Chapter 156

The driver struggled to make sense of the conversation.

However,having worked for Phillips Group for years,he had seen Cedric evolve into an impressive and authoritative individual.

Was this really how he intended to charm a woman?

Miguel Powell, the driver, felt drained just observing the scene.

As Daniela stepped out of the car, Miguel let out a heavy sigh. "Mr. Phillips?"

Cedric stopped in his tracks. "Yes? What's wrong?"

Miguel massaged his temples. "Have you ever even tried to impress a woman? You're going about it all wrong! Seriously, did you just tell her, 'I'll be watching you'? To anyone else, that'd sound downright creepy -like a stalker!"

Cedric stared blankly, bewildered. "What?" Could his words really have been taken that way? Miguel sighed again. "You scared Ms. Harper so much that she stayed completely silent for the rest of the trip."

Cedric scoffed,rolling his eyes. "Her? Scared? No way.She's the most fearless person I know. Honestly,if anyone's scared, it's probably me, not her."

Without another word, he slammed the car door and strode off towards the hospital.

As he vanished into the hospital, MMiguel shook his head. To him, Cedric seemed less like a man wooing someone and more like someone ready to start a confrontation.

Daniela had barely stepped out of the elevator when Cedric came charging up the stairs, slightly winded.

Daniela arched an eyebrow, her frown deepening."Was it absolutely necessary to tail me so closely?You should at least think about your reputation."

Gasping for breath, Cedric placed his hands on his hips. "I'm only here because you left me no choice!"

Her stern expression eased as a hint of amusement glimmered in her eyes. "And how, exactly, did I force you? I haven't done a thing."

"Don't play innocent! I know how you are. You keep everything inside and never open up. Fine, Daniela,"he muttered, flinging his suit jacket over his arm,frustration coloring his voice. "Mark my words-one day, you'll come to me and tell me everything on your own!"

Daniela's lips curved into a faint smile.

As she pushed open the hospital room door,Cedric trailed in behind her. By then, his entire demeanor had changed-his jacket was back in place, and his expression was icy and unreadable.

Alexander was seated inside the room. He hadn't anticipated Cedric tagging along, and the sight of them together left him with an odd feeling.

The one thought circling his mind was-could Daniela actually be thinking about being with Cedric?

Daniela's eyes flickered briefly towards Caiden.Without another word, she walked away.

The hospital belonged to Cedric, and as soon as he arrived, the director rushed to greet him in person.

The attending doctor started explaining Caiden's condition. "He's suffering from severe inflammation,though the exact cause remains unknown. We're treating it while conducting further investigations."

"Is it life-threatening?" Daniela asked, her tone measured.

The doctor shook his head. "It doesn't seem to be life -threatening at this point."

Daniela gave a curt nod, her voice polite but distant."I appreciate your efforts."

The doctor stole another glance at Daniela. Seizing a moment when no one was watching, he stood near the door and discreetly snapped a photo of her.

Cedric spotted it right away. He marched out of the room towards the doctor, reaching for his phone, but the man effortlessly evaded him.

Cedric let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, keep the photo,but don't you dare post it anywhere."

Russell Steele, the doctor, smirked and waved his phone teasingly. "Too late. Quick fingers-I've already shared it in the group chat."

Grinding his teeth, Cedric grabbed his phone. As expected, his group chat was now flooded with endless notifications, his friends mercilessly teasing him.

Cedric's expression turned stormy as he typed a curt,icy reply. "Cut it out, or I'm leaving the group."

Russell laughed and shook his head. "Cedric, with a temper like that, do you honestly think you'll win her over? No wonder you've been single for over two decades.At this rate, you'll end up growing old alone."

It was the second time that day his attempts-or failure-to woo a woman had been ridiculed.Cedric could feel his irritation boiling over.

Russell cast a look toward the hospital room,one brow lifting in amusement. "You've set your sights pretty high, haven't you? She's the head of Elite Lux, and her wealth could probably buy an entire nation. So, what's your angle? Marrying into her family or settling for the role of a hidden admirer?"

Cedric's mouth tightened in frustration as he murmured, "That's assuming she'd even consider letting me marry in."

Russell stopped in his tracks, his eyes going wide with disbelief. "Hold on, are you still Cedric? Did you seriously just say that? She must really be one of a kind."

He chuckled and began making his way towards the hospital room,but Cedric reached out and yanked him back by the arm.

Russell turned back, puzzled. "What is it now?"

Cedric clenched his jaw. "Don't go saying anything dumb. She's shy." Russell arched an eyebrow as he leaned slightly to peer into the room.

Daniela radiated authority, like a queen overseeing her domain, while two nervous women in the corner looked as though they barely dared to draw breath.

"Shy?" Russell asked, clearly unconvinced. "Are we even talking about the same person?"

"Not shy in that sense," Cedric replied with a weary sigh. "She avoids forming deep connections."

It stemmed from losing her mother at a young age.Deep down, she believed relationships were fleeting.So she naturally kept her distance.

Cedric had watched her closely for years. Daniela unconsciously maintained a distance from everyone.Beyond a select few senior members at Elite Lux, she rarely let anyone get close. She was always courteous but emotionally distant, never revealing her true self.

Her firm emotional barriers weren't intentional-they were instinctive, buried deep within her psyche.

That was exactly why he had held back from making any moves for so long.

If he hadn't picked up on the possibility that Katrina's schemes could endanger Daniela's life, he wouldn't have said what he did earlier.

"Russell, I need you to help me wwith something,"Cedric said.

Russell slid a piece of gum into his mouth and offered another to Cedric, who shook his head in refusal."What's it about?"

"I need you to pull up something in the system for me.Find Daniela's mother's file. I want to see what her official cause of death was recorded as."

Russell stopped chewing mid-motion,his eyes drifting instinctively towards Daniela. "Cedric, you're in for a tough journey."