?<strong>Chapter 1398:</strong>


    It was only when Kenji showed up that Scarlette finally agreed toe downstairs and eat something.


    From their vantage point upstairs, Caden and Alicia watched Kenji’s every move with keen interest.


    Below, a touching scene unfolded as Kenji gently fed Scarlette the soup prepared by the housekeeper, carefully coaxing her to take her medicine.


    A soft chuckle escaped Alicia’s lips. “Caden, he’s so much like you were in your younger days.”


    Caden’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Who’s to say it’s not all for show?”


    “Oh,e now,” Alicia sighed. “Scarlette has your genes. No matter how naive she might seem, she wouldn’t fall for a simple act. The way she’s drawn to Kenji… there must be genuine goodness in him.”


    Caden remained silent, his thoughts unreadable.


    When Kenji pulled Scarlette into an embrace and kissed her, Caden turned away, his expression guarded. “Honey, I need to step out for a while.”


    “The virus is spreading like wildfire,” Alicia said, worry evident in her voice. “There’s talk of a citywide lockdown. It’s not safe here. Kenji should return to Banta.”


    “Alright.” Caden intertwined his fingers gently with hers. “I can’t say when I’ll return. Don’te looking for me unless you hear directly from me.”


    Alicia’s eyes lowered, her unease palpable in her silence.


    Though Kenji had heard rumors about the virus, his primary concernsy elsewhere. With Scarlette’s recent illness, his ce was firmly at her side, caring for her. Truth be told, even if she were perfectly healthy, nothing could pull him away—not until he’d earned her forgiveness.


    “Is Mr. Ward heading to theboratory?” Kenji inquired. “Perhaps I could be of assistance?”


    Alicia shook her head firmly. “Thanks, but no. It’s far too dangerous. The hospitals haven’t developed any effective treatments yet—that’s exactly why he must go.”


    Kenji’s expression darkened. The virus hadn’t struck without warning. A wave of deaths had preceded this moment. Although emergency treatments had temporarily slowed the crisis, infected patients faced a grueling path, with full recovery far from certain. One of his former colleagues, a senior researcher who had worked alongside him on rted experiments, had attempted to exploit the crisis for profit and was now facing legal repercussions.


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    “I have experience in this field,” Kenji said earnestly. “I might be able to help. Mr. Ward shouldn’t shoulder this burden alone. My expertise could prove valuable.”


    “I trust he can resolve this. I just worry…” Alicia replied, her voice trailing off. Anxiety gnawed at her heart—the thought of him working in close proximity to deadly pathogens, the constant risk of infection hanging over him like a dark cloud.


    Kenji’s resolve hardened upon hearing this. “I’ll assist Mr. Ward with the research.”


    “What about Scarlette?” Alicia protested, concern evident in her voice. “You’ve only just found your way back to each other. This separation… and you don’t even know when you’ll return. Please, don’t worry. Caden has Roscoe’s support. They’ll manage this.”


    Kenji’s head snapped up, suddenly alert. “Roscoe is there?”


    He pressed his lips together tightly. That clever fox—always working diligently behind the scenes.


    “Yes,” Alicia confirmed with a nod. “He’s as stubborn as ever. I couldn’t dissuade him.”


    “Then I must go,” Kenji dered without hesitation.


    Before departing, Kenji chose not to reveal the full truth to Scarlette. Instead, he crafted a gentler exnation—mentioning an experiment that demanded his attention and would keep him away for some time.


    With Alicia’s silent cooperation reinforcing the facade, Scarlette epted his exnation without question. Yet, nothing prepared her for the reality as his absence stretched into months.


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