Chapter 443:Belonging to .

Alicia strolled through the back garden of Joy Mansion, cradling Ciara’s birds in her arms.

Ciara had gone out for a walk, leaving Alicia to bond with the birds.

She held them gently, stroking their soft feathers while her thoughts drifted to Caden.

Just a few more days until Caden returned.

What could he possibly be doing over there?

When chatting with Blake, she had felt calm and composed, but the nagging thought that Caden was deliberately hiding things and being delayed for so long set her mind racing.

Lost in her reverie, Alicia was blissfully unaware of her surroundings until the sudden roar of a car engine snapped her back to reality.

The familiar roar made her heart drop.

Could it be Caden?

But hadn’t he just said he wouldn’t be back for several days?

Aylin’s voice pierced through Alicia’s reverie, confirming her unspoken suspicion.

“Mr.

Ward, you’re back!” she exclaimed, her joy bubbling over.

Alicia’s hands trembled, and a smile blossomed on her lips.

It felt as if something she had long awaited had finally come to fruition, igniting an eagerness within her.

Lost in the moment, she forgot what she was holding and absentmindedly placed it on the table.

In an instant, the birds she had just released spread their wings and soared upward.

Alicia snapped back to reality, her heart racing.

She instinctively leapt to catch them, but how could she outpace the tiny creatures? In the blink of an eye, they transformed into black dots, disappearing into the vast sky.

Frozen in place, Alicia felt a prickling sensation crawl over her scalp.

Clutching her head, she suddenly realized the magnitude of her blunder.

Those two birds were priceless, nearly impossible to find on the market.

Ciara had treated the birds like they were her precious grandchildren.

And now, they were gone?

Alicia slapped her forehead in dismay, lamenting how Caden’s charm had led her astray, making her commit such a rookie mistake.

As she contemplated how to make amends for the loss, Aylin rushed over with excitement.

“Ms.

Bennett, come quickly! Mr.

Ward is back!”

Alicia turned, her expression clouded with concern.

Aylin’s brow furrowed.

“Ms.

Bennett, are you alright?” Instinctively, Alicia covered the birdcage, forcing a smile onto her lips.

“I’m fine… Where is Caden? Is he in the living room?”

Absence makes the heart grow fonder—a truth Aylin understood well.

Her smile deepened knowingly.

“He’s in the living room having a drink.

I’ll go buy groceries now so I won’t disturb you two.”

Once Aylin left, Alicia quickly contacted her connections, asking them to keep an eye out for any lost birds.

She then gazed at the empty cage, her mind racing with possibilities.

Only one solution came to her.

Gritting her teeth, Alicia steeled herself and headed toward the living room.

When she entered, she saw Caden’s tall figure and couldn’t help but smile brightly.

“Caden, you’re finally back!”

Caden nearly dropped his glass of water when he heard his name being called in an overly sweet tone.

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