Chapter 782

Nikolas stood there, completely at a loss. Daniela's words didn't make sense to him.

Their worlds didn't overlap, not even a little.

Still, one thing had become crystal clear-she was doing this for Cedric.

That truth pushed him into action. Eventually, he tracked Cedric down.

"This started because of me. You're part of the McCoy family, too. You wouldn't want to see it fall apart over all this, would you?" Nikolas said quickly,trying to appeal to reason.

With paint smudged on his arms and shirt,Cedric wiped his hands on a rag and replied without looking up, "Doesn't matter to me."

That answer stunned Nikolas into silence.

There wasn't a hint of hesitation on Cedric's face-he looked relaxed, even unconcerned.

"You seriously don't care about the McCoy fortune?That kind of money could change your life. You'd have everything," Nikolas asked, struggling to believe Cedric shrugged. "Not interested. If my wife hadn't come to Oiscoll, I wouldn't be here either. My definition of success has nothing to do with how much I own."

Speechless, Nikolas watched him, unsure whether to believe what he was hearing.

Yet something about Cedric's expression-honest,calm,unguarded-left no room for doubt.

Noticing Nikolas still staring, Cedric added, "Look, I get it. I'll talk it over with my wife, but let's not drag this out. She's not after you, so stop poking at something that isn't a threat."

As he turned to leave, Cedric paused just long enough to delive a final message. "Don't think I'm letting this slide because I'm scared. I just don't have time for your drama. Whatever it is you're trying to win, it's all yours. I'm not getting involved."

Without waiting for a reply,Cedric walked off,leaving only the sound of his footsteps behind.

Nikolas remained rooted to the spot, watching Cedric's silhouette fade into the distance. He didn't move for what felt like an eternity When he finally did, it was to spit bitterly at the

ground. "He's just riding Daniela's coattails. What's he got to be so smug about?"

Back at the house, Cedric found Daniela.

She had not originally intended to escalate the situation.

A simple warning, she believed, was often enough Push too hard, and even cowards turned dangerous.

After weighing the moment, she turned to Carol and said, "Let it go. Tell them to stand down."

A sly grin tugged at Carol's lips. "Watching these rich families implode never gets old."

Ignoring her playful jab, Daniela turned to Cedric."Expect a visit from Hamilton soon. Nikolas showNing up today wasn't random. Something's shifted in how the McCoy assets are being handled."

Instead of speaking, Cedric tilted his head slightly to look at her.

A streak of blue paint ran across his cheek, and Daniela reached up without a word, wiping it clean with her thumb.

"Did that do it?" Cedric asked,trying to catch her eyes.

Daniela gave a short nod. Only then did Cedric speak up. "I don't care about the McCoy legacy, but if you want me involved, I'll back you."

Gone was the sharp-tongued man who'd faced Nikolas earlier. In front of Daniela, he was soft-spoken and still.

"There's no need," said Daniela. "Focus on your own work. That's enough."

With a passion for architecture that kept him grounded, Cedric smiled in agreement and started up the stairs without another word.

From across the room, Carol clicked her tongue."Can't think of a single person on this planet who would brush off a fortune like Cedric just did."

Daniela let out the barest smile, offering no comment in return.

What she predicted turned out to be true. Three days later, Hamilton's secretary showed up to meet Cedric face-to-face.

The secretary went straight to the point. "Mr. McCoy wants to formally acknowledge you. The announcement will happen later, but first, you'll need to change your last name and accept him publicly as your father. Once that's done, we'll arrange a senior role for you within McCoy Group. You and your wife will move into one of the McCoy family residences On top of that, since you weren't raised within the family, Mr. McCoy is offering compensation-two luxurious villas here in Oiscoll. These contracts transfer full ownership to you. The combined value exceeds a billion. If anything's unclear, I'd be happy to explain further."

Beaming with practiced warmth, the secretary slid the contracts across the table.

Without touching the documents, Cedric looked out the window-Hamilton was seated in the cafe across from the street.

"Why didn't he come in to say it himself?" Cedric asked.

The question seemed to catch the secretary off guard,but he recovered quickly. His smile returned,unfazed."Trivial matters like this are usually handled by me.Once you sign and call him 'Father,' Mr. McCoy will make everything official. From then on, you'll be part of the McCoy family."

Cedric glanced back down at the papers and gave a faint nod. "Right. Just a trivial matter, isn't it?"