Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Alicia forced a smile, quickly sliding off his lap and making her way to the door.
Caden furrowed his brow, confused. “Where are you going?”
Alicia wasn’t upset. She was simply looking for the innkeeper.
Caden stood by the door, watching her as she entered the innkeeper’s room. He noticed she stayed inside for over ten minutes before finally emerging, wrapped tightly in her coat.
Caden’s curiosity piqued. “Did you get any advice?”
Alicia slouched a little as she made her way back inside.
Once the door clicked shut, she slipped off her coat, revealing the dress she wore underneath.
His gaze darkened with intensity as he watched her.
Alicia’s smooth complexion made her look stunning in anything she wore. Even a simple, playful outfit exuded charm. She tried to act confidently, but a slight blush crept across her cheeks.
“She sells these, so I chose one that fits me…” She said, pulling out a headband adorned with cat ears and placing it atop her head.
“What do you think?” she asked, nervously tugging at the hem of her dress. “Do you like it?”
Caden remained silent, his expression tense as he locked the door. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, signaling his growing tension.
Alicia braced herself, knowing her teasing had pushed him too far.
Uncertain in her ability to use seductive words, she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, “Do you like it?”
Caden’s voice was low, a hint of frustration in it. “You’re driving me crazy, you little minx.”
Alicia pressed her face against his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her lips.
Outside, the storm raged on-rain, snow, and thunder blending together, adding to the charged atmosphere.
Inside, the room seemed to grow hotter with every passing moment. Alicia spoke softly, between shallow breaths, “From now on, when there’s thunder and rain, I want to be the only one on your mind.”
Caden paused, finally understanding why she had been so daring tonight.
Caden poured all his intense emotions into his actions, knowing that Alicia couldn’t handle too much at once. He paced himself, following a two-on, one-off rhythm. For every two rounds, they’d take an hour’s rest. The long winter night stretched over ten hours, and Caden made sure to use the time efficiently, meeting his needs without overexerting Alicia. Despite his attempts to be considerate, she still fell into a deep sleep by morning.
Caden, on the other hand, slept for only two hours before waking up. He accepted the breakfast delivered by the innkeeper, who couldn’t help but notice his energy. “You’ve got impressive stamina, young man!” she remarked, astonished that after such an intense night, he was already up and about.
Caden didn’t bother with false humility. “It’s the perk of being young,” he replied with a grin. At twenty-five, even an all-nighter wasn’t much of a challenge for him.
After breakfast, he sat by the window to work online. In the afternoon, a beam of sunlight filtered through, casting a soft glow on his keyboard. Looking up, he was pleasantly surprised by the rare sunny weather for this time of year-it felt like an unexpected blessing. His gaze then drifted to the woman sleeping on the bed, and a smile tugged at his lips.
Just then, his phone rang, breaking the moment.
He answered with a casual, “What’s up?”
Gerry’s voice came through, laced with concern. “Are you okay?”
They had spoken a few days earlier, and Caden had reassured him everything was fine, asking them not to visit. But after a few days, Gerry’s worry had prompted him to call again.
“Yes. We’ll be back in a couple of days,” Caden replied.
Gerry let out a sigh of relief but then picked up on something unusual in Caden’s tone. “It’s already afternoon. Why do you sound like you just woke up? Did you sleep in?”
“Yeah, I slept in a little today,” Caden replied, sounding upbeat.
Gerry teased, “Did Alicia put some kind of spell on you? Your time is usually more valuable than gold, yet here you are, lingering in bed.”
Caden chuckled. “That’s pretty accurate.”
Gerry was taken aback by Caden’s honesty. “But it’s Thanksgiving the day after tomorrow. Aren’t you coming back? You’re really going to spend it at the foot of that mountain?”
Caden wasn’t concerned with such traditions. “Yeah.”
“Come on, join us. Bring Alicia along,” Gerry insisted. He was eager to see Caden’s softer side, as he had never seen him act this way toward anyone. “Come back. Let’s hang out. I’ll even cover the whole night.”
Caden’s voice was cold. “No. I’m ending the call.”
Gerry pleaded, “Come on! I’m practically begging here.”
Caden paused for a moment before asking bluntly, “Do you have a thing for me?”
Gerry responded without hesitation, “Not in this lifetime. I only like women. Maybe in the next life.”
Caden’s question had caught him off guard, but he laughed. “Thanks, but no. Even if you liked men in the next life, I wouldn’t be into you.”
Then, Caden ended the call.
Taking advantage of the energy from Thanksgiving Day, Alicia came up with some ideas for a special event. She drafted a detailed proposal and sent it to her assistant.
Knowing about Alicia’s recent accident, her assistant expressed some concern before saying, “Ms. Bennett, I can handle this plan. You don’t need to work so hard.”
Alicia smiled and replied, “It’s fine. I have some free time now. Next year, I’ll be busier, and I’ll let you take the lead then.”
Caden walked into the room and found Alicia smiling brightly.
“Who are you talking to?” he asked, glancing at her phone.
Alicia quickly wrapped up her conversation with her assistant and ended the call.
“Just discussing some gallery matters with my assistant,” Alicia murmured, shifting slightly beneath the blanket.
Caden asked, without thinking, “Is your assistant a man or a woman?”
“A woman,” Alicia replied. “She just graduated, but she’s really smart and has a kind nature.”
Caden’s expression softened. “Alright.”
Alicia brought her laptop over to show him the plan she had drafted. With his broader business experience, Caden quickly spotted a few minor issues. Alicia, always quick on the uptake, made the adjustments without delay.
Caden’s thoughts drifted. “It’s Thanksgiving today. How about soaking in a hot spring?” he suggested.
Alicia looked surprised. “There’s a hot spring here?”
“Yes,” he replied. “Not only a hot spring, but also fireworks.”
Alicia reclined in the warm water, her eyes wide with amazement. “This place is so remote, practically abandoned. It’s just the two of us here. Why are there fireworks?”
Caden held her from behind, their bodies pressed close. “Fireworks on Thanksgiving Day aren’t that unusual.”
Alicia shyly splashed the water and asked, “Did you arrange them yourself?”
Caden smiled, knowing she didn’t realize how much he had orchestrated. “I did. In such an isolated place, fireworks wouldn’t normally happen. I made the arrangements yesterday.”
He let his thoughts drift. “There’s an even more spectacular display. Want to see it?”
Alicia’s curiosity piqued, her eyes lighting up with interest. “Where? When?”
“Now. Right this moment.”
He turned her around, lifting her gently to the edge of the hot spring. Grasping her smooth legs, he placed them over his shoulders, then knelt down.
Alicia realized what he was about to do. She gasped, quickly biting her hand to stifle the sound.
She wasn’t prepared for this. The intense sensations caused her to close her eyes, her mind ablaze with the metaphorical fireworks Caden had promised.
After the fireworks display, Alicia leaned against Caden, her gaze fixed on him in a daze. She couldn’t quite identify the liquid on his lips.
It made Alicia feel shy, and she quickly wiped it away.
“What’s this for?” Alicia asked, her body feeling on fire. She had never imagined he would do something like this for her. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it first?”
Caden laughed softly. Was it really necessary to discuss something like this?
“How should I have talked about it with you?” he teased, his voice low and seductive. “Should I have said, ‘May I have a taste, Ms. Bennett’?”
Alicia’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. She quickly covered his mouth, feeling his warm breath against her hand.
Caden was drawn to her shy behavior, unable to hold back any longer. “Come on. Let’s keep the fireworks going.”
He turned her around, and they proceeded to the main event.
By the time they returned, Alicia had fallen asleep. Caden bundled her up in his warm down jacket and carried her back to the inn.
As soon as they arrived, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and narrowed his eyes. Feeling Alicia shift in his arms, Caden gently placed her on the bed and covered her ears with a piece of clothing before answering the call.
Yolanda’s voice came through. “Caden, I thought you wouldn’t pick up my calls anymore. Are you okay? I tried calling you several times earlier, but you didn’t respond. I was worried something happened to you.”
“Make it quick,” Caden replied coldly.
Her tone faltered as Yolanda’s heart sank. “I called my father a few days ago, and we resolved the issue we were facing. The initial program is set. You can test it when you return.” She started coughing, a deep, persistent cough that made it sound as though she were very sick.
Caden remained silent for a few seconds, his thoughts distant.
“Thank you for your effort,” he replied, his voice formal and distant.
Yolanda continued coughing for some time before she finally stopped. Then, with a smile and a hoarse voice, she said, “No worries. I’ve always had poor health. It’s been this way since I was a child…”
“Be sure to go to the hospital soon,” Caden suggested. “You can request reimbursement for your medical costs from the finance department.”