Chapter 219

On their ride home after dinner, Joyce's voice cut sharply through the silence. "You promised to hand over Harper Group, and if that's not possible right now, I'll accept its cash equivalent. Converting it into money is fine by me."

Caiden,clearly frustrated, responded, "How do you expect me to come up with such an amount? You know the situation with Harper Group. People think that Elite Lux's partnership with Harper Group has been a huge success, but the truth is, it's been losing money this whole time. Your wedding with Alexander was only secured because outsiders don't know the truth yet."

Turning her head away in frustration, Joyce exclaimed, "Richard just said he and Alexander valued me as a person. What are you implying? Do you genuinely believe Alexander is after our fortune? Why must you see things so superficially? Do you think everyone is as manipulative as you are?"

Her voice escalated with each statement, and she instructed the driver to stop the car.

Once the vehicle halted, she exited, turned back to Caiden and Katrina, and declared, "The Bennett family has promised me a bride price of fifty million dollars. You need to provide an equivalent amount for my dowry."

With a forceful slam of the car door, Joyce stormed away.

Caiden remained seated, stunned, staring at Katrina. "What sort of attitude is that? Joyce has changed completely. What happened to the obedient, thoughtful daughter we once knew?"

Katrina let out a deep sigh.

The dynamics within the Harper family had once been peaceful, yet now as Joyce was about to integrate into another family, her allegiances were evidently changing.

Joyce had harbored resentment towards her ever since she had spoken unfavorably about Alexander. Joyce had seemingly forgotten that she, her mother, was the very person who brought her into the world and would never intend harm.

Overwhelmed by the flattery at dinner and her existing grievances, Joyce's allegiance had firmly shifted towards the Bennett family.

"What should wve do now?" Katrina inquired, a look of despair on her face.

Caiden, lighting a cigarette, felt the burden of financial woes heavy upon him, reminiscent of the days before he met Brylee.

After a pause, Katrina suggested, "Perhaps we should speak with Daniela. She remains a member of the Harper family, and as Joyce's stepsister, it wouldn't be proper for Joyce to marry without some support from her."

Looking into Katrina's eyes, Caiden retorted, "Daniela? Do you think she'd accept such a simple explanation,given her astuteness?"

Frustration colored Katrina's eyes as she spoke. "What do you suggest then? Should we allow the dowry issue to push Joyce further away?"

Katrina was aware that Harper Group had lost its value. Selling it would mean depleting their savings.

Furthermore, if they transferred Harper Group to Joyce and Daniela eventually exited, Joyce would undoubtedly find herself swamped with debts-an outcome Katrina dreaded.

Katrina always wanted what was best for her daughter, but Joyce was blind to this.

Her affections had completely shifted to the Bennett family, leaving Katrina feeling both exhausted and heartbroken.

The situation seemed insurmountable.

Caiden had not cultivated strong or reliable connections in his professional circle over the years. The prospect of him seeking financial assistance as Joyce's wedding neared could lead to public disgrace.Rumors might spread, potentially causing the Bennett family to reconsider the marriage.

Upon reflection, Caiden understood that Daniela was his only option.

As they approached the villa, their car detoured to Elite Lux.

En route, they stopped at a pastry shop where Caiden stepped out to purchase some snacks.

Daniela was engrossed in her work. The smart robot sector was thriving, and her latest models were so sought after that they could barely meet the demand. Despite the chaos, she remained focused,meticulously inspecting the production materials.

Her office was a hive of activity. Design plans littered her large desk, and the design team filled the room.Noticing Daniela's workload, Cedric had sent additional designers from Phillips Group to assist.

When Caiden pushed the door open, all eyes in the room turned to him.

He was taken aback. It was past 11 p.m., yet Daniela and her team were still diligently working.

The secretary, clearly overwhelmed, hurried over. Recently, it had become common for people to enter without knocking, and now it was Daniela's father's turn, which meant she couldn't just turn him away.

Daniela dismissed her secretary with a brief look and addressed Caiden. "I'm currently too busy to talk."

Katrina chuckled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's alright; we'll wait."

She figured that despite Daniela's apparent busyness, it was getting late, and they wouldn't be kept waiting much longer.

Nevertheless, they settled into the chairs by the door.

But the wait wasn't brief.

Hours ticked by.

Now,past 2 a.m., Katrina and Caiden found themselves fighting to keep their eyes open, overwhelmed by fatigue.

While Daniela and her team delved into complex discussions sprinkled with technical terms that flew over both Katrina's and Caiden's heads, the term"smart robots" stood out as a comprehensible snippet.

A plan began forming in Katrina's mind. She leaned in close to Caiden and murmured, "Dear, have you heard? The smart robot sector is yielding huge profits. Daniela has poured billions into it, unlike the languishing Harper Group. Handing it over to Joyce won't really benefit her at all. Perhaps we should consider..."

Her voice faded, yet Caiden grasped her drift instantly.

Considering the minimal value of Harper Group compared to Daniela's thriving robot venture, why not suggest that Daniela allocate shares of her robot company to Joyce?

They could present it as a lavish wedding gift. Joyce would reap financial benefits without any effort on her part.

Why cling to the fading prospects of Harper Group when they could claim a stake in a much more lucrative venture?④

Katrina observed the room brimming with designers and engineers, her instincts affirming that this sector was the technological wave of the future. She covertly signaled a figure to Caiden with her fingers.

Caiden's eyes widened. "Really, that much?"

With a mischievous grin, Katrina whispered,"Oh, you're so naive. We'll allocate a portion to Joyce as her dowry, and we can set aside the rest for our golden years. We can propose swapping Harper Group for a stake in Daniela's robot company. After all, isn't that her mother's legacy? How could she possibly reject that offer?"

Caiden gazed at Katrina, her shrewd gaze holding his silence for an extended period before he finally nodded in agreement. "We should go ahead with your plan."