Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Once she finished singing, she quietly exited the stage, disregarding the chatter that arose around her.
People online began voicing their opinions. The crowd that once idolized Lilliana now turned against her.
“Did you see that? Alicia’s votes just surpassed Lilliana’s! This is incredible! A renowned singer just lost to a newcomer.”
“This is unbelievable! It sounds just like last year’s hit! You can tell it’s the same voice!”
“Do you think she’s lip-syncing?”
“Or maybe Lilliana was the one lip-syncing all along! Ever since that song unexpectedly became popular last year, she hasn’t released anything worthwhile. Doesn’t that seem odd?”
“I’ve been saying this for a while. How can someone have only one hit song? Turns out, she wasn’t even the one singing!”
“Just listen to Lilliana’s performance today. It sounds completely off!”
The noise grew louder and more intense.
Even the judges exchanged doubtful glances, their skepticism evident as they looked at Lilliana.
The high-profile celebrities, whom the Green family had spent a fortune on, could not handle the public scrutiny. They confronted Lilliana directly, demanding to know what was happening.
Lilliana’s face had already gone pale. She clutched her stomach, unable to move.
Gerry, enjoying the spectacle, took a moment to tease Caden. “You lost, Caden. Don’t forget to hand over the land.”
Caden replied with a lazy smile, “Don’t worry, I won’t back out.”
“You’re smiling even after losing?” Gerry asked.
“Watching a good show for a piece of land is quite a bargain,” Caden said with a shrug.
Caden’s gaze shifted as he focused on a corner of the audience.
He noticed several suspicious figures with their hats pulled low. They were listening intently to the Green family’s patriarch.
After exchanging a few words, the group bowed and walked away.
Caden raised an eyebrow in curiosity and stood up.
Gerry craned his neck, eager to continue gossiping. “Where are you going?”
Joshua quickly took Lilliana away, concerned about her and the baby.
Lilliana leaned against him, shaking uncontrollably. “Why is this happening?”
She had not only lost the competition today, but now her history of lip-syncing was about to be exposed.
How could this happen?
How could Alicia be connected to Iris?
Lilliana felt a mix of anger and fear as tears streamed down her face.
“Joshua, what should we do?” she sobbed. “The promotion for this event was massive, and now I’ve embarrassed myself like this. How can I continue in the entertainment industry?”
Joshua’s expression darkened with anger.
So Iris might actually be Alicia.
The realization hit him with a mix of shock and irony.
Alicia had waited all this time for this very moment.
Was it all to get revenge on him? To complicate his life?
Alicia was quite the ex-wife!
Joshua now realized that he had underestimated her. He felt a surge of anger rising within him as he searched for a solution.
After a moment, he tightened his grip on the crying woman in his arms. A fierce determination shone in his eyes.
Alicia had seen today’s scene coming.
She didn’t waste any time and headed backstage to change out of her elaborate gown.
The crowd was engrossed in the spectacle, leaving the dressing room nearly empty. Feeling a bit fatigued, Alicia pulled the curtain closed and began undressing.
Alicia had worn the gown only once and wanted to avoid damaging it, so she handled it with care.
After hanging it up, she suddenly remembered that she hadn’t brought any change of clothes with her.
At that moment, she heard the door open.
A surge of hope filled Alicia as she asked softly, “Are you my makeup artist?” There was no response.
Thinking she might have misheard, Alicia called out again, but still received no answer.
Peeking out from behind the curtain, she found no one there. Clutching her chest, she tiptoed out cautiously. As she turned a corner, she spotted Caden sitting in a makeup chair, watching her with an amused expression.
“Jesus Christ!” Alicia screamed internally.
She froze for several seconds before turning and running away, still clutching her chest. In her frustration, she yanked the curtain shut.
Caden smiled as he picked up the clothes from her chair and walked toward her.
Alicia shouted, “Why didn’t you answer when I called? You’re such a pervert!”
Caden responded calmly, “You were calling for your makeup artist. Why would I respond?”
Alicia growled, “Get out!”
Caden reached out and pulled the curtain aside, revealing her.
Alicia quickly grabbed it, determined not to let go.
Caden chose not to argue. “Aren’t you going to change?”
Of course, Alicia needed to change, but his comment irritated her. “Just put the clothes down. I’ll handle them later.”
Caden replied casually, “What do I care about your flat chest?”
Fury surged through Alicia. “Who are you calling flat? Even if I were, it’s none of your business!”
Caden acknowledged her with a brief hum before placing the clothes down.
“I’m leaving now,” he announced.
Seconds later, footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Alicia waited, uncertain if he had truly gone. She cautiously peeked through a small gap in the curtain.
There was no one in sight.
Spotting the clothes just a short distance away, she reached out but couldn’t quite grasp them. So, she decided to step out into the open.
Just as she reached for the clothes, a sense of unease washed over her, prompting her to quickly turn her head. Caden leaned casually against a cabinet with a smirk on his face as he watched her.
Damn it!
Alicia screamed silently in her mind. Her face burned with fury as she snatched the clothes and hurried back behind the curtain.
Caden chuckled softly. “How can someone be so clumsy?”
Alicia clenched her teeth in frustration. “I never imagined you’d be such a pervert!”
Caden remarked, “Didn’t you place yourself right under my nose?”
Alicia found herself speechless.
She clenched her fists and quickly slipped into her clothes.
As she stepped out, her phone rang. It was Gerry calling. “Mr. Hopkins,” she said as she walked outside.
Gerry informed her, “The restaurant is booked. I’ll send someone to pick you up. By the way, have you seen Caden?”
Alicia responded flatly, “He’s gone.”
Gerry could smell fresh gossip in the air. “Are you two together?” he asked directly.
Before Alicia could answer, Caden snatched the phone from her hand and replied to Gerry, “I’ll bring her over in a bit.”
Gerry dropped his playful tone. “Today’s incident has caused quite a stir. Alicia’s face was exposed on camera. Be careful and make sure she doesn’t get targeted by Lilliana’s obsessive fans.”
“Understood,” Caden responded, hanging up and handing the phone back to Alicia.
She stood still, staring at him, not moving.
Caden, who had been heading to open the door, paused when he noticed her reluctance. His brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“Gerry warned me to be cautious of Lilliana’s fans,” Alicia said, her voice tight. “You’re Lilliana’s boss. Shouldn’t I be more wary of you?”
She was already on guard against him. “How is it that you’re suddenly here, anyway? Did you come to silence me?”
Caden blinked, silent for a few seconds before replying in a chilly tone, “That’s right. I’m going to take you somewhere remote, have my way with you, kill you, and dispose of your body.”