Chapter: 430

He remembered last night when he walked past the study. Alicia was there, surrounded by sheets of manuscript paper, her eyes red and weary.

He had assumed she was preparing lessons, but in reality, she was writing a song for Gerry.

Gerry sighed, “When I saw her today, her eyes were bloodshot. She must have pulled an all-nighter."

Caden swirled his glass thoughtfully. “When did she meet up with you?" he asked.

“We had lunch together around noon," Gerry answered. "She even introduced me to her friend Monica."

Caden pressed his lips together.

Earlier, when his call with Alicia had abruptly ended, he'd heard faint noises in the background and suspected she was with another man.

Seeing Gerry now, a fleeting doubt crossed his mind, but it was quickly dismissed.

He was certain nothing romantic would happen between Gerry and Alicia.

"Honestly, you should stop making things difficult for her," Gerry said, nudging Caden with his elbow. “I'm actually thinking about hiring her. I don't want her to have any issues with me because of your attitude."

Caden responded coolly, "I've never made things difficult for her."

"Stop denying it," Gerry retorted, his eyes narrowing. "The tension between you two earlier was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. It felt like you wanted to kill each other."

Caden fell silent for a moment before swiftly changing the topic. "So, when is your movie coming out?"

“After the Christmas," Gerry replied. "The last one did well, but the profits weren't great after all the expenses."

"I'll finance half of the new movie," Caden offered casually, swirling his drink.

Gerry, taken aback by the offer, eyed him warily. "Why? What are you up to?"

“What could I possibly want from you?" Caden retorted, his tone sharp.

"You tell me. We've been friends for years," Gerry stepped back, half -joking, “There's no such thing as a free lunch. What's going on? You got a crush on me or something?"

"I have a crush on your mom," Caden shot back sarcastically.

“Damn it!" Gerry exclaimed, laughing despite himself. "So that's your real agenda?"

Caden rolled his eyes and set down his glass. “Forget it. The offer's off the table."

Gerry quickly changed his tune. "Wait, no need to be hasty. I wouldn't refuse something free."

Since entering the industry, Gerry had risen to fame quickly, largely thanks to his family's support. Their help had been invaluable in the early days, but it always weighed on him.

Caden knew Gerry had always wanted to achieve something significant to prove himself on his own terms.

“Once it's a hit, we'll split the profits, Gerry proposed with a grin."

“I recognize a lost cause when I see one," Caden remarked dryly.

After a moment's pause, Gerry returned to the pressing question. "Why are you suddenly so eager to support me?"

Caden gave a nonchalant shrug. “I have more money than I know what to do with."

Gerry stared at him, slack-jawed and speechless.

Meanwhile, Alicia stood captivated by a renowned painting in the art gallery.