The Moss family, though not flamboyant, wielded considerable influence, a fact Caden was well aware of. The Ward family was at the forefront, with the Moss family not far behind. Additionally, the senior members of both families had shared a strong friendship for many years.

Since Caden had initially sought their assistance, the Moss family’s proposal could not be easily declined without causing offense. To reject it would be seen as a slight.

Breaking the silence, Ciara asked, “You’re aware that Yolanda has had feelings for you since she was young, aren’t you?”

Caden replied nonchalantly, “No.”

“Well, now you are,” Ciara added.

“That’s not particularly good news,” Caden replied dryly.

Ciara agreed. She had never liked Yolanda, finding her moody and high-maintenance. While Yolanda was certainly intelligent, she was also delicate and overly coddled by her father, Dorian, who indulged her every whim. If Yolanda were to join the Ward family, Ciara knew what the result would be—she would need to be treated like royalty.

Ciara sighed. “Regardless, I’d prefer a cheerful, optimistic granddaughter-in-law.”

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Caden responded, “I view marriage as a business deal.”

This irritated Ciara slightly, but then she remembered the long-standing illness that had affected him for years. She held back her frustration. “Don’t you have feelings for the woman you’re currently seeing?”

Caden lowered his gaze, his expression unreadable. “If I had feelings for her, I would have introduced her to you by now.”

He hadn’t brought her along, which meant, in Caden’s eyes, he didn’t have feelings for her. Ciara’s heart sank.

“Do what you think is best,” she said softly. “Yolanda likes you, and you need her support. Maybe you’ll grow to have feelings for her after you’re married.”

Caden felt nothing. He regarded the plan with the same indifference he had toward his routine work.

“You’re right. If you’re eager for a great-grandchild, I could have her undergo IVF to have a child,” Caden suggested, trying to soothe Ciara.

Ciara shook her head. “Yolanda’s health isn’t great. We should discuss this later.”

Though she longed for a great-grandchild, she didn’t want to impose on Yolanda’s well-being.

After some time, Ciara asked, “Does this mean you’ve accepted the Moss family’s proposal?”

Caden didn’t give a direct answer. “I’ll be picking up Yolanda in a few days.”

Ciara felt a twinge in her heart.

She sighed. “You always set such high standards for yourself.”

Caden laughed lightly. “High standards? Or am I just exploiting the situation?”

Ciara noticed that his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. At his mid-twenties, Caden was used to making bold, decisive decisions for his ambitions. But in that moment, Ciara saw a flicker of hesitation.

Could it be that he had feelings for the woman he was seeing? Perhaps he did, but hadn’t acknowledged them yet.

Ciara resolved to act, considering she was already in Warrington and wanted to make the most of her visit. After they had dinner, Caden stayed briefly before leaving.

As the maid picked up the dishes, she sighed and remarked, “Mr. Ward hardly ate anything.”

This distressed Ciara, who scolded herself. “I won’t bring this up at the dinner table again.”

Caden then headed back to his company, spending hours reviewing the details of a project.

The leaders in any field often seemed naturally talented, and Dorian’s skills were remarkable—he was a real talent, irreplaceable.

Caden briefly closed his eyes in thought.

When he returned to the apartment, Alicia had already fallen asleep from exhaustion. However, her sleep wasn’t deep. As soon as he climbed into bed, she rolled over and nestled into his arms.

“Caden?” she mumbled sleepily.

Caden whispered back, “Yes.”

In the dim light, he noticed the slight shadows under her eyes. Lately, she had been pushing herself hard, treating her body like a machine and working relentlessly.

“What do you need?” Caden asked softly. “Are you short on something?”

Alicia’s eyes remained shut.

“I need a lot,” she murmured quietly, but left it vague.

A silence settled between them.

Caden, no longer feeling like talking, settled down to sleep. Alicia’s back was pressed against his chest, their skin touching. She heard his stomach growl softly.

She barely opened her eyes. After a moment, she asked, “Did you skip dinner?”

Caden hadn’t been hungry earlier, but her question made him aware of his hunger.

It was late, and he didn’t want to bother her, so he casually said, “Let’s just sleep.”

Alicia, however, was still alert. His stomach growled again, louder this time.

She nudged him with her hip. “Then move a little. Your stomach is too loud.”

Caden stayed put. Instead, he playfully slid his hand under her pajamas.

“I can’t stop it,” he teased. “Maybe we could find another way to take your mind off it if it’s bothering you.”

Alicia shuddered at the thought of his energy. She attempted to push him away, but he persisted.

Her cheeks flushed a deep red.

“I’ll fix you something to eat,” she said, pulling his hand away. “Then we can sleep. Okay?”

Her voice softened without her intending it to.

Caden’s throat worked visibly, his eyes darkening with desire.

“Now it’s not just my stomach that’s hungry,” he said.

With a raspy voice, Caden murmured, “I’m feeling hungry here too.”

His hand wandered southward.

Alicia’s cheeks flushed with heat as she hurried to the kitchen, feeling completely overwhelmed.