Chapter 992

Chapter Had Closed

The next morning, the internet lit up with a video of that familiar female anchor. She had been filmed late at night, drinking alone and speaking through her tears.

In the footage, she broke down while blaming McCoy Group. She'd put her money into the project, she said,because she believed in them. Now, she was left with nothing.

Her makeup had melted down her cheeks, her sobbing too much for even the camera to ignore.

It didn't take long for the public to explode in outrage. Across Oiscoll, the McCoy family became synonymous with cruelty. The rage was swift and unforgiving.

A century of reputation collapsed in a single night.

Hamilton didn't speak for a long while. He sat quietly, sifting through his thoughts until one question pushed its way forward. He turned to Daniela. "You planned this, didn't you?"

He already knew the answer. Still, he needed to hear it.

Few people could pull off something so precise-so destructive-and she was one of them.

He had spent decades in the business world. Schemes weren't new to him. "Ricardo must have said something to you. Did he tell you the one behind the explosion?!

Daniela didn't answer. She kept her eyes on the television screen, unmoved by his words.Instead,she asked, "Do you know who did it?"

Hamilton slowly shook his head. Suspicion had haunted him for years. But his father had made it clear the issue should be left buried. No one ever dared to speak of it again.

Still, whenever he tried to piece it together, the truth slipped further fromn reach.

Daniela caught the hesitation in his expression. That told her enough. She turned her gaze back to the screen. "Then you shouldn't interfere. It didn't concern you back then, and it doesn't concern you now."

Hamilton lowered his eyes, understanding where she stood. He didn't think her anger was wrong. Any parent in her place would feel the same.

He let out a quiet breath. "I can stay out of it. But I want to ask you one thing."

Daniela kept the remote in her hand, not saying a word.

"Spare the innocent," Hamilton said.1fyou have to come after us-me, Josh, anyone in our generation-I won't stop you. But don't pull the other generations into this."

The blue light from the screen shifted across Daniela's expression. Her face showed no emotion.

A pause hung in the air.

While Hamilton wrestled with unease, Daniela gave a quiet nod."Okay."

She never meant to drag innocent people into this. What she wanted was fairness-nothing more.

This wasn't about power or money.

It was about righting a wrong and honoring the memory of her mother.

The following morning, right after breakfast, Hamilton burst in, urgency etched on his face."The money Jules got were from me, Brad, and Ethan. So where's the money from the other investors? I went to Cedric.He said you didn't touch it."

Daniela's lips curled slightly. "You went to Cedric for that?"

Hamilton pressed his mouth into a thin line. Now that he had lost a large sum of money, he felt small in front of her. ,

Still, he spoke. "He said you wouldn't take anything that belonged to the public. Said you weren't short on funds."

Daniela gave a brief nod. "That amount will be returned today." Hamilton's face brightened. "And what about me, Ethan, and Brad?"

Daniela didn't respond at first.

Instead, she looked at him for a long stretch of silence, and that silence gave him all the answer he needed.

Hamilton sighed under his breath. "Then we can't let Jules walk away from this, either."

Daniela didn't turn her head. Her attention stayed fixed on the television. "No one's getting away."

It was then that Hamilton caught a glimpse of that steel edge again. It reminded him who she truly was-the woman others followed without question.

If someone ever got the better of her, it was only because she allowed it.

Later that day, as Daniela had promised, Cedric returned all the money Josh had previous gathered.

In one swift move, Cedric took on all of Josh's liabilities and rebranded the company.New McCoy Group was no more. It now stood as Phillips Group, fully restructured and rooted in Oiscoll.

The reign of the McCoy family had ended. Cedric had taken the stage.

Watching the live broadcast, Hamilton sat in silence. Cedric stood beneath the press lights, sharp in a tailored suit, speaking with calm authority.

It brought back memories-moments from years ago when Hamilton first took over the family's name and future.

He watched with pride, even a little joy. But beneath that, something else stirred.

His