Chapter 232:
After the fireworks display, Alicia leaned against Caden, her gaze fixed on him in a daze. She couldn’t quite identify the liquid on his lips.
It made Alicia feel shy, and she quickly wiped it away.
“What’s this for?” Alicia asked, her body feeling on fire. She had never imagined he would do something like this for her. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it first?”
Caden laughed softly. Was it really necessary to discuss something like this?
“How should I have talked about it with you?” he teased, his voice low and seductive. “Should I have said, ‘May I have a taste, Ms. Bennett’?”
Alicia’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. She quickly covered his mouth, feeling his warm breath against her hand.
Caden was drawn to her shy behavior, unable to hold back any longer. “Come on. Let’s keep the fireworks going.”
He turned her around, and they proceeded to the main event.
By the time they returned, Alicia had fallen asleep. Caden bundled her up in his warm down jacket and carried her back to the inn.
As soon as they arrived, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and narrowed his eyes. Feeling Alicia shift in his arms, Caden gently placed her on the bed and covered her ears with a piece of clothing before answering the call.
Yolanda’s voice came through. “Caden, I thought you wouldn’t pick up my calls anymore. Are you okay? I tried calling you several times earlier, but you didn’t respond. I was worried something happened to you.”
“Make it quick,” Caden replied coldly.
Her tone faltered as Yolanda’s heart sank. “I called my father a few days ago, and we resolved the issue we were facing. The initial program is set. You can test it when you return.” She started coughing, a deep, persistent cough that made it sound as though she were very sick.
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Caden remained silent for a few seconds, his thoughts distant.
“Thank you for your effort,” he replied, his voice formal and distant.
Yolanda continued coughing for some time before she finally stopped. Then, with a smile and a hoarse voice, she said, “No worries. I’ve always had poor health. It’s been this way since I was a child…”
“Be sure to go to the hospital soon,” Caden suggested. “You can request reimbursement for your medical costs from the finance department.”
Yolanda was taken aback, a bitter feeling washing over her.
“Caden, I…” she began, but before she could finish, the call ended. Holding the now silent phone, Yolanda was overwhelmed by a surge of bitterness.
She vividly remembered how desperate Caden had been when he found out Alicia was in danger. She knew he had been with Alicia all this time. Wasn’t she jealous? Wasn’t she hurt? Of course, she was. But there were bigger issues at hand.
She had made mistakes—answering Alicia’s call with Caden’s phone without permission and lying about it. She needed to correct these wrongs first.
Just then, Dorian called her.
Yolanda looked at the screen but wasn’t in the mood to talk, so she hung up.
Dorian then sent a text: “Have you spoken to Caden?”
Yolanda responded with a simple “Yes.”
Dorian, sitting in the living room, set his phone down and sighed. “I don’t understand her thoughts. She keeps lowering her standards for a man.”
For years, Yolanda had been cherished by her family. She was their darling, always getting whatever she wanted. Yet, her infatuation with Caden seemed to have enchanted her, causing her to lose sight of herself.
Yolanda’s mother, Regina Moss, overheard his words and smiled. “Isn’t it you who spoiled her? You urge her to be sensible, yet behind the scenes, you lower yourself to form an alliance with the Ward family. She knows you adore her, which is why she acts so willfully.”
Dorian’s lips tightened, and his face took on a serious look.
He knew Regina was right, but Yolanda was his only child, and he loved her deeply. What else could he do but make her wishes come true?
Regina went to fetch a bottle of headache pills and was about to open it when Dorian intercepted her. “Regina, let me do that.”
Regina looked down. “Dorian, Yolanda is an adult now, and she has her own plans. We shouldn’t control her. Let’s not interfere in her personal matters anymore.”
Dorian’s face was unreadable. “If I don’t help her, she’s going to go through a lot of pain by Caden’s side.”
“We’ve seen Caden grow up. We know his character,” Regina argued. “If he cares for Yolanda, that’s wonderful. If not, we can’t force him.”
Dorian’s headache intensified. He frowned deeply, filling the room with tension.
“What if I choose to be unfair?” he asked.
Regina looked at him dispassionately. “Then I won’t force you.”
He paused, feeling the tension between them. He tried to reach out to embrace her, but Regina stood and walked away. He didn’t even manage to touch the edge of her clothes.
After returning to town, Alicia went straight to see Monica.
Monica’s calf had been bitten, leaving a deep wound that exposed the bone. After a week in the hospital, she was back home. Lennon had arranged for a family doctor to care for her.
Alicia showed up with a gift. Lennon had initially blamed Alicia, but his anger faded after hearing about what she had gone through. Still, he couldn’t manage a smile.
Alicia was filled with remorse and apologized sincerely. She entered to see Monica while Lennon instructed the servant to put away the gift. He looked at it and felt something was off.
“Wait. Bring it here for me to see.”
He opened the gift box and found a heavy, solid gold ornament. The gold was finely crafted.
The gold itself wasn’t anything special, but the pearl in the center was truly stunning. With his keen eye, Lennon instantly recognized the pearl as a rare piece from the Ward family.
Caden was known to collect rare items to gain favor, but Lennon had never expected to receive one himself. He was shocked, thrilled, and then a chill ran through him. The gift was from Alicia, and Caden hadn’t appeared or said anything. Still, the intent was clear.
Caden was trying to make up for her mistake, and Lennon should be smart enough to recognize the effort. Taking a deep breath, Lennon quickly instructed the housekeeper, “Go buy the finest and most expensive ingredients. Prepare a feast and treat Alicia as an honored guest.”
