Chapter: 50

"Actually, I've reserved a spot at an exclusive rooftop restaurant downtown. Care to join us for dinner, Alicia?"

She hesitated, a flicker of discomfort passing over her features.

But declining might not sit well with her business relationship with Gerry, so she nodded- albeit reluctantly.

The restaurant, located in the heart of the city, was a thirty-minute drive away.

Gerry settled into the front passenger seat, while Alicia and Caden found themselves sharing the backseat.

Unspoken, they both gravitated toward their respective windows, the space between them wide enough to park a car.

Gerry, ever the optimist, was already scrolling through prime properties for sale.

He specifically looked for photos of pricey, hard-to-obtain pieces of real estate.

Smiling gleefully, he even showed a few to Caden. “How about this one?"

Caden gave the photos a dismissive glance, his tone frosty. "Why not go for the White House while you're at it?"

"If you can get it, I'll take it," Gerry joked without missing a beat.

More pictures followed.

"Just pick one from these," Gerry said complacently.

Caden's lips twisted into a faint smirk. "Careful. Wouldn't want to count your eggs before they've hatched, would you?"

Alicia shifted slightly beside him, the subtle movement catching Caden's attention.

He turned his head, his gaze sharp.

She quickly stiffened, pretending to be engrossed in the scenery outside.

Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, obscuring half of her face.

But Caden still saw that her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

He said nothing, but his gaze lingered before turning back to the conversation.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Caden and Gerry got off promptly.

Alicia, however, lingered in her seat.

“Mr. Hopkins," she called after him with an apologetic smile, “go ahead. I need to touch up my makeup.”

Gerry, knowing how much women cared about their looks, simply nodded.

“No rush. When you're ready, just tell the concierge to bring you up. Use my name."

“Thank you."

Caden shot her a brief glance before heading for the entrance.

Beside him, Gerry strolled casually, rattling off the latest entertainment gossip as if nothing was amiss.

Out of nowhere, Caden stopped in his tracks.

"Hang on, I think I left my phone in the car. You go on ahead. I'll catch up."