Chapter 269

It was the weekend.

Daniela made her way downstairs and saw the young man, who introduced himself as Johan Randall.

"Good morning," Johan said, his eyes lifting to meet hers with an air of polite familiarity.

Daniela offered Johan only a fleeting glance, her silence speaking volumes.

Katrina hurried over, stepping in to explain, "This is Johan, my nephew. He'll be staying with us for a few days."

As she took a sip from the glass of juice Cedric had handed her, Daniela allowed a faint smile to play on her lips. "You seem to have quite the extended family. First, your niece; now, your nephew. Who's next on the guest list?"

Katrina's smile stiffened, and her jaw tightened. "Well, family visits are just a part of life, aren't they?"

"Of course," Daniela replied with an easy shrug. "Actually, Peyton was talking about visiting soon. Maybe we should invite her too."

At the mention of Peyton, Katrina's face immediately paled.

She knew all too well that Peyton's hostility towards her would make any visit a recipe for disaster.

With Joyce and Caiden in the midst of a heated fallout, Peyton was undoubtedly relishing every moment,spreading the gossip about Joyce's personal matters wherever she went.

Katrina couldn't stand it, but there was little she could do to silence Peyton's chatter.

Suppressing her frustration, Katrina took a steadying breath. "Daniela, she's getting older. Let's not trouble her.I know you prefer fewer people around, so I'll be more considerate next time."

Daniela stayed silent, not responding to Katrina. She let out a quiet scoff and returned to her breakfast, ignoring the tension in the air.

Nearby,Johan lingered, watching Daniela's profile with a gentle smile. "You're really something, Daniela. I like that about you."

Cedric approached,holding a plate of food, and shot Johan a disapproving look.

With a faint smile, Daniela responded, "I'm glad you do. Hope it sticks."

Johan quickly showed just how persistent he could be.

Whenever Daniela wasn't in her room, he'd hover around her, constantly talking about his campus life with an eager grin plastered on his face.

He played the part of the innocent, carefree young man effortlessly.

Without a word, Daniela let him carry on, sinking deeper into the couch as she typed away on her phone.

Curious, Johan leaned in to take a look, but Daniela quickly handed the phone to Cedric instead.

Cedric took a quick look at the screen.

The file labeled "Johan Randall" showed one simple message: "No record found."

A playful smile tugged at Daniela's lips. Johan, completely unaware, grinned back at her. "What's got you smiling so much?"

Remaining composed, Daniela answered smoothly, "Just stumbled upon a little trickster. It's kind of amusing."

The air around Johan grew tense at her words.

He began to wonder if Daniela was hinting at something more.

For a brief moment, it seemed like Daniela could see right through him.

"You're quite the jokester," he remarked, his eyes fixed on her phone. Reaching out to grab it, he was met with a quick tap that locked the screen with a sharp click. Without another word, Daniela stood up and began heading upstairs. Johan followed closely behind.

When Daniela entered her bedroom, he moved to follow her in.

But the door slammed shut in his face with a loud thud, leaving him with a stinging nose.

Moments later, Cedric appeared with a plate of fruit, and Johan pointed at the electronic lock. "She locked it."

With a calm, practiced motion, Cedric placed his finger on the panel, and the door clicked open.

As Cedric stepped inside, Johan attempted to follow, but Cedric shot him a cold, unwavering look. "Try one more step, and you're done."

Johan's smile faltered, freezing in place.

His eyes locked with Cedric's, and though his youthful appearance remained unchanged, the intensity in his gaze hinted at something far darker.

Johan carefully placed his foot back down. "What's the deal? Why are you both targeting me?"

Cedric flashed a mocking grin, his eyes glinting. "Maybe you should ask yourself why you came knocking on our door,practically asking for trouble."

The forced smile on Johan's face quickly disappeared.

Once again, he was struck with the realization that his cover had been blown.