Chapter 324

Daniela was taken aback.

It had been ages since Cedric blushed like that, a rarity compared to when they first started seeing each other.

"What kind of naughty things have you been browsing online?" she teased.

Cedric looked away at her words, making Daniela laugh.

She didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a typical curiosity for a young man. She wasn't one to demand that Cedric had no secrets, so she simply smiled and let it pass.

"Is it just an internet obsession that's keeping you from Dreamfly Airlines?" she asked.

"I'm not ready," Cedric replied. Daniela glanced at him and laughed again.

Cedric was a master in business. Did he really need more time to prepare?

Still, Daniela didn't push him further. She had her own ways to make sure Cedric would eventually accept the partnership.

The next day, as soon as Cedric stepped into the office, his secretary was already waiting for him.

"Good morning, Mr. Phillips. Cutler Stout is waiting for you."

Cedric looked at the secretary, surprised. "Cutler?"He picked up his pace.

"Yes, he's been waiting for you for over an hour."

Cutler Stout wasn't just anyone. He had been Cedric's middle school teacher, the one who pulled him out of his rebellious phase.

Even through high school, Cutler remained a steady influence, guiding Cedric like a father. People often said Cutler had always treated Cedric as his own flesh and blood.

When Cedric reached the top of the stairs, he found Cutler waiting at the door with a smile.

Now in his fifties, Cutler had long since left teaching behind. His expertise in aeronautics had brought him success, making him a respected figure in the field.

When he saw Cedric, he approached him cheerfully.

"Cedric, I just landed a huge contract, and you were the first person who came to mind. You know Dreamfly Airlines, right?"

Cedric's secretary felt a twinge of regret. That golden chance was supposed to go to Phillips Group.

"I've signed a major deal with them, but we still have some details to work out. I'd love to partner with you on this. They've already given us the advance, and if we play our cards right, we could see a fantastic profit. What do you think?" Cutler's eyes lit up with excitement. Times had been tough economically, and everyone was anxious.

Landing such a large order could ease their worries for the next ten years.

Cutler spoke with a beaming smile and bright eyes.

Cedric realized he could've easily found someone else for this job-someone who might have been easier to work with and could bring in more cash.But he was the first person that Cutler had approached.

Cedric could see that Cutler really wanted to help him succeed.

"What's up?" Cutler asked after noticing Cedric's silence. "Do you have any worries?"

Of course, Cedric did have worries.

He wasn't naive; passing on such a golden opportunity was tough.

However, he couldn't shake the feeling that Dreamfly Airlines might somehow be linked to Daniela. He had no proof, just a gut feeling.

With all the chaos surrounding her lately, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

"No. It's just that Phillips Group has been really busy.Maybe you should look for someone else."

"Too busy for what?" Cutler asked, a look of confusion crossing his face. "You run a business, but you're fretting over having too much on your plate?Hang on a second. Do you honestly believe | would ever harm you?"

Cedric quickly responded, "Not at all! It's just that I've got so much on my plate right now."

Cutler remained skeptical. "You're the CEO! All you need to do is make decisions. How can you be too busy? What exactly are you referring to? Don't you have a team to delegate tasks? I won't argue this point with you. You'd be out of your mind not toseize this chance. That's it. If you're too swamped, have someone else reach out to me. I'll leave the contract here. If you stiIl see me as your mentor, don't waste any more time talking."

With that, Cutler confidently left the office.

The secretary walked in, scanned the contract, and couldn't help but comment, "After all these years, it's clear that Cutler still has your best interests at heart.Just look at that amazing profit-sharing deal. I'm not sure anyone else in Olisvine could top that."

Cedric was well aware of that reputation. Still, his thoughts were clouded by concerns for Daniela.

This anxiety was persistent, gnawing at him no matter how hard he tried to shake it off.

"You haven't truly experienced love yet. Once you meet that special someone, everything will make sense," Cedric said.

The secretary immediately countered with a shake of his head. "I'd prefer to pass on that experience,"

Becoming someone he barely recognized was the last thing he desired. Ultimately, Cedric affixed his signature to the contract, but he stripped away most of the obligations, retaining only the consulting role.Symbolically, he marked the contract amount at just a single dollar.

Cedric kept up his daily routine of driving Daniela to and from work.

Daniela hadn't mentioned the string of strange and dangerous incidents that had become a regular part of her workday.

One day, a sniper's bullet shattered the floor-to-ceiling windows of the office while she was inside.

Another time, the water dispenser sparked with electricity just as she bent down for a drink.

During a meeting, the projection screen came crashing down without warning.

And the list went on.

A relentless series of hazards. Lillian, lounging in the CEO's office with her games,looked up and said, "Daniela, you've got nerves of steel. Aren't you going to do something about all this?"