Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Alicia felt a small sense of satisfaction. “Your methods remain as ruthless as ever.”
Caden appeared indifferent, watching the scene unfold. To him, it was nothing more than a circus performance.
Alicia didn’t approach him for casual conversation. She intended to explain why she had called out for Joshua while unconscious. But for some reason, as she looked at his face, words failed her.
In her dream, she had felt deep sympathy for the boy. His mother had passed away in the hospital, and his father showed no interest in him. His younger brother, born the same year, not only failed to comfort him in his darkest moments but also made his pain worse. She had lost her parents too. This suffocating pain was something she understood all too well.
Alicia opened her mouth to speak. “Caden…”
Caden’s face remained unreadable. “Go ahead.”
Alicia scratched her palm, searching for the right words.
“Was it you who saved me?”
“It was nothing,” he replied with a detached air.
Alicia pressed on, “Then why did you act so cold after saving me? It feels like you’re holding a grudge against me.”
Was it because she had called out for Joshua in her dream? She couldn’t bring herself to ask. The thought of being wrong was too embarrassing. Instead, she decided to wait for his response.
Caden answered with a frosty tone, “Don’t you realize that we might hold a deep-seated grudge?”
Alicia found herself at a loss for words.
Caden added, “I saved your life. That means you owe me.”
Once again, she had no response. She knew she was overanalyzing the situation. Maybe she shouldn’t have sought him out at all.
At that moment, Ted raised his hands in victory, standing triumphantly amidst the pile of children. “I won! I beat them!”
Alicia glanced over, feeling frustrated. “He’s the one who pushed me down, thinking he could get away with it just because he’s a minor. I-“
Caden remarked, “You couldn’t even handle a child? Are you proud of that?”
Alicia’s head throbbed painfully. “They ambushed me.”
Ted dashed towards Caden, excitement shining in his innocent eyes. “Sir, I won! Where’s my reward?”
Mrs. Reyes felt a sense of unease creeping in and quickly pulled Ted back. “Ted, we don’t need a reward. He was just joking.”
Ted shook his head stubbornly. “No! He promised me. I want my reward!”
Caden fixed his gaze on Ted, his eyes carrying a menacing intensity that was hard to interpret.
“You fought well. You deserve a reward,” Caden said, turning to Alicia. “Arrange the reward for him.”
Alicia winced, trying to ease the pain in her head. His words left her stunned. “What?”
Mrs. Reyes’s expression changed as she pulled Ted closer. “Mr. Ward, he’s just a child. He doesn’t understand. Please, let him go!”
Caden’s face remained impassive. “Did I say anything?” He smirked. “Why are you so afraid?”
A slight tremor ran through Mrs. Reyes. Though she didn’t know Caden well, their brief interactions that day had already shown her his decisive and ruthless nature. When he discovered something had happened to Alicia, he had thrown Ted to the ground without hesitation. If things had gone even slightly wrong, Ted could have easily been seriously injured.
Caden showed no mercy toward the children. His earlier command for them to fight had felt like a personal vendetta. He did mention there would be a reward, but Mrs. Reyes could sense that what was coming was far from good.
Without wasting any time, Caden looked at Alicia and said, “For the next half hour, Ted is yours. Do with him as you please.”
Understanding the implication behind his words, a surge of exhilaration flooded Alicia, momentarily pushing aside the pain from her injuries. Caden had opened the door for her, and she wasn’t going to let this brat escape unscathed.
She immediately called over two servants to assist her.
Seeing her pleas were futile, Mrs. Reyes’s demeanor shifted. “What right do you have to treat Ted this way? He made a mistake that any child could make. He doesn’t know any better, and neither do you. Hurting children is against the law!”
Caden leaned back, appearing unfazed.
Alicia couldn’t help but feel amused. “Isn’t it illegal for him to attempt murder? He may be a minor, but that doesn’t change the fact that he tried to kill me. If we take legal action, both you and your husband will face the consequences.”
Alicia continued, “Do you really want to escalate this? We can involve the police. I’ll work with them and share the whole story with the media. Everyone will know how Ted hurt me. I’m sure Mr. Reyes will appreciate you raising such a tough son, and the entire Reyes family will take pride in you.”
Mrs. Reyes’s legs trembled, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
She didn’t want anything bad to happen to Ted, but she also feared the consequences of making a scene. If the Reyes family found out about this, her life would be ruined.
In a shaky voice, she said, “Ms. Bennett, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I disliked you, so I told Ted to make things difficult for you. He didn’t mean to hurt you this badly.”
Alicia remained unaffected.
She had just faced a terrifying brush with death and had nearly lost her life. Did Mrs. Reyes truly believe that a simple apology could erase everything?
“Rest assured, Mrs. Reyes,” Alicia said firmly. “Once Ted steps into society, you’ll find yourself kneeling frequently.”
It dawned on Mrs. Reyes that she was indeed kneeling. She tried to rise, but her legs felt so weak that she sank back down.
Alicia instructed the servants to bring a basin of water. They set it on the table, which was at Alicia’s waist height.
Lacking the strength to grab Ted herself, she asked two servants for assistance.
Sensing the impending danger, Ted began to squirm and resist.
The servants held him firmly.
Mrs. Reyes said sternly, “If you dare touch Ted, you’ll regret it!”
Fear spread among the servants, causing them to loosen their grip.
Alicia quickly realized she shouldn’t involve them further and turned her attention to Caden. “Can you grab Ted for me?”
Caden replied coolly, “I’m busy.”
Alicia lost track of how long she had been unconscious until the urgent need to pee jolted her awake.
It took her a moment to orient herself, and she soon realized she was in a hospital room. In a rush, she threw off the blanket and sat up on the bed.
She noticed the IV drip hanging high above her. Ignoring the discomfort in her body, she stood and reached up to unhook the bottle.
However, her limbs felt completely weak, and she inadvertently knocked something over, causing a loud clatter.
A sudden swish filled the air.
The curtain had been drawn back.
Startled, Alicia turned to see who had entered. “Could you please-” She froze when she saw it was Caden. She hesitated for a moment, her expression growing more strained. “Could you help me take down the IV bottle?”
Caden dropped the papers he had been holding onto the table.
“What do you need to do?” he asked, his voice cool.
When Alicia had fainted at the Gray family’s home, she had looked ghostly pale, as if she were a corpse. Now, not long after, she was standing in bed like a restless child.
Driven by her urgent need, Alicia no longer cared about her dignity. She squeezed her legs together, saying, “I need to use the bathroom.”
Caden paused for a moment. Without a word, he walked to the other side of the bed and took down the IV bottle.
Alicia breathed a sigh of relief and climbed out of bed.
Noticing her hurried movements, Caden frowned. “Aren’t you going to take the IV bottle?”
Alicia glanced back at him. “Aren’t you going to carry it for me?”
Caden hesitated briefly before responding coldly, “No. I’m allergic to public bathrooms in hospitals.”
Alicia clenched her teeth in frustration.
This wasn’t the time to argue with him, so she grabbed the IV bottle herself.
In her haste, she quickened her pace.
Her body struggled to keep up with her urgency, and as soon as she entered the bathroom, she collapsed to the floor.
All of a sudden, Caden heard a thud.
Turning to look, he found Alicia sprawled awkwardly on the ground.
Once again, he was left speechless.
With a resigned sigh, he walked over to help her up.
Alicia had injured her leg and couldn’t stand steadily. But what was more pressing than the pain in her leg was the unbearable pressure building in her bladder. It felt like her bladder might burst at any moment. Alicia abandoned her pride, grasping Caden’s arm, and pleaded, “Please… carry me to the bathroom quickly.”
Caden was reluctant to enter.
He pulled away slightly. “It’s just a few steps. You can walk.”
Alicia tightened her grip on him.
Her face turned red, and her voice lowered to a whisper. “My leg hurts too much to move. I can’t hold it any longer, Caden. Please, hurry.”
As she spoke, she felt something snap within her abdomen.
The pressure that had been building for what felt like an eternity suddenly released.