Chapter 172

While en route to the hospital, Katrina expressed her bewvilderment. "Why were you fighting again? Didn't I tell you to be nice to Daniela?"

Caiden felt unjustly treated and had the urge to counter. He parted his lips to speak,yet no words formed.

After a brief pause, he sagged and said in a bitter tone,"You don't get it. When Brylee had just died, I could easily cry and act the part in front of Daniela. I played the submissive role, and she bought it at the time. But years of comfort have made me forget how to bow down. Daniela's too perceptive-she saw through my act."

Katrina's expression darkened with frustration. "Even if she did see through you, you shouldn't have angered her so much! Do you understand the implications? Our living costs have always been managed by the company. But just today, the finance team of Harper Group reached out to me. They declared that the company's money will now only fund business operations-no personal spending allowed. And with the company in financial trouble, there won't be any dividends for at least a year. Our money is all tied up abroad, and we're left with nearly nothing here. How do you propose we manage our living expenses now that you've completely alienated Daniela?"

Hearing this, Caiden struck his thigh in vexation, his teeth clenched. "I can't stand it! I used to be under Brylee's control when I was young. Now, Daniela is doing the same at my age! It's intolerable and utterly humiliating!"

Katrina let out a deep sigh and added, "I heard Daniela mention that Seth is bringing resources back,right?If that's the case, the company might rebound soon. However, Daniela has instructed that we return the funds from abroad. What's your plan?"

Caiden's expression turned icy. "I'm not sending the money back. What can she possibly do to me?"

Katrina remained silent.

Caiden shut his eyes tightly. "She wouldn't dare do anything to mne, would she? Daniela has completely lost it!”

He then sighed reluctantly. "Alright, I'll send some of it back. If we don't, she might actually send me to jail.But I'll distribute the rest across various accounts. She won't be able to track all of it down."

Katrina agreed. "You need to try and mend things with Daniela. Otherwise, her temper will only make our lives more difficult. You managed to deceive her out of her shares before. When we're back in a solid position, we can deal with her firmly."

Caiden grimaced, his forehead creasing deeply. "Fix our relationship? Did you miss the way she glared at me? She looks like she wants to devour me!"

For reasons unknown, Caiden grew more fearful of Daniela by the day.

Katrina, her heart seething, labeled him a coward silently."She's your daughter! What scares you so much?Even if you're frightened, do it for me, for Joyce, for Jack! You need to gather your strength and try harder!"

Katrina looked to Joyce, hoping for her support. Yet, as she looked over, Joyce was bent over her phone,deeply absorbed.

Caiden's expression grew darker as he realized Joyce was engaged in Shadow Strike, the same game Daniela had played earlier.

"Dad, you're missing the point. This game, although still in beta, is already extremely popular. Its graphics,sound, and gameplay are far beyond anything else in ouur country. Are you aware of how valuable this game is right now?"

Irritated, Caiden muttered, "It's merely a game. What could it possibly be worth?"

Joyce, oblivious to his irritation, continued,"Dad, you really don't understand. Today's youth have money and are eager to spend it. Gaming is a perfect way for them to unwind and alleviate stress. Did you know this game made over ten million dollars through in-game purchases in just three days of beta testing?Experts in the industry foresee its profit margins reaching the billions. It's closely watched by everyone in the gaming community. I managed to join the beta test. Only a select few have this access, and it required some connections in the industry."

Katrina was taken aback and stared at her daughter. "A single game valued higher than Harper Group?"

"Exactly! I've spent fifty thousand on it just today. The revenue potential in gaming is enormous. It includes tournament earnings, merchandise sales, licensing deals, and virtual goods. And since it's all online, most of the profit directly benefits the developers."

Intrigued, Caiden leaned in to glance at Joyce's phone.

The screen looked somewhat familiar yet different from what he had seen on Daniela's phone. He pointed to the upper-left corner. "What's 'Host Mode' mean?"

Joyce glanced up, a playful smile on her face. "Wow, Dad, are you starting to take an interest in gaming?""What does it mean?" Caiden asked again, frowning.

Joyce casually explained, "Host Mode indicates that a member of the development team is internally testing the game. If there's a number 1 next to it, it means the CEO of the company is the one testing it personally.The team uses their feedback to refine the game."

Katrina looked at Joyce with pride. "Joyce, you really know your stuff! Your father should help you start your own gaming company. Imagine how jealous Daniela will be when you make a fortune."

Katrina's face lit up as if Joyce had already become a billionaire.

Joyce flashed a big smile. "Really, Mom? I've always dreamed of starting a gaming company! Just provide me with 800 million, and I promise I'll make it big!"

At the mention of the figure, Katrina's smile stiffened. She turned to Caiden for support and found him lost in thought, his eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?" she inquired.

Caiden did not reply immediately. Gradually, he raised his eyes, his expression serious as he looked at Katrina and Joyce. "I saw Daniela playing this exact game."

Joyce, taken aback, lightly scoffed, "Really? Daniela managed to get a beta spot? That's hard to believe.They're extremely rare."

Caiden said, "In the upper-left corner of her phone, it displayed 'Host Mode.'" Joyce's mouth fell open, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

But Caiden wasn't done yet. He turned to Katrina and said somberly, "Behind 'Host Mode;' there was the number