Chapter: 245

She disregarded the persistent knocking on the door and escaped into the bathroom to freshen up.

By the time she emerged, the knocking had ceased.

She slipped into her pajamas.

Glancing at her phone, she noted that operations at the studio were proceeding without a hitch.

Phoebe had sent an update on recent orders to keep her in the loop.

She then texted, "How's your stay at Alan's? No fights, I hope?"

Phoebe, her closest friend, had sensed they might butt heads.

Irritated, Kaitlin responded tersely, "No fights."

She questioned whether she was deceiving Phoebe or herself.

As she set her phone aside and settled in for the night, there was another knock at the door. Frustrated, she shouted, "Enough with the knocking! I'm trying to sleep!"

The knocking halted, and a voice responded, "Ms. Gilbert, you haven't had your nightly hot milk."

Kaitlin listened intently. It wasn't Alan. It was the housemaid.

Every night, to guarantee a restful sleep, she would sip a glass of warm milk before heading to bed.

With a resigned sigh, she chose to yield and rose to open the door.

"Hand it over."

She accepted the milk from the tray, when suddenly Alan stood in the doorway, blocking her path.

“What are you doing?" she asked testily.

“Kaitlin, are you going to bed? I can't sleep by myself," he responded.

The maid discreetly exited, leaving them to their conversation.

Clutching the milk, Kaitlin found herself too weary to debate. "What is it now?"

"Kaitlin, please calm down. I barely spoke to Ashley." Alan slipped inside and shut the door softly behind him.

Kaitlin felt a lump in her throat as the tension in the room thickened. "You should go. I need some sleep."

But Alan stayed put, his eyes lingering on the glass of milk in her hand. “Finish your milk first, then hand me the cup."

Kaitlin studied him, but opted to not dwell on his intentions. She finished her milk and gave him the cup. “Are you satisfied? Now get out."