Chapter 293

Katrina knew how ruthless Brylee was.

At an elaborate dinner, a group of men had compelled Brylee to consume an excessive amount of alcohol. She had drunk each glass, not once faltering in her demeanor. However, when their tactics had taken a deceptive turn, Brylee had shattered a bottle over one man's head.

The violence had escalated when a knife had plunged cleanly through the man's palm, filling the room with his pained screams.

Amid the chaos, someone had thought to film Brylee,intending to depict her as a violent instigator. Yet,Brylee had been unfazed.

That night's events had made Brylee a well-known figure.

Afterward, no one had dared to challenge her again. Even years later, Katrina could still recall the image of Brylee's blood-streaked face on the video.

Daniela, in many ways, was both similar to and distinct from Brylee.

She shared Brylee indomitable strength and authoritative air. Yet, she possessed a serenity that Brylee never had, her emotions masked behind a veneer of perfect calm.

This aspect of Daniela was indeed intimidating to Katrina.

"Katrina, you are my daughter. I would never hurt you. Opportunities like this are rare. If you don't grasp it now, it may never come again. I'll leave the choice to you, though. Take your time to think it through."

Katrina responded with a soft, barely audible agreement.

As they were about to end the call, Katrina paused,then spoke up hesitantly. "Mom? I've always tried to support you, but now I'm the one in need. Could you possibly lend me some money?"

Her voice quivered as she went on, "This isn't for me;it's for Joyce. I need to settle her debts to bring her home.I wouldn't be asking if I weren't desperate."

A heavy silence fell on the other end of the line.

After a tense pause, Katrina's mother responded,"Alright. I don't have much to spare either. I'm old,Katrina. I can't risk leaving myself destitute. But I'll send you most of what l've saved, keeping just enough to get by."

Lately,Katrina had faced nothing but rejections.

The unexpected support from her mother brought tears to her eyes instantly. "Mom, I swear I'll repay you," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.

"Don't say things like that, Katrina. We're family.During tough times, you realize who truly values you.Remember who's there for you now and who just stood by, watching you struggle. Forget about those who didn't care. Think about that wealthy man l mentioned. I'll wire the money later."

With a sudden click, the call was disconnected.

The woman bearing two jagged scars across her face returned to her seat at the poker table.

The clattering of cards and chips resumed.

"Erika, didn't I told you that the rich guy has some weird quirks? Why didn't you pick someone else for this?"

Erika Schmidt, with a wry smirk and a cigarette dangling from her lips, replied evenly, "Why pass up such a chance on outsiders when I can keep it within the family?"

"Fair enough. That guy is loaded, but I've heard his last few wives... Well, let's just say their ends were anything but peaceful. Are you going to warn Katrina about that? It's not something just anyone can handle."

Erika laughed. "Warn her about what? It's tough to earn a buck, and life's no walk in the park. She'll catch on soon enough. Nothing's handed to you on a silver platter. Once she's free of Caiden, she'll adapt just fine.AlII need to do is grab the cash."

Five hours later, Katrina's phone chimed, signaling a wire transfer of five hundred thousand dollars had landed in her account.

It was less than she'd expected, yet it was still a decent sum.

A surge of relief washed over her, and just as she was about to redistribute the funds, her phone buzzed again.

This time, it was a photo.

The man in the photo was unmistakably wealthy but looked entirely ordinary with his stout frame,round face, and shifty, narrow eyes that sparkled with a disconcerting greed.

Seeing him was enough to make Katrina's stomach twist uncomfortably. Without hesitation, she deleted the image, secured her funds, and completed a transfer of three million dollars.

With a quick handoff of two hundred dollars to the intermediary, she sealed an agreement to gradually return a staggering hundred million.

With everything in motion, Katrina was left to anxiously await further developments.

Meanwhile, Caiden was waiting for money as well.His phone never left his hand.

In the meantime, he managed to squeeze in attendance at a social event.

Recently, he felt suffocated, confined by his own circumstances.

The debacle with Joyce had severely dented his image, casting a shadow over his reputation.

With the public declaration to sever all ties with Joyce now circulating, Caiden felt liberated enough to step out into the world again. As he neared the restaurant's entrance and reached for the door handle, a flurry of voices spilled out from within.

"I really have to give Caiden credit. Everyone's buzzing about Joyce being nothing but trouble, yet here he is, not hiding away."

"Unbelievable. I burst out laughing the moment I saw Caiden's post. That guy? He cuts people off if they embarrass him, but grovels back when he needs something from them."

"Absolutely. I caught him the other day, practically on his knees to Daniela, who wouldn't even glance his way."

"Daniela's got such a cool temperament. Were it me,Caiden would've earned a good few slaps by now!"

"Exactly! And here's the kicker-imagine if Daniela hit a rough patch and Joyce ended up with some wealthy guy. Do you seriously believe Caiden would stoop so low as to crawl back to Joyce?" The thought alone is hysterical!" "Caiden is so pathetic!"