Chapter 423

Daniela stood up, flashing a smile at Cedric. "I'll be right back, just going to the restroom," she said casually.

As she walked past the tables, her hand shot out to grab a man, bundled up tightly in his coat, and without a second thought, she effortlessly yanked him along with her.

Cedric turned around, only to see the usual diners eating and chatting.

Daniela pulledthe man into the restroom and, before stepping in, hung up a "Under Maintenance" sign on the door.

The man was caught off guard at first, but once he saw Daniela standing in front of him, he seemed to calm down a little.

Despite her immense power and influence, Daniela was alone at that moment. No matter what went down, it wouldn't be anything too serious. The pay for this gig was huge. Even if he lost the job, it wouldn't matter.

"Who sent you?" Daniela asked.

"I came alone," the man said proudly, impressed by Daniela's beauty.

"So,why are you here?"

"I already told you," he said, clearly amused. "I came on my own. Cedric's so famous, I just wanted to see if l could dig up any gossip or scandals."

Daniela's eyes narrowed, her gaze sharp and calculating. She asked coldly, "Really?"

The man nodded, a confident grin spreading across his face. "Of course. Why else would I follow Cedric?I'm not a woman, so I wouldn't be after him like that."

Daniela, clearly uninterested in wasting time, gave a faint smile. "It seems like you're not going to cooperate." The man froze, feeling an unsettling chill crawl up his spine as he caught sight of the smile on Daniela's lips.

Just as the man began to grow more anxious, he heard Daniela say, "Fine, don't say anything then."

He was shocked by her sudden concession, unsure of what to make of her calm attitude.

As he hesitantly tried to step towards the door, Daniela didn't stop him. Instead, she leaned back against the doorframe, with arms crossed and a sneer of disdain curling on her lips.

The man flinched once more, clearly startled.

Just as he was about to leave, Daniela let out a chuckle and said slowly, "Have you ever heard that saying?"

The man turned his head in surprise.

Daniela's red lips curled slightly as she spoke. "You can make a fortune, but if you're dead, none of that money will matter."

The man's heart skipped a beat at her words.

"Go on," Daniela said, her smile growing as she straightened up and began to walk away.

Panicked,the man shouted, "Hey, what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds lik⟨e111Daniela replied with a smile that seemed to deepen.

But the man's smile faded instantly, and his arrogance evaporated.

Fear overtook him, and he stared at Daniela with wide eyes. "What do you mean? You have to explain yourself!"

Standing in the restaurant hallway, Daniela smiled as a breeze swept in through the open window.

Her expression stayed calm and collected, her voice as casual as if she were commenting on the weather."Have you ever heard of Shadowpeak Madhouse?"

The moment the words left her mouth, the man felt a chill crawl up his spine, goose bumps rising on his arm. "A few days ago, I sent Caiden there. I'm visiting him tomorrow. The hospital says he's lonely and needs a roommate. I think you'll fit in perfectly."

The man's legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.

Shadowpeak Madhouse was infamous for housing the most violent and vengeful patients. It was rumored that those who entered alive were never seen the same again.

"I was wrong! I swear, I was just after money, I meant no harm. I was only filming Cedric's daily habits,that's all," the man said in a shaky voice.

He extended his phone towards her with trembling hands.

Daniela opened the photo album, and her eyes scanned the screen. It was indeed just videos of Cedric's everyday life."Why film this? Who's pulling the strings here?"

The man wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly said, "I don't know. They contacted me online. Every time I sent a video, they paid me. I've never met the person. When I asked about their intentions, they got cautious and told me to stop askingor they'd stop working with me."

Daniela went through the chat history on the phone and saw the man was telling the truth. She snapped,"Leave!"

The man glanced at the phone in her hand."What about my phone?"

With a knowing look, Daniela raised the phone slightly."You want it?"

The man quickly closed his mouth and began to walk away, looking embarrassed.

Daniela gave a quick nod to Lillian, who was standing at the end of the hallway, and then said, "Give him ten thousand."

As Daniela slipped the phone into her pocket, she walked back to her table.

When she sat back down, Cedric served her some food and asked, "What took you so long?"

Keeping calm, Daniela answered, "The restroom was out of order, so I went upstairs."Cedric nodded but then hesitated. He realized the gaze that had been following him was now gone.

He stopped mid-bite, fork in hand, and looked at Daniela's face. Something about her calmness made him suspect that she might have something to do with it.

After dinner, they went back home.

While Daniela was in the shower, Cedric asked for the restaurant's restroom surveillance footage.

The footage showed an "Under Maintenance" sign outside the restroom.

Moments later, Daniela appeared on the screen, walking up the stairs.

Cedric frowned, wondering if he was just imagining things.

Meanwhile, Daniela sat on a small stool in the bathroom, watching the edited footage with a faint smile.