Chapter 359:

The assistant shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as if the walls held the answer.

Knowing the strain between Alicia and Caden, she didn’t dare give too much away.

“I’m not certain… probably not for a month or so.”

A shadow of impatience crossed Caden’s face just as Gerry arrived.

Before Gerry could even ask anything, Caden spoke, his voice cold and casual.

“Don’t bother.

She’s not here.”

Gerry blinked, at a loss for words.

Caden had originally booked a dinner reservation for the evening, but the thought of going now felt pointless.

With a dismissive wave, he handed the reservation off to Gerry, then returned to his empty apartment, placing the bouquet he had bought in a vase.

The vibrant petals, still full of life, were a painful reminder of Alicia’s absence from his life.

Lately, the distance between them had become more than just physical.

Months had passed with more silence than conversation, more space than closeness.

Now, with another month of absence looming ahead, it was clear she was slipping further away from him.

For the first time, Caden felt suffocated.

First, it was just a month.

Then two.

Then six.

Clearly, she was testing how long she could endure this separation—until eventually, she might not return at all.

A sharp ache twisted in Caden’s chest, an unfamiliar tightness he couldn’t shake.

His jaw clenched as his resolve hardened.

Without a second thought, he grabbed his car keys and left.

Acquiring Alicia’s itinerary was easy.

By evening, Caden had already arrived in Bechorion, determination etched on his features.

It didn’t take long to find her hotel, and after pulling a few strings, he gained access to her room.

But nothing was as Caden had imagined.

Alicia wasn’t there.

The room had been booked under her name, all her details were correct, but she was nowhere to be found.

After asking around, Caden discovered that the check-in had been a decoy.

She knew he would come after her, and she had purposely misled him.

It was clear now that she really didn’t want to see him.

She had gone to great lengths to avoid him, and that stung.

Caden let out a bitter laugh.

Instead of storming out, he took a long, hot shower in the room she had used to trick him.Belonging to .

Later, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the sprawling skyline of Bechorion, the flickering city lights reflecting his restless thoughts.

He smoked a few cigarettes, one after the other, the bitter taste matching his mood.

It felt awful to be played like this.

He knew Alicia resented him, but still, he couldn’t help but try to win her back.

It was pointless, and he was determined not to let it bother him.

But his resolve lasted only a moment before Alicia consumed his thoughts again.

What could he do? He had wronged her first, then fallen head over heels for her—now he was paying the price, trapped in a game he couldn’t win.

Naturally, for someone used to getting his way, this was a bitter pill to swallow.

Alicia turned out to be better at evading him than he had expected.

Somehow, she managed to create false leads everywhere.

Half a month had passed, and he was still chasing her shadow.

Meanwhile, his work piled up, and his staff were pressing him to return.

Eventually, he had no choice but to give in; he couldn’t neglect his responsibilities any longer.

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