Chapter 356:

Suddenly, she remembered seeing the same car almost daily since Caden's departure for his business trip. It was everywhere—on her way to work, on her way home. Her suspicions grew, prompting an investigation. As she suspected, the vehicle was registered to Caden. Hank was driving. A bittersweet smile touched her lips, a sharp ache settling in her heart. Caden was constantly watching over her, yet she remained oblivious to his feelings.

His anger had flared, then subsided just as quickly. After leaving the club, Caden tried to find Alicia, but couldn't bring himself to even approach her door. He wasn't the type to linger outside all night, hoping to win her back. That wouldn't work with Alicia, and he simply couldn't do it. There were better ways to show a woman he cared.

Returning to the office, he tackled pressing tasks before compiling a list of women's brands. Initially, he thought of many possibilities. However, after considerable research, he realized Alicia already owned everything he had in mind. She desired nothing she didn't already possess. His apartment overflowed with extravagant possessions, yet she hadn't taken a single one. Caden rubbed his brow, frustrated, sifting through the brand information.

Without warning, the door burst open. "Caden." He looked up to see Gerry. Only Gerry would enter without knocking. Caden subtly shifted a stack of documents.

Gerry, almost reflexively, remarked, "What's with the secrecy? I couldn't care less about your robots." He dropped an invitation on the desk. "Next month is my mom's birthday. The family specifically asked me to give this to you, the illustrious Mr. Ward."

Caden showed little interest. He casually set the invitation aside. Then, a thought struck him. "Is Alicia on the guest list?"

"I'll invite her as a friend," Gerry replied. "But honestly, it doesn't matter much. You two are practically a couple, so one invite should suffice."

"You need to invite her," Caden insisted. "She's a businesswoman now. Her status has changed."

Gerry, assuming they were still together, didn't press. "I've heard you rave about Alicia's cooking. Why don't I come over tonight to try it myself?"

Caden thought, I can't even enjoy her cooking, and you want to sample it? His gaze shifted slightly. "Why not call her?"