Chapter 892

Hamilton's face hardened as a chill settled in his voice. "Daniela, like I said before, the past is finished.It doesn't matter anymore."

A short, hollow laugh slipped from Daniela, all the warmth stripped from her voice. "Doesn't matter? The ones who cause pain are always so quick to declare the slate clean. But I'm the one left carrying the scars.When those responsible end up suffering for once, maybe you'll want to say those words for them,too."

Hamilton froze at her words. "What are you plotting?"

A measured calm settled over Daniela as she propped her chin on one hand, her eyes turning distant."I let them lose everything they cling to. Maybe then, they'll get a taste of what they put me through. Don't you think that's only fair?"

Her voice was light, almost offhand, but a warning simmered beneath the surface, sending an unmistakable chill through Hamilton.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked, his voice edged with caution as his eyes stayed fixed on Daniela.Something about her in that moment pulled back the veil, and thouggh he couldn't explain why, he suddenly remembered exactly who she was-Clarinda, the name spoken in fear, the woman who could kill without a trace and disappear without a sound.

Not missing a beat, Daniela's knowing smile returned. "Relax. Murder's never really been my style. And grudges this big? Letting them off easy with death wouldn't be nearly as satisfying."

A shiver ran down Hamilton's spine at her words. "What exactly are you planning?"

Daniela's face stayed unreadable, her voice cool and detached. "I know what they did back then. Out of consideration for the fact that you're Cedric's fater by blood, I'm offering you the chance to walk away from McCoy Group on your own terms. I'm coming after McCoy Group, and I won't be subtle about it."

A scowl formed on Hamilton's face. "Have you lost your mind? You actually intend to go up against McCoy Group? This is Oiscoll, after all. Don't kid yourself-if you try anything here, you'll be lucky to leave in one piece!"

Daniela's response was a laugh, sharper and more scornful than ever."Is that so? I guess we'll find out soon enough."

Rising from her seat, she prepared to go. Before crossing the threshold, Daniela tossed a final warning back at him. "A billion might feel like pocket change to you now, but you'd better cherish it while you still can.Soon,you won't even be able to scrape together that amount."

Fury burned through Hamilton. Daniela wasn't justout of line-she was downright unhinged. Never in his entire career had anyone spoken to him with such disregard.

For all his bluster, a chill of anxiety worked its way under his skin.

He had no way of knowing for certain what Daniela might do, and there was no way to predict just how far she'd go. But with her now standing as the wealthiest individual on the planet, any strike she aimed at McCoy Group was bound to leave damage they couldn't shrug off.

His thoughts turned chaotic, panic creeping in as he weighed his next move.

He considered calling an emergency shareholders' meeting right then and there, but the thought of eyes watching his every move kept him frozen. So instead, he reached out to the board through a discreet message, warning them of the threat Daniela now posed to McCoy Group.

Mockery greeted him from every corner.

"Really, Hamilton? You expect us to buy that?"

"What, is it April Fools' already?"

"Must be, if you're this jumpy."

"Honestly, scared of Daniela? Hamilton, you're becoming a joke."

"Let's not forget-Daniela wouldn't be sitting on her fortune if not for Cedric's genius. Hamilton, maybe you ought to retire and hand the reins to him-he's clearly more competent than you ever were." "Bring Daniela on! I'd like to see her try. I'll wipe the floor with her myself!"

···

Resignation washed over Hamilton, leaving him with little to say in his own defense.

Still, a nagging tension gnawed at him from the inside.

What moves would Daniela make next? How much destruction was she willing to risk? McCoy Group was a colossus; any serious attack would mean disaster for everyone involved. Would she truly go that far?

That didn't seem anywhere close to probable.

Her mother had long since passed, and this world didn't allow for endless loyalty-only endless self-interest.

Daniela wouldn't sacrifice her company's interests for a vendetta. The board wouldn't also allowv it.

With that reasoning, Hamilton's worry eased a little, letting him breathe easier for the moment.

But as dawn broke the next day, McCoy Group's stock price began to flicker and dance in ways that caught his attention.

Vigilant as ever, Hamilton was the first to spot the odd movement. His questions flew straight to the market department, yet complacency ruled there; years of easy victories had dulled their instincts.

They didn't offer much beyond a standard reply. "Mr. McCoy, this sort of fluctuation happens all the time.There's nothing unusual about it. Our mining foundation is solid, and overseas shifts now and then tend to shake up the numbers."

Determined not to be ignored, Hamilton fired off a warning to the board, insisting they look into the shifts.

Complacency, however, had set in deep over the years, blinding the board to any sign of danger.

Their reaction was to ignore Hamilton altogether, brushing off his concerns with practiced indifference.

Behind closed doors, they ridiculed Hamilton, claiming age had dulled his edge. He never used to flinch like this-not when he was younger,not when he still had fire in him. Now that the years had caught up, he was losing his nerve over a woman.