Chapter 140:
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Feeling encouraged by her conversation with Gina, Alice decided not to invite her to lunch due to the unusual circumstances and instead opted to join Monica. Sheid out a generous amount of dishes on the table.
As Monica settled in, she asked, “Are we alone?”
Alice, pecking at her food, agreed. “Yes, just the two of us.”
Monica looked at the table, perplexed. “Is all this really just for…?”
“It’s a celebration,” Alicia exined, briefly sharing details of her recent split from Joshua. “I don''t have to go to the Yates mansion or keep up appearances anymore. “I can do whatever I want now.”
He raised his ss of milk in a toast. “Gina has also offered me her support.”
Monica, recognizing the meaning of Alicia''s words, agreed that they did indeed have reason to celebrate.
“Yet you are still depressed. What is the reason?” Monica gently touched Alicia’s forehead.
Alice gave a small smile. “No, I''m fine. “I’m just very hungry.”
But in truth, Alicia was feeling rather gloomy. The events of the previous day at the Yates mansion had mostly left her scared, worried that they might act rashly. After tending to her foot wound, she had tried to talk to Caden, but his indifference had stung her.
Eating quietly, Alice turned to Monica. “Monica, are youing with me somewhere after this?”
Alicia had signed up for a wrestling ss, and Monica was fully supportive of her decision. They had chosen apetent instructor and signed up for several self-defense sessions.
They dressed in training clothes, ready to train.
Monica, noticing Alicia''s distress, attributed it to the stress of recent events. "Imagine Joshua as a punching bag. Hit him hard to release your anger. Afterwards, you will feel ready to face him."
Alicia looked at the punching bag, considering it a useful way to channel her emotions.
Monica grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and wrote Joshua''s name on it. She then handed it to Alicia. After a brief moment of contemtion, Alicia wrote Caden''s name on another piece of paper and ced it on top of Joshua''s.
"We''re going to beat them both up," Alice dered.
Visualizing the papers as Caden''s face, he threw a powerful punch. The blow was so hard that Monica trembled. At that very moment, in his office, Caden felt an unexpected chill run down his spine.
He looked outside and noticed that the sky had darkened again.
Hank came knocking on the door.
“Mr. “Ward, haven’t you eaten anything today?” Hank asked, aware of how demanding Caden''s day had been and wary of his temper, but still knowing it was crucial that Caden eat.
Caden, no longer showing his displeasure, asked Hank to make a dinner reservation.
Sensing a change in the atmosphere, Hank cautiously ventured, "Mr. Ward, has there been any disagreement with Miss Bet?"
Caden replied tly, “Why would I argue with her?”
“You haven''t been hometely, and you seem… off. Who else but Mrs. Bet could be causing this?” Hank ventured a guess. “Did one of you make a mistake?”
Caden quickly changed the subject. “How is the task I gave you going?”
“Everything''s fine,” Hank assured him promptly.
Caden had instructed Hank to contact Randolph and ask him to unravel Joshua''s finances at the bank, as Joshua was preparing an IPO and urgently needed the funds. Randolph''s interference had dyed several ns.
Hank couldn''t help but gloat. "Now the Yates family must be in turmoil."
Caden showed little interest, considering it just another taskpleted.
"There''s a bigger surpriseing," he murmured, hinting at a shock Alice had orchestrated.
With Alice in mind, Caden felt a surge of excitement, almost like a teenager in love.
Just as they arrived at the restaurant, Joshua''s call came in.
“What''s going on, Joshua?” Caden replied.
“You’re quite the tactician, Caden,” Joshua’s voice carried a menacing edge.
Laughing, Caden replied, “What''s the problem? Just a liquidity problem, right? Does that confuse you?” The underlying rivalry was evident.
Joshua, with no options for retaliation, resigned himself, but he had another question.
"Is the timing of your move due to Alicia?"
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