Chapter 318

The gentle chime of the elevator echoed.

Cedric stepped out, his voice calm. "There's no need to deal with the rumors."

The secretary gave a hesitant nod before asking, "Do you think Ms. Harper will be upset?"

The secretary was aware of how much Cedric cherished Daniela, but he wasn't sure where their relationship stood now.

Were they more than friends, or was it just a casual connection?

"No, she won't," Cedric responded, effortlessly interrupting the secretary's swirling thoughts.

Surprised, the secretary looked at Cedric, uncertain of what to make of his confidence.

Lately, he had noticed a remarkable shift in Cedric's manner.

Cedric, who once carefully weighed every move, now carried himself with a bold, new assurance without sacrificing his usual attention to detail.

The secretary couldn't help but wonder-were Cedric and Daniela together?

Despite his subtle attempts to probe Cedric, the secretary received no answers, a silence that typically hinted at a negative response.

Confusion tugged at the secretary's mind as he tried to make sense of it all.

The secretary paused, weighing his words carefully before asking, "Should I reach out to Elite Lux's public relations team to explore possible strategies so we're not caught off guard later?"

Cedric walked into his office. "Don't worry about it. Elite Lux won't be involved in this."

The secretary observed as Cedric settled into his chair, unlocked his phone, and began scrolling through Twitter. He quickly located the account of the person responsible for the leaks and followed it The secretary left Cedric's office and checked the post himself.

Just as he started reviewing it, a call interrupted his focus, and he quickly set his phone aside to attend a meeting.

By noon, after sifting through some documents, he approached Cedric again to gather his signatures.

Cedric scrolled through his phone in complete silence, lost in thought.

The secretary didn't rush him but stole a quick glance at Cedric's screen.

To his surprise, Cedric was still fixated on that post, undisturbed by the passing hours.

As the workday drew to a close, the secretary gently knocked on the office door and said, "Mr. Phillips, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading out."

Without lifting his gaze from his phone, Cedric instructed, "Reach out to the forum administrator about this account. Ensure it doesn't get banned."

The secretary nodded."Got it."

However, once outside, his curiosity got the better of him, and he checked his phone immediately.

To his surprise, the post had evolved into an entire fan fiction saga inspired by the rumors surrounding Cedric and Daniela.

Some of the scenes were undeniably provocative, enough to leave anyone blushing.

By the time ten o'clock rolled around, the secretary had caught up on the latest updates.

Now it made sense why Cedric had been so absorbed in his phone-he had been reading too.

Meanwhile, fresh news began to make the rounds.

This time, it was about Joyce and a man caught in a steamy hotel rendezvous. Late-night footage revealed Joyce pressed against the window, the man just behind her.

This scandal exploded online, gaining as much traction as Daniela's rejection of Alexander.

The screenshots from the footage spread like wildfire, quickly paired with the audio of Joyce's confession about setting fire to Daniela's wedding.

Before long, Olisvine was ablaze with gossip, as everyone echoed that Joyce had gotten exactly what she deserved.

Daniela arrived at the Harper family villa to find Katrina kneeling at the entrance.

When Daniela stepped out of the car, Katrina immediately surged forward, desperate in her voice. "Daniela,please, I beg you. Spare Joyce. I'm the one to blame. Everything is my fault!"

Coldness filled Daniela's eyes.

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Cedric appeared from the car behind her.

Rather than approaching Daniela, he made his way to a large tree across the street.

There, he seized a man with a camera hanging around his neck and dragged him towards Daniela.

"Mr.Phillips..."

With a chilling look, Cedric's gaze froze the unlucky reporter in place. Meanwhile, the secretary, still seated in the car, sighed in sympathy for the man's misfortune.

"Which media outlet areyou from?" Cedric asked, his voice sharp, cold, and lacking any hint of compassion.

The reporter, sensing the danger, tried to escape, but Cedric caught him by the collar, holding him firmly in place.

Glimpsing the press badge pinned to the man's chest, Cedric turned to his secretary, who had just left the car. "Do you have the number for Blaze Media's head?"