Chapter 44:
Thereafter, Alicia stashed the business card in her bag.
“Lilliana has a powerful team behind her, with the Green family and Joshua supporting her. I need to gather enough evidence before I can ask Jeffery for help,” Alicia said. “How much does he charge?”
Gerry thought for a moment and answered, “At least a million.”
Alicia flinched at the figure.
She had recently received some money from Joshua, and Gerry had paid her for the song she composed.
However, there were still many upcoming expenses.
Could she really afford to spend that kind of money?
Gerry noticed her hesitation and suggested, “Why don’t you sign with me? You could write and sing for me, and I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”
Alicia shook her head in response.
She appreciated Gerry’s offer, but agreeing would tie her work to the entertainment industry, a path she wasn’t sure she wanted to follow.
With her ongoing feud with Lilliana, entering the entertainment world would be a disaster for Alicia. It would only pull her down and, worse, could impact Gerry as well.
Alicia wasn’t willing to take that risk, and Gerry didn’t press her.
The car soon pulled up at Alicia’s place.
After she left, Gerry’s gaze sharpened.
L𝑎t𝑒st ch𝑎pt𝑒rs in gαl𝑛ovels.cøm
He looked directly at Caden. “You’ve been acting weird, man.”
Caden raised an eyebrow, surprised at how quickly Gerry caught on. “What gave it away?”
“Seriously? It’s so obvious!” Gerry replied.
Caden smirked. “So you were just pretending to be drunk in the private room, huh?”
Gerry paused for a moment before he asked, “Who said I was pretending?”
Caden gave him a sideways glance. It seemed they weren’t on the same page. “What exactly do you think is strange about me?”
“Obviously, it’s how you’re handling this situation.” Gerry began breaking down the situation. “Lilliana made the first move by spreading lies and framing Alicia. You’ve got the perfect opening to hit Joshua, yet you’re just sitting back. That’s not your style.”
Aside from Alicia, Gerry had the best insight into the bitter rivalry between Caden and Joshua.
He knew exactly why Caden had returned to the country. He knew it all too well.
Caden looked at him with disappointment clear in his eyes. “I actually thought you were getting sharper.”
Seemingly confused, Gerry said, “Are you drunk, or am I? You’re not making any sense.”
Caden stopped playing around.
“I’m not targeting Lilliana because she means nothing to Joshua,” he stated.
Gerry raised an eyebrow, mockingly placing a hand on Caden’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay, man?”
Caden swatted his hand away. “Jesus, get away from me.”
Gerry pressed further. “Joshua went all out for Lilliana, and now you’re saying she doesn’t matter?”
A shadow passed through Caden’s expression.
“Alicia is a lot more important to Joshua.”
Gerry fell silent for a moment before saying, “Joshua nearly pushed Alicia to her breaking point, and you’re telling me she’s the one who matters?”
Caden responded with indifference. “Just go to sleep and stop talking.”
Gerry heaved a sigh.
As absurd as Caden’s words sounded, he had a knack for handling things efficiently.
There was always a reason behind his actions.
“Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?” Gerry asked. “If you work with Alicia, you’ll get double the results with half the effort.”
Keeping his tone casual, Caden replied, “Alicia won’t work with me.”
“She’s vulnerable right now, and with all your persuasion skills, you still can’t convince her?”
“That’s not persuasion—it’s manipulation,” Caden said flatly.
Gerry was caught off guard again.
“Come on, you’re not exactly a saint. Why are you suddenly acting so chivalrous?”
Caden didn’t respond.
Sensing the shift in Caden’s mood, Gerry cleared his throat. “Alright, forget I said anything. I know you and Alicia don’t get along. There’s no way you’d team up with her.”
Suddenly, something clicked in Gerry’s mind. He began rummaging around the car. “Did I forget the gift Alicia bought me?”
Caden asked, “If you admire talent so much, why don’t you help her when she’s in trouble?”
When Gerry found the bag, he grinned. “I wanted to, but she probably doesn’t need my help. She has plenty of ways to handle the Green family this time.”
Caden tilted his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
For once, Caden actually found himself agreeing with that thought, and he even felt a slight sense of anticipation.
Gerry pulled the scented candles from the bag and sniffed them.
“I really like this scent,” Gerry said as he admired the candles. “Who would’ve thought she could make scented candles? What other surprises does she have in store?”
Caden merely smiled, choosing not to respond. He knew she had plenty of talents, but she was equally flawed in many ways.
Her kissing left something to be desired, she didn’t handle pain well, and she would get lazy the moment she was on top when they were intimate.
Her body was sensitive, but her stamina was lacking.
She could never last long enough. Caden couldn’t help but wonder how she would manage to keep up with him in the future.
While his thoughts wandered, Gerry handed him a box of scented candles. “Here, take a box for yourself.”
Caden raised his hand and accepted it.
As soon as Caden reached for the box, Gerry pulled it back. “On second thought, never mind. There aren’t many left. If you want one, go ask Alicia yourself.”
Caden lowered his hand without saying a word.
“These little trinkets only get you excited,” he said flatly.
Gerry smirked sarcastically. “Oh right, you’re not into this kind of thing. You prefer other kinds of ‘boosters.'”
Caden had no response to that.
Gerry laughed again.
“That girl from tonight—are you planning to see her again?” he asked.
Caden lit a cigarette, twirling it between his fingers. “She’ll come to me when she’s ready.”
Gerry rolled his eyes. “Do you really think you need to wait? She’ll probably be calling you first thing in the morning.”
Caden smirked slightly.
“She’s not that easy to reel in.”
Gerry was caught off guard, surprised by Caden’s remark. What kind of woman could make Caden act like this?
Once Caden got out of the car, Gerry’s curiosity got the better of him. He secretly called the club owner to find out who Caden had been with earlier.
The owner seemed puzzled. “Mr. Ward didn’t request anyone. He only ordered drinks.”
Gerry’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure about that?”
“Positive. If he had asked for a woman, everyone here would’ve known. There hasn’t been a single word.”
Gerry’s confusion only deepened. So, who was with Caden earlier?
