?Chapter 413:


    Drowning in a deep pool of embarrassment and helplessness, Caiden was too daunted to seek Dani’s assistance. The onlookers, it seemed, thrived on his predicament, eagerly watching for him to falter.


    Finding himself cornered by circumstance, Caiden approached Cedric, his demeanor meek, his eyes cast downward in a gesture of deference.


    “I’m at a loss here. Dani now controls Harper Group, yet she’s letting it flounder. Thepany continues to bleed funds, its worth diminishing by the day. Even though she isn’t exactly strapped for cash, watching such wastage is baffling. Real money is just being squandered away.”


    Cedric’s eyes held a frosty detachment, radiating an imposing sense of authority.


    “She has her reasons.”


    “But what am I supposed to do?” Caiden asked, his voice faltering as he nervously chewed his lip.


    “I can’t even afford damn cabbage at my age. Fifty years of living for this? Every day feels like hitting rock bottom again. What’s left for me?”


    Lowering his gaze, Cedric’s face remained an impassive mask.


    “Oh, really? Then perhaps it’s time you confronted the person who dragged you into this mess. Don’t ask me or her for answers.”


    A chill seemed to pass through Caiden, freezing him in ce.


    “I know. I’m painfully aware of my shorings as a father.”


    A crack appeared in Cedric’sposed exterior as he let out a derisive snort.


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    “If you were truly aware, you’d spare us the charade of calling yourself her father. Stop dressing up your guilt in fancy excuses.


    You’re not fooling anyone, and honestly, you’re just making us both sick.”


    Caiden finally realized Cedric wasn’t just annoyed—he was absolutely done putting up with his useless crap.


    He bowed his head, shrouded in a heavy silence. As Cedric began to turn away, Caiden finally asked, “If I apologize sincerely, do you think Dani will forgive me?”


    Cedric’s gaze was as sharp as steel, chilling him to the core.


    “You tell me. Isn’t self-awareness the bare minimum for a man? You got what you were after, and now you’re trying to take it all back? Pathetic. Have you no dignity left?”


    Before Caiden could muster a response, Cedric continued, “Even if you’ve thrown away whatever shred of dignity you had left, you should be sensible, don’t you think?” With that, he turned sharply and departed.


    Caiden remained, rooted in the stinging breeze, his face tight with frustration. His nose blushed crimson from the biting cold, and his heart sank into an abyss, dark and seemingly bottomless.


    As weeks turned into a bleak month, the burden grew heavier.


    Katrina’s frequent outings to dine meant that the kitchen at home remained dormant. On such evenings, the task of cooking fell onto Caiden’s reluctant shoulders. While savory scents floated tantalizingly from Dani’s dining room, he could only gulp down his bitterness and silently grieve over his dreary circumstances.


    One day, the wind howled outside, relentless and unyielding. It had been a full week since Katrina had retreated to her mother’s ce. Caiden, having devoured thest of his noodles, faced the barren shelves of his kitchen. Driven by hunger, he abandoned his pride and, te in hand, made his way to Dani’s dining room. He settled himself at the table, disregarding the piercing stares from everyone seated there.


    Cedric, Lillian, and the others shot wary looks at one another before all eyes turned to Dani. Dani held her fork midair for a brief second, her face a mask of indifference, before she continued eating as though nothing unusual had urred.


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