Chapter 116:
Caden hesitated for a heartbeat before pulling the door open and slipping out.
Alicia waited until Caden’s footsteps faded before speaking, her gaze lingering on the closed door. “You’re staying overnight?”
Joshua’s easy smile faltered. “That was just for Caden’s ears. He wants everything that’s mine. I had to remind him that you’re mine and mine alone.”
Alicia’s brow furrowed, but she remained silent, her emotions twisting in knots.
Her feelings were a tangled mess, neither clear nor easy to decipher.
She hadn’t agreed to Caden’s request, but…
Why did the thought of being alone with Joshua make her feel so guilty?
Meanwhile, Caden had just exited the hospital and climbed into Hank’s car.
Hank, who had been waiting for some time, had seen Joshua heading up the stairs earlier.
Noticing the dark cloud hanging over Caden’s head, Hank broke the silence.
“Mr. Ward, did you run into Mr. Yates?”
Caden’s jaw clenched. Instead of answering, he just ordered, “Take me back to the apartment. I need a shower.”
His voice was as sharp and cold as ice.
Hank started the engine, glancing at Caden in the rearview mirror. In an attempt to console his boss, he said gently, “You know, Ms. Bennett is just putting on an act with him; it’s all just a show. No reason to get jealous.”
Caden’s frown deepened, his eyes narrowing. “Who said I was jealous?”
Hank swallowed hard, quickly shifting his gaze back to the road. “I misspoke. My mistake. You’re not jealous.”
As Caden’s car slipped away into the night, Joshua left the hospital, his expression unreadable.
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Moments after his car disappeared from sight, a hidden camera quietly retracted behind a tree.
The man behind the camera wasted no time, sending the freshly taken photos to Lilliana.
Sitting in her room, Lilliana scrolled through the images, her eyes narrowing.
Though the man hadn’t captured the driver’s face clearly, and even though the car wasn’t one of his usual rides, Lilliana recognized Joshua immediately.
Her fingers tightened around her phone as she typed out a question: “What was he doing at the hospital?” Joshua, using a different car and moving with such secrecy… It was clear he wasn’t there for a simple routine check-up.
Moments later, a message buzzed back. “The only person connected to Joshua in that hospital is Alicia.”
Lilliana’s heart skipped a beat.
Alicia?
She had dismissed the idea before, believing it too ridiculous to consider.
If Joshua still harbored feelings for Alicia, why would he go through the trouble of a divorce and get involved with her?
But now, the evidence was right before her eyes, unraveling everything she had believed.
She had spent days searching for any sign of another woman in Joshua’s life, but every lead came up empty.
Her fists clenched as the realization sank in. Where were they sneaking off to? And worse—where had they been sleeping together?
The more she dwelled on it, the more unsettled she became.
Anxious thoughts clawed at her mind, until finally, in a fit of rage, she couldn’t take it anymore. She smashed anything she could get her hands on—ornaments, vases, even the framed photo of her and Joshua.
The glass cracked into jagged pieces across the floor. As she gazed down at the shattered memory, her fury crumbled into sorrow. She fell to her knees, tears spilling over her cheeks, sobbing until she was drained of all emotion.
By the time Joshua returned, Lilliana had exhausted herself into a restless sleep, her breath still hitching faintly as the maid quietly swept away the debris.
His expression darkened as he took in the scene.
Without a word, he stepped into the room.
Lilliana stirred at the sound of his voice, her body tensing as her eyes fluttered open. Nausea and grief twisted in her stomach.
“Don’t touch me,” she whispered hoarsely, turning her face away from him.
But Joshua paid no mind. With a firm grip, he pulled her against his chest, holding her tightly as she tried to resist. After such an emotional breakdown, she was too weak to fight him off. His embrace was unyielding, and his lips pressed against her skin as her resolve broke once more. She began to cry, her tears soaking into his shirt.
Joshua’s tone softened, though it carried an undercurrent of concern. “What happened?” he asked gently. “Why are you crying?”
Lilliana looked up at him, her eyes red and filled with hurt. “Joshua… of all people, why Alicia?” Her voice trembled with the weight of her pain.
He had left Alicia behind, cast her aside. So why did she still linger like a shadow over their relationship?
How could Lilliana ever accept that?
At the mention of Alicia’s name, Joshua’s jaw clenched, his mind flashing back to his earlier visit to the hospital. Did Lilliana know?
He quickly searched for an excuse. “Alicia? What about her? Didn’t she have some kind of incident at the Gray family’s place and end up in the hospital?”
Lilliana’s hand lashed out, striking him with surprising force. “Stop pretending! How long will you keep lying to my face? Do I have to catch you in bed with her before you’ll admit it?”
Joshua’s expression remained calm, unhurried, as if her outburst was nothing more than an inconvenience. “Did someone say something to you?”
Lilliana’s voice cracked. “Do they have to? I hired a private detective to follow you. He saw you visiting Alicia at the hospital. If there’s nothing between you two, why would you meet her behind my back?”
A humorless chuckle escaped from Joshua’s lips.
“I was there for a check-up,” he said wearily, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “I’ve been run down lately, and I needed to see a specialist. While I was there, I heard Alicia had been admitted, but I didn’t see her.”
Lilliana blinked in surprise, caught off guard by his response. She wanted to believe him, but doubt still gnawed at her.
“You’re still lying to me, aren’t you?” she murmured, her voice laced with disbelief.
Joshua tightened his grip around her. “I swear, I’m telling the truth. I haven’t been sleeping well, and it’s affecting everything—even my sexual drive. That’s why I didn’t tell you. Once I’m feeling better, you’ll be further along in your pregnancy, and I promise I’ll make it up to you. Okay?”
