Chapter 493:

A newly opened 24-hour adult store caught Alicia's attention. Frowning, she entered to investigate. She had barely begun browsing when a mannequin, bearing a striking resemblance to Caden's mother, stopped her breath. Anger surged within her.

Alicia immediately shut down the store's power, halting all activity. The mannequin, a crude replica of Corey's new Q Robot, confirmed her suspicions. If Corey wasn't behind this, who was? The store's sudden appearance at her gallery's entrance felt like a blatant warning.

After dealing with the store owner, Alicia rushed to Caden's company. Her thorough search yielded no evidence implicating Corey. He wouldn't dare openly provoke Caden. Relieved, she contacted her sources to determine the extent of Corey's distribution—both online and in physical stores. Thankfully, Caden was in Terriland; otherwise, he would already know. The thought of his mother being so publicly disgraced was enough to push even the composed Caden to his limits—precisely Corey's intention.

A sleepless night left Alicia irritable. She spent the following day confined to her office until Blake abruptly entered. Their eyes met; Alicia quickly masked her emotions. "What's happening, Mr. Langstaff?"

Blake was already informed. Corey was clearly targeting Caden's mother, even paying to make it a trending online topic, exposing the images widely. He asked, "Alicia, why didn't you tell me about this serious issue?"

Alicia took a deep breath, evading the question. "How widespread is it now?"

Blake reassured her, "I've hired a PR firm to suppress the trending topic. Even with my reservations about some of Caden's actions, his mother is family. I couldn't stand by."

Alicia was surprised. She'd kept it from Blake, fearing his mockery. She'd misjudged him. "I'm sorry," she said, managing a weak smile. "Thank you for your efforts."

The offensive topic was quickly removed, but influential figures had already seen it. The store sold more than adult items; it also offered robots modeled after Caden's mother, marketed as companions. Several users posted repulsive personal reviews online. Someone was clearly manipulating events from behind the scenes. Such a blatant offense against Caden was unthinkable without significant support.

Blake added, "I've contacted Attorney Jeffery. None of the initial purchasers will escape the consequences."

Alicia's fists clenched, her eyes burning with fury. She knew she needed to remain composed and formulate a plan for retaliation.