Chapter 646:

Alicia called from the other room, her voice annoyed. "Caden, did you hear me?" Caden immediately went to attend to her. Gerry watched them silently.

Ever since the impromptu proposal in bed, Alicia had been tense, worried Caden might propose unexpectedly. Gerry's frequent visits and their seemingly conspiratorial behavior only fueled her anxiety. If it wasn't a proposal, what was it? However, over the next few weeks, Caden showed no signs of proposing; he was preoccupied with work.

As Alicia's excitement waned, she finally asked, "That time you went overseas, you weren't seriously thinking of that as a proposal, were you?" Caden was silent for a moment before blurting out, "Wasn't that just a playful moment in bed?"

Alicia fell silent, her heart sinking with sudden anger. "Are you making jokes about this? Do you see marriage as something unimportant?" she demanded. Caden retorted, "You didn't accept it then, did you?" Seeing his indifference, her anger intensified. "You're right. I didn't agree." She removed the ring from her finger and threw it at him. "Since I didn't agree, you can have this back."

The small ring, thrown unexpectedly, sailed past Caden. It clinked and fell down the stairs. Alicia was stunned; her action had been spontaneous. She hadn't expected him to miss it, nor its quick disappearance. She rushed to the railing and peered down. They were on the fourth floor of a shopping mall. With the crowd below, finding such a tiny object on the ground floor seemed impossible. Yet, the ring was deeply significant to her.

Looking at Caden, visibly upset, she said firmly, "I'll go look for it." Caden's annoyance was apparent. "In this huge area? How do you expect to find it?" His sharp tone only strengthened her resolve. "How will I know unless I try? Maybe I'll get lucky."

Her defiance was clear. "Once I find it, I'll give it right back to you." Caden's face darkened. "Do we really have to speak to each other like this? It's just a ring. Why argue?"

Alicia felt a pang of bitterness. He was right; it was just a ring, given to appease her. She had treasured it, wearing it on her middle finger because she hadn't yet consented to marry him.