Chapter 696

Cedric looked at Daniela and asked, "But this clue matters a lot to you, doesn't it?"

Daniela opened her laptop and replied, "It matters to me,but not to you."

In some ways, she and Cedric weren't all that different.

It was never clear how much money was truly enough.

To her, having just enough to live on was fine.

She didn't care for luxury. She could enjoy a high-end restaurant or eat from a stall.

What she really wanted was a quiet life without noise.

She had never planned to drag Cedric into the chaos she carried.

Her world was messy,unpredictable.

And it was nothing like the easy, bright future Cedric should've had.

He deserved a smooth life, one filled with comfort.

He didn't need her to get there.

He could do it on his own.

"But I want to be someone who matters to you," said Cedric, his voice sincere. "You're my wife, Daniela.What you care about-I care about too.I don't want to feel like you're shutting me out. Can you see that?"

Daniela kept typing. "I see that. Thank you."

Cedric closed her laptop and added, "I mean it. If it's for your sake, I'll go back to the McCoy family. Why don't you believe me?"

Daniela looked him in the eye. "I believe you, but that won't happen. We're two separate people. Everyone should handle their own life first, then look out for others. You've got your priorities mixed up."

Her tone stayed even, but there was weight behind her words. "You need to think about yourself. This situation is dangerous. I don't want you pulled in because of me. Do you hear me?"

If Cedric chose to get involved, it had to be his decision, not something he did out of obligation to her.

She didn't want him risking anything on her behalf.

She wouldn't budge on this.

Cedric's brows pulled together.

Daniela's voice dropped a little lower. She looked straight at him and said, "Cedric, if you act on your own,I will leave you."

With that, she lowered her head and kept working on her laptop.

Cedric stayed beside her in silence for a long time, should handle their own life first, then look out for others. You've got your priorities mixed up."

Her tone stayed even, but there was weight behind her words. "You need to think about yourself. This situation is dangerous. I don't want you pulled in because of me. Do you hear me?"

If Cedric chose to get involved, it had to be his decision, not something he did out of obligation to her.

She didn't want him risking anything on her behalf.

She wouldn't budge on this.

Cedric's brows pulled together.

Daniela's voice dropped a little lower. She looked straight at him and said, "Cedric, if you act on your own,I will leave you."

With that, she lowered her head and kept working on her laptop.

Cedric stayed beside her in silence for a long time, but she never once glanced at him.

She hoped he would take the time to think things through on his own.

After a while, he stood up. His voice came out soft,with a trace of pain in it."I understand."

He'stayed rooted in place after saying that.

Only after some time did he finally walk away.

Right before leaving, he said quietly, "You've never seen me as someone who truly belongs in your world."

Daniela kept typing without pause, her focus unbroken.

Carol walked in from outside and glanced behind her as she changed her shoes. "Daniela, what's going on with Cedric? Is he upset or something?"

Daniela didn't stop working. She kept scanning the data.

Carol sat down. "Did you hear me? He's outside by himself, sitting in the pavilion. I tried to talk to him,but he looked really off."

Daniela replied, "Let him sort it out on his own."

Carol gave a nod. "Bythe way,we found Natalie."

Daniela's hands paused over the keyboard.

"She's trying to get her hands on explosives.I guess she's planning to blow you up like the previous bombing incident. What do you think we should do?"

Daniela's tone stayed calm. "Assign someone to monitor her. Any word on Winslow?"

She believed that Caiden, Joyce, and Natalie were just cover.

The real danger was Winslow.

He knew who M really was.