?Chapter 269:


    Donning a bulky coat that Alexander had offered, Caiden and Katrina braced against the biting winter gusts.


    Clutching the coat close, Katrina turned to Caiden and remarked, “It’s Joyce who still cares for you. Without her, would Alexander ever show such kindness? I know you’ve been angry with me over that disagreement with your mother, but regardless of what anyone says, Joyce and I have always supported you without fail. Consider this—who else would willingly give you her child? And yet, you forced her to agree to that harsh contract. Do you truly deserve her loyalty?”


    Amid the piercing cold, Caiden clenched his fists, his teeth ttering as he made a vow.


    “As long as Joyce’s child remains faithful to me, he will inherit the entire Harper family’s fortune. I’m changing my will immediately. Dani won’t get a dime.”


    In the shadowy night, a smile crept across Katrina’s face. Her usual warmth returned as she softened her voice, her words a gentle caress in the chill air,forting Caiden with her nurturing presence.


    Caiden was slowlying to terms with the realization that he had been aplete fool to waste even an ounce ofpassion on Dani. What did it matter if Dani was his own flesh and blood? She had callously left him to endure the cold outside alone. As the night wore on, both Caiden and Katrina could no longer bear the chill. They sought refuge in Alexander’s car, where they cranked up the heat to fend off the frostbite-inducing temperatures. With the arrival of dawn, they were back on their feet, calling out for Dani across the sprawling parking lot.


    Caiden had not anticipated the extent of Dani’s cruelty. Evening came again, yet there was still no sign of her. Even Katrina, the architect of their scheme, started to unravel with worry. The hospital was pressing for critical treatment for the infant, pushing Caiden to the brink of fury right at the doorstep of Elite Lux.


    The turmoil attracted a substantial crowd and caught the attention of numerous news channels. In front of rolling cameras, Caiden exploded with rage, branding Dani as heartless and vile. Amidst it all, Katrina sobbed uncontrobly, iming she was at her wit’s end.


    Onlookers gathered in the lobby, murmuring and specting. But when the hospital set a stern ultimatum, Caiden recognized that his back was against the wall. After all his screaming, insults, and public tantrums aimed at Dani, he was left burnt out and stuck in the same damn ce.


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    Left with no alternatives, he finally set aside his ego and approached Lillian.


    “Could you please tell Dani I want to see her? I’m really asking here. I’ll let go of my pride if I need to.”


    Lillian’s smirk was unfaltering, herposure steady even with the cameras capturing every moment.


    “Had you shown this courtesy from the start, you wouldn’t be in this predicament. Elite Lux has dealt with its share of troublemakers.


    You thought you could intimidate us? Look where that’s gotten you.”


    Lillian’s eyes burned with contempt as she spat, “Get moving. What, you think you’re so important that someone’s going to beg you to walk inside?”


    Exhausted from two sleepless nights, Caiden’s and Katrina’s shoulders slumped as they followed Lillian.


    As they neared the doorway, Lillian halted them abruptly.


    “Keep yourself in the cafeteria. We don’t let people like you anywhere near the upstairs.”


    Caiden closed his eyes, frustration etching deeper lines across his face.


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