Chapter 58

Alexander clenched his jaw, his face clouded with frustration. "Got it."

As he stepped out of the house, he checked his phone. There was nothing-no calls, no messages from the Harper family.

Not a single word of reassurance.

It felt as though they hadn't noticed the storm brewing.

But Alexander knew better. The trending topics were everywhere, the entire city was calling him a scumbag-there was no way the Harper family hadn't seen it.

He'd tried to help Joyce, even offering to cover her shop rent, and this was how things turned out. He'd been publicly humiliated, made to look like a fool,and yet, the Harper family hadn't said a word. Not a single person came to his defense.

All those warm, loving "Alexander" greetings they used to throw his way? They were nothing but empty words.

The realization hit him hard, and a cold,uncomfortable feeling settled deep in his chest.

He looked at his secretary. "Get me information on what Daniela's been up to lately. I need to meet with her."

The secretary gave a nod. "Got it, sir."

Meanwhile, Caiden sat in the living room, unruffled,while Joyce cried loudly beside him.

"It's all my fault! Alexander only got tangled in this because of me!" Joyce wailed. "He was helping me with that shop, and now everyone's attacking him.Dad, you have to get Harper Group's PR team to step in and help him. They're destroying him online!"

Caiden kept watering his plants, his face showing no emotion. "Is that so?" he muttered without looking up.

"Yes!" Joyce's frustration spiked. "Dad, haven't you seen what's trending?"

Caiden didn't even glance up. He casually snipped away at a leaf with his pruning scissors, taking his time, completely unbothered. The truth was, he couldn't care less. He was Daniela's father, and nothing could change that, no matter what was happening around him. And honestly, he wasn't keen on jumping into the chaos. Some people online had already started calling him a "terrible father." If he spoke up to defend Alexander now, wouldn't that only open the door for even more criticism?

Caiden sighed deeply, then finally turned to face Joyce."Getting roasted online happens to everyone.Alexander's still young. A bit of criticism won't kill him."

Joyce's frustration boiled over. "Dad! You're just scared, aren't you? Scared of Daniela! Scared of what people are saying online!" Caiden's eyes shot towards her, but Joyce wasn't backing down. "And I bet you're scared of Cedric too,right?"

For a brief moment, something flashed in Caiden's eyes, but he quickly hid it behind a stoic expression.However, Joyce didn't miss it, and with a sharp gesture, she pointed at him. "I knew it! You're afraid of Cedric!"

Caiden let out a small sigh, pursing his lips as he stood there for a mnoment. "Yeah, I'm scared. Now what? Who isn't terrified of Cedric in Olisvine? If Alexander wasn't afraid, why didn't he fight back when Cedric hit him? And now you wvant me, with my old, fragile body, to step in and fight for him? You should be ashamed!"

Caiden dismissed her with a wave, clearly fed up with her complaining.

As he turned back to his plants, a strange thought slowly crept into his mind.

Daniela had never been like this. She never cried for hours or threw tantrums. In fact, she reminded him so much of her mother-strong, unshakable, like wild grass that stood firm even in the harshest storms.

Caiden stopped, his pruning scissors frozen in mid-air.

Maybe he had overstepped with that slap. It had been more forceful than he had meant it to be.

Katrina had been sitting nearby, watching the whole thing unfold. That morning, Bennett Group's stock had taken a dive, trading was halted, and the online boycott showed no sign of slowing down.

She blinked, her mind working. She noticed the brief flicker of regret in Caiden's eyes and made up her mind.

Slowly walking towards him, she spoke in a calm,reassuring voice. "Caiden, that slap was a bit too much."

Caiden turned to look at her, a mix of annoyance and regret on his face. "You're right. Why didn't you step in and stop me?"

He sighed deeply, massaging the back of his neck."I'm not even sure if Daniela will really go through with cutting ties. She's running Elite Lux now,and if she turns her back on us, it'll be a huge loss for me!"

Katrina nodded with understanding. "Exactly! And Jerry's the one to blame. He kept fueling the fire,making everything worse. If it hadn't been for him, it wouldn't have escalated so badly. You know how Daniela lost her mother young, and I've always treated her like my own. Seeing you hit her yesterday really hurt. Let's not make this worse. How about we go over today, bring her a gift, and apologize? At the end of the day, we're family. There's no need to let other people see us fighting and give them something to talk about."

Caiden paused, his brow furrowing in thought. "But I'm her father. If I apologize, won't everyone laugh at me? It'll be a disaster if people find out."

Katrina gave him a comforting smile. "Not at all.People will look at you and think, 'Wow, Mr. Harper is such a loving parent-so forgiving, so kind-hearted,not holding any grudges against his daughter.'"

Caiden's scowl eased just a bit.

Sensing she was getting through to him,Katrina pressed on, a playful edge to her voice. "Daniela has always been so understanding. If she doesn't forgive us, I'll get down on my knees and beg her for it."

Caiden's eyes widened, his voice turning sharp and cold once more. "She wouldn't dare! Who does she think she is? Just us showing up to apologize is already a huge honor to her! If she expects anything more, she's completely out of her mind. You know what? Forget the apology. We'll just send a fruit basket instead. That should be more than enough.It's just Daniela-we're not dealing with royalty here!"

As he spoke, his anger bubbled up, spilling over into muttered curses.

A faint smile crossed Katrina's lips, pleased that she had guided him exactly where she wanted.

Joyce, who had been silently watching the entire exchange, stared wide-eyed. Then, she gave Katrina a thumbs-up.

That was impressive!

Daniela sank into a deep slumber, yet peace seemed out of reach.

Her dreams pulled her back to that unforgettable summer afternoon.

She was just five years old, her small hands tightly gripping a doll. The sun blazed overhead, and the thick summer heat filled the air. The sharp sound of something heavy crashing to the ground rang out behind her.

Daniela, still holding her doll, turned around in curiosity. As she glanced over her shoulder, her gaze locked onto the horrifying sight of her mother's lifeless body. Blood was streaming from her mother's eyes, and her form lay twisted on the ground.

The sunlight reflected off the fresh blood, turning the ground a bright shade of red. It spead out like a strange,unsettling field of roses.

Daniela remained still, silent, unable to comprehend.Medics arrived, followed by the police.

She remembered Caiden sitting nearby, histears flowing as he played the part of the heartbroken husband. Then the rain began to fall, soaking the pavement. The blood mingled with the water,spreading out like roses in full bloom, only this time with a violent, unsettling force.

Her mother was gone, without so much as a word,not even a note or a farewell.

For years, Daniela had been tormented by that day.Why had her mother jumped?

Why? Why had she left nothing behind?

Was it because she was just as unworthy in her mother's eyes as she had always been in Caiden's?