Chapter 910

Instantly, Hamilton stiffened, caught off guard.Recovering with a grumble, he snapped, "What are you all staring at?"

Without waiting for an answer, he crossed the room,grabbed the nearest mug of instant coffee, and took a gulp.

A grimace twisted his face at the bitter taste."Seriously, Daniela? You're supposed to be rolling in money, and you drink this swill? Isn't that a little embarrassing?"

Noticing his foul mood, Daniela let out a weary sigh and glanced at Carol. "Would you mind brewing Mr.McCoy a decent cup?"

"Save yourself the trouble," Hamilton said, waving her off as he turned to leave. Just then, his eyes landed on a patch of red on Cedric's neck. "Hey, what happened there?" Hamilton lifted his hand and directed Cedric's attention to the pale mark resting just above his collarbone.

Cedric reached up, surprised to find a tender spot.He had hardly even noticed the mark.

Hamilton scoffed, his annoyance growing as he glanced at Daniela, unscathed, and then at Cedric."Look at that. Daniela comes out without a scratch,and you're the one who ends up hurt. What were you even doing-playing the hero?"

Not the least bit bothered, Cedric offered a calm shrug. "Nothing like that. I just stepped in for backup.I've got a long way to go before I'm anywhere near her level."

The admission left Cedric feeling slightly embarrassed.

An exasperated sigh escaped Hamilton as he rolled his eyes.

Every time, Cedric fell short-couldn't beat Daniela in the boardroom, and now couldn't hold his own in a fight. The idea of these two living under one roof would mean Cedric being completely under her thumb.

That scenario was unacceptable.

If Daniela could single-handedly wipe out the assassins, then clearly, the entire McCoy family meant nothing to her.

If he truly accepted the idea of Cedric and Daniela being together, then wouldn't that hand the entire McCoy family over to her? She'd be the one in charge. Everyone would be following her lead, as if they were nothing but her personal staff. That couldn't happen. Not a chance!

The longer Hamilton dwelt on the thought, the more wrong it felt.

Intent on making his exit, Hamilton moved briskly toward the door. Daniela matched his pace to walk him out. When Cedric tried to follow, she stopped him. "Go take care of that cut before it gets worse." Then she went to see Hamilton out herself.

A heavy thud sounded as Hamilton settled into the back seat of the car. Leaning outside, Daniela gave a soft tap on the window.

Only when the glass slid down did Hamilton reveal his icy stare. A sharp, impatient question left his lips."What do you need now?"

With à faint, steady smile, Daniela met his eyes. "You called me ruthless earlier, Mr. McCoy. Just remember that if I ever catch you playing matchmaker for Cedric-whether it's with the princess or anyone else -I'll deal with your family just as I dealt with Josh's men today. I never bluff. Family ties won't make me hesitate."

Hamilton's anger flared in an instant. "Are you seriously threatening me right now?"

Still smiling,Daniela straightened her posture. "Think of it mnore as a gentle reminder."

Shifting her attention, she spoke to Joseph. "Thank you for your help today. Drive safe."

The car eased away from the curb.

Neither man spoke as silence filled the interior.

Joseph looked at Hamilton's tense face through the rearview mirror. "To be honest, Mr. McCoy, Daniela didn't seem that unreasonable. She even thanked us.That's pretty rare for someone in her position."

"You're too naive," Hamilton scoffed. "Never trust a pretty face. Daniela's twice as clever as she is beautiful. Before you know it, you'll be under her thumb-just like Cedric."

Joseph gave a nod, but his mind was on how Daniela and Cedric interacted.

There was no denying it. Cedric hung on to every word Daniela spoke, and it couldn't have been more obvious-she had him entirely under her spell.

At times, beauty had a way of blinding a man's common sense. Suddenly, Hamilton's face contorted in alarm. "Wait a second! Why are those two brats still staying behind?"