Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Just then, a familiar figure appeared beside her. Before she could reach for the tart, Caden’s hand swiftly intervened and grabbed it instead.
She paused for a moment, turned to him, and asked, “Why are you eating sweets when you have a cold?” Her tone was more annoyed than concerned.
Her irritation only seemed to encourage Caden. He calmly took a bite of the tart and said, “Why shouldn’t I eat it?”
She instinctively responded, “Eating sweets when you’re sick can cause inflammation. You don’t want to end up with a high fever.”
Caden stared at her intently.
Feeling uneasy under his gaze, she added, “I’m not showing concern. I’m just making an observation.”
Caden didn’t respond. Instead, he tossed the untouched tart into the trash can.
His unexpected action made Alicia feel uneasy. She couldn’t understand why he was suddenly being so agreeable. Something didn’t add up.
After wiping his hands, Caden commented in a cool tone, “It was awful.”
The dessert had been excessively sweet, and Alicia was left speechless.
She knew his behavior wasn’t because he had taken her advice-he never listened to her in the past.
Caden took a sip of water to cleanse the sugary taste from his mouth, then turned to her and asked, “Since sweets are off the table, what should I eat instead?”
Alicia picked up a cookie, giving him a curious look. “Do you really need to eat anything at all?”
“I can’t taste anything,” Caden complained. “Why don’t you think of something I could eat?”
Alicia stared at him in surprise. “And why should I do that?”
She wasn’t his caretaker, after all.
“Ms. Bennett, have you forgotten that I caught this cold because of you?” Caden countered.
Alicia was momentarily speechless, then, determined not to fall into his trap, she muttered defensively, “You were the one who kissed me first that day.”
She glanced around nervously, worried someone might overhear them. People occasionally walked by, casting curious glances in their direction.
Still, she reassured herself that their conversation wasn’t loud enough for others to hear.
Caden, however, seemed unfazed. In a steady voice, he said, “I doubt that a single kiss could make me this sick.”
He stepped closer to her, reaching out to take the cookie from her plate. Their clothes brushed softly against each other.
To anyone watching, everything appeared normal. But Alicia knew that Caden was seizing the moment to tease her.
“Only a deep kiss could make me catch a cold like this, right?” Caden played with the cookie in his hand, his eyes fixed on her increasingly flushed face. “And it must have lasted quite a while. Miss Bennett, do you remember how soft you were when I kissed you? How much of your sweet saliva have I tasted?”
Alicia’s heart raced, afraid he might say something even more provocative.
Alicia quickly cut him off. “Please, shut up.”
She didn’t dare raise her voice, so her protest came out more like a plea.
Caden smirked, looking like a cat toying with a cornered mouse.
Just then, a man approached them.
“Mr. Ward,” the man greeted politely. “It really is you! I thought I might have been mistaken. I’m…”
After introducing himself, the man clinked glasses with Caden. Caden shifted effortlessly into a serious demeanor, engaging in brief conversation.
Watching from the side, Alicia couldn’t help but admire how smoothly he switched roles. He was exceptionally adept at this.
After exchanging pleasantries, the man handed Caden his business card and departed with a courteous nod.
Seizing the opportunity to make her escape, Alicia tried to slip away unnoticed.
But Caden stepped into her path, his tall figure blocking her exit. “Leaving without taking responsibility?” he asked.
She glared at him, feeling quite frustrated.
Knowing he was difficult to deal with, she realized that confronting him directly wouldn’t work. She needed to take a different approach.
“Alright,” she finally conceded. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
Scanning the spread on the table, she intentionally picked some mild snacks.
He smirked. “It’s too dry. I can’t swallow that.”
Irritated, she searched for something more suitable.
“Try this,” she said, handing him a different option.
Caden glanced at the plate and explained, “Eating fried food will only worsen my condition.”
“How about this one?” she asked, frustrated but still trying.
He examined it briefly before responding, “It doesn’t seem very appetizing.”
Undeterred, she presented another choice. “And this?”
Caden shook his head, asking, “Does it look appealing to you?”
Alicia was left speechless by his continuous refusals. As his excuses became more unreasonable, she finally stopped trying to accommodate him and firmly asked, “Are you going to eat or not?”
Without hesitation, Caden simply replied, “No.”
Alicia chose not to give in to his requests. Frustrated, she deliberately stepped on his toe to show her displeasure.
It was a well-known fact that people, much like vending machines, responded predictably to certain stimuli. If the right actions were taken, individuals would react accordingly.
However, Alicia had encountered someone who was different.
Caden remained completely calm, showing no signs of being bothered by her actions.
In a sudden moment of realization, Alicia spoke, her tone shifting. “Caden, you have a cold, and you can’t taste anything, so what you actually want isn’t snacks at all, is it?”
Caden cast a contemptuous glance her way.
“Are you trying to grab another kiss from me?” he taunted.
Alicia matched his disdain with her own sharp tone. “Are you admitting to it now? I always knew you had ulterior motives.”
All the care she had shown him that evening had been for nothing.
Instead of reciprocating her kindness, he chose to betray her trust, proving that old habits were hard to break.
She swept her hair back and spoke firmly. “I have important things to handle. I’m done wasting my time with you.”
With those words, she began to scan the crowd, searching for Rachel.
Alicia was just about to leave when Caden interrupted her. “I understand what you’re trying to do today. While she might not be able to assist you, I certainly can.” Even after hearing that, she remained unconvinced by his statement.
She hadn’t even shared her plans with Monica yet, which made her wonder how Caden could possibly know about them.
“Thank you, but I’ll pass,” she responded firmly.
Noticing her defiance, Caden let out a chuckle.
“You have a great opportunity right before you, yet you choose to ignore it. Don’t expect my help later on.”
Alicia felt her competitive spirit ignite. “I appreciate your concern, but please stay out of my affairs.”
She reminded herself not to resort to deceitful tactics as she had in the past.
From a distance, Alicia spotted Rachel approaching. She reached for her drink, preparing herself to approach Rachel across the room.
“Why the rush? Handle my issue first, and then you’re free to go,” said Caden.
He took a sip of his drink and immediately frowned, finding it completely tasteless.
Alicia felt a surge of annoyance. She glanced at his glass and asked, “Your drink has no flavor?”
Caden looked down at his glass and replied, “This is just warm water.”
She paused for a moment before calmly suggesting, “Would you like something with a bit more taste?”
Caden turned his gaze toward her lips.
As their eyes met, an unspoken understanding passed between them, and Alicia couldn’t help but smile.
It seemed they were both thinking along the same lines. Caden reluctantly agreed. “That’s not a bad idea, but in this setting, it might not be convenient for you, Ms. Bennett.”
Alicia smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be quick.”
Caden straightened up and responded, “Suit yourself.” Instead of leaning in for a kiss immediately, Alicia took a sip of her own drink first.
Caden raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing her deliberate move. However, his expectations were unmet when Alicia decisively spat the sip from her mouth into his glass.
Her actions were smooth and intentional, and she made it all seem so natural.
Caden stared silently at the now pinkish water, choosing not to respond.