Jeffery shot him a look.

“Enjoy your smiles while you can. You won’t have them once you see Mr. Ward.”

Joshua dismissed the warning with a smirk, refusing to believe the threat. Could Caden really despise him enough to kill him? If that were the case, Caden would have acted long ago. Joshua wasn’t about to give in—not until the situation became truly desperate.

When the car stopped, two men who looked like bodyguards approached. Joshua assumed Caden had at least been polite enough to send escorts to greet him.

To his shock, the moment he stepped out of the car, each man delivered a hard kick to his knees.

Pain shot through his legs, nearly bringing him to the ground, but he forced himself to remain standing, seething with anger. “What the hell?”

One of the bodyguards responded coldly, “This is a welcoming gesture from Mr. Ward. He sends his regards.”

Joshua gritted his teeth. A welcoming gesture? It was clearly an insult meant to humiliate him. His knees throbbed, feeling as though they’d been shattered, and he staggered forward, nearly dropping to his knees.

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As he regained his balance, his eyes landed on a nearby lawn where Caden was casually playing golf.

With a calm, precise swing, Caden drove the ball straight into the hole. At that exact moment, Joshua approached, his steps heavy with pain.

Despite the ache in his legs, Joshua stood tall, refusing to appear weak. He tried to project an aura of strength to match Caden’s, but Caden was taller, more imposing, and carried an air of authority that could not be denied.

Caden’s dominance wasn’t something inherited from Jerald—it was something born into him, a natural right of the Ward family.

Removing his sunglasses, Caden fixed his icy stare on Joshua, his expression unreadable but brimming with indifference.

“Mr. Yates,” he said in a calm yet chilling tone, “you’ve kept me waiting.”

Joshua’s expression was intense. “If you plan to do something, just do it. Drop the act!”

Almost immediately, one of the bodyguards behind him delivered another brutal kick, forcing Joshua to his knees. Humiliation burned across his face as he knelt there, his pride crumbling under the weight of his situation.

Caden regarded him with sheer disgust, his lips curling into a sneer. “Hit three more balls,” he ordered coldly.

The bodyguards wasted no time. They dragged Joshua across to the other side, binding his hands and feet before suspending him from a pole. From a distance, he resembled a helpless scarecrow swaying in the wind.

Caden gripped his golf club and swung with calculated precision. The ball shot through the air like a bullet, striking Joshua directly in his right eye.

The impact was devastating. Joshua’s vision went black, and blood began to seep from the wound.

Unbothered, Caden wiped his golf club clean and turned to the person beside him. “Has Ms. Bennett arrived yet?”

“We’ve contacted her. She’s on her way,” came the reply.

Caden offered no response. He simply swung again, sending the second ball straight into Joshua’s other eye.

Joshua screamed, his voice filled with both rage and desperation. “Caden, this will be your downfall!”

But his defiance meant nothing. It was as fleeting as dust carried away by the wind.

Expressionless, Caden handed his golf club to another person and walked away, his cold demeanor unshaken. He left the final ball for Alicia.

Moments later, Alicia arrived, a fierce-looking dog by her side. The animal was lean and menacing, with sharp eyes and teeth that gleamed like razors. It was managed by a professional handler, though its intensity was palpable.

Caden glanced at the dog but chose not to question its purpose. Instead, he focused on Alicia, showing her how to swing the golf club.

Alicia had played golf before, though it had been over two years since her last game. Under Caden’s close guidance, she quickly regained her form, following his instructions on how to apply just the right amount of force.

It wasn’t long before she was approaching the hole, her strokes smooth and deliberate.

Alicia glanced at Joshua, who sat across from her. His bloodied eyes were now concealed under thick bandages, hiding the damage beneath.

Unaware of what had transpired earlier, Alicia asked, “Why are his eyes covered?”

Caden raised his head, his tone casual and cold. “I pity him. Watching us this closely would break his heart.”

Alicia was momentarily speechless. Caden’s ruthlessness was unyielding, a trait she could neither ignore nor fully accept.

Tightening her grip on the club, she asked hesitantly, “Do you want me to hit him with the ball?”

Caden’s deep voice resonated close to her ear. “Yes. Where would you like to hit him?”

Alicia’s gaze swept over Joshua as she hesitated. Finally, she said, “No matter where I hit him, it won’t change his bad nature.”

Caden chuckled, a low and chilling sound. Why show mercy in a game where the wealthy played by their own brutal rules? He found her hesitation oddly endearing.

He decided for her. “How about aiming for his groin?”

Alicia blinked, momentarily confused. When his meaning became clear, she faltered. “I don’t want to do that.”

Caden stepped closer, his long fingers enveloping hers around the club. His presence surrounded her entirely, leaving her no escape.

“If you want to protect yourself, you need to face harshness head-on and get used to it,” he said, his voice steady and uncompromising. “If Joshua isn’t your target, someone else will be. Would you rather it be him or another?”

Alicia’s breath caught. She understood his intent—to harden her against the cruelties of their world—but she struggled to comply.

“Give me some time to prepare,” she said softly, attempting to negotiate.

Caden’s expression turned serious. “Did Joshua give you time to prepare?”

He held her gaze firmly. “Hit him. I’ll handle the consequences.”

Alicia pressed her lips together, inhaling deeply. She knew she lacked the strength to truly harm Joshua on her own. But with Caden’s unwavering support, she realized Joshua wouldn’t emerge unscathed.

Then, as if sensing her hesitation, Caden delivered the final push. “Remember? He tried to have Monica assaulted.”

Alicia’s pupils narrowed, her hesitation replaced by a flash of anger.

Caden, sensing the shift, guided her hand, helping her swing the club with force.

The ball flew with precision.

From that moment on, Joshua’s manhood became a question of the past.