Chapter 843

The new building was still without an elevator, so Daniela took her time climbing the stairs, her pace unhurried.

Cedric strode ahead, shooting an impatient look over his shoulder. "Pick up the pace, will you?" he snapped at Kohen.

His tone was sharp, causing Kohen to be momentarily stunned. He jolted, hurrying after them.

As the group ascended, Damon stepped in front of Daniela, blocking her path with a quick hand.

She arched a brow, amusement flickering in her gaze."What is it now?"

Damon leaned in, his voice low. "It's not safe up there.Maybe you should stay here."

With a dismissive flick, Daniela brushed off his concern. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Damon hesitated, then fell into step behind her,unable to shake his unease. Halfway up, a sudden scream cut through the air, sharp and chilling. Damon's face tightened, dread twisting in his gut Without thinking, he broke into a run, fear for Cedric knotting his chest

They reached the 15th floor, and Damon's breath caught in his throat at the sight before him.

Cedric stood at the very edge of the unfinished floor,one hand clamped tightly around Kohen's neck,dangling him outside the unguarded railing.

Kohen's body dangled in the open air, feet kicking helplessly,the city yawning beneath him.

Damon's face blanched, panic tightening every muscle in his body.

He stood frozen for a second, then shouted down the stairwell, his voice cracking, "Daniela! Daniela-come quick!"

He was certain Cedric had lost it.

Kohen,catching a glimpse of the barren construction site below-nothing but hard-packed earth, the promise of death in a single slip-tried to bluff his way out, his voice trembling. "If I die here, this whole project goes under. You'll all be ruined."

Daniela appeared at the landing just then, her stride unhurried and her expression unreadable. "It's only a project. If it costs your life, I'd say it's a fair trade." She moved past the chaos, picked up a discarded piece of cardboard, and began to fan herself, acting as if she'd wandered into a sunlit courtyard rather than a life-or-death standoff

Kohen sputtered, sweat streaking his face, realizing in that instant how powerless he truly was. "You can't do this," he murmured, his hands shaking as he clung to Cedric's wrists

Turning desperate, he called out, "Damon, what are you waiting for? Get over here-help me!"

Damon took a halting step forward.

"Move another inch and I'll drop him," Cedric remarked, his voice flat but dangerous.

For a terrifying second, his grip loosened.

"Don't come any closer!" Kohen wailed, his heart hammering.

Left with no choice, Damon swung around to Daniela,pleading, "Please, I'm begging you-no matter what happened, he's still my brother."

Daniela leaned back on the railing,utterly at ease, the cardboard waving lazily in her hand. "No one's dying today. This is just a warning. Go home and tell Hamilton-this is only the beginning." With that, she swept past Kohen without so much as a backward glance and disappeared down the stairs.

The moment hung heavy in the air.

Kohen's gaze darted to Cedric, whose face was twisted with a rage that shattered his usual mask of detachment.

For a heartbeat, pure fear clawed at Kohen's chest-he was certain Cedric truly meant to kill him.

"You get one life, Kohen. One chance. If you ever pull something like this again, you're done."

With that, Cedric shoved Kohen into a heap of debris and stalked away, never sparing him another look.

The silence on the fifteenth floor was suffocating,stretching on long after Cedric's footsteps faded.

Damon hurried to Kohen's side and knelt down, his voice tight with concern. "Kohen, are you alright?"

Kohen's hands shook uncontrollably, and even with Damon's help, he could barely steady himself.

When he finally managed to stand, bitterness twisted his features. He swore through clenched teeth, "I'll make them pay for this."

Damon just rolled his eyes as he huffed, "Revenge? Look at you-you can barely stand. Don't kid yourself,

Kohen. Just drop it and go home."

But Kohen's pride burned too hot

He had never been favored by his father, and now was his only chance.

Going home now would mean surrender, and he simply couldn't accept that.

He wanted to inherit the McCoy fortune.

And he refused to give up.

Daniela barely acknowledged Kohen's existence-she had never intended to waste her time on someone so insignificant.

Still, he trailed behind her all the way to the office,stubborn and unwelcome.

She shot him a sideways glance, her tone dripping with contempt. "You're not scared out of your mind yet?"

Kohen forced himself to keep his voice steady "You're mistaken about me. I'll prove myself.I swear,I have no hidden agenda where you're concerned."

"Do whatever you want," Daniela replied evenly,already climbing the stairs without a backward glance.

For all her reputation, Daniela was unexpectedly nonchalant,which only made Kohen's next task more daunting.

Explaining himself to Hamilton would be another ordeal entirely. He hadn't uncovered a single useful detail-only humiliation.

His father wouldn't spare a shred of sympathy. He would only sneer, belittling him for coming up short.

When Hamilton's voice rang out with its usual steel,Kohen braced himself and answered, "I brought Daniela to the construction site."

At that, Hamilton's expression eased-a rare moment of satisfaction in weeks of disappointment. "Does she have a fear of heights?"

Kohen swallowed hard. He hadn't a clue. Daniela hadn't even gone near the edge that day; she'd stayed well inside, giving him nothing to report.

Still, faced with Hamilton's expectations, Kohen had no choice but to scramble up an answer.