Chapter 47

Alexander nodded, but before he could respond,Katrina leapt in with eager enthusiasm. "I knew it!Only Alexander could handle this! See? This is where you're lacking, Caiden. Look at Alexander-he genuinely cares about Joyce! Even such a difficult matter has been resolved, all thanks to him.Alexander, dealing with someone like Daniela, who never gives an inch, must be exhausting!"

Caiden chimed in, grinning broadly, "Exactly! That ungrateful brat is getting harder and harder to deal with. But you're reliable as always, Alexander. Daniela still listens to you. No matter what we say, it's useless. Joyce is lucky to have you. Alright, Joyce is drunk tonight, so we won't keep you any longer, but we'll definitely need your help again in the future.Thank you."

Katrina carefully propped up Joyce, while Caiden hurried off to fetch a cold towel, wiping Joyce's

forehead.

Alexander stood silently at the doorway, his gaze taking in the scene.

His thoughts drifted back to a memory from years ago-when Daniela had just turned eighteen. She had drunk far too much, not for her own indulgence,but for him.

He had carried her home just like this.

Katrina, instead of showing even a shred of concern,had greeted Daniela with venomous scolding,her voice harsh as she spat out accusations of impropriety.

Caiden had been no better, hurling insults with reckless abandon, calling Daniela an "ungrateful brat."

In the end, he and Katrina had ordered the maids to drag Daniela to the bathroom so that she wouldn't stink up the sofa with that smell.

It was at that moment that Alexander realized Daniela had no one to rely on.

Perhaps it was in that very moment that his treatment of her had worsened.

Because he understood all too well the cracks in human nature.

He knew Daniela was utterly alone-no family to support her, no safety net to catch her. She had sacrificed everything, even her dignity, to stand by him.

Alexander let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

In the end, people could only depend on themselves.No one else would ever truly prioritize their well-being.

The cold indifference Daniela had faced? He felt no regret. Not even a flicker of guilt.

Alexander lowered his gaze, turned on his heel, and walked away.

He had things to discuss with his father. If Daniela decided to negotiate a deal, he needed to determine just how steep a price they could extract from her.

By the time Joyce stirred awake, the sky had already darkened, cloaking the world in twilight.

She stomped furiously around her room, her frustration spilling out in shrill curses.

She told Caiden, "Daniela made me drink! And she even let Alexander pay for a bottle of wine worth ten million! She is nothing but a greedy, heartless leech!She has no sisterly bonds at all! Someone like her is bound to get struck by lightning one day!"

Caiden,lounging on the couch as he scrolled through the news on his phone, nodded absently. "Yes, yes,struck by lightning."

Joyce, somewhat pacified, sniffled and wiped her tears. Her indignation still simmering, she muttered bitterly, "Let me make this clear-this shop space isn't something Daniela gave me. It's something Alexander gave me! It has nothing to do with her!"

Caiden, uninterested in the finer points of her tantrum, shrugged without looking up.

As long as Joyce got what she wanted, he didn't care how the matter was resolved or who had to be involved.

Joyce didn't care either. She had claimed her prize:the 18th to 20th floors of the Luxor Tower. Tomorrow,she would make her mark.

In her mind's eye, she envisioned herself striding confidently into the Luxor Tower, her empire taking shape.

Her business would thrive beyond anyone's expectations.

And best of all, Daniela would burn with jealousy,powerless to stop her!

Joyce was over the moon with excitement.

That night, she rallied her friends and headed to a bar.

Fueled by alcohol and euphoria, Joyce climbed unsteadily onto the stage, snatching up a microphone. "Listen up, everyone! Starting tomorrow, I'll be moving into Luxor Tower's 18th floor to launch my empire! The 19th and 20th floors are mine too! Every single person here tonight is my friend, and from now on, those two floors will be our exclusive gathering spot! To celebrate, the entire bar's drinks are on me! Everything's on me tonight!"

The music surged louder as the crowd erupted into a frenzy of celebration.

That night, Joyce's extravagant gesture cleared out the bar's entire stock of alcohol.

By morning, word of her wild proclamation had spread like wildfire across Olisvine.

By morning, everyone was buzzing about Joyce, who was supposedly opening her boutique on the 18th floor of the Luxor Tower. The news spread so quickly that it even hit the trending headlines.

At that moment, Lillian and Josie were lounging on the couch, engrossed in a mobile game.

When the article popped up on Lillian's phone, she laughed so hard she nearly rolled off the cushions.

Just then, Daniela entered the room. She paused,noticing Josie rubbing Lillian's stomach, trying to help her catch her breath from laughing too much.

Daniela tilted her head, smiling with curiosity."What's so funny?"

Lillian, still gasping for air, waved her phone at Daniela, motioning for her to take a look.

Daniela took the phone and skimmed the screen,her expression shifting to one of incredulity.

Lillian asked, "Has Joyce completely lost her mind?Didn't you tell her the only available space was the basement by the restroom? How on earth did it turn into the 18th to 20th floors? And the space was not even renovated. Now she's out there announcing the grand opening is tomorrow! What's she planning to do? Host guests in the storage room? Or better yet-the restroom? I have to share this with the Elite Lux group chat. They're going to die laughing!"

She grabbed her phone, typing rapidly between giggles.

Meanwhile, Josie walked over to Daniela, gesturing towards the table where some food had been set out for her. Daniela nodded and sat down, picking up her fork.

As Josie passed behind her, she caught a glimpse of Daniela typing out a message on her phone.

Daniela was drafting a text to Caiden, reminding him to inform Joyce of the truth-that the space was the basement restroom, hadn't been renovated, and required a deposit to secure.

Daniela hit send, setting her phone down as she began eating.

When she glanced up, she noticed Josie staring at her with a concerned expression.

Daniela asked with a smile, "What's wronng?"