Word of the conversation reached Ciara not long after, and she couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Oh? Making big moves all of a sudden? Does this mean you’re finally planning to settle down with Alicia?”

Caden raised an eyebrow.

“And when exactly did you figure out it was her?”

Ciara rarely left her home, yet for some reason, she seemed to be more informed than anyone else.

With a righteous tone, Ciara declared, “You two are head over heels, aren’t you? How long did you think you could hide it from me? You brat! Everyone knows except for me. What’s the big idea?”

Caden responded calmly, “I didn’t want to disappoint you, so I figured it was better not to let you get your hopes up.”

Ciara snorted in disbelief. “And how can you be so sure you two won’t last?”

Her excitement grew as she added, “I even went to a fortune teller once. She said you’re a perfect match and that you’ll have at least three kids together!”

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Caden felt the veins in his forehead pulse.

Just imagining that scenario gave him a headache. He had never intended to have children at any point in his life.

“You actually believe in fortune-telling? They’d probably say even a dog and I are a perfect match,” Caden said dryly.

Ciara didn’t back down. “I don’t care what you say. I think Alicia’s a good girl. I really like her. She’s such a joy to be around.”

“Everyone else finds her delightful. I guess she only gets cranky when she’s with me,” he muttered. Frustrated, he reached for a cigarette.

Ciara shot him a sharp look of disapproval.

Sighing, he put the cigarette away and instead grabbed a piece of fruit to eat.

Ciara pressed further. “What’s going on with you two lately? Another fight?”

Caden thought back to this morning when he had seen Alicia.

“She seemed like she was possessed,” he replied.

Ciara clicked her tongue. “That’s ridiculous!”

“You don’t understand her. The quieter she gets, the more I know something’s wrong,” Caden explained.

Ciara laughed at him and said, “Oh, you care about her so much. I knew it! She’s had you wrapped around her finger for a while now.”

Caden didn’t bother denying it.

He had always been upfront about his feelings when it came to women.

To say she had complete control over him?

That was a bit of a stretch.

He was here to enjoy his life, not to be tied down by love. After spending a while with Ciara, he realized it was time to go.