Chapter 140

Alexander's anger had cooled somewhat."Do you really think this will work?"

Richard replied, "I think it will. Daniela used to care so much about you, even when you were cold towards her. Now that you're in this condition,how could she still be angry? She's your ex-wife. She can't just ignore you. If you land the airport project,there will be plenty of chances to be with her. Once she sees your vulnerability, reconciliation will follow.Alexander,you need to look at the bigger picture.Often, misfortune opens doors. If getting beaten up is what it takes to win her back, then it's worth it.Don't wait for the doctor now. Go straight to Daniela.She has private doctors. Let her take care of you and show her that Cedric is nothing but a brute-completely unworthy of her trust."

Alexander lowered his gaze, uncertainty clouding his expression. "Are you sure, Dad?" He couldn't deny how distant and cold Daniela hnad become toward him lately.

More often than not, Daniela had looked at him as though he were nothing more than a piece of trash.

He no longer had the same confidence he used to share with her.

Not to mention his face was now so disfigured it was almost unrecognizable.

He dreaded facing Daniela in his current state.

"Oh come on, why wouldn't it work?" Richard said firmly. "Alexander, Daniela has loved you for all these years. If it were just about appearances, that kind of love wouldn't have lasted this long."

Alexander nodded slowly. "You're right! Daniela loves me for who I truly amn!"

Standing outside the door, the secretary caught snippets of the conversation. He let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to shut out the absurdity of it all. Alexander certainly knew how to flatter himself, didn't he?

Upstairs in the obstetrics department, Katrina came across the news about Alexander's beating.

She had just been informed that both Alexander and Richard were in the hospital downstairs.

She cast a quick glance at Alexander's face. What she saw unsettled her, leaving a lingering sense of unease. With a final, apprehensive glance,she made her way upstairs.

She told Caiden what she had witnessed. "You should've seen it, Caiden. Alexander's face was a complete disaster! It looked like a truck had just run over him."

Caiden chuckled at her description, amused but unable to fully picture it in his mind.

He wasn't concerned about Alexander or who Joyce would eventually end up with.

His focus was elsewhere. After secretly consulting the doctor, he discovered that the child Joyce was expecting was a boy.

The news brought him a sense of satisfaction, and he stayed up all night, too elated to sleep.

But this time, he knew better than to rush. He would move forward with careful consideration.

He casually flipped open the book of names,skimming through its pages. "I spoke with the doctor today," he said to Katrina, his tone casual. "Joyce's due date is next month."

Katrina nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's right," she replied, her gaze drifting to Caiden, whose face was partially hidden in the shadows.

Caiden continued, "I've chosen a name for the child -Jack. He'll stay with me after he's born. As for Joyce, I'll find her a suitable match and give her 30million as a wedding gift, considering I'm her stepfather. The rest of the assets-the company,real estate, investments, and even the villa we live in-will go to Jack."

At first, Katrina frowned slightly upon hearing this. Thirty million seemed like a trivial amount for Joyce.

But as Caiden explained further, her expression softened. What difference did it make? The child was still young, and the assets would eventually be under Joyce's control, regardless.

"Of course, the child is far too young to handle this kind of wealth. I intend to keep it under my control until he turns fifteen. Until then, it will remain in my hands," he added.

In that instant, Katrina grasped Caiden's true intentions.

Considering the child's delicate health, Caiden didn't want to take the risk of transferring the inheritance too soon.

What if something were to happen to him?

By the time the child reached fifteen, he would have spent enough time under Caiden's roof to naturally form a bond with him, not Joyce.

This approach would ensure that the boy belonged to Caiden entirely, with very little connection to Joyce.

Katrina forced a smile, her mind whirling. For the moment, she chose to go along with it, deciding to handle the finer details later when she had more time to think.

As she absorbed this, Caiden retrieved a folded document from inside the book-a contract that seemed to have been prepared long before.

"I had a lawyer prepare this agreement," he said."It states that Joyce will marry once she's fully recovered. If we can't find a suitable match, she can live in our city-center apartment."

Katrina stared at Caiden in disbelief. She hadn't expected him to be so ruthlessly calculating.

Caiden went on, "You don't have to worry.The Harper family will always be Joyce's home. I'll continue managing the company as usual. Whether Daniela and I fix things or not, as her father,she can't turn me down if I request a project. You've seen how large Elite Lux's projects are. If I put in the effort, Jack's inheritance will grow immensely. Daniela is close to Cedric, and as her father, I have leverage.Cedric will treat me with respect and wouldn't dare refuse me resources. With connections to both Daniela and Cedric-the two dominant forces in Olisvine-the Harper family will only thrive."

He paused for a moment before adding, "If you think this plan works, persuade Joyce to sign the agreement. After all, she's the child's mother, and she'll want the best for him. I'm not doing this for myself. You both know Daniela wouldn't support us if the child remained too closely tied to Joyce. This is for his future. He'll understand when he's older. And for now, I'll thank you on his behalf."

The hospital room felt unbearably cold, as though winter had seeped into every corner.

Katrina shivered, realizing how carefully Caiden had planned everything.

So,he had always been aware of how she treated Daniela, yet he had chosen to overlook it-because it didn't serve his interests, he simply turned a blind eye.

Now, every action he took was driven by self-interest, leaving no space for mistakes or second thoughts. Katrina felt as though she had been tossed into the frigid waters of a frozen lake, the biting cold sinking deep into her bones, draining her of all warmth and leaving her numb to the core.

Caiden gave her a small smile and said, "I know Joyce respects you. Go talk to her. After all, I'm not her real father. If I bring it up, she'll probably just resent me."