Chapter 912

Hamilton felt a lightness in his chest as he spoke. He had never felt like this in front of Josh before. A short laugh escaped him as he caught the way Josh's face tightened.

"Why drag up old grudges now? We're being pushed around, and as a McCoy, you can't just watch out for yourself." Josh always knew how to twist things to his own gain.

Hamilton snorted. "Really now? Funny. Why does that phrase sound so familiar to me? Daniela once said something like... It's easy to forgive when it's not your skin on the line. But once you're the one bleeding, suddenly you can't let go."

While Hamilton spoke, something clicked inside him.He found himself seeing Daniela's point clearer than ever. "Back then, our father favored you. He told everyone I was fit to run things, but you got the best share behind closed doors-our ancestral estate and everything else. You enjoyed the luxury while I lived with the weight of his last wishes. Never a moment of peace. Now you think you can say/ 'it's over' and all my resentment burns away? Josh, are you trying to pocket every last scrap for yourself again?"

Hamilton had never voiced these words out loud. But after the attack on Daniela and Cedric, he'd woken up to plenty.

All these years, he had carried the McCoy name on his back, while those people leeched off him and still criticized him.

"Hamilton, what nonsense is this? Fine. I'll knock. But don't run off. You need to see how your daughter-in-law and son behave, so we don't look like the bullies here." Hilda McCoy, Hamilton's sister, stepped forward and went to knock.

Daniela had already seen Hamilton's message earlier.With Nikolas and Damon being part of the McCoy family, she had asked them to stay inside.

Cedric and Carol were both worn out from the long night, so she'd ordered them to rest.

When the McCoy crowd turned up, Daniela was doing yoga in the courtyard.

At the knock, she rose, unhurried, and opened the gate herself.

Daniela's eyes were ice, and when the wind caught her hair, it whipped back, framing her face like a blade.

Hilda startled at the sight and took a fewsteps back.

Daniela folded her arms, voice clipped with annoyance. "What do you want?"

Her cold stare swept over each face,brows drawing tight."Speak."

Even standing still, she made it clear who was in charge.

The McCoy family shot uneasy glances at each other, but not one of them dared to speak up.

Joseph watched them in silence, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Hamilton leaned closer, fighting a grin, and muttered under his breath, "Keep it calm. No drama."

With the silence dragging on, Daniela began to push the gate closed. Josh, eyes darting to Hamilton for help, finally stepped forward and pressed his hand against the gate. "You burned down our ancestral estate, Daniela. You'll pay for this!"

Daniela met his eyes, her tone so calm it cut deeper than any shout. "Who ordered a hundred men to storm my place this morning?"

Josh swallowed, saying nothing.

Daniela continued, "Did I not give you fair warning?told you-one hour. Get people to clean up my place.Did you listen?"

Russell retorted, "But-" Daniela cut him off. "You'd rather watch your precious mansion go up in flames than lift a finger to clean up my property. I'm ruthless, that's true. You knew it when you tested me. Now look-your estate's nothing but ash.Who's to blame?"

Her words came soft but landed like ice on bare skin.

Hamilton stood to the side, half wanting to nod, half wanting to shake his head.

Daniela jabbed a finger toward her courtyard."Since you're all hereanyway, I don't have to chase you down. There's blood everywhere. I'm giving you another hour. If no one handles it by then, I'll kill Mason next. Did I stutter?"

Josh's mouth fell open.

Daniela's eyes swept the entire group, daring anyone to protest. "Each of you owes me. One by one, I'll collect what's mine. WVait and see."

She didn't bother pulling the gate shut. Instead, she flung it wide. Her cold stare pinned Josh. "One hour.Don't make me repeat myself."

She yawned, turned her back on all of them,and walked off like nothing had happened.

Not one McCoy moved. They stood there, wind blowing the coppery smell of dried blood past their noses.

They craned their necks, peeking inside at the bloodied flowers and stained stone paths.

Hamilton clapped Josh on the back. "Josh, it's eight now. That leaves you until nine. Who's cleaning this mess?"

His tone turned mocking. "No rush, though. Mason's half dead already. My kids are fine. You keep whining about reckless moves, but your boy's as good as gone. His death won't change a thing."

Russell's face twisted, rage boiling up as he swung on Hamilton.

Hamilton burst out laughing. "What's this? You find your courage now that Daniela's gone? She stood here tearing you apart and you stayed quiet as a mouse. Now you're barking at me? This isn't right, is it?"