Chapter 85

Lillian leaned back in the passenger seat, her laughter so uncontrollable that she had to clutch her stomach to keep from doubling over.

"They're unbelievable! How can they be that clueless?But, Daniela, that was pure genius! You flipped everything onto them so smoothly."

Daniela gave a small smile, keeping her focus on the road. "I'll let them deal with their own mess."

If not for the endless complications, Daniela would've changed her last name by now.

Lillian couldn't stop giggling. But as time passed, her laughter slowly faded away. She looked out the window. "Where are we headed?"

Daniela answered, "I've got some free time, so l figured I'd stop by North District to check on the progress. It's been hectic lately, and you and Ryan have been doing most of the heavy lifting. You both deserve a break."

At this, Lillian froze. She quickly grabbed her phone to text Cedric, but there was no response. Meanwhile, Daniela parked the car with ease and unbuckled her seatbelt. She noticed Lillian fidgeting uncomfortably beside her. "What's going on with you?"she asked, a little confused.

Lillian stumbled over her words.

The moment Daniela stepped out of the car,she instantly knew what was going on.

Beneath the skeletal structure of a half-built high-rise,a man in a hard hat was giving orders to workers adjusting ropes high above.

"Pull tighter! That's it! Don't worry, I've got an eye on things from down here."

From the sound of his voice, Daniela knew exactly who it was.

The man stood with his back to her, completely oblivious to Daniela's presence as she watched from a distance.

His white shirt was marked with yellow stains, and one of his pant legs was rolled up to his knee. His leather shoes were stuck deep in the thick mud.

The width of his shoulders made Daniela pause briefly,her mind wandering. Lillian, who had been standing beside her, quietly broke the stillness. "Daniela?" she whispered.

"How long has this been happening?" Daniela asked,without looking away from Cedric.

Lillian hesitated, aware there was no way to hide it anymore.

Before Lillian could speak, Daniela stated, "So Cedric is the one backing Tyler's company."

It wasn't a question, but a statement.

Lillian shifted uneasily and rubbed her hands together."Yeah," she confessed.

Daniela's hand, resting at her side, clenched into a fist.

She remained still for a while. But just before Cedric could turn and see her, she turned and slid back into the car.

"You should've told me earlier," she said, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Cedric didn't want us to tell you. He didn't want to be a burden."

"Honestly, he wasn't wrong," Daniela replied with a sigh. "It does feel like a burden." She really hated being in a position where she owed someone a favor -especially when she wasn't sure if she could ever return the kindness.

The very idea unsettled her. Daniela had been burned before,her heart broken by love.

She knew better than anyone how deeply disappointment could wound a person, how it could tear them apart. She didn't want Cedric to go through that same kind of pain.

Back at the office, Daniela asked Ryan for the budget report.

Numbers were her forte. It didn't take her long-just over an hour-and she had gone through the numbers,recalculating everything.

By the time Cedric rushed into the office, she had already set her pen down.

He was still in the same dirt-streaked clothes from earlier, panting as if he'd sprinted all the way there.

The office was dimly lit, with only the desk lamp casting a soft glow. Daniela lifted her eyes to find Cedric standing in the doorway, his shadow stretching long across the floor from the hallway lights behind him.

He stepped inside, quickly rolling down the sleeves he'd pushed up earlier, clearly trying to gather himself. He paused in front of her desk, his voice steady but urgent. "I can explain."

As he spoke, Cedric's gaze drifted to the scattered papers on her desk, each one covered with columns of handwritten numbers.

His eyes narrowed as he recognized them immediately -the actual figures from the project's accounts.

They were nothing like the ones Ryan had handed in earlier.

"Listen, as for the building materials, most of them come from Phillips Group. Since we're old classmates,I've been giving you factory rates. I'm still making a profit,so it's fair," Cedric stated, adjusting his posture just a bit. Despite his reputation as a tough, no-nonsense business tycoon, he suddenly seemed uncertain,almost regretful.

Daniela didn't respond. She didn't even bother taking off the anti-fatigue glasses resting on her nose. Her quiet, steady gaze seemed to weigh heavily on him,and he shifted uncomfortably under it.

"Construction can be tricky," he quickly added,his voice now a bit more shaky. "I've been in this industry long enough to know how it works, Daniela. Some parts need top-notch materials, while others don't.I've made sure to balance things out to keep costs down. Believe me, the profit here is more than fair."

Still silent, Daniela watched him. Cedric began to fidget,wiping the sweat forming on his forehead.

She took off her glasses, grabbed a tissue from the desk, and handed it over to him. Cedric accepted it,using it to wipe his forehead.

She gave him a slight, almost tired smile. "The more you talk, the more it feels like you're just trying to come off as innocent."

His eyes widened in surprise. "What? No! That's not true!"

His voice dropped, carrying a note of grievance, as if the accusation stung him deeply.

Daniela rested her chin on her hand and motioned for him to take a seat across from her.

After he sat down, she pushed a sheet of paper towards him. "This is the payment schedule from here on out."

Cedric didn't even spare a glance at the paper, quickly blurting out, "That's not needed."

Daniela interlaced her fingers on the desk and looked him in the eye. "Then I'll just cancel the contract."

She grabbed her calculator, tapping it with a small frown. "Let me figure out what I owe you for the penalties."

Cedric went still, a chill creeping in. No matter how sharp he was in business, Daniela always had a way of trapping him completely.

"Fine. Let me at least offer you a discount."

"Seriously, you don't need to do this."

Just then, Ryan stepped into the room, catching the moment. It wasn't exactly common to see someone turning down money like that.