Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“Which floor?” Caden pressed.
“The second…” Ted stammered.
Caden flung him to the ground. Ted cried out in pain from the fall.
Caden didn’t hesitate. He raced up to the second floor, threw open the door, and saw a figure floating in the pool. His heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted toward it.
Alicia’s consciousness drifted aimlessly. Heavy rain poured down, and beneath the emergency department building, a small figure curled up tightly.
Alicia moved closer, curious about who it could be. The moment she saw, she was dumbfounded. It was Caden.
But this Caden looked nothing like the man she knew. He always carried an air of arrogance, meeting everyone with a cold, dismissive gaze. He was constantly at odds with her.
Now, Caden knelt in the rain, staring blankly at the hospital entrance. His body appeared weak, consumed entirely by grief and despair. His face had lost all color under the downpour.
The wind blew harshly, making him unsteady. Alicia couldn’t take it anymore. She called out, “Get out of the rain!”
But there was no response.
Caden stayed where he was, unmoving, like a statue. Alicia touched herself, realizing her body had become transparent. As she tried to make sense of it, a group of people emerged from the hospital.
It was the Yates family.
The family servant held an umbrella, keeping Joshua dry from the rain. Joshua was walking with his parents, holding their hands, exuding an air of privilege.
When he saw Caden kneeling in the rain, a smug smile appeared on his face. He walked toward him, his steps confident.
“Caden,” Joshua called out. “Stop kneeling. Your mother is dead.”
Alicia felt her anger rise within her. Joshua’s smug expression made it worse.
“Don’t you get it?” Joshua taunted, stepping closer and kicking Caden. “Your mother is dead! Why are you still kneeling?”
Caden collapsed to the ground after the kick.
Alicia tried to reach out and help, but her hands passed right through him. Only then did she realize that she was powerless to aid him.
As Joshua prepared to kick Caden again, Alicia instinctively stepped in front of him. “Joshua, stop…” Before she could finish, her throat tightened, and suddenly she vomited a large amount of water.
The pain jolted her back to consciousness. A sharp, aching sensation spread through her body, forcing a groan from her lips. She struggled to open her eyes.
When her vision finally cleared, she saw the person right in front of her-it was Caden.
Alicia was stunned to see him. She could only stare at him in disbelief. The Caden standing before her didn’t resemble the one from her dream. He appeared older, more serious. His eyes held something she couldn’t quite understand. Her thoughts scattered as she reached for his hand.
“Caden…” she whispered.
Caden stopped, but without a second thought, he brushed her hand away, showing no hesitation.
Alicia froze in shock. She wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come.
This wasn’t a dream anymore.
This was reality.
Here, Caden was irritable, unpredictable, quick to anger. He wasn’t the same as the pitiable figure from her dream.
“Is she conscious?” someone asked, leaning closer.
Alicia remained dazed. She slowly turned her head and realized that, besides Caden, a group of others had gathered. The wealthy ladies were there to check on her. Each wore a different expression, but none of them seemed genuinely concerned. They were here for the spectacle.
The person who spoke was Rachel.
She was one of the pretenders.
Caden wiped the water from his clothes, his face unreadable. “Do whatever you want,” he said flatly, before walking away.
Alicia didn’t expect Caden to act so distant, and it left her confused.
“What the hell is wrong with him?” she thought, frustration building. “I’m already in a terrible state, and he’s still being so petulant? What the hell is his problem?” She cursed inwardly.
Rachel immediately called for an ambulance, her face masked with concern as she walked over to the bed.
“Ms. Bennett, are you alright?” Rachel asked, feigning worry.
Alicia recalled what had happened before she passed out and instinctively pulled her hand away from Rachel’s.
Noticing the change in Alicia’s demeanor, Rachel softened her tone. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure those kids are punished. You won’t suffer for nothing.”
Alicia’s expression remained blank. “Please leave. I need some time alone.”
Rachel hesitated, her concern still evident. “The ambulance is on its way. Should we contact Mr. Yates?”
Alicia snapped, her voice hoarse and sharp with anger. “Why would you?”
Rachel continued, trying to calm her. “I know you’re divorced, and you’re no longer his wife. But after something like this, it’s only right for him to come and check on you.”
“No need!” Alicia’s words were full of frustration, tinged with anxiety. “Don’t call him.”
Rachel was confused. “Why don’t you want him to come?”
Alicia’s face hardened. “Why should he?”
“You called his name several times while unconscious,” Rachel pointed out. “Isn’t this when you need him most?”
Alicia didn’t know how to respond.
Had she really called for Joshua?
She vaguely remembered feeling emotional in the dream, but it wasn’t because she missed him. In fact, she had been cursing him.
She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose, trying to compose herself. “My situation has nothing to do with Joshua. If you want Lilliana to create chaos, then go ahead and call him. But be ready for the fallout.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the image of Caden’s stern expression filled her mind.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
Had he misunderstood everything?
Without wasting another second, she pushed herself out of bed, determined to track him down.
Alicia had taken several hits and bumped her head, but her injuries weren’t serious. She steadied herself against the wall and slowly made her way downstairs, searching everywhere for Caden.
Eventually, she spotted him at the lawn party.
As she approached, something felt off. Caden stood amidst the crowd, exuding an intimidating presence. No one dared to come closer, as if his aura alone commanded them to keep their distance.
The entire crowd stood in silence, watching him. Mrs. Reyes was at the front, her eyes filled with concern as she watched Caden.
Alicia noticed an empty chair and sat down, aligning herself with the crowd’s gaze.
Before Caden, a group of children from the earlier incident stood in a straight line, awaiting his orders. They hung on his every word.
“Channel all your strength to overcome the others. The one who loses will face punishment. The last one standing will earn a reward from me,” Caden announced.
His voice was a mixture of levity and authority.
He resembled a general leading his troops into battle.
Alicia observed the children who had once strutted around like a gang of bullies. Now, they stood as timid as lambs, completely subdued by Caden’s commanding presence. They weren’t obeying because they respected him-they followed out of fear.
Everyone, even the children, knew what it felt like to fear authority.
Caden stepped back slightly, his gaze flickering to Alicia in his peripheral vision. He frowned briefly, but the expression quickly vanished.
The children erupted into chaos, fighting among themselves.
Alicia had no interest in their antics. Dizziness washed over her as she made her way toward Caden. “Hey…”
Without looking up, Caden pulled a chair closer and sat down. “Yeah?”
Alicia struggled to move her chair closer to him. Each shift sent a wave of dizziness through her head, but it was manageable.
After taking a brief moment to collect herself, Alicia studied Caden’s face. “What’s going on with them? Why do they listen to you so easily?”
Caden responded clearly, “The incident caused quite a scene. Randolph wanted to avoid police involvement, so he asked me to handle things quietly.”
“Why did it have to be you?” Alicia asked instinctively. Shouldn’t she be the one to decide what happened? After all, she was the one who had been harmed. She told herself her question was born from genuine curiosity, not malice.
However, Caden’s expression remained stern. “You were unconscious. As your ex-husband’s brother, I was given temporary authority to make decisions for you.”
Alicia nodded slowly. “Thanks,” she said, sincerity evident in her voice.
Caden scoffed. “Lucky for you, I had some time today, but next time, handle it yourself.”
Alicia stared at him for a moment, momentarily lost for words. After a beat, she mumbled, “I wasn’t blaming you.”
Caden remained silent, his gaze turning back to the children as they continued fighting. Ted stood out as the strongest among them. Despite his strength, he was also the most terrified, fighting with all his might as he took down the other kids one by one.
The mothers rushed in to break up the chaos, pushing Ted aside, while Mrs. Reyes shielded him.
It didn’t take long before some adults joined the fray. At this point, the situation escalated quickly.