Chapter 420

“No, no, no!” Alicia gasped, rushing to Cade’s side. Panic surged through her as she scooped him up and hurried to the veterinary clinic. She immediately called Caden, her voice trembling. “Caden, Cade’s sick! I’m taking him to the vet now.”

To her surprise, Caden’s voice was calm. “Don’t worry, Alicia. It’s nothing serious. He’ll be fine.”

Standing anxiously outside the operating room, Alicia couldn’t shake her worry. “I don’t know what’s wrong. He looked terrible, and he was so weak when I picked him up.”

Caden’s voice held a hint of irony. “It’s a male dog, Alicia. How did he get so weak?”

Alicia’s frustration flared. “No jokes, okay? He was perfectly healthy with me, Caden. What happened while he was with you? Did you do something to him?”

Silence stretched across the line. Alicia’s suspicion deepened. “Did you mistreat him, Caden?”

Caden’s voice remained steady. “No, I didn’t mistreat him.”

“Then what did you do?” she demanded.

Caden sighed. “I’ll come over as soon as I’m done here.” He was in the midst of an important meeting, analyzing a new product with several high-profile clients. Alicia knew he was busy, so she held back her anger.

Despite the meeting, Caden concluded it sooner than expected. One of his clients, an elderly man, had overheard Alicia’s tense voice. Amused, the client remarked, “Mr. Ward, sounds like you’ve got urgent matters to attend to. Business can wait, but you can’t afford to ignore a woman’s emotions.”

Caden smiled slightly. “You’re right. She has quite a temper. If I let it simmer too long, I’ll be the one in trouble.”

The client chuckled. “Mr. Ward, it seems you’re quite under her thumb.”

Caden shrugged, smiling faintly. “Call it fate.”

When Caden arrived at the vet’s office, the dog’s test results were ready. “It’s food poisoning,” the doctor explained. “The vomit contains food residue that isn’t typical dog food. We’re still running tests to determine what it is.”

Caden stepped forward. “No need for further testing,” he said. “Just give him some fluids to replenish his nutrients after the vomiting.”

The doctor looked surprised but nodded. Alicia’s eyes narrowed as she turned to Caden. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded.

Caden hesitated, glancing around. The doctor, sensing the tension, excused himself. Under Alicia’s intense gaze, Caden finally admitted, “I got up early this morning and decided to make breakfast.”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you cook?”