Chapter 0565
Chapter 0565
Alex watched quietly as Candice entered the room and approached the desk. She had been here so many times that she knew the way without even thinking about it.
On the desk were two contracts.
When Candice read them, she was shocked and abruptly looked up at Alex.
One contract involved transferring ownership of Aether Corporation's branch to her. The other was for transferring all of Alex's assets. Both contracts were signed by him.
Besides the documents lay a pen, waiting for Candice's signature.
"I've thought long and hard about what I can give you," Alex began.
"After much consideration, I realized these are the most practical things I can offer. It wouldn't be genuine to tie you down with emotions I don't truly feel, so-"
He paused and stepped closer to Candice.
"I just want to say I'm sorry for everything I've done to you in the past. Now, it's my turn to suffer, but you deserve a way out."
Candice tried to speak but couldn't find her voice. She felt overwhelmed. Alex was giving her a significant amount of money and his assets, but she couldn't accept it.
"I don't want it," she finally said firmly.
"And what do you mean by 'way out'? You're being too presumptuous. I never asked to be with you. You're still as self-centered as ever. I won't accept whatever you want to give me. I want nothing to do with you."
Candice shook her head. She understood the implications of those contracts, but she refused to take them.
Alex seemed to have expected her response. He reached out to comfort her, placing his warm hand on her face.
"How about we make a bet?" he suggested softly.
"A bet? What kind?" Candice asked.
"A bet on whether I can be with you openly and honestly," Alex explained, tempting Candice with a trap he had set.
"If you win, I'll admit defeat. If I win, consider it a gift for you."
The contracts on the desk were essentially Alex's way of giving up everything he had for Candice. It wasn't a hard decision for him, considering he didn't have much else to offer.
Despite his claim to want to win her back, was Alex's sincerity all he had to rely on? How useful could it be when even he felt it was insincere? Especially after the incident with Oscar, Alex realized that nothing was certain as he could die tomorrow.
In this situation, he had to ensure Candice's future well-being. He wanted to make sure she was financially secure and safe even if they didn't end up together. He wanted Candice to
live a life of luxury and comfort.
He had nurtured Candice, so he felt responsible for her for a lifetime. Despite his past mistakes and the time lost, he was determined to make it up to her gradually. He used to hurt her, but now, he wanted to help her blossom again.
Although Alex tried to appear confident and fearless, every time he saw Candice's cold gaze, he felt a pang in his heart.
Despite this, he knew he had brought it upon himself and deserved to suffer.
As Candice looked at the contracts, her hand trembled slightly.
The significance of these contracts made it hard for Candice to stay calm.
She had been with Alex for so long, seeing him revive the Aether Corporation branch and secure his position within it.
Now, he was offering the company he had poured all his efforts into before her.
He even claimed it was a way out he had planned for her.
Candice bit her lip, struggling to control her emotions. She moved to the side to avoid Alex's hand and hesitated before leaving the office. Though Alex wanted to follow her, Candice stopped at the door.
In a hoarse voice, she commanded, "Don't follow me. I need some time alone."
He stayed put, his gaze showing deep concern for Candice.
Candice knew the building well. As soon as she stepped out of the office, she bumped into someone.
Kayla was surprised to see her. "Candice! Is that you? Someone mentioned seeing you downstairs, but I didn't believe it!"
Candice forced a smile and greeted her former colleague.
Kayla was thrilled to see Candice. She grabbed Candice's hand and led her to the lounge area downstairs.
With excitement in her eyes, Kayla said, "Did you and Mr. Elysian get back together? I heard someone mention that he was holding your hand when you two entered the office.
"I had a feeling! After you left,
everyone thought Sonia would takeContent is © by NôvelDrama.Org.
over, but Mr. Elysian grew distant from her and eventually fired her You wouldn't believe it, but he never let anyone touch your workstation after you left."
Lowering her voice, Kayla complained to Candice, "Winnie assigned an intern to your
workstation, but Alex scolded her so badly. That poor intern was scared stiff. He kept his distance from your desk after that. And there were tons of rumors about you in the office. You have no idea how juley they were."
Kayla spilled all the juicy gossip she had gathered on Candice.
Candice was clueless about what went down while she was away.
She listened intently as Kayla detailed the overtime slogs, the company's split from headquarters, and the sneaky moves by Daniel and Oscar.
While Candice had heard bits of these stories before, Kayla provided a deeper insight into the matter.
For instance, she learned how her file remained untouched. When HR wanted to wipe her records, Alex intervened. Despite his lack of words, his message was unmistakable.
Looking at Candice, Kayla cautiously
added, "You know, Mr. Elysian
mentioned something to me that only heard. He told me to take good care of your stuff and said you'd be back."
Aether Corporation had tight security measures with facial recognition needed to use the elevator.
As Candice stood before the elevator, she slowly lifted her gaze to the recognition area.
The next moment, the doors slid open, revealing the CEO's private elevator.
Only a select few had access to this elevator including Alex, Candice, Sawyer, and Julie.
Candice recalled Sonia not having access, as she often used the standard elevator. But maybe she was mistaken.
Now, she stared at the elevator in disbelief. It hit her that even after more than a year of leaving, she still had access to the company.