Chapter 638

Daniela was immersed in her reports when the door abruptly swung open.

The sight before her was jarring-a man drenched in blood,his once-refined suit now a chilling mess.

Daniela stiffened, her gaze locking onto Cedric, the dim office lights casting eerie shadows over his blood -streaked form.

Cedric said nothing, his silence stretching into something heavy,almost suffocating

Unsettled,Daniela frowned. "What happened?" she asked.

Her eyes flickered to the clock-past one in the morning.

Blood had dried into dark patches on Cedric's suit and shirt, even staining the fine arch of his brows.

Daniela rose instinctively, but before she could move,Cedric was already closing the distance.

A limp in his stride betrayed an injury, yet he moved with urgent determination. Before Daniela could utter a word

a firm ombrace

Daniela was taken aback. "Cedric, what happened

Cedric held on to his silence, his grip tightening around her.

Pressed against his chest, Daniela could hear the steady, powerful thrum of his heartbeat. Each beat echoed through her.

"Tell me, Cedric. What's going on?" she pressed.

Right now, Cedric felt like a storm barely contained within a man's body.

The way the blood clung to him, it was as if he had just killed someone.

A sense of unease gnawed at Daniela. She hesitated,then gently patted his back.

His erratic heartbeat, once hammering against his ribs,gradually settled in the quiet.

"Daniela..." Cedric's lips parted, but the words hesitated on his tongue.

He wanted to ask-was it true? That she could never bear children?

Or did it even matter? Because, child or not, she was the only one he wanted.

Even if fate had stolen that possibility from her, his love for her remained unshaken.

But the words never surfaced. Guilt coiled in his chest drowning everything else.

All he could do was hold her, his voice thick with emotion. "Daniela, you're the only one I love. Only you."

Cedric's turmoil was so overwhelming that his secretary had to intervene, insisting he see a doctor.

As Daniela walked him downstairs, Carol intercepted her, phone in hand, displaying the night's biggest rumor.

Only then did the pieces click someone had exposed her supposed inability to have children.

"The source? Bennett Group," Carol informed her.

Daniela let out a cold chuckle. "Alexander really outdid himself this time-so reckless. Where is he hiding?"

"Seems like he went abroad," Carol answered.

Daniela's eyes darkened. "The second he sets foot back here, I want to know. He and I have unfinished business." Carol let out a short laugh. "Got it!"

That night, a topic surged to the top of the trending list.

Just as Daniela was about to drift off at 2 A.M., Carol burst into the room, phone clutched in her hand.

"Daniela, you have to see this!"

Daniela reached for the phone.

The top headline displayed two all-too-familiar faces -her father and stepsister.

One sat before the camera with glistening eyes, while the other sobbed theatrically, as if auditioning for an award-winning role.

Caiden, ever the actor, sighed. "I had no idea Daniela couldn't have children." The smirk threatening to break across his lips nearly betrayed his crocodile tears. "Daniela, my dear daughter,you know l love you.It truly shatters my heart to hear such devastating news."

Joyce chimed in, "Daniela, my dearest sister, I know you're still upset about Alexander, but come on, we're family. Holding grudges forever isn't good for anyone.Just come home-to the warm embrace of your loving family. So what if you can't have children? It's fine! I already had one, remember? My child is yours too. No need to worry, the Harper bloodline will live on!"

Carol clenched her jaw. "Daniela, Joyce's face practically screams, 'Come to me, money!' The Harper family? That woman doesn't even carry the Harper name!"

Daniela's gaze turned sharp as ice, her expression unreadable.

Carol exhaled sharply. "Joyce gave her illegitimate kid the Harper surname. And now, she's keeping him out of school, waiting for his oh-so-wealthy aunt to pay for his elite education."

On screen, a small boy stretched out his arms, tears streaming down his face. "Aunt Daniela, I'm Jack!Please come home! I miss you!"

That little boy-Jack-Joyce's unwanted souvenir from a bar fling.

For someone so young, Jack had already inherited his mother's cunning nature, a short temper, and a mean streak that flared up whenever things didn't go his way

Carol's face darkened. "Daniela, the rumors are out of control. People are convinced you're barren,and now they think Jack will inherit everything. They're even sending him gifts." Carol studied Daniela's eerily calm face. "Daniela, you can't let them spread this garbage. No doctor ever confirmed you can't have kids."

Daniela let out a cold chuckle. "If they're already fighting over my wealth, I might as well face those vultures myself. Are they living in my villa?"

Carol gave a sharp nod. "Yeah. After the old warehouse blew up and you were sent abroad, Caiden and Joyce wasted no time moving in. And of course,Caiden never misses a chance to say the villa is his."