Chapter 111:
Alicia had taken several hits and bumped her head, but her injuries weren’t serious. She steadied herself against the wall and slowly made her way downstairs, searching everywhere for Caden.
Eventually, she spotted him at the lawn party.
As she approached, something felt off. Caden stood amidst the crowd, exuding an intimidating presence. No one dared to come closer, as if his aura alone commanded them to keep their distance.
The entire crowd stood in silence, watching him. Mrs. Reyes was at the front, her eyes filled with concern as she watched Caden.
Alicia noticed an empty chair and sat down, aligning herself with the crowd’s gaze.
Before Caden, a group of children from the earlier incident stood in a straight line, awaiting his orders. They hung on his every word.
“Channel all your strength to overcome the others. The one who loses will face punishment. The last one standing will earn a reward from me,” Caden announced.
His voice was a mixture of levity and authority.
He resembled a general leading his troops into battle.
Alicia observed the children who had once strutted around like a gang of bullies. Now, they stood as timid as lambs, completely subdued by Caden’s commanding presence. They weren’t obeying because they respected him—they followed out of fear.
Explore new stories gαℓησνℯℓs.cøm
Everyone, even the children, knew what it felt like to fear authority.
Caden stepped back slightly, his gaze flickering to Alicia in his peripheral vision. He frowned briefly, but the expression quickly vanished.
The children erupted into chaos, fighting among themselves.
Alicia had no interest in their antics. Dizziness washed over her as she made her way toward Caden. “Hey…”
Without looking up, Caden pulled a chair closer and sat down. “Yeah?”
Alicia struggled to move her chair closer to him. Each shift sent a wave of dizziness through her head, but it was manageable.
After taking a brief moment to collect herself, Alicia studied Caden’s face. “What’s going on with them? Why do they listen to you so easily?”
Caden responded clearly, “The incident caused quite a scene. Randolph wanted to avoid police involvement, so he asked me to handle things quietly.”
“Why did it have to be you?” Alicia asked instinctively. Shouldn’t she be the one to decide what happened? After all, she was the one who had been harmed. She told herself her question was born from genuine curiosity, not malice.
However, Caden’s expression remained stern. “You were unconscious. As your ex-husband’s brother, I was given temporary authority to make decisions for you.”
Alicia nodded slowly. “Thanks,” she said, sincerity evident in her voice.
Caden scoffed. “Lucky for you, I had some time today, but next time, handle it yourself.”
Alicia stared at him for a moment, momentarily lost for words. After a beat, she mumbled, “I wasn’t blaming you.”
Caden remained silent, his gaze turning back to the children as they continued fighting. Ted stood out as the strongest among them. Despite his strength, he was also the most terrified, fighting with all his might as he took down the other kids one by one.
The mothers rushed in to break up the chaos, pushing Ted aside, while Mrs. Reyes shielded him.
It didn’t take long before some adults joined the fray. At this point, the situation escalated quickly.
Alicia felt a small sense of satisfaction. “Your methods remain as ruthless as ever.”
Caden appeared indifferent, watching the scene unfold. To him, it was nothing more than a circus performance.
Alicia didn’t approach him for casual conversation. She intended to explain why she had called out for Joshua while unconscious. But for some reason, as she looked at his face, words failed her.
In her dream, she had felt deep sympathy for the boy. His mother had passed away in the hospital, and his father showed no interest in him. His younger brother, born the same year, not only failed to comfort him in his darkest moments but also made his pain worse. She had lost her parents too. This suffocating pain was something she understood all too well.
Alicia opened her mouth to speak. “Caden…”
Caden’s face remained unreadable. “Go ahead.”
Alicia scratched her palm, searching for the right words.
“Was it you who saved me?”
“It was nothing,” he replied with a detached air.
Alicia pressed on, “Then why did you act so cold after saving me? It feels like you’re holding a grudge against me.”
Was it because she had called out for Joshua in her dream? She couldn’t bring herself to ask. The thought of being wrong was too embarrassing. Instead, she decided to wait for his response.
Caden answered with a frosty tone, “Don’t you realize that we might hold a deep-seated grudge?”
Alicia found herself at a loss for words.
Caden added, “I saved your life. That means you owe me.”
Once again, she had no response. She knew she was overanalyzing the situation. Maybe she shouldn’t have sought him out at all.
At that moment, Ted raised his hands in victory, standing triumphantly amidst the pile of children. “I won! I beat them!”
Alicia glanced over, feeling frustrated. “He’s the one who pushed me down, thinking he could get away with it just because he’s a minor. I—”
Caden remarked, “You couldn’t even handle a child? Are you proud of that?”
Alicia’s head throbbed painfully. “They ambushed me.”
Ted dashed towards Caden, excitement shining in his innocent eyes. “Sir, I won! Where’s my reward?”
Mrs. Reyes felt a sense of unease creeping in and quickly pulled Ted back. “Ted, we don’t need a reward. He was just joking.”
Ted shook his head stubbornly. “No! He promised me. I want my reward!”
Caden fixed his gaze on Ted, his eyes carrying a menacing intensity that was hard to interpret.
“You fought well. You deserve a reward,” Caden said, turning to Alicia. “Arrange the reward for him.”
Alicia winced, trying to ease the pain in her head. His words left her stunned. “What?”
