Chapter 216:
Alicia was surprised by the intensity of her own reaction. Since seeing Yolanda, she'd been deeply upset, acutely aware of her lingering feelings for Caden and the presence of another woman. She tried to comfort herself, to distance herself, to convince herself it didn't matter. However, when Caden touched her, her facade crumbled. She pursed her lips, looking away as she said, "I'm sure you don't want others to get the wrong idea, Mr. Ward."
Caden responded with a grimace. "What misconception?" he replied coldly.
Alicia was speechless, her lips still pressed together. Tormented by the memory of his concern for Yolanda and his dismissal of her gift, she felt completely humiliated. Trying to leave, she turned to get into her car, but Caden grabbed her wrist and roughly pulled her back.
“Are you that hypocritical, Alice?” His dark, disapproving eyes locked with hers. “You act like a stranger when we’re not in bed,” he accused.
His grip was painful, but her heart felt nothing. Not wishing to confront him, she replied softly, “We have made our position clear. What is it you don’t understand?”
“I understand. But do you understand?” he countered. “If you wanted to end things, why did you come to me afterwards?”
Alice paused, surprised by the question, then realized her mistake. Avoiding his gaze, she confessed, “I wanted to apologize.”
Caden's grimace deepened, his disbelief evident. His subsequent smile sent a chill down her spine; he clearly doubted her sincerity. Anger and confusion had filled her that night, prompting her apology. Why wouldn't he believe her? In his eyes, she was nothing more than a source of pleasure, any interaction inevitably tied to sexual encounters. She was not Yolanda, and that difference weighed heavily between them. Caden considered Yolanda his equal in status and ability, once even referring to marriage to her as a “bargaining chip.”
Alice's eyes filled with tears. "I was wrong," she whispered. "Making that call was a mistake. I shouldn't have hesitated and spoken so irrationally to you for so long."
Caden's face remained impassive, his emotions carefully hidden. The air between them thrummed with tension. She gathered her courage and faced him. “What are we going to do?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Do you want another intimate encounter? I’ll accept this time, and you decide what happens. But after that, each of us will do our own thing. Is that okay with you?”
A flash of anger, not desire, flickered in Caden's eyes. He abruptly released her hand, his voice cold as ice. "Are you really that scared of me? To get rid of me, would you propose something like that to me?"
Alice stood frozen, her vision blurred by tears. Ashamed of his pity, she turned away, unable to stop the tears betraying her anguish. Panicked, she ran to her car.
Caden, unfazed, returned to his own vehicle and lit a cigarette. The nicotine briefly numbed his senses. Alicia's car roared off into the neon-lit night. A smirk curled on Caden's lips as he wondered if he was ridiculing Alicia or loathing himself.
His phone lit up. Yolanda's message read: "Sorry Caden, I stained your scarf. I bought a spare. Can I bring it to you tomorrow?"
Caden read her thoughtful words, a sharp contrast to the turmoil Alicia had left behind. He wondered why Alice couldn't possess the compliance and thoughtfulness everyone else seemed to have. Wouldn't they be happier if she were more submissive, more typical? The thought briefly settled, then he dismissed it with a grimace, started his car, and drove off.
The next day, Yolanda arrived early at the company, wearing a scarf identical to the original. Caden, preoccupied, didn't meet her; Hank greeted her at the door. "Miss Moss, you'd better get home for today. Mr. Ward will be busy and won't be able to meet with you," Hank said.
Yolanda, ever perceptive, smiled politely. “Please convey to him that he is welcome to dine at Joy Mansion tonight if he is available. Ciara misses him.”
Hank nodded and relayed the message. Caden replied nonchalantly, “We’ll see.”
Hank noticed the tension in Caden's demeanor, suspecting it stemmed from Alicia. “Miss Moss is quite polite and kind,” Hank commented, placing the replacement scarf next to Caden. “It’s a shame it’s not to your taste.”
“Do you know for sure?” Caden replied coldly.
“Do you have feelings for Miss Moss?” Hank asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
Caden frowned, his mood darkening. Unease took hold, and he tossed aside the document in his hand. The scarf lay beside him, a harsh reminder of the one Alicia had discarded. Memories flooded his mind, scattered images from the past resurfacing. He suddenly remembered their argument.
“Hank,” Caden said, his voice breaking the silence. “Did Alicia ever give me a scarf like this?”
Hank was momentarily taken aback. He examined the scarf closely. “I think so… it’s been a while. It was the last day Mrs. Bennett was here.”
Caden fell silent, realization dawning. The connection became clear. Their conflict had escalated, and they’d parted ways under tense circumstances. He'd carelessly discarded the handkerchief, unaware of its fate. Yolanda had found it and displayed it before Alicia, before it ended up in the trash. If he remembered correctly, that handkerchief had been the first important gift Alice had given him.
He turned to Hank. “Do you remember the face Alice made the last time she visited?”
Hank recalled the moment vividly. “She was ecstatic. Her eyes were shining like stars. I even joked about whether she was planning a date with you after work.”