?Chapter 1285:


    Hamilton caught it all. He nced at Dani, who met his gaze without flinching, then gently lifted her ss and tapped it against Cedric’s with quiet affirmation.


    The McCoy family’s banquet was nothing short of avish spectacle. Past the mountains of food and endless drinks, there were games, contests, and amusements at every turn.


    Niks shared a quick look with a few others before his eyesnded on Cedric’s injured leg. A sly grin curled at Niks’ mouth as he called out, “The weather’s perfect today. How about a little horse race?”


    Everyone caught on right away. That jab was aimed straight at Cedric. After the explosion, Cedric’s leg had never fully healed. Even though it looked better now, he was still nowhere near strong enough to ride a horse, let alone race one. The horses in the stables were known for their fiery tempers, loyal only to their own riders. It was clear as day that Niks was setting Cedric up to be humiliated.


    Niks spoke loud enough to turn every head at the banquet. Even a few reporters started drifting closer, sniffing out a scene.


    Dani, swirling the wine in her ss, gave Hamilton a sideways nce. “Mr. McCoy, your son is already making a fool of himself. Should I step in and remind him how to behave?”


    With a faint smile, Hamilton answered, “Go ahead. I won’t stop you.” Dani gave a light nod. “Fine then, I’ll do you a favor and teach your son some manners.”


    Without waiting, she walked toward the center of the gathering.


    As she moved, she caught Niks speaking into the microphone, his voice bouncing off the walls. “My father said Cedric is one of us now. Cedric,e race with us!”


    Niks clutched the mic like he was holding a trophy, making sure nobody missed the show. He wanted everyone to see Cedric’s bad leg. He wanted the shame to stick.


    Right when the crowd’s eyes began sliding toward Cedric’s leg, Dani stepped up beside Niks. She reached for the microphone with a bright, easy smile. “My husband’s a modest man. He doesn’t like showing off. He believes it’s better to spare the…


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    The McCoy family’s banquet was filled with excitement, but the tension heightened as Niks called out the challenge. Dani, unbothered by the harsh words and stares, gracefully reached for the microphone.


    “My husband’s a modest man. He doesn’t like showing off. He believes it’s better to spare the McCoy family too much embarrassment, and I happen to agree. But I wouldn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun either. Since Cedric was the one who taught me to ride, I’ll be racing with you all instead.”


    Niks looked down at Dani, his sneer evident as he sized her up. “You?” he scoffed. “Just make sure you don’t start bawling when you lose.”


    Kohen, ever eager to join in the taunting, sneered, “There’s no glory in beating a woman. Let Cedric race!”


    Charles, as always, remained quiet, his lips pressed tight, not daring to speak.


    Damon, from the side, shouted, “Dani, don’t run off cryingter and say we bullied you if you lose. That would just be pathetic!” Duran burst intoughter, his voice echoing through the crowd.


    The onlookers followed, clearly thrilled at the potential drama. One of them leaned closer to Dani, whispering with concern, “Maybe you should sit this one out. These men practically live at the stables. They know what they’re doing. You’re small. You’re not built like them. If you get thrown off that wild horse, you could break something—or worse. It’s not worth it just to prove a point.”


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