Chapter 823

A spike of nerves shot through Damon as soon as Hamilton's question landed.

Had he actually uncovered anything?

Honestly,no.

The only thing that stood out was Cedric's remarkable talent in the kitchen-his homemade meals easily rivaled those whipped up by his father's chefs.

He'd also picked up on the fact that Daniela clearly favored Cedric, showing a warmth toward him that she never extended to him or Nikolas.

On top of that, he'd realized Daniela wwas more than a gambling prodigy-her gaming skills were top-tier too,leaving Damon genuinely impressed on more than one occasion.

Overall, life in Daniela's place was nothing short of comfortable-apart from that single drawback.

He'd grown so at ease, he'd nearly forgotten he had a family of his own to worry about.

Hamilton's sneer cut through the haze. "Damon, unless you've got something real to share, pack up your things and come home!"

Damon nearly blurted out a firm "No!" before he caught himself.

Back at home, his brothers were like cash-printing machines. Growing up, he'd never had genuine friends-anyone close to him always saw the McCoy name first, not the person underneath.

Here,though,everything played out differently.

Nobody cared that he was a McCoy. He didn't have to fake an interest in profit margins just to win his father's approval.

He could finally drop the act. For once, he got to be just himself.

Whenever Daniela had downtime, she'd invite him to play dice and even taught him some tricks.

He relished every second in this villa.

Nothing could make him go back now.

Putting on a show, he protested, "Father, you've got me all wrong! I've always looked out for the family's interests. Lately, I've even picked up whispers that Daniela's gearing up for some massive new business venture."

Hamilton narrowed his eyes, unconvinced."What kind of business are we talking about?"

Damon forced a smile and replied, "From what I've gathered, she's setting her sights on our mining business now."

The McCoy family had risen to power by dominating the mining trade, their empire cemented by the vast resources unique to Oiscoll's landscape. Ruthless strategies and a singular hold on those mineral-rich lands had allowed them to crush the competition for years.

Hamilton's eyes narrowed dangerously, his words slicing through the line."SODaniela's thinking that big,huh? Fine. Keep tabs on her and report everything."

"Understood," Damon answered quickly. "I'll end the call now. Take care, Father."

Hamilton's own experience had taught him never to underestimate Daniela-her knack for turning anything profitable into a gold mine demanded his full attention.

With a curt command, he redirected his men's focus to the mines before summoning Alexander to his side.

"Let's be clear-I didn't place you in charge of a branch company to line my pockets. The McCoy family's wealth isn't exactly in short supply."

Hamilton lounged in the chairman's seat, his eyes cold but radiating quiet auuthority.

Alexander bristled with frustration. "I'm doing my best. But every time I try to make headway with Daniela, your two sons pop up to block me. I can barely get close to her."

He fought to keep his irritation in check, forcing his voice steady.

Last time he'd nearly managed to catch Daniela alone, but the two brothers hovered around her constantly.

The moment he tried to approach, they'd swoop in and block him off, acting like her bodyguards.

Hamilton brushed aside his frustration. "I'll deal with them later. That's not why I called you here."

Alexander asked, "Then what is it?"

Hamilton's tone was casual but loaded. "You've known Daniela for years. She had feelings for you once,didn't she? You ought to know if she has any real vulnerabilities. Not minor faults-deep, hardwired weaknesses. I want to hear those."

Hamilton's words triggered an old memory in Alexander's mind, but he feigned indifference. "What kind of weakness could she possibly have? She's tougher than half the men I know."

Hamilton's eyes glinted, his stare cold and heavy with threat. "Is that what you think?"

His gaze sliced through the air, cold and suffocating. "Listen, if I want you as a manager, you'll have the job.But if I decide otherwise, you will be driven out of Oiscoll."

Alexander's jaw locked as he struggled for words, his teeth grinding in silent frustration.

An unexpected wave of hesitation washed over him; the thought of betraying Daniela's weakness to others sat uneasily.

"I understand, Mr. McCoy. Honestly, I haven't discovered any critical weaknesses in her. She's got her quirks, but nothing serious. Back when Daniela was interested in me, I didn't give it much thought,so l never picked up on any real vulnerabilities." With a casual shrug, he added, "I'll keep an eye out, if you'd like."

Hamilton dismissed him with a wave, clearly done with the conversation. "UJnderstood. There's a bidding meeting tomorrow-Daniela will be present. Make sure you're ready." "Will do," Alexander replied. As soon as he stepped out of Hamilton's office, a wave of relief washed over him.

All this time, he'd assumed Daniela's weakness was her fear of heights, but that wasn't it atall.

In truth, her real weakness was the sight of blood.

What haunted her most was losing her mother at such a young age.

No one would ever suspect that the formidable leader of Cealmaur carried a secret fear-blood.

He hadn't picked up on it before, but once, after a cat darted under his car, he stepped out to find blood smeared across his suit. That moment, he caught an odd flicker in Daniela's gaze.

Curious, he later engineered a scene where a blood bag"accidentally" fell and burst at Daniela's feet.

Daniela stiffened, her face paling in a split second. That was all Alexander needed to see.

Regardless of how much time had passed, those childhood scars clung to her, stubborn and unhealed.

Blood unsettled her in a way she could never fully suppress. No matter how hard Daniela tried to hide it, the sudden drain of color from her face gave her away-a primal, deep-seated terror that even the toughest person couldn't will away.

That was the hidden weakness in Daniela's otherwise unbreakable armor.

Meanwhile, Hamilton gazed out through the expansive window of his office, eyes narrowed against the glare as he tracked Alexander's brisk descent down the building's steps.

He turned sharply to his secretary. "Keep Alexander under round-the-clock watch. Tap every call he makes,and pay special attention to anything related to Daniela's weakness. And'I want a seasoned private investigator digging into Daniela's entire history. When you've gathered everything, hand it all over to a skilled psychologist. I want a precise reading on Daniela's true weakness."