Chapter 406

The crowd fell into stunned silence.

Among them all, Elyse was the most shattered.

She had sacrificing her daughter's purity, all to ensure Cedric's death.

But before Linden made a move, Cedric had appeared, alive and unscathed.

Nina's lost innocence held no meaning.

Moreover, she had irreparably damaged her relationship with Nina.

Turning to Nina, she was met with nothing but cold indifference, her daughter's eyes filled with distant disdain.

A sharp pang of grief struck Elyse's heart. It dawned on her-she might have lost Nina for good. "Cedric?" Linden's voice wavered in disbelief. "You woke up?"

However, Cedric didn't spare Linden a glance. His focus was entirely on Daniela as he walked to her.

To everyone's shock, he dropped to one knee before her. "Darling, you've endured so much."

In a tender show of devotion, he kissed the back of Daniela's hand.

Daniela smiled warmly and led him away, leaving the others in stunned silence, their minds reeling.

Once Daniela vanished from view, Natalie could no longer mask her frustration. She spun on Linden."Linden, what happened to your promise? You said you'd kill Cedric! Yet here he is, alive and well.What do you have to say for yourself?"

Linden shrugged nonchalantly, shaking off the shock. "Sweetheart, why so upset? I'm Daniela's doctor now. We've got all the time in the world.Plenty of ways to finish them both off." As Linden spoke, his hand reached to Natalie's waist,attempting to pull her closer.

She stepped back, her face twisted in disgust and anger.

Linden's hand hovered awkwardly in midair, frozen in place. "Sweetheart, what's the matter? Don't you remember the passion we shared? We're closer than anyone else in the world now."

Natalie's mouth parted, ready to lash out with every insult she could think of, but Elyse's words held her back.

Elyse leaned in, her voice low and controlled for Natalie's ears alone. "Hold your tongue. He's right, in a way. As Daniela's personal doctor, he'll have plenty of chances to strike. Don't waste this moment."

Frustration bubbled inside Natalie. "But he's always trying to take advantage of me!"

Elyse shared her revulsion. Linden wasn't exactly appealing, but she held back a sigh. "Endure it, just for now. In his mind, you two shared something real.Keep him close; we need him on our side."

Off to the side, Nina stood, watching the drama unfold with a detached indifference.

A mocking smile curled on her lips as she turned to Natalie. "Wasn't it you who said it was nothing more than a physical thing? Since you spent the night with Linden, why act all righteous and harsh now?"

Natalie's temper flared.

Nina turned and walked away with confidence.

Elyse quickly followed, her voice sharp with dissatisfaction. "Nina, what was that about? She's your sister! Don't be so shortsighted. Daniela's just a cousin. You're a Dury, remember? Stick with us, grab her wealth, and you'll live just fine."

Nina's eyes flickered down to Daniela and Cedric outside the building. She asked, "Do you honestly think I can still live comfortably?"

Elyse opened her mouth to respond with a quick "yes," but Nina's cold laugh stopped her. "You never cared about my happiness. Why start pretending now? I've always been your pawn. If it suited you,you'd discard me in a heartbeat. Natalie's the one you really want, not me."

With those biting words, Nina stepped into the elevator.

The doors slid shut, leaving Elyse standing there,her face twisted with cold dissatisfaction.

Linden stepped in front of Natalie, blocking her path.

He used "sweetheart" in a tone far too familiar.

Having tasted what he thought was intimacy, his hunger for more grew insistent.

Natalie's disgust twisted her stomach, but she forced the words out through gritted teeth, saying,"If you don't make Cedric pay for hislife, don't even think about laying a hand on me again. Ever!"

Linden's gaze traveled over Natalie, his eyes full of unspoken intentions. "Don't worry. I'll keep my word." Meanwhile, in the car, Cedric's fingers remained intertwined with Daniela's.

The landscape outside blurred into a streak of colors as the car sped onward.

Turning to face Daniela, Cedric let his fingers gently brush the back of her hand-a touch both gentle and full of meaning.

Daniela glanced at him."What?"

Cedric's smile was unguarded as if the ordeaI of his coma had never touched him.

In his gaze, Daniela could see nothing but warmth and unspoken affection.

"Nothing."

In that serene silence, a smile finally spread across Daniela's face. In Cedric's presence, she could lower her walls, feeling at peace in a way that no one else allowed.

"Honey," Cedric murmured, his voice gentle as a whisper.

The quiet hum of the car filled the space between them, and Daniela replied just as gently, "I'm here."

Up front, the driver couldn't help but feel like an outsider in their intimate moment.

The car surged forward, completing what should've been a twenty-minute journey in barely half the time.