Chapter 350:

"Why are you here at this hour?" Caden asked flatly.

Ciara explained, "Sheila's been making life difficult for her. You know that, right? You always ignore her problems, and I end up intervening. Alicia and I planned tonight. You should have seen Sheila's reaction; it would have made you smile."

Caden's expression darkened. "This was your idea?"

"Alicia thought of it," Ciara replied.

The sound of a car engine filled the air. Caden glanced in the rearview mirror; Alicia was driving away. A wave of loss washed over him.

"Forget it," he muttered, starting the car.

Ciara looked puzzled. "What's really going on between you two? What do you mean, 'forget it'?"

A girl, the same model from earlier, ran toward them. She approached the car window, handing Ciara a bag. "Ma'am, here are the costumes and accessories you lent me."

Ciara waved her hand dismissively. "Just dispose of them."

The girl smiled and offered a business card. "Ma'am, if you need someone next time, give me a call. I'll offer you a discount." She then left.

Caden's frown deepened. "Did you summon her here?"

Ciara leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. As he explained the argument, her expression grew darker. "I never told Alicia I hired an actress to pretend to be pregnant! She only found out when Sheila showed up!"

Caden's jaw tightened, his expression cold and unreadable.

"Jumping to conclusions without knowing the whole story? Didn't I raise you better?" Ciara's voice cut through the silence.

Caden glanced at the rearview mirror; Alicia's car was gone. His heart raced, frustration gnawing at him. He spun the car around, determined to catch up with her.

Ciara watched, noticing the tension in his features. She saw how much Alicia mattered to him, but his temper remained a problem.

"Besides," she snapped, "what's wrong with the actress pretending to be pregnant? I wouldn't have objected even if Alicia had arranged it—and I'm your grandmother! Who are you to be so high and mighty? What's going on? Do you suddenly care so much about your mother's honor? Is that why you can't stand to see her insulted? If that's the case, why don't you carry that Lina robot you made to remember her everywhere you go?"

Caden's hands tightened on the steering wheel, but Ciara continued. "You miss her, don't you? You spent all that time, all that money creating Lina, but when was the last time you even activated the robot? How often do you interact with her? Or is this just another excuse for you to be stubborn and make life harder for Alicia?"

Her words hit him hard. A knot formed in his chest. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt Alicia.