Chapter 159

Alice didn't answer directly. He pushed the question aside, turned, and walked away. Even from his height, Caden saw everything—her quick steps, calm face, and the blush creeping into her ears. Her feelings were anything but hidden. He smiled, smoothed his shirt, and left the room.

Back in the living room, Alice's heart pounded. She couldn't calm down, no matter how long she waited. Something felt different, though she couldn't pinpoint when the change began. Shortly after Caden left, a delivery arrived: not just one dress, but a whole collection of clothes, bags, and jewelry—a wardrobe for every season.

As the closet filled, Alice called to Caden, “Why did you buy me all this?”

"Gifts from business partners," he explained. "Rather than leaving them in the warehouse, I thought you might find them useful."

Alice didn't know what to say. His explanation was logical, yet something still felt odd. Nevertheless, his intentions seemed genuine. "I can't let you spend this much," she said. "I'll take care of the rest."

Caden paused. “Make sure we have condoms,” he said. “We always seem to run out.”

Alice was speechless.

It was the weekend, and she had a self-defense class. With many new students, the studio hosted a post-class dinner. Alice considered it and agreed to join. The instructor noticed her hesitation. “Do you have plans tonight?” he asked.

Alice looked surprised. “No,” she said quickly. “Nothing planned.”

The instructor smiled. “I thought you had an appointment. These dinners are frequent. If you’re busy, you can come next time.”

Alice smiled gracefully. “No, I just have a puppy at home. I’m a little worried, so I’ll need to leave soon after dinner.”

A wave of guilt washed over her. She lowered her head, smoothing her clothes.

The instructor raised an eyebrow. “Do you live alone?”

"Yes."

"You're so pretty. Are you seeing anyone?" he asked.

Alice shook her head. “No, I recently divorced and I’m not looking for a partner right now.”

The instructor was surprised. Divorced?

Winter arrived that day, bringing light rain and a chill. As dinner progressed, the atmosphere grew lively. Alice checked the time—after nine, and the gathering showed no signs of ending. She found herself thinking about Caden. She rarely stayed out past ten. Should she leave early? If he were home, he would have messaged. The lack of messages meant he hadn't returned yet. She shook her head, trying to dismiss her worry. Why was she so concerned about something so ordinary?

At ten o'clock, dinner finally ended. Despite the lack of messages, Alice decided to go home. She realized she was behaving strangely. On the way back, a voice persisted in her mind: He's not home yet. If he were, he'd be calling you constantly, begging you to come back. Caden was always impatient, intense, and determined. Waiting wasn't his style. The absence of a message confirmed he wasn't home, yet Alice felt no urgency. However, as she entered the elevator, time seemed to rush by. The elevator felt unbearably slow.

Finally, she reached her door and unlocked it with her fingerprint. Opening it slightly, only Cade, her dog, greeted her. Alice paused, glancing around the empty living room. Caden wasn't home.

Pulling herself together, she bent down, stroking Cade's head. “You must be hungry,” she said, picking him up. “Sorry I’m late. Dinner ran longer than expected.”

After giving Cade milk, Alice realized her clothes were wet from the rain. Worried about getting sick, she showered immediately.

At 10:30, Caden still hadn't messaged. Restless, she grabbed her laptop and went out. It was a holiday, and the rain had left the streets nearly deserted. She headed to the library, found a quiet spot, put on her headphones, and focused on studying.

For over an hour, she was engrossed in her work. Her notes filled the page, but reviewing them, she realized almost half were wrong. Frustration turned to anger. She grabbed her phone and texted Caden: “I’m going to bed!”

As soon as she hit send, her phone froze. The message was more emotional than intended, feeling oddly out of place.

At that moment, Caden had just finished dinner. A client shook his hand. “Mr. Ward, I look forward to our collaboration.”

Caden smiled warmly. “I feel the same,” he replied.

While his driver, Hank, fetched the car, Caden checked his phone. He saw Alice's angry message, glanced at the time, and smiled. It was late, but hadn't he said he'd be late? Couldn't she have waited a little longer? Normally, he would have replied, “I’ll be back soon.” However, he found Alice's frustration amusing. So, he texted: “Go to sleep. I’m not going out tonight.” He received no reply. Still, he could easily picture her angry expression. A quiet laugh escaped him, fading almost instantly. Hank noticed and clicked his tongue, pretending not to see as he brought Caden an umbrella.

Once in the car, Hank teased him. "You seem pretty happy, Mr. Ward. Guess today's project went well."

Caden replied calmly, “Don’t you like making money?”