Chapter 995

From the hallway, Hamilton shuffled in with disappointment etched across his face.

Daniela's eyes caught his, twinkling with a playful spark.

"You won," said Hamilton, his tone giving away his reluctance.

A remote sat in Daniela's palm, while a bowl of pomegranate seeds nestled comfortably on her lap."You know the rules. You have to live with the result."

Hamilton offered a reluctant smile. "Alright. You've got me. I'll keep out of the McCoy family's business from now on. That's a promise."

With a quiet nod, Daniela popped a pomegranate seed into her mouth.

Bothered by her calmness, Hamilton asked, his concern showing, "You are not going to kill Brad, are you?He's still my brother, after all."

Daniela shrugged slightly. "It's possible. I honestly can't say."

Uncertainty clouded Hamilton's features.

With a faint grin, Daniela explained, "Cedric volunteered to take care of it. Do you trust him to handle things?"

Hamilton drew a breath, on the verge of objecting, but Daniela simply motioned toward the kitchen. "You're welcome to share your doubts with him yourself."

That thought made Hamilton hesitate, his throat suddenly dry.

Rarely had Cedric been one for words, and since Daniela's pregnancy, he spoke even less.

Anything outside of Daniela rarely caught Cedric's interest, yet she remained the one boundary he would never allow anyone to cross. If anyone tried to harm Daniela, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate them. To be frank, Hamilton admitted he was a bit afraid of his son now.

He turned to Daniela, thinking negotiating with her was easier. "You're expecting twins, and all this conflict brings nothing but trouble. Could you ask Cedric to spare Brad?"

Bright laughter spilled from Daniela, genuine and unguarded. That sound coaxed a smile from Hamilton as well.

It was the kind of laughter that made anyone nearby think she was the happiest person alive.

Looking him straight in the eyes, Daniela answered with the same bright smile, "Only blood can repay what was taken from me. You ought to count yourself lucky that this has nothing to do with you."

Daniela had always been someone whose affections and grudges were never muddled.

Kindness came easily to her, but never to those who had crossed her line.

Scooping up another pomegranate seed, Daniela remarked, "I've lost a baby. It's something I simply can't overlook. I refuse to let anyone trample on me."

Her cheerfulness never faded, though Hamilton felt a cold shiver work its way up his spine. At that moment,he saw why Ethan had chosen to confess in writing. At least Ethan's life was spared.

None of this hnad reached Brad's ears.

His visits to the kitchen became rare, but he took to wandering through the house with his hands clasped behind him, pausing to point out, "There's still dust over here. The chairs look crooked over there."

0

For a long while, Daniela let him have his way.

One day, it was Phillips Group's grand opening. Cedric and Daniela headed to the office for the festivities,with Hamilton and Carol joining them for the event. -

Left behind in the house, Brad let out a laugh.

The housekeeper grew nervous, moving with careful purpose as she cleaned, all the while casting anxious glances at Brad. All afternoon, Brad kept his eyes glued to the television.

When the housekeeper made her way back to.the kitchen, Brad called out, "Lately, the rain's left my quilt a little damp. Can you put it outside in the yard to air out?"

Hesitating, the housekeeper looked first at his room, then through the window at the cloudy sky. "The weather's still looking grim. Would you mind if I dried it tomorrow instead?"

"That's fine. Just make sure you remember," Brad responded, agreeing without complaint.

Relief washed over the housekeeper as she realized that, with more people due home tomorrow, any surprises could be handled together. Facing the empty house today, she knew a single slip-up could spiral out of control.

Although Cedric and Daniela weren't the chatty type, both treated the staff wvith respect and warmth. The salary they offered was unmatched in town, and their main rule was to keep things peaceful.

Holding onto this job mattered to her, and she hoped it would last.

Cedric's caution around Brad hadn't gone unnoticed, so she made sure to stay alert and avoid any possible trouble.

Her thoughts wandered until a sudden shout from down the hall jolted her to attention.

She snapped upright, instantly recognizing the cry as coming from Brad' room.

Without hesitation, she hurried to the scene and found Brad clutching his hand, a deep gash pouring blood.

On the white carpet, the stark red stood out in a shocking display.

Reaching for the phone, she quickly called the doctor, who arrived with impressive speed to tend to Brad's wound.

Once the doctor departed, she returned inside and was struck by how silent the villa had become.

She crept over to the guest room, noticing the door left slightly open.

Inside, Brad lay still, apparently drifting into sleep after the ordeal. With quiet relief, the housekeeper eased the door closed. She figured by the time he woke, Daniela and Cedric would've returned.

With the door quietly shut, she slipped away and turned her attention to tidying the living room.

After nearly two hours had slipped by, the front door opened and Daniela and Cedric returned.

Barely stepping inside, Cedric wrinkled his nose and asked, "Why is there such a strong scent of disinfectant?"

Without hesitation, the housekeeper responded, "Mr. Brad McCoy injured himself and there was quite a bit of blood. I cleaned everything to make sure there wasn't any lingering odor."