Chapter 761

The group stepped into the building, Nikolas' teeth clenched in barely contained frustration.

"Daniela, don't get ahead of yourself," Nikolas warned,walking alongside her. "Remember, you're in Oiscoll now, and things operate differently here."

Daniela shot him a cold, mocking smile."Oh,really?"The group entered the elevator.

Nikolas' eyes flicked to his phone, and with a swift motion, he pressed the button to keep the elevator door open. He turned to his secretary. "You all head upstairs first.Father's expecting you.Damon,come with me."

Damon,who had been watching Daniela wvith curiosity,hesitated. He didn't want to leave just yet. "Is there a problem?"

Nikolas' expression darkened, his voice icy. "Get out!"

Damon protested, "Can't this wait until we're upstairs?You just said Father's expecting us. What could be more urgent than that? Plus, don't you need to report work to him? Let's not waste time." Nikolas' brow furrowed in frustration.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daniela's gaze flicker toward him.

Fearing Daniela might grow suspicious, he stepped out of the elevator, muttering,"Fine,you go upstairs."

Without giving anyone a chance to respond, he pressed the button to close the elevator doors.

The doors slid shut.

Vikolas' face darkened. He muttered to himself,Damon, I told you to step out, but you refused. Don't lame me for being harsh."

e elevator, now holding five people, began its slow rise.

Nikolas' secretary, a man who had worked with him for years, immediately sensed something was off.

A jolt of panic shot through him as the elevator trembled violently, his heart leaping into his throat.Without thinking, his hand shot out to press the button,desperately trying to stop the elevator at the nearest floor.

Before he could act, a chorus of metallic screeches sliced through the air, followed by violentjolts that shook the elevator. The lights above flickered unpredictably before plunging the elevator into an impenetrable darkness.

The darkness was suffocating, absolute.

The silence was overwhelming, so profound that every breath echoed loudly in the stillness.

"Ah!" Nikolas' secretary let out a terrified scream,his legs giving way as he crumpled to the floor in fear.

Gravity took hold, sending the elevator plummeting down, the dull sounds within the cramped space amplifying with each passing moment.

"Help!" The secretary's voice was filled with desperation. "Help! I'm not ready to die! is there anyone out there?"

His hands banged desperately against the elevator doors in a frantic attempt to make someone hear him.

The elevator trembled once more, as if responding to the panic that filled the air.

"If you're looking for a way out,banging on the doors won't help!" Cedric frowned, grabbing the secretary and pulling him away.

Daniela's fingers danced over the buttons, pressing each floor in turn. She pulled out her phone, only to find that there was no signal in the elevator's claustrophobic confines.

With a sigh, she switched on her phone's flashlight and attempted to call for help. However, the call failed to connect.

Daniela understood instantly-it was part of Nikolas 'scheme.

She stopped trying to call and turned to Carol. "Hand me the knife."

Damon was shaken; he had never encountered anything like this. A mix of excitement and concern filled his eyes as he stared at Daniela. "Why do you need a knife? We don't know if the elevator is stuck on the floor or against a wall. It's too dangerous to try forcing it open."

Daniela glanced at Damon, her expression unreadable.She hadn't anticipated that he would share some of the same thoughts.

"I didn't intend to force it open," she murmured.

Damon's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Nikolas had intended for you to leave, already anticipating the elevator's malfunction. The entire system was prearranged; he ensured it wouldn't halt at the floor but instead be trapped somewhere in between," she explained.

Help would not arrive anytime soon, leaving them isolated.

Nikolas was hell-bent on killing Cedric and her,regardless of the reputation of the McCoy family.

It was a clever plan, one that could easily succeed.

The moment Daniela's words sank in, the secretary's face drained of color.

A deep sense of injustice and sorrow washed over him.

He had been loyal to Nikolas for years, only to realize that Nikolas now intended to have him killed.

Damon's gaze fixed on Daniela, his voice tinged with curiosity. "If you already know this, why do you need the knife?"

Daniela offered a faint smile, her gaze drifting upward toward the ceiling.