Chapter 821

A pang of envy tugged at Nikolas, heavy and unshakable.

However,Cedric was staring intently at him, and Daniela had zero interest in him.

That realization dragged Nikolas deeper into his own silence.

Tonight's auction had been more than a show of wealth-it was a statement of Daniela's power.

For the first time, people saw Daniela standing toe-to-toe with Hamilton.

In the days that followed, former rivals of McCoy Group sought to work with Daniela.

Hamilton, overcome with fury, smashed a cup in his spacious office and addressed the board of directors.

"Do something about this! I pay you all generous salaries, and yet you show no urgency over McCoy Group losing its grip on the market? Find a way to force Daniela out of Oiscoll! Restore McCoy Group's full dominance and unchallenged control!"

Red crept up Hamilton's neck, his fury boiling just beneath the surface.

Around the table, no one dared to meet his eyes. A hushed voice finally rose from the back, bitter and resigned. "This all started with the auction. If you hadn't lost, we wouldn't be bleeding clients. And even your son has joined Daniela. Everyone's talking about it."

Business meetings had always bored Damon, but the moment he caught the final words of the hushed conversation next to him, a spark lit in his eyes.

Hamilton fixed a sharp gaze on his remaining sons. His tone turned firm. "One day, McCoy Group will be yours.If you want to keep it standing, you better start proving you're capable."

Three of them jumped in, tossing out rushed suggestions to appease him.Meanwhile,Damon simply leaned back, an unreadable grin settling across his face.

Something about it rubbed Hamilton the wrong way. The longer he stared, the more his unease grew. Finally, he hurled his cane aside with a loud crack. "We're losing control of this company, and you're smiling?Damon, what the hell do you find so amusing?"

A sudden shift in attention jolted Damon-everyone around the table was looking at him.

That flicker of pressure ignited something. A wild idea sparked in his mind, so bold he almost applauded himself for thinking it.

Breaking into a grin, he announced, "I've just come up with the perfect plan!"

Hamilton rolled his eyes, unimpressed."What is it?"

Unfazed,Damon continued, "Nikolas already jumped ship and joined Daniela, right? So why don't we send someone to infiltrate from our end? Plant an insider. Dig up whatever she's hiding and use that to bring her down.Sound like a plan?"

The proposal, while reckless, wasn't entirely without merit. Hamilton leaned forward slightly, his scowl easing just a touch as he considered it.

Without waiting for a response, Damon pushed back his chair and stood tall. "If this mission needs someone daring, someone unexpected, I'm your best bet."

Whatever interest had just flickered in Hamilton's eyes vanished in an instant. His tone dropped like a blade."You? You couldn't even decipher a balance sheet. If a secret walked up and introduced itself, you'd still miss it."

Damon wore a look of frustration as he said, "Exactly! My incompetence is my strength here. Daniela would never suspect someone like me. That's the genius of it."

Charles opened his mouth, likely to offer himself instead, but Damon was already on the move. "Settled then! I'll head over to Daniela's place right now. Don't worry, Father-I'll come back with answers."

By the time Charles blinked, Damon had bolted, already halfway down the hallway.

Watching the scene unfold, Hamilton narrowed his eyes. "He's running like he's going to meet his idol,not going undercover." Dread crept into Hamilton's chest, but before he could second-guess the decision, Damon was long gone.

Hamilton called the housekeeper and told him to block Damon from sneaking back to grab his things.

Hours ticked by. The living room remained silent, undisturbed.

Meanwhile,Daniela arrived home and chatted with Cedric on their walk uup the driveway.

From the distance, someone crouched near the front door caught their attention.

The last time Nikolas pulled something like this, at least he brought some belongings with him.

This figure had nothing-no suitcase.

Carol squinted. "Who's that?"

With the sky already darkening, Daniela could barely make out anything besides a tuft of messy hair catching the porch light.

Nikolas, however, rushed forward like he'd just spotted a security threat. "Damon! Are you serious right now? Turn around and leave. Now."

After being brothers for so many years, they could understand each other with just a single glance.

Nikolas immediately figured out Damon's real reason for showing up-he was clearly trying to get close to Daniela.

Leaning over, Damon whispered to Nikolas, "I'm undercover, man. Don't ruin it."

From behind them, Daniela blinked in surprise.

Undercover?

Damon?

Was he serious?