Chapter 475

The few bold enough to remain groaned in disappointment. “What a shame. I wanted to see how Ms. Bennett would handle Mr. Ward.”

“Who’s handling who? This is Mr. Ward’s company. There’s no way he’ll let her off easily.”

“But they’re dating, right? Maybe it’s a misunderstanding. A lovers’ quarrel.”

“Even if they’re disagreeing, it’s not enough to resort to violence. Doesn’t Ms. Bennett understand how much men value their egos? Especially a man like Mr. Ward!”

“Damn, why is it so quiet? I want to see who ‘won’ their argument.”

Their whispered discussions were interrupted by a loud slap from the conference room. The sound was unmistakable; everyone flinched. Who had been hit?

“Mr. Ward must have slapped Ms. Bennett,” a male employee insisted. “Only a man could deliver a slap with that much force.”

A female coworker blanched. “That sounded pretty bad. Ms. Bennett is probably in serious trouble.”

Meanwhile, in the conference room, Alicia’s pants pooled at her feet as she bent over the table, a bright red handprint marking the soft skin of her buttocks. “You’re dead, Caden!” she screamed in pain.

Caden had already cut the power and locked the door. The dim lighting obscured his expression, but his desire was evident in his voice. “When? While I’m fucking you senseless?”

Corey had only seen what Caden intended him to see. Caden and Alicia had staged a disagreement, intending to mislead their observers. But Caden hadn't authorized her slap. They both knew it was Alicia's personal vendetta, and she'd played her cards well. She struggled, her bare legs flailing. Caden pinned her, pressing his hand against her back, then bending over her. Alicia was startled by his seriousness.

“Are you crazy?” she whispered. “We’re inside the company. Your employees are right outside!”

Her words were ineffective. “Did you think about that when you slapped me earlier?” he countered harshly. As a respected CEO, public humiliation by a woman was unacceptable. He would be devastated if word leaked out.

Caden was furious but limited in his options. He'd spoiled Alicia, giving her the audacity to defy him publicly. He needed to vent his frustration, and he wasn't letting her go. He didn't care about their location. If she wanted to save face, she'd better be quiet.

Alicia, desperate, alternated between pleading and cursing. But her pleas only intensified his resolve. Her protests led to more extreme consequences.

Ten minutes later, Alicia stormed out, wrapped in Caden’s coat, her eyes watery, her nose red. The bolder staff quickly glanced her way, observing her closely. Alicia strode down the hall and disappeared around a corner.