?<strong>Chapter 717:</strong>


    “Caden,” Benedict called after him. Caden halted, only slightly, without turning around.


    “Alicia will be your downfall,” Benedict said, his voice t and resigned.


    “And you will be hers.”


    At the hospital, Alicia’s dizziness had subsided after taking her medication. Her hand instinctively moved to her abdomen, relieved to feel no difort. Behind the curtain, Caden stood with the doctor, who spoke in a measured tone.


    “Ms. Bet was drugged, but it’s not severe. She’ll need a few days of rest, but there are no injuries. She can be discharged this afternoon.”


    Caden’s expression remained stoic.


    “Are there any side effects from the drug?”


    “No, though it was administered in arge dose. She won’t remember anything after passing out,” the doctor replied.


    Alicia’s ears perked up at the sound of Caden’s voice. She pushed herself up slowly to sit.


    “And ke?” Caden asked, his tone sharpening.


    “What was he given?”


    Alicia’s body froze, listening intently. The doctor exhaled heavily.


    “A potent aphrodisiac, with potentially dangerous consequences. If not relieved, it could be fatal.”


    A tense silence settled between them.


    “But he survived,” Caden stated, his voice cold and measured.


    Alicia’s hands began to tremble as she got up, the urge to face Caden oveing her hesitation. From outside the curtain, his detached voice carried over.


    “Let me know when she wakes up.”


    Panic set in, and Alicia rushed out barefoot, ignoring the chill of the hospital floor. She pulled back the curtain and called, “Caden!”


    He stopped mid-step and turned back, his eyes narrowing at the sight of her standing there, thinly dressed and unsteady. His expression tightened as he moved forward and scooped her up.


    “You’re not well yet. Why rush out like this?”


    Alicia wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as though her life depended on it. The damage was already done; anger wouldn’t change that. All she wanted now was to reassure him, to erase his doubts.


    “Caden, let them do a checkup,” she whispered, abandoning her pride.


    “Let them prove it to you, please.”


    Caden ced her gently back on the bed, his hand covering her face, blocking her view of his expression.


    “I trust you,” he said, his voice low and steady.


    “There’s no need for a checkup.”


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