Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Alicia had no intention of staying any longer. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the house, eager to escape the madness.
The door slammed behind her, but the room remained in disarray.
Lilliana’s face was swollen, and her cries pierced the room as she gasped between sobs.
Joshua’s irritation grew stronger with each sob, and he struggled to hold back his frustration. He brought some ice and gently pressed it against her face to reduce the swelling.
When the room fell silent, he asked, “What did Alicia mean by ‘drug’?”
Hatred filled Lilliana’s tearful eyes.
Without hesitation, she confessed, “On your second wedding anniversary, I drugged her with a love potion so she’d sleep with someone else.”
Joshua’s chest tightened, and anger surged within him. He fought to suppress the curses that threatened to spill from his mouth.
Lilliana noticed his dark expression and asked, “What? Do you feel bad for her now? Are you upset? I only did it to make sure she wouldn’t hold on to you and refuse the divorce!”
Joshua shut his eyes, fighting to control his anger.
Fury coursed through him, and he wanted to strangle her for her stupidity. However, he couldn’t afford to lose the powerful influence of Lilliana’s family.
“No,” Joshua muttered, pushing down his rage as he held her close. “She’s nothing more than a housekeeper to me.”
“Then why do you look so upset?” Lilliana questioned, her voice trembling slightly.
Joshua forced himself to stay calm and responded, “I planned to wait until after my father passed to file for divorce. But I won’t let you suffer. What’s done is done.”
After hearing his explanation, Lilliana softened. “Don’t worry. I’ll have my father support you,” she said, trying to offer reassurance.
She said softly, touching her stomach, “And now that I’m pregnant, Caden won’t be able to challenge you.”
Joshua didn’t respond.
Right now, he didn’t care about the inheritance. All he could feel was a restlessness he couldn’t shake.
It took Lilliana what felt like forever to compose herself.
“If it weren’t for my status, I would have sent her to jail the moment she laid a hand on me!” Lilliana exclaimed, her voice filled with anger. “Joshua, you need to do something about that bitch. Teach her a lesson!”
“Fine. I’ll do that,” Joshua muttered, his tone weary.
He then went to the study to smoke a cigarette. Images of Alicia flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
He thought of how gentle she had been and how, in the end, she had become decisive and ruthless. The way she had looked at him with pure hatred when she slapped him-her eyes burning with intensity-was forever etched in his memory.
All these thoughts of Alicia made him realize something: the woman who had once adored him was no longer his. She had completely transformed into someone else.
Even after exhaling the last puff of smoke, Joshua still felt restless.
On impulse, he pulled out his phone and transferred a large sum of money to Alicia.
The message accompanying the transfer read, “Think carefully about what I said before.”
Joshua couldn’t let go of all the years they had spent together. He just couldn’t accept it.
Moments later, just as he was about to light another cigarette, his phone buzzed with a reply from Alicia.
He opened it quickly, filled with anticipation.
“I took a screenshot of this and sent it to Lilliana.”
The money was immediately returned to his account-every single penny.
The following morning, Lilliana saw Alicia’s message, and fury boiled within her. She stormed into the room, her voice sharp and cutting as she confronted Joshua.
“Explain yourself! What did you want her to ‘think carefully about’?” Her words dripped with accusation. “What kind of shady deal are you tangled up in this time?”
Joshua, having spent the entire night preparing his excuse, remained unnervingly calm. He knew she’d come at him like this.
“She’s impulsive, you know that. After what happened, I worried she might cause a scandal online, so I paid her off to keep quiet.”
Lilliana’s eyes narrowed, skepticism etched on her face. “And why didn’t you think to discuss this with me first?”
Joshua employed his usual charm, pulling her close, his arms wrapping around her like a soothing blanket.
“Don’t read too much into it, my love. If I was interested in her, do you think I’d have gone through all this trouble?” His voice was soft, almost pleading, as he pressed a tender kiss to her lips.
His explanation seemed reasonable enough, and despite her lingering doubts, Lilliana was naturally inclined to believe him.
Slowly, the tension in her shoulders melted away, and she gave in to the warmth of his embrace.
“Alright,” she whispered after a moment, resting her head against his chest. “But don’t contact her again.”
“Of course.” Joshua, sensing victory, reassured her with a quick nod. “Also, I paid Caden a fortune to keep him out of our hair. All of this-it’s for us.” His words worked like a charm.
Pouting like a spoiled child, Lilliana nestled into him and murmured, “Fine, I forgive you.”
But in her mind, Alicia was far from forgiven. She’d give that bitch a piece of her mind in due time.
Those two slaps, satisfying as they were, had nearly given Lilliana a concussion.
Alicia knew Lilliana wouldn’t let it go, and to avoid dragging Monica into the inevitable storm, she quietly rented a new apartment. As she packed, Monica hovered nearby, her face pinched with concern.
“Are you sure you have enough money?” Monica asked, glancing at Alicia with worry.
She was well aware that Alicia had left her marriage with nothing, so she fished out her phone and started tapping away. “Here, let me transfer some cash to you.”
Alicia quickly pressed Monica’s hand down, stopping her. “I’m fine,” she assured her friend with a gentle smile. “Remember, I did a few side gigs before all of this.”
Monica’s expression softened with sudden recollection. “Oh yeah, I completely forgot. Phew!”
Her face lit up as she remembered something else. “Oh! Guess what? Yesterday, Gerry Hopkins announced his new movie, and Lilliana’s writing the theme song!”
Alicia’s lips twitched into a sly smile, though her eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and disbelief. “Well, given how famous she is, it’s no shock she’s working with Gerry.”
Monica scoffed. “I mean, how dare she? She’s in way over her head. Doesn’t she know she’s a terrible songwriter?”
Alicia arched a brow, a hint of mischief playing on her face. “That’s her problem, not ours.”
Then, she gently squeezed Monica’s hand and offered a reassuring smile. “I have to head out now. Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone, okay?”
After settling into her new apartment, Alicia quickly sent her polished resume to Gerry’s inbox.
It didn’t take long before her phone buzzed, Gerry’s name lighting up the screen.
“Alicia,” Gerry’s voice was easygoing, laced with amusement. “Are you really trying to challenge Lilliana for the theme song? Did you lose a bet or something?”
Alicia chuckled softly, her lips curving into a smile. “The release date is still a ways off. By then, you’ll have to pick between the two of us. Just think of it as a fun little game.”
Gerry let out a low, amused chuckle. “You haven’t changed, Alicia-still competing with everyone, just like old times.”
Alicia shrugged, her tone light. “I’m just here to make some money, nothing more.”
“I’ve got more money than I can spend,” Gerry replied with a hint of teasing. “But I don’t have enough time to indulge in your little games. What’s a married woman like you doing meddling in the entertainment industry anyway?”
Alicia exhaled softly, her voice lowering as she said something that made Gerry pause.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again, this time with a bit more seriousness. “Alright, I’ll review it and get back to you.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Alicia replied smoothly, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
The first person Gerry called was Caden, the playful glint in his eyes evident in his tone. “Guess what? She’s actually going head-to-head with Lilliana!”
Caden scoffed incredulously. “Has she completely lost her mind?”
Gerry grinned, but then his tone shifted, surprising even Caden.
“I’m thinking of hiring her.”
Caden scoffed again, rolling his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. “You’ve got to be joking. Have you lost your mind too?”
“I have my reasons.”
Gerry was on the verge of bursting into laughter, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he continued, “You’ll never guess what she said to me.”
But by this point, Caden’s patience had worn thin. Not wanting to waste time on Gerry’s trivial games, he hung up abruptly.
Seconds later, Gerry’s number flashed on his screen again.
This time, Gerry’s voice was filled with challenge, daring. “How about this, Caden? Let’s make a bet. I’ll put my money on Alicia, you back Lilliana. The loser hands over a piece of land.”
Gerry’s confidence practically oozed through the phone, making Caden pause.
He leaned back, considering it for a moment before finally agreeing. “Fine,” he said, his tone firm. “You’re on. Have you told her yet?”
“Not yet. I was about to.”
Caden’s eyes flickered with mischief. “Don’t bother. Send her to me instead.”
Gerry and Lilliana had finalized and signed their contract a few days ago. But now, with Alicia stepping into the mix, Caden’s approval was required.
She knew how these things worked, so without hesitation, Alicia made her way over as soon as she was summoned.