Chapter 159:
Alicia didn’t give him a direct answer.
She pushed him aside, turned on her heel, and walked away.
Even with her quick steps and composed face, Caden could see everything from his height, including the way her ears turned red. Her true feelings weren’t hidden at all.
He smiled, straightened the creases in his shirt from her touch, and left the room.
When Alicia returned to the living room, her heart still pounded. She couldn’t settle down, no matter how long she waited.
Something felt different.
However, she couldn’t figure out when the shift had begun.
Shortly after Caden left, the clothes arrived.
Alicia was caught off guard.
It wasn’t just one dress; it was an entire collection of clothes, bags, jewelry, and more. Every season seemed accounted for.
As the cloakroom filled up with items, Alicia called Caden. “Why did you suddenly buy me all of this?”
“They’re gifts from business partners. Instead of letting them sit around in the company warehouse, I figured you could use them.”
Alicia didn’t know how to respond.
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His explanation made sense, but something still felt strange.
Still, his intentions seemed good.
With that in mind, Alicia said, “I can’t let you spend on everything. I’ll handle the other living expenses.”
Caden paused for a moment before replying, “Just make sure we’re stocked up on condoms. We always seem to run out.”
Alicia found herself speechless once again.
It was the weekend, and she had a self-defense class scheduled.
There had been a lot of new students lately, so the studio arranged a group meal after class. Alicia thought about it for a while and agreed to join.
The coach noticed her brief hesitation and asked with curiosity, “Do you have plans tonight?”
Alicia was caught off guard and quickly shook her head. “No, I don’t have anything planned.”
The coach smiled. “I thought you had a date. No worries, these get-togethers happen often. If you’re busy today, you can always join us next time.”
Alicia returned the smile, looking graceful. “No, it’s just that I have a puppy at home. I’m a bit worried, so I’ll have to leave early after dinner.”
For some reason, a wave of guilt crept in after she said this, and she lowered her head, adjusting her clothes.
The coach raised an eyebrow. “You live alone?”
“I do.”
“You’re so gorgeous. Are you really not seeing anyone?” the coach asked.
Alicia shook her head. “No, I just went through a divorce and I’m not looking to date right now.”
The coach was taken by surprise.
She was divorced?
That day, winter had officially begun, bringing light rain and a chill in the air.
As dinner continued, the atmosphere grew livelier. Alicia glanced at the time and saw it was already past nine, yet the gathering showed no signs of ending. For some reason, she began thinking of Caden.
He never stayed out past ten.
Should she leave early?
If he were home, he would have messaged her by now.
The absence of any message meant he still wasn’t back. Alicia shook her head, trying to push the thought away.
Why was she so hung up on something so normal?
By ten, the dinner finally wrapped up.
Though Caden hadn’t sent her a message, she decided to head home anyway.
It dawned on her that she was acting strangely.
On her way back, a voice nagged in her mind. “He’s not home yet. If he were, he’d be calling you nonstop, telling you to come back.”
Caden had always been impatient. He approached everything with intensity and determination.
Waiting wasn’t his style.
Since there was no message from him, it was clear he hadn’t come home yet. Alicia didn’t feel the need to rush. However, as she stepped into the elevator, time seemed to crawl.
The elevator felt unbearably slow today.
Finally, she reached her door and unlocked it with her fingerprint.
When she pushed it open slightly, only Cade came out to greet her.
Alicia stood still for a few seconds, glancing around at the empty living room. Caden was clearly not home.
She pulled herself together, crouched down, and gently petted Cade’s head.
“You must be hungry.” She picked him up and walked inside. “Sorry for being late. Dinner ran longer than expected.”
After pouring some milk for Cade, Alicia noticed her clothes had gotten damp from the rain.
The cold weather worried her, and she didn’t want to risk getting sick, so she headed straight for a shower.
By the time the clock hit half past ten, Caden still hadn’t texted. Feeling restless at home, she grabbed her laptop and decided to go out.
It was a holiday, and the rain left the streets almost empty.
She made her way to the library, picked a quiet spot, put on her headphones, and focused on studying.
For over an hour, she was completely absorbed in her work.
Her notes filled the page, and she patiently went through them. But as she reviewed, she realized nearly half of her notes were wrong.
Frustration built up inside her, nearly turning into anger. Unable to stop herself, she grabbed her phone and sent Caden a message. “I’m off to bed!”
As soon as she hit send, she froze.
The message carried more emotion than she intended and felt oddly out of place.
At that moment, Caden had just finished dinner. A client shook his hand and said, “Mr. Ward, I look forward to our partnership.”
Caden smiled graciously.
“I feel the same,” he said.
While Hank went to get the car, Caden pulled out his phone.
He noticed the angry message from Alicia, checked the time, and smiled to himself.
It was late, but hadn’t he already told her he’d be back late? Couldn’t she have waited a little longer?
By typical standards, he should have responded with, “I’ll be back soon.”
However, he found amusement in Alicia’s frustration.
Thus, he sent her a message: “Go to sleep. I’m staying out tonight.” No response came after that.
Still, he could easily picture her angry expression.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
The smile faded almost instantly.
Even so, Hank noticed and silently clicked his tongue. He pretended not to see it and walked over with the umbrella for Caden.
Once they were both in the car, Hank couldn’t resist teasing him. “You seem pretty pleased, Mr. Ward. I take it today’s project went well?”
Caden replied calmly, “Don’t you enjoy making money?”
