Critical Points are a time consideration.
Point of No Returns are a fuel consideration.
It doesn't matter whether you are going to need holding at the destination or not - what you're working out in a CP problem is the time taken to fly to either airport - not the time taken to pull up at the gate.
If one of the airports needs holding fuel, well, carry holding fuel.
Say you had your engine failure at a point other than the CP. If it's before the CP, you turn around and fly home. If it's after the CP, you keep going.
If this was a OEI situation, and the destination (ML) was Acceptable and required 30mins to become Suitable, and AS was Suitable, would you plan to AS, for the purposes of calculating fuel required for DP scenario in accordance with company policy?
OK, say you had your engine failure 15 minutes before you got the the CP.
Would you then have enough fuel to go on to Alice and land with all reserves intact?