Chapter 776

Nikolas stood off to the side, watching it all unfold with a chilling stare.

He could easily tell that Hamilton was trying to be friendly and win Daniela over, and Hamilton was also starting to change his opinion about Cedric.

A deep,unprecedented sense of crisis gripped Nikolas.

What exactly was Hamilton planning? Was he thinking of publicly acknowledging Cedric as his son? Would he also accept Daniela?

If that happened, with Daniela's cunning and sharp mind, it wouldn't be long before she and Cedric held the reins of the entire McCoy family.

Nikolas knew he would be cast aside like a fish flung from water, stranded, unwanted, without a place to belong.

His eyes darkened with despair. His fists clenched tightly.

He would make Hamilton see that he was the most capable and worthy heir. Then, without warning, every resource in Oiscoll began flowing toward Daniela's company.

Carol, however, looked uneasy. "The hotel isn't clean,and the new employee has hives. The restaurant's food made people sick, and the bathhouse water is murky and full of bacteria."

Such issues never seemed to end.

Cedric met Daniela's gaze calmly. "Everything's fine on my end. I used my designs and sourced my materials. You don't have to worry."

Daniela nodded, piecing it all together. So that was why so many local resources in Oiscoll were suddenly available. It was all part of a calculated scheme.

Carol clenched her jaw and asked, "What do we do now? Nikolas won't back off, and it's maddening!"

Daniela was quiet for a while, then replied, "If you can't defuse the tension, escalate it."

Carol's eyes lit up. She caught on immediately. "We've been here long enough. Let's invite the local media out for a meal. Wasn't Hamilton trying to have dinner with you? Let's pan for it."

Daniela nodded. "Alright."

When Hamilton received the dinner invitation in his office, he was smug, assuming Daniela was finally going to give in.

He dressed in a sharp suit and even wore a tie,arriving for the meeting with elegance and courtesy

As Hamilton approached the venue, he noticed a crowd of reporters gathered outside.

Assuming Daniela had arranged them to impress him,he greeted them with a gracious smile and joined Daniela in the private dining room.

Outside, Carol was already entertaining the reporters with food and drinks.

Inside the private room, Hamilton laid his cane aside with dignity, then looked at Daniela and asked, "ls Cedric not here?"

Daniela raised an eyebrow. Hamilton had been bringing up Cedric's name a lot lately.

"He's catching up on work," she replied coolly.

Hamilton's brow furrowed slightly. "Is having dinner with me really less important than finishing up work?How can he not see where the real priority lies? Tell Cedric not to overwork himself. If he needs anything in the future, just reach out to my secretary, and they'll handle it." Raising a hand to stop him, Daniela said, "Let's be clear, we're not surrendering. Tonight is just dinner But once my company opens, I doubt you'll still be smiling."

Hamilton felt a flicker of annoyance, convinced that Daniela was being hopelessly naive. But he didn't argue. If the younger generation insisted on learning things the hard way, he would let them.

"Fine. Let's eat." Despite his age, Hamilton had a strong appetite and began cutting into his steak.

"You're not eating?" he asked Daniela.

"I already ate," Daniela replied with a faint smile.

Hamilton didn't press her further, though something about her demeanor struck him as odd.

After dinner, Daniela invited the media to the bathhouse. But the moment they entered, chaos broke loose, and they rushed out with pale faces.

Hamilton, catching on too late, turned to her. "Daniela,what are you up to?"

Daniela just chuckled.

Reporters who had entered the bathhouse came stumbling out in panic. Soon after, vomiting and diarrhea followed. One by one, they called for ambulances, ghostly pale and sweating profusely.

At the emergency room, Daniela feigned shock. "How could there be an issue with the food? This is a McCoy family business. Aren't their steaks supposed to be the freshest around? Mr. McCoy..."

Daniela turned her head to speak, but before she could finish, Hamilton's expression twisted, and he bolted for the restroom, barely making it before he started vomiting.

"What's happening?"

"How could the McCoy family's restaurant fail to maintain basic hygiene, even for their own boss?"

"Everyone, this is my fault. I had no idea. If I'd known the food was bad, I never would've invited you,"Daniela said sincerely, pulling some cash from her pocket and discreetly slipping it into the reporters 'hands.

That evening, Oiscoll's news was dominated by headlines about the McCoy family.

"McCoy Group Restaurant Caught Serving Expired Steak!"

"Late Night Chaos at the ER!"

"Where's Your Conscience, McCoy Family?"

"Is This Steak Supposed to Be Taken Raw?" "Even Hamilton McCoy Falls Ill at Their Own Restaurant,A Clear Sign of Its Poor Standards."

By nightfall, over fifty/ steakhouse branches were closed for inspection. The bathhouse, too, was shut down pending investigation.

Daniela stood back,calmly watching the fallout

When Hamilton was finally discharged, his face lacked color.

Nikolas gave Hamilton a complicated look. "Father,you can't handle Daniela. She's sharp, calculating,and already outmaneuvered you without you even realizing it."

Hamilton glared at Nikolas. "Do you even realize how much we lost tonight? How could you be so stupid,stirring up trouble at our own restaurant?"

If it hadn't been his own family's restaurant, Hamilton never would've eaten so trustingly.