Chapter 176

Lillian hadn't even finished speaking before Cedric stormed back into the room. His expression was shadowed, and when he spoke, his voice was tight with restrained anger. "To me, you're fragile, Daniela."

Both Lillian and Daniela were stunned.

Once Cedric had left, Lillian breathed a deep sigh and looked at Daniela with a teasing glint in her eye."Maybe you should consider giving him a chance. He's so agitated."

Daniela groaned and tugged Lillian farther into the room."Cut it out, will you? You've seen what I'm dealing with. Why would I drag him into this mess? Let him live his own life. What's so wrong with that?"

As Daniela spoke, she glanced at the beta data Lillian had just handed to her.

"The problem is he doesn't want a life without you. What are you going to do about that?" Lillian responded with a shrug.

The Bennett family's gaming company filed for bankruptcy shortly after launching Shadow Strike, marking it as the tenth Bennett company to go bankrupt this year.

Joyce, absorbed in her phone, burst into laughter upon reading the news. Turning to Katrina, she remarked without any sympathy, "Looks like Alexander is no match for Daniela."

Katrina looked at the news briefly, her face unreadable. She then walked out to the courtyard to call Alexander.

By the time Caiden stepped outside, Katrina had already ended the call.

"What did you say to him?" Caiden asked.

Katrina glanced at Josie bustling around the spacious, well-equipped kitchen, then turned to their own cramped and barely stocked kitchen, feeling a surge of irritation. "I've arranged for us to dine with Richard and Alexander tonight. And you're joining us."

Caiden scowled, disliking social events and preferring the solitude of tending to his garden. "Why bother dining with them? It's merely squándering money."

With Daniela controlling the finances of Harper Group, Caiden was no longer able to tap into the company's funds as liberally as before.

"If we can't bring Daniela down, we'll engage others who can," Katrina said, her tone sharp and her eyes gleaming with determination.

That evening, Caiden arrived at the restaurant with Katrina and Joyce to meet the Bennetts for dinner.

As soon as they stepped inside, Joyce was completely absorbed in her game.

The previous night, she had pleaded with Lillian to help her unlock two rare weapons. Now, armed with her flashy new upgrades, she was crushing her opponents and soaking up the admiration of her in-game teammates.

Her excitement was almost tangible.

Caiden's frustration flared. He opened his mouth, readyto lecture her about playing her game in public.However, Katrina intervened before he could get a word out.

He stopped short, staring at her in confusion.

Katrina, looking radiant with her hair styled into a sleek updo, carried herself with elegance as she tookher seat.

When the Bennetts arrived, Katrina welcomed them warmly. She engaged them in conversation with a practiced ease that gave no hint of the financial difficulties the Harpers faced under Daniela's influence.

Her smile didn't waver as she said, "No matter what, Daniela will always be part of the Harper family.She's accomplished so much, and we couldn't be prouder of her. Just the other day, she was telling us that Caiden shouldn't push himself too hard with his work. She's taken over the company to give him a break,and now all we have to do is enjoy the benefits. If there's one thing she does exceptionally well, it's making money. I think we can all agree on that."

Katrina's words painted Daniela as the perfect daughter, effortlessly erasing past grievances. It was as though the conflicts of the past had never existed.

"Is that really the way things are?" Richard raised an eyebrow as his gaze shifted between Katrina and Caiden,whose arm remained in a cast.

"Absolutely," Katrina replied, her voice steady and composed. "We're a family, after all. Holding grudges doesn't make sense. Whatever happened in the past, Daniela is still our daughter. She's even moved back in with us. If that doesn't prove where we stand, I don't know what does."

Richard's expression was unreadable, but his eyes lingered on Alexander for a moment.

Alexander remarked casually, "So, is this dinner about her? If it is, I'm not interested. I've already divorced Daniela, and what she does now is no concern of mine. Let's move on to another topic."

Katrina's smile didn't faIter. With practiced charm, she steered the conversation towards lighter topics.

As she spoke, she turned her attention to Joyce. She placed some food on her plate and said gently,"Joyce,sweetheart, all you ever seem to do is play games. Why don't you take a break and eat something?"

Her tone was filled with warmth, though the word games carried a pointed emphasis.

Alexander's expression darkened, the change in his demeanor subtle but unmistakable.

Katrina caught the shift immediately and smiled inwardly.

Moments later, Richard leaned forward and asked, "What's this game Joyce is so invested in? She hasn't looked up once."

Joyce perked up at the mention of her game. Still glued to her phone, she beamed and replied,"It's called Shadow Strike! It's amazing!"

Her excitement bubbled over as she held up her phone for everyone to see. "Look at this! Daniela gave me two exclusive skins. They're super rare! I can't believe how lucky I am to have a sister like her!"

Her voice carried across the table, brimming with enthusiasm and pride.

Katrina's smile faltered. Her expression tightened, revealing an awkward tension she couldn't fully mask.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but with the Bennetts seated across from her, she remained silent.

Two rare skins, and now she called Daniela her sister?

The room seemed smaller to Katrina. The air felt heavier, as if it was pressing down on her chest.

Richard exchanged a quick glance with Alexander before turning back to Joyce. His tone was measured, but his words carried a sharp edge. "Daniela gave you rare skins?"

As someone who had been part of a gaming empire, Richard understood that rare skins weren't just expensive-they were a symbol of insider privilege.

Unease settled over him like a dark cloud.

Oblivious to the rising tension in the room, Joyce grinned and nodded. Her excitement was unshaken."Yeah! Daniela owns the company that makes this game."

The clatter of a soup bowl breaking the silence startled everyone.

Richard's hand had slipped, tipping its contents across the table.

He paid no attention to the mess. His sharp eyes remained fixed on Joyce as he demanded, "What did you just say? Daniela owns this game company?"

Finally, Joyce tore her eyes away from her screen and looked up. Richard's face was tight with tension, and Alexander's cold glare seemed to pierce through her.

Still oblivious to the weight of her words, Joyce nodded again and said, "Yeah. Didn't you know?"