?Chapter 1436:


    Spending enough time in casinos had taught Damon how to lie like it was second nature. He had developed a sharp instinct for feeding people the exact answers they were hoping to hear. His lies were so believable that even Hamilton couldn’t tell if they were real.


    “You’re sure it’s acrophobia?” Hamilton asked.


    Damon gave him a hard stare. “Father, if you don’t believe me, why did you bother dragging me here? Right now, your doubt feels like a p in the face. Ask around. Go ahead. Find out who taught me. Most people may not understand this stuff, but for me, it’s nothing.”


    Damon didn’t stop there. “Let me give you an example. Kohen? He used to be obsessed with his wife. Now? It’s all about money. Or take your secretary—he’s terrified of the dark. The head chef? He freezes up at the sight of insects. And you, Father, your weakness is—”


    “I’ve heard enough!” Hamilton interjected,pletely fed up. “Leave!”


    “Understood!” Damon shed a cheeky grin as he stood up.


    Just as he turned to go, Hamilton called out, “Hold on. Take Kohen with you.”


    For a brief second, Damon’s face tightened, his true feelings carefully masked from everyone around him. By the time he turned back, that familiar rxed smile had returned like nothing ever happened. “Kohen? Why would I bring him?”


    “Both you and Niks live at Dani’s ce. So why can’t I stay there as well?” said Kohen, tossing an arm around Damon’s shoulder. “I want a taste of Cedric’s cooking too.”


    A grin formed on Kohen’s face, but it didn’t reach his eyes.


    While they headed toward Dani’s ce, Kohen kept his voice light, acting as if the question was nothing serious. “So… is it actually true that Dani’s scared of heights?”


    Damon’s brows knit together. “You don’t believe me?”


    ??ρ??α?????? ?????? ???? ????????ν????????????


    With augh, Kohen patted his shoulder. “What are you talking about? Of course I believe you. It’s just… Dani is cunning and sinister. I’m worried she might’ve fooled you.”


    A chill slipped into Damon’s voice as he asked, “Do you even know anything about Dani?”


    Caught off guard, Kohen stiffened slightly, then gave a practiced smile. “Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?”


    Damon didn’t let up. “How can you speak so harshly about someone you’ve never taken the time to understand? Even Father, who stands against her, never used that kind ofnguage. She’s a young woman, Kohen. Talking like that isn’t just rude, it reflects poorly on you. What’s the point?”


    Once more, Kohen looked surprised, but he quickly covered it up with a weakugh. “Well, I didn’t know you’d gotten so good with words. Looks like you’ve been defending Dani quite a bittely.”


    “I’ve got a lot of respect for her,” Damon replied simply. “She’s never picked a fight with anyone. She’s never hurt anyone. People just keeping after her. That explosion—someone set that up. Someone caused her to lose her baby. If she didn’t fight for justice, then what kind of mother would that make her? She’s chasing every lead, crossing all the way to Discoll just to uncover the truth for both her child and her mother. That kind of determination deserves respect!”


    .


    .


    .