after a few rings, sounding irritated. "Who is it at this hour? This better be important!"

    "It''s rk. Is N with you?" rk asked directly.

    Vrie, still half-asleep, replied curtly, "Do you even know what time it is? Of course she''s not here!"

    Vrie realized something was amiss and was about to say more, but rk hung up. Feeling uneasy, she tried calling back, but the line was busy. Meanwhile, rk was on the phone with Michael. "Find out where N went after work. I need the results in half an hour!"

    Sensing the urgency in rk''s voice, Michael immediately began the investigation.

    N was shivering uncontrobly, curled up in corner of the old wing.

    It was early fall, and the temperature difference between day and night.

    29

    was significant. In her rush to the house, she had forgotten to bring a coat, leaving her in only a short-sleeve shirt and pants, freezing and pale.

    Her phone had died after the battery drained to 20%, leaving her unaware of the time.

    Without dinner, she felt cold, hungry, and miserable.

    As time passed, she grew colder, her consciousness fading. Her head. spun...

    Finally, she could hold on no longer and fainted.

    Some timeter, the doors of the old wing burst open with a loud bang.

 Chapter 146

    Damon''s eyes grew cold when he saw N curled up in the corner, eyes closed, her face flushed unnaturally, and her body trembling. He was about to rush over when rk suddenly pushed him aside, quickly striding to N and lifting her into his arms.

    Seeing that N had already fallen unconscious, Marie frowned. She had only intended to lock N up for a night to teach her a lesson, never expecting things to escte like this.

    Filled with anger but unable tosh out at Marie, rk spoke in a low. voice. "Grandmother, I need to take N to the hospital."

    Without waiting for a response, he carried N out quickly.

    Damon clenched his fists tightly as he watched him leave, his eyes shing with fury.

    Marie looked at Damon and couldn''t help but ask, "Damon, did I go too far?"

    Seeing N in such a state made her feel a twinge of guilt.

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent. "What do you think? This wasn''t her fault, yet you punished her because you knew she had no one to support her. Don''t you think that''s unfair?" Marie was at a loss for words.

    After a few seconds, she muttered, "But it all started because of her. If she hadn''t forced Jacqueline to kneel, the Sumner Group wouldn''t have lost billions."

    Damon sneered. "Someone tried to set her up. Shouldn''t she fight back? And it wasn''t her who forced Jacqueline to kneel-it was me. If you need someone to me, I''ll stay here tonight."

    Marie said sternly, "No, your health isn''t good. If you stay here all night...

    She fell silent, meeting Damon''s mocking gaze.

    "Mom, she''s part of the Sumners. Jacqueline''s attempt to scheme. against her at the banquet might have been a provocation against the

    Sumners.

    "The Rainford Group has been secretly contacting the Sumner Group''spetitors. Even withoutst night''s incident, they would have found another reason to break the contract soon," Damon said, then turned

    and left.

    Marie sighed and instructed a maid, "Send some supplements to N. tomorrow."

    She realized she had indeed gone too far this time.

    When N woke up and found herself in the hospital, she was surprised.

    Turning her head, she saw rk sleeping by her bedside, and her emotions became conflicted. It seemed that rk had sensed

    something was wrong, tracked her to the Sumner residence, and saved her.

    She carefully tried to get out of bed to use the bathroom, but her movement woke rk.

    Seeing her awake, he quickly asked, "Are you feeling any difort?"

    "Just a bit dizzy, but otherwise fine," N answered.

    rk sighed in relief upon hearing that. As he saw N attempting to get out of bed, he moved to assist her, but she waved him off, saying, No need. I can manage myself."

    0

 Chapter 147

    "Eat your breakfast." rk''s tone was cold, clearly upset by N''s indifference.

    N replied, "I''m not hungry right now. I''ll eatter. You should go back

    to work."

    rk''s anger, which had been simmering since earlier, finally boiled over. He looked at her coldly, his voiceced with usation. "Are you not hungry, or do you just lose your appetite when you see me?" N frowned. "That''s not what I meant."

    "That''s exactly what you meant. When Grandma called you to the housest night, why did you lie and say you were having dinner with colleagues?" rk demanded.

    If he hadn''t sensed something was wrong and called Vrie, he might still be in the dark about her lie.

    N lowered her gaze, her expression calm. "I didn''t want you to worry."

    rk sneered. "Don''t take me for a fool, N. Are you worried about me, or are you afraid I''ll drag my uncle down?"

    She took a deep breath, her gaze growing icy as she met his eyes. " rk, can you stop being unreasonable?"

    "Am I the one being unreasonable, or are you hiding something?" rk pressed.

    He grabbed her chin and leaned in close, enunciating each word, "N, if you have any feelings for my uncle, you''d better stop them now. Do you think the Sumners will let him marry a divorced woman who was once his nephew''s wife?"

    They were so close that N could see the mockery and disdain in

    rk''s eyes. It was as if he wereughing at her foolishness.

    She pushed his hand away with disgust, meeting his gaze coldly. "Don''t worry. I know my ce. I have no inappropriate thoughts about him!"

    Seeing the anger on her face, rk suddenly chuckled. "Good. But let me remind you, don''t y with fire."

    "Now that you''ve reminded me, can you leave? I don''t want to see your face!" N hissed.

    Her eyes were filled with loathing, and rk felt a sharp pain in his heart -his breath became heavy.

    "What a pity. You''ll have to look at it for the rest of your life!" he snarled.

    N didn''t respond, turning away from him coldly.

    "Remember to eat your breakfast. It will get stale and hurt your stomach,

    rk reminded.

    Seeing her icy expression, he said nothing more and left the room.

    As he opened the door, he saw Damon standing there, his expression unreadable. It seemed Damon had overheard the conversation.

    rk smiled. "Uncle Damon, N will be discharged this afternoon. You can leave now."

    Damon gave him a cold look and then gestured to Spencer. "Pass the items to him."

    Spencer handed rk some supplements and flowers, saying, "Mr. rk, these are from your uncle."

    rk epted them with a smile and turned back to N.

    "N, these are supplements and flowers from my uncle. See how thoughtful he is,ing to see you first thing in the morning. Anyone would think you two are very close!" hemented snidely. Chapter fat

    N didn''t react to his sarcasm.

    rk''s grip on the flowers tightened. He walked to N''s bedside and leaned close to her ear, speaking so softly only they could hear. "N, you said you have no inappropriate thoughts about my uncle. Now''s your chance to prove it. Throw away his gifts right in front of him, and I''ll believe you."

    N''s hands clenched the nket tightly, her already pale face turning even paler.

    Seeing her hesitation, rk smirked, but his eyes remained cold." What''s wrong? Can''t do it?"

 Chapter 148

    N met rk''s cold gaze. With a scoff, she snatched the flowers and supplements from his hands, tossing them into the trash can.

    Spencer''s eyes widened with shock, quickly shifting to anger. "Ms. Jayston, how could you do that? Mr. Damon came to see you, and you-" Before he could finish, Damon had already turned and left, his presence so chilling that it sent shivers down one''s spine.

    Spencer, struggling to control his frustration, hurried to catch up with Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, are we just going to leave like this?" Spencer asked.

    The situation felt unbearably humiliating. After all, Damon had helped N numerous times before, but she had repaid his kindness with disdain.

    "What else? Storm into the room and demand an exnation?" Damon

    retorted.

    He wasn''t the type to grovel. Plenty of women wanted to be with him- he didn''t need her specifically.

    Sensing the frostiness in Damon''s gaze, Spencer felt a chill rise from his feet and dared not speak further. Damon was clearly in a foul mood, and it was best to remain silent. Back in the hospital room, N red at rk. "Are you satisfied now?"

    rk smiled and spoke slowly. "N, I''m doing this for your own good. This will prevent any further advances from my uncle. Otherwise, you''ll be the one who gets hurt in the end." N''s expression turned mocking. "For my ow: good, or just to control

    14

    me? You know the answer."

    "N, do you have to misunderstand me like this?" rk asked.

    "I don''t want to see you. Get out!" N snapped.

    rk''s gaze darkened as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. " N, I don''t like this attitude of yours."

    She shook him off, her eyes filled with disgust. "If you prefer someone gentle, go find Jordyn. I never asked you to be here."

    rk''s expression grew colder. Just as he was about to speak, the door opened.

    A nurse entered with an IV drip and said, "Ms. Jayston, it''s time for your

    IV."

    Suppressing his anger, rk softened his tone. "N, take care of yourself. I''lle pick you up tonight."

    N didn''t spare him a nce, her expression showing annoyance.

    After rk left, she immediately threw the breakfast into the trash can.

    Seeing the flowers and supplements on the floor, the nurse looked surprised. "Ms. Jayston, these flowers and supplements..."

    "They fell on the floor identally," N said.

    The nurse offered, "I can pick them up for you-"

    "No need," N interrupted, pausing before adding, "Please throw them.

    away."

    Some things shouldn''t be hoped for if there''s no future in them.

    The nurse, assuming N didn''t want the items because they had fallen, said nothing more. She hooked up the IV and picked up the flowers and supplements before leaving.

    -

    Left alone in the room, N closed her eyes, hoping for rest, but her mind kept reying the moment Damon left. Even from a distance, she could see the iciness in his eyes. Her heart ached, and her eyes stung with unshed tears.

    There was no possibility between them. Pushing him away was the only path she could take.

    That afternoon, after the doctor checked on N and prescribed some medication, she was discharged.

    The following morning, as soon as N arrived at the office, Spencer came over with a young woman.

    "Ms. Jayston, thepany has decided to assign someone to assist you with your work." Spencer''s tone was frosty. He was still upset about N throwing away the flowers and supplements in front of Damon the day before.

 Chapter 149

    However, Damon had no intention of pursuing the matter, so as a mere secretary, Spencer had no ce toment.

    N nced at the young woman standing next to Spencer. She had a baby face, shoulder-length hair, and eyes that smiled like crescent moons, giving her a very cute appearance.

    "Ms. Jayston, my name is Melody Sorley. I just graduated from university. It''s nice to meet you," Melody introduced herself.

    "Hello, I''m N Jayston," N replied simply.

    With many tasks in theb, N was indeed struggling to manage everything on her own. Having an assistant would be a significant help. "Thank you, Mr. Hogg," N said gratefully.

    Spencer''s expression remained cold. "No need to thank me. It''s my job. I''ll be going now. If you

    Understanding that Spencer''s displeasure was rted to Damon, N chose not to get angry. She nodded and said, "Okay."

    After Spencer left, Melody turned to N and asked, "Can I call your N? ''Ms. Jayston'' feels too formal."

    N smiled. "That''s fine. For today, just go through the literature. Your can start working in theb in a couple of days."

    "Okay, thank you, N," Melody chirped.

    Melody was lively and diligent, frequentlying to theb to ask N questions about the literature. N patiently answered her, and by the end of the morning, the two had be muc closer.

    At noon, Melody pulled N to the cafeteria, saying, "N, I''ve heard

    +35 BONUS.

    that Prospectus Technology''s cafeteria food is really delicious. Is that

    true?"

    Seeing her bright, eager eyes, N couldn''t help but smile. "Yes. You''ll see for yourself soon."

    They chatted as they walked, quickly arriving at the cafeteria. After getting their food, they found a corner to sit down.

    After taking a bite, Melody eximed, "This is so good! I''ve never had such delicious food in my life. Working at Prospectus Technology is such a blessing!"

    N smiled, about to respond, when amotion at the entrance caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Damon and Erin walking side by side.

    Erin was smiling, her eyes filled with curiosity as she asionally turned to speak with Damon, who patiently answered her every question.

    N lowered her gaze, suddenly finding the food tasteless.

    Melody, also watching them, lowered her voice and said, "N, I heard before I even joined thepany that Mr. Sumner is dating the heiress. of the Hulle family. I thought it was just a rumor, but it turns out to be true. They make a perfect match. It seems the Cindere story only. happens in fairy tales."

    N forced a smile. "Yes, you''re right."

    Noticing N''s disinterest in gossip, Melody switched topics.

    They were discussing what to have for dinner when a gentle voice suddenly echoed. "Ms. N, what a coincidence to see you here again."

    N turned her head to see Erin holding a te of steak, standing a few steps away with a bright smile.

    N hadn''t liked Erin since the banquet whe she sided with Jacqueline

    une, 149

    and targeted her at every turn. Thus, she kept her expression neutral. Hello, Ms. Hulle."

    "Do you mind if we sit next to you?" Erin asked.

    N frowned slightly, about to respond, when Melody quickly answered, "Not at all, not at all."

    Erin sat next to N, while Damon took the seat next to Melody, diagonally across from N. He didn''t even nce at her, his presence radiating an almost palpable coldness.

 Chapter 150

    Erin chatted with Damon, her smile evident. Although Damon only responded asionally, the atmosphere between them remained fairly. harmonious.

    Ever since Erin and Damon had sat down next to N and Melody, N kept her head down, quietly eating. She hoped to finish quickly and leave Suddenly, a somewhat shy voice came from nearby. "Ms. Jayston...

    N turned to see a tall, muscr man holding a bouquet of red roses. He stood a few steps away, looking at her nervously. She frowned, sensing something was off.

    As expected, the next moment, the man extended the roses toward her.

    "Hi, my name is Dn Lomas. From the moment I saw you, I fell in love. at first sight. Could you give me a chance... to pursue you?" Dn confessed.

    N often received such confessions back in university, but this was the first time since marrying rk.

    It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was packed. Everyone''s eyes were on her and Dn.

    After a few seconds of silence, she said calmly, "I''m sorry, but I''m already married."

    Dn''s face darkened, his gaze filled with disbelief.

    N''s youthful appearance and beauty made her seem too young to be married. Additionally, being publicly rejected left Dn feeling humiliated, as if everyone around him were mocking him. "Ms. Jayston... are you lying about be.. ig married because you don''t like

    me?" Dn pressed.

    N was unsettled by his usatory tone, and her voice grew colder. Mr. Lomas, if you don''t want to believe me, there''s nothing I can do. I want to finish my meal now. Please leave."

    Her response only reinforced Dn''s belief that she was lying. His expression darkened further as he considered the time and money he had invested in preparing for the evening, particrly the rose bouquet that had cost nearly 100 dors.

    N''s public rejection felt like a deliberate humiliation.

    Did she think that being pretty gave her license to disregard other people''s feelings? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

    However, surrounded by people, he suppressed his rage and forced a smile. "At least take the flowers. It''s my way of showing you how I feel."

    "Thank you, but I can''t ept them," N replied, turning back to her meal, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

    Dn''s smile froze, his grip on the flowers tightened, and his eyes shed with anger.

    After taking a deep breath, he left quickly without further argument.

    Beside them, Erin couldn''t help butugh. "Ms. N, you''re quite popr. You''ve only been at Prospectus Technology for a few days, and someone''s already confessed to you. I''m so envious."

    N gave her a cool nce. "No need to be envious, Ms. Hulle. If you''re pretty enough, it can happen to you too."

    Erin''s expression stiffened, and she nearly snapped her cutlery in half. Was N implying she wasn''t pretty enough?

    Struggling to maintain her smile, Erin turned to Damon, who remained expressionless. "Not everyone can rely on their looks to get by like Ms.

    N. I think true ability is more important. What do you think, Mr. Damon?"

    Damon looked at her with an indifferent expression and simply hummed in response.

    N pressed her lips together, feeling aplicated mix of emotions. Did Damon also think she was just a pretty face?

 Chapter 151

    Upon hearing Damon''s affirmative response, Erin''s face lit up, ready to continue mocking N.

    Melody suddenly interjected, "Ms. Hulle, you''ve got one thing wrong. N is both beautiful and capable, which is not something people can simply envy."

    Erin''s expression froze, and her eyes betrayed a flicker of anger. She huffed. "I never said Ms. N wasn''t capable-just that her looks give her many advantages."

    Tired of Erin''s thinly veiled sarcasm, N decided to speak her mind.

    She turned to Erin and said, "You im my looks give me benefits, but doesn''t your family background provide you with plenty of advantages. too? Otherwise, you wouldn''t be sitting here having lunch with Ms. Summer, would you?"

    The world was never fair, and wanting everything was simply being. greedy.

    Erin was rendered speechless, her face turning an ugly shade.

    N picked up her tray and stood up, announcing, "I''m done. Enjoy your meal."

    Melody quickly followed her. "N, I''m sorry. I spoke too quickly earlier. If I hadn''t agreed to let them sit with us, none of this would have happened."

    N brushed it off, saying, "Don''t worry about it."

    Erin was looking for provoke her. Even if they hadn''t

    any exCUSA -

    agreed to let them sit, she would have stayed nearby and found another way to irritate N.

    Initially, N thought Erin and Damon were a good match, but now she felt Erin was not worthy of him. However, Damon may eventually choose to marry Erin, so it was not her ce to interfere. After they left, Erin turned to Damon. "Mr. Damon, does Ms. N hold a grudge against me?"

    She bit her lip, looking aggrieved.

    Normally, any other man might have felt a surge of sympathy seeing. her like this. However, Damon remained expressionless as he asked, Didn''t you provoke her first?"

    Sensing Damon''s defense of N, Erin''s anger red, her voice growing colder. "I was just speaking the truth. Didn''t you agree with me?"

    She had expected that knowing Damon liked N would make him treat her better, to keep her quiet. Instead, his attitude had worsened.

    "I only agreed that personal capability is important. It seems you don''t understand men," Damon remarked.

    Erin''s face paled. Was he implying that he preferred beautiful women and had no interest in her?

    "Mr. Damon, you should remember your and N''s identities!" she snapped.

    As soon as she spoke, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Damon''s gaze turned icy, cold enough to freeze.

    "Ms. Hulle, I suggest you think before you speak. Otherwise, the consequences will be more than you can bear," he said, standing up and leaving.

    Only after Damon left the cafeteria did Erin feel the suffocating

    pressure lift, and she let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was

    holding.

    However, she was far from giving up. After years of finally finding a man she liked, she wouldn''t quit so easily.

    N and Damon were obstacles, but she still had a chance!

    Recalling the angry look on Dn''s face as he left, Erin smirked and formed a n in her mind.

    Back in his office, Damon coldly ordered, "Look into a Dn Lomas in ourpany."

 Chapter 152

    Spencer looked puzzled and asked, "Mr. Sumner, why are we investigating this employee?"

    "I hired you to do your job, not to ask questions," Damon replied curtly.

    Meeting Damon''s icy gaze, Spencer quickly lowered his head. "I''ll get right on it."

    Soon, Spencer delivered a printed report on Dn to Damon.

    After reading it, Damon said coolly, "Find an excuse to send him on a business trip. I don''t want him in thepany for the next six months."

    Spencer found this odd but didn''t dare ask further questions upon recalling their previous exchange. He nodded. "Understood. I''ll handle it immediately."

    Dn left the cafeteria, agitatedly clutching the flowers in his hand. He considered throwing them away but felt it would be a waste.

    After a moment''s thought, he sent a message to a recent fling, inviting. her to dinner. He figured dinner would naturally lead to inviting her to his ce afterward. Feeling better with this n, he was about to head back when he

    received a friend request. Noting the pretty woman''s profile picture, het assumed she was someone he had met on a dating app and quickly epted.

    Before he could say anything, he received a message: [Want to get N? 8:00 p.m. tonight at State Zero Bar, Room 8.]

    Dn frowned and was about to reply when the message was unsent.

    He sent several messages asking for arification but received no

    -15 BONUS

    response. If not for the deleted message notification in the chat, he might have thought he imagined it.

    He had just confessed his feelings to N, and now someone added him and sent this message. It suggested that the sender was also in the cafeteria. But with so many people there, he couldn''t pinpoint who

    it

    was.

    After some hesitation, he decided it might be a prank and blocked the

    contact.

    That evening, Erin waited in the bar for over an hour. When Dn didn''t show, she lost patience and had him forcibly brought in.

    Seeing Erin, Dn realized she was the one who had contacted him. He asked, "Ms. Hulle, what do you want?"

    His gaze was wary, knowing there was no connection between Erin and N. He didn''t know Erin either. Why would she want to help him?

    Erin smirked. ˇ°Didn''t I already tell you in the text? I can help you get N."

    Dn sneered. "Why should I believe you?"

    "You have no choice but to follow my instructions," Erin said, tossing some documents in front of him with a cold smile. "If you don''t, the consequences might be more than you can handle.

    Dn picked up the files, his face turning ashen as he read through them.

    After a long moment, he looked at Erin, trembling. "Did N offend you?

    Erin smirked, but the expression didn''t reach her eyes. "It''s best not to ask questions you shouldn''t. Knowing to uch could be disastrous. All

    $

    you need to know is that I''ll help you get her."

    "What do I need to do?" Dn asked.

    "Just follow my instructions and don''t ask questions," Erin ordered.

    Dn lowered his gaze, filled with anger at being threatened. He knew opposing Erin was futile and decided to go along with her n. He was determined to get back at N for humiliating him in the cafeter¨Şa today.

 Chapter 153

    Taking a deep breath, Dn said slowly, "Alright, I''ll follow your lead."

    N had been busy in theb until after 10:00 p.m. due to problems with her experiment. As she gathered her things and prepared to leave, she received a call from rk.

    His slightly icy voice came through as soon as she answered. "Why aren''t you home yet?"

    "I''m wrapping up now. I''ll be home soon." Just as N spoke, the elevator doors opened.

    She was about to step in when she saw Damon standing inside. She

    hesitated for a moment.

    Their eyes met, and Damon''s were filled with frost. His entire demeanor radiated a chilling aloofness.

    N bit her lip, unsure if she should enter. Given Damon''s attitude toward her at lunch, he clearly didn''t want to see her.

    rk''s voice came through the phone, asking if he shoulde pick

    her up.

    N snapped back to reality and replied, "No need. I drove. Just wait for me at home."

    She hung up and could feel Damon''s sharp gaze on her, making her palms sweat as she gripped her phone.

    "Aren''t youing in?" Damon asked, his voice icy and cutting through the air.

    N shook her head and answered, "No. just remembered I forgot something. You go ahead."

    Damon released the button holding the door open without another word, and the elevator doors slowly closed in front of N. The elevator descended once again. N stared at the down button for a few seconds before pressing it

    again.

    When she finally got home, it was nearly midnight. She walked into the living room to find rk waiting for her on the sofa..

    "I might be workingte often. You don''t have to wait up for me," she said, frowning slightly.

    rk scowled. "Is this job really that demanding?"

    N met his gaze, aware that he was really asking if herte hours meant spending time with Damon..

    "Don''t worry. Your uncle doesn''t like me at all right now. My work is with another executive at Prospectus Technology. We won''t have any interactions," she replied. rk, unperturbed by having his true concerns revealed, said, "I''m just looking out for you."

    Not wanting to continue the argument, N nodded. "I know. Thank you. for your concern."

    rk frowned, noticing N wasn''t taking his words seriously.

    However, recalling how she had discarded Damon''s gift in front of him. the previous day, he assumed Damon''s pride would prevent him from. pursuing her any further. "N, let''s drop this topic. Grandma sent over some supplements today. She still cares about you," rk said, changing the subject.

    N nced at the pile of supplements on the table, a hint of sarcasm.

    in her eyes. Marie and rk had a way of following up a harsh reprimand with a small gesture of care.

    "Thank Grandma for me," she said.

    With that, N started toward the stairs. She had barely reached the staircase when she heard footsteps behind her. Before she could react,

    her wrist was seized.

    "N, what''s with your attitude? Are you still mad at Grandma?" rk demanded.

 Chapter 154

    N shook rk off, dismissing him with indifference. "You''re overthinking it."

    rk was dissatisfied with her dismissive response, and his gaze grew colder.

    After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he softened his tone. "N, I know you feel wronged, but Grandma is getting old. I hope you can be more understanding."

    N found his wordsughable. Whenever the Sumners were involved, rk''s solution was always for her to endure. She had previously ignored these issues because she loved him, but now she realized she would alwayse second to his family and career.

    "Don''t worry, I have no issues with her," she said calmly.

    After all, she no longer cared about rk, so why would she care about anyone else?

    Seeing her calm demeanor, rk dropped the topic and said, "By the way, Mom invited us over for dinner tomorrow night."

    N was surprised. Cindy had never liked her and rarely invited them over since their marriage. However, if she could get into Cyrus'' study, she might find clues about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident. "Alright, got it. Do we need to prepare any gifts?" she asked.

    "No need. I''ll pick you up after work," rk answered.

    "Okay," N agreed readily.

    The next evening, N packed up he equipment and said goodbye to Melody before leaving. As she reached the downstairs lobby,

    someone suddenly appeared, startling her.

    It was Dn, the man who had confessed his feelings to her the day before. He was holding a bouquet in one hand and a small, elegant cake in the other, grinning at her.

    "Ms. Jayston, I thought about it all night and realized I still like you and don''t want to give up. Can you give me a chance to pursue you?" Dn

    asked.

    N found his persistence annoying. She has assumed she had made herself clear yesterday.

    "Mr. Lomas, I told you I''m married. This is harassment," she replied firmly.

    Dn''s expression momentarily hardened before he resumed hist previous smile. "I don''t believe you''re married. Unless you show me your marriage certificate or bring your husband to prove it." Annoyance flickered in N''s eyes, and her voice turned cold. "I don''t have to prove anything to you. If you think I''m lying, find evidence. If you can''t, stop bothering me."

    She turned to leave, but Dn suddenly grabbed her arm as she walked past him.

    In the next moment, Dn was punched in the face.

    "Ah!" he screamed.

    The punch was powerful, sending him to the ground and scattering his flowers and cake. He looked utterly pathetic.

    N was momentarily stunned before she asked rk, "When did you get here?"

    "Just now," rk replied, ring at Dn with killing intent.

    Ce 154

    Initially, Dn was shocked by the punch, but he soon felt a surge of anger. He looked up to yell at rk, but the icy gaze he encountered made him shiver. Trembling involuntarily, he struggled for several seconds to suppress his fear.

    Standing up, he red at rk. "Who are you? Why did you hit me?"

    "You''re harassing my wife. Consider yourself lucky it was just one punch," rk growled.

    Realizing that N was indeed married, Dn felt a pang of guilt. Still, he quickly regained his confidence as rk had struck first.

 Chapter 155

    "You use me of harassing her? Do you have any evidence? If not, I''ll call the police and report you for assault. You might end up spending a few days behind bars!" Dn threatened. rk remained unfazed. "Go ahead, but don''t be surprised if it''s you who ends up in jail."

    Dn''s bluster lost its impact as rk''s calm demeanor persisted. Gritting his teeth, Dn snapped, "Fine! Just wait. You''d better hope I don''t see you again!" With that, he turned and stormed off.

    rk watched him go with cold, steely eyes. Someone like that dared to harass N?

    rk turned to her, his expression dark. "Why didn''t you tell me someone was bothering you?ˇ±

    It was clear from her reaction that this man had been a recurring problem.

    N pressed her lips together. "I didn''t expect him to get physical. I rejected him yesterday."

    She hadn''t anticipated Dn''s persistence despite her clear refusal.

    rk sneered. "Tolerating people like him only emboldens them. I''ll call Uncle Damonter and ask him how he manages his employees."

    N frowned at the mention of involving Damon. "It''s just a minor issue. No need to trouble him."

    rk paused and scrutinized her denly. "Do you really think it''s minor, or are you worried I''ll make things cult for him?"

    N''s expression cooled as she replied, "Do you think you have what it

    takes to challenge him?"

    "Say that again!" rk snarled, his eyes zing with anger.

    How dare she imply he couldn''t handle Damon?!

    "I can say it as many times as you want. It''s the truth," N insisted.

    rkughed coldly. "Fine. Very well.

    He stormed off toward the car parked by the curb, not uttering a word to N during the drive to Cyrus and Cindy''s ce.

    N followed him inside, unfazed by his silence.

    As they entered the living room, Cyrus''ughter greeted them.

    N''s hands tightened at her sides. She took a deep breath to suppress her emotions and followed rk in, changing her shoes at the entrance.

    She noticed Damon was there as well, ying chess with Cyrus while. Cindy sat nearby, smiling.

    N knew that Cyrus and Cindy''s marriage was merely a fa?ade; Cindy was just maintaining appearances. Seeing rk, Cindy said gently, "Have a seat. Dinner will start once your dad and uncle finish this game." Her smile faded when her gazended on N, and she did not greet

    her.

    N didn''t mind-a sudden disy of warmth from Cindy would have been unsettling. Seated on the couch, rk watched the chess game, where Cyrus appeared to be losing. Meanwhile, N was preupied with figuring out how to ess Cyrus

    study without being noticed.

    The study was on the second floor at the end of the left hallway and was usually locked.

    Taking the key from Cyrus wasn''t feasible, but rk''s bedroom was conveniently next to the study, with their balconies connected. If she could get to rk''s balcony, she could ess the study. As N pondered her n, the chess game ended.

    Cyrus sighed. "Damon, you never go easy on me. I''m your brother-can''t you cut me some ck?"

    Damon dropped the white pieces into the container. "If you want

    someone to go easy on you, y with your subordinates. They wouldn''t dare beat you."

 Chapter 156

    Cyrus shook his head and remarked, "With a temper like yours, I wonder what kind of woman could ever put up with you."

    Damon did not respond, concentrating on picking up the chess pieces.

    "Come on, let''s eat."

    At the dining table, Cyrus chatted with Damon almost excessively.

    N ate a small amount, then set down her cutlery and said, "I''m done. You all take your time."

    As soon as she spoke, everyone at the table looked at her.

    Cindy frowned, clearly displeased, but remained silent.

    rk turned to N, his voice gentle as he asked, "Is the food not to your liking tonight?"

    N shook her head. "No, I''m really full. I remember leaving some. clothes in your roomst time I was here. I''m going to see if I can find.

    that dress I liked."

    rk nodded. "Alright."

    Cindy initially considered suggesting that a maid look for the dress but then reconsidered. If N wanted to find it herself, it would save the

    service staff the trouble.

    Once inside rk''s bedroom, N locked the door behind her and quickly moved to the balcony. After ensuring no one was around, she carefully climbed over to Cyrus'' study.

    Inside the study, she scanned the room, starting with Cyrus'' desk, which was cluttered withpany documents. She checked the drawers but found nothing useful. It seemed she uld need to look elsewhere.

    Just as she was about to leave, she heard footsteps and voices approaching the study. Her face paled. It was toote to escape, so she quickly hid behind the curtain.

    The study door opened, and Cyrus'' voice grew louder as he entered. Damon, you know I never ask for help, no matter how tough things get. But thepany is really in trouble this time. If you help me through this, I''ll repay you with interest."

    Had it not been for thepany''s dire straits and Richard''s refusal to assist, Cyrus would not have approached Damon.

    Damon remained indifferent. Just as he was about to speak, he nced toward the curtain. Without showing any reaction, he turned back to Cyrus, who was about to sit in the chair facing the curtain. "Cyrus,

    sit

    over there."

    Cyrus looked puzzled. "Why?"

    "I prefer this spot," Damon deadpanned.

    Cyrus sighed and moved to the opposite chair. He then looked at Damon. "About the funding... What do you think?"

    Damon''s expression remained cold. "I need to think about it. It''s not at

    small amount."

    "I know, but Prospectus Technology is a bigpany, and 150 million. dors shouldn''t be too much of a strain," Cyrus insisted. Damon did not respond, his face devoid of emotion.

    Sensing Damon''s displeasure, Cyrus sighed. "Damon, you know my character. I wouldn''te to you unless I had no other choice." Damon''s expression remained distant Inderstood. I''ll consider it."

    They discussed business for a while longer before leaving the study.

    N emerged from behind the curtain and quickly climbed back

    through the balcony. She sent a message to her private investigator to look into what was happening with Cyrus''pany.

    After grabbing a random piece of clothing from the wardrobe, she prepared to leave.

    As she opened the door, she was startled to find a tall figure standing there. She nearly screamed, but Damon covered her mouth and pushed her back into the room.

    The door shut behind them with a bang, and N found herself pinned against it by Damon.

    He looked down at her, his expression cold and eyes filled with scrutiny. "What were you doing sneaking into Cyrus'' study?"

    N was taken aback, her face turning pale. Had Damon noticed her earlier?

    "U-Uncle Damon... I don''t understand what you''re talking about..." she stammered.

    Damon chuckled, but his eyes remained icy. "I saw you hiding behind. the curtain on the left side of the window. If you don''t admit it, I''ll go tell Cyrus right now and see if anything is missing from his study." N''s face turned white. She hadn''t taken anything, but if Cyrus found out, he would be on high alert. essing the study would be much harder in the future. Yet, she couldn''t reveal her true intentions.

 Chapter 157

    Seeing N biting her lip and remaining silent, Damon sneered and pushed her aside, preparing to leave.

    In a panic, N quickly stopped him by grabbing his hand.

    Damon tensed, his gaze turning cold and dangerous.

    "Let go!" he barked.

    N bit her lip. "Uncle Damon, do you really have to push me this far?"

    Damon smirked coldly. "N, do you know what would have happened if Cyrus had found you in his study?"

    N was unaware of Cyrus'' true nature, yet she had dared to sneak into his study. Had Cyrus caught her, she might have vanished without a trace-something that had happened before. Her grip on Damon tightened involuntarily, her face growing pale under the harsh light.

    "Still not talking?" Damon''s voice loomed above her.

    N took a deep breath and said slowly, "I... I wanted to find my marriage certificate with rk..."

    "Why would your marriage certificate be in Cyrus'' study?" Damon asked, his skepticism clear.

    N bit her lip and continued her story. "When we got married, rk said he''d keep our marriage certificate with his parents... I agreed... Now I want to retrieve it..."

    Damon looked at her with mockery. "Why do you need your marriage certificate all of a sudden? Weren'': u nning to forgive him?"

    "That''s only temporary... If he cheats again, I''ll definitely divorce him. I

    can''t keep forgiving him forever, right?" N replied.

    Damon''s gaze grew colder, his irritation apparent at her poor acting, but he chose not to expose her lie. He decided to reveal her true intentions gradually.

    Just as he was about to speak, there was a loud knock on the door.

    rk''s angry voice echoed. "N, open the door! Is Uncle Damon in there?!"

    Panic shed in N''s eyes as she looked at Damon. If rk saw Damon there, it would definitely cause a scene.

    Meeting her pleading gaze, Damon felt his breath hitch, but he looked away icily.

    Seeing no reaction from him, N couldn''t help but plead in a low voice, "Uncle Damon, can you hide..."

    "I haven''t done anything wrong. Why should I hide?" Damon refused.

    The knocking continued, growing more intense, and rk''s voice became angrier as if he might break down the door at any moment." N! Open the door! Are you doing something shameful in there?!" "Please, I''m begging you," N nearly cried.

    Damon''s expression was still cold as he replied, "Just this once."

    He quickly moved to the balcony and jumped over the edge.

    N covered her mouth in disbelief. Had Damon really jumped from the

    second floor?

    Just then, the bedroom door lock was forcefully twisted off.

    rk burst in, furious. Seeing only N in the room, he red at her

    and questioned coldly, "Where''s ''cle Damon?"

    "How would I know? I identally fell asleep on the bed," N

    answered.

    rk sneered. "Fell asleep?"

    If he believed that, he would be a fool.

    "Yes, what else? Why would Uncle Damon be in your bedroom? Are you that eager to be a cuckold?" N shot back.

    As soon as she finished speaking, rk grabbed her wrist and threw her onto the bed, pinning her down with his body.

    "N, you better not y games with me!" he snarled.

    His cold hand slowly moved from her face downward, like a venomous snake, making her shiver uncontrobly.

    She red at him. "If you don''t believe me, find him yourself. Otherwise, I''m not letting this go!"

    rk stared at her, seeing no sign of guilt in her eyes, and began to doubt himself. Could he have really misunderstood her? But he had clearly seen Damon go upstairs earlier.

    At that moment, a maid''s voice came from the door. "Mr. rk, Mr. Cyrus wants to see you downstairs. There''s something he needs to discuss with you."

    "I''ll be right there," rk said.

    After the maid left, rk released N and stood up, his voice cold. "I''ll believe you this time. You better behave yourself."

 Chapter 158

    After rk left, N finally breathed a sigh of relief

    The incident was over, but she knew she had to be more cautious in the

    future.

    She got up, straightened her wrinkled clothes, grabbed a random piece of clothing from the closet, and went downstairs.

    rk and Cyrus sat facing each other in the living room, both looking displeased.

    Seeing Ne down, Cyrus said coldly, "It''ste. You two should head back."

    rk nodded and stood up. "Alright."

    He looked at N with an emotionless gaze. "Let''s go."

    On the way back, rk remained silent, clearly still angry about what had happened.

    As they reached the vi and N was about to get out of the car, rk spoke coldly. "Don''t you have anything to say?"

    N turned to him. "What do you want me to say? That I really cheated, or something else?"

    "N!" rk''s gaze was icy, making N feel as though he might strangle her at any moment.

    "People say you need to catch someone in the act. You didn''t even see your uncle''s shadow, yet you use me of cheating. Do you need to see me in bed with him to ease your guilt over cheating with Jordyn?" N questioned.

    rk''s expression darkened instantly, and he gritted his teeth. "I never thought that."

    Nyia chuckled "Do you dare swear you never thought that?"

    rk''s sullen silence was his only response.

    The two fell into an ufortable silence once again.

    N smirked mockingly, said nothing more, pushed open the car door,

    and left.

    rk watched her retreating figure, mming his hands on the steering wheel in frustration and causing the horn to re. However, N never

    looked back.

    Back in her bedroom, N heard the sound of the car engine starting, indicating that rk had left. She didn''t know where he had gone, nor did she care.

    The next morning, rk woke up with a hangover. As he turned his head, he saw Jordyn lying naked beside him. His expression remained impassive as he got up, dressed, and prepared to leave.

    Just as he reached the door, Jordyn''s gentle voice called out from behind him. "rko, I made some hangover soupst night and kept it warm. Why don''t you have some before you go?" rk nced back at her with a nk stare.

    To him, she was merely an essory to his otherwise mundane life with N, nothing more than a temporary diversion. Jordyn''s eagerness. to please him stemmed solely from his position as CEO of the Sumner Group.

    "No need," he replied curtly and left without another word.

    He went straight to the office.

    As soon as he entered, he summoned Michael. "If I remember correctly,

    Prospectus Technology once bankrupted a smallpany run by the Magills."

    Seeing the cold look in rk''s eyes, Michael felt a chill. "Yes, that''s right. What about it?"

    rk smirked. "Find the Magills."

    Michael was momentarily taken aback. "Mr. Sumner, are you nning to go after your uncle?"

    "Yes. Is there a problem?" rk retorted.

    Michael hesitated, then tried to reason with him. "Mr. Sumner, the Sumner Group has many partnerships with Prospectus Technology. If he finds out you''re plotting against him, he might terminate the contracts, which wouldn''t be beneficial for you."

 Chapter 159

    "He bankrupted the Magills. If theye for revenge, what does that have to do with me?" rk dismissed Michael''s concerns, ignoring his warning.

    Seeing that rk wasn''t listening, Michael frowned and replied, "Alright, I understand."

    rk''s eyes. Since Damon had tried multiple times to humiliate him, it was time to teach.

    him a lesson.

    For the next few days, Dn went to theb daily, bringing gifts for N, but she rejected them each time.

    While helping N set up an experiment, Melodymented, "I don''t get it. Why does Dn keeping even though you reject him every day? Does he have a masochistic streak?"

    N shook her head and replied, "I don''t know. Don''t worry about him. You set that rack up backward."

    Melody quickly fixed the rack and didn''t bring it up again.

    After a week of visiting theb, Dn finally figured out N''s. schedule. Now, he just needed to find a time when Melody wasn''t around to take N away.

    On Friday morning, when Dn brought flowers to N and saw that she was alone in theb, he knew his chance hade. He handed her the flowers and smirked when he noticed her irritation. "Ms. Jayston, are you sure you don''t want to ept my flowers?" he

    asked.

    N sensed something was off, and her gaze grew cautious. She instinctively grabbed her phone, saying, "I''ve told you many times, I''m married, Mr. Lomas. Please respect that." "Respect? Today, I''ll show you what happens when you look down on me!" Dn cackled.

    N turned to run for the back door, but after only a few steps, she was violently yanked back by her hair.

    "Ah!" she screamed.

    A cloth with a sharp, chemical odor was pressed over her nose.

    Struggling, she fumbled blindly with her phone, hoping to call someone for help. As her vision blurred, the call connected, but she lost

    consciousness.

    Dn, holding the unconscious N, picked up her phone from the floor. He immediately ended the call and turned off the phone.

    The newly constructedb building was seldom visited, so Dn felt confident acting boldly. He dragged N into the adjacent equipment room, locked the door, and set up a camera.

    Once he finished, he would have footage to ckmail N intopliance. Perhaps he could use the video to force her into repeated. sexual encounters.

    at

    Grinning wickedly the thought, he looked at N with lecherous

    intent. He slowly approached her, knelt, and began unbuttoning herb.

    coat.

    After undoing two buttons, he grew impatient and roughly tore the coat. apart.

    With a loud rip, the remaining buttons flew off, revealing a V-neck

 Chapter 160

    N, who should have been unconscious, had seized a nearby sk and smashed it over Dn''s head.

    The sharp shards of ss sliced into his forehead, and blood began to flow immediately.

    Seizing the moment of his shock, N shoved him away and stumbled toward the door.

    However, she had expended all her strength in that single blow and felt weak and unsteady. Before she could reach the door, Dn yanked her back by her hair. "Bitch, how dare you hit me!" Dn snarled.

    He pped her across the face repeatedly. His forehead, still bleeding, made him appear grotesque and terrifying.

    N wanted to fight back, but her weakness prevented her. She could only re at him with disdain.

    Her defiant stare further enraged Dn. He pped her again and again until she was nearly unconscious.

    "Let''s see how long you can keep that attitude!" he growled.

    He threw her to the floor and ripped off her skirt. As he gazed at her pale, slender legs, his eyes turned red with lust, and his hands began to

    roam.

    N tried to resist, but the disparity in their strength was too great, and the effects of the drug still lingered. She couldn''t even push him away. "Dn, if you touch me, you''ll die without a ce to be buried!" she threatened.

    Dn sneered. "You think I''m scared? I wouldn''t be here if I wasn''t

    confident I could get away with this

    As he spoke, his hands moved up herlegs

    "Wearingcy underwear, huh? You must be dying for me to screw you,"

    he taunted

    Nausea surged in N''s throat, and she began to dry heave.

    She gripped a shard of ss tightly, the pain serving as a grounding force. She resolved to sh Dn''s throat if given the chance.

    If she couldn''t seed, she would cut her own throat. She would rather

    die than allow him to have his way

    Dn''s eyes were cold, and his thoughts were vile. He grabbed her underwear, preparing to pull it off when suddenly the equipment room door was violently kicked open.

    Dn''s face twisted in surprise. Before he could react, he was kicked. across the roomnding hard and spitting out blood

    Upon seeing N''s swollen face, disheveled hair, and nearly naked body, Damon''s gaze turned murderous. He took off his coat and covered her, then slowly approached Dn Dn''s face was astien, his eyes filled with terror: When he saw it was Damon, he knew he was finished.

    Damon grabbed him by the cor and lifted him, looking like a demon

    from hell

    Dn trembled and began to beg for mercy, "M-Mr Sumner, I was wrong I''m inhuman, please- Ahr"

    With a scream, Dn''s arm was dislocated

    "You used both hands to touch her. The other one can go too, Damon

    said tly

    Chapter rele

    "Mr. Sumner, I didn''t-" Before Dn could finish, Damon dislocated hist other arm.

    Overwhelmed by pain, Dn broke out in a cold sweat and was unable to beg for mercy.

    Damon tossed him aside like garbage and walked back to N. Seeing her left hand bleeding, he crouched down and took hold of her wrist.

 Chapter 161

    "Let go!" Damon said.

    Looking into Damon''s angry eyes, N finally felt a sense of relief after surviving the ordeal, and her eyes reddened. She slowly opened her hand, revealing the bloody mess of her palm and the piece of ss embedded in it.

    Damon''s expression darkened as he picked her up and headed out.

    N grabbed his shirt cor, her voice weak. "Mr. Sumner, just have someone bring me some clothes."

    If Damon carried her out of thepany, rumors would undoubtedly spread like wildfire by the next day.

    Damon looked down at her, his gaze cold. Upon seeing her pale, delicate face looking so pitiful, his expression darkened further. "Your hand is injured. It needs immediate attention."

    N shook her head stubbornly. "There''s a first-aid kit in theb. I can take care of it myself and go to the hospitalter."

    Damon could tell that she didn''t want to be associated with him, so his expression grew even darker. "Should I call rk for you?"

    N tightened her grip on his shirt before shaking her head. "No. Just call the police for me."

    "Alright," he said, setting her down and calling Spencer to bring a set of women''s clothes.

    Soon, Spencer entered theb with the clothes. Seeing N disheveled and wearing Damon''s jacket, he was astonished. Could it be that... Damon and N...

    Noticing Spencer''s expression, Damon knew what he was thinking. With

    a poker face, he instructed, "Give her the clothes and notify security to take the man in the equipment room to the police."

    Spencer snapped out of his surprise and handed the clothes to N.

    "Thank you," N said, then took the clothes and walked to the

    restroom.

    Although the drug''s effects hadn''t fully worn off, she had rested enough to change clothes.

    Spencer went to the equipment room and found Dn lying on the floor. It finally dawned on him what had happened.

    A few minutester, the security team arrived and took Dn to the police station.

    "Mr. Sumner, about Dn..." Spencer began.

    A cold glint shed in Damon''s eyes. "I don''t want to see him out again. Also, delete all the surveince footage from today in theb building." "Yes, sir!" Spencer replied.

    N changed into the new clothes and washed her face in the restroom. Upon seeing her swollen cheeks in the mirror, her eyes

    dimmed.

    When she returned to theb, Damon and Spencer were gone, and

    Dn had been taken away.

    The equipment room had been restored to its original state. If not for the stinging pain in her face, she might have thought it had all been a bad dream.

    She bandaged her hand and sent a message to HR, requesting leave to go to the hospital. The wound was deep, and she needed a tetanus shot.

    N entered the payment hall with the paperwork in hand and immediately spotted rk and Jordyn leaving.

    rk was holding some documents, his brow furrowed slightly as he spoke quietly to Jordyn. Jordyn, in turn, smiled patiently and exined things to him.

    It seemed that rk was apanying Jordyn for a prenatal check-up.

    N couldn''t help but smile wryly. They looked more like a couple than she and rk ever did.

    She turned to head in the opposite direction, but rk appeared to sense something and looked her way. He recognized N''s back, and his frown deepened. He began walking toward her, but Jordyn grabbed his wrist.

    "rko, we need to go for the check-up. Don''t you have a meetingter?

    she reminded him.

 Chapter 162

    "Let''s go," rk said, retracting his gaze.

    As they turned away, Jordyn let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief.

    While Jordyn was getting her check-up, rk repeatedly tried to call N, but she didn''t answer. Growing impatient, he eventually gave up.

    After paying her bills and receiving her injection, N got a call from the police station asking her toe in and give a statement.

    Meanwhile, Erin had learned about Dn''s failed n.

    Her subordinate looked worried, his voice tense. "Ms. Hulle, do you

    think Dn will betray us?"

    Erin sneered. "Don''t worry. He wouldn''t dare. Unless he wants his family destroyed."

    Dn was proving to be useless. Despite having everything nned for him, he had still failed miserably. She needed to find another way to deal with N.

    By the time N finished giving her statement at the police station, it

    was evening.

    She drove straight home. Just as she got out of the car, rk''s car pulled up at the gate.

    N hesitated before continuing to walk inside, but rk got out of the car angrily.

    "Why didn''t you answer my calls this afternoon?!" he demanded.

    144

    Upon seeing the swelling on her face, his eyes widened in shock. He quickly approached her, asking, "Who did this to your face?!"

    He then noticed the bandage on her hand, and his expression darkened

    even more.

    "It''s nothing, just a minor issue," N replied, not wanting to exin further, and kept walking.

    rk grabbed her wrist, his voice cold. "Tell me yourself, or I''ll investigate. If I have to investigate, I''ll involve Uncle Damon."

    Hearing the threat in his voice, N shook off his hand and asked, " rk, do you think this is funny?".

    "Of course it''s funny. At least it shows you''re not as indifferent to Uncle Damon as you im," rk replied.

    His prating gaze bore into her, searching for any sign of guilt but finding none.

    "I just don''t want to drag innocent people into our mess," N said.

    "Innocent?" rk found it ridiculous. "Don''t tell me you haven''t noticed his feelings for you!"

    N pressed her lips together, looking at him with indifference.

    "You keep harping on about me and your uncle, but what about you? How innocent are you? Weren''t you just with Jordyn for a prenatal check-up today?" she questioned. rk froze and then blurted out, "So it really was you in the hospital lobby!"

    As he spoke, he finally noticed that her clothes were the same as those of the person he had seen at the hospital.

    "It was me. So what right do you have to question me?" N asked.

    A wave of guilt washed over rk, but N''s indifference quickly turned it into anger.

    "If you really cared about me, you wouldn''t have ignored me at the hospital," rk defended himself.

    N found it almostughable that he was ying the victim.

    "And you? Do you care about me? You saw I was hurt, yet your first reaction wasn''t to find out what happened but to threaten me with your

    uncle.

    "rk, other than throwing tantrums, what else can you do?" she retorted, her eyes cold and disappointed as she looked up at him.

    rk felt a stab in his heart, his hands clenched by his sides.

    "N, you wouldn''t tell me the truth, so I had no choice but to push you," he tried to exin.

    Nughed coldly. "Stop making excuses. It just makes you look pathetic."

    She turned and walked away.

    rk didn''t stop her, his expression darkening as he watched her go.

    After she disappeared from sight, he took out his phone and called Michael. "Find out what happened to N at Prospectus Technology today!"

    "Yes, Mr. Sumner. By the way, I have news about the matter you asked me to investigate this morning. After the Magills''pany went bankrupt, Josh Magill couldn''t bear the massive debt andmitted

    suicide.

    "His son, Samuel Magill, has been hiding ever since. Recently, he was caught and had a finger cut off by debt collectors who threatened to kill

    him if he didn''t pay up. Desperate, he tried to rob someone on the street and got arrested."

 Chapter 163

    rk smirked, his voice void of emotion. "How pitiful. He must hate the person who ruined his family and left him destitute."

    Michael shuddered at the coldness in rk''s voice.

    "Mr. Sumner, should we get him out?" Michael asked.

    "Of course. I want to see him within three days," rk replied.

    Michael hesitated. He wanted to dissuade him but remained silent, knowing it would be pointless.

    He hung up with a sigh, contemting the possibility of finding a new job. rk''s current demands could be disastrous if they were

    discovered.

    N remained in her room until dinner.

    After eating silently, she quickly retreated upstairs, eager to avoid lingering.

    rk watched her departure with a dark, unsettling expression.

    As Patricia cleared the table, she said, "Mr. Sumner, silent treatments are harmful. Women need to beforted."

    rk frowned, irritation shing in his eyes. "I know."

    It wasn''t that he didn''t want tofort N, but she wouldn''t give him a chance. Moreover, he still didn''t fully understand what had transpired that day. Even if he wanted tofort her, he wasn''t sure how. Noting rk''s grim expression, Patricia realized he wasn''t listening, sighed, and returned to the kitchen.

    Back in his study, rk struggled to concentrate on his documents, his thoughts drifting to N''s swollen face and bandaged hand. He called Patricia and asked her to bring some antiseptic ointment to N. Patricia smiled. "Mr. Sumner, it would be more effective if you took it to her yourself."

    Just as rk was about to respond, his phone rang.

    After a brief conversation, his face darkened, radiating a chilling intensity. He spoke coldly. "If he can''t control his lower body, there''s no need for him to keep it."

    After ending the call, rk turned to Patricia and said, "Bring me the ointment. I''ll go see her."

    Reflecting on N''s near assault earlier that day while he was with Jordyn for her check-up, rk felt a pang of guilt. She must have been so disappointed to see him at the hospital.

    With the ointment in hand, rk hesitated at N''s bedroom door,

    unsure whether to knock.

    Inside, N was debating whether to call Damon to thank him. Just as she decided to dial, there was a knock at the door.

    Setting her phone down, she inadvertently hit the call button and went to open the door. Upon seeing rk, she tried to shut it immediately,

    but he blocked it with his foot.

    "N... I''m sorry about today. I was too harsh," rk began.

    Seeing his guilty expression, N remained indifferent. "What? No longer suspicious of me and Uncle Damon?"

    Unaware that the call had connected, Damon, who was about to speak, heard their conversation and his expression darkened.

    "I know you don''t like him, but he''s better than me. I was afraid you''d develop feelings for him," rk said.

    N stayed silent. She did have feelings for Damon but knew she could never admit it.

    Looking down to hide her sadness, she said quietly, "If you''re so paranoid, why not put a monitor on me? That way, you''ll know exactly who I meet and what I say."

    rk took her hand and spoke softly. "I know I was wrong. I promise I won''t doubt you and Uncle Damon again, okay?"

    N smirked mockingly. rk probably didn''t even believe his own words. If there was another opportunity, he''d still doubt her and Damon.

    However, she didn''t want to argue any further, so she said, "If there''s nothing else, please leave. I want to rest."

    rk didn''t move, his eyes fixed on her, and asked slowly, "N, you''ll never fall in love with Uncle Damon, right?"

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    N pressed her lips together and looked down. "Yes."

    Out of the corner of his eye, rk nced at her phone on the table and said calmly, "I believe you. I brought some ointment. Let me help you apply it."

    Once Jordyn had the baby, he nned to send her away immediately, ensuring she never came between him and N again.

    He stepped forward, but N suddenly stepped back, saying, "No need. I''ll do it myself."

    Seeing the distance in her eyes, rk suppressed his disappointment and forced a smile. He handed her the ointment and reminded her, "Apply it now and again before bed. The swelling should go down by morning."

    She took the ointment from him. "Thank you."

    "I''m your husband. It''s my duty to take care of you," rk said.

    "I''m going to rest now," N told him.

    "Alright, I''ll get back to work," rk replied.

    As he turned away, he heard the door close behind him, and a bitter smile tugged at his lips.

    Back at her vanity, N threw the ointment into the trash.

    The doctor had already prescribed her medication at the hospital earlier. His concern now felt useless. He hadn''t been there when she was most terrified and helpless, as he had been with another woman for a prenatal check-up.

    N despised Jordyn, but she knew the bigger problem was rk''s weakness. If he hadn''t given in to temptation, Jordyn wouldn''t have

    gottern pregnant, nor would she have had the audacity to taunt N.

    The next morning, N went to Damon''s office as soon as she arrived at thepany.

    His expression was icy when he asked, "What is it?"

    Sensing his cold demeanor, N felt a pang of bitterness but tried to keep her voice steady. "Mr. Sumner, you saved me yesterday. I''d like to thank you with a meal."

    "No need. I would have helped anyone in that situation," Damon stated.

    In other words, he was saying, "You''re no different from anyone else."

    N pressed her lips together and nodded. "I understand, but you saved my life. I still want to repay you."

    "Staying out of my sight is the best way you can repay me," Damon said, picking up a document, his face devoid of any emotion.

    N stood stunned for a moment, her fingers twisting together. "Mr. Sumner, I understand. I''ll try not to bother you anymore."

    Damon''s grip on the document tightened, crumpling it slightly, but his smile was nonchnt when he asked, "Still here? Waiting for me to see

    you out?"

    N stiffened. After a few seconds, she looked up at him, saying, ˇ°I''ll go back to work now. Thank you again for yesterday."

    Damon didn''t look at her, his eyes focused on the document.

    Feeling a tightness in her chest, N turned and left. She did not want to humiliate herself further.

    Once the office was quiet again, Damon threw the document on the desk, frustration and anger boiling over. He had already guessed N''s

    answer when rk asked if she would ever love himst night, but hearing it confirmed still stung.

    If she truly disliked him and felt nothing for him, he wouldn''t force it. After all, there were plenty of beautiful and understanding women out there. He didn''t need to fixate on her. Taking out a cigarette, he lit it and sent a message in a group chat with just three people.

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    Damon: [Drinks tonight.]

    Caleb Goddard: [?]

    Nathaniel Preston: [You''ve been avoiding us like the guetely. What''s with the sudden enthusiasm? Got your heart broken?]

    Damon: [Shut up.]

    Nathaniel: [Alright, alright, I hit a sore spot. I''ll stop. There''s a new bar on North Saint Street. I''ll book a private room.]

    Damon: [...]

    N had just returned to theb when Melody approached her, asking, N, why are you sote today? Hey... what happened to your hand? Did you cut yourself during an experiment?" N didn''t want too many people to know about yesterday''s incident, so she nodded along. "Yeah."

    11

    "Then let me handle the operations for now. You can supervise," Melody offered.

    "It''s fine. It doesn''t affect my work," N declined.

    They chatted briefly before starting the morning''s experiment.

    The morning flew by.

    N took off her protective goggles and gloves, ready for lunch.

    Melody, staring at her phone, said, "N, a friend just told me severalpanies have terminated their contracts with Prospectus Technology. Even thepany she works for did. Do you think

    something''s going on with Prospectus Technology?"

    N had a bad feeling. She asked with a frown, "Whichpanies exactly?"

    Melody listed severalpanies, all of which had close ties with Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group. It seemed Tom and the Rainfords had decided not to wait for her apology and had started targeting Prospectus Technology instead.

    N felt a pang of worry and considered texting Damon to ask but hesitated, remembering how he had told her not to appear before him.

    After a few seconds, she closed the chat window.

    Forget it. Going to him now would only annoy him.

    Elsewhere, Jacqueline sat on the ck leather sofa in Gen Pharma''s CEO office, looking at Tom with admiration.

    She gushed, "Tom, you''re amazing. So manypanies have terminated their contracts with Prospectus Technology. Damon must be really stressed right now."

    She couldn''t believe that, with so manypanies pulling out, the Sumners could still allow N to remain hidden withouting forward to apologize.

    Tom, ncing at his phone, gave a perfunctory hum.

    He had coordinated the contract terminations to position himself to capture Prospectus Technology''s market share. The Sumners had dominated Saintornia for too long, and it was time for others to get a piece of the pie.

    Jacqueline''s issue just pushed up the timetable for his and the Rainfords'' ns. It wasn''t primarily about her.

    3

    If Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group weren''t capable of standing up to the Sumners, the Rainfords would have been the ones apologizing for what Jacqueline had done.

    "Tom, will Ms. Weir be upset with you for helping me like this? She misunderstood usst time... Should I go exin to her?" Jacqueline asked.

    Tom frowned as he remembered how Vrie had berated him over the phone for supposedly orchestrating N''s humiliation of Jacqueline.

    His expression darkened. He had been busy with work these past few days and hadn''t contacted her. Yet, she hadn''t reached out either. This realization soured his mood even more.

    Seeing Tom''s displeasure at the mention of Vrie, Jacqueline quickly said, "I''m sorry, Tom. You don''t want to talk about Ms. Weir. I-" Before she could finish, Tom cut her off, "Enough. I have work to do. You should go."

    Jacqueline bit her lip. She was disgruntled but knew this Tom wasn''t the same boy who used to worry over her every frown. She didn''t dare act out.

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    Jacqueline forced a smile and stood up, saying, "Okay, there''s a new restaurant that''s really good. Once you''re not busy, let''s go there together." "Sure," Tom answered.

    After Jacqueline left, he frowned and stared at his phone for a while before calling Vrie.

    The call quickly went to a busy tone, and his expression darkenedpletely.

    "N, N?" Melody called out.

    N snapped back to reality, looking at Melody, who was staring at her curiously. N collected herself. "Sorry, what did you say?"

    "N, do you have something on your mind? You''ve been zoning out a lot," Melody asked with concern.

    N looked down. After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly stood up. "Melody, I just remembered something I need to take care of. You can go back to theb first after lunch."

    Before Melody could respond, N grabbed her tray and left. After returning her tray, she took the elevator to the top floor.

    When Spencer saw her, he frowned and stepped in front of her. "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner is resting. If you need something,e back in the afternoon."

    "No need. I''ll wait here," N replied.

    "Is it urgent?" Spencer asked to confirm.

    Although he didn''t like N much after the hospital incident, he was worried that Damon would be angry if it was important and he dyed

    her.

    N shook her head. "It''s not urgent. I''ll wait until he wakes up.ˇ±

    She found a chair in the break room and sat down.

    After hesitating for a moment, Spencer decided not to disturb Damon. After all, making N wait wouldn''t hurt anyone.

    N waited for over an hour.

    As the afternoon work hours began, Spencer saw that N was still there and finally went to notify Damon.

    Soon, Spencer told N she could go in.

    In the office, Damon was reading a document and didn''t look up when he heard her footsteps.

    "What do you need?" he asked.

    "Mr. Sumner, I know you don''t want to see me. I''ll leave after I say what I need to say," N began. "I heard severalpanies that have strong partnerships with Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group have terminated their contracts with Prospectus Technology. If necessary, I can apologize to Jacqueline."

    Damon looked up at her. "Why do you suddenly want to apologize to Jacqueline? Do you think you were wrong that day?"

    N took a deep breath and looked at him seriously. "I don''t think I was wrong. I just don''t want to cause you any more trouble." "Why?" Damon asked.

    Meeting Damon''s cold gaze, N couldn''t help but look away. "Because you helped me that day, and I''m very grateful. I don''t want Prospectus Technology to be affected because of me."

    Damon put down the document and leaned back in his chair, his demeanor elegant and aristocratic, making it hard to look away.

    He asked again, "Are you really just worried about Prospectus Technology, or have you developed feelings for me?"

    N froze and instinctively denied it. "Mr. Sumner, you''re overthinking it. IˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, Damon interrupted her calmly, "A few days ago, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group also terminated their contracts with the Sumner Group. I remember you didn''t n to apologize then, nor did you give this excuse. Do you really have no feelings for me at all?"

    His dark eyes bore into N, demanding an answer. She wanted to run away, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.

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    Damon had helped N countless times, always rescuing her when she was in danger.

    How could she not have feelings for him? But what good would that do her?

    There was no chance for them. They couldn''t even ovee the obstacle of societal judgment. Besides, she was still married to rk.

    Taking a deep breath, N looked at Damon and spoke slowly. "Mr. Sumner, I want to apologize because you have helped me so much, and I want a chance to repay you. As for rk, he cheated on me first. Naturally, I wouldn''t apologize to Jacqueline on his behalf."

    Damon''s gaze grew icy as he looked at N. "I understand, Ms. Jayston. Please leave. Prospectus Technology hasn''t reached the point where it needs to send a woman to the Rainfords to apologize." He didn''t look at her again and resumed reading his document.

    Seeing his cold demeanor, N felt a sharp pang in her heart and bit her lip. "Mr. Sumner, if there''s anything you need, you can have Mr. Hogg contact me anytime."

    Damon didn''t respond, his expression growing even colder.

    Not expecting a reply, N turned and left.

    Back at theb, Melody looked at her with confusion. "N, are you in some kind of trouble? Maybe I can help if you tell me."

    N shook her head and forced a smile. "No. I just didn''t sleep wellst night, so I''m a bit tired."

    Melody frowned. N had been fine until just before lunch when she

    mentioned severalpanies terminating their contracts with Prospectus Technology.

    Could it be that she was worried about how thepany''s potential downfall might affect her job?

    The more Melody thought about it, the more usible it seemed.

    She tried tofort N. "N, as a fellow worker, I understand your worries. But don''t stress. Prospectus Technology is a hugepany. It won''t go under because a fewpanies terminated their contracts. At most, they''ll lose a few million."

    Just as N was about to speak, her phone rang. She saw the number and a glint appeared in her eyes. She excused herself, saying, "I need to take this call."

    She went to the stairwell and answered. "So, any progress?"

    A deep male voice responded from the other end. "Yes, let''s discuss it tonight. I''ll send you the address."

    Since now wasn''t a good time for N to talk, she replied softly, "Okay." After ending the call, she quickly received a text message.

    At 8:00 p.m., N walked into a bar named Just One and asked the server to take her to Room 7, which had been reserved.

    Her contact was already waiting and smiled when he saw her. "Ms. Jayston, this is our first meeting. My name is Pete Monaghan. Please, have a seat."

    Pete was the private investigator N had hired, renowned in the

    industry for his ability to uncover anything once he set his mind to it. Previously a paparazzo, he had exposed several major scandals in the entertainment industry over the past year. apter

    MA

    He was small and unassuming, the kind of person one might overlook in a crowd, but a long scar running from his right forehead to his left jawline lent him an intimidating presence.

    It was rumored that this scar resulted from a revenge attack after he exposed too many secrets in the entertainment industry.

    Shortly after his injury, he announced his retirement from the paparazzi business and transitioned to a career as a private investigator.

    N sat down across from him and said calmly, "Mr. Monaghan, have you made any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate?" Understanding how important this was to her, Pete didn''t hesitate. He handed her a file.

 Chapter 168

    "You''ll understand once you read it, Ms. Jayston," Pete said.

    If what he had discovered hadn''t been significant, he wouldn''t have met with N in person.

    As N opened the file, her expression quickly turned grim. She asked, "Are you sure this information is urate?"

    Pete nodded confidently and replied, "Of course, Ms. Jayston. I wouldn''t charge such a high fee if I weren''t certain of the value of my findings."

    Closing the file, N inquired, "Can you find concrete evidence that Cyrus orchestrated the ident?"

    The documents Pete provided revealed that after the bankruptcy of Harris Pharmaceuticals, Godric received arge sum of money and died mysteriously within a year. Before his death, he had contacted Cyrus.

    While these connections implicated Cyrus in the ident six years ago, there was no direct evidence linking him to it. For N, direct evidence

    was crucial.

    "I can, but it will take some time. The Sumner family''s influence in Saintornia is substantial. If we investigate too openly, we risk being discovered quickly. We''ll have to proceed cautiously," Pete cautioned. ˇ°That''s fine. This isn''t urgent. Take your time and let me know if there are any updates," N agreed.

    With their discussion concluded, Pete stood up and said, "Ms. Jayston, I have other matters to attend to tonight. I''ll take my leave."

    "Thank you for your efforts," N replied.

    "You''re wee," Pete said, then left.

    13

    N remained in the private room for another half hour before leaving.

    Meanwhile, on the second floor, Nathaniel watched Damon silently drink ss after ss with a grim expression and raised an eyebrow. "Damon, are you really heartbroken?"

    When Damon had just started hispany and faced bankruptcy several times due to others'' schemes, he never appeared this upset. Damon shot Nathaniel a cold look, said nothing, and took another sip of

    his drink.

    Nathaniel turned to Caleb, who was sitting nearby. "Caleb, aren''t you going to say something? If he keeps drinking like this, he''ll end up in the hospital."

    Caleb''s expression remained indifferent. "One less drinker, one less problem."

    Nathaniel was speechless. What a friend. He nced down at the dance floor and suddenly said, "Hey, isn''t that your niece-inw?"

    Damon paused his drinking and looked in the direction Nathaniel pointed. It was indeed N.

    At that moment, she was being osted by a drunken man, her face showing extreme displeasure.

    Damon set down his ss and stood up, only to sit back down again. He addressed the manager standing nearby with cold detachment. "Is your bar''s security so poor that people don''t feel safe here?" The bar manager broke into a cold sweat and quickly said, "Mr. Sumner, I''ll handle it right away."

    Nathaniel looked at Damon and couldn''t help but tease, "If I remember

    correctly, you don''t seem to like your nephew much, and you''re not one to meddle in others'' affairs. Yet here you are, making sure someone helps your niece-inw."

    Nathaniel knew well that rk often faced difficulties negotiating deals in the past, and Damon never intervened, let alone offered assistance.

    Damon remained indifferent. "If something happens and the Sumners find out I was here and didn''t help, it won''t look good."

    Nathaniel nodded. "Makes sense."

    He had met rk''s mother before-she was quite a formidable character.

    Caleb raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his eyes. Damon had always been aw unto himself, indifferent to others'' opinions. His assistance today likely had another motivation behind it.

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    Meanwhile, N couldn''t believe her bad luck. As she left the private room, intending to cross the hall and exit, a drunk man suddenly grabbed her halfway there.

    "Hey, prettydy, here alone? Hic..." The man huped, his alcohol-den breath making N nauseous.

    She yanked her arm free and quickly walked away. However, after just a few steps, several men blocked her path.

    "Hey,dy, ignoring Ty, our boss? You''ve got guts."

    N sensed their hostility, and her expression turned cold. "I don''t know any ''Ty''. If you don''t get out of my way, I''ll call the police."

    The next time she met with Pete, she needed to avoid bars. While they were good for discreet information exchanges, they also attracted troublemakers.

    "Hahaha, call the police? You think we''ll give you that chance?" one of the men said as he stepped forward and snatched her phone.

    Mockingly, he added, "Go ahead, make the call. What are you going to use now?"

    N remained silent, her mind racing for a way out. They wouldn''t dare do anything too tant in the bar. However, if they took her elsewhere, it would be a different story.

    At that moment, Tyler Krout approached her, holding a bottle of whiskey. "I won''t make this hard for you. Just drink this bottle, and I''ll pretend this never happened. How about that?" N nced at the bottle. Who knew what he might have put in it? Still, she took it.

    Tyler''s eyes gleamed with anticipation. Once she drank it, she''d be out cold in five minutes...

    "Ty!" one of Tyler''s henchmen shouted as N smashed the bottle against Tyler''s head.

    The alcohol already in Tyler''s system dulled his reactions, and he couldn''t dodge in time. Crimson liquid mixed with blood trickled down his face, and he nearly fell from the pain. Watching from the second-floor booth, Nathaniel was taken aback." Damon, your niece-inw is brutal! She didn''t even hesitate to smash

    that bottle."

    He suddenly had a newfound respect for N.

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent as he said, "Oh."

    Given what he knew about N, this wasn''t surprising at all.

    Tyler''s henchmen quickly helped him up while the others charged at N with fury. Armed with the broken bottle, she managed to fend them off, injuring a few in the process. "Dammit! When we catch this bitch, I''m gonna teach her a lesson!" one of the men shouted.

    Ignoring the risk of injury, another man lunged at N. He attempted to grab the bottle and choke her simultaneously.

    N quickly retreated, but another man seized her from behind.

    He was much stronger, and she couldn''t break free. Soon, the bottle was wrested from her grasp, and she was subdued.

    The men dragged her in front of Tyler, who was holding a towel to his bleeding forehead. He sneered. "She''ll pay tonight!" As soon as he spoke, the men began dragging N away.

 Chapter 170

    It was not unusual for such incidents to ur in a bar, so the

    surrounding patrons did not react much. Even if some noticed, they were intimidated by Tyler and his men and dared not intervene. After all, ying the hero required some backing.

    N''s mind raced as she sought a way out. She did not want to be taken away like this.

    Suddenly, several uniformed men stepped in front of Tyler and his crew. "Ty, you can''t take this woman.

    Tyler looked at the manager, Kash Daly, who was leading the group. He removed the cloth from his bloody forehead and sneered. "Kash, see this wound on my head? This woman did it. And if you stop me, you''ll have to answer to Big Jin."

    Tyler''s influence in the area made him brazen.

    Normally, Kash might have given him some leeway. However, in the presence of those higher up, Tyler was insignificant.

    Kash advised, "Ty, she''s someone you can''t afford to mess with. I suggest you let her go, or else-"

    Tyler interrupted with a coldugh, "Or else what? There''s no one

    around here I can''t handle!"

    Kash''s expression darkened. "You have leeway out of respect for Big Jin. Tyler Krout, if you try to take her, you won''t leave this bar!"

    "Fine, let''s see what you can do!" Tyler snarled.

    He called Big Jin and handed the phone to Kash.

    Kash whispered something into the phone and handed it back.

    The moment Tyler put the phone to his ear, Big Jin''s furious voice

    13

    red through. "Tyler Krout, if you want to die, just say so. Let her go immediately, or I''ll kill you!"

    Big Jin hung up, and Tyler felt a surge of panic.

    Even Big Jin had spoken-what was this woman''s background?

    He turned to his men and ordered, "Let her go!"

    Upon seeing his anxious face and the sweat on his forehead, his men dared not question him and immediately released N.

    Kash approached N with a smile and apologized, "Miss, I''m terribly sorry for this incident. It was apse in our bar''s management. Please ept this lifetime membership card. All drinks will be half-price whenever you visit our bar. How does that sound?"

    N wasn''t naive. During the harassment by Tyler and his men, no bouncer had appeared for a long time. Their sudden intervention now must have been orchestrated by someone.

    "Who helped me?" she asked.

    Kash hesitated, unsure whether to introduce her to Damon. After all, Damon had instructed him to handle the situation but hadn''t mentioned meeting N.

    Nevertheless, Kash suspected there might be a deeper connection, given that Damon had intervened.

    "Please follow me. I''ll take you to him," Kash replied.

    Leading N to the second floor, Kash showed her to a booth where Damon was seated.

    N instinctively bit her lip upon seeing a scantily d woman sitting

    next to him.

    "Mr. Sumner, thisdy wanted to see you, so I brought her over," Kash

    announced.

    Damon showed no expression and remained silent.

    Taking the initiative, N said, "Uncle Damon, thank you for tonight."

    Damon sipped from a ss of wine poured by the woman next to him, still not responding.

    The atmosphere grew tense.

    Nathaniel, sitting nearby, quickly tried to ease the tension with a smile.

    Ms. Jayston, please don''t mind. Damon has always been a man of few words."

 Chapter 171

    N nodded and said, "Yes, I know."

    Nathaniel was about to respond when Damon suddenly turned to N, his eyes cold. He asked, "Do you know me that well?"

    Nathaniel was taken aback, frowning at Damon. He couldn''t understand why Damon was deliberately making things difficult for N. Did he dislike rk so much that he extended that hatred to rk''s wife? N bit her lip and lowered her gaze. "No, thank you for tonight, Uncle Damon. It''ste, so I''ll be going now. Enjoy your evening."

    Damon sneered. "I helped you, and you think a simple thank you is enough?"

    N paused, then turned back to him and asked, "What do you want as thanks, Uncle Damon?"

    Damon looked at the woman pouring him a drink and said, "Teach her how to repay a life-saving favor."

    Nathaniel frowned, feeling that Damon was being too harsh by having an escort from a nightclub teach N how to repay a debt of gratitude.

    The woman smiled, looking up at Damon with a ttering gaze. "Mr. Sumner, if you saved me, I''d offer myself to you."

    Damon''s expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing about his satisfaction with the answer.

    Nathaniel couldn''t hold back any longer. "Damon, this is too much."

    N hadn''t done anything to offend Damon, so why was he humiliating her like this?

    Damon coldly looked at him. "What? Are you nning to repay me on her behalf?"

    Nathaniel was rendered speechless.

    Noticing that Damon''s demeanor was entirely different from his usual calm self, N calmly said, "Uncle Damon, you''re drunk." Damon turned to look at her.

    In the dim light, her eyes shone like clear water, and her expression was defiant. Something pricked at his heart, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on the ss.

    If she had a softer personality, he might have used more forceful means to separate her from rk. But he knew she wasn''t the type to submit to any man. Pressuring her to divorce rk and be with him would only push her further away.

    Suddenly, the sound of ss shattering filled the room Damon had crushed the ss in his hand.

    "Damon!"

    "Mr. Sumner!"

    Nathaniel and the woman beside Damon eximed, their eyes filled with concern as they looked at his bleeding hand.

    Bright red blood dripped from Damon''s palm, but he seemed unfazed, his expression icy as he red at N and barked, "Get out!"

    N''s gaze lingered on his bleeding hand for a moment before she turned and left without a word.

    Damon watched her go, his aura growing even colder.

    Nathaniel immediately called for a first-aid kit, frowning at Damon. "The one who wronged you is rk, not N. Why are you making things difficult for her? Do you care about your reputation at all?" Damon sat in silence, staring at the table in front of him, lost in thought.

    Nathaniel turned to Caleb for support, but thetter simply said, "This is a Sumner family affair. Why are you so concerned?"

    "What kind of family matter is this?" Nathaniel retorted.

    Caleb didn''t respond, his gaze thoughtful. If Damon''s feelings for N were what he suspected, the Sumner family wouldn''t have peace for a while.

    He nced at Damon with a look of helplessness.

    If Richard and Marie discovered that, despite years of introducing Damon to numerous suitable women, he had shown no interest in any of them and had instead fallen for N, they would be furious.

    Of all people, he had to choose a married woman-and not just any woman, but his nephew''s wife. The thought alone was enough to give anyone a headache.

    After leaving the bar, N drove back to the vi

    As soon as she entered the living room, she saw rk sitting on the sofa, his expression stormy.

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    "Why did youe back sote tonight?" rk asked.

    "Had some things to deal with," N answered.

    rk didn''t press further and simply nodded. "By the way, we''ve found a kidney donor for Dad. If everything goes well, he can have the surgery in a month."

    N paused mid-action while changing her shoes, looking up at him in disbelief. "Really?"

    rk felt his breath catch at the sight of her excited expression and bright eyes, which reminded him of when they first got together.

    "Yes," he replied.

    "That''s great! Thank you!" N eximed.

    Her gratitude was heartfelt. If they hadn''t found a match, her father''s health wouldn''t have held out much longer.

    "We''re husband and wife. It''s my responsibility," rk said dismissively.

    N pursed her lips and remained silent. To her, they had long ceased to be husband and wife. They were just two strangers bound by a piece of paper. "Regardless, I really appreciate it," N reiterated.

    Noticing the distance in her gaze, rk felt a wave of helplessness. No matter what he did, he couldn''t seem to bridge the gap between them.

    Just as he was about to say something, his phone rang. Seeing it was Michael, he said, "I need to handle some work. It''ste, and you should rest. Goodnight."

    With that, he took the call and walked toward the study

    "Mr. Sumner, Samuel has arrived in Saintornia," Michael reported.

    rk paused, a cold glint shing in his eyes. "Got it. Proceed as we discussed."

    "Understood," Michael replied.

    rk ended the call with a cold smirk.

    Since that unpleasant encounter at the bar, N hadn''t seen Damon for several days.

    Friday night marked the end of the first phase of the experiment, so N and Melody stayed in theb until after 11:00 p.m.

    As they walked to the elevator, chatting, Melody sighed. "I used to asionally run into Mr. Sumner when I got off work, but I haven''t seen him at alltely. These experiments are tedious. I need some eye candy to relieve my fatigue."

    N chuckled, about to respond, when the elevator doors opened. She froze upon seeing the man inside,

    dressed in a suit.

    Did Melody''s words have some sort of magic? Speak of the devil, and he appeared. Melody''s eyes widened in surprise, then lit up with admiration when she saw Damon. The universe really granted her wish quickly. If only she had wished to win the lottery!

    N and Melody stepped into the elevator and greeted Damon.

    Melody tugged on N''s sleeve, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

    N smiled slightly but remained silent, looking down.

    Damon must have been very busy these past few days. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the exhaustion on his face.

    The elevator was silent except for the hum of its descent.

    Soon, they reached the basement level. Damon stepped out first, with N and Melody following close

    behind.

    Suddenly, Damon spoke in a low voice. "You shouldn''t stay sote at work. It''s not safe for two women."

    Hearing this, Melody gazed at him with increased admiration. He was a handsome employer who encouraged employees not to workte-what a rare find! Melody nodded. "Mr. Sumner, tonight was just an exception. We usually leave on time."

    Damon didn''t respond and walked toward his car parked nearby.

    At that moment, a man wearing a hat and mask suddenly appeared, rushing toward Damon.

    N''s face turned pale as she saw the gleam of a knife in the man''s hand. Reacting instinctively, she rushed forward to push Damon out of the way.

    "Watch out!" she shouted before a sharp pain pierced her abdomen and darkness overtook her.

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    When N woke up, she blinked at the white ceiling above her and took a moment to recall what had happened.

    "You''re awake! Do you feel any difort?"

    N turned her head to see Damon, who looked worn out, standing by her bedside. She shook her head." Aside from some pain in my abdomen, I''m fine. How long was I out?"

    "A full day," Damon replied.

    N frowned. "That long?"

    "Yes, the stab wound damaged your spleen," Damon exined.

    The doctor had said that if the wound had been a centimeter deeper, N could have bled out and might not have survived.

    The more than ten hours Damon had spent waiting outside the operating room had been the most agonizing of his life, each second stretching into eternity.

    Pale and weak, N slowly sat up. "Did they catch the attacker?"

    Damon nodded, his voice icy. "Yes. He was the son of the owner of a rivalpany to Prospectus Technology. After their bankruptcy, he was pursued by creditors and chose to take revenge on me." He lowered his gaze, concealing the fierceness in his eyes. Samuel would never see the light of day again.

    N was about to speak when the door suddenly mmed open.

    rk stormed in and red at Damon with a murderous intensity.

    "Damon! Not only did you get N hurt, but you also blocked the news, making me investigate for a whole day. Do you really think you can do whatever you want in Saintornia?"

    N looked at Damon in shock. She had already found it strange that rk, given his aversion to Damon, had allowed him to stay by her bedside. She hadn''t expected Damon to have blocked the news. Damon looked at rk indifferently. "This is a hospital room. She just woke up and needs a quiet environment-"

    Before he could finish, rk interrupted coldly, "What right do you have to say that? If it weren''t for you, she wouldn''t be hurt!"

    Damon''s gaze dimmed.

    It was true that this incident was his fault. However, N''s act of pushing him out of the way had confirmed something for him-she cared about him.

    Knowing that was enough. He would handle the rest. He would clear every obstacle between them, leaving her to simply wait for him.

    Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. Seeing it was Spencer, he walked to the balcony to answer

    1. it.

    "What is it?" Damon asked.

    Spencer''s voice was grave. "Mr. Sumner, I''ve found out what you asked me to investigate. Ms. Jayston has been looking into the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident from six years ago. It seems your older brother is involved."

    Damon''s grip on the phone tightened, his face darkening.

    He had been puzzled about why N had returned to rk. Spencer''s words provided the answer. She was investigating the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident. No wonder...

    If that ident was connected to Cyrus, then the Sumners were responsible for the Jaystons'' bankruptcy. How could she be with him as if nothing had happened?

    Spencer asked after a moment of silence, "Mr. Sumner, should we stop Ms. Jayston from investigating?"

    One was the woman Damon cared about and who had just saved him, while the other was a Sumner. Just the thought of it gave Spencer a headache.

    Damon spoke in a low voice. "Find out everything about this incident. I want the full story in a week!" Ending the call, Damon pocketed his phone and returned to the room with an icy demeanor. rk red at him. "Uncle Damon, I''m N''s husband. I''ll take care of her. You can pay for the medical expenses and leave."

    "I won''t leave until she''s discharged," Damon stated.

    rk''s eyes shed with sarcasm as he asked, "Staying here will only make things difficult for N. Are you sure you want to force her?"

    "Is that a threat?" Damon questioned, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he regarded rk.

    "You bet. If you don''t want everyone to know about your feelings for N, you should leave," rk pressed.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "It seems the Sumner Group doesn''t want to cooperate with Prospectus Technology anymore."

    rk smirked, his gaze filled with confidence. "Uncle Damon, if you end the partnership with the Sumner Group, everyone in Saintornia will know about your feelings for my wife by tomorrow." Just as he finished speaking, he felt a massive pressure overwhelm him.

    "Do you think the media will choose to offend you or me?" Damon asked.

    rk''s smile froze before he answered, "They wouldn''t dare offend you, but if Grandpa and Grandma found out, they''d be furious."

    Damon leered at him, his chilly aura almost tangible. "rk, you''re the first to dare threaten me like this." rk remained unfazed. "Uncle Damon, you''re also the first to dare covet my wife." Tension crackled between them, making N frown in frustration.

    "Enough, both of you. I don''t need either of you to take care of me," she said.

    rk looked at N, his face darkening. "N, don''t be stubborn. You''re weak right now, and I need to take care of you."

    Most importantly, he wanted to be the one looking after her, not giving Damon any opportunity. After all, he was her legitimate husband, While Damon''s presence was inappropriate. N''s expression was cold. "I''ll hire a nurse."

    "N..." rk began.

    N ignored him and looked down, acting as if she hadn''t heard.

    After a moment of silence, she looked up at Damon. "Uncle Damon, you saved me at the bar, and I took a knife for you this time. We''re even now. Don''te here anymore." Damon''s face grew grim. "You did it just to even the score?"

    The bitterness in N''s heart surged at his questioning tone, but she remainedposed as she replied, " Yes. What other reason could there be?"

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    Damon''s expression was grim, and his voice was icy. "I suppose I was just being delusional."

    With that, he turned and left.

    rk nced at N, his eyes burning with anger. "What was that about the bar? Why wasn''t I aware?"

    "Was there a need to tell you? Could you have gone back in time to protect me?" N retorted.

    rk gritted his teeth. "N, you know I don''t want you getting involved with my uncle!"

    Just the thought of N getting hurt because of Damon, and potentially ruining his own ns, made rk''s anger boil over.

    N''s expression remained indifferent. "I don''t want you getting involved with Jordyn either, but you still sneak off to see her, don''t you?"

    rk''s face darkened, but he couldn''t refute her.

    Seeing his face turn red, N let out a smallugh. "Enough. Just go. I really don''t want to see you right now."

    rk stared at her in silence for a long time, his eyes cold. "Don''t forget, with just one word from me, your father''s kidney transnt might not happen." Fury shed in N''s eyes. "rk, is threatening me with my dad all you know how to do?"

    rk stepped forward and gripped her chin. "If it works, that''s all that matters. If you don''t behave, your father''s kidney will go to someone else next month." N bit her lip hard, tasting blood but refusing to let go. She stared at rk, his once-familiar features now seeming foreign.

    Was this really the man who had promised to love her forever and never let her be sad?

    She had believed in his promises, but now she realized how naive she had been. Maybe he had meant those promises, but people''s hearts changed.

    "What do you want me to do? Apologize? Beg you?" she asked.

    rk sneered, his tone mocking. "N, don''t act like I''ve wronged you. Can you honestly say you took that knife for my uncle without any personal feelings involved?"

    From the way N had looked at Damon earlier, rk could tell she wasn''t as indifferent to him as she imed. But she was his wife, meant to love only him. How could she love another man? "Yes!" N eximed.

    rk smiled dangerously and leaned in, speaking softly. "N, I know you too well. When you lie, your right pinky finger twitches slightly. You probably don''t even realize it."

    N''s eyes widened slightly, and she gritted her teeth as she red at him. "What do you want?"

    "It''s not about what I want. It''s about you not listening. need to show you the consequences of defying me," rk said.

    With that, he released her and turned to leave. He had just reached the door when he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

    The next moment, N grabbed the hem of his suit jacket. "rk, please don''t give my dad''s kidney to someone else. I''m begging you."

    Her voice, tinged with a sob, softened rk''s heart a bit. Since she had discovered his affair, this was the first time she had spoken to him like this.

    He turned to look at her, seeing the pleading in her eyes, and his breath caught slightly.

    After a long moment, he finally spoke in a low voice. "This is yourst chance. I hope you make the most of it."

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    Leaving the hospital room, rk saw Damon standing not far away. He approached with a stern expression. "Uncle Damon, did you wait here just to say something to me?"

    Damon''s eyes were cold. "I''m the one who has feelings for her. If I find out you''re making things difficult for her, I''ll ensure you lose everything you have."

    rk sneered. "You''re quite the romantic, Uncle Damon. If you loved someone other than my wife, I might even be touched."

    The thought of Damon coveting N made rk wish Damon would disappear from this world. If N hadn''t intervened, the one in the hospital bed would have been Damon! "You two will get divorced eventually," Damon stated tly.

    rk red at Damon. "Even if I die, I won''t divorce her. If you have the courage, go ahead and kill me."

    "Do you think I wouldn''t dare?" Damon scoffed.

    Damon''s oppressive aura felt like an imprable wall, closing in on rk. His hands clenched tightly at his sides, as fear began to creep in despite his outwardposure.

    "I know you would dare. But if you kill me, Grandpa and Grandma will never allow N to be with you. Her family might suffer because of your love. Can you protect them forever? Uncle Damon, watch your own actions," rk said through gritted teeth.

    After leaving the hospital, rk called Michael. "What''s the situation with Samuel?"

    "He''s taken all the me and hasn''t mentioned being instructed by anyone," Michael answered.

    rk wasn''t surprised. He had given Samuel an offer he couldn''t refuse. He told Michael, "Keep an eye on it. Let me know if anything changes."

    Hanging up, rk smirked. Damon was lucky this time, but next time, he might not be so fortunate. After all, he had plenty of enemies.

    Back in his office, Damon found Spencer rushing in with a file. "Mr. Sumner, I found something about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident from six years ago. You should take a look." Seeing Spencer''s grave expression, Damon frowned and took the file. After reading just two pages, his face turned grim.

    "Mr. Sumner, this evidence..." Spencer began.

    "Destroy it immediately. We can''t let Pete find out," Damon ordered.

    Damon''s face was grim, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the file. He hadn''t realized that the funds Cyrus had used to sabotage Harris Pharmaceuticals had been borrowed from him. Cyrus had imed he would acquire a smallpany, and Damon had taken him at his word, transferring the money without question.

    If N found out, she would never forgive him. This secret had to remain concealed.

    "And what about your brother''s scheme against Harris Pharmaceuticals? Should we cover that up as well? Spencer asked.

    "1

    "No. We can leak some clues to Pete at the appropriate time," Damon replied.

    If N got hold of the evidence, she would leave rk.

    Spencer was surprised but wisely refrained from asking further questions, nodding before leaving the

    office.

    Once alone, Damon''s gaze grew colder. He hadn''t intended to target rk, but thetter''s threats earlier that day made it clear-it was time to teach him a lesson.

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    As soon as rk returned to thepany, several angered shareholders stormed into his office.

    "Mr. Sumner, what''s going on with Prospectus Technology? I just spoke with their manager, and he said they won''t be continuing their partnership with the Sumner Group. You brokered this deal, so you need to take full responsibility!"

    If the Sumner Group lost the Prospectus Technology contract, it would cost them at least 100 million dors. Coupled with the previous contract losses with Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group because of N, the shareholders'' dissatisfaction with rk had reached its peak.

    rk looked up at them, noting their angry faces. He spoke calmly. "Please don''t worry. I will find out what happened and give you an exnation. For now, return to your work."

    "No way. You need to call Damon in front of us, or we can''t trust you!"

    rk''s gaze turned cold as he looked at Jason Dinsmore, a shareholder who held 3% of thepany.

    Although Jason''s shares were not significant, his grandfather had contributed greatly during thepany''s early days. As such, Jason considered himself a veteran, often speaking with a sense of entitlement. On a regr day, rk might have tolerated this. But today, given his bad mood, Jason''s timing couldn''t have been worse. He was asking for trouble.

    rk sneered. "Mr. Dinsmore, if you''re in such a hurry, why don''t you make the call? You can even take my position as CEO if you''d like."

    Jason''s face darkened with dissatisfaction. "Mr. Sumner, I don''t have the capability to be the CEO. But if this issue isn''t resolved, are you going to need Mr. Richard to step in and clean up your mess again?" rk''s expression grew colder, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Jason with a dangerous glint.

    Oblivious, Jason continued sarcastically. "You''re almost 30. When I was your age, I was already building thispany with Mr. Richard. Yet, you still need him to bail you out. It''s embarrassing!" Jason grew more agitated, not noticing the other shareholders signaling him to stop. When he finished, he realized the room had fallen eerily silent.

    Jason faced rk''s icy gaze and involuntarily took a step back, feeling a twinge of guilt. He raised his voice, trying to mask his unease. "Mr. Sumner, why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong?" rk smirked. "No, Mr. Dinsmore. You''re absolutely right."

    "Then call Damon right now," Jason pressed.

    The other shareholders exchanged uneasy nces, hoping to avoid bing coteral damage.

    "Urn, Mr. Sumner... I have some documents to review. I''ll head back now..."

    "Yeah, I need to meet a client soon. If I don''t leave now, I''ll bete..."

    As the other shareholders hurried out, Jason scoffed at their cowardice.

    rk''s eyes remained fixed on Jason. "Mr. Dinsmore, if I recall correctly, your grandson works at the

    Sumner Group as well?"

    Jason''s expression faltered. "Yes... Why?"

    rk smiled. ˇ°Oh, nothing much. I just remembered he made a mistake at work recently."

    by

    His tone was casual as if discussing the weather, but the implication made Jason tremble, his eyes betraying his guilt.

    "He''s young. Mistakes happen... You were new once too, Mr. Sumner..." Jason tried to reason.

    "Mr. Dinsmore, I''ve never made the mistake of embezzlingpany funds. If the other shareholders find out, your grandson could lose his job-or worse, end up in prison. Don''t you agree?"

 Chapter 177

    Although rk was smiling, Jason felt a chill run down his spine, leaving him uneasy.

    After several moments of silence, he finally managed to say, "Mr. Sumner... my grandson didn''t mean it. If you let him off this time, I promise he won''t make such a foolish mistake again..."

    Seeing the fear in Jason''s eyes, rk felt no sympathy. "It seems your grandson isn''t that impressive. He''s in his 20s and still needs you to beg on his behalf."

    Realizing rk was throwing his previous words back at him, Jason felt a surge of anger.

    Still, he swallowed his frustration and said through gritted teeth, "Mr. Sumner, it was my fault for not teaching my grandson properly."

    "If you can''t even discipline your own grandson, you shouldn''t be pointing fingers at me," rk replied.

    Jason felt utterly humiliated but forced a smile. "Of course... Regarding my grandson''s actions..."

    "As long as you know what to say and what not to say in the future, your grandson will be fine," rk

    warned.

    Jason quickly said, "I understand, Mr. Sumner."

    After Jason left the office, his face darkened with rage. rk was so arrogant that Jason swore to teach

    him a lesson.

    In his office, rk called Damon. "Uncle Damon, what is this about? Are you targeting me because of what happened at the hospital?" Damon''s cold voice replied, "The decision to terminate the contract with the Sumner Group was made by

    the board of directors."

    rk snorted. "Don''t give me that nonsense. Do you think I don''t know that you''re the one calling the shots at Prospectus Technology?

    "If you disagreed, no one would dare to cancel the contract with the Sumner Group."

    "I''ve helped the Sumner Group a lot these past few years. Continuing the partnership would only result in losses, so terminating it is a rational decision," Damon answered.

    rk ground his teeth and said angrily, "The controversy with Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group just passed, and now you''re ending the contract with the Sumner Group. You''re obviously targeting me." "You''re overthinking it. I don''t mix personal matters with business. I have a meeting to attend. That''s all," Damon said before hanging up.

    rk was livid. As he prepared to call back, Jordyn suddenly called.

    Annoyed, he rejected the call, but she persistently called again and again, preventing him from reaching Damon.

    Furious, he finally picked up. "Are you insane? I''m at work!"

    Jordyn seemed startled by his outburst.

    After a moment, she cautiously said, "rk... I didn''t want to bother you at work, but I think someone was following me when I came back from grocery shopping... I''m scared..." Her voice trembled,ced with tears.

    rk took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he processed the situation.

    Suddenly, he realized something. He had always been careful when meeting Jordyn. It was unlikely anyone would be tracking her. The most likely culprits were N or Damon. At that thought, his expression darkened.

    "Don''t worry about it," he told Jordyn. "I''ll send a couple of people to protect you and find out who''s been following you."

    After hanging up, rk called Michael into his office. "Send two people to protect Jordyn and investigate if someone is actually following her."

    "Yes, Mr. Sumner," Michael answered.

    That evening, N was sitting in her hospital bed, eating soup, when the door suddenly mmed open. rk stormed in, his expression cold. She frowned. "rk, do you have to ruin my appetite during dinner?"

 Chapter 178

    rk stared at her coldly and asked, "Why are you having someone watch Jordyn?"

    N paused before replying calmly, "If I don''t monitor her, how will I know when you meet up with her and lie to me again?"

    rk frowned but then suddenly rxed. "N, you still care about me, don''t you?"

    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have someone monitoring Jordyn to see when they met.

    N looked up at him, seeing the joy in his eyes. She thought he was truly confident, so much so that he believed she still liked him.

    Nevertheless, his misunderstanding was useful, saving her a lot of trouble.

    "I just don''t want to be constantly cheated on, nor do I want to live in your lies," she replied.

    Her cold demeanor only convinced rk further. He believed her recent actions were meant to get his attention and win him back from Jordyn.

    He knew her well. If she didn''t love him anymore, she wouldn''t have returned. Getting close to Damon was just another way to make him jealous.

    "N, I promise you, I have no feelings for Jordyn. The person I love is you. So you don''t need to monitor her anymore. Once she has the baby, I''ll send her away immediately," he promised.

    How disgusting. How could he say that with a straight face?

    N looked at him with a trace of sarcasm in her eyes. "And what about her child?"

    rk hesitated before answering seriously, "We''ve been married for years and haven''t had a child. If you''re willing, we can raise the child as our own."

    Hearing the implication that she couldn''t have children, N let out a coldugh. "I have no interest in raising someone else''s child. And do you think I could ept raising the child of my husband and his mistress?"

    She wanted to knock some sense into rk. Did he think that just because she moved back, she could tolerate everything he did? rk''s face fell as he said, "If you don''t want to raise the child, I won''t force you. I won''t let the child appear in front of you." N looked down, saying nothing. She couldn''tpletely cut ties with rk yet.

    As for Jordyn and her child, she didn''t care. If she didn''t care about rk, why would she care about irrelevant people?

    "Do as you wish. I''ve said it before. Once you deal with this matter, we can address our issues," N said.

    Seeing the stubbornness in N''s eyes, rk sighed. He wished she were gentler like Jordyn and not so headstrong.

    In their social circle, men of his status often had affairs. Why could other wives ept it, but not her? Hadn''t he treated her well over the years?

    Just because he had cheated, she had to make things so difficult...

    Even though rk knew she cared about him, he felt exhausted. His busy workdays were already overwhelming, anding home to N''s cold attitude only added to his stress.

    "Take care of yourself. I have work to do, so I''ll leave now. I''ve hired a nurse for you. If you need anything, just tell the nurse," rk said, then left.

    After leaving the hospital, he drove straight to Jordyn''s house.

    When Jordyn opened the door and saw him, here it up with joy. "rko, why are you here? Have you

    had dinner? I was just about to eat. Want to join me?"

    Jordyn''s wholehearted affection immediately soothed rk''s frustration from dealing with N. He smiled.

 Chapter 179

    "I haven''t eaten yet," rk said.

    "Then go wash your hands. I''ll get the food ready," Jordyn replied warmly.

    All evening, Jordyn chatted about her day, and rk felt his heart gradually leaning toward her.

    Despite the strength of his previous feelings for N, her constant coldness was causing them to wane.

    Meanwhile, N was about to go for a walk after finishing her dinner when she received a call from Pete.

    "Ms. Jayston, your husband''s men found me. They warned me to stay away from Jordyn or they''d call the police," Pete said.

    Since Pete began investigating the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident, he had an assistant keeping an eye on Jordyn. Unfortunately, the assistant was inexperienced and had been caught quickly. "It''s fine. You don''t need to monitor her anymore. I''ll transfer your payment shortly," N said.

    She had been monitoring Jordyn to gather evidence of rk''s affair, but it no longer seemed necessary. Once she had the evidence needed to send Cyrus to prison, rk would likely be furious and agree to the divorce.

    After hanging up, N transferred the money and recalled the time she had overheard Cyrus borrowing money from Damon in his study. She decided to contact Pete to check on the investigation''s progress. Although Pete didn''t respond immediately, she wasn''t concerned, knowing how busy he could be. Suddenly, the door to her hospital room opened, and Damon walked in carrying a food container. He lookedposed in a white shirt with a few buttons undone, revealing his tanned skin and corbone. His tailored trousers entuated his long legs, giving him an almost fairytale-like appearance. N was momentarily stunned until he reached her, causing her to awkwardly avert her gaze. "Uncle Damon, you didn''t have to visit. The doctor said I could be discharged in a few days," N said. As Damon approached, his subtle cologne enveloped her, making her breath feel a little lighter.

    He sat down beside her, opened the container, and handed her a bowl of chicken soup as he replied, "You''re my lifesaver. If I didn''t visit, wouldn''t that be ungrateful?"

    "Uncle Damon, I''ve already told you that taking that knife was my way of repaying you for saving me at the bar," N replied.

    Damon looked at her calmly. "Drink the soup first."

    He knew that if she truly had no feelings for him and was only repaying a debt, she wouldn''t have instinctively protected him. After all, self-preservation was human nature. N frowned, feeling that he hadn''t listened to her. She told him, "I already had some soup."

    Without pushing, Damon ced the soup back. "Then have itter."

    The room fell silent.

    When Damon showed no intention of leaving, N couldn''t hold back anymore. "Uncle Damon, I want to rest. It''s inconvenient with you here."

    Damon nodded, stood up, and said, "I''ll sit on the sofa then. You can sleep and call me if you need anything."

    N was rendered speechless. That wasn''t what she meant.

    Clenching her teeth, she said, "Uncle Damon, your presence here makes me ufortable. I hope you can leave."

    Damon paused and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Can I take that to mean you care about me, is why you''re ufortable with me here?"

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    0

    N frowned. "Uncle Damon, I''ve exined this many times. If you insist on thinking that way, I can''t stop you."

    Damon smiled, his cold demeanor momentarily softening. It made it difficult to look away. "N, is it really so hard to admit that you like me?"

    Under the intensity of his dark eyes, N''s heart rate quickened. She clutched the hem of her hospital gown, feeling as if something was slipping out of her control.

    After a long pause, she pressed her lips together and spoke. "Uncle Damon, I''m your niece-inw. If word got out about what you''re saying, do you know what the consequences would be?" "I can protect you," Damon imed.

    Nughed lightly. "rk said simr things before, but that didn''t stop him from cheating after we got

    married.''

    When a man wanted to win over a woman, he''d say anything. Whether he could follow through was another matter.

    Damon''s face darkened. "I''m not like him."

    N shook her head, looking at him seriously. "What''s the difference? You want me to admit I like you, and then what? Sneak around with you? How would I be any different from rk?"

    Damon had helped her immensely, especially during her lowest moments. It would be a lie to say she wasn''t moved. But that didn''t mean she would abandon her principles and be someone she despised.

    "I can help you divorce rk," Damon offered.

    N looked at him, realizing he didn''t understand her at all.

    It made sense-someone as privileged as he wouldn''t understand her position.

    "Uncle Damon, you''re just infatuated with me. You''ve never considered me an equal. If you did, you wouldn''t say such things so easily," she countered.

    Damon''s expression grew grim, and the room seemed to grow colder. "Do you think everything I''ve done is just a whim?"

    Outside the hospital room, Cindy stood frozen in shock and anger.

    Damon had feelings for N? How could he? She was his nephew''s wife!

    And N, that wretch-she couldn''t even have children, Marrying into the Sumners had been a blessing, yet she wasn''t satisfied and dared to seduce her husband''s uncle. She should never have been allowed into the Sumners in the first ce!

    Cindy felt an intense urge to burst in and confront them, but her hand froze on the doorknob. Considering the potential consequences of confronting Damon, she shivered. If she fell out with him, he might orchestrate rk''s downfall.

    Even Damon''s parents couldn''t control him.

    Sighing deeply, Cindy quickly left.

    Inside, N maintained a calm demeanor as she looked at Damon.

    "If it''s not just a whim, let me ask you-if I divorce rk, will you marry me?" she inquired.

    Damon frowned and remained silent. Marriage was something he had never seriously considered.

    Seeing his silence, N smiled faintly. "Uncle Damon, I''m almost 30. I don''t have the luxury of time like an 18-year-old. If I divorce rk, my next rtionship will be with the intention of marriage." She wouldn''t spend another eight years helping a man grow.

    With Damon''s status and pride, he would never marry a divorced woman. Besides, she had to deal with Cyrus. There was no future for her and Damon.

    After Damon left, N no longer felt like going for a walk. She yed on her phone for a while before going to sleep.

    Meanwhile, Cindy called rk and asked him toe home after much consideration.

    "Mom, what did you want to talk about?" rk asked, sitting across from her with a puzzled look.

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    Cindy took a deep breath. "Do you know about N and Damon?"

    rk''s expression shifted, and Cindy gnashed her teeth. "So you do know! That woman actually dares to cheat on your

    Hearing Cindy''s harsh words about N, rk furrowed his brow. "Mom, it''s not what you think. This has nothing to do with N. It''s Uncle Damon being presumptuous."

    Cindy sneered. "Presumptuous? Do you think I''m a fool?! If she wasn''t making advances on Damon, would he even notice her?!"

    rk''s face darkened. "If you keep insulting N, I''m leaving right now."

    Seeing him get up to leave, Cindy shouted, "You stop right there!"

    rk ignored her and continued walking. Enraged, Cindy stood in front of the door. "Don''t think you can leave until I''m done talking"

    Observing her unreasonable behavior, rk remained expressionless. "What else do you want to say?" "You''re just going to let her cheat on you with your uncle?" Cindy demanded.

    "I''ve already told you, N doesn''t like Uncle Damon. He''s the one pursuing her," rk replied. Cindy didn''t believe that. Why would Damon be interested in a married woman when he could have anyone he wanted?

    "I don''t care who''s pursuing whom; this can''t just be ignored!" Cindy yelled.

    rk''s impatience showed, and his tone turned icy. "What do you want me to do? Damon knows Jordyn has my child. Do you think making this public will help me?"

    was the best

    hevealing Damon''s interest in N wouldn''t benefit anyone. Maintaining the status quo wa option.

    Cindy ground her teeth. "Are we just going to let them have an affair right under our noses?"

    "Mom, I''ve told you, N doesn''t like Uncle Damon, and I won''t let anything happen between them," rk retorted.

    "How can you be so sure? Have you put a tracker on N?" Cindy questioned.

    Just thinking about N daring to flirt with Damon made Cindy furious. She had known from the start that N was no good!

    "This is my problem. It''s not for you to worry about," rk said.

    Cindy''s face turned red with anger. She had been trying to help, only to be met with such a response!

    *Fine, fine, I''ll mind my own business. You''ve grown wings now and don''t need my interference. Do whatever you want. I won''t interfere, Cindy said, giving up. rk didn''t respond. He pushed past her and left.

    At the door, he ran into Cyrus and greeted him with a long face. "Dad."

    Cyrus, aware that rk had always disliked him, nodded and walked past him into the vi. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Cindy standing in the foyer, looking disappointedly at the door. "What are you doing standing here?" Cyrus asked.

    Upon seeing Cyrus, Cindy''s expression darkened.

    "What else would I be doing? Your son is being cheated on, and you''re asking me that?" she snapped,

    Cyrus glowered, "What''s going on? Exin it clearly!"

    Cindy recounted the conversation she had overheard between Damon and N outside the hospital room, embellishing the details as she went.

    She ended with a cold sneer. "Letting her into the Sumners was the worst decision I''ve ever made!"

    Initially, Cyrus was furious to hear about rk being cheated on. But when he learned it involved Damon, his expression changed.

    He had been struggling to secure funds for thepany, and when he mentioned it to Damon, it seemed that Damon wasn''t inclined to help. If Damon had feelings for N, he could use that to his advantage. If he could get N into Damon''s bed, he might even secure the funds or obtain a subsidiary from Damon!

    Seeing Cyrus''s silence, Cindy demanded, "What are you going to do about this?"

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    Cyrus scowled and spoke in a low voice. "Don''t worry about this. I''ll figure something out." Cindy was momentarily taken aback but then frowned at him. "What are you nning to do?"

    "Just focus on your social gatherings. Leave the rest to me," Cyrus said, walking past her into his study. Once inside, Cyrus pondered for a moment. With Marie''s birthday next month, he realized he could use the asion to his advantage.

    By the time Damon and N were together, he could leverage that situation to threaten Damon into providing the funds he needed.

    With this n in mind, Cyrus sighed in relief. His frustration over theck of funds dissipated.

    To him, women were merely ythings. As long as they served a purpose, he would use them to get what he needed. Even if Damon had feelings for Cindy, Cyrus wouldn''t hesitate to maneuver her into Damon''s bed and deal with the aftermathter.

    As for rk, Cyrus would find him a more suitable marriage partner in the future.

    In the CEO office of Prospectus Technology....

    Spencer noticed Damon frowning and appearing deep in thought as he brought in some documents.

    "Mr. Sumner, these are the documents that need to be handled tonight," Spencer reminded him.

    "Just leave them there," Damon said.

    Spencer nodded, ced the documents down, and turned to leave.

    Just as he reached the door, Damon called out, "Oh, I have a question for

    Spencer turned around. "What is it?"

    r you

    wondered if Damon had noticed any mistakes or oversights in his work that he himself had missed.

    "Do women. all want to get married?" Damon asked.

    Spencer was surprised. He had never imagined that Damon would be interested in such matters. Damon was always focused on advancing thepany, not on personal issues. Since it wasn''t a sudden whim, it must be rted to his recent meeting with N.

    After a brief pause, Spencer replied, "I suppose so. Women''s youth is precious. My ex-girlfriend used to talk about our future together all the time."

    "Why did she be your ex?" Damon asked.

    "Because I didn''t want to get married, and I didn''t want to waste her time," Spencer answered.

    Damon frowned, his tone serious. "Got it. You can go back to work now."

    Once the office fell silent again, Damon''s gaze grew distant. He drummed his fingers absently on the desk. He had never considered marriage before and had no ns to marry anyone.

    To him, the happiness he and his partner shared was sufficient. Although he wanted to be with N, he had no intention of marrying her. After all, a marriage certificate didn''t ensure fidelity-if it did, rk and Cyrus wouldn''t have had affairs.

    He came to understand that while he liked N, marriage was not something he desired with her.

    Weighing the pros and cons, he decided it was better to end the rtionship before his feelings. deepened. He couldn''t offer her what she wanted, and continuing would only cause her further harm. Damon called the internal line and instructed, "Hire a caregiver to look after N at the hospital. Have someone bring her meals every day until she''s discharged."

    Spencer was puzzled by this request but quickly said, "Understood. I''ll take care of it."

    After hanging up, Damon pushed his difort aside and began reviewing the documents.

    For the next few days, neither rk nor Damon visited N at the hospital.

    N found peace of mind in following the doctors and nurses'' advice-going to bed early, getting up early, taking her medication, and changing her dressings on time. Her recovery was progressing smoothly.

    Since her check-up appointment was scheduled at this hospital, she decided to proceed with it as her recovery continued.

    N didn''t trust Cindy, but she was unaware that as soon as she finished her check-up, the information would reach someone else.

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    The other party smirked. "The money will be transferred to you tonight. You know what to do with the

    report."

    "Don''t worry. I understand how things work when money is involved."

    "Pleasure working with you," the other party replied.

    The day before N''s discharge, Pete finally replied to her message.

    N nned to meet him after leaving the hospital, but this time they arranged to meet at a caf¨¦ rather

    than a bar.

    When N saw Pete, she was taken aback. Although it had only been a short whille, Pete was visibly injured-his left hand was in a cast, and he had a crutch beside him.

    "Mr. Monaghan... How did you get hurt? Was it rted to the investigation?" she asked.

    Pete handed her a USB drive and said in a low voice, "Ms. Jayston, this is all I could find. I can''t Investigate further. It''s too dangerous." Noticing Pete''s reluctance to discuss his injuries, N decided not to press the issue. She epted the USB drive with a nod. "Understood. I''ll transfer your payment shortly. Thank you for your hard work during this time. I''m sorry about your injuries," N said. Pete said nothing more. He stood up and added, "Ms. Jayston, I''ll be leaving now."

    Shortly after he departed, he received a notification of a payment. Checking his phone, he saw that N had sent him triple the amount. After a moment of hesitation, he sent her a message.

    Pete. Ms. Jayston, this matter is moreplicated than you think. I advise you to stop investigating. Cherish your peaceful life.]

    Seeing Pete''s message, N pursed her lips.

    This issue involved Cyrus, and the Sumner family''s influence was deeply rooted in the city. Targeting Cyrus would inevitably impact the entire Sumner family. Once the Sumners noticed, they would not let her off easily. She had no means to counter their power.

    N''s grip on the USB drive tightened, her knuckles turning white, but her eyes showed no trace of hesitation.

    The ident had not only bankrupted Harris Pharmaceuticals but had also imed the lives of over 20 workers, devastating their families. Meanwhile, the culprits had escaped justice, living lives of luxury. Why should this be allowed?

    Even if she failed, she had to try with all her might. She could no longer live in ignorance.

    N sent a message.

    N: [Mr. Monaghan, thank you, but this is the only path I have.]

    After sending the message, she paid and went home.

    At the vi, N copied the files from the USB drive to herputer. After reviewing the contents, she decided to focus on Clement.

    Among the evidence Pete had collected were numerous criminal records linked to Clement, who had connections with Cyrus. It appeared Clement had been working behind the scenes for Cyrus all these

    years.

    10. 10.

    After some consideration, N decided to meet with Lucia. Thetter had been the first to suggest that the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident was no ident, so she might have more information.

    N created an encrypted document to store the files and hid the USB drive in the bottom drawer of her vanity, feeling a bit more secure.

    A series of knocks came at the door, followed by a maid''s voice. "Mrs. Sumner, dinner is ready."

    N hummed in response and went downstairs. She saw rk sitting in the dining room with aputer in front of him, engaged in a video call with a subordinate.

    Upon seeing N, rk said, "The meeting will end here. We''ll continue at eight tonight."

    After ending the call, he set theputer aside and looked at N. "I had Michael pick you up today, but he mentioned you were discharged early."

    N hummed and sat down opposite him.

    Soon, a maid brought a bowl of soup and ced it in front of her. "Mrs. Sumner, this was specially made by the kitchen on Mr. Sumner''s orders." "Got it," N replied.

    Noticing her cold demeanor, rk frowned. "Did you get upset because I didn''t pick you up from the hospital?"

 Chapter 184

    "No, why?" N asked.

    Her mind was still preupied with when she would visit Lucia, so she had paid little attention to rk.

    "N, the reason I haven''t visited you these past few days is that I''ve been swamped with work. Uncle Damon deliberately terminated his partnership with the Sumner Group to target me, and I only managed to resolve this issue this evening, rk exined.

    N nodded. "I see."

    rk felt exhausted due to her cold response. He had been getting only four hours of sleep each night due to his busy schedule and looked worn out, but N seemed oblivious, still sulking.

    In the past, rk would have tried to appease her. Now, he didn''t feel like saying anything more. He fell silent, and the dining room was soon filled only with the clinking of cutlery.

    After dinner, rk went straight to his study, while N drove to the police station.

    Lucia''s case had not been decided yet, so she was still in jail. After some time apart, Lucia looked pale and demoralized.

    When N arrived, Lucia''s eyes shed with resentment. "What are you here for? To gloat over my misfortune?

    N''s expression remained calm as she replied, "I''m preparing a letter of leniency. Even if it doesn''t get you off the hook entirely, it may lead to a lighter sentence."

    Lucia hesitated, showing little joy, and looked at N with suspicion. "What''s your angle?"

    "You mentioned somethingst time I visited. I need more details," N said.

    Luels fell silent. She knew Clement and Cyrus were involved but didn''t have specific details. Her earlier

    emarks ad only been meant to cause N pain.

    Seeing Lucia''s troubled expression, N guessed she didn''t know much more and said, "If you don''t know more, then I''m afraid I can''t issue the letter of leniency

    Lucia had nearly caused N''s death. She wouldn''t earn N''s help without providing the necessary. information.

    Seeing N about to leave, Lucia quickly said, "Wait! I know something else!

    "What is it?" N asked.

    "My father has a day each month when he doesn''te home. Also, the golden tiger-head ornament on the third shelf of his study bookshelf can open a hidden room that contains a safe. I''ve tried to open it, but I couldn''t. There might be something very important inside," Lucia revealed.

    N''s expression remained impassive, showing no reaction.

    The information you''ve given is useless. Following him might get me discovered, and I can''t get into his study," she said matter-of-factly.

    Lucia gnashed her teeth and whispered in a tone only they could hear, "I''ve been thinking while locked up.

    The code for the safe in his study is likely your mother''s birthday."

    N frowned, her gaze darkening. "Do you know what you''re saying?"

    The idea that the code to Clement''s safe could be her mother''s birthday seemed absurd.

    Lucia scoffed. "Why do you think I was dressed so simrly to you when we were younger? I was puzzled before but never thought much about it. It''s during my time here that I''ve noticed something amiss." Seeing N''s skepticism, Lucia added, "Believe it or not, but I also know a secret about your mother. If you issue the letter of leniency, I''ll tell you."

    "What secret?" N asked.

    "If I tell you now, will you still issue the letter of leniency?" Lucia retorted.

    N didn''t trust Lucia, and Lucia didn''t trust N either.

    "It''s best if what you''re saying is true. Otherwise, you''ll have to face the consequences," N threatened.

    "Don''t worry. You''ll find that exchanging a letter of leniency for the secret I know is very worthwhile," Lucia promised.

    N didn''t say anything more. She stood up and left.

    Lucia''sment suggested that Clement might have had an interest in her mother. Given that Clement and her parents were university ssmates, N could verify this information with Harrison before deciding whether to make a deal with Lucia.

    N drove to the hospital and headed swiftly toward the inpatient department. She was unaware, though that someone was observing her from a distance.

    Today''s Bonus

 Chapter 185

    Jordyn was surprised to run into N again at the hospital. After a moment''s hesitation, she decided to follow her.

    N, preupied with her own thoughts, didn''t notice that she was being followed.

    By the time N arrived at Harrison''s hospital room, it was already past 9:00 p.m. Only Harrison wast inside.

    "Dad, where''s Wren?" N asked.

    Harrison looked up, surprised to see his daughter. "Why are you here sote? Wren went home to get me some fresh clothes."

    N sat by the bedside, her expression serious. "Dad, I need to ask you something."

    Harrison smiled. "What''s the matter? Why the serious face?"

    "When you, Mom, and Clement were in university, did Clement have a thing for Mom?"

    Harrison frowned. "Did someone say something to you?"

    Seeing his reaction, N was convinced Lucia''s information was correct. "So it''s true?"

    Harrison sighed. "That''s all from many years ago, and your mother and I are divorced now. Why are you asking about this?"

    N paused. After the divorce, N''s mother had quickly gone abroad and had been out of touch ever since.

    "I just need to confirm a few things," she said.

    "N, the past is the past. Focus on your own life now. That''s what matters," Harrison said.

    Ing Harrison''s loving gaze made N''s heart ache. If it hadn''t been for that ident six years ago, he would still be the owner of Harris Pharmaceuticals, not the old man now dependent on his son-inw''s favor.

    "Don''t worry, Dad. I understand. It''s gettingte. I''ll head back now," N replied.

    As N got up to leave, Jordyn quickly stepped into a nearby stairwell to avoid being seen.

    Once the footsteps had faded, Jordyn pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Find out what illness N''s father has."

    When N arrived home, it was already past 10:00 pm

    000

    rk was sitting in the living room, looking displeased. "Where have you been?"

    "I went to visit my dad at the hospital," N replied.

    "That''s it?" rk pressed.

    N changed her shoes and looked up at him. "What else would I be doing? Do you think I went to

    secretly meet Uncle Damon?"

    rk scowled. He had indeed thought so earlier.

    "N, I''m just concerned for you. It''s unsafe for you to be out alone at night. If you wanted to visit your father, you could have asked me toe with you," he said,

    N smiled with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes. "You said you''ve been very busy during dinner. How could I ask you to trouble yourself with my dad?"

    rk rubbed his forehead,

    such a harsh manner? Ny somewhat helpless. "When did we be like this, always talking in

    such a harsh manner? N, we''re supposed to be lovers, not enemies."

    He wanted to resolve their issues, but N never gave him a chance. He wasn''t sure how much longer he could keep trying. His love for her seemed to be wearing thin with every cold remark she made. They had once loved each other deeply-he didn''t want their rtionship to end in animosity.

    Nughed lightly and asked, "rk, don''t you think it''s your fault we''ve be this way?"

    She had given him her heart for eight years, only to end up betrayed. How did he have the nerve to question why they had grown apart?

    Before rk could respond, his phone rang. Upon seeing Jordyn''s name on the screen, his gaze froze.

    N saw the name too, and her smile turned into a mocking smirk as she walked past him.

    rk tensed, wanting to stop her but clenching his fists instead. He didn''t answer the call until N disappeared down the hallway. "What''s up?" he asked.

    Jordyn began, "rk, something happened to my dad. Can you-".

    "No. Jordyn, I''m not your husband. I have no obligation to clean up your family''s mess!" rk cut her off.

 Chapter 186

    The phone was silent for a few seconds before Jordyn''s voice, trembling with tears, broke through. "I know, but I don''t know who else to turn to... I''m sorry Fll find a way myself and won''t bother you anymore With that, Jordyn hung up.

    rk furrowed his brow, frustration surging within him. He appreciated Jordyn''s gentle and understanding nature, but he didn''t want to be entangled with her family. If he got involved now, they''de to him with every problem in the future. He wasn''t running a charity.

    However, considering that she was still carrying his child, he felt he should at least help handle the situation.

    After a moment of hesitation, rk finally put on his suit jacket and left.

    Upstairs, after N finished her shower, she heard the sound of a car engine starting outside. Pausing mid -motion, she walked to the window and saw rk''s car driving away.

    She drew her gaze back, dried her hair, andpleted her skincare routine before going to bed.

    When rk arrived at the hospital, he found Jordyn sitting outside the operating room, trembling uncontrobly. Beside her sat a middle-aged woman, her face etched with worry, her hair streaked with gray- clearly someone worn down by a hard life.

    rk approached and asked coldly, "What''s going on?"

    Jordyn looked up with red, tear-filled eyes and instinctively threw herself into his arms. "rk... He had an ident while bringing me something... The doctors say it''s very serious. I''m so scared..." rk frowned, patting her back. "Calm down. Let''s wait until the surgery is over."

    my dad....

    uest then, an angry voice echoed. "What are you doing?!"

    rk and Jordyn turned to see Harrison storming toward them, his face red with fury.

    Wren, who was behind him, tried to hold him back but failed.

    Harrison reached rk and pped him hard across the face.

    rk didn''t flinch, though the p left a clear mark.

    Jordyn was taken aback. "rk..."

    Harrison''s face flushed with anger, his whole body trembling. "rk, how did you promise me you would treat my daughter when you married her? And now, here you are with another woman, hugging andforting her in the middle of the night. How can you face my daughter?"

    He had been puzzled about why N had been so dejectedtely and had moved out on her own. It all made sense now. rk was cheating!

    The thought of N suffering so much while still putting on a brave face and hiding her pain made Harrison''s heart ache.

    "Dad, it''s not what you think. Let me exin," rk pleaded.

    Harrison''s eyes were icy. "I''ll call N over. You can exin everything to us in front of her!"

    Harrison began to dial N with trembling hands, but rk snatched the phone away.

    "Dad, I know you''re angry. She''s my secretary. Her father is having surgery right now. I was justforting her," rk said, trying to sound convincing.

    rk needed to find a way to calm Harrison down, or else he''d be left without any support if N decided to divorce him.

    Harrison wasn''t buying it.

    What kind of employer would visit the hospital in the middle of the night tofort his secretary while her father was in surgery? And why would he be hugging her instead of simply talking to her?

 Chapter 187

    Besides, Harrison had never seen a secretary who dared to address her employer by name.

    "rk, I may be old, but I''m not a fool! Do you think that just because the Jaystons are down, we''ll put up with whatever you do to my daughter?"

    rk frowned. "Dad, you''re not well. Let me take you back to your room so we can talk this through."

    He reached out to help Harrison, but thetter pushed him away. "Don''t touch me! Give me back my phone. I told you to call N over. You will exin everything to her face-to-face!" "Dad, this is a matter of life and death. Can''t you stop making a scene?" rk said.

    Seeing the impatience in rk''s eyes, Harrison sneered. "I must have been blind to your true nature! Don''t bother calling me ''Dad'' anymore. I''ll make sure N divorces you."

    With that Harrison turned and walked away. After just a few steps, he suddenly copsed and lost consciousness.

    N was awakened by the phone ringing in the middle of the night.

    By the time she hurried to the hospital, it was after 1:00 am.

    "Wren, what happened? Why did Dad suddenly faint? And why is rk here?"

    Wren scoffed. "You should ask him yourself. He was just caught hugging andforting that woman in front of your father,"

    Had she known it would turn out like this, she wouldn''t have called Harrison out for a walk when he couldn''t sleep.

    When they reached the small garden downstairs, they saw rk rushing into the hospital building. Harrison, worried that something had happened to N, had followed, only to witness the scene.

    N turned to rk, her eyes icy. "rk, is it really that hard for you to control yourself? You had to be out there hugging Jordyn? How can you still have the nerve?"

    rk was already boiling with frustration, and N''s usations only made his gaze turn colder. Jordyn''s father is in surgery. I saw her distress and was just trying tofort her,"

    N snickered. "When my father was in surgery, you wouldn''t evene to apany meeting. But now. that Jordyn''s father is having surgery, you''re rushing to the hospital in the middle of the night tofort her.

    "If you care about her so much, I''ll make sure you get what you want. I''ll personally tell your grandparents about Jordyn''s pregnancy tomorrow morning"

    rk''s face darkened. "How dare you?!"

    If she revealed this to Richard, he''d be forced out of the Sumner Group.

    "You''re being so obvious. Even if I don''t say anything, it won''t stay hidden for long. I''m tired. Let''s just end this," N said.

 Chapter 188

    Before N could say anything, Wren suddenly grabbed her hand. "N, you know how much your father has suffered from being in the hospital all these years. If we can arrange a kidney donation, he can be discharged soon..."

    Seeing the urgency in Wren''s gaze, N felt a wave of bitterness.

    From the moment rk used the kidney to pressure her, she felt defeated. She couldn''t just watch her father die. She had no choice but to pretend nothing had happened.

    Noticing N''s nk expression, Wren, desperate, continued. "Please, just consider it a favor for me. If you agree, I''ll even get on my knees for you."

    Wren began to kneel in front of her.

    N quickly helped her up and said, "Wren, I know what I need to do."

    "Thank you... I''m sorry..." Wren said, almost in tears with relief. She then noticed N''s pale face and tried to keep her own emotions in check.

    Turning to rk, N said coldly. "You should go. When Dad wakes up, I''ll exin everything to him so he doesn''t think you were unfaithful during our marriage." rk stepped forward to hug her, ignoring her resistance, and whispered in her ear, "N, if I''m not here with you, your father won''t believe it when he wakes up!"

    N took a deep breath, fought the urge to push him away, and turned her face coldly to the side without saying a word.

    rk smiled with satisfaction, his eyes shing with coldness. It seemed that Harrison''s kidney tansnt would have to be dyed. Otherwise, how could he keep N under his thumb?

    Not far away, Jordyn saw rk embracing N and was furious. She vowed not to let N have it easy!

    Recalling rk and N''s conversation about the kidney donation, Jordyn suddenly had an idea and quickly left.

    It wasn''t until dawn that Harrison woke up. Upon seeing rk and N together, his first words were to

    demand a divorce.

    N, seeing his agitation and fearing another fainting spell, hurried to his bedside and said softly, "Dad, you misunderstood what happenedst night. That woman is a good friend of mine. I was just having stomach pain, so I asked rk toe over."

    Harrison looked at N with disappointment in his eyes. "N, are you also going to lie to me? Even though the Jaystons are bankrupt, I don''t want you to be unhappy in your marriage. I only wish for you to be happy. Do you understand?"

    How could N not understand?

    When she was a child, Harrison always made time for her, no matter how busy he was.

    In the absence of her mother, Harrison showered her with double the love, treating her like a princess. He often said that his greatest wish was for her to live freely and happily. Nothing else mattered.

    N took a deep breath and looked at Harrison. "Dad, he''s someone I love. I''m happy with him, andst night''s situation was truly a misunderstanding."

    Harrison frowned, about to speak, but Wren quickly added, "It''s okay, Harrison. When you were unconscious, N and rk exined everything to me. It really was a misunderstanding. They''re fine, don''t be so suspicious."

    SO

    "Really?" Harrison''s frown softened. Since Wren was also saying it was a misunderstanding, he began to doubt whether he had misjudged rk after all.

    "Of course it''s true. The two of them were so frightened when they saw you faint. They stayed in the hospital all night. Don''t make things harder for them. "N, you and rk should go get some rest," Wren said.

    N nodded. "Dad, rk has to go to workter. We''lle back to see you another time."

    With that, she took rk''s hand and left the room.

 Chapter 189

    As they reached the elevator, N''s expression turned cold. "You can go be with Jordyn. I''m heading

    home to rest."

    rk frowned. "I''ll take you home. You haven''t slept all night. I''m worried."

    N smiled, her gaze filled with sarcasm. "Isn''t Jordyn''s father in surgery? Shouldn''t you be more concerned about that?"

    "N, no one is more important to me than you," rk insisted.

    N looked at him. His eyes still held affection, but she no longer felt any warmth toward him.

    "Don''t say things like that. The more lies you tell, the more you end up believing them yourself," she said. Before rk could respond, a choked voice came from behind them. "rk... my dad..."

    rk turned to see Jordyn with tears in her eyes, looking as if she might break down at any moment. His hands tightened into fists without him realizing.

    N, noticing his reaction, chuckled. As the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside without a backward nce. She had no interest in fighting over a cheating man with another woman. "What''s wrong with him?" rk asked.

    The doctor said. his kidney has ruptured... H-He needs a transnt..." Jordyn sobbed.

    "What?" rk turned sharply to look at N, but she was already gone. His eyes were filled with coldness when he saw that the elevator had reached the ground floor.

    rk wondered if he shouldmend N for herposure, as she had managed to walk away so calmly despite Jordyn''s distress.

    Jordyn''s sobbing sounds brought him back to reality. He turned to see her wiping her tears and felt a surge of frustration.

    "Howe he suddenly needs a kidney transnt?" he questioned.

    Jordyn choked on her tears. "It''s not just the kidney. Other organs are also damaged, though not as severely. The kidney is the most critical... rk, what should I do? If my dad dies, our family will be ruined

    rk understood that Jordyn''s family background was modest. Her parents were farmers, and she had a younger brother still in high school. Their ie came primarily from farming. Her father''s death would Indeed be a devastating blow.

    rk''s gaze darkened as he thought about the kidney originally intended for Harrison. He had nned to dy Harrison''s transnt but had not considered giving the kidney to someone else. However, seeing Jordyn so distraught, he felt a pang of sympathy. "I''ll see what I can do about the kidney, but I can''t guarantee I''ll find one."

    Jordyn''s eyes widened in shock, her expression filled with gratitude. "Really? Thank you! rk, I don''t know how to thank you... If you can find a kidney, you''ll be our family''s savior!"

    Her gratitude and emotional reaction satisfied rk''s ego as a man, almost making him promise to find a kidney immediately. Jordyn''s reaction seemed more genuinepared to N''s distant and cold demeanor after her thank-you.

    The more rk thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. Apart from his infidelity, he felt he hadn''t done much wrong, yet N had condemned him without a chance to exin.

    Seeing rk''s grim expression and deep in thought, Jordyn lowered her gaze and remained silent. rk''sck of a direct refusal indicated there was still room for negotiation. She was determined that Harrison would not receive the kidney.

    Jordyn needed to ensure the situation pushed N into despair, creating an irreparable rift between her and rk.

 Chapter 190

    When

    N returned home, she messaged HR to request a day off and slept until nearly noon. Upon checking her phone, she noticed several missed calls and a text message.

    can

    [Ms. Jayston, your medical report is ready. Our staff tried calling you but couldn''t reach you. You o either pick up a hard copy at the hospital''s medical office or call us back to receive an electronic version. Have a great day!]

    N immediately called the hospital to request an electronic copy of the report. As she opened it, her heart sank.

    The result was devastating-she was indeed infertile.

    Her

    eyes filled with tears, not because of rk, but because her dream of having her own child seemed impossible. She might never be able to be a mother.

    Her phone slipped from her hand as she covered her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

    After an unknown amount of time, she finally calmed down.

    Taking a deep breath, she washed her face and decided to visit another hospital for a second opinion soon. If the infertility was confirmed, she would have to ept it and n her future ordingly. After a quick bite, she went to work.

    As N parked her car and approached the elevator, she heard footsteps and Spencer''s voice.

    "Mr. Sumner, here''s this afternoon''s schedule for you," Spencer said.

    N turned slightly and met Damon''s dark eyes.

    Sumner, Mr. Hogg," she greeted.

    Damon''s ze lingered briefly on N''s red eyes and tired face before moving away.

    "How are you feeling? If you haven''t fully recovered, you can take more time off," he reminded her.

    Noticing his cold demeanor, N guessed that her words at the hospital had made an impact. At that moment, however, she was preupied with something else, so she didn''t focus on Damon''s attitude. She lowered her gaze and said softly. "The wound has mostly healed, so staying at home isn''t necessary."

    Damon hummed in response and said nothing more.

    Spencer, observing the chilly interaction, was surprised. Had they had a falling out?

    The elevator arrived.

    N stepped inside. When she saw that Damon didn''t follow, she asked, "Mr. Sumner, aren''t youing?" Damon calmly replied, "I left a document in the car. You go ahead."

    "Okay," N said.

    As the elevator doors closed, Spencer looked at Damon in confusion. "Mr. Sumner, what document? Should I go get it?"

    Damon pressed the elevator button. "No need. It''s not an important document. I''ll get it next time."

    Spencer was about to mention that an extra trip would be troublesome, but he suddenly realized that Damon wasn''t missing any document-he was clearly avoiding N.

    He couldn''t understand why Damon''s attitude toward N had changed so drastically. Was it because of the marriage discussion? If so, it made sense.

    Damon had always been indifferent to marriage, rejecting all of Marie''s matchmaking efforts. He could be in a rtionship, but he had no intention of marrying.

    It seemed Spencer no longer needed to worry about Damon''s interest in his niece-inw affecting thepany''s stock price.

    When N entered theb, Melody, who was preparing solutions, brightened up upon seeing her.

    "N, you''re back?" she asked.

    N nodded and approached her. "Continue with what you''re doing. I''ll change into myb coat ande help."

    "Sure!" Melody chirped.

    After putting on herb coat, N joined Melody and reviewed the experiment log. Satisfied that Melody was following her previous instructions, she set the log aside and began working on the experiment. Having not seen N for a while and being alone in theb, Melody was eager to chat. "N, the news about you saving Mr. Sumner has spread around thepany. Now everyone''s saying that you and Mr. Sumner are dating."

    ot worth your

    N paused, then replied without much emotion, "Don''t worry about those rumors. They''re not

    attention

 Chapter 191

    Melody nced at N, hesitated for a moment, but kept her thoughts to herself. When the attack urred, she had been too slow to react, but N had immediately rushed to Damon''s side, shielding him from the blow.

    Melody had a vague sense that N''s feelings for Damon might be different. However, since they only exchanged greetings at thepany and never showed signs of closeness, she wasn''t sure about their rtionship.

    Lost in thought, Melody was jolted back to the present by N''s serious tone. "There''s a leak in the filter paper. Didn''t you notice?"

    Melody snapped back to reality and looked down, spotting a hole in the bottom of the filter paper. The solution had leaked through and contaminated the previously filtered liquid, meaning they would need to

    start over.

    "I am sorry, N. I didn''t notice," Melody apologized.

    "There''s no need to apologize. Just be more careful when doing experiments. If you can''t focus, take a break," N replied calmly.

    The experiment they were conducting was rtively low-risk, so a moment of distraction wasn''t a big deal. However, N knew that in future organic experiments, anyck of focus could lead to dangerous situations, potentially causing explosions with serious consequences.

    Melody nodded quickly. "I''ll make sure it doesn''t happen again."

    N didn''t say anything more and continued with her work.

    Soon, the workday came to an end. As N was gathering her things to leave, she received a call from Vrie, inviting her to dinner.

    They met at the restaurant, and Vrie frowned when she saw N. "Has something happened recently? You look so worn out."

    N didn''t want to worry Vrie, so she shook her head. "No. I''ve just been a bit tired from work."

    "Well, a big dinner tonight will be a nice treat," Vrie said, trying to lift her spirits.

    Seeing Vrie''s enthusiasm, N smiled. "Okay."

    After they were seated and had ordered their food, Vrie asked, "By the way, has Tom or Jacqueline caused you any troubletely?"

    "No, but Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group have teamed up to terminate contracts with the Sumner Group and Prospectus Technology, causing significant losses," N replied.

    "Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group have probably suffered more. Prospectus Technology and the Sumner Group have started to retaliate, and many partners are terminating contracts with them. Tom and Jacqueline''s situation must be quite tough now," Vrie added.

    Vrie''s family owned a moderately-sizedpany, so she kept up with business news.

    N''s expression remained neutral. "Even if it''s tough, it''s their fault."

    Vrie snorted. "They got what they deserved. But I bet Jacqueline wille looking for you soon. Don''t

    go soft on her."

    If Vrie had been at the party, she would have torn Jacqueline apart.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t," N replied.

    Jacqueline had set her up at the party, and now Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group were using contract terminations to pressure the Sumners into coercing her to apologize.

    N knew that if she forgave Jacqueline, she''d be a fool.

    After dinner, Vrie dragged N out for some shopping.

    Noticing that Vrie was more focused on picking out clothes for her than for herself, N couldn''t help but smile-"Vrie, are you nning to buy me clothes?

    Vrie picked up a red strapless gown and nodded. "Yes. Don''t you remember? Your birthday ising

    up soon."

    N was momentarily stunned before recalling that her birthday was indeed approaching. With everything going on, she had forgotten about it.

    Since being with rk, they had always spent their birthdays together as a couple. He probably wouldn''t remember this year.

    "I''ve been too busytely," N said.

    Vrie frowned. "Has rk forgotten as well?"

    "I''m not sure, but given our current situation, celebrating together doesn''t seem appropriate," N

    reasoned.

    une sighed but didn''t press further. She knew N''s personality well enough to understand that once she discovered rk''s infidelity, she would never reconcile with him. As for N moving back, she didn''t ask any more questions. Even close friends shouldn''t pry too much.

    "Alright, I''ll celebrate for you. I''ll buy you this dress today, and on your birthday, I''ll have a surprise for you!"

    Vrie enthused.

 Chapter 192

    N''s eyes widened in surprise. "What kind of surprise?

    "If I tell you now, it won''t be a surprise, will it?" Vrle countered.

    "Alright then," N conceded.

    After N and Vrie finished shopping and were about to leave, they unexpectedly ran into Jordyn and Cindy, who were also shopping and carrying multiple bags.

    "What are you doing out shoppingte at night instead of staying home? That dress you''re holding-you couldn''t afford it even if you worked a whole year. My son works hard for his money, and you don''t do anything to help him except spend it all," Cindy scolded.

    Cindy''s gaze at N was almost burning with anger. If Vrie hadn''t been there, Cindy would have been even harsher, especially given N''s affair with Damon,

    Vrie hadn''t expected Cindy to be so harsh toward N in public. She sneered and was about to speak. when N interjected, "Mrs. Sumner, it appears that the money you and Ms. Cheatham are spending alsoes from rk. While it''s understandable for you to use his funds, I have the right to reim any money spent by Ms. Cheatham."

    Cindy and Jordyn looked offended.

    "N, I''m more than willing to spend money on Jordyn. If you had a child, I''d spend money on you too!" Cindy scoffed.

    N smiled, showing no concern. "Since Ms. Cheatham likes having children so much, she should have more. Otherwise, the Sumner fortune will have no heir.

    "You!" Cindy was furious. She hadn''t expected N to be so bold in public.

    "Apologize immediately, or I''ll call rk toe and teach you the Sumner rules himself," Cindy threatened.

    Nyia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is it the Sumner rules for the husband to have an affair and father a child outside of marriage while the mother-inw openly shops with the mistress and mocks the rightful spouse?"

    "I didn''t expect you to be so sharp-tongued. If I had known you were like this, I would never have let rk marry you!" Cindy hissed.

    "Mrs. Sumner, discussing past grievances won''t help. It only shows that you''re powerless against me now,

    N said tly.

    Cindy was so enraged that she nearly copsed. Each of N''s words drove her to fury

    to silence her immediately.

    N ignored Cindy and pulled Vrie away.

    and she wanted

    Once they were out of the mall, Vrie couldn''t help butin, "Is your mother-inw out of her mind? If you hadn''t stopped me, I would''ve definitely let her have it." N''s expression remained calm. "She''s always like that. Just ignore her."

    "I''m really fed up Doesn''t rk do anything about it? Vrie asked.

    "He''s too busy focusing on acquiring thepany shares to care about this kind of thing." N replied

    She no longer had any expectations of him, so she wasn''t upset.

    Vrie sighed and said no more. After all, it was N''s marriage. If she didn''t want to leave, she must have her reasons.

    By the time N got home, it was already past 10.00 pm.

    rk hadn''t returned yet, so she went straight to her bedroom to shower and get ready for bed

    Just after finishing drying her hair, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

    She opened the door. "What''s up?"

    "I heard about what happened tonight from my mom. It won''t happen again," rk promised.

    It seemed Cindy hadined to rk.

    N nodded. "Got it. If that''s all, I''m going to bed."

    Upon noticing her coldness, rk''s eyes dimmed.

    After a few seconds of silence, he said quietly, "I''ll be on a business trip tomorrow, so I might not make it back for your birthday. Let me know what you want as a gift, and I''ll get it ready in advance." In the past, no matter how busy he was, he would always clear his schedule to be with N on her

    birthday.

    Today''s Bonus Of

 Chapter 193

    +25 DONUS

    rk had recently faced numerous issues with the Sumner Group, and as CEO, he had to prioritizepany matters

    I

    N wasn''t disappointed at all. She lowered her gaze and said, "I don''t really want anything. It''s okay if you don''t get me a gift."

    rk frowned. "Then I''ll just get what I had in mind."

    "Alright," Nplied.

    They fell into silence. rk looked at her, hoping she would tell him to take care as she used to before his business trips, but she kept her eyes down and said nothing Eventually, he stopped expecting anything from her.

    "I still have some work to finish. Get some rest early," he said.

    With that, he turned and left.

    Back in his study, he had just settled in when he received a call from Michael.

    "Mr. Sumner, I checked, and Ms. Cheatham''s father does indeed need a kidney transnt. However, there isn''t a suitable donor yet, so he''s still in the ICU," Michael informed him, "I understand. Have someone look for a kidney donation," rk instructed.

    "Okay," Michael replied.

    After hanging up, rk considered the situation and decided to reserve the kidney for Harrison. After all, N was more important to him.

    The next morning, as soon as N arrived at thepany, she was stopped by Jacqueline.

    "Ms Jayston, we need to talk," Jacqueline said.

    N was a bit surprised. Vrie had mentioned the night before that Jacqueline mighte to see her, but she didn''t expect to be confronted at thepany entrance so soon,

    "We don''t really have anything to talk about," she told Jacqueline.

    N tried to walk past Jacqueline, but thetter persistently followed her.

    "Ms. Jayston, it was indeed my fault at the banquet. I apologize again. Could you please speak to Mr. Sumner and ask him to go easy on Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group?" Jacqueline requested. Previously, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group had teamed up to terminate their contracts with the Sumner Group.

    The Sumner Group had not responded, and without sending N to apologize, they subsequently terminated their contracts with Prospectus Technology as well-only to be deceived by them. Now, Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group had lost several major contracts, their market value had

    plummeted by hundreds of millions, and it continued to decline.

    With no other options, Jacqueline hade to beg N for help.

    N regarded her coldly. "If I''m not mistaken, it was Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group that terminated their contracts with Prospectus Technology.

    "I have no shares or position at Prospectus Technology, merely a regr employee. Do you really believe I have enough influence to persuade Mr. Sumner to go easy on Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group?"

    Jacqueline gritted her teeth. N clearly had no intention of assisting her. Nevertheless, her father had warned her before she came that, regardless of how difficult N might be, she had to ask for help. She forced a smile. "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner is your uncle, and he stood up for you at the banquet. If you''re willing to persuade him, he''ll definitely agree."

    N found this amusing. Jacqueline had previously plotted against her, and now she sought her help? Was she trying to treat her like a fool?

    "I don''t think our rtionship is close enough for me to speak on your behalf to Mr. Sumner. Isn''t Ms. Hulle your good friend? Instead of wasting time with me, you should ask her. She''ll definitely be able to assist you," N said, brushing past Jacqueline and leaving.

    Jacqueline stared at N''s retreating figure, filled with humiliation and anger. She had humbled herself to beg N, only to be dismissed so coldly.

    That bitch!

    Once Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group emerged from this crisis, she would make sure to pay N back!

    In a parked Maybach nearby, Damon said coldly. "Warn the Rainfords to stop harassing N. Otherwise, they''ll face the consequences."

 Chapter 194

    "Understood!" Spencer replied but then turned back to look at him, his expression hesitant

    "Is there something else?" Damon asked.

    "It''s not a big deal... It''s just... With Ms. Jayston''s birthdaying up, should we prepare a gift for her?" Spencer asked.

    Damon frowned, his gaze showing irritation. "What does her birthday have to do with me?"

    Spencer quickly shook his head. "No, nothing.

    "In the future, you don''t need to report anything about her to me. Professionally, she''s just an employee from Park Pharmaceuticals. Personally, she''s my niece-inw, We need to keep our distance," Damon rified,

    Spencer lowered his head. "Understood, Mr. Sumner."

    Back at home, Jacqueline was fuming.

    After learning that N had refused to help, Jacqueline''s father, Byron Rainford, scolded her and instructed her to keep trying until N agreed to assist.

    She was burning with frustration. Given N''s attitude that morning, continuing seemed pointless.

    While she was brooding, she suddenly received a call from Erin.

    Knowing what Jacqueline had been through that morning, Erin invited her out for a shopping spree to cheer her up.

    When they met, Jacqueline vented her frustration.

    Erin listened sympathetically. "It''s clear that N is holding a grudge from the banquet. I didn''t expect her to be s. petty."

    Jacqueline gritted her teeth. "The thought of having to beg her makes me sick."

    "Isn''t Tom helping you?" Erin asked.

    Although Gen Pharma suffered significant losses, Tom was supported by his family background. He could resolve the issues facing both Gen Pharma and the Rainford Group with a simple visit home.

    At the mention of Tom, Jacqueline''s face darkened. "Don''t bring him up. He''s been avoiding metely. I bet that bitch Vrie said something to him!"

    Upon recalling Tom''sment that he now saw her as just a sister, Jacqueline''s anger red. She couldn''t believe Tom wanted to marry Vrie!

    Erin narrowed her eyes. "Aren''t you nning to win him back? Are you just going to watch him with Vrie?"

    "Of course not. However, with the Rainford Group in such a dire situation, I can''t keep chasing after him," Jacqueline replied.

    Erin sighed. "You''re putting the cart before the horse. As long as you''re with Tom, the Genge Group will likely cooperate with the Rainford Group because of his influence. The Genge Group is just as significant as the Sumner Group."

    Jacqueline''s eyes lit up. Right, if she could secure Tom she''d also secure the Genges behind him.

    Seeing that Jacqueline was considering her advice, Erin added, "What you need to focus on now is driving Vrie away from Tom, not begging N."

    Jacqueline nodded. "Erin, you''re right! I know what I need to do now!"

    A week passed quickly, and soon it was N''s birthday

    As soon as she arrived at work that morning, she received a message from Vrie.

    Vrie: [Come to Room 302 on the third floor of Hyphen Hotel after work. I have a surprise for you.]

    N couldn''t help but smile.

    N: [Okay.]

    Later in the evening, just before getting off work, rk transferred 1,340,000 dors to her along with an apology note.

    rk: [N, sorry I can''t make it back. I''ve asked my assistant to send a cake and a gift home. Happy Birthday!] N read the message with a neutral expression, did not reply, and chose not to ept the money.

    After cleaning up theb equipment, she changed out of herb coat and left the office.

    Halfway there, she received a call from Vrie asking how far away she was.

    "There''s some traffic, so I''ll probably be there in about half an hour," N said.

    "Alright, I''ll wait for you," Vrie replied.

    Finally, N arrived at the hotel around 7:00 p.m. She paid the cab fare and was about to enter the hotel when suddenly a shadow fell from above,nding right in front of her. N froze in shock.

    When she saw that it was Vrie, her eyes widened in disbelief as she shouted, "Vrie!"

 Chapter 195

    N rushed over to Vrie, but in her panic, she stumbled and fell beside her.

    Vrie''s eyes were closed, her clothes torn and ragged, and her face bore visible handprints.

    Seeing the blood pooling beneath Vrie, N finally remembered to call for emergency help. Her hands shook as she fumbled with her phone, dialing several times before finally getting through.

    With a trembling voice, she reported that someone had fallen from a building, choking up as she provided the address.

    After hanging up, N dared not touch Vrie. She trembled uncontrobly, tears streaming down her face.

    Vrie hade here to celebrate her birthday. If something happened to her, N would never forgive herself.

    Nearby, a ck Maybach was stopped at a red light.

    Noticing the crowd gathered around the hotel, Spencer nced over curiously and then frowned.

    He spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, the person in the center of the crowd appears to be Ms. Jayston-"

    Before he finished speaking, the sound of a car door opening came from behind.

    Spencer turned in surprise to see Damon swiftly crossing the street.

    For the first time, N felt time dragging on endlessly. With each passing second, it seemed like Vrie''s breathing grew fainter.

    In her daze, she was transported back six years to when Harrison Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt and Harrison had coughed up blood and copsed in front of her.

    The ringing in her ears grew deafening. She covered her ears, her already pale face now nearly colorless.

    "N... N!" A deep voice pulled her back from the darkness.

    N looked up, her gaze slowly focusing. The moment she saw Damon, she grabbed his hand desperately, as if he were a lifeline.

    "M-Mr. Sumner, c-can you help me? Vrie fell from the building. I-I called for an ambnce, but it''s been so long, and t-they still haven''t arrived..." she stuttered, Damon frowned. "Don''t panic. I''ll handle it."

    Within five minutes of Damon making the phone call, the ambnce arrived. The paramedics assessed Vrie''s condition and quickly ced her on a stretcher and into the ambnce.

    In the ambnce, N shakily asked the paramedic about Vrie''s condition.

    The paramedic said solemnly, "She needs surgery. We can''t be sure of the specifics yet."

    Upon reaching the nearest hospital, Vrie was immediately rushed into surgery.

    Seeing N staring intently at the operating room, Damon pulled her aside and said softly, "Don''t worry.

    she''ll be fine."

    N covered her face, tears slipping through her fingers. It''s all my fault. If it weren''t for celebrating my birthday, she wouldn''t have fallen."

    Noting her distress, Damon gently removed her hands from her face and forced her to look at him.

    Isn''t your

    fault. No one wanted this to happen. I''ll make sure we find out exactly what happened.

    Vrie was an adult. She wouldn''t just fall from a building without a reason. Either someone had pushed her, or the situation was so dire that she had had to justip. Regardless, this was no ident. "Yes, call the police..." N murmured as she fumbled for her phone.

    Before she could unlock it, arge hand grasped her wrist.

    "I''ll take care of this. Your job right now is to stay calm. Don''t be afraid. Vrie will be fine," Damon reassured her.

    N''s frantic heart began to settle as she looked into Damon''s calm eyes. "I understand. Thank you"

    Seeing her calm down a bit, Damon released his grip, moved aside, and called Spencer to review the hotel''s surveince footage to determine what had happened before Vrie''s fall.

    Soon, Spencer called back, "Mr. Sumner, the hotel''s surveince cameras were down an hour before Ms. Weir fell. We haven''t been able to find anything."

 Chapter 196

    Damon''s expression darkened as he said coldly, "Then check the surveince footage around the hotel." "Understood. I''ll get on it right away," Spencer replied.

    After ending the call, Damon approached N. She spoke in a hoarse voice. "What''s the update? Have you figured out what happened?"

    *Not yet, but it should be soon," Damon answered.

    N nodded, lowering her gaze. "Uncle Damon, I''m really grateful for your help today. It''s gettingte, so you should go back. I''ll stay here."

    Damon looked at her. She was staring down, her hands tightly clenched, and her body still trembling. He remained silent for a moment before sitting down beside her. "I''ll stay with you," he said firmly.

    N said nothing more, silently praying that Vrie would be okay.

    Soon, Vrie''s parents arrived after hearing the news. When they learned that Vrie had fallen while going to celebrate N''s birthday, Phoebe Shersby, Vrie''s mother, turned icy. "I''m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Weir..." N apologized.

    Phoebe, filled with anger, raised her hand to p N. Just as her hand was in the air, it was grabbed firmly.

    Facing Damon''s cold and intimidating gaze, Phoebe flinched, and a hint of fear rose in her heart.

    "Mrs. Weir, I understand your anxiety given the situation with Ms. Weir, but that doesn''t give you the right tosh out at others," Damon said.

    Seeing Damon standing in front of her, N spoke softly. "Uncle Damon, I''m okay. This happened because of me..."

    Damon turned to her, his voice stern. "Be quiet."

    Under his icy stare, N fell silent, not daring to speak further.

    Vrie''s father, Jonathan Weir, quickly pulled Phoebe back as he noticed Damon''s barely contained anger. "We don''t have all the details yet. You need to calm down."

    "How can I stay calm when my daughter''s life is uncertain?" Phoebe cried.

    Jonathan frowned. "This was clearly aimed at Vrie. Even if she hadn''t gone to celebrate N''s birthday, the attacker would have found another opportunity."

    If N had been the target, the assants would likely have waited for her to arrive at the hotel. However, Vrie hadn''t made any recent enemies. Could the attack be rted to Jonathan''s business rivals? Phoebe remained silent, her gaze fixed on N with open hostility.

    The Weirs sat opposite N and Damon, a heavy silence settling over them. The hallway was eerily quiet.

    After what felt like an eternity, the light above the operating room door finally extinguished.

    They rushed to find the doctor.

    Jonathan was the first to speak, his voice urgent. "Doctor, how is my daughter?"

    The doctor removed his mask, his expression grave. "The wounds have been treated, and bleeding has stopped. However, she sustained a head injury during the fall. We cannot determine when she will regain

    consciousness."

    Phoebe''s knees buckled, and she would have copsed had Jonathan not caught her.

    Her voice choked with emotion, she asked, "What do you mean you can''t determine when she''ll wake up? Will my daughter... be in aa?"

    The doctor shook his head. "We cannot say for certain at this time. We will monitor her in the intensive care unit for three days. If she does not awaken after that, the possibility of a vegetative state increases significantly

    "Doctor, please, you must save my daughter. She''s so young..." Phoebe sobbed.

    "That will depend on her own strength, the doctor replied.

    Disbelief etched on her face, N involuntarily stepped back. Vrie would be possiblyatose? How could she fathom that someone she had spoken to just hours ago might end up in such a state? Seeing the guilt and anguish in N''s eyes, Damon realized the depth of her remorse and regret. His frown deepened, revealing his concern.

    After Vrie was transferred to the ICU, N followed. Upon seeing her, Phoebe lunged at N in a frenzied attempt to strike her.

    Jonathan intervened swiftly, but not before N''s face bore the mark of a stinging p, a crimson handprint on her pale skin. Tony''s Bonus Offer

 Chapter 197

    Damon''s gaze turned icy as if he could kill with a stare.

    Phoebe felt a pang of guilt under his harsh scrutiny. However, as she gazed at her daughter in the ICU, uncertain of her fate, her anger reignited.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m not afraid of you. After all, my daughter is in this state. What do I have to lose?" she stated boldly.

    N stepped forward, looking up at Damon. "Uncle Damon, it''s natural for Mrs. Weir to be upset. She''s Vrie''s mother. I''m fine."

    Jonathan sighed and turned to N. "Ms. Jayston, you should go home for now. I''ll let you know if Vrie improves."

    Although N longed to stay, she realized her presence would only add to the tension.

    "Okay," she agreed.

    N took onest nce at Vrie through the ss, took a deep breath, and turned to leave. Instead of going home, she found a quiet bench in the hospital lobby. "Uncle Damon, you should go back now," she suggested.

    Damon stood firm. "And you?"

    "I''m staying here tonight. I won''t be able to sleep at home anyway." N replied.

    Staying there would ensure she would be immediately informed of any change in Vrie''s condition.

    "I''ll have someone watch over things and notify you immediately if Vrie wakes up. But staying here. won''t help. Come back with me," Damon insisted.

    N shook her head. "Uncle Damon, it''s okay. You''ve already done so much for me tonight. I-" Before she could finish, Damon unexpectedly bent down and scooped her up.

    Startled, N instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck

    As he carried her toward the hospital exit, she protested, ''Uncle Damon, put me down. Even if you take me back, I''ll juste back hereter."

    Damon remained silent, his expression grim as he strode forward.

    N''s frustration grew as he wasn''t listening. "Uncle Damon, put me down! I said I don''t want to go back!"

    Damon looked down at her, his eyes cold. "Staying here is just wasting time. The most important thing now is to get some rest and figure out who did this to Vrie, not to uselessly wait around!" N tightened her grip around his neck. After a few seconds, she spoke quietly. "Put me down. I can walk.

    tible

    Damon was right. Besides waiting for Vrie to wake up, she needed to find out who was responsible for

    this.

    12

    Seeing that N understood, Damon didn''t say anything more or put her down. He quickly walked to the curb and ced her into the car. "Drive," he ordered.

    Half an hourter, the car stopped in front of arge, standalone vi.

    N frowned. "Where is this?"

    "My ce," Damon answered.

    Her expression changed. "Uncle Damon, please have the driver take me home."

    "You can either stay here tonight or find your own way back. It''s up to you," Damon said, getting out of the car and walking toward the vi.

    Seeing the vi surrounded by darkness, with asional mysterious noises, N hesitated but eventually followed Damon inside.

    The vi was decorated in a minimalist ck, white, and gray scheme. It was devoid of any bright colors or warmth, giving it a cold and unweing feel-much like Damon himself.

    Damon took a bottle of water from the fridge and sipped it. He frowned when he noticed N still standing by the door.

    "The slippers are in the cab by the door. You''ll stay in the second room on the left side of the second floor," he informed her, then turned and headed toward his study.

    Seeing him about to leave, N snapped back to reality. She quickly changed into slippers and rushed to block his path. "Uncle Damon, have you found out how Vrie fell from the building? What did you discover?"

 Chapter 198

    Damon''s gaze darkened. "Not yet. The hotel''s surveince was damaged, so I had Spencer check the cameras around the hotel. The most important thing for you tonight is to get some rest. We can handle everything else tomorrow morning."

    "Got it. Thanks, Uncle Damon," N said gratefully..

    "There''s no need to thank me. Although it might not be the best time to say this, happy birthday," Damon wished her.

    N was momentarily taken aback, then replied softly, Thank you."

    If Vrie didn''t wake up, she might never enjoy her birthdays again.

    "Get some rest," Damon urged.

    "Okay," N agreed.

    She went to her room, decorated in the same ck, white, and gray scheme as the living room. A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered in the air-one she couldn''t identify but found quite nice.

    After taking a shower, shey down, expecting to have trouble sleeping, but fatigue soon overcame her, and she drifted into a deep sleep. Unbeknownst to her, shortly after she fell asleep, a maid quietly entered the room, took a box of ointment from the bedside table, and left. The fragrance in the air diminished significantly after the maid departed.

    In the study downstairs, Damon was reviewing documents when the maid knocked and entered. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston is already asleep." Damon nodded. "Alright. You should get some rest too."

    "Yes, sir. Don''t stay up toote. Work is endless," the maid reminded him,

    "I know," Damon replied.

    Seeing his focus still on the documents, the maid sighed and left.

    The next morning, N woke up to find it was already past 8:00 a.m. She was surprised because she

    usually had trouble sleeping away from home, yet she had slept so soundly there.

    After getting ready, she went downstairs where breakfast was already set out on the table.

    Damon was sitting at the table, reading the news.

    "Good morning. Uncle Damon," N greeted.

    "Good morning. How did you sleepst night?" Damon asked, setting his tablet aside and looking at her.

    "Pretty well," she replied.

    Damon nodded and resumed eating breakfast.

    N wanted to ask about Spencer''s progress but decided it was best not to interrupt Damon while he was eating. She waited until breakfast was over.

    "Uncle Damon, have there been any updates on Vrie''s situation?" she asked.

    "Still under investigation. There hasn''t been much progress," Damon answered.

    Disappointment shed in N''s eyes. "Okay."

    "I''ll have HR give you a few days off. Come back to work once you''ve had a chance to recover," Damon said.

    to work.

    N shook her head. "No need. I can return to

    Damon looked at her. "Aren''t you going to the hospital anymore?"

    "I wouldn''t be of much help at the hospital, I''ll visit Vrie after work each day," N replied.

    Seeing her calm demeanor and recognizing that staying upied at work might be better for her than dwelling on the situation, Damon nodded. "Alright."

    §°§á

    n the way to Prospectus Technology, N asked Damon to drop her off a couple of blocks from thepany so she could walk the rest of the way.

    Damon didn''t insist and had the driver stop.

    After thanking him, N got out and headed toward thepany.

    The ck Maybach soon merged into traffic and disappeared from N''s view.

    As soon as she reached thepany entrance, she received a call from rk.

    "N, where did you spend the night?!" he demanded.

    rk was shocked to receive a call from the housekeeper first thing in the morning, saying N hadn''te home all night. Since their wedding, she had always returned home on time, making it unusual for her to be gone for an entire night.

    The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.

    N looked down and responded calmly. "rk, I''m an adult, not your property. I don''t need to report where I go to you."

    rk sneered. "Even if you don''t tell me, I can find out. I''m giving you two options-either tell me now or, when I find out who you were with, the kidney for your father..."

 Chapter 199

    N bit her lower lip hard, not letting go even when she tasted blood.

    After a long moment, she finally said coldly, "rk, is that all you can do?!"

    "You''re the one pushing me. I just wanted to know where you werest night. That''s all. If you refuse to tell me, it only makes me think you''re hiding something," rk insisted.

    N took a deep breath and enunciated each word, "I stayed at your uncle''s housest night."

    The phone call fell into a suffocating silence.

    N could clearly hear rk''s breathing bing heavier. She continued slowly. "Vrie had an identst night. I was emotionally unstable, and Uncle Damon was worried I might overthink things if I went home, so-"

    rk sneered. "So he took you to his house? N, don''t tell me nothing happened between the two of you alone!"

    "There was service staff in his house, and it wasn''t as sordid as you imagine!" N countered.

    rk didn''t believe a word of it. "Not as sordid as I think? So you just kissed and hugged, but didn''t go all the way, right?!"

    "rk!" N''s eyes shed with cold anger. "You don''t know what happenedst night. Vrie-"

    rk cut her off. "Don''t use Vrie as an excuse. N, I already told you this was yourst chance, and you squandered it!"

    His voice was icy, and N had a bad feeling. She quickly said, "If you don''t believe me, I can exin everything when youe back from your business trip."

    "No need for an exnation. I''m smart enough to judge for myself," rk said and hung up.

    When N tried calling back, he wouldn''t answer. She clutched her phone tightly, her heart sinking. Taking a deep breath, she hurriedly sent him a series of messages

    N: [I really just stayed at Uncle Damon''s cest night. Nothing happened between us. If you don''t believe me, you can call him right now.]

    N: [Also, Vrie had a surprise for me at the hotelst night, but when I arrived, she had fallen from the building right in front of me. I was in shock, and Uncle Damon happened to pass by and helped me.] N: [Please call me when you see this message, and §±l exin everything slowly. Okay?]

    She sent several messages, but they seemed to vanish into thin air. rk did not respond at all.

    N was not worried about him misunderstanding her-she feared he might impulsively give her father''s kidney donation to someone else.

    Her heart felt as though it were on fire-agonizing and restless

    Had she known that the housekeeper would report to rk, she would have insisted on returningst night. But it was toote for regrets now.

    Meanwhile.

    In a fit of rage. rk called Michael and ordered him to give the kidney donation to Jordyn''s father.

    Michael hestated. M. Sumner, Mrs. Sumner finds out about this, it might..."

    rk, consumed by fury and almost losing his sense of reason, was not listening to any objections. "The kidney donation obtained can go to whoever I want! Do as I say?" "Understood." Michael replied, acquiescing

    After hanging up. rk remained seathing. He saw the unread messages from N but could not bring himself to read them. He deleted the entire chat

    This time, he was determined not to forgive her so easily.

 Chapter 200

    Jordyn quickly received a call from Michael at the hospital.

    When she learned that rk had donated the kidney to her father, she couldn''t contain her joy. She had thought it would take longer for rk to agree, but it happened so swiftly!

    Now, she just needed to find a chance to tell N about it. She touched her still-t belly, her eyes filled with scheming.

    All day. N had tried calling rk more than a dozen times, but he hadn''t answered any of her calls.

    It seemed she would have to wait until he returned from his business trip to exin everything.

    Spencer entered the CEO''s office with a file and knocked on the door. "Mr. Sumner, we''ve made some progress onst night''s incident."

    Damon put down his documents and looked up at him.

    Spencer handed over the file and reported, "We found a suspicious vehicle that left through the hotel''s back door shortly after Vrie''s incident. This car had a fake license te and quickly vanished down a that left the

    road without surveince. We''re still tracing its final location."

    Damon opened the file, his expression turning icy. "Start by investigating the hotel staff. The fact that the surveince was conveniently down during Vrie''s incident suggests there''s likely an insider involved." Spencer nodded. "Should we inform Ms. Jayston about this now?"

    "Not yet. Let''s wait until we have more concrete results Damon replied.

    "Understood," Spencer said.

    "I want the final results within a day," Damon requested.

    was

    Spencer felt the pressure immediately. Finding the culprit within a day was an enormous task. However, thinking about his monthly sry motivated him to push forward.

    Jacqueline was on the phone at the Rainford vi, screaming in frustration, "What kind of mess are you people making?! I just asked you to take a few photos of her clothes being removed, and now it''s turned into a fall?!"

    If Tom and the Weirs found out, they would never let her off.

    Jacqueline was so furious she could barely contain herself.

    "You don''t understand. We didn''t expect her to jump out of the window when we weren''t looking. By the time we realized what was happening, it was toote... the person on the phone said.

    Jacqueline gritted her teeth. "The police will definitely trace this back to you. I''ll transfer some money to you. You need to leave the country immediately and nevere back. If you get caught and involve me,

    you''ll make sure your family is informed"

    With that, she hung up and immediately broke the SIM card, flushing it down the toilet.

    Despite the money transfer, Jacqueline remained wordled. She could only hope the police wouldn''t trace it back to her.

    After much hesitation, she packed her bags, booked the earliest flight out, and prepared toy low abroad for a while.

    When Jacqueline''s mother, Charlotte Nichols, saw her dragging a suitcase and asked where she was going, Jacqueline hurriedly said she was going on a trip and then drove off without looking back. Noticing her daughter''s unusual behavior, Charlotte quickly called Byron.

    Spencer worked quickly. Before long, he located the vehicle and apprehended the suspects as they were about to flee.

    At first, the two insisted they had done nothing wrong. After a beating, they quickly confessed everything- and Spencer was surprised to learn that Jacqueline was behind it.

    "Mr. Sumner, they revealed that Jacqueline had instructed them to takepromising photos of Vrie. When Vrie jumped out of the window, one of them grabbed her foot, which likely caused her tond headfirst...." Spencer reported.

    A three-story fall wasn''t very high, and if the jump was controlled, one might not be seriously injured at all.

 Chapter 201

    It was unexpected that the suspects would attempt to grab Vrie as she jumped from the building, causing her to hit her head and fall unconscious.

    Damon''s expression darkened. "Take those two to the police station. As for Jacqueline, send a few people to capture her and bring her to N. Let her handle it herself." Jacqueline had just arrived at the airport when the Rainfords'' men blocked her path. She scowled. ''Get out of my way! I''ll miss my flight!"

    The leader of the group was the Rainfords butler, who usually took orders only from Byron

    "Ms. Rainford, your father wants me to take you back," the butler said.

    "I''m not going back. I''m going abroad! If you don''t move, don''t me me for being rude Jacqueline yelled.

    The butler, seemingly unperturbed, signaled to his team. They moved forward and forcibly dragged Jacqueline to the car.

    "Let go of me! You''re just the Rainfordsckeys. Don''t touch me! I''ll make sure my dad deals with your Jacqueline screamed.

    No matter how much she cursed, their expressions remained unchanged. They stuffed her into the car and drove away from the airport

    As soon as Jacqueline arrived home, Byron pped her hard.

    "You fool! I told you to apologize to N, and now look-there''s no news from N, and you''ve caused Vrie to fall into aa! Are you trying to kill me?" Byron

    scolded

    Jacqueline stood there, stunned. How did her father know about this?

    At that moment, a man in a suit stood up from the sofa and looked at Byron calmly Mr. Rainford, since Ms. Rainford is back, we''ll take her away now.

    Jacqueline felt a shiver run down her spine as if she had fallen into an ice cer

    "Dad what''s going on? Where are they taking me?" she asked.

    Per ayes were filled with fear, but Byron replied oily, "You''ve made a mess and angered the wrong people You have to face the convence

    He turned to Sp, whing slightly cautious 1 Hogg, my daughter has made mastakes, and we won''t discuss the consergences she must face. We just hope that We Sure will show some mercy and spare her life"

    Spencer smiled. Dont worry, Mr. Panford. We''re all civilized people. We wouldn''t sake lives"

    wing this, Byron sighed with reduced.

    Given the current state of the Panford Group, they wouldn''t darein even if Demon actually killed using they could only me their own foolishness for theking Damon was as lenient as rk

    Now that they had brought this disaster upon themselves, they had no choice but to endure, even if it was painful

    Jacqueline, in a panik, subconsciously began to back away. "Dad, help me! I don''t want to go! I know I was wrong! fill listen to you from now on. I don''t want to go with Byron didn''t even look at her or seem to hear her desperate pleas. He turned and

    Her ones grew fainter and eventually disappeared

    Half an hourter, as the car stopped in front of Hyphen Hotel, Jacqueline''s eyes widened with terror "What are you going to do?!

    "You''ll find out soon, Ms. Rainford," Spencer replied calmly

    "Don''t make me get out of the cart Jacqueline shrieked

    Despite her desperate struggles, two men in ck forcibly dragged her out of the while. They guided her up the stairs, one on each side.

    As they approached Room 202, where Vnd''s incident had urred, Jacqueline''s

    When they finally brought her into the room, her terror reached its peak, especially opon seeing Hyle sitting on the sofa with a Gold, unyielding expression

    Chacter 201

    Jacqueline was thrown roughly to the floor,nding awkwardly at N''s feet.

 Chapter 202

    Seeing the fear in Jacqueline''s eyes, N remained unmoved. Vrie must have been even more terrified when she jumped. Jacqueline gritted her teeth and red at N. "What do you want, N?"

    N smiled and said, "I just want you to experience the pain and fear that Vrie went through."

    Jacqueline''s eyes widened. "You wouldn''t dare! If youy a hand on me, the Rainfords will never let you get away with it.

    "If the Rainfords really wanted to protect you, you wouldn''t be here right now, would you?" N sang.

    Jacqueline felt a surge of terror. After all, Byron had watched her being taken away but had done nothing.

    The thought that Vrie was still lying in the ICU, not knowing when she might wake up, made Jacqueline tremble uncontrobly

    She didn''t want to end up like that!

    "Ms. Jayston, I realize I was wrong. Please, can you spare me? I''ll go to Vrie''s hospital room and beg for her forgiveness. I''m begging you..." Jacqueline pleaded. Her face was pale with fear, and her eyes were full of desperation.

    N''s expression remained indifferent. "Will you undress yourself, or should I have someone help you?"

    Jacqueline quickly shook her head. "No, please..."

    Tom wouldn''te to her rescue now, and if he learned what she had done to Vrie, he might be even harsher on her. This thought filled her with despair. "Looks like I''ll have to have someone help you," N said.

    As soon as N finished speaking, the two men in ck who had brought Jacqueline earlier stepped forward.

    Jacqueline was filled with terror. She backed away, screaming, "No! Don''te near me! Please, don''te near me!"

    No matter how much she screamed, the men seemed deaf to her cries. They quickly

    reached her, ripping her clothes apart and exposing her white bra.

    "Please, no! I''m begging you, let me go! I truly realize my mistake!" Jacqueline shrieked.

    N approached Jacqueline and took out her phone, snapping pictures of her disheveled appearance and exposed underwear.

    "If I see anypromising photos of Vrie online, the pictures I''ve just taken will also be posted," N threatened.

    Jacqueline wished she could tear N apart on the spot, but she knew that begging was her only option now, as no one wasing to her rescue.

    "I swear... I don''t have any photos..." She sobbed.

    "You''d better not," N said.

    Seeing Jacqueline''s swollen, tearful eyes, N remained cold. "Alright. You can go ahead and jump out of that window now."

    Jacqueline looked up in disbelief, her eyes filled with terror. "What did you say?"

    Telling her to jump out of the window was no different from asking her tomit suicide.

    "Surprised? Don''t forget, Vrie was also forced to jump by the people you sent. Don''t worry. Three stories won''t kill you," N said dismissively. Jacqueline''s fear was palpable. "No! I don''t want to die! Please, spare me!"

    suggest you jump yourself. Otherwise, if I have to push you, it''ll be hard to control the force. You could end up severely injured N exined.

    Seeing N''s cold smile, Jacqueline gritted her teeth. "N, how is this any different from murder?!*

    "Oh, you realize it''s no different from murder? Then why didn''t you go to the police when Vrie fell into aa after jumping? Instead, you packed up and tried to escape abroad," N retorted.

 Chapter 203

    "I know I was wrong. I''ll go to the police and turn myself in. Will you let me go?" Jacqueline pleaded.

    N shook her head. "I''m afraid that won''t work. Even if you turn yourself in, the Rainfords could still bail you out.

    "What I want is for you to experience the same pain and fear that Vrie went through. Only then will you understand what she endured.

    Jacqueline felt a wave of despair. She hadn''t expected N to be so ruthless. She started to regret listening to Erin and taking action against Vrie. If she had just listened to her parents and apologized to N, she wouldn''t be in this desperate. situation now.

    Wait... Erin was the one who had instigated her. If she could just shift the me onto Erin, maybe she could save herself!

    At that thought, she looked up at N.

    "Ms. Jayston, Erin was the one who directed me," she revealed.

    N frowned and looked at her coldly. "Erin has no grievance with Vrie. What could she gain from having you harm Vrie?"

    Jacqueline shook her head, her voice trembling. "I-I don''t know, but she told me that if I ruined Vrie, Tom would be with me and save the Rainfords... Ir-really didn''t mean to harm Vrie Please, s-spare me!"

    "So it was Erin who instructed you to takepromising photos of Vrie and to force her to jump?" N asked.

    "Yes! She made me do it all!" Jacqueline confirmed.

    Desperate to save herself, Jacqueline tried to shift all the me onto Erin.

    N watched her in silence. Just as Jacqueline thought N might be convinced, N suddenly made a phone call

    Soon, Erin''s gentle voice came over the line "Ms. N, what can I do for you?"

    N didn''t respond immediately. Instead, she yed the recording she had made

    earlier

    Chupke 201

    After the recording ended, there was a brief silence before Erin''s voice, now cold, came through. "Ms. N, do you believe Jacqueline''s ims?" N lowered her gaze and said slowly, "I didn''t want to believe it, but Jacqueline''s usations seemed serious, so I wanted to ask you, Ms. Hulle."

    "She says it was my Instructions. Does she have any proof?" Erin asked.

    Before N could respond, Jacqueline, sitting on the floor, snarled, "Erin, don''t deny it! You were the one who directed me when we went shopping that day!"

    "Jacqueline, you need evidence to make such ims. If you don''t have proof, keep quiet. If you continue to nder me, not just me, but the Hulles won''t let you off either!" Erin warned. With that, she hung up.

    N looked at Jacqueline with indifference. Do you have any evidence?"

    Jacqueline was frozen in ce. How could she have any evidence? She had never expected things to escte this far.

    Seeing her silence, N said coldly, "Since you don''t have evidence, stop wasting

    time."

    "No, I don''t want to jump! I''ll die if I jump!" Jacqueline cried.

    N didn''t respond, but the two men beside her moved toward Jacqueline.

    She frantically backed away, but the room was too small, and within a minute, she was caught.

    The men held her arms and legs and began to lift her toward the window.

    Jacqueline was filled with terror as she struggled desperately. "No, please! I beg you! Let me go! I truly understand my mistake!"

    Just as the men were about to throw her out of the window, a cold, angry voice echoed from the doorway. "Stop!"

 Chapter 204

    N turned to the doorway and saw Tom approaching with a cold expression. She sneered. "Mr. Genge, what do you want?"

    Tom looked at her icily. "Let Jacqueline go.

    "You should know that Vrie is still unconscious in the ICU because of her. What right do you have to ask me to let her go? N demanded.

    "Even if you throw her out now, it won''t wake Vrie, and she has already been punished as she should be," Tom reasoned.

    N scoffed. "What punishment?"

    Tom frowned, finding N''s demeanor quite unpleasant. Even now, she wouldn''t let Jacqueline go, despite Jacqueline already being in such a dire state.

    "If you throw her out, you''ll definitely offend the Rainfords. If the Rainford Group and the Sumner Group sh because of this, the Sumners won''t spare you either," Tom warned.

    N raised an eyebrow and said slowly, ''So, Mr. Genge, are you looking out for my best interests?"

    Tom''s gaze grew colder due to the sarcasm in her voice. ''Regardless of your intentions, if you dare to push her out today, I won''t let you off. And Damon isn''t omnipotent. He can''t protect you all the time." The two stared at each other, the air between them charged with tension.

    After several seconds, N finally spoke coldly. "If Vrie knew you were protecting the woman who harmed her like this, she would think she was blind for ever liking you."

    Tom narrowed his eyes. "This is between me and her. It''s not your ce to judge!"

    "I can let her go now, but this won''t be the end of it," N warned.

    With that, N ordered the men to release Jacqueline and walked past Tom, leaving the room.

    Within two minutes, the room was left with only the disheveled Jacqueline on the floor and Tom. Tom Jacqueline sobbed.

    Tom''s expression darkened. "Don''t call me Tom, Jacqueline. Out of consideration for our past this is thest time I''m helping you. From now on, when we meet, we are strangers. If I find out you''ve done anything to Vrie again, I will mat hundred times more."

    u suffer a

    Jacqueline panicked. She scrambled to her feet, trying to stop him. "Tom, I only wanted to take a few photos of Vrie... and then use them to threaten her to stay away from you. I never intended to harm her like this-"

    Before she could finish, Tom grabbed her by the neck. The choking sensation overwhelmed her, and she struggled to push him away, but it was futile.

    Tom''s eyes were filled with disgust. "Jacqueline, we were finished when you decided to go abroad. I hope you understand that."

    With that, he threw her to the floor and left without a trace of emotion.

    If it weren''t for Charlotte pleading with him and leveraging the past favor of saving him, Tom would have been even harsher than N.

    As soon as N left the hotel, she received a call from the hospital saying that Vrie had woken up. Her eyes shed with disbelief and joy, and it took her several seconds to regain herposure.

    "I''ming right over!" she answered and turned to Spencer. "Mr. Hogg, thank you. Please also thank Uncle Damon on my behalf. If it weren''t for his help, we wouldn''t have found the truth so quickly. I''ll find a chance to thank him personally another day.

    Spencer shook his head. "No need, it''s my duty. But are you really going to let Jacqueline off just like that?"

    N''s gaze turned icy. "Of course not. But now that Vrie has woken up, I''ll check on her condition first before deciding what to do next.

 Chapter 205

    "Okay, I''ll take you there," Spencer offered.

    "No need. I drove myself," N declined.

    Less than half an hourter, N arrived at the hos 1. Seeing that Vrie had truly woken up, she let out a deep sigh of relief, and her eyes misted over.

    When Phoebe saw her, her expression darkened. "Ms. Jayston, you''re not wee here."

    Vrie frowned and looked at her mother. "Mom, what are you doing?"

    Phoebe snorted. "If it weren''t for her birthday, you wouldn''t have ended up in this situation."

    "These two things have nothing to do with each other," Vrie retorted. "Just because I had an ident on my way to dinner doesn''t mean it''s my fault for going to that restaurant."

    "Well, I don''t want you to have any more contact with her," Phoebe insisted.

    "Whether or not I stay friends with someone is none of your business!" Vrie asserted.

    "You!" Phoebe was furious, her face turning pale. She mmed the bowl she was holding onto the table and barked, ˇ°Fine! You''re all grown up now, and I can''t control you. I''m leaving!"

    As Phoebe stood up to leave, N quickly said, "Mrs. Weir, I just came to check if Vrie was really awake. You don''t have to leave. I''ll go now."

    N then turned to Vrie. "Vrie, I''lle see you another day."

    "N-" Before Vrie could finish her sentence, N turned and quickly walked out of the room.

    Vrie looked at Phoebe with dissatisfaction. "Are you happy now?"

    Phoebe pursed her lips. "I just don''t like her. You should stay away from her."

    Seeing that her mother wouldn''t change her mind, Vrie decided to ignore her.

    As soon as N stepped out of the hospital, a ck Cayenne sped toward her. Just as the car was about to hit her, a screeching brake sound echoed, and the vehicle stopped just ten centimeters away from her.

    The driver''s door opened, and rk stepped out with a cold expression.

    "What are you doing here?" he asked.

    "You were supposed to return in three days. Why are you here today?" N back.

    rk questioned her sharply, "What are you doing at the hospital?*

    N frowned, her tone growing colder. "What''s with the interrogative tone?"

    ked

    rk huffed. "What does it mean? You don''t get it? I still haven''t had a chance to ask you about what happened when you stayed over at my uncle''s house that night."

    Seeing that he was already convinced she had done something wrong with Damon, N decided not to exin further. "Think what you want. You wouldn''t believe me anyway."

    rk sneered. "I want to believe you, but you stayed overnight at a man''s house who clearly has ulterior motives for you. How am I supposed to believe you?" *So what do you want now?" N asked.

    He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Of course, you need to be punished so you''ll listen in the future."

    With that, he yanked N''s hand and pulled her toward the car.

    "What are you doing? Let me go!" N cried out.

    rk ignored her, locked the car doors, quickly started the engine, and drove off.

    In less than an hour, they arrived at the vi.

    "Get out," rk ordered.

    "I''m not getting out. What exactly are you going to do?" N refused, questioning him.

    rk opened the car door and dragged N out.

    She stumbled, nearly falling and twisting her ankle in her high heels.

    A sharp pain shot through her, causing her to cry out.

    rk, however, acted as if he hadn''t heard her and dragged her into the vi, throwing her roughly onto the sofa.

    "Lock her in the basement. Don''t let her have any food without my permission!" he instructed.

 Chapter 206

    The servant didn''t give Nya a chance to resist and tossed her directly into the

    Desement

    The basement, usually reserved for rarely used items, was cold and dark

    After locking her in, the servant let

    Nya took out her phone but found there was no signal, so she had to abandon the idea of calling for help. As soon as her phone''s light went out, the basement was plunged into darkness once more. Around 10:00 pm, the basement door operied, and rk walked in with a grim

    Do you realize your mistake now?" he asked

    Nya looked at him, her eyes devoid of warmth. rk, I''ve already exined everything. You refuse to listen, and I don''t think I''ve done anything wrong."

    Carr''s face darkened, and his gaze turned icy. ''Since you won''t admit your mistake, you can stay here tonight and reflect on it

    With that he turned and lef

    The basement door was shut again, cutting off all light from the outside.

    The next day, Damon came looking for N

    Where is Nya?" he asked.

    rk regarded him cody Uncle Damon, even if you hadn''te looking for me, I would havee to you soon. Sneaking my wife away to your house while I''m away on business-that''s a at shameless, don''t you think?

    Damor frowned and said sterly. "I''m asking you where N is."

    Why should I tell you? She''s my wife, and it''s none of your concem," rk retorted. Contestesalso

    she''s also an employee of Prospectus Technology now," Damon

    rk smirked. "Not for long I''m resigning har on her behalf

    Damon''s eyes grew colder "She should tell me that herself

    "That might not be possible just got back from my business trip We''ve been inseparable since yesterday, and she''s exhausted and still asleep. As her husband, have the right to resign her position," rk led Damon''s gaze turned icy. "rk, if I don''t see N within ten minutes, all the shareholders of the Sumner Group will know what you did during your business tro

    "Uncle Damon, what are you talking about? I don''t understand," rk replied.

    Damon didn''t answer. Spencer, who stood behind him, yed a recording from his phone."

    rk''s face went pale instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief and anger. "You set me up?!"

    Damon remained expressionless. "If you weren''t so greedy and wanted everything. I wouldn''t have had the chance to do this, would I?"

    rk clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with resentment.

    The recording revealed how he had intentionally cut costs during his business trip by using substandard materials and pocketing kickbacks. If this information leaked, not only would he lose his position as CEO, but he might also face prison time.

    His eyes darkened with rage. Damon was ruthless in his tactics-for a woman!

    Seeing rk''s silence, Damon said coldly, "I''m giving you ten seconds. If you don''t tell me where N is, this recording will be sent to every shareholder of the Sumner Group, including your grandfather." Reluctant but left with no choice, rk called the servants. "Let N out."

    N was helped out by the servants. After one day in the basement with no food or water, her face was pale, and she had lost weight.

    Upon seeing her in such a state, Damon''s anger red. "You''ve kept her locked up in the basement for a whole day?"

    rk''s face was grim. "Didn''t you see that yourself, Uncle Damon? Is there a need to ask?"

    ahi[<< s

    Damon sneered "You''re not fit to be a husband."

    "Am not fit? And you. Uncle Damon-are you fit? Coveting your own niece-inw. If others knew, the Summers might not know whether to be embarrassed or ashamed." Today''s Box Offer

    GET

 Chapter 207

    rk looked at mon with denson thing seventhing that has

    If happe

    Richard and Mane would be disappointed Canon and might reconsider

    the Summer Group to him.

    "rk, if anything happens to her won''t let you off Damon Threemad

    He then walked over to N, intending to zvok, her up.

    N instinctively took a step back.

    Damon''s gaze hardened, ignoring her resistance he lifted her of the four fort of rk.

    "Uncle Damon, put me down. I can walk on my own, a orchested

    Damion nced at her and asked. Are you sure

    "Yeah," she replied.

    Seeing her insistence, Damon rem siert for a few seconds before setting her

    down as requested.

    "Thank you," N said softly.

    "I''ll help you." Damon offered

    "Alright," N conceded

    With Damon''s support, via sicwly made her way out of the wills.

    rk watched them with rage, but he knew he couldn''t stop them.

    Once outside the vi, N locked at Damon with gratitude Uncle Damon, thank you for getting me out."

    If Damon hadn''te. rk might have kept her locked up indefinitel

    Noticing N''s paleplexion, which made her resemble a witting fower Camon frowned. "I''ll take you to the hospital."

    "No need. Just take me to my apartment," she sac

    Due to N''s insistence, Damon ended up taking her back to her apartment

    "Are you sure you don''t need to get checked out at the hospital""""" he asked.

    Nyt shook her head Yes must abi delstated the Damon, you''ve already kad of te pas me You should get back to work

    Dame wanted to port her upstairs but seeing that she seemed okay, he nodded." Agh you need anything call me anyting

    He paused and added "About the divorce i mentioned earlier think it over carefully

    aking with rk will only put you in more danger

    Nia''s cracked lips moved slightly, and she finally nodded Okay, Uncle Damon. Ill Think about

    After Damon left, N tumed and slowly walked toward her apartment, reying his words as her mind

    Divorce The idea had been on her mind for a while She had nned to use rk to get closer to Cyrus to uncover clues about the Hams Pharmaceuticals incident, but

    that method now seemed ineffective

    Maybe it was time to decide whether to sever ties with rk for good.

    Back in the vi

    rk went wild after Damon and N had left, smashing everything in the living

    room

    The service staff cowered in theers, waiting until rk finally stopped and stood still before approaching him

    Mr. Sumber, you''re hurt Let me call a doctor to bandage your hand!" one of the maids said

    rk nced at his hand, seeing blood dripping from it. His expression remained nk as he replied, "No need. I won''t die from it"

    The maid tried to say more, but rk''s cold, terrifying gaze silenced her immediately.

    At that moment, rk''s phone rang. Upon seeing it was Michael, his face darkened as he answered

    "Mr. Sum We''ve found out that on Mrs. Summer''s birthday, Ms Weir jumped from Hyphen Hotel and fell right in front of Mrs. Sumner Later, your uncle happened to pass by saw what happened, and went to the hospital with her. They stayed at the hospital untilte at night before leaving

    "Ms. Weir''s hospital was far from your vi but close to your uncle''s ce. He probably didn''t send Mrs. Sumner back because it was toote."

 Chapter 208

    #25 Bonus

    rk glowered immediately. "Why are you only finding this out now?!"

    Michael, sounding innocent, replied, "Mr. Sumner, I wanted to investigate earlier, but you told me not to. I decided to look into it again only after I ran into Ms. Weir''s parents at the hospitalst night when I went to visit a friend.

    Realizing he had been too angry and might have overreacted, rk took a deep breath. "From now on, make sure to investigate these matters as quickly as possible!"

    "Understood," Michael replied.

    Just as rk was about to hang up, he remembered that N had left with Damon earlier. He added sternly, "Find out where N and my uncle are now."

    Michael quickly confirmed the information.

    After learning that Damon had dropped N off at her apartment before leaving, rk felt a mix of relief and guilt. He had wrongly used N and locked her in the basement for a whole day. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to wait a few days for N to calm down before apologizing and trying to get her toe back.

    Suddenly, he remembered something else and looked extremely grim. He

    immediately contacted Michael to arrange for the kidney donation to be reserved for Harrison.

    "Mr. Sumner, Jordyn''s father had his surgery yesterday," Michael informed him.

    rk tightened his grip on the phone, taking a long time to respond. "Continue searching for another kidney. It must be found quickly, and N must not find out about this."

    If N learned that he had given the kidney to Jordyn''s father, she would never forgive him.

    After hanging up, rk thought for a moment before driving out.

    When he arrived, Jordyn was making soup and looked pleasantly surprised to see him. "rko, what are you doing here?"

    rk''s expression was cold. "I don''t want anyone, especially N, to know that I found a kidney for your father. If word gets to her, I won''t spare you or your family."

    His serious tone and cold gaze made Jordy''s smile freeze.

    "Why?" she asked.

    "You don''t need to know.

    Just follow my instructions, or you''ll face the

    consequences," rk threatened.

    Jordyn''s expression was bitter. "rk... Did youe here just to warn me? I thought you were here to see our baby..."

    Noticing her distress, rk frowned and spoke softly after a long pause. "As long as you obey, I won''t mistreat you or the child."

    Jordyn lowered her eyes and nodded. "I understand."

    After rk left, Jordyn''s expression gradually turned cold. She was determined not to keep this from N. After all, if N didn''t divorce rk, Jordyn and her baby would always be in an illegitimate situation, which Jordyn would never ept.

    Once N had taken a shower and eaten, she went to bed.

    When she awoke, twilight had fallen.

    The room was almostpletely dark, silent as if the world had shut out any noise.

    N pressed her lips together and turned on the bedsidemp. The light illuminated the room instantly, and she squinted as she sat up. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she picked up her phone from the bedside. Seeing several missed calls from Vrie, she called back.

    The call connected quickly. Learning that Phoebe wasn''t at the hospital, N nned to visit Vrie and was instructed to bring fried chicken. N couldn''t help but smile. ˇ°Forget about the fried chicken. You shouldn''t have greasy food right now. I''ll bring you some soup instead.ˇ±

 Chapter 209

    It was over an hourter when N finally arrived at the hospital.

    Upon seeing that N had only brought soup, Vrie''s face fell with disa, intment.

    N sat down beside her, opened the container, and said, "Alright, just hang in there. a few more days. Once you''re out of the hospital, you can eat whatever you want."

    Vrie sighed and resignedly took the spoon. "By the way, I heard that the two. people who forced me to jump were hired by Jacqueline?"

    Recalling the nightmare that had unfolded when those men barged in, Vrie felt as though it had been a terrible dream. If she hadn''t jumped, who knew what might have happened next? N nodded, her expression darkening. "Yeah. She said she only intended for them. to take some indecent photos of you, not to force you to jump."

    Vrie scoffed. "Am I supposed to believe that nonsense? If I hadn''t jumped, who knows what those men would have done to me?"

    "I also took some pictures of her. If she ever tries to leak your photos, she''ll face the same public disgrace," N added.

    Vrie looked at N in disbelief. "How did you manage that?"

    "rk''s uncle helped me," N answered.

    Since it was Damon, it made sense-he Indeed had that capability.

    "N, thank you," Vrie said.

    For Vrle, those photos weren''t a big deal. She never cared much about what others thought of her. Even if those indecent photos were leaked, she wouldn''t feel embarrassed since she was not at fault. N shook her head. "If it weren''t for helping me celebrate my birthday, you might not have faced this."

    Vrie''s frown deepened at N''s guilty expression. "N, this isn''t your fault. If Jacqueline wanted to target me, she would have done it regardless of timing. She not only ruined your birthday but also pushed me to jump. I won''t let her get away with it!"

    Seeing Vrie''s anger, N hesitated for a moment before telling her how she had tried to get revenge on Jacqueline but was stopped by Tom.

    "From Tom''s attitude toward Jacqueline that day, he''ll probably try to stop you if you go after Jacqueline," N guessed.

    Vrie''s eyes shed with disgust. "The thought that I used to like such a scumbag for years makes me sick."

    If Tom truly cared for Jacqueline, he should have waited for her wholeheartedly, rather than juggling his feelings while dating her. It was absolutely revolting!

    "I''m telling you this just to prepare you. The most important thing now is to focus on your recovery. Once you''re better, we can figure out how to deal with Jacqueline," N coaxed. Vrie nodded. "Okay."

    N lowered her gaze, hesitated for a moment, and decided not to mention that Jacqueline had been instigated by Erin.

    She had no concrete evidence, andpared to the Hulles, the Weirs were at a disadvantage. If Vrie stubbornly sought revenge against Erin, it might not be worthwhile.

    Nevertheless, N wasn''t going to let it go. Erin was maniptive and would likely try to attack her and Vrie again. Rather than waiting to be targeted, it was better to take the initiative.

    N''s gaze darkened as she thought about this. Damon had helped her so much, and she didn''t want to use him as a pawn in her ns.

 Chapter 210

    N spent some time with Vrie and left after Phoebe arrived.

    The next morning, as N was heading to work, she saw Michael standing a short distance away and frowned. Initially, she nned to ignore him, but he quickly approached her and stopped right in front of her.

    "Mrs. Sumner, this is a gift from Mr. Sumner, Michael said.

    N nced at the jewelry box in his hand, her face expressionless. "What does rk mean by this? Is it a p in the face followed by a prize?"

    Michael shook his head, trying to stay calm. No. This is Mr. Sumner''s apology gift. He''s too afraid toe himself, so he sent me to give it to you."

    N took the box, opened it, and found an expensive diamond ne inside.

    Just as Michael let out a sigh of relief, N tossed both the box and the ne into a nearby trash can.

    "Mrs. Sumner!" Michael eximed.

    N looked at him, her voice cold and deliberate. "Go back and tell him that I won''t ept such a half-hearted apology."

    With that, she got into her car and drove away, leaving Michael behind.

    When rk learned that N had thrown the ne away, his expression

    darkened. Considering that he had locked her in the basement for a whole day and left her hungry, it was understandable that she was still angry.

    "Understood. You can go back to work now, rk said, dismissing Michael.

    Michael, relieved, responded softly. "Okay."

    In the evening, after N bought groceries and returned home, she saw rk standing by her door as she exited the elevator. Her brow furrowed involuntarily. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Seeing the wantness in her eyes, rk fall apang His gaze grew senus yle.f came to take you home!

    "Go back with you and be locked away in a dark basement again? She looked at him coldly, her toneced with sarcasm

    rk avoided her gaze ''H, it was wrong of me to lock you in the busement

    without knowing the full story. But you didn exin everything to me sather, did you?

    N sneered "When you called me that day, I sent you messages about Valene''s fall Did you believe them?"

    rk was taken aback. He remembered the incident but had been so angry at the time that he had deleted her messages without opening them so her messages had already exined everything. Realizing this, he felt even quiltier. "N, I''m sorry I was so angry that I didn''t read your messages. I didn''t know

    "So not knowing the truth and not trusting basement?" N felt revulsion every time she had endured in the darkness for a whole day

    gave you the right to lock me in a saw rk, recalling the torment she

    A simple apology after causing such harm? Was his apology worth anything?

    "N, I know you''re furious right now, but I really understand my mistake Juste back with me. You can punish me however you want, alright? rk pleaded

    "rk, stop pretending I won''t believe a single word you say anymore!" Fl spat

    Seeing her stubbornness, rk fell silent for few seconds before speaking quietly Alright, if you won''te back, then I''ll move in with you."

    "You''re absolutely shameless!" N eximed

    "N, I just want to be with you. We''re married Living together is only natural and legal," rk emphasized

    N knew very well that it rk insisted on moving in, there was nothing she could do about it. Even if she moved elsewhere, he would follow. Plus, since they were married, the police wouldn''t intervene if she called them.

    The thought filled her with

    with an un edente sence or anger and helplessness.

 Chapter 211

    Was Nyle really just going to let rk have his way it seemed than the only way to distance herself from him was to get a divorce

    Before she could do that, Harrison''s kidney surgery needed to beplete Otherwise, rk would continue to use the situation to threaten te freales solely on herself, she would have to wait in line for a kidney, not knowing how long t

    might take

    N looked up at rk and said coldly, if you want me to move back, fire"

    rk''s face lit up with hope, but her next words made his smile freeze

    "I will move back in after my father''s kidney transnt ispleted," she said.

    A heavy silence fell over the hallway.

    rk clenched his fists. If he hadn''t rashly given the kidney to Jordi''s father, he would have agreed immediately. With no new kidney donation avable now, he couldn''t make that promise.

    Seeing his silence, N assumed he intended to use the kidney donation to keep threatening her and grew even colder in her gaze.

    "If you''re not willing, then don''te looking for me. I won''t agree to move back, though you could always just force me. After all, you''ve done that before, haven''t you?" she said. "N... I promise I won''t treat you like this again," rk said earnestly.

    N''s expression remained scornful. "You''ve made countless promises before, and it seems you''ve broken every single one."

    rk''s face fell, and he opened his mouth but couldn''t find a defense.

    After a tense moment, he said quietly, "Give me some time regarding the surgery."

    "Sure. Then don''te looking for me during this time. I don''t want to see you." N made herself clear.

    Seeing N''s icy demeanor, rk felt a pang of sorrow but ultimately conceded. "Alright. I understand."

    Only after rk took the elevator and te

    open her door and go inside.

    As soon as rk got downstairs, he called Michael. "Find a kidney donation that matches my father-inw within a month."

    After hanging up, rk left with a dark expression.

    Soon, it was Marie''s birthday.

    As soon as N got off work, she saw rk''s car parked on the side of the road. She considered pretending not to see him, but he quickly got out of the car and approached her. "N, it''s Grandma''s birthday today. Come with me to her party," rk said.

    N didn''t have much affection for Marie, but she was an elder, and N''s presence was expected. Not attending might lead toments about the Jaystons'' manners. Have you prepared a birthday gift?" N asked.

    rk nodded. ˇ°Yes. Grandma likes antiques. I bought an antique vase at an auction recently."

    "Let''s go then," N agreed and headed toward rk''s car.

    Noticing he hadn''t followed, she turned back, puzzled. "Why aren''t youing?"

    rk snapped out of his reverie and hurried to her. "Oh, I was lost in thought. By the way, you should change into something more formal."

    He had assumed it would take some effort to persuade N to attend the party, but it had gone surprisingly smoothly.

    N was dressed casually, and given that the party would be quite grand, formal attire was indeed more appropriate. Thus, she nodded. "Alright."

    In less than half an hour, rk''s car stopped in front of the vi.

    "I''ve had the service staff prepare a formal dress for you. It''s on your bed. Just change into it," rk informed her.

    N nodded and got out of the car, heading into the vi. Once inside the bedroom, she picked up the dress from the bed and tried it on, only to find it was very loose and clearly not her size.

    She nced down at the dress, her expression turning cold.

 Chapter 212

    It seemed someone was already getting impatient.

    After tossing the dress aside, N found a white V-neck slit dress in the closet and put it on. She removed the hair tie, letting her hair cascade down. She then

    straightened her hair with a t iron and spent five minutes on a light makeup look before she was ready to leave.

    As soon as she got into the car and was about to fasten her seatbelt, rk''s deep voice suddenly came from beside her. "Why aren''t you wearing the dress I had prepared for you?"

    N raised an eyebrow and looked at him coldly. "That dress isn''t my size."

    rk, perceptive as ever, quickly understood, and his expression darkened. "I''ll look into this."

    N offered a slight smile. "Let''s go to the party first."

    Her face was small and delicate, perfectly made up with light makeup. Her long hair flowed like silk behind her. In her white dress, she looked like a fragrant gardenia, so beautiful it was almost impossible to look away.

    rk''s gaze lingered on N with deeper intensity. He knew she didn''t trust him, so he sighed and fell silent, starting the car.

    When rk''s ck Cayenne arrived at the Sumner residence, it was already surrounded by luxury cars.

    The Sumner Group and Prospectus Technology were top-tier conglomerates in the city, and many from the upper echelons of society hade to the birthday party, eager to make connections. After rk and N got out of the car, rk retrieved the prepared gift from the trunk and handed it to a maid at the door.

    They walked through the garden and finally entered the main hall.

    The main hall was filled with lively chatter and peals ofughter. Prominent figures who were usually seen only on TV were mingling, while high societydies and socialites chatted among themselves. Everyone wore smiles, though the authenticity of those smiles was questionable.

    In the center of the hall, Marie sat in the main seat with a beaming smile, nked by Cindy and Anne.

    "Let''s go greet Grandma first," rk said, reaching to take N''s hand.

    N subtly pulled away.

    rk''s eyes dimmed, but he didn''t press the issue and walked over to Marie first.

    "Grandma," he greeted.

    N followed and greeted her as well.

    Upon seeing rk, Marie''s face lit up with a kind smile, though she didn''t nce at N.

    "rk, you''re back!" Marie eximed.

    "Yes, it''s your birthday. If I didn''te, Grandpa would punish me," rk joked.

    Marie''s smile widened. "Enough with the jokes. Go and entertain the guests."

    rk nodded. "Alright."

    As rk prepared to lead N away, Marie said, "Let your wife stay here. I''ll introduce her to some people."

    rk''s eyes brightened with pleasure. Ignoring N''s reluctance, he said, "N, I''ll go ahead. You stay here with Grandma."

    N''s eyes shed with impatience, but rk didn''t give her a chance to refuse. After issuing his instruction, he quickly turned and left.

    Marie regarded N with a neutral expression. "Alright, stand behind me."

    N hesitated for a moment but then moved to stand behind Marie.

    Anne''s expression was sarcastic. "Mom, don''t bother introducing someone from a minor family like hers to those high societydies. After all, she''s been married to rk for so long and hasn''t had a child. Who knows if they''ll divorce one day? It''ll just create more trouble and require more exnations."

    N ew that the Sumners had always looked down on her. Over the years, she had reful around them, making every effort not to upset them in any way.

 Chapter 213

    This had only caused the Sumners to treat N with even more disregard.

    N had endured their behavior before because she had expectations for rk. Now that her love for him was gone, tolerating it would reduce her to nothing more than a doormat.

    She smiled and replied, "Getting a divorce is still better than never get What do you think, Aunt Anne?"

    married.

    Anne''s face immediately darkened, her gaze sharp as daggers. "Say that again?!"

    Anne had once been in a rtionship and waited for that man after their breakup. Now, approaching 40 and still unmarried, it had be a sore spot for her. No one dared to mention it in her presence. M¨˘rie also felt offended. Since N had previously confronted her, Marie had

    harbored resentment. She had hoped N would eventually apologize, but instead of showing remorse, N had begun criticizing Anne!

    Cindy looked at N with surprise and suspicion. Was N out of her mind to say something like that?

    N maintained a calm smile. "Aunt Anne, repeating it won''t change anything. Besides, I adhere to the principle of not offending others unless they offend me first. As a Sumner, you should understand that well

    "Enough!" Marie''s voice turned cold. "It''s my birthday party today. Do you have to cause trouble and make things unpleasant?"

    N remained indifferent. Was she really the one making the family ufortable, or was it Anne''s provocativement?

    "Grandma, you''re right. Since Aunt Anne doesn''t like me, I''ll leave and not trouble her further. It would be embarrassing for the Sumners if a scene were to ur in front of the guests," N said as she excused herself.

    With that, she turned and walked away. She had no patience to stay and endure the harassment from these women, as ttering them offered her no benefit.

    On the second floor, Cyrus watched N leave with a calcting gaze. He turned to

    a nearby attendant and asked coldly, "How are the preparations going?"

    "They''re all set, but... doing so might..." the attendant murmured.

    "No might Cyrus out him off sharply, emphasizing each word "Tonight''s n must seed. Follow my instructions, or you know the consequences."

    The threat in his tone made the attendant trembles slightly. He quickly nodded and hurried away

    After walling for over half an hour, Damon finally arrived.

    Cyrus smirked as he descended the stairs.

    After Damon spoke with Marie and turned to find a ce to rest, a ss of red wine was handed to him.

    "Damon, what have you been up totely? I''ve had my secretary trying to set up a meeting with you, but we haven''t managed to connect," Cyrus greeted

    A glint appeared in Damon''s eyes upon seeing Cyrus. He took the ss with a neutral expression.

    "It''s Mom''s birthday party tonight, Cyrus. Let''s not discuss business," Damen replied. Cyrus'' grip on the wine ss lightened, and his smile grew wider. "Anything you say. As your elder brother, I''m just concerned about you."

    Damon remained silent, his face impassive and revealing no emotion.

    However, Cyrus had no intention of leaving and continued to chat idly.

    Suddenly, Damon''s gaze shifted to the northwest corner of the main hall, and his brow furrowed slightly.

    Following Damon''s gaze, Cyrus saw a man talking to N, and his expression turned understanding

    Just as Damon was about to approach N a few business associates blocked his way

 Chapter 214

    "Mr. Sumner, long time no see. I heard Prospectus Technology recently invested in the government project in the east suburb."

    "I''m also interested in that project. I wonder if you could give me a chance to get a piece of the action, Mr. Sumner?"

    Damon, whocked the patience for idle chat, reluctantly paused to acknowledge the men speaking as it was Marie''s birthday party. He greeted them with little enthusiasm. "Good evening, Mr. Lowe."

    While Damon was being cornered by business associates, N had already dismissed the man she was speaking with and was seeking a quiet ce to rest. Suddenly, a maid from the Sumners rushed up to her. "Ms. Jayston, Ms. Cindy has asked to see you. She''s waiting for you at the pavilion in the garden."

    N nced toward Marie. Seeing that Cindy was indeed absent, she frowned slightly. "Did she say what it''s about?"

    "No, but it seemed quite urgent. Ms. Jayston, you should go quickly," the maid urged.

    Noting the urgency in the maid''s gaze, N lowered her eyes to hide the suspicion flickering in them.

    "Understood. I''ll go right away," she replied.

    The maid had yet to leave, so N said coolly, "Tonight''s the party, and there are many guests. You should return to your duties."

    "Ms. Jayston, Ms. Cindy insisted that I bring you there personally. If you''re not seen, I''ll be punished..." the maid borated.

    N acknowledged the fear in the maid''s eyes with a nod. "Alright. Let''s go."

    She didn''t miss the brief sh of triumph in the maid''s eyes.

    The direction the maid led her was indeed toward the garden, but it wasn''t the path to the pavilion.

    After walking for a while, N stopped and questioned, "Where are you taking me?"

    The maid halted and turned back to face N. "Ms. Jayston, I''m sorry."

    The moment the words left her mouth, two more maids suddenly appeared behind. N and grabbed her arms.

    Feigning panic, N shouted, "What are you trying to do-"

    Before she could finish, a sharp pain shot through the back of her neck, and everything went ck as she lost consciousness.

    In the hall...

    Cyrus smiled as he felt his phone vibrate twice. He gave a discreet signal to those surrounding Damon, who then made some partingments and found an excuse to leave.

    Upon seeing Damon''s empty wine ss, Cyrus'' smile grew colder.

    "Damon, Mom told me yesterday that tonight''s guests are all prominent people from the city. If you''re interested in any of the youngdies, just let her know, and she''ll arrange it," Cyrus said.

    Having been hassled by the guests and now finding N missing, Damon was already in a bad mood. He replied coolly, "Not interested."

    Cyrus sneered inwardly. It wasn''t that Damon wasn''t interested-it was just that the woman he was interested in was his niece-inw.

    "You''re not getting any younger. Mom is so worried about your marriage that her hair is turning gray," Cyrus nagged.

    Damon''s expression remained neutral to Cyrus'' feigned concern.

    "Mom''s gray hair is just a sign of age. Besides, you and Cindy have been married, and that marriage certificate only proves you''re legally married. The mistresses you''ve kept over the years are probably too many to count on both hands," Damon deadpanned.

    Cyrus was taken aback, scowling. His younger brother had a sharp tongue!

    Publicly revealing his shorings was quite embarrassing. Fortunately, there weren''t many people around, and Damon''s voice wasn''t loud, so not many would have heard.

    Cyrus sighed. "Fine... I admit I have no right to criticize you. I won''t bring it up again."

    Damon set down his wine ss and left without another nce at Cyrus.

    Cyrus'' eyes were filled with anger as he watched Damon''s retreating figure.

    After tonight, he would see if Damon still dared to show him such disrespect!

    Damon walked out onto the terrace, and the cold breeze made him feel a bit dizzy.

 Chapter 215

    Just then, a maid hurried over to Damon, "Mr. Damon, Ms. Jayston suddenly fainted. I couldn''t find Mr. rk.""

    Hearing this, Damon looked up, his voice cold. "Where is she?"

    "She''s upstairs now. Madam Summer and the others are busy with the gues You should go and check on her," the maid replied.

    If it were any other time, Damon would have noticed something was off. N had fainted, so why hadn''t a doctor been called? Instead, they were asking him to check. on her. However, having drunk the spiked ss of wine Cyrus had given him earlier, Damon felt dizzy and sluggish. He didn''t immediately realize something was amiss.

    By the time he noticed, he was already in rk''s room.

    "Mr. Damon, Ms. Jayston is inside," the maid said.

    Damon stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I''ll wait here for the doctor."

    Entering without knowing what was happening could lead to unforeseen consequences.

    It was bing clear to Damon that this was a trap set by Cyrus. He hadn''t anticipated that his elder brother would drug him, especially at their mother''s birthday party.

    It seemed Cyrus had bepletely ruthless in pursuing his own goals.

    The maid, frightened by Damon''s intense gaze, turned pale. "Mr. Damon, Ms. Jayston has been sweating profusely. Maybe you should go in and check on her. The doctor will be here soon..."

    Damon sneered and grabbed her by the neck. "Daring to scheme against me in the Sumner household? Do you have a death wish?"

    He tightened his grip, making the maid''s face turn ashen. She knew that admitting the truth would not only anger Damon but also bring repercussions from Cyrus.

    "Mr-Mr. Damon, what are you saying? I don''t. I don''t understand..." she stammered.

    You don''t? Then go and get Cyrus. He should understand! Damon hissed.

    Feeling increasingly hot and his wind growing hazy, Damon cursed inwardly.

    How much of this drug had Cyrus given him if he stayed here any longer, he might lose all rationality, and who knew what would happen next?

    Thinking of this, he shoved the maid aside and tumed toward the stairs

    Just as he took a few steps a sharp pain short through his neck.

    Cyrus'' face was icy as he watched Damon copse. "Get him into the room."

    Cyrus had used thetest aphrodisiac on Damon, one so potent that even the most restrained person wouldn''t be able to resist. Since N was someone Damon had feelings for, Cyrus was confident Damon wouldn''t be able to control himself.

    The service staff hurriedly carried Damon into the room and locked the door from the outside

    Alright. Go back to work," Cyrus dismissed them.

    With a final nce at the locked door, Cyrus smiled in satisfaction. It was as if he could already see hundreds of millions of dorsing his way.

    Inside the room.....

    As soon as N heard the door lock, she opened her eyes.

    Turning her head, she saw Damon lying beside her, his face flushed. She was taken

    aback

    She had originally assumed Cindy had sent the maid, so she had yed along to see what was going on. She hadn''t expected that her father-inw was trying to put her in Damon''s bed!

    This realization made her feel nauseous.

    Cyrus and rk were truly despicable!

    While she was processing this, Damon woke up early due to the drug. He reached out to touch N s face when he saw her. His usually cold, deep eyes were now burning with a heat that seemed to sear. As his hot hand was about to touch N''s face, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

 Chapter 216

    "Uncle Damon, wake up," N said, pushing him away.

    She quickly got out of bed and watched him warily, gripping the bedsidemp tightly, ready to use it for self-defense if he charged at her.

    Damon nearly fell off the bed from her push.

    After a few seconds, he looked at her in confusion, his usually cold face now flushed. His eyes burned with a fierce intensity, as if a fire were scorching right through one''s heart. "Come here," hemanded.

    N frowned but stayed where she was.

    Damon looked dangerous. His gaze was filled with a predatory desire as if he might devour her at any moment.

    N''s mind raced, trying to understand Cyrus'' motive.

    Tonight was Marie''s party. Had Cyrus chosen this moment to create a scandal, intending to make it look like she and Damon were having an affair?

    No, this would not only embarrass the Sumners but also severely offend Damon. It was more likely that Cyrus wanted Damon to have rtions with her and then use this as leverage to ckmail him. N narrowed her eyes at that thought.

    Cyrus'' ruthlessness knew no bounds. After bankrupting Harris Pharmaceuticals, he was now willing to put his daughter-inw into his younger brother''s bed for personal gain.

    While she was thinking, a faint pine scent suddenly filled her nostrils. She widened her eyes, and before she could react, Damon grabbed the back of her head, snatched themp from her hand, and tossed it behind the door.

    In the next moment, a shadow fell over N, and she felt a warm, moist touch on her lips.

    "Mmph!"

    N''s eyes widened in disbelief as she found herself inches from Damon''s face. His

    usually cold and deep eyes now burned with an intense heat. His hand, still gripping her firmly, felt like a zing fire that spread from her neck throughout her entire body, causing her to shudder.

    When she realized Damon was kissing her, she tried to push him away, but it was futile. His solid chest felt like an imprable wall, unyielding to her efforts.

    In desperation, she bit his lip hard.

    Damon winced in pain and released N, his gaze darkening with a predatory intensity, like a lion awakened to its prey.

    The sight of his bleeding lip made him appear even more feral, but the pain seemed to bring him back to some semnce of sanity. He gripped N''s chin, his eyes shadowed with an intensity that unnerved her.

    N''s hand tightened around a needle hidden behind her. If Damon forced himself on her, she would have no choice but to use it.

    After a tense few seconds, Damon suddenly released her and strode quickly into the bathroom.

    The door mmed shut.

    N trembled as she copsed onto the bed. It felt like she had narrowly escaped disaster.

    Not daring to waste time, she quickly scanned the room for any hidden cameras. She turned off the lights and soon spotted a pinhole camera on the TV across from the bed, its red light blinking.

    With a stoic expression, she unplugged the camera and sat on the bed, contemting her next move.

    Although Damon was drugged and unlikely to pose an immediate threat, staying there was still dangerous.

    N moved to the window. They were on the second floor, and the gardeny just outside. The drop wasn''t too high. With proper control, she should be able to jump without injury.

    She nced at the osed bathroom door, removed her shoes, and climbed over the railing, jumping down. She rolled on the grass to cushion her fall.

    Apart from some pain from thending, she was unhurt.

    ire

    Relieved. N put her shoes back on and was about to stand when she suddenly heard footsteps from the bushes, followed by a soft, seductive voice "rk... I''m just here to bring a gift for your grandmother. 11 leave soon, PI

    be mad okay?

    don''t

 Chapter 217

    Nyle froze upon hearing Jordyn''s voice

    "Jordyn, Ive warned you before. I have no intention of marrying you. And what right do you have to bring a gift to my grandmother? Are you some mistress I''m keeping on the side? rk demanded.

    After a brief silence Jordyn''s voice trembled as she responded, "Cl. I''m not foolish enough to think you''ll marry me. I just wanted to deliver a gift to your grandmother to thank you for finding a kidney for my father

    "Shut up!" rk''s voice was cold and cutting Jordyn, if you mention this again, I won''t let it slide!

    "rk Jordyn pleaded

    "Get out, now!" rk''s voice was filled with anger

    Jordyn seemed frightened. After a moment, she replied softly, "rk. Please don''t be angry. I leave right away

    The sound of her high heels faded, signaling her departure. Soon after, rk also left.

    N remained seated on the grass, her head lowered, her body hidden in the darkness. It was as if the night bad swallowed her whole, merging her with the shadows.

    After an unknown amount of time, she looked up, her red eyes filled with derision. It made sense now why rk had reacted the way he had when she asked about getting her father a kidney transnt

    The kidney meant for Harrison had been given to Jordyn''s father. rk had known that Harrison had been waiting for this kidney for two years, yet he had given it away so easy Clearly, N meant nothing to him

    The Summer father and son had ruined her family''spany, schemed to send her to Damon''s bed, and now, rk had betrayed their rtionship by giving away the most in portant thing to her-to his mistress father.

    It was just perfect!

    N bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, keeping it mped between her teeth even as the metallic taste filled her mouth. She had initially nned to gather evidence and d

    1. d.

    rk, but now she regretted that decision

    Cyrus and rk had made her life a living hell. She couldn''t let them get away with in so easily.

    Given her own limitations, dealing with rk and Cyrus alone would be impossible. The simplest solution was to align herself with Damon. N''s eyes shed with conflict.

    Damon had helped her a lot, and she had feelings for him, so she didn''t want to hum him. But it seemed there was no other way now. Taking a deep breath and gaining a resolute look in her eyes, she straightened her dress and slowly walked back to the main hall.

    As soon as she entered, rk approached her with a frown. "Where have you been?"

    Meeting his questioning gaze, N kept her expression neutral. "I felt a bit ustrophobic, so I stepped outside for some fresh air. Why?" "Did you run into anyone?" rk asked.

    N chuckled. "Should I have run into anyone?"

    rk visibly rxed and lowered his voice. No. There are many guests today, and was worried someone might trouble you."

    "Got it," N replied.

    Her indifference brought a scowl to rk''s face, but since it was Marie''s birthday party, he set his displeasure aside. "If you''re fine, go talk to Grandma and Mom-*

    Before he could finish, Cyrus'' cold voice came from the side. "rk, your grandmother is calling for you."

    N turned to look at Cyrus, noticing the anger and surprise in his eyes. She raised an eyebrow and smiled but said nothing.

    To Cyrus, N''s smile was nothing short of a tant provocation. He hadn''t expected her to escape and ruin the hidden camera he had set up.

    Cyrus'' anger red since his ns were thwarted, and killing intent shed in his

    eyes.

 Chapter 218

    When rk saw Cyrus, his scowl deepened

    "Got it. I''ll go over right away," he said in a deep voice.

    After rk left, Cyrus looked at N with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "How did you manage to escape?"

    "Dad, what are you talking about? I don''t understand," N replied, her face disying apparent confusion as if she genuinely didn''t know.

    Cyrus sneered, his eyes growing colder. "You''d better truly not understand."

    Only after Cyrus turned and walked away did N finally release her tightly clenched hands. Her palms ached, but her expression remained unchanged.

    As the evening approached its end, Damon finally made an appearance. He had changed into a different outfit, his hair slightly damp, and hisplexion pale. His chiseled features were as cold as a cier, radiating an icy aura.

    Noticing his mood, those who had intended to approach him quickly backed off. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of his displeasure.

    Marie noticed him and looked slightly displeased. "Damon, where have you been? I had people looking for you everywhere.

    "I was a bit tired earlier and found a quiet ce to rest for a while," Damon replied calmly.

    "The party''s almost over. Don''t wander off again. By the way, this is Ms. Chilton Lara. You''ve met her before."

    Damon nced at the woman Marie was referring to. She met his gaze with a shy, hesitant expression before quickly lowering her eyes, her cheeks tinged with a blush.

    He withdrew his gaze and replied indifferently. "No impression.

    The woman''s smile faltered, and she nervously twisted her hands

    "Get to know her better, and you''ll have an impression. See Ms. Chilton home this evening." Marie instructed.

    "I don''t have the time." Damon refused without a second thought, his expression showing no emotion.

    Chapter ore she could speak, Lara stood up and said, "Mrs. Sumner, I suddenly remembered I have something to do. I''ll excuse myself now."

    Without waiting for Marie''s response, Lara turned and left.

    "Look what you''ve done. Now'' you''ve offended Ms. Chilton. Are you happy?

    tone was sharp.

    Ignoring the usation, Damon remained unperturbed.

    rie''s

    "If you don''t want to offend every prominent family in the city, stop introducing me to Ms. Hulle, Ms. Chilton, and the others," Damon replied calmly.

    "You!" Marie red at him. "Are you trying to drive me mad?"

    "As long as you stop setting me up on these blind dates, you won''t have to be upset," Damon retorted.

    Marie was choked with frustration. "With so many women your age here tonight, didn''t any of them catch your eye?"

    "No," Damon answered tly.

    "Fine, just stay away from me. I''m tired of seeing you!" Marie snapped, waving him off.

    Without another word, Damon turned and walked out.

    As he left, Cindy tried to soothe Marie, but her gaze followed Damon''s retreating figure with a hint of mockery.

    It wasn''t that he wasn''t interested in anyone. It was just that the person he was interested in was impossible to have. Even if N wasn''t married to rk, Richard and Marie would never approve of her. Outside the main hall, Damon called over the butler and said coldly, "Get me a copy of tonight''s surveince footage."

    The butler looked confused but didn''t dare ask questions upon seeing Damon''s icy demeanor. He immediately went to make the copy.

    "Mr. Damon, some of the cameras in the house malfunctioned tonight, so there are al few areas without footage," the butler informed him hesitantly.

    trason''s hips pressed into a thin line, his expression menacing

    Malfunctioning? What a coincidence.

    Understood. You can go back to your work, he dismissed the butler c

    frathon held the USB drive tightly with a smirk. Did they think breaking the cameras would prevent far from finding evidence?

    Mane''s tarthday party continued until just before midnight.

    Today Homes Offer

 Chapter 219

    Before leaving Damon ordered that the service staff who had followed Cyrus'' orders. be bound and brought directly before Marie and Richard.

    These traitorous servants need to be dealt with sooner rather thanter," he said.

    Richard''s face darkened. "What''s going on here?

    "You should ask my dear older brother about that," Damon replied.

    Richard turned his cold gaze to Cyrus. "You exin."

    Cyrus grimaced. He hadn''t expected Damon to expose the matter so publicly.

    The living room fell silent as everyone''s eyes focused on Cyrus, who remained. unwilling to speak.

    "if you don''t exin, I''ll investigate it myself Richard mmed the table, his eyes. burning with anger.

    It was clear that Damon''s dramatic disy meant Cyrus'' actions were anything but. simple

    Under Richard''s icy stare, Cyrus felt the mounting pressure. He was about to reveal everything when he looked up and met Damon''s smirking gaze.

    "Cyrus, you should understand the gravity of the situation," Damon reminded him.

    Hearing the threat in Damon''s tone, Cyrus gritted his teeth and said coldly, "I drugged Damon and arranged for a woman to be sent to his bed for the sake of an investment in thepany."

    He didn''t mention that the woman was N, knowing that not only Damon woulde after him, but also that rk would likely despise him even more.

    "Preposterous!" Richard was both enraged and disappointed as he looked at Cyrus.

    Marie, too, was in disbelief. "Cyrus, have you gone mad? Damon is your brother, your own flesh and blood. How could you drug your own family? Do you want to drive me and your father to our graves?" "Dad, Mom, I''m sorry... I had no other choice, Cyrus apologized, lowering his head, his eyes filled with anger and resentment.

    If only Damo ha invested in hispany as requested, Cyrus wouldn''t have been

    anven to each desperate measures, not would Damon have exposed him

    "We char*" you say? If you had no choice hit to drug Damon, would you find

    mself with no choice but to harm your own family in the future? Mane demanded.

    Os to the old wing and stay there until your brother is willie

    growled

    two maids escorted Cyrus away in silence.

    Anght, everyone You can go now. We need to rest, Richard and Mare dismissed the remaining quests

    As Damon was about to get into his car outside the house, rk suddenly asked," Uncle Damon, my dad mentioned preparing to send a woman to your bed. Who is stary Damion raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden interest?

    Im just curious. Who is this woman rk pressed.

    Since they had been so tight-lipped about the woman''s identity, rk had a bad feeding it seemed too coincidental that N had also disappeared for a while.

    "You don''t know her, so there''s no need to be curious, Damon said before getting into the car and driving off

    As Damon''s car disappeared from view, rk turned to N and, as if casually, asked, ''ti, why do you think my dad chose tonight to drug Uncle Damon?

    if Cyrus goal was simply to find a woman, there would have been no need to do it during Mane''s birthday party. Such an action, if discovered, would embarrass the Summers and would not be forgiven by Marie or Richard. There must have been a specfic reason for choosing this night.

    Hips looked up, her expression indifferent. If you''re so curicus, your dad is currently in the old wing Why don''t you go ask hart yourself?

 Chapter 220

    rk frowned, displeasure evident in his eyes

    N didn''t even nce at him as she opened the car door and got in

    During the drive back, they remained silent. At traffic lights, rk nced at tylk several times, as if he wanted to say something.

    Nevertheless, N kept her gaze fixed out the window, offering no indicatiean that she wanted to talk

    When they reached N''s building and she was about to get out of the car, rk finally spoke up. "N, does Dad''s scheme against Uncle Demon tonight have anything to do with you?" N turned to him, her eyes cold. "Why would you think it''s rted to me?

    rk''s gaze grew heavy. After a long pause, he shook his head. No reason I just noticed you disappeared for a while earlier, so I thought I''d ask

    "If you really want to know the truth, you should ask your dad, H said and then pushed the car door open to leave.

    At home, N sat on the sofa and pulled out her phone to find Damon''s contact information. After a moment''s hesitation, she called him.

    The phone rang a few times before Damon answered. He didn''t say anything, and the line was filled with their breathing.

    N lowered her gaze and said slowly, "Uncle Damon, you once said that if i wanted a divorce, I could contact you anytime. I want to divorce rk now. Can you help me?

    As she spoke, she could clearly hear Damon''s breathing be heavier on the other end of the line.

    "Why the sudden decision to divorce? Is it because of what happened tonight with Cyrus? Damon asked.

    "Partly," N admitted, though she didn''t want to exin further

    Damon was silent for a few seconds before responding in a low voice "Come to my

    office tomorrow moming"

    After hanging up, N set her phone down, covered her eyes with her hands, and sighed softly.

    If Damon ever found out she was using him, he might never forgive her. Yet, as she thought about what rk and Cyrus had done to her and the Jaystons, her expression hardened. Furthermore, being close to Damon would make investigating Cyrus eas

    Ultimately, she was just being selfish.

    The next morning, N got up an hour early, spent half an hour on her makeup, and chose a fitted dress to wear.

    When she arrived at thepany, she went straight to the top floor.

    As she entered Damon''s office, he was preparing to review documents. An inscrutable emotion flickered in his eyes upon seeing her.

    "You''re wearing makeup today?" Damon asked.

    N paused momentarily before nodding. "Yes."

    Damon didn''t pursue the matter further. He was pleased that she had put effort into her appearance for him.

    She took a seat across from him, and he finally spoke. "You were serious about wanting a divorce from rk?"

    "Yes. There''s no need to continue this marriage," N replied.

    She knew that if she asked for a divorce, rk would not agree. Only with Damon''s help could she ensure a smooth divorce.

    "How much do you want in terms of asset division?" Damon asked.

    N looked up in surprise, her gaze confused. She had expected Damon to only help with the divorce, not to negotiate for her share of the assets.

    *50% would be ideal, but if not, it''s fine. I just want the divorce," she rified.

    "Alright, I understand. You can go back for now," Damon said.

    Seeing Damon''s calm demeanor, N hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. "Uncle Damon, I''ve tried to discuss the divorce with him before, and he was very resistant... Damon chuckled, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Are you doubting my ability to get you that divorce?"

 Chapter 221

    N shook her head. "That''s not what I meant I just want to say that, whether or not the divorce goes through, I''m very grateful to you, Uncle Damon."

    "I don''t need your gratitude in words," Damon replied.

    N looked up, meeting Damon''s deep, prating gaze. Unease washed over her, and she quickly averted her eyes.

    "Then... what do you want?" she asked.

    I

    "Once you''ve divorced him, I''ll tell you what I want," Damon answered.

    N bit her lower lip. "Alright."

    It wasn''t until she left Damon''s office that she finally felt the weight of his intense, probing gaze lift.

    N let out a breath of relief. A vague idea of what Damon might want lingered in her mind, but since she had already.made up her mind, she wouldn''t regret whatever she had to sacrifice. As she reached the elevator, she ran into Erining out.

    Upon seeing her, Erin''s eyes narrowed, and the smile on her face vanished instantly. "Ms. N, if I''m not mistaken, this is the CEO''s office, not yourb," Erin remarked. Erin, being a woman herself, could easily tell that N had put extra effort into her appearance today. The thought that it might be to seduce Damon made her grip her documents tighter, her knuckles turning white as she red at N. N remained calm. "Ms. Hulle, I don''t believe I''m your subordinate, so where I go isn''t your concern."

    Erin sneered. "I just wanted to remind you that you''re rk''s wife, Damon''s niece-in-w. You''d do well to remember your ce."

    "There''s no need for you to remind me of that," N retorted.

    As N stepped into the elevator, she looked back at Erin and said, "Ms. Hulle, don''t think that hiding behind others and scheming won''t eventually catch up with you. Walk the path long enough, and you''ll run into something nasty."

    What did she mean by that?

    Erin''s expression shifted as she realized that H was referring to Jacqueline''s plot against Vrie,

    The elevator doors closed, cutting off N''s cold stare.

    Erin took a deep breath to steady herself, No matter what suspicions N harbored, she couldn''t possibly have any evidence.

    Erin needed only to focus on making Damon fall in love with her. Once she married him, dealing with N would be as simple as saying the word.

    That evening, after work, N drove to the hospital to visit Harrison.

    As she reached the door of his hospital room, she heard the sound of an argument inside. She quickly pushed the door open and was shocked to see Jordyn standing there.

    "Jordyn, what are you doing here?!" N demanded, her eyes narrowing.

    Everyone in the room turned to look at her.

    Jordyn''s smile deepened.

    "Ms. Jayston, I just came to check on Mr. Jayston, but it seems I''m not very wee here," Jordyn replied sarcastically.

    "Get out of here right now!" N roared.

    She had never encountered someone as shameless as Jordyn, who dared to show up at her father''s hospital room and cause trouble.

    Jordyn looked at her mockingly. "If I were you, N, I''d divorce rk. After all, I''m carrying his child,"

    "Get out!" N yelled again.

    "Fine, I''m leaving. It''s not like I want to stay here anyway. This ce smells so cheap, it''s suffocating," Jordyn sang as she waved her hand in front of her nose, pretending to fan away the smell. Without another word, she walked past N and left.

    N turned to Harrison, whoy in the hospital bed. She couldn''t meet his eyes, afraid she would see disappointment there.

    SINCERCO

    "Dad, Wren, I''m sorry... I didn''t know she woulde and make a scene... Dad, please don''t be upset. Your health is what matters most," she pleaded.

    Harrison sighed. "N, when I saw her and rk getting cozy at the hospitalst

    time, I had my suspicions. I''m not disappointed, I just feel that this is all so unfair to you..."

 Chapter 222

    N forced a bitter smile. She had always tried to maintain the illusion that her marriage was fine in front of Harrison, but now she realized how foolish she had been. "Dad, this was the path I chose. I can ept the consequences," she replied.

    Before marrying rk, Harrison had warned her that life with the Sumners might not be easy, especially since the Jaystons were bankrupt.

    N had believed that as long as she and rk loved each other, they could ovee anything. Now, she understood how naive she had been.

    Harrison sighed softly, his voice gentle. "N, don''t worry about me. If you feel like you can''t stay with him anymore, I''ll support whatever decision you make."

    N''s nose tingled as tears threatened to fall. She replied, "Dad, I know. But right now, the most important thing is for you to focus on getting better."

    Harrison wanted to mention his n to discharge himself from the hospital, but seeing N''s red-rimmed eyes, he held back, He decided to wait for a better time to bring it up. After spending some time in the hospital room, Wren walked N out.

    At the hospital entrance, Wren looked at her with concern and said, "N, I know staying with rk is hard on you, but if you''re thinking about divorce, I just ask that you wait until after your dad''s kidney transnt. I''m begging you..."

    The plea in Wren''s gaze made N''s expression darken. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Wren the truth. "Wren, the kidney we found before... rk gave it to someone else." Wren''s eyes widened in disbelief, and she staggered back a step.

    "What did you say?" she asked, her voice trembling.

    "Wren, will find another kidney for my dad, but it might take some time," N assured her.

    Wren didn''t espond, her face turning ashen

    They had been waiting for that kidney for years, and now N was telling her that

    someone else. Anyone would find that hard to ont

    rk had gi

    long since When quietly turned and started walking back toward the Hospital. Her steps were unsteady, and N quickly moved to support her Nted tofort her Wren, MI find a way to get the kidney-" you find?

    Before she could finish, Wren pushed her away. "Find a way? What way rk''s people searched for over two years before they found that kidney. How many years will it take you? Your dad can''t wait that long!"

    Wren''s eyes were filled with anger and despair. It was as if someone who had been wandering in darkness suddenly saw a ray of light, only for that light to be abruptly snuffed out

    Seeing Wren so agitated, N pressed her lips together. "Wren, I know this is hard to ept right now. We can talk about it when you''ve calmed down.

    "Nyta, does rk giving the kidney to someone else have anything to do with you?" Wren demanded.

    Her gaze was usatory. rk had assured them that the kidney would go to Harrison, so why had he suddenly changed his mind?

    N''s hands clenched at her sides. After a moment, she finally uttered, "Yes."

    "I knew it," Wren said, walking away without looking back.

    N didn''t try to stop her. She knew Wren was ming her. While she could understand Wren''s feelings, she didn''t believe she was at fault. The mey with rk After watching Wren disappear into the hospital, N turned and left.

    Late at night, in the Prospectus Technology CEO''s office...

    Spencer handed a document to Damon, his expression hesitant as he asked, "Mr. Sumner, are you sure you want to give these documents to Ms. Jayston?"

 Chapter 223

    Inside the folder were all the pieces of evidence showing how Cyrus had conspired with Clement to sabotage Harris Pharmaceuticals. If this folder were given to N, it would likely send Cyrus to prison. No matter how terrible Cyrus was, he was still Damon''s older brother.

    Damon took the file, his expression cold. "I know what I need to do. You can go now."

    his icy

    Spencer hesitated. He wanted to persuade Damon further, but see demeanor, he decided to leave without saying more.

    Once the office was quiet again, Damon opened the file and examined its contents. After a moment, he ced it in the bottom drawer of his desk.

    Giving this evidence to N would certainly lead to her divorce from rk, but it would also mean Cyrus'' downfall. Despite all the despicable things Cyrus had done, he was still family.

    After a moment of thought, Damon called Spencer back into the office and quietly gave him a few instructions.

    The next morning...

    N had just woken up when she received a call from Vrie.

    "N, you need to check the trending topics right now!" Vrie eximed.

    N quickly opened her phone and was shocked to see photos of rk and Jordyn kissing all over the Inte.

    Before she could process what was happening, rk called her.

    "I''m outside your door. Open up," he said.

    His voice was cold, and N frowned, a sense of unease washing over her.

    "What are you doing at my door? You think I''m the one who leaked those photos online, don''t you?" she asked.

    There was a moment of silence on the other end before rk spoke again. "My grandparent know about it. They want us to go to their residence together." "Fine. Give me five minutes," N said.

    She quickly got dressed and ready, stepping out of her apartment within five minutes

    To her surprise, rk was already waiting at her door. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, clearly having not slept well.

    "Let''s go," she said curtly.

    As they waited for the elevator, rk asked in a low voice, "Are you sure you had nothing to do with this?"

    N shot him a cold look. "If you think I did it, then show me the evidence. If you don''t have any, then shut up."

    Ever since she discovered that rk had given the kidney intended for Harrison to Jordyn''s father, she could barely stand the sight of him. She wished he would disappear and had no interest in pretending otherwise.

    rk took a deep breath, trying to keep hisposure. "N, I just need to know. When we face my grandparentster, I need you to cooperate with me."

    N''s expression remained icy. "Why should I cooperate with you? To help you lie to your grandparents about not cheating? Do you really think they''re that stupid?"

    The moment those photos of him and Jordyn were posted online, his infidelity became impossible to hide.

    Given rk''s high status in the city, a reporter who had taken pictures of him cheating would typically have tried to sell the photos to him first, rather than expose them immediately.

    N recalled her conversation with Damon about wanting a divorce and had a gut feeling he might have been involved in leaking the photos. But with rk standing right next to her, she couldn''t confirm her suspicions.

    rk warned, "N, don''t forget about your father''s kidney-"

    N cut him off with a bitterugh. "rk, are you seriously trying to ckmail me with that kidney again? Do you really think I''m that gullible?"

    rk''s eyes shed with guilt as he asked coldly, "When did I ever lie to you?"

    "Haven''t you already given the kidney to Jordyn''s father? Now you''re trying to use it to ckmail me into helping you lie? You''re truly shameless!" N retorted.

 Chapter 224

    rk''s eyes widened in shock, his expression darkening. "How did you-"

    "Does it really matter how I found out?" N interrupted.

    rk fell silent, his face tense as he stared at her.

    H

    When the elevator doors opened, N walked in without hesitation. Set rk still standing at the entrance, she asked coldly, "Aren''t we going to the family home?"

    rk took a deep breath and stepped into the elevator. He looked at N and said, N, Jordyn''s father was in a car ident, and it was an emergency-"

    N, clearly fed up, cut him off sharply. "Don''t bother making excuses. The fact is, you''ve already made your choice between me and Jordyn."

    rk attempted to exin, "It''s not like that-

    "Enough. The more you exin, the more disgusted I get!" N snapped.

    rk''s face froze, and the elevator fell into silence, the only sound being its soft hum as it descended.

    Soon, they reached the ground floor.

    N walked out of the elevator and headed straight to her car.

    "I''ll see you at the family home," she said curtly.

    rk frowned and replied, "N, my grandparents are going to be furious. There are some things we need to discuss on the way. You should ride with me."

    N turned to him, her voice devoid of warmth. "There''s nothing to discuss. I''ll tell them the truth."

    Now that rk had given away the kidney that could have saved Harrison, she had no reason to cover for him. In fact, she nned to use this opportunity to push for a divorce. Without another nce at him, she got into her car and drove off.

    It wasn''t unul rk''s figure disappeared from her rearview mirror that she picked up her phone and called Damon.

    The phone rang a few times before he answered. "What''s wrong?"

    Damon''s deep voice sounded distant, almost echoing In N''s ear.

    She bit her lip before asking softly, "Are you in a meeting? Am I Interrupting?"

    Damon sat at the head of the table in the conference room at Prospectus Technology, surrounded by thepany''s board members. His cold expression andmanding presence made him an intimidating figure to everyone in the room.

    "It''s fine. Go ahead," Damon replied.

    "Uncle Damon, I just wanted to ask if you arranged for rk''s affair photos to be leaked online?"

    Damon''s gaze hardened.

    "Yes," he answered.

    "Got it. Thank you, Uncle Damon," N replied.

    "Is there anything else?" Damon asked.

    "No, that''s all," N answered.

    After hanging up, Damon''s voice returned to its usual icy tone. "Let''s resume the meeting."

    The board members kept their heads down, but their minds were racing.

    They

    ey couldn''t help but wonder who was important enough for Damon to take a call in the middle of a meeting-a rarity, as he had never done so before.

    An hourter, N arrived at the Sumner residence.

    rk was already there.

    Without exchanging any words with him, N walked straight into the house.

    As soon as they stepped into the living room, Richard''s angry voice greeted rk." Get over here and kneel!"

    rk''s face pulud. I he took a deep breath and walked over to kneel in front of Richard and Marie.

    On the nearby sofa, Cindy and Cyrus sat with equally grim expressions.

    Chapta) 234

    N halted a few steps behind rk, ignoring the icy re Cindy directed at her. She found it ironic that Cindy, whose son had been the one to engage

    to look at her with such disdain.

    ffair, dared

    Richard turned to rk, his expression filled with deep disappointment: "rk, have you forgotten the Sumners'' code of conduct?

    It was hard for him to grasp that the grandson he had raised with such care was now following in his father''s footsteps, entangled in an affair just like Cyrus had been Today''s Borsus Offer

 Chapter 225

    The disappointment in Richard''s eyes made rk''s heart sink. "Grandpa, I just couldn''t resist the temptation for a moment. I know I was wrong."

    Richard''s anger deepened. "If you can''t resist even a small temptation, how will you handle greater ones in the future? I can''t trust you with the Sumner G

    should resign.*

    rk was appalled.

    1. You

    Just as he was about to speak, Cindy''s voice, filled with indignation, cut him off." Dad, aren''t you being too harsh on rk? He only strayed because N can''t have children. Do you really expect rk to spend his whole life with a woman who won''t give him children?"

    N let out a coldugh. Cindy was really grasping at excuses for rk''s affair. It was as if hisck of self-control was somehow her fault.

    "Don''t you think that''s ridiculous? Before Jordyn got pregnant, did he even know that would happen?" N countered.

    "What? That woman is pregnant?" Marie asked, looking at rk with a mix of frustration and disappointment. "rk, how could you be so foolish?"

    If this got out, the Sumners'' reputation would be in tatters.

    rk kept his head down, unable to meet Marie''s gaze. He knew she was his only hope now.

    "Grandma, I''m sorry. I really know I was wrong. I promise it won''t happen again, and I''ve worked at the Sumner Group for so long. I don''t want to leave," he pleaded.

    N''s expression was full of disdain. "rk, you really want to have it all, don''t you?" "Shut up!" Cindy snapped. "If you had kept rk under control, he wouldn''t have gotten involved with that other woman. You''re just as much to me for this mess!" N wanted to roll her eyes but knew Cindy wasn''t the one who had the final say there, so she didn''t bother arguing. Instead, she turned to Richard and said calmly, Grandpa, now that rk''s affair is known to everyone, I have no interest in maintaining is marriage. I''m nning to divorce him."

    Everyone in the room turned their eyes to her, especially rk, who stared at her with a mix of ange

    fisbelief.

    1. Q)

    N was bringing up divorce at this critical moment?!

    "No! I won''t divorce you!" rk blurted out.

    Richard glowered, lowering his gaze as he sank into deep thought. Although he was in his 70s, his authoritative presence stillmanded respect and fear.

    N ignored rk and kept her eyes on Richard, waiting for his response.

    After a tense silence, Richard finally spoke, his voice heavy. "I understand how you feel, but you can''t divorce rk right now."

    At this point, the only evidence avable online was photos, with no substantial proof. If N divorced rk now, it would be akin to indirectly admitting that he had indeed had an affair. Although Richard was deeply disappointed by rk''s actions, rk was still someone he had personally groomed for the family business. He couldn''t just abandon him over one mistake. His harsh words earlier were intended to teach rk a lesson, ensuring he wouldn''t repeat such behavior.

    N''s hands clenched at her sides, and her gaze grew cold as she looked at Richard. She hadn''t expected that, even with Jordyn pregnant, the Sumners would still side with rk. "And what if I insist on getting a divorce?" she asked.

 Chapter 226

    Richard looked at her with a gaze full of superiority. "You don''t have a choice."

    N''s gaze was resolute as she replied, "I have a recording of rk''s affair. If you don''t agree, I''ll make it public."

    Her determination was clear-she intended to use this opportunity to

    divorce rk.

    Richard''s expression remained cold, unaffected by her threat. "Don''t forget, your father is still in the hospital. I don''t want to make things ugly, so I hope you''ll be smart about this. Once this scandal dies down, I''ll arrange for a quiet divorce." TH

    "Why should I believe that you''ll actually let us divorce?" N pressed.

    "You have no choice but to trust me. Right now, you don''t have the leverage to negotiate," Richard stated bluntly.

    N''s hands clenched tightly. For a moment, she considered revealing Cyrus'' plot against

    Harris Pharmaceuticals, but she held back at thest second. Until she had solid evidence that could send Cyrus to prison, she couldn''t let the Sumners know what she was aware of. She took a deep breath and told Richard, "One month. If we''re not divorced by then, I''ll go public with rk''s affair!"

    "Fine. Now, let''s discuss how to handle this situation," Richard replied.

    Half an hourter, N and rk walked out of the Sumner residence.

    As soon as they reached the door, rk grabbed N''s wrist, gritting his teeth. "N, no matter what, I won''t divorce you!"

    N pulled her hand away, her expression mocking. "rk, you will divorce me-unless you don''t care about losing the Sumner Group."

    With that, she turned and got into her car, driving away.

    Midway through her drive, she received a call from Vrie, asking about the Sumner Group''s statement.

    Earlier at the Sumner residence, Richard had mentioned that the Sumner Group would issue a statement iming the photos were just a matter of misleading angles, downying the situation. They nned to wait until the scandal lost traction and then have N and rk attend a few events together to show that their marriage was still intact.

    "It''s exactly what you saw. The Sumners are sweeping it under the rug," N said.

    Vrie was furious. "The Sumners are really pushing it too far!"

    "Getting angry isn''t worth it. rk''s grandfather has already agreed that once this blows over, I''ll be able to divorce rk quietly," N said.

    "Really? If you can finally get that divorce, it''ll be a relief. What rk and Jordyn have done is disgusting," Vrie remarked.

    N wasn''t entirely convinced, but

    she knew she had to gather enough evidence to put Cyrus behind bars. That was the only way to ensure the divorce would go through without any issues.

    "Yeah. Vrie, I''m driving right now. Let''s talkter," N said.

    After hanging up, she turned her car around and headed straight to the police station to meet Lucia. She spent over half an hour there.

    Whatever their discussion entailet

    N signed a letter of leniency before leaving.

    Not long after she got home, Damon called her.

    "Things didn''t go well back home?" he asked.

    N lowered her gaze and replied softly, "No. Your father promised that he would arrange for rk and me to divorce quietly once this scandal has passed."

    There was a brief pause on the other end before Damon''s deep voice came through. "Did rk agree to that?"

    "If he doesn''t agree, your father probably won''t pass the Sumner Group to him," N said.

    "Alright," Damon answered.

    They fell into silence. Given their current rtionship, there wasn''t much more to say.

    "I have some things to take care of... I''ll go now," N said, excusing herself.

    "Yeah. If you need anything from me, don''t hesitate to call," Damon said.

    After hanging up, N set her phone aside and opened herptop. She entered the ount and password Lucia had given her into the cloud drive. Soon, she opened an encrypted file.

    As she read through the contents, her expression grew icy.

    The encrypted file contained not only evidence of Cyrus'' plot against Harris Pharmaceuticals but also a wealth of incriminating information about Clement''s illegal activities over the years.

 Chapter 227

    If these pieces of evidence were exposed, they would ensure that both Cyrus and Clement spent the rest of their lives in prison,

    N made several copies of the files and stored them in different locations before finally shutting down herputer.

    With this evidence in hand, she had the power to fight back if the Sumners failed to keep their promises.

    Regardless of whether they honored their word, she was determined to hand over these files to the police eventually, ensuring that Clement and Cyrus would face the consequences of their actions.

    The next morning, as N arrived at the office, Melody greeted her excitedly. "N! I can''t believe it-

    you''re married to rk Sumner, the CEO of the Sumner Group! Doesn''t that mean Mr. Damon Sumner of Prospectus Technology is your uncle?"

    It was no wonder she had always felt that Damon treated N with a certain level of care-it turned out they were family.

    N frowned slightly. "How do you know about this?"

    This exined why she had sensed odd looks from the employees of Prospectus Technology when she arrived this morning. Before N and rk got married, they announced the wedding but kept her identity private, so only a few people knew about it. Melody paused, momentarily startled, then said, "Didn''t a gossip ount post a picture yesterday of Mr. rk supposedly having an affair with his secretary? This morning, he released a statement saying that you''re his wife and that your rtionship is strong..."

    N quickly pulled out her phone and went online, where she indeed found rk''s statement.

    Not only had he released a statement, but he had also shared numerous details about their married life, portraying himself as a devoted husband who would never betray his wife.

    N''s hands trembled as she gripped the phone, stunned by rk''s shamelessness. He had chosen this moment to reveal their marriage, just to clear his name.

    Seeing N''s dark expression andck of any joy, Melody realized she might have said the wrong thing. "N..."

    N took a deep breath and looked at her. "Let''s focus on the

    experiment. I''ll be back in a moment."

    She walked out of theb and immediately called rk.

    "rk, what''s the meaning of that statement?" she demanded.

    "Ms. Jayston, rk is busy making me fresh juice right now. If you have something to say, I can ry the message." Jordyn''s sweet voice echoed from the other end of the line.

    N frowned, her tone cold. "Put him on the phone."

    "I''m afraid that''s not possible. He''s a bit too upied to take your call," Jordyn replied, her tone dripping with glee and provocation.

    N scoffed and ended the call without another word.

    When she returned to theb and

    saw Melody nervously avoiding her gaze, N felt a pang of

    helplessness. "Melody, I''m not upset with you. I was just surprised, that''s all

    Melody let out a sigh of relief. "That''s good. I was worried I had said something wrong."

    *

    "No. This has nothing to do with you. Let''s focus on the experiment," N said.

    Melody nodded. "Right. By the way, N, Mr. Hogg delivered an invitation earlier this morning. I left it on your desk, so don''t forget to check it."

    N walked over to her desk and picked up the envelope.

    Spencer had sent an invitation to a pharmaceutical research

    symposium in Saintornia, hosted by the Sumner Group and attended by several pharmaceuticalpanies. The focus of the

    symposium was closely rted to her current research, so attending could be very beneficial for her work.

    She checked the date-Friday evening.

    With no other ns at that time, she asked Melody to clear her

    schedule so they could attend the symposium together.

    Just as N was about to start the experiment, her phone buzzed with a message from Damon, inviting her to dinner that evening.

 Chapter 228

    Surprise shed in N''s eyes. Why would Damon suddenly invite her to dinner?

    As she hesitated, another message from him appeared on her phone.

    Damon: [I''ll be waiting in the parking lot at 6:30 p.m.]

    It seemed he wasn''t giving her a chance to refuse.

    Considering that he had helped persuade Richard to agree to her divorce from rk, she felt she owed him a meal as a thank you.

    N replied with a simple "Okay". She then put her phone away and focused on her experiment.

    "N, our recent experiments have been going really well. In a little while, we should be able to start testing onb mice," Melody said excitedly.

    N shook her head. "It''s not that simple. Before we move to trials, we need to go through countless experiments and trial and

    error to find the best solution. It can take years, even over a decade, for a drug to go from research to market."

    Melody looked shocked, momentarily pausing her work with the test tubes. "It takes that long?"

    "Yes, and even during trials, there can be many unpredictable factors that require constant adjustments," N borated.

    If onecked patience, this line of work could be really tough. The

    early stages of experimentation were often filled with repeated failures, and it was difficult to pinpoint why things weren''t working. The daily repetition could be exhausting and monotonous. "I see." Melody sighed, clearly disappointed. She had assumed the

    experiment might wrap up in six months, not realizing it could take years. With her lively personality, such a slow-paced and demanding process was particrly challenging

    N tried tofort her. "But don''t worry too much. Who knows? Maybe we''ll get incredibly lucky, and every experiment will seed. In that case, we could move to trials pretty quickly." Knowing N was trying tofort her, Melody forced a smile and nodded.

    N didn''t say anything more. She knew that research could be tedious, and if Melody couldn''t stick it out, it might be better for her to find a different path sooner rather thanter. That evening, N took the elevator down to the basement level.

    Damon''s car was parked not far from the elevator.

    After getting in, she looked at him, her expression serious.

    "Uncle Damon, let me treat you to dinner tonight," she offered.

    Damon nced at her with a slight smile. "Why?"

    "To thank you for leaking the news about rk''s affair," N replied. Damon raised an eyebrow, nodding with a hint of amusement. "Alright" There was an unreadable emotion in his dark eyes that made N feel uneasy. She looked away, her ears turning slightly red.

    The car grew quiet as Damon picked up a file to continue reading.

    The scent of gardenias from N filled the car, distracting him. He found himself staring at the same line of text for several minutes before finally closing the file with a sigh.

    "I''m nning to send your father abroad for treatment," he said in a low voice,

    N was taken aback and instinctively refused, "That won''t be

    necessary. I''ll find a way to take care of my father''s treatment myself."

    "You wouldn''t want any surprises to derail your divorce from rk, would you?" Damon asked.

    N lowered her gaze, her hands slowly clenching in herp. She knew the Sumners might continue to use Harrison to threaten her. Sending him abroad for treatment would indeed be better. At least she wouldn''t have to worry about him being used against her.

    However, Harrison was weak, and she worried he wouldn''t survive a long flight. Moreover, if he were overseas, she wouldn''t be able to reach him quickly if something happened. After a moment of silence, she still declined. "Uncle Damon, I

    appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I don''t want to send my father abroad."

 Chapter 229

    N''s voice was gentle yet resolute.

    Damon knew her well enough to understand that once she made up her mind, no one could change it. Thus, he didn''t press the matter further.

    As they arrived at the restaurant entrance, they ran into rk and Jordyn.

    The moment rk saw N and Damon together, his expression turned cold.

    "Uncle Damon, why are you here alone with N?" rk asked icily.

    "Thelped her out with something, and she''s treating me to dinner to thank me. Is that a problem? Or are you just eager to provide the tabloids with more material? Perhaps you want to give the paparazzi more evidence of your affair?" Damon retorted.

    rk sneered. This restaurant was one of the most private in the city- only the wealthy and influential dined there. The paparazzi wouldn''t

    dare to invade this space.

    "Since we''ve run into each other, why don''t we all have dinner together?" rk suggested.

    Damon shot him a frosty nce. "Sitting your pregnant mistress at the same table as your wife-only you would think of that."

    rk''s expression darkened. He wouldn''t have suggested it if he wasn''t so keen on preventing them from spending time alone together. Before he could say anything, Jordyn jumped in.

    "Ms. Jayston, I don''t mind joining you for dinner. After all, I''m not that petty," she said.

    N hadn''t intended to engage with Jordyn, but

    +

    causing trouble, she couldn''t let it slide.

    "And what right do you have to be petty? Is it your shamelessness?" N shot back.

    Jordyn''s face paled, and she red at N with icy eyes..

    Not wanting to waste any more time on them, N turned to Damon." Uncle Damon, shall we go inside?" "Sure," Damon replied.

    rk moved to stop them, but Jordyn held him back. "rk, making a scene here won''t do us any good."

    Everyone dining there held

    significant status in the city. Given

    that rk and N were still married, a public confrontation could easily turn Jordyn into a target of public scorn.

    rk took a deep breath,

    ??

    suppressing his anger, and leered at

    her. "If you hadn''t insisted on

    mess!"

    Jordyn sighed. "But if we hadn''te, would N have told you she was dining with your uncle alone?"

    rk''s expression darkened further, fury flickering in his eyes.

    Throughout the meal, rk

    remained distracted, barely engaging in. Jordyn''s attempts at conversation. When they finally

    finished, he arranged for the dr

    to take Jordyn home while he waited outside the restaurant for N and Damon.

    After half an hour, just as his patience was wearing thin, N and Damon finally emerged, side by side.

    N wore a white dress, her long hair tied back, entuating her delicate and beautiful features. Standing next to the impably

    dressed Damon, they looked like a couple straight out of a fairytale- perfectly matched.

    The sight pierced rk''s heart. He quickly strode over, blocking their path, his face a mask of irritation.

    "I''ll take you home," he told N.

    "That''s not necessary. I''m riding with Uncle Damon," she replied calmly.

    rk''s anger bubbled like a volcano on the verge of eruption. He seemed ready to lose control.

    "N, don''t forget-you''re still my wife!" he snapped.

    Ny?a chuckled, her gaze clear and piercing.

    "And I don''t recall anyw that says just because you''re my husband, I

    have to listen to everything you say," she retorted.

    C

 Chapter 230

    rk let out a coldugh. "If you dare get in the car with Uncle Damon,

    I''ll call my grandparents and tell them he has feelings for you!"

    N frowned, shocked at how low rk was willing to go.

    The air around Damon instantly turned icy. He fixed rk with a piercing stare, his presence overwhelming. "If you think you can handle the consequences, go ahead and make the call." "Uncle Damon, all you ever do is threaten me with the Sumner Group. But guess what? I don''t care about the Sumner Group anymore," rk said, attempting to sound confident.

    To Damon, it was almostughable. He sneered. "You don''t care about the Sumner Group? Or is it because your affair photos went viral and your grandfather is so disappointed in you that he''s nning to demote you to one of the subsidiarypanies? Soon, you won''t even be the CEO of the Sumner Group."

    rk''s face flushed with embarrassment as Damon exposed the truth. "It''s just a temporary demotion. It doesn''t mean I won''t have the chance to return to the Sumner Group," rk said, clinging to his pride.

    "You''re right. You might get another chance. But if you keep pestering N, that chance might just go to your cousin instead," Damon replied calmly.

    rk''s hands clenched into fists at his sides, frustration and hesitation warring in his eyes. He knew he couldn''t go head-to-head with Damon right now. Doing so would only make things worse. But he was done holding back.

    Raising his head, he met Damon''s gaze without flinching. "Uncle Damon, do whatever you want. But right now, I''m taking N with me."

    .

    A tense silence fell over the restaurant entrance, so quiet one could hear a pin drop, as his words hung in the air.

    N took a deep breath and spoke calmly. "rk, we''re getting divorced soon. There''s no point in you continuing to pester me."

    He had already paraded Jordyn around in public, clearly signaling that she mattered to him. N didn''t see the point in dragging out this argument.

    "I told you! I''m not divorcing you," rk insisted.

    N frowned, unwilling to continue the conversation. She turned to Damon. "Uncle Damon, I''ll just take a cab home."

    With that, she walked toward the street.

    rk moved to stop her, but Damon blocked his path. "Clinging to her like this will only make her hate you more."

    rk red at Damon with disdain. "Uncle Damon, there are so many women in the world. Why do you have to make me a cuckold?"

    Damon''s expression remained

    neutral, "You''re the one who cheated

    first. Instead of reflecting on your

    own mistakes, what right do you

    have to question me?"

    "Even if N and I do get divorced, you''ll never be with her. Grandpa and Grandma would never approve," ¨¨ rk said, convinced that Damon''s interest in N was just a passing fancy and that he''d never actually marry her.

    "That''s none of your concern," Damon replied, noticing out of the corner of his eye that N had already gotten into a taxi.

    Not interested in continuing the pointless conversation with rk, he got into his car and left.

    Back at home, N rested on the couch for a while. Just as she was about to get ready for bed, her phone rang.

    Surprise flickered in her eyes when she saw that it was Wren, but she answered. "Wren, is something the matter?"

    Wren''s voice came through,ced with guilt. "N, I was wrong the other day at the hospital. I said some harsh things, and I hope you can forgive me."

    Wren was an elder. Since she had already apologized, N couldn''t hold a grudge, even if she still felt uneasy about it.

    "Wren, I''m not angry. I understand that you were worried about my father''s condition," she replied.

    Wren seemed relieved, her tone

    softening. "N, I know you''ve been

    through a lot with rk''s affair... but what''s done is done. I wanted to discuss something with you. How about waiting until rk finds a kidney donor for your father before you two finalize the divorce? Would that be okay?"

 Chapter 231

    Wren''s voice was pleading, but a chill ran down N''s spine. This must be the real reason she had called.

    N had already been ckmailed by rk numerous times with the promise of a kidney donation for her father, only to be betrayed when the kidney was given to Jordyn''s father instead.

    "Wren, I can''t agree to this," N replied firmly. "A person can''t live without bottom lines. If Ipromise this time, I''ll be letting rk control me forever."

    She hadpromised too many times before, each instance leading to more pain and betrayal from rk. She wouldn''t trust him again, nor would shepromise.

    There was a long silence on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of the call being disconnected.

    N had no intention of calling back. She simply put down her phone and went to take a shower.

    The next few days passed quietly.

    rk didn''t reach out, and N''s life returned to its calm routine.

    Just when she thought she could approach Richard in about a week to quietly discuss divorcing rk, news broke out that Jordyn was pregnant. Photos of rk and Jordyn kissing resurfaced and began trending once more.

    Unaware that Jordyn''s pregnancy had been exposed, N noticed people giving her sympathetic looks as she walked into the office, leaving her puzzled.

    Did she have something on her face?

    She had no idea that people were now assuming she would soon be abandoned by rk. After all, it had only been a few days since their hidden marriage was made public.

    Now, news of Jordyn''s pregnancy had leaked, along with the recent photos of her kissing rk. It was hard not to assume that the child was rk''s.

    When N entered theb, she noticed that even Melody was sneaking nces at her, her expression a mix of sympathy and hesitation.

    N frowned. "Melody, did something happen? Why is everyone looking at me so strangely?"

    "You really don''t know?" Melody''s gaze filled with even more pity as she looked at N.

    "What''s going on? Don''t just stand there. Tell me!" N demanded.

    "Well... just look for yourself," Melody muttered, thrusting a phone screen in front of N.

    N took a closer look, and her expression darkened instantly.

    She quickly pulled out her phone and called rk, but despite several attempts, he didn''t pick up. With each unanswered call, her expression grew increasingly grim. Meanwhile, rk was ordering Michael to find out who had leaked the news about Jordyn''s pregnancy

    online.

    "Mr. Sumner, it was first posted on a foreign website, and we can''t trace the specific IP address," Michael reported.

    rk''s expression turned icy. "So you''re telling me you can''t find out who did this?"

    "...Yes," Michael replied.

    "Useless!" rk angrily mmed a folder to the floor. "There are only a handful of people who know about Jordyn''s pregnancy. Investigate every single one! I refuse to believe we can''t uncover the truth!"

    He had just publicly announced his marriage to N, and now, someone had deliberately leaked Jordyn''s pregnancy. It had to be intentional!

    rk suspected that Damon might be behind it.

    "Focus the investigation on my uncle!" rk ordered.

    "Yes, sir!" Michael responded promptly.

    As Michael left, rk''s phone rang. He assumed it was N again and was about to hang up, but when he saw it was Richard, his expression turned grim.

 Chapter 232

    Richard''s call at that moment filled rk with dread.

    "Grandpa..." he began hesitantly.

    Richard''s voice crackled with anger. "Don''t call me Grandpa! I don''t have such a foolish grandson! The news about that woman''s pregnancy has caused a huge scandal, and it''s already affecting the Sumner Group''s stock prices. You need to resign and leave thepany immediately!"

    rk''s face drained of color. "Grandpa... what about my transfer to the subsidiary?"

    "Don''t even think about it. The board is extremely dissatisfied with you right now. You need to handle this scandal. If you can''t clean up this mess, don''t bothering back to thepany!" Richard bellowed. The words struck rk like a bolt of lightning, and panic washed over him. "Grandpa, I promise I''ll resolve this as quickly as possible. There won''t be a next time. If the board members have concerns, I''m willing to start from the bottom at the subsidiary."

    If he was expelled from the Sumner Group altogether and barred from the subsidiary, it would be nearly impossible to return to thepany in the future.

    A long silence followed before Richard''s cold voice broke through. "We''ll discuss thister. For now, you should take a break and think carefully about what you should and shouldn''t do."

    With that, Richard hung up.

    Despair flickered in rk''s eyes. He knew his grandfather was truly disappointed in him. His cousin, Brandon, had always been eyeing his position. Now that he was leaving the Sumner Group, Brandon would surely seize the opportunity to climb thedder.

    By the time rk resolved the situation with Jordyn and tried to return, would there even be a ce for him at the Sumner Group?

    Resentment and frustration churned inside rk, but he was powerless to change anything.

    As he brooded, his phone rang again.

    He picked it up and asked coldly, "What is it?"

    "rk... I don''t know how, but the news about my pregnancy got out, and now reporters are swarming outside my apartment. What should I do?" Jordyn''s voice trembled with panic.

    "Lock the door," rk ordered, his tone firm. "I''ll send someone over to deal with the reporters."

    "But even if you get rid of them, they''ll juste back. Someone even sshed paint on my door and threatened me... I''m scared..." Jordyn sobbed.

    rk frowned. "I understand. I''lle get you soon. We''ll find a new ce for you to stay temporarily."

    He hung up, ready to leave, when the office door suddenly flew open with a loud bang. Six board members stormed in, their faces dark with anger.

    The lead board member mmed a document onto rk''s desk. "Mr. Sumner, look at what you''ve done! The Sumner Group''s stock price dropped by a point today! Do you have any idea how much money

    the

    rk looked up, his gaze cold. "Mr. Colton, next time, please knock before you enter."

    Hugo Colton sneered. "We just held a board meeting and unanimously decided to terminate you. Starting tomorrow, you won''t need toe in anymore."

    "As long as I''m still the CEO of the Sumner Group, you knock before entering my office," rk insisted, his voice steely.

    "I''ve said what I came to say. I hope you''ll have your things packed by the end of the day. The new CEO will be taking over tomorrow," Hugo warned.

    rk''s expression darkened. "Who is the new CEO?"

    Before Hugo could answer, a cold voice came from the doorway. "It''s me."

    rk turned to see Brandon standing there with a smile.

    rk''s hands clenched into fists.

    It had taken rk two years to earn the respect of the board members, and now, their grandfather was appointing Brandon-who had been with thepany for only a short time-as CEO?

    A surge of bitterness and rage rose within rk. No matter how hard he worked, he could never measure up to Damon in Richard''s eyes. Now, he couldn''t evenpete with Brandon. How could he ept this?

    "rk, you look surprised to see me," Brandon said, smirking.

    rk''s face was icy. "You''ve only been with thepany for a short time. What makes you qualified for this position?"

 Chapter 233

    212

    Brandon didn''t get angry. He calmly replied, "At least I won''t cause a scandal that tanks thepany''s stock price by getting a mistress pregnant. Don''t you agree?" 1

    rk red at him, an intense and menacing aura surrounding him. "Get out!"

    "I''ll wait for you to pack up your office so that I can move in tomorrow," Brandon taunted.

    Soon, everyone left the office, leaving rk alone. He swept the documents off his desk in a fit of rage and stormed out.

    An hourter, Jordyn entered rk''s car with a small suitcase through the back gate of her apartmentplex.

    "rk, thank goodness for you. I really don''t know what I would''ve done without you..." she said.

    rk drove in silence, his face dark and stormy.

    Sensing his foul mood, Jordyn bit her lip. "rk... Shouldn''t we try to suppress the news about my pregnancy?"

    rk''s grip on the steering wheel tightened. "You don''t need to worry about that. Your priority now is to make sure the baby is born."

    A glint appeared in Jordyn''s eyes as she suggested, "I suspect Ms. Jayston is behind this..."

    rk''s ck Cayenne came to an abrupt stop with a screech. He turned to her with a chilling expression. You think it was her? Tell me, what would she gain from this?"

    Jordyn flinched under his icy gaze, fear creeping into her voice. "Hasn''t she been wanting a divorce? If my pregnancy is all over the news, she can use it to take the moral high ground and pressure you into divorcing her..."

    "A few days ago, my grandfather promised her that once the scandal of our photos blew over, he''d allow us to divorce in secret. Leaking this wouldn''t benefit her in any way," rk countered. Jordyn lowered her eyes and said slowly, "I still think it was her. After all, blowing this up might help her get a bigger settlement when you divorce."

    A bigger settlement?

    rk suddenly remembered that when N first discovered his affair, she had demanded half of his assets. If that was her motivation, it wouldn''t be entirely impossible that she was behind this. Moreover, only a few people knew about Jordyn''s pregnancy. It was highly likely that N, eager to expedite the divorce, had leaked the information to force his hand.

    The thought of being expelled from the Sumner Group because of this filled rk with a cold, simmering

    anger.

    After dropping Jordyn off at one of his properties and arranging for a housekeeper to look after her, rk left.

    11

 Chapter 234

    When N saw the so-called "evidence" on rk''s phone, her eyes filled with sarcasm. "So, based on this chat screenshot, you''ve decided it was me?"

    "That''s not all," rk replied, his tone cold. "There''s also a recording."

    He yed the recording right in front of N.

    As she listened, she finally understood-it was all a setup, specifically designed to frame her. She couldn''t figure out what the person behind this stood to gain.

    "This voice does sound a lot like mine," N said calmly. "However, if you take it to a forensicb, you''ll see it''s been fabricated."

    rk''s gaze was full of disappointment as he looked at her. "I gave you the evidence you asked for, but you''re still denying it? N, when did you be so malicious?"

    "Is it that I''m malicious, or that you want to believe I am? You didn''t even bother to have this recording or the chat logs authenticated, yet you''ve decided it was me. If I really wanted to leak Jordyn''s pregnancy, would I leave such obvious evidence for you to find?" N retorted.

    Anyone with a bit ofmon sense could see she was being framed, but rk was determined to believe she was the culprit.

    He was silent for a few moments. When Michael first sent him the evidence, he had his doubts too. The problem was that someone had to take the fall for this.

    "N, I''ve already promised you that Jordyn won''t threaten your position. Because of this, my grandfather has lost all faith in me. If I don''t handle this properly, I will lose my inheritance and my right to the Sumner Group," rk said.

    "So?" N asked coldly, waiting to hear just how shameless he could be.

    "If you tell my grandparents that you can''t have children and wanted a child, and that''s why I turned to Jordyn..." rk borated.

    N pped him hard across the face, trembling with rage. "rk, you''re utterly despicable!"

    She was shaking with fury, unable to believe he would make such an outrageous suggestion.

    A handprint bloomed on rk''s face, and his gaze turned icy. "Did I say something wrong? If it weren''t for your infertility, would I have strayed?"

    As his words hung in the air, the hallway fell into a heavy silence. Hurt shed across N''s eyes, and rk felt a pang of guilt.

    "N, I didn''t mean-" he began.

    "Enough!" she interrupted, her voice cold and indifferent. "I don''t want to hear any more."

    rk looked down, his tone subdued. "We''re both a bit emotional right now. I''lle back to discuss this When you''ve calmed down."

    N didn''t respond or look at him. She just stared at the floor, her face expressionless.

    With a sigh, rk turned and left.

    Back home, N called Damon. "Uncle Damon, was it you who leaked the news about Jordyn''s pregnancy?"

    There was a brief pause on the other end before Damon''s deep voice responded. "No. Why do you ask?"

    "No reason, just curious. You''re probably busy, so I won''t keep you." She quickly ended the call, realizing that if Damon had been responsible, he wouldn''t have bothered to create fake evidence. In her haste, she had overlooked this detail.

    The only people who knew about Jordyn''s pregnancy and would go to such lengths to frame her were Jordyn and Cindy.

    Cindy was aware of rk''s precarious position in the Sumner Group and wouldn''t have leaked the news herself.

    That left only one suspect.

 Chapter 235

    N had not yet confronted Jordyn about bribing the maid to swap her dressst time. Just dayster, Jordyn was already pushing her luck again.

    Considering the so-called evidence against her, N found itughable. The fact that rk believed it without even verifying it showed just how blind and foolish he had be.

    After a moment''s thought, N called Michael. She obtained the audio being used as evidence from him and immediately sent it to a reputable forensic agency in Saintornia. Given the money involved, they promised results within three days.

    N then packed a few changes of clothes and checked into a hotel, knowing rk would likelye looking for her the next day. Until the results arrived, she had no intention of engaging in any pointless arguments with him.

    As expected, as soon as she arrived at the office the next morning, she received a call from rk. His voice was agitated, almost frantic. "Where are you? You didn''te home against night?! Were you with Damon?"

    N frowned and hung up on him. He called back multiple times, but she simply declined each call until she finally blocked his number out of sheer annoyance.

    Realizing he had been blocked, rk decided to wait outside Prospectus Technology. Now that he had been ousted from the Sumner Group, he had plenty of time and was determined to force N to apany him to the Summer residence.

    As N left the office that evening, rk immediately confronted her. His face was dark, and his eyes zed with anger. "N, have you thought about what said yesterday?"

    "You really think I''d consider something like that?" N retorted.

    She moved to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm. "How does ruining me benefit you? You used to say you loved me, but now you can''t even do this one small thing to help me. Were all your feelings for me a lie?"

    rk''s aggressive stance made Nugh in disbelief. It took a special kind of nerve to say something like that with a straight face.

    "Are you seriously ming me for this? You''re the one who couldn''t keep it in your pants and got someone else pregnant. That''s why you''re in this mess," N said.

    rk gnashed his teeth, his voice cold. "No matter what, you''reing with me to the Summer residence to exin this."

    N yanked her arm free, her voice firm. "Sorry, but I''m not in the habit of taking the me for others."

    In their three years of marriage, she hadn''t be pregnant. If rk had desired a child so desperately, he could have divorced her and pursued a rtionship with someone else.

    If he genuinely believed their marriage was failing, she would have let him go without protest. Instead, he chose to cheat.

    Now, he had the audacity to demand that she go to his family and im that her desire for a child drove him to be with Jordyn.

    rk''s shamelessness knew no bounds.

    "Are you really this heartless?" rk red at N, his eyes bloodshot and his expression terrifying.

    His entire demeanor radiated a chilling menace, and N felt a pang of unease, instinctively taking a few steps back.

    rk reached out to grab her.

    Just as his hand was about to touch her, a cold voice echoed from the side, "Touch her, and you can kiss that hand goodbye."

    rk froze, then slowly turned to see Damon approaching with a poker face.

    rk snorted and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Uncle Damon, I''ve already been kicked out of the Sumner Group. Do you really think you can still use it to threaten me

 Chapter 236

    "I don''t need the Sumner Group to deal with you," Damon said, his voice cold.

    rk''s expression darkened. He scoffed. "N and I are married. Whatever happens between us is none of your business." "Even as her husband, you have no right to force her into something she doesn''t want to do," Damon replied, his tone unwavering. Besides, it wouldn''t be long before rk and N were divorced.

    The two men locked eyes, and the tension between them was palpable, the air around them seeming to drop in temperature.

    "rk, stop harassing me. I''m not going to agree with what you just proposed, no matter what," N said coldly.

    rk felt a chill in his heart. N knew how important the Sumner Group was to him, yet she still refused to help.

    With Damon standing there, he realized that trying to reason with her was futile.

    "N, I''lle back another time," rk said.

    N frowned. No matter how many times he came, she knew she wouldn''t change her mind. Before she could respond, he turned and left.

    "If hees back to bother you, just call security and have him thrown out," Damon advised N.

    N nodded. "I will. Thank you, Uncle Damon."

    "I''ll drive you home," Damon offered, his usually cold eyes softened with a touch of warmth.

    N felt a bit flustered and looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "No need. I have my car."

    "Alright, drive safely," Damon said.

    After N left, Damon called Spencer. "Arrange for two people to keep an eye on N from the shadows."

    When rk had left, his eyes had been filled with resentment. If N continued to refuse his demands, who knew what he might do to her?

    Back at the hotel, N turned on her phone and was immediately greeted by a flood of messages from Vrie.

    More photos and details of rk''s affair with Jordyn had been leaked online, and Jordyn''s social media ount had been exposed.

    An angry mob of users had swarmed herments, cursing her so viciously that she ended up trending.

    N wasn''t particrly interested in the drama. She sent a few casual replies to Vrie before opening a food delivery app to order dinner.

    As rk approached the vi, he noticed a swarm of reporters gathered outside. His expression darkened. He could handle those at the door, but he knew that many more paparazzi were likely hiding nearby, waiting for a chance to pounce.

    With that in mind, he turned his car around and headed for Jordyn''s ce.

    When Jordyn saw him, her face lit up with joy. "rk, what are you doing here?"

    rk brushed past her, his expression icy as he walked into the living room. "Jordyn, did you have anything to do with this?"

    He suspected that something was amiss with the exposure of her pregnancy.

    The only person who could help him now was N. So, when Michael found the so-called evidence, he didn''t ask anyone else to investigate further. There was only a chance to turn things around if N was

    behind it.

    Jordyn''s eyes filled with tears, and she looked at him with a wounded expression. "rk, what good would it do me to expose this? Didn''t you see the reporters outside my house? If you had been anyter, they would have broken down the door."

    She looked pitiful as she cried, but rk remained unmoved.

    "Because of this, I''ve been kicked out of the Sumner Group. This better have nothing to do with you, or you''ll wish you were never born!" rk hissed.

    His icy stare made Jordyn shudder. She shook her head quickly. "It really has nothing to do with me."

 Chapter 237

    rk didn''t believe Jordyn''s words, but he chose not to respond. Suddenly, his phone rang.

    "Mr. Sumner, more photos and details about your affair with Jordyn have been exposed. The online bacsh is intense, and... the Sumner Group just released a statement saying you''ve been dismissed," Michael informed him.

    The statement from the Sumner Group didn''t mention rk''s resignation. It stated that he had been fired, indicating that Richard was genuinely furious.

    rk clenched his phone and took a deep breath before replying, "I understand. Let me know if there''s anything else."

    "Okay," Michael replied.

    After hanging up, rk took a moment to collect his thoughts, grabbed his coat, and left.

    Jordyn called after him, but he ignored herpletely.

    He drove to the Sumner residence and, upon arriving, did not go inside. Instead, he knelt at the entrance. Richard and Marie were taking a walk in the garden when they were informed of the situation. Richard snorted. "If he wants to kneel, let him! It''s a good chance for him to reflect on his foolish actions!" Marie couldn''t bear it. "No matter what, the situation has happened. Forcing him out of the Sumner Group like this is a bit excessive."

    "If we don''t teach him a lesson this time, he''ll just keep making foolish mistakes. We don''t need to worry about him," Richard said firmly.

    Seeing Richard''s determination to punish rk, Marie sighed and stopped arguing. After all, this incident had not only harmed the Sumner Group but also embarrassed the entire Sumners. Prominent families in Saintornia were already taking pleasure in the Sumners'' misfortune.

    After dinner, N was about to read some documents when her phone began buzzing incessantly. As soon as she unlocked it, she was met with a flood of messages from Cindy, each one probing her. Cindy: [Do you know rk has been kneeling at the Summer residence''s entrance for hours? Where are you?]

    Cindy: [Is this how a wife behaves? I heard you''re the one behind this mess. How could you be so ruthless?

    Cindy: [You''re the one who can''t have children. How dare you expose this?]

    Cindy: [Go to the Summer residence and kneel with him, or I won''t let you off the hook!]

    Cindy continued to send messages.

    N skimmed through a few and then blocked Cindy, instantly restoring peace to her world.

    Soon after, Cindy began bombarding N with phone calls, but N persistently hung up and blocked her number.

    If rk ended up left at the Sumners'' door, it would be none of her concern. No one forced him to kneel there.

    Frustrated by being blocked, Cindy threw her phone. "This wretched woman! I should never have let her into the family. She''s a disaster, ruining rk''s life!"

    Nearby, Cyrus frowned and said coldly, "What good doesining do now? The most important thing is to get rk reinstated in the Sumner Group. Otherwise, Brandon will rece him soon."

    "No way! I''m going to the estate right now. I''ll kneel with him. I don''t believe Mom and Dad won''t see us!" Cindy dered as she stood up to leave.

    "Can''t you stop making things worse?" Cyrus snapped.

    Cindy turned to look at him, her eyes filled with anger. "Making things worse? You''re not exactly helping. I don''t see youing up with any solutions. It''s your failure as a father that''s forcing rk to depend on your father''s favor!"

 Chapter 238

    Cyrus was livid. "How dare you me me? You raised such a worthless son who can''t even manage one mistress properly!"

    "Shut up!" Cindy retorted, her chest heaving with anger. "If you hadn''t been out of the house all the time with your string of mistresses, rk wouldn''t have turned out like this. He learned it all from you!" Cyrus sneered. "I''m not going to argue about old grievances. It''s pointless now. You''d better not make things worse. If you really anger the old man, rk might never get back into the Sumner Group." After all, the Sumners had more than one heir.

    As Cyrus was about to leave, Cindy tried to stop him but was shoved aside, nearly falling. When she managed to steady herself and looked around, Cyrus had already disappeared.

    rk had been kneeling at the Sumner residence entrance all night. When it started pouring rain in the middle of the night, he stayed put, enduring the downpour until he copsed.

    The next morning, a maid found him unconscious at the door.

    Marie quickly called the family doctor and had rk carried back to his room.

    After a hectic morning, rk finally woke up.

    Seeing the familiar bedroom, he managed a faint smile. His n had worked-the strategy of using his suffering had paid off. The rain hade just in time. Otherwise, he might still be outside the mansion. When rk saw that the IV drip was almost empty, he pulled it out and went downstairs.

    Seeing Richard and Marie sitting in the living room, he walked up to them and knelt.

    "Grandpa, Grandma, I know I''ve disappointed you greatly. I hope you can eventually forgive me, but more than anything, I hope you don''t let this affect your health," he said. Richard maintained a stern expression, well aware that rk''s suffering was a calcted move. With years of business experience, he was not easily fooled by such tactics. Marie sighed and said, "You''re still ill. Get up for now."

    rk shook his head. "Grandma, I''ve made mistakes, so I should kneel."

    "Now you realize you were wrong? What do you n to do about it?" Richard asked.

    rk straightened up and said, "This incident was orchestrated by N, but I''m also at fault. I don''t me her. I''ll face all the consequences alone."

    Richard''s face darkened with anger. "What will you use to take responsibility? The Sumner Group has lost billions because of this scandal. It has grown sorge that even if we rify things now, no one will believe it."

    rk paused as if finally making up his mind. "Grandpa, I will send Jordyn abroad and ensure she doesn''t appear in Saintornia again."

    Richard looked at him coldly, clearly disappointed. He hadn''t expected rk toe up with such a half-baked solution after days of contemtion.

    "And what about the child she''s carrying?" Richard asked.

    "She''s in poor health, and an abortion could be life-threatening. Besides, it''s my child, so I n to let her have it," rk replied.

    "Foolish!" Richard''s eyes zed with anger. "If you do this, don''t ever call me Grandpa again!"

    Marie''s expression was also grim as she looked at rk. "rk, you''ve been married to N for three years without getting her pregnant. Now you''re bringing a child from a mistress into the mix. Are you trying to ruin the Sumners'' reputationpletely?"

    "Grandma, the reason we haven''t had a child in three years is that she can''t conceive. No matter how hard we try, it won''t work." rk threw N under the bus.

    "What?!" Marie looked at him in shock. "Are you sure it''s her problem?"

 Chapter 239

    "Yeah. We did tests before. Her body has a hard time conceiving, so I n to have Jordyn carry the baby and then let N raise it as her own," rk informed.

    Marie was infuriated. "Why are you only mentioning this now?!"

    Had she known earlier that N couldn''t have children, she would never have allowed rk to marry her, no matter how long he had knelt.

    rk lowered his head, his voicecking confidence. "I thought with some time and treatment, we''d eventually seed..."

    Marie forced herself to stay calm and said coldly, "Call N back immediately. You must divorce her!" Given N''s previous disrespect toward her, Marie was already dissatisfied. Now that she knew N couldn''t bear children, she would never allow her to remain married to rk.

    rk looked up at Marie. "Grandma, I won''t divorce her. Even if she can''t have children, I don''t care." "You''re truly insane. If you don''t divorce her, you''re no longer my grandson!" With that, Marie stormed off. Richard looked at rk with a cold gaze. "I agree with your grandmother. Besides, N ns to divorce you. Do you really want to spend your life with a woman who can''t bear children?"

    They had been married for only three years, and rk had already cheated. What would happen in the future?

    Unlike before, rk was unusually stubborn this time as he said, "Grandpa, no matter what you say, I won''t divorce her."

    "If you don''t, I won''t let you return to the Sumner Group!" Richard snapped.

    rk smiled bitterly and said, "I have already been kicked out of the Sumner Group and am too ashamed to go back. After this, I''ve realized that relying on others isn''t dependable. I''m nning to start my own business."

    Richard turned icy. "Do you think you''re as talented as Damon and can seed in business just like that?"

    Over the years, rk had endured Richard''s belittlement, but at this moment, he could no longer hold back.

    He had tolerated so much over the years, and now, because of a single scandal, Richard had easily abandoned him. If Damon had been the one to cheat, Richard would not have expelled him so swiftly. In the end, it was nothing more than favoritism.

    "Grandpa, I may not be as clever as Uncle Damon, but at least I will work hard on my own. And I won''t covet someone else''s wife!"

    Richard''s eyes widened in shock. "What did you say? Coveting someone else''s wife?"

    rk stood up straight, gazing at Richard with a mocking expression. "Ask him about it yourself. I also want to see if he has the nerve to confess to you!"

    With that, rk turned and left without looking back.

    Richard''s angry shouts followed him, but he ignored them.

    Outside the Sumner residence, rk gazed up at the clear blue sky, his eyes burning with resentment and anger. He was determined to carve out his own path and never be threatened by anyone again. Damon was in a meeting at Prospectus Technology when his phone on the table suddenly vibrated. Seeing Richard''s name on the screen, he looked surprised and said, "Let''s take a ten-minute break." He picked up the phone and walked to the window. As soon as he answered, Richard''s furious voice came through. "Damon, rk just used you of coveting someone else''s wife. What''s going on?"

 Chapter 240

    Damon narrowed his eyes. It seemed rk really didn''t want to return to the Sumner Group.

    "I''m in a meeting right now. I''ll exin everything to you tonight," Damon said.

    Since N and rk weren''t divorced yet, Damon didn''t want the Sumners to know about his feelings for N. Although he had fallen for her first, the Sumners would likely think she was the one who had seduced him.

    Richard didn''t respond and just hung up.

    Damon called Spencer over and instructed quietly, "Find out where rk is and bring him to see me after the meeting."

    The meeting dragged on for over two hours before it finally ended.

    When Damon announced it was over, the department managers visibly rxed.

    Back in Damon''s office, his gaze turned cold when he saw rk sitting on the couch.

    The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

    Damon sat down across from rk and said coldly, "No matter what you tell your grandfather, I won''t give up on N."

    rk smiled. "Uncle Damon, whether you give up or not doesn''t matter to me. I''m not divorcing her, so you''ll never be with her."

    Damon''s gaze hardened. "Whether you divorce or not isn''t up to you."

    rk''s eyes shed with sarcasm. "If it''s not up to me, then it''s not up to you either. Now that I''m out of the Sumner Group, you can''t use it to threaten me. What can you do to make me divorce her?" rk had no intention of divorcing N and nned to unt his rtionship with her in front of Damon, making thetter suffer.

    "You acting this way only makes me think she must have been blind before," Damon said.

    rk sneered. "Uncle Damon, provoking me won''t help, As long as I''m alive, I won''t let you be with her!" With that, rk got up and left.

    Once the office door mmed shut, Damon sat down at his desk, opened the bottom drawer, and retrieved the file he had stashed away earlier. After a moment''s thought, he made a phone call. In the evening, Vrie arrived at the restaurant.

    As she sat down across from Damon, she was still somewhat surprised that he had asked to meet her. "Damon... I mean, Mr. Sumner, what do you need to see me about?" she asked. Damon pushed a file across the table to her and said in a serious tone, "Please give this file to N. She''ll

    +25 BO

    know what to do with it."

    Vrie''s eyes widened in surprise, and she frowned. "Mr. Sumner, if I remember correctly, N is now working at Prospectus Technology. Wouldn''t it be easier for you to give it to her directly?" Damon nodded. "Yes, but I have reasons for not being able to hand it to her myself. I hope you can keep this confidential."

    "Can I ask why?" Vrie was curious about why Damon needed her to deliver the file.

    "Ms. Weir, I can''t disclose the specific reasons. However, if she chooses to tell you, you''ll understand when you hand over the file. If you agree to help, I''ll owe you a favor," Damon said.

    Vrie took the file and smiled. "Forget about the favor. I heard that when I was in aa after falling from the hotel, it was you who called for the ambnce and sent me to the hospital. You also helped find out that it was Jacqueline behind it. Consider this a way to repay you for that."

    "Thank you, Ms. Weir," Damon replied.

    "However, this file must be important. If N asks where I got it, what should I say?" Vrie asked.

 Chapter 241

    "Just say it was sent to you by someone named Pete," Damon replied.

    If Pete hadn''t suddenly disappeared, Damon wouldn''t have needed to find Vrie.

    "Got it," Vrie said.

    After their discussion, Vrie decided not to stay for dinner with Damon, as they weren''t close.

    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll head out now," she said.

    Damon looked at her seriously. "Ms. Weir, please keep this matter confidential. I don''t want anyone to know that I handed you this file."

    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep it to myself," Vrie assured him.

    Once Vrie left the restaurant, she went directly to N''s ce.

    When N saw Vrie, she was pleasantly surprised. "Vrie, what are you doing here?"

    Vrie smiled. "I missed you, so I came by. Let me in first."

    N stepped aside to let her in. Once they were seated in the living room, Vrie took the file from her bag and handed it to N.

    N took it with a puzzled expression. "What''s this?"

    As soon as N opened it and read a few lines, her expression changed drastically. "Vrie, how do you have this?"

    Seeing N''s serious demeanor, Vrie said casually, "Someone named Pete sent it to me and asked me to give it to you. Do you know him? What''s in the file?"

    Vrie leaned in to take a look, but N quickly closed the file and asked, "Did you read this?"

    Noticing N''s reluctance to share the contents, Vrie shook her head. "No, I haven''t read it. But why are you being so secretive? Is it ssified?"

    N took a deep breath and replied, "Vrie, I can''t tell you what''s in the file right now. I''ll exin it to you when the time is right."

    Vrie, who generally didn''t like prying into others'' private matters, chose not to press further.

    "Alright. I have other things to do. I''ll visit you again next time," she said.

    "Okay. Let me see you out," N replied.

    At the door, N looked at Vrie with gratitude. "Vrie, thank you. This file is very important to me."

    Seeing N''s serious expression, Vrie couldn''t help but smile. "No need to thank me. We''re friends, after all. Take care."

    After Vrie left, N immediately

    called Pete, but his phone was off. She also sent him a message but received no reply. Suspecting he might be in trouble, she transferred some money to him and expressed herthanks before opening the file to review it.

    The file contained evidence not only of Cyrus coborating with Clement to scheme against Harris Pharmaceuticals but also of other criminal activities involving both of them.

    As N read, her frown deepened. She didn''t hear the faint sound of the door lock turning.

    It wasn''t until she heard soft

    footsteps that she looked up in

    shock, her face turning pale when she saw rk. Instinctively, she closed the file and coldly asked, "What are you doing here?"

    Seeing her reach for her phone on the table, rk said calmly, "N whether you contact Damon or call the police won''t make a difference. I''m your husband. It''s only natural for me to be here."

    Ignoring his words, N quickly unlocked her phone.

    rk was quicker. The moment she unlocked it, he snatched her phone away.

    N tried to grab it back, and the file fell to the floor. As it opened, rk nced down at it.

 Chapter 242

    N panicked and lunged at rk. "Give me back my phone!"

    rk stumbled backward from her sudden attack, struggling to regain his bnce. He grabbed her hand and said coldly, "I came here today to discuss something with you." N wrenched her hand away. "I have nothing to discuss with you."

    She looked up at him with a cold, unyielding gaze, her demeanor starkly different from the gentle woman he once knew.

    "N, I''ve informed my grandparents that I won''t be returning to the Sumner Group. I''m nning to start my own business," rk said.

    N''s expression remained unmoved. "What you do has nothing to do with me."

    rk''s gaze darkened. "N, we''re married. We''re supposed to spend our lives together. Do you really want to make our rtionship so strained?"

    His words struck N as somewhat amusing. How could he still be dreaming that she would spend her life with him?

    N''s silence caused rk''s grip on the phone to tighten, his knuckles turning white.

    He took a deep breath and said softly, "It was wrong of me to ask you to tell my grandparents that you wanted a child. I apologize. I won''t force you to do things you don''t want to do in the future." "If that''s all you wanted to say, you can leave now," N said curtly.

    "N, I need your help to start my business. You''re working for someone else at Prospectus Technology.

    "Why not join me? You''ll only need to focus on drug research in theb. I''ll handle everything else and give you shares in thepany. You''ll be a shareholder. What do you think?" rk offered.

    Nughed softly. "So you''ve finally revealed your true intentions. But it''s a pity. I don''t have a second patent right now. Even if I did, I wouldn''t give it to you."

    In the end, it was clear that rk was clinging to her only because she was useful to him.

    rk frowned. "How can you not have one? Aren''t you developing drugs at Prospectus Technology? You could bring that project over."

    Seeing his presumptuous attitude,

    N felt a growing sense of estrangement. The once-spirited young man had transformed into a maniptive and hypocritical figure.

    "You really have no limits," N spat.

    Noticing the mockery in her eyes, rk gnashed his teeth and said coldly, "If you hadn''t exposed Jordyn''s pregnancy, I wouldn''t have been kicked out of the Sumner Group. You need to take

    responsibility for that."

    "I''ve already had someone authenticate that so-called recording. The results should be out tomorrow. You really don''t know who leaked this information?" N asked.

    Faced with N''s clear, unwavering gaze, rk suddenly felt uneasy and looked away.

    "Even if this isn''t your fault, as my wife, you should support me. Only if my business seeds will the Sumners value you," rk insisted.

    The Sumners'' approval? N once desired it, but now she didn''t care at all.

    However, if she didn''t find a way to get rk to leave, there was a risk he would discover the file.

    When N realized this, she pursed her lips, her gaze reflecting her

    internal struggle. "I need to thing ne

    about it. If thepany finds out, I could end up in prison."

    Upon seeing her hesitation, rk''s expression softened slightly. "Alright. I''ll give you time to think it over."

    "I need to rest now. You should go," N said.

    rk understood N''s nature, so he didn''t push further and handed her back the phone.

 Chapter 243

    "Call me when you''ve made up your mind," rk said.

    N took her phone, her gaze lowered in silence. After rk left, she quickly locked the door and propped a chair against it, finally feeling a bit of safety.

    After a moment of reflection, she called Damon.

    In the Sumner residence''s living room...

    Richard and Marie sat on the sofa with grim expressions, while Damon stood nearby.

    "rk says you have feelings for a married woman. Is that true?" Richard asked, his gaze stern and scrutinizing.

    As Richard''s most distinguished son, Damon was expected to uphold the family''s reputation. Richard could not tolerate any scandal involving Damon and a married woman.

    Marie also looked displeased. Despite introducing Damon to many eligible young women, he hadn''t shown interest in any of them. If it turned out he was interested in a married woman, it would be a major embarrassment.

    Realizing the matter couldn''t be hidden for long, Damon decided to be straightforward. "Yes."

    Richard mmed his hand on the table, his face dark with anger. "I don''t care who you''re interested in! You need to end this immediately!"

    Marie clutched her chest, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Damon, you''ve never caused us any trouble. With your status, you can have any woman you want. Why on earth are you fixated on a married woman?"

    Damon met their gaze steadily and replied, "She''ll be divorced soon."

    Marie was so distressed she could barely speak. "Even if she divorces, it''s uneptable! If you''re involved with a divorced woman, what will people say about you? They''ll say you''ve lowered yourself to pick up someone else''s leftovers!"

    Damon''s expression remained impassive. "I don''t care what people say. A woman''s worth isn''t defined by how many times she''s been married."

    Hearing this, Richard threw his mug

    in frustration and stood up angrily. "I''m not going to waste any more time talking to you. If you continue to pursue that woman, we''ll cut off our father-son rtionship

    With that, he stormed out.

    Damon was his pride, and he would not tolerate any blemishes in his life. As for the woman, he would investigate her background. If she was reasonable, he''d offer her money to stay away. If not, he''d ensure she disappeared from his life.

    Marie looked at Damon with disappointment. "Damon, are you really going to turn the Sumners upside down for a divorced woman?"

    Damon''s expression remained calm,

    showing no sign of retreat or

    you

    Who I choose to be with is a

    personal matter.

    "You can offer advice, but whether I take it is up to me. If you try tomand me, the oue will only disappoint you."

    "You!" Marie was stunned by his resolve, her face flushed with anger as she struggled to find words.

    "It''s gettingte. I''m leaving now. If you''re willing to ept her, I''ll bring her to meet you once we confirm our rtionship. If not, I won''t make you meet her," Damon said. With that, he turned and left.

    Behind him, Marie''s angry voice called out, "Stop right there!"

    Damon ignored her and quickly walked out of the Sumner residence.

    As soon as he got into the car, his phone buzzed. Seeing it was N, he was momentarily surprised and answered the call. "What''s up?"

    "Uncle Damon, can youe over for a moment?" N asked.

 Chapter 244

    When Damon arrived at N''s ce, it was already an hourter.

    "What''s going on?" he asked.

    N looked up at him with reddened eyes. "Uncle Damon, can you help me find a ce to stay? If I look for one myself, rk might continue to harass me."

    Upon seeing the hint of vulnerability in her eyes, Damon''s gaze hardened. "Did rke by earlier?"

    N nodded. "Yes. I don''t know where he got the keys, but he just walked in."

    "Alright. I''ll handle the rental. Do you need help with the divorce?" Damon asked.

    N looked down. "The divorce should be happening soon."

    "Got it," Damon replied.

    Noticing Damon''s gaze resting on her, N nervously clenched her hands and mustered the courage to look up at him. "If that''s all, and since it''s gettingte, I''ll see you out." Damon stood up. "No need. Get some rest."

    After leaving the neighborhood, Damon called Spencer. "rk broke into N''s ce tonight. Did the two people I asked you to arrange not notice anything?"

    The thought of rk being alone with N made Damon frown. With rk expelled from the Sumner Group, who knew what he might do next?

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ll find out what happened right away," Spencer answered.

    "Whatever the reason, rece them with new ones. Also, find a ce to rent under your name," Damon instructed.

    "Understood. I''ll handle it immediately," Spencer replied.

    After hanging up, Damon put his phone down and drummed his fingers absently on the steering wheel. The dim light in the car made his stern face appear half-hidden, giving off an intimidating aura.

    The next morning, N received a call from the authentication center. After reviewing the report, she immediately sent a copy to rk.

    It wasn''t long before rk called her, sounding somewhat resigned. "N, it''s all in the past. Why bring it up again?"

    N snorted. "In the past? You wronged me. Don''t you think you owe me an apology?"

    There was silence on the other end of the line.

    After a few seconds, rk spoke quietly. "I already apologizedst night. You used to never be so aggressive. I barely recognize you now."

    "It''s because I was too easygoing

    that you felt you could hurt me repeatedly. But I don''t want to dwell

    on the past. Bring your ID, a

    we''ll

    get divorced today," N said.

    rk''s voice turned cold. "N, I''m not divorcing you. Besides, you saidst night you''d think about what i proposed. Why the sudden change? Did Damon put you up to this?"

    "Last night was just a temporary measure to get you to leave. I''ll send you a document shortly. Meet me at the courthouse at 10:00 a.m. If you don''t show up, I''ll take the document to the police," N stated.

    With that, she hung up and sent rk the file she had prepared the night before.

    Shortly after, he called again, but she ignored it and blocked his number before heading to the courthouse with her ID.

    She was certain rk woulde.

    rk stared at the photos N had sent, his eyes red.

    Could the incident with Harris Pharmaceuticals six years ago really be connected to Cyrus?

    If these documents were authentic and N turned them over to the police, Cyrus would surely end up in prison.

    After a moment''s reflection, rk forwarded the photos to Cyrus.

    It wasn''t long before Cyrus called him.

 Chapter 245

    "Who gave you those documents?" Cyrus questioned.

    rk''s voice was icy. "N sent these documents to me. Dad, did you really have something to do with the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident six years ago?"

    Cyrus''s voice roared with anger. "How can you believe a woman over me?"

    "It doesn''t matter whether I believe you or not," rk replied. "What matters is that N is using these documents to force me into a divorce. She said if I don''t agree, she''ll turn them in to the police." "What?!" Cyrus ground his teeth, his voice filled with fury. "She must not be allowed to take those documents to the police!"

    rk smiled bitterly. He had hoped, even if just a little, that the documents were fabricated by N to pressure him into a divorce. Cyrus'' reaction made it clear that everything in those documents was true. "Dad, why did you do this? How am I supposed to face N now?" rk asked.

    "I did it all for the Sumner Group. If I hadn''t brought down Harris Pharmaceuticals, do you think the Sumner Group would be where it is today? Do you think you''d be the CEO?" Cyrus retorted.

    "My position as CEO was earned because N transferred her patent to me. It has nothing to do with you!" rk hissed.

    N must have known about this incident long ago, which was why she was so determined to divorce him. Her hatred for him and the Sumners must run deep.

    After all, if it weren''t for that ident, she would still be the Jayston heiress, and her father wouldn''t be living in the hospital, dependent on medication.

    Cyrus roared, "If she wants a divorce, then let her have one! Those documents must not reach the police!"

    rk tightened his grip on his phone and abruptly hung up.

    When Cyrus called back, he immediately turned off his phone.

    rk despised Cyrus, but no matter what, Cyrus was still his biological father. He couldn''t bear to see him go to prison. However, he also didn''t want to divorce N...

    It seemed there was no other choice now.

    In Cyrus'' office...

    Cyrus'' expression darkened severely when rk''s phone was turned off. He walked to the window, his cold eyes shing with a hint of cruelty, and dialed a number on his phone.

    At 9:50 a.m., N was waiting at the courthouse for rk.

    She knew rk well. Although he resented Cyrus, he had always longed for his father''s approval. After seeing those photos, he would surelye to get divorced. Her phone suddenly vibrated with a message from Vrie. As N looked down to reply, she didn''t notice a van speeding toward her, drawing nearer and nearer.

    "Watch out!"

    At the sound of a terrified shout, N looked up and saw the van barreling toward her, her eyes widening in shock. The van was moving too fast for her to avoid. Just as the van was about to hit her, a ck Cayenne suddenly appeared, crashing into the van.

    The collision was deafening.

    The van was pushed off course and mmed into a pir at the courthouse entrance. The Cayenne rolled once on the ground before bursting into mes. Screams erupted around N. Some people were calling for ambnces, while others were calling the police.

    Recognizing the Cayenne as rk''s

    car, N was momentarily stunned and quickly ran toward the burning vehicle. Just as she reached the car, she was yanked back.

 Chapter 246

    When Damon arrived at the hospital an hourter, he found N sitting in a chair outside the emergency room, her clothes stained with blood. She exuded a grim, lifeless aura.

    He frowned and quickly approached her, crouching down.

    Upon seeing her pale face, his gaze darkened. "Are you hurt?"

    Hearing Damon''s voice, N seemed to snap back to reality. Her red-rimmed eyes slowly focused. When she realized it was Damon, she suddenly reached out and hugged him, her voice trembling. "U-Uncle Damon, rk had an ident trying to save me... He''s lost a lot of blood..." she stuttered.

    Noticing her unstable emotions, Damon gently patted her back and spoke softly. "It''s going to be alright. Don''t worry. He''ll be fine."

    "What are you doing here?!" A sharp voice came from around the corner.

    N instinctively pulled away from Damon and turned to see Cindy approaching them angrily, followed by Cyrus, who also looked grim.

    Cindy''s gaze was like a knife, filled with murderous rage. Her son was in the emergency room fighting for his life, and there N was, appearing to seekfort from another man!

    Cindy reached out to p N, but her hand was caught by a strong grip.

    "This is a hospital. Please show some decency," Damon warned.

    Cindy sneered and shook off Damon''s hand, her eyes zing with anger. "Damon, how dare you lecture me? You''re the onecking decency!

    "Don''t forget, N is your niece-inw. The man inside is her husband. He had an ident trying to save her, and here she is, already in your arms. What a shameless woman!"

    Damon''s face darkened, his aura bing menacing. "If you can''t keep yourments in check, don''t me me for being rude."

    "Oh, really? Let''s see how rude you can be! You''re making such a disgusting scene in public and don''t want anyone toment?" Cindy retorted.

    Ine

    Before she could finish, Cyrus coldly interrupted, "Enough! The most important thing right now is to wait for rk''s surgery to be over We can discuss the restter."

    With that, Cyrus'' icy gaze fell on N, his eyes shing with hostility.

    Cindy, already seething with anger, turned to Cyrus. "Why wait? This woman has already made a fool of your son. How can you stand it? Cyrus, are you still a man?"

    N lowered her gaze and remained silent. She didn''t want to argue with Cindy at this moment. Even if she exined, Cindy wouldn''t believe her.

    Moreover, she had developed feelings for Damon and couldn''t im to be entirely innocent.

    Cindy''s usations turned Cyrus'' face ashen. He pped her hard. "If you can''t see what''s important right now get out of here! Stop making a scene while rk is in surgery!"

    Cindy covered her face with her hand, staring at Cyrus in disbelief Her eyes were filled with disappointment and resentment. "Cyrus, I must have been blind to marry you!"

    Cyrus looked at her, his eyes devoid of warmth.

    Seeing that he wouldn''t support her, Cindy shot a venomous look at N and said through gritted teeth, "If anything happens to rk, I will never forgive you!" Damon stepped in front of N, his gaze icy. "Then it depends on whether you have the ability to do anything to her."

    Facing Damon''s sharp gaze, Cindy scoffed and fell silent.

 Chapter 247

    The corridor fell silent. Even the drop of a needle would have been audible.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, the emergency room door finally swung open.

    Cindy rushed forward to intercept the doctor. "Doctor, how is my son?"

    "There''s no immediate danger to his life, but he may never be able to walk again. Please be prepared for that," the doctor replied.

    "What?" Cindy staggered back, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear. She grabbed the doctor''s hand desperately. "Doctor, he''s my only son. You have to save him!"

    If rk were to be disabled, he''d lose any chance of inheriting the Sumner Group. Richard would never hand over thepany to someone unable to walk.

    The doctor pushed her hand away and shook his head. "I''ve done all I can. The patient will be moved to a regr ward soon. You can visit him there."

    Cindy spun around to face N and charged at her. "N, you wretched woman! You''ve done this to my son. I won''t let you get away with it!" Before she could reach N, Damon stepped in and blocked her path. He stood between them, preventing any harm froming to N.

    Cindy was so agitated that sheshed out at Damon, trying to p him.

    Cyrus'' face turned pale as he quickly grabbed her.

    "Are you out of your mind?" Cyrus demanded.

    Cindy shook him off, her eyes red. "Yes, I''m mad! My son is crippled, and I can''t even vent my frustration? It''s all N''s fault. I should never have let her marry rk. I regret it so much!"

    She copsed onto the floor, tears streaming down her face. She cried and pounded her chest like a mad woman. rk was her only child, herst hope for the future. Seeing him turned into a cripple was more painful than death.

    Cyrus grabbed her and pulled her up, his voice stern. "Go see rk in the ward first. We''ll deal with the leg issueter."

    With that, he dragged Cindy away.

    Damon turned to N, who had remained silent, and said softly, "Don''t me yourself too much. This isn''t your fault."

    N took a deep breath and looked up at Damon. "Uncle Damon, this wasn''t an ident. Someone tried to kill me." When the van charged at her, it had shown no signs of slowing down. If anything, it had elerated. The intention was clear.

    "I''ll look into it. If it turns out to be deliberate, I''ll find out who''s behind it," Damon assured her.

    "Thank you, Uncle Damon," N replied.

    "Let''s go to the ward," Damon said.

    As they reached the ward, they saw two police officers standing at the door. When they noticed N and Damon, they approached them.

    "Ms. Jayston, we need to take your

    egarding this mornings

    Is this a good time for

    one of the officers asked.

    N pressed her lips together, her voice hoarse. "Yes. Is it alright to do it here?"

    "That''s fine," the officer answered.

    The officers and N took a seat on a bench outside the ward, and the questioning began.

    No one noticed that Cyrus'' face momentarily darkened.

    After the statement was taken,

    which took about half an hour, N

    couldn''t help but ask, "By the way,

    was the driver who caused the

    ident arrested?"

    "The driver died on the spot. Tests showed that he had alcohol in his system, so he was likely driving under the influence, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle," the officer replied.

 Chapter 248

    N suggested, "I think he aimed the van at me deliberately. This might not have been an ident."

    The two officers exchanged a nce before one of them addressed her. "That''s a possibility we can''t rule out, but we''ll need to wait for the investigation results. From what we know now, the most likely cause is drunk driving. Have you had any recent conflicts with anyone?"

    N thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not that I can think of."

    "Understood. We''ll investigate that possibility further. If you remember anything else, please let us know," the officer replied.

    "Alright, thank you," N said.

    After the officers left, N couldn''t help but rey the details of the van charging at her.

    Could this really have been an ident? But... who would drink in the early morning?

    After waiting outside the ward for a while and confirming that rk''s condition had stabilized, Damon wanted to take N home to rest.

    However, she refused, "I''m not tired. I want to stay here and wait for him to wake up."

    rk had lost his legs saving her. There was no way she could think of resting now.

    Damon frowned and said coldly, "You''re in no condition to stay here. I''ll have someone guard the ward door and notify you as soon as he wakes up."

    "No. I can manage myself," N declined.

    Her detached and distant expression made Damon''s heart sink. He crouched down to her level and spoke firmly. "Even if you stay here, you can''t do anything. You should go back-"

    N interrupted. "Uncle Damon, rk lost his legs saving me. Even if I went back, I wouldn''t be able to sleep. Besides, I''m feeling very unsettled right now... Can you let me stay here quietly for a while?" Damon was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Alright. I''ll stay here with you."

    With that, Damon sat down next to her. The familiar scent of pine from him filled the air as N leaned against the cold wall. Her eyes were half-closed, lost in thought.

    Cindy, watching from the side, was infuriated by the sight.

    These two were unbelievably shameless!

    It wasn''t until after 11:00 p.m. that rk finally woke up.

    Cindy was the first to notice. Her face lit up with excitement as she rushed over. "rk, you''re awake! Is there anywhere you feel difort?"

    Her voice choked up as she spoke. Just thinking about rk never walking again felt like having her heart sliced with a knife, sending waves of dull pain through her.

    "Mom, how is N? Is she alright?" rk asked.

    When rk''s first concern was N, Cindy''s expression darkened. "You care about her? Don''t you know that-"

    "Enough! rk has just woken up. Don''t start with these irrelevant matters!" Cyrus interrupted, his gaze cold.

    He didn''t want to add to rk''s stress by bringing up his disability so soon after waking up.

    N and Damon approached the bedside.

    N looked down at rk and said softly, "I''m fine."

    Worry shed in rk''s eyes when he saw her clothes stained with blood. "Are you injured? Why is there so much blood on your clothes?"

    "All the blood is from you. I''m not injured," N answered.

    rk visibly rxed. "That''s good."

    Noting Damon standing beside N, rk said, "Uncle Damon, thank you foring to see me. I know you''re busy with work, so you don''t need to stay." Damon''s expression remained neutral. "It''s fine. I''ll take her hometer."

    rk''s already pale face turned even darker. "Uncle Damon, N is my wife. I''arrange for someone to take her home. You don''t need to worry about it." ¨¦n.swnovels

    Before Damon could respond, Cindy sneered. Damon, even though rk is bedridden, Cyrus and I are here. It''s not your ce to interfere in our family matters."

    n?

    "Are you sure you want to argue in the hospital room?" Damon''s gaze was devoid of any warmth.

    Cindy ground her teeth. Considering rk''s condition, she refrained from saying more, but her anger was still evident.

 Chapter 249

    "Dad, Mom, it''s gettingte. N can stay here with me. You should head home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow morning," rk said.

    Cindy had initially wanted to stay and care for rk, but upon realizing that his condition was caused by N, she agreed to rk''s request. "Alright. I''lle back tomorrow."

    After they left, N turned to Damon. "Uncle Damon, thank you for today. You should go home and rest. Let me walk you out."

    Damon frowned, his demeanor growing colder. "You''re exhausted too. I''ll arrange for a caregiver toe soon. I''ll take you home." "No. I''ll stay here to take care of him tonight," N insisted.

    Understanding her stubbornness, Damon nodded after a few seconds of silence. "Alright."

    He turned and walked toward the door, and N got up to see him off.

    When she returned, she noticed rk''s expression had changed slightly. Pretending not to notice, she sat down by the bedside.

    After a long silence, rk finally spoke. "N, can you stop being so cold toward me?"

    N looked at him calmly. "rk, I''m grateful for what you did, but things can''t go back to how they were."

    rk''s face fell, and he forced a smile. "You still want a divorce, don''t you?"

    N nodded. "Yes. I''m not giving up on the idea of divorce, but I''ll take care of you until you recover."

    "You know that''s not what I want," rk said.

    "After learning about your infidelity and what your father did to my family, how can I just ignore everything and stay with you?" N asked.

    rk lowered his gaze, his face as pale as a ghost. He had hoped that N would soften because he had saved her, but he was mistaken. She had always been indifferent to those she didn''t care about. He closed his eyes and spent a sleepless night.

    ...

    The next morning, Cindy arrived with chicken soup.

    Seeing her, N got up and said, "I''m going to rest at home now. I''lle back in the evening to take care of you."

    Before she could finish, Cindy sneered. "How can you sleep knowing that rk is like this because of you?!"

    N ignored her and walked out of the room after informing rk. As she left, she could still hear Cindy cursing her. N didn''t slow down, acting as if she didn''t hear anything.

    Outside the hospital, she saw Damon''s car parked nearby. She tried to ignore it, but he got out and stopped her. "I''ll give you a ride home," Damon offered.

    "Uncle Damon, there''s no need. I can take a cab," N refused.

    "You choose either you get in the car yourself, or I''ll help you into it. It''s up to you," Damon insisted.

    N bit her lip. After a few seconds of silence, she opened the passenger door and got in.

    On the way home, neither of them spoke.

    When the car stopped at the

    entrance of the apartmentplex, Damon turned to find N still dost in thought. His brow furrowed slightly.

    "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

    N snapped back to reality and, after a moment''s hesitation, said, "Uncle Damon, I still feel that this incident wasn''t an ident."

    Damon looked at her. Her hair was

    disheveled, her face pale, and her eyes were tired, but her gaze betrayed determination that made

    him feel a pang of sympathy.

    "You''re exhausted. Go home, take a shower, and get some rest. Leave the rest to me. Don''t think about it for now," Damon coaxed.

    N bit her lip. "Uncle Damon, you don''t believe me, do you?"

    "I do believe you, but the most important thing is for you to rest right now," Damon reassured.

    His expression was serious, and there was no trace of insincerity. He truly believed in her.

    For some reason, N felt a lump in her throat. She looked away, trying to hold back her tears. "Thank you, Uncle Damon," she thanked him.

    After the ident, she had felt lost

    and helpless until Damon''s

    assurance that he believed her. It was the first time she felt a sense of relief. Even if she wasn''t sure herself, Damon was willing to trust her.

    "Go home and rest. Don''t worry about anything else for now. There will be a solution," Damonforted.

 Chapter 250

    After watching N enter the apartmentplex, Damon left.

    On his way back to thepany, he was deep in thought about how to ensure that rk and N would divorce smoothly.

    Since rk''s legs were now disabled from saving N, he might use this as leverage to keep her with him. Damon''s gaze grew colder as he considered this possibility. Meanwhile, in Cyrus'' study...

    "Make sure that driver keeps his mouth shut. If this leads back to me, I won''t let you off!" he barked.

    A man in his 30s, with his head lowered, stood before Cyrus'' desk and replied, "Mr. Sumner, don''t worry. He was dying anyway. He''ll definitely keep quiet for the sake of his family." Cyrus nodded, his eyes filled with calction. "Good. Make sure the money for his family is in cash. Leave no evidence."

    "Understood!" the man answered.

    After his subordinate left, Cyrus leaned back in his chair with a cold smirk.

    ...

    In the evening, N arrived at the hospital with a thermos of soup, only to hear rk''s furious shouts from inside the room.

    "Get out! I don''t believe this! I can''t be disabled! Get everyone out!"

    The door to the room was flung open, and Cindy and Jordyn walked out with red, swollen eyes.

    Upon seeing N, Jordyn''s eyes shed with hatred.

    "N, because of you, rk will never walk again. Are you happy now?" she demanded.

    N found it strange that a mistress would have the audacity to question her. Not wanting to argue in the hospital hallway and give others a show, she ignored Jordyn and walked into the room. As soon as she stepped inside, a cup shattered at her feet.

    "I said, get out! I don''t want to see anyone right now!" rk growled.

    When rk saw that it was N, his angry expression momentarily froze. He then turned his head away and said coldly, "I don''t want to see you either. Can you leave me alone for a while?" N pursed her lips, carefully avoided the broken pieces, and sat down by the bedside.

    "I understand that it''s hard for you to ept this right now and that you might regret saving me. But nothing can be changed now. Once your injuries improve, we can go abroad and see if there''s any hope for treatment," N assured him.

    rk smiled bitterly and said slowly, "N, I''ll never regret saving you. To me, you''re more important than these legs. I even feel fortunate that I was able to save you that day it''s just that I need time to ept the fact that I might never walk again."

    N looked down, her hands clenching involuntarily, her gaze filled with struggle.

    With resignation, rk continued.

    "You''ve always disliked me and wanted a divorce. Now that I''m

    disabled, ''don''t have the right t

    keep you with me, and I don''t want to burden you. Once I''m a bit better, we''ll go through with the divorce."

    N was silent for a moment before responding. "Alright."

    Disbelief flickered in rk''s eyes at her response, and he gripped the bedclothes tightly. He hadn''t expected that even after losing the use of his legs for N, she still wanted a divorce.

    "About the document you sent me earlier... Can you, for the sake of me saving you, not send it to the police?" rk asked.

    When N looked up at him, he hesitated but added, "I know my father did some terrible things to the Jaystons, but he''s still my biological father. I can''t just let him go to prison." N opened the thermos and poured a bowl of chicken soup for rk.

 Chapter 251

    "Drink the soup first. I''ll think about what you said," N replied.

    "N, my dad said that as long as you don''t hand the evidence over to the police, you can ask for whateverpensation you want," rk said.

    N ced the bowl on the table, her expression unreadable as she looked at rk. "I said I would consider it. Focus on your recovery. I''ll visit you again tomorrow."

    After N left, rk called Cyrus, frustration evident in his voice. "She still hasn''t agreed."

    Cyrus sneered. "I told you the self-pity trick wouldn''t work, but you wouldn''t listen. Are you finally giving up?"

    Earlier, Cyrus had nned to kill N outright, but rk suggested staging a self-pity act, pretending that he had been disabled while saving her. This was supposed to soften her heart and persuade her to destroy the evidence. But it had all been for nothing.

    "I didn''t expect her to be so heartless. Even with my legs ruined, she won''t relent. She wants a divorce and won''t destroy the evidence," rkined.

    He was filled with anger and couldn''t understand why N''s reaction was so different from what he had anticipated.

    "It''s because you were too indecisive. I''ve already got someone watching her. If she really intends to turn the evidence over to the police, I''ll make sure she disappearspletely," Cyrus stated. rk took a deep breath, his eyes shing with a hint of ruthlessness.

    If the evidence was handed over to the police, not only would Cyrus face jail time, but he would also be implicated. Since N was so merciless, showing no sentiment, he had to think about himself. "Alright," rk said.

    After leaving the hospital, N made a call as soon as she got into the car.

    "Mr. Monaghan, how''s the investigation going?" she asked.

    A raspy voice replied on the other end, "Ms. Jayston, the driver was terminally ill and had only three months left to live. Yesterday, his

    mother took his children and lefet

    Saintomnia. Now, only his wife

    remains in the city. I also found out that their lease expires next month, but she hasn''t renewed it, as if she ns to leave once his case is settled."

    Contemtion shed in N''s eyes as she said, "The fact that his family left and didn''t renew the lease is not surprising. With no ie, it''s normal for them to return to their hometown. What''s crucial is to find out if there has been any significant influx of money recently

    "That will take some time. If someone is backing him, they''re likely paying in cash rather than through transfers," Pete replied.

    "Alright. I suspect this incident might be connected to rk and Cyrus. It would be best to check for any unusual expenses on their part as well," N reminded him.

    Given that she had just threatened rk with evidence to force a divorce and then the ident happened so conveniently with rk arriving right on time, it seemed too coincidental.

    Moreover, after rk became

    paralyzed, instead of using his condition to coerce her into staying,

    he surprisingly agreed to the

    divorce. He wasn''t the type to

    selflessly sacrifice like that

    That was why, when rk agreed to the divorce so readily, N decided to go along with his suggestion. If this was connected to rk, he would likely reveal his true intentions soon. "Understood. I''ll notify you as soon as I have any updates," Pete answered.

    After hanging up, N tightened her grip on the phone slightly.

    Besides the ident, there was also the matter of the evidence. She had asked Pete, who confirmed it wasn''t him who sent it to Vrie.

    Who else could be helping her from behind? Could it be Damon?

 Chapter 252

    However, Cyrus was Damon''s older brother. If Damon knew about this, he probably wouldn''t help her.

    After thinking for a while withouting up with any clear answers, N decided not to dwell on it any further and nned to find an opportunity to ask Damon directly.

    ...

    The next morning, N went to the hospital to visit rk.

    When she opened the door to the ward, she saw Jordyn sitting by rk''s bedside, feeding him chicken soup.

    She paused and said indifferently, "Looks like I''m interrupting."

    There was a hint of provocation in Jordyn''s eyes, but she quickly set the bowl down, stood up, and said awkwardly, "No, no. Since you''re here, I''ll leave now. I''lle back to see rk after you''re gone..."

    Before N could respond, rk spoke up. "Jordyn, please step outside. I need to talk to her."

    Jordyn nodded. "Alright. I''ll be right outside. Call me if you need anything."

    As she passed by N, she whispered, "N, you won''t win against me."

    N smiled. "Don''t worry. I''ve never intended topete with you."

    A man who cheated should be considered a treasure only by someone like her.

    Once Jordyn left, the room fell into silence.

    After a while, rk spoke in a detached tone. "N, I know you don''t want to be here and you''re busy with work. From now on, Jordyn can take care of me."

    N frowned. If rk hadn''t been injured while saving her, she wouldn''t havee. Besides, she had toe to take care of him to avoid how Cindy might twist things. "I''m your wife, and you saved me this time."

    "Hah." rk let out a lightugh, with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes. "Even if I saved you and lost my legs because of it, your attitude toward me hasn''t changed, has it?"

    "You did save me, but that doesn''t

    erase what you did by cheating. I''ve given you chances before, but you never handled things with Jordyn and her child properly. Instead, you let her continue to unt herself in front of me, didn''t you?" N retorted.

    What was more important was whether rk genuinely wanted to save her or if it was all part of his scheme. N hadn''t figured that out yet.

    If this was truly an ident, she would stay and take care of him. If it was a scheme, she wouldn''t be so merciful.

    rk was rendered speechless by her words.

    After a long pause, he finally said, "I don''t expect you to stay with me now. I just hope you''ll spare my father. But you won''t agree. You want a man in his 50s to go to prison. How can you be so heartless?"

    His tone carried a hint of usation.

    N sneered. "Heartless? Why don''t you ask your father why he used such underhanded tactics against Harris Pharmaceuticals?"

    "I know this is hard for you to ept

    right now, but we can''t go back to the past. Compensation is what matters most for you and your

    fatherd can keep looking for a

    kidney donation for him. He''ll recover and be discharged soon.

    "Then, I''ll give him some money to start a new business. Maybe he can create another Harris

    Pharmaceuticals. Handing over the evidence to the police will only lead to mutual destruction. You won''t get anypensation," rk coaxed.

    "rk, you''ve threatened me with the kidney donation so many times. In the end, you gave it to someone else. As forpensation, I don''t need it!" N snapped.

    rk looked at her with a hint of resignation as he said, "N, maybe I''ve protected you too well over the years, which is why you''re still so naive."

 Chapter 253

    "Only what you can actually get is truly important. Do you understand? There are so many injustices in this world. Not everyone receives an apology or justice. Justice doesn''t align with the truth-it aligns with power," rk said.

    N looked at him with cold eyes and replied, "So, ording to you, I should just ept your so-calledpensation as if it were charity and act like nothing ever happened?"

    "I hope you understand what''s most important for you right now. Be realistic. Pursuing fairness has little real meaning," rk borated.

    N took a deep breath. "As long as I believe it''s meaningful, that''s enough."

    Upon seeing her firm expression, rk''s gaze darkened. "So you''re determined to hand over that evidence to the police, no matter what?" "I said I need time to think," N insisted.

    Finally, thest trace of warmth left rk''s eyes. He looked at N with a nk expression and said, "Understood. You can go now." Seeing him like this made N feel uneasy.

    "Take care of yourself. If you really can''t stand up in the future, I will stay by your side and take care of you," she said.

    rk didn''t say anything, his expression as cold as ever.

    N said nothing more and left the room.

    Once she got into the car, she thought for a while and decided to call Vrie to meet.

    In the ward...

    rk stared out the window for a while before picking up his phone to call Cyrus. "Dad, let''s proceed with what you suggested."

    After finishing the call, he hung up quickly, fearing he would regret it if he waited even a second longer.

    From this incident, he had already seen that N had no feelings for him. He wouldn''t hesitate any longer. Jordyn walked into the ward and noticed rk''s gloomy expression. She paused momentarily.

    "rk... What''s wrong? Did you have a fight with Ms. Jayston?" she asked.

    "Stay out of things that don''t concern you!" rk snapped.

    Jordyn stiffened. "Alright. I understand."

    She sat down by the bedside, her voice soft. "The chicken soup will get cold if you don''t drink it. Let me feed you."

    rk nced at her impatiently. "I''m not in the mood to eat. You can go now."

    "But I spent hours making this soup... You-" Jordyn began.

    "Get out!" rk''s expression suddenly darkened, bing terrifying.

    Frightened, Jordyn instinctively took a few steps back, her face pale. She bit her lip, eyes filled with hurt. "Alright. If you don''t want me here, I''ll leave..."

    With that, she turned and ran out of the room in tears.

    rk''s expression remained unchanged, showing no concern for Jordyn''s feelings.

    ...

    Vrie had been waiting in the agreed-upon restaurant for over an hour, but N still hadn''t shown up.

    Unable to wait any longer, she called N, only to find that N''s phone was turned off.

    Frowning, Vrie felt an uneasy premonition. N shouldn''t have turned off her phone while she was en route.

    Over the next few minutes, Vrie

    made several more calls, all of

    which went straight to voicemail.

    Her heart sank as she feared

    something might have happened to N.

    Just as she was about to call the police, she remembered that she would need to wait 24 hours before reporting a missing person.

    After a moment of hesitation, she decided to call Damon instead.

    Since Damon had previously asked her about something N needed, reaching out to him might be more effective than contacting rk.

    As soon as the call connected,

    Vrie said quickly, "Mr. Summer, N was supposed to meet me earlier. I waited for over an hour, and she still hasn''t arrived. Can you have your people help look for her?"

 Chapter 254

    Damon was in a meeting when he suddenly stood up, his voice low and urgent. "I understand. I''ll have people look into it right away."

    Spencer, who was nearby, immediately approached him. "Mr. Sumner, what''s going on?"

    "Dismiss the meeting. We''ll continue tomorrow. Contact the two people I asked you to arrange to protect N immediately. She''s missing," Damon instructed.

    Spencer was astonished, realizing the seriousness of the situation. "I''ll handle it right away."

    As soon as Damon returned to his office, Spencer knocked on the door with a grim expression and said, "Mr. Sumner, the two guards reported that Ms. Jayston''s car has been heading out of town. I''ve already asked them to try and intercept it."

    "Alright. Send me her current location," Damon requested.

    "Got it," Spencer answered.

    After sending the location, Spencer''s phone rang. He answered it, and his face turned ashen as he listened.

    "Mr. Sumner... the person in the car... isn''t Ms. Jayston..." he said.

    Damon''s eyes widened sharply, and he exuded a chilling aura. "Who is it then?"

    "It''s a taxi driver. When Ms. Jayston was paying at a gas station, someone gave him money to drive off in her car. Ms. Jayston is now missing," Spencer replied.

    "Useless! You couldn''t even keep track of one person! Get the gas station''s surveince footage right now!" Damon barked.

    Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city...

    N regained consciousness. She found herself tied to a chair with tape over her mouth and struggled instinctively.

    The warehouse door opened, and Cyrus walked in with four bodyguards.

    One of them approached N and ripped the tape from her mouth.

    "Cyrus Summer, what are you trying to do?" N asked.

    Cyrus smirked coldly, skipping pleasantries and going straight to the point. "Give me the documents you sent to rk, and I''ll let you go."

    "Do you think that''s possible?" N looked at him coldly, her eyes showing no fear.

    "N, you and rk were once married, and you even called me ''Dad''. I don''t want to kill you. Just give me the documents, and we can still be a family," Cyrus coaxed.

    "A family?" N''s expression was

    filled with disdain. "You caused the

    bankruptcy of Harris

    Pharmaceuticals and left my father waiting for a kidney transnt in the hospital. Do you really think I can act like nothing happened and be part of your family?"

    Upon seeing that N wouldn''t cooperate, Cyrus'' smile turned icy. "Since you refuse to cooperate, I''ll have to ensure you disappearpletely."

    N''s eyes shed with panic. She raised her voice. "Are you trying to kill me to cover your tracks?"

    Cyrus nodded. "Yes, I''m going to kill

    you. Even if you die, I''ll still find the documents. It was your refusal to

    cooperate that forced this We could have settled this

    uation

    §ż§Ý§ŕ§Ó§ŕ

    peacefully, but you insist on opposing me."

    "Do you realize you''remitting kidnapping and murder? You''re breaking thew!" N eximed.

    Cyrus'' eyes showed no fear, only pity. "Don''t worry. You''ll simply disappear. No one will know you''re dead, and no one will find your body."

    With that, Cyrus'' men moved forward, dragging N from the chair and pulling her toward the door.

    "You''ll get what''sing to you!" N cried.

    Cyrus sneered. "Hahaha! ''Getting what''sing to me''? If that were true, I would have been caught when I dealt with Harrison. You''re so na?ve to believe in such things. I suggest you pray for a better fate in your next life and avoid such misfortune!"

    Unnoticed by everyone, a small, square object inside N''s clothes blinked faintly.

 Chapter 255

    As soon as they reached the door, a dozen police officers surged in.

    The situation unfolded so quickly that Cyrus was still in shock, his face reflecting fear and anger, when he was pinned to the ground.

    "Let me go! Do you know who I am?!" Cyrus growled.

    "No matter who you are, you''re under arrest for kidnapping. We are taking you into custody!" one of the officers dered.

    Cyrus red at N with a look of deep hatred. "N, you set me up!"

    He had been very discreet, keeping his ns to kidnap N a secret from everyone except his trusted associates. The swift arrival of the police meant that N must have known about the kidnapping in advance and set a trap for him.

    His eyes burned with rage. It was as if he wanted to tear her apart.

    N, pale and frightened, looked at him with wide eyes. "You''re insane! You''re the one who kidnapped me. How could I possibly force you to do anything?"

    Yet, Cyrus caught a fleeting glint of satisfaction and coldness in her eyes.

    "Just wait! I won''t let you get away with this!" he snarled.

    N hid behind one of the officers, looking innocent and fearful.

    Furious and realizing he had been caught off guard, Cyrus was soon taken away with his men.

    As N exited the warehouse, Pete hurried over to her. "Ms. Jayston, are you alright?"

    N shook her head. "I''m fine. Mr. Monaghan, please take me to the police station. I need to give my statement."

    Pete nodded. "Of course."

    Once they were in the car, Pete expressed his concern. "Ms. Jayston, we were fortunate that the police arrived in time. Otherwise, things could have turned out very differently..." N smiled, no longer disying the fear and anxiety she had shown earlier when the police arrived.

    "Mr. Monaghan, I trust you and appreciate that you warned me about Cyrus'' ns to kidnap me," she replied.

    Pete looked somewhat resigned. He had intended to advise her to be cautious of Cyrus, not to encourage her to set a trap that would add kidnapping charges to Cyrus'' crimes.

    "Ms. Jayston, is it really worth

    risking your life like this? If you had just handed over the evidence to the police, Cyrus would have ended up in prison anyway," Pete asked.

    N nced down for a moment before responding softly. "It''s worth it to me. I consulted awyer, and the evidence would only lead to an economic crime charge. With some influence from the Sumners, Cyrus might have avoided jail time altogether. I want to ensure that he faces absolute certainty."

    Pete sighed. "You were lucky this time. I hope you won''t risk your life like this again. Your life is the most important thing."

    "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Monaghan," N said.

    As Pete started the car, he added, "I''m still investigating who sent you that document and will let you know once I find out."

    "Thank you for your hard work," N said.

    "Anytime," Pete replied.

    Pete left after taking N to the police station.

    ...

    The Sumners quickly learned of Cyrus'' arrest and arrived at the station while N was still giving her statement. They attempted to bail Cyrus out but were unsessful.

    As N finished her statement and walked out of the room, she saw Richard, Marie, and Cindy among others.

    The moment they saw her, their faces turned grim.

    Cindy, in particr, rushed up and pped N. "You jinx! You called the police and had your father arrested! Are you crazy?! You''d better exin to the police that this is all a misunderstanding!"

 Chapter 256

    N intercepted Cindy''s hand in mid-air, preventing the p. She fixed Cindy with an icy stare and spoke slowly. "I have only one father. He''s in the hospital now, waiting for a kidney because of your husband''s scheming, which led to hispany''s bankruptcy."

    Cindy felt a pang of guilt under N''s cold gaze. She pulled her hand away and snapped, "I''ve never seen anyone send their own father-inw to the police! You''d better clear things up with them right now, or I won''t let you off the hook!"

    N had always known Cindy was unreasonable, but she hadn''t expected her to be this thoughtless. "Do you realize kidnapping is a crime? And he even nned to kill me. I''ve already given the police the recordings. Do you think this is just a child''s game?"

    Cindy froze. Before she could respond, Richard, who had been silent, spoke up. "Enough of thismotion at the police station!"

    Cindy bit her lip in frustration. With a final venomous nce at N, she retreated to stand behind Richard and Marie.

    Richard turned his prating gaze on N. "As expected of Harrison''s daughter. I misjudged you before."

    N wasn''t intimidated. She smiled. "I should be the one saying that. I misjudged the Sumners."

    She was disgusted by the fact that she had married rk after Cyrus caused the downfall of the Jaystons. She refused to believe the Sumners were unaware of Cyrus'' actions against Harris Pharmaceuticals. Richard sneered. "Young and impulsive. You''re bound to suffer the consequences."

    With that, he turned and left.

    N took a deep breath, knowing this was just the beginning and more challenges were ahead.

    After leaving the police station, Richard immediately instructed hiswyer to discuss how to bail Cyrus out.

    Upon reviewing the case, thewyer looked concerned. "The part about using underhanded methods to bankrupt Harris Pharmaceuticals is rtively easy to handle. The main issue is Ms. Jayston''s kidnapping. If the victim refuses to forgive, it can result in a severe sentence."

    Cindy gnashed her teeth in anger. "From her behavior at the police station, she clearly has no intention of forgiving him!"

    Richard shot her a stern look. "Be quiet!"

    After consulting with thewyer for a

    while, Richard decided that thewyer should speak with N. If she agreed to sign a letter of

    forgiveness, it would be ideal

    ovel

    they might have to resort to unconventional methods.

    Just as thewyer left, Damon returned.

    Marie''s eyes were red when she saw him.

    "Damon, you must help your brother. He''s never faced anything like this in his life! If he''s really sentenced, I won''t be able to go on," Marie cried.

    On the way to the Sumner residence, Damon had already heard about Cyrus'' arrest for kidnapping Ny?a. His expression remained indifferent,

    revealing nothing of hitt

    "Dad, Mom, did you know about Cyrus'' scheme to bankrupt Harris Pharmaceuticals?" Damon asked.

    Marie was taken aback by the question and then frowned. "Does it matter whether we knew or not? The most important thing now is to find a way to get your brother out."

    Damon had connections with the police and might be able to secure Cyrus'' release.

    "Mom, he''s now implicated in kidnapping. The police won''t release him," Damon stated.

    Seeing Damon''s indifference, Marie looked at him in disbelief. "He''s your elder brother. Are you really going to just watch him get arrested?"

 Chapter 257

    "Even if he''s my older brother, it doesn''t change the fact that he kidnapped N," Damon replied firmly.

    Cindy''s eyes shed with anger due to Damon''s unwavering defense of N. "Damon, you''re defending N because you like her. She''s just a woman-how can she be more important than your own brother?!"

    "What?!" Marie turned sharply to look at Cindy, her face a mask of disbelief. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Have you lost your mind?!"

    How could Damon possibly like N? She was his nephew''s wife!

    Richard''s expression grew grim, his gaze toward Cindy sharp.

    Cindy, now resolute, bit her lip and continued. "Mom, I overheard Damon confess his feelings for N when I visited her in the hospital once. I didn''t tell you before because I was worried you couldn''t handle it. But seeing Damon now ignoring his brother''s well-being for the sake of an outsider, I couldn''t keep it to myself anymore!"

    Marie took a step back, copsing onto the sofa, her expression dazed.

    Damon liked N? How could he like N?

    She recalled rk''sment about Damon''s feelings for a married woman. She hadn''t understood it at the time, but now it made sense!

    Steadying herself, she looked at Damon with a mix of disappointment and anger. "Do you really like N?"

    His gaze was steady as he replied seriously, "Yes, I do."

    Marie pped Damon across the face, her eyes red with rage, nearly copsing from the effort.

    The rmed housekeeper, Catherine Talbot, quickly stepped forward to support her wobbling figure.

    "Madam, your health is important. The doctor said you shouldn''t get angry," Catherine reminded her gently.

    Marie shoved her away. "How can I not be angry?!"

    She turned to Damon, her body trembling with fury. "Get down

    your knees! I introduced you toet

    so

    many suitable women, but you didn''t show any interest!

    "If you liked a woman from a good family, even if she wasn''t a perfect match, might have epted it. But you''re in love with your nephew''s wife. Are you trying to drive your father and me to our graves?!"

    Damon knelt with a straight back, his expression stoic and unchanging.

    His silence only fueled Marie''s anger. She pounded her cane on the tile floor repeatedly.

    "From now on, you''re not to see th?t woman again! Even if she weren''t married to rk, I''d never approve of you being with her. Not unless I''m dead!" Marie demanded.

    Damon looked up, his voice steady. "Mom, I won''t stop pursuing her."

    Marie raised her cane and struck him on the back, shouting, "Say it again!"

    "I said, I won''t stop pursuing her!" Damon repeated.

    The cane came down again, and Damon echoed his deration.

    After numerous repetitions, Marie''s face grew increasingly pale. Overwhelmed by her emotions, she suddenly cked out and fell backward.

    "Mom!" Cindy screamed, rushing to catch Marie, her eyes filled with worry. "Mom fainted! Call the family doctor!"

    The living room erupted into chaos as the service staff and Cindy hurried to help Marie into a room and called the family doctor.

    Soon, the only ones left in the living room were Damon, still kneeling, and Richard, who remained silent with a grim expression.

 Chapter 258

    "Do you really like her?" Richard''s voice was authoritative and stern, carrying the weight of his position.

    "Yes," Damon answered.

    Richard''s eyes betrayed his irritation. "Then you''d better stop pursuing her, or the consequences will be more than the Jaystons can handle."

    N reporting Cyrus to the police had crossed Richard''s bottom line. He couldn''t allow rk to be associated with her any longer, nor let the Sumners be embarrassed.

    Damon''s gaze turned icy as he met Richard''s eyes. "Dad, if you go after the Jaystons, I''ll go after the Sumner Group."

    The Sumner Group was Richard''s lifelong achievement-his pride and creation.

    Richard''s gaze red with anger. "You really want to go against the Sumners for the sake of a woman?"

    "Dad, it''s not about going against you. It''s about you interfering with my feelings," Damon replied.

    "If you were with any of the women your mother introduced, we wouldn''t have said a word. But you know N is your nephew''s wife, and you still choose to be involved with her. How can the Sumners hold their head high in the business world?" Richard demanded.

    "I like her for who she is. I don''t care what anyone else says," Damon said inly.

    Richard sneered. "You don''t care. You have your ownpany now, and I can''t control you. If you truly want to be with her, then consider your mother and me dead. Never set foot in this house again!" With that, he stood up and left.

    After being unconscious for over an hour, Marie gradually regained consciousness. Her gaze swept around the bedroom, and when she didn''t see Damon, disappointment flickered in her eyes.

    "Where''s Damon?" she asked.

    Cindy frowned. She had been diligently caring for Marie, but as soon as Marie woke up, she asked for Damon without acknowledging Cindy''s presence. It was as if Cindy hadn''t been there at all. Cindy snorted. "Mom, don''t bother looking. He left shortly after you fainted."

    Marie''s face grew even paler, and she looked as though she might faint again.

    Catherine quickly interjected, "Madam, Mr. Damon had to leave for work after receiving a call."

    Seeing Marie''s color improve slightly, Catherine turned to Cindy with a look of dissatisfaction. "Mrs. Summer, I''ll take care of Madam Summer. With everything that''s happened today, you must be exhausted. You should go home and rest."

    Cindy had only stayed to keep up appearances anyway. She nodded. "Fine. If there''s anything, just call me at the vi."

    Catherine nodded. "Sure."

    After Cindy left, Marie grew

    sorrowful. She looked at Catherine,

    her voice choked with emotion. "How could Damon fall for N?

    Vel

    There are so many women in Saintornia. Why would he choose his nephew''s wife? And there were no signs of it before..."

    Catherine quickly handed Marie a handkerchief Madam, try not to dwell on it right now. This isn''t something that can be resolved quickly The most important thing is to deal with Mr. Cyrus'' situation first. After that, we can try to persuade MP. Damon."

    Marie shook her head. "I doubt I can persuade him. Since he was a child, if he wanted to do something, no one could change his mind. But if he really insists on being involved with N, I''ll die in front of him!" "Madam, please don''t say such things. Moreover, Mr. Damon and N haven''t done anything yet. There''s still a chance to make things right," Catherineforted.

    "If she dares to be with Damon, I won''t let her off!" Marie eximed.

    The idea of N trying to seduce Damon was even harder for Marie to ept than the fact that N had sent Cyrus to the police. After all Cyrus'' actions had indeed led to the Jayston family''s bankruptcy While Marie was angry, she understood there was a reason behind it.

    But Damon was her pride, and N''s interest in him was shameless and audacious!

    Seeing Marie''s rage, Catherine realized she couldn''t ept Damon''s feelings for N and decided to stop trying to persuade her.

    ...

    After leaving the Sumner residence, Damon drove directly to find N.

    Upon arriving, he remained in the car, hesitant to get out.

    He had guessed that N was involved in Cyrus'' arrest and was somewhat angry about it.

 Chapter 259

    Damon was furious that N had taken such a dangerous action without consulting him.

    On top of that, Cyrus had caused the Jaystons'' bankruptcy, and Damon himself was a Sumner. He wasn''t sure if N might also harbor some resentment toward him.

    After sitting in the car for a long time, Damon was about to leave when he saw N walking out of her building in casual clothes, carrying two bags of trash. His gaze automatically settled on her, and his previously cold demeanor softened.

    N noticed Damon''s car as well and hesitated for a moment. After tossing the trash into the bin, she walked over to his car.

    As she stopped a few steps from the car, the window on the driver''s side rolled down. Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke for a while.

    Finally, N bit her lip and spoke slowly. "Uncle Damon, are you here... to reprimand me?"

    Damon''s gaze darkened, then he smirked. "If I were here to reprimand you, do you think you''d be standing here talking to me?"

    N turned pale and found it difficult to meet his gaze, instinctively lowering her eyes. "Then what brings you here?"

    Seeing her evasive reaction, Damon frowned and abruptly opened the car door to get out.

    N froze, a wave of panic rising in her chest. She instinctively wanted to step back, but Damon''s deep voice stopped her. "Don''t move!"

    N stiffened as Damon quickly approached her. His height cast a shadow over her, and the unique scent of pine surrounded her, like a closing in.

    Her hands trembled at her sides, feeling an impending danger she couldn''t escape. Damon''s intimidating presence was overwhelming, and just his silence made her want to flee. "Uncle Damon, you..." N began.

    Damon''s touch was cool as he gently lifted her chin,pelling her to meet his gaze. His dark eyes seemed to draw her in, and her eyes flickered with panic. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly.

    "You''ve sent my brother to the police. Now everyone in the Sumners despises you, and rk probably won''t help you. Did you ever think about what you''d do if the Sumners retaliated against you and your father?" Damon asked.

    His tone was t, but N''s eyes widened, and her body trembled slightly She had only wanted to see Cyrus behind bars and hadn''t considered the possibility of retaliation from the Sumners.

    In truth, she hadn''t dared to think about it, knowing how easily the Sumners could crush her.

    She bit her lip hard and took a deep breath. "No matter what, I need to seek justice."

    Upon seeing her determined expression, Damon''s eyes red with anger, and he tightened his grip on her chin.

    Was it so difficult to ask for help? Did she have to face all these dangers alone?

    "Is this justice more important than your life?" he questioned.

    "Yes," N answered.

    Damon''s anger shifted into a cold, bitter smile. "Fine. Don''t say I didn''t warn you!"

    He released her, turned, and got back into the car, his back radiating irritation.

    N didn''t understand why he was so upset, but since he was there, it was better to clear the air.

    "Uncle Damon, I hope you won''t

    vel

    sent your brother to the police, and any future encounters will only be awkward. I''ll request a new researcher for the Park

    Pharmaceuticals project. Let''s just act like we don''t know each other from now on," N said.

    Damon looked back at her, his displeasure almost palpable.

    N didn''t know why he was looking at her like that, but she could feel his dangerous aura. As she turned to escape, hisrge hand suddenly grabbed her waist.

    "Ah..." she cried.

    Damon lifted her effortlessly and spun her around, pressing her back against the cold car door. Before she could react, he kissed her fiercely.

 Chapter 260

    "Mmph!" N''s eyes widened in shock.

    Was Damon out of his mind?!

    First, he had forced a kiss on her in the private room, and now he was doing it out in the open... If someone saw them, she couldn''t even imagine the consequences.

    She tried to push him away with her hands against his chest, but his body was like a wall of steel. No matter how hard she pushed, he didn''t budge.

    "Uncle Damon- Mmph! Let... Let go..." She struggled to speak.

    Damon pressed against her, his eyes zing with anger. She had kept the fact that she had set Cyrus up to kidnap her a secret, and now she wanted to distance herself from him.

    As if!

    Anger shed in N''s eyes when she saw that Damon had no intention of letting her go. She bit down hard on his lip.

    Damon winced and released her, sneering. "Are you a dog?"

    "What does that have to do with you? Don''t forget, I''m your niece-inw!" N hissed.

    Damon raised an eyebrow at her attempt to use her status to make him let her go. "You sent rk''s father to jail. Do you really think he will stay married to you?"

    "That doesn''t concern you. If you don''t let me go, I''ll call for help," N countered.

    Her angry expression, like a cat with its fur bristling, seemed to amuse Damon. He leaned in closer, their lips almost touching.

    N''s breath caught. "What are you doing?"

    "If you want to call for help, go ahead. By tomorrow, everyone will know about this," Damon said.

    Damon''s indifference to N''s threat made her look away coldly. "Don''t forget, Cyrus is not only rk''s father but also your older brother. How is it appropriate to be entangled with the woman who sent your brother to jail?"

    Damon chuckled softly. "You don''t need to use these words to provoke me. Now that you''ve angered everyone in the Sumners, your only choice to avoid retaliation is to be with me."

    N turned to him sharply. "Do you even hear yourself?"

    Damon wanted to be with her despite her having sent Cyrus to jail and her opposition to his family?

    "Think it over, and let me know once you''ve decided," Damon said.

    N frowned and replied coldly, "There''s no need to think it over. I won''t agree. I don''t want to be involved with the Sumners any further."

    If the Sumners found out she was involved with Damon, they''d never let her go. She didn''t want to get involved with Damon either.

    Damon remained patient. "I have plenty of time."

    N looked up at him, her face

    expressionless. "Uncle Damon,

    many women would want to be

    with

    you if you''re willing. Why can''t you just let me go?" ¨¦n.swnovels

    "Because none of those women are you," he replied.

    The sincerity and tenderness in

    Damon''s eyes made N look away. She

    feelin''t bear the intensity of h

    feelings or the process of falling for someone only to be disappointed.

    "I''m nothing special, and I''m still married to rk. Even if I divorce him, I won''t be with you because I don''t like you," she stated.

    Damon''s gaze darkened. "Not liking me now doesn''t matter. You will eventually."

    N was about to argue back when. Damon suddenly released her and said, "It''s gettingte. You should go. If you change your mind, contact me anytime." ¨¦n.swnovels

    N lowered her gaze and didn''t continue the argument. As long as she didn''t give in, Damon couldn''t force her to stay with him.

    Relieved by this realization, she quickly left without saying goodbye, her heart still racing.

    Damon smirked as he watched her retreating figure, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

    ...

    Back home, N''s heart finally began to calm down.

    When Damon had suggested they be together, she had felt a momentary thrill and almost agreed. In the end, though, reason prevailed.

 Chapter 261

    N and Damon came from entirely different worlds. At present, his interest in her seemed like just a fleeting impulse. He would eventually grow tired of her.

    It was better to avoid the pain of abandonment than to start something that would inevitably end in disappointment.

    After all, she wasn''t an 18-year-old girl who might naively believe that Damon would marry her. Given his background, he would surely choose a partner of equal standing in the future.

    N didn''t want the stigma of having seduced her husband''s uncle, nor did she want to suffer another blow to her love life.

    She pushed her inappropriate thoughts aside and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

    Just as she was about to go to bed, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was rk, she hesitated for a moment before answering.

    "N, I heard you called the police and had Dad arrested?" rk''s voice was filled with disbelief as if N hadmitted a heinous crime.

    She let out a lightugh, her eyes shing with mockery. "Yes."

    "Why did you do that? You know Dad only had you abducted to get that document, not to actually harm you!" rk eximed.

    "I''m really curious how you can say such shameless things with such confidence. Are you sure he didn''t actually want me dead?" N retorted.

    If Pete hadn''t discovered Cyrus'' ns to harm her first, she might already be dead at the bottom of a cliff.

    "Of course. You''re my wife and his daughter-inw. How could he really want to hurt you? Besides, I''m disabled now because I tried to save you. Considering my condition, you should go exin things to the police and get Dad released!" rk demanded.

    "But as far as I know, your legs don''t seem to be disabled. Why don''t you go ahead and cripple yourself, and then I''ll consider whether or not to let him go?" N suggested sarcastically.

    There was a pause on the other end of the line before rk''s disappointed voice came through. "N, I became like this trying to save you, and now you doubt me. I''m starting to regret saving you that day." N sneered, no longer interested in arguing. She cut to the chase. "Don''t pretend to be so noble. The car ident at the courthouse was arranged by you and your dad. Your dad kidnapped me because you urged me several times to delete those pieces of evidence. When I refused, you decided to eliminate me.

    "You don''t need to refute. The fact that I''m saying this means I have evidence. If you don''t want to end up in trouble with your dad,e to the courthouse tomorrow morning to get the divorce. "Let''s hope you don''t try any more tricks this time," N said, delivering her ultimatum.

    Without waiting for rk''s reaction, she hung up.

    rk nearly hurled his phone, his face dark with fury. He couldn''t believe that N knew everything. Was he really just a fool in her eyes these past few days? Beside him, Jordyn was startled by his terrifying expression and trembled as she asked, "rk... What''s wrong? Is it that N won''t let your father go?"

    "Get out!" rk shouted.

    Jordyn turned pale and left the room in fear. rk was too frightening at the moment.

    Once the room fell silent, rk suddenly burst intoughter. His eyes were bloodshot as he crushed his phone screen from gripping it too tightly.

    All these years, he had never truly seen N for who she was. It wasn''t toote to understand now.

    Divorce... Hah! Did she think a divorce would free her from him?

    Laughing madly, he vowed to make her suffer just as he had. She had made him suffer so much-how could he possibly let her off easily?

 Chapter 262

    Cindy immediately intervened when she learned that N wanted a divorce from rk.

    "Your dad is still in the police station. If you divorce her now, it will only make it harder for her to relentter. As long as she''s still your wife, we can at least mitigate the sentence with a letter of forgiveness if your dad is convicted. If you divorce her now, things will only get worse," she said.

    rk''s face was grim. "She has evidence of my involvement in the kidnapping. If I don''t go along with her demands, she''ll turn that evidence over to the police."

    Cindy frowned, anger shing in her eyes. "That scheming woman! She really came prepared! But the more she acts like this, the more you can''t divorce her right now. Otherwise, who knows what she''ll do to the Sumners."

    "Mom, do you still naively believe that if I dy the divorce, she''ll let the Sumners off the hook?" rk asked.

    N was determined to sever ties with the Sumners by sending Cyrus to jail.

    After this incident, neither Richard nor Marie would ever ept her again. If rk stayed with her, he would only disappoint them further and ruin his chances with the Sumner Group.

    Cindy was furious, but with N holding evidence, she felt powerless. Moreover, considering Damon''s attitude, he was likely to protect N.

    The more she thought about it, the more she hated N. She regretted ever letting N into their family. Now, the Sumners were in chaos.

    "Make sure she gets nothing in the divorce. She must leave with nothing!" Cindy demanded.

    rk sneered. "She hasn''t worked for years and hasn''t had any children. There''s no way I''m giving her anything."

    "Just make sure you follow through," Cindy reminded him.

    The next morning...

    rk arrived precisely at 10:00 a.m., seated in a wheelchair with Jordyn pushing him from behind.

    His eyes shed with anger and hatred upon seeing N. The thought of her having Cyrus arrested and now demanding a divorce made him want to strangle her and confront her ruthlessness.

    In stark contrast to his agitation, N remained remarkably calm. She harbored no lingering feelings for rk and was determined to sever ties as swiftly as possible.

    She handed him the prepared divorce agreement. "Sign this, and then we can proceed with the paperwork."

    rk flipped through a few pages, noting their familiarity. The agreement was identical to the one she had presented when she first discovered his infidelity.

    When he reached the asset division section and saw that N was iming half of his assets, his eyes grew cold.

    "I won''t sign this divorce agreement. If you want a divorce, you''ll have to leave with nothing. Otherwise, I won''t agree to it," he dered.

    N calmly handed him another document. "Take a look at this before you decide."

    rk took it and opened it. His face darkened as he saw evidence of some of his unsavory activities at the Sumner Group over the years. How had she gotten this?

    rk''s eyes burned with killing intent as he red at her. She had been keeping tabs on him all these years!

    N smiled and said slowly, "Don''t worry. Once you sign, I''ll give you the original documents."

    "How can I trust you?" rk asked.

    He had been deceived by N too many times recently. How could he be sure she wasn''t just lying about providing the originals while keeping copies for herself? "Destroying each other is not beneficial for me, and I have no intention of going up against the Sumners.

    "I''m only dealing with your father because he was responsible for the bankruptcy of the Jaystons. As for you, aside from your infidelity, you haven''t caused me any substantial harm. I just want to clear my name and move on," N exined.

    Seeing her serious expression, rk snortd. "You''d better not try any tricks. I won''t be lenient with you."

    "Don''t worry. I won''t," N assured him.

    As rk prepared to sign, Jordyn spoke up from behind him, her voice filled with dissatisfaction. "rk, do you really trust her? What if she''s plotting against you again?"

    rk ignored Jordynpletely, continuing his signing without pause. He signed his name and threw the document back to N.

    "Can we proceed with the divorce now?" he asked.

    He had stubbornly refused to divorce her before, but now he was eager to finalize it. Once the signature was confirmed, N tossed a USB drive onto hisp and walked briskly into the courthouse. In less than an hour, the divorce certificates were processed.

    N''s eyes were a little red as she looked at the hard-earned divorce certificate. When she married rk, she had never imagined it would end like this.

 Chapter 263

    The past eight years felt like a dream.

    Fortunately, it was over now, and there would be no more entanglements in the future.

    rk''s eyes shed with anger upon seeing N''s relieved expression. He turned to Jordyn and said coldly, "Did you bring your ID card?" Jordyn was momentarily stunned, but then her eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! rk, you..."

    "Give it to me. We''re registering our marriage now," rk said curtly.

    Jordyn quickly pulled out her ID card from her bag and handed it to rk, her face alight with anticipation. She had been waiting for this day!

    Last night, upon learning that rk would be divorcing N today, she had rushed to bring her ID card. She nned to use their child as leverage to see if rk would marry her after the divorce. To her surprise, he proposed marriage to her first!

    rk took her ID card with a stony expression and handed it, along with his own, to the staff. "Get us registered!"

    His face was stern, and his tone was rigid, showing no trace of joy.

    The staff hesitated for a moment before advising, "Sir, marriage is a significant matter. You''ve just divorced. Perhaps you should reconsider."

    Jordyn shot a disdainful look at the staff and said arrogantly, "What does it matter to you if we''re getting married? Just do your job and stay out of it! Besides, I''m carrying his child. Are you going to let my baby be born without a father?"

    Contempt flickered in the staff''s eyes. She thought Jordyn was quite pretty, yet she had be a mistress-such a shame. She took the documents and started processing the marriage papers.

    rk looked at N with a dark expression and said, "You may not care, but others do. I''m not dependent on you."

    N nodded and smiled. "Well, then I wish you both a lifetime of happiness. Make sure to stay together forever and note back into the market."

    Ignoring rk''s displeasure, she ced the divorce certificate into her bag and walked away. Today was her fresh start, and she didn''t want those scumbags to ruin her mood.

    After leaving the courthouse, N went directly to a topw firm in Saintornia, where she found awyer specializing in divorce cases and handed him the divorce agreement.

    The two discussed the case for over an hour, and thewyer, William Harwell, personally saw N out of the firm.

    "Mr. Harwell, I''ll leave the asset division in your hands," N said.

    William nodded. "Ms. Jayston, don''t worry. I''ll handle it as soon as possible."

    After leaving the firm, N was about to head home when she received a call from Wren.

    "N,e to the hospital right away. Your mother-inw just arrived with a group of people, causing a scene in the ward and using you of having your father-inw arrested. Your father has fainted from anger!" Wren informed.

    N looked rmed. "I''ll be there immediately!"

    ...

    When N arrived at the hospital over an hourter, the ward was in chaos. Fragments of cups, toiletries, fruits-everything was scattered around the room.

    Harrison was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, while Wren, with red eyes, sat beside him, constantly wiping her tears.

    Seeing N, Wren looked displeased. "N, what''s going on? Why did the Sumners send people to cause trouble?"

    "How''s my father?" N asked instead.

    "He fainted from anger. The doctor just checked him and said he might not wake up for a while. What exactly did you do?" Wren asked.

    N briefly exined her recent actions.

    Wren scowled and could no longer contain her fury. "Why did you do this? What if the Sumners retaliate against us? Just like today, we have no ability to fight back!"

    N bit her lip and lowered her gaze. "I admit I didn''t think this through. I''ll find someone to protect you and Dad."

    "Protect us? Do you think you''re more powerful than the Sumners? You''vepletely offended them, and with your divorce from rk, they won''t let you or us off the hook!" Wren eximed, ring at N.

    "Why didn''t you discuss this with us before taking action? Our lives were just starting to calm down. What right do you have to make decisions for your father?

    "Even if you did get your father-inw arrested, no one will admire you. People will only mock the Jaystons for raising a daughter who sent her father-inw to prison!" Wren scolded.

    Before she could finish, Harrison''s angry voice came from the bed. "Enough! Stop talking!"

 Chapter 264

    Both N and Wren turned their heads simultaneously, realizing that Harrison had woken up.

    N hurried over to help him, but he pushed her away.

    "N, you''ve disappointed me greatly," he said.

    Confronted with her father''s disappointed gaze, N felt hurt. "Dad... even you don''t understand me?"

    She had done it to seek justice for him, hoping that, even if no one else understood her, he would.

    "What good does understanding you do? The matter is over now. Digging it up only affects your life. You still have a long way to go. If you send Cyrus to prison, what if the Sumners retaliate against you?" Harrison asked.

    He was no longer in a position to protect her. By pursuing this, she was risking her entire future.

    "Should I just pretend nothing happened and continue living in mutual disdain with rk for the rest of my life?" N retorted.

    "Whether you stay with him or not doesn''t change the fact that Harris Pharmaceuticals is bankrupt. Is there any way to remedy this situation now?" Harrison asked.

    N took a deep breath. "No. I''ve already given the evidence to the police. Even if there were a way to fix it, I wouldn''t go back."

    Harrison looked angry. He raised his hand to hit N but, at thest moment, his resolve softened. He lowered his trembling hand and turned his gaze away. "Just go. You don''t need to worry about this. I''ll handle it. Pretend you never knew about it."

    N was appalled. "Dad, what are you going to do? Cyrus has done so much harm to you, and you''re still nning to let him go?!"

    "It''s not about letting him go. It''s about asking the Sumners to spare you," Harrison replied.

    "I haven''t done anything wrong. Cyrus and the Sumners, who covered for him, are at fault!" N insisted.

    Harrison sighed and said slowly, "Right or wrong doesn''t matter. When you''re in a higher position, even if you''re wrong, it can seem right. But now, opposing the Sumners will only harm yourself. So even if you''re right, it''s still wrong. Do you understand?"

    N shook her head stubbornly. "I don''t understand. Dad, I just want fairness."

    "Fairnesses at a price, a price that neither you nor I can afford," Harrison countered.

    As his words settled, the room fell silent.

    N looked at Harrison. After a long moment, she spoke slowly. "So, Cyrus'' actions that ruined the Jaystons and the ident he orchestrated that shattered dozens of families don''t require any price? But if I seek justice, I have to pay the price, which I can''t afford, right?"

    "Yes! If you can''t bear the Sumners'' retaliation, then you shouldn''t have brought this up," Harrison affirmed.

    His expression remained indifferent, revealing the numbness of someone who had epted reality.

    He also wanted justice but knew he couldn''t afford it. He took pride and foundfort in his daughter''s courage to challenge the Sumners with evidence.

    However, he also understood that the world respected power and that standing up for fairness when one was weak could be seen as a mistake.

    He had once been able to protect her, and although the Jaystons had gone bankrupt, N had married rk, who could safeguard her. Therefore, he had not taught her these lessons. Now, he felt it was time for her to learn from this experience.

    "Dad, since fairnesses at a price, and my future and life are the price, I''m willing to gamble my future and life for it," N asserted.

    Harrison''s pnded on N''s face. He withdrew his trembling hand, seething with anger. "Do you really think jeopardizing your future and your life will bring you justice?

    "I''m telling you now: even if you risk everything, Cyrus will not face the punishment he deserves. This world operates on the survival of the fittest. If you insist on going your own way, we will sever our father- daughter rtionship!"

    N stepped back, her gaze at Harrison filled with disappointment. "Dad, you''ve changed. You''ve be someone I don''t recognize."

    With that, she turned and ran out of the room.

    Wren, who had been silent, finally spoke with a frown. "Harrison, you spoiled N too much before, which led to her reckless behavior without considering the consequences-"

    "Wren, no matter what, N is my daughter. If she''s done something wrong, I apologize, but I don''t want you to criticize her in front of me," Harrison cut her off.

 Chapter 265

    When stiffened. Throwing up her hands, she said, "Fine I won''t say anything more. I finally understand what it''s like to be a stepmother-whatever you do, you''re never right. I get it now!" Harrison frowned, looking somewhat helpless. "That''s not what I meant "

    "Then what do you mean? I''ve taken care of you diligently these past two years, and I haven''t mistreated your daughter. Now, just because I mention the trouble she has caused, it''s too much?" Wren questioned.

    Seeing Wren''s confrontational expression, Harrison felt imitated. He turned his head away and fell silent.

    When even more enraged, beganining about how difficult it had been to care for Harrison over t

    years

    the

    After a few minutes Harrison could no longer tolerate it and barked, "Yes, it''s been hard taking care of me. but didn''t I provide you with enough before Harris Pharmaceuticals'' bankruptcy? No matter how she is you have no right to criticize her!"

    When sneered. "Then ask her to take care of you from now on! And stop making me do it!"

    With that, she angrily turned and stormed out of the room.

    As the door mmed shut, the room fell silent once again.

    Hamson sighed and picked up his phone, dialing a number.

    After leaving the hospital, N went straight to meet Vrie for a drink.

    Vne''s eyes widened when she heard that N had divorced rk.

    "Really?! He agreed to the divorce?!" Vrie asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

    N took the divorce certificate out of her bag and handed it to Vrie. "Do you believe me now?"

    with Val e examined the certificate, confirming N''s im. She handed it back and clinked ss her. Here''s to celebrating your sessful divorce! Let''s not stop drinking until we''repletely wasted!" N drank her ss in one gulp and poured herself another full one.

    "What''s wrong? Isn''t divorce supposed to be a good thing? You seem a bit down." Vrie inquired. N took a sip of her drink and briefly recounted the argument she had had with her father.

    After listening. Vrie fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I''ve heard about you sending rk''s father to jail too. From your dad''s perspective, he was just trying to protect you. None of you are at fault. The Sumners are."

    N smiled wryly, her eyes reddening. "I''m not ming him. I just feel sad. He''s endured so much, and I can''t make things right for him."

    Vrie gently patted her back and said softly, "You''ve done well. If it were me, I don''t think I''d have your courage. But what your dad said is also true."

    .

    Wren stiffened. Throwing up her hands, she said, "Fine. I won''t say anything more. I finally understand what it''s like to be a stepmother-whatever you do, you''re never right. I get it now!" Harrison frowned, looking somewhat helpless. "That''s not what I meant."

    "Then what do you mean? I''ve taken care of you diligently these past two years, and I haven''t mistreated your daughter. Now, just because I mention the trouble she has caused, It''s too much?" Wren questioned.

    Seeing Wren''s confrontational expression, Harrison felt irritated. He turned his head away and fell silent.

    Wren, even more enraged, beganining about how difficult it had been to care for Harrison over t

    the

    years.

    After a few minutes, Harrison could no longer tolerate it and barked, "Yes, it''s been hard taking care of me, but didn''t I provide you with enough before Harris Pharmaceuticals'' bankruptcy? No matter how she is, you have no right to criticize her!"

    Wren sneered. "Then ask her to take care of you from now on! And stop making me do it!"

    With that, she angrily turned and stormed out of the room.

    As the door mmed shut, the room fell silent once again.

    Harrison sighed and picked up his phone, dialing a number.

    After leaving the hospital, N went straight to meet Vrie for a drink.

    Vrie''s eyes widened when she heard that N had divorced rk.

    "Really?! He agreed to the divorce?!" Vrie asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

    N took the divorce certificate out of her bag and handed it to Vrie. "Do you believe me now?"

    Vrie examined the certificate, confirming N''s im. She handed it back and clinked sses with ner. "Here''s to celebrating your sessful divorce! Let''s not stop drinking until we''repletely waster N drank her ss in one gulp and poured herself another full one.

    "Wwrong? Isn''t divorce supposed to be a good thing? You seem a bit down," Vrie inquired.

    N took a sip of her drink and briefly recounted the argument she had had with her father.

    After listening. Vrie fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I''ve heard about you sending rk''s father to jail too. From your dad''s perspective, he was just trying to protect you. None of you are at fault. The Sumners are."

    N smiled wryly, her eyes reddening. "I''m not ming him. I just feel sad. He''s endured so much, and I can''t make things right for him."

    Vrie gently patted her back and said softly, "You''ve done well. If it were me, I don''t think I''d have your courage. But what your dad said is also true."

    Given N''s current situation, seeking justice was extremely difficult. It was unfair to her and the Jaystons, but what could be done about it? The world was full of injustices.

    To receive fair treatment, one must strive to be stronger.

    Noticing N''s silence, Vrie encouraged her, "Apologize to your dad tomorrow and discuss how to resolve this issue. If you stubbornly pursue Cyrus, the Summers might retaliate against you.

    "And for you and your dad right now, getting him treated and focusing on living well is the most Important thing." Vrie advised.

    N closed her eyes, feeling a sense of helplessness. Everyone said she shouldn''t have gone after Cyrus- had she really made a mistake?

    But all she wanted was justice...

    After a while, she spoke. "Vrie, I understand. I''ll go apologize to my dad tomorrow."

    She didn''t think she had done anything wrong, but she didn''t want to cause her father any more worry, especially with his deteriorating health.

    "That''s the right attitude. Cheers! Here''s to shedding the bad rtionship and starting anew!" Vrie cheered.

    They drank heavily, and by the end of the night, they ended up sleeping in the private room.

    When N woke up the next morning, it was already past 8:00 a.m. As soon as she checked her phone, she saw a dozen missed calls from Wren. rmed, she quickly called back.

 Chapter 266

    #

    As soon as the call connected, Wren''s frantic voice came through. "Where are you right now? Your dad went to the Summers on your behalf and got into trouble. He ended up in the emergency room after drinking excessively to make amends!"

    N''s mind went nk, and her body froze in ce. It took her several seconds to react. "I''ll be there right away!"

    Her voice trembled as she spoke.

    Vrie, who had just woken up, noticed N''s distress and quickly got up. "N, what''s wrong?"

    N looked up, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face. "My dad is in trouble. I can''t drive..."

    Vrie''s expression turned serious. She grabbed N''s hand and said firmly, "We can''t drive after drinking so muchst night. We''ll take a cab."

    She led N out of the bar and hailed a cab to the hospital.

    When they arrived at the emergency room, the surgery had just ended.

    Dr. Leslie Knapp, looking exhausted and irritated, addressed N and Wren with frustration "Tve wamed you repeatedly that the patient''s condition can''t handle smoking or drinking. You let him drink excessively. If he had been anyter, not even a god could have saved him!"

    "Dr. Knapp, I''m sorry. I''ll be more careful in the future and ensure this never happens again. Thank you for saving my dad," N said, bowing deeply.

    Tears continued to fall.

    She was overwhelmed with panic, fearing that if Harrison didn''t pull through, she would never forgive

    herself.

    I slie''s face remained stern. "A sincere apology means nothing now. Instead, focus on ensuring the pient doesn''t engage in activities harmful to his health."

    with that he turned and left.

    Back in the hospital room....

    Hron had not yet woken up.

    Wren sat by the bed, crying.

    "Wren, what exactly happened?" N asked, her voice trembling.

    She had thought that Harrison would visit the Sumners in a few days, not the very next day.

    wren looked at her with evident displeasure. "After you left yesterday, your dad secretly contacted the Sumners to apologize and ask them to spare you. Richard made him wait outside for over two hours. before finally agreeing to see him.

    "After that, I don''t know what happened. All I know is that your dad suddenly vomited blood and copsed. The hospital called me toe."

    N took a deep breath, her anger barely contained. The Sumners had gone too far!

    "I understand," she replied.

    Wren hesitated before speaking. "N, you saw for yourself that you can''t fight the Sumners. Your dad''s health can''t handle any more stress. Please, I''m begging you, don''t continue this fight, okay?" N''s hands clenched at her sides as she looked down. "Wren, I will handle this. Please take care of my

    dad."

    After leaving the hospital room, Vrie looked at N with concern. "N, what are you nning to do next?"

    "Thank you for everything today, Vrie. You should head home now," N said tly.

    Noting N''s detached demeanor, Vrie frowned. "N, don''t do anything rash. You need to stay calm." Vrie was worried that N might act out due to her father''s situation. N forced a smile. "Don''t worry. I''m very calm."

    She had never been so clear-headed and knew exactly what she needed to do.

    "Maybe I should stay with you," Vrie suggested.

    "Really, don''t worry. I promise not to go to the Sumners and cause a scene. You can trust me on that," N said.

    Seeing that N seemed genuinely calm, Vrie finally nodded. "If you need any help, just let me know."

    "Okay," N agreed.

    After Vrie disappeared down the hallway, N''s smile slowly faded, her expression turning cold as she headed toward Leslie''s office.

    Leslie''s expression was still somewhat grim when he saw N. "Ms. Jayston, are you here for something?" Nyia nodded and sat down opposite him. "Dr. Knapp, I''m nning to take my dad abroad for treatment." Afteraving the doctor''s office, N didn''t return to the hospital room but went home instead.

    As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she noticed that her apartment door was wide open, and the living room was in disarray.

    Her expression remained nk as she walked inside, finding the ce turned upside down, with even the kitchen and bathroom ransacked.

    She sat down in the living room, about to call the police, but hesitated. Instead, she dialed a different number.

 Chapter 267

    When Damon arrived, N was sitting on the sofa, staring nkly. Hearing the footsteps, she looked up toward the door. Her eyes were red and filled with helplessness and fear, like a frightened little rabbit. "Uncle Damon, you''re here," she called out.

    Damon approached her and asked in a low voice, "Are you hurt?"

    N shook her head. "I''m okay. I was at the bar with Vrie. I wasn''t home... When I came back, this is what I found..."

    Damon frowned. "Have you called the police?"

    "Yes, I did. They should be arriving soon," she replied.

    "Alright. You can''t stay here. I''ll have Spencer find you a new ce," Damon said.

    "Can I stay with you for the next few days?" N asked.

    As soon as she finished speaking, the living room fell silent, so quiet that they could almost hear each other''s breathing.

    Damon''s eyes narrowed dangerously as he spoke, each word deliberate. "Do you know what you''re saying?"

    His direct gaze seemed to prate everything, making N feel as if she had nowhere to hide. It was as though all her thoughts were exposed to him.

    She forced herself to meet his gaze and nodded. "I do."

    Damon looked at her and chuckled. "I thought it would take you a while longer to make up your mind."

    He knew that N was with him primarily to use him, but that was alright. There woulde a day when she would fall in love with him.

    N pressed her lips together, about to speak, when footsteps came from the doorway-the police had arrived.

    Aside from taking statements, Damon mostly handled the discussions with the police, while N oned questions asionally.

    After the police left, Damon turned to N. "I have to go to the officeter. Do you want toe with me, or should I pick you up after work?"

    "I need to clean up the house and prepare some clothes," N answered.

    Damon nodded. "Alright, I''ll arrange for someone to protect you. Call me if you need anything."

    His expression remained cool, but his gaze held a hint of warmth. It was like snow melting away, creating ripples in N''s heart.

    She turned her gaze away and nodded. "Okay."

    In the next moment, she found herself enveloped in a warm embrace.

    Damon''s dry, warm hand stroked her head, his voice low and gentle "Dont be afraid I''m here"

    N stiffened for a moment, then wrapped her arms around his waist closing her eyes and stently apologizing in her heart.

    She didn''t want to use Damon, but being with him was her only way to confront the Summers right now.

    She felt too selfish and didn''t deserve Damon''s feelings

    Sensing her response, Damon tightened his hold slightly

    After a long moment, he finally released her. I''lle to pick you upter"

    His gaze was much warmer than before, causing N''s face to flush slightly. She lowered her head and said, "Alright."

    Her shy and hesitant demeanor made Damon''s eyes darran a little. It took him several seconds to regain hisposure. He suddenly understood why people kept their mistresses hidden in the pce in the olden days.

    After Damon left, N patted her flushed cheeks and calmed herself down to start toying up the disheveled living room.

    By the time N finished organizing, it was already past 3:00 pm. She brewed a cup of tea and sat on the sofa, absently tapping her fingers on the cup.

    Since rk had done this to her home, she needed to get back at him.

    After thinking for a moment, she dialed a number for an entertainment news outlet

    By evening, a breaking news story had taken over the headlines of major extensinment publications:

    [Shocking! rk Sumner, former CEO of the Sumner Group, remamies his mistress on the very day of his divorce!]

    During the eveningmute, a typically dull time, this entertainment headine immediately gred

    eryone''s attention, and people eagerly discussed it.

    It wont long before the news reached Richard and Marie.

    Richard immediately called rk, berating and ordering him to suppress the news within an hour.

    When rk called N, she was preparing dinner. Expecting his call, she had taken him off her blocked

    list

    As soon as the call connected, rk''s nearly shouting voice came through "N, how can you be so malicious?! The biggest mistake of my life was loving you and marrying you against everyone''s opposition! N sprinkled some coriander into the soup, thinking that rk''s voice had never sounded so pleasing

    Sheughed softly and replied slowly, "Don''t be in a hurry. You''ll have plenty more chances to regret it. Today won''t be thest time you do."

 Chapter 268

    After H finished speaking, she hung up and blocked rk without giving him another chance to speak

    Soon, an unfamiliar number called her again, but she ignored it.

    After several attempts, the calls stopped.

    N served the meal she had prepared on the table. Just as she finished tidying up the kitchen, the doorbell rang

    When she checked and confirmed that it was Damon at the door, she opened it.

    Noticing the aroma of food, Damon looked surprised. "You cooked?"

    N nodded and stepped aside to let him in "Yes. Let''s have dinner before we head out"

    As they walked into the living room, Damon saw the table set with three dishes and a soup. They looked appetizing, and the tableware was neatly arranged.

    After sitting down, Damon suddenly asked, "Did you use to cook often?"

    N smiled. "No. Before my divorce from rk, we mostly had a housekeeper who cooked."

    Damon hummed but said nothing more. He picked up his cutlery and took a bite.

    After a moment of silence, he set down his cutlery and took a sip of water.

    He tried the other two dishes, his hope finally diminishing

    He asked N, "Has anyone ever told you that your cooking is good?"

    "No, why?" N asked.

    "Then why do you still cook?" Damon asked in return.

    The dishes looked nice, but the amount of salt was overwhelming, enough to make someone choke.

    Damon suddenly regretted agreeing to stay for dinner.

    "Is it not good?" N asked, concerned.

    e had followed the recipes and assumed the dishes were decent. They shouldn''t be that bad.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "Try them yourself."

    N picked up a piece of asparagus, put it in her mouth, and spat it out immediately.

    Was this truly her cooking? She couldn''t bear to try the other dishes.

    The atmosphere grew awkward, and N deeply regretted her decision to cook for Damon today

    After a moment''s hesitation, she served him a bowl of soup. "The dishes probably have too much salt. The soup has no salt. Try it."

    Damon took the bowl, noticed an eggshell floating in the soup, and set it down. "Let''s eat out."

    N realized her cooking was barely edible and stood up. "Let me clean up."

    "No need. I''ll have someonee to clean up," Damon said firmly.

    "Alright... I''ll go change," N conceded.

    After changing clothes, she grabbed her packed luggage, preparing to head to Damon''s ce directly

    after dinner.

    As she left the bedroom, she saw Damon standing by the dining table with his back to her, absorbed in his phone.

    "Uncle Damon, I''m ready. Let''s go," she announced.

    Damon turned around, tucked his phone into his pocket, and naturally took her suitcase.

    By the time they reached the restaurant, it was almost 7:00p.m.

    As they entered, they didn''t notice a camera hidden in the shadows capturing the scene.

    The person taking the photos was a well-known paparazzo in the entertainment industry. Sky Iverson. He was notorious for exposing celebrities. Everyone in the Industry feared him because his reports were always urate.

    Originally, he was there to snap photos of a popr young star on a secret date with his non-celebrity girlfriend but unexpectedly caught Damon and N instead.

    However, seeing that the two looked normal, Sky didn''t pay them much attention and quickly returned to tracking the young star.

    After dinner, N prepared to pay, but Damon stopped her. "I don''t let women pay for things, and besides, you''re my girlfriend now."

    N was taken aback, not quite used to the term. It had been a long time since she had heard that word.

    After paying with a card, Damon noticed N still seemed distracted and couldn''t help but smile. "Let''s

    go."

    As they left the restaurant, just as they were descending the steps, a panicked voice called out from I hind, "Excuse me, make way!"

    Before N could react, she was pushed, causing her to slip and nearly fall.

    At that moment, Damon grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms.

    N instinctively clutched his shirt. They were pressed tightly against each other, almost without any gap. even feeling each other''s heartbeats.

    "Are you okay?" Damon''s deep, gentle voice came from above.

    N nodded and stepped out of his embrace, her heart racing.

    Seeing that she was only a little pale but otherwise fine, Damon turned his gaze to the figure running away toward the parking lot. The figure''s face was covered, and they did not look back.

    Damon''s eyes narrowed dangerously.

 Chapter 269

    Back at the vi, Damon instructed the housekeeper to show N to a guest room while he retreated to his study. He needed Spencer to investigate the man who had bumped into N that evening.

    "Mr. Sumner, we''ve identified the man. He''s the popr actor Malcolm Underwood. He was at the restaurant tonight with his non-celebrity girlfriend. He bumped into Ms. Jayston while rushing out after spotting a paparazzo," Spencer reported.

    Damon''s expression remained icy, and his voice was devoid of emotion. "Give him a lesson."

    Spencer was taken aback, realizing he had underestimated N''s importance to Damon.

    After a moment of reflection, he suggested, "Should we leak the fact that he has a non-celebrity girlfriend?

    Malcolm had a new romantic dramaing out soon and was currently promoting his on-screen romance. If news of his real-life rtionship emerged, it could severely damage his public image. Damon hummed in agreement.

    Meanwhile, Sky returned to his studio and reviewed the photos from his camera, frowning as he did. He had only managed to capture Malcolm hastily leaving the restaurant. There were no clear shots of his non-celebrity girlfriend.

    t any more photos. This

    After tonight, Malcolm would likely be more cautious, making it harder to get any would render the past few months of work seemingly pointless.

    Suddenly, one photo caught Sky''s attention.

    In the photo, Malcolm was descending the steps while Damon held N in his arms, his eyes soft with

    affection.

    Although N was only partially visible, her fair skin and striking beauty were captivating. The presence of Damon and N made Malcolm appear as a mere background figure. Sky stroked his chin, contemting.

    I didn''t usually like to pry into high society, as they were far more dangerous than celebrities. Offending a high-society family could be perilous.

    Despite his initial instinct to delete the photo, he ultimately decided to keep it because of its quality.

    In the middle of the night...

    News about Malcolm''s rtionship with a non-celebrity girlfriend went viral online.

    Within half an hour, the post attracted hundreds of thousands ofments, and the site briefly crashed.

    Malcolm was woken up by his manager, who questioned him about the situation.

    Malcolm was confused.

    "Sophy, I swear I wasn''t photographed dining with Nichole. I don''t know how it was found out. The photos. are unclear, so we''ll deny it and issue a rification and awyer''s letter. That should fix it," Malcolm exined

    Sophy Baird, furning, replied coldly, "That''s not what I''m asking. I''m asking if you''ve crossed anyone recently. When I contacted the higher-ups at thepany to suppress this, they said no PR efforts or rifications are allowed!"

    Malcolm was stunned, his face darkening with anger. "I''ve been busy with filming and only had dinner with Nichole tonight. I haven''t had the chance to offend anyone."

    He suddenly remembered bumping into a woman while leaving the restaurant. Even if he had offended her, he had been bundled up so well that she couldn''t have known who he was.

    Sophy considered this and agreed. She had been with Malcolm recently and didn''t know of any major

    conflicts

    Taking a deep breath, she said coldly, "For now, you and Nichole are not to see each other. I''ll investigate further at thepany tomorrow morning" Malcolm''s face was grim. "What about the leak? I''m currently promoting my new drama with the female lead. This will definitely cost me a lot of fans!"

    "Losing fans is better than being cklisted. We''ll deal with it tomorrow," Sophy said.

    After Sophy left, Malcolm slumped onto the sofa, his expression dark and brooding.

    At 7:00 am, N woke up on time and went downstairs after getting ready.

    Damon was reading the news at the dining table. When N sat down, he looked at her and asked, "How did you sleepst night?"

    "Quite well, Uncle Damon, could I possibly ride with you to thepanyter?"

    Her car was still at the bar and wouldn''t be retrieved until tonight.

    "Mm. And from now on, don''t call me Uncle Damon," Damon said.

 Chapter 270

    N lowered her gaze and nodded. "Okay."

    As they neared thepany, N asked Damon to drop her off at the corner.

    He frowned, clearly displeased. "Am I so embarrassing to you?"

    "It''s not that," N replied. "I just got divorced from rk. If people from thepany see us together now, it will negatively affect you."

    "I don''t mind," Damon said tly.

    "But I do. I need some time to adjust to our rtionship, so let''s keep it private for now, okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope and a hint of hesitation.

    Damon covered her eyes with his hand, his voice low and husky. "Alright, but I''ll need to collect some interest."

    N was startled, her eyes widening "What kind of interest?"

    Hershes brushed against Damon''s hand, tickling him slightly. He held her waist and leaned in to kiss

    her.

    "Mmph." N stiffened, instinctively trying to pull away. As she moved back, she found herself pressed against the car door, unable to escape. She could only surrender to Damon After what felt like an eternity, Damon finally pulled away.

    N was breathing heavily, her normally pale cheeks flushed red. She leered at him, her anger apparent but not fully scathing

    Damon''s gaze darkened. "Are you sure you want to look at me like that?"

    His eyes narrowed dangerously.

    N took a moment to calm herself and said softly, "You don''t have to wait for me tonight. I''ll head back on my own."

    "Okay," Damon replied.

    "Then I''ll get out now," N said.

    Seeing her avoiding eye contact, Damon smiled. "If you don''t want to get out, that''s fine too. I''ll just consider it a small loss on my part." N was rendered speechless. She quickly opened the car door, stepped out, and walked briskly into the crowd without looking back. Damon''s smile widened as he watched her annoyed figure.

    Upon arriving at thepany, he saw a familiar face standing at the entrance.

    "Stop the car," he ordered but remained inside, staring icily at rk

    rk had not yet noticed him and was scanning the crowd for N. When he spotted her, he hurried over and blocked her path. "N!" he called out.

    Startled by rk''s sudden appearance, N instinctively took a step back. She noticed the fiery anger in his eyes and frowned, feeling defensive. "What do you want?" she asked.

    Her wariness only fueled rk''s sneer. After she exposed his marriage to Jordyn, Richard had pped him twice, and Cindy had expressed severe disappointment.

    "Now you''re scared? Why weren''t you afraid when you spread news about my marriage to Jordyn?" he demanded.

    His eyes were bloodshot, filled with disgust and hatred. If he hadn''t fallen for N, he wouldn''t be in this mess! It was all her fault!

    "It''s not like you didn''t send people to ransack my house!" N shot back.

    "If I hadn''t, how would I know if you were hiding backups to use against meter?" rk retorted as if his actions werepletely justified.

    N was at a loss for words, wondering how she had been so blind to his true nature before.

    Not wanting to argue further, she tried to push past him.

    rk grabbed her arm, gritting his teeth. "N, you''ve done this to me. Are you just going to walk away?"

    As N was about to shake him off, a cold voice came from behind. "Let her go!"

    Both turned to see Damon.

    N''s eyes widened in surprise. Shouldn''t Damon have been at thepany already? rk sneered. "Uncle Damon, this is between me and her. Why are you interfering?"

    Damon''s gaze was icy. "She''s my girlfriend now."-

    "What?!" rk stared at Damon and N in disbelief. It was as though he had just heard something absurd.

 Chapter 271

    rk sneered. "I was wondering why you were so eager to divorce me. Turns out you''vetched onto my uncle. N, you''re no different from those cheap women out there."

    N pped him hard across the face, drawing the attention of everyone around them.

    rk had never felt so humiliated. His eyes zed with fury as he reached out to choke N.

    Before he could touch her, a powerful kick sent him crashing to the ground.

    Damon pulled N into his arms, looking down at rk with cold, piercing eyes. "She''s your future aunt Show some respect when you speak, or next time it won''t just be a kick." Upon hearing the words "future aunt", rk''s face flushed with rage.

    "Uncle Damon, Grandpa and Grandma will never allow you to marry a divorced woman. Being with her will only make you aughingstock in Saintornia!" rk spat The more he spoke, the more smug he became.

    Richard and Marie had always been so picky about the women they wanted for Damon. Yet here Damon was, falling for a woman who had been married before!

    "Why don''t you worry about yourself? Do you really think marrying Jordyn will give you a shot at inheriting the Sumner Group?" Damon shot back.

    rk''s triumphant expression froze, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. If N hadn''t exposed his marriage, Richard wouldn''t have been so disappointed in him. rk wanted nothing more than to strangle N. The love he once felt for her had twisted into pure hatred.

    "Uncle Damon, you''ll regret this. Just wait," rk warned.

    Damon didn''t spare him another nce. He simply took N''s hand and walked away.

    N tried to pull her hand back, but he didn''t let go.

    "There are so many people watching-just let go of me for now!" N whispered harshly.

    Noticing the shocked stares from those around her, she wished she could disappear. She had hoped to

    eep things low-key, but now everyone knew on the very first day.

    "What''s there to be afraid of? The people in thepany aren''t stupid. After what just happened, do you really think we can keep this a secret?" Damon asked. Realizing he was right, N stopped struggling.

    When they reached theb door, Damon told her, "Come to my office at noon."

    "For what?" she asked.

    Lunch," he answered.

    Seeing that N was about to refuse, Damon raised an eyebrow. "I just drove you here. A lot of people

    saw us together. Do you really want to eat in the cafeteria with everyone staring at you?"

    T pressed her lips together. "I could order takeout.

    "It''s unhealthy. I''ll eithere down and eat with you, or you cane to my office. Your choice," Damon replied

    His eyes exuded domineering determination, leaving Fl no room to refuse. After a few seconds of silence, she finally relented. Tll go to your office" Soon, Damon left, and H sighed. As she turned around, she saw Melody standing a few steps away, her eyes wide with shock and admiration. "N, you''re really with Mr. Sumner? I saw the discussion in thepany group chat earlier and thought it was just a misunderstanding. Melody gushed.

    Having been married to rk and now being with his uncle, N knew people would talk. She could already imagine the gossip that would follow. However, when she decided to be with Damon, she had mentally prepared herself for this. It simply happened sooner than expected. "Let''s get back to work," she said.

    Melody wanted to ask more questions, but seeing that N wasn''t in the mood to talk, she held back her curiosity.

    News of Damon and N''s rtionship quickly reached Richard and Marie.

    Marie was so furious that she fainted, while Richard immediately called Damon, demanding hee

    home.

    Damon''s tone was cold. "Dad, if you''re calling about me and N, then there''s no need-"

    Richard cut him off, his voice full of anger. "Are youing back yourself, or should I go to Prospectus Technology and have a talk with that woman? You decide!" Toys Bonus Offer

 Chapter 272

    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 you. 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 hide 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, she bumped into Melody, who was on her way to lunch.

    "N, weren''t you supposed to have lunch with Mr. Sumner? Howe you''re back so soon?" Melody asked, 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.

    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 bored soon 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.

 Chapter 273

    Melody was furious after hearing the gossip and stormed over to the women who were talking.

    She

    sneered. "I was wondering where that foul smell wasing from. Turns out someone''s just jealous!"

    One of the women red at Melody. "We''re just telling the truth. Unless the person involved has something to say, who are you to butt in? Don''t be someone''s puppet. Who knows what dirty tricks she pulled to get close to Mr. Sumner!"

    "If you''ve got what it takes, gond yourself a Sumner not, shut up! And if you think N isn''t that pretty, why don''t I buy you a mirror so you can see what you look like?" Melody shot back. "You!" the woman snapped,

    Melody tilted her chin up defiantly. "You what? Why don''t you go repeat every word you just said to Mr. Sumner''s face and see if he still lets you loudmouths keep your jobs?"

    The woman opened her mouth to retort, but her friend pulled her back. "Forget it. Let''s go."

    The woman shot Melody a cold look. "You''ll regret this!

    Melody crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I''m so scared. What, you gonna bite me?"

    Seeing the woman''s anger re up again, her friend quickly dragged her out of the cafeteria.

    Only after they were out of sight did Melody turn back to N. "Don''t let them get to you, N. They''re just jealous."

    N''s expression remained calm as she replied, "Let''s just eat."

    They had barely sat down with their food when N''s phone buzzed.

    She looked down to see a photo from an unknown number, but she immediately recognized the person in

    the picture-Damon

    His back was a mess of blood and raw wounds, and the sight made her gasp in shock. She jumped to her

    feet.

    Melody, startled by the sudden movement, looked up at her. "N, what''s wrong?"

    "I have to go," N said hurriedly.

    Half an hourter, N arrived at the Sumner residence.

    The maid''s face darkened when she saw her. "Ms. Jayston, you need to leave. You''re not wee here."

    "I need to see Mr. Richard," N said firmly.

    "He won''t see you," the maid replied.

    N''s expression turned icy, and she let out a coldugh. "Are you sure you don''t want to check?"

    "There''s no need. If you don''t leave now, I''ll call security!" the maid threatened.

    Nya didn''t waste any more words. Instead, the dialed the number that had sent her the photo.

    "You saw the picture? rk''s voice wasced with armusement, clearly enjoying himself.

    Tm at the front gate of the estate, N replied before hanging up

    Shortly after, rk sent another maid to escort her inside

    As soon as N stepped into the living room, she saw Richard raising a cane and bringing it down hard on Damon''s back. She paused, her expression hardening rk was lounging on the couch, ready to enjoy the drama.

    Damon caught sight of Nyls out of theer of his eye and thought he was imagining things. When he turned and realized it really was her, he barked with a frown, "What are you doing here? Go back!" Ignoring his anger, N calmly walked over to his side

    I

    Richard sneered "Perfect timing. I was nning to deal with you next. Since you''re here, let''s settle this now. If you leave my son, I pretend none of this ever happened. Otherwise, you won''t be able to handle the consequences

    M caught the sh of menace in Richard''s eyes, but she smirked and spoke slowly. "I won''t leave him unless he asks me to."

 Chapter 274

    A sh of pity crossed Richard''s eyes. "Do you really think you can marry into the Sumners again?"

    Damon was defying him now only because he still had feelings for her.

    It wouldn''t be long before he realized the difference between marrying a wife who could help him and one who couldn''t. When that time came, he wouldn''t choose N.

    If N were smart, she''d leave him now..

    N replied calmly, "I know a lot of people want to marry into the Sumners, but I''m not one of them. When I married rk, it was because of who he was, not because of the Sumners behind him. Now, I''m with Damon for the same reason-because he''s Damon."

    Richard snorted. "Are you willing to swear that you''re with him with no ulterior motives? That it''s purely because you like him as a person?"

    N''s hands tightened at her sides. She was about to respond when Damon interrupted coldly, "Dad, enough. Stop pressuring her!"

    Richard red at him. "Shut up! If you don''t break up with her today, we''ll sever our father-son rtionship!

    The room fell into heavy silence as his words hung in the air.

    At Richard''s fury, Damon remained silent for a moment before slowly straightening up. "Dad, if you can''t ept her, I won''t force it. Whether you choose to disown me or never speak to me again, I won''t leave her."

    "What?!" Richard looked at him in disbelief, his gaze filled with disappointment. "You''d give up your family for this woman?"

    "Dad, I''ve said before that who I choose to be with is my decision. No one has the right to interfere." Damon''s expression was calm, but his tone was resolute.

    He had chosen to start his own business rather than take over the Sumner Group because he wanted control over his own life, not to be bound by others. Even his parents had no right to dictate his choices. After all, he wasn''t living his life for anyone else.

    Pichard said "fine" three times in a row, his gaze on Damon growing colder with each word. "If you''re su determined, then get out!"

    He turned his back on Damon, clearly too disappointed to look at him any longer.

    Damon stared at Richard''s back for a moment before taking N''s hand and leaving

    rk''s eyes flickered with anger and resentment.

    When he had wanted to marry N, he had had to kneel outside the Summer residence for three days. Yet now, all Richard did to Damon was to give him a single round of punishment. The favoritism was painfully obvious!

    Upon seeing Richard''s frail body trembling with emotion, rk''s gaze darkened.

    Dunoon is just confu

    chard closed eyes and waved He''s so setamines is set that woman, let''s see if they can say front for inte

    wly added. "They wont

    fchard opened has eyes and ses pour ma fall fhmIAS AND THAT THAS to many a

    :

    He stepped forward to help Richard sit down, speaking in a low voice. ''Grandpa, don''t be too upset. Uncle Damon is just confused right now. I''ll talk to him." Richard closed his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "No need. If he''s so determined to be with that woman, let''s see if they can stay together for a lifetime."

    rk quickly added, "They won''t. Once enough time passes, Uncle Damon will realize N isn''t worth it."

    Disgust red in rk''s eyes as he remembered all the ways N had manipted him recently. He couldn''t believe he had once thought of her as gentle and understanding.

    Richard opened his eyes and snorted. "And you''re one to talk? You divorced and then rushed to marry a woman from a powerless, ordinary family. What right do you have to criticize your uncle?"

 Chapter 275

    rk gnashed his teeth, feeling a surge of anger. It was clear that Richard was favoring Damon.

    Unlike Damon, however, rk didn''t have his ownpany and couldn''t afford to defy Richard.

    He quickly lowered his head and spoke in a guilty tone. "You''re right, Grandpa... I acted on impulse. Besides, Jordyn is carrying my child..." "Enough. I don''t want to hear about your rtionship problems anymore. You can go now," Richard cut him off sharply.

    Seeing the irritation in Richard''s expression, rk took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Alright."

    As soon as Damon and N left the Sumner residence, Damon finally released N''s hand.

    "Why did youe here, knowing you''d be put through the wringer?" Damon''s voice carried a hint of anger, making N bite her lip nervously.

    She looked up at him, her gaze filled with concern. "I didn''t want you to keep getting hurt because of me."

    Richard was Damon''s father, so she knew Damon wouldn''t fight back.

    Originally, she had only nned to use Damon and hadn''t intended toe over. But when she saw the photo rk had sent, her heart clenched painfully. At that moment, she realized she had truly fallen for Damon and couldn''t just stand by while he got hurt.

    Damon was silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice. "I''ll let it slide this time, but don''t be so impulsive in the future."

    He was there today to protect her, but if he hadn''t been, she might have been bullied.

    "Well, it depends on the situation," N replied honestly.

    If he was hurt, there was no way she could just ignore it.

    Damon frowned, about to say something, but N cut him off, "Alright, enough lecturing. Your back is seriously injured. I''m taking you to get it treated."

    She grabbed his hand and led him to the car.

    The warmth of her touch seemed to melt the coldness in his heart.

    Just as they reached the car, rk''s mocking voice echoed behind them. "N, are you happy now that you''ve driven a wedge between Uncle Damon and my grandfather?"

    N frowned, a wave of disgust washing over her. rk was like a cockroach-impossible to kill or get cd of, always there to make things worse.

    She turned to face him. "I''ll be happy when you''re finally kicked out of the Summers and struggling at every

    turn."

    rk''s expression froze, but then he let out a coldugh. "Too bad, that day will nevere."

    "Don''t be so sure. You''ve already been kicked out of the Sumner Group, and Jordyn doesn''t have the skills toe up with a patent that could get you back in, does she? fi retorted. She stared at rk coldly, not noticing the dangerous gleam in Damon''s eyes when she mentioned the patent.

    Panic shed in rk''s eyes. Afraid N would reveal the truth about the patent in front of Damon, he gritted his teeth and said, "We''ll see about that!"

    He quickly turned and walked away.

    N watched rk''s retreating figure before turning back to see Damon staring at her. She blinked, surprised. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" "Nothing." Damon replied coolly and got into the car without another word.

    N stood there, staring through the window at Damon, who was deliberately avoiding her gaze. Confusion swirled in her mind.

    Was he angry? But why?

    As she settled into the driver''s seat, she hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you mad at me?

 Chapter 276

    "No, I''m not," Damon replied.

    N raised an eyebrow. His tone was so stiff, and yet he imed he wasn''t angry?

    "Then why are you upset? Because I talked to rk?" she asked.

    Damon''s gaze darkened. "I''m not that childish."

    "Then what are you angry about?" N pressed.

    Aside from exchanging a few words with rk, she couldn''t think of anything she had done that might have upset Damon. Besides, she and rk were divorced now, and the conversation had happened right in front of Damon.

    What was there to be angry about?

    After a few seconds of silence, Damon spoke in a low voice. "Was the heart medication patent he presented back then something you gave him?"

    N paused for a moment before nodding. "Yes. He had just started working at the Sumner Group at the time, and the shareholders didn''t respect him. We were married then, and I knew that if he seeded, it would benefit me too. So, I gave it to him."

    Damon smiled, but his tone was sarcastic. "You really did treat him well."

    Back then, rk had used that patent to snatch away several major partnerships from Prospectus Technology and had even undermined thepany in the process.

    If rk hadn''t been Damon''s nephew and if the Sumner Group hadn''t been a family business, Damon wouldn''t have let him off so easily.

    He hadn''t realized that the heart medication patent was actually N''s work!

    He knew he shouldn''t let the past affect their current rtionship, but the thought of how deeply she had once loved rk made him feel uneasy.

    N couldn''t help butugh. "Are you jealous, Mr. Sumner?"

    "No," Damon answered.

    "Really?" N asked again.

    "Of course. I''m not that childish!" Damon eximed.

    N held back herughter and nodded. "Okay, okay, you''re not childish. I''m the one being childish. If you''re not jealous, then we won''t talk about it anymore."

    As soon as she said that, the

    temperature inside the car seemed to drop dramatically. Damon''s face was tense, and his entire demeanor screamed, "Keep away."

    N pretended not to notice and started the car.

    After taking Damon to the hospital for treatment, N wanted to take him home, but he insisted on going to the office.

    She pulled over to the side of the road and red at him. "You''re injured, and you think you can still work?"

    "There''s a very important international meeting this afternoon. I have to be there," Damon exined.

    "Can''t you attend from home?" N asked.

    "No," Damon answered.

    They stared at each other for a moment before N reluctantly restarted the car.

    Although she was annoyed that

    Damon wasn''t taking care of his health, she understood that as the

    CEO of Prospectus Technology, he was responsible for the entire

    corporation. His schedule was set,

    and changing it wasn''t easy.

    They drove in silence until they reached thepany. Just as Damon was about to get out of the car, N suddenly stopped him.

    "It''s true that gave rk the patent I

    developed, but that was back when we were deeply in love. I never imagined we would separate. The past can''t be changed, but what i can promise you is that I don''t love him anymore. The person in my heart now is you," she said.

    She looked at him earnestly, her eyes reflecting his image as if he were the only one who mattered to her at that moment. Damon hadn''t expected N to exin herself, and his heart softened instantly. The difort he had been feeling vanished.

    It wasn''t her fault she had fallen for the wrong person-it was rk''s.

    Besides, if rk hadn''t made those mistakes, Damon wouldn''t have had the chance to be with her.

    Seeing Damon''s calm expression and hisck of visible reaction, N couldn''t help but frown. "You don''t believe me?"

    As soon as she finished speaking, Damon suddenly leaned toward her.

    N instinctively backed away, but just as her head was about to hit the window, his hand gently cradled the back of her head.

 Chapter 277

    The next moment, N felt a soft touch on her forehead, like a feather gently brushing against her skin, tickling her heart.

    Damon pressed a light kiss to her forehead before pulling back, his gaze betraying a hint of guilt.

    "N, I''m sorry. Thinking about how much you were willing to give up for rk made me ufortable, but that wasn''t fair to you," he apologized. When he decided to be with her, he knew he should ept her past and not hold it against her.

    N was momentarily stunned. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest as she murmured, "Okay."

    Her body felt soft in his arms, and her fragrance was intoxicating.

    Damon''s gaze darkened with desire. "N, if you keep holding me like this, I can''t guarantee what will happen next."

    The restrained desire in his voice sent a shiver through N, a warm tingle spreading across her body as her cheeks flushed slightly.

    She quickly pushed him away, her eyes shing with a mix of mock anger and embarrassment. "I just hugged you for a moment."

    Damon awkwardly rubbed his nose and said in a low voice, "I have a meeting to attend. Let''s go."

    He quickly opened the car door and got out.

    N patted her slightly warm cheeks and followed him out of the car, walking together to the elevator.

    Damon wanted to escort her to theb, but she refused.

    "You dropping me off at theb this morning already caused enough of a stir. I don''t want to go through that again. Besides, you''re injured. You should sit and rest as much as possible," she said. "Alright," Damon agreed, looking at her with a soft expression and a faint smile.

    His gaze made N feel a familiar warmth spreading across her face. She shot him a re. "Stop looking at me like that!"

    Her tonecked any real threat and sounded more like teasing.

    Damon chuckled. "Why? You''re my girlfriend. Can''t I look at my girlfriend?"

    "Who stares at someone like that all the time?" N shot back.

    "But you''re beautiful. I can never get enough," Damon replied.

    N''s eyes widened in surprise. Was this really the same man she knew, the one who was so ruthless in the business world? How could he say something like that with a straight face?

    Unbeknownst to her, the way she stared at Damon, with her lips slightly parted and eyes wide in shock, was incredibly alluring to him.

    Unfortunately, there wasn''t much he could do since they were in an elevator with surveince cameras.

    Instead, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "If you keep looking at me like that, I''m going to kiss you."

    His voice was low, and his warm breath brushed against N''s ear sending a shiver down her spine. The sensation was so intense that she quickly stepped back, creating distance between them.

    N looked at him with caution, as if fearing he might actually follow through on his threat.

    After all, they were in an elevator, and someone could walk in at any moment.

    "Alright. I won''t tease you anymore. Come here," Damon said.

    N didn''t move. "Why?"

    She had a sense that nothing good woulde fromplying with his request.

    Damon sighed. "You''re standing too far away from me."

    Although he wanted to do many things with her, he knew it was better to take things slowly. He didn''t want to scare her off.

    "This distance is fine, and I''ll be out of the elevator soon-" Before N could finish, Damon reached out with his long arm, pulling her into his embrace.

    She instinctively tried to break free, but his arm tightened around her waist, leaving her no chance to escape.

    As she thought about the

    surveince cameras capturing this

    scene and the possibility of the elevator stopping at any moment, she felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

    "Damon! Don''t push your luck!" she scolded.

 Chapter 278

    Hearing the annoyance in N''s voice, Damon chuckled and let her go. If he kept teasing her, she might actually get mad.

    N took a few steps back, smoothing her hair that had be tousled during their yful scuffle. She shot Damon an irritated look. "Alright, don''t be mad. I might have to workte tonight, so I''ll have the driver take you home first," Damon said.

    N frowned. "Your wounds need to be dressed. Howte are you nning to work?"

    "Not sure yet. As for the dressing, I''ll have Spencer take care of it," he replied.

    N grew more frustrated due to Damon''s casual demeanor, her face turning cold as she remained silent.

    Damon sighed. "It''s really nothing, just minor wounds. They''ll heal in a few days."

    "I''lle by after work to change your bandages, and then I''ll head home," N said.

    When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out, leaving no room for Damon to protest.

    Watching her hurry away, Damon couldn''t help but smile.

    Meanwhile, rk returned home with a dark expression.

    Jordyn, sitting in the living room with an acai bowl, noticed his frown and put down her bowl. "What''s wrong? Did Grandpa still refuse to let you back into the Sumner Group?" rk sneered. "I expected that before I even went."

    "Then who upset you?" Jordyn asked.

    rk''s eyes shed with irritation as he took in Jordyn''s pregnant figure and slightly fuller body.

    "It''s none of your business!" he snapped.

    He turned and walked briskly toward the study, not wanting to look at her any longer.

    The more rk thought about N standing up for Damon and his uncle''s willingness to cut ties with Richard to be with her, the more agitated he became.

    When he had wanted to marry her, he had knelt outside the Sumner residence for three days, and she hadn''t shown him the same concern.

    Now, just a few days after their divorce, she was already involved with Damon!

    The more rk thought about it, the darker his expression became. He was determined to make N regret her actions.

    After a moment of contemtion, rk smirked and called Michael.

    "Didn''t Uncle Damon have an old me overseas? Find out where she is now and get me her contact information," rk instructed.

    After hanging up, he set his phone down, his expression icy. Once that woman returned to the country, he was certain Damon wouldn''t stay with N.

    Back in theb, N found Melody still napping and quietly walked over to herputer. Seeing that it was almost time to start the afternoon''s work, she decided to forgo a and picked up a book to read

    instead.

    nap

    At 1:55 p.m., Melody was jolted awake by her rm. Noticing N sitting across from her reading, she groggily asked, "N, when did you get back?"

    "Not too long ago. Go wash your face. We''ll start the afternoon''s experiments soon," N replied.

    "Okay," Melody said.

    Once N began working, she

    becamepletely absorbed in the

    experiment. It wasn''t until Melody

    reminded her that it was time to go

    home that she realized how date it was.

    Noticing Melody''s hesitant expression, N asked, "What''s wrong? Do you have something to do? If you need to leave, I can finish up here." Melody shook her head and subtly motioned toward the door.

    N turned and saw Damon standing at the entrance-tall and imposing, with an air of elegance that made him impossible to ignore.

    While removing her gloves, N told Melody, "You can finish up here."

    N then led Damon to a nearby office before finally asking why he hade to see her.

    "Didn''t you say you''d change my bandages after work?" Damon asked.

 Chapter 279

    Damon''s tone carried a hint of grievance.

    N looked up, startled. "I was nning to finish up the experiment and thene to you."

    "Since I''m already here, why don''t you do it now? I''ve got another meeting soon," Damon said.

    "Alright, take off your shirt," N instructed.

    As she prepared the fresh bandages and medication, she nced up to find Damon''s bare torso before her. Her grip on the bandages tightened involuntarily.

    His upper body was defined with perfectly sculpted abs, and his muscr back appeared both raw and masculine.

    Noticing N''s gaze fixed on his abs, Damon cleared his throat. "If you want to look, I can take it all off for you tonight. You can admire it all you want."

    His teasing tone made N''s face flush instantly.

    How embarrassing! She had actually zoned out while looking at his abs!

    There was no way she was going to admit to something so mortifying, so she denied, "I was just thinking about something. I''ve seen plenty of men with abs. I wouldn''t get distracted by a few muscles." Damon raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And whose abs have you seen?"

    "Too many to count. I''ve forgotten," N lied.

    "Have you really forgotten, or are you just pretending?" Damon asked.

    His eyes sparkled with amusement. He had clearly seen through her lie but chose to y along, teasing her like a cat toying with a mouse.

    N red at him. "Are you going to let me change the bandages, or should I get back to my experiment?"

    "Of course, go ahead," Damon replied.

    As she carefully cut away the old bandages, the raw, bloody wounds on Damon''s back were exposed once more. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering with concern.

    "This must hurt, doesn''t it?" she asked.

    Richard hadn''t held back at all while beating Damon. The deep welts left by the cane would take at least two weeks to heal, assuming Damon took proper care of them.

    Damon couldn''t see her expression, but he could hear the worry in her voice.

    "It doesn''t hurt," he told her.

    N took a deep breath, remaining silent as she began changing his bandages.

    Halfway through, the office door suddenly swung open, and Melody''s voice came from the doorway. "N, the experiment is...."

    Upon seeing Damon shirtless with

    N

    eve in shock. She c

    g over his back, Melodet

    d her face with her by

    WP

    "I didn''t see anything! You guys carry on!" she eximed.

    "Melody, it''s not what you think..." N began to exin.

    However, Melody cut her off, "It''s fine, it''s fine! I didn''t misunderstand. You two continue. I''ll just head home."

    She hurriedly closed the office door and left as quickly as she could.

    N was speechless.

    She looked at Damon, gritting her

    teeth.

    your

    des your fault! Now she

    definitely thinks we were doing

    inappropriate."

    "How was I supposed to know she''d suddenly burst in? Should I go exin things to her?" Damon offered.

    Him exining to Melody? That would only make Melody''s imagination run wild.

    "Just turn around. I''m almost done with the bandages," N said.

    Once she had finished wrapping and securing the bandages, she started cleaning up the used materials. "Don''t bother sending the driver for meter. I have something to take care of."

    "Okay. Just be safe and let me know when you''re home," Damon replied.

    After Damon left, N tidied up the office, double-checked the experiment, and then locked up for the day.

    Instead of heading back to the vi, she took a taxi to the bar to pick up her car and then drove straight to the hospital.

    ...

    When N walked into the hospital room, Wren was feeding Harrison dinner.

    Wren''s smile immediately vanished upon seeing her, and she pretended not to notice.

 Chapter 280

    N pursed her lips and entered the hospital room.

    "Dad, I''m nning to send you abroad for treatment. The doctor has already agreed. Once your health improves and everything is arranged overseas, I''ll buy tickets for you and Wren to go," N announced. Harrison interrupted her, "I''m not going. I''m staying in the country."

    N frowned. "Dad, the medical facilities abroad are better, and you need time to recover..."

    Harrison cut her off, "After you send me and Wren abroad, what are you nning to do next? Are you going to fight the Sumners alone?"

    N lowered her gaze and replied tly, "No. Didn''t you tell me before not to continue?"

    "Then why are you still involved with the Sumners?" Harrison mmed his hand on the table, his eyes filled with anger as he stared at N. "When have I been involved with the Sumners?" N asked, bewildered.

    "Don''t lie to me! You just divorced rk, and now you''re entangled with his uncle. What exactly are you trying to do?!" Harrison demanded.

    N widened her eyes, her gaze turning icy. "Who told you that?"

    "Does it matter who told me? What matters is whether it''s true! Tell me honestly, are you with Damon or not?" Harrison pressed.

    The room fell silent.

    Wren looked at N with disdain, shocked that N could be involved in such actions. If N had been her own daughter, Wren would have been furious beyond belief. Who would divorce their husband and then get involved with his uncle? It wasughable.

    N was silent for a few seconds before admitting directly, "Yes, I''m with him."

    Disappointment shed in Harrison''s eyes. He looked tired as he said, "I failed to raise you properly. I''ve done your mother wrong."

    When rk had first brought this up, Harrison hadn''t believed it, thinking N wouldn''t do something like this. Now that she had admitted it, he couldn''t deceive himself an

    longer.

    "Dad, I know you can''t understand this right now. Just focus on your recovery. Don''t worry about me," N said.

    Seeing her unrepentant attitude, Harrison gritted his teeth and said, "Break off with him immediately. Otherwise, I won''t go abroad or see you again!"

    Disbelief clouded N''s eyes as she instinctively took a step back.

    "Dad, I thought you''d be different from the others, but I was wrong. You''re just the same as the Sumners," she cried.

    Wren sneered. "N, don''t me me for speaking harshly. What good cane from your involvement with Damon? You''re only setting yourself up for pain. You wouldn''t think heˇŞ" N interrupted coldly, "If you know it''s harsh, then don''t say it. After all, you''re not my mother, and you don''t have the right to control me."

    Harrison pped her, and the room fell silent instantly.

    His hand trembled slightly as he spoke with deep disappointment "Wren is only looking out for you. Even if she''s not your mother, she''s still an elder. How can you speak to her like that?"

    N lowered her head, her long hair concealing her face and emotions. The stinging pain on her cheek was nothingpared to the hurt caused by Harrison''s words.

    She looked up at him and said

    slowly, "I arrange the tickets for you to go abroad. Whether you choose to go or not is up to you. Since you don''t want to see me, I won''te back again."

 Chapter 281

    After saying that, N turned and quickly left the room.

    Harrison wanted to call after her but ultimately couldn''t make a sound. He covered his face in anguish, regretting everything he had done and said. He had intended to protect her, but his words had caused so much pain.

    Wren sighed and said softly, "Harrison, don''t me yourself. This isn''t your fault... It''s mine. If I hadn''t said those things, your rtionship with N wouldn''t be like this..."

    Harrison hung his head in silence, unsure of how to respond.

    Outside the hospital, N wiped the tears from her eyes, questioning her actions for the first time.

    Why was everyone against her? Should she really give up?

    But when she thought of Cyrus and rk''s schemes against her, and what Cyrus had done to her family, she couldn''t bring herself to let it go. There was no turning back now-she had to stay with Damon and use him to deal with the Sumners.

    When N returned to the vi, it was already past 9:00 p.m. Damon was home, sitting on the sofa and reading documents.

    "Where have you been? Why are you back sote?" he asked.

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing. I''m a bit tired. I''m going to rest now."

    As she walked past the sofa, Damon suddenly spoke up. "Wait, what happened to your face?"

    N bit her lip and was about to respond when Damon approached her, brushing the hair from her face.

    Upon seeing the mark of a p on her cheek, his demeanor turned cold. "Who did this?"

    "No one. Don''t ask. I''m tired and just want to rest," she replied.

    Damon frowned. Noting her pale face, he didn''t press further but firmly guided her to the sofa and made her sit down. "Wait here."

    He entered the kitchen, and soon there was the sound of clinking and ttering. He returned shortly with a bag of ice.

    As soon as the ice touched N''s face, she winced.

    "If it hurts, let me know," Damon said.

    "It''s fine," N replied.

    Damon didn''t say anything more, and the room fell silent. He watched N closely.

    If it had been someone from the Sumners who had hurt her, she would have told him. Thus, the incident must have involved her own family.

    Upon realizing this, Damon''s eyes

    grew colder. She was his now, and he wouldn''t let anyone, whether from the Sumners or the Jaystons, hurt her.

    After about ten minutes of icing, N felt the pain in her face ease.

    She looked up at Damon and said, "It doesn''t hurt anymore. Thank you."

    Damon removed the ice pack and replied, "told you, don''t keep savi thank you. We''re a couple. If you''re upset, you can tell me. I won''t let

    anyone bully you."

    A warmth spread through N''s chest, and her eyes grew a bit misty. "I understand."

    Seeing her struggle to hold back

    tears despite her attempt to staket

    strong, Damon felt a pang of sympathy and pulled her into his embrace.

    "Did you have dinner?" he asked.

    "I ate." Just as N said that, her stomach growled loudly, betraying her.

    Damon chuckled and said, "I''ll make you a sandwich."

 Chapter 282

    Just as N was about to get up, Damon''s hands gently pressed down on her shoulders.

    "Don''t move. Wait here," Damon instructed.

    Meeting his firm gaze, N bit her lip and instinctively nodded.

    Damon patted her head with a smile. "Good girl."

    N was left speechless.

    Damon worked quickly, and soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of food.

    N couldn''t help but swallow as she headed to the kitchen. She hadn''t eaten dinner and was now quite hungry.

    Just as she reached the kitchen door, Damon emerged, carrying a te of sandwiches.

    "Why did youe over?" he asked.

    N was captivated by the sandwiches in his hand. It was a simple creation-vegetables and eggs topped with melted cheese. The green vegetables and crispy-edged fried eggs looked especially appetizing under the light.

    Noticing that all her attention was on the sandwiches and she hadpletely ignored him, Damon couldn''t help but smile. "Go get your cutlery."

    At his words, N quickly went into the kitchen, grabbed her cutlery, and returned to the table.

    "Thank you, Uncle Damon," she said.

    Damon didn''t correct her habitual way of addressing him and simply nodded. "Eat up."

    N picked up a sandwich, and as soon as she took a bite, her eyes involuntarily closed in delight.

    "So delicious!" she eximed.

    "Eat slowly. No one''s going to take it from you. Don''t burn yourself," Damon warned.

    N nodded but showed no sign of slowing down.

    In less than ten minutes, she had finished the entire te of sandwiches, leaving not a crumb behind. As she put down her cutlery, she still felt a bit unsatisfied. "Uncle Damon, how can you cook so well?" she asked.

    She had expected something unappetizing, but his cooking was surprisingly good. She could easily have eaten another te.

    "I only know how to make simple things like this," he answered.

    Before N could respond, Damon''s phone vibrated on the table.

    He picked it up, answered the call, and frowned slightly as he spoke coldly. "I''ll be there soon."

    After hanging up, he turned to N. "There''s a problem at thepany. I need to step out for a bit. Rest early and don''t wait up for me."

    "But your back..." N began.

    "I''ll be careful," he assured her.

    As Damon hurried out, N bit her lip, a trace of concern in her eyes.

    She got up, washed and dried the dishes in the kitchen, then returned to her bedroom. Just as she was about to shower and go to bed, she received a message from Vren.

    Wren: [N, your dad was just acting out of impulse today. Don''t take it to heart. I support the idea of going abroad. Let me know when things are ready, and your dad and Dcan go anytime.]

    N stared at the screen, her face expressionless.

    Wren''s eagerness to go abroad likely stemmed from a fear of retaliation from the Sumners.

    It was understandable. After all, N was only her stepdaughter, and Wren wouldn''t want to be dragged into trouble.

    After a long pause, N replied with a simple "Okay" and then deleted the chat.

    Meanwhile, relieved by N''s response, Wren quickly dialed another number.

    "Gabriel, Harrison and I will be going to Meristate soon," she announced.

    A deep, youthful voice answered from the other end of the line. "Mom, why are you suddenlying over?"

    "Harrison needs treatment abroad.

    I''ll have

    find a hospital close to

    where you live so I can take care of

    both

    you and Harrison," she replied.

    There was a brief silence before Gabriel Hackett''s voice came through again. "How is N... doing these days?"

 Chapter 283

    Wren sighed. "Don''t even mention it. She divorced rk, and on top of that-"

    Before she could finish, Gabriel interrupted, "She got divorced?"

    Wren, oblivious to his agitation, continued with a frown. "Yes, it''splicated. I''ll exin everything once I get to Meristate." "Alright... Gabriel replied.

    After a few more words, Wren ended the call. Thinking about. reuniting with her son in Meristate, she couldn''t help but smile.

    Once she and Harrison were in Meristate, whatever N did here wouldn''t affect them. All she needed to do was focus on taking good care of Harrison and Gabriel.

    As for N, Wren had never considered her part of the family. The courtesy Wren had shown in the past was merely out of respect for Harrison. Now that N no longer respected her, Wren felt no need to curry favor with her. At the Sumner residence...

    Damon''s decision to move N into his vi had left Richard fuming.

    "Outrageous! Does he really want to drag the Sumner name through the mud?!" Richard bellowed.

    Thewyer, Parker Frampton, sat nearby in silence, his gaze

    lowered. 1/3

    He had met with Cyrus at the police station earlier and knew that the police had gathered substantial evidence, making it impossible to bail him out anytime soon.

    Richard had ordered his people to find N and nned to confront her tonight. However, discovering she had moved into Damon''s vi meant he couldn''t meet her without Damon knowing, which only added to his frustration. Cindy, her eyes red from crying, looked at Richard. "Dad, when has Cyrus ever been through this kind of suffering? We need to find a way to get him out. The longer he stays in there, the worse it is for the Sumners." Richard shot her a cold look. "I don''t need you to remind me."

    His face darkened with frustration. The situation wasn''t just affecting the Sumners-it was threatening the Sumner Group''s business rtionships as well.

    Although the Sumners had managed to contain the scandal, there was no guarantee it wouldn''t spread further. If their business partners found out, they might sever ties with the Sumner Group, leading to significant losses. "Find a way to get N to meet with us," Richard ordered.

    Parker sighed. "Mr. Summer, my assistant tried to approach. her but was warned off by Mr. Damon''s people. We haven''t been able to see her, and there''s nothing more we can do."

    The living room fell into a heavy silence, the atmosphere thick with tension.

    Richard''s expression grew even darker. Damon was clearly determined to oppose the family over a woman. His son had turned out to be a huge disappointment.

    Cindy''s eyes shed with hatred as she gritted her teeth. "That little wretch thinks she can get away with anything just because she''s with Damon?! If anything happens to Cyrus, I swear I''ll make her pay, even if it costs me my life!" "Rather than wasting time on empty threats, we should focus on how to meet with her," Richard retorted.

    "Meeting her is all? I''ll go myself. I don''t believe I can''t find a chance to see her if I camp outside Prospectus Technology!" Cindy dered.

    Richard, having just shed with Damon, was eager to avoid further escting their conflict. Cindy stepping in as the "bad guy" was actually ideal. After all, it was her duty to do something for her husband.

    "Then do as you said. Find a way to get her to sign the forgiveness letter when you meet her," Richard said.

    T

 Chapter 284

    Noticing that Richard hadn''t assigned him the task, Parker stood up and said, "Mr. Richard, I need to find more.

    information to see if there''s a way to bail out Mr. Cyrus. I''ll be going now."

    Richard nodded. "Go ahead."

    After Parker left, Richard turned to Cindy. "You should go too. Whether Cyrus can be released depends on whether you can convince N." With that, Richard left the room.

    As Cindy watched him leave, she couldn''t help but grit her teeth, her eyes filled with resentment. It seemed Richard wasn''t reliable either, and only she cared about Cyrus'' fate. After leaving the Sumner residence, Cindy called rk and recounted the night''s events in detail.

    "rk, if we want to get your father out, it''s up to us now. I''ll wait downstairs at Prospectus Technology tomorrow. I refuse to believe I can''t find a way to see her!" Cindy dered. There was a brief silence before rk''s cold voice came through. "Alright. I''ll also find a way to create some trouble for Uncle Damon''spany so he won''t have time to deal with N." "Good, we''ll rely on ourselves..." Cindy replied.

    rk frowned. If Cyrus weren''t his biological father and still

    useful to him, he wouldn''t care at all.

    "Okay, I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye," he said, dismissing the conversation.

    After hanging up, rk sent a message to Michael, instructing him to find Reba Austen within three days.

    Noticing rk''s troubled expression, Jordyn approached and began massaging his temples. "rk, try not to worry too. much. We''ll do our best with this. If N really doesn''t n to let Dad off, you must take over thepany as soon as possible." rk closed his eyes and remained silent, contemting Jordyn''s words.

    If Cyrus were truly facing sentencing, securing control of thepany quickly was indeed a priority. With that in mind, he decided to visit Cyrus the next day.

    The next morning, while having breakfast, N realized that Damon hadn''t returned all night.

    Concerned about his back wounds, she lost her appetite, set down her bread, and headed straight to thepany with medicine and bandages in hand.

    As she parked downstairs, Cindy intercepted her. "N, we need to talk!"

    Cindy''s expression was icy, her gaze filled with disdain, and her tone as haughty as ever.

    13

    N ignored her and attempted to walk past, but Cindy stubbornly followed her to the elevator.

    "Are you ignoring me? Are you deaf? Or have you climbed too high to care about me, your former mother-inw?" Cindy demanded. "Forget it. It''s not surprising that you''re rude. I''m here today to get you to sign this forgiveness letter. If you sign, I''ll leave right away!" She thrust a document toward N.

    N nced at it before looking back at her. "Do I look like a fool to you?"

    "What do you mean?!" Cindy growled.

    Seeing Cindy''s angry eyes, N smirked. "What do I mean? You really have the nerve toe here asking me to sign a forgiveness letter!"

    "You!" Cindy pointed at her, trembling with anger. "Don''t forget, I''m your elder!"

    "Elder?" N''s smile wasced with irony. "I''m no longer married to rk. How are you an elder to me? Besides, I''m now Damon''s girlfriend. If I''m not mistaken, you''re just his sister-inw. Do you want to be my elder? Are you trying to be his mother?"

 Chapter 285

    Cindy was furious and raised her hand to p N. However, before her hand could make contact, N had already grabbed her wrist. "Let go!" Cindy shrieked.

    N smiled. "I suggest you adjust your attitude before asking for favors next time. Otherwise, you''ll just end up looking foolish."

    With that, she released Cindy''s wrist.

    Still struggling, Cindy didn''t expect N to suddenly let go. She lost her bnce and fell awkwardly to the ground.

    As the elevator doors opened, N walked in without looking back.

    Cindy tried to stop her, but the pain from her twisted ankle prevented her from getting up to chase after N.

    "Stop right there! You bitch! I won''t let this go!" Cindy screeched.

    An icy glint crossed N''s eyes.

    Once the elevator doors closed and reached the first floor, she headed straight to the surveince room. After copying the security footage of the argument with Cindy in front of the elevator, she left.

    N then went to the top floor to find Damon but was told he was currently in a meeting. She handed the medicine and

    13

    bandages to Spencer.

    "Mr. Hogg, please help him change the bandages once he''s done with the meeting," she requested.

    Spencer took the items and hesitated before speaking. "Ms. Jayston, if you don''t have anything urgent, it would be best to avoiding to the top floor to see Mr. Sumner. Many shareholders of Prospectus Technology are aware of what happened yesterday, and they''re qu If news of Damon being with his nephew''s ex-wife got out online, it could negatively impact Prospectus Technology''s reputation.

    While shareholders might not care about Damon''s personal life, they would be the first to protest if his personal affairs started affecting their interests.

    Seeing that N didn''t respond, Spencer sighed and

    continued. "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner wouldn''t tell you this directly, but if you truly care about him, you wouldn''t want to put him in a difficult position." N nodded. "I understand. I''ll try to avoid meeting him at thepany."

    Spencer''s expression rxed a bit due to her agreement. "Thank you. Please don''t mention this to Mr. Sumner."

    "Don''t worry, I won''t. I know it''s almost work time, so I won''t keep you any longer," N said.

    Back in her office, N sat at her desk, staring nkly at herputer.

    ""N, are you okay?" Melody asked.

    N turned her head and forced a smile. "It''s nothing. I didn''t sleep wellst night. Let''s start working."

    "Oh, okay..." Melody replied, unsure of what else to say.

    Just as theypleted a stage of their experiment, Damon arrived with the medicine and bandages N had given to Spencer.

    N asked him to wait in the office while she finished'' recording the experiment data. She handed thepleted data to Melody before leaving.

    When N walked into the office, she saw Damon sleeping in her chair. She tiptoed closer and noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the exhaustion etched on his face. It seemed he had been working all night.

    She intended to let him rest a bit longer, but just as she turned. to leave, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his

    chin on her shoulder.

    "Why didn''t you wake me?" Damon asked.

    N gently pushed him away and looked down. "I saw your sleeping so deeply in my chair and figured you must be exhausted. I wanted you to get a few more minutes of rest."

 Chapter 286

    Noticing N''s cold attitude, Damon frowned and asked softly, "Did something happen?"

    N looked up, confused. "No, why do you ask?"

    "You seem a bit down today," he replied.

    N shook her head. "No, I''m fine. Sit down. I''ll change your bandages."

    Damon studied her for a moment but chose not to press further. "Okay."

    As N finished changing his bandages and tidying up the used items, she said, "You can go now. I need to get back to work."

    Damon stared at her for several seconds before asking, "Did you get upset because I didn''te homest night?"

    N was taken aback. "No, why would you think that?"

    "Because you seem distant. I must have done something to upset you," he suggested.

    N couldn''t meet Damon''s gentle gaze and looked away. "No, it might just be that I didn''t sleep well because of the bed changest night." "Really?" he asked.

    "Yeah. You worked all night at thepany and must be very busy. It''s not ideal for you to stay in theb for too long. We

    should keep a low profile, N exined

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "Why should we keep a low profile? We''re dating now"

    "I got divorced from rk a few days ago, andst time you were quite high profile at thepany entrance. I don''t like being the center of attention," N said.

    Damon wanted to point out that being with him would naturally attract attention, but seeing her serious expression, he agreed. "I can give you time to adjust, but I don''t want to wait too long."

    Hearing his assertive tone, N hesitated before nodding. Alright, let''s try to keep our interactions at thepany to a minimum. I won''te to your office for lunch. I''ll eat in the cafeteria with Melody." Damon''s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint shing in them. Are you having second thoughts?"

    N''s attempt to avoid having lunch with him made it clear that she was trying to distance herself.

    N looked puzzled. "Second thoughts about what?"

    "You tell me!" Damon''s face darkened. "First you say we should keep a low profile, and now you''re avoiding lunch with me. It seems like you''re trying to avoid me."

    Caught off guard, N felt a pang of guilt and instinctively replied, "It''s not that. It''s just that so much has happened recently, and our rtionship has changed. I need time to adjust."

    "Then give me a timeline," he demanded.

    N hesitated before meeting his gaze. "How about three months?"

    Damon immediately rejected the idea. "No, that''s too long."

    "Then one month. It can''t be any shorter," N countered.

    "Fine, one month," Damon agreed.

    "Okay. I need to get back to my experiments now. You should go," N said.

    As she turned to leave, Damon grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. Before she could react, his lips were on

    hers.

    N''s eyes widened in shock. Just as she was about to push him away, he released her and took a step back.

    "What are you doing?! This is the office, and someone coulde in at any moment!" N hissed.

    Seeing her embarrassed reaction, Damon smiled and said, "It''s a good morning kiss."

    He gently pinched her reddened cheek, which was filled with displeasure, and added, "I promised to give you a month, so you''ll have to give a little in return." "I''m just not used to being so intimate..." N muttered.

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    287

    "I''ll try to have more self-control in the future, but don''t me me if I can''t hold back," Damon said.

    N was speechless. Was there any difference between what he said and saying nothing at all?

    Seeing N''s slightly darkened expression, Damon realized that staying any longer might push her over the edge.

    He quickly added, "I have a meetingter. Send me a message when you finish work tonight, and we can go home together."

    After Damon left, N went straight to theb.

    Melody smiled slyly when she saw her. "N, guess what I saw when I went to your office just now?"

    "What?" N had a bad premonition-she hoped Melody hadn''t just seen Damon kissing her.

    As expected, Melody''s next words confirmed her suspicion.

    N wished for the floor to swallow her whole. She cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. "Alright. Let''s get back to the experiment, or we''ll be working overtime today." "Okay, hahaha... N, I didn''t expect to see you shy," Melody teased.

    The morning passed quickly.

    The experiment required continuous monitoring for seven

    hours, so N and Melody took turns going to the cafeteria for lunch.

    N asked Melody to go first, saying she''d switch with her. after finishing her meal.

    Soon after Melody left, there was a knock on theb door.

    N turned to see Erin standing there and frowned slightly...

    "Ms. Hulle, what''s up?" N asked.

    Erin''s smile was cold, her eyes full of disdain as she looked at N. "I didn''t expect you to be so shameless as to get involved with your ex-husband''s uncle!"

    N''s expression grew cold. "What does who I''m with have to do with you? Is it worth your time toe here just toin?"

    Erin''s face flushed with anger. "Damon is just ying around with you. In the end, he''ll marry someone who matches his family background. I''m looking forward to seeing you make a fool of yourself!" She couldn''t ept the thought of losing to a divorced woman.

    N smiled slightly and replied, "Whether I be a joke or not is uncertain, but your visit here to say such nonsense only. makes you look like one."

    "Don''t get too smug. We''ll see about that!" With that, Erin turned and left.

    Erin was determined to win Damon and wouldn''t give up. She

    also understood that, given Damon''s status, he might have other women even after marriage. No matter what, she would be his wife.

    As for N, she wouldn''t always be young and beautiful. There would always be younger, more beautiful women. Once Damon grew tired of her, he could easily find a recement. Realizing this, Erin regretted confronting N. It was beneath her dignity.

    Just as she reached the elevator, the doors opened.

    Seeing Spencer inside, she smiled. "Mr. Hogg, what a coincidence."

    Spencer looked at her with a neutral expression. "Ms. Hulle, it''s actually not a coincidence. I''m here to see you. Mr. Sumner would like to meet with you."

    Erin''s face lit up with delight. She quickly entered the elevator. Really? That''s great. I have the contract ready and can sign it at any time."

    Spencer''s expression remained unchanged. "You''ll discuss the details with Mr. Sumner."

    "Alright!" Joyfully, Erin began nning how she would find opportunities to interact with Damon. Over time, he would surely see that she was better match for him than N.

 Chapter 288

    Erin walked into Damon''s office with anticipation and smiled as she looked at him.

    Damon was handling documents bathed in the sunlight

    streaming through the window. The radiant glow enhanced his handsome features, making them even more striking.

    "Mr. Damon, I have the contract ready. When would be a good time for us to sign it?" she chirped.

    Damon set aside the document he was working on and regarded her with an emotionless gaze.

    "Ms. Hulle, you may have misunderstood. I asked to see you today to inform you that Prospectus Technology has decided to pursue other partnership opportunities. You no longer need toe by," he said. Erin''s smile froze as she stared at Damon in disbelief. "What did you say?"

    After so many discussions and being on the verge of signing the contract, he was now backing out?

    Despite her anger, Erin tried to maintain herposure and asked, "May I know why?"

    "Your unsolicited harassment of my girlfriend indicates ack of professional integrity on your part. After careful consideration, I''ve decided to suspend our coboration," Damon exined.

    It was N again!

    Erin red at Damon. "Mr. Damon, are you really going to forfeit a ready-made partnership and go against the Hulles just because of a woman?"

    "Ms. Hulle, you''re overreacting. It''s simply that you''ve failed to present yourself as a suitable partner," Damon replied.

    Erin sneered. "Don''t try to sound so noble. You''re just doing this to get back at N, aren''t you?"

    Damon remained impassive. "If that''s what you believe will make you feel better, I have no objections."

    "Fine! Damon, don''t regret this!" Erin shouted.

    Fuming, she mmed the door on her way out and

    identally bumped into Spencer, who was holding a coffee. She marched straight to the elevator without sparing him a nce and left.

    Once in her car, her anger still seethed. She pounded the steering wheel in frustration, her eyes shing with resentment. She was determined not to give up so easily.

    Before the end of the workday, Melody abruptly handed her phone to N, her face a picture of fury.

    "N, someone just posted in thepany''s main group chat using you of assaulting your ex-mother-inw. The entirepany is talking about it!" she eximed.

    N took the phone and saw that the group chat was

    overflowing with discussions about her and Cindy, the majority of which were critical of her.

    [I''m done. I can''t believe Mr. Sumner would be interested in

    such a woman. She actually physically attacked an elder-only she could do that!]

    [No wonder rk divorced her. It must be unbearable to have such a woman around all the time!]

    [Stop talking about it. If someone leaks this to her, she mightin to Mr. Sumner, and we''ll be the ones in trouble.]

    N''s gaze turned icy while watching the stream of messages, Cindy had not disappointed her at all.

    She handed the phone back to Melody, her expression calm. Don''t worry about it."

    Melody looked concerned. "Should we inform Mr. Sumner so he can handle it?"

    If Damon issued a statement prohibiting any discussion, the issue might be contained.

    N lowered her eyes, recalling what Spencer had said earlier that morning, and shook her head.

    "No, I can handle it myself," she said.

    "Are you sure?" Melody asked.

    "Yes, let''s focus on work," N confirmed.

    Seeing N''s calm demeanor, Melody reluctantly agreed. If N couldn''t resolve the issue, she would seek Damon''s help.

    Due to a problem with some experimental data that dyed them for over two hours in the afternoon, N

 Chapter 289

    By the time they finished the experiment and were ready to leave, t was already past 8:00 p.m.

    Knowing that Melody lived quite far, N offered her a ride home.

    Melody''s eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you so much, N!"

    "It''s no problem. It''s not safe for a girl to go home alone at night," N said.

    As they chatted, they put away theb equipment and ensured everything was in order before heading downstairs together.

    N sent a message to Damon, letting him know she would be dropping off Melody. He didn''t seem to mind.

    When Melody saw Damon, she was a bit flustered.

    Sitting in the back seat and seeing Damon in the driver''s seat, she was even more surprised. Having thepany CEO as a chauffeur was something she could barely have dreamed of. "Mr. Sumner, thank you for this," she said.

    Damon responded with a brief acknowledgment and turned to N. "Can you set the navigation?"

    "Sure," N agreed.

    Melody''s home was in the opposite direction of Damon''s vi, so they dropped her off first.

    During the drive, Damon remained mostly silent, speaking only

    +25. BONUS

    asionally to N.

    In the back seat, Melody was hidden in the shadows, stealing nces at Damon. His profile alone was enough to captivate

    anyone.

    However, she dared not entertain any fantasies and simply admired him from afar. Damon and she were from different worlds, and without N, she likely wouldn''t have had the chance to speak with him at all. After dropping off Melody, they returned to the vi around 10: 00 p.m.

    As N was about to head to her room, Damon called her. Don''t you have anything to say to me?"

    N looked puzzled. What did he want to discuss?

    After a moment of thought, she guessed that Damon might be unhappy about her asking him to drive Melody home. After all, he was the CEO of Prospectus Technology, and asking him to drive an employee might have felt like an imposition. "I''m sorry for the trouble tonight. I didn''t expect to workte. Next time, I''ll handle it myself," she said.

    Damon frowned. "That''s not what I''m referring to."

    N realized she hadn''t had much interaction with him today except for that moment.

    Seeing her confusion, Damon suppressed his frustration and

    asked coldly, "Did nothing else happen at thepany today?"

    "Are you talking about Erining to see me?" N asked.

    Damon''s expression darkened. "If I hadn''t asked, would you have kept this from me?"

    "To me, it wasn''t a big deal. She just came over and said some strange things. If I let every little thing bother me, you might think I''m too sensitive," N exined.

    Damon stared at her in silence for a few seconds before speaking quietly. "I wouldn''t think that. Moreover, this issue arose because of me. You could have told me and let me

    handle it."

    He was more concerned about the fact that N seemed to be managing things on her own without relying on him.

    "If I felt the situation was beyond my ability to handle, I would have told you immediately. Just because we''re together doesn''t mean I want to be a woman who depends on you for everything," N said.

    She had trusted rk without reservation and had ended up hurt badly. She was determined not to make the same mistake again.

    Damon looked at her, his tone cold. "Did you act the same way with rk?"

    Noticing his anger, N met his gaze. "You''re you, and he was him. I''m not the same person I was before, so my rtionship with you won''t be like how it was with him."

 Chapter 290

    In the end, it seemed N didn''t Bike Damon that much.

    However, they had a lifetime ahead of them. Damon had

    enough patience to make her eventually depend on him just as she once depended on rk.

    "Yeah, but I still hope that if someone bothers you in the future, you''ll think ofing to me for help instead of handling

    everything on your own," Damon said.

    His serious demeanor made N''s heart soften.

    "Okay," she agreed.

    Back in her room, N was about to remove her makeup when her phone rang. It was Vrie.

    "N, your ex-mother-inw is spreading rumors that you''ve been violent with her. The upper crust of Saintornia is already talking about it," Vrie informed her.

    N looked down. "Don''t worry about it. She''ll get what''sing to her soon enough."

    Vrie''s tone was filled with frustration. "You don''t know how horrible the things she''s saying are. I''m so angry."

    N''s heart warmed a little. She replied gently, "You haven''t fully recovered yet. Don''t let someone like her ruin your mood."

    "I''m just worried about you," Vrie confessed.

    Chapb¨¦c 290

    "The hardest times have already passed. I don''t care what she and rk do now," N stated.

    To her, Cindy and rk were nothing more than clowns. They weren''t worth wasting her emotions over. If they wanted to bring trouble on themselves, though, she wouldn''t hold back. Vrie sighed, feeling a bit sentimental. "It''s good if you don''t care. I didn''t expect rk, who used to treat you so well, to end up like this... Anyway, let''s not talk about this." N pressed her lips together, her expression unchanged. Nothing stays the same forever, not even feelings, so it''s not surprising."

    Vrie dropped the topic, and after chatting about a few other things, ended the call.

    N set her phone down.

    Thinking about what Damon had said earlier, she frowned. She hadn''t thought much of it at the time, but now she realized his words had been driven by insecurity. Their rtionship was like walking a tightrope-one misstep could lead to disaster.

    Both of themcked security. If he discovered she was with him solely for personal gain, their already fragile rtionship mighte to an abrupt end.

    The thought of this oue caused N a pang in her chest. Forcing herself to ignore the ache, she got up to shower.

    When she emerged, she found several missed calls from rk and multiple messages asking to meet. She frowned.

    Initially, she didn''t want to respond, but she feared that he might go to Prospectus Technology and create a scene the next day if she ignored him.

    After a moment''s consideration, she called him back.

    "What do you want?" she asked.

    Her tone was nearly indifferent, making rk frown on the other end of the line.

    "N, many people in Saintornia now know about your alleged violence against my mom. She said if you don''t apologize in person, she''ll call the police," rk warned.

    Nughed in anger. She couldn''t believe how ridiculous. Cindy and rk were being.

    "If your brain''s malfunctioning, you should get it checked before it''s toote," N retorted.

    There was a brief silence on the other end before rk''s voice, now filled with anger, came through. "N, I''m doing this for your own good. If she reports it and causes a scene at Prospectus Technology, it''ll be bad for both you and my uncle. Don''t you think?"

    N raised an eyebrow. Was he trying to threaten her?

    She didn''t want rk and Cindy to create a scene at Prospectus Technology and affect Damon, but that didn''t

    mean they could control her.

 Chapter 291

    "If you''re going to report it, do it quickly. If you don''t, I''ll handle it for you." With that, N hung up.

    The next moment, she sent the surveince footage she had copied earlier to William, along with a brief exnation of Cindy''s actions.

    William confirmed that they could sue Cindy for defamation.

    N smiled and sent a reply.

    N: [Let''s proceed with thewsuit.]

    Although defamation might notnd Cindy in prison, the embarrassment of being sued for it would be severe. After all, annoying people was something everyone could do.

    William agreed and asked if N was avable for a meeting the next day to discuss the division of assets with rk.

    After agreeing to meet at a restaurant near the office, N dried her hair and went to bed.

    Meanwhile, rk sat in his study, his expression filled with anger.

    "She refuses to meet with us," he said.

    Cindy gnashed her teeth. "Then I''ll go see her tomorrow. She has to sign the forgiveness letter!"

    She had been spreading rumors that N was violent toward

    her, hoping to force N into meeting her and then pressuring her to sign a forgiveness letter under duress from the Sumners.

    She hadn''t expected N to remain soposed.

    "Mom, with your foot injury, it won''t do any good to go now," rk reminded her.

    During this time, rk had witnessed N''s cold and unfeeling side. After all these years together, she now showed

    absolutely nopassion, which was truly disheartening.

    "Even if it''s futile, I have to go. Otherwise, your father is truly finished," Cindy insisted.

    After a moment of silence, rk looked at Cindy and said. somberly, "Mom, I visited Dad today. He agreed to transfer hispany to me." Cindy was taken aback but quickly caught on. "What do you mean by that? You''re not nning to care about him anymore?"

    rk looked resigned. "It''s not that I don''t want to help him. Given the current situation, I can''t save him, so I might as well take over hispany. Once I have the power to confront Damon, I''ll find a way to help Dad.ˇ±

    Cindy''s gaze was filled with disappointment. "In the end, you''re only thinking of yourself. Even now, you want to take over hispany instead of actually saving him, right?"

    Her usatory tone made rk''s voice grow colder, "If you''re going to think like that, there''s nothing I can do."

    "He''s your biological father! If you don''t help him, then who will?

    "Cindy demanded.

    "I''ve said I can''t help him. I need to take over thepany tomorrow morning. You should go home," rk said dismissively.

    Seeing his indifferent expression, Cindy realized that no matter what she said, he would not care about Cyrus anymore.

    She stood up, sneering. "rk, no matter how bad he is, he''s still your biological father. You''ll definitely regret being so heartless in the future!"

    St¨˛ng by her words, rk replied

    sarcastically, "You go to sor

    trouble to help him, but do

    think he won''t end up sy

    his

    time with other women and living

    extravagantly?"

    To him, it was both pitiful andughable that Cindy was putting so much effort into a man who no longer loved her.

    "Those women won''t shake my position. I will always be his wife!" Cindy eximed.

    "Then handle it yourself. I have more important things to do," rk said.

    He was now focused on strengthening thepany Cyrus had left him and seeking revenge against Damon and N, hoping to make N regret leaving him.

 Chapter 292

    "Y You! Cindy was so enraged that she nearly fainted. She shook violently, unable to say a word as she pointed at him.

    In the end, she stormed out in fufy

    The next day at noon, N arrived at the restaurant, where William was already waiting.

    She quickly walked over and sat down across from him, looking apologetic. "Sorry, I was dyed at theb."

    "It''s alright, Ms. Jayston. Please take a look at this document," William said.

    N took the document from William and skimmed through it, her brow furrowing in concern. Since rk''s affair, he had deliberately transferred assets, with most now under Jordyn''s name.

    "Ms. Jayston, the main issue is that rk and Jordyn are married. He likely consulted awyer when transferring the assets. It was done meticulously, so it''s very difficult to reim them," William exined, "So, how much can I expect to get?" N asked.

    "700,000 dors," William replied.

    N wasn''t particrly surprised by this amount-she had suspected it from the document.

    "Alright, I understand. You can negotiate with hiswyer," she agreed.

    William looked surprised. "Ms. Jayston, aren''t you going to contest this further?"

    N shook her head. "I don''t want to waste more time on him, and anotherwsuit would drag on for at least a year or more."

    More importantly, now that she was with Damon, remaining entangled with rk might affect Damon.

    William nodded. "Okay, I understand."

    "Thank you for your hard work," N said.

    "It''s no trouble," William replied.

    Back at thepany....

    As N was about to take her lunch break, her phone rang.

    Seeing that it was her father''s primary doctor, she quickly answered, "Doctor, what''s the update?"

    "Ms. Jayston, I''ve arranged for your father to be transferred to a hospital abroad at any time," the doctor said.

    N''s grip on the phone tightened as she looked down. "Okay, I understand. Thank you!"

    After hanging up, N called Wren to share the news.

    Wren''s voice was filled with excitement. "I''ll pack up, and we can leave tomorrow morning."

    "What about my dad..." N began.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll persuade him," Wren assured.

    N decided not to press further and was about to hang up when

    Wren spoke again. "N, d

    hold

    it against me. What I said before

    was for your own good."

    N hadn''t taken her words to heart. She could tell whether Wren was genuinely concerned for her or just worried about being implicated.

    Still, she wasn''t going to confront Wren. Doing so would onlyplicate things for her father and was unnecessary.

    "Wren, I''m not ming you. I did act

    impulsively before. After you go abroad, I''t leave everything to you With the distance, I won''t be able to get there quickly if anything happens. Thank you for your help," N said.

    "I''m d you understand," Wren answered.

    After hanging up, Wren immediately called Gabriel to inform him of her ns to go to Meristate the next day.

    "Gabriel, unless something unexpected happens, I''ll fly to Meristate with Harrison tomorrow. Will you be avable to pick us up?" she asked.

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Gabriel replied, "Mom, I''ll being back next week."

    "Returning here for a work-rted matter?" Wren asked, then smiled. "In that case, we''ll wait for you toe back before

    going to Meristate together. A few days wouldn''t make much of a difference."

    "No, I''ming back for work. I probably won''t return to Meristate," Gabriel replied.

    Wren''s smile froze. "What do you mean? You were doing well in Meristate. Why the sudden decision toe back? And you never mentioned this before when I called."

 Chapter 293

    Just a moment ago, Wren had been thrilled about the uing reunion with her son. Now, she felt as if she had been struck by a hammer.

    "I was actually nning to returnst year," Gabriel exined. "I just hadn''t found a suitable job untilst month when I began talks with apany in Saintornia. I''m signing the contract. tomorrow." ""Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Wren asked.

    If she had known earlier, she wouldn''t have agreed to take Harrison abroad for treatment. Being unfamiliar with life abroad, both she and Harrison would face many inconveniencespared to staying in the country.

    "I wanted to finalize everything before telling you," Gabriel said.

    Wren frowned, still feeling some frustration. She had already promised N, and backing out now seemed unreasonable. Plus, staying in Saintornia might expose them to potential

    retaliation from the Sumners.

    After weighing her options, going abroad still seemed best.

    "Gabriel, there''s something I need to tell you," Wren said.

    She exined N''s conflicts with the Sumners, concluding with a serious tone, "Since you haven''t signed the contract yet, I suggest you don''te back to avoid being dragged into this mess. N isn''t listening to anyone right now, so who knows what she might do nex

    Unbeknownst to her, her words only reinforced Gabriel''s determination to return.

    "Mom, I think N is doing the right thing. And I''m not afraid of what the Sumners might do to me," he said.

    "Are you out of your mind?! You''re my only son. If something happens to you, how will I live? I forbid you froming back. If you do, I''ll send you back personally!" Wren huffed.

    With that, she hung up.

    Across the ocean, Gabriel-sharp features framed by gold-rimmed sses-set down his phone, removed his sses,

    and rubbed his brow.

    His expression was indifferent. Regardless of Wren''s opinion, he was determined to return to his home country.

    In the evening, as N got into the car, her phone rang.

    Seeing the name on the screen, she was a bit surprised.

    Gabriel had rarely contacted her since moving abroad, except when absolutely necessary. Today, his call made her wonder if he had heard about Harrison''s treatment abroad. Noticing that N wasn''t answering, Damon nced over.

    When he saw "Gabriel" shing on the screen, his expression darkened, and his voice dropped a few notches. "Why aren''t. you answering?"

    Snapping out of her thoughts, N quickly answered the call, oblivious to Damon''s dark expression.

    "Hello? Gabriel, what''s up? I didn''t expect you to call today,"

    she said.

    Her tone was somewhat distant as if she were speaking to a distant rtive.

    Although they had gotten along well for a time, Gabriel had suddenly be distant during her university years, leaving them as strangers living under the same roof

    "I heard from Mom that your dad''s going abroad for treatment?

    Gabriel asked.

    "Yes, and I might need your help with them once they''re there," N replied.

    Gabriel''s voice was cool. "I''ming back next week and n to develop my career here."

    N was momentarily taken aback and replied softly, "I''ll find an interpreter for them then. There might be a lot of inconveniences at first."

    "I''ll handle it," Gabriel offered.

    As they wrapped up their

    conversation, Damon leaned in and quietly asked, "What do you feel like eatingter? I saw a nice restaurant earlier. How about dinner there tonight?"

    His voice was low but just audible enough for the person on

    the other end to hear.

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    Gabriel paused on the other end of the line and asked, ''is

    someone with you?"

    "Yes," N replied.

    "Then that''s all for now," Gabriel said.

    After hanging up, N turned to Damon and asked, "Why did you suddenly ask what I want for dinner tonight?" Damon''s expression remained calm. "I just happened to see it and thought I''d ask. Did I interrupt your call?" "No," N replied, though she found it a bit odd that he would speak up while she was still on the phone. Damon seemed to disregard her puzzled look and asked, "Who

    was on the line?"

    "Wren''s son. He went abroad when I was in university. We don''t stay in touch very often, so I haven''t mentioned him to you," N exined.

    Damon narrowed his eyes slightly but did not press further.

    The two of them ended up going to the restaurant Damon had suggested for dinner.

    rk, who had just wrapped up a meeting with a client, spotted them as they were finishing up. His gaze hardened, and after seeing off his client, he walked directly toward them.

    "Uncle Damon, N, what a coincidence to see you here," he said.

    N''s appetite soured at the sound of rk''s voice, and she remained silent, her face cold.

    Damon''s expression was indifferent. "You''re interrupting us."

    rk chuckled. "Uncle Damon, I just wanted to say hello. I was afraid that if I didn''te over, people might think I am rude. It''s just that N and I have recently divorced. Don''t you think it''s a bit too soon for you two to be having dinner together?" N frowned and finally looked up at him. "No matter how soon it seems, it''s not sooner than you. After all, you were already involved with Jordyn while we were still married."

    Her disgust and impatience were evident, and rk''s face darkened as if he had been stung.

    "N, we''re divorced now. It''s pointless to keep bringing up the past. Or do you still have feelings for me?" rk asked.

    Sarcasm flickered in N''s eyes. "You should probably look in the mirror."

    If she still had feelings for him after everything, it would be a clear sign of insanity.

    Just as rk was about to respond, his phone rang.

    After answering, he hung up with an icy expression, his teeth clenched as he red at N. "Did you file awsuit against Mom for spreading rumors?"

    N was surprised at how quickly William had acted.

    She smiled slightly and tilted her chin. "That''s your mother, not mine. Don''t get it mixed up. Besides, she did spread rumors that I harmed her. What''s wrong with filing awsuit?" "She''s an elder. How can you treat an elder like this?" rk questioned.

    Before rk could continue, Damon raised an eyebrow and interjected, "What elder? N''s my girlfriend now, so by seniority, she''d be your aunt. Maybe you should reflect on how you''re speaking to your aunt.ˇ±

    rk''s expression was one of someone who had swallowed a fly. He clenched his jaw and forced out, "Uncle Damon, you''re not even married to her yet."

    "So this is how you speak to an elder?" Damon asked.

    Seeing Damon use his own words

    against him, rk was enraged. "Uncle Damon, you''ve been

    entangled with my ex-wife and have

    A

    embarrassed the Sumners. Why??? have?" e

    kind of attitude do you expect me to

    "The one who embarrassed the Sumners is you," Damon stated tly.

    Gritting his teeth, rk sneered. "I''m heading to the police station. I don''t want to argue with you, but you will regret this!"

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    After rk''s outburst, he turned and left in a hurry.

    N felt a mix of emotions. It was clear that rk was trying. to avoid offending Damon while still preserving his pride. She couldn''t understand why she had ever fallen for such a spineless man.

    Once he was gone, she resumed eating her steak as if nothing. had happened.

    Before long, she noticed Damon''s gaze fixed intently on her face. She looked up and asked, puzzled, "Is there something on my face? Why do you keep staring at me?" "It''s nothing," Damon replied. "I just thought you might be affected by what he said."

    "Why would I let him affect my mood? He''s a stranger to me. now. It''s not worth getting upset over him," N said.

    "That''s good to hear," Damon remarked.

    After dinner, they returned directly to the vi.

    Meanwhile, it took over an hour at the police station for rk to bail out Cindy.

    Cindy''s eyes were red with anger. "That bitch N! How dare she sue me? I won''t let her get away with this!"

    Thewyer beside her said sternly, "Ms. Sharrock, the evidence.

    for the defamationwsuit has already been submitted. Not only will you need to apologize, but you''ll also have to pay a certain amount inpensation" "What?! I have to apologize? I refuse to do that!" Cindy huffed.

    Thewyer replied somewhat helplessly, "If you don''t cooperate, the penalties might increase, which could end up being worse for you."

    "I can pay more, but I will never apologize to her!" Cindy insisted.

    Seeing Cindy''s firm stance, thewyer turned to rk, who wore a gloomy expression. "Mr. Sumner..."

    rk took a deep breath and said coldly, "Tell herwyer that we''re willing to negotiate thepensation but that an apology is not on the table."

    He understood Cindy''s feelings. Even if it were him, he wouldn''t be able to ept apologizing to N.

    "Understood. I''ll handle it," thewyer replied.

    After thewyer left, rk shot a cold nce at Cindy before heading to his car.

    Cindy hesitated momentarily but then followed him.

    Once they were in the car, Cindy could no longer contain her anger. "N is absolutely outrageous! Does she think that just because she''s with Damon now, she can look down on us?" rk turned to her, his eyes devoid of warmth. "She can look

    down on us because we can''tpete with Damon. Next time before you act, use your brain and avoid these foolish schemes that only make us look bad in front of N." ,

    Cindy was taken aback and about to retort when her phone suddenly buzzed with a flood of notifications.

    She found dozens of messages, not in private chats, but in several group chats of Saintornia''s high-society wives.

    [I heard Cindy falsely used N of assault, and now she''s been sued and ended up at the police station tonight!]

    [Yes, I heard the same. How could Mrs. Sumner do something like this-making false usations against her ex-daughter-inw? It''s disgraceful!]

    [She always acted so high and mighty, unting her marriage to Cyrus. I heard she looked so embarrassed when she left the police station. Hahaha!]

    Seeing those mocking messages, Cindy was irritated. She recorded a voice message and began arguing with the people in the group, only to be ridiculed further

    As Cindy shook with intense

    emotions and was about to continue

    the argument, rk''s cold voice.cut in. "That''s enough. Haven''t you embarrassed yourself enough already?!"

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    Cindy turned to him in disbelief, her body trembling with rage." Are you saying I''m embarrassing?"

    "Isn''t it true? Look at everything you''ve done recently-none of

    it has worked out. If you''re incapable, stop making things worse!" rk snapped.

    His anger was palpable, and his words were harsh and unforgiving.

    Tears streamed down Cindy''s face as she choked out, "If it weren''t for my useless husband and son, would I have to do all this? Now youin that I''m making things worse. Why aren''t you capable of bailing your dad out? rk, I am so disappointed in you!" With that, she shoved the car door open and stormed off.

    rk didn''t follow her, his expression dark and stormy.

    Why couldn''t Cindy understand him?

    With his current capabilities, he couldn''t possibly get Cyrus out of the police station.

    Moreover, what Cyrus had done was a fact. The immediate priority was to take over thepany from him and then figure out other ways to help, even if it meant just making his life a bit easier inside.

    The more rk thought about it, the colder his expression became.

    He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Have you found the person yet?"

    "Don''t worry. It''s a matter of a couple of days," the person on the other end replied.

    "If you find them by tomorrow, I''ll double the previously agreed-upon reward!" rk promised..

    In the pitch-dark car, the faint light from rk''s phone illuminated his features, casting a strange and unsettling glow.

    "I''ll contact you tomorrow," the other party replied.

    After ending the call, rk smirked. He was eager to see whether Damon loved N or the other woman more.

    That night, N went to bed early and was unaware that, not long after she fell asleep, Spencer arrived to meet Damon with

    a document in hand.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ve discovered that

    Gabriel Hackett is N''s

    stepbrother. He''s been abroad for six years and has only returned once, but Ms. Jayston was traveling at the time, so they didn''t meet. ording to the information we''ve gathered, their rtionship isn''t very good," Spencer reported.

    Damon briefly nced at the document and then said, "You can leave now."

    After reviewing Gabriel''s information, Damon called Spencer. Have HR contact him and offer him a position at Prospectus

    Technology."

    The next morning, N arrived at the office and received a call from William.

    William informed her that Cindy was willing to settle but was unwilling to apologize personally. However, she was open to negotiatingpensation for emotionab distress.

    This didn''t surprise N.

    Getting an apology from Cindy was likely as difficult as reaching the stars. However, that wasn''t her concern.

    "Tell her I only want an apology," N replied.

    After hanging up, N entered the elevator.

    People around her kept ncing in her direction, but she ignored them and calmly pressed the close door button.

    The morning passed quickly, and around noon, Wren unexpectedly came to the office to see her.

    N took her to the cafe downstairs and asked, "Wren, did youe to see me about something?" Wren rarely visited in person unless it was absolutely

    necessary.

    Wren''s expression was cold. The thought of Gabriel ignoring her objections and returning to the country made her resent 3/4

    N. If N hadn''t offended the Sumners, Gabriel''s return wouldn''t be such a concern.

    "I talked to your fatherst night. He doesn''t want to go abroad. After thinking it over, it''s indeed inconvenient with thenguage barrier. It might be better for him to continue treatment domestically. The medical standards here aren''t much worse than those abroad," Wren said.

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    N frowned. "Wren, you agreed to this yesterday. Why are you suddenly changing your mind?"

    N had arranged for them to go abroad with their safety in mind.

    She wouldn''t let Cyrus off, and once Damon learned she had been using him, he wouldn''t protect her anymore. She wouldn''t have the energy to properly arrange for them by then. Wren looked helpless. "It''s not that I don''t want to go abroad, but your father is worried about you. He refuses to go - overseas, no matter what."

    After a moment of silence, N said firmly, "I''ll go to the hospital tonight and persuade him myself."

    Wren''s gaze was evasive. "Your father is still upset with you. It might be better to wait a few days. I''m worried that if you go tonight, you two might end up arguing again."

    "I need to go, even if it means arguing. Wren, I have work to doter, so I''ll head back to the office now." With that, N stood up and left.

    When Damon found out that N was going to the hospital that evening, he offered to apany her.

    Her first instinct was to refuse. Her father was already unhappy about her rtionship with Damon, and bringing

    Damon along would only provoke him further.

    "Maybe you should wait a little longer?" N suggested.

    Damon looked displeased. "How long is a little longer?"

    It was one thing for her to avoid him at the office, but now she didn''t want him to meet her family, which clearly showed she wasn''t nning for a future with him.

    "My dad is still angry about us being together. We should at least wait until he''s not so upset," N tried.

    "No. Since he already knows and is upset, he''ll think I''m not sincere and don''t genuinely want to be with you if I keep hiding,* Damon insisted.

    N sighed. Did she need to mention her father hoped that Damon would stay away?

    Seeing Damon''s determined gaze, N hesitated but

    eventually nodded. "Alright, but be prepared for him to ask you to leave."

    As soon as N and Damon entered the hospital room that evening, Harrison''s expression hardened. His demeanor was icy.

    "Mr. Sumner, you''re not wee here. Please leave!" he bellowed.

    N sighed inwardly-this was exactly what she had anticipated.

    She turned to Damon, intending to ask him to wait outside, but he didn''t even nce at her. Instead, he addressed Harrison directly, "Mr. Jayston, I know you''re not fond of me, and I

    understand that my rtionship with N angers you. But I am sincere about her."

    l.ne

    Harrison sneered. "Sincere? What''s sincerity worth from the Sumners? A few years ago, rk said the same thing to me, and look what happened-he ended up cheating. Just leave! The Sumners are too good for N!"

    N frowned, fearing that Harrison might say something to further provoke Damon. She was about to speak when. Harrison turned his

    cold gaze on her.

    "You can leave too. I don''t want to see you until you''ve sorted out your rtionship with him!" he scolded. "Dad..." N began.

    Damon gently lowered his gaze to her and said softly, "I''d like to speak with your father alone. Please wait outside." "No!" N protested.

    She was concerned that Harrison might say even harsher things to Damon if she left.

    Harrison looked at Damon with anger and disdain.

    "Fine. Wren, take N out. I want to hear what he has to say," he ordered.

    Wren hesitated for a moment before moving to N''s side.

    "N, let''s step outside and wait," she urged.

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    Seeing N''s hesitation, Wren whispered, "Staying here won''t help. It''ll only make your father more upset."

    Damon also looked at her with a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. I can handle it."

    After a moment''s pause, N finally nodded. "Alright then."

    She followed Wren out of the room, and the two sat down on a bench in the corridor. For a while, neither of them spoke.

    Wren turned to N and broke the silence. "N, staying in the country isn''t so bad. The medical facilities here are quite good, and I-"

    Before she could finish, N interrupted coldly, "Wren, did you suddenly decide not to go abroad because Gabriel is nning toe back?" Wren was momentarily taken aback, a hint of guilt shing in her eyes. "How did you find out about that?"

    "He told me on the phone yesterday," N replied.

    Wren frowned, surprised that Gabriel had informed N so

    soon.

    "Since you know, I won''t beat around the bush. I really don''t want to leave the country because he''sing back," Wren confessed.

    "Going abroad with my dad would be safer than staying here," N stated.

    "I know, but I don''t want your issues with the Sumners to affect Gabriel now that he''sing back. If we stay, you''ll be more cautious about how you handle the Sumners," Wren replied. N smiled slightly. "Wren, it''s good to finally hear the truth from you."

    When Wren had visited N before, N had sensed something was off. Despite Harrison always following Wren''s lead, he had suddenly refused to go abroad.

    It turned out it was Wren who didn''t want to leave.

    "I understand it''s unfair to you, but if your issues with the Sumners end up affecting Gabriel, that''s also unfair to him. He''s my only son, and I hope you can understand," Wren stated inly.

    "Since you don''t want to go abroad, I can''t force you. But I won''t abandon what I need to do just because you and my dad are staying here. hope my you can understand that too N replied.

    Wren frowned, anger shing in her eyes. "Why do you always have to make things so chaotic before e you''re satisfied? That ident led to

    Harris Pharmaceuticals'' bankrot to

    and your dad isn''t pursuing it. Why do you have to be so stubborn?ˇ±

    If N''s actions didn''t affect her, Harrison, and Gabriel, it would be one thing. But continuing to oppose the Sumners would certainly lead them to retaliate against her family. N looked at her, uttering each word with rity. "Is it that he

    sn''t pursuing it because he doesn''t want to, or because he''s unable to and is just trying to convince himself to let it go?"

    Wren sneered. "So, you think you have the ability to change things? People should know their limits. If you keep being stubborn, you''ll end up regretting it."

    N''s hands, resting at her sides, clenched subconsciously, and her eyes grew colder.

    Seeing N remain silent, Wren continued. "I don''t care what you do, but I won''t let you off the hook if your actions end up harming Gabriel!"

    At that moment, Damon''s icy voice cut through the tension. Mrs. Jayston, my girlfriend isn''t someone you get to lecture!"

    Wren turned to face Damon, and his cold gaze made her shiver involuntarily.

    She quicklyposed herself and retorted, "Mr. Sumner, you and N are just dating, not married yet. Our family matters don''t seem to be any of your business." Damon narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening with anger,

    Noticing his rising fury, N stood up and approached him.

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    "Did you finish talking with my dad?" N asked.

    Damon nced down at her and replied, "Yes."

    "I''ll go in and say a few words to him, and then we''ll head back, "N said.

    "Alright," Damon agreed.

    N entered the hospital room. To her surprise, Harrison''s expression was less distressed than before. Though still stern, he seemed to have softened considerably.

    "Dad, please reconsider going abroad for treatment. If you really don''t want to go, I won''t force you," N said.

    Harrison looked up at her and said coldly, "No need to reconsider. I know what I want. As for you and Damon... I suggest you think it through. After all, he''s rk''s uncle.

    "If you''re with him, you''ll face not only public gossip but also opposition from the Sumners. The path with him will be much harder than it was with rk."

    N was taken aback by his response. She wondered what Damon had said to change Harrison''s attitude so drastically.

    "I''ve thought it through, Dad," she replied.

    "As long as you''ve thought it through. I won''t say anything more. I can''t offer you any help now. The path you choose is yours alone. Whether it brings you happiness or distress, you''ll have to face it on your own," Harrison said.

    N nodded. "I understand."

    On the way back to the vi, N couldn''t help but ask Damon what he had told Harrison.

    Damon smiled. "It''s a secret."

    Despite her persistent questioning, he didn''t reveal anything, so she had to let it go.

    When they arrived back at the vi, they saw rk''s car parked out front.

    Damon''s smile faded, and he exuded a dangerous aura.

    As they got out of the car, rk and Cindy emerged.

    Cindy''s face was a mask of anger and resentment as she looked at N.

    rk spoke first. "Uncle Damon, I need to talk to N alone. Could we have some privacy?"

    ""No," Damon replied tly.

    rk frowned at the immediate refusal. Remembering their purpose was to apologize, he managed to suppress his frustration.

    He turned to N and tried to keep his tone calm. "N, my mother and I came here today to apologize for what she said about you. We hope you can let it go and not pursue the matter further."

    Since N had refused to reconcile, the incident had spread widely among the elite circles in Saintornia. If it wasn''t resolved soon, it would make its way to thepany, a situation rk couldn''t afford.

    Having just taken over thepany from Cyrus, rk couldn''t let this issue be a point of contention, especially with shareholders already dissatisfied. He needed to address this before it caused further trouble.

    N raised an eyebrow, ncing at the unwilling Cindy, and smiled slightly. "You''re here to apologize, but I don''t see any remorse from Mrs. Sumner. Instead, she seems to despise me. Cindy, already reluctant toe, was nearly enraged by N''s sarcastic remark. With a warning nce from rk, she bit back her retort.

    Cindy took a deep breath and forced a smile. ˇ°N, I admit I went too far this time... apologize. Since we were once family, it''s not beneficial for either of us to make this public. Will you ask yourwyer to drop thewsuit?"

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    N nced at Cindy, who was clearly struggling to maintain. herposure while attempting to apologize. The scene struck N as somewhat amusing.

    "Mrs. Sumner, did you really expect toe here, apologize, and ask me to drop thewsuit after publicly using me of assault?" she asked.

    Cindy''s expression faltered for a moment as she clenched her fists to suppress her anger.

    "N, I admit I was wrong. I''m apologizing now. Can''t we just put this behind us?" Cindy asked.

    "Sure," N said, nodding. "But you need to issue a public statement rifying that I didn''t assault you and that it was you trying to tarnish my reputation. I''ll drop thewsuit if your do that."

    Cindy froze. They hade to resolve this privately, not to make it public. Releasing a statement would only highlight her attempt to malign her former daughter-inw.

    "N, can we find another way to resolve this? We can negotiate," Cindy suggested.

    "Embarrassed, are we?" N''s smile remained, but her eyes. were cold. "You shouldn''t have tried to nder me and create problems for yourself if you find this embarrassing. If you don''t want to make a statement, fine. Once I get the court ruling, I''ll issue a statement usin

    149

    *

    At that point, Cindy would only look worse.

    Cindy gritted her teeth, her frustration boiling over. "N, you''re going too far. I won''t issue a statement. Do you think just because you''re with Damon you can do whatever you want? Don''t push your luck!"

    N didn''t flinch at Cindy''s outburst. "If you''re unwilling, don''t waste my time in the future."

    With that, N walked past Cindy, leaving with Damon.

    rk quickly caught up. "N, if that statement goes public, it will embarrass the Sumners and even Uncle Damon. If you''re willing to settle privately, we can discusspensation."

    N chuckled. "How much are you offering?"

    "150,000 dors!" rk replied.

    N''s eyes widened slightly in surprise. It seemed rk was very eager to keep this matter from escting. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be offering such a sum.

    11

    It would be a waste not to ept that amount, so she replied, Sure But I hope you''re not nning to take the money from the remaining assets mywyer is investigating."

    rk''s eyes flickered with uncertainty. "No, of course not!"

    "Alright, I''ll ept your apology. Make sure the money is transferred to my ount," N agreed.

    After N and Damon left, Cindy muttered resentfully, "I have to pay her 150,000 dors just for some gossip? Does she

    even deserve that?"

    rk sneered. "If we don''t pay, the situation will only get worse and cost us even more."

    Under his fierce gaze, Cindy involuntarily took a step back, feeling a pang of guilt. "I... I''m just trying to help your father..."

    Felget

    "I don''t want to hear any more excuses. Il arrange a flight for to go abroad and take a break. Come back when you''ve calmed down," rk said.

    Cindy''s eyes widened in shock. "You''re sending me away?"

    rk looked at her with a cold expression. "Staying here won''t help in rescuing my father and will only hinder me. It''s better if you leave for a while."

    "No! I''m not going! How dare you send me away? I absolutely refuse to leave!" Cindy cried.

    "This isn''t up for discussion!" rk dered

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    As they walked into the living room, Damon broke the silence. "Why did you ept the money instead of insisting on a public apology?"

    N replied, "Even if she apologized, it wouldn''t be sincere. rk managed to persuade her to apologize privately because he doesn''t want this to go public. If I had kept insisting, it would have only backfired." Damon studied her. "So, your goal was always just the money?"

    N nodded. "Yes. If I had asked for the money myself, rk might have used me of extortion through hiswyers."

    Damon fell silent, his gaze distant as he pondered this. When he didn''t speak again, N turned to head

    back to her room.

    After a few steps, Damon''s voice, tinged with resignation, came from behind her. "N, if you just wanted the money, you didn''t have to scheme like that. You could have told me directly. I could have helped you." N paused and looked back at him, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "I''m scheming against rk. He''s your family. Don''t you feel ufortable about that?"

    She had deliberately agreed to rk''s terms before Damon to make him aware of her calctions. against rk.

    If Damon couldn''t ept it, it would be better to part ways before she fell deeply in love with him.

    Damon frowned, his gaze intense. "Do you think I''m someone who can''t discern right from wrong?"

    N bit her lip. "I don''t think that. It''s just that, ultimately, rk is your family...

    "You are the one I care about. Never mind that rk was at fault. Even if it were your mistake, I would still stand by you," Damon dered.

    Seeing his serious expression, N blinked, her heart overwhelmed. She looked down and smiled bitterly. "But... you might one day find that I''m not worth this."

    "That day will nevere," Damon said as he moved closer, leaning in to look her in the eyes. "I care about you, so whatever I do for you, I won''t regret it. It''s not about whether it''s worth it because it''s what I choose to do." N''s hands tightened subconsciously at her sides, and she instinctively looked away, unable to meet his intense gaze.

    "N, why can''t you be a little braver?" Damon asked.

    He wasn''t like rk. Once he decided on her, he wouldn''t look at another woman.

    N closed her eyes, feeling a pang of sorrow.

    She wanted to be brave and love Damon wholeheartedly, but she had outgrown the reckless optimism of youth. She no longer believed that love could ovee all obstacles.

    To her, love had be something she dared not hope for.

    Despite this, Damon''s words stirred a desire within her a longing to love someone fully again.

    Seeing her so distressed and lost, Damon didn''t want to pressure her any further. He pulled her into his embrace. "It''s okay if you can''t now. I can wait."

    N wrapped her arms around him, her voice hushed and rough. "I''m sorry."

    Although she no longer loved rk, the pain from his betrayal still lingered. She was afraid to open her heart again, fearing more hurt.

    "I''m not ming you. It''s not your fault. I just didn''t do well enough," Damon said.

    N shook her head, tears almost falling. "No, you''ve done well."

    The truth was, she was too afraid and hesitant. She feared getting hurt again and worried that Damon would discover she was no different from other women.

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    302

    Damon patted her head and said softly, "If I haven''t earned yourplete trust, then I still haven''t done well enough."

    N looked up at him, about to speak, when his phone suddenly rang.

    "Did you change your ringtone?" she asked, noticing that Damon''s phone sounded different from usual.

    Damon didn''t answer. He picked up his phone and walked aside to take the call.

    For some reason, N felt a wave of unease wash over her, and she couldn''t help but frown.

    Soon, Damon ended the call and returned to her.

    "I have to go out for a bit. You should go to sleep," he said.

    He turned to leave, but N instinctively grabbed his hand. "Is it something important? Can you stay and keep mepany? I..."

    She struggled to find a reason to keep him around.

    Was it just her inexplicable anxiety?

    The reason seemed a bit absurd even to her.

    Damon''s gaze softened, and he nodded. "If you''re scared, I can have the driver pick up Vrie to keep youpany."

    N opened her mouth, then slowly shook her head. "No, it''s fine. Juste back as soon as you can."

    Noticing something was wrong with her, Damon suddenly hugged her tightly, as if trying to her.

    "Don''t overthink it. Get some rest," he coaxed.

    "Okay," N replied.

    Damon didn''t linger and quickly left.

    It wasn''t until his figure disappeared through the door that N bit her lip and looked away.

    merge w

    The new ringtone had made her unountably uneasy Damon''s previous ringtone had been the default one from his phone, but tonight it was a piano piece. Usually, only someone important would have a special ringtone.

    N took a deep breath, trying to

    ka

    push her thoughts aside. She patted her face and turned on the TV,

    searching for a drama toate

    Suns the

    time.

    N waited until after midnight, but Damon still hadn''t returned. Eventually, she fell asleep on the sofa.

    She woke up again around 6:00 a.m.

    As she sat up, she noticed the nket covering her and wondered whether Damon hade back.

    As she was pondering this, ¨¤ mald approached. "Ms. Jayston, you''re awake?"

    N nodded. "Where''s Damon?"

    "He didn''te backst night," the maid replied.

    N''s eyes flickered with disappointment. She forced a smile and asked, "So, did you put the nket on me?"

    The maid nodded. "Yes. I saw the living room light was on when I got up in the middle of the night. I saw you sleeping on the sofa and didn''t want to wake you. I was worried you might catch a cold, so I covered you with a nket." N lowered her eyes, her voice a bit downcast. "I see. Thank you."

    "It was no trouble," the maid said.

    N went upstairs to freshen up, feeling unsettled.

    After a quick breakfast, she drove to the office.

    Just as she arrived downstairs, she received a call from William.

    Knowing she had agreed to settle, William said, "Got it. I''ll handle the follow-up."

    "Thank you," N replied.

    After hanging up, she held her phone, debating whether to call Damon.

    She hesitated momentarily before dialing his number.

    However, the call went unanswered and eventually ended automatically. She tried a couple more times.

    without sess and decided not to try further.

    It wasn''t until noon that Damon returned her call. "N, did you call me this morning? Is something wrong?"

 Chapter 303

    N looked down and said slowly, "It''s nothing. I just wanted to check on how things are going since you didn''te backst night."

    There was a brief pause on the other end before Damon''s deep voice came through. "I''m almost done with everything. I''ll be back tonight."

    N subconsciously tightened her grip on the phone. "Alright, then let''s have dinner together tonight."

    "Okay, I''ll see you then," Damon replied.

    After ending the call, Damon looked at the woman sitting across from him with tears in her eyes. He said coldly, "Reba, it''s over between us. I''ll book a flight for you shortly." Reba paused in wiping her tears and looked up at Damon. "I don''t want to leave! I wasn''t nning to leave when I came back to the country."

    Damon''s frown deepened, and his entire demeanor turned cold. "Do as you wish, but we''re done."

    "If you didn''t care about me, you wouldn''t havee to see mest night. You still love me, don''t you?" Reba asked, her eyes filled with love and regret as she looked at Damon.

    She believed that if she hadn''t insisted on going abroad, she wouldn''t have separated from him and that woman wouldn''t have had a chance.

    Now that she had what she wanted, she intended to win Damon back.

    "I camest night just to make sure you wouldn''t harm yourself. We once loved each other, but the moment you said we should break up, it was over," Damon exined.

    "No!" Reba cried as she threw herself into Damon''s arms, choking on her sobs. "We never truly ended. I just wanted to be a better person, someone worthy of you. You knew that too. And when I asked you to wait, you didn''t refuse, did you?" Damon pushed her away, his expression cold. "It''s all in the past."

    With that, he turned and walked away.

    Reba jumped up and ran after him, wrapping her arms around his waist and crying out, "Damon, don''t go!"

    Damon looked down at the arms wrapped around his waist, his emotions churning.

    Just as he was about to push Reba away, her next words stopped him in his tracks.

    In the evening. N returned to the vi and was surprised to find that Damon still hadn''te back. She was about to call him but hesitated, recalling that he had said he''d be back tonight.

    In the end, she put her phone down.

    A maid approached and said, "Ms. Jayston, dinner is ready."

    N nodded. "Alright, Damon will be back tonight. We''ll wait for him to have dinner."

    "Understood," the maid replied.

    They waited until after 8:00 p.m.

    N''s phone suddenly vibrated, and her eyes lit up. She quickly picked it up, but her excitement faded when she saw that the caller wasn''t Damon.

    As soon as she answered, Vrie''s

    voice came through. "N, I saw Damon tonight. He was having dinner at a couple''s restaurant with another woman."

    N''s heart sank. She bit her lip. "Are you sure you didn''t mistake someone else for him?"

    Vrie sighed. "I took a photo. I''ll send it to you shortly. Once you see it, you''ll know for sure if it was him."

    After hanging up, Vrie quickly sent the photo.

    N''s hands trembled as she opened it.

    She recognized Damon in the picture, and her knuckles turned white from gripping the phone. She could no longer deceive herself.

    The unease she had felt after he left

    night

    the ore had solidified into a

    harsh reality. Her heart felt like t

    was being squeezed, and hep breathing grew heavier.

 Chapter 304

    If they hadn''t been at a couple''s restaurant, sitting on the same side of the table, and if Damon hadn''t been serving her food, N might have convinced herself that the woman was merely a business partner of Prospectus Technology. She p

    put down her phone and lowered her head, her expression somber.

    The moment she saw the photo, she had the urge to call Damon and confront him, but she managed to

    calm herself at thest moment.

    N was merely using Damon. Even if he was involved with another woman, what right did she have to question him?

    After all, she hadn''t nned on being with him forever, had she?

    Her phone buzzed again, with Vrie sending several more messages.

    Vrie: [I looked into it. The woman''s name is Reba Austen, Damon''s first love. After receiving a full schrship, she went abroad, and they lost touch.]

    Vrie: [Not many people knew about their rtionship back then. After she went abroad, no one dared to mention her in front of Damon. If I hadn''t investigated, I wouldn''t have known he had a past rtionship.] Vrie: [N, if Damon really did something wrong to you, what are you going to do?]

    As N read Vrie''s messages, her face grew paler. Even after all these years, Damon had set a special ringtone for Reba, indicating that she was still important to him.

    N closed her eyes, trying to push away the troubling thoughts. It was a relief she hadn''t fallen for Damon. Otherwise, this would be even more painful.

    She stood up and headed back to her room.

    The maid hurried over. "Ms. Jayston, since Mr. Sumner hasn''t returned yet, would you like to have a bite

    to eat first?"

    "No, just clear away the food. He won''t being back tonight," N replied.

    The maid was momentarily stunned. By the time she reacted, N had already started up the stairs.

    Back in her bedroom, Ny on her bed, contemting her next move. If Damon nned to rekindle his rtionship with Reba, he would likely end things with her first. While she was lost in thought, her phone suddenly rang

    Upon seeing Damon''s name, her expression dimmed. It took her a moment to answer.

    "N, I''m sorry, I haven''t finished dealing with things yet. I won''t be able toe back anytime soon," Damon said.

    "Okay," N replied curtly.

    Noticing the chill in her tone, Damon hesitated and asked, "Did something happen?"

    N wanted to retort that he should know better than she did what was happening, but she held her

    tongue.

    "It''s nothing. I''m just a bit tired. Carry on with your work. I need to rest," she said.

    Without giving Damon a chance to respond, she ended the call.

    Damon''s expression darkened as he heard the busy tone. His grip on the phone tightened as he stood at the restaurant entrance. When Reba emerged from the restroom, she noticed Damon staring at his phone with a sullen look. She frowned.

    Since he hade to see her the night before, she had felt he was distracted. Even when he

    he seemed absent-mi

    Upon recalling what rk had said before she returned, a cold resolve shed in her eyes. Damon was hers alone, and she wouldn''t let anyone take him away!

    She approached him and asked sweetly, "Damon, what are you looking at?"

    Damon put away his phone and looked at her with a neutral expression. "Nothing. I''ll take you back."

    On the way back, Reba made several attempts to start a conversation, hoping to bridge the gap between them.

    However, Damon''s attitude remained distant,cking the warmth and consideration he had previously shown. When they reached her hotel, she turned to him and asked, "Do you want toe up and hang out for a while?"

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    305

    Between adults, the meaning of such a statement was often implied,

    Damon was indifferent. "It''s toote to go up now. Get some

    e rest.

    Reba was a bit disappointed but forced a smile. "Alright. Be safe going back."

    When Damon returned to the vi, it was already past 10:00 p.m.

    After changing his shoes and entering the living room, the maid approached him.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston waited a long time for you to return for dinner. In the end, she went upstairs without eating." she reported.

    "Okay, I understand. You can go rest," Damon replied.

    "Alright," the maid said and left.

    Damon rolled up his sleeves and went to the kitchen to prepare a te of sandwiches, which he took upstairs.

    When N heard the knock on the door, she assumed it was the maid and got up to answer it. Seeing the tall, familiar figure at the door, she was momentarily stunned and almost shut the door. Damon used his foot to block the door, looking apologetic. "N, I''m sorry I came back sote." N looked at him and saw no sign of guilt on his face, which only made her more disappointed. Did men who had wronged their girlfriends or wives always act as if nothing had happened? She looked down and replied coldly, "It''s fine. I don''t mind. I need to rest,"

    "I heard you didn''t have dinner tonight, so I made you some sandwiches," Damon offered.

    "No need, I''m not hungry," N declined.

    "Even if you''re not hungry, you should eat a little," Damon insisted.

    N looked up at him, struggling to keep herposure. She couldn''t resist asking, "Can+ask who were talking to on the phonest night?"

    As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Damon''s eyes widen slightly.

    "Why the sudden question?" he asked.

    "I''m just curious," she replied.

    "A business partner," he said.

    you

    Seeing him lying with a straight face, N briefly considered showing him the photo Vrie had sent and asking why a business partner would need him to spend an entire day with her at a couples'' restaurant and even serve her food. "Alright, I understand. If there''s nothing else, I need to rest," she said firmly.

    "Eat something first..." Damon began.

    Before he could finish, N interrupted, "I''m not hungry and

    eat.

    Can''t

    Yoad a long day at work. Can

    please leave me alone for a bit?"

    ZWY

    Noting her impatient gaze, Damon fell silent for a moment before finally conceding. "Alright. If you get hungryter, just let me know."

    "Sure." N gave a perfunctory nod and closed the door.

    The next morning, while Damon was having breakfast, the maid informed him that N had left for work early.

    He frowned and asked, "When did she leave?"

    "About an hour ago," the maid replied.

    Damon fell silent, sensing that N was deliberately avoiding him.

    As he pondered this, his phone rang.

    Seeing that it was Reba, he hesitated for a moment before answering.

    "What''s up?" he asked.

    "Damon, I identally fell and now I''m at the hospital. Can you-

    Damon interrupted with a frown, "Which hospital?"

    "Pinnacle Hospital," Reba replied.

    "I''ll be there right away," Damon said.

    By the time Damon arrived at the hospital, 30 minutes had passed.

    Reba was sitting in the hospital corridor, looking at Damon with a mixture of grievance and pain. "It hurts so much!" she cried.

    Damon nced at her bandaged knee, his expression remaining indifferent. "I''ll take you home." Seeing no sign of concern in his eyes, Reba instinctively tightened her

    grip on his arm. "Okay," she said and reached out to Damon. "My leg hurts and I can''t walk. Can you help me?"

 Chapter 306

    Damon stared at her nkly. "Reba, you never used to y these petty games."

    Reba hesitated for a moment before slowly withdrawing her hand. She replied calmly, "You used to never refuse me."

    "I told you, I have a girlfriend now," Damon stated firmly.

    Reba looked up at him and asked, "Do you love her?"

    Damon remained silent.

    Reba felt a glimmer of confidence and said, "If you really loved her, you would admit it without hesitation."

    Damon frowned. "Reba, I didn''t admit it because I don''t want to hurt you."

    Reba''s smile faltered. After a moment, she softly said, "It''s fine if you love her. You''ll fall in love with me again."

    Damon wanted to tell her that he wouldn''t fall for her again-that for him, they were long over. But seeing the sadness on her face, he couldn''t bring himself to say it. "Let''s go," he said, turning toward the hospital exit.

    Reba caught up with him, trying to walk beside him as she used to. He stepped back slightly.

    "Reba, while I''ve agreed to take care of you during this time, I hope you can keep your distance," Damon said, his tone cold.

    The warmth that once filled his eyes was gone.

    Reba looked at him with a bitter expression. ''Have lost even the right to be close to you now?"

    Damon didn''t answer, his gaze detached.

    Finally, Reba forced a bitter smile. "Alright, I understand."

    After dropping Reba off at her ce, Damon drove directly to the office.

    As soon as he arrived on the top floor, Spencer approached him cautiously and said in a low voice, "Mr.

    ner, your father is here.

    He''s in your office."

    Damon''s gaze hardened as he replied coldly, "Got it."

    Upon entering the office, Damon found Richard sitting on the sofa..

    Seeing Damon, Richard snorted. "Are you really nning to sever ties with us?"

    Damon sat down across from him, his expression neutral. "You were the one who wanted to cut ties. I never said anything like that." ''Damn it! I said that in anger! Richard huffed.

    Damon looked at him steadily. "So, what brings you here today?"

    Richard took a deep breath, his

    softening slightly. Although Cyru

    made some mistakes, he''s still your brother. Are you really not going to help him?"

    "You should know that I''m with N now. I haven''t helped her precisely because she''s dealing with my brother," Damon replied. Richard''s face darkened. "Are you really going to disregard your family just for a woman?!"

    "She might be my wife in the future, and she will be my family too," Damon countered.

    "Are you out of your mind?! If you really marry her, everyone in the city willugh at the Sumners!" Richard growled.

    "I don''t care what others think. I won''t let their opinions influence the decisions I make," Damon stated firmly.

    Richard pointed at him, wanting to yell but finding himself at a loss for words. He had already exhausted all his arguments.

    "You''re hopeless!" he cried in frustration before storming out.

    Since Damon was so unreasonable, Richard decided to approach N instead.

    N was somewhat surprised that Richard hade to see her. After all, theirst encounter at the Sumner residence had ended badly, and she had assumed he wouldn''t lower himself toe to her.

 Chapter 307

    "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here?" N asked.

    Seeing N''sposed demeanor, Richard frowned, his tone condescending. "Name your price, as long as you agree to let Cyrus go."

    N remained calm. "And how much are you offering?

    "That depends on your demand. The incident happened so many years ago. Even if you send Cyrus to prison, I can still find a way to get him out. Stubbornness won''t benefit you," Richard stated. N stood up, her tone t. "Since you''ve put it that way, there''s no point in continuing this conversation." Richard''s expression turned icy. "What do you mean by that?"

    "I mean, I don''t think we cane to an agreement. I have work to do, so I''ll take my leave now." With that, N turned and walked out.

    Watching her leave, Richard felt his frustration reaching a boiling point. If she wouldn''t ept his offer, he wouldn''t hold back any longer.

    He called one of his subordinates, gritting his teeth. "Investigate Harris Pharmaceuticals. I refuse to believe Harrison has never been involved in anything shady!" Back at theb, Melody noticed N''s pale face and asked with concern, "N, are you alright? Did something happen?"

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing. Just focus on your work."

    That evening, N received a call from Gabriel.

    "Are you free tonight? Let''s have dinner together," he invited.

    Surprised, N paused for a moment before replying, "Sure, where are you? I''ll book the restaurant."

    Gabriel, who hadn''t returned to Saintornia for years, was unfamiliar with the area. He didn''t insist on choosing a ce himself and gave N the name of his hotel.

    After hanging up, N made a reservation and pondered why Gabriel had suddenly returned to the city. Given his career prospects abroad, it seemed he would have better opportunities elsewhere. Unable to reach a clear conclusion, she decided to set the thought aside.

    Later, as N was about to leave work, she received a text from Damon asking her to wait for him so they could go home together.

    N stared at the text for a moment before replying that she had ns for dinner.

    Momentster, Damon called her directly. "Who are you having dinner with?"

    "A friend," she replied.

    Damon frowned. He knew N''s close friend in the city was likely Valorie. If it were her, N would have

    "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here?" N asked.

    Seeing N''sposed demeanor, Richard frowned, his tone condescending. "Name your price, as long as you agree to let Cyrus go." N remained calm. "And how much are you offering?

    "That depends on your demand. The incident happened so many years ago. Even if you send Cyrus to prison, I can still find a way to get him out. Stubbornness won''t benefit you," Richard stated.

    N stood up, her tone t. "Since you''ve put it that way, there''s no point in continuing this conversation."

    Richard''s expression turned icy. "What do you mean by that?"

    "I mean, I don''t think we cane to an agreement. I have work to do, so I''ll take my leave now." With that, N turned and walked out.

    Watching her leave, Richard felt his frustration reaching a boiling point. If she wouldn''t ept his offer, he wouldn''t hold back any longer.

    He called one of his subordinates, gritting his teeth. "Investigate Harris Pharmaceuticals. I refuse to believe Harrison has never been involved in anything shady!" Back at theb, Melody noticed N''s pale face and asked with concern, "N, are you alright? Did something happen?"

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing. Just focus on your work."

    That evening. N received a call from Gabriel.

    "Are you free tonight? Let''s have dinner together," he invited.

    Surprised, N paused for a moment before replying, "Sure, where are you? I''ll book the restaurant."

    Gabriel, who hadn''t returned to

    Saintomnia for years, was unfamiliar

    with the area. He didn''t insist on

    choosing a ce himself and gave N the name of his hotel.

    After hanging up, N made a reservation and pondered why Gabriel had suddenly returned to the city. Given his career prospects abroad, it seemed he would have better opportunities elsewhere. Unable to reach a clear conclusion, she decided to set the thought aside.

    Later, as N was about to leave work, she received a text from Damon asking her to wait for him so they could go home together.

    N stared at the text for a moment before replying that she had ns for dinner.

    Momentster, Damon called her directly. "Who are you having dinner with?"

    "A friend," she replied.

    Damon frowned. He knew N''s close friend in the city was likely Vrie. If it were her, N would have

 Chapter 308

    "Long time no see," N greeted.

    Gabriel approached her with a smile. "Yeah, it''s been a while."

    It had been five to six years since theyst met, and they hadn''t kept in touch much, so N felt a bit awkward.

    "Let''s head inside," she said.

    Once they were seated and had ordered their food, N turned to Gabriel and asked, "What made you decide to return and

    develop your career locally? Wren mentioned that your sry abroad was quite high. If you had stayed a few more years, you could probably have settled down there."

    Gabriel was momentarily distracted by seeing her face up close again, but he quicklyposed himself. I''ve gotten used to the food here."

    N looked surprised and seemed skeptical. "Is it really that simple?"

    "Yeah," Gabriel replied.

    "Alright, so have you already found a job, or are you nning to take some time off?" she asked.

    Gabriel took a sip of his water, lightly tapping the ss, and said, "Actually, I had an interview with Prospectus Technology today."

    N almost spat out her drink, her eyes widening with disbelief. "You''re joining Prospectus Technology?" "What''s wrong with that?" Gabriel asked.

    N quickly shook her head. "It''s just that Prospectus Technology is such arge conglomerate with many industries. I thought, given your background, you''d prefer to work for apany that focuses on drug research or pharmaceuticals."

    Before Harris Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt, Harrison had nned for N to focus on drug research and eventually take over thepany.

    Gabriel, ording to Wren, also had a passion for drug research, and both he and N had applied to universities together.

    Harrison had initially nned to allocate part of the shares to Gabriel so he could assist N in thepany, but Gabriel had declined. Instead, he had applied for a full schrship to study abroad during his junior year and had returned only twice over the years. Moreover, after going abroad, he had be distant.

    N wondered if she had done

    ????

    y

    something to offend him. After starting her rtionship with rk, she focused more on him and lost touch with Gabriel.

    "Originally Prospectus Technology

    wasn''t on my radar, but since theret

    invited

    me for an interview, I decided

    to check it out," Gabriel exined.

    N couldn''t help but feel a bit nostalgic. "It seems that a talented person is always in demand wherever they go."

    Gabriel''s gaze remained cool as he looked at her. "Enough about me. How about you? How have you beentely?"

    N gave a bittersweet smile. "Wren must have told you about my divorce. My life''s a bit of a mess right

    now."

    Gabriel paused for a moment, his voice softening. "It''s not your fault. As long as you follow what you believe is right, I support you." N looked up at him, a mix of disbelief and gratitude in her eyes.

    Since her divorce from rk and Cyrus'' arrest, the Surriners and her family had pressured her to give up, urging her to stop.

    She hadn''t expected Gabriel to support her.

    "Aren''t you worried about being dragged into my problems?" she asked.

    bet

    "What you''re doing is right. Why should be worried? Besides, if the Sumners want to make a move

    against me, they''ll have to think

    twice," Gabriel said.

    Seeing his calm demeanor andck of fear toward the Sumners, N wondered if he was aware of how powerful they were in the city.

    Given the Sumners'' capabilities, dealing with them would be as easy as squashing an ant.

    As N was about to respond, her gaze suddenly froze as she looked past Gabriel toward the restaurant

    entrance.

 Chapter 309

    Chapter309

    Damon approached them with a smile, but N could sense his bad mood.

    Gabriel followed her gaze and noticed Damon, his eyes narrowing slightly as he perceived the hostility. Damon walked directly to N and sat down beside her. With a smile, he said, "N, I didn''t know you were having dinner with your brother, I would''ve joined you if I ha Gabriel looked at N, his expression questioning. ''This is?"

    Feeling the weight of both men''s gazes, N frowned.

    Just as she was about to introduce them, Damon interjected with a smile, "Mr. Hackett, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Damon Sumner, N''s boyfriend and the CEO of Prospectus Technology."

    Gabriel''s eyes flickered as he shook hands with Damon. "Hello, I''m Gabriel Hackett."

    In that brief exchange, only the two men understood the underlying tension.

    N asked Damon, "What are you doing here?"

    Damon released Gabriel''s hand and turned to her. "What''s wrong? Can''t I join you? It seems like you didn''t want me here."

    N replied, "I thought you might be busy."

    "No matter how busy I am, I can always find time to have dinner with your family, Damon said.

    Gabriel''s grip on the table tightened as Damon''s words reminded him of his role as N''s stepbrother. His gaze toward Damon began to show a hint of hostility.

    He had hoped that with N''s divorce from rk, he might have a chance. It now seemed that Damon had beaten him to it.

    "Then have a look at what you want. We just ordered for two," N said.

    Damon handed her the menu with a smile. "You pick. You know what I like."

    Since they hadn''t been together long, N wasn''t sure of his preferences. She didn''t want to embarrass him in front of Gabriel either, so she took the menu and ordered a few dishes. As she was ordering, the two men began talking, leaving her little chance to join in.

    After finishing dinner, Damon

    remained enthusiastic and said, "Mr. Hackett, it was a pleasure meeting you tonight. I enjoyed our conversation and hope we can have another dinner together soon."

    Gabriel nced at N, who had her head down, and remarked, "We''ll have another chance."

    Damon took N''s hand and smiled. "Let us give you a ride back to the hotel."

    "No need. My friend ising to pick me up, and I have some things to doter," Gabriel declined. Damon nodded. "Alright. We''ll head back then. See you

    Gabriel looked at N with a softer expression. "I''m going to visit your father tomorrow. Would you like toe along?"

    "No, I''ll go another time," N replied.

    "Okay, be safe on your way back," Gabriel said.

    "You too," N said.

    Once they were out of Gabriel''s sight, N pulled her hand away from Damon and walked directly to her

    car.

    As she reached the vehicle, Damon stopped her. "Are you upset?"

    N looked up at him, her expression tinged with anger. "Shouldn''t I be? Why did you suddenly show up tonight?"

    Damon''s smile faded slightly. "Do you not want me to meet Gabriel?"

    "That''s not the point," N said.

    "What do you mean? If you didn''t

    want me toe, it means you didn''t want to introduce me to your family or acknowledge my status, right?" Damon insisted.

    Facing his somewhat aggressive gaze, N sneered. "If an ex can make you disappear for a whole day, how could I possibly introduce you to my family or acknowledge you?"

 Chapter 310

    Damon''s expression momentarily froze. "When did you find out?"

    N''s tone was icy. "When you went to a couples'' restaurant with her for dinner."

    The two fell into silence, and the only sound was their breathing.

    After a long pause, seeing that he wasn''t going to speak. N turned to open the car door, ready to leave.

    Suddenly, Damon grabbed her wrist. "N, not telling you was my mistake. I''m sorry."

    N nced back at him. His features were blurred by the dim night, making it hard to read his expression. She pulled her hand away. "If you want to get back with her, I can move out tonight."

    Damon frowned. "I don''t want to get back with her. I didn''t tell you because I was afraid you''d misunderstand. I''m very clear that the person I care about now is you."

    N found his words somewhat amusing

    and looked at him with anger. "Afraid of me misunderstanding, so you spent an entire day with your ex? Afraid of me misunderstanding, so you made me wait for dinner while you went to a couples'' restaurant with her? I''d like to know, what woman wouldn''t misunderstand t

    As N spoke, her eyes grew red. She had assumed she had no expectations and could walk away at any time, but now she realized she had already fallen for him.

    It hurt deeply to see him entangled with his ex.

    Damon''s face grew pained, his eyes filled with guilt. "I''m sorry, but I can assure you, I never intended to get back with her."

    N looked up with tearful eyes and said slowly, "If you never intended to get back with her, can youpletely cut ties with her?"

    Damon''s expression froze.

    N wasn''t surprised andughed bitterly. "If you can''t, then let''s end it here."

    She had originally nned to use Damon to deter the Sumners from targeting her, but now she realized that doing so also meant getting hurt. She didn''t want to experience the pain of hopeful anticipation turning into disappointment again.

    "N, I absolutely won''t get back with her, but I can''t cut ties with her right now, Can you give me some time?" Damon pleaded.

    "Why not?" N demanded.

    "I can''t tell you why right now. Please, give me some time," Damon insisted.

    N''s disappointment was evident, her gaze growing cold. "You know how rk betrayed me, and you should understand that what hate most is a man involved with another woman.

    Yet now, not only are you entangled with Reba, but you also expect me to give you time. Do you think that''s reasonable?*

    Seeing Damon''s hesitant expression, N lowered her gaze. "Let''s leave it at that. I''ll take a leave

    tomorrow to move my things."

    With that, she pushed past him and got into her car, driving away.

    Later, N checked into a hotel, nning to stay there for a few days and search for a new ce over the weekend. With some money on hand, she considered finding a well secured neighborhood to avoid

    any further disturbances.

    The next morning, N took a leave from work and went straight to Damon''s vi. To her surprise, she found him sitting on the living room sofa, going through documents. N frowned slightly and said, "I''m here to collect my things."

    With that, she headed upstairs.

    As she was packing, Damon entered the room and said softly, "N, let''s talk."

    "We already covered the things we needed to talk aboutst night," N replied.

 Chapter 311

    As N spoke, she packed her things quickly, preparing to leave.

    Damon stopped her. "Are you really leaving?"

    "If I don''t leave now, am I supposed to wait until you get back together with Reba and then get kicked out? I''m not that blind or foolish," N countered. "I won''t get back with her," Damon repeated.

    N looked up at him, her expression serious. "Do you know? rk used to tell me he wouldn''t continue to be entangled with Jordyn, and look what happened.

    A trace of coldness flickered across Damon''s face, and his voice grew somber. "I''m not like him."

    "What''s the difference? You''re both involved with other women and seem to lie. I''m not going through this again," N stated tly.

    Damon was at a loss for words. His actions had certainly made her feel insecure.

    "N, give me three months. I''ll resolve this issue," he promised.

    N pushed him aside. "I won''t wait for you."

    With that, she left.

    It wasn''t until she was outside the vi that the tears began to fall. She wiped them away, forced herself to pull it together, and drove off after putting her suitcase in the car. After N left, Damon spent the entire afternoon in his study.

    When dinner time came, a nervous maid knocked on the door. "Mr. Sumner, it''s time for dinner.

    "I''m not hungry," Damon replied.

    There was a brief silence before the maid''s voice came again. "Even if you''re not hungry, you should eat something. Ms. Jayston wille back once she''s

    thought things through."

    Although the maid said this, she knew that N would never return as long as Damon remained entangled with Reba.

    When no response came from the room,

    food the maid sighed. "I''ve left th the warmer. If you get thet , you can help your get 14

    As her footsteps faded away,

    Damon stared at the documents in his hand for several minutes but couldn''t focus on a single word. His mind was upied by the image of N leaving resolutely.

    Frustrated, he tossed the documents onto the table, grabbed his car keys, and left.

    At the club...

    Damon downed drink after drink, his dark expression creating a frightening aura around him.

    "Damon, what''s wrong? Heartbroken?" Nathaniel teased.

    Damon red at him, noting his apparent delight. "Can''t you keep your mouth shut?"

    Realizing Damon was genuinely angry, Nathaniel quickly wiped the smirk off his face. "Did I hit the nail on the head?"

    Damon didn''t respond, and the atmosphere in the room grew even heavier.

    Just as Nathaniel was trying to think of something to lighten the mood, Damon''s phone rang.

    At the sound of the ringtone, Nathaniel''s expression changed. He abruptly looked up at Damon.

    Damon hung up with a neutral expression, but the caller tried again. As he prepared to hang up once more, Nathaniel snatched the phone from him, his, Nathaniel snatched the phone from him, his hand tightening when he saw the name on the screen.

    "Reba... Why is she contacting you all of a sudden?" Nathanjel asked.

    Since leaving the country, Reba had cut off all contact with them. Nathaniel

    had tried to find her but was told not to contact her again, as she hadn''t wanted to see anyone rted to Damon.

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent. "She''s back in the country."

    Nathaniel''s eyes widened in shock. "When did this happen? Why didn''t you tell me?!"

 Chapter 312

    "A few days ago," Damon replied.

    Nathaniel quickly asked, "Where is she now?"

    Noticing Nathaniel''s agitation, Damon took his phone back, ended the call, and turned it off. With an indifferent expression, he provided the name of a hotel. Nathaniel immediately got up and left in a hurry, his steps slightly erratic.

    Caleb looked at Damon, who remained expressionless. A hint of surprise shed in his eyes. "You really don''t have any feelings left for Reba?" Back in university, Damon had been aware that Nathaniel liked Reba and had always kept her close, not giving Nathaniel any chance to get near her. Could it really be that Damon had moved on sopletely?

    Damon took a sip of his drink and replied calmly, "The moment she left for abroad and proposed breaking up, there was no more chance for us.

    Caleb couldn''t help butugh, shaking his head. "That''s just like you."

    He had expected Damon to be despondent when Reba left, but surprisingly, Damon had returned to his old self within three days, showing no signs of heartbreak.

    Caleb and Nathaniel had both assumed he kept everything bottled up, but seeing him so nonchnt today, Caleb realized that Reba might not hold a candle to N in his heart. "Are you serious about N?" Caleb asked.

    At the mention of N, Damon paused, then downed his drink in one gulp.

    Caleb, understanding the situation, raised an eyebrow. "You should know that being with her will be much harder than being with Reba."

    Reba had only poor family conditions, and even then, Richard and Marie had opposed their rtionship. Not to mention, N not only had poor conditions but had also been married to rk.

    "Who I''m with is my own business. Others have no say in it," Damon stated.

    Caleb was a bit startled. When Richard and Marie had made things difficult for Reba, Damon had defended her, but he hadn''t been as resolute as he was now.

    "Just make sure you''re clear about what you want," Caleb advised.

    Damon remained silent, his expression still grim.

    Nathaniel arrived at Reba''s hotel.

    He had already discovered her room on the way, but once he

    reached the lobby, he hesitated about whether

    to go up.

    While he was contemting, a sweet voice called out from nearby, "Nathaniel?"

    Nathaniel stiffened and turned to see Reba standing a few steps away in a white dress. His eyes widened in disbelief. She was really back!

    Seeing Nathaniel frozen in ce, Reba walked up to him, her smile as pure and beautiful as it had been in university. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" she asked.

    As she approached, the subtle fragrance of her perfume enveloped him.

    Nathaniel gathered his thoughts and

    forced a

    Sue to see you here. It''s been Smile. "Reba, what an et

    since west met..."

    Reba didn''tment on his

    surprise. Instead, she softly said et

    "Yes, after so many years abroad, it

    was time toe back. There''s no ce like home."

    Nathaniel paused before asking seriously, "Are you back because you want to get back together with Damon?"

    "I originally thought about it, but since he already has a girlfriend, it seems impossible now," she replied.

    Seeing the disappointment and sadness on her face, Nathaniel frowned. "With

    your two years of rtionship with Damon, if you want to fight for him, it''s not impossible to win him back."

    "Really?" Reba looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Do you really think so?"

    Nathaniel''s heart was heavy, but he managed a smile. "Yes."

 Chapter 313

    Chapter313

    "Will you help me then?" Reba asked.

    Nathaniel regretted his words. He should have taken advantage of the opportunity instead of advising her to fight for Damon. Now, he wasmitted and had to stick to his promise. "If you need it," he replied.

    Reba finally smiled. She was about to respond when Nathaniel''s phone rang suddenly. Relieved, he quickly answered the call and stepped aside.

    After finishing the call, he returned to Reba and said, "Reba, I''m sorry, but something urgent just came up. Let''s exchange contact details and discuss this further next time." "Alright," Reba agreed.

    They exchanged contact information, and Nathaniel left.

    Reba watched him go with a smirk, her eyes narrowing slightly.

    N had anticipated trouble sleeping after leaving Damon''s vi, but to her surprise, she fell asleep quickly once she returned to her hotel room.

    She didn''t dream all night and woke up early the next morning, around 6:00 a.m.

    After washing up, tying her hair back, and applying light makeup, she slipped into a T-shirt and jeans and headed out for work.

    Upon arriving at Prospectus Technology, she ran into Melody.

    "Good morning, N!" Melody greeted.

    "Good morning," N replied.

    As they walked toward the office together, they didn''t notice the ck Maybach parked by the side of the road.

    The rear window of the car lowered, revealing Damon''s cold eyes fixed on N.

    She walked toward the office with Melody chatting and smiling, looking radiant in her casual outfit. The simplicity of her T-shirt and jeans made her appear youthful as if she were a fresh college graduate.

    After a night of drinking due to their breakup, Damon still had a splitting headache. Meanwhile, N seemed unaffected and even looked better than she had the day before. Noticing the rising tension in the car, Spencer cautiously spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, the morning meeting is approaching."

    Damon withdrew his gaze, his voice icy. "Let''s go."

    All day, the atmosphere in the CEO''s office on the top floor of Prospectus Technology was heavy with tension.

    Every secretary seemed on edge, dreading being called into Damon''s office.

    The product department manager walked out of Damon''s office looking dejected after being reprimanded.

    "Mr. Hogg, what''s wrong with Mr. Sumner today? He seems to be in a terrible mood." Although he had been reprimanded before, it had never felt this oppressive. Spencer nodded. "Be prepared. Mr. Sumner might be in a bad mood for quite some time."

    The product department manager was rendered speechless.

    As Spencer was about to offer some words offort, Damon''s voice came from the office. "Mr. Hogg,e in."

    The manager gave Spencer a sympathetic look before quickly making his exit. He didn''t want to risk being called back in for another scolding.

    Spencer entered the office to find Damon going through some documents with a stern expression.

    "Mr. Sumner, you wanted to see me?" he asked.

    "Yes. What''s going on with the Sr Enterprise deal? Why hasn''t it progressed?

    Damon demanded.

    "I was nning to update you on

    that at the afternoon meeting. This morning, contacted Sr

    ??????

    Enterprise, and they were vague. Upon further investigation, I discovered they had already signed the contract with Mr. rk the night before, "Spencer exined.

    Damon''s eyes shifted from the documents to Spencer, intensifying the pressure on him. "So you''re telling me that rk stole

    Prospectus Technology''s client, and you only found out a day after the contract was signed?"

 Chapter 314

    Spencer lowered his head, hesitant to speak. The loss of the major deal was significant, and he was puzzled as to why the other party would risk offending Prospectus Technology by working with rk''s smallpany. Damon''s eyes were filled with anger. "Go get the person in charge of this deal!"

    "Understood, I''ll go right away!" Spencer hurriedly left, eager not to be stopped by Damon.

    Since breaking up with N, Damon had be quite fearsome.

    Near noon, N and Melody went to the cafeteria for lunch.

    Melody noticed something odd and couldn''t help but ask, "N, aren''t you having lunch with Mr. Sumner?"

    They had only recently gotten together, so it seemed strange that N was acting as if nothing had changed. Just a few days ago, she would asionally check her phone for messages, but today she hadn''t looked at it at all. N pursed her lips and replied calmly, "We''ve broken up."

    "What?! You guys broke-" Melody quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with shock.

    It wasn''t until they had sat down with their food that she recovered from her surprise and leaned in to whisper, "How did you guys break up so suddenly? Did Mr. Sumner initiate it?"

    N picked up a piece of vegetable and said expressionlessly, "It doesn''t matter who initiated it. Let''s eat before the food gets cold."

    Seeing that N didn''t want to borate, Melody suppressed her curiosity. She pretended to focus on her meal while specting about the reason for their breakup.

    Halfway through their lunch, an HR representative came into the cafeteria to find N. "N, this is your new colleague. He''s responsible for another

    project, but his office is next to yours. Please get along well."

    N frowned when she saw the man standing next to HR. It was Gabriel.

    "Why didn''t you mention that you epted Prospectus Technology''s offer when west had dinner?" N asked.

    Gabriel smiled. "I interviewed with severalpanies, but I felt Prospectus Technology was the best fit for me in the end."

    Observing their interaction, the representative smiled and asked, "Oh, you two know each other?"

    Gabriel nodded. "Yes."

    "That''s great. I won''t introduce him

    further. N, I have other matters to attend to. His desk is right next to yours, so please show him to his officeter," the representative requested.

    "Alright," N agreed.

    After the representative left, Melody''s inquisitive eyes darted between N and Gabriel, a mischievous smile on her face. "N, I didn''t know you had such a handsome friend!"

    N nced at her and replied without much enthusiasm, "This is my brother. Gabriel, this is Melody Sorley, my colleague."

    Upon hearing N introduce him as her brother, Gabriel smiled. "Ms. Sorley, nice to meet you. I''m Gabriel Hackett."

    Melody quickly shook his hand and

    said, "Nice to meet you too. I''m Melody. Since you''re siblings, why do you have differentst names? Is it because one of you takes after your father and the other after your mother?"

    Gabriel''s smile widened. "No. Wee from a blended family."

    Melody understood immediately and nodded. "Oh."

    N, not wanting to continue the topic, turned to Gabriel. "Have you had lunch yet?"

    "Not yet. I''m not familiar with what''s good here. Can you rmend

    445300US

    something?" Gabriel asked.

    N thought for a moment and said, "I remember you don''t like spicy food. There''s probably something you might like upstairs." "Great," Gabriel said.

    After Gabriel left, Melody whispered, "N, your brother is so good-looking! If

    he doesn''t have a girlfriend, I''m definitely going to try to win him over!"

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    Chapter315

    N turned and noticed Melody''s starry-eyed expression, her surprise evident. She knew Gabriel was good-looking.

    Back in high school, when people found out she was his sister, many girls had asked her to pass love letters to him.

    Initially, Gabriel would just toss the letters in the trash with a scowl. Eventually, he became so fed up that he warned N to stop collecting them or he would tell Harrison.

    N hadn''t heard from Wren about any rtionships he might have had while being abroad these years. N shook her head. "I don''t know about that. If you''re curious, though, I can try to find out for you." Melody hugged N excitedly. "N, you''re the best! If I end up with him, I''ll definitely owe you one!" While they were talking, Gabriel returned with his food. He sat down next to N and began eating quietly.

    On the other side of the table, Melody gazed at him with starry eyes, almost

    drooling.

    Noticing Melody''s obvious infatuation, N cleared her throat softly to remind her not to go overboard. Gabriel had always disliked fangirls, and she suspected he hadn''t changed much. None of them noticed a tall figure walking into the dining area.

    As soon as Damon entered, he spotted N and Gabriel, who was beside her. His frown deepened, looking like it could crush a fly.

    Spencer, following behind, felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees and shivered involuntarily.

    As he wondered about the sudden chill, Damon''s cold voice echoed. "Send a notice that from now on, no men and women are allowed to sit together in the dining hall."

    *25 BOMUS

    Spencer was taken aback. What kind of strange rule was that?

    However, seeing N and Gabriel chatting happy and then looking at Damon''s dark face, he finally understood.

    rule a wasn''t just making a general

    rule about men and women eating

    together-he was clearly jealous!???

    ¨¤ was sitting with anothe

    man.

    "Mr. Sumner, the person next to Ms. Jayston is her stepbrother," Spencer informed.

    Damon turned and shot him an icy re. "Who she''s sitting with is none of my business. Stop talking"

    Seeing Damon''s stubborn

    demeanor, Spencer managed to suppress a smile. He nodded and said, "Understood. Gabriel is also a warug researcher at our

    new

    "Don''t bother me with these small matters in the future," Damon retorted.

    "Got it," Spencer replied

    As Damon walked past N, he ignored herpletely and left quickly.

    Although N was smiling and talking to Gabriel, her grip on her cutlery tightened, her knuckles turning white, as Damon passed by.

    She lowered her gaze to her te,pletely losing her appetite. She

    had hoped to remain indifferent?

    upon seeing Damon again, but his presence stirred her emotions

    Noticing her change in demeanor, Gabriel asked gently, "Why aren''t you eating more?*

    ''T''m full," N replied

    "You''re too thin. You should eat more," Gabriel advised.

    N frowned. "I''m really full."

    She picked up her te and stood up. "I need to get some fresh air. I''ll wait for you outside."

    Chapter $15

    As N was about to leave after clearing her te, she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of deep, dark eyes.

 Chapter 316

    N clenched her hands at her sides and looked down, pretending not to see Damon. As she walked past him, her heart raced, fearing he might do something to draw attention.

    His gaze had been unsettling, after all.

    It wasn''t until she exited the dining hall that she felt the weight of his stare lift. With a sigh of relief, she frowned. They were no longer together, so why did he still look at her like that?

    Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stop thinking about it. They no longer had any connection, and it was best to treat future encounters as if they were strangers.

    Soon, Melody and Gabriel left the dining hall and headed back to theb building with N.

    N showed Gabriel to his desk and briefly exined the storage of experimental drugs before retreating to her own space for a nap.

    The afternoon passed quickly, and just before the end of the workday, Melody came over to N and whispered, "N, remember to ask your brother if he has a girlfriend! Whether I can find someone depends on you!" N couldn''t help butugh and nodded. "Got it."

    "Alright, I''m heading out now. Let me know if you find anything out," Melody chirped.

    After Melody left, N continued tidying up theb equipment.

    By the time she finished, it was already several minutes past the hour. As she turned to leave, she saw Gabriel standing by the door.

    "What''s up?" N asked.

    Gabriel smiled. "I need a favor."

    N looked curious. "What''s the matter?

    She had assumed Gabriel would keep a respectful distance even after returning to the country, but now he was asking her for help.

    Gabriel sighed, looking a bit

    frustrated. "My mother just asked

    me to go on a blind date now that

    I''m back. refused, but it didn''t work. Could you pretend to be my

    yel

    turn

    girlfriend tonight and help me down the person?"

    N was about to refuse but then considered that this might be a chance for Melody and Gabriel to interact. She said, "I have ns

    tonight, so I can''t help. but M

    might be avable. Let me check with her."

    Gabriel''s expression faltered for a moment, and he hesitated before speaking." Is that okay? We just met today, and asking her to do this might be a bit much..."

    "She''s very helpful. I''ll call her now," N said.

    Before Gabriel could object, she had already dialed Melody''s number.

    After hanging up, she looked at him and said, "She agreed. Did you drive today?" Gabriel nodded, "Yes."

    "Great. Then you can pick her up and go to the blind date together," N said.

    Gabriel''s gaze dimmed slightly as he replied, "Alright."

    "Unless there''s anything else, I''ll head out now." With that, N turned and left before he had a chance to respond. Watching her go, Gabriel smiled slowly. It was fine-he had plenty of time.

    Not long after arriving home, N received a call from Melody.

    "N, I feel like your brother was a bit cold to me. Does he dislike me?" Melody asked.

    N remembered that Gabriel had always been indifferent toward girls. "No, don''t worry. It''s just his personality."

    Melody sighed in relief. "That''s good. I was worried he might not like me."

 Chapter 317

    Hearing the anxiety in Melody''s voice, N couldn''t help but smile. "Don''t worry. If he really dislikes someone, he won''t even speak to them."

    Melody said, "He''s my first crush, so naturally, I''m a bit anxious. I hope I didn''t disturb you."

    "No, don''t worry. I''ll try to create opportunities for you two to be alone," N reassured her.

    Melody was deeply touched. "Oh, N, you''re the best!"

    After exchanging a few moreforting words, N ended the call. She set her phone down and reflected on how even someone as carefree as Melody could feel insecure about matters of the heart. Upon thinking about her own recent breakup with Damon, N''s expression grew somber. She took a deep breath, forced herself to move on, and prepared for bed.

    The next morning, as N walked into the office, she felt the eyes of her colleagues on her.

    Once she reached her office, Melody hurried over, her tone filled with anger." N, did you break up with Mr. Sumner because of his ex?"

    N was taken aback. "How do you know about this?"

    "I knew it!" Melody eximed indignantly. "Last night, someone took photos of him helping his ex into a car. Now everyone in the office is saying he dumped you!" N was silent for a moment before quietly uttering, "Oh."

    "You''re just going to ept this? Aren''t you angry about what they''re saying? It''s so infuriating!" Melodyined.

    Seeing Melody''s upset expression, N found it somewhat endearing. She couldn''t help but pinch her cheek, smiling. "It''s alright, don''t get too worked up.

    17

    People will say what they want, and there''s nothing we can do about it. Just ignore them."

    "Don''t you want to set the record straight?" Melody asked.

    N shook her head. "There''s nothing to rify. Whatever I say, they won''t believe it and will only criticize me more. It''s best to let it blow over." "Okay, I couldn''t stay this calm. If I were you, I''d make a huge fuss," Melody

    huffed.

    Nughed softly but chose not toment further.

    If the situation escted, the only person who would end up embarrassed was her. People often only saw what they wanted to see, not the truth.

    The atmosphere in the CEO''s office

    at Prospectus Technology was stifling as Damon learned that employees were gossiping about his breakup with N, specting it was because of Reba.

    "These employees must have too much idle time!" Damon said, his voice icy.

    Spencer, keeping his gaze lowered, replied cautiously, "Mr. Sumner, it''s best to let this situation blow over. In a few days, people will stop talking about it." ¨¦n.swnovels

    "Make a statement. Announce that I am not getting back together with Reba and that N ended the rtionship, not the other way around. I want them to stop talking!" Damon ordered.

    Spencer hesitated. "Mr. Sumner, if we issue a statement, it might just fuel more spection."

    "Let them specte all they want. They''ll only focus on how N dumped me, not the other way around," Damon retorted.

    He was adamant about not letting anyone speak ill of her.

    Spencer couldn''t help but think that if Damon cared this much, he should distance himself from Reba rather than appear in suggestive photographs,

 Chapter 318

    Noticing Spencer''s silence, Damon frowned. "Is there something else?"

    After a moment of hesitation, Spencer spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, I think you should reconsider. The rumors circting in thepany are just hearsay. You could issue a statement prohibiting discussions about your personal life, but there''s no need to rify your rtionship with Ms. Austen."

    If all the employees learned that N had dumped Damon, it might cause an even bigger stir.

    Damon was silent for a few seconds before replying in a deep voice, "Fine, we''ll handle it your way."

    Soon after, the CEO''s office issued a statement banning employees from discussing Damon''s personal life. Anyone caught doing so would be terminated. N and Melody were busy with experiments all morning and didn''t check their phones until lunchtime. It was then that Gabriel informed them of the situation

    As Gabriel spoke, he kept a close eye on N. When he saw that N''s expression remained calm and indifferent, he looked away, trying to appear casual. Melody was fuming "I really misjudged Mr. Sumner. I thought he was

    someone reliable, but now it seems he''s not. He must be getting back together with his ex. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have issued a ban on discussing it instead of denying the rumors? Even Melody felt that Damon''s statement was meant to protect Reba, let alone N herself. She looked down at the documents on her desk, a hint of self-mockery in her eyes. At least she hadn''t deluded herself into thinking Damon would choose her Otherwise, she''d really be a joke now

    Upon seeing Melody''s feaction, Gabriel''s gaze softened "Melody, let''s not talk

    ***BONUS

    about this anymore."

    Under Gabriel''s gentle gaze, Melody''s face flushed red. She quickly averted her eyes and stammered, "O-Okay..."

    As the office fell silent, N felt an unspoken tension. She took a deep breath and decided to step into the hallway for some fresh air.

    As soon as she stepped out of the office, Gabriel followed her.

    "N, are you still having a hard time letting go?" Gabriel asked, standing beside her with concern in his eyes.

    N pursed her lips and shook her head, "No, it''s just a bit stuffy in the office."

    "Even if you''re still struggling, that''s alright. Feelings aren''t something you can control. It takes time to over them," Gabriel said soothingly.

    get

    N looked at Gabriel in surprise. "You weren''t always theforting type before."

    She felt he had changed significantly since returning from abroad. The once sharp and distant young man had be much gentler and more approachable.

    "People change. After not seeing each other for so many years, we might need to get to know each other again," Gabriel suggested.

    Seeing his sincere expression, N couldn''t help but chuckle. She was about to reply when a cold voice interrupted from nearby, "I didn''t hire you for idle chit-chat. Have you finished your work?"

    Both of them turned to see Damon and Spencer standing a short distance away, their presence unexpected.

    Damon''s cold gaze lingered on them, his brow furrowed. A heavy, oppressive aura surrounded him.

    Spencer, standing behind Damon, couldn''t help but remind him, "Mr. Sumner, it''s lunchtime..."

    Damon''s expression darkened, his voice growing even colder. "Do I need you

    to remind me?"

    Spencer fell silent, regretting his words.

 Chapter 319

    Gabriel smiled. "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here un pectedly?"

    I''m here to check on your uing work ns," Damon replied

    Gabriel was momentarily taken aback. "Mr. Sumner, you don''t need toe in person for something so minor next time. Just have Mr. Hogg give me a call, and I''ll report to your office."

    Spencer looked down, pretending not to hear and wondering whether Gabriel was genuinely that oblivious.

    Damon hade personally to see N, How could he be concerned about a researcher''s work progress otherwise?

    Damon''s expression darkened. "So, you n to report here?"

    "Of course not. Our office is over here. Let me take you there," Gabriel said, leading Damon toward his office.

    As Damon passed by N, the air seemed to freeze with his icy demeanor.

    N pursed her lips and turned her gaze away.

    Damon''s footsteps halted. He turned coldly toward her. "Do you not want to see me, Ms. Jayston?"

    Not wanting to stir up trouble, N shook her head. "No."

    "Then why don''t you greet me?" Damon demanded.

    Spencer, trailing behind Damon, mused that Damon had clearlye to see N but was nowplicating matters for her. He even wondered whether Damon''s love had turned into hatred after their breakup. N took a deep breath, turned to Damon, and said slowly, "Hello, Mr. Sumner. Is this eptable?"

    "Do you think I''m looking for trouble?" Damon''s gaze was intense as if he would continue to make things difficult until he received a satisfactory answer.

    Feeling a surge of frustration, N forced a smile and replied, "You''re the CEO,

    so naturally, whatever you say goes."

    Damon narrowed his eyes, and his aura became more menacing.

    Gabriel quickly stepped in, pulling N behind him. "Mr. Sumner, she didn''t mean it that way. She''s just having a rough time with the experiments this morning, so her attitude might not be the best. I''m sure you understand."

    There seemed to be frost in Damon''s eyes when he saw Gabriel grab N''s hand. Although others didn''t notice, Spencer knew that Damon was genuinely angry.

    "Does she need you to speak for her?" Damon questioned.

    Gabriel''s smile faltered slightly.

    Just as he was about to respond, N spoke up. "Gabriel, you don''t need to defend me. I meant exactly what Mr. Sumner thinks I meant."

    "N! Stop it!" Gabriel shot her a look, signaling her to stop provoking Damon.

    N, however, ignored him and pushed him aside. She looked at Damon and said coldly, "I don''t know what I did to upset you enough to make youe all the way from the top floor to hassle me, Mr. Sumner. But you''re right about one thing-I don''t want to see you."

    As soon as she finished speaking, the temperature around them seemed to drop sharply.

    Damon''s gaze remained fixed on N, his presence oppressive.

    N met his gaze without flinching, and the air seemed to grow heavy.

    Gabriel decided not to intervene. This was exactly the scenario he had hoped for, after all.

    Spencer thought that the next person who had to deliver documents to the top floor this afternoon was in for a rough time.

    After a moment of hesitation,

    Spencer spoke up to break the

    vel

    silence. "Mr: Sumner, weren''t you here to discuss Mr. Hackett''s uing project? There''s a

    meeting at 1:30 p.m. If we dy any longer, we might miss it."

 Chapter 320

    Finally, Damon shifted his icy gaze from N and turned to Gabriel. "Let''s go."

    Gabriel nodded and led Damon toward the office, leaving Spencer behind.

    Once the two men had entered, Spencer turned to N. "Ms. Jayston, don''t take Mr. Sumner''s words to heart. He actually-"

    Before he could finish, N interrupted, "Mr. Hogg, I won''t take it to heart. I''m just working at Prospectus Technology, not one of its employees. Besides, aside from any mistakes in my work, Mr. Sumner has no right to dictate how I should act." Spencer was at a loss for words and could only sigh in response.

    A few minutester, Gabriel and Damon emerged from the office.

    N ignored thempletely and walked straight to her own office.

    Damon''s expression darkened, but he remained silent.

    After Damon left, Gabriel returned to N''s desk. "N, I''d like to talk to you."

    Without looking up, N replied, "If it''s about what just happened, there''s no need to discuss it. I don''t think I did anything wrong."

    Nearby, Melody couldn''t help but eavesdrop, her curiosity piqued. Her instincts told her the conversation was rted to Damon.

    Gabriel smiled with a hint of helplessness. "You''re still as stubborn as ever. I''m not trying to lecture you. I just wanted to say that you don''t have to be so strong all the time. I can protect you."

    N found his words a bit strange but couldn''t quite pinpoint why. She frowned and looked up at him. "No need. I can handle things on my own without troubling others."

    Gabriel''s hands clenched involuntarily as he smiled. "I''m not just anyone. I''m your brother."

    "Even so, I don''t need it. I''m going to take a nap now, so you should rest too," N said. Cape To

    Without waiting for Gabriel''s reaction, she pulled out a pillow andy down

    Gabriel stood by her desk for a few seconds before turning and heading back to his desk

    The entire afternoon passed with Gabriel unable to find an opportunity to talk to N, so he eventually gave up.

    As work was ending. N received a text from Damon.

    Damon: Come to my office. I have something to discuss with you. It''s work-rted

    After reading it, N responded with a cold, indifferent message and left the office

    Damon had been waiting for her reply.

    When his phone buzzed within a minute, he quickly checked it, and his expression darkened immediately

    N: [Mr. Sumner, it''s after working hours. If it''s work-rted, please contact me during office hours tomorrow]

    Spencer walked in with documents and couldn''t help shuddering when he saw Damon''s grim face

    Since the breakup. Damon''s mood had been as unpredictable as the weather in Saintornia

    "Mr. Sumner, these are the documents that need your signature today." Spencer said. Seeing Damon''s silence, Spencer carefully ced the documents on the desk and turned to leave

    A momentter, Damon''s cold voice came from behind. "Important cuments should be sent to my

    Leave the rest until tomorrow."

    *

    Spencer hadn''t even turned around before Damon stormed out of the office, leaving him to guess that

    Damon was heading straight to t

    N.

    While driving swiftly to the hotel where N was staying, Damon called her.

    After several rings, the call was

    find

    ad, and N''s voice , cold and distant cameet

    Helmet

    Sumner, it''s after working hours."

 Chapter 321

    N''s voice was impatient, indicating she didn''t want any contact with him.

    Damon''s gaze dimmed. "I understand. I''m here for personal matters. I''m currently downstairs at your hotel."

    N let out a sarcasticugh. "If it''s personal, then we have even less to discuss. I''m noting down, so please leave."

    With that, she hung up.

    When Damon tried calling back, he found himself blocked, and his expression darkened. Since she wouldn''te down, he decided to find her himself.

    As he was about to get out of the car, his phone suddenly rang. When he saw it was Reba, his grip on the phone tightened.

    After a moment''s hesitation, he answered.

    Momentster, Damon''s ck Maybach pulled away from the hotel.

    ...

    By 8:00 p.m., N was watching a drama when a photo message from Melody popped up on her phone.

    N paused the video and opened the message. After seeing the photo, she involuntarily frowned.

    Melody: [N, Mr. Sumner is outrageous. Just a few days after breaking up with you, he''s already out with his ex-girlfriend, and the paparazzi caught them. Everyone at thepany is secretlyughing at you. It''s infuriating!] The photo was taken at a famous shopping mall in Saintornia.

    Damon was carrying several shopping bags-all from high-end women''s brands while Reba walked beside him, smiling happily.

    N thought Damon''s time management was starting to rival rk''s. Just aftering to the hotel to find her, he was already out shopping with Reba.

    N: [I''m not interested in such news, so don''t send me updates like this.]

    After sending the reply, N resumed watching the drama, but she was distracted.

    Realizing she couldn''t focus, she turned off the video and got up. She went to the window, taking deep breaths to try and shake off her frustration, but it didn''t work.

    Damon reconciling with Reba and still waiting downstairs at N''s hotel only made N more irritated. What did he want?

    After

    treat

    bo me thought, N decided to before. Any further entanglemenke

    him as if he didn''t exist,

    onlyplicate matters.

    ...

    Early the next morning, Damon was already waiting for N at the hotel entrance as she headed down.

    "N, let''s talk," he said.

    N''s reply was cold. "I have nothing to discuss with you. Please don''t harass me again."

    Damon frowned, his tone serious. "As long as you stay away from Gabriel, I won''t bother you for the next three months."

    N sneered. "He''s my brother and my colleague. Why should I stay away from him? You''re the one who should stay away from me."

    Her indifferent gaze cut through Damon like a sharp knife, causing him pain.

    "N, even though he''s your brother, you don''t share any blood rtion," he stated.

    "What do you mean?" N looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief and anger. "Do you suspect something between Gabriel and me?" Gabriel was her stepbrother. How could Damon think so poorly of them?!

    "I just don''t want you getting too close to other men," Damon said.

    N found itughable. "Damon, dol need to remind you that we have no rtionship now? On what grounds and with what right do you tell me to stay away from other men

 Chapter 322

    Damon''s gaze hardened. "N, I know I have no right to ask anything of you right now. In three months, I''ll tell you everything."

    "There''s no need. I''m not interested. I just hope you''ll stop looking for me," N said, then walked past him and left.

    In the following days, Damon did note looking for N again, but gossip about him and Reba spread like wildfire throughout thepany.

    At first, Melody would get upset, but seeing that N genuinely didn''t care, she stopped bringing it up in front of her.

    N''s life gradually returned to normal. Besides going to work, she spent her time having real estate agents show her apartments. Staying in a hotel long-term wasn''t convenient.

    ...

    After work on Friday, N was about to leave when Gabriel stopped her.

    "N, have you been looking for a ce recently?" he asked.

    It wasn''t surprising that Gabriel knew. N often browsed through listings from real estate agents during lunch breaks and used apps to search for ces on her phone. "Yeah, what about it?" she asked.

    "I''ve been looking for a ce too. Why don''t we look together? If we live close by, we can look out for each other," Gabriel suggested.

    N frowned, about to refuse, but Gabriel continued. "I visited your dadst night. He and my mom don''t want to move abroad. They''d rather stay here where we can look after them. Moving to a foreign country where they don''t know anyone would be too inconvenient.

    "My mom''s lease is almost up, so I''m nning to rent a bigger ce and have her move in with me. Then, when your dad is feeling better, he coulde and stay with us for a while too.

    "But if you don''t want to live too close, we can find separate ces. Don''t worry about your dad-I''ll take care of him."

    N pressed her lips together. "Okay, let''s look together then."

    Gabriel smiled. "Alright."

    He knew well that N wouldn''t have agreed to look for a ce together if he hadn''t mentioned thest part.

    ...

    Over the next two days, they continued viewing apartments.

    By Sunday afternoon, they finally settled on a more upscaleplex near Prospectus Technology. They rented apartments in the same building, though not on the same floor.

    After signing the lease, Gabriel suggested they grab dinner together, and they chose a nearby restaurant. Midway through their meal, they ran into rk, who had just finished a business meeting with a client.

    Vl

    When rk saw N, his eyes glinted with a cold edge. After bidding farewell to his client with a smile, he turned and approached their table.

    "N, I heard Uncle Damon dumped you?" he asked.

    Annoyance shed in N''s eyes. She said nothing, clearly uninterested in engaging with him.

    rk''s smile faltered, his hands clenching at his sides. How dare she ignore him, especially after Damon had discarded her?!

    Taking a deep breath, rk looked.

    at

    spoke slowly.

    Five you to be so:

    Are you still mad at m

    Sworn.

    N hadn''t wanted to engage with him, but having a pesky fly buzzing around while she ate was irritating.

    She looked at rk and said, "Could you do me a favor and buzz off? You''re ruining my appetite."

    rk''s face darkened instantly.

    After a few moments, he sneered. "Fine. I came over to offerfort, but it seems you don''t appreciate the gesture."

    N smiled and remarked, "The best thing you can do is stay away from me. That would be more than enough kindness." rk was momentarily stunned by her smile, caught off guard.

 Chapter 323

    When rk finally processed what N had said, he scowled.

    "You''ll regret this!" he spat before storming off.

    N remained unfazed, calmly continuing to eat.

    Seeing that she showed no signs of distress, Gabriel lowered his eyes with a smile. "Looks like you''re really over him."

    N''s tone was even. "He''s just a scumbag. Not worth my time."

    Gabriel nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, you''ll find someone better."

    N didn''t reply.

    At this point, she felt that spending time on a rtionship wasn''t nearly as productive as focusing on her career.

    ...

    After they finished eating, Gabriel drove N back to her hotel before heading home.

    As soon as he walked in, he saw Wren sitting on the sofa with an angry expression.

    Surprised, he asked as he took off his shoes, "Mom, you''re not going to the hospital tonight?"

    "What happened at that blind date the other day? I heard you brought another woman with you," Wren questioned.

    Gabriel hummed in response.

    "Who was she? Was it N?" Wren asked.

    The girl Gabriel had gone on a blind date with was the daughter of Wren''s friend.

    Wren had initially thought it was simply a case of them not hitting it off, but her friend had called today and mocked her. She revealed that Gabriel had brought another woman along, infuriating her daughter. Wren had had to apologize profusely to calm her friend down.

    After hanging up, Wren reflected and figured that Gabriel had just returned to the country, so he could hardly find a woman to pretend to be his girlfriend other than N.

    The idea that N was involved made her even angrier. N''s own marriage was a mess-did she want Gabriel''s life to turn out the same way?

    Sensing the dissatisfaction in Wren''s voice, Gabriel frowned and replied coldly, "No, it was a colleague."

    "You just started working. Which colleague of yours is so eager to help you lie?" Wren demanded.

    Gabriel''s patience was wearing thin as he faced Wren''s aggressive questioning. "What''s the point of digging into this? I told you from the start I wasn''t interested in your blind dates, but you insisted. Now that you''ve brought this up, let me make it clear once and for all-don''t set me up on any more dates."

    Wren shot up from the couch, shouting, If you could find

    someone, I wouldn''t have to worry! You are almost 30 and are not even thinking about settling down Do you n on being alone forever?"

    "Being alone is better than being with someone I don''t love. If you arrange another date without my consent, I won''t go," Gabriel dered. "You''re trying to drive me to my grave, aren''t you?!" Wren fumed.

    Gabriel ignored her and went straight to his bedroom.

    ...

    The next morning, Wren headed directly to Prospectus Technology. Instead of looking for Gabriel, she contacted N.

    They met at the caf¨¦ downstairs.

    "Is there something you need me for?" N asked.

    Wren''s expression was icy, her tone

    dripping with sarcasm. "N, you''re my stepdaughter. I wouldn''t

    normally interfere, but your actions are affecting Gabriel, and I have to say something."

    N felt lost but anticipated that Wren''s words wouldn''t be favorable, so her expression darkened. "Wren, how have I affected him?" Wren snorted, her voice full of certainty. "The blind date I arranged for Gabriel-you ruined it, didn''t you?"

    N frowned. "Is that what Gabriel told you?"

 Chapter 324

    "Gabriel sees you as a sister, so of course, he wouldn''t say it directly," Wren said with a sneer.

    "But the girl he was on a date with did. She said he brought another woman along, iming she was his girlfriend. He''s just returned to the country and doesn''t know many people in Saintornia. If you weren''t the one he brought, who else could it be?" she demanded. N looked at Wren intently. "Wren, shouldn''t you consider why you''re pushing him to go on dates when he''s just back and hasn''t even settled into his job yet?"

    Wrenughed coldly, her tone sharp. "Gabriel isn''t like you, already married once and willing to settle for any divorced man. I have to be concerned about his future. If you have nothing to do, you should stay away from him and not ruin his rtionships!" N''s gaze turned icy.

    Just as she was about to respond, the chair next to her was abruptly pulled out. She turned instinctively and saw Damon sitting down beside her.

    He wore a smile, but his eyes were devoid of warmth, sending a chill down one''s spine. "Mrs. Jayston, I didn''t quite catch what you just said. Why don''t you repeat it?"

    Facing Damon''s cold gaze, Wren lost all her earlier arrogance. She forced a smile, trying to cate him. After all, with Gabriel working at Prospectus Technology, offending Damon could spell trouble for him.

    "Mr. Sumner, I was just chatting casually with N," she said.

    Damon looked at her icily. "What kind of casual chat makes you suggest that she should settle for any divorced man in the future? Have you forgotten that you''re also divorced and even brought a son into your second marriage?" Wren''s smile froze, her face paling. She hadn''t expected Damon to be so blunt.

    The atmosphere grew tense and awkward.

    After a few seconds of silence, Wren forced another smile. "Mr. Sumner, that''s not what I meant. It''s just that having been through a divorce myself, I know how difficult it is for divorced women. That''s why-"

    "So you decided to kick someone when they''re down?" Damon interrupted.

    Wren was rendered speechless. She nced at N, who remained indifferent, and felt embarrassed. "N, please tell Mr. Sumnerche''s misunderstood me."

    N smiled, stood up, and replied, "Wren, we both know exactly what you meant. Unless it''s something §Ö

    important, please don''te looking for me. I wouldn''t want to make your life any harder."

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    "Mr. Sumner, I" Wren began.

    Damon cut her off, "Mrs. Jayston, ifl

    ever see or hear about you doing

    ĐÄ

    anything to hurt N again, your son

    can forget about having a career in Saintornia."

    His icy stare made Wren shiver, draining the color from her face and leaving her speechless.

    Noting her fear, Damon lost interest in staying any longer. He rose and went after N.

    He caught up with her in front of the elevator and warned sternly, "From now on, keep your distance from Gabriel."

    N watched the floor numbers change as the elevator descended, saying nothing as if she hadn''t heard him.

    Damon frowned, his voice growing colder. "Did you hear me?"

    Hismanding tone made N frown, but she remained silent.

    Damon''s anger morphed into a snicker. "Do you think ignoring me will make me go away?"

    He grabbed N''s hand and pulled her into the stairwell.

    "What are you doing?! Let go of me!" N eximed angrily, her gaze filled with repulsion.

 Chapter 325

    "I thought you were nning to never speak to me again," Damon said, gripping N''s chin and forcing her to look at him.

    N pped his hand away, her voice icy. "Mr. Sumner, there''s nothing to discuss between us. What you''re doing now is sexual harassment. If you don''t want me to call the police, let me go right- Mmph!" Before she could finish, Damon kissed her.

    N froze for a moment, then bit him hard, the taste of blood filling her mouth.

    Damon let her go, his expression darkening. "Are you part dog?"

    Seeing his lower lip bleeding, N sneered. "If you darey a hand on me again, this will just be the beginning."

    Damon wiped the blood from his mouth and raised an eyebrow. "You just used me of sexual harassment. I thought I should live up to the charge. Otherwise, what''s the point?"

    "Can you let me go now?" N asked.

    "I will, as long as you promise to stay away from Gabriel," Damon replied.

    N nodded. "Fine. I''ll agree as long as you keep your distance from Reba."

    Damon''s smile froze, and he frowned. "N, I told you, give me three months."

    "And I told you, no. I won''t wait for you. From the moment you lied to me, it was over between us," N insisted.

    "You heard how nasty your stepmother was today. If I hadn''t stepped in, you-" Damon began.

    N cut him off, her tone indifferent, "Speaking of that, if you hadn''t meddled today, I could have handled it myself. Next time something like this happens, do me a favor and pretend you didn''t see it. I don''t want people to think we''re still entangled. I won''t be ''the other woman''."

    Damon scowled, his grip on N''s wrist tightening involuntarily.

    Feeling the pain in her wrist, N red at him. "Are you trying to break my wrist?"

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to," Damon apologized.

    Taking advantage of the moment Damon''s grip loosened, N pulled her hand free and walked away.

    She stepped into the elevator,

    elk

    relieved that Damon hadn''t followed her. Upon looking down at her reddened wrist, her mood soured even further.

    Flirting with Reba on one hand and asking N to wait on the other-did all the Sumner men think they were so irreceable?

    After rk''s betrayal, love no longer held the same significance for N. She could weigh the pros and cons and walk away as soon as she was hurt.

    Back at theb building, she ran into Gabriel, who was hurrying out. Seeing her, he heaved a sigh of relief. "What did my mom want with you?" N''s expression turned cold as she thought about Wren and herments.

    "She said that since I''ve been divorced, should keep my distance from you so I don''t mess up your rtionships as well. I think she has a point. We should cut down on unnecessary interactions," N said.

    Gabriel stiffened and frowned. "I didn''t know she would say that. Don''t take it to heart. I''ll talk to her."

    N didn''t respond and entered her office with a stony expression.

 Chapter 326

    In the evening, N received a call from Vrie, inviting her out for dinner.

    When N arrived at the restaurant, Vrie hadn''t yet arrived. She had just taken a seat when a familiar figure appeared at the entrance. Her gazended on the woman standing beside Damon.

    The woman was dressed in a white strapless gown with subtle makeup and a serene smile. Her delicate features and elegant demeanor marked her as a striking beauty.

    Although N had never met Reba, the way she intimately held Damon''s arm revealed her identity.

    N quickly looked away, pretending not to have noticed them.

    What she did not realize was that Damon''s gaze had also settled on her as she averted her eyes.

    Reba sensed Damon had stopped walking and nced up, her curiosity piqued. Noting his gaze fixed on a particr spot, she tightened her grip on his arm.

    Before returning to the country, Reba had seen photos of N.

    The N in the photos was already strikingly beautiful-so much so that even Reba, despite being a woman herself, felt drawn to her.

    Her intuition had told her that if she didn''t return soon, Damon might be taken by N, prompting her return.

    What Reba hadn''t anticipated was that N in person was even more captivating than in the photos-fair-skinned, stunningly attractive, with delicate features thatmanded attention even while seated quietly. Reba took a deep breath, suppressing her rising jealousy, and forced a gentle smile.

    "Damon, why did you stop? Nathaniel and the others are waiting for us in the private room," she said softly.

    Damon withdrew his gaze and replied coolly, "Let''s go."

    Shortly after they walked away, Vrie hurried into the restaurant. She took a seat across from N, grabbed the ss of water in front of her, and took a sip.

    "The traffic was a bit heavy, so I''mte. You didn''t wait too long, did you?" she asked.

    N shook her head. "No, I just arrived."

    "Good," Vrie replied with a sigh of relief.

    "So, why did you suddenly ask me out for dinner today?" N asked.

    Vrie put down her ss and smiled. "I have some good news to share."

    A hint of curiosity shed in N''s eyes. "What good news?"

    "I found a new job!" Vrie gushed.

    "Really? Congrattions! But don''t you need more time to recover?" N asked.

    "No need. When I went for myst check-up, the doctor said I had almost fully recovered. Besides, staying at home all day is driving me crazy.

    "My mom keeps nagging me about going on blind dates. If I don''t get a job and move out soon, she might just pack me off to get married!" Vrie eximed. Her exaggeration made Nugh.

    "Alright, enough about that. Let''s order. I''m starving," Vrie said.

    N nodded. "Okay. Dinner''s on me tonight to celebrate your new job."

    Vrie chuckled. "Then I won''t hold back."

    After ordering, the two of them began chatting about thetest gossip.

    ...

    Meanwhile, when Damon walked into the private room with Reba, everyone inside started teasing them.

    "Reba, impressive! Who would''ve thought that after all these years abroad you''d get back together with Damon as soon as you returned? The allure of first love is truly irresistible."

    "Tell me about it. Everyone knows went to the airport to

    how from leaving and then

    stop

    waited all these years. He''s finally getting what he wished for

    "Seeing you two makes me believe in love again."

    Most of the people in the room were from Damon and Nathaniel''s circle.

    Back when they were dating, Damon had brought Reba to a few gatherings. Over time, she had be familiar with them.

    Damon frowned, about to say something, but Reba spoke softly. "Damon, they''re just teasing Don''t take it to heart. Anyway, three months from now, you can go back to Ms: Jayston. Just bear with it for these three months, okay?"

 Chapter 327

    Damon''s gaze instantly darkened, but he remained silent. Instead, he withdrew his arm from Reba''s grasp and pulled out the chair closest to her. "Have a seat." Afterward, he avoided looking at Reba and sat in the chair beside her.

    Reba''s smile faltered momentarily, but she quickly regained herposure and sat next to him as if nothing had happened.

    Most people probably didn''t notice, but Nathaniel could sense Damon''s indifference toward Reba.

    Their behavior suggested that they had not reconciled, yet if they hadn''t, Damon likely wouldn''t have brought her along like this.

    Pushing aside the strange feeling in his heart, Nathaniel smiled and said, "Alright, it''s Reba''s wee-back party tonight. I''m d everyone could make time toe."

    The room buzzed with conversation, with most attention focused on Reba.

    For a moment, she felt as if she were back when she was with Damon-being the center of attention.

    She was well aware that if Damon hadn''te with her tonight, these people wouldn''t be so enthusiastic.

    That didn''t matter, though. Her ultimate goal in returning to the country was to marry Damon and be Mrs. Sumner.

    Amidst all the praise, a sarcastic voice suddenly cut through the chatter. "If I''m not mistaken, Mr. Sumner was recently seen with N Jayston. How is it that, in less than two weeks, he''s back with Ms. Austen? Could it be that Ms. Austen is the other woman?" The room fell silent instantly, and Reba''s smile froze.

    All eyes turned to Erin, many silently admiring her boldness. After all, hardly anyone in Saintornia dared to cross Damon, let alone use his partner of being a homewrecker to his face.

    Reba looked at Erin, feigning confusion. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand."

    Erin sneered. "Are you really that clueless, or are you just pretending?"

    Sensing the awkward tension in the room, the girl next to Erin gently nudged her. "Erin, stop it."

    If Erin offended Damon, she would likely face repercussions as well.

    Originally, Nathaniel hadn''t invited Erin to the gathering. When she heard about the event while shopping with Erin and mentioned it to her, Erin insisted oning along. After checking with Nathaniel, Erin was included.

    Nathaniel''s expression turned icy. "Erin, if you don''t have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut. This gathering is to wee Reba back, not for you to stir up trouble."

    Erin smiled and turned to Nathaniel.

    "There''s no need to be angry, Mr Preston, I''m simply stating the truth. If the truth is so hard to hear, maybe you shouldn''t be engaging in actions that are shameful in the first ce."

    Reba turned pale, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at Erin. "Ms. Hulle, we just met tonight. Why are you being so hostile toward me?"

    A man nearby raised his eyebrows and said in a teasing tone, "Reba, since you''ve just returned, you might not know.

    "Erin went on a blind date with

    Damon before, but he wasn''t interested. She kept pursuing him, but he rejected her each time. She''s probably just bitter, which is why she''s targeting you."

    Erin''s eyes shed with anger, and she gritted her teeth. "Connor, be quiet!"

 Chapter 328

    Mockery shed in Connor Bambra''s eyes. "Why is it that you can dish it out, but you can''t take it?"

    Erin stood up, sneering. "You think standing up for Reba will get you a partnership with Prospectus Technology? Idiot!"

    Although Connor had been thinking along those lines, being called out by Erin before everyone made his face darken with anger.

    "I think you''re just bitter because you can''t get the man you want, and now you''reshing out at everyone," he taunted.

    "You-" Erin was livid. She shot to her feet and said coldly, "You''ll regret this!"

    With that, she spun around and stormed out of the room.

    Throughout the ordeal, Damon watched the scene unfold with an indifferent expression, not a hint of emotion on his face.

    The room quickly returned to its lively atmosphere, as if nothing had happened.

    Despite the apparent calm, Reba couldn''t shake her unease.

    In the past, even if someone spoke ill of her behind her back, Damon would never have let it slide if he found out. Yet just now, Erin had called her a homewrecker to her face, and Damon hadn''t even reacted.

    It seemed he truly didn''t love her anymore. If it weren''t for the favor of saving his life, which she used to ckmail him, he probably wouldn''t even let her near him. The thought made her chest tighten. Reba stood up and told everyone with a forced smile, "You all keep chatting. I need to use the restroom."

    After stepping out of the room, she took a deep breath, hoping to release her frustration with the exhale, but it didn''t help.

    She walked to the window at the end of the hallway, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Her expression was full of irritation. Whether Damon loved her or not, she had to marry him.

    ...

    Meanwhile, the enraged Erin was about to leave after storming out of the room when she spotted N. Her eyes narrowed as she changed course and headed straight for her.

    N was talking with Vrie when a voice interrupted them. She turned her head and saw Erin, her expression immediately turning cold.

    There was no point in pretending to be friendly-they had already fallen out.

    Erin didn''t care about N''s frosty demeanor. Smirking, she said slowly, "Ms. N, I really admire how calm you are."

    N remained impassive. "Ms. Hulle, haven''t you learned that it''s rude to interrupt people when they''re eating?"

    Erin''s tone was dripping with

    sarcasm, her gaze full of disdain "Is it because Damon kicked you to the curb without hesitation as soon as Reba returned that you''re in such a bad mood, Ms. Jayston?

    She had assumed Damon was truly into N, but apparently not. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have gotten back together with Reba. N frowned, about to respond, but Vrie couldn''t hold back any longer. "Erin, are you insane? You came over here just to ruin our meal?

    "Even if N and Damon broke up, at least they were together. You''ve been trying everything to get with Damon, and he doesn''t even give you a second nce, does he?"

    That hit a sore spot.

    Erin sneered. "So what if they were together? He dumped her in no time. To Damon, she was just a distraction while Reba was away!" Vrie mmed her cutlery onto the table, ring at Erin. "Keep spewing your nonsense, and I''ll tear your mouth off!"

    Erin scoffed. "I''m just telling the

    truth. Oh, by the way, Damon is hosting a wee-back party for Rebeeea in Room 1. If you don''t want to embarrass yourselves, I suggest you finish eating and leave."

    With that, she walked away with a smile and her chin held high.

    Vrie, shaking with anger, stood up and started toward Room 1.

    N quickly got up and grabbed her arm. "Vrie, don''t go."

    "Let me go! I''m going to crash that party! Reba just got back, and Damon''s already broken up with you. This is too much!" Vrie hissed.

    "I was the one who ended things, and I don''t want anything more to do with them," N said.

 Chapter 329

    "Even if you were the one who ended things, he wronged you first! Are you just going to take it lying down?" Vrie looked at N, her expression a mix of anger and sympathy.

    "What else can I do? He doesn''t like me anymore. Am I supposed to hold a knife to his throat and force him to change his mind?" N''s voice was calm as if discussing something unrted to her life. Her naivety had led her to believe Damon genuinely liked her, that he wouldn''t hurt her as rk had done.

    Vrie nced down at N''s hands, clenched so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. With a sigh, she said, "Let me go. I''m not going to cause a scene."

    "Really?" N asked, unsure.

    Vrie nodded. "Yeah."

    People always kicked those who were down. Even if they confronted them now, the others wouldugh at N''s expense.

    N released Vrie and said softly, "Don''t dwell on this. I''ve made peace with it."

    Sometimes, she still felt sad when she thought about him.

    "Okay, let''s not talk about it anymore. Let''s find something happier to chat about," Vrie suggested, trying tofort her.

    They changed the subject. Although N continued to respond to Vrie, her mind was elsewhere.

    So, Damon had brought Reba here tonight to throw her a wee-back party. It seemed he truly did love her. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have kept thinking about her all these years, seizing the chance to be with her the moment she returned. In a way, this was good. Reba was a better match for him than she ever was.

    Vrie noticed N''s distraction but chose not to mention it, feeling only pity for her.

    After spacing out for the third time and missing what Vrie had said, N took a deep breath and stood up. "Vrie, I''m going to the restroom."

    N turned and walked quickly to the restroom.

    Sshing her face with cold water, she finally felt a bit more clear-headed.

    Just as she straightened up and began wiping her face, the restroom stall''s door opened, and Reba walked out.

    A glint appeared in Reba''s eyes when she saw N. She moved to the sink and turned on the faucet to wash her hands.

    N tossed the damp paper towel into the trash and was about to leave when Reba suddenly spoke up. "Hello, Ms. Jayston. I''m Reba Austen. You''ve probably heard my name."

    "Is there something you need?" N asked, her expression cold as she looked at Reba.

    Reba shut off the faucet, lightly shook the water from her hands, and smiled.

    "Not much. I just heard you were seeing Damon, so I was curious. But now that I''m back, I hope you can

    keep your distance from him t

    After

    all, I don''t like other women hanging around Damon. If I get angry, the consequences could be severe," she warned.

    N huffed an annoyedugh. "Save your breath for Damon. Unlike you, I have no interest in stealing other people''s boyfriends."

    Initially, N didn''t have much of an

    opinion about Reba. If Damon hadn''t given Reba the chance, it wouldn''t have affected N''s rtionship with Damon, no matter what Reba did.

    to

    However, the way Reba spoke just now sparked a strong sense of dislike in N. She could tell Reba had known about her from the start and had purposely timed her return.

    Reba''s expression changed

    briefly before she burst intoughter.

    "Ms. Jayston, Damon and I have

    known each other for ten years. You

    didn''t even exist to him back then. We''re just picking up where we left off. There''s no stealing involved."

    "You could know him for a hundred years, but when you came back, he and I were still dating," N retorted.

    Reba raised an eyebrow, her confidence unwavering. "You were just a stepping stone in our rtionship. You''d better know your ce, or you''ll only get hurt."

    "And what if I refuse to know my ce?" N challenged.

    "If you don''t... This is the consequence!" Reba''s expression turned icy, and she suddenly grabbed N, mming herself hard against the wall.

    "N, what do you think you''re doing?!" The sound of a head hitting the wall was apanied by an angry voice behind N.

    Before N could react, someone yanked her away.

 Chapter 330

    N wasn''t prepared for what happened next. Her lower back mmed against the edge of the marble sink, sending a sharp pain shooting through her body. Her face turned pale. Nathaniel quickly rushed over to support a swaying Reba, his expression anxious. "Reba, are you alright?"

    A bruise was already forming on Reba''s forehead, but she managed a weak smile. "Nathaniel, I''m fine. Ms. Jayston didn''t do it on purpose... Besides, I just got back, and Damon broke up with her. It''s only natural for her to be angry with me..."

    Nathaniel''s expression darkened as he red at N. "Reba and Damon were together before. They''re just getting back together now. No matter how unhappy you are, there''s nothing you can do about it. If I see youy a hand on Reba again, I won''t let you off easy!" N had been caught off guard by Reba''s little stunt, and her back still throbbed from when Nathaniel had shoved her into the sink.

    Already irritated, she couldn''t help but sneer at his words. "Mr. Preston, by your logic, since Reba and Damon are a couple, it should be Damon saying this to me, not you. Anyone who doesn''t know better would think you were her boyfriend."

    Nathaniel''s expression darkened further, his eyes cold. "Considering you were with Damon before, I''ll let this slide if you apologize now. Otherwise, when Damon shows up, you won''t be able to handle the consequences!"

    Before he could finish speaking, a cold voice came from the side. "Apologize for what?"

    Nathaniel turned to see Damon and said coldly, "Damon, you''re just in time. Ms. Jayston pushed Reba on purpose. Who knows what could have happened if I hadn''t stepped in?"

    He pushed Reba toward Damon, his anger still evident.

    Damon looked down and saw the bruise on Reba''s forehead, his gaze hardening.

    Tears of grievance welled up in Reba''s eyes as she looked pitifully at Damon. Even so, she tugged at his arm, pleading on N''s behalf, "Damon, Ms. Jayston didn''t do it on purpose. And... I did take you away from her right after I got back, so, understandably, she''d resent me...''

    Damon pulled his arm away and looked at N. "Did you push her?"

    N''s expression remained impassive. "What do you think, Mr. Sumner?"

    Nathaniel''s anger deepened as he saw N''s attitude. "N, even Reba is pleading for you. Don''t push it. This won''t end with just a simple apology if you keep this up!"

    Damon frowned slightly as he looked at Nathaniel. "So, how do you propose we resolve this?"

    Nathaniel was about to respond but hesitated under Damon''s cold gaze. Suddenly, he remembered how Damon hadn''t defended Reba when Erin insulted her earlier. Could it be...

    The thought that crossed his mind made him uneasy.

    Pushing aside those unsettling thoughts, he spoke in a low voice. "Damon, you saw Reba''s injury All I''m asking is for N to apologize. Is that unreasonable? Are you really going to protect her in front of Reba?"

    Reba suddenly panicked and looked at Nathaniel with teary eyes. "Nathaniel, please stop. Let''s just pretend none of this happened.

    today Ms. Jayston pushed

    me and

    now we''re even. I don''t owe her anything anymore."

    After saying that, she reached out to take Damon''s hand, intending to leave.

    Before she could touch him, though, he walked straight past her, heading toward N.

    Reba froze. By the time she realized what was happening and tried to stop him, it was toote.

 Chapter 331

    As Damon approached, N frowned and instinctively stepped back, a wary look in her eyes. Was he nning to confront her because of Reba?

    When they were just a few steps apart, N watched as he suddenly raised his hand toward her.

    Gritting her teeth, she warned, "Damon, if you darey a hand on me, IˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, Damon pulled her close and asked, "Are you hurt?"

    N''s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly masked it with a cold reply, "No, let go of me!"

    Even if she was injured, it was none of his business.

    As she tried to push him away, he gently pressed a hand on her lower back where she had collided with the sink.

    "Ow..." N gasped in pain, ring at Damon. "What are you doing? Let go-"

    Before she could finish, he scooped her up. Startled, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her face paling even more.

    Once the shock wore off, her anger red. "Damon, what on earth are you doing? We''ve broken up! Put me down!"

    Damon''s expression remained impassive as if he hadn''t heard her. He simply carried her and turned to leave.

    Nathaniel, who had been watching in shock, quickly became angry. He stepped forward to block Damon. "Damon, are you out of your mind? What do you think you''re doing? And what about Reba?" Damon looked at him coldly. "She''s just my ex. What do you want me to think of her?"

    "Aren''t you two back together?" Nathaniel pressed.

    Damon''s gaze turned icy. "You should ask her if we''re back together."

    With that, he ignored the stunned Nathaniel and walked away.

    Nathaniel turned to Reba, who had her head down. His eyes were filled with confusion. "Reba, what''s going on with you and Damon?"

    Meanwhile, Vrie, who had been

    sipping her soup, nced up and saw Damon carrying N toward the restaurant door. She nearly spat out her soup in shock.

    Her eyes widened as she quickly swallowed the soup and got up to follow them.

    By the time she reached the door, Damon had already driven away.

    Vrie hurriedly called N, but the call went unanswered, heightening her concern.

    In the car...

    N had calmed down, staring at Damon with a nk expression. "Where are you taking me?"

    "To the hospital." Damon''s voice was cold, his jaw clenched tightly, eyes fixed straight ahead. He seemed to be in a bad mood.

    N frowned. "I''m fine. I''ll be okay in a few days. And we''ve broken up, so my well-being is none of your concern."

    The atmosphere in the car grew even colder as she spoke.

    N''s impatience grew with Damon''s silence and hisck of intention to stop the car. "Are you even listening to me?"

    Since he had chosen Reba, he shouldn''t be giving her any false hope. She had finally managed to regain some peace in her life and didn''t want to be entangled with him again.

    When the car stopped at a red light, Damon finally turned to look at her. "Go to the hospital for an examination. If everything''s fine, I''ll take you back and won''t bother you again."

    N felt as if they were talking past each other. "Don''t you realize that what you''re doing now is precisely the kind of interference I''m trying to avoid?" "Go to the hospital to get checked, or I can call a doctor to your home. It''s your choice," Damon stated.

 Chapter 332

    "I don''t want to choose either. Just stop the car now. I want to get out," N said. Damon calmly resumed driving. "Since you don''t want to choose, I''ll do it for you."

    N was so frustrated she almostughed. She knew that no matter what she said, Damon wouldn''t let her out of the car. Resigned, she turned her gaze coldly toward the window. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the hospital.

    Damon carried N inside. Resisting was pointless, so she remained silent and expressionless.

    ...

    After the examination, the doctor assured them there were no major issues and prescribed some medication for internal and external use.

    As they were leaving the hospital, Damon tried to carry N again, but she stepped back to avoid him.

    "Thanks for tonight, but I''ll take a taxi home," she said coldly.

    With that, she picked up her medication and turned to leave the hospital.

    Damon followed her silently. As they approached his car, he stopped her and said, "I''ll take you home."

    N looked up at him, feeling a bit helpless. "We''ve broken up, so what you''re doing now is pointless. I won''t reconsider and don''t want to be involved in your rtionship with Reba." "I''m not back with her, and I won''t be," Damon rified.

    N nodded. "Okay, got it."

    She tried to move past him, but he grabbed her hand. His expression was tense, his eyes dark and serious.

    "Don''t you believe me?" he asked.

    "I do, but whether you''re with her or not doesn''t concern me. I''m not interested. It''ste, and I''ve had a long night. Can you let me go now?" N asked.

    Damon looked at her, trying to detect any hint of deceit in her eyes, but saw none. She seemed to have truly given up on him.

    "N, whether you believe it or not, you''re the only one on my mind right now," he confessed.

    N pulled her hand away, dismissing his words.

    The screeching of brakes nearby made them both turn.

    A red Lamborghini came to a halt a meter away from them.

    Vrie stepped out of the car and quickly positioned herself between N and Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, since you''re no longer together, please stop harassing

    together, please

    N. Unlike you, she doesn''t have an

    ex who might return at any time. Vrie''s tone was scornful, and she spoke without concern for offending

    him.

    Damon''s gaze darkened as he looked at Vrie. "Ms. Weir, I haven''t broken up with her. We''re just having an argument."

    Vrie sneered. "Mr. Sumner, you and N are broken up, not divorced. You don''t need to give your approval."

    Damon narrowed his eyes, clearly deep in thought.

    N tugged at Vrie''s sleeve. "Vrie, let''s go. I''m tired."

    "Okay," Vrie agreed.

    Seeing they were about to leave, Damon didn''t stop them. "Thanks for taking her home tonight, Ms. Weir."

    Vrie rolled her eyes. "Mr. Sumner, N is

    to take her home,

    for me good friend. It''s no hassle your ce to ask me to and it''s not

    Damon said nothing more. He watched them get into the car and drive away before heading back to his vehicle.

    On the way home, Vrie couldn''t

    help

    brment, "Even after gup, Damon is still clingine

    to you. He''s just as bad as rk!"

    N lowered her gaze, her expression indifferent. "Don''t mention him. Did you get my phone from the restaurant?"

    "I did. It''s in the bag in the back," Vrie replied.

    N retrieved her phone and unlocked it, receiving a message from Gabriel as she did.

    Gabriel: [I came by to bring you some food earlier, but no one answered the door. Are you not back yet?]

 Chapter 333

    N pressed her lips together and called him. "I''m still out. There''s no need to bring me anything next time."

    After a few seconds of silence on the other end, Gabriel''s gentle voice came through. "Alright. It''s already past 10:00 p.m. Do you need me to pick you up?"

    Because of what Wren had said, N wasn''t eager to have too much contact with Gabriel. She declined, "No, my friend is giving me a ride. If there''s nothing else, that''s it." She hung up, and Vrie looked at her with curiosity. "Who were you talking to?"

    "My stepbrother," N answered.

    Vrie''s eyes widened in surprise. "He''s back? When did that happen?"

    Since Vrie used to visit N''s home often, she had met Gabriel several times.

    "Just a few days ago," N replied.

    "Oh, he seems to be quite concerned about you now. I remember when I used to visit you. He was pretty aloof," Vrie remarked.

    "Yeah. By the way... I said I''d cover the bill tonight, but you ended up doing it. Send me the bill, and I''ll reimburse you," N said.

    Vrie red at her. "Keeping tabs like that? Just cover it next time. By the way, how did you end up at the hospital with Damon tonight? Were you injured?"

    N briefly exined what had happened in the restroom, and by the end of it, Vrie was fuming.

    "I knew she was a scheming little bitch! Are you just going to let this go?" Vrie demanded.

    The thought of Nathaniel making N apologize to Reba made Vrie want to confront him.

    "There were no cameras in the restroom, and only Nathaniel saw what happened. He won''t back me up," N said.

    "Nathaniel ispletely under Reba''s spell, so he''ll definitely side with her." The more Vrie spoke, the angrier she became.

    It felt like having a fly stuck in her throat-nauseating to swallow but impossible to spit out.

    It was no wonder Reba had managed to make Damon and N break up as soon as she returned to the country. Most people wouldn''t have the heart to harm themselves to get what they wanted. "Consider today a lesson learned. I''ll keep my distance from her in the future," N said.

    Vrie snorted. "I''m just worried that you might want to keep your distance, but she won''t let you."

    N frowned, her expression growing cold. "I won''t give her a chance to scheme against me a second time."

    "I see Damon seems quite

    concerned about you. If you really

    wanted

    you might not necessarily lose,"

    Vrie remarked.

    N smiled wryly. "If a rtionship

    requires constant scheming and et

    with another en

    fig off without it." (

    She might like Damon but wouldn''t sacrifice her dignity for him.

    "True, there are plenty of men out there. If this one doesn''t work out, just move on to the next," Vrie remarked.

    N was a bit surprised. "You didn''t use to think that way."

    "It just means I was too naive before. If men can fall for someone new so easily, why can''t I?" Vrie countered. N was somewhat speechless. "Alright..."

    There might be some truth to that.

    Anyway, she wasn''t interested in rtionships right now. She just wanted to focus on work and earn more money. Vrie dropped N off downstairs and then left.

    As N took the elevator to her floor and stepped out, she saw Gabriel standing at her door.

    When he saw her, he quickly approached and handed her a bag. "I thought you wouldn''t be back so soon."

    The bag contained some packed meals.

    N didn''t take it.

    "I made this myself. I noticed you''ve

    been ordering takeout every night

    and it''s not good for your health," Gabriel exined.

 Chapter 334

    "Thanks, but there''s no need. In the future, let''s try to keep our interactions to a minimum. I don''t want to be insulted anymore," N requested coldly. She was about to walk past Gabriel when he stopped her.

    "N, I apologize on behalf of my mother for what she said. I''ve spoken to her, and she promises not to contact you again. Please don''t be angry, okay?" Gabriel asked.

    "If she truly believes she was wrong, then you wouldn''t be the one showing up here tonight," N replied.

    Gabriel frowned and asked softly, "If she came to apologize in person, would you forgive her?"

    N''s displeasure was evident. She didn''t understand why Gabriel was so insistent that she forgive Wren.

    Wren was just her stepmother-their interactions had been minimal, and there was no need to force a reconciliation.

    "I won''t forget what she said to me, and I can''t forgive her. If there''s nothing else, don''te looking for me again," she said.

    Without giving Gabriel a chance to respond, N opened the door and went inside.

    Gabriel stood at the door for a moment before leaving. When he got home, he encountered Wren returning for clothes.

    Seeing the bag in his hand, Wren frowned. "Where did you go just now?"

    Gabriel replied calmly, "I went to deliver some food to N."

    Wren''s expression darkened, and her tone became sharp. "Didn''t I tell you to keep your distance from her?"

    "I didn''t agree to that, and she''s my sister," Gabriel answered.

    "Sister?" Wren scoffed. "You have no blood rtion to her. Continuing to associate with her will only drag you down. You''ve just returned to the country. Offending the Sumners won''t be good for you. I''m doing this for your own good!" "I said, I don''t care," Gabriel insisted.

    "You don''t care?" Wren angrily threw the clothes she was holding onto the sofa and stood up, gritting her teeth. "Even if you don''t care, can''t you think about me? I raised you with great difficulty, sent you abroad to study, and now that there''s finally some hope, you''re about to ruin your future over someone irrelevant!"

    Gabriel''s expression turned icy.

    "Mom, don''t forget that I was able to

    go abroad because of Harrison Otherwise, I might not have been able to afford university."

    "He did provide financial support, but I''ve been by his side, taking care of him while he was sick all these years. You don''t owe the Jaystons anything," Wren argued.

    "Do you think your care over these years is worth so much money?" Gabriel questioned.

    Wren was at a loss for words.

    After a long silence, she said coldly, "Regardless, if you continue to associate with her, I will create a scene at Prospectus Technology until youˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, Gabriel

    interrupted her sharply, "If you make

    a scen

    I''ll resign and go abroad

    immediately, and we won''t see each

    other again."

    Wren staggered and took a few steps back to steady herself.

    "Gabriel, in your heart, is someone with no blood rtion to you more important than me?" she asked.

    "Mom, you''re forcing me. I''m an adult now. I hope you can let me make my own decisions about my life," Gabriel retorted.

    The living room fell silent.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Wren finally spoke dejectedly. "You''re right. You''re grown up now, and I can''t control you anymore. Do as you wish." She then picked up her clothes and left.

    Watching Wren''s slightly stooped figure, Gabriel felt a pang in his heart.

    Despite this, he knew that if he didn''t resolve things with Wren, there would never be a chance for him and N to be together.

    ...

    When Damon returned to his vi, he saw Nathaniel''s car parked at the entrance. His expression darkened as he parked next to it.

    Hearing the car door open, Nathaniel looked up at Damon with red eyes.

    "When did you find out that Reba was sick?" Nathaniel asked.

 Chapter 335

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent. "The day she returned to the country and contacted me."

    Nathaniel''s body trembled slightly. He took a deep breath and said slowly, "Is it because Reba only has three months left that you broke up with N and got back together with her?" Damon frowned. "I haven''t reconciled with her."

    He had only promised to spend these three months with Reba, but he had no intention of resuming their rtionship.

    "So, you don''t have feelings for her anymore?" Nathaniel asked.

    "From the moment she chose to go abroad, there was no chance for us anymore," Damon replied.

    Nathaniel''s hands clenched at his sides, and his expression grew intense. "But she still loves you. That hasn''t changed. And she only has three months left to live. Can''t you at least give her some false hope?" "No. That wouldn''t be fair to N," Damon said.

    He had asked N to wait for three months and had promised not to reconcile with Reba. Even if N didn''t believe him, he wouldn''t break his promise.

    "What''s unfair about it? Reba only needs three months. After that, you could get back together with N. This is Reba''sst wish. Even if you don''t love her anymore, can you really bear to see her leave with regrets?" Nathaniel demanded.

    Thinking about Reba crying earlier and saying she had only three months left, Nathaniel felt as though his heart were being squeezed tightly, making it hard to breathe.

    "She was the one who initiated the breakup. If it weren''t for the fact that she once saved me, I wouldn''t have agreed to keep herpany even if she had only three days left," Damon stated.

    "She broke up with you because the pressure was too much and she wanted to prove herself, which is why she went abroad," Nathaniel exined.

    Impatience shed across Damon''s eyes. "Regardless, it''s all in the past. The person I care about now is N. I won''t betray her."

    With that, he bypassed Nathaniel and left.

    "Wait." Nathaniel stopped him, his expression hardening as if he had made up his mind.

    "There''s something Reba asked me to keep from you, but I think you should know," he said.

    Damon sat motionless on the sofa as if he were a statue. Nathaniel''s words echoed in his mind, and his expression grew darker.

    The vi was pitch ck in the dead of night.

    vel

    When a maid got up to use the bathroom and passed the living room, she was startled by the shadow on the sofa and quickly

    turned on the light.

    Seeing it was Damon, she sighed with relief and patted her chest. "Mr. Sumner, why aren''t you asleep yet?"

    The sudden light was a bit harsh, causing Damon to squint ufortably, his gaze inscrutable.

    "It''s nothing. I''m just thinking about some things," he answered.

    "It''s already past 2:00 a.m. You should think about it tomorrow," the maid advised.

    "I understand. You should go back to bed," Damon said dismissively.

    Noticing Damon''s unusual mood, the maid didn''t press further.

    After using the bathroom, she returned to her room, unaware of when Damon finally went to bed. By the next morning, he had already left.

    Seeing the crystal ashtray on the coffee table filled with cigarette butts, the maid sighed.

    It seemed that the issue Damon was dealing with was quite troublesome.

    Even during the early days of his business, when thepany was on the verge of bankruptcy, she had never seen him smoke so many cigarettes in one night.

    N was on her way to work around 8:00 a.m. when she received a call from Vrie.

    "N, I have something to tell you," Vrie said.

    "What?" N asked.

    Vrie delivered the news. "Damon and Reba have officially announced their reconciliation."

    N''s phone slipped from her hand. She couldn''t hear what Vrie said next. Her world seemed to blur behind a veil of tears.

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    The ring car horns from the back snapped N back to reality. She quickly pulled over to the side of the road.

    Her hands were shaking as she picked up her phone.

    The call was still connected, and Vrie''s anxious voice came through. "N, what happened? Are you okay? Are you on your way to work? I shouldn''t have told you this now!" N wiped her misty eyes and replied quietly, "I''m fine. My phone just fell."

    "I''m d you''re okay... I really shouldn''t have called you now..." Vrie''s voice was filled with regret.

    In her anger upon seeing the news, she had called N impulsively. She deeply regretted it now, fearing she would never forgive herself if something happened to N. "Yeah, I need to get back to driving. Talk to youter." With that, N ended the call.

    Taking a deep breath, she opened a web browser to search for news about Damon and Reba. Every link was about their official reconciliation.

    [Prospectus Technology''s CEO Damon Sumner Finally Gets His Happy Ending After Waiting Five Years for His Ex!]

    [The Reason Damon Sumner Stayed Single for Years Revealed: He Was Waiting for His Ex Who Studied Abroad!]

    [Damon Sumner and His Ex Are Back Together-They Were Seen in Matching Outfits at a Hotel!]

    Each headline was like a stab to N''s heart, and she felt a suffocating pain.

    Indeed, all men were the same.

    Justst night, Damon had promised her at the hospital that he wouldn''t get back together with Reba and asked her to wait for three months. Thankfully, she hadn''t waited, or she would have been aughingstock now.

    N put her phone away, her eyes downcast, and started the car.

    ...

    The news of Damon and Reba''s reconciliation led to even more gossip among Prospectus

    Technology''s employees. They used to talk behind N''s back-now they mocked her openly.

    "It''sughable. She was dumped by Mr. Sumner after only a few days. I don''t understand how a divorced woman has the nerve to pursue him!"

    "Haha, I told you, Mr. Sumner was just ying around. None of you believed me!"

    "I wonder if she can still make Mr. Sumner look at her after this, especially in front of his true love!"

    N stood in front of the elevator, ignoring thements around her.

    Seeing her unresponsive, the gossipers grew bolder, and their remarks became increasingly harsh.

    Soon, the elevator doors opened.

    Vol

    As N was about to step in, someone shoved her roughly. Unprepared for the forceful push, she lost her bnce and fell hard onto the floor.

    The impact with the floor was followed by a sharp, intense pain. She grimaced, and her face turned pale.

    Around her, mockingughter erupted.

    Some people even took out their phones to film her humiliation, ready to post it online.

    N bit her lower lip and slowly got up. She looked coldly at the person who had pushed her, her eyes zing with anger.

    The woman was momentarily

    startled by N''s icy gaze.

    Regaining herposure, she

    sneered and said without remorse, "Sorry, I didn''t do it on purpose."

    Before she could say more, N pped her across the face.

    The sharp sound of the p silenced the entire elevator area.

    The woman quickly reacted, her face flushing with anger. She raised her hand to strike N back.

    Before her hand coulde down, it was intercepted mid-air.

    Gabriel stood in front of N, his voice was icy as he said, "I don''t hit women, but if you dare touch her, you''ll be the first."

 Chapter 337

    "Who are you to stand up for her?" the woman demanded, struggling to free her arm from Gabriel''s grip but failing.

    "I don''t need to exin my rtionship with her to you," Gabriel replied coldly. "What you did to her was caught on surveince. I''ll take her to get checked out, and then thewyer will discuss medical and emotionalpensation with you." "Oh, she hit me too! I can get checked out too. It''s no big deal!" the woman retorted defiantly.

    Gabriel''s eyes grew colder. He leaned in close, his voice a threatening whisper meant only for her ears. "You''d better pray she''s okay. If she''s hurt, I''ll make sure you regret this."

    The woman shivered at the genuine menace in his tone, sensing he wasn''t merely making empty threats.

    Frozen in fear, she watched as Gabriel released her and swiftly picked up N in a bridal carry, heading toward the door.

    N was surprised by Gabriel''s assistance, especially after their conversation the previous night.

    As they reached the door, she protested, "You can put me down. I can walk on my own, and there''s no need for a hospital check."

    Despite the hard fall, she didn''t believe she had any serious injuries. A few days of rest should be sufficient.

    "No, we''re going to get you checked out," Gabriel insisted.

    N frowned. The fall might not even qualify as a minor injury.

    As she was about to argue, she noticed a cold gaze fixed on her. Looking up, she saw Damon standing not far away, his entire demeanor radiating icy anger.

    Seeing Damon approach, N tightened her grip slightly and murmured, "Aren''t we going to the hospital? Let''s go."

    Gabriel nced down and smiled almost imperceptibly when he saw her pale face.

    "Alright," he replied, turning toward the parking lot and acting as though Damon''s murderous re didn''t exist.

    Gabriel owed Damon a debt of

    gratitude. Had Damon not

    reconciled with Reba, the

    employees at Prospectus Technology wouldn''t have

    mistreated N, and Gabriel would never have had the opportunity to be a hero at that crucial moment.

    Damon had personally sent N to Gabriel''s side.

    Damon''s anger was palpable, his eyes fixed on Gabriel with an intense re.

    As he moved to confront him, Spencer intervened, "Mr. Sumner, now that you''ve reconciled with Ms. Austen, it''s best not to involve yourself with Ms. Jayston any further. Your actions will only

    worsen her situation."

    Damon''s steps faltered. After a few seconds of wrestling with his swirling jealousy and anger, he turned and walked back into the building with a stony expression.

    Once on the top floor, Spencer opened hisputer and was briefed by another secretary on the morning''s events. "Mr. Hogg, should we inform Mr. Sumner about what happened?" Spencer frowned. "Just go back to work for now."

    After dismissing the secretary,

    Spencer contemted whether to inform Damon about the targeting of N. With Damon already reconciled with Reba, intervening could only exacerbate the situation.

    As he hesitated, the internal phone rang. Damon wanted him toe in.

    Upon entering Damon''s office, Damon coldly instructed, "Find out why Gabriel was carrying N out of thepany."

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    Soon, Spencer returned with a report. "Mr. Sumner, this morning Ms. Jayston had a confrontation with one of Prospectus Technology''s employees at the elevator. She was pushed and fell. Gabriel took her to the hospital." Damon frowned. "What happened? Why was there a confrontation?"

    Spencer hesitated before cautiously replying, "It seems rted to your reconciliation with Ms. Austen... Here is the surveince footage. You can take a look."

    Damon took the tablet and watched the video. His face darkened with anger.

    "Fire the employee who caused the trouble," he ordered.

    "Mr. Sumner, wouldn''t that be too harsh? After all, Ms. Jayston also pped the employee," Spencer pointed out.

    Damon''s expression remained icy. "If I recall correctly, I issued a statement previously prohibiting discussions of my private life."

    Seeing the fury in Damon''s eyes, Spencer quickly agreed, "Understood. I''ll take care of it immediately."

    News of the employee''s termination soon spread throughout thepany, apanied by a statement:

    "Attention all Prospectus Technology employees: Anyone who discusses the CEO''s personal life or causes any disturbance rted to it will be terminated immediately!"

    The remaining employees, previously engaged in gossip, fell silent. No one dared to discuss the matter openly anymore.

    However, some were disgruntled, questioning why N didn''t face any punishment despite hitting the employee, while only that employee was fired.

    When Spencer learned of these sentiments, he informed Damon.

    "Post the surveince footage on thepany''s internal forum," Damon instructed.

    Once the video was shared, almost no one discussed the incident anymore.

    Although some employees remained dissatisfied, they knew Damon clearly supported N and avoided further public discussion.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Gabriel, respecting N''s insistence, finally ceased pressing her to go to the hospital.

    "Are you sure you''re alright?" he asked.

    Meeting Gabriel''s concerned gaze, N nodded. "Yes, I''m fine. It''s almost time for work. Thanks for your help earlier."

    "Now that I''m back, I won''t let anyone bully you," Gabriel assured.

    N pressed her lips together, her expression serious. "I appreciate your help, but we should keep our distance from now on. Also, I''m sorry for taking advantage of you just now."

    Without giving Gabriel a chance to respond, she opened the car door and got out.

    Gabriel narrowed his eyes while watching her retreating figure, his expression growing cold and menacing.

    ...

    Back in the office, N showed little reaction to the news of the employee''s firing.

    Melody, who had hesitated, finally spoke up. "N, I heard Mr. Sumner decided to fire that employee. You two..."

    N''s expression remained neutral

    as she looked at Melody. "Let''s not discuss this. I have no rtionship with him anymore. Others might misunderstand if they overhear us. I''d prefer to focus on my work."

    Melody was taken aback. Before she could respond, N had already picked up herb notebook and changed into herb coat to head to theb.

    As lunchtime approached, N was about to head out for lunch when she received a message from a senior she hadn''t been in touch with for a long time.

    ...

    Caroline Lovell: [N, I''m in

    Saintornia for a conference. If I remember correctly, you''re based here Would you be free for dinner? It''s been a while since west met.]

    N and Caroline had a good rtionship back in university, and it was Caroline who initially guided her when she joined theb.

 Chapter 339

    After graduating from university, Caroline went to Northornia for further studies, while N returned to Saintornia. It had been over four years since theyst met. N responded warmly and asked for the hotel''s location before finding a nearby restaurant known for its specialty dishes.

    When N entered the restaurant around 6:00 p.m., she spotted a short-haired woman with a youthful face waving at her from a window seat. "N, over here!" Seeing Caroline''s smile, N felt as if she had been transported back to her university days and couldn''t help but smile in return.

    Caroline had been a top student who continued her studies directly after earning her master''s degree. She hade to Saintornia with her advisor for a conference. After N took her seat, Caroline smiled and said, "N, you haven''t changed much since university."

    "It''s you who haven''t changed. Seeing you reminds me of the days you used to help me with experiments," N replied.

    "Don''t mention it. You were the one helping me after that. By the way, where''s your husband? Why didn''t hee with you?" Caroline asked.

    N lowered her gaze and replied indifferently, "We''re divorced."

    Caroline looked surprised, and a hint of guilt shed in her eyes. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know."

    In university, N would often workte in theb. No matter howte it was, rk woulde to pick her up and sometimes bring food for everyone in theb. The two of them, one handsome and the other beautiful, were considered the golden couple of the university.

    When N got married after graduation, Caroline had regretted not being able to attend their wedding. She never expected that the two would end up divorced. N shook her head. "It''s fine. It''s all in the past."

    "Alright, let''s not dwell on it." Caroline changed the subject, expressing some regret that N hadn''t worked in the pharmaceutical industry.

    Given N''s talent and hard work in theb during university, Caroline felt that if N hadn''t given up on continuing her studies and returned to Saintornia, her future would have been promising.

    N didn''t feel particrly regretful. This was the path she had chosen, and she didn''t need to romanticize the path she hadn''t taken.

    As dinner was ending, Caroline pulled an invitation from her bag and handed it to N.

    "N, part of the conference is about the research I''m currently working on. If you''re free, I''d love for you toe and listen," she said. N took the invitation. "Sure. Thank you, Caroline."

    Caroline sighed and continued.

    "N, there''s something I wasn''t going to say, but now that you''re

    divorced think you should

    reconsider your future. You''re

    still

    young and could look into further

    studies, such as pursuing a master''s ofa Ph.D.

    "The environment atpanies can be quiteplex, and I believe focusing on research at an institute would be the best choice for you."

    Seeing Caroline''s serious expression, N nodded. "Okay, I''ll think about it."

    After settling the bill and heading toward the door, N ran into rk and Jordyn, who wereing out of the restaurant next door.

    Upon seeing N, Jordyn subconsciously tightened her grip on rk''s arm and looked at her warily.

    Caroline noticed the situation and quickly understood what was happening.

    N didn''t want to acknowledge them. She looked away and continued toward the parking lot with Caroline.

    However, rk felt a surge of frustration seeing her ignore them.

    He stepped forward and blocked their path "N, even though we''re divorced, you don''t have to act like you''re avoiding a gue whenever you see me."

 Chapter 340

    Impatience flickered in N''s eyes. "I don''t have anything to say to you, and I don''t see you as a gue. To me, you''re just a stranger."

    rk looked somewhat helpless. "Why be so stubborn? We used to love each other. Even though we''re apart now, I still want the best for you. It''s just that my uncle isn''t right for you." N frowned and said coldly, "I don''t want to hear your nonsense. Move aside!"

    Her good mood, which had brightened after meeting Caroline, waspletely ruined by her encounter with rk.

    Jordyn sneered. "rk, stop talking. If she wants to be the third wheel, let her. It''s not like you''ll be the one embarrassed in the end."

    N had initially tried to ignore them, but couldn''t help ncing at Jordyn upon hearing this.

    "Speaking of being a third wheel, Ms. Cheatham, you must have a lot of experience since you moved up from being a third wheel yourself, right?" she retorted.

    Jordyn''s face turned ugly. "N, what are you babbling about? rk and I are legally married now. I''m the legitimate Mrs. Sumner. Unlike you, who was just a temporary fling for Damon. Now that his ex is back, he''s eager to get rid of you. It''s reallyughable!"

    N''s expression remained indifferent. "Just because you have a marriage certificate doesn''t mean you didn''t start as a third wheel. Do you want me to post those disgusting videos of you and rk online so people can see what kind of people you are?" Jordyn''s anger red, and she was about to retort when Caroline, who had been watching, couldn''t hold back any longer.

    "rk, I saw you and N together back in university. You were so good to her then. I never thought you''d turn out like this," she said.

    rk just noticed Caroline, recognizing her as N''s senior from university. They had dined together a few times.

    Suddenly, the fond memories he had tried to forget resurfaced.

    Back in university, he had been very good to N. At that time, he was entirely devoted to her and couldn''t bear to see her cry. Whenever her eyes reddened, he would feel as if the world were ending and would clumsily try tofort her

    Eight years was a long time, and he had forgotten when he had gradually stopped caring as much. Perhaps he had assumed she would never leave him, so he had begun to hurther recklessly.

    Seeing rk lost in thought, Jordyn clutched her stomach and cried out, "Oh, rk... My stomach hurts..."

    Jordyn''s distress broke through rk''s thoughts. He turned to her. "What''s wrong?"

    "I don''t know. It just suddenly hurts..." Jordyn cried.

    Jordyn''s brows were furrowed, her face pale and genuinely distressed.

    rk ignored N and Caroline, quickly helping Jordyn away.

    As their figures disappeared, Caroline finally turned to N with concern. "N... Are you okay?"

    N smiled. "I''m fine. I''m no longer upset. I''ll take you back to your hotel."

    On the way back to the hotel, Caroline seemed hesitant, wanting to say something but struggling to find the right moment.

    ar stopped at the hotel

    When the car

    entrance, she finally gathered the courage to speak. "N, I hope you seriously consider what I mentioned earlient''s only been four years and you still have many years ahead of you."

    N nodded, her gaze soft. "I know, Caroline."

 Chapter 341

    Caroline didn''t say anything more, merely reminding N to be careful on her way back before heading into the hotel.

    ...

    N got home and sat on the sofa. She was about to rest when she noticed a corner of the invitation peeking out of her bag. She pulled it out and opened it. As she read through the conference details, her grip on the invitation tightened.

    Maybe Caroline was right. She should reconsider her future ns. She couldn''t have children, and even without Reba''s interference, she and Damon wouldn''t havested.

    Besides, having already been burned once by rk, she shouldn''t make the same mistake again.

    With that thought, a determined glint appeared in her eyes.

    ...

    The next morning, as soon as N arrived at Prospectus Technology, she ran into Reba.

    To be precise, Reba was deliberately waiting for her.

    "Ms. Jayston, good morning! I came to deliver breakfast to Damon. He has a sensitive stomach and doesn''t like eating breakfast made by others, so I made it myself," Reba said.

    N frowned and replied coldly, "Ms. Austen, if you enjoy showing off so much, you might as well bring along a couple of photographers next time to capture you delivering breakfast and send the photos to some entertainment news outlets. Let everyone see how ''virtuous and considerate'' you are."

    Reba smirked and brushed her hair back. "There''s no need for that. As long as Damon understands my intentions, that''s enough."

    "Then don''t unt it in front of me. I''m not interested." With that, N walked past her and left.

    Reba watched her retreating figure, her smile widening. She hoped N had really given up on Damon. Otherwise, she would ensure N couldn''t stay in Saintornia.

    ...

    Once on the top floor, Reba walked straight into Damon''s office.

    "Damon, I heard you didn''t have

    breakfast beforeing to work et

    brought you breakfast. I made it myself. Please have it before you start working," she said.

    Damon remained impassive, his eyes still on the documents. leave it on the desk. You''re pl There''s no need for you to cook or bring food in person."

    Reba bit her lip, disappointment shing in her eyes. "But you have a sensitive stomach because you skipped breakfast at university. You should-"

    Before she could finish, the office door swung open, and Spencer rushed in.

    Seeing Reba, he paused before saying, "Mr. Sumner, I have an important report."

    Damon finally looked up at Reba. "You can go now. I need to get back to work."

    "But the breakfast-" Reba began.

    Damon didn''t respond, his impatience evident.

    Reluctantly, Reba set the thermos down. "Remember to eat itter."

    She left, ncing back several times.

    "What''s the matter?" Damon asked Spencer.

    "Mr. rk has stolen another partnership from us," Spencer reported.

    Damon tossed the document onto the desk, his expression tightening and growing colder. "It seems he''s determined to go head-to-head with Prospectus Technology."

    Spencer kept his head down, hesitant to speak. After all, rk was Damon''s nephew-one of their own.

    "Find out whichpanies he''s been working with recently. If he wants to y games, I''ll y along!" Damon huffed. "Yes, sir!" Spencer replied.

    Once Spencer left, Damon picked up the documents again, ignoring the breakfast on his desk.

 Chapter 342

    Before long, Spencer discovered that rk was secretly meeting with a representative from thepany Prospectus Technology intended to partner with next month.

    He quickly reported, "Mr. Sumner, Mr. rk is meeting with Mr. Maddock at Pineer for lunch today."

    Damon''s gaze turned icy. "Book a table."

    "Understood," Spencer replied.

    At noon...

    When rk arrived at Pineer, he ran into Damon, and his expression shifted slightly.

    "Uncle Damon, what are you doing here?" he asked.

    Damon raised an eyebrow and replied with a faint smile, "What''s the matter? Just because you''re here, does that mean I can''t be?"

    rk''s gaze hardened slightly, but he managed a smile. "It''s just unexpected to run into you while having lunch."

    "Quite a coincidence," Damon said, ying along.

    They walked into the restaurant together.

    As rk watched Damon head toward Room 8, which he had reserved, his expression darkened. Just as Damon was about to reach the door, rk stepped in front of him. "Uncle Damon, what''s the meaning of this?" he asked.

    Noting the flicker of unease in rk''s eyes, Damon remained indifferent. "What''s the problem?"

    rk gnashed his teeth. "I have a meeting with a client. It''s not ideal for you to follow me. If you want to join me for lunch, we can reschedule."

    "Are you overthinking this? I don''t n to have lunch with you," Damon rified.

    "Then why are you heading toward the room I reserved?" rk questioned.

    His suspicion and wariness were evident, clearly not believing Damon''s words.

    "Is Room 9 your reservation?" Damon asked.

    rk was taken aback and instinctively shook his head. "No... Y-You reserved Room 9?"

    "Otherwise? Are you hiding

    something you shouldn''t?" Damon''s cold, prating gaze made rk ufortable, prompting him to touch his nose subconsciously.

    "No, I just overthink things since my reserved room is next to yours. Please don''t take it the wrong way," rk exined. Damon didn''t look at him again and walked past him into Room 9.

    rk breathed a sigh of relief but couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off.

    What a coincidence! He was meeting Peter Maddock there, and Damon happened to be dining in the next room.

    Whether it was a coincidence or Damon''s intention, rk was determined to secure the deal with Peter today.

    He called Michael and said quietly, "Uncle Damon is in Room 9 right now. Keep a close watch and let me know when he leaves."

    After hanging up, rk entered Room 8 and spent an hour discussing matters with Peter.

    By the end of their meeting, he still hadn''t heard from Michael about Damon leaving, and his anxiety grew.

    After all, the deal might fall through if he encountered Damon while escorting Peter out.

    Despite his anxiety, he maintained a calm facade and continued discussing the partnership with Peter.

    Peter was about to leave, but rk kept talking, so Peter patiently continued the discussion for a while longer.

    After about ten more minutes, Peter

    finally spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, I have

    a flight at 4:00 p.m. It''s gettingte,

    so let''s wrap up for today. My secretary will follow up on the details of the partnership."

    "What about signing the contract..." rk began.

    "I''m heading to Meristate for a business trip today, so there won''t be time to sign the contract. Please make any necessary changes and send the revised contract to my secretary''s email. If everything looks good, I''ll sign it online. I really need togo now. Otherwise, I''ll miss my flight," Peter said.

 Chapter 343

    "Mr. Maddock, my secretary has already revised the contract and should be arriving in about five minutes," rk replied.

    Peter''s frown deepened, and he looked visibly displeased. "Mr. Sumner, we''ve already agreed on the partnership. Why the rush? Do you think I''m going to back out?" Noticing Peter''s displeasure, rk quickly attempted to exin, "No, Mr. Maddock, that''s not what I meant."

    "Then what do you mean? I''ve told you I need to catch a flight, yet you''re holding me up. Mr. Sumner, I have other options too!" With that, Peter stood up and left.

    As he opened the door, Damon emerged from the adjacent Room 9.

    rk hurried after Peter. "Mr. Maddock... I can arrange a car to take you..."

    Before he could finish, he noticed Damon standing by the door, and his expression soured.

    Peter also noticed Damon and was taken aback. He quickly approached Damon. "Mr. Damon, what are you doing here? Mr. rk said you were too busy to handle the negotiations, which is why he''s doing it with me."

    Damon raised an eyebrow, finally understanding how rk had managed to secure some deals from Prospectus Technology. He looked at rk with a cold smile.

    "I didn''t realize I was too busy to meet with clients," Damon remarked.

    rk froze.

    After a few seconds, he said, "Uncle Damon, I''ve already settled the partnership with Mr. Maddock, and he needs to catch a flight. I need to take him to the airport." Damon maintained his smile but said nothing.

    Peter, not easily fooled, quickly grasped that rk had tried to deceive him and red at him. "You dared to lie to me! I wondered why you were so eager for your secretary to bring the revised contract. It turns out you were afraid of being exposed!" rk turned pale. "Mr. Maddock, please let me exin-"

    Peter sneered. "Exin what? I''m busy catching a flight and don''t want to waste more time with you, but this isn''t over!"

    With that, Peter ignored rk and

    turned to Damon. "Mr. Damon, I

    need to get to the airport

    discuss the partnership in person when I return."

    Damon replied indifferently, "Mr. Maddock, I''ll take you to the airport."

    Peter paused to consider, then nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Damon."

    As Damon and Peter left, rk''s face turned ashen; he didn''t dare to stop them.

    ...

    On the way to the airport, Damon and Peter discussed the broad terms of their cooperation.

    Peter assured Damon that he woulde to Saintornia to sign the contract once his business trip was over.

    After seeing Peter off, Damon returned to Prospectus Technology.

    As he reached the top floor, Spencer hurried over. "Mr. Damon, Mr. rk

    has arrived and is waiting for you in the reception room."

    Damon''s gaze turned cold. "Understood."

    In the reception room, rk sat on the sofa, lost in thought. When he heard footsteps, he looked up, his expression nervous.

    "Uncle Damon, I''m really sorry about

    this. I hope you can forgive me.

    promise it won''t happen againne

    apologized hastily.

    Damon sat down opposite him, his gaze icy.

    It felt like sharp needles piercing rk, making him squirm in his seat as his face turned pale.

    "Uncle Damon-" he began.

    Damon cut him off, "Did you use the same method to snatch those Prospectus Technology deals before?"

 Chapter 344

    Avoiding eye contact with Damon, rk lowered his head. "Uncle Damon, I realize I was wrong..."

    Damon''s anger morphed into a chuckle. "Realize you were wrong? Do you understand that what you did is a crime? You used Prospectus Technology''s name to deceive otherpanies into signing contracts with yours. If this gets out, you could be taken to court!" He was astonished by rk''s audacity.

    rk, now genuinely terrified, looked up at Damon with fear. "Uncle Damon, I understand my mistake. When my dad handed over thepany to me, the funds were nearly depleted. If I didn''t secure partnerships with some majorpanies, thepany would soon go bankrupt. "Please, just give me one chance. I promise I won''t make the same mistake again!"

    Upon seeing rk''s frightened and guilty demeanor, Damon''s anger intensified. "Realizing your mistake doesn''t excuse the fact that youmitted it in the first ce." The room fell into silence.

    After a long pause, rk finally looked up at Damon. "Uncle Damon, what do you want me to do to make this right? Do you really want me to beg?"

    Before Damon could respond, his phone on the table rang. Seeing it was Reba, he moved aside to answer the call. "What is it?"

    Noticing the coldness in his tone, Reba was disappointed. "Damon, I wanted to ask if you''ll being home for dinner tonight. I''m making your favorite fish. Would you like that?"

    Damon rubbed his temples and replied quietly, "I''m not sure yet. Just take care of yourself. You don''t need to cook. Let the service staff handle it."

    "But... I don''t know how many more meals I''ll get to make for you. I don''t want you to remember me only as someone frail. I want you to have some good memories of me," Reba said. Damon''s patience was wearing thin, but he remembered her illness and softened his tone. "Don''t overexert yourself."

    After hanging up, Damon turned back to rk with a cold voice. "I''ll inform your grandfather about this. You need to resolve the issues with thepanies you deceived on your own. I won''t help you." Relief shed in rk''s eyes. As long as Damon didn''t pursue it further, there was still a chance to fix things. "Thank you, Uncle Damon!"

    "No need to thank me. My decision not to pursue it doesn''t mean thosepanies won''t," Damon warned.

    rk''s smile faltered, and he replied awkwardly, "I understand."

    Noticing rk still seated on the sofa, Damon said sternly, "Aren''t you leaving?"

    "I''m leaving now..." rk replied.

    It wasn''t until rk left Prospectus Technology that his expression darkened considerably.

    Even though rk was Damon''s nephew and Damon had ended up with Ny?a, Damon still refused to help rk in this situation. The more rk thought about it, the more he loathed Damon. en

    Suddenly, his phone buzzed.

    Seeing it was Richard, rk tightened his grip on the phone and took a moment before answering.

    An angry voice came through the line.

    rk apologized submissively and, after ending the call, drove back to the Summer residence.

    As the workday wound down that evening, N took out the invitation to the Conference that Caroline had give her, hesitating about whether to attend.

    Melody, who noticed the invitation, looked surprised. "N, how did you get an invitation to this conference?"

    The invitation was for the "Next-Generation Cancer Drug Research and Application" conference, which would be held in the city center.

    The event would bring together top medical experts and pharmaceutical researchers from around the world to discuss thetest advancements in cancer drug development and share clinical trial results.

 Chapter 345

    Many researchers were eager to attend the conference, but the entry requirements were stringent, and invitations were difficult to obtain. "My senior gave it to me. This conference aligns perfectly with her research focus," N exined.

    "Wow, your senior sounds amazing! N... I''m really interested in this conference. Could you take me with you?" Melody asked eagerly. N hesitated but then said, "I''ll ask my senior if I can bring an extra person."

    "Great!" Melody eximed.

    N sent a message to Caroline and soon received a reply that it was okay.

    When she learned she could attend the conference with N, Melody''s face lit up with excitement. "N, thank you so much! I''m really grateful!"

    "Alright. Let''s clean up theb and get ready to leave for the day," N suggested.

    With that, she got up and headed toward theb, with Melody quickly following.

    After they left, Gabriel nced at the invitation N had left on the desk, his eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Damon was dealing with documents when he suddenly received a call from Nathaniel.

    "Damon, there''s a ''Next-Generation Cancer Drug Research and Application'' conference here in Saintornia. One of the researchers is working on a project rted to Reba''s condition. Should we take Reba to the conference?" Nathaniel asked. Damon was silent for a few seconds before replying, "Just arrange a meeting with the researcher instead."

    "If it were that easy, I would have done it already. The researcher is very busy and hasn''t been avabletely. Besides, she''s flying out of the country right after the conference to attend another seminar. The only way to meet her is by attending the conference," Nathaniel exined.

    "Understood. Send me the time and location," Damon replied.

    After hanging up, Damon put his phone down and resumed working.

    It wasn''t long before his phone buzzed with messages from Reba. Without even opening them, he knew they were likely about checking if he was tired or

    reminding him toe home for dinner.

    He had no desire to read the messages or return to the vi. His reconciliation with Reba had been driven by guilt. The thought of pretending for another three months left him feeling drained.

    When Spencer entered the office, he ced a stack of documents on the desk. "Mr. Sumner, you can sign these tomorrow."

    "Okay, you can leave for the day," Damon replied dismissively.

    After Spencer left, Damon nced at the documents but was unable to focus. He set them aside and picked up his phone, opening his chat with N.

    He wanted to send her a message to exin, but he wasn''t sure what to say. He had broken his promises numerous times. She must be thoroughly disappointed in him by now. After hesitating for a long time, he put his phone away and got up to leave.

    ...

    Damon had intended to return to the vi but found himself, almost subconsciously, outside N''s building.

    He had been keeping track of her

    and knew she had moved into the same building as Gabriel. He wanted her to stay away from Gabriel, but what right did he have to make such demands now?

    Damon''s ck Maybach remained parked downstairs for a long time as he watched the entrance to her building. Finally, a familiar figure appeared.

    N came downstairs to take out the trash.

    When she saw Damon''s car parked nearby, she was surprised. Quickly regaining herposure, she turned her gaze away, tossed the trash into the bin, and headed back inside.

    Damon watched her retreating figure, hesitating for a long time. Just as she was about to enter the building, he opened the car door and walked toward N.

 Chapter 346

    As soon as Damon stepped out of the car, someone else appeared at the entrance of the apartment building.

    Damon''s stride faltered, and his expression immediately hardened.

    Gabriel positioned himself in front of N.

    N''s face, though free of makeup, remained strikingly beautiful, causing Gabriel''s heart to stir as he gazed at her.

    "Do you need something?" she asked, her tone frosty.

    Sensing her coldness, Gabriel looked somewhat disappointed but managed a forced smile. "N, I just returned from visiting your dad. He misses you. If you''re free tomorrow night, let''s go see him together." N pressed her lips together. "Okay. If I''m free, I''ll go."

    Eager to avoid further interaction with Gabriel, she turned to leave.

    Just as Gabriel was about to call after her, he felt a cold stare. Turning, he saw Damon approaching, his face stormy.

    N noticed Damon too. Her gaze flickered with confusion. He had publicly reconciled with Reba-why was he there?

    With that thought in mind, she walked to the elevator and pressed the up button, pretending not to see Damon.

    Gabriel smirked. "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here?"

    "I''m here to see her. It has nothing to do with you," Damon replied.

    "Of course it does. I''m N''s brother, and you''re a man with a girlfriend. It''s inappropriate for you to be seeking her out privately, don''t you think?" Gabriel countered.

    Damon''s gaze grew colder. "This is between her and me. It''s not your ce to interfere."

    "But it seems N doesn''t want to see you," Gabriel retorted.

    The chill in Damon''s eyes deepened, his cold aura almost palpable.

    Gabriel, however, maintained a faint smile, showing no fear as he met Damon''s gaze.

    While they were locked in their standoff, the elevator doors opened.

    N, exhausted from dealing with the two of them, walked straight into the elevator.

    Just as the doors were about to close, a hand suddenly blocked the gap, causing the doors to open once more.

    N looked at Damon standing outside the elevator with cold eyes. "Mr. Sumner, do you need something?" "We need to talk," Damon replied.

    Meeting his cool gaze, N paused for a moment. She acknowledged that some matters needed to be resolved.

    "Alright," she said, stepping out of the elevator to follow Damon.

    "N..." Gabriel called after her in a low voice. "I''ll wait here. If anything happens, just call me."

    "Nothing''s going to happen. Go home," N said.

    For a moment, Gabriel''s smile wavered, and his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

    Soon, N and Damon found a quiet spot outside the apartment building. Her expression remained frosty as she looked at him.

    "What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

    "N, about me getting back together with Reba-" Damon began.

    N cut him off, "I''m not interested in that. You don''t need to exin. I agreed to talk with you to clear things up once and for all.

    "Since you''ve reconciled with her, there is no possibility for us. I hope you''ll keep your distance from now on. Don''te to my building again. I don''t want people to misunderstand and think I''ma homewrecker."

    Damon frowned, and his demeanor grew even colder. "I know you won''t believe anything I say right now, but

    I''ll exin everything in throw, but

    months."

    "That''s not necessary. It doesn''t matter anymore," N shot back.

    Damon''s gaze hardened due to N''s indifference. "N, the one I love is you."

    N looked up at him. He was still as handsome as ever, stirring her heart, but she had had enough of the emotional turmoil.

    She had thought she could endure it,

    but now she realized that truly loving someone meant she couldn''t tolerate any other woman being in his life.

 Chapter 347

    "rk said he loved me, but that didn''t stop him from cheating with Jordyn. You say you love me, but that doesn''t stop you from getting back together with Reba. I guess, in your minds, your feelings are worth a lot. Just because you like me, I''m supposed to be grateful

    and ept whatever you do," N said.

    Damon frowned. "That''s not what I mean..."

    N smiled. "It doesn''t matter what you mean. Since you chose Reba over me, there''s no chance for us. It''s that simple."

    The calmness in her gaze stirred a sense of panic in Damon. He felt like he was really losing her.

    "N..." he started.

    "We''ve already said everything that needs to be said. There''s no point in dragging this out. Let''s end it here," N concluded.

    Their love had always been unequal, never truly bnced. She''d rather not have such love at all.

    ...

    Back home, N had just sat on the couch when her phone rang. It was a call from William.

    "Ms. Jayston, your assets with Mr. Sumner have been divided. Your share amounts to 786,398 dors. Also, we''ve made some progress on Cyrus'' case. Are you avable tomorrow? We can meet and go over the details," William proposed. "Sure, I''m free after work tomorrow evening," N replied.

    After setting a time and ce, N hung up and went to grab some clothes for a shower, pondering what to do about Cyrus.

    Now that she had broken up with Damon, the Sumners wouldn''t hesitate toe after her. Continuing to oppose them wouldn''t benefit her.

    Despite this, she wasn''t ready to give up. It had been so hard to get Cyrus into jail. If she let him get away this time, it would be even harder to catch him in the future.

    After thinking it over for a while without reaching a conclusion, she decided to stop worrying and wait until she met with William the next day.

    The next evening arrived quickly.

    William came with the asset division agreement.

    "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner has already signed. If everything looks good, please sign here," he said.

    N reviewed the agreement, confirming there were no issues, and then signed her name.

    With that signature, she and rk were finished. They had no more ties to each other.

    N handed the agreement back to William and inquired about Cyrus'' case.

    William''s expression grew serious. "Ms. Jayston, the Sumners are already intervening. There''s a strong possibility that Cyrus won''t be sentenced. You should be prepared for that."

    N lowered her gaze, remaining silent. She was aware of the Sumners considerable influence in Saintornia. She had only managed to secure Cyrus''s police custody because she had caught them off guard.

    "I understand. We''ll do our best and leave the rest to fate," she replied.

    William nodded. "Yes, I''ll do everything I can with this case, but the oue might="

    N cut him off, "I understand. Even if things don''t turn out well, I won''t me you."

    They discussed the case a bit more before William left to return to his firm.

    Back home, N''s ordered books had arrived-two thick stacks, all study materials for her graduate exam.

    She carried the books inside, organized them, and noted that it was still early. Deciding to study for an hour, that night, she made the most of every minute, knowing there were less than two months until the exam registration. She hoped to pass on her first attempt

    ...

    In the following days, N devoted every spare moment to studying.

    Soon, it was Saturday.

    Early in the morning, she received a call from Melody, who said she was already downstairs.

 Chapter 348

    N checked the time-it was only 7:00 a.m., and the conference didn''t start until 9:00 a.m.

    "Isn''t it a little early for you to be here?" she asked groggily, still not fully awake.

    Melody''s voice was filled with excitement. "I couldn''t sleep, so I got up early. I brought breakfast for you, but don''t worry. I''ll just walk around outside until you''re ready."

    N sighed, feeling a bit helpless. She told Melody which floor she lived on so she coulde up and wait inside.

    By the time N finished getting ready, it was just past 8:00 a.m. The two of them arrived at the conference venue before 8:30 a.m.

    As they approached the entrance, a ck Maybach and a Rolls-Royce pulled up beside them.

    The doors of the Maybach opened, and Reba and Damon stepped out. From the Rolls-Royce behind them emerged Nathaniel.

    As soon as they exited their cars, conference staff members enthusiastically greeted them. "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Preston, Ms. Austen, wee to the conference. Please allow me to show you to the VIP entrance."

    Reba wore a white dress today, her long hair flowing down to her waist. With light makeup, she looked delicate and sweet. As she stayed close to Damon''s side, she exuded an air of vulnerability that invited protectiveness from those around her. Damon''s indifferent gaze briefly lingered on N before he looked away as if he hadn''t seen her at all.

    N lowered her eyes, forcing herself to ignore the disappointment that swelled in her heart. Damon treating her like a stranger was far better than dragging out their unresolved feelings.

    The group quickly followed the staff through the VIP entrance, causing Melody to watch enviously.

    However, remembering that N and Damon had broken up because of Reba, she quickly suppressed her envy.

    "N, let''s go in too," she said.

    Meanwhile, Nathaniel nced at Damon teasingly as they settled into a private room.

    "Damon, if I''m not mistaken, I just saw N outside. Why didn''t you say hi?" Nathaniel asked.

    Damon''s expression was icy, and he remained silent.

    Next to him, Reba''s expression changed slightly. Although Damon hadn''t spoken to N earlier, Reba knew his eyes had been on N the entire time.

    "Nathaniel stop teasing Damon. He

    and Ms. Jayston are the real couple.

    I''ll find a chance to exin everything to her. In three months, I''ll give Damon back to her," Reba

    said.

    Nathaniel''s face fell. "Reba, there will be a way to treat your illness. Don''t speak like that again."

    Reba smiled sorrowfully and did not say anything more.

    Seeing her like this made Nathaniel ufortable. He stood up and walked over to the window, looking down.

    The conference hall was arranged

    with rows of seats in the center and

    private rooms on both sides for

    those of higher status. Each room had arge one-way mirror, allowing those to see out, while those

    could only see darkness.

    Noticing N and Melody sitting toward the back in the middle, Nathaniel smirked mockingly. Without Damon, N was insignificant.

    N was unaware of Nathaniel''s thoughts. Even if she knew, she wouldn''t care. She was there to listen to the conference and determine a direction for her future career. The conference soon began.

    Under the spotlight of the tech conference, Dr. Brendan Oakley, a leading figure in drug research, slowly stood up. He cleared his throat and began his opening remarks.

    "Good day, everyone. In the path of

    drug development, we constantly

    d to

    ve

    strive for breakthroughs and innovation. Today, I am honored share with you a significant advancement in cancer drugo research."

    Brendan''s voice was firm, each word reflecting his passion and respect for science.

 Chapter 349

    "In the past year, our team has worked tirelessly, delving deep into the mechanisms of cancer and exploring new treatment strategies. Today, I am proud to announce that we''ve developed a ''Long-acting Drug''," Brendan said, his voice brimming with pride. "This ''Long-acting Drug'' not only exhibits a high level of specificity, precisely targeting cancer cells, but it also maintains therapeutic effects in the body for an extended period. This means cancer patients can expect longer survival times and an improved quality of life." Brendan''s announcement was met with enthusiastic apuse and cheers from the audience.

    As Brendan finished his speech, other researchers began presenting their findings.

    Caroline was the fifth speaker. Dressed in a simple whiteb coat with her hair neatly tied back, she projected a professional and capable image.

    She started by disying a series of detailed experimental data charts.

    Pointing to the data on the screen, she exined, "These are the results of the in vitro and in vivo experiments we''ve conducted over the past few months on the ''Long-acting Drug''.

    "From this data, we can see that the ''Long-acting Drug'' demonstrates significant effectiveness in inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells."

    Caroline then presented photos and videos of theb animals.

    "After treatment with the ''Long-acting Drug'', the tumors in these animals have significantly reduced in size, and no major side effects have been observed. This further confirms the drug''s safety and efficacy. However, it will still be some time before this drug can be brought to market," she concluded.

    Caroline''s presentation generated great interest among the audience, with many people eager to learn more about the "Long-acting Drug".

    She patiently answered each question.

    As the conference progressed, discussions about the "Long-acting Drug" became increasingly intense. Even after the conference concluded, the audience seemed eager for more information.

    The conference was not solely

    focused on drug research

    advancements. High-profile figures

    from Saint¨°rnia were also in attendance. Drug development required significant funding, and potential sponsors could greatly alleviate the financial burden of research.

    ...

    After the conference ended, Caroline walked over to N with a smile and asked, "N, how did I do? Did I seem too nervous?"

    N shook her head and answered seriously, "Not at all, Caroline. You did great."

    A brief sh of regret appeared in N''s eyes. If she hadn''t abandoned her rmendation to stay in academia and returned to Saintornia, she might have been among them now. However, she quickly dismissed that thought-starting over was still possible.

    Caroline smiled, about to speak, when a gentle female voice called from behind her, "Caroline,e over here. I want to introduce you to a few people."

    They all turned to see who had spoken and saw Damon and the others standing next to Caroline''s mentor.

    N''s expression remained calm.

    Melody, standing beside her,

    couldn''t help but whisper as Caroline

    walked away, "N, do you think Mr.

    Sumner is doing this on purpose? He knew you''d be here, so he brought Reba to rub it in your face!"

    ve

    N nced at Melody''s indignant expression and managed a small smile before dismissing the idea. "You''re overthinking it. I''m not that important. One of the purposes of this conference is to attract funding for research. Mr. Sumner was probably invited for that reason."

 Chapter 350

    "Oh, okay," Melody replied.

    N looked away, her expression calm. "Let''s go."

    Even after they left the venue, Melody remained visibly excited. "N, thank you so much for today! After listening to the conference, I''m even more determined to pursue a career in drug research."

    Seeing Melody''s flushed cheeks and bright, sparkling eyes, N couldn''t help but smile. "What made you suddenly think of this?"

    Previously, when their experiments kept failing, Melody had been noticeably down for a few days, feeling frustrated. N had feared she might give up, but Melody persisted and now seemed even moremitted to this path.

    "I heard Caroline say that their experiments failed over a thousand times, but they still kept going. I think that''s amazing. I want to be like them-standing up there someday, sharing my experiences," Melody gushed.

    She looked a little embarrassed at this point. "I''ve never really stuck with anything before. Now I want tomit to drug research."

    N nodded. "As long as you''ve thought it through."

    "N, let me treat you to lunchter as a thank-you for bringing me to the conference," Melody offered.

    "No need. I have another appointment," N declined.

    "Okay, then," Melody conceded.

    After Melody left, N went straight to the parking lot to wait for Caroline in her car.

    It took more than half an hour for Caroline and Damon''s group to finish their conversation at the venue.

    As Caroline walked to the parking lot, texting N, she unexpectedly ran into Damon''s group again at the elevator.

    Reba spoke gently with a smile. "Ms. Lovell, we''re heading out for lunch. If you''re free, would you like to join us?"

    After reading N''s message, Caroline put away her phone and looked at Reba. "Thanks for the invitation, Ms. Austen, but I already have ns for lunch."

    A sh of disappointment crossed

    Reba''s face, as if she regretted missing out. "Oh, that''s too bad.

    was hoping to chat with you more. I feel like we get along and would like

    to be friends."

    Caroline didn''t believe Reba genuinely wanted to be friends. Her real motive was likely that Caroline''s drug research might help with her

    illness. y

    "I''m usually busy with experiments, but if you need anything, you can always message me. I''ll reply when I can," Caroline said.

    "I will, as long as I''m not bothering you," Reba replied.

    "Not at all," Caroline assured her.

    As they spoke, the elevator arrived. They all stepped inside, and Caroline pressed the button for the basement level.

    Reba continued chatting with Caroline about drug development.

    Soon, the elevator doors opened again.

    Reba''s smile froze when she saw the person standing outside.

    N hadn''t expected Caroline to be with Damon and the others, and surprise shed in her eyes. However, she quickly regained herposure.

    Damon, who had been wearing an indifferent expression, was about to say something when Caroline walked over to N.

    "N, have you been waiting long?" Caroline asked.

    N smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. Shall we go?"

    "Sure," Caroline said, turning back to Damon and his group. "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Preston, Ms. Austen, I''ll be going now Maybe we can have lunch together some other time.

    Before Damon could respond, Reba spoke slowly. "Ms. Lovell, I didn''t know you knew Ms. Jayston."

    Caroline paused for a moment. "N is my junior from university. We''re pretty close. Why? Do you know each other?"

    Reba''s smile was slightly forced, her gaze holding a hint of something unreadable. "Well... not really."

 Chapter 351

    Caroline couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. She turned back to N with a questioning look, but N showed no reaction.

    N simply said, "Let''s go. We''re going to bete for our reservation."

    With that, N took Caroline by the arm and headed toward the parking lot, offering no further exnation.

    Reba bit her lip, unable to resist ncing at Damon.

    When she saw his gaze fixed on N''s departing figure, she dug her nails into her palms. Jealousy bloomed like wild grass in her heart, intensifying her dislike for N. She lowered her eyes, masking her emotions perfectly.

    "Damon... Ms. Lovell is good friends with Ms. Jayston. Ms. Jayston doesn''t like me. Do you think she''ll speak poorly of me to Ms. Lovell? If Ms. Lovell starts to dislike me too..." she muttered. Her hesitant tone caused Damon to frown.

    "I''ve already agreed to invest in theirb. Whether she likes you or not, theirtest anti-cancer drug will still be avable to you," Damon replied.

    Reba''s gaze darkened due to Damon''s attempt to defend N, her weak smile betraying her emotions.

    "I understand," she said.

    Nathaniel, who disliked seeing Reba so submissive, spoke up coldly. "If N speaks poorly of you to Caroline, it just shows she''s not a good person."

    As soon as he said that, he felt the temperature drop. He looked up to see Damon''s dark, stormy eyes and frowned.

    "Damon, did I say something wrong?" Nathaniel asked.

    Damon replied, "You have no right to judge her. Besides, I''m the one who wronged her."

    Nathaniel found thisughable. "What do you mean you wronged her? Don''t forget, she''s the one who got your brother thrown in jail. If you weren''t protecting her, given your father''s methods, do you think she''d stiff be alive?"

    "This is between her and me. It''s not your ce to judge. Don''t let me hear you speak ill of her again," Damon dered.

    Realizing that Damon was genuinely angry, Nathaniel felt his anger re up. Was their friendship over the years worth less than N? "And if I insist?" he demanded.

    "Then we have nothing more to do with each other." With these cold words, Damon turned and walked away.

    His voice wasn''t loud, but Nathaniel knew he was serious.

    "Fine, Damon. If you value some woman over our years of brotherhood, then I have nothing more to say!" Nathaniel eximed.

    Seeing Nathaniel about to leave, Reba quickly stepped in front of him. "Nathaniel, don''t act rashly."

    Nathaniel snickered, his voiceced with anger. "Who''s acting rashly?"

    Reba sighed and lowered her voice. "It''s not worth ruining your friendship over N. Do it for me, please. I don''t want my return to cause a rift between you two"

    "What does this have to do with you? This is all because of that woman!" Nathaniel huffed.

    "But it''s because I returned and Damon and I got back together that he broke up with N. That''s why you two are fighting," Reba reasoned.

    Seeing the guilt and remorse in Reba''s eyes, Nathaniel felt both heartache and helplessness.

    "Reba, you''re always thinking of others. You and Damon were meant to be together. Getting back together is only natural. You have nothing to feel guilty about," he said.

 Chapter 352

    Reba smiled bitterly. "I''ve got less than three months left. There''s no point in fighting over these things. After three months, I''ll give Damon back to her."

    As soon as she finished speaking, Nathaniel grabbed her hand and said seriously, "Reba, don''t talk like that. Damon has already invested in Caroline''s researchb, and the drug is close to being developed. You''re going to be okay!" Reba''s gaze was wry. "The drug is still in the trial phase. No one can be sure if it will work, and there might be side effects."

    Seeing her so pessimistic, Nathaniel felt a pang in his heart, his eyes instantly filling with pain.

    "Reba, you used to be so optimistic. Now you''ve be so negative, which isn''t like you. You should be strong and resilient, never letting anything get you down. And I believe that drug will work!" he encouraged.

    Reba lowered her eyes and said softly, "I want to be strong, but I just can''t. Besides... Damon doesn''t love me anymore. He only agreed to get back together with me out of guilt. Even if I get better, he won''t fall back in love with me. Surviving wouldn''t mean much." Nathaniel''s gaze turned cold. He looked at her and said slowly, "As long as you get better, I''ll help you. I won''t let anyone stand in the way of you and Damon being together!"

    By "anyone", he clearly meant N.

    A strange look shed in Reba''s eyes at Nathaniel''s ruthless gaze. She asked softly, "Really?"

    "Really," Nathaniel assured.

    If N tried to stop Reba from being with Damon, he wouldn''t hesitate to deal with her.

    "Thank you, Nathaniel!" Reba threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, her body trembling slightly with emotion.

    Nathaniel stiffened. It took him a long time to finally raise his hand and gently pat her back. As he felt Reba''s soft body pressed against him, his heart was filled with both sweetness and pain.

    He wanted to hold her but couldn''t. It was all because she was his best friend''s girlfriend, and... she didn''t love him.

    On the way to the restaurant, Caroline couldn''t help but ask N, "Why was Ms. Austen acting so weird toward you earlier in the parking lot? Did you two have some sort of falling out?" N''s expression remained calm. "No. It''s just that I work at Mr. Sumner''spany now."

    ...

    Caroline''s eyes widened in surprise. "You never mentioned that before. But Mr. Sumner is impressive. I heard he built Prospectus Technology from the ground up into the giantpany it is today. And he''s so handsome. It''s a shame he has a girlfriend. Although... even if he didn''t have a girlfriend, he wouldn''t be someone we could reach."

    She continued talking to herself, unaware that N''s grip on the steering wheel had tightened subconsciously.

    It was so obvious to everyone else, yet Caroline was only now beginning to see it clearly.

    Stopping at a red light, N turned

    to Caroline. "Caroline, let''s not talk about irrelevant people. Tell me more about what your life has been like doing experiments these past few years. I''m more interested in that."

    Caroline smiled. "Okay. My life these past few years hasn''t been much different from when we were in university It''s just been a cycle of sses, meals,b work, and sleep. But doing experiments is a lot harder than it was in university. Things go Wrong all the time..."

    N listened intently, asionally asking Caroline questions.

    ...

    By the time they finished lunch, it was already 2:00 p.m.

    Caroline''s flight back to Capitarnia was at 8:00 p.m., and she still needed to return to the hotel to pack. N drove her straight there.

    As Caroline exited the car, she couldn''t hold back and asked the question she had been keeping in her heart, "N, about what I mentioned before... Have you made up your mind?" N nodded. "Yeah, I''m nning to go to grad school."

 Chapter 353

    Caroline paused before smiling. "Alright. I''ll be waiting for you in Capitarnia."

    "Sure," N promised.

    After Caroline entered the hotel, N drove off.

    Halfway home, her phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing that it was an unknown number, she decided not to answer. The caller didn''t try again but sent a text message instead.

    It wasn''t until N parked downstairs that she checked the message.

    [Ms. Jayston, my father was one of the victims of the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident six years ago. I saw in the news that you found evidence and sent Cyrus Sumner to the police. I also have some evidence and would like to give it to you. Please contact me if you see this message.]

    After reading the text, N tightened her grip on her phone but didn''t rush to reply.

    Cyrus had been in custody for a while, and this person was just now reaching out. It seemed a bit suspicious.

    After a moment of consideration, she decided to ignore it for the time being.

    If the other party was genuinely desperate, they would reach out again. No matter their intention, it was better to be cautious.

    For the rest of the weekend, N stayed at home studying.

    Gabriel sent her several messages inviting her to join him for a meal. Initially, she responded, but eventually, she began to ignore them.

    ...

    On Monday morning, just as N was leaving her apartment, she found Gabriel waiting by the elevator.

    She greeted him coolly and was about to leave when he stepped before her. "N, am I bothering you?"

    Understanding he was referring to herck of response to his messages, she nodded. "A little."

    Gabriel looked momentarily taken aback, then his eyes softened with a hint of indulgence and helplessness. "I understand. I won''t bother you again." "Thank you." With that, N turned and left without another word.

    After she drove away, Gabriel made a phone call, his voice as gentle as ever. "How did it go with what I asked you to do?"

    A gruff, low voice answered from the

    other end, "I called her, but she didn''t pick up. Then I sent a text, but it''s

    been more than a day, and she still hasn''t responded."

    Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Keep trying to contact her. Once this is over, I''ll send your daughter abroad for treatment." Gabriel hung up, put away his phone, and smirked.

    On her way to the office, N received a call from Vrie.

    "N, you won''t believe this!" Vrie eximed.

    Curious, N raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

    "After rk took over his father''s

    signing deals with Prospet

    Technology, but it turns out it was just rk''s smallpany Now people are starting to realize something''s off, and some are threatening to sue him," Vrie exined.

    N frowned. "How could those executives be so careless? Didn''t they notice the contracts were with the wrongpany?"

    Vrie borated, "He forged the

    contracts. The paperwork said Prospectus Technology, but a

    dealings were actually hapalkthe

    by

    people from hispany

    "Isn''t he afraid of getting caught?" N asked, surprised that rk would dare to pull off something like this.

    It was eye-opening.

    "I guess he didn''t think he''d get caught. Who knows how this will y out now? I''ll let you know if I hear anything new," Vrie offered.

    N wasn''t particrly concerned about what happened to rk. After all, they had nothing to do with each other anymore.

    What N hadn''t expected was that rk woulde to her for help.

    "N, for the sake of what we had, can you please help me? Talk to Uncle Damon for me and ask him to assist me this one time?" he pleaded.

 Chapter 354

    Seeing rk''s pleading look, N wondered how he had the nerve to seek her out. And to ask her to help for the sake of the love they once shared?

    If she could go back in time, she would have thrown the flowers right back at him and told him to get lost when he confessed his feelings.

    "I can''t help you. You caused this, and you should face the consequences," she said.

    She brushed past him and headed for the elevator.

    N had barely taken two steps when he grabbed her hand.

    rk''s eyes were bloodshot, and his once-handsome face was contorted with rage, making him look somewhat terrifying.

    "N, are you really this heartless? When we divorced, you took over 700,000 dors from me, and now you won''t even ask Damon for help? I''ll ask you one more time: Are you going to help me or not?!" rk''s eyes were wide with resentment, and his breathing was ragged.

    N''s heart sank.

    rk was clearly agitated. Who knew what he might do if she refused?

    "Fine... I''ll talk to him for you. Just calm down..." she coaxed.

    rk hesitated, skeptical. "Really?"

    N nodded, trying to keep him calm.

    "Really, I''ll go see him right now," she said.

    rk seemed to rx a little, but then he remembered how she had tricked him before, and his anger red up again. "You''re lying! You''ve lied to me before!"

    Seeing the dangerous look in his eyes, N involuntarily trembled.

    "I''m telling the truth. If you don''t believe me, you cane with me," she said.

    rk smirked. "Yeah, I think I should go with you."

    N thought she had him calmed down. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she felt the cold edge of a knife against her waist.

    It was chilly that morning, so she had thrown on a coat before leaving. Now, with rk holding the knife against her waist, it looked as though he was simply putting his arm around her.

    N cursed inwardly. rk was truly insane!

    "What are you doing?" she asked.

    "I don''t trust you. And how do I know

    what you''ll do when you see

    Damon? This way, I can make you'' Dreally plead for me," rk exined.

    N''s palms were sweaty with nerves.

    sure

    With rk already threatening her with a knife, there was no telling what else he might do.

    "I can only ask him to help you, but we''re not together anymore. He

    with Reba now, soche

    probably won''t listen to me," N rified.

    "Don''t worry. He will listen to you. Stop talking and move!" rk ordered, pulling her toward the elevator.

    From a distance, they appeared to be a couple walking closely together.

    In the basement, several Prospectus Technology employees discreetly took photos while waiting for the elevator and shared them in thepany group chat. Soon, gossip began to spread.

    [No way, is N really that shady? She just broke up with Mr. Damon, and now she''s back with her ex-husband...]

    [If I remember correctly, her ex-husband is already remarried. So, does that mean she''s willingly being the other woman?]

    [She sure has some tricks, huh? ying both Sumner men like this.]

    ...

    Before long, the photo reached Damon''s phone.

    Seeing the two of them looking so close, his face darkened immediately.

    He stood up, about to go downstairs and confront N, when Spencer knocked and entered the office.

    "Mr. Damon... Ms. Jayston and Mr. rk are here..." Spencer informed cautiously.

    Damon frowned and said coldly, "Let them in!"

    As N and rk entered the office, Damon immediately sensed something was off.

 Chapter 355

    Although rk was holding N, her displeasure was evident.

    Clearly, she was unhappy with the situation. Additionally, his hand was concealed inside her coat, which seemed highly suspicious. "What are you doing here?" Damon demanded.

    His cold gaze settled on rk as he tapped lightly on the desk, emanating an oppressive aura.

    rk leaned closer to N and whispered, "Speak."

    His hand, hidden behind N, shifted slightly, causing her to go rigid.

    At that moment, Damon finally realized what felt so off.

    His eyes turned icy as he fixed his sharp gaze on rk. It was as if it could cut through him at any moment.

    "rk, it seems you really want to join your father!" Damon threatened.

    Intimidated by Damon''s aura, rk''s hand on N''s waist trembled.

    He took a deep breath and forced himself to meet Damon''s eyes. "Uncle Damon, if I hadn''t done this, you wouldn''t have agreed to see me, right?"

    "I''m giving you three seconds to let her go. Otherwise, I''ll ensure you understand the meaning of regret!" Damon warned.

    Instead ofplying, rk merely smirked. "Uncle Damon, the worst mistake you can make in a negotiation is acting rashly. Revealing your hand too early only puts you at a disadvantage."

    "What do you want?" Damon demanded.

    "You should already know what I want. Why bother asking?" rk retorted.

    Damon picked up the internal line. "Contact the individuals in charge of the contracts rk stole. Tell them that if they agree to drop the matter, Prospectus Technology will continue to work with them and increase their profit margin by 10%."

    N froze. She hadn''t expected Damon to make such a decisive move on her behalf. She was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

    After hanging up, Damon looked up at rk with a steely gaze. "Now, will you let her go?"

    "Don''t be in such a rush, Uncle Damon. My secretary will call me when everything is settled. I''ll release her then," rk replied.

    Damon remained silent, his gaze chillingly cold. If rk weren''t hisz nephew, and if anyone else dared to threaten him like this, Damon would ensure they didn''t live to see another day.

    Soon enough, rk''s phone rang. He did not answer it, merely smiling

    at Damon. "Uncle Damon, you really

    keep your word. It seems N is very important to you."

    Although he was smiling, there was no warmth in his eyes.

    "I don''t want to hear any of this nonsense," Damon retorted.

    rk chuckled and removed his hand from N''s waist.

    In the next moment, Damon''s expression darkened. "You yed me!"

    What rk had been holding wasn''t a knife or anything dangerous-it was merely a stic cake knife.

    N was stunned, her frown deepening. The sensation she had felt against her waist shouldn''t havee from a stic knife.

    However, if rk had truly been holding a knife, she still couldn''t have acted rashly. Who knew what he might do in a fit of madness? "Uncle Damon, I didn''t have a choice. If you had been willing to help me, none of this would have happened today," rk insisted. Damon sneered, unwilling to waste any more words on him. "Get out!"

    He would ensure rk learned the cost of ying games with him.

    rk''s expression remained calm as

    he said slowly, "Uncle Damon, my dad''spany is all I have leftelf you go after it, I can''t promise I won''t do something drastic."

    "Are you threatening me?" Damon''s voice was low.

 Chapter 356

    rk shook his head. "How could that be? I just hope you understand that someone with nothing can be fearless." He turned and left after speaking.

    Back in the car, rk shook his sleeve, and a knife fell out, its de glinting coldly.

    He picked it up and sneered. If Damon hadn''t agreed earlier, this knife would have been pressed against N''s neck.

    He wouldn''t have done that unless absolutely necessary, though. After all, N was once his wife.

    ...

    Only N and Damon remained in the office.

    The room fell into silence, with neither of them speaking.

    N took a deep breath and looked at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, I''m really sorry about this morning. I didn''t expect him to show up and use me to threaten you." Damon frowned. "You don''t need to apologize for what rk did."

    Her pale face clearly indicated rk''s actions had shaken her..

    "I also caused you trouble, and I appreciate you saving me. If there''s nothing else, I''ll get back to work now," N added.

    As she turned to leave, Damon''s cold voice stopped her. "Wait!"

    N tightened her grip on the door handle, her heart racing as she heard his footsteps behind her. When she turned to speak, her chin was grabbed.

    She frowned and instinctively tried to push Damon away, but her wrist was caught, and she was pressed against the door.

    "Mr. Sumner... please let me go..." she requested.

    Damonughed bitterly at her distant gaze. "Try calling me ''Mr. Sumner'' one more time."

    N''s eyes shed with anger. Her voice turned icy. "Mr. Sumner, I-"

    Before she could finish, Damon''s kiss came.

    She instinctively turned her face away, his lips brushing against her cheek.

    Anger sparked in her eyes. The humiliation was overwhelming. Damon clearly saw her resistance but still showed no respect.

    N pressed her lips together and looked up at him, her voice steady. "Damon, do you see me as just a ything?

    "Even if I''ve broken up with you and want nothing more to do with you, you still do whatever you want with me, and I have no choice but to ept?"

    Despite N''s deep hurt, her tears swirled in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

    Damon suddenly felt a wave of regret and pain, more intense than when she had broken up with him.

    "N, I''m sorry," he said.

    He reached out to wipe the tears from her eyes, but she pulled away.

    "If you really felt sorry, you wouldn''t keep bothering me," N said.

    Damon sighed. He had intended to keep his distance for the next three months, but seeing rk''s hand on her waist earlier had nearly driven him mad with jealousy.

    He realized he was truly in love with her.

    "My rtionship with her isn''t real," he tried to exin.

    Upon seeing the sincerity in his eyes, N''s expression turned cynical. She coldly looked away. "Whether it''s real or not doesn''t concern me. Please let me go."

    Damon leaned in slowly and rested

    his forehead against hers, his tone coaxing. "N, don''t be so cold I''ll tell you everything, okay? The reason I got back with her is that

    "Stop!" N interrupted. "No matter the reason, the fact that you''re getting back with her is the reality. Whether it''s real or not doesn''t

    matter to me. I don''t want to be involved in your rtionship. If you keep bothering me, I''ll have to resign."

    Damon''s expression darkened. "I won''t agree to that!"

    "I''m not an employee of Prospectus Technology. As long as Park Pharmaceuticals agrees, it''s fine," N stated.

    Seeing her resolute expression, Damon felt as though he was truly losing her.

    "If I stop bothering you, will you not resign?" he asked.

    N had intended to say she would still resign once she got into a graduate program in Capitarnia, but that was her matter and not something she needed to share.

 Chapter 357

    "Maybe," N answered.

    Damon released her and stepped back, his expression returning to its usual coldness. "Alright. I won''t bother you again until I''ve sorted things out with Reba," he promised.

    After N left, Damon dialed an international number. "How''s the investigation progressing?"

    "Mr. Sumner, we''re still looking into it. However, Ms. Austen''s previous hospital was a private facility with strict privacy protections, so I haven''t been able to ess her medical records yet," the other party reported. "I want results within three days!" Damon barked.

    After ending the call, Damon set his phone down, his eyes icy with frustration. Reba had better not be lying to him!

    Spencer knocked and entered the office with several documents. "Mr. Sumner, these are the files for this afternoon''s meeting."

    "Mm." Damon nced up and said in a low voice, "Send someone to keep an eye on rk. Make sure he doesn''t get a chance to approach N again."

    Spencer hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously. "Mr. Sumner, what about today''s events? If Prospectus Technology offers a 10% discount, there will be no profit at all."

    Damon''s expression remained frosty. "Of course, this matter isn''t over."

    "Understood," Spencer replied.

    As he left the office, he immediately dispatched someone to monitor rk.

    ...

    Reba was sitting on the sofa, knitting a scarf in the living room of Damon''s vi when her phone rang.

    Upon seeing the number, her expression darkened. She picked up the phone and walked to the end of the hallway.

    "What''s the matter? Didn''t I tell you not to contact me again? I''m back in the country. I will not return to Meristate, nor will I be threatened by you!" She deliberately lowered her voice, but her disgust and impatience were unmistakable.

    A low, mockingugh came from the

    other end. "Someone''s checking your medical records. If I weren''t keeping things under control, do you know what would be happening right now?"

    Reba''s face turned pale. "Who''s checking on me?"

    Upon hearing her panic, the man''s amusement grew. "I don''t know, but it''s probably someone from here. I''m covering for you this time because of past. Next time, who knows?"

    Revulsion shed in Reba''s eyes. If he hadn''t filmed that video while she was under anesthesia, she wouldn''t be threatened intoplying with his demands.

    The thought of that dark experience made her feel sick. If she could, she would love to end the person on the other end of the line.

    "Don''t forget, you once promised me "

    Before she could finish, the man

    interrupted, "You said ''once'', but now

    you''re back in the country.

    Otherwise, we could have discussed things deeper''. If I''m in a good

    mood, I may continue to goode

    secret." FindNovel

    Reba bit her lip hard and said coldly, "I''m not going back!"

    keep your

    "Hahaha, I know. After all, you''d do anything to escape from me. Now that you''ve finally managed to get away, why would youe back?" the man replied. "What do you want from me?" Reba asked.

    "Send me a video daily, and I''ll keep your medical records hidden. If you ever stop, the records will be made public," the man demanded.

    The videos he wanted were far from ordinary.

    Reba suppressed her nausea and said through gritted teeth, "Fine."

    "Send one now. You know I don''t have much patience. You have ten minutes," the man ordered.

    Enduring humiliation and disgust, Reba recorded and sent the video.

    The man quickly responded with a satisfied emoji.

    Reba stared at the emoji with cold eyes. It was clear that this problem needed to be dealt with once and for all.

    After a moment of thought, her mind shed with the image of N''s stunning face, and she smirked. She now had a n that would serve two purposes.

 Chapter 358

    When N arrived at theb, it was close to the start of her shift.

    She had just changed into her whiteb coat and walked in when she saw Melody with her head down, furiously typing on her phone, her face flushed.

    Hearing footsteps, Melody suddenly looked up. Upon seeing N, she quickly hid her phone behind her, looking somewhat guilty.

    "N..." she said.

    "Mm, let''s get ready for the experiment," N replied.

    Noticing N''s nonchnce, Melody couldn''t help but think about the harshments she had seen in the group chat about N, which made her blood pressure rise.

    They hadn''t interacted with N personally, so why were they speaking about her like that? Moreover, Melody was certain N wouldn''t get involved with someone like rk again. However, the leaked photo did seem to show rk hugging N, and they did appear quite intimate.

    Melody wanted to ask N about it but feared N might think she didn''t believe her, like those others.

    Her preupation with the issue made her slow in her work, often causing N to call her several times before she would respond.

    After several attempts, N frowned, put down her equipment, and looked at Melody.

    "Melody, what''s wrong with you today? You seem distracted. If you''re tired, you can rest in the office for a while and return when you''re feeling better," she suggested.

    Focus was crucial for experiments, and Melody''s current state would only slow down the process and increase the chance of errors.

    Meeting N''s calm eyes, Melody bit her lip and looked down. "N, I''m sorry, I..."

    "It''s okay. If you''re tired, just let me know next time. Don''t push yourself. Go take a break," N said gently, her tone showing no sign of me for the slowed progress. Melody felt warmed by N''s understanding and became even more determined about her thoughts.

    She looked up at N and said, "N, I''m so distracted today because of this photo..."

    Melody opened the photo from the group chat and handed her phone to N.

    When N saw the photo, she frowned.

    Before she could say anything, Melody interjected angrily, "Someone from the PR department took this photo and posted it in thepany''s group chat. Now, a lot of people in thepany''s gossip group are bad-mouthing you.

    "They''re iming you''re trying to rekindle things with rk after being dumped by Mr. Damon and even calling you shameless. I was so upset that I ended up arguing with them.

    "This issue has spread beyond thepany, and many people probably know about it by now.

    "N, what''s really going on between you and rk? I believe you wouldn''t get back together with him, but every time I try to exin, they just point to this photo..." Seeing Melody''s anxious attempt to defend her, N felt a bit touched.

    "Melody, thank you. You don''t need to worry about this. I''ll handle it," N assured her.

    Melody asked, "So what''s the real story behind this photo?"

    N hesitated momentarily before replying, "I can''t tell you the full details right now. I''m sorry."

    She couldn''t be sure if the knife rk had pressed against her waist was real. She had been too nervous at the time, and it was possible she could have mistaken it.

    If rk had used a stic knife for cutting cakes, it would have been apletely different situationpared to a real knife.

    If N revealed the specifics now

    and it got out, rk might turn

    things around and make false. usations, especially since no one had seen for sure whether the knife was real.

    Upon seeing that N wasn''t willing to speak, a trace of disappointment crossed Melody''s eyes. Still, she forced a smile. "Okay, no matter what, I believe in you."

 Chapter 359

    The two of them didn''t discuss the matter further, and Melody quickly refocused on her experiments.

    On his way back to thepany, rk received a call from Jordyn.

    "rk, did you go see N?" Jordyn''s tone was usatory and filled with anger.

    rk frowned and replied coldly, "Jordyn, have you forgotten your ce? You have no right to question me."

    "No right? Don''t forget we''re married now, and I''m carrying your child! You were out in public hugging N-how can you treat me like this?" Jordyn cried.

    rk let out a coldugh. "You really think that just because we registered our marriage, you get to control my life? I can get a divorce just as easily as I got married. If you don''t know your ce, feel free to leave!"

    He ended the call without giving Jordyn a chance to respond, threw his phone onto the passenger seat, and drove the car with a scowl.

    He was already regretting marrying Jordyn on impulse and the trouble it had caused.

    As rk was contemting when to file for divorce, a sudden loud bang came from beneath his car. He was startled and mmed on the brakes.

    Getting out, he saw that the tire had blown and frowned.

    He was about to call for roadside assistance when a van pulled up beside him. Two burly men wearing masks got out and towered over him.

    As they approached, rk felt a surge of unease. "Who are you? What do you want¨D"

    Before he could finish, the men grabbed him and shoved him into the van. The doors mmed shut, and the vehicle sped away.

    Soon, Spencer reported the incident to Damon. "Mr. Damon, Grand Azure''s people took Mr. rk. They''re likely still angry about being deceived and want to teach him a lesson." Spencer hesitated, ncing at Damon.

    Despite his dislike for rk, Spencer knew Damon had already shed with Richard over N. If Richard learned that Damon didn''t help rk, he might be even more disappointed.

    "What do you want to say?" Damon asked.

    "Since Mr. rk is your nephew, should we contact Grand Azure and ask them to issue just a warning?" Spencer suggested.

    Damon''s expression turned icy. "Tell them to leave him breathing."

    Spencer said, "Mr. Damon, if Mr. Richard finds out about this-"

    "When did you be so talkative?" Damon interrupted.

    Under Damon''s cold stare, Spencer shuddered involuntarily and quickly lowered his head. "I understand."

    After rk hung up, Jordyn tried calling him over a dozen times, but none of the calls went through Just

    as she was about to throw he phone in frustration, it suddenly vibrated.

    Her face brightened, but she frowned when she saw an unknown number. She hung up immediately.

    The unknown number kept calling, disrupting Jordyn''s attempts to reach rk.

    Finally, she answered in irritation. "Are you crazy? I''m not buying insurance or enrolling in any sses!"

    There was a brief pause on the other end before a deep voice replied, "Ms. Cheatham, if you don''t want the truth about your baby not being rk''s to get out,e to Room 1

    at Pte Royale in orov

 Chapter 360

    Jordyn''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Who are you?! What nonsense are you talking about?" she cried out.

    A lightugh came through on the other end of the line. "Whether it''s nonsense or not, you know in your heart. If I don''t see you in an hour, be prepared to face the consequences."

    The call ended with a click, snapping Jordyn out of her daze. Her mind raced as she paced anxiously in the living room.

    She had already dealt with Holden Vance, so there shouldn''t be anyone else who knew about this. How could the caller possibly know?

    If rk discovered that the child wasn''t his, he would certainly not let her off easily.

    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.

    There was no time to dwell on it. Pte Royale was at least a half-hour drive away. Regardless of whether the caller had real evidence, she had no choice but to go there.

    Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Jordyn grabbed her car keys and headed out.

    ...

    Forty minutester, Jordyn pulled up to the entrance of Pte Royale. As soon as she approached the door, a server came over.

    "Ms. Cheatham, let me show you in," the server said with a polite smile.

    In a well-tailored suit, the server kept his hands neatly sped in front of him.

    Pte Royale was a high-end restaurant in Saintornia.

    rk had brought Jordyn there once for a business meeting. Back then, when they were just superior and subordinate, she had been stunned by the price of a single appetizer-it was equivalent to several months of her sry. Having just graduated and never been to a high-end restaurant before, she had beenpletely unfamiliar with dining etiquette. The meal had been a disaster for her.

    She had felt the disdainful nces from thepany''s client and wished she could sink through the floor. Some had even suggested to rk, in front of her, that he should get a morepetent secretary. She had never been so embarrassed and had been certain rk would fire her the next day.

    When the business deal fell through, Jordyn had felt it had been entirely her fault and kept apologizing to rk on their way back, pleading with him not to fire her.

    Seeing her on the verge of tears, rk had gently assured her she wouldn''t be fired and that the failed deal hadn''t been her fault. He had urged her not to me herself.

    Jordyn had never been treated so kindly before, and at that moment, she found herself falling in love with rk.

    If it weren''t for her being with rk for a year and still not getting pregnant, she wouldn''t have...

    Her thoughts darkened as she pondered this.

    The person who had invited her must have been someone of considerable status. She couldn''t understand why they hadn''t simply informed rk about this matter directly. After passing through a long corridor and a screen, Jordyn finally reached Room 1.

    "Ms. Cheatham, we''ve arrived," the server announced.

    Jordyn nodded and pushed the door open to enter.

    The room''s decor was simple, yet each piece of furniture was invaluable. The dining table and chairs, crafted from high-quality wood, were worth hundreds of thousands. Jordyn''s gaze fell on the person seated in the center of the room, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "It''s you!"

    Reba smiled. "You seem quite surprised to see me, Ms. Cheatham."

    Jordyn sneered. "Reba, if I remember correctly, I have nothing to do with you. Why have you called me here?"

    Noting Jordyn''s anger, Reba

    raised an eyebrow. "You''re already here, so why don''t you have a seat? But I advise you to keep your temper in check. Otherwise, you''ll be the one who suffers if I be upset."

    Jordyn gritted her teeth, considered her options, and finally took a seat.

 Chapter 361

    "What exactly are you trying to do?" Jordyn demanded.

    Reba smiled with satisfaction. "Ms. Cheatham, don''t be upset. I''m here to help you."

    "Help me?" Jordyn looked at Reba as if she had just heard a bad joke, her gaze tinged with sarcasm. "What exactly can you do to help me?"

    "Help you be Mrs. Jordyn Sumner, of course," Reba replied.

    "We''re already married. Do you want to see the marriage certificate?" Jordyn shot back.

    Reba regarded her indifferently, her tone light and airy. "Aside from that piece of paper, what else do you have? As far as I know, none of the Sumners, including rk, seem to take you seriously." Jordyn clenched her hands tightly, her expression falling.

    "Ms. Austen, perhaps you should focus on your issues. I''ve heard your family background isn''t exactly impressive. Whether you can secure that piece of paper is another matter entirely!" Reba hissed. Reba''s calm demeanor faltered slightly, her gaze growing colder. "It seems you''re not interested in polite conversation."

    "I have nothing to say to you," Jordyn retorted.

    Reba nodded. "Fine. Then let''s discuss Holden Vance."

    Jordyn''s face went pale at the mention of Holden. Her gaze shifted to Reba, filled with disbelief. She knew about Holden!

    Jordyn''s hands trembled uncontrobly in fear.

    Reba smiled with satisfaction. "Don''t be scared, Ms. Cheatham. As long as you listen to me, I can not only get the Sumners to acknowledge you but also keep your secret hidden."

    Jordyn remained silent, her gaze lowered as she appeared lost in thought.

    Reba waited patiently, sipping her tea with a hint of mockery.

    After some time, Jordyn finally looked up, clearly tempted. She craved the Sumners'' recognition.

    Although she was married to rk, the Sumners had never requested to meet her, and rk didn''t seem to care about her either.

    Jordyn wasn''t na?ve. She knew that rk might cast her aside once she had the baby. She needed to n for herself.

    "Can you really help me?" she asked.

    Reba nodded. "Of course."

    After a moment of hesitation, Jordyn relented. "Okay, I''ll do it. What do I need to do?"

    "You saw the photo of rk with N this morning, right? Use your status as rk''s wife to make this public, showing that N deliberately interfered in your marriage with him," Reba instructed.

    Jordyn''s eyes turned icy. "Blowing this up won''t benefit me at all."

    Even though she was married to rk, many people remembered her previous role as his mistress, and N had evidence.

    If this situation became widely known, she wouldn''t be pitied-she''d be publicly criticized.

    "No wonder you''ve been with rk for so long and still can''t even get into the Sumners'' circle," Reba remarked.

    Her sarcastic tone made Jordyn scowl. "You think this idea of yours is so brilliant?"

    Reba looked impatient. If it weren''t for her own constraints, she wouldn''t want to waste time on this self-important fool.

    "Very few people know about your marriage to rk, so the Sumners haven''t acknowledged you. But once everyone knows about your marriage and your pregnancy with rk''s child, the Sumners will have no choice but to acknowledge you, no matter how unhappy they might. be," Reba coaxed.

    "And if things blow up, the Sumners will be

    reallbarrassed too. Do you ne

    the

    really think they''ll let me off hook?" Jordyn shot back.

 Chapter 362

    "That''s something to considerter, but whether you want to or not, you have to do it." Reba''s tone was charged with threats and audacity.

    If Jordyn didn''t follow her instructions, everything she had could be at risk.

    Seething with anger, Jordyn took a tense ten seconds before she coldly replied, "Fine, I''ll do what you say. But if you fail, I''ll ensure Damon knows what you''re really like!"

    Jordyn was not fooled by Reba''s innocent and fragile facade in front of Damon. If Damon knew how ruthless Reba was behind the scenes, would he still have feelings for her? Reba''s face hardened momentarily before she smirked again. "Don''t worry. As long as you follow my instructions, you''ll get everything you want."

    That evening, a video from a million-follower influencer quickly soared to the top of the trending list.

    In the video, Jordyn, with red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, revealed that she was two months pregnant and pleaded with N to let rk go and stop bothering him.

    The video ended with a paparazzi photo of rk "embracing" N.

    The video incited outrage, and many confusedizens in thements began attacking N.

    [The mistress should just disappear! People who destroy families are truly disgusting!]

    [I saw it myself. They were indeed hugging. But N and rk did have a past marriage, so it''s hard to judge...]

    [Hah! If I''m not mistaken, isn''t this Jordyn also a mistress who climbed up the ranks? How dare she make this video? Doesn''t she feel guilty at all?]

    Thements were chaotic, filled with both criticism of N and Jordyn.

    Soon, Jordyn posted her marriage certificate with rk in thements.

    [Sorry, but I''m married to rk. Regardless of the past, N''s

    actions now are destroying m

    family. My rtionship with rk is protected byw!]

    Herment received considerable support, but even more were mocking her for being a mistress and still acting so arrogantly.

    ...

    The situation escted quickly, and Richard soon discovered the full extent of the problem.

    He was furious upon learning that Jordyn was causing trouble online and unting her and rk''s marriage certificate. Richard smashed his cup in frustration, snarling, "Contact rk immediately and have him bring that fool over!"

    Despite his dissatisfaction with

    rk''s previous marriage to N, at least N had never made such a public spectacle. Now, with Jordyn publicly arguing as rk''s wife it was a disgrace to the Sumners!

    The maid swiftly tried to reach rk, but he did not answer any of their calls.

    "Sir, Mr. rk isn''t picking up..." the maid reported.

    Richard''s expression was stormy. "Go to thepany and bring him here by force if necessary. And for the online situation, get Damon to handle it!" "Understood," the maid replied.

    As the maid contacted Damon,

    Richard fielded several calls inquiring about the online scandal. He answered briefly before hanging up his anger mounting.

    Those callers were merely feigning concern. Behind the scenes, they were likely mocking him.

    Since founding the Sumner Group, he had never felt so humiliated. rk was proving to be a real disappointment!

    Meanwhile, Melody, who was tidying up her equipment and preparing to leave theboratory, saw the trending news and quickly informed N.

    ...

 Chapter 363

    "N, Jordyn is beingpletely shameless. She messed with your marriage and now she''s cyberbullying you. The worst part is that people are still supporting her online. It''s infuriating!" Melody huffed. Seeing Melody''s furious expression, N reached out and pinched her cheek. "It''s not worth getting upset over. She''ll regret it soon enough."

    "Aren''t you going to rify things?" Melody asked.

    "Of course I will. Don''t worry about me. Just get ready to leave work," N replied.

    After Melody left, N checked everything one more time to confirm there were no issues before locking up theb and heading out.

    As she turned around, she saw Gabriel standing a short distance away, obviously waiting for her.

    Noticing that N didn''t seem inclined to speak with him, Gabriel took a few steps closer and asked, "Did you see what''s happening online?" N nodded. "Yes. What about it?"

    "Do you need me to help you deal with it?" he offered.

    "No. I can handle it myself," N said.

    Gabriel sighed, about to say something, when footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.

    Spencer approached N briskly. "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner wants to see you."

    Realizing it was likely about the video posted by Jordyn, N paused for a moment before replying, "I understand."

    She didn''t look back at Gabriel and walked straight to the elevator.

    When N entered Damon''s office, he was reading through some documents.

    "Give me two minutes," he said.

    N sat quietly on the sofa, waiting for him.

    Damon signed thest document and then sat down across from her.

    "I''ve already had the video Jordyn posted removed, and the trending topic has been suppressed. There won''t be any more news online, so you don''t need to worry about it affecting your life," he said. "Thank you, Mr. Sumner," N replied.

    Damon frowned. "Must you be so formal with me?"

    N didn''t want to argue with him about this. She looked at him calmly. "Mr. Sumner, do you need anything else?"

    Damon remained silent, clearly annoyed. N ignored him, stood up, and turned to leave.

    Just as she took a few steps, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

    Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but Damon pulled her into his embrace.

    Coincidentally, the office door opened at that moment.

    "Damon, I knew you''d be workingte, so I brought-" Reba''s smile froze.

    The thermal container she was holding fell to the floor, spilling its contents in a mess.

    N felt a surge of frustration. She tried to push Damon away-she just wanted to focus on her work and exams, without any more involvement with him.

    "Damon, let go!" she hissed.

    novod

    Damon held her tightly, not giving her a chance to escape, and looked coldly at Reba. "Prospectus Technology has food in the

    cafeteria. You don''t need toe here anymore." en FindNovel

    Reba looked at Damon in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes. "Damon..."

    "Is there anything else?" Damon asked.

    Embarrassed, Reba covered her face and turned to run away, crying.

    "Can you let go of me now?" N asked.

    Meeting N''s cold gaze, Damon loosened his grip on her waist abruptly.

    "N, I just want to have a proper talk with you," he said.

    N didn''t even nce at him and walked away without a word.

    Damon''s hands clenched into fists as he watched her retreating figure, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

    As soon floor,

    were reached the ground , and it was clear shee

    were a stopped her. Her e

    been crying. Content belon

    "Ms. Jayston, let''s talk," she requested.

 Chapter 364

    N looked at her indifferently. "I don''t have anything to talk to you about."

    Reba smiled bitterly. "I know you hate me. After all, I returned to the country and took Damon away from you."

    "Ms. Austen, you''re overthinking it. I don''t like you, but it''s not to the point of hatred. If it''s just your unrequited feelings, it wouldn''t affect my rtionship with Damon," N replied.

    Ultimately, it was Damon who gave Reba the chance to interfere in their rtionship.

    Reba''s face turned a bit pale. "Ms. Jayston, you''ll have a lifetime with Damon, but I only have three months. Can you let him be with me for these three months? After that, I promise I''ll leave and won''t bother you again." N frowned. "What you''re saying now doesn''t matter. I''ve already broken up with him. Whether you''re with him for three months or three years is no longer my concern."

    With that, she walked past Reba and left.

    Reba was about to stop her when her phone rang.

    Seeing it was Jordyn, she frowned in annoyance but answered the call. "What''s going on?"

    "Reba, you''re going to get me killed! The Summers have suppressed that video, and the buzz is gone. The Sumners won''t let me off!" Jordyn cried.

    "What''s there to be afraid of? Everyone in Saintornia knows you''re married to rk now. If something happens to you, everyone will think the Sumners are behind it," Reba retorted.

    Jordyn sneered. "It''s easy for you to say. If something happens to me, I won''t let you off either!"

    Before Reba could respond, Jordyn hung up.

    ...

    Not long after the call ended, a strange noise came from the door.

    Startled, Jordyn slowly approached the door and peered through the peephole but saw nothing.

    Just as she was about to dismiss the sound as her imagination, something thudded heavily against the door.

    "Who''s there? Who''s outside?!" Jordyn called out.

    She was panic-stricken and received no response.

    As she hesitated over whether to

    call the police, a weak voice came et

    through. "Jordyn, open the door..."

    Recognizing rk''s voice, Jordyn hurriedly opened the door.

    "Ah!" Seeing the scene outside, Jordyn screamed in shock and instinctively took a few steps back.

    rky on the ground, his suit in tatters, his face swollen and bruised. He looked nothing like the

    well-dressed man he us was.

    At that moment, he could easily be mistaken for a homeless person.

    Realizing the severity of the situation, Jordyn rushed to help him, tears streaming down her face.

    "rk... who did this to you? Did you call the police?" she asked.

    rk was barely conscious. Hearing

    her, he struggled to open his eyes and weakly said, "Don''t call the police... Use my phone to call Dr. Knox... Have hime over."

    "You''re seriously injured! Why not call the police?!" Jordyn cried.

    rk tried to respond, but as he opened his mouth, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Jordyn was horrified. "Stop talking... I won''t call the police... Let me help you to the sofa first..." After helping rk onto the sofa, Jordyn quickly grabbed his phone and called the doctor.

    "Dr. Knox,e quickly... rk is seriously injured..."

    On her way home, N received another call from the unknown number she had been receiving earlier.

 Chapter 365

    This time, N didn''t hang up but chose to answer the call. "Hello."

    The voice on the other end trembled with agitation. "Ms. Jayston, you finally answered! My name is Ryan Davey. My father, Vincent Davey, was one of the workers who died in the Harris Pharmaceuticals ident six years ago. "I saw the news about you sending Cyrus to prison. I want to meet with you. I have some evidence. Are you free now?"

    N remembered the name Vincent Davey, but...

    "Are you really a victim''s family member?" she asked.

    "If you don''t believe me, we can arrange to meet somewhere. Don''t worry. I mean no harm. I just want to give you the evidence and hope you can help me seek justice for my father and the other victims," Ryan said. N was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I''ll give you an email address where you can send the evidence."

    "That won''t work. I need to meet you in person to feelfortable handing over the evidence." The caller''s voice was filled with wariness, indicating ack of trust.

    "I need to think about the meeting," N said.

    "Okay, but I''ll only be in Saintornia for three days. If you haven''t contacted me by then, I''ll leave," Ryan informed her.

    "Fine," N replied.

    After hanging up, she immediately contacted Pete to check on Ryan. She wasn''t going to trust him easily aftering this far.

    Pete got back to her quickly. "Ms. Jayston, I''ve found out that Ryan Davey is currently at Saintornia Central Hospital. His daughter is ill, and he''s here with her for a checkup. He has a ticket to leave in three days." N lowered her gaze. "Is his father named Vincent Davey?"

    "Yes. His father was one of the victims in that ident six years ago," Pete confirmed.

    "Alright, thank you for your help," N said.

    Hanging up, she considered whether to meet Ryan. Although he was indeed the son of a victim, she couldn''t be sure if he truly had evidence.

    After much deliberation, she decided against meeting him and sent him a text message.

    N: [Mr. Davey, I understand your concerns. However, now that the Sumners are involved, even if I receive the evidence, it won''t be enough to put Cyrus behind bars. I''ve decided not to meet with you. I hope you understand.]

    ...

    Upon receiving the message, Ryan swore angrily and called Gabriel directly. "That woman is extremely

    cautious and refuses to me.

    Gabriel frowned and replied coldly, "She has a name."

    with

    Ryan scoffed. "ying the good guy now? Didn''t you ask me to scheme against her?"

    Gabriel''s eyes shed with displeasure. "Since she won''t meet with you, find her at Prospectus Technology yourself." "Got it," Ryan replied.

    ...

    By the time N went to bed that night, she still hadn''t received a reply from Ryan. She didn''t dwell on it further, turned off her phone and went to sleep.

    The next morning, as N parked her car, she heard two knocks on her window.

    Looking over, she saw an unfamiliar man outside. She cautiously rolled down the window just a bit.

    "Is there something you need?" she asked.

    "Ms. Jayston, I''m Ryan Davey. Since you wouldn''t meet with me, I had toe find you in person," Ryan announced.

    As they spoke, Damon''s car entered the underground parking lot.

    Seeing the man leaning against N''s car window, Damon felt a vague sense of familiarity, as if he had seen him somewhere before. He frowned and said, "Stop the car!"

 Chapter 366

    Damon''s ck Maybach pulled up next to N''s car, drawing their attention. N frowned slightly, while Ryan looked at the car with a puzzled expression.

    A momentter, Damon stepped out and walked toward them.

    Ryan was startled. He had met Damon once before, back when he worked for Cyrus. Although he doubted Damon would remember him, he feared that all his previous efforts might be in vain and that his ns for his daughter''s treatment abroad could unravel if Damon recognized him in front of N.

    With this in mind, he quickly turned to N and said in a low voice, "Ms. Jayston, let''s stay in touch."

    Without waiting for her response, he swiftly turned and left.

    As Ryan hurried away, Damon frowned but chose not to follow. Instead, he stopped beside N''s car and asked, "Who was that man standing by your car?"

    He was certain he had seen that man somewhere before.

    N replied coolly, "Just someone asking for directions."

    Damon didn''t believe her. Who woulde into an underground parking lot just to ask for directions?

    Unfazed by his skepticism, N headed toward the elevator.

    Ryan''s behavior today had been noticeably strange. He had insisted on meeting in person to hand over evidence.

    When she refused, he hade to find her himself, which seemed overly eager. This could indicate he was desperate to get justice for his father, but she needed to discern his true intentions.

    While N was lost in thought, Damon suddenly grabbed her wrist.

    She instinctively pulled away, ring at him coldly. "Mr. Sumner, you have a girlfriend. Please don''t grab or touch me. If someone sees us and uses me of being a mistress, I won''t be able to clear my name, no matter how many times I exin." Her indifference made Damon''s gaze darken. It was clear she truly wanted to distance herself from him.

    "N, I feel like I''ve seen that person before. Are you sure you don''t know him?" he pressed.

    "I don''t know him. If you don''t believe me, you can check for yourself. I don''t want to exin it again," N replied.

    She then turned and walked toward the elevator, focusing on a game on

    her phone, clearly uninteres

    continuing the conversation with Damon.

    As he watched her cold, beautiful profile, Damon subconsciously clenched his fists.

    Once inside the elevator, N could still feel Damon''s gaze lingering on her.

    She frowned, feeling irritated. Since he had chosen Reba, he shouldn''t be acting so clingy toward her. It was too much to want both.

    The elevator''s floor indicator seemed to be moving slower than ever.

    When the doors finally opened, she quickly walked out and disappeared around the corner.

    Damon''s expression turned icy as she left without a backward nce.

    ...

    When Damon reached his office, he immediately called his secretary, who was investigating in Meristate.

    "How''s the investigation into Reba''s conditioning along?" he asked.

    "Mr. Sumner, it''s almostplete. I''ve obtained Ms. Austen''s medical records, and she was indeed diagnosed with a terminal illness year ago. However, I found something unusual-her ie is insufficient to cover her medical expenses, yet she has no debt. Investigating this will take a few

    more days," the secretary answered.

    "Understood. Please expedite," Damon urged.

    After hanging up, his expression darkened.

    Reba had used the life-saving favor she once did for him to rekindle their rtionship, asking him to spend herst three months with her.

    He had proposed other ways to

    repay her, but she insisted that, with

    only three months left, things like

    houses or money no longer mattered to her. He could only agree, fully aware that this would hurt N.

 Chapter 367

    Damon''s heart ached as he thought about Nya''s indifference tovento

    him today

    Guift gnawed at him, apanied by a napomp sense that he might lose N for good if he didn''t set clear boundaries with Reba

    soon.

    Pushing his turbulent thoughts aside, he picked up the intera ime and instructed, "Find out who the man talking to Nye in the parking lot this morning was." After reviewing the surveince footage, Spencer quickly brought Ryan''s information to Damon''s office.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ryan has had no prior interactions with Ms. Jayston, but his father was a victim in the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident he reported Damon skimmed through Ryan''s details, his brows knitting together as he paused on Ryan''s photo.

    Ryan had a distinctive appearance, marked by a mole at the left corner of his mouth-an easily recognizable feature for anyone who had seen him before. Damon was certain he had encountered him somewhere before, though he couldn''t recall where.

    Setting the file aside, he instructed, "Keep an eye on him. If he has any contact with N, notify me immediately."

    "Understood, Mr. Sumner," Spencer replied.

    After Spencer left, Damon tried to push his unease aside and

    refocused on his work.

    rk finally regained consciousness after being out for over ten

    hours.

    Jordyn, her eyes red and filled with tears, rushed to his bedside to help him sit up

    "rk, you''re finally awake. I was so worried... Who did this to you?"

    she cried.

    rk sat up slowly, wincing at the intense pain still radiating from his bandaged injuries. His eyes were filled with anger and resentment.

    Damon knew who had abducted him but had chosen to ignore it.

    rk wouldn''t forget that.

    Seeing Jordyn''s tear-streaked, anguished face softened rk''s cold demeanor slightly. "Jordyn, you must have been terrified yesterday," he said, his voice tinged with concern.

    Jordyn shook her head, tears continuing to flow. "I''m fine....... I just want to know who did this to you. Why didn''t you let me call the palice?"

    rk''s eyes darkened with menace, "Who did it doesn''t matter. What matters is that this can''t get out."

    He had illegally signed a contract with Grand Azure under

    Prospectus Technology''s name. Getting beaten up by Grand Azure''s people was a fair trade-off.

    it be reported the incident, it could provoke them into investigating the fake contract, and he might end up in prison.

    What rk resented most was that Damon could have easily intervened to prevent the attack but had instead chosen to let Grand Azure''s people inflict just enough harm.

    Damon didn''t deserve to be a Summer after treating his own nephew so heartlessly!

    Jordyn wanted to ask more questions but didn''t dare to upon seeing rk''s dark expression.

    She wiped her tears and replied with a sob, "Alright, I understand. Other than DR. Knox, no one knows about you being injured. I''ve also told Dr. Knox not to tell anyone."

    rk''s gaze softened as he looked at her. "Jordyn, I know you''ve been through a lot

    Jordyn shook her head. "Were married. Don''t say that. Ive made chicken soup. Let me get it for you "Okay, rk agreed

    As Jordyn left the bedroom to fetch the soup, rk''s phone rang on the bedside table.

    By the time Jordyn returned with the soup, she was met with rk''s cold piercing gaze

    He demanded. "Jordyn what have you been up to these past few days N

 Chapter 368

    rk''s gaze was so intense it felt like it could burn a hole throught Jordyn.

    Jordyn''s hand trembled uncontrobly as she held the soup, nearly causing the bowl to fall to the floor. She was certain that if rk weren''t so badly injured, he would have gotten out of bed to strangle her and demand answers,

    "C-rk, I was just so scared... You used to love N so much... I was afraid you might rekindle that old me..." she stammered.

    rk sneered. "So, you decided to spill everything online without my permission? You went ahead and made our marriage public?"

    His gaze, once tender, turned icy.

    A wave of unfairness swelled inside Jordyn. If he hadn''t been photographed hugging N, she might not have been threatened by Reba or insulted as a mistress online.

    The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.

    She looked at him with tearful eyes and said, "If you weren''t still involved with N and had answered my calls, none of this would have happened! Besides, is there something shameful about us getting married? Why can''t I make it public?" rk''s fury boiled over. He had never regretted anything more than marrying Jordyn right after divorcing N, just to provoke her.

    "I just divorced N and then married you. Now you''ve made it public. Do you know how the board members and the Sumners will view me? You''re such an idiot!" he growled.

    His rage frightened Jordyn, causing her face to pale as she took an involuntary step back.

    rk couldn''t stand looking at her any longer and yelled, "Get out!"

    As the workday ended, N received another message from Ryan, asking her to meet near Prospectus Technology.

    She was taken aback. Ryan''s eagerness seemed unusual.

    Previously he had insisted on meeting her in person to provide evidence. However, if he truly had evidence, it would be safer to use email or another method to avoid detection by the Sumners.

    Given that she had sent Cyrus to the police, it was logical to suspect she might be under the Sumners'' surveince, making a face-to-face meeting risky. The more N thought about it, the more something felt off about Ryan.

    What could his real motive be for reaching out now?

    Suddenly, she remembered his daughter''s illness and

    hospitalization. She quickly called Pete to inquire about Ryan''s financial situation.

    Pete confirmed that Ryan was likely approaching her for money, but not for thepensation from Vincent''s ident.

    The case hadn''t even gone to trial yet-it might not even go to trial, and it would be a long process. His daughter couldn''t afford to wait that long.

    N realized he must be working for someone else. With this rity,

    she looked at Ryan''s message coldly. A few minutester, she replied to him.

    On the other end, Ryan was thrilled to receive N''s response. She had finally taken the bait.

    After work, N drove directly to the restaurant where she had arranged to meet Ryan.

    The restaurant was near Prospectus Technology and was usually busy Still, she wasn''t taking any chances. She bought a stun gun for self-defense and contacted Pete to follow her.

    When she arrived at the restaurant, Ryan was already waiting. Upon seeing N, he waved at her.

    N approached Ryan calmly.

    As soon as she sat down, he became visibly emotional and eximed, "Ms. Jayston, you finally agreed to meet with me!"

    Spencer knocked and entered

    Damon''s office, speaking softly. Mr.

    Sumner, the person we sent to keep an eye on Ryan just reported that Ryan and Ms, Jayston are meeting at Nine Stream right now."

 Chapter 369

    Damon''s expression darkened as he immediately stood up, instructing coldly, "Keep watching them and have the driver bring the car downstairs." He had an ominous feeling, and his instincts were usually spot-on.

    ...

    At the restaurant, N was direct. "Mr. Davey, you said you''d only hand over the evidence if we met in person. Can you give it to me now?" Ryan nodded. "Of course."

    He pulled a file from his bag and handed it to N, his expression solemn. "Ms. Jayston, I hope you can use this evidence wisely and secure justice for my father."

    If N hadn''t suspected that Ryan had ulterior motives, she might have been deceived. He was ying the role of a helpless man seeking justice for his father perfectly-his eyes red and full of frustration. "Alright. If the evidence is useful, I will give it to mywyer as soon as possible," N replied.

    As she flipped through the file, her face turned pale, and her hands trembled.

    "Are you sure this evidence is real?" she asked.

    "I swear on my life that it is. But if you don''t believe me, there''s nothing more I can do," Ryan confirmed.

    N closed the file and looked up at him. "I will verify it. If it''s real, I will hand it over to mywyer."

    "Thank you, Ms. Jayston," Ryan said.

    ...

    On the way to the restaurant, Damon''s anxiety grew stronger, his brows furrowing deeply.

    The moment the car stopped at Nine Stream, he suddenly remembered where he had seen Ryan before.

    It was Ryan who had apanied Cyrus when he came to borrow money to deal with Harris Pharmaceuticals six years ago!

    Damon scowled and hurriedly exited the car, heading into the restaurant.

    As he walked in, he saw N sitting by the window, but she was alone. His gaze hardened as he approached her.

    He sat down across from her, his voice low. "Where is Ryan Davey?"

    N was not surprised to see

    Damon. When he had asked about Ryan in the parking lot that morning, she had suspected he would investigate him. His presence here was not unexpected.

    "He left," she answered.

    Meeting N''s indifferent gaze, Damon swallowed, his nerves evident.

    "What did he tell you?" he asked.

    N lowered her eyes and spoke slowly. "Not much. He just told me that the ident with Harris Pharmaceuticals six years ago was rted to you."

    She felt a twinge of relief that she had ended things with Damon before learning the truth. Otherwise, she wasn''t sure how she would have handled discovering it. "N, when he came to me for that money, I didn''t know he was using it against Harris Pharmaceuticals," Damon rified.

    N chuckled. "You didn''t know he was using it against Harris Pharmaceuticals? Did you also not know he''s someone who doesn''t hesitate to use any means to achieve his goals?" FindNovel

    Cyrus had asked Damon for money more than once and had engaged in various shady dealings.

    N didn''t believe that Damon was unaware of how the money was used, but he never probed further and didn''t seem to care.

    Damon''s hands clenched on the table. "N, I admit this was my mistake."

    N shook her head. "It''s not just that you were wrong. The mistake was that I shouldn''t have fallen for you."

    In the end, she had no right to me him. After all, Cyrus was his older brother, and he should have given the money when asked. Damon''s eyes widened, his breath growing heavier. "NˇŞ"

    N interrupted him, "We... were

    never meant to be together. Even without Reba, we would have eventually parted ways. Let''s end this here and stop dragging out."

    SV

    ID

 Chapter 370

    Damon clenched his jaw, and anger red in his eyes. "You were the one who started this. When it ends is up to me."

    N looked at him coldly. "Damon, don''t you think you''re being unreasonable? If you really cared about me, you wouldn''t have reconciled with Reba. Now you''reing back to bother me. Do you want me to be your mistress?" Damon''s gaze was icy. "I said I''d need three months."

    "I''ve also said that I''m not willing. If you truly feel even a shred of guilt, then stop bothering me," N retorted.

    She grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

    Only after she got into the car did her emotions settle.

    Back at the restaurant, Damon sat stiffly, his presence radiating coldness.

    Suddenly, his phone rang.

    As soon as he answered, a panicked voice came through. "Mr. Damon, you need toe back to the Sumner residence immediately!"

    By the time Damon arrived at the residence, over an hour had passed.

    Walking into the living room, he saw rk sprawled on the floor-his hair a mess, clothes soaked, and his back marked with bloodied welts.

    Damon''s gaze shifted indifferently to the enraged Richard, who was sitting in the main seat.

    "What''s going on?" he asked.

    Richard threw the bloodstained cane to the floor and said coldly, "Don''t you know? You and rk are both making me furious. One''s involved with his former niece-inw, and the other''s marrying a woman of low status. It seems you''re determined to drive me to my grave!"

    "You knew about this already, didn''t you?" Damon asked.

    Richard''s face flushed with frustration. He calmed his anger and looked at Damon coldly. "I called you here to discuss something else."

    Damon sat down across from him, lounging casually. "What''s that?"

    "I heard from rk that you knew Grand Azure''s people had him kidnapped. Instead of helping him, you told them to just leave him a breath of life?" Richard asked.

    Damon nced at rk, who was pale, avoiding eye contact, and wore a guilty expression. He smirked and replied indifferently, "Yes, so?"

    "He''s your nephew! Even if you''re angry with him, you shouldn''t just watch him die!" Richard huffed.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, you said you''d cut ties with me and kick me out of the Sumners. Since I''m no longer a member of the family, isn''t he no longer my nephew either?"

    Richard was taken aback, his anger ring up again. "That was just a spur-of-the-moment decision!" Damon''s response was a simple, "Oh."

    Richard''s barely calmed rage surged back due to Damon''s nonchnce. "What''s with your attitude?"

    "Nothing much. Since rk

    that he used Prospectus

    Technology''s name to sign contracts with several majorpanies, including Grand Azure?" Damon asked.

    "What?!" Richard red at rk, his fury reaching a boiling point. "You did such a thing?!"

    Not only would this jeopardize rk''s position, but it could also harm Damon''spany.

    rk trembled under Richard''s

    harsh gaze, his voice quaking as he pleaded, "Grandpa, I know I was

    wrong... I was momentarily blinded... Please forgive me this once."

    OUMS

    "You''ve made so many mistakes recently. Every time, you say it''s a moment of madness. How did I end up raising such a fool?" Richard scolded. He was genuinely disheartened. He had previously considered letting rk return to the Sumner Group, but now he had no intention of doing so.

 Chapter 371

    If Richard really let rk return to the Sumner Group, who knew? It might just go bankrupt one day.

    "You can go now. There''s no need for you toe here anymore. Your affairs are no longer my concern, and I won''t deal with you again," Richard said.

    rk''s eyes shed with panic as he realized that Richard was truly disappointed in him. He quickly crawled forward and grabbed Richard''s leg.

    "Grandpa, I know I was wrong! Please forgive me this once. I promise I''ll listen to everything you say from now on," he pleaded.

    Richard looked down at him, his gaze void of emotion. "I''ve given you too many chances, and you''ve never appreciated them. From now on, you''re on your own. Whatever you do, you''ll have to face the consequences yourself." With that, he turned and left.

    rk tried to chase after him, but the service staff stopped him. "Please leave, Mr. rk."

    "Get out of my way!" rk''s voice wasmanding, but the service staff didn''t budge.

    As Damon stood to leave, he passed by rk and warned coldly, "I suggest you stop with your schemes. Otherwise, you might even lose thepanies your father left you."

    rk turned his head, his eyes bloodshot. "If you dare touch mypanies, I''ll make sure to take you down with me, even if it kills me!"

    Damon sneered. "I''m not interested in yourpanies. I can''t be bothered."

    rk wouldn''t have a good ending if he crossed the wrong people without the Sumners to back him up. Grand Azure hadn''t killed him this time partly because they feared the Sumners. After Damon left, the service staff escorted rk out of the mansion.

    rk knelt at the gate for several hours before fainting from exhaustion, but Richard still paid him no mind.

    When he woke again, it was already dark. The lights at the entrance of the Sumner residence were on, but the gate remained tightly shut.

    It was clear that even if he knelt here until he died, Richard would never see him.

    rk''s eyes grew cold as he stood to leave.

    Just then, a ck Land Rover pulled up in front of him.

    Brandon stepped out of the car with a smirk as he took in rk''s disheveled appearance.

    "rk, how did you end up like this?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery.

    Seeing the satisfaction in Bra

    eyes, rk gritted his teeth.

    "Brandon, don''t get too cocky. With your skills, you''re not even fit to be CEO of the Sumner Group!

    Brandon remained unfazed by the taunt. "You should worry about yourself. After this, Grandpa will never let you back into the Sumner Group. Focus on running the two littlepanies Uncle Cyrus left you if you''re not careful and they go bankrupt, you''ll have nothing left."

    rk snarled, "Just wait!"

    Brandon raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "I''ve got dinner with Grandpa and a report on my recent work, so I don''t have time to waste on you."

    He brushed past rk and headed toward the gate. The service staff immediately opened it for him.

    rk clenched his fists, his eyes burning with resentment and anger as he watched Brandon disappear behind the slowly closing gate.

    But he didn''t try to follow. Instead, he turned and left.

    One day, they would have to invite him back-just as they had thrown him out today!

    ...

    When rk arrived home, Jordyn greeted him with delight. "rk, you''re back! Your wounds-"

    Before she could finish, rk

    pped her. "Jordyn, if it weren''t for

    you, I wouldn''t be in this mess. My

    biggest regret is falling for your

    tricks in the first ce, you bitch!"

 Chapter 372

    ?

    Jordyn hadn''t expected rk to hit her. Too stunned to react, she stumbled back several steps. If she hadn''t grabbed onto the cab by the entrance, she would have fallen.

    Her face turned pale as she clutched her stomach, tears welling up in her eyes. "rk... I''m pregnant... How could you hit me?"

    rk sneered. "Why couldn''t I? I warned you to take care of yourself and rest, but you stabbed me in the back the first chance you got. You''re just a liability. We''re getting the divorce papers tomorrow!"

    Shock shed across Jordyn''s face as she stared at rk, taking a few moments to process his words.

    "No! I don''t agree to a divorce! I won''t divorce you!" Jordyn cried.

    She had worked so hard to marry rk, and she would rather die than leave him.

    "You don''t get a say in this! After the divorce, you can keep the baby or get rid of it. I don''t care!" rk shouted.

    Realizing he wasn''t bluffing, Jordyn panicked. She grabbed his arm, sobbing. ''rk, you can''t do this to me! If you divorce me, I''ll kill myself!"

    rk shook her off, his eyes cold and indifferent. "You think you can threaten me? If you really want to die, then go ahead."

    With that, he pushed the door open and left.

    Jordyn copsed onto the floor, her face streaked with tears. How had ite to this? Why had things ended up like this?

    Suddenly, a cold glint shed in her eyes. She scrambled to her feet and called Reba.

    "Reba, rk is divorcing me tomorrow! This is all your fault! If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be in this mess!" she cried.

    There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds before Reba''s mocking voice came through." You''re an idiot. Who else can you me for that?"

    Jordyn gritted her teeth. "If I really get divorced, I''ll tell Damon everything you made me do. Let''s see if you''ll still be so smug then."

    Reba''s grip on the phone tightened, her tone turning icy. "Don''t forget, that child you''re carrying isn''t rk''s. If he finds out, do you think he''ll let you off easily?"

    Before returning to the country, she had thoroughly investigated Jordyn. rk''s divorce from N was entirely linked to her. If rk discovered the child wasn''t his, it would devastate him.

    "You wouldn''t dare!" Jordyn hissed.

    Hearing the panic in Jordyn''s voice, Reba smiled. "As long as you keep quiet, no one will ever know."

    "Just wait!" Jordyn growled, angrily hanging up. She nced down at her slightly rounded belly, malice flickering in her eyes.

    It seemed this baby had to go.

    When N got home, she organized the documents Ryan had given her and sent them to William.

    Just as she finished, the doorbell rang. Seeing rk outside, she frowned and chose not to answer.

    Upon recalling how rk had threatened her with a knifest time, a chill ran down her spine. Without hesitation, she called the police.

    The police arrived quickly, and only then did N open the door.

    "N..." rk''s voice was agitated as he tried to approach, but the police restrained him.

    "N, I just want to see you. I won''t hurt you," rk pleaded.

    He appeared drunk, his face unnaturally flushed, his eyes unfocused as they struggled to meet hers.

 Chapter 373

    N''s expression hardened. "We''re already divorced. If you show up here again, I''ll call the police again." rk appeared hurt by her words, gazing at her sorrowfully. "I didn''t know you hated me this much now..." N turned her head away, unwilling to look at his seemingly affectionate face-it only made her feel sick.

    After gathering all the necessary information, the police took rk to the station for questioning. He was eventually bailed out by Jordyn.

    As soon as rk exited the police station, he began to walk away, but Jordyn quickly grabbed his arm. "rk, I know I acted impulsively this time, but we already have a child. Even if you don''t care for me, you should think about the child. Besides, if you divorce me now, people will assume you''re guilty, and your reputation will suffer even more."

    rk coldly shrugged her off. "I don''t need your fake kindness. My reputation''s already ruined-how much worse can it get? Staying with you will only drag me down further."

    the this inodent, he finally saw Jordyn for what she was-a Thoughtless woman who acted out of jealousy without considering The consequences

    He must have been out of his mind to marry her. Now, she clung to turm like a leach, and it disgusted hith

    "rk, I really know I was wrong... Jordyn pleaded.

    f you truly know you were wrong, then be at the courthouse first

    grace track tearing for the dives it stand to look at your

    Me turned and walked away, his hack radiating indifferenGS

    derdu stood there watching him leve, her eyes filled with resentment She wasn''t going to let him get rid of her that easily

    sitting in her ear Jordyn paused for a moment, then pulled out her Phone and made a call "Hello, Mr. Qurant, do you have a moment?"

    the next morning, as soon as N stepped out of her building, she was blocked by rk Holding a bouquet of roses and breakfast, he stood in her way A wave of disgust swept over her, and she tried to walls past him.

    N, I''m sorry I scared youst night This is my way of apologizing Please ept it," rk offered.

    N took a cautious step back, her eyes cold and wary. "What do You Want"

    She kept a close watch on his movements, ready to bolt at the slightest hint of danger. To her, k was nothing more than a lunatic a ticking time bomb "N, I really am just here to apologize. I promise I won''t hurt you again. I was so angry before, Host Control," rk exined.

    N remained unmoved. "I don''t need your apology. Just stay away hom me."

    Alright, but can you at least take the flowers and breakfast?" rk pleaded Na N said curtly

    "N, Im divorcing Jordyn today. I now I''ve been stupid and hurt you in so many ways. Can''t you give me another chance to start over rk asked.

    N couldn''t help butugh at his shamelessness. "rk, I can''t believe you have the nerve to say that Do you think you''re the only man in the world?"

    rk didn''t get angry. He simply looked at her calmly. "N, I told you before my uncle would never marry you, but you didn''t believe me. The moment Reba returned, he dumped you for her."

    "Well, I''m not getting back with you either. I don''t have a habit of picking up trash," N retorted.

    rk smiled. "N, you''ll see one day that we''re truly meant to be together."

 Chapter 374

    N didn''t pay any attention to rk as she walked right past him.

    Unexpectedly, rk followed her to her car. "N, if you just take the flowers and breakfast. I''ll leave.

    N frowned, barely holding back the urge to snap at him.

    Just as she was about to respond, an angry voice cut through the air. "rk, stay away from N!"

    Both rk and N turned to see Gabriel approaching.

    A flicker of surprise crossed rk''s face before he forced a smile. " Gabriel, what are you doing here?"

    Gabriel''s expression was cold and unyielding. "You and N are divorced. Stay away from her, or you''ll have to deal with me!"

    rk''s smile faded slightly, and his tone chilled. "What happens between N and me is none of your business. Don''t forget, you''re just her stepbrother. Don''t think too highly of yourself!" Gabriel''s face darkened immediately.

    Before he could reply, the sound of an engine starting broke the tense silence-N had driven off without saying another word.

    The two men stood there, locked in a dark re.

    rk scoffed, then turned and walked away.

    Gabriel narrowed his eyes as he watched rk leave.

    rk pulled up to the courthouse at 9:00 a.m. sharp.

    After waiting over ten minutes without any sign patience began to wear thin.

    Jordyn, his

    He called her. "When are you getting here? Even if you don''t show up today, I have plenty of ways to make you agree to the divorce!" There was a brief pause before Jordyn''s voice came through. "I''m not going to divorce you."

    "Jordyn, don''t push your luck while I''m still willing to talk nicely," rk warned.

    "I met with Mr. Durantst night. He agreed to coborate with yourpany. Are you sure you still want a divorce?" Jordyn asked.

    Albert Durant, whom she mentioned, was a former client of the Sumner Group. Jordyn had been his point of contact back when she worked as a secretary.

    Since rk took over Cyrus''

    How could Jordyn, just a lowly secretary, have managed to change

    Albert''s mind?

    "Jordyn, are you making this up because you don''t want a divorce? Do you really think I''ll believe this nonsense?" rk questioned.

    Jordyn knew rk wouldn''t trust her easily, so she calmly replied, " Mr. Durant has already signed the contract. I have it here. If your don''t believe me, you cane and see it for yourself." She hung up immediately after.

    rk considered the stuction for moment before starting the car

    If Jordynt was trying to

    make sure she regretted it

    Half an hourtes, Cakes by pics

    Assourasheetest the wing, Jordyn handed him a folder

    rk operest it. As he simmat tough, he expression shifted from conquistele to supus fitaly sathing line joy..

    Helocket & Jonty with the forum in his eyes. "Jordyn, raw dit vou pull this off

    Tim any willing to her you if we sex maried. If you still want a ivance

    Jarrara

    Ferture she cauit finish, Cak nepted, forget the divorce. I was just angry. I want bring it up again, ever

    But Jartiye didn''t believe him. She knew rk too well. He was a man who would do anything to get what he wanted. If he could stay marret for the sake of a contract today, he could just as easily abandon her for something else tonerrew.

 Chapter 375

    However, that didn''t matter anymore All Jordyn wanted was to stay by rk''s side

    "When I was talking business with Mr. Durant earlier, there was an ident. I saved his life, and he promised me a favor," Jordyn exined. rk frowned. "Why didn''t you tell me this sooner?"

    If Jordyn had told him earlier, he wouldn''t have had to forge Prospectus Technology''s name to sign contracts with otherpanies.

    Not wanting to continue the topic, Jordyn changed the subject. "Did you go see N this morning?"

    "How did you know?" rk asked.

    Seeing the usatory look on his face, Jordyn smiled bitterly. "A friend of mine lives nearby. She saw you and sent me a picture. We''re still married, and you''re already chasing after N?"

    rk rubbed his nose, feeling a little regretful about seeing N earlier. He hadn''t expected Jordyn to convince Albert to sign the contract

    Jordyn, let''s not dwell on the past. You helped me through this, and from now on, I''ll be good to you and our child. What matters most is that we live a good life together as a family, rk promised Jordyn looked down, choosing not to continue the conversation.

    After spending some time with Jordyn, rk left in a hurry, clutching the contract

    Jordyn walked to the window, watching him drive we g indifferent. She returned to the living room and dialed freba''s number

    Thanks for your help with the contest," she said

    "No need to thank me Just keep doing what I say, Reba feshed

    As soon as she hung up, a video call notification appeared Her expression darkened, but she gritted her teeth and answered

    "Where''s today''s video? You didn''t send it," said the man on the end.

    He wore a white coat and sat behind an office desk, his smile disturbingly cold.

    Reba took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, "Drake, aren''t you tired of watching me every day?"

    Drake Mummery raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

    "I know a woman who''s just your type," Reba suggested.

    Drake chuckled darkly, his gaze turning cold. "Reba, don''t y games with me. I can send your

    medical records to Damon''s email I

    anytime.

    Reba paled, taking a few seconds to respond. "I''ll send you her photo. You''ll see."

    After ending the video call, she quickly forwarded the photos she had secretly arranged to be taken to

    Ske.

    Momentster, another video call popped up.

    "What''s that woman''s name?" Drake asked, his face tense, though

    Reba could sense the excitement he was trying to hide,

    Reba smirked. "I knew you''d be interested. You-"

    "Just tell me her name," Drake interrupted coldly,

    "N Jayston," Reba answered.

    Drake''s eyes widened before he burst intoughter, his face alight with unrestrained excitement and joy. Reba frowned. She had never seen Drake like this. Still, his interest in N was good news for her.

    "If you want, I can have someone drug her and get the kind of videos you''d like," she offered.

    As soon as the words left her mouth, she was chilled by the icy look in Drake''s eyes. Her hand trembled as

    she gripped the phon

    "D-Did I say something wrong?" she stammered.

    "Don''t you dare touch her. If you do, I''ll make sure you have nowhere to hide," Drake warned.

 Chapter 376

    Disbelief shed across Reba''s eves.

    "Why? Don''t you like her?" she asked.

    "You just need to remember she''s not someone you can mess with I''m returning to the country soon, so you''d better not make any

    moves. Otherwise, you won''t be able to handle the consequences!" Drake warned.

    Reba froze for a moment, but before she could react, the video call ended.

    After tossing his phone onto the table, Drake''s expression turned into one of extreme excitement.

    Finally, he had found her!

    Meanwhile, Reba stared at her now nk phone screen, her gaze cold.

    What did Drake mean by saying N was off-limits? And his reaction -it didn''t seem like he was romantically interested in her.

    After all, if Drake were interested in a woman, he would first have private photos of her taken, then use those to coerce her into sleeping with him.

    The more Reba thought about it, the stranger Drake''s attitude seemed. There had to be something more going on!

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t pinpoint exactly what was off.

    After thinking it over for a while, she decided to let it go for new She''d figure out what Brake was unde once he returned to the

    That evening, just as N was getting off works, two men in ck suits stopped her in the undergrout parking lot.

    Ms Jayston, Mr. Richard would like to see you," one of them said

    N''s expression was cold. "I have bothing to say to him."

    The men remained unperturbed. "Mr Richard said if you don''t agree to meet him, he''ll have no choice but to pay a visit to your father"

    N frowned, her voice toy. "Where?"

    "We''ll take you there," they replied.

    "I have my own car," N said

    After a moment of tense silence, one of the men called Richard.

    After a brief exchange, he turned back to her. "He''s waiting for you at Paradine."

    It was over an hourter when N finally arrived at Paradine.

    A server led her to the private room where Richard was growing impatient.

    The moment she sat down, he spoke harshly. "I hear you''ve submitted new evidence with yourwyer?"

    "Your informationwork is impressive." N smiled, meeting.

    Bichaid''s gaze without a trace of for

    Richard''s eyes were cold. His face, which bore a resemnce to Bamen''s, was deeply lined, yet he will radiated authority. "You won''t win this case, Name your terms." "I just want a fair trial," H replied,

    There was a cold glint in Richard''s eyes. "Fair? You need to decide what''s more important falmess or your family. Think about it"

    H snickered, "Is that a tusat?"

    "Take it however you want. You dont really think Damon is still going to protect you, do you?" Richard farted,

    Richard''s gaze grew even more disdainful as he recalled how N had seduced Damon and rk, He should never have softened and allowed rk to marry her in the first cel

    "He''s certainly not protecting me. But I''m not dropping thewsuit," N said firmly

    "It doesn''t matter whether you do of not. Do you really think a kidnapping charge will put my son to prison?" Richard asked,

    "Don''t forget about the fraud involving Harris Pharmaceuticals," N reminded him.

    Richard gestured to the bodyguard standing next to him. The man picked up a file from the table and Ganded it to Nyle.

    "Harrison has already agreed to drop

    the charges. He even took 2,000,000 dors from me. If you don''t drop the case can turn around and sue him for extortion. You wouldn''t want your father to go to prison at his aus, would you?" ichard informed her.

    N took the file, her eyes filling with disbelief and anger as she flipped through the pages. Her hands trembled, crumpling the paper.

    Thewsuit had been her initiative.

    Harrison had no authority to drop it. Now that he had taken so much. money from the Sumners, their legal team could easily frame it as extortion.

    She tossed the file onto the table, her heart growing cold with disappointment.

 Chapter 377

    N knew there was no way Harrison didn''t realize she would be at a disadvantage once he epted the money. But he took it anyway. She had lost-not to the Sumners, but to Harrison.

    She looked up at Richard, about to speak, when the door to the private room suddenly swung open.

    Damon walked in, his expression cold as he stared at Richard. "Dad, I remember telling you not to bother her."

    Richard''s scowl deepened, and he replied icily, "Didn''t you just say yesterday that we''ve cut ties? What does it matter to you if I bother her or not?" Damon nodded. "You''re right. In that case, Prospectus Technology will have issues with the Sumner Group too."

    "This is outrageous! You''re going to turn against the Sumner Group just for a woman?" Richard bellowed. Damon remained silent, but his gaze spoke volumes.

    From the moment Damon entered the room, N only nced at him once before ignoring himpletely.

    She fixed her eyes on Richard and said, "Mr. Richard, I''ll withdraw thewsuit as you requested. But one day, I will seek justice on my own terms." With that, she turned to leave.

    As she reached the door, Damon blocked her path. "If the Sumners bother you again, just call me, and I''ll handle it."

    N looked at him, exasperated. "Mr. Summer, I thought I made myself clearst time. I don''t want anything to do with you anymore."

    Staring into her cold eyes, Damon replied quietly, "I''m not trying to get involved with you. I just don''t want the Sumners to cause you any more trouble." "Aren''t you part of the Sumners?" N shot back.

    The only difference between Damon and the rest of the Sumners was that he didn''t personally target Harrison and her.

    N''s expression was indifferent.

    "Mr. Summer however the Sumners treat me is my business. If you can''t take my side and won''t help the Sumners against me, then don''t try to y both sides. Let''s just pretend we''re strangers from now on."

    Leaving those cold words behind, she got into her car and drove away.

    N sped to the hospital and quickly headed to Harrison''s room.

    Hearing theughter inside, she took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

    Everyone in the room froze when they saw her.

    "N, what''s wrong..." Sensing something was off, Gabriel stood up and walked toward her.

    N didn''t even look at him. Her eyes were fixed coldly on Harrison, who was lying in bed.

    "Am I only worth 7,000,000 dors in your eyes? You should''ve asked Richard for more, at least double that amount!"

    Harrison frowned. "I warned you not to go up against the Sumners."

    "So, you took Richard''s money behind my back and let him use it to threaten me into dropping thewsuit?" N growled. Wren hurriedly said, "N, your dad''s not in good health. He can''t take any stress. Besides, he used the money toˇŞ"

    "I wasn''t talking to you. Can you just keep your mouth shut?" N interrupted.

    Wren''s face fell. Though she didn''t say anything else, her expression was full of grievance and displeasure.

    Harrison looked at N with

    disappointment. "N, you still don''t realize you''re wrong. Instead, you''re taking your anger out on an elder. You''ve let me down."

    N chuckled. "I feel the same. You''ve let me down as a father. I will drop thewsuit, but I won''t see you again. I''ll transfer your medical expenses to your ount each month. I''m leaving Saintornia soon and won''t being back

 Chapter 378

    Ignoring Harrison''s reaction, N turned and left without another word.

    Behind her, Wren eximed, "Harrison, calm down. Take deep breaths. The doctor said you can''t get agitated!"

    N hesitated briefly but didn''t look back. She took a deep breath and walked straight out of the hospital room.

    As she reached the hospital entrance, Gabriel caught up to her.

    "N..." He blocked her path. "Your father''s not in good health right now. He can''t handle stress. Please, try to understand."

    N shot him a cold nce. "Understand him? Who''s going to understand me?"

    She had risked her life to put Cyrus away, only for Harrison to undo it all.

    To him, she probably no longer mattered. Before marrying Wren, he had promised to put her first. Now, it seemed Wren meant more to him than she ever had.

    "I know you''re upset," Gabriel said gently. "But your father did this to protect you. You can''t take on the Sumners by yourself. You''d only end up in danger."

    N''s expression remained icy. "Whether there''s danger or not is my choice to make. No one else has the right to decide for me."

    Gabriel sighed. "One day, you''ll understand why your dad did what he did."

    "Save your breath until that dayes," N retorted.

    She shoved him aside, opened her dar door, got in, and drove off

    Gabriel frowned as he watched her car disappear into the distance.

    Back in the hospital room, Harrison still hadn''t calmed down, his face twisted in anger.

    Wren gently patted his back and nced at Gabriel. "How did it go? Is N still mad?"

    Gabriel pressed his lips together, speaking in a low voice, "I''ll talk to her again when I get home."

    "No need!" Harrison snapped. "If she doesn''t want to acknowledge me as her father anymore, fine. I won''t go

    after her. She can do who won''t go

    wants!"

    she

    Seeing Harrison getting worked up again, Wren quickly interjected. Harrison, don''t get upset. N is still a child, she

    "Child? She''s nearly 30! When is she going to grow up?!" Harrison huffed.

    "Alright, alright, calm down. If you pass out again, you''ll end up back in the ER," Wren coaxed gently. Gabriel''s expression remained indifferent as he nced at Harrison "It''s gettingte. I should head back"

    "Go ahead, and be careful on your way home," Harrison replied

    After leaving the hospital, Gabriel got into his car and drove home, determined to speak with N again. Meanwhile, Myle hed just arrived at her building when she received a call from Willer

    Ms. Jayston, regarding Cyrus'' case, I heard you''re nning to drop the charges? William inquired.

    N lowered her gaze, pausing for a few seconds before quietly replying, "Yes, Mr, Harwell. Thank you for your help. Please proceed with

    withdrawing the charges. I''ll transfer the legal fees shortly."

    "Ms. Jayston, why are you dropping the charges? With the evidence you''ve provided, our chances of winning are much stronger now. It would be a shame to give up at this point," William urged.

    "No, I''ve made up my mind. I don''t want to pursue this anymore. Please help me withdraw the charges," N insisted.

    She ended the call and immediately transferred the legal fees to William.

    Tossing her phone onto the passenger seat, she slumped forward against the steering wheel, consumed by despair and an overwhelming sense of helpless rage.

 Chapter 379

    N had expected Harrison to support her, but instead, he sided with the Sumners.

    After a while, she slowly lifted her head and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her gaze hardened with determination. She was resolute-she would leave Saintornia. Not long after N returned home, the doorbell rang. Seeing Gabriel outside, she didn''t open the door. Instead, she told him coldly to

    leave.

    Gabriel stood at the door for a moment. When it became clear N had no intention of letting him in, he said softly, "N, we''ll talk when you''ve calmed down."

    N felt there was nothing left to discuss and had no desire to engage. She remained silent.

    Gabriel stared at the closed door, sighed, and then turned to leave.

    In the days that followed, N''s life resumed its familiar rhythm-working and studying at home.

    Gabriel tried reaching out several times, but her cold demeanor discouraged him from pushing further.

    A weekter, N received a call from Vrie, inviting her to her birthday party.

    Vrie''s father, the CEO of the Weir Group, always made sure her birthday was a grand affair.

    "Of course, I''ll be there on time," N assured her. "Do you have any

    kler king for tantom shity from a desa she head

    Har sales desmats fragment singh Henty theym Hurst Pad

    art sand Miss this has w var les tones

    whe

    Jonymssaffes Twan his one test mater who picked it frst

    Samends now, so it''s mine."

    The sales assicae pairena wa unsure of what to do.

    Stewartet ogive the tress to Wwe out forms aggressive demeanor mate ter estate Everyone who stopped here was westry or influential, and inseting anyone could cost her job. We em ndifferent. If she wants it let her have it

    Lord was caught off guard, clearly not expecting N to give up Speesiy

    Eanier she had noticed now much N seemed to like the dress, butter calm reaction now made Jorcyn feel like she was striking at nothing which left her somewhat frustrated. Sensing Jordyn''s hesitation, the sales associate quickly took the dress and card with a smile. "Miss, please follow me this way."

    N raised an eyebrow. "What''s the matter? Don''t tell me your card doesn''t have enough money?"

    Chapter WW

    Sexy the mwkery wyls eyes, stones the

    is associate in two

    chin raised, eyes brimming withp

    body then sneered this card is om rk

    has no limit. Don''t

    tank barying this dress is a big deal could buy the entire store and shill have money left ovet

    Hyle nodded thoughtfully immm, he wonder if buying the store

    banlyn''s expression faltered for a roment, but she quickly recovered and replied coldly, "What does it matter to you? Whether ia rk on this dress, they have nothing to do with you anymore."

    You not interested. This dress is the smallest size it won''t fit your hgure anyway And Find your torch repulsive Even if you hadn''t bought it, I wouldn''t want it anymore Hyle shot back

    LUMA''N

    The thought of dandyn touching the gift intended for Vrie made day''s eyes Hard with anger, becuase murderous. She realized

    At the point the dress wasn''t just use it had be a symbol

    Her fungera Hghtonest around her hug, kouckles turing white

    with you

    Nyle raised an eyebrow about to report when rk appeared at the entrance

    His eyes widened, and he looked awkward upon seeing her Just 4 few days ago, he had promised Nyle he would divorce Jordin but DOW...

    Not only could he not divorce her, but hispany might also need Jordyn''s support.

    He approached Jordve and asked. "What are you doing here? Didn''t you say you were going shopping for the baby?

    Seeing rk, Jordyn immediately

    linked arms with him and resumed

    her haughty demeanor. "rk, I saw this dress as we passed by the store. Ididn''t expect Ms. Jayston to try to take it from me I told hert saw it first, and she mocked me, Saying I wanted to steel everything from her. But I clearly saw it first...

    She looked aggrieved, ying the part of the victim

    Had N not known the full story, she might have believed Jordre''s lies

    rk nced at the dress in Jordy''s hands and said quiety. Since you''ve bought the dress, let''s go. I have a meeting soon."

    Jordyn pulled away from him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Are you still in love with N? Is that why you''re letting her bully me without doing anything Her voice was loud, drawing the attention of those around them

    rk felt a surge of embarrassment, his anger rising as he looked at her "I just don''t want to waste time on such trivial matters Let''s leave now."

 Chapter 380

    Seeing the mockery in N''s eyes, Jordyn sneered and followed the sales associate to the checkout.

    After purchasing the dress, Jordyn strutted back to N with her chin raised, eyes brimming with contempt.

    Jordyn then sneered. "This card is from rk. It has no limit. Don''t think buying this dress is a big deal. I could buy the entire store and still have money left over!"

    N nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, but I wonder if buying the store would make rk turn against you?"

    Jordyn''s expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered and replied coldly, "What does it matter to you? Whether it''s rk or this dress, they have nothing to do with you anymore."

    "I''m not interested. This dress is the smallest size. It won''t fit your figure anyway. And... I find your touch repulsive. Even if you hadn''t bought it, I wouldn''t want it anymore," N shot back. The thought of Jordyn touching the gift intended for Vrie made N feel nauseated.

    Jordyn''s eyes red with anger, her gaze murderous. She realized N had deliberately provoked her.

    At this point, the dress wasn''t just a prize-it had be a symbol of how N had humiliated her.

    Her fingers tightened around her handbag, knuckles turning white. "N, don''t get too cocky! Without Damon, dealing with you will be a piece of cake!"

    N raised an eyebrow, about to retort when rk appeared at the entrance.

    His eyes widened, and he looked awkward upon seeing her. Just a few days ago, he had promised N he would divorce Jordyn, but now...

    Not only could he not divorce her, but hispany might also need Jordyn''s support.

    He approached Jordyn and asked, "What are you doing here? Didn''t you say you were going shopping for the baby?"

    Seeing rk, Jordyn immediately

    linked arms with him and resumed

    her haughty demeanor. "rk, I saw this dress as we passed by the store. I didn''t expect Ms. Jayston to try to take it from me. I told her I saw it first, and she mocked me, Saying I wanted to steal everything from her. But I clearly saw it first..."

    She looked aggrieved, ying the part of the victim.

    Had N not known the full story, she might have believed Jordyn''s lies.

    rk nced at the dress in Jordyn''s hands and said quietly, "Since you''ve bought the dress, let''s go. I have a meeting soon."

    Jordyn pulled away from him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Are you still in love with N? Is that why you''re letting her bully me without doing anything?"

    Her voice was loud, drawing the attention of those around them.

    rk felt a surge of embarrassment, his anger rising as he looked at her. "I just don''t want to waste time on such trivial matters. Let''s leave now."

    "Trivial? Hah, rk, you didn''t even exin thest time you were all over her. If you still have feelings for her, let''s divorce. I''ll let you be with her Jordyn cried.

    Her words changed the crowd''s perception of N.

    "Wow, she''s so pretty, but it turns out she''s a mistress."

    "Mistresses are so bold nowadays, even confronting the wife."

    "Who would have thought shopping could lead to such a scandal? This trip was worth it!"

    The murmurs around them grew unbearable, filled with mockery and insults directed at N.

    Jordyn smirked. As rk''s wife, tarnishing N''s reputation was easy.

    rk frowned, gritting his teeth. "Haven''t you made enough of a scene? Will you only be happy if you humiliate me in public?"

 Chapter 381

    "If you hadn''t refused to help me, would I have made such a fuss?" Jordyn challenged, her gaze filled with usation. rk was rendered speechless.

    After a moment of silence, he turned to N. "N, perhaps you should apologize to Jordyn and put this matter to rest." N sneered. "Are you out of your mind? Apologize to her? Why should I?"

    "Why not? You were seen hugging my husband not long ago, remember? I still have photos. Would you like me to show them to you?" Jordyn taunted.

    N''s gaze turned icy. "Jordyn, stop pretending. You were the one who interfered in my marriage with rk. Now that you''re married to him, have you forgotten what you did? "As for that photo, you can ask rk about it yourself. I''m not interested in trash.

    "Also, you mentioned I was fighting with you over the dress. Did you forget there are security cameras in the mall? Should I get the footage to see who was really fighting over it? "Regardless of whether it''s a dress or a man, I wouldn''t want anything from you because I find it disgusting!

    Jorders anger Hared, and she instigetively retorted, "You''re talking

    Have videos of rk cheating with you. Are you sure you want me

    ebon them in front of everyone N asked

    Jordyn grashed her death. She certainly adet werd how wen revealed, but N''s confident derneator only made her fory bos

    over

    The crowd, which had previously looked at tyle with disdain, now turned their scornful gaze toward Ardyn

    Just as she was about to respond, Dark grabbed her and solled her aside

    "Let go of met Jordynored

    rk ignored her protests, releasing her only when they

    corner.

    "rk, didn''t you see how everyone was looking at tage away like this makes it seem like we''re guilty" she protested rk''s expression was loy. "It''s better to look guilty than to risk har exposing our intimate video to the subier But I''m not satisfied" Jordyndained

    What are you dissatisfied with? We''re married now She''s just a stranger to us. Why do you keep provoking her? rk snapped

    His eyes zed with fury as if he might strangle Jordyn at any moment. His gaze was menacing and interise

    Jordyn took a step back, tears

    welling in her eyes. "Why am

    provoking her? Don''t you know? if you didn''t have any feedings for her, I wouldn''t care about her But can you honestly say you have no feelings for her at all?

    "We''re over rk said firmly

    "As long as you still have feelings for her, it''s not over; Jordyn argued,

    rk''s patience wore thin. "If you want to keep arguing, go ahead, I''m going back to my meeting."

    He turned and walked away.

    Jordyn red at his retreating figure, frustration and anger bubbling inside her.

    After a moment of hesitation, she stomped her foot and ran after him.

    Once Jordyn and rk had left, N continued browsing but found no dresses that appealed to her. She decided to go home.

    Upon arriving, she saw Gabriel standing at her door. She frowned and approached him. "What''s going on?"

    Gabriel''s expression darkened at her indifference. "I received two

    invitations to a jewelry auction from a friend today. I thought you might be interested. Would you like to join me?"

 Chapter 382

    N nced at the invitation in Gabriel''s hand. She hadn''t bought a birthday gift yet, so attending the jewelry auction could be a nice alternative. However, she didn''t want to feel obligated to him.

    "No, thanks. I''m not interested," she declined.

    Gabriel looked a bit helpless. "N, are you still upset about what happened with your dad?"

    N met his gaze calmly. "This is between me and him. It has nothing to do with you."

    Gabriel seemed hurt by her response. "But we''re family!"

    "To your mom, I''ve never been considered part of the family. In her eyes, the three of you are the family," N retorted.

    "She''s her, and I''m me! To me, you are family," Gabriel insisted, his expression earnest and passionate.

    N paused before replying, "But we''re not destined to be a family."

    The hallway fell into a heavy silence, their breathing the only sound breaking it.

    Gabriel''s emotions flickered in his eyes. He seemed on the verge of saying something but thenposed himself.

    As if nothing had happened, he looked down and said, "I know you don''t want any contact with me. I''ll give the invitation to Melody. If you''re interested, you can go with her." He then walked past her and left.

    The next morning, as soon as N entered theb, Melody approached her.

    "N, your brother gave me two tickets to a jewelry auction this morning. Do you want to go with me?" Melody asked.

    N was surprised that Gabriel had actually done that. She shook her head. "No, I have other ns."

    "I haven''t even told you the date yet. How do you know you have ns? You don''t want to go with me, do you?" Melody pouted, clearly disappointed.

    "No. It''s just that you could use this opportunity to get closer to him. Don''t you want to pursue him?" N asked.

    "I do..." Melody murmured.

    Conflict shed in her eyes. Gabriel had mentioned earlier that morning that N was feeling down and suggested she take N to the auction to cheer her up. "But I still want to go with you. Men don''t understand things like jewelry. Pleasee with me!" Melody pleaded.

    N hesitated but ultimately refused, "Melody, let him apany you. I really don''t want to go."

    Seeing her firm stance, Melody knew she wouldn''t change her mind. What N had decided wouldn''t change because of others.

    "Okay, then," Melody relented.

    ***

    Nyta nced at the invitation in Gathie''s hand. She hadn''t bought a birthday gift yet, so attending the jewelry auction could be a nice alternative.

    However, she didn''t want to feel obligated to him.

    "No, thanks. I''m not interested, she declined.

    Gabriel looked a bit helpless. "Nya, are you still upset about what happened with your dad?"

    N met his gaze calmly. "This is between me and him. It has nothing to do with you"

    Gabriel seemed hurt by her response. "But we''re family

    To your mom, I''ve never been considered part of the family. In her eyes, the three of you are the family Nyle retorted.

    ''She''s her, and I''m mel To me, you are family," Gabriel insisted, his expression earnest and passionatel

    Nyle paused before replying, "But we''re not destined to be a family."

    The hallway fell into a heavy silence, their breathing the only sound breaking it.

    Ceonel''s emotions flickered in his eyes. He seemed on the verge of saying something but thenposed himself.

    As if nothing had happened, he looked down and said, "I know you don''t want any contact with me. I''ll give the invitation to Melody. If you''re interested, you can go with her

    He then walked past her and left.

    L

    The next morning, as soon as N entered theb, Melody approached her.

    "N, your brother gave me two tickets to a jewelry auction this morning. Do you want to go with me?" Melody asked.

    N was surprised that Gabriel had actually done that. She shook her head. "No, I have other ns."

    "I haven''t even told you the date yet. How do you know you have ns? You don''t want to go with me, do you? Melody pouted, clearly disappointed.

    "No. It''s just that you could use this opportunity to get closer to him. Don''t you want to pursue him?" N asked.

    "I do..." Melody murmured.

    Conflict shed in her eyes. Gabriel had mentioned earlier that morning that N was feeling down and suggested she take N to the auction to cheer her up.

    "But I still want to go with you. Men don''t understand things like jewelry. Pleasee with me!" Melody pleaded.

    N hesitated but ultimately refused, "Melody, let him apany you. I really don''t want to go."

    Seeing her firm stance, Melody knew she wouldn''t change her mind. What N had decided wouldn''t change because of others. "Okay, then," Melody relented.

 Chapter 383

    Soon, Melody returned, looking departed it was m she was still upset about Gabriel''s refusal to emmpany her to the jewelry Action Gabriel smiled gently and said, "Melody, I''ve been thinking about it Since I''m free that day too, I''ll go with you after all."

    Melody''s eyes lit up with a hint of disbelief. "Really?"

    "Yes" Gabriel replied, his gaze Wang and soft. "Since I get the tickets for you, it''s only fan I apany you if N ten''t going

    "That''s great! I''ll see you at the auction then!" Melody eximed

    "I pick you up from your ce," Gabriel said.

    Melody was momentarily taken aback.

    Gabriel''s change in attitude seemed a bit sudden, but she didn''t dwell on it. She was confident that spending time alone with him would increase her chances of winning his affection. "Okay, I''ll send you the addresste" she agreed.

    The entire afternoon, Melody chatted with N about Gabriel, asking about his past and his preferences in women.

    "N, what kind of outfit do you think I should wear to the auction?" she asked.

    N thought for a moment. Since the auction was a rtively

    private event, she said, "Just wear something casual. You don''t need to dress too formally."

    Private, smaller auctions typically weren''t as grand asrger onee,

    and ahendees usually dressedfortably.

    "Got it. What color does your brother like? Melody continued.

    N sighed and handed her a

    reagent tube "How would I know? If you really want to know, you can ask him directly. Focus on your

    work these next steps are

    important, so don''t get distel.ne

    Melody nodded. "Okay."

    swn vel.n

    After N''s reminder, Melody diligently worked until the end of the day, not mentioning Gabriel again.

    In the evening, as they finished their experiments and left theb, they saw Gabriel standing nearby.

    When he spotted Melody, he smiled and asked, "Melody, do you have time tonight? Let''s have dinner together."

    "Oh? Y-Yes, I do! Give me a moment to change!" she replied, her excitement evident.

    Sure, take your time," Gabriel said.

    Melody hurried to her office, leaving N and Gabriel alone at theb door.

    N gave Gabriel a casual nod before heading to her office. As soon as she stepped inside, Melody pulled her aside.

    "How do I look, N? Is my makeup okay?" Melody asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

    She had applied light makeup that made her skin appear fresh, her eyes sparkling, and her lips glossy.

    "You look great. Your makeup is fine." N assured her.

    "Fantastic! I''m off now. See you tomorrow!" Melody eximed before rushing out.

    Watching her disappear from view, N couldn''t help but smile. As she packed up and prepared to leave, her phone suddenly rang.

    When she answered, a cold,

    menacing voice came through the line N, you''ve had me locked up in the police station for so long t won''t let you off easily!"

    Upon recognizing Cyrus'' voice, N''s expression turned icy. "Don''t forget, I have evidence of your crimes. If you touch me or anyone in my family, I''ll make that evidence public. Do you think the Summers will protect you then?"

 Chapter 384

    There was a brief pause on the other end before Cyrus cold voice out through the silence. "You''d better not fall into my hands, or I''ll make sure you wish you were dead! He hung up immediately after that

    Nyta took a deep breath to steady her anger and frustration, vowing that she would get another chance to catch him.

    After changing her clothes, she grabbed her bag and headed out. As she approached the elevator, the doors slid open. She hesitated for a moment when she saw the two people inside. Reba, dressed in a white dress, was clinging to Demon''s arm, her face bright with a smile.

    When she saw N, she subconsciously tightened her grip on Damon''s arm, and her smile faltered slightly.

    "Ms. Jayston, what a coincidence!" Reba greeted, her voice tinged with forced cheerfulness.

    N considered pretending she hadn''t seen them but decided to acknowledge them with a curt nod. "Mm."

    Damon''s gaze briefly skimmed over N''s face with indifference, as if she were a stranger, before he looked away.

    N didn''t meet his gaze but could feel the chill of his stare. She pursed her lips and stepped into the elevator, turning her back to them.

    As the doors slowly closed, Reba''s voice, deliberately softened, reached N''s ears. "Damon, what should we have for dinner? I''m

    craving Thai food. How about you?

    Damon''s voice was devoid of emotion. "Whatever you want."

    "Ugh, you haven''t changed. You always say whatever." Reba whined.

    Damon''s response seemed to be a quietugh. "Isn''t it better to go along with your wishes?"

    "It''s not that bad... Fine. I''ll n it then!" Reba chirped.

    N kept her expression neutral, staring ahead. The reflection in the elevator doors captured her frosty demeanor and the couple behind her, closely entwined. Fortunately, the elevator ride was brief.

    After a few seconds, the doors opened, and N quickly exited.

    Once she was in her car, she started the engine and drove away, unaware of Damon''s gaze lingering faintly on her departing figure.

    After N feft, Damon withdrew his hand from Reba''s grasp, his expression turning cold. "I have other matters to attend to. I''lhave the driver take you home."

    Reba''s eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Damon, you''re not having dinner with me?" "I''m busy. If you need someone to apany you, I''ll call Nathaniel," Damon suggested.

    His indifferent gaze felt like a knife Sheart, and tears began in her eyes. "But Nathaniel isn''t my boyfriend. I just want you with me."

    A hint of impatience crossed Damon''s face, "I said I''m busy."

    "If it were N asking for yourpany, would you also say you''re busy?" Reba asked.

    Damon''s expression darkened. "She''s different from you."

    Tears slowly fell from Reba''s

    eyes as she looked at him with a bitter smile Yes, of course, she''s different. She doesn''t have to do

    anything to easily win your love

    while even though I have just a few months left to live and am using a life-saving favor to keep you with me, you still don''t feel anything for me."

    Damon looked at her with a detached expression. "Reba, it''s over between us. I can''t fall in love with you again."

    "I know! Damon, how could I not know you won''t love me again? But I can''t ept it! We used to love each other so much..." Reba cried.

    After seeing how he loved someone else, how could she ept that he no longer loved her?

    "It doesn''t matter how you feel. It''s over," Damon repeated.

    He wasn''t happy with how things had ended between himself and N either, but what could he do?

 Chapter 385

    N wasn''t ready to forgive Damon, Could he really force her to fall in love with him again?

    Damon opened the car door and said calmly, "Get in the car."

    After having the driver take Reba home, Damon returned to his office to continue working. Work was the only thing that temporarily distracted him from thoughts of N. Today, however, for some reason, he couldn''t concentrate on the documents in his hands. Frustrated, he tossed the files onto his desk, grabbed his car keys, and left the office.

    Once Melody and Gabriel had finished ordering at the restaurant, she looked up at him across the table andmented, "Gabriel, I''ve never been to such a high-end restaurant before. The food here is so expensive." Gabriel smiled, his voice gentle. "Then you should get used to it."

    He was already handsome, but with his bright smile under the lights, he looked almost glowing-so good-looking that it was hard to look away,

    Melody''s face flushed instantly, and she quickly looked away.

    "W-Why should I get used to it? My sry..." she stuttered.

    "Because I might take you out to eat here often in the future," Gabriel replied.

    Melody''s heart began to race uncontrobly. She turned back to Gabriel, summoning her courage, and asked, "Gabriel... you were allway''s so distant before. Why are you suddenly so er dead "Surely you can figure that out for yourself, Gabriel countered.

    Melody lowered her gaze, remaining silent. Although she liked Gabriel, she wasn''t infatuated to the point of losing her reason. There had to be a reason behind his sudden change in attitude. "Gabriel, is there something you need my help with?" she asked.

    Gebriel''s smile deepened slightly, and he nodded. "Actually, there is something I''d like to ask of you"

    "It''s about Nyle, right?" Melody asked, pressing further.

    "Yeah, Gabriel answered straightforwardly.

    A flicker of disappointment crossed Melody''s face. Although she knew Gabriel and N were siblings, they weren''t biologically rted, She had always felt that Gabriel''s concern for

    N was a bit GLOSSENG

    "I might not be able to help with N. She refused to go to that auction, no matter what I said," Melody exined.

    Gabriel''s expression grew serious.

    After a moment, he said, "I''d like you to keep an eye on her and look out for her She''s had a falling out with her family recently and doesn''t have many friends. You''re one of her closest female friends."

    Melody nodded, "Don''t worry, I will.

    "By the way, you and she are always busy with experiments and barely have any free time. Are you all very busy?" Gabriel asked. "Yeah, we''re racing to meet deadlines," Melody replied.

    "If you need any help, feel free to let me know. I''m not that busy at the moment," Gabriel offered.

    Melody hesitated momentarily and

    asked slowly, "Gabriel, I notice that

    N''s attitude toward you seems quite cold. Why are you still so concerned about her?"

    "Because she''s my sister. What kind of brother would hold a grudge against his sister?" Gabriel answered matter-of-factly.

    Seeing his sincere expression, Melody finally rxed. "Alright. I''ll try to persuade N to reconcile with you as soon as possible."

    "Thank you in advance," Gabriel said, then asked her for some details about their experiments.

    Melody, without suspicion, answered all his questions.

    By the end of the meal, Gabriel had learned quite a bit about their experiments.

    After dropping Melody off at home, his smile gradually faded, turning cold.

 Chapter 386

    Gabriel contacted the head of the R&D department at a rivalpany, smiling as he said, "Mr. Palfrey, I have some details about Prospectus Technology''s experimental research. Would you be interested?"

    As soon as N arrived at the office the next morning, Melody excitedly shared the details of her dinner with Gabriel from the previous night. "N, he''s so gentle and handsome. Afterst night, I think I like him even more!" Seeing Melody''s flushed cheeks and lovestruck expression, N couldn''t help but smile. "Take it slow. You''ve only had one dinner, and you''re already so excited."

    "You''re right. But I''ll keep trying and aim to win him over soon, so I can be your sister-inw!" Melody gushed.

    N''s smile brightened. "Go for it. I believe in you!"

    Just then, the office door opened, and Gabriel walked in, smiling.

    "What are you two so happy about?" he asked.

    Melody''s cheeks flushed again at the sight of him. She shook her head quickly. "Nothing. We need to start the experiment."

    With that, she hurriedly changed into herb coat and left.

    Now alone with Gabriel, N pretended not to notice him, reeling in her smile as she turned her focus to her report.

    Noticing her cold demeanor, Gabriel lowered his gaze and silently took his seat at hisputer. It was fine. In time, she wouldn''t be so

    tent

    N pulled out her phone, opened their chat, and said teasingly Want to see how many reminders you sent me?"

    Seeing the screen filled with her own messages, Vrie burst outughing. "I just know how absorbed you get in your experiments. I was worried you''d forget. I was only reminding you... en FindNovel

    "Did you need to remind me that many times?" N teased back

    "Haha, let''s drop it. We need to hurry. time. I brought dinner

    It''s

    You

    eat on the way," Vrie said.

    They arrived at the auction just before 7:00 p.m.

    After parking, Vrie quickly dragged N inside. As they reached the entrance, they bumped into rk and Jordyn Vrie rolled her eyes. "Just my luck

    rk''s expression darkened, but he said nothing. Arguing with a woman in public would only make him look bad. Although rk stayed silent, Jordyn couldn''t hold back and barked" Vrie, watch your mouth!"

 Chapter 387

    Vrie sneered. I didn''t name anyone specifically. Why are you so quick to take offense? Have you been a mistress for so long that you''re feeling guilty? "You!" Jordyn was about to retort, but rk held her back

    "Enough. The auction is about to start. Let''s go in," he said.

    If Jordyn and Vrie started arguing at the entrance, it would only reflect poorly on him.

    Jordyn shook off his hand, fuming. "rk, I''m your wife, but you always defend others. Are you still thinking about that tramp, N?"

    The moment the words left her mouth, Vrie pped her.

    The sharp sound of the p echoed, leaving a red handprint on Jordyn''s face.

    "How dare you hit me?!" Jordyn hissed, raising her hand to strike Vrie, but thetter grabbed her wrist and pped her again on the other side of her face.

    Vrie smirked, "That''s better. If you keep running your mouth about tramps, I won''t let you off the hook!"

    Jordyn, furious, tried to fight back, but Vrie pushed her into rk''s arms, "rk, keep your rabid bitch in check," she warned. W want to deal with her, I have plenty of ways to do

    "If you dare touch me again, I won''t let you off easily?" Jordyn''s face twisted with anger.

    "What do I have to be afraid of? Do you think just because yove with rk, you can run fangs in a d Bass

    Women like Jordyn, who climbed the socialdder

    mistresses, never fit into their circles. Besides, if rk had any....ention of integrating her, he''d have brought her to more formal events.

    Jordyn''s face turned an unhealthy shade of red, looking as though she might explode with rage.

    rk''s expression hardened as he looked Vrie. "Vrie, don''t think you can bully us just because you''re from the Weirs. Our Conten belongs

    problems are none of your concern

    "You''re mistaken. I have no interest in the two of you," Vrie replied coolly, "But if she can''t control ber mouth, I''ll have to step in

    teach her that it''s not just for spewing nonsense."

    rk''s eyes shed with anger, but he said nothing further and pulled Jordyn away. Jordyn''s hateful gaze swept over N, cold and venomous, like a snake ready to strike,

    After entering the venue, rk pulled Jordyn aside and whispered, "There are some prominent figures from high society here tonight. Stay close to me and don''t embarrass me. If you do, I won''t bring you again."

    Jordyn had pleaded with rk for days before he finally agreed to bring her to the auction.

    Suppressing her anger and frustration, she forced a smile. "Don''t worry, I won''t embarrass you."

    As she lowered her gaze, a cruel glint shed in her eyes.

    She hadn''t originally nned to use the child in her womb to get back at N so soon, but Vrie''s words had enraged her. Now, she was determined to make Vrie and N pay for it

    Vrie and Nyle found their seats in the venue,

    Once seated, Vrie pointed discreetly to the front row and whispered, ''Isn''t that Damon and Reba?!

    N nced over and saw Damon speaking with Reba. The dim lighting blurred his features, but it seemed as if he was smiling

    As Nyls looked his way, Damon appeared to sense it and turned his head. Their eyes met.

 Chapter 388

    N nced away, her expression neutral, and lowered her gaze without saying anything.

    Vrie, sounding somewhat aggrieved, remarked, "I really don''t understand what Damon sees in her. She dumped him years ago, and now he''s getting back with her? It''s like he''s begging for humiliation!" Upon thinking about how Damon had left N for Reba, Vrie''s irritation red.

    "Enough about him. The auction''s about to start, and you don''t want to miss out on the jewelry you''re interested in," N reminded her.

    "No worries. The piece I want is the final item," Vrie replied.

    While they spoke, Jordyn, who sat diagonally behind them, watched with barely concealed resentment. She ced a hand on her lower abdomen and frowned. "rk, my stomach hurts a bit. I''m going to the restroom." rk''s impatience flickered in his eyes. "What''s the matter? The auction is about to begin."

    Jordyn, who had never been to such an event before, noticed that everyone was dressed casually, and it would be troublesome if she identally bumped into someone.

    She lowered her eyes. "I''m not sure. Maybe it''s just the air conditioning. It feels too cold."

    "Be back in ten minutes," rk requested.

    If she hadn''t helped him secure a contract with Albert, rk would never have brought her to such an event, risking embarrassment.

    His coldness and impatience made Jordyn feel a pang of disappointment. "Alright."

    Jordyn walked toward the restroom. Five minutester, she emerged with a smile, casually washing her hands at the sink.

    "What did you say to that waiter just now?" Reba''s voice suddenly asked.

    Startled, Jordyn turned to see Reba, her eyes shing with coldness.

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," she replied.

    Reba stepped closer, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I''m warning you don''t act recklessly. If you mess up my ns, I won''t let you off the hook!"

    Jordyn sneered. "What do your ns have to do with me? Reba, don''t think that just because you helped me once, I''ll do whatever you say."

    She couldn''t forget how N and Vrie had humiliated her earlier. She wasn''t going to let it slide.

    "If you make a move against N at this auction, you''ll definitely get noticed Do you really want to risk being dumped by rk again, fight after winning him back?" Reba asked.

    Jordyn bit her lower lip, clenching her hands at her sides, her head lowered in silence.

    J.ne

    Missing this opportunity meant she might never get another chance to deal with N. She was reluctant to give up so easily. Just thinking. about Vrie pping her brought a wave of nearly unbearable humiliation.

    Seeing the hesitation in Jordyn''s eyes, Reba smirked. "I know you want N gone. Believe me, I feel the same But you don''t know anyone here. Even if you bribe waiter, what''s stopping him from

    @

    betraying you for more money?"

    Jordyn''s eyes widened as her face turned pale. She knew Reba was right, but the thought of letting it go was too much to bear.

    Noticing her uncertainty, Reba added slowly, "I''ve said my piece. What you do next is up to you. But if you get caught, I hope you can deal with the consequences." With that, she turned coldly and walked away.

 Chapter 389

    After a moment of hesitation, Jordyn decided to cancel her ns with the waiter.

    Reba was right-there would be plenty of chances to deal with Nter. There was no need to act hastily without confidence in her sess. Let N stay arrogant a little longer!

    Back at the event, the auction was already underway.

    The current item up for bid was a pink diamond ne. The main diamond was heart-shaped, surrounded by 99 smaller diamonds that sparkled like stars around the moon. It was breathtaking, and Jordyn''s attention was instantly captivated. "rk, this ne is stunning. I want it. Can you bid on it for me?" she asked.

    rk didn''t respond, but his gaze remained fixed on the ne. He imagined how beautiful it would look on N''s neck. During his business trips, he often bought her nes, as her corbones were so elegant that any jewelry seemed to enhance her beauty. The bidding for the ne soon began.

    When rk didn''t answer her, Jordyn frowned and was about to repeat her request. Just then, rk raised his bidding paddle. "50,000 dors!"

    Jordyn''s eyes sparkled with delight. Even though rk hadn''t spoken, she believed his actions meant he still had feelings for her.

    As soon as rk lowered his paddle, Damon, seated in the front row, raised his own.

    "100,000 dors!"

    rk''s displeasure was evident. He felt that Damon was deliberately trying to outbid him.

    "150,000 dors!"

    "200,000 dors!"

    "300,000 dors!"

    At first, others joined in the bidding war between rk and Damon, but eventually, they backed out. The ne, while undeniably beautiful, was worth at most 300,000 dors. Anything higher seemed

    unreasonable.

    "4,000,000 dors!"

    "5,000,000 dors!"

    he

    When Damon raised the price to 5,000,000 dors, rk''s grip on his paddle tightened, his knuckles turning white. His eyes were filled with frustration. Not only was unable to keep N, but he also couldn''t win the ne against Damon.

    Jordyn looked at rk with a touched expression, surprised that he waspeting with Damon for the ne on her behalf. However, the price had clearly exceeded the ne''s worth. "rk, the ne isn''t worth this much. If we spend that much money on it, it''s not worth it," she said gently, holding his hand to stop him from raising his paddle.

    rk''s face remained tense. He didn''t speak, nor did he raise his paddle again.

    In the end, Damon won the ne with a bid of 5,000,000 dors.

    The women around them looked at Reba with envious eyes. After all, she had only mentioned liking the ne, and Damon had spent 5,000,000 dors on it.

    "I used to doubt that Damon truly loved Reba, but now I really believe it. Before this ne, he had already bid on several pieces of jewelry. Adding this one, it must be worth several million!"

    "I''m so envious of Reba. I wish I had a boyfriend like Damon."

    "Damon is really willing to spend money on her. He''ll probably keep buying more for her. Is she here just to shop for jewelry?"

    As Reba listened to the murmurs around her and felt the envious nces from others, her smile widened, and her vanity was greatly satisfied.

    She turned to Damon, who appeared cold and aloof under the light. This made him more irresistible.

    "Damon, don''t bid on any more jewelry. I can''t wear that much," she said.

 Chapter 390

    Damon remained indifferent, showing no sign that he had heard Reba or intended to respond.

    Reba''s smile faltered slightly, her nails digging into her palm After a few seconds, she managed topose herself and looked away casually.

    Soon after, Damon bought several more sets of jewelry, drawing even more envious nces from onlookers toward Reba.

    Vrie, seated at the back, felt a wave of nausea. She couldn''t believe that Damon was buying so much jewelry for Reba. When he had been with N, he had never given her anything. Vrie felt a deep sense of injustice on N''s behalf. Beside her, N remainedposed, showing no sign of emotion.

    259

    After more than half an hour, the time had finallye for the centerpiece of the auction-"The Lone Tear".

    As soon as the cover was lifted, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

    The jewelry was even more breathtaking up close than in the photographs.

    The centerpiece was a massive diamond ne with a main stone weighing several dozen carats, resembling a pure, tear-shaped droplet-stunningly beautiful Each facet of the diamond had been meticulously cut, sparkling brilliantly under the light. The ne''s chain, made of tiny

    *

    diamonds interwoven with tinum, was intricately crafted, cradling the main stone as if protecting it, like angel wings.

    The set also included a pair of earrings and a ring. The earrings featured two diamonds, about half the size of the main stone, also in a tear shape. They dazzled in the imagination, swaying gracefully with the wearer''s movements.

    The ring had a unique design, with a smaller diamond set on an intricately engraved tinum band, its floral patternsplementing the diamond''s brilliance. Vrie''s excitement was palpable as she grabbed N''s hand. " N, I have to get this set of jewelry! I''ll wear it to the birthday party!"

    N was equally impressed by the jewelry.

    However, after seeing the price, she quickly realized it was out of her range. The starting bid was

    3,000,000 dors, and judging by the reactions around her, it was clear many others were eager to bid.

    She should consider carefully what birthday present to give Vrie, as the final bidding price for this set of jewelry would likely be beyond her means.

    As the auction price climbed, fewer people were raising their paddles. When the bid reached 7,000,000 dors, the number of bidders dwindled even further.

    Vrie remained in the running, but her face was tense. If the price exceeded 9,000,000 dors, it would surpass her budget. The current price was already approaching her limit.

    Meanwhile, Reba was captivated

    by the jewelry. Among all the pieces on disy tonight, this one stirred a strong desire within her. Her hands

    were clenched tightly, and her eyes reflected her en FindNovel

 Chapter 391

    Reba blushed slightly and whispered, "You''ve already bought me so many pieces of jewelry tonight. You''ve spent too much money. I just thought this set was pretty. I don''t want you to spend any more." Even as she spoke, her gaze kept drifting back to the jewelry on stage, her eyes betraying her unspoken desire.

    At that moment, Vrie raised her paddle and, through gritted teeth, said, "9,000,000 dors!"

    This was her limit. Any higher, and she wouldn''t be able to keep bidding. Her offer was a significant jump from the previous bid, and the room fell into an eerie silence as all eyes turned to her. No one immediately raised their paddles.

    Vrie gripped hers tightly, silently praying that no one else would bid.

    "9,000,000 dors, going once!"

    A few others interested in the jewelry hesitated, unsure if they wanted to raise the stakes.

    The set was undeniably beautiful, and owning it would make anyone the center of attention at any event. But 9,000,000 dors? Spending that much on jewelry seemed excessive. "9,000,000 dors, going twice!"

    Nervous sweat gathered in Vrie''s palms. She was just one call away from winning.

    Reba bit her lip, her face pale, and her eyes shimmered with frustration. She hadn''t expected that, despite her clear hints, Damon would remain unmoved.

    In the past, he would have bought her anything she showed the slightest interest in. Now, he wouldn''t even buy her a single piece of jewelry, and the money meant nothing to him! The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, tears welling up in her eyes.

    Just as the auctioneer raised the gavel to announce, "9,000,000 dors, going three times!" Damon suddenly raised his paddle.

    "15,000,000 dors!"

    Damon''s bid was like a stone dropped into a calmke, causing a huge stir.

    The room erupted in murmurs.

    At the mention of that figure, Vrie''s face went pale. She stared in disbelief, hardly able toprehend what she had just heard. 15,000,000 dors was far

    beyond her budget.

    Reba turned to Damon in shock, not expecting him to raise his bid at thest moment. She knew it he still had feelings for her.

    "Damon..." Her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy. The sadness that had nearly brought her to tears moments ago now shifted into tears of happiness.

    She could already feel the envious gazes of those around her. After all, no one else would spend so much money just for her.

    "15,000,000 dors, going once!"

    auctioneer called out, his voice brimming with excitement. He scanned the room, searching for any potential bidders.

    Yet the room remained silent, no one daring to raise their paddles.

    Vrie clenched her fists, her breathing quickening. She kept her eyes on Damon''s back, frustration swelling within her. She had no choice but to give up on the jewelry set, as she simply didn''t have that kind of money.

    "15,000,000 dors, going twice!" the auctioneer called again, his voice now tinged with tension.

    The atmosphere in the room was electric. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the oue.

    Just when it seemed certain that Damon would win the jewelry for 15,000,000 dors, a paddle was suddenly raised in the corner. "20,000,000 dors!"

 Chapter 392

    The crowd turned in shock at the sound of the new voice.

    They had been expecting a wealthy heir from Saintornia, but instead, a young man stood before them-someone they didn''t recognize. Murmurs rippled through the room.

    "Who is that? I''ve never seen him before."

    "No idea, but anyone bold enough to bid 20,000,000 dors must be important."

    ...

    Next to Gabriel, Melody was so shocked that her phone slipped from her hand, ttering to the floor.

    She whispered, "Gabriel, are you crazy? Where are you getting that kind of money?"

    "Don''t worry. If I''m making an offer, I can afford it," Gabriel replied confidently.

    Damon nced over his shoulder at Gabriel, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

    Their gazes locked, and for a brief moment, the air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

    Vrie, equally stunned, quickly turned to N. "N, your brother''s been abroad for years. When did he get so rich? I should''ve gone abroad too."

    N was at a loss for words. She was just as shocked by Gabriel''s sudden bid. After all, he''d only been renting a ce since returning from abroad. He didn''t seem to possess such vast wealth. Could he be trying to outbid Damon to get back at him for dumping her?

    But if Damon stopped bidding, Gabriel would be on the hook for 20,000,000 dors. How would hee up with that kind of money?

    Damon raised his paddle once more. "30,000,000 dors!"

    Without hesitation, Gabriel countered, "40,000,000 dors!" "50,000,000 dors!"

    "60,000,000 dors!"

    ...

    "100,000,000 dors!" When Gabriel shouted this final figure, the room fell as silent as a tomb. No piece of jewelry was worth that much.

    The bidding war between Gabriel and Damon had spiraled into madness, driving the price to an astronomical 100,000,000 dors!

    Vrie nced at the jewelry and

    then at the current bidding price,

    feeling that the piece seemed

    ordinary inparison. What

    couldn''t she do with that kind of

    money?

    Unable to contain herself, she turned to N and whispered, "Is your brother insane? Even if he sold himself, he couldn''te up with that kind of money!" Gabriel had only been studying abroad for a few years-how could he possibly have that much money?

    N shook her head. "I don''t know."

    In truth, she also thought Gabriel had lost his mind. She couldn''t believe he could amass so much money. Was he really willing to jeopardize his future over a moment of anger? en FindNovel

    Seeing Damon still intent on bidding, Reba subconsciously grabbed his hand and whispered, "Damon, don''t bid any higher. This jewelry is worth at most 10,000,000 dors, and it''s already far beyond its value. But seeing you bid so much for me, I''m really touched..."

    Without a word, Damon pulled his hand away and raised his paddle. "200,000,000 dors!"

    The auctioneer was nearly incoherent with excitement. He had never anticipated the price reaching such heights. This was a career-defining moment for him!

    "200,000,000 dors, going once! Any more bids?!"

    "200,000,000 dors, going twice!"

    Finally, the auctioneer''s gavel came down with a decisive thud.

    "200,000,000 dors, going three times! Congrattions to No. 28 for winning the auction at 200,000,000 dors!"

    As the final word echoed through the room, the atmosphere erupted into lively chatter.

    "Oh my god! My heart almost stopped. 200,000,000 dors! All this for just a smile from Reba! Why am I not Damon''s girlfriend?"

    "This is the most expensive auction I''ve ever seen. Damon must really adore Reba to spend 200,000,000 dors without a second thought."

    "I don''t see what''s so special about Reba. How did she manage to get Damon to spend 200,000,000 dors on a piece of jewelry just because she said she liked it?"

    The surrounding conversations all focused on Damon and Reba.

    Overwhelmed with emotion, Reba smiled and looked at Damon with a mix of excitement and admiration.

 Chapter 393

    200,000,000 dors! Damon had spent that amount just to buy her a piece of jewelry!

    Reba couldn''t help but turn to N with a triumphant smile. It was clear now that Damon''s greatest love was her, and N didn''t evenpare. She had expected to see resentment or jealousy in N''s eyes but was surprised when N simply met her gaze calmly before looking away. Reba frowned, feeling as though she was hitting a brick wall. N must be pretending to be calm-she was probably seething with jealousy!

    Soon, someone came to collect Damon''s signature and process the payment.

    Afterpleting the transaction, the staff brought over all the jewelry Damon had bid on, with The Lone Tear on top.

    When Damon opened the jewelry box, The Lone Tear sparkled brilliantly under the lights, drawing everyone''s attention.

    Although the auction was over, most people stayed behind, their eyes glued to the piece of jewelry in Damon''s hands. Some even wondered if he was going to propose to Reba with it.

    Vrie looked extremely displeased to see the jewelry she wanted go to Damon and be given to someone she disliked.

    "What kind of spell did Reba cast on Damon? 200,000,000 dors just like that! The thought of that jewelry hanging around her neck makes me so mad!" Vrie hissed.

    If anyone other than Damon and rk had bought the jewelry, she wouldn''t have been this upset.

    N whispered to Vrie, "Don''t be angry. Think about it-he spent 200,000,000 dors on a piece that''s only worth 10,000,000 dors. Doesn''t that make it seem less worthwhile? Besides, only a fool would spend that much on jewelry."

    For N, no matter how much she liked it, it wasn''t worth considering once the price exceeded its value. For Damon, with his wealth, spending 200,000,000 dors to win Reba''s affection might be worth it.

    Vrie snorted and nced at the jewelry Damon was holding again, unable to hold back a smile. "You''re right. I''d think the jewelry was beautiful at 10,000,000 dors, but at 200,000,000 dors, it''s just a pile of rocks. I wouldn''t be the sucker who spends that much!"

    Seeing Vrie finally smile, N managed a small grin of her own. "Since you''re not angry anymore, let''s go."

    Vrie nodded. "Sure. We didn''t win anything tonight. Staying here any longer would just be disappointing!"

    ...

    Meanwhile, as Damon opened the jewelry box, Reba''s breathing grew shallow and her expression turned anxious.

    Whenever they were together,

    Damon used to help her put on jewelry The thought of this piece soon being around her neck filled her with immense excitement.

    "Damon..." Reba called softly.

    She moved closer to Damon, her eyes full of anticipation, lifting her hair so he could help her with the jewelry.

    The envious nces from those

    around her made her feel a bit giddy. After tonight, everyone in Saintornia would know she was the one Damon cherished.

    In the next moment, her smile froze.

    Damon didn''t even nce at her. Instead, he walked straight toward N with The Lone Tear.

    N and Vrie, who were heading toward the exit, heard gasps and murmurs behind them. When they turned around, they saw Damon approaching.

    "N, Damon wouldn''t be giving The Lone Tear to you, would he?" Vrie asked.

    N frowned and whispered, "Don''t get your hopes up. Let''s hurry and leave." She pulled Vrie along, but as they reached the door, Damon stopped them.

    He held out The Lone Tear and said clearly, "The meaning of this jewelry is-no matter how long it''s lostel will always love you and only you"

    swne

 Chapter 394

    Because of Damon''s actions, everyone in the venue was now watching them.

    Reba bit her lip hard, her eyes filled with anger and resentment. Damon was giving The Lone Tear to N right in front of everyone!

    She could already imagine the crowd''s scornful whispers. The more she thought about it, the more she hated N.

    The venue fell silent for a few seconds before murmurs of voices erupted.

    "What''s going on? Why is Damon giving The Lone Tear to N? Isn''t he supposed to be with Reba?"

    "And if I remember correctly, N was his niece-inw, right? The Sumners are so extravagant."

    "This is disgusting. N just divorced rk not long ago. Were they already involved before the divorce?"

    Hearing the sneers and disdainfulments around them, Vrie fumed.

    "What are you all talking about?! N''s divorce from rk was because rk cheated on her with Jordyn. It has nothing to do with Damon!" she barked.

    Few people knew about N and Damon''s rtionship. If Damon hadn''t suddenly given N jewelry tonight, she wouldn''t be subjected to these ridiculous rumors. The people being scolded were momentarily stunned.

    Someone wanted to retort but was quickly pulled away by another. "Are you crazy? If you offend Damon, you won''t survive in Saintornia. Stop talking and let''s get out of here!"

    The person who spoke pulled away from the crowd and quickly left through a side door, and the buzz in the hall gradually faded. After all, no one wanted to cross Damon.

    N looked at Damon coldly. "Mr. Sumner, your girlfriend is over there."

    With that, she tried to walk past him.

    Damon grabbed her hand and said, "N, I know exactly who I love."

    N frowned. "You really want to give me this jewelry?"

    "Yes," Damon answered.

    N let out a softugh and nodded. "Fine."

    She took the jewelry from Damon and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Damon''s face darkened instantly, his mood turning stormy.

    Unfazed, N met his gaze with cold resolve Mr. Sumner, your so-called love means nothing to me. I''m not interested in love that''s

    uncertain, and I hope you wonial ne

    I

    disgust me again in the future."

    swn y

    With each word, Damon''s face grew more strained, his expression darkening even further.

    N turned away without another nce and walked out with Vrie.

    As N and Vrie disappeared through the door, the venue fell eerily silent, with everyone too afraid to make a sound.

    Damon''s aura was so intimidating that no one dared to provoke him.

    Reba''s eyes shed with resentment as she watched N discard the jewelry she had coveted like trash.

    She approached Damon, her eyes

    filled with tears, and looked at him with disappointment. "Damon, did you think wouldn''t be upset? Did you embarrass me in front of everyone on purpose? Don''t forget, I''m your girlfriend now! By giving the jewelry to N in public, you''re only making her the center of attention. You''ll regret this!"

    She was truly despairing over Damon. Without waiting for a response, she turned and fled the auction hall.

    ...

    Meanwhile, N and Vrie had just returned to their car.

    Still agitated by the events, Vrie

    said, "N, Damon publicly gave you jewelry tonight, and given the sensitive nature of your rtionship, it''s going to cause a huge stir tomorrow. You might face criticism, so be prepared."

 Chapter 395

    "Also... Reba is probably furious tonight. She might even reveal your rtionship with Damon," Vrie said, her eyes filled with concern.

    She was deeply upset with Damon. Although N and Damon had broken up, he had publicly given her jewelry! As the CEO of Prospectus Technology, no one dared to criticize him openly, but had he considered what N might face as a result? Vrie was relieved they had broken up. Otherwise, N would have endured even more with such a domineering man.

    N pursed her lips and replied calmly, "It''s fine. I anticipated something like this might happen when I agreed to be with him."

    She had once hoped that when this day came, he would be by her side.

    "Let''s just go. We''ll deal with it if things really blow up," Vrie suggested. N nodded. "Okay."

    ...

    Back home, N rested in the living room for a while. Just as she was about to wash up and go to bed, the doorbell rang.

    Seeing Gabriel at the door, N frowned, remembering how he had driven the auction price up to 100,000,000 dors that night.

    Could he really afford that amount if Damon hadn''t continued bidding?

    After a moment of hesitation, N decided not to open the door. It waste, and even though Gabriel was her "brother" in name, they had no blood rtion. Thus, it was better not to engage in too much private contact.

    Upon not hearing a response, Gabriel''s expression darkened. It seemed N was determined to cut ties with him.

    He clenched his hands at his sides, took a deep breath, and spoke to the closed door. "N, I just came to warn you that the news about Damon giving you the jewelry has spread. Over the next few days, there might be reporters camped out by your door. If you''re worried, you might want to stay at a hotel or a friend''s ce until they leave."

    After waiting a while and receiving no response, Gabriel finally turned and left.

    Once he was gone, N went to her bedroom to retrieve some clothes and take a shower.

    She took Gabriel''s warning seriously. If reporters started gathering downstairs, she would consider staying elsewhere for a few days.

    In a high-end bar''s private room in Saintornia, Reba downed whiskey straight from the bottle, her face streaked with tears.

    The table was already littered with several tipped-over bottles.

    Nathaniel''s heart ached when he walked in and saw her swollen eyes and pale face. He quickly grabbed the bottle from her hands. "Give it back!" Reba cried.

    "No, Reba, you can''t drink any more. Your health is already fragile," Nathaniel advised.

    Reba looked at him with a sense

    of desperation and forced a bitter

    smile. "Even if I drink myself to death, Damon won''t be upset. What''s the point of me being alive? If

    you''re my friend, you''ll give me the

    bottle!"

    "I won''t give it to you. Even if he doesn''t love you, you should still cherish yourself," Nathaniel replied.

    "Hah!" Reba looked up at him,

    tears streaming down her face. "Do you know what happened tonight? He gave the jewelry he won at the auction to N in front of everyone, and N just dismissed it.

    "I can already hear people mocking me behind my back. He should have loved me, but why has everything changed just because I was away for a few years?!"

    Seeing her heartbroken over Damon,

    Nathaniel tightened his grip on the

    bottle, turning his knuckles white. In

    frustration, he asked, "Do you really think you can''t live without him?!"

 Chapter 396

    "Yes! I''ve loved him for so many years, and now I only have three months left to live. I can''t ept this!" Reba cried out, her voice breaking.

    Nathaniel managed a wry smile. "And what about me? I''ve loved you for years. Why won''t you ever turn and look at me?"

    He had always believed that as long as Reba was happy, that was enough. But seeing her heartbroken over Damon now felt like a vice around his chest, nearly suffocating him.

    If she truly had only three months left, why couldn''t he at least try for himself?

    Reba was momentarily stunned, clearly caught off guard.

    After a long pause, she spoke softly. "Nathaniel, I''ve always considered you just a friend."

    "But I don''t want to be just your friend," Nathaniel said firmly.

    Reba bit her lip in frustration. "I''m your good friend''s girlfriend. We can''tˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, a shadow suddenly fell over her.

    Nathaniel''s lips met Reba''s before she had a chance to react.

    "Mmph!" She shook her head and tried to pull away, but he held her waist with one hand and the back of her head with the other, giving her no chance to escape.

    At first, Reba struggled, but gradually her resistance softened into pulling him closer. Their clothes began toe off as they moved together.

    The next morning, N and Damon were trending on social media.

    Once it was revealed that N was the ex-wife of Damon''s nephew and that Damon had a girlfriend,izens began to attack N viciously. [This woman is so shameless! Seducing her ex-husband''s uncle, and the worst part is he has a girlfriend. What a homewrecker!] [Maybe her ex-husband divorced her because he knew she was like this!]

    [Honestly, the guy is also at fault. Just because he''s the CEO of Prospectus Technology doesn''t mean you should only me the woman!] The online bacsh was intense.

    Spencer rushed to report it to Damon as soon as he arrived at the office.

    Damon''s already icy expression grew even colder. "Didn''t I instruct you to keep what happened at the auctionst night under wraps and prevent it from leaking out?"

    Spencer shook his head. "Mr. Sumner, the situation is still under investigation. The hype is already building this morning, which suggests someone is stirring the pot. There are people stationed outside Prospectus Technology, likely nning something against Ms. Jayston."

    Damon frowned. "Get them removed immediately!"

    "I''ve already sent security to handle it," Spencer replied.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston was just attacked with paint while she was parking in the underground lot. She''s on her way to the hospital now," Spencer reported.

    Just then, Spencer''s phone rang. After answering, his face turned grim.

    Damon shot to his feet, his aura so frigid it seemed to freeze the air around him.

    Spencer quickly followed, recognizing the tension in Damon''s jaw. He knew Damon was genuinely furious.

    However, he had to intervene. "Mr.

    Sumner, with the public already

    discussing you and Ms. Jayston, going to the hospital now and getting photographed could

    exacerbate the situation."

    Damon red at him and spoke with icy resolve. "Have they apprehended the person who threw the paint?"

    "They have," Spencer answered.

    "Go to the police station and follow up. Check if they have any prior offenses. I don''t want them released again," Damon instructed.

    "Yes, sir," Spencer replied.

    "I have to go to the hospital. Whether or not I get photographed, I won''t let anyone hurt her again," Damon dered before brushing past Spencer and leaving.

 Chapter 397

    Spencer felt helpless. The issue was that N might not even want to see Damon.

    Although Damon was exceptionally skilled in managing thepany and business, Spencer believed he was too overbearing in rtionships, focusing solely on his own perspective and never considering N''s feelings. Even without Reba, it was possible that he and N would have eventually broken up.

    Watching Damon''s departing figure, Spencer sighed and did not attempt to stop him.

    ...

    Damon reached the hospital room and was about to knock on the door when it opened from the inside.

    Upon seeing Damon, Vrie''s eyes filled with anger. She said coldly, "Damon, are you here to gloat over how badly you''ve hurt N?"

    Damon frowned as he spoke in a low, tense voice. "How is she right now?"

    "Don''t worry. She won''t die. But if you keep bothering her, who knows what might happen next time?!" Vrie retorted.

    Her sarcastic tone only increased Damon''s impatience. "Ms. Weir, I admit I didn''t handle things well this time, but it won''t happen again. I''d like to see N. Could you please step aside?"

    "I''m sorry, but it seems she doesn''t want to see you. You should just leave," Vrie dered.

    Damon''s face darkened. "Ms. Weir, you should know that if I insist on entering this room, you can''t stop me."

    Vrie gave a coldugh. "Oh? Trying to use your position as the CEO of Prospectus Technology to intimidate me? But you''re mistaken-I''m not one of your employees, and I''m not afraid of you!" Damon stared at her, saying nothing more, but his eyes grew even colder.

    Inside the room, N heard their argument and didn''t want Vrie to be troubled because of her issues with Damon. She called out, "Vrie,

    let him in. I have something to say to him."

    Vrie looked back at her, frustration clear in her expression. "Aren''t you already suffering enough because of him?"

    When Vrie first arrived at the

    hospital, N had been covered in paint. It had taken the doctors a long time to clean her up. Even after they finished, she still reeked of paint and had painful, itchy rashes from an allergic reaction.

    "It''s okay. You should go home now. Thank you for everything today," N said.

    Vrie was still angry but knew she couldn''t just walk away-she didn''t know what might happen.

    After a moment of silence, she said coldly, "I''ll stay here by the door. Call me if you need anything."

    Seeing Vrie''s concealed concern beneath her anger, N felt a surge of warmth and became even more determined to stay away from Damon. After Vrie left, Damon entered the room.

    When he saw N sitting on the hospital bed, his eyes widened with guilt and regret. He shouldn''t have presented The Lone Tear to her in front of so many peoplest night.

    N''s face and neck were red, and her cheeks were swollen, making her lookpletely different from before.

    "N, I''m sorry..." Damon said, his voice filled with remorse.

    N looked at him with calm eyes. "I thought you''d be satisfied seeing me like this."

    Damon''s eyes darkened as he spoke hoarsely. "If I could, I''d rather be the one in that hospital bed right now."

    Hearing this, N found itughable. "When you gave me that ne in front of everyonest night, you should have anticipated this result."

 Chapter 398

    Facing N''s cold, unyielding gaze, any exnation seemed inadequate.

    Damon lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice, "You don''t need to worry about this. I''ll handle it."

    "Whether you handle it or not is irrelevant to me. I''m nning to resign," N said tly.

    A cold glint shed in Damon''s eyes. "N, I''ve already told you I won''t let you resign."

    "You are not important to me and have no right to interfere in my decisions. I''m simply giving you advance notice that you need to find someone to rece me. This isn''t up for discussion," N stated firmly.

    A heavy silence settled in the room, creating a stifling atmosphere between them.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, Damon''s hoarse voice broke the silence. "Do you really despise me this much? Would you rather resign than continue working at Prospectus Technology?" N frowned.

    While her decision to resign was partly because she didn''t want to continue dealing with Damon, it was also because she needed time to study for her exams. She wanted to seed on her first attempt, and working would distract her from her studies. She simply didn''t feel the need to share that reason with Damon.

    "If you understand, then why insist on forcing me to stay at Prospectus Technology?" she asked.

    N''s gaze remained calm and her expression emotionless.

    Damon, however, felt a storm of turmoil inside him, his gaze growing dimmer.

    After Damon left, Vrie entered the room. Seeing that N seemed stable, she finally rxed a bit.

    "When Damon left, his face was so grim that I thought you two had a fight," Vrie remarked.

    N shook her head. "At this point, what''s the use in arguing?"

    Vrie nodded. "True."

    ...

    Back at Prospectus Technology, Damon was greeted by a throng of entertainment reporters gathered outside. His frown deepened.

    He called Spencer and asked coldly, "Didn''t I tell you to clear everyone from the entrance?"

    "Mr. Sumner, I had security chase them away, but they''re like stubborn pests-refusing to leave," Spencer replied.

    "Then call the police." With that, Damon hung up.

    Recalling how N had tried to

    distance herself from him earlier, his

    mounted, and he decided

    to contact Reba.

    The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.

    "Damon, what''s up?" Reba''s voice was hoarse, tinged with guilt.

    Damon, preupied with his troubles, didn''t notice. He asked, "Are you free this afternoon? Let''s meet."

    "Y-Yes, where should we meet? At yourpany or..." Reba inquired.

    "I''ll have my secretary book a room. I''ll send you the address shortly," Damon said.

    "Okay," Reba replied.

    Damon ended the call abruptly.

    In the bar''s private room, Reba finally felt a sense of relief when she heard the dial tone.

    She was naked, her fair skin marked with various intimate traces.

    Clothes were scattered across the

    floor

    the door to the sofa,

    a chaotic scene that

    how intense the previous

    night had been.

    Just as Reba put her phone down, a strong hand wrapped around her waist, causing her to shiver involuntarily. Nathaniel rested his chin on her shoulder and murmured, "When are you nning to break up with Damon?"

    Reba immediately pushed his hand away and frowned at him. "When did I say I was breaking up with him?"

    Her eyes were icy, and Nathaniel''s

    heart sank as his face turned grim.

    He asked, "We''ve slept together now, and you still don''t n to break up with Damon?"

 Chapter 399

    Nathaniel had expected that, afterst night, Reba would want to be with him. He was shocked to realize she had never even considered breaking up with Damon.

    "What do you mean? If you''re not nning to break up, then what wasst night all about?!" he demanded.

    "Last night was just an ident. Let''s pretend it never happened. Besides, Damon is your good friend. If he finds out that you slept with his girlfriend, it will damage your friendship," Reba said.

    "Pretend nothing happened? Do you think that''s possible?" Nathaniel questioned.

    He angrily grabbed Reba''s hand and said emphatically, "Damon doesn''t have any feelings for you anymore. When are you going to realize that?"

    Reba pped him, her eyes zing with anger. "This is between me and him. It''s none of your business!"

    Nathaniel, furious, managed a bitter smile. "Fine! So be it!"

    He quickly gathered his clothes from the floor, dressed, and stormed out, mming the door behind him with a loud bang.

    Once he was gone, Reba finally rxed. As long as Nathaniel didn''t confront Damon, Damon would never find out what had happened. Now, her goal was to remove N from the picture and make Damon fall in love with her again.

    ...

    At 3:00 p.m., Reba arrived punctually at the private room.

    Damon looked at her calmly. "Have a seat."

    Upon noticing Damon''s cold demeanor, Reba''s heart skipped a beat.

    He shouldn''t know aboutst night, right? No, given Damon''s personality, he wouldn''t have called her here if he knew.

    Moreover, he had presented the jewelry to N in front of herst night. He should be feeling guilty-not her!

    With this thought, Reba''s nervousness gradually subsided.

    She sat down across from Damon, deliberately adopting a cool expression. "Did you ask me here to apologize forst night?"

    If Damon were apologizing, she wouldn''t let him off easily.

    "If you want to put it that way, yes," Damon said.

    Reba scoffed. "You embarrassed me so muchst night, and now you think a simple apology will make me forgive you?" Damon looked at her. The charm that once drew him to her now left him unmoved.

    "I''m sorry for causing you such embarrassmentst night. I asked you out today to discuss something else as well," Damon said. "What is it?" Reba asked.

    "Let''s break up. I hope to repay your life-saving grace in another way," Damon proposed.

    Reba was stunned for several seconds before she fully grasped Damon''s meaning.

    Anger red in her eyes as she gritted her teeth. "You humiliated mest night, and now you''re proposing a breakup? Damon, what exactly do you think I am to you?"

    "Three months is too long. I don''t want to let N continue to be misunderstood, and I don''t want to hurt her anymore," Damon stated. N! Again with N! Why couldn''t she just disappear?

    If it weren''t for her, Damon wouldn''t have moved on, and Reba wouldn''t have had to resort to manipting him to return to her.

    "You don''t want to hurt her, so you

    ahead of you," Reba em to

    Damon looked at her. Even as he saw her tears, his eyes remained cold and indifferent. He replied, "Reba, I no longer love you? Keeping me around for three more months serves no purpose

 Chapter 400

    If Damon hadn''t fallen for N, he would have remained with Reba for the following three months. With N refusing to wait any longer, he didn''t want to dy her either.

    "I was wrong to promise you I''d be with you for the next three months as your boyfriend. If you have any other conditions, let me know. I''ll do my best to meet them," Damon said.

    "What else can you offer me besides money and a ce to live? Not to mention, we used to be together, and I risked my life to save you. All I asked for was yourpany for three months. Is that really too much to ask?" Reba pressed. Damon fell silent for a few seconds.

    Under Reba''s disbelieving gaze, he finally nodded. "Yes. Reba, I''ll never forget what you did for me, but I can''t repay it with feelings. I''m sorry."

    Continuing to be with Reba would only hurt N more and drive her further away. Damon couldn''t imagine life without N.

    Reba smiled self-deprecatingly, tears streaming down her face. "Damon, I really misjudged you. If I could, I wish I''d never met you."

    With that, she picked up her bag and turned to leave.

    As she exited the room, her anger and frustration burned fiercely. She could not let N be with Damon!

    Since Damon was ready to abandon her, she wouldn''t hold back either!

    Pulling out her phone, she called Nathaniel. "Nathaniel, didn''t you want to be with me? I can be with you, but before that happens, you need to help me get rid of N!"

    ...

    After Reba left, Damon headed back to thepany.

    Spencer came over to report on the morning''s trending topic involving Damon and N. "Mr. Sumner, as expected, someone was stirring up trouble this morning..." "Who did it?" Damon''s eyes were icy.

    "It was... It was Mr. rk..." Spencer answered.

    Damon''s gaze grew even colder. "Bring him to me."

    ...

    rk was in a meeting at his

    when several men in ck

    burst into the conference

    took him away.

    They released him only when they arrived at Damon''s office.

    "Uncle Damon, what''s the meaning of this?!" rk demanded.

    and

    His eyes were filled with anger. Thinking about the shareholders'' reactions when he was taken away, he was livid.

    Damon regarded him coldly. "Don''t you know what you did?"

    His gaze felt like a de slicing across rk''s face, and the immense pressure nearly made rk copse. Shamefaced, rk looked away, his demeanor faltering. "I don''t understand what you''re saying."

    "Don''t understand? Then you can stay here and think until you do," Damon said.

    rk frowned, his tone growing more serious. "The shareholders are waiting for me to continue the meeting. If you have something to say, just say it. I don''t have time for games."

    Ignoring him, Damon picked up some documents from his desk and began to read.

    rk''s anger red up again due to Damon''s nonchnce. He turned to leave, only to be stopped by two men in ck.

    These men were trained

    professionals and had handled him

    easily Back in the conference room. There was no way he could fight back.

    rk spun around, stormed up to Damon''s desk, and mmed his hands down, veins bulging on his forehead in frustration.

    "What do you want?" he demanded.

    Damon looked up slowly, his calm demeanor unchanged.

 Chapter 401

    "Didn''t I tell you to think about it? Don''t even think about leaving until you do," Damon replied.

    rk''s anger red again as he clenched his fists on the desk. "I don''t get it! I haven''t done anythingtely!"

    Damon sneered. "Are you sure about that?"

    Under Damon''s cold gaze, rk froze, a flicker of guilt surfacing in his heart.

    "Looks like you''ve figured it out now?" Damon asked.

    rk''s fists tightened further.

    After a long moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, I''m behind the trending topic this morning. But what''s the problem? Didn''t you just get back together with Reba? And isn''t N getting involved?"

    rk was nearly overwhelmed by jealousy and frustration, thinking about how N had gotten involved with Damon right after their divorce.

    "Do you have the right to interfere in our matters?" Damon demanded.

    rk''s face darkened, his chest heaving and his breathing growing heavy.

    At that moment, he clearly didn''t have the right. Yet, he couldn''t stand the thought of N and Damon being together!

    N could be with anyone, but not Damon!

    "Uncle Damon, instead of ming me, why don''t you reflect on why you''re still entangled with N after getting back together with Reba? If you hadn''t given her The Lone Tear in front of everyonest night, I wouldn''t have had the chance to stir things up, would I? "The one who truly hurt N is you. I''m just using the knife you handed me," rk said.

    Damon looked at him expressionlessly, his knuckles white from gripping the documents tightly, clearly struggling to control his emotions.

    "It seems thest lesson I gave you was too mild. This time, I''ll make sure you understand the consequences of opposing me," he warned. rk sneered. "If you dare touch me, I won''t spare N."

    "Are you threatening me?" Damon asked.

    "I didn''t want to do this, but you''ve pushed me into a corner," rk said.

    With nothing left to lose, he was prepared to destroy everything if Damon dared to attack thepanies Cyrus had left him. He had no regard for a scorchedearth policy. en FindNovel

    "Get out!" Damon barked.

    rk, sneering, seemed confident that Damon wouldn''t dare to act against him. He turned and walked away.

    ...

    Two dayster, N was discharged from the hospital after her swelling had subsided.

    During her stay, the police hade to take her statement. Knowing that the attacker had a criminal record and would likely face a harsh sentence, she felt no sympathy.

    Back at home, N sent her resignation letter to the HR department at Park Pharmaceuticals and then began tidying up her ce.

    Byte afternoon, she received a reply from HR asking her toe in the next day toplete her resignation process.

    N sighed with relief. Although she had enjoyed her job, she was eager to avoid seeing Damon.

    Not dwelling on it for too long, she had dinner and then studied until 11:30 p.m., reluctantly putting down her books before heading to bed.

    Before sleeping, she checked her phone and saw that the trending topics about her and Damon had beenpletely removed-even the hashtags were gone.

    She finally felt a sense of relief. After all, she couldn''t bear thebel of a "homewrecker".

    ...

    The next morning, Npleted her resignation formalities at Park Pharmaceuticals and texted Metody to inform her of the resignation and that a recement would be in touch soon.

    Melody immediately called her. "N, what''s going on? Why did you suddenly resign? Is it because of the trending topic from yesterday morning?"

 Chapter 402

    "Part of it is because of that, but the main reason is that I have something more important to do," N replied. Melody sounded a bit disappointed. "I don''t know if the new research scientist will be easy to get along with..." N smiled and gently reassured her, "No matter how the new person is, just focus on doing a good job yourself." "That''s all we can do," Melody remarked.

    In the afternoon, N went to Prospectus Technology to pack up her things.

    The new drug researcher hadn''t arrived yet, so Melody was taking a break from experiments and reading literature in the office.

    Just as N was about to leave, Melody hugged her tightly. "N, even if you''ve resigned, we have to keep in touch!" Seeing Melody''s reluctance, N nodded. "Okay. I probably won''t be able to help you with pursuing Gabriel, but good luck." "Alright," Melody replied.

    After saying goodbye to Melody, N was about to leave when the office door was suddenly pushed open.

    They both looked up to see Spencer walking in with a stern expression, followed by two men in ck suits. Confusion shed across N''s face as she noted Spencer''s unfriendly gaze.

    "Mr. Hogg, what''s going on?" N asked,

    "Ms. Jayston, you''re suspected of leakingpany secrets, so you can''t leave right now," Spencer said. N frowned. "What secrets?"

    Melody spoke up as well. "Mr. Hogg, are you sure you have the right person? N isn''t even a Prospectus Technology employee. We only work in theb and have no contact with

    Prospectus Technology staff with

    could we leak anypany secrets?"

    Spencer looked at them expressionlessly, his demeanor strictly businesslike. "It''s not just Ms. Jayston. Ms. Sorley, you''ll need to cooperate with our investigation as well because the leaked information pertains to your experimental data." Melody''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You think we leaked our experimental data?"

    "It''s not a suspicion," Spencer replied. "Contelligence has already published progress on theirtest asthma drug, and much of the data closely matches the data from your experiments.

    "Since you are in charge of this

    experiment, you cannot resign until the truth is determined. You will need toe to thepany daily to await the investigation results. Otherwise, thepany reserves the right to call the police and pursue legal action."

    At the mention of "police", N grew serious.

    The daily experimental data was known only to her and Melody. Since other experimental data couldn''t match theirs, it meant that the data had been leaked.

    Melody''s face turned pale, and her voice trembled. "Mr. Hogg, N and I couldn''t have leaked the data. There is a check every time we enter or leave theb, so there''s no way we could have taken the data out."

    "Ms. Sorley, I can''t determine the specifics right now. You will need to prepare for the investigation," Spencer said.

    N was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Mr. Hogg, you should call the police."

    Spencer was taken aback, not expecting N to agree to involve the police.

    "Ms. Jayston, think this through. Thepany is only conducting an internal investigation. If the police get involved, you might face jail time," Spencer cautioned.

    "I didn''t leak the data, and I trust that Melody didn''t either. Someone must have used improper means to obtain our experimental data. It is crucial to report this to the police and clear the matter up. I don''t want to leave Prospectus Technology with the usation of leaking experimental data!" N asserted.

    Moreover, she trusted the police more than the people at Prospectus Technology.

    After a few moments of silence, Spencer said, "I need to consult with Mr. Sumner about this."

 Chapter 403

    Spencer stepped aside and called Damon, briefly exining the situation before ending the call.

    "Mr. Sumner has agreed to call the police," he informed after hanging up.

    The police arrived promptly.

    As N and Melody gave their statements, Gabriel walked into the office. Upon seeing the police, his eyes widened, but he quickly masked his surprise.

    "N, Melody, what''s going on?" he asked.

    Spencer stepped forward and said, "Mr. Hackett, the experimental data from Ms. Jayston''s project has been leaked. Have you noticed anyone suspicious entering or leaving theb recently?" Gabriel thought for a moment and shook his head. "No. It''s usually just the three of us in theb."

    Spencer nodded. "Alright. You''ll need to provide a statement as well."

    After they finished their statements, two hours had passed. They were instructed not to return to theb and to wait at home for the investigation results, remaining avable for further police questioning.

    As they left Prospectus Technology, Melody suggested they go out for a meal and review their recent experiments to determine when the data might have been leaked.

    N agreed, and Gabriel, being part of theb, naturally joined them.

    ...

    Once they were seated in a private room, Melody spoke first. "N, I swear I didn''t leak thepany''s data, and I believe you didn''t either. I suspect someone is intentionally sabotaging us!" Her voice was filled with frustration at being falsely used.

    N''s gaze flickered, and she replied quietly, "Yes. The key is figuring out how the data was leaked."

    Contelligence''s release of the experimental data, which closely matched her own work, had effectively rendered her previous progress useless. If the source of the leak wasn''t identified, she would be held responsible.

    Nopany would want a researcher known for leaking data, and this issue could even jeopardize her chances for further studies. She had to find the person responsible!

    Gabriel quietly listened as N and Melody discussed, though neither of them noticed the calcting and cold expression in his lowered eyes.

    ...

    After everyone and the police had left, Spencer returned to report the progress at the CEO''s office in Prospectus Technology.

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent as he listened. "The person who leaked the data definitely isn''t her."

    Spencer thought Damon''s

    statement was overly definitive and couldn''t help but argue, "Mr. Sumner, the final results aren''t in yet. Each of the three of them is still a suspect."

    "Go back to work and report any updates as soon as you have them," Damon replied.

    Spencer hesitated before asking, "Mr. Sumner, what if it turns out to be Ms. Jayston? What will you do then?"

    "If it turns out to be her, I will take full responsibility for the consequences," Damon answered.

    Spencer frowned but said nothing more and turned to leave.

    After dinner N returned home, and it was already past 6:00 p.me She took a bottle of cold water from the fridge and sat on the sofa, contemting who might have leaked the data.

    Aside from the three of them, other people at Prospectus Technology who had ess to the experimental progress could also be suspects.

    However, in terms of likelihood, they

    were the top suspects. After all, she and Melody were in theb daily, while Gabriel worked in the office and could sometimes overhear their discussions about the data.

    N trusted Melody, but Gabriel... Could he be the one who had leaked the data? As she was deep in thought, the doorbell rang.

 Chapter 404

    N walked to the door and looked through the peephole, surprised to see Gabriel. They had just parted ways not long ago-why was he back?

    As N hesitated whether to open the door, Gabriel''s deep voice came from outside. "N, after I got home, I suddenly remembered a detail that might be rted to the data leak."

    N''s expression tensed. She opened the door slightly and asked, "What detail?"

    Gabriel''s gaze hardened as N had only cracked the door open and hadn''t invited him in.

    "Once, when Melody and I were having dinner, she received a call midway through and then mentioned she had left something in theb and rushed off. I thought, with work the next day, what could be so urgent that she needed to go back that night?" Gabriel suggested.

    A flicker of realization crossed N''s face. "If she went back to copy the data and give it to Contelligence, she probably wouldn''t have told you she was going to theb. She''d likely have used some other excuse."

    Gabriel looked down, shaking his head. "I''m not sure. I just remembered this and thought I should mention it. Maybe I''m overthinking it or just worried about you, so I didn''t consider this possibility sooner."

    N found hisments somewhat odd but chose not to dwell on them. "Thanks for your concern. Let''s wait for the police investigation."

    As Gabriel was about to respond, the elevator dinged open.

    They were in a one-apartment-per-floor building, and both nced toward the elevator.

    Upon seeing Damon, Gabriel''s eyes grew cold. His hands, which had been rxed at his sides, tightened slowly.

    N frowned. "Mr. Sumner, is there something you need?"

    Damon ang Gabriel were both

    dressed in silver-gray suits that day. One was aloof, while the other was warm. Together, they made quite a striking pair.

    Despite this, N wasn''t in the mood to appreciate their appearance. Frustrated with the data leak, she was now further annoyed by the intrusion.

    Damon''s expression grew more

    somber due to N''s clear

    indifference. He had initiallye to tell her he had broken up with Reba and hoped she might give him another chance. However, with Gabriel present, it clearly wasn''t the right moment.

    "I came to discuss the data leak," Damon said.

    "If you need details, you can go to the police station. I''ve already given my statement to them today," N replied.

    Damon gritted his teeth and said quietly, "Aside from that, there''s something else I want to discuss with you."

    "What is it?" N asked, not understanding why she should engage with him further.

    Damon didn''t respond directly but nced at Gabriel. Noting that Gabriel had no intention of leaving, he finally said coldly, "Mr. Hackett it''s inconvenient to discuss this matter with N in your presence. Could you please step aside?"

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m off work now. N is my sister," Gabriel replied.

    The implication was clear-there was nothing inconvenient about it.

    Damon frowned, and his displeasure was evident.

    Although N felt uneasy about the situation, she didn''t want to argue with Damon and chose to remain silent.

    "Mr. Hackett, you''re not rted to N by blood. You''re merely her stepbrother. Her matters are not for you to manage," Damon asserted.

 Chapter 405

    Gabriel offered a slight smile. "Mr. Sumner, haven''t you heard the saying that an older brother is like a father? N is quite innocent, so as her older brother, it''s natural for me to look after her." Gabriel and Damon locked eyes, and the atmosphere between them grew icy. They each understood the other''s unspoken message.

    Damon didn''t believe that a stepbrother would treat his stepsister as well as a real sibling. Furthermore, his investigation had shown that their rtionship was poor.

    Upon recalling the auction where Gabriel had deliberatelypeted with him for The Lone Tear, Damon''s expression darkened.

    "In that case, I should consider you a brother as well," Damon suggested.

    Gabriel sneered. "I''ve never seen anyone as shameless as you."

    N frowned at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, what exactly do you want to say? If you''re finished, you can leave."

    After a moment of silence, Damon realized it wasn''t the best time to continue the discussion. He said quietly, "We''ll talk about this another time." With that, the door mmed shut.

    Gabriel and Damon exchanged nces at the closed door, both brimming with animosity.

    Gabriel''s smile deepened, clearly pleased that N had shut the door on Damon. "Mr. Sumner, still standing here after being shown the door?" "Mr. Hackett, don''t you think you''re overstepping your bounds?" Damon''s eyes were radiating a chilling hostility.

    Gabriel''s smile widened. "Since you seem to enjoy lingering, I won''t keep youpany. Goodbye."

    With that, Gabriel walked toward the elevator.

    After Gabriel left, Damon also turned to leave.

    ...

    Late that night, N received a call from Vrie, but it was an unfamiliar male voice on the line.

    "Hello, is this Ms. N Jayston? The owner of this phone is drunk at our bar. The speed dial is your number. Can youe pick her up?"

    When N arrived at the bar, it was already 2:00 a.m. She navigated through the noisy main area and entered a private room to find Vrie passed out on the sofa.

    Although Vrie often frequented bars, she rarely got this drunk. There must be a reason behind it.

    The Weirs lived over 20 kilometers away, and her parents were likely already asleep. Taking Vrie home would surely wake them.

    After a moment''s consideration, N decided to take Vrie to her ce first and return her home once she sobered up the next day.

    N struggled to get Vrie into the car and fasten her seatbelt. She was about to return to the driver''s seat when Vrie suddenly hugged her neck and started crying, "W-Why did he treat me like this..."

    N frowned. Could this be about Tom?

    She intended tofort Vrie but soon realized that drunk people often had irrational reactions.

    While trying to soothe Vrie, she became the target of her distress Vrie grabbed and scratchedcher, leaving stinging red marks on N''s arms and face.

    N couldn''t help but think that if Vrie got drunk again, she might nevere to her aid. It was too much of a hassle.

    Seeing that Vrie had finally fallen asleep, N drove off.

    What she didn''t notice was that a ck, unmarked car slowly started and followed her.

 Chapter 406

    Not long after N''s car hit the road, she sensed something was amiss. She deliberately changed directions several times, but the ck car continued to follow her. She frowned in concern. It was clear that the unmarked car was tailing her.

    After a moment of consideration, she decided to turn around and head in the opposite direction from her home.

    ...

    About ten minutester, N parked her car in front of the police station.

    The car following her finally realized something was wrong and tried to leave, but the police quickly stopped it.

    Officers swiftly detained the upant of the car.

    Only after confirming her safety did N get out of her vehicle.

    "Ms. Jayston, pleasee with us to make a statement," an officer requested.

    N nodded and nced at the person being led into the police station. He appeared to be in his early 20s, with a square face and in features-one of those faces that blended into a crowd. N was certain she had never seen him before.

    The man was visibly enraged. "Why are you arresting me? Just because you''re cops, you think you''re so great?"

    One of the officers replied coldly, "Driving an unlicensed vehicle is illegal, and you''re also suspected of stalking. You need to cooperate with the investigation."

    During the questioning, N learned that the man''s name was Steven Abney and that he worked at a car repair shop in Saintornia.

    When asked why he had been following her, he flippantly replied that he thought she was attractive and wanted to be friends.

    Since Steven had not caused N any actual harm, the police gave him a stern warning before letting him go.

    As N left the police station, she saw Steven waiting outside, his face dark with anger.

    When he noticed her, he sneered and said coldly, "You''re lucky this time. Next time, it won''t be so easy."

    N ignored him and got into her car, driving away.

    Back at home, after settling Vrie, N sent a message to Pete asking him to look into Steven. She thought Pete would be asleep, but he replied quickly. Pete: [Steven Abney... The name sounds familiar. I''ll check it out and let you know what I find.]

    N responded with a simple "Okay" and put her phone down to take a shower.

    ...

    The next morning, after getting ready, N checked on Vrie in the guest bedroom.

    Vrie was still asleep, so N gently closed the door and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

    Halfway through preparing the meal, Vrie woke up.

    "N..." she called out.

    N turned around to see Vrie standing at the kitchen door, her hair a mess and looking a bit

    embarrassed. Clearly, she still remembered some of what had happened the night before.

    "Since you''re up, go wash up. I''ve put out new toiletries for you," N said. "Okay..." Vrie replied.

    Soon, Vrie finished washing up and came out of the bathroom.

    N''s breakfast was ready, and she was pouring milk.

    Sitting across from her, Vrie looked at the eggs and bacon on her te with excitement. "Is there

    elet

    anything better than waking up from a hangover to find breakfast

    waiting? You might as well forget about dating-just the two of us can

    handle it internally."

    N gave her a sidelong nce.

    "Sorry, but I''m not interested in

    women. Also, this is my breakfa

    Your breakfast is in the kitchen. I''ll get it for you right away."

    Vrie looked touched. "You even made a special breakfast for me? I..."

    When she saw the oatmeal N was holding, her gratitude froze on her face. She hated oatmeal more than anything. N ced the oatmeal in front of her and said, "It''s specially made for you. You have to finish it-everyst drop." "I''d rather have eggs and bacon..." Vrie started.

    "No, you vomited several timesst night. Your stomach is empty, and greasy food isn''t good for it," N chided.

 Chapter 407

    "Fine," Vrie conceded.

    As N sat across from Vrie, thetter hesitated after taking a careful spoonful of oatmeal and asked, "N... I didn''t make too much of a scenest night after getting drunk, did I?" She vaguely remembered crying on N''s shoulder and being quite loud about it. It was so embarrassing....

    N raised an eyebrow. "Now you''re worried about being embarrassed?"

    Vrie could only look down in silence. If she had known she would be so out of control while drunk, she would have avoided alcohol altogether and not even gone to the barst night.

    "Did something happen yesterday that made you drink so much?" N asked.

    Vrie''s gaze dimmed as she looked down and murmured, "I''d rather not talk about it."

    N didn''t press further and nodded. "If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s fine. Just finish your oatmeal. I''ll take you to work after you shower."

    Vrie thought for a moment and declined, "No need. Mypany is in the opposite direction from Prospectus Technology, and since our work hours are simr, it would be too tight for you to drop me off and then get to your job. I''ll just take a cab." N bit into her breakfast and said casually, "It''s fine. I''ve already resigned."

    Even if she hadn''t resigned, Prospectus Technology would have told her to stay home and wait for the oue after what happened yesterday.

    "Resigned? Why did you suddenly resign?!" Vrie eximed.

    "I need to prepare for the graduate entrance exams. Working takes up too much of my time. I could only study in the evenings, and I don''t want to repeat this process," N exined.

    Vrie was shocked. "Why did you suddenly decide to pursue graduate studies?"

    "It''s been a regret not to have pursued it earlier. Now that I''m divorced from rk, I want to start a new chapter in my life," N answered.

    "What about Damon?" Vrie asked.

    N smiled, her expression calm and detached. "What I had with him was just a brief dream. Now that the dream is over, it''s time for me to wake up."

    She and Damon had no future together, especially now that he was back with Reba. It seemed even less likely.

    Vrie fell silent, recognizing that starting anew with graduate studies was indeed the best choice for N at the moment.

    "Which school are you nning to apply to?" she asked.

    "A university in Capitarnia. I have a senior there, and the school is quite reputable," N replied.

    "That''s quite far," Vriemented.

    They were in Saintornia, at the southern edge of the country, while Capitarnia was in the north. It would take several hours by ne. "It''s not too far. I can alwayse back if needed," N said.

    Vrie sighed and didn''t press further. She understood N''s desire to leave Saintornia and start fresh in a new city.

    After breakfast, N gathered a set of her clothes for Vrie. Their sizes were simr, and they had often swapped clothes in the past.

    While Vrie was in the shower, N cleaned up the dining table. As soon as she loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, she received a call from Pete. "Ms. Jayston, I hope I''m not disturbing you," Pete said.

    "No, I''m awake. Did you find out anything aboutst night?" N asked.

    "Yes." Pete''s voice was somber.

    "Steven Abney is the grandson of a victim from the Harris

    Pharmaceuticals incident six years ago. After that incident, he dropped out of school. It appears he''s still hotding a grudge and intends to harm you."

    N lowered her gaze, sensing something was amiss. She had s

    still

    been in university six years ago, and Harrison had never publicly

    disclosed her information

    How could Steven know she was Harrison''s daughter and track her down?

    "Mr. Monaghan, I understand. But could you also check if Steven has been in contact with anyone

    recently? I suspect he might have some backing," N requested.

 Chapter 408

    "Alright. I understand," Pete answered.

    After hanging up, N sat on the sofa, contemting who could be behind the situation. Whoever knew about the Harris Pharmaceuticals incident and could track down Steven to use him against her must hold significant power. When Vrie emerged from the bathroom, she noticed N staring off into space on the sofa. She walked over and waved her hand in front of N''s face. "What''s got you so lost in thought?"

    N snapped out of her reverie, shook her head, and stood up. "Nothing much. Let''s go."

    ...

    On the other side, Nathaniel was fuming when he learned that Steven''s tracking had been discovered.

    "What''s he doing? He was caught right away-what a useless fool!" he scolded.

    His secretary kept their head down, waiting for Nathaniel to calm down before cautiously suggesting, "Mr. Preston, it might be best to stop Steven from tracking N any further. Otherwise, it could lead back to us." Nathaniel''s expression remained grim.

    After a long pause, he finally spoke. "He won''t dare implicate me even if he''s caught. For now, tell him to hold off on any actions. We''ll let him act when the time is right."

    "Alright," his secretary replied.

    After the secretary left, Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. He had no personal grudge against N-his only issue was that she was in his way. If she disappeared, he could be with Reba.

    ...

    After dropping Vrie off at herpany and on her way home, N received a call from Spencer.

    His voice was cold. "Ms. Jayston, where are you right now? You need toe to thepany immediately."

    N''s heart sank. "Mr. Hogg, have you found any evidence regarding the data leak?"

    "You''ll find out when you get here," Spencer said before hanging up.

    ...

    When N arrived at Prospectus Technology, it was already past 10:00 a.m.

    The receptionist escorted her to the top-floor conference room, where Gabriel and Melody were already present, along with several unfamiliar faces.

    Everyone was dressed in suits, their serious expressions and tense demeanor creating an uneasy atmosphere.

    Melody nced at N with an expression that suggested she wanted to speak but hesitated, eventually biting her lip and looking away.

    Spencer''s gaze was particrly cold. "Ms. Jayston, please have a seat."

    N pulled out a chair and sat down. Just as she was about to speak, the screen lit up, disying a photo.

    "Ms. Jayston, this is what the

    technicians found after their

    investigation. Yourputer senta

    experimental data to Contelligence at 8:00 p.m.st Wednesday

    Spencer stated.

    N''s eyes widened. "I left the office right after workst Wednesday. There''s no way I was at theb at 8:00 p.m., sending data to Contelligence."

    Spencer nodded. "The email was

    scheduled to send, and traces of the

    scheduled sending were deliberately erased. The technicians spent considerable time restoring yourputer''s data, and the scheduled time was during your working hours.

    "So, if you can''t provide evidence proving that this email wasn''t sent by you, you may face awsuit from Prospectus Technology."

    N''s face paled, and her hands clenched tightly on herp. She needed to remain calm-panicking wouldn''t help.

    "Can you tell me the exact time when this email was scheduled?" she asked. "Yes, the email was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday," Spencer answered.

    N usually napped during that time, typically at her desk. Since she was a light sleeper, no one would have had the chance to ess herputer. She was certain she had never sent such an email.

    "Mr. Hogg, if I had intended to send the data to Contelligence, I wouldn''t have done it in a manner that left evidence for you to uncover," N said.

    "Ms. Jayston, telling me that is pointless. The email was sent from yourputer. If you can''t prove it wasn''t you who sent it, you''ll have to face the consequences," Spencer replied.

 Chapter 409

    N''s eyes were cold. "I didn''t do it and won''t admit to it."

    Spencer sighed. "Ms. Jayston, it''s not about whether you admit it or not right now."

    The evidence was clear. If Prospectus Technology decided to sue, it would almost certainly go through.

    N remained silent for a few seconds before quietly saying, "Give me three days."

    Spencer replied, "I need to consult the board on this. The development of this asthma medication has cost thepany hundreds of millions, and the board is very concerned. I can''t make this decision on my own." N nodded. "Alright, I understand. Thank you, Mr. Hogg."

    After Spencer and the others left, Melody quickly moved to N''s side. "N, I believe you didn''t do this. Think carefully-was there anyone who might have essed yourputerst week?"

    N lowered her gaze. The email had been scheduled for 1:30 p.m., meaning either someone controlled herputer remotely or used it during her lunch break to set up the email.

    Since she was a light sleeper, it was unlikely that someone could have used herputer while she was napping.

    If someone wanted to control herputer, they would need to have used it before or know her password. During her experiments, Prospectus Technology employees sometimes used herputer to check on progress or data. After considering her options, N identified a few suspects who had the opportunity to tamper with herputer.

    A few minutester, Spencer returned to the conference room and informed her, "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner wants you toe to his office."

    "Alright, got it," N replied.

    ...

    When N entered Damon''s office, he had just finished reviewing a document. Without looking up, he said, "Have a seat on the sofa."

    After signing the contract, Damon set down his pen and approached N.

    "I heard the data leak email was sent from yourputer?" he asked.

    Sensing the pressure from Damon, N met his gaze directly and nodded. "Yes."

    "What''s your take on this? Do you have any suspects?" Damon asked.

    N hesitated, her lips pressed together. "You believe it wasn''t me?"

    "I trust the evidence, but I don''t think you''d be foolish enough to use yourpanyputer to send data to someone else," Damon said.

    As N met his dark eyes, her previously troubled mind began to calm, and her anxiety eased significantly.

    "Yes, I have a few suspects," she replied.

    After N provided the names of those she suspected might havez had ess to herputer, Damon immediately asked Spencer to have the IT department investigate those employees''puters.

    The IT department soon reported back, indicating that none of the employees''puters showed any anomalies or had software capable of controlling others''puters.

    N''s heart sank. Had she made a mistake with her guesses?

    Noticing her pale expression, Damon spoke softly. "Don''t jump to conclusions. Think carefully-have you noticed anything unusual recently?"

    N shook her head. "No... and the

    scheduled email was sent during lunch. Since I''m a light sleeper, f someone had essed myputer, I would have-"

    Before she could finish, her voice trailed off as she suddenly recalled something odd.

    N usually took a 30-minute nap, but for the past two weeks, she had been waking up only after the rm rang several times.

    Initially, she had attributed this to fatigue, but upon reflection, she realized her sleep had be unusually deep recently.

 Chapter 410

    Seeing N''s change in expression, Damon asked, "What''s wrong? Did you remember something?"

    "Mr. Sumner, I need to check on something. I''ll head back now," N said.

    As she turned to leave, Damon''s gaze grew serious. He stood up suddenly and grabbed her wrist, speaking softly. "N, you can rely on me. I''ve made things clear with Reba, and we''ve broken up. I hope you can give me a chance to protect you." His words were earnest, but N pulled her hand away as if she had been pricked.

    "Mr. Sumner, from the moment we broke up, there''s no going back. Whether you''ve broken up with Reba or not, I won''t reconsider," she said.

    With that, N turned and walked out.

    Watching her leave, Damon slowly tightened his fists, his expression showing a hint of defeat. He knew N was deeply disappointed in him and wouldn''t easily give him another chance.

    ...

    After leaving Damon''s office, N went straight to find Melody.

    Theb had been busy recently, and N usually skipped lunch. She stayed in theb while Melody brought her meals from the cafeteria. If she remembered correctly, her excessive sleepiness had started around the time Melody began bringing her food. If it weren''t for the data leak, she might not have noticed the issue.

    Faced with N''s questioning, Melody looked both incredulous and hurt. "N, since the data leak happened, I''ve believed in you and never suspected you. Now you''re questioning if I''m the one who leaked the data and framed you?"

    N pressed her lips together and said firmly, "Melody, I''m just asking you to recall if anything unusual happened when you brought me meals. I''m not suspecting you."

    Melody forced a smile. "I only went to get the food after I finished eating, and I always picked a random window. I''d bring the food back to the office directly. If you don''t believe me, you can check the surveince footage. I can guarantee that the food I brought you was fine."

    N frowned. Could she have been overthinking it?

    Since Melody suggested checking the footage, it seemed she wasn''t lying. However, her recent sleepiness was indeed strange.

    Seeing N''s silence, Melody added,

    "N, I understand you''re

    distressed. If I were in your shoes, I''d feel the same. But I assure you, I never tampered with the food."

    "Okay, I understand. Don''t overthink it. I just need to rule out all possibilities. I don''t mean to suspect you," N rified. Melody hummed in response.

    After parting ways with N, Melody

    took a cab home. On the way, she reviewed her recent actions and was certain there was no issue with the meals she had brought.

    Just as she was beginning to rx, a sudden realization shed in her mind, causing her face to turn pale.

    "Excuse me, turn around and take me to Magnifique Garden," she requested urgently.

    During the ride to Magnifique Garden, Melody called Gabriel, her voice trembling as she arranged a meeting.

    ...

    When Gabriel arrived at the caf¨¦ near the neighborhood, he found Melody sitting by the window, staring nkly outside and lost in thought.

    As Gabriel sat down across from her, Melody snapped back to reality.

    Noting her paleplexion, Gabriel looked concerned. "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? You look terrible."

    Melody took a deep breath and said slowly, "Gabriel, recently you''ve been ordering coffee for me and N and asked me not to tell her it was you. The reat reason you didn''t want her to know it was you isn''t because you''re worried she wouldn''t drink it, is it?"

 Chapter 411

    As Melody spoke, she kept her eyes locked on Gabriel''s. His eyes widened slightly, turning her suspicion into certainty.

    "Why are you doing this to N? Isn''t she like a sister to you?" she demanded.

    Initially shocked, Gabriel quickly regained his usual gentle demeanor. "Melody, what are you talking about? I don''t understand."

    "No one understands better than you. Did you put sleeping pills in the coffee you''ve been sending us?" Melody pressed.

    Her tone was firm, and her eyes burned with anger as she stared at Gabriel.

    He had been so considerate, iming that working in theb every day was exhausting, so he would send coffee to help them stay awake. He had even asked her not to tell N.

    Blinded by love, she had believed he genuinely wanted to build a good rtionship with N. Looking back now, she felt foolish!

    She had handed N the very coffee that led to the data leak scandal. The more she thought about it, the more distressed she became, and her eyes welled up with tears. She felt like an aplice. Gabriel''s expression remained calm and gentle, though a trace of helplessness flickered in his eyes.

    "Melody, I don''t understand what you''re saying. I know you want to help N, and I do too, but you can''t just assume it was me because you''re anxious," he said.

    "Who else could it be? Gabriel, what exactly are you nning to do?" Melody demanded.

    As she looked at his handsome face, she felt disgusted for the first time. How could she have fallen for someone so dreadful?

    Gabriel moved closer to her, speaking softly so only they could hear. "I know you''re recording our conversation, Melody, so don''t think you''ll get anything out of me." Melody''s eyes widened in shock. It was him after all!

    "W-Why are you doing this?!" she eximed.

    Her voice rose in anger as she looked at Gabriel, raising her hand to p him.

    The sharp sound of the p reverberated through the cafe, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.

    A server hurried over. "Sir, are you okay?"

    Gabriel''s face bore a red handprint and his cheek was slightly swollen.

    He forced a smile at the ca 3:30

    shook his head. "It''s fine. You can go back to work."

    Melody''s eyes were red, barely containing her fury. She wanted to rip away his false gentle facade and reveal his true nature to everyone.

    The server looked at Melody. "Miss, it''s better to talk things out rather than resort to violence."

    Ignoring him, Melody red coldly at Gabriel. "I won''t let this go!"

    With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out.

    "Sir..." the server began.

    "It''s fine. Thank you for your help," Gabriel replied.

    Gabriel left the cafe and watched Melody''s departing figure.

    A slow, satisfied smile crept across his face as he murmured, "Why? To break her wings, make her lose everything, so she''ll have no choice but to rely on me. Only then will she stay by my side."

    From a young age, he had known that love was about possession and control. If the person he loved did not return his feelings, he would break her wings and crush her pride, ensuring she was left with no choice but to remain with him.

 Chapter 412

    The situation needed to escte. If N wasn''t pushed to her limits, she wouldn''t willingly stay by his side.

    Gabriel''s smile deepened. He was confident that soon he would be with N.

    ...

    Melody cried bitterly in the taxi on her way home. She hadn''t expected that the first man she ever liked would use her to scheme against N, and worse... N was his sister. When she got home, she cried again.

    It took several hours for her emotions to settle. Just as she was about to call N to tell her what she had discovered, a news alert popped up on her phone screen.

    [Prospectus Technology''s experimental data leaked. The culprit is a researcher with a personal vendetta against Prospectus Technology''s CEO. Was this done out of revenge or for profit?]

    Melody clicked on the link and found a sensationalist article. Not only did it use N of leaking the data, but it also exposed N''s past rtionship with Damon.

    The article implied that N had leaked the data out of spite after being dumped by Damon, seeking revenge.

    Fuming with anger, Melody saw that mostments were attacking N. She couldn''t hold back and started arguing with thementers.

    When she encountered some calmer ones, she tried to exin, but with everyone so quick to judge, no one believed her.

    After all, people were more interested in the drama than the truth.

    Taking a deep breath, Melody stopped replying and was about to call N when she received a call from home.

    "Melody,e home quickly. Your dad''s had an ident!"

    ...

    Meanwhile, Gabriel received a call as well.

    "Mr. Hackett, the matter has been taken care of," the caller informed.

    Gabriel smirked. "Did you convey the messages I asked?"

    "Yes," the man answered.

    "Good," Gabriel replied.

    He hung up, still smiling, but his eyes were cold. He wouldn''t let anyone derail his ns. He hoped Melody would understand her ce. Otherwise, next time, her father''s injury might be more severe than

    just a broken leg.

    Soon after, Melody called him. "Gabriel, you''ve caused my dad to break his leg. N will never like someone as malicious as you!" Gabriel''s smile turned icy. "Say that again?"

    His voice carried a chilling coldness that pierced through the phone. Melody felt a shiver run down her spine.

    She trembled involuntarily, and her voice wavered. "Did I say something wrong? You''re just selfish and cruel!"

    "Melody, you''ll soon find out the cost of angering me." With that, Gabriel ended the call.

    In the hospital, Melody regretted her words as soon as she hung up. She knew Gabriel was dangerous. So why had she called him in a fit of rage?

    Holding her phone, she hesitated

    over whether to tell N that Gabriel

    was behind the data leak. However, she remembered her mother''s

    earlier warning, and her hesitation grew.

    Her family was ordinary, and her parents had struggled to raise her. She could disregard her safety but couldn''t disregard her parents''.

    As Melody hesitated, her mother emerged from the ward with a stack of bills. "Melody, here''s the bill. We need to pay a deposit of 4,000 dors..."

    Her parents had just spent their

    savings to buy her a small

    apartment on the edge of Saintornia. They didn''t even have 1,000 dors left, let alone 4,000 dors.

 Chapter 413

    Melody took the payment slip with a deep breath. "Mom, go back to the ward and take care of Dad. I''ll figure out the money." Her mother looked apologetic and uneasy. "Melody, I''m sorry... We don''t have the money, and we''re causing you trouble..." She knew her daughter didn''t have that much money either. Apart from borrowing, there seemed to be no other way.

    Her mother suggested, "Maybe I can ask your uncle for a loan... You-"

    Before she could finish, Melody interrupted, "Mom, we''ve already borrowed a lot from him for the apartment down payment. We haven''t even started repaying it yet, and asking for more might upset my aunt. I''ll find a way, so don''t worry." "Alright..." her mother reluctantly agreed.

    Melody took the payment slip and went to the end of the hallway to call her ssmates and friends.

    ...

    In the CEO''s office of Prospectus Technology, Damon looked grim as he stared at Spencer. "Didn''t I tell you that this matter must not be leaked?"

    Spencer felt distressed. He had indeed instructed everyone who knew about the data leak to keep it quiet, but he didn''t know how so many sensationalist ounts had obtained it.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ll look into it immediately," Spencer replied.

    "I''m giving you one hour. I don''t want to see any more news about this issue within the hour!" Damon ordered.

    He then stood up and headed for the door.

    Spencer hurried after him. "Mr. Sumner, where are you going? I''ll arrange for a car."

    "No need. Just take care of the tasks I assigned," Damon answered coldly before leaving.

    Once Damon''s figure disappeared from view, Spencer let out a sigh of relief and cursed under his breath, wondering who had leaked the information. Whoever it was, he would make sure they paid for it! This situation seemed deliberately aimed at N. Who hated her so much to go this far?

    Spencer shook his head, dismissing the thought. He quickly set about removing the trending topic and investigating which ount was the first to leak the news.

    When the doorbell rang, N was reading the so-called sensational news online. The details of her past with Damon were known only to a few, so the person behind the leak

    must have been close to hero

    No matter how she thought about it, Melody seemed the most likely suspect...

    Yet, emotionally, N found it hard to believe that Melody would do such a thing, especially since it wouldn''t benefit her. Hearing the doorbell, N walked to the door and found Damon standing there. After a moment of hesitation, she opened it. "Mr. Sumner, what brings you here?" she asked.

    "You saw the trending news, right?" Damon inquired.

    His gaze swept over her face, and he felt relieved to see her rtively calm.

    N noticed the concern in his eyes and lowered her gaze. "It''s nothing. You came here because of this?"

    "Yes, I''m worried about you," Damon replied.

    N frowned slightly, her tone cold. "Mr. Sumner, we''ve broken up. You don''t need to worry about me."

    "N, you may not ept me, but you can''t deny me the right to care for you and pursue you," Damon said.

    Seeing him still as domineering as ever and disregarding her feelings, N felt increasingly irritated.

    "Well, I also have the right to reject you. You''re bothering me even e it clear that I don''t we

    Sen bothering me even a

    I''ve

    see you," she retorted. Confet

 Chapter 414

    "I''m just worried about you..." Damon replied.

    N showed no reaction to his words, merely watching him with a t expression. "Mr. Sumner, you''re my superior, and I''m your subordinate. I don''t need your concern." Damon frowned as he spoke quietly. "N, I know you''re still upset about what happened before. IˇŞ"

    N cut him off, looking slightly resigned. "I''m not angry. It''s all in the past. No matter what you do, I won''t get back together with you. I need to rest now. Please leave." She then closed the door.

    Damon stood at the door for a moment before finally turning and leaving.

    Back on the sofa, N sat down and contemted how to uncover the truth.

    Prospectus Technology was already preparing to sue Contelligence. The email sent to Contelligence had originated from herputer, so the person who had sent the email must have been in contact with Contelligence beforehand. Investigating Contelligence might be the faster route.

    With this in mind, N called Spencer.

    After confirming the owner of the email address to which the email was sent, N decided to visit that person first thing the next morning.

    Spencer, aware of her n, advised, "Ms. Jayston, you might want to wait at home for the results. The people at Contelligence are adamant that you sent them the experimental data."

    N lowered her gaze and said firmly, "If they''re iming it was me, there should also be evidence of priormunication between us, not just the email itself. It''s unlikely that I suddenly received an email address and sent them the data without any previous contact." "They don''t have that evidence. I''ll contact thewyer right away," Spencer replied.

    After hanging up, N felt somewhat relieved.

    The fact that she had not had any priormunication with Contelligence was a breakthrough.. However, the most crucial task was to identify who had used herputer to set up the scheduled email. Otherwise, she would end up bearing the me herself since the data had been sent from herputer.

    ...

    Early the next morning, N went to Contelligence to confront the owner of the email address.

    When she spotted Robert, the manager of the R&D department, she walked up to block him. "Mr. Palfrey, hello. I''m N Jayston from Prospectus Technology''s drug research team. I''m sure you''re familiar with my name?" Although N was smiling, there was no warmth in her eyes.

    Robert was surprised to see N in person.

    He raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of a smirk, "Of course, I know you. If it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t be entangled in thiswsuit with Prospectus Technology."

    "Mr. Palfrey, your ability to shift

    me is impressive. You acquired the data for the asthma medication I developed through improper means and eagerly made it public. It''s no surprise that Prospectus Technology is suing you. But don''t

    understand why you''re But don''t

    trying to drag

    me into this," N said.

    "Ms. Jayston, talking to me won''t help. The email came from yourputer. It''s only natural for you to get caught up in this," Robert retorted.

    N''s smile turned cold. "I won''t

    admit to something I didn''t do.

    Prospectus Technology will

    undoubtedly find out who colluded with Contelligence, and I will sue Contelligence for defamation and for using me of leaking trade

    secrets."

    Robert remained calm. "Ms. Jayston, do as you wish. I have work to attend to, so I''ll take my leave now."

    After Robert left, N nced back at Contelligence''s building before turning and walking away.

    On the way back, she received a call from Pete.

 Chapter 415

    "Ms. Jayston, I discovered that Steven has had contact with someone from the Preston Group. However, it appears you have no personal grievances with them, so there would be no reason for them to target you," Pete said.

    N tightened her grip on the phone. "Actually, there is some personal animosity. I understand the situation now, Mr. Monaghan, so there''s no need for further investigation.

    "If you have the time, could you check whether Robert Palfrey from Contelligence has had any contact with employees from Prospectus Technology?"

    "Certainly. I''ll look into it right away," Pete replied.

    After ending the call, N transferred some money to Pete. Once he confirmed receipt, N closed the chat. She ced her phone in her bag, paused for a moment, and then called Damon. The call connected quickly.

    Damon''s voice carried a hint of tension. "N... what''s wrong?"

    N pressed her lips together, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes before sheposed herself. "Mr. Sumner, I''m not sure what personal issues you have with Reba and Nathaniel, but I no longer wish to be involved. Please tell Nathaniel to stop sending people to follow me."

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Damon''s cold voice responded. "He''s sending people to follow you? When did this start?"

    "In the past few days. The specifics, Mr. Sumner, you''ll need to ask him directly," N said before ending the call.

    She set her phone down, a hint of guilt in her eyes. With no direct way to confront Nathaniel, she had to rely on Damon to handle him.

    Damon called Nathaniel directly from his office at Prospectus Technology, his voice barely containing his anger. "What have you done to N?"

    ...

    "What could I possibly do to her? Did

    she tell you some nonsense? I always suspected she was scheming when you were with her.

    Now she''s trying to sabotage our friendship!" Nathaniel retorted.

    Damon sneered. "Nathaniel, do you think I''m a fool? If you won''t tell me, I''ll investigate myself. Don''t me me if I find out something and have to take action!"

    I did

    There was a long silence on the other end before Nathaniel''s cold voice came through again. "Yes, I have someone deal with her, but that''s because she overstepped by trying to interfere in your rtionship with Reba."

    Damonughed in frustration. He hadn''t realized just how irrational Nathaniel became when Reba was involved. Nathaniel always sided with her, no matter the circumstances.

    "Nathaniel, I''ve already broken up

    with Reba She returned to the

    country and used her illness and

    past favors to threaten me into ending my rtionship with Ny?a and getting back with her. She''s the one meddling in my rtionship with N," Damon said firmly

    "Since we''ve known each other for years, you should apologize to N personally, and I''ll let this matter go," Damon added.

    "Apologize to her? Does she even deserve that?" Nathaniel''s voice was filled with anger, his indignation palpable.

    He would never apologize to N!

    "If you refuse, then I have nothing more to say. The cooperation between Prospectus Technology and the Preston Group is over. Do as you see fit," Damon replied.

    As Nathaniel heard the dial tone, he mmed his phone down, his face dark. After years of friendship with Damon, thetter was ending their cooperation over a woman?

    Upon reflecting on it, his resentment toward N intensified. If it weren''t for her, none of this would have happened.

    Wasn''t Damon warning him not to touch her? Nathaniel was determined to proceed anyway!

    It was just a woman. He didn''t believe Damon would truly sever ties over her.

 Chapter 416

    Nathaniel called his secretary into the office and said coldly, "Contact Steven and have him prepare to attack N."

    The secretary, Troy Cantrill, noticed the cracked screen of his phone on the floor and replied, "Understood, Mr. Preston. I''ll handle it right away."

    He picked up the phone, left the office, and immediately ordered a new one to be delivered.

    ...

    When Steven received the call, he was at a prenatal check-up with his girlfriend.

    Learning that he needed to attack N, he hesitated. After all, Nathaniel had only instructed him to scare N, not to harm her.

    Noticing Steven''s hesitation, Troy said coldly, "Mr. Abney, do you think that money was easy toe by?"

    When Nathaniel first approached Steven, he was struggling to meet a request for 80,000 dors from his girlfriend''s parents. They had threatened to force her to have an abortion if he couldn''te up with the money.

    Nathaniel had found and given him 150,000 dors to track and harass N. Nathaniel had also disclosed that N was the daughter of the owner of Harris Pharmaceuticals, whose ident had killed his grandfather, making her an enemy.

    In reality, Steven knew N wasn''t responsible for the ident. After the incident, Harris Pharmaceuticals went bankrupt but providedpensation.

    For the sake of his child, however, he had reluctantly agreed to the task.

    Now, being asked to attack N, he deeply regretted having been so foolish.

    "Mr. Cantrill, this is a crime. I''ll return the money. I''m not doing this anymore," Steven said.

    Troy sneered. "You think that money was easy to get? If you back out now, you''ll only have yourself to me if anything happens to your girlfriend or the baby."

    Steven''s face darkened. "Are you threatening me?"

    "All I can say is that you have too

    many weaknesses. From the moment you epted that card, you had no choice. Choose between N and your girlfriend and child," Troy said.

    With that, Troy hung up. It was clear that choosing between an insignificant woman and his girlfriend and child was an easy decision, even for a fool.

    Steven was furious, his calloused hands nearly crushing his phone. If he could turn back time, he would never have taken that card!

    "Steven, here''s thetest ultrasound. Look, these are the baby''s hands and feet. So cute," Cam Swan, his girlfriend, said, presenting the check-up report. Steven nced at the report, his eyes reddening with tears.

    Noticing his distress, Cam couldn''t resist teasing, "What''s wrong? Why are you crying? Shouldn''t you be happy?

    "In two months, our baby will be born. After the wedding, I''ll give you the money ve been secretly saving We can move into a rented ce and start our life as a family of three.

    By the way, where did you get all

    that money my parents requested?"

    Steven forced a smile. "I told you before, my grandfather died in an ident at work, and that money was from thepensation."

    Guilt softened Cam''s gaze. She

    took his hand and said softly, "I''m sorry. After we get married, I''ll work hard too. We''ll earn that money back sooner orter."

    "Yeah, let''s go," Steven replied.

    As he supported Cam out of the hospital, she excitedly talked about their future.

    Normally, Steven would join in the conversation about their ns, but today he was unusually silent.

 Chapter 417

    Cam asked him several times, but Steven just said he was too tired from work.

    After dropping Cam off at home, Steven watched her walk away and made up his mind. He was determined to protect her and the baby, even if it meantmitting a crime. He called Troy, gritting his teeth. "I''ll do what you asked, but I need to wait until my girlfriend gives birth."

    "No way. That''s toote," Troy replied.

    Steven sneered. "Mr. Cantrill, I can always tell N what you''re nning. You''re just looking for a scapegoat. Am I not even allowed to decide on the timing?"

    "If you tell N, there''s no telling if your child will even have a chance to be born," Troy warned.

    "Mr. Cantrill, if anything happens to my family, I''ll post our phone conversation online. You wouldn''t want this to blow up, would you? I just need two months," Steven negotiated. Troy was silent for a moment before saying coldly, "I''ll consult with Mr. Preston and get back to you."

    Upon hearing this, Nathaniel sneered. "Two months? No, the maximum I''ll give him is one week!"

    "Mr. Preston, if we push too hard, it might backfire," Troy advised.

    "Then make it half a month. I can''t wait any longer. If he continues to haggle, just get rid of him," Nathaniel instructed.

    A nobody like Steven didn''t get to make demands!

    "Understood," Troy replied.

    After reporting this, he hesitantly added, "Mr. Preston, Mr. Hogg just came over with the termination contract... Those contracts..."

    Nathaniel''s eyes shed with anger. So, Damon was really serious!

    Alright, he''d see who would back down first!

    "Bring me the contracts. I''ll sign them now!" Nathaniel snapped.

    Spencer left after receiving the signed termination contracts from Nathaniel.

    ...

    Back at Prospectus Technology, Damon reviewed the contracts and said coldly, "Everything seems fine. Put them away."

    "Mr. Sumner, is it really worth ending our cooperation with the Preston Group over this? What if it gets out..."

    Damon looked up, his eyes icy. "Do you think sending someone to follow and harm N is a trivial matter?"

    Noticing Damon''s displeasure,

    Spencer quickly lowered his head just thought, since Mr. Prestone

    hasn''t actually harmed Ms. Jayston, maybe we''re overreacting

    "When did it be your ce to instruct me on how to handle things?" Damon questioned.

    "I don''t dare..." Spencer replied.

    "Then just follow my instructions," Damon said.

    Spencer sighed silently and was

    about to leave when Damon suddenly added, "Gather the board members for a meeting in half an hour to discuss how to handle the data leak."

    "Understood," Spencer answered.

    Half an hourter...

    As soon as Damon entered the meeting room, a board member sarcastically said, "Mr. Sumner, I don''t see why there''s anything left to discuss. We should just follow thepany rules. Just because the person at fault is your girlfriend, you''re shielding her. Does that mean if any of our subordinates mess up, we can also protect them?"

    Damon remained silent. He walked to the main seat and coldly stared at the board member who had spoken.

    "Mr. Warner, if you don''t want to attend this meeting, you can leave now," Damon said.

    Hector Warner stiffened but did not speak or leave.

    "This meeting is primarily to discuss the issue ofpensation," Damon began.

    Hearing this, Hector couldn''t resist making another sarcastic remark. "Mr. Sumner, N probably can''t afford hundreds of millions, can she?"

    "If she can''t afford it, I''ll cover it for her," Damon answered.

 Chapter 418

    Hector sneered. "You certainly have the means to cover herpensation, Mr. Sumner."

    Damon looked at him and said slowly, "I''d cover herpensation-if she''s actually responsible for this." "Who else could it be? The email was sent from herputer. That''s a fact, isn''t it?" Hector asked.

    If he weren''t afraid of future retaliation from Damon, he''d almost use him of deliberately shielding N.

    "It was indeed sent from herputer, but there''s no evidence of hermunication with Contelligence," Damon replied.

    "That email is evidence enough. What more do you need? Mr. Sumner, are you hesitating to pay?" Hector pressed.

    If the board were to be the fall guy, he would be the first to refuse!

    "Mr. Warner, today''s meeting is to determine the exactpensation amount, not to discuss whether I''m willing to pay," Damon stated.

    Hector snorted and fell silent.

    After an hour of discussion, the agreed-uponpensation amount was 200,000,000 dors.

    As the meeting ended, Hector turned to Damon and said, "Mr. Sumner, I advise you to get rid of the woman who leakedpany data. Otherwise, she''ll only bring you bigger trouble next time."

    "No matter how big the trouble, I can handle it. You''d do better to focus on your problems rather than meddle in mine, Mr. Warner," Damon warned.

    Hector''s face hardened as he left, gritting his teeth.

    Everyone at Prospectus Technology knew he had kept a mistress, and his wife had responded by taking a younger man home, which humiliated Hector. Ironically, his current status was due to his inws, and he didn''t dare to divorce.

    Back in his office, Damon was about to review some documents when he received a call from Reba.

    "Damon, I heard from Nathaniel that you ended the cooperation with the Preston Group because of N?" she asked.

    Damon''s eyes shed with irritation. "What does that have to do with you?"

    There was a pause on the other end, and then Reba''s voice, filled with hurt, came through. "I''m just concerned about you. Nathaniel and you have been friends for years. I don''t want you two falling out over a misunderstanding."

    "If you knew the full story, you''d realize there''s no misunderstanding," Damon replied.

    "Nathaniel only wanted to scare Ms. Jayston. He never meant to hurt her. And this whole situation started because of me. If you''re looking for someone to me, me me. Don''t make things difficult for Nathaniel," Reba exined.

    Damon frowned, and his tone grew colder. "Reba, I appreciate that you helped me back then, but that doesn''t give you the right to interfere with mypany''s affairs or my decisions. Until you figure out what you want, don''t contact me again."

    ...

    Reba put her phone down with a dark expression, her eyes filled with jealousy and frustration.

    Nathaniel, who was across from her, also looked grim. He hadn''t expected Damon to be so determined to end their cooperation.

    Moreover, it seemed that Reba still had feelings for Damon.

    "Reba, if you''re insisting that I get rid of N to be with you, are you nning to let me take the me after she''s gone so you can get back with Damon?" Nathaniel asked.

    He stared intently at Reba, fearing he might miss any change in her expression.

    If she truly intended to be with him, why wait until he dealt with N? Unless she wanted to remove obstacles between herself and Damon to get back with him.

    Reba looked up at him, her gaze full of shock and sadness. "Nathaniel, I can''t believe you think that of me. Do you know why I called Damon? I wanted to help you because I felt you were wronged."

    Seeing her emotional response, Nathaniel quickly moved to sit beside her. "Reba, I''m sorry. I was just angry and lost my temper. Please forgive me."

 Chapter 419

    Reba felt a slight relief seeing the panic on Nathaniel''s face. Turning her head away, she said coldly, "I already told you that what happened that night should be considered as if it never urred. If you''re having second thoughts, we can still be friends." "No!" Nathaniel took her hand and said gently, "I don''t want to be just friends. I want to be your boyfriend."

    As she looked into his deep, affectionate eyes, Reba felt no emotional stir but decided to y along with a shy demeanor. "Okay."

    Moved by her act, Nathaniel instinctively cupped her chin and leaned in to kiss her.

    Reba, startled, quickly pushed him away. "No... There are too many people in the restaurant. Someone might see us."

    Noticing her pale face, Nathaniel frowned. "Do I look that unpresentable?"

    "It''s not that... It''s just that my breakup with Damon hasn''t been made public yet. If someone who knows us sees us, it might reflect poorly on you," Reba exined.

    "I don''t care," Nathaniel insisted.

    "Even so... I''m shy... If you want to, let''s wait until we get back," Reba said.

    With Reba''s promise, Nathaniel finally smiled. "Alright, when we get back."

    Neither of them realized that their kiss had been captured by Pete, who had been lurking outside the window.

    That evening, N received a message from Pete after finishing dinner.

    Upon seeing the photo of Nathaniel and Reba kissing, she raised an eyebrow. She hadn''t expected that sending Pete to follow Nathaniel would yield such results.

    Since Nathaniel had the time to have someone follow her, it was the perfect opportunity to post this photo online and cause him some trouble.

    After sending the photo to a gossip ount specializing in celebrity and wealthy family scandals, N set her phone aside.

    She was about to read a book when she received a call from Melody.

    "N, could you... lend me some money?" Melody asked, her voice hoarse and her mood visibly down.

    "What''s wrong? How much do you need?" N inquired.

    "30,000 dors. Is that okay?" Melody replied.

    N was taken aback, her brows furrowing. "What''s going on? Why do you need so much money?"

    "My dad is sick and needs surgery, which costs 30,000 dors... N, if you''re worried I might run away,

    can leave my ID with you. I promise I''ll pay you back slowly..." Melody exined.

    Hearing the sob in Melody''s voice and sensing her emotional distress, N quickly said, "Okay, I''ll transfer the money right away. Don''t worry. He''ll get better."

    "N... thank you!" Melody cried.

    "Don''t worry about the money. If you need more, just let me know. I''ll

    transfer the money now. Whin

    hospital is your father in? I''ll visit him tomorrow," N offered.

    While visiting Melody''s father was secondary, N was more concerned about Melody''s distress and wanted to offer somefort. Melody nearly broke down in tears. "No... t-that''s not necessary. Just helping me is more than enough. I''m so sorry for troubling you..." "It''s okay. Friends are supposed to help each other," N reassured her.

    Afterforting Melody a bit longer, N hung up and transferred the money.

    The moment the transaction wasplete, Melody''s phone dinged with a notification showing that 30,000 dors had been received.

    Tears welled up in Melody''s eyes again as she looked at the man standing before her, her gaze filled with hatred.

    She gritted her teeth and said, "N has transferred the money. Can you release my mom now?"

 Chapter 420

    Gabriel smirked. "Don''t worry. If you do as I say, your mother will be safe."

    Melody red at him, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred. "Gabriel, you''re so untrustworthy! I was blind to have ever fallen for someone like you!"

    As she thought about how he had coerced her into borrowing 30,000 dors from N and wondered what other schemes he might have, Melody felt a wave of despair. Was there truly no way to expose his true nature?

    Gabriel looked down at her, showing no sympathy for the tear stains on her face. Instead, he found her tears annoying.

    He pinched her chin and said coldly, "Tomorrow morning, go to Prospectus Technology and report her. The 30,000 dors she transferred to you tonight is your hush money." Melody''s eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head. "No! I won''t help you frame N!"

    She finally understood the real purpose behind Gabriel''s demand for the 30,000 dors from N. Trembling, she realized how dangerous this man was he truly intended to ruin N! "You''re already helping me by calling her, aren''t you? Even if you don''t cooperate, she won''t forgive you once she learns the truth," Gabriel taunted.

    "I don''t want to help you either!" Melody cried.

    "Fine. Just wait for news of your mother''s death," Gabriel said, turning on his heel.

    As she watched his cold back, Melody was overwhelmed with fear. She believed Gabriel was capable of carrying out his threats because he waspletely unhinged.

    She rushed forward to stop him. "Okay, I''ll do it!"

    "Better not try any tricks, or I''ll make sure you suffer," Gabriel warned.

    His eyes were dark and imprable, like a trapping her with no chance of escape.

    "I-I won''t," Melody stuttered.

    She trembled as she spoke. The mere sight of Gabriel filled her with fear, leaving no trace of her previous attraction.

    Gabriel smiled with satisfaction and turned to leave.

    It wasn''t until his figure disappeared around the corner that Melody copsed to the ground, drenched in cold sweat.

    ...

    The next morning, N had just woken up when she received a call from Spencer, asking her toe to thepany.

    Upon arriving at thepany, the receptionist escorted her to the conference room. Seeing Damon there, looking grim, she had a sinking feeling.

    After she sat down, Spencer said,

    "N, Metody ims she saw you sending emails to Contelligence. She says you gave her 30,000 dors as hush money. Do you have any exnation for this?"

    N looked at Melody in disbelief.

    "Didn''t you say the 30,000 dors was for your father''s surgery and that you borrowed it from me?" she asked.

    Melody lowered her gaze, unable to

    meet N''s eyes. Her voice was barely audible. "That was supposed to be hush money... N, I''m really sorry, but I can''t ignore my

    conscience... Sharing thepany''s experimental data is illegal"

    N felt a whirlwind of emotions she couldn''t quite grasp.

    After transferring the money to Melody without hesitation the night before, she hadn''t expected it to be used as a bribe against her.

    "Why are you doing this to me? Have I wronged you in any way?" N asked, her eyes filled with disappointment as she looked at Melody.

    Melody bit her lip, mustering the

    courage to face N. "N, you''ve been very kind to me, but I can''t ignore the fact that you''ve caused thepany to lose hundreds of millions. I can''t protect you just because we''re friends."

 Chapter 421

    Seeing N so agitated, Spencer spoke up. "N, do you have anything else to say?"

    N didn''t respond to him. Instead, she looked directly at Melody and asked, "You''re sure the 30,000 dors I gave you was hush money, right?"

    For a brief moment, Melody''s expression faltered, but she quickly nodded. "I''m sure."

    "Okay." N calmly pulled out her phone. "I recorded our callst night."

    As soon as she said that, Melody''s face turned pale.

    Gabriel, sitting nearby, tensed up, his expression darkening. His eyes narrowed, and his hands clenched on the table instinctively.

    He hadn''t expected this-N had been cautious enough to record the conversation even in that situation.

    N ced her phone on the table and yed the recording. The voices from the call echoed through the dead-silent conference room. The more it yed, the paler Melody became.

    When the recording ended, N put away her phone and looked coldly at Melody. "If you don''t want to admit it, I can show the timestamp of the recording. Or we can call the police and have them pull the phone records." With every word N uttered, Melody was ashen with despair.

    The room fell into an ufortable silence. All eyes were on Melody, and the looks of disdain and suspicion felt like needles piercing her skin. She wished she could disappear.

    "It''s obvious Melody''s the one responsible for the data leak. Why else would she use N?"

    "Typical-women always scheming against each other. So petty!"

    "Well, if she leaked the data, she should pay the price! Let her cover thepany''s losses. If she can''t, then lock her up for years!"

    The murmurs around Melody pushed her to the brink of breaking down. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at N, guilt and regret written across her face.

    "N, I''m sorry. The real person who leaked the data was "

    Before she could finish, she caught sight of Gabriel toying with a gold ring in his hand. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides. She knew he was threatening her.

    If she exposed him, her mother would be in danger.

    Tears welled up in Melody''s eyes as she choked out, "The person who leaked the data... was me. Whatever punishment thepany decides, I''ll ept it."

    N stared at her, her gaze devoid of emotion. She had trusted Melody, and this was how she was repaid-with a knife in her back.

    "Why did you leak thepany''s data to Contelligence?" N asked.

    Clearly not expecting the question, Melody froze for a moment before looking away. "Why else? For money, of course."

    "But thepany already

    investigated. Neither you nor your family received anyrge sums of money recently. How did you even get in touch with them? And why did you use myputer to send the

    data? Plus, why would they choose to release the data now? Doing so doesn''t benefit them at all, does it?" N pressed.

    When Melody admitted to the leak earlier, N instinctively doubted it was really her. It felt too much like someone was orchestrating the whole thing to frame her.

    Besides, she had always trusted her instincts.

 Chapter 422

    Melody stood frozen for a moment, stunned by N''s questions.

    After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Does it really matter? As long as you know I did it, isn''t that enough?"

    "Of course it matters. When the policee, they''ll ask for these details too. If your answers don''t match Contelligence''s, it will be clear someone else is behind this," N replied.

    If Contelligence had been interested in Prospectus Technology''s research data from the start, they wouldn''t have made it public. They''d know it would lead to awsuit. The fact that they released it meant they never intended to keep it. Their goal was simply to target Prospectus Technology.

    More importantly, N had checked the security footage after growing suspicious of Melody.

    Melody had been delivering meals to her from the cafeteria every day, and the surveince had never cut out. There had been no opportunity for her to drug N''s food or drink.

    Melody bit her lip and took a deep breath. "Then I''ll answer those questions when the police arrive."

    Her evasiveness only deepened N''s suspicions. Still, if Melody refused to talk, there wasn''t much she could do.

    The police arrived shortly after and took Melody away. As she passed N, she muttered, "N, I''m sorry. You don''t have to forgive me."

    After Melody was led out, the others in the meeting room began to leave

    N was about to go when Damon stopped her.

    "Do you really think Melody is responsible?" he asked.

    Now that it was just the two of them, N looked at him and shook her head. "I think someone else is behind this."

    "Do you have any suspects?" Damon pressed.

    N hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice. "I suspect Gabriel."

    She had resisted the thought for a long time, as she and Gabriel had once had a friendly rtionship. She didn''t want to believe he would hurt her. But no one else made sense now.

    Damon nodded. "The week before

    the data leak he was ordering two

    cups of coffee every day at lunch.

    But the day after yourputer was send the email, he stopped.

    set to

    Also ording to his medicat records overseas, he''s been treated for insomnia."

    N''s face darkened.

    During that time, both she and Melody had been busy with experiments, and it was true that Melody had regrly ordered coffee for them.

    N had never been suspicious because the coffee always came sealed. It hadn''t urred to her that sleeping pills might have been mixed into her drink.

    Now it all made sense. Melody had said she ordered the coffee, but if N had known it was from Gabriel, she wouldn''t have touched it.

    "It must be Gabriel. I need to confront him and ask why he did this to me!" she eximed.

    Anger surged through N, and she turned to leave, intent on finding Gabriel.

    Before she could get far, Damon grabbed her wrist. "Don''t rush in. If you confront him now, he''ll just deny everything. We need to gather more evidence first. Once we have proof, confronting him will be much

    easier."

    His words helped calm her. She lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly. "I just don''t understand why he would do this to me."

    Ever since Gabriel had returned to

    the country, he had been treating her

    well. If it hadn''t been for Wren

    constantly causing trouble between

    them, she might have even O considered him her sibling

    She never imagined he''d be plotting to destroy her career and reputation behind her back.

    "If you can''t make sense of it, don''t dwell on it. Just know I won''t give him another chance to hurt you again," Damon dered.

 Chapter 423

    Seeing N''s sadness, Damon wanted to pull her into his arms. However, as soon as he touched her, she stepped back.

    A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes as he noticed how she deliberately kept her distance.

    "You should head home for now. I''ve asked Spencer to investigate, and I''ll let you know when we have results," he said. "Alright," N answered.

    She walked out of Prospectus Technology and saw Gabriel standing by her car, clearly waiting for her. She quickly approached, her attitude as cold as ever. "Do you need something?" "N, have you figured it out?" Gabriel asked.

    N looked up at him. "Figured out what?"

    "Nothing," he replied.

    His gentle facade only made N feel more disgusted. He clearly despised her, yet continued to put on this act. She almost pitied him for how hard he tried.

    "If there''s nothing else, I''m leaving," she said.

    Gabriel nodded. "Alright."

    As N''s car disappeared from sight, Gabriel finally looked away, got into his vehicle, and headed toward the police station.

    ...

    Later that evening, N was making dinner when the doorbell rang unexpectedly. She opened the door to find Damon standing there.

    "Mr. Sumner, has Spencer found anything?" she asked.

    The moment the door opened, Damon caught the scent of her cooking.

    "Are you making dinner?" he asked.

    N pressed her lips together. "Yes."

    Seeing that she wasn''t going to invite him, Damon raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I haven''t eaten yet. How about we talk over dinner?"

    Since he made it so clear, it would be rude for her to turn him down now.

    "Sure," she agreed, stepping aside to let him in. She handed him a new pair of slippers and turned toward the kitchen.

    After changing into the slippers, Damon followed her, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

    N''s apartment was small, a two-bedroom rental. The kitchen was on the left as one entered, with the living room and dining area. straight ahead. The bathroom was at the end of the hallway, nked by the bedrooms.

    The living room wasn''trge, but it was cozy.

    A small vase with a few yellow roses sat on the coffee table, their buds just beginning to bloom. Drops of water elung to the petals, making them appear even more delicate.

    A beige nket was draped over the sofa, with a couple of soft, cloud-shaped pillows on top, giving the space a warm, inviting feel.

    Damon took it all in before turning toward the kitchen.

    N was slicing potatoes while a pot of chicken simmered on the stove, steam rising in gentle wisps.

    He took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked into the kitchen. "Let me help."

    N was surprised but shook her head. "No need. I can handle it."

    Despite her protest, Damon washed his hands and, without waiting for her to object, took the knife from her and began slicing the potatoes himself.

    As she watched him work with more skill and precision than she had, N couldn''t help but be impressed.

    "I didn''t expect you to be so good with a knife," she remarked.

    Damon chuckled. "Back when I was starting my business, I didn''t have much money to order takeout, so I had to cook for myself."

    "Didn''t your family help?" she asked, surprised.

    Given that he was the most

    cherished son of the Sumner family,

    N had assumed Richard and

    Marie would have supported him

    She hadn''t expected him to struggle with something as basic as food.

    "They didn''t," Damon replied. "I didn''t want to rely on them. Otherwise, even if my business seeded, I''d still be under their control."

    "Oh." N understood. Depending on family support often meant losing control over your own life-just like rk.

 Chapter 424

    N lowered her gaze to the soup bubbling in the pot and fell silent.

    The kitchen was quiet, save for the sound of Damon chopping vegetables and the faint hum of the range hood.

    When Damon finished slicing the potatoes, N nced at him. "You can go sit in the living room. I''ll handle the rest."

    Their rtionship wasn''t the kind where they should be cooking together. N was already starting to regret not turning him away at the door. Damon stared at her for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright."

    Once he left the kitchen, N breathed a sigh of relief. She poured the soup into a bowl, quickly washed the pot, and began stir-frying the potatoes.

    About ten minutester, she brought the dishes out, surprised to find Damon asleep on the sofa. She instinctively softened her footsteps.

    After setting the table, N hesitated to wake him. In the end, she decided to give him another 30 minutes. If he was still asleep by then, she''d wake him. Fortunately, Damon woke on his own after just over ten minutes.

    At first, there was a brief moment of confusion before rity returned. He turned to look at N, who was typing on her phone. Clearing his throat softly, he got her attention. "Why didn''t you wake me?" he asked.

    N looked up, her expression calm. "You were tired and fell asleep on the sofa. I figured I''d give you half an hour before waking you."

    Damon hadn''t expected to doze off like that. He had been working nonstop and was more exhausted than he realized. Rubbing his temples, he stood up. "Next time, just wake me." N nodded, though she thought to herself there probably wouldn''t be a next time.

    "Do you want to wash up before we eat?" she asked.

    "Sure," Damon replied.

    By the time they sat down to eat, it was already past 7:00 p.m.

    Damon looked apologetic. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to fall asleep like that."

    "It''s fine. You didn''t sleep long. Let''s eat," N replied dismissively.

    Throughout dinner, N wanted to

    §Ö

    ask about the investigation into the data leak, but Damon seemed

    focused on his meal, leaving her no

    opening to bring it up.

    It wasn''t until Damon set down his cutlery that she finally asked, "So, what did you find out about the data leak?"

    Seeing her anxious expression,

    Damon guessed she''d been holding this question in for a while. His tone turned serious. "We discovered that Gabriel was in contact with Robert Palfrey from Contelligence. Based on their conversations, it''s clear he''s the one who leaked the data."

    N pressed her lips together, showing no excitement despite learning the identity of the culprit.

    Since Gabriel had left the country, they hadn''t interacted. As far as she knew, she had never done anything to offend him. She couldn''t understand why he would do something like this to her.

    "What''s thepany nning to do next?" she asked.

    Damon''s eyes grew cold. "We''re going to formally press charges. And he will certainly not have a future in this industry."

    N''s grip on her cutlery tightened as she lowered her head in silence.

    Noticing her reaction, Damon frowned. "What''s wrong? Don''t tell me you''re feeling sorry for him?"

    N shook her head. "No, it''s not that. I just don''t understand why he did it."

    "You don''t need to understand. Just know that he wanted to hurt you. Stay away from him from now on, and that''s enough," Damon replied. "Okay," N murmured.

    After dinner, Damon insisted on helping N clear the table and do the dishes, despite her protests. In the end, she gave up trying to stop him. Once the dishes were loaded into the dishwasher, she turned to him. "It''s gettingte. You should head home. I''m going to rest soon."

    A hint of bitterness shed through Damon''s eyes. "Alright. Don''t worry about the data leak anymore. I''ll handle everything."

 Chapter 425

    N hummed in response. She was about to take out the trash, so she decided to walk Damon downstairs as well.

    Damon, wanting to spend more time with her, refrained from offering to take the trash for her.

    N''s apartment wasn''t on a high floor, so despite Damon''s intentions, there wasn''t much time to linger.

    Once they reached the ground floor, N threw the trash into the bin and turned to Damon. "Mr. Sumner, I won''t see you off any further."

    Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away.

    Damon watched her retreating figure with aplex expression. He sensed that N had truly let go of their past.

    He wasn''t sure how long it would take for her to forgive him, but he believed that day would eventuallye.

    ...

    Back at her door, just as N was about to unlock it, a sudden noise from the stairwell startled her.

    She turned to see Gabriel emerging from the hallway, his gaze fixed on her, eyes dark and unreadable.

    A wave of unease swept over N as she instinctively fumbled with the lock, trying to get inside. Just as her hand touched it, Gabriel grabbed her wrist. "Let go of me!" she cried, struggling to free herself.

    However, his grip was firm, leaving her no chance to escape.

    He smirked, his tone calm and deliberate. "N, when we met earlier today, I realized you know I was the one behind it all."

    Fear surged through N, draining the color from her face. "Gabriel, I''ve never done anything to wrong you. Why would you set me up like this?"

    As Gabriel met her gaze, his expression softened, his affection no longer hidden.

    "Because I want to be with you," he confessed.

    N froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. She stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

    "Are you crazy?! We''re practically siblings! Who ruins someone''s life just to be with them?" she demanded.

    Gabriel chuckled, gently brushing his hand against N''s face, his expression one of pure contentment.

    His cold fingers made her shudder, and she pped his hand away. "Don''t touch me!"

    Her eyes zed with anger and disgust. If he had imed to hate her or seek vengeance for Wren, she wouldn''t have been so repulsed. But to say he had orchestrated her downfall just to be with her?

    "N, we''re not rted by blood. When you were with rk, I was abroad and couldn''te back. After you got married, I had no right to interfere. But now, you''re

    divorced. Why can''t we be together?" Gabriel asked.

    N red at him, trembling with rage. "Because I don''t like you."

    The moment the words left her mouth, Gabriel grabbed her chin and forced a kiss on her.

    N turned her head sharply, and his lipsnded on her cheek, making her feel utterly nauseated.

    "Gabriel, let go of me! You don''t love me. You just want to destroy me!" she cried.

    He leaned close to her ear and

    whispered, "I just want to be the only your side. Only then will you

    one

    rely on me."

    "You''re insane!" N eximed.

    Gabriel ignored her insults. Smiling, he grabbed her chin again, attempting another kiss.

    N''s eyes filled with disgust, and though she struggled, it was futile.

    Just as Gabriel''s lips were about to touch hers, the pressure on her body suddenly vanished.

    By the time N realized what had happened, Gabriel and Damon, who had returned, were already fighting.

 Chapter 426

    ?

    Damon stood protectively in front of N, shielding her from Gabriel. All she could see was the back of his head, but the panic inside her began to fade slowly.

    Instinctively, she grasped the back of his suit jacket, her eyes filling with tears.

    Thank goodness he had returned. Otherwise, who knew what Gabriel might have done to her?

    Damon red at Gabriel, his jaw clenched, exuding an icy, intimidating aura.

    Meanwhile, Gabriel hadpletely shed his usual gentle demeanor. He returned Damon''s re with nothing but hostility and contempt.

    "Mr. Sumner, juggling getting back together with your ex while messing around with N... The men in your family are all the same, aren''t they?" Gabriel sneered.

    "You''re in no position to lecture me. Get lost," Damon shot back, his voice cold and cutting.

    Instead of responding, Gabriel turned his gaze to N behind Damon. "N, I won''t give up that easily."

    "If you evere near her again, I''ll make sure you regret it!" Damon''s voice was filled with warning, his eyes zing with fury.

    Gabriel met his gaze without a hint of fear. "Don''t worry. I''m sure we''ll have plenty of chances to face off in the future."

    With that, Gabriel turned and walked away.

    As Damon turned to face N, he saw her pale face, clearly still shaken. The coldness in his eyes softened.

    "Don''t be scared. It''s over now," he said gently.

    Suddenly, N threw her arms around his waist, her voice trembling. "Mr. Sumner, thank you!"

    Damon froze. It took him a few seconds before he slowly ced a hand on her back, softly reassuring her, "It''s okay now. I won''t let him hurt you again."

    As Damon''s calm words settled in, N''s anxiety began to subside. Realizing how impulsively she had hugged him, she quickly let go, her expression turning awkward.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m sorry... I was just really scared..." she exined.

    He smiled, his tone warm. "It''s fine. I''m d you felt you could lean on me."

    Flustered by the kindness in his eyes, N felt her face heat up and quickly looked away, trying to change the subject. "Oh, by the way, why did youe back?"

    "I left my phone on the couch," Damon replied.

    "Oh, let me get it for you," N said quickly.

    After retrieving his phone, N noticed that Damon didn''t seem ready to leave. She asked, "Is there something else you need?"

    "This ce isn''t safe anymore. Gabriel coulde back at any time. Do you want me to help you find a new ce?" Damon offered.

    N shook her head. "There''s no need for the trouble. I''ll reach out to a real estate agent tomorrow."

    She had already decided not to stay here after tonight. The idea that Gabriel had such feelings for her made her feel sick.

    Initially, she had chosen to live in the

    sameplex as him so they could easily discuss matters rted to her father. Now that she had no intention of reconciling with

    el.ne

    Harrison, and after what Gabriel had done tonight, moving out was the only option.

    Damon frowned. "It''s dangerous you to stay here. Stay at my ce for a few days, at least until the data leak issue is resolved. Then you cane back for your things."

    Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes, N felt momentarily tempted.

    However, she quicklyposed herself and politely declined, "Thank you, but I''ll stay with Vrie for the time being."

    After a moment''s thought, she added, "I really appreciate you saving me tonight. I owe you a meal sometime."

    Damon caught the subtle dismissal

    in her words, and his lips tightened into a thin line. "That''s not necessary. Just pack a few

    things-I''ll drive you to her ce."

 Chapter 427

    ?

    Sensing that N was about to refuse, Damon pressed further, "I''ll drive you, or you can stay at my ce. Your choice." "I''ll call Vrie first," N replied.

    She quickly dialed Vrie and briefly exined what had happened, asking if she could stay at her ce for a few days.

    Vrie, furious, immediately offered toe pick her up.

    Just as N was about to agree, Damon calmly took the phone from her hand.

    "It''s toote for that. I''ll take N over. You don''t need toe," he said firmly.

    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Vrie''s voice came through, much louder. "Damon, why are you at N''s ce?!"

    Damon ignored her question. "Just send me the address, Ms. Weir. I''ll take care of it."

    He hung up and handed the phone back to N, his expression calm. "Go pack your things."

    N pressed her lips together as if she wanted to say something. Seeing the calm determination in Damon''s eyes, she took the phone and nodded before heading into the bedroom.

    Less than ten minutester, she emerged with a small bag.

    Damon raised an eyebrow at the bag, which clearly contained no more than a few outfits. "That''s all?"

    "Yeah. I''m only staying a few days," N answered.

    "Alright, let''s go," he said, reaching out to take the bag from her.

    N pulled it back. "No need, I''ve got it."

    Damon didn''t insist. He turned and headed toward the door.

    On the way to Vrie''s ce, Damon reminded N that she could always reach out to him if anything happened.

    "We''ve already confirmed it was Gabriel. I expect the issue with the data leak to be resolved within two weeks, so try not to worry," Damon assured.

    N nodded, then hesitated before asking, "Will Prospectus Technology sue Gabriel?"

    "Yes. But if he cane up withpensation, there might be a settlement," Damon replied.

    Hundreds of millions... That was no small amount. If such a debt fell on N, she wasn''t sure she could ever repay it in her lifetime. She doubted Gabriel had that much money either.

    "If he can''t pay, will he go to prison?" she asked.

    The car stopped at a red light, and Damon turned to look at her. "If he can''t pay, then yes, he''ll likely face prison time."

    N''s hands clenched tightly in herp, and her face turned pale.

    Damon noticed and frowned. "Are you worried about him?"

    "No, not at all. If he ends up in prison, it''s his own fault. I just... never thought things would get to this point," she remarked.

    She remembered how, when

    Harrison first married Wren, she and Gabriel had gotten along quite well. She had believed they would grow into close siblings. It turned out she had been na?ve.

    Wren never saw her as family, and now even Harrison had chosen to side with Wren.

    N thought that maybe the day Harrison remarried was the day she lost her home.

    "I''ll have someone protect you. I won''t let hime anywhere near you," Damon said firmly.

    "There''s no need. I''ll be safe staying with Vrie," N said, rejecting his offer.

    After a moment of silence, Damon''s voice came out hoarse. "N, please don''t push me away. If I hadn''te back for my phone tonight... I don''t want to think about what might have happened. I can''t go through that again. I don''t want you to be in any danger."

    Although he tried to keep his voice steady, N could hear the lingering fear in his tone.

 Chapter 428

    ?

    Damon''s jaw was clenched, and his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that they turned white.

    N turned her head away, feeling a wave of bitterness welling up inside her.

    From the moment he chose Reba, any possibility between them had disappeared. So why was he acting like this now? Who was he trying to convince?

    He had saved her tonight, and she was genuinely grateful. She even felt a bit softened toward him. However, she knew deep down that the gap between them couldn''t be bridged just by liking each other.

    She also didn''t want to experience the heart-wrenching pain of watching someone she loved walk away with someone else again.

    "Mr. Sumner, I appreciate your help, but it''s really not necessary," N said.

    They had broken up, and she didn''t want to owe Damon any more than she already did.

    Damon abruptly braked and pulled the car over to the side of the road. He turned to face her, his gaze filled with restraint and frustration. "N, can you stop being so stubborn?" he asked.

    N frowned, her voice growing colder. "Mr. Sumner, I''ve told you twice that I don''t need your help. Who''s the stubborn one here?" "I''m doing this for your safety!" Damon insisted.

    "And I''ve said I''m perfectly safe at Vrie''s ce," N repeated.

    Silence fell over the car, both of them unwilling to back down.

    After a tense few moments of staring at each other, Damon finally gave in, starting the car with a cold expression.

    Neither of them spoke again, and the atmosphere in the car was frosty.

    N considered getting out and calling a cab, but she could sense Damon''s fury and didn''t dare speak up.

    When they arrived at Vrie''s ce, N turned to him. "Mr. Sumner, thank you for tonight."

    Damon stared straight ahead, his profile cold and distant. It was clear he was in a terrible mood.

    He hummed in response.

    N lowered her gaze as she stepped out of the car, closing the door behind her.

    The ck Maybach roared to life and sped off the moment she got out.

    She watched until Damon''s car disappeared from sight before turning back toward the house. Just as she was about to press the doorbell, the front gate swung open, and Vrie hurried out.

    "Where''s Damon?" Vrie asked, a bit surprised to see N alone, as she took the bag from her hands.

    "He left," N replied.

    Vrie raised an eyebrow, noticing N''s downcast expression. "What happened? Did you two have an argument?"

    "Not exactly. We just had a disagreement on the way here," N exined.

    "What kind of disagreement?" Vrie inquired.

    N briefly outlined the situation,

    and Vrie shook her head in disbelief. "Well, Damon isn''t wrong never would''ve guessed Gabriel was that twisted. Doing all that because he likes you? Who would believe it?"

    "I don''t get it either," N said wryly.

    "Don''t stress over it. Just focus on resting over the next few days. Once everything settles, I''ll help you move your stuff. You could even move in with me! This big house is kind of dull by myself anyway," Vrie suggested.

    N couldn''t help but smile. "Do you realize how much envy you''re inviting with that? I wish I could be as bored as you."

    The two chatted as they walked inside, and Vrie showed N to the guest room. "Everything here is new. If you need anything else, just let me know."

    "Thanks, Vrie. I really appreciate it," N said.

    Vrie rolled her eyes yfully. "If you keep thanking me, I might just kick you out."

    N chuckled. "Alright, I''ll stop."

    "You''ve had a long day. Take a shower and get some rest. Tomorrow, we''ll go shopping," Vrie saidfortingly.

    After Vrie left, N was about to head to the bathroom when her phone buzzed with a notification.

    [Ms. Jayston, that photo has been posted online. It''s gaining more and more attention.]

    N went online and saw that a headline about Reba and Nathaniel was trending. Her eyes turned icy.

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    ?

    N responded to the message and transferred some money before putting her phone away and heading to the bathroom with her clothes.

    Meanwhile, Damon received a call from Spencer on his way home.

    "Mr. Sumner, a gossip ount just posted a photo of Ms. Austen and Mr. Preston kissing at a restaurant, iming she''s cheating on you with him. The Inte is blowing up with people saying you''ve been yed. Should we address it?" Spencer reported.

    Damon''s expression remained icy. "Ignore it. Let them handle it themselves."

    He had already broken up with Reba. Whoever she was with now was none of his concern.

    "Understood," Spencer replied.

    As soon as Damon hung up, his phone rang again.

    Seeing Reba''s name on the screen, he hesitated but eventually answered. "I assume you''ve made up your mind about what you want?"

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Reba''s voice, filled with a touch of desperation, came through. "Damon, I called to exin. The picture of me and Nathaniel kissing is fake, taken from a misleading angle by the paparazzi. We''re just friends."

    Damon stopped the car, feeling a flicker of irritation. "Reba, we''ve already broken up. Whoever you''re involved with is none of my business, and I don''t care."

    "Damon, do you really... not feel anything for me anymore?" Reba''s voice trembled, revealing her disbelief at his apparent finality.

    "I''m in love with N now," Damon stated firmly.

    "I understand... I won''t bother you again," Reba replied, her voice breaking.

    Damon ended the call and set down his phone, his expression detached as he started the car once more.

    Reba furiously threw her phone at the watt and copsed onto her bed in tears. The phone hit the wall with a loud crash before falling to the floor, its screen shattering into pieces.

    It was a long while before the screen lit up again, disying Nathaniel''s name. The ringtone echoed through the room.

    Reba, her eyes swollen from crying, got up to retrieve the phone. Taking a deep breath, she answered.

    "Reba, did you see the trending news online? I was in a meeting earlier," Nathaniel asked.

    "Yeah, I saw it," Reba replied, her voice husky from crying and sounding dejected.

    "Should we take this opportunity to go public?" Nathaniel proposed.

    Reba tightened her grip on the phone.

    After a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke. "I''m not ready for that. I just broke up with Damon. If we go public now, people will think I jumped straight into a new rtionship..."

    Nathaniel''s tone grew colder. "So what do you suggest we do?"

    "How about... we exin that the paparazzi took the photo from a misleading angle?" Reba suggested.

    When Nathaniel didn''t respond, she frowned in frustration. "Nathaniel, why aren''t you saying anything? Don''t you agree?"

    Nathaniel let out a coldugh. "You

    think I should agree? When you first came back, you immediately got back together with Damon, even though he was still with N. You didn''t care what people said about you then. So why are you suddenly afraid of being criticized for moving on too quickly with me?"

    His voice was sharp and cutting.

    Reba''s eyes shed with irritation. How could Nathanielpare himself to Damon?

    Despite her annoyance, she knew Nathaniel was the only one who could help her get rid of N.

    "Nathaniel, that''s not what I meant. It''s not that I want to upset you. I just want us to be on solid ground before we make things official..." she exined.

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    Nathaniel cut her off. "If you really don''t want to upset me, then go public about your breakup with Damon right now and announce our rtionship." Reba fell silent, frustration and hesitation shing in her eyes.

    She couldn''t understand why Nathaniel, who had always been so amodating, was suddenly pushing her like this.

    She had just told Damon that she and Nathaniel were only friends. If she turned around and made their rtionship public, how would Damon perceive her?

    "Nathaniel, do you really have to force me?" she asked.

    Nathaniel chuckled. "Reba, it''s because you''ve never given me any security in this rtionship that we''re at this point. Either you make it public or never show up in front of me again. If I don''t see an announcement by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, I''ll assume you''ve made your choice."

    Before she could respond, he hung up.

    Reba frantically tried to call him back several times, but he didn''t answer. It was clear-he was forcing her to choose.

    She was furious but also realized that, aside from Nathaniel''s feelings for her, she had nothing else to rely on right now. The idea of going public? She couldn''t ept it.

    Once she announced her rtionship with Nathaniel, it would be nearly impossible to reconnect with Damon in the future. After a sleepless night of contemtion, Reba saw no other option and grudgingly posted online.

    Her post quickly went viral.

    The next morning at breakfast, Vrie brought it up. "You wouldn''t believe the nonsense Reba posted! She said that after getting back with Damon, she realized they had missed too many years and were no longerpatible, so they broke up and stayed friends. The nerve! That''s not what she said when she stole Damon from you!"

    N quietly took a bite of her bread, her expression calm. "I saw it. But honestly, if Damon hadn''t given her the opportunity, she wouldn''t have been able to interfere in our rtionship in the first ce."

    Seeing N''sposure, Vrie hesitated before speaking again. "Now that Damon has broken up with her... You and Damon..."

    "Whether they broke up or not,

    there''s no chance for me and Damon Right now, my priority is studying for grad school. I''m not interested in rtionships at the moment," N replied.

    Both rk and Damon had taught her that relying on romance wasn''t enough. She needed to be strong on her own.

    "Alright, then," Vrie relented.

    They didn''t discuss it any further.

    After breakfast, Vrie left for work, while N returned to her room to study.

    She had barely studied for an hour when she received a call from Wren.

    "N, what did you do to Gabriel? Why was he taken by the police?" Wren demanded.

    Wren''s usatory tone made N frown.

    "Maybe you should ask what Gabriel did to me. And consider why the police took him and not me." With that, N hung up and immediately blocked Wren.

    Wren was shaking with anger. She turned to Harrison, seething. "Harrison, your daughter has really grown wings now. Not only has she cut ties with you, but now she''s had Gabriel sent to the police! It''s like she won''t stop until this family is torn apart!"

    Harrison frowned, his voice serious. "Go to the police station and find out exactly what''s going on. We''ll discuss it after we know the full story." Since the police had taken Gabriel, it must be serious.

    Deep down, Harrison still sided with N-after all, the police had been involved.

    Wren quickly nodded. "You''re right. I''ll go to the station and figure out what''s happening."

    At the police station...

    Wren couldn''t see Gabriel, but the

    police informed her that he had been arrested for leaking N''s drug research data and that Prospectus Technology was nning to sue him.

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    When Wren heard that thepensation could amount to hundreds of millions, her face went pale with fear, and she nearly fainted.

    She recalled that when she married Harrison, his pharmaceuticalpany was valued at about that amount. How could a few leaked data points now be worth the same?

    Walking out of the police station in a daze, Wren felt lost, unsure where to go or whom to turn to. If Gabriel ended up in prison, his life would be ruined!

    She deeply regretted not preventing him from returning to the country. At least things wouldn''t have escted to this point.

    Wait, N!

    As Wren considered that all this trouble began because of N, anger red in her eyes.

    She took a cab to N''s ce and pounded on the door, but there was no response.

    Wren tried calling her, but the call remained ongoing, indicating that N had likely blocked her number. Frustrated, she gave up and returned to the hospital to inform Harrison of the situation.

    To her surprise, Harrison sided with N. "This is Gabriel''s fault. N isn''t the head of Prospectus Technology. She can''t control this situation." Wren stared at Harrison in disbelief. "Are you serious? If it weren''t for her association with the samepany, Gabriel wouldn''t be in this mess!" She continued to yell, "So, just because N is your daughter, you take her side? I understand now no matter how well I treat you or how well Gabriel treats you, to you, N is always the real family! Gabriel and I are just outsiders!"

    Harrison''s face darkened due to her unreasonable stance. "Do you think the people at Prospectus Technology and the police are fools? If Gabriel hadn''t leaked the data, this situation wouldn''t have urred. And how is this N''s fault? Did she force him to do it?"

    Wren looked at him with disappointment. "Harrison, I''ve spent years taking care of you, and now that Gabriel is in trouble, you can''t even offer a word offort. I''m done with you. If Gabriel''s situation doesn''t improve, we''re getting a divorce!"

    With that, she grabbed her bag and left the ward.

    Harrison watched her go with a grim expression but did not call after her.

    Late that night, N received a call from the hospital. "Ms. Jayston, we''re currently unable to reach Mrs. Jayston. Your father is alone at the hospital and needs someone to stay with him tonight. Could youe over to keep himpany

    With Wren unreachable right after Gabriel''s incident, the timing seemed suspiciously convenient.

    N suspected it was a ploy by Wren, knowing that if the hospital couldn''t reach her, they would

    contact N direct/vet

    N considered this for a moment and replied, "I understand. I''ll arrange for a caregiver to go over there shortly."

    After hanging up, N promptly contacted a caregiver. She signed a six-month contract and sent the caregiver to the hospital.

    As for N herself, she was deeply disappointed in Harrison after herst visit and had no desire to see him again. At the police station...

    Gabriel remained silent during questioning until hiswyer arrived and took over the conversation with the police. Despite facing hundreds of millions inpensation or potential imprisonment, Gabriel remained calm.

    Seeing his unppable demeanor,

    the detective grew more serious

    "Mr. Hackett, we hope you will.

    cooperate with the investigation.

    Prolonging this will not benefit you in

    anyway."

    Gabriel smiled. "I am cooperating. The exact amount ofpensation can be discussed with mywyer."

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    Thewyer beside Gabriel quickly began negotiating thepensation with Prospectus Technology''s legal representative.

    Once they agreed on the amount, the Prospectus Technologywyer returned to thepany to inform Damon.

    Damon''s expression remained cold. "He can afford to pay hundreds of millions?"

    Previously, Damon had investigated Gabriel and discovered that he was merely a researcher for a pharmaceuticalpany in Meristate. Regardless of his capabilities, it was unlikely he had umted such a fortune in just a few years.

    Thewyer handed Damon a check. "Mr. Sumner, this is the check Gabriel has issued."

    Damon nced at the check with a cold stare.

    Clearly, he had underestimated Gabriel. The fact that Gabriel could issue a check for hundreds of millions indicated there were aspects about him Damon had not yet discovered.

    "I understand. You may leave now," Damon said dismissively.

    After returning the check to thewyer, Damon''s demeanor reverted to its usual indifference.

    "Mr. Sumner, should we continue with thewsuit against Gabriel?" thewyer inquired.

    Damon''s expression hardened, and his voice became low and frosty. "Since he has providedpensation, we''ll proceed ording to the process."

    As the CEO of Prospectus Technology, Damon had to prioritize thepany''s interests.

    Still, Gabriel''s actions against N had crossed a personal line, and he was not going to let it go easily.

    Thewyer nodded. "Understood. Contelligence is also inclined to settle withpensation now."

    "Then negotiate a fair price," Damon instructed.

    "Got it," thewyer replied.

    Once thewyer left, Damon picked up his phone from the desk, walked to the window, and dialed N''s number.

    The call rang five times before it was answered.

    "What''s up?" N asked.

    Damon looked down at the busy streets below and spoke in a low voice. "Gabriel was able to pay thepensation, so he might avoid prison time. I''m sorry."

    There was a brief silence on the other end before N''s distant voice replied, "I understand. So, the data leak no longer involves me, correct?" "Mm." Damon''s tone revealed no emotion.

    "Okay. Ipleted my resignation

    process before this incident

    happened. J''lle by the office to collect my things tomorrow. If you''re avable tomorrow night, I''d like to invite you to dinner," N said.

    Damon''s grip on the phone tightened involuntarily. After tomorrow night''s dinner, he would have no more excuses to see N.

    Still, he replied hoarsely, "Let me know the time."

    "I''ll book the restaurant soon. If there''s nothing else, I''ll hang up now," N said.

    "Okay," Damon answered.

    When the call ended, his expression grew bitter as he stared at the phone for a long time.

    N was about to search for a restaurant when she received a message from Melody, asking to meet her the next day.

    Melody had been released from the police station before Gabriel was taken away. If it hadn''t been for her father''s hospitalization, she would have contacted N right after leaving the station.

    to

    After some thought, N agreed and arranged to meet at a cafe near Prospectus Technology.

    When N arrived, Melody was already there, wearing sunsses that covered most of her face, seemingly to avoid being recognized.

    N sat down across from her, her expression cold. "What do you want to talk about?"

    Melody removed her sunsses and looked at her with guilt in her eyes.

    "N, I''m sorry," she said.

    N''s expression remained

    l

    indifferent. "I''m not here to hear your apology. want to know why you and Gabriel plotted against me. During our time working together, I believe I never did anything to wrong you."

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    Melody couldn''t meet N''s gaze. She looked away and let out a wry chuckle. "My mom was under his control at the time. If I didn''t do what he said, she might have died."

    "Why didn''t you call the police?" N asked.

    "I was too scared... N, no matter what, I''m really sorry. I''ve already transferred the 30,000 dors back to you. I don''t expect you to forgive me, but I hope you don''t hate me," Melody pleaded.

    Seeing Melody''s guilt and her red eyes, N pressed her lips together. "I don''t hate you, and I understand. If I were in your situation, I''d probably make the same choice. You don''t need to feel guilty, but we can''t be friends anymore."

    Melody stared in disbelief. She had prepared herself for harsh words but hadn''t expected understanding instead.

    Tears welled up as she covered her face, choking out, "Thank you..."

    N handed her a couple of tissues and, without another word, stood up and left.

    As she stepped out of the cafe, the shadow of betrayal that had been clouding her heart seemed to lift. At least she knew that, at one point, Melody had genuinely considered her a friend. Having shared a sincere bond, even if it ended badly, was enough for her.

    N went to Prospectus Technology to pack up her things.

    After a final nce at the ce where she had spent thest few months, she took a deep breath and turned to leave.

    ...

    That evening, N arrived at the restaurant early. As she waited by the window for Damon, a familiar figure came into view.

    Her frown deepened in disgust as she silently watched Gabriel approach.

    He sat down across from her, his gaze unsettlingly soft, like a snake slithering over her skin.

    Unable to hold back, N finally spoke, "I don''t recall inviting you to sit."

    Vol.ne

    "N, I made a mistake before. After everything that''s happened, I''ve learned my lesson. I''ll pursue you differently from now on," Gabriel

    said.

    "No matter how you pursue me, I will never like you," N retorted.

    She now saw Gabriel for what he truly was-maniptive and she had no desire to maintain any contact with him.

    For a moment, Gabriel''s smile

    faltered,

    but he quickly regained his

    composure. "That''s fine.

    plenty of time in the

    vent

    He stood and left.

    As Damon entered, he crossed paths with the departing Gabriel, and his expression instantly hardened.

    Gabriel narrowed his eyes, openly disying his hostility.

    "Mr. Sumner, what a coincidence seeing you here," Gabriel remarked.

    Damon met his gaze coolly, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Are we acquainted?"

    Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "We will be soon enough."

    The tension in the air was palpable as their eyes locked, a charged hostility simmering between them.

    It wasn''t until someone next to Gabriel reminded him of something that he broke his stare, offering a smile before walking away.

    Damon immediately called Spencer,

    instructing him to have someone

    follow Gabriel. This way, they could monitor Gabriel''s movements and ensure he stayed away from N.

    Swn

    Approaching the table, Damon sat across from N, who was gazing out the window. He tapped lightly on the table.

    N snapped back to reality and smiled faintly. "Mr. Sumner, you''re here. Let''s order."

    Damon flipped through the menu and selected several dishes-each one a favorite of N''s.

    N took a sip from her ss, trying to suppress the sadness welling up inside.

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    Damon finished ordering the dishes and looked up at N. "Is there anything else you''d like? Let''s order two more." N took the menu and added two more dishes.

    When Damon heard the names, his eyes brightened with surprise. "I didn''t expect you to remember what I like..."

    N''s expression remained neutral. "Mr. Sumner, I also like these two dishes."

    "I see," Damon replied.

    N pretended not to notice the disappointment and loneliness in his eyes. She poured a ss of red wine for both of them and raised her ss.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m very grateful for your help during my time at Prospectus Technology, and for saving me several times. I''d like to toast to you. I''ll finish my ss. You can drink as you please," she said.

    Damon tried to stop her, but it was toote. He watched as she downed half a ss of wine in one go. His gaze grew somber as he lifted his ss and drank it in one gulp.

    When N reached for the wine bottle again, he stopped her. "Drinking too much isn''t good for you. Let''s switch to juice."

    N looked down at Damon''s hand covering hers. The warmth of his touch felt like fire spreading through her heart.

    She quickly pulled her hand away, trying to stay calm as she looked at him. "Mr. Sumner, just for tonight. We probably won''t have many opportunities to meet in the future. One ss of wine isn''t enough to express my gratitude."

    Upon seeing her tearful eyes, Damon''s heart softened. She could drink if she wanted to. Even if she got drunk, he could protect her. "Alright," he conceded.

    N didn''t pour any more wine for him but filled her ss again.

    "Mr. Sumner, this toast is for you too. Thank you for helping me when I was at my lowest and for pulling me out of my previous failed marriage. Although our ending wasn''t ideal, I don''t regret meeting you."

    As N continued drinking, the bottle was nearly empty.

    Damon frowned slightly as he took it from her hand. "Stop drinking. You''ll get drunk."

    N raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Give it to me. I''m not drunk."

    Her cheeks were slightly flushed, a clear sign she was tipsy. Her usually cold eyes now sparkled with a mix of charm and innocence. She had no idea how alluring she appeared with that innocent, slightly drunk gaze.

    Damon''s grip on the wine bottle tightened, his knuckles whitening. He struggled to tear his eyes away.

    "Even if you''re not drunk, you shouldn''t drink more," he said, his voice trembling slightly, though he didn''t notice.

    If N kept looking at him like that, he might lose control and pull her close.

    N gazed at him, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion before she smiled. "Alright, Mr. Sumner, I''ll listen to you."

    Damon ced the wine bottle on the

    table and nced up to find N

    resting her chin in her hand,

    watching him. His expression

    el.r

    darkened. "N, don''t look at me like

    that."

    N had always been able to handle

    two or three bottles of low-alcoho

    red

    me, but she hadn''t r

    this

    wine was much stronger.

    Now, pleasantly tipsy, she smiled and nodded. "Okay, I won''t look."

    She lowered her head, hiding her face behind her wavy hair, her expression obscured.

    It wasn''t until N remained in that position for several seconds that Damon sensed something was wrong. "N?"

    "Hmm?" She responded instinctively but didn''t move.

    "Are you drunk?" Damon asked.

    "No..." she instinctively denied, but the hand supporting her chin slipped, and her chin began to fall toward the table. Just before it made contact, Damon''s strong hand caught her.

 Chapter 435

    The delicate feel of N''s skin against Damon''s hand darkened his gaze.

    N''s eyes were closed. Under the soft light above her, her curledshes cast shadows on her cheeks, like a butterfly poised to take flight. Damon gazed at her serene, sleeping face, his eyes filled with affection and tenderness.

    He wasn''t going to give up that easily. Even if she pushed him away a thousand times, he would keep trying until she was ready to start over with him.

    A server approached with their dishes, surprised to see N asleep. "Sir, should we bring the food out now, or..."

    "There''s no need. Just bring me the bill," Damon replied.

    The server hesitated for a moment but quickly nodded. "Alright. I''ll get that for you right away."

    After settling the bill, Damon gently picked up N and left the restaurant.

    When N woke up again, she found herself in a bedroom. She sat up abruptly, eyes wide in shock. Only after noticing she was wearing pajamas did she finally rx.

    Wasn''t she having dinner with Damon? How did she end up there? Was it all just a dream?

    She quickly grabbed her phone and saw the date: the 14th. She had invited Damon to dinner the night before, meaningst night hadn''t been a dream after all.

    It was just that she had no memory of what had happened after a few sses of wine.

    Hurriedly, she went downstairs and saw Vrie sitting on the couch, flipping through some documents. She rushed over to ask, "Vrie, how did I get backst night?"

    Vrie looked up at her with a teasing smile. "You don''t remember?"

    "Uh... Was I drunkst night?" N asked cautiously.

    "Not just drunk..." Vrie

    exaggerated, clearly amused by N''s confusion. "You actually threw up on Damon. He was the one who brought you back and told me to take good care of you."

    "What?!" N eximed, incredulous. "I threw up on him? I was drunk?"

    She frowned. She used to be able to handle two bottles of red wine-how could she get drunk after just half a bottlest night?

    Seeing N''s distress, Vrie

    chuckled Just kidding. You fell asleep after getting drunk. I changed you into pajamas. But why did you get drunk at your own dinner with Damon?"

    N sighed in relief. At least she hadn''t vomited on Damon.

    "I don''t know," she muttered. "I used to handle two bottles of red wine without any issue, butst night, after just half a bottle, I lost consciousness so quickly."

    Vrie eyed her knowingly despite N''s confusion. "Did you mix up the winebels? They have simr names, but the alcohol content varies by several degrees."

    N had never paid much attention to winebels when drinking with friends. She usually remembered only the beginning of the names.

    Last night, when the server rmended a wine, she instinctively thought it was the same as the one she had had before.

    "Maybe..." she murmured.

    Thinking about how she had gotten drunk in front of Damon, when she had nned to treat him, N felt a headache forming. She wished she had avoided drinking altogether.

    Seeing her frustration, Vrie

    couldn''t resist teasing, "You have no

    idea how carefully Damon handled you when he brought you back. I tried to help, but he insisted on carrying you to your room before he left."

    N was speechless. If there were a pillow nearby, she would have dly thrown herself into it.

    "Vrie, I still feel a bit dizzy. I''m going to head upstairs," she said hastily.

    She quickly turned and fled to her bedroom, hoping Vrie wouldn''t continue tough at her.

    Once inside, she closed the door, leaned against it for a moment, and then picked up her phone to call Damon.

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    After a few rings, the call connected.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m really sorry aboutst night. I identally got drunk... I apologize. When are you free? I''d like to make it up to youˇŞ"

    Damon calmly interrupted, "N, you''re no longer an employee of Park Pharmaceuticals. You don''t need to call me Mr. Sumner." N bit her lip. "That''s not the point. I''m really sorry aboutst night. If you''re avable, I''d like to invite you to dinner tonight."

    There was a brief pause before Damon''s deep voice sounded. "N, I don''t need your dinner. Last night was about wanting to see you. If you keep insisting, I might start to think you still have feelings for me."

    N lowered her gaze and replied nonchntly, "Mr. Sumner, that''s not what I meant... I just wanted to thank you. If my actions might lead to a misunderstanding, please send me the bill fromst night, and I''ll transfer the money to you."

    There was a moment of silence.

    N realized Damon was angry, but she didn''t want to have any further interaction with him or give him the impression that there was still a possibility between them.

    As she debated how to rephrase her words, the line suddenly went dead. Damon had hung up.

    After a moment of indecision, she decided not to call back. Since he ended the call, his stance was clear.

    She sent him the money and then deleted their chat history.

    Afterward, she freshened up and began studying after breakfast.

    Meanwhile, Damon''s expression darkened immediately after hanging up.

    ...

    In the following days, N was busy with her studies.

    It wasn''t until the day before Vrie''s birthday that she suddenly realized she hadn''t bought a gift. If not for her schedule reminder, she might have forgotten entirely.

    She quickly changed and headed to the mall.

    After browsing for several hours, she finally chose a pair of diamond stud earrings.

    Upon paying, she turned around and saw the sales associate leading rk and Jordyn into the store.

    Jordyn was impably dressed in high fashion, her clothes and bag exuding opulenceˇŞa stark contrast to how she had looked before.

    Jordyn and rk''s smiles faltered when they saw N.

    Jordyn''s gaze fell on the shopping bag N was holding, and she scoffed. "rk, let''s go somewhere else. This ce is too low-end and doesn''t match our status."

    The sales associate''s smile

    wavered, but she still said politely "Ms. Cheatham, we carry high-end jewelry and are a global luxury brand-the only authorized store in Saintornia."

    Jordyn nced dismissively at the sales associate and pointed at N. "Letting someone like her in proves your store''s not that great. There are other luxury brands out there? No need to be so arrogant."

    She tried to leave with rk, but N''s cold voice stopped her. "I wonder what brand is suitable for a mistress. Probably can''t find it anywhere in Saintornia."

    Jordyn whipped around, ring at N. "Who are you calling a mistress? Watch yournguage!"

    N stepped closer, speaking slowly

    and clearly. "Jordyn, that''s

    something I should be saying to you.

    You''re pregnant now. Maybe you should focus on setting a better

    example for your child."

    "You!" Jordyn raised her hand to strike N, but thetter caught her wrist mid-air.

    N turned to rk, her expression icy. "rk, keep your woman in check. If she can''t control her mouth, I might not be able to control my hands."

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    rk looked at N with aplicated expression, disappointment washing over him. In the past, her gaze had always been warm and loving, but now it was so cold.

    "N, how have you been? I heard you''re involved in awsuit over the leak of Prospectus Technology''s experimental data. YouˇŞ"

    N frowned and cut him off sharply, "That doesn''t concern you. Just keep your woman in check and make sure she doesn''tsh out at random people."

    Without waiting for rk''s response, she let go of Jordyn and walked away.

    Jordyn had wanted to confront her, but her expression changed when she noticed rk''s gaze lingering on N as she left.

    She wrapped her arm around rk''s, speaking softly. "rk, we''re here to look at rings today. Let''s not let someone irrelevant spoil our mood."

    rk pulled his gaze away, looking at her with a trace of coldness. "If you see her again, treat her as a stranger or avoid her." Jordyn''s eyes shed with anger, but she tightened her grip on rk''s arm and forced a smile. "Okay, I''ll do whatever you say." Now that her rtionship with rk had finally improved, she didn''t want to risk it by fighting over N.

    While choosing rings, rk was clearly distracted.

    Jordyn pretended not to notice, trying on several rings before selecting a pair she liked and having rk pay for them.

    After buying the rings, rk sent Jordyn home and left.

    The moment rk was gone, Jordyn''s smile vanished, reced by a cold look.

    She called Reba. "When are you going to make a move on N?"

    "Soon. You''re not much help anyway. Why are you so impatient?" Reba retorted.

    "That bitch staying in this world is like a thorn in my side. I want her gone now!" Jordyn hissed.

    Reba chuckled. "If you''re that eager, why don''t you handle it yourself?"

    ...

    After hanging up, Reba''s

    expression darkened. Ever since she publicly announced her rtionship with Nathaniel, it seemed he hadpletely forgotten about dealing with N.

    She took a deep breath and carefully poured the soup she had made into a thermal container. After changing her clothes, she headed out to find Nathaniel.

    She had been visiting him frequentlytely, and the staff at the front desk now recognized her, allowing her to go up without any trouble.

    As Reba approached Nathaniel''s office and was about to push the door open, she overheard his cheerful voiceing from inside.

    "Deal with N? I''ve decided not to

    take any action against her

    anymore. After all, I''m with Reba now, and N is someone Damon likes. I keep targeting her, I won''t even be able to stay friends with Damon," he said.

    Reba''s expression darkened. So everything Nathaniel had said before was just a way to keep her under control-he never intended to keep his promises!

    She had been so careful with him, making soups and bringing him different meals every day. What had all her efforts been for?

    Seething with anger, Reba pushed the door open and stormed in.

    Nathaniel looked startled to see her and quickly ended the call.

    "Reba, what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

    Reba sneered. "Nathaniel, you''ve been lying to me. You never nned to help me deal with N, did you?!"

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    As Nathaniel met Reba''s questioning eyes, his gaze darkened. He stood up and walked toward her. "Reba, let me exin."

    Reba hurled the thermal container she was holding at Nathaniel. It hit him and then fell to the floor, rolling a few times beforeing to a stop next to the sofa.

    Nathaniel''s face turned grim, and his gaze toward Reba grew cold.

    Reba didn''t notice his change in demeanor and said angrily, "I heard everything clearly. What''s left to exin? If you''re not going to help me deal with N, then we''re breaking up!"

    With that, she turned and walked out quickly.

    While watching her leave, Nathaniel''s hands clenched at his sides. After a moment of hesitation, he ran after her.

    He caught up with her at the elevator, bending down to meet her gaze. "Reba, it''s my fault. Please don''t be upset. I promise I will fulfill my promises to you, okay?"

    Reba looked up with tear-filled eyes, her face pale. "Can I still trust you?"

    Her tearful appearance made Nathaniel''s heart ache. He quickly reached out to wipe her tears away. "I''m sorry, Reba. Please don''t cry. Seeing you like this breaks my heart. I promise I won''t lie to you again, okay?"

    "Really?" Reba asked.

    "Yes, I promise," Nathaniel assured.

    Reba''s tears turned into a smile. "Okay. I''ll trust you one more time. If you dare deceive me again, I''ll disappear to a ce where you can never find me."

    "Alright, stop crying. Seeing you in tears pains me," Nathaniel coaxed.

    Reba leaned into his embrace, her voice still tinged with a sob. "Okay, just don''t lie to me again."

    "I won''t," Nathaniel promised.

    As Reba buried her head in Nathaniel''s chest, she smirked.

    When N returned to the vi, she went straight to her bedroom to continue studying.

    Soon, it was dinnertime. During the meal, Vrie mentioned that she would be going home for the night.

    "My parents are throwing me a

    party. There are a lot of things to handle tomorrow, and they want me to stay home tonight. Juste to my ce directly tomorrow,Vrie said.

    N nodded. "Okay."

    She handed Vrie the diamond earrings she had prepared and smiled. "Here''s a birthday gift for you. There will be a lot of people tomorrow, so I''m giving it to you today."

    Vrie''s eyes sparkled with delight as she opened the box to reveal the diamond earrings. "They''re so beautiful! I love them. I''ll wear them tomorrow. Thank you, N!"

    "I''m d you like them," N replied.

    After dinner, Vrie drove off, while N returned to her room to continue studying. She only paused to wash up and go to bedte into the night.

    Meanwhile, Reba knew that Nathaniel would be attending Vrie''s birthday party the next evening, so she begged him to take her along. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "Vrie is a good friend of N. You might run into N. Are you sure you want to go?"

    Reba nodded. "Of course. I''m

    your girlfriend, so it''s only natural for me to apany you to events. Don''t worry. I know how to behave. I won''t do anything to N in public."

    After thinking for a few seconds, Nathaniel agreed. After all, he was publicly with Reba, and it was only right to bring her to such asions. However, thinking about Reba''s condition made his expression turn somber again.

    Sensing his sudden change in mood, Reba looked at him with concern. "Nathaniel, am I causing you trouble? If it''s difficult for you, I won''t go." Nathaniel looked down at her worried eyes, his heart softening. "No, it''s not you. I was just thinking about something else."

    Seeing that he didn''t seem ready to share, Reba didn''t press further. She simply leaned against his chest and whispered, "If it''s something that upsets you, don''t dwell on t. I want you to be happy when you''re with me."

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    "Okay," Nathaniel answered.

    As they embraced, their thoughts were worlds apart.

    Nathaniel was preupied with Reba''s health, while Reba was focused on seizing the rare opportunity to get close to Damon if he attended the party the following night. It might be her only chance to make something happen with him.

    The next evening, when N arrived at Vrie''s house, the driveway was already lined with luxury cars.

    After confirming N''s identity, a maid escorted her into the hall.

    Upon entering, N immediately noticed the many eyes fixed on her, apanied by a murmuring buzz.

    "Isn''t that N? I thought after her divorce from rk, she''dpletely fade from this circle."

    "Why would she have the nerve to attend Vrie''s birthday party? Is she hoping to catch a wealthy suitor here?"

    "Hah, everyone knows about her past with the Sumners. Who would take her seriously? Maybe for a fling, but not as a serious prospect her looks are her only asset."

    Vrie overheard the murmurs, and her expression darkened immediately.

    She dered, "N is my friend and a guest at tonight''s party. She is no different from anyone else here. If anyone has a problem with my friend, you are wee to leave. Tonight is my birthday party, not a stage for anyone else."

    As Vrie''s voice echoed, the hall fell silent. Many guests shot disgruntled nces at Vrie, having just been discussing N.

    Phoebe, standing nearby, whispered,

    "Vrie, everyone here is an elite in

    Saintornia Offending them could

    jeopardize your father''s business. They''re merely gossiping, and N isn''t worth losing an opportunity over."

    Vrie ignored her mother and approached N with a warm smile. "N, thank you foring to my birthday party."

    N appreciated Vrie''s defense but knew it might stir up even more discontent.

    She whispered back, "Vrie, go mingle with the other guests. Don''t let me affect your party."

    Vrie took N''s hand and said with casual reassurance, "Don''t worry. It won''t affect anything. Those who look down on you aren''t worth keeping in touch with. By the way, I have a surprise for you tonight."

    "What surprise?" N inquired.

    "You''ll find out if youe with me," Vrie replied, leading N toward a secluded corner of the hall and deliberately ignoring the other guests and their disapproving nces.

    Phoebe''s smile was nearly frozen, but she managed to suppress any sign of distress. She forced another smile and continued greeting the other guests, gradually restoring the lively atmosphere of the party.

    Vrie guided N to Oliver Raynor, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "N, this is Oliver Raynor, a senior of mine from university. He''s still single Oliver, meet N Jayston, my best friend whom I''ve told you so much about."

    N nced at Oliver, who was dressed in a white suit and appeared both gentle and pleasant.

    She thought she noticed Oliver''s face redden slightly during the introduction, though she wasn''t entirely sure.

    As Damon entered the hall, his gaze

    instinctivelynded on N in the corner. Seeing her standing with a man in a white suit caused him to pause momentarily. His brows furrowed when he noticed the man''s admiring and affectionate look toward her.

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    Spencer followed Damon''s gaze and quickly understood the reason when he noticed the sudden drop in temperature around him. "Mr. Sumner-" Before Spencer could finish, Damon strode swiftly toward N and Oliver, who were talking.

    Spencer wanted to stop him but didn''t dare, so he hurriedly followed behind.

    N was chatting with Oliver about his work when she suddenly felt a chill on her back, causing her to shiver slightly.

    Oliver, being attentive, asked kindly, "Ms. Jayston, are you feeling cold?"

    N nodded. "Yes. It might be the air conditioning."

    As she spoke, Oliver had already begun to remove his jacket to drape it over her. However, a hand stopped him.

    Oliver looked up in surprise and saw a man with an icy demeanor and hostility in his eyes. He recognized Damon from previous business dealings with Prospectus Technology, though he was only a department manager and doubted Damon would remember him.

    "Hello, Mr. Sumner," Oliver greeted.

    Damon raised an eyebrow and replied coolly, "You know me?"

    "Yes, I''m Oliver Raynor, the manager of the procurement department at Go Enterprise. We''ve met before," Oliver exined. "Not ringing a bell," Damon said.

    He remembered Oliver''s name now, though.

    Oliver smiled. "I''m just a department manager. It''s understandable that you might not remember me."

    N frowned as Damon stood next to her. She didn''t understand what he was trying to do.

    After calling him and transferring the payment the previous morning, she thought they had no further reason to interact. Shouldn''t he be ignoring her now?

    Damon smirked and said, "Mr. Raynor, I need to speak with N for a moment."

    Oliver, aware of their past, nced at N. "Ms. Jayston, I''ll go greet a few other friends for now. We can continue our conversationter."

    N nodded and smiled at Oliver. "Sure. I''d love to hear more about your work."

    Damon''s expression darkened as he noticed that N''s smile was directed solely at Oliver and never at him.

    N''s smile was so captivating that it felt like fireworks exploding in Oliver''s chest. He quickly averted his gaze. "Alright."

    Once Oliver had left, N ignored Damon and began to walk away.

    As she took a few steps, Damon grabbed her wrist and pulled her to a nearby balcony where there were hardly any people.

    N yanked her wrist free and said coldly, "Mr. Sumner, please show some respect."

    "Show some respect?" Damon

    laughed lightly, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity. "N, you smiled so sweetly at Oliver, now. Do you think this is

    appropriate? You reject me

    yet

    be with someone like him?"

    N''s face hardened as she frowned. "Criticizing others won''t elevate you. Oliver is a very nice person."

    Although she hadn''t known Oliver for long, she could tell he was different from other men she had met.

    At first nce, he might seem

    unremarkable, but she found him humorous and charming after. talking to him. He was like a gentle stream-polite, well-mannered, and very pleasant to be around.

    As N praised Oliver, a chill flickered in Damon''s eyes. "How so?"

    N met his intense gaze, her expression indifferent. "It doesn''t seem to concern you, Mr. Sumner."

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    Not wanting to waste any more time arguing, N turned to leave, but Damon blocked her path. She frowned and looked up, about to speak, when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist.

    "What are you- Mmph!" Her words were cut off as Damon''s lips pressed against hers.

    N''s eyes widened in shock.

    Was he out of his mind?!

    The balcony was only separated from the main hall by a curtain. Someone coulde by at any moment. If anyone saw this, she wouldn''t be able to exin herself no matter how hard she tried.

    She trembled and tried to push Damon away, but he wouldn''t budge. In her fury, she bit down hard on his lip.

    Damon winced in pain and released her. He wiped the blood from his mouth and was about to speak when N pped him across the face.

    The sound of the p echoed in the sudden silence between them. A cool breeze swept through, making N shiver. Damon''s gaze was like a brewing storm.

    N fought to suppress her fear and looked up at him, speaking with emphasis. "You wanted to know what makes Oliver different? I''ll tell you. He''s kind and doesn''t force me to do things I don''t want to. That''s the difference between him and you."

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    Damon''s gaze remained dark and brooding as he watched her leave, but he didn''t try to stop her.

    Neither of them noticed a pair of cold eyes watching from the corner, taking in everything that happened on the balcony.

    Reba was holding a wine ss, her beautiful features twisted with anger. Her grip on the ss was so tight that it almost shattered. Taking a deep breath, she nced at a nearby server, who gave her a nod before carrying a ss of wine toward Damon.

    Back in the hall...

    Damon, feeling increasingly agitated, saw the server pass by and called out to him. He grabbed a ss of wine and downed it in one go. The alcohol did nothing to ease his frustration. If anything, it only made him more irritated, so he picked up another ss.

    Spencer returned from delivering the

    gift and saw Damon drinking one ss of wine after another on the sofa. He hurried over. "Mr. Sumner, you can''t drink any more. You have an international meeting tomorrow morning."

    Damon shot Spencer a cold nce, causing him to withdraw his hand quietly.

    "Just go home for now," Damon said dismissively.

    Spencer hesitated. "Mr. Sumner, you''ve had quite a lot to drink. Why don''t I wait for you?"

    "Have you finished the report for tomorrow''s meeting?" Damon asked.

    Spencer was taken aback, and his face flushed with guilt.

    "Have the driver take you home first ande back around 10:00 p.m. to pick me up," Damon instructed.

    Hearing this, Spencer didn''t insist further. "Alright. Mr. Sumner, try not to drink too much. Ms. Jayston probably doesn''t appreciate drunkards either."

    As Damon''s icy stare followed him, Spencer left quickly. Lingering any longer might be dangerous.

    Damon looked down at his drink, his expression bitter.

    N wouldn''t care if he was drunk-she didn''t care about him at all now.

    The memory of how she had smiled so charmingly at Oliver while barely acknowledging him fueled Damon''s frustration. He brought the ss to his lips and continued drinking, one ss after another.

    In the shadow''s, Reba observed Damon''s increasing inebriation with a sense of satisfaction. His drunken state would boost the chances of her n seeding, and the more she thought about it, the more excited she became.

    As Damon continued to drink, he suddenly began to sense that something was off.

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    A wave of heat surged from Damon''s lower abdomen, causing the faces of the people in the hall to blur.

    With a cold glint in his eyes, he set down his ss and quickly headed for the exit.

    After years in the business world, Damon was ustomed to all sorts of underhanded tactics. He had never, however, anticipated that someone would have the audacity to drug him!

    His steps grew unsteady. Just as he left the hall, he heard the sound of high heels behind him.

    "Damon..." Reba called out.

    Her hand wrapped around his wrist, and the faint scent of roses made his head spin even more.

    Reba attempted to hug Damon, but he abruptly shoved her away. She stumbled back several steps before managing to steady herself.

    "Damon..." She looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief. She hadn''t expected that, even under the influence of the drug, he would still have the strength to push her away.

    Damon red at her icily, a storm brewing in his eyes. "Did you drug me?"

    Reba''s expression froze, and guilt flickered in her eyes. "Damon, what are you talking about? What drug?"

    "Reba, I won''t let this go," Damon spat.

    His face was cold and serious, the menace in his gaze almost tangible.

    Fear crept into Reba''s heart, and she instinctively took a step back.

    However, seeing Damon struggle to stay upright, she gritted her teeth and stepped forward to hug him. She believed that as long as she slept with him, he would have to take responsibility!

    In the next moment, Damon pushed her away with revulsion.

    "Ah!" Reba cried out as she fell to the floor in a clumsy heap.

    Pain shot through her ankle, and she winced. "It hurts so much."

    As she fell, she heard a sharp crack in her left foot. It must have been fractured. She hadn''t expected Damon to be so ruthless, pushing her away even after being drugged.

    "Reba, is this all you can do? Using such despicable methods? Don''t make me lose respect for you!" Damon hissed.

    Reba''s tear-filled eyes were met

    with Damon''s cold back. Unable to hold back any longer, she shouted at his retreating figure, pouring out all her grievances and frustration.

    "Damon, I was the one who met you first. Why did you fall in love with N? We were so close to being

    expect me to be content? Don''t

    together forever. How can you

    think you''ve been too cruel tome?" she cried.

    Damon stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. His dark eyes were devoid of warmth.

    "Wasn''t it you who insisted on going

    abroad? Did you not expect this oue? Even without N, I could never fall for you again," he said coldly before turning and walking away quickly.

    He could feel his consciousness beginning to blur and didn''t want to risk what might happen if he stayed.

    N returned from the restroom after touching up her makeup.

    She saw Oliver chatting with several well-dressed men and decided not to interrupt. Instead, she took a ss of champagne and found a corner to

    sit.

    After more than half an hour, she grew slightly tipsy and was about to leave when a maid approached her.

    "Ms. Jayston, Ms. Weir requests your presence in the garden. She says she has a surprise for you," the maid informed.

    N nced over at Vrie, who wasughing and chatting with several other women in the center of the hall. She was puzzled. "Are you sure?"

    Given Vrie''s apparent busyness, it seemed unlikely she would go to the garden. Yet, the maid was from the Weirs. N had seen her a few times before.

    "Yes. Ms. Weir said you''d find out once you get there," the maid answered.

    N nodded. "Alright. I''ll go."

    After the maid left, N sent Vrie a quick message to ask why she wanted her in the garden.

    Vrie turned to sh a smile at her and texted back that she would find out once she arrived.

    Confirming that the maid''s message was indeed from Vrie, N got up and headed toward the garden.

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    The Weirs'' vi was expansive, and reaching the garden required walking down a winding path.

    With everyone else gathered in the main hall, the path was quiet and serene. Flowers and neatly trimmed shrubs lined the way, their fragrance mingling with the night breeze to create a calming atmosphere.

    As N approached the garden, she suddenly heard a low, muffled groan from the nearby bushes. Her steps faltered, and she nced toward the sound, feeling a pang of unease.

    Without a second thought, she turned and began hurrying back the way she hade.

    Before she could get far, a hot hand sped around her waist.

    "Ah!" N screamed in surprise, only to be met momentster by a fiery, demanding kiss.

    The familiar scent of pine filled her senses, and she stared in shock. The man kissing her was none other than Damon!

    Before she could react, Damon''s hands slid from her waist to her back. She shivered and tried to push him away, but his grip was too strong. She bit his lip hard.

    When he recoiled in pain, she snapped, "Damon, are you out of your mind? This is the Weirs'' estate!"

    For a brief moment, Damon''s eyes cleared, but then they grew unfocused again as he resumed kissing her. His reason was clouded by the effects of the drug, and all he could think about was the woman in front of him.

    N squirmed and struggled, but it was futile. Damon''s kisses were hot and aggressive, threatening to overwhelm her senses.

    "Mm- Let go!" she cried.

    She had drunk quite a bit herself and was struggling to think clearly, but she still fought with all her might to push Damon away.

    It seemed evident to her that his behavior was out of character due to being drugged.

    "Damon, let me go. I''ll find someone to help you," N pleaded.

    Just as she managed to push him away, he kissed her again, and they both tumbled into the nearby flower bed.

    N''s phone lit up briefly on the ground. It was a message from Vrie.

    ...

    An hourter, Vrie called N''s phone, unable to find her in the garden.

    The call rang for a long time before N''s hoarse voice answered. "Vrie," she said.

    "N, where are you? The fireworks are about to start. I specially prepared this for you. They were supposed to go off an hour ago, but there was an issue with thest batch had to get a recement, and it''s ready now," Vrie exined.

    N loved fireworks, and Vrie had spent a lot of money on them,

    l

    sing a new creation from N''s

    favorite fireworks artist.

    Checking her messages, N saw Vrie''s text from an hour ago. She smiled wryly, thinking that things might have turned out differently if she had received it even a minute earlier.

    "I had to leave suddenly and won''t make it back in time to see the fireworks. Thank you so much, Vrie," N offered an excuse.

    Vrie sounded disappointed but didn''t give up. "Is there time toe back now? The fireworks won''t take long."

    "It''s probably toote. I''m almost in the city," N replied.

    Vrie''s family vi was in the suburbs, about a half-hour drive from the city.

    "Alright, it''s fine. Next time youe to my house, I''ll prepare something special just for us," Vrie said.

    "Sure. I have other things to take care of now. So, see you next time. Happy birthday, Vrie!" N wished her.

    After ending the call, N''s phone slipped from her hand, and tears began to fall.

    Fireworks exploded above the vi, their vibrant disy lighting up the sky.

    N nced back onest time before turning her gaze forward as she drove away.

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    The sounds of fireworks jolted Damon, who was lying in the flower bed, awake. He slowly sat up, his clothes in disarray and scratches scattered across his chest.

    A look of shock crossed his face.

    He recalled seeing N before losing consciousness and couldn''t resist hugging and kissing her.

    The memory made his expression darken. He quickly straightened his clothes and picked up his phone to call N, but despite numerous attempts, his calls went unanswered.

    His frustration mounting, Damon immediately contacted Spencer to find out N''s whereabouts. After ending the call, he hurried outside to the vi.

    The driver, already stationed at the entrance, saw Damon approaching and quickly came over. "Sir, are we heading back now?" Damon didn''t answer. His face was grim as he got into the car.

    The driver, unsure of what was happening, hesitated to make any decisions without instructions and waited in the driver''s seat. Damon stared intently at his phone, his expression serious. When Spencer''s call came through, he answered immediately. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston is on her way back to the city. We''re not sure of her exact destination," Spencer reported. "Understood. Share her location with me in real-time," Damon instructed.

    After ending the call, Damon coldly directed, "Head to the city."

    N''s rented apartment was rtively close, so she drove straight back home. Once there, she immediately took a shower.

    On the way back, she had already calmed down. After all, she reasoned, she was an adult and had dealt with such situations beforeˇŞjust a minor bite from a dog.

    After showering and drying her hair, she decided to take some medication. She remembered buying something simr when she was with rk and thought it might be in her medicine cab. Finding the morning-after pills at the bottom of the cab, she swallowed one with water, feeling a bit of relief.

    Just as she began to rx, the doorbell rang suddenly.

    Startled, she went to the door and saw Damon through the peephole. She frowned.

    "N, I know you''re inside. Let''s talk," Damon said.

    N pressed her lips together and, after a moment of hesitation, opened the door.

    They settled on the sofa, with N maintaining a calm demeanor while Damon appeared apologetic and ufortable.

    "N, I''m sorry about what happened tonight. I''ll take responsibility," he said.

    His gaze shifted from initial guilt to a more determined expression. He looked at her seriously and added, "I will marry you."

    At his words, N unexpectedly burst intoughter.

    She raised an eyebrow at Damon, her gaze indifferent. "Mr. Sumner, one-night stands are quitemon among adults. I don''t need you.

    Ston

    take responsibility, and marrying you isn''t something I''m interested in."

    Considering the challenging dynamics within the Sumner family, she felt it was best to maintain her distance. Moreover, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

    Damon furrowed his brow. "N, but I want to take responsibility."

    "I don''t need it. Let''s just pretend tonight never happened. Mr. Sumner, you can leave now," N said.

    Damon remained seated, his face

    tense. His eyes, dark and

    unreadable, were fixed on her. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Since it happened, it can''t be ignored."

    "But I don''t need you to take responsibility. Mr. Sumner, you don''t think that just because we slept together, you can bind me to you, do you?" N asked.

    Seeing that she had misunderstood his intentions, Damon instinctively tried to rify. "That''s not what I meant. I justˇŞ"

    N interrupted him, "No matter

    what you meant, tonight doesn''t

    change anything for me. We''re adultsˇŞthere''s no need for melodrama. It''ste now, so you should go."

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    ?

    Seeing N''s indifferent gaze, Damon realized that continuing the discussion tonight would be futile.

    "Then get some rest. We''ll talk again tomorrow," he said.

    "There''s no need to talk, Mr. Sumner. Please don''te back to disturb my peaceful life," N replied coldly. The chill,bined with a hint of disdain in N''s eyes, struck Damon like a heavy blow, leaving his face pale.

    "Then I''II... leave for now. If you feel unwell, just call me," he offered.

    N did not respond. She simply walked to the door and opened it.

    Damon pressed his lips together, standing in the living room for a moment before sighing and leaving.

    After closing the door, N leaned against it, exhaling softly as her emotions churned.

    Downstairs, Damon''s face was stormy with anger.

    "Bring Reba to me!" he roared.

    Less than an hourter, two men in ck suits brought Reba into Damon''s vi.

    Damon sat on the sofa, his gaze cold and filled with rage.

    Reba had never seen him like this before and was trembling with fear. Her voice quivered as she spoke. "Damon... I..."

    "Reba, the biggest regret I have now is being with you back then," Damon said.

    Reba turned pale, tears welling up in her eyes. "Damon... do you really hate me that much?"

    "I don''t hate you. I just find you disgusting," he spat.

    The disgust in his eyes was like a knife to Reba''s heart. She bit her lip hard, tasting blood but refusing to let go.

    The men in ck forced Reba to sit opposite Damon, where a documenty on the table.

    "Sign this document, and we''ll have no further connection. I owe you nothing," Damon stated. Even without opening it, Reba could guess what the document was about.

    "No, I won''t sign it!" she cried, shrinking back and shaking her head as tears continued to fall.

    Damon''s smile was cold. "I advise

    ?

    you to sign it. If you don''t, don''t ever

    use the favor you did for me back then as a bargaining chip. I''ve given you a chance, but you refused."

    "No, you can''t do this to me!"

    Reba said, looking up at him.

    "Damon, I carried you down the mountain when you were

    unconscious, falling countless times and getting injured. Now, just because I drugged you tonight, you want to cut ties with me? How can you be so ungrateful?"

    Damon''s gaze was icy. "Do you know what happened to people who drugged me in the past?"

    The only reason Reba was still

    r

    sitting there was because of the favor she had done for him. No matter how significant the favor was, using it as a shield for her repeated scheming had wornout Damon''s patience.

    Reba trembled, unable to meet his gaze.

    "I won''t sign it no matter what. You owe me a life!" she cried.

    Damon''s eyes narrowed, his aura growing cold.

    Everyone else in the room held their breath, knowing that attracting Damon''s attention while he was furious was akin to courting death.

    Just as the room fell into a tense silence, the vi''s front door was suddenly flung open.

    Nathaniel burst in, looking anxious. Seeing that Reba was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and red at Damon.

    "Damon, what is the meaning of having your men suddenly take Reba away?" he demanded.

    Damon looked up, his voice cold. "Why don''t you ask her yourself what tonight''s drugging was all about?"

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    Nathaniel turned to Reba in disbelief, gritting his teeth. "Reba, what does Damon mean by this?"

    Reba shook her head, tears streaming down her face, but she refused to speak.

    At that moment, Nathaniel understood everything.

    Despite being with him, Reba had still been seeking opportunities to be with Damon. The realization made him feel foolish for wanting to stay with her.

    He chuckled bitterly, his expression growing cold. "Since you still have feelings for Damon, let''s break up."

    For years, he had silently loved Reba, but her attention always seemed to be on Damon, never on him. No matter how deeply he loved her, herck of response over time had worn him down.

    Reba was stunned, panic shing in her eyes. She reached out to grab Nathaniel, but he avoided her touch.

    Without looking back, he walked away.

    "Nathaniel!" Reba cried, her face turning pale as she hurried to chase after him.

    She stopped him at the vi''s entrance, her eyes filled with regret and guilt. "Nathaniel, I was just confused. It was only when you mentioned breaking up that I realized I''ve been in love with you all along. I just didn''t realize it... Please, let''s not break up."

    Seeing the tears in Reba''s eyes, Nathaniel felt conflicted. After all, she was the woman he had loved for so many years. Even though he had decided to break up earlier, seeing her distressed now made his heart ache.

    Reba grew more anxious at Nathaniel''s silence. She grabbed his hand, her voice choked with emotion. "Nathaniel, I truly understand my mistake. Please give me onest chance. I promise I''ll be with you properly from now on."

    Nathaniel was silent for a moment before gently pulling his hand away from hers.

    "Reba, I''ve been disappointed too many times. Since you love Damon, I should let go," he said and walked past her.

    As soon as he got into the car, Reba threw herself against the window, pounding on it.

    "Nathaniel, don''t go! Let''s talk... Please, I really do love you now..." she cried, her tears visible on the car''s window.

    Nathaniel used to be heartbroken even at the sight of her frown, but now, seeing her cry, he remained indifferent.

    The driver hesitated. "Mr. Preston..."

    "Drive," Nathanielmanded.

    "But Ms. Austen is still..." the driver protested.

    "I told you to drive. Do you not understand?" Nathaniel snapped.

    The driver quickly averted his gaze and started the car, intimidated by Nathaniel''s icy stare.

    As the car moved forward, Reba was knocked to the ground by the motion. She appeared to feel no pain as she scrambled to her feet, trying to chase after the car. She knew that if Nathaniel abandoned her, she would be left with nothing.

    From the rearview mirror, the driver saw Reba limping after the car. He said quietly, "Mr. Preston, Ms. Austen seems to be chasing the car. She fell when the car started and it looked quite serious..."

    Nathaniel''s expression softened slightly, but he still fought the urge

    to look back. Coldly, he replier et

    "What happens to her is none of my concern."

    The temperature inside the car felt like an icebox.

    The driver dared not speak further and continued driving in silence.

    Soon, Reba''s figure was left far behind, a tiny ck dot in the distance.

    Desperately watching Nathaniel''s car drive away, Reba copsed to the ground and broke down, sobbing uncontrobly.

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    ?

    Reba knew she had truly lost Nathaniel this time. He had always been unconditionally tolerant of her, which had made her increasingly reckless, assuming he would always be by her side.

    After crying, she slowly got up and headed back to Damon''s vi.

    As if anticipating her return, the vi''s staff stopped her at the door and handed her the document Damon had given her in the living room.

    "Ms. Austen, Mr. Sumner asked that you sign this document and sever all ties with him," the housekeeper said.

    Reba''s face flushed with anger. "Where is Damon? I want to see him!"

    The housekeeper''s eyes shed with disdain. "Mr. Sumner isn''t here right now. I''d advise you to sign the document and take the money. Mr. Sumner''s patience is limited."

    Infuriated, Reba raised her hand to p the arrogant housekeeper, but her hand was quickly caught.

    The housekeeper roughly pushed her, sending her crashing to the ground. The document was tossed in front of her.

    "Ms. Austen, I am not your servant, and you have no right toy a hand on me," the housekeeper said, mming the door shut.

    Reba had never faced such humiliation. She picked up the document from the ground, her eyes burning with fury. She almost tore the document apart.

    The disgrace of the day would be forever etched in her memory, all because of N!

    She wasn''t going to give up easily.

    In the end, Reba left with the document in hand.

    ...

    Early the next morning, the doorbell rang just after N got up.

    "Ms. Jayston, Mr. Sumner asked me to deliver these things to you," the person at the door said.

    N frowned and did not open the door. "Please tell him not to send anything anymore. I don''t want to see him."

    The person at the door hesitated for a moment before saying, "Ms. Jayston... Mr. Sumner said if I don''tplete this task, I won''t have a job tomorrow."

    N was taken aback by Damon''s audacity in using such threats. Did he really think she would be swayed?

    Despite her irritation, she didn''t want to make things difficult for the messenger-it was Damon''s fault, after all.

    She opened the door and said coolly, "Just give it to me."

    The messenger looked relieved and grateful. "Thank you, Ms. Jayston."

    Seeing that it was breakfast from a renowned spot in Saintornia, N pursed her lips. "You can go now. Thank you."

    After the messenger left, N called Damon. "Where are you now?"

    "At the office. Did you get the breakfast I sent?" he asked.

    "Yes, but I''m not very satisfied," N replied.

    "Don''t like it?" Damon asked.

    N pressed her lips together. "It''s not that. I just don''t feel your sincerity. Sending someone to buy it only show''s you have money. If you really wanted to send it, why didn''t you queue yourself and bring it?"

    swne

    There was a brief silence on the other end. Just as N thought Damon might be upset, his light chuckle came through as he said, "Alright. I''ll do it now."

    N frowned and hung up.

    An hourter, Damon indeed showed up at her door with breakfast from the same ce.

    His hair was a bit messy, his suit

    jacket was off, and the sleeves of his

    owl.ne

    white shirt were rolled up, exposing his strong forearms. The shirt, usually neatly pressed, was wrinkled and looked somewhat disheveled.

    It was probably the first time he had waited in line with others to buy breakfast.

    When N opened the door and saw the box he handed her, she said expressionlessly, "Mr. Sumner, do you realize what time it is? I''ve already eaten. You can keep?t for yourself."

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    Damon nodded with a smile. "Alright. What would you like for lunch? I''ll bring it to you."

    N was taken aback by Damon''s unexpectedly pleasant demeanor. She hesitated for a moment before replying awkwardly, "No need. I''ve bought groceries and will cook for myself."

    "Okay. If you''re free tonight, weˇŞ" Damon began.

    "I''m not free," N interrupted, mming the door in his face.

    A trace of helplessness crossed Damon''s expression as he watched the door close. He then turned and left with a smile.

    Once he was gone, N took a moment to calm herself before returning to the living room to study.

    In the afternoon, Vrie came over.

    "N, why did you suddenly move back here? What if Gabrieles looking for you again?" she asked.

    "He won''te during the day. I need to start looking for a ce of my own anyway. I can''t stay at your ce forever," N replied.

    Vrie looked slightly displeased. She had intended to offer that N could stay at her house for as long as needed. Knowing how proud N was, though, she said, "If you''re ufortable, you could pay me a bit of rent, just as if you were renting from me."

    After considering it, N shook her head. "No. I need to prepare for exams, so it''s better if I live alone."

    Realizing N''s determination, Vrie knew she couldn''t be persuaded and decided not to press the issue further. Instead, she suggested, "Then I''ll help you find a ce. It has to have good security. Otherwise, I won''t feel at ease." N agreed with a nod. "Alright."

    The two of them went out to search for an apartment and eventually settled on a unit near Vrie''s vi The security was excellent-ess to both the residential area and the building required key cards,

    and

    even the elevators needed a card to operate.

    The apartment faced the sun, and N was satisfied with it, so she decided to take it on the spot.

    Vrie helped N move her belongings.

    N didn''t have much, just a few sets of clothes. Thus, a movingpany wasn''t necessary. The car''s backseat and trunk were sufficient. After several trips, they were about to leave-having done a final check to ensure nothing was left behind-when they turned and saw Gabriel standing at the door.

    Vrie instinctively stepped in front of N, her gaze cold as she addressed him. "Gabriel, if you try anything, I won''t let you get away with it!" Gabriel nced at Vrie and smiled. "Ms. Weir, you''ve misunderstood. I don''t intend to hurt N."

    Vrie didn''t believe him for a

    second. She continued to watch bim

    warily, her hand already in her bag, gripping the pepper spray tightly. If he dared toe closer, she''d spray it in his face.

    Gabriel''s gaze shifted to N, his expression softening further. "N, where are you moving to?"

    N looked at him with a neutral expression and remained silent. There was nothing left to say between them.

    Gabriel didn''t seem bothered by N''s silence. He continued with a smile. "No matter where you move, remember to visit your dad if you have time. He misses you."

    N''s face darkened. "Gabriel, don''t try to use my father to threaten me. I''ve cut ties with him."

    "Even if you want to sever ties, he will always be your father," Gabriel remarked.

    His smile persisted as he looked at

    N, his eyes filled with

    amusement. It was as if her moving away was just a game to him. No

    matter where the mouse ran, it would eventually be caught by the cat.

    N''s hands, which had been hanging by her sides, clenched involuntarily. Disgust filled her heart.

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    "Gabriel, do you really have to be this disgusting?" N snapped.

    Her tant disgust and anger made Gabriel''s smile falter.

    After a long pause, he finally met her gaze and said seriously, "N, one day you''ll realize that I''m the one who''s truly right for you."

    "I would never like you. You''re like a rat in a sewer-dark, filthy, and repugnant. Who could like someone like that?" N shot back.

    Gabriel smiled at her description. "You''re right."

    Even a rat in the sewer wanted to see the sunlight and reach for it.

    Gabriel left, but his words lingered over N like a shadow she couldn''t shake off.

    Vrie looked at her with concern. "N, maybe you shoulde stay with me. I feel like Gabriel has lost it, and I''m worried about what he might do."

    She couldn''t understand how the gentle boy she had known could transform into the menacing and terrifying man he was now.

    N shook her head. She couldn''t stay at Vrie''s ce forever. "No need. If he keeps bothering me, I''ll just head to Capitarnia early."

    Vrie sighed. "Alright, then."

    "Don''t worry about me. Let''s go out for dinner, my treat. You helped me move today, and you must be exhausted," N invited.

    On the way to the restaurant, Vrie suddenly asked why N had left in such a rush the night before, wondering what had happened. At that moment, the car swerved unexpectedly.

    Vrie was startled and quickly grabbed the steering wheel, pulling it back.

    An SUV had nearly brushed past N''s car.

    "N, what''s going on? You scared me half to death!" Vrie eximed.

    "I''m sorry, Vrie. I was just distracted for a moment..." N muttered.

    Seeing N''s pale face, Vrie said, "Maybe you''re tired from moving today. If you want, you can park the car by the side of the road, and I''ll

    drive."

    "It''s fine. We''re almost there. I''ll be more careful," N replied, declining Vrie''s offer.

    Vrie persisted, "If you''re really tired, just let me know. I can drive."

    "Okay..." N agreed.

    After this minor scare, Vrie didn''t mention the previous night''s events again, which relieved N. She nned to keep the incident a secret, buried deep inside her.

    When they finished dinner, Vrie had the driver bring her car over, and they went their separate ways.

    On her way back, N received a call from Damon.

    "You moved?" Damon asked.

    N pressed her lips together and gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Yes, so you don''t need to make any more grand gestures." "N, you know what I want," Damon said.

    His deep voice made her bite her lip. "What you want, I can''t give you. Mr. Sumner, you should find someone else."

    For N to get together with Damon

    now would be no different from when she married rk. She didn''t

    want to follow a path where she could already see the ending

    "If not you, then no one else will do. I only have room for you in my heart," Damon confessed.

    N pulled over to the side of the road. After a moment of silence, she said slowly, "Damon, would you be willing to be with someone you don''t like?" There was silence on the other end of the line. Only Damon''s heavy breathing could be heard.

    "I don''t like you anymore, so I don''t want to be with you. And I hope you won''t push me, or you''ll end up being just like rk in my eyes," N said.

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    ?

    Damon''s end of the line was silent. After a moment, he hung up.

    For the next month, Damon did not appear before N. Other than asional updates from Vrie, N had no further encounters with him.

    N spent her days immersed in her studies. It wasn''t until her period was dyed by more than a week that she began to feel uneasy.

    However, recalling her previous body checkup results, which indicated she was infertile, provided somefort. She reassured herself that the dy must be due to the stress of studying.

    Despite her attempts to calm herself, anxiety lingered. She donned her coat and went downstairs to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test. She needed confirmation before she could truly rx.

    Half an hourter, N''s eyes widened in shock as she saw two lines on the test. Wasn''t she supposed to be infertile?

    Moreover, she had taken a contraceptive pill for added safety-how could she still be pregnant?

    After the initial shock, panic set in.

    N quickly made an appointment and drove to the hospital.

    While waiting for the blood test results, she kept praying that the pregnancy test had been faulty and that the second line was merely faint.

    When N finally received the report and saw that she was five weeks pregnant, she was frozen in ce.

    The doctor, sitting behind the desk, regarded her with indifference. "Do you want to keep the baby?"

    N, still in disbelief, stared at the doctor. "Is there any chance this report is wrong?"

    The doctor frowned, their voice cold. "No."

    Given N''s reaction, it was clear she was not eager to continue the pregnancy.

    "If you don''t want to keep it, I can refer you for a termination," the doctor offered.

    N was taken aback. She instinctively said, "No... No, I''ve had fertility tests before. The reports said I was infertile..."

    "Where did you have the tests?" the doctor asked.

    "Here at Pinnacle Hospital..." N answered.

    The doctor was silent for a moment before speaking in a serious tone. "If you don''t believe the results, you can take another test." N quickly agreed. She couldn''t believe she was pregnant.

    Upon receiving the second identical report, N finally had to ept the reality of her pregnancy. Even though she didn''t understand how it had happened despite being nfertile, she had to face the truth.

    When the doctor noted her pale face and the absence of a boyfriend or husband by her side, they assumed the pregnancy was unnned. Typically, such cases would result in the pregnancy being terminated.

    The doctor''s attitude grew impatient. "Do you want to keep the baby or not?"

    N had juste to terms with the pregnancy, and now she was suddenly being asked if she wanted to keep the baby. This left her disoriented. Under the doctor''s increasingly cold gaze, she took a deep breath and said slowly, "I haven''t decided yet... I need to think about it." N left the doctor''s office in a daze, holding the test results. Lost in thought, she identally bumped into someone around a corner. She stumbled back and dropped the test results. As she bent down to pick them up, a hand reached down and grabbed them first. Startled, she looked up to see rk''s dark expression. He clutched the test results, his eyes filled with anger.

    His expression, as if he had been

    betrayed, struck N as somewhat

    amusing. She looked at him with Po

    a

    nk face. "Please give me back my document."

    As soon as she finished speaking, rk grabbed her hand. Despite her struggles, he forcefully pulled her into a nearby stairwell. "N, what''s going on?! You''re pregnant?!" he demanded.

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    rk was visibly agitated, his eyes reddened, and he nearly mmed the report in N''s face. N pushed him away, her expression filled with disgust. "What does it have to do with you?"

    "Whose child is it? No, wait... You were supposed to be infertile. How could you be pregnant?" rk demanded.

    His anger slowly shifted to confusion, and then to a hint of suspicion.

    N grabbed the report back from him. "This is my business. What does it have to do with you?"

    "Of course it matters! If you hadn''t been unable to conceive for three years, and if the checkup hadn''t shown you were infertile, we wouldn''t have ended up like this!" rk eximed.

    N was infuriated by his shamelessness. "rk, don''t use my infertility as an excuse for your affair. Even if I am pregnant, it doesn''t excuse your cheating. And since the report said I was infertile, but I''m pregnant, you''d better get yourself checked too, so you don''t end up mistakenly thinking you''re the father."

    "Say that again?!" rk growled, his gaze cold and menacing, as if he might choke N at any moment.

    N pushed him away and said in a detached tone, "rk, we''re divorced now. Whether I''m pregnant or not has nothing to do with you. Don''te around trying to make yourself relevant!"

    As she turned to leave, rk blocked her path. He looked down at her, his teeth clenched. "Is the baby my uncle''s?"

    A flicker of something crossed N''s eyes. "What does it matter to you?"

    "Even if it is Uncle Damon''s, you still can''t use this baby to get into the Sumners!" rk snarled.

    N looked at him steadily. "rk, do you think marrying into the Sumners is such a great thing? When I married you, I valued you as a person, not your family."

    rk sneered. "Heh, do you expect me to believe that?"

    To him, N''s rush to divorce was only because she hadtched onto someone more influential than him-Damon.

    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have initiated the divorce.

    "Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant to me. If you stop me again, I''ll call the police. And don''t forget, I''m pregnant now. If you dare to do anything to me, you''ll face the consequences!" N snapped.

    rk was furious, but he hesitated. If the baby was really Damon''s, any harm done to N would have severe repercussions from Damon. With only his father''spanies left and no way to stand against Damon, rk knew he was powerless.

    N pushed past him and left. He didn''t follow, but his face was thunderous.

    Back at home, N sat on the sofa and absentmindedly touched her t stomach.

    She still couldn''t believe she was pregnant.

    The timing couldn''t be worse. Her main focus was preparing for graduate school, not on marriage or children. Keeping the baby would mean a dramatic change in her life.

    Given her current situation, terminating the pregnancy seemed like the best option. Yet, for some reason, she struggled to make a decision.

    N had once thought she would never have a child of her own, but now...

    Her stomach growled, reminding her it was already past 12:30 p.m. She decided to stop dwelling on it and got up to make lunch.

    Deciding whether to keep the baby or not required careful consideration.

    After N left, rk immediately called Michael and asked him to investigate which men N had recently been in contact with. As he was about to hang up, he suddenly remembered what she had said.

    swn&

    The body checkup report had clearly shown that N was infertile. How could she be pregnant?

    Could it be... that he was the infertile one?

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    However, in the next moment, rk found his suspicion somewhatughable. If he were truly infertile, how could Jordyn be pregnant?

    On the other end of the line, Michael spoke up after a brief silence. "Mr. Sumner, is there anything else you need?"

    rk''s voice was low and firm. "No, that''s all."

    He had initially considered asking Michael to schedule another body check-up, but now he felt it was unnecessary.

    Just after ending the call, rk walked into the obstetrics and gynecology department.

    Jordyn wasing out of the doctor''s office, holding a report and smiling.

    "rk, the doctor says the baby is healthy," she said.

    "Great. Since the check-up is done, let''s go," he replied curtly, not waiting for her reaction as he turned and walked away.

    To rk, merely apanying Jordyn to the prenatal check-up was already a significant gesture. He had no interest in the finer details or in taking care of her. After all, Jordyn had nothing and wouldn''t leave him, even for money.

    Jordyn''s expression dimmed as she watched rk''s retreating back. She then quickened her pace to catch up with him.

    As they reached the parking lot, they ran into Nathaniel and Reba.

    Reba''s face was pale, and she looked a bit wilted. She greeted rk and Jordyn with a smile. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Austen, are you here for a prenatal check-up?"

    Her gaze briefly flicked over Jordyn''s stomach with a hint of derision.

    Jordyn frowned and shot Reba a warning look.

    Reba seemed unaffected, as Jordyn was never her target.

    Nathaniel greeted rk and then turned to Reba, speaking quietly. "Reba, we''re runningte for our appointment with the doctor."

    Reba nodded and linked her arm with his. "Alright, let''s go."

    It had taken over a month to get Nathaniel to agree to reconcile, so she now behaved very sweetly around him.

    She could also feel that his attitude

    had grown colder-though still polite,

    it was no longer as patient as it used to be. Whenever he was asionally impatient, his demeanor turned icy.

    Not havingpletely appeased Nathaniel, she naturally needed to appear even more dependent on him.

    After Nathaniel and Reba left,

    Jordyn couldn''t help but remark sarcastically, "I used to hear how

    much Nathaniel liked Reba. Now

    OUMS

    it seems it''s nothing special.

    rk didn''t respond. His mind was preupied with the mystery of whose baby N was carrying, leaving him uninterested in Jordyn and Nathaniel''s situation.

    "Let''s go," he said.

    ...

    Upon arriving downstairs at Jordyn''s apartment, she hesitated before getting out. She noticed that rk made no move to exit the car.

    "rk, do you have something else?" she asked.

    "Mm, there''s a meeting at thepany," he replied.

    "Alright. Will you be home for dinner tonight?" she inquired.

    rk frowned, his irritation evident. "If Ie back, I''ll call you in advance."

    "Okay..." Jordyn replied.

    After Jordyn got out of the car, rk drove directly to thepany.

    By the time he arrived at the office, Michael was already waiting for him.

    "Mr. Sumner, ording to my investigation, it''s highly likely that the baby Ms. Jayston is carrying is your uncle''s..." Michael reported.

    rk''s expression turned icy. Even

    though he and N were divorced, he had suspected an affair between her and Damon before their

    separation. This new revtion only confirmed his previous suspicions.

    swmove!

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    rk had essentially been cheated on!

    Seeing rk''s grim expression, Michael lowered his head and said nothing.

    Although others might not realize it, he was well aware that rk had been keeping tabs on N despite their divorce. It was clear that, even though he hated her, he still had feelings for her. Learning that she was pregnant with Damon''s child would naturally infuriate him.

    "Mr. Sumner-" Michael began.

    "Get out!" rk roared.

    Michael quickly turned and left. As soon as he closed the office door, he heard the sound of objects being thrown inside.

    After lunch, N suddenly remembered while resting on the sofa that she had taken birth control pills before-so why was she still pregnant?

    She hurriedly opened her medicine cab and found the pills she had taken. To her shock, they had expired over a year ago!

    She couldn''t help but smack her forehead. How could she have not checked the expiration date of the pills when she took them? How could she have been so careless?

    For the next few days, N pondered whether or not to keep the baby.

    Ultimately, she decided that having a child at this time was not the wisest choice for her and scheduled an abortion. The procedure was set for a weekter.

    Since confirming the surgery date, she hadn''t slept well. She felt inexplicably uneasy and troubled.

    If she had be pregnant during her grad school studies or while preparing for exams, she would have also opted for an abortion, given the potential risks from handling various chemicals in theb.

    Each night was spent in restless contemtion.

    Finally, on the day of the procedure, N arrived at the hospital early.

    Seeing the woman before her emerging from the operating room with a pale face, she was overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. She instinctively touched her abdomen, feeling an unexpected pang of reluctance.

    No matter how reluctant she felt, though, she couldn''t keep the baby.

    Taking a deep breath, N approached the desk to submit her paperwork.

    The nurse, noticing that N was alone, frowned. "Where''s your family? We need a family member to sign for the surgery."

    Family?

    Nt of Harrison. If he knew about he would be even more disappointed in her and would join Wren in scolding her.

    "I don''t have any family," N replied.

    "What about rtives? Without a signature, we can''t proceed with the surgery," the nurse informed her.

    "Can I sign for myself?" N asked.

    "Of course not. All surgeries involve risks, so someone must sign the papers," the nurse insisted.

    N hesitated for a moment and then called Vrie.

    Vrie arrived in under half an hour, panting and clearly having rushed.

    "N, you''d better exin what''s going on right now! How could you suddenly be pregnant? Who''s the bastard responsible? I''m going to

    make him pay!" Vrie''s voice was loud enough for everyone around to hear.

    N wished she could disappear into the floor. She pulled Vrie aside. "Vrie, keep your voice down! Calm down!"

    Vrie was fuming with righteous anger. "How can you expect me to stay calm? If I suddenly called you, asking you toe to the hospital to sign for an abortion for me, would you be calm?"

    N was rendered speechless.

    The two stared at each other for a moment before N finally gave in.

    "Alright, don''t get worked up. I''ll exin everything to you," she said.

    Vrie huffed. "If you don''t give me a clear exnation today, I''m not signing anything!"

 Chapter 454

    N pulled Vrie to the end of the hallway and said softly, "The baby is Damon''s."

    Vrie''s eyes widened in shock. "Damon? When did this happen?"

    She had thought N and Damon werepletely over, so hearing that N was pregnant with his child was startling.

    N''s gaze flickered as she lowered her eyes. "It was an ident... We were both drunk..."

    "How much did you drink to end up like this? And does Damon know about your pregnancy?" Vrie asked.

    N shook her head. "He doesn''t know, and there''s no need to tell him. I don''t n on getting back together with him."

    Vrie fell silent. For N, keeping the baby wasn''t feasible right now, but...

    "What if Damon finds out someday?" Vrie asked.

    N remained indifferent. "Even if he finds out, it won''t change anything between us."

    "Alright then..." Vrie looked at N''s slightly pale face with sympathy.

    N pleaded, "Vrie, can you please sign for me? Let''s just say this baby and I are not meant to be..."

    Despite N''s reluctance, her rational mind told her she couldn''t keep the baby.

    Vrie took her hand and spoke softly. "N, are you sure you''ve thought this through?"

    N hummed as she looked away, her tone resolute. "I''ve thought it through."

    "Okay." Vrie signed the paperwork.

    She watched as N walked resolutely into the operating room, her silhouette appearing frail and lonely. As she watched, her eyes grew red with unshed tears.

    That evening, while rk was reviewing documents, his office door was knocked on abruptly.

    Michael rushed in and said in a low voice, "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston had an abortion earlier today."

    rk''s eyes widened in disbelief. He dropped the documents and stared intently at Michael, asking, "Is that true?"

    "Yes," Michael answered.

    rk frowned. "Did my uncle go with her?"

    Michael shook his head. "No. It was Ms. Weir who apanied her."

    rk fell silent for a moment before smirking coldly. "I see. You can go now."

    After Michael left, rk picked up his phone and called Damon.

    The phone rang for a long time without being answered, but rk remained calm, smiling subtly.

    Just as the call was about to disconnect automatically, Damon finally answered. "What''s up?"

    rk, unfazed by Damon''s distant tone, asked cheerfully, "Uncle Damon, did you know N is pregnant?"

    As soon as he finished speaking,

    there was a sound of something et

    crashing to the floor on the other end, and the call was abruptly disconnected.

    rk''s smile widened. He didn''t bother redialing, confident that

    Damon would soon find out abal

    N''s pregnancy and her abortion.

    The thought of Damon''s reaction brought him a sense of satisfaction and revenge, making him feel somewhat vindicated.

    Having been under Damon''s pressure for so long, finally having a chance to get even felt good!

    When there was a knock at the door,

    N was resting in her bedroom while Vrie was in the kitchen

    preparing chicken soup for her.

    Vrie''s face fell when she went to the door and saw Damon standing outside.

    Damon''s face was taut, radiating a chilling aura as if he hade straight from hell. It was enough to make one shudder.

    It seemed he had learned about N''s abortion.

    Vrie hesitated, stepping back as the knocking grew more insistent.

 Chapter 455

    N was irritated by the persistent knocking and slowly walked out of her bedroom. She asked, "Vrie, who''s at the door?" Vrie turned to her and said softly, "It''s Damon."

    N''s hand, resting on the doorframe, grew pale from tension, and her already wan face seemed even more drawn.

    After a moment of silence, she finally said, "Let him in."

    Since Damon was already aware of the situation, she couldn''t avoid him forever or remain hidden indefinitely.

    "But youˇŞ" Vrie''s gaze involuntarily dropped to N''s stomach, filled with concern.

    N forced a smile. "It''s okay."

    She had known that a day like this woulde the moment she discovered she was pregnant.

    "Alright then," Vrie replied and opened the door.

    An immediate chill ran down N''s spine. Facing Damon up close felt far more oppressive than seeing him through the peephole. An icy dread seemed to rise from her feet.

    Damon''s eyes were calm, but his expression was cold and unreadable. Still, Vrie could sense the suppressed fury beneath his calm exterior, ready to erupt.

    "Damon, N isˇŞ" Before Vrie could finish, Damon pushed past her and entered.

    Upon seeing N leaning against the doorframe, looking pale, Damon abruptly halted. His clenched fists betrayed his anger.

    Vrie quickly stepped in front of N, adopting a protective stance. "Damon, if you''re going to do something, take it out on me. I signed the papers. N is weak right now, and you-"

    "Get out!" Damon''s cold, piercing re cut her off, his eyes shing with a dangerous glint.

    Vrie had never seen him like this before and trembled involuntarily. Despite that, she stood her ground, protecting N.

    Seeing Vrie''s slight shiver, N felt a pang of gratitude. Even though Vrie was scared, she still stood bravely in front of her. "Vrie, the food in the kitchen might burn... Could you check on it?" N asked.

    Vrie bit her lip and whispered, "Why worry about food now?"

    "It''s okay. Don''t worry. I need to clear things up with him anyway," N reassured her.

    Vrie hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "Alright. If he does anything to you, remember to call me."

    N nodded. "Okay."

    After Vrie left, the room fell into a tense silence.

    Damon''s eyes remained fixed on N''s pale face, his entire body tense as if he were struggling to control his emotions.

    After what felt like an eternity, he suddenly walked toward her.

    As he approached, N subconsciously gripped the doorframe tighter. She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Sumner, the timing for this baby was not ideal, and we are over. I have the right to decide what happens to-"

    Before she could finish, Damon was right in front of her. Her heart raced, fearing he might do something to hurt her. Instead, he gently lifted her into his arms.

    His touch was tender as if he were handling a precious gem.

    N was momentarily stunned and instinctively tried to struggle, but Damon held her tighter.

    "Don''t move!" he warned.

    Detecting the tremor in his voice, N bit her lip. They were so close she could see the tension in his jaw and the redness in his eyes. The thought of her aborting the baby must have been a heavy blow to him.

    Damon, maintaining a restrained

    expression, carried N into the bedroom and gentlyid her on the bed. He then covered her with the

    nket. ve

    "N, I''m sorry..." he said.

 Chapter 456

    ?

    N looked up at Damon in disbelief. When he first walked in, it was clear he hade to confront her. How had his attitude shifted so suddenly? Seeing the shock in N''s eyes, Damon felt a pang in his chest.

    When Damon received rk''s call about N''s pregnancy, his first reaction was disbelief.

    Yet, a part of him held onto a sliver of hope, so he immediately sent Spencer to investigate.

    Spencer quickly confirmed that N was pregnant. However, before Damon could even begin to rejoice, Spencer delivered a blow: "Ms. Jayston underwent an abortion today."

    Damon''s smile froze, and he stood there, stunned. It was as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over him, plunging him into a deep chill.

    It took several seconds for him to regain his voice, and he questioned Spencer to ensure the information was correct. Spencer, with a troubled expression, handed over the hospital records showing the specific time of the procedure. Overwhelmed by a mix of anger and despair, Damon''s only thought was to find N.

    As he made his way there, his mind was consumed by fury. He felt that N had no right to make the decision to terminate the pregnancy on her own without consulting him.

    He felt as if there were a tightly wound string in his mind. The moment it snapped, he would lose his rationality, and who knew what he would do then?

    When Damon saw N, he felt that string in his mind snap.

    Yet, instead of losing his temper and hurting her, he was overwhelmed with heartache that left him breathless. Just seeing her pale face and frail figure made his heart feel like it was breaking into pieces.

    ...

    This entire situation wasn''t N''s fault-she was merely a victim.

    Yet, he hade intending to confront and argue with her. He felt like the worst kind of jerk right now.

    If he hadn''t lost control that day,

    they wouldn''t have ended up in this mess. N wouldn''t have been pregnant, wouldn''t have gone

    through the abortion, and would et

    have endured such emotional and physical pain.

    Guilt and sorrow crashed over Damon like a tidal wave, nearly drowning him. He knew he owed N a debt he could never repay.

    After a moment of silence, N finally said, "If there''s nothing else, you can leave."

    She truly deserved his apology.

    Hearing footsteps by the bed, N instinctively turned her head as Damon approached. To her surprise, he crouched beside the bed, his eyes filled with guilt and pleading.

    "N, let me take care of you during this time," he said softly.

    N''s hands, which were resting under the nket, clenched involuntarily as disbelief shed across her face. Was she dreaming?

    Damon hade not to confront

    her but was now asking to care for her? It was clear he had been furious when he arrived-angry over her decision to terminate the pregnancy on her own.

    N''s heart stirred, but she turned her head away coldly. "There''s no need, Mr. Sumner. Please leave. I don''t want any further interaction with you." She was reluctant to spend more time with Damon for fear that she might fall in love with him again. At that moment, love was the least useful thing she could afford.

    "N, please don''t refuse," Damon pleaded, his voice unusually soft, but N remained unmoved.

    "I''ve said it''s unnecessary. Just as I told you to forget about that night, consider today as if it never happened," she replied.

    As he looked at N''s indifferent profile, Damon felt a deep pain in his chest.

    It was only now that he truly

    understood he had lost her. When she said it was over, she meant it, and she wouldn''t being back. His arrogance had led him to believe she would wait for him.

 Chapter 457

    ?

    N managed to steel her heart and not want the child. What more could she feel for him?

    Damon left.

    A short whileter, Vrie walked in, looking hesitant to speak.

    N pretended not to notice and forced a smile. "Vrie, you''ve worked hard today. You should head home. I''ll manage on my own."

    Vrie sat down by the bed. After a moment of thought, she spoke softly. "When Damon left earlier, his face was ashen. He must really care about you."

    N looked down, her expression unchanged. "Before Reba showed up, I really cared about him too. Vrie, there''s no point in trying to persuade me. It''s over between us. I just want to focus on my studies for now and not think about anything else."

    Vrie knew N was a determined person and sighed. "There''s some soup in the thermos. Remember to drink itter. I''m heading out now. If you need anything, just call me."

    "Got it," N replied.

    As Vrie went downstairs, she saw Damon still waiting by his car. Knowing he was waiting for her, she walked over to him.

    "She must have been in a lot of pain during the procedure today?" Damon''s voice was hoarse, his features partly obscured in the darkness, looking somewhat defeated.

    Vrie''s gaze was cold. "What do you think?"

    Seeing the anger in her eyes, Damon gave a wry smile. "I''m the one at fault."

    "Good that you know," Vrie said sharply.

    A silence fell between them.

    Just as Vrie was about to leave in frustration, Damon suddenly said in a low voice, "Ms. Weir, N doesn''t want to see me. Could you help me take care of her during this time?"

    Vrie scoffed. "I was going to take care of her regardless. Besides, you and N are no longer together. It''s not your ce to ask this." With that, she turned and walked away.

    The next morning, Spencer arrived with supplements and a caregiver to cook for N.

    N refused them, but Spencer

    insisted that Damon had instructed him to make sure she epted the items. If she refused, Damon woulde personally.

    Frustrated, N threw the supplements into the trash right in front of Spencer.

    Hoping this would make him back

    off, she was surprised when he brought up twice the amount of supplements and said with a smile, "I''ve prepared a thousand of these, all downstairs. If you like throwing them away, I can keep bringing them up."

    N felt like she was hitting a wall, her face growing colder. "Mr. Hogg, please tell Mr. Sumner that I don''t need these things." Spencer nodded with a smile. "Ms. Jayston, I''ll let him know. But you know Mr. Sumner''s temper. If you refuse, he wille himself."

    N thought for a moment and said coldly, "Fine, I''ll ept the items. You can leave now."

    She had no intention of keeping the caregiver either. However, the next day, the caregiver arrived with prepared meals.

    After several days of this awkward situation, N realized it was severely affecting her studies. She decided to stop resisting. Since

    someone was making meals fol. ne

    she might as well eat them and use the time to focus on her studies.

    The caregiver continued bringing meals for a month, showing no sign of stopping.

    Finally, N couldn''t hold back and called Damon. "Mr. Sumner, it''s been a month. You can tell Spencer and the caregiver to stoping." There was a brief silence on the other end before Damon''s deep voice came through, "I''m busy with work right now. I''ll call you backter." He hung up, and N put down her phone. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to focus on her studies.

    Damon put down his phone and looked at Nathaniel and Reba across from him, his expression devoid of warmth.

    "You can leave now," he said.

    Nathaniel frowned, disbelief in his eyes. "Damon, are you really not reconsidering the cooperation?"

 Chapter 458

    ?

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent. "I''ve said it before: once you personally apologize to N, Prospectus Technology and the Preston Group will resume their cooperation."

    Nathaniel gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated that Damon was still fixated on this issue after so long. His face darkened. "Damon, after all these years of brotherhood, must you make things so ugly?"

    Reba''s expression flickered briefly. Sitting nearby with her head lowered, she was not noticed by either of the men.

    "You made things ugly yourself. Apologize, or leave now. Prospectus Technology will never work with the Preston Group again," Damon stated dismissively.

    Damon''s cold demeanor felt like a personal affront to Nathaniel as if Damon were disregarding their years of friendship entirely. In that case, Nathaniel decided it was pointless to make things harder for himself.

    He stood up and looked down at Damon, his voice icy. "Damon, you will regret this. I won''te begging again, and we are no longer brothers!"

    He turned and walked out.

    Reba nced at Damon hesitantly. Seeing his cold gaze, she involuntarily shrank and followed Nathaniel out.

    Once in the car, Nathaniel''s expression remained a scowl. He mmed the steering wheel and cursed under his breath, unable to believe that Damon would jeopardize their long-standing brotherhood over N.

    Noticing his anger, Reba bit her lip and spoke softly. "Nathaniel, maybe you should apologize to N... After all, you and Damon have been friends for so long, and the cooperation between the Preston Group and Prospectus Technology is very important..."

    Under Nathaniel''s frosty gaze, her voice grew quieter until it trailed offpletely.

    Nathaniel sneered. "Apologize to N? Does she even deserve that?"

    Reba''s eyes glinted before she sighed. "As long as she''s around, if you don''t apologize, Damon

    probably won''t resume cooperation with the Preston Group. And

    although my health has improl ne

    a

    bit recently, I can''t be sure when it might deteriorate again... I just hope you and Damon can reconcile, considering your years of

    friendship..."

    A hint of malice crossed Nathaniel''s face. He had initially decided against harming N because she was Damon''s interest.

    However, since she was impacting both his rtionship with Damon and the cooperation between theirpanies, it seemed she needed to be dealt with.

    Observing Nathaniel''s dark

    expression and sensing his resolve,

    Reba chose not to press further She understood that pushing too hard might not only jeopardize her goals but also expose her true intentions to Nathaniel, which would be counterproductive.

    After a brief silence, Nathaniel appeared to reach a decision. He started the car and drove off, dropping Reba at her destination before heading straight to thepany.

    Reba smiled as she watched Nathaniel''s car disappear from view. Once Nathaniel had taken care of N, she nned to inform Damon and capitalize on the situation.

    If Nathaniel had been as devoted to her as she might have hoped, perhaps she would have felt guilty about her ns. However, reflecting on his recent attitude toward her, her gaze turned icy.

    Back at thepany, Nathaniel immediately summoned Troy to his office.

    "Get in touch with Steven!" he ordered.

    Seeing Nathaniel''s icy expression, Troy felt a pang of unease. "Mr. Preston, after the termination of the contract with Prospectus

    Technology, the Preston Group has suffered significant losses. If we go after N now and Mr. Sumner finds out..."

    Nathaniel sneered. "Only by removing N will there be a chance for the Preston Group and Prospectus Technology to continue working together."

 Chapter 459

    ?

    Troy frowned, wanting to persuade Nathaniel further, but fell silent when faced with Nathaniel''s angry gaze. After all, Nathaniel was his boss. "Alright. I''ll contact Steven right away," he said.

    After Troy left, Nathaniel gripped the documents in his hand, his eyes shing with a frenzied intensity. As long as N was out of the way, everything would fall into ce.

    ...

    In the evening, N was deeply engrossed in solving a problem when the doorbell abruptly interrupted her concentration.

    She got up with a frown and went to the door. Her displeasure was evident when she saw Damon on the other side.

    She opened the door and looked at him nkly. "Mr. Sumner, is there something you need?"

    "I brought you some food and thought I''d check on your recovery," Damon replied.

    N nced at the thermal container in his hand. There was a flicker in her gaze, but she didn''t take it.

    "I''m fine. Please tell the caregiver not to bring any more food. There''s no need for us to keep meeting either," she said, trying to close the door.

    Damon quickly blocked it with his foot and said seriously, "N, even if we can''t be together, can''t we at least be friends?"

    N looked up at him, studying his face for a few seconds before suddenly chuckling. "It seems many people like to stay friends with someone they used to have feelings for, but it''s hard to maintain a friendship when there''s a romantic historyˇŞand when things didn''t end well.

    "Given our situation, do you really think we can be friends? Neither of us iscking in friends, so please don''t y dumb."

    Damon wanted to get close to her as a friend, which they both understood, but she wasn''t interested in an ambiguous rtionship that could lead to furtherplications.

    Damon sighed. "N, you really won''t give me any chance, huh..."

    Even though they had been intimate and she had been pregnant with his child, she still refused to let him get close. She used the excuse of being adults to justify pushing him away, and secretly aborted their child to sever their connection.

    All along, it seemed he was the only one troubled enough by her to have sleepless nights. He even began to question whether she had ever truly loved him.

    "Mr. Sumner, if you want, there are plenty of women who like you. There''s no need to waste time on someone who doesn''t," N said.

    Damon gave a wry smile as he handed over the thermal container. "I won''t bother you again. This is the meal prepared for today. Starting tomorrow, she won''t being by."

    N hesitated for a moment before epting it. "Thank you."

    Damon forced a smile. "Don''t mention it. N, goodbye..."

    "Goodbye." N remained indifferent, as if he were just a stranger to her.

    Damon couldn''t help but smile bitterly. It was all his own doing.

    Without a second nce at him, N closed the door.

    She ced the food on the table and then returned to her desk to finish the problem she had been working on. When she finally solved it, she felt a sense of aplishment.

    Checking the time, she saw it was already past 7:00 p.m., and her stomach rumbled with hunger.

    N stroked her stomach, got up,

    and went to the dining table to open the thermal container. The food was still warm, with two meat dishes and one vegetable dish-exactly her favorites.

    The food looked high-quality, clearly from a five-star hotel and not something the caregiver had made.

    N sat down to eat her meal and then cleaned up. She went downstairs to take out the trash and to take a short walk.

    When she returned from her walk, she noticed someone tall loitering outside her building.

 Chapter 460

    ?

    When N saw that it was rk, a sh of wariness crossed her eyes. She immediately went to the security office to report the situation. Two security guards quickly went downstairs to her building and caught rk lurking around. They promptly escorted him out of theplex. rk''s face was particrly grim when he saw N standing at the security office, and his humiliation was evident.

    He approached the security office door and said coldly, "N,e out. I have something to ask you!"

    With four to five security guards present, N felt secure and wasn''t worried about what rk might do. She stepped outside but stopped a few meters away from him.

    "What do you want to ask?" she inquired.

    Although she preferred not to engage with rk, she didn''t want him pestering her and affecting her mood either.

    rk gritted his teeth and asked in a low voice, "Was the infertility report you gave me back then something you deliberately faked to avoid having my child?!"

    His tone was filled with usation and anger, which N found somewhat amusing.

    "Why do you ask that?" she asked.

    "If it wasn''t fake, then why didn''t you get pregnant after being married to me for three years, but you suddenly became pregnant with Damon''s child right after we divorced?!" rk demanded.

    Hearing this, N suddenly realized that she had only been intimate with Damon once and had be pregnant, whereas with rk, there had been no sign of pregnancy over the three years.

    Since she had gotten pregnant, it meant she wasn''t infertile. If that was the case, then the problem must lie with...

    Upon noticing N''s gaze shift to one of sympathy, rk''s anger red. "What''s with that look?! Did you secretly take birth control pills all those years?!"

    N raised an eyebrow and replied clearly, "rk, I''ve never taken birth control pills. If I didn''t get pregnant over those three years, shouldn''t you question yourself? I suggest you get another check-up."

    "You!" rk was livid, feeling deeply insulted. How could he be infertile?! It had to be that N hadn''t wanted children with him and had been taking pills on purpose!

    "I won''t believe a word you say!" he eximed.

    "Then whye and ask me? Aren''t you just humiliating yourself?" N''s tone was mocking, each word a sharp thorn in rk''s heart, almost pushing him to the brink of losing his temper.

    He snarled, "I''ll get to the bottom of this. You''d better not have taken the pills on purpose!"

    N rolled her eyes. "Even if I did

    take the pills, so what? We''re divorced now. Are you nning to sue me? I can''t be bothered to argue with you. Just get out of my sight and don''t show up here again. You make me sick!"

    Without another nce, she turned and walked away.

    rk stared at her retreating figure, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, his eyes burning with fury.

    If N hadn''t secretly taken pills, they might have had a child during those three years, and they wouldn''t have ended up divorced!

    No matter how much N hated him, she would have stayed for the sake of a child.

    The more he thought about it, the more he despised her!

    At the same time, N''s words had sown a seed of doubt in his mind. Could it be that he really had a problem?

    No! That was impossible! He couldn''t possibly have a problem!

    If he were infertile, what about everything he had done during this time?!

    An overwhelming panic surged inside rk, tearing him between denying his infertility and fearing that the slim possibility might be true.

 Chapter 461

    ?

    rk stood for a moment before leaving. On his way back, he couldn''t resist calling Michael. "Michael, arrange a medical check-up for me." Michael''s voice, filled with concern, came through the line. "Mr. Sumner, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

    "Just do as I asked. Since when did you start asking so many questions?" rk snapped, hanging up coldly.

    His mood was at an all-time low, wrestling with the possibility of infertility and the fear that it might be true.

    He pulled over to the side of the road, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. The check-up would reveal the truth. There was no way he could be infertile.

    And surely, Jordyn wouldn''t deceive him!

    Upon thinking of Jordyn, rk''s gaze hardened. He drove straight to her ce.

    "rk, what brings you here? Have you eaten?" Jordyn''s eyes lit up with delight as she quickly stepped aside to let him in.

    rk entered the living room with a nk expression and sat on the sofa, his cold eyes fixed on Jordyn''s face.

    Under his gaze, Jordyn grew uneasy, her smile faltering. "rk, what''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? It''s making me nervous..."

    "It''s nothing. I just realized I haven''t really looked at you closely, so I wanted to take a good look," rk replied.

    His tone was casual, and Jordyn''s cheeks flushed. She instinctively lowered her head. "Why are you saying things like that all of a sudden? It''s making me shy."

    Inwardly, she was thrilled. She thought rk''s attitude toward her was improving. Once she had the baby, he would fall in love with her.

    The thought of him treating her as he did N filled her with excitement.

    "Do you still have the prenatal check-up reports fromst time?" rk asked suddenly.

    Jordyn froze at the unexpected question and instinctively looked up at him.

    rk sat on the sofa calmly, looking no different than usual. Yet, Jordyn couldn''t shake a nagging sense of unease as she studied him with a probing gaze.

    "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?" she asked.

    rk replied, "I just want to see them. After all, it''s my child too."

    Jordyn scrutinized him carefully but found nothing revealing in his expression. Pushing her doubts aside, she smiled and said, "They''re in the bedroom. I''ll go get them now if you want to see."

    As she turned away, her smile faded, reced by a nk look.

    A growing suspicion gnawed at her-was rk beginning to doubt something?

    Otherwise, why would he suddenly show interest in the prenatal reports when he''d always been indifferent? He''d only gone to the hospital with her after she''d brought it up multiple times.

    Jordyn walked to her vanity in the bedroom and retrieved the prenatal reports from the drawer.

    As she turned around, she gasped, startled to see rk silently standing behind her. The reports slipped from her hands, scattering across the floor.

    She pressed her hand to her chest, her face pale. "rk, you startled me. You came so quietly..."

    rk''s expression remained unchanged. "Did I scare you?"

    "Of course, you did! Who wouldn''t be startled by someone appearing out of nowhere like that?" Jordyn eximed.

    She crouched slowly to gather the

    scattered reports, then stood and handed them to rk. "Here you go. All the reports from the initial pregnancy test to the follow up check-ups are here."

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    ?

    rk briefly flipped through the reports, handed them back to Jordyn, and said indifferently, "Remember to keep these safe."

    Jordyn took the reports. After cing them back in the drawer, she turned to face rk. "rk, is something wrong today? You seem a bit off."

    Her unease grew as she wondered if he had discovered something.

    rk squinted slightly and, after a few seconds, said, "It''s nothing. I''m probably just tired from work."

    "Then lie down on the sofa, and I''ll give you a massage," Jordyn offered.

    "No need. I have work at thepany. I just came to see you. Get some rest," rk replied.

    Normally, Jordyn would have tried to persuade rk to stay, but she had her own concerns and didn''t push the issue today.

    Once she confirmed that rk''s car had left, she immediately called Reba. "Reba, did you say something to rk?"

    "What do you mean?" Reba asked.

    Jordyn sneered. "What do I mean? rk suddenly showed up tonight asking to see my prenatal check-up reports. The only person who knew about that was you. You must have said something to him!"

    Reba sounded impatient. "You''re not worth my trouble. Instead of questioning me, maybe you should consider if you''ve done anything to make him suspicious. After all, guilty consciences have a way of showing, don''t you think?"

    "Are you sure it wasn''t you?" Jordyn pressed.

    The response she received was a dial tone.

    Jordyn put down her phone, feeling a twinge of unease. Could it really not have been Reba?

    She had been extremely cautioustely and hadn''t done anything to raise rk''s suspicions.

    After thinking it over for a long while, without finding any clear answers, Jordyn decided to visit rk''s office the next day.

    Early the next morning, Jordyn walked into rk''spany carrying a lunchbox.

    When she reached the top floor, Michael stopped her. "Ms. Austen, Mr. Sumner is busy right now."

    Jordyn furrowed her brow. "Then I''ll wait for him in the lounge."

    "Ms. Austen, Mr. Sumner is in meetings all day. You can leave the food with me, and I''ll make sure he gets it," Michael offered.

    Since Jordyn''s visit was part of her attempt to gauge rk''s reaction, she wasn''t going to leave so easily.

    "No matter how busy he is, he

    should still have time for lunch. I have nothing to do, so I''ll wait here and have lunch with him. You just focus on your work, and don''t worry about me," she said, walking toward the lounge without waiting for a response.

    Michael, feeling helpless, returned to his desk and called rk to inform him of Jordyn''s arrival.

    rk had just finished his medical

    check-up. When he received

    Michael''s call, his expression darkened it was hard not to sus that Jordyn''s sudden visit had something to do with the fact that he bad just visited her the night before.

    His lips pressed into a tight line, and his gaze grew increasingly grim.

    Within half an hour, rk returned to the office.

    When Jordyn saw him, a wave of unease washed over her. rk had been out, so why had Michael lied about him being in meetings all day? Suppressing her doubts, she approached rk with a smile. "rk, I made some food for you since you said you were tiredst night."

    rk took the food with a cold

    expression. "I''m quite busy today so I don''t have time to spend with you. The driver will take you hometer."

    "Alright." Jordyn nodded, then casually asked, "Where did you go just now? Meeting with a client?"

    rk hummed, clearly unwilling to borate. He then instructed Michael to arrange for the driver to take Jordyn home.

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    On the way back, Jordyn felt an unsettling gnawing at the back of her mind, unable to shake her worries. She decided to have someone look into rk.

    Less than three dayster, rk''s test results arrived. He was having lunch when he received a call from the doctor.

    "Mr. Sumner, your test results are in. If you have time, you shoulde in," the doctor informed him.

    rk''s heart sank due to the serious tone in the doctor''s voice. "Is there a problem with the results?"

    "Yes, it''s difficult to exin over the phone. It''s better if youe in," the doctor replied.

    Within half an hour, rk arrived at the hospital.

    When the doctor saw him, he sighed and handed over the test report. "Mr. Sumner... ording to the results, you have azoospermia."

    rk took the report in disbelief. As he scanned the page, it felt like the world was spinning, and he could barely stand.

    Azoospermia? How could this be?

    It was absurd!

    Taking a deep breath to steady himself, rk looked at the doctor and asked coldly, "I''ve had simr check-ups before, and everything was normal. Can this condition develop suddenly? And could there be a mistake in your hospital''s results?"

    By the end of his statement, his tone had turned angry.

    The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "This is usually a congenital condition, and your test was handled by a specialist. It''s highly unlikely the results were mixed up with someone else''s."

    In other words, the report was likely urate.

    "Impossible! I want the tests redone!" rk growled.

    Seeing rk''s agitation, the doctor understood. After all, he had heard the rumors around town about rk''s previous and current

    rtionships.

    If it were confirmed that rk had azoospermia, it would mean the child his current partner was carrying wasn''t his.

    No man could ept being cuckolded.

    "Alright. You can get another test. If you don''t trust our hospital, you can go to a different one," the doctor advised.

    Crushing the report in his hand,

    rk stood up and told the doctor will go to another hospital. If t turns out your results were wrong, won''t let this go!"

    With that, he stormed out.

    Back in his car, rk tossed the report aside, his face dark. He drove straight to another hospital in the city.

    The results came back quickly, and they were identical to the first hospital''s.

    rk was utterly devastated. No matter how unwilling he was to ept the truth, he had to face it he had azoospermia.

    He asked the doctor if it was possible for someone with his condition to father a child.

    The doctor, clearly reluctant to hurt his feelings, spoke slowly. "Mr. Sumner, someone with azoospermia cannot father a child."

    Walking out of the hospital, rk felt

    the sunlight on his skin but no

    warmth. It felt cold. He hadn''t expected N''s words to be true-he

    true he really was the one with

    fertility issues.

    Why him? Why was it him?!

    rk clenched the report, fury zing in his eyes. How dare Jordyn deceive him?! He wouldn''t let her get away with it.

    There must have been something wrong with the test results from the body check-up he had undergone with N.

    Determined, he called Michael and said through gritted teeth, "Find out who tampered with N''s and my test results. Track down that person!"

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    ?

    After ending the call, rk called Jordyn. "Where are you now?"

    Upon hearing the suppressed anger in rk''s voice, Jordyn''s anxiety spiked. She bit her lip and instinctively lied, "I''m out shopping... What''s wrong?" "Get home right now. I need to talk to you!" rk snapped.

    "Okay..." Jordyn replied.

    Quickly, she contacted the investigator she had hired to look into rk, her voice filled with tension. "What did you find out?"

    "I was just about to call you. Other than going to the hospital for a check-up, rk hasn''t done anything unusual," the investigator reported.

    "What?!" Jordyn''s face went pale. Given rk''s recent strange behavior, she immediately concluded that he must be onto her.

    "I understand," she said before hanging up.

    Jordyn rushed to her bedroom, hastily gathering her jewelry, cards, and some clothes. She stuffed them into a suitcase and hurried out of the house.

    On the way to Jordyn''s ce, rk received a call from Michael.

    "Mr. Sumner, the report from your and Ms. Jayston''s previous tests was indeed tampered with. The doctor said Jordyn paid him arge sum to change the diagnosis, swapping your test results with hers. The actual infertile person is you..." Michael reported.

    By the end, his voice had dropped, clearly fearing rk''s reaction.

    To his surprise, rk''s demeanor remained calm as he instructed, "Got it. Find out where Jordyn is now. If she''s out, bring her back to her ce." "Understood," Michael replied.

    As he ended the call, he was still puzzled. Usually, news like this would evoke shock and anger, but rk seemed to have anticipated it.

    Michael recalled rk''s recent request for a check-up and began to piece things together.

    rk arrived at Jordyn''s home to

    find the bedroom in disarray, as if it

    had been ransacked. He sneered

    and sat

    on the couch in the living

    room, waiting for Michael to bring her back.

    Jordyn had just reached the bus station when she was intercepted.

    Michael''s expression was icy. "Ms. Cheatham, pleasee with us."

    Panicked, Jordyn tried to run, but with her pregnancy, she barely made it a few steps before being caught.

    "Let me go! I don''t want to go back! Let go of me!" she cried.

    Michael''s men ignored her pleas, forcibly pushed her into the car, and drove away.

    Jordyn, nked by tworge men who restrained her, had no chance to escape.

    Frightened, she red at Michael in the front seat. "Michael, are you rk''spdog? You do whatever he says! I won''t let you get away with this!"

    She had almost made it out-it was all Michael''s fault!

    Jordyn''s gaze was cold and venomous, but Michael remained unfazed. "Ms. Cheatham, you can keep cursing me, but it would be better to think about how you''ll ask Mr. Sumner for mercy. After all, there''s the child in your womb... and the test reports from Mr. Sumner and Ms. Jayston..."

    to

    Michael briefly nced at her visibly pregnant belly, his eyes filled with mockery. Jordyn was truly audacious for daring to deceive rk. Jordyn''s face turned ashen upon hearing that.

    Her earlier escape attempt had

    made her suspect that rk already knew the truth. She just hadn''t expected him to have uncovered even the bribery of the hospital to swap the check-up reports.

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    Michael turned his gaze forward at Jordyn''s silence, his expression unreadable.

    They soon arrived at her building. As she entered the living room, she saw rk sitting on the couch. His gaze was as icy as if he were staring at a corpse, sending a shiver down her spine.

    "rk..." Jordyn called out, stopping a few steps away, too afraid to move closer.

    rk smiled, but it was cruel and terrifying.

    A chill gripped Jordyn''s heart, and she instinctively stepped back. "rk, I know I was wrong. Please, let me go... I did it because I love you so much..."

    Tears filled her eyes, her face contorted with fear. rk''s menacing demeanor made her feel like he could snap and strangle her at any moment. "You love me so much?" rk''s smile twisted into something sinister.

    He red at her, speaking slowly. "You love me so much that you deliberately swapped my and N''s test results, stirred up trouble to make us divorce, and now you want me to believe that this bastard in your womb is mine? You sure do love me!"

    Each word was like a dagger to Jordyn''s heart, causing her to tremble and copse to the floor.

    She knew rk''s temperament too well-there was no way he''d let her off easily after such a betrayal.

    Biting her lip, she crawled toward him and clung to his legs. "rk, I''m sorry! I was blinded for a moment, but it was toote after that. I was too scared to tell you the truth... I''m sorryˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, rk kicked her away in disgust.

    "Ah!" Jordyn cried out.

    The force of the kick sent her crashing to the floor, pain shooting through her chest. She clutched it, drenched in cold sweat, her face ghastly pale. Michael rushed forward. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Cheatham is still pregnant. If something happens..."

    rk raised an eyebrow, his eyes dark and unreadable. "Thank you for reminding me. Take her to the hospital for an abortion."

    Jordyn''s face was ashen. The baby

    Though she had originally key

    was already five months along.

    child to hold on to rk, she had

    grown real feelings for it.

    "rk, please, let me keep this child. I promise I''ll never show up in front of you again. Please..." she pleaded, her face streaked with tears, looking pitiful.

    rk gripped her chin, speaking

    each word slowly and clearly.

    "Jordyn, you''ve cuckolded me, and

    now you want to keep this bastard child? Dream on! Michael, take her to the hospital."

    "No! You can''t take this baby away from me! Please, don''t..." she cried.

    rk turned away as Jordyn was dragged out, her pleas growing fainter until they disappeared.

    Michael hesitated before stepping forward. "Mr. Sumner, what should we do with Ms. Cheatham after the abortion?"

    "Let her go. She should never show her face around me again in this lifetime!" rk snapped.

    He deeply regretted ever having

    Jordyn as his secretary. If not for her

    position, she wouldn''t have been

    able to tamper with the test results, and he and N wouldn''t have divorced.

    A vicious glint crossed rk''s eyes as he thought of this.

    As Michael turned to leave, rk suddenly said, "No, I''ve changed my mind. Don''t let her leave so easily. I want her to suffer."

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    Taking note of the chilling aura surrounding rk, Michael couldn''t help but shiver with fear and nodded. "Okay. I understand."

    After Michael left, rk also drove away. Unwittingly, he found himself at the entrance of N''s apartmentplex.

    Memories of their past together filled him with a mixture of regret, both sour and bitter. If he hadn''t been tempted by Jordyn, if he had been more resolute, he and N wouldn''t have ended up like this.

    Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure-N, slowly heading toward the entrance of theplex while carrying two heavy bags.

    The weight of the bags forced her to stop and rest every few meters.

    As rk hesitated about whether to get out of the car, one of N''s bags broke, spilling the fruits onto the ground.

    Taking a deep breath, rk exited the car and walked swiftly toward N.

    N was picking up the fallen apples when she saw rk approaching. She immediately frowned, and her gaze grew guarded. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

    Seeing the distant look in her eyes, rk felt a pang of bitterness. "I was just passing by and noticed that you dropped your fruits..." Passing by?

    N''s apartmentplex wasn''t on a main road in Saintornia or on the way to his office. What were the chances of such a coincidence? N ignored him and didn''t take the apple he offered. She continued gathering the scattered fruits and turned to leave.

    rk tightened his grip on the apple, his face a mix of pain and restraint.

    After a moment''s hesitation, he followed her. "N, I came today to apologize... IˇŞ"

    N cut him off coldly. "rk, I don''t know what''s suddenlye over you, but won''t ept your apology or forgive you. If you really fee guilty, just stay away and don''t make me sick."

    rk smiled bitterly, understanding that the hurt he had caused N would make it difficult for her to forgive him easily. "N..." he began.

    N didn''t even nce at him as she walked straight into theplex.

    The security guard at the gate watched him warily, clearly remembering thest time he had harassed N.

    Watching N''s retreating figure, rk sighed and turned to leave.

    Over the next few days, rk lingered around the entrance of N''s apartmentplex whenever he had free time, hoping for a chance to see her.

    However, he didn''t catch sight of her again for an entire week. He began to wonder if N was deliberately avoiding him.

    A weekter, when rk finally saw N emerging from the building, his previously dull eyes brightened with hope.

    As soon as N reached the

    security booth, the guard opened the

    window and said, "Ms. Jayston, the man who was harassing you has been hanging around the entrance every day for the past week.

    "I''m not sure what he wants, so please be careful. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to call the security office."

    Following the guard''s direction, N spotted rk''s car parked not far away. She frowned slightly and nodded. "Okay, I understand. Thank you."

    Uncertain of rk''s intentions and

    not wanting to deal with him, she turned and headed toward the grocery store. The food and fruits fromst week were nearly depleted, so she needed to stock up for theing week.

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    ?

    Not long after N entered the grocery store, she noticed someone following her closely. Turning around, she saw rk standing not far away, his gaze intense and unreadable.

    She didn''t want to engage with him, so she quickly finished shopping, paid, and left the store.

    rk followed her the entire way but didn''t make any overt moves, leaving her with no grounds to call the police.

    Back at home, N decided to stay indoors as much as possible and order groceries online for delivery instead. She felt uneasy about rk''s unpredictable behavior and didn''t want to risk any potential confrontation.

    Although she considered asking Damon for help, thinking he might drive rk away, she didn''t want to get further entangled with the Sumners. After staring at her phone''s dial screen for a long moment, she eventually put the phone down.

    rk continued to linger around N''s apartment building for over two weeks. His constant absence from thepany began to frustrate the shareholders, who questioned Michael.

    "Where has Mr. Sumner been? He hasn''t been to thepany in half a month. Does he n to abandon his responsibilities?"

    "If he''s not interested in managing thepany, we should rece him. Thepany can run just fine without him!"

    "Did you all know? My secretary saw him at Golden Gate yesterday while delivering documents. When asked, my secretary found out that he''s been driving there every morning and only leaveste at night. No one knows what he''s doing there. Surely, he''s not just waiting for clients!"

    Upon hearing that, the shareholders'' frustration peaked. They demanded that Michael get rk to return and exin himself, or they would call a board meeting to elect a new CEO.

    Michael, with his back against the wall, repeatedly tried to contact rk, but his calls went unanswered.

    Despite his recent efforts to persuade rk to return to work, rk remained adamant about staying away.

    After several persuasion attempts, rk warned that further discussions would lead to Michael''s dismissal, leaving Michael with no choice but to concede.

    "Please calm down. I''ll reach out to Mr. Sumner again. I promise he will return to thepany by tomorrow," Michael assured.

    After much negotiation, the shareholders reluctantly left.

    Michael drove immediately to Golden Gate and, as expected, saw rk''s car parked not far from the entrance. He parked his car, sighed, and walked over to rk''s vehicle, tapping on the window.

    The window rolled down to reveal rk''s cold, detached face.

    "What is it?" rk asked.

    Michael said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, the shareholders have found out that you''ve been here for the past two weeks and they''re furious. They''ve threatened to hold a board meeting to rece you if you don''t return to thepany. There''s a lot of paperwork that needs your attention..."

    tof

    rk remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the entrance of Golden & Gate. He replied, "I neglected her too much for work before. Now, she is the most important thing to me."

    Michael paused before saying, "Mr. Sumner, if you want to win Ms. Jayston back, you need to focus on your work. After all, you still have your uncle to contend with."

    rk''s demeanor grew colder, and a surge of anger bubbled up inside him. He had almost forgotten the other reason for his and N''s separationˇŞit involved Damon.

    If Damon hadn''t pursued N, she might never have strayed.

 Chapter 468

    Seeing the shift in rkˇŻs mood, Michael continued. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you confront your uncle now, you have no chance of winning. The only way tope

    ˇ°YouˇŻre right. I need to get back to work,ˇ± rk replied.

    His motivation was not only to win N back but also to defeat Damon.

    Relieved that rk had taken his advice, Michael added, ˇ°By the way, Jordyn has almost recovered and will be discharged tomorrow. What do you n

    At the mention of Jordyn, rkˇŻs eyes grew cold. ˇ°Have some people keep an eye on her. I want her toe here and kneel until N forgives her. She

    then. Also, monitor her family closely. If she refuses toe, take action against them.ˇ±

    or were

    Although Jordyn was selfish, she was devoted to her family. Many of the gifts rk had given her sold to help her parents build a house and to provide f

    L

    rk had previously told her that her family was only interested in exploiting her, but she hadnˇŻt believed it. Now, he could use this against her.

    ˇ°Understood,ˇ± Michael replied before heading to the hospital.

    Since the abortion, Jordyn had been confined to the hospital. She had tried to escape several times, but each attempt had been thwarted, leaving her fe

    The door to her room opened with a click.

    As Michael walked in, he saw Jordyn lying motionless on the bed. He felt no sympathy for her plight.

    Although they had worked together for a while, Jordyn was always slow and sneaky, often making othersplete her work.

    Despite her actions, the other secretaries had had no choice but to endure her due to her rtionship with rk.

    Michael never expected Jordyn to be bold enough to manipte rk into taking responsibility for her child with another man.

    Michael approached the bed, his expression cold. ˇ°Jordyn, you can leave the hospital now.ˇ±

    JordynˇŻs eyes, previously nk, finally flickered with life as she looked up at Michael. ˇ°Really?ˇ±

    ˇ°Really. However, Mr. Sumner said you need to go to Ms. JaystonˇŻs apartmentplex and kneel there until she forgives you,ˇ± Michael replied.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not going!ˇ± JordynˇŻs face flushed red with anger and hatred. Kneeling before the person she despised most felt like a fate worse than death.

    MichaelˇŻs expression remained impassive. ˇ°If you refuse, you might find that something happens to your

    parents or brother.ˇ±

    Jordyn stared at him, her disbelief evident. ˇ°Are you threatening me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not a threat, just a

    reminder. You can choose not to go, but you should consider whether you can handle the consequences,ˇ± Michael said before turning to leave.

    The door closed behind him, and the guards stationed butside also withdrew.

    Jordyn bit her lip, quickly weighing her options. With over a million in her bank ount, she had enough. to take her family abroad and escape.

    Just as she was about to change clothes and purchase tickets for her familyˇŻs departure, her phone on the bedside table rang.

    Seeing ˇ°Momˇ± shing on the screen, she answered the call without hesitation.

 Chapter 469

    ˇ°Mom, you-ˇ± Jordyn began,

    Before she could finish, her motherˇŻs panicked voice interrupted, ˇ°Jordyn, rk sent people to take us to see you. After we ate what they gave us, we fe

    we are. Ask rk whatˇŻs going on!ˇ±

    A chill ran down JordynˇŻs spine, and she froze.

    rk had actually kidnapped her parents and brother to use as leverage against her!

    Her motherˇŻs anxious voice continued on the line.

    Jordyn took a deep breath and replied, ˇ°Mom, donˇŻt worry. Nothing will happen to you. IˇŻll go find rk.ˇ±

    She hung up and immediately headed to thepany to find him.

    After waiting all day, Jordyn.finally saw him leaving the office.

    As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, she rushed up to him, her teeth clenched. ˇ°rk, this is between us. Let my parents and brother go!ˇ±

    ˇ°Have you knelt and apologized to N?ˇ± rk asked.

    His cold re made Jordyn shiver. She couldnˇŻt bring herself to meet his eyes.

    ˇ°Iˇ­ˇ± She had intended to refuse, but she realized that saying so would only endanger her family further.

    rk warned, ˇ°I had Michael ry the message to you. As long as N doesnˇŻt forgive you, you wonˇŻt see your parents. And donˇŻt even think about esca

    Tears welled up in JordynˇŻs eyes as she looked at him. ˇ°rk, are you really this cruel?ˇ±

    rkˇŻs face hardened with disdain. ˇ°IˇŻm only asking you to beg N for forgiveness. If I were truly cruel, with what youˇŻve done to me, I coulde up w

    to destroy you!ˇ±

    The coldness and

    indifference in his eyes reminded Jordyn that he had never loved her, not even a little. If he did, he wouldnˇŻt be so indifferent to the betrayal.

    She bit her lip and wiped away her tears. ˇ°rk, you never cared about me, did you?ˇ±

    rkˇŻs eyes shed with contempt. ˇ°You were just a ything to me. Marrying you was only meant to make N

    jealous. I didnˇŻt care at all about the child you were carrying.ˇ±

    At that moment, Jordyn felt her heart shatter. A man who had never loved her from the start would nevere to love her.

    ˇ°Fine, I understand. IˇŻll go and beg N for forgiveness, she said and walked away.

    rk watched her retreating figure with a nk expression, his eyes devoid of warmth.

    In the evening, N received a call from the security guard informing her that a woman hade to see

    her.

    When she reached the entrance, she saw it was Jordyn As she was about to turn away, Jordyn suddenly dropped to her knees.

    ˇ°Ms. Jayston, IˇŻm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me,ˇ± Jordyn pleaded.

    N turned around and noticed JordynˇŻs t stomach. She was surprised, as Jordyn should have been noticeably pregnant by now.

    Despite this, she had no interest in investigating further and said coldly, Jordyn, I have nothing to say to you. Please leave.ˇ±

    She couldnˇŻt understand why both rk and Jordyn had recentlye to her to apologize.

    ˇ°Ms. Jayston, please forgive me. My family is in rkˇŻs hands. He said he wouldnˇŻt let them go if you donˇŻt forgive me,ˇ± Jordyn pleaded.

 Chapter 470

    N was stunned. rk was forcing Jordyn to ask for her forgiveness? Why?

    As she pondered rkˇŻs recent odd behavior and the unfolding events, her gaze fell upon JordynˇŻs t stomach.

    ˇ°Is the child youˇŻre carrying not rkˇŻs?ˇ± she asked.

    JordynˇŻs face froze in shock, confirming NˇŻs suspicion. Even if the child wasnˇŻt rkˇŻs, it seemed unlikely that he would suddenlye to apologize.

    The only possible exnation was that rk was truly infertiler

    years

    If that were the case, everything made sense: why she hadnˇŻt gotten pregnant after three of marriage, why rk seemed so conflicted and guilty¨C

    it all pointed to him being the one who was infertile!

    NˇŻs expression turned cold.

    ˇ°Tell him IˇŻm not interested in your problems. And let him know not toe here and disgust me anymore!ˇ± she snapped.

    Previously, N was believed to be infertile, and rk had used that against her. Now that he knew he was the infertile one, his pretense was utterly rev

    ˇ°Ms. Jayston, I know IˇŻve done many wrong things and have no right to ask for your forgiveness. But if you could just save my parents and brother¨C

    even if it means using my life to atone¨CI would be willing.ˇ± Jordyn pleaded.

    N showed no reaction to her pleas. She felt no sympathy for a mistress who had destroyed her family. Although she

    hade to understand rkˇŻs true nature, JordynˇŻs actions were equally repulsive.

    ˇ°What use is your life to me? And if youˇŻre pleading, you should be asking rk, not me,ˇ± N replied.

    As N turned to leave, Jordyn panicked and began begging loudly.

    However, NˇŻs footsteps never wavered, and she soon disappeared from JordynˇŻs view.

    JordynˇŻs heart burned with hatred and frustration. N could have saved her family with a single word but chose to stand by and watch.

    Taking a deep breath, Jordyn stood up. After onest nce in the direction N had gone, she turned and left.

    After finishing dinner, rk was informed by the butler that Jordyn was at the door. He wiped his hands with a napkin and said emotionlessly, ˇ°Let her in

    When Jordyn entered the living room, rk was lounging on the sofa, his eyes devoid of any emotion as he regarded her.

    Has N forgiven you yet?ˇ± he asked.

    Jordyn clenched her teeth and knelt in front of him. ˇ°rk, Ms. Jayston wonˇŻt forgive me. Please, let me

    go.ˇ±

    rk chuckled and grabbed her chin. ˇ°You schemed to get me to divorce N and then had a child iming to be mine. Do you really think I can let you

    His eyes were cold and merciless.

    Jordyn shivered in fear. She knew rk wasnˇŻt a saint but never thought her lies would be uncovered so

    soon.

    ˇ°rkˇ­ˇ± she pleaded.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt call me that. You donˇŻt deserve it,ˇ± rk interrupted.

    Jordyn bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears and giving her a pitiable look.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, what will it take for you to let me go?ˇ± she asked.

    rk released her chin and looked down at her. ˇ°IˇŻve said it before: beg N for forgiveness. As long as she forgives you, I will let you go.ˇ±

    Jordyn felt a wave of hopelessness. Both she and rk knew N would never forgive her.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, are you trying to drive me to despair?ˇ± she cried.

 Chapter 471

    ˇ°If you want to die, no one will stop you. But are you really willing to die?ˇ± rk retorted.

    Jordyn lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze.

    rk stood up and left without casting another nce at her.

    That night, Jordyn attempted suicide. Fortunately, she was found in time and rushed to the hospital, avoiding death.

    When rk heard the news, his expression didnˇŻt change. Coldly, he said, ˇ°Whatever. Let her be.ˇ±

    Michael lowered his eyes, feeling a trace of sympathy for Jordyn. No matter what, she had been involved with rk, yet he was so ruthless. He couldnˇŻt

    wonder if rk would treat him just as coldly one day when he too lost his usefulness.

    Michael pushed the thought away and left rkˇŻs office.

    After spending a few days in the hospital without a visit from rk, Jordyn realized that he wouldnˇŻt care even if she died right in front of him.

    She knew she had to take a different approach¨Cstarting with N.

    Just as she was about to reach out to N, she received a call from Reba. They arranged to meet at a cafe near the hospital.

    When Reba saw JordynˇŻs pale face and the bandages around her hand, her eyes filled with mockery.

    ˇ°What do you want from me?ˇ± Jordyn asked.

    Reba smiled. ˇ°I heard rk made you kneel outside NˇŻs apartment to beg for her forgiveness, and she didnˇŻt even look at you.ˇ±

    ˇ°What does that have to do with you?ˇ± JordynˇŻs expression turned cold, her gaze sharp.

    ˇ°Look at yourself, in such a pitiful state. YouˇŻve lost your baby, and rk has discarded you like trash. If I donˇŻt help you, no one will,ˇ± Reba said.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt need your help. And let me ask you¨Cwas it you who told rk the truth?ˇ± Jordyn asked.

    Meeting JordynˇŻs usatory stare, Reba shook her head. ˇ°I told you before, it wasnˇŻt me. But IˇŻve discovered something interesting that you might

    want to know.ˇ±

    Reba handed her a file. ˇ°Read this. If you want to work with me, give me a call.ˇ±

    Jordyn took the file and skimmed through it, her expression darkening with each page.

    ˇ°Is this true?ˇ± she asked.

    ˇ°If you donˇŻt believe me, you can ask rk. I bet N must have said something to make him suspect heˇŻs

    the one whoˇŻs infertile after she met with him following her pregnancy. ThatˇŻs why he went back to get tested again,ˇ± Reba replied.

    At JordynˇŻs silence, Reba sighed. ˇ°If I were you, I wouldnˇŻt let N get away with it so easily after everything sheˇŻs done.ˇ±

    Jordyn mmed the file on the table and said coldly, ˇ°IˇŻm not going to help you. If you want to take down N, do it yourself. DonˇŻt think you can use

    me as your scapegoat.ˇ±

    With that, she turned and stormed out in a fury.

    Reba smiled but didnˇŻt try to stop Jordyn. It didnˇŻt matter if Jordyn refused now. Sooner orter, she would be a pawn in RebaˇŻs game.

    After leaving the cafe, JordynˇŻs anger simmered. She hated N even more. If it werenˇŻt for N, she wouldnˇŻt be in this mess.

    She wanted revenge on N, but she refused to let Reba manipte her.

    Taking a deep breath, Jordyn hailed a cab and left.

    In the days that followed, Jordyn returned to kneel outside NˇŻs apartment, staying there from morning until night.

    As time passed, more people began

    to notice her. Discussions popped up online about why she was kneeling, and people soon dug up her past involving N and rk.

    The story gained traction, and eventually, attention turned toward N as well.

 Chapter 472

    After people discovered that Jordyn was the mistress who had caused rk and NˇŻs divorce, most condemned her, insisting she deserved it.

    However, a few believed N was being too harsh, refusing to forgive Jordyn even after she pleaded on her knees outside her apartment.

    As the situation gained traction, Damon found out as well. He called rk directly. ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on with Jordyn?ˇ±

    rk raised an eyebrow. ˇ°DidnˇŻt expect you to hear about this, Uncle Damon.ˇ±

    ˇ°rk, NˇŻs life is finally back to normal. IˇŻm warning you, stop letting Jordyn harass her!ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice

    was piercing.

    rkughed. ˇ°IˇŻll return your warning. Stay away from N. IˇŻve decided to pursue her again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you out of your mind?ˇ± Damon shot back.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt understand, N and I have years of history. As long as you stop interfering, weˇŻll get back together,ˇ± rk insisted, sounding determined.

    DamonˇŻs tone turned frosty. ˇ°YouˇŻre dreaming. SheˇŻs never going to give you another chance.ˇ±

    After all, he hadnˇŻt even done anything with Reba, yet N still refused to

    forgive him. How much less likely would she be to forgive rk, who had actually cheated on her with Jordyn and even married her?

    rk, however, remained confident. ˇ°You donˇŻt need to worry about that, Uncle Damon. Just make sure you donˇŻt get in my way. Otherwise, donˇŻt me

    ˇ°If you go near her, IˇŻll make sure those business deals youˇŻve got going fall apart.ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice was calm and steady, yet carried an undeniable weigh

    rkˇŻs face twisted with anger.

    Just as he was about to retort, the call cut off, leaving only the dial tone.

    He cursed loudly, mming his phone on the desk, fury burning in his eyes.

    Just then, Michael knocked on the door and entered. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, someone filmed Jordyn kneeling outside Ms. JaystonˇŻs apartment and posted it online

    rk frowned. ˇ°Delete everything rted to N from the Inte and get Jordyn out of there. Wait for the situation to die down for now.ˇ±

    Michael nodded. ˇ°Understood. IˇŻll take care of it right away.ˇ±

    However, by the time he contacted the backend of the social media tform, he realized that Damon had already handled the situation.

    He hurried to report this to rk, whose expression darkened upon hearing the news.

    rk gritted his teeth. ˇ°Looks like Uncle Damon really is trying to steal N from me.ˇ±

    Michael kept his head down, knowing he had no ce toment

    since Damon was rkˇŻs uncle. Instead, he asked, ˇ°What should I do next, Mr. Sumner?ˇ±

    ˇ°Get Jordyn out of there first. I donˇŻt want her showing up at NˇŻs apartment anymore. And clear out the paparazzi while youˇŻre at it,ˇ± rk instructed.

    After Michael left, rkˇŻs phone suddenly rang.

    Upon seeing NˇŻs number on the screen, his eyes lit up, and he quickly answered, ˇ°N, youˇŻre calling me? I didnˇŻt expect-ˇ±

    NˇŻs cold voice cut him off. ˇ°Can you make Jordyn leave? SheˇŻs been staying outside my apartment, and itˇŻs disrupting my life.ˇ±

    If Vrie hadnˇŻt

    called her, she wouldnˇŻt have even known that Jordyn kneeling outside had gone viral online. All she wanted now was to focus on her studies without dis

    rk quickly reassured her, ˇ°N, everything online has been taken care of, and Jordyn will be gone soon. DonˇŻt worry. I wonˇŻt let this bother you any lo

    ˇ°If possible, IˇŻd appreciate it if both you and she stayed out of my life from now on. IˇŻm sick of it,ˇ± N said.

 Chapter 473

    ˇ°Nˇ­ˇ± Before rk could finish his sentence, the dial tone cut him off.

    When he tried to call N back, the line was busy.

    It was obvious that N had taken him off her block list just to make that call, only to block him again

    afterward.

    rk felt a little helpless but couldnˇŻt help chuckling. She was still the same as ever, petty when she was mad. He liked her just like that.

    On the other end, N set her phone down in irritation. She had just managed to

    distance herself from Damon, and now rk was hovering around like a persistent fly¨Cdisgusting and infuriating.

    Did he really think his behavior would win her over?

    Taking a deep breath, she pushed the thought of him out of her mind, picked up her pen, and returned to studying.

    For the next few days, everything was calm.

    N thought

    the matter was over, but as soon as she stepped out of her apartmentplex, she ran right into rk, who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

    ˇ°N, IˇŻd like to talk to you,ˇ± said rk.

    N shot him a cold nce. ˇ°What do you want now?ˇ±

    Upon seeing the indifference and disgust in her eyes, rkˇŻs face darkened.

    In a low voice, he said, ˇ°N, IˇŻm sorry. I didnˇŻt appreciate you before, but I realize my mistake now. Can you give me another

    chance? LetˇŻs start over. I swear there wonˇŻt be any other women. IˇŻll love only you for the rest of my life.ˇ±

    He spoke with such sincerity that it felt like he was ready to swear an oath.

    ˇ°Pfft!ˇ± N couldnˇŻt help butugh. ˇ°rk, do I look like a recycling station to you? You figured out that youˇŻre the infertile one, and now you

    regret everything?

    ˇ°Well, I want kids. Can you give me that?ˇ±

    Her words struck rk like a dagger. His hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into fists, and his whole body tensed. His face went pale.

    ˇ°If you canˇŻt have children, stop trying to cling to me,ˇ± N said, turning to leave.

    He grabbed her wrist. ˇ°N, are kidsˇ­ really that important to you?ˇ±

    His expression was strained as if she had done something to wrong him.

    N yanked her hand free and said emphatically, ˇ°DidnˇŻt you use my supposed infertility against me back then? Why is it eptable for you to

    use it, but not for me?

    ˇ°And yes, I do want kids. If youˇŻre okay with me having them with another man, maybe IˇŻll reconsider getting back with you.ˇ±

    When N returned from the store, rk was gone. She didnˇŻt care, though.

    She quickly headed back into theplex before he could reappear.

    Just as she reached her building, she spotted a familiar figure.

    She frowned, walked over, and said coolly, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, how did you get in here?ˇ±

    Her apartmentplex had pretty tight security, and outside visitors werenˇŻt usually allowed in.

    ˇ°I have a unit here,ˇ± Damon replied.

    N was surprised, but her expression quickly returned to normal. Given DamonˇŻs wealth, owning property anywhere was no shock.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt tell me your ce is in the same building as mine,ˇ± she retorted.

    Damon smiled. ˇ°No, not quite. I saw the news about you and Jordyn online and came to check if youˇŻre alright.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm fine. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Sumner. ItˇŻste, so I wonˇŻt invite you up. Goodbye,ˇ± N replied.

    As she walked past him, DamonˇŻs deep voice echoed behind her. ˇ°N, rk told me today that he ns to pursue you again.ˇ±

 Chapter 474

    N stopped in her tracks and looked at Damon. ˇ°Oh? So?ˇ±

    The coldness in her eyes made DamonˇŻs gaze dim slightly, and his voice lowered. ˇ°Nothing. I just thought you wouldnˇŻt give him another chance.ˇ±

    ˇ°If you have nothing else to say, Mr. Sumner, please stop bothering me in the future,ˇ± N replied.

    His obvious attempt to probe her feelings felt pointless to her. She had no intention of giving rk another chance, and she certainly

    wasnˇŻt going to give Damon one either.

    Back home, N decided to stay indoors for a while to avoid running into anyone from the Sumners or Jordyn. She also began considering whether she

    After all the entanglements with rk and Jordyn, she strongly felt that staying in Saintornia would only lead to more harassment.

    With that thought in mind, she picked up the phone and called Caroline.

    rk had just arrived at his vi when he spotted a disheveled Jordyn standing under a streemp. She looked pale and utterly exhausted.

    The moment Jordyn saw rkˇŻs car, she rushed forward and threw herself in front of it.

    Startled, rk mmed on the brakes.

    The car stopped just inches from her, and he jumped out, furious. Grabbing her by the arm, he yanked her to the side. ˇ°Jordyn, if you want to die, do it so

    Stop disgusting me with your presence!ˇ±

    With a thud, Jordyn dropped to her knees in front of him.

    Tears filled her reddened eyes as she looked up at him. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I did everything you asked. Please, I beg you, let my family go.

    ˇ°My father has asthma¨CIˇŻm scared something will happen to him. I know I was wrong. IˇŻll do anything you want. Just let them go.ˇ±

    Her plea was full of desperation, but rkˇŻs gaze remained cold. ˇ°I told you: as long as N doesnˇŻt forgive you, I wonˇŻt let your family go.ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ˇ± Jordyn reached out, trying to grab rkˇŻs sleeve, but he recoiled in disgust.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt touch me with your filthy hands,ˇ± he spat.

    Just thinking

    about how Jordyn had slept with other men while they were together made rk feel sick to his stomach. His expression of disgust deepened.

    How blind had he been to think Jordyn was better than N?

    Now, looking at Jordyn, he realized she wasnˇŻt even worthy of beingpared to a single finger of NˇŻs.

    Seeing the loathing in rkˇŻs eyes, Jordyn trembled. She gripped the hem of her clothes, tears rolling

    down her cheeks as a cold chill spread through her heart.

    She had been with rk for so long. Aside from the matter of the child, she had always been sincere. Yet now, he despised her to the

    point of wanting nothing to do with her.

    ˇ°rk, do you really have no feelings for me at all? Are you trying to drive me to despair?ˇ± she questioned.

    ˇ°Feelings? We were just a business transaction. ThereˇŻs no such thing as feelings,ˇ± rk replied.

    Without another nce at her, he got back in his car and drove off.

    Jordyn didnˇŻt chase after him. Her tear¨Cfilled eyes followed his car until it disappeared into the driveway of the vi, the gate slowly closing behind it.

    For a moment, she stood there dazed before finally turning to leave.

    Back home, the first thing Jordyn did was dial RebaˇŻs number.

    ˇ°You said before that you wanted to take down N. IˇŻm willing to help, and I can take the fall for whatever happens. But you have to promise

    me one thing,ˇ± she said.

    Reba was lounging on the balcony of her room when she heard that. She raised an eyebrow. ˇ°And whatˇŻs the condition?ˇ±

    ˇ°I want to use N to force rk to let my family go. As long as my family is safe, IˇŻll do whatever you want,ˇ± Jordyn stated.

 Chapter 475

    Reba pondered for a moment before agreeing with a smile. ˇ°Alright, I can help, but thereˇŻs no need for unnecessary theatrics. I can get your family

    out, but I wonˇŻt let them go until youˇŻve helped me deal with N.ˇ±

    JordynˇŻs face turned cold as she gritted her teeth. ˇ°No need. Just make sure you help them leave when the timees.ˇ±

    If her family fell into RebaˇŻs hands, it wouldnˇŻt be any different than being under rkˇŻs control. She would still be ckmailed into doing

    things she didnˇŻt want to do.

    Reba let out a lightugh, her toneced with mockery. ˇ°Ms.

    Cheatham, youˇŻre not really in a position to make demands. Either I help get your family out, or you figure it out yourself.ˇ±

    ˇ°Reba, youˇŻre kicking me while IˇŻm down!ˇ± Jordyn hissed.

    JordynˇŻs anger didnˇŻt faze Reba. If anything, it made her smile even wider. ˇ°I didnˇŻt want to do this, but you handed me this leverage on a silver tte

    Silence fell on the other end of the line.

    The quiet stretched long enough that it felt like no one was there.

    Reba wasnˇŻt in a rush. She set her phone down on the table and took a sip of red wine. She knew Jordyn woulde around.

    After what felt like ages, JordynˇŻs reluctant voice

    came through. ˇ°Fine, IˇŻll do it. But if anything happens to my family, IˇŻll tell Damon everything youˇŻve done.ˇ±

    ˇ°Rx. Your family will be safer with me than they ever were with rk,ˇ± Reba assured her.

    After hanging up, Reba immediately called Troy, instructing him to find out where JordynˇŻs parents were being held.

    Troy sounded irritated. ˇ°Ms. Austen, IˇŻm Mr. PrestonˇŻs assistant, not yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, Mr. Cantrill, when I was visiting Nathaniel yesterday, I identally overheard a phone call you

    had in the stairwell. And wouldnˇŻt you know it, I identally recorded it.

    ˇ°I wonder how Nathaniel would feel if he heard youˇŻve been embezzlingpany funds to y the stock market. I doubt youˇŻd just lose your job¨C

    you might even end up in prison. What do you think?ˇ± RebaˇŻs tone dripped with sarcasm.

    If she hadnˇŻt overheard TroyˇŻs secret, she never would have known he had the nerve to misappropriatepany investments, only to lose everything.

    TroyˇŻs breathing grew heavy, his voice thick with barely contained anger. ˇ°Fine, IˇŻll handle it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good. ThereˇŻs no need to bother Nathaniel with this¨CheˇŻs got enough on his te,ˇ± Reba reminded him.

    Understood, Ms. Austen,ˇ± Troy replied.

    After hanging up, Reba smirked. It wouldnˇŻt be long before N disappeared from this world, and she

    would finally have Damon back.

    Troy worked quickly. In less than a day, he discovered where JordynˇŻs family was being held and arranged for their rescue.

    Following RebaˇŻs instructions, he relocated them to a safe location.

    Thanks to TroyˇŻs efforts, Jordyn was able to reunite with her parents and brother.

    The moment she saw her parents, both visibly thinner, tears welled up in her eyes. ˇ°Dad, Mom, IˇŻm so sorry you had to go through thisˇ­ˇ±

    JordynˇŻs father looked grim. He raised his hand, ready to strike her, demanding to know what she had done to

    cause this mess, but his wife quickly grabbed his arm.

    Stepping forward, JordynˇŻs mother rasped, ˇ°Jordyn, weˇŻre family. DonˇŻt say such things. But what happened? How did you upset rk so badly

    that he had us locked up?ˇ±

 Chapter 476

    Jordyn shook her head. ˇ°Mom, itˇŻs a long story. IˇŻll exinter. everything is taken care of, IˇŻlle get you.ˇ±

    1 now,

    just settle in here. Once

    Her father frowned, anger evident in his voice. ˇ°So, what? WeˇŻre just supposed to stay locked up in this ce?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dad, just bear with it a little while longer. It wonˇŻt be much longer, I promise,ˇ± Jordyn assured him.

    Before her father could say more, her mother interjected, ˇ°Alright, I understand. Jordyn, I donˇŻt know what happened between you and rk, but you hav

    make things work.ˇ± ˇ°Yeah, I know,ˇ± Jordyn replied.

    yn, I donˇŻt care whatˇŻs going on between

    Nearby, her brother wore a long face as he raised his voice. you and rk. IˇŻm going on vacation with my girlfriend next week. If you havenˇŻt sorted

    this out by then, youˇŻre going to pay for it!ˇ±

    His tone dripped with impatience and resentment.

    Having been their parentsˇ® golden child his entire life and with

    Jordyn always yielding to him, he had developed a spoiled and entitled attitude. If it werenˇŻt for Jordyn marrying rk, he wouldnˇŻt even be speaking to h

    he would have resorted to physical threats by now.

    ustomed to their family dynamics, Jordyn didnˇŻt find anything unusual about this treatment. ˇ°I got it.ˇ± ustomed to their family

    dynamics, Jordyn dic

    After spending about half an hour with her family, Jordyn left and headed straight to meet Reba at a private cafe.

    ˇ°Reba, thank you for getting my parents and brother out,ˇ± Jordyn said.

    Reba smirked. ˇ°No need to thank me. I just need your help in dealing with N.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you want me to do?ˇ± Jordyn asked.

    Reba replied ominously, ˇ°Kidnap N. Make sure she disappears from this world for good.ˇ±

    Although Jordyn had mentally prepared herself for this, hearing it out loud still made her bite her lip. She took a deep breath and nodded. ˇ°Alright. But yo

    have to help me.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry. IˇŻll get someone to assist you,ˇ± Reba promised.

    Troy was the perfect aplice. If anything went wrong, she could easily pin the me on him and Jordyn, ensuring she woulde out unscathed.

    As she contemted this, her smile deepened.

    Three days after contacting Caroline, N received another call from her.

    ˇ°Hey, I found a ce for you! Buy your ticket to Capitarnia and let me know when youˇŻreing. IˇŻll pick you up and take you there,ˇ± Caroline offered.

    NˇŻs face lit up with excitement. ˇ°Thank you so much! IˇŻll pack my things and buy a ticket in the next few days.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sounds good,ˇ± Caroline replied.

    After hanging up, N made a list of items she needed to pack and began considering how to sublet her apartment.

    She spent the afternoon organizing her clothes and mailing them ahead, then focused on sorting through her other belongings.

    When Vrie found out that N was leaving for Capitarnia, she rushed over in less than half an hour.

    ˇ°Are you really leaving?ˇ± she asked.

    N continued packing as she replied, ˇ°Yeah. IˇŻll finish packing in the next couple of days and then sublet the apartment. Staying here would

    just mean more harassment from rk and Jordyn.ˇ±

    Vrie frowned. ˇ°Why donˇŻt you just stay at my ce? If you live with me, those two scumbags wonˇŻt be able to bother you.ˇ±

    Deep down, she didnˇŻt want N to leave. Once N moved to Capitarnia, they wouldnˇŻt see each other as often.

    It may only be a three¨C

    hour flight between the cities, but their lives would take different paths. They also wouldnˇŻt be able to meet up and chat whenever they wanted, as they

    could now.

 Chapter 477

    N shook her head. ˇ°Even if I moved in with you, it would only be a temporary escape. Sooner or

    later, theyˇŻd find a way to show up again. Plus, I need to ask my senior some questions for my exam prep, so heading to Capitarnia is a good idea.ˇ±

    Seeing her resolve, Vrie didnˇŻt push further. After all, moving to Capitarnia was probably better than staying here and dealing with constant harassmen

    Vrie sighed. ˇ°Alright then. IˇŻm just going to miss you,

    Noticing VrieˇŻs sad expression, N felt a twinge of sadness as well. She never imagined sheˇŻd be

    f moving to another city, let alone going back to studying.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be sad. If you miss me, just video call anytime ore visit me,ˇ± sheforted.

    Vrie sighed again. ˇ°I guess thatˇŻs all I can do. Let me help you pack.ˇ±

    They spent the entire afternoon packing.

    By evening, N had sorted everything into two piles¨Cthings to take and things to leave behind.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough for today. LetˇŻs go. DinnerˇŻs on me,ˇ± N said.

    Vrie didnˇŻt hesitate, immediately suggesting a fancy restaurant.

    They drove separately to the location.

    As they parked, N unexpectedly ran into Oliver.

    ˇ°Ms. Jayston, what a surprise to see you here!ˇ± Oliver eximed, looking excited.

    Whether it was the lighting or NˇŻs imagination, he seemedˇ­ a little flushed.

    N gave him a polite smile. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, are you here for dinner?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm meeting a client. I didnˇŻt get the chance to ask for your contact info at VrieˇŻs birthday party. Would you mind if

    we exchanged numbers?ˇ± His voice was gentle, and the look in his eyes hinted at hope.

    ˇ°Of course,ˇ± N replied.

    They exchanged numbers, and Oliver went ahead to meet his client.

    As Vrie walked up, she noticed OliverˇŻs back as he entered the restaurant. ˇ°Why does that guyˇŻs back Jook familiar?ˇ±

    N raised an eyebrow. ˇ°ThatˇŻs your ex¨Cssmate. You introduced him to me at your birthday party, remember?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh right, thatˇŻs Oliver! I knew he looked familiar. I was actually thinking about setting you up with him,ˇ± Vrie said.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not interested in a rtionship right now,ˇ± N replied.

    ˇ°I know, but you could at least start as friends. DonˇŻt let OliverˇŻs looks fool you¨Chis family is actually

    pretty well¨C

    off. They run a business in Capitarnia, and heˇŻs only here to gain some experience. He might even head back to take over the family business in a few y

    N couldnˇŻt help butugh. ˇ°Do you think heˇŻd be interested in me in that case?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course! YouˇŻre gorgeous. If I were a guy, IˇŻd be head over heels for you.ˇ± Vrie yfully pinched NˇŻs cheek, her expression mischievous.

    N shot her a look. ˇ°Thanks, but

    looks are the least valuable thing. If you rely on your appearance to attract men, youˇŻll end up losing. I wonˇŻt always be 18, but there will

    always be younger girls around.ˇ±

    Vrie replied, ˇ°I was just joking, but actuallyˇ­ˇ±

    Seeing Vrie hesitate, N frowned. ˇ°What is it? Spit it out.ˇ±

    After a moment of indecision, Vrie chose not to tell N that Oliver had asked her to introduce them.

    Judging by NˇŻs attitude, she clearly wasnˇŻt interested in pursuing anything with him. It was better to let things unfold naturally.

    If they were meant to be, the universe would bring them together eventually.

    ?

    Vrie decided to simply say, ˇ°Nothing, really. IˇŻm just starving. LetˇŻs get inside¨CI could eat a whole cow right now!ˇ±

 Chapter 478

    Just as N and Vrie were about to leave after finishing dinner, they ran into Oliver again, who had justpleted his business meeting.

    ˇ°Ms. Jayston, Vrie, what a coincidence,ˇ± Oliver greeted them warmly.

    Vrie raised an eyebrow, a yful glint in her eyes. ˇ°It really is.ˇ±

    Oliver turned to N, his tone gentle. ˇ°Ms. Jayston, did you two have any drinks tonight? I can give you a ride home if you need.ˇ±

    N shook her head. ˇ°No. We didnˇŻt drink, and both of us drove here. But thanks for the offer, Mr. Raynor.ˇ±

    A flicker of disappointment crossed OliverˇŻs face, but he quickly recovered with a smile. ˇ°Alright then, maybe we can grab a meal together sometime.ˇ±

    Vrie chimed in with a smile. ˇ°I doubt thereˇŻll be a chance for that. N is leaving for Capitarnia in a few days.ˇ±

    Oliver froze for a moment. ˇ°Ms. Jayston, why are you moving to Capitarnia?ˇ±

    His eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at N.

    ˇ°IˇŻm nning to work there,ˇ± N replied.

    She didnˇŻt want to share too many details since they werenˇŻt close, so she kept it brief. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, itˇŻs gettingte. WeˇŻll be heading out. Goodbye.ˇ±

    Sensing her distant tone, Oliver looked a bit disheartened. He wasnˇŻt oblivious¨Che could tell N wasnˇŻt interested in him.

    His smile grew stiff. ˇ°Alright then, Ms. Jayston. Goodbye.ˇ±

    N nodded and walked toward the parking lot.

    Vrie caught up to her and, noticing her stern expression, immediately pleaded, ˇ°N, IˇŻm sorry! I wonˇŻt say stuff like that again, I promise!ˇ±

    N stopped and looked at her. ˇ°Vrie, from what IˇŻve seen, Oliver seems like a nice guy with a good heart. Since I have

    no intention of getting involved with him, I donˇŻt think itˇŻs fair for him to know too much about my personal life. Otherwise, heˇŻll be the one who ends

    up hurt.ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand. I just thought that since heˇŻs an old ssmate of mine and you donˇŻt have a boyfriend right now, it might

    be worth giving him a chanceˇ­ˇ± Vrie exined.

    ˇ°HeˇŻs a great person, but IˇŻm not the right fit for him. Besides, IˇŻm not looking for a new rtionship right now. Please donˇŻt do this

    again,ˇ± N said sternly.

    Vrie quickly replied, ˇ°I understand! I swear, I wonˇŻt meddle anymore. You know I canˇŻt stand it when youˇŻre mad at me.ˇ±

    N rolled her eyes. ˇ°If you really know that, then keep your mouth shut next time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright, alright! Whatever you say. I wonˇŻt take matters into my own hands again,ˇ± Vrie coaxed.

    Back home, N continued packing for a while before heading to bed.

    The next morning, she disposed of what she didnˇŻt need and mailed most of her books. She kept only a few outfits

    and some essential books for the short term.

    Looking around the now¨Cempty apartment, N felt a pang of sadness.

    The ce felt devoid of life. If she hadnˇŻt been forced to leave, she wouldnˇŻt have done so so soon. After all, Saintornia had been her home for over 2 ye

    Once she confirmed that everything had been mailed, she bought a train ticket for the next morning. She hesitated momentarily, wondering whether she

    Since theirst tense encounter there, they hadnˇŻt spoken. She had no idea how his health had been in the meantime.

    After some indecision, N finally decided to go. This might be one of herst chances, as

    she probably wouldnˇŻt visit Saintornia often after moving to Capitarnia.

    With her mind made up, she grabbed her bag and drove to the hospital.

    N paused at the door to the hospital room, her hand on the doorknob.

    Just as she was about to open it, she overheard WrenˇŻs voice from inside.

    ˇ°Harrison, NˇŻs behavior is really out of line. Does she really n to cut ties with you? She hasnˇŻt

    come to see you once this entire time. ItˇŻs been Gabriel running around, taking care of everything every time your health declines.

    ˇ°Sighˇ­ IˇŻll stop talking about it, or youˇŻll say IˇŻm being too much again. After all, IˇŻm just a stepmotherˇ­ˇ±

 Chapter 479

    The room fell silent for a few seconds, NˇŻs hand on the door handle, unmoving. She wanted to hear how Harrison would respond¨Cwhether

    he would defend her orˇ­

    Finally, HarrisonˇŻs voice, weak and strained, broke the silence. ˇ°DonˇŻt mention her in front of

    me again. From now on, IˇŻll act as if I never had this daughter.ˇ±

    NˇŻs hand slowly rxed, and she looked down with a bitter smile.

    It seemed Harrison was truly disappointed in her and no longer wanted to acknowledge her as his daughter. That was fine, though. It allowed her to leav

    Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked aw

    Wren watched the shadow at the door disappear, a cold glint shing in her eyes.

    Turning back to Harrison, she put on a smile. ˇ°Well, I know you. YouˇŻre just upset. YouˇŻre still angry because she hasnˇŻte to see you during

    this time. If she hade, youˇŻd probably be overjoyed.ˇ±

    Harrison snorted and said nothing more.

    After a moment, he couldnˇŻt help but ask, ˇ°Do you think I should call her? ItˇŻs not good to keep this stalemate going.ˇ±

    ˇ°I think you should wait a bit longer. If you give in now, she might think sheˇŻs in the right and continue down the wrong path. WeˇŻre doing this

    for her own good,ˇ± Wren suggested.

    Harrison fell silent, lost in thought.

    On the way back, N reflected on the conversation she had overheard outside the hospital room.

    It still hurt, and she found herself lost in thought, not noticing that a car had been following her.

    Before, Harrison had treated her very well, almost doting on her before remarrying. Things had changed

    over time.

    At first, she did not believe that a stepmother could alter a home, but now she knew it was true. From the moment Harrison married

    Wren, the home had be theirs, no longer hers.

    As she thought about it, her eyes began to well up.

    Losing her home was painful, but she promised herself she would love herself and build a new life¨Cnot just for herself, but for her baby as well.

    She subconsciously ced a hand on her still¨Ct stomach, feeling a glimmer of hope and anticipation once again.

    Suddenlyˇ­ the trunk of NˇŻs car was hit hard, causing it to lurch forward uncontrobly.

    N mmed on the brakes, the tires screeching as they skidded for seven or eight meters before finallying to a stop.

    Her face went pale with fear as she instinctively covered her abdomen. Thankfully, she didnˇŻt feel any

    unusual sensations.

    She breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nced in the rearview mirror.

    A ck van had stopped behind her, and a man in sunsses emerged from the driverˇŻs seat.

    A sense of dread rose in NˇŻs heart. She locked her car doors and reached for her phone to call the police.

    In her panic, however, her hands were shaking, causing the phone to slip and fall into the gap between the driverˇŻs seat and the door.

    Biting her lip, she hurried to retrieve the phone.

    At that moment, a loud crash came from the back seat, followed by the sound of ss shattering. The rear window had been broken.

    N turned and saw the man in sunsses wielding a baseball bat, with another man standing beside

    him.

    ˇ°What do you want?ˇ± she demanded.

 Chapter 480

    As N spoke, she fumbled for the carˇŻs ignition and mmed it.

    Hearing the engine roar to life, the man immediately reached into the car, attempting to open the back

    door.

    Without hesitation, N floored the gas pedal, and the car surged forward, dragging the man with it.

    He didnˇŻt let go. Instead, he clung to the door and growled, ˇ°YouˇŻre dead, you filthy bitch!ˇ±

    N tried to elerate to throw him off, but not only did he hold onto the door but also started climbing

    into the car. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her face grawing paler.

    Finally, she made up her mind and mmed the gas pedal again, elerating rapidly.

    Now the man showed real fear. ˇ°Stop! You filthy bitch! Or IˇŻll kill you!ˇ±

    At this speed, he could be thrown off and killed instantly if he wasnˇŻt careful.

    Just as N was about to throw him off, arge truck appeared directly before her, barreling toward her.

    Her face went pale, and she swerved sharply to the right.

    The car mmed into a tree, and ck smoke billowed up immediately.

    NˇŻs head struck the seat back with tremendous force, sending sharp pain through her body and causing her to lose consciousness instantly.

    The man who had been holding onto the car door was thrown from the impact, his body flying several meters before crashing to the ground.

    The truck came to a stop. A woman dressed in ck, wearing a mask and hat, stepped out and approached the wrecked car.

    When she saw N unconscious and bloodied, she sneered. Pulling open the car door, she dragged N

    out.

    After tossing N into the truckˇŻs cargo area, the woman quickly drove away.

    Not long after the truck left, NˇŻs car exploded with a loud bang.

    mes shot up into the sky, and the thick smoke attracted attention from afar.

    ˇ­

    In the CEO office of the Preston Group, NathanielˇŻs face was grim as he mmed a file down in front of Troy.

    ˇ°What are you doing?! I asked you to bring her back, not kill her! If Damon finds out IˇŻm behind this, weˇŻll be enemies for life!ˇ± he snarled.

    Troy lowered his head. ˇ°Mr. Preston, our team

    chose a route without surveince, so it shouldnˇŻt be discoveredˇ­ Besides, Ms. JaystonˇŻs body hasnˇŻt been found at the scene yetˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Shut up!ˇ± Nathaniel growled.

    NˇŻs cary reduced to a charred wreck. With the explosion, any remains would have turned to ash long ago. It was crucial to cover this up!

    ˇ°Where are the people you sent?ˇ± Nathaniel demanded.

    Troy reported, ˇ°One is severely injured and in aa at the hospital. The other two have been hidden.ˇ±

    ˇ°Immediately arrange for them to leave the country. We must ensure Damon never links this to me. It was just an ident,ˇ± Nathaniel instructed.

    ˇ°Yes, sir!ˇ± Troy replied.

    After Troy left, Nathaniel felt a heavy weight pressing down on him.

    NˇŻs ident was closely tied to him, and considering DamonˇŻs affection for her, he couldnˇŻt imagine the consequences if Damon learned the truth.

    Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Nathaniel quickly reviewed any details that still needed handling. Meanwhile, Reba

    received a call from Jordyn. ˇ°SheˇŻs been captured. What should I do next?ˇ±

    Reba provided an address and instructed in a low voice, ˇ°Just send her to this location. DonˇŻt worry about anything else.ˇ±

 Chapter 481

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs it?ˇ± Jordyn asked in disbelief.

    She had expected Reba to ask her to kill N herself.

    ˇ°Yes, thatˇŻs it. After you finish this, you can go pick up your parents and brother,ˇ± Reba replied calmly.

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Jordyn muttered.

    After ending the call, Reba smiled, her heart brimming with satisfaction. She had no

    intention of letting N die quickly. No, she nned to strip her of every shred of dignity, to turn her life into a living

    hell.

    Damon was in the middle of a meeting at Prospectus Technology when the door suddenly burst open. Spencer rushed in, looking frantic.

    Everyone in the conference room shot him disapproving looks.

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, weˇŻre in the middle of a meeting. What on earth do you think youˇŻre doing?!ˇ± a shareholder admonished.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt believe Mr. Sumner still keeps such an unprofessional secretary!ˇ± anotherined.

    A shareholder sneered. ˇ°Yeah, is he this reckless when Mr. Sumner negotiates with partners?ˇ±

    Ignoring the irritated nces, Spencer hurried to DamonˇŻs side and whispered something urgent in his ear. The shareholders watched in disbelief as the

    pale. He swayed as he stood up. If Spencer hadnˇŻt caught him, he might have copsed back into his chair.

    The room fell into stunned silence, everyone trying to understand what could have shaken Damon so

    badly.

    Spencer had told him N had been in a car ident and that the car had exploded, leaving no remains. At that moment, it felt as

    though the world was spinning out of control for Damon. A loud ringing filled his ears as if something had exploded in his mind.

    He tried to walk, but his legs felt like jelly, barely able to support him.

    Spencer quickly steadied him, whispering, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, please, calm down.ˇ±

    Damon shrugged off SpencerˇŻs hands and braced himself against the conference table. It took a full 15 seconds before his expression returned to its usu

    He stood upright, his voice as cold as ever, and announced, ˇ°The meeting is dismissed.ˇ±

    With that, he swiftly left the room, his expression reverting to its usual indifference. Yet, a slight tremor had betrayed him when he called

    the meeting to an end.

    As Damon disappeared through the conference room door, murmurs began to ripple through the attendees.

    ˇ°What just happened? Why does Mr. Sumner look so pale?ˇ±

    ˇ°Is there a problem with thepany?ˇ±

    ˇ°No way. Even when thepany was on the brink of bankruptcy, he didnˇŻt react like this. It must be something personal.ˇ±

    Despite their spections, no one could grasp what was truly going on, and they eventually left.

    Spencer followed closely behind Damon. Observing his steady steps, which suggested he had regained his usual unshakable

    composure, Spencer quickly caught up to him.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner-ˇ± he began.

    Damon cut him off, ˇ°I need to go to the ident site.ˇ±

    He refused to believe anything Spencer said until he saw it for himself.

    Noticing DamonˇŻs resoluteˇŻexpression, Spencer sighed with a hint of pity. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, going there wonˇŻt change anything. Ms.

    JaystonˇŻs car has been reduced to a shellˇ­ and with the explosion, there wonˇŻt be a Complete bodyˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Until I see the body with my own eyes, I wonˇŻt believe a word you say,ˇ± Damon spat.

    Sympathy flickered in SpencerˇŻs eyes as he watched Damon deny the harsh reality. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, the car explodedˇ­ There wonˇŻt be a body left.ˇ±

 Chapter 482

    Before Spencer could finish speaking, he was silenced by DamonˇŻs icy, murderous re.

    DamonˇŻs lips were pressed into a

    thin line as he stood by the elevator, his face expressionless. However, the cold, oppressive aura he exuded made it clear that no one should approach h

    During the ride to the ident site, Damon remained silent, lost in thought.

    As they approached the scene, they saw the area cordoned off with police tape.

    ˇ°Stop the car,ˇ± Damon ordered.

    As soon as the vehicle came to a halt, Damon flung the door open and swiftly headed to the burned¨Cout

    car.

    A police officer stopped him before he could cross the tape.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs dangerous inside. Unauthorized personnel arenˇŻt allowed in!ˇ± the officer warned.

    Damon ignored him and continued forward.

    The officer made a move to stop him again but was suddenly pulled

    back by someone nearby. ˇ°Are you crazy? Do you even know who Damon Sumner is?ˇ±

    The officer frowned, about to protest, when the lead investigator on the case approached Damon. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, what are you doing here?ˇ±

    Damon didnˇŻt look at him. His gaze was fixed on the charred vehicle, and

    his voice was low and tense.ˇ± Has the owner of the car been confirmedˇ­ to be involved?ˇ±

    After a brief pause, the investigator replied quietly, ˇ°So far, we havenˇŻt found any human remains near the car. Our technicians are still assessing the situ

    Damon swayed slightly, and Spencer quickly steadied him, staying silent.

    ˇ°What about the cause of the ident? Has that been determined?ˇ± Damon asked.

    ˇ°Not yet. Mr. Sumner, I have to get back to work. You should return for now. IˇŻll notify you as soon

    as thereˇŻs an update,ˇ± the investigator replied before hurrying off to rejoin his colleagues.

    Seeing the pained expression on DamonˇŻs face as he stared at the charred vehicle, his red eyes filled with anguish, Spencer sighed inwardly.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, staying here wonˇŻt change anything. LetˇŻs head back,ˇ± he suggested.

    Damon said nothing as he turned and headed back to the car.

    Once inside, he spoke coldly to Spencer. ˇ°Find out exactly what happened.ˇ±

    Understood, Mr. Sumner. Should we head back to the office now?ˇ± Spencer asked.

    ˇ°Yes, back to the office,ˇ± Damon replied.

    As the car pulled away, DamonˇŻs icy gaze lingered on the vehicle.

    Since no remains had been found and there were no body parts at the scene, it was highly likely that N had not been in the car when it exploded.

    DamonˇŻs jaw tightened. If this was the result of foul y, he would make sure the perpetrator deeply regretted their actions.

    After following RebaˇŻs instructions to deliver N to the designated location and

    handing over the truck, Jordyn changed her clothes and took a cab to pick up her parents and brother.

    She thought about her next steps on the way. Staying in Saintornia was not an option¨C

    rk would never let her off the hook. She had to leave immediately.

    Although rk had frozen her

    ounts, she had already converted all the jewelry and valuables he had given her into cash, which she had stored with her parents.

    By her estimate, she had over a million dors¨Cenough for them to live on for a while.

    $

    Once she picked them up, she would buy tickets and leave the country.

    Excitedly, she opened the door, expecting to find her parents and brother waiting for her. Instead, the room was empty.

    JordynˇŻs face darkened. She turned to the man who had brought her and demanded, ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on? Where are my parents and brother?ˇ±

    The manˇŻs expression changed, revealing his

    true nature. ˇ°Ms. Cheatham, after your parents and brother found out that rk abandoned you, they packed up and left. They even had Ms. Austen hel

 Chapter 483

    ˇ°What did you just say?!! JordynˇŻs face twisted with a mix of disbelief and fury.

    Reba had stabbed her in the back!

    Grabbing her phone, Jordyn dialed Reba and screamed, ˇ°Reba, you bitch! How dare you y me like this? I wonˇŻt let you get away with it!ˇ±

    RebaˇŻs voice oozed with mockery. ˇ°Did you really think IˇŻd give you the chance?

    Jordyn, you only have yourself to me for knowing too much and trying to use it against me.ˇ±

    With that, she hung up.

    Seething, Jordyn tried calling

    back, but a sharp pain pierced the back of her head. Feeling something wet, she reached up and found her hand smeared with blood.

    Panic surged through her. She spun around to flee, but before she could reach the door, someone yanked her by the hair. She was dragged backward a

    The door mmed shut with a deafening bang.

    Jordyn trembled uncontrobly, overwhelmed by terror. Ignoring the pain, she scrambled backward, her eyes wide with fear as a man slowly advanced to

    ˇ°DonˇŻte any closer! Please, just let me go! I have money¨C

    millions in the bank! If you let me go, IˇŻl give you everything!ˇ± she begged, her voice shaking.

    The manˇŻs face remained emotionless, his hammer dripping with blood, casting a horrifying shadow over

    the scene.

    ˇ°Stay

    tay away from me! No!ˇ± JordynˇŻs screams reverberated through the room until they abruptly ceased.

    The man tossed the hammer aside and dialed Reba, calmly reporting the situation.

    Unbeknownst to him, while his back was turned, JordynˇŻs fingers weakly moved across her phone. She managed to send a message before goingp

    Following RebaˇŻs instructions, the man packed Jordyn, along with her phone and personal belongings, Into a suitcase and hurriedly dragged it away.

    Meanwhile, Reba hummed a light tune as she poured herself a ss of red wine and smiled in satisfaction.

    With Jordyn gone and N next on her list, she could frame Nathaniel for NˇŻs death. Soon, nothing would stand between her and Damon.

    Her n had unfolded wlessly, thanks in part to overhearing Nathaniel discuss his scheme to stage a fake kidnapping of N as a way to mend his re

    She had been delivering coffee to his study when she overheard the conversation. Had she missed it, she might not have acted so swiftly.

    Regardless, as long as she was the one who ultimately benefited, she was satisfied.

    When rk received JordynˇŻs message, he was in a meeting. It wasnˇŻt until afterward that he noticed the unread notification.

    He opened the message to find a single character-[R]

    Frowning, he immediately deleted it.

    Just then, Michael hurried over, handing him a tablet. Mr. Sumner, this news came in about an hour ago. You should take a lookˇ­ˇ±

    rkˇŻs expression darkened the moment he read the headline.

    ˇ°When did this happen?!ˇ± he demanded..

    ˇ°Around 3:00 p.m., I thinkˇ­ˇ± Michael replied.

    ˇ°Give me

    your phone!ˇ± rk roared.

    Hands trembling, Michael handed over his phone.

    rk dialed the familiar number, silently pleading that the news wasnˇŻt true, that N would pick up.

    But when the cold, mechanical voice announced, ˇ°The number you have dialed is not avable. Please try againter,ˇ± his hopes werepletely crush

 Chapter 484

    rk stood frozen, like a statue.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner.ˇ± Michael called out.

    ˇ°IˇŻm going to find N. I refuse to believe sheˇŻs in danger!ˇ± rk cried.

    He shoved MichaelˇŻs phone back into his hands and turned toward the elevator.

    Michael quickly blocked his path. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, thereˇŻs a very important international meetingter. You canˇŻt leave now.ˇ±

    The meeting was crucial for a majorpany deal. If rk skipped it, it would severely offend the other

    party

    rkˇŻs face went ashen, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He hesitated for a moment, clearly

    tom.

    After a deep breath, he turned and headed for his office. ˇ°Keep an eye on the police station. Notify me immediately if thereˇŻs any news.ˇ±

    ˇ°Got it, Michael promised.

    As rk reached the office door, he suddenly remembered the strange text message from Jordyn earlier. He spun around and ordered, ˇ°Find out where

    right now!ˇ±

    He dialed JordynˇŻs number, but it rang with no answer.

    Near a river on the east side of Saintornia, a man dressed in all ck dragged a suitcase down the street. Suddenly, a phone rang from inside the suitca

    The man frowned, nced around to ensure no one was nearby, and hurriedly pulled the suitcase along.

    Before long, he reached the riverbank.

    He tied a heavy stone to the suitcase and threw it into the water. It sank quickly, disappearing beneath.

    the surface.

    After waiting a moment, the man turned and walked away.

    After the call disconnected, rk stared coldly at his phone and sent another message.

    rk: [Jordyn, if NˇŻs ident is connected to you, I will not let you get away with it!]

    He put his phone down and picked up some documents to review.

    Less than half an hourter, Michael returned, looking grim.

    He reported, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I canˇŻt reach Jordyn. I sent people to her home, but sheˇŻs not there.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?!ˇ± rkˇŻs heart sank. ˇ°Find her phoneˇŻs

    location Immediately. We have to locate her quickly! Her disappearance might be linked to NˇŻs ident!ˇ±

    It seemed too coincidental for Jordyn to vanish right after NˇŻs ident.

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner. IˇŻll get on it right away,ˇ± Michael replied.

    After rkˇŻs meeting, Michael returned to the office and reported, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, JordynˇŻs phone is turned off, so we canˇŻt track its location.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then find out where she wasst seen! Keep investigating until we locate her!ˇ± rk ordered.

    N didnˇŻt know how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, she found herself tied to a chair, her hands and feet bound.

    The surroundings were pitch ck, filled with dust and a musty smell.

    After a while, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could barely make out her surroundings.

    She seemed to be in some sort of basement. Even if she screamed for help, it would probably be useless.

    NˇŻs mind raced as she wondered who had kidnapped her.

    The first name that came to her mind was Jordyn, given their past conflicts. JordynˇŻs hatred for her, especially after being forced by rk to beg for forgi

    Butˇ­ did Jordyn have the means to arrange such a kidnapping?

    Before N lost consciousness, the man who had grabbed her car door seemed skilled, suggesting that whoever had orchestrated this had both money

    As N pondered, the basement door creaked open.

    Light from outside spilled in as a man wearing a mask descended the stairs.

    NˇŻs heart pounded. She looked at him and demanded, ˇ°Who are you? Why have you kidnapped me?ˇ±

    She tried to appear calm, but inside she was panicking, unsure of how she had ended up there or what her captors intended to do.

 Chapter 485

    The man didnˇŻt say a word. He walked silently up to Nyle and handed her a tuna melt sandwich.

    The fact that he offered her food suggested he probably wasnˇŻt nning to kill her¨Cat least not right now.

    N took a deep breath to calm herself and looked up at the man. ˇ°Why have you kidnapped me? For money? Or something else? Are you following so

    When she mentioned the possibility of orders, she saw the manˇŻs eyes widen sharply. She was certain now that he had been sent by someone who dee

    ˇ°Are you going to eat or not?ˇ± The manˇŻs voice was rough and dold as he stared at her.

    ˇ°IˇŻll pay you double whatever they offered. And the one who orchestrated this¨CitˇŻs either Jordyn or Reba, right?ˇ± N asked.

    Aside from them, no one else had a motive to kidnap her.

    Seeing the manˇŻs expression change again, she knew she had guessed correctly.

    ˇ°I can offer you double the benefit, just let me go-ˇ±

    Before she could finish, the man mmed the

    te onto the ground. The ceramic shattered, sending fragments flying, one of which cut into NˇŻs leg. Blood gushed out of the wound immediately.

    ˇ°If youˇŻre not going to eat, shut up. I wonˇŻt let you go, no matter what you promise!ˇ± yelled the man, Steven,

    His girlfriend and childˇŻs lives were still in RebaˇŻs hands. There was no way he would let N go.

    After saying that, Steven turned to leave.

    The basement door mmed shut, cutting off thest bit of light.

    When N saw that Steven had left without collecting the broken te shards, she nced down at her stomach. If she lost the baby, it would mean she

    Determined, N tilted her body sideways, causing the chair to topple over and crash to the ground.

    The pain was intense, but she pushed it aside and used her knees to move toward the nearest shard of

    ceramic. She maneuvered her body into an awkward position to reach it.

    After what felt like an eternity, N, drenched in sweat, finally grasped a shard.

    She used the shard to cut through the ropes binding her hands. The shard sliced into her fingers, but she didnˇŻt flinch or stop.

    Finally, the ropes around her wrists fell loose.

    N quickly used the same method to free her feet. Then, she picked up the sharpest piece of ceramic she could find and quietly made her way up from

    At the basement door, she grasped the handle and pulled gently. The door didnˇŻt budge¨Cit was locked

    from the outside.

    Pressing her ear against the door, she strained to listen but heard no sounds.

    N held the shard tightly and slowed her breathing, preparing to burst out as soon as Steven returned.

    out as

    Meanwhile, Michael discovered something suspicious while examining JordynˇŻs recent phone calls.

    Jordyn had frequently contacted a number she had never called before, and it was listed under the name of an employee from the Preston Group.

    Michael immediately reported this finding to rk.

    After listening to his report, rkˇŻs expression darkened.

    Jordyn had no known connections to Nathaniel, and she certainly shouldnˇŻt have any ties to an employee of the Preston Group. Moreover, the contact w

    A realization struck rk, and his eyes widened in anger. He gritted his teeth. ˇ°Find out if that phone number belongs to Reba!ˇ±

    The ˇ°Rˇ± from JordynˇŻs textˇ­ Reba?!

    With this suspicion in mind, rk angrily dialed DamonˇŻs num

 Chapter 486

    The phone rang for a long time before it was answered

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the matter?ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice was hoarse and indifferent, clearly indicating he was in a bad mood.

    rk spoke coldly. ˇ°Uncle Damon, you know about NˇŻs ident, right? Reba is likely behind it!ˇ±

    After a few seconds of silence, Damon asked, ˇ®Do you have any evidence?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hah!ˇ± rkˇŻs tone was sarcastic. ˇ°Evidence? I looked into JordynˇŻs call records. Recently, she has been in contact multiple times with an employee fro

    ˇ°On the day of NˇŻs ident, they were in touch. Plus, Jordyn sent me a message with just one character¨CR¨C

    not too long ago. ItˇŻs definitely rted to Rebalˇ±

    As soon as he finished speaking, the call was abruptly ended.

    Damon summoned Spencerto his office. ˇ°Look into whether Jordyn and Reba have been in contact recently. Also.. check on Nathaniel.ˇ±

    Spencer was visibly shocked but dared not ask questions or makements, given DamonˇŻs icy demeanor. He quickly left.

    After the office door closed, Damon sat with his head lowered. His presence was cold and oppressive, like a tightly wound spring ready to snap.

    Less than half an hourter, Spencer rushed back in, looking flustered.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ Ms. Jayston might still be alive!ˇ± he reported.

    DamonˇŻs eyes shot up, hope igniting in his otherwise deste gaze, He was like a parched traveler. spotting an oasis in the desert.

    ˇ°Where is she?!ˇ± he demanded.

    Spencer replied, ˇ°We havenˇŻt located her yet, but weˇŻve confirmed that Reba used Jordyn to target Ms. Jayston. IˇŻve sent someone to bring Reba

    The mention of Nathaniel caused the room to chill instantly, and DamonˇŻs oppressive aura nearly suffocated Spencer.

    Before long, Reba was brought before Damon

    Damon sat on the sofa, his expression calm as he watched her.

    Beneath that calm, though, she could sense a brewing storm.

    ˇ°Damonˇ­ˇ± Reba called out.

    ˇ°Where is N now?ˇ± Damon asked.

    RebaˇŻs eyes shed with guilt before she quickly shook her head. ˇ°Damon, what are you talking about?

    I donˇŻt understand. DidnˇŻt Ms., Joyston have an ident? Why are you asking me?ˇ±

    Damon didnˇŻt answer, Instead, he nced at Spencer.

    Spencer turned to the two burly men guarding the door ˇ°Break one of her legs first.ˇ±

    The two men approached Reba, one carrying a baseball bat.

    RebaˇŻs face went pale with fear, but she still clung to a sliver of hope, believing that Damon wouldnˇŻt treat her that way.

    ˇ°Damon, I really have nothing to do with Ms. JaystonˇŻs identˇ­ Why are you-*

    Before she could finish her sentence, the baseball bat came down hard on her thigh with a sickening crack.

    The pain drained the color from her face, and sweat poured down her brow as she struggled to contain a

    scream.

    Damon was ruthlessly cold.

    At that moment, Reba trbly understood DamonˇŻs cruelty.

    When he loved her, he would have made the impossible possible for her¨Ceven her slightest frown caused him pain.

    Now, devoid of that love, he could easily break her legs for another woman.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained unchanged, his tone eerily calm. ˇ°Where is N?ˇ±

    Reba gritted her teeth, her face ashen as she looked up at him. ˇ°I said I donˇŻt know!ˇ±

    She vowed to make Damon regret treating her this way

    Damon suddenly smiled. ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ±

 Chapter 487

    Reba was determined to send N to hell and make Damon regret ever crossing her.

    ˇ°Spencer, take her away. You know what to do,ˇ± Damon instructed.

    Spencer nodded. ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner.ˇ±

    While they spoke, the two burly men had already dragged Reba away.

    Reba was in so much pain that she nearly lost consciousness, but she fixed her gaze on Damon, her eyes filled with deep hatred.

    ˇ°Damon, even if you kill me, I wonˇŻt tell you anything! Rest assured, I wonˇŻt let N die. IˇŻll make sure her life is worse than death!ˇ± she threatened.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained icy¨Che didnˇŻt even nce at her.

    Shortly after Reba was taken away, Spencer rushed back, looking anxious.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, weˇŻve pinpointed Ms. JaystonˇŻs exact location!ˇ± he reported.

    Damon quickly stood up and headed for the door. ˇ°Send the location to my phone!ˇ±

    In the basement, N felt like she had been waiting for an eternity when she finally heard footsteps from outside. She tightened her grip on the shard of

    The door opened with a creak, catching Steven off guard.

    N charged at him, causing him to fall to the ground,

    Seizing the opportunity, she sprinted toward the door.

    Fortunately, it wasnˇŻt locked. She pulled it open and dashed outside.

    Steven scrambled to his feet, anger etched on his face as he chased after her.

    The footsteps grew closer and closer.

    Exhausted from hunger, N stumbled multiple times. Her strength was failing, and Steven quickly caught up with her.

    He yanked her by the hair and mmed her to the ground, pinning her by the neck so she couldnˇŻt move.

    ˇ°I advise you not to waste your energy trying to escape, or IˇŻll kill you!ˇ± Steven growled.

    Gasping for breath, N clutched the shard tightly. Just when Steven thought she had given up, she fiercely jabbed at his face.

    Steven staggered back, but the shard still pierced his left eye.

    ˇ°Ah!ˇ± he cried out

    Taking advantage of his moment of pain, N pushed him away and scrambled to her feet, desperate to

    run.

    ˇ°You bitch, I wonˇŻt let you get away!ˇ± Steven shouted, covering his bleeding eye as he quickly chased after

    her.

    N had no idea where to runˇŞshe simply moved in the opposite direction from the house where she had been held.

    After what felt like an eternity, she was utterly exhausted and found herself cornered at the edge of a cliff.

    Steven sneered as he slowly approached her. ˇ°Run! Go on, keep running!ˇ±

    Furious at the loss of one of his eyes, he was intent on killing N Immediately. However, upon recalling RebaˇŻs instruction to keep her alive, his exp

    f

    N red at him coldly. ˇ°If youe any closer, IˇŻll jump.ˇ±

    Even if it meant death, she refused to be captured again, uncertain of what awaited her.

    Steven seemed to doubt that she would jump. He scoffed as he advanced. ˇ°Fine, jump then. YouˇŻll just die. I want to see if you have the guts!ˇ±

    With only a few steps between them, N no longer hesitated and jumped off the cliff.

    Just as Damon arrived, he saw N resolutely leap from the edge!

    ˇ°N!ˇ± he cried, his eyes widening with rage as he rushed toward the cliff. Yet, he could only watch helplessly as she fell before him.

    In an instant, the world seemed to go silent, filled only with the sound of his breathing and the wind rushing past.

    As Damon reached the edge, ready to follow N, someone suddenly pulled him back.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner! You canˇŻt go any further!ˇ± the man shouted.

 Chapter 488

    ˇ°Let me go!ˇ± Damon struggled to move forward, but two of his bodyguards held him back tightly.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Ms. Jayston has already jumped. Even if you follow her now, it wonˇŻt helpˇ­ the bodyguards. tried to cate him.

    ˇ°Let go!ˇ± Damon growled.

    His demeanor was icy, sending chills down the spines of his bodyguards. They felt a shiver but dared not release him.

    Just then, Spencer arrived.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, IˇŻve sent people down to search. WeˇŻll have news soon,ˇ± he informed Damon.

    Seeing Damon gradually calm down, Spencer instructed the bodyguards, ˇ°Alright, let Mr. Sumner go.ˇ±

    After a momentˇŻs hesitation, the bodyguards finally released Damon, though their eyes remained on him, prepared for any sudden movements. If someth

    Damon gazed at the ce where N had jumped, his voice cold. ˇ°If sheˇŻs alive, I want to see her. If sheˇŻs dead, I want to see her body!ˇ±

    As he finished speaking, Steven was brought before him.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, this is Ms. JaystonˇŻs kidnapper. What should we do with him?ˇ± one of the bodyguards asked.

    DamonˇŻs bloodthirsty gaze fell on Steven, who copsed to his knees in terror.

    ˇ°M¨CMr. Sumner, I was forced to do this. P¨C

    Please spare me! Reba threatened my loved ones. If I didnˇŻtply, she would have killed themˇ­ IˇŻm sorry. Steven begged.

    Damon remained unmoved by his pleas. He questioned, ˇ°Your familyˇŻs lives matter, but othersˇ® lives donˇŻt?

    Steven froze, trembling uncontrobly, unable to meet DamonˇŻs gaze.

    Damon had no intention of looking at him any longer. Coldly, he said, ˇ°Since sheˇŻs in danger, then you and your family will apany her in death!ˇ±

    Steven, paralyzed with fear, dared not tremble. He remained frozen in ce, his eyes filled with terror.

    Suddenly, he began to m his head on the ground. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, please spare my family. IˇŻm willing to trade my life for Ms. JaystonˇŻs. Pleaseˇ­ My

    girlfriend is pregnant, and sheˇŻs innocentˇ­ ItˇŻs my faultˇ­ˇ±

    The force of StevenˇŻs ms quickly broke his forehead, blood mingling with the flow from his left eye. The gruesome sight covered most of his face, crea

    image.

    Spencer, watching from the side, couldnˇŻt help but speak up.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ he was forced into this. Maybe you could spare his family. TheyˇŻre truly innocent.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs expression remained unmoved. ˇ°His family may be innocent, but is N not innocent?ˇ±

    Spencer sighed. ˇ°In the end, this is all RebaˇŻs fault. He had no choice. If Ms. Jayston were here, she

    wouldnˇŻt want innocent people to suffer-

    ˇ°Quiet!ˇ± Damon barked, his face darkening as his anger threatened to erupt. ˇ°Either do as I say, or scram!ˇ±

    Under DamonˇŻs icy gaze, Spencer dared not argue further and quickly signaled for the bodyguards to take

    Steven away.

    The area below where N had jumped was the ocean

    After three days of searching, not only had they failed to find a body, but even her personal belongings were missing.

    Throughout these three days, Damon had not slept, relentlessly searching for N.

    Typically, a search would be considered a lost cause after three days without any leads. However, Damon insisted on widening the search area and vow

    By the fourth evening. DamonˇŻs body could no longer handle the strain, and he copsed, ending up in the hospital.

    Upon receiving the news, the Summers rushed to the hospital.

    When Damon awoke to find himself in the hospital, the first thing he did was rip out his IV and try to get out of bed to continue the search for N.

 Chapter 489

    Damonpletely ignored the Sumners in the room.

    Richard was furious as he ordered the bodyguards to restrain Damon, ˇ°Look at yourself! is a woman. worth destroying yourself like this?ˇ±

    Pale and with bloodshot eyes, Damon red at the bodyguards holding him back. ˇ°Move aside!ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Damon, please donˇŻt make this difficult for usˇ­ˇ± one of the bodyguards said.

    ˇ°Move aside! DonˇŻt make me repeat myself,ˇ± Damon warned.

    ˇ°No oneˇŻs moving! YouˇŻre not stepping out of this room today, or any day in the future. YouˇŻre not allowed see that woman again. She jumped off

    a cliff four days ago and hasnˇŻt been found. ItˇŻs impossible that sheˇŻs still alive. How long will you deceive yourself? Richard demanded.

    Damon turned his gaze toward him, the oppressive force in his eyes making the entire room feel even more confined.

    ˇ°What does it have to do with you? IˇŻve severed ties with the Sumners. What I do is none of your business,

    h¨¦ retorted.

    ˇ°You!ˇ± Richard was so furious he nearly copsed. Damon was infuriating him beyond measure.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre not leaving this room until youˇŻre fully clear¨Cheaded!ˇ± Richard snapped.

    To prevent Damon from sneaking out, Richard had stationed ten bodyguards at the windows and doors, even at the bathroom door.

    On the third day, Spencer finally managed to see Damon. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, your father has withdrawn those who were searching for Ms. Jayston. What now

    Damon lowered his gaze, his expression calm and showing no surprise. ˇ°Understood. Where are the people who kidnapped N now?ˇ±

    ˇ°TheyˇŻve been sent to the police station,ˇ± Spencer informed him.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± Damon replied.

    Seeing that Damon showed no intention of taking action against StevenˇŻs family, Spencer let out a silent sigh of relief.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ do you still want to continue searching for Ms. Jayston?ˇ± he asked.

    ˇ°No. IˇŻll be discharged in a few days. When that happens, take Reba along. I need to visit the Preston Group,ˇ± Damon replied.

    Damon knew that the chance of N being alive was very slim.

    After a week, even a healthy man would have no chance of survival. As much as he didnˇŻt want to ept it, he had to face the reality.

    At the same time, he began to despise himself. If he hadnˇŻt been indecisive when Reba returned to the

    country, he wouldnˇŻt have lost N andˇ­ their childˇ­.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained calm, but Spencer felt a growing unease.

    It had only been seven days since DamonˇŻs relentless search for N. Was he already epting her death so quickly?

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ are you okay?ˇ± Spencer asked.

    ˇ°IˇŻm fine. Just do as I instructed,ˇ± Damon replied.

    He would not spare anyone who had harmed her, including himself. Before he sought redemption

    with N, he would ensure that those responsible were punished severely.

    The day Damon was discharged was clear and sunny.

    Richard remained somewhat uneasy, even after confirming that Damon wouldnˇŻt go mad searching for N again.

    ˇ°Damon, are you sure youˇŻvee to terms with this?ˇ± he asked.

    Of course. IˇŻve epted reality. SheˇŻs noting back,ˇ± Damon answered.

    It was his fault that he had lost her, and there was no way to bring her back.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs the right attitude. After all, sheˇŻs just a woman. With your status, many women wille to you. ThereˇŻs no need to create such amotion ove

    ˇ°YouˇŻre right,ˇ± Damon replied, ying along.

    Richard finally rxed and withdrew most of the bodyguards around Damon, leaving a few to keep an eye on him in case something unexpected happen

    Indifferent or perhaps unconcerned, Damon left the hospital and instructed the driver to head directly to the Preston Group.

 Chapter 490

    Nathaniel was in the middle of a business meeting in his office when the door was kicked open.

    Damon walked in, his demeanor cold.

    Troy followed closely behind, looking troubled. ˇ°Mr. Preston, I couldnˇŻt stop Mr. Sumnerˇ­ˇ±

    Nathaniel nced at DamonˇŻs tense face and replied tly, ˇ°I understand. You can leave now.ˇ±

    NathanielˇŻs business partner, recognizing Damon, quickly stood up. ˇ°Mr. Preston, it seems you have other matters to attend to. LetˇŻs reschedule our mee

    Nathaniel nodded. ˇ°Alright. I wonˇŻt see you out then.ˇ±

    With the room now empty except for Damon and Nathaniel, the atmosphere grew tense.

    Nathaniel looked at Damon, aware that the truth about NˇŻs incident could no longer be hidden. Their years of brotherhood were over.

    He spoke up. ˇ°The ident involving N was partially my fault, but I didnˇŻt expect it to turn out like this. Damon, I-ˇ®

    Before he could finish, DamonˇŻs fist struck his face.

    Nathaniel stumbled back several steps before regaining his bnce, tasting blood in his mouth.

    He wiped the blood from his lip and looked up at Damon. ˇ°Damon, I ept the consequences of whatever you decide. IˇŻm truly sorry.

    Damon smirked. ˇ°That punch was for the old you. Now, prepare for the bankruptcy of the Preston Group.

    NathanielˇŻs eyes widened in fear. ˇ°Noˇ­ You canˇŻt do this to me!ˇ±

    Damon chuckled darkly, his eyes merciless. ˇ°If you could have someone kidnap N, why canˇŻt I do this to you?ˇ±

    Nathaniel argued, ˇ°I never intended to hurt her. The ident was just that¨Can ident! Andˇ­ I didnˇŻt know she would be kidnappedˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°An ident?ˇ± DamonˇŻs smile turned icy, his gaze sharp. ˇ°Then let the bankruptcy of the Preston Group be

    an ident too.ˇ±

    The office door burst open again, and Reba was thrown in like a rag doll. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair a mess, and she looked utterly defea

    Seeing her like this, Nathaniel was stunned.

    Hope flickered in RebaˇŻs eyes as she reached out tremulously toward Nathaniel. ˇ°Nathaniel, save meˇ­

    Nathaniel gnashed his teeth and instinctively shielded Reba. ˇ°Damon, the incident with N was my fault. If you want to me someone, me me.

    Damon pped his hands andughed. ˇ°You really care about her, donˇŻt you? But did you know she had your secretary secretly do many things for her?

    ˇ°What?!ˇ± NathanielˇŻs hand, reaching out to support Reba, froze in ce. His eyes widened with disbelief and shock.

    He stared at Reba, his voice tight with anger. ˇ°Is what Damon said true?ˇ±

    Reba, unable to meet his gaze, choked out, ˇ°Nathaniel, I was just momentarily blindedˇ­ I realize my mistakes. If you save me this time, I promise to

    ˇ°Never leave again? NathanielˇŻs head hung low, hiding his expression.

    Reba nodded quickly. ˇ°Yes, I promise!ˇ±

    Suddenly, Nathaniel grinned. ˇ°But arenˇŻt you about to die?ˇ±

    RebaˇŻs expression froze.

    She opened her mouth to speak, but Nathaniel continu

    Nathaniel was in the middle of a business meeting in his office when the door was kicked open.

    Damon walked in, his demeanor cold.

    Troy followed closely behind, looking troubled. ˇ°Mr. Preston, I couldnˇŻt stop Mr. Sumnerˇ­ˇ±

    Nathaniel nced at DamonˇŻs tense face and replied tly, ˇ°I understand. You can leave now.ˇ±

    NathanielˇŻs business partner, recognizing Damon, quickly stood up. ˇ°Mr. Preston, it seems you have other matters to attend to. LetˇŻs reschedule our mee

    Nathaniel nodded. ˇ°Alright. I wonˇŻt see you out then.ˇ±

    With the room now empty except for Damon and Nathaniel, the atmosphere grew tense.

    Nathaniel looked at Damon, aware that the truth about NˇŻs incident could no longer be hidden. Their years of brotherhood were over.

    He spoke up. ˇ°The ident involving N was partially my fault, but I didnˇŻt expect it to turn out like this. Damon, I-ˇ®

    Before he could finish, DamonˇŻs fist struck his face.

    Nathaniel stumbled back several steps before regaining his bnce, tasting blood in his mouth.

    He wiped the blood from his lip and looked up at Damon. ˇ°Damon, I ept the consequences of whatever you decide. IˇŻm truly sorry.

    Damon smirked. ˇ°That punch was for the old you. Now, prepare for the bankruptcy of the Preston Group.

    NathanielˇŻs eyes widened in fear. ˇ°Noˇ­ You canˇŻt do this to me!ˇ±

    Damon chuckled darkly, his eyes merciless. ˇ°If you could have someone kidnap N, why canˇŻt I do this to you?ˇ±

    Nathaniel argued, ˇ°I never intended to hurt her. The ident was just that¨Can ident! Andˇ­ I didnˇŻt know she would be kidnappedˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°An ident?ˇ± DamonˇŻs smile turned icy, his gaze sharp. ˇ°Then let the bankruptcy of the Preston Group be

    an ident too.ˇ±

    The office door burst open again, and Reba was thrown in like a rag doll. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair a mess, and she looked utterly defea

    Seeing her like this, Nathaniel was stunned.

    Hope flickered in RebaˇŻs eyes as she reached out tremulously toward Nathaniel. ˇ°Nathaniel, save meˇ­

    Nathaniel gnashed his teeth and instinctively shielded Reba. ˇ°Damon, the incident with N was my fault. If you want to me someone, me me.

    Damon pped his hands andughed. ˇ°You really care about her, donˇŻt you? But did you know she had your secretary secretly do many things for her?

    ˇ°What?!ˇ± NathanielˇŻs hand, reaching out to support Reba, froze in ce. His eyes widened with disbelief and shock.

    He stared at Reba, his voice tight with anger. ˇ°Is what Damon said true?ˇ±

    Reba, unable to meet his gaze, choked out, ˇ°Nathaniel, I was just momentarily blindedˇ­ I realize my mistakes. If you save me this time, I promise to

    ˇ°Never leave again? NathanielˇŻs head hung low, hiding his expression.

    Reba nodded quickly. ˇ°Yes, I promise!ˇ±

    Suddenly, Nathaniel grinned. ˇ°But arenˇŻt you about to die?ˇ±

    RebaˇŻs expression froze.

    She opened her mouth to speak, but Nathaniel continued. ˇ°YouˇŻve lied so much. It seems your illness was

    also a lie Howughable that I waspletely deceived by a woman like you!ˇ±

    ed. ˇ°YouˇŻve lied so much. It seems your illness was

    also a lie Howughable that I waspletely deceived by a woman like you!ˇ±

 Chapter 491

    Nathaniel finally understood that Reba had never intended to be with him. Her sole purpose in returning to the country was to get back together with

    He felt foolish for believing that his long¨Cstanding wish had finallye true after silently guarding her for years.

    As NathanielˇŻs gaze turned icy, Reba quickly grabbed his leg. ˇ°Nathaniel, no! Believe me, I really like you now. I acted that way because I couldnˇŻt let

    With a shattered leg, Reba couldnˇŻt stand, so she crawled on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

    But instead of appearing pitiable, she looked more disgusting¨Cher current state was a far cry from the tearful beauty she once was.

    Filled with hatred, Nathaniel kicked her away. ˇ°Reba, the thing I regret most is loving you. Just looking at you now makes me sick!ˇ±

    The pain from her shattered leg was excruciating, making her face turn pale. Still, she looked up at Nathaniel, hoping he might soften his heart.

    ˇ°Nathaniel, IˇŻm so sorryˇ­ I know I was wrongˇ­ Please forgive meˇ­ˇ± she pleaded.

    Without Nathaniel, she couldnˇŻt survive with a shattered leg.

    *IˇŻll never forgive you. Get out! Never show your face around me again!ˇ± Nathaniel growled.

    Damon, standing nearby, watched the scene with an emotionless expression.

    Nathaniel turned to Damon, regret filling his eyes. ˇ°Damon, I know I donˇŻt deserve your forgiveness, but I still need to apologizeˇ­ˇ±

    If he hadnˇŻt been blinded by Reba and

    made so many mistakes, he and Damon might have still been good friends. Also, he wouldnˇŻt be in such a desperate situation.

    Damon smirked and said slowly, ˇ°You didnˇŻt do me wrong¨Cyou did N wrong. But I have a

    new proposal. If you marry Reba, IˇŻll spare the Preston Group. What do you say?ˇ±

    If Nathaniel loved Reba so much, then he would be bound to her¨Cliving a life of mutual hatred and

    torment.

    NathanielˇŻs hands clenched subconsciously, his eyes filled with struggle.

    He despised Reba so much that he wished she would just die. How could he possibly marry her?

    Yet, if he didnˇŻt, the Preston Group couldnˇŻtpete with Prospectus Technology and would eventually go bankrupt, leaving him with nothing.

    Reba looked up abruptly, a mix of hope and disbelief on her face. It seemed Damon still had some feelings for her. Otherwise, he wouldnˇŻt have offer

    After a long silence, Nathaniel appeared to make up his mind. ˇ°Fine, I agree.ˇ±

    Damon replied, ˇ°Tomorrow would be good for the wedding. Also, I donˇŻt want her to have any chance of getting back on her feet.ˇ±

    NathanielˇŻs eyes darkened with a hint of malice as he said, ˇ°I understand.ˇ±

    Damon nced at Reba with a cruel smile before turning and leaving

    With only Nathaniel and Reba left in the office, she cautiously said, ˇ°Nathanielˇ­ Iˇ­ˇ±

    Nathaniel didnˇŻt even look at her. He called Troy into the office and instructed, ˇ°Her leg is shattered, and she wonˇŻt be able to stand again. Send her to th

 Chapter 492

    RebaˇŻs whole body froze in shock.

    ˇ°Nathanielˇ­ w¨Cwhat did you say?ˇ± she asked.

    Nathaniel looked at her and replied slowly, ˇ°DidnˇŻt you just say you wanted to stay with me?ˇ±

    Panicked, Reba shook her head. ˇ°Noˇ­ I donˇŻt want to gol Please, spare me, Nathaniel. I know I was wrong. DonˇŻt do this to meˇ­ I canˇŻt live like that

    Without legs, how could she live?

    Seeing her in such a state, Nathaniel felt only disgust. ˇ°How could you not live? DonˇŻt worry. IˇŻll make sure you live well!ˇ±

    His grim expression sent a chill down RebaˇŻs spine.

    ˇ°No! No! I want to leave! I want to leave!ˇ® she cried.

    She tried to crawl toward the door, pushing with her hands. Before she could get close, two ck¨Cd bodyguards dragged her away.

    ˇ°No! Nathaniel, please spare me! Pleaseˇ­ˇ± Reba pleaded.

    Her cries grew faint and eventually disappeared.

    Troy stood by, his head lowered, unable to meet NathanielˇŻs gaze. ˇ°Mr. Preston, IˇŻm sorry.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did you listen to Reba?ˇ± Nathaniel questioned.

    Faced with NathanielˇŻs icy stare, Troy clenched his hands subconsciously, his mind in turmoil.

    If Nathaniel found out about that matter, Troy knew he wouldnˇŻt be allowed to stay. Even if he didnˇŻt speak up, Nathaniel would eventually discover the tru

    Seeing TroyˇŻs silence, Nathaniel said coldly, ˇ°Troy, youˇŻve been with me for years. You should know my character. If you donˇŻte forward, I will find ou

    Troy took a deep breath and finally confessed that he had usedpany investment funds for stock spection.

    Hearing this, Nathaniel threw the documents in his hand at Troy, enraged. ˇ°You let yourself be ckmailed by her over such a small thing? What an idiot

    NathanielˇŻs fury was almost overwhelming.

    The thought that such a trivial matter had given Reba the chance to have N killed¨Cand turned him from DamonˇŻs friend into an enemy¨C

    made him want to kill both Reba and Troy on the spot.

    His eyes were filled with frost, causing Troy to tremble uncontrobly.

    ˇ°Mr. Prestonˇ­ whatever you decide¨Cwhether itˇŻs calling the police or something else¨CI ept it. IˇŻm the one who dragged you downˇ­ˇ± Troy said.

    ˇ°Get out!ˇ± Nathaniel barked. ˇ°Get out!ˇ±

    N

    After Troy left, Nathaniel swept everything off his desk in a fit of rage.

    At least Damon had given him a chance. If he married Reba, he could save the Preston Group.

    On the way back to Prospectus Technology, Spencer couldnˇŻt help but nce at Damon, who was resting with his eyes closed in the backseat.

    He asked, ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ are you really going to let Nathaniel and Reba off like this?ˇ±

    They were the ones primarily responsible for NˇŻs death. If it were up to him, he would never let them go, let alone allow them to get married..

    Damon opened his eyes, his expression indifferent. ˇ°You talk too much.ˇ±

    Upon meeting DamonˇŻs cold gaze, SpencerˇŻs heart lurched. He quickly looked away, not daring to speak further.

    Since NˇŻs jump, Damon had be even colder and more indifferent, making him hard to approach. SpencerˇŻs unease only grew stronger, sensing t

    As soon as they arrived at Prospectus Technology, their car was stopped.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained neutral upon seeing rk.

    rk, visibly agitated and full of anger, shouted, ˇ°Uncle Damon, youˇŻre the one who killed N! Are you pleased now? IˇŻll never forgive you for this!ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ˇ± Spencer was about to ask what Damon wanted to do, but thetter coldly ordered, ˇ°Just drive over him.ˇ±

    Spencer was startled. ˇ°But Mr. rkˇ­ˇ±

 Chapter 493

    ˇ°He wants to die. What does that have to do with you?ˇ± Damon interrupted.

    From DamonˇŻs cold, unfeeling eyes, Spencer could tell he wasnˇŻt joking.

    The driver trembled, afraid to move. After all, the person in front was

    DamonˇŻs nephew. If anything happened to rk, even ten of him wouldnˇŻt be enough to make up for it.

    Damon nced at the driver and said coldly. ˇ°If youˇŻre too scared to drive, get out.ˇ±

    The driver felt a wave of relief and quickly exited the car.

    Damon took the wheel himself, starting the car and driving straight at rk.

    rkˇŻs eyes widened in terror as he sprinted to the side, but he was too close to the vehicle. One of his legs was struck, sending him flying and rolling se

    In the passenger seat, Spencer paled with fear, clearly shaken. He hadnˇŻt expected Damon to act so recklessly¨Cespecially since it was his nephew!

    Damon got out of the car and walked over to where rky on the ground, clutching his leg and moaning in pain.

    Seeing Damon looming over him, rk growled, ˇ°Damon, are you

    crazy? NˇŻs death is your fault! If you hadnˇŻt provoked Reba, N wouldnˇŻt have- Argh!ˇ±

    Damon stepped harshly on rkˇŻs injured leg, eliciting a blood¨Ccurdling scream.

    Watching rkˇŻs pale face drenched in a cold sweat, Damon spoke slowly. ˇ°rk, RebaˇŻs sudden return to the country was your doing, wasnˇŻt it?ˇ±

    rkˇŻs insults caught in his throat¨Chey there stunned, like a chicken with its neck grabbed, unable to speak.

    Damon chuckled. ˇ°What right do you have to question me? Jordyn, who kidnapped her, was your mistress, and Reba, who killed her, was someone y

    to die!ˇ±

    rkˇŻs face turned ashen, his lips trembling, his eyes filled with despair.

    Yes, it was his fault. If he hadnˇŻt had an affair with Jordyn, none of this would have happened. Butˇ­.

    ˇ°Damon, donˇŻt act so self¨Crighteous. If you hadnˇŻt wavered when Reba came back, N wouldnˇŻt have met this end!

    ˇ°You got back together with Reba but couldnˇŻt stay with her properly, all the while entangling yourself with N. That drove RebaˇŻs jealousy to ma

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs true,ˇ± Damon admitted with a smile, but his eyes were dark, filled with endless despair. ˇ°We are all guilty, so we all deserve to go to hell..

    Seeing DamonˇŻs seemingly insane demeanor, rk felt a surge of fear and instinctively backed away.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre crazy!ˇ± he shouted, continuing to retreat, terror in his eyes.

    He shouldnˇŻt havee to see Damon¨Che was aplete lunatic now!

    Watching rk back away, Damon calmly got up and left.

    Later that afternoon, Damon received an angry phone call from Richard.

    ˇ°Damon, you actually ran over your own nephew! Are you out of your mind? Do you really want to tear the Sumners apart?ˇ± Richard demanded. ˇ°ItˇŻs just

    Richard threatened, ˇ°If you keep acting like this, I wonˇŻt let you off!ˇ±

    After a lengthy rant, there was no response from Damon.

    Richard gritted his teeth. ˇ°Are you even listening?ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you done?ˇ± DamonˇŻs cold voice came from the other end. ˇ°If youˇŻre done, IˇŻm hanging up.ˇ±

    As soon as the words left his mouth, the call ended.

    Furious, Richard threw his phone and began pacing the room, hitting the floor with his cane.

    ˇ°What a family misfortune! How did I end up with such a wretched child?!ˇ± he cried.

 Chapter 494

    Cyrus scolded, ˇ°Look at what heˇŻs done to rk! If rk hadnˇŻt been so lucky, he might have died by now! He has toe and apologize to rk, or we

    Richard red at him. ˇ°Family matters shouldnˇŻt be aired out. If you dare to call the police, donˇŻt me me for disowning you as my son!ˇ±

    Cyrus, breathing heavily with anger, pointed at rk and said, ˇ°Dad, how can you be so sed? Damon is your son, but is rk not your grandson? An

    Richard retorted, ˇ°DonˇŻt forget it was Damon who helped you when yourpany was on the brink of bankruptcy several times!ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm his brother. ThatˇŻs what he should do!ˇ± Cyrus argued, his entitlement evident.

    The argument between Richard and Cyrus grew more heated, while rk, lying in bed with a cast, stared nkly out the window, lost in thought.

    Not far from the window was a university.

    As the sun set, young couples walked hand in hand across the campus. The evening glow was blood¨Cred, casting long shadows.

    rk vaguely recalled the time he finally managed to ask N out. He had wanted to

    hold her hand but had been too shy, carefully brushing against her fingers. When he finally mustered the courage to grasp her hand, his heart had been

    After that, he never saw such a beautiful sunset again, and the intense desire to be with her gradually faded over time.

    Perhaps he should have let her go the moment he cheated. At least then, it wouldnˇŻt have ended like this. Suddenly, a shrill scream pierced through Cyru

    He recognized the voice¨Cit was Reba, the woman who had caused NˇŻs death.

    Hate shed in rkˇŻs eyes as he leaned on his crutch and headed outside.

    Cyrus was startled by rkˇŻs sudden movement and quickly rushed to support him. ˇ°rk, what are you doing? The doctor said you need to stay in bed

    rk shrugged him off, replying coldly, ˇ°Stop pretending to be a loving father. Save that act for your illegitimate son outside.ˇ±

    Cyrusˇ® face flushed with embarrassment, his hand hovering in the air, unsure whether to put it down. ˇ°You

    Ignoring him, rk walked out of the hospital room.

    In the hallway, a crowd had gathered, all eyes on Reba, who was struggling desperately on the floor,

    Reba looked frantic, her hands iling to keep people away, her face etched with terror.

    She screamed, ˇ°I donˇŻt want to have surgery! I want to leave here! Let me go!ˇ±

    rk watched her coldly, his gaze fixed on her motionless legs. He narrowed his eyes.

    Seeing the crowd, a nurse quickly exined, ˇ°This patientˇŻs legs are necrotic and need

    to be amputated. She canˇŻt ept this reality and is refusing the surgery. WeˇŻre trying to convince her. You should return to your rooms. Staying here wi

    ˇ°YouˇŻre lying! My legs arenˇŻt necrotic at all!ˇ± Reba shouted, her eyes burning with fury.

    Her wild, wing behavior made her seem almost Insane.

    Some began to suspect she might be mentally ill.

    ˇ°Get her out of here! Her shouts are disturbing us!ˇ±

    Many people returned to their rooms, but when Reba spotted rk, she saw a glimmer quickly crawled toward him.

 Chapter 495

    ˇ°rk, help me! It was you who told me to return to the country! You have to help me, or IˇŻll tell Damon about this!ˇ± Reba threatened.

    To rk, her threat seemedughable. He remained silent, watching as she crawled toward him.

    The nurses who had initially nned to stop Reba hesitated upon seeing her familiarity with rk. After all, he was a Sumner, and they didnˇŻt want to

    When Reba finally stopped at rkˇŻs feet, looking up at him with pleading eyes, he asked, ˇ°Reba, how do you want me to help you?ˇ±

    Her face lit up with hope as she hurriedly replied, ˇ°Just got me out of the country. IˇŻll nevere back. If you help me, IˇŻll never tell Damon you contacted

    rk smirked.

    Just as Reba thought he might agree, he said, ˇ°But he already knows about this.ˇ±

    Her smile froze, and despair filled her eyes. ˇ°Noˇ­ ItˇŻs impossibleˇ­. How could he knowˇ­ˇ±

    rk turned to the nurses and coldly ordered, ˇ°Since she needs the amputation, take her to the operating room now. If she resists, you can reduce the a

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner,ˇ± the nurses replied, moving in.

    One nurse on each side, they began to drag Reba toward the operating room.

    Despite her frantic struggles, her legs were too weak to resist, and she could only curse at rk. ˇ°rk, may you die a terrible death! I wonˇŻt let you get

    ha hospital

    rk merely smiled at her curses and turned to return to room.

    Bound to the operating¨C

    table, Reba began to regret her decisions as she stared at the blinding surgical lights above. She wondered why she had provoked N.

    Noˇ­ she shouldnˇŻt have returned to the country. If she hadnˇŻt, she wouldnˇŻt be in this situation.

    It wasnˇŻt her fault¨Cit was rk and DamonˇŻs fault!

    She hated them and vowed never to forgive them!

    As the anesthesia began to take effect, RebaˇŻs struggles weakened.

    When Reba woke up again, panic surged through her. She screamed wildly the

    moment she saw her empty lower body. Her upper body was strapped to the bed, leaving her unable to move.

    Tears of regret streamed down her face. She truly felt remorse now, but it was toote for regrets.

    At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened.

    Nathaniel, dressed in a suit and holding a bouquet, walked in with a grim expression.

    Upon seeing him, RebaˇŻs eyes filled with hatred. ˇ°Nathaniel, get out! Get out! I donˇŻt want to see you!ˇ±

    Behind Nathaniel were several reporters, their expressions sympathetic as they observed the grim scene in the hospital room.

    They had been sent to cover Nathaniel and RebaˇŻs wedding, expecting a grand affair. Instead, they found it taking ce in a hospital room, with the b

    and groom looking more like enemies than newlyweds.

    Nathaniel remained silent, his face dark as he approached the bedside and stiffly ced the bouquet into

    RebaˇŻs arms.

    Reba red at him. ˇ°Get out! IˇŻd rather die than marry you!ˇ±

    Nathaniel felt a wave of nausea wash over him upon thinking about how he had loved this woman, now looking as mad as a

    lunatic, for so many years.

    ˇ°It doesnˇŻt matter if you donˇŻt want to. We registered the marriage this morning. If you donˇŻt want to die, I suggest you y along,ˇ± he said tly.

 Chapter 496

    ˇ°rk, help me! It was you who told me to return to the country! You have to help me, or IˇŻll tell Damon about this!ˇ± Reba threatened.

    To rk, her threat seemedughable. He remained silent, watching as she crawled toward him.

    The nurses who had initially nned to stop Reba hesitated upon seeing her familiarity with rk. After all, he was a Sumner, and they didnˇŻt want to

    When Reba finally stopped at rkˇŻs feet, looking up at him with pleading eyes, he asked, ˇ°Reba, how do you want me to help you?ˇ±

    Her face lit up with hope as she hurriedly replied, ˇ°Just got me out of the country. IˇŻll nevere back. If you help me, IˇŻll never tell Damon you contacted

    rk smirked.

    Just as Reba thought he might agree, he said, ˇ°But he already knows about this.ˇ±

    Her smile froze, and despair filled her eyes. ˇ°Noˇ­ ItˇŻs impossibleˇ­. How could he knowˇ­ˇ±

    rk turned to the nurses and coldly ordered, ˇ°Since she needs the amputation, take her to the operating room now. If she resists, you can reduce the a

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner,ˇ± the nurses replied, moving in.

    One nurse on each side, they began to drag Reba toward the operating room.

    Despite her frantic struggles, her legs were too weak to resist, and she could only curse at rk. ˇ°rk, may you die a terrible death! I wonˇŻt let you get

    ha hospital

    rk merely smiled at her curses and turned to return to room.

    Bound to the operating¨C

    table, Reba began to regret her decisions as she stared at the blinding surgical lights above. She wondered why she had provoked N.

    Noˇ­ she shouldnˇŻt have returned to the country. If she hadnˇŻt, she wouldnˇŻt be in this situation.

    It wasnˇŻt her fault¨Cit was rk and DamonˇŻs fault!

    She hated them and vowed never to forgive them!

    As the anesthesia began to take effect, RebaˇŻs struggles weakened.

    When Reba woke up again, panic surged through her. She screamed wildly the

    moment she saw her empty lower body. Her upper body was strapped to the bed, leaving her unable to move.

    Tears of regret streamed down her face. She truly felt remorse now, but it was toote for regrets.

    At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened.

    Nathaniel, dressed in a suit and holding a bouquet, walked in with a grim expression.

    Upon seeing him, RebaˇŻs eyes filled with hatred. ˇ°Nathaniel, get out! Get out! I donˇŻt want to see you!ˇ±

    Behind Nathaniel were several reporters, their expressions sympathetic as they observed the grim scene in the hospital room.

    They had been sent to cover Nathaniel and RebaˇŻs wedding, expecting a grand affair. Instead, they found it taking ce in a hospital room, with the b

    and groom looking more like enemies than newlyweds.

    Nathaniel remained silent, his face dark as he approached the bedside and stiffly ced the bouquet into

    RebaˇŻs arms.

    Reba red at him. ˇ°Get out! IˇŻd rather die than marry you!ˇ±

    Nathaniel felt a wave of nausea wash over him upon thinking about how he had loved this woman, now looking as mad as a

    lunatic, for so many years.

    ˇ°It doesnˇŻt matter if you donˇŻt want to. We registered the marriage this morning. If you donˇŻt want to die, I suggest you y along,ˇ± he said tly.

 Chapter 497

    #26 BONUS

    How Ironic. Nathaniel once fantasized about the day he could marry Reba, but now that she was actually his wife, they both despised each other so

    Wren had kept the news of NˇŻs cliff dive a secret for a month, but Harrison eventually found out.

    Overwhelmed by shock, he fainted and had to be revived multiple times over the next three days.

    Even after waking up, he couldnˇŻte to terms with reality. He refused to eat or undergo treatment, clearly resigning himself to dying.

    Wren tried to persuade him but to no avail. In frustration, she threw the food into the trash and sat by his bed, crying. ˇ°Fine, donˇŻt eat then. IˇŻll starve with

    Harrison turned his back to her as if he hadnˇŻt heard.

    After a long silence, he finally spoke in a weary voice. I have two bank cards in the bedside drawer. ThereˇŻs money in them that should be enough for yo

    Wren interrupted him angrily, ˇ°Why are you telling me this? If you want to die, IˇŻll die with you!ˇ±

    Harrison was silent for a moment before saying slowly, ˇ°YouˇŻve had a hard time too over the years. N

    is my biological daughter. My only wish was to see her live happily, but I failed her. Not only did I not help her, but I also criticized her constantly. IˇŻm the o

    ˇ°Wren, you know me. I really donˇŻt want to live anymore. I donˇŻt

    know what purpose my life still serves.ˇ± Wren threw herself by the bedside, choking back tears. ˇ°Without N, you still have me and Gabriel. Gabriel will

    Harrison closed his eyes and said softly, ˇ°Pick a good day. I n to hold a funeral for her and send her off.

    Suddenly, Wren seemed to remember something and spoke excitedly. ˇ°Harrison, NˇŻs body hasnˇŻt been found. She might still be alive!ˇ±

    HarrisonˇŻs expression changed, though he knew the chances were slim, a glimmer of hope still rose in

    his heart.

    Seeing that he no longer wore the same look of resignation, Wren quickly said, ˇ°As long as we havenˇŻt found the body, thereˇŻs hope.

    ˇ°I have Gabriel look for her. HeˇŻsing back from his business trip tomorrow and can hire people to search. If N is still alive, weˇŻll definitely find her.ˇ±

    After a long silence, Harrison finally nodded. ˇ°Alright.ˇ±

    Wren quickly wiped her tears and went to prepare another meal, ˇ°Eat first. You need to keep your strength up until we find N.ˇ±

    Early the next morning, Gabriel received a call from Wren just as he stepped off the ne.

    ˇ°Gabriel,e to the hospital right away. Harrison and I need to talk to

    u, Wren said urgently.

    Gabriel frowned, replying, ˇ°IˇŻm a bit busy right now. IˇŻlle by in the evening.ˇ±

    He hung up and was about to call his assistant when a news notification popped up on his screen. His grip on the phone tightened, and his eyes widene

    A minuteter, Gabriel called his assistant, his voice loy. ˇ°Is the news about NˇŻs cliff dive true?ˇ±

    The assistantˇŻs trembling voice

    came through the line. Mr. Hackettˇ­ yes, it is. We couldnˇŻt reach you while you were abroad, so I was waiting for you to return to-ˇ±

    Before the assistant could finish, the call was abruptly cut off.

 Chapter 498

    An hourter, Gabriel stormed into the CEOˇŻs office at Prospectus Technology.

    A dozen security guards trailed behind, but none managed to stop him.

    He marched up to DamonˇŻs desk, mmed his fists down hard, and grabbed Damon by the cor, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

    ˇ°Damon, youˇŻre responsible for NˇŻs death, and you act like nothing happened? I wonˇŻt let you get away with this!ˇ± Gabriel growled.

    Damon shrugged off his hands and stared at him coldly. ˇ°Get out.ˇ±

    Gabriel sneered. ˇ°This matter isnˇŻt over! YouˇŻd better watch out!ˇ±

    With that, he turned and stormed out.

    Damon watched GabrielˇŻs retreating figure with a nk expression.

    Spencer, trembling, stood by the office door. ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ IˇŻm sorryˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Get out,ˇ± Damon replied simply.

    Given the force with which Gabriel had grabbed him, it was no surprise the security guards couldnˇŻt stop him.

    Spencer quickly exited the office, instructing the guards at the door to return to their posts.

    Since N had fallen into the sea, Damon appeared emotionally numb¨Cindifferent to everything and incapable of anger.

    Spencer felt anxious but helpless.

    After leaving Prospectus Technology, Gabriel headed straight to the hospital.

    Wren was getting water when she saw him, her face lighting up with joy. ˇ°Gabriel, I thought you wereing in the evening?ˇ±

    Gabriel looked at her coldly. ˇ°When did you find out about NˇŻs fall into the sea?ˇ±

    WrenˇŻs smile froze, and her brow furrowed. ˇ°You came to the hospital just to ask me this?ˇ±

    ˇ°Otherwise? N is my sister. She fell into the sea a month ago, and you didnˇŻt even send me a message, Gabrielined.

    +

    Seeing the questioning look in GabrielˇŻs eyes, Wren gnashed her teeth. ˇ°I didnˇŻt want to disturb you. Before you left for abroad, you said you couldnˇŻt use

    ˇ®Disturb me? Do you think a human life is less important than my work? I gave you an emergency number before I left. Why didnˇŻt you contact me immed

    If Wren had contacted him when N fell, there might have been a chance to find her. Now that a month had passed, the chances of finding N alive w

    slim.

    GabrielˇŻs eyes were filled with frost.

    If Wren werenˇŻt his mother, he wouldnˇŻt let her off so easily.

    Upon meeting his using gaze, WrenˇŻs heart grew cold.

    ˇ°Gabriel, youˇŻve been missing for a month and

    returned just to question me about this? Am I the culprit? Did I kill N? Even if I had told you then, could you have reached the seaside in time to save

    retorted.

    To Wren, N was just an outsider. Seeing her carefully nurtured son question her over her stepdaughter was uneptable.

    ˇ°SheˇŻs not just anyone¨CsheˇŻs my sister!ˇ± Gabriel growled.

    Wren scoffed. ˇ°Sister? Did she ever see you as a brother? All these years, she showed respect outwardly but never considered me or us as family. Yet,

    ˇ°Enough!ˇ± Gabriel interrupted coldly, his eyes filled with rage. ˇ°You keep saying she didnˇŻt see you as an elder, but did you ever see her as your daughte

    ˇ°What do you want me to do? Compensate her with my life?ˇ± Wren shot back.

    ˇ°Forget it. I donˇŻt want to argue about this anymore. IˇŻm going to see Harrison,ˇ± Gabriel said tly.

 Chapter 499

    ˇ°Wait!ˇ± Wren stopped him. ˇ°HarrisonˇŻs been very unstable since NˇŻs fall. He has tried to end his life several times. I told him NˇŻs body hasnˇŻt been fo

    Gabriel impatiently shook off her hand and replied coldly, ˇ°Got it.ˇ±

    As Gabriel entered the hospital room, he noticed that Harrison looked even more emaciated than before. He hesitated, his step faltering.

    When Harrison saw him, he managed a weak smile. ˇ°Gabrielˇ­ youˇŻre backˇ­ You must have heard about N. I need to ask you for a favorˇ­.ˇ±

    Gabriel took his hand, his expression serious. ˇ°I understand. You donˇŻt need to say more. IˇŻll look for N. I wonˇŻt give up until I find her.ˇ±

    HarrisonˇŻs eyes reddened as he grasped GabrielˇŻs hand. ˇ°Thank you!ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs the least I can do,ˇ± Gabriel replied.

    He lingered for a moment before standing up to leave.

    As he walked out of the room, his expression immediately

    turned icy. He called his assistant. ˇ°Find out NˇŻs whereabouts. Alive or dead, I want to see her!ˇ±

    After hanging up, determination shed in his eyes. He tightened his grip on his phone.

    If it werenˇŻt for Damon and rk, N wouldnˇŻt be in this situation. He wouldnˇŻt let anyone from the Sumners go unpunished!

    At the Sumner residenceˇ­

    Cyrus and Richard sat in the living room, both looking grim.

    ˇ°Dad, are you really going to let Damon do whatever he wants? He nearly

    bankrupted the Preston Group this time, which has caused a lot of dissatisfaction. If this keeps up, the Sumner Group will also be affected,ˇ± Cyrusp

    DamonˇŻs actions had hurt the interests of many business partners. They hadnˇŻt retaliated yet, partly out of fear of suffering a simr fate to the Preston G

    Despite that, everyone had their limits. If Damon continued his reckless behavior and damaged their interests, they would eventually retaliate.

    Richard gave him a cold look. ˇ°You want me to handle him? How can I control him? Does he even listen to me?ˇ±

    After locking Damon up in the hospitalst time, their rtionship had worsened. Any further interference would only escte the situation.

    Cyrus whined, ˇ°If you wonˇŻt deal with it, then who will? If he were targeting the Preston

    Group for hispanyˇŻs sake, I wouldnˇŻt say anything. But now heˇŻs offending people just for a woman, which is

    Richard remained silent for a long time before speaking in a deep voice. ˇ°N has just fallen into the sea. Let him vent on a few people for now.ˇ±

    Cyrus, visibly agitated, red at Richard. ˇ°YouˇŻre sed toward him! If it were me or rk doing this, youˇŻd have locked us up in the old wing by now!ˇ±

    ˇ°If you and rk could start your ownpanies without relying on the family, I wouldnˇŻt interfere!ˇ± Richard snapped.

    Cyrus was rendered speechless, his face a mix of fluster and embarrassment.

    After

    a long pause, he gritted his teeth and asked, ˇ°What if he keeps this up? Are we really going to let him turn the entire city upside down for a woman?ˇ±

    Upon seeing Cyrusˇ® hesitation, RichardˇŻs expression darkened as he asked, ˇ°What exactly are you suggesting?!ˇ±

    ˇ°I heard thereˇŻs a form of hypnosis abroad that can make people lose part of their memory without affecting them otherwise. What ifˇ­ˇ± Cyrus proposed.

 Chapter 500

    Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Richard Interrupted coldly, ˇ°Shut up!ˇ±

    No one knew what might happen with such hypnosis treatments. He had even heard of cases where people turned into fools after undergoing them.

    Cyrus, pale with fear at RichardˇŻs icy gaze, quickly lowered his head, unable to meet his eyes.

    However, considering that DamonˇŻs recent actions had nearly driven rkˇŻspanies to copse, Cyrus gathered his courage again.

    ˇ°Dad, IˇŻm just giving

    you a suggestion, Damon is my brother, and I wouldnˇŻt harm him. IˇŻm only thinking about whatˇŻs best for him and the Sumners,ˇ± he said,

    Richard sneered. ˇ°YouˇŻre only thinking about yourself, not him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dad, IˇŻm just suggesting something. If you donˇŻt agree, thatˇŻs fine,ˇ± Cyrus replied.

    ˇ°I wonˇŻt agree to this, and donˇŻt ever bring up such things in front of me again, or I wonˇŻt spare you!ˇ± With that, Richard stood up and left, not even nci

    Cyrus watched his fatherˇŻs retreating figure, his eyes filled with anger and resentment. All Richard saw was Damon. To Richard, he and rk were expe

    His hatred grew stronger with each passing moment. One day, he would make Richard regret his Wions!

    After Cyrus left, Marie

    found Richard and sighed. ˇ°Richard, Cyrus has a point. Damon even went so far as to crash into his nephew just for N. We canˇŻt let him continue dow

    Richard looked up, his eyes icy. ˇ°So you think he should be hypnotized too?ˇ±

    Marie sighed again. ˇ°I just want my old son back.ˇ±

    Everything was because of N. If not for her, Damon and rk wouldnˇŻt have turned

    against each other, and the Sumners wouldnˇŻt be in such turmoil. Her greatest regret was being lenient back then and allowing rk to marry N.

    ˇ°Enough. I absolutely refuse to agree to this. And donˇŻt get involved with Cyrus. I know his little schemes!ˇ± Richard snapped.

    What Cyrus said today was merely a response to the impending copse of the smallpany he had given to rk. He wanted Richard to intervene w

    of failure. Even without DamonˇŻs interference, it would be bankrupt within six months at most.

    Thinking of this, Richard felt a mix of frustration and disappointment. If the Sumners werenˇŻt so unreliable -Damon excluded¨C

    he wouldnˇŻt be so worried.

    After much consideration, Richard decided to go to Prospectus Technology to talk to Damon. Allowing. him to continue wreaking havoc would inevitably

    The atmosphere in the top¨Cfloor conference room of Prospectus Technology was tense and silent.

    Finally, one of the shareholders couldnˇŻt hold back any longer and spoke

    up, visibly displeased. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, shouldnˇŻt you discuss any decisions rted to thepany with us shareholders first, or at least. notify us?

    ˇ°YouˇŻre recklessly targeting the Preston Group out of personal grudges, offending many business partners. Now, weˇŻre the ones bearing the brunt of thei

    Damon looked coldly at the shareholder and replied indifferently, ˇ°If youˇŻre dissatisfied, you can sell your shares in Prospectus Technology. IˇŻll buy them a

    The offer tempted many.

    Given DamonˇŻs erratic behavior, it was only a matter of

    time before Prospectus Technology faced ruin. Selling shares at the highest market price now and investing elsewhere without fear seemed like a wise c

    BE

 Chapter 501

    DamonˇŻs offer of ten times the market value was too tempting for the shareholders. They didnˇŻt know

    when Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs stock price would ever see such a surge.

    With this realization, several shareholders quickly decided to sell their shares.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained unchanged as he

    instructed Spencer to tally up the shareholders wishing to sell. He immediately had thewyers draft the transfer agreements.

    Soon, the shareholders signed the share transfer agreements and received their payments.

    Seeing therge sums in their bank ounts, many left with gleaming eyes, clearly thrilled.

    The remaining shareholders, witnessing this, began to waver as well.

    Damon nced at the remaining shareholders and said, ˇ°If anyone else wants to sell their shares, now is the time. After today, this offer

    wonˇŻt be avable.ˇ±

    Hearing this, a few more shareholders chose to sell their shares.

    As he watched them leave, delighted by the bank transfer notifications they received, Spencer couldnˇŻt help but shake his head.

    What they didnˇŻt know was that a new chronic disease drug, secretly developed by DamonˇŻs research team, had justpleted clinical trials and

    would beunched soon.

    With hundreds of millions of patients in the country, Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs stock price was bound to skyrocket once the drug hit the market.

    The excitement they felt now would soon turn to regret when they saw the stockˇŻs future gains.

    Moreover, the Preston Group and Prospectus Technology were alreadypetitors.

    Damon had previously tolerated the Preston GroupˇŻs

    actions that harmed Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs interests due to his rtionship with Nathaniel. Now that Nathaniel was opposing him, taking down the Pre

    Seeing no more shareholders stepping forward to sell, Damon coldly announced, ˇ°Since no one else wants to sell their

    shares, the meeting is dismissed!ˇ±

    With that, he didnˇŻt spare another nce at the shareholders and left the room.

    Once Spencer left as well, the tense atmosphere in the conference room eased slightly.

    Some shareholders couldnˇŻt hold back theirints.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner is being too reckless. Although he founded Prospectus Technology, we

    shareholders have contributed significantly as well. Especially you, Mr. Warner. We may not hold many shares, but Mr. Sumner hasnˇŻt even informed

    this?!

    Everyone knew that HectorˇŻs wife was a member of the Preston family. DamonˇŻs actions against the Preston Group were essentially

    a humiliation for Hector

    HectorˇŻs expression darkened as he replied coldly, ˇ°Why didnˇŻt you speak up when Mr. Sumner was here?

    If you donˇŻt want to stay at Prospectus Technology, feel free to sell your shares. ItˇŻs better to keep such divisive talk to a minimum.ˇ±

    With that, Hector stood up and departed, leaving a group of stunned shareholders in his wake.

    Back in DamonˇŻs officeˇ­

    Damon was about to review some documents when Spencer knocked and entered.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, since Ms. JaystonˇŻs disappearance, you havenˇŻt had a proper rest. After the new drugunches, you should consider

    taking some time off,ˇ± Spencer suggested.

    A few days earlier, Damon had been hospitalized for a stomach bleed. The doctor had warned him that if he didnˇŻt take better care of himself and

    rest, his health would deteriorate further.

    Moreover, Damon had visibly lost weight over the past month. His suits now looked oversized, and even the designers had privately asked Spencer if

    Damon was ill.

    Damon looked up at Spencer and said firmly, ˇ°IˇŻll handle my own schedule. You can go back to work now.ˇ±

 Chapter 502

    Spencer had intended to persuade Damon further, but upon seeing DamonˇŻs icy profile, he realized it was futile. With a sigh, he turned to leave.

    Just outside the office, he spotted Richard exiting the elevator. Taken aback, he quickly approached him.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, what brings you here unexpectedly?ˇ± he asked.

    Richard replied with a neutral expression, ˇ°IˇŻm here to see Damon. Take me to him.ˇ±

    Spencer hesitated.

    Previously, Richard had

    confined Damon to his hospital room and prohibited him from seeing anyone. Furthermore, Damon had made it clear he didnˇŻt want to see anyone from

    Upon noticing SpencerˇŻs reluctance, RichardˇŻs expression darkened. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, if youˇŻre unwilling to take me to him, IˇŻll go on my own.ˇ±

    As Richard began to push past him, Spencer quickly stopped him. ˇ°Mr. Richard, Mr. Damon is currently working. IˇŻll inform him of your arrival.ˇ±

    Richard frowned but suppressed his anger. ˇ°Very well.ˇ±

    Since he was already there, if Damon refused to see him, he would wait until he did. He had no intention of leaving without seeing Damon.

    When Damon learned that Richard hade to see him, his

    expression grew even colder. ˇ°DidnˇŻt I tell you to say IˇŻm not here if anyone from the Sumnerses by in the future?ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Summerˇ­ Mr. Richard is your father. If you refuse to see him, it will only fuel rumors among thepany staff. The new drug is about tounch, an

    at this time could impact its introduction,ˇ± Spencer advised.

    DamonˇŻs face darkened. After a long pause, he coldly replied, ˇ°Let him in.ˇ°.

    When Richard entered the office, Damon was already seated on the sofa, waiting.

    ˇ°What brings you here?ˇ± Damon asked coolly.

    Richard frowned, displeased with DamonˇŻs indifference. ˇ°Are you still ming me for confining you in the hospital?ˇ±

    Damon chortled and replied, ˇ°No. After all, youˇŻre my father. Whatever you do, you always have your reasons. ItˇŻs all ˇ®for my own good.ˇ±

    Richard was enraged as he took a seat opposite Damon, his face grim. ˇ°Confining you in the hospital was indeed excessive, but it was because you

    were emotionally unstable. If I hadnˇŻt restrained you, you might not be here now.ˇ±

    Seeing Damon and rk in such turmoil over a woman infuriated Richard. Even so, given the current situation, further discussion seemed pointless.

    Just state your purpose foring. I have many documents to review,ˇ± Damon said, his tone dismissive.

    Richard was exasperated by DamonˇŻs attitude, barely restraining himself from reprimanding him.

    After a moment, he said, ˇ°Even if you were

    angry, crashing into rk was a lesson for him. You two are family, and targeting hispany doesnˇŻt benefit you. It only makes you the subject of ridicu

    Damon interrupted, ˇ°If you came here to discuss rkˇŻspany, youˇŻll be disappointed. I have no intention of letting him off the hook.ˇ±

    Unable to contain his frustration, Richard demanded, ˇ°What do you intend to do? Are you really going to drive your nephew to ruin over a woman?ˇ°¨C

    Damon chuckled, meeting RichardˇŻs gaze

    as he spoke slowly. ˇ°Why would I do that? IsnˇŻt there still the Sumner Group? Even if that subsidiary goes bankrupt, canˇŻt you just give him another one?

 Chapter 503

    Richard was seething with anger. ˇ°The Sumner GroupˇŻs subsidiaries arenˇŻt freebies to be handed out casually!ˇ±

    He had nned to leave thepany to Damon because neither rk nor Brandon could lead the Sumner Group effectively¨C

    they would only drive it into decline.

    ˇ°If thatˇŻs the case, itˇŻs none of my concern. If youˇŻre unwilling to, you donˇŻt have to,ˇ± Damon replied.

    After all, rk had little real

    ability. Damon had investigated and discovered that without N transferring her patent to rk, he would never have be the CEO of the Sumner G

    f

    Richard red at him, gritting his teeth. ˇ°DonˇŻt you know that I n to leave the Sumner Group to you?! rk and Brandon will be your support in the fut

    Damon remained calm, showing no signs of excitement or agitation over RichardˇŻs intention to leave the Sumner Group to him.

    ˇ°I have my ownpany to manage. I donˇŻt have time to deal with the Sumner Group. However, if you were willing to let me acquire it and make

    it a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology, I wouldnˇŻt mind,ˇ± Damon suggested.

    ˇ°Dream on! I will never let the Sumner Group be a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology!ˇ± Richard snapped.

    The Sumner Group was his lifeˇŻs work. Turning it into a subsidiary of Prospectus Technology would be like destroying all his hard work.

    Damon retorted, ˇ°If itˇŻs impossible, then donˇŻt mention leaving the Sumner Group to me again. IˇŻm not interested and donˇŻt have the time.ˇ±

    With that, he walked over to his desk, sat down, and picked up some documents. ˇ°I need to work now. Please leave.ˇ±

    Richard didnˇŻt move. His sharp eyes remained fixed on Damon. ˇ°Are you really going to push rk to the edge?ˇ±

    Damon didnˇŻt look up. ˇ°In business, there are winners and

    losers. If heˇŻs outmatched and has high expectations but low skills, itˇŻs only natural for him to lose thepany.ˇ±

    Seeing DamonˇŻs determination, Richard felt himself sway slightly. He stepped back to steady himself and looked at Damon with disappointment.

    ˇ°Damon, youˇŻll regret being so ruthless to your own family one day!ˇ± he scolded.

    Then, he stormed out of the room.

    Back at home, Richard threw a fit in his study, but his emotions remained turbulent.

    Richard had always believed

    that Damon and the Sumner Group were a unified entity and had hoped Damon would lead the family business to greater heights.

    It was now clear to him that since the day Damon started his own business, he likely had no intention of returning to the Sumner Group.

    What good was a disobedient son?

    The more he thought about it, the darker his expression grew, and the knuckles of the hand gripping the cane turned pale.

    Hearing themotion, Marie called out at the study door for a long time without receiving a response. When the noise from inside suddenly stopped, s

    f

    Just as she was about to insert the key into the lock, the study door suddenly opened.

    Richard emerged with a grim expression and said coldly, ˇ°Call Cyrus back for dinner tonight!ˇ±

    Seeing he was alright, Marie finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked irritably, ˇ°WhatˇŻs the matter with you? YouˇŻve been silent in there

    for so long that you scared me to death. DidnˇŻt you just warn me this morning not to get involved with Cyrus? Why the sudden change?ˇ±

    2

    ˇ°Just do as I say and stop asking questions!ˇ± Richard barked.

    With that coldmand, he mmed the study door shut once more.

    When Cyrus received MarieˇŻs call, he was pleased, knowing that Richard had taken his earlierments to heart.

 Chapter 504

    ˇ°Okay, I understand. IˇŻll bring over a bottle of DadˇŻs favorite wine tonight,ˇ± Cyrus said.

    After hanging up, Cyrus turned to rk with excitement.

    ˇ°rk, your grandfather is probably already considering my earlier suggestion about hypnotizing Damon. If the n works out, not only will the

    Sumner Group be ours but Prospectus Technology will be too!ˇ± he eximed.

    In contrast to Cyrusˇ® enthusiasm, rk remained calm. ˇ°Dad, IˇŻm not interested in any of this.ˇ±

    Ever since he received the news of NˇŻs death, rk had been living in regret and torment for over a

    month.

    If he hadnˇŻt cheated on Jordyn, he and N might have still been happily married. Because of his momentary mistake, everything had unraveled.

    He couldnˇŻt forgive himself and had gradually lost interest in thepany and everything else.

    Without N, what was the point of umting more wealth? The person he wanted to share that joy with was no longer there.

    Seeing rkˇŻs lifeless expression, Cyrus frowned. ˇ°YouˇŻre not interested in the Sumner Group or Prospectus Technology? Then

    what are you interested in? DonˇŻt tell me youˇŻre nning to be like your uncle, letting a woman drive you to the brink of ruin?!ˇ±

    rk looked at Cyrus with a hint of pity. ˇ°Dad, you never really understood what love is, did you?ˇ± Whether it was Cindy or the other women Cyrus kept o

    essence of love.

    Cyrus was irritated by rkˇŻs gloomy demeanor.

    ˇ°What good is knowing about love? As long as I have money, I can get whatever kind of love I want. And whatˇŻs love

    really worth anyway? You were willing to go to extremes to marry N, and in the end, you still cheated.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt look at me with those eyes. If you donˇŻt want thepany, I do. And remember, youˇŻre not my only son!ˇ± Cyrus retorted.

    If rk continued like this, Cyrus wouldnˇŻt waste more time on him.

    A trace of mockery crossed rkˇŻs eyes. ˇ°Dad, youˇŻre not going to outmaneuver

    Uncle Damon. I suggest you put away your schemes. If the n fails, he wonˇŻt care about family ties.ˇ±

    From the moment Damon had dared to run rk over with his car, rk had realized that Damon didnˇŻt care about family at all.

    ˇ°YouˇŻd be better off figuring out how to trick your grandfather into giving you shares of the Sumner Group,ˇ± Cyrus shot back.

    In the evening, Cyrus walked into the Sumner residence, carrying a bottle of wine.

    Richard sat in the living room with a stern expression, showing no reaction to Cyrusˇ® arrival. Clearly, he was in a bad mood.

    Cyrus forced a smile, quickly walked to the seat across from Richard, and ced the wine on the table.

    ˇ°Dad, this is the red wine from your favorite winery,ˇ± he offered.

    Richard gave a brief nce at the bottle and replied with a curt hum.

    Then, he closed his eyes to rest, ignoring Cyruspletely.

    After sitting in silence for a while, Cyrus couldnˇŻt contain himself any longer and

    tentatively asked, ˇ°Dad, is there a particr reason you wanted me toe over for dinner tonight?ˇ±

    Before he could finish his

    sentence, he suddenly found himself ensnared by RichardˇŻs icy gaze. His mind went nk, and he forgot what he had meant to say.

    Richard was a seasoned man, and his intense stare made Cyrus sweat nervously.

    ˇ°Dadˇ­ why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden?ˇ± he asked.

 Chapter 505

    Upon seeing Cyrusˇ® guilty expression and his cowardice in making eye contact, RichardˇŻs gaze grew

    colder.

    If Cyrus was afraid to even look him in the eye, it proved

    he was useless! It also meant that Damon was the best candidate to inherit the Sumner Group.

    Richard was determined not to let Damon be ruined because of a woman.

    ˇ°I brought you here tonight to ask about the hypnosis treatment you mentioned this morning. Are there any sessful case studies?ˇ± Richard inquired.

    Cyrusˇ® face lit up with excitement. ˇ°Yes, yes! I can show you!ˇ±

    Seeing his barely contained enthusiasm, Richard narrowed his eyes. He stood up and said, ˇ°LetˇŻs discuss this in the study.ˇ±

    The two spent over an hour in the study.

    By the time dinner was ready, Marie had to call several times before they finally emerged.

    Cyrus was flushed with delight. He turned to Richard earnestly, saying, ˇ°Dad, donˇŻt worry. IˇŻll book a flight abroad for tomorrow and bring back a professio

    to be well, too.ˇ±

    Richard hummed in response.

    After a hurried dinner, Cyrus quickly left.

    Marie looked at Richard with concern. ˇ°Richard, have you decided to go along with Cyrusˇ® n?ˇ±

    Richard looked up. ˇ°DidnˇŻt you just say this morning that you hoped our son would return? Why are you hesitating now?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm afraid thatˇ­ if it doesnˇŻt work, our rtionship with Damon will definitely worsenˇ­ IˇŻm also worried about causing him harmˇ­ˇ± Marie confessed.

    RichardˇŻs expression turned icy. Women were so troublesome¨Cwanting to achieve their goals white avoiding any risks. Things didnˇŻt work that way.

    2

    ˇ°IˇŻll handle this myself. You donˇŻt need to worry about it,ˇ± Richard said,

    Marie sighed and fell silent. Once Richard made a decision, there was no changing it.

    After dinner, Richard summoned the butler to the study and instructed, ˇ°Have a few

    people secretly follow Cyrus. HeˇŻs clearly nning to use this opportunity against Damon. I canˇŻt let him have any chance.ˇ±

    The butler, Frank Cobb, lowered his head. ˇ°Understood, IˇŻll arrange it immediately.ˇ±

    Within a week, Cyrus returned to the country with the hypnotist he had mentioned.

    As soon as theynded, he took the hypnotist straight to the Sumner residence.

    ˇ°Dad, this is Dr. Sean Merritt, the hypnotist I told you about. HeˇŻs very well known internationally,ˇ± Cyrus introduced.

    After Richard greeted Sean, he signaled to Frank.

    Soon, a few ck¨Cd bodyguards stepped forward and restrained Cyrus.

    Cyrus was taken aback. He quickly looked at Richard and asked, ˇ°Dad, what is the meaning of this?ˇ±

    Richard remained unmoved, his expression cold. ˇ°What do you mean, whatˇŻs the meaning of this? Do you think I donˇŻt know about your schemes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dad, what are you talking about? I donˇŻt understand,ˇ± Cyrus protested.

    Richard sneered and had Frank present evidence of Cyrusˇ® n to use SeanˇŻs hypnosis to turn Damon into a fool.

    Cyrus, filled with anger, quickly went pale. He couldnˇŻt help but question, ˇ°If you

    knew about my n, why didnˇŻt you stop me from the ˇ®start?! Why did you make me go abroad to bring Dr. Merritt back?!ˇ±

    X

 Chapter 506

    Richard sneered, ˇ°Naturally, I have my own ns too.ˇ±

    Cyrus

    finally realized Richard had used him. Richard had intentionally allowed him to go abroad to find Sean, only to have him bring Sean back and then disca

    ˇ°Dad, youˇŻll regret this someday!ˇ± Cyrus snarled.

    Richard didnˇŻt bother to look at him anymore. He nced at Frank, who immediately ordered the guards to take Cyrus away.

    Soon, Cyrusˇ® furious shouting grew quieter until itpletely disappeared.

    Sean also tried to leave, but RichardˇŻs men held him back. His face paled as he looked at Richard with anger. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, what is the

    meaning of this?ˇ±

    Richard sat down with a smile. ˇ°Dr. Merritt, donˇŻt worry. I can offer you double the benefits my son promised you. But the condition is that your hypnosis m

    such as the patient turning into an idiot¨Cyou might find it very difficult to leave here.ˇ±

    Sean hade for the high treatment fee, so hearing RichardˇŻs offer to double the payment eased his

    anxiety.

    ˇ°I agree,ˇ± he said.

    Richard smiled. ˇ°YouˇŻre a smart man, Dr. Merritt.ˇ±

    He raised his hand, and Frank promptly handed a check to Sean.

    ˇ°This is the deposit. I will pay the remaining amount in full after the procedure,ˇ± Richard said.

    Receiving the check and seeing the amount on it, SeanˇŻsst bit of doubt faded.

    He smiled and said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, you can rest assured that the procedure will be a sess.ˇ±

    Richard nodded. ˇ°Good. If there are no issues, weˇŻll schedule the procedure within the next few days. Now, letˇŻs discuss the specific details.ˇ±

    An hourter, Richard arranged for Sean to be taken to a hotel, assigning a few people to protect him.

    Although they were said to be protecting him, their real job was to prevent him from having any contact with Cyrus.

    The next morning, Damon received a call from

    the Sumner residence saying that Marie was ill and requesting his return as soon as he arrived at the office.

    Damon lowered his gaze, his voice cold. ˇ°If sheˇŻs sick, she should see a doctor. IˇŻm not a doctor.ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Summerˇ­ˇ± The maid on the other end of the line sounded helpless as she sighed. ˇ°ItˇŻs obvious that your motherˇŻs illness is a matter of the heart. Ev

    ˇ°IˇŻm very busy right now. IˇŻll deal with it when I have time,ˇ± Damon replied, his tone dismissive.

    With that, he hung up.

    The maid ced the phone down and nervously nced at the stern¨Cfaced Richard. ˇ°Mr. Summer, Mr. Damon refuses toe backˇ­ˇ±

    Richard shot her a cold look. ˇ°IˇŻm not deaf.ˇ±

    Frightened by his icy gaze, the maid quickly lowered her head and fell silent.

    After a moment of stillness, Richard summoned Frank into the study and said coldly, ˇ°Go get some of NˇŻs belongings from rk.ˇ±

    rk and N had been married for three years, so there must be some of her things left.

    Since they couldnˇŻt persuade Damon, they would have to use N to their advantage.

    Frank looked up in shock, his expression reflecting hesitation. ˇ°Mr. Summerˇ­ wonˇŻt this be a bit too much?

    N was already gone, no matter what. Using her belongings to manipte Damon intoing backˇ­ Was that really appropriate?ˇ±

    ¤Ë

 Chapter 507

    RichardˇŻs expression was cold. ˇ°What do you know? Just do as I say! ItˇŻs her honor that she can help the Sumners onest time after

    her death!ˇ±

    Seeing RichardˇŻs resolute demeanor, Frank chose not to argue further and left the study.

    That evening, Damon received another call from the Summer residence. This time, it was Richard himself on the line, not a maid.

    ˇ°Come back immediately,ˇ± he ordered.

    Themanding tone made DamonˇŻs eyes narrow. ˇ°IˇŻm busy. If itˇŻs not something important, please stop calling me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very well! Fine!ˇ± Each of RichardˇŻs words dripped with

    anger. ˇ°It seems your motherˇŻs illness doesnˇŻt matter to you! Let me ask you, are NˇŻs belongings important to you?!ˇ±

    Damon tightened his grip on the phone. ˇ°Her belongings?!ˇ±

    Hearing the agitation in DamonˇŻs voice, Richard felt reassured that his decision was right. That woman would only cost Damon his life if

    he kept thinking about her!

    With that thought, RichardˇŻs earlier hesitation transformed into resolve. ˇ°Yes, her belongings are here. If you want them,e back for

    dinner. I have something to discuss with you. If you donˇŻt want them, IˇŻll have the service staff burn them.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll be there shortly,ˇ± Damon replied.

    After hanging up, he immediately left the office.

    On the way to the Summer residence, he couldnˇŻt help but wonder why Richard was using NˇŻs belongings to coerce him into returning.

    The morningˇŻs call about Marie being sick and now the threat regarding NˇŻs belongings¨Cit couldnˇŻt just be about a simple dinner.

    He called Spencer and instructed, ˇ°Check on what my father has been doingtely.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    Within an hour, DamonˇŻs car pulled up at the Sumner residence.

    At the same time, SpencerˇŻs call came in.

    He reported, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, there hasnˇŻt been much change in Mr. RichardˇŻs behavior recently, except that he saw a doctor.ˇ±

    Given the maidˇŻs earlier call about MarieˇŻs illness, Damon didnˇŻt give it much thought. He asked, ˇ°Anything else?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nothing else,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    ˇ°Okay, got it.ˇ± Damon ended the call, got out of the car, and walked into the Sumner residence.

    As he stepped into the living room, he sensed something was different from hisst visit, though he couldnˇŻt pinpoint what had changed.

    A well¨Cdressed foreigner was seated there.

    Upon hearing DamonˇŻs footsteps, he turned around with a smile. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, hello. IˇŻm

    your motherˇŻs doctor. You can call me Dr. Merritt.ˇ°,

    Damon regarded him with indifference, showing no interest. ˇ°Mm.ˇ±

    Sean was unfazed by DamonˇŻs aloofness and continued speaking with a smile. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you have

    time now, IˇŻd like to discuss your motherˇŻs condition with you.ˇ®

    ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs intuition told him that something was off about this doctor. He replied coldly, ˇ°No need. I have matters to attend to.ˇ±

    With that, he turned and headed toward the study on the first floor.

    He was there for NˇŻs belongings, not to waste time with a doctor.

    SeanˇŻs calm voice followed him. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you want to get what you came for, itˇŻs best to speak with me first.ˇ±

 Chapter 508

    DamonˇŻs steps abruptly halted as he turned to Sean, his eyes shing icily. ˇ°What did you just say?ˇ±

    A chill ran through Sean under DamonˇŻs prating gaze, but he maintained

    his warm smile. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I just want to discuss your motherˇŻs condition. Mr. Richard is currently

    upstairs with your mother and will be down shortly. I wonˇŻt keep you long.ˇ±

    For some reason, Damon found himself moving closer to Sean. He took a seat across from him and asked, ˇ°What do you want to discuss?ˇ±

    Sean said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, you may not be aware, but your mother has been having trouble sleepingtely and has developed a

    sleep disorder. For someone her age, this is quite dangerousˇ­ˇ±

    At first, Damon could follow what Sean was saying, but gradually, he found it harder to concentrate, and his eyelids grew heavier.

    Fifteen minutester, his head drooped, and he slumped onto the sofa, unconscious.

    Seeing that Damon had fallen asleep, Sean looked up and said, ˇ°Mr. Richard, we can begin the hypnosis procedure now.ˇ±

    Soon, two men in ck entered, picked up Damon, and ced him in a wheelchair before quickly wheeling him away.

    Meanwhile, in the CEO office of Prospectus Technologyˇ­

    Spencer had discovered that Sean was a renowned hypnotist

    abroad and felt a sinking suspicion that something was off. Even if Marie was ill, involving a hypnotist seemed excessive.

    He quickly dialed DamonˇŻs number to share his discovery but received no answer.

    Growing increasingly uneasy, he prepared to head

    to the Sumner residence when several men in ck emerged from the elevator and approached him directly.

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, Mr. Richard wishes to see you. Pleasee with us,ˇ± one of the men said.

    Spencer scowled and replied coldly, ˇ°IˇŻm Mr. DamonˇŻs secretary, not Mr. RichardˇŻs.ˇ±

    The fact that these men were bold enough to approach him suggested something was amiss with Damon.

    Spencer knew he needed to leave Prospectus Technology quickly to find help for Damon.

    ˇ°This might not be entirely up to you, Mr. Hogg. After all, Mr. Richard is well aware of your personal background. If you wish to keep your family out of

    this, itˇŻs best that youe with us,ˇ± the man warned.

    Anger shed in SpencerˇŻs eyes as he gritted his teeth. ˇ°What exactly does he want? IˇŻm just a secretary. Is it really worth threatening my family?ˇ±

    The men in ck remained expressionless. ˇ°YouˇŻll understand once you arrive.ˇ±

    An hourter, Spencer arrived at the Sumner residence

    Richard greeted him with a smile. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, please have a seat. I sincerely apologize for the manner in

    which I brought you here.ˇ±

    Spencer stood a few steps away from Richard, his tone icy. ˇ°Mr. Richard, IˇŻm Mr. DamonˇŻs secretary. If thereˇŻs something you need me to convey

    to him, IˇŻd be happy to assist. However, if you expect me to conspire against him, IˇŻm afraid I cannotply.ˇ±

    Upon noticing the anger in SpencerˇŻs eyes, RichardˇŻs smile grew more sympathetic. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, I assure you, I have no intention of harming Damon. Afte

    help with something.ˇ±

    Spencer remained silent, maintaining hisposure as he awaited further exnation.

    ˇ°Since NˇŻs ident, youˇŻve been with Damon every day as his secretary. You must have noticed the changes in him.

    ˇ°None of us wanted what happened to N, but now that it has, we must look forward. I canˇŻt bear to see Damon tormenting himself any longer,ˇ± Richard

 Chapter 509

    There was a flicker in SpencerˇŻs eyes, but he remained silent.

    Richard paid no mind and continued. ˇ°If remembering something is more painful than forgetting it, then itˇŻs better not to remember. At least that way, one

    Hogg?ˇ±

    Spencer finally understood RichardˇŻs n. ˇ°So you brought in that hypnotist to deal with Mr. Damon?ˇ±

    Richard smiled. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, thatˇŻs a harsh way to put it. I simply want my son to stop suffering.ˇ±

    SpencerˇŻs eyes narrowed. ˇ°Have you ever considered what Mr. Damon thinks about this?ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs obsessed with N right now. If I asked him, heˇŻd never agree. But look at how thin heˇŻs

    be. If he keeps tormenting himself like this, his health will fail in a few years. Do you expect me to watch my son die young over a deceased person

    emotional as he spoke.

    Spencer wasnˇŻt interested in arguing¨Cit wouldnˇŻt change anything, and he knew he couldnˇŻt make Richard

    listen.

    ˇ°What do you want me to do?ˇ± he asked.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt need to do anything specific. Just ensure that after Damon forgets that woman, you donˇŻt bring her up in front of him

    again. Also, make sure that people from Prospectus Technology donˇŻt mention her

    either.ˇ±

    Richard spoke with a detached air, showing no remorse for N. It was as if he were discussing a trivial

    matter.

    SpencerˇŻs gaze was cold. ˇ°Do I have a choice?ˇ±

    Richard smiled. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, youˇŻre a smart man. You should know what to do. After all, if Damon forgets N, it will benefit everyone.ˇ±

    Spencer clenched his hands at his sides, his eyes filled with anger and frustration. He knew he couldnˇŻt

    change RichardˇŻs mind, and there was no chance for him to help Damon. Even his phone had been taken by the men in ck on the way there.

    ˇ°Mr. Richard, I finally understand why Mr. Damon decided to cut ties with you,ˇ± he said.

    Richard threw his cup to the floor, shattering it into pieces and filling the room with a tense silence.

    He red at Spencer, his voiceced with menace. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, youˇŻre just a secretary. Mind your own business. Interfering wonˇŻt benefit you. If I can mak

    SpencerˇŻs smile was mocking. ˇ°I have no doubt about your capabilities. I just hope that when Mr. Damon remembers everything, you wonˇŻt regret it,ˇ±

    ˇ°You better hope that day neveres, or he wonˇŻt forgive you either,ˇ± Richard retorted.

    With that chilling statement, he stood up.

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, youˇŻll remain here until DamonˇŻs hypnosis isplete. But I advise you not to attempt an

    escape. The consequences would be dire,ˇ± he warned.

    After Richard left, two men in ck arrived to escort Spencer to a room.

    Three days of house arrestter, Spencer was finally allowed to leave.

    As he walked out of the room and down the long hallway to the living room, he saw Damon sitting on the sofa, his back turned to him.

 Chapter 510

    ˇ°Mr. Damonˇ­ˇ± Spencer called out.

    The moment Damon turned around, SpencerˇŻs steps faltered.

    The look in DamonˇŻs eyes waspletely different from the nk, lifeless gaze he had after NˇŻs fall

    into the ocean.

    Now, his eyes were cold and distant, reminiscent of the ruthless and decisive CEO of Prospectus Technology from before.

    It was clear that RichardˇŻs hypnosis had worked.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the matter?ˇ± Damon asked.

    Richard sat across from Damon, his gaze fixed darkly on Spencer. He nned to handle any inappropriate remarks from Spencer privately if necessary.

    Spencer stood still, his eyes lowered, and remained silent.

    Compared to the emotionless Damon he had encountered after NˇŻs death, Spencer found this version of Damon to be preferable.

    For the living, perhaps forgetting was indeed the better option.

    As Spencer remained silent, Damon frowned slightly.

    RichardˇŻs expression darkened, and he signaled to Frank beside him. If Spencer mentioned N in front of Damon, his men would take him away immed

    Spencer finally looked up at Damon and said calmly, ˇ°Mr. Damon, I just wanted to remind you that thereˇŻs an important meeting this afternoon at 3:00 p.m

    ˇ°Got it. Wait outside for me. WeˇŻll return to the office in ten minutes,ˇ± Damon replied.

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Damon,ˇ± Spencer answered.

    After Spencer left, Damon turned to Richard. ˇ°IˇŻll consider taking over the Sumner Group, but Prospectus Technology remains my top priority.ˇ±

    Richard nodded. ˇ°Alright. Take your time to think about it.ˇ±

    Damon stood up. ˇ°IˇŻll head back then.ˇ±

    As Damon left the Sumner residence and got into the car, he turned to Spencer and

    asked, ˇ°While I was in aa from the car ident, did anything important happen at thepany?ˇ±

    Just before leaving the residence, a maid informed Spencer that RichardˇŻs exnation for DamonˇŻs memory loss was aa resulting from a car ide

    he was instructed to keep quiet about it.

    Spencer paused for a moment before replying, ˇ°Thepany has been operating normally. Nothing major has happened.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± Damon replied.

    With that terse response, he fell silent, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes to rest.

    Seeing Damon revert to his old self, Spencer felt as though he were witnessing a scene from another lifetime.

    Everything seemed the same, but no one would ever mention N in front of Damon again, and he would never remember that he once loved her.

    Five yearsterˇ­

    In Hall 1 of the Capitarnia International Conference Center, a woman in a light green suit with wavy hair stood on stage holding

    a microphone. She was presenting her recent research findings with a smile.

    f

    The audience was packed, with the front rows filled with prominent figures from both domestic and international pharmaceutical research.

    After presenting her findings, the room erupted in enthusiastic apuse.

    Once N Kinsey left the stage, she checked the time and quickly began packing up.

    ˇ°Caroline, I need to pick up Buddy soon, so I might miss tonightˇŻs celebration banquet. Can you please let Professor Kington know?ˇ± N asked.

    Caroline looked at her with some resignation. ˇ°TonightˇŻs event is mainly to celebrate your breakthrough with the AlzheimerˇŻs drug.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre the star of the show, and Professor Kington mentioned that an important investor will be attending. You know

    the drug best. DonˇŻt you think you should introduce it to the investor?ˇ±

    N answered swiftly, ˇ°YouˇŻve been involved in the research too, so you can handle it. And you know I donˇŻt like these kinds of events. IˇŻm

    running out of time. I need to go. Bye!ˇ±

 Chapter 511

    N hurriedly left before Caroline could respond.

    As she rushed off, Caroline couldnˇŻt help but sigh.

    It would take an hour to get from the conference center to the kindergarten, and it was already almost 4: 30p.m.

    N pressed the button for the elevator and began rummaging through her bag for her phone and car keys.

    When the elevator doors opened with a ding, N walked in with her head down and didnˇŻt notice the man in a suit walking out at the same time.

    She bumped into him unexpectedly and quickly apologized, ˇ°IˇŻm sorry. I didnˇŻt see you there.ˇ±

    Since she was looking down, she didnˇŻt catch a glimpse of his face, only noticing that he was quite tall- despite wearing high heels, she barely reached h

    The man didnˇŻt respond and simply brushed past her.

    N didnˇŻt think much of it. She stepped into the elevator, pressed B1, and finally found her keys and phone.

    Just as the elevator doors closed, she looked up and saw the manˇŻs back. His well¨C

    tailored ck suit, broad shoulders, and slim waist,bined with his long legs, exuded an air of unapproachability.

    N nced away, concentrating on locating the kindergarten teacherˇŻs number. As a result, she didnˇŻt notice the man suddenly turn back, frowning in th

    By the time N reached the kindergarten, it was nearly 6:00 p.m.

    Mason Kinsey sat quietly at his desk, practicing his writing.

    Although he was just over four years old, his features and demeanor resembled a miniature version of Damon. Sometimes, looking at him left N feelin

    a bit disoriented.

    Upon seeing N, the teacher, Lilith Page, stood up and said, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, youˇŻre here.ˇ±

    N entered the ssroom and smiled at Lilith. ˇ°Ms. Page, IˇŻm sorry to have kept you waiting.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs no problem. Buddy is very well¨Cbehaved and easy to manage,ˇ± Lilith replied.

    After a brief chat, N noticed Mason neatly packed and standing next to her.

    ˇ°Buddy, say goodbye to Ms. Page,ˇ± she prompted.

    Mason looked up at Lilith. ˇ°Goodbye, Ms. Page.ˇ±

    Despite being almost five years old, Mason already had a mature demeanor, almost like a little adult.

    Lilith nodded. ˇ°Alright, see you tomorrow, Buddy.ˇ±

    N walked out of the kindergarten hand in hand with Mason. He automatically opened the backseat car

    door, climbed into his booster seat, and fastened his seatbelt, leaving N no chance to help.

    Seeing MasonˇŻs mature behavior, N felt a pang of guilt.

    Over the years, she had been busy with work, often working weekends and rarely spending time with

    Mason.

    At an age when children were usually quite demanding, Mason never acted like other kids¨Cnever asking for anything or being overly clingy.

    N had wondered if something might be wrong with him and had taken him to the hospital for checks, but the doctor had assured her he was perfectly

    Relieved to know he was alright, N had finally rxed. She also realized that MasonˇŻs personality probably came from Damon.

    Back at home, just as N finished preparing dinner, she received a call from Caroline.

    ˇ°N, Professor Kington just told me to make sure youe to the celebration party. The big investor is arriving soon and wants to speak with the proje

 Chapter 512

    N nced at Mason, who was waiting at the table for dinner, and hesitated.

    ˇ°Caroline, I really donˇŻt have time tonight. The nanny is on leave, and IˇŻm notfortable leaving Buddy at home alone,ˇ± she exined.

    ˇ°Why donˇŻt you bring him along? I can look after him for a while. Once youˇŻre done with the investor, you can take him back home,ˇ± Caroline offered.

    Hearing CarolineˇŻs urgent tone, N realized it would be difficult to avold tonightˇŻs party.

    She bit her lip and said softly, ˇ°Let me ask Buddy.ˇ±

    After ending the call, N walked over to the dining table and crouched down to face Mason. ˇ°Buddy, Mommy needs to go to a celebration party tonight.

    Mason looked at her, thought for a few seconds, then nodded. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    He jumped off his chair and headed to his bedroom.

    N followed him and watched as he grabbed his portablenguage practice tape from his room. She felt a bit exasperated.

    ˇ°Mason, you can take one of theic books Mommy bought you when you go out to y. You donˇŻt have to study all the time,ˇ± N reminded him.

    Mason looked unfazed. ˇ°I donˇŻt likeic books.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you like then? Tell Mommy. IˇŻll get it for you next time,ˇ± N said.

    ˇ°I like studying.ˇ± Mason answered.

    N was speechless. ¨C

    Sometimes, she felt there was nomon ground between her and her son.

    At his age, shouldnˇŻt he be into toy cars and superheroes? Why did he always seem so much more mature and emotionally stable than she was?

    Being a mother in this situation felt unfulfilling.

    The venue for the celebration party was not far from NˇŻs apartment, taking less than half an hour to

    reach.

    As she got out of the car, she saw Caroline anxiously scanning the entrance.

    When Caroline spotted N, she quickly walked over to her. ˇ°N, you finally made it! Professor Kington asked me to wait for you here.ˇ±

    N nodded. ˇ°Has the investor arrived yet?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not yet, but they should be here soon. There are already several interested investors in the room. Why

    donˇŻt you go ahead and leave!

    with me?ˇ± Caroline suggested.

    N looked down at Mason. Just as she was about to speak, Mason said, ˇ°Mommy, go to work. IˇŻll listen to Aunt Caroline.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright. Caroline, IˇŻll leave Buddy in your care,ˇ± N replied.

    ˇ°No trouble at all. Go on in,ˇ± Caroline replied.

    As N entered the banquet hall, it buzzed with activity.

    Her professor, Edgar Kington, immediately saw her and waved her over with a smile. ˇ°N,e here. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. William Berwic

    drug research. You two should talk.ˇ±

    N smiled and nodded. ˇ°Hello, Mr. Berwick.ˇ±

    William was a middle¨C

    aged gentleman with a pleasant demeanor. He regarded N with admiration. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, youˇŻre truly remarkable. Developing an AlzheimerˇŻs treatmen

    timers need to step up our game!ˇ±

    N, who usually avoided such events and preferred to work quietly behind the scenes, appreciated thepliment.

    ˇ°Mr. Berwick, you tter me. IˇŻm still young and have much to learn from you,ˇ± she said.

    ttery was always wee, especially from a capable and attractive woman like N. Her words carried even more weight.

    After chatting for a while, WilliamˇŻs smile broadened, and his gaze at N softened even further. If he could recruit N to hispany, they could deve

 Chapter 513

    As they chatted, the door to the venue suddenly swung open, plunging the room into silence..

    Someone stood up first, walking excitedly toward the entrance. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I canˇŻt believe youˇŻre here!ˇ±

    N turned around. The moment she saw the man at the door, her face went pale, and she froze in ce.

    Her first instinct was to run.

    Remembering that Mason was still in the hotel, she quickly grabbed her phone from her bag and called Caroline.

    Mason looked almost identical to Damon. If Damon saw him, he would immediately realize Mason was his son. If Damon decided to fight for custody, sh

    ˇ°Caroline, take Buddy and leave right now!ˇ± she urged, her voice trembling.

    CarolineˇŻs confused voice came through the phone. ˇ°What happened?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll exinter. Just get him out of here!ˇ± N pressed.

    Hearing the panic in NˇŻs voice, Caroline didnˇŻt ask any more questions. ˇ°Okay. IˇŻll take him out right

    away.ˇ±

    After hanging up, N finally let out a breath of relief.

    Just as she did, Edgar approached her and said, ˇ°N,e with me. I want to introduce you to Mr. Sumner.ˇ±

    N felt herself stiffen again, fighting the overwhelming urge to run.

    It had been five years. She had seen Damon on TV, engaged to Erin. Maybe he had long forgotten about her. There was no way he still cared.

    With that thought, she managed to calm down a little.

    As they walked up to Damon, Edgar exchanged a few pleasantries before introducing her. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, this is N Kinsey. SheˇŻs the lead on the drug

    we developed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask

    her.ˇ±

    The moment DamonˇŻs cold eyesnded on N, she tensed up, her palms starting to sweat.

    Seeing her pale face and theplex emotions in her eyes, Damon raised an eyebrow.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, you seem nervous around me. If IˇŻm not mistaken, this is our first time meeting, isnˇŻt it?ˇ± Damon remarked.

    N froze. First time meeting? He didnˇŻt recognize her? Orˇ­ was he pretending not to know her to keep their past a secret?

    Whatever the case, N felt relieved: At least he wouldnˇŻt pursue her again, which also meant there was less chance of him discovering Mason.

    She forced a smile. ˇ°Not at all, Mr. Sumner. ItˇŻs just that youˇŻre the CEO of a leading pharmaceuticalpany. ItˇŻs a bit nerve¨Cwracking

    to meet someone of your stature.ˇ±

    Damon nodded. ˇ°d to hear that.ˇ±

    He began asking her questions about the drug development process. As N answered each question with ease, his cold demeanor started to soften.

    Before arriving, Damon had assumed N was just another woman using

    her looks to climb thedder. Now, he could see she possessed genuine talent.

    However, it was clear that N didnˇŻt realize they had crossed paths earlier that afternoon. They had briefly encountered each other

    at the conference center when the elevator doors opened. She had been looking down and bumped into him.

    Damon frowned slightly, recalling the strange feeling that had washed over him when she collided with him.

    Noticing his expression, N paused mid¨Csentence. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, did I say something wrong?ˇ±

    Damon looked at her. Her delicate features and clear, shimmering eyes reminded him of a calmke, making him want to dive in and see whaty benea

    Realizing he had been staring at her for too long, he quickly looked away, his expression once again cool. No, Ms. Kinsey. You did very well.ˇ±

 Chapter 514

    N didnˇŻt dwell on it and continued the conversation.

    After talking for a while, Damon weighed his options and decided to invest in NˇŻsb.

    By the time the party ended, it was already past 10:00p.m.

    N and Edgar stood at the entrance, bidding farewell to Damon and the other investors.

    The secretary Damon had brought along was Luca Fleming. He had been with Prospectus Technology for four years and had been trained by Spencer, s

    On the way back, Luca couldnˇŻt help butment, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey is not only beautiful but also very capable. She must have a lot of admirers.ˇ±

    Damon, engrossed in his documents, nced up at him. ˇ°Are you interested in pursuing her?

    Luca quickly waved his hands. ˇ°Oh, no, not at all! Someone like her would never go for someone like me.ˇ±

    At least he had some self¨Cawareness.

    Damon gave no further response and returned his attention to his files.

    He didnˇŻt disagree with LucaˇŻs assessment. Given the ie N would make from her

    recent drug development, she could easily achieve financial freedom. Most men wouldnˇŻt be a match for her.

    Suddenly, DamonˇŻs phone rang. Seeing it was Erin, he answered.

    ˇ°Damon, I was out shopping and couldnˇŻt decide between two dresses. I just sent you pictures. Can you help me choose?ˇ± Erin asked.

    Damon opened the text and looked at the two photos.

    One dress was a yellow silk V¨Cneck mermaid gown¨Celegant and refined.

    The other was a red strapless mini¨Cdress¨Cbold and eye¨Ccatching.

    He set his phone down and returned to his files. ˇ°Go with the yellow one. It suits your style better.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay, yellow it is!ˇ± Erin chirped.

    After hanging up, Erin looked at the yellow and red dressesid out on her bed. She folded the yellow one and ced it in her suitcase, already excited a

    day.

    It had taken her two years to finally be DamonˇŻs fiancee after he lost his memory.

    However, in the three years since their engagement, Damon had pushed her away every time she tried to deepen their rtionship.

    Once, she had even stripped down and climbed into his bed, only for him to take his clothes and sleep in the guest room instead.

    People envied her for being DamonˇŻs fiancee, but only she knew the truth: the most intimate thing Damon had ever done was put his arm around her wa

    She hadined about this before, but DamonˇŻs response had been clear¨CIf she couldnˇŻt ept it, they could

    call off the engagement. After that, she didnˇŻt dare bring it up again.

    They had been engaged for three years now, andtely, DamonˇŻs attitude toward

    her had improved slightly. If she kept pushing, maybe they could finally get married this year.

    When N returned home, it was almost 11:00 p.m.

    She opened the door and was surprised to see only Caroline sitting on the couch.

    ˇ°Caroline, whereˇŻs Buddy?ˇ± she asked.

    ˇ°He just fell asleep a little while ago,ˇ± Caroline replied.

    N nodded and sat down across from Caroline, exhaustion etched on her face. ˇ°Thank you so much for tonight.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs no trouble. Buddy is easy to look after. But what happened tonight? Why did you suddenly ask me take him home?ˇ± Caroline asked.

    After a brief silence, N exined what had transpired.

    CarolineˇŻs expression turned concerned. ˇ°Good thing you had me take Buddy home early. Otherwise, he mightˇŻve run intoˇ­. Well, it sounds like Damon

    get involved again, since he pretended it was your first meeting.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, thatˇŻs what IˇŻm hoping for. If he decides to invest in theb, IˇŻll leave allmunication with him to you,ˇ± N said..

    ˇ°IˇŻve got it covered. You just focus on your research. IˇŻll handle everything with the investors,ˇ± Caroline offered.

    NˇŻs eyes filled with gratitude. ˇ°Thank you, Caroline.ˇ±

    Over the past five years, Caroline had helped her immensely.

 Chapter 515

    If it werenˇŻt for Caroline, N wouldnˇŻt be where she was today.

    Five years agoˇ­

    After falling into the sea, N miraculously survived when a kind stranger

    rescued her. At that time, she didnˇŻt want to return to Saintornia or have any ties with her past. Thus, she reached out to Caroline, who took her away.

    It took three months for her to fully regain her emotional stability.

    By then, everyone she knew in Saintornia believed she had died. She decided to take her motherˇŻs surname, and as for the baby she was carrying, he a

    For the next few months, N stayed in the apartment Caroline rented for her, preparing for her exams while managing her pregnancy.

    It wasnˇŻt until the following year that she had the opportunity to reapply for graduate school. From that point on, she juggled her studies and raising her c

    These past few years hadnˇŻt been easy, but N felt content. If Damon hadnˇŻt suddenly reappeared, her life would have continued on its peaceful path.

    Caroline shot her a yful re. ˇ°If you keep being so polite, I wonˇŻt help you next time.ˇ±

    Over the years, Caroline hade to see N as her little sister. She had witnessed every step of NˇŻs journey and understood how much she had st

    ˇ°Alright, I wonˇŻt say it again,ˇ± N replied with a smile.

    Caroline looked at her with concern. ˇ°But you canˇŻt keep hiding this from Buddy forever. If Damon finds

    outˇ­ˇ±

    nnas!

    N lowered her gaze, remaining silent for

    a moment before finally saying, ˇ°IˇŻll keep hiding it as long can. Buddy is my everything. I wonˇŻt let anyone take him away from me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whatever happens, you need to be prepared in advance,ˇ± Caroline advised

    N nodded. ˇ°I know.ˇ±

    After Caroline left, N sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

    The way Damon had looked at her tonight¨Cit really seemed like he didnˇŻt recognize her. It was as if he werenˇŻt pretending.

    Thinking of this, she immediately pulled out herptop and searched for DamonˇŻs name.

    After moving to Capitania, she hadpletely cut ties with anyone or anything rted to Saintornia. If Damon truly didnˇŻt remember her, maybe there wo

    In no time, N stumbled upon news from five years ago. Her eyes widened in shock as she read the words ˇ®car identˇ± and ˇ°memory lossˇ°.

    Damon had actually lost his memory?

    When he said they were meeting for the first time tonight, he wasnˇŻt lying¨Che had genuinely forgotten

    about her.

    N gripped the mouse, an unexpected sense of relief washing over her.

    Damon had forgotten about her. Even if he saw Mason, who looked just like him, he wouldnˇŻt think Mason was his son. This meant she no

    longer had to worry about Damon trying to take Mason away from her.

    Still, she needed to avoid running into Damon, and more importantly, she couldnˇŻt let him meet Mason.

    As N lost herself in thought, her phone suddenly rang.

    The moment she picked up, a gentle voice came through the line. ˇ°N, I just finished a meeting and saw the video of your presentation today. It was fa

    N grinned confidently. ˇ°Of course. Who do you think I am?ˇ±

    On the other end, Oliver chuckled and walked to the window. ˇ°Do you have time tomorrow? LetˇŻs have dinner together in the evening.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure. I donˇŻt have any ns for tomorrow night,ˇ± N replied.

    ˇ°Bring Buddy along too. I havenˇŻt seen him in a while, and I miss him,ˇ± Oliver added.

    After they set a time and ce, N hung up, closed herptop, and got up to get ready for bed.

    The next evening, Oliver came to pick up N and Mason.

    When Mason saw him, he smiled. ˇ°Hi, Uncle Oliver!ˇ±

    Oliver scooped him up with a heartyugh. ˇ°Buddy, have you missed me these past few days?ˇ±

 Chapter 516

    Mason nodded. ˇ°Yes, I missed you.ˇ±

    OliverˇŻs smile widened, his gaze softening even more. ˇ°I missed you too, and I brought you a gift.ˇ±

    As he spoke, he pulled out a set of books from behind him, almost as if performing a magic trick.

    ˇ°Last time I saw you, you were reading this series at home, so I bought the original edition while I was abroad. Do you like it?ˇ± he asked.

    MasonˇŻs face lit up with joy. ˇ°Thank you, Uncle Oliver!ˇ±

    He eagerly took the books and flipped through them, his usually calm expression finally revealing the youthful excitement of a child his age.

    N smiled wryly at Oliver. ˇ°You didnˇŻt have to go through all that trouble. That must have been expensive.

    Since moving to Capitarnia five years ago, it hadnˇŻt taken long for Oliver to find her.

    Over the years, he had helped her immensely¨Callowing her to focus on her work while keeping MasonˇŻs

    existence hidden.

    Like Caroline, N owed Oliver so much.

    It wasnˇŻt that she hadnˇŻt noticed OliverˇŻs feelings¨Cshe knew.

    And she couldnˇŻt keep epting his kindness without reflecting on it. Maybe now was the time to consider whether she should give him¨Cand herself¨C

    a chance.

    Oliver looked at N, his voice soft. ˇ°As long as Buddy is happy, itˇŻs worth it.ˇ±

    The affection in his eyes made N avert her gaze. She said quietly, ˇ°We should go, or weˇŻll bete for the

    reservation.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay. Get in the car first. IˇŻll buckle Buddy in,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    Nodding, N opened the car door, only to spot a small teal box on the passenger seat. She couldnˇŻt help but look back at Oliver with a smile.

    ˇ°I get a gift too?ˇ± she asked.

    Oliver had just finished buckling MasonˇŻs seatbelt. He nced over and replied, ˇ°Yes. See if you like it.ˇ±

    N picked up the box

    and opened it. A deep, radiant green glow immediately caught her eye. It was as if the purest essence of nature had been meticulously crafted into these

    The design was simple yet elegant, with each emerald perfectly cut to showcase its inner brilliance. They resembled morning dew resting on fresh leave

    vibrant, fresh, and full of life.

    ˇ°So? Do you like them?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    Yes, theyˇŻre beautiful, I love them.ˇ± N took the earrings out and reced the pearl studs she was wearing. ˇ°How do they look?ˇ±

    The streetlight beside the car bathed her in a warm glow. Standing there, smiling, she looked serene and graceful, her eyes twinkling like stars. She was

    Even the sparkling emerald earrings paled inparison to her radiant smile.

    All Oliver could hear was the pounding of his own heart, each beat louder than thest, as if it were about to leap out of his chest.

    He quickly looked away, worried that his gaze might be too intense, but he couldnˇŻt resist stealing another nce at her. ˇ°They look perfect on you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then IˇŻll wear them tonight,ˇ± N said.

    It wasnˇŻt until they arrived at the restaurant that OliverˇŻs emotions finally settled down.

    As they got out of the car, Oliver and N each held one of MasonˇŻs hands, walking together like a family

    of three.

    Not far from them, a ck Maybach pulled up. The back door opened, and Damon stepped out, followed by Erin.

    Erin smiled as she clung to DamonˇŻs arm, walking alongside him. ˇ°Damon, how long will you be staying in Capitarnia this time? I have ns to meet a fr

    Damon looked straight ahead and hummed indifferently.

 Chapter 517

    ErinˇŻs face lit up with joy. Just as she was about to say something, she noticed that Damon had suddenly. stopped walking.

    Puzzled, she looked up and saw him staring ahead. She followed his gaze but saw nothing unusual.

    ˇ°Damon, whatˇŻs wrong?ˇ± she asked.

    ˇ°Nothing. WerenˇŻt you hungry? LetˇŻs go,ˇ± he replied, his tone calm.

    They entered the restaurant, where a server led them to a private room.

    In the room next door, Oliver handed the menu to Nl

    ˇ°N, why donˇŻt you pick what youˇŻd like to eat? TonightˇŻs dinner is on me to celebrate your sess in developing the new drug.ˇ± he said.

    ˇ°You already got gifts for both me and Buddy. I should treat tonight, especially since I just received a bonus,ˇ± N replied.

    Oliver relented. ˇ°Alright.ˇ±

    N ordered a few of the restaurantˇŻs signature dishes and handed the menu back to Oliver. ˇ°Why donˇŻt you choose a few more?ˇ±

    After the orders were ced, Oliver looked at her and said gently, ˇ°YouˇŻve spent thest few years pouring most of your energy into this new drug. IsnˇŻt i

    N shook her head. ˇ°Theb is already gearing up for a new project. WeˇŻll probably start getting busy again next month.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ohˇ­ˇ± OliverˇŻs expression faltered, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

    He had been hoping to ask about her ns regarding her personal life, but he hesitated, not wanting to

    seem too eager.

    N sensed something was off about him tonight but couldnˇŻt quite put her finger on it. ˇ°WhatˇŻs up with you? Are you trying to recruit me to yourpan

    Oliver had taken over the family business four years ago. Under his leadership, the Raynor Group had sessfully entered the top tenpanies in Ca

    ˇ°If youˇŻre willing to join, IˇŻll be more than honored,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    N raised an eyebrow yfully. ˇ°Well, once I graduate, maybe IˇŻll consider it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Deal, Oliver said quickly.

    As N met his soft, warm¨Cgaze, she felt her heart skip a beat.

    Flustered, she stood up quickly. ˇ°IˇŻm going to the restroom.ˇ±

    She left the private room and headed down the hallway. After finishing in the restroom, she was washing her hands when she bumped into Erin.

    The moment Erin saw N, her eyes widened in shock, filled with terror. ˇ°Nˇ­ You! YouˇŻre supposed to

    be dead!ˇ±

    She took a step back as if she had seen a ghost.

    N had supposedly died after falling into the sea five years ago. How could she possibly be alive?

    N didnˇŻt care much for Erin, so her expression remained cold. ˇ°YouˇŻve got the wrong person.ˇ±

    ˇ°The wrong person?!ˇ± Erin red at her, gritting her teeth. ˇ°Even if you turned to ashes, I wouldnˇŻt mistake you! You didnˇŻt die? Why are you here now?!

    ˇ°Let me warn you¨CDamon is my fiance now. If you try to seduce him, youˇŻll be nothing but a homewrecker!

    N couldnˇŻt be bothered with her and walked past without a word.

    Erin

    wasnˇŻt ready to let it go. She rushed forward and grabbed NˇŻs arm. ˇ°N, if you donˇŻt promise me right now that youˇŻll stay away from Damon, I wonˇŻt

    N shook her hand off and smirked icily. ˇ°Miss, I have no interest in your fiance. But if you keep harassing me, IˇŻll call the police and report you for it.ˇ±

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    Erin stood there, ring at NˇŻs retreating figure. Her nails dug into her palms, the pain forcing her to regain herposure.

    She reminded herself that this was five yearster, and Damon hadpletely forgotten about N. There was no reason to panic just because she ha

    By the time Erin returned to the private room, over ten minutes had passed.

    Damon noticed her pale face and narrowed his eyes. ˇ°What happened? Are you feeling unwell?

 Chapter 518

    Erin found herself in a daze as she stared into DamonˇŻs calm eyes.

    She remembered how he used to look at N¨Chis gaze filled with warmth and tenderness. It was a stark contrast to how he regarded her.

    In the three years they had been engaged, Damon had never looked at her like that.

    When he nced her way, his expression remained calm, Indifferent, and distant¨Cas if he were above it

    all.

    Sometimes, Erin wondered if he had agreed to the engagement merely because he saw her a

    match.

    a suitable

    Pushing aside the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind, she spoke softly. ˇ°ItˇŻs nothing. IˇŻm probably just tired from the flight.ˇ±

    She sat beside Damon, biting her lip before finally summoning the courage to ask, ˇ°Damon, how

    about we get married this year? Now that youˇŻve taken over the Sumner Group and everything is stable, I really want to get married.ˇ±

    Damon didnˇŻt answer right away. Instead, he asked coldly, ˇ°Why the sudden rush to get married?ˇ±

    He had only gotten engaged to Erin to appease Richard and Marie and stop their constant attempts to set him up with random women.

    Marriage? It was something he had never seriously considered.

    In truth, he wasnˇŻt interested in women at all. Perhaps it was time to think about finding a new fiancee.

    Erin froze, disbelief creeping into her voice. ˇ°ItˇŻs been three years since our engagement. IsnˇŻt marriage the natural next step? Orˇ­ did you never n to

    Her voice wavered at the end of her question.

    Damon set down his ss and looked at her with a straight face. ˇ°ThatˇŻs right. I never intended to get married. If marriage is what you want, then weˇŻre n

    rtionship.

    ˇ°I can offer youpensation. With your eligibility-

    ˇ°Enough!ˇ± Erin interrupted, her eyes red with emotion, her voice choking. ˇ°If you never¨C

    nned to marry me, why did you agree to the engagement in the first ce? DonˇŻt you understand how I feel about you after all these years?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sorry. What kind ofpensation would you like?ˇ± Damon asked.

    *Compensation? I donˇŻt wantpensation! I want you to marry me!ˇ± Erin demanded.

    DamonˇŻs gaze grew colder as he stood up, towering over her. ˇ°You can ask for anything, except marriage.ˇ±

    With that, he turned and walked toward the door.

    Before he could leave, ErinˇŻs sharp voice rang out from behind him. ˇ°Damon, I wonˇŻt agree to end the

    do!ˇ± engagement. If you refuse to marry me, then weˇŻll just stay engaged until the day you

    She had been with Damon for three years and wasnˇŻt going to give up that easily, especially now that she

    kno

    N was still alive.

    There was no way she would let N take Damon from her.

    Damon paused for a moment, then walked out without looking back.

    Once inside the car, Luca couldnˇŻt help but ask, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, are you really not nning to marry Ms. Hulle?ˇ±

    In his eyes, Erin was the perfect match for Damon¨C

    she came from a good family, had a kind personality, and was beautiful. They looked like a golden couple, the perfect match.

    He couldnˇŻt understand why, after being engaged for three years, Damon still hadnˇŻt considered marrying

    her.

    Now that Erin had brought it up, Damon seemed to be thinking about

    aking off the engagement.

    What puzzled Luca even more was that in the past few years, there hadnˇŻt been any other women around Damon, not even among his staff¨C

    all of his assistants were male.

    He was starting to wonder if Damon might be interested in men.

    Damon shot him a cold look. ˇ°If you like her so much, I can arrange an introduction.ˇ±

    Luca was startled and quickly shook his head. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I was wrong.ˇ±

    ˇ°Take me to the hotel,ˇ± Damon ordered, his voice icy.

    He then turned to look out the window, his face devoid of any emotion.

 Chapter 519

    Before Damon got engaged to Erin, he had already realized that he had no physical desire for any woman, Even if a woman stood naked in front of him,

    Heter consulted a doctor, who suggested that it might be a lingering effect of the car ident he had been in. The doctor had even rmended tryin

    Not only was there no physical reaction, but Damon also felt nothing emotionally.

    After trying for a while, he epted his reality and decided marriage wasnˇŻt in the cards for him.

    He had assumed he would never be interested in women¨C

    until that day in the elevator when Nl bumped into him. Suddenly, he felt electrified by the contact.

    At first, he thought it was just a fluke. However, when he saw her again at the celebration party, he felt something strange stir inside him.

    He couldnˇŻt quite identify what it was, but instinctively, he wanted to resist it. Yet despite his resistance, his eyes were drawn to her.

    Damon frowned, pushing away the chaotic thoughts. He rubbed his temples, wondering if he was just too tired. Otherwise, why would he feel a sense of

    After Damon left, Erin called her mother. ˇ°Mom, I saw N tonight.ˇ±

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Melissa GaskinˇŻs voice came through.

    ˇ°What nonsense are you talking about? That woman died five years ago. Do you think sheˇŻse back from the dead?ˇ± she asked.

    ˇ°IˇŻm serious! I even talked to her! You should ask Dad to investigate and see if sheˇŻs really alive!ˇ± ErinˇŻs voice trembled, betraying her panic and instabilit

    Hearing her daughterˇŻs anxious tone, Melissa said seriously, ˇ°Alright. Il tell your father to look into it.ˇ±

    The Hulles had thrived over the past few years,rgely due to ErinˇŻs engagement to Damon. Their business had grown significantlypared to five yea

    If N really wasnˇŻt dead, it could potentially disrupt the Hullesˇ® future.

    After hanging up, Melissa hurried to her husbandˇŻs study.

    N and herpany had just finished dinner and were walking out of the restaurant when she received a call from Caroline.

    ˇ°N, thereˇŻs an issue with one of the data sets in the experiment IˇŻm running. IˇŻm on my way home and canˇŻt make it to theb in time. Do you have tim

    ˇ°Sure. IˇŻll head over right away,ˇ± N replied.

    After learning what happened, Oliver drove N to the ab immediately,

    He suggested on the way, ˇ°My ce is closer to theb than yours. ItˇŻs gettingte. How about I take Buddy to my ce to sleep? When youˇŻre done, ca

    N nced at Mason, who was starting to doze off in the back seat, and nodded. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    When they arrived outside theb, N unbuckled her seatbelt and said, ˇ°Oliver, IˇŻm sorry to trouble you with Buddy.ˇ±

    Oliver gave her a warm look. ˇ°ItˇŻs no trouble. Just call me when youˇŻre done.ˇ±

    Once N disappeared into theb, Oliver started the car and drove off.

    As soon as N stepped into theb, Leon Colwell hurried over. ˇ°N, youˇŻre hereˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Which set of data is the issue?ˇ± N asked.

    ˇ°No. 25,ˇ± Leon answered.

    N took the experimental data and records Leon handed her, scanning them quickly.

    Ten minutester, she frowned and said, ˇ°ThereˇŻs nothing wrong with the experiment records. The entire experiment for this set will need to be redone.ˇ±

    LeonˇŻs face fell. ˇ°The data is due tomorrow morning. Looks like weˇŻre pulling an all¨Cnighter.ˇ±

    N patted his shoulder reassuringly. ˇ°DonˇŻt worry. IˇŻll talk to Professor Kington tomorrow and make sure you all get some rest. IˇŻll stay with you tonight a

 Chapter 520

    LeonˇŻs eyes lit up with delight as he quickly said, ˇ°Thanks, N!ˇ±

    N smiled. ˇ°Alright, letˇŻs get ready for the experiment.

    With her help, the experiment went smoothly this time!

    By 6:00a.m., Leon let out a huge sigh of relief as he looked at the data on theputer screen.

    He turned to share the good news with N, only to find her fast asleep at the table. The words he was about to say died in his throat, and he instinctive

    They had taken turns resting through the night, but N had stayed awake the entire time, overseeing the experiment. She must have been exhausted.

    Ruby Jenner gently draped ab coat over N, her movements unusually tender for someone typically so energetic and direct.

    She whispered to Leon, ˇ°Let N sleep for a bit. WeˇŻll wake her around seven.ˇ±

    Leon nodded. ˇ°Got it.ˇ±

    The two sat down and quietly began analyzing the experiment data. The only sounds in theb were the soft scratching of pens against paper and NˇŻs

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, this is ourb. Take a lookˇ­ˇ± Edgar introduced, opening the door to allow Damon to step

    inside first.

    The moment Damon entered, his gaze was immediately drawn to the person sleeping at the desk. His expression darkened slightly.

    Leon and Ruby quickly stood up. ˇ°Professor Kington.

    Edgar was surprised to find people in theb. ˇ°What are you doing here?ˇ±

    Scratching his head awkwardly, Leon exined, ˇ°One of our experiment data sets had an issue, so we stayed overnight to redo the experiment. Thanks

    Only then did Edgar notice N sleeping at the desk.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, he cleared his throat and said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, N is always very dedicated to her experiments. She must have stayed up all n

    Damon said softly, ˇ°I understand.ˇ±

    At EdgarˇŻs signal, Ruby reluctantly got up and gently woke N.

    Drowsily, N opened her tired eyes. ˇ°Ruby, whatˇŻs wrong? Is there an issue with the data?ˇ±

    Ruby shook her head. ˇ°No, the data is fine. ItˇŻs just. Professor Kington brought Mr. Sumner to tour theb, and everyoneˇŻs been watching you sleep.ˇ±

    N snapped awake, embarrassment flooding her face as she stood up. Seeing Damon and Edgar by the door made her flush.

    ˇ°Good morning, Professor Kington. Good morning, Mr. Sumner,ˇ± she greeted, her voice steady despite her

    difort.

    If she had known they wereing to tour theb today, she would have left earlier.

    DamonˇŻs cold gaze settled on her, a flicker of curiosity passing through his eyes. Why did N always seem so nervous around him? Did she think he w

    Edgar nodded. ˇ°YouˇŻve been working hard all night. You should go home and rest.ˇ±

    Desperate to escape, N quickly replied, ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    She turned and headed for the back door, feeling DamonˇŻs eyes on her the entire time, making her skin

    crawl.

    It wasnˇŻt until she stepped outside that the sensation of being watched finally faded.

    As soon as she exited theb building, her gaze was drawn to a familiar car parked nearby.

    It was OliverˇŻs car.

    Had heˇ­ been waiting for her all night?

    N hurried over and saw Oliver sleeping in the driverˇŻs seat. She knocked lightly on the window.

    Oliver opened his eyes and immediately rolled down the window when he saw N.

    ˇ°N, did everything go okay at theb?ˇ± he asked, concern evident in his voice.

 Chapter 521

    N nodded. ˇ°When did you get here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not too long ago,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    ˇ°You should take a look at those dark circles under your eyes,ˇ± N remarked.

    Oliver paused briefly, then chuckled. ˇ°Alright, you got me. After Buddy fell asleep, I was worried youˇŻd forget to call, so I came over.ˇ±

    N frowned, about to speak, but Oliver cut her off, ˇ°YouˇŻve been up all night. You must be exhausted. Get In the car, and IˇŻll take you home to rest.ˇ±

    N nodded. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    She opened the door and got in. Once she buckled her seatbelt, Oliver started the car.

    ˇ°Why donˇŻt you rest at my ce? IˇŻm off today, and I can watch Buddy,ˇ± Oliver suggested.

    N hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. ˇ°No, IˇŻll pick Buddy up and head home. You finally have a day off¨Cyou should rx.ˇ±

    Oliver insisted, ˇ°ItˇŻs fine. Watching Buddy is pretty much rxing for me anyway. And heˇŻs probably still asleep.ˇ±

    Meeting OliverˇŻs gentle gaze, N couldnˇŻt bring herself to refuse again.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± she said.

    At theb window, Damon watched as N got into OliverˇŻs

    his eyes narrowing slightly.

    When he had arrived at

    theb earlier and stepped out of his car, he had felt an icy, hostile gaze directed at him. If his instincts were right, that gaze hade from the car N

    Seeing DamonˇŻs distant, unreadable expression, Edgar felt a bit uneasy and asked, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, what do you think of ourb?ˇ±

    Damon turned his attention back to Edgar. ˇ°ItˇŻs not bad. IˇŻll honor mymitment to fund yourb.ˇ±

    Hearing this, Edgar finally rxed and quickly replied, ˇ°Great! If you have time now, we can sign the contract.ˇ±

    Since thebˇŻs funding wasnˇŻt a charitable donation, they

    had to sign agreements outlining terms like giving thepany free ess to any new drugs theb developed.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± Damon replied.

    After signing the contract, Edgar beamed with delight, knowing that the research funds for the year were secured.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, do you have time for a meal? We could grab something together,ˇ± he proposed.

    ˇ°That wonˇŻt be necessary. I have other matters to attend to,ˇ± Damon declined.

    A little disappointed, Edgar said, ˇ°Maybe next time then.ˇ±

    After leaving theb, Damon headed straight to Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs branch office in Capitarnia.

    Three years ago, Prospectus Technology had begun establishing a presence in Capitarnia, entering the local

    market. From initial struggles to its current position, the journey had been tough. Only those close to Damon, like his secretary, knew just how challengin

    With the branch now owning its own building, all the hard work seemed worth it.

    As Damon gazed out the car window, lost in thought, Luca didnˇŻt dare disturb him.

    From his years of experience with Damon, Luca had learned that whenever DamonˇŻs eyes were half- closed like that, it was a sign that he wasnˇŻt in a go

    However, nothing that had happened today should have upset him.

    On the way home, Oliver couldnˇŻt help but mention, ˇ°N, I saw Damon today.ˇ±

    NˇŻs expression remained unchanged as she pressed her lips together. ˇ°Yeah, heˇŻs ourbˇŻs sponsor. OliverˇŻs grip on the steering wheel tightened slig

    ˇ°No. He has lost his memory. You probably heard about that,ˇ± N replied.

    Oliver blinked in surprise, then nodded. ˇ°I did hear, but I didnˇŻt think it was trueˇ­ˇ±

    After a brief silence, he nced at N and asked, ˇ°How do you feel about all of thi

 Chapter 522

    N cut him off. ˇ°Buddy is my child. I wonˇŻt let anyone take him from me.ˇ±

    Her gaze was firm, showing no trace of lingering feelings for Damon.

    Seeing her resolve, Oliver finally rxed.

    ˇ°Yeah, and if he tries to take Buddy, IˇŻll help you,ˇ± Oliver said.

    ˇ°Thanks, Oliver,ˇ± N replied.

    After a moment of silence, Oliver voiced his concern. ˇ°But now that Damon is in Capitarnia, it might be hard to keep your secret hidden much longer.

    N wasnˇŻt surprised. She had already sensed this when she ran into Erin at the restaurant. Despite DamonˇŻs memory loss, it wasnˇŻt N who needed t

    it was Erin. After all, Erin was DamonˇŻs

    fianc¨¦e now.

    Even

    though he had lost his memory, Erin must fear that one day he might remember and call off their engagement. The more someone had, the more they fe

    I know,ˇ± N answered.

    Seeing how calm she was, Oliver realized she had thought this through and decided not to push the topic further. Regardless of what happened, he coul

    When they arrived at OliverˇŻs vi, he didnˇŻt get out of the car immediately. Instead, he turned to look at

    N.

    ˇ°N, I wasnˇŻt nning on saying this so soon, but after

    seeing Damon today, I couldnˇŻt shake this feeling of crisisˇ­ like if I donˇŻt say it now, I might not get another chance,ˇ± he said, his voice serious, betraying

    nerves.

    ˇ°N, would you consider giving me a chance to take care of you and Buddy? I promise IˇŻd treat Buddy as if he were my own.ˇ±

    Seeing the sincerity in OliverˇŻs eyes, N gripped the seatbelt tightly, her knuckles turning white.

    She bit her lower lip. She had thought about

    whether to give things with Oliver a try but hadnˇŻt made up her mind. Entering a new rtionship now meant thinking not just about herself, but about Ma

    Oliver had braced himself for rejection, so when N asked for time to think, his eyes lit up with hope. If she needed time, it meant she wasnˇŻtpletel

    ˇ°Of course. Take all the time you need¨CIˇŻm in no rush,ˇ® he replied.

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± N said again.

    They both got out of the car and walked toward the vi. Oliver was beaming, his gaze so soft as it followed her that it felt almost tangible.

    Once inside, Oliver asked a maid to show N to a guest room so she could rest.

    1.2

    ˇ°DonˇŻt

    w about Buddy. If he wakes up, IˇŻll keep him entertained. Just get some rest,ˇ± Oliver assured her.

    Oliver had spent a lot of time with Buddy before, so N nodded. ˇ°Okˇ±

    ˇ°Go rest,ˇ± Oliver urged.

    thank you.ˇ±

    N slept until noon.

    After freshening up, she walked into the living room and found Oliver ying chess with Mason. She quickly made her way over to join them..

    Hearing her approach, Oliver looked up and smiled. ˇ°I asked the kitchen to warm up some chicken soup for you. Have some in a bit.ˇ±

    As he spoke, a maid went into the kitchen and soon returned with the soup.

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± N replied.

    As she stood watching them y chess, the maid set up a small table and ced the soup and side dishes on it.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, please enjoy,ˇ± the maid said.

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± N replied as she sat down.

    She took a sip of soup and couldnˇŻt help but squint in satisfaction. ˇ°This is really good.ˇ±

    The tasteˇ­ It felt oddly familiar, as if she had tasted it somewhere before.

    The maid smiled and exined, ˇ°Mr. Raynor made it himself. He spent over a week learning from the chef to get it just right.ˇ±

    Oliver shot the maid a nce. ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough. You can go now.ˇ±

 Chapter 523

    N raised an eyebrow at Oliver. Noticing his

    ears turning red, she couldnˇŻt resist teasing him. ˇ°I didnˇŻt expect someone as busy as you to have time to learn how to make soup.ˇ±

    Oliver cleared his throat, looking down to hide his nervousness. ˇ°Your stomach isnˇŻt great, and I remember when we were abroad, you had soup

    at a restaurant and said it was good. I asked the chef to teach me how to make it, so I could cook it for you whenever you want.ˇ±

    N was stunned. She hadnˇŻt realized her casualpliment had stuck with Oliver to the point where he actually learned to cook it himself.

    A warm, overwhelming feeling swelled in her chest, and her eyes stung slightly. She had never thought anyone would go to such lengths for her.

    ˇ°Oliver, thank you,ˇ± she said softly.

    Oliver looked up at her and smiled. ˇ°N, you donˇŻt need to thank me. I didnˇŻt do this without expecting something in return.ˇ±

    Seeing the affection in his eyes, N felt her face grow warm. She quickly looked away, spotting the chessboard in front of them.

    She couldnˇŻt help butugh. ˇ°You should focus on the game. YouˇŻre about to lose.ˇ±

    A few minutester, Oliver did indeed lose to Mason.

    ˇ°Wow, Buddy, youˇŻre amazing! I couldnˇŻt even beat you!ˇ± Oliver praised.

    Mason frowned slightly. ˇ°Uncle Oliver, you werenˇŻt really trying.ˇ±

    ˇ°I was trying my best! YouˇŻre just

    getting too good. As a reward for beating me, how about I grant you one wish? Is there something you want?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    Mason thought for a moment

    before leaning over and whispering something into OliverˇŻs ear. Whatever it was made Oliver smile as he nodded. ˇ°Alright. IˇŻll make it happen.ˇ±

    Seeing their secretive exchange, N raised an eyebrow. ˇ°What are you two whispering about?ˇ±

    Mason shook his head with a mischievous grin. ˇ°Not telling you! ItˇŻs a secret between us men.ˇ±

    N didnˇŻt respond but smiled softly.

    After finishing the soup, Oliver drove N and Mason home.

    On the way, they passed a shopping mall, and Oliver suddenly pulled over. He turned to N and said, N, IˇŻm

    going to take Buddy inside to buy something. You can wait here in the car.ˇ±

    N frowned. ˇ°Why canˇŻt I know what youˇŻre buying?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs a reward for Buddy, and itˇŻs a secret from you for now,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    ˇ°Fine, but donˇŻt take too long,ˇ± N urged.

    ˇ°Got it!ˇ± Oliver answered.

    He got out of the car, holding MasonˇŻs hand as they headed into the mall.

    None of them noticed a camera hidden in the corner, shapping several photos of Oliver and Mason as they walked inside.

    ˇ°Ms. Hulle, our investigation has found that N has a childˇ­ HereˇŻs a photo of the boyˇ­. Take a look,ˇ± the person said.

    Erin took the photo. As she stared at the boyˇŻs face, which bore a striking resemnce to Damon, her grip tightened, and the picture crumpled in her han

    That bitch N! She had pretended not to care about Damon, acting like she wouldnˇŻtpete for him, yet she had secretly borne his child!

    If Damon found out about the child, even without his memories, there was a chance heˇŻd be drawn back

    to N!

    The more Erin thought about it, the darker her expression grew. Her eyes burned with fury as if she were ready to set everything aze.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt let Damon find out about this little bastard!ˇ± she hissed.

    She stood up and walked to the window, her mind racing, trying to figure out what to do. This was Capitarnia, not Saintornia. If she tried to harm

    N here, there was a higher chance of getting caught- especially with Oliver now by NˇŻs side.

    Was she really supposed to just stand by and let N take Damon away from her again?

    Noˇ­ there had to be a way!

 Chapter 524

    ˇ°Look into NˇŻs recent years and find out who sheˇŻs been in contact with!ˇ± Erin ordered.

    She couldnˇŻt act directly, but targeting the people around N would work just as well.

    ˇ°Yes, Ms. Hulle,ˇ± the other party replied.

    After they left, Erin stared out the window, her gaze filled with hatred.

    If N had already died, whye back now? WouldnˇŻt it have been better to just stay dead?

    No matter what, she wouldnˇŻt let anyone ruin her rtionship with Damon this time!

    Because Oliver and Mason had spent extra time at the mall, they didnˇŻt reach NˇŻs home until close to 5: 00 p.m.

    Oliver took the opportunity to stay for dinner.

    &

    While N was cooking, he stayed by her side, helping when he could.

    As Oliver watched her in an apron, her long hair casually tied back with a hair tie, his heart softened at how calm and serene she looked.

    This was the life he wanted¨Cquiet, peaceful days with the woman he loved.

    N finished chopping the potatoes and looked up to see Oliver staring at her, lost in thought. She waved her hand in front of his face. ˇ°What are you thi

    Oliver snapped back to reality, meeting NˇŻs smiling eyes. His cheeks flushed as he awkwardly handed her the garlic in his hands. ˇ°N¨C

    Nothing. I just finished peeling the garlicˇ­ˇ±

    N burst intoughter, and Oliver nced down, realizing he had handed her an entire head of garlic- unpeeled. Embarrassment washed over him.

    ˇ°Okay, why donˇŻt you go y with Buddy? I can handle things here,ˇ± N said, taking the garlic from his hand.

    Her fingers brushed his palm, sending a shiver down his spine. His face reddened even more. ˇ°O¨COkayˇ­ If you need anything, just call

    me,ˇ± he stammered.

    He turned quickly and headed for the living room, nearly fleeing in his awkwardness.

    N couldnˇŻt help but smile. She never expected Oliver, almost 30 years old, to be so shy.

    After dinner, N casually asked, ˇ°What did you and Buddy buy at the mall this afternoon?ˇ±

    Oliver raised an eyebrow and smiled. ˇ°Are you that curious?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not really, just a little,ˇ± she replied.

    ˇ°Well then, IˇŻll keep it a secret.ˇ± He chuckled. ˇ°By the way, your stir¨Cfried potatoes tonight

    were amazing. ItˇŻs a shame youˇŻre not running a restaurant with skills like that.ˇ±

    Seeing that Oliver was deliberately avoiding the question, N yfully red at him. ˇ°Fine. But if itˇŻs so good, you better finish every bite.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will do!ˇ± he chirped.

    After dinner, Oliver helped with the dishes. As he was about to leave, he turned to N. ˇ°N, IˇŻm heading out of town tomorrow for a business trip. I hop

    N nodded. ˇ°Alright. Safe travels.ˇ±

    Oliver said goodbye to Mason and took the trash out on his way.

    After closing the door, N walked back into the living room and saw Mason sitting on the carpet, staring

    at her.

    ˇ°Buddy, whatˇŻs on your mind?ˇ± she asked with a smile, sitting beside him to help clean up the scattered

    toys.

    Mason said softly, ˇ°Mom, will you marry Uncle Oliver? Will he be my dad?ˇ±

    N froze, not expecting such a question, and turned to look at him. ˇ°Buddy, why are you asking this all of a sudden?ˇ±

    Mason lowered his head, looking a little sad. ˇ°My old deskmateˇŻs mom got a new dad for

    her. He hit her all the time. SheˇŻde to school with bruises, and then she transferred awayˇ­ Mom, if you marry Uncle Oliver, will he hit me?ˇ±

    Hearing this, N frowned. She put the toy down, lifted Mason onto the couch, and knelt in front of him, looking directly into his eyes.

 Chapter 525

    ˇ°Buddy, Uncle Oliver is always so kind to you. He would never hurt you, and I would never let anyone harm you either. No matter what, you are the most

    MasonˇŻs once¨Cdowncast eyes lit up. ˇ°Even more important than Uncle Oliver?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course. No matter who IˇŻm with, youˇŻll always be my number one,ˇ± N replied.

    Mason hugged her tightly. ˇ°I love you the most too, Mom.ˇ±

    N gently patted his back, sensing he had noticed the changes between her and Oliver and felt insecure. As smart as Mason was, he was still almost f

    father figure growing up, it was natural for him to be more sensitive than other children.

    N silently vowed to spend more time with him, ensuring he felt secure.

    After getting Mason to sleep, N returned to the living room, intending to read for a bit. Just then, her phone rang. It was Edgar.

    ˇ°N, Mr.

    SumnerˇŻs secretary reached out today. TheyˇŻre nning a seminar for theirpanyˇŻs R&D team and asked if you could share some of your experience

    N pressed her lips together. Seeing Damon again, she knew it would be hard to avoid future encounters.

    Still, she wasnˇŻt looking to rekindle anything. Since he didnˇŻt remember her, running into him shouldnˇŻt be an issue.

    ˇ°Okay, I understand,ˇ± she replied.

    After hanging up, N picked up her book but was unable to focus. Her biggest fear now was that Damon might one

    day learn about Mason and try to take him away.

    Frustrated, she set the book down and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

    Mason had been with her all these years. He had no emotional attachment to Damon, so even if Damon tried to im him, it wouldnˇŻt be easy.

    Still, the thought gnawed at her. She tossed and turned all night, finally falling asleep just before dawn. Even then, her dreams were haunted by the fear

    taken him, hiding him somewhere she couldnˇŻt find.

    The nightmare startled her awake.

    By Friday noon, N had just finished lunch when she received a call from Luca.

    ˇ°Hello, Ms. Kinsey. This is Luca Fleming, Mr. SumnerˇŻs secretary. Mr. Sumner asked me to pick you up. IˇŻm downstairs now,ˇ± Luca said.

    ˇ°Thank you, Mr. Fleming. IˇŻll be down in five minutes,ˇ± N replied.

    ˇ°No rush,ˇ± Luca said.

    After quickly gathering her things, N headed downstairs. From a distance, she could

    already see the parked ck Maybach, its license te a sequence of Impressive numbers.

    Luca stood beside the car and opened the door as she approached. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, please.ˇ±

    Just as N was about to get in, she noticed the man sitting in the backseat.

    DamonˇŻs tall frame was d in a sleek ck suit. He held a document in his hand, his side profile cold

    and distant.

    The atmosphere around him was so forbidding that it sent a chill down her spine.

    Sensing her hesitation, Luca exined, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner just finished a business meeting and needs to head to the branch office, so he offered

    to pick you up on the way.ˇ±

    N nodded. ˇ°Okay, thank you.ˇ®

    She got into the car, sitting as close to the door as possible. Despite her efforts, she still couldnˇŻt escape the faint scent of pineing from

    Damon. It surrounded her like an invisible, making her feel suffocated.

    $

    Damon nced at N, noting how she was practically pressed against the door. His gaze hardened as he asked in a low voice, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, am I that t

 Chapter 526

    N froze for a moment and turned to Damon. ˇ°Noˇ­ Why would you say that, Mr. Sumner?ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs dark eyes, filled with an unreadable emotion, locked onto hers. ˇ°If thatˇŻs not the case, why are you sitting so far away from me, Ms. Kinsey?ˇ±

    N stiffened and quickly sat up straight, lowering her gaze. ˇ°I just didnˇŻt want to disturb your work.ˇ±

    As N adjusted her posture, the distance between them shortened considerably.

    She ced her hands neatly on herp, her gaze fixed downward, looking remarkably obedient.

    Damon set his document down, recalling how he had seen her smiling while talking to the man in the car that day. Yet whenever she was around him, it s

    Did he really look that scary?

    The rest of the drive to Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs branch office was spent in silence.

    When they finally arrived, N let out a small sigh of relief as she stepped out of the car. She had been tense throughout the ride,pletely unlike her

    Luca smiled at her. ˇ°This way, Ms. Kinsey.ˇ±

    Following him through several turns, N was led into

    arge conference room, where approximately 80 Prospectus Technology employees were already seated.

    Having given plenty of lectures before, N felt unfazed standing in front of a crowd. She approached the podium and began sharing her research and t

    The seminarsted over three hours, concluding with a round of enthusiastic apuse. Some attendees even recorded the entire talk to reviewter.

    Before long, the video spread throughout Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs internalwork, eventually catching SpencerˇŻs attention. Recognizing N, he stare

    WasnˇŻt she supposed to be dead? How was she suddenly reappearing after five years? And if she was at Prospectus Technology, did that mean she had

    SpencerˇŻs mind raced as he immediately called Luca.

    Meanwhile, Erin also came across the video.

    Using her status as DamonˇŻs fiancee, she had built connections within Prospectus Technology, and one of the employees trying to curry favor had sent t

    When she saw N, her face twisted with anger. This woman just wouldnˇŻt stay dead!

    She needed to ensure that N would never appear in front of Damon again.

    Just as N was preparing to leave after the seminar, she received a call from the nanny. Mason had

    fallen and cut his head¨Cit might need stitches. They were on their way to the hospital.

    Her face turned pale with worry, and she quickly rushed toward the exit.

    It was rush hour, and after ten minutes of trying to hail a ride, she still hadnˇŻt managed to get one.

    Just as panic began to set in, DamonˇŻs car pulled up beside her.

    The passenger¨Cside window rolled down, and Luca looked over at her. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, where are you headed? We can give you a ride.ˇ±

    In NˇŻs anxious state, she didnˇŻt have time to think it over. She opened the door and got into the passenger seat, saying, ˇ°Mr. Fleming, I need to go to F

    As she buckled her seatbelt, she suddenly became aware of the presence behind her. Seeing Damon in the back seat made her face go

    pale, and her hands shook slightly.

    N said quickly, ˇ°Mr. Fleming, actually, I should probably take a cab. I donˇŻt want to inconvenience Mr. Sumner. I know heˇŻs very busy.ˇ±

    She hurriedly began to unbuckle her seatbelt, but before she could open the door, DamonˇŻs voice came from the back.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not busy this evening. You seem to be in a hurry¨C

    must be family or a friend at the hospital. Luca, take Ms. Kinsey where she needs to go.ˇ± His tone was calm but carried an undeniable authority.

    ˇ°Understood,ˇ± Luca replied as he locked the doors and hit the gas, pulling away without hesitation.

 Chapter 527

    N wanted to decline, but with the car already in motion, any further refusal would seem suspicious.

    She reluctantly fastened her seatbelt, feeling tense throughout the 30¨C

    minute ride. She had hoped to limit her interaction with Damon, but things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction.

    When the car finally stopped at the hospital, N felt as though she could

    breathe again. She quickly stepped out, saying, ˇ°Thank you, Mr. Sumner, and thank you, Mr. Fleming.ˇ±

    Luca smiled warmly. ˇ°YouˇŻre wee, Ms. Kinsey.ˇ±

    N hurried to the emergency area, searching for Mason.

    After a short while, she found him sitting on a hospital bed with a bandage on his forehead, still oozing a little blood. She rushed over, worried.

    ˇ°Buddy, are you okay?ˇ± she asked.

    Mason pouted but managed not to cry when he saw her. ˇ°Mom, IˇŻm fine. I didnˇŻt cry today. The nurse said I was really brave.ˇ±

    ˇ°You were very brave, Buddy. Good job!ˇ± N praised, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

    Turning to the nanny beside them, she asked, ˇ°Pauline, how did Buddy hurt his head?ˇ±

    Pauline Clyne shook her head, looking

    guilty. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, I was cooking in the kitchen, and Buddy was ying with his toys in the living room. I didnˇŻt see

    how it happened. He came up to me, tugging at my clothes, and when I turned around, I saw his face covered in blood¨C

    I nearly faintedˇ­ IˇŻm so sorry. ItˇŻs my fault for not watching him properly.ˇ±

    N looked at Mason. ˇ°Buddy, do you remember how you hurt your head?ˇ±

    Mason nodded. ˇ°I was ying in the living room, and I identally stepped on a toy, slipped, and hit the

    floor.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay, I see,ˇ± N replied.

    The living room was equipped with security cameras, allowing her to check the footageter to confirm what had happened.

    ˇ°Pauline, you should go home for today. YouˇŻve had a scare too. IˇŻll take care of Buddy from here,ˇ± N said, dismissing her.

    ˇ°Alright, Ms. Kinsey. IˇŻve already prepped most of the dinner ingredients, so you just need to cook them when you get back,ˇ± Pauline replied.

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± N said, then carried Mason out of the hospital and hailed a cab to go home.

    During the ride, Mason fell asleep, his small face still stained with bits of dried blood. NˇŻs heart ached as she looked at him.

    Once they arrived home, she gentlyid him on the bed, wiped his face clean with a damp cloth, and tucked him in. Then, she headed to

    the living room to check the security footage.

    After confirming that Mason had indeed tripped over his toy, she finally rxed.

    Back in DamonˇŻs car, Luca couldnˇŻt hold back any longer. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Spencer sent me a message earlier today asking about Ms. Kinsey.ˇ±

    Damon, who had been reading a document, paused with a slight frown. ˇ°Why is he asking about her?ˇ±

    ˇ°Ms. KinseyˇŻs seminar at the branch was recorded and shared in thepany chat group. Spencer saw it and got curious. He probably thought Ms. Kins

    Damon closed his file, narrowing his eyes slightly?

    Spencer wasnˇŻt the type to be interested in women like that. If he was asking, there must be a reason.

    Still, Damon wasnˇŻt particrly concerned. He didnˇŻt interfere in subordinatesˇ® personal lives as long as they did their jobs.

    Suddenly, his phone buzzed.

    As soon as Damon answered, an excited voice blurted out, ˇ°Damon! Do you know what I saw today at the hospital? A

    kid who looks exactly like you when you were little!ˇ±

 Chapter 528

    DamonˇŻs expression was icy, his voice devoid of emotion. ˇ°You must be mistaken.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm serious! I didnˇŻt have time to take a picture because I was in a hurry, but I swear youˇŻd be shocked if you saw

    this kid. I even wonder if he could be your long¨Clost son!ˇ± the other party eximed.

    ˇ°If thatˇŻs all, IˇŻm hanging up,ˇ± Damon said.

    ˇ°Wait, wait, waitˇ­ About the amusement park project that Prospectus Technology is bidding on¨Cany chance I can still get in on that?ˇ± the

    other party asked.

    ˇ°Come to the branch office tomorrow,ˇ± Damon replied curtly.

    Then, he hung up. Just as he was about to set the phone down, another call came in.

    He nced at the screen and saw it was from Erin. His expression darkened, but after a moment of thought, he answered. ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Damon, forget what I said the other

    day. Since youˇŻre not ready for marriage, I wonˇŻt push you. Besides, my career is taking off right how. We can talk about marriageter, okay?ˇ± Erin propo

    Damon remained silent. In truth, Erin had yed the role of fiancee well over the past few years, leaving little room for criticism. If they broke off the enga

    would only introduce another woman to him, so keeping things as they were seemed easier.

    When Erin didnˇŻt hear a response, she grew anxious. If Damon was still upset about what she had said and insisted on breaking the engagement, she w

    ˇ°Damonˇ­ Are you still mad at me?ˇ± she asked.

    ˇ°No, letˇŻs go with your suggestion. But I canˇŻt promise when weˇŻll actually get married,ˇ± Damon replied. ˇ°ThatˇŻs fine. I donˇŻt mind. As long as I can

    stay by your sideˇ­ˇ± Erin assured him.

    Her n was simple: maintain the engagement and seek an opportunity to ensure they slept together. If she could get pregnant with

    DamonˇŻs child, she was confident he wouldnˇŻt turn his back on her or the baby.

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Damon answered.

    Relieved to have smoothed things over with him, Erin smiled. ˇ°ThereˇŻs a fashion show tomorrow night. A friend of mine was

    supposed to go but had to leave town. Could youe with me instead?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Damon replied.

    ˇ°Great! IˇŻlle by tomorrow afternoon,ˇ± Erin chirped.

    After hanging up, a cold glint flickered in her eyes.

    That night, Mason suddenly spiked a high fever, likely due to his injury. N gave him some fever medicine and stayed by his side all night.

    By morning, the medicine had worn off, and his fever returned. She quickly dressed him and rushed him

    to the hospital.

    The results confirmed that the fever was caused by his wound, and the doctor prescribed two IV drips for him. The fever left Mason drowsy, and he soon

    After one drip, his condition improved slightly.

    N called Pauline toe and look after him while she prepared to head to theb. Just as she moved, Mason woke up.

    ˇ°Mom, can you not go to work today? Stay home with me?ˇ± he asked.

    His voice was raspy, and he sounded a bit whiny. Yet, there was an undercurrent of vulnerability as well.

    Mason rarely asked for anything, let alone fussed like this. On top of that, he was still sick, and NˇŻs heart melted instantly.

    ˇ°Okay, IˇŻll take the day off and stay with you,ˇ± she promised.

    After asking Pauline to watch Mason for a moment, N stepped into the stairwell to call Edgar and request time off.

    $

    Since N rarely took leave, Edgar readily agreed, even telling her to take a few extra days off. After all, the AlzheimerˇŻs research project

    had recently wrappe

 Chapter 529

    Realizing that she hadnˇŻt spent much time with Mason over the past few years, N decided to take two weeks off to be with him.

    After arranging her leave, she returned to the

    hospital room, where Pauline quickly stood up. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, Buddy said he wanted some soup. ThereˇŻs no time to cook it now, so IˇŻll grab some from

    the eateries by the hospital. Do you want anything?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll have the same as Buddy. Have you eaten yet?ˇ± N asked.

    ˇ°I already ate. IˇŻll go get breakfast now,ˇ± Pauline replied

    N sat down next to Mason and felt his forehead. His fever had gone down, and she finally felt a sense of relief. ˇ°Buddy, is there anything you want to d

    or anywhere youˇŻd like to go? Mommy has the next two weeks free, so I can spend time with you.ˇ±

    MasonˇŻs eyes lit up for a moment but quickly dimmed as he lowered his head. ˇ°Mommy, you donˇŻt have to take time off just for me. Iˇ­ˇ±

    N gently held his small hand, her voice soft. ˇ°Buddy, Mommy works hard so that

    I can spend time with you. I have the time now, so all you need to do is think about where you want to go. DonˇŻt worry about anything else.ˇ±

    ˇ°Iˇ­ I want to go to an amusement park,ˇ± Mason said, his voice filled with hope.

    N paused to consider his request. She had never taken Mason to an amusement park before. She had asked him a few times in the past whether he

    wanted to go, but he always imed he wasnˇŻt interested in something so boring.

    Now it seemed he hadnˇŻt been uninterested¨Che just didnˇŻt want to interrupt her work.

    Guilt surged through her at the realization.

    Because Mason had grown up without a father, he had been isted by the other kids at his first preschool. When N had

    found out, she had raised a fuss at the kindergarten, and the children and their families had apologized.

    However, MasonˇŻs personality had be more independent since then.

    N had assumed things were improving, but now she realized he was much more sensitive than other children his age.

    Pushing aside her guilty thoughts, she smiled and gently pinched MasonˇŻs cheek. ˇ°Alright. Once youˇŻre better, weˇŻll go to the amusement park.ˇ±

    For the next few days, N stayed home to take

    care of Mason. He recovered quickly, and by the third day, he was already hinting at the promised trip to the amusement park.

    N couldnˇŻt help butugh. ˇ°Okay, weˇŻll go tomorrow.

    The next morning, while N was still asleep, Mason was already up and dressed, having eaten breakfast. When it was almost

    8:00 a.m. and N still hadnˇŻt woken up, he couldnˇŻt resist knocking on her door to rouse her.

    After they both got ready, it was nearly 9:00 a.m. by the time they left the house.

    Since it wasnˇŻt the weekend, the amusement park wasnˇŻt too crowded, but there were still a decent number of visitors.

    Because MasonˇŻs head injury hadnˇŻt fully healed, N allowed him to go on only the gentler rides. Even so, she felt exhausted after just a few hours.

    Just as they were about to find somewhere to eat, a surprised voice called out behind her, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey! What are you doing at the amusement park at th

    N turned around and saw Luca and Damon standing a short distance away. Her heart nearly stopped. Why was Damon there?!

    Her first thought was that she couldnˇŻt let Damon see MasonˇŻs face!

    Fortunately, she had packed a few masks in MasonˇŻs bag just in case, after some of

    his ssmates had caught colds previously. She quickly opened the bag and pulled out a mask, putting it on Mason. ˇ°Buddy, whatever happens, donˇŻt ta

    As she secured the mask on MasonˇŻs face, Damon and Luca walked up to them.

 Chapter 530

    Luca caught a glimpse of

    MasonˇŻs profile and felt a strange sense of familiarity. He couldnˇŻt quite ce where he had seen it before. Before he could look closer, N had

    already put the mask on Mason. Standing up, N faced Damon, trying to appear

    calm. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Mr. Fleming, what a coincidence.ˇ± Damon nodded. ˇ°Thepany has an amusement park project, so weˇŻre here to do some researc

    Mason looked up at him, and for a brief moment, their eyes met.

    Damon felt an odd, indescribable sensation. He usually didnˇŻt care for children, finding them a hassle, but there was something

    about Mason that stirred none of his usual annoyance.

    ˇ°This childˇ­ˇ± he began to say.

    N instinctively pulled Mason behind her but quickly realized how overprotective she was

    being. She forced a smile to maintain herposure. ˇ°HeˇŻs my son. HeˇŻs a bit

    shyˇ­ Well, since youˇŻre here on business, I wonˇŻt hold you up. Goodbye.ˇ±

    Without giving Damon a chance to respond, she immediately pulled Mason away and left quickly.

    It wasnˇŻt until their figures disappeared that Luca, unable to contain his surprise, muttered, ˇ°I didnˇŻt know Ms. Kinsey had a child this

    big alreadyˇ­ I donˇŻt remember hearing anything about her getting married.ˇ±

    Damon pulled his gaze back, his expression indifferent. ˇ°LetˇŻs go.ˇ±

    Even though Damon

    remained focused on his work that entire afternoon, his mind kept wandering. The strange feeling from his brief moment of eye contact

    with Mason lingered, and he couldnˇŻt shake the memory of those eyes.

    He thought he must be overworked, allowing such irrelevant thoughts to distract

    him. Once the amusement park project in Capitarnia was finalized, he decided he would take a few days off to rest.

    On the other side, N had been preupied and distracted ever since their encounter with Damon.

    Mason noticed her restlessness but remained quiet, though a thoughtful glint shone in his eyes.

    N had been contemting how to prevent Damon from

    discovering MasonˇŻs existence. She even considered sending Mason abroad. In her worry, she didnˇŻt notice how unusually quiet Mason had

    be.

    It wasnˇŻt until they returned home that Mason broke the silence.

    After changing his shoes and heading toward the living room, he suddenly asked, ˇ°Mom, that man we saw todayˇ­ is he my dad?ˇ±

    N froze, her body going rigid as her face turned pale.

    Ever since Mason could remember, he had never seen his father. There wasnˇŻt a single photo of his father

    in their home. When he was little and noticed that his friends had dads, he had once asked, in his halting toddler speech, where his own father was.

    At the time, N had told him that his dad had gone far away before he was born and that he might nevere back.

    As Mason grew older and learned to read, he realized that the ˇ°far awayˇ± ce his mom had mentioned was heaven. He had also learned a word for it¨C

    dead.

    He hadnˇŻt felt too sad. After all, he had

    never known his father or what it felt like to have one. N took great care of him, and to him, that was enough.

    Still, when he saw other kidsughing while being carried on their dadsˇ® shoulders, he sometimes couldnˇŻt help but feel a twinge of envy.

    Later, he noticed that when N saw him watching other kids with their

    fathers, she would get sad, her eyes clouding with an emotion he couldnˇŻt quite understand. Although he didnˇŻt fullyprehend it, he could sense her s

    To avoid making N sad, he had stopped looking at other kids with envy.

    &

    Everything changed when he entered kindergarten, and some of the other kids

    began to exclude him They would call him names,beling him ˇ°a kid without a dadˇ°. After a fight with those children, N

    had had toe to the school.

 Chapter 531

    his mother angry. Although the kids and their parents had That was the first time Mason had seen apologized afterward, the incident had left a shadow in

    someone who could handle these situations instea

    of leaving it all to N.

    Oliver had always been kind to him, and Mason thought he wouldnˇŻt mind if Oliver became his father. But deep down, what he truly wanted was his real f

    Seeing that stern¨Cfaced man at the amusement park today, Mason had felt a strange connection.

    He thought they looked alike.

    When N had suddenly made him put on a mask, he had noticed the emotion in her eyes¨Cit had reminded him of

    the guilty look the kids in kindergarten had after doing something wrong.

    ThatˇŻs when Mason began to wonder whether he might actually be that stern manˇŻs son.

    N turned around, her expression tense. ˇ°Buddyˇ­ why would you ask that? I told you before, your dad went somewhere far awayˇ­

    ˇ°Then why were you so scared when you saw that man today? And why did you make me wear a mask?ˇ± Mason pressed.

    N felt a flicker of embarrassment. Her son was getting older and harder to deceive.

    ˇ°Because that man is someone I know from work, and he just got over a cold. I was worried he might pass it to you,ˇ± she replied.

    Mason replied with an ˇ°oh,ˇ± but N couldnˇŻt tell if he believed her.

    A pang of guilt gnawed at her for lying to Mason, but with DamonˇŻs memory loss, there was no guarantee he would acknowledge Mason as his son, even

    After thinking for a moment, she squatted down in front of Mason. ˇ°Buddy, there are a lot of people in the world who look alike. You-ˇ±

    Before she could finish, Mason nodded. ˇ°Mom, I understand. I must have made a mistake.ˇ±

    His response made NˇŻs brows knit. Sometimes, she wondered if lying to him was the right choice. She had nned to exin

    everything when he was older but hadnˇŻt expected to run into Damon so soon.

    As she pondered what to say next, Mason spoke again. ˇ°IˇŻm tired, Mom. I want to sleep.ˇ±

    N pressed her lips together and nodded. ˇ°Okay, IˇŻll have Pauline make those meatballs you like.ˇ±

    ˇ°Mm,ˇ± Mason hummed in response.

    Once MasonˇŻs small figure disappeared into his room, N sank onto the couch, contemting how to handle the situation.

    After seeing Damon, Mason was already starting to question things, and it wouldnˇŻt be easy to erase those doubts with a few simple words.

    She had never expected that a single meeting with Damon would make Mason suspect that he

    might be his real father. It was strange how powerful blood ties could be.

    While she was lost in thought, her phone suddenly rang

    Seeing an unfamiliar number, she hung up immediately but the call came through again a secondter. After a moment of hesitation, she answered.

    The familiar voice on the other end made N drop the phone in shock. ˇ°Ms. Jaystonˇ­ or should I call you Ms. Kinsey now? This is

    Spencer Hogg. IˇŻm at the airport and will be in Capitarnia tonight. LetˇŻs meet.ˇ±

    NˇŻs heart sank. She quickly picked up the phone to hang up, panic flooding her eyes.

    Damon might have lost his memory, but Spencer hadnˇŻt. He knew about her past with Damon. If he found out about Masonˇ­

    Her phone buzzed again.

    It was a text from Spencer.

    NˇŻs hands trembled as she opened it, her face paling.

 Chapter 532

    Spencer: [Ms. Kinsey, Luca just told me you have a child.]

    N stared nkly at the message for several minutes before finally replying.

    N: [Location.]

    After ensuring Mason was asleep around 9:00 p.m., N asked Pauline to stay with him before getting dressed to go out.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, where are you going sote?ˇ± Pauline asked.

    ˇ°I have some things to handle at theb. IˇŻll try to be back before midnight,ˇ± N replied.

    Pauline nodded. ˇ°Okay, just bec

    By the time N arrived at the agreed¨Cupon location with Spencer, it was close to 10:00 p.m.

    &

    Entering the restaurant, she spotted Spencer waving at her. Her expression hardened as she walked over to sit across from him.

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, IˇŻm here. You can tell me what you want now,ˇ± she said directly.

    Spencer was taken aback by the N before him¨Cso different from five years ago.

    While her features hadnˇŻt changed much, she now radiated confidence andposure. Dressed in a luxury tailored suit and silk blouse, she exuded fem

    ˇ°Ms. Jay- Ms. Kinsey, youˇŻve changed a lot,ˇ± he remarked.

    Leaning back, N looked at him coldly. ˇ°I didnˇŻte here to catch up.ˇ±

    After a brief silence, Spencer spoke softly. ˇ°About your childˇ­ Mr. Sumner-ˇ±

    N cut him off., ˇ°You can rest assured, he has nothing to do with Damon. Besides, Damon has lost his memory and has a fiancee now. I have

    no interest in being a mistress.ˇ±

    Under the table, her hands clenched tightly. She couldnˇŻt let Spencer discover the truth about MasonˇŻs connection to Damon.

    Spencer didnˇŻt rx. Instead, he leaned in, his expression probing. ˇ°Then the childˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, just know my child has no connection to Damon. As for who the biological father is, I donˇŻt see why I should tell you,ˇ± N said matter¨Cof¨C

    factly.

    Upon meeting her impatient gaze, SpencerˇŻs eyes flickered with regret. ˇ°I apologize, I overstepped.ˇ±

    N brushed it off. ˇ°If you came all the way to Capitarnia just for this, I donˇŻt think it was necessary to do so in person.ˇ±

    After a few moments of silence, Spencer sighed. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, do you really have no feelings left for Mr. Sumner?ˇ±

    He fixed his gaze on her, searching for any hint of emotion.

    N let out a softugh. ˇ°Do I look like someone who still has feelings for him? Besides, I have a boyfriend now.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ahˇ­ I understand,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg, since weˇŻre meeting today, letˇŻs clear everything up once and for all. I never intended to be with Damon five years ago, and now that heˇŻs lost

    ˇ°I hope you can treat it as if nothing ever happened between us and that we donˇŻt know each other, just like everyone else,ˇ± she said.

    Surprise flickered in SpencerˇŻs eyes. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, donˇŻt you want to know what happened to the people who kidnapped you back then?ˇ±

    ˇ°My friend told me. They got the punishment they deserved,ˇ± N replied calmly.

    Her demeanor made it clear she no longer wanted any connection to the people from Saintornia. After a brief pause, Spencer spoke slowly. ˇ°At the

    timeˇ­ Mr. Sumner avenged you. Afterward, he became very withdrawn, focusing solely on work, eating, and

    sleeping. Within three months, he was hospitalized several times.

    ˇ°Mr. Richard was worried that if he kept going like that, he wouldnˇŻt be able to handle it, so-ˇ±

    ˇ°Mr. Hogg,ˇ± N interrupted. ˇ°His matters have nothing to do with me. You donˇŻt need to tell me any of this. I think IˇŻve made my position

    clear. I wonˇŻt approach him again, and I want the past to be treated as if it never happened. I hope you can keep this confidential. Goodbye.ˇ±

 Chapter 533

    After saying that, N stood up and left.

    Once her figure disappeared from view, Spencer dialed a number. ˇ°Find out which kindergarten NˇŻs son attends and get a photo for me.ˇ±

    Although N insisted that the child had nothing to do with Damon, Spencer felt he needed to verify it himself for peace of

    mind. If the child truly wasnˇŻt rted to Damon, he wouldnˇŻt bother her again.

    After leaving the restaurant, N calmed down and immediately called Oliver.

    ˇ°Oliver, I need a favor,ˇ± she said.

    For the next several days, N focused on spending time with Mason and didnˇŻt concern herself with anything else.

    On thest day of her break, while practicing writing with Mason, she received a call from Edgar asking her to attend a dinner the following night.

    N frowned. ˇ°Professor, you promised me before that you wouldnˇŻt schedule dinner

    events for me. IˇŻve made it clear I just want to focus on my research.ˇ±

    Sensing her cold tone, Edgar quickly reassured, ˇ°N, this dinner is with an investor from theb. SheˇŻs a woman and has expressed admiration for

    your dedication to research, so she wants to meet you. I promise there wonˇŻt be any pressure to drink.ˇ±

    After EdgarˇŻs repeated assurances, N finally relented. ˇ°But I know most of the female investors in ourb. Who is this one?ˇ±

    ˇ°SheˇŻs a new investor, and since youˇŻve been away for the past half month, you wouldnˇŻt know her. YouˇŻll find out when you get there tomorrow,ˇ± Edgar s

    Feeling something was off, N was going to press further when Edgar hurriedly added, ˇ°I have

    to go to a meeting now. IˇŻll send you the time and location shortly, so be sure to arrive on time.ˇ±

    Not long after hanging up, N received a message from Edgar with the details. Remembering how he had

    always protected his students during dinners, ensuring they didnˇŻt drink more than necessary, she decided not to question it further.

    The next evening, N followed the server into a private room. Upon seeing the person seated inside, she finally understood why she had been invited.

    ˇ°N, long time no see,ˇ± Erin greeted her.

    N sat down across from Erin, her expression calm. ˇ°Ms. Hulle, you went through all this trouble just to see me?ˇ±

    Erin raised

    an eyebrow, a small smile on her lips. ˇ°YouˇŻre not that important to me. IˇŻm only interested in yourbˇŻs research, which I find promising. As for you, IˇŻm ju

    checking in.ˇ±

    N didnˇŻt believe a word of it. The disdain in ErinˇŻs eyes made it clear¨Cthere was no way she would invest in theb N worked for.

    ˇ°So, whatˇŻs your real reason for inviting me here today?ˇ± N asked.

    ˇ°You must know that IˇŻm DamonˇŻs fiancee now. I donˇŻt want you anywhere near him. Given the Hullesˇ® influence, it would be easy to bring down a small

    lab like yours.

    ˇ°If you donˇŻt want the others to suffer because of you, I suggest you leave quietly before things get ugly,ˇ± Erin threatened.

 Chapter 534

    ˇ°So I should give up my career just to avoid an ugly situation because you donˇŻt want me near Damon?ˇ± N smiled, but her eyes were

    icy. ˇ°Ms. Hulle, donˇŻt you think your ego is a bit inted?ˇ±

    ErinˇŻs expression darkened. ˇ°I didnˇŻt expect you to be so sharp¨C

    tongued after five years. But have you considered that your sharp tongue might hurt those around you?ˇ±

    A hint of sarcasm shed in NˇŻs eyes. ˇ°Ms. Hulle, has your romantic life made you foolish? This is Capitarnia, not Saintornia. Ourb has numerous re

    N was baffled by ErinˇŻs audacity to im she could easily bring down theirb. Had she even researched who was backing them?

    ˇ°Hah! What good is talking big? IˇŻm giving you onest chance. If you donˇŻt leave voluntarily, whatever happens next wonˇŻt be something I can control!ˇ± E

    ˇ°Idiot!ˇ± N muttered.

    &

    She didnˇŻt want to waste another second with Erin and turned to leave.

    As she opened the door, she almost ran into the tall man who was about to walk in. When

    he looked down at her, his dark eyes were unfathomable and intimidating.

    N instinctively took a step back, her brows furrowing. Was Damon behind ErinˇŻs audacity to threaten her?

    She had heard that Prospectus Technology had expanded significantly under DamonˇŻs leadership in recent years, securing a presence in all major cities

    N was dressed in a light beige fitted dress that entuated her slim waist, looking effortlessly elegant. With light makeup

    and the overhead lights highlighting her delicate features, she appeared wless.

    As Damon noticed the fleeting emotion in her eyes, he quickly exined, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, my fiancee has caused you some trouble. IˇŻm sorry.ˇ±

    N squinted, contemting the sincerity of his words.

    After a moment, a mocking smile crept onto her face. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, IˇŻm grateful for Ms. HulleˇŻs investment in ourb, so how could I see it as trouble? It s

    Damon hadnˇŻt expected N toy everything out so directly. He lowered his gaze, his presence suddenly imposing, like the calm before a storm.

    However, N remained unaffected, simply smiling at him.

    Eventually, he shifted his gaze away, his voice growing colder, though not directed at her. ˇ°Erin,e over and apologize to Ms. Kinsey.ˇ±

    Erin bit her lip, unsure how Damon had found out about their meeting.

    Despite her resentment toward N, under DamonˇŻsmanding gaze, she could only reluctantly say,ˇ±

    Ms. Kinsey, IˇŻm sorry.ˇ±

    NˇŻs smile was gentle. ˇ°ThereˇŻs no need for apologies, Ms. Hulle. If I had such a handsome fiance, IˇŻd be just as protective as well. After all, if someone

    ErinˇŻs face turned ashen. If Damon hadnˇŻt been present, she would have lunged at N, eager to tear apart that hypocritical facade.

 Chapter 535

    Erin forced a smile. ˇ°IˇŻm d you understand, Ms. Kinsey.ˇ±

    N nodded. ˇ°I do understand, but I hope youˇŻll think things through in the future and avoid doing something so pointless.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course, IˇŻll keep that in mind!ˇ± Erin gritted her teeth in frustration, her gaze sharp and icy as she red at N.

    N smiled and turned to Damon. ˇ°Thank you for today, Mr. Sumner. I assume you and Ms. Hulle have more to discuss, so IˇŻll take my leave.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs have dinner another day as an apology,ˇ± Damon replied.

    ˇ°No need for that. I wouldnˇŻt want to bebeled as someone who disrupts other peopleˇŻs rtionships,ˇ± she said, stepping past Damon and leaving.

    Soon, only Erin and Damon remained in the private room.

    More

    It was the best and most secluded room in the restaurant, isted from others, allowing them to hear only faint conversations from nearby tables.

    Damon looked at Erin calmly, showing no signs of anger, but she couldnˇŻt even meet his gaze. She knew he was upset.

    After a long silence, she finally broke it, unable to hold back any longer. ˇ°Damonˇ­ let me exinˇ­ˇ±

    Damon chuckled. ˇ°WhatˇŻs there to exin? Erin, the reason I kept you

    by my side was that you were obedient. If youˇŻve lost that quality, why should I keep you around?ˇ±

    Erin panicked, rushing toward him but stopping abruptly several steps away. ˇ°Damonˇ­ I didnˇŻt mean to do it today. I just got confused for a moment.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did you go after her?ˇ± he pressed.

    She paused, momentarily taken aback.

    Seeing her dazed expression, he

    repeated patiently, ˇ°There are plenty of women more attractive than N that Prospectus Technology has invested in or coborated with. YouˇŻve never

    Damon had no interest in N, but ErinˇŻs behavior was unusual. Why did she feel that N was an exception?

    Erin opened her mouth, her face turning pale as she struggled to find the words, her palms sweating nervously.

    ˇ°Iˇ­ Iˇ­ˇ± She didnˇŻt know how to exin.

    The knowledge that N had a child with Damon had sent her into a panic. She feared that N would reveal the truth to him and had forgotten that, at

    DamonˇŻs gaze was sharp, as if he could see right through Erin, causing her to tremble slightly.

    What could she say to ease his suspicions? Just as she felt she might crack under his intense stare, his

    phone rang.

    Damon nced at the screen before answering.

    After listening to something on the other end, he replied coldly, ˇ°IˇŻll be there soon.ˇ±

    Hanging up, he turned back to Erin. ˇ°If you canˇŻt exin yourself, IˇŻll find out the truth myself.ˇ±

    Pale¨C

    faced, Erin rushed to rify. ˇ°Damonˇ­ I wanted to marry you, but then you suddenly proposed breaking off the engagement. I was scaredˇ­ I thought yo

    in Capitarnia, Ms. Kinsey is the most beautiful, so I acted impulsivelyˇ­ˇ±

 Chapter 536

    Damon looked at Erin with a straight face, his eyes narrowing slightly as he assessed the credibility of her

    words.

    Erin felt her heart racing, forcing herself to maintain eye contact. Just as she thought she couldnˇŻt bear the pressure any longer, she heard DamonˇŻs cold

    It wasnˇŻt until his figure disappeared through the doorway that she sank back into her chair, cold sweat trickling down her back.

    Damon headed straight to the branch office after leaving the restaurant.

    Spencer was already waiting for him at the office door. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, here are the documents that need your signature.ˇ±

    Damon walked into the office, signed

    the documents, and then looked up at Spencer. ˇ°Have Luca take these back. YouˇŻll stay here in his ce. Things in Capitarnia are different from Saintorn

    Spencer lowered his gaze, hiding theplexity that flickered in his eyes. ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner.ˇ±

    Once outside the office, Spencer instructed Luca to hand over his work and take the documents back to

    Saintornia.

    After the handover, Luca was about to leave when Spencer suddenly called out to him.

    ˇ°Luca, youˇŻve met Ms. KinseyˇŻs child before, right?ˇ± he asked.

    Luca nodded, a puzzled expression on his face. ˇ°Yeah, but why do you ask? YouˇŻre not actually thinking of pursuing Ms. Kinsey, are you?ˇ±

    Ever since Spencer saw NˇŻs lecture, he

    had been acting strangely, constantly inquiring about her- something he had never done with any other woman. Even with DamonˇŻs fiancee, he

    sometimes didnˇŻt spare her any tact.

    ˇ°Not at all,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    ˇ°Why are you so interested in Ms. Kinsey then?ˇ± Luca pressed.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt need to know that. Just look at this photo. Is this Ms. KinseyˇŻs child?ˇ± Spencer handed his phone to Luca,

    where the screen disyed a picture of a child about five years old. It had just been sent by his subordinate.

    Luca nced at the photo and frowned. ˇ°No. I only saw the childˇŻs profile before, but

    something about it felt familiar. The face shape doesnˇŻt match this picture at all¨CitˇŻs clearly a different child.ˇ±

    Upon seeing SpencerˇŻs expression darken, LucaˇŻs confusion deepened. Why was he inquiring about someone elseˇŻs child out of the blue?

    Spencer fell silent, contemting for a moment before pulling out another photo and showing it to Luca.

    The moment Luca saw the second photo, his eyes widened in disbelief and shock. ˇ°Spencer, Ms. KinseyˇŻs

    child and Mr. Sumner-ˇ±

    Before he could finish, Spencer interrupted. ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough. DonˇŻt ask questions you shouldnˇŻt. Just prepare to head back to Saintornia.ˇ±

    Luca wanted to inquire further, but seeing the serious look on SpencerˇŻs face, he held back.

    Having been

    DamonˇŻs secretary for several years, he understood what was appropriate to say and what wasnˇŻt. The resemnce between NˇŻs child and Damon w

    he had never considered.

    It was no wonder he had found the childˇŻs profile familiar that day¨Cit was because the child looked like

    Damon.

    However, when Damon met N, they both seemed unaware of each other.

    Luca had been by DamonˇŻs side for years, and as far as he knew, there had been no interaction between Damon and N.

    If it were just a coincidence, Spencer wouldnˇŻt have bothered to ask him about it.

    Luca felt as though he had stumbled upon something significant, but he knew it was

    best to pretend he didnˇŻt know anything and keep it to himself. If word got out, he would likely lose his job.

 Chapter 537

    After Luca left, Spencer put down his phone and contemted his next move. From LucaˇŻs reaction, he could confirm that NˇŻs child was DamonˇŻs.

    When he received the photo from his subordinate, he had initially suspected it might be fake. If the child had no connection to Damon, N wouldnˇŻt

    have agreed to meet him after receiving his message that day. That was why he had sought out Luca, who had previously seen the child.

    The oue was clear¨Cthe photo was likely a decoy from N, designed to mislead him.

    The more she tried to hide, the more it indicated her guilt. She was afraid he would realize how much the child resembled Damon.

    Thinking back to how Richard

    had once threatened him about not mentioning N to Damon, Spencer subconsciously clenched his hands at his sides.

    After a momentˇŻs hesitation, he dialed his subordinateˇŻs number. ˇ°The photo you sent is fake. Start following N. We

    need a clear shot of that childˇŻs face.ˇ±

    After hanging up, he frowned and considered what to do next.

    Damon watched Spencer through the one¨Cway ss in his office, his expression indifferent. He picked up his phone and made a call.

    ˇ°Find out what Spencer has been doing on the sidetely,ˇ± he instructed.

    The documents Spencer had sent previously werenˇŻt significant enough for him to visit in person. Furthermore, ever since arriving

    in Capitarnia, Spencer had seemed distracted, acting mysteriously and revealing little about his activities.

    The voice on the other end sounded surprised,ced with mockery. ˇ°Why the sudden interest in Spencer? HeˇŻs been loyal to you for years. ItˇŻs unlikely h

    DamonˇŻs gaze darkened as he replied tersely, ˇ°You talk too much.ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine, I wonˇŻt say more. IˇŻll call you when I have news,ˇ± the other party said.

    In less than half a day, Damon learned that Spencer was investigating N.

    He frowned. It was N again. What could Spencer possibly want with her? They had no connection.

    ˇ°Keep a close watch. Let me know the moment you find anything,ˇ± Damon instructed.

    Meanwhile, N received a call from Oliver,

    ˇ°N, DamonˇŻs secretary, is privately

    investigating Buddy. My people found out, and I had them switch BuddyˇŻs photo with that of a boy in another ss. But we canˇŻt keep this hidden for long

    quickly,ˇ± Oliver informed her.

    N tightened her grip on her phone, panic rising within her. Spencer didnˇŻt believe her!

    For the past few years in Capitarnia, Oliver had helped her keep MasonˇŻs existence a secret.

    However, Mason had lived in Capitarnia for five years there were

    bound to be traces left behind. If Spencer uncovered the truth, it would mean Damon would find out as well.

    Thinking of this, N gritted her teeth. ˇ°HowˇŻs the preparation on your end? Buddy needs to leave the country within three days at thetest.ˇ±

    ˇ°Three days is tight, but I can get all the paperwork done. Just remember, once Buddy is out of the country, you might

    not see him for a year. Are you really okay with that?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    In OliverˇŻs view, even if the Sumners or Damon discovered MasonˇŻs existence now, it

    wouldnˇŻt pose a significant threat. After all, N had raised Mason on her own for years without any help from the Sumners.

    Moreover, Damon now had a fiancee and had seemingly forgotten about N, so it was unlikely he would care much about Mason.

    As long as they could convince Spencer, they could continue to keep MasonˇŻs situation under wraps.

    14

 Chapter 538

    N fell silent. She didnˇŻt want to let Mason go, but it was the best option she

    could think of for now. Lately, she had been having dreams in which Damon came to take Mason away, and the first thing she would do every morning w

    ˇ°Butˇ­ if I donˇŻt send Buddy away, I have no other optionsˇ­ˇ± she muttered.

    Oliver paused for a moment before saying softly, ˇ°N, donˇŻt rush. Damon has lost his

    memory, so he might note after Buddy. WhatˇŻs most important now is that you stay calm and donˇŻt stress yourself too much.ˇ±

    N bit her lip and replied quietly, ˇ°I understand what youˇŻre saying, but I canˇŻt help but worryˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll be back tomorrow. LetˇŻs meet and discuss this. There has to be a better solution,ˇ± Oliver assured her..

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± N replied.

    After hanging up, Oliver thought for a moment before calling his secretary. ˇ°Contact Spencer Hogg, the secretary of Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs CEO, Dam

    The next evening, the first thing Oliver did

    upon his return to Capitarnia was meet Spencer. He got straight to the point once he sat down across from him. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, I know what youˇŻre investigat

    youˇŻll stop.ˇ±

    Spencer frowned, visibly displeased. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, you have no authority to give me orders.ˇ±

    If it werenˇŻt for Oliver concealing NˇŻs whereabouts, Damon might have found her before Richard had him hypnotized, and everything

    could have been different.

    Oliver remained calm, his expression serious. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, Mr. Sumner has forgotten N, and her life is peaceful now. Why dig up everything and

    turn everyoneˇŻs lives upside down? Sometimes, itˇŻs better to let things be.ˇ±

    Spencer scoffed. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, you donˇŻt need to put on a facade. YouˇŻre saying this because youˇŻre afraid Mr. Sumner might take N away.ˇ±

    Oliver raised an eyebrow, confidence resonating in his voice. ˇ°IˇŻve been by NˇŻs side for five years. IˇŻve supported her

    through her toughest times, and I believe IˇŻm far more important to her than Mr. Sumner is

    right now.

    ˇ°Still, I wonˇŻt leverage that support for my own gain. I just want her to be happy. Your actions are already causing her distress, and I wonˇŻt

    allow anyone to hurt her.ˇ±

    Spencer remained silent, though the hostility in his expression had lessened.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner hasnˇŻt been happy these past few years,ˇ± he said.

    Even if Damon had forgotten N and was now engaged to Erin, Spencer knew that Damon had never truly let anyone else into his heart. Perhaps, eve

    ˇ°Mr. SumnerˇŻs happiness has nothing to do with N. Surely, you wouldnˇŻt sacrifice someone elseˇŻs happiness just to keep Mr. Sumner happy?

    ˇ°Besides, N doesnˇŻt

    want anything to do with him. If you insist on pursuing this, I will have to take matters into my own hands to stop you,ˇ± Oliver warned

    ˇ°Are you threatening me?ˇ± Spencer questioned.

    ˇ°Just a reminder. But I hope you understand: N is my bottom line, and this isnˇŻt Saintornia,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    With that, he stood up and left.

    Spencer sat in the restaurant for a long time before finally getting up to leave.

    Back at the hotel, he picked up his phone and called his subordinate. ˇ°Cancel the investigation into N. ThereˇŻs no need to look into her anymore.ˇ±

    On the way to NˇŻs house, Oliver received word that SpencerˇŻs people looking into Mason had already left, and a smile slowly crept onto his face.

 Chapter 539

    It seemed that Spencer had taken his words to heart. Oliver liked smart people. While he wasnˇŻt afraid of confronting Prospectus Technology, it would be

    By the time Oliver arrived at NˇŻs house, it was already past 7:00 p.m.

    When the doorbell rang, N was helping Mason practice his writing. Upon opening the door to

    find Oliver, her eyes lit up with surprise. ˇ°YouˇŻre back!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, I brought a gift for Buddy,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    N epted the gift, a smile spreading across her face. ˇ°He was just saying a few days ago that he wanted this toy. I canˇŻt believe you got it for him tod

    ˇ°This shows that Buddy and I are in sync,ˇ± Oliver said, his warm gaze on Nyfa enough to melt ice.

    Feeling a bit flustered under his gaze, N looked away awkwardly. ˇ°Have you eaten yet?ˇ±

    Oliver shook his head. ˇ°Not yet.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then sit down and y with Buddy for a bit. I donˇŻt have much food left, but I can make you some egg and cheese toast.ˇ±

    Oliver nodded. ˇ°Sounds good.ˇ±

    After handing the gift to Mason, N went into the kitchen.

    Mason hugged the toy, which was nearly as tall as he was, his little face flushed with excitement. ˇ°Thank you, Uncle Oliver!ˇ±

    Oliver patted his head. ˇ°YouˇŻre wee! By the way, your mom still doesnˇŻt know about the tablet I got youst time, does she?ˇ±

    Mason shook his head, a guilty look shing in his eyes. ˇ°No, I havenˇŻt told Mom yet.ˇ±

    After seeing that man the other day, he had overheard the manˇŻs name while N had been on the phone with Caroline.

    Curiosity had led him to sneak a look online with the tablet. Afterparing

    photos, he was convinced they looked almost identical and suspected that Damon was his biological father.

    Mason was nning to meet Damon soon, but he still preferred Oliver.

    ˇ°Just make sure you donˇŻt fall behind in

    your studies because of the tablet, or your mom will be really mad. We might both end up at her mercy!ˇ± Oliver reminded him.

    ˇ°Okay, I get it,ˇ± Mason replied.

    When N brought the toast out from the kitchen, she found Mason and Oliver huddled together, whispering about something.

    She couldnˇŻt help but smile and gently called out, ˇ°Oliver, food is ready.ˇ±

    ˇ°Coming!ˇ± Oliver responded. He washed his hands and sat down at the table with a smile. ˇ°It smells so good. It must taste amazing!ˇ±

    ˇ°Dig in!ˇ± N replied, sitting across from him and pushing her homemade pickled sauerkraut toward him.

    Even though Oliver was clearly hungry, he ate with elegant grace.

    About ten minutester, after finishing hisst bite, he swallowed with a longing look. ˇ°Delicious!ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm d you liked it, but donˇŻt overdo it at dinner,ˇ± N advised.

    As she stood up to clear the dishes, Oliver was already one step ahead, picking up his te and heading toward the kitchen.

    ˇ°IˇŻll handle it. You did all the cooking, so itˇŻs only fair I help out,ˇ± he insisted.

    Knowing his stubbornness, N didnˇŻt argue. Instead, she wiped the table with a cloth.

    Once Oliver had washed the dishes, he walked out of the kitchen to find that N had already prepared tea for him.

    His gaze softened as he sat down across from her.

    ˇ°This is the limited¨Cedition coffee Caroline brought from home. Let me know how it is,ˇ± N offered.

    Oliver lifted his cup, taking a gentle sip before smiling. Very fragrant.ˇ±

    Looking through the rising steam, he fixed his eyes on N. ˇ°N, about what I mentioned before I left- have you thought it over?ˇ±

 Chapter 540

    N froze for a moment, her face flushing instantly. She had been so worried about Masontely that she hadnˇŻt had time to consider her

    feelings for Oliver.

    In truth, she didnˇŻt need to think too hard¨Cshe had already decided to give things a try with him.

    ˇ°Oliver, IˇŻve made up my mind. I want to give us a chance, but IˇŻve always thought of you as just a good friend, so I canˇŻt promise

    IˇŻll definitely fall in love with you,ˇ± she said.

    Oliver had treated her exceptionally well over the years, doing so much for her. She felt that no one else would care for her like he did, and she didnˇŻt wa

    gratitude alone wouldnˇŻt be enough for a lifetime together.

    At her words, disappointment shed in OliverˇŻs eyes, but he understood that feelings couldnˇŻt be forced.

    ˇ°Alright, letˇŻs give it some time. How about three months? If after that you still canˇŻt love me, weˇŻll just remain friends,ˇ± he said.

    N felt a pang of guilt. ˇ°IˇŻm sorry.ˇ±

    Oliver looked at her softly. ˇ°N, donˇŻt apologize. You havenˇŻt done anything wrong, and IˇŻm already happy that youˇŻre willing to give me a chance.ˇ±

    He liked her and wanted to take care of her. Of course, he hoped she would grow to love him in return, but he wouldnˇŻt push it if she couldnˇŻt. Above all,

    Meeting verˇŻs tender gaze, N felt a rush of emotion. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    Even though she didnˇŻt love Oliver yet, she would try her best.

    ˇ°So, am I your boyfriend now?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    N smiled and nodded. ˇ°Of course, but thereˇŻs still a three¨Cmonth probation.ˇ±

    Oliver raised an eyebrow. ˇ°IˇŻll work hard to make it official before then.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good luck with that!ˇ± N teased.

    ˇ°By the way, thereˇŻs one more thing I wanted to tell you. My people found out that Spencer is still investigating Buddy. I talked to him

    beforeing here, so he shouldnˇŻt continue the investigation anymore, butˇ­ he has likely figured out that Buddy is DamonˇŻs child,ˇ± Oliver informed he

    N frowned, not entirely surprised. ˇ°IˇŻm still worried. After all, he is DamonˇŻs secretary. What ifˇ­ˇ±

    Oliver took her cold hand gently. ˇ°DonˇŻt worry. Even if Damon finds out Buddy is his son, I wonˇŻt let him take Buddy away from you.

    ˇ°And he currently has lost his memory and has a fiancee. He doesnˇŻt have any feelings for either of you. Even if

    he knows, he might not try to take Buddy.

    ˇ°Ultimately, it alles down to BuddyˇŻs wishes anyway.ˇ±

    His analysis helped N calm down, making her realize she had been unnecessarily anxious these past few days. Nothing had even happened yet, and

    She nodded. ˇ°Okay, I understand now. Thank you, Oliver.ˇ±

    ˇ°I really donˇŻt want to hear you say ˇ®IˇŻm sorryˇ® or ˇ®thank youˇ® again. You havenˇŻt done anything wrong, and solving problems for my girlfriend is what IˇŻm su

    N couldnˇŻt help butugh at him. ˇ°YouˇŻre getting into character pretty quickly.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course! Now that I can call myself your boyfriend, I want to shout it from the rooftops,ˇ± Oliver confessed.

    His expression was serious, his eyes full of tenderness and affection, yet none of that put any pressure on N. It

    was like a gentle breeze that stirred her hair and touched her heartstrings.

    Suddenly, her heartbeat quickened.

    Instinctively, she pulled her hand back and looked away. ˇ°ItˇŻs gettingte. You just got back from a

    business trip, so you must be tired. You should he

 Chapter 541

    Oliver noticed

    the way NˇŻs ears reddened, sensing her shyness but choosing not toment on it. He nodded. ˇ°Alright. I have a full day of meetings

    tomorrow. LetˇŻs n for dinner the day after.ˇ±

    ˇ°That depends on whether I have to stayte for experiments,ˇ± N replied.

    ˇ°Okay, I know youˇŻre busy. IˇŻll check in with you again the day after,ˇ± Oliver said easily.

    As N walked him to the door, Oliver hesitated before asking, ˇ°You donˇŻt have to see me out, butˇ­ can I give you a hug?ˇ±

    Xx

    Before he even finished, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

    Oliver froze, his eyes wide in disbelief. He had prepared himself for rejection, so her response caught himpletely off guard.

    After a moment of shock, joy surged through him. He gently returned the embrace, treating her like something fragile and precious.

    ˇ°N, IˇŻm really happy youˇŻre willing to respond to me,ˇ± he said, his voice unsteady.

    Feeling the depth of his emotions, N loosened her hold and replied sincerely, ˇ°Oliver, IˇŻm willing to try

    to get closer to you, so you donˇŻt need to be so careful or worry about upsetting me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Got it,ˇ± he said softly.

    ˇ°Alright, y should head back now,ˇ± she urged.

    Reluctantly, Oliver headed downstairs to his

    car, already toying with the idea of buying the unit across from NˇŻs. That way, he could see her and Mason every day.

    After watching his car drive away, N felt

    her heart racing. The sensation of hugging Oliver lingered, her thoughts spinning with the unfamiliar excitement.

    In the CEO office of the Prospectus Technology branch, Damon workedte into the night.

    Thepany had expanded rapidly in recent

    years, but many underlying issues still required attention. Now that the internal situation had stabilized, he could finally focus on addressing them one by

    Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him out of his thoughts. He nced at the screen, recognized the caller, and set his pen down before a

    ˇ°Damon, guess what my people saw today?ˇ± the party on the other end of the line asked.

    ˇ°Get to the point. IˇŻm busy,ˇ± Damon replied, his tone indifferent, betraying no emotion.

    ˇ°Tsk, I knew youˇŻd say that. Anyway, I wonˇŻt keep you in suspense. This evening, Spencer met with Oliver Raynor, the CEO of the Raynor Group,ˇ± the oth

    Damon frowned. ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ±

    Prospectus Technology had no significant dealings with the Raynor Group, so why would Spencer meet with its CEO?

    +25 BON

    When Prospectus Technology first entered the Capitarnia market, Damon had considered coborating with the Raynor Group. However, the Raynor Gro

    Although Prospectus Technology eventually established itself in the city, it hade at a considerable cost, sowing hidden risks along the way.

    In essence, the rtionship between Prospectus Technology and the Raynor

    Group was more adversarial than cooperative. Spencer, as DamonˇŻs secretary, had no reason to meet with Oliver privately.

    ˇ°Absolutely sure. My people even took photos. IˇŻll send them to you shortly. Damon, a lot of

    people have their eyes on Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs amusement park project in Capitarnia, and the Raynor Group is one of them. As your friend, I advise

    to stay alert. You donˇŻt want to be blindsided by betrayal from someone close to you,ˇ± the other party warned.

    DamonˇŻs gaze darkened, his voice cold. ˇ°Understood.ˇ±

    He hung up, his frown deepening as he considered SpencerˇŻs recent unusual behavior.

 Chapter 542

    What was Spencer up to with his investigation into N and his private meeting with Oliver? The thought of the

    Raynor Group trying to snatch the amusement park project made DamonˇŻs expression harden.

    Was Spencer betraying him? No, that didnˇŻt make sense.

    Over the years, many had tried to pry Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs secrets from Spencer, but none had seeded.

    There was no way Spencer would betray him.

    Besides, Spencer had been looking into N before this. There had to be some other reason.

    After a moment of contemtion, Damon called Luca.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, how may I assist?ˇ± LucaˇŻs voice was tense.

    DamonˇŻste¨Cnight calls usually meant something was wrong. It had happened enough times that Luca had grown anxious

    whenever Damon called him after hours.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre close with Spencer. Have you noticed anything off about himtely?ˇ± Damon asked.

    Luca hesitated, recalling SpencerˇŻs earlier inquiry about a photo. Should he tell Damon? He suspected that NˇŻs child might be DamonˇŻs, given Spence

    seemed unlikely, considering how Damon and N behaved around each other.

    While he was still debating, DamonˇŻs patience wore thin. ˇ°Speak.ˇ±

    Luca bit his lip, deciding to hold back his suspicions. ˇ°I havenˇŻt noticed anything strange about Spencer.ˇ±

    ˇ°What did he say to you before you left for Saintornia?ˇ± Damon pressed.

    ˇ°Uhˇ­ nothing much. He just briefed me on some work stuff,ˇ± Luca answered.

    ˇ°There are cameras outside the CEOˇŻs office. Are you sure you want me to pull the footage to get the truth?ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice was

    icy, sending a shiver down LucaˇŻs spine.

    Luca knew better than to cross Damon.

    With a resigned sigh, Luca confessed, ˇ°Spencer asked me if a child in a photo was Ms. KinseyˇŻs.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes widened in surprise. ˇ°What does he want to know about NˇŻs child?ˇ±

    Luca fell silent, unsure whether to share his hunch.

    ˇ°Luca, youˇŻve been with me for years. You should know my patience is limited,ˇ± Damon warned.

    Taking a deep breath, Luca replied, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, at the amusement park that day, I saw the childˇŻs profile before he put on the maskˇ­ He looks

    almost exactly like you.ˇ±

    Silence fell on the other end of the line, and LucaˇŻs heart raced. He wasnˇŻt afraid of DamonˇŻs anger, but the sudden quiet was unsettling¨C

    usually a bad sign.

    After a tense few seconds, just as Luca was about to ask if everything was okay, the call abruptly ended. Listening to the busy signal, Luca didnˇŻt dare ca

    reasoning that if

    Damon couldnˇŻt reach him, he could im his battery had died.

    After hanging up, Damon immediately redialed the earller number. ˇ°Get a photo of NˇŻs child, and do it quickly.ˇ±

    He set down his phone and walked over to the window The reflection in the ss showed his cold, inscrutable face.

    The next morning, N hurried to theb after dropping Mason off at school. She was in such a rush that she didnˇŻt notice Mason emerge from the scho

    Mason gged down a taxi and got in. Once inside, he gave the driver the address for the Prospectus

    ¤¤

    Technology branch and pulled out his phone to navigate, cranking the volume up to the max.

 Chapter 543

    The taxi driver chuckled at the sound of the navigation voiceing from the back seat. The kid looked small, but he certainly seemed cautious.

    MasonˇŻs school wasnˇŻt far from the Prospectus Technology branch, and they arrived in less than

    half an hour. After paying the fare and stepping out, Mason looked up

    at the towering skyscraper, at least dozens of stories high, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

    He walked into the building but was stopped at the front desk.

    ˇ°Excuse me, young man, who are you looking for-ˇ± the receptionist began, but her eyes widened in shock as she realized she was looking at a miniature

    Was this DamonˇŻs child? But Damon wasnˇŻt married, right? Could this boy be a love child?

    At that moment, she felt like she had stumbled upon a huge secret.

    Seeing the receptionist staring at him in silence, Mason frowned and said, ˇ°IˇŻm here to see your boss. His

    name is Damon Sumner.ˇ±

    &

    The receptionist was momentarily speechless. This boyˇŻs manner of speaking was so simr to DamonˇŻs- almost identical.

    After a few seconds of stunned silence, she regained herposure. ˇ°P¨CPlease wait a moment. IˇŻll check.

    She picked up the phone and called the CEOˇŻs office. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, thereˇŻs a child downstairs asking for Mr. Sumner. He looks just like himˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll be right down,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    After hanging up, Spencer nced toward the conference room before heading downstairs.

    As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he spotted the small figure at the front desk and quickened his pace.

    When he got a closer look at MasonˇŻs face, he couldnˇŻt help but gasp. He was certain¨Cthis was DamonˇŻs child.

    The receptionist began, ˇ°Mr. Hogg-ˇ±

    Spencer turned to her with a cold expression. ˇ°If you donˇŻt want to lose your job, keep quiet about the fact that he was here today.ˇ±

    After that, he turned to Mason and said gently, ˇ°IˇŻm Mr. SumnerˇŻs secretary. HeˇŻs busy

    right now and canˇŻt see you. Where do you go to school? Do you want me to take you back or contact your mom?ˇ±

    Upon hearing Spencer mention contacting his mom, MasonˇŻs expression changed, and he quickly shook his head. ˇ°No, donˇŻt contact my mom. I came h

    ˇ°In that case, IˇŻll take you back to school. If the teachers notice youˇŻre missing, theyˇŻll contact your mom too,ˇ± Spencer offered.

    ˇ°Butˇ­ I still havenˇŻt seen who I want to meet,ˇ± Mason protested.

    He needed to confirm if Damon was truly his biological father. If not, he wouldnˇŻt waste any more time.

    Looking into MasonˇŻs serious eyes, Spencer replied, ˇ°Little fe, since your mom doesnˇŻt know youˇŻre here, she probably wouldnˇŻt agree to this. Let me t

    The thought of N being angry made Mason shrink back a little. If she knew he hade to find a possible father without telling her, it would

    break her heart.

    Seeing Mason wavering, Spencer continued. ˇ°Our boss is really busy today and wonˇŻt have any time to see you, even if you wait all day. If you

    want to meet him, you need to make an appointment.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then if I make an appointment, can I see him?ˇ± Mason asked.

    Spencer shook his head and led Mason to a spot out of the cameraˇŻs view. There was no way he could let the cameras capture MasonˇŻs face.

    ˇ°No. Even if you make an appointment, youˇŻll still have to wait. There are a lot of people who

    want to see our boss, and it might take a month before you get an appointment,ˇ± Spencer coaxed.

    Mason pouted, clearly disappointed. He hadnˇŻt realized it would take that long.

 Chapter 544

    9

    ˇ°Where did youe from? Let me take you back,ˇ± Spencer said.

    Just as Mason was about to answer, the rapid click of high heels echoed down the hallway.

    Spencer and Mason turned to see N striding toward them, her face set in a scowl.

    Before Mason could hide, N called out, ˇ°Buddy,e here!ˇ±

    Her anger was barely contained as she fixed her stern gaze on Mason.

    That morning, as soon as she arrived at theb, she had received a call from MasonˇŻs kindergarten teacher, saying he was missing. Panic had nearly

    overwhelmed her. Frantic, she had reached out to Oliver, and together, they had quickly tracked MasonˇŻs whereabouts.

    She had never imagined Mason would be bold enough toe directly to Prospectus Technology to find Damon. He had somehow convinced himself th

    N hurried to MasonˇŻs side, pulling him protectively behind her while ncing at

    Spencer warily. ˇ°Mr. Hogg, I apologize for any trouble Buddy may have caused. If hees by again, please contact me right

    away.ˇ±

    ˇ°Buddy?ˇ± Spencer asked, his expression conflicted.

    After his meeting with Oliver the previous day, he hadnˇŻt nned on bothering N or Mason again. But seeing Mason now stirred something within

    him. The boy bore such a striking resemnce to Damon. He had a strong feeling that if Damon learned of MasonˇŻs existence, he would undoubtedly fig

    N frowned but pressed on, ˇ°Yes, Mr. Hogg. I hope you wonˇŻt tell Damon about Buddy being here today.ˇ±

    Although Damon might not actually try to take Mason from her, she preferred not to take any chances.

    Spencer opened his mouth to reply but instead let out a rueful chuckle. ˇ°It might beˇ­ difficult to keep this quietˇ­ˇ±

    Before N could respond, she felt a

    sharp, prating gaze on her. Instinctively, she turned around and froze. Damon was walking toward them, his eyes fixed on Mason.

    Sensing the shift in the air, Mason looked up at Damon. Their eyes met, and for a moment, both seemed

    stunned.

    Suddenly, DamonˇŻs phone rang. He answered, and an excited voice filled the line. ˇ°Damon, remember I told you about that kid

    who looks just like you? You asked me to check on NˇŻs child, and I got a photo. Guess what-ˇ±

    Before the caller could finish, Damon interrupted, his expression unchanged, ˇ°I already know.ˇ±

    ˇ°You know wh-ˇ± Damon hung up before the caller could finish.

    He slipped his phone into his pocket and turned to N, who stood frozen. ˇ°Care to exin?ˇ±

    N had thought she would panic when Damon found out about Mason, but instead, she felt surprisingly calm.

    RH

    She smiled at him. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I donˇŻt think I owe you an exnation.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs face darkened, his voice cold. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, why does this child look so much like me? DonˇŻt tell me itˇŻs just a coincidence.ˇ±

    The moment Damon saw Mason, he had a strong premonition¨Cthis child must be his. But

    how? He had no connection to N. How could she have had his child?

    Unfazed, N nodded. ˇ°ItˇŻs just a coincidence, Mr. Sumner. We didnˇŻt know each other before. You canˇŻt seriously think this child is yours, can you?ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs gaze remained locked on hers, his voice measured. ˇ°A paternity test will confirm whether thereˇŻs a connection.ˇ±

 Chapter 545

    NˇŻs heart sank at DamonˇŻs words. She absolutely could not let him conduct a paternity test. If he did, everything would fall apart.

    She met DamonˇŻs gaze. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if I remember correctly, you have a

    fiancee. If you want a child, she can give you one. IsnˇŻt it a bit absurd to demand a paternity test for someone elseˇŻs child?ˇ±

    ˇ°Your strong reaction makes me wonder if youˇŻre feeling guilty, Ms. Kinsey,ˇ± Damon shot back.

    ˇ°IˇŻm just pointing out that youˇŻre causing trouble

    where none exists. WeˇŻve never met before, and we have no connection, isnˇŻt that right?ˇ± N retorted.

    DamonˇŻs eyes turned cold. Before

    coming to Capitarnia, he had truly had no interactions with N. That was precisely why he insisted on a paternity test.

    As he remained silent, simply ring at her, N pressed on, ˇ°Since you have nothing more to say, weˇŻll be leaving.ˇ±

    Just as she was about to take Mason away, DamonˇŻs cold

    voice cut through the air. ˇ°YouˇŻre not leaving Prospectus Technology without my permission today.ˇ±

    NˇŻs hands clenched at her sides, her re unwavering. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, restricting someoneˇŻs freedom is illegal.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs icy gaze remained fixed on her. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, I donˇŻt want to use force, so I suggest you cooperate. If the paternity test shows no rtion betwee

    But if there was a connection, he wouldnˇŻt let it go.

    Just as his words

    settled, a frosty voice interrupted, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you dare toy a finger on my girlfriend, youˇŻll regret it. Prospectus Technology wonˇŻt get off easy.ˇ±

    Startled, N turned to see Oliver. ˇ°Oliverˇ­ what are you doing here?ˇ±

    He had mentioneding once they found Mason, but she had discouraged him. He had promised he wouldnˇŻt, and yet, there he was.

    Oliver moved closer, wrapping his arm around her. ˇ°If I hadnˇŻt

    shown up, I wouldnˇŻt have realized that the great CEO of Prospectus Technology resorts to bullying women.ˇ±

    Thest part was directed at Damon. Their eyes met, sparking an intense standoff brimming with tension. Damon narrowed his eyes dangerously. ˇ°Mr. R

    ˇ°How can it not? N is my girlfriend¨C

    her matters are my matters. Speaking of you, Mr. Sumner, casually wanting to acknowledge a child you just met¨C

    could it be that you have some issue preventing you from having your own?

    ˇ°If thatˇŻs the case, I can rmend some good clinics for treatment.ˇ± OliverˇŻs tone was mocking as he nced pointedly, feigning sympathy at DamonˇŻs

    DamonˇŻs face darkened. ˇ°Oliver, are you asking for trouble?ˇ±

    Oliver smiled, unfazed. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, have you forgotten? This is Capitarnia, not Saintornia.ˇ±

    The Raynors had been entrenched in Capitarnia for over a century. Oliver had no fear of confronting

    Damon.

    They stood off against each other, neither willing to back down. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, ready to erupt.

    At that moment, Spencer stepped forward and quietly advised, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, the amusement park project is still in progress. Confronting the Raynors now

    Damon shot him a cold nce. ˇ°Shut up!ˇ±

    All he wanted was to find out if Mason was his child. As for the amusement park project, if Oliver dared to try and snatch

    it away, Damon would make sure he left empty¨Chanded!

    g

 Chapter 546

    Spencer fell silent after DamonˇŻs reprimand, not daring to utter another word.

    In the tense standoff, Mason tugged at NˇŻs shirt and spoke timidly. ˇ°Mom, IˇŻm scared.ˇ±

    NˇŻs heart ached as she pulled Mason closer, her re cold and unwavering at Damon, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, youˇŻve frightened my sonˇ®

    Seeing MasonˇŻs terrified expression caused DamonˇŻs heart to flinch slightly, but his face remained stern.

    Oliver, exuding an oppressive aura, interjected, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you donˇŻt give us a satisfactory exnation today, this wonˇŻt end here.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened. He di arguing in front of the child.

    ed OliverˇŻs warning, but with Mason present, he refrained from

    After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. ˇ°The paternity test can wait for now, but N, I will get to the bottom of this. If he is my child, I will never allow

    N froze momentarily, fury rising within her.

    A woman like her? What did he know about her? She had given birth to Mason alone and raised him without any help. What right

    did he have to pass judgment?!

    Her re burned into Damon as her voice trembled with anger. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, youˇŻre used to looking down on others, so you think you can judge their live

    Oliver stepped protectively in front of N and Mason, his gaze fixed on Damon. ˇ°Damon, donˇŻt overstep. You have no idea

    what N has been through all these years.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs expression remained indifferent. ˇ°Her struggles are irrelevant to me. All I care about now is whether that child is mine.ˇ±

    N, regaining herposure, met DamonˇŻs gaze with icy resolve.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, my life is none of your concern. Stay away from my child, or I canˇŻt guarantee what will happen.ˇ±

    Mason tightened his grip on NˇŻs leg, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at Damon. ˇ°YouˇŻre a bad guy! I hate you! Stay away from me and my mo

    His small face burned with anger. This man was horrible. Even if he was his father, Mason would never ept him.

    Damon was momentarily taken aback by MasonˇŻs fierce expression. The child looked so much like him, even in his anger. How could he not be his son

    his mannerisms were identical too.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre a bad guy! I hate you!ˇ± Mason shouted, ring at him.

    Oliver turned to Damon. ˇ°Damon, this ends here. DonˇŻte after N and Buddy again.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes darkened. ˇ°ThatˇŻs not your decision. I wonˇŻt pursue this today for the childˇŻs sake, but I have countless ways to find out if heˇŻs mine!ˇ±

    With that, he turned and strode away.

    As N watched him leave, she felt a surge of anger. She couldnˇŻt believe she had ever fallen for a man with such a terrible personality.

    Oliver wrapped his arms around her, speaking softly. ˇ°N, donˇŻt worry. I wonˇŻt let him do anything to you or Buddy. Trust me.ˇ±

    N nodded. ˇ°Mm. Oliverˇ­ thank you..

    ˇ°You said you wouldnˇŻt keep thanking me. Have you forgotten already?ˇ± Oliver teased gently.

    She bit her lip. ˇ°Mmˇ­ Got it.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs head back for now,ˇ± Oliver suggested

    Mason was still shaken. He hadnˇŻt expec

    a toe so quickly, nor had he imagined that the man

    he thought was his father would be so cruel as to bully N.

 Chapter 547

    Seeing MasonˇŻs pale face, N lost her will to scold him. After all, the root of the issue was her decision to hide Damon from Mason, which led him to se

    ˇ°LetˇŻs go,ˇ± she said, taking MasonˇŻs hand and turning to leave with Oliver.

    Back on the top floor, Damon stared icily at Spencer. ˇ°So youˇŻve been investigating N and her child these

    past few days because you suspect Buddy might be mine?ˇ±

    Spencer bit his lip, realizing he could no longer hide the truth. He nodded slowly. ˇ°Yesˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°Just because he looks like me, you think heˇŻs my child? YouˇŻve been with me for years¨C

    you know better than anyone who IˇŻve been involved with,ˇ± Damon demanded.

    His piercing gaze held Spencer in ce, giving him no chance to escape.

    Damon had indeed connected the dots regarding SpencerˇŻs investigation, suspecting that Mason might be his son. Yet, he was sure he didnˇŻt know N

    she had never been part of his life.

    Suddenly, a thought struck Damon. He remembered the months of amnesia following his car ident. Ric 1 had said it was a result of the crash, but

    could there have been more to it?

    The realization deepened his frown, and he asked, ˇ°Was my amnesia really just because of the ident?ˇ±

    Under DamonˇŻs icy stare, a wave of guilt washed over Spencer, and he instinctively looked away. ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    Damon let out a coldugh. ˇ°You know my temperament, Spencer. If I find out youˇŻve lied to me, donˇŻt expect to stay at Prospectus Technology.ˇ±

    A torrent of thoughts rushed through SpencerˇŻs mind. He recalled Richard threatening him with

    his parents, Oliver advising him to avoid disturbing everyoneˇŻs lives, and DamonˇŻs despair before the amnesia

    Ultimately, he remembered OliverˇŻs words. Spencer knew he shouldnˇŻt disrupt anyoneˇŻs peace, especially not NˇŻs.

    After a moment of silence, he looked up at Damon, determination in his eyes. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, your amnesia is indeed due

    to the ident. YouˇŻve never met Ms. Kinsey before, and that child is just a lookalike. He canˇŻt possibly be yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whether heˇŻs my child is for me to determine, not you, Damon retorted.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner-ˇ± Spencer attempted to speak.

    ˇ°Enough! Get out!ˇ± Damon snapped.

    Spencer fell silent for a moment, then turned to leave.

    It was clear his time at Prospectus Technology wasing to an end. The moment

    he had agreed to deceive Damon for Richard, he had known this day would arrive.

    Once Spencer left, Damon made a call.

    ˇ°I want a paternity test for NˇŻs child. Find a way to get a hair sample from him,ˇ± he said.

    Joshua LiddellˇŻs voice came through,ced withints. ˇ°Damon, donˇŻt push it! You

    hang up on me, then call when you need something? What am I, your pet¨Chere to summon and dismiss as you please?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yourpany can join the amusement park project, but only if you handle this for me,ˇ± Damon offered, baiting him.

    As soon as the words left his mouth, JoshuaˇŻs tone shifted from irritated to eager. The excitement in his voice was palpable, and Damon could practically

    ˇ°DonˇŻt worry! IˇŻll have it done within three days!ˇ± Joshua promised.

    Damon hung up and tossed his phone onto the desk, his eyes narrowing slowly.

    Oliver dropbeoped Nyta and Mason off at home.

    Noticing Nyitrai face and the lingering fear in her eyes, he spoke softly. ˇ°N, donˇŻt think tod about it. You tmt got sted today. Just rest, and we can talk a

    N forced a stolen Yeah, IˇŻm sorry for taking up so much of your time today. You should get bar

    work Birk

    She had initially told Old Oliver not toe because she remembered he had meetings, but the day t stretched much longer trentisan she had expected

    Seeing the fleeting quibuiten her eyes, Oliver replied firmly, ˇ°N, you and Buddy are important to m not an inconvenience.dice.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know, but I donˇŻt want to be be a burden. Being together should mean supporting each other, not j helping me all the time ht stadsaid.

    Oliver felt a mix of frustraticatant and sympathy. He thought N was struggling to ept his suppo because she hadnˇŻt fulty eptarted him. After the

    further.mer

    ˇ°WeˇŻll talk about thistera YouTeedeed estrest and I should head back,ˇ± he said gently.

    Once Oliver left, Mason cautiously.acpamroached N. ˇ°Momˇ­ IˇŻm sorry. I shouldnˇŻt have skipped c

    N hadnˇŻt expected him to sidesteptee the real issue. She frowned. ˇ°Buddy, do you really think skip ss is the only mistake you made 10dapday?ˇ±

    Mason couldnˇŻt meet her gaze and ming his hes head in silence.

    N didnˇŻt press him. ˇ°Think about it, and dete me know when youˇŻre ready to talk.ˇ±

    With that, she headed to the kitchen to prepareparedunch. She hadnˇŻt had breakfast after learning Ma missing that morning, and now that she was feelfe

    caimer, hunger hit her.

    Mason watched her, his small hands clenched tehtigns, fais face tense, mirroring DamonˇŻs expressio When N came out with a simple dish of omelete

    coticed Mason still standing there. She si

    ˇ°Buddy, letˇŻs eat first,ˇ± she said.sid

    Hesitating, Mason walked to the table, climbed onto atchachair, and finally mustered the courage to N.

    ˇ°Mom, IˇŻm sorryˇ­ I shouldnˇŻt have skipped ss. I thought tratthat man was my dadˇ­ so I wanted to ˇ°he confessed.

    Upon seeing MasonˇŻs nervous expression and the way his handsnds fidgeted with his shirt, NˇŻs ga softened. She asked gently, ˇ°Buddy, what do you t

    ow?ˇ±

    In In the past, whenever Mason had asked about his father, N hadhadled, telling him that his father pa passed away. She had tried to avoid the topic e

    Bu But after today, she realized she could no longer hide the truth about but Damion being MasonˇŻs fathe

 Chapter 548

    Oliver dropped N and Mason off at home.

    Noticing NˇŻs pale face and the lingering fear in her eyes, he spoke softly. ˇ°N, donˇŻt think too much about it. You got scared

    today. Just rest, and we can talk about everything tomorrow.ˇ±

    N

    Wern

    ced a smile. ˇ°Yeah, IˇŻm sorry for taking up so much of your time today. You should get back to

    She had initially told Oliver not toe because she remembered he had meetings, but the day had stretched much longer than she had expected.

    Seeing the fleeting guilt in her eyes, Oliver replied firmly, ˇ°N, you and Buddy are important to me. ItˇŻs not an inconvenience.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know, but I donˇŻt want to be a burden. Being together should mean supporting each other, not just you helping me all the time,ˇ± N said.

    Oliver felt a mix of frustration and sympathy. He thought N was struggling to ept his support because she hadnˇŻt fully epted him. After the scare

    ˇ°WeˇŻll talk about thister. You need to rest, and I should head back,ˇ± he said gently.

    her

    Once Oliver left, Mason cautiously approached N. ˇ°Momˇ­ IˇŻm sorry. I shouldnˇŻt have skipped ssˇ­ˇ± N hadnˇŻt expected him to sidestep the real i

    Mason couldnˇŻt meet her gaze and hung his head in silence.

    N didnˇŻt press him. ˇ°Think about it, and let me know when youˇŻre ready to talk.ˇ±

    With that, she headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch. She hadnˇŻt had breakfast after learning Mason was missing that morning, and now that she was fe

    Mason watched her, his small hands clenched tight, his face tense, mirroring DamonˇŻs expression.

    When N came out with a simple dish of omelet, she noticed Mason still standing there. She sighed.

    ˇ°Buddy, letˇŻs eat first,ˇ± she said.

    Hesitating, Mason walked to the table, climbed onto a chair, and finally mustered the courage to look at N

    I

    ˇ°Mom, IˇŻm sorryˇ­ I shouldnˇŻt have skipped ss. I thought that man was my dadˇ­ so I wanted to see him,

    he

    confessed.

    Upon seeing MasonˇŻs nervous expression and the way his hands fidgeted with his shirt, NˇŻs gaze softened. She asked gently, ˇ°Buddy, what do you th

    In the past, whenever Mason had asked about his father, N had lied, telling him that his father had passed away. She had tried to avoid the topic eve

    But after today, she realized she could no longer hide the truth about Damon being MasonˇŻs father. Rather

    than wait for Damon to confront them with the facts, she decided it was better to ask Mason how he felt

    Mason shook his head. ˇ°I donˇŻt want him to be my dad. HeˇŻs mean to you, and I hate him!ˇ±

    What Mason truly wanted was a father like Oliver¨Ckind and gentle, not the fierce man from earlier.

    Just thinking about how that man had treated N made his young face twist with anger. If

    he hadnˇŻt been afraid of the manshing out, he would have charged at him, ready to bite his leg.

    After a moment of hesitation, N decided it was time to tell Mason the truth. ˇ°Buddy, he is your dad but

    he has forgotten about me, so you might have to choose between us.ˇ±

 Chapter 549

    Mason dropped the cutlery he was holding, staring nkly at N.

    ˇ°Buddy, when I told you that your dad passed away, it was because he and I separated. But he never wanted to abandon you¨C

    he didnˇŻt even know you existed. Now that you know the truth, you can choose to stay with me or go to him,ˇ± N exined.

    As Mason began to understand, N gave him the choice. After all, for a child who had never experienced a fatherˇŻs love, it was natural for him to want

    Ever since Mason started kindergarten, she had realized she couldnˇŻt rece that role, which was why she had considered trying with Oliver¨C

    she wanted to give Mason aplete family.

    N expected Mason to think it over, but instead, his lips trembled, and he burst into tears.

    ˇ°Mom, do you not want me anymore?ˇ± he cried.

    Taken aback, N found it somewhat amusing. She quickly got up, wiped his tears, and squatted beside him, gently saying, ˇ°How could you think that?

    Through his sobs, Mason choked out, ˇ°I donˇŻt want that dadˇ­ I¨CI donˇŻt want to go with him. I want to stay withˇ­ you, Mom.ˇ±

    N wiped his tears again and nodded. ˇ°Okay, no more crying. Mommy will never not want you.ˇ±

    After Nforted him for a while, his emotions settled, though he was clearly clingier than before. Even when she went to the kitchen to

    wash the dishes, he dragged a little stool over to sit by the door, watching her as if afraid she might leave.

    Feeling a bit helpless, N guessed her earlier question had made him feel insecure. She figured that in a few days, he would stop following her around

    That night, after putting Mason to bed, N got up and was heading to the living room when her phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing an unfamiliar number, she lowered her eyes, sensing it might be Damon calling. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to answer.

    As expected, a cold voice came through the line. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, IˇŻm downstairs at your ce. LetˇŻs meet.ˇ±

    N walked to the window, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and spotted a ck Maybach parked. below.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, itˇŻs quitete-ˇ±

    Before she could finish, he interrupted, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, my patience is limited. You can eithere down, or IˇŻlle up in five minutes. ItˇŻs your choice.ˇ±

    The call disconnected before N could respond.

    cull knowing that Damon might wake Mason

    if he came upstairs,

    When she reached the car, the driverˇŻs side window rolled down.

    ˇ®Get in,ˇ± Damon ordered.

    N stood her ground, her gaze cold. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you have something to say, you can say it here. I donˇŻt think I need to get in the car.ˇ±

    A glint of coldness flickered in DamonˇŻs eyes, but he didnˇŻt insist. Instead, he opened the car door and walked toward her.

    Startled, N instinctively stepped back, increasing the distance between them.

    Damon stopped a few steps away, his gaze icy.

    ˇ°IˇŻm fairly certain Buddy is my child. How did you manage to conceive my child back then?ˇ± he demanded.

 Chapter 550

    Meeting DamonˇŻs using gaze, N felt a strange sense of amusement. He had been the one to force himself on her back then, and now, with his me

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, you im Buddy is your child. What evidence do you have?ˇ± she asked.

    DamonˇŻs demeanor turned icy. ˇ°The fact that he looks almost exactly like me is proof enough.ˇ±

    N smiled. ˇ°But a judge wonˇŻt rule you as BuddyˇŻs father based solely on that.ˇ±

    Her sarcastic smile darkened DamonˇŻs expression. He grabbed her hand, his eyes cold. ˇ°N, do I need to show you the paternity test results before yo

    N pulled her hand away. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you had a paternity test, you wouldnˇŻt be here talking to me.. YouˇŻd be at the courthouse filing awsuit, would

    Damon fell silent for a few moments, his voice tight with anger. ˇ°DonˇŻt worry, youˇŻll soon receive a subpoena. I wonˇŻt let my child stay with a maniptive

    NˇŻs hands clenched at her sides, anger surging within her, nearly pushing her to the edge. But she

    should quickly regained herposure. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, instead of calling me maniptive, maybe you consider whether youˇŻre being paranoid.ˇ±

    Just as Damon was about to retort, a flicker of a memory crossed his mind.

    The moment he tried to grasp it, it slipped away. It felt eerily familiar as if he had experienced it before. Yet, his memory had always been sharp¨C

    he had never argued with any woman before.

    His thoughts drifted to the car ident and the resulting amnesia. That incident couldnˇŻt have been as straightforward as it seemed. He needed to inves

    Noticing his sudden silence, N pressed her lips together. ˇ°If thatˇŻs all, Mr. Sumner, you can leave now.ˇ± Damon nced

    at her under the dim streetlight. A few steps away, N stood in a floral maxi dress, a light gray trench coat draped over her slim frame, her long hair cas

    up face was still strikingly captivating.

    He thought he was beautiful. But as the thought crossed his mind, he frowned. He had seen women more beautiful than N¨C

    so why was he subconsciously drawn to her?

    The next second, he recalled that she had secretly given birth to his child without his knowledge, and disgust flickered in his eyes. A woman like that, no

    He threatened, ˇ°If you give me Buddy now, I wonˇŻt pursue the years of deceit. Otherwise-ˇ±

    Before he could finish, N pped him hard across the face.

    Suddenly, the air around them grew still.

    N lowered her trembling hand, meeting DamonˇŻs cold gaze. ˇ°Regardless of whethe: Buddy is rted to you, you have no right to say those things.

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened dangerously as he yanked N closer. ˇ°You should be grateful I donˇŻt hit

    women!ˇ±

    N looked up at him, her eyes betraying no fear. ˇ°Let go of me!ˇ±

    She struggled to free herself, but DamonˇŻs grip on her wrist was like a vise¨C

    unyielding. In the struggle, she lurched forward,nding directly in his arms.

    The familiar scent of pine enveloped her, and she froze, momentarily at a loss for how to react.

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    In the next moment, Damon pushed N away, his expression dripping with disdain. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, even if youˇŻre throwing yourself at me, I wonˇŻt let you o

    easily

    NˇŻs face flushed with anger.

    Throwing herself at him? What gave him the impression that she wanted to seduce him?

    She raised an eyebrow and gave him a once¨Cover.

    Her scrutinizing gaze made Damon frown instinctively, his face darkening even further.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, not a single part of you meets my standards, and your temper is dreadful. Rest assured, even if every other man on Earth disappeared, I w

    Damon let out a coldugh. ˇ°A man like Oliver is definitely more suitable for you. After all, heˇŻs someone. who bends to your every whim.ˇ±

    He couldnˇŻt understand how someone as sessful as Oliver could fall for a woman like her.

    NˇŻs expression hardened. ˇ°You have no right to judge Oliver.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh? Just onement and youˇŻre so protective of him. It seems you really do like him. In that case, give me Buddy, and you can have another child wit

    N looked at him in disbelief, unable toprehend how he could say something so cruel. ˇ°Damon, what do you think children are? Something you ca

    DamonˇŻs expression turned cold. ˇ°I wonˇŻt let my child call someone else ˇ®Dadˇ®!ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻve already said it¨CBuddy is not your child,ˇ± N emphasized.

    Just as Damon was about to respond, his phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing the name shing on the screen, he answered. ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Damon, I got the childˇŻs used cup and have sent it to the testing center,ˇ± the caller said.

    A flicker of emotion crossed DamonˇŻs face, but he quickly masked it with an impassive expression. ˇ°Got it. Let me know when you have the results.ˇ±

    Hanging up, he turned to N, his voice icy. ˇ°N, IˇŻve obtained BuddyˇŻs DNA. In less than 24 hours, IˇŻll know if heˇŻs my child.ˇ±

    The moment his words fell, NˇŻs face turned ashen, and her entire body froze in ce.

    When she finally processed what he had said, anger surged within her. ˇ°Damon, what gives you the right to do this?!ˇ±

    Seeing her still ready to strike, Damon grabbed her wrist, his tone chilling. ˇ°IˇŻm BuddyˇŻs father, so I have every right.ˇ±

    Realizing the situation was beyond redemption, N ceased to deny it. She looked at Damon with a nk expression. ˇ°DonˇŻt forget, you have a fiancee.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt need your concern. Erin is a good woman. Even if I take Buddy back, she will treat him well,ˇ± Damon countered.

    N snorted. ˇ°YouˇŻve really be blind after losing your memory.ˇ±

    Erin¨Ca good woman? If N hadnˇŻt seen her true colors, she might have believed DamonˇŻs words.

    Taking a deep breath, N shook off DamonˇŻs grip and headed home. She needed to figure out how to keep Mason with her. Once Damon learned the

    Mason was her lifeline, and she wouldnˇŻt allow anyone to take him from her!

    Back home, N sank onto the sofa, pinching

    the bridge of her nose in exhaustion. What could she possibly do to ensure that Damon couldnˇŻt take Mason away?

    Suddenly, an idea struck her. If she married Oliver, perhaps Damon wouldnˇŻt be able to take Mason from

    her.

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    Soon after, N dismissed the idea of marrying Oliver just to prevent Damon from taking Mason. It wouldnˇŻt be fair to Oliver at all.

    No matter what, she refused to hand Mason over to Damon,

    In the following days, Damon did not appear before N again. Rather than feeling relieved, her mood grew heavier.

    On Friday, as the workday came to a close, N had a premonition and felt increasingly restless.

    Her anxiety peaked when she received a call from Pauline, who informed her that Mason was

    not at kindergarten and that he had been picked up by his father.

    N was

    was taken aback. She forced herself to stay calm, replying, ˇ°I understand. You go home first. I know where he is.ˇ±

    After hanging up, her hands trembled as she dialed DamonˇŻs number.

    She called several times, but he deliberately ignored her. Gritting her teeth, she continued to try.

    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he answered.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Damon asked.

    ˇ°Damon, where have you taken Buddy?! Bring him back immediately, or IˇŻll call the police!ˇ± N warned.

    There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before DamonˇŻs cold voice came through. ˇ°Ventaly,

    Unit 1.ˇ±

    He hung up after that.

    N grabbed her bag and instructed her assistant to finish up the experiments. She rushed to Ventaly.

    Ventaly was a high¨C

    end residential area in Capitarnia, designed to resemble picturesque water towns,plete with exquisite architecture and winding waterways. It unfolde

    Despite the scenery, N had no time to appreciate it as she hurried toward Unit 1.

    The front door was open, clearly awaiting her arrival.

    Taking a deep breath, she strode inside.

    The viˇŻs minimalist ck¨Cand¨Cwhite decor was striking. Upon entering, she saw only Damon sitting in

    the living room.

    She red at him coldly. ˇ°Damon, whereˇŻs Buddy?!ˇ±

    Damon looked up at her, his eyes devoid of warmth. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, please have a seat.ˇ±

    ˇ°I asked you where Buddy is! DonˇŻt make me call the palice!ˇ± N warned.

    + ONUS

    While N was agitated, Damon remained eerily calm. Please sit. YouˇŻre BuddyˇŻs mother, so I wonˇŻt prevent you from seeing him. But if you continue wit

    again.ˇ±

    Fuming. N sat down across from him. ˇ°What do you want?!ˇ±

    Seeing her take a seat, Damon pushed a file across the table to her. ˇ°First, take a look at this document. Once you sign it, IˇŻll arrange for you to see Bud

    As she picked up the file and read ˇ°Voluntary Relinquishment of Custody,ˇ± her fury erupted. She tore the agreement to shreds and flung the pieces at Da

    The sharp edge of the paper grazed DamonˇŻs face, leaving a small cut from which blood began to seep. He wiped the blood away, his gaze icy as he sta

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, if youˇŻre unhappy with any of the terms or feel thepensation isnˇŻt enough, we can discuss it further. But I will not relinquish BuddyˇŻs cus

    Nughed in anger. ˇ°What right do you have to fight this with me? What have you done for Buddy over the years?ˇ±

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    DamonˇŻs expression darkened significantly. ˇ°If it werenˇŻt for you hiding BuddyˇŻs existence, I wouldnˇŻt have missed these years of his growth.

    ˇ°N, your selfishness is the reason it took us this long to find each other. I wonˇŻt hand my child over to a woman as selfish as you!ˇ±

    ˇ°You have no right to call me selfish! Since you wonˇŻt return Buddy to me, we have nothing more to discuss. IˇŻll see you in court!ˇ± With that, N turned

    Damon red at her retreating figure, filled with disgust and anger. He had never encountered such an ungrateful woman.

    His phone rang, and he picked it up to see that it was Spencer.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ Buddy has been crying for Ms. Kinsey and refuses to eat anything. His eyes are swollen,ˇ± Spencer informed him.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained taut and cold. ˇ°Let him starve if he doesnˇŻt want to eat!ˇ±

    *But if he keeps crying like this, itˇŻs not going to helpˇ­ˇ± Spencer tried to reason.

    After a moment of silence, Damon replied coldly, ˇ°IˇŻll be there right away!ˇ±

    Meanwhile, N called the police as soon as she got into her car.

    The police were able to find surveince footage showing Mason being taken away.

    When N saw that it was Spencer who had picked Mason up, she wasnˇŻt surprised. Her expression darkened as she dialed SpencerˇŻs number.

    As soon as the call connected, she heard MasonˇŻs heart¨Cwrenching cries, and her heart clenched.

    ˇ°Spencer, where have you taken Buddy? If you donˇŻt tell me, IˇŻll report you for kidnapping!ˇ± she demanded.

    Spencer didnˇŻt respond but instead held the phone to MasonˇŻs ear. ˇ°Buddy, itˇŻs your mom on the line.ˇ±

    Mason immediately stopped crying, sniffling. ˇ°Mommy Where are you? Mommyˇ­ Pleasee get me.ˇ±

    N had never let Mason cry this hard in all the years she had taken care of him. Damon had only had him

    for a short time, and MasonˇŻs voice was already hoarse from crying.

    Her heart ached as she pushed down her anger and spoke gently. ˇ°Buddy, donˇŻt be scared. Mommy will be there soon, okay?ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay, but you have to hurryˇ­ˇ± Mason said.

    There was a pause before he could finish, then a cold voice came through. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, until your reconsider, I wonˇŻt let you see Buddy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Damon, what right have to do this?!ˇ± N trembled with rage, every wordced with fury.

    do!

    ˇ°Because IˇŻm BuddyˇŻs father. If you want a paternity test, I can arrange for one to be sent to you shortly.ˇ±

    Damon replied before hanging up.

    When N called back, the line was busy.

    Just then, a police officer approached her, his expression sympathetic. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, the car left the school and turned onto a side road without survein

    trace their movements.ˇ±

    N

    nodded. ˇ°I understand. The person who took my son is Spencer Hogg, the secretary of Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs CEO. He might know where my son is n

    Upon hearing that, the police officerˇŻs expression grew serious. ˇ°WeˇŻll find him and gather more information right away.ˇ±

    As he finished speaking, a man in a suit, carrying a briefcase and wearing gold¨Crimmed sses, entered the police station

    The man introduced himself, saying, ˇ°Hello, Ms. Kinsey, IˇŻm Gerrard Chaucer, Mr. SumnerˇŻswyer. I will be handling all matters regarding BuddyˇŻs custo

 Chapter 554

    N scoffed. ˇ°Damon took my son without my consent and now wants to fight me for custody? HeˇŻs dreaming!ˇ±

    Gerrard adjusted his sses and handed her a document from his briefcase.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, this is the paternity test report showing

    that Mason Kinsey and Mr. Damon Sumner are father and son. He has the right to contest custody,ˇ± he said.

    N didnˇŻt take the document. Instead, she looked at Gerrard with a poker face. ˇ°That paternity

    test was done without my consent. I wonˇŻt acknowledge it!ˇ±

    Gerrard remained calm ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, this paternity test holds legal validity. My client is prepared to file awsuit. Of course, it would be best to resolve thi

    will have to pursue legal actionˇ±

    Regardless, Damon was determined to fight N for custody of Mason.

    N nodded. ˇ°Fine, let him file awsuit.ˇ±

    With that, she walked past Gerrard and left.

    Gerrard called Damon to update him. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey still refuses to agree. It seems we might nave to go to court.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood. Stick to the original n,ˇ± Damon replied before hanging up.

    He rubbed his temples, then pushed open the bedroom door.

    Mason was still crying, now reduced

    to soft sobs. When he heard the door open, he grabbed a crystal ball from the bedside table and threw it at Damon.

    ˇ°Go away! YouˇŻre a big bad guy! I hate you!ˇ± he cried.

    Since Mason wasnˇŻt strong enough, the crystal ballnded on the carpet, rolling a few times before stopping in the corner.

    Damon recalled how N had once thrown documents at him¨Cher expression and actions were almost identical to MasonˇŻs now. His eyes narrowed.

    ˇ°YouˇŻve really picked up some bad habits from N,ˇ± he remarked.

    Mason instantly exploded. ˇ°DonˇŻt talk bad about my mommy! YouˇŻre a big bad guy, a viin! I hate you! I donˇŻt want you as my dad! I want Uncle Oliver to

    DamonˇŻs veins throbbed on his forehead, visibly pulsing with anger. ˇ°Whether you like it or not, I am your father. You canˇŻt call anyone else your dad!ˇ±

    He recalled how Oliver had defended N and concluded that Oliver must behave like a total pushover in private as well. Otherwise, Mason wouldnˇŻt lea

    The thought of another man ying the role of a father to Mason during DamonˇŻs absence only intensified his resentment toward N.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt want you as my dad! You might as well be dead, just like Mom said!ˇ± Mason yelled.

    The temperature in the room dropped instantly.

    Facing DamonˇŻs icy re, Mason shivered, instinctively looking away while feeling even more hatred for

    him.

    This man was nothing like Oliver¨C

    he wasnˇŻt gentle, didnˇŻt treat Mason well, and spoke ill of his mother. Mason vowed to hate this man for life and refused to acknowledge him as his fathe

    ˇ°Say that again?ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice dripped with iciness, a terrifying presence surrounding him as if he were a demon from hell.

    Mason, frightened by his dark expression, burst into tears again. ˇ°Waaahˇ­ I hate youˇ­ I donˇŻt want youˇ­. ! want my mommyˇ­ˇ±

    As his cries filled the room, Damon felt a headacheing on. He couldnˇŻt help but shout, ˇ°Shut up!ˇ±

    Mason flinched, his cries pausing for a moment before escting into even louder wails.

 Chapter 555

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened significantly. Lacking any experience with children, he instinctively applied the same tactics he used with his subordinates

    Frustration filled his eyes as he looked at Mason, who was wailing loudly.

    If Mason werenˇŻt his son, he would have thrown him out for causing such a scene in his own home.

    Spencer returned with snacks and walked into the bedroom to find Damon and Mason locked in a standoff¨Cone looking

    furious and the other crying his eyes out.

    A headache began to form in SpencerˇŻs temples.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, didnˇŻt Buddy calm down before I left? How did he start crying again so quickly?ˇ± Spencer asked

    Damon, clearly agitated, snapped, ˇ°You handle it!ˇ±

    With that, he turned and walked away.

    Spencer was rendered speechless.

    Damon had been the one to make the kid cry, and now he was expected to fix it?

    Sighing in resignation, Spencer set down the snacks and squatted beside Mason, trying tofort him.

    Outside the bedroom, Damon lit a cigarette but didnˇŻt smoke it. He stared into the swirling smoke, unable to shake off his irritation.

    He wasnˇŻt good with kids. Although he had dealt with clientsˇ® children at the dinner table, they were always polite. He had never encountered a kid with s

    It had to be NˇŻs fault for not teaching Mason properly. Thinking of her, he

    couldnˇŻt help but recall her stubborn yet beautiful face, which only added to his frustration.

    Both she and Mason were a handful.

    How had he ended up entangled with such a woman and even allowed her the chance to secretly bear his child?

    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through DamonˇŻs head, causing his face to pale.

    Minutes passed before the pain subsided, and he lost interest in

    pondering how he had met N. He extinguished his cigarette and picked up his phone, intending

    to head back to the bedroom when it suddenly rang.

    Seeing ErinˇŻs name sh on the screen, Damon realized he hadnˇŻt contacted her in nearly a week while busy with the amusement park project.

    As Erin was his fiancee, he felt it was important to inform her about Mason. After all, it wasnˇŻt fair to keep such a significant detail from her.

    With that thought in mind, Damon answered the call.

    ˇ°Damon, what have you been up totely? We havenˇŻt seen each other in almost a week. Are you free for

    dinner tonight?ˇ± Erin asked

    ˇ°I have something to tell you,ˇ± Damon replied, his voice remaining cool as usual

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± ErinˇŻs voice was filled with curiosity, a hint of yfulness in her tone

    ˇ°I have a son,ˇ± Damon stated tly.

    A loud thud echoed from ErinˇŻs end, followed by her frantic voice. ˇ°Damon what are you saying? I donˇŻt

    understand!ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs gaze drifted as he replied slowly. ˇ°A woman secretly gave birth to my child. I n to bring him to live with meˇ±

    ˇ°H¨CHow is that possible? Is that woman lying to you.ˇ± ErinˇŻs voice trembled, sounding choked up.

    ˇ°IˇŻve already done a paternity test.ˇ± Damon informed her.

    Silence fell on ErinˇŻs end as her response faded away.

    After a moment of silence, with no reply

    from her, Damon said in a low voice, ˇ°The child will live with me from now on, which isnˇŻt fair to you. So, you might want to reconsider our engagement. I

    ˇ°DonˇŻt! I donˇŻt want to break off the engagement!ˇ± Erin eximed.

 Chapter 556

    ErinˇŻs expression darkened. After spending so many years with Damon, she would never allow a sudden, unexpected child to derail her ns.

    Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her anger and resentment. She spoke in a calm tone. ˇ°Damon, IˇŻm having a hard time epting this right now. P

    ˇ°I need some time to process this. Once IˇŻve sorted it out, IˇŻlle find you. LetˇŻs not contact each other in the meantime.ˇ±

    Fearing that Damon would bring up the idea of breaking their engagement again, Erin abruptly hung up She gritted

    her teeth, anger boiling beneath the surface

    That bitch, N, had the audacity to inform Damon about the existence of that child without any warning! She had even pretended not to be interested in

    Damon, but it had all been an act!

    Erin dialed another number, her voice seething with anger. ˇ°What have you been doing?! Why havenˇŻt i heard anything about what I asked you to

    do?!ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻsing along, Ms. Hulle. DonˇŻt worry,ˇ± the person on the other end replied.ˇ±

    Erin scoffed. ˇ°I warn you, if you mess up my ns, I wonˇŻt let you off the hook!ˇ±

    If it werenˇŻt for the other partyˇŻs slow progress, N wouldnˇŻt have had the chance to bring that bastard child right in front of Damon!

    The person on the other end fell silent, heavy breathing indicating they hadnˇŻt hung up.

    Erin didnˇŻt care about their feelings, coldly stating, ˇ°You have three more days. If you canˇŻt handle something this small, you can leave!ˇ±

    She ended the call, still seething with frustration, her face a picture of fury. As long as N was around, she would never find peace!

    When N got home, she immediately called Caroline,

    Caroline arrived about half an hourter.

    Seeing NˇŻs disheveled state, her eyes filled with concern. ˇ°N, donˇŻt worry. Buddy has been with you for years. HeˇŻs deeply attached to you. Even if

    N shook her head. ˇ°Since Damon has already sent someone to take him and has prepared awyer and a paternity test, he wonˇŻt let me see Buddy e

    ˇ°I called his secretary just now. Hearing BuddyˇŻs heartbreaking cries made my heart ache. Every second I canˇŻt see him feels like torture.

    Caroline encouraged her, ˇ°Now more than ever, you need to stay strong. Buddy is counting on you to bring him back. I know a few goodwyers. IˇŻll intro

    Taking a deep breath, N looked at Caroline. ˇ°Caroline, I actually need to ask for your help.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Caroline inquired.

    ˇ°DamonˇŻswyer is Gerrard Chaucer. You should know heˇŻs very famous in Capitarnia and even nationally. ItˇŻll be tough for an ordinarywyer to win. I w

    CarolineˇŻs expression grew conflicted. Her elder sister, Bailey Lovell,

    was indeed very skilled. If she took the case, their chances of winning would increase significantly

    It was just thatˇ­ Bailey had previously had a rtionship with Gerrard. After their breakup, both had carved out sessful careers and had never cross

    Bailey had once stated she wouldnˇŻt take cases involving Gerrard, and though he hadnˇŻt publicly announced it, he would

    avoid any case that Bailey was involved in as well.

    In recent years, both had be well¨Cknownwyers in Capitarnia, yet it felt like they were in a standoff, each avoiding the other.

 Chapter 557

    Caroline hadnˇŻt asked directly, but she sensed that Bailey still hadnˇŻt

    moved on from her past rtion which was why she was reluctant to meet Gerrard.

    ˇ°N, I can introduce you to otherwyers. I know several who are just as capable as my sister. You could consider them,ˇ± Caroline suggested.

    N shook her head. ˇ°For custody cases like this, your sister is the most well¨C

    known. She has never lost a case sheˇŻs taken, so I really want to give it a shot. I just want to meet her. If she declines, I wonˇŻt push her If it werenˇŻt for M

    Caroline understood that and nodded after a moment of hesitation. ˇ°Alright, Il arrange for you to meet Bailey, but whether or not you can convince her is

    ˇ°Thank you, Caroline!ˇ± N eximed.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt thank me just yet. The chances of sess are low. Besides, IˇŻve watched Buddy grow up, so IˇŻll do everything I can to help.ˇ± Caroline replied.

    N felt a wave of gratitude. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    *But

    why havenˇŻt you asked Oliver for help? HeˇŻs the CEO of the Raynor Group. He must know just as manywyers as I do. If he helps

    you, you might not even need to hire one¨Che could probably convince Damon to return Buddy,ˇ± Caroline hypothesized.

    N lowered her gaze and shook her head. ˇ°I donˇŻt want to rely on him for everything.ˇ±

    Caroline paused for a moment. ˇ°Alright then.ˇ±

    She

    understood NˇŻs reluctance to involve Oliver, especially after what happened with rk. N had depended on him so much that she had given up he

    on

    That eight¨Cyear rtionship had left its mark on N, and now she found herself hesitant to rely on anyone again.

    Afterforting N and seeing her emotions stabilize, Caroline finally breathed a sigh of relief. ˇ°Tm going to see Bailey now and arrange your meeting

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± N replied.

    Not long after Caroline left, Oliver arrived.

    ˇ°N, I heard about Buddy. IˇŻve already sent people to find him. We should locate him soon, so donˇŻt worry,ˇ± he reassured her.

    N nodded. ˇ°Thanks, but youˇŻre busy right now, I can handle this myself.ˇ±

    Just as Oliver was about to respond, his phone rang.

    After answering, he turned to N with a smile. ˇ°N, weˇŻve found Buddy!ˇ±

    When N and Oliver arrived, his men had surrounded the vi. A simr number of ck¨Cd men I need off against

    OliverˇŻs team, both sides ring at each other but making no move.

    As soon as they saw Oliver

    and N, the crowd parted to let them through. Upon entering the living room, the atmosphere grew tense as OliverˇŻs gaze met DamonˇŻs.

    Oliver spoke first. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you donˇŻt return Buddy to N today, this matter wonˇŻt end well.ˇ±

    Damon let out a lightugh,pletely unfazed by OliverˇŻs words. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, Buddy is my child with N. WhatˇŻs it to

    you? What right do you have to interfere? IˇŻve never met someone so eager to raise someone elseˇŻs child.ˇ±

    Before Oliver could respond, N interjected coldly, ˇ°It absolutely involves

 Chapter 558

    The living room fell into a tense silence, the temperature dropping sharply.

    Oliver turned to N, disbelief written all over

    his face, mixed with a hint of joy flickering in his eyes. He knew she was trying to deceive Damon, but seeing her stand up for him made him feel happy n

    Damon narrowed

    his eyes, drumming his fingers idly on the table. ˇ°You can marry him if you want. I donˇŻt care. But I wonˇŻt be giving Buddy back to you.ˇ±

    NˇŻs expression darkened. Just as she was about to respond, a small figure dashed toward her.

    ˇ°Mommy.ˇ± Mason rushed into NˇŻs arms, clinging to her leg and crying heart¨Cwrenchingly.

    Hearing him sob over the phone had been one thing, but seeing his tear¨Cstreaked face now made NˇŻs blood boil.

    ˇ°What have you done to Buddy? Why is he crying like this?!ˇ± she demanded, ring at Damon.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained icy. ˇ°He just left you for a strange environment. ItˇŻs normal for him to cry. HeˇŻll settle down.ˇ±

    N was fuming. ˇ°HeˇŻs just a child! You had Spencer force him toe here without letting him see me, and you think thatˇŻs normal?!ˇ±

    Annoyance flickered in DamonˇŻs eyes as he replied coldly, ˇ°If you hadnˇŻt hidden his existence all these years, we wouldnˇŻt be in this situation.ˇ±

    The thought that his own son looked at him like a stranger¨Cand even an enemy¨C

    filled Damon with irritation. All of this stemmed from the woman in front of him.

    N nearlyughed in frustration, ˇ°You should recover your memory before saying that!ˇ±

    She couldnˇŻt believe Damon could still speak so confidently whilecking the full truth of their past.

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened as she stood her ground. Was she implying that he had wronged her before?

    For a moment, his face clouded with fury. ˇ°No matter what happened in the past, I will not let you take Buddy away today.ˇ±

    Oliver stepped forward, shielding N and Mason behind him as he confronted Damon, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Prospectus Technology just established a foothold

    DamonˇŻs expression hardened.

    Oliver had caused numerous problems for Prospectus Technology when it was

    trying to enter the Capitarnia market. Initially, Damon had assumed it was justpetition from local interests. Now, he realized that Oliver

    had been targeting him because of N.

    ˇ°Oliver, do you think IˇŻm afraid?ˇ± Damon shot back.

    Oliver smiled but did not respond. He simply nced at the phone on the table, seemingly waiting for something.

    Upon noticing OliverˇŻs gaze, DamonˇŻs expression darkened even further.

    If they were in Saintomia, Oliver wouldnˇŻt even have the right to challenge him. But this was Capitarnia. With Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs foundation still sh

    Soon, the phone on the table rong.

    When Damon didnˇŻt answer, Oliver raised an eyebrow. ˇ°ArenˇŻt you going to answer, Mr. Sumner? Are you afraid?ˇ±

    Damon scoffed and answered the call, his expression quickly souring.

    After hanging up, he red at Oliver. ˇ°Are you really sure you want to target Prospectus Technology when no one gains anything?!ˇ±

    ˇ°For me, itˇŻs not a lose¨C

    lose situation, Mr. Sumner. The Raynor Group has been established in Capitania for over a century, while Prospectus Technology has only been around

 Chapter 559

    The Raynor Group would suffer some losses

    in the short term, but their foundation would remain intact. Damon stood up and, as he walked out, said, ˇ°Mr. Raynor, many people are hoping to see the

    regret it!ˇ±

    With that, he pushed past Oliver and N and left.

    Oliver turned to N, his gaze softening. ˇ°N, itˇŻs okay now. LetˇŻs take Buddy home.ˇ±

    N didnˇŻt move, her eyes locked onto him. ˇ°Oliver, what did you do to Prospectus Technology?ˇ±

    She had clearly heard DamonˇŻs words. Oliver had convinced Damon to stop obstructing her from taking

    Mason away, but it was evident that the Raynor Group had paid a price for it.

    OliverˇŻs expression remained calm. ˇ°DonˇŻt worry. I know what IˇŻm doing. It wonˇŻt impact the Raynor Group too much. My dad once told me

    that if I let the Raynor Group fall, heˇŻd kick my ass, so I wonˇŻt act recklessly.ˇ±

    Realizing he was just trying tofort her, N bit her lip and refrained from pressing further.ˇ±

    She understood Oliver¨Che wouldnˇŻt share what he didnˇŻt want to discuss, no matter how many times she asked.

    Squatting down to MasonˇŻs level, she wiped the tears from his eyes. ˇ°Buddy, letˇŻs go home. Mommy will take you home.ˇ±

    Buddy nodded, sniffling. ˇ°Mommy, my backpack is still in the room.ˇ±

    ˇ°Uncle Oliver will go get it for you,ˇ± Oliver said.

    After he retrieved the backpack, they left together.

    Damon stared coldly at the documents in his hands in the backseat of the Maybach as Spencer reported on the current situation.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, the Raynor Group suddenly intervened in the amusement park project. Now itˇŻs stuck at the final approval stage, and theyˇŻre not

    giving me a chance to meet. Every time I reach out, they say theyˇŻre either abroad or on a business trip,ˇ± he said.

    It was clear that this was just an excuse.

    DamonˇŻs expression remained calm, but the knuckles gripping the documents turned white, revealing just how angry he was.

    ˇ°Schedule a meeting with Mr. Groover,ˇ± he ordered.

    Timothy Groover was the liaison for a previous coboration between Prospectus Technology and the government.

    Spencer paused, suddenly recalling that Timothy had a rtive working in the relevant assessment department.

    ˇ°Got it, IˇŻll do it now!ˇ± he said.

    After setting up the meeting with Timothy, Spencer was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Damon shot him a cold nce.

    ˇ°How did Buddy end up running out today?ˇ± Damon asked.

    Sweat broke out on SpencerˇŻs palms. ˇ°Iˇ­ IˇŻm not sure. I just got a call from my assistant about an issue with the amusement park project, and I didnˇŻt

    pay attention.ˇ±

    ˇ°Spencer, youˇŻve been with me for years. I wonˇŻt tolerate this again. If it happens once more, resign,ˇ± Damon said.

    you

    ou can

    Under DamonˇŻs piercing gaze, Spencer realized that any attempt to defend himself would be futile. He looked down and fell silent. 1

    As Damon returned to the documents, his mind drifted to another matter.

    With everything going on¨Cmanaging the amusement park project and dealing with the Raynor Group¨Che hadnˇŻt had time to spend with Mason.

    He decided to let N stay with Mason a little

    longer. Once the amusement park project was on track and Oliver was too busy to assist her, he would take Mason away from her.

    At that point, she wouldnˇŻt stand a chance without OliverˇŻs help!

    After dropping N and Mason off at home, Oliver hurriedly left.

    Back in the familiar surroundings of home, Mason began to calm down, but he still remained close to N, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

 Chapter 560

    N held Mason close, soothing him softly. ˇ°DonˇŻt be afraid, Buddy. I will always protect you and wonˇŻt anyone take you away again.ˇ±

    Mason nodded. ˇ®Mommy, I hate that man! He says heˇŻs my dad, but I donˇŻt want him to be

    my dadr

    N bit her lip. ˇ°LetˇŻs not think about that right now. Just get some rest, and IˇŻll take you to school

    tomorrow.ˇ±

    The next morning, N dropped Mason off at school.

    As soon as she found his teacher, Lilith, thetter looked surprised and asked, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, isnˇŻt Buddy transferring schools? Why did

    you bring him today?ˇ±

    N paused, confused. ˇ°What do you mean, transferring?ˇ±

    Im not entirely sure. The principal just informed me that Buddy was transferring and told me not to get involved anymore,ˇ± Lilith replied.

    Understanding the situation, N handed Mason over to Lilith and said, ˇ°I see. Ms. Page, Buddy isnˇŻt transferring. Please take him to ss. I need to sp

    ˇ°Okay, you go ahead,ˇ± Lilith answered.

    N nodded and walked straight to the principalˇŻs office. When she knocked and entered, the principal was on the phone. She waited until he finished be

    ˇ°Mr. Hale, IˇŻd like to know who arranged for Mason KinseyˇŻs transfer,ˇ± she asked.

    The principal, Sebastian Hale, didnˇŻt have much of an impression of N, but his expression changed as soon as he heard the name Mason Kinsey.

    ˇ°Oh, youˇŻre MasonˇŻs mother, right? Please, have a seat.ˇ± Sebastian smiled, his demeanor bing a bit more amodating. ˇ°The transfer was hand

    NˇŻs expression turned cold. ˇ°No, I have no rtionship with him, and neither does he with Mason. In the future, if anyone iming to be MasonˇŻs fathe

    ignore them.ˇ±

    Sebastian was taken aback, his brows furrowing. ˇ°When Mr. SumnerˇŻs secretary came, they brought at paternity test. Did you have a fight with Mr. Sumn

    Damon had invested millions in the school, so he naturally leaned in his favor. After all, no one would invest such a substantial amount in a school just to

    ˇ°Mr. Hale, I chose this

    school for its security. If my child can be transferred without my knowledge, I might consider exposing your school,ˇ± N stated.

    Upon hearing that, Sebastian was appalled. Many of the studentsˇ® parents had significant backgrounds. If this sort of scandal got out, it would tarnish the

    Thinking quickly, he said, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, please donˇŻt be angry. We certainly mishandled this situation, and I

    Chapter Se

    assure you it wonˇŻt happen again!ˇ±

    N was primarily there to secure that assurance, not to cause trouble. After all, if things escte Mason would have to transfer, too. He was already fam

    impact him.

    She nodded and stood up.

    ˇ°As a parent, I enrolled my child here hoping he would have a safe learning. environment. I sincerely hope simr issues wonˇŻt ur in the future.ˇ±

 Chapter 561

    After leaving the principalˇŻs office, N went to find Lilith and informed her that Mason would attending school. Only then did she leave the building.

    tinue

    Once N arrived at theb, Caroline hurried over and whispered, ˇ°N, my sister agreed to meet with you. HereˇŻs the time and the restaurant address

    NˇŻs eyes lit up with surprise, and she excitedly grabbed CarolineˇŻs hand. ˇ°Thank you so much, Caroline! IˇŻll treat you to dinner on Saturday.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not important. What matters most is BuddyˇŻs situation. But honestly, donˇŻt get your hopes up too high. Bailey probably

    wonˇŻt take the case,ˇ± Caroline said.

    ˇ°Yeah, but I have to try,ˇ± N replied. For Mason, even knowing the chances were slim wouldnˇŻt make her

    give up

    ˇ°Okay, good luck,ˇ± Caroline wished her.

    The day flew by, and as soon as work ended, N rushed to the restaurant. She arrived a few minutes early, and Bailey was punctual.

    As soon as they sat down, Bailey spoke up before N could say anything. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, Caroline briefly exined your situation. IˇŻm afraid I canˇŻt

    take this case. IˇŻm sorry.ˇ±

    N hadnˇŻt expected Bailey to get straight to the point. Her gaze dimmed. ˇ°Ms. Lovell, if you donˇŻt intend to take the case, why did you agree to meet me

    ˇ°My sister insisted that I meet you. While I canˇŻt take the case, I can rmend anotherwyer who has a simr level of expertise,ˇ± Bailey offered.

    N paused, looking intently at Bailey. ˇ°But I only trust you. If thereˇŻs anywyer who could win against Gerrard, I believe itˇŻs you.ˇ±

    A flicker of emotion crossed BaileyˇŻs face. She seemed touched but quickly shook her head firmly. ˇ°IˇŻm sorry. I really canˇŻt take this case.ˇ±

    After ncing at the time, she stood up. ˇ°I need to catch a flight. HereˇŻs my business card. If you need help finding anotherwyer, feel free

    to reach out.ˇ±

    She left, but just a few steps away, N called after her, ˇ°Ms. Lovell, is your refusal to take cases rted to Gerrard because youˇŻre still hung up on that

    Bailey paused briefly but said nothing as she hurried out.

    N didnˇŻt chase after her. She knew it would be pointless. Since Bailey wouldnˇŻt take the case, she would have to find anotherwyer.

    Back home, Mason was sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Pauline was busy in the kitchen.

    Everything seemed perfectly normal, but N wondered how long this

    peaceful life couldst.

    When Mason saw her, he jumped up and ran over, hugging her legs. ˇ°Mommy, where did you go?ˇ±

    N forced a smile and patted his head. ˇ°I had to work a bit longer.ˇ±

    Mason frowned. ˇ°Mommy, if youˇŻre not happy, you donˇŻt have to smile.ˇ±

    NˇŻs smile froze, then slowly faded. If even Mason could see that she was upset, her expression must have been pretty bad.

    She squatted down to meet his gaze. ˇ°Buddy, IˇŻm fine. IˇŻm just a bit tired from work.ˇ±

    Mason shook his head. ˇ°YouˇŻre lying. YouˇŻre sad because of that bad man. Before, you never looked this upset, no matter how tired you were.ˇ±

 Chapter 562

    N could no longer hold back her emotions and pulled Mason into

    a tight embrace.

    Her eyes were red, but she stubbornly fought against the tears. She couldnˇŻt understand why, after five years and with Damon having lost his memory, h

    He was the high¨C

    ranking CEO of Prospectus Technology, while she was just a pharmaceutical researcher. Even though she had achieved a great deal in her field, it paled

    She had worked so hard¨Cwhy couldnˇŻt he just leave her alone?

    Noticing N trembling, Mason gently patted her back. ˇ°Mommy, donˇŻt be sad. I will never admit that bad. man is my dad! I want to stay by your side fore

    Hearing this, N tightened her hold on him and nodded. ˇ°Yes, Mommy wonˇŻt let you leave me either.ˇ±

    Just then, Pauline entered with the dishes.

    Upon seeing N holding Mason at the entrance, she said, ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, dinner is ready. Why donˇŻt you go change and wash your hands?ˇ±

    Suppressing her emotions, N released Mason and stood up. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    As N was a

    about to take Mason for a walk after dinner, she suddenly received a call from Caroline.

    ˇ°N, do you know that somethingˇŻs happened with the Raynor Group?ˇ± Caroline asked.

    a was taken aback. ˇ°What happened?ˇ±

    ˇ°I just heard that the Raynor Group suddenly tried to snatch an amusement park project from Prospectus Technology and ended up spending hundreds o

    to get in. Now the shareholders are meeting to confront Oliver.ˇ±

    She then added, ˇ°I heard it from the grapevine, so IˇŻm not sure if itˇŻs trueˇ­ˇ±

    NˇŻs expression darkened. ˇ°Thank you, Caroline. IˇŻll ask Oliver.ˇ±

    Hanging up quickly,

    she was about to call Oliver when she realized he was likely in a meeting. Not wanting to disturb him, she opted to send a text message instead.

    After sending the text, she waited but received no response.

    An hour passed without a word from him, and she began to pace around the living room, worry gnawing at her. Oliver had never taken this long to reply

    Finally, Oliver returned her call at around 10.00 p.m. ˇ°N, everything here is under control. I can handle it, so donˇŻt worry.ˇ±

    Hearing the fatigue in his voice filled N with guilt. If it werenˇŻt for her and Mason, he wouldnˇŻt be facing difficulties with thepanyˇŻs shareholders.

    ˇ°Oliver, donˇŻt worry about us anymore. I donˇŻt want our situation to make things harder for you at work or cause you trouble with the shareholders.ˇ± Her v

    After a few seconds of silence, Oliver spoke again, his fone gentle yet firm. ˇ°N, you donˇŻt need to worry about me. I promised to protect you both, and

    N bit her lip, her eyes filled with guilt and sadness. ˇ°But because of us, youˇŻre-ˇ±

    Oliver interrupted, his voice low, ˇ°This isnˇŻt your fault. Damon is the one going too far. YouˇŻre my girlfriend, and I wonˇŻt let him bully you. DonˇŻt worry abo

    N lowered her gaze, aplex mix of emotions rising in her heart. ˇ°I donˇŻt deserve this from you.ˇ±

    ˇ°In my heart, you deserve everything. DonˇŻt say such things. I donˇŻt want you to look down on yourself. It makes me sad,ˇ± Oliver said.

 Chapter 563

    N felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to do. Oliver had done so much for her, bearing immense. pressure, yet he had never mentioned it to her. Wh

    If Bailey refused to help, N would continue seeking her out until she agreed. With this thought, she felt a sense of rity.

    ˇ°Oliver, thank you!ˇ± she eximed.

    ˇ°I told you not to say thank you,ˇ± he replied.

    ˇ°This is thest time, I promise!ˇ± N insisted.

    Oliver chuckled. ˇ°Okay, IˇŻll trust you one more time. I have work to do, so IˇŻll stop talking now. Goodnight.ˇ±

    After hanging up, his secretary spoke quietly. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, the shareholders still wonˇŻt leaveˇ­ˇ±

    Without replying, Oliver put away his phone and walked into the meeting room with a serious expression.

    As soon as he entered, the shareholders began voicing their displeasure.

    ˇ°Oliver, youˇŻve let thepany get into such a mess over a woman. What were you thinking?ˇ± one shareholder demanded, mming his hand on the ta

    ˇ°This loss isnˇŻt small. You need to give us an exnation!ˇ± another chimed in.

    Il find a way

    Oliver clenched his fists, trying to suppress his inner fury. ˇ°This is just a temporary setback. IˇŻll

    to resolve it.ˇ±

    Another shareholder stood up, his tone icy. ˇ°Oliver, stop giving us excuses! Your personal feelings are

    g thepanyˇŻs interests. You need to provide a clear solution, or weˇŻll demand a change in management!ˇ±

    t

    Oliver took a deep breath and met their gazes with resolve. ˇ°I understand your concerns and anger, but please

    trust me. IˇŻm actively seeking solutions, and negotiations with several partners are already underway. WeˇŻll recover the losses soon.ˇ±

    *Easier said than done! The first angry shareholder scoffed. ˇ°If you canˇŻt solve this crisis, you should

    resign!ˇ±

    Oliver gritted his teeth. ˇ°Fine. If I canˇŻt resolve this crisis, IˇŻll take responsibility. But until then, please give me some time and space.ˇ±

    After the meeting ended, Oliver returned to his office, exhausted, and rubbed his temples. Suddenly, his

    phone rang

    ncing at the caller ID, he frowned¨Cit was Damon.

    ˇ°Mr. Raynor, consider this a warning. If you stay out of my

    business with N, I can let you off the hook and wonˇŻt target yourpany.ˇ± DamonˇŻs voice sounded cold and arrogant.

    Oliver tightened his grip on the phone, his teeth clenched. ˇ°Damon, youˇŻre dreaming if you think IˇŻll agree

    to that!ˇ±

    Damon chuckled mockingly. ˇ°YouˇŻre really stubborn. IˇŻm curious¨CwhatˇŻs more important to you, your

    With that, he hung up.

    Oliver mmed his phone on the desk in frustration. Rage coursed through him¨Cno matter what, he wouldnˇŻt give up on N.

    Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door, and his secretary entered cautiously. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, we just received word from our partners¨C

    they want to reconsider the cooperation.ˇ±

    Oliver wearily waved his hand. ˇ°I understand. You can leave now.ˇ±

    After the secretary left, he gazed out at the cityscape, his resolve hardening

 Chapter 564

    The next morning, N drove Mason to school, her mind elsewhere.

    Mason noticed her distraction and tightened his grip on his backpack.

    When they arrived at the school, N forced a smile and gently said, ˇ°Buddy, Mommy will pick you up tonight.ˇ±

    Mason nodded. ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    After watching N leave, Mason essed his smartwatch and dialed the number Spencer had given him.

    A momentter, a cold voice came through the line. ˇ°What is it?ˇ±

    Mason took a deep breath, his small face tense. ˇ°I want to meet you.ˇ±

    In the principalˇŻs office an hourterˇ­

    Mason sat across from Damon, his baby face filled with anger. ˇ°What will it take for you to stop bothering my mom and me?ˇ±

    Although he was only four years old, there was no hint of fear in his gaze. He even bore a striking resemnce to DamonˇŻsmanding demeanor.

    Damon looked at Mason, who mirrored his own features, aplicated expression crossing his face.

    At such a young age, Mason should have been innocent and carefree. Yet there he was, trying to negotiate like an adult because of N.

    ˇ°Buddy, IˇŻm your biological father. If youˇŻre willing to return to the Sumners, I wonˇŻt interfere with N

    nymore,ˇ± Damon exined.

    masonˇŻs expression hardened as he red at Damon. ˇ°I hate you! I wonˇŻt acknowledge you as my dad! IˇŻm not living with you!ˇ±

    His disdain was unmistakable, and it was evident that he truly detested Damon.

    Rather than getting angry, Damon raised an eyebrow. ˇ°If you want something from others, you canˇŻt expect to give nothing in return. ThatˇŻs no different fr

    ˇ°But IˇŻve been living happily with my mom! YouˇŻre the one who suddenly came in and disrupted our lives. Why should I have to give anything up?ˇ± Mason

    Damon hadnˇŻt expected such a sharp response from a four¨Cyear¨Cold.

    If Mason had grown up with him, he would have learned even more¨Cthe resources he could offer far outweighed what N could provide in a lifetime.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt have the leverage to negotiate with me right now. IˇŻve already told you how to proceed. The choice is yours, and I wonˇŻt interfere,ˇ± Damon sai

    He stood up to leave, but as he reached the door, he felt a tug on his pants.

    Looking down, he met MasonˇŻs pleading eyes and was momentarily taken aback. Mason resembled him,

    but his big doe eyes were almost identical to NˇŻs.

    ˇ®I donˇŻt want to be separated from Mommy,ˇ± Mason said.

    Damon frowned. After a moment of silence, he replied coldly. ˇ°Staying with that woman will ruin your future. I wonˇŻt allow you to be with her.ˇ±

    MasonˇŻs eyes instantly filled with tears as he cried out, ˇ°No! Mommy is the one who loves me the most in the world! You canˇŻt do this!ˇ±

    Despite being only

    four, he had learned to read faces. While N had reassured him that no one would take him away, he knew she couldnˇŻtpete with the stern man be

    The thought of DamonˇŻs indifference toward N made Mason hate him even more. He would never ept him as his father!

    DamonˇŻs expression remained cold and unyielding. ˇ°YouˇŻre still

    young, but one day youˇŻll understand that living with me is far better than living with that woman,

    Mason defiantly jutted his chin, tears streaming down his face. ˇ°I donˇŻt want to understand! All know is youˇŻre a big bad guy who makes my mom

    sad! I hate you! I hate you!

 Chapter 565

    After saying that, Mason turned and ran away, his small figure filled with despair and helplessness.

    Damon watched him go, his expression devoid of warmth.

    Sebastian, visibly shaken, quickly stepped forward. ˇ°Mr. Damonˇ­ your son is still young. You have to coax him. Being too strict will only make him hate y

    DamonˇŻs icy gaze fell on Sebastian, causing him to nch. He quickly lowered his head, mentally cursing himself for speaking out of turn.

    ˇ°How do you suggest I coax him?ˇ± Damon asked.

    SebastianˇŻs eyes widened in disbelief as he looked up at Damon. Had he really heard that right? Damon was asking him how to handle a child?

    Noticing DamonˇŻs growing displeasure, Sebastian hurriedly replied, ˇ°I know how to handle kids. Although he is only four, heˇŻs starting to develop his own

    ˇ°The most important thing is to respect and understand a

    childˇŻs thoughts. Within certain limits, let them make their own choices. You need to give them enough time and space to express themselves. With enou

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened further. Respecting MasonˇŻs feelings? WouldnˇŻt that mean allowing him to stay with N?

    Cutting off SebastianˇŻs ongoing exnation, he said coldly, ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough.ˇ±

    Sebastian abruptly stopped and nced at Damon, but only saw him striding away. He scratched the back of his head, wondering if Damon had truly list

    Ji

    Damon was almost out of sight, Sebastian remembered he wanted to ask about additional funˇ­g for the school and hurried to catch up.

    He managed to stop Damon just as he was about to get into his car. After stating his purpose, he noticed DamonˇŻs impassive expression, which made hi

    uneasy.

    Carefully backing away, he forced a smile. ˇ°Mr. Damon, if funding is tight, itˇŻs okay if you canˇŻt invest-ˇ±

    ˇ®TˇŻll consider it. Thank you, Mr. Hale,ˇ± Damon interrupted.

    Not long after Damon returned to Prospectus Technology, Spencer knocked and entered the office.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Mr. Fred Burridge from the Raynor Group is here, likely about the amusement park project,ˇ± he reported.

    Previously, Oliver had invested heavily topete for that amusement park project, hoping to pressure Damon into returning Mason to N. In the end,

    As a result, OliverˇŻs hard¨C

    earned influence at the Raynor Group was at risk. Many shareholders were seizing the opportunity to push him out of the CEO position. It seemed Fred

    Damon nced at Spencer. ˇ°Let him in.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    As soon as Fred entered, he greeted Damon with a smile. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, long time no see.ˇ±

    Damon maintained a neutral expression. ˇ°What brings you here today, Mr. Burridge?ˇ±

    Sighing, Fred replied, ˇ°Mr. Sumnerˇ­ since youˇŻre a straightforward person, IˇŻll be direct. IˇŻm here regarding the amusement park project.ˇ±

    Damon shot back, ˇ°It seems inappropriate for you, as a shareholder of the Raynor Group, to be involved in

    the amusement park project. If the Raynor Group hadnˇŻt interfered, Prospectus Technology wouldnˇŻt have had to spend an

    additional hundreds of millions to secure it.ˇ±

 Chapter 566

    FredˇŻs expression stiffened. He quickly said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, this was entirely Mr.

    RaynorˇŻs decision. By the time I found out, it was toote. Otherwise, I would have stopped him.

    *Moreover, the Raynor Group has suffered significant losses this time, and many shareholders are secretly trying to remove Mr. Raynor from the CEO po

    Damon remained expressionless, seemingly uninterested. ˇ°That doesnˇŻt concern me.ˇ±

    Fred carefully observed DamonˇŻs face, hoping to glean something from his expression, but found nothing.

    The rumors about Damon being cunning seemed urate¨Cdealing with him required caution.

    Realizing he needed to take a risk, Fred steeled himself and said, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I

    know your bo

    you have

    grievances with Mr. Raynor. I can help you deal with him.ˇ±

    Damon chuckled, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. ˇ°Help me?ˇ±

    FredˇŻs face turned a shade paler, but thinking of his objective, he pressed, ˇ°It could be mutually beneficial. I want the CEO position at the Raynor Group.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. ˇ°I didnˇŻt know you were so ambitious, Mr. Burridge. But even without you, I can handle the Raynor Group. I have no need or r

    Fred was taken aback by the rejection. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, when Prospectus Technology first entered Capitarnia, Mr. Raynor

    made things difficult for you. DonˇŻt you want to retaliate?ˇ±

    ˇ°How I choose to act is my business. Before you use someone else as a pawn, youˇŻd better assess your own capabilities,ˇ± Damon warned.

    Under DamonˇŻs cold stare, Fred felt as if all his intentions had been seen through. He quickly averted his gaze not daring to meet DamonˇŻs eyes.

    Heed to defend himself, ˇ°What do you mean? I would never use you that way!ˇ±

    Damon was done with the conversation. ˇ°IˇŻll pretend you never came today. Spencer, please see Mr. Burridge out.ˇ±

    Spencer stepped forward, saying quietly, ˇ°Mr. Burridge, this way.ˇ±

    Gritting his teeth, Fred insisted, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I can offer you 5% of the Raynor GroupˇŻs shares if you help me deal with Oliver!ˇ±

    Damon put down the documents he was holding and looked up at Fred with a smile. ˇ°So, you do understand after all. It seems you were just pretending

    Fred silently ground his teeth, feeling resentful. Damon was doing this on purpose!

    However, the thought that DamonˇŻs help could make him CEO of the Raynor Group pushed him to suppress his dissatisfaction.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, can we discuss the specifics of the n now?ˇ± Fred asked.

    In the following days, N noticed that every time she messaged Oliver, he took a long time to reply.

    Concerned, she reached out to a friend at the Raynor Group and discovered that Oliver had been facing significant pressure from shareholders.

    Previously, he had invested hundreds of millions of his own money topete with Prospectus Technology for the suburban amusement park project, b

    The shareholders were furious, demanding that he find a way to recover the losses. He had even made a public promise to resign if he couldnˇŻt resolve

    It was no wonder he took so long to reply to her messagestely, and his responses were always weary. Knowing he was under so much pressure beca

    After much hesitation, N finally made a call.

    Half an hourter, she walked into a high¨Cend cafe.

    At a table by the window sat a woman nearing 50. With her neat short hair and white suit, she bore the wrinkles of age gracefully, and her serene smile f

 Chapter 567

    As soon as Aubrey Jane Keith spotted N, she set down her coffee and waved her over with a smile.ˇ± N, over here!ˇ±

    N sat down across from her. ˇ°Ms. Keith, IˇŻm sorry for beingte. There was traffic.ˇ±

    Aubrey Jane looked at her with a warm gaze, as if she were a younger family member. ˇ°No problem! IˇŻm not busy today. What made you want to meet fo

    Noticing NˇŻs hesitance, Aubrey Jane grew more intrigued. ˇ°WhatˇŻs wrong? ItˇŻs rare to see you like this.ˇ± Taking a deep breath, N replied, ˇ°Ms. Keith

    Surprised, Aubrey Jane raised an eyebrow. ˇ°What is it?

    It must be important for N to bring it up to her.

    They had met at a drug research conference, where N had saved Aubrey Jane after she fainted

    due to low blood sugar. As they got to know each other better, Aubrey Jane grew fond of N. They not only shared interests but also simr life experie

    Aubrey Jane had struggled in her younger days while raising her son alone, building the Keithstone Group, into what it was today. She admired NˇŻs br

    self.

    N briefly exined the recent events and then looked at Aubrey Jane. ˇ°I heard that the Keithstone Group has a resort project and that the partner has

    ˇ°N, IˇŻve said before, you saved my life, and you can ask me for one favor, as long as I can fulfill it,ˇ± Aubrey Jane replied, pausing before adding, ˇ°IˇŻm w

    want to use this debt of gratitude for such a small matter?ˇ±

    Surr

    N nodded. ˇ°Yes. This situation arose because of me. I donˇŻt want him to suffer because of my issues.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay, IˇŻll have my secretary contact the Raynor Group right away.ˇ± Aubrey Jane promised.

    ˇ°Thank you so much, Ms. Keith!ˇ± N eximed.

    Aubrey Jane took a sip of her coffee and smiled. ˇ°I hope he proves worthy of your sincerity.ˇ±

    After chatting for a bit longer, N left.

    Not long after she exited, Aubrey Jane stood up to leave as well.

    Just then, a cheerful voice called out, ˇ°Ms. Keith, what a surprise to see you here! What a coincidence!ˇ±

    Turning around, Aubrey Jane saw Erin approaching with a bright smile.

    Ms. Hulle, what a surprise,ˇ± she replied.

    Erin felt a rush of excitement. When Damon had visited her home, she had overheard him and her father discussing ways to coborate with the Keithst

    Patrick had visited Capitarnia several times recently, but he had only met Aubrey Jane once, and she had

    outright refused his offers.

    If it hadnˇŻt been for an invitation from a friend to a gathering hosted by the Keiths, Erin wouldnˇŻt have had the chance to meet Aubrey Jane at all. She had

    do so.

    Now that she had this unexpected encounter, Erin saw an opportunity to get closer to Aubrey Jane and perhaps rmend Prospectus Technology for

    immensely!

 Chapter 568

    With that thought in mind, Erin looked at Aubrey Jane with growing eagerness. ˇ°Ms. Keith, are you here shopping?ˇ±

    Aubrey Jane smiled, but her gaze was noticeably distant. ˇ°No, IˇŻm here to meet a friend. Ms. Hulle, if thereˇŻs nothing else, I have a meeting soon. LetˇŻs c

    Seeing her about to leave, Erin quickly spoke up. ˇ°Ms.

    Keith, I heard that the Keithstone Group has a resort project, and the partnership hasnˇŻt been finalized yet-

    Aubrey Jane interrupted her with a polite smile, ˇ°Ms. Hulle, we just

    confirmed our partner for the project. IˇŻm sorry. WeˇŻll work with the Hulle Group if thereˇŻs a chance next time.ˇ±

    Erin stood frozen for a few seconds, trying to process what she had just heard. ˇ°Ms. Keith, may I ask whichpany youˇŻre partnering with?ˇ±

    A sh of displeasure crossed Aubrey JaneˇŻs expression. ˇ°IˇŻm afraid that information is not convenient to share right now, Ms. Hulle. Goodbye.ˇ±

    Onc¨¦ Aubrey Jane disappeared from view, Erin quickly realized she needed to inform Damon about the

    .news.

    She pulled

    out her phone, ready to call him, but hesitated for a moment. Instead of making the call, she tucked her phone away and drove straight to Prospectus Te

    When Damon saw her, surprise flickered in his eyes. ˇ°What brings you here?ˇ±

    Erin ced a takeout container of soup on the table and said, ˇ°ItˇŻs been a while since west met, and IˇŻve given it some thought. Damon, IˇŻm willing to a

    Damon paused, his pen stilling as he looked up at Erin, and frowned slightly. ˇ°Erin, I think you should reconsider.ˇ±

    Ever since he learned that Mason was his son, he had not thought about marriage at all.

    Mason was still so young, and without a foundation of feelings between them, building a rtionship would take time. If he continued with Erin, Mason w

    ErinˇŻs eyes were filled with determination. ˇ°Damon, IˇŻve thought it through clearly. I love you, and that wonˇŻt change because of your child or anything els

    ˇ°I may not have experience with kids, but IˇŻm willing to learn. I believe I can be a good mother. Besides, a child needs love, especially at such a young ag

    Silence filled the office as Damon remained quiet

    Watching his handsome profile, Erin instinctively clenched her hands. She had alreadypromised so much. Did he still want to break their engageme

    After a moment of silence, Erin realized that Damon still wasnˇŻt going to speak. It seemed he intended to

    end their engagement. Thus, she decided to change the subject. ˇ°By the way, I wanted to tell you about something else today.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± D

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Damon asked.

    ˇ°The Keithstone GroupˇŻs resort project has already secured a partner,ˇ± she informed him.

    Surprise crossed DamonˇŻs face as he raised an eyebrow. ˇ°How do you know that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I ran into Ms. Keith while I was out shopping. I was hoping to help you

    secure the opportunity, but as soon as I mentioned the resort project, she said they had already confirmed their partner, though it hasnˇŻt been publicly an

    Damon had indeed wanted to pursue that resort project¨Cnot just for profit, but to help establish a solid foothold for Prospectus Technology in the city.

    However, after the situation with Mason and some issues with the amusement park project, he had temporarily set it aside.

    ˇ°I understand. Thank you for letting me know,ˇ± he replied.

    Seeing DamonˇŻs lukewarm demeanor, Erin couldnˇŻt help but grit her teeth. ˇ°Damon, I wonˇŻt keep you any Jonger. When you have time, bring that child ov

 Chapter 569

    Damon narrowed his eyes, about to speak, when Erin quickly said, ˇ°I wonˇŻt disturb you then. Remember to drink the soup on the table and donˇŻt work too

    She turned and hurried out, her steps frantic, as if something were chasing her.

    DamonˇŻs gaze grew colder as he watched her leave. Regardless of ErinˇŻs consent, he was determined to end their engagement.

    Spencer walked in with some documents, and Damon instructed, ˇ°Forget about the Keithstone Group resort project proposal.ˇ±

    Spencer was taken aback. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, weˇŻve been preparing that proposal for over half a month, and itˇŻs nearly finished. Besides-ˇ±

    ˇ°The Keithstone Group has already confirmed their partner,ˇ± Damon stated.

    Spencer swallowed the rest of his words and nodded. ˇ°Understood.ˇ±

    As he left the office, he informed another secretary to stop working on the proposal when his phone rang Seeing it was Richard, he tightened his grip on

    Why was Richard contacting him out of the blue?

    Spencer went to the stairwell to answer the call, only to be met with RichardˇŻs icy voice. ˇ°Spencer, did you say something to Damon?!ˇ±

    Richard, what do you mean?ˇ± Spencer was confused. What could he have possibly told Damon?

    Richard huffed. ˇ°If you didnˇŻt say anything, then why is Damon suddenly investigating what happened during his memory loss?!ˇ±

    Spencer froze for a moment, then recalled DamonˇŻs recent confirmation that Mason was his biological child. After losing all memories of N, she had b

    Moreover, SpencerˇŻs previous actions had raised DamonˇŻs doubts, and he no longer trusted Spencer. It made sense that Damon would investigate what

    With this realization, Spencer replied quietly, ˇ°Mr. Richard, I havenˇŻt

    mentioned anything to Mr. Damon. HeˇŻs beenining about headachestely and might be recalling fragments of memory, which is why heˇŻs lookin

    ˇ°Make sure youˇŻve said nothing. Keep your mouth shut and think about your family before you speak Richard snapped before hanging up.

    Spencer put away his phone, his head slightly bowed. His expression appeared dark in the dimly lit

    stairwell.

    On her way back to theb, N tried to call Oliver to inform him that Aubrey Jane had agreed to coborate with the Raynor Group, but he didnˇŻt pick u

    Thinking he might be busy, she decided against calling again.

    In the Raynor Group conference roomˇ­

    The shareholders red at Oliver.

    ˇ°Mr. Raynor, is this what you promised us would be resolved? Now several partners want to terminate their contracts, all because of your rash decision t

    ˇ°Hah! Mr. Raynor, you were the one who said youˇŻd resign if this happened. You can leave right now!ˇ±

    ˇ°Leave? You talked a good game back then, but I bet youˇŻre reluctant to give up your position now. Frankly, Mr. Raynor, you donˇŻt have the capability of y

    OliverˇŻs expression turned icy as he took in the scornful res directed at him. ˇ°Those partners have only

    expressed a desire to terminate. No contracts have been signed yet. IˇŻll arrange to meet with them again. ThereˇŻs still room for negotiation.ˇ±

    Just then, his secretary, Liam Tilley, walked into the conference room with a

    grim look on his face. ˇ°Mr Raynor, the partners considering termination have arrived. TheyˇŻre currently in the reception area.ˇ±

 Chapter 570

    OliverˇŻs gaze darkened as he replied, ˇ°Got it. IˇŻll head over right now.ˇ±

    The expressions of the shareholders turned grim. It was clear that these business partners were here to discuss terminating contracts.

    ˇ°Mr. Raynor, if you canˇŻt persuade the partners to change

    their minds, you should resign today, or IˇŻll contact your father to see if itˇŻs time for him to consider

    recing you with someone more suitable!ˇ± one of the shareholders threatened.

    OliverˇŻs gaze turned icy as he red at the shareholder who had spoken.

    The man was momentarily intimidated, his face paling slightly, but he quickly regained hisposure and retorted, ˇ°Mr. Raynor, looking at m

    ˇ°Honestly, IˇŻve always known these rich heirs donˇŻt know how to do business. Letting them take over thepany would be a disaster!ˇ±

    ˇ°Right? WeˇŻre only here because we donˇŻt hold as many shares as he does.ˇ±

    ˇ°If this keeps up, I might consider selling my shares and investing elsewhere.ˇ±

    As their derisive voices filled OliverˇŻs ears, he left the office with a dark expression.

    Liam followed closely behind and said in a low voice, ˇ°Mr. Raynor, those partners donˇŻt look happy. Today might not end well. Perhaps you sh

    T

    he could finish, he fell silent under OliverˇŻs cold re.

    Liam sighed inwardly, realizing it was unnecessary for Oliver to be put in this difficult position because of a woman. After all, he had witnesse

    ˇ°Make some coffee.ˇ± With that coldmand, Oliver pushed open the door to the reception room.

    Hourster, several partners walked out of the reception room, their faces grim.

    Thest one coldly dered, ˇ°Mr. Raynor, since weˇŻvee all this way, thereˇŻs no chance of continuing our partnership. If youˇŻre unwilling t

    Oliver smiled, but his eyes remained icy. ˇ°YouˇŻd be the ones in breach of contract, and the Raynor Group can afford that kind of time.ˇ±

    These partners decided to terminate their coboration, as they were now aligned with Prospectus Technology. They seemed to have forgotte

    Their greedy attitudes were truly repulsive.

    ˇ°Fine, Mr. Raynor. I hope you donˇŻt regret this!ˇ± one of the partners snapped.

    With that, the group stormed out in anger.

    Realizing that the partners were intent on dissolving their coboration, the shareholders began to voice theirints.

    As the tension reached a peak, Fred spoke up. ˇ°Everyone, please calm down. I have a way to resolve this crisis for the Raynor Group.ˇ±

    At his words, all eyes turned to him.

    ˇ°Mr. Burridge, whatˇŻs your n?ˇ±

    Fred

    smiled. ˇ°To be honest, I have a close rtionship with Mr. Sumner from Prospectus Technology. He has agreed to let the Raynor Group partic

    The shareholdersˇ® faces lit up at the news. If the Raynor Group could join that project, it would certainly help recover their recent losses and p

    ˇ°Mr. Burridge, I didnˇŻt realize you had such a strong connection with Mr. Sumner, despite your usual negligible presence. ItˇŻs thanks to you th

    *Absolutely! IˇŻd say you have more capability than Mr. Raynor!ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt even mention Mr. Raynor! He did well in the past, but now heˇŻs risking thepany for a woman. ItˇŻs just madness!ˇ±

    The shareholders chorused.

 Chapter 571

    ter 571

    ed listened to the others praise him while criticizing Oliver, he felt immense satisfaction.

    er the past few years, Oliver had done an admirable job running thepany, and Fred had not found opportunity to unseat him as CEO.

    With thistest mistake, Fred was determined to take advantage of the situation and im the position for himself.

    Noˇ­ He intended to make the Raynor Group change its name to Burridge!

    ˇ°I can help the

    company through this crisis,ˇ± Fred said. ˇ°But if Mr. Raynor has another impulsive moment that harms thepanyˇŻs interests, there might not be anyone

    ˇ°Mr. Raynor did lead the

    company through significant growth in the past, but someone who would jeopardize thepanyˇŻs survival over a man is unfit to be a leader. DonˇŻt you

    The shareholders, no fools themselves, quickly understood that Fred wanted to rece Oliver.

    With FredˇŻs 30% stake, he was indeed the most viable candidate to seed Oliver as CEO. After all, FredˇŻs father had co¨Cfounded the Raynor Group

    alongside OliverˇŻs father, dedicating much of his life to thepany. He had even passed away from a heart attack

    while working onpany documents.

    FredˇŻs family had sacrificed everything for the Raynor Group.

    However, Fred had kept a low profile over the years, and the shareholders were unsure about his capabilities.

    While Oliver had made a major misstep this time, many still leaned toward supporting him.

    Noticing their hesitation, Fred smiled and said, ˇ°I understand if you donˇŻt trust me just yet, but IˇŻll prove my ability to manage the Raynor Group.ˇ±

    ˇ°Excellent!ˇ± A booming voice suddenly echoed from the doorway.

    The shareholders turned to see none other than OliverˇŻs father, Hugh Raynor, entering the room.

    Everyone was momentarily stunned, except for one shareholder sitting in the corner¨Che was the one who had informed Hugh.

    As Hugh walked into the meeting room, the shareholders greeted him with respect. He took a seat at the head of the table, giving Fred an

    approving look¨Calthough it seemed as if he were looking through him, at someone else.

    Upon seeing Hugh, FredˇŻs hands clenched under the table, and a sh of hatred flickered in his eyes. If it had not been for this man, his father would not

    Hugh drew his gaze back, scanning the room before dering, ˇ°IˇŻve been made aware of the situation. This is my fault for failing to raise my son properly

    Oliver should step down, and Fred should take over as the new CEO of the Raynor Group.ˇ±

    The room fell into a stunned silence. Everyone exchanged bewildered nces, struggling to process what they had just heard.

    Did they hear him correctly? Hugh was agreeing to his sonˇŻs resignation? Was he really throwing his own child under the bus?

    Hugh held 51% of the Raynor GroupˇŻs shares. While handing thepany over to Oliver a few years ago, he had given him 46%. As long as father and

    CEO.

    But now, with Hugh backing OliverˇŻs resignation, it was clear he wouldnˇŻt be

    casting his vote for his son. This gave Fred a genuine chance at bing CEO.

    Suddenly, the door burst open, and Oliver stormed in, his expression cold and tense.

    ˇ°Dad, what are you doing here?ˇ± he demanded.

    Hugh remained calm, but the weight of his athority was unmistakable, making the air in the room feel

    thick.

    ˇ°If I hadnˇŻte, how would I know youˇŻve been making so many reckless decisions over a woman?ˇ± he asked sharply.

 Chapter 572

    Oliver frowned. ˇ°Dad, let me exin. I-ˇ±

    ˇ°Shut up!ˇ± Hugh snapped, cutting him off. ˇ°IˇŻm here to clean up the mess you made. Since you clearlyck the

    ability to manage the Raynor Group, itˇŻs better to let someone morepetent take over than to watch you destroy thepany.ˇ±

    Oliver stared at his father in disbelief, unable to process what he was hearing.

    ˇ°IˇŻve worked hard for thepany these past few years, and youˇŻre kicking me out over one mistake?ˇ± he asked, his voice heavy with frustration.

    A flicker of emotion crossed HughˇŻs face before he turned away, his expression hardening.

    ˇ°If this were just a simple investment failure, I wouldnˇŻt be

    so severe. But the fact that you caused such heavy losses over a woman is somethingˇ® olutely cannot tolerate!ˇ± Hugh said.

    The room fell into an uneasy silence.

    The shareholders, stunned by the intensity

    of the confrontation, held their breath. Most had only suggested Oliver resign in the heat of frustration, hoping to give him a wake¨C

    up call. None of them had expected Hugh to take it this far.

    Oliver took a deep breath and nodded. ˇ°Fine. Since youˇŻve already

    to discuss. IˇŻll wrap up the files IˇŻm handling within three made up your mind, thereˇŻs nothing left

    One

    of the shareholders, unable to remain silent any longer, finally spoke up. ˇ°Mr. Hugh, Mr. Oliverˇ­ letˇŻs not be hasty. Yes, the mistake was serious, but

    it doesnˇŻt merit a full resignation. A smaller punishment should suffice. Maybe we can-ˇ±

    ˇ°Let him go!ˇ± Hugh interrupted harshly. ˇ°Without the Raynor Group, heˇŻs no

    Oliver inhaled deeply, resisting the urge to respond. Without another nce at Hugh, he

    walked out of the room.

    Cand

    Since childhood, Oliver had never understood why his father was always so hard on him. No matter how

    much he achieved, he never earned HughˇŻs praise. Yet, the moment he

    reprimands were swift and brutal.

    At times, he even wondered if he was truly his fatherˇŻs son.

    i

    made the slightest misstep, the

    As Oliver exited the meeting room, Liam rushed up to him. ˇ°Mr. Oliver, Mr. HughˇŻs just speaking in anger.

    If you apologize, this will all blow over. Besides, Mr. Hugh and the shareholders donˇŻt know about the work youˇŻve been doing behind the scenes.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre only seeing the surface¨Clevel losses. Once you exin everything, theyˇŻll

    Understand.ˇ±

    Oliver was quiet for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice. ˇ°ItˇŻs fine. IˇŻm just tired.ˇ±

    For years, he had worked tirelessly, striving for

    all in the hope that one day his father would truly acknowledge him.

    perfection. He had never dared to make a single misstep,

    4 never be satisfied.

    But today, he finally understood. No matter what he did, Hugh

    He no longer wanted to exhaust himself trying to earn someone elseˇŻs approval.

    Someone who didnˇŻt love you wouldnˇŻt start loving you just because you were perfect. Not loving you was simply that¨Cthey didnˇŻt love you.

    ˇ°Mr. Oliverˇ­ˇ± Liam wanted to say more, but seeing the exhaustion on OliverˇŻs face, the words stuck in his

    throat.

    Liam had worked alongside Oliver

    for five years and had witnessed how cautious and on edge Oliver had been throughout that time. He knew Oliver wasnˇŻt truly happy. The only time he e

    smile genuinely was when he was with N.

    Maybe stepping away from thepany wasnˇŻt such a bad thing for him after all.

    The news of Oliver resigning as CEO quickly reached N. She was so stunned that she nearly dropped the test tube in her hand.

    Caroline, who was standing beside her, was quick to catch the test tube and

    ce it back on the rack. She said seriously, ˇ°N, this might not have anything to do with you. DonˇŻt overthink it.ˇ±

    N gave a bitter smile. How could it have nothing to do with her?

    If it werenˇŻt for her, Oliver wouldnˇŻt have gone against Damon. He wouldnˇŻt have fought him for the amusement park project, and it wouldnˇŻt have led to th

    resign.

    ˇ°Caroline, can you watch the experiment for me? I need to give him a call,ˇ± N said.

 Chapter 573

    When Oliver received NˇŻs call, he was in the middle of packing up his personal belongings. Despite working at the Raynor

    Group for five years, there wasnˇŻt much that was solely his.

    His voice, as always, was gentle. ˇ°N, whatˇŻs wrong? ShouldnˇŻt you be in theb right now?ˇ±

    N felt a sting in her nose, and her voice grew hoarse. ˇ°Oliver, did you get forced out of the Raynor Group because of me?ˇ±

    Although she tried to keep her emotions in check, Oliver could still hear the slight tremble in her voice, as if she were on the verge of tears.

    He remained silent for a couple of seconds before replying softly, ˇ°This has nothing to do with

    you. IˇŻve been wanting to take a break for a while, and nowˇŻs as good a time as any.ˇ±

    ˇ°Liar!ˇ± N snapped.

    She wasnˇŻt naive. She knew how much effort and ambition he had poured into his work¨Cthings he never openly shared.

    Taking a deep breath, N spoke softly but firmly. ˇ°Oliver, IˇŻm sorry. This is my fault. IˇŻll find a way to make it right.ˇ±

    Sensing something off in her tone, Oliver instinctively frowned. ˇ°N, you donˇŻt need to-ˇ±

    ˇ°I need to get back to theb. LetˇŻs talkter.ˇ± With that, N hung up.

    She took a deep breath, her eyes now filled with determination.

    After Oliver resigned from the Raynor Group, Hugh personally appointed Fred as the interim CEO.

    As soon as the meeting ended, Fred couldnˇŻt wait to call Damon.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, IˇŻve sessfully pushed Oliver out of the Raynor Group. He wonˇŻt

    be able to challenge you again,ˇ± he reported. ˇ°Now, about the amusement park project you mentioned bringing the Raynor Group into¨C

    when can we meet to discuss the details?ˇ±

    Damon raised an eyebrow in surprise. ˇ°How did you manage that?ˇ±

    He hadnˇŻt even begun to make his move yet. With FredˇŻs limited shares, it shouldnˇŻt have been so easy to

    take down Oliver.

    Fred smirked as he replied coldly, ˇ°I donˇŻt

    know whatˇŻs gotten into Hugh, but he personally came to thepany and ordered Oliver to resign on the spot, without any leniency. He even appointed

    Damon narrowed his eyes.

    Hugh didnˇŻt stand by his own son? He kicked him out of the Raynor Group and let a man with clear ulterior motives take over? What was he ying at?

    ˇ°IˇŻll have my secretary contact you about the partnership. I have a meeting to attend,ˇ± Damon said and ced his phone on the desk, a thoughtful expres

    HughˇŻs actions had to have a purpose, but what was

    he trying to au

    Damon had never met Hugh, but he had heard of him¨Ca wily old fox with business world.

    Kars of experience in the

    Many had suffered losses dealing with him. Damon knew he needed to tread carefully.

    At that

    cer knocked and entered. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Mr. Chaucer is here.ˇ±

    encer in and casually sat on the ck leather sofa in the middle of the office. Without himself a cup of coffee and downed it in one go.

    was used to this. He waved Spencer off and went to sit across from Gerrard.

    ˇ°What brings you here today?ˇ± he asked.

    Gerrard gave him aplicated look. ˇ°IˇŻve person.ˇ±

    in you for years, but I never thought youˇŻd be this kind of

    Damon shot him a sharp look. ˇ°What kind of person?ˇ±

    ˇ°You asked me to dig into NˇŻs past when you wanted me to prepare awsuit against her, right? Well, guess what I found?ˇ± Gerrard asked.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± DamonˇŻs impatience was palpable.

    Sensing Damon was on the verge of losing his temper, Gerrard quickly dropped the act. ˇ°I found

    something about her pastˇ­ She wasnˇŻt always named N Kinsey. She used to go by N Jayston, andˇ­ sheˇŻs your nephewˇŻs ex¨Cwife.ˇ±

 Chapter 574

    As soon as Gerrard finished speaking, he felt the temperature in the room drop several degrees.

    DamonˇŻs expression had darkened noticeably.

    Still, Gerrard asked, ˇ°You really donˇŻt remember anything? N was your nephewˇŻs wife. Even if you donˇŻt remember her name, surely her face should h

    N was beautiful¨Cthe kind of beauty that was hard to forget. Although Gerrard had only met her once, her image remained vivid in his mind.

    DamonˇŻs face grew colder as he tried to recall the name and face of rkˇŻs ex¨Cwife. Yet, his mind was

    nk.

    In his memory, rk had brought

    his wife to family gatherings after their marriage, but right now, he couldnˇŻt recall a single detail about the woman. Even the events of rkˇŻs marriage an

    Damon had never been close to

    After DamonˇŻs car ident, Richard had sent rk abroad for some mistake, and Damon had stopped paying attention to him. He had only learned abo

    rkˇŻs divorce muchter. Since it hadnˇŻt concerned him, he hadnˇŻt cared.

    Now, discovering that N was rkˇŻs ex¨Cwife left Damon undeniably shocked. How had he be entangled with her?

    Everything seemed to be traced back to the car ident five years ago. There was a very

    real possibility that he hadnˇŻt been in aa the entire time, contrary to what Richard had told him.

    As this unsettling thought settled in, DamonˇŻs expression darkened further.

    ˇ°Look into what happened when I lost my memory,ˇ± he ordered. ˇ°I want the full story of what transpired between N and me, and why she secretly gave

    Gerrard hesitated before asking, ˇ°And thewsuit against Ms. Kinsey?ˇ±

    ˇ°Put it on hold until we know the whole truth,ˇ± Damon replied.

    After Gerrard left, Damon reached for his phone to summon Spencer to the office and question him about what had happened between him and N.

    However, just as his hand touched the phone, he paused.

    Based on the evidence Gerrard had uncovered, it seemed likely that Spencer had betrayed him. Not only Spencer¨C

    perhaps everyone in the Sumners had been lying to him.

    As he mulled over this revtion, his phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing NˇŻs name on the caller ID, he answered.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, what can I do for you?ˇ± he asked.

    ˇ°IˇŻd like to meet with you,ˇ± she replied.

    DamonˇŻs tone turned cold. ˇ°If this is about custody of Buddy, we can talk. If itˇŻs anything else, thereˇŻs no

    need.ˇ±

    ˇ°I just sent you a photo, Mr. Sumner. Take a look before deciding whether or not to meet.ˇ± She hung up befo

    uld respond.

    one vibrated, and he opened the message.

    4540204 27.10.

    ent his eyesnded on the picture, his grip on the phone tightened, and fury twisted his features.

    st immediately after, another message came through¨Can address.

    His eyes darkened. Without hesitation, he grabbed his coat and stormed out the door.

    Half an hourter, Damon sat across from N, his expression livid.

    ˇ°When was that picture taken?ˇ± His voice was ice¨Ccold, his gaze fixed on her like a predator about to

    pounce.

    N remained calm, meeting his stare. when it was taken doesnˇŻt matter. What matters is that if you donˇŻt back off from Oliver, I guarantee that by tomor

    photo will be all over the Inte. Everyone will see an almostpletely naked Damon Sumner.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes narrowed, burning with fury. ˇ°You can try

    The fact that N had such an intimate photo of him proved they had some kind of rtionship in the past. Yetˇ­ he had no memory of it.

    This only reinforced his suspicion that something had been off about his car ident.

    NˇŻs gaze remained steady as she spoke, her tone deliberate. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Oliver is important to me. If you keep hurting him, I wonˇŻt hesitate to take y

    DamonˇŻs eyes bored into hers.

    Without thinking, he asked, ˇ°And what about me? What am I to you?ˇ±

    need.ˇ±

    ˇ°I just sent you a photo, Mr. Sumner. Take a look before deciding whether or not to meet.ˇ± She hung up before he could respond.

    DamonˇŻs phone vibrated, and he opened the message.

    The moment his eyesnded on the picture, his grip on the phone tightened, and fury twisted his features.

    Almost immediately after, another message came through¨Can address.

    His eyes darkened. Without hesitation, he grabbed his coat and stormed out the door.

    Half an hourter, Damon sat across from N, his expression livid.

    ˇ°When was that picture taken?ˇ± His voice was re¨Ccold, his gaze fixed on her like a predator about to

    pounce.

    N remained calm, meeting

    his stare. ˇ°When it was taken doesnˇŻt matter. What matters is that if you donˇŻt back off from Oliver, I guarantee that by tomorrow, this photo

    will be all over the Inte. Everyone will see an almostpletely naked Damon Sumner.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes narrowed, burning with fury. ˇ°You can try.ˇ±

    The fact that N had such an intimate photo of him proved they had some kind of rtionship in the past. Yetˇ­ he had no memory of it.

    This only reinforced his suspicion that something had been off about his car ident.

    NˇŻs gaze remained steady as she spoke, her tone deliberate. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Oliver is important to me. If you keep hurting him, I wonˇŻt

    hesitate to take you down with me.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes bored into hers.

    Without thinking, he asked, ˇ°And what about me? What am I to you?ˇ±

 Chapter 575

    The moment the words left DamonˇŻs mouth, he regretted them.

    His expression darkened instantly. He had no idea why he had said petty jealousy toward another man.

    N was caught off guard as well, freezing for a moment.

    Something that sounded so much like

    Before she could respond, Damon added coldly, ˇ°DonˇŻt get the wrong idea. I just figured since you went ahead and had my child on your own, you must

    N pressed her lips together, her gaze indifferent as she looked at him.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre overthinking it, Mr. Sumner. The fact that I gave birth to Buddy was an ident, and it had

    nothing to do with you. I donˇŻt like you,ˇ± she replied.

    Damon let out a snicker. ˇ°Good. Any man liked by a woman like you is unlucky.ˇ±

    NˇŻs face darkened. She hadnˇŻt expected the amnesiac Damon to be so vicious with his words.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, IˇŻm here to talk about Oliver, not to discuss which she said.

    Wi

    ˇ°He tried topete with Prospectus Technology for a project and lost, costing hispany a fortune. He

    got fired as a result. ItˇŻs not my problem. If anything, IˇŻm the victim

    Damon stated.

    E

    N frowned, suspicion flickering in her eyes. ˇ°YouˇŻre sure you didnˇŻt sabotage him?ˇ±

    ˇ°If I had, getting kicked out of the Raynor Group would have been the least of his worries,ˇ± Damon replied tly.

    He was

    growing impatient. He stood up, towering over her. ˇ°Instead of using photos to threaten me, why donˇŻt you tell Oliver to stop scheming behind my back if

    With that, he turned and walked out.

    N lowered her head in silence for a while, thinking about how else she could help Oliver.

    Her phone suddenly rang, interrupting her thoughts.

    Seeing it was MasonˇŻs teacher, she quickly answered.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, Buddy got into a fight in the ssroom. Pleasee to the school as soon as you can,ˇ± the teacher said.

    By the time N arrived at the school, more than half an hour had passed.

    She rushed into the teacherˇŻs office and saw Mason standing alone in a corner. His clothes were dirty, smeared with shoe prints. His face was bruised, a

    Across from him stood a chubby boy, Kayden Conway, also injured. Beside him was a middle¨C

    aged woman with a sour expression, scolding Mason relentlessly.

    Upon seeing Mason hang his head, NˇŻs heart clenched. She hurried to his side, pulled him behind her,

    and red coldly at the woman.

    ˇ°IˇŻm MasonˇŻs mother. If you have something to say, say it to me. Why are you verbally attacking a child? Learn some decency!ˇ± N snapped.

    At that, the middle¨Caged woman, Regina Flint, exploded. She sneered and shoved her son forward. ˇ°Look at what your son did to mine!ˇ±

    Her gaze swept over N, and a sh of jealousy crossed her face before turning into disdain. ˇ°IˇŻve heard rumors about you¨C

    that youˇŻre not exactly respectable. Looks like itˇŻs true. No wonder youˇŻve got a fatherless bastard whoˇŻs just as poorly behaved!ˇ±

    N was about to respond when Mason suddenly charged forward, grabbing ReginaˇŻs leg and biting down

    hard.

    ˇ°Aaah!ˇ± ReginaˇŻs scream filled the office. ˇ°Get off me, you little bastard! Let go, or I swear IˇŻll make your pay!ˇ±

    Furious, Regina grabbed Mason by the cor, ready to throw him to the floor.

    Just as N moved to intervene, the door to the office swung open.

    ˇ°Who called my son a fatherless bastard?ˇ± a voice asked.

 Chapter 576

    Everyone turned to look toward the door. The first thing they noticed was a pair of long legs, followed by DamonˇŻs cold, imposing face.

    His gazended on the hand clutching MasonˇŻs cor.

    Regina felt a chill run straight through her spine, and she shivered. Instinctively, she let go of Mason.

    At that moment, she had a terrifying sense that Damon might just chop off her hand. It was only a gut feeling, but his re alone filled her with fear.

    N hurriedly caught Mason, her gaze full of concern. ˇ°Buddy, are you okay?ˇ±

    Mason nodded. ˇ°Mommy, IˇŻm fineˇ­ˇ±

    His eyes kept darting toward Damon, an unusual glimmer in them.

    Whenever other kids had bullied him in .. past, it had always been just his mother standing up for him. He had dreamed that one day his

    father would show up out of nowhere and make those bullies pay for hurting him and N.

    Now that his father had truly appeared, his feelings wereplicated.

    On the one hand, he wanted his father to protect him and N. On the other, he knew that Damon didnˇŻt like N, and thetter didnˇŻt like him either.

    While Mason was lost in thought, Damon had already approached them.

    His icy re seemed to freeze everything around him. When he looked at Regina, his eyes burned with fury.

    ˇ°Why donˇŻt you repeat what you just said about my son?ˇ± he asked darkly.

    Regina couldnˇŻt meet his gaze, but her voice still carried a hint of anger. ˇ°What did I say wrong? Just look at my son! See how badly heˇŻs been beaten!ˇ±

    She pulled Kayden from behind her and pinched his arm hard, making him cry out.

    ˇ°Look at him! His face and body are covered in bruises. If the teacher hadnˇŻt stopped them, who knows what would have

    happened? If you donˇŻt apologize and pay up today, IˇŻm not letting this go!ˇ± Regina threatened.

    She scoffed, thinking Damon in a suit wouldnˇŻt intimidate her. After all, her husband was a sales manager in E.N. Valley, and most parents treated her wi

    Besides, she had already looked into NˇŻs background¨C

    she was just a lowly drug researcher. Damon might seem impressive, but someone like N couldnˇŻt possibly know any big shot.

    Damon ignored Regina and turned to Mason instead. He asked, ˇ°Why were you fighting?ˇ±

    MasonˇŻs eyes welled up with tears, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall. He turned his head away, remaining silent.

    Damon frowned, about to speak, when N knelt before Mason. Meeting his eyes, she

    gently said, ˇ± Buddy, MommyˇŻs here. DonˇŻt be scared. Tell Mommy why you fought, okay?ˇ±

    After a long pause, Mason finally muttered, ˇ°He called me a bastardˇ­ said I didnˇŻt have a dadˇ­ˇ±

    NˇŻs eyes turned cold. She nodded. ˇ°Okay, Mommy understands.ˇ±

    She patted MasonˇŻs head softly, then stood and faced Regina. ˇ°You heard that. Your son insulted mine first. If anyone should apologize, itˇŻs your son.ˇ±

    Regina sneered, crossing her arms. ˇ°And what if your son didnˇŻt

    tell the truth? Maybe he insulted my boy first. Besides, even if my son said that, was he wrong?ˇ±

    N turned to the teacher. ˇ°Where did they fight? There should be security cameras at school, right?ˇ±

    The teacher looked troubled. ˇ°There are, but the cameras broke yesterday, and they wonˇŻt be fixed until tomorrow at the earliest.ˇ±

    At this, ReginaˇŻs expression shifted from nervous to smug.

    ˇ°No cameras, huh? Then itˇŻs just your word against mine. And letˇŻs not forget your son threw the first punch. My boyˇŻs all bruised up¨C

    IˇŻm not letting this slide!ˇ± she dered.

    The teacher gently tugged at ReginaˇŻs sleeve, signaling her to stop talking with a meaningful look.

    Did Regina not realize who she was dealing with? The man

    standing in front of her was the CEO of Prospectus Technology, who had recently donated an entire building to their school.

 Chapter 577

    The teacher didnˇŻt understand why the CEO of Prospectus Technology was iming to be MasonˇŻs father. However, she knew that if she

    allowed Regina to continue her tantrum, her own job might be in jeopardy.

    Regina remained oblivious to her silent warning. She red at the teacher and said coldly, ˇ°You

    donˇŻt need to say anything more. My son was beaten up so badly this time. I must make that little bas- Mason pay for it!ˇ±

    Damon smiled¨Canyone familiar with him would recognize this as a sign of his growing fury.

    ˇ°And what kind of price do you want my son to pay?ˇ± he asked.

    Regina mistook his question as a sign of fear and sneered. ˇ°He should get on his knees and apologize to my son, promise never toy a hand on him ag

    us for 15,000 dors in medical expenses!ˇ±

    Damon nodded. ˇ°Is that all? ShouldnˇŻt your son also get a full check¨Cup? There might be some internal injuries that arenˇŻt visible.ˇ±

    Regina was taken aback, clearly not expecting Damon to be so cooperative.

    She quickly regained her smugposure. ˇ°Of course! He should get a full check¨C

    up. That way, Mason will learn his lesson and wonˇŻt dare hit anyone again!ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± Damon replied, turning to Spencer. ˇ°Have someone take them to the hospital for the check¨Cup.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner,ˇ± Spencer replied.

    On the way to the hospital, Spencer gathered information about Kayden, who had fought with Mason.

    He handed a tablet to Damon as he reported, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, the boy who fought with Mr. Mason is Kayden Conway. His father, Noah Conway, is the sales

    Prospectus TechnologyˇŻs subsidiaries. HeˇŻspetent and even toasted you at thestpany banquet.ˇ±

    Noah Conway? Damon thought for a moment but had no recollection of him.

    ˇ°Tell him toe to the hospital too. If he canˇŻt manage his own family, how can he manage such an important department?ˇ± Damon said.

    Spencer took back the tablet, inwardly feeling a little sorry for Noah. If this situation wasnˇŻt handled properly, NoahˇŻs position as department manager mig

    At the hospital, Regina insisted on subjecting Kayden to every possible test, regardless of relevance.

    To an outsider, it seemed as though she was trying to secure a full physical exam.

    While the tests were conducted, she coached Kayden to say that everything hurt, attempting to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation.

    *

    The doctors were baffled by her antics. They could determine from the exams whether there was a real injury¨Cwords alone would not alter the results.

    When the tests returned, revealing nothing more than a few minor bruises ReginaˇŻs expression soured.

    She angrily grabbed the doctor and questioned, ˇ°What is this

    report? My son is clearly injured, and youˇŻre telling me itˇŻs not even ssified as minor? Are you in on this with N

    The doctor frowned. ˇ°MaˇŻam, please let go of me. We are a reputable our tests are very low.

    and her people?!ˇ±

    wal, and the chances of error in

    ˇ°We informed you from the beginning that these were superficial injuries that would heal in a

    few days. There was no way they could reach the level of a minor injury.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs impossible! You must have been paid off! I demand anoth

    Her loud outburst quickly drew a crowd. Noticing her audience, she convinced that things would go her way as long as she made

    With that thought, she dramatically threw herself to the floor.

    set of tests!ˇ± Regina yelled.

    grew even more emboldened, enough of a scene.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt live

    like this! My son was beaten up so badly, and now the hospital wonˇŻt even acknowledge his injuries! TheyˇŻre all in on it, taking dirty money from those wh

    the justice? WhereˇŻs the fairness in this world?!ˇ± she cried.

    Just as her wails filled the room, a voice thundered from behind the crowd, ˇ°Have you had enough of this

    nonsense?!ˇ±

 Chapter 578

    Regina looked up in shock as Noah pushed through the crowd, his face filled with anger.

    A wave of guilt shed in her eyes as he approached. She scrambled to her feet, flustered.

    ˇ°Honeyˇ­ why are you here?ˇ± she asked weakly.

    NoahˇŻs expression was dark, his voice tightly controlled to keep from shouting. ˇ°If

    I hadnˇŻte, who knows what kind of scene you would have caused? CanˇŻt you just stay home? Do you have

    toe out here and make a fool of yourself?ˇ±

    There was no hiding the disgust in his eyes as he looked at Regina, who had once been his employee.

    After a work dinner one nightˇ­

    Regina managed to get into NoahˇŻs bed but then disappeared the next day. He searched for her for a while but eventually gave up when she

    couldnˇŻt be found.

    To his surprise, she showed up at his door six monthster¨C

    pregnant, with a fetal sex determination report in hand. NoahˇŻs mother had always wanted a grandson and threatened to disown him if he didnˇŻt marry R

    Reluctantly, Noah agreed to the marriage. At first, Regina seemed caring and thoughtful, so he decided to try to make it work.

    Unfortunately, the honeymoon phase did notst long.

    Not long after their son was born, ReginaˇŻs true nature emerged. She became controlling, constantly checking NoahˇŻs phone. If she

    saw him talking to any woman for even a few minutes, she would pick a fight, sometimes even showing up at his office to create a scene.

    Noah was worn down, both at work and at home. Over time, he grew

    to loathe her. They had been sleeping in separate bedrooms for years, and he handed over most of his sry each month. All he hoped for

    was that she would just stay home and take care of their son.

    Despite this, Regina couldnˇŻt even do that. She had caused a scene at his workce just recently, and now here she was again, stirring up trouble at the

    Regina gritted

    her teeth, her temper rising. ˇ°Do you even know what happened? Our son got beaten up today! And all you do is me me! I gave you a son¨C

    how could you be so heartless, Noah?ˇ±

    Noah had no patience for her dramatics.

    ˇ°Talready talked to the kindergarten teacher on my way here. She said Kayden insulted Mason first. Mason

    was hurt too. YouˇŻreing with me, and the two of you are going to apologize to him!ˇ± he demanded.

    He tried to pull Kayden along, but Regina smacked his hand away and shouted, ˇ°Noah! IˇŻm telling you right now, thereˇŻs no way IˇŻm making my son apolo

    ˇ°If you try to force me, IˇŻll go online and tell everyone about what you did to me. LetˇŻs see how long you can hold

    onto your precious manager position after that!ˇ±

    Noah felt utterly exhausted as he looked at her.

    On the way to the hospital, he had already figured out that the child Kayden had insulted was the son of the headquarters CEO. His

    job was probably already in Jeopardy.

    He had hoped to resolve things by apologizing and resigning gracefully, but now it seemed that option was off the table.

    Upon seeing him fall silent, ReginaˇŻs eyes lit up with satisfaction. She knew how much his job meant to him¨Cevery

    time they argued, he would cave as soon as she threatened his position.

    After a long pause, Noah spoke slowly. ˇ°If thatˇŻs what you want, then go ahead. Tell everyone. donˇŻt need to keep living like this.ˇ±

    IˇŻm done. I

    ReginaˇŻs face went pale as she grabbed his arm. ˇ°What do you mean? Are you going to abandon us? Over something so small?!ˇ±

    Noah looked at her, feeling utterly drained.

    Regina had never understood what really mattered. For years, he had been juggling the heavy

    demands of his job and the chaos she created at home. Now, he was just

    TOO tired to keep it up anymore.

 Chapter 579

    ˇ°IˇŻll leave the house, the car, and all the savings to you and Kayden. I donˇŻt want anything,ˇ± Noah said.

    He then pushed past the stunned Regina and walked away.

    Watching him leave with such determination, Regina finally panicked. She quickly chased after him and blocked his path. ˇ°Honey, IˇŻm sorry! DonˇŻt leave

    Noah looked at her expressionlessly. ˇ°LetˇŻs get a divorce. IˇŻll prepare the papers, and youˇŻll just need to sign them.ˇ±

    ˇ°No!ˇ± Regina cried, her eyes brimming with tears.

    Confusion and disbelief clouded her gaze. She couldnˇŻt understand how a simple fight between their son and a ssmate had escted to this point.

    What she didnˇŻt realize was that this was just thest straw. Her previous tantrums and unreasonable behavior had led to

    this moment, but she thought it was just about this one incident.

    ˇ°I wonˇŻt divorce you! Noah, donˇŻt even think about leaving me and

    our son! I know youˇŻve been seeing that new female intern at thepany. She calls you after work

    under the guise of discussing work. DonˇŻt think IˇŻll let you have your way!ˇ± Regina shouted.

    ˇ°Think what you want. Either way, IˇŻm set on leaving this marriage,ˇ± Noah countered.

    After todayˇŻs events, he understood clearly that staying with Regina would only drag him down further, making him just like her.

    ˇ°If you dare to divorce me, IˇŻll take Kayden and jump out of the hospital window!ˇ± Regina threatened.

    Suddenly, she scooped up Kayden and dashed toward the end of the hallway.

    Noah was appalled and sprinted after her, but he was toote.

    Just as Regina pressed the struggling Kayden against the window, NoahˇŻs face turned pale.

    ˇ°Regina, are you insane?! Put our son down!ˇ± he shouted.

    Regina smirked at him, her eyes wild. ˇ°If you mention divorce again, IˇŻll drop Kayden out the window, and IˇŻll jump after him!ˇ±

    Noah stared at her, his anger boiling over as his chest heaved. This woman was out of her mind!

    Kayden, frightened by his motherˇŻs fierce demeanor, burst into tears.

    His cries drew the attention of Damon and others nearby.

    Seeing ReginaˇŻs frantic behavior, N quickly covered MasonˇŻs eyes and told Damon, ˇ°You handle this. IˇŻll take Buddy downstairs first.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs gaze flicked over her face as he replied quietly, ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    After N left with Mason, Damon turned to Noah. ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on here?ˇ±

    He had asked

    Noah toe to deal with the fight between Kayden and Mason, but it had escted to the point where Regina appeared ready to jump out a window in

    Noah hung his head in shame. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, IˇŻll take care of this. I promise to give you a satisfactory

    answer.ˇ±

    Damon frowned, his icy gaze sweeping over Regina and the still¨Csobbing Kayden, but he remained silent.

    Taking a deep breath, Noah looked at Regina, his expression now calm. ˇ°Just put our son down. I wonˇŻt mention divorce again.ˇ±

    Regina lit up, though she still hesitated.

    Noticing her uncertainty, Noah continued. ˇ°I promise I wonˇŻt bring it up again.ˇ±

    With that assurance, Regina finally set Kayden down.

    Pale with terror, Kayden immediately plopped down on the floor, having wet his pants.

    Noah turned to Damon, his face grim. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I apologize for this scene. I will take my son and wife to apologize properly another day.

    As for my position as sales manager, I fear I might not-ˇ±

 Chapter 580

    Before Noah could finish his sentence, Damon interrupted, ˇ°Mr. Conway, at Prospectus Technology, we value capability. As long as you handle this matte

    NoahˇŻs previously dim eyes lit up abruptly, and he quickly assured him, ˇ°DonˇŻt worry, Mr. Sumner. IˇŻll take this to heart and make sure it

    never happens again!ˇ±

    Damon nodded and turned to leave.

    Noah walked over to Kayden, pulling him up from the floor as he said coldly, ˇ°IˇŻll take you to apologize to Mason in a couple of days.ˇ±

    Regina, standing nearby, looked at him. ˇ°Honey-ˇ±

    Noah turned and struck her hard, causing her to fall to the floor.

    Covering her face in disbelief, she stared at him. ˇ°You actually hit me?ˇ±

    ˇ°If you want to die, do it yourself! DonˇŻt drag Kayden down with

    He then grabbed the trembling Kayden and left.

    Why Noah hissed.

    Regina clutched her face, fury filling her eyes, but she gritted her teeth and chased after them.

    Meanwhile, Damon stepped out of the hospital and saw N and Mason. His gaze softened as he walked toward them.

    N crouched down, applying medicine to MasonˇŻs wound. Although she was gentle, Mason winced in pain. Suddenly, his gaze shifted to something be

    Noticing his change in focus, she turned around, and her eyes fell on DamonˇŻs long legs, followed by his handsome face.

    ˇ°Mommy, DaddyˇŻs here!ˇ± Mason cheered.

    Upon hearing Mason instinctively call Damon ˇ°Daddyˇ°, NˇŻs grip on the cotton swab tightened.

    Although Mason didnˇŻt voice it, she knew he still wanted his father by his side.

    Shaking off her thoughts, she stood up and looked at Damon. ˇ°Thank you for today, Mr. Sumner.ˇ±

    Due to the coldness in NˇŻs eyes, DamonˇŻs gaze hardened as he replied, ˇ°Buddy is my son. ItˇŻs what I should do.ˇ±

    N managed a forced smile. ˇ°We wonˇŻt bother you with these things in the future, especially since youˇŻre quite busy.ˇ±

    Damon had no intention of arguing and simply said, ˇ°IˇŻll drive you home.ˇ±

    N wanted to refuse but relented when she caught MasonˇŻs hopeful nce.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± she answered.

    On the way back, N pondered whether it was unfair to prevent Mason from spending time with Damon. She snapped back to

    reality when Mason called her several times.

    ˇ°Mommy, are we home? What were you thinking about so deeply?ˇ± he asked.

    N smiled. ˇ°Nothing. LetˇŻs get out of the car.ˇ±

    She exited first. When she helped Mason out, she noticed Damon was

    already holding MasonˇŻs backpack. She pressed her lips together but said nothing as she took MasonˇŻs hand and walked toward their home.

    The elevator ride was silent, broken only by the sounds of the machinery.

    MasonˇŻs gaze flitted between Damon and N, though he seemed lost in thought.

    N, expressionless with her head down, didnˇŻt notice his little antics.

    When the elevator doors opened, she was about to lead Mason out when she froze at the sight of someone standing at the entrance.

    Oliver stood at the door, looking shocked and a bit hurt as he watched the scene unfold.

    Inside the elevator, N held Mason, while Damon carried MasonˇŻs backpack¨Clike a happy family of

    Even though Oliver knew N wouldnˇŻt be with Damon like that, the sight still stung his eyes.

    However, Oliver quickly adjusted his expression and walked toward N and Mason.

    As N stepped out of the elevator with Mason, she looked surprised to see him. ˇ°What brings you here today?ˇ±

    OliverˇŻs demeanor was warm. ˇ°I came to check on you and Buddy.ˇ±

    He then turned to Damon. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, thanks for sending N and Buddy back. Just hand me the backpack.ˇ±

    He reached for the backpack in DamonˇŻs hand, but the

    latter subtly moved it out of reach, his expression cool. ˇ°No need. Buddy is my child. ItˇŻs my responsibility.

    Oliver raised an eyebrow but didnˇŻt press the issue. When he

    pulled his hand back, he noticed the bruise on MasonˇŻs face. ˇ°What happened to Buddy?ˇ±

    N kept her exnation brief. ˇ°He got into a fight at school, but itˇŻs all been sorted out.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did it get so bad?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    *The other kid was hurt worse. LetˇŻs not stand out here. Come inside,ˇ± N said.

    She opened the door. As

    she turned to take the backpack from Damon, he suddenly spoke up. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, IˇŻd like to see BuddyˇŻs living environment, if thatˇŻs alright.ˇ±

    Given his request, N, despite her reluctance, felt she had no choice but to agree.

    Damon walked into the living room.

    NˇŻs current ce was a spacious t, with arge living room mostly filled with various childrenˇŻs

    toys The decor featured a cream color palette, making it feel warm and inviting.

    From the many unique decorations around the room, it was

    clear that someone who loved life lived there. Watching DamonˇŻs back, Oliver subconsciously narrowed his eyes.

    Once inside, N asked Mason to show Damon around while she pulled Oliver into the kitchen to make coffee together.

    ˇ°Oliver, I heard you resigned from the Raynor Group. IˇŻm really sorry for dragging you into this,ˇ± she said.

    N had sensed

    something was off from the moment she saw him at the door. He was smiling, but the corners of his eyes drooped, clearly indicating that he wasnˇŻt in

    a good mood.

    Oliver paused in his actions, and after a few moments of silence, he quietly replied, ˇ°N, itˇŻs not your fault.ˇ±

    The main reason for his departure from the Raynor Group wasnˇŻt just the failed investment¨Cit was that Hugh wanted him out.

    Oliver couldnˇŻt understand why he had made just one mistake and was being pushed out of thepany.

    Hearing him say that only made N feel guiltier.

 Chapter 581

    However, Oliver quickly adjusted his expression and walked toward N and Mason.

    As N stepped out of the elevator with Mason, she looked surprised to see him. ˇ°What brings you here today?ˇ±

    OliverˇŻs demeanor was warm. ˇ°I came to check on you and Buddy.ˇ±

    He then turned to Damon. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, thanks for sending N and Buddy back. Just hand me the backpack.ˇ±

    He reached for the backpack in DamonˇŻs hand, but thetter subtly moved it out of reach, his expression cool. ˇ°No need. Buddy

    is my child. ItˇŻs my responsibility.ˇ±

    Oliver raised an eyebrow but didnˇŻt press the issue. When he pulled his hand back, he noticed the bruise on MasonˇŻs face. ˇ°What happened to Buddy?ˇ±

    N kept her exnation brief. ˇ°He got into a fight at school, but itˇŻs all been sorted out.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did it get so bad?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    ˇ°The other kid was hurt worse. LetˇŻs not stand out here. Come inside,ˇ± N said.

    She opened the door. As she turned to take the backpack from Damon, he suddenly spoke up. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, IˇŻd like to see

    BuddyˇŻs living environment, if thatˇŻs alright.ˇ±

    Given his request, N, despite her reluctance, felt she had no choice but to agree.

    Damon walked into the living room.

    NˇŻs current ce was a spacious t, with arge living room mostly filled with

    various childrenˇŻs toys. The decor featured a cream color palette, making it feel warm and inviting.

    From the many unique decorations around the room, it was clear that someone who loved life lived there.

    Watching DamonˇŻs back, Oliver subconsciously narrowed his eyes.

    Once inside, N asked Mason to show Damon around while she pulled Oliver into the kitchen to make coffee together.

    ˇ°Oliver, I heard you resigned from the Raynor Group. IˇŻm really sorry for dragging you into this,ˇ± she said.

    N had sensed something

    was off from the moment she saw him at the door. He was smiling, but the corners of his eyes drooped, clearly indicating that he wasnˇŻt in a good mood.

    Oliver paused in his actions, and after a few moments of silence, he quietly replied, ˇ°N, itˇŻs not your fault.

    The main reason for his departure from the Raynor Group wasnˇŻt just the failed investment¨Cit was that Hugh wanted him out.

    Oliver couldnˇŻt understand why he had made just one mistake and was being pushed out of thepany.

    Hearing him say that only made N feel guiltier.

    In the living room, Damon watched the two of them standing close together, his eyes turning icy.

    N had previously mentioned wanting Oliver to be MasonˇŻs father, and it seemed she was seriously considering it now.

    Just as Damon was about to head to the kitchen, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± he asked.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I canˇŻt find any information about your past. I suggest you either return to Saintornia or go abroad to ask your nephew,ˇ± the person on the p

    ˇ°Got it,ˇ± Damon answered.

    After hanging up, he immediately instructed Luca to book a flight to Meristate and

    find out the exact address of Cyrus and his family, who had left the country shortly after he woke up.

    They hadnˇŻt returned in years, and while he hadnˇŻt thought much of it before, he now felt it was unusual given his memory issues.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, thereˇŻs a flight in two hours. YouˇŻll need to go to the airport now. Should I book ater one for you?ˇ± Luca asked.

    ˇ°No need. Just book the one in two hours. IˇŻll head to the airport right now,ˇ± Damon replied.

    He put away his phone and nced at the two in the kitchen, who were still leaning close and speaking softly.

    Clearing his throat, he said, ˇ°Ms.

    Kinsey, I have to take care of something, so IˇŻll leave now. If Buddy encounters any issues at schoolter, just call me directly.ˇ±

 Chapter 582

    N turned around and said indifferently, ˇ°Alright, I wonˇŻt see you out, Mr. Sumner.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs gaze darkened further as he sensed her dismissive attitude. He knew she wouldnˇŻt call him. Even if she didnˇŻt, it was fine¨Cthe principal

    would notify him.

    ˇ°Goodbye,ˇ± he replied.

    After Damon left, Oliver hesitated for a moment before asking how Damon had ended uping back with them that day.

    N couldnˇŻt help but raise an eyebrow. ˇ°YouˇŻve been holding that in for a while, havenˇŻt you?ˇ±

    Oliver exchanged a nce with her andughed. ˇ°IˇŻm just a bit curious.ˇ±

    N briefly recounted how Mason had gotten into a fight at school and how Damon had arrived not long

    after her.

    After hearing this, Oliver frowned. ˇ°N, with something that serious happening, why didnˇŻt you contact me?ˇ±

    N pressed her lips together and looked down. ˇ°I was too anxious at the time. It didnˇŻt ur to me.ˇ±

    Besides, she had just learned that Oliver had been forced to resign because of her and Mason. Even if she had

    remembered, she wouldnˇŻt have called him. She had already caused him enough trouble and didnˇŻt want to burden him again.

    ˇ°Well, just remember not to forget next time,ˇ± Oliver reminded her.

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± N replied.

    Looking at her serene profile, Oliver said softly, ˇ°DonˇŻt worry about me leaving the Raynor Group. I can

    handle it.ˇ±

    Leaving the Raynor

    Group was only temporary. He had other ns outside thepany. If he couldnˇŻt return, he would build his own business empire from scratch.

    N opened her mouth to reply, but OliverˇŻs phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing it was Hugh, he frowned but answered the call.

    ˇ°Dad, whatˇŻs up?ˇ± he asked.

    ˇ°You need toe back right now. I have something to discuss!ˇ± Hugh ordered.

    Just as Oliver was about to respond, he heard a busy signal.

    He looked at N with a helpless expression. ˇ°I wanted to have dinner with you and Buddy, but it looks ike I canˇŻt. My dad wants me back.ˇ±

    ˇ°There will be plenty of chances in the future. Take care of your matters first,ˇ± N assured him.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    After leaving NˇŻs home, Oliver drove straight back to his house.

    As soon as he stepped into the living room, Hugh threw a document at his

    feet. ˇ°Oliver, I didnˇŻt expect you to have this kind of capability! You think youˇŻre impressive?!ˇ±

    Looking at HughˇŻs furious face, Oliver felt confused as he picked up the document.

    When he saw that it was rted to the Keithstone GroupˇŻs resort project, he was taken aback. ˇ°The Keithstone Group wants to coborate with the Rayn

    Group?ˇ±

    Hugh scoffed. ˇ°What are you pretending

    to be confused about? The Keithstone Group said they would only sign the deal with the Raynor Group if you were the CEO. ThatˇŻs why you resigned so

    l knew you were waiting for this!ˇ±

    Oliver

    frowned. ˇ°What do you mean? I spoke to the Keithstone Group, but they said the Raynor Group wasnˇŻt on their list of potential partners. ThatˇŻs why I gav

    project. How could they-ˇ±

    ˇ°You know exactly whatˇŻs going on! If you want to return to the Raynor Group so much, fine, but Fred must be

    vice CEO!ˇ± Hughid down his terms.

    Oliver didnˇŻt understand why the Keithstone Group would make such a demand, but it didnˇŻt matter now. No matter how he exined, Hugh wouldnˇŻt bel

    He slowly raised his gaze to meet HughˇŻs and spoke deliberately. ˇ°Dad, I want to ask you why youˇŻre treating me like this. IˇŻve

    been the CEO of the Raynor Group for five years and thought I was doing a good job. Why, just

    because of one mistake, did you force me to resign? Does my hard work over these five years mean nothing to you?!ˇ±

 Chapter 583

    Hugh stiffened for a moment before his expression turned furious.

    ˇ°What weˇŻre discussing is how youˇŻll do anything to get back into the Raynor Group. I asked you to leave because youˇŻre jeopardizing thepanyˇŻs

    interests for a woman. I wonˇŻt tolerate that!ˇ± he barked.

    Oliver nodded, his gaze cold. ˇ°IsnˇŻt it because you want Fred to take my ce and use me as a stepping

    stone?ˇ±

    Hugh shot up from his seat. ˇ°What nonsense are you talking about?!ˇ±

    His face was flushed with rage, but Oliver noticed a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

    ˇ°Whether IˇŻm talking nonsense or not, we both know the truth. I just

    want to understand why youˇŻre paving the way for Fred at my expense,ˇ± Oliver said calmly.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough!ˇ± Hugh mmed his

    hand on the table, shouting, ˇ°I donˇŻt want to argue about this useless stuff! YouˇŻll get your position back, but IˇŻm very disappointed in you!ˇ±

    Meeting HughˇŻs enraged gaze, Oliver chuckled. ˇ°Dad, IˇŻve been disappointed in you too.ˇ±

    With that, he turned and left.

    Back in his room, Oliver immediately called Liam.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on with the Keithstone Group? DidnˇŻt they say the Raynor Group wasnˇŻt under

    consideration? Why are they suddenly interested in coborating, and why are they insisting that I must

    be the CEO for the contract to go through?ˇ± he asked.

    LiamˇŻs voice held the same confusion. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, IˇŻm not sure about the details yet, but IˇŻm investigating. IˇŻll get back to you as soon as I find out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Oliver replied.

    Less than an hourter, Liam called back with

    an update. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, IˇŻve looked into it. It seems Ms. Kinsey has a connection with the Keithstone GroupˇŻs CEO. She reached out to Ms. Keith, and th

    give the project to the Raynor Group.ˇ±

    Oliver tightened his grip on the phone. ˇ°Got it. Thanks.ˇ±

    After hanging up, he thought about calling N but decided it would be better to see her in person the next day to get the full story.

    Oliver smiled. Even if N hadnˇŻt helped him, he had other ways to return to the Raynor Group. Still, it felt nice to think she cared. At least now, N wo

    The next morning, N ran into Regina and Kayden while dropping Mason off at school.

    Regina, who had been so arrogant the day before, looked haggard. Her eyes were red and swollen, a clear sign she hadnˇŻt slept well.

    N had no intention of greeting her. After reminding Mason to call her on his watch if anything happened, she turned to leave..

    Just as she was about to go, she heard Regina call out, ˇ°Msˇ­ Ms. Kinsey, please wait a moment.ˇ±

    Surprised, N turned back.

    ˇ°Is there something you need?ˇ± she asked. ¨C

    Regina approached, her face full of guilt. ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, what happened yesterday was mine and KaydenˇŻs fault. After I got home, I thought

    it over and had a talk with Kayden. He wonˇŻt speak out of turn again, and I hope you can forgive us.ˇ±

    The night before, Noah had a huge argument with Regina. He had warned her that if the situation wasnˇŻt handled properly, he would definitely

    lose his job, and the whole

    family would suffer the consequences. When Regina learned Mason was DamonˇŻs son, she instantly regretted her actions.

    Damon was not someone they could afford to offend. If they angered him, it wouldnˇŻt just be about Noah losing his job¨C

    it could be a matter of life and death.

    Although Regina wasnˇŻt highly educated and had a fiery personality, she understood the gravity of her choices.

 Chapter 584

    N was surprised to see Regina apologizing.

    ˇ°Mrs. Conway, if youˇŻre truly sincere, you should have Kayden apologize to Mason, not me,ˇ± N remarked.

    Regina quickly replied, ˇ°Of course! When are you and Mr.

    Sumner free? WeˇŻd like to invite you to dinner so Kayden can apologize to Mason in front of us parents. That way, heˇŻll learn his lesson.ˇ±

    ˇ°No need for dinner. As long as Kayden apologizes to Mason, thatˇŻs enough,ˇ± N said.

    ˇ°Ms. Kinsey, are you still unwilling to forgive me?ˇ± Regina asked.

    Seeing ReginaˇŻs helplessness, N guessed she was worried about Damon holding a grudge against

    Noah at work.

    ˇ°Mrs. Conway, I donˇŻt have much contact with Mr. Sumner. If you really want to treat him to dinner, thatˇŻs fine. Just make sure Kayden

    apologizes, and I wonˇŻt say anything bad about your husband to Mr. Sumner,ˇ± N replied.

    Hearing this, Regina let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to respond, N turned and got into her car, driving away.

    Watching the car disappear, Regina frowned and hesitated before dialing NoahˇŻs number.

    ˇ°Hey, honey, N doesnˇŻt want to have dinner with us. She said as long as Kayden apologizes to her son, thatˇŻs enough,ˇ± she informed him.

    At a vi on the outskirts of Meristate, Damon parked his car and walked up to the door, ringing the bell.

    Soon, he heard footsteps approaching, and the door opened to reveal a scruffy¨Clooking man.

    DamonˇŻs brow furrowed involuntarily. ˇ°rk?ˇ±

    Behind the door, rk stood disheveled, with an unkempt beard and hair. His loose clothes hung off him as though he were homeless.

    Upon seeing Damon, hatred and anger flickered in rkˇŻs eyes. ˇ°Damon, what are you doing here?!ˇ±

    Damon felt a wave of displeasure. It had been years since theyst met, and rk hadnˇŻt even addressed him as ˇ°Uncleˇ°. How rude. But, remembering

    ˇ°I came to ask about my rtionship with N Kinsey,ˇ± he stated.

    ˇ°N Kinsey?ˇ± rkˇŻs beard twitched as he coldly replied. ˇ°Are you talking about N Jayston?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, she used to be called N Jayston. SheˇŻs your ex¨Cwifeˇ­ My memoryˇŻs a bit hazy, and I canˇŻt find any information about our past, so-ˇ± Damon

    began, but rk abruptly cut him off.

    ˇ°In the past? What do you mean? SheˇŻs not dead?!ˇ± rkˇŻs voice was sharp with disbelief.

    Damon was startled by the intensity in rkˇŻs eyes. ˇ°Yes, sheˇŻs alive and doing quite well. WhatˇŻs it to you?

    Not only was she doing well, but she had also secretly given birth to his child. If it werenˇŻt

    for this unexpected discovery, he wouldnˇŻt have even known he had a son.

    Suddenly, rk grabbed his arm, his eyes wide with shock. ˇ°Where is she now? SheˇŻs really not dead?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Damon replied with a frown, his gaze growing colder. ˇ°I came to ask you about my past with her, not for you to question me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hahaha! SheˇŻs not dead! SheˇŻs alive!ˇ± rk eximed as he released DamonˇŻs arm.

    Nearly dancing with excitement, he rushed upstairs andpletely ignored Damon, who was still standing at the door.

    DamonˇŻs expression darkened. Was rk losing his mind? And who wouldnˇŻt groom themselves at all?

    He pulled out his phone and contacted Luca, speaking coldly. ˇ°Notify rkˇŻs parents and tell them IˇŻm at the entrance of his vi.ˇ±

 Chapter 585

    Less than half an hourter, Cyrus arrived.

    Seeing Damon standing coldly at the entrance of the vi, he felt a bit awkward and greeted him, ˇ°Damon, why didnˇŻt you let me

    know you wereing? I could have sent someone to pick you up from the airport.ˇ±

    ˇ°I came to ask rk a few questions. WhatˇŻs been going on with him

    these past few years abroad? Why does he look like this now?ˇ± Damon asked.

    Just as Cyrus was about to respond, rk appeared, dragging a suitcase behind him. Without acknowledging

    either of them, he ced the suitcase in the trunk and tried to get into the car.

    Cyrus quickly stepped in front of him. ˇ°rk, where are you going?ˇ±

    ˇ°N is still alive. I need to go back and find her,ˇ± rk said.

    Cyrus was stunned. ˇ°What did you say? N is alive? ThatˇŻs impossible!ˇ±

    M

    Five years ago, N had fallen into the sea, and Damon had sent people to search for her

    for a month, but they had found nothing. How could she still be alive?

    *rk, have you forgotten to take your medication again? IˇŻll call a doctor to check on you,ˇ± Cyrus said.

    rkˇŻs eyes shed with disgust as he snapped, ˇ°IˇŻm not sick! Uncle Damon told me N is alive. He wouldnˇŻte all this way

    just to lie to me!ˇ±

    Besides, Damon hadnˇŻt regained his memory and didnˇŻt even know about the past. It was even more unlikely that he would deceive him.

    ˇ°Even if sheˇŻs alive, itˇŻs impossible between you two. DonˇŻt you remember what Grandpa said? If you

    go back to the country, heˇŻll cut off our familyˇŻs financial support immediately!ˇ± Cyrus reminded him.

    .

    After Damon had been hypnotized to forget N, Richard had been worried rk might slip up if they stayed in the country. He had

    sent them abroad and forbidden their return, providing them with 1.5 million dors a month for living expenses.

    In Meristate, rk had tried to return home several times, but each time he had been stopped by RichardˇŻs men.

    Over time, he stopped trying, and his spirit faded, turning him into who he was now¨C

    someone who drank all day and slept, unwilling to do anything else.

    rk halted in his tracks.

    After a long silence, he coldly stated, ˇ°That

    wonˇŻt happen. WeˇŻve been together for so many years. Once I return, IˇŻll properly apologize to her and keep pursuing her until she forgives me.ˇ±

    With that, he moved toward the car.

    Frustrated, Cyrus pped him hard and scolded, ˇ°rk, can you calm down for a second? How much longer do

    you want me and your mother to worry about you? If you dare to leave today, your mother and I will die right in front of you!ˇ±

    rk clenched his fists and turned to look at Damon, rage boiling in his eyes. ˇ°This is all your fault,

    Damon! I wouldnˇŻt be living like this¨Cunable to go home, without any purpose¨Cif it werenˇŻt for you!ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs expression remained cold. ˇ°Yourck of ambition has nothing to do with me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hah!ˇ± rk sneered and stepped closer, his eyes zing with years of resentment. ˇ°It has everything to do with you! Oh right, I forgot¨C

    you lost all your memories of N, so now you can pretend none of this concerns you.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs eyes widened as he snapped, ˇ°What do you mean? Speak clearly.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know everything, but why should I tell you? YouˇŻve ruined my life! YouˇŻve

    made it so my parents and I can never return to the country! Why should I share the truth with you? If you really want to

    know, go back and ask my grandfather¨Cyour beloved fa-ˇ±

    Before rk could finish the word ˇ°fatherˇ°, Cyrus struck him hard.

    ˇ°Shut up! Do you even realize what youˇŻre saying?ˇ± Cyrus berated.

 Chapter 586

    rkˇŻs head snapped to the side from the p, yet heughed aloud. ˇ°Dad, youˇŻre scared Grandpa will cut off your allowance if you upset him. But IˇŻm n

    DamonˇŻs gaze hardened, his voice ice¨Ccold as he addressed Cyrus, ˇ°What did rk mean?ˇ±

    Cyrus didnˇŻt have time for rkˇŻs outbursts. He turned to Damon, his expression tense. ˇ°Damon, I donˇŻt know anything. rk hasnˇŻt been right in the hea

    If Richard discovered they had leaked information about DamonˇŻs hypnosis, they would be in serious trouble¨C

    heˇŻd cut off their allowances, and that would be the end of them.

    DamonˇŻs face grew even colder. ˇ°Cyrus, I think I can determine for myself whether heˇŻs in his right mind.ˇ±

    Cyrus sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. ˇ°Damon, stop asking. I really donˇŻt know anything.ˇ±

    Damon sneered. ˇ°Fine. If you wonˇŻt tell me, IˇŻll ask Dad myself!ˇ±

    Without another word, Damon turned and walked away.

    As Damon strode off, rk tried to get into the car, but Cyrus called for someone to

    stop him. ˇ°rk, I canˇŻt let you go back to the country. ItˇŻs for your own good.ˇ±

    rk prepared to struggle, but with a quick signal from Cyrus, one of the men

    behind him struck rk at the base of his neck. He crumpled, unconscious, to the ground.

    Leaving the vi, Damon immediately instructed Luca to book a flight home. Since

    neither Cyrus nor rk would talk, he would have to confront Richard directly.

    N was on her way to theb when she received a call from Oliver, inviting her to lunch.

    She checked her schedule and decided to ept, seeing that none of her experiments were time-

    sensitive.

    At noon, she arrived at the restaurant right on time. As she sat down across from Oliver, he handed her

    the menu.

    ˇ°Take a look and see what youˇŻd like,ˇ± he said.

    With a smile, N epted the menu and asked, ˇ°Why did you suddenly want to have lunch with me today?ˇ±

    Knowing she had experiments to conduct, Oliver typically scheduled their meals for dinner.

    ˇ°I have something urgent to ask you,ˇ± he replied.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± N asked. When she looked up and met his serious gaze, she momentarily froze.

    ˇ°ThereˇŻs a resort project with the Keithstone Group that the Raynor Group originally didnˇŻt qualify for. But yesterday, Ms. KeithˇŻs secretary contacted us, s

    on the condition that I return as the CEO of the Raynor Group,ˇ± Oliver exined.

    N raised an eyebrow. ˇ°So youˇŻre back at the Raynor Group now?ˇ±

    Oliver nodded. ˇ°Yes, thanks to you. But Ms. Keith wouldnˇŻt agree so easily on such a major project. Did you strike some sort of deal with her?ˇ±

    N noticed the worry in his eyes, which warmed her heart.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt need to worry. ThereˇŻs no deal involved. At an event some time ago, Ms. Keith fainted from low blood sugar, and I helped her. She said I could

    a condition,ˇ± she replied.

    Oliver frowned u

 Chapter 587

    Oliver paused, his gaze falling on NˇŻs hand resting on his. Her skin was fair, her fingers delicate, resembling fine porcin. It was hard for him to

    look away.

    ˇ°N, thank you,ˇ± he said softly.

    N raised an eyebrow. ˇ°YouˇŻre thanking me while telling me not to say thank you? ThatˇŻs pretty polite of you.ˇ±

    Oliver chuckled. ˇ°Alright, IˇŻll try to avoid saying it in the future, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs more like it,ˇ± N teased.

    After they finished their meal, Oliver dropped N off at theb before heading back to the Raynor Group.

    As soon as he walked into his office, he noticed Fred sitting on the couch.

    ˇ°Mr. Burridge, are you looking for me?ˇ± Oliver asked.

    Fred red at him, his voiceced with resentment. ˇ°Oliver, even if youˇŻve regained this position, you wonˇŻt be able to keep it for long!ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt need to worry about that, Mr. Burridge. Just focus on your own work,ˇ± Oliver replied calmly.

    Fred snorted, stood up, and brushed past Oliver as he walked toward the door, deliberately bumping

    shoulders with him.

    Oliver remained unfazed and took a seat at his desk, ready to start working.

    A short whileter, Liam knocked and entered. ˇ°Mr. Raynor, here are the documents for the coboration with the Keithstone Group. Please review them

    Oliver nodded. ˇ°Okay, just leave them on my desk. And could you look into

    any connections between Fred and my father? I want to know if theyˇŻve had any dealings behind the scenes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Liam replied.

    Late that night, Damon entered the Sumner residence, his expression somber.

    Richard, seated in the living room, showed no surprise at his arrival.

    ˇ°Back already?ˇ± he asked.

    Damon took a seat across from his father, his expression nk. ˇ°Dad, since youˇŻre here waiting for me, you must know why I came today.ˇ±

    Richard nodded. ˇ°I know, but I donˇŻt intend to tell you.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs face darkened significantly. ˇ°I just want to recover my memories. What gives you the right not to tell me?ˇ±

    RichardˇŻs demeanor remained indifferent. ˇ°IˇŻm doing this for your own good. That woman is cunning. The

    fact that she secretly had your child shows her true nature. I donˇŻt want you to be entangled with her any longer.ˇ±

    ˇ°You even found out about my child with her. You really have your ears everywhere,ˇ± Damon said, his voice mocking and devoid of warmth.

    Richard did not take offense at his tone and replied seriously, ˇ°Although I donˇŻt like that woman, the child is still a member of the Sumners.

    ˇ°IˇŻve already sent someone to bring the child back and raise him in Saintornia. As for that woman, IˇŻll give her a sum of money to sever her ties with the c

    As his words hung in the air, the living room plunged into a suffocating silence.

    Damon scowled. ˇ°You have no right to do this. This is between me and her. IˇŻll handle it myself. ItˇŻs not up to you to interfere.ˇ±

    Richard mmed his cup down, shattering it into pieces as coffee spilled everywhere.

    ˇ°Not up to

    me to interfere? If I donˇŻt, youˇŻll just get tangled up with that woman again. SheˇŻll ruin you!ˇ± he yelled, his aging face twisted with anger and the muscles a

    Damon remained unfazed, meeting RichardˇŻs gaze directly. ˇ°You say sheˇŻll ruin me. Then tell me, how exactly will she do that?ˇ±

    Richard sneered. ˇ°As rkˇŻs wife, your niece¨Cin¨C

    law, she seduced you and tarnished your reputation, making you a target for everyone. IsnˇŻt that ruining you?

    ˇ°Do you know what people were saying about the Sumners five years ago? They said I raised a son who was involved with his niece¨Cinw! An

    uncle who made his nephew a cuckold!ˇ±

 Chapter 588

    Mentioning this made Richard''s chest rise and fall with anger. He cursed in his heart, wondering why N hadn''t died back then.

    ˇ°Is that really all it takes?" Damon asked.

    "Yes! For the Sumners, reputation is more important than anything!" Richard snapped.

    Damon took a deep breath, trying to suppress the emotions threatening to

    boil over. "What exactly did you do to me five years ago? Why don''t I have any memories rted to her?"

    Richard

    maintained a straight face. "You don''t need to worry about that. You''ll never remember that woman, and I won''t allow you to remain entangled with her.

    "Remember, you''re engaged now. If you get involved with her again, she won''t be able to handle the consequences!"

    "And what if I want to be involved with her?" Damon pressed.

    He didn''t have any feelings for N. In fact, he felt a bit of repulsion. However, he was even less willing to let others dictate his life.

    Whether he ended up hating N or falling in love with her again after regaining his memories was his own

    business. It was not for anyone else to decide.

    "Then you can try and see if she''s as lucky this time as she was five years ago!" Richard growled.

    Upon detecting the threat in Richard''s tone, Damon''s eyes turned icy.

    "Dad, you may not be willing to talk, but I''ll find a way to make everyone around you speak. I want to see whether their lives or their loyalty to you is m in return.

    Richard fumed, his finger trembling as he pointed at Damon. "Damon, you''ve gone too far!"

    Damon smirked. "You''re my father. Don''t you know my personality by now? No one is going to dictate my life-not even you!"

    With that, Damon turned to the bodyguards behind

    him and coldly said, "My father''s health isn''t good. He should stay in the estate and try not to go out."

    "Damon, what do you mean by that?! Are you trying to imprison me in the estate?!" Rich¨˘rd questioned.

    Damon turned back to look at the

    furious Richard. "How could that be?

    I''m just worried about your health. Of course, you could tell me the

    truth right now, and then I''d have

    everyone in the estate level"

    Seeing Richard fall silent, Damon turned and walked away. After all, whether Richard spoke or not, knowing the truth was just a matter of time.

    After Damon left, Richard immediately called Cyrus, instructing him to return from abroad at once.

    In Capitarnia, N had just finished bathing Mason and was getting ready for bed when she heard some noise at the door.

    Her heart sank, and she hurriedly sent Mason to lock the door to his room.

    She slowly approached the door,

    e

    nning to see what was going on.

    Just a few steps from the door she af

    heard a "click" as it was pulled open.

    N instantly turned pale and quickly ran toward the living room, where her phoney on the sofa.

    However, just a few stepster, a wet towel covered her nose. A pungent smell hit her, and she quickly lost consciousness.

    "N! N! Wake up!"

    N jolted awake from a shaking sensation.

    She opened her eyes to see Oliver looking at her with concern. She sat up abruptly, remembering what had happened before she fainted, and quickly asked, "Where''s Buddy?!"

    Oliver''s expression was grim. "N, the door was open when I arrived, and I found you unconscious in the living room. Buddy... is missing..."

 Chapter 589

    ?

    "What?" N eximed.

    She pushed Oliver away, scrambled to her feet, and rushed toward Mason''s room.

    The door stood open, revealing aplete mess inside.

    N widened her eyes as she quickly searched for any sign

    of Mason but found nothing. A wave of panic washed over her, and she began to tremble uncontrobly.

    As she turned to run out the door, Oliver quickly grabbed her arm. "N, calm down. I''ve already called the

    police and sent my team to look for Buddy. Trust me, we''ll find him soon. You don''t even know where to start looking for him.....ˇ±

    N shook off his hand and continued toward the door, her face devoid of emotion.

    Oliver blocked her path, his voice firm for the first time. "N, I can''t let you leave. If Buddy is still missing and you run into trouble, I will never forgive N red at him coldly. "Let me through!"

    "No! Capitarnia is enormous. Where are you going to look for Buddy? You need to calm down," Oliver coaxed.

    "I am calm! I don''t want to stay here. If I just do nothing, it will only make my suffering worse," N pleaded.

    Thinking of Mason being taken away and in danger, she felt as if her heart were being ripped apart, the pain making it hard to breathe.

    Oliver grasped her shoulders, speaking in a serious tone. "I know you''re hurting right now, but the more upset you are, the more

    you need to force yourself to stay calm. Think carefully: Did you see what those intruders looked like?"

    N forced herself to recall

    the scene but quickly shook her head. "I don''t remember. When I saw the door open, I turned to run to the living room. I only got a few steps before I w

    Oliver nodded and shared his theory. "While you were unconscious, the police came. Nothing was stolen from the house, and

    aside from being knocked out, you weren''t harmed. This rules out revenge or burry as motives.

    <

    "They only took Buddy, which means that was their main goal. The person who most wants to take Buddy away from you is Damon, so..."

    N''s head snapped up. "Are you saying those people were sent by Damon?"

    "I just think it''s a possibility. If Damon''s people are the ones who took him, at least we won''t have to worry about Buddy''s safety. He is Buddy''s biological father and won''t harm him," Oliver analyzed

    As soon as he finished speaking, N gritted her teeth. ˇ°It has to be him!"

    She pushed past Oliver and hurried to the living room to grab her phone, dialing Damon''s number.

    The phone rang a few times before he answered. "What''s going on?"

    Every word N spoke came

    through clenched teeth. "Dam

    where did you take Buddy? Give him back to me right now! Otherwise, I won''t let you off!"

    There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before he replied coldly, "I don''t understand what you''re saying."

    N scoffed. "Are you really pretending not to understand? Using such despicable tactics to take Buddy away from me-you''re not a man at all!"

    "N, I told you, I have nothing to do with Buddy''s situation," Damon replied.

    "Nothing to do with it? If you really

    had nothing to do with it, then why weren''t you worried when you heard

    uddy was missing? Why didn''t you

    Buddy w

    even ask how he went missing?" N demanded.

    The line fell silent again.

    After several seconds, Damon''s voice came through. "I really didn''t have anything to do with it, but you can rest assured he''s safe."

    "You finally admitted it! If it really wasn''t you, how do you know he''s safe right now?!" N questioned.

 Chapter 590

    ?

    T

    "You just need to know that he''s safe. You don''t need to ask anything else," Damon said before hanging up.

    When N called again, he refused to answer. She fumed, nearly losing her mind.

    Oliver grabbed her arm, worried she would act impulsively. "N, calm down. At least we know Buddy is safe. I''ll find out where Damon is hiding him,

    With Oliver''s gentle reassurance, N finally began to calm down.

    ˇ°Okay, I understand. Thank you for your help, Oliver,ˇ± she said.

    "What''s going on with you and Buddy is my business too. You''ve been through a lot. Sit down and rest for a bit," Oliver advised.

    "Alright," N replied.

    Oliver guided N to the couch, relieved to see her calmer than before. He immediately called his subordinates to find out Damon''s whereabouts.

    N took a deep breath to suppress her impulse to find Damon and looked up at Oliver. "It''s gettingte. You should head home now."

    ˇ°It''s fine. I''ll stay with you a little longer," Oliver said.

    The living room fell into silence.

    Oliver wanted to say somethingforting, but he knew that unless they found Mason soon, any reassurance would be meaningless. Over an hourter, Oliver''s phone rang.

    N''s gaze snapped to his phone, her eyes filled with anticipation.

    Oliver answered the call, and his subordinate''s serious voice came through. "Mr. Raynor, we''ve tracked Damon to Saintornia but haven''t located Buddy yet."

    "I understand. Keep looking," Oliver instructed.

    After hanging up, he hesitated before looking at N.

    12

    N bit her lip. "I heard everything, Oliver... I''m nning to go to Saintornia."

    Over the years, N had never

    mentioned Saintornia. Wheneveret

    conferences or business trips to that arose, she always declined to attend.

    Oliver knew she had been avoiding that ce since the incident five years ago.

    As time passed, the memory had be an old scar that she could forget most days, but it still throbbed painfully when touched.

    Oliver looked at her, his expression serious. ˇ°Are you sure? Once you go to Saintornia, your peaceful life

    will be disrupted."

    N forced a smile. "The moment Damon learned about Buddy, my life was already thrown into chaos."

    She had been running away five years ago, but now she was ready to face everything head-on.

    Seeing the determination in her eyes, Oliver nodded. "Alright, I''ll go with you."

    "No, I can handle it myself," N insisted.

    Oliver frowned. "N, you..."

    N fixed him with a steady gaze and replied firmly, "Oliver, trust me. If I really can''t handle it, I''ll contact you immediately."

    Oliver had just returned to the

    Raynor Group, and she didn''t want

    him to be affected by her and Mason''s situation. She understood better than anyone the effort he had put in over the past few years and how much he wanted to gain Hugh''s approval.

    Reluctantly, Oliver nodded. "If anything happens, you have to call me right away."

    "Okay," N promised.

    After booking her a morning flight to Saintornia, Oliver intended to drive her to the airport but was met with her refusal.

    "You have work at eight. I''ll just take a taxi," she said.

    "Then, I''ll send my driver with you. Don''t refuse me again, or I''ll

    osm Balmort myself," Oliver want

    to

    giving her an ultimatum.

 Chapter 591

    N nced at Oliver with a mix of resignation and nodded. ˇ°Alright, you should head back now. You can still get a few hours of sleep before dawn." "Okay, stay safe. Call me if anythinges up," Oliver said.

    After seeing him off, N pulled out her suitcase and began packing. In less than half an hour, she was ready to leave.

    The trip from Capitarnia to Saintornia would take over three hours.

    N hadn''t slept all night and felt utterly exhausted, yet sleep refused toe. If it were up to her, she would never set foot in Saintornia again. But for Mason, she had to go back.

    Cyrus had just reached the entrance of the Sumner residence when Damon''s men blocked his path.

    "What''s the meaning of this? Am I not even allowed into my own home?" Cyrus demanded.

    A cold voice echoed from the group. "Of course you are, Cyrus. Wee back."

    At the sight of Damon, Cyrus'' expression darkened, his fists clenching at his sides.

    "Damon, I heard you''ve locked up Dad. Have you lost your mind?" Cyrus eximed.

    Damon smirked, unfazed by Cyrus'' re. "What are you talking

    about? I''m just concerned for Dad. He''s getting old and doesn''t need to be burdened with my problems. I thought it''d be best

    for him to rest at home for a while. How does that sound like locking him up?"

    Cyrus ground his teeth, his voice cold. "I don''t want your excuses. I want to see him."

    "Fine,ˇ± Damon replied, gesturing to the bodyguards to move aside.

    Cyrus scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I wonder if Dad regrets handing

    the Sumner Group over to you, considering the disaster you''ve made of it."

    Years ago, Richard had sent the family abroad because of Damon, keeping them from returning. Cyrus still harbored resentment, but he also knew his to run the Sumner Group, even if epting that truth stung.

    "I wouldn''t know, but you can always ask him," Damon replied.

    Cyrus'' eyes turned cold as he walked straight into the residence without another word.

    When he reached the door to Richard''s room, he noticed two bodyguards stationed on either side. He frowned in anger.

    What Damon was doing was no different from imprisoning him!

    I want to see my father," Cyrus demanded.

    "Mr. Richard just took his medicine. You can go in directly, Mr. Cyrus," one of the bodyguards informed

    him.

    Cyrus froze. "What medicine?!"

    "It''s a supplement he takes every day," the bodyguard exined.

    Cyrus finally breathed a sigh of relief. If Damon had given their father anything strange, he wouldn''t let him off easily.

    He pushed open the door to find

    met

    Richard looking far older than he had five years ago. His hair had turnedpletely white, and Cyrus'' eyes welled with emotion,

    Over the years, he had wanted to return to see Richard many times, but he had always been turned away.

    Although Cyrus harbored resentment toward his father, his longing to see him was stronger.

    As time passed, perhaps with age,

    he had started reflecting on himself. He realized he had been neither a good son, nor a good father, and certainly not a good husband.

    He had let too many people down.

    Swne

    "Dad!" Cyrus knelt before Richard, his eyes brimming with tears.

    Richard''s expression softened, and he gently patted Cyrus'' shoulder.

    He hadn''t allowed Cyrus to return to the country all these years, but no matter what, Cyrus was still his son.

    How could he not move

    d he not miss him

    "As long as you''re back, that''s enough... Where are rk and Cindy?" Richard asked.

    "I came back in a hurry. They''ll return in a few days," Cyrus replied.

    Richard nodded. "I see. You know why I called you back."

 Chapter 592

    ?

    "Yes, Dad... I know Damon is your favorite son, but what he''s done this time is just too much. Are you really going to keep putting up with him?" Cyrus asked.

    Richard fell silent for a moment before sighing. "I know. The reason I called you back is because of this. Once he regains

    his memories, he''ll probably end up turning against all of us."

    Cyrus hesitated and lowered his voice. "Dad, the doctor who performed Damon''s hypnosis died in an ident

    three months ago. So, Damon might not be able to regain his memories."

    "Whether he can or not is no longer important. After this incident, I''ve realized it''s better to hand thepany over to someone obedient rather than a disobedient son," Richard concluded.

    Cyrus'' eyes lit up, and he clenched his fists in excitement. Could it be...

    "Dad, are you saying..." Cyrus trailed off.

    "I still have 20% of the shares in the Sumner Group, and I n to transfer them all to rk," Richard said.

    Disappointment flickered in Cyrus'' eyes. He had hoped Richard would give the shares to him.

    But then he reconsidered. If rk became the CEO of the Sumner

    Group, he could still benefit from the profits. Why bother working when he could just enjoy the money without the effort?

    "Dad, is this really true?" Cyrus asked, seeking confirmation.

    Richard nodded. "Yes. Once rk returns, I''ll transfer the shares to him."

    "But Damon..." Cyrus suggested.

    Richard snorted. "Since he refuses to listen to me, there''s no reason for me to leave thepany to him!"

    It was clear that Richard was genuinely disappointed in Damon. This was for the best, Cyrus thought. Damon had never valued the Sumner Group anyway. It was better to leave it to rk.

    "Dad, what''s most important now is to get Damon''s people out of here. We can deal with the restter," Cyrus added.

    A cold glint shed in Richard''s eyes. "Don''t worry. He''ll make sure those people leave soon enough."

    Cyrus was taken aback, about to ask what he meant, but Richard waved him off. "You just got back. Go

    rest for now."

    ˇ°Okay. If anythinges up, just call me," Cyrus replied as a reminder.

    As he stepped out of Richard''s room, he ran into Damon.

    "What did Dad say to you?" Damon asked.

    Cyrus shot him a cold look. "If you want to know, go ask him yourself."

    Damon smirked, his eyes glinting with a hint of mockery. "Cyrus, I heard you had something to do with my amnesia five years ago. Is that true?"

    His gaze was sharp as if he could see right through Cyrus,

    Cyrus instinctively looked away. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    Cyrus'' heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat trickled down his back. He knew Damon''s character all too well and sensed the threat in his tone.

    If anything went wrong during the re-hypnosis, it wouldn''t be his fault.

    With that thought, a chilling glint shed in Cyrus'' eyes.

    "Damon, I really don''t know anything," he said.

    Damon smirked, brushing past him as he entered Richard''s room without hesitation..

    "What are you doing here?!" Richard barked, ring at Damon, his expression filled with disappointment.

    He had spent years grooming Damon, only for him to turn against him over a woman. The betrayal was enough to drive him mad! Damon''s face remained impassive. "Where are you hiding Buddy?"

 Chapter 593

    ?

    Richard looked up at Damon, displeased. "Is this how you talk to your father?"

    Damon''s expression was tense, his eyes devoid of warmth. "My attitude toward you depends on your actions."

    Richard scoffed. "Good! Very well! I really raised a fine son!"

    "I''ll ask you again. Where is Buddy right now?" Damon repeated.

    "If you want to know, go look for him yourself," Richard replied.

    Damon narrowed his eyes, speaking each word slowly. "Dad, you should know my patience is limited."

    "Are you threatening me? What do you think you have to threaten me with?" Richard snapped.

    "Not much. Just something in my possession that could destroy the Sumner Group," Damon said calmly. Richard''s expression shifted dramatically as Damon raised an eyebrow. "Donald Dunlop from the board-he''s your man, right?"

    Over the years, despite Richard''s official retreat from thepany, he had maintained several spies within the Sumner Group.

    Damon had identified them but hadn''t bothered to remove them, as there had been no direct conflict with his father. Still, he was well aware of their co Richard''s face paled. Donald was one of his most deeply embedded people in thepany. It shocked him that Damon knew about Donald, let alone "Damon, I didn''t think you were keeping tabs on me!" Richard eximed.

    "If you hadn''t sent people to take Buddy or deceived me, I would''ve pretended not to know," Damon replied coldly.

    Richard gritted his teeth. "What do you understand?! I did it to protect you! Do you expect me to just sit back and watch you die? You were willing to th back then. If I hadn''t found a way to make you forget her, do you think you''d still be here today?"

    Damon was taken aback. Was he really willing to risk his life for N? How could that be?

    "All I want to know is where Buddy is," he said.

    Richard took a deep breath, his voice lowering. "I can tell you, but only if you remove the people you''ve ced in the estate."

    Damon considered for a moment, then nodded. "Fine."

    Richard provided an address, and Damon immediately turned to leave.

    Just as he reached the door, Richard''s weary voice echoed behind him. "When you pick up that child, bring him back here. He''s my grandson. I want to see whathe looks like."

    Damon paused briefly but didn''t respond. He simply opened the door and walked out.

    Less than two hourster, Damon picked up Mason.

    Upon seeing Damon, Mason''s face twisted with anger.

    "You bad guy! Why did you bring me here? Take me back to my momb hate you! I don''t want to be with

    you!" Mason growled, his small fists clenched tightly, ready to strike.

    Damon frowned and instructed one of his men, "Take him back to the vi and keep an eye on him. Don''t let him escape."

    "I don''t want to go to any vi! I want to be with my mom! I want my mom!" Mason yelled.

    Before he could finish, someone picked him up and carried him toward the waiting car.

    Mason struggled fiercely, but his strength was no match for an adult. He was soon shoved into the car and driven away.

    Luca stepped forward. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey is looking for Mr. Mason. Should we take him to-"

    Before he could finish, Damon cut him off coldly, "No. It''s not safe for Buddy to be around her right now.

    We''ll deal with that after this get

    situation is resolved."

    Since Mason had been taken directly from

    N by Richard''s men, it was clear she couldn''t protect him. Damon wouldn''t let Mason remain in danger any longer.

 Chapter 594

    ?

    "What should I do next?" Luca inquired.

    "Head back to the office," Damon ordered.

    As soon as Damon arrived at the office, he instructed Luca to notify the shareholders and department managers to convene a meeting.

    After learning that all his projects had slowed down during his time in Capitarnia, Damon was furious.

    Everyone in the room trembled in fear, too scared to speak up.

    Damon mmed the documents on the table and spoke without expression. "I''m giving you one week to get everything back on track. No mistakes. O

    The conference room, filled with dozens of people, fell into a tense silence. Not even a breath could be heard, as no

    one dared to attract Damon''s attention.

    Suddenly, a phone rang.

    Damon frowned and nced at his phone. After a moment of hesitation, he answered.

    "Is there something you need?" he asked.

    "Damon, I''m in Saintornia now. Where is Buddy?" N asked.

    Damon raised an eyebrow, surprised that she hade to Saintornia.

    **

    "I already told you, he''s in a very safe ce. As for where that is, I can''t disclose it," he replied.

    "Buddy needs me. He''s only five years old! Suddenly being taken away from everything familiar and everyone he knows will scare him. Is it really necessary to be so despicable just to grab custody?!" N

    demanded.

    Damon couldn''t help butugh in anger. She had let someone take her child away while she was supposed to be caring for him, and now she had the nerve to question him?

    "It''s normal for him to feel unfamiliar. He''ll get used to it over time. It''s definitely better than staying with you. You can''t even protect your own child. Sh "You''re the one who used despicable means toe to my home and take Buddy away. What right do you have to criticize me? You should be the on

    "Say whatever you want. I''m not letting you see Buddy again," Damon said, hanging up.

    As he set his phone down, the

    people who had been cautiously ncing at him quickly averted their eyes, fearing he would catch them staring.

    Damon nced around the room and said icily, "Remember what I said. Meeting adjourned!"

    Back in his office, Damon loosened his tie and began working. He continuedte into the night until a call

    from the vi interrupted him.

    "Mr. Sumner, it''s bad! Mr. Mason

    wouldn''t eat dinner and tried to sneak out through a window on the second floor. He fell and is on his way to the hospital now," the maid reported.

    Damon''s face darkened. "You can''t even keep an eye on a child? Useless!"

    He immediately called for Luca, speaking coldly. "Have the driver bring the car around. I need to go to the hospital."

    With that, he strode toward the elevator.

    Luca followed, already on the phone with the driver as he hurried to catch up. After finishing the call, he turned to Damon, noting his grim

    nov

    expression.

    "Mr. Sumner, why the sudden trip to the hospital?" Luca asked.

    ˇ°Buddy tried to escape and fell from the second floor,ˇ± Damon replied, his expression severe.

    Luca was shocked. Mason was only five years old, and a fall from that height could result in serious injuries. "How badly is he hurt?" Luca asked.

    "I don''t know," Damon said, his frustration mounting.

    He added coldly, "Get rid of everyone at the vi. They''re useless!"

    "Understood!" Luca responded.

    The elevator quickly reached the ground floor, and Damon headed straight for the exit.

    Just as he stepped out of Prospectus Technology, a figure suddenly darted in front of him, blocking his path. Seeing it was N, he frowned in irritation. He turned to Luca and demanded angrily, "How did she get here?!"

 Chapter 595

    ?

    Luca shook his head. "I don''t know either."

    N grabbed Damon, her voice cold. "Where is Buddy?"

    Damon, clearly annoyed, shrugged off her hand. "I told you, he''s in a very safe ce."

    "I don''t believe you! Not unless you let me see him!" N eximed.

    Damon''s patience finally wore thin. He turned to Luca. You handle this."

    With that, he got into the car and drove off.

    N tried to follow, but Luca stopped her. "Ms. Kinsey, even if you catch up, if Mr. Sumner doesn''t want you to see Buddy, you won''t be able to. But I a

    "No need to worry?" N shot him a cold look. "If your child were suddenly taken from home, wouldn''t you be worried? Mr. Fleming, do

    you honestly think Mr. Sumner''s actions are justified?"

    Luca hesitated, at a loss for words. "Ms. Kinsey, I''m just his secretary. I can only follow Mr. Sumner''s

    orders."

    "Fine, I won''t make it difficult for you. I''ll just wait here until he lets me see Buddy," N replied.

    Luca sighed. ˇ°Do as you wish. But Mr. Sumner won''t change his mind

    for anyone. Even if you wait here for a long time, he won''t agree to let you see the child."

    Soon, Damon arrived at the hospital.

    Mason''s injuries had already been treated, and he had been moved to a private room.

    Upon seeing Mason''s arm in a cast and the scrapes on his face, Damon''s expression darkened.

    The maid noticed him and quickly stood up. "Mr. Sumner."

    Damon replied indifferently, "You can go back."

    "Yes, sir," the maid answered before leaving.

    The room fell silent.

    Mason turned his head away, refusing to look at Damon.

    "Do you really think that by refusing to eat or trying to jump out of the window, I''ll let you go back to your mother?" Damon asked.

    Mason didn''t respond, staring nkly out the window, his profile almost identical to Damon''s.

    "Are you sure you don''t want to eat?" Damon asked again.

    Mason nced back at him. "None. Your business! I''d rather s

    t your food! You''re

    kidnapper!" Content beloret

    Sw

    Seeing the anger on Mason''s face, Damon remained calm. He called Luca to have some food delivered

    to the hospital.

    "Even if you buy it, I still won''t eat!" Mason insisted.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "Who said it''s for you? I''m hungry too after working all day."

    Mason, momentarily taken aback, turned his back on Damon, clearly upset.

    Within half an hour, Luca entered the hospital room, carrying several bags of food.

    "Mr. Sumner, I got everything you asked for," he said.

    Damon nodded. "Good, hand them over."

    As he opened the bags, the aroma of food filled the room.

    Mason, having not eaten all day, couldn''t help but swallow hard at the smell.

    Damon took a bite of a fried chicken drumstick and eximed through a mouthful of food, "This is delicious!"

    Mason turned to re at him. "Can you eat somewhere else? You''re bothering me!"

    "Nope," Damon replied curtly.

    Mason fell silent, his gaze flicking briefly to the drumstick in Damon''s hand before he quickly looked away. He needed to hold out. He wanted to see his mother more than hewanted the fried chicken.

    Damon continued eating, working his way through various dishes, while Mason managed to resist looking back, which surprised

    Damon, He hadn''t expected a\

    swnvel

    5-year-old to have such willpower.

    Picking up thest drumstick, Damon waved it deliberately in front of Mason. "Are you sure you don''t want any?"

 Chapter 596

    ?

    "I said I''m not eating!" Mason dered, turning his head stubbornly away from the tempting food in front

    of him.

    "Even if you starve yourself, I still won''t let you see your mother. Are you sure you want to put yourself through this?" Damon asked.

    "It''s none of your business!" Mason shouted back.

    "Alright. I''m curious to see how long you can keep this up," Damon replied calmly.

    For the next few days, Mason continued to refuse food. His once-

    chubby cheeks quickly thinned, and his face grew pale. Even when Damon tried to force food into him, Mason would spit it out, determined not

    to eat.

    As Mason''s condition worsened day by day, the doctor called Damon to the hospital.

    "Mr. Summer, Mason already has a fracture. If he keeps refusing to eat, his health will deteriorate, and his injuries will heal much more slowly..." Damon''s expression

    darkened. He had tried everything over the past few days, but Mason remained defiant. The boy''s only goal was to return to N.

    Seeing Damon''s silence, the doctor sighed. ˇ°Mr. Summer-"

    "I understand. I''ll make sure he eats today," Damon said, his voice firm.

    He took out his phone and dialed N''s number. "Pinnacle Hospital, third floor. If you want to see Buddye now."

    N''s voice trembled with panic. "What happened to Buddy? Why is he in the hospital?"

    "You''ll find out when you get here," Damon replied, hanging up before she could ask more.

    Damon stood there, thinking about his next move. He couldn''t allow Mason to

    go back to N. She wasn''t capable of protecting him, and sending Mason back with her would only put him in danger again.

    Soon, N arrived, rushing toward Damon as soon as she saw him. "What happened to Buddy?!" Damon looked down at her. She was panting, clear wide with worry for Mason. "It''s nothing serious. He jumped from the second floor and fractured his arm, and he''s been

    throwing a tantrum, refusing to eat, just to see you for the past few days," Damon replied.

    N gasped, her voice rising sharply. "He jumped from the second floor?! And you call that nothing serious?!"

    Facing her usatory gaze, Damon felt a fleeting pang of guilt.

    However, in an instant, his expression turned cold. "I didn''t call you here for an interrogation."

    N red at him, her anger intensifying. "When Buddy was with me, he barely even fell off a chair. He''s been with you for just a few days, and he jur floor? Shouldn''t I be questioning you?!"

    "Do you even want to see Buddy?" Damon shot back.

    At those words, N scowled. "Which room is he in?"

    "I''ll let you see him, but you must agree to one condition," Damon said.

    "What condition?" N asked.

    "I won''t let Buddy stay with you anymore. If you want to be with him, you''ll have to move into my vi," Damon stated.

    As soon as he finished, N replied coldly, "No way! I won''t agree to that!"

    Damon''s expression hardened. "You

    §Ö

    can''t protect Buddy. If I let you take

    him, he''ll just be taken from your

    home again. If you don''t agree, you won''t see him again."

    "On what grounds are you doing this?!" N demanded.

    Meeting her furious gaze, Damon answered sternly, ˇ°Because I''m Buddy''s father. You

    have one minute to think it over. This is your only chance to stay with him."

    *

 Chapter 597

    ?

    N nced at Damon, her eyes zing with anger. "Damon, you''re such a jerk!"

    "Fifty seconds left," Damon replied, his tone t

    His expression was cold, and the icy glint in his eyes sent chills through her.

    "Fine, I agree," N finally conceded.

    She was resolute-she couldn''t bear the thought of losing Mason again.

    Damon didn''t seem surprised by her surrender. He answered coldly, "He''s in Room 302."

    Without looking back, N hurried down the hall.

    When she reached the door, she stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath. Her hand trembled as she grasped the doorknob, slowly pushing the door open.

    Even though she had tried to prepare herself, the sight of Mason hit her harder than expected. Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

    In just a few days, he had lost weight, his face pale and gaunt. He looked utterly defeated.

    "Buddy..." N''s voice broke, tears spilling over.

    Mason turned his head, disbelief flickering across his face. As soon as he saw her, the dullness in his eyes vanished, reced by a spark of life. "Mommy!" he cried, leaping off the bed and rushing into her arms.

    N crouched quickly, catching him in a tight embrace. "Mommy''s here. Don''t be scared. I won''t leave you again. No one''s going to take you away." As Mason buried his face into her shoulder, the familiar scent of gardenias enveloped him, and his tears flowed freely.

    "I missed you so much, Mommy," he sobbed.

    "I missed you too," N whispered, gently rubbing his back. "But no more tears now, okay?"

    She soothed him until his sobs turned to quiet sniffles.

    "Mommy, are you taking me home? I don''t want to stay here. I want to go home... Mason''s voice wavered.

    N paused, her hand stilling as she wiped his tear-streaked face.

    After a moment, she answered softly, "We can''t go home just yet, sweetie. You''re still sick and need to stay here until you get better. But once you''re w "But I don''t want to stay here! I hate that mean daddy! I don''t want him to be my dad!" Masonined,

    "Okay, okay, we won''t let him be your dad. But you need to get better first. Also, you have to promise Mommy that you won''t do anything so dangerous As she spoke, she picked Mason up and gently ced him back on the bed.

    "That''s only because that mean dad wouldn''t let me see you and locked me up!" Mason eximed, frustration evident in his voice. N frowned. "But that doesn''t mean you can hurt yourself to get what you want. Have you forgotten what I taught you?"

    Feeling a pang of guilt, Mason lowered his head and mumbled, ˇ°No matter the situation, the most important thing is to protect myself." "Since you remember, why would you do something like this?" N asked softly, her expression a mixture of worry and sadness.

    Mason pouted, his voice weak. "Because I wanted to see you, and I didn''t want to be separated from you...

    71

    As the tears Mason had been holding back finally spilled over, N''s heart softened.

    "Alright, let''s not talk about that anymore. I promise I won''t leave you again, okay?" she said gently.

    Mason nodded, sniffling. "Mm."

    Just then, the door to the hospital ward opened, and Luca walked in, carrying a food container.

    "Ms. Kinsey, this is from Mr. Sumner. Mr. Mason hasn''t eaten in several days," he said as he approached. N reached out to take it. "Thank you."

    "Of course. I''ll be right outside, so

    call me if you need anything," Luca replied before exiting the room. After Luca left, N ced the food container on the table beside the

    l.n

    bed. She opened it and set the meal

    in front of Mason.

    to

    Seeing the simple vegetable soup and a few side dishes, disappointment flickered across Mason''s face. He looked up at N and pleaded, "Mommy, I want a fried drumstick..."

    "We can''t have that right now. You need to eat light while you''re in the hospital. Once you''re discharged, I''ll make it for you, okay?" N coaxed him with a reassuring smile.

 Chapter 598

    ?

    Although a bit reluctant, Mason nodded. "Okay."

    As N sipped her soup, she received a call from Oliver.

    "N, how''s the progress in Saintornia? Have you found Buddy?" Oliver asked.

    N lowered her gaze and moved to the window, responding quietly with a soft hum.

    Upon sensing something was wrong, Oliver''s voice grew concerned. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"

    After a moment of hesitation, N opened up

    slowly. "Damon won''t give Buddy back to me. He says I can''t protect him. I can stay with Buddy, but I have to move to his vi."

    A heavy silence hung on the other end of the line.

    N bit her lip. "I agreed to his terms. Oliver, maybe we should just-"

    Before she could say "forget it", Oliver interrupted, "N, I know you''re in a

    tough spot. Once I take care of things in Capitarnia, I''ll head to Saintornia, and we can figure out what to do next, alright?"

    "Oliver, you''re such a good person. I don''t want to drag you down anymore," N reasoned.

    "You''ve never been a burden to me. I''ve waited five years for a chance to stand by your side. I don''t want to give that up. So please, don''t give up on me that easily, okay?" Oliver urged. 1

    N''s grip tightened, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

    How did she deserve someone as good as Oliver?

    Guilt and sadness surged through her as she replied earnestly, "Okay."

    After hanging up, N slipped her phone into her pocket and turned around, only to meet a pair of icy

    eyes.

    She frowned. "Mr. Sumner, when did youe in?"

    "While you were on the phone by the window," Damon replied.

    N said nothing more and sat down by the bed. The only sound left in the room was Mason quietly drinking his soup.

    Damon''s gaze drifted to N, seated across from him, her eyes focused on her phone. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail, her head slightly lowered, revealing her smooth forehead.

    She wore a simple white dress that hugged her slender waist, drawing his attention despite his efforts to

    resist.

    But... would he have been this captivated by a woman like her five years ago?

    No matter how he considered it, it seemed unlikely.

    Suddenly, N''s gentle voice from earlier, when she was speaking with Oliver, echoed in his mind, and Damon couldn''t help but frown.

    "I need to remind you of something," Damon said abruptly.

    N looked up, confusion in her eyes. "What is it?"

    "Who you''re with is your business and doesn''t concern me. But if you marry another man and start a

    new family, I won''t let you take Buddy with you," Damon emphasized.

    N frowned. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, are you saying you''re willing to stay unmarried for Buddy''s sake?"

    "Of course not," Damon replied tly.

    "Then what right do you have to stop me from taking Buddy? If you marry someone else, you''ll likely have more children. Do you honestly think you can always prioritize Buddy? N countered.

    "I can''t guarantee that," Damon admitted. "But I can give Buddy a better education and more

    resources. His life will be far smoother with me than with you."

    N let out a frustratedugh, setting her phone down and locking eyes with him. "Mr. Sumner, your life might seem smooth and sessful, but do you feel free? Are you happy?"

    Damon''s eyes narrowed, his voice darkening with anger. "Whether I''m happy or not is none of your concern."

    "I don''t care about your happiness," N said, her tone calm but firm. "For me, the most important thing is that Buddy grows up free and happy."

 Chapter 599

    The room fell into silence.

    Damon paused, aplex emotion welling up inside him.

    He had been raised with an elite education, where practicality and benefit always came before freedom and happiness. Every decision he made was driven by gain.

    Emotions had never held much weight for him. He had never considered whether he was happy.

    When N told him that the most important thing was for Mason to grow up freely and happily, something in his heart stirred.

    Amid the silence, Damon''s phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing that it was Erin, he subtly furrowed his brow and stood to leave the room.

    As he walked out, the oppressive atmosphere in the room lifted.

    When he returned after the call, Mason had finished his soup, and N was tidying up.

    Watching her graceful profile, Damon pressed his lips together and said in

    a low voice, "I have a meeting at thepanyter. I''lle back to see Buddy tomorrow."

    - N hummed.

    Her indifferent attitude didn''t bother Damon. He turned and left quickly.

    The next morning, Luca brought breakfast for N and Mason.

    "Mr. Fleming, it''s a long way from thepany for you toe here. You don''t need to bring meals anymore. I can just grab something at the hospital entrance," N told him.

    Luca hesitated slightly. "Let me check with Mr. Sumner first."

    "No need. I''ll talk to him when hees to see Buddy," N replied.

    Luca nodded. "Alright."

    After N and Mason finished breakfast, she tidied up and began dealing withb matters on her phone.

    After more than two hours of work, she finally wrapped things up.

    Looking up, she noticed Mason ncing toward the door every now and then.

    N paused, lowering her gaze without a word. She understood that, despite Mason''s attempts to hide it, admiration flickered in his eyes whenever he looked at Damon. At just five years old, Mason had never met his father, and it was only

    natural for him to feel dra was only

    After a moment of reflection, N made up her mind.

    When Damon arrived, Mason was napping.

    N lowered her voice. "I need to talk to you."

    Damon looked surprised. "About what?"

    "Let''s talk outside," she suggested.

    to him.

    Once they were outside the room, N''s expression remained neutral.

    "Mr. Sumner, we should try to get along during this time. Even if we disagree, let''s avoid arguing in front of Buddy. I don''t want to cause him any emotional distress," she said.

    Damon stared at her in silence, seemingly lost in thought.

    N frowned at hisck of response. "Mr. Sumner, are you listening to me?"

    "Mm, I understand," Damon finally said.

    N hadn''t expected him to agree so easily and was caught off guard. She had prepared

    a long list of reasons to convince him, but it seemed they weren''t needed after all.

    "That''s all I wanted to say," she muttered, turning to return to the room.

    Before she could leave, Damon spoke up. ˇ°Luca mentioned that you asked him to stop bringing meals?"

    "Yes. I can just grab something from

    around the hospital," N replied, only now recalling the matter. "I''m notfortable with you eating outside food," Damon said, his tone firm. And I realize it''s a burden for Luca to keep running between thepany and the hospital Starting tomorrow, I''ll have a housekeeper bring meals every day."

    ˇ°That''s unnecessary. The food nearby is fine," N insisted.

    Damon''s expression didn''t change, his eyes resolute. "Ms. Kinsey, I have my principles, and I don''t intend to argue over something this minor."

    C

 Chapter 600

    ?

    N pursed her lips and nodded. "Alright."

    She and Damon returned to the hospital room, where Mason was already awake.

    Upon seeing Damon follow N in, Mason''s eyes brightened momentarily before he turned his head away, acting indifferent.

    Damon approached the bedside and sat down, his expression serious. "How are you feeling today? Does your arm still hurt?" Mason huffed. "It''s none of your business!"

    ustomed to Mason''s attitude, Damon remained calm. Instead of getting upset, he reached out and ruffled Mason''s hair.

    "Hey, don''t touch me!" Mason dodged his hand, looking annoyed.

    Watching Mason reveal this childish side to Damon made N feel bittersweet.

    Perhaps because Mason had never had a father figure in his life, he always acted so mature around her, never letting himself behave like this.

    Damon raised an eyebrow and tried to pat Mason''s head again. "If you don''t want me to, I will.ˇ±

    Mason scowled. "Are you really that bored? Why are you picking on a kid? You don''t even act like an adult!

    N was surprised too-she had never seen Damon behave so yfully.

    Damon seemed briefly thrown off by his actions. A hint of embarrassment flickered in his eyes before he returned to his usualposed self.

    He had a partnership meeting that afternoon, so he didn''t stay long. Rising to his feet, he said, "I''lle see you tomorrow, Buddy." Mason ignored him, maintaining an indifferent front. Yet, his eyes lingered on Damon, betraying a reluctance to see him go.

    Noticing this, Damon couldn''t help but smile slightly.

    He then nced at N. "I''m heading out now."

    For the following week, N stayed at the hospital with Mason. Once his other minor injuries had healed sufficiently, the doctor cleared him for discharge.

    "Ms. Kinsey, although he''s leaving the hospital, you''ll still need to be careful at home. Come back in a month so we can check on how the bones are healing. If everything looks good, we''ll remove the cast then," the doctor instructed.

    N nodded, listening attentively to the doctor''s advice.

    After collecting the medication, she took Mason''s hand and walked out of the hospital.

    Damon had already arranged for a driver to wait at the entrance.

    Just as N helped Mason into the car, an excited voice called out from behind. "N, you''re really alive!"

    Even after five years, N immediately recognized the voice as rk''s.

    Her grip on the car door tightened slightly.

    With a neutral expression, she turned to face him. "I don''t think we''re the kind of people who greet each other anymore. If we run into each other in the future, please just

    pretend you don''t know me." V

    Swnow

    rk''s excited expression faltered at her cold indifference, leaving him flustered.

    N looked almost the same as she had five years ago, but the hatred in her eyes, was unmistakable. He took a few hesitant steps forward, stopping when he noticed the wary

    look on her face.

    "N, I know I wronged you before. When I heard about your ident five years ago, I regretted it deeply. If I hadn''t cheated, we wouldn''t have-"

    "Enough!" N interrupted coldly. "I don''t want to hear you reminisce about the past. It

    means nothing to me now. My life is great, and I hope you won''t disturb me again.ˇ±

    With that, she got into the car and instructed the driver to leave.

    rk watched as the car drove away, his hands clenching at his sides. He had missed her once he couldn''t afford to miss her again.

 Chapter 601

    ?

    N didn''t think much of rk''s sudden appearance. After all, they had cut all ties the moment they divorced, and there would be no rtionship between them moving forward.

    The car sped into a vi neighborhood, where rows of birch trees lined the streets, creating a vibrant greenndscape.

    Ten minutester, they stopped in front of a vi.

    The driver got out and opened the door for N. "Ms. Kinsey, this way."

    As N and Mason stepped out, she noticed the look of resistance on Mason''s face as he stared at

    the vi. He had a good memory and clearly recalled being locked up here by Damon.

    Just as N was about to walk inside, she felt Mason gently tug at her hand. Looking down, she saw the panic in his big eyes, and her heart sank.. "Buddy, what''s wrong?" she asked.

    ˇ°Mommy, you said you would take me home! Why are we here? Are you really going to leave me?ˇ± Mason asked, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at her with a hurt expression.

    N''s heart softened, and she quickly crouched down to meet his gaze. "Buddy, Mommy would never abandon you. Remember when those people came and took you away at home? It''s not safe there right now. We need to stay here

    for a while, but once it''s safe, I''ll take you back home."

    Mason looked uncertain and suspicious. "Really? You won''t just leave me behind?"

    "Of course not! When have I ever lied to you? I promise I will always be by your side," N replied.

    With N''s reassurances, Mason finally broke into a smile and took her hand as they walked toward the

    vi.

    At the entrance, two women were waiting. One appeared to be in her 40s, with a

    friendly face and a warm smile. The other was in her early 20s, also smiling, but her eyes betrayed a hint of scrutiny and hostility.

    As Mason and N reached the steps, the older woman hurried forward with the younger one, smiling as she introduced herself.

    "Hello, Ms. Kinsey! I''m the housekeeper here, Lydia Evans, This is Maddie Lamb, my niece. She helps with serving beverages and other tasks in the vi," Lydia said.

    Maddie''s eyes shed with jealousy

    and disdain as she looked at N up close, envious of her beauty and contemptuous of her intentions to use her child for personal gain.

    However, she put on a sweet facade and said, "Hello, Ms. Kinsey! If you need anything, just let me know."

    N nodded slightly, not overly concerned about the hostility that Maddie had unintentionally revealed.

    She turned to Lydia and smiled. ˇ°Thank you, Lydia. I''ll be staying here for a while, so I appreciate your help.

    Lydia had a favorable impression of N and said warmly, "You''re too polite, Ms. Kinsey! It''s my duty. Let me show you to your room."

    N nodded. "Sure."

    As Lydia led the way inside, she began to exin the vi''s staff. "Besides me and Maddie, there''s also a butler and a driver.

    ˇ°The driver, Walter Babbage, brought you here. If you need to go anywhere, just let him know.

    "The butler is my husband. He''s currently in the garden trimming the nts. I''ll have hime meet youter."

    N smiled. ˇ°There''s no need to

    Bue

    arrange a special meeting. I''m just borrowing a ce to stay, and I''ll try not to cause any trouble."

    wontent

    "Not at all! Ms. Kinsey, just let me know what you need. It won''t be a bother!" Lydia replied warmly.

    N felt a bit puzzled by Lydia''s overly enthusiastic attitude.

    Before long, they reached the second floor.

    Lydia opened the door to the second room on the right and said with a smile, "Ms. Kinsey, this is your room. If there''s anything you want to change, feel free to let me know now."

    As N stepped into the room, she noticed the main colors were blue and white, creating a fresh andfortable atmosphere.

 Chapter 602

    ?

    The window stood open, and the light blue curtains swayed gently in the breeze.

    By the window, a round table was covered with a beige tablecloth, and a vase held several gardenias. The flowers were clearly fresh-

    cut, with water droplets clinging to the petals and filling the air with their sweet fragrance.

    "I really like this room, Lydia. Thank you!" N said.

    Seeing N''s sincere smile, Lydia felt relieved. ˇ°I''m d you like it, Ms. Kinsey. Mr. Mason''s room is right next door, in the third room. If you don''t nee now. Just call me or Maddie if you need something."

    N nodded. ˇ°Okay."

    After Lydia left with Maddie, N turned to Mason. "Buddy, do you want to take a nap?"

    After learning that he could be discharged that morning, Mason had been so excited the night before that he had only gotten a few hours of sleep.

    Now, his eyelids drooped, clearly revealing his sleep deprivation.

    Mason held N''s hand and looked up at her. "Mommy, can I sleep here with you?"

    Despite Mason''s efforts to hide it, N noticed the unease and fear in his eyes. She reached out to stroke his head and smiled. "Of course you can."

    After coaxing Mason to sleep, N sat on the couch by the window, her gaze lowered as she seemed lost in thought.

    In the kitchen, Maddie squeezed a handful of vegetables, her brow furrowed in dissatisfaction.

    ˇ°Aunt Lydia, why are you being so nice to that Ms. Kinsey? I think she just wants to use Mr. Mason to climb the socialdder. We can''t let someone like her get her hooks into Mr. Sumner!"

    Lydia, who was busy making soup, turned around and saw that Maddie had damaged

    a bunch of vegetables. She quickly took the basket from her hands.

    ˇ°What does it matter what she thinks? Don''t forget, you''re just a maid. And honestly, I think Ms. Kinsey seems really nice-

    she''s gentle and easy to get along with," Lydia defended N.

    Maddie snorted. "Of course she''s putting on a good show now that she just moved in. Just wait a few days-her true colors will show!

    "Besides, Mr. Sumner already has a fiancee. I think Ms. Hulle is a thousand times better than her!"

    Erin came from a prominent family, so marrying Damon made perfect sense socially.

    Maddie felt there was no

    competition with her. However, N

    had secretly given birth to Damon''s child, thinking she could leverage that to gain status. Someone like her didn''t deserve Damon.

    Lydia shot Maddie a warning look. "Whether it''s Ms. Hulle or Ms. Kinsey, neither of them has anything to do with you. I suggest you keep your unseemly thoughts to yourself, or l''have to tell Mr. Sumner and get

    you thrown out!"

    Maddie pouted. "Got it!"

    "You better take my words to heart. Mr. Sumner isn''t someone you can fantasize about!" Lydia warned.

    Maddie didn''t want to hear Lydia''s scolding.

    Rolling her eyes, she said, "The tea is out. I''ll ask Walter to buy some more."

    With that, she flipped her hair and quickly left the kitchen.

    Sighing, she resolved to keep an eye on Maddie. She hoped she wouldn''t cause too much trouble.

    As noon approached, Lydia had just ced the soup on the table and was about to go upstairs to call N and Mason for lunch when she heard footsteps at the entrance.

    Turning around, she saw Damon walking in, and surprise flickered in her eyes.

    He rarely came back at noon. Even if it was just to pick up documents, he usually had his secretary

    handle that.

    "Mr. Sumner, you''re back! Have you eaten yet?ˇ°

 Chapter 603

    ?

    Damon paused in his tracks. "No, set another ce for me."

    Lydia nodded. "Got it! I''ll go call Ms. Kinsey and Mr. Mason down for lunch."

    "Alright," Damon replied.

    As N and Mason came downstairs, she was surprised to see Damon sitting at the head of the table." Good afternoon, Mr. Sumner."

    Since they had agreed to stop shing, the atmosphere between them had softened significantly.

    "Good afternoon," Damon replied.

    After cing Mason in a chair, N nned to feed him first before eating herself.

    Noticing this, Lydia stepped forward and said, "Ms. Kinsey, let me feed Mr. Mason. You go ahead and eat."

    Seeing N hesitate, Lydia added with a smile, "I''ve trained to take care of children, so I won''t make any

    mistakes."

    N didn''t mean to imply that she didn''t trust Lydia-she just felt a bit embarrassed about having someone else care for her child.

    Just then, Damon''s deep voice broke in! "Let Lydia feed him."

    ˇ°Okay, Lydia, I''ll leave it to you," N said.

    "No trouble at all, Ms. Kinsey. Don''t worry about it," Lydia replied.

    After N sat down and picked up her cutlery, Damon suddenly asked, "Did rk bother you today?"

    Caught off guard by the question, N paused before nodding. ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    "If he bothers you again, just tell me. I''ll handle it," Damon stated.

    N pressed her lips together and looked down. "No need. I can take care of it myself."

    Damon''s grip on his cutlery tightened, but he didn''t pursue the topic any further.

    The table fell into silence, filled only with the sounds of tes and cutlery clinking.

    After finishing his meal, Damon grabbed some documents and left.

    N took Mason upstairs. After coaxing him to sleep for his afternoon nap, she was about to rest when there was a gentle knock at the door.

    Noticing Mason frown as if he was waking up, N hurried to the door and opened it to find Lydia.

    "Lydia, what''s wrong? Buddy is taking a nap,ˇ± she asked

    Lydia quickly lowered her voice. "Ms. Kinsey, Ms. Hulle is here. She''s downstairs right now."

    Erin was Damon''s fiancee. As a housekeeper, Lydia couldn''t chase her away and had toe find N instead.

    N''s eyes flickered with surprise. She hadn''t expected Erin to arrive so soon.

    "Okay, I understand. I''lle down right away," she assured Lydia.

    Lydia sighed, looking a bit worried. "Ms. Kinsey, Ms. Hulle doesn''t look happy. I think she means trouble.

    You''d better be mentally prepared."

    Meeting Lydia''s concerned gaze, N nodded with a smile. "Sure. I appreciate it, Lydia. Thank you."

    After Lydia left, N nced back at Mason, relieved to see he hadn''t woken up. She quickly changed her clothes and headed downstairs.

    As soon as N entered the living room, she found Erin sitting on the couch, visibly angry.

    "N, how dare you have the nerve to live here! I really underestimated you!" Erin scolded.

    Sitting down across from her, N maintained a calm expression. "You should direct thatment to Damon."

    Erin sneered. ˇ°Don''t think living here means you''ve won. I''m still Damon''s ncee!"

    Feeling irritated, N looked up at

    her. "Ms. Hulle, I thought after five years you''d be a bit smarter, but it

    e

    seems you''re still just as foolish as you were back then." Conten belongs to

    "What did you say?! Say that again!" Erin cried..

    How dare N call her foolish?! What right did this woman have?!

    "If you had any brains at all, you''d know that causing a scene with me is pointless. Damon will only be unhappy about it. And who do you think leaked the news about me staying here to you?" N shot back.

 Chapter 604

    ?

    Erin paused for a moment, instinctively asking, "It was you who sent me that message?!"

    N was done with the conversation.

    She stood up and said, "Since you''re already Damon''s ncee, you should

    make the most of it. Sometimes, it''s more effective to go to him directly than toe here and make threats at me."

    With that, she left the living room and headed upstairs.

    Erin''s anger lingered while watching her leave, but

    a hint of contemtion crossed her eyes. Momentster, she grabbed her bag and hurried out of the vi.

    Lydia, who had been waiting in the kitchen, finally breathed a sigh of relief when Erin left. She had

    been worried about what would happen if the two women started fighting and had nned to inform Damon if

    necessary.

    It seemed that wouldn''t be needed now.

    Just as Erin was about to get into her car, she was suddenly stopped by someone.

    "Ms. Hulle, I''m a maid here. My name is Maddie Lamb," the young woman introduced herself.

    Erin frowned and asked coldly, "What do you want?"

    She was impatient and in a hurry to find Damon, not wanting to waste time on someone irrelevant.

    Maddie stepped closer and whispered, "Ms. Hulle, you''re Mr. Sumner''s fiancee, and only you deserve him, I

    can''t just watch as some schemer tries to take him away from you!

    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep an eye on N, and if anything happens, I''ll contact you immediately!"

    Erin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Really?"

    If this maid could help monitor N, that would be quite beneficial.

    "Of course! I want to see you as thedy of this vi!" Maddie gushed.

    Erin smiled as she took a card from her bag and slipped it into Maddie''s hand. "Maddie, this card has 30,000 dors on it. If you can provide me with useful information, you''ll get a lot more than this."

    Maddie''s eyes widened in shock. Thirty thousand dors?!

    "Ms. Hulle, I can''t ept this money..." she said.

    "Take it. You deserve it. I have to go now, but I''ll be waiting for good news from you," Erin told her.

    Maddie clutched the bank card, her expression serious as she nodded. "Okay!"

    Only after Erin''s car disappeared from view did Maddie happily turn back toward the vi.

    What she didn''t see was that someone on the second floor had witnessed her conversation with Erin in its entirety.

    N returned to the couch, picking up the book she hadn''t finished reading earlier.

    Her phone buzzed beside her-a text from Caroline.

    une: [N, are you sure you want to do this? Once you start, there''s no turning back.]

    After reading the message, N deleted it without replying.

    From the moment Damon had used Mason

    to threaten her, she had known there was no turning back. Mason was her bottom line. Anyone who tried to take him from her would have to pay the p Later that evening, when Damon returned home, his expression was dark.

    The pressure in the living room dropped instantly.

    Lydia and Maddie quickly fell

    silent and retreated to the kitchen. After five years of working in the vi, they understood Damon''s temperament well. When he was angry, it was bes avoid being in front of him. He just needed some time alone to calm down.

    N nced up from her meal and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Sumner, what happened? You look so upset."

    Damon looked at her, his eyes icy. "It''s none of your business."

    N smiled. ˇ°Of course, it''s none of my business. I don''t care, but you scared Buddy."

    Damon froze, instinctively looking at

    Mason, only to find the boy''s gaze

    filled with a hint of fear. This

    swn vele

    realization deepened his frustration.

 Chapter 605

    ?

    The air hung heavy for a moment before Damon''s previously cold expression softened.

    ˇ°I''ll pay more attention in the future,ˇ± he said, quickly heading toward his study.

    N casually diverted her gaze and gently spoke to Mason. "Don''t be afraid, Buddy. Your dad was just in a bad mood. He won''t hurt you."

    Mason nodded. "Okay."

    "Let''s continue eating," N said.

    Meanwhile, Damon''s phone rang as soon as he stepped into the study.

    "Mr. Sumner, Stephen met with someone from Prestige Corp. tonight," Luca reported.

    A week earlier, Luca had discovered that Stephen Ketchum had been in contact with Prestige Corp. and had immediately informed Damon. Stephen was the director of the technology department at Prospectus Technology and had been involved in many significant research projects. If Prestige Corp. managed to poach him, it would not only be a substantial loss for Prospectus Technology but could also jeopardize thepany''s de Damon lowered his gaze, an icy look in his eyes. "Don''t worry about him for now. What''s going on with Prestige Corp. recently?"

    "They''re also nning to acquirend in the eastern part of the city and negotiate a partnership for the western suburbs project," Luca answered.

    "I see. Have Mr. Gable meet with Mr. Trull tomorrow and take that project from Prestige Corp. Also, arrange for me to meet with

    Mr. Vance," Damon instructed.

    The western suburbs project was primarily managed by the Trull Group. Damon hadn''t been particrly interested in it before, as it involved high inves ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner," Luca replied.

    The next day at noon, in the most luxurious private room at vors...

    David Vance smiled and asked, "Mr. Sumner, may I ask what brought you here?"

    "Mr. Vance, I''m here to discuss business, of course," Damon replied.

    At this, David narrowed his eyes slightly but then smiled again. "If I recall correctly, Prospectus Technology and I do not have any partnership." "We didn''t before, but that doesn''t mean we won''t in the future," Damon replied.

    An hourter, David and Damon emerged from the private room.

    David''s smile was noticeably warmer as he said, "Mr. Sumner, let''s set a time to sign the contract."

    Damon returned the smile. "How about tomorrow?"

    David paused for a moment, and then his smile brightened even more. "That would be perfect! I''ll bring the contract to Prospectus Technology tomorro "See you tomorrow then," Damon replied.

    "Alright, see you tomorrow," David answered.

    As Damon got into the ck Maybach, the car sped away.

    Once on the main road, Luca finally

    spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, Prospectus Technology has taken Prestige Corp.''srgest supplier, so we might be standingpletely opposed to them now

    Moreover, to partner with David,

    Prospectus Technology had offered a price that was 10% higher than Prestige Corp.''s. This meant they would barely break even and might even incur a loss.

    Damon''s expression turned icy. "Prestige Corp. is poaching our technology director, so they''re clearly ready to sever ties. I''m simply returning the favor, and this is just the beginning."

    Luca shivered at the coldness in Damon''s eyes. If they got on Damon''s bad side, Prestige Corp. would be finished. "What''s our next move, Mr. Sumner?" Luca asked.

    "Contact the smaller shareholders at Prestige Corp. and find a way to buy out their shares," Damon instructed.

    Luca nodded. ˇ°Okay, I''ll take care of that as soon as I get to the office."

    Not long after they returned to the office, Erin came in.

    Seeing her, Damon frowned.

    "I made myself very clear yesterday. I''m not kicking N out of the vi, and I said

    if you can''t stand it, you can break off the engagement at any time," he said.

    Erin gritted her teeth, her expression filled with reluctance.

    "Damon, I''ve told you I won''t agree to breaking off the engagement. don''t understand why you insist on letting N live in the vi. I can take care of Buddy. I promise to treat him as my own!" she vowed.

 Chapter 606

    ?

    Damon raised an eyebrow at Erin, his tone indifferent. "Have you ever considered whether he wants to be with you?"

    Erin froze for a moment, her face paling as disappointment filled her eyes.

    "So, in your eyes, both N and Buddy are more important than I am, right?" she asked.

    Damon remained silent, but his expression grew increasingly impatient. "Erin, you have better options."

    After a long pause, Erin stared at Damon and asked, "Are you in love with N?"

    Damon frowned, perplexed by her trivial notion. He had no interest in N-falling for her was out of the question.

    However, he didn''t bother to exin. Instead, he said, "Think what you want."

    Thest flicker of hope in Erin''s heart faded away as she forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. She never expected that, just like five years a "Damon, I agree to break off the

    engagement, but I promise you will regret it!" she threatened before turning and running out of Damon''s office in tears.

    Damon''s expression didn''t change at all as he picked up the documents and continued working.

    In the afternoon, Lydia knocked on the door and asked N what she wanted for dinner.

    Beside N, Mason tugged at her sleeve and said eagerly, "Mommy, you promised to make me fried drumsticks! I want fried chicken!"

    Seeing his excited expression, N couldn''t help but smile. ˇ°Okay, what else do you want?"

    "I also want your barbecue ribs, beef and mash, crispy chicken..." Mason rattled off more than ten of N''s signature dishes.

    The truth was, she rarely had the time to make them because she was usually busy.

    "We can''t make too many dishes or we won''t finish them," N said. "Let''s pick a few for today, and I''ll cook the rest for you next time." "Okay!" Mason cheered.

    N turned to Lydia. "Lydia, could you please help me gather the ingredients? I''ll cook tonight."

    "Of course, Ms. Kinsey," Lydia answered readily.

    After N told Lydia what she needed, Lydia headed downstairs to prepare.

    N yed with Mason for a while before making her way down.

    The ingredients she needed were ready in the kitchen. Lydia had even thoughtfully washed the meat and vegetables, allowing N to start cooking right away.

    to

    Mason trailed behind N, eager to help. After looking around and realizing there wasn''t much for him to

    do, he settled onto a small stool by the door to watch her cook.

    Seeing this warm scene, Lydia felt a wave of contentment wash over her.

    ?

    The vi had always been so quiet, but it had be much livelier ever since N and Mason arrived. If N and Mason could stay here,

    they would surely bring a lot ofughter and joy.

    In less than two hours, N prepared three dishes and a soup.

    To prevent Mason from getting too full on fried drumsticks and neglecting the main meal, she only fried

    him one.

    As N served the dishes, Mason finished his fried chicken, licking his fingers and savoring the taste.

    Upon seeing his favorite barbecue ribs, his eyes lit up, and he quickly jumped up to N''s side. "Mommy, let me taste if the ribs are done!"

    N nced down at him and

    noticed that his attention was

    entirely focused on the barbecue ribs in her hands. She couldn''t help but chuckle and picked up a piece.

    "Be careful. It''s hot," she reminded him.

    Mason carefully took the rib from her, blowing on it before bringing it to his mouth.

    Suddenly, a low voice came from the kitchen door. "What are you two doing?"

    The unexpected voice startled Mason, causing the rib to slip from his hand and fall onto the floor.

 Chapter 607

    Mason looked sadly at the barbecue rib that had fallen on the floor, his face filled with regret.

    N nced toward the kitchen door and said coolly, "Buddy wants to eat the dishes I make. Mr. Sumner, you probably already had dinner, right?"

    Damon''s gaze hardened. Was N implying that she didn''t want him to have dinner with them? For some reason, that thought

    made him feel ufortable.

    After a moment of silence, he replied coldly, "I''ve already eaten. I still have work to do, so I''ll head back to the study."

    N nodded. ˇ°Okay."

    As Damon turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of N gently serving Mason another piece of rib, both of them smiling.

    Damon scowled, a heavy tension enveloping the entire living room.

    Once N heard Damon''s footsteps fade away, she let out a sigh

    of relief. She had genuinely feared he would say he hadn''t eaten. She didn''t want to have dinner with him, especially not to share her cooking.

    After dinner, as N prepared to take Mason upstairs, she received a call from Oliver.

    ˇ°N, I''ve just arrived in Saintornia. I just got off the ne and want to see you," Oliver said.

    His voice sounded tired. He had been working nonstop for the past few days to sort things out for thepany, hoping toe to Saintornia sooner.

    N checked the time and replied, "Sure, which hotel are you staying at? I''lle find you."

    After hanging up, she handed Mason over to Lydia, asking her to help him wash up and get ready for bed. Then, she took a taxi to the hotel.

    Damon was busy working in the study when he suddenly noticed headlights shing at the vi entrance. He called out, "Maddie."

    Maddie, who stood by the door, quickly opened it. "Mr. Sumner, what''s wrong?"

    "Who just left?" Damon asked.

    "It was Ms. Kinsey. She received a phone call and left without even taking care of Mr. Mason," Maddie

    answered.

    Damon frowned, wondering what N could be doing out at this hour.

    After a moment''s thought, he recalled how indifferent she had been toward him and pushed down the curiosity that stirred in his heart. Whatever she was doing was none of his business.

    "Got it. You can go," Damon dismissed.

    Upon seeing Damon''sck of

    reaction to N''s failure to care for Mason, Maddie''s eyes flickered with discontent as she pouted and left.

    ye

    Never mind-there would be plenty of opportunities in the future for her toin to Damon about N.

    An hourter, N arrived at the entrance of the luxurious Rolling Waves Hotel in the city.

    As soon as she walked into the lobby, she spotted Oliver sitting in the lounge area. She paused for a moment before quickly walking over. Hearing N''s footsteps, Oliver, who had been texting her, looked up. His eyes brightened at the sight of

    her.

    "N, you''re here," he greeted.

    "What are you doing waiting here?" N asked.

    Oliver smiled. "Well, since I''m staying at the hotel, it wouldn''t be appropriate for you toe up."

    Although he wouldn''t do anything inappropriate with N, he wanted to avoid any misunderstandings that could harm her reputation.

    N sat down across from him and

    took a closer look. "You''ve been really tiredtely, haven''t you? Are

    you not getting enough

    "I''m alright. It''s just been a bit busy these past couple of days, but it''s almos over. Otherwise, I wouldn''t

    had time toe see you,"

    Oliver replied.

    1

    N understood that he wouldn''t be this exhausted if he hadn''t rushed toe to Saintornia.

    She felt a wave of emotion, and her eyes involuntarily misted up. "Oliver, thank you..."

    Oliver took her hand and said softly, ˇ°Don''t mention it. I understand, and I know what you want to do. I''ll help you."

    Erin hadn''t expected to run into N at the hotel while bringing a male model.

    model.

 Chapter 608

    ?

    Seeing the man across from N holding her hand and noticing that she didn''t push him away, Erin sneered and quickly took out her phone to capture

    Just as she was about to send the photo to Damon, a thought crossed her mind, prompting her to exit

    their chat.

    What was the point of sending it to Damon? She wanted everyone to know that N was a homewrecker who was ying both sides- it would be much more satisfying!

    She handed the room key to the male model and said, "You go on up first."

    The model took the key, looking enamored as he replied, "Okay, I''ll wait for you."

    After the man left, Erin dialed a number. "I''ll send you a photo. It must be spread all over the city by tomorrow."

    Hanging up, she cast onest nce in N''s direction, excitement and exhration lighting up her face.

    The thought of everyone scolding N the next day filled her with joy, and she quickly turned to leave.

    N pulled her hand back and said, "Oliver, you''ve already helped me so much. I don''t want to burden you any further. I can handle this myself." Oliver frowned. "N, I just don''t want you around him any longer. The more time you spend with him, the more I fear you''ll fall for him again."

    "That won''t

    happen. I''ve long since lost all feelings for him. Right now, he''s using Buddy to threaten me, and all I feel for him is disgust," N assured him.

    Seeing the anger in N''s eyes, Oliver remained silent for a few seconds before softly saying, " Regardless, I hope you''lle back to me soon. Here Sumners. They might be useful for you."

    N took the documents he handed her and flipped through them.

    After reading, she frowned and asked, "Cyrus and rk haven''t been back from abroad in five years. Why are they suddenly returning now?"

    "It should

    be rted to Buddy: Lately, Cyrus has been frequently taking rk to meet with the shareholders of the Sumner Group. Even Richard is aware of this N set the documents down and thought for a moment before saying quietly, "It seems Richard wants to reim the Sumner Group from Damon." "That actually works in your favor," Oliver chimed in.

    N nodded. "Yes. The Sumner Group has been developing rapidly in recent years. If Cyrus and rk can take thepany back from Damon, it wil For her, that was indeed good news.

    ˇ°Damon has already taken action against Prestige Corp., snatching away their biggest supplier.

    Prospectus Technology''s vice CEO

    is also in talks with Mr. Trull to secure the project in the western suburbs, Oliver added. "On the side, Damon is acquiring shares from some of Prestige Corp.''s minor

    shareholders."

    "Not surprising," N replied.

    Damon had always been decisive in business. How could he sit back and allow someone to steal Prospectus Technology''s technical director?

    "With Damon''s abilities, he should

    quickly realize that Prestige Corp. is

    merely a shell of apany. At most, Prospectus Technology wif suffer a small financial loss, but it won''t hurt them fundamentally," Oliver analyzed.

    N smiled. "There''s still the western suburbs project. It requires significant investment, and once Prospectu''s Technology pours most of its funds into it, any liquidity` issues could escte a minor problem into a crisis."

    ˇ°But if Damon realizes that Prestige Corp. is just an empty shell before that happens, all your ns will fall apart," Oliver warned.

    ˇ°It''s a gamble. If I win, he''ll no longer have the right topete with me for Buddy. If I lose, I can always find another way," N insisted.

 Chapter 609

    ?

    6

    Oliver looked at N, wanting to ask if she could truly harden her heart against Damon.

    After a moment of thought, however, he held back his words. He hoped she had genuinely lost all feelings

    for Damon.

    It waste into the night when N finally returned to the vi..

    As she walked into the living room, she was surprised to see Damon still sitting on the sofa.

    "Mr. Sumner, why aren''t you asleep yet?" she asked.

    Damon turned to her, his gaze dark and intense, almost tangible. "So you do know it''s quitete, Ms. Kinsey."

    Picking up the sarcasm in his tone, N frowned. "If I''m not mistaken, Mr. Sumner, you don''t really have the right to question my personal affairs."

    "I don''t have that right, of course. I just hope you remember

    that you''re a mother now. Even if you''re going out with a man, you should at least consider the time.

    "Buddy has been waiting for you for quite a while. He was just put to sleep half an hour ago by Lydia," Damon shot back.

    The realization that Mason had waited for her so long filled N with guilt. ˇ°I understand. I''ll be more

    mindful in the future."

    Noticing Damon''s cold expression and silence, N changed her shoes and headed upstairs.

    As the living room fell quiet again, Damon stood up to return to his study when his phone suddenly rang.

    Upon answering, Luca''s serious voice came through. "Mr. Sumner, someone has taken photos of Ms. Kinsey meeting with Mr. Raynor at the hotel, alo

    "The photos were sent to the biggest entertainment newspaper in the city, and the reporter knows me, so he reached out. Should we suppress this ne

    Damon rubbed his temples, his voice cold. ˇ°Suppress it! Also, find out who sent the photos to the newspaper."

    Within half an hour, Luca traced everything back to its source.

    "Mr. Sumner, the photos were taken by Ms. Hulle... and..." Luca hesitated, debating whether to reveal that

    Erin had been with a male model.

    His son''s mother dating another

    man while his fiancee sought out a male model... As Luca thought about it, he realized that Damon was actually quite pitiable.

    Damon''s expression hardened, his tone devoid of warmth. "And what?"

    Luca gritted his teeth and finally said, "Ms. Hulle was with a male model tonight, which is how she ran into Ms. Kinsey at the hotel..."

    As soon as the words left his mouth, a heavy silence descended on the other end.

    Luca regretted saying it. Had he just hurt Damon''s pride?

    After a moment, Damon''s voice came through. "Have someone take a few pictures of her with that male model and send them to the newspaper."

    "Mr. Sumner, won''t that offend the

    Hulles? Plus, your engagement with Ms. Hulle hasn''t been publicly dissolved yet. This might tarnish

    your reputation," Luca reminded him.

    "Do as I say," Damon ordered before hanging up.

    The next morning, Erin remained groggy from sleep when her phone rang. She picked it up and frowned upon seeing it was her best friend.

    After spending the early hours with the male model, she was so tired she could hardly open her eyes.

    Swiping to answer, she croaked, "Lucy, I''m really tired. If it''s not urgent, can we talk at noon-"

    Lucy Fergusson cut Erin off, her voice nearly unrecognizable with agitation, "Erin, you''re trending!"

    Erin froze and then sat up abruptly, her expression shifting to one of excitement. "Is N exposed foring between Damon and me?!"

    "No, it''s your photos with the male model that got out. They''ve been posted online, and there are several

    pretty revealing ones. People online are calling you out!" Lucy eximed.

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    "What?! How is that even possible..." Erin trailed off.

    She had expected the trending topic to be about N''s cheating scandal-not her own affair with a male model! And... revealing photos...

    She quickly turned her head and noticed that the other side of the bed was empty. Instantly, she scowled.

    "Lucy, I have something to take care of. I''ll talk to youter," Erin said, hanging up quickly.

    She immediately dialed the male model''s number, but his phone went straight to voicemail.

    Damn it! He must have set her up! She wouldn''t let him off the hook!

    Just as Erin frantically thought about how to resolve the mess, her phone began ringing incessantly.

    Seeing her father''s name on the screen, she involuntarily trembled and threw the phone onto the floor, too afraid to answer.

    Her parents had surely found out by now. Answering the call would be like digging her own grave.

    Although she had indulged herself on the side, the Hulles'' upbringing had been strict.

    Since her engagement to Damon, her

    father had repeatedly warned her to keep her distance from other men. Seeing those photos would undoubtedly drive him mad.

    On the other end...

    Patrick had called Erin over a dozen times with no answer.

    Furious, he threw his phone across the room and barked, "Find out where she is! I''ll go find her myself!"

    Seeing her husband''s rage, Melissa tried to calm him down, pulling at his arm. "You can''t me Erin for this. Damon is at fault too!"

    Patrick shook off her hand. ˇ°Damon is at fault? What did he do wrong? Don''t

    you realize the mess our daughter has created?! The whole of Saintornia knows she''s been cheating on Damon! How are we supposed to hold our he

    Melissa stumbled back, steadying herself before retorting, "What did he do wrong? He has an illegitimate child with another woman and expects my da An eerie silence fell over the living room as her words hung in the air.

    "You said Damon has an illegitimate child?" Patrick stared at Melissa, disbelief etched on his face.

    Melissa huffed. ˇ°Yes, he''s even brought that child and the woman into his vi! If he respected the Hulles and Erin, he wouldn''t have done something like this. He''s the one who wronged her first!"

    Patrick fell silent for a moment before finally speaking coldly. "Regardless, we need to find Erin first. We''ll deal with everything elseter."

    "You have to help Erin get justice!" Melissa cried.

    Patrick shot her a frosty nce. "Justice? If you''d told me about this sooner and Erin hadn''t done

    something so disgraceful, I could have gone to the Sumners to demand justice. But now that she''s embarrassed herself like this, how can I demand ar With that biting remark, Patrick left the room.

    Thepany was already in chaos, and many people were waiting to see the Hulles'' misfortune. He had enough on his te.

    In the CEO''s office at Prospectus Technology...

    Luca was reporting to Damon about

    Erin. "Mr. Sumner, news of Ms. Hulle''s situation has spread. Once the Hulles learn the truth, they definitely won''t let this go easily."

    Over the years, the partnership between their twopanies had grown significantly due to Damon and Erin''s engagement. Now that this scandal had surfaced, it was likely that the twopanies would faff

    out.

    Damon was indifferent. "Understood."

    After hesitating for a moment, Luca couldn''t help but speak up. "Mr. Sumner, is this all because of Ms. Kinsey? Is that why you''re handling things so ruthlessly?"

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    C

    aze turned icy. "Why do you ask?"

    se, no matter what, Ms. Hulle is still your fiancee, and the Hulles have many cooperative projects Prospectus Technology. Publicly revealing her affair detrimental to both

    ties," I a reasoned.

    After a moment of silence, Damon replied coldly, "You''re overthinking it. What I''m doing has nothing to do with her.ˇ±

    it

    Luca lowered his gaze, not fully convinced. If it weren''t for N, there would be no reason to expose

    "Is there anything else?" Damon''s voice was sharp.

    It prompted Luca to quickly answer, "No, I''ll head out now."

    "Mr. Hulle mighte by in the afternoon. Just let him into my office," Damon said.

    ˇ°Understood, Mr. Sumner," Luca replied.

    Not long after lunch, Patrick stormed into Damon''s office. "Mr. Sumner, is this how you treat Erin? Isn''t it a bit excessive?"

    Damon set down his documents and looked up at Patrick.

    Patrick stomped into the office and mmed the door shut. The anger he felt from

    this morning''s encounter with the shareholders surged in his chest, almost overwhelming him.

    Damon remainedposed. "Mr. Hulle, please take a seat."

    Patrick let out a coldugh. "Damon, if you don''t give me a satisfactory exnation today, we''ll cancel all our previous coborations, and mypan He thought this would threaten Damon, but to his surprise, Damon simply nodded. "Alright. If you want to terminate the agreement, we''ll do it your way Patrick froze in disbelief. "What did you just say?"

    He hadn''t genuinely intended to end their coboration. He just wanted to leverage the situation to gain more from Prospectus Technology. Naturally, Damon''s immediate agreement caught him off guard.

    After decades in business, Patrick quickly realized that Damon had been waiting for him to say that.

    "So that''s what you were waiting for! Damon, don''t think I''m afraid of you. You''ve already set Erin up, and now you''re trying to use this to back out of the agreement with Builders Property. It won''t be that easy!" Patrick huffed.

    Damon smiled, but his eyes were icy. ˇ°So you know there''s no easy way out. Then why are you

    cooperating with Prospectus Technology while secretly meeting with rk? You don''t think he can cook up anything, do you?"

    Patrick was taken aback, shock shing in his eyes. How did Damon know about his dealings with rk?

    The day after transfer

    turned to the country, he had sought out Patrick. Knowing that Richard intended to to rk, Patrick considered getting closer to him. After all, while Da

    y had yet to benefit from the coboration with Prospectus Technology. Patrick wasn''t sit back and ept that.

    K could reim the Sumner Group from Damon, it would be a boon for Builders Property, especially an terms of potential coborative benefits.

    "Mr. Sumner, let me exin. Your nephew has approached me a few times since he returned, but I only dined with him out of respect for you.

    "I promise we didn''t discuss

    anything else. You''re Erin''s fiance my future son-inw. There''s no way I''d help an outsider over my own son-inw, right?" Patrick tried to reassure Damon.

    Damon looked at him with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Is that so?"

    Patrick nodded fervently. "Yes, Mr. Sumner, you''ve really misunderstood me. If you don''t believe me, we can call your nephew in for a confrontation rig "No need for that. I have a recording that you might find interesting," Damon said.

    He yed a recording from his phone.

    As Patrick listened, his face grew increasingly dark. Before the recording even finished, he wore an expression of utter defeat.

    Damon turned off the recording and smiled at him. "Do you have anything else to say? Are you going to im this recording is fabricated?ˇ±

    Patrick red at him. ˇ°Damon, first

    you have someone leak those photos of my daughter, and now you pull out this recording. You''re trying to force me to terminate the agreement with Prospectus Technology.

    "I see your family''s tactics clearly now! I agree to the termination, but remember, acting so ruthlessly will only narrow your options!"

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    ?

    Damon smiled. "There''s no need for you to worry about that, Mr. Hulle."

    Patrick hade and left in a huff. As soon as he stepped out of Prospectus Technology, he immediately called rk.

    "rk, I won''t let you get away with this scheme against me!" he roared.

    He hung up without waiting for a response.

    rk was left bewildered. When he tried calling back, it showed that Patrick was already on another call.

    Richard, who had been watching, frowned. "What''s going on?".

    rk put away his phone and shook his head. "I don''t know. Mr. Hulle said I schemed against him... I have no idea what he means."

    After a moment of thought, Richard quickly pieced things together, especially after hearing about Erin that morning.

    "It looks like your uncle has found out about your meetings with Patrick," Richard suggested.

    "I''ll find out what''s going on," rk said.

    Not long after, he returned with information about the situation.

    Richard sighed and said quietly, "Your uncle''s termination of the agreement with Builders Property is a warning to you to stop acting recklessly." "Grandpa, what should we do now?" rk asked.

    He believed that obtaining the Sumner Group was essential topete with Damon.

    After a brief silence, Richard seemed to make a decision. "Call your uncle and tell him I can reveal the truth

    and help him regain his memories. He needs toe back."

    rk hesitated. ˇ°But the doctor who hypnotized him is..."

    "You don''t need to worry about that. I have my ways," Richard replied.

    rk didn''t press further and dialed Damon''s number.

    An hourter, Damon arrived at the Sumner residence

    Seeing that rk and Cyrus were there, he raised an eyebrow and sat across from Richard.

    "Alright, what truth do you

    ant to tell me?" Damon asked.

    Watching Damon''s indifference, Richard

    slowly exined everything about Damon''s rtionship with N. He concluded coldly, "Spencer knows all about this. If you don''t believe me, you ca

    Damon smirked sarcastically. "Spencer was already bought off by you. How do I know his words are credible? I''m not interested in what you''re saying. how to regain my memories."

    "The doctor who helped you with hypnosis died unexpectedly, but found his student. I''ve sent

    someone to find him, and once he''s located, you''ll be able to restore your memories," Richard replied.

    Damon listened impassively and raised an eyebrow. "You''ve shared all this with me. What''s the catch?"

    Previously, Richard had been reluctant to tell him the truth. Now, he revealed everything and even offered to find a doctor. There had to be a motive be

    "The condition is that you hand over the Sumner Group to rk. From now on, Prospectus Technology

    the Sumner Group will have no further ties," Richard dered.

    He wanted a controble heir. Since Damon couldn''t be controlled, there was no reason to keep him at

    the helm.

    Damon nodded. "Fine. I can hand the Sumner Group to rk, but it has to be after I meet the doctor who can help restore my memories." Richard''s gaze darkened. "Alright."

    Once the main issue was settled, Damon didn''t linger and got up to leave.

    Richard had revealed many things today, and Damon summarized it all-

    he had wronged N in the past. He needed to sort through his thoughts and perhaps change his attitude toward her.

    Once Cyrus confirmed that Damon

    was far enough away, he couldn''t

    hold back any longer. "Dad, that previous doctor said it was a miracle that Damon could still function normally after the hypnosis. He wasn''t even sure he could help Damon regain his memories. Now the new doctor is just his student. What if something goes wrong?"

    Over the years, Cyrus had softened with age and was no longer as ruthless as he had been five years ago. After all, Damon was his younger brother, fool.

    "Whether an ident happens or not, that''s his choice. A person who''s useless to the Sumners is of no value to keep around!" Richard snapped.

 Chapter 613

    ?

    Seeing that Cyrus wanted to say more, Richard sneered. "Don''t forget that you were the one who found the doctor to hypnotize him. You knew exactly thinking back then, so don''t pretend to be the good guy now."

    Cyrus'' face fell, and he took a deep breath, choosing to remain silent.

    side them, rk''s eyes shed with a cold glint.

    Only if Damon became a fool would he lose the chance topete for thepany and N. In that case, rk might even be able to snatch Prospectus Technology away from Damon.

    In the living room, each person was lost in their own thoughts, and for a moment, no one spoke.

    Shortly after Damon returned to thepany, Luca knocked on the door and entered.

    "Mr. Sumner, the Hulles have announced that your engagement to Ms. Hulle has been dissolved. They''re doing this to salvage their reputation," he informed.

    Damon nodded. "Mm, there''s no need to cong

    "Understood," Luca replied.

    At Damon''s vi...

    ourselves with this matter anymore."

    N saw Erin''s scandal and noticed that Erin had also been at the Rolling Waves Hotel the previous night

    A hint of surprise shed in her eyes. She then read the Hulles'' statement indicating that Damon and Erin had privately terminated their engagement, suggesting that Erin hadn''t betrayed Damon.

    Prospectus Technology had made no response, clearly implying their eptance of the situation.

    "Mommy..." Mason approached N cautiously. "I have something I want to tell you..."

    Seeing him hesitate, N grew curious. "What is it? Go ahead and tell me.ˇ±

    "Promise me you won''t be angry after you hear it," Mason requested.

    N raised an eyebrow. "Did you do something you think would make me angry?"

    Mason shook his head, his chubby little hands twisting together as he hung his head, avoiding her gaze.

    "Just tell me. I promise I won''t be angry," N reassured him.

    Taking a deep breath, Mason gathered his courage and looked up at her. "I... I want Daddy to take me to the amusement park..." N was taken aback.

    The anticipation and caution in

    Mason''s eyes tugged at her heart. Although she and Damon had been getting along well in front of Mason recently, he likely sensed the underlying tension between them.

    Swno

    That must be why he feared she would be upset about his desire to go to the amusement park with

    Domon

    N realized it was time for a proper conversation with Mason.

    She lifted him onto a chair and looked at him gently. "Buddy, if you want to go to the amusement park with your daddy, you don''t need to ask me. You should ask him directly. As long as he agrees, that''s all that matters."

    S

    Mason hesitated for a moment but then spoke softly. "But... I want you toe too."

    N smiled and replied, "Sure, Mommy will go with you. But you need to ask your daddy about that

    ourself."

    Even though she didn''t want any contact with Damon, her priority was Mason''s healthy and happy growth, not her own feelings. "Okay!" Mason chirped.

    His furrowed brow finally rxed,

    but he still looked at N cautiously. "Mommy you''re really not angry, right? I just heard Jasper from my ss Say his mom and dad take him to the amusement park on weekends, so I wanted to go with you and Daddy..."

    ¦«¦Ż

    "I''m not angry. It''s wonderful that you''re brave enough to share your feelings!" N praised him.

    Seeing that N truly wasn''t

    upset, Mason finally let out a sigh of relief. He hugged her neck, nted a kiss on her cheek, and dered, "Mommy, I love you so much!" Hearing those words, N felt her heart melt. She leaned down and kissed Mason''s cheek in return.

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    ?

    "Alright, it''s time for your nap. When your dad gets home from work tonight, you can ask him about going to the amusement park," N announced.

    "Okay!" Mason agreed.

    Excited, he took over an hour to fall asleep.

    After covering him with a nket, N got up and sat on the sofa. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Damon.

    From Mason''s eager expression earlier, she figured it would make him very sad if Damon refused his

    quest. Thus, before Damon returned, she needed to convince him to take Mason to the amusement

    1. k.

    She received no reply after sending the message.

    By evening, N could no longer hold back and dialed Damon''s number. It rang a few times before he picked up.

    "Mr. Sumner, I sent you a message this afternoon. I''m not sure if you saw it," N stated.

    Damon''s cold voice came through the line. "I saw it."

    N wanted to ask why

    he hadn''t replied, but she then realized their only connection now was Mason. It was normal for Damon not to want to respond.

    She cleared her mind and said softly, "Maybe

    it''s because Buddy hasn''t had a dad since he was little, but he really wants to go to the amusement park with his parents like other kids do. If he asks you about it tonight, I hope you can say yes.''

    As her words hung in the air, a long silence filled the space on the other end.

    Not sure what he was thinking, N frowned. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you keep being silent, I''ll take that as your agreement."

    Finally, Damon spoke up. "Ms. Kinsey, you sent a message and called about

    this. I''m curious what gave you the impression that I wouldn''t agree to such a small request from my own son.

    "And let''s be clear-hisck of a father isn''t due to him not having one. It''s because you''ve kept his existence hidden from me all this time."

    At some point, Damon hung up, leaving N holding her phone in a daze.

    Damon was right. It was her concealment that had led to Mason feeling insecure now.

    But could she really be med for this? If it had been possible, she would have wanted her child to grow up in aplete family.

    Over the years, she had done

    everything she could to provide Mason with the best education care Damon had no right to criticize her.

    During dinner, Damon entered the vi.

    From the moment he walked toward the dining room, Mason tensed up, and his eating slowed down. He was clearly nervous.

    N gently patted his back, her voice encouraging. "Buddy, don''t be afraid. Just gather your courage and say it."

    Damon sat down across from them, seemingly oblivious to Mason''s anxiety, and started eating.

    The dinner table was quiet. Apart from exchanging a few words with Mason, N didn''t nce at Damon. They finished the meal in silence.

    Just as Damon was about to get

    and head to his study, Mason

    up

    vel.ne

    mustered his courage to say, "Daddy, I have something I want to tell you."

    Damon looked at him calmly. "What is it?"

    "Um... can youe with Mommy and me to the amusement park this weekend?" Mason asked.

    His eyes were locked on Damon,

    filled with both hope and fear. He hoped that Damon would say yes

    and feared that he might refuse. Each second felt like torture

    After a moment of contemtion, Damon replied, ˇ°Is Saturday okay? I have to go on a business trip on Sunday."

    Mason''s eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded eagerly. "Yes! Thank you, Daddy!"

    X

 Chapter 615

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    "Alright, it''s time for your nap. When your dad gets home from work tonight, you can ask him about going to the amusement park," N announced.

    "Okay!" Mason agreed.

    Excited, he took over an hour to fall asleep.

    After covering him with a nket, N got up and sat on the sofa. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Damon.

    From Mason''s eager expression earlier, she figured it would make him very sad if Damon refused his

    quest. Thus, before Damon returned, she needed to convince him to take Mason to the amusement

    1. k.

    She received no reply after sending the message.

    By evening, N could no longer hold back and dialed Damon''s number. It rang a few times before he picked up.

    "Mr. Sumner, I sent you a message this afternoon. I''m not sure if you saw it," N stated.

    Damon''s cold voice came through the line. "I saw it."

    N wanted to ask why

    he hadn''t replied, but she then realized their only connection now was Mason. It was normal for Damon not to want to respond.

    She cleared her mind and said softly, "Maybe

    it''s because Buddy hasn''t had a dad since he was little, but he really wants to go to the amusement park with his parents like other kids do. If he asks you about it tonight, I hope you can say yes.''

    As her words hung in the air, a long silence filled the space on the other end.

    Not sure what he was thinking, N frowned. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you keep being silent, I''ll take that as your agreement."

    Finally, Damon spoke up. "Ms. Kinsey, you sent a message and called about

    this. I''m curious what gave you the impression that I wouldn''t agree to such a small request from my own son.

    "And let''s be clear-hisck of a father isn''t due to him not having one. It''s because you''ve kept his existence hidden from me all this time."

    At some point, Damon hung up, leaving N holding her phone in a daze.

    Damon was right. It was her concealment that had led to Mason feeling insecure now.

    But could she really be med for this? If it had been possible, she would have wanted her child to grow up in aplete family.

    Over the years, she had done

    everything she could to provide Mason with the best education care Damon had no right to criticize her.

    During dinner, Damon entered the vi.

    From the moment he walked toward the dining room, Mason tensed up, and his eating slowed down. He was clearly nervous.

    N gently patted his back, her voice encouraging. "Buddy, don''t be afraid. Just gather your courage and say it."

    Damon sat down across from them, seemingly oblivious to Mason''s anxiety, and started eating.

    The dinner table was quiet. Apart from exchanging a few words with Mason, N didn''t nce at Damon. They finished the meal in silence.

    Just as Damon was about to get

    and head to his study, Mason

    up

    vel.ne

    mustered his courage to say, "Daddy, I have something I want to tell you."

    Damon looked at him calmly. "What is it?"

    "Um... can youe with Mommy and me to the amusement park this weekend?" Mason asked.

    His eyes were locked on Damon,

    filled with both hope and fear. He hoped that Damon would say yes

    and feared that he might refuse. Each second felt like torture

    After a moment of contemtion, Damon replied, ˇ°Is Saturday okay? I have to go on a business trip on Sunday."

    Mason''s eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded eagerly. "Yes! Thank you, Daddy!"

    X

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    As time passed, more and more people filled the amusement park.

    N held Mason''s hand tightly, preventing him from running around too much and avoiding collisions with others or the risk of getting knocked over. Suddenly, Mason pointed excitedly at a ride not far away. "Mommy! I want to ride that!"

    Following Mason''s gaze, N felt troubled. He wanted to go on the swinging pendulum ride, but she had never liked high-altitude attractions.

    She turned to Damon and said, "Mr. Sumner, I''m not really a fan of high-

    altitude rides. Why don''t you take Buddy on that one? I think there''s a version for kids."

    Damon stared at her, speechless.

    Before he could respond, Mason dashed in front of him, hugging his leg and shaking it. "Daddy! I want to ride it! Please! Jasper said his dad took him

    Seeing the eager look in Mason''s eyes, Damon had no choice but to nod. "Fine, but I can only go once with you."

    "Great! Thanks, Daddy!" Mason eximed, grabbing Damon''s hand and dragging him toward the ride,pletely oblivious to his father''s less-than- pleased expression.

    Noticing Damon''s difort, N spoke up. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, if you''re scared, you can always say no.ˇ±

    Damon stiffened before replying in a low voice, "Who says I''m scared? I just don''t like these boring rides."

    Earlier, Mason had mentioned how his friend''s father took him

    on the ride multiple times. If Damon refused, how could he maintain his image as a good father in Mason''s eyes? He needed to go on the ride!

    Seeing through Damon''s stubbornness, N decided not to press further.

    During the ten-minute wait in line, Damon maintained a calm demeanor, showing no signs of emotion.

    When it was finally their turn, Mason insisted that N take lots of pictures.

    Looking at Mason''s excited face and Damon''s expression of resignation, N held back augh. ˇ°Okay. I promise to take plenty of photos."

    The pendulum ride that Mason could go on was a smaller version, nowhere near the nearly 180-degree spins of therger one.

    However, when Damon got off, he looked pale, and his legs trembled slightly.

    To maintain the image of a strong father in front of Mason, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to appear calm.

    N handed him a bottle of cold water. "Are you okay?"

    Damon took a sip, finally managing

    to

    sss the nausea that had

    in his stomach. "I''m fine,

    N let out a sigh of relief, noting that although he still looked a bit pale, he otherwise seemed alright.

    11

    That''s good to hear."

    Mason, still eager for more fun, turned to Damon. "Daddy, I want to go again!"

    Damon was at a loss for words.

    Noticing the tension in his forehead, N quickly intervened, "No more Remember? Daddy only agreed to take you once, and there are still so many other rides to enjoy. We can''t spend all day here."

    Mason felt a pang of disappointment but didn''t push for another ride.

    "You used to say the carousel was your favorite! Mommy will take you to ride that, okay?" N suggested.

    Just as Mason was about to respond, a sudden rush of people surged toward them, pushing him and N forward.

    N instinctively pulled Mason into

    her arms to protect him, but she lost

    her bnce and began to fall. Just as she was about to hit the ground, a strong hand caught her waist steadying her before she could

    swne

    fall.

 Chapter 617

    ?

    The familiar scent of pine momentarily caught N off guard. It wasn''t until the crowd cleared that Damon let go of her.

    ˇ°Are you okay?ˇ± His cool, deep voice came from above her.

    N pressed her lips together and replied softly, "I''m fine."

    "Good to hear," Damon said.

    ˇ°Daddy, can you and Mommy ride the carousel with me?" Mason looked up at Damon,pletely unbothered by what had just happened and unawar Damon thought the carousel was childish, something only kids and women would enjoy. Just as he was about to decline, Mason grabbed his leg, looki Caught in Mason''s hopeful gaze, Damon found himself relenting. "Alright, let''s do it."ˇŞ

    They lined up at the carousel. Just as they were about to get on, N''s phone suddenly rang.

    When she saw it was Oliver, she looked up at Damon. "I need to take this call. If we get to the front of the Tine, just take Buddy on the ride."

    Damon, towering over N, caught a glimpse of the name shing on her screen when she pulled out her phone.

    Ever since he learned the truth from Richard, his feelings toward N had beplicated. They were different from his previous aversion- they were something more nuanced.

    He knew Oliver was N''s boyfriend and felt he should just agree now, yet it made him ufortable.

    After a moment of silence, he pushed his swirling emotions down and replied, "Sure, but if you can, hurry back. Buddy wants to ride the carousel with both of us, after all."

    He intentionally emphasized the word "us".

    N nodded. "Okay."

    Stepping aside, she answered the call.

    "Oliver, what''s up?" she asked.

    Oliver''s gentle voice came through the line. "N, what are you up to? Do you want to bring Buddy out for lunch? I haven''t seen him in a while." N tightened her grip on her phone and replied quietly, "Today might not be good. We''re out right now."

    "Do you have ns?" Oliver asked.

    "Uh, it''s not a good time to talk. I''ll get in touch when I''m back," N said.

    "Alright," Oliver replied.

    After hanging up, N let out a quiet sigh of relief. For some reason, she didn''t want Oliver to know she was at the amusement park with Damon and Mason.

    Oliver imed he wouldn''t mind her past with Damon, but she was living

    under the same roof with Damon now. Oliver might misunderstand if he found out about today, so it was better to keep it to herself.

    When she returned to the line, they were just about to ride.

    Noticing N''s paleplexion, Damon frowned and asked, "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"

    N shook her head. "I''m fine."

    Damon''s gaze darkened slightly, but he didn''t press further. After all, Oliver was N''s boyfriend now, while he was just the father of her child.

    As they continued to y with Mason, N felt a bit distracted.

    Mason was too engrossed in having fun to notice anything was off, but Damon certainly did.

    After spending the whole day at the amusement park, Mason was still buzzing with excitement as they prepared to leave.

    "Mommy, Daddy, can wee back next time?" he asked.

    N looked down at Mason and felt a fleeting disappointment when she noticed his eyes ncing at Damon. Although she knew Mason was worried Damon might say no, seeing him cling to Damon so

    much made her heart ache a little.

 Chapter 618

    ?

    Damon nced at N, noticed her with her head down, lost in thought, and frowned involuntarily. Ever since she had taken that call from Oliver at no "Daddy..." Mason called out.

    Damon snapped back to reality and looked down at Mason, scooping him up in his arms. "Sure. If you like it, we cane here every week."

    "Yay!" Mason pped his hands excitedly, his cheeks flushed with joy.

    Since they had yedte into the day, they decided to find a nearby restaurant for dinner.

    After cing their orders, N headed to the restroom.

    The restaurant featured wooden partitions between each table, adorned with lush green leaves. It was both beautiful and provided a degree of privacy

    As N walked past the partitions toward the restroom, a surprised voice suddenly called out to her, N?

    She froze at the sound of the voice. Turning her head stiffly, she saw it was indeed Oliver. An involuntary wave of guilt washed over her.

    Forcing a smile, she asked slowly, "Oliver, what are you doing here?"

    Oliver looked genuinely pleased to see her. "I came to meet a client for business. I didn''t expect to run into you. Is Buddy here too?" N felt a bit cornered but nodded. "Yeah, since you''re busy with work, I won''t keep you."

    ˇ°It''s fine. I''m all done. Where are you sitting?" Oliver asked.

    Knowing she couldn''t avoid the encounter, N reluctantly told him their table''s location and added, "By the way, Damon is here too."

    Oliver paused, finally understanding the hesitation he had sensed from N earlier. Disappointment flickered in his eyes, but he didn''t want to make things difficult for her.

    "Then I won''t join you. When you and Buddy have some time, let''s have a meal together," he said before turning to leave.

    Watching Oliver walk away, N couldn''t help but bite her lip.

    She hurried after him and grabbed his hand. "Oliver, don''t go! You

    probably didn''t eat well discussing business just now, soe have dinner with us."

    Oliver looked at her in disbelief and shook his head. ˇ°No, it''s okay. If Damon is there, it''ll just make things awkward for you."

    "It won''t," N replied, looking up at

    him with determination. "We''ve moved on from that. You''re my boyfriend how, and he''s Buddy''s biological father. You two will.

    inevitably meet in the futuvel

    Even if it wasn''t this time, there would be a next time. N didn''t want to keep putting Oliver in awkward

    positions-it wasn''t fair to him.

    Oliver subconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. "Okay."

    Damon was chatting with Mason when he caught a glimpse of N out of the corner of his eye. Instively, he looked up, frowning when he saw the man following her.

    Damon and Oliver''s eyes met-one icy and impatient, the other warm and gentle.

    As N and Oliver reached the table, she asked Damon, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, you don''t mind having an extra person, do you?"

    Damon''s frown intensified, his tone

    difficult to read. "Ms. Kinsey, if I''m

    not mistaken, today is meant for us to spend time with Buddy. Bringing in an outsider seems inappropriate."

    N chuckled. ˇ°As long as Buddy doesn''t mind, it''s fine. Buddy, is it okay if Uncle Oliver joins us for

    dinner?"

 Chapter 619

    ?

    Mason hadn''t seen Oliver in a while, so his face lit up with excitement. "Okay!"

    As soon as Mason spoke, he sensed Damon''s gaze on him. It seemed his father wasn''t too keen on having Oliver join them for dinner.

    However, he had already agreed, and he didn''t want to chase Oliver away, especially since he really liked him and wanted to eat together.

    Oliver sat down next to N and turned to Damon. "Sorry to intrude."

    Damon''s expression was indifferent. "If you knew it was an intrusion, Mr. Raynor, you shouldn''t have followed Ms. Kinsey here in the first ce, should

    Catching the sarcasm in Damon''s tone, Oliver remained unfazed and smiled. "I''ve always had

    meals with N and Buddy before, and I thought you wouldn''t mind since you know my rtionship with N."

    Damon remained silent, his face stoic. Admitting he minded would make him seem petty while iming he didn''t mind felt ufortable. Ultimately, h However, Oliver clearly didn''t see it that way.

    During dinner, he, helped N peel shrimp and picked fish bones out for Mason, making his presence felt. He even cracked jokes, causing Mason and The table was filled with cheerful chatter, while Damon sat quietly, looking increasingly out of ce.

    After enduring the meal, they settled the bill, and Oliver offered to drive them home.

    Damon finally couldn''t hold back any longer. He reached over, took Mason from N''s arms, and said coldly, ˇ°Mr. Raynor, it''s not on your way, so you don''t need to drive us."

    Oliver didn''t even look at him-his warm gaze rested on N. "Be careful on your way back then. And let me know when you arrive."

    "Okay," N replied.

    The driver quickly brought the car around. As they got in, N rolled down the window to say goodbye to Oliver, but Damon coldly instructed the driver N was taken aback. She turned to Damon, noticing his stern expression and feeling confused. What was bothering him?

    After a long day of y, Mason, who hadn''t even taken a nap, fell asleep in the car.

    N and Damon remained silent

    until they reached the vi. Once the

    car stopped at the entrance, N

    nned to carry Mason out, but Damon was quicker. He picked

    Mason up before she could

    He carried Mason back to his bedroom, tucked him under the covers, and then turned to N. "We need to talk."

    N looked up at him. "Mr. Sumner, I''m really tired today and just want to rest. Can we talk tomorrow?"

    "No, it has to be today," Damon insisted.

    Seeing the intense look in his eyes, N knew he wouldn''t let this go without discussing it. Reluctantly, she agreed. "Alright, what do you

    want to talk about?" Conten?

    "I want to make it clear that when Buddy is with us, I don''t want anyone else around," Damon stated.

    N frowned. "Oliver isn''t just anyone."

    Damon''s gaze turned icy as he replied, "Maybe not to you, but you''re used to having him around you and Buddy. I don''t have any emotional foundation

    attention when I''m with him."

    At his words, N fell silent. It was true that Oliver''s presence would affect Damon''s rtionship with

    Mason.

    After thinking it over for a moment, she nodded. "Okay, I understand. Today was just an ident. I''ll

    make sure to avoid it in the future."

    Damon''s expression softened slightly at her agreement.

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    ?

    "I already know most of what happened between us. I''ve done you and Buddy wrong, and I''ll do my best to make it up to you both," Damon said.

    N looked up in disbelief, clearly surprised that Damon would say something like that.

    Under her intense gaze, Damon awkwardly turned his eyes away and coldly added, "Don''t get the wrong idea. I''m just feeling guilty."

    "Don''t worry. I won''t misunderstand. Whatever happened before is in the past. I won''t get carried away or use Buddy to entangle you," N replied firm Damon felt a wave of irritation wash over him, and his voice turned even colder. "That''s for the best!"

    With that, he turned and left the bedroom.

    As the bedroom door closed, the room fell silent, save for Mason''s soft breathing.

    N pressed her hand against her restless heart, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts. She went to the wardrobe, grabbed her pajamas, and prepared to take a shower.

    When N and Mason got up the next morning, Damon had already left for a business trip.

    Lydia brought in breakfast and said with a smile, "Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner knows you like bagels, so he specifically told me to warm some

    up for you before he left. You can eat them as soon as you wake up."

    N looked at Lydia with suspicion. Those words didn''t sound like something Damon would say. Still, she didn''t want to dig deeper. "Thank you, Lydia

    "If you want to thank someone, thank Mr. Sumner. I''ve never seen him be so considerate toward a woman before!" Lydia rambled

    on about Damon''s good qualities, nearly revealing her true intentions.

    N smiled and took a sip of milk before gently telling Lydia, "Lydia, I have a boyfriend."

    Lydia froze in disbelief, her eyes wide. "You have a boyfriend? How could you have a boyfriend?"

    Confusion crossed N''s face. "Why can''t I have a boyfriend? Do I look like no one would want me?"

    Lydia shook her head. "No... I just mean... Oh, never mind..."

    She didn''t quite understand the ways of young people. ording to her values, since N had a child with Damon, she should be with him for life.

    However, she also spent time online

    and realized that young people''s thinking waspletely different from that of her generation. She didn''t press the issue. After all, she wasjust a housekeeper, and saying too much mighte off as intrusive.

    Once Lydia left, N finally let out a sigh of relief and began to eat her breakfast. She knew Lydia meant well, but she and Damon were simply not meant to be.

    After finishing breakfast, N was about to head back to her room to read when rk walked in.

    ˇ°What are you doing here?" N asked coldly, her gaze indifferent.

    620

    ot minding her frostiness, rk stepped closer and said, "N, I''m about to take over the Sumner Group. I have the ability to protect you and Buddy. I hope you''ll give me a chance to make it up to you.ˇ± N found it somewhat amusing. Last night, Damon had said he wanted to make amends, and now rk was saying the same thing. If they both regretted their actions, why had they hurt her in the first ce?

    "rk, I''ve already made myself very clear. I hope you won''t be like a clingy parasite. Please leave now," she requested.

    N wondered how Damon had managed to let rk in, but she found his presence annoying.

    ˇ°N, Uncle Damon can''t give you happiness. Only we are meant to be together," rk professed.

    X

 Chapter 621

    ?

    rk was momentarily stunned, hot expecting her response. He quickly replied, "Of course! We were so in love before. Have you forgotten?"

    "Of course I haven''t forgotten," N said, raising an eyebrow. "And I have something to tell you too."

    "What is it?" rk asked.

    N beckoned. "Come a little closer."

    Confused, rk stepped toward her.

    Just as he was a few steps away, she suddenly pped him.

    The sharp sound echoed in the living room, leaving a clear handprint on rk''s face. His expression twisted in anger.

    "N!" His voice was filled with fury, and his gaze turned dark and cold.

    N smiled, shaking her aching hand. "Your skin is really thick. My hand hurts now. This p is for what I didn''t get the chance to do five years ago. Consider it payback."

    rk gritted his teeth, forcing himself to suppress his anger. "N, you''ve pped me and vented your anger. Does

    that mean I can pursue you again now?"

    N nced at him with a half-smile. "Sorry, I''m not interested in rotten eggs. Why don''t you go Jordyn? You two are a perfect match." rk frowned, about to respond, when his phone suddenly rang.

    find

    Upon seeing it was Damon, his expression changed. After hesitating for a moment, he answered the call.

    "You have one minute to get out of my house," Damon stated.

    Before rk could reply, the call abruptly ended.

    Holding his phone, he felt his face darken even further. Since he hadn''t taken over thepany yet, he didn''t dare openly oppose Damon. He put his phone away and looked up at N. "N, we''ll see each other

    After rk left, Lydia rushed over to N''s side. "Ms. Kinsey, are you okay? I noticed something was wrong and quickly called Mr. Sumner." N shook her head. "I''m fine. Thank you, Lydia. You can go back to your work. I''d like to be alone for a while."

    ˇ°Alright, just call me if you need anything," Lydia reminded her before returning to the kitchen.

    N walked over to the sofa and sat down, contemting her next move.

    She didn''t want any further entanglement with the Sumners, and she knew her ns needed to be put into action quickly.

    Thinking about this, she pulled out her phone and called Oliver. ˇ°I need your help with something."

    Over the next few days, N and Mason stayed home,

    Damon was supposed to be on a business trip for a week, but he returned three days early.

    After grabbing a file from the vi, he rushed back to the office without even having time to eat with

    Mason.

    Back at thepany, Damon immediately called a shareholder meeting.

    "As you all know, there''s been a

    problem with the Trull Group''s west suburb project. The money that Prospectus Technology recently invested will likely be hard to

    recover," he announced.

    "Thepany''s avable cash flow is insufficient right now, so we''ll need to put a hold on some of therger projects we had nned.

    "Our priority now is toplete the current projects and secure the payments before we move forward with any new ns.''

    The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy, with everyone looking concerned.

    The funds invested in the west suburb project were significant, and now that problems had emerged- right after Prospectus Technology''s investment- it was hard not to be suspicious.

    After Damon finished speaking, a shareholder raised a concern. "Mr. Sumner, I think someone is trying to sabotage Prospectus Technology. Otherwise, how could the timing be so coincidental?"

    ˇ°Exactly. We all knew how hot that project was before. If there had been

    any issues, there should''ve been some rumors. How could a project that everyone was fighting over suddenly run into trouble?"

 Chapter 622

    ?

    "Whoever is scheming against Prospectus Technology behind our backs must have a lot of nerve!"

    Damon cast a cold look at the agitated shareholders, and they immediately fell silent.

    He then announced, "I''ve already sent people to investigate. I will inform everyone as soon as we have results. For now, focus on the tasks at hand. P weathered many storms over the years and emerged unscathed. This minor issue won''t bring us down."

    Damon''s words reassured everyone, and their expressions visibly rxed.

    They were reminded that even if theycked faith in themselves, they should trust Damon. As long as he was around, thepany would not falter. The meetingsted over three hours before everyone finally dispersed.

    Upon returning to his office, Damon called Luca in and asked, ˇ°What''s the situation with Prestige Corp.?"

    "Mr. Sumner, I was just about to report

    to you. Prestige Corp. has been losing money sincest year and is essentially an empty shell now," Luca informed him.

    In other words, Damon had spent millions to acquire shares in a hollowpany...

    Damon was not surprised by this news. From the moment issues arose with the west suburb project, he had suspected it was all part of a scheme against him.

    "So, did the people at Prestige Corp. approach Stephen to obtain the patents he controls?" he inquired.

    If Stephen really joined them, selling those patents could indeed keep Prestige Corp. afloat for a while.

    Luca shook his head. "I''m not sure, but while you were away on your business trip, he submitted his resignation and then disappeared."

    Damon''s expression darkened as he ordered, ˇ°Find a way to track down Stephen!"

    He had a feeling that locating Stephen would reveal who was behind the plot against Prospectus Technology.

    That evening, Damon received a call from Richard. "The doctor has arrived. Come to the family residence tonight."

    Damon frowned. After a long pause, he said coldly, "Understood."

    After hanging up, aplicated look shed in his eyes. He had always wanted to recover his memories, but now that the opportunity was right in front of him, he felt uneasy

    After all, he and N were practically strangers now, and he had done so many hurtful things to her. If he regained his memories and found himself falling for her again, how would he handle it?

    After much consideration, Damon decided to go. He''d rather face painful rity than live in ignorance.

    Richard gave Cyrus a stern look. "When your brotheres tonight, don''t say anything inappropriate. Don''t forget, rk isn''t the only

    potential heir to thepany."

    At those words, Cyrus and rk''s expressions changed.

    They hadn''t forgotten that Brandon was still serving as the CEO of the Sumner Group. From what they''d heard, Brandon had achieved quite a bit over

    When they eventually took over the Sumner Group, the first thing they nned to do was get rid of Brandon. Keeping him in thepany posed a threat to their position.

    Cyrus gritted his teeth. "I understand."

    Although he didn''t want Damon to be a fool, it was clear that rk was far more important to him.

    "Alright, I''m tired. When your brother arrives,e and get me in my room," Richard said before standing up and leaving the living room. After a moment of silence, Cyrus got up and said, ˇ°I''m going to have a word with the doctor."

    V

 Chapter 623

    ?

    rk''s expression turned sour as he demanded, "Dad, didn''t you hear Grandpa''s warning just now? Or is a brother who abandoned you more importa than your own son?"

    Cyrus sighed. "I just want to talk to the doctor about the likelihood of Damon sessfully recovering

    his memory. And no matter what, he''s still your uncle."

    "Uncle? He''s not even a part of the Sumners!" an angry voice said from the doorway.

    Cyrus and rk turned their heads.

    Cyrus red at Cindy as she approached. He scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? Isn''t the family chaotic enough already?"

    Cindy scoffed and sat across from them. "rk, do you remember when I told you that your uncle doesn''t have the right topete with you for the Sumner Group?"

    rk nodded. "Yes. What do you mean by saying he isn''t part of the Sumners?"

    Cyrus was angry. "Don''t listen to your mother''s nonsense. I think she''s been idle for too long and lost her mind. How could I not know whether Damon Cindy smirked, her toneced with sarcasm.

    "You think Damon is your brother? Don''t forget, your parents were abroad for several years. When they returned, they brought Damon with them, iming he was born

    overseas.

    "Did you ever actually see your mother pregnant? Everything they said, you just epted without question."

    Cyrus paused, then frowned. "If he isn''t part of the Sumners, do you think my parents would have brought

    him back and raised him as their own son, given their personalit

    "Normally, no. But what if Damon''s biological parents saved their lives?" Cindy retorted.

    Seeing how confident Cindy looked, Cyrus began to waver. After all, he had never seen his mother pregnant.

    When Richard and Marie first brought Damon back, there had indeed been some gossip for a while. Later, they personally took Damon for a paternity test, which silenced the rumors.

    At least, no one openly questioned whether Damon was truly a Sumner.

    When Damon went on to start his ownpany-Prospectus Technology-

    and became a powerful figure in the city, no one dared to bring up his background again.

    "What''s really going on? Exin yourself!" Cyrus demanded.

    Cindy nced at him. "Weren''t you just doubting me earlier? Why believe me now?"

    Anger shed in Cyrus'' eyes. "Are you going to tell me or not? If not, keep quiet forever!"

    Cindy

    shrugged. ˇ°I overheard your parents arguing once. Apparently, when they were abroad, Damon''s parents saved their lives. Out of the three of them, or

    She sneered. "Who knew they''d

    actually develop feelings for him and

    treat him like their real son, even nning to hand over thepany to him? It''s ridiculous!"

    As Cindy finished speaking, the living room fell silent.

    Cyrus was filled with disbelief, yet deep down, he felt she might be right.

    Damon had always been cold and distant, unlike the calcting nature of the rest of the Sumners. He had never been

    interested in building close rtionships.

    Next to him, rk''s face darkened. The thought that his grandfather would rather give thepany to an outsider than to him was infuriating.

 Chapter 624

    ?

    It took several minutes before Cyrus finally spoke in a low voice. "Mom is already gone, and Damon will soon hand thepany over to rk. Just pr any good."

    Cindy sneered at him. "I''m not interested, but if you keep being soft-

    hearted toward Damon, then don''t bother calling rk your son! Let''s see if Damon even cares about yourpassion!"

    Cyrus fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed deeply. Fine, I understand."

    At 8:00 p.m., Damon arrived at the Sumner residence right on time.

    As soon as he walked in, the atmosphere in the living room became tense. In addition to Cyrus'' family and Richard, Brandon was also present. Richard looked at Damon expressionlessly. "Take a seat. On the table is the share transfer agreement for thepany. As long as you sign it, I''ll let y Damon walked over to the table, picked up the document, and calmly read through it.

    He didn''t rush to sign. Instead, he looked up at Richard. "Isn''t this transfer agreement a bit unfair? The Sumner Group has made a lot of money over th "It''s one thing to give thepany to rk, but expecting me to hand over my shares for nothing-do you take me for a fool?"

    The tension in the room thickened, and a chilling aura emanated from Damon. His gaze toward Richard

    was ice-cold.

    Richard gripped his cane tightly, the veins on his hand bulging with fury. "If you don''t transfer all the shares to rk, how can I trust that you won''t go back on your wordter?"

    "I''m willing to transfer the shares, but he has to buy them at market price. I''m not interested in working for free! Damon stated.

    rk''s face turned ashen. He had been wasting time abroad for the past few years and didn''t have the money to buy the shares.

    His

    gaze shifted to Richard, the only person in the room with the means to purchase Damon''s shares.

    However, Richard remained silent, his expression stern.

    While he could afford to buy the shares, it would cost him most of his savings-something he was unwilling to do.

    "I won''t give you a single cent. Either

    you exchange your shares for Dr Herbert''s help in recovering your memory, or you can forget about finding him again!" Richard O threatened.

    Brandon, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. "ˇ°Grandpa, aren''t you being too harsh on Uncle Damon? Prospectus Technology has helped know it. Now you''re kicking him while he''s down-is that fair?

    "Moreover you were the one who decided to hypnotize Uncle Damon five years ago, and now you''re using Dr. Herbert to threaten him. I''m starting to wonder-do you see him as your son or your enemy?"

    The fact that Richard had arranged for Damon to be hypnotized five years ago had been kept from Brandon. Had he known, he would have tried to stop it.

    Richard was so furious at Brandon''s words that he felt he might explode. Did he really just use him of kicking Damon while he was down?! "Shut up! What do you know?! This doesn''t concern you tonight! Leave now!" Richard ordered.

    Brandon raised an eyebrow. "I''m also a member of the Sumners. Why shouldn''t I be here?"

    "You!" Richard snapped, turning livid. If the timing weren''t so inconvenient, he would have used his cane to drive Brandon out.

    rk''s gaze was icy as he looked at Brandon. "Since

    you''re so concerned about Uncle Damon, why don''t you transfer the shares you own to me instead?"

 Chapter 625

    Brandon sneered. ˇ°DonˇŻt even think about it. IˇŻd rather give my shares to a beggar than to someone like you¨C

    a schemer who expects everything without putting in any effort.ˇ±

    ˇ°You!ˇ± rk shouted, raising his fist and swinging it toward BrandonˇŻs face.

    Before he could make contact, a bone¨Cchilling

    voice stopped him. ˇ°If that punchnds, I can guarantee youˇŻll never set foot in the Sumner Group again.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs tonecked any hint of threat, but rk felt certain he meant every word.

    Richard snapped back to his senses, shouting, ˇ°rk! I didnˇŻt call you here tonight to fight! If you want to fight, take it outside!ˇ±

    This provided rk with a way to back down. He lowered his hand

    and red at Brandon. ˇ°IˇŻll let you off tonight, but youˇŻd better not have done anything illegal at thepany these past few years. When I tak

    Brandon scoffed. ˇ°YouˇŻre all talk with nothing in hand. If thepany ends up in the

    hands of someone useless like you, itˇŻll go bankrupt sooner orter.ˇ±

    randon, do you have a death wish?!ˇ± rk growled.

    Seeing rk clench his fist again, Cindy quickly stepped in to pull

    him back. ˇ°rk, thereˇŻs no need to argue with him now. Once youˇŻre in charge, you can deal with him then.ˇ±

    Once rk took control of thepany, no matter how well Brandon

    performed, they could always find something to criticize and force him

    out. Arguing in the living room now would only make rk look ipetent.

    rk took a deep breath, angrily sitting down on the couch, his face dark.

    With the room finally quiet, Richard turned to Damon. ˇ°I wonˇŻt buy your shares at market price. The most IˇŻll offer is half the market price. If yo

    be seeing Dr. Herbert.ˇ±

    DamonˇŻs expression remained calm as he replied, ˇ°Beforeing here today, I met with Spencer.ˇ±

    Surprise flickered in RichardˇŻs eyes, but he quickly snorted. ˇ°So what? Does Spencer know where Dr. Herbert is?ˇ±

    ˇ°He told me about what happened five years ago. Back then, you had me hypnotized to

    make me forget N so that I would take over the Sumner Group.

    ˇ°Now, five yearster, you bring in a doctor to restore my memory just to wrest thepany from my hands. ItˇŻs clear the Sumner Group has

    Richard remained arrogant and dismissive as he stared at Damon. ˇ°So what? YouˇŻre the one who wants to restore your memory. You canˇŻt ex

    Damon smiled and replied, ˇ°YouˇŻre right. ThatˇŻs why IˇŻve decided not to restore my memory. You can tell Dr. Herbert to leave.ˇ±

    He got up and walked away.

    Everyone in the living room, except for Brandon, was stunned. They stared at DamonˇŻs back in disbelief for several seconds.

    It wasnˇŻt until Damon was nearly at the door that Richard snapped out of it, shouting, ˇ°Damon, stop right

    there!ˇ±

    This wasnˇŻt how he had expected things to unfold. He hadnˇŻt anticipated that Damon would choose not to restore his memory.

    Richard knew Damon was using this as leverage, but there was nothing he could do. After all, while Damon

    could choose not to regain his memory, he still needed to take the Sumner Group back from him.

 Chapter 626

    ?

    Damon turned back, still smiling. "Is there anything else?"

    Richard gritted his teeth. "Fine. I''ll buy your shares at market price, but you have to sign right now!"

    Damon''s smile deepened. "Market price was the offer earlier. You missed your chance. Unless it''s double the market price, I won''t agree."

    Richard nearly fainted with rage. "Damon, don''t push your luck! Double the market price-how can you even ask for that?"

    "I''m just talking business. You''re free to decline," Damon replied.

    "There''s no way I''ll agree to that! Market price, not a penny more!" Richard growled.

    Damon nodded. ˇ°Then, I''m afraid I have to say no deal. I''m not selling.ˇ±

    Before Richard could respond, Damon was already out the door.

    Cyrus wanted to chase after him, but Richard stopped him. "Come back! Even if you catch up to him, he won''t sell to you. We were wrong from the sta

    Richard had thought that holding the doctor card would give him leverage over Damon, but he had forgotten that Damon

    was never one to be controlled.

    Given Damon''s current attitude, it was clear that

    getting thepany back from him was a lost cause. Richard sighed, his gaze contemtive as he looked over at

    Brandon. "If I remember correctly, you have a decent amount of shares too."

    Brandon looked up at him, noticing the calction in Richard''s eyes.

    He smirked mockingly. ˇ°Grandpa, I only have 6% of the shares. Don''t even think about it. I earned those shares through my hard work over the years a not giving them up.

    "If you n on taking them to hand over to some failure, I''ll make sure

    everyone knows what happened today. I''ll also go public with what you did to Uncle Damon for your own gain."

    Richard''s expression turned cold. "So, you''re going to side with your uncle against me now?"

    Brandon stood up, patting away the wrinkles in his suit. "Grandpa, you''re overthinking it. I''m not stupid, and I don''t have a habit of giving my money away to others. You''d bettere up with another n

    With that, he left.

    The living room was now deathly quiet, with only Cyrus family and Richard remaining.

    After what felt like an eternity, Cindy

    could no longer hold back. "Dad,

    should''ve agreed when Damon

    you

    offered to sell at market price Now

    we''ve lost everything."

    Richard shot her a cold re. "This is a Sumner matter It''s not your ce to meddle!"

    Cindy''s face went pale, and anger

    shed in her eyes. "You think I want to meddle? From the way Damon acted today, he''s clearly nning to use the Sumner Group to control you! Let''s see how you handle that when the timees."

    "Cindy, shut up! Is that any way to speak to your elders? Apologize to my father!" Cyrus demanded.

    "Apologize for what?! What did I say that was wrong?!" Cindy shot back.

    "Apologize, now!" Cyrus barked.

    "I won''t! If you want to apologize, do it yourself!" Cindy shouted.

    The two of them began arguing loudly in the living room, practically shaking the walls with their shouts.

    Annoyed by the noise, Richard yelled, ˇ°All of you, get out! Get out!"

    He stood up in a rage, raising his cane to drive them away.

    Just as he lifted his arm, everything went ck. He copsed back onto the sofa, unconscious.

 Chapter 627

    ?

    rk rushed forward, shouting at his parents, who were still arguing, "Stop fighting! Grandpa''s passed out!

    Cyrus and Cindy whipped around, stunned by the sudden turn of events. They immediately ceased their

    argument.

    "Dad! Dad!" Cyrus dashed to Richard''s side, desperately trying to wake him.

    Cindy, now panicking, quickly dialed emergency services.

    Richard''s face was ashen, and he appearedpletely lifeless.

    Fear gripped everyone''s hearts. He couldn''t die-not now. If he did, their chances of getting the Sumner Group would vanish.

    The sound of ambnce sirens grew louder. Soon, paramedics arrived, rushing Richard onto a stretcher and taking him to the hospital.

    Outside the emergency room...

    Cyrus and Cindy waited anxiously.

    Cyrus paced back and forth, muttering, "What do we do? What do we do?"

    Cindy sat in a chair, pale-faced, her hands tightly sped together.

    A

    39

    rk sat a little distance away from them, his expression dark as he remained deep in thought.

    After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally emerged from the emergency room.

    "Doctor, how is my father?" Cyrus hurriedly asked.

    The doctor removed his mask, his expression serious. The patient''s condition is stable for now, but he needs

    is asservation. This

    episode was caused by excessive emotional stress. You must

    ensure he avoids such agitation in the future."

    Cyrus and Cindy nodded repeatedly, finally feeling a sense of relief.

    As they walked with the medical

    staff to transfer Richard to his hospital room, rk, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up. "Dad, Mom, Grandpa passed out

    probably because of Uncle Damon.ˇ±

    Cyrus nced at him with a frown and asked, "So what if it was your uncle''s doing? Things are already like this. Do you really think he''s going toe visit your grandfather?"

    rk nodded. ˇ°Of course, I know he

    won''te. But I n to use this situation to make everyone see him for what he is-a selfish, shameless man who cares only for his own

    gains and not for his father''s health."

    He had thought it over carefully. Taking the Sumner Group back from Damon wouldn''t be a quick job. After

    all, Damon had controlled thepany for five years.

    Apart from Brandon, there were undoubtedly many loyal to him. Unless rk cleared out these individuals, he would never reim thepany.

    Cyrus paused before asking, "What do you n to do?"

    "Let''s wait until Grandpa wakes up," rk replied.

    +25 BON

    After leaving the Sumner residence, Brandon drove straight to Damon''s vi.

    Halfway there, he received a call from Richard''s butler informing him that Richard had passed out.

    Thus, he immediately turned around and headed for the hospital.

    When he arrived, he overheard rk and Cyrus'' conversation. It was eye-opening-he couldn''t believe they could be so shameless.

    After confirming with a nurse that Richard''s condition wasn''t serious, Brandon left without revealing himself and went straight to Damon''s vi. Damon''s butler, who recognized Brandon from his frequent work visits, saw his car and quickly opened the gate.

    Brandon walked in casually, spotting Damon sitting on the sofa. He raised an eyebrow and said, ˇ°Uncle Damon, I''ve got some news for you."

    As he got closer, he noticed N and Mason sitting across from Damon. Mason''s face was almost a mirror image

    of Damon''s, and Brandon rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

    "Uncle Damon, am I seeing things, or does this kid look just like you?" he asked.

 Chapter 628

    ?

    Damon nced at Brandon coolly as he replied, "You''re not seeing things. This is my son."

    "Your son?! Since when did you have a kid this old?!" Brandon eximed.

    He stared at Mason in shock before his gaze shifted to N. His brow furrowed as he suddenly recognized her. "Wait... you are... N Jayston?!"

    Brandon had only met N a few times before. Since

    he wasn''t great with faces, he hadn''t formed much of an impression of her, especially after learning that she had fallen into the sea.

    If it weren''t for the fact that N was Vrie''s close friend-

    and he had been pursuing Vrie for five years, knowing she visited N''s grave every year on her birthday-

    he probably would have forgotten about herpletely.

    N was surprised he remembered her and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Brandon."

    "Hello, hello!" Brandon replied, but as he spoke, a realization struck him.

    His eyes widened as he turned to look at Damon. It took him a moment to recover. "Uncle Damon, you really kept this under wraps!" They had all believed N was dead. Who would have guessed that Damon not only knew she was alive but also had a child with her? Judging by the boy''s age, he had to be four or five years old.

    Damon frowned, his voice cold. ˇ°It''s not what you think. I''ll exin everythingter. And her name is N Kinsey now."

    Brandon nodded with a teasing grin. "Whether she''s N Jayston or N Kinsey, she''s still my Aunt N!" N frowned and was about to rify, but Damon interrupted, looking at her, "Why don''t you take Buddy upstairs for some rest? I need to have a word with him." Sensing they needed to discuss serious matters, N picked up Mason. "Alright."

    As she walked away, she figured Damon would eventually exin the misunderstanding to Brandon.

    Once N and Mason disappeared around the corner of the second floor, Brandon flopped onto a nearby sofa, wearing a mischievous look as he eyed Damon.

    "Uncle Damon, when did you find out she was still alive? And why didn''t you tell me?" he asked.

    Damonzily looked up. "My

    personal business doesn''t need reporting to you. And there''s nothing between us, so don''t go around

    calling her that."

    Brandon didn''t buy it, not for a second. Nothing between them? The kid was already so big. Yeah, right.

    "By the way, what brings you here tonight?" Damon asked.

    Brandon smacked his thigh, almost forgetting the reason for his visit was just at the hospital. rk and Cyrus are nning to use Grandpa''s copse to tarnish your name."

    Damon let out a coldugh. ˇ°That''s all they''re capable of."

    To Damon, those two were nothing more than clowns-he never took them seriously. Brandon frowned as he said, "Still, if this gets out, it could cause trouble for you."

    Damon remained calm and replied, "Let them. I don''t care."

    "Uncle Damon, you might not care, but the shareholders of the Sumner Group do,ˇ± Brandon remarked.

    He was worried. If this situation spiraled out of control, the shareholders, who were already dissatisfie with Damon, could use it against him.

    Damon looked at him and asked, "So, what do you think we should do?"

    Brandon thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don''t we get ahead of it and reveal the truth ourselves?"

    "They aren''t important enough for

    me to act personally. Let them have their moment. When they realize they''ll never get their hands on the Sumner Group, they''ll fall in line Damon said. "As for their attempt to smear me, it''ll just backfire and make them look foolish."

 Chapter 629

    ?

    Seeing Damon''s confident demeanor, clearly having a n in mind, Brandon finally felt a sense of relief.

    "Okay, I get it. But rk and Uncle Cyrus have gone too far. They''ll do anything to get their hands on the Sumner Group," he grumbled.

    Damon remained indifferent,menting, "It''s not surprising. People will risk everything for money. If they don''t bring me down, they''ll never get the S Even though Damon was right, Brandon still believed that Cyrus and rk were far too ruthless. If rk hadn''t cheated back

    then, he wouldn''t have been kicked out of the Sumner Group. Meanwhile, Brandon wouldn''t have had the chance to be thepany''s CEO.

    If one wanted something, one should work for it. Trying to take the easy way out would only lead to self-destruction.

    After wrapping up their conversation, Brandon lingered for a little while longer before leaving.

    Later, after putting Mason to bed, N came downstairs to get some water.

    Seeing only Damon sitting on the sofa, she looked a little surprised but greeted him before heading to the kitchen.

    Damon''s eyes

    subconsciously followed her slender figure. She wore a light blue dress today, with a white ribbon tied around her waist. It perfectly entuated her sl As she moved, the hem of her dress swayed like a blooming flower, making it hard for him to look away.

    It wasn''t until N came out of the kitchen with a bottle of water that Damon quickly averted his gaze, pretending nothing had happened.

    N didn''t notice his odd behavior and went back upstairs with the water.

    Only after her footsteps faded on the second floor did Damon let out a sigh of relief. He couldn''t understand why he had been so drawn to Ntely. Taking a deep breath to calm his restless thoughts, Damon got up and returned to his study to continue working.

    After Brandon left the vi, he called Vrie on his way back.

    Vrie had just finished her bath and was applying a face mask.

    When she saw Brandon''s name on her phone, she frowned, reluctant to answer.

    Ever since they discussed a business coboration five years ago, Brandon had imed to have fallen for Vrie at first sight. He

    had been pursuing hence.

    ever since, much to her annoyance.

    To be fair, Brandon was quite attractive-tall, over six feet, with handsome features. He was the kind of guy who turned heads on the street. However, Vrie

    had no interest in dating someone younger. Brandon was six years her junior. While he still had time to y around, she was in her 30s and didn''t war

    future.

    It wasn''t until Brandon''s call came through for the third time that Vrie finally picked up.

    "Mr. Sumner, it''s already veryte. If this is a work matter, please contact me after 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. If it''s personal, I don''t think we have anything to Before Vrie could finish, Brandon interrupted her, "Vrie, guess who I saw at Uncle Damon''s ce today?"

    At the mention of Damon, Vrie''s expression darkened.

    The memory of N''s ident five years ago resurfaced, and she felt her eyes welling up as she tried to suppress her anger.

    ˇ°I don''t know, and I''m not interested. Don''t mention that man to me again!ˇ± she snapped.

    If it hadn''t been for Damon and rk, N wouldn''t have...

    7 saw N. She didn''t die, but she changed her name. She goes by N Kinsey now," Brandon said.

    As his words hung in the air, the

    other end of the line wentpletely silent. Brandon would

    have thought Vne had hung up if it weren''t for the sound of rapid breathing.

    After what felt like an eternity, Vrie''s hoarse voice finally came through. ˇ°Brandon, do you think this is some kind of joke?"

    She had spent thest five years trying to ept N''s death, and now Brandon was reopening that wound, forcing her to feel that despair all over ag

 Chapter 630

    ?

    Vrie figured the woman Brandon mentioned was probably just a stand-in Damon had found to rece N.

    She didn''t care how Damon regained his memory after losing it for five years-what he was doing was clearly an insult to N. She wasn''t going to let this go easily.

    Brandon wasn''t surprised by Vrie''s reaction. After all, if someone suddenly told him that a person who had been dead for

    years was still alive, his first reaction would be disbelief too.

    "Vrie, I''m not joking. I really-" he tried to exin.

    Before he could finish, the call ended abruptly. When he tried to call back, he saw that the line

    was busy. Brandon frowned, thought for a moment, and

    turned his car around. He drove straight to Vrie''s ce. Since she didn''t believe him, he was going to take her to see N himself.

    After hanging up, Vrie tore off her face mask and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She quickly changed into an outfit and drove off. Not long after leaving her house, she passed Brandon''s car. While he noticed her, she didn''t see him-her eyes were fixed coldly on the road ahead. Just the thought of Damon finding a recement for N made her feel as if a fire were burning inside her, threatening to consume herpletely. Her speed increased, and she paid no attention to Brandon, who was honking his horn furiously behind her.

    Less than an hourter, Vrie''s red sports car screeched to a stop in front of Damon''s vi.

    Fueled by rage, she got out and rang the doorbell repeatedly. Her expression was stormy as she pressed the doorbell repeatedly.

    The doorbell''s chimes echoed through the vi, even reaching Damon in his study.

    He stepped out and saw Lydia heading for the door.

    "Who''s at the door?" he asked, his voice cold.

    Lydia looked puzzled. "I don''t know. I was just about to check."

    The doorbell kept ringing while they spoke.

    "Never mind. I''ll go," Damon said.

    Lydia was older now and not as quick as he was. By the time she answered the door, the doorbell would probably wake N and Mason. When Damon opened the door and saw Vrie standing there, his expression turned icy. He recognized her as the Weir heiress.

    +25

    Every time they met, she was full of sarcasm. If she weren''t the person Brandon liked, he would have dealt with the Weirs long ago. What was she doing showing up here in the middle of the night?

    Damon spoke with a scowl. "Ms. Weir, if you''re sick, I can call the psych ward for-"

    Before he could finish, Vrie pped him across the face and red at him.

    "Damon, I don''t know how you got your memory back, but you''re not innocent when ites to N''s death. How dare you find someon who looks like her, keep her by your side, and even let her use N''s name?!" she demanded.

    Damon''s expression turned icy, and an intense, intimidating aura surrounded him.

    "Do you have a death wish?" he gritted through his teeth.

    This crazy woman actually dared to hit him. Not even Brandon begging on his knees could make him forgive her this time!

    Just as Brandon pulled up, he saw Vrie p Damon.

    Terrified, he quickly got out, pulled Vrie behind him, and said frantically, "Uncle Damon, Vrie didn''t mean it. She just acted impulsively because of a

    vel

    misunderstanding. I apologize on her behalf."

    Damon''s eyes held no warmth. "Is your apology supposed to mean something? Brandon, this is none of your business. I suggest you leave immediately."

 Chapter 631

    ?

    Brandon clenched his jaw, resolute. "Uncle Damon, Vrie really misunderstood. You''re the bigger person here. Don''t hold a grudge against her."

    Vrie broke free from Brandon''s grip, stepping forward to face Damon again.

    "I don''t need his forgiveness. Even if it costs me my life today, I''m going to get justice for N!" she snapped.

    Damon let out a coldugh. ˇ°Justice? What do you think you know?"

    Realizing Damon''s fury, Brandon quickly grabbed Vrie''s arm, saying, "Vrie, you''ve really

    misunderstood. That woman is N. It''s my fault for calling you earlier-I should have told you in person. Hurry and apologize to my uncle!"

    Vrie shook off his hand, her tone icy. "Why should I apologize? Fine, if you say that woman is N, then bring her out right

    now! I want to see just how much she looks like the real deal!"

    As her words fell, the temperature around them seemed to drop sharply.

    Brandon didn''t dare look at Damon. Nheless, he suppressed his fear and sneaked a nce at him, calling out weakly, "Uncle Damon..."

    "Brandon, are you really willing to throw away years of hard work for a woman?" Damon asked.

    He had the power to ce Brandon as CEO of the Sumner Group, and he could just as easily have him packing the next day.

    Brandon froze, his hands clenching involuntarily at his sides.

    Beside him, Vrie frowned, gritting her teeth.

    "Damon, I''m the one who hit you. There''s no need to drag anyone else into

    this. Just bring that woman out immediately! If she really is N, I''ll let you p me a hundred times!" she dered.

    Damon''s intense gazended on her, exuding an oppressive force. He asked tly, "Are you ordering me?" Vrie met his stare, enunciating each wo

    Damon''s expression darkened. "Why would I be afraid? Besides, she''s already asleep. Just because

    you want a pointless answer doesn''t mean I should wake her up!"

    At his words, Vrie''s expression turned mocking.

    "If she really were N, you wouldn''t be making excuses. Damon, what you''re doing is an insult to N, and 1 won''t let it slide!" she shot back.

    As her words hung in the air, everything seemned to freeze.

    Brandon, who had been silent,

    turned to Damon and made a firm

    de. "Uncle Damon, as long as

    you

    Vrie go, I''ll give you all the

    shares I have."

    Damon didn''t respond, his expression menacing.

    Just as the tension reached a breaking point, N walked down the stairs, drawn by themotion.

    "What''s all this noise?" she asked.

    Everyone turned to her.

    The moment Vrie saw N, she froze in shock.

    N''s eyes widened with surprise as she saw Vrie. She gasped, "Vrie?"

    Vrie stared at her in disbelief. "N, is it really you?"

    She gazed at N, hardly able to process what was happening.

    "Yes, it''s me," N said, stepping forward.

    She reached out to take Vrie''s hand, but Vrie pulled away.

    Looking between N and Damon, Vrie suddenly sneered. "I once thought we were the best of friends, with no secrets between us. It seems I overestimated our friendship."1

    She turned to leave.

    N rushed forward, grabbing her arm. ˇ°Vrie, please let me exin.''

    11

    Vrie shook off N''s hand, tears welling in her eyes. "Exin? I''ve been heartbroken over your disappearance for five years, and you''ve been hiding the fact that you''re alive all this time. Did you ever think of me as a friend?"

    N''s face filled with guilt. "Vrie, it''s not what you think. There are so many reasons behind this. Please, let me exin everything."

 Chapter 632

    ?

    "I don''t want to hear it!" Vrie shouted. "I thought we were best friends, but you treated me like this."

    Seeing N alive and well in front of her was initially exciting.

    However, as the reality sank in-that N had hidden the truth from her for five years, causing her so much pain- a wave of disappointment washed over her.

    She realized she had been the only one suffering all this time while N was alive and well, even back with Damon.

    Vrie felt like a joke. N was already with Damon, and here she was, foolishly seeking justice for

    her. Not wanting to look at N any longer, Vrie turned and quickly walked to her car.

    Once inside, she mmed the gas pedal and sped away.

    Brandon hurriedly jumped into his car to chase after her.

    N bit her lip, instinctively ncing at Damon, who had remained silent. To her surprise, she noticed a red handprint on his cheek.

    Upon realizing it was from Vrie, guilt shed in N''s eyes. "Mr. Sumner, I''m so sorry... I didn''t know Vrie would hit you."

    Damon''s face was icy as he retorted, "Do you think saying ''I''m sorry'' is enough for me to let her go?" N''s heart lurched as she tried to exin, "Mr. and lost herposure. Please, be the bigger person, and don''t hold this against her.ˇ±

    It was her fault for keeping her survival a secret from Vrie. If Vrie became a target of Damon''s anger because of this, N would never forgive herself.

    Upon meeting N''s pleading gaze, Damon''s expression shifted slightly. He turned away, coldly stating, " Being emotional isn''t an excuse for hitting s

    N quickly replied, "This started because of me. If you want to take it out on someone, then it should be

    1. me.

    Damon studied her intently. "You think I wouldn''t?" 1

    N knew he would be displeased. Asking for leniency on Vrie''s behalf might only make him angrier.

    After a moment''s hesitation, she said softly, "Mr. Sumner, let''s go back for now. I can help you with the swelling on your face."

    Damon frowned as if considering refusing. But as he met N''s determined gaze, he let out a cold snort." Do whatever you want."

    He turned and walked toward the vi.

    N quickly followed.

    Once inside the living room, she retrieved an ice pack from the fridge and wrapped it in a towel before approaching Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, please have a seat," she said.

    Damon sat down, his expression still dark.

    N held the ice pack close to his cheek, cautioning, "It might be a little cold, so please bear with it."

    Her hands trembled slightly, feeling the chill emanating from Damon.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Sumner. It''s all my fault for causing you trouble," she apologized.

    As N leaned closer, Damon

    caught a hint of her after-shower fragrance, and his gaze darkened further. He lowered his eyes, only to be taken by surprise.

    The neckline of N''s nightgown dipped low, revealing a subtle hint of her corbone and chest. A wave of heat stirred in his stomach, and he felt his ears warm involuntarily.

    He quickly averted his gaze, but the image lingered in his mind.

    Silence settled between them, growing heavier by the moment.

    Just as N thought he wouldn''t respond, Damon spoke. "This better not happen again."

    N nodded vigorously. "I promise it won''t."

    After tending to his injury, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Mr. Sumner please avoid touching the area and

    stick to light meals for the next few days."

 Chapter 633

    ?

    Damon nodded with a hum.

    The two fell into silence.

    N put away the ice pack and looked up at Damon. "Mr. Sumner, could you give me Brandon''s contact information?"

    amon narrowed his eyes. "What do you need his number for?"

    1

    "I''m worried about Vrie... I want to check if he''s caught up with her," N exined.

    Seeing the worry and guilt in N''s eyes, Damon reassured her, "Don''t worry. With him there, Vrie will be fine."

    "I''d still like his contact number. I can only rx once I know Vrie is okay," N insisted.

    Damon frowned and was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.

    Upon seeing Brandon''s name on the screen, his eyes turned cold, and he took a moment to answer.

    "Uncle Damon, can you send Aunt N over?" Brandon''s anxious voice came through. "I caught up with Vrie, but her emotions are really unstable now. She''s locked herself in the car and won''te out.

    "I think Aunt N needs toe over and clear up the misunderstanding between them."

    Damon''s expression hardened, ready to refuse, but N''s pleading look shed in his mind. He tightened his grip on the phone subconsciously. "I''ll ask her," he replied.

    Turning to N, he spoke softly. "Brandon caught up with Vrie. He says she''s

    emotionally unstable and wants you toe over. Do you want to go?"

    N quickly nodded. "Yes, I want to go... Mr. Sumner, could you have your driver take me?"

    Damon didn''t respond. Instead, he simply told Brandon, "Send me the address."

    He then hung up. Then, he pocketed his phone, grabbed his car keys, and said, "Let''s go."

    Seeing Damon nning to drive her

    himself, N was momentarily taken aback and quickly replied, "Mr. Sumner, you really don''t need to take me Just have your driver drop me off

    Damon gave her an impatient look. "At this hour, he''s already asleep. Are you suggesting he gets up in

    the

    middle of the night just to take you?"

    He turned away and strode out.

    Watching his tall figure, N bit her lip and followed him.

    Around 40 minutester, Damon''s ck Maybach stopped in an open area on the outskirts.

    N quickly opened the door and stepped out.

    Brandon approached, saying, "Aunt N, Vrie was crying earlier. Her emotions have finally started to settle, so take your time to exin things. I''ll be right here if you need anything."

    In her anxious state, N didn''t notice his choice of address and nodded. "Okay, Mr. Brandon, thank you."

    Brandon shook his head. "Just go talk to her."

    Taking a deep breath, N slowly approached Vrie''s car.

    Inside, Vrie sat with red, puffy eyes. As she caught sight of N, she turned her face away.

    N walked around to the other side and gently tapped on the window. "Vrie, can you open the door? Let''s talk."

    Vrie turned her head away, ignoring her.

    N had lied to her for five years-there was no way she would forgive her that easily.

    Thinking about the heartache she had endured over the past five years, Vrie felt wronged and saddened. N had no idea how she had survived that time.

    N sighed, continuing to patiently persuade her.

    After a long while, Vrie finally opened the car door and shouted, "I thought you were my best friend, but you lied to me!"

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    N grabbed Vrie''s hand and tried to exin.

    "Vrie, I didn''t mean to hide this from you. There''s so much going on behind the scenes," she said.

    Vrie pulled her hand away. "What kind of hardship could justify lying to me all these years?"

    Taking a deep breath, N slowly recounted her experiences over the past few years.

    A

    Vrie listened, her anger gradually shifted to surprise and heartache.

    In the end, she hugged N and cried. "I''m sorry. I misunderstood you." -1

    N, also in tears, returned the embrace. "I''m the one who should apologize."

    Watching the misunderstanding between the two women clear up, Brandon finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    He turned to Damon and said, "Uncle Damon, thank you for bringing Aunt N over."

    Damon frowned. "Didn''t I tell you? She''s not your aunt."

    Brandon nced at him. "Uncle Damon, don''t you like her?"

    "Why would I like her?" Damon replied.

    Noticing Damon''s frown, Brandon couldn''t help but chuckle. "If you don''t like

    her, then why did you stop Vrie from finding her? Why did you personally bring her over?"

    "I stopped Vrie because she would wake Buddy if she entered the vi. Bringing N over was just a side task," Damon answered.

    "Just a side task? Uncle Damon, you''ve never been this kind-hearted," Brandon teased.

    Damon''s gaze hardened. "You think you know me that well?"

    Realizing he was displeased, Brandon raised an eyebrow. "No, I just think you''re a

    bit oblivious when ites to feelings. Sometimes, you unintentionally hurt the people who matter most to you."

    Damon fell silent, but a strange emotion flickered in his eyes.

    After Vrie calmed down, Brandon decided to take her home while N would return to the vi with Damon.

    "N, I''lle by to see you tomorrow," Vrie said.

    N nodded. "Sure."

    She turned to Brandon. "Mr. Brandon, thank you for tonight. I''ll treat you to dinner another time to show my appreciation."

    Brandon smirked and replied

    meaningfully, "Dinner isn''t

    necessary. There''s someone else

    you should be thanking. We''ll head

    back now, Aunt N. Goodbye."

    Upon hearing him call her "Aunt N", N''s face flushed. She was about to exin, but Brandon

    stepped on the gas and on.

    Turning to Damon, she noticed him watching her with a deep gaze that made her feel a bit uneasy. She quickly looked away.

    "Mr. Sumner, thank you for tonight," she said.

    Damon studied her profile, his gaze darkening as Brandon''s words reyed in his mind. He frowned slightly.

    "It''ste. Let''s head back," he replied.

    e drive home, neither of them spoke, but a subtle tension filled the air.

    Once they reached the vi, N got out of the car and, after a quick goodnight, hurried, inside.

    Damon watched her hasty departure, his eyes narrowing instinctively.

    It wasn''t until N was back in her room the door closed that.

    finally exhaled, leaning againstalikeet

    as

    her heart raced.

    She didn''t understand what was happening to her. For the past few days, she would feel flustered whenever she was around Damon. Meanwhile, Damon withdrew his gaze and, after watching her disappear from view, headed to his study.

    Just as he reached the door, his phone rang.

    Upon seeing Luca''s name, a flicker of surprise crossed his face as he swiped to answer. "Yes?"

    "Mr. Sumner, we''ve identified the people behind Stephen," Luca informed him.

    After hearing what was said on the other end, Damon''s expression darkened, a chill settling in his eyes.

    "Are you sure?" he asked.

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    ?

    Damon listened to Luca a while longer before mming his phone against the wall, his expression icy.

    The next morning, as N came downstairs, she sensed an unusual atmosphere in the vi.

    Lydia, who usually greeted her with a smile, was busy in the kitchen and barely acknowledged her with a quick wave.

    Even Maddie, who often made sarcastic remarks, didn''t nce her way at all today.

    After sitting down at the table with Mason, N was about to greet Damon when he abruptly stood and

    t without even looking at her.

    Watching his cold retreat, she bit her lip, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.

    What was going on with Damon? Was he still upset aboutst night?

    As Damon exited, the oppressive atmosphere in the living room lightened, and it felt noticeably warmer.

    Mason, oblivious to the strange vibe, looked up at N and whined, "Mommy, I want the pancakes you make. Can you make some for me?"

    Suppressing her worries, N nodded. ˇ°Sure, I''ll make them right now. You should drink some milk first.ˇ±

    N got up and headed to the kitchen. As she reached the door, she overheard Lydia and Maddie speaking in hushed tones inside.

    "Auntie, what are we going to do? Mr. Sumner has never been this angry before," Maddie said.

    "Just focus on your tasks. It''s not our ce to discuss Mr. Sumner''s affairs," Lydia advised. Mr. Sumner''s affairs," Lydia advised.

    ˇ°Ugh, I hope he cools down soon. He used to smile when he saw me, but today his face is as cold as ice. It''s scary! I bet N did something to make

    Lydia frowned and replied sharply, "Maddie, I warn you, no matter what, Ms. Kinsey is still Mr. Sumner''s guest. She might even be the futuredy

    Maddie scoffed. "When did I say anything bad about her? I''m just speaking the truth!"

    Just then, Lydia noticed someone standing at the door and turned abruptly.

    Upon seeing N, her heart sank. She wasn''t sure if N had overheard their conversation.

    "Ms. Kinsey, what brings you to the kitchen? Do you need something?" Lydia asked.

    Since Lydia had spotted her, N decided to step into the kitchen, smiling as she replied, "Yes. Buddy wants me to make pancakes, so I came to prepare some."

    "Okay, I''ll get you some flour. Maddie, why don''t you go finish your work?" Lydia said. Maddie made a face, rolled her eyes, and walked out without even acknowledging N.

    N didn''t pay her any mind. As long as Maddie didn''t cause trouble, she didn''t care.

    While preparing the dough, however, N couldn''t shake off Maddie''s words.

    Could it be that Damon was still angry about Vrie hitting himst night?

    He had left as soon as she and Mason sat down earlier, leaving his breakfast untouched on the table.

    With that thought, N decided to make extra pancakes to bring to the study. Damon was upset aboutst night, she could find a way to apologize to him on Vrie''s behalf.

    Resolute, she quickened her pace as she worked.

    After making the pancakes, N asked Lydia to take a te to Mason while she carried another te to the study to find Damon.

    The gently knocked on the study door.

    ˇ°Come in,ˇ± Damon said, his tone tinged with suppressed irritation.

    N pushed the door open and cautiously said, "Mr. Sumner, I made some pancakes. I brought you some to try."

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    ?

    Upon seeing N, Damon tightened his grip on his pen, his knuckles turning white. Coldly, he replied, "No, I don''t like greasy food."

    He refocused on the documents, his frown revealing how upset he was. It would take a fool not to recognize that Damon was angry with her. N bit her lip and took a deep breath before entering the study. As she approached, Damon looked up and snapped, "I''m working. Get out!"

    His icy gaze froze her in ce, and her face paled slightly.

    Sumner, are you still upset aboutst night?" she asked.

    Damon shot her a cold look. "No. Can you leave now?"

    N didn''t budge, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "But... your attitude is making me anxious. Did I do something wrong?"

    Damon scoffed. "Anxious? What do you have to be anxious about?"

    If it weren''t for Luca''s investigation, he wouldn''t have believed that the person behind Stephen was her.

    He had just started to feel

    something for her, only to discover she was using Stephen and Prestige Corp to scheme against him. He felt utterly deceived.

    N took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Sumner, even if you don''t want to tell me, you don''t have to take it

    out on me."

    "Do you really not know why I''m angry?" Damon asked.

    Under Damon''s sharp gaze, N felt a shiver run through her.

    Did he know about that incident? No... She had been careful. He shouldn''t find out so quickly.

    ˇ®?

    "Mr. Sumner, I really don''t know," she answered.

    "Stephen Ketchum,ˇ± Damon said, the

    name

    pping from his lips cold/ele

    His eyes locked onto N with great

    intensity. Content belongwith

    In an instant, a chill ran through N,

    fallen aking her feel like she hade

    fallen into an ice pit. Her face turned pale.

    swno

    Seeing her reaction, Damon felt hisst glimmer of hope extin

 Chapter 637

    ?

    Damon looked down at her, his eyes filled with disgust. "You can scheme against me, but I can''t keep you from seeing Buddy?"

    "If you hadn''t taken Buddy away and threatened that he wouldn''te back to me, I wouldn''t have to do this!" N cried.

    Damon let out a coldugh. "So it''s all my fault?"

    N''s expression hardened as she replied firmly, "That''s not what I meant, but you''re at fault too. Buddy has been with me since he was little, and you Don''t you think that''s excessive?""

    Upon recalling the fear she felt the night Mason was taken, N''s expression turned icy. No matter what happened, she wouldn''t

    let Damon take Mason away from her again.

    "Looks like you don''t see any problem with your actions. In that case, forget about seeing Buddy!" Damon dered.

    He tried to push past her and leave.

    In a panic, N grabbed his arm. "No! I won''t let you hide Buddy away again!"

    Feeling the softness of her grip, Damon went rigid for a moment before shaking her off and retorting, "You brought this on yourself!"

    Seeing Damon walk away, N hurried to catch up. With his long legs, she had to jog to intercept him in the living room.

    His expression was dark, and he emitted no warmth at all.

    "Move aside," he ordered.

    N shook her head, looking up at him. "Mr. Sumner, I apologize for the losses caused to Prospectus Technology. I''ll make it right. Please don''t hide Buddy from me."

    She knew that if Damon wanted to keep Mason hidden, there were countless ways he could do it.

    A wave of irritation washed over Damon due to N''s reddened eyes.

    Just as he was about to speak, Mason suddenly dashed out of the dining room. He

    shoved Damon aside and stood protectively before N, ring at Damon.

    Tears welled up in Mason''s eyes as

    pui

    he spoke. "You''re being bad to Mommy! You''re a bad daddy! I don''t want you to be my dad anymore! I want Uncle Oliver to be my

    dad!"

    N quickly squatted down tofort him. "Buddy, Daddy isn''t being bad to me. We just raised our voices a little. And boys shouldn''t cry all the time. Let''s stop crying now, okay?"

    Mason wiped his tears, his voice trembling. "B-But... your foot is hurt. He must have done it!"

    Jt was then that N realized her foot was injured and hurriedly exined, "I identally broke a te just now, and the shards cut me it has nothing to do with your dad."

    Damon, who had been furious at Mason''s usation, nced down at N''s foot. His gaze hardened.

    On her previously unblemished foot, there was a wound with blood still oozing from it.

    His hands instinctively clenched at his sides, but his words dripped with sarcasm. "Don''t think I''ll let you

    off just because you''re trying to y the victim. I won''t forget how you schemed against me!""

    N looked up at him, her voice cold. "Enough! This is between the two of us. Can we please not discuss it in front of the child?!"

    Damon stared at her impassively, saying nothing more, but his gaze remained as icy as ever.

    In the kitchen, Lydia heard themotion and rushed out.

    Seeing N squatting tofort Mason while Damon stood coldly by, she hurried over.

    umner, Ms. Kinsey, what''s going on? Why is Buddy crying like this? Oh no, Ms. Kinsey, your foot is hurt I go get the first-aid kit!" Lydia eximed.

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    Chapter 638

    ?

    Lydia quickly brought the first-aid kit and said, "Ms. Kinsey, please go sit on the couch. Let me take care of your injury."

    N shook her head, looking gratefully at Lydia. "No need. I can do it myself."

    "Let me help. It''s not easy for you to do it alone," Lydia advised.

    Seeing Lydia''s insistence, N finally nodded. "Alright, Lydia. I''ll trouble you."

    N gently wiped the tears from Mason''s face and said softly, "Buddy, don''t cry anymore. Mommy is fine."

    Mason sniffled, gripping the hem of N''s shirt tightly, his eyes filled with fear.

    N led Mason to the couch and sat down while Lydia quickly and skillfully tended to her wound.

    As Lydia picked up the first-aid kit to leave, she noticed Damon still standing there with a stern expression.

    Unable to hold back, she spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, I don''t know what conflict you have with Ms. Kinsey, but it''s not right to let her get hurt. You shouldn''t fight, especially in front of Buddy. He''s still young, and your constant arguing will affect him."

    Damon red at her. "Lydia, just stick to your job. I didn''t bring you here to lecture me."

    Feeling awkward, Lydia lowered her head and fell silent.

    The living room descended into silence, and the atmosphere grew tense.

    Just then, Brandon walked in through the door.

    Noticing the unusual atmosphere, he raised an eyebrow and informed, "Uncle Damon, there are a few documents that need your signature."

    "Go to the study," Damon replied, turning and walking straight to the study, with Brandon hurrying to keep up.

    After signing the papers, Damon noticed Brandon hadn''t left yet and looked at him coldly. "Is there anything else?"

    Brandon, wearing a curious expression, asked, "Uncle Damon, did you have a fight with Aunt N?"

    "That''s none of your business," Damon replied curtly.

    Seeing Damon''s gloomy expression, Brandon realized he had hit the nail on the head.

    "Uncle Damon, don''t forget that you

    used to treat Aunt N poorly, and she even had a child for you. What more do you want? If you keep arguing with her, you''re just being unreasonable," he said.  to

    Damon asked, "Do you know why Vrie ignored you, despite you pursuing her for five years?"

    Brandon paused for a moment, then couldn''t help but grit his teeth. "That''s crossing the line, Uncle Damon!"

    "And you meddling in other people''s business isn''t crossing the line?" Damon retorted.

    Under Damon''s icy gaze, Brandon raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I won''t say anything more. I have work at thepany, so I''ll head back now."

    After Brandon left, Damon picked up the documents on the desk.

    He tried to go through them but couldn''t focus on a single word. Frustrated, he tossed the papers down and pulled out a cigarette.

    His agitation only grew after finishing one cigarette.

    What he had said earlier about keeping N from seeing Mason had been uttered in a moment of anger, but now that the words were out, he couldn''t take them back. Especially after seeing N'' reddened eyes, most of his anger

    had dissipated.  to

    It was just that the thought of Mason wanting Oliver to be his father reignited Damon''s rage. How could an outsider ever treat Mason better than he did?

    While he was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. He extinguished his cigarette and answered.

    "What is it?" he asked.

    "Mr. Sumner, rk has gone online to publicly use you of being heartless for not visiting Mr. Richard after he was hospitalized. The Inte is buzzing about it," reported Damon''s subordinate.  to

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639

    ?

    Damon was indifferent as he replied, "Got it. Don''t worry about it."

    No matter how much noise they made, they couldn''t take away his shares in the Sumner Group. They were nothing but clowns.

    In the hospital...

    rk''s eyes were cold as he read the onlinements attacking Damon. He refused to believe that Damon wouldn''t rify the situation. Once he did, rk would immediately release the video of Richard using Damon of being unfilial for not returning thepany after taking it. By then, Damon would have no way to defend himself.

    As the morning wore on and more people joined in condemning Damon, there was still no response from him.

    Cyrus began to feel uneasy and asked, "rk, do you really think this n will work?"

    Cyrus had been skeptical of rk''s idea when he brought it up the previous night. He knew Damon simply wasn''t the type to care about his reputation.

    "Dad, don''t worry. Uncle Damon won''t be able to resist responding," rk replied through gritted teeth.

    Cyrus sighed deeply. "rk, if this n fails, just take the shares from your grandfather and be a shareholder in thepany."

    He knew full well that he and rk weren''t a match for Damon-he just didn''t want to dampen rk''s spirits before the confrontation.

    "Dad, you don''t really think Grandpa will give me all the shares, do you? Don''t forget about Brandon!" rk hissed.

    Since returning, he had investigated and found that Brandon had achieved considerable sess in thepany over the years. Richard was quite pleased with him.

    If rk failed to confront Damon this time, they would never catch Richard''s eye again.

    Once thepany fell entirely into Brandon and Damon''s hands, how could their family of three maintain theirvish lifestyle with millions in allowances each month?

    Cyrus replied with a frown, "But... we can''tpete with your uncle."

    "We still have to fight! Doesn''t he have a son?" rk shot back.

    Cyrus'' heart skipped a beat u§äov seeing the cold glint in rk''s eyes. He eximed, "Are you out of your mind?! That''s a child!"

    rk looked up at him and said unemotionally, "me him for being Damon''s son!"

    The thought of being unable to have

    children while N had given birth to Damon''s son filled him with rage. He wished he could crush Damon into dust. That child should have been his with N!  to

    Cyrus suddenly felt as if he hardly recognized his son. Despite spending nearly every day together for years, he now sensed a profound estrangement.

    "rk... some things, once done, can''t be taken back. You need to think this through!" he advised.

    Just as rk was about to respond, a sudden fit of coughing came from the hospital ward. He fell silent, pushed the door open, and walked into the

    room.

    Cyrus watched his son''s back, filled with unease.

    At 2:00 p.m, rk released the video he had recorded with Richard when Damon still had no intention of rifying matters. Once the video was posted, it sparked heated discussions.  to

    [This is outrageous! He has no conscience, letting his own father get so angry that he ends up in the hospital and refusing to visit! It''s clear the rich can abandon anything for profit!]  to

    [This man is morally bankrupt. He has no humanity, treating his own father so cruelly!]

    [Compared to Damon, rk is a much better grandson. He stayed by Richard''s side all night, only resting after confirming that Richard was out of danger.]

    Public outrage grew, with a torrent of usations and insults flooding in, eventually drawing the ire of Prospectus Technology''s shareholders. While Damon was in his study handling documents, he received a call from a shareholder.

    "Mr. Sumner, if public opinion continues like this, it will only harm thepany''s and your reputation, which isn''t good for its development," the shareholder said.

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    Damon replied icily, "I know. I''ll have someone deal with it."

    After hanging up, he yed the video and watched as Richard used him of trying to monopolize the Sumner Group. His gaze grew colder.

    If it hadn''t been for Richard insisting on handing thepany over to him, he wouldn''t have taken over the Sumner Group in the first ce. Now that Richard wanted a more obedient heir, he had joined forces with rk to smear Damon. Hepletely disregarded the bacsh Damon would face and the impact it would have on hispany.

    This was Damon''s family-his wonderful father and nephew!

    Damon''s heart gradually turned cold.

    Richard and rk were the ones who had severed thest remnants of familial affection between them. In that case, there was no need for him to hold back any longer.

    He dialed Luca''s number and coldly said, "I''ll send you a video shortly. Organize it and post it on thepany''s official ount.

    "Also, gather evidence of how rk nearly bankrupted the Sumner Group when he was the CEO, and post that as well." Luca was taken aback.

    When Damon took over the Sumner Group, it had indeed suffered considerable losses. They had previously discovered that these losses were due to rk''s multiple failures as CEO.

    Damon had kept the investigation results under wraps, allowing Prospectus Technology to sign a few major contracts with the Sumner Group to gradually turn its fortunes around.

    It seemed Damon intended to burn all bridges now.

    "Understood, Mr. Sumner. I''ll get started right away," Luca replied quickly.

    A glint of determination shed in Damon''s eyes as he hung up.

    He sent the surveince footage from the living room of the Sumner residence that night to Luca.

    Luca worked swiftly, promptly organizing and publishing information ording to Damon''s instructions.

    ...

    Once the video was released, it caused a massive uproar.

    The earlier voices condemning Damon vanished without a trace, reced by criticism directed at Richard and rk.

    [Richard is too much! How can he treat his own son like this?]

    [rk is just a waste. He ruined thepany and still wants to smear others!]

    [Oh my god, how can Richard and

    1.n

    rk expect Damon to give his shares directly to rk? How shameless! If it weren''t for Damon, the Sumner Group might have gone bankrupt long ago!]  to

    In the hospital room, Richard nearly passed out from rage upon discovering that Damon had released the surveince footage from the Sumner residence.

    "That ungrateful wretch! He''s driving me crazy!" he cursed.

    He never imagined he would feel so humiliated at his age.

    All of his old friends would undoubtedly see this video. Where could he possibly hide now?

    As expected, it wasn''t long before visitors began arriving.

    Their eyes held no concern-only gloating and subtle mockery.

    "Richard, you''re really out of line. How can you be going backward in life? Kicking your capable son out of thepany and wanting a useless loser to take over? Are you in a hurry to see thepany go bankrupt, or do you just hate money?" one of them remarked.  to

    Richard fumed and replied coldly, "If you''re just here to spout nonsense, you can leave now!"

    The visitor shook his head and said with a look of sympathy, "For the sake of our long friendship, I advise you to wake up. Discontent among children usually stems from parental shorings, you know?"  to

    "You!" Richard pointed at him and then copsed, fainting from sheer rage.

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    Chapter 641

    ?

    rk quickly pressed the call button next to Richard''s hospital bed.

    A nurse rushed in to check on Richard''s condition and immediately ushered everyone out of the room, cing him on a breathing machine.

    Outside the hospital room, rk red at Victor Owen. "Mr. Owen, you''vee to watch the Sumner family''s misfortune long enough. My grandfather has fainted because of your provocation. Can you please leave now?!"

    Seeing rk''s angry re, Victor chuckled. "I didn''te to witness the Sumner family''s joke. I came to remind your grandfather not to dig his own grave while still living. It would ruin his entire life''s work."

    rk scoffed. "This is the Sumner family''s business. It''s not your ce to meddle!"

    Victor shrugged, remaining unfazed. He simply shook his head and said, "You''re nowhere near as capable as Damon."

    With that, he left.

    rk stared at Victor''s retreating figure, anger shing in his eyes as he clenched his fists at his sides.

    Everyone said he was inferior to Damon. He would prove them wrong-he was no weaker than Damon!

    After several hours on the breathing machine, Richard finally regained consciousness.

    The nurse cautioned rk that no one should provoke Richard again, or his condition could worsen.

    rk nodded grimly. "Understood."

    Before long, Cyrus and Cindy rushed in, both looking anxious.

    Cyrus frowned at rk and snapped, "rk, do you have any idea what''s going on online? People are bashing you!

    "Several shareholders from the Sumner Group are even privately discussing pulling out their shares if you take over thepany!"

    rk''s face darkened.

    He pulled Cyrus outside the room and asked, "Dad, how much money do you have on hand right now?"

    "About seven to eight million dors. Why?" Cyrus replied.

    rk took a deep breath and said, "I need you to give me that money. I''m going to buy the shares from them."

    A flicker of hesitation crossed Cyrus'' eyes.

    He asked doubtfully, "Are you sure? That amount might only get us about 1% of the shares. It won''t do much..."

    Moreover, that was all he had avable. If he gave it all to rk and he couldn''t take over the Sumner Group, it would be a wasted effort.

    Noticing Cyrus'' reluctance, rk

    spoke softly. "Dad, think about it. Ever since Grandpa fainted, neither Damon nor Brandon has bothered to check on him. Surely, Grandpa can see their true colors now."  to

    He then dered, "In the future, his entire inheritance will definitely go to us. A few million now is nothing. Just help me out this once, and I promise to pay you back!"

    After some consideration, Cyrus finally agreed. "Fine. I''ll transfer the money to you shortly."

    "Don''t worry. I''ll pay you back tenfold!" rk promised.

    As Cyrus looked at him, he hesitated

    to speak. He had reviewed rk''s

    past mistakes in Damon''s

    l

    statement. Anyone with a bit of business sense wouldn''t have made those errors, but rk had made every one of them.  to

    This showed he wasn''t cut out for managing apany.

    If Damon were his real brother, Cyrus would have stopped rk frompeting with him for thepany. However, he didn''t want to see the Sumner Group fall into the hands of someone outside the family!  to

    Lost in thought, Cyrus failed to notice the flicker of malice in rk''s eyes.

    Before long, Cyrus transferred the money from his bank ount to rk.

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    "Dad, I have things to do. I''ll leave Grandpa with you," rk said.

    Cyrus hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "rk, if you can''t outmaneuver your uncle, just give up. It wouldn''t be so bad for the three of us to go back abroad and live on our monthly allowance."

    rk looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "Okay, Dad, I understand."

    After leaving the hospital, rk made a call instead of negotiating with the shareholders. "I need you to kidnap someone. I''ll pay you 1,500,000 dors."

    As he hung up, a cruel glint shone in his eyes.

    Since Damon had blocked all his paths, he would make Damon experience the pain of losing his son right in front of him!

    N had seen thements online as well.

    Initially, she was worried about Damon, but after witnessing Prospectus Technology''s counterattack, she finally felt relieved.

    Lydia, who had noticed N''s anxiety, couldn''t help but mention it when she brought tea to Damon.

    "Mr. Sumner, this morning, Ms. Kinsey saw the video of Mr. Richard and rk online, iming you''re unfilial. She was so anxious she kept checking her phone. Only after seeing the surveince footage yourpany released did she feel reassured," she said.

    "I can tell Ms. Kinsey has feelings for you, and you don''t seem as indifferent toward her as you im. You and Ms. Kinsey have missed each other for five years. Do you really want to continue missing out on each other?"

    As Lydia spoke, Damon''s expression darkened.

    "Did she send you to say all this to me?" he questioned.

    Lydia was taken aback and quickly exined, "No, Ms. Kinsey didn''t mention you to me. This is just what I''ve observed since she came to the vi." Damon sneered. "She''s quite maniptive, isn''t she? After just a few days, she''s got you defending her!"

    Seeing Damonpletely dismiss

    her words and deepen his

    misunderstanding of N, Lydia

    quickly said, "Mr. Sumner, I

    e

    on''t say

    any more... Everything I''ve saides from my heart and has nothing to do with Ms. Kinsey."  to

    She hurried away with the tray, fearing Damon might say something else.

    The study fell silent again, and Damon''s expression darkened.

    After a moment''s thought, he called Spencer to the vi.

    In less than half an hour, Spencer arrived.

    During this time, Damon had suspended him from work due to his deception and instructed him to take a break until he decided how to handle the situation.

    "Mr. Sumner, what can I do for you?" Spencer asked.

    Damon regarded him, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Tell me about my rtionship with N from five years ago.

    "This is your only chance. If you withhold anything, I won''t let you return to Prospectus Technology, and no otherpany in the country will hire you again!"

    A hint of determination shed in Spencer''s eyes.

    Meeting Damon''s icy gaze, he replied slowly, "Okay, I understand."

    After spending over two hours in the study, Spencer left.

    As he passed through the living room, he tooked at N with aplex expression. "Ms. Kinsey, I''m sorry didn''t tell Mr. Sumner the truth earlier, and you and Buddy suffered because of it."  to

    If he had revealed the truth to Damon sooner, perhaps N wouldn''t have resorted to scheming against him. There wouldn''t have been so many misunderstandings between them.  to

    N looked at him calmly. "Mr. Hogg, I''ve never med you. He and I are both at fault for how things have turned out. It''s not fair to ce the me on anyone else."

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    Spencer looked at Nyl with a hint of guilt as he replied, "Regardless, I still hope you and Mr. Sumner can end up together."

    N smiled. "For us, staying out of each other''s way is the best ending."

    Spencer fell silent for a moment before ultimately leaving without saying anything.

    Given N''s current wariness of Damon, it was better for him to say less. Speaking too much would only deepen their misunderstandings. If they were truly meant to be, they would find their way back to each other.

    Not long after Spencer left, Vrie arrived, bringing a bunch of toys for Mason.

    Seeing Vrie loaded down with packages, N was taken aback. "Did you really need to buy so much? This could keep Buddy entertained for a year!"

    Vrie set her things down and shot N a nce. "This is nothing. I have plenty more at home. I just couldn''t carry everything today. I''ll have the butler pack up and send them over tomorrow.

    "I want to make sure Buddy gets all the toys he missed out on these past five years, as well as his birthday gifts!"

    N was speechless.

    Just as she was about to say it wasn''t necessary to spend so much, Vrie called out to Mason, "Buddy,e here! This is a toy car that Auntie Vrie bought for you. You can sit on it and drive around! Come see if you like it. If you don''t, Auntie Vrie will buy you something else."

    Mason didn''t move. Instead, he looked up at N, seeking her approval.

    N smiled and patted his head. "Go on. Auntie Vrie really likes you. See what gifts she brought for you."

    Vrie encouraged Mason to open the toys and sat next to N.

    "N, I was too emotionalst night and didn''t get a chance to really look at you," she said.

    She looked intently at N for a moment, her eyes gradually turning red. "You''ve lost weight."

    "I did it to look good in my clothes. You wouldn''t believe how much I weighed right after giving birth to Buddy. It took me over a year to lose it!" N replied.

    Vrie raised an eyebrow and huffed. "Yeah? We promised our kids would call us godparents, but what happened? I missed the whole thing when you had Buddy!"

    She became increasingly agitated just thinking about it.

    Seeing Vrie''s pouty face, N hooked her arm and said, "It''s not toote for that now."

    "Now we''re talking!" Vrie huffed again.

    N nced at Mason, who was quietly examining his toys.

    The more Vrie observed him, the more she liked him. She just wished he resembled N a bit more. With his head down, he looked just like Damon Thankfully, he didn''t share Damon''s perpetual frown, which made him much cuter.  to

    "By the way, are you and Damon... nning to get back together?" Vrie asked.

    Noticing the gleam of gossip in Vrie''s eyes, N couldn''t help but chuckle. "You''re overthinking. I already have a boyfriend, and you know him. You''re the one who introduced us."

    Vrie stared at her in shock, pointing to herself. "Me? We haven''t seen each other in five years! How could I have introduced you?"

    "Think back to it," N hinted.

    Vrie began to sift through memories from five years ago.

    She had kept herself busy over the years to avoid thinking about N, as doing so only brought her to the brink of an emotional breakdown Now, she struggled to remember if she had ever introduced Nto anyone.  to

    Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Don''t tell me... your boyfriend is Oliver?!"

    N smiled and nodded. "Congrattions, you got it right."

    "You''re actually with him!" Vrie gasped in shock.

    Then, she ground her teeth in frustration.

    Over the years, the Weirs''pany had worked with the Raynor Group. Whenever Oliver was in Saintornia they would asionally have meals together. Vrie had never imagined he would keep N''s situation a secret!  to

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    "So, for all these five years, it''s been Oliver helping you hide your identity?" Vrie asked.

    "Yeah, I really owe you big time. If you hadn''t introduced him to me back then, I wouldn''t be where I am today," N replied.

    Vrie felt a mix of nostalgia and lingering fear.

    "I''m just d I introduced you to him. Otherwise, you would have suffered even more. But still, I won''t forgive him for keeping the fact that you''re alive a secret for five years! He owes me a big meal to make up for this anger!" Vrie dered.

    N chuckled. "Sounds good."

    "But if you''re with Oliver, why are you still living with Buddy at Damon''s vi? Won''t Oliver get jealous?" Vrie asked.

    N''s expression dimmed. She looked down and said, "I owe him... I''ll exin this to you another day. But let''s talk about you. What''s going on with you and Brandon? He seems to care about you. When did you start liking someone so much younger?"

    Vrie was rendered speechless.

    She pouted and replied, "Don''t bring it up! I''m so annoyed. I''ve told him many times that I''m not interested, but he just won''t give up. Ugh....." N looked puzzled. "Although I''ve only met Brandon a few times, I think he''s a decent guy with a nice personality."

    "What''s the use of a good personality? What I need is a husband, not just a boyfriend," Vrie grumbled.

    She was six years older than Brandon. What did that mean? When she graduated high school, he was just finishing elementary school-a total kid. "How do you know he can''t be a candidate for marriage?" N asked.

    "He''s always posting gym selfies or photos of him eating and partying. How could he suddenly settle down for marriage? What I want is clearly different from what he wants," Vrie exined.

    If Brandon knew the photos he carefully posted to attract Vrie''s attention were being interpreted as proof that he wasn''t ready for marriage, he would surely want to smash his head against a wall.

    If he knew her true feelings, he would rush out to buy a ring and propose to her immediately.

    Considering the current situation, they might just grab their IDs to register their marriage directly.

    "Alright," N replied.

    When it came to matters of the heart, N felt she had no ce to advise anyone, especially since her rtionships were such a mess.

    "Enough about men. We haven''t

    seen each other in five years. Lett

    have dinner together tonight and celebrate. By the way, is Buddy okay at home?" Vrie asked.  to

    The ce she nned to go might not be suitable for kids.

    "He''s fine, but tonight might not work," N replied.

    "Why not?" Vrie asked.

    N bit her lip, about to speak when she suddenly caught sight of someone tall entering the living room. She froze in ce.

    After Lydia had interrupted their argument earlier, Damon returned to his study with a cold expression.

    N had been on edge all afternoon, uncertain whether Damon nned to send Mason away.

    "I have something to deal with

    tonight, and I''ve also got some work

    issues to sort out. Once I''m done,

    can properly celebrate," she told Vrie.  to

    we

    Disappointment crossed Vrie''s eyes as she nodded. "Alright then."

    While they were talking, Damon had already approached the sofa.

    Vrie noticed him too. She turned and saw the slight redness on Damon''s cheek, a wave of guilt washing over her.

    It seemed that p fromst night had been a bit too hard if he was still feeling it now...

    Suddenly, she felt anxious and awkward.

    After waving to Damon, she picked

    up her bag, forcing a smile. "Um. N, I just remembered I have something to do. Contact me when you''re free. I''m always avable. I''ll take off now. Bye..."  to

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    Vrie didn''t wait for N to respond and rushed out as if something were chasing her. With Vrie''s departure, the living room fell into silence.

    N lowered her gaze for a moment, hesitating before finally looking up at Damon.

    To her surprise, he was also looking at her. Their eyes met, but neither spoke.

    Eventually, it was N who broke the silence.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m really sorry about what happened before. I''llpensate for the losses caused to Prospectus Technology. I have only one request- please don''t hide Buddy from me," N pleaded.

    "I promise I won''t. I also won''t use Buddy to threaten you anymore. If you don''t want to live here, you can take him and move out. But you can''t go back to Capitarnia right now," Damon replied.

    If N took Mason back to Capitarnia, he couldn''t guarantee that Richard wouldn''t try to kidnap Mason again. Keeping them in Saintornia was the only way he could protect them.

    N was taken aback, staring at Damon in disbelief.

    Did she hear him wrong? Damon actually agreed to her request and even suggested she move out with Mason? How could he suddenly be so agreeable?

    "Mr. Sumner... are you serious?" she asked.

    Seeing the doubt in N''s eyes, Damon replied earnestly, "Yes, it''s true. I was wrong before. I didn''t protect you and Buddy properly. I won''t force you to do anything anymore, but you can''t stop me from seeing Buddy."

    After talking to Spencer earlier and gaining a clearer understanding of his past with N, Damon realized how outrageous his previous behavior had been. He thought he was justified in believing that N had secretly given birth to his child. Yet, if he hadn''t pursued her back then, she wouldn''t have fallen into the sea while pregnant and wouldn''t have had to give birth alone.

    He had no right to me her or take Mason away from her.

    Several seconds passed as N processed what Damon had just said.

    "Can I really take Buddy and leave?" she asked again.

    Damon confirmed, "Yes, but for now, you still can''t leave Saintornia."

    N worried he might change his mind the next day, so she said, "Then, I''ll pack my things now and move out tonight."

    Damon''s gaze darkened slightly

    while watching her anxious

    demeanor. It was clear that his

    earlier concerns had been unfounded-she felt no attachment to him now.  to

    Given the chance to leave, she would do so without hesitation.

    "No need to rush," he replied. "I have a business trip tonight and won''t be back for a week. Plus, you haven''t found a new ce yet."

    N hesitated. She wanted to refuse but feared provoking Damon into changing his mind. "Okay, then I''ll leave tomorrow."

    Damon gave her a pointed look before turning to go back to his study, only emerging when it was time for dinner.

    Dinner was rather quiet.

    Damon was already a man of few words, and N was preupied with thoughts about where she and Mason would live after leaving the vi.  to

    Strangely enough, she felt a twinge of reluctance to leave, despite having disliked this ce before.

    "Mommy, you''re going to eat your food through your nose," Masonined.

    Mason''s voice brought N back to

    reality. She blinked and noticed that

    both Damon and Mason were looking at her, their puzzled expressions remarkably simr.  to

    N averted her gaze, feeling a bit embarrassed as sheughed awkwardly. "Sorry, Buddy. I was just lost in thought....."

    After dinner, as N nned to take Mason for a walk, Damon suddenly asked her toe to the study.

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    N stiffened instantly, her heart pounding. Panic shed in her eyes as her mind raced with countless possibilities.

    Was Damon changing his mind?

    Damon seemed to read her thoughts. His expression remained indifferent, though his tone was reassuring. "Don''t worry. I''m not going back on my word."

    At this, N finally breathed a sigh of relief, though her heart still raced as she followed him into the study.

    Damon walked to his desk and picked up a folder. He retrieved a property deed and a set of keys, handing them to her.

    "I''ve already transferred ownership of this house," he told her. "You and Buddy can move in."

    N''s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the deed and keys in his hand. She instinctively recoiled.

    He was giving her a vi?

    If someone had told her this moments ago, she would have thought they were crazy. Yet, here it was, happening in the most unbelievable way. Confused, she struggled to understand his intentions. "Mr. Sumner, this is too generous. I can''t ept it."

    Damon looked at her calmly. "You''ve worked hard raising Buddy on your own these past few years, and I owe you for not protecting you both. Consider this my way of making amends. I promise I won''t visit without your consent."

    When N tried to refuse again, he frowned. "Think about it. You can either ept the deed and keys, then move out, or continue staying here." She bit her lip. "Mr. Sumner, you said you wouldn''t threaten me again."

    "I''m not threatening you. I''m just presenting you with a choice," he retorted.

    "But I don''t want to choose either option," she countered.

    "Then, I''ll choose for you," he announced.

    Before N could respond, Damon grasped her hand, cing the keys and deed in her palm.

    Caught off guard, N froze. Just as she was about to pull away, he released her hand.

    "Mr. Sumner..." she began.

    "Stop rejecting my offer. I just want to do something for you and Buddy. It''s not a big deal for me," Damon stated.

    N wanted to protest, but Damon nced at his watch and murmured, "I need to leave for my flight soon. I won''t be around when you and Buddy move. Have the drive take you."  to

    N nodded. "Okay,"

    Damon hurried off, leaving N holding the keys and deed. She felt conflicted as she returned to her room.

    ...

    The next morning, N began packing her and Mason''s things.

    Mason looked at her with confusion. "Mommy, are we going back to Capitarnia?"

    N folded her clothes as she gently replied, "No, we''re moving to a new ce."

    "We''re not living with Daddy anymore?" Mason asked.

    Hearing the tremor in his voice, N paused and turned to him. "Mm. We won''t be living together, but Daddy will stille to see you often."  to

    "Oh," Mason replied, lowering his head with a downcast expression.

    Noticing his sadness, N knelt in front of him and met his gaze. "Buddy, do you not want to move?"

    After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "Mommy, let''s move...

    Daddy hasn''t treated you well,

    and

    you''re not happy living here. don''t want you to be unhappy."  to

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    N''s eyes instantly welled up with tears as she pulled Mason tightly into her embrace. Her voice trembled as she said, "Buddy, I''m happy as long as I have you."

    Mason reached out his little hand and gently patted N''s back, speaking in a mature tone. "Mommy, I''ll be good. We''ll be fine in our new ce." Releasing Mason, N wiped away her tears and smiled. "Okay, let''s go to the new ce together and start a new life."

    Mason nodded vigorously, his expression filled with determination.

    They didn''t have much to pack, finishing in just a morning.

    During lunch, N shared their ns to leave with Lydia.

    Lydia froze, nearly spilling the soup she held. She quickly set it down, her face filled with disbelief.

    "Ms. Kinsey, why are you leaving so suddenly? Did Mr. Sumner not let you stay anymore?" she asked.

    Looking into Lydia''s concerned eyes, N felt a warm wave wash over her. Lydia had been so kind since her first day here. Now, as she prepared to leave, she felt reluctant to say goodbye.

    "Lydia, it''s not like that. Buddy and I are moving out, and Mr. Sumner agreed to it," N exined.

    Lydia was taken aback. "How could that be..."

    "It''s true. He told me before he left for a business trip yesterday. I''m really grateful for your kindness, and I''ll definitelye back to visit whenever I can," N promised.

    Lydia''s eyes reddened at these words. N''s promise to visit likely meant she wouldn''t return after leaving. She could tell N wanted no further contact with Damon.

    Wiping her eyes, Lydia said, "There''s another dish in the kitchen. I''ll go get it."

    N felt a pang of sorrow at Lydia''s sadness, but she knew she couldn''t stay here forever. Leaving was only a matter of time.

    After lunch, N and Mason left on their own, declining the offer to have the driver take them.

    Lydia watched the car fade into the distance, her eyes misting with reluctance.

    Beside her, Maddie scoffed. "Finally gone! Looks like she didn''t seed in seducing Mr. Sumner. Makes sense-he''d never fall for a scheming woman like her."

    "Maddie, shut up! Whether Mr. Sumner likes Ms. Kinsey or not, he''ll never look at you. Keep your useless thoughts to yourself!" Lydia chided. Maddie pouted and turned away, falling silent.

    Lydia ignored her and returned to the vi to tidy up N''s room.

    As soon as she stepped inside, she spotted a property deed, a set of keys, and a bank card lying on the bed. She froze, uncertain what to do with these items, and quickly contacted Damon.  to

    Once N settled into her hotel room, she received a call from Damon.

    "Why didn''t you take the vi? And what''s with the bank card you left behind?" he asked.

    N lowered her gaze. "Mr. Sumner,

    I''ve thought it through. I don''t need yourpensation-I can buy the vi myself. As for the bank card there should be enough money in it to cover the losses incurred by Prospectus Technology during this time."  to

    After a moment of silence, Damon''s cold voice came through. "What do you mean by that? Are you nning topletely cut ties with me?"

    "We don''t really have a rtionship,

    do we? But don''t worry, you''ll always be Buddy''s father. If you want to see him,gust call me anytime. I won''t stop you," N reassured.  to

    As soon as her words fell, she heard the busy tone on the line. It seemed Damon was angry.

    N calmly tucked her phone away and opened herputer to browse for houses. Since they couldn''t leave Saintornia for the time being, she needed to consider buying a ce.

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    Meanwhile, rk received word that N had left Damon''s vi with Mason.

    He smirked. "Looks like Lady Luck is on my side."

    He had been worried about how to get into Damon''s vi to abduct Mason, but now, with N moving out and Damon away on a business trip, it was the perfect opportunity.

    "When do you want us to make a move?" the person on the line asked.

    "Tonight. We''ll exchange the child for the money," rk replied.

    After hanging up, rk got up and poured himself a ss of red wine, smiling to himself. Soon, Damon would be begging to hand over his shares.

    ---

    As evening approached, N finalized a list of potential houses to visit in person the next morning.

    Finally pulling her gaze from theputer, N saw Mason walk over and hug her arm. "Mommy, I''m hungry."

    N nced at the clock and realized it was already past 6:00 p.m.

    "I''m sorry, Buddy! I got so caught up that I lost track of time. I''ll have someone bring us dinner right away," she said.

    She ordered two dinner deliveries, then stood up to stretch, grabbing her toiletries from her suitcase. She nned to shower and rest after dinner- she hadn''t slept well the night before, too anxious about leaving.

    Soon, there was a knock at the door.

    "Hello, room service."

    N was surprised. That was fast!

    She walked to the door and looked through the peephole, seeing someone in a hotel uniform holding two dinner trays.

    ?

    As she opened the door to ept the meals, a hand suddenly shot out from the side. The intruder pushed the room service attendant inside and rushed in.  to

    Everything happened in a blur.

    N barely had time to react before a sharp dagger was pressed against her neck.

    The room service attendant, pale with terror, trembled before he was quickly knocked out by the intruder.

    "Ms. Kinsey, someone wants to see you. Pleasee with us, along with your son," the intruder said.

    N gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain calm. "Who sent you here?!"

    "You''ll find out soon enough. Just behave, and I guarantee you won''t be harmed. But if you try to pull any tricks and escape, I can''t promise the knife won''t get you," the intruder warned.  to

    More people stepped out, and a burly man with a scarred face sneered. "Nick, stop talking

    vel

    nonsense. Just knock her out and

    Take

    her!"  to

    Before N could resist, a sharp pain struck the back of her neck, and she lost consciousness.

    Mason had juste out of the room when he saw N copse, instantly bursting into tears. "Mommy! Mommy!"

    Nick Polson red at Mason. "Brat, stop crying, or I''ll knock you out too!"

    Mason, terrified, fell silent for a moment, but his sobs quickly grew louder.

    The scar-faced man, Bowen Yelling, shouted impatiently, "Knock the brat out too! Hurry up!"

    Nick covered Mason''s mouth and struck the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious as well.

    The group then concealed N and Mason in a prepared food cart and swiftly transported them to the back door of the hotel.

    A car was already waiting.

    N and Mason were tossed into the vehicle, which sped off into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

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    When N regained consciousness, she found her hands and feet bound. She was lying on a bed, and Mason was nowhere to be seen.

    From the room''syout and decor, she realized she was in a bedroom. It felt strangely familiar.

    Frowning in confusion, she barely had time to think before the door swung open, and a man in a suit walked in.

    N''s bewilderment turned to rage as she recognized him.

    "rk, you kidnapped me and Buddy? Where is he?! If anything happens to him, I swear I won''t let you off, and neither will Damon!" she thundered.

    rk narrowed his eyes and sat beside the bed, gazing at her with an unsettling affection. "N, after so many years apart, we finally have the chance to talk. Let''s not bring up those party poopers."

    "Where is Buddy?!" N demanded, her eyes zing with anger and disgust. "I''m asking you, where is he?!"

    "Don''t worry. He''s safe for now, at least," rk replied.

    "Why are you doing this? Are you crazy?" N questioned, her voice sharp.

    rk looked at her, his gaze disturbingly gentle. "N, I didn''t mean to kidnap you. I just wanted a proper conversation, but you never gave me a chance. As for the child, we''ll have our own in the future."

    N''s eyes widened in shock and fear. "rk, what are you nning to do to Buddy? He''s not even five years old! If you want revenge,e at me! Don''t hurt him!"

    In contrast to her frenzied emotions, rk appeared calm.

    He stroked her face and said gently, "N, me on him being Damon''s son. Damon blocked my path to bing the CEO of the Sumner Group, so if anything happens to Buddy, it''s Damon''s fault. If you want to hate someone, hate Damon."  to

    The icy touch of rk''s fingers against her cheek sent a wave of revulsion through N, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

    Desperation filled her heart as she looked at rk pleadingly.

    "rk... Buddy is my child too! I carried him to full term and gave birth to him. Please, I''m begging you, don''t hurt him. If you leave him alone, I''ll do anything you want. Please!"

    rk smiled, leaning in closer and

    whispering in her ear, "N, stope pretending. I know you too well You''re just stalling for time. Besides, I told you-we''ll have our own child in the future."  to

    Despair flickered in N''s eyes as she desperately tried to loosen the ropes binding her wrists.

    She red at rk with disgust. "You said you loved me. Is this your love? Kidnapping me and Buddy, threatening to harm him? This twisted, disgusting love of yours is beyond sickening!"

    Just like him, his love was rotten to the core.

    rk didn''t mind N''s angry outbursts. After all, what he wanted was N herself. As for love, that was something he could cultivateter.

    "N, you should conserve your

    strength. No matter what you say, I won''t change my mind. Once the situation in Saintornia is resolved, I''ll take you abroad to a ce where no one can find us, and we can live together," rk dered.  to

    N looked at him mockingly. "I''d rather die right now than spend my life with someone like you!"

    rk''s expression darkened, his gaze turning icy. "N, don''t try to provoke me. I can''t promise what I might do."

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    rk grabbed her chin, speaking each word deliberately. "I had nned to throw a wedding after we moved abroad, but if you''re eager to start the honeymoon activities now, I won''t mind."

    The way rk''s gaze drifted down to her chest made N''s stomach churn.

    "Get off me!" N shouted.

    rk growled, "Looks like it''s time to show you what I''m capable of!"

    As he reached to unbutton her shirt, his phone rang from his pocket. Seeing the caller ID, he released her and straightened his clothes.

    "I''ll be back," he said.

    Disgusted, N turned her head away, refusing to look at him any longer.

    rk didn''t get angry. He simply turned and left the room.

    Once the door was securely closed, N hurriedly freed her wrists and loosened the ropes around her ankles. She stealthily grabbed themp from the bedside table, hiding it behind her back.

    Not long after, rk returned.

    Seeing N still sitting on the bed in the same position, he smirked and approached her slowly. "N, let''s continue what we started earlier. If all goes well, we''ll be flying out tonight. Where do you want toˇŞ"

    A heavy blow struck his forehead before he could finish his sentence, warmth streaming down the side of his face.

    A second blow came before he could react, knocking him to the floor, dazed and disoriented.

    With fierce determination in her eyes, N jumped off the bed and quickly tied him up.

    Once she confirmed rk was

    unconscious, she didn''t let her guard down. She secured the knots tightly and fished his phone from his pocket, her hands trembling as she dialed Damon''s number.  to

    "Damon, rk kidnapped me and Buddy. I don''t know where he took him. Please figure something out... I''m scared something might happen to Buddy," she cried. Content

    Her voice trembled with emotion, tears welling in her eyes. If anything happened to Mason, she wouldn''t be able to live with herself.

    Damon''s calm voice came through

    the line, soothing her nerves. "Don''t panic. I''ve already sent people to look for him. Buddy will be fine. How did you get rk''s phone? Where is he now?"  to

    "I... I knocked him out and tied him up. I don''t know when he''ll wake up..." N answered.

    "Okay, I understand. Find a safe ce to hide for now. I''ll be there soon. If you''re scared, just stay on the line," Damon instructed.

    "No, I''m fine... I''m just worried about Buddy," N replied.

    "I promise I won''t let anything happen to him. Just focus on keeping yourself safe until I can get to you," Damon said.

    Damon''s voice was steady and reassuring, and N''s panicked heart began to calm. At least she didn''t feel as afraid as before.

    After hanging up, she took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm as she began checking rk''s phone for messages but found nothing useful.

    Just as she hesitated about whether to wake rk to ask where Mason was being held, his phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing an unknown number, she swiped to answer it, only to hear an irate voice on the other end.

    "That brat managed to escape through the window while we weren''t paying attention! But his room is on the third floor. He must be hurt and won''t get far.

    "I''ll catch him, break his legs, and once we get the money, I''ll just toss him in the river to drown!" the other party barked.

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651

    ?

    Upon hearing this, N''s heart lurched, and her face turned pale.

    Mason had actually jumped out of a third-floor window!

    N couldn''t imagine how desperate he must have felt to do that. The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached, and tears streamed down her face without her even realizing it.

    The person on the other end of the line noticed the silence and became alert. "Why aren''t you talking?! You''re not rk?!"

    N bit her lip hard, not daring to speak, and hung up. She rushed to the bathroom, filled a basin with water, and sshed it on rk''s head. He woke up soon, realizing he was tied up, and saw N looking down at him.

    He paused for a moment before breaking into a smile. "N, I didn''t expect you to be so much smarter after five years apart."

    N red at him. "I don''t have time for your nonsense. Where did you lock up Buddy?"

    rk sneered. "You want to know? Go find him yourself. Saintornia isn''t that big. If you search for ten days or half a month, maybe you''ll get lucky and find him."

    Seeing that rk wasn''t going to talk, N wasn''t surprised. "You kidnapped Buddy to use him to threaten Damon for money, right? Do you really think you have a chance to leave the country now? If you tell me where Buddy is right now, I can write a forgiveness letter for yourwyer."

    rk smiled, his expression smug. "N, do you think I''m an idiot? I can''t leave here anyway, so why not take someone down with me? If Buddy dies, you and Damon will never be together, right?"

    Watching the smile on rk''s face, N pped him hard.

    "rk, you''re disgusting! Being with someone like you is the biggest regret of my life!" she growled.

    "Hahaha, regretting won''t change anything. Besides, I''ve be this kind of person all because of you and Damon, haven''t I?" rk retorted.

    Now that he was tied up and

    couldn''t escape, he had no intention of trying. Even in death, he wanted to make Damon and N miserable, hoping they would hate each other every time they saw one another.  to

    Seeing the madness in rk''s eyes, N tightened her grip on themp, her hatred growing stronger. It was rk who ruined her life. Just as she was finally finding peace, he was backto destroy it again. If only she had never met him!

    to

    Noticing the loathing and hatred in N''s gaze, rk couldn''t help butugh. If he couldn''t have her love, her hatred was just as good. Suddenly, rk''s phone rang again.

    Seeing that it was Damon calling, N quickly answered.

    "Did you find Buddy?!" she asked.

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Damon''s deep voice came through. "We haven''t found Buddy yet, but my team has confirmed your location. They be there to rescue you in about three minutes."  to

    This made N even more anxious. "I''m safe for now. Don''t waste time sending someone to get me! Go find Buddy first!

    "The person who kidnapped him just called and said Buddy jumped from a third-floor window! He must be injured, and we can''t let them find him! Don''t worry about me-finding Buddy is more important!"

    Damon coaxed, "Don''t panic. We''ve already pinpointed Buddy''s location. I believe we''ll find him within half an hour. Staying close to rk is only going to put you in more danger."

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652

    ?

    N was frantic as she raised her voice. "I said don''t worry about me! Buddy is what matters! Where is he? I''m going there right now!"

    Damon fell into silence on the other end.

    "Say something!" N urged.

    "It''s dangerous. I''ll go find Buddy myself. Just stay put until my people arrive and leave with them," Damon instructed.

    Before N could respond, he hung up.

    ...

    Seeing Damon put his phone away, Spencer asked with concern, "Mr. Sumner, those people are armed. Shouldn''t we involve the police?"

    Damon''s eyes were icy as he replied, "Those people are desperate. If the police get involved, they mightsh out and harm Buddy. You stay here and keep me informed if anything happens. I''ll head over first."

    Spencer wanted to argue further but could see that Damon was unyielding. He simply reminded him, "Be careful!"

    rk, who had overheard the entire conversation, smirked.

    Damon wouldn''t tell N where Mason was, probably because he was worried about those armed men.

    Since Damon was going to go anyway, letting N join would make things more interesting. It was just a pity she might end up dead.

    As rk contemted how N was never going to be with him anyway, he concluded that her dying was better than her being with Damon. If he couldn''t have her, he would rather destroy her.

    "N, don''t you want to know where Buddy is? I''ll tell you," he said.

    Soon, Damon''s men burst into rk''s vi.

    However, the room only held rk, bound on the floor. There was no sign of N.

    As soon as Damon arrived at the abandoned flour mill on the outskirts of the city, he received a call from Spencer.

    "Mr. Sumner, our people went over but didn''t find Ms. Kinsey. She''s probably already made her way to you," Spencer reported. Damon''s expression darkened as he cursed, "Bunch of useless fools!"

    He hung up and called rk, but the call went unanswered. Putting his phone away, he hurried into the flour mill with a grim face.

    The mill had been abandoned for over 20 years, overgrown with weeds and marked by crumbling walls. It looked dpidated.

    The low, run-down buildings next to the mill had once served as dormitories and a cafeteria for the workers.

    Damon rushed inside, searching for any sign of Mason. Unbeknownst to him, N had entered the flour mill from the opposite side at the same time.

    Before long, a few of his men dragged a burly man over.

    "Mr. Sumner, we found this fellow in the cafeteria, but he''s tight-lipped and won''t say a word," one of Damon''s subordinates informed him.

    Damon''s gaze turned icy as he ordered, "Break his legs first."

    As soon as the words left his mouth, the man let out a horrific scream His face turned as pale as a sheet,rge beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead.  to

    "Where are the others?" Damon demanded.

    The man gritted his teeth, forcing a smirk. "Even if you kill me, I won''t talk. Besides, you should consider what will happen to your son once they find him. Will he fare worse than me?"  to

    n

    Damon''s eyes narrowed, and he replied slowly, "I''m not the only one with a son If I remember correctly you have a son in middle school overseas. If something happens to my son, do you think your son will live?"  to

    The man''s smile instantly froze, his face turning even paler than before.

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653

    ?

    Damon kept a poker face as he said, "I''ll give you three seconds. If you don''t talk, I''ll personally send you abroad to collect your son''s corpse." A sh of panic crossed the man''s face, and his voice trembled with fear. "I''ll tell you... I''ll tell you... They all went up the mountain..."

    "You better not be lying to me. Otherwise, you''ll regret ever being born," Damon threatened.

    He left a few people behind to watch the man and led the majority of his team up the mountain.

    At the back of the flour mill loomed a medium-sized mountain.

    With deep autumn approaching, the leaves of the shrubs and trees had begun to turn yellow and fall, making the area feel deste and abandoned.

    Damon''s expression was grim, and he emanated a chilling aura.

    Meanwhile, N had searched the flour mill for a long time but hadn''t found Mason. Instead, she ran into Damon''s subordinates.

    "Ms. Kinsey... what are you doing here?" one of the subordinates asked.

    "Where''s Damon?" N shot back.

    "We just caught one of the kidnappers. Mr. Sumner is currentlyˇŞ"

    Before he could finish his sentence, his colleague yanked him back.

    Realization struck him, and he quickly shook his head. "I''ve been here looking for Mr. Mason. I don''t know where Mr. Sumner went..."

    "Do you know something? Has something happened to Buddy?" N asked anxiously.

    Panic filled N her usual calm demeanor hadpletely vanished.

    Mason was still in danger, and she had no idea if the kidnappers would find him first. She struggled to remainposed.

    "No... we still haven''t found Mr. Mason..." Damon''s subordinate said.

    "Then why were you hesitating just now? If you have news, please tell me. I''m begging you!" N pleaded.

    Seeing N about to kneel in front of them, the two men were startled and quickly reached out to help her up.

    Theyforted her, saying, "Ms. Kinsey, please don''t do that! Mr. Mason is really fine..."

    "If he''s fine, then why were you two so hesitant earlier?" N demanded.

    "Well... I''ll tell you. Mr. Mason might

    ???

    have escaped to the mountain. Mr. Sumner has gone up there with some people, but the thugs have guns. It''s better if you don''t go up... Just wait for Mr. Sumner..." Before he could finish, N had already turned and sprinted toward the mountain.  to

    The two men hurried to catch up. If Damon found out they had let N go up the mountain, they would be in serious trouble. Even though N looked frail, she ran quickly.

    The two athletic men struggled to keep pace with her. They were both frantic Mason hadn''t been found yet. If anything happened to N, Damon would definitely not spare them.  to

    "What do we do? We can''t catch up with Ms. Kinsey..." one of the men asked anxiously.

    "Stop talking nonsense! She''s almost out of sight!" the other man eximed.

    Soon, N vanished from their view.

    Gasping for breath, the two men exchanged fearful nces.

    "S-Should we notify Mr. Sumner?" one of them asked.

    After a moment of silence, the other man replied quietly, "Let''s hold off for now. We shouldn''t distract Mr. Sumner any more than necessary, and Ms. Kinsey might not get into trouble..."  to

    They discussed it for a while and decided not to tell Damon. They would first try to find N.

    Meanwhile, N began searching for Mason, marking her path as she entered the mountain.

    ...

    After more than two hours of searching, she still hadn''t found Mason and had not encountered a single person along the way.

    Her heart grew heavier. Mason was so small and might still be injured. If those people found him first...

    The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She stumbled, lost her footing, and fell.

    "Ah!" N screamed as she hit the ground hard, rolling uncontrobly down the mountainside.

    Intense pain surged through her, and she desperately grabbed for anything within reach.

    Fortunately, the slope she rolled down was dotted with trees, and she crashed into one, finally bringing herself to a halt.

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654

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    N felt pain coursing through every part of her body. It took her several minutes to catch her breath.

    She leaned against the tree to stand up slowly, her face pale. Her clothes were torn from the thorns, leaving her looking ragged and disheveled.

    As she looked up at the spot from which she had fallen, she bit her lip. Just as she was about to climb back up, she caught sight of a cave partially obscured by bushes.

    The cave entrance was on a slope and mostly hidden by vegetation. If she hadn''t been in the right position, she would havepletely missed it. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to investigate.

    Her foot had already twisted when she fell, and moving now sent sharp pain shooting through her. But she had no choice-she needed to see. Clutching the bushes, she slowly made her way toward the cave entrance.

    As she approached, she noticed the bushes rustling.

    Holding her breath and suppressing her racing heart, N called softly into the cave, "Buddy... are you in there?"

    The bushes shook again, and soon Mason''s head peeked out. He looked stunned for a moment, disbelief in his eyes. "Mommy..."

    Mason''s hair was a mess, his face smeared with dirt and cuts from the thorns.

    N felt a pang of heartache and was about to rush over when an angry voice came from not far away.

    "Bowen, look! That bitch is over there!" a guy shouted.

    N quickly turned around to see two of the men who had kidnapped her and Mason running toward her, guns in hand.

    "Buddy, stay inside and wait for Daddy. No matter what you see, don''t make a sound!" N whispered harshly before fleeing in the opposite direction. Bowen and Nick had only intended to check the bushes out of curiosity when they spotted N. They forgot all about the cave as they ran after her.

    With N''s injured foot, she was no match for them as they quickly closed in.

    As they reached for her, a cold voice

    her, I

    echoed nearby. "If you dare to touch Will make sure you and your families disappear without a trace!"

    ¨¦n.kikistories

    Bowen and Nick froze momentarily, then Bowen gritted his teeth and shouted, "Nick, grab her! If we can catch her, we can negotiate with Damon!" Nick quickly reacted, lunging for N.

    However, N didn''t give him the chance. She threw herself to the ground, rolling rapidly down the mountainside.

    As N tumbled, Damon felt as

    though a hand had gripped his heart.

    His eyes widened, and his mind went nk as he instinctively lunged toward her.

    No one saw his movement clearly, but he was already beside N.

    N stared at him in disbelief, her voice filled with panic. "Damon, are you crazy?!" Damon didn''t answer. He simply held her tightly, trying to protect her from further harm. They rolled swiftly down the mountain, colliding with rocks and branches along the way.

    N felt as if her body were being pulled apart, unbearable pain radiating from every part of her.

    Despite that, she knew that Damon,

    who was holding her tightly, must be suffering even more. Content

    Emotions swirled within her, almost drowning her. Tears streamed down her face.

    Why was he being so foolish?

    He had lost his memory, and she had been pushing him away all this time.

    Why was he still risking everything to save her?

    "Damon, whyˇŞ" Before she could finish, Damon''s head mmed into a protruding rock.

    A wave of intense pain crashed over Damon.

    Darkness enveloped him while familiar yet foreign scenes shed through his mind...

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655

    ?

    N and Damon had rolled down to a rtively t area.

    N quickly grabbed onto a nearby shrub. Thorns dug into her fingers, but she was determined not to let go. Finally, they came to a stop.

    She let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Damon, only to find him with his eyes tightly shut. His face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead

    Her heart sank instantly.

    "Damon..... wake up. Are you okay?" she asked.

    She called his name several times, but he didn''t respond.

    However, his hands still gripped her waist tightly.

    Panic shed in N''s eyes as she began to search him.

    Thankfully, his phone was still with him. She quickly took it out and dialed Spencer''s number.

    ...

    When Damon finally regained consciousness, it was three dayster.

    Every part of his body ached-even breathing felt immensely difficult.

    Spencer, who was beside him, noticed that he was awake and hurried over. "Mr. Sumner, you''re awake! I''ll go get the doctor right away!"

    Spencer was filled with excitement as he quickly headed to the door.

    Soon, the doctor arrived.

    After conducting an initial examination, he visibly rxed as he informed them, "Mr. Sumner has passed the critical phase. Now he just needs to rest. He should fully recover in about a month."

    Spencer nodded. "Got it. Thank you, doctor."

    After the doctor left, Spencer saw that Damon wanted to get up and helped him adjust the bed.

    He asked, "Mr. Sumner, how are you feeling now? Would you like some water or..."

    Damon nodded weakly. "Mm, water."

    Spencer quickly brought a ss of warm water, helping Damon drink half of it before taking it away when Damon stopped drinking.

    After drinking, Damon finally felt that his throat wasn''t as parched.

    "How''s N?" he asked.

    Spencer replied, "Ms. Kinsey is fine. Thanks to your protection, she only sustained minor injuries and should be discharged in a couple of days.

    "We also found Mr. Mason. He was

    frightened but unharmed. The people who kidnapped him, along with your nephew, have been captured and locked up. They''ll be dealt with once you''re feeling better."

    "Okay, understood," Damon replied, falling silent again and lowering his gaze to conceal the depth of his emotions.

    The ward descended into silence.

    Spencer sensed something was off about Damon but couldn''t pinpoint what exactly.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ll go notify Ms. Kinsey that you''re awake," Spencer said.

    As soon as he finished speaking, Damon''s cold voice cut through the air. "No need. I''m very tired and don''t want to see anyone right now. You can head out as well."

    Seeing Damon''s pale face, Spencer agreed that he needed to rest.

    He nodded and replied, "Alright, I''ll wait outside. Call me if you need anything."

    Once outside, Spencer gently closed the door and dialed Luca''s number.

    "Mr. Sumner is awake. Inform Prospectus Technology''s shareholders," he said.

    During Damon''sa, many

    shareholders had been eager to

    seize contrat before he woke up. If it weren''t for Damon''s usual

    ruthlessness, which still held some power over them, they would have acted the moment they learned he was down.

    After hanging up, a cold glint shed in Spencer''s eyes.

    Once Damon was back on his feet, he would certainly start cleaning house among those treacherous shareholders.

    Before long, N arrived, wearing arge hospital gown with the wounds on her face beginning to scab over. She looked significantly better than when Spencer first found heDand Damon.

    "Ms. Kinsey," Spencer greeted.

    N nodded. "How''s Mr. Sumner?"

    "He''s awake," Spencer answered.

    "What?" N''s eyes widened in surprise. "Why didn''t you notify me? I need to go see him..."

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656

    ?

    Before N could finish, Spencer stepped in front of her.

    "Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner just woke up. He mentioned that he doesn''t want to see anyone right now and prefers to rest. Perhaps you coulde back this evening or tomorrow?" Spencer suggested.

    N halted and looked at Spencer. "How is he right now?"

    "The doctor has checked on him and said he''s passed the critical phase. He just needs to rest," Spencer answered.

    Hearing this, N finally rxed. "Alright, I''lle back with Buddy tonight."

    In the ward, Damon heard N''s voice as soon as she reached the door.

    His gaze instinctively turned toward the entrance, where her slender silhouette was faintly visible through the frosted ss. The emotions in his eyes grew increasinglyplex.

    While tumbling down the mountain with N, he had hit his head against a rock. At that moment, memories had started flooding back.

    Five years ago, he had wronged her, and five yearster, he had wronged her even more.

    Damon managed a wry smile filled with bitterness. As he thought about everything he had done and said to her upon their reunion, his heart clenched, causing a pain that felt almost suffocating.

    How could he have treated the woman he loved so cruelly, even in his lost memory?

    To think... she had given birth to their child all on her own.

    He couldn''t imagine how difficult her life must have been over the years, and he didn''t dare to. Just the thought of it felt like a hole had opened in his chest, letting in a chilling draft that prated to his bones.

    The footsteps outside gradually faded away until they vanished.

    Damon closed his eyes. Now that N had a new rtionship, perhaps the best ending for both of them would be to forget the past entirely. In the evening...

    When N brought Mason to see Damon, Spencer was feeding him.

    Damon''s hand was broken and in a cast, requiring assistance.

    N approached the bedside. "Mr. Hogg, why don''t I take over?"

    Spencer hesitated for a moment, about to hand the bowl to N when he caught Damon''s cold gaze out of the corner of his eye.

    He quickly withdrew his hand, forcing a smile. "Ms. Kinsey, it''s fine. Mr. Sumner is almost done."

    N didn''t insist. Damon would be in

    the hospital for quite a while, so she have plenty of opportunities

    to care for him.

    Seeing Damon wrapped up like a mummy, Mason couldn''t help but tear up. "Daddy, does it hurt a lot?"

    During Damon''sa, N had kept Mason away, fearing that the sight of his father unconscious would leave him traumatized.

    Now that Damon was awake, she decided to stop hiding the truth from Mason.

    Damon looked at Mason, his gaze suddenly deepening.

    This was his first time seeing Mason since regaining his memory. This child, the product of his love with

    Nbore a striking resemnce to him.

    "Mason, it doesn''t hurt," he answered.

    "You''re definitely lying! It hurts even when I fall lightly. You rolled down the mountain. How could it not hurt? But you protected Mommy, so you''re my hero!" Mason cheered, Content

    Meeting Mason''s adoring gaze, Damon felt an unfamiliar warmth swell within him, his expression softening.

    "I''m honored to be your hero," he replied.

    "Then you need to get better soon. You promised to take me to the amusement park again!" Mason reminded him. Damon couldn''t help but smile. "Alright! I''ll recover quickly so I can take you to the amusement park."

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657

    ?

    "Thank you, Daddy!" Mason eximed.

    Damon''s gaze shifted from Mason to N, and aplex emotion flickered in his eyes before settling back into calmness.

    "Ms. Kinsey, how''s your recovery going?" he asked.

    Caught off guard by Damon''s cool stare, N hesitated.

    For a brief moment, she felt as though he might have regained his memory, but she quickly pushed that thought aside.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''m doing much better now. I''ve already arranged for my discharge. I truly appreciate what you did for me that day. If it weren''t for you, I might not be here anymore," she said gratefully.

    She had never expected Damon to risk his own life to protect her, and the memory of him throwing himself toward her still stirred her heart. Damon lowered his gaze and replied indifferently, "You are the most important person in Buddy''s life. I just didn''t want him to be sad."

    N paused but nodded. "Regardless, I''m very grateful. If you don''t mind, I''d like toe and take care of you until you''re discharged."

    Since Damon had saved her life and didn''t need money, she felt that taking care of him during his hospital stay was the least she could do to express her gratitude.

    "It''s not necessary," Damon declined.

    N frowned. "Mr. Sumner-"

    "It''s not appropriate. If you care for me, Mr. Raynor will likely be displeased. Besides, what happened five years ago... Spencer has already told me that I was the one who wronged you, so you don''t need to feel guilty," Damon said.

    N was taken aback, about to respond when Damon''s cold voice cut her off. "I''m tired. You can go now. During this time, I''ll have someone protect you and Buddy, so you don''t have to worry about any dangers."

    Upon seeing Damon close his eyes, N''s hands clenched slowly.

    "Alright, Mr. Sumner, thank you for everything," she replied.

    After N and Mason left, Damon opened his eyes and looked at Spencer. "Tell me how those guys were captured afterward."

    "After you and Ms. Kinsey fell, those

    two knew they couldn''t escape, so they stopped resisting. One more was@aught at the top of the mountain.

    "As for Mr. Mason, he was hiding in a cave covered by bushes and only came out after they were all captured," Spencer answered. "Got it," Damon replied.

    ...

    In the following days, N finally found a new ce to move into.

    Damon''s health gradually improved to the point where he could start walking again.

    Although Damon had told N not toe by, she still brought soup for him every day, apanied by Mason.

    At first, Damon refused her offerings. Later, he simply ignored her, acting as if he didn''t see her when she came over.

    As Damon''s health improved, he began preparing to confront rk about the kidnapping of N and Mason.

    ...

    Cyrus and Cindy somehow learned that Damon had imprisoned rk and stormed into the hospital to confront him.

    "Damon, where have you locked up

    my son? warn you to let him go

    right now, or I''ll call the police!" Cindy threatened as she barged in.

    Damon was drinking soup at the time.

    Cindy''s anger red due to his calm demeanor. She knocked the bowl out of his hand, spilling soup all over the nket.

    Damon''s gaze turned darkened, and the chill radiating from him made Cindy shudder and instinctively take two steps back.

    Grinding her teeth, she mustered her courage and shouted, "Damon, you don''t have to put on this intimidating act! I''m not afraid of you! Where''s rk? If you don''t tell me, I swear I''ll make you regret it!"

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658

    ?

    Damon looked up at Cindy, his eyes frosty. "If you want to call the police, go ahead. But I can guarantee that your son will soon be busy working behind bars."

    Cindy froze, then sneered. "What nonsense are you talking about? You''re the one who should be locked up!"

    Behind her, Cyrus'' expression changed. He knew Damon''s character-if he didn''t have solid proof, he wouldn''t make such definitive statements. Something must have happened during rk''s disappearance. Otherwise, Damon wouldn''t have randomly locked him up.

    Cyrus quickly pulled Cindy behind him and whispered, "Be quiet for now!"

    Indignant, Cindy still kept her mouth shut at Cyrus'' urging.

    "Damon, you''re rk''s elder. If he did something wrong, you can punish him however you like to teach him a lesson. But keeping him locked up indefinitely doesn''t seem right, does it?" Cyrus probed.

    Damon''s icy gaze shifted to Cyrus'' fawning face.

    He spoke slowly. "rk kidnapped N and my son, Buddy. He then used Buddy to demand 150,000,000 dors from me. He even nned to kill him after getting the money. How do you think I should punish him so he''ll remember this lesson?"

    Cyrus froze, disbelief flooding his eyes. "How is that possible? He wouldn''t do something like that..."

    Behind him, Cindy''s eyes widened in shock. She had heard rk mention that N was alive. Not only that, but she had also given birth to Damon''s child.

    At the time, she didn''t dare believe it, but it turned out to be true. That vile woman!

    Damon raised an eyebrow, and his gaze toward Cyrus became unreadable. "What''s impossible? You gave him the money he used to hire the goons." "What?" Cyrus'' face instantly drained of color.

    He had assumed that Damon knew

    about rk secretly buying shares from the Sumner Group''s

    shareholders, which was why he had locked him up. He never expected rk tomit such a heinous act!

    When rk had that thought, Cyrus had tried to warn him, but he wouldn''t listen. Now he had ruined his own life!

    No, wait... Damon was still holding rk captive. This hadn''t made the news either. It seemed Damon was still considering family ties and intended to keep this under wraps.

    Cyrus looked at Damon, pleading, "I

    didn''t raise him well... Regardless he''s your nephew. Can you please let him go this time? I''ll take him abroad. He won''t be back to see you again!"

    Cyrus was adamant, but Damon''s expression showed no sign of change.

    "Cyrus, some things only need to be experienced once," he said.

    rk nearly caused N and Mason to lose their lives. He could never let someone who posed a danger to them go abroad.

    Who could guarantee he wouldn''te back to seek revenge on N and Mason one day if he wasn''t happy?

    What Damon needed to do was protect N and Mason.

    Upon seeing the fleeting murderous intent in Damon''s eyes, Cyrus'' heart sank. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees before Damon with a thud.

    Cindy was startled and rushed to pull him up. "Cyrus, are you crazy?! How could you kneel to Damon?! Get up!"

    Cyrus pushed her away, his gaze locked onto Damon. His eyes were reddened and full of desperation.

    "Damon, Cindy and I only have this

    one son. If he dies, we won''t be able to live either. I''m not asking for much. Whatever you do to him is fine-as long as you spare his life. I''ll ept anything, even if it means he''s crippled! Can you do that for me?" Cyrus begged.

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659

    ?

    Damon looked down at Cyrus and spoke slowly. "Cyrus, you were the one who found the doctor to hypnotize me five years ago, weren''t you?" Cyrus stiffened, disbelief flooding his face as he met Damon''s gaze. He looked shocked and fearful as he stuttered, "Y-You... regained your memory?"

    How could this be possible? Maverick Herbert had left the day after Damon rejected Richard. How could Damon have found him?

    Even if he had, there was no way Maverick could have restored Damon''s memory...

    "I have to thank my dear nephew for that. If he hadn''t sent someone to kidnap N, I wouldn''t have fallen from the mountain trying to save her and hit my head, triggering all my memories," Damon said.

    His expression was calm, but Cyrus could sense the tumultuous emotions swirling beneath that calm facade.

    He gritted his teeth. "Yes... I did find the doctor who hypnotized you, but I did it for your own good..."

    "For my own good?" Damon chuckled softly, but the smile sent chills down Cyrus'' spine.

    "Do you think I''m a fool? Were you really doing it for my sake, or was it to get the Sumner Group?" Damon asked.

    Cyrus'' lips moved, as if he wanted to speak, while his heart sank.

    Damon knew all of his hidden motives and his true purpose. No matter how he tried to argue, it would only make him seem more ridiculous.

    "I didn''t believe I had wronged your family before I lost my memory.

    "Yes, I was with N, but that was after rk cheated. I started dating her only after their divorce. So, I haven''t done anything wrong to rk either," Damon said.

    "There''s your plot from five years ago, and now rk''s abduction of N and Buddy. Do you really think I should let rk go?" he asked.

    Cyrus felt as if the ground had suddenly been pulled from beneath him, causing him to copse.

    He finally understood what despair meant, realizing that what Damon said indicated his stance he would not spare rk.

    "I know it''s pointless to say anything now. We have wronged you. I''ll give my life to atone for rk''s actions Just, for the sake of him being your nephew, please let him go. This is myst wish as your elder brother," Cyrus pleaded.

    He then stood up, pushed Cindy aside, and rushed toward the window.

    Cindy, startled, fell to the floor. "Cyrus!"

    Damon''s expression didn''t change. He didn''t even blink.

    Vel.ne

    Just as Cyrus was about to leap out the window, Damon''s icy voice halted him. "Unfortunately, I''m not a Summer. Even if you jump, I won''t spare rk."

    Cyrus froze mid-action, copsing onto the floor. His face was etched with despair and pain.

    He now understood why those who opposed Damon in the business world either vanished without a trace or kept their distance.

    Even murder required bloodshed, but Damon could strike at the heart, leaving one feeling even more hopeless after experiencing despair.

    He looked at Damon, realizing he had never truly understood his younger brother.

    "When did you find out?" he asked.

    Damon replied, "I could pull up the surveince footage from the Summer residence''s living room. What do you think?"

    Cyrus turned abruptly to Cindy, whoy on the floor, pale and trembling.

    Anger surged within him as heshed out, "Cindy! Aren''t you the perfect wife! rk''s dearest mother, huh?!"

    If she hadn''t mentioned it in the

    living room that day, Damon might

    never have known, and rk might have been spared out of

    consideration for being his nephew.

    Now, it was all over!

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660

    ?

    Cindy''s lips quivered as she opened her mouth, but she couldn''t utter a single word.

    She hadn''t expected Damon to install surveince cameras in the Sumner residence''s living room. Even if she had known, her hatred for him might have driven her to blurt it out intentionally.

    "Damon, everything that''s gone wrong is my and Cyrus'' fault. We didn''t raise rk properly. If you want revenge,e after us. Please, spare rk!" Cindy begged.

    Damon showed no reaction to her pleas, merely saying, "I need to rest. Leave the room within a minute."

    Cindy and Cyrus froze. They exchanged nces, realizing this was their only chance to save rk.

    Cyrus struggled to stand up and addressed Damon, "I have over a million dors left. I''ll give you all of it. I''ll persuade Dad to hand over the Sumner Group to you, as long as you let rk go."

    Damon remained indifferent, a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes. "Do you really think you have the right to negotiate with me? Those things mean nothing to me. I won''t spare rk."

    Seeing his icy demeanor, Cyrus and Cindy finally understood that no matter how much they begged, it would be in vain.

    "Damon, even though you''re not a Sumner, I''ve always considered you my brother all these years. You''ll regret treating us this way one day!" Cyrus snapped.

    Disgust shed in Damon''s eyes as he pressed the call button, summoning his subordinates to throw them out.

    As the hospital room door opened and closed, Cyrus and Cindy''s shouts faded away.

    Damon''s expression settled back to calm. To him, family ties were merely tools for binding interests.

    Once they were thrown out of the hospital, Cindy despaired. "Cyrus, what are we going to do now? If we lose rk, I can''t go on living..."

    "Do you even have the right to say that? If you hadn''t mentioned those things in the family residence, Damon wouldn''t have found out... "Forget it, there''s no point in talking about that now. I''m going to see Dad and see if he has any ideas," Cyrus replied, hurrying away. Cindy hesitated for a moment before quickly following him.

    In the Prestons'' living room...

    Reba sat on the sofa, her body covered in bruises. She stared nkly at the television, which was the only source of sound in the otherwise empty vi.

    The cold light from the chandelier cast a harsh glow on her face, illuminating the fingerprints left on her skin.

    Suddenly, her calm expression shifted, her eyes filling with deep hatred.

    The television news was reporting the kidnapping of N and Mason by rk, along with Damon''s serious injury while attempting to save them Now, everyone knew that N was alive.

    Reba tightened her grip on the remote control, her gaze locked onto N''s face, seething with resentment.

    If it weren''t for N, she wouldn''t have been forced into marrying Nathaniel. The past five years wouldn''t have been a living hell.

    Five years ago, Damon had nearly driven the Preston Group to bankruptcy.

    If he hadn''t suddenly lost his memory afterward, Nathaniel would have struggled to keep thepany afloat. Although he had managed to prevent thepany''s copse, they were left deeply in debto

    swnow

    Under Damon''s covert oppression, the Preston Group barely managed to survive.

    After Nathaniel and Reba were married, he initially ignored her.

    However, as it became harder to secure contracts for the Preston Group, he started arguing with her when he got home. Those

    arguments escted into domestic violence, and eventually, he even pushed her into bed with business

    partners to secure cooperation deals.

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661

    ?

    If Reba didn''t agree, Nathaniel would simply drug her and send her over.

    She had tried to escape before, but each time, he had caught her and responded with brutal beatings. After enduring this repeatedly, she gradually became numb to it.

    She had never imagined that the man who once imed to love her, who promised never to let her get hurt, would transform into the monster he was

    now.

    Over the past five years, she finally understood why Damon hadn''t harmed her when he discovered she was responsible for N''s fall into the sea. Instead, he had forced her to marry Nathaniel.

    He truly was ruthless!

    Reba had thought she would be tormented by Nathaniel until her death. She had never expected that N was still alive-not only alive but also the mother of Damon''s child!

    All the built-up resentment and anger over the years surged within her like a tidal wave, nearly drowning her.

    The remote control smashed against the television screen, creating a spider web of cracks.

    When Cyrus rushed to the hospital room, Richard was preparing to rest, with a maid sitting nearby to watch over him.

    "Dad, rk''s in trouble..." Cyrus said.

    Richard frowned and asked coldly, "What does that have to do with me? Figure it out yourself."

    He recalled thest time he had listened to rk. They had filmed a video together and posted it online, only to be immediately ridiculed. Former enemiesughed at his misfortune, while even those who were friendly called him foolish, which made him furious.

    Now, he regretted agreeing to Cyrus and rk''s return home. Not only had they failed to reim thepany from Damon, but they had also brought him disgrace!

    Cyrus forced a smile as he approached the bed. "Dad, if you don''t help rk this time, no one will be able to save him. He''s your grandson... You-" Richard impatiently interrupted, "Stop with the nonsense! What did he do?"

    After a brief hesitation, Cyrus reluctantly exined that rk had kidnapped N and Mason. He teft out the part about rk using Mason to ckmail Damon and his n to eliminate Mason.

    Richard was so furious he nearly fainted again, his face turning beet red. "What kind of upbringing did you and Cindy give him?! How could he

    do something like this? Do you think Damon will listen to me nowa

    Seeing Richard''s reaction, Cyrus didn''t dare mention that Damon already knew he wasn''t a Sumner. He feared it would push Richard over the edge. "Dad, rk did make a mistake, but he was only trying to use N and Mason to pressure Damon into giving up thepany. It was just a moment of confusion," Cyrus tried to exin.

    "A moment of confusion?" Richard''s eyes widened as he angrily eximed, "You call kidnapping someone a moment of confusion? Is he a three- year-old?!

    "I''m telling you, I won''t help him! I can''t help him even if I wanted to! From now on, I''ll pretend he doesn''t exist. You and Cindy can get lost! I never want to see you two again!"

    The thought of everything that had happened since their family''s return was infuriating to Richard. Having to give his shares to such unreliable people was worse than feeding them to dogs!

    Cyrus stared in disbelief. "Dad, how can you be so heartless?"

    "Get lost! Just seeing your stupid face annoys me!" Richard snapped.

    Cindy had just walked into the hospital room when she heard Richard berating Cyrus and refusing to use his shares to save rk.

    She immediately exploded, pointing at Richard and hurling insults.

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662

    ?

    Cindy was so agitated that her words were incredibly harsh as if she were finally releasing all the pent-up emotions of the past few years. Richard was so furious that his face turned purple. He trembled as he pointed at her before copsing.

    The maid was taken aback and hurriedly called for a doctor, also contacting Brandon.

    With rk missing, Damon unlikely toe, and neither Cyrus nor Cindy attending to Richard, there was no choice but to summon Brandon.

    When Brandon arrived, Richard was still in surgery.

    Cyrus and Cindy were there, their grim expressions revealing little emotion.

    He greeted them briefly and then turned to the maid. "What happened? Why did Grandpa suddenly faint again?"

    The maid nced nervously at Cyrus and Cindy, hesitating to speak.

    It was easy to infer that Richard''s copse was somehow rted to them.

    Brandon turned to Cyrus. "Uncle Cyrus, what''s going on? What did you do to Grandpa?"

    Cyrus remained silent, his gaze dark.

    When Richard had fainted moments ago, a thought had crossed Cyrus'' mind: maybe it wouldn''t be so bad if Richard died. After all, he could inherit Richard''s fortune if that happened.

    Aside from Richard''s shares, his cash and property alone would be enough for them to livefortably for the rest of their lives.

    As for rk, Cyrus would save him if possible. If not, there was nothing he could do.

    When rk had first suggested kidnapping Mason, Cyrus had advised against it, but he hadn''t listened. It wasn''t his fault now. Cindy scoffed. "What could we possibly do to him? He fainted because of his poor health. Are we supposed to take the me?" Brandon already had a poor impression of Cindy, so he involuntarily frowned. Despite this, he chose not to say anything further. After all, he''d find out what happened once Richard''s surgery was over.

    This time, Richard''s surgery took an unusually long time,sting over ten hours before the lights in the operating room finally went out.

    The doctor stepped out, looking serious. "Mr. Richard''s condition is quite severe. He may suffer from paralysis. You all need to be mentally prepared."

    Brandon''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Doctor, how could my grandfather''s condition suddenly worsen like this? He was said to be recovering just a few days ago."

    The doctor frowned, sounding irritated. told you before that he shouldn''t be stimted, and look at what you''ve done! If it happens t again, not even the best doctors can save him!"

    With that, the doctor left without furtherment.

    Brandon turned to Cyrus and Cindy who had been silent. His voice was icy. "Uncle Cyrus, I doubt Grandpa will Want to see you when he wakes up, so please leave now!" Content

    He had known all along that Cyrus and Cindy were only around Richard for his shares, but he hadn''t expected them to provoke him while he was still weak.

    No matter what happened, Richard was still their father. How could they do something like this?

    Cyrus scowled. "Brandon, you''re not in a position to teach me a lesson or tell me what to do. I''ll wait for Dad to wake up before I leave."

 Chapter 663

    Chapter 663

    ?

    Brandon looked at him coldly. "Even if Grandpa wakes up, he probably won''t want to see you."

    "You have no right to interfere!" Cyrus snapped.

    Brandon remained silent, scoffing as he turned to leave.

    Cyrus and Cindy followed him, standing resolutely by the hospital room door and refusing to budge. They even had their meals brought to them.

    ...

    A few hours after Richard returned to the hospital room, he finally woke up.

    Cyrus and Cindy quickly surrounded his bedside. "Dad, you''re finally awake!"

    Seeing their erged faces, Richard nearly passed out from anger again. "G-Get out... You... get out!"

    His face was pale, and his words emerged as whispers,cking any authority due to his weakness.

    "Dad, the doctor said you need to rest and can''t get angry anymore. It was all our fault earlier. I promise we won''t upset you again," Cyrus pleaded. Realizing he couldn''t rid himself of them, Richard simply closed his eyes and pretended he hadn''t heard anything.

    A cold glint shed in Cyrus'' eyes, but he maintained a concerned expression. "Dad, please rest well. Cindy and I will be right here. If you need anything, just call us."

    As soon as he finished speaking, Brandon''s icy voice cut in from the side. "Uncle Cyrus, can''t you see Grandpa''s face is ashen? I believe his condition will improve significantly once you leave."

    Anger flickered across Cyrus'' face as he turned to look at Brandon, annoyance etched on his features. "What does this have to do with you? Who are you to lecture me?"

    Brandon smiled and replied calmly, "I certainly don''t mean to lecture you. I just want to remind you that Uncle Damon ns to take rk to the police station. After that, who knows if you''ll ever see him again? I suggest you hurry over and meet him now to avoid any regrets."

    At this, Cindy lunged at Brandon in a frenzy, shouting, "Shut up! How dare you curse my son! I''ll rip your mouth apart!"

    Before she could reach him, Cyrus held her back. "Let''s go see what''s going on first! Don''t waste time here!"

    He quickly dragged Cindy away.

    Once the room fell silent again, Brandon sat by the bed. "Grandpa, don''t worry. I won''t let them disturb you anymore."

    Richard blinked, his eyes reddening

    He hadn''t expected that the

    grandson he had always neglected would be the one to stay by his side in the end.

    l

    Tears streamed down his somewhat cloudy eyes as he stammered, "Brandon... go... get Parker..

    have...

    to say to him..." Content

    something to say to him

    Brandon sighed softly. "Grandpa, your top priority is to get better first. We can discuss everything elseter."

    Richard slowly shook his head. He

    could feet that half of his body was no longer functioning, and he was much weaker than before. Deep §á§Ú§ă§î§Ţ

    down, he knew he wouldn''tst

    much longer.

    He needed to arrange for the distribution of his assets. Otherwise, it would be toote when he could no longer speak.

    "Go... call... thewyer... I know... my condition..." he said.

    His mouth twisted as he spoke, the paralysis affecting half of his face.

    Brandon felt a pang of sadness.

    After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Okay, don''t get too worked up. I''ll contact Mr. Frampton right now."

    ...

    Within an hour, Parker arrived.

    After greeting Brandon, he hurried into the hospital room.

 Chapter 664

    Chapter 664

    ?

    Cyrus and Cindy arrived at Damon''s vi, only to be stopped at the door. They tried to force their way in, but the bodyguards pushed them to the ground.

    "Please leave immediately, or I''ll call the police," one of them warned.

    Earlier, Damon had instructed that Cyrus and Cindy were not to be let in if they arrived.

    Cyrus turned livid. "How dare you stop me! Do you know who I am? I''m Damon''s older brother!"

    The bodyguard remained expressionless. "Sorry, but Mr. Sumner has ordered that you cannot enter. Even if you are Mr. Sumner''s father, I only follow Mr. Sumner''s orders. If you want to get in, you''ll need to contact him and have him give the go-ahead."

    "Fine! Just wait!" Cyrus snapped before stepping aside to dial Damon''s number.

    It connected, but no one apoke.

    Beside him, Cindy was frantic, repeatedly asking if he had reached Damon. Her incessant questions only added to Cyrus''s agitation.

    Finally, in a fit of rage, he mmed his phone to the ground and yelled, "You call him yourself!"

    Cindy was startled by his shout, then gritted her teeth and retorted, "Cyrus, are you even a man? You can''t even protect your own son. What good are you?"

    "Then what good are you? All you do is act like a shrew and scream!" Cyrus shot back.

    The two erupted into a heated argument at the vi door,pletely abandoning their usual dignified personas and behaving like two mad people. Damon stood by the window, watching them with an indifferent expression.

    As their shouting escted, they began to dredge up each other''s past misdeeds. Their tempers red, and they even started fighting in the street.

    The bodyguards at the vi entrance intervened, pulling them apart and saying "Causing a scene here won''t help Mr. Sumner has already sent rk to the police station

    "What?!" they eximed in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the bodyguard.

    Damon had actually done something so ruthless!

    Noticing their incredulity, the bodyguard said expressionlessly, "Mr. Sumner didn''t just make him disappear from this world-he sent him to the police station.

    "That already shows some consideration for past ties. If you continue to pester Mr. Sumner, you might not like the consequences."

    Both understood the implication: if they continued to bother Damon, rk might truly disappear from this world for good.

    Cyrus gritted his teeth, filled with resentment. Right now, however, there was nothing he could do except swallow his anger.

    They rushed to the police station and encountered N, who was there giving her statement.

    At that moment, neither Cyrus nor Cindy disyed their earlier arrogance, as they both recognized that N was the only one who could save rk. As long as she didn''t press charges, rk might not end up in prison.

    Cindy hurriedly approached N, pleading, "N... no... Ms. Kinsey, for the sake of our past as inws, and considering you and rk as husband and wife, I beg you to det rk go. I promise he won''t disturb your life anymore. He just loves you too much!"

    N paused and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Mrs. Sumner, has anyone ever told you that you''re shameless?"

    For Cindy to say something like that after everything that had happened, N couldn''t help but view her with new eyes.

    Cindy secretly seethed with hatred

    ol

    but maintained an increasingly humble demeanor. "Ms. Kinsey... matter what you say to me, I''ll ept it. Just please let rk go. He''s still young and can''t be ruined..."

 Chapter 665

    Chapter 665

    ?

    Mockery shed in N''s eyes. "You call being in his 30s young? That''s more like being a man-child."

    If it weren''t for Cindy constantly cleaning up rk''s mess, he wouldn''t have be increasingly reckless, ultimately resorting to kidnapping others. Cindy continued to plead, "Ms. Kinsey... if you could just let rk goˇŞ"

    N interrupted her, "I won''t let him off. He''s currently in police custody, and kidnapping is a criminal offense that can''t be dismissed."

    "All you have to do is write a forgiveness letter, and the judge will definitely show leniency," Cindy insisted.

    "Would you offer that to someone who tried to kill rk?" N retorted.

    Cindy froze.

    After several seconds, she mumbled, "But... you two were once in love and married for a few years... Why act so ruthlessly? He just made a momentary mistake..."

    "Save that for the police. Let''s see if they''ll believe you," N said, turning away as she left.

    Cindy wanted to chase after her, but Cyrus stopped her. "It''s pointless to go after her. She hates rk so much right now that she''ll never agree to a forgiveness letter."

    "But aside from pleading with N, we have no other options," Cindy replied.

    Cyrus'' expression darkened as he said, "No, there''s one other way."

    "What is it?" Cindy asked.

    "We get our hands on Dad''s inheritance and then leave the country," Cyrus answered.

    Cindy looked at him in disbelief, gritting her teeth. "What do you mean, Cyrus?! You don''t n on caring about rk anymore?!"

    "Do you think I don''t want to? The police are already involved. What more can I do? And don''t forget, Damon has almostplete control in Saintornia.

    "Who would dare to help the person he targets? Right now, it''s a miracle that we can still protect ourselves!" Cyrus argued.

    "As for rk, let''s just pretend he never existed!" he added.

    If rk hadn''t stubbornly gone against his advice, things wouldn''t have ended up like this. He had brought this upon himself.

    As soon as he finished speaking, Cindy pped him hard across the face, trembling with anger. "Cyrus, I misjudged you! You''re so heartless! Since you don''t n to care about rk anymore, let''s cut all ties and never speak again!"

    "Fine, let''s cut all ties! I''m fed up!" Cyrus snapped before walking away.

    Cindy red at his retreating figure, her eyes filled with resentment.

    ...

    When N got home, Mason rushed into her arms the moment she stepped through the door.

    "Mommy, where have you been? I missed you so much!" he eximed.

    Upon seeing the unease in Mason''s eyes, N''s heart softened. Ever since the kidnapping, he had been gued by nightmares, and only recently had he begun to feeDbetter.

    Now that she had suddenly gone out, he probably felt insecure again.

    N knelt, revealing an egg tart she had hidden behind her back.

    Smiling, she said, "Didn''t you say you wanted an egg tart? I went to get you one."

    "You''re the best, Mommy!" Mason cheered.

    He happily epted the egg tart and walked toward the dining table, beaming.

    Watching his cheerful steps, N couldn''t help but smile.

    Just as she was about to head back to her room, her phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing an unfamiliar number, she immediately rejected the call.

    The other side didn''t call back, and she didn''t think much of it-probably a wrong number or a telemarketer.

    swno

    After changing into her loungewear, N entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to find it nearly. empty. She decided to do some grocery shopping after lunch

    She took out the remaining ingredients and began washing and preparing the food.

    Just as she finished washing the vegetables, the doorbell rang.

    She walked to the door and looked through the peephole but saw nothing.

    Frowning, she returned to the living room to check the surveince footage.

 Chapter 666

    Chapter 666

    ?

    Soon, N noticed a person wearing a baseball cap and a mask, both items obscuring their face. The individual left a bouquet of roses at her doorstep and walked away.

    N frowned and called Oliver, asking if he had sent her the flowers.

    His voice came through with a hint ofughter. "I''ve been busy with a mergertely. Looks like I have a rival."

    N couldn''t help but chuckle. "Rival? It might just be a prank."

    "I''m starting to feel the pressure," Oliver teased.

    "Well, if you''re feeling pressured, you shoulde over for dinner tonight. Buddy and I miss you," N invited.

    "From now on, you should split thatst sentence into two," Oliver suggested.

    N paused, then raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I miss you, and Buddy misses you too."

    There was silence on the line for a few seconds before Oliver''s deep voice replied, "Alright, I''ll be there at 6:30 p.m."

    After hanging up, N''s smile gradually faded. If it wasn''t Oliver who had sent the flowers, then who was it? Or had they been sent to the wrong address?

    After some hesitation, she finally opened the door. She noticed a card attached to the roses and picked it up to read.

    [Wee back, N.]

    N''s grip on the card tightened, her knuckles turning white as she took a deep breath and threw the roses and the card into the trash bin downstairs.

    After finishing lunch, N took Mason out for groceries.

    She wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but she had a strong feeling that she was being watched as soon as they left the building. She turned around several times but saw no one.

    While shopping at the supermarket, the feeling of being watched intensified, sending a chill down her spine.

    After hurriedly buying what she needed, she returned home with Mason.

    It wasn''t until N sat on the sofa in the living room that the feeling of being watched finally faded.

    Having always trusted her instincts, she took out her phone and dialed Damon''s number.

    Earlier, Damon had mentioned he would send someone to protect her and Mason. Perhaps the feeling of being monitored was due to those people he had sent.

    The phone connected quickly, and Damon''s cold voice came through. "What''s wrong?"

    Since Damon had rescued N, she felt less animosity toward him and more of an inexplicable connection whenever they spoke.

    Taking a deep breath to suppress

    her emotions, she replied, "Mr.

    Sumner, you said you''d send someone to protect us. When I went

    out today, I felt like I was being watched. Are they your people?"

    There was a moment of silence on the other end.

    iel

    It took several seconds before Damon replied, "My people have been following you for a few days. If you feel like you''re being watched you wouldn''t have just noticed, today. Besides that, have you observed anything else strange?"

    "Uh, someone sent a bouquet of roses today with only the words ''Wee back, N''. I don''t know who it''s from..." N said.

    Upon hearing that, Damon''s

    expression turned icy. "Got it. I''ll

    increase the security detail for you and Buddy. If possible, it''s best if you two move back in with me for a while."

    N bit her lip, hesitating.

    On the one hand, she didn''t want to return.

    On the other hand, the trauma from her previous kidnapping by rk still lingered, and staying there made her anxious.

    Sensing her worry, Damon spoke calmly. "If you don''t want to see me, I''ll call ahead every time I go back and won''t have meals with you and Buddy."

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    ?

    N was silent momentarily before saying softly, "Mr. Sumner, I need some time to think about this. I''ll contact you once I''ve made a decision." After hanging up, she let out a soft sigh, her expressionplex.

    Mason''s safety was very important, but she didn''t want to have any more interactions with Damon. Ever since the kidnapping incident, she had found it difficult to feel calm whenever she thought of him.

    She decided the best course of action was to distance herself from him.

    After pondering for a while, N made up her mind.

    ...

    In the evening, Oliver arrived just as she finished cooking.

    "I could smell the ribs as soon as I stepped out of the elevator! Have you ever thought about opening a restaurant?" Oliver asked.

    N smiled at him, raising an eyebrow. "With a way of talking like that, I should reward you by making sure you finish all the ribs without leaving a bite."

    Oliver nodded. "Deal!"

    Hearing the voices, Mason ran out of his room. When he saw Oliver, he immediately dashed over to him.

    Oliver caught him and lifted him, weighing him in his arms. "Buddy, it looks like you''ve been eating welltely. You''ve put on quite a bit of weight since your hospital stay."

    Mason wrapped his arms around Oliver''s neck and pouted. "Uncle Oliver, are youining that I''m getting fat?"

    Oliver couldn''t help but chuckle as he patted Mason''s soft hair. "How could Uncle Oliver think you''re fat? No matter what, you''re the cutest in my eyes. Plus, a little extra weight is just a sign of a lively and healthy boy."

    "Then, I''ll eat more so I can grow up faster and protect Mommy," Mason dered.

    Seeing Mason clench his chubby little fists, Oliver nodded. "I believe in you, Buddy."

    N watched the two interact, finding it amusing. "Alright, go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon."

    With that, she turned back to the kitchen to grab tes and cutlery.

    By the time she returned to the dining area, Mason and Oliver had already washed their hands and were seated at the table, eagerly waiting to eat.

    N handed Oliver the cutlery and said, "I''ll get the food. You two can start eating."

    However, when she came back out, she found Oliver and Mason still sitting there patiently.

    N raised an eyebrow and asked, "What''s going on? Waiting for me?"

    Oliver nodded and picked up a rib for her. "You worked hard cooking. Of course, we should wait for you."

    "Okay, eat up," N announced.

    Once N took a bite of the rib, Oliver and Mason finally started eating.

    With each dish Oliver tasted, heplimented N, making her feel a bit giddy.

    "Is it really that good?" she asked.

    "Of course! Your cooking is the best I''ve ever had," Oliver dered.

    N smiled. "Then, I''ll cook for you more often."

    Oliver shook his head. "No need. Just asionally is fine. I don''t want you to tire yourself out."

    "Alright, but you should eat more," N replied.

    Watching the interaction between

    the two, Mason ate quietly, his little face alternating between happiness and worry.

    He was happy because his mother looked so

    65 deo joyful with Oliver, but hee

    was

    Worried because he v

    parents to be together wanted

    his

    Even though Oliver was very kind to him, he still wanted Damon around.

    But he knew his mother didn''t like his father and didn''t want to be with him.

    Couldn''t the three of them just be together?

    That way, he could be with his

    father, his

    mother could be with

    Oliver, and they could all be h

    together.

    If N knew what Mason was currently thinking, she would probably be speechless.

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    After dinner, Oliver suggested that N take Mason to the living room to rest while he cleaned the table and washed the dishes.

    N instinctively declined, "You don''t have to. You''re a guest."

    "I''m also your boyfriend," Oliver replied, raising an eyebrow. "As your boyfriend, it''s only right that I wash the dishes after dinner. I can''t let you do everything."

    Reluctantly, N nodded. "Alright, I''ll listen to you."

    Oliver tidied up the table, washed the dishes, wiped down the kitchen counters, and mopped the floor before heading to the living room.

    N was ying with Mason,peting to see who could stack the blocks faster.

    Mason was quick, nearly finishing with no blocks out of ce, while N''s stack was a chaotic mess, teetering as if it could fall at any moment. Oliver watched them with a gentle gaze. He asked, raising an eyebrow, "N, do you want me to help?"

    N looked up and met Oliver''s smiling eyes.

    Just as she was about to respond, a loud crash interrupted her as her blocks toppled over, scattering pieces everywhere.

    At the same time, Mason ced the final block on his tower,pleting it perfectly.

    N nced at Mason''s neat, beautiful stack and then at her scattered blocks. She felt a little disheartened-it was embarrassing to be outdone by a child who wasn''t even five years old.

    Oliver''s smile deepened. "You take a break. I''ll y with Buddy."

    N nodded. "Sure."

    Whenever she yed these educational games with Mason, she felt like she didn''t have the right IQ for it. Plus, Mason seemed to enjoy ying with Oliver more.

    When Oliver said he''d join him, Mason''s eyes lit up.

    N got up, and Oliver took her ce, starting to help Mason clean up the fallen blocks.

    "I''ll go get some snacks for you two," she said.

    She stood and walked toward the kitchen, Grabbing a watermelon from the fridge, she cut it up and ced the pieces on a tten

    Just as she was stepping out of the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

    Seeing Oliver preparing to get up to answer it, N said, "You keep ying with Buddy. I''ll get the door."

    When she reached the door and looked through the peephole, she was surprised to see Damon standing outside.

    After a moment''s hesitation, she opened the door.

    "Ms. Kinsey, I came to discuss this morning''s incident-" Before Damon could finish his sentence, he abruptly halted.

    The sight of N standing there in

    her loungewear, her long hair pulled up into a bun that revealed here smooth forehead, made her look both beautiful and vibrant Content

    Her wless skin and exquisite features could easily pass for those of a university student in herte teens.

    What took Damon by surprise was the atmosphere in the living room.

    Oliver was ying blocks with Mason, both of them smiling, while N held a te of watermelon, exuding a sense of peace.

    They appeared to be a warm and harmonious family, and his presence disrupted that tranquility.

    Damon felt himself tense up involuntarily, and his gaze gradually dimmed.

    The person who should have been sitting there ying with Mason was him. But five years ago, he hadn''t protected N. Five yearster, he missed his chance again.

    Now, he didn''t even have the right topete with Oliver.

    Oliver and Mason heard the noise and turned to look at the door.

    They both paused. Oliver''s smile faded slightly, while Mason excitedly ran to the door.

    "Daddy, what are you doing here?" he asked.

    Damon caught Mason as he ran into his arms, lifting him and answering softly, "I came to check on you and your mom."

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    N pressed her lips together before replying softly, "Mr. Sumner, pleasee in."

    Damon entered, holding Mason, and nced at Oliver, who was standing in the middle of the living room.

    "Mr. Raynor, I hope I''m not interrupting," he said.

    Oliver met his gaze without hesitation. "Not at all."

    Their eyes locked, and although both were smiling, the atmosphere felt tense, as if the air had thickened around them.

    N ced the watermelon on the table and broke the silence. "Mr. Sumner, Oliver, have a seat."

    Oliver looked at her warmly. "Is it okay for me to be here while you and Mr. Sumner talk? If it''s not a good time, I can step out." "It''s fine. There''s nothing to worry about," she replied.

    As Damon listened to their conversation, bitterness swelled in his heart, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on Mason.

    Mason eximed, "Daddy, you''re holding me too tight!"

    N and Oliver turned to Damon, who quickly loosened his grip on Mason and said apologetically, "I''m sorry, Buddy. I got a little distracted." Mason shook his head. "It''s okay, Daddy. I''m not mad at you."

    "Mm. If anything ever feels ufortable, just let Daddy know," Damon replied.

    "Okay," Mason chirped.

    Damon lowered his gaze, suppressing his surging emotions, and walked over to sit across from N and Oliver, still holding Mason.

    "Ms. Kinsey, I came here today to discuss this morning''s incident. I sent you several messages, but you didn''t reply, so I became a bit

    worried and decided toe by," he exined.

    When he looked at N, he struggled to keep his feelings in check, trying to maintain an expression that revealed nothing of the man who had regained his memories.

    N picked up her phone and realized Damon had indeed sent her a few messages. However, she hadn''t checked it since Oliver''s arrival.

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t see them. I''ve

    thought it over, and I won''t be moving back. I n to move in with Oliver. As for Buddy, if he wants to he can go with you. Once everything settles down, he can decide whether to stay with you or me," N stated.

    After the kidnapping incident, N recognized that Damon loved Mason just as much as she did, so she wouldn''t force Mason to stay with her. She wanted him to make his own choice.

    As soon as she uttered those words, the living room fell into silence.

    Not only was Damon taken aback, but even Oliver looked astonished.

    After several seconds, Damon frowned and said, "Buddy definitely wouldn''t want to be separated from you. If you don''t want to move back, I can send more people to protect yout both."

    Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Sumner, I can also protect N and Buddy. If Buddy wants, he can move in with N and me." Damon''s cold gaze felt heavy, pressing down on Oliver.

    For an ordinary person, this re might have been enough to make them falter. Oliver held his ground, meeting the stare calmly.

    Sensing the unusual tension between them, N frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but Damon interjected, "Mr. Raynor, my child does not need someone else to protect him."

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    Seeing the hostility in Damon''s eyes, Oliver let out a lightugh. "Mr. Sumner, I don''t mean to offend. I''ve watched Buddy grow up, so protecting him is my responsibility."

    Damon''s expression remained cold. "I can protect my own son."

    After saying that, he turned to N, his face impassive. "If you move in with Mr. Raynor, then Buddy can move back to the vi. If you and Buddy continue living here, I will send more people to protect you both. I won''t allow anyone to take advantage of the situation."

    Noticing the heavy atmosphere, Mason fell silent, lowering his head and softening his breath.

    N pressed her lips together.

    After a long moment, she finally said, "I understand. Buddy and I will continue living here."

    A bit of the frost in Damon''s gaze melted away as he put Mason down and stood up. "It''s gettingte. I won''t disturb you any longer."

    After saying goodbye to Mason, he turned and left.

    Oliver stood up and said softly, "N, I have a meeting tomorrow morning, so I should head back too. I''ll send a few people to protect you and Buddy. I won''t let anyone harm you."

    "No need, with Mr. Sumner-"

    Oliver interrupted her, his voice gentle yet firm, "N, you''re my girlfriend, and I''ve watched Buddy grow up. You both mean a lot to me.

    "Mr. Sumner''s security might be sufficient, but if I don''t do anything, I won''t feel right about it, so please don''t refuse me."

    N sighed and didn''t respond further.

    As Oliver left N''s ce, his expression gradually turned cold.

    Once downstairs, he saw Damon waiting a short distance away, just as he had expected.

    He approached Damon. "Mr. Sumner, I assume you''re waiting for me?"

    "Yes. Mr. Raynor, I hope you can keep your distance from my son from now on!" Damon''s voice was filled with warning.

    Oliver seemed unfazed, raising an

    eyebrow. "I''m afraid I can''t do that. N is my girlfriend, and Buddy ise her child. I''ve spent nearly five years with Buddy, so I won''t distance myself from him because of your preferences."

    The two fell silent, with only the gentle rustling of the leaves in the breeze breaking the stillness.

    Damon stood under the streetlight, half of his face shrouded in darkness.

    His expression was grim and somber as he warned, "Oliver, you better treat Buddy well. If I find out you''ve done anything to hurt him, I won''t let you off the hook."

    Oliver smiled. "Don''t worry. I love N, and I will love the person she cherishes most as well."

    Damon''s eyes were icy. He said nothing more and turned to leave.

    He had only taken a few steps when Oliver suddenly called out from behind him, "Mr. Sumner, if I''m not mistaken, you''ve likely regained your memories, right?"

    Damon froze mid-step and turned to look at him. "What did you just say?"

    "ying dumb isn''t very interesting. While I don''t know why you''re hiding this from N, if you''re going to¨¨ keep it a secret, you might as weft do

    it for lifetime. I don''t want NB!!!

    be caught in the middle between you and me," Oliver replied.

    Damon frowned coldly. "Don''t worry. In her heart, I am iparable to you."

    That was evident from her attitude toward both him and Oliver.

    "I know. I just feel that since the two of you are history, you shouldn''t keep appearing in her life, reminding

    her of those painful memorie

    repeatedly," Oliver said.

    Damon''s iciness surged. After giving Oliver a cold nce, he turned and left.

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    Chapter 671

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    The next few days passed uneventfully, and N''s tension eased a little.

    Just after she and Mason finished dinner on Friday night, she suddenly received a call from Brandon.

    "Aunt N, can you bring Buddy to the hospital right now?" Brandon asked.

    N paused for a moment before speaking. "What happened?"

    She wasn''t particrly close with Brandon, so why would he suddenly ask her toe to the hospital? Could something have happened to Damon? The thought made her heart skip a beat, and her face paled.

    "My grandfather passed awaytest night. Thewyer came today to read the will, and he said both you and Buddy need to be present," Brandon exined.

    N was shocked. She hadn''t expected Richard to pass away so suddenly.

    She asked again, "Didn''t he seem to be in good health not long ago?"

    Brandon sighed and spoke softly. "I''m not sure either. The doctor did say he was gradually recovering, butst night, he suddenly... "Anyway, let''s not dwell on that now. If you''re avable, could you please bring Buddy over? Grandpa must have left something for him."

    N frowned, feeling somewhat resistant. "Even if he left something for Buddy, we don''t need it."

    When Richard was alive, she never expected anything from him, let alone now that he was gone.

    There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Brandon''s somewhat helpless voice came through again. "But if you don''te, thewyer won''t read the will. Everyone has to be present. Could you pleasee this one time?"

    Remembering how Brandon had helped Vrie before, N thought momentarily and eventually agreed, asking him for the hospital and room number.

    It took about an hour for her to arrive at the hospital with Mason.

    Inside the room were Brandon, Cyrus, Anne, and Damon.

    As soon as Anne saw them, she sneered. "Mr Frampton, have you lost your mind? Why are these two irrelevant people here for the reading of my father''s will? If I''m not mistaken, she''s already divorced from rk, right? What ce does she have in the Sumners? Content

    Her tone was sharp and unpleasant, barely stopping short of outright insulting N.

    Naturally, N had no intention of responding politely.

    However, before she could speak, Damon coldly interjected, looking directly at Anne, "It''s because part of Dad''s will pertains to her and Buddy. Feel free to take it up with Dad if you''re unhappy about it." Content

    Anne''s face turned pale as she pointed angrily at Damon. "What do you mean by that, Damon?! Are you cursing me to die too?!"

    Damon shot her a cold nce. "If you keep treating them this way, my words might juste true."

    Anne glowered but dared not speak again. She knew that when Damon lost his temper, he could be ruthless, even to his family.

    Once the room quieted down, Parker finally took out the will, preparing to read it.

    "Now, I will read the will," he announced.

    As soon as he began, everyone''s eyes were fixed on him. Even N felt curious about the contents of Richard''s will.

    "I, Richard Sumner, being of sound mind, leave the following instructions for the distribution of my personal assets to prevent any disputes after my passing:

    "First, I bequeath 20% of my shares in the Sumner Group to my grandson, Brandon Sumner.

    "Second, I bequeath 75,300,000

    dors in personal savings. Of this,

    300,000 dors will go to my

    daughter Anne Sumner. The

    remaining funds, along with all real estate including a vi in West Saintornia-and other financial assets such as investment funds, will go to my grandson, Mason Summer."

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    "Third, to my eldest son, Cyrus Sumner, I leave the legacy of my own selfishness and cold-heartedness, hoping he will make good use of these traits and find them beneficial.

    "Fourth, to my youngest son, Damon Sumner, I leave only two words Suit yourself.

    "This will reflects my true intentions and has been notarized, giving it legal validity.

    "Signed and stamped by Richard Sumner, dated August 19, 2024."

    As soon as Parker finished, Cyrus jumped up, his face red with rage.

    "I don''t ept this will!" he yelled. "There''s no way my father would do this! He wouldn''t leave me without a single penny!"

    Parker looked at him calmly. "Mr. Cyrus, this will has already been notarized. If you don''t believe it, you''re wee to investigate. There are records on file."

    "No! This isn''t fair! I won''t ept this will! It''s unfair, and I refuse to acknowledge it!" Cyrus cried.

    Furious, he turned to Anne, whose expression mirrored his displeasure.

    "Anne, do you really think this will is real? Dad only left you 300,000 dors. Don''t forget, you were always his favorite! There''s no way he''d just leave you with 300,000 dors! This must have been altered by Damon and Brandon!" Cyrus barked.

    Anne was already unhappy with the will, so when she heard that, her cold eyes narrowed at Damon.

    "Was it you? Did you alter Dad''s will? There''s no way he''d give 75,000,000 dors and all his properties and funds to that bastaˇŞ"

    She stopped short, unable to say thest word under Damon''s icy stare. Her lips trembled, but she didn''t dare finish.

    However, unwilling to let go of the

    idea of all that wealth, she gritted her teeth and continued. "Damon, don''t you find your behavior disgusting? All that money and property were supposed to be mine! What do they have to do with

    N and her son? Dad would never leave

    those to them!"

    Damon''s expression remained indifferent as he replied, "Mr. Frampton has already stated that the will is notarized. If you don''t believe it, you can verify it yourself."

    "You''re capable of altering the will, so what''s to stop you from bribing awyer?!" Anne used.

    Parker''s face flushed with anger, and his voice trembled. "Ms. Sumner, you need to provide evidence for your usations, or I will sue you for nder!"

    Anne snickered. "Go ahead and sue. I won''t acknowledge this will anyway. I''ll take it to court if I have toˇŞ"

    "Enough!" Brandon finally lost his

    patience. "Aunt Anne, do you really

    think 300,000 dors is

    insignificant? Before Grandpa passed, he gave you millions every month as spending money, yet you squandered it away at the gambling table. Grandpa still indulged you.

    "But when he was hospitalized, you didn''t even bother to visit him once. He shouldn''t have left you a single cent!"

    Guilt flickered across Anne''s eyes,

    but she quickly regained herposure and retorted, "You

    showed up acting like the perfect et

    grandson just to grab 20% of the Sumner Group''s shares. I never

    realized you had such a scheming mind! I must have misjudged you all along!"

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    Chapter 673

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    Brandon red at her coldly. "I dull inparison to you, Aunt Anne-ignoring Grandpa when he was sick and still managing to pocket 300,000 dors from his inheritance."

    "300,000 dors!" Anne sneered. "What can 300,000 dors even do?!"

    "If you keep gambling like before, it might notst even a month. But if you''re frugal, it may sustain you for a few years," Brandon countered. Anne was so angry she almost spat blood.

    Her hatred for Richard deepened. All that money and property were left to N''s bastard child-wasn''t that basically the same as giving it directly to N?

    The more Anne thought about it, the angrier she became.

    She turned to N, who had been silent, and questioned, "N, do you really have the nerve to ept that money and those properties?"

    N hadn''t been interested in Richard''s inheritance at all, but Anne''s usatory tone made her ufortable.

    Raising her eyebrows, she smirked. "Since your father left it to Buddy, why wouldn''t I ept it? Did you think I''d give it up and let you have it instead?"

    She''d rather donate the money and properties than let the Sumners benefit from them.

    Anne looked at her with disgust. "So, this is your true face. You secretly gave birth to Damon''s child just to fight for an inheritance, didn''t you?!" "If that makes you feel better, then sure, think that," N retorted.

    Dealing with someone like Anne wasn''t worth the effort of exnation. She would only believe what she wanted anyway.

    Ignoring Anne''s death re, N turned to Parker and asked, "Mr. Frampton, I''d like to ask-can Mason''s inheritance be transferred? I want to transfer everything to Damon."

    She didn''t need the money or care

    about what Richard had left. None of

    it could make up for the pain she

    had experienced in the past or for Mason not having a father for

    almost five years.

    Given Cyrus and Anne''s attitudes, keeping those assets with her and Mason would only bring danger. If the inheritance went to Damon, they might be upset but wouldn''t dare act against him.

    A hint of surprise shed in Parker''s eyes. Richard had left a considerable amount for Mason. If converted to cash, the properties and funds would be worth billions. She was just giving it all away?

    "When Mr. Richard entrusted me with the will, he didn''t mention any restrictions on transferring the inheritance," Parker replied.

    "Then please draft a transfer agreement on the spot. I''ll transfer all of Mason''s inheritance to Damon," N requested.

    Parker hesitated and instinctively looked at Damon for his opinion. "Mr. Damon, what do you think?"

    "If she wants to transfer it, then draft the agreement," Damon replied.

    Cyrus and Anne were stunned. Neither had expected N to give all the inheritance to Damon.

    Cyrus gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.

    "No, we can''t let Damon have it! The inheritance left to Mason shouldn''t be valid anyway because Damon isn''t even a Sumner!" he shouted. Everyone but Damon looked shocked.

    Brandon was the first to react, frowning as he objected, "Uncle Cyrus, even if you want the inheritance, you can''t just make up such lies."

    Cyrus sneered coldly. "If you don''t

    believe me, ask him to get a

    paternity test from your grandfather. He was adopted from abroad by your grandparents-he''s not really a Summer. His son has no right to the Sumner inheritance."

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    Brandon instinctively turned to Damon.

    Seeing that Damon showed no reaction, he couldn''t help but clench his jaw. "Uncle Damon, is what Uncle Cyrus saying true?" "It is," Damon confirmed.

    Brandon''s eyes widened as he struggled to process the news. Damon wasn''t part of the Sumners!

    Cyrusughed coldly. "As long as you admit it, Damon, then you, N, and Mason have no right to Dad''s inheritance."

    Meeting Cyrus'' mocking gaze, Damon remained indifferent. "The will is valid. Whether or not I''m part of the Sumners is irrelevant."

    "You!" Cyrus shifted his approach after his previous tactic failed. "You already have Prospectus Technology. Why fight us over a small inheritance?"

    "I built Prospectus Technology without a single cent from the Sumners. And who wouldn''t want more money?" Damon retorted.

    "Well, I won''t recognize this will! I''ll see you in court!" Cyrus huffed.

    Damon looked at him nonchntly. "I''m afraid you won''t get the chance to sue me. After all, you''re the one who killed Dad."

    "What?" Cyrus'' face turned pale, and his eyes shed with guilt. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Dad''s health was failing anyway. What does that have to do with me? Besides, he didn''t leave me a single cent. Why would I kill him?"

    "You didn''t know he wouldn''t leave you anything before you did it. Save your excuses for the police," Damon replied tly.

    Brandon and Anne both turned to re at Cyrus.

    Brandon''s rage stemmed from his uncle harming his own father, while Anne was angry that Cyrus had acted too quickly, not giving her a chance to get Richard to change his will.

    "Uncle Cyrus, how could you hurt Grandpa?!" Brandon demanded.

    "Cyrus, have you lost your mind?!" Anne cried.

    Cyrus shook his head frantically, his face aghast. No, I didn''t! I didn''t hurt Dad! Are you really going to believe Damon''s baseless usations? He''s just trying to distract us from the inheritance so he can keep it all for himself!"

    Brandon stepped closer, his eyes cold. "Are you sure he''s lying?"

    He knew Damon''s character. If Damon didn''t have concrete evidence, he wouldn''t have made such a definitive statement. So, it must be true-Cyrus had killed Richard!

    "Of course!" Cyrus replied instantly.

    "I don''t believe a word you say. Grandpa''s health had been

    improving after the surgery, but you were cruel enough to harm your own father Jf Grandpa hadn''t set up his will, you''d be able to get a share of his inheritance now, wouldn''t you?!"

    Cyrus'' eyes widened in shock, and he continued to shake his head. "No, no, you''re spouting nonsense!" Seeing the guilt written all over Cyrus'' face, everyone present understood that Damon was telling the truth.

    Anne let out a scream and rushed

    forward, pping Cyrus across the face. "Cyrus, you idiot! This is all your fault! I could''ve gotten more of the inheritance, but you ruined it!"

    MS

    Cyrus, caught off guard by her sudden attack, felt scratches forming on his face. Enraged, he began to fight back.

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    The scene quickly descended into chaos.

    N immediately pulled Mason behind her, ensuring that Cyrus and Anne wouldn''t identally harm him.

    Damon stepped closer to her, speaking in a low voice. "You and Buddy stand behind me."

    "Okay," N replied.

    Brandon watched Anne and Cyrus fight with a look of disappointment.

    They were family, yet they were squabbling over money. To think that Cyrus would kill his own father for it-it was despicable.

    Parker, who had been stunned into silence, now looked at the scene with disbelief. He frowned, wondering if he knew too much now.

    He was only there to read a will, yet he had just discovered that Damon wasn''t even a Sumner and that Richard had been killed by his own son, Cyrus...

    The hospital room door opened, and two police officers walked in. They were momentarily taken aback by the chaotic scene but quickly stepped forward to separate Cyrus and Anne.

    Once Cyrus and Anne had calmed down, one of the officers turned to Cyrus and said, "Mr. Cyrus Sumner, you are under suspicion of murder. Pleasee with us."

    Fear shed in Cyrus'' eyes as he instinctively took a step back. His face, scratched and bleeding from the fight with Anne, looked eerily frightening as it twisted with panic.

    "No... No, that''s impossible. I didn''t do anything! I''m not going with you..." he stuttered.

    The officer''s expression hardened as he said, "Mr. Cyrus Sumner, we have evidence. If you refuse to cooperate, we will have to take you in by force." It was as if Cyrus didn''t hear them. He turned and tried to run out of the room, but one of the officers quickly tackled him to the floor and cuffed him.

    "No! This is illegal! I didn''t do anything! Mr. Frampton, you''re the Sumners''wyer say something!" Cyrus cried.

    Parker remained impassive. "Mr. Cyrus, my contract with the Sumners ends once I''ve executed this will. You''ll need to hire someone else."

    A man who would kill his own father for money-there was no way he would defend him.

    "Mr. Frampton... I have money. I''ll hire you as my defense attorney..." Cyrus quickly said.

    No matter how much he shouted, Parker acted as if he hadn''t heard a thing, his expression calm and indifferent.

    Soon, the officers escorted Cyrus out of the room, leaving behind a profound silence.

    Anne''s face was pale, her hair and clothes disheveled. Her cheeks still bore the marks of the earlier altercation. She looked utterly defeated. As she stood up, she cast a cold nce at Damon and walked out.

    There was nothing more for her to gain by staying.

    bet

    Damon would never let her have more than her original share. If she pushed too hard, she might lose ever the 300,000 dors she was supposed to receive. Content

    Parker then turned to N, adjusting his sses as he asked, "Ms. Kinsey, do you still wish to transfer the inheritance left to your son?"

    N nodded and replied, "Yes, please draw up the transfer agreement."

    "Understood," Parker replied.

    He opened hisptop and began drafting the transfer agreement. The only sound in the room was the ttering of the keyboard.

    Damon looked at N and spoke in

    a low voice. "Now that the two people who didn''t want you to get the inheritance are gone, you don''t need to transfer it to me anymore."

    N shook her head. "I shouldn''t have had any involvement with Mr. Richard in the first ce. Buddy doesn''t need his inheritance. It''s better if you take it."

    Seeing her insist, Damon didn''t argue further. "Alright, then I''ll hold onto these assets for Buddy and give them to him when hees of age." "Do as you please. You can donate it, too," N replied.

    Not long after, the agreement was ready. Both Damon and N reviewed it. Once they confirmed everything was correct, N signed the document.

 Chapter 676

    Chapter 676

    ?

    After ensuring everything was settled, Parker left.

    N nced at Brandon, who had remained silent since the start of the altercation.

    Guessing he probably had something to discuss with Damon, she decided it was best to give them some privacy and took Mason out of the room. Once the door closed, Brandon finally spoke to Damon. "Uncle Damon, when did you find out that you''re not a Sumner?"

    "A short while ago," Damon answered indifferently. "But don''t worry. I have no intention ofpeting with you for control of the Sumner Group."

    He had never been interested in running thepany and had been grooming Brandon to take the reins for years. Now that Brandon was capable, he was ready to step back.

    Brandon frowned and replied, "You know that''s not what I meant. If you wanted thepany, I''d hand it over to you in a heartbeat. After all, we both know thepany has a better future with you in charge than with me. It''s just... hard for me to ept that you''re not really my uncle."

    Damon was silent for a moment before saying, "You can still consider me your uncle. If thepany ever faces any problems, you can alwayse to me."

    Hearing this, Brandon finally rxed. "Good. No matter our blood ties, you will always be my uncle."

    After his parents died in a car ident, he was the only one left. Cyrus and rk had tried to push him out, but Damon had been the one who had sent him abroad for an education, teaching him how to manage apany.

    Without Damon, he might never have had a chance to join the organization.

    After bing the CEO of the Sumner Group, Damon had sent people to assist Brandon, guiding him every step of the way to where he was now. Damon was the person he was most grateful for within the Sumners. Despite their close ages, Damon''s presence always brought him peace of mind. "Don''t overthink it. Just focus on managing thepany. Now that you own this 20% share, your position in thepany is secure," Damon assured him.

    Brandon nodded. "I will do my best."

    "Good. Handle Cyrus'' case. Make sure he doesn''t have the chance to cause any more trouble," Damon instructed. Mentioning Cyrus darkened Brandon''s expression. His fists clenched at his sides. "Understood. I''ll take care of it."

    When Damon left the hospital, the tension he had been holding finally eased.

    With rk and Cyrus taken care of, no one in the Sumners would trouble N and Mason again. Their lives could soon return to normal.

    However, he recalled the roses that had unexpectedly shown up at N''s door.. He narrowed his eyes, After receiving N''s call about the flowers, he had ordered someone to investigate who had sent them, but they had yet to find anything.

    S

    If this person remained unidentified, N and Mason could still be in danger.

    With that thought, Damon

    immediately called Spencer. "Addet

    more people to investigate who sent the roses to N''s ce. I want answers within three days.

    On N''s way home with Mason, she received a call from Caroline.

    "N, are you nning to stay in Saintornia for a while?" Caroline asked.

    "Most likely. Is there a problem with theb back in Capitarnia?" N replied.

    "No, no. Theb is fine. It''s just that Professor Kington took on a project in Saintornia, and since you''re there, he

    Cants to assign it to you,"

    Caroline said.

    Noticing the unusual tone in Caroline''s voice, N asked, "I''m not too busy here, so I can take on the project. Is there an issue with it?"

    "The project itself is fine, but... the partnerpany is Prospectus Technology..." Caroline mumbled.

 Chapter 677

    Chapter 677

    ?

    Hearing the hesitation in Caroline''s voice, N pressed her lips together, understanding her meaning.

    "Don''t worry, Caroline, I won''t let personal feelings affect my work. Plus, Mr. Sumner is the CEO of Prospectus Technology. He won''t have the time to worry about a small project," she replied.

    Caroline sighed in relief but added, "N, if you feel pressured, I''ll talk to the professor."

    "It''s fine. I don''t have anything else going on in Saintornia right now, so I might as well finish this project before heading back," N reassured her. Seeing her insist, Caroline decided not to push further and said quietly, "Alright, I''ll send you the project details in a bit. Leon and Ruby wille to Saintornia in a couple of days to assist you."

    "Okay, got it," N answered.

    After ending the call, she quickly received the project documents from Caroline.

    When she opened them, her feelings grewplicated-she hadn''t expected to have the opportunity to work with Prospectus Technology again after five years.

    Damon received a call from Capitarnia.

    "Mr. Sumner, everything is arranged. N has agreed to take on the project, and my other two students will join her in a few days. I''ll leave them in your care while they''re in Saintornia," Edgar informed him.

    Damon closed the file he had been reading and replied calmly, "You''re too polite, Professor Kington. I should be the one thanking you for allowing your students to work on a project with Prospectus Technology."

    "It''s my pleasure. I know you''re busy, so I won''t keep you any longer," Edgar replied.

    After hanging up, Damon put down his phone and picked up the file again.

    In the front seat of the car, Spencer remained silent, filled with confusion.

    If Damon wasn''t nning on telling N that he had regained his memory or pursuing her again, then why bring her to thepany?

    But none of this was Spencer''s business, and he didn''t dare ask. After all, he had kept the truth about Damon''s memory loss from him for so long. He was grateful that Damon still allowed him to stay at Prospectus Technology.

    ...

    In the following days, N stayed home, studying the project materials.

    Soon, it was time for Leon and Ruby to arrive in Saintornia. She dropped Mason off at Damon''s vi and drove to pick them up.

    When Leon and Ruby saw N, they were both visibly excited. Everyone in theb loved working on projects with her.

    N was not only beautiful but also highlypetent. Whenever they faced difficulties, their first thought was to seek her help. Most of the

    time, she would help them fine

    solutions. Even when she couldn''t, she would point them to

    materials that often seference

    ideas.

    new

    e

    "N, it''s been so long! We''ve all missed you!" Leon and Ruby eximed.

    Leon was a sunny and cheerful young man. He grinned so widely that his eyes nearly disappeared. Ruby, who was more reserved, also smiled brightly.

    Knowing they would be working with N again filled them with excitement and eagerness.

    N smiled back. "I''ve missed you

    all too. You must be tired after a three-hour flight. Let''s get your luggage settled first. By the way, is your amodation covered by theb, or is Prospectus Technology handling it?"

    "Prospectus Technology is taking care of it. We need to stop by thepany first," Leon and Ruby answered.

    N nodded. "Alright, I''ll take you there. Once everything''s set, we can go out for dinner."

    In less than an hour, N''s car pulled up in front of the Prospectus Technology building.

    Leon called their contact person at Prospectus Technology.

    Soon, a man close to six feet tall with a round belly approached with a friendly smile.

    He approached N and the group, greeting them, "Hello! You must be the researchers from Capitarnia. I''m Ethan Jaek, the deputy manager of the HR department here at

    swn over

    Prospectus Technology. We

 Chapter 678

    Chapter 678

    ?

    After N and her group introduced themselves, Ethan smiled and said, "Alright. Mr. Colwell and Ms. Jenner, your amodations are ready. I''ll take you there now."

    "Thank you," Leon and Ruby replied.

    Prospectus Technology had arranged for Leon and Ruby to stay in apartments just two blocks from thepany. They each had a one-bedroom unit, and there were other out-of-town staff members on the same floor.

    Seeing that they were satisfied with the arrangements, Ethan said apologetically, "Ms. Kinsey, I should have treated you all to a wee dinner today, but I have a meeting shortly.

    "If there''s nothing else, pleasee to the office at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. I''ll have someone issue your work IDs and ess badges and give you a tour of thepany."

    N nodded. "That''s alright, Mr. Jack. We can handle dinner ourselves."

    "Alright, I''ll get going then. I apologize for the inconvenience today," Ethan said as he excused himself.

    After Ethan left, N nned to let Leon and Ruby rest for a while before taking them to dinner. However, both were excited and eager to explore since it was their first time in Saintornia.

    "N, you''re a local. Take us around! I''ve heard there are a lot of shopping centers here, and I can''t wait to check them out!" Ruby said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

    Leon also looked eager. "Yeah, N! Before I left, my rtives gave me a shopping list and asked me to buy them things here."

    N nodded and replied, "Alright, let''s go shopping first."

    They spent the entire afternoon at the mall, and by the end, all of them were carrying bags full of items.

    Seeing how tired they were, N decided not to take them to the restaurant she had originally chosen. Instead, they found a popr eatery in the mall.

    As they sat down, Leon and Ruby''s faces glowed with excitement.

    "Big cities like this really live up to the hype. I''ve learned so much

    ay they gushed. "Yeah, I''ve had a chance to go shopping like this before!"

    N shot them an amused nce and quipped, "Capitarnia isn''t bad either. You just never made the time to explore."

    Ruby nodded. "We spend so much time in theb that we don''t feel like going out when we have time off."

    Theirb was far from the city center, and with their busy schedules, they usually just wanted to rest during their breaks.

    If it weren''t for the fact that the

    Yet Saintornia hadn''t s y probably wouldn''t hat

    felt

    like going shopping today.

    As they chatted andughed, they remained oblivious to the hateful gaze fixed on N from a distance.

    Reba gripped her cutlery tightly, her eyes filled with jealousy and rage.

    Why had she been living in misery for years while N seemed so happy?

    Die! She should just die! N should die!

    Reba trembled, and the smile she had been wearing twisted into a look of rage.

    It was the screech of her knife

    against the te that prompted the man across from her to say with a frown, "If you don''t want to eat, just put the utensils down. Don''to embarrass me in public."

    Snapping back to reality, Reba shivered under Nathaniel''s menacing gaze.

    Forcing a smile, she nodded toward N''s table and said, "Nathaniel, look. Do you see who that is?"

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679

    ?

    Nathaniel turned his head and widened his eyes when he saw N.

    It was only recently that he learned she was alive and had returned with Damon''s child.

    However, he didn''t care much about this. After all, he had already fallen out with Damon. Even if N came back, they couldn''t make amends.

    He stared at N for a few seconds before looking away, expressionless. "It''s none of our business. There''s no need to pay attention."

    Even though Nathaniel''s tone was indifferent, Reba noticed his grip on the cutlery tighten. Clearly, he wasn''t as nonchnt as he pretended to be. Reba set down her utensils and asked Nathaniel, "Don''t you think it''s unfair? N came back unharmed, and she even had Damon''s child, but we were the ones caught in his revenge. Especially you the Preston Group almost went bankrupt.

    "You''ve worked so hard over the past few years to keep things afloat, facing so much disdain and hardship."

    Nathaniel sneered. "Reba, don''t think I don''t know what''s going on in your head. You used me once five years ago. Do you think I''ll let you use me again now?"

    Seeing her intentions exposed, Reba smiled. "I''m just upset on your behalf. You don''t have the means to fight Damon now anyway."

    Nathaniel''s eyes narrowed instantly. "Reba, trying to provoke me won''t do you any good."

    Reba knew that if they weren''t in a restaurant right now, Nathaniel might have hit her like he used to.

    "Nathaniel, don''t forget-I just secured a big deal for the Preston Group. Mr. Nuttall likes me a lot. If youy a hand on me again and he sees the marks, it might not end well for you," she warned.

    Ondo Nuttall was the owner of a

    listed foodpany in Saintornia. Despite his reputation as a yboy he despised men who abused

    watching

    women, having grown

    his father beat his mother until she

    finally took her own life. Content

    Ondo had taken a liking to Reba at a banquet, and Nathaniel had willingly sent her over. After a few refusals, Ondo happily epted.

    Whatever charm Reba used on

    him worked. Ondo frequently

    invited her over, which secured several big contracts for the Preston Group giving them some

    much-needed breathing room.

    Tonight''s dinner was meant to celebrate another contract Reba had secured for the Preston Group. Nathaniel was in a good enough mood to take her out.

    Nathaniel masked his anger but continued to re at Reba coldly. "You better remember your ce. No matter how powerful Mr. Nuttaltis, he won''t help you get a divorce. Damon already said we''re tied together for life." Content

    Reba turned pale, lowering her head to conceal the fleeting emotions in her eyes.

    For five years, she had struggled to find a chance to divorce Nathaniel.

    Richard had continued to suppress the Preston Group after Damon lost his memory, privately warning her not to entertain the thought of divorcing Nathaniel and pursuing Damon.

    Now that Richard was dead and Damon had lost his memory, who cared if she and Nathaniel divorced? As long as she held on to Ondo, she could figure out a way forward.

    As for N, she wouldn''t let that woman off easily.

    A series of schemes shed through Reba''s mind, and her downcast eyes filled with malice.

    ...

    After finishing dinner, N dropped off Leon and Ruby before driving to pick up Mason.

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680

    ?

    As soon as N entered the vi, she saw Damon and Mason sitting on the living room floor, ying with building blocks.

    Mason was quick, but Damon was even faster and wasn''t going easy on his son. While Mason was only halfway done, Damon had already finished. "I win," Damon dered, his expression calm and tone t.

    However, if one looked closely, they might catch a hint of amusement in his eyes.

    Mason pouted but said nothing.

    ying games with his father was no fun-he hadn''t won a single round tonight. He sniffled, thinking it would be more enjoyable to y with his mother.

    Noticing that Mason seemed upset, Damon raised an eyebrow and said, "You''ll need a lot more practice if you want to beat me."

    "Fine..." Mason replied reluctantly.

    Suddenly, a softugh came from nearby.

    Mason and Damon both turned to see N standing by the sofa, smiling warmly at them.

    She wore a gray trench coat over a cream V-neck sweater and light jeans, paired with ssic round-toed loafers. Her long hair flowed down, and she had on light makeup, looking so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

    Damon''s eyes darkened momentarily before he nonchntly looked away, muttering, "You''re here."

    N smiled and nodded, catching Mason as he ran over to her.

    "Mommy! You finally came to pick me up. I missed you so much!" Mason eximed, hugging her neck and kissing her cheek, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

    Reflecting on how indifferent Mason had been toward him during dinner, Damon felt a twinge of helplessness.

    N found the situation amusing.

    Mason wasn''t really missing her he was clearly feeling defeated by his father. At daycare, he was the champion, but now he was getting schooled by his own father.

    She figured that if she had arrived anyter, she would have found a teary-eyed little boy.

    "Mommy missed you too! How was ying with Daddy?" she asked.

    Mason''s eyes held a hint of grievance as he turned away. "It was okay, but I still like ying with you more."

    N chuckled, not calling him out. She looked up at Damon and said, "Mr. Sumner, I''ll take Buddy home now."

    Damon stood up and offered, "I''ll take you."

    "No need; I drove," N declined.

    "It''ste. I''ll feel better if I drive you home," Damon insisted.

    N was about to refuse again, but Damon

    d already walked over

    taken Mason from her arm overne

    headed for the door.

    Watching his steady figure, she sighed and followed him.

    During the drive home, Damon took the wheel of N''s car while the vi''s driver followed them in another vehicle.

    Mason chattered nonstop, keeping the atmosphere light.

    Damon asionally nced at N

    through the rearview mirror as she responded warmly to Mason. However, his gaze gradually darkened, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

    vel

    If he hadn''t been so confident five years ago and had taken better measures to protect her, this sc¨¨ne would have been much more heartwarming.

    Pain throbbed in Damon''s chest as he took a deep breath, pushing down his emotions and focusing on the road ahead.

    ...

    The drive from his vi to N''s current ce was long-over an hour.

    Yet when they finally arrived, Damon found himself wishing time hadn''t flown by so quickly.

 Chapter 681

    Chapter 681

    ?

    Damon turned back to N and said, "I''ll walk you upstairs."

    N shook her head. "No need, it''s alreadyte. You should head back. Thanks for bringing us home."

    With that, she stepped out of the car, carrying Mason.

    Damon handed her the car keys, saying, "If anythinges up, feel free to reach out."

    N paused. That strange feeling she''d had at the hospital resurfaced. She vividly remembered how Damon''s attitude toward her had shifted since he''d woken up.

    It made her suspicious-could Damon have regained his memory?

    Despite her suspicions, this wasn''t the time to test him. She took the keys and nodded. "Okay, Mr. Sumner. Thank you for tonight."

    Damon didn''t say anything more. He watched as N and Mason disappeared into the stairwell before driving away.

    In the following days, after N coordinated with Leon and Ruby, they began working on their project in Prospectus Technology''sb.

    The project was a coboration with Prospectus Technology''s team to develop a treatment drug for heart disease.

    Prospectus Technology had four researchers: two men, Brody Lamphere and Sullivan Heseltine, and two women, Tina Goff and Demi Minogue. Sullivan was the team leader.

    With so many people involved, coordination proved challenging.

    Brody and Leon specialized in testing, but one of them needed to join the experiment team since they only required one tester.

    Brody crossed his arms, looking displeased. "I''m not good at experiments. Let Leon join the experiment team."

    Leon frowned. He had already nned to join the experiment team, but Brody''s attitude grated on him.

    "I''m not great at experiments either, and you''re not the team leader. Why should I listen to you?" Leon shot back.

    Brody scowled. "Fine, but if you force me into the experiment team and I mess up, don''t me me if things go wrong." "Are you threatening me?" Leon hissed.

    Still young and hot-tempered, he was about to step forward.

    N held him back, reminding him, "Leon, calm down."

    Sullivan also stepped in to mediate.

    the whoever wins stat

    Brody let out a sneer. "Sullivan, I''m

    not afraid

    of this kid. We can settle it

    With a smile, he said, "Leon, don''t be mad. Brody''s always been like this. Try not to take it personally."

    wins

    on

    the testing team." Content

    to

    His words instantly reignited the tense atmosphere, and Leon''s expression darkened.

    "Fine, let''s fight!" Leon snapped.

    "Leon!" N called out, her eyes shing with anger. "You''ll join the experiment team."

    "But, N-" Leon started.

    "Either do as I say or go back to Capitarnia," N warned.

    Leon gritted his teeth, frustration shing in his eyes, but he turned away without saying anything further. Brody was about to speak, but Sullivan shot him a warning re. "I''m telling you, don''t push your luck!" Brody shrank back under Sullivan''s cold stare and fell silent.

    N turned to Sullivan. "Sullivan, who you think would be suitabl to join the experiment team? We still

    I one more person." Co 1.9x

    Sullivan replied with a smile, "Tina has a lot of experience with experiments. She can join the team." "Alright, thank you," N answered.

    After allocating tasks, N took the

    team to

    theb, exined the

    precautions, and then let themel

    working.

    Since being stopped by N earlier in the day, Leon had been in a foul mood.

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682

    ?

    It wasn''t that Leon didn''t want to work with N-he was just annoyed by Brody''s attitude. Why should he give in to Brody? Who did Brody think he was?

    As the workday was ending, N asked Leon to wait for her after they finished, saying she had something to discuss.

    Throughout the day, Ruby had be friendly with Tina, and they left together like old friends.

    Leon waited in theb for a while before N approached him with her car keys, asking him toe along.

    Once they were in the car, she turned to him and asked, "What do you want for dinner? Pick a ce. It''s on me."

    Leon frowned. "N, if you''re trying to apologize for today, there''s no need. I was nning to join the experiment team anyway. I just didn''t like Brody''s attitude, but I understand why you did what you did."

    If she hadn''t stopped him earlier, he and Brody might have ended up fighting.

    "It''s not an apology-just a way to make up for the frustration you felt today," N exined.

    "Alright, then I won''t hold back," Leon replied.

    He chose a restaurant near Prospectus Technology, and N navigated there directly.

    Once they were seated, Leon began venting about Brody. He had encountered difficult people in theb before, but none as unreasonable as Brody.

    "I don''t know how someone like him survives in the workce! He must be hated by a lot of people!" Leon grumbled.

    N poured him a ss of water. "You must be thirsty after talking so much. Have some water."

    Realizing he was indeed a bit thirsty, Leon gulped down the tea. He continued toin, "N, I just can''t get over this."

    "You''ll have to. And you''re mistaken

    about something-Brody may act domineering toward you, but he''s obviously careful around Sullivan, even a bit deferential," N pointed out

    Leon looked incredulous. "Are you sure?"

    "Why do you think Brody was provoking you today?" N asked.

    "Isn''t it because he wants the tester position?" Leon replied.

    N smiled. "You''re still too young. What he''s really after isn''t the position-it''s the control that Sullivan has over the entire project."

    Leon looked confused. "If that''s the case, then shouldn''t we resist even more? Why should we follow Sullivan''s arrangements?"

    "What''s wrong with following his lead? If anything goes wrong, the responsibility won''t fall on us," N countered.

    "But what if he makes things difficult for us?" Leon worried.

    N looked at him steadily. "If he really wants to make things difficult, he will do it no matter what we choose. What we need to do is ensure his ns don''t seed."

    Leon seemed lost. He didn''t understand why they couldn''t all just work together peacefully for the sake of the project.

    Seeing his frustration and confusion, N added, "Professor Kington sent you and Ruby here for this project to give you both some experience."

    After all, their ir tab environment was

    rtively straightforward, and both Leon and Ruby had uplicated personalities. If they went out on their own in the future, this kind of attitude would definitely put them at a disadvantage.

    "I just want to do my experiments and stay out of all this nonsense," Leon stated.

    N shook her head. "Sometimes, even if you don''t want to be involved, you have no choice."

    She didn''t want to borate further. Leon would understand her words better once the project was over.

    As they continued their conversation, N''s phone suddenly rang.

 Chapter 683

    Chapter 683

    ?

    When N saw the name "Oliver" shing on her screen, she smiled and answered the call. "What''s up?"

    "N, I have two tickets to an auction. Would you like to go with me? I heard there will be some beautiful jewelry on disy, and I thought you might be interested," Oliver invited.

    N raised an eyebrow, surprised that he had asked her to an auction.

    "When is it?" she inquired.

    "Tomorrow night," Oliver replied.

    N thought for a moment. She didn''t have any ns for the evening, so she agreed, "Sure, you can pick me up tomorrow."

    After ending the call with Oliver, she set her phone down and noticed Leon looking at her with a mischievous grin.

    "N, you look so happy. Was that your boyfriend on the other end?" he asked.

    N smiled and openly admitted, "Yep. Jealous?"

    Leon, who had been single forever, always made it his birthday wish to find a partner.

    Unfortunately, since he practically lived in theb, he had little chance to meet women. The femaleb mates weren''t his type either, so he remained single.

    "Of course I am jealous! If you know anyone suitable, don''t forget to introduce them to me," Leon said.

    They joked around for a bit, quickly brushing aside the topic, with neither of them bringing it up again.

    ...

    After dinner, N dropped Leon off and then headed home.

    To her surprise, Oliver was at her ce.

    When Oliver saw N, he stood up from a pile of toys with a smile. "N, you''re back! I happened to pass by yourplex on my way home, so I thought I''d drop by. I heard from Buddy that you''ve started working again."

    Putting her bag down and changing her shoes, N replied, "Yeah, theb has a project with Prospectus Technology, and I''m in charge."

    "Just make sure you don''t overwork yourself. It''s already past 10:00 p.m.," Oliver said, his eyes filled with concern.

    N nodded. "I know. I was out with my junior colleague tonight, so I got back a littlete."

    "Alright," Oliver conceded.

    As N walked into the living room, she noticed a box of walnut and peach cookies with the Good Dips logo on it and paused.

    Good Dips was a bakery located over six miles away from her home. Although she loved their walnut and peach cookies, she had never driven that far to buy them.

    "I was over there for business today

    and remembered you said Good Dips'' walnut and peach cookies were your favorite. Try them-see if they still taste the same," Oliver said.

    A wave ofplex emotions washed over N.

    ?

    Since Oliver had been near Good Dips for business, it made no sense for him to pass by this way. It was

    evident that he had gone out of his way to bring her the cookies

    "Thank you. But next time, don''t go to all that trouble. It takes you almost an hour to get home from here," N replied.

    Oliver took her hand gently. "It''s no trouble at all if it makes you happy. Go ahead and try some."

    When N opened the box, the familiar aroma enveloped her, and she couldn''t help but take a deep breath.

    She sighed. "Mm, this is the vor I remember."

    She ced a few cookies on a te, and everyone had a taste. It was indeed just like the original.

    Oliver smiled. "They really taste good, and they''re unique. No wonder that even after five years in Capitarnia, no other cookies have caught your attention."

    "This ce has been around for over 100 years in Saintornia. I remember when I was a kid. It was just a small shop. Now they''ve rented three floors of space, but they still don''t open other locations. If you want some, you have to go there N exined.

    Oliver nodded. "Traditional shops like this usually have their own rules, which is why theyst so long."

    After finishing the cookies, Mason started to feel sleepy.

    Seeing this, Oliver stood up. "It''s gettingte. I''ll head out. I''ll pick you up tomorrow night."

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    ?

    "Okay," N answered.

    After seeing Oliver off, she bathed Mason and put him to bed.

    Hesitating for a moment, she texted Damon to ask if he was free the next night, as she nned to drop Mason off.

    Damon responded quickly.

    Damon: [I''m free. What''s up?]

    N: [I''m going to an auction tomorrow night, and I might be backte. Buddy should be asleep by then, and I don''t want him to be scared if he''s alone at home.]

    Damon was typing for several minutes before his reply came through.

    Damon: [Okay. I have to attend the same auction, but Lydia can put Buddy to bed.]

    N hadn''t expected him to be going too, but Lydia was a better choice than the new nanny.

    N: [Alright.]

    Damon didn''t reply after that, so N put her phone away and went to shower and sleep.

    ...

    After exiting the texting app, Damon called Spencer from his study. His voice was cold as he instructed, "Get me a ticket for tomorrow night''s auction."

    Spencer sounded surprised. "But Mr. Sumner, you said you weren''t interested in that auction."

    Damon didn''t respond and hung up abruptly.

    Holding his phone, Spencer sighed, thinking it was impossible to understand what went on in a man''s heart.

    The next evening arrived quickly.

    N dropped Mason off at Damon''s vi and reminded Oliver not to pick her up, as she would drive there herself.

    When Damon saw her about to leave, he asked casually, "Did you drive?"

    She nodded. "Yeah, why?"

    "My car is in the shop for

    maintenance. Since you''ll return to pick up Buddy anyway, would mind giving me a lift?" Damon

    asked.

    n

    N frowned. "All your cars are in for maintenance?"

    "Yeah," Damon replied.

    Seeing his insistence, N agreed.

    "Thanks," Damon said.

    "No problem," N replied.

    §Ü§ŕ§Ű

    ...

    When they arrived at the auction, there was still half an hour before it began.

    Oliver was already waiting for N at the entrance.

    When he saw Damon behind her, a trace of displeasure crossed his face. It seemed Damon hadpletely ignored his warning. "N, howe you''re here with Mr. Sumner?" he asked.

    N replied indifferently, "He had all his cars sent for maintenance, and since I was dropping Buddy off, he got a ride with me." Oliver was speechless. He had underestimated Damon''s shamelessness. To think he would concoct an excuse like that.

    With a forced smile, he mocked, "What a coincidence. It seems Mr. Sumner''s maintenance schedule is quite impable." Damon''s expression remained nonchnt. "My team was careless. Please don''t mind this embarrassment of mine."

    "Who would dare to? But if I may

    say, you might want to reconsider your staff. Tonight may only be a minor auction, but the

    consequences can be serious if they mishandle something important in the future," Oliver advised.

    Meeting Oliver''s icy stare, Damon smirked. "I''ll keep that in mind."

    Sensing the tension between the two men, N frowned and stepped closer to Oliver. "Let''s go inside."

    "Sure." Oliver took her hand and led her inside, not sparing Damon another nce.

    Damon''s gaze hardened at the sight of their intertwined hands, and a chill spread around him.

    Noticing Oliver''s quick pace and apparent displeasure, N pressed her lips together before apologizing, "I''m sorry, Oliver. I didn''t think things through today. It won''t happen again."

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    ?

    Oliver stopped and looked at N, his gaze a little dimmed.

    After a few seconds, he sighed. "N, I shouldn''t have gotten angry with you... I''m sorry."

    He had been upset about her arriving with Damon, but most of his anger had melted away the moment she held his hand.

    N gazed at him and said softly, "It was my fault. You have every right to be upset. I didn''t consider your feelings."

    Since she had agreed to be with Oliver, she knew she should keep her distance from other men, especially since she and Damon shared a past. It was only natural for Oliver to feel uneasy about their interactions.

    Oliver''s gaze softened. "It''s just a small matter. Let''s move on. Shall we head inside?"

    "Okay," N replied.

    As they entered the auction venue, N finally felt the intense gaze on her back fade away.

    Vrie, who was also attending the auction, saw N and immediately approached her with a smile. "N, you''re here too!"

    N was pleasantly surprised to see her. "Yes, it''s been so long since west met."

    Vrie pulled N aside and yfully nced at Oliver. "Mr. Raynor, I''m going to borrow N for a while. You don''t mind, do you?"

    Oliver chuckled. "I wouldn''t dare."

    After finding out N was alive, Vrie had confronted Oliver and given him a piece of her mind. He had apologized multiple times before she finally forgave him.

    "Good to hear." With that, Vrie led N away.

    While watching them walk off, the smile on Oliver''s face deepened. He thought N must be happy to be back in Saintornia and reconnecting with Vrie.

    A few people nearby recognized him and came over to chat, so he soon engaged in conversation with his business associates.

    Meanwhile, Vrie guided N to a cozy corner and whispered, "N, guess who showed up today?"

    N thought for a moment and shook her head. "I''ve been away from Saintornia for years. How would I know?"

    "It''s someone you know," Vrie supplied.

    N frowned, trying to guess. "Could it be Gabriel?"

    She had seen Gabriel on TV asionally over the years. He had started a pharmaceuticalpany that grew rapidly, oftenpeting with Prospectus Technology and ever poaching several of its

    employees. He was quite a

    headache for them.

    Nevertheless, they were no longer in the same world.

    Gabriel had moved on, gotten married, and even had a child. If they were to meet again, he likely wouldn''t react the same way he did in the past. "Nope, guess again. Who used to give you the most trouble?" Vrie hinted.

    "I really can''t think of anyone. Just tell me," N said.

    "Alright, I''ll stop teasing. It''s Reba," Vrie answered.

    N''s gaze hardened. No one had mentioned that name to her in five years, but just hearing it again filled her with deep disgust.

    "She didn''t leave Saintornia?" she asked.

    "You wish. After your ident five years ago, Damon forced her to

    ??

    marry Nathaniel. Over the past five years, he''s reportedly abused her multiple times, even putting her in the hospital four or five times. I''m not sure whether to pity her or she deserved it," Vrie informed

    her.

    say

    N lowered her gaze, suppressing the emotions stirring within her. "Her situation has nothing to do with me. I don''t care."

    Vrie gossiped, "Right, but I''m

    telling you, she didn''te here with Nathaniel. She''s here with Ondo Nuttall, the CEO of the.

    Nuttall Group. They look prett

    close definitely more than just acquaintances."

    Seeing the glint of gossip in Vrie''s eyes, N shook her head, her interestcking. "Her affairs have nothing to do with me."

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    ?

    N hadn''t expected Damon to force Reba to marry Nathaniel.

    "After everything she put you through, you don''t want to get back at her?" Vrie asked.

    If it were five years ago, N might have sought revenge.

    Since having Mason, her only goal had been to work hard and provide a happy, carefree life for him. Other matters simply didn''t hold the same significance anymore.

    "Didn''t you say she married Nathaniel and suffers frequent abuse? That sounds like retribution to me," N replied.

    Vrie pouted and scoffed. "You might be able to let it go, but I can''t. She''s been hiding for years, so I haven''t had a chance to deal with her. Now that she''s finally out in public, I definitely have to teach her a lesson."

    N frowned. "Vrie, I know you''re trying to stand up for me, but it''s not worth it. You said she''s with that Mr. Nuttall, right? Don''t go offending others because of me."

    "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing," Vrie assured her.

    Realizing that Vrie wouldn''t listen, N could only sigh helplessly.

    Soon, the auction began.

    N wasn''t interested in the jewelry anymore. She rested her chin in her hand and watched casually. In contrast, Vrie was fully engaged, frequently raising her paddle to bid.

    Not long after the auction started, Reba noticed them. When she saw N, her face darkened, and she dug her fingers into her palm, ring at her with intense resentment.

    Ondo sensed the shift in her mood and followed her gaze. When he saw N sitting beside Vrie, his eyes shed with intrigue. "You know her?" he asked.

    Reba quickly looked away and said in a low voice, "No."

    Ondo raised an eyebrow but didn''t press further.

    As the auction continued, Reba noticed that Vrie had won several pieces of jewelry.

    A calcting look shed in her eyes as she clung to Ondo''s arm, her voice sweet and flirtatious. "Mr. Nuttall, I like that set of jewelry."

    Ondo was clearly enjoying her attention. "Go ahead and bid. Anything under 15,000,000 dors is yours."

    He had recently taken an interest in Reba, so he was willing to spend some money to make her happy. "Thank you, Mr. Nuttall," Reba said sweetly.

    Her flirtatious tone melted Ondo''s heart, and he yfully pinched her waist.

    As a result, every time Vrie expressed interest in a piece, Reba deliberately raised the price, causing Vrie to buy the jewelry at much higher amounts.

    Despite this, Vrie remained calm, smiling all the while.

    Soon, Vrie started bidding on a set valued at 7,000,000 dors.

    Reba raised the price again.

    Vrie narrowed her eyes and called out directly, "15,000,000 dors."

    Reba raised her paddle at Vrie''s provocative nce, calling, "20,000,000 dors."

    She was confident that Vrie

    from the start, clearly i

    would continue bidding since Vrie had been pursuing this particr set she wanted it badly.

    As soon as she made her bid, the room fell silent.

    Ondo''s face darkened. However, given the prominent figures present, he restrained himself from

    Lovelient

    questioning her immediately merely

    giving her a cold look. Content

    Startled by his reaction, Reba exined in a whisper, "Mr. Nuttall, I don''t intend to buy it. Vrie is sure to outbid me."

    Ondo frowned. "You''re sure?"

    "Yes," Reba replied.

    As soon as she spoke, the auctioneer began calling out, "20,000,000 dors, going once!"

    There were no other bids.

    Reba looked appalled as she turned to Vrie, who was looking back at her with a mocking smile. It was clear Vrie had seen through her strategy.

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    ?

    ˇ°This time it''s for real, I promise!" Brandon argued.

    He spoke with unwavering conviction, but Damon merely looked down, unwilling to engage with him any further.

    Brandon let out a sigh, feeling the weight of his troubles with no one to confide in. He asked again, "Uncle Damon, are we still drinking?"

    "When did I agree to drink with you?" Damon replied.

    Brandon sighed, realizing he had misced his hopes.

    After turning the car around to drop Damon off at his vi, they arrived just as N and Oliver wereing out, holding hands with Mason. The three of them wore smiles, appearing like a warm, happy family.

    Brandon noticed Damon''s souring mood and instinctively quieted his breathing, fearing that Damon would take out his frustration on him.

    The group soon spotted Damon, and N bit her lip before saying, "Mr. Sumner, I''m taking Buddy home."

    Damon didn''t respond. His gaze remained fixed on the hand Oliver was holding-Mason''s.

    The thought that Mason had spent

    several years with Oliver and liked him stirred a wave of irritation within Damon. It seemed he would need to put in a lot of effort to win Mason over to

    Seeing that Damon had no response, N frowned, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.

    Why did Damon seem off today? It had felt strange ever since he asked her to give him a ride to the

    auction.

    Oliver noticed Damon''s gaze and met it without flinching, his eyes calm and unafraid.

    Once they were standing directly in front of Damon, he finally addressed N, "Are you free this weekend? Buddy mentioned he wants us to take him

    N nodded. ˇ°Sure, I don''t have any ns. The zoo is close to our ce. Let''s meet at the zoo entrance at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday."

    Damon''s previously sullen expression softened slightly as he subtly nced at Oliver before replying, Alright.ˇ±

    "Then, we''ll head back now," N said.

    Damon nodded. "Be careful on the way."

    After they left, Damon turned to Brandon. "Weren''t you in the mood for a drink? Let''s go."

    Brandon was speechless-he wasn''t feeling up to it anymore, as he could clearly sense that Damon was in a bad mood.

    "Uncle Damon... it''s gettingte. You should rest. Let''s drink another time," Brandon said.

    1/2

    Without waiting for Damon''s response, he jumped into the car and sped off.

    Watching Brandon''s car disappear, Damon narrowed his eyes and walked back into the vi.

    On the way home, Oliver told N, "Since you''re going to the zoo this weekend, I''d like to join.ˇ±

    N was a bit surprised. She hadn''t expected him to make that request.

    Then, recalling how she had taken Damon to the auction tonight, she understood that Oliver might be feeling a bit insecure about it.

    "I need to check with Buddy first," she said, uncertain if Mason wanted to go to the zoo just with her and

    Damon.

    "I''ll ask him," Oliver replied.

    Just then, the car stopped at a red light.

    Oliver turned to the backseat, where Mason was asleep in his car seat, and couldn''t help but chuckle. He''s out cold. I''ll ask him tomorrow."

    "I can ask him. If you''re worried about me being alone with Damon, I''ll be mindful of that in the future," N assured him.

    Oliver nced at her, speaking softly. "N, I do have some selfish reasons for not wanting you to be alone with Damon. But I also want to be involved in Buddy''s growth because I''m serious about marrying you."

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    N lowered her gaze,plicated emotions crossing her eyes.

    The better Oliver was to her, the guiltier she felt. After all, she didn''t reciprocate his feelings in the same way. Sometimes, she felt quite bad for him.

    "Oliver, you don''t have to be so good to me..../

    puts pressure on me," she said honestly.

    Oliver tightened his grip on the steering wheel, a hint of wryness in his eyes. "N, you can''t actually develop feelings for me beyond friendship, can you?"

    N was silent for a few seconds before slowly replying, "I don''t know... But I think I could. Just give me a little more time."

    The car fell silent until they reached her building. Neither spoke.

    Once Oliver parked, he turned to face N instead of getting out of the car.

    ˇ°N, feelings can''t be rushed. You don''t have to force yourself. If one day you realize you can''t like

    me, just tell me. I''d rather you be free and happy than feel pressured to stay with me because of what I''ve done over these five years," he said serious

    A wave of emotion washed over N, making her nose tingle. "But that doesn''t seem fair to you."

    Oliver smiled softly. "There''s no fairness or unfairness here. Everything I''ve done for you and Buddy over these five years was voluntary. You''ve given that time bind you and cloud your judgment."

    He loved N, so he was willing to do anything for her. If she could return those feelings, it would be a blessing. If not, he wouldn''tin.

    Life was too short-just meeting each other was already a blessing.

    The car fell silent again.

    After what felt like an eternity, N finally spoke. ˇ°Okay, I understand. I''ll think about it."

    "Great, I''ll hold you to that," Oliver said.

    Unbuckling his seatbelt, he got out and opened the back door. He carefully picked up the sleeping Mason before shutting the door and walking with Ny After ensuring they were safely inside, he left.

    N was the only one left in the living room. She sank onto the sofa and began to reflect on her feelings for Oliver.

    If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t be who she was today. Thus, she felt genuinely grateful. They had been through a lot in

    these five years, and he was important to her.

    However, love....

    She was truly unsure.

    After thinking for a long time, N couldn''t reach a conclusion and decided to message Vrie.

    When Vrie saw her message, she couldn''t help but raise an

    eyebrow. N was actually asking her how to determine if she had feelings for someone

    After pondering for a moment, Vrie called N directly.

    "It''s easy to figure out. Just ask yourself if you want to kiss him, if you want to sleep with him, and if you feel flustered

    during casual physical contact," she said.

    N thought about it.

    During a few instances of physical contact with Oliver, she had felt a bit flustered. When it came to kissing him... she had never considered it. "Okay, I get it," she replied.

    Vrie asked, "Why are you suddenly asking me this? Aren''t you and Oliver together? Can''t you tell if you like him or not?"

    N lowered her gaze, feeling a bit gloomy as she answered, "I think I like him, but I''ve never really considered the kissing and sleeping part."

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    Chapter 693 Chapter 693

    Vrie suggested, "Now close your eyes and think about it. If he were to kiss you, would you resist?"

    N imagined it and realized she didn''t feel like resisting. If she had to say she was looking forward to it, that didn''t seem to be the case either. She honestly shared her feelings with Vrie, who couldn''t help but feel sympathy for Oliver. After chasing her for five years, N still didn''t seem to h ˇ°Okay, now imagine if it were Damon who wanted to kiss you," Vrie suggested again.

    ˇ°Absolutely not,ˇ± N answered without hesitation, her toneced with disdain.

    She had never considered the possibility of getting back together with Damon.

    The past hurt was real, and five years had passed between them. There was no way they could return to how things used to be.

    "Why do you sound so certain?" Vrie asked.

    N pressed her lips together. "Because I''m sure I don''t want anything to do with him."

    Vrie sighed and slowly said, "N, not wanting to be involved with him and whether you like him or not are two different things.

    "You need to determine whether your dislike for him is the reason you want to avoid involvement or if your desire to avoid involvement is leading you t N was left speechless.

    Was there really a difference? After all, it was about not wanting to be involved with him, right?

    "Vrie, let''s not talk about him. I want you to help me figure out my feelings for Oliver. Damon has nothing to do with this," she said.

    Vrie countered, "Well, I need a reference point for that. Otherwise, how can you differentiate?"

    "Fine," N conceded.

    After thinking for a few seconds, Vrie softly suggested, "Honestly, you say you don''t resist Oliver kissing you, but you''re not exactly excited about it either. I can''t figure out how you really feel about him.

    "Why not try some

    couples'' activities with him, like hugging or kissing? Also, pay attention to how you feel if you see him being affectionate with other women."

    N carefully noted Vrie''s words, feeling a sense of rity in her heart. "Okay, I got it. I''ll do what you said."

    Vrie''s voice came through with a hint of curiosity. "But I''m still a bit puzzled. You were with rk for eight years andter

    liked Damon. How can you not know what it feels like to like someone and not distinguish your feelings for Oliver?"

    N lowered her

    gaze and replied tly, "Because Oliver is very important to me, and we''ve been together for five years. We''re just too familiar with each other.

    ˇ°During those five years, I''ve been busy with work, and the remaining time was spent with Buddy. So, I can''t really determine whether I like him or not. She was being so cautious because of her fear that she might actually like Oliver. Yet, because they were too familiar, she struggled to understand her She also feared that she might only feel gratitude toward him, mistaking it for love, which could end up hurting him.

    ˇ°I see. I understand. Just follow my advice for now, and we can figure out the restter,ˇ± Vrie said reassuringly.

    After hanging up, Vrie set her phone

    down and couldn''t help but chuckle wryly. Her own love life was a mess, and here she was trying to be a rtionship guru for N.

    There was a knock at the door.

    "Vrie, are you asleep?" It was her mother''s gentle voice from outside.

    "I''m still awake, Mom. Come on in," Vrie replied.

    Phoebe opened the door, carrying a ss of acai smoothie.

    "I had the kitchen make you some acai smoothie. Drink it before you sleep," she said softly, cing it on the nightstand.

    Vrie picked up the smoothie and stirred it with a straw. "Thanks, Mom."

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    Seeing Vrie start to drink the smoothie, Phoebe smiled kindly. ˇ°How was today''s auction? Did you find any jewelry you liked?"

    Vrie nodded. ˇ°I did! Oh, I even bought a set for you! I get it for you!"

    Phoebe stopped her. "No

    need to do that now. You can give it to me tomorrow, Just focus on drinking the smoothie first. I came over tonight because I wanted to talk to you abo "What is it?" Vrie asked.

    "About tomorrow''s blind date. Remember to dress modestly. The Comstocks are quite traditional and don''t like women who are too shy," Phoebe re

    Vrie paused, frowning at her mother. "Mom, even if I can put on an act for tomorrow, I can''t pretend forever. I think it''s better to show my true self during a blind date."

    Besides, she wasn''t a product that needed to be dressed up to meet someone else''s expectations.

    "Vrie, I know you don''t want to

    go on this blind date... but our family isn''t what it used to be. You''re getting older, and it''s no longer about you choosing someone. It''s about others ch

    "A blind date is supposed to be purposeful. It''s about presenting your best self with the intention of marriage. Just trust me on this. I won''t steer you wr Looking at her mother''s earnest expression, Vrie felt helpless and eventually nodded. "Okay, I understand."

    "Great. Then I won''t keep you. Drink your smoothie and get

    rest," Phoebe said.

    After Phoebe left, Vrie nced at the smoothie, suddenly losing her appetite.

    She ced the ss back on the tray and bit her lip. As she thought about the blind date tomorrow, her mood plummeted.

    Reba had just returned to the vi

    and sensed the oppressive atmosphere in the living room. She nced toward the center of the room and saw Nathaniel''s dark, angry face.

    With a calm expression, she withdrew her gaze and casually changed her shoes.

    "Come here." Nathaniel''s voice was strained with anger, and his gaze seemed to shoot fire at her.

    Reba hesitated for a moment but slowly approached him.

    Just as she reached his side, a pnded squarely on her face.

    "Idiot! Who told you to provoke Vrie and N?!" Nathaniel scolded.

    He had already realized that if Reba hadn''t overstepped her bounds and deliberately raised the bid, she wouldn''t have been set up by Vrie. Ultimately, it was her own fault for overestimating her cleverness.

    Nathaniel''s strength was substantial, and Reba was knocked to the floor, a bright red palm print appearing instantly on her cheek.

    She looked up at Nathaniel, her gaze filled with mockery. ˇ°Nathaniel, if you were

    capable, you wouldn''t be angry that I provoked someone else, nor would you hit me over 5,000,000 dors."

    It was precisely because he was useless that he was taking out his frustrations on her.

    "How dare you shift the me onto me?" Nathaniel demanded.

    He raised his hand again to strike Reba, but she no longer flinched in fear as she had in the past. Instead, she looked up at him defiantly.

    "Go ahead, hit me! You might as well kill me! I''ve had enough of this pathetic life!" she cried.

    Gazing into her furious eyes, Nathaniel hesitated, his hand frozen mid-air.

    Reba sneered. "Useless!"

    "Say that again!" Nathaniel growled.

    His suppressed rage ignited once more, his eyes burning red as if he might strike her again at any

    moment.

    "Am I wrong? The only person you dare hit is me. The one who messed up the Preston Group is Damon, yet you won''t even confront him. You just v

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    Nathaniel was enraged, veins pulsing

    on his forehead. He clenched his fist and struck Reba hard. Despite the intense pain coursing through her body, Reba didn''t scream or beg for

    Sheughed at how she and Nathaniel were like two pitiful creatures, harming and despising each other yet unable to leave one another.

    At

    first, she nned to live this pathetic life, but that changed when she saw that N was still alive. Even if she were to die, she wanted to drag those w

    The next morning, after N woke up and washed up, she began making breakfast for Mason.

    By 7:30 am., Mason was awake. Once he brushed his teeth and got dressed, he walked out of his bedroom.

    Seeing N bringing breakfast to the table, he cheerfully called out, "Mommy, good morning! What''s for breakfast? It smells so good!"

    "I made bacon and eggs, as well as some pancakes and waffles," N replied.

    "I love pancakes! Thanks, Mommy!" Mason cheered as he sat down.

    He grinned when he saw the bacon and pancakes before him, his eyes squinting with joy.

    "Dig in!" N encouraged.

    ˇ°Okay!" Mason eximed, taking a bite of the pancake and savoring its soft, delicious vor.

    Seeing him with syrup all over his mouth made N chuckle as she wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. She said gently, "By the way, I want to discuss something with you."

    "What is it, Mommy?" Mason asked.

    "Remember how you told your dad you wanted to go to the zoo this weekend? Uncle Oliver wants toe along, too. Would you mind if he joined us?

    Mason took another bite of pancake and thought about how he wanted them all to be together.

    He shook his head and replied, "I don''t mind! I really like Uncle Oliver! Let''s have hime along!"

    If Oliver came too, his mother could build a connection with his father while also bonding with Oliver-it

    was a win-win situation!

    The more Mason thought about it, the smarter he felt. He decided he would always invite Oliver from now

    1. on.

    Seeing he wasn''t troubled at all, N nodded and said, "Okay, I''ll let Uncle Oliver know."

    1/2

    After finishing breakfast, N went to work, leaving Mason with the nanny at home.

    On her way to the office, she called Oliver to let him know Mason was okay with himing along.

    After hearing this, Oliver chuckled happily and said, "Great! I''lle by Saturday morning to go to the zoo with you."

    "Sounds good! What time will you arrive? If youe early, I can make breakfast for you, too," N offered.

    "I''ll be there around 8:00 a.m.," Oliver answered.

    "Alright," N replied.

    After hanging up, she hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should mention to Damon that Oliver would be joining them. Ultimately, she decided to tell Damon anyway.

    As soon as she sent the message, Damon called her back.

    "Why is Mr. Raynoring? We''re taking Buddy to the zoo. Bringing along an outsider seems a bit inappropriate," he said.

    Hearing Damon refer to Oliver as an outsider made N feel ufortable. To her and Mason, Oliver would never be an outsider.

    "He wants to spend time with Buddy, and I asked Buddy this morning. He hopes Oliver cane too," she replied.

    "Are you sure Buddy wants him toe?" Damon asked.

    Noticing the slight edge in his tone, N frowned as she answered, "I''m sure. I said I asked Buddy."

    2/2

 Chapter 696

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    hapter 696

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Damon''s voice came through, sounding a bit heavy. Since Buddy agrees, I have no objections." With that, he hung up.

    In the study, Damon set down his phone, his expression darkening.

    He was supposed to be taking Mason to the zoo with N as a family of three, and he didn''t understand why Oliver had to tag along.

    Frowning in thought for a moment, he called Spencer.

    "Is the Raynor Group too idletely? Find something for Oliver to do. Ideally, he should be back in Capitarnia these days and too busy to be in Saintornia," he instructed.

    Spencer was taken aback. "Mr. Sumner, did Mr. Raynor offend you?"

    "Just do as I say! Why are you talking so much?" Damon snapped.

    Spencer replied, "Alright, I understand."

    After hearing the busy tone, Spencer set down his phone and looked at Luca, who was standing in front of

    him.

    He instructed, "Take this document to the Sumner Group and give it to Mr. Brandon."

    Luca happily took the document. "Got it! I''ll make sure it''s done."

    Since Spencer returned, Damon had stopped assigning tasks to Luca, which Luca found to be a blessing. He no longer had to receivete-night calls from Damon.

    Although Damon paid generously, it was still nice not to have to answer the phone at midnight.

    Brandon was reviewing documents in the CEO''s office of the Sumner Group when there was a knock on

    the door.

    His secretary entered, holding a file. "Mr. Sumner, this document was sent over by Mr. Fleming from Prospectus Technology."

    Upon hearing that, Brandon immediately set down his papers. "Give it to me."

    He opened the document and read through it for a while before looking at the secretary.

    ˇ°Schedule a meeting with Mr. Wilkinson from Skywright at noon at Opulent Oasis to discuss our recent coboration,ˇ± he said.

    ˇ°Okay, I''ll do that right away," his secretary replied.

    After the secretary left, Brandon finished reading the document that Luca had brought him and established an estimated baseline for the negotiations Chapter 696

    Before long, noon arrived.

    As Brandon stepped into Opulent Oases, he noticed a woman sitting by the window.

    Vrie was dressed elegantly in a form-fitting dress, wearing a long, straight wig and light makeup. She appeared very demure.

    At that moment, she was sipping coffee, her lowered eyes betraying a clear impatience.

    The man opposite her seemedpletely oblivious to her mood, talking nonstop.

    "Ms. Weir, I''m not saying this to be rude, but your outfit and that bag you''re holding must be worth hundreds of thousands. As a woman, it''s better to b isn''t short on money, once we marry, you shouldn''t spend it all on such things."

    Vrie smiled, but internally, she was cursing him out.

    This loser of a man had the nerve to lecture her while dressed in equally

    pricey clothing. It was eptable for him to spend money, but if a woman did it, it was a waste?

    She set down her coffee and tapped her fingers on the table.

    Mr. Comstock, has your family business run into any difficultiestely?" she asked.

    Benjamin Comstock paused, frowning as he asked, "No, why do you ask?"

    "Then why are you monitoring what your date wears? I assumed the Comstocks were struggling," Vrie mocked.

    "Ms. Weir, to be honest, you are very beautiful, but a woman shouldn''t rely solely on looks," Benjamin ''Temarked.

    Vrie huffed. "How do you know that''s all I have?"

    They had barely met, and he was already trying to dictate her choices. She thought hecked emotional intelligence and was kind of unattractive, too. Benjamin remarked with a frown, "Ms. Weir, I don''t like overly aggressive women."

 Chapter 697

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    Chapter 697 Chapter 697

    Vrie raised an eyebrow, about to speak when her gaze suddenly fell on someone not far ahead.

    A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes. She hadn''t expected to run into Brandon at a blind date.

    Their eyes met briefly, but Brandon quickly averted his gaze and acted as if he hadn''t seen her. He turned to leave.

    Vrie''s expression remained unchanged as she redirected her focus to Benjamin across from her, who was still nitpicking everything.

    "Mr. Comstock, I think we''re not a good match. Let''s end this here. Goodbye," Vrie said as she stood up to leave.

    Benjamin blocked her way, saying with a hint of condescension, "Ms. Weir, I believe that, aside from your spending habits, everything else about you i still tolerable."

    After all, Vrie was beautiful and fit his idea of innocence, so he felt generally satisfied with her. If she could just listen to him a bit more after they started dating, spending money on her wouldn''t be an issue.

    Vrie smiled. ˇ°Mr. Comstock, I can''t change my habits. If you can''t

    ept that, then we really aren''t suitable for each other. I hope you find someone more fitting for you soon."

    With that, she brushed past him and left.

    Back in her car, as she was about to start the engine, she received a call from Phoebe.

    "Vrie, did something

    happen on your blind date today? The woman who introduced Benjamin called me and said heined about your personality and wasn''t interest Vrie hadn''t expected Benjamin to call so soon and disparage her immediately after she left. Despite that, this worked out-

    it saved her the trouble of exining.

    "Yeah, I''m just not good enough for him,ˇ± she replied.

    There was a brief silence on the line before Phoebe''s worried voice broke through. "Today''s date was supposed to be with the best family background Vrie frowned, her tone irritated. "Mom, I''m not a product to be evaluated! A blind date shouldn''t be just about family background. Isn''t my happiness She had alreadypromised by agreeing to go on this blind date, but Phoebe''s words made her feel like amodity rather than the daughter they had raised for over 20 years.

    Realizing she had misspoken, Phoebe quickly apologized. "I''m sorry, Vrie. I misspoke. Don''t be angry."

    Vrie rubbed her forehead in frustration. "I get it. I need to drive now. Talkter."

    After hanging up, she tossed her phone onto the passenger seat and pulled out a cigarette.

    She hadn''t smoked much before, but after N fell into the sea five years ago, she found herself relying on cigarettes to ease her anxiety.

    1/2

    As she took a couple of puffs, someone suddenly knocked on her window.

    Turning her head, she met Brandon''s cold gaze.

    She extinguished the cigarette and lowered the window halfway. "Mr. Sumner, what''s up?"

    Brandon looked at her lightly made-up face, his expression darkening. "You rejected me just to go on a date with that loser?"

    Vrie frowned, about to respond, but Brandon continued. "Forget it. It doesn''t matter anymore. Here''s the contract for the recent project we''re cob

    After handing her the contract, he turned and walked away.

    Vrie nced at the document in her hands, aplex emotion passing through her eyes.

    This was probably for the best. They should have

    completely severed ties a long time ago. Continuing like this would only lead to entanglement and hurt for both of them.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

 Chapter 698

    ?

    Chapter 698 Chapter 698

    That evening, Brandon and Damon sat together in a private room at a high¨C

    end bar in Saintornia. They silently poured drinks into their sses, both wearing grim expressions that radiated an aura discouraging any approach. Eventually, Brandon couldn''t hold back and looked at Damon.

    "Uncle Damon, was your pursuit of Aunt N this difficult?" he asked.

    The memory of Vrie''s rejection, followed by her date with a loser, frustrated Brandon. Did she really

    think so little of him?

    Damon nced at Brandon but didn''t respond. He was too preupied with the uing Saturday trip to the zoo with Oliver to take on the role of emotional mentor for Brandon.

    17

    It seemed that Brandon didn''t expect an answer anyway. He took another gulp and angrily stated, Whatever, it doesn''t matter

    to me anymore. There are plenty of women in the world. I''m not going to be hung up on her!

    "I''ve pursued her for five years, and now she''s missed out. She''s the one who should regret it, not me!

    "I''m so angry! I''m never pursuing women again! She''s such a jerk!"

    In his fury, he pulled out his phone and angrily posted on social media.

    Brandon: [I will never cry over a jerk again!]

    Not long after posting,ments from friends flooded in.

    [Which woman is so powerful that she can make you cry? I need to see this for myself!]

    [LOL, look who''s having a tough time now!]

    [Brandon, if it''s not working out, just switch to another! Don''t limit yourself to one gender-men should never make you cry! Come into my embrace!] Reading thosements made Brandon roll his eyes in exasperation. He wanted to reach through the screen and punch them all.

    Just as he was about to delete the post, he noticed that Vrie had liked it.

    How dare she like it? Was her heart made of stone?!

    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he started drinking faster. Soon, he was drunk.

    Drunk Brandon was like apletely different person. He no longer feared Damon and walked over to hug his leg, crying uncontrobly.

    ˇ°Waaah! Uncle Damon, why doesn''t Vrie want me? What''s wrong with me? I was even the school heartthrob! She''s pretty, I know. Why won''t she give me a chance?

    "Uncle Damon, you''re the best! You''re willing to drink with me when I''m feeling down. Hic!" Brandon cried.

    Looking at the flushed, drunken Brandon, Damon felt a sh of disdain and kicked him away. "Stop bothering me."

    1/2

    Brandon fell to the floor, confused.

    Hadn''t he been hugging his uncle''s leg to fall asleep? Why was he now lying on the floor?

    In his inebriated state, he couldn''t think clearly. He decided not to dwell on it and crawled back to hug Damon''s leg again. ˇ°Uncle Damon, I''m so heartbroken! I''ve only ever liked this one woman all my life. I can''t just give up... Sob

    934

    it hurts so much... but, Uncle Damon, why are your legs so cold and hard..." Brandon continued to cry.

    Damon nced coldly at the sobbing Brandon, his expression darkening to an extreme.

    If he had known Brandon would be so embarrassing when drunk, he never would have agreed to go out drinking with him.

    "Uncle Damon, why aren''t you talking? Do you not want to talk to me either?" Brandon wailed.

 Chapter 699

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    "Shut up!" Damon snapped.

    He couldn''t take it anymore and grabbed Brandon''s phone to call Vrie.

    When the call connected, he reported the bar and private room before hanging up and leaving. He couldn''t stay any longer- Brandon was driving him crazy.

    On the other end, Vrie hadn''t even had a chance to speak before the call ended. She tried calling back several times, but no one picked up.

    Biting her lip, she contemted whether to go over.

    Finally, after five minutes, she changed her clothes and headed out.

    Just as she opened the door, she spotted Phoebe, who was about to knock while holding a ss of acai smoothie.

    Seeing that Vrie wasn''t in her pajamas, Phoebe looked puzzled. "Vrie, it''s sote. Are you going out?"

    "Yeah," Vrie replied, her expression slightly unnatural. "N said she needed to see me about something." Phoebe frowned and asked, "What''s so urgent that you have to go out at this hour? Can''t it wait until

    tomorrow?"

    "I don''t know, Mom. Stop asking. I promise I''ll be back before midnight," Vrie said.

    With that, she rushed past her mother and left.

    Watching her hurried figure, Phoebe sighed, unsure of what was so urgent.

    When Vrie arrived at the bar, it was already half an hourter.

    She walked into the private room but didn''t see Damon. Instead, she found Brandon rambling on about something while hugging a corner of the table. She crouched down next to him and finally caught what he was saying.

    "What''s the big deal with blind dates? Who can''t go on a blind date? Uncle Damon, you have to set one

    up for me tomorrow. I saw a bunch of gorgeous women at your officest time I was there. Some of them are totally my type..." Brandon rambled. "What type do you like?" Vrie asked.

    "I like..." Brandon began to answer but sensed something was off.

    He looked up at Vrie and immediately frowned. "Why do you look so much like that bad woman?! Get out and bring me someone else!"

    Vrie was speechless.

    1/2

    "What do you want?" she asked.

    "Not someone pretty, not someone with a beauty mark at the corner of their eye, and not someone with dyed red hair or big, wavy curls. Oh, and the m they have to like me!" Brandon insisted.

    Looking at Brandon''s drunken state, Vrie felt at a loss for words. He might as well have stated outright that he didn''t want her.

    She didn''t n on arguing with a drunk, so she reached out to help him up. "Come on, I''ll take you home."

    Brandon paused for a moment when he saw the fair hand extended to him, before instinctively grabbing it.

    Just as Vrie was about to pull him up, he suddenly yanked her toward him, and she stumbled into him. She collided with Brandon, his scent of bluebell cologne filling her nose.

    "Brandon, what are you- Mmph!"

    Before she could finish, he pulled her in and kissed her deeply, holding the back of her head firmly.

    Vrie tried to push him away, but it was no use.

    The crisp scent of alcohol wafted from him, and she gradually felt herself getting a bit tipsy, her resistance weakening.

    Suddenly, the private room door swung open.

    A server''s voice called from the entrance, "Mr. Sumner, do you need-"

    Before he could finish, he caught sight of the two kissing on the floor.

    The server froze for a moment before quickly regaining hisposure. "I''m sorry... Mr. Sumner, I didn''t know... I''ll step out and let you be..."

    He stammered through the sentence before quickly turning to leave, closing the door behind him.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

    X

 Chapter 700

    ?

    Thanks to that little interruption, Vrie snapped back to reality. She pushed Brandon away and got to her feet, her cheeks flushed.

    "Brandon, I''m warning you! If you pull something like that again, I won''t care about you anymore!" she

    barked.

    Brandon stared at her in confusion, seemingly unable to recall what had just happened.

    "Who are you?" he asked.

    Vrie was exasperated. He had just kissed her, and now he didn''t recognize her?

    Nheless, this wasn''t the time to dwell on that. She needed to find a way to get him home.

    After thinking for a moment, Vrie called a driver to help her get Brandon to the car. Fortunately, after what had happened, he seemed tired and fell asleep without a fuss.

    Once she helped him into the back seat and buckled him in, she told the driver the address. "He has someone at home. Just ring the doorbell, and they''lle to get him," she instructed. The driver nodded. "Okay."

    As Vrie watched the driver pull away, she turned and headed back home.

    The next morning...

    When Brandon woke up, his head throbbed painfully.

    Rubbing his temples, he slowly sat up and was surprised to find himself in his bedroom.

    How had he gotten back?

    Hisst memory was drinking at the bar with Damon, then getting drunk and crying while hugging Damon''s leg. After that, he thought he saw Vrie.

    It must have been a hallucination. She was so heartless. Why would she go to the bar for him?

    With that thought, Brandon''s expression soured.

    It must have been Damon who brought him back.

    After getting ready and heading downstairs for breakfast, he called Damon.

    "Uncle Damon, when did you take me homest night? I can''t remember a thing," he said.

    "I didn''t take you home," Damon replied.

    "It wasn''t you? Then who brought me back?" Brandon asked.

    As soon as he finished speaking, the line went dead.

    Brandon was speechless.

    Looking through his call history, he saw that he had called Vrie around 10:00 p.m. and that she had

    called him back several times, but he hadn''t answered.

    No way! Last night wasn''t a hallucination? Vrie had reallye to the bar to find him?

    A glimmer of delight crossed Brandon''s eyes at that thought.

    Just as he was about to call Vrie, he remembered what she had said when the auction ended. The smile on his lips ttened into a straight line.

    She had been so straightforward that day, and now he was getting all sentimental over just a phone call. It felt ridiculous.

    Once he called her, she would definitely tease him about it.

    With that thought, Brandon took a deep breath and decided against contacting Vrie.

    Vrie had just woken up when Phoebe started talking about her blind date for the day.

    After a while, noticing that Vrie wasn''t responding, Phoebe looked

    up and saw her daydreaming. She couldn''t help but frown, feeling a bit annoyed.

    "Vrie, what''s wrong with you? You''ve been zoning out all morning," she questioned.

    Snapping back to reality, Vrie met Phoebe''s displeased gaze and shook her head. "Sorry, Mom. I probably

    didn''t sleep wellst night. What were you saying?"

    "I said your blind date, Mr. Zayn Updike, has studied abroad just like

    you. You two should hit it off. He wants to meet you at the racetrack today, so make sure to make a good impression," Phoebe reminded

    her.

    Vrie frowned as she asked, "Who sets up a blind date at the racetrack?"

    $

 Chapter 701

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    "You said it was boring when the date was set at the restaurant yesterday. No matter how it''s done, you''ll find something to criticize. Do you just not wa

    Vrie pursed her lips. "I don''t want to. If it weren''t for you guys pushing me, I wouldn''t even consider it."

    For her, not getting married wasn''t a big deal. She''d rather stay

    single than wake up every day to a face she didn''t like, pretending to be happy for the rest of her life.

    "You''re driving me crazy! You''re in your 30s now, and if you don''t get married soon, no one will want you by the time you''re 40! Your dad and I are getting older, and after we''re gone, how will you manage on your

    own?!" Phoebe eximed.

    Facing her mother''s serious expression, Vrie shrugged. "I''ll manage

    just fine. There are plenty of people who choose not to marry or have kids, and none of them seem to be struggling."

    Phoebe gritted her teeth. "I don''t care! When you get to our age, you''ll understand I''m only looking out for

    you!"

    Vrie knew that discussing this with her mother was pointless. They had already argued too much about her age

    and the blind dates. Now that she hadpromised, there was no need to keep fighting.

    "Fine, I''ll go on the blind date. But if the guy isn''t interested in me, or if I''m not interested in him, I won''t agree to marry," she stated firmly.

    "Just go, and we can figure out the restter," Phoebe groaned.

    After lunch, Vrie drove to the racetrack.

    The man she was supposed to meet was named Zayn. ording to Phoebe, he had been too busy with his career to get married until now. Most importantly, Zayn was the only son of the Updikes, so he would inherit everything. If Vrie married him, she wouldn''t have

    to deal with any sister-inw rivalry.

    It was also said that Zayn''s mother was easy to get along with, which would make life much more

    comfortable.

    Vrie had listened to all this with little enthusiasm, hardly absorbing any of it.

    An hourter, Vrie parked her car in the lot in front of the racetrack.

    As soon as she arrived at the entrance, a server walked up to her. "Ms. Weir, wee! I''ll take you in. It''s been a while since you''ve been here." Vrie had once been obsessed with horse racing, frequently visiting the racetrack to ce bets and earn some extra money.

    However, work had kept her busy, and she hadn''t been here in a long time.

    She smiled and replied, "I''m not here to watch the races today. I''m here to meet someone."

    1/2

    "Who are you meeting?" the server asked.

    "The CEO of the Updike Group, Zayn Updike," Vrie answered.

    "Mr. Updike is in Room 3, watching the races. I''ll take you there," the server replied.

    With the server leading the way, Vrie walked down a long corridor and stopped at the door of Room 3.

    "Ms. Weir, this is the one," the server informed her.

    Vrie nodded. "Thank you."

    The server knocked on the door, and a voice from inside said, "Come in."

    The server opened the door and addressed the man watching the horse race through the floor-to-ceiling

    windows. "Mr. Updike, Ms. Weir is here to see you."

    Upon hearing this, Zayn turned toward the door.

    When he saw Vrie standing behind the server, his eyes flickered with interest.

    The two exchanged nces, sizing each other up.

    Soon, Zayn smiled. "Ms. Weir, pleasee in."

    Vrie walked past the server into the room. "Hello, Mr. Updike."

    "Please, take a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Zayn offered.

    Vrie sat on the couch closest to the door and replied casually, "No, thanks. I brought my own water."

    Zayn paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Are you worried I might have ulterior motives?"

    Vrie smiled. ˇ°Not really. It just feels a bit odd to meet for a blind date here, so I thought I''d avoid any potentialplications.ˇ± Today''s Bonus Offer

 Chapter 702

    ?

    Zayn nodded in understanding and sat across from Vrie, exining why he had chosen this ce.

    "I apologize

    for meeting here, Ms. Weir. I usually don''t have time, but I have a horse racing today, so I asked you to meet me here. I hope you don''t mind," he said.

    Vrie looked straight at Zayn. He was tall and casually dressed, sitting in front of her with amanding presence. While he wasn''t conventionally h made a good first impression.

    "I understand, Mr. Updike. I don''t mind. Let''s get started with the date," Vrie said.

    As soon as she finished speaking, Zayn couldn''t help butugh.

    Noticing the puzzled look on Vrie''s face, he quickly waved his hand.

    "Sorry, Ms. Weir. It''s just that the way you said, ''let''s get started with the date'', was so serious that it struck me as amusing," he rified.

    Vrie pressed her lips together and replied, "Mr. Updike, I think we should get straight to the point since this is a blind date. Besides, since you want

    Zayn caught the sh of displeasure in Vrie''s eyes and realized he had been a bit too casual.

    He cleared his throat and adopted a serious tone. "Okay, Ms. Weir, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Zayn Updike. I''m 6''1" tall

    and weigh 75 kg. I graduated from the University of Lanton with a degree in business management. I don''t smoke or drink, and I have no bad habits. I''m healthy-"

    Vrie interrupted, feeling a bit overwhelmed, "Mr. Updike, you don''t need to share all that. It''s already in the

    information I have. You meet my criteria for a date. Just tell me what you expect from a potential partner."

    Zayn thought for a moment and smiled. ˇ°Ms. Weir, I''m quite satisfied with you. If you feel the same way about me, I think we can pursue a deeper rtionship."

    Caught off guard by his smiling gaze, Vrie frowned. "Mr. Updike, don''t you have any requirements for your future wife?"

    Zayn''s smile widened as he replied, "Actually, I initiated this blind date."

    Vrie blinked in surprise, not quite understanding what he meant.

    "We met once at a g, but you may have forgotten. There was a server who tripped and spilled a drink on a guest. You stepped in to help the server recalled. "I noticed you then. Later, I heard that Mr. Sumner was pursuing you and that you two were in a sort of ambiguous rtionship, so I stopped Zayn added, "Just a few days ago, when my mother arranged for me to go on blind dates, I saw your photo and decided to set this up."

    Vrie frowned, struggling to recall the event. ˇ°I''m sorry, but I don''t remember."

    "It''s okay. I just wondered if you''d like to get to know each other better," Zayn said.

    1/2

    Vrie hesitated for a moment, then looked Zayn in the eye and shook her head. "Mr. Updike, I don''t think we''re suited for each other." Zayn appeared surprised. "May I ask why?"

    "Because I don''t sense any genuine interest from you in pursuing a rtionship," Vrie replied.

    If she truly meant something to him, he wouldn''t have chosen to meet for their.blind date

    at a racetrack, and he certainly wouldn''t have made her adjust to his schedule.

 Chapter 703

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    ayn nodded in understanding and sat across from Vrie, exining why he had chosen this ce.

    "I apologize

    for meeting here, Ms. Weir. I usually don''t have time, but I have a horse racing today, so I asked you to meet me here. I hope you don''t mind," he said.

    Vrie looked straight at Zayn. He was tall and casually dressed, sitting in front of her with amanding presence. While he wasn''t conventionally h made a good first impression.

    "I understand, Mr. Updike. I don''t mind. Let''s get started with the date," Vrie said.

    As soon as she finished speaking, Zayn couldn''t help butugh.

    Noticing the puzzled look on Vrie''s face, he quickly waved his hand.

    "Sorry, Ms. Weir. It''s just that the way you said, ''let''s get started with the date'', was so serious that it struck me as amusing," he rified.

    Vrie pressed her lips together and replied, "Mr. Updike, I think we should get straight to the point since this is a blind date. Besides, since you want

    Zayn caught the sh of displeasure in Vrie''s eyes and realized he had been a bit too casual.

    He cleared his throat and adopted a serious tone. ˇ°Okay, Ms. Weir, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Zayn Updike. I''m 6''1ˇ± tall

    and weigh 75 kg. I graduated from the University of Lanton with a degree in business management. I don''t smoke or drink, and I have no bad habits. I''m healthy-"

    Vrie interrupted, feeling a bit overwhelmed, "Mr. Updike, you don''t need to share all that. It''s already in the

    information I have. You meet my criteria for a date. Just tell me what you expect from a potential partner.ˇ±

    Zayn thought for a moment and smiled. ˇ°Ms. Weir, I''m quite satisfied with you. If you feel the same way about me, I think we can pursue a deeper rtionship."

    Caught off guard by his smiling gaze, Vrie frowned. "Mr. Updike, don''t you have any requirements for your future wife?"

    Zayn''s smile widened as he replied, ˇ°Actually, I initiated this blind date."

    Vrie blinked in surprise, not quite understanding what he meant.

    "We met once at a g, but you may have forgotten. There was a server who tripped and spilled a drink on a guest. You stepped in to help the server recalled. "I noticed you then. Later, I heard that Mr. Sumner was pursuing you and that you two were in a sort of ambiguous rtionship, so I stopped Zayn added, "Just a few days ago, when my mother arranged for me to go on blind dates, I saw your photo and decided to set this up."

    Vrie frowned, struggling to recall the event. "I''m sorry, but I don''t remember."

    "It''s okay. I just wondered if you''d like to get to know each other better," Zayn said.

    1/2

    Vrie hesitated for a moment, then looked Zayn in the eye and shook her head. "Mr. Updike, I don''t think we''re suited for each other." Zayn appeared surprised. "May I ask why?"

    ˇ°Because I don''t sense any genuine interest from you in pursuing a rtionship," Vrie replied.

    If she truly meant something to him, he wouldn''t have chosen to meet for their.blind date

    at a racetrack, and he certainly wouldn''t have made her adjust to his schedule.

 Chapter 704

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    Seeing Jonathan''s troubled expression, Phoebe set down her teacup and asked, "What''s wrong? Why the long face?"

    Jonathan sank onto the sofa, his voice weak. "Thepany lost another big partnership today. If this keeps up, we''ll be in serious financial trouble." Phoebe frowned. "What can we do? Is there any way to hold on a bit longer? Vrie''s blind date hasn''t settled yet!"

    They were pushing Vrie into blind dates primarily because the Weir Group was declining and desperately needed a strong partner to help them thro

    At first, Vrie had refused. However, after learning about thepany''s situation, she reluctantly agreed to go on dates.

    Jonathan remained silent for a moment before speaking seriously. "How about we stop forcing Vrie into blind dates? I''ve thought a lot

    about this, andpared to thepany, her happiness for the rest of her

    life is more important. We can''t ruin her life just for the sake of thepany.ˇ±

    "Ruin her life? I''m only introducing her to suitable matches! Her life won''t be too hard, and if you don''t push her into

    blind dates, what if she decides never to marry?" Phoebe countered.

    "If she really doesn''t want to get married, then don''t force her. If the Weir Group copses, that''s just fate," Jonathan replied.

    Phoebe''s eyes filled with tears as she turned her head away, refusing to speak.

    The Weir Group was their brainchild from their youth, apany they had built from scratch. She couldn''t bear to watch it fall apart. However, Jonathan was also right. They couldn''t force Vrie to marry someone she didn''t love. That would be unfair to her and simply selfish. "I know," Phoebe relented.

    Jonathan sighed and stood up to head to his study when suddenly his phone rang.

    As he answered, he heard something from the other end that made him immediately say, "I''ll be there

    right away."

    Hanging up, he told Phoebe, "There''s been an issue at thepany. I need to go over now, so don''t wait up for me tonight. I might not be back." Before Phoebe could reply, he hurriedly left.

    Worry shed in Phoebe''s eyes.

    After sitting on the sofa for a long time, she looked down and began sorting through the profiles of Vrie''s blind date matches.

    She hesitated but ultimately decided not to throw the profiles away. Who knew? They mighte in handy someday.

    At dinner, Vrie came downstairs and noticed her father was missing, which surprised her.

    "Dad isn''t home for dinner tonight?" she asked.

    Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, he has some things going on at thepany."

    Vrie pursed her lips at this. She knew that whenever her father faced issues at work, it usually meant bad news. As she contemted this, her moo

    In fact, Zayn had been trying to reach her over the past few days to set up another meeting and invite her to dinner to apologize.

    Vrie wasn''t foolish-she understood his intentions.

    However, since he was friends with Brandon, she had no ns for anything further with him. Besides, their first meeting hadn''t gone particrly well.

    It was just that... if she could get together with Zayn now, the Updikes would undoubtedly help the Weir Group.

    With that thought in mind, Vrie made a decision.

    After dinner, she searched for the contact card her friend had sent her and clicked to add the contact.

    Once Zayn arranged to meet with Vrie for lunch the next day to apologize, he immediately had his secretary book a restaurant.

    Then, he set down his phone and squinted.

    The prey had taken the bait.

 Chapter 705

    ?

    The next morning, Vrie woke up and began her morning routine. She spent over two hours in front of the vanity perfecting her makeup.

    After applying her lipstick, she looked at the stunning woman in the mirror and couldn''t help but smirk self-deprecatingly.

    She never thought she would find herself needing to use her looks to attract someone.

    Suppressing her swirling thoughts, she headed downstairs.

    In the living room, Phoebe was watching TV when she heard footsteps and looked up, momentarily taken aback.

    Today, Vrie wore a new light green, figure-hugging dress. The first two buttons at the front were designed like water droplets, exposing a portion of her wless skin-so exquisite it was hard to look

    away.

    Her long hair was pinned up with a light green hairpin, and her makeup was delicate, reminiscent of early spring buds swaying in a gentle breeze.

    "Vrie, I didn''t arrange any blind dates for you today. Why are you all dressed up? Going out?" Phoebe asked.

    Vrie replied nonchntly, "Yes, I have an appointment today. Dad isn''t back yet?"

    Phoebe''s expression shifted to one of concern as she shook her head. "No. Come sit down. I need to talk to you."

    Unable to sleepst night, she had contemted things for a long time.

    She felt her husband was right-they shouldn''t burden Vrie with the responsibility of saving the Weir Group. It was selfish to ask her to sacrifice her marriage and future for the sake of the family business.

    Vrie sat down beside her, confusion etched on her face. "What''s wrong?"

    Phoebe sighed and said, "Vrie, I know I''ve been pushing you to go on blind datestely. It must be exhausting for you."

    Vrie lowered her gaze, her fingers clenching slowly. "No, you''re right, Mom. I really should get married.ˇ±

    Phoebe knew all too well what her daughter truly thought.

    "Vrie, I won''t pressure you to go on blind dates anymore. If you don''t want to get married, then don''t. Not everyone has to get married," she said.

    Vrie looked up with a frown. "Mom, maybe others don''t have to get married, but I''ve enjoyed all the resources the Weirs

    have provided. Now that thepany is in trouble, I''m willing to enter a marriage alliance if it can

    help. I just want to find someone I like, someone I can spend my life with."

    Phoebe sighed. ˇ°Just someone you like? How could that ever lead to a lifetime together?"

    She was not unaware of how young people thought these days.

    It wasn''t like her generation, where marriages were often arranged, Nowadays, many valued love and

    1/2

    freedom, with plenty of people choosing not to marry at all.

    Taking Vrie''s hands, she gazed into her eyes and spoke slowly. "Vrie, don''t force yourself. If thepany goes bankrupt, that''s just its fate. You "Your father and I hope you can find someone you truly love and spend your life with-not someone you settle for just to save thepany."

    A wave of heartache washed over Vrie. She never expected her mother to say such things.

    "Mom, I understand," she replied.

    Phoebe gently patted her hand, reassuring her, "Don''t worry about thepany. Your happiness is what matters most."

    After sitting with her mother for a while, Vrie checked the time and decided to leave.

    If she had hesitated about developing her rtionship with Zayn before, she now

    understood what she needed to do after hearing her mother''s words.

    For them, love wasn''t a necessity.

    Yet, for some reason, Brandon suddenly shed through her mind.

    She recalled how he had smiled while presenting her with a bouquet, how he tightly held her hand, his eyes filled with concern, how he had chased he only to block her path, looking anxious and frustrated-and how he had drunkenly spoken while hugging the edge of a table.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

 Chapter 706

    ?

    Chapter 706 Chapter 706

    Memories of their time together crashed over her like waves in a tumultuous sea, creating a whirlwind of emotions that felt impossible to quell.

    Despite the storm beneath, the surface remained calm and undisturbed.

    When Vrie entered the restaurant, Zayn was already there.

    As he caught sight of her in the fitted dress that emphasized her slender waist, amazement flickered in his eyes.

    "Ms. Weir, please have a seat," he said, standing to pull out a chair for her with a gentle smile.

    "Thank you," she replied.

    Once Vrie was seated, Zayn returned to his own chair, handed her the menu, and said

    with a smile, "I''m not sure what you like to eat, so I''ve ordered a couple of the restaurant''s specialties. Take a look and let me know if you want to add Vrie nodded. "Sounds good."

    As she began browsing the menu, Zayn couldn''t help but admire her smooth forehead, delicate nose, and rosy lips.

    She was beautiful-it was no wonder Brandon had fallen for her so deeply.

    A dark gleam crossed Zayn''s eyes as he averted his gaze, sipping his water before his expression ''returned to the warm smile he usually wore.

    After Vrie added two more dishes, she handed the menu to the server.

    Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Weir, you''re not trying to save me money, are you? The portions here aren''t very big. How about we order a couple more?"

    "Mr. Updike, I don''te to this restaurant very often, so I''m not

    familiar with what''s good. You should order since I don''t have any particr dislikes," she replied.

    Vrie''s voice was light and clear, like a babbling brook-pleasant to the ears.

    "Alright. Then, I''ll dly take charge," Zayn replied.

    After they ced their orders, Zayn told Vrie with a hint of apology, "Ms. Weir, I''m

    really sorry about thest time. I was negligent. Let''s start fresh. I''m Zayn Updike. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    Vrie couldn''t help but chuckle.

    Mimicking him, she said, "Hello, Mr. Updike, I''m Vrie Weir, and I''m also d to meet you."

    They exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere became much more rxed.

    Zayn was an educated and talented person, and both of them had studied abroad in the same country. As a result, they easily foundmon topics to discuss, and the conversation flowed seamlessly.

    1/2.

    After finishing their meal, Zayn prepared to settle the bill when his gaze suddenly flicked to a point just behind Vrie. He eximed.

    Vrie turned to follow his gaze and felt her hand on herp tremble involuntarily.

    Not far away, Brandon was walking toward them alongside a woman who appeared to be in her mid-20s.

    To be precise, they weren''t walking directly toward Vrie and Zayn-they simply had to pass the walkway beside them to leave the restaurant. Vrie recognized the woman as Jessica Quantrill, the daughter of Vision Technology''s CEO.

    Vision Technology was a well-knownpany in Saintornia.

    The two looked quite good together-like a match made in heaven.

    As Vrie stood frozen, Zayn''s amused voice broke through her thoughts. "Earlier, Brandon told me he was going on a blind date. I didn''t believe him, the truth."

    Vrie tried to ignore the pang of bitterness rising in her chest and replied nonchntly, "Yeah, they seem Mike a good match."

    "Really? You think so too? I have to admit I envy Brandon. At his age, he still has plenty of time for romance. Meanwhile, we need to start thinking abo

 Chapter 707

    ?

    Vrie lowered her gaze, remaining silent as she subconsciously picked at her nails.

    During her silence, Brandon and Jessica walked over to them.

    Zayn looked up and greeted Brandon with a smile. "Brandon, I didn''t expect you and Ms. Quantrill to be here on a date. If I had known, we could''ve all gone together."

    Vrie was speechless.

    She was starting to suspect that Zayn might be a little off his rocker. Who would go on a double date like this? It would be awkward!

    Brandon cast a detached nce at Vrie, his voice cool. "Jessica is a bit shy. She

    might feel ufortable with too many people around. We have other matters to attend to, so we''ll be leaving now."

    Vrie suppressed the sting rising in her chest. They had just met, and he was already calling her Jessica. Clearly, he was quite satisfied with her.

    Zayn nodded. "Alright. Let''s arrange to meet again next time."

    Brandon didn''t say anything else and walked away with Jessica.

    When Vrie raised her head again, all she could see was their backs disappearing out of the restaurant.

    Zayn, seemingly oblivious to her lost expression, cheerfully remarked, "Brandon and Ms. Quantrill

    really make a good pair. The way he looked after her earlier who knows, we might be drinking to their wedding soon."

    Vrie forced a smile. "Oh, really?"

    "Absolutely! You should''ve seen how Brandon was taking care of Ms. Quantrill earlier-" Zayn began to

    say.

    Vrie interrupted him, "Mr. Updike, let''s talk about something else. Discussing others'' rtionships behind their backs doesn''t feel right." Zayn chuckled apologetically. "Sorry about that! Brandon is my good friend, so I can''t help but bring him

    up."

    Vrie chose not to call him out on it. "I understand."

    Zayn was clearly aware that Brandon had been pursuing her for five years. By bringing up Brandon and Jessica in front of her, he subtly reminded her that Brandon was moving on.

    After that, Zayn didn''t mention Brandon again and continued talking about his experiences abroad.

    Since he had work in the afternoon, they parted ways after finishing lunch.

    As soon as Vrie turned away, her smile disappeared, and she felt utterly

    drained. Forcing a smile for someone she didn''t like turned out to be a tiring task.

    The thought of living like this for the rest of her life filled her with hopelessness.

    Just as she unlocked her car in the parking lot, a cold voice came from behind her. "Is Zayn your type?"

    Vrie turned around to see Brandon standing a few steps away, his face icy. His dark eyes locked onto her as if he wouldn''t let her go until she gave an answer.

    Her grip on the keys tightened, and she looked away.

    Maintaining a poker face, she replied, "I don''t see how that''s any of your business. I remember you saying we wouldn''t-"

    Before she could finish her sentence; Brandon stepped forward and grabbed her waist.

    Vrie was taken aback, anger shing across her face. "Let go!"

    As soon as she spoke, Brandon pushed her against the car.

    With the cold metal of the car door behind her and Brandon''s handsome face looming in front of her, panic surged in her heart.

    She eximed, ˇ°Brandon, what are you doing? Are you"

    She couldn''t even finish the word "crazy" before he kissed her.

    Vrie''s eyes widened in anger.

    She tried to struggle, but Brandon held her tightly, leaving her no chance to escape.

    The scent of cool mint mixed with a hint of tobo wafted from him, intoxicating her and drawing her in.

    Brandon''s kiss was fierce and urgent as if he were venting all the pent-up frustration and helplessness he had felt over the past few days.

    From the moment he saw Vrie, he had wanted to kiss her.

 Chapter 708

    ?

    Realizing she couldn''t escape, Vrie bit Brandon''s lip hard.

    Brandon let out a muffled grunt but didn''t release her. Instead, he kissed her even more fiercely.

    It wasn''t until Vrie felt as if she were going to suffocate that Brandon finally let her go.

    His gaze darkened further as he looked at her swollen lips.

    After catching her breath, Vrie raised her hand, ready to p him.

    However, Brandon caught her wrist and pressed his forehead against hers, his

    voice low. ˇ°Vrie, haven''t you ever felt anything for me in these five years?"

    Vrie bit her lip and replied coldly, "Brandon, do you even know what you''re doing? Since we''ve both chosen to go on blind dates, why can''t we just leave each other alone?"

    "But I can''t bear to see you dating other men," Brandon muttered.

    Vri¨¦ took a deep breath, cing her hand against his chest as she looked up at him seriously. "We''re

    not suitable for each other."

    "Why aren''t we suitable? What makes us ipatible?" Brandon asked.

    "What we want is different. You can''t give me what I want," Vrie answered.

    Brandon chuckled and asked, ˇ°How do you know it''s different if you haven''t said what you want? How do you know I can''t give it to you?"

    After a few moments of silence, Vrie finally spoke. "I''m in my 30s now, and

    I''m not interested in dating. I just want to find someone to marry, someone who can help the Weir Group get through this tough time."

    Brandon''s hands dropped abruptly, and he subconsciously took a step back.

    Vrie''s heart sank upon seeing his reaction. When she uttered those words, she had a fleeting moment of hope that Brandon would agree. The oue was disappointing.

    She bit her lip and said nothing more. Without looking back at Brandon, she opened the car door and got

    1. in.

    After Vrie''s car disappeared from sight, Brandon stood there for a long time before finally turning to

    leave.

    In the following days, Vrie went on a few more dates with Zayn, but her mind was never fully present.

    It was Saturday in the blink of an eye.

    Mason woke up excitedly at around 6:00 a.m. He got dressed and washed up before sitting obediently in the living room, waiting for N to wake up. Chapter 708

    N didn''t get up until after 7:00 a.m.

    When she saw Mason sitting on the sofa, surprise shed in her eyes.

    "Buddy, what time did you wake up?" she asked.

    "6:30 a.m.," Mason answered.

    N couldn''t help butugh. "Is it because we''re going to the zoo today that you couldn''t sleep?"

    Mason nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

    "I''ll make breakfast first. Uncle Oliver will being over soon. After we finish breakfast, we''ll set off," N told him. "Okay," Mason replied.

    Oliver arrived while N was making pancakes. He walked into the kitchen to help her, and with his assistance, breakfast was prepared quickly. During breakfast, N noticed the dark circles under Oliver''s eyes and asked, "Have you been busytely? You look like you haven''t slept well." Oliver''s, gaze hardened slightly as he replied, "There was a problem at the headquarters, but it''s all sorted out now."

    N felt a pang of concern for him. "If you''re too tired, you can rest at home today and apany Buddy another time."

    Oliver shook his head. "It''s fine. I promised Buddy I''d take him today. I can''t back outst minute. Visiting the zoo shouldn''t be too tiring."

    Seeing his determination, N had no choice but to agree.

    ˇ°Just let me know if you feel tired. Don''t push yourself," she suggested.

    Oliver''s gaze softened as he replied, "Okay."

    After finishing breakfast, they set off for the zoo.

    By the time they arrived at the zoo, it was nearly 9:00 a.m.

    Damon was already waiting at the entrance.

    When he saw the three figures approaching from a distance, his expression

    turned cold. He had no idea how Spencer was handling things. How could Oliver still be here today?!

 Chapter 709

    ?

    As they approached, they noticed that Damon looked upset.

    N raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mr. Sumner, have you been waiting too long?"

    Damon suppressed his discontent and forced a smile. No, let''s head inside."

    Just then, Mason suddenly looked up at N and said, "Mommy, I need to pee. Can youe with me?" N nodded. "Sure."

    "I''ll take Buddy to the restroom. You two go ahead," she said, taking Mason by the hand and walking away.

    Once N and Mason were gone, Damon''s expression turned icy. "Mr. Raynor, we''re here at the zoo as a family of three. What''s your purpose in showing up?"

    Oliver smiled, but his eyes remained cold. "Mr. Sumner, the recent troubles with the Raynor Group-that''s your doing, isn''t it?"

    Damon didn''t deny it. "Just giving you a little reminder not to interfere with our family time."

    A sneer shed in Oliver''s eyes. "Do you really think N will forgive you? What kind of family do you think you have?

    "I asked Buddy, and he''s fine with me being here. If we''re being honest, Mr. Sumner, you''re the outsider, aren''t you?"

    "Don''t forget, Buddy is my biological son!" Damon snarled, his face darkening as his eyes turned stormy.

    "You don''t need to emphasize that, Mr. Sumner. I just want you to understand:

    if you want topete with me for N, then bring it on. I won''t back down," Oliver replied.

    Damon chuckled coldly. "I admire your confidence, but sometimes, too much confidence bes

    arrogance."

    "Let''s wait and see," Oliver said.

    As they spoke, N returned with Mason.

    Seeing the two men still standing there, she looked surprised. "Why haven''t you gone in yet?"

    Oliver smiled and stepped forward. "We were waiting for you and Buddy."

    N nced between the two of them, sensing a strange tension in the air but unable to pinpoint what was off.

    "Well, let''s go then," she said.

    They walked into the zoo together. Just after entering and walking a bit, they spotted the pandas.

    Mason''s face lit up with excitement as he let go of N''s band and ran ahead. "Mommy, it''s a giant panda! I love giant pandas!"

    N hurried to catch up, warning him, "Buddy, slow down! Be careful not to fall."

    When they reached the panda exhibit, Mason couldn''t see over the barrier in front of him.

    Just as N was about to lift him, two male voices echoed in unison from behind her. "I''ll do it." Turning around, she found both men looking at her, and she felt an added weight of pressure.

    Both Damon and Oliver were tall and attractive, easily catching the eye of the crowd,

    Noticing that several people were watching, N frowned slightly. "No need, I can lift him myself." With that, she turned and picked Mason up.

    The two men exchanged nces, each sensing apetitive tension in the other''s eyes.

    Damon stepped up to N''s left and said, "Let me carry him. You''re small, and you''ll get tired after a while.

    Oliver moved to her right and softly said, "N, let me carry Buddy so

    he can see the giant pandas. It''s crowded here, and I don''t want you and Buddy to get bumped."

    N was at a loss for words.

    After a few moments of silence, she decided to stay quiet. Talking to either of them would only offend the other, so it seemed best to remain silent. From then on, whether it was buying water or taking photos for Mason, Damon and Oliver were overly eager to help.

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    Oliver was usually fine since he took care of most things whenever he spent time with N and Mason.

    Meanwhile, Damon wasn''t typically the considerate type. Today, though, he kept asking her if she was tired, if she

    wanted to rest, or if she needed something to eat.

    By noon, N felt that dealing with two men was more exhausting than work.

    As they left the zoo, she wore an expression of fatigue, mentally resolving never to let Damon and Oliver take Mason out together again. However, Mason seemed blissfully unaware of the tension between Damon and Oliver. His little face was flushed with excitement.

    "Daddy, Uncle Oliver, you have to take me out to y again!" he eximed.

    "Sure!" both men replied simultaneously, exchanging nces before looking away in annoyance.

    Before long, it was time to eat.

    N just wanted to finish her meal and send the two men on their way.

    To her surprise, as soon as they sat down in the restaurant, they ran into Vrie.

    Vrie looked shocked as she ran over to N and leaned in to whisper, "N, how did I not notice before how amazing

    you are? You''ve managed to get Damon and Oliver to coexist peacefully!"

    N felt a headacheing on, but now wasn''t the time to exin. She could only nod vaguely.

    "What are you doing here? This restaurant is over six miles from your ce."

    Usually, Vrie had someone drive her anywhere over two miles.

    She smiled sheepishly. "I came here to eat with a friend. I just wanted to say hi. I can''t chat right now."

    "Okay,ˇ± N replied.

    Watching Vrie walk away, N turned back to the two men sitting across from her.

    "Have you decided what to order?" she asked.

    "Yeah, I ordered these two dishes," Oliver replied, handing the menu to N.

    Damon ced his menu on top of Oliver''s and added, "I''ve chosen too."

    Oliver gave him a displeased look. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, do you know what ''firste, first served'' means?"

    "If you really understood ''firste, first served'', you''d let me order first," Damon retorted, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "After

    all, Buddy is the one who asked toe to the zoo with me. You''re the one who forced your way in."

    "Mr. Sumner, 1-" Oliver started, but N could no longer hold her tongue.

    "Enough!" she snapped, tossing the menu back at them. "Just tell the server what you want. What''s the point of handing the menu to me?"

    1/2

    The two men had been at each other all morning, and now they couldn''t even eat in peace.

    They exchanged nces, realizing that N was angry and fell silent.

    After they ced their orders, the rest of the meal passed without conversation.

    Mason, happily eating his dessert, nced at the three adults, feeling that today''s n had failed. He decided he''d have toe up with a better strategy next time.

    After they finished eating, Oliver offered to take N and Mason home, but she declined.

    "You''re tired enough as it is, and you''ve spent all morning with Buddy. Just head home and rest," she said.

    As Damon was about to jump

    in with his own offer, N turned to him. "And you, be quiet. I don''t want to see either of you right now. Buddy and I will just take a taxi home." Chapter 211

 Chapter 711

    ?

    After saying that, N quickly hailed a cab and left, leaving the two men staring at each other.

    Oliver smirked. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, I''ll be on my way. See you next time."

    Damon''s expression turned cold. "Mr. Raynor, I guess there aren''t enough issues at the Raynor Group for you to be this idle."

    "Go ahead and try to bankrupt the Raynor Group. But if you do, N will only feel sorry for me and hate you even more," Oliver countered.

    As Damon''s expression darkened, Oliver''s smile deepened, and he turned to walk toward his car.

    In a rtively private restaurant in the north of Saintornia...

    Reba red coldly at the man across from her. "Weren''t you supposed to deal with N for me? Howe she''s still perfectly fine?"

    The man opposite her, Sullivan, calmly sipped his tea. "Reba, don''t be

    so impatient. I need some time." Reba gritted her teeth. "Heseltine, don''t forget that your

    dad was on the brink of death in the hospital. If I hadn''t kindly lent you money, he wouldn''t be alive today!"

    A year ago, when

    Reba was getting a health checkup at the hospital, she happened to run into Sullivan, who couldn''te up with the funds for his father''s surgery.

    She had seen Sullivan once in Damon''s office while visiting Prospectus Technology, which was how she recognized him.

    ''At that time, she resented Damon and thought that if she could help Sullivan during his most desperate moment, he would owe her a favor and assist her with her ns.

    As expected, after she covered the medical expenses of 70,000 dors for Sullivan, he had almost knelt in gratitude. She had stopped him. Since then, they had been

    in contact, and Reba had visited Sullivan''s father a few times as well. After learning about Reba''s situation with the Prestons, Sullivan offered to

    He asionally provided her with potential client information from Prospectus Technology, which Reba used to assist Nathaniel. This was one reas Seeing Reba''s twisted expression, Sullivan sighed, a hint of pity in his eyes.

    "Reba, N has just joined Prospectus Technology. If something goes wrong now, it will easily be traced back to me. Just give it some time, and I''l He paused for a moment before continuing: "So, I hope you''ll keep your end of the bargain too." Reba lowered her gaze. "As long as you take care Sullivan smiled. "Good. I believe you."

    "I can''t be out too long. Otherwise, Nathaniel will get suspicious. I have to go now," Reba said.

    1/2

    Sullivan nodded. "Alright, be careful on your way back

    After Reba left, Sullivan''s smile gradually faded.

    He didn''t want to be with Reba because he liked her he was just looking for something he could gain from her.

    About ten minutes after Reba departed, Sullivan stood up and exited the private room, leaving through the restaurant''s back door.

    He and Reba had never had any public interactions, which allowed him to discreetly provide her with client information from Prospectus Technolog After N had rested at home all

    day on Sunday, she sensed something was off as soon as she stepped into theb on Monday morning. Both Leon and Ruby looked troubled.

    N turned to Ruby and asked, "Ruby, what''s going on?"

 Chapter 712

    ?

    Ruby bit her lip and recounted what had happened that morning.

    When she finished, she said angrily, "Leon definitely gave the data to Brody on Friday night, but Brody ispletely denying it now."

    Brody sneered from the side, speaking sarcastically. "I didn''t receive anything. How do I know you two aren''t colluding to frame me for losing the data?"

    Leon was furious. He rushed over to grab Brody by the cor. ˇ°I handed it to you in person on Friday! Are you going to say again that you didn''t receive it?!"

    In contrast to Leon''s flushed face, Brody seemed unconcerned."

    "What? You want to hit me? Go ahead, but think it through. If you do, I''ll definitely call the police," he provoked

    Worried that Leon might act impulsively, N quickly stepped in to hold him back. "Leon, calm down."

    Ruby hurriedly joined in to stop Leon as well.

    Just as Leon began to cool down, Brody spoke up again. "What? Scared to make a move? Coward!"

    Thispletely infuriated Leon. He lost control and swung his fist hard at Brody.

    Brody wore a smug smile. He had disliked Leon from the very beginning. Once Leon''s punch connected, he would make him regret it. "Leon!" N yelled.

    Seeing she couldn''t stop him, she pushed Brody aside. Leon''s punchnded squarely on her.

    Leon instinctively pulled back his strength when he saw N moving, but it was toote.

    A sharp pain surged through N, causing her to lose her bnce and stumble backward. She knocked

    over the ss instruments on theb table, and they shattered all over the floor.

    She fell to the ground, her palm pressed against the shards, and blood gushed out immediately.

    "N!" Leon and Ruby cried simultaneously.

    Ruby rushed to help N as Leon, realizing what he had done, immediately calmed down. Guilt and regret flickered in his eyes.

    N had warned him to stay calm earlier, but he still lost control, leading to her injury.

    Ovee with guilt and frustration, Leon muttered an apology before fleeing theb.

    Ruby, furious, nearly wished she could hurt Leon herself. She quickly helped N to her feet. ˇ°N, I''ll take you to the hospital to treat your injury."

    At that moment, several people entered the room.

    Sullivan led the group, followed by men in suits.

    Sullivan began, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, ourb''s experiments are progressing smoothly. As you can see-?

    1/2

    Before he could finish, someone behind him stepped past quickly and approached N. His expression darkened as he noticed her injured hand. "What happened?"

    N shook her head. "It was just an ident. I''m heading to the hospital."

    As she tried to walk past Damon, he grasped her wrist. "I''ll take you."

    Given her current condition, she couldn''t drive, so she reluctantly nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Sumner."

    Everyone in the room, except Sullivan, stared in disbelief.

    What was going on?

    Damon seemed unusually familiar with N and genuinely concerned for her.

    Unbothered by the others'' reactions, Damon called for a driver to bring the car to thepany entrance and led N out.

 Chapter 713

    ?

    Once N finished treating her wound at the hospital, she checked her phone and found several messages from Ruby.

    Ruby: [N, what''s going on between you and Mr. Sumber? Did you know each other before?]

    Ruby: [After you left with Mr. Sumner, everyone started gossiping about your rtionship. You''re not actually getting together with him, right?] Ruby: [By the way, when Mr. Sumner saw your bleeding hand in theb, his face darkened. It''s obvious he really cares about you!]

    Ruby: [Ahhh! What exactly is your rtionship?]

    N frowned as she read the messages.

    Typing with one hand was difficult, so she responded with a voice message instead: "I do know him, but we''re just friends. Besides, I have a boyfriend

    She didn''t feel the need to mention to Ruby that Damon was Mason''s biological father. It wasn''t something she wanted widely known. After ying the voice message, Ruby quickly followed up, asking if it was Oliver.

    N confirmed. After responding to Ruby, she hesitated briefly before sending another voice message: Could you please exin to everyone that we After sending the message, N put her phone back in her bag and looked up, meeting Damon''s conflicted gaze.

    "Is it really so bad to be associated with me?" he asked.

    Caught off guard, N blinked before replying calmly, "Mr. Sumner, it''s best for both of us to

    clear things up. I don''t want any unnecessary misunderstandings, especially ones that could upset Oliver."

    Damon''s hands, hanging at his sides, slowly clenched into fists. Finally, he couldn''t hold back. "If I wanted to pursue you, would you give me a chance

    Seeing the seriousness in his eyes brought back that strange feeling N had experienced before. The Damon who had lost his memory would never have asked her such a question. Moreover, his gaze was just like it had been five years ago.

    "You''ve regained your memory, haven''t you?" she asked.

    Damon''s eyes widened slightly, but before he could respond, N continued/ "You don''t need to deny it. Ever since you rolled down the hill to save me Silence settled between them, broken only by the sound of their breathing.

    After a long pause, Damon smiled bitterly. "You caught me. I thought I was hiding it well."

    "If you hadn''t asked me that question today, I might not have figured it out so soon," N replied.

    1/2

    Damon looked down. "I''ll drive you home."

    "No need. I''ll take a taxi. Now that you''ve regained your memory, let''s keep our distance. I don''t want Oliver to misunderstand," N said, turning to leave.

    Just a few steps away, Damon grabbed her wrist. "Do you really... love Oliver?"

    N pulled her wrist free and met his gaze coldly. "That doesn''t concern you. Whatever happens between Oliver and me, there''s no future for us.'' Without waiting for his response, she walked away quickly.

    It wasn''t until she got into the taxi that her heart began to slow. She hadn''t expected that Damon had

    truly regained his memory. Regardless, there was no future for them now. 1

    Back at theb...

    Leon had returned, his demeanor much calmer.

    When he saw N, guilt shed across his face. He approached her hesitantly, like a child who had done something wrong, and lowered his head to a

 Chapter 714

    ?

    "N, I''m sorry. I acted impulsively earlier, and I even ran away after you got hurt. I wasn''t being responsible. If you''re angry, go ahead and hit me... No, kick me, too," Leon apologized.

    "If kicking you would fix the data issue, I would have done it already," N quipped.

    Leon scratched his head, looking at her apologetically. "I swear I gave the experiment data to Brody on Friday. That jerk must have lost it and is now ming me."

    Seeing Leon''s guilty and anxious expression, N felt helpless and thought he was still too young.

    "When exactly did you hand him the data on Friday?" she asked.

    "Right after you all got off work. I finished filling in thest few sets of data and gave it to him," Leon answered.

    "So, no one else was there to confirm you handed the data to him in person," N said.

    Leon frowned. "But no one can prove I didn''t give it to him either!"

    N nodded. ˇ°That''s true, but the problem is that he''s insisting you didn''t give it to him, and now you''re stuck in a bad spot." Leon''s shoulders slumped. "This is all my fault. I''ve slowed down the experiment, and I''ll ept whatever consequencese." "Forget the consequences for now. Just make sure you learn from this. Be more careful in the future, and don''t give anyone the chance to exploit your mistakes, N advised.

    "Yeah, I''ve learned my lesson the hard way. I won''t forget it," Leon replied.

    Seeing how ashamed he was, N didn''t say more. She gently patted his shoulder, opened herptop, and pulled up a document. "Fill in thest few sets of data from Friday, print it out, and take it to Brody," she instructed.

    Leon''s eyes widened in shock. "N, you saved a backup?!"

    "Of course. Backing up data during experiments is essential. You never know when something will go wrong," N said.

    Leon''s gloom lifted in an instant. "Thank you for saving my life!"

    "Enough with the ttery. Just get the data filled in. Also, since you made

    a significant mistake this time, I''ll report it to Professor Kington. You''ll probably have your pay docked," N reminded.

    "Losing pay is fine, as long as the experiment isn''t dyed," Leon replied dismissively.

    Once Leon finished entering the experiment data, he printed it out and headed to the office to find Brody. With his phone camera already open, he  Chapter 714

    Brody''s eyes darkened as he red at Leon. "Put your phone away, or I won''t be polite."

    Leon raised an eyebrow. "I''m just recording evidence, so we don''t end up in a ''he-said-she-said'' situation

    later."

    "Do you need to record evidence for this long?" Brody asked, his tone icy.

    Leon scoffed, quickly turning off the recording. "Brody, we''ll see about this."

    With that, he turned and left.

    Brody watched him go, then coldly tossed the experiment data into the trash. From the bottom of a drawer, he pulled out a file-the experiment data report Leon had given him on Friday.

    In the end, the incident of the missing experiment data ended with Leon being docked a week''s pay.

    That evening...

    After work, N called Oliver to invite him to a movie the next night.

 Chapter 715

    ?

    Since N nned to be serious about being with Oliver, she needed to genuinely try

    to see if she could ept him. If she truly couldn''t, it would be better to part ways sooner rather thanter-for both their

    sakes.

    The next afternoon, Damon received a call from Lydia, "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey sent Buddy over today."

    Damon replied calmly, "Got it."

    There was a brief silence on the other-end before Lydia''s voice came through, tinged with helplessness." Mr. Sumner, aren''t you going to ask what Ms. Kinsey has to do today?"

    "What is it?" Damon asked.

    "I heard from Buddy that she''s going to the movies with Mr. Raynor tonight, which is why she dropped Buddy off," Lydia answered.

    Damon narrowed his eyes and replied in a low voice, "Alright."

    After hanging up, he thought for a moment and called in Spencer.

    "Look into where N and Oliver are going to see a movie and buy a ticket for a seat behind them," he instructed.

    Spencer paused momentarily before replying, "Understood, Mr. Sumner. I''ll go right away."

    After work, N and Oliver had dinner before heading to the cinema.

    They were watching a romantic film that had been re-released, telling the story of two people who parted ways in their youth and reunited yearster. The story itself was quite simple, but the director''s cinematic touch made the visuals beautiful.

    Before the film started, Oliver bought a bucket of popcorn.

    They sat together, asionally reaching into the bucket for popcorn. Without realizing it, their fingers brushed against each other.

    At first, they flinched as if they''d been burned, quickly pulling away.

    After a few times, Oliver boldly took N''s hand.

    N stiffened for a moment. She fought the urge to pull her hand back and let him hold it.

    The theater was nearly empty and quiet, except for the sound of someone coughing behind them.

    As the film reached its climax, with the lead characters locked in a passionate kiss, Oliver leaned closer to N.

    "N..." he murmured, his voice deep and husky,ced with an irresistible charm.

    When N turned her head, she found his handsome face looming closer. She bit her lip, feeling no

    ? ? ? ? ? 1:? ? ? ? ? ? EEPE

    fluttering in her heart, nervousness, or excitement. Instead, she felt a strange urge to escape.

    Oliver didn''t notice her tense demeanor as he slowly leaned in closer.

    Just as

    his lips were mere centimeters away from hers, a harsh voice suddenly echoed from behind." Kissing openly in a movie theater? Don''t you have any c N jumped in surprise, quickly pulling away from Oliver. At the same time, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

    Once she calmed down, she recognized that familiar voice...

    As she turned her head, she saw that Oliver had also turned around.

    Upon confirming that it was Damon behind them, Oliver''s expression turned icy.

    "Mr. Sumner, can you exin why you''re here?" he asked.

    "I''m here to watch a movie. Could you please keep it down? You''re disturbing me," Damon replied, feigning innocence as he focused on the big scree

    Damon looked like any other moviegoer. Oliver might have believed him if he hadn''t been sitting right behind them and interrupted just as Oliver was about to kiss N.

    Oliver scoffed, turning back to the screen and not saying another word.

    N frowned at Damon but remained silent and turned back as well.

    For the rest of the movie, though N''s eyes were glued to the screen, her mind was racing.

 Chapter 716

    ?

    When Oliver leaned in earlier, N''s instinct was to pull away. Her body couldn''t lie-she didn''t feel anything for him.

    Realizing this, she was flooded with guilt.

    Oliver had been good to her and had helped her a lot, but she couldn''t develop romantic feelings for him.

    Gratitude was just that-gratitude. It couldn''t evolve into love.

    After the movie, she nned to

    rify things with Oliver. Since she had confirmed she didn''t have feelings for him, there was no point in dragging it out. The longer it continued, the m it would hurt Oliver.

    After making up her mind, N''s heart gradually settled. She felt less anxious, though the guilt still weighed heavily.

    As they left the theater, Oliver turned to Damon with irritation. "Mr. Sumner, how much longer are you going to follow us?"

    He had never seen anyone as shameless as Damon. Why was he crashing their date?

    Damon didn''t seem the least bit embarrassed and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Raynor, I have to go this way too to get my car.ˇ±

    Oliver stepped back. "Fine, I''ll let you go first."

    Damon turned to N, who had been quietly looking down. "The movie''s over, and your date is done, right? Shouldn''t you go pick up Buddy?"

    N looked up. "Buddy stays with you tonight. I''ll pick him up tomorrow."

    Damon''s expression immediately darkened. "What did you say?"

    He stared at her, tension mounting.

    He hadn''t expected her to leave Mason with him.

    Was she nning to spend the night with Oliver? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

    "No! I have something to do tonight and can''t take care of Buddy!" he snapped.

    N gave him a puzzled look. "%2

    not shouldn''t matter."

    Lydia usually the one taking care of Buddy? Whether you''re busy or

    eR

    "Lydia has something to do as well," Damon said stiffly, leaving no room for discussion.

    After hesitating for a moment, N relented. "Fine, I''ll be there to pick up Buddy before midnight."

    Noticing it was already close to 10:00 p.m., Damon finally nodded begrudgingly. "Okay."

    Seeing that Damon hadn''t left yet, N frowned. "Mr. Sumner, Oliver and I have things to discuss. Can you go ahead?" ˇ°Sure, but don''t forget to pick up Buddy. Noter than midnight. If you''re not there, I''ll have the driver bring

    1/2

    him back," Damon warned.

    "Got it," N replied absentmindedly, not in the mood to argue further as she focused on how to approach Oliver.

    Once Damon left, N gestured toward a nearby caf¨¦. Shall we sit in there for a bit?"

    "Sure," Oliver agreed.

    147 till trying

    Once they were seated, N was to figure out what to say when Oliver spoke first. "N, let''s break up."

    N''s head snapped up in disbelief. "Oliver, I-ˇ±

    Oliver gave a wry smile, interrupting her, "Honestly, I sensed your hesitation during the movie. You tried to suppress it, but after knowing you for five ye like a book.

    "When I saw the hesitation and guilt in your eyes just now, I guessed what you were

    going to say. Since I initiated our rtionship, I think it''s only fair that I be the one to end it."

    A wave of bitterness washed over N, and her eyes began to fill with tears.

    "Oliver, I''m so sorry..." she whispered.

    "No need to apologize. It''s not your fault you couldn''t love me," Oliver said softly.

 Chapter 717

    ?

    Since N couldn''t truly develop feelings for him, leaving gracefully was the best option.

    A silence fell between them.

    Guilt washed over N like a tide, nearly drowning her. She had hurt someone who had been so good to

    her.

    "N, you don''t have to feel guilty. Even if we''re not together, we can still be good friends. Those five years were real and meaningful," Oliver said.

    To him, being by her and Mason''s side for those five years was already a blessing.

    N lowered her gaze, her eyes reddening. She choked out, "Oliver, stop."

    The kinder he was, the guiltier she felt. If only she could have loved him back...

    Oliver paused for a moment before standing up with a smile. "Let''s go. I''ll drive you home."

    The ride back was filled with silence.

    Oliver drove slowly, but eventually, the road came to an end.

    When they reached the building where N lived, he turned to her and said softly, "Let me give you onest hug."

    "Okay," N whispered.

    She unbuckled her seatbelt and reached out to hug Oliver first.

    Sadness and reluctance shed in Oliver''s eyes. This hug was a farewell to the past five years.

    "N, without me around, please remember to eat on time and take care of yourself. Don''t

    overwork yourself. And... I can see that Mr. Sumner loves you.

    "If you still have feelings for him, give it a chance. After all, you both missed out on five years," he advised.

    For him, N''s happiness was all that mattered.

    N''s eyes filled with tears. She could only say, "Oliver, you''ll definitely find someone who loves you."

    "Yeah, you need to be happy too," Oliver replied.

    After that, he released her and turned away to avoid seeing her.

    "You should head inside. I won''t walk you up today," he said.

    N pushed open the car door and stepped out. "I''ll watch you drive away."

    Oliver nodded. "Okay, goodbye."

    He shifted his gaze back to the road and drove off.

    As N''s figure shrank in the rearview mirror until it disappeared, a deep bitterness settled in Oliver''s

    heart.

    Ever since learning that N had moved in with Damon for Mason''s sake, Oliver had had a premonition

    1/2

    that their future together was slipping away.

    Even now, it was difficult to ept.

    Perhaps this was for the best. Rather than forcing her to stay with him unwillingly, he might as well let go now and preserve the beautiful memories of Suddenly, his phone buzzed.

    He picked it up and saw it was his mother. Unlike before, he didn''t ignore the call or hang up. This time, he answered.

    ˇ°Oliver, I finally got you on the line! I''ve been thinking a lottely. If you truly care for that woman, I won''t oppose it anymore. But

    there''s one condition-you both must settle down in Capitarnia and not move to another city."

    Oliver chuckled wryly, his voice low. "Mom, it doesn''t matter anymore. We''ve broken up. I''ll take care of things here in Saintornia and head back in a fe on those blind dates you suggested."

    It no longer mattered who he married, as long as it wasn''t N. Even a business marriage would suffice. There was silence on the other

    end for a few seconds before his mother''s incredulous voice broke through. "What? You broke up? Are you serious?"

    She had always opposed Oliver and N being together.

    When Oliver had silently followed N to Saintornia, she''d even tried to threaten him with the Raynor Group. Yet, all her efforts had been in vain.

    2/2

 Chapter 718

    ?

    Now, it hadn''t even been long, and they had already broken up?!

    Oliver didn''t want to dwell on it. After acknowledging her, he hung up.

    His mother didn''t call back. After a moment''s thought, she reached out to a friend to start preparing for Oliver''s blind dates.

    She had never approved of N, who had already been married and had a child. If Oliver married someone like that, he''d be theughingstock of their social circle.

    Now that they had broken up, it was the perfect opportunity. She could finally introduce her son to someone more suitable.

    After watching Oliver''s car drive away, N turned and headed upstairs.

    As she reached the door, her phone rang. It was Damon.

    "N, it''s almost 11:30 p.m. Why haven''t youe to pick up Buddy?" he asked, his tone sharp.

    N suddenly remembered that she had promised Damon earlier that she''d pick up Mason. She quickly replied, "I''m on my way."

    She then took a taxi.

    Soon, N entered the vi''s living room, but only Damon was there.

    "Where''s Buddy?" she asked.

    Damon looked up, his expression cold. ˇ°He''s already asleep. I''ll wake him up.

    "No need. Let him sleep. I can carry him to the car," she said calmly.

    "I''ll drive you both back," Damon offered.

    N hadn''t driven, and taking a taxi would be inconvenient, so she didn''t refuse. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

    On the way back, N stared out the window, lost in thought.

    Damon nced at her a few times before finally asking, "What''s wrong? Did I interrupt your date?"

    N turned to him, lowered her gaze, and said, "I broke up with him."

    Damon mmed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the road.

    Startled, N quickly turned to check on Mason in the backseat.

    Seeing he was fine, she sighed in relief, "What are you doing? What if Buddy falls out of his seat?"

    Damon stared at her, frowning. "Why did you break up?"

    1/2

    Oliver had been by N''s side for five years. From their previous interactions, Damon could sense that Oliver truly cared for her. How could they have broken up so easily?

    N pressed her lips together. "That''s my personal matter. It doesn''t concern you."

    "How can it not? I''m Buddy''s

    father. I want to give him aplete family and get back together with you. Don''t you understand?" Damon''s voice softened but held steady.

    He knew this wasn''t the best time for this conversation, but now that it had started, he was determined to see it through.

    Meeting his intense gaze made N''s heart skip a beat. She quickly looked away.

    "Mr. Sumner, right now, I just want to focus on my work and taking care of Buddy. I don''t want to think about anything else," she said firmly. Damon withdrew his gaze and replied coolly, "I won''t push you. Take your time to think it over."

    As he spoke, he restarted the car.

    Watching his determined profile, N felt her hands tighten in herp, but she remained silent.

    They drove in silence until they reached her building. Damon carried Mason upstairs.

    As he was about to leave, he said, "Think about what I said. Buddy is still

    young, and as he grows, he''ll need his father around. There are some things a mother just can''t rece."

    N met his eyes squarely. "Are you doing this for Buddy or yourself?"

    Damon paused, then slowly replied, "N, I know I said a lot of hurtful things when I lost my memory. I get ''that you won''t

    forgive me right away, but I hope you''ll give me another chance. I want to make up for the pain I caused and the time I lost with you and Buddy."

 Chapter 719

    ?

    Damon''s gaze was serious, and every word struck N''s heart, leaving ripples that lingered long after.

    "It''s gettingte. You should go back. I''ll think about what you said," she replied.

    "Okay," Damon agreed.

    After Damon left, N couldn''t stop reying his words in her mind, but her thoughts were a tangled

    mess.

    Having just broken up with Oliver, she knew it would take time to reconsider her feelings about Damon. She decided not to dwell on it any longer.

    In the following days, N became overwhelmed with her project.

    When Vrie called, she was still working overtime, waiting for experimental data toe through.

    "N, what''s going on with you and Oliver? Why is he suddenly dating? If he did something to hurt you, I''ll fly over to Capitarnia right now and deal with him!" Vrie hissed.

    N paused, gripping her pen. "We broke up."

    "What?! How did that happen so suddenly? Thest time I saw you two, everything seemed fine. Did he cave under family pressure?" Vrie asked.

    N shook her head, even though Vrie couldn''t see her. "No. I was the one who ended it."

    There was a brief silence on the other end before Vrie spoke softly. "You brought it up? Are you sure you don''t have any romantic feelings for him? "Yeah, I just feel like I owe him a lot," N admitted.

    Vrie sighed. "If you''re really not into him, there''s no point in forcing it."

    If this had been a while ago, Vrie might have scolded her. But after spending so much time with Zayntely, she

    understood how exhausting it could be to stay with someone when the feelings weren''t there-

    it felt like a burden.

    "I just feel bad for him, and I don''t know how to make it up to him," N confessed.

    At Vrie''s words, N frowned.

    "Stop right there! First of all, Oliver has everything he needs. Secondly, he treats you well because he likes

    you.

    "If he knew you were trying to figure out how to make it up to him, it would only hurt him. He''s liked you for five years. If he were after something else, suitable. Why stick around you?

    "Since you can''t reciprocate his feelings, don''t disturb him. Just live your life. Besides, even if you try to make it up to him, can you erase those five ye "I don''t want to erase anything. I just feel like I owe him so much," N said softly.

    "If he faces any difficulties in the future and you can help, then do so. For now, just stop thinking about it," Vrie advised.

    N wasn''t sure if she had truly absorbed what Vrie had said. She murmured, "Okay, I understand."

    By the time it was past 10:00 p.m., the experiment finally concluded. As she packed up her equipment, she ran into Damon in the elevator.

    Damon looked surprised. "Why are you leaving work sote?"

    "I was waiting on some experimental data," N replied.

    Damon nodded, and an awkward silence filled the elevator.

    When they reached the basement, N stepped out first, hearing Damon''s footsteps behind her.

    Unexpectedly, something about the way he moved caught her attention-his steps were uneven,cking his usual steady calmness.

    She turned instinctively and saw him clutching his stomach, his face pale. "What''s wrong?" she asked, rushing toward him, her voice full of concern. Damon, shook his head. "I''m fine. Just a little stomachache. It''ll pass soon."

 Chapter 720

    ?

    hapter 720

    "Stomachache? Did you skip dinner?" N asked.

    "There were a few meetings today. I got busy and forgot. This has happened before. I''ll be fine soon," Damon replied.

    N frowned, noticing his nonchnce. "That''s not eptable. If you keep this up, you''ll end

    up with real stomach problems. There''s a pharmacy on the first floor. Let me get you something for the pain."

    Without waiting for his response, she quickly headed for the elevator.

    Damon reached out, gently grabbing her arm. "Really, it''s unnecessary. I know what I''m doing."

    She shrugged off his hand, her voice cold. "What experience? Experience with stomachaches? If you don''t take care of yourself, your health will only get worse."

    Damon said nothing.

    Seeing his silence, N softened her tone. "Give me five minutes."

    This time, Damon didn''t stop her. He simply watched her walk away, his dark eyes following her until she disappeared.

    In less than five minutes, N returned, slightly out of breath. She held not just the medicine but also

    water and a small loaf of bread from the convenience store.

    "Take the medicine now. Once your stomach feels better, eat some bread," she instructed.

    Her cheeks were flushed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, rising and falling with her breath.

    The sight made Damon-tense.

    He took the water and medicine from her, lowering his gaze. "Thank you."

    After he swallowed the pills, she handed him the bread. "Eat this afterward. And next time, remember to eat on time."

    Damon nodded. "Got it."

    Satisfied with his response, N nodded. "Then, I''ll head out."

    "It''ste. Let me drive you home," Damon offered.

    ˇ°No need, I drove here. You should get some rest too," N replied.

    Once back in her car, N suddenly remembered that she hadn''t told him how to take the stomach

    medicine.

    She rummaged through her bag, pulled out her phone, and sent him the dosage instructions along with the number of days to take it.

    Damon quickly replied with a simple acknowledgment.

    Putting her phone down, she started the car and drove away.

    1/2

    1

    The next morning, while on her way to work, N received a message from Ruby.

    Ruby: [N, what''s going on between you and Mr. Sumner? The wholepany is talking about this photo!

    Before long, Ruby sent a photo.

    N opened it and immediately recognized it as the moment fromst night when Damon grabbed her hand while she was on her way to get him medicine.

    Frowning, she sent a voice message to Ruby: "Where did this photoe from?"

    Ruby: [I don''t know. I heard people discussing it as soon as I got here this morning... and they''re saying some awful things, iming you clearly have

    Actually, the exact words were even worse, but Ruby didn''t dare to repeat them. She feared N wouldn''t handle it well.

    After reading Ruby''s message, N pursed her lips and told Ruby not to worry about it. She then focused on driving. When she arrived at the office, she sensed something was off as soon as she stepped into the elevator.

    The male employees looked at her with a hint of flirtation, while the females wore expressions of mockery and disdain. N showed no signs of guilt or panic. Her expression remained calm as if she werepletely oblivious to the stares.

    Soon, the elevator reached the seventh floor, and she stepped out.

    Just as the doors closed, she overheard the conversations inside.

    "That''s her! She''s actually quite pretty. No wonder she can y both men against each other."

    ˇ°Hah! What good is being pretty if all she does is flirt around? Women like that only end up as jokes!"

    As the elevator doors shut, the voices behind N faded away.

    Walking toward theb, she turned the corner and saw Ruby waiting at theb door.

    "N, you''re finally here! Brody just saw that photo and was talking badly about you. Leon almost got into a fight with him again," Ruby informed her. "What?" N was taken aback. "They didn''t actually fight, did they?"

    After spending time with them, she hade to realize that Brody had a venomous nature-

    always lurking in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to strike.

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    If it were really going toe to blows, knowing Brody''s personality, he would probably just stand there and let Leon hit him, then call the police afterw

    Once the police were involved, there was no way Leon could stay on this project.

    Seeing the concern in N''s eyes, Ruby quickly reassured her, ˇ°No, I stopped him just in time. He''s calmed down now."

    Hearing that, N finally let out a sigh of relief. "I''m d you stopped him."

    After everything that happenedst time, Leon had be much moreposed, but N still worried he might act impulsively because of her.

    "What''s up with that photo anyway? I believe you, but anyone else who sees it could easily get the wrong idea," Ruby asked.

    After all, the photo clearly showed Damon holding N''s hand.

    Just as N was about to respond, her phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing it was Damon, she wasn''t surprised-he must''ve heard about the photo, too.

    "I''m going to take this call real quick," she said, moving away.

    She walked over to the railing and answered. "Mr. Sumner, I''m guessing you''re calling about the photo."

    Damon''s steady voice came through. "Yes. I''ll take care of it. You don''t need to worry."

    "What are you nning to do?" N asked.

    Even though Damon had only grabbed her hand to stop her from getting him medicine, it was hard to exin it away. "Just leave it to me," Damon replied.

    Since he didn''t seem willing to borate, N didn''t press further.

    After hanging up, she put her phone away and walked back to Ruby. "Don''t worry about it. Mr. Sumner said

    he''ll handle it."

    After thinking for a moment, she exined further, "About the photo-

    I ran into Mr. Sumnerst night after work. He was having stomach pain, so I nned to buy some medicine for him. He tried to stop me and identa someone had taken a picture."

    "Oh, see," Ruby replied.

    Having known N for several years, Ruby had be her biggest fan. She believed everything N said, knowing she wouldn''t lie.

    The two walked into theb together, seemingly unaware of the eyes following them.

    N walked straight to her workstation.

    Brody smirked, his tone mocking. "Some people pretend to be all proper, but it turns out they''ve got skills-

    1/2

    going as far as snagging Mr. Sumner."

    Ruby red at him in disgust. "Brody, if you don''t need your mouth, why don''t you donate it to someone who does!"

    Leon sneered from the side. "With that nasty mouth of his, even if he gave it away for free, no one would want it. They''d probably find it bad luck!" The two teamed up, and Brody boiled with anger.

    Despite that, he quickly recovered andughed. ˇ°Leon, are you one of her admirers too? Otherwise, why would you be so quick to defend her when sh Leon''s fists clenched as he stared coldly at Brody. "Say that again."

    Just as Brody was about to respond, Tina''s voice suddenly echoed, louder

    than usual. "Hey, check thepany group chat! Mr. Sumner just posted something."

    Damon: [This morning, a photo of me holding hands with ourb researcher, Ms. N Kinsey, was circted within thepany. It has led to a

    lot of falsements and unwarranted ridicule directed at Ms. Kinsey. As the CEO, I feel it''s my responsibility to rify the situation.]

    Damon: [The photo is real, but the truth is that I was pursuing Ms. Kinsey and trying to hold onto her. She was rejecting me

    at the time, and it was not a case of us holding hands, as some rumors suggest. I apologize to Ms. Kinsey for the impact this has caused.]

    Damon: [Also, the workce is for work. I expect all employees to focus their energy on their jobs instead of

    spreading unsubstantiated rumors or gossip. I hope this matter ends here. Anyone caught spreading rumors or making derogatory remarks about Ms.

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    Chapter 722 Chapter 722

    Thepany group chat fell silent. No one dared to speak up.

    However, in the smaller private groups without any supervisors, things had already exploded.

    [Did I read that right? Mr. Sumner said he''s pursuing N Kinsey?]

    [I can''t believe it either, but that''s exactly what it says in his statement.]

    [Wow, I''m so jealous...]

    Some of the old-timers at Prospectus Technology couldn''t help but chime in with the gossip.

    [Actually, Mr. Sumner went public with her a few years

    ago, but then she fell into the sea, and everyone thought she had died. No one expected her to reappear five yearster.]

    [Is this N Kinsey the same person as N Jayston from before? I was shocked when I first saw her. They look practically identical. Could it be that she got stic surgery to look like N Jayston to seduce Mr. Sumner?]

    [Who knows? We''re just here to watch the drama unfold.]

    [Alright, enough gossiping. If this gets out, Mr. Sumner will definitely follow through on his threat to fire anyone talking behind the scenes.] There was a moment of silence in theb as Tina looked at N with envy. "N, I never expected Mr. Sumner to be pursuing you."

    Brody scoffed. ˇ°See? Some people just know how to y their cards right, managing to get Mr. Sumner to

    Before he could finish, he noticed Ruby pointing her phone''s camera at him.

    "Ruby, what are you doing?!" he snapped.

    Ruby smiled. "Go on, keep talking. I''m recording this to send to the groupter. Let''s see if you''ll be the first one to get fired for running your mouth." Brody''s gaze darkened instantly, ring at her like a snake ready to strike.

    Ruby wasn''t afraid. She had had enough of Brody''s attitude for a while now.

    She provoked, "What? You thinking of hitting me? A grown man who just loves to bully others. No wonder you''re in your 30s and still single- probably no woman wants a guy like you."

    "You!" Brody clenched his fists, his whole body tensing as if he were ready to attack at any moment.

    The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

    N stepped in, pulling Ruby behind her. "Brody, you''ve been stirring up trouble for no

    reasontely. I''ve told Ruby and Leon to put up with it, but if you keep pushing your luck, I''ll make sure you''re out of this

    project."

    1/2

    Brody red back. "Are you threatening me?"

    "Take it however you want," N shot back.

    Just as the tension reached its peak, Sullivan''s voice came from the doorway. "What''s going on here? Why''s theb atmosphere so heavy so early in

    N turned to look at him, her expression cool. ˇ°Nothing, Sullivan, Since you''re here, let''s discuss the uing work arrangements.ˇ±

    Noticing her cold attitude, Sullivan didn''t get angry.

    He nodded and replied, "Alright."

    As he and N walked to the office, he exchanged a look with

    Brody, a warning evident in his eyes. If that idiot dared to mess up his ns, he wouldn''t let him off easily.

    After discussing the work arrangements, Sullivan left.

    N took out her phone, hesitated for a moment, and sent Damon a message asking why he did what he did. After waiting for a while without receiving a response, she put her phone away and returned to work.

    Around noon, Damon suddenly appeared outside theb.

    At that time, N was monitoring a chemical reaction in one of theb''s instruments.

    It wasn''t until Ruby nudged her that she noticed Damon standing outside, his gaze fixed on her, clearly

    there to see her.

    She handed her notebook to Ruby, instructing, ˇ°Take over recording for now. I''ll be back in a bit.ˇ± Today''s Bonus Offer

    X

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    N walked out of theb and asked Damon, "Why are you here?"

    "You asked me why I did it. I came to give you an answer," Damon replied.

    Upon seeing the seriousness in his eyes, N''s heart skipped a beat for some reason. She instinctively looked away.

    "You could have just texted me back. You didn''t need toe all the way here," she said.

    "But I wanted to see you," Damon said.

    She frowned and replied, "Mr. Sumner, you''re-"

    "Crossing a line" was what she wanted to say.

    Before she could finish, Damon interrupted her, "If I told the truth, no one would believe it. By saying I''m pursuing you, the focus shifts to me, and peop N''s mind reyed the things Damon had said to her that night while driving her and Mason home, and she couldn''t find the words to respond.

    She had indeed been thinking about his words over the past few days but hadn''t made up her mind about what to do.

    After a moment of contemtion, she finally spoke. ˇ°Mr. Sumner, there''s no need for you to pursue me. We''re not in our 20s anymore. I''ve been thinki Damon''s gaze deepened. "Alright, I understand. I won''t bother you again until you''ve made your decision

    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back to work," N answered.

    Returning to theb, she took the notebook from Ruby and told her, "Go ahead and have lunch. Come back and take over after you''re done." "Okay," Ruby replied.

    She was curious about what Damon had wanted to discuss with N, but she didn''t ask since it was private.

    After Ruby left, theb was quiet again, with only the sounds of the instruments humming softly.

    N looked down, trying to steady her emotions.

    When she had seen the statement Damon posted in the group chat earlier that morning, she felt a bit touched. However, her feelings were all over the ce, and she wasn''t sure what to do.

    She hesitated to give them another chance, afraid they would end up repeating the same mistakes.

    Maybe staying as they were was best-things were calm, and she didn''t have any unrealistic hopes. It was better to take her time and think things through.

    Regardless of her decision, she would speak to Damon directly.

    1/2

    When N returned home that evening, she found Mason sitting on the carpet. He was staring at a half-built Lego set in his hands, looking lost in thought.

    She set her bag down, changed her shoes, and sat beside him. "Buddy, what''s wrong? Did something happen at school?" Mason snapped out of it and shook his head. "No, Mommy, I''m fine."

    It was obvious from his expression that he was feeling down, but he insisted he was okay.

    ˇ±

    Not wanting to push him, N patted his head. "Alright. But if anything''s bothering you or if you want to talk, you know you can always tell me." "Okay," Mason answered.

    N didn''t say anything more and got up to head into the kitchen, quietly asking the nanny if anything had happened at school that day. While flipping the stir-fried potatoes in the pan, the nanny shook her head. "Nothing in particr... When I picked him up, though, he didn''t seem his usual self. He was quiet the whole way home. I asked, but he didn''t say anything."

    "I understand. Please keep an eye on him for me over the next few days. If anything seems off, let me know right away," N requested.

    The nanny nodded. "Of course, Ms. Kinsey."

    At dinner, N ced Mason''s favorite ribs in front of him, but he only ate one or two pieces before losing interest.

 Chapter 724

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    Chapter 724 Chapter 724

    After finishing his dinner, Mason set down his cutlery. "Mommy, I''m done eating."

    "You''re eating so little today. Usually, this whole te of ribs wouldn''t be enough for you alone. Is your stomach bothering you?" N asked.

    ˇ°No, I''m really full," Mason replied.

    "Okay, go y for a while then," N told him.

    After dinner, N yed with Mason for a bit before taking him for his bath and getting him ready for bed.

    Once he was in his pajamas and tucked under the covers, N prepared to read him a bedtime story as usual.

    However, he suddenly looked up at her and asked, "Mommy, is Uncle Oliver not visiting me anymore?"

    N paused for a moment before asking, "Why would you ask that?"

    "Before, Uncle Oliver would call me every day, but he hasn''t called for several days now. And he hasn''te to our house either," Mason answered. Although Mason was young, he was sensitive and perceptive enough to notice that something had changed between N and Oliver.

    After

    a few seconds of silence, N told him, "Buddy, things between Uncle Oliver and me areplicated. I can''t really exin it to you right now, but I pro really likes you. He has his own life too, and he can''t always focus on us."

    ''Mason''s eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head. ˇ°I understand.ˇ±

    Seeing his downcast expression, N felt a pang of sadness.

    "If you ever miss him, you can call him, you know," she said softly.

    Mason didn''t respond. Instead, he looked up at her and asked, "Will you and my dad be together?"

    "Do you want me to be with him?" N asked.

    "I don''t know, but I want to be with Daddy," Mason replied.

    Seeing the hope in his eyes, N pressed her lips together and tucked the nket around him. "Sleep now.

    After coaxing Mason to sleep, N left his room. She didn''t return to her bedroom but instead sat down on the sofa and called Damon. "N, why are you calling me sote?" Damon asked.

    Taking a deep breath, N spoke slowly. "Tonight, Buddy asked me if I would be with you and then said he

    wants to be with you. Did you teach him to say that?"

    "Yes," Damon admitted without hesitation.

    "This is between us. Can you not involve the child?" N snapped.

    1/2

    Sensing the anger in her voice, Damon spoke softly. "N, this isn''t just between us. It involves Buddy too. It''s about us as a family." "We are not a family," N stated.

    Damon sighed. "I

    admit I used a bit of a trick to get you back, but my intention is to bring you and Buddy back. I can protect you both now, and I won''t let anything happe "N, I love Buddy just as much as you do. I want to give him aplete family so he can grow up happy. Even if you don''t want to be with me, you s "You did this on purpose. You know how much I care about Buddy," N shot back.

    "Mm, you can punish me however you want, as long as you''re willing toe back," Damon replied.

    Feeling both angry and helpless, N thought she could haveshed out at Damon if he had still been as stubborn

    as before. Now that he was so soft and understanding, it felt more like punching a pillow. No matter how much she wanted

    to be mad, she simply couldn''t.

    After a moment of silence, she spoke calmly. "L

 Chapter 725

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    "Okay, where should we meet?" Damon asked.

    "I''ll meet you at your office after work," N replied.

    After hanging up, N took a deep breath and returned to her room to shower and rest.

    The next evening, after finishing her work at theb, N headed straight to the top floor to find Damon.

    Spencer had been instructed to expect her, so when he saw her, he immediately approached. "Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner is waiting for you in his office. I''ll take you there."

    "Thank you," N replied.

    Spencer led her to the office and quickly left.

    Damon put down the file he was holding and looked up at her. "Have a seat. I''ll sign off on this document, and then I''ll be with you." N sat down on the sofa.

    A few minutester, Damon walked over and sat across from her. "What did you want to discuss?"

    Pressing her lips together, N said, "I''ve thought it over carefully. Buddy is at a sensitive age right now, and

    he needs aplete family. So, I agree with what you proposed before. I''m willing to pretend to be a loving couple with

    you for Buddy''s sake, but I have a few conditions."

    Damon frowned. "Pretend? What do you mean?"

    He wanted to genuinely reconcile with her and make things right for her and Mason, not just y a role.

    N looked directly at him and replied calmly, "I don''t intend to start over with you. I hope you understand that."

    If Damon hadn''t used Mason to pressure her, she might have softened and given their rtionship another chance.

    Now, if she agreed because of Mason, Damon would just keep using the same tactics to force her intopromising again and again in the future. That wasn''t the kind of love she wanted,

    A flicker of disappointment crossed Damon''s

    eyes. He had assumed that N wanting to talk meant she was willing to give him another chance, but he now realized it was just wishful thinking. Despite that, if she was willing toe back into his life, he would have plenty of opportunities to win her

    over.

    With that thought in mind, he nodded. "I understand. What are your conditions?"

    N listed them: "One, we''ll only act like a couple in front of Buddy. Outside of that, we won''t interfere in each other''s private lives.

    "Two, when Buddy turns 18, we''ll tell him the truth and go our separate ways.

    "Three, if either of us starts a new rtionship, we must inform the other in advance so we can find a way to minimize the impact on Buddy."

    Damon listened silently until N finished, then looked at her. "I can agree to all three of your conditions, but you and Buddy need to move back in."

    N nodded. ˇ°Okay."

    Beforeing to see Damon, N

    had already considered the possibility of either Damon moving in or them returning to his vi. After all, if they were going to act like a couple for Maso "The weekend ising up. I''ll have people help you pack, and we''ll move you in then," Damon said.

    N frowned. Although it felt a bit rushed, she still nodded. "Okay."

    Damon stood up. "Since we''ve talked everything out, I need to get back to work. You should head home."

    "Okay, Mr. Sumner, I-" N began to say.

    He interrupted her. "Don''t call me ''Mr. Sumner'' anymore. Just call me by my name."

    N conceded, "Okay, Damon. Buddy''s been a little down these past few days. If you have time, join us for dinner tomorrow night."

    ˇ°I have a business event tomorrow. How about the night after?" Damon suggested.

    "That works. I''ll see you then," N said.

    After N left, Damon didn''t return to his desk. Instead, he took out a bottle of red wine from the cab ''He poured himself a ss and walked to the window.

    As he gazed down at the busy streets below, his expression was deep and contemtive.

 Chapter 726

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    Reba, losing patience, arranged to meet Sullivan.

    "When are you finally going to take action? If you don''t have the guts to do it, I can find someone else!" she demanded.

    A hint of disdain flickered in Sullivan''s eyes as he observed her agitation, though he maintained a gentle smile.

    "Reba, don''t worry. Setting up an

    ident takes time. If I rush it and someone finds evidence, forcing me to confess, everything will be ruined," he coaxed.

    Reba''s gaze was mocking as she snapped, "Sullivan, don''t give me excuses. Just tell me when I can expect news of N''s death!"

    "I promise it won''t take longer than a month," Sullivan replied.

    "A month? Do you take me for a fool?!" Reba cried.

    "Reba, a month is really the fastest I can manage. Besides, you also need time to transfer Nathaniel''s money, don''t you?" Sullivan countered.

    Reba gritted her teeth. "Fine. I''ll give you onest month. If N is still alive by then, I''ll tell Damon everything you did while at

    Prospectus Technology. You know the consequences!"

    During his years as the team leader of Prospectus Technology''s Drug Research Team 2, Sullivan had embezzled a significant amount of research fun close to 1,000,000 dors.

    If Damon found out that there was such a major leech in hispany, Sullivan would face a long prison sentence.

    Sullivan lowered his

    gaze, a vicious glint shing in his eyes. If Reba wasn''t going to let him off the hook, there''d be no need to keep her around once he got the money "Alright, I promise you. In a month, N will be as good as dead," he said.

    Back at home, N shared her n to move back into Damon''s vi with Mason.

    Mason''s eyes lit up at first but soon turned downcast. "Mommy, are you only moving back because of me? If that''s the case, I''d rather not go back..." N knelt to his level, her gaze softening. "Buddy, why would you think that? I''m moving back because I want to give your dad another chance. Plus, us to be a family?"

    Mason lowered his eyes, saying nothing. He did want his family to be together, but he also wanted his mother to be happy.

    "Mommy, will you be happy if you go back to Daddy?" he asked.

    N nodded. "Of course I will. Otherwise, why would I try to get back together with him?"

    "Really?" Mason asked, skepticism evident in his voice

    1/2

    "Of course. I''ve never lied to you, have I?" N reassured him.

    Mason stared at her for a moment before finally nodding. "Okay."

    Seeing the smile return to his face, N felt a sense of relief wash over her. As long as Mason was happy, that was all that mattered.

    After dinner, N tucked Mason into bed.

    Just as she was about to read in the living room, her phone rang.

    It was an unknown number, so she declined the call. The caller didn''t try again, but soon she received a

    text message.

    [Why did you throw away the roses I sent you? Is it because you don''t like them?]

    N''s eyes widened in shock. She immediately called back, but the line was disconnected. Her fingers tightened around her phone, her face turning p The person who had sent her roses hadn''t shown up in a while, and she had almost forgotten about it. She never expected them to reappear. After thinking it over, she called Caroline. "Caroline, I need you to trace a phone number for me."

    She sent the unknown number to Caroline, Her anxiety was evident, making it hard to focus on reading. Standing on the balcony, she pondered who t Today''s Bonus Offer

 Chapter 727

    ?

    Gabriel''s name shed through N''s

    mind again, but she quickly dismissed it. After all, he was married now with a child and seemed to have a happy life.

    He wouldn''t do something like this... or would he?

    Half an hourter, Caroline finally called back.

    "N, I couldn''t find any information on that number. It must have been deliberately hidden. Why are you investigating it?" she asked.

    N hadn''t expected that even Caroline, who was skilled inputer hacking and had previously tracked down online trolls to their home addresses,

    "It''s nothing. Thank you for helping. I''ll treat you to dinner when I''m back in Capitarnia," N replied.

    Realizing that N didn''t want to borate, Caroline didn''t press further. "I couldn''t even find the owner''s name. I didn''t help at all-

    no need to treat me. By the way, how''s everything going in Saintornia? Is the project progressing smoothly?"

    After chatting about work for a bit, they ended the call.

    As N debated whether to ask Damon for help, another text came through.

    [N, are you so curious about who I am? I''ve always been watching you from a ce you can''t see. It''s cold at night. Don''t stay on the balcony too long. Go get some rest.]

    The message sent a chill down N''s spine as if she had plunged into an ice bath.

    This creep not only knew she was trying to track them but also knew she was currently on her balcony.

    Panic surged as she frantically scanned her surroundings for any sign of someone watching, but everything seemed normal. Her phone vibrated again.

    [N, stop looking. I''ll appear when it''s time.]

    N''s hands shook as she gripped her phone tightly. She rushed back inside, shutting the balcony door and

    drawing the curtains, her fingers trembling as she typed.

    N: [Who are you?! If you keep this up, I''ll call the police!]

    Her message seemed to vanish into a void. There was no response.

    W tried calling the number again, but it was still switched off.

    Trying to calm herself down, she quickly contacted Damon and told him everything that had happened.

    Damon arrived within half an hour, clearly havinge straight from work, still in his suit.

    After reading the texts on her phone, he said coldly, "You can''t stay here any longer. You and Buddy are moving tonight. I''ll have someone pack your t worry. I''ll take care of this-I won''t let anything happen to you."

    Still shaken by the texts, N nodded. "Okay..."

    She wrapped Mason in a nket as he slept, gathered some essentials, and left with Damon.

    It was only when they arrived at Damon''s vi that N felt some of the tension lift.

    Lydia saw Damon carrying Mason into the living room, with N following behind. She seemed surprised but quickly approached them.

    "Mr. Sumner, I''ve already prepared the rooms for both Mr. Mason and Ms.

    Kinsey," she reported. Damon responded with a hum, then carried Mason upstairs, tucking him in before leaving the room.

    As he closed Mason''s door, he saw N standing a few steps away, still looking a little dazed.

    He walked over and spoke in a low, reassuring voice. "Don''t worry. I''ve already gotten people investigating this. We''ll catch the person soon." N nodded, her expression still tense. "Thank you."

 Chapter 728

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    28

    "N, don''t feel like it''s a bother. It''s what I should do, and I''m really d you called me tonight," Damon replied.

    At the very least, he sensed that N needed him.

    A flicker of emotion crossed N''s face before she lowered her head and said, "I''m a bit

    tired, so I''ll head to my room now. You should get some rest too."

    "Alright," Damon answered.

    Without another nce at him, N pushed open the door to her room. Once it was shut behind her, she exhaled softly, finally feeling a bit relieved. She ced a hand over her chest, feeling her heartbeat quicken, and couldn''t help but smile wryly. Then, she grabbed her clothes and went to the bat

    As N disappeared behind the door, Damon''s expression turned cold. He quickly walked downstairs and headed straight for his study. Spencer acted swiftly, taking less than an hour to identify the mysterious caller.

    "Mr. Sumner, the person is Howard Rowley, 29 years old. He works

    as a security guard at Ms. Kinsey''s apartmentplex. He doesn''t have many friends and usually keeps to himself," he reported.

    Damon''s voice was icy. "Based on the messages he sent, he''s known N for five years. There''s no way he''s just a random security guard." "Should we keep investigating?" Spencer asked.

    "Yes, keep digging. Have someone monitor this guard and find out who he associates with. Also, look into Gabriel," Damon instructed.

    If there was anyone in N''s circle who could be this obsessive, Gabriel was the first person Damon thought of.

    Spencer replied, "But Mr. Sumner, Mr. Hackett already has a family. It''s unlikely that he-"

    "I need evidence, not spection," Damon interrupted, ending the call.

    He set down his phone, his expression dark.

    When Mason woke up the next morning, he found himself in a room at Damon''s vi.

    Surprised, he jumped out of bed and ran out the door without even putting on his slippers.

    As soon as he opened the door, he ran straight into N, who was standing outside.

    N couldn''t help but smile as she picked him up. "Why aren''t you wearing slippers? The floor is cold." "Mommy, why are we here?" Mason asked.

    "Your dad missed you, so he brought us over while you were sleepingst night," N replied.

    Excitement shed in Mason''s eyes. "Where''s Daddy?"

    "He''s downstairs having breakfast. I came up to wake you. Let''s wash up, then we''ll go down," N said.

    "Okay," Mason chirped.

    After putting slippers on Mason and helping him wash up and change, N took him downstairs. He was still just a child, with every emotion written pl N could see that his steps were lighter and quicker than usual.

    Blood ties were a powerful thing. Despite barely spending time with Damon, Mason seemed to like him so much.

    As soon as they reached the living room, Mason let go of N''s hand and sped up his pace, running to Damon. "Good morning, Daddy!"

    Damon looked at him, his gaze softening. "Good morning, Buddy. What would you like for breakfast today?

    ˇ°I want a breakfast wrap!" Mason eximed.

    ˇ°Alright, I''ll ask Lydia to make one for you," Damon replied.

    N walked a few steps behind Mason, pulling out a chair next to him and sitting down. She greeted Damon; "Good morning."

    Damon''s gaze softened even more as he looked at her. "Good morning."

    After breakfast, the driver took Mason to school, and N finally had time to ask Damon about the ''mysterious number. "Did you find out who was mes Today''s Bonus Offer

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    Chapter 729 Chapter 729

    "Yeah, it''s a security guard from your apartmentplex. But I think there''s more to it," Damon replied.

    A security guard?

    N frowned, trying to recall any interactions, but she couldn''t remember ever talking to the security guards at herplex. Besides, a guard wouldn'' Noticing her frown, Damon said calmly, "Don''t worry about it. I''ll handle it. For now, I''ll have the driver take Buddy to and from school, and you can con Thinking about the messages fromst night, N felt that chill creep up her spine again. She nodded. " Okay, I''ll listen to you."

    After finishing breakfast, the driver took them to the office. On the way, Damon asked if they needed to keep their rtionship a secret. N thought for a moment and replied, "No need. It''s not something we can hide for long anyway, so let''s just go with the flow."

    A spark lit up in Damon''s eyes as he answered, "Alright."

    When the car stopped in the basement, they both got out. It was close

    to work hours, and they encountered several employees of Prospectus Technology along the way.

    Seeing N and Damon arrive together, everyone couldn''t help but stare, though no one dared to speak. They all kept their heads down, pretending they hadn''t seen anything.

    If Damon hadn''t ordered employees not to discuss his and N''s rtionship, thepany would have been buzzing with gossip by now.

    An eerie silence filled the elevator lobby, despite there being over 20 people present. No one said a word.

    Damon nced at N and, seeing her calm expression, felt slightly relieved.

    "Come to my office at noon. We''ll have lunch together," he said.

    N

    looked a bit surprised. She wanted to decline, but after thinking it over, she nodded. "Okay, but I''m not sure when my experiment will end, so I might b

    "It''s fine. I have an important meeting today too. I''ll wait for you," Damon replied.

    The elevator arrived soon after.

    When Damon and N stepped inside, they noticed that no one else joined them.

    Damon frowned and asked, "Are you not taking the elevator?"

    The female employee closest to them quickly waved her hand. "No, thank you, Mr. Sumner. It''s still early, so we''ll wait for the next one."

    Damon didn''t say anything more and pressed the button for the elevator doors to close,

    N thought for a moment before speaking. "When you told everyone in the Prospectus Technologypany group chat that anyone caught discussi

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    employees. That''s why no one said a word while we were waiting for the elevator, and no one wanted to ride with us.ˇ±

    "Isn''t that exactly what I want? I don''t want you to be the subject of gossip," Damon replied.

    Seeing how forceful he was, N felt a bit helpless. "You can''t stop everyone from talking."

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "I never nned to silence everyone, just the majority."

    N was about to respond, but the elevator had already reached her floor. She said, "I''ll head to work now.

    "Alright. Call me if you need anything," Damon said.

    "Okay," N answered.

    Even though Damon had forbidden any discussions about their rtionship, news of them arriving at work together spread through thepany withi Unlike before, no one dared to make snide remarks in front of N.

    Even Brody started to keep a low profile. After all, if anyone recorded him mocking N and sent it to Damon, he''d be in serious trouble.

    Near noon, N called Ruby into her office. "Ruby, what''s going on with you today? Why are you making so many mistakes in theb? You''re usually ''In the past, Ruby had always been thorough and meticulous when working on experiments, rarely making mistakes.

    Today, she had made several errors and seemed distracted, almost adding the wrong reagent earlier, which could have caused the experimental setup

    ?

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    ?

    Ruby shook her head, lowering it in guilt. "N, I''m sorry. I didn''t sleep wellst night... I promise I won''t make any mistakes this afternoon."

    Seeing Ruby''s exhaustion and the dark circles under her eyes, N realized she truly hadn''t rested well, so she didn''t scold her further. ˇ°Alright, go get some lunch and take a good rest."

    "Okay, thank you. I''ll finish organizing the documents and then head out," Ruby replied.

    N didn''t say anything more and left the office, heading to the top floor to find Damon.

    Not long after N left, Ruby''s phone started ringing. Seeing the number shing on the screen, her face went pale, and she didn''t pick up. The calls kepting like an ominous reminder.

    She grabbed her phone, intending to block the number, but hesitated at thest moment.

    Very soon, her phone rang again. She took a deep breath and answered, "I sent you all the money I hadst night. I don''t have any left!"

    "Ruby, your brother has been taken by the debt collectors. They said if we

    don''t repay by midnight, they''ll cut off one of his hands. Only you can help him. Can you really just watch him die?" Margaret Tinnin, Ruby''s mother, sa

    It was like a knife to Ruby''s heart, leaving her wounded and bleeding.

    Her parents had always favored her brother. They had wanted her to drop out after middle school to work and earn money for his tuition. If

    it hadn''t been for her grandmother''s strong opposition, she wouldn''t have had the chance to attend high school, let alone university.

    Ruby had paid for all her university expenses herself by working part-

    time jobs, with no help from her family. At her lowest, she had only a few dors left-a single loaf of bread

    had tost her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    Despite it all, she never felt bitter because she knew her life would have been far more miserable if she had dropped out.

    When she wasn''t working, she studied hard, aiming for schrships as her way out of the family''s oppressive favoritism. Eventually, she earned a ce in a graduate program, and only then did her parents see value in her education. A master''s degree meant prestige in their vige, and it also made her a prime candidate for marriage, as they saw it.

    Whenever Ruby went home to visit her grandmother, her parents would arrange blind dates for her or ask how

    much she would earn in the future. They hoped she would send all her wages home.

    When she resisted their matchmaking, they once went so far as to tie her up and send her to a man''s room. If she hadn''t fought back with all her stren

    To cate them, she had promised to send half her sry home once she started working, and only then did they ease up on her.

    Now, they had tricked her into giving them all her savings again. Some parents they were!

    "I''ve lived frugally to save 30,000 dors over the past few years, and you took it all to pay his gambling debt. You lied, saying it was for Grandma''s me told me the truth?" Ruby demanded.

    "What else could I do? He''s

    my son, the future of our family. Do you want me to just watch him get beaten to death? Ruby, you can''t be this heartless!" Margaret cried.

    Ruby let out a coldugh. "I''m heartless? He chose to gamble. If he gets his hand cut off, that''s his fault. Stop calling me!"

    With that, she hung up.

    Setting down her phone, she was about to continue organizing the documents when she noticed

    someone at the door. She quickly turned her head.

    Her expression changed when she saw it was Sullivan.

    "Sullivan, how long have you been standing there?" she asked.

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    Sullivan smiled. "I''ve been here for a little while. You were on the phone, so I didn''t want to interrupt."

    "Oh," Ruby replied, her expression clouding.

    If Sullivan had been there for a while, he must have overheard her call.

    Any positive impression she had of him faded immediately-someone who eavesdropped on others''

    conversations couldn''t be trusted.

    Noticing her displeasure, Sullivan quickly added, "I apologize. I really didn''t mean to listen in. That''s why I stayed outside the door. But your voice was

    you too."

    Ruby frowned. "Did you need something? If not, I''ll be heading to lunch."

    "I was just dropping off some documents for N. Since she''s not here, could you please hold onto them and give them to her this afternoon?" Sulliva "Sure," Ruby answered.

    After cing the documents in her drawer, she was about to head to the cafeteria. When she reached the door, though, she noticed Sullivan was still t ˇ°Sullivan, is there anything else?" she asked.

    Sullivan shook his head, his tone shifting to one of concern. "Ruby, since you''re working? Technology now, we''re colleagues. If you need any help, fee Before he could finish, Ruby cut him off, her tone curt, "I don''t need anything from you."

    bectus

    ced of

    Her expression was cold, her attitude distancing them further with a clear boundary. Unfazed, Sullivan nodded. "Alright, but if you ever face difficulties, you can alwayse to me."

    Ruby didn''t respond, brushing past him as she left the room.

    Watching her go, Sullivan narrowed his eyes with a slight smile.

    When N arrived at the CEO''s office on the top floor, Damon was still reviewing documents.

    "The food is in the insted container on the table. Go ahead and eat. I''ll join you once I finish these files, "Damon said.

    Seeing how focused he was and knowing he was genuinely busy, N didn''t want to interrupt. She simply responded with an "Okay" and walked over However, instead of opening the container, she pulled out her phone and started ying a game, nning to wait until he was done so they could eat When Damon finally finished his files and looked up, he saw N sitting on the couch, her eyes fixed on her phone. The insted container remained

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    He frowned slightly. "You don''t need to wait for me."

    N looked up, meeting his deep gaze. For some reason, her heart skipped a beat.

    "I''m not hungry. It''s fine to wait," she said.

    Damon was silent for a moment before getting up and walking toward her.

    N was taken aback and frowned. "You don''t have to amodate me. I-"

    "You''re the one amodating me. I can finish the documents this afternoon." As Damon spoke, he sat across from her and opened the insted co

    N thought about telling him she didn''t mind waiting, but the image of him clutching his stomach in pain shed in her mind.

    She remembered how pale he had looked that time and decided not to argue. His stomach issues stemmed from not eating on time-

    it wasn''t worth risking his health for work.

    She helped set the dishes, uncovering them one by one, and noticed they were

    all her favorites. She lowered her gaze, gripping her cutlery tightly. After all this time, Damon still remembered what she liked.

    1 asked Spencer to order food based on your old preferences. I wasn''t sure if you still liked these dishes," Damon said.

    "I do. Thanks. I didn''t expect you to remember," N replied.

    Damon ced a grilled shrimp on her te. "Let''s eat.

    2/2

    After Damon recovered his memories, hChapter 731

    Sullivan smiled. "I''ve been here for a little while. You were on the phone, so I didn''t want to interrupt."

    "Oh," Ruby replied, her expression clouding.

    If Sullivan had been there for a while, he must have overheard her call.

    Any positive impression she had of him faded immediately-someone who eavesdropped on others'' conversations couldn''t be trusted.

    Noticing her displeasure, Sullivan quickly added, "I apologize. I really didn''t mean to listen in. That''s why I stayed outside the door. But your voice wasb could probably hear you too."

    Ruby frowned. "Did you need something? If not, I''ll be heading to lunch."

    "I was just dropping off some documents for N. Since she''s not here, could

    you please hold onto them and give them to her this afternoon?" Sullivan asked.

    "Sure," Ruby answered.

    After cing the documents in her drawer, she was about to head to the cafeteria. When she reached the door, though, she noticed Sullivan was still there, seemingly waiting for her.

    "Sullivan, is there anything else?" she asked.

    Sullivan shook his head, his tone shifting to one of concern. "Ruby, since

    you''re working at Prospectus Technology now, we''re colleagues. If you need any help, feel free toe to me. If you''re in need of money, I can also-"

    Before he could finish, Ruby cut him off, her tone curt, "I don''t need anything from you."

    Her expression was cold, her attitude distancing them further with a clear boundary.

    Unfazed, Sullivan nodded. "Alright, but if you ever face difficulties, you can alwayse to me."

    Ruby didn''t respond, brushing past him as she left the room,

    Watching her go, Sullivan narrowed his eyes with a slight smile.

    When N arrived at the CEO''s office on the top floor, Damon was still reviewing documents.

    "The food is in the insted container on the table. Go ahead and eat. I''ll join you once I finish these files,

    Damon said.

    Seeing how focused he was and knowing he was genuinely busy, N didn''t want to interrupt. She simply responded with an "Okay" and walked over

    However, instead of opening the container, she pulled out her phone and started ying a game, nning to wait until he was done so they could eat together.

    When Damon finally finished his files and looked up, he saw

    N sitting on the couch, her eyes fixed on her phone. The insted container remained unopened

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    Chapter 732 Chapter 732

    After Damon recovered his memories, he reyed everything about N in his mind countless times, remembering it all clearly.

    The two ate in silence, the only sound in the office being the clinking of cutlery and dishes.

    While eating, N stole nces at Damon.

    His movements were graceful, and she found herself drawn to him without realizing it. He was also undeniably handsome, which exined why so ma Noticing N''s gaze, Damon looked up at her..

    Their eyes met, and N felt a pang of embarrassment, like she''d been caught red-handed.

    She quickly averted her gaze and said awkwardly, "Heh... these shrimp are pretty good..."

    "If you like them, I''ll have Spencer order them again tomorrow. Is there anything else you''d like?" Damon asked.

    N nced at him, but when she met his deep, dark eyes, she quickly looked away again.

    "No, just the shrimp is fine. You don''t have to order only what I like. Get some things you like, too," she replied.

    Damon looked at her and nodded. ˇ°Okay."

    After that, N avoided looking at Damon again, focusing on finishing her mea

    Once they were done, Damon poured her a ss of warm water.

    "Thanks, but you don''t have to do that. I can get it myself," she said.

    1. ly.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "You''ve seemed ufortable since you came into my office. Are you sure you''d actually get up to get water if you were t N stiffened, surprised he had noticed. "Sorry, I''m still adjusting."

    "No need to apologize. You have plenty of time to get used to it. By the way, you can take a nap in my lounge room during

    lunch. I still have some files to review. I''ll wake you up at 1:30 p.m.," Damon offered.

    N instinctively refused. "No, it''s okay. I''ll go back to my own office."

    Seeing her resistance, Damon didn''t push her. He understood that they had been apart for five years and were only together now because of Mason.

    It would take time to get used to each other''s presence again. However, he wasn''t satisfied with just pretending. He wanted to make it real. "Alright," he answered.

    N put down her ss. "You still have work to do, so ''ll clean up the dishes and head out. I won''t disturb you."

    "No need. My assistant will take care of itter," Damon stopped her.

    1/2

    "Oh... Okay... then... I''ll get going," N replied.

    "Mm. Wait for me after work so we can go home together," Damon said.

    N nodded and then practically fled the office.

    Once she stepped out, she felt herself rx a little. She didn''t know why, but being around Damon always made her feel uneasy.

    Not long after N left, Spencer walked in with a file. "Mr. Sumner, it seems the person harassing Ms. Kinsey isn''t Mr. Hackett. He''s been abroad thes

    Damon''s gaze hardened. He put down his pen and said, "Keep

    investigating. Look into N''s connections from five years ago. We need to find out who it is."

    "Understood!" Spencer answered.

    Back downstairs, Nposed herself and walked into her office.

    As soon as she did, Ruby handed her a file and informed her, "N, Sullivan dropped this off at lunch and asked me to give it to you."

    N took it. "Thanks."

    Returning to her desk, she opened the file.

    Their recent experiment had hit a bottleneck, and one of the results wasn''ting out right. Sullivan ''mentioned he''d worked on something simr bef

    After reading a few sections, N felt inspired and decided to change the catalyst they were using. She put down the file and looked over at Ruby,  She asked, "Ruby, why are your eyes so red? Did something happen?"

 Chapter 733

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    Ruby shook her head and replied, "I''m fine, N. Just didn''t sleep well. What did you want to discuss?"

    There was no way ack of sleep could cause such swelling, but N didn''t push. She understood that everyone

    had things they preferred to keep to themselves.

    "I''m nning to change the catalyst for the experiment. Can you see if we can try these options this afternoon?" N proposed, handing Ruby a piece

    Ruby nced over it and picked out two options. "I think these two are worth trying. I''ve tested the others before, and they didn''t work well- the reaction time was too long."

    N nodded. ˇ°Alright, let''s go with your suggestions."

    After finalizing the ns, N was about to return to her desk when she

    added quietly, "If you''re facing any difficulties, you can talk to me. Don''t let it affect your work."

    Ruby blinked, clenching her hands. "I understand."

    Whether because of N''s words or not, Ruby seemed more focused that afternoon. The distraction from the morning was gone.

    After switching the catalyst, their experiment went much more smoothly, and they managed toplete the step before the end of the day. Once the r On their way from theb to the elevator, Ruby''s phone kept ringing. She kept rejecting the calls, but each time, another call came in immediately after Tossing the phone into her bag, she looked up and saw N watching her. She stiffened and tried to act casual. ˇ°I don''t know who leaked my number, "Just block them," N replied.

    "Yeah, I will. Oh, N, I just remembered I forgot something. You go ahead," Ruby said.

    N lowered her gaze, aplicated expression crossing her face. She wanted to help Ruby, but if Ruby didn''t want to open up, there was nothing she could do.

    When N took the elevator down to the basement, Damon''s car was already waiting at the entrance.

    As soon as she got in, he put down the file he was reading and asked, "Did something happen? You seem preupied."

    N was surprised he''d noticed her mood. She blinked, then shook her head. "It''s nothing."

    ˇ°Buddy said he wanted crab tonight, so I made a reservation. We''ll head to the restaurant directly,ˇ± Damon informed her. "Okay," N answered.

    Meanwhile, Ruby returned to her desk back at the office.

    The office was empty now. As soon as she turned her phone back on, the calls starteding again. She

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    took a deep breath and finally answered.

    "I told you, stop calling me," she said.

    "Ruby, are you really this heartless? Are you

    really not going to save your own brother''s life? Do you want to see me and your father die?" Margaret''s voice was filled with resentment and anger. Margaret didn''t believe that Ruby''s savings from the past few years amounted to only 30,000 dors. She knew Ruby had worked multiple part- time jobs during university and had received schrships. There was no way she didn''t have money-she just didn''t want to save

    her brother, Hansel Jenner.

    Ruby almostughed. Hansel was the one who gambled and racked up a debt

    of tens of thousands, yet Margaret was ming her for being heartless?

    "I already told you, I don''t have the money. What more do you want from me?" she asked.

    "You don''t have money? Then sell a kidney! You have two. Losing one won''t matter. If you don''t want to do that, I''ve arranged a marriage for you back

 Chapter 734

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    Margaret''s tone was matter-of-fact, as if Ruby were an object to be discarded at will. She didn''t even consider whether Ruby would agree.

    As far as she was concerned, as long as Hansel could be saved, Ruby''s life was expendable. After all, Hansel was the lifeline of the Jenners. If they lo

    1. on.

    Ruby let out a short, bitterugh, which soon escted into a loud, almost hysterical one.

    "What are youughing at? Are you crazy?" Margaret''s voice was sharp, filled with anger.

    When Ruby finally stoppedughing, she spoke in a low, steady voice. "Do you know why I took your call?"

    "Why?" Margaret asked.

    "Because wanted to see just how disgusting the things you''d say could be. You didn''t disappoint me," Ruby replied. Her voice, rough and hoarse fromughing so hard, was unsettlingly calm. It gave Margaret a sinking feeling.

    "Ruby, what are you nning to do?" Margaret asked, unease creeping into her tone.

    Ruby smiled and said slowly, "Mom, this

    will be thest time I call you that. Over the years, the money I''ve given you, plus the 30,000 dors you tricked out of me this time for Hansel- we''ll count that as the debt I owed you. From now on, we''re done. Whether you live or die has nothing to d ''h me."

    The

    more Margaret listened, the more uneasy she felt. She had tricked money out of Ruby before, and although Ruby had gotten angry, she had never me Nervous and furious, Margaret''s voice came out strained. "Ruby, are you crazy? I''m your mother! I gave birth to

    you. Your life belongs to me. How dare you talk about cutting ties? I don''t agree!"

    "Whether you agree or not doesn''t matter to me," Ruby replied coolly. "If I remember correctly, you''re only 45 this year. Once you reach the legal age f amount each month. Until then, I won''t be involved with you."

    With that, Ruby hung up. She removed the SIM card, broke it, and threw it in the trash, severing any chance for Margaret to contact her again. Saying those words made her realize Margaret had never truly seen her as a daughter but as a pawn-a disposable tool for Hansel''s sake. Since Margaret cared so much for her precious son, she could figure out how to repay his gambling debts on her own. Afterward, Ruby felt a sense of relief and freedom. She was no longer shackled by family obligations. She should feel happy.

    But for some reason, tears kept flowing from her eyes, no matter how much she tried to wipe them away. From now on, she really was alone. Suddenly, a tissue appeared in front of her.

    1/2

    Startled, she looked up and saw Sullivan''s sympathetic

    eyes through her blurred vision. She took a step back, putting distance between them, and didn''t reach for the tissue he offered.

    Sullivan wasn''t offended. He just smiled and put the tissue away.

    "No matter how bad it is, it''ll pass," he said, gently.

    Ruby didn''t want to engage with him. Pushing back her tears, she said with a poker face, "Thanks for the words, Sullivan. I''ll be heading home now." "You''re in such a bad state. I don''t feelfortable letting you go back alone. I''ll give you a ride home," Sullivan offered.

    "No need. I''ll be fine," Ruby replied, grabbing her bag and leaving.

    Sullivan didn''t take her refusal seriously. He followed her from a distance, clearly intending to make sure she got home safely.

    Ruby bit her lip and couldn''t help but turn back to look at him. "Sullivan, I really don''t need you to escort me. You''re making things difficult for me.

 Chapter 735

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    Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "I''m not escorting you. This just happens to be my way home too. I can''t just avoid this road because you''re on it, right?"

    Ruby frowned but couldn''t argue with his logic. After a few moments of silence, she turned and walked off quickly.

    Sullivan stayed about four to five meters behind.

    This annoyed Ruby, so

    she quickened her pace, hoping to shake him off. No matter how fast she walked, he kept his distance until she entered her apartment building. Only t he stop following.

    Back in her apartment, she slipped off her shoes and walked to the couch, feeling exhausted.

    Her phone buzzed. It was a Messenger message from N.

    N: [Hey, I noticed you didn''t seem well today. If there''s anything troubling you, don''t hesitate to talk to me. I''ll help you figure things out. Stay strong! Ruby stared at the message for a moment before simply replying: [Okay.]

    At a popr seafood restaurant in Saintornia...

    N looked at Ruby''s brief response and felt a pang of disappointment. She turned her phone face-down on the table.

    Noticing her downcast expression, Damon ced some crab meat he h te and said, "Let''s eat first. You seem distracted tonight. What''s on y st picked clean onto her

    nd?"

    ''N epted the te, debating whether to tell him about Ruby, but a familiar voice interrupted her, " N, Mr. Sumner, you''re here for dinner too?" Turning around, she saw Vrie and looked surprised. "Vrie, you''re here too? And who is this?"

    Vrie nodded with a smile. "Yes. Let me introduce you this is my boyfriend, Zayn Updike."

    "Boyfriend?!" N eximed.

    She clearly remembered Brandon pursuing Vrie not long

    ago, and Vrie hadn''t seemed entirely indifferent to him either. How did she suddenly have a boyfriend?

    "Yeah, we just got together. I nned to wait until things were more stable before telling you, but I didn''t expect to run into

    you tonight," Vrie said, her expression calm, not at all like someone in the throes of a new rtionship.

    Though puzzled, N knew it wasn''t the right time to ask. She turned to Zayn. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Updike." ˇ°Zayn, this is N Kinsey, my best friend. As for Mr. Sumner, I don''t think he needs an introduction," Vrie said. Zayn smiled warmly. "Good evening, Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner."

    Damon squinted slightly but replied calmly, "Mr. Updike, it''s been a while.ˇ±

    1/2

    After exchanging greetings, Vrie looked at N. "We have nster, so we won''t keep you. Let''s catch up another time." Seeing N nod, Vrie turned to Mason. "Buddy, what would you like as a present? I will bring it for you next time." Mason shook his head. ˇ°I don''t need anything. Seeing Aunt Vrie makes me happy enough."

    Vrie pinched his cheek yfully. "Oh, you little charmer! You''re already out-

    talking your dad by a mile. You''re going to be a hit with the girls when you grow up.

    Damon''s face fell.

    Seeing him scowl, N had to hold back augh. He probably hadn''t expected to be outdone by his own

    son.

    Vrie and Zayn left soon after.

    As they disappeared through the restaurant''s door, N turned to Damon and asked, "Isn''t Brandon

    still pursuing Vrie? How did she end up with Zayn? And from the way she looked at him, it didn''t seem like she''s that into him."

 Chapter 736

    ?

    N had known Vrie for many years, so she could easily tell that Vrie had no feelings for Zayn.

    Whenever they stood together, Vrie would deliberately keep a two-fist distance between them- drawing a clear line in the sand.

    If someone genuinely liked another person, they would naturally get closer.

    "The Weir Group is facing difficulties, and Brandon is six years younger than Vrie," Damon said.

    Brandon was currently just the CEO of the Sumner Group. He couldn''t make major decisions nor use thepany''s resources to save the Weirs- unless he sold his shares in the Sumner Group.

    However, that would mean losing his chance to be the head of thepany.

    He had to understand the importance of the Sumner Group over Vrie.

    N nodded. "So Vrie and Zayn are in a marriage of convenience?"

    "Zayn may not necessarily marry Vrie," Damon replied.

    He had interacted with Zayn a few times and knew that, although Zayn appeared gentle, he was cunning inside and only acted in his own interest.

    Zayn''s rtionship with Vrie wasn''t necessarily because of her looks-

    he might be after something else. And as for what the Weirs still had to offer him, it was likely the Weir Group.

    At this thought, Damon frowned slightly.

    N''s focus shifted. Hearing Damon''s words, she asked with a frown, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying Zayn is a jerk?"

    Damon hadn''t expected her to interpret it this way and found it rather amusing. She wasn''t entirely wrong, so he answered, "Pretty much. Vrie is likely trying to use a marriage alliance to save the Weir Group, but she might end up causing trouble for herself."

    "Then should I warn Vrie?" N asked.

    If Zayn really wasn''t a good person, she couldn''t just stand by and watch her best friend fall into a trap.

    Damon nced at her and said, "Even if you warn her, she might not listen. Zayn is probably her best option right now."

    When someone had no other choice, they wouldn''t listen no matter what anyone said.

    N bit her lip and looked up at him. "Is there really no other way to save the Weir Group?"

    "There is, but it would require a lot of capital, and there''s no guarantee of sess. The main reason Vrie is with Zayn is

    that the Weir Group''s products are something the Updike Group needs. If the twopanies form

    a deep partnership, it could revive the Weir Group," Damon exined. "But for Zayn, it would be easier to acquire the Weir Group than to save it."

    The more N listened, the darker her expression grew. She hadn''t realized the Weir Group

    was in such dire straits, barely staying afloat with the Updike Group''s orders.

    Seeing her remain silent, Damon spoke in a low voice. Don''t worry too much. There might still be a way out."

    N lowered her gaze, leaving it unclear if she heard him.

    Damon was also curious: to Brandon, which was more important-the Sumner Group or Vrie?

    The meal lost its taste for N.

    On the way back, N stared out the window, lost in thought.

    When they got home, Lydia took Mason for a

    bath, and N returned to her room. After much deliberation, she decided to reach out to Vrie and began typing a message.

    Downstairs in the study, Damon called Brandon.

    "You know about Vrie and Zayn, right? If you sell your shares in the Sumner Group, the money could save the Weir Group, but you''d lose your chance to be its leader," Damon remarked.

    "With your current abilities, it would take at least another four to five years to gain control of thepany. You need to decide which is more important-the Sumner Group or Vrie," he dered.

 Chapter 737

    ?

    There was a long silence before Brandon''s hoarse voice came through the line. "Uncle Damon, I can''t make a choice. Vrie and the Sumner Group He wanted to help the Weirs but couldn''t bring himself to give up the Sumner Group.

    In the past, rk had the support of Cyrus and Cindy, so Brandon never stood a chance against him. Now, what he had always dreamed of was within How could he give up now? But he also couldn''t bear to let Vrie go.

    "There are many situations in life where you can''t have it both ways. In the future, you''ll face more difficult choices like this one. If your decisions affect many people, will you continue to hesitate?" Damon asked.

    Brandon let out a bitterugh. "I don''t know... Uncle Damon, what should I do?"

    "Ask yourself," Damon replied.

    He could help Brandon this time but couldn''t shield him forever. Brandon had to learn to make decisions on his own.

    At the bar...

    Brandon hung up, set it down, and downed his drink, his eyes filled with pain.

    He didn''t me Damon-he only med himself for not being strong enough. If he had tried a little harder, he

    might not have found himself in this dilemma.

    Was he really going to just watch Vrie marry someone else? He didn''t want to, nor did he dare imagine that possibility. All he could do was drink, one ss after another.

    If he got drunk, maybe he wouldn''t have to struggle with the decision anymore.

    Tonight, however, the alcohol felt like water-no matter how much he drank, he stayed painfully sober.

    Zayn

    dropped Vrie off at her house and nced at her. "Vrie, since I''m already here, why don''t Ie in and meet your parents? I''ve prepared gifts fo Vrie paused as she unbuckled her seatbelt, hesitating as her phone buzzed.

    Seeing it was a message from N, she turned off the screen and lowered her gaze. "It''ste. My parents might already be asleep. Let''s do it another time."

    Zayn smiled. "I wasn''t thinking. You''re right. You head in."

    "Okay, drive safely," Vrie replied.

    "Will do," Zayn said.

    Vrie opened the door and got out, standing at the gate and watching Zayn''s car drive away before turning to head inside.

    1/2

    Back in her bedroom, she opened the chat with N.

    N: [Are you free anytime soon? Let''s meet up.]

    After a moment''s thought, Vrie replied that she was free at noon the next day. She tossed her phone aside and grabbed her clothes to take a showe The next day, around noon...

    Vrie arrived a bitte due to traffic. She sat down across from N, took a sip of water, and asked, " What''s up, N?"

    N pulled a card from her bag and handed it over. "This contains all my

    savings. It might not be enough to save the Weir Group, but it should help ease some of the pressure."

    Vrie nced at it but didn''t take it. "Did Damon tell you?"

    "When I saw you with Zayn yesterday, I sensed that you weren''t into him, so I asked Damon about Brandon pursuing you," N exined. Vrie nodded. "The Weir Group is in bad shape. Even if we get funds, there''s no guarantee we can save it. What we need now are contracts."

    "At least it might help buy you some time to think about things with Zayn. Other than marrying you, Zayn also has the

    option of acquiring the Weir Group," N reminded.

    Vrie smiled bitterly. "Of course, I know that. But right now, I don''t have any other choice."

    A couple of days ago,

    Zayn had taken her to meet his friends, but Brandon hadn''te. While returning to the private room from the restroom, she had overheard one of the men asking Zayn if he was serious

    about her.

    Zayn''s response was, "Just having some fun for now."

 Chapter 738

    ?

    Chapter 738 Chapter 738

    At that moment, Vrie felt as if she had fallen into an ice pit. But on reflection, there wasn''t much

    to be upset about. After all, she had gotten together with Zayn because of the Updike Group. Since her intentions hadn''t been pure, she had no right to N frowned and firmly ced the card in Vrie''s hand, saying, "Vrie, just take the money for now. If you really don''t need itter, you can return "As for Zayn, I know you don''t have many options, so I won''t try to persuade you. Just make sure you''ve thought it through and won''t regret it.ˇ± Tears welled up in Vrie''s eyes, and she stopped resisting. "Thank you, N! No matter what happens with the Weir Group, I''ll pay you back!"

    It was easy to celebrate someone''s wins, but helping them through hardship was different. Over

    this period, Vrie had learned who her true friends were and who kicked her when she was down.

    "There''s no need to thank me. Don''t cry now, or your mascara will run, and you''ll look like a panda," N teased.

    Vrie let out a smallugh through her tears and wiped the corners of her eyes, looking at N with

    gratitude.

    After lunch, Vrie left, and N returned to work.

    The whole afternoon, Sullivan came by N''s office three or four times, delivering files. Near the end of the workday, he came by again.

    N

    paused her work and looked up at him. "Sullivan, don''t you think you''ve been stopping by a bit too often today? Some of these files aren''t urgent. You

    #1

    Sullivan smiled, unfazed. "I just didn''t want to dy your work. If you don''t want to see me, you could ask Ruby to pick them up instead."

    "Why should Ruby go? Can''t Leon do it?" N questioned.

    While facing

    her cold gaze, Sullivan''s smile deepened. "Did you forget? Leon and Brody have some history. If they run into each other, they might end up arguing o It was a reasonable excuse, but something felt off to N. Sullivan''s attitude toward Ruby seemed to have shifted recently.

    ˇ°Got it. I''ll decide who picks up the files. I need to monitor the experiment, so you can go now," N said dismissively.

    Seeing her focus return to the experiment setup, Sullivan, narrowed his eyes before turning and leaving. Just about ten meters from theb, he crossed paths with Ruby, who was returning from the restroom.

    "Good day, Sullivan," she greeted coolly and walked past him without a second nce,

    Sullivan turned, watching her cold and distant figure with a dim glint in his eyes.

    1/2

    Back in theb, Ruby sat down next to N and asked, "N, don''t you think Sullivan''s beening to theb a bit too often today?"

    N was recording the temperature and replied after a moment, "You noticed too? He just

    told me that you could go to his office to pick up files in the future.

    Ruby frowned, looking annoyed.

    Ever since Sullivan

    had overheard her phone conversation yesterday, his behavior had felt off, making her ufortable. She didn''t need anyone''s pity, especially since already had a low opinion of him.

    Brody was under hismand, yet every time Brody and Leon had a conflict or made sn¨Şde remarks toward N, Sullivan acted as if he was invisible. He would only show upter to smooth things over. She had no interest in dealing with someone so calcting.

    ˇ°N, if there are files to pick up, let Leon or Tina handle it. I''d rather stay here and workte on the experiment," Ruby replied.

 Chapter 739

    ?

    Seeing Ruby''s eagerness to avoid Sullivan, N couldn''t help but smile. "Okay, I understand."

    The experiment finally ended around 7:00 p.m.

    After cleaning up the equipment and workspace, N was preparing to leave when Sullivan approached her with a bag of food.

    "N, you all worked hard on the experiment, so I brought some food," he said.

    Surprised, N raised an eyebrow. "Sullivan, that''s very thoughtful of you."

    Tina, who knew Sullivan well, joined them. "Sullivan, you''re as considerate as always."

    In the past, when they workedte on experiments, he would bring them food. She hadn''t expected him to continue even after the teams were split up

    With a friendly smile, Sullivan said, "Of course. You''ve all been working hard. As the project leader, it''s my duty to handle the logistics."

    Since eating wasn''t allowed in theb, he set the food up in the nearby office.

    Although N didn''t particrly like Sullivan, she maintained a professional demeanor.

    After washing her hands and removing herb coat, she was about to head to the office when Ruby spoke up from behind her.

    "N, I''m feeling a bit tired today, so I''m going to head home," Ruby said.

    N turned to find Ruby looking pale, concern shing in her eyes. "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? You look really pale."

    She stepped forward and touched Ruby''s hand, finding it cold.

    Ruby quickly pulled her hand back, shaking her head. "It''s nothing. I''m just a bit tired. I''ll head home first."

    Before N could say anything else, Ruby hurried off.

    Watching Ruby leave, N sighed and walked to the office. As soon as she entered, she noticed Sullivan''s gaze shift. It wasn''t directed at her- it was looking past her.

    For a moment, she thought she saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but she wasn''t sure.

    Leon and Tina were already eating oysters. When they heard the door open, they looked up.

    Tina, surprised to see N without Ruby, asked, "Where''s Ruby?"

    "She said she was tired and went home early," N replied.

    "Qh." Tina didn''t dwell on it and resumed eating.

    N turned to Sullivan. "Sullivan, why aren''t you eating?"

    "I''ve already had dinner, so I''m

    not hungry. I actually have something I need to take care of, so I''ll be heading out. Before you all leave, please double- check that theb and office doors are locked," he reminded them.

    1/2

    As he walked past N, she suddenly stopped him. "Sullivan, there''s something I want to talk to you about. Let''s go outside.

    Sullivan paused for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

    Once they were in the hallway, a cold breeze blew past making it feel chilly.

    "N, if it''s not urgent, let''s discuss it tomorrow. I really need to leave," Sullivan insisted.

    "Sullivan, Ruby is a simple girl. The two of you aren''t a good match, so I hope you can keep your distance," N said.

    She only said this because she was certain Ruby had no feelings for Sullivan. In her opinion, someone like Sullivan wasn''t someone Ruby could handle.

    Sullivan smirked, his smile partially hidden in the shadows, making it hard to read his expression. "That''s my personal matter, and

    I don''t think it''s your ce to interfere."

    With that, he turned and walked away.

    Frowning, N knew she''d have to find an opportunity to talk to Ruby about it directly since Sullivan wasn''t taking her advice. Chapter 740

 Chapter 740

    ?

    Ruby was the hardest worker in theb, and N didn''t want to see her efforts go to waste because of

    Sullivan.

    Just as N was about to leave, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was Damon, she swiped to answer with a flicker of excitement in her eyes.

    "Have the experiments wrapped up yet?" Damon asked.

    *Just finished. Aren''t you back yet?" N replied.

    ˇ°Hm, I''lle down for you so we can go back together," Damon answered.

    His voice was low and soothing, almost as if he were whispering in N''s ear, and she could feel his breath brushing past her.

    A gentle breeze rustled the still air, causing her heart to skip a beat.

    She lowered her gaze and replied softly, "Okay."

    After hanging up, she walked into the office, where Leon and Tina were still eating.

    ˇ°I''m heading out first. Clean up after you finish eating and make sure to lock the office door," she instructed.

    Leon asked, "Aren''t you going to eat?"

    "Not this time. I''ll see you tomorrow," N replied.

    After giving them a brief farewell, she turned and headed toward the elevator.

    As she approached, the elevator doors opened, and Damon stepped out.

    He was dressed in a ck suit and wore a detached expression, but his icy gaze softened the moment he spotted her. It was as if the winter frost had N instinctively quickened her pace, asking, "How did you get here so fast?"

    "I was waiting for the elevator when I called you. I thought if your experiment took longer, I''d just wait by the side," Damon replied.

    Imagining him sitting there waiting for her made N smile. She quipped, "If you were just sitting there, I think everyone in theb would feel a bit unea

    After all, having the boss nearby while working would naturally increase the pressure.

    Damon looked at her and asked, "You haven''t had dinner, right?"

    N nodded. "Yeah, but I don''t feel like ordering takeout. I''ll just make some pasta at home. Have you eaten? If not, I can whip something up for you too."

    "Sure," Damon said.

    As they stood in front of the elevator, Damon caught a glimpse of their reflections in the doors.

    N, petite and adorable beside him, made him subconsciously lean a little closer. Their shadows

    4

    merged, and he smiled, his mood lifting as well.

    Noticing his shift in emotions, N nced up and found herself caught in his gaze. Her heart raced, and she quickly looked away, her pinky instinctiv Realizing her reaction was a bit over the top, she searched for a new topic and asked, "What kind of pasta do you like?"

    "Anything is fine," Damon answered.

    "Then let''s go with something light tonight. We shouldn''t have anything too greasy sote," N concluded.

    "Sounds good," Damon replied.

    As they fell into silence, the elevator arrived.

    N stepped inside first. "Let''s go."

    Damon''s gaze lingered on her slightly flushed cheeks for a moment before he followed her in. He was certain that she felt something for him too. This realization filled him with hope.

    After leaving thepany, Ruby quickly headed back to the dormitory.

    She couldn''t shake the feeling that someone was watching her, as if a pair of eyes were trailing her every

    move.

    ncing around, she noticed that the pedestrians hurried past,pletely ignoring her. She tried to push down her unease and quickened her pace t

    Inside a food joint around the corner, two sinister pairs of eyes were fixed on the direction she was headed.

 Chapter 741

    ?

    Margaret red at Ruby, resentment burning in her eyes. How could Ruby, working at such a goodpany, possibly be

    broke? She must have been nning to abandon Hansel!

    Across from her sat Alex Dous, a man in his 40s with one eye blind, a scarred face, and a menacing

    demeanor.

    "Are you sure if I bring her back, you''ll pay me 3,000 dors? Alex asked.

    Margaret clenched her teeth. "Of course, Duncan agreed to give 40,000 dors as a dowry. As soon as i get the money, I''ll give you 3,000 dors."

    Alex sneered. "Giving me just 3,000 dors out of 40,000 dors? Seems a bit unfair, don''t you think?

    Margaret was surprised by his sudden change of tone, and her expression darkened. "Alex, don''t try to raise the price. You know that money is for sav Alex looked at her mockingly. "You''re willing to throw your daughter into the fire just to save your son. Who''s more inhumane here?"

    Margaret fumed. "Are you going to do it or not? If not, I''ll find someone else!"

    "Of course I''ll do it. It''s a freebie that just dropped in myp," Alex replied.

    "Then hurry up! I promised I''d be back tonight," Margaret snapped.

    Without another word, Alex got up and left the food joint.

    As Margaret watched his figure vanish into the crowd, she felt a surge of anticipation. As long as Alex brought Ruby back, they could save Hansel!

    On her way back to the dorm from Prospectus Technology, Ruby needed to pass through a quiet alley.

    Not long after entering, her anxiety intensified, and her pace quickened. Suddenly, she thought she heard footsteps behind her.

    Although the other person was trying to match her speed, she still sensed it.

    She whipped around, but the alley was empty under the streetlights, and her own breathing was the only sound breaking the silence. Taking a deep breath, she turned back and hurried forward.

    Just a few more steps, and she would be out of the alley. Although it wasn''t in a bustling area, there were usually residents passing by. However, as Ruby approached the alley''s exit, arge hand suddenly reached out from behind her, covering her mouth.

    "Mmph!" Fear washed over her like a tidal wave.

    Her instinct was to struggle, but the hand bore a strange scent that caused her vision to blur and her

    strength to fade.

    Just as Ruby felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, the grip suddenly loosened.

    She fell to the ground but felt no pain, only a peculiar lightness.

    "Ruby! Ruby! Wake up!" someone shouted.

    Ruby felt herself being shaken and forced her eyes open, her vision slowly clearing.

    Seeing Sullivan''s worried face, she was stunned for a moment.

    "Sullivan... did... you... save me?" Her voice trembled with fear, and her face was pale as a sheet.

    "Yeah, are you okay? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?" Sullivan asked.

    Ruby shook her head. "No... No need. I have no money... I''ll be fine after a moment..."

    Sullivan frowned but didn''t push the issue. Instead, he helped her out of the alley and into a nearby fast-food ce, asking the owner for a ss of wa Handing her the ss of water, he asked seriously, "Do you want me to call the police?"

    After taking a sip, Ruby finally began to feel a little better.

    As she set the ss down, her hands were still shaking. If it weren''t for Sullivan''s timely arrival, who knew what might have happened?

    "Did you see the guy''s face?" she asked.

    ˇ°No, he was wearing a mask. I was worried about you, so I didn''t chase after him when he ran off," Sullivan replied.

 Chapter 742

    ?

    There were no surveince cameras in that alley. Since they hadn''t seen the person''s face, calling the police would be pointless, but it was still better than doing nothing at all.

    Ruby bit her lip, deciding she would rather take a longer route than walk through that alley again.

    Noticing her pale face, Sullivan fell silent momentarily before saying, "But before he left, he said something."

    "What did he say?" Ruby asked.

    "He told me not to meddle, saying that even if I could intervene for a moment, I wouldn''t be able to control things for long." Sullivan replied. "And when

    Ruby was appalled-she immediately thought of Hansel losing a lot of

    money gambling. If that person really did know her, her parents may have sent them...

    "I understand, Sullivan. Thank you for today. It''s gettingte, so you should head home. I''ll treat you to a meal another day," she said.

    "No need. It was just a small favor. I noticed you didn''t eat anything tonight. I

    ordered two dishes earlier. After you finish eating, I''ll send you back," Sullivan replied.

    Ruby instinctively curled her hands into fists, feeling embarrassed.

    After giving all her savings to Margaret, thetter had tricked her out of most of the few hundred dors she had left. Now, she had less than 100 do would be starving for the next couple of weeks.

    *Ive already paid for the meal. Don''t worry about it," Sullivan offered kindly.

    Ruby was taken aback, her face turning red.

    She quickly said, ˇ°Sullivan, that''s unnecessary. I''ll transfer the money to youter."

    Sullivan looked at her, a hint of helplessness in his expression. "There''s no need to be so polite. Everyone goes through tough times, and I''m help ˇ°No, Sullivan, I''m very grateful that you saved me today I can''t let you spend money on me. I insist on paying for the meal," Ruby insisted. She took out her wallet and pulled 30 dors from the few notes she had left, handing them to Sullivan

    ng the stubbornness in her gaze. Sullivan sighed and epted the money Fire I''ll take the t but don''t bring us treating me to a meat again Body shook her head. "Thats a different matter

    him. She needed to find an opportunity to repay this favor.

    The two fell silent, and Ruby opened her phone.

    After hesitating for a moment, she sent a message to N, hoping to borrow some money and promising to pay it back after her sry came in next m N''s phone lit up in the living room of Damon''s vi, but she didn''t notice. She was making pasta in the kitchen while Damon washed vegetables in t As the water ran, the two exchanged a few words about work, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

    Once the pasta was nearly done, N added the washed vegetables to the pan. The originally light green vegetables turned

    a vibrant green after just a brief stir.

    Quickly, N transferred the pasta and vegetables to tes with some sauce. She then sprinkled a bit of cheese on top. Two steaming tes of fragra "I''ll wash the pan. You go ahead and serve the pasta," N said.

    "I''ll wash the pot. You serve the pasta," Damon countered.

    As he spoke, he took the pan from her hands and turned on the tap to start washing.

 Chapter 743

    ?

    Chapter 743 Chapter 743

    N watched Damon''s broad back, feeling warmth in the ces where he had touched her. It was as if those

    spots were burning, sending heat through her body straight to her heart.

    A few secondster, she snapped out of it and carried the pasta outside.

    When Damon emerged after washing the pan, he saw N sitting at the dining table, staring down, seemingly lost in thought. He walked over and sat down across from her.

    "Why aren''t you eating?" he asked.

    N looked up. The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away. "I''m waiting for you. Let''s eat together."

    With that, she picked up her cutlery and shoved some pasta into her mouth.

    "Be careful, it''s hot!" Damon reminded her, but it was toote.

    The moment the scalding pasta touched N''s tongue, she frowned in pain.

    Feeling a sharp sting, she quickly spat the pasta out.

    In the next instant, a cool hand grasped her chin.

    Damon said, "Open your mouth."

    N instinctivelyplied, a refreshing pine scent enveloping her, surrounding herpletely.

    Damon stood beside her chair, their bodies close together.

    N felt herself tense up subconsciously, her hands slowly tightening on the table. Her heartbeat quickened as if it might leap out of her chest at any moment.

    Just when she thought her face was burning too, he suddenly released her chin.

    "You''ve burned a blister on your tongue. I''ll have someone bring over some oral gel," Damon said.

    As he turned to leave, an inexplicable sense of loss welled up in N.

    Suppressing the sudden wave of emotions, she feigned calmness and said, "It''s fine. It''ll heal in a couple of days. I don''t need any oral gel." Damon nced back at her with a frown. "You should use the oral gel so it heals quickly. You won''t be able to eat pasta either. I''ll have Lydia cook some soup for you."

    "There''s no need to go to so much trouble. I can cook it myself. It''s gettingte. Don''t disturb Lydia," N declined.

    ˇ°Just sit still. I''ll make it for you. You are all thumbs and might end up hurting yourself again,ˇ± Damon nagged as he headed toward the kitchen.

    N quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. It''s just my tongue that''s hurt, My hands are fine. You should eat your pasta. It''ll get soggy if you Seeing that Damon was about to argue, she added, "Don''t forget, thest time you didn''t eat properly, your

    3/2

    stomach hurt from hunger. Do you really want to mess up your stomach again?"

    Damon looked at her, his deep-set eyes searching hers. "N, are you concerned about me?"

    N was taken aback, feeling oddly shy. She couldn''t meet his gaze and looked away. "Who''s concerned about you? I just don''t want Buddy to worry about you."

    "Just don''t want Buddy to worry? Don''t you have any concern for me?" Damon asked.

    As he spoke, he leaned closer, fixing his intense gaze on her. He didn''t want to miss any change in her expression.

    The distance between them closed.

    N instinctively took a step back, trying to create some space.

    Damon seemed to sense her intention and tightened his grip around her waist, not allowing her to retreat.

    "N, why won''t you answer?" he asked,

    N bit her lip, feeling parched. "Let go of me first..."

    She was enveloped in his pine scent, feeling as though she were in a tranquil pine forest, every breath filled with that cool and secure aroma. "I''ll let go of you once you answer me," Damon said.

    N pushed against his chest, her eyes filled with anger. "Damon, don''t be unreasonable!"

    Seeing that she was genuinely upset, Damon didn''t dare tease her any further. If he really annoyed her, it

    would be hard to coax her back.

    Just then, footsteps approached.

    N quickly pushed Damon away and turned to walk briskly into the kitchen.

    Lydia had just stepped into the living room when she spotted N''s back.

    "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Mason is already asleep. Is there anything else you need me to do?" she asked.

    ˇ°N burned her tongue while eating just now. Please bring some oral gel for treating burns," Damon instructed.

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    Lydia quickly nodded. "Okay, I''ll go get it now."

    By the time she returned with the oral gel, N wasing out of the kitchen.

    "Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner said you burned your tongue while eating. You should apply this oral gel, and it should be better by morning," Lydia advised.

    N took the oral gel and replied, "Thank you, Lydia. It''s gettingte, so you should go rest."

    Lydia nced toward the kitchen. "Ms. Kinsey, are you nning to cook something? Do you want me to help?"

    "No need. I''m just making some soup. I can handle it. You should go get some rest," N answered.

    Lydia nodded. "Alright, but if you need anything, just call me."

    "Will do," N replied.

    Once Lydia left, the living room fell into a sudden quiet, with only N and Damon present.

    After what had just happened, she felt a bit awkward facing him.

    Damon put down his cutlery and looked at her. "Come here."

    Under the lights, he appeared calm, but an undeniable tension filled the air.

    "What''s wrong?" N asked, remaining where she stood and watching him.

    "I''ll help you apply the oral gel," Damon said.

    As soon as he said that, an image of him applying oral gel to her tongue shed in her mind, making her bite her lip.

    "No need. I can do it myself," N refused.

    Damon didn''t reply but continued to look at her, his dark eyes intense.

    Feeling the weight of his gaze, N instinctively tightened her grip on the oral gel tube.

    "Damon, really, it''s fine. I can manage," she insisted.

    In the next moment, he stood up and walked toward her. He moved slowly, but each step felt like itnded in her heart, making her heartbeat quicken. He stopped right in front of her, extending his hand. "Give me the oral gel."

    "It''s fine, I can-" N began to decline.

    Before she could finish, he grasped her wrist.

    She froze for a moment, then instinctively tried to pull away, but he had already let go.

    "Go sit on the sofa," Damon said.

    N nced at the oral gel he now held, ready to protest, but he

    seemed to anticipate her next words. "If you refuse again, I''ll carry you there myself."

    1/2

    Under Damon''s unwavering gaze, N lowered her own and reluctantly agreed.

    Once she sat on the edge of the sofa, she heard his deep voice from above. "Look up and open your mouth."

    She followed his instructions, but as soon as she looked up, their eyes locked.

    At that moment, her heart raced even faster.

    Quickly, she averted her gaze, her hands subconsciously tightening at her sides as she fought to stay calm.

    Damon cupped her chin, his deep voice close to her ear. "Open your mouth."

    N slowly parted her lips, clutching the hem of her shirt in anxiety. She didn''t know why she was so nervous- she had already decided to just be friends with Damon.

    Yet, as he drew near, her heart fluttered uncontrobly. His handsome face was

    so close, and the faint scent of pine surrounding him made her thoughts spiral.

    "Don''t be nervous. It won''t hurt," Damon coaxed.

    While speaking, he dipped a cotton swab into the oral gel and gently applied it to the blister on her tongue.

    N had expected it to hurt, but instead, there was no pain at all. The oral gel had a refreshing minty scent that felt soothing.

    As she looked up at Damon, her eyes were slightly reddened and held a hint of innocence that inspired a sense of protectiveness.

    Damon''s gaze darkened, and his body tensed as he fought the urge to kiss her.

    Once he finished applying the oral gel, he withdrew his hand and tossed the swab into the trash.

    "All done. Just avoid irritating the blister tonight, and it should be fine by morning," he said.

 Chapter 745

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    ˇ°Okay, I understand," N replied.

    She lowered her eyes, suddenly recalling that the soup was cooking in the kitchen. When she looked up to ask Damon if she could have some now, s The living room fell silent.

    She could almost hear her heart racing. After a few seconds of staring, she finally snapped back to reality and quickly averted her gaze.

    Right away, Damon''s deep voice broke the silence. "What is it?"

    N bit her lip and spoke softly. "I just wanted to ask if I can still have soup tonight?"

    "You can, but try to avoid the areas that got burned," Damon answered.

    "Got it. I''m fine now," N said.

    "Alright, I''ll check again in the morning. If there''s still swelling, we''ll apply the oral gel again," Damon replied.

    As soon as he finished speaking, N recalled the earlier moment when he applied the oral gel for her, and her cheeks flushed.

    She really didn''t want to go through that again, so she said, "Just give me the oral gel. I can apply it in front of the mirror tomorrow." "It''s no trouble at all. I don''t have anything nned for tomorrow anyway," Damon dismissed.

    N felt speechless-that wasn''t what she meant!

    Since he wouldn''t give it to her, she had no choice.

    "I''ll go check on the soup..." she muttered.

    Without waiting for his response, she hurried away, feeling as if she were escaping. Damon watched her retreating figure, his expression thoughtful and his gaze obscure.

    When N finished cooking the soup, Damon was already in the study, dealing with work.

    She poured herself a bowl and set it aside to cool. Just as she picked up her phone, she noticed a message from Ruby and immediately called back. The call connected quickly, and Ruby''s somewhat hoarse voice came through. "N..."

    "Ruby, what''s wrong? Did something happen? How much do you need?" N asked.

    Upon hearing N''s genuine concern, Ruby''s eyes reddened as she struggled to hold back tears. "It''s nothing. I just don''t have enough money from t ˇ°Sure, I''ll transfer it to you right away. If that''s not enough, let me know," N assured her.

    7/2

    -75 BONUS

    Thank you Nie Ruby cred

    "Don''t worry about it. it''s just a small thing. If you ever need help, remember to reach out. You''re here in Sartore for the project with me. I''ll take care o "Alright. It''s gettingte now, Nyia, so I won''t keep your Ruby replied.

    After hanging up. We promptly transferred the money to Ruby. She wanted to ask what was going on but decided against it. If Ruby wanted to share, Damon was on a call with Spencer in the study.

    "Are you sure Howard has no connections with Gabriel?" Demon asked.

    Yes, Mr. Sumner. I''ve checked Howard''s contacts from the past year. He has no interactions with Mr. Hackett, nor with anyone around him or hisp Damor''s expression darkened. His instincts told him this matter was linked to Gabriel, and he trusted that feeling

    Got it," he replied.

    After a moment of silence on the other end, Spencer''s cautious voice returned. ''So... should we continue the investigation?"

    "File a report. We need to ensure Howard doesn''t have any chance to appear in front of N again. Also, keep an eye on Gabriel, Damon instructed.

    "Understood. By the way, Mr. Pedro Wilkie''s birthday banquet is next week. Mr. Hackett will likely attend. Are you nning to send a gift or go in perso

    Pedro was the grandfather of Gabriel''s wife, Jane Wilde. Since Gabriel married Jane, he had taken over one of the Wilkie gamingpanies.

    C

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    ?

    Over the past few years, thepany had produced several well-received games that revitalized its reputation. It had be one of the more profitable subsidiaries of the Wilkie Group.

    Damon said coldly, "Prepare a gift. I''ll go over in person."

    After hanging up, he set his phone down, his gaze growing colder.

    If Gabriel dared to do anything to N again, he wouldn''t let it slide, even with the Wilkies backing Gabriel!

    After all, their little family of three had finally found a bit of peace, and he wouldn''t allow anyone to disrupt that.

    The next morning, as N got up to wash

    up, she noticed that the blister from the burn on her tongue was already fading. It was only a bit red and swollen now, and in a couple of days, it should

    Once she finished washing up, she went downstairs to find Damon having breakfast. As he heard hering, he looked up

    just in time to meet her gaze.

    N smiled awkwardly. "Good morning."

    "Morning. How''s your tongue feeling?" Damon asked.

    Worried he might insist on applying medication himself, N quickly replied, "It''s fine now. There''s no need for any oral gel." Damon smirked. "Are you afraid I''ll have to treat you?"

    "No, I just wanted to let you know it''s really fine. No need to trouble you," N replied stubbornly.

    "I thought you might be shy or something," Damon teased.

    "How could I be? Definitely not!" N hissed.

    ˇ°Well, as long as that''s the case," Damon hummed.

    His dark eyes fixed on her as if he could see right through her thoughts.

    N lowered her gaze and sat down across from him.

    Mason had already finished breakfast and left for school, so it was just the two of them at the table, making the atmosphere a bit quiet. After breakfast, Damon and N headed to work together.

    During the ride, neither of them spoke.

    As they neared thepany building, Damon put down the files in his hands and asked N, "Do you have any ns next Friday?" "No, why?" N asked.

    1/2

    "Could you apany me to a party?" Damon Invited

    N frowned. "What kind of

    party?"

    She had never been interested in parties, feeling like everyone wore a mask and it all felt so unreal. Thankfully, she didn''t have to deal with business a "It''s Pedro Wilkie''s birthda

    party. I need a femalepanion, and since everyone knows we''re back together, it wouldn''t be appropriate to bring another woman," Damon exin That reason waspelling enough for N to agree. After all, she was the one who had suggested they pretend

    to be back together in the first ce.

    "Sure. What should I wear?" she asked.

    Damon assured her, "You don''t have to worry about that. I''ll take care of it."

    N nodded, falling silent again.

    Soon, the car pulled into Prospectus Technology''s parking lot, and she got out alongside Damon.

    Aftering to work together for a few days, the Prospectus employees had started to get used to Seeing them

    together. Privately, however, they were still discussing how long Damon would remain interested in N before moving on.

    After all, one was an eligible bachelor, while the other was just a lowly drug research employee-pletely mismatched in their eyes. While waiting for the elevator, several female employees nced at N. Some were jealous, some envious, and some curious.

    Fortunately, N was already used to being the center of attention, so she didn''t mind.

    Damon looked at her, quietly saying, "I might have a meeting during lunch today and won''t be able to join you. Just go straight to my office. Spencer w "No need. Since you''re busy today, I''ll eat in the cafeteria. It''s been a few days since I had cafeteria food, and I''m actually craving it," N replied.

 Chapter 747

    ?

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "You like cafeteria food?"

    N nodded. "Yeah, some of the dishes are really good and authentic."

    "Then we should go together next time," Damon said,

    N agreed.

    It was only after she had readily agreed that she suddenly realized what

    Damon meant. Did he want to go to the cafeteria with her? Did he think she hadn''t been popr enoughtely?

    Since they were alreadymuting to and from work together every day and she visited the CEO''s office for lunch

    daily, going to the cafeteria together didn''t seem like a big deal.

    Besides, with Damon''s statement about their rtionship sent to thepany group chat, no one would dare gossip about them openly.

    As N pondered this, she realized she had grown ustomed to being with Damon. She didn''t know when he had started to quietly seep into her life Thinking this, she bit her lip and fell silent.

    Noticing N''s silence, Damon frowned, about to speak when the elevator arrived.

    Once they stepped inside, several Prospectus employees

    followed them in. After a few days, the employees had stopped being afraid to ride in the same elevator with them.

    Previously, many people had missed their clock-

    in time because they were too intimidated to ride the elevator with Damon and N, resulting in a lost month of full attendance bonus.

    That bonus at Prospectus Technology meant 300 dors. Losing that kind of money had made their

    hearts ache.

    Damon hadn''t found a chance to talk to N, and the elevator soon reached her floor. She walked out with her head down.

    As the elevator doors closed behind N, she finally felt the heat of Damon''s gaze fade and sighed in relief. She hurried toward theb. Once she entered theb, Ruby greeted her.

    Seeing the redness around Ruby''s eyes, N chose not to ask and pretended not to notice as she started her experiments.

    The morning experiments were busy, and N didn''t even have time to drink anything, finishing just at 12: 30 p.m.

    When she saw Ruby heading out for lunch, she called out, "I''ll go with you."

    Ruby looked surprised. "N, you''re not eating with Mr. Sumner today?"

    N nodded. "He has a meeting during lunch."

    "Oh." Ruby didn''t ask anything else, and the two of them walked to the elevator in silence.

    As they reached the elevator, Sullivan''s voice came from behind. "N, Ruby, what a coincidence! Are you guys heading to lunch too?"

    N turned around, her tone a bit cold as she replied, ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    "I was just about to go. Let''s go together," Sullivan suggested.

    N frowned, realizing that Sullivan hadn''t taken her

    warning to heart at all. It seemed she needed to find a good opportunity to talk to Ruby about him.

    "Sullivan, it''s just us two girls. It wouldn''t be appropriate for you to tag along, would it?" N hinted.

    Sullivan smiled. "I didn''t know you were so traditional, N. Isn''t it normal for male and female colleagues to eat together? Plus, I have some data I''d like to discuss with you over lunch."

    "It''s lunchtime now. If you want to discuss the data, pleasee

    find me during work hours," N stated. Their conversation wasced with tension, and Ruby subconsciously clenched her fists, looking down in thou

    "Since you don''t want to discuss work matters, we can chat about other things while we eat," Sullivan said.

    N''s expression darkened.

    Just as she was about to speak, Ruby suddenly interjected, "N, I just remembered there''s a piece ofb equipment I haven''t cleaned yet. I think I''ll skip lunch

 Chapter 748

    ?

    N kept her eyes on the experiment, fully aware that all the instruments had been cleaned and checked.

    However, since Ruby didn''t want to interact much with Sullivan, she was happy to oblige. "Alright, just make sure you''re more careful next time." "Okay," Ruby replied as she left.

    Sullivan watched her walk away with a squint. He hadn''t expected Ruby to be so difficult to approach.

    Soon, the elevator arrived.

    N stepped inside and noticed that Sullivan was still standing outside.

    She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Sullivan, aren''t youing? Didn''t you say you wanted to discuss some data with me?"

    Sullivan''s gaze hardened slightly. "Didn''t you say to find you during work hours? Plus, if I eat alone with you, Mr. Sumner will definitely have something

    N smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Alright then, see youter."

    After lunch downstairs, N packed up a chicken sandwich for Ruby.

    When she returned to the office, she found Ruby sitting at her desk, staring off into space, lost in thought.

    It was only when N''s footsteps sounded behind Ruby that she snapped back to reality and turned to

    look.

    N ced the chicken sandwich on her desk and said, "Eat up."

    ˇ°Thanks, N. I''ll transfer the money to youter," Ruby replied.

    "Alright. By the way, what do

    you think of Sullivan?" N asked.

    Ruby paused while unpackaging the chicken sandwich, her expression t as she replied, "He''s okay, I guess. We haven''t had much contact, and I''m N hesitated for a moment but decided to be direct. I think he wants to pursue you."

    "You must be mistaken. We''ve only met a few times. There''s no way he would like me. Besides, he''s not my type," Ruby answered.

    Even though Sullivan had saved her once, she still felt he wasn''t a good person. She was grateful but didn''t want to have too much to do with him. "Ruby, I''ve been mentoring you in theb. I know how hard you''ve worked to get where you are. You deserve someone better," N said. Ruby looked up at her, nodding. "I know, and I''m not thinking about dating anyone right now."

    Because of her upbringing, she felt lost in any close rtionship and found it difficult to start a normal romantic rtionship. She always kept her guard up, believing no one could truly love her. She also feared

    1/2

    getting attached to someone else, worried about getting hurt.

    A person with such heavy thoughts as hers probably wouldn''t find love.

    No matter if Sullivan was simply curious or had other motives, she wouldn''t give him a chance.

    "If you meet someone good, you should definitely give it a shot. I hope you find someone sincere and gentle who will love you," N encouraged.

    Her tone was gentle as she ruffled Ruby''s hair.

    Since Ruby was a few years younger, N had

    come to see her as a younger sister over the years. She wanted Ruby to be with someone good, not someone cunning who might manipte her. "Yeah," Ruby replied, taking small bites of her sandwich, finding it tasteless.

    With her personality, who would ever love her?

    To her, love seemed less real than the chicken sandwich in front of her. It felt like an elusive thing. If

    even her parents didn''t love her, how could she trust anyone else''s love?

    Seeing that Ruby seemed to be absorbing her words, N turned back to her own workstation.

    After finishing her chicken sandwich, Ruby thought for a while and decided to text Sullivan, inviting him to dinner that evening.

 Chapter 749

    ?

    However, Ruby didn''t n to go alone and intended to invite N along.

    After she shared what had happened the previous night, N''s expression darkened.

    "Why didn''t you tell mest night? Did you call the police?" N asked.

    Ruby nodded. "Yes, I reported it, and the police are investigating now."

    N''s gaze dimmed. If she had any hope left for her parents, it was now gone. Ruby genuinely intended to cut

    ties with them.

    If the police discovered that the person who tried to drug and abduct her was indeed acting on her parents'' orders, she wouldn''t let it slide easily.

    Seeing the determination and strength in Ruby''s eyes made N''s heart ache.

    She took Ruby''s hand and said, "Alright, I''ll go with you tonight. Sullivan saved your life, so it''s only right to invite him to dinner."

    "Thank you, N," Ruby replied.

    N sighed and spoke seriously. "If anything like this happens again, you must tell me right away."

    Ruby''s eyes shimmered with gratitude. ˇ°N, thank you!"

    ˇ°Alright, enough with the pleasantries. Go take a break,ˇ± N said.

    "Okay," Ruby answered.

    After Ruby left, N hesitated for a long time before sending Damon a message, hoping he could help Ruby find out who had tried to kidnap her.

    About ten minutester, she finally received a response from him.

    Damon: [N, I expectpensation for helping others.]

    N bit her lip.

    N: [What kind ofpensation do you want?]

    Damon: [Let me think... How about you cook for me this weekend?]

    Upon reading this, N felt a wave of relief.

    Thankfully, it wasn''t too difficult a request. At the same time, she felt a little disappointed. Was she... secretly hoping for something?

    She pushed those thoughts aside, took a deep breath, and replied: [Okay.]

    Damon didn''t reply after that, likely because he was busy

    N set her phone down and rested her head on her desk for a nap.

    The afternoon flew by, and it was time to leave work.

    Sullivan came to find Ruby. "I drove. You can ride with me tonight, and I''ll drop you off after dinner."

    "Sullivan, I n to invite N to dinner as well. You don''t mind, do you?" Ruby asked.

    Sullivan frowned but soon smiled again. "Not at all. You can both ride with me."

    Ruby turned to N. "N, what do you think? Should we go with Sullivan?"

    N smiled. "Sure, that would be great. Thanks, Sullivan

    99

    "It''s no trouble. It''s my pleasure. Since your experiment is done, let''s head out now," Sullivan said.

    "Okay," N and Ruby said.

    As Sullivan turned around, his smile vanished, leaving his expression icy and unsettling.

    N sent a message to Damon, letting him know she would be having dinner with Ruby and wouldn''t be going back with him. Damon hadn''t replied yet, probably still in a meeting.

    N put her phone in her bag and got in the car with Sullivan and Ruby.

    Because of the evening rush hour, the roads were a bit congested. By the time they arrived at the restaurant, a it was nearly 7:00 p.m.

    After sitting down and ordering their food, N received a message from Damon. He said he had

    socialmitments that evening and asked for the restaurant''s address, saying he would have his driver pick her up after dinner. N was typing a reply when Ruby tugged at her sleeve.

    "N, isn''t that Mr. Sumner outside? Who''s that woman with him? They seem pretty close," Rubymented.

    N turned her head. What she saw through the window was a couple walking side by side. Her grip on her phone tightened instinctively.

 Chapter 750

    ?

    Damon wore a well-tailored dark suit, his tall figure exuding an air of authority,

    Beside him stood a woman in an elegant cream-

    colored dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders with soft curls at the ends. She appeared gentle and

    alluring, wearing a small smile, her eyes bright and lively.

    Damon had his head turned slightly to converse with the woman beside him, his gaze focused. She looked up at him, her expression warm.

    There seemed to be a special understanding between them, making them appear very close.

    N stared nkly out the window at the couple, her heart feeling as if it were being tightly gripped. She struggled to calm herself, but her eyes could Ruby watched N with concern and quietly asked, ˇ°Are you okay, N?"

    N snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "I''m fine."

    What she didn''t realize was just how strained that smile was.

    She turned her gaze away, no longer looking at the couple outside, and began deleting the unfinished text message on her phone. She also deleted her chat with Damon.

    While she could erase the chat, the image from earlier kept resurfacing in her mind.

    N bit her lip, filled with confusion and unease. Who was that woman? Why was she so close to Damon?

    In the past, she had

    seen Damon interact with other women. He had always been indifferent, never giving anyone a chance to misinterpret his intentions. But this woman was different.

    Countless questions swirled in her mind, yet none had answers.

    N tried to push her chaotic thoughts aside, forcing herself not to dwell on them.

    Despite her efforts, Sullivan seemed to see through her inner turmoil.

    He raised an eyebrow and said, "N, you''re dating Mr. Sumner, Why don''t you just call him and ask what''s going on?"

    N''s hands clenched tightly as she forced another smile. "I trust him."

    Sullivan sighed, assuming the demeanor of someone with experience. "You really don''t understand men If you don''t confront him about it now, he''ll ne

    ˇ°He might even turn it around on you, saying you''re being paranoid. If you don''t ask him now, it''ll put you at a disadvantageter on."

    "Is that from your personal experience, Sullivan?" N''s tone dripped with sarcasm, and there was no hint of

    a smile on her face.

    Sullivan''s expression stiffened, and he instinctively nced at Ruby.

    Seeing her looking at him too, he quickly replied, "You''re misunderstanding me. I''m just offering some advice Chapter 750

    from a man''s perspective. Why are you dragging me int

    "But you''re a man too, aren''t you? If you can give me this her when she sees you getting cozy with another woma Sullivan frowned, struggling to suppress his anger, thou you''re upset about seeing Mr. Sumner with another wor N smiled. ˇ°I''m not angry. I was just considering the p

    hit a nerve?"

    Sullivan''s fists clenched, fury simmering in his eyes.

    The air grew tense, and Ruby sat uneasily, unsure of wh

    After a long silence, Sullivan suddenlyughed. "N, w not go back and forth. I don''t want to make things awkw

    from a man''s perspective. Why are you dragging me into this?"

    "But you''re a man too, aren''t you? If you

    can give me this advice, does that mean you''d use this tactic against her when she sees you getting cozy with another woman?" N pressed. Sullivan frowned, struggling to suppress his anger, though his expression was clearly upset. "N, I know you''re upset about seeing Mr. Sumner with

    N smiled. "I''m not angry. I was just considering the possibility. So why are you the one getting upset? Did I hit a nerve?"

    Sullivan''s fists clenched, fury simmering in his eyes.

    The air grew tense, and Ruby sat uneasily, unsure of whom tofort.

    After a long silence, Sullivan suddenlyughed. "N, we''re here tonight

    for Ruby''s dinner invitation, so let''s not go back and forth. I don''t want to make things awkward for her."

 Chapter 751

    ?

    Nis nced at Rusty out of the corner of her eye and noticed her pale face. She fell silent, clearly epting, Sullivan''s words.

    From then on, neither of them exchanged nces, speaking only to Ruby individually.

    Once dinner concluded, Sullivan offered to drive them home, but N declined

    Sullivan quickly resumed his previous gentle facade. "N you''re not still holding onto what happened earlier, are you? If you''re really upset, I can apologize

    No need, Sullivan. It''s out of the way for you, so I''ll just take a cab home," N replied.

    Just as she turned to walk toward the curb, Ruby grabbed her arm. "N, I''ll go with you. It''s on my way."

    N turned to Sullivan and said, "Sullivan, it''s gettingte. You should head home too. Drive safely.".

    Sullivan didn''t push further, simply nodding. "Alright, let me know when you get home."

    "Sure," Ruby replied.

    Sullivan turned toward his car only after N and Ruby hailed a cab and left.

    In the taxi, N apologized to Ruby. "I''m sorry, Ruby. If it weren''t for me, the atmosphere wouldn''t have been so awkward tonight."

    Ruby shook her head. ˇ°It''s fine, N. I think what you said was right.ˇ±

    She had invited Sullivan to dinner because he''d saved her, and she felt obligated to help him if he needed anything. Yet, she couldn''t shake the feeling "Ruby, I hope you always stay this alert. There are many ways to thank Sullivan for his help, but don''t let your gratitude lead you to ept his feelings

    "I understand," Ruby replied.

    "Good," N said.

    After chatting for a bit longer, Ruby got out of the cab.

    N was left alone, her mind drifting back to the scene she had witnessed earlier in the restaurant. A pang of bitterness rose in her chest. Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

    Seeing Damon''s name shing on the scree moment, she decided to pick up.

    "What''s up?" she asked.

    she over whether to answer. After a

    it her lip and hesitated

    "Didn''t I ask you to send me the address for dinner? Why didn''t you?" Damon replied.

    N looked down, fiddling with the tassels on her bag. "There''s no need. I''m soon."

    There was a pause on the other end.

    on my way back now. I''ll be there

    After several seconds, Damon''s deep voice finally echoed. "Alright. I''ll wait for you at home."

    1/2

    After hanging up, N stared out the

    window, feeling a tight knot in her chest. She reminded herself that she and Damon were just putting on an act. She had no right to be angry about h

    She would gradually get used to it. Even if Damon kissed another woman in front of her one day, she would remain unfazed.

    As the cab pulled up to the vi, N''s mood had calmed.

    After paying the fare and stepping out, she saw Damon standing at the entrance, gazing at her with a serious expression.

    She hesitated for a moment before approaching him. "Why are you outside?"

    "I was waiting for you," he answered.

    "Oh, thanks. But you don''t need to do that next time. Let''s go inside," she said, walking past him.

    Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and asked, "Did something happen today?"

    SORAS BONUS

    N shrugged off Damon''s hand and answered with her head lowered, "It''s nothing. I''m just a bit tired. If you don''t have anything else, I''m going Without waiting for his response, she quickly walked into the vi.

    Watching her hurried departure, Damon frowned. He felt that N''s attitude toward him was off.

    After hesitating for a moment, he called Spencer. "Check where N had dinner tonight and who was with her."

    In less than ten minutes, Spencer sent him the results of his investigation.

    Upon seeing the name of the restaurant, Damon''s eyes widened. He had his suspicions immediately.

    Back in her bedroom, N had just finished removing her makeup and was about to take a shower when she heard a knock at the door.

    "N, I need to talk to you. Can you open the door?" Damon asked.

    Hearing his voice, N bit her lip, put down her pajamas, and walked to the door to open it. She asked, "What is it?"

    Meeting her distant gaze, Damon became even more convinced she must have seen him with Charlotte Sumner tonight.

    Charlotte was Brandon''s older cousin. She hade over for a business

    meeting and had taken the opportunity to invite Damon and Brandon to dinner. Since she lived near Prospectus Technology, Damon

    had offered her a ride. Because Charlotte had gone abroad for her studies in middle school, it was unsurprising that N didn''t know her, especially as

    "The person I had dinner with tonight was Charlotte Sumner, my niece," Damon exined.

    N blinked, her expression growing slightly unnatural. "You don''t need to exin. I don''t care who you have dinner with."

    Damon looked into her eyes and insisted, "But I want to exin. I don''t want you to misunderstand."

    "I''m not misunderstanding," N said stubbornly.

    "Really? You''re acting so cold toward me tonight. Are you imagining that I''m flirting with you

    while being entangled with other women?" Damon probed..

    His gaze was sharp as if he wanted to see into her innermost thoughts through her

    eyes.

    Feeling a bit guilty, N quickly looked away, insisting, "I''m not! Stop making things up!"

    "Okay, okay, it''s my fault. But next time you see me with another woman, can you at least give me a chance to exin before deciding to sentence me

    Since their rtionship had just started to warm up, he didn''t want any misunderstandings to push her away again.

    "If you just kept your distance from women, how could I misunderstand?" N questioned.

    "Fine, I''ll make sure to avoid all women in the future. If any female employeese within three meters of me, I''ll dock their attendance and performa

    1/2

    N couldn''t help but re at him. "Can you be serious you if they hear it!"

    Damon''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "I don''t care if c me"

    At that moment, N felt like fireworks were going off i and everything wasing back to life.

    "Got it," she muttered..

    "Then... you''re not angry anymore?" Damon asked.

    "I was never angry," N replied.

    "You''re saying you''re not angry? When you looked at me Damon teased.

    "What are you talking about? I just ignored you. When d

 Chapter 752

    ?

    mon''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "I don''t care if c me"

    At that moment, N felt like fireworks were going off i and everything wasing back to life.

    "Got it," she muttered..

    "Then... you''re not angry anymore?" Damon asked.

    "I was never angry," N replied.

    "You''re saying you''re not angry? When you looked at me Damon teased.

    "What are you talking about? I just ignored you. When dic

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    *

    Nyta couldn''t help but re at him. "Can you be serious? What kind of ridiculous rule is that?! People willugh at you if they hear it!"

    Damon''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "I don''t care if othersugh. What matters is whether you misunderstand

    At that moment, N felt like fireworks were going off in her heart. It was as if winter was giving way to spring and everything wasing back to life. "Got it," she muttered.

    "Then... you''re not angry anymore?" Damon asked.

    "I was never angry," N replied.

    "You''re saying you''re not angry? When you looked at me just now, your lips were so pouted they could hold a jar!" Damon teased.

    "What are you talking about? I just ignored you. When did I pout?" N denied it.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

    ??????? ??.

    ?????? ??. ??????? ?????

    bio

    Toddhi Al Ma''s Waldom reperin Trainorary Buy but amit a N of affection in his eyes.

    "And 1 till her nistown pealiseas

    "Alright. I met heer mensan ne duarto youuved at day

    Road at his secundang tre, Neste har in her heart

    She, Pro point to the a shoet i thier

    1. ay. I''m going to the shower it there''s nothing. En chosing the done now," she said.

    What do you want to beaktat tomorrow? I''ll make it for you." Bament offered

    "Anything."Nyls replied

    Fearing Daton might continge prying, she quickly closed the door.

    Leaning against it, she let out a soft sigh, patted her still warm cheeks, and tried to calm herself down

    Despite knowing each other for so many years, her heart raced whenever she faced Damon. Even just locking eyes with him made her cheeks flush. After regaining herposure, she grabbed her clothes and headed for the shower.

    The next morning, N came downstairs to see Damon bringing out breakfast from the kitchen.

    She paused. She had assumed he was just being casualst night, but here he was, actually making breakfast for

    her.

    * As she reached the dining table and saw all her favorite dishesid out, she couldn''t help but ask, "Why did you

    make so much?"

    "You didn''t tell me what you wantedst night, so I made a little bit of everything. Take the leftovers to share with your coworkerster," Damon sugges

    N pulled out a chair and sat down, replying, "Thanks, but you don''t have

    to make breakfast for me anymore. You''re so busy. Don''t waste your time in the kitchen."

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "N, you''re just as important as work to me."

    Meeting his gentle gaze, N felt her face heat up again and quickly looked away. "Eat quickly, or it''ll get cold."

    After they finished breakfast, Mason finally came downstairs.

    "Good morning, Daddy! Good morning, Mommy!" he greeted.

    After greeting them, he climbed onto the chair next to N and asked, "Mommy, I want the meatballs.ˇ±

    The meatballs were far from him,pletely out of reach.

    N grabbed a few meatballs for Mason and poured him a ss of milk.

    Mason''s face instantly fell-he hated milk. Every time he had to drink it, it was a struggle.

    Seeing his face scrunch up, N couldn''t help but

    laugh. "Didn''t I tell you? You have to drink milk to grow tall and strong! Just one ss a week, okay?" "Fine," Mason relented.

    Reluctantly, he picked up the ss of milk and started drinking.

    1/2

    Antet breakfast, the driver took Mason to school at nasal e aman and Nyta headed in the office

    N brought the exre breakfast Damon had made to share with Ruby and Leon

    As Ruby air, she looked at N. "N, why are your suddenly bringing us breakfast? You''re not going to make us work overtime, are you?" The mere thought made her pancakes taste a little less appealing.

    N chuckled. "No, don''t worry."

    "That''s a relief," Ruby replied.

    After finishing the morning experiments, N went to the top floor as usual to have lunch with Damon.

    When she arrived at the CEO''s office, she noticed no one was at their desks. A hint of surprise crossed her face. Were they all in a meeting today?

    Just as she reached the door of Damon''s office, she heard his cold voice from ins

 Chapter 753

    ?

    mon''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "I don''t care if c me"

    At that moment, N felt like fireworks were going off i and everything wasing back to life.

    "Got it," she muttered..

    "Then... you''re not angry anymore?" Damon asked.

    "I was never angry," N replied.

    "You''re saying you''re not angry? When you looked at me Damon teased.

    "What are you talking about? I just ignored you. When dic

    Today''s Bonus Offer

    *

    Nyta couldn''t help but re at him. "Can you be serious? What kind of ridiculous rule is that?! People willugh at you if they hear it!"

    Damon''s eyes were filled with sincerity. "I don''t care if othersugh. What matters is whether you misunderstand

    At that moment, N felt like fireworks were going off in her heart. It was as if winter was giving way to spring and everything wasing back to life. "Got it," she muttered.

    "Then... you''re not angry anymore?" Damon asked.

    "I was never angry," N replied.

    "You''re saying you''re not angry? When you looked at me just now, your lips were so pouted they could hold a jar!" Damon teased.

    "What are you talking about? I just ignored you. When did I pout?" N denied it.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

    ??????? ??.

    ?????? ??. ??????? ?????

    bio

    Toddhi Al Ma''s Waldom reperin Trainorary Buy but amit a N of affection in his eyes.

    "And 1 till her nistown pealiseas

    "Alright. I met heer mensan ne duarto youuved at day

    Road at his secundang tre, Neste har in her heart

    She, Pro point to the a shoet i thier

    1. ay. I''m going to the shower it there''s nothing. En chosing the done now," she said.

    What do you want to beaktat tomorrow? I''ll make it for you." Bament offered

    "Anything."Nyls replied

    Fearing Daton might continge prying, she quickly closed the door.

    Leaning against it, she let out a soft sigh, patted her still warm cheeks, and tried to calm herself down

    Despite knowing each other for so many years, her heart raced whenever she faced Damon. Even just locking eyes with him made her cheeks flush. After regaining herposure, she grabbed her clothes and headed for the shower.

    The next morning, N came downstairs to see Damon bringing out breakfast from the kitchen.

    She paused. She had assumed he was just being casualst night, but here he was, actually making breakfast for

    her.

    * As she reached the dining table and saw all her favorite dishesid out, she couldn''t help but ask, "Why did you

    make so much?"

    "You didn''t tell me what you wantedst night, so I made a little bit of everything. Take the leftovers to share with your coworkerster," Damon sugges

    N pulled out a chair and sat down, replying, "Thanks, but you don''t have

    to make breakfast for me anymore. You''re so busy. Don''t waste your time in the kitchen."

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "N, you''re just as important as work to me."

    Meeting his gentle gaze, N felt her face heat up again and quickly looked away. "Eat quickly, or it''ll get cold."

    After they finished breakfast, Mason finally came downstairs.

    "Good morning, Daddy! Good morning, Mommy!" he greeted.

    After greeting them, he climbed onto the chair next to N and asked, "Mommy, I want the meatballs.ˇ±

    The meatballs were far from him,pletely out of reach.

    N grabbed a few meatballs for Mason and poured him a ss of milk.

    Mason''s face instantly fell-he hated milk. Every time he had to drink it, it was a struggle.

    Seeing his face scrunch up, N couldn''t help but

    laugh. "Didn''t I tell you? You have to drink milk to grow tall and strong! Just one ss a week, okay?" "Fine," Mason relented.

    Reluctantly, he picked up the ss of milk and started drinking.

    1/2

    Antet breakfast, the driver took Mason to school at nasal e aman and Nyta headed in the office

    N brought the exre breakfast Damon had made to share with Ruby and Leon

    As Ruby air, she looked at N. "N, why are your suddenly bringing us breakfast? You''re not going to make us work overtime, are you?" The mere thought made her pancakes taste a little less appealing.

    N chuckled. "No, don''t worry."

    "That''s a relief," Ruby replied.

    After finishing the morning experiments, N went to the top floor as usual to have lunch with Damon.

    When she arrived at the CEO''s office, she noticed no one was at their desks. A hint of surprise crossed her face. Were they all in a meeting today?

    Just as she reached the door of Damon''s office, she heard his cold voice from ins

 Chapter 754

    ?

    N paused, frowning. What could it be that she shouldn''t know about for now?

    Just as she was about to lean in closer to listen, she heard footstepsing from the office and quickly stepped back.

    The office door opened, and Spencer walked out.

    When he saw N, a flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. "Ms. Kinsey, when did you get here?"

    "I just arrived. Why?" N answered, maintaining a calm expression, but her hands subconsciously tightened into fists.

    What exactly was Damon hiding from her?

    "Mr. Sumner is waiting for you inside. I''ll be getting back to work," Spencer said as he hurriedly left, noticeably quickening his pace as he passed her. Suppressing her growing suspicions, N entered the office.

    "You''re here! I had someone make your favorite pulled pork dish. Let me wash my hands, and then we can eat, Damon said.

    "Sounds good," N replied.

    While Damon washed his hands, N set the table.

    It wasn''t until he sat down across from her that she casually asked, "I noticed Mr. Hogg left in a hurry. Is there something he needed to take care of?"

    Damon paused, holding his utensils, before smiling. "Nothing much. Just a contract issue he had to handle."

    N lowered her gaze, choosing not to respond, but her curiosity deepened.

    After finishing lunch, N didn''t linger in Damon''s office. Instead, she headed straight back to her own.

    All afternoon, she wondered what Damon was trying to keep from her, but she couldn''t figure it out.

    As quitting

    time approached, she received a message from Damon. He informed her that he had a social engagement that evening and that a driver would pick h N frowned. Ever since she and Mason moved to the vi, Damon hadn''t gone out for any evening events. Did tonight''s sudden engagement have anything to do with what happened at noon?

    After a moment of thought, she told Damon not to send a driver. She wasn''t sure howte she would be working, so she would just take a taxi home after finishing.

    Putting her phone away, she let out a small sigh. She felt a weight on her heart as if something was pressing down on her.

    As soon as it was time to get off work, N quickly packed her things and left..

    Fortunately, today''s experiment had gone smoothly, allowing her to wrap things up half an hour before the end of the workday. Otherwise, she wouldn

    1/2

    After hailing a cab downstairs, N sat in the backseat, waiting for Damon toe out. About ten minutester, she saw his car emerging from the un She pointed to his car and told the driver, "Mister, follow that car."

    The driver nced at her through the rearview mirror, starting to elerate as he asked, "Are you going to catch him cheating?"

    N was taken aback for a moment but then nodded. "Yes, so make sure not to lose him. I don''t know when I''ll get another chance." "Got it! I''ve been driving cabs for over 30 years, and I promise I won''t lose him!" the driver replied enthusiastically.

    The taxi followed the ck Maybach through the city.

    After an hour, the car ahead finally stopped in front of a vi.

    A woman stepped out, wearing a light

    green dress. Her long, wavy hair was pinned up, exposing her slender neck. She looked like she had walked out of a painting.

    She looked up at Damon, her eyes sparkling with smiles as she chatted with him.

    Damon looked at her, his profile not as cold as usual. He wore a small smile, seemingly in a good mood.

 Chapter 755

    ?

    N recognized the woman as the one she had seen outside the restaurantst night, and her face fell.

    Why had Damon told her he was going out to socialize when he was meeting his niece?

    As N pondered this, they walked toward the vi.

    "Miss, is that woman the mistress you''re trying to catch?" the driver asked.

    N shook her head. "No, she''s his niece."

    The taxi driver''s expression turned sympathetic as if he saw N as a foolish woman defending her husband.

    Once Nposed herself, she calmly asked the driver to take her back to Damon''s vi.

    Confirming she didn''t want to go inside to catch him cheating, the driver started the car and left.

    Meanwhile, Damon followed Charlotte inside the vi to a bedroom on the first floor.

    Charlotte opened the door, saying, "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston is inside."

    "Okay,ˇ± Damon replied.

    Charlotte had initially nned to apany him, but as soon as he entered, Damon closed the door behind him,

    The room had been transformed into a small medical facility, with various medical equipment and monitors beside the bed. Lying on the bed was an el

    The man looked frail and graying, appearing to be at least in his 60s-though he was only in his 50s.

    Seeing Damon, he moved his hand, causing the heart rate monitor attached to his finger to tremble.

    "Y-YYou''re the one who took me out of the nursing home?" he questioned.

    Damon nodded. "Yes."

    The man lying on the bed was none other than N''s father, Harrison.

    It had only been five years, yet he looked like a frail old man, devoid of any vitality.

    Damon had recently discovered, during his investigation into Gabriel, that Gabriel had sent Harrison to the nursing home a year ago.

    The conditions there were terrible. If Harrison hadn''t undergone a kidney transnt, he likely wouldn''t have survived this long in such a deteriorated st "Why? I don''t need this... Take me back..." Harrison said, his sunken eyes wide with anger as he looked at Damon.

    His pale face flushed an unusual red from his intense emotions.

    If Damon hadn''t stirred things up with N, she wouldn''t have fallen into the sea. Just thinking about it brought a sharp pain to Harrison''s heart. He wa He hated Damon, hated the Sumners, but most of all-he hated himself.

    "If you stayed in the nursing home any longer, you''d definitely die within six months," Damon stated.

    "It''s none of your business!" Harrison snapped.

    1/2

    He attempted to sit up, but his body was firmly restrained to the bed, unable to move an inch.

    Since the transnt, he had been weak, his strength less than half of what it used to be.

    Upon seeing him so agitated, Damon''s expression darkened. "Don''t you want to see N again?" "What?!" Harrison eximed.

    His struggles abruptly ceased as he looked at Damon in disbelief. "What do you mean? Is she... still alive?ˇ±

    Although he knew it was impossible, he couldn''t help but hold onto a glimmer of hope. What if... N really had encountered a miracle and survived?

    "Yes, but she probably doesn''t want to see you right now, and you wouldn''t want to meet her looking like this either, would you?" Damon asked.

 Chapter 756

    ?

    "Of course not... but how can I trust your words?" Harrison asked.

    He looked coldly at Damon, his eyes filled with anticipation and doubt. After all, when N had fallen into the sea, the chances of survival were slim. H

    Damon took out his phone, navigated to the album, and held the screen out for Harrison to see.

    Harrison''s eyes widened in disbelief as he eximed, "N... It really is N! She''s alive! Where is she now?"

    "You don''t need to worry about that. She''s doing well, but I haven''t mentioned you to her yet. Once you''re feeling better and can stand, I''ll bring her to see you," Damon said.

    "Really?" Harrison asked, his gaze hopeful. But it quickly turned to guilt and regret. "She probably... doesn''t want to see me again..."

    Thest time he and N had met had not been pleasant. She hadpletely cut ties with him and stopped visiting him since then.

    He had regretted it long ago and had wanted to call her to apologize multiple times, but Wren had advised against it. She had told him he had done ev

    At that time, he had been foolish enough to believe Wren''s words. In hindsight, N wasn''t Wren''s biological daughter. How

    could she genuinely care about whether N would be hurt?

    All in all, Harrison still med himself for being a negligent father. He had let N down, as well as her mother.

    Damon showed no emotion regarding Harrison''s regret as he said, "She really doesn''t want to see

    you. After she returned to Saintornia, she didn''t even think about looking for any news about you."

    Harrison''s gaze dimmed, and he smiled bitterly. "She has every right to feel that way... It''s my punishment..."

    His eyes turned red, and his wrinkled face was etched with sorrow.

    ˇ°Regardless, what''s in the past is in the past. You should focus on getting better. We''ll talk about everything elseter," Damon reassured him. "Okay..." Harrison agreed.

    As Damon turned to leave, Harrison''s weak voice called out from behind him, tinged with a hint of desperation. Can you...e by asionally to tell Damon paused for a moment, then replied without turning back, "Focus on your health first. We''ll talk about everything elseter."

    When he reached the living room, Charlotte was sitting on the sofa, working on a proposal for a merger project.

    Hearing Damon''s footsteps, she looked up and asked, "Uncle Damon, did you check on Mr. Jayston? Why don''t you stay here for dinner tonight?" She looked at him expectantly, her eyes shining.

    Damon shook his head. "No. Thanks for going through the trouble during this time."

    If Harrison were with him, Gabriel would surely find out quickly. It would be much safer to leave him with Charlotte.

    "It''s no problem! Besides, didn''t you give me a big contract? I could make tens of thousands from that coboration. If you have more good opportunities like that in the future, remember to hook me up again,"

    1/3

    Charlotte chirped.

    ˇ°Sure, I''m leaving now," Damon said.

    "Are you really not going to stay for dinner? It''s so boring to eat alone!" Charlotte tried again.

    "I''m not free," Damon replied and left the vi without looking back.

    By the time Damon returned home, it was nearly 9:00 p.m.

    N was ying with Mason in the living room when she heard the door open and looked up. She met Damon''s eyes for a brief moment before quick "You''re back? Where were you socializing tonight? Why did it end so early?" she asked.

    Damon paused while hanging up his suit jacket and casually mentioned a restaurant name.

    N raised an eyebrow. "Vrie was eating there today too. Why didn''t she mention seeing you?"

    "We were all in private rooms, and with so many of them, it''s not surprising that we didn''t run into each other," Damon replied.

    N nodded and looked down, deciding not to pursue the topic. Instead, she

    turned to Mason and gently said, Buddy, Daddy is back. Didn''t you want to share with him what you learned at school today?"

    11

    Damon washed his

    hands and rolled up his sleeves as he walked toward the sofa, his eyes filled with undeniable tenderness. He asked, ˇ°What did you learn today, Buddy Mason looked up at Damon and said, "Our teacher taught us to be honest. This morning, someone lied to his mom about having a stomach ache so h "His mom was going to take him to the hospital, and he was so scared that he finally told her the truth. Our teacher used this example to tell us that we Damon stiffened and instinctively nced at N, relieved to find she wasn''t looking at him.

    He sat down

    next to Mason and yed with him, saying, ˇ°Buddy, your teacher is right. But there''s also a kind of lie called a ''white lie. It''s not meant for yourself but Mason immediately countered, "But lying is still lying, right? No matter if it''s for a good intention or not, it''s still lying!"

    "You''ll understand when you''re older," Damon replied.

    As soon as he finished speaking, N interjected coolly, "I think Buddy is right. A lie is still a lie. Sometimes, we think we''re doing someone a favor, bu temporary lie, I think the other person would prefer to know the truth.ˇ±

    Damon looked at her helplessly. "You''re right. I was thinking too simplistically."

    Seeing that Damon had no intention of being honest with her, N stood up. "I''m a bit tired today. You can y with Buddy. Please clean up afterward "Okay," Damon answered.

    After N left, he felt somewhat distracted.

    "Daddy, if you''re tired too, you can go rest. I can y by myself," Mason said.

    2/3

    Previously, when N often workedte, he had learned to entertain himself with his toys and found enjoyment in it.

    Damon came back to himself. "I''m fine, Daddy''s not tired. Should we move on to the next step.......

    11

    He trailed off when he caught sight of the castle Mason had built, and a hint of embarrassment crossed his face. "Buddy, when did you build the castle? I remember you were just working on the walls!" he eximed.

    ˇ°Daddy, it''s almost 10:00 p.m. now," Mason reminded him.

    Meeting Mason''s eyes, which were remarkably simr to N''s, Damon felt an involuntary pang of guilt.

    "I''m sorry, I was just lost in thought today and didn''t pay enough attention to you. I promise it won''t happen again," he apologized.

    "Daddy, you''re not lying to Mommy, are you? That''s why you''ve been acting so strange today..." Mason guessed.

    +

 Chapter 757

    ?

    Seeing Mason''s doubtful look, Damon coughed lightly to cover his unease.

    "What nonsense are you talking? I''m just a bit tired from work today. It''s gettingte. Let''s tidy up the toys, go upstairs, take a shower, and get some s "Okay," Mason agreed readily.

    After they finished cleaning up the toys, Damon asked Lydia to take Mason upstairs for a bath while he went to his study.

    Once seated, he picked up a document to read. However, thoughts of N''s words from that evening kept shing through his mind, making

    him feel restless. He suspected she might know he was lying to her but wasn''t sure.

    After considering it further, Damon realized he couldn''t hide the truth forever. It might be better to probe N''s feelings toward Harrison the next morni

    If N wanted to see Harrison, he would tell her the truth. If she was still

    resistant to the idea of meeting him, then he''d wait until Harrison was feeling better before gradually bringing it up.

    Upstairs...

    After N showered and dried her hair, shey on her bed but found it impossible to sleep. She couldn''t understand why Damon would hide the fact th

    The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. Just when she was willing to give them both a chance, he started lying to her. Mason''sment about his teacher teaching them to be honest served as a hint for Damon not to deceive her. She didn''t know if he was ignoring it or genuinely didn''t understand.

    N picked up her phone and hesitated for a moment before sending a message to Vrie.

    A phone lit up in a corner of the sofa in a private room on the second floor of a club, but no one noticed.

    At that moment, the room was filled with voices as a group of men and women yed a game of Truth or Dare.

    These people were well-known heirs from Saintornia, gathered for a night of fun.

    Vrie wasn''t very familiar with them-Zayn had brought her along.

    As luck would have it, the bottle keptnding on Vrie.

    "Truth or Dare?" someone from the group asked.

    Vrie frowned, recalling how explicit the Truth questions had been earlier, and decisively chose Dare.

    "Call the third male contact in your phone and confess your feelings," the group dared.

    As soon as the dare was dropped, cheers erupted.

    Vrie raised an eyebrow and got up to grab her phone from the corner of the sofa. When she saw N''s message, surprise shed in her eyes, but Instead, she opened her contact list. To her surprise, her third male contact was Brandon.

    Seeing her frown, the group exchanged curious nces.

    "What''s with the hesitation? Is he an ex-boyfriend?"

    "What nonsense! Zayn is right here! Don''t get yourself in trouble!"

    "Hahaha, put it on speaker! I can''t wait to hear how this goes!"

    Vrie pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and dialed.

    The phone rang for a long time without being answered.

    She felt a slight relief and asked the group, "No answer. Should I switch to a different-"

    Before she could finish her sentence, the call connected.

    "Ms. Weir, why are you calling me sote? Is there something you need?" Brandon asked.

    Several people in the room recognized Brandon''s voice and exchanged nces. After all, they knew he had been pursuing Vrie for five years. Taking a deep breath, Vrie slowly said, "Brandon, I likeˇŞˇ±

    Suddenly, a hand reached over and snatched the phone away, quickly ending the call.

    All eyes in the room turned to Zayn, and someone couldn''t help but tease, "Zayn, what''s the meaning of this?"

    Zayn smiled, looking at the speaker. "I just didn''t want to see my girlfriend confessing to another man. Is that a problem? I''ll take the punishment for he

    He raised a full ss of alcohol and downed it in one go, then ced the ss back on the table. "It''s gettingte, and she has a curfew at home. We

    It wasn''t until Zayn pulled Vrie out of the club and a cool breeze hit her that she realized what had just happened. "Zayn, will that upset your friends?" she asked.

    Zayn looked at her. Under the dim light, his expression grew even gentler. "Compared to you, nothing else matters." Vrie averted her gaze, looking down as she said, "It''s gettingte. Let''s head back."

    "I''ll give you a ride," Zayn offered.

    "Okay," Vrie replied.

    On the way back, she replied to N''s message.

    Vrie: [I don''t know what''s going on between you two, so I can''t give you

    any advice. But I can say for sure that Damon loves you very much. He wouldn''t do anything to hurt you.]

    Seeing the message, N bit her lip. She knew Damon cared for her, but she just couldn''t get over the fact that he had lied to her.

    After all, it was unsettling when someone intentionally kept secrets from you.

    Forcing herself not to think about it any longer, N put down her phone, closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. She had no idea how long it took, but sh

 Chapter 758

    ?

    As Vrie and Zayn arrived at her house, they saw Brandon waiting at the gate.

    Brandon thought about how he had treated Zayn like a brother, only to have Zayn go after Vrie- stealing his girl. The urge to punch Zayn in the face surged within him.

    "She''s my girlfriend. Anything that pertains to her involves me too," Zayn told Brandon.

    Brandon''s fists clenched at his sides, his body tense and his face cold enough to freeze.

    Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, he asked Vrie, "What did your call earlier mean?"

    Before Vrie could answer, Zayn chimed in with a smile, "You came all the way here to ask about that call? We

    were just ying Truth or Dare at the club. Vrie lost and chose Dare. It was to call you and

    I didn''t think you''d rush here just over a phone call."

    s her feelings.

    The color drained from Brandon''s face, turning pale in an instant. He stared at Vrie as he asked, "Is what Zayn said true?"

    Vrie bit her lip, unable to meet his gaze. "Yes..."

    "Great, I must really be pathetic toe looking for you!" Brandon spat.

    He pushed past Vrie and Zayn, his anger evident in his swift departure.

    As Vrie listened to his footsteps fade away, she felt a hollow ache in her chest.

    For her, that phone call tonight hadn''t just been a dare-it was a confession.

    Over the five years they had been entangled, she had long since fallen for Brandon. She had just grown ustomed to having him around, mistaking Now, she probably wouldn''t have the chance to tell him.

    She let go of Zayn''s hand, saying, ˇ°Thanks for taking me home. It''ste, so I won''t ask you toe in. Be careful on your way home."

    Watching Vrie walk away, Zayn couldn''t help but smirk with a hint of mockery.

    Once back in the car, he dialed a number and said, "I''m on my way over. Make sure to bring the two girls we were drinking with a few days ago." After hanging up, he started the car and drove off.

    The next morning, N got up and washed up before heading downstairs.

    "Good morning," Damon greeted her first.

    N replied indifferently, "Good morning."

    Sitting across from Damon, she took a slice of bread and spread butter on it.

    "N, you''ve been back in Saintornia for a while. Have you thought about visiting your father?" Damon asked.

    N froze mid-

    action, her fingers gripping the knife tightly. She raised her eyes to meet Damon''s gaze, her face expressionless. "No, I haven''t. Why? Have you see Chapter 758

    "Yeah, he''s been heartbroken since you fell into the sea, and he''s not doing well now," Damon replied.

    N asked, "Oh, doesn''t he have Wren and Gabriel to take care of him?"

    Thinking back to what Harrison had said to her, she still felt a pang of sadness. After all, Harrison was her father, not just anyone.

    She had once believed that even if no one else understood her, at least Harrison would. Sheter realized how wrong she was.

    Harrison was no longer the father who had poured all his love into her. He had shared his affection with Wren and Gabriel.

    A person could only have so much love. The more people it was divided among, the less each one received. ˇ°Wren divorced him two years ago and married another wealthy businessman. Gabrie

    a three-year-old son," Damon answered.

 Chapter 759

    ?

    The dining room fell silent.

    After a long pause, N finally asked, ˇ°Where is he now?"

    "Do you want to see him?" Damon responded, his gaze fixed on N''s face, determined not to miss any hint of

    emotion.

    N

    looked away, her tone cold. "No. If he''s in the hospital, I can help pay his medical bills or find him a caretaker. If he''s living alone, I can hire a caregiver

    "His biggest wish is probably just to see you again," Damon suggested.

    N set down the bread and knife, pushed her chair back, and stood up. "I''m going out

    ait for you."

    As she turned to leave, her eyes were reddened.

    By the time Damon stepped out of the vi, N had managed to calm herself, her expression returning to normal. Seeing him, she opened the car do

    On the way to the office, Damon tried to start a conversation with N several times but held back in response to her indifference.

    It wasn''t until the car stopped in the underground parking and N reached for the door to get out that he finally spoke. "N, the doctor said your fath have a year or two left."

    N paused but didn''t turn around.

    "That has nothing to do with me," she replied.

    Damon''s gaze darkened as he watched her walk away without looking back. It might take a while before she came to terms with this.

    All day, whenever N paused, she found herself reflecting on Damon''s words from that morning as she got out of the car.

    Even Ruby noticed her distraction and asked if something was bothering her.

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing. Let''s wrap up the experiment."

    "Okay," Ruby replied.

    On the way home after work, Damon noticed N''s glum mood and took the opportunity to look at her when the traffic light turned red. "Are you tired today?" he asked.

    "It''s fine," N answered, not looking at him,

    She kept her gaze lowered, absentmindedly fiddling with her fingers.

    Damon was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. Surprise shed in his eyes upon seeing it was Brandon.

    "Uncle Damon, I''ve thought about what you mentioned before. I''m waiting for you at your vi," Brandon announced.

    "Okay,ˇ± Damon replied.

    After hanging up, the light turned green, and he continued driving without another word.

    By the time they returned to the vi, over 40 minutes had passed. As soon as they stepped into the living room, they saw Brandon sitting on the sofa. Brandon had been watching the door and got up immediately when he heard them. "Hello, Aunt N. I came to see Uncle Damon."

    N forced a smile. "I''ll head upstairs first. You two talk.''

    Damon walked over to Brandon and said in a low voice, "Come with me to the study."

    Five minutester...

    Damon asked in the study, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

    Brandon

    nodded, determination in his eyes. "Yeah, I''ve thought it through. Even if I sell all my shares now, it''ll only help the Weir Group temporarily. I''ve analyze Damon looked at him intently. "And you''re okay with Vrie marrying someone else because of this?"

    "Love isn''t everything in life, and she didn''t choose me," Brandon replied with a wry smile.

    "So what you''re saying is that if she had chosen you, you''d sell your shares to save the Weir Group?" Damon asked.

 Chapter 760

    ?

    Brandon shook his head. "No, the Weir Group is at the end of its rope. Instead of selling off my shares in the Sumner Group and losing everything, I''d help rebuild thepany."

    Damon replied, "As long as you''re sure."

    "Uncle Damon, I came here today to ask you for a favor," Brandon said.

    "What is it?" Damon asked.

    "I remember that Prospectus Technology has been negotiating a few big deals with the Updike Grouptely. I hope you won''t work with them," Brando

    He looked at Damon with a pleading gaze, but Damon showed no signs of

    being swayed You want me topromise my business for personal reasons?"

    he questioned,''

    The intimidation from Damon made Brandon lower his head in fear, unable to meet his gaze. Still, he willed himself to say, "It''s not just about my own i "Oh?" Damon inquired with a smirk, though there was no warmth in his eyes. "Then tell me, what else is there besides wanting to take personal reveng Brandon took a deep

    breath and mustered the courage to look at Damon. ˇ°After Zayn takes over the Weir Group, his next target will be either the Sumner Group

    or Prospectus Technology. If we don''t stop him now, the Updike Group might threaten ourpanies in the near future."

    ˇ°He doesn''t have that capability," Damon replied curtly.

    Seeing Damon''s confident demeanor, Brandon hurriedly added, "Uncle Damon, you

    don''t understand Zayn. He''s skilled at hiding his true intentions. I used to be good friends with him, but only when he started dating Vrie did I realize and Prospectus Technology.

    "1

    Damon remained silent, showing no regard for Zayn at all. Even if Zayn wanted to target Prospectus Technology, he needed the means to do so..

    Brandon felt increasingly anxious as he realized his words were having no effect.

    "Uncle Damon, even if you''re not worried about Zayn going after Prospectus Technology, think about it from Aunt N''s perspective. She''s given Vrie all her

    savings over the years to help the Weir Group. Can you really bear to see her money go to waste?ˇ± he asked.

    Damon narrowed his eyes, his voice icy. ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ±

    "Yes. Recently, the Weir Group received a sudden influx of millions. I had someone investigate, and it''s confirmed that the money came from Aunt N to Vrie," Brandon informed him.

    The study fell silent as Damon lightly tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.

    Brandon didn''t dare to speak, knowing this was hisst card to y.

    If Damon still didn''t care, he would have to watch helplessly as the Updike Group swallowed the Weir Group whole.

    After some time, Damon finally spoke. "I understand the situation. You can go now."

    Seeing that Damon had no intention of taking on the Updike Group, Brandon realized he had lost his gamble.

    1/3

    However, he understood that for Damon, refusing to work with the Updike Group would mean losing tens of millions, while N''s mere millions were s Still, Brandon was unwilling to leave just like that.

    He asked, "Uncle Damon, aren''t you trying to pursue Aunt N? Vrie is her best friend. If you help the Weir Group get through this crisis, she would Damon raised an eyebrow, his face devoid of emotion. "Even if I don''t save the Weir Group, I can still win her back.

    "But if you save the Weir Group, it will definitely have a greater effect!" Brandon countered.

    Damon didn''t respond, simply asking, "It''s almost 7:00 p.m. Are you nning to stay

    er?"

    Upon realizing he was being turned down, disappointment showed on Brandon''s face. He shook his head and turned to leave.

    Not long after he left, Damon stepped out of the study.

    As soon as he entered the living room, he saw Lydia heading upstairs with a cup of tea.

    "Lydia, is that for N?" he asked.

    Lydia nodded. "Yes, I noticed Ms. Kinsey has been looking tired after worktely, so I made her some tea to help her recover."

    Damon was just about to ask if N had really given all her savings to Vrie so he said, "Let me take it up to her."

    Upon hearing this, Lydia smiled knowingly and handed the tea to Damon. "I still need to prepare a few dishes, so I''ll leave it to you, Mr. Sumner." Damon took the tray and turned to head upstairs.

    When he reached N''s bedroom, he knocked on the door. There was no response, so he knocked a few more times. Still, there was no answer. Frowning, he hesitated for a moment before turning the doorknob.

    The door wasn''t locked.

    N was nowhere to be seen inside the bedroom, but Damon could hear the sound of running water from the bathroom. She must be taking a shower Damon''s gaze darkened. He stood at the door for a few seconds before stepping inside.

    He ced the tray on the bedside table and was about to leave when he heard N''s voice from the bathroom. "Is that you, Lydia? Can you please gr Damon''s hands instinctively tightened at his sides.

    After hesitating for a moment, he was about to speak when N called out again, ˇ°Lydia, could you please hurry? I have a meeting at seven!" Her tone revealed a hint of urgency, and Damon frowned before turning toward the wardrobe.

    The bathroom was shrouded in steam, and N''s slender figure was vaguely visible.

    She soon noticed a silhouette standing by the ss door of the bathroom, so she walked over barefoot and yanked

    the door open.

    "Lydia, please-" N''s words faltered as she realized who

    and she instinctively stepped back.

    "What are you doing here?!" she eximed.

    pahintulot at the door. Her eyes widened in shock,

    Her frantic movement, coupled with the slippery floor, caused her to lose her footing.

    "Ah!" N screamed in panic, reaching out to grab the nearby sink.

    However, her hands were still wet from the shower, and she couldn''t get a grip.

    ˇ°Watch out!" Damon warned as he caught her around the waist, pulling her into his embrace.

    N''s heart raced. She couldn''t tell if it was fear or something else that was causing chest. She clutched Damon''s suit, her face pale.

    d thumping in her

    Damon''s hands were on her waist, and the warmth radiating from that contact sent waves of heat coursing through her.

 Chapter 761

    ?

    The two of them were pressed closely together, and Damon''s suit was already half-drenched. Meanwhile, N waspletely naked.

    Just thinking about the scene made N feel a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

    If she had known it was Damon outside, she definitely wouldn''t have asked him to bring her pajamas.

    Biting her lip, she instinctively tried to push him away.

    Just as her hands pressed against his chest, however, his low voice rumbled from above, "Do you want to fall again?"

    N froze for a moment, then lowered her eyes and said, "Y-You can let go of me now. I''ve steadied myself..."

    Damon looked down at her. She had her head slightly bowed, her face flushed, and her long hair was still dripping

    water.

    They were so close that the rising and falling of their chests stirred some unbidden thoughts. She had no idea just how tempting she looked in that moment.

    Damon''s breath quickened, and he struggled to control himself, trying not to act on his desires. Despite that, his body was betraying him. N''s cheeks burned even more. She gritted her teeth and red at him. "Damon, don''t go too far!"

    Her face was flushed, and her clear, bright eyes sparkled with anger.

    Damon''s gaze darkened as he abruptly spun her around, pinning her against the door.

    The frosted ss door showcased her beautiful curves, igniting a fire within him.

    The cold ss behind N contrasted sharply with Damon''s warm body pressed against hers, leaving her in a state of difort, caught between tw "What do you think you''re doing, Damon?" she asked.

    Damon grasped her chin, leaning down to kiss her fiercely. His kiss was both hungry and urgent, like a beast trying to devour her whole.

    N wanted to struggle, but there was no escaping his grip

    Time felt as if it slipped away until she was almost out of breath. Only then did Damon release her.

    N raised her hand to p him, but he caught her wrist and murmured in a low voice, "N, this is payment for bringing you pajamas.*

    11

    Damon''s warm breath brushed against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

    Fuming, N shot back, "I asked Lydia to bring me pajamas! You''re not Lydia!"

    "Regardless, I''m the one who brought you pajamas. You know me-I''m a businessman," he replied coolly.

    N clenched her teeth, her voice icy. "So can you just give me the pajamas now and get out?!"!

    Upon seeing her chest rise and fall in frustration, Damon''s gaze darkened again. But he also understood that he, had already crossed a line today. Pu Suppressing his errant thoughts, he handed her the pajamas. ˇ°Is this the one you wanted? If not, I can go get a

    different one."

    N snatched the nightgown from his hands, covering herself with it. Her voice was filled with anger as she said, "Get out!"

    Not wanting to push her further, Damon simply opened the door and left.

    N quickly pulled on the nightgown and rushed to the mirror. Seeing her swollen lips and wet eyes, she frowned.

    It was true she hadn''t verified who was outside when she asked for pajamas, and now she was stuck in this awkward situation.

    Just as she was about to dry her hair, her phone rang. It was Caroline. She then remembered that she had a meeting to report on the progress of her

    N hastily towel-dried her hair and walked outside as she answered the call.

    Stepping out of the bathroom, she found Damon still in her bedroom. She shot him a re and pointed to the door.

    "N, everyone is waiting in the meeting. You can start your report now." Caroline''s voice came through the phone. "Okay," N replied, ignoring Damon as she moved

    to her desk. She turned on herptop and began the report. We''ve recently conducted five sets of experiments..."

    As she spoke, she suddenly felt someone holding her hair, wrapping it in a towel.

    Startled, she turned to Damon and whispered, "I''m reporting on work right now! You should go out!"

    While drying her hair, Damon replied, "I''m the CEO of Prospectus Technology. I want to hear your report too."

    11

    N was speechless. Before she could respond, Caroline''s puzzled voice echoed. "N, why did you stop? Is there a problem?"

    She quickly answered, "No... No problem! I''ll continue right away."

    Not bothering with Damon, she returned her attention to herptop and resumed the report.

    Behind her, Damon carefully dried her long hair until it no longer dripped, then removed the towel and grabbed the hairdryer, preparing to help her finish drying her hair.

    N was startled by his actions and quickly grabbed his hand. "I haven''t finished my report yet. Wait untilter to blow-dry my hair!"

    A flicker of annoyance crossed Damon''s face. "Can''t you just report tomorrow? It''s after work hours now."

    "No! The other team members have experiments to conduct tomorrow. They only have time now. Besides, it won''t hurt to wait a bit to dry my hair. I carter," N insisted.

    "With the temperature so low, if you catch a cold-" Damon began.

    N interrupted, "I won''t! I''m perfectly healthy. I won''t catch a cold. Just go out. I''ll be done soon-at most in 20 minutes.ˇ±

    "Ten minutes," Damon stated.

    N bit her lip and countered, "No, 15 minutes."

    If she hadn''t been worried that the people in the meeting might hear, she would have kicked Damon out already.

    Seeing the stubbornness in her eyes, Damon felt displeased but reluctantly agreed.

    ˇ°Fine, I''ll give you 15 minutes. When the time''s up, I''m turning on the hairdryer,ˇ± he warned. After saying that, he set a 15¨C minute timer on his phone and ced it next to N''sptop.

    Once Damon was settled, N quickly resumed her report. She rushed to finish,pleting it just ten seconds before the timer went off.

    After hanging up, she leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh of relief.

    "Can I blow-dry your hair now?" Damon asked.

    N turned to him, reaching out. "Hand me the hairdryer.

    "You were in such a rush during your report. Do you have the energy to dry your hair yourself now?" Damon asked again.

    N shot him an annoyed look. Whose fault was it that she was tired?

    Before she could reply, Damon turned on the hairdryer. Once he confirmed it was on warm air, he picked up some of her hair and began drying it.

 Chapter 762

    ?

    Feeling Damon''s warm fingers running through her hair, N instinctively clenched her hands on the table and tensed up.

    "Maybe I should just do it myself," she said, starting to turn away.

    Damon ced his hand on her shoulder.

    "I''ll do it." His voice was deep, carrying an irresistible authority.

    N bit her lip and stopped insisting.

    The only sound in the bedroom was the hairdryer.

    After about ten minutes, the noise finally ceased.

    "All done. Take a look," Damon said.

    N reached up to feel her hair. It felt smooth and dry. She turned to look at Damon. "Thank you.

    Damon nced down at her, but his eyes quickly shifted away when they caught a glimpse of the V-neck of her nightgown.

    "Let''s head downstairs for dinner," he said.

    "It''s toote. I won''t be eating tonight," N replied.

    She wanted to maintain her figure and had a rule about not eating anything after 8:00 p.m.

    ˇ°Lydia said you''ve been too tiredtely and made all your favorite dishes. Are you sure you want to waste her kind effort?ˇ± Damon asked.

    Meeting Damon''s questioning gaze, N frowned and conceded, "Alright, you go ahead first. I''ll change ande down in a bit.ˇ± "Okay, I''ll wait for you," Damon answered.

    After he left, N opened her wardrobe and took out a long ck dress.

    While changing, the scene from earlier-when Damon pressed her against

    the bathroom door and kissed her- shed through her mind. Her heart skipped a beat.

    No, she couldn''t think about that anymore.

    She patted her flushed cheeks, trying to suppress her fluster as she walked out of the bedroom.

    Once N entered the dining room and sat across from Damon, Lydia brought out the dishes she had kept warm.

    When Lydia''s gaze met N''s, a smile flickered in her eyes.

    Something must have happened between Damon

    and N since they had spent so much time together upstairs. Otherwise, Damon wouldn''t be in such a good mood when he came down, and N w

    If they kept this up, maybe Mason would have a sibling next year.

    N waspletely unaware of Lydia''s thoughts. She lowered her gaze to the tableware, too shy to meet Damon''s eyes.

    Whenever she saw him, inappropriate scenes from earlier would involuntarilye to mind. She didn''t know

    1/3

    what was wrong with her.

    "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey, all the dishes are served," Lydia announced.

    Damon nodded. "Okay."

    Noticing N looking down, he frowned. "Are you nning to eat with your forehead?"

    N reluctantly lifted her head. The moment she made eye contact with Damon, she quickly looked away again.

    Seeing her like this, Damon couldn''t help but tease her. ˇ°Are you shy?"

    N gritted her teeth and retorted, "Who''s shy? Don''t say nonsense!"

    Damon smiled. "Still iming you''re not shy? Then why is your face so red?"

    Subconsciously reaching up to touch her face, N realized it was indeed warm.

    She met Damon''s yful gaze and defended herself, "I just didn''t dry my hair in time. Maybe I caught a cold."

    Noticing her earlobes turning pink, Damon decided not to tease her further. "Looks like I was reading too much into it then. Let''s eat."

    After finishing dinner, just as N was about to leave, Damon suddenly asked, "I heard you gave all your savings to Vrie. Is that true?"

    N halted in her tracks, surprised. "How did you know?"

    "Someone told me," Damon answered.

    "Oh. And you''re asking this because?" N replied.

    "Nothing. I just wanted to see if you really are that foolish," Damon said.

    N shot Damon an irritated re. "Now that you know, what''s next? It''s my money, and how I use it is none of your business."

    11

    "Of course, but you should be prepared for that money to disappear like it''s been dumped into the sea," Damon warned.

    "Don''t worry. When I lent it to her, I didn''t expect her to pay it back," N countered.

    Since she could lend it out, she needed to be ready for the possibility of never seeing it again. Otherwise, she''d just end up torturing herself.

    Damon raised an eyebrow, surprised that N could go that far for Vrie.

    "But with me around, I won''t let your money go to waste," he assured her.

    N paused, looking up at him. "What do you mean? Are you nning to help the Weir Group?"

    "Not at all. I''m doing it for you," Damon dered.

    N bit her lip. "You''re being a bit too obvious with your intentions."

    Damon nodded. "I won''t deny it. Helping the Weir Group is a way to get you to appreciate me. After all, I want to pursue you."

    "Don''t you think doing this quietly and letting Vrie tell me would have a better effect?" N retorted.

    2

    2/3

    Damon smirked. "That would definitely work better, but I can''t wait. Besides, you''re definitely going to think about me when you fall asleep tonight.ˇ± At 2:00 a.m., N still couldn''t sleep.

    Shey staring at the dark ceiling, cursing Damon in her mind. Great, hisment had kept her thinking about him all night, and now she was wide a That annoying man was doing this on purpose!

    Yet, for some reason, she felt a hint of sweetness in the mix...

    N buried her face in her pillow, forcing herself not to think of him.

    The more she tried to avoid thoughts of him, though, the more his face and their recent interactions kept popping into her mind.

    The next morning, N descended the stairs with dark circles under her eyes.

    Seeing her exhausted face, Damon couldn''t help but smirk. "Good morning."

    N shot him a resentful nce but didn''t say a word.

    If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t have stayed up nearly all night. Consequently, she felt quite resentful toward the culprit.

    Damon, however, acted as if he had no clue and continued trying to chat with her.

    N replied half-heartedly, looking somewhat lethargic.

    Usually, when she didn''t sleep well at night, shecked energy in the morning and had no appetite. After just a few sips of milk, she set her ss down Damon nced at her untouched breakfast and turned to instruct Lydia, "Pack a portion of breakfast for her."

    "No need. I can''t eat," N refused.

    ˇ°Just pack it up. If you can''t eatter, you can throw it away," Damon coaxed.

    "Alright..." N relented.

    After Lydia packed the breakfast, Damon picked it up and told N, "Let''s go."

    The two walked out of the vi one after the other. Just as they got into the car, N''s phone rang.

    It was Vrie.

    As soon as she answered, she heard Vrie''s slightly downcast voice. "N, do you have time this afternoon? I have something I want to discuss with Today''s Bonus Offer

    X

 Chapter 763

    ?

    Noticing something off in Vrie''s tone, N quickly asked, "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"

    "Let''s talk when we meet. I''lle to your office around noon," Vrie replied.

    "Okay," N said.

    After confirming the time and ce, Vrie quickly hung up.

    "Did something happen? You look tense," Damon asked with concern.

    N shook her head. "I''m not sure. Vrie wants to meet me at noon." From Vrie''s tone, it sounded like something serious was going on.. Damon''s gaze turned serious as he studied N''s expression.

    Lowering his voice, he asked, "N, if I help the Weirs through this crisis, will you give me a chance for a fresh start? What do you think?"

    N bit her lip, feeling the urge to scold him for taking advantage of the situation.

    However, she knew the Weirs'' survival wasn''t Damon''s responsibility. She could leverage his feelings to get him to help, but that wouldn''t be fair to hin After spending time together recently, she realized she still had feelings for him, often catching her gaze drifting toward him.

    Since she felt something for him, and there was nothing stopping them now, why not give each other a chance at a new beginning? N looked down and stayed silent. Her fingers subconsciously twisted in herp, revealing her inner conflict.

    Damon didn''t rush her. Even if she declined this time, he knew there would be other opportunities.

    It wasn''t until they were nearly at Prospectus Technology that N finally made up her mind. She turned to Damon. ˇ°Okay, I agree." Damon''s grip on the documents tightened as he raised his eyes to meet hers, disbelief quickly transforming into pure joy. "Really?" Upon seeing the excitement in his gaze, N''s heart raced, and she nodded.

    In the next moment, Damon pulled her into an embrace.

    His fresh, pine scent enveloped her like a soft, leaving her nowhere to escape.

    But she didn''t want to escape anymore.

    After everything that had happened, it was time to confront her feelings.

    N felt Damon''s breath quicken above her, his low voice echoing in her ear. "N, this time, I won''t let you feel sad or hurt anymore."

    She buried her face against his chest, warmth rising within her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his

    waist.

    Damon stiffened briefly, then rxed, his grip on her tightening.

    1/3

    The driver in the front seat had raised the partition, giving them some privacy.

    Even after they parked in the underground garage, Damon showed no signs of letting go.

    Finally, N couldn''t help but say, ˇ°Damon, we''re at the office. Let go of me."

    "Just a little longer," he said.

    His arms around her felt like an imprable fortress, leaving no chance for escape.

    "I''ll bete," N muttered.

    "I''ll cover your attendance bonus," Damon replied smoothly.

    N was speechless.

    After a few more seconds, Damon finally released her, looking at her with a tenderness that felt almost overwhelming.

    "N, can I kiss you?" he asked.

    N blushed. "Don''t push it."

    ˇ°Just a quick kiss," Damon insisted.

    "I refuse." As she spoke, N moved back, trying to open the car door to get out.

    Before her hand reached the handle, Damon''s hand covered hers, pulling her waist back.

    "Damon- Mmph!" N tried to protest.

    Damon''s lips met hers in a gentle kiss, treating her like the rarest of treasures.

    A surge of electricity coursed through N, leaving her weak and tingly. Her resistance faded as she melted in his

    arms.

    Knowing N still had to workter, Damon released her.

    Aside from a slight smudge of lipstick at the corners of her mouth, her outfit and makeup were still intact. Seeing the wet look in her eyes, Damon felt a N pulled a mirror from her bag, spotting the smudged lipstick. After touching up her lips, she shot Damon a re. "Don''t you

    dare touch me before work again!"

    What she didn''t realize was that her eyes held warmth. Not only did sheck any intimidation, but her expression seemed to draw him in even more. He smiled. "So, after work, then?"

    "That... depends on the situation," N replied,

    "And what kind of situation would be okay?" Damon pressed.

    ˇ°I''m going to bete! I don''t have time for your ridiculous questions!" N whined, pushing him away as she got out of the car.

    Without waiting for him, she hurried toward the elevator.

    Damon''s smile deepened while watching her retreat.

    The morning flew by, and noon came quickly.

    When N arrived at the restaurant to meet Vrie, she immediately noticed her friend''s red, swollen eyes.

    "Vrie, what happened?" she asked, concerned.

    Looking into N''s worried eyes, Vrie felt tears well up again. "N, I''m so sorry. I used the money you gave me to help my dad with thepany, the Weir Group is in terrible shape now, and I''ve already lost your money... I might need a long time to pay you back.ˇ±

    She had assumed N''s money wouldst, but it had run out far quicker than expected. Knowing it was N''s hard- earned savings from the past five years only deepened her guilt.

    "Did you want to see me just to tell me this?" N asked.

    "Yes. But don''t worry! I''ll find a way to pay you back, no matter what," Vrie promised.

    N let out a relieved sigh. ˇ°I thought something serious had happened. Money can always be earned back. You shouldn''t worry too much about the Vrie felt a mix of gratitude and guilt. ˇ°Thank you, N.

    "We''re best friends-no need to be so formal," N said with a wave of her hand.

    She had considered mentioning Damon''s n to help the Weir Group, but she decided to hold off.

    Damon hadn''t acted on it yet, and if something went wrong, she didn''t want to give Vrie false hope.

    As Vrie said goodbye, she bit her lip, making a decision-she was going to marry Zayn.

    It wasn''t the ideal choice, but she saw no other option.

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    Back at the office, N was getting ready for her lunch break when she received a call from Caroline.

    "Hey, N, try to schedule your experiment reports during work hours from now on, "Caroline requested.

    N was taken aback. "Why? Isn''t everyone busy with experiments during work?"

    "Mr. Sumner said he''ll be present for future progress reports, so we need to arrange them during office hours," Caroline exined. N finally understood. Damon

    must have requested this for her sake. However, changing the reporting time just for her might dy everyone else''s experiments.

    With that thought, she replied, "I''ll talk to Mr. Sumner about it and see if we can adjust the schedule.*

    "Don''t push yourself too hard. After everything that happened with Mr. Sumner, didn''t you say you didn''t want too much contact with him?" Caroline asked.

    Caroline had previously objected when Edgar suggested assigning the experiment project to N. But since she had her own unfinished project, she

    let it go.

    After hesitating for a moment, N decided to share her situation with Damon with Caroline.

    "You can''t be serious! Didn''t you say you weren''t interested in him anymore?" Caroline''s voice was filled with disbelief.

    "I thought I didn''t have feelings for him, but sinceing to Saintornia, he''s helped me a lot. He even risked his life to save me, so I think it''s worth giving each other a chance," N said.

    Her heart wasn''t made of stone. It was impossible to remain indifferent to all Damon had done for her.

    After a moment of silence, Caroline slowly replied, "Just follow your heart. After all, it''s your life. He''s also Buddy''s biological father, so if you two can b N put away her phone after the call and headed straight to the top floor to find Damon.

    1/4

    Upon seeing her, Damon raised an eyebrow. "Weren''t you supposed to have lunch with Vrie? You have time toe see me P

    As N entered his office, she pretended to sniff the air. "Do you smell something funny in here?"

    "What kind of smell?" Damon asked.

    ˇ°Jealousy. Some people get jealous over even a lunch with a woman. You''d think that''s impossible!" N teased.

    Damon didn''t get mad. Instead, he stood up and walked toward her.

    N''s smile faded into caution. "What do you want?"

    "What do you think?" Damon asked.

    His voice carried a dangerous undertone, making N uneasy. She

    turned to leave his office, but just as she reached the door, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

    ˇ°N, you came to find me, which means you have something to discuss. Are you really just going to leave like

    this?" Damon''s voice was low and enticing, a whisper in her ear.

    "Let go of me first," N asked.

    ˇ°No. You left me to eat alone at lunch today, so you shouldpensate me, countered.

    rm bells rang in N''s mind. "But you''ve also left me alone for business meetings a few times. I didn''t see youpensating me then!"

    Damon

    ˇ°Well, I''llpensate you now," Damon answered, his voice yful as if he''d been waiting for her to say that.

    "No, thanks, I-Mmph!" Before N could finish, Damon kissed her.

    The office was soon filled with heated sounds.

    When Damon finally released her, N clung to his suit jacket, her legs weak and barely able to support her. "Damon, if you do this again, I won''te to see you anymore," she threatened without heat.

    "Are you sure?" Damon asked.

    Before she could answer, he added, "If you don''te to find me, I''ll just go down to your office and kiss you there.ˇ± "You''re shameless!" N cried.

    Damon smirked, not bothering to argue. Instead, he picked her up and sat down on the sofa.

    "Let me go! What if someone walks in?" N protested.

    "No one''sing in," Damon replied confidently.

    But no sooner had he spoken than the office door swung open.

    Spencer stepped in, announcing, "Mr. Sumner, here''s the financial report fromst quarter-"

    He froze at the sight of N sitting on Damon''sp, her face buried in his chest, while Damon looked at him calmly.

    Spencer shivered, quickly raising the documents to cover his face.

    "I didn''t see anything! You two carry on!" he eximed, retreating and closing the door behind him.

    As the door clicked shut, N finally lifted her head from Damon''s embrace, her cheeks flushed.

    She red at him. "I told you someone would

    walk in! How am I supposed to face Spencer now? If this gets out, will I even have a job at Prospectus Technology anymore?"

    Damon held her waist, his hand tracing her curves. "Don''t worry. Spencer knows about us, and he''s tight-lipped. He won''t say a word." When his hand drifted higher, N swatted it away, hissing, "Don''t touch me!"

    Seeing her fierce expression, clearly upset, Damon grinned. "Today was my fault. I promise I''ll lock the door next time. How about that?"

    N sighed in exasperation. She pushed him away and hopped off hisp.

    Damon didn''t stop her. He knew that if he really upset her, he''d be spending time making it up to herter.

    Once N had straightened her disheveled hair and clothes, she sat across from Damon. "Caroline just called to say you''ll be attending the uing experiment

    progress reports?"

    "Yeah," Damon confirmed.

    "We''ve always scheduled those around 8:00 p.m. because we''re busy with experiments during the day. If you changed it just for me, there''s really no Damon frowned, then exined, "Partly, yes, it''s for you, but mainly, I often have evening engagements. That''s why I wanted them during office hours. Hearing this, N finally sighed in relief and nodded. "Alright, I understand."

    "Did youe to see me just for that?" Damon asked.

    "Yeah, and we only have 40 minutes until work starts again. I still want to take a nap, so I''ll head back now," N excused herself.

    Damon had a few documents to handle, so he let her go. "Alright, message me after work."

    "Okay," N replied.

    As she left his office, she bumped into Spencer. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away and hurried past him.

    Spencer entered Damon''s office, holding out the financial report. "Mr. Sumner, here''s the financial report."

    Damon took the report, nced at him, and was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.

    Upon seeing Charlotte''s name on the screen, his expression changed.

    e

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    As soon as the call connected, Charlotte''s panicked voice came through. "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston suddenly fainted and is now in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment. Thave an important meeting to attend shortly. Can youe by?"

    "Send me the address," Damon replied.

    After Charlotte provided the hospital address, Damon hung up.

    In less than half an hour, Damon arrived at the hospital.

    Upon seeing him, Charlotte finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over. "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston is still in emergency treatment, but I need to leave for my meeting now."

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Damon answered,

    Charlotte rushed off, and the corridor quickly fell silent.

    Spencer, who had been standing behind Damon, spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, should we inform Ms. Kinsey about this?"

    After all, Harrison was N''s father. Given the emergency, something could happen...

    Damon''s gaze dimmed as he recalled N''s feelings toward Harrison. He replied, "No need. We''ll talk about itter."

    "Understood," Spencer replied.

    Several hours passed before the emergency room light finally turned off.

    The doctor walked out, followed by Harrison, who was still unconscious on the stretcher. His face was pale, his hair mostly gray, and his cheekbones were pronounced from long-term malnutrition¨Che looked emaciated.

    "Doctor, how is he?" Damon asked,

    ˇ°He''s stabilized for now. However, the patient had a kidney transnt previously and hasn''t properly recovered. His health is poor, and he needs to rest well without any major stress. If he faints again, it will be harder to save him," the doctor informed.

    Damon nodded. "Thank you for your hard work"

    Once Harrison was taken to a hospital room, Spencer suggested he stay to keep watch while Damon went home to rest.

    As soon as the call connected, Charlotte''s panicked voice came through. "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston suddenly fainted and is now in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment. I have an important meeting to attend shortly. Can youe by?"

    "Send me the address," Damon replied.

    After Charlotte provided the hospital address, Damon hung up.

    In less than half an hour, Damon arrived at the hospital.

    Upon seeing him, Charlotte finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over. "Uncle Damon, Mr. Jayston is still in emergency treatment, but I need to leave for my meeting

    now."

    "Okay," Damon answered.

    Charlotte rushed off, and the corridor quickly fell silent.

    Spencer, who had been standing behind Damon, spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, should we inform Ms. Kinsey about this?"

    After all, Harrison was N''s father. Given the emergency, something could happen...

    Damon''s gaze dimmed as he recalled N''s feelings toward Harrison. He replied, "No need. We''ll talk about itter.ˇ±

    "Understood," Spencer replied.

    Several hours passed before the emergency room light finally turned off.

    The doctor walked out, followed by Harrison, who was still unconscious on the stretcher. His face was pale, his hair mostly gray, and his cheekbones were pronounced from long-term malnutrition-he looked emaciated.

    "Doctor, how is he?" Damon asked.

    "He''s stabilized for now. However, the patient had a kidney transnt previously and hasn''t properly recovered. His health is poor, and he needs to rest well without any major stress. If he faints again, it will be harder to save him," the doctor informed.

    Damon nodded. "Thank you for your hard work"

    Once Harrison was taken to a hospital room, Spencer suggested he stay to keep watch while Damon went home to rest.

    1/2

    Damon refused and said, "He''ll likely be hospitalized for some time. Find two caregivers to take turns looking after him, and make sure they''re patient and hardworking."

    "Got it. I''ll take care of it right away," Spencer replied.

    Not long after Spencer left, Damon''s phone rang. Seeing it was N, he checked the time and realized it was almost 6:00 p.m.

    "Hey, N. I got tied up with some unexpected business this afternoon and won''t make it home. I''ll have the driver take you back first," he said. "Okay, then I''ll wait for you at home with Buddy for dinner," N said.

    "No need to wait for me. I''ll probably still be here for a few more hours, likelying back after dinner," Damon replied.

    N frowned slightly and took a moment before replying, ˇ°Alright, juste back early, and don''t drink too much." (2)

    After hanging up, N tidied her desk, grabbed her bag, and prepared to leave. As she passed by Ruby''s workstation, she noticed Ruby staring nkly at her phone.

    "Ruby, why aren''t you getting ready to leave?" she asked.

    Ruby seemed startled by her voice, quickly turning around. "N, I... I''m fine. Just a bit tired, nning to rest a bit before heading out."

    ˇ°Okay, just remember to lock the office door when you leave," N reminded.

    Ruby nodded.

    Once N left, Ruby looked down at her phone, her brows furrowing.

    Half an hour earlier, she had received a text from a rtive she hadn''t been in touch with for a long time. They had sent her a photo of a severed thumb, threatening that if she didn''t raise money to save her brother soon, they would really kill him. 1

    The photo had shocked Ruby, and she hadn''t replied to the rtive.

    What worried her now was that if Margaret found out about Hansel''s finger being chopped off, she might resort to even crazier methods to deal with her.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

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    The identity of the man who had attempted to drug and abduct her remained unknown. He could be lurking nearby, ready to strike again at any moment.

    Ruby knew that if she was taken back, escape would be impossible.

    The more she dwelled on it, the deeper her fear grew. She absolutely could not be captured again.

    Suddenly, the office door swung open, and the sound of footsteps startled her. She turned around, and the panic in her expression caught Sullivan off guard.

    "Ruby, what''s wrong? Why do you look so pale?" he asked.

    Meeting his concerned gaze, Ruby lowered her head, grabbed her bag, and headed toward the exit. "It''s nothing, Sullivan. I''m going home now. If you need anything work-rted, let''s talk tomorrow. I''m locking up.ˇ±

    Sullivan followed her out, saying, "I came to check on you. You were really shaken the other day, and that guy who tried to drug you still hasn''t been caught. I''ll drive you to and from work for now.''

    Ruby hesitated, a mix of emotions washing over her.

    After a moment''s silence, she finally declined, "Sullivan, I appreciate your kindness, but I can manage on my own." Seeing her stubbornness, Sullivan sighed. "Ruby, do you think I''m trying to get close to you for some ulterior motive?" Ruby pressed her lips together and looked up at him. "Sullivan, you''re overthinking it. I just don''t want to owe you anything." "Honestly, when I help you, I''m also helping a part of myself that used to be just like you," Sullivan confessed.

    Ruby didn''t fully understand. She looked up to ask, but his serious expression gave her

    pause.

    "I used to be in a simr situation, held hostage by my parents'' expectations to send all my earnings back home," he began.

    Ruby frowned, tempted to interrupt, but seeing the sadness in his eyes, she held back.

    "If it weren''t for my older brother''s health issues, my parents wouldn''t have had me. From a young age, they drilled into me that I had to take care of him and use all my money for his medical bills. At first, I felt sorry for him and promised to work hard to support his treatment," Sullivan exined.

    4

    "But as I grew older, realized my parents never saw me as an individual, I was just a mobile wallet for their endless demands for his care. I didn''t want to be tied down anymore. I wanted to live my own life.

    "When my mom and I had our worst fight, she asked me why it wasn''t me who was sick. At that moment, I was truly disappointed in my family," Sullivan said calmly, though his reddened eyes and clenched fists betrayed his notions.

    "I''m sorry, Sullivan. I didn''t know you had it so tough," Ruby sald.

    When they first met, she hadn''t liked Sullivan, thinking he was another Alex-friendly on the outside but with the cold gaze of a snake, ready to strike. She hadn''t expected to see this vulnerable side of him. Perhaps he was just too hurt by his family to trust anyone else.

 Chapter 767

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    At that moment, Ruby suddenly felt a sense of shared hardship with Sullivan.

    A dark glint crossed Sullivan''s eyes as he took in Ruby''s reddened gaze.

    He sighed and said, "Ruby, I have no ulterior motives. Helping you feels like helping the part of me that once feltpletely alone. I just don''t want to see you get hurt."

    Ruby bit her lip, feeling a twinge of emotion.

    However, she sensed that she and Sullivan were not on the same wavelength. While both of them faced disapproval from their families, she didn''t want to be someone slick and maniptive like him.

    She looked at Sullivan and spoke slowly. "Sullivan, I appreciate your help, but I think I''ll handle this on my own."

    Sullivan''s face fell, and he forced a wry smile. ˇ°You still don''t trust me, do you?"

    Ruby said nothing, her silence clearly confirming his suspicion.

    Disappointment flickered in Sullivan''s eyes as he lowered his head and said slowly, "Fine. If you don''t want my help, I won''t bother you again." Watching him turn to leave, Ruby hesitated for a moment. After all, he didn''t seem to be faking his sadness. What if he really just wanted to help her? She dismissed that thought in an instant. Regardless of whether Sullivan wanted to help her or not, she didn''t want to get involved with him any further or owe him anything more.

    With that in mind, her previously restless heart gradually calmed, and her expression became moreposed.

    After packing her things, Ruby turned off the lights, locked the door, and left.

    On her way home that night, the streets were crowded, which provided her with a bit of reassurance. Even if someone wanted to harm her, they wouldn''t dare do so in such a public ce.

    Despite this, she couldn''t keep living in fear of others. She needed a permanent solution to make her parents understand that they wouldn''t benefit from her anymore, so they would stop bothering her.

    While she was lost in thought, a panicked voice suddenly called out nearby, "Ruby, watch out!"

    Before Ruby could react, someone pushed her hard, and she stumbled to the side.

    In that split second, she watched in shock as a scooter crashed violently into Sullivan.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief, filled with confusion and panic.

    Why did Sullivan go out of his way to help her?

    After hitting Sullivan, the scooter rider quickly turned and sped away from the crowd.

    Just as it turned, Ruby caught a glimpse of the rider''s face-it was Alex from their vige! Alex had been orphaned since childhood and had no one to care for him. He had dropped out of school as a teenager and resorted to petty theft. He had even been jailed several times for stealing.

    To think that Margaret had sent him after her...

    Ruby couldn''t think about calling the police at that moment. She forced herself to ignore the pain in her body and rushed to Sullivan''s side. "Sullivan, are you okay? I''ll take you to the hospital!"

    Sullivan''s left arm hung at an odd angle, likely broken. His face was pale, and cold sweat dotted his forehead, but he still managed to smile at Ruby. "I''m fine. Are you hurt? That scooter was too close to you. I didn''t have time to pull you back, so I pushed you away," he said.

    Tears welled up in Ruby''s eyes as she shook her head, droplets spilling over. She choked out, "I''m fine... I''ll take you to the hospital right now." When Sullivan saw the tears in her eyes, he froze for a moment. He instinctively reached out to wipe them away but stopped halfway.

    His expression returned to the gentle smile from before. "I''m fine. Don''t cry. It''s probably just a dislocated shoulder. I''m not seriously hurt anywhere else."

    "You must be in so much pain," Ruby said, looking at him with guilt.

    Her eyes were beautiful and clear, reflecting Sullivan''s face and revealing the darkness within him.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

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    ?

    For some reason, Sullivan felt uneasy maintaining eye contact with Ruby, so he awkwardly looked away. "It''s okay, it doesn''t hurt. I''m used to it."

    Ruby''s hand paused, her guilt deepening as she recalled what Sullivan had shared about his past.

    "The ambnce will be here soon. Just hang in there," sheforted.

    Sullivan nodded and said gently, "Don''t feel guilty. I''m just d I could save you. You were facing the other way when that scooter came. If it had hit you, the consequences would have been severe. Now, it''s just a dislocated shoulder. I''ll be fine in no time."

    Hearing him say that only made Ruby feel worse.

    "Sullivan, I''m sorry. I misjudged you before and kept refusing your kindness. I didn''t expect you to save me despite everything," she apologized. Sullivan reached out and gently patted her head. "You really don''t need to apologize. It''s not your fault."

    His voice was soft, like a breeze soothing Ruby''s bruised heart and easing her pain.

    "Thank you, Sullivan," she said, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at him with gratitude.

    Sullivan''s right hand slowly clenched, and he nervously averted his gaze.

    If Ruby found out one day that all of this was for his own benefit, she would probably hate him, right?

    For some reason, that thought made him ufortable.

    Before long, the ambnce arrived, and Ruby apanied Sullivan to the hospital.

    After the doctor examined him, he confirmed that aside from a broken left arm, Sullivan only had some scrapes and bruises.

    Ruby finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Sullivan looked at her. "You fell when I pushed you, so you should get checked out too." Ruby instinctively pulled her hand into her sleeve and shook her head. "No need, I''m fine." The doctor frowned. "Since you''re already here, you should get checked too. It''s better to catch any potential problems early.

    "You young people don''t have the best health these days. If you end up with an undetected

    1/2

    issue because you didn''t get checked, that wouldn''t be worth it!"

    After the doctor insisted, Ruby agreed to a check-up, which revealed only minor abrasions on her palm-nothing serious.

    The doctor put a cast on Sullivan''s arm and asked Ruby to handle the admission paperwork.

    Looking at the amount on the form, Ruby felt troubled. She didn''t have that much money left. Should she borrow some from N again?

    Noticing her worried expression, Sullivan took the form and nced at the amount. "I''ll transfer the money to you."

    Hearing this, Ruby quickly snatched the form back and shook her head. "No, no need! You got hurt trying to save me. I''ll pay for the medical expenses. I''ll go ahead and pay. The nurse can take you to the ward first."

    With that, she hurried away.

    Sullivan''s expression gradually turned somber while watching her go.

    On her way to handle the admission paperwork, Ruby wrestled with her thoughts.

    Eventually, she decided not to ask N for help this time. She would take out a loan online and pay it back with her next paycheck.

    N had helped her a lot, and she couldn''t keep turning to her just because she was kind.

    After making up her mind, Ruby''s expression returned to calm. As she looked suddenly noticed a familiar figure walking toward the hospital entrance. Upon closer look, she realized it was Damon!

    What was he doing at the hospital?

    up, she

    She remembered that when N had called Damon at the office, he had said he was busy with socializing.

    Ruby bit her lip and discreetly took a photo of his back. She was about to send it to N but hesitated at thest moment.

 Chapter 769

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    After all, just seeing Damon in the hospital didn''t prove he''d deceived N. Maybe he had to go there for some reason.

    If this photo led to a misunderstanding between them, it would be a huge mistake on Ruby''s part.

    After thinking for a moment, Ruby decided not to tell N for now. Instead, she would test the waters when they were back at work the next day. If N truly didn''t know anything, then she would inform her.

    By the time Damon returned to the vi, it was nearly 9:00 p.m.

    N was chatting with Lydia.

    When Lydia saw him, she quickly stood up. "Mr. Sumner, did you have a drink at your social event tonight? Ms. Kinsey made you some hangover soup. It''s in the kitchen-I''ll go get it for you."

    Damon paused, tugging at his tie with a slightly somber expression. "No need. I didn''t drink tonight."

    "Eh?" Lydia was taken aback, looking puzzled.

    Wasn''t it customary for Damon to drink at social events?

    She quickly recovered and said, "Okay, would you like something to eat? The kitchen saved you some dishes."

    Lydia thought about what a shame it was regarding the hangover soup N had made for

    him.

    "No, Lydia, you can go rest," Damon said dismissively.

    Seeing that he wanted to be alone with N, Lydia chuckled. "Alright, I won''t interrupt you. If you need anything, just call me."

    After Lydia left, Damon strode over and sat down next to N. He asked, "You''re still up thiste, waiting for me?"

    The soft lighting highlighted Damon''s handsome face, making one''s heart flutter. At night, he seemed warmer than his usual daytime demeanor, and his gaze toward N was incredibly gentle.

    N nodded. "Yeah, I thought you might get drunk."

    "I''ll try to drink less at future social events," Damon replied.

    1/4

    Just as N was about to respond, she suddenly caught a faint scent of hospital disinfectant on him.

    Clenching her fingers, she looked up and asked, "Where did you go for your social event tonight?"

    Damon casually mentioned a name, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Are you starting to check up on me?" "Do you not want me to?" N retorted.

    "I don''t mind, of course. Want to check my phone too?" Damon offered.

    As he spoke, he held out his phone to N, looking all innocent as if to say, "You can check whatever you want."

    N didn''t take it. ˇ°Let''s skip the phone check. Your phone''s filled withpany secrets. If something goes wrong at thepany and you suspect me, I won''t have a chance to exin myself."

    "Thepany and I are both yours. And no matter what happens, I won''t suspect you," Damon professed.

    N shot him a sidelong nce and teased, "Did you eat candy tonight? Why are you talking so sweetly?"

    "Why don''t you try and find out?" Damon challenged.

    With that, he grabbed N''s chin and leaned down to kiss her.

    The atmosphere in the living room became charged with a flirtatious tension.

    A gust of night wind billowed through the sheer curtains by the window, casting their movements in a hazy light...

    As the kiss ended, N was left breathless, resting against Damon''s chest.

    He looked down at her gently, his gaze darkening slightly as he saw her sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks. He caressed her waist.

    N felt a tingle in her lower back, her body melting even more into him.

    "Damon, this is the living room! Watch yourself!" she chided without heat.

    She looked up, ring at him, her expression a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "Should I carry you back to the room?"

    Seeing him feign the intention to lift her, N quickly pushed him away and jumped off the sofa. "Stop messing around! If someone sees us, it''d be embarrassing.....

    Her face was flushed, like a blooming peach blossom-beautiful enough to make anyone''s

    heart race.

    Damon''s gaze darkened involuntarily. Originally, he had just wanted to tease her, but he''d overestimated his self-control.

    He looked at her, feigning disappointment. "Are you sure you don''t want me to carry you upstairs?"

    "No! I can go by myself. Since you didn''t drink, I''m going to sleep," N said quickly.

    With that, she turned and hurried upstairs, her figure disappearing down the corridor faster than a rabbit.

    Damon''s smile deepened while watching her leave.

    Back in her room, N finally calmed down, only to remember that she''d forgotten to ask him why he smelled of disinfectant. She couldn''t help but frown. Beauty could really distract from important matters.

    When N went downstairs the next morning, she was surprised to find the dining room

    empty.

    Usually, Damon would be sitting at the table, drinking coffee while handling work at this hour. Where was he today? Was he still in bed?

    Lydia noticed her puzzled expression and exined, "Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner has a lot of work today, so he left early. After you finish breakfast, the driver will take you to the

    company.

    What kind of work needed to be handled so early?

    A trace of suspicion flickered in N''s eyes, but she suppressed her doubts and nodded. Okay."

    After finishing breakfast and arriving at thepany, she ran into Sullivan in the elevator. She stared in shock at his arm, which was in a cast. ˇ°Sullivan, what happened to you?" N asked.

    "Oh, it''s nothing. Just took a tumble yesterday, Sullivan answered.

    A tumble couldn''t cause that kind of injury, right?

    N didn''t believe him but didn''t press further since her rtionship with Sullivan was just okay.

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    "Can you still work with an injury like that?" she asked.

    Sullivan shook his head. "Not really. That''s why I''m here to take a leave of absence today,"

    Nmented, "Given how badly you''re hurt, you could have called in your leave..."

    "Besides taking leave, I have some work to hand over during my hospital stay. Otherwise, it''ll be a mess when I return," Sullivan replied.

    N gave him a thumbs-up for his dedication. "Prospectus Technology is lucky to have an employee like you!"

    As they talked, the elevator doors opened. They stepped out, each going their separate

    ways.

    When N arrived at the office, she saw Ruby at her desk, working on some materials.

    "Ruby, you''re here so early today?" she asked in greeting.

    Ruby paused her writing, looking up at N. Seeing N''s calm expression, she hesitated, unsure if she should mention what she''d seenst night.

    "N, does Mr. Sumner have any friends in the hospitaltely?" she asked.

    N''s grip on her bag tightened. The image of Damon smelling of disinfectant shed through her mind again.

    She slowly put away her bag and turned to Ruby, asking, "Why do you ask that suddenly? Did you see him at the hospital yesterday?"

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    Ruby bit her lip, staying silent as she handed her phone to N.

    On the screen was a photo of Damon''s back, with a payment counter in the background, clearly taken in a hospital.

    N''s eyes widened, and her face turned pale.

    Yesterday evening, he had told her he would be out to socialize, yet here he was in the hospital. Thest time he had used the same excuse, he had ended up visiting Charlotte.

    What was he hiding from her?

    Seeing N''s ashenplexion, Ruby regretted bringing it up. She consoled her, "N, maybe Mr. Sumner had a reason for being in the hospital. Don''t worry too much just yet."

    N bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, I believe he wouldn''t do anything to betray me, Thank you for telling me this, Ruby."

    She returned to her desk, turned on herputer, and stared nkly at the screen, her thoughts in disarray.

    Why did Damon feel the need to lie to her?

    Noticing N lost in thought, Ruby opened her mouth to offer somefort but ultimately held back. Without knowing the full story, any reassurance might not help.

    At noon, N went to Damon''s office to have lunch with him.

    Noticing her distracted demeanor, he frowned as she absentmindedly poked at her food without really eating.

    He set down his utensils and asked, "N, is something on your mind?"

    N paused, looking up at Damon.

    His concern was evident in his eyes, and she could feel his affection. She just couldn''t understand why he had lied to her twice.

    Was visiting Charlotte and going to the hospital something shameful?

    Damon''s gaze intensified as he noticed her silence-she simply stared at him.

    "N, if you keep looking at me like that, I might not be able to control myself," he said.

    Putting down her cutlery, she decided to ask directly, "Last night, you-"

    The office door suddenly swung open, and Spencer rushed in with a document, looking

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    frantic.

    "Mr. Sumner, there''s a problem with the resort project that Prospectus Technology and Juniper Enterprise were developing together. Many workers haven''t been paid, and they''re gathered at the entrance downstairs!" he reported.

    Damon''s expression darkened, and he said coldly, "Contact Juniper and find out what happened. Hold a meeting in five minutes!"

    "Got it," Spencer answered and hurriedly left.

    As Damon stood to follow, he remembered N''s interrupted words and asked, "N, what were you about to say?".

    N shook her head. "It''s nothing, just an unimportant matter. You should go back to work."

    "Okay. Let me know if you need anything," Damon said.

    "Yeah, go ahead," N replied.

    With that, Damon nodded and quickly headed to the meeting room.

    Watching him leave, N nced down at her untouched food, her appetite gone.

    After tidying up, she stood and left.

    While waiting for the elevator, she saw several shareholders from Prospectus Technology exiting, each looking rushed and serious.

    Back in her office, she leaned against her cushion but couldn''t fall asleep. A heavy weight seemed to press on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

    She trusted that Damon wouldn''t betray her, but his deception made her uneasy.

    She sighed, absently fiddling with the ears of her pig-shaped pillow, her face clouded with

    worry.

    She resolved to find an opportunity to ask him about that evening. This guessing game was exhausting.

    As she packed up at the end of the day, her phone suddenly rang.

    Seeing Damon''s name on the screen, she swiped to answer.

    "N, go home first tonight. I have to workte and won''t be back until muchter, so don''t wait up. Get some rest," he said.

    N''s heart clenched. ˇ°Is the issue from noon really serious?"

    2/4

    "Yeah, a bit, but it should be resolved in the next few days. No need to worry," Damon

    assured her.

    Hearing the fatigue in his voice, she felt a wave of sympathy.

    "Just make sure to eat dinner and don''t wait until you''re in pain likest time," she reminded him.

    "Okay. I have to attend a meeting now, so I''ll talk to youter," Damon replied.

    After hanging up, N sighed, finished packing her things, and left.

    It waste into the night when Damon finally returned. As he stepped into the living room, he spotted N curled up on the couch, asleep.

    His previously cold gaze softened, and the chill from outside seemed to melt away.

    After changing his shoes, he quietly approached the sofa and looked down at her sleeping face.

    N was a light sleeper. Sensing a shadow above her, she slowly opened her eyes.

    When she saw Damon, she rubbed her eyes and sat up, her voice stillced with sleep. "You''re back? What time is it?"

    "It''s 12:30 a.m.," Damon answered.

    "It''s already thiste?" N eximed, instantly losing her sleepiness as she looked up at Damon. "How did things go?" "We''ve agreed on a n, and it should be resolved in the next couple of days," Damon replied.

    Upon hearing this, the worry that had weighed on her lifted. "That''s great.''

    Just as she finished speaking, she was suddenly lifted into the air.

    The feeling of weightlessness startled N, and she gasped, instinctively clutching Damon''s neck.

    "What are you doing? You scared me!" she cried.

    Seeing her still shaken, Damon smirked. "You should get used to it. I''ll be doing this often from now on."

    N was speechless before finally sighing. "Alright, but aren''t you tired after working so long? Put me down." "Holding you will never be tiring," Damon replied, tightening his grip around her as he

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    turned to head upstairs.

    Leaning against his chest, N could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and her checks flushed involuntarily.

    Once in the bedroom, Damon ced N down gently and kissed her forehead, "Get some sleep. Oh, and don''t forget-you''reing with me to a party tomorrow night. It''s Saturday, so you should buy a couple of outfits."

    N met his deep gaze, his eyes like an endless sea of stars, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked away, replying, "Okay, it''s reallyte now. You should rest, too."

    Damon tucked her under the nket and said softly, "Goodnight."

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    Early the next morning, N woke up naturally.

    As she sat up and prepared to get out of bed, she noticed something unusual on her bedside table-a ck card.

    Damon must have left it the night before.

    N washed up and went downstairs with the card in hand. She had nned to return it to Damon, but he had already left for the office, so she set it aside for now.

    After breakfast, N called Vrie and invited her to go shopping. Vrie mentioned she had something important to discuss, and they agreed to meet at the mall.

    N arrived first and browsed for a while before Vrie showed up.

    "Vrie, you said you had something to tell me?" she asked.

    Vrie nodded and linked her arm with N''s as they walked into a store. "Yes, I''m getting engaged to Zayn at the end of the month. Remember toe to our engagement party."

    N was caught off guard and frowned slightly. "Why so suddenly? Is it because of the Weir Group?"

    "It''s partly due to that, but also because I''m at that age. Zayn is a pretty decent choice, so I decided to go ahead with it," Vrie replied.

    Seeing Vrie''s calm expression, N felt a pang of worry. It was as if Vrie were discussing somethingpletely unrted to herself, without any excitement or happiness.

    "Marriage is a lifetimemitment. It''s not something you should rush into just because of age or because he seems like a good fit. Are you sure you''ve thought this through?" N

    asked.

    Ordinary people already faced social pressure regarding divorce, let alone someone from families in high society like the Weirs and Updikes. Vrie remained silent, so N continued. "You''ve only known Zayn for a short time, and you don''t know him that well yet. He might be interested in you because of the Weir Group. Vrie, don''t rush into something just because of pressure.ˇ±

    Vrie smiled bitterly. "I understand what you''re saying. But if I don''t marry Zayn, it''ll just be another person, another Wayne, ine, or Kane. I''d never have full control over my own marriage."

    "That doesn''t mean you should just jump into it without careful thought, Once you''re in

    1/3

    that kind of marriage, it''s not something you can easily get out of," N cautioned.

    "I know you mean well, N, but my mind is made up. Please don''t try to talk me out of it, "Vrie said.

    Seeing Vrie''s resolve, N frowned but remained silent. After all, this was Vrie''s personal decision-she could advise her but couldn''t make the choice for her.

    She just worried that Vrie marrying Zayn might not help the Weir Group and could even give Zayn a way to seize control of it.

    Noticing the concern in N''s eyes, Vrie patted her hand with a smile. "Alright, enough about me. Today, we''re here to find outfits and get styled up to look amazing for the party."

    N pushed aside her concerns and nodded. "Alright."

    "Oh, one more thing-you might not know this, but the star of the party tonight is the grandfather of Gabriel''s wife, so we might run into him there," Vrie reminded her.

    N''s steps faltered as memories of Gabriel''s actions from five years ago rushed back, sending a chill down her spine.

    "Got it," she replied.

    Seeing N''s face pale slightly, Vrie quickly added, "Don''t worry too much. Gabriel has been married for a few years now and has a child. He probably won''t bother you anymore."

    N nodded. "I think so too."

    They walked into a luxury boutique store, and a sales associate greeted them with a smile.

    "Ms. Weir, Ms. Kinsey, you came at the perfect time! We just received some new pieces, and they''re all limited edition. Let me show them to you," the sales associate said.

    "Sure," N and Vrie replied in unison.

    In the center of the store hung several stunning dresses.

    Right away, N''s eyes were drawn to a mermaid gown in the middle. The gown was covered in metallic sequins, shifting in color from white to light blue to deep blue. It captured the beautiful gradients of the ocean, both dreamy and mesmerizing.

    Noticing her gaze, the associate spoke excitedly. "Ms. Kinsey, you have an excellent eye! This dress is thetest work by Ris, titled Deep Sea. There are only five of these in the world. Many customers love it, but the waistline is quite small, so few can wear it. Would you like to try it on?" "Yes, please," N replied.

    The associate quickly took the dress down and led N to the fitting room.

    2/3

    Vrie, with her own collection of formal dresses, didn''t see anything that caught her eye right away, so she sat down to wait.

    Just then, a sweet voice echoed. "Vrie! Fancy running into you here! Are you shopping for clothes too?"

    Vrie turned to see Gigi Chesney and felt her mood sink.

    Gigi had been chasing after Brandon ever since he started pursuing Vrie.

    Vrie had once been on good terms with Gigi, but when Gigi found out that Brandon liked Vrie, they had a falling out. Since then, Gigi had deliberately made things difficult for her multiple times during partnerships between their family businesses.

    Vrie picked up a magazine and flipped through it, clearly uninterested in engaging with Gigi. It was as if Gigi were oblivious to this as she sat across from her.

    "Oh, I heard you''re getting engaged to Zayn. Congrattions are in order!" Gigi''s voice held a mocking edge. With Vrie and Zayn engaged, she felt she might finally have a shot with Brandon.

    Vrie nced up with a disinterested look. "Didn''t you get the hint? I don''t want to talk to you. Just like old times, throwing yourself into unwee situations."

    Gigi let out a sarcasticugh. "Vrie, with the Weirs on the brink, where do you get off talking to me like that?"

    "Aren''t you the one who approached me? If you don''t want to hear what I have to say, don''te here looking for trouble," Vrie retorted.

    "You!" Gigi''s face flushed with anger as she pointed a trembling finger at Vrie.

    She quickly regained herposure and sneered. "Keep acting tough. We''ll see how long thatsts.ˇ±

    At that moment, the fitting room curtain opened, and both Vrie and Gigi turned their heads. The moment they saw N, they were stunned.

    N stepped out in the strapless mermaid gown. Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her lips were a vivid red against her fair skin. She was breathtaking-a beauty one couldn''t look away from.

    The sequins on the dress shimmered as she walked, giving her the ethereal look of a mermaid basking in the sun. The sight of her was a blend of elegance and sensuality.

    Vrie snapped out of it first and let out a low whistle. N would undoubtedly be the center of attention in this dress at the party.

    "N, it''s like the dress was made just for you!" Vrie gushed.

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    N smiled and spun around in the dress. The fishtail hem swayed elegantly with her movement, the sequins glimmering under the light.

    "Really? I love it too," she replied.

    The sales associate adjusted the dress hem from behind and chimed in. "Absolutely, Ms. Kinsey! You''re actually the first person who''s been able to fit into this dress perfectly!"

    Her admiring gaze drifted to N''s slim waist, and she wished she could have a figure like

    that.

    Meanwhile, Gigi''s jealousy shed briefly in her eyes as she looked at N, who practically glowed in the dress.

    Still, she remembered that Damon was Brandon''s uncle. If things progressed between her and Brandon, she might one day need to call N "Aunt N".

    Deciding to hold back any bitterness, Gigi praised, "You look stunning-absolutely like a goddess!"

    Vrie turned to Gigi with a scoff. "Didn''t think you could actually say something nice for once."

    Gigi''s face darkened with irritation. "Vrie, don''t push it!"

    "Didn''t youe over here on your own?" Vrie retorted.

    Knowing N was present, Gigi managed to keep her anger in check. "I don''t have time for this. I need to go."

    With that, she turned and left quickly.

    Watching Gigi leave, Vrie rolled her eyes, thinking Gigi was being ridiculous.

    N gathered the hem of her dress and walked over to Vrie, asking, "Who was that woman? You seem to have a history."

    Vrie waved it off. "Not worth mentioning."

    Seeing Vrie''s darkened expression, N dropped the subject.

    After buying the dress, N chose a pair of matching heels before heading with Vrie to get their hair done.

    It was nearly 5:00 p.m. by the time they finished. Just as N was about to head home, her phone rang-it was Damon, asking where she was and telling her to wait for him.

    Vrie had to head home to change, so she left first.

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    425 BOWS

    N waited for about half an hour until Damon finally arrived,

    This sleek ck Maybach pulled up to the curb, and the back door opened. He stepped out, dressed in a gray sult that highlighted his tall, refined figure. He exuded an elegant yetmanding aura as he walked toward her, turning several heads along the way,

    N picked up her bag and walked out of the store. She had taken only a few steps when his gazended on her.

    Damon''s gaze paused, and his pace quickened as he approached, though his movements remained calm and poised. Finally, he stopped right in front of her.

    Maybe it was her imagination, but she felt that his gaze was even more intense than usual. It was as if a me flickered in his dark eyes, almost as if he wanted to consume her. 1

    N clenched the handle of her bag, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Do I have something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?"

    "No, you just look beautiful today," Damon said, his eyes filled with warmth.

    N''s hair was loose, with a blue diamond hairpin pinning one side back, exposing her delicate profile. She looked breathtaking.

    Suddenly, Damon''s gaze shifted to the ne around her neck. Hemented, "This ne doesn''t quite match."

    N raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? Both Vrie and the stylist thought it looked great.ˇ±

    "It is beautiful-just not enough," Damon replied.

    ˇ°Well, it''s toote to find a better one now," N said with a shrug.

    Without answering, Damon took out his phone and called Spencer. "Bring the Heart of the Sea that I bid forst week. Meet me at the Wilkie residence with it."

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    N looked at Damon in surprise and asked, "You went to an auctionst week?"

    "A client of mine has a thing for antique auctions. There happened to be one in the city, so I attended with them to show goodwill. I saw a ne I liked and thought I''d save it for your birthday," Damon exined.

    "Then why are you giving it to me in advance?" she asked.

    "I''m going to give it to you anyway. Giving it to you now is the same," he replied.

    N felt a wave of warmth, and her smile widened, revealing her dimples. "Thank Damon.*

    you,

    Damon raised an eyebrow, wrapping an arm around her waist. His tone was teasing. ˇ°Just a verbal thank you?"

    N''s face flushed as she asked, "How else would you want me to thank you?"

    Damon''s gaze shifted to her lips, his voice dropping suggestively. "By mouth works."

    "Huh?" She looked up, only to find Damon''s face suddenly closer. Before she knew it, his lips were on hers.

    N''s eyes widened, her hands gripping his jacket. She felt a jolt of electricity run through her body, making her freeze.

    Realizing they were standing in front of a busy mall, she quickly pushed him away. Her face burned with embarrassment as she noticed people ncing their way.

    Seeing her shy reaction, Damon smiled and said, "That will count as my thank-you."

    N red at him, then lifted her dress and hurried to the car parked by the curb.

    Damon couldn''t help chuckling as he watched her make her escape, following her into the

    car.

    Neither of them noticed someone taking photos of them.

    Half an hourter, they arrived at the Wilkie residence.

    Spencer was already waiting by the entrance. As soon as he saw Damon''s car pull up, he approached. "Mr. Sumner, here''s the Heart of the Sea."

    Damon took the dark blue jewelry box from him with a light hum. ˇ°Thank you. You can head back now."

    After Spencer left, Damon handed the jewelry box to N, his voice soft. "See if you like it."

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    N opened it, revealing a stunning sapphire ne.

    The sapphire, cut in the shape of a seashell, was surrounded by tiny diamonds that enhanced its beauty and gave it a brilliant, radiant allure.

    "It''s gorgeous!" N gasped. She had thought her current ne was already impressive, but it paled inparison to this one.

    Seeing her joy, Damon smiled. "Let me put it on for you."

    "Alright," she said with a nod.

    He carefully removed her original ne and sped the Heart of the Sea around her neck.

    N asked, "How does it look?"

    Damon stared at her for a few seconds, his voice a bit hoarse when he answered, "Beautiful.

    Meeting Damon''s passionate gaze, N felt her heart skip a beat. Instinctively, she reached for the car door, intending to step out.

    Unfortunately, Damon moved faster. Just as she turned, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back to him. His lips imed hers in a deep kiss that left her nearly breathless.

    When he finally pulled away, his lips lingered near hers, and the car''s atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

    N''s face flushed as she caught her breath, managing to find her voice. "Damon, if you keep this up, we''re going to bete to the party." Today''s Bonus Offer

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    Damon tightened his grip around N''s waist before releasing her, gently smoothing her slightly tousled hair as he said in a low voice, ˇ°Let''s go."

    They got out of the car, and N slipped her arm through Damon''s as they walked in together.

    At the entrance, Gabriel and Jane weed guests, catching sight of Damon and N approaching from a distance.

    N wore a blue gradient strapless gown, her long hair cascading like a waterfall down her back. She resembled a mermaid gliding through the deep sea-a sight so stunning that it was hard to look away.

    Next to her, Damon stood tall and sharp-featured in a charcoal-gray suit, though his face was devoid of warmth. He radiated an unapproachable air. The two walked together like a perfect match, making everything around them feel like a mere backdrop.

    Unaware of N and Gabriel''s history, Jane greeted Damon and N warmly, "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey, wee to my grandfather''s birthday celebration."

    Damon''s driver stepped forward to hand over their gift, which Jane''s maid quickly epted, passing it along to an attendant for recording. Since N had arrived, Gabriel''s gaze had not left her. His stare was unreserved and direct, as though he did not mind if Jane or Damon noticed. Damon''s face registered mild displeasure as he took a step forward, positioning himself in front of N to block Gabriel''s view.

    "Mr. Hackett, isn''t it a little inappropriate to stare at my girlfriend like that?" he asked.

    Gabriel pulled his gaze away, offering a gentle smile. "My apologies, Mr. Sumner. I didn''t mean anything by it. It''s just that your date bears a striking resemnce to my sister, who fell into the sea five years ago. If I recall correctly, you were pursuing her back then, weren''t you?"

    Damon simply smiled, not addressing the implication, and turned to Jane. "Ms. Wilkie, we''ll head inside.ˇ±

    With a wlessly polite smile, Jane replied, "Please do. I hope you both enjoy the evening and forgive anyck of attention on my part."

    After Damon and N walked inside, Jane turned to Gabriel with a slight frown. "Gabriel, I never knew you had a sister.''

    "Stepsister,ˇ± he replied coolly.

    Jane was about to ask more when another guest arrived, so she set her curiosity aside to greet them. The continuous stream of guests kept her busy, leaving her with no chance to inquire further.

    Meanwhile, Damon and N entered the garden, already bustling with prominent figures and elites from Saintornia.

    Although the Wilkies had only moved to Saintornia five years prior, theirpany had already gone public, earning them many connections. With the recent growth of the Wilkie Group, many were eager to curry favor with them.

    Naturally, the garden buzzed with a lively crowd.

    Damon and N quickly drew attention with their entrance. It was umon for Damon to bring a date to events, let alone someone he seemed so close to.

    Soon, whispers of curiosity quickly spread.

    "Who''s that woman with Mr. Sumner? She''s stunning! But I don''t think I''ve seen her before."

    ˇ°She looks familiar... Oh, wait, isn''t she the spitting image of Damon''s niece-inw, who fell into the ocean five years ago?ˇ±

    "What? Are you thinking what I''m thinking? This feels like a scandal waiting to happen- an uncle and his niece-inw?"

    "But didn''t she die five years ago? This woman must be a stand-in he found to rece her!

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    Despite the murmurs, no one dared approach Damon or N directly to ask about them, choosing instead to discuss and steal admiring nces from afar. After all, Damon had not been close to any woman in the past five years,

    The fiancee he had had was essentially a one-sided affair, and their engagement had been called off not long ago.

    N''s calm and graceful demeanor, despite the nces and attention directed her way, only enhanced her appeal.

    Damon guided her toward Pedro to offer their birthday wishes. Afterward, as they turned to leave, they ran into Nathaniel and Reba.

    When N saw Nathaniel, she paused, surprised by how much he had changed in five years -he looked like apletely different person, his formerly vibrant energy now nowhere to be found.

    As they passed, a chilling aura surrounded him, causing N to shiver involuntarily.

    Neither Nathaniel nor Reba acknowledged them, and Damon seemed equally indifferent, treating them as if they weren''t there.

    N nced up at Damon, noting his tense expression and clenched jaw. She tightened her hold on his arm.

    "Damon, you and Nathaniel..." she probed gently.

    "We''re no longer friends," he replied, his voice icy.

    N hesitated, biting her lip, but eventually sighed and said nothing more.

    Soon after, Vrie entered with Zayn. Noticing N, she whispered something to Zayn before lifting her dress to approach her.

    N let go of Damon''s arm, saying, "Vrie''sing over. You should go handle your business."

    For a businessman like Damon, this birthday celebration was more than just a party-it was also an opportunity for business. In fact, many guests had already approached him with proposals, but he had turned them down, likely because N was by his side.

    He raised an eyebrow. "Now that Vrie''s here, you''re abandoning me?"

    N feigned a haughty look and replied, "I don''t want to interrupt your business talks."

    Damon''s smile deepened. "Then should I thank you for being so considerate?"

    "Not necessary," she said, fully aware of what he meant.

    "Well, if you need anything, juste find me, Damon reminded her.

    "Sure," N answered.

    Just as he left, Vrie reached N''s side and noticed the ne she was wearing.

    "N, this ne is beautiful! When did you change it?" she asked, recalling that N had worn a different one thest time they had met.

    N instinctively touched the ne, a warm smile spreading across her face and her cheeks slightly flushed. She answered, "Damon gave it to me. He thought it suited the dress better.

    Vrie couldn''t help but admire it. "It does. Damon has quite an eye for detail."

    The ne highlighted N''s already fairplexion and looked exquisite against her slender neck. They were both captivating.

    As N and Vrie chatted, there was a sudden stir at the entrance. They turned to see Gigi entering arm-in-arm with Brandon.

    Gigi wore a pink, voluminous gown, her makeup wless, while Brandon looked dashing in a white suit. The two appeared perfectly matched. Today''s Bonus Offer

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    Vrie nced over with a nk expression, then quickly looked away.

    N turned to Vrie, unable to suppress her concern. "Vrie, maybe you should think over this engagement a bit more." Spending a lifetime with someone she didn''t love would be painful-like reliving the same unfulfilling day over and over.

    Vrie managed a faint smile. "N, you don''t have to worry about me. I know what I''m doing."

    Seeing her stubborn expression, N bit her lip. She wanted to tell Vrie about Damon''s n to help the Weirs but hesitated, fearing that Damon might change his mind and leave Vrie disappointed.

    With a quiet sigh, she decided to find a moment to ask Damon about it that evening.

    "N, I''d like to be alone for a while, so I''ll leave you here," Vrie said, excusing herself.

    "Alright, but don''t wander off too far. The event will be starting soon," N reminded her.

    Vrie nodded and quickly walked away.

    As she left, N felt suddenly at a loss.

    After marrying rk, she rarely attended gatherings like this, so she didn''t know many people and had no desire to try to fit into this circle. She picked up a ss of juice, nning to find a quiet corner.

    As she passed the champagne tower, a maid rushed forward and collided with her, knocking her into the champagne tower.

    The entire tower of champagne sses shattered, sending shards and champagne spilling everywhere and drawing everyone''s attention.

    N pitched forward toward the broken ss on the floor. Her face paled as she realized what was about to happen, and her eyes filled with fear. Instinctively, she reached out to grab the tablecloth but found nothing to hold onto.

    From across the room, Damon''s expression darkened upon seeing what was happening. He began running toward her, but he was too far away. Just when N thought she was about to be seriously injured, a strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her upright.

    Once steady, she took a deep breath and turned to thank her rescuer. To her surprise, it was Gabriel

    She bit her lip and took a step back, putting distance between them. "Thank you, Mr.

    Hackett."

    Seeing her wary response, Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly, still smiling.

    "No need to thank me. It was our maid who bumped into you. I owe you an apology, Ms. Kinsey," he said.

    Just then, Damon arrived at N''s side.

    Seeing that she was unharmed but still a bit pale, he heaved in relief, pulled her behind him protectively, and turned to Gabriel. "Thank you, Mr. Hackett."

    Gabriel''s expression remained friendly. "No need to mention it, Mr. Sumner."

    Damon''s gaze fell on the maid, whose face had gone pale as she looked down at the floor.

    "I''m so sorry, Ms. Kinsey. I didn''t mean to! You suddenly walked out from the side, and I didn''t see you..." the maid apologized, her voice trembling. Damon''s expression turned icy as he questioned, "So you''re saying it was my girlfriend''s fault?"

    The maid trembled in fear and lowered her head. "No, that''s not what I meant... It was my fault. Ms. Kinsey, I''m really sorry...

    Before N could interject, Gabriel spoke coldly. "Go to the butler to collect this month''s wages. Starting tomorrow, you will no longer work here."

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    The maid, Pauline Gundy, went pale and dropped to her knees abruptly. "Mr. Hackett, I have elderly parents and a daughter in university. My husband passed away in a car ident a few years ago. Without this job, my family will have no ie. Please, have mercy on me!"

    Tears streamed down her face as her whole body shook with fear.

    Gabriel''s expression remained cold and silent.

    Pauline''s eyes darted toward N, and she pleaded tearfully, "Ms. Kinsey, please, have mercy on me. I can''t afford to lose this job. I beg you!"

    Before N could respond, nearby guests began murmuring.

    "She seems so pitiful. Maybe they should let it slide this time."

    "It''s difficult for a woman to be the sole breadwinner for her entire family. Everyone makes mistakes. We should be forgiving."

    "It wasn''t intentional. If they keep pressing the issue, it just makes them seem petty."

    N''s face turned frosty. It was easy for the crowd to act self-righteous-they weren''t the ones who had nearly fallen onto broken ss.

    She looked down at the kneeling Pauline and said firmly, "This is my first time attending an event at the Wilkies''. How did you know myst name?" Pauline''s face shed with panic, but she quickly replied, "Ms. Wilkie instructed us to memorize all the guests'' names and faces. You''re so striking, Ms. Kinsey-I couldn''t forget you."

    N remained unmoved. Her face showed no emotion. "Is that so?"

    Pauline forced a nod. "Yes... Ms. Kinsey, please, I''m willing to do anything to make amends -just don''t take my job away."

    N nodded. "Alright."

    Pauline''s face lit up with hope, but N continued, pointing to a woman in a white dress nearby. "If you can tell me that young woman''s full name, I''ll consider forgiving you."

    "W-What?" Pauline''s face turned deathly pale, and she froze.

    N''s expression grew colder as Pauline stammered, unable to answer. "What''s wrong? You don''t know?"

    Pauline gritted her teeth. "I... I forgot..."

    "But didn''t you say you had memorized all the guests'' names and faces?" N questioned.

    Her voice wasn''t loud, but it was firm. The guests around them quickly realized the truth: this maid had been sent deliberately to bump into N. Expressions shifted upon this realization. They had taken the maid''s side earlier out of a sense of superiority and feigned magnanimity.

    Now, realizing they had been manipted into sympathizing with someone who had ulterior motives, their expressions turned harsh and disdainful. "Ms. Kinsey, this maid''s a liar-absolutely no sympathy for people like her. You should call the police!"

    "Yes, absolutely. The police can uncover who put her up to this!"

    "Someone who''d target a guest at an event should be arrested!"

    Pauline trembled as she heard the angry voices around her. She was sweating profusely and looked as if she wished she could vanish. "Ms. Kinsey, no one told me to do it... I swear it was an ident! Please, just let me leave now, and I''ll nevere back," she begged.

    She tried to make a run for it, but a cold voice stopped her. "Stay right there!"

    Gabriel red at her. "Who sent you? If you don''t answer, I''ll have you escorted straight to the police station."

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    Pauline turned pale and copsed to her knees under Gabriel''s intense, chilling gaze. She knew what he was capable of, but implicating Jane would make her fate even worse.

    Resolving herself, she said firmly, "Mr. Hackett, no one told me to do it. If you don''t believe me, call the police. I swear it was an ident!"

    Her words hung in the air as the room fell silent.

    Just then, a gentle female voice broke the tension. "Gabriel, what''s going on? Why is everyone gathered here?"

    Everyone turned to see Jane approaching with a soft smile.

    When she noticed who was on the floor, she appeared surprised. "Pauline, what are you doing here?"

    A flicker crossed Pauline''s eyes before she quickly lowered her head. "Ms. Wilkie, I identally bumped into Ms. Kinsey. She thinks someone put me up to it and now wants me to name the person... I swear, I''m innocent..."

    Jane frowned slightly and looked at Gabriel. "Gabriel, you know Pauline''s character. She wouldn''t hurt a fly. This must be some kind of misunderstanding."

    Gabriel''s expression remained cold. "Regardless, she caused a disturbance at Grandpa''s birthday party. She needs to exin herself."

    Jane nodded and, with a sigh, turned to N. "Ms. Kinsey, the party is about to start, and your dress has champagne on it. Let me take you upstairs to change. Once the party is over, we''ll address this however you see fit. The Wilkies won''t object."

    N thought for a moment and then smiled slightly. "Alright, I''ll follow your lead, Ms. Wilkie."

    She had guessed who was behind this the moment Jane showed up. Exposing Jane here wouldn''t be worth it-she wanted to see what else Jane had in mind.

    "Please, follow me, Ms. Kinsey," Jane invited,

    As N prepared to leave, a hand suddenly gripped her wrist.

    Damon leaned close and whispered, "If anything feels off, call me immediately."

    N smiled softly. "I will."

    She knew Jane wouldn''t dare pull anything too drastic in front of so many guests.

    As they left, Gabriel instructed that Pauline be confined for the time being, then reassured the guests, "Sorry for the disturbance. Please continue to enjoy yourselves. Apologies if

    anything was amiss."

    The guests soon resumed the celebration as if nothing had happened.

    In another part of the house...

    Jane led N to her personal dressing room and gestured to a wardrobe. "Ms. Kinsey, these dresses are all new. Please choose one that you like." N nced at the options, noting they were all outdated, with designs from several seasons ago. She raised a brow, suddenly realizing the reason behind Jane''s plot. It seemed she had dressed too well and had taken Jane''s limelight.

    N picked out a long white dress anyway and said, "Ms. Wilkie, I''ll take this one."

    "Great, Ms. Kinsey. I''ll wait outside while you change," Jane replied.

    "No need. I don''t mind you being here. Besides, if anything goes missing while you''re not here, it''ll be hard for me to exin myself," N hinted. Jane''s smile froze, not expecting N to be so direct.

    "Ms. Kinsey, I trust you," she said and turned to leave.

    A

    ĄČ

    52

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    C

    Once alone, N quickly changed into the white dress, though it was a bit loose around her waist. She took a safety pin from her purse to cinch it. Then, picking up her original dress, she left the dressing room.

    When Jane saw N in the white gown, her smile faltered even more. ''If N had

    resembled a mermaid in the ocean earlier, she now looked as ethereal and untouchable as moonlight, her beauty strikingly cold and pure

    Jane clenched and unclenched her hands before praising, "Ms. Kinsey, you really do look beautiful in anything. This dress suits you well!

    Not missing the sh of envy in Jane''s eyes, N smirked. "Really?"I have you to thank, Ms. Wilkie. I appreciate the loan."

    "You''re wee. Let''s head back down," Jane replied.

    As they walked back to the main hall, guests took in the contrast between Jane''s bold red gown and N''s elegant white one. Inparison, Jane''s dress now seemed gaudy, almost overdone, while N shone with understated elegance.

    Jane''s smile strained even further as she noticed the lingering looks. She excused herself, Ms. Kinsey, I''ll leave you now. I have things to attend to." N gave a polite nod. "Of course, Ms. Wilkie."

    As soon as Jane left, Vrie hurried over. "N, I heard about what happened earlier. I''m so sorry I wasn''t there for you!"

    Meeting Vrie''s worried gaze, N reassured her, "Vrie, it''s alright. It''s not your fault.

    She knew Jane would have made a move against her regardless of Vrie''s presence.

    What she didn''t understand was Jane''s hostility over a dress, especially at their first. meeting. How could Jane risk ruining her grandfather''s birthday celebration just to pick on her?

    Vrie frowned. "Still, that maid was clearly following orders. You should call the police once the party''s over.

    N nodded thoughtfully. "Mm, I know."

    Vrie nced at N''s dress, hesitant to speak. She wondered how Jane had gotten hold of an outdated dress for N. If anyone else wore it, Jane probably would have outshone them.

    After a moment''s hesitation, she added in a low voice, "I saw Jane talking with Reba

    11

    outside earlier. I''m not sure what they were discussing, but you should be cautious around her."

    If Reba had said something to Jane, this incident would make more sense.

    It had been five years since N had fallen into the sea, and Damon had already made Reba pay for her actions.

    N had no intention of reopening old wounds. But if Reba dared to cross her path again, she wouldn''t back down.

    ˇ°Thank you, Vrie," N replied.

    204

    ˇ°Come on, no need for thanks!" Vrie nudged her.

    Ë°Ţz

    ON

    They turned to lighter topics and continued enjoying the party.

    A

    Meanwhile, Jane slipped out toward the garden, only to be grabbed and pulled into the shadows near a rock formation. She gasped in fright, about to scream, but then frowned when she saw Gabriel.

    "Gabriel, you scared me! What are you doing?" she asked, patting her chest to calm herself. Gabriel remained impassive as he looked at her "Why did you have Pauline target N?"

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    Jane''s gaze turned icy. "What''s the matter? Feeling sorry for her now?"

    Gabriel frowned. "Why would I feel sorry?"

    "Don''t think I don''t know. N used to be your stepsister. You liked her back then, didn''t you?" Jane''s eyes shed with anger. If Reba hadn''t told her, she might have still been in the dark.

    The thought of Gabriel ever having feelings for N made her despise N even more.

    As dusk settled, shadows deepened around the rock formation, casting half of Gabriel''s face in the darkness and making his expression harder to read.

    "How did you find out?" he asked.

    Jane scoffed. "How I found out doesn''t matter. What matters is whether you''re still hung up on her."

    Gabriel chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I never knew my dear Jane could look so adorable when she''s jealous."

    He reached out to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him back. "Don''t touch me! You still haven''t answered my question! And if I don''t like your answer, you''re not getting into my bed tonight!"

    "Since I met you, there''s been no one else in my heart. If I''d known you were out there, I''d never have had feelings for anyone else. You and our son are all I need in this life," Gabriel professed.

    Looking into Gabriel''s gentle eyes, Jane felt her anger dissolve, warmth spreading through her like sugar melting in warm water.

    She smiled. ˇ°That''s more like it. I almost thought you were here to defend N!"

    "How could I? It''s just that she''s still a guest who came with Damon. If he finds out you are behind it, who knows how he''ll react? I don''t want to ruin Grandpa''s birthday celebration, Gabriel exined.

    "Don''t worry. Pauline won''t say a word," Jane assured him.

    Pauline needed the money to cover her mother-inw''s medical bills. She wouldn''t dare risk speaking out.

    "Good," Gabriel replied.

    He wrapped his arms around Jane, gently running his hand through her hair as if in

    thought.

    1/2

    After a moment, Jane pulled away. "I have something to take care of. You should head back to the main hall."

    He nodded. "Alright."

    Once Jane was out of sight, Gabriel stepped out from the shadows of the rock garden, his face set in cold lines under the dim garden lights. The party continued until after 11:00 p.m.

    As guests slowly departed, Damon and N lingered in the Wilkies'' living room, clearly waiting for an exnation.

    If it hadn''t been for Pedro, Damon wouldn''t have tolerated a maid nearly disfiguring N -he would have shut down the party on the spot.

    When Pedro learned what had happened, he came forward to apologize to Damon and N directly. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey, it was a failure on our part to ensure yourfort. I apologize deeply."

    Damon raised a hand to stop him, his face icy. "No need to apologize. I''d just like to know who ordered that maid to act out. It couldn''t have been an outsider pulling the strings on a Wilkie maid."

    His tone was certain, implying he believed the attack hade from within the Wilkie family.

    Pedro''s expression darkened as hemanded coldly, "Bring Pauline here immediately- and get everyone in the family down to the living room!" Sensing his anger, the service staff hurried to carry out the orders. Within ten minutes, all the Wilkies had gathered in the living room. Pauline was brought in as well, trembling, clearly frightened. She kept her head down, aware of the tense atmosphere filling the room.

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    Sitting at the center of the living room, Pedro surveyed his family with a hard gaze, his finally settling on Jane.

    eyes

    This granddaughter of his was typically wless, whether in business or personal matters. She was the one he''d entrusted with organizing his birthday celebration.

    ˇ°Jane, you were in charge of the party. Since Pauline pushed Ms. Kinsey, I want you to get to the bottom of it and give Mr. Sumner and Ms. Kinsey a satisfactory answer," Pedro

    announced.

    Jane took a few steps forward and nced at Pauline, who was cowering on the floor. She began, "Grandpa, Pauline ims she identally bumped into Ms. Kinsey. She denies any outside influence, and there were so many people around today-?

    She didn''t get to finish before Damon cut her off icily. "Are you saying that my girlfriend intentionally staged this scene to frame the Wilkies?" Meeting Damon''s gaze, Jane replied calmly, "Mr. Sumner, that''s not what I meant. I''m only suggesting that this incident might truly have been an ident.

    "Regardless, we support whatever decision you and Ms. Kinsey make, whether to settle privately or involve the authorities.

    11

    Then, with a look of feignedpassion, she added, "Pauline has worked for our family for over 20 years. If you do want to settle privately, we''ll cover anypensation."

    Jane looked every bit the picture of righteousness and reason, though N knew the whole thing was her doing. To anyone else, she might have seemed genuinelypassionate.

    Before N could respond, augh suddenly broke the silence.

    In the stillness of the living room, all eyes turned toward the source of the sound.

    Pedro''s face darkened with anger as he scolded, "Theo! We''re dealing with something serious here-stop goofing around!"

    Theo Wilkie, Pedro''s oldest son''s son, was also Jane''s elder cousin. Lacking her talents for business, he had often beenpared to her unfavorably and harbored deep resentment because of it.

    "Grandpa, I want to stay serious, but I can''t help myself here," Theo quipped.

    Visibly exasperated, Pedro pounded his cane on the floor, chiding, "If you can''t keep it together, then get out! You''re a disgrace!"

    If this had been any other time, he might have overlooked it, but for Theo to act this way now was an embarrassment to the Wilkies.

    1/2

    Theo shrugged, unfazed by his grandfather''s anger. He pointed directly at Jane. "Grandpa, the one bringing disgrace to our family isn''t me-it''s her!" Jane''s eyes widened as she red at him. "Theo, what nonsense are you spouting?"

    She looked furious, but Theo noticed her hands clenching at her sides.

    Hah! Now she was scared? Where was that fear when she had sent Pauline after N?

    Theo was sick of everyone constantlyparing him to Jane, sick of hearing that he was useless and would never match up to her. If he wanted to take back control of thepany, he''d have to make Pedro see Jane''s true colors

    ˇ°Jane, you''re the one who ordered Pauline to go after N. Stop pretending to be the innocent one here!" he dered, his voice loud and clear.

    The room fell silent.

    Pedro turned red with fury, raising his cane to strike Theo. "You really have lost it! How dare you say such things?"

    Theo didn''t dodge, taking the blow. His face turned pale from the pain.

    Quincy Mayberry, Theo''s mother, rushed over to support him.

    "Dad, even if you''re biased, you can''t just hit Theo whenever you please! Jane is your granddaughter, but Theo is also your grandson!" she challenged Pedro.

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    Pedro nearly staggered back in anger.

    "Take him away! Stop letting him spout nonsense here!" he barked.

    Whether Jane was involved or not, the priority was to downy the situation. If it hadn''t been for Theo''s foolishness, things might have already been smoothed over.

    21

    The more Pedro thought about it, the angrier he became. Once Damon and N left, he was determined to teach Theo a lesson. The young man needed to know when to speak up- and when to stay quiet.

    Jane trembled slightly, struggling to stay calm. Only she, Pauline, and Gabriel knew about this incident, and none of them would betray her. Thus, Theo had to be bluffing. There was no way he could know!

    Theo pushed Quincy aside, saying, "Mom, I''m fine."

    He took out his phone, eyeing Jane with a cold smile. ˇ°Jane, everything you said to Gabriel by the rock garden? I recorded it. Let''s y it for everyone, shall we?"

    Without waiting, he pressed y.

    Instantly, Jane and Gabriel''s voices echoed through the room, plunging the atmosphere

    into silence.

    Pedro looked at Jane with profound disappointment. ˇ°Jane, did you really do this?"

    Jane''s face turned pale, her clenched fists finally loosening. Under Pedro''s cold gaze, she slowly lowered her head. ˇ°Grandpa, I''m sorry." "Are you out of your mind? Why would you do something like this to Ms. Kinsey? Have you lost your senses?!" Pedro demanded. Jane bit her lip, remaining silent.

    Pedro turned to Damon, his expression filled with remorse. "Mr. Sumner, it''s my fault for not teaching my granddaughter better. I apologize on her behalf, and I hope Ms. Kinsey can forgive her this once."

    Upon seeing Pedro bow in apology, Jane''s heart twisted with guilt and regret. She quickly moved to help him up. ˇ°Grandpa, this was my mistake. I should be the one apologizing!"

    Pedro pushed her aside. "Be quiet!"

    Tears welled up in Jane''s eyes, and her heart ached.

    Pedro was a proud man who had never bowed his head to anyone for as long as she coul remember. On his 70th birthday, of all days, he had to lower himself to a person half his age

    because of her.

    Jane wiped her tears and turned toward N, her voice breaking. "Ms. Kinsey, this is all my fault. I was jealous that you''re prettier than me, and I lost my senses. Whatever you choose to do-whether it''s calling the police or anything else I''ll ept."

    N looked at Jane emotionlessly. They had no prior grudges, yet upon meeting for the first time, Jane had instructed a maid to harm her out of jealousy. It nearly caused her to be disfigured-a testament to Jane''s malicious nature.

    In the past, N wouldn''t have hesitated to call the police.

    However, with the Wilkies'' influence in Saintornia and the fact that she hadn''t been injured, filing a report would only embarrass Jane without much consequence. It made more sense to use the family''s embarrassment to negotiate something beneficial for Damon''spany.

    As she was lost in thought, Pedro spoke up. "Ms. Kinsey, as long as you''re willing to let Jane off, name your terms forpensation. The Wilkies won''t refuse."

    If this went to the police, the Wilkies'' reputation would be in shreds.

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    N nced at Damon, leaning in to whisper something in his ear. His eyebrows furrowed briefly, then rxed.

    He turned to Pedro, his tone calm. "If I remember correctly, the vi project the Wilkie Group invested in is due forpletion this month. Trading one vi for the Wilkies'' reputation seems like a fair exchange, doesn''t it?"

    Hearing this, Pedro breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Damon was willing to let the matter

    1. go.

    He quickly agreed, "Of course, of course. I''ll have someone send over the vi ns so you and Ms. Kinsey can pick a unit."

    Damon smiled. ˇ°Then, we''ll take you up on that."

    N tried to catch Damon''s eye, but he ignored her.

    Pedro replied, "Thank you, Mr. Sumner, for being so magnanimous with Jane."

    "Since it''s settled, N and I will take our leave," Damon said.

    ˇ°Mr. Sumner, allow me to see you out," Pedro replied politely.

    After seeing Damon and N off, Pedro''s smile vanished. He turned back inside, his gaze icy as he directed it at Jane.

    Jane and the others followed him into the living room, where Jane knelt before him without needing to be told. "Grandpa, I''m sorry. I know I messed up and embarrassed the family."

    Pedro pped her across the face. "Since you knew it was wrong, why did you do it? Have you forgotten all the years of my teaching?"

    Gabriel rushed forward, kneeling beside Jane. ˇ°Grandpa, this is my fault too. Jane only acted out of anger because she found out N was once my stepsister."

    Pedro sneered at him, his gaze icy. "Oh, how loyal of you. But don''t forget-if it weren''t for Jane, you and your mother wouldn''t have the life you have now.

    A dark look shed in Gabriel''s downturned eyes, but he nodded solemnly. "I understand. I''ll never forget that and will take care of Jane for the rest of my life."

    Holding her cheek, Jane looked at Gabriel with misty eyes, feeling deeply touched. She had always believed he was the right person for her. Pedro waved his hand dismissively. "Enough. Both of you, stand up."

    Once Gabriel helped Jane to her feet, Pedro remained where he stood, and no one dared to leave.

    1/2

    Finally, Pedro''s icy gaze settled on Theo, who stood behind Quincy. He roared, "Theo, get over here and kneel!"

    Theo shuddered but stepped forward after a deep breath.

    Quincy grabbed his arm, ring at Pedro. "Dad why should he kneel? Jane was the one in the wrong! Why does my son, who did nothing wrong, have to kneel?"

    Pedro shot a cold look at his eldest son. "Control your wife."

    Hudson Wilkie pulled Quincy back with a harsh whisper. "Enough. Don''t make it worse. Or Theo will only suffer more!"

    Quincy''s face hardened, and she red resentfully at Jane before biting her lip and staying silent.

    Theo knew he couldn''t avoid punishment this time. With his back straight, he knelt before Pedro.

    Pedro looked down at him coldly. "Do you even understand what you did wrong?"

    "If you mean bringing up what Jane had Pauline do to N, Grandpa, I don''t believe I was wrong," Theo said firmly.

    His expression was resolute, his gaze unwavering, surprising Pedro with his determination!

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    "Really? Then tell me, what exactly did you do right? If you can''t exin, don''t bother going to thepany!" Pedro threatened.

    Quincy and Hudson were appalled.

    Theo, however, remained calm, unaffected by Pedro''s words. "Jane sent Pauline to push N today, but N wasn''t injured, so there''s still room to fix this. Since Jane didn''t get what she wanted, she would probably go after N again.

    "If I didn''t expose her earlier and she caused something worseter, the Wilkies might not be able to cover it up." Theo continued. "Today, our family''s reputation suffered a little in front of Damon and N, and we lost two vis. But next time, it might be far worse."

    As he finished speaking, silence settled over the living room.

    After a few moments of reflection, Pedro had to admit that Theo made some valid points.

    Still, he shot Theo a cold look and asked, ˇ°And you''re saying there''s no self-interest in this for you?"

    "Of course there is. I want to start learning how to manage thepany," Theo admitted openly.

    Theo''s candid response drew mixed reactions. Aside from Quincy and Hudson, the rest looked on with disdain. After all, Theo was known for his squandering habits, and it would be a miracle to see him work effectively in thepany.

    Pedro took him seriously, however.

    After a moment, he said, "Report to the sales manager tomorrow. If you can close a deal on your own within three months, I''ll let you officially join thepany."

    Theo''s face lit up, and he patted his chest. ˇ°Grandpa, I promise I''ll do it!"

    Meanwhile, Jane''s face paled, and her body nearly buckled. Pedro was actually letting Theo join thepany!

    Gabriel quickly steadied her, whispering in her ear, "Jane, calm down."

    His steady, reassuring voice pulled her from her shock, allowing her to regain herposure. She took a deep breath, softly pushed Gabriel away, and appeared collected.

    She thought about how hard it had been for her tond her first deal, even after three grueling months. She didn''t believe Theo, of all people, would have any more luck. With this, she felt a bit reassured.

    Pedro looked back at Theo, warning, "You''d better not disappoint me."

    Then, with the help of the house staff, he got up and left.

    With Pedro gone, the rest of the family quickly dispersed.

    Jane strode over to Theo, her eyes cold. "Don''t think you''ll get away with pulling stunts to try and get thepany. I won''t let someone like you ruin it!"

    Theo chuckled, his smile anything but warm. "Thepany isn''t yours yet. Who Grandpa leaves it to is up to him, not you!"

    "You-" Jane retorted, but she was interrupted

    "Instead of wasting time with me, maybe you should think about why you''d pull such a stupid stunt at Grandpa''s birthday party in the first ce!" Theo countered before walking away with a smirk, watching her face flush with anger..

    "Jane, don''t worry. I''ll help you," Gabriel said as he approached. "Theo''s just a wannabe. He''s no match for you."

    Jane looked back at Gabriel, her heart warming at his support.

    "Thank you for always standing by me," she replied softly.

    Gabriel took her hand. "We''re in this together, Jane. Who else would I support?"

    A slight blush appeared on Jane''s cheeks as she murmured, "Mm."

    "It''ste now. Let''s go upstairs. I''ll help you with a bath tonight."

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    Chapter

    "Oh, stop," Jane replied, blushing deeper as she yfully pped Gabriel on the arm before they headed upstairs together.

    As they showered, a thought nagged at Jane. How did Theo know what she and Gabriel had discussed in the garden? "Gabriel, only you and I were near the rockery. How did Theo get a recording of our conversation?" she voiced her doubt.

    Gabriel gazed down as he tightened his arm around her waist, murmuring, ˇ°It was dark. Maybe he was hiding nearby, and we just didn''t notice."

    Although Jane still felt something wasn''t quite right, her thoughts were soon interrupted as Gabriel entered.

    She let out a moan, gradually swept away by the intensity. She wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering herself to the moment.

    For some reason, she felt that Gabriel was unusually passionate tonight.

    N had been silent the entire ride back, refusing to look at Damon.

    When they pulled up in front of the vi, she opened the car door to get out, only for Damon to catch her wrist.

    "Walter, head inside first," he ordered.

    Walter quickly exited, leaving the two alone in the car.

    N red at Damon, her voice cold. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

    Ignoring her demand, Damon leaned in closer and locked his eyes with hers. "You''re angry, aren''t you?"

    N turned away, her tone sharp. "No, now let me go."

    "Liar," Damon retorted.

    N took a deep breath and looked back at him, frustrated. "Shouldn''t I be? I told you to use the Wilkies'' guilty conscience to gain leverage for thepany, but you just asked for one vi."

    "I don''t want the one they offered. I''ll give it to you too. Then it''s two vis," Damon said.

    Is that really the point here?" N snapped.

    "Of course," Damon replied.

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    He gazed at her, his eyes softening. "N, I don''t want to use you as a bargaining chip to gain anything for thepany. But it means a lot to me that you were thinking of me.

    The warmth in his gaze softened even the cold edge of his expression, a rare tenderness filling his presence.

    N''s cheeks reddened slightly, and she replied without thinking, "I wasn''t thinking of you. I almost ended up disfigured. I just wanted to get the most out of it."

    Despite that, Prospectus Technology was Damon''spany, so seeking gains for it meant protecting his interests.

    It was just that he would rather forgo it altogether if gaining an advantage came at her

    expense.

    "N, I''m sorry for tonight. I should have protected you better. From now on, if we go to an event, I''ll never let you out of my sight," Damon dered. The memory of her falling toward the shards still haunted him.

    Seeing the regret in his eyes, N reassured him, "It''s not your fault. I never expected Jane to set me up the first time we met."

    "She probably knows Gabriel once had a thing for you, and you''re prettier than she is, so she got jealous," Damon replied.

    Catching the hint of jealousy in his voice, Nughed. "Are you jealous?"

    Gabriel''s old crush was ancient history. Was Damon seriously bothered by it?

    "Not at all," Damon replied.

    "Good, because I was nning to cheer you up," N teased.

    Damon gave her a sidelong nce. "And how exactly would you do that?ˇ±

    "Oh, I don''t need to tell you if you''re not jealous," N said, her eyes shing with mischief as she pulled her hand away and opened the door to leave.

    Damon wasn''t about to let her go that easily. He caught her, pulling her back toward him.

    Today''s Bonus Offer

    X

 Chapter 786

    ?

    hapter 786

    "Are you saying that if I admit I''m jealous, you''ll try to make it up to me?" Damon ases.

    They were so close that his breath grazed N''s ear, tickling it like a feather''s touch.

    She looked up at him and smiled. "That''s right

    "I''m jealous, then. What are you going to do about it?" Damon said,

    Without another word, N cupped his face and kissed him lightly, "Don''t worry, I only have eyes for you-I wouldn''t look twice at anyone else."

    Her eyes sparkled like a million stars, and Damon could see his reflection in them.

    When he didn''t respond, merely gazing at her, N raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Sumner, are you saying you''re not happy with this approach?" Damon slid his hand behind her neck and kissed her deeply.

    When they finally broke apart, their clothes were a little disheveled.

    Damon kissed N''s corbone softly, his voice low and raspy. "I''m more than satisfied."

    It was after midnight when they finally entered the vi.

    As soon as they walked in, Lydia came over to greet them. "Mr. Sumner, Ms. Kinsey, you''re back! Should I prepare something for the hangover?" Damon usually drank a fair amount at these events, and Lydia always had something ready

    for him.

    "No need. I didn''t drink much tonight. It''ste, Lydia. You should get some rest," Damon said, dismissing her offer.

    Lydia nodded. "Of course."

    After she left, N raised their sped hands and gave them a yful shake. "I''m heading to my room now. Will you let go of me?"

    There was a hint of reluctance in Damon''s eyes, but he released her hand. "Alright. Good night."

    "Good night," N replied.

    The next morning, Damon handed N a couple of documents right after breakfast.

    "These are for the vi the Wilkies promised you. The paperwork''s all set," he informed

    her.

    N looked at him in surprise. "So fast?"

    "Mm," Damon hummed.

    N wasn''t in a rush, so she nced over the documents briefly and set them aside. "I bet Jane is feeling miserable-she didn''t even manage to hurt me and still ended up losing two vis."

    Damon''s gaze turned cold. "She''ll pay for trying to pull that on youst night."

    "The Wilkies alreadypensated me with two properties, so let''s leave it at that. I don''t want this affecting Prospectus Technology''s partnership with the Wilkie Group," N replied.

    Damon looked at her, his voice softening. "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing."

    N was about to say more when Damon''s phone rang. As soon as he answered, his expression darkened.

    "I have to step out for a bit. Don''t wait for me for lunch," he said.

    Seeing him rush to the door, N looked surprised. "Did something happen at work?" After knowing Damon for so long, she had rarely seen him this anxious.

    Damon paused, nodding with a hum before he left quickly.

    As N watched his car drive away, she returned to the vi.

    Close to noon, she received a message from Leon.

    Leon: [Hey, N! My throat''s been feeling off, so I went to the hospital. Guess who I saw- Ruby! And you won''t believe it. Sullivan broke his limb, right? Ruby''s here taking care of him!]

    N''s expression shifted at the text.

    Ruby had told her she wouldn''t see Sullivan anymore, so she hadn''t thought to follow up. She hadn''t expected things to go as far as Ruby looking after him in the hospital.

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    N quickly asked Leon which hospital he was in and booked a ride to get there.

    When N arrived, Leon was already waiting at the entrance.

    "N, I''ll show you the way. Sullivan''s at Block 2," Leon said.

    N nodded, following him to the inpatient wing. As they approached the building, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks a few steps from the entrance.

    In front of her, entering the inpatient wing, was Damon, who had told her that morning he was going to thepany. There was no mistaking that back.

    Stunned, N stood there, her mind nk for a moment.

    Damon had lied to her-again.

    What on earth was in this hospital thatpelled him to lie time and again?

    Leon noticed that N had fallen behind and turned back. "N, you

    Before he could finish, N began walking quickly toward the inpatient building.

    He followed her, a bit taken aback. "N, there''s no need to rush. I know which room he''s

    in."

    N looked at him, expressionless, and said, "Leon, I have something else to take care of. I''ll speak with Ruby when we''re back at work on Monday. You can go home first."

    Before Leon could respond, she turned and left

    N trailed Damon silently until he entered an elevator. She watched the indicator to see which floors it stopped on, then took the next elevator up and checked each floor.

    Finally, on the 12th floor, she saw Damon standing by a hospital room. He had his back against the door as he spoke to someone inside, so he didn''t see her.

    Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stay calm and waited for him toe out. However, just two minutester, a nurse walked by. "Miss, are you here to visit someone?" Her voice wasn''t quiet, and Damon heard it, turning to see N. His expression faltered, and he quickly walked toward her.

    When Damon moved, N caught a glimpse of who was in the hospital ward, Harrison was lying in bed with a respirator. His eyes were shut, leaving it unclear whether he was sleeping or unconscious.

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    N felt disbelief wash over her as she took in how emaciated Harrison looked. She stumbled back.

    The nurse was about to ask N again, since she wasn''t responding, when Damon approached.

    "Mr. Sumner, she''s been looking into the ward interrupted.

    "Got it. She''s my girlfriend," Damon said.

    the nurse informed him but was

    The nurse''s face registered surprise and a hint of disappointment. "Oh, I see... Well, I''ll leave you to it then." She hurried away. Damon''s full attention was on N, so he didn''t notice anything off about the nurse.

    "N, please, let me exin..." he began.

    Without a word, N turned and left.

    Damon caught up to her at the elevator, stepping in front of her to stop her. "N, I didn''t mean to keep this from you." N took a deep breath, finally looking up at him. ˇ°So, all those times you lied were just toe here to see him?"

    He nodded. "Yes."

    N nodded back, silent as she stared at the elevator disy. When Damon reached for her hand, she pulled it away before he could touch her. Today''s Bonus Offer

    X

 Chapter 788

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    Chapter 788 Chapter 788

    "N, I really didn''t mean to keep this from you. I just hadn''t figured out how to tell you... Your father is in really bad shape. The doctor said he might not have much time left..." Damon exined.

    N''s hands tightened slowly.

    After a long pause, she replied, "I''m feeling really overwhelmed right now. I need a moment to calm down."

    Seeing her pale face, Damon felt a twinge of concern. "Okay, I''ll stay with you."

    "No need," N said, rejecting his offer.

    As soon as she spoke, the elevator arrived. She stepped inside, and Damon tried to follow, but a look from her stopped him in his tracks.

    N didn''t walk far, though. After exiting the elevator, she sat on a bench in a pavilion at the inpatient building, lost in thought.

    Over the past few years, she hadn''t thought much about Harrison and hadn''t kept up with how he was doing. After all, they had ended things on such bad terms that she had lost all hope for

    him.

    During theirst meeting five years ago, although Harrison had been sick, he hadn''t looked like the frail shadow of his former self that she saw today. When she had just seen him lying in that hospital bed, the patient gown seemingly oversized on him, his hands exposed and covered in age spots, he resembled a wilted leaf-dry and lifeless.

    At that moment, she felt a mix of emotions, and any lingering resentment she had toward him disappeared. Despite how he had treated herter, only trusting Wren, he had genuinely cared for her and spoiled her like a princess during the years when the Harrisons weren''t bankrupt.

    While N was deep in thought, a child''s voice suddenly echoed. "Daddy, I want chocte!"

    "No, you had some this morning. You can have more tomorrow," a man replied.

    "But I really want some... just a little! Mommy won''t find out, pretty please?" the little girl pleaded.

    N turned and saw a father and daughter walking along the path beside her.

    The man held his daughter''s hand in one hand while carrying a bag filled with snacks in the other. The girl wore a patient gown, her hair styled in two buns, looking adorably plump like a doll.

    "You can have some when you get out of the hospital tomorrow," the father said.

    ater 788

    ist a little, Daddy! Am I not your favorite little girl?" the girl pressed.

    e man chuckled, squatting beside her and gently pinching her chubby cheek. "Of course, u''re my favorite little girl, but my favorite little girl can only have chocte once a day."

    e girl pouted, clearly unhappy. "Fine..."

    Cheer up! You''ll be going home tomorrow, and I''ll take you for your favorite seafood feast!" e father coaxed.

    ne girl''s expression brightened, and she looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "Really?"

    Really," the father promised.

    Daddy, you''re the best! I love you the most!" the girl cheered.

    s their voices faded into the distance, N''s mind flooded with memories from her hildhood.

    ack then, Harrison would take her with him to the factory or his office, and she would bediently follow him around. Sometimes, she would end up falling asleep while waiting for im to finish work. When she woke up, her favorite snacks would always be by her side.

    she thought she had forgotten those memories long ago, but it turned out she had only been leceiving herself.

    At certain moments, those forgotten memories woulde rushing back, like the softest de, piercing her heart and leaving her feeling both hurt and sorrowful.

    Wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, she took a deep breath and headed back toward the hospital.

 Chapter 789

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    Chapter 789 Chapter 789

    As N stepped out of the elevator, she saw Damon still standing where she had left him. When he caught sight of her emerging, his initially downcast eyes brightened.

    "N..." he called out.

    She bit her lip and approached him. "I''m sorry about earlier. I wasn''t angry with you. I was just really shocked and didn''t know how to face my dad." Seeing the guilt in her eyes, Damon gently patted her head, his voice soft. "I understand. I just didn''t want to see you upset.''

    He knew he should have told her beforehand about his secret meetings with Harrison. Even if she had been angry, it would have been expected. "Yeah, I... want to go see him," she said.

    "Okay, I''ll take you there," he replied.

    Even though N had prepared herself mentally, she couldn''t help but tear up the moment she saw Harrison''s emaciated form up close. Damon gently patted her back and whispered, "You don''t have to worry too much. The doctor said his condition is serious, but there''s still a chance for recovery. As long as he stays in good spirits and takes time to recuperate, he can be discharged."

    N nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Thank you, Damon!"

    If it weren''t for him, she might not have been able to untangle her feelings or even consider seeing Harrison.

    "By the way, my dad and Wren..." she probed.

    "They''ve already divorced. With Gabriel''s help, Wren has married a wealthy businessman," Damon replied.

    N lowered her gaze, not surprised. After all, Harrison''s illness required constant care. Since they had no children, it made sense that Wren would want to leave eventually.

    After sitting in the ward for a while, N was about to leave when Harrison woke up.

    He slowly opened his eyes. Upon seeing N sitting by the bed, he was momentarily stunned, his

    eyes filled with disbelief.

    Was this a dream? N actually came to see him.

    Harrison had dreamt many times about N visiting him, but those dreams always featured the N from five years ago. Never had he imagined she would appear to him like this.

    His eyes instantly filled with tears, and his bony hand trembled as it reached for her. "N..."

    Feeling a lump in her throat, N grasped his hand. "Dad, I''m sorry it took me so long."

    Harrison stared at her, eyes wide in disbelief, tears spilling from the corners. "N, it''s really you! You actually came to see me?"

    He had thought it was just another dream, but to his surprise, it was real. He choked up, his eyes fixed on her, terrified that this was just a dream.

    Even if it was a dream, it was a good one. He had longed to see her again.

    "Yes, Dad. I''lle to see you every day from now on," N dered.

    "Really?" Harrison asked as he grasped her hand tightly, his face alight with excitement.

    "Really. I won''t hold grudges against you anymore," N promised.

    Seeing the joy and tears of reunion on both their faces, Damon quietly stepped out of the ward to give them time alone.

    After Damon left, Harrison wiped his eyes and forced himself to calm down. "N, you must have had a tough time out there all these years." N shook her head. "Not really."

    Noticing how much moreposed she seemedpared to five years ago, Harrison sighed inwardly.

    How could it not have been hard for her? She was probably just saying that to spare him.

    He didn''t press further but nodded and said, "It''s good that you''re back."

    Then, he started asking about where she was working now, and she answered each question.

    Even though N insisted she wasn''t struggling, Harrison could tell from her descriptions that she had not had an easy time these past few years.

 Chapter 790

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    "N, I''m sorry. If it hadn''t been for thepany going bankrupt back then, you wouldn''t have had to suffer so much,ˇ± Harrison said.

    N shook her head. "Dad, it''s all in the past, and I''m doing fine now."

    After talking for a while longer, a nurse entered to remind Harrison to take his medication and get his IV.

    N stood up. "Dad, make sure to rest well. I''lle back to see you tomorrow."

    Harrison''s eyes shed with reluctance. After five years apart, he hadn''t had enough time to absorb N''s presence before they had to part again.

    Noticing his disappointment, N smiled. "I''ll visit you every day from now on."

    Harrison was momentarily stunned but then nodded quickly. "Okay, just be careful on your way back."

    As N left the hospital room, she spotted Damon sitting on a chair in the corridor. He was tall, and sitting down made him appear somewhat constrained, his long legs particrly noticeable.

    Damon caught her gaze and looked up, instantly breaking into a smile. He put away his phone and approached her. "Finished talking with your father?"

    "Yeah, but I haven''t mentioned anything about Buddy yet," N replied.

    Harrison was a traditional man. If he found out that she and Damon already had a child, he might be so emotional that he could faint. It was better to wait until he was feeling better before sharing that news.

    "Right, and we should discuss this together since it''s my fault too," Damon said.

    Remembering the past, they fell silent for a moment.

    N pressed her lips together before saying, "Let''s head back. I''ll see him again tomorrow."

    "Sure, I''lle with you," Damon replied.

    Monday arrived soon enough.

    As soon as N arrived at the office, Leon mysteriously pulled her aside. "N, when are you nning to ask Ruby?"

    "Why are you so concerned? Are you done with your work?" N asked in response.

    Leon awkwardly scratched his nose. "I''m just worried about her. We''ve been ssmates for years, and I think Sullivan is no good. He must have some ulterior motive for getting close to

    1/2

    her!"

    N nced at him. "I have a handle on this. Just go back to work."

    "Well, if you find out anything, remember to tell me," Leon urged.

    "Got it," N replied.

    11

    After sending Leon away, N pondered how to approach the subject with Ruby. After all, this was ultimately Ruby''s personal matter. If she intervened too much, it might push Ruby away.

    N spent the entire day trying to think of the right way to bring it up.

    Initially, she nned to invite Ruby out for dinner after work to casually inquire, but Ruby hurriedly packed her things as the end of the day approached.

    "N, I have something to do today, so I''m leaving now," Ruby said.

    N frowned, and before she could respond, Ruby had already turned and left.

    Watching her rush away, N felt a heaviness in her heart.

    If Ruby truly liked Sullivan, there was nothing she could do to stop it. After all, matters of the

    heart could not be controlled.

    On the way home, Damon noticed that N''s mood seemed off and set aside his documents to ask, "What''s wrong? Did someone upset you?" "No," N answered.

    "If that''s the case, why do you look so glum?" Damon asked.

    "I''m not glum!" she replied.

    As soon as she said that, Damon mimicked her earlier expression, scrunching his brows and sighing. "You looked just like that."

    N couldn''t help but chuckle. "You''re so dramatic!"

    Seeing her smile, Damon smiled as well. "You were way more dramatic than I was."

    His teasing considerably lightened N''s previously gloomy mood.

 Chapter 791

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    "By the way, what do you think of Sullivan Heseltine?" N asked.

    Damon paused for a few seconds, realizing he had no idea who that was. "Sullivan Heseltine?"

    "He''s an employee from Prospectus Technology assigned to work with me on this project. He''s the team leader," N exined.

    Damon still had no impression of him and raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

    "Nothing. If you don''t know him, forget it," N replied.

    Damon quipped, "Why are you asking me about another guy? Aren''t you afraid I''ll get jealous?

    N shot him a yful re. "I just asked casually. Do you really get jealous that easily?"

    "Of course I do! You have a way of attracting attention, and that makes me insecure," Damon teased.

    ˇ°Who''s attracting attention? I see women stealing nces at you every time you walk into the office. If I were as jealous as you, I''d have run out of jealousy by now," N huffed.

    Damon''s gaze deepened, a hint of mncholy in his expression. "But I''ve never seen you get jealous. I heard from Spencer that a woman only acts calm and collected when she doesn''t care about a man, and she won''t mind who he''s with."

    Spencer, still working overtime at the office, sneezed and rubbed his hands together, thinking he should wear moreyers tomorrow.

    "I''m just trusting you. Would you do anything to hurt me?" N questioned.

    Damon answered immediately, "Absolutely not!

    "Well, there you go. Besides, you get jealous often, which shows you don''t trust me. You''re the one in the wrong, yet you''re turning this around on me?" N pressed.

    Damon was momentarily taken aback and found himself at a loss for words.

    Seeing him at a loss, N couldn''t help but smile triumphantly. "Mr. Sumner, you should reflect on this."

    Looking into her mischievous eyes and at her beaming smile, Damon felt a sudden urge and pulled her into his embrace.

    "Okay, I''ll reflect," he said.

    N felt a sudden bad premonition and reached to push him away. As soon as her hand brushed against his suit, his lips met hers. "Mmph..."

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    Chupit 91

    The driver in front quickly raised the partition.

    +26 BONUS

    At first, N struggled, but soon her hands naturally wrapped around Damon''s neck, and she found herself sitting on hisp.

    Damon''s hand slowly moved down her back, and the atmosphere grew intensely intimate.

    Suddenly, the driver mmed on the brakes, causing N to lurch forward toward the partition. In the split second before her head would hit, Damon''s hand firmly cradled the back of her head.

    Thanks to Damon''s arm blocking her, she felt no pain at all.

    ˇ°Are you okay?" they both asked at the same time.

    N quickly sat up straight, turning to check on his hand.

    Damon withdrew his arm, his expression calm as he said, "I''m fine."

    He frowned and asked the driver, "What happened?"

    The driver quickly lowered the partition to respond, "Mr. Sumner, there was a cat on the road just now."

    Damon simply replied, "Be more careful next time."

    "Yes, sir," the driver answered.

    N had returned to her own seat as the car resumed its journey. She instructed Damon, "Give me your hand."

    "I really am fine," Damon insisted.

    N maintained a serious expression. "Your hand."

    Damon, feeling a bit helpless, extended his right hand.

    As N rolled up his sleeve, she noticed a bruise on his arm. She felt bad and asked, "Does it hurt a lot? Have Walter find a ce with a pharmacy so I can get you some ointment."

    "It''s a bit painful, but if you give me a kiss, it should feel better," Damon said.

    N shot him a re. "Can you be serious for once?"

 Chapter 792

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    "I''m being serious," Damon said.

    "I don''t want to deal with you right now. Walter, look for a pharmacy up ahead and stop the car," N requested.

    Walter nodded and soon pulled over at an intersection.

    "Ms. Kinsey, there''s a pharmacy here," he informed her.

    "Great," N replied, turning to Damon. "I''ll go buy some medicine. Wait here for me."

    Damon wanted to stop her, but seeing the worry in her eyes, he swallowed his words and nodded. "Okay."

    As N got out of the car and walked toward the pharmacy, she bumped into a delivery person rushing out, causing the medicine in their hands to fall to the ground.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to," N apologized.

    The delivery person bent down to pick up the medicine when a shocked voice called out, " Ruby?!"

    Ruby looked up, recognizing N, and a hint of panic shed across her face. "N-N..." "Did you leave work early just to make deliveries?" N asked.

    Ruby hurriedly picked up the fallen medicine, avoiding eye contact with N. "I''m runningte on this order. I need to deliver this medicine now. I''ll exin everything to you tomorrow

    N frowned, about to say something, but Ruby hurried away. She quickly walked to her parked e-bike, ced the medicine in the delivery box, and rode off.

    It wasn''t until Ruby''s thin figure disappeared from view that N turned and entered the pharmacy. After buying the anti-inmmatory ointment, she returned to the car, her mind heavy with thoughts.

    As soon as she closed the door, she met Damon''s probing gaze.

    "What did you say to that delivery person?" he asked.

    Since they were at a distance, Damon hadn''t clearly seen who it was and didn''t realize it was a

    woman.

    N paused for a moment before shaking her head. "It''s nothing. Let me apply the ointment for you."

    She opened the ointment and gently pulled Damon''s right hand in front of her, applying the cream and massaging his arm.

    +25 BOARIS

    Noticing her distracted demeanor, Damon frowned and withdrew his hand. "You don''t need to massage it. It''s fine now."

    "Oh... okay," N replied.

    The car fell silent again as N tucked the ointment away, her head down and lost in thought. Damon''s expression darkened, and he silently signaled Walter to drive.

    When Walter saw Damon''s grim face in the rearview mirror, he nervously started the car.

    By the time they reached the vi, neither of them had spoken, and the atmosphere in the car grew colder.

    N kept wondering why Ruby was working as a delivery person. Was she really short on cash? Had she run out of the money she borrowed from her?

    As N contemted whether to send Ruby some money tomorrow, Damon''s deep voice broke the silence. "How much longer are you nning to sit in the car?"

    N snapped back to reality, realizing they had unknowingly arrived at the vi and that Walter had already exited the vehicle.

    "Sorry, I got a bit lost in thought," she apologized.

    ˇ°What were you thinking so seriously?" Damon asked.

    "It''s nothing important. Let''s get out of the car," N answered, opening the door to exit.

    Damon followed her, his expression still sour.

    As soon as they stepped into the living room, Lydia approached them.

    Seeing Damon''s cold face, she quickly asked, ˇ°Mr. Sumner, did something happen? Why do you look so upset?"

    N, who was walking ahead, turned around at her words, her gaze on Damon filled with confusion.

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    Damon stiffened and averted his gaze. "It''s nothing."

    "Is your arm still hurting?" N asked, trying to look at Damon''s arm, but he turned away,

    He dismissed her concern. "It''s fine. Let''s get ready for dinner."

    He didn''t even nce at N as he walked past her toward the dining room.

    N frowned, sensing something was off about his attitude. She thought back and realized his demeanor had changed after she returned to the far from the pharmacy.

    Could it be because she hadn''t mentioned Ruby to him? Was he sulking?

    During dinner, Damon spoke only to Mason, ignoring N unless she initiated the conversation.

    After dinner, seeing Damon head toward the study, N quickly followed him.

    "Damon, wait! I need to talk to you," she called out.

    His tone was somewhat cold

    When he replied, "What is it?"

    N looked up at him. "Are you upset with me?"

    Damon avoided her gaze. "No."

    "If that''s true, then why were you only talking to Buddy at dinner?" she pressed.

    "You''re overthinking it," Damon replied dismissively.

    Displeasure shed in N''s eyes. "If you''re unhappy about something, spill it. Keeping it to yourself will only upset you and sabotage our rtionship."

    "It''s really nothing," Damon insisted.

    1

    Noticing his indifferent expression, N felt a surge of frustration.

    "You always do this, keeping everything to yourself. How am I supposed to know what you''re thinking?" Her voice rose slightly, tinged with hurt.

    Damon frowned, seeming to realize he might be in the wrong.

    He sighed and pulled N closer. "Don''t be mad. I just... I saw you talking to another guy, and asked what you said, but you wouldn''t tell me, so I felt a little jealous."

    N widened her eyes. "Is that really why? You''re being so petty."

    Damon chuckled helplessly. "I know, I shouldn''t have reacted that way. It won''t happen again.

    Most of N''s anger faded at his sincerity. She retorted, "Who told you that delivery person

    was a man?"

    Damon frowned. "If it wasn''t a guy, then was it..

    Then, he seemed to realize something, his brows furrowing even more. "Wait, that delivery person was a woman?"

    N nodded. "Yeah, and I know her."

    Damon was speechless. He hadn''t expected to be sulking over a woman.

    Unable to help herself, Nughed at him. "Your possessiveness is a bit much, don''t think? I was just talking to someone else for a minute, and you''re all jealous."

    you

    A hint of guilt shed in Damon''s eyes as he rubbed his nose. "That''s because when I asked you, you were so vague about it. You kept spacing out afterward, making me think you were hiding something."

    "Are girly conversations even appropriate for you?" N asked.

    Damon looked sheepish, not saying anything else.

    Just when the atmosphere between them became a bit more rxed, N''s phone rang unexpectedly.

    As soon as she answered, Vrie''s slightly downcast voice came through. "N, can youe keep mepany?"

    Surprised, N asked, "Vrie, what''s wrong? Did something happen?"

    Vrie was silent for a few seconds before giving her the name of a bar and saying she would wait for N there before hanging up.

    N put her phone away and told Damon, "I don''t know what''s going on with Vrie. She''s a a bar, and I need to go check on her."

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    Damon picked up the car keys and said, "I''ll take you there."

    Worried that Vrie might get into trouble at the bar, N nodded. "Okay."

    By the time they arrived at the bar, an hour had passed.

    When they found Vrie, she was already a bit dazed and being hit on by a drunken man. N stepped forward and swatted the man''s hand away from Vrie.

    "Stay away from her!" she warned.

    The man, his face flushed with alcohol, turned angrily to face her. When he saw how beautiful she was, his eyes lit up. "Hey, gorgeous, what''s your number-"

    Before he could finish his sentence, a chilling voice came from behind him. "Touch her, and you''ll regret it!ˇ±

    The man turned to meet Damon''s icy gaze. He shuddered, sobering up a little.

    Noticing Damon''s distinguished appearance, the man awkwardly smiled. ˇ°Sorry, I mistook her for someone else.ˇ±

    He quickly turned and left, clearly eager to avoid Damon.

    N supported the dazed Vrie, who was nearly unable to stand. "Vrie, what happened? Why did you drink so much?"

    Vrie looked up with bleary eyes and recognized N. She smiled and greeted her, ˇ°N, you''re here.....ˇ±

    "I''m taking you home," N said.

    "No... I don''t want to go back. I''m not drunk! I can still drink! Let''s keep going..." Vrie slurred.

    She struggled to get up and reach for an empty ss on the bar, but the room kept spinning, and she couldn''t grab it no matter how many times she tried.

    "Hey... why is this ss moving..." she mumbled.

    "You''re drunk. Let''s go home," N coaxed.

    "I''m not drunk!" Vrie insisted stubbornly.

    N didn''t want to argue with someone who was intoxicated. Thus, she nodded and yed along, "Okay, okay, you''re not drunk. It''s too noisy here. Let''s go back and drink together. I''ll drink with you until you''ve had enough!"

    1/2

    425 BOTES

    "You promised... hic... that!" Vrie eximed.

    "Yep, no stopping until dawn," N cated.

    Finally, Vrie relented and allowed N to lead her out of the bar.

    As they stepped outside, a cold wind blew, and Vrie shivered.

    N took off her jacket and draped it over her.

    In the next moment, she felt another jacket being ced on herself. A surge of warmth filled her as she inhaled Damon''s scent of pine.

    N helped Vrie toward the parking lot. Once they were in the car, she fastened Vrie''s seatbelt. Just as she was about to close the door, Vrie started iling her arms and legs, screaming, ˇ°Help! I''m being choked! Let me go! Who''s trying to hurt me..."

    Watching Vrie twist and turn in panic, N was speechless. She pressed Vrie down gently, reassuring her, "Vrie, it''s just the seatbelt, not a rope."

    "I don''t care! It feels like a rope! Waaa... N, are you trying to hurt me..." Vrie cried.

    39

    N was dumbfounded. She turned to Damon and said, "I''ll sit in the back to take care of her."

    "Okay," Damon replied.

    N climbed into the back seat andforted Vrie until she finally calmed down. "Should I take her back to the Weirs?" Damon''s deep voice came from the front seat.

    N pursed her lips as she considered his question. "If we go back now, her parents will definitely worry. Let''s have her stay with us tonight, and she can go back tomorrow when she''s sober."

    Damon nodded. "Okay."

    By the time they returned to the vi, Vrie had already fallen asleep.

    N and Lydia helped her to the guest room on the first floor.

    "Ms. Kinsey, I''ll make some soup," Lydia said.

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    "Thanks, Lydia, I appreciate it," N replied.

    Lydia shook her head with a smile. "It''s no trouble."

    With that, she went to the kitchen.

    As soon as N returned from fetching water in the bathroom, she heard Vrie''s quiet sobs. She hurried to the bedside, setting down the basin of water, and gently nudged Vrie

    "Vrie, how are you feeling?" she asked.

    Vrie opened her eyes. Upon seeing N, she began to cry even harder. "N... is my life a failure?"

    Noticing her red-rimmed eyes, N quickly knelt beside her and replied gently, "Why do you think that?"

    "The Weir Group is in trouble, and I can''t help at all... I''m clearly attracted to Brandon, but I''m too afraid of the age difference to pursue it. I decided to get engaged to Zayn for the Weir Group, but I''m not doing it wholeheartedly... And Zayn has a mistress..." Vrie confessed. She tried to convince herself that she didn''t care, but it was impossible to feelpletely indifferent, especially since Zayn''s mistress had given birth to a son. He could never really cut ties with them.

    The thought of spending her life pretending to be happy with someone she didn''t love made her feel hopeless.

    Moreover, she knew that Zayn only wanted to marry her to gain control over the Weir Group. Being with him felt like ying with fire, yet she felt she had no other choice.

    Seeing Vrie cry so heartbrokenly made N feel a pang of sympathy. She quickly wiped her tears away andforted her. "Vrie, don''t worry. Damon ns to help the Weir Group. We''ll get through this, and you don''t have to be with Zayn."

    Vrie looked stunned as if she didn''t fully understand what N meant. "What did you say? Damon... is going to help the Weir Group?"

    Previously, Jonathan had sought Damon''s help several times, but each request had been refused.

    Vrie wasn''t naive. She understood that Damon wouldn''t help the Weirs without a reason. N must have said something to him.

    "N, you''ve already helped the Weirs so much... she began.

    N gently held her hand. "Vrie, it''s Damon who intends to help the Weir Group, but it''s not without conditions, so you don''t need to feel too burdened."

    1/2

    Even though N said this, Vrie still recognized that Damon wouldn''t care about the Weir Group''s survival if it weren''t for her.

    This realization made her feel even more touched. She cried, "N, being your friend is the luckiest thing that''s ever happened to me!" N was taken aback. She thought being liked by Damon was also the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her.

    Upon reflecting on everything Damon had done for her without asking for anything in return, her heart felt both full and painful. 1

    In the midst of their silence, Lydia pushed the door open, holding a bowl of chicken soup. "Ms. Kinsey, the soup is ready."

    N collected her thoughts and got up to take the bowl. "Lydia, you should go rest. I''ll take care of things here."

    Seeing that Vrie was awake and didn''t seem to need her help, Lydia nodded. "Okay, Ms. Kinsey. If you need anything, just call me." "Got it," N replied.

    After Lydia left, N fed Vrie the soup and wiped her face before stepping out.

    Instead of hurrying back to her room, she turned and headed to the study.

    Chapter 70%

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    +25 BOHUS

    The study was still lit, and Damon hadn''t gone to bed yet. Surprise shed in his eyes when he saw N. "What are you doing here? How''s Vrle?"

    "She''s already asleep," N answered.

    Noticing that N seemed to have something to say, Damon raised an eyebrow.

    "Damon, thank you for what you did tonight," N said.

    "Why are you being so polite? I''m your boyfriend-it''s what I should do," Damon replied.

    After a moment of hesitation, N appeared to make up her mind. She slowly raised her head to meet his gaze. "It''s not just about tonight. You''ve always been good to me since we met. I owe you an apology and a thank you.ˇ±

    The seriousness in her eyes made Damon press his lips together and approach her.

    As he drew closer, N-subconsciously stepped back and asked warily, "Why are you getting up all of a sudden?"

    Damon beamed. "Didn''t you want to thank me?"

    "Yeah, but you-" N began.

    Before she could finish her sentence, Damon wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, carrying her to the sofa.

    Being lifted off the floor made N uneasy, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Damon, what are you doing? Put me down!"

    Ignoring her protests, Damon set her down on the sofa. ˇ°You said you owed me a thank you. How do you n to repay me?"

    N met his deep gaze and froze, asking instinctively, "How do you want me to thank you?"

    Damon''s smile widened. "N, how can you ask how to thank someone? Didn''t you think about how you''d show your gratitude?" His tone was casual, but N felt a twinge of guilt, sensing an underlying pressure. She hadn''t really thought about how to thank him.

    Damon had everything she could give, and what he didn''t have, she couldn''t provide. Now that he mentioned it, just saying thank you felt insincere... Upon seeing N''s expression shift from frowning to pouting, Damon''s smile deepened. "If you can''t think of anything, how about I give you a suggestion?"

    N looked up at him, unaware that she was walking right into his trap. "What suggestion?"

    "I need a wife," Damon said.

    1/2

    N was rendered speechless.

    After a few seconds of silence, she feigned innocence. "Are you asking me to introduce someone?"

    "Why would I need an introduction when I already have a ready-made option right here?" Damon countered.

    N felt his grip tighten around her waist and quickly pushed him away. She jumped off hisp and replied, "You can give me another suggestion then. I''m not nning to get married right now."

    "But I don''tck anything else," Damon retorted

    N chuckled. "Well, when you suddenly realize what you''re missing, feel free to let me know. It''s gettingte now, so I''m going to sleep. You should get some rest too. Goodnight."

    With that, she hurriedly turned to leave, as if afraid Damon would say something else.

    Damon smiled, his eyes filled with affection, as he watched her flee.

    Once back in her bedroom, N finally calmed down.

    When Damon mentioned needing a wife, she felt a moment of excitement. They had missed out on so many years, and now that they were giving it another shot, she thought about marrying him.

    However, since they had just gotten back together, it felt too fast for her to consider marriage right now.

    That was why she had run away.

    After some time, when their rtionship stabilized, she would seriously think about marriage.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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    That night, N couldn''t sleep. As soon as she closed her eyes, the image of marrying Damon filled her mind, making it impossible to doze off.

    It wasn''t until just before dawn that she finally managed to fall asleep.

    When she woke up in the morning, dark circles were evident under her eyes.

    During breakfast, Damon raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Didn''t sleep wellst night?"

    N red at the one responsible for her sleepless night. "Yeah."

    "Was it because I said I needed a wife?" Damon asked teasingly.

    Seeing him smile like a lovesick puppy, N instinctively denied it. "Of course not! I was... worried about Vrie, so I couldn''t sleep. What you said had nothing to do with it!"

    "N, I never realized you were so good at saying one thing and meaning another," Damon replied.

    N gritted her teeth. "And I didn''t know you could talk so much. It''s early, and you won''t stop chatting even over breakfast."

    Damon''s smile widened as he continued to eat elegantly.

    His calm demeanor only made N feel more flustered, and in retaliation, she started eating more aggressively. In the process, she identally overstuffed herself.

    ...

    On the way to the office, N held her round belly and looked a bit pale. She had eaten too much that morning, and now, sitting in the car, her stomach churned, making her feel nauseous.

    After finishing a document, Damon turned to see N looking ill and rubbing her belly. His brows furrowed as he asked, "What''s wrong? Is your stomach upset?"

    N nced at him but didn''t answer. He was the reason she felt this way in the first ce.

    Seeing her silent and gazing at him with a glum look, Damon thought she must be feeling really bad. He turned to instruct the driver, "Walter, take us to the hospital."

    As soon as he spoke, N quickly stopped Walter. "Walter, I''m fine. I just ate too much this morning. I''ll rest for a bit, and I''ll be okay."

    "Are you sure?" Damon asked.

    He grasped her hand, and feeling how cold it was made him frown even deeper.

    "I''m sure. I just need some quiet for a little while," N confirmed.

    She tried to pull her hand away from Damon but couldn''t manage it. Since she genuinely felt unwell, she gave up and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes to rest

    Fortunately, it wasn''t long before they arrived at the office building.

    N opened her eyes to find

    Damon''s worried gaze on her. Her heart warmed, and much of her frustration faded away. She assured him, I''m really fine. Don''t worry."

    Swne

    Seeing that she still looked pale but her spirits seemed better, Damon finally sighed in relief.

    He reminded her, "Okay, if you really

    can''t handle it, just take a sick day and go home to rest. It''s a big. medical project. It won''t fall apart just because you''re not here

    UMS

    Though he spoke truthfully, N felt a bit hurt by his words.

    "Yeah, I know," she replied.

    They parted ways in the elevator.

    When Damon reached his office on the top floor, he had just sat down when Spencer knocked and entered.

    "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Preston wants to see you," he informed.

    Damon''s gaze hardened, and he replied coldly, "I have nothing to discuss with him. I won''t meet him."

    If it weren''t for Nathaniel secretly helping Reba, he and N wouldn''t have missed five years, and she wouldn''t have suffered so much.

    He had already shown enough mercy by not pursuing the Preston Group further.

    After hesitating for a moment, Spencer spoke up. "Mr. Sumner, Mr. Preston said he has some information about Reba that concerns Ms. Kinsey."

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    Damon was silent for a few seconds before telling Spencer, "Have hime to my office at 10:00 a.m." Spencer nodded. "Got it."

    Just as he was about to leave, Damon suddenly called him back. "Wait, go to the pharmacy and pick up some stomach medicine to send to theb."

    Spencer knew exactly who it was for without needing to be told-no one else in theb had the privilege of Damon personally sending someone to buy medicine for them.

    "Okay, I''ll head there right away," he answered.

    N had just arrived at theb when Spencer walked in.

    "Ms. Kinsey, this is the medicine that Mr. Sumner asked me to get for you," he informed her.

    Seeing the bag in Spencer''s hand, filled with various stomach medications, she couldn''t help but chuckle. "Mr. Hogg, I''m fine. I just overate this morning."

    Spencer handed her the bag. "Ms. Kinsey, just ept it. This is Mr. Sumner''s kind gesture, and I need a good reason to report back." "Alright, please thank him for me," N said, epting the medicine.

    "It''s best to thank him in person at lunch today. Your work is important, so I won''t keep you any longer." With that, Spencer turned and left. N looked down at the bag filled with stomach medicine and recalled how every time she thanked Damon, it seemed to involve him either cing her on hisp to kiss her or hinting that he needed a wife. It gave her a bit of a headache.

    Just as she put the stomach medicine away, Ruby walked into the office.

    Ruby looked pale and exhausted. When she met N''s gaze, she instinctively looked away.

    N didn''t initiate a conversation either, merely grabbing her notebook and heading to theb.

    A few minutester, Ruby stood beside her, and they began their work for the day.

    After setting up the experiment and

    cing the reagents in the

    ved.ne

    apparatus to start the reaction Ruby finally looked at N, her expression hesitant.

    N pretended not to notice and focused on the reaction bottle.

    Ruby bit her lip, finally summoning the courage to speak. "N, I want to talk to you about the delivery job from yesterday."

    N turned to her. "Sure, what do you want to discuss?"

    "Can you keep my delivery job a secret from the others in theb?" Ruby asked.

    Her nervous and cautious demeanor made N feel a pang of sympathy.

    "I can keep your secret, but if you''re delivering every day, there''s no guarantee you won''t run into someone from theb," she replied.

    "I understand," Ruby answered.

    "Then can you tell me why you decided to take up a delivery job? Was the money I lent you not enough?" N asked.

    Ruby shook her head. "The money you lent me willst until next month, but..."

    At that point, she looked down at her feet, hesitating about whether to tell N about Sullivan.

    Before she could decide, N''s

    gentle voice interrupted her

    thoughts. "Ruby, I''ve watched you work hard in thisb to get to where you are today. I know how much effort you''ve put in, and I empathize with what you''ve been through. After all your struggles, you should focus on your work in theb, not on running deliveries after hours."

    A person''s energy was limited-it was impossible to keep working non-stop every day.

    In N''s eyes, Ruby would be better off using that time to study more, as it would yield greater returns.

    Ruby hurriedly lifted her head. "N, don''t worry! I won''t let my delivery job affect my work in theb."

    Seeing her stubbornness, N

    decided to be more direct. "You say

    it won''t affect your work, but if you''re running deliveries until midnight every day, do you really think that''s sustainable? Can you guarantee you''ll maintain your usual high standards?

    "Yesterday, you left right after work for deliveries. What will you do if the experiment needs you to work overtime?"

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    Ruby''s eyes instantly dimmed as she bit her lip, unsure how to respond.

    After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "N, I know you''re trying to help me, but I really can''t. I need this extra ie to make ends meet."

    N sighed, her tone softening. "I understand your situation, but you also need to think about your future. If you fall behind on your experiments because you''re out making deliveries, that will be a real shame."

    Ruby''s eyes turned slightly red as she looked down, her voice trembling. "I''ll try my best to bnce my work with making deliveries. I won''t let it affect the experiments."

    N gently patted Ruby''s shoulder and handed her a bank card. "Since you don''t want to talk about your troubles, I won''t pry. This money should get you through to next month. If it''s not enough,e back and let me know. Try to avoid running deliveries for now."

    Ruby tried to decline. "No... N, you''ve already helped me so much. I can''tˇŞ"

    Before she could finish, N firmly pressed the card into her hand. "Just take it. The password is six zeros. This tough time will pass."

    Ruby felt a wave of gratitude wash over her, tears blurring her vision. "Thank you! I promise I''ll pay you back!"

    N wiped away Ruby''s tears, dismissing her worries. "Alright, let''s get back to work now."

    "Okay," Ruby answered.

    As Ruby nced down at the bank card in her hand, it felt as heavy as a mountain. She was determined not to let N''s kindness go to waste. Ruby resolved to escape the clutches of her family for good!

    At 10:00 a.m., Nathaniel arrived at Damon''s office right on time.

    It had been five years since he hadst stepped into this office, and he felt a mix of emotions. If he hadn''t trusted Reba so blindly back then and helped her go against N he and Damon wouldn''t have gone from friends to enemies.

    Damon set down his documents, idly twirling a pen between his fingers.

    "What''s your aim?" he asked.

    Damon''s words snapped Nathaniel back to reality. He took a seat across from Damon and replied, "I want the project that Prospectus Technology is negotiating with the Jerling."

    Damon paused and smirked. "Does the current Preston Group think it can take on that project without choking?"

    "That''s my concern. You just need to tell me whether you''ll make this deal," Nathaniel countered.

    He appeared calm, but his hands clenched tightly in hisp, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. he failed in today''s negotiations with Damon, the Preston Group''s

    situation would only worsen vel?

    Damon raised an eyebrow. "I need to see if what you mentioned about N is worth this project."

    "Don''t worry. It''s definitely worth it," Nathaniel assured him.

    Damon picked up the inte, instructing Spencer to bring over the contract for the project with the Jerling. After Spencer ced the documents on the desk, he bowed his head and left.

    As soon as the office door closed, Nathaniel eagerly reached for the contract. Before he could grab it, a hand pressed down on top of it. Damon spoke up. "Let''s talk business first."

    "However, it seems that they have resurfaced recently."

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    Damon looked at Nathaniel coldly and asked, "How do you know this?"

    "Recently, Reba has been making secret calls behind my back. I checked her call records, and they mostly came from abroad," Nathaniel exined, his expression indifferent, as if discussing something that didn''t concern him.

    The office fell silent as Damon''s eyes narrowed, weighing the trustworthiness of Nathaniel''s words.

    Feeling anxious, Nathaniel hurriedly added, "As long as you give me this project, I''ll keep an eye on Reba''s every move and report back to you daily."

    "Nathaniel, Reba is your wife and the woman you''ve loved for so many years. Are you sure what you''re saying is credible?" Damon asked.

    Seeing the doubt and coldness in Damon''s eyes, Nathaniel quickly replied, "I haven''t been in love with Reba for a long time now. If it weren''t for you forcing me to marry her five years ago, she wouldn''t even be alive today!"

    Damon''s gaze turned even colder at Nathaniel''s desperate attempt to distance himself from Reba. "Just leave. I don''t need you to keep an eye on Reba either."

    "What about the project..." Nathaniel probed, his eyes flickering with desire as theynded on the documents on the table.

    Damon withdrew his hand and said with a straight face, "You can take it, but I don''t want anyone to know about your visit to Prospectus Technology today."

    "Don''t worry. I won''t mention it to anyone," Nathaniel promised.

    Damon did not respond and flipped open other documents, clearly signaling that it was time for Nathaniel to go.

    Not wanting to offend him, Nathaniel quickly took the contract and left in a hurry.

    Once the office door closed, Damon set down the files, aplex emotion crossing his face.

    He had once felt a strong kinship with Nathaniel-they often shared simr thoughts. However, ever since Reba returned to the country, they had grown further apart, leading to the situation they faced today.

    Not wanting to dwell on it, Damon called Spencer back into the office. "Investigate Reba and look into the people she''s been in contact with abroad. I want a detailed report in three days."

    "Understood, Mr. Sumner," Spencer replied.

    As Damon continued reviewing the documents, he pondered why someone overseas was investigating N. She had never been abroad and couldn''t have offended anyone.

    As for Reba, if she had the ability to leverage foreign forces against N, she would have found a way to escape when she was forced fo

    marry Nathaniel five years ago.

    UMS

    Regardless of the other party''s intentions, Damon would not allow them the chance to harm N.

    His grip on the documents tightened, his knuckles turning white as an intimidating chill radiated from him.

    ...

    N headed to the top floor to find Damon at noon.

    Spencer was waiting for her by the elevator. Ms. Kinsey, Mr. Sumner is still in a meeting and doesn''t know when it will end. He asked you to

    UMS

    have lunch first and not wait for him."

    N nodded. "Okay, I understand."

    "I''ll head back to the meeting room to continue working. If you need anything, just message or call me," Spencer reminded her.

    N nodded. "Alright."

    It was clear that Spencer was busy. He rushed off to the meeting room as soon as N answered him.

    N entered Damon''s office and sat

    on the sofa, nning to rest a bit

    while waiting for him to join her for lunch. Just as she took out her phone, a call came in.

    Seeing it was the teacher from Mason''s school, her heart lurched, and she quickly answered.

    "Ms. Kinsey, you need toe right away! Mason got into a fight with a ssmate and hurt them!" the teacher urged.

 Chapter 801

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    N felt a wave of worry as she quickly got up and walked outside, replying, "Okay, I''ll be there right away."

    ...

    When N arrived at the kindergarten, it was almost 1:00 p.m.

    As she approached the office door, she heard a cold female voice from inside saying, "I don''t care who this student''s parents are. If my son is hurt like this, I''m calling the police! We''ll see each other in court!"

    Just as N was about to enter, the door swung open. A well-dressed woman walked out, holding the hand of a four- or five-year-old child.

    Upon seeing N, the woman stopped abruptly and eximed, "It''s you!"

    N was taken aback. She hadn''t expected the child who had fought with Mason to be Jane''s son.

    Her gaze dropped to the child Jane was holding. Though he was still small, it was already evident that he shared features with Jane and Gabriel.

    A cut marred his forehead. Although it had stopped bleeding, dried blood remained, making the injury appear quite rming.

    The teacher, Laura Ferrier, rushed out of the office. When she saw N, she quickly said, "Ms. Kinsey, you''re here. This is the ssmate Mason injured and his parent."

    She then turned to Jane. "Ms. Wilkie, since Ms. Kinsey is here, why don''t we go back into the office to discuss how to resolve this? After all, they''re in the same ss, and escting things to the police wouldn''t be beneficial."

    Jane scoffed. "I don''t think so. I want this matter to grow! I won''t let my son be in the same ss with someone who could injure a ssmate so severely. Either he leaves, or my son does!"

    With that, she pulled her son along and stormed out.

    ¨¦t

    Laura frowned and looked at N, asking, "Ms. Kinsey, what do you think? Perhaps you could personally talk to Ms. Wilkie and ask forcher forgiveness?"

    Noticing Laura''s dilemma, N nodded. "Ms. Ferrier, don''t worry. I''ll handle this. I''d like to check on my son first."

    Before she fully understood the situation, she didn''t want to assume Mason was at fault.

    "Okay," Laura replied.

    As soon as N stepped into the office, she saw Mason standing in the corner, looking small with messy hair. Several shoe prints stained his clothes, and his face bore numerous cuts and bruises, though they didn''t seem as serious as the injuries on Jane''s son.

    She quickly walked over and squatted down to check on him.

    Finding no other injuries, she asked, "Buddy, are you hurt anywhere else?"

    Mason shook his head, lowering his gaze and feeling guilty for getting into trouble.

    N gently stroked his head and softly said, "Don''t be afraid. Mommy is here. Can you tell me what happened?"

    N looked at Laura and replied evenly, "I understand, but I''d like to hear Buddy''s side of the story."

    She knew Mason well. If he was in the wrong, he would surely apologize without hesitation. There had to be more to this incident. Laura frowned, a bit annoyed, and asked, "Ms. Kinsey, are you saying you don''t trust what I''m saying?"

 Chapter 802

    ?

    N smiled. "Ms. Ferrier, it''s not that I don''t trust you. I just think it''s important to hear both sides of the story."

    Laura didn''t respond, but her expression darkened, clearly displeased.

    N remained unfazed. She turned to Mason and said, "Buddy, don''t be scared. No matter what happened, Mommy will stand by you.

    "If you didn''t do anything wrong, I won''t force you to apologize. But if you did, I''ll apologize with you. How does that sound?"

    With N''s soothing voice, Mason finally spoke up. "I didn''t do anything wrong! He stepped on my shoes first and called me a bastard. That''s why we fought. And I didn''t push him!"

    As he spoke, his eyes began to well with tears.

    N gently patted his head and said softly, "Okay, Mommy will handle this."

    She stood up and addressed Laura, "Ms. Ferrier, you heard my son just now. If I''m not mistaken, there are cameras in their ssroom."

    If they could check the footage, they would know exactly who was at fault.

    Just as Laura was about to respond, a stern voice came from the door. "The school''s cameras have been broken for the past few days and aren''t fixed yet, so we can''t check the footage."

    N turned to see a woman with ck-framed sses and impably styled hair entering. Dressed in a ck suit and holding several documents, her serious expression suggested she held a significant position at the school.

    As expected, Laura called out to her, "Vice Principal Neale, what brings you here?"

    Yelena Neale didn''t answer but

    turned her sharp gaze toward N.

    "Ms. Kinsey, understand you''re protective of your child, but

    net

    regardless of who is right or wrong, Wilhelm is seriously injured and may have permanent scarring. Qut of decency, your son should apologize."

    The Wilkies invested millions in the kindergarten each year. It was clear to Yelena which parent was more important to the school.

    N frowned as she defended, "Ms. Neale, it''s unreasonable to force my son to apologize before we understand what happened. I believe my child wouldn''t hurt someone without cause."

    Yelena''s expression darkened as she

    insisted, "Ms. Kinsey, you need to

    understand that the school has its own difficulties. The Wilkies''

    contributions cannot be ignored, and we don''t want to escte this. Asking the child to apologize isn''t an unreasonable request."

    "I can''t let my child be wronged, and the one who wants to escte this is Ms. Wilkie. I''m here to resolve the issue," N stated firmly.

    "If you insist on causing trouble, I''ll have no choice but to expel your son," Yelena pressed.

    At those words, N''s gaze turned icy.

    "Ms. Neale, are you trying to threaten me with expulsion?" she questioned.

    "I''d prefer to avoid that, which is why I hope you''ll reconsider how to handle this," Yelena replied.

    N nodded. "Okay, I understand

    your position. But even if ites to expulsion, I won''t back down. Since the cameras are down, we can ask the other kids who were there. We can''t just assume my son is at fault because there''s no footage

    Mason, who had been standing quietly beside her, grabbed her hand. "Mommy, I really didn''t push him! He lunged at me to hit me, and I dodged him! He then fell and hurt himself!"

 Chapter 803

    ?

    "Don''t worry. Mommy will find out the truth. If you''re innocent, I won''t make you apologize," N reassured him.

    Yelena snorted and warned, "What kids say can''t be trusted. This situation needs to be resolved quickly. Ms. Kinsey, I hope you can be rational and notplicate things further."

    Laura looked troubled, unsure of how to handle the situation.

    N stood her ground, meeting Yelena''s gaze. "I will handle this rationally, but not by apologizing when I believe my child is innocent. I will investigate the truth myself and clear my son''s name."

    Yelena''s expression turned icy since N refused to back down.

    "I advise you to think carefully. If you offend the Wilkies, no kindergarten in Saintornia will ept your son," she warned.

    The office fell into an ufortable silenceˇŞit was so quiet that a pin dropping could be heard.

    N raised an eyebrow and replied slowly, "Ms. Neale, I don''t know how you''ve handled simr situations in the pastˇŞif you have forced those with less advantageous backgrounds to apologize to parents with more money. But I won''t apologize until I''m sure my child is at fault."

    With that, she took Mason and left.

    Yelena''s angry voice followed her. "Don''t regret this!"

    N didn''t look back or slow her pace. She simply took Mason and left.

    Once outside the kindergarten, N hailed a cab to take them home. Throughout the ride, Mason was unusually quiet.

    When they reached the front of the vi, he finally looked up at N and hesitantly asked, "Mommy, did I get us in trouble?"

    Seeing the unease and fear in his eyes, N crouched before him and said softly, "Buddy, as long as you told the truth today, you did nothing wrong." "Really?" Mason asked.

    "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?" N replied.

    Hearing this, Mason finally let out a

    sigh of relief, but worry soon returned to his eyes. He asked, "But I heard that Wilhelm''s parents are really rich. Will they get back at us?"

    N couldn''t help but chuckle. "Don''t worry. Mommy will protect you. There''s nothing to be afraid of." "Okay," Mason replied.

    "Let''s go inside. We need to clean up the wounds on your face, and you

    should take a shower and change t

    your clothes. You won''t go to

    l

    kindergarten today. We''ll figure it out once this is resolved," N said.

    UMS

    If the kindergarten continued with this attitude, N wouldn''t allow Mason to stay there any longer.

    Hand in hand, they walked into the vi.

    When Lydia saw Mason''s battered appearance, her face went pale with fright. She asked with concern, "What happened to Buddy?"

    "He got into a fight at school. Lydia, could you please get the first-aid kit? I need to treat his wounds," N requested.

    "Sure, I''ll get it right away!" Lydia answered.

    After cleaning and disinfecting Mason''s wounds, N had Lydia take him to shower while she took a cab to thepany.

    Jane Gabriel while she was on inrived just as Wilhelm

    her way to the hospital with Wilhelm.

    He

    had his

    injuries treated.

    "How is it? What did the doctor say? Is it serious?" Gabriel asked.

    Jane snorted. "He got three stitches. What do you think?!"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 804

    ?

    Gabriel frowned. "That serious?"

    Wilhelm, standing next to Jane, rushed forward and hugged Gabriel''s leg. Tears welled in his eyes as he cried, "Daddy, it hurts so much..."

    Seeing his son''s nose crinkle in pain, Gabriel felt a pang in his heart. He crouched before him and gently stroked his head. "Wil, it will stop hurting in a few days. Just be good."

    Wilhelm managed to hold back his tears, sniffling. "I don''t want to go to school... I''m scared..."

    His terrified demeanor only deepened Gabriel''s distress. A flicker of rage ignited in his eyes-he wouldn''t let whoever had hurt his son get away with it.

    Noticing his angry expression, Jane embellished the story of what had happened at school.

    By the end, she looked at Gabriel and said, her voiceced with discontent, "N ruined me at Grandpa''s birthday party. Now her son has hurt ours like this. I won''t let it go!"

    Gabriel pursed his lips, remaining silent.

    Upon recalling how Jane had almost ruined N''s face by pushing her at the birthday party, his gaze turned icy, and he subconsciously tightened his grip.

    His silence ignited Jane''s anger. "Gabriel, what do you mean by not saying anything? Are you still hung up on N and nning to let this slide?

    "I''ll tell you, if you don''t handle this well, I''ll inform Grandpa about how you used to like N. Let''s see if he''ll take back the gamepany you have now!"

    Her expression was arrogant and threatening. If it weren''t for her, Gabriel wouldn''t be who he was today. She loved this man but wouldn''t allow him to escape her control.

    Gabriel looked up, his gaze

    sweeping over Jane''s cold face as

    he smiled and pulled her into an

    embrace. "Don''t worry, darling. You and our

    son are what matter most

    to me."

    Jane scoffed and pushed him away, clearly unconvinced. "Then why were you silent just now?"

    Gabriel remained calm despite her

    aggressive demeanor, his tone gentle. "I was just thinking. N is with Damon now, and that child is Damon''s son. If we provoke Damon, it will definitely impact the

    coboration between Prospectus Technology and the Wilkie Group."

    "So what? Am I supposed to let our son suffer for the sake of business?" Jane retorted.

    Gabriel sighed. "But what you did at Grandpa''s birthday party has already upset him. If you provoke Damon again, Theo might stir up more trouble."

    Jane gritted her teeth, knowing Gabriel was right. However, she couldn''t shake the feeling that he didn''t want to put N in a difficult position over their son.

    She questioned, "Gabriel, can you honestly say you have no ulterior motives?"

    Gabriel frowned, confused. "What ulterior motives could I have?"

    "Have you already forgotten that you used to like N?" Jane pressed.

    "That was ages ago, and I''ve exined it to you already!" Gabriel replied.

    Jane persisted, "What''s with that impatient expression and tone? Did I hit a nerve?"

    She stared hard at Gabriel, her eyes filled with suspicion and anger.

    I

    Gabriel''s face hardened as he countered, Jane, I have nothing to feel guilty about. Everything I say and do is for your benefit. If you don''t believe me, feel free to do as you wish, but you''ll have to bear the consequences!"

 Chapter 807

    ?

    Jane lowered her gaze, a flicker of resentment in her eyes. She would never allow herself to be overshadowed by N forever.

    "Alright, Grandpa, I know what I need to do," she replied.

    "I''m tired now. You take Wil to y for a bit, and stay for dinner tonight," Pedro said.

    Once he left, Jane got up and headed to the garden.

    In the garden, Wilhelm was bossing a servant to climb a tree and pick the highest orange. The servant struggled but could barely reach the fruit. Wilhelm looked up, his small face showing impatience as he barked, "You can''t even pick an orange? I''ll have Great-grandpa fire you!"

    With his urging and threats, the servant gritted his teeth and climbed a bit higher until he finally managed to grab the orange.

    Unexpectedly, the moment he touched it, a loud crack echoed as a branch snapped beneath him.

    He fell to the ground, screaming in pain upon impact. "Ah! It hurts so much!"

    He clutched his broken leg, his face contorted in agony as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

    Wilhelm showed no remorse. Instead, he watched the injured servant with glee, even pping his hands. "Useless! Serves you right! You should''ve fallen harder!"

    Wilhelm''s little face was filled with malice as he regarded the servant like an insect, disying no sympathy whatsoever.

    Jane approached Wilhelm, nced at the injured servant, then coldly looked away and pulled Wilhelm along as they left.

    Only after they disappeared around the corner did another servante out to help the injured man.

    Wilhelm held Jane''s hand and, sensing her silence, scratched his head. "Mommy... why aren''t you talking?"

    Jane looked down at Wilhelm, her heart aching as her gazended on the bandage on his forehead. "I was just thinking. Wil, does your forehead still hurt?"

    Wilhelm wanted to say it did, but after a moment, he shook his head instead. "Not anymore, Mommy."

    "That''s good," Jane replied.

    Seeing Jane fall silent again without

    mentioning how to deal with Mason, Wilhelm felt anxious and asked,

    "Mommy, Mason pushed me and

    hurt me! He''s a bad person. Ca

    et

    you

    make the principal expel him? I don''t

    want to see him again!"

    Meeting Wilhelm''s expectant gaze, Jane hesitated for a few seconds. Then, she squatted before him and softly asked, "Wil, did Mason really push you?"

    A sh of guilt crossed Wilhelm''s eyes. "Why are you asking that? Do you think it''s my fault?"

    "No, Wil... I''m just asking..." Jane replied.

    Hearing this, Wilhelm rxed a bit. He raised his voice deliberately and began to whine, "It was Mason who pushed me... Mommy, you have to make the principal expel him!"

    Seeing him throw a tantrum, Jane felt a headacheing on.

    There was no way to expel Mason. Moreover, Wilhelm would have to find a way to please him in the future. Given Wilhelm''s personality, it would be tough to get him todo

    that.

    "Wil, you and Mason both made mistakes today. Let him apologize to you, and you two can get along in the future, okay?" Jane suggested.

 Chapter 809

    ?

    As N was about to finish her work in the evening, Ruby gestured for her to look out the window.

    N was surprised to see Damon standing outside. He was dressed in a gray suit, looking tall and poised, his dark eyes fixed on her with a warm, tender gaze.

    Ruby spoke up. "N, you should go. I can tidy up here. Don''t keep Mr. Sumner waiting."

    Noticing the teasing tone in her voice, N couldn''t help but smile. "Alright, thank you. I''ll bring you breakfast tomorrow."

    "Sounds good," Ruby replied.

    As N walked out of theb, she took off herb coat and asked, "Why are you getting off work so early today?"

    Typically, she was the one leaving first. Sometimes, Damon stayedte, and she''d spend time in the office catching up on literature.

    Damon looked at her. Today, she wore a dress with a ssic cut, her long hair simply tied back with a hair tie, giving her a neat and capable appearance. Despite not wearing any makeup, she was still stunning.

    "The meeting ended early. When do you finish?" Damon asked.

    "I just need to tidy up my desk before I leave," N answered.

    Damon nodded. "Alright, I''ll wait here for you."

    Back in N''s office, while she organized her things, Leon approached her.

    "N, aren''t you going to ask about Ruby?" he asked.

    N paused and looked up at him. "Well, it''s her personal matter. If I pry too much, it might make her ufortable. If she needs my help, she''ll tell me. If she hasn''t said anything, it means she doesn''t want to share. There''s no need to push."

    Leon frowned but couldn''t refute her logic. "Okay."

    "Mm, you shouldn''t ask her either. If she wants to talk, she will," N reminded him.

    Leon nodded and didn''t say anything else as he turned to leave.

    N finished packing and walked out of the office, telling Damon, "Let''s go."

    Damon took her bag from her, his expression neutral. "What did Leon want?"

    Surprised, N looked up at him. "You know his name?"

    "Aren''t you in the sameb? I''ve seen him a few times before," Damon borated.

    "Oh," N replied.

    Noticing that she had fallen silent, Damon sighed. "You still haven''t answered my question."

    Just as he finished speaking, N smiled and raised an eyebrow. "If I don''t say anything, are you going to get jealous again?"

    "Not at all. You''re overthinking it," Damon denied.

    "But your expression suggests otherwise," N teased.

    Damon remained silent.

    Upon seeing his straight face, N''s smile deepened. "He just asked me about Ruby. Nothing else."

    "Oh," Damon replied.

    The two fell silent, and the quiet continued until they reached the car.

    On the way back, N pondered for a while before deciding to tell

    Damon about what had happened at

    the kindergarten that

    After listening, Damon''s expression darkened. "You don''t need to worry about this anymore. I''ll handle it."

    N thought it made sense to

    involve Damon in handling Mason''s matters. It would help the father and son bond more quickly, so she nodded. "Alright."

    Damon took out his phone and called Spencer. "Find out what happened to Buddy at the kindergarten this morning. Do it quickly."

    After hanging up, he asked N if Mason''s injuries were serious. When

    he learned that Mason only had?

    few scratches on his face, he sighed in relief.

    Soon, the car pulled up in front of the vi.

    Unexpectedly, a red BMW was parked by the vi''s entrance, blocking Damon''s car.