Chapter 82

Cedric lowered his head and checked the message.

Lillian replied, "Daniela said Alexander could go to hell!"

In an instant, Cedric's face lit up with a broad grin.

He leapt to his feet, his mood visibly lifting. Marco,who had been observing him closely, caught the sudden shift. Just seconds before, Cedric had been restless. Now, he radiated a surge of determination and vitality.

Marco raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What's up?"

Cedric stretched,his joints popping satisfyingly. "Time to take on the world for my princess!"

Marco couldn't help but smile at Cedric's enthusiasm,which was downright contagious.

As Cedric dashed toward the construction site, Marco shouted after him, "Don't forget to send me an invite to your wedding with her!"

Cedric's laughter boomed across the bustling site,full of life and promise. "Deal!"

In the midst of the chaos, Cedric's assistant maneuvered around heaps of steel and concrete, his arms laden with documents.

He was baffled at how Cedric seemed so much more content here, amid the disarray of the construction site, than in the tranquility of his plush office. 2

At Elite Lux

Lillian collapsed onto Daniela's desk with a dramatic flair, her chin propped on her folded arms. "Are you seriously going to just brush off Alexander like that?"

Daniela glanced up from the paperwork in her hand,one eyebrow arching in skepticism. "Do you honestly think I've lost my senses?"

She had zero interest in rehashing old grievances with Alexander or considering the North District project as some sort of compensation for bygone favors.

What could he possibly do if she refused? Take legal action?

Lillian asked, "So, what about the past? The sketches and all that... Are you really ready to dismiss it all?"

During Daniela's previous, infatuation-laden phase,Lillian had been genuinely alarmed, dreading that Daniela might surrender the North District project to Alexander out of some residual affection. Such a decision would crush Cedric.

To Lillian's relief, Daniela seemed more rational and detached than ever.

With a nonchalant shrug, Daniela dismissed the concerns. "Forget about it. Anyway, we've got to visit the North District site this afternoon. I need to oversee the progress myself. It's going to be Elite Lux's flagship domestic branch, so it has to be flawless."

Lillian opened her mouth to reply when suddenly, the sharp ring of the secretary's call interrupted them.

"Miss Harper, two gentlemen asserting they're your uncles have arrived. One calls himself Ronald, the other Wyatt. In the brief ten minutes since their arrival, they've managed to clear out the snack tray in the lounge. Actually, they've shoved snacks into their pockets."

Daniela's brow furrowed in annoyance. "Inform them I'm tied up in a meeting. I'm unavailable today."

These individuals were no different from Caiden-cut from the same cloth.

Back when her mother was still alive, they had whispered harshly about her, branding her as domineering and manipulative, and they didn't hesitate to spread those tales to anyone outside the family circle.

After her mother's death, not one of them had bothered to show up at her funeral.

Yet when Katrina had married into the family, they had draped over her, calling her "sister-in-law" with a cloying sweetness that was almost repulsive.

Over the years, Daniela had distanced herself from these relatives and had no desire to bridge that gap now.

Her priorities lay elsewhere-signing more contracts and boosting the company's bottom line was far more appealing.

Once Daniela ended the call, the secretary stepped into the lounge, wearing a practiced, polite smile. "I'm terribly sorry, but Miss Harper is currently engaged in a meeting and will be occupied for the remainder of the day. Unfortunately, she won't be able to meet with you."

Ronald's brow furrowed as he turned to Wyatt, his tone laced with disbelief. "Seriously? What the hell is her problem? We're her damn uncles, for crying out

loud!"

Wyatt rose to his feet, his voice firm as he addressed the assistant. "Pass this along to Daniela: because of her, we've severed ties with Katrina. We're backing Daniela now. She needs to come down and see us."

The assistant kept a courteous smile plastered on her face."I'll convey your message, gentlemen, but as l mentioned earlier, Miss Harper is engaged in a meeting and really can't spare any time today."

Wyatt's expression darkened and turned to Ronald."What do we do now? Are we really just going to walk out like this?"

Ronald leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper,tinged with urgency. "Walk out? Are you out of your mind? Katrina is no help with the jobs at Elite Lux. If we don't talk to Daniela, we're going to end up jobless and destitute! We stay right here, even if it takes all day. If she won't talk here in the lounge, we'll confront her in the parking lot. Daniela managed to secure a position for Joyce. Why the fuck can't she do the same for us? Aren't we her family too?"