Chapter 38: So Much To Say

Alicia had no idea about Ethan’s troubles, and she didn’t care. She moved through her day as usual. By the time dusk pooled against the city’s glass and steel, she glanced down from her office window and noticed Andy’s car wasn’t parked outside.

Her phone buzzed. A message from him. She read it, lips curling faintly, then set the phone aside, rose to her feet, and left the office.

She walked several blocks and slipped into a narrow, unlit lane—no streetlights, no cameras. A figure waited there, a silhouette in a black kaftan and a brimmed hat, hands buried in his pockets, one shoulder against the wall.

Alicia stood beside him without looking his way, keeping her eyes on the darkness ahead. “Speak.”

“The team behind the assassination has been eliminated,” the man said. “I’ve lined up a job for her. But Emily hasn’t let go—she’s moving against your father. Do I stop her?”

Alicia’s voice was soft, almost a breath. “Protect my parents.”

She turned and walked away, the air around her seeming to drop a few degrees. At the curb, she flagged a taxi and slid into the back seat. The driver checked the rearview and caught her expression—glacial, unreadable. He flinched, looked away, and muttered, “This car’s like an oven. I just fixed the AC…”

“Drive,” Alicia said, her tone flat.

He jolted into motion, speeding through the night. When she stepped out a few miles later, the driver realized he was drenched in sweat. He let out a shaky breath, grateful she was gone.

Alicia skipped the main entrance, slipped in through the back door, and headed for her room—only to hear the mother and daughter whispering inside.

“That vixen really charmed a promising youngster from the capital. I can’t stand her,” Winnie hissed.

Beatrice’s voice turned sour. “He’s useless—couldn’t even handle a simple task, and now he’s rushing to marry that woman.”

Winnie’s teeth ground together. Her whole body buzzed with anger. She’d been trying to reach Eden for days, but he’d stopped answering her calls, stopped acting like he used to. She blamed Alicia. She despised her for it.

“I don’t know what men see in her,” Winnie muttered venomously.

Alicia, having heard every word, entered and the whispers died. Without a word, she changed clothes, then descended to the basement and buried herself in experiments, trying to quiet the turmoil of her parents’ situation.

By midnight, she emerged and went straight to the kitchen to cook. Winnie came down and spotted her.

“Where have you been? We were all looking for you. Well? Answer me.”

Alicia didn’t glance up. She finished cooking, plated her meal, and carried it to the dining table, ignoring Winnie’s simmering outrage.

Stomping her foot, Winnie snapped, “Go on—act like you own the place. One day your true identity will be exposed. Let’s see how proud you are then.”

Alicia ate in silence, washed her dishes, and walked away without a single word. Winnie stood there, seething with frustration—hating, more than anything, the fact that she couldn’t do a thing about Alicia.

When Alicia arrived at the office the next morning, Ethan was already waiting. She paused, leveled him with a calm look, and asked, “What are you doing here?”

He stood. “I’m here to see you, Alicia.”

“My name is Catherine Alexander,” she replied, voice cool.

Ethan shook his head. “Others can call you that, but not me. I came to warn you—Emily is planning to get rid of your parents. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn’t listen. You’re capable now, Alicia. Don’t let them die.”

Alicia’s face didn’t flicker; her eyes stayed icy. Ethan searched for a crack in her composure and found none.

“You’ve wasted enough of my time,” she said evenly. “Leave.”

Nerves fraying, Ethan clenched his fists. “I’m sorry for betraying you years ago. I was a fool—blinded by greed. Give me another chance, and I’ll make it right.”

“You shouldn’t be saying such things to my fiancée,” a voice cut in, warm and edged with steel. “I’m a jealous man. Standing even a meter from her breaks my heart.”

Andy wheeled toward them.

Alicia’s frosty demeanor melted at the sight of him. Her fierce gaze softened, and a smile curved her lips. “Honey,” she breathed, crossing the room in quick strides. She hugged him, pressed a kiss to his cheek. “When did you get back?”

“Not long ago,” Andy said, smiling.

“Let’s go to my office and talk,” she suggested, lifting a brow.

“Mm.” He nodded.

They moved side by side toward the door, leaving Ethan standing there—humiliated, invisible.

His jaw tightened. “Alicia,” he called after them, voice sharp with desperation, “does he know who you really are? Do you think he’ll still love you once he does? The wealthy marry the wealthy, no matter their condition. Don’t be deceived. He’ll walk away when he learns the truth. Don’t let your heart be broken again.”

Andy didn’t bother to look back. “A frog at the bottom of a well has no opinion on those who chart the sky,” he said, calm and cutting. “What does the poor know about the rich that you speak with such certainty?”