Chapter 503:

Then, everything changed overnight. Her father's relentless pressure and impossible expectations weighed heavily on her, leaving her struggling to breathe. Harsh scoldings and constant criticism echoed in her mind: “You’re a disgrace, Alicia! You don’t deserve to be my daughter! You should just disappear!”

Alicia woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat, her limbs trembling. The familiar fear suffocated her. She reached for Caden, but the space beside her was empty. Tears streamed down her face, unnoticed until she wiped them away. A soft sob escaped her lips. Cade, her dog, sensed her distress, jumping onto the bed to offer comfort. Alicia leaned into him, grateful for his quiet companionship.

After a moment, she noticed several missed calls on her silent phone. Taking a deep breath, she called Blake back. "What's up?" Her voice was hoarse.

Blake's tone wasn't urgent, but weariness laced his words. "So, you already know?"

Alicia's heart sank. "Know what?"

Blake assumed her tears stemmed from the news, believing she'd already seen it. He hesitated, unsure how to begin, but Alicia sensed something was terribly wrong. "Just tell me," she whispered.

Blake struggled to articulate the devastating news. "I miscalculated. Dorian didn't blame Corey; he helped him through the review process. He's labeled the mannequin a standard product, setting it for mass distribution."

Alicia's chest tightened as Blake continued, his voice hardening. "Dorian's connections are terrifying—far beyond Caden's. With his backing, outrageous projects sail through unscathed. He hasn't acted this recklessly in years; this is clearly targeted at us. Alicia, we need to get Caden back."

Alicia's shoulders slumped. "What good would that do? Dorian's only going this far because he's set on Caden." Her voice broke with a bitter laugh. Her confrontation with Corey had been impulsive, but Dorian's ruthlessness far surpassed her expectations. Caden had once respected Dorian, citing his strong ties to the Ward family. Now, Dorian's actions, driven by his daughter's whims, disgusted her. The trivialization of everything Caden had fought to protect left a deep ache in her heart.

"What can we do?" she whispered.

"We're working on it," Blake replied, his doubt palpable.

Immediate regret washed over Alicia. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have confronted Corey."

Blake sighed. "It wouldn't have mattered. Yolanda went to him long before you. Ignoring them won't stop them from trying to tarnish Caden's mother." Silent tears streamed down Alicia's face as Blake continued, "Are you going to beg them to stop? Alicia, you know they'll never pity you."

The storm Dorian unleashed was inevitable.

Alicia ended the call, staring at the empty bedroom, missing Caden intensely. He would never let her cry like this. Just then, her phone vibrated. Quickly wiping her tears, she saw it was Caden.