Chapter 24

Daniela let out a mocking laugh, her piercing eyes locked onto Alexander. "So, what now, Mr. Bennett?Will you continue to defend Joyce after all this?"

Alexander's brow furrowed deeply as he faced her.It had been merely three months since their divorce, yet here she was, confronting him with such boldness.

Did being CEO of Elite Lux make her think she was untouchable?

His features grew stormier, and he was on the verge of retorting when Daniela added sharply, "Don't test my patience. Push me one more time, and I'll make damn sure both of you pay for it."

Without waiting for his response, Daniela slammed her heel down on Joyce's foot.

Joyce gasped, a sharp pain shooting through her as her complexion turned ghostly white. Before she could let out a cry, Daniela's icy voice descended upon her. "Consider this a lesson, Joyce."

With those words, Daniela spun on her heel and strode away, leaving a trail of tension in her wake. Behind her, Joyce crumpled to the floor, clutching her foot as she sobbed uncontrollably.

She wouldn't tolerate this, not for a second. She was the Harper family's crown jewel. How could she sit back and allow Daniela to disgrace her like this? 3

She attempted to rise and confront Daniela, but Alexander intervened, holding up his hand as a signal for her to stay put.

Tears gathered in Joyce's eyes as she spun around to face him."Alexander, are you siding with Daniela now?"

With his expression unreadable, Alexander replied,"Attend to your injury first."

Yet Joyce was not prepared to drop the issue so easily.

She was not merely an addition to the Harper family through her mother. Caiden cherished her deeply.Katrina lavished her with affection. Even the Bennett family had once held her in high regard. All her life,she had enjoyed a privileged status, always a step ahead of Daniela.

The humiliation Daniela had inflicted upon her was something she could not simply ignore.

She longed to chase down Daniela, yet Alexander's indifferent, icy demeanor gave her pause. With a slight pout, Joyce lamented, "Alexander,haven't I warned you before? Daniela is nothing but a schemer. She faked the whole innocent act just to rope you into being her husband. Now, with the divorce finalized, she doesn't even bother to conceal her true nature. She's always been a heartless,calculating woman!" 2

While Alexander's hand remained on Joyce's arm, his gaze drifted in the direction Daniela had taken.

It had been only three months, but Joyce had become utterly unrecognizable.

She carried an unshakable defiance, paired with a heart that refused to forgive.

As Daniela stepped out, she found Lillian already seated in the car, waiting. Naturally, she had heard Joyce's dramatic wailing from earlier.

As Daniela got in, Lillian glanced at her, noticing the trace of frustration on her face.

She called out, "Daniela."

Daniela snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look at Lillian. "Yes? What's wrong?"

Lillian paused, her lips parting slightly as if to choose her words carefully. "You know, the domestic sector of Elite Lux doesn't need to stay in Olisvine. This bet with the board-it's ridiculous. With your talent, you are the pillar of this company. Those old executives back at the headquarters are just setting you up to fail."

Choosing love over her role at Elite Lux, Daniela had left behind a team of ingenius yet inept technicians.These individuals, brilliant in their own right, lacked the pragmatic touch needed to steer a corporation.

Under her absence, Elite Lux had floundered with internal discord, leaving its vital members sidelined and its shares vulnerable to predatory investors. On the outside, the company maintained its grand facade,but internally, it was crumbling.

Daniela had made her return and laid down a daring challenge to the old board members of Elite Lux.

She had vowed that within three years, she would not only launch a domestic branch but also elevate its annual revenue to the legendary trillion-dollar mark.

If she were to succeed, those veteran board members agreed to resign and hand over their shares.

"They're counting on your failure. They see this as a chance to push you out and sell Elite Lux for a lucrative profit. But you don't have to prove anything.You built Elite Lux from the ground up-it's inherently yours!"

Lillian's words radiated genuine concern,yet Daniela couldn't miss the quiet tremors of fear beneath her words.

She offered a soft, reassuring smile and responded,"You're not really concerned about the company,are you? You're worried that I'll lose focus because of Alexander,right?"

Lillian couldn't mask her apprehension and admitted,"Yes, that's exactly it. You haven't been back long,and already they've thrown so many obstacles your way. It's concerning." 2

Her worries were not unfounded. Years ago, when Elite Lux was flourishing, Daniela had abandoned everything in pursuit of love, leaving her empire behind without a second thought.

Now, with her return to the public eye,there would be a slew of opportunists eager to capitalize on her regained prominence.

Moreover,if Alexander were to reappear, weaving his charming deceits and hollow vows, Lillian dreaded that Daniela might once again succumb to his allure.