?Chapter 82:


    Joyce stretched her smile even wider, though it felt like her face might crack, and gestured for Dani and Lillian to follow her to a table. Once they were seated, Dani didn’t even nce at Alexander or Joyce. Instead, she pulled a contract from her bag and began skimming through it, as though they weren’t even there.


    Joyce’s lips twitched in a barely concealed sneer. What a performance! Who was she trying to impress with that contract? As if she were drowning in work or something.


    Alexander’s eyes flicked toward Dani, quickly scanning the bold title of the document in her hands: yton Renovation.


    For a moment, his expression tightened before easing again. yton Renovation—so that was it. Apetitor to Bet Group, sure, but still far from their level of expertise and legacy in the industry. If Dani had even a shred ofmon sense, she’d know the smart move was to hire Bet Group for her project. The thought sent a wave of smug satisfaction through him.


    “Go ahead, speak up,” Lillian said, leaning forward with her chin resting on one hand, her yful gaze bouncing between Joyce and Alexander.


    “Hey, eyes this way! Why are you staring at Dani? She’s not in charge here. I’m the one running the show now.” Joyce paused, her eyes flicking back to Dani.


    Dani’s attention was fixed on the contract in her hands, her gaze lowered slightly. A ray of sunlight streamed through the window, gently illuminating her, making her already stunning features seem even more glowing and graceful.


    Joyce inhaled sharply, her chest tightening with a bitter sting. Without looking up, Dani spoke in a detached tone.


    “The decisions are Lillian’s responsibility.”


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    Joyce’s eyes brightened.


    “Ah, I get it! Okay, I’ll talk to Lillian about it then.”


    Lillian’s expression tightened. She tapped her nails against the table with a smirk.


    “Is that really how you speak? Didn’t anyone teach you some manners?”


    Joyce’s brow furrowed.


    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Her voice was thick with annoyance.


    “You came here for a favor, right? Then act like it. Show some respect. Look at this—my water ss is empty. How do you expect to have a conversation without a drink?”


    Joyce stood to pour the water, but Lillian cut her off.


    “Hold on. Are we really going to talk business over just in water?”


    Lillian raised her hand and gestured for the restaurant manager.


    “You remember that red wine we discussed earlier? The one worth ten million? Go ahead and open it and add it to their bill.”


    “What?” Joyce gasped, her eyes going wide.


    “Ten million?” With that kind of money, she could buy a whole collection of designer handbags.


    “What? Got a problem with that?” Lillian teased, her smile sly.


    Joyce’s face flushed deep red.


    “Can’t you afford it? That can’t be right, can it? Aren’t you the precious daughter of the Harper family? Surely ten million is nothing for someone like you. Or maybe being ‘precious’ doesn’t mean much after all.”


    It finally clicked for Joyce—Lillian was intentionally humiliating her. The worst part was that Joyce genuinely couldn’t afford it. The Harper family wasn’t wealthy enough to throw money around so recklessly.


    Feeling powerless, she turned to Lillian, arms crossed and eyes cold, then nced at Alexander. Her voice dropped to a soft, pleading tone.


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