Chapter 17:  My Man

Alicia didn’t know about Winnie’s plan—nor did she care. She washed up and went to bed. The next morning at breakfast, Winnie was nowhere to be found.

“Where is your daughter?” Alexander asked Beatrice.

She frowned and retorted unhappily, “Alex, honey, you’re being a little biased toward Winnie. You’re calling her only my daughter, while you address Catherine differently. I—”

“That isn’t an answer to my question,” Alexander cut in impatiently.

Beatrice pouted in annoyance but replied grudgingly, “She isn’t feeling well.”

Alicia glanced at Beatrice, unconvinced. She didn’t call out the lie. Instead, she lowered her gaze and finished her breakfast. When she was done, she rose from the table and stepped outside—only to spot Winnie lingering by Andy’s parked car.

Winnie smiled at Andy. “Andy, you’ve become more handsome.”

Andy’s brows knitted with impatience. Just looking at her gratingly sweet expression irritated him. “What do you want?” he asked.

Winnie grinned, her voice turning venomous. “I really pity you. Is it because you’re a cripple, or because you can’t perform as a man? Catherine brings different men home every day to sleep with her. If you hadn’t once been my fiancé, I wouldn’t tell you this bitter truth—not even at gunpoint.”

Alicia strode over and said coolly, “I don’t like other women standing near my man—especially sick ones. I don’t want him catching anything.”

Winnie trembled with rage at Alicia’s words. Her blood boiled. She spun to glare at Alicia, ready to snap back, but the look on Alicia’s face silenced her.

Alicia walked around the car and got in. Winnie stomped her foot in frustration as Andy’s driver started the engine and pulled away. She watched them go helplessly, then hurried back inside to avoid running into Alexander.

Andy’s lips kept curling upward as Alicia’s words replayed in his mind. He glanced at her and asked tentatively, “Really?”

Alicia looked over, imperious as ever. “You don’t like it?”

Andy’s eyes glistened with a sweet smile. “I do. They’re very annoying.”

“Good boy,” Alicia praised.

When the car reached the spot where Alicia always asked to get out, the driver braked without waiting for instructions.

Alicia gave Andy a fond look and reached for the door handle, but he suddenly caught her wrist. She turned back, one brow lifted. “I’ll take you to see someone later,” he said.

“Alright,” Alicia replied.

“I don’t have your number,” Andy added abruptly.

She arched a perfect brow and drawled, “You don’t need it.”

With that, she slipped out of the car. Andy’s lips curved again as he glanced at his phone, at the string of digits saved as “My Heroic Wife.” He tucked the phone away, smile fading into a cool mask. “Drive,” he ordered.

The driver pulled away at once.

Alicia passed the street where she’d met a beggar before. When he spotted her, he hurled a balled-up paper at her. Without turning, she caught it, dropped another rumpled slip in its place, and continued on without a backward glance.

At the company, she paused. The walls gleamed with fresh paint; the renovations were complete. She made a slow circuit, taking it in, and nodded, satisfied with the work Kane’s men had done.

“How is it?” Kane asked, searching her face.

“Not bad,” Alicia said curtly.

She handed him the crumpled paper from the beggar. “You got a response.”

Kane’s face drained. He hadn’t expected an answer—certainly not this fast.

“They have no choice,” Alicia said, already turning away.

Her words rooted him to the spot, shock hardening into a grim, dawning realization.

The moment Alicia stepped into her office, her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen, her long lashes fluttering; a smile tugged at her lips as she answered.

The caller said nothing. After a few seconds, Alicia broke the silence. “You should be busy. You still found time to call me?”

Across town, Andy lounged back in his chair. Around him, a roomful of shareholders sat rigidly upright, holding their breath as though in the presence of an emperor. They had been in the middle of discussing a projection worth billions when he took the call. “No,” he replied lazily, “I’m not busy.”

Faces flushed around the table, but no one dared to complain. If anything, their admiration only deepened.

“What’s the matter?” Alicia asked.

“Do you need any hires?” Andy said. “I can recommend a few capable people.”

Alicia considered. Most of the positions in her company were still vacant, and many of Kane’s men weren’t educated. She decided quickly. “Thanks.”

Andy hung up.

Alicia immediately began drafting a list of roles the company needed. Once she finished, she handed the paper to Kane. “Find me capable hands to fill these positions.”

She stayed until dusk, organizing and mapping out plans for the company. When she was finally done, she took a taxi home.

As she entered her room, she paused, frowning. She stared at her wardrobe, inhaled, and her expression turned cold. Before she could move, her phone rang again. She glanced at the screen and answered with a single word: “Speak.”

A soft laugh drifted through the speaker, followed by a calm voice: “Your package has arrived.”

The call cut off.

Alicia didn’t touch the clothes in her wardrobe. Instead, she opened her suitcase, changed, and stepped out. Winnie, passing by, caught sight of her and froze, a tremor of fear running through her. Alicia’s gaze slid past her without a word as she walked away.

Only then did Winnie exhale in relief.