Chapter 259:

Alice knew she could never escape the depths of her love for him.

“I’ll come back and cook for you,” he said. “It’ll only take twenty minutes by car.” Caden smiled knowingly. “Okay,” he replied. He’d been teasing her. At that moment, he considered himself the luckiest man in the world. His tiredness vanished, replaced by excited anticipation. He put on his coat and prepared to go home.

The roads were congested, extending the usual twenty-minute drive considerably. When Alicia finally arrived, Caden was waiting at the door, checking his watch. "You're late," he said playfully. She handed him her bag and knelt to change her shoes.

“I ran into a traffic jam,” she explained. “Didn’t you get stuck?”

“No. They built a special road just for me,” he replied with a mocking smile. Alice rolled her eyes. He was an idiot.

As she washed up and began cooking, Caden put his arms around her, gently caressing her back through her sweater before sliding his fingers underneath. She shivered.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” he asked.

“I’ve ordered gourmet food. It should be here soon.” He knew she’d been busy all day, so he didn’t want her to cook. He gave her a soft kiss on the corner of her lips. “We can enjoy some time together before dinner arrives.”

Alice looked into his eyes, noticing the intense, unsettling desire swirling within them. Putting her arms around his neck, she whispered, "Have you forgotten what day it is?"

Caden’s thoughts drifted. It took him a moment to speak. “What day? Is it the anniversary of our first night together?”

Alice was speechless. “Really? Is this how you want to play?” he thought. Instead of speaking, she pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

Just as Caden felt himself losing control, he hit an unexpected wall. He paused, breathing heavily as he looked into her eyes. Alice looked back at him with wide, innocent eyes.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Ward?”

Caden’s face remained impassive. "Are you on your period?"

"Yes, it's the first day," she admitted.

Caden swallowed hard, feeling tension build in his forehead. "So why are you trying to seduce me?"