Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Her eyelashes fluttered as she tried to regain her composure, her voice regaining its edge. “What else is there to like? Your bad temper, or that sharp tongue of yours?”
Caden sneered, “Who said my skills couldn’t compare to a teenager’s, hmm?”
Alicia leveled him with a serious look. “You must’ve put in a lot of effort to keep up with me. Well done. I think I like you even more now.”
Annoyed by her cheeky remark, Caden smacked her on the butt.
The sound was sharp, echoing in the quiet room, and he felt the soft give of her skin beneath his palm.
Feeling a bit remorseful, he rubbed the spot he’d just hit, though it was anything but comforting. Alicia winced, arching her back to escape the sting. “See? You can’t handle a little teasing. Shame on you!”
She had raised her voice, inadvertently calling the puppy’s attention.
It pitter-pattered over on its short legs, wagging its tail eagerly.
Alicia took the opportunity to call out playfully, “Cade, help!”
Caden’s voice dropped, thick with a dangerous edge. “‘Cade’?” he spat.
Without warning, he swiftly flipped her over his knee, tugging down her loose lounge pants until the smooth curve of her buttocks was exposed.
With a smirk, he delivered another sharp slap, the sound ringing out even louder this time.
Alicia cried out, “Caden, you jerk! That hurts!”
At her feet, the little puppy, Cade, growled and lunged, tiny teeth sinking into the hem of Caden’s pant leg.
Despite Cade’s “vicious” attack, Caden barely flinched, his focus unshaken as his gaze slid over Alicia’s figure. His voice, low and teasing, sent a shiver down her spine. “When did you name the little bastard?”
Alicia, cheeks flushing with both irritation and the effort to block his wandering hand, covered her rear defensively. “I named him a long time ago. He’s always been Cade to me!”
Usually, Caden’s busy schedule kept him distant, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night, barely sparing a glance at the lively pup.
Unbeknownst to him, Alicia had been joyfully calling the dog “Cade” behind his back.
“Change its name to Lucky,” Caden demanded, the playfulness in his tone fading into something darker. “Or I’ll give you a real reason to cry today.”
Alicia’s eyes, watery from the pain, flickered with defiance. “No. His name is Cade!”
Caden paused, his hand resting firmly on her tender skin, the warmth from her body seeping into his palm.
He could feel the heat radiating off her, a clear indication of how much his earlier strike had stung.
Sighing, he shifted tactics. “You’re tough enough to take a little spanking, right? If not, then fine. I’ll just punish that little troublemaker instead.”
As he anticipated, Alicia’s reaction was immediate.
He whipped around, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, glaring at him fiercely. “Why didn’t you say that sooner?! Cade can take a beating better than I can!”
For a moment, Caden was speechless.
Before he could react, Alicia slipped out of his grip, quickly pulling up her pants with a huff.
Then, she scooped up Cade and bolted out of the room, leaving him alone.
He didn’t bother to chase her. Instead, he glanced at his watch, powered down his laptop, and made his way to the living room.
As he rubbed his hands together, he relished the scent of Alicia’s floral body lotion on his palms. “What’s for dinner?”
From across the room, Alicia poured milk into Cade’s bowl with a smirk, her tone mischievous as she replied, “Celery with beef.”
Caden fell silent, wondering if she was just teasing him. Alas, she wasn’t joking.
Sure enough, when he sat down at the table, three dishes greeted him.
One was a celery salad, the second a beef salad, and the third-the dreaded celery with beef-his least favorite dish.
He stared at his fork for what felt like an eternity, unable to bring himself to take the first bite.
Alicia’s mocking voice cut through the silence. “Not a fan? No worries. I could always whip up some soup-made with celery and beef, of course.”
Caden pressed his lips into a thin line, eyes narrowing slightly.
“I’ll just have some bread,” he said, his voice flat, as though the entire meal had lost its appeal.
As he turned to leave, his gaze caught on the soft cushion placed on Alicia’s chair.
“It hurts that much? I didn’t even use much force.” Alicia’s expression hardened, but she said nothing, her hands busy as she started gathering the dishes from the table. She didn’t even bother looking his way.
“Let the maid do it,” Caden added lazily.
“Come here.”
“What for?”
“My tie.” He jutted his chin toward the sofa. “Bring it over and tie it for me.”
Alicia shot him a glare, annoyance flickering in her eyes. “Get it yourself,” she snapped, clearly fed up.
Unfazed, Caden shifted his attention to the small puppy lounging nearby. “Lucky, go fetch my tie.”
Alicia’s brow furrowed in frustration. “I told you, his name’s Cade!”
Obviously, the insufferable man was trying to rile her up on purpose.
Propping one hand against the cabinet, Caden watched her, amusement dancing in his expression. “Are you mad?” His voice was a teasing purr. “Why don’t you bring the tie over? Maybe you can strangle me with it.”
Her jaw tightened, and she let out a frustrated breath through her nose.
She thought to herself, The sooner this is done, the sooner he’ll be out of my hair.
With a resigned sigh, she fetched the tie and stepped in front of him, her fingers deftly working to knot the fabric around his neck.
The tie was in place in the blink of an eye.
However, before she could step back, Caden’s hand wandered, caressing the curve of her butt. His tone softened, no longer playful. “Does it really hurt that much?”
Alicia stiffened, her heart giving a small jolt at the sudden shift in his mood. The unexpected tenderness caught her off guard.
“It’s… I mean, I’m fine,” she stammered, clearing her throat as she brushed his hand away. “As long as you don’t touch it, it doesn’t hurt.” But Caden refused to pull away.
If anything, his hand lingered, gently rubbing her butt as though to comfort her.
Alicia bit her lip, shifting her weight closer to him. “I’m fine now,” she added softly, hoping he’d take the hint.
His eyes darkened, his gaze locking onto hers with a different intensity. Without warning, his hand slid beneath her clothes, his hot fingertips grazing her skin.
“I’ll be busy this afternoon,” he murmured, his voice low, almost intimate. “Might be back late tonight, so you’d better not fall asleep. Wait for me.”
Alicia didn’t give him a direct answer.
She pushed him aside, turned on her heel, and walked away.
Even with her quick steps and composed face, Caden could see everything from his height, including the way her ears turned red. Her true feelings weren’t hidden at all.
He smiled, straightened the creases in his shirt from her touch, and left the room.
When Alicia returned to the living room, her heart still pounded. She couldn’t settle down, no matter how long she waited.
Something felt different.
However, she couldn’t figure out when the shift had begun.
Shortly after Caden left, the clothes arrived.
Alicia was caught off guard.
It wasn’t just one dress; it was an entire collection of clothes, bags, jewelry, and more. Every season seemed accounted for.
As the cloakroom filled up with items, Alicia called Caden. “Why did you suddenly buy me all of this?”
“They’re gifts from business partners. Instead of letting them sit around in the company warehouse, I figured you could use them.”
Alicia didn’t know how to respond.
His explanation made sense, but something still felt strange.
Still, his intentions seemed good.
With that in mind, Alicia said, “I can’t let you spend on everything. I’ll handle the other living expenses.”
Caden paused for a moment before replying, “Just make sure we’re stocked up on condoms. We always seem to run out.”
Alicia found herself speechless once again.
It was the weekend, and she had a self-defense class scheduled.
There had been a lot of new students lately, so the studio arranged a group meal after class. Alicia thought about it for a while and agreed to join.
The coach noticed her brief hesitation and asked with curiosity, “Do you have plans tonight?”
Alicia was caught off guard and quickly shook her head. “No, I don’t have anything planned.”