Chapter 38

As Josie headed off, Daniela felt a strange sense of recognition, like she'd seen Josie in another time or place but couldn't quite pin it down.

After Josie was out of sight, Daniela turned to Lillian with a thoughtful look. "She's really sweet, but I have this feeling things could get messy later. When she returns, let her know-if anyone from the Harper family shows up, she needs to stay out of it. I don't want her caught up in their trouble or getting hurt."

Even though Daniela had paid the former housekeeper $10, 000 to cover medical costs,the whole incident still lingered heavily on her mind.

The idea of an elderly woman being slapped by Joyce was something she just couldn't come to terms with.

The mere thought of it left Daniela feeling uneasy and weighed down by guilt.

Lillian still couldn't erase the image of the old housekeeper's face,puffed up like a balloon when she walked out. She had cursed Joyce under her breath for what she had done. After her pointless visit to Daniela, Joyce was seething with frustration.

She stormed off to Caiden, tears streaming as she vented about how badly Daniela had treated her. But Caiden brushed her off with a careless wave. "Don't waste your time on that crazy woman. So what if she's got some money now? Do you really think she can break away from her family? Let's see if she dares to get married without me, her father, escorting her down the aisle!"

Without her family backing her up, people would surely look down on her.

Sooner or later, she'd have to swallow her pride and come running back to him for help.

Caiden's self-assurance didn't waver. Joyce sulked and turned to Katrina, silently asking for her take on the matter.

Katrina just shook her head slightly, saying nothing.

Later, when it was just the two of them, Joyce couldn't keep her frustration bottled up. "Mom, why can't I ask him to defend me? Did you see how arrogant Daniela was yesterday? I was so mad l thought I'd explode!"

Katrina, ever calm, sat on the patio and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Honey, you're grown up now. You've got to think beyond just the moment. Do you see what I mean?"

Joyce stared at Katrina, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Let me tell you two important things today. First,remember this: in every family, the man is the anchor.If you can win over the man in charge, the whole house will fall in line. At the moment, Caiden has no influence over Daniela. If you force him to confront her now, it'll just blow up in our faces. Be patient.When the timing is right, we'll make sure their father -daughter bond is broken beyond repair."

Joyce hung on to every word, nodding intently."And what's the second thing?" she asked curiously.

"Second, no matter how far a woman climbs in her career, she'll always find her way back to her family.Take Daniela, for instance-she looks all tough and self-reliant now, but let's not forget how she used to hang on Alexander's every word."

Joyce blinked,puzzled."And what about that?"

Katrina gave a warm smile and patted Joyce on the head. "Have you decided wwhat you really want? Is it Alexander or Cedric this time?"

Joyce's cheeks flushed pink, and she ducked her head with a shy smile. "Before, it was Alexander."

Katrina's smile deepened, understanding instantly."Your ambition is admirable, and that's a great thing.Cedric is a catch-l'd love to see him as my son-in-law. But listen, don't toss Alexander aside just yet. Life is unpredictable, and you should always keep a safety net. If things go south, you'll still have choices. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Joyce's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

Katrina carried on, her tone calm but decisive. "And another thing-don't waste your energy fretting over those few floors in Luxor Tower. If Daniela won't hand them over,who cares? Once you have Cedric, you'll have everything you could ever need. When you were born, I had your fortune read, remember? My love,you're fated to marry into wealth. Your life is meant to be dripping in luxury."

Joyce's spirits soared at her mother's words, and she threw her arms around Katrina. "But, Mom, what am l supposed to do? Cedric barely notices me."

Katrina smiled indulgently, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Joyce's ear. "I've kept your father under my thumb for years. All you need is the right move,and I guarantee Cedric won't be able to say no."

Katrina leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper as she shared a few secretive words.

Joyce's eyes went wide with surprise, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.

Once her chat with Joyce was done, Katrina wandered into the living room and lounged against Caiden's chest.

"Caiden, I was just having a chat with Joyce. I told her that if Daniela doesn't want to hand over those floors,it's okay. At the end of the day, we're family,and it's not worth upsetting the peace over something so small."

Caiden,his eyes glued to the financial news on the TV,absentmindedly ran his hand over Katrina's cheek."You're the reasonable one. Not like that worthless brat,Daniela."

Katrina's lips curved into a smug smile, hidden from Caiden's view. Resting her hand lightly on his chest,she spoke in a soft, affectionate voice. "Joyce is a grown woman now. Don't you think it's about time we found her a suitable match? If she marries soon, she could start growing our family right away."

Caiden looked down at Katrina when he heard this.

She tilted her head a bit, her eyes shining with love and care.

Swayed by her gentle words and devoted look, Caiden pulled her closer into his embrace.

Katrina's lips curled into a slow, victorious smile.Winning over men came as naturally to her as breathing.

As Caiden leaned in, Katrina's voice broke the moment. "Cedric would be a perfect match for Joyce."

Caiden stopped in his tracks, his lips barely a breath away from hers. "What did you just say?"