Chapter: 324

Alicia's eyes burned with anger. "Why should I? Have you forgotten how you threatened me back then?"

Joshua began to think on the past.

How he threatened her? He had threatened her that if she didn't comply, he would walk away, and those drunks would pull her into a secluded area and assault her.

Trembling with fury, Alicia shouted, "You're no different from a rapist!"

Joshua's body went rigid.

He locked eyes with her.

It was true that she had changed.

She was no longer the Alicia he once knew.

The eyes before him were not the same gentle, smiling eyes he remembered.

He had been compelling her to stay here all along.

He suddenly felt a wave of defeat wash over him. Frustrated with his unresponsive body, he released her and turned to light a cigarette.

Seconds later, he received a call from Lilliana.

He answered the phone while exhaling a cloud of smoke. “What's going on, honey?"

In a sweet voice, Lilliana asked, "Are you finished with work? Do you mind joining me for a stroll?"

Joshua glanced at Alicia.

She had already finished smoothing out her clothes and was standing at a distance, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Yeah," he replied flatly. "I'll be there soon."

After he hung up, Alicia told him, “Nothing stays hidden forever. Your company is about to go public, and Lilliana is planning her return to work. Do you really want to risk losing everything because of me?"

Joshua knew exactly what mattered most.

He valued power far too much to ruin it all over a woman.

Still, he had no intention of letting Caden have Alicia without a fight.

He didn't respond directly.

Instead, he grabbed her phone from the bed and started walking out.

Alicia's expression tightened. “What do you think you're doing, Joshua?"

Outside the room, Georgia and Shelia had been listening in on the entire situation.

Alicia tried to catch up with Joshua, but he shoved her back without hesitation.

He handed her phone to Georgia. “Don't let her leave until I return."

Georgia didn't hesitate to follow his orders.

She grabbed the phone and stashed it away. “Yes, Mr. Yates!"

Alicia made a desperate attempt to get her phone, but Joshua forced her back into the room and slammed the door shut, locking it behind him.