Chapter 164

The following morning, Daniela opened her door to find Cedric crouched outside, looking like he hadn't moved all night.

The moment she stepped into the hallway, Cedric sprang to his feet and brushed off his pants.

"Daniela, I'm not scared," Cedric blurted, his voice breaking the silence.

Daniela didn't need him to explain; she understood the weight behind his words.

She gave him a brief nod and walked past, her expression calm and unreadable.

"You said yesterday that you and your mother went through it and things ended badly. But that doesn't mean my story will turn out the same! Is that why you rejected me? I can't accept that," Cedric pressed,following her.

Daniela made her way to the kitchen, her movements deliberate as she retrieved plates, knives, and forks from the cabinets. She began arranging the table, setting a place for Cedric as well.

Just as she reached for the bread to slice it, Cedric's hand moved faster, taking hold of it first.

"Sit down," he instructed firmly, nodding towards the chair.

Daniela didn't argue and took a seat.

While slicing the bread, Cedric said, "You can't push me away just because of what went wrong before. The past might be your excuse, but it's not a reason strong enough to convince me otherwise."

Once her breakfast was done, Danieļa placed her knife and fork neatly on the plate.

With her hands folded in front of her, she looked more composed than she had the night before in the car,her emotions now under control.

"Cedric, relationships involve two people. I don't want to be your girlfriend, and you can't force me into it, can you?" she said plainly.

Cedric,usually sharp and quick-witted, found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

"You're not afraid, and that's okay. It's because you haven't lived through it. I have, and that makes my fear valid, doesn't it? You, with no experience, can't just talk about probabilities like they're facts. That's not how it works. Love is something you only truly understand once you've lived it. Experience teaches better than theory,wouldn't you agree?"

Cedric sat there,stunned, as if exhaustion from the sleepless night had robbed him of his ability to respond.

Even after Daniela grabbed her things and left for work, Cedric remained frozen, her words echoing in his mind, unable to shake off their impact.

Outside, Lillian and Ryan shared a glance, both silently weighing the situation.

In unison, they murmured, "Daniela really knows how to leave people speechless."

Lillian's expression soured. "She's not giving him a break. How much has she really brought him down?"

Many had tried to win Daniela's heart, but she was a master at turning them away without hesitation.

While Daniela was busy at work, Cedric brought his computer into her office and was now quietly sitting at the desk.

Daniela stopped typing for a moment and glanced at his cold expression. After a few seconds, she went back to her work.

Cedric didn't say anything either, and the office remained quiet.

At the door, Ryan leaned in and whispered to Lillian,"Do you think Daniela's going to be upset?"

Lillian peeked inside the office, shaking her head. "It's hard to say."

To those who didn't know Daniela, she might appear quiet and reserved.

But those familiar with her knew that when she was angry, her words could cut so deeply that anyone on the receiving end would wish they could disappear. Ryan and Lillian worried about it throughouIt the day, but nothing seemed to change.

As the workday came to an end, Daniela stood up, and without a second thought, Cedric folfowed her lead.

Daniela arched an eyebrow at him. "What's happening?"

Cedric met her gaze and said earnestly,"|may not have much experience, but P'm willing to give it a shot.The only person I want to try with is you. If you're not ready to date now, that's fine. I can wait. When you're ready,I'll be here to show you where it leads."

Daniela had intended her words earlier to distance herself from him, but she hadn't expected Cedric to take them so literally.

She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Alright then, you wait,"

As she spoke, Cedric's eyes brightened, a trace of smugness mixed with a joy that was hard to describe.

Daniela couldn't help but find it amusing. Was he really that happy about it?

After finishing work, she went upstairs for dinner before packing a few clothes to return to her father's place.

By the time she came downstairs, Cedric was already waiting by the car with his luggage in tow.

Daniela sighed. "Cedric, let's not complicate things. It's not right for you to come along."

Cedric knew it wasn't exactly appropriate, but as Alexander had pointed out, Daniela had money, and her father's villa didn't hold much appeal for her.

Why was she moving back there?

Was there a danger he wasn't seeing?

With the company now under her control, the tension with her family was bound to escalate.How could she handle all of it?

These concerns weighed heavily on him. “Just give me a guest room， and I promise 1 stay out of your way onless there＇s a safety lsnue． is fh时okay?" he pleaded.

Fearful that she might say no， hre dulckty added， ＂＃ you don＇t agree， Pl find another way 称“

Cedric's worry was clear, his nerves on full display. He walked up to Danlela, holding his luggage. "Please,let me come with you.141 be your bodyguard, alright?

Cedric stood tall, his buzz cut accentuating his sharp, angular features. When he wasn't falking, he had a way of giving off a cold, distant aura, making him seem unapproachable.

Even when he did speak, his low, icy voice was enough to make anyone hesitate.

But in that moment, with his gaze lowered and his face relaxed, he appeared almnost vulnerable, like a child hoping for reassurance.

Daniela gave him a helpless smile as she glanced his way."Cedric, don't try to charm me."