Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
What was the point in explaining? Would he even consider her side? He had already branded her as guilty.
Her resolve wavered. She began seriously thinking about terminating the agreement. With a final glance, she opened the door and stepped out.
The door slammed behind her, the sound echoing through the room, a sharp reminder that Caden had been hit by her defiance.
He stood there, enduring the chill that swept in from the corridor, rooted to the spot. His face darkened slowly.
Despite her lack of skills, Alicia’s temper was fierce, and dwelling on it only made his headache worse. With a deep breath, he turned and headed for a shower. As morning broke, he could feel the weight of the situation pressing on him.
Georgia noticed Alicia’s absence and, fearing the involvement of Joshua or the authorities, decided to venture out on her own to search for her.
No sooner had she stepped outside than someone from behind clamped a hand over her mouth and nose, dragging her into a shadowy corner.
A stocky man stood in front of her, his grip firm. “Stay quiet. I’m not here to harm you or steal. I just need to ask you something.”
Georgia, older and easily frightened, trembled uncontrollably.
The man struck her face, and she immediately fell silent, her body recoiling in shock. Blood filled her mouth, and some of her teeth loosened. She sank to the ground, clutching her head as her hands shook.
“Who was here last night?” the man demanded.
Georgia’s mind raced as she carefully considered her words. The man’s impatience was palpable. “Speak up!” he barked.
Hesitantly, Georgia murmured, “I-I don’t know-“
“You work for the family and you’re clueless?” he challenged, his tone sharp and threatening. “Be honest!”
Without warning, he struck her again, dislodging one of her teeth. Tears filled her eyes, and agony twisted through her. “A lady from a prominent family and Alicia-” she blurted out in pain.
The man quickly pulled out his phone. “Ma’am, are you listening?” he asked, pressing the phone to her ear.
Lilliana’s voice came through clearly, “What exactly was Alicia doing there?”
The man repeated the question to Georgia, who, struggling to stay coherent, managed to relay the story. However, she chose not to implicate her employer, shifting the blame entirely onto Alicia.
Lilliana’s anger momentarily turned to laughter. Her suspicions were confirmed. “Release her,” she commanded coldly. “Monitor Alicia closely from now on and keep me updated.”
Meanwhile, Alicia, having left the apartment, sought refuge in a hotel. Exhausted physically and mentally, she immediately fell asleep, her body craving rest.
She slept through the entire day, plagued by strange and unsettling dreams.
When she woke, the darkness of the room added to her sense of weariness. She felt drained, her body aching in places she hadn’t noticed before. Sitting on the bed, she rubbed her sore foot, which was painful but not debilitating.
Intent on treating Monica to dinner, Alicia’s plans were interrupted by an incoming call from an unknown number.
She answered, and the voice on the other end was instantly familiar.
“Ms. Bennett, it’s me.”
Alicia was caught off guard but quickly recovered. “Miss Mendoza?”
Gina’s gentle laugh came through the line. “Let’s keep it informal. Call me Gina.”
Feeling uplifted after her conversation with Gina, Alicia decided against inviting her for a meal due to the unusual circumstances and instead chose to meet Monica. She arranged a lavish spread of dishes on the table.
As Monica settled in, she asked, “Is it just us?”
Alicia, picking at her food to ease her hunger, nodded. “Yes, just the two of us.”
Monica surveyed the table, puzzled. “Is all this really just for…”
“It’s a celebration,” Alicia explained, briefly sharing the details of her recent split from Joshua. “I no longer have to go to the Yates Mansion or keep up appearances. Now, I can do whatever I want.”
She raised her glass of milk in a toast. “Gina has also offered her support.”
Monica, recognizing the significance of Alicia’s words, agreed that they indeed had reason to celebrate.
“Yet, you still seem down. Why is that?” Monica gently touched Alicia’s forehead.
Alicia offered a small smile. “No, I’m fine. I’m just really hungry.”
But in truth, Alicia felt rather somber. The events of the previous day at the Yates Mansion had left her mostly frightened, worried that they might act rashly. After addressing her foot injury, she had tried to talk to Caden, but his indifference had stung.
Eating quietly, Alicia turned to Monica. “Monica, would you join me somewhere after this?”
Alicia had enrolled in a fighting class, and Monica fully supported the decision. They had selected a competent instructor and signed up for multiple self-defense sessions.
They suited up in workout gear, ready to train.
Monica, noticing Alicia’s distress, attributed it to the stress of recent events. “Picture Joshua as the punching bag. Hit it hard to release your anger. Afterward, you’ll feel ready to confront him.”
Alicia eyed the punching bag, considering it a worthwhile way to channel her emotions.
Monica grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, writing Joshua’s name on it. Then, she handed it to Alicia. After a brief moment of contemplation, Alicia wrote Caden’s name on another sheet and placed it on top of Joshua’s.
“Let’s hit them both,” Alicia declared.
Visualizing the papers as Caden’s face, she threw a forceful punch. The strike was so strong that Monica trembled. At that very moment in his office, Caden felt an unexpected shiver run down his spine.
He looked outside and noticed the sky had darkened once again.
Hank entered with a knock.
“Mr. Ward, haven’t you eaten anything today?” Hank asked, aware of how demanding Caden’s day had been and cautious of his temper, but still knowing it was crucial for Caden to eat.
Caden, no longer showing his displeasure, asked Hank to make a dinner reservation.
Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, Hank ventured cautiously, “Mr. Ward, has there been a disagreement with Ms. Bennett?”
Caden responded flatly, “Why would I quarrel with her?”
“You haven’t been home lately, and you seem… off. Who else but Ms. Bennett could be causing this?” Hank ventured a guess. “Did one of you make a mistake?”
Caden swiftly changed the subject. “How is the assignment I gave you progressing?”
“All in order,” Hank assured him promptly.
Caden had instructed Hank to contact Randolph and ask him to disrupt Joshua’s finances at the bank, as Joshua was preparing for an IPO and urgently needed the funds. Randolph’s interference had delayed several plans.
Hank couldn’t help but gloat. “The Yates family must be in turmoil now.”
Caden showed little interest, considering it just another task completed.
“A bigger surprise is coming,” he murmured, hinting at a shock that Alicia had orchestrated.
With Alicia on his mind, Caden felt a surge of agitation, almost like a teenager in love.
Just as they reached the restaurant, Joshua’s call came through.
“What’s happening, Joshua?” Caden answered.
“You’re quite the strategist, Caden,” Joshua’s voice carried a menacing undertone.
Laughing it off, Caden replied, “What’s the trouble? Just a cash flow issue, right? Does that confuse you?” The underlying rivalry was evident.
Joshua, out of options for retaliation, was resigned but had a different question.
“Is the timing of your move because of Alicia?”
Caden confirmed quietly, “If you really need help, you could ask her to intervene on your behalf.”
Joshua felt a tightness in his chest. He was right. Alicia had already grown close to Caden.
Understanding Caden’s character, Joshua knew he wouldn’t help Alicia without expecting something in return.
Hiding his irritation, Joshua sneered, “I don’t need anyone to intervene for me, and it’s too early for you to feel victorious. The outcome is still undecided.”
“It was only money. The Green family will handle it,” he added, unwilling to acknowledge the loss.
He wasn’t out of options.
With a smirk, he asked, “Do you really believe spending 300 million dollars on a woman is justified?”
Caden responded coolly, “It’s a significant loss.” Throwing away 300 million dollars would certainly make waves.
However, Alicia had broken her promise. She failed to cook as she had vowed and instead spent the evening at the Yates Mansion with Joshua. Her ungratefulness stung.
Caden continued, “Don’t fret. If your company struggles, I can provide all the help you need. Just give me the signal.”
Joshua sneered, “Keep dreaming. You don’t control Warrington, Caden.”
Caden narrowed his eyes. “Ah, I forgot. You’ve already traded your freedom to become part of the Green family. Why would you need my help?”
Joshua was at a loss for words and ended the call in frustration.
Caden remained emotionless. He set his phone down and continued eating diligently, though Hank watched from the side.
Despite sampling each dish, Caden seemed uninterested and was nearly ready to stop eating.
Hank quickly intervened. “Mr. Ward, please have a bit more.”
Caden showed no enthusiasm. “The flavor is lacking. I’m not hungry.”