Chapter 657

Alicia whispered, "Is your father home?" Cade tilted his head, clearly confused by Alicia's question. With a sigh, she told the dog to be quiet. The house was silent, enveloped in stillness. It seemed Caden wasn't home. The light in the entrance hall must have been left on all morning—a habit they both shared. Relief washed over her, mixed with a pang of sadness. Was this always going to be their life? Days spent avoiding each other, only to pretend nothing had happened when they finally crossed paths?

The following days were lonely. Alicia spent each night alone, her anger slowly giving way to longing. At first, she missed him and the sound of his voice. But soon, the situation felt almost absurd. Knowing Caden's unyielding pride, she knew he would never make the first move. He would rather endure the quiet distance than confront their problems.

That afternoon, her phone buzzed with a message from Blake: "I'll be in Warrington soon. Are you free for dinner?" Alicia blinked, momentarily surprised. Blake, assigned by Caden to another city as General Manager, rarely visited Warrington—perhaps once a month at most. It felt wrong to refuse, so she agreed.

Blake's reply came quickly: "Could you come to the airport? I'm picking out a present for Ray, but I'm not sure he'll like it. You know, he listens to you best, so I need your opinion."

"Sure," Alicia texted back, a small smile forming on her lips. Just then, her phone rang. It was Gerry.

"Alicia, how about dinner tonight?"

"Maybe another time," she replied. "I'm busy tonight."

"Come on," Gerry urged. "Caden's here too. He asked me to invite you."

Alicia paused, her expression hardening.