Chapter 45:
As Caden stood waiting for the elevator, his phone buzzed with a call from Hank.
“Mr. Ward, your father’s condition has stabilized. The Yates family has completed the discharge and plans to take him back to the Yates Mansion for recovery,” Hank reported.
Caden took a long drag from his cigarette. “Let them deal with it however they want. It’s not our concern.”
Hank sounded surprised. “You’re not going to keep an eye on him?”
“I’m not,” Caden responded.
“Should we put off our planned operation then?” asked Hank.
“Yes.”
Hank couldn’t help but feel confused by Caden’s recent attitude. Something seemed different about him lately.
In the past, no matter what was going on, Caden always followed through with every detail of his plans, never losing focus. Now, it seemed like his mind was elsewhere.
“Should we continue monitoring the Yates family?” Hank inquired.
“You handle that. I’ve got other things to take care of,” Caden replied.
“Mr. Ward, if there’s anything that needs doing, just leave it to me,” Hank stated.
Caden chuckled, and the smoke made his voice sound more gruff.
“This isn’t something a guy like you can manage,” he said.
Curiosity got the better of Hank. “What is it, Mr. Ward? Why are you being secretive about this?”
“It’s a medical concern,” said Caden.
Hank sounded surprised. “But haven’t you been on medication all this time?”
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“I was, but I stopped because it wasn’t working,” Caden answered.
Just then, a family of three approached.
Caden ended the call, glancing briefly at the child, who looked to be about six years old. He calmly put out his cigarette and tossed it into the nearby trash can. Even in such simple actions, his dignified presence and effortless charm were evident.
Who wouldn’t be captivated by a man like that? The child’s mother couldn’t resist the urge to steal a few extra glances.
Even inside the elevator, she kept sneaking peeks at him. After Caden left, her husband spoke coldly.
“You like him that much? Why don’t you go ask for his number?”
Snapping out of it, the woman smiled slyly. “What are you talking about? He just looked familiar, so I glanced a few more times.”
“Do all handsome men look familiar to you?”
“Don’t be jealous. It’s nothing serious.”
When Caden got home, he headed straight to the bathroom for a shower.
With regular workouts four times a week, he maintained an almost flawless physique.
Steam filled the bathroom as hot water streamed over his toned body, quickly turning everything into a hazy blur.
Caden shut his eyes, allowing the images from earlier to grip his thoughts and stir his senses.
That night at the club had left him utterly unsatisfied.
But now, the mood felt right.
The water dripped down his long and well-defined fingers.
He had power, but it was tempered with control. It was as if his fingertips instinctively knew every vulnerable spot on Alicia’s body.
She could barely hold back, and she was moaning incessantly.
Alicia abruptly woke up from her dream.
The dim bedroom was bathed in a soft orange glow, casting a faint shine on her face, dampened by a light sheen of sweat.
Alicia lay still, lost in thought for what felt like an eternity, before cautiously pulling back the blanket to examine herself.
Her eyes darted around the room.
It was all just a dream.
Her face burned with embarrassment, and she quickly got out of bed to wash up.
By the time she was done, any hope of falling back asleep had vanished.
Every detail of the dream stayed crystal clear in her mind. Desires she wouldn’t dare acknowledge in daylight had run wild, free from any restraint.
Alicia buried her face in her arms, feeling frustrated and conflicted for what seemed like ages.
She had never been one to deny her own desires. Back when she was with Joshua, she had even tried to explore those feelings, putting in the effort, but it never led anywhere.
For the longest time, Alicia believed something was wrong with her—maybe she was frigid or just too young for those emotions to fully awaken.
But why was it so easy to lose control when it came to Caden?
He was so annoying.
It was like being drawn to something you knew was dangerous, yet you couldn’t resist.
The more Alicia thought about it, the more unsettled she became.
Her mind was in chaos.
All of a sudden, her phone buzzed with a message from Monica.
“Alicia, have you seen the news? Someone exposed the founder of Bigail for having an affair, and now that’s all anyone is talking about. No one’s focusing on you anymore.”
Alicia replied absentmindedly, “Isn’t that sort of thing common in the industry? Why is this one blowing up?”
Monica quickly responded, “Because the lover isn’t a woman. It’s an innocent male college student.”
Alicia froze in disbelief.
“Hahaha, who would be twisted enough to dig up something like that?”
Alicia took a deep breath.
Who else could it be?
It had to be Caden behind it, of course.
The founder of Bigail held a grudge against him, and by exposing this scandal, Caden not only struck back at the founder but also did Alicia a favor in the process.
Caden never made a move without expecting something in return, and spending money like that meant he’d be looking for double the reward.
The more Alicia thought about him, the more unsettled she became.
She couldn’t grasp why her feelings for Caden were so intense, nor could she figure out what he truly wanted.
What did last night’s kiss even mean?
Was it just physical attraction?
If that was all, why didn’t he go all the way with her?
She picked up her phone, unsure of what to do next. “Monica, is it possible to be attracted to someone even if you despise them?”
“Absolutely not. If I hated someone, I’d tell them off the second I saw them.”
“But what if you’re perfectly compatible physically? You don’t like them, but that doesn’t stop you from wanting to sleep with them. Is there any scientific reason for that?”
Monica replied with a teasing tone, “Who’s got you all flustered?”
Alicia stayed silent for a moment.
Monica gasped. “What the hell? Don’t tell me you’re talking about Joshua!”
Alicia let out a sigh.
“Of course not. It’s someone even more dangerous than Joshua.”
