Chapter 70:
Alicia pushed down her discomfort and tried to sidestep the situation. “I haven’t had a chance to put on a pad yet, and it could get messy. I don’t want to leave a stain on you.”
Joshua hesitated, then shifted to give her space. Coming from a privileged background, he found anything untidy unsettling. Not to mention, he was a hypocrite.
Once Joshua drove away, Alicia masked her expression and retreated to her bedroom. She picked up her phone and called Monica.
“Have you made any progress?” Monica inquired.
Alicia paused to think. “Sort of. Joshua didn’t seem suspicious.”
With that in mind, she felt confident she could proceed at a steady pace. She was determined to execute her plan flawlessly.
Alicia then rolled over and sighed. “I used my period as an excuse today, but what about a week from now? What am I supposed to do then?”
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In this area, she was truly inexperienced. Joshua kept her at the Yates Mansion for his own enjoyment, and sooner or later, he would expect to sleep with her.
The thought disgusted her. But after her period, what excuse could she use to avoid his touch?
Monica’s voice lit up with excitement. “This is my specialty! Let me guide you on what to do.”
Alicia listened intently, but soon, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Is there really such a thing? You’re quite the character, Monica.”
Monica laughed lightly. “You know what I do, right? I didn’t spend all those years in college for nothing.”
Alicia curled up in the blanket, feeling shy. “Thank you, darling.”
Monica picked up on the shift in Alicia’s tone. “Why does your voice sound so different? You’ve been with someone, haven’t you? It’s never been this soft before.”
Alicia was momentarily speechless.
Although she knew Monica couldn’t see her, she instinctively covered her face with the blanket and asked, her voice muffled, “Do I still sound soft now?”
“Hmm?” Monica’s voice rose playfully. “Why are you dodging the question? I must be right on the mark, huh?”
“Absolutely not!” Alicia replied, feeling a pang of guilt. She quickly shifted the topic. “What’s keeping you awake at this hour?”
“It’s still quite early! You’re flustered, aren’t you?” Monica pressed, determined to get to the truth. “Who are you with? Who is it? You’re even keeping it a secret from me!”
Alicia brushed her off. “If you’re not going to sleep, I am. Goodnight.”
Without another word, she swiftly hung up the phone. Staring at the ceiling, she tried to quiet her racing thoughts and concentrate on her next steps.
Since she was on her period, she wasn’t in a rush to confront Monica about anything. She had other priorities to focus on during this time.
During their marriage, Alicia had entrusted all her savings to Joshua. He had transferred various amounts from her account for investments and startups. He made money, but hardly any of it went toward household expenses. Most of it had been funneled to Lilliana.
Concerned about appearances, Joshua likely took measures to hide any evidence of transferring money from her. However, no matter how adept he was, he couldn’t eliminate every trace.
If she started with the bank, Alicia was certain she could uncover some transaction records.
With this in mind, she felt a renewed sense of determination and set out on her investigation.
Not particularly skilled at this, her progress was slow. Additionally, she needed to remain discreet, which meant it took her three days to uncover a lead.
The individual closest to Joshua was Randolph Gray, the deputy manager of the bank she was researching. While Randolph’s position wasn’t the most prestigious, his family background was substantial, and he wielded considerable influence. He could assist Joshua with numerous questionable transactions.
The issue she wanted to investigate likely involved Randolph as well.
Alicia meticulously mapped out her plan and then deleted all investigative information from her phone. After a heavy rain at the end of September, the weather suddenly turned chilly.
Alicia discovered which beauty salon Randolph’s wife frequented and decided to take her chances there today. As she opened the door to leave, she spotted Sheila entering with a package.
Sheila’s expression froze momentarily when she saw Alicia. “Can you at least make some noise when you walk?” Sheila retorted. “Are you trying to startle someone into a heart attack?”
Alicia instinctively glanced at the package in Sheila’s hand. Sheila’s hand twitched as she attempted to conceal it, but after a second’s thought, she figured Alicia hadn’t seen much of the world, so what was there to be afraid of? She decided to let Alicia take a look.
“It’s medication from the hospital. Haven’t you seen it before?” Sheila said impatiently.
Alicia recognized it. After Jerald had been admitted to the hospital, he started taking imported medication that was difficult to obtain. The brand was correct. However, the logo appeared slightly different from what she remembered. It was a lighter color.
Alicia instinctively considered the possibility of cheap counterfeit drugs but couldn’t be certain, so she kept silent.
“I’m heading out for a bit, Sheila. No need to prepare dinner for me tonight.”
Sheila looked at her suspiciously. “Where are you off to?”
“I’m going to the beauty salon for some pampering,” Alicia replied casually.
Sheila frowned. “Do you have any idea how much a visit to the beauty salon costs?”
“I truly have no idea,” Alicia said with a smile. “Why not ask Joshua about it?”
With that, she decided not to waste any more time and left.
The more Sheila mulled it over, the angrier she became. She couldn’t keep it in any longer and called Joshua to vent her frustrations. “Why are you spending so much money on her?”
Joshua sounded irritated. “Mom, I’m in a meeting. Please don’t call me unless it’s urgent.”
