Chapter 255

Richard had a sinking feeling that this wouldn't be good news. Without thinking, he asked, "What is it?"

Raul replied, "Everyone's on the same page that the Bennettfamily made a huge mistake. How could they let go of such a talented daughter-in-law and bring back someone like Joyce instead? The word around town is to stop worrying about other investments and just follow Daniela's example. Whatever she puts money in, we should too. Just a little bit of her success would be enough to keep us comnfortable."

Richard's feelings became more tangled.

"Richard, we have a network that focuses on the elites at Elite Lux, collecting insider information. We often send gifts to find out what Daniela's involved with. Would you like to be a part of it?" Raul asked.

Richard was tempted, yet a sense of shame held him back. "There's no need for that. This might just be a lucky break. Don't get ahead of yourself; be careful not to overstep."

Raul laughed lightly. "You sound so cynical, Richard. Fine, if you're not interested, it's your call. We don't have many spots left, anyway. The fee's now two million, and we're full.Bye."

The calI ended, and Richard felt even more downhearted.

He had heard of that association before, but he had no idea just how exclusive it was.

With over two thousand members, all scrambling to win Daniela's favor.

What shocked him, though, was the price of entry-two million!

It was downright ridiculous!

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Finally, Richard turned to Alexander with a sudden thought and asked,"Do you think we should join this association? Is there still a chance we could get involved with that robotics company? Could Joyce assist us?" Alexander's expression remained icy. "You're better off relying on yourself than depending on others. Don't join that association; it's beneath you."

Without another word, he headed upstairs.

Richard let out a heavy sigh. It was, indeed, humiliating.

The gossip going around was that Alexander had traded a priceless gem for something completely worthless.

Richard had pushed away a perfectly good daughter-in-law, and now, joining her association would make him the laughingstock.

But what choice did he have? There was too much money on the line.

Reluctantly,Richard decided to keep pushing forward and went to seek out Joyce for help.

"So, you're saying you want to invest in the robotics company?" she asked.

Richard nodded, offering a charming smile. "Exactly. After all, Daniela is your sister, and your influence counts for a lot."

Joyce sneered in response. "So now you recognize my worth? Now you're flattering me? Who was it that called me useless? And now you want my help? Forget it!"

Joyce never missed an opportunity to speak her mind.

She took pleasure in putting people down with her sharp words.

Though seething with anger, Richard swallowed his pride. "We don't need much,just 5% shares."

Joyce was even more satisfied, looking down at Richard with contempt. "Who do you think you are? Do you really believe you're worthy of this? When Alexander married me, you barely cared. When he hit me,you didn't defend me. Have you ever treated me like family? People say Alexander can't stand me. Did you ever stand up for me? And now, just because there's a benefit, you want to use me? You've got some nerve."

Richard's eyes went wide in shock. This wasn't the response he had hoped for. No one had ever spoken to him in such a way before.

However, Joyce kept her cold smile in place and continued, "You don't see me as a person, and frankly, I don't care about you either. Now that I have money, you think you can use me to get close to Daniela?Dream on!"

Richard was practically shaking with fury.

Joyce relished the moment more and more. "I love watching you squirrn. Aren't you all so proud? And now you have to lower yourselves to me? How pathetic!"

Richard's fingers quivered as he pointed at Joyce's arrogant face. "Who are you calling pathetic?"

"You!"

Suddenly, a sharp slap echoed through the room.

Joyce stood still for a moment, stunned, before wiping her mouth and noticing the blood.

Narrowing her eyes, she stood tall and coldly stared up at Alexander, who was a head taller than her.

"You actually hit me? I'll make you pay for that!"

With that, she charged at Alexander, but he responded by slapping her hard again.

Enraged, Joyce lost all control, her fury erupting as she began smashing everything she could get her hands on in the house.

Alexander stood off to the side, watching with a calm expression. His indifference only fueled Joyce's anger.In a fit of rage, she stormed into the kitchen and returned with a knife in hand.

The two clashed fiercely, the tension escalating with every passing second.

During the fight, Alexander was slashed.

Richard's anger. boiled over, his body trembling with rage as he dialed the police.

When Katrina received the call, she was stunned. Alexander was planning to charge Joyce with attempted murder?

It seemed utterly ridiculous to her.

Panic surged through Katrina as her eyes met Caiden's icy stare.

After a brief pause, Caiden turned his gaze elsewhere.

Katrina clenched her teeth as the door to the villa creaked open.