Chapter 81

Alicia bit back her frustration. “If I were any good at sweet-talking men, do you think Joshua would have left me?”

Caden chuckled. “You’re right.” He added, “When Joshua was building his business, he needed serious financial backing, so he worked closely with banks. A lot of his business went through Randolph.”

“Did Randolph take his cut and cover things up for him?” Alice asked.

“Yes,” Caden replied.

Her heart sank, confirming her fears. Randolph had been involved in shady dealings. Approaching him and Rachel had been the right decision. She turned to Caden. “Can deleted transaction records be recovered?”

He smiled knowingly. Alice’s heart skipped a beat.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, puzzled.

“I wasn’t sure why you were trying to get close to Randolph, but I understand now,” Caden replied.

Alice was speechless. Damn, he’s tricked me into showing my true intentions, she thought.

His face tightened. “You said you could help me. That means you know something, right?”

“I considered it, but at first I thought you were only interested in Randolph,” she admitted.

“Why should I settle for anything less? I’ve been with better men,” Alice retorted instinctively.

Caden remained composed, almost humbly. “I appreciate the compliment.”

Alice blushed, turned away, and thought, I really should stop talking.

Later, Caden emailed her something. Alicia checked her inbox. “What is this?”

“I sent you information about Randolph.”

His eyes lit up. “You’re just going to give it to me?”

Caden’s tone was scathing. “What do you think?”

Alicia gripped her phone, feeling uncomfortable. Trying to sound hopeful, she said, “You’ve already given it to me. Isn’t it too late to put conditions on it now?”

“I’ve only handed over a third,” she replied, her frustration mounting. She hadn’t expected him to withhold information and shot him a sharp look.

Caden remained calm. “Do you want to know the rest, Miss Bennett?”

Alice narrowed her eyes, biting her lip. Of course, she wanted the rest.

His plan had been to go after Randolph through Rachel, but Rachel’s complete devotion to him made that impossible. Rachel wouldn’t help; she might even defend him.

Caden wasn’t a good person; he had his own agenda. But he was generally honest in his dealings. Compared to Rachel, he was the better choice.

Alicia wasn’t naive. She understood what Caden wanted. She twisted her fingers before answering slowly, “Yes.”

“Prove it,” he replied. After a pause, in a lower voice, he added, “Okay.”

Caden smiled, satisfied with his quick adaptation. “Do you know what I’m asking you to do?”

Alicia’s eyes shifted to Hank, who was driving. She felt awkward. “Shouldn’t we discuss this somewhere more private?”

Caden chuckled, enjoying her reaction.

Once they reached the apartment building, Hank left, but Caden wasn’t in a hurry to take Alicia upstairs.

“Did we forget to buy something?” Alice asked, nervously, despite the broad daylight.

“What is it?” Caden didn’t answer directly, instead letting out a light cough.

Alice’s eyes were drawn to the movement of his Adam’s apple; her thoughts drifted unexpectedly. She rubbed her forehead, avoiding eye contact. “I’ll go get whatever it is. You go up.”

“Where exactly are you planning to buy them?” Caden asked.

Alice paused. “At the supermarket?”

Caden raised an eyebrow. “That’s a bit far. There’s a pharmacy nearby.” He gave her his apartment number and left.

Alice headed to the nearby pharmacy. Despite her previous encounters, she couldn’t shake her nervousness. What was about to happen with Caden was like opening Pandora’s Box. It was dangerous, but the temptation was too strong to ignore. She wanted to open it and claim whatever was inside.

The shop assistant greeted her. “How may I help you, ma’am?”

Alicia didn’t hesitate. She grabbed the most expensive box of condoms, prioritizing protection over experience.

When she arrived at Caden’s apartment, the door was open, so she entered. It was her first time there. The huge floor-to-ceiling window immediately caught her eye, reflecting the bright sky. Nearby was a desk under a tall bookshelf filled with books and scattered machine parts.

The apartment’s design reflected Caden’s personality: elegant, minimalist, luxurious, and impressive. Yet, it also felt distant and cold. There was little sign of anyone living there. Alicia assumed Caden probably didn’t spend much time there. Maybe he just stays here from time to time. Had he ever brought women here? I have no idea, she thought.

Alice opened the empty shoe rack. She decided to walk barefoot. The dark tiles made her toes stand out. Caden stood nearby, silently observing the contrast of her skin against the dark floor.

“If there are no slippers, you don’t have to take off your shoes,” he said. She hadn’t realized how close she was.

“Aren’t you worried about the dirt my shoes would leave?” she asked.

Caden didn’t seem interested in continuing the conversation. “Did you get them?”

Alice’s uneasiness returned; she gripped the bag tighter. The soft creak of the plastic was the only sound.

“Yes,” she said, her voice tense but her words bold. “I bought the extra-large ones.”