Chapter 129

Alice was terrified. He fought weakly, rasping, "Caden Ward…" His voice held no real threat. Caden ignored her pleas, turning her hand over to examine her palm. Alicia's heart pounded. "Why are you handcuffing me?"

He didn't answer, instead looking at his own hand and asking, "What are you looking at?"

"What did the guy at the coffee shop write on your hand?" she asked.

Alicia hadn't expected him to bring this up. She answered truthfully, "His name and WhatsApp ID."

"Did you add him?" He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. Alicia gasped, dizzy from the kiss. What a pain. Why did he kiss so well? How many women had he practiced with?

She turned her head to catch her breath. "I haven't added him," she said. "I'll do it next time I see him." Caden's expression darkened. He pulled her up and locked the other cuff to the bedpost. Alice didn't dare protest; her mind was blank, overwhelmed by the intensity.

This time, Caden was harder than before. Alice couldn't hold back her tears, her protests choked and scattered. During a brief pause, she screamed, "What are you doing? Are you going to kill me?" Caden didn't respond.

After a moment, she blurted out, "Are you jealous?" Worried she was pushing him too far, she added, "I know you're a neat freak. I swear, nothing happened between us."

Caden saw the genuine fear in her eyes. She couldn't stop crying. He wiped away her tears, staring at her red, wet nose.

"Why would I be jealous?" he said calmly, almost distantly. "I may not be jealous, but I am very particular about cleanliness. Next time you climb into my bed, make sure you are clean."

Alicia pursed her lips in frustration, tugging at the handcuffs. Caden remained unmoved. "I think these are better," he said. "If you run away, I won't have to chase you."

Alice stared, speechless. His suspicions were confirmed. This wasn't ending anytime soon. She tried gentle words, hoping for kindness, but it didn't work. Finally, the chafing handcuffs elicited enough pity to make him remove them. She immediately jumped out of bed and ran.

Trembling, she ran into the living room. Caden followed, slowly unwrapping a condom. Then he had sex with her there. Exhausted and breathless, Alicia unleashed a torrent of insults.

Caden commented, "You have an impressive vocabulary."

Without thinking, she wiped the snot from her face.

Caden paused before saying, "Good job." He shifted, adding, "Don't expect to sleep tonight."

By dawn, Alice had collapsed against him, having slept only two hours. Caden held her with one arm while reading a book. The sound of turning pages was almost soothing.

"What time is it?" Alice asked hoarsely, opening her eyes.

Caden looked at her, noticing the sparkle in her eyes—a softness that captivated him. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her chin, neck, and shoulders, lingering on the delicate curve of her figure.

After a long pause, he said, "It's a little after nine."

Alice considered her tasks. Nothing was urgent. Joshua, the only person who could cause trouble, had been preoccupied lately. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, muttering, "So why aren't you in the office?"

Caden gently circled her waist. "Someone is clinging to me like a second skin. How can I leave?"

Alice didn't respond immediately. Who was he talking about? She pushed his hand away, turned, and lay back. The pillow was soft and high-quality, but not as firm as her body. She sighed quietly, wishing for more, but accepting what she had.

Caden stretched before getting up to wash. He'd ordered breakfast and arranged for women's clothing to be delivered.

As she listened to the sounds around her, she realized he was about to leave. She turned her head and called, "Caden."

Caden, adjusting his tie, stood straight.

"Do me a favor," she said, concern in her voice. "Cut back on those stamina pills."

Caden remained silent, feeling fine and seeing no reason to argue. In a rare display of generosity, he said, "You can keep the things you brought last time in the study."

Alice slept until noon. Waking, she began organizing her belongings in the spacious studio, a whole wall dedicated to her things.

After placing the last frame, she paused. Wasn't she supposed to rent her own place? Why was she keeping her things here?

The thought vanished as quickly as it arrived. She hadn't had time to look for an apartment. Besides, she couldn't afford one nearby, and didn't want to live too far. It was convenient to come to Caden's whenever needed.

Still, for the week following that night, she refused to let Caden touch her.

"It's been a week now. Still not feeling better?" Caden asked, frowning in disbelief.