My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)

Chapter 0405

Candice stood at the doorway, meeting Alex's probing gaze with clear eyes, showing no signs of guilt or deceit. She calmly accepted his scrutiny.

His eyes met hers as if seeking evidence to challenge her words.

However, Candice skillfully avoided giving him any opportunity by shifting her gaze to a plant behind him.

She gently reminded him, "You should be carefully mindful of Abel's involvement. He may be targeting me."

Abel had taken excellent care of Burning Star Studios and Hanley. He had indeed made a significant contribution to their success, and Hanley had mentioned that Abel was his mentor.

Therefore, Candice immediately dismissed the idea that Abel was targeting her at the start.

Despite this, she couldn't comprehend why Abel would engage in such behavior, especially considering that the laboratory was his own, but it appeared that they were not of interest to her.

Turning her attention back to Alex, who remained rooted in place, she spoke in a cold tone, "I've made my point. You can leave now."

With that, she turned to close the door but felt resistance as Alex's hand braced against the door frame with such force that his knuckles became defined and his veins bulged.

"Let go," she commanded firmly.

With his gaze profound, he seemed to be holding his breath as he lowered them. His eyes reflected a deep intensity that struck her as odd.

He locked his gaze at her for a long time before he finally uttered, "Candy."

Alex's voice carried a weight, almost as if each syllable were carefully ground between his lips and teeth.

At that moment, a crisp voice sounded from the end of the hallway, calling out "Candy" loudly enough to drown out Alex's low voice.

Both Candice and Alex turned their heads in the direction of the voice.

Barox arrived with his luggage, wearing a sour expression as his gaze landed on Alex's hand that was gripping the door frame.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he declared, "I've just sorted out my room booking. Let's go out for dinner."

Then he added, "It's meant to be a romantic dinner for couples."

Candice initially appeared stunned by his serious demeanor but soon grasped his intentions. She agreed with a nod, replying, "Okay."

Pulling out a piece of candy from his pocket, Barox presented it to Candice with his palm open. He explained, "I received this when I was checking in at the front desk. Since you have low blood sugar, you can have this for now."

Candice fell silent, realizing she had never disclosed her hypoglycemia condition to Barox.

Nevertheless, she accepted the candy and glanced back at Alex. Her expression remained composed as she stated, "I have plans tonight. I won't be having the dinner delivered by Shawn."

Observing the interaction, Barox turned to Candice and asked thoughtfully, "Did I interrupt your work? Is he your colleague?"

Not being part of Alex's circle, Barox genuinely appeared puzzled as he asked the question.

Candice glanced down before slowly raising her eyes to meet Barox's gaze. She responded, "He's a business partner collaborating with my firm. You’ve disrupted nothing; we're off work now."

With that, she retreated into her room to grab her bag. When she came out, her stare at Alex was a clear indication that he should leave.

Addressing Alex, she stated firmly, "We're heading out for dinner now, Mr. Elysian. It's inappropriate for you to linger outside my door."

Alex looked at her. His face was expressionless, but there was a hint of radiance on his pale skin. His lips were tightly pressed together, only his sharp eyes revealing a cryptic emotion.

Ignoring his presence, Candice locked the door and proceeded downstairs with Barox.

As they left, Alex watched them depart with a grim expression, hinting at an impending storm brewing within him.

Inside the elevator, Candice asked, "Which hotel did you book?" Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

"I didn't book any rooms. It's just something I said," Barox responded, his hands in his pockets. "I was checking in when I saw your WhatsApp message. I didn't have time to do that."

About ten minutes had passed from the time Candice had sent him the text message to this point. She knew his excuse was just a random one, but she didn't mind.

Candice graciously offered, "In that case, I'll treat you to dinner."

She had no intention of booking the romantic dinner for couples as Barox had suggested. Instead, they found a nearby restaurant and had a relaxed, casual dinner.

Luckily, Barox wasn't particular about where they dined.

At one point, they even called Yana.

Yana, always eager for gossip, was thrilled to hear the whole story.

Candice shook her head amusedly and focused on her meal, allowing Barox to chat with Yana.

As she observed Barox conversing with Yana, Candice noticed that his demeanor was different from the stiffness and formality he displayed with her. He seemed more relaxed and youthful despite their banter. Barox was surprisingly accommodating toward Yana.

A realization dawned on Candice as she observed Barox. There was a meaningful look in her eyes as she glanced at him.

Barox had booked a room opposite Candice's. He said, "We have to make the act convincing, or Yana won't buy it."

Candice saw the logic in his reasoning and didn't object.

Before turning in for the night, she received several text messages from Henry. This time, it wasn't an apology but rather a demand for a serious conversation.

Without responding, she simply powered off her phone and went to sleep.

The following morning, upon opening her door, she found Barox standing there holding a paper bag containing breakfast.

He looked up when Candice emerged from her room.

She sensed his irritability even before he spoke. Hesitantly, she asked, "You're up early?"

Barox's voice was rough as he replied, "Yana called me at six in the morning to remind me to bring you breakfast."

Candice advised, "You don't have to follow through with every suggestion of hers."

Barox offered no response, leaving it unclear whether he had taken her advice.

Instead of handing the breakfast to Candice, he carried it downstairs with her, and they inevitably encountered Alex and Sawyer in the lobby.

Sawyer was surprised to see Candice with a young man and contemplated whether to greet them since he hadn't met Barox the previous day.

However, he witnessed Barox handing breakfast to Candice and heard his words, "If you won't let me accompany you to work, you need to eat well. If you don't, I'll follow you to work tomorrow."

Accustomed to Barox's occasional gestures of thoughtfulness, she accepted the breakfast calmly.

She remarked softly, "You don't have to trouble yourself buying breakfast in the future. I can just grab something."

Although her tone was casual, with Barox present, it sounded somewhat coquettish.

Observing the exchange, Sawyer was left speechless. He instinctively turned to Alex, who was watching Candice with a dark gaze.

While Alex typically remained composed and aloof, his current expression seemed particularly chilly.

Recalling Shawn's instructions, Sawyer cleared his throat and suggested, "Candice, we're heading to the conference hall. Shall we go together?"

Candice looked up and rejected his offer coldly. "I'm alright. I can go by myself."

Barox's attention shifted to Sawyer after he made the suggestion.

As a young man in his early twenties, despite his demeanor being stern, his gaze remained sharp and piercing.

Addressing Sawyer but directing his words to Alex, Barox remarked, "Since you two are merely business partners, it's best not to overstep boundaries."