Chapter 184

Alexander headed home and started throwing his belongings into a suitcase.

Richard asked, "So, it's decided, then?"

Alexander, his anger still simmering, forcefully zipped up the suitcase. "Yes! I'll be there to witness Cedric's downfall myself. When it happens, Daniela's real face will be exposed."

Without another word, he grabbed the suitcase and stormed out.

Richard stayed where he was, releasing a long,exhausted sigh.

Questions swirled in his mind, ones he wished he could throw at Alexander. Was it really worth it?

Hadn't Alexander himself claimed he never even liked Daniela?

So why on earth would he take things so far as to marry Joyce-a woman with another man's child?

The Harper family's wealth was securely under Daniela's control. Richard couldn't come up with any logical explanation for Alexander's choice to marry Joyce.

Was it for power?

Or wealth?

Neither seemed like a prize worth such a costly trade.

For a man like Alexander, renowned for his shrewdness and relentless pursuit of profit, this was the most irrational and loss-ridden decision he'd ever made.

Richard's weary sigh reverberated through the vast emptiness of the villa, a sound swallowed by the cold silence. Meanwhile, after Alexander left, Daniela sat down on the sofa with an air of calm.

Without sparing Caiden a glance, she stated in an indifferent tone, "The full audit reveals that three hundred million in assets have been transferred out.Caiden, I'll need the remaining two hundred fifty-two million, three hundred ninety thousand dollars returned to the company at once."

Caiden's face darkened immediately at her words.A flicker of panic flashed in his eyes, and he nearly stammered, "How could you possibly know?"

He had diverted the money through a web of companies, paying hefty commissions to middlemen who swore the transfers were untraceable, even to the sharpest auditors.

And yet Daniela had uncovered it.

How could she have known?

The audit had just started a day earlier, so how had she uncovered not just the missing funds but the precise amount?

"You..." Caiden began, but before he could continue,Katrina quickly grabbed his arm.

Turning toward her, a bit confused, he caught her glance, and she smiled gently at Daniela, her voice soothing. "Daniela, you've got it all wrong. Your father didn't take the company's assets. It was just an investment. You've heard the saying, right? Don't put all your eggs in one basket? Joyce is going to marry Alexander. One day, you'll marry too. All your father ever wanted was to make sure there would be enough wealth for everyone. Sadly, the investments didn't turn out as hoped, and this is all that remains.Let's not make this a bigger issue than it is."

While speaking, Katrina's hand slid behind her back and pinched Caiden sharply on the thigh.

Caiden gasped, his eyes reddening as he bit back a cry of pain. His face twisted into a forced expression of regret. "Daniela, you've done so well for yourself now. Do you really need to make a fuss over this small amount with your father?" Daniela's lips curled into a smile. "You're wrong.This is the company's money, not mine. Everything that was taken needs to be returned, in full."

Caiden gritted his teeth, the sound of his jaw grinding clearly audible. "And what do you expect me to do about it? I don't have the money! Even if you beat me senseless, I can't pay that much. So, what's next? Go ahead, call the police, and have me arrested!"

He crossed his arms and leaned back, his posture full of defiance.

Lillian couldn't stay quiet any longer and raised her hand. "Hey! You stole from the company, and now you're acting all high and mighty? What's with that attitude?"

Caiden rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yeah, this is how I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Oh, so now you're not going to return the money?"Daniela held a small fruit knife in her hand. The back of her hand was wrapped in a bandage, one Cedric had carefully put on earlier that morning.

She flicked the knife casually, and its small blade shimmered in the light. Caiden's heart raced.

"Alright. There's a way out." A slight smile tugged at her lips, her dimples softly appearing on her cheeks.She appeared innocent, almost like a harmless college student. For a brief moment, Caiden felt his tension ease-until her next words struck him like a blow.

"I'll offer you three choices. First, treat the money as Joyce's final dowry payment. From now on, she's considered married off, and she won't claim a single cent of the family's fortune."

Katrina jumped up from her seat, her face burning with fury."No chance!"

True, the Harper family was in decline. But they still possessed more wealth than most.

Besides, with Daniela running the business now, who could say Harper Group wouldn't bounce back and reclaim its fortune?

Two hundred million, and cutting off Joyce completely? That was simply unthinkable!

Daniela nodded without a hint of hesitation. "Okay,then here's the second option. Use Caiden's shares in the company to settle the debt. I'm not asking for anything more-just give me his shares, and we'll consider it settled."

Caiden shook his head firmly this time. "That's impossible!"

Daniela nodded once more, her smile unwavering.

Caiden asked, "What's the third option?"

Daniela slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. Her eyes held something-sharp, cold, and unyielding.It made Caiden feel as though the very air around him had frozen.

Daniela didn't break eye contact as she spoke again."If you can't accept one of the first two choices, then I hope you're ready for jail." Caiden's fury surged, and he was about to shout,ready to accuse her of being ungrateful and disrespectful.

But before a word could escape his lips, a cold, shiny object appeared in front of him. In one quick,graceful movement, Daniela lifted the fruit knife and drove it straight into the watermelon on the fruit platter.

The knife hit the fruit with a sharp thud, sinking deep inside. Red juice began to spill from the cut, running down the blade and dripping onto the dark wooden table. The deep red color of the juice resembled fresh blood in a way that felt unsettling.