Chapter 730

Joyce kept her thoughts to herself. She was convinced of Daniela's feelings for Cedric.

It was unheard of for someone to relinquish so much wealth upon divorce, including their family's house.

While Daniela was far from financially needy, only those she truly valued could ever hope to receive anything from her.

Take her father, Caiden, for instance. Daniela departed without leaving him a dime or a goodbye.Her indifference was evident.

Such detachment marked Daniela as someone profoundly unemotional.

For someone like her to give away so much wealth,Cedric must mean a lot to her.

But Daniela had left. With a sigh, Joyce looked to Cedric's direction. He was hunched over, hands on his knees; he appeared overwhelmed by fatigue. Perhaps he finally accepted Daniela's absence.

In the days that followed, Cedric didn't move out of the villa as Joyce had imagined. He didn't even transfer ownership of the villa.

Without asking anyone to clear out Daniela's belongings, Cedric quietly moved into her room and placed his own clothes alongside hers, filling in the empty spaces she left behind.

Not once did he set foot in the kitchen again. Instead,he dressed in sharp suits each day, immersing himself in the work that came with running both Phillips Group and Elite Lux.

By the end of the week, Phillips Group toppled Bennett Group with stunning speed, securing its place as the new titan of national wealth.

Joyce,meanwhile, stayed on in the villa. Cedric gave no clear word on her presence-neither a welcome nor a dismissal. He was so busy that Joyce rarely saw him.

Her only glimpses of him came through television interviews.

Under his guidance, Phillips Group surged forward,especially in foreign trade, establishing itself as the undisputed leader in the domestic market.

Observers were amazed by the originality of his strategies.

Only then did people realize that Cedric had never truly pursued wealth in the past-his previous leadership was passive, almost indifferent.

Now that he poured real focus into it, the company flourished beyond expectation.

Phillips Group's employees found themselves walking the line between optimism and worry.

They were grateful for the job security, the steady workflow, and the generous raises.

Even so, an unease lingered. Their once-charismatic boss now moved through the halls like a shadow o himself, sharp as ever but stripped of warmth.

Clearly, Cedric was unraveling.

At a glamorous gathering, yet another socialite made her move on him.

This one, however, wasn't shy in the slightest.

Breaking the silence that had lingered since Daniela's absence, the woman was the first to mention Daniela's name.

Nearby, Cedric's secretary remained motionless,holding his breath.

Batting her lashes with practiced sweetness, the woman leaned closer and said, "I'm every bit as attractive as Daniela, if not more. Mly father's a well-known tycoon in this country. Maybe I don't have as much money as she does, but I'm still wealthy in my own right. She chose to walk away.Why keep waiting for someone who won't return?"

Not so much as a glance came from Cedric.

Stillness wrapped around the room. All attention shifted between him and the overly confident woman.

With a slow, detachned smile, Cedric said, "I'm not waiting for her. I'm not so pathetic as to run after someone who has left me."

The woman's eyes stretched wide at his words.Trying not to lose momentum, she smiled and said,"Then maybe we could-"

"I haven't reached the kind of desperation that makes me settle for anything less than what I'm worth."

The room fell into an uneasy hush.

A collective gasp followed, sharp and immediate.

Most couldn't believe how ruthless Cedric had just been.

After aIl, the woman he dismissed was the cherished daughter of a powerful business entrepreneur.

Did he really just toss her aside like she was nothing? A deep flush of humiliation and fury crept up the woman's cheeks. "Cedric, what's that supposed to mean? You should be grateful someone like me even 1

Raising his head at last, Cedric met her gaze with a chilling calm. "All you've got going for you is your family's name. Strip that away, and what are you left with? I'm not waiting for anyone, but I'm definitely not lowering myself for someone who can't even hold a proper thought. I don't need a marriage to build my empire. I've always made my own fortune."

Once the words left his mouth, Cedric cast a cool glance across the crowd of women.

Suddenly, the ones who had been so eager to approach him found the floor far more interesting than his eyes.

Trying to match Daniela was no easy feat-she had set a standard most couldn't even hope to reach.

Next to her, they all looked painfully out of their depth.While disappointment weighed heavy on their expressions, one attendee quietly recorded the entire exchange and sent it to someone overseas.

Without a backward glance, Cedric exited the event.But before he got far, hurried footsteps trailed after him.

Once hailed as the wealthiest man in the country,Alexander now found himself easily outshone by Cedric-a fact that gnawed at him.

Still, the memory of Daniela presenting Cedric with a divorce agreement offered him a strange sense of comfort.

"You really managed to rub every socialite in there the wrong way."

Without so much as a shrug, Cedric replied, "Is that supposed to concern me?"

A low laugh rumbled from Alexander. "So the rumors are true-you and Daniela split. Honestly, I figured you'd last longer than I did. Guess you're no different after all." Cedric turned his gaze on him, expression unreadable. Then a smirk tugged at his lips. "Maybe.But the duration of my marriage with Daniela is still longer than your time as the nation's wealthiest man."

In an instant, Alexander's grin disappeared.