Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Lilliana snapped, her patience worn thin. “My personal life is none of your business.”
“I’m not worried, just intrigued. It’s fortunate to have two happy occasions at once,” Alicia said with a harmless smile.
A friend of Lilliana stepped forward, pointing accusingly at Alicia. “Enough with the sarcasm! You’re just jealous because Mr. Yates is marrying Lilliana. If you can’t hold onto a man, that’s on you. It’s always the unloved woman who gets called the mistress!”
She attempted to strike Alicia, but Monica was quick to slap her hand aside.
“Mistress? Who said anything about a mistress?” Monica said loudly. “No one called Lilliana a mistress.”
The expression on Lilliana’s friend’s face shifted awkwardly. “I was trying to say…”
“Right, right. Isn’t it true that Joshua was unfaithful during his marriage and got Lilliana pregnant before he ended his first marriage? It’s common knowledge. Let’s not dwell on it,” Monica added sharply.
Lilliana’s friend was left speechless and quickly turned to Lilliana. “Lilliana, I didn’t mean it like that…”
The onlookers nearby began to whisper more intently. Lilliana’s expression darkened, and she shot her friend a fierce look before storming off.
Monica stood with her hands on her hips. “Thinking she can act so superior when she’s the one causing trouble? Ridiculous.”
Alicia soothed Monica with a gentle pat on the back. “Relax. There’s no need to be so upset.”
After calming Monica, Alicia’s thoughts shifted back to Caden. How long would it take him to confront Joshua?
In the meeting room, Joshua was deep in negotiations with Mr. Wade. The deal was set to be finalized that day, and once the contract was signed, the money would be transferred.
“Let’s wrap this up quickly,” Joshua urged concisely. “You understand my situation.”
Mr. Wade remained composed. “Mr. Yates, I regret to inform you that I cannot transfer the funds.”
Joshua’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” He struggled to control his anger. “I’ve handed over the painting, and now you’re refusing to pay?”
Mr. Wade detailed the issue. “Just today, the police contacted me. They’ve raised concerns…”
Mr. Wade continued, “The police have raised concerns about the ownership of the painting you sold. Apparently, it’s not registered under your name.”
Joshua’s gaze intensified. “How could it not be mine if it was in my possession?”
“The police investigated and determined that the painting actually belongs to your ex-wife, Alicia.”
“It was indeed hers, but it was included in our joint property. She didn’t take anything when she left,” Joshua retorted.
“Then why did she report it?” Mr. Wade asked.
“She alleges she owned the painting before our marriage, and that it’s entirely unrelated to me.”
Mr. Wade confronted him, frustration clear in his voice. “Mr. Yates, this isn’t right. This amounts to theft. I was going to pay 200 million dollars, and now I’m at risk of being sued. What have I done to deserve this from you?”
Joshua struggled to breathe as the weight of the situation hit him. He had suspected Alicia might eventually discover the sale, but he hadn’t anticipated her finding out so quickly. With both Mr. Wade and the police siding with her, it was clear that Caden had played a part in this.
His finances were already tight, and this latest problem had pushed him to the edge. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself.
Mr. Wade could see Joshua was cornered. “Mr. Yates, I understand you’re in a tough situation. How much do you need?”
Joshua looked defeated. “Why? Are you able to assist?”
Mr. Wade nodded. “Absolutely. You’re just facing a temporary setback. Once your company is listed publicly, you’ll recover. I’d prefer to stay on good terms.”
Joshua extinguished his cigarette. “I need over 3 billion dollars. Can you provide that?”
“Not personally, but I know someone who might,” Mr. Wade said, reaching for his phone. “I’ll get him on the line right now.”
Mr. Wade called Caden to inform him of the situation.
When Caden answered, Mr. Wade, carefully avoiding names, simply said, “It’s done. When will you be coming over?”
Caden replied in a flat tone, “Tell him to wait.” Without another word, he ended the call.
At that moment, Caden was seated in the banquet hall. Four people were gathered around a table, including him. Alicia was steadily drinking, finishing one glass after another, while Caden remained expressionless. Gerry and Monica, who had just met, were engaged in nonstop conversation.
Their chatter continued endlessly, leaving Alicia unable to join in. Feeling distracted, she glanced at Caden from time to time. She wondered what time it was and how many drinks she had already consumed. Why hadn’t they started discussing the important matters yet?
Growing impatient, she kicked Caden under the table.
Caden raised his gaze. “What was that kick for?” he asked.
Alicia’s lips twitched slightly. She thought to herself, I kicked you because I can’t say it out loud. Why would you announce it like that?
Just as she expected, Gerry leaned in. “What’s going on with you two now?” he asked.
Alicia touched her nose. “I had a leg cramp. Couldn’t help it,” she said, trying to deflect.
“Some cramp,” Caden said coolly. “You ended up kicking me.”
“It’s a condition where I aim unpredictably. How unlucky of you to be sitting there!” Alicia countered with a grin.
Gerry chuckled at that, amused by their banter.
Realizing they were bickering again, he decided to stir things up. He nudged Caden and said, “I don’t buy that excuse. Let’s switch seats, Caden.”
Caden looked at him, understanding Gerry’s intention. Despite that, he stood up and moved to a different seat.
Alicia couldn’t bring herself to address the issue with Caden directly, so she turned to her phone and typed a message.
“Has Joshua arrived yet?” she texted.
Caden’s phone vibrated on the table in front of him. Aware that it was from Alicia, he chose to ignore it and casually swirled the drink in his glass.
Frustrated by his indifference, Alicia clenched her teeth.
Determined to get a response, she sent another message.
“The art exhibition is almost over. Are you going to handle the business today or not?”
Caden noticed how aggressively she was typing. It looked as if she might punch through the screen.
He raised an eyebrow, but then closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
Alicia, exasperated, couldn’t hold back any longer. She began bombarding him with a string of angry face emojis.
Caden’s phone buzzed relentlessly. With each vibration, it edged closer to the edge of the table. Gerry looked over, puzzled.
“Caden, someone’s trying to reach you. Aren’t you going to answer?” he asked.
Caden remained motionless. “Don’t bother with it. That phone is cursed.”
“Excuse me?” Gerry responded, baffled. “How could a phone be cursed?”
As Alicia continued to flood him with angry emojis, she suddenly realized how childish she was acting. She turned off her screen in frustration.
Unable to contain herself, she gave Caden another kick under the table, this time with more force.
The sound was loud enough for the two people beside them to hear, yet neither of them spoke a word.
Caden opened his eyes and glanced at her. “What’s your problem now? Another sudden twitch in your leg?”
Alicia responded coldly, “Yes. It seems my leg acts up whenever I’m near obnoxious people.”
Without saying anything, Caden stood up and walked away from the table.
A few moments later, her phone buzzed with a new message.
“Meet me outside,” Caden’s text read.
Alicia bit down on her straw, clenching her teeth in frustration. She stubbornly refused to respond, debating whether she should leave.
Seconds later, another message appeared: “You have two minutes. This is your last chance.”
She stared at the screen, momentarily speechless. Letting out a sigh, she pushed back her chair and headed toward the door of the private lounge.
Caden leaned against the wall, glancing at his watch. “You really can’t stand losing, can you? You showed up at exactly one minute and fifty-nine seconds.”
Alicia skipped the pleasantries and leaned in, whispering, “Where is Joshua?”
“Mr. Wade’s waiting on my word,” Caden replied.
Alicia understood the gravity of the situation. The outcome rested entirely on her actions.
She clenched her fists, frustration bubbling inside her.
“Our agreement clearly states that you can’t threaten me,” she said, her voice firm.
Caden responded calmly, “If that agreement means so much to you, why keep yourself trapped in this endless loop with me?”
This time, Alicia was speechless. Not wanting him to read her thoughts, she turned away, feeling the flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck.
“I never agreed to the marriage my family arranged,” Caden continued.
Alicia remained silent.
Growing impatient with her silence, Caden added, “Give me a quick kiss, and we’ll go. Come here.”
Alicia scowled at him. “Is now really the time for that?”