Chapter 887

Nikolas stepped into the living room to find Daniela curled up on the sofa, her laptop balanced on her knees.Ear buds tucked in, she looked completely absorbed in whatever she was listening to.

Nikolas' expression was a mix of guilt and sorrow.

He'd had his suspicions before, but now that the truth was out in the open, it weighed heavily on him. His heart felt like it had been dropped into a pit. Even breathing felt wrong.

Silently, he took a seat on the sofa across from her. He didn't say anything-just sat there, watching her.Daniela didn't acknowledge him at first. She only glanced up briefly, then went right back to her computer.It wasn't until her recording ended that she removed the ear buds and looked at him properly.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" she asked.

Nikolas hesitated before asking, "If the McCoy family ever wronged you, what would you do?"

Daniela wasn't expecting him to be that straightforward. She already knew he'd visited McCoy Group earlier today-she'd heard the recording herself. But hearing him ask so bluntly stil caught her off guard.

"That would depend on the situation," she said carefully, not knowing how much he was willing to reveal.

"Let's say... a life was involved." Nikolas looked down, struggling to find the right words.

Daniela didn't answer right away. Instead, she quietly studied him.

Her silence felt loaded-too quiet, too calm. But it told him everything.

And in that quiet, Nikolas gave up first.

Of course she wouldn't answer easily. A life wasn't something to be taken lightly or spoken of without thought. Daniela looked back at her screen, and the silence stretched. Eventually, Nikolas got up, awkward and unsure.

He had only just taken a step when her voice stopped him. "I wouldn't drag innocent people into this. If it ever comes to that, I'll make sure it's only the one responsible who pays the price. I won't hurt anyone who wasn't involved."

Nikolas froze. He turned slowly to look at her, her words hitting him deep.

She hadn't said much, butit was more than enough.

He remembered what she had told him once that all she wanted was for someone to truly love Cedric.

Even now, with everything she'd been through, she hadn't lost her clarity. She hadn't let go of her principles.

How rare was that?

"I understand," he murmured softly.

Daniela didn't look at him. Her focus was back on her screen, eyes moving across lines of data.

But Nikolas didn't know the full story. He hadn't heard the entire recording. He didn't realize that Hamilton wasn't the real mastermind behind what happened to Daniela's mother.

But what about the explosion?

Daniela couldn't forget it. She had lost achild. And that kind of pain didn't just fade away. It carved itself into her soul, demanding justice.

She wasn't going to let that tragedy go unanswered. The truth had to be uncovered-down to every last detail.

And when that day came, when she finally knew who was responsible, she would make sure they paid.

Just then, Cedric walked into the room.

Daniela quickly changed what was on her computer screen, pulling up a page filled with data. "What's wrong?" Cedric asked, sensing something off.

Leaning on one hand, Daniela replied lightly, "I've been thinking... I want to get that 'world's wealthiest' title back. Just wondering how I'm going to pull it off."

At that moment, Carol stepped in and raised an eyebrow at Daniela's statement.

The world's wealthiest?

Hadn't she once said that those who stood out too much would only draw trouble? That was why she purposely kept some of her assets hidden.

If she hadn't, she would've already been at the top.

So why bring it up again now?

But then, Carol noticed Cedric's reaction. "I'll help you," he said without hesitation.

Daniela turned to him, arching a brow. "You're going to help me reclaim the world's wealthiest title?"

Cedric nodded confidently. "I'll give it a try. I've studied your financial strategies-your investments are flexible, well-positioned, and incredibly diverse. Compared to McCoy Group, you've built something far more adaptable. You didn't start with their kind of resources, but you've still come this far. If we push at the right time, we can grow your empire even more."

He was right. The McCoy family had always depended on their massive mineral reserves to climb to the top.

But if Daniela made the right moves, or even if she just kept doing what she was doing, the McCoy family wouldn't be able to hold onto their crown for long.

Cedric had no doubt about it.

"I'll hold you to that," Daniela said, smiling faintly. "I've been feeling pretty worn out lately, so I'll need to rest more.That okay with you?"

Cedric's expression softened instantly."of course. You focus on resting. I'll manage the company affairs."

He turned and left, already brimming with plans. Once he was gone, Carol walked over to Daniela, her tone low and serious. "What's going on? I could tell you're sending him away. Is this about the McCoy family?"

Daniela didn't say a word. She simply handed over the recording.