Chapter 116

Katrina didn't even look at Caiden, who was shaking all over, unable to stop himself.

She simply grabbed her phone and walked outside to answer another call.

Caiden stayed where he was, his body tense and still,not able to move a single inch.

Even Joyce felt uneasy by Katrina's outburst. She wasn't sure how to react.

The tension in the air was thick and uncomfortable.

Wanting to avoid getting caught up in it, she hugged her doll close and quickly headed upstairs, getting away from the mess.

Caiden sat still, his eyes glued to the floor as he watched Joyce's bunny slippers disappear up the stairs.A few moments later, the loud sound of her bedroom door locking echoed throughout the house.

He blinked, his eyes slowly opening again, and then started laughing-a sad,empty laugh that kept getting louder. shut the balcony door, and didn't say anything to stop the noise.

But Caiden wasn't just laughing. He was crying, too.Tears ran down his face, mixing with his sad, desperate laughs.

He could picture it so clearly-the future he was headed towards, growing old and being left behind.

Katrina wouldn't look after him, and Joyce wouldn't think twice about leaving him. He'd end up like his father, dying alone and forgotten, filthy and surrounded by bugs.

Ever since Alexander discovered that Cedric was the boy from Daniela's childhood-the one who held a special place in her most cherished memories-he couldn't shake his unease.

Daniela held those memories close to her heart. If she found out that Cedric was the same boy, would all the love she had for him back then turn to Cedric?

Would she end up falling for Cedric?

Would they even get married?

Cedric seemed to care for Daniela in a way Alexander never did. If he had shown her even half of the kindness Cedric did, maybe they would never have gotten divorced.

The more Alexander thought about it, the tighter the knot of anxiety grew inside him.

Pushing everything else out ofhis mind, he went to Daniela's office, unable to focus on anything else.

When he got there, Daniela was fully focused on carving a piece of jade.

What had begun as a rough, uneven block had already become a finely detailed sculpture of a man-someone who looked a bit like Cedric.

As soon as Alexander saw the jade sculpture, the tension in his mind broke. "Daniela, are you in love with Cedric now?"

Daniela hadn't expected him to show up, but she didn't even glance up. Her hands continued their careful work, her focus never wavering. "Stay in your lane. We're divorced," she replied coolly.

"Yes, we are. But you're the one who insisted on it!"

Daniela completed the last details of the carving,blowing off the dust before placing it down and finally locking eyes with him.

"You've come all the way here, late at night,into my office, just to talk about this? Is it really that important?"

Alexander, unusually resolute, persisted, "Yes, this matters to me! Back then, I agreed to the divorce because you asked for it. But I never truly wanted it,Daniela!"

Daniela appeared to find it laughable. Her eyes gleamed with sarcasm as she met his gaze."Alexander, do you even realize what you're saying?It's like a man telling a woman after they've been together, 'You went along with it the whole time,so l don't need to take any responsibility.' It's absurd."

But Alexander stood firm. He locked eyes with her and pressed, "I'm asking you plainly-do you have feelings for Cedric? Stop dodging the question."

Daniela turned her focus back to the jade as she replied, "Even if I do, why would that shock you?Cedric was already the wealthiest man in the country long before Elite Lux came back. He's good-looking,taller than you, has a calm nature, and knows his way around the kitchen. Sure, I've made my share of mistakes, like spending time on someone who didn't appreciate me. But I've learned. Now, I only care about people who treat me right."

Her tone was direct, with no hint of apology. "Cedric treats me right and is exceptional in every way. He's a solid choice. Don't you agree? Or should I go back to wasting my time with someone like you? I'd much rather put my effort into making more money. With enough money. I could live like you men-keeping things flexible, always enjoying life to the fullest.I could even hire a good-looking secretary to make my office more interesting."

A playful smirk appeared on her face as she continued,"You're here asking if I like Cedric? What's going on?Don't tell me after all this time, you've had a change of heart and now want me to fall for you all over again?"

The weight of guilt hit Alexander as Daniela's sharp gaze locked onto him.

After what felt like an eternity of silence,he finally spoke. "Yes, Daniela, that's why I'm here. I'm begging you not to fall for Cedric. You can still love me, and I swear-I'll treat you the way you deserve this time."