Chapter 146

As Caden began the countdown, Alicia felt the pressure intensify. She quickly covered her watch, her cheeks flushed. "Three seconds? Really? For something this big, you should give me at least three days!"

Caden raised an eyebrow. "I have the proof. If you want it, you'll play by my rules." He glanced at his watch. "And now, your time is up."

Alicia attempted to regain control. "How do I know you actually have the evidence? Let me see it." Caden saw through her. "You want to confirm it so you can track it down elsewhere, right?"

Alicia was speechless. Caden groaned, "Ugh, it's the devil!" He saw her frustration and the silent cursing, a reaction that seemed to amuse him.

"I work nonstop, and $300 million of my money disappears. I gave it away for evidence unrelated to me. And yet, I'm here, squeezing every minute out of my day to satisfy you. And you, Miss Bennett, what exactly have you done?"

Alicia was taken aback by his sharp tone. His words, implying her idleness, were strangely irritating. Caden continued, "The day I dined with Randolph, I didn't eat a bite. My stomach was empty when I asked you about dinner. And where were you? Curled up with your ex-husband."

Alicia twisted her lips. "'Curled up'? That's ridiculous."

"But you didn't deny it," Caden replied softly.

She was speechless. Dealing with Caden only led to frustration. He always found a way to blame her.

"You're talking about the agreement now, right?" Alicia wouldn't be distracted. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Let's renegotiate the monthly frequency."

Caden remained firm. "The agreement is signed and in force. No amendments."

"We changed it last time," Alicia countered.

"You added those changes. Shouldn't it be my turn to amend the agreement?" Caden retorted.

Alicia was speechless. Caden seized the opportunity. "Well, since it's my turn, twenty times a month sounds fair." He sat down and turned on his computer. "I like the sound of that."

Alice's eyes widened. "What? No. I didn't agree to that change."

Caden smiled, pleased with her reaction. "So, are we sticking with the current arrangement?"

Alice was silent, calculating. With five days off a month, that meant every three days. It was too much. Caden's stamina left her exhausted. She protested, "This has to change. Ten times a month is too much."

Caden scoffed. "You wrote 'ten' in the first place. Are you breaking your word?"

Alice frowned. "No, that doesn't make sense. Something doesn't add up."

"The only thing wrong is you," Caden said, sliding his chair closer. "You were lying here, face down, typing so fast I couldn't catch you. In the heat of the moment, you typed 'ten times.'" He paused as Alicia quickly covered his mouth.

Blushing, she whispered harshly, "Stop saying that! You were the one who got me into this."

Caden inhaled her hand cream's scent. He didn't remove his hand. He exhaled softly into her palm. "There are just the two of us. Why do you care about being decent?"

Alice quickly pulled her hand away, scratching an itch. "If the cockroaches hear you, they might get ideas and start multiplying tonight!"

Caden fell silent, considering. Maybe he was better at this than he thought. Maybe starting a side business wasn't such a bad idea. Meanwhile, Alice continued to negotiate.

Caden lost his patience. With a tap on the keyboard, he said, "If you can't decide, I'll do it for you." He typed "thirty."

Alice's eyes widened. "Thirty? You just said twenty!"

"Thirty is the minimum I need," he replied casually.

"Thirty? You might as well kill me." Alice finally conceded. "Fine, have it your way!"

Caden tapped the mouse. "Two beats. Either the deal is off, or we go with thirty."

"I never agreed to change the agreement!"

"I have the evidence, and your opinion matters little here." Caden looked at her calmly. "Miss Bennett, if you want to play hardball, I can make it a lot harder for you."

Alice froze. He was threatening her. She hated her powerlessness and the temptation of the evidence. Sighing in defeat, she muttered, "Eleven times."

Caden's smile widened. She leaned back and added, "Twenty-nine times."