Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
A playful glimmer sparked in Caden’s deep-set eyes. “She’s making such a fuss over a run-of-the-mill song, don’t you think?”
“I’d say Mr. Joshua Yates isn’t too thrilled about the situation. Lilliana’s working for us now-her success ensures profit for us. I bet Mr. Yates is fuming that all his hard work is lining our pockets instead.”
Caden, however, remained expressionless, his gaze unreadable.
At the mention of Joshua, Hank suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, and by the way, Mr. Ward, a paparazzo caught Mr. Joshua Yates sneaking out of Miss Bennett’s place earlier today.”
Caden’s eyebrows lifted slightly, a spark of interest flickering briefly in his cold eyes. “Old flames reigniting?”
“Hard to say,” Hank replied cautiously, as if walking on eggshells. “But I doubt Miss Bennett would be that naive.”
Caden snorted.
The naive Alicia he knew wasn’t built for playing mind games.
And her body couldn’t handle much teasing.
If Joshua had any real intentions, Alicia would probably fall right into his arms.
Caden’s tone was indifferent, almost bored. “Her body, her choice.”
Five days later.
Alicia clutched the music sheet close to her chest as she stepped into the recording studio, her heart racing. Gerry was already there, lounging by the door. His usual charming grin stretched across his handsome face. “I thought you’d bailed on me.”
Alicia greeted him politely, offering a small smile. “Mr. Hopkins.”
Gerry waved her off, laughing. “Come on, just call me Gerry like the old days.”
They were classmates back in the day. Gerry had always been Caden’s best friend and had witnessed every spat and stolen glance between her and Caden. After graduation, they had taken different paths, but Alicia had once been the star of the school-not just for her talent, but for how she always kept Caden at arm’s length. On a spiritual level, she was a notch above Gerry.
Gerry led her into the recording studio, gleaming with state-of-the-art equipment and an arrangement team that could rival the best in the business.
“Go ahead and get settled,” Gerry said, gesturing toward the mic. “I’ll give it a listen from outside.”
As soon as he stepped out of the studio, his phone buzzed. It was Caden calling.
“Hey, right in the nick of time. Alicia just got here to record,” Gerry informed him casually.
Caden’s voice came through the phone, cool and uninterested. “And?”
He was about to lead an international meeting, but the mention of Alicia, as always, distracted him.
Gerry clicked his tongue, his voice dripping with amusement. “Aren’t you coming? This is your archenemy’s first time recording a song. Don’t you want front-row seats?”
Caden’s lips curled into a smirk. “Why would I waste my time listening to a monkey screech?”
With that, he hung up, the sharp click cutting the conversation short.
Beside Caden, Hank was hunched over his computer, fingers moving cautiously across the keyboard as he double-checked the system for any signs of viruses. It seemed the last incident had really shaken him up.
The video call with the foreign executives soon began, filling the room with a rapid-fire exchange of data in crisp, clear tones. Caden’s mind sifted through the technical jargon with ease, interrupting only to ask pointed questions before he ended the meeting earlier than expected.
“Mr. Ward,” Hank said, checking the clock. “There’s still some time. Any plans tonight?”
Caden stood, grabbing his coat with swift motion.
“Let’s go hear the monkey sing,” he said with a sly smile.
When they arrived at the studio, Alicia had just finished her first take.
Through the glass window of the recording booth, Caden’s eyes settled on her. She stood with her head slightly bowed, her fingers trailing across the sheet music as she reviewed her lyrics.
Under the warm spotlight, her already delicate features seemed to glow, adding a graceful softness to her flawless skin. There was also an undeniable confidence in the way she carried herself-serious, focused, yet undeniably captivating.
This woman might’ve been a hopeless romantic, but even Caden had to admit her figure was beyond reproach.
His attention then shifted to Gerry, seated off to the side, eyes closed, headphones on, completely absorbed in the music.
Caden raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Hey,” he called out.
But Gerry didn’t flinch-not even a twitch.
Caden turned to Gerry’s assistant, deadpan.
“Is your boss high on something?”
As soon as Caden finished speaking, Gerry’s eyes flickered open. It took him a few seconds to process that Caden was standing right beside him.
Eyes widening, Gerry pulled the headphones off and, in confusion, asked, “When did you get here?”
“Just now, actually.”
Caden had arrived late, so Alicia had already finished recording the song. There was no way she would perform it again just because he’d walked in. Not that it mattered-Caden wasn’t particularly interested in the music. He was there for the fun, nothing more.
But Gerry’s reaction was something else entirely. “It’s exactly what I envisioned-actually, beyond what I expected. No wonder she’s able to compete with you for the top spot. She’s got real talent, Caden.”
Caden studied him, intrigued. Gerry, a man rarely impressed, especially when it came to other artists, seemed unusually enthusiastic.
“Is that so?” Caden replied, his tone deliberately indifferent. “Guess I’m going to lose our bet.”
“Better get that land ready for the transfer,” Gerry quipped with a smug grin as he handed over the lyric sheet to Caden. “Don’t feel too bad about missing the recording session. Here, take a look at her lyrics instead. Maybe you can pick up a thing or two from her writing.”
Caden took the piece of paper and scanned the page in silence. He let out a short breath, raising an eyebrow. “I thought your movie was about Transformers fighting zombies. Why are the lyrics so… heartfelt?”
“What?” Gerry’s mood shifted instantly. His gleaming eyes narrowed, and irritation crept into his tone. “Zombies? Seriously? It’s a heartwarming sci-fi film! Didn’t I send you a copy? Didn’t you watch it?”
“Oh, I don’t watch cartoons,” Caden replied nonchalantly.
“‘Cartoon’?!” Gerry spat indignantly. “It’s 3D animation! Not a cartoon! I spent a fortune on it!”
At that moment, the door creaked open, and Alicia stepped out.
Caden glanced up, his gaze lingering. The warm light from the recording booth spilled into the room, casting a soft glow on her face. She looked like an angel.
Alicia discreetly massaged the ache in her waist, her voice calm but tired. “Mr. Hopkins, let’s wrap up for today. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out, ‘kay?”
At this, Gerry glanced at his watch.
Actually, I’ve reserved a spot at an exclusive rooftop restaurant downtown. Care to join us for dinner, Alicia?”
She hesitated, a flicker of discomfort passing over her features. But declining might not sit well with her business relationship with Gerry, so she nodded-albeit reluctantly.
The restaurant, located in the heart of the city, was a thirty-minute drive away. Gerry settled into the front passenger seat, while Alicia and Caden found themselves sharing the backseat. Unspoken, they both gravitated toward their respective windows, the space between them wide enough to park a car.
Gerry, ever the optimist, was already scrolling through listings for prime properties. He specifically looked for photos of pricey, hard-to-obtain real estate. Smiling gleefully, he even showed a few to Caden. “How about this one?”
Caden gave the photos a dismissive glance, his tone frosty. “Why not go for the White House while you’re at it?”
“If you can get it, I’ll take it,” Gerry joked without missing a beat. More pictures followed.
“Just pick one from these,” Gerry said, completely at ease.
Caden’s lips twisted into a faint smirk. “Careful. Wouldn’t want to count your chickens before they hatch.”
Alicia shifted slightly beside him, the subtle movement catching Caden’s attention. He turned his head, his gaze sharp. She quickly stiffened, pretending to be engrossed in the scenery outside. Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, partially obscuring her face. But Caden still noticed her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed.
He said nothing, but his gaze lingered for a moment before turning back to the conversation.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Caden and Gerry got out promptly. Alicia, however, lingered in her seat. “Mr. Hopkins,” she called after him with an apologetic smile, “go ahead. I need to touch up my makeup.”
Gerry, knowing how much women cared about their looks, simply nodded. “No rush. When you’re ready, just tell the concierge to bring you up. Use my name.”
“Thank you.”
Caden shot her a brief glance before heading for the entrance. Beside him, Gerry strolled casually, rattling off the latest entertainment gossip as if nothing were amiss.
Out of nowhere, Caden stopped in his tracks.
“Hang on, I think I left my phone in the car. You go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”
Gerry arched a brow, clearly unconvinced, and cast a suspicious glance back at the sleek vehicle parked behind them. His eyes narrowed slightly.
“What are you two up to, scheming behind my back?”
Caden barely spared him a second look, too indifferent to bother with an answer.
Inside the car, Alicia was in a quiet panic. She scrubbed frantically at the bloodstain on her pants with a wad of tissues. Her period had come out of nowhere, completely throwing her off.
Between her erratic schedule and endless stress, it had been delayed, and she hadn’t thought much of it-until now.
Now, the deep red stain was spreading across her pants. Worse yet, it had soaked into Gerry’s pristine leather seats-seats worth more than the money she had in the bank.
Each wipe of the tissue felt like a tally against her dwindling savings. How much was this going to cost her?
She had been careful, saving bit by bit over the last two years, but this? This was a disaster.
Just as she was furiously working to blot the stain, the car door clicked open.
Alicia’s heart skipped a beat, and she froze. Looking up, her eyes met Caden’s.