?Chapter 256:


    “Cedric, weren’t you with Lillian earlier? What took you so long?”


    Cedric grabbed a drink from the table and poured it into Dani’s ss. He smiled faintly and answered, “Got caught up with something. It took longer than I thought.” The question had been lighthearted, and the team shifted to other subjects.


    As Cedric adjusted his suit jacket, preparing to take it off, Dani’s voice suddenly came from beside him.


    “Lillian mentioned you went back to the office.”


    Cedric froze in ce.


    Her voice was light, almost indifferent, as if it were a merement with no weight.


    For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. His hand, which had been resting on his jacket, slowly dropped to his side.


    Desperately trying to mask his difort, he selected a dish for Dani and offered it with a smile.


    “This one’s great.


    You should try it.”


    Dani gave him a quick nce and a slight nod but didn’t say a word.


    Cedric’sposure faltered. He awkwardly fumbled with his utensils, almost knocking over the dish in front of him. As the meal went on, he kept serving Dani, but she ate in silence, offering no feedback. Still, Cedric couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that hung over him.


    gα?ησν????s??om has it all


    Lillian raised an eyebrow.


    “Is this really such a big deal? You know, if you two ever tie the knot, you’ll be a henpecked husband, Cedric. All this drama just because you went back to the office? Keep this up and you’ll lose that aloof, invincible persona everyone admires!”


    Cedric chuckled, shaking his head.


    “Persona? I’ve never cared about that.”


    Just as Lillian was about to reply, Cedric turned to Dani.


    “Alright, alright, I admit it—I didn’t go back to the office; I had something else to take care of. Please, forgive me this time. I promise, no more lies.”


    Dani gave him a skeptical look, her eyes dropping to his hand.


    “Were you in a fight? Your hand looks hurt.”


    Lillian leaned in, her curiosity escting.


    “Oh wow, you’re right.”


    Cedric, the epitome ofposure and precision, had gotten into a brawl? It seemed out of character, but then again, considering his often cold and distant demeanor with others, maybe it wasn’t so far-fetched after all. Cedric embodied contradiction, a blend of extremes that rarely made sense.


    Around Dani, he was gentle and attentive, yet around others, he was like a simmering volcano on the verge of eruption.


    Cedric was oblivious to the fresh scrape marring his knuckles until Dani pointed it out. He offered a feeble, ufortable grin, tucking his hand out of sight behind his back.


    “Why don’t you head down to the lobby and have the manager get you some iodine for that?” Dani suggested, her toneced with concern.


    Cedric was about to dismiss the fuss with a shake of his head, but the sight of Dani’s earnest expression halted him. He rose and said, “Alright, I’ll do that.”


    Lillian, unable to suppress her amusement, leaned towards Dani.


    .


    .


    .