Chapter 80:
Alicia’s heart skipped a beat before it began racing uncontrollably.
Fortunately, Hank stepped in just in time. “It’s just the flu going around. Nothing strange about it. I’ve had a stuffy nose myself recently.”
At that, Gerry’s suspicion seemed to fade. “For a second there, I thought Caden and Alicia kissed. Scared me half to death.” Alicia had no words for that.
So what if they did?
Gerry chuckled. “Randolph really hit the jackpot with a wife like Rachel. If I were his wife, I’d have left him after today’s fiasco.”
That caught Alicia’s attention. “How does Randolph treat Rachel when they’re alone?”
Gerry didn’t know all the specifics, but he had heard enough. “Randolph is quite the womanizer. He flirts with his old flames and tries to get any attractive woman into bed. Honestly, earlier, I thought he had that intention toward you.”
Alicia clenched her fists tighter.
No wonder she had felt such an overwhelming sense of unease around him.
She asked, “Rachel has no idea what he’s up to?”
“How could she not? Even I know,” Gerry replied with a mocking smile. “People in love can be hopeless. She knows, but pretends not to. Her family’s not well off, and she depends on Randolph for everything, so there’s this sense of inferiority.”
After saying that, Gerry seemed uncertain and turned to Caden. “Isn’t that right, Caden?”
Caden replied casually, “Yeah, fools in love never learn, do they?”
Alicia felt her jaw tighten.
Caden was hinting at something.
Though she hadn’t been overly submissive to Joshua back then, she had made many sacrifices to repay his kindness. To others, she probably looked just as infatuated.
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“Last year, there was quite a stir at the bank where Randolph works,” Caden said. “Did you hear about it?”
Alicia was now more focused.
Gerry chimed in, “Are you referring to that issue connected to Joshua?”
“Exactly.”
“I heard a bit, but it didn’t end well, and they quickly buried the news. Do you know what really happened?”
“I do,” Caden answered.
His slow, deliberate tone was starting to make Alicia uneasy. Gerry leaned in, seemingly intrigued. “So, what’s the real story?”
Alicia turned her gaze to Caden.
He casually swiped his fingers across his phone, zooming in on a page filled with documents.
It was related to the bank.
A confidential watermark stood out on the screen. Alicia leaned in, trying to get a better look, but Caden shut the screen off without hesitation.
She stared at him in disbelief.
His words cut even deeper. “It’s a business matter. With outsiders here, it’s best to keep it private.”
Once again, Alicia found herself at a loss for words. Remembering who Alicia used to be, Gerry cleared his throat. “Fair enough.”
Alicia forced a smile. “Go ahead. I can pretend I didn’t hear anything.”
Gerry asked, “Are you interested in the bank?”
Caden scoffed, “From what I can tell, she’s still hung up on Joshua.”
Alicia immediately countered, “That’s not true.”
Her response didn’t seem to convince anyone. Gerry sighed, a hint of pity in his voice. “Alicia, don’t be like Mrs. Gray.
Love-struck fools never end well.”
Once more, Alicia found herself speechless.
She shot a sharp look at Caden.
His words cut through her, leaving her increasingly frustrated.
After dropping Gerry off at his place, Hank asked, “Ms. Bennett, where would you like me to take you?”
Alicia checked the time and realized it was still early. She had used the excuse of going to the beauty salon earlier, and the Yates family wouldn’t bother tracking her down.
She had plenty of time to spare.
Eager to learn the secret Caden was hiding, Alicia said, “You can drop Mr. Ward off first. Don’t worry about me right now.”
Hank glanced at the rearview mirror.
Caden was sitting still, completely composed.
However, something about his expression suggested he was oddly satisfied.
“Mr. Ward, where should I take you?” Hank asked.
Caden shifted slightly in his seat. “Take me back to the apartment.”
Hank understood what it meant and started driving. Alicia checked the navigation and saw that it was a twenty-minute trip.
After a brief pause, she asked, “At the party, you mentioned that others couldn’t help me, but you could. What did you mean by that?”
Caden responded with indifference, “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Alicia had no words to respond to that. His smug expression drained any interest she had in continuing the conversation. She shifted her focus to the passing scenery outside the window. The silence in the car stretched on for a while.
Eventually, Caden broke the silence. “What’s wrong? Have you lost your voice?”
Alicia turned to face him. “Why?”
Caden leaned back in his seat. “Don’t you have any more questions?”
She replied with a hint of sarcasm, “What’s the point in asking? You already said you didn’t mean anything by it.”
“And you actually believed that?” he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.
“Yep.”
“You must be incredibly naive.”
Why was he insulting her again? Did he think throwing insults would somehow benefit him?
Alicia glanced at his phone, her unease growing. “What really happened between Joshua and Randolph?”
Noticing that she had taken the bait, Caden’s smirk returned. “Ms. Bennett, that’s not how you ask for a favor. Haven’t you ever tried sweet-talking a man before?”
