Chapter 703

Nikolas exuded confidence. "While I was discussing how to make Bennett Group the nation's top company,Richard was already plotting to remove Daniela and take her place. When wealth this massive is on the line,who wouldn't be tempted?"

Kohen, his hands steady on the wheel, responded with calm certainty, "Cedric wouldn't!"

Teeth clenched, they navigated through the traffic, the tension thickening in the air.

Richard waited until the car vanished from view, then dialed Alexander's number.

"Come home tonight,Alexander."

When Alexander stepped inside, he was met with the sight of a table brimming with dishes, several of which were made by Richard himself.

"What's going on?" Alexander asked, his voice a mix of surprise and curiosity-he hadn't tasted Richard's cooking in ages.

Richard offered a smile, motioning for Alexander to take a seat.

As he settled into his chair,Alexander realized the house was eerily quiet-the servants had all disappeared.

The house felt hollow, empty of life and presence.

Confusion furrowed Alexander's brow. "What's happening?"

Richard uncorked a bottle of wine, his words slow and deliberate. "Alexander, I've never been one for many desires. My only wish has always been to be respected,to be the center of attention."

Alexander nodded. He knew Richard's pride, the driving force that had kept him going through the hardest of times.

During the darkest days when Bennett Group was on the brink, Richard had nearly succumbed to despair. It was only when the company rebounded, and he rose to lead the commerce association, that his father found his joy again.

"Alexander, how's it going with Daniela?" Richard asked, his tone probing.

Alexander picked at his food, replying with an air of indifference, "Nothing's changed. I've been busy, but l haven't given up. Time will show her who truly loves her."

"Really?" Richard's voice dripped with skepticism as he took another sipof wine. "But I've heard something different."

Alexander turned his gaze to his father, waiting.

Richard continued, "When a couple parts ways, the man often speaks with finality, while the woman might still hold out hope. But once she moves on, she thrives-unlike the man who's stuck in the past."

Alexander fell silent, contemplating, before asking, "Dad, what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

Richard paused, taking another deliberate sip of wine before speaking. "What I'm saying is-if there's no hope for reconciliation, it's best to sever ties with the past. Only then can you embrace a fresh start."

Alexander was once again swallowed by silence.

After a long pause, he whispered, "How can I sever ties with the past?"

Richard's voice dropped to a whisper, sharp and cold. "Eliminate Daniela and take her position."

Alexander's eyes flew open, shock flooding his expression.

Though he had suspected Richard's plans, hearing it aloud still struck him like a blow.

His instincts screamed in rejection, the thought revolting to his very core.

"No!"

Richard's face hardened, his words piercing the air. "Why not? Alexander, you've made yourself look like Cedric, yet Daniela still refuses to love you. Haven't you realized? She'll never love you. The past is gone.You must let it go and move forward." Alexander dropped his gaze, his face ghostly pale beneath the harsh brightness of the villa's lights. "But l don't want to move on. You don't understand. Daniela has been a part of my life for so many years.How can I forget her? Every time I close my eyes, she's there. She loved me for so long. How can I erase that? Just give me more time. I'll make Daniela love me again."

With those words, Alexander rose and walked out, the door closing behind him with finality.

By the time Nikolas called, over an hour had passed since Alexander's departure.

Richard answered the phone, his voice steady. "I haven't convinced Alexander yet, but he'll think it through."

Romantic pursuits were fleeting, but business endured.

Richard continued, "But if Daniela truly dies, can you guarantee Bennett Group will become the nation's top company? You're not deceiving me, are you?"

Nikolas' voice crackled through the line, icy and unyielding. "I can fulfill my promise first as a gesture of good faith."

Nikolas, a man of vast ambition, found no challenge in offering a few tempting incentives.

By expanding the prize and making the rewards irresistible, he could conquer even the most reluctant of prey.

Richard smiled, satisfaction glimmering in his eyes. "That's exactly what I want to hear."

That very night, following the call, Bennett Group received a proposal for deep cooperation from Oiscoll.

The news rippled through the industry like a stone thrown into a calm pond.

The following day, Bennett Group's stock surged to unimaginable heights.

Richard watched the stock prices climb, a sense of unshakable confidence settling within him.

He narrowed his eyes in contentment, his mind forever turning, plotting Daniela's downfall.

Daniela had to die.