Alicia shut her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

“Yeah. Am I really that foolish?” she whispered.

“Yes, extremely foolish,” Caden replied flatly.

Alicia struggled to form her words. “You must think I’m jealous of Lilliana, don’t you?”

Caden probably assumed she wanted that expensive diamond ring. But that wasn’t it at all.

What truly shattered Alicia was the sight of Joshua’s hands.

The year her parents died in the plane crash, their bodies were trapped beneath the wreckage. Joshua had risked the threat of a second explosion, spending three days and nights digging through the debris. By the time he retrieved their remains, his hands were so badly damaged they were nearly unrecognizable.

If not for Joshua’s betrayal, Alicia would never have realized how convincingly someone could pretend. After shedding her tears, she felt the weight on her heart lighten.

But now, her thoughts were more clouded than ever. She leaned against Caden’s shoulder, resting her head on his neck.

Mⱺɍɇ Ʉρȡąţɇş ĩŋ ɢąłņøνɇłş.çøɱ

Caden assumed she was about to cry again and didn’t react until he noticed her steady breathing. Was she asleep? Feeling annoyed, he muttered, “Alicia?”

He called her name a few more times before she stirred, as though waking from a deep dream. His voice grew colder. “Get off me. I need to leave.” He had done more than enough by helping her, but being used as her pillow was crossing a line.

Caden pulled her down abruptly, but Alicia responded by locking her arms around his neck. She then opened her eyes, frowning at him.

She stared at his face, noting how nearly perfect it was.

Her vision blurred, and it felt as though she were in a dream.

“Why are you crying?” she asked quietly.

“Have you lost your mind?” Caden asked, his tone sharp. She was the one crying, after all.

Alicia paused for a moment, then gently cupped his face. She carefully wiped the tears from his cheeks and then wiped his nose.

Caden allowed her to continue without reacting, staying still as she worked.

He moved his head slightly, but his face remained blank, showing no trace of what he was thinking.

Alicia stopped moving and studied his face closely. Her eyes followed the shape of his eyebrows, then his nose, and finally his lips.

She didn’t understand what made her do what she did.

Still, she followed her impulses.

When their lips met, Alicia closed her eyes and surrendered to her feelings. She trembled as she parted his lips and pushed forward.

Caden watched her closely and tilted his head. “Do you realize what you’re doing?” Alicia didn’t answer.

She just kept kissing him.

Caden responded to her, taking control without hesitation. The kiss grew wilder, almost aggressive. Alicia’s breath grew short and her mind became a blur of confusion.

The heat inside her surged forward, overwhelming her. They remained locked in the kiss until the room suddenly brightened.

The power had returned.

Caden grabbed her head and pulled away from her lips.

Just as he had expected, Alicia’s eyes were unfocused.

She had a blank stare and her lips were slightly parted. Her shallow breathing made her seem fragile. It was as if anyone could overpower her.

Caden laughed at her and asked, “Alicia, do you know who I am?”

Even after hearing the question, Alicia didn’t answer.

She just clung to his neck and leaned in closer. “1 want to do it,” she whispered. After closing her eyes and biting her lip, she begged, “Please give it to me.”

“Well, well, well…” Caden muttered to himself.

If it wasn’t for the fact that he was getting hard down there, he would have thought he was drunk as well.

Alicia noticed that he didn’t move. She muttered, “1 can pay you for that.” What the fuck?

Did she really think he was a gigolo again?

The warmth of his body made her drowsy. “1f you make me come, I can give you even more.”

Caden hesitated. Taking advantage of a drunk woman wasn’t something he wanted to do. But Alicia kept moving on top of him. It was as if she wasn’t thinking.

Was she planning to disappear after this?

Caden’s frustration grew. Alicia’s hands kept wandering, pushing him further.

He grabbed her waist and pinned her down on the couch.

“Are you sure this is what you want? Do you really want to make love with me?” The next morning came.

Alicia was still sound asleep when a loud ring jolted her awake.

She opened her eyes and answered the phone.

Monica’s voice sounded concerned. “Alicia, are you okay?” Monica worked in biological research and was often swamped with work. She hadn’t been able to attend Alicia’s competition. But when she saw the news about Joshua’s proposal that morning, she felt angry and decided to call her.

As she remained under the covers, Alicia muttered, “I’m okay. She had already sobered up because of her throbbing headache.

Monica noticed a change in Alicia’s voice. “Have you been crying? What does he see in Lilliana anyway? It’s like he’s under a spell. Is Joshua crazy to have a thing for women like her?” Alicia chuckled softly.

“No, they’re a good match. I really wish them well.” Monica wasn’t convinced. “Then why do you sound so tense?”

Alicia paused, her thoughts drifting back to the previous night.

Her post-drinking memory was foggy. She could only vaguely remember Caden taking her home before she fell asleep.

As she drifted off, she had a dream. In this dream, the man she was sleeping with was incredibly attractive.

Feeling a wave of embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject. “Mr. Hopkins picked my song and gave me a generous reward. How about I take you to dinner?” Even though Monica was still worried about her, she agreed.

After ending the call, Alicia got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She felt a slight soreness in her legs, but didn’t dwell on it.

That is, until she caught her reflection in the mirror and noticed several hickeys on her neck. Alicia froze and pulled her collar down slightly.

Her cheeks immediately flushed.

The spots on her neck were just the beginning. Her chest was also covered in faint bite marks.

Panic set in as she realized that last night hadn’t been a dream.

But…

But who could it have been?

Could it have been Caden?

Her legs buckled as she sank to the floor, holding her head in disbelief.

She’d assumed it was all a fantasy, thinking she’d kissed a stranger in a dream. She couldn’t believe how bold and forward she had been.

Alicia felt a deep sense of shame wash over her, bringing her to the brink of tears. Desperate for some clarity, she rushed to the living room and turned on the smart camera’s recording.

The footage appeared clearly on the screen.

In the video, Caden was kissing her as she undressed.

She even arched her chest to make it easier for him to continue.

It was wild and out of control.

Alicia’s eyes dropped as she processed what she was seeing.