Chapter 144

When Caden again grabbed Alicia's foot, a wave of unease washed over her. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip. She couldn't escape. In a hushed voice, she asked, "Caden, what are you doing?"

Caden clumsily applied herbal oil to her bruise and began to massage it. His voice was stiff as he demanded, "Tell me exactly why you were at the Yates mansion."

Alicia tensed, recoiling instinctively. Softly, she insisted, "First, apologize to me."

Caden's expression hardened. Did she expect an apology? Was an apology even necessary for something so trivial? He replied coldly, "I've never been good at apologizing."

"Then we have nothing more to discuss," Alicia said, attempting to withdraw her foot. But Caden held her firmly, pressing against her delicate bones. "I may not excel at apologizing, but I am familiar with using a bit of force. Shall we proceed?"

Hearing his threat, she flinched, feeling sharp pain and numbness. "Caden, let me go!" she screamed.

Caden loosened his grip slightly, but his tone remained insistent. "Explain yourself. Now."

Alicia cursed him silently, frustration clouding her mind. Taking a deep breath, she explained briefly, "Joshua tricked me, saying Rachel wanted to meet. He dragged me into the bedroom at the Yates mansion and locked me in."

Unsatisfied, Caden pressed further. "Why did he lock you up?"

"Why else? He knew about us," Alicia replied quietly. Joshua had initially only suspected, but his suspicions had turned to anger after Caden's call.

Caden's eyes shifted to the faint marks on her neck. His gaze intensified. "Did he hurt you?"

Alicia pressed her lips together, the fear of that moment still tormenting her. "He didn't succeed."

Caden's concern deepened. "Did you escape through the window?"

Alicia clarified, "Not exactly, but that's the gist of it."

Caden fell silent, processing her words. Once the oil was absorbed, he gently wiped away the residue with a tissue. Alicia recognized the gesture as uncharacteristic, almost an apology, but she wasn't ready to accept it.

After Caden left, she rummaged in her purse and produced some money.

Caden looked at the money. "What's this for?"

"It's your tip." With precision, she slipped the cash into her necklace, mimicking the act of tipping a male escort. "Your skills as a masseuse are rough and unrefined, but this is the going rate. I won't let you down."

Caden was speechless. She was compensating him for the oil application, pushing the boundaries even further. Perhaps he had been too lenient.

He waved the money away. "Let's put this morning behind us and move forward. Once your foot is better, we'll plan next steps."

"Who said anything about moving on?" Alicia retorted, taking back her money. "You seem to have forgotten your harsh words this morning. It hasn't even been a day. Do you think we can forget everything?"

Caden countered, "If you had explained yourself, I wouldn't have misunderstood."

"And who felt like explaining while you were throwing a tantrum?"

"I did ask you. Why are you silent?"

Alicia glared at him. "Then why didn't you apologize when I asked? Has the cat got your tongue?"

Caden fell silent again, stung by her sharp retort. His patience snapped. "You insist on a verbal apology?"

Alicia held her head high. "Precisely. And don't thank me. I'm just being generous."

Caden scoffed. "If that's so, this isn't over."

Alicia was at a disadvantage. Having broken with Joshua, the future seemed uncertain. Her rebelliousness would likely take its toll. But Caden underestimated her determination. Alicia had already accepted her fate. At worst, her life could fall apart. If so, why should she care about living miserably?

"Fine," Alice said, climbing back onto the sofa with determination. "I'll pay for it. Take it or leave it. If not, report me to the police. Let me rot in jail."

Caden was speechless.

While cleaning the bathroom, he muttered, "I'll wash off the oil you just applied. Then we'll owe each other nothing."

Again, Caden fell silent. His anger simmered, but he had nowhere to direct it. "What a stubborn, exasperating woman," he thought bitterly.

Suddenly, Alicia's phone rang. Caden saw it was a WhatsApp call from someone identified as a doctor. The profile picture showed a man.

Without hesitation, Caden answered.

A calm voice asked, "Miss Bennett, is your foot better?"

Already in a foul mood, Caden's patience had run out. He replied coldly, "She's busy. She's in the bathroom."

The doctor seemed surprised. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

Unwilling to give up, the doctor cautiously asked, "Are you Mrs. Bennett's brother?"

Caden's expression darkened. He replied flatly, "It's her father."