Chapter 923:
Alicia’s smirk widened slightly. “If Caden were involved, there’d be no need for me to be here.”
“Then why are you leaving? Isn’t being the leader of the Hampton Group good enough? Why throw it all away to go back to being a caretaker for that idiot?”
“Are all men so egocentric?” Alicia laughed softly. “Haven’t I made myself clear? You have a criminal record in Terriland. If it’s exposed, you’ll face the death penalty. Do you really expect me to stick around and risk going down with you?”
Corey scoffed. “This isn’t the first time I’ve done this. What are you so afraid of?”
What indeed? Alicia smirked. It wasn’t merely the threat of prison that unnerved her. Being close to Corey felt increasingly perilous, as if, at any moment, she could become complicit in something far more sinister than she intended.
However, she masked her fears well, maintaining a composed exterior. “I’ve said everything I needed to. Take care of yourself, Corey,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion.
Corey’s demeanor shifted rapidly from defiance to desperation. The edge in his voice softened. “Alicia, if there’s anything you need, just say it. Can’t you stay? Gemma adores you.”
Alicia hesitated briefly. She didn’t deny it—Gemma was a sweet girl. But her own future and happiness mattered more than anything else now. She concluded, “That machine was a creation of Caden’s team. If anything goes wrong, come to Warrington. I’ll help you resolve it.”
Corey’s voice was low but resolute. “It’s not about the machine, Alicia. It’s about Gemma. She cares about you.”
Alicia paused briefly, then replied without hesitation, “Doesn’t she still have you?”
Indeed, Gemma had never been deprived of love. In many ways, she had been more fortunate than Alicia had ever been.
Alicia was aware that Corey’s plea for her to stay wasn’t just about Gemma—it was his distrust of the technology that supposedly replaced human care. Nothing could truly substitute for the tangible presence of a person.
With that, Alicia exited the ICU.
Corey watched her leave, her figure receding without a backward glance, her demeanor utterly impassive. He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping him. How ridiculous had he been to think Alicia, who had coldly abandoned Caden, would harbor any real affection for Gemma? For the past two years, Alicia had merely used him and Gemma. Now, with fame and fortune in her grasp and her hatred for Caden finally extinguished, she was ready to cut ties and start anew. But what about him?
Corey reflected on his recent trip to Warrington. Why had he sought comfort from Alicia when confronted with devastating news? Why had he risked so much in Terriland when a viable organ was already within his grasp? What had made him hesitate? What had softened his heart?
The more Corey pondered, the more he loathed his own vulnerability. Having feelings for someone he shouldn’t have proved far more perilous than any of his dealings in the shadows of human trafficking and organ trade.
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