Chapter 83

Standing in the parking lot, Wyatt scowled, his irritation clear. "Why am I the one dealing with Daniela's mood swings? It's your wife who couldn't keep her mouth shut and upset Katrina. How's that my problem?"

Ronald turned,his disbelief evident. "Not your problem?Are you kidding me? Do you think Katrina's a fool?She's as stuck-up as they come, always putting Joyce on a pedestal. Do you really believe she'd go out of her way to ask Daniela to help you? Keep dreaming.Just wait and watch!"

Wyatt let out a heavy sigh,his frustration matching Ronald's. With so many mouths to feed at home,being jobless wasn't an option. They'd be drowning in bills. If things weren't so dire, he wouldn't have stooped to asking Daniela for a favor.

"Ronald, do you really think Daniela will help us after all the crap we've said about her and her mother?"Wyatt asked.

"Why wouldn't she?" Ronald scoffed, his bulky frame shaking with disdain. "If Joyce can land a cushy job, why not us? We're her uncles! And if she refuses, I'll cause a media uproar. She's a CEO-her reputation matters. She'll have no choice but to give us something. If Joyce can become a director, we deserve nothing less than a top role, maybe even a CEO gig!" ②

Wyatt's face lit up, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes.

Daniela had stayed at work late that evening. The moment she stepped out of the elevator,she noticed two familiar faces waiting near the entrance.

The underground parking garage was nearly empty,the silence broken only by the soft echo of her heels."Do you need something?" she asked and instinctively stepped back into the elevator.

Before she could close the doors, Ronald's hand shot out,holding them open.

"What's with the hesitation, Daniela? It's just us-family. We stopped by your office earlier, but you were tied up. Thought we'd catch you here since it's on your way out," Ronald said with an overly cheerful grin, keeping the doors from shutting.

Wyatt chimed in, nodding eagerly. "Long day, huh,Daniela? You must be exhausted." Reaching into his pocket, he produced some snacks he'd pocketed from the waiting room earlier. "Here, have a bite."

Daniela gave a faint smile, already calculating her limited options. At this hour, help wasn't exactly on standby. With steady composure, she stepped out of the elevator and asked, "Alright, what do you want?"

Ronald trailed behind as Daniela walked to her car.The moment their eyes fell on her limited-edition luxury vehicle, the two brothers exchanged wide-eyed looks of disbelief.

A car worth millions, and she treated it like just another ride? The extravagance floored them. ②

Spotting the opulence, Ronald's hopes of securing a job grew even stronger.

Smiling slyly, he said,"Alright, Daniela, let's cut to the chase. You got Joyce a job, didn't you? Well,we're family too. Isn't it only fair you help us out as well?"

Daniela didn't even break her stride at his words. She was already standing beside her car. For a moment,she stayed silent.

Wyatt added eagerly, "Exactly, we're family! You can't just favor Joyce. Don't forget when..."

He fumbled, trying to recall some past favor they'd done for Daniela, but his mind came up empty. The awkward silence only made his embarrassment worse.

Ronald gave Wyatt an exasperated look and shoved him aside. Turning to Daniela, he said, "Listen, Daniela,when you were a kid, we were the ones looking out for you. Don't let money make you forget your family.One day, when you're in trouble, it's us you'll need,isn't it?"

Daniela's eyes dropped for a moment.

Family?Really?

She remembered when her mother had jumped off that building. The doctor had asked for help with the stretcher, but these two didn't lift a finger.

In the end, it was a stranger who stepped in to help.

The years hadn't dulled the memory of their cold,disdainful expressions. They were burned into her mind.

That was the moment when she felt utterly powerless,surrounded by her so-called family. Ronald had whispered cruelly, "Why would she commit suicide?Did she cheat on her husband?"

Wyatt had sneered. "Who knows? Always flaunting her fancy clothes and acting so important. Who knows how many men she's been involved with?"

And now, here they were,claiming to be "family."

Ronald, noticing her silence, decided to play tough.He scowled and said, "Daniela, let me make this clear-we're not here to beg. If Joyce gets something,we expect the same. If not, we'll make sure everyone knows how you turned your back on your family.Elite Lux just made its big return, and you wouldn't want bad press, would you? I know how much people like you value their imnage."

Ronald was always full of big talk. He'd spent a few years as a mid-level manager before running his mouth and getting fired. In his mind, his argument made perfect sense.

Wyatt,as usual,just nodded in agreement.