Chapter 29

With a scowl, Alexander turned to leave, but Keith stopped him by grabbing his arm.

Keith flashed a grin and pulled out a business card,handing it over to Daniela. "Ms. Harper, we've crossed paths before-at your wedding with Alexander. I'm one of his close friends, Keith Clayton. Just call me Keith."

Daniela might've taken the card if he hadn't brought up Alexander. But when she heard the name, she didn't bother to take it. "I'm off the clock. I don't mix business with personal time. If you need something,just talk to my secretary."

Keith's grin wavered a little, his cheerful act dropping for a second. "It's not business. I just thought we could be friends."

Lillian frowned at his words and started to step in, but Daniela held up a hand, stopping her. "I'm no longer married to Alexander. His friends won't be mine. If there's nothing else, please excuse me."

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and started walking off.

As she neared her car, Keith saw the concert hall director's grandson excitedly holding the door open for her.

Unlike the cold indifference she'd shown to both Keith and Alexander, Daniela smiled warmly at the young man."Thank you."

Under the glow of the neon lights, the young man's ears flushed bright red. "Goodbye, Ms. Harper."

Keith watched with interest as the scene unfolded, his eyes fixed on the young man. He nudged Alexander and said, "You know, Daniela's always been stunning -guys have always been drawn to her. But now, with her being the CEO of Elite Lux, she's on an entirely different level. Just look at that boy-he's all nervous and trying so hard to impress her. And she's being so sweet with him."

Alexander walked to the parking lot without saying anything.

Keith continued, "You know, Alexander, if I had realized that Daniela was completely done with you,l wouldn't have dragged you with me earlier. Do you think I came off badly? I mean, she shut me down pretty quickly back there."

As Keith kept talking, he caught something odd.Alexander's hand seemed to hesitate,gripping the car door handle a little tighter, right at the moment he mentioned Daniela being over him.

Keith blinked, his instincts kicking in. Alexander was not as unaffected by her as he was trying to make everyone believe.

Keith saw his chance and leaned in. "Alexander,women like Daniela are one of a kind, and they deserve to be treated well. She's beautiful, successful,and getting attention from all sides. If you don't make a move,someone else will. And Joyce? She's a ticking time bomb, and her mother isn't any better. If you go through with marrying her, you'll regret it every single day. Just think about it-three months ago, Daniela was going out of her way to make you happy. Even now,despite how distant she's acting, there's still a bit of warmth in her. If you just let go of your pride and apologize, I'm sure she'll forgive you. So, why keep acting like you couldn't care less?"

Alexander's face tightened, his frustration obvious. He wrenched the car door open and, before slamming it shut, he snapped, "Does everything havè to be about her now?"

The door banged shut, and his car roared to life,tearing into the night and blending into the rush of traffic.

Keith stayed behind, watching the taillights disappear. With a deep sigh, he shook his head and muttered under his breath, "If the day ever comes when she really doesn't love you anymore, you'll be left begging and pleading."

Alexander didn't hear a thing Keith said. He sped down the road,his mind elsewhere.

When he got home, the living room lights were still on.Richard was there, clearly eager to know how things went with Daniela.

Before Alexander could even make it all the way through the door, Richard jumped in with a grin."Well?How'd it go? I heard that half of Olisvine's bachelors were at the concert hall tonight. You had a prime spot.Did Daniela notice you?"

"She did," Alexander replied flatly.

Richard's face brightened with hope. Grinning like the result was already decided, he asked, "And? Did you actually talk to her? Did you bring up the idea of getting back together?"

Alexander's expression turned cold. "No."

Richard's smile dropped, frowning."Why not?"

Alexander didn't want to get into it. "I'm tired,"he said sharply, then turned and went upstairs, ending the conversation.

Once he was in his room, he didn't rush to shower or change. He loosened his tie and dropped into a chair.

His eyes, dark and unfocused, stared at the empty room as his mind spiraled.

He couldn't stand the feeling that the world was trying to force him and Daniela back together. The thought of chasing someone who didn't care for him was something he hated.

Love had always seemed like a concept he didn't buy into.

For ten years, Daniela had pursued him-ten years of relentless loyalty.

She had been such a constant part of his life that her sudden absence now left a noticeable void. He tried to convince himself that this unease was simply the result of withdrawal.

He kept repeating the same reasoning in his mind.Their marriage had never been anything but a practical,business-driven arrangement.

It hadn't been about feelings or love.

When things clicked, they stayed.

When they didn't, they went their separate ways.

It was as simple as that.

Yet, despite all his attempts to rationalize it,Alexander couldn't shake the image of Cedric standing in front of Daniela earlier that evening. The memory stirred something strange and unsettling inside him.

He repeated in his mind-this was just withdrawal.

If he kept a dog for years, it was only natural to get attached.

And Daniela was human.

Alexander told himself that he was just not used to it.

Daniela had gotten home from the concert, only to end up drinking a pricey bottle of wine with Lillian.

Lillian spent the night ranting about Alexander.When Daniela finally woke up, her head was cloudy, and the events from the night before felt distant and hazy.①

At that moment, a gentle knock echoed at the door.The housekeeper's unsure voice came through. "Ms.Harper?"

"What is it?" Daniela mumbled, still half-dazed.

The housekeeper paused for a moment, clearly unsure,before speaking in a hesitant, nervous tone. "There's a man downstairs, claiming to be your father. He's been waiting for over an hour. He's with two women -one named Katrina and the other Joyce. They said they're your family."

Daniela blinked, the words slowly sinking in. Her gaze turned to the phone on her nightstand, now lighting up with an incoming call.

She answered the phone, put it on speaker, and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

"Awake?" Cedric's voice came through, low and smooth.

"Hmm," Daniela murmured.

"I had some top-tier food brought in today. Care to join me for lunch?”

Daniela patted her face dry with a towel before responding, "Not today. I've got something to handle."

"What's going on?"

Daniela set the towel down and clipped her earrings on. Her tone remained calm and light as she said,"Looks like it's time to confront my family."