Chapter 505

Daniela offered a faint smile, stepping closer to lend Elyse a hand to her feet. "I need you to draw out Mr.Perry."

Elyse trembled at the weight of those words. "l.."

Daniela's smile widened, her voice soft but chilling. "Or would you prefer to die?"

Elyse crumpled to the floor, her gaze fixed vacantly on Daniela, her heart heavy with a tide of regret.

If only she had known then. If only she had killed Daniela too after getting rid of Brylee all those years ago.

Now, it was too late.

With no other option, Elyse nodded in resignation. "Alright."

Doug was dead, and Natalie had gone abroad.

With Alexander's backing, Joyce had taken the reins of Fairburne Group, her fortune soaring past the billion-

dollar mark.

In a way, it was a masterstroke of a comeback, all thanks to Natalie.

Alexander's expression darkened as he turned his gaze to Joyce. "Don't forget I want Daniela."

Joyce smiled sweetly at him, playfully pushing him back onto the bed. "No rush. You want Daniela, and I've got my/ eyes set on Cedric. Let's let the cards fall where they may."

Afterward, Joyce made a beeline for Elite Lux.

Downstairs, she crossed paths with Cedric.

Her eyes roamed over him, from head to toe. The real one truly outshone the fake one.

That natural authority, that boldness, that self-assured swagger... It was something Alexander coud never hope to grasp, something he lacked deep in his core.

It was an innate arrogance, woven into the very fabric of his being.

No wonder Cedric was the man she had chosen.

Cedric, however, was oblivious to her presence, lost in admiration for a finely crafted jade bracelet he planned to gift to Daniela.

Inside the elevator, his focus remained glued to the bracelet.

Joyce tilted her head to steal a glance at him, letting out a chuckle. "I never knew you could be such a devoted husband, Cedric."

Before speaking,Joyce instinctively adjusted her outfit. When she finally spoke,her tone was laced with playful mischief.

It was only then that Cedric turned his head.Upon noticing Joyce, his brows knitted together.

First Natalie, and now Joyce. When would he finally find peace to pursue his dream of having a child with Daniela?

Cedric's expression was anything but pleasant.

Joyce couldn't care less. Wearing a cheerful smile, she sauntered over with an air of mischief. "You seem rather displeased to see me. Did I do something to offend you in the past? Let's not forget-I'm Daniela's stepsister. Technically speaking, doesn't that make us family?"

Now that Joyce had wealth on her side, confidence clung to her like a second skin. She had a knack for teasing men, especially those who seemed unseasoned. Her playful remarks often left her targets fumbling,blushing,or both.

She lived for the awkwardness. It was a game she savored. So, with a glint of mischief in her eyes, she fixed her gaze on Cedric, waiting for his telltale reaction.

Cedric didn't so much as flinch. With calm, he stepped aside. "My wvife cut ties with the Harper family long ago.Let's not waste time dressing this up with all that 'family' nonsense."

Joyce's smile faltered. "Well, aren't you the protective one?"

As the elevator doors slid open, Joyce took a deliberate step out, glancing back at Cedric with a lingering gaze that danced over his broad chest for just a moment too long.

Her lips then curved into a smile of intrigue.

At that very moment, Nina emerged from the secretary's office and happened to catch the tail end of the scene. Nudging Lillian with her elbow, she whispered, "Did you see that? Joyce was totally checking out Cedric."

Lillian's eyes flicked to Cedric.

The sunlight poured through the tall windows, gilding the room in a warm glow. Cedric stood tall and poised,his tailored suit hugging his frame with surgical precision, exuding both sophistication and restrained power.

In that golden light, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of his lips, andhis shadow stretched long across the floor.

In that moment, Cedric seemed to glow with a golden aura, effortlessly commanding admiration.

Lillian crossed her arms and clicked her tongue, then turned to see Nina's face filled with infatuation.

As Cedric passed by, Lillian muttered under her breath, "What a dangerously captivating charmer!"

Cedric paid her no mind and walked straight into Daniela; s office.

Right now, his priority was to have a child with Daniela. Everything else was secondary.

Cedric pushed the door open and entered, while Joyce's gaze naturally followed him.

Daniela noticed the way Joyce's eyes followed Cedric, and frowned ever so slightly, though the expression was fleeting, and Joyce didn't catch it.

Now seated across from Daniela, Joyce carried herself with the smug air of someone who had clawed their way to the top and wanted the world to know it.

“Daniela, I'm here to discuss a potential collaboration with you." Only she knew how satisfying it was to say those words.

After all, the whispers had followed her: Katrina's daughter would never measure up to Brylee's.

She had endured years of hardship and suffering just to sit on equal footing with Daniela.

Now, as this moment finally arrived,it all felt worth it.

It took Daniela less than a second to see through Joyce's newly-rich bravado. She smiled faintly."What kind of collaboration are we talking about?"