Alicia paused. Caden’s explanation caught her off guard.

“Why are you explaining this to me now?” she asked uncertainly.

Caden didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gently massaged her sore shoulder. Although he had been unconscious and unaware, he had heard Alicia’s panicked calls. She had desperately searched for his injuries and dragged him to safety. It was clear she was determined to save him, no matter the cost. He was aware of it all.

“You wanted to know, right? That’s why I’m telling you,” Caden’s voice was unusually deep and soothing.

Alicia almost believed he truly cared for her. Unable to resist, she looked up at him.

He leaned down and kissed her lips.

It had been a while since their last kiss, and Caden found himself enjoying it more than he expected, craving more. Alicia didn’t resist; she let him proceed as he wished.

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Her response seemed to thrill him. He pulled back slightly and said, “About the scarf Yolanda wore the other day—I forgot it was from you. I bought another one to make it right.”

Alicia was startled. She had been upset about this for quite some time. Yet, hearing Caden’s words eased her distress. She silently chastised herself for her lack of resolve.

Caden’s kiss deepened, and he grew more intense. His desire for her was palpable. Alicia, too, felt the heat between them and whispered softly, “I’m injured…”

Caden pulled back slightly, his voice raspy. “We won’t do anything.”

When he asked, “If you weren’t injured, would you be intimate with me?” Alicia didn’t respond.

The distance that once existed between them had long since disappeared. At first, his interest had been purely physical, but it seemed that had changed; his feelings for her had deepened beyond just attraction.

Alicia had once been concerned with labels and had sought love, but her perspective had evolved. Realizing that life was short, she now understood that being with him was what truly mattered.

Too embarrassed to respond directly, she shifted the topic. “Weren’t you in Averibon? How did you get here so quickly?”

Caden didn’t admit that he had arranged a private jet just to save her. Instead of answering, he asked another question. “When you saw me, you must have felt overwhelmed, right? Don’t you think I’m like a knight saving a damsel in distress?”

Alicia playfully replied, “In that situation, I would have thought anyone who appeared was a knight.”

Caden let out a soft chuckle, and Alicia, feeling a surge of warmth, couldn’t help but smile as well.

However, the tender moment quickly faded when Caden’s wandering hand disrupted it. Her loose shirt made it easy for him to be mischievous.

Alicia tried to stop his hand, but she couldn’t.

His touch was expert and playful.

“You’ve only been unconscious for a day. Why do your breasts seem smaller?” Caden frowned. “You should eat more tomorrow.”

Alicia was irritated. Was that his only concern? Did he like her less now that they seemed smaller?

“If you don’t like them, don’t touch them,” Alicia said sharply, slapping his hand away.

Suddenly, she remembered the call Yolanda had answered, and trying to sound casual, she asked, “When you were on your business trip, did you share a room with Yolanda?”

Caden looked at her with a smile.

“What are you trying to find out?”

His playful tone brushed against Alicia’s ears, light as a feather.

It left her feeling restless and uneasy.

Alicia closed her eyes and turned onto her side, fiddling with the blanket. “I understand.”

“Understand what?” Caden asked, gently playing with her hair.

Alicia hesitated, her emotions in turmoil. “Tell me, what kind of room did Yolanda and I share, and how many times did we…” she trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Caden’s teasing tone grew more persistent, “A honeymoon suite on the top floor, with all the luxuries you can imagine.”

Alicia’s heart clenched, but she tried to mask her emotions. “Oh. I’ve never stayed in a honeymoon suite before. I should try it someday.”

Her comment seemed to strike a nerve in Caden. He grew agitated, his voice sharp. “What’s this? You’ve become bold after the fall? You were so timid when I installed a mirror in the living room, remember? How timid would you be in an actual honeymoon suite?”

Alicia chuckled softly, trying to deflect the tension. “With someone else, I might be more adventurous.”

Caden’s smile disappeared instantly. His hand on her waist tightened, and his voice grew low with frustration. “Someone else?”

“Yes,” Alicia replied coolly. “You seem quite taken with Miss Moss, don’t you? I’d hate to intrude. After all, there are plenty of other options out there.”

He scoffed, brushing her hair aside to stare at her neck with an intense gaze. Alicia felt the heat in his stare, her blood stirring under his attention.

Still, she persisted and asked, “Is the suite costly?”

Caden grumbled, his teeth clenched. “Why? Are you planning to experience it with another man in the same suite I used?”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “There might be cameras in places like that, but I’m sure the suite you stayed in was perfectly secure, right, Mr. Ward?”

For a moment, Caden was speechless.

He tilted his head, then, without warning, bit her neck. Alicia twisted in pain, her vision blurring from the intensity of it.

He released quickly, licking the spot before she could even regain her senses.

Alicia shoved him away, disgust evident in her eyes. “So dirty.”

Her whole body flinched in response, her breath shaky from the suddenness of his actions.

Caden responded, “Sure, there are plenty of other options out there, but after being with someone as skilled as me, who else could truly satisfy you?”

Alicia retorted sharply, “That’s none of your business. Worry about yourself. Sleep with as many women as you like.”

Caden’s grip tightened around her waist. He pressed his hips forward, his voice low and commanding as he whispered in her ear, “Feel that? If I were with someone else, would you still have such a strong reaction?”