Chapter 186
Caden was silent for a moment before abruptly switching on the light. The room brightened, causing Alicia to squint and shield her face.
“Why did you suddenly turn on the light?” she asked.
“To see the face of a narcissist,” Caden replied mockingly.
Alicia lowered her hand, noticing the bite marks and sweat on his chest. She quickly covered them with the blanket. "How can I be a narcissist? You've admitted it, haven't you?" she challenged.
Caden hesitated, carefully choosing his words. Alicia exhaled deeply. “Since you’re so fond of me, perhaps I should stay with you. I could afford to give you twenty thousand dollars a month.”
Caden gave her a cold look. “With my looks, I could become the richest man in the world in three days. And you’re offering me $20,000 a month?” he sneered.
Alicia rolled her eyes, realizing she’d been taken seriously. “Forget the agreement,” she said, dismissing the topic. “It’s almost Christmas. It’s bad luck to even talk about ending things.”
During an intimate moment, Caden whispered, “We’ll talk about this after Christmas.” Alicia was speechless.
After freshening up and going to bed, Alicia snuggled into Caden's arms, quickly falling asleep. “Why did you choose to sleep on the couch tonight?” he asked softly.
Yawning, she replied, “I couldn’t sleep. I’m still getting used to the new bed.”
Caden looked at her sleepy face, a warm smile appearing on his lips. “Is it because of the bed, or are you just not used to me not being here?” he asked sweetly.
Alice remained silent, snuggling deeper into the covers, only her pink ears peeking out. Caden loved her reaction and pulled her close. She soon fell asleep. He chuckled softly, admiring her face, illuminated by the bedside lamp. Alicia looked like a work of art; her features were delicate and aesthetically pleasing. He lost track of time until his phone buzzed, breaking the moment. He checked the notification: a WhatsApp friend request. "Caden, I'm Yolanda."
Freed from their agreement, Caden's approach to intimacy had unexpectedly softened. As Christmas approached, both were swamped with work. Alicia managed her time meticulously, sacrificing sleep.
One day, Hank brought her a small robot. “Mrs. Bennett, based on your ideas, we’ve developed this model. It’s already gaining popularity. Please try it,” he suggested.
Alice was pleasantly surprised. She excitedly activated the robot. A face appeared on the wall screen, smiling warmly. «Hello, I'm K-bot. I'm at your service.»
Startled, Alice turned to Hank. “Should I speak to it directly?”
Hank agreed. “Yes, it’s designed to respond to your voice commands.”
Alicia, who had only seen this technology in movies, was impressed. She admired Caden’s ingenuity.
Hank smiled proudly. “This is just the beginning. Mr. Ward’s goal is to develop a robot that perfectly imitates human behavior.”
Puzzled, Alice cocked her head. “Completely imitate human behavior?”
“Yes, absolutely,” Hank said.
Alice instinctively remarked, "Society wouldn't tolerate it." She mused, "If Mr. Ward managed to create it, he'd probably keep it for himself." She murmured, deep in thought, “Could Caden be harboring unrequited love? Is that why he’s making a replica?”
Hank quickly reassured her, “No, you’re the only one for him.”
Feeling embarrassed, Alice replied, "No need to exaggerate."
Hank excused himself when his duties called. Alicia spent time with the robot, impressed but noting areas for improvement to share with Caden. Their schedules were so packed that their encounters were limited to brief evening meetings, and even then, intimacy was rushed. Alicia felt as though she hadn't truly seen him in ages.
After gathering her thoughts, she decided to go to the Blizzard Group. Familiar with the location and having direct access thanks to Caden, she bypassed registration. She hadn’t informed him of her arrival.
Stepping out of the elevator, she saw Hank escorting a strikingly dressed woman in a stylish miniskirt into Caden's office. Alice stood frozen, struck by the woman's confident, seductive presence.