Chapter 45

The initial shock on Alexander's face quickly morphed into a simmering rage as he pulled himself together.

His hands curled into tight fists, and he made a vow to himself.

From now on, for the rest of his life, he would act as though Daniela didn't exist.

Joyce was just as dumbfounded by Daniela's blatant brush-off. When they got back home, Katrina was there, standing impatiently by the door.

"So? What happened? Did Daniela agree? How many floors did she hand over?" Katrina asked, her voice brimming with anticipation.

Joyce let out an irritated sigh, shaking her head.She launched into a detailed recounting of the gala, every humiliating moment and cold dismissal included.

Katrina's face twisted in shock as she listened."What? That's her way of handling men? What an absurd strategy! I've never heard of anything so ridiculous. But based on what you're saying, it sounds like her little scheme blew up in her face.She's completely destroyed her chances with Alexander now."

Her lips curled into a smug smile as a satisfied laugh escaped her.

"Perfect. That's exactly what we need."

If the Bennett family was still aiming for a marriage alliance,Joyce would be their one and only option.

But unlike Katrina, Joyce wasn't one to scheme with such precision. After catching wind of Daniela's business meeting scheduled for later that afternoon,she thought she'd take matters into her own hands.She made plans to meet Alexander earlier, setting up what she hoped would look like an "accidental" run-in with Daniela in the lobby.

The moment Alexander caught sight of Daniela in the Joyce gave Daniela a cheerful wave, but Daniela didn't even blink in response. Lillian raised an eyebrow, clearly amazed. "Unbelievable! After everything that happened yesterday, they still have the audacity to wave at you?"

Daniela's lips tightened, clearly annoyed. "What's a little pride when she wants a shop space from me?"

After all, she was all too familiar with Joyce's true nature.

Daniela paused mid-step, her sharp eyes locking onto Joyce, who was making her way over with Alexander following close behind.

Standing nearby, Lillian couldn't resist the opportunity to throw in a quick jab. "Well, well, Mr.Bennett,Ms. Holt, have you finally decided to hold a proper discussion? Or should we just cancel these meetings altogether if civility is too much to ask?"

Joyce's expression stiffened for a moment, but she plastered on a forced laugh, unwilling to let her irritation ruin her chances at the shop space.

She vowed that once she got the shop space, she would not be polite to Daniela anymore.

"Absolutely! Let's find a spot to sit and chat. My treat," Joyce said through clenched teeth. Inside,frustration churned like a storm, her forced smile stretched so thin it felt more like a grimace than genuine cheer.

Lillian couIdn't hide her amusement at Joyce's clear discomfort. "Daniela, why don't we take a seat for a bit?" she suggested, her tone dripping with playful mischief.

Daniela, ever tolerant of her friends' antics, noticed Lillian's teasing mood and gave her a slight nod."Sure," she agreed.

Joyce stretched her smile even widder, though it felt like her face might crack, and gestured for Daniela and Lillian to follow her to a table.

Once they were seated, Daniela didn't even glance at Alexander or Joyce. Instead, she pulled a contract from her bag and began skimming through it, as though they weren't even there.

Joyce's lips twitched in a barely concealed sneer.What a performance. Who was she trying to impress with that contract? As if she was drowning in work or something.

Alexander's eyes flicked towards Daniela, quickly scanning the bold title of the document in her hands:Clayton Renovation.

For a moment, his expression tightened before easing again. Clayton Renovation-so that was it.A competitor to Bennett Group, sure, but still far away from their level of expertise and legacy in the industry.

If Daniela had even a shred of common sense, she'd know the smart move was to hire Bennett Group for her project. The thought sent a wave of smug satisfaction through him.

"Go ahead, speak up," Lillian said, leaning forward with her chin resting on one hand, her playful gaze bouncing between Joyce and Alexander. "Hey, eyes this way! Why are you staring at Daniela? She's not in charge here. I'm the one running the show now."

Joyce paused, her eyes flicking back to Daniela.

Daniela's attention was fixed on the contract in her hands, her gaze lowered slightly. A ray of sunlight streamed through the window, gently illuminating her, making her already stunning looks seem even more glowing and graceful.

Joyce inhaled sharply, her chest tightening with a bitter sting.

Without looking up, Daniela spoke in a detached tone. "The decisions are Lillian's responsibility."

Joyce's eyes brightened. "Ah, I get it! Okay, I'll talk to Lillian about it then."

Lillian's expression tightened. She tapped her nails against the table with a smirk. "Is that really how you speak? Didn't anyone teach you some manners?"

Joyce's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice was thick with annoyance.

"You came here for a favor, right? Then act like it.Show some respect. Look at this-my water glass is empty.How do you expect to have a conversation without a drink?"

Joyce stood to pour the water, but Lillian cut her off."Hold on. Are we really going to talk business over just plain water?"

Lillian raised her hand and gestured for the restaurant manager. "You remember that red wine we discussed earlier? The one worth ten million? Go ahead and open it and add it to their bill."

"What?" Joyce gasped, her eyes going wide."Ten million?" With that kind of money, she could buy a whole collection of designer handbags.

"What? Got a problem with that?" Lillian teased, her smile sly. Joyce's face flushed deep red.

"can't you afford it? That can't be right, can it? aren't you the precious daughter of the Harper family?Surely ten million is nothing for someone like you.Or maybe being 'precious' doesn't mean much after all."

It finally clicked for Joyce-Lillian was intentionally humiliating her.

The worst part was Joyce genuinely couldn't afford it. The Harper family wasn't wealthy enough to throw money around so recklessly.

Feeling powerless, she turned to Lillian, arms crossed and eyes cold, then glanced at Alexander.Her voice dropped to a soft, pleading tone."Alexander."

Alexander gave a short nod towards the manager."Go ahead."

The manager's eyes gleamed, and he hurried off to bring the wine.

Lillian clapped her hands, nodding with exaggerated

glee. "Ah, just as I expected from Mr. Bennett. Ten million spent for the sake of love-how heartwarming!"

Alexander's expression grew even more grim.

But Joyce couldn't stop the rush of sweetness that filled her chest.

Alexander had done so much for her today, more than she could have ever imagined. She decided that if Cedric didn't treat her better, she would choose Alexander.

A smug smile slowly spread across Joyce's face as she thought about it.

Meanwhile, Lillian couldn't help but let out a faint,mocking smile.She couldn't believe how naive Joyce was being.