Chapter 138

Alexander marched forward, his anger silent but undeniable. He made his way to the top floor of the hotel across the street.

Behind him, Cedric pulled out his phone and quickly typed a brief message, sending the location to his assistant.

"Deliver a new shirt to this place."

After slipping the phone back into his pocket, he shrugged off his suit jacket, letting it fall onto a nearby chair.

"Cedric, you've decided to take Daniela from me,haven't you?" Alexander's gaze was icy, his tone slicing through the air, and his whole presence radiated hostility.

As the last slivers of sunlight disappeared, Alexander stood in the chilly evening wind. His hair, disheveled and tousled by the breeze, gave him a menacing, almost sinister look.

In contrast, Cedric stood composed in a crisp white shirt and tailored trousers, his sharp features highlighted by the cool night air. "Yes," he responded, his voice blunt and without a second thought.

Alexander's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, his gaze cutting through Cedric with the force of a blade. "So, you're confessing it then? You want Daniela!"

Cedric, with his hands tucked into his pockets, met Alexander's stare with equal intensity. "Do I really need to spell it out? Isn't it clear?"

He wasn't a fool. If he didn't have feelings for Daniela, why would he keep going out of his way to help her? He wasn't some reckless playboy. If he didn't love her,why would he keep chasing after her?

Cedric could easily defend his actions. Aside from being a little shy around Daniela, his reputation as a powerful figure spoke for itself. Alexander's chest rose and fell with his mounting rage. "So it's true. You intentionally undermined Bennett Group during the inspections? Cedric, you're nothing but a conniving,manipulative bastard!"

Cedric chuckled darkly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Alexander, I honestly can't fathom how someone like you managed to make it to the top in this industry. I'm not here to teach you a lesson, nor do I owe you any kind of explanation. But let me be perfectly clear-you can kiss any future involvement in Daniela's projects goodbye."

Bennett Group, with their shoddy projects that crumbled with the smallest push, had the nerve to call themselves industry leaders?

"Cedric!" Alexander bellowed, his voice breaking under the force of his anger. "So, you're set on opposing me,are you?"

Cedric answered with cold certainty, "Yes. What are you going to do about it?"

Alexander hadn't anticipated such a blunt and unapologetic reply. His breath quickened as his anger surged. He was seething, completely and uncontrollably furious. But beneath the rage, an unsettling feeling began to creep in, gnawing at him from the inside.

This was Cedric-the man who, besides Daniela,ruled the city's business landscape without question.

Was it wise to make Cedric an enemy?

Could an all-out clash hurt Bennett Group's prospects?

And most importantly, did he stand a chance of winning?

At that moment, Alexander felt a pang of regret for acting on impulse.

He had rushed in, fueled by raw emotion, without thinking things through, while Cedric stood calm,composed, and unfazed.

Cedric's icy gaze met Alexander's,filled with indifference and scorn.

He'd dealt with men like Alexander before-those who thrived on intimidating the vulnerable but fell apart when confronted with true strength.

Cedric smirked against the cold wind on the rooftop.Before Alexander could even respond, Cedric swung his fist and delivered a punishing blow straight to Alexander's face.

Alexander took a shaky step back, struggling to keep himself upright. He wiped his nose roughly, then stopped to stare at the blood on his hand."Cedric Phillips!"

Cedric chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery."I'm right here."

"Cedric! I'll kill you!"

The rooftop descended into utter chaos.

Dust swirled in the howling wind, mixing with the sickening sound of fists pounding into skin and bone.The punches kept coming, hard and fast, each one landing with brutal force.

Alexander's cries echoed through the night, gradually fading into the biting cold air.

Cedric's assistant reached the rooftop.

He found Cedric standing there, calm and collected,as poised as ever. But his sleeves had some blood stains.

"Sir, your..." His words trailed off as his eyes fell on Alexander,lying unconscious on the rooftop.

Cedric unbuttoned his bloodstained shirt and tossed it aside, slipping into the fresh one without sparing a glance at Alexander."WelI, I'm off for dinner."

The assistant stood frozen, his thoughts racing. He had known for some time that Cedric had been eager to put Alexander in his place, but this?

He stole one last look at Alexander.

Was this really necessary for Cedric to do?

Alexander's face was so swollen and bruised that it was barely recognizable. Would he need surgery to repair this? Cedric adjusted his cuffs before adding, "Call an ambulance. Having someone die here isn't good for business."

With that, he bent down, grabbed his suit jacket,shook it out as though brushing off unseen dust,and put it on. He didn't spare another glance before walking off.

The dinner was already buzzing with conversation,the dishes being served and the Elite Lux team in high spirits when Cedric walked in.

Everyone's gaze turned to him, as they admired the sharp and polished look of his tailored suit.

Daniela, picking at a small appetizer, followed their gaze and glanced at Cedric.

She watched him in silence for a brief moment,then lowered her eyes and went back to her meal, her expression impossible to read.

Cedric's heart skip a beat.

The team,well-acquainted with Cedric, greeted him with casual banter. "Cedric, weren't you with Lillian earlier? What took you so long?"

Cedric grabbed a drink from the table and poured it into Daniela's glass. He smiled faintly and answered,

"Got caught up with something. It took longer than l thought."

The question had been lighthearted, and the team shifted to other subjects.

As Cedric adjusted his suit jacket, preparing to take it off, Daniela's voice suddenly came from beside him."Lillian mentioned you went back to the office."

Cedric froze in place.

Her voice was light, almost indifferent, as if it were a mere comment with no weight.

For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. His hand, which had been resting on his jacket,slowly dropped to his side.

Desperately trying to mask his discomfort, he selected a dish for Daniela and offered with a smile, great. You should try it."

Daniela gave him a quick glance and a slight nod but didn't say a word.

Cedric's composure faltered. He awkwardly fumbled with his utensils, almost knocking over the dish in front of him.

As the meal went on, he kept serving Daniela, but she ate in silence, offering no feedback. Still, Cedric couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that hung over him.