Chapter 822

Cedric and Daniela shared a look, both of them trying not to laugh.

"How come Nikolas gets to stay, but I don't?" Damon stared at her through the steam rising off his untouched plate. "I want to stay here too."

Daniela sipped her soup, barely looking up. "I don't make those calls. Ask Cedric."

Damon gave Cedric a look. It wasn't friendly. Still, he had to speak up. "Give me a room, a big and spacious one."

When Nikolas showed up, Cedric didn't think much. The guy had no place to go, so he let him crash for a bit.

But now, it felt like Nikolas wasn't planning to leave anytime soon.

On top of that, Cedric had a sinking feeling both men were far too interested in his wife.

"There's no room left. You and Nikolas need to pack up today. We just opened a hotel. If money's tight that's your best bet."

Nikolas blinked. "No room? The one I've been using seems perfectly fine."

Daniela had already finished her meal. She stood up and went upstairs, looking as if the noise behind her didn't exist.

She came back down later wearing loungewear, her hair damp and loose, while the guys were still bickering.

Damon froze when he saw her. He couldn't help blurting out, "Shim, you could wear a sack and still look stunning. Even your loungewear looks designer."

It was obvious he had a thing for her.

Daniela didn't spare him a glance. She reached for .her laptop and got straight to work. She hadn't come to Oiscoll to deal with nonsense.

Once again, she slipped into McCoy Group's backend. But she still didn't find what she was looking for.

Cedric came over quietly, set a plate of fruit beside her, and glanced at her screen.

She angled the laptop toward him so he could see better.

"Take your time," he said, his voice calm.

She rested her head on her palm, fingertips moving across the keyboard.

Nikolas and Damon noticed the two of them and made their way over.

Right as they leaned in, Daniela snapped the screen shut.

Nikolas and Damon just stood there, lost for words.

Daniea picked up her laptop and rose from her seat. "I'm going upstairsS111she told Cedric.

Nikolas glanced at Damon, puzzled. "Did she just dismiss us? We're just trying to help, you know?"

Daniela pretended not to hear.

Cedric glanced at both men. "You want me to walk you out, or can you find your own way?"

The following morning, Daniela stepped into the dining room and found Damon and Nikolas already seated and eating.

Damon figured she might say hello or ask why he was still around.

But she didn't. She just scrolled through her phone while grabbing a sandwich like they weren't even there.

Cedric came in not long after, wiping sweat from his brow after his run. Whatever they talked about next felt like background noise to the two guests.

Damon frowned and leaned closer to Nikolas. "Hey. Are they straight up ignoring us?"

Nikolas didn't even blink. After a few days of this, he'd gotten used to it. "You better get used to it. When she said Cedric handles the house, she meant it."

Damon's face twisted, heat creeping up his neck.

Later, while Damon was playing video games with Carol, his phone buzzed.

Without looking, he answered.

He kept his eyes on the screen and said, "Carol, this game your company made? Top-notch. Graphics,flow,story-it's all there. You sure you won't take investors? I'm serious. I'd invest in a heartbeat."

On the other end of the call, Hamilton's jaw clenched.

Then Carol's voice came through, laughing. "We don't need outside investors. Or maybe you should ask Cedric?"

Damon, still not glancing at his phone, lit up. "So if Cedric gives the green light, I'm in? Wait-this is still part of Daniela's business,right? Shouldn't she have a say too?"

Only then did he blink down at his phone. The call had been live the whole time.

Carol opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when Damon shot up like he'd been zapped."U,give me a sec." He cupped the phone and whispered, "I'll take this outside. Just a minute."

Then he made a quick exit, phone pressed to his ear.

"Hello?" Damon said, ducking into the hallway. "Dad, what are you doing calling me right now?"

Hamilton's memory snapped to Damon's overly friendly tone with Carol. His voice turned sharp."Oh,,I'm sorry. Am I crashing your charm campaign?"

Damon scratched at his temple. "No, no. Not at all. What's going on?"

Hamilton's tone cooled, but the edge stayed. "You seriously have to ask? Did you forget why you're even there? Because it sounds like you did."

Damon straightened, trying to recover. "Of course not. I know why I'm here. I haven't forgotten I'm supposed to gather Daniela's intel." Hamilton let out a quiet scoff.

Listening to Damon and Carol chat like old friends had rubbed him the wrong way.

The two sounded like they'd known each other for years.

Hamilton took a breath, holding back his irritation. "You've been there for days. What have you actually found?"