Chapter: 390

Caden turned to her with a frown. Why was she particularly chatty today?

He paused in the doorway, keeping his eyes forward to watch the rain that had started to fall. "Do I look like a playboy to you?"

Alicia shamelessly looked him up and down. “Dude, you look like the spokesperson of the entire playboy population."

Caden pressed his lips into a thin line, regretting the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“When was your first time?" Alicia whispered persistently. "Was it in high school or were you already in college?"

Instead of answering her, Caden countered her question with one of his own. “When was yours?"

Alicia pulled back, her expression blank. She didn't answer him either.

But something about his demeanor struck her, and her eyes widened with disbelief. "Was your first time that night at the cinema?"

Caden ignored her. He couldn't be bothered to entertain any more of her endless chatter. He opened his umbrella and strode into the rain.

Alicia hurried after him, shielding her head with both of her hands.

“No way! Was it really your first time?"

Caden's eyes narrowed slightly. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he turned to her and blurted out, "Is that even possible? What do you take me for? I'm not like you, who stayed a virgin throughout her two years of marriage."

Alicia's eyes dimmed slightly. "You're getting personal, Mr. Ward. Don't you think that's a little uncalled for?"

They only had one umbrella between them, and Alicia wasn't planning on getting wet. Despite her irritation, she sidled up closer to Caden.

Without missing a beat, he reached over with his hand holding the umbrella, and pulled her into his embrace.

Alicia cried out softly in surprise.

“What, are you being shy now? This isn't the first time I've held you in my arms."

But she just pushed his hand so that he was firmly under the umbrella. "You shouldn't get yourself wet."

Caden pulled her even closer. "A little rain wouldn't hurt me."

“But my books will get wet!"

Caden could only huff in response.

The bookstore wasn't far from the apartment, so their journey didn't take long.

The two figures moved down the street, one tall, the other petite, and soon disappeared from view.

The night wind was chilly and biting.

Not too far away, a car was parked under a sycamore tree.

Joshua held a cigarette between his fingers, letting it burn without taking a single puff. His gaze was fixed in the direction Caden and Alicia had left, long after they were gone.

Up until then, he had always thought that Caden's interest in Alicia was superficial, something fleeting and insignificant. Joshua had been convinced that it would wane in a matter of days.

But after seeing them leave the bookstore, laughing and bantering with each other...

It looked like they were serious about each other.

Joshua's lips curled into a sneer.