Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden realized he shouldn’t be spoiling her. If he catered to her request for grapefruit-flavored candy, she might eventually expect him to prepare elaborate meat dishes for her.
He casually flicked the ash from his cigarette. Moments later, disliking the lingering smell, he decided to quit smoking it entirely.
Meanwhile, after viewing the video, Jerald was overcome with rage. His already fragile condition worsened.
Shelia, distraught, threw a tantrum, crying and demanding answers from him.
Jerald lay in bed, his heart weighed down by concern for Joshua. Yet, even in his worry, he was forced to approach the situation cautiously. Each breath came with difficulty.
“What does Caden want, exactly?” he gasped, frustration dripping from his voice. “What the hell does he want?!”
Shelia, sobbing uncontrollably, shouted, “What else? He wants Joshua dead! How could he do this to his own brother?”
Her voice cracked as her tears left her exhausted.
Jerald fell silent, lost in thought.
Ever since Caden’s return, it felt as though everything was slipping through Jerald’s fingers. Caden was like a starving wolf, relentless in his attacks. But who was he attacking?
An incident from years ago flashed in Jerald’s mind. His face paled, his body seized by a sudden wave of fear.
He grabbed his chest, his voice hoarse with panic. “Pill! I need my pill!”
Noticing his deteriorating state, Shelia wasted no time. She rushed to retrieve his medication, her hands trembling as she handed it to him.
As Jerald waited for the pill to take effect, his eyes remained tightly shut, his breathing uneven.
Shelia’s voice pierced through his haze of pain and fear. “Jerald, will you help Joshua or not?”
He finally spoke, his voice weak but resolute. “If that bastard is bold enough to do this, he must be prepared. I can’t act blindly when I don’t know the extent of his capabilities.”
Shelia’s face twisted in disbelief. “What are you saying?” she demanded. “Are you just going to let this slide? Do you want to see Joshua dead?”
Jerald lost his patience. “Calm down, will you? Is this something that can be resolved overnight?”
A flash of anger crossed Shelia’s eyes.
She had stood by Jerald for years, enduring countless storms by his side. She knew him better than anyone-his habits, his flaws, and most of all, his tendency to vanish when problems arose.
Jerald was self-centered and unreliable, traits she could no longer tolerate.
Shelia clenched her teeth, her voice trembling with restrained fury. “Jerald, if you refuse to get involved, fine. I’ll protect Joshua myself. He’s my son.”
Her resolve hardened as she continued. “If necessary, I’ll confront Caden directly-even if it means we both go down together!”
Jerald was more than ready for Shelia to leave. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he pushed her away.
“Then go. Go now! And make sure you take care of Caden today!”
Shelia stared back at him, her face a mixture of despair and fury.
She had endured years as Jerald’s mistress, clinging to the hope that her loyalty and sacrifices might soften him, might change him. But she had been wrong-so terribly wrong. A heartless man remained heartless, no matter how much time passed.
Men really were the most cold-hearted creatures.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips, sharp and hollow. “Jerald, you don’t even care about your own wife and son. Don’t you fear karma?”
Jerald scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “Karma? Really? You dare mention that word?”
His tone grew harsher, his eyes narrowing. “When my wife was pregnant with our second child, you forced your way into my life with Joshua. It was your actions that led to her death during childbirth. If anyone is due for karma, it’s you!”
Shelia’s voice rose in anger, her body trembling. “I’m not the reason she’s dead! You are! You’re the one committing all these sins. Don’t you dare pin her death on me!”
Jerald’s expression darkened, his gaze ice cold. “You think I killed her? Where’s your proof?” he sneered. “You seduced me and used Joshua to blackmail me into a divorce. That story’s old news-everyone knows it. You say I killed her? Who would ever believe that?”
Tears streamed down Shelia’s face as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Jerald leaned closer, his voice low and threatening. “If you keep slandering me, I’ll make sure you end up in prison. And trust me, you’ll rot there.”
Shelia stiffened, her entire body shaking with fury and humiliation. Years of suffering, degradation, and manipulation had brought her to this moment.
She wanted to retaliate, to destroy him, to make him suffer as she had suffered. She knew she could ruin him if she truly wanted to.
But Joshua’s safety held her back. She couldn’t risk it-not yet. As much as it disgusted her, she was forced to depend on Jerald for now.
Through gritted teeth, she spoke bitterly. “Jerald, Caden is merciless, and he’s determined to destroy the Yates family. Now that he’s targeted Joshua, do you really think you’ll be spared? How long do you think you can remain untouched?”
Her words struck a nerve.
For the first time, Jerald’s confidence wavered. She was right.
He had distanced himself from his family, always an irritant to Caden. If Caden truly unleashed his wrath, not even Jerald’s position as Caden’s father would shield him.
Jerald’s eyes flickered with urgency. “We need to take a risk to save Joshua.”
Shelia managed to rein in her anger and asked, “What do we do?”
Noticing her agitation, Jerald softened his tone, trying to pacify her as one might calm a frightened animal. “Shelia, we can sort out our differences later. For now, we need to work together.”
Joshua had been receiving covert medical treatment, known only to a select few.
The Green family, however, was aware.
Joshua’s company, which he had painstakingly built, had been destroyed overnight. Adding to his plight, he had sustained severe injuries. A recent surgery had left him unmanly, and he was also undergoing treatment for his damaged vision.
Whether he would regain his sight remained uncertain.
If the treatments failed, he would be both blind and impotent-utterly defeated.
Lilliana was devastated by the news. She cried uncontrollably, causing chaos at home as she pleaded with Cedric to intervene.
But Cedric hesitated.
Eventually, he dismissed the matter altogether. “You’re engaged, not married. We don’t need someone so broken. I’ll find you someone better,” he told Lilliana coldly.
However, Lilliana’s love for Joshua was real. Beneath her usual pride, she cared deeply for him. She wouldn’t have risked pregnancy before marriage if her feelings hadn’t been genuine.
Now, with Joshua in dire straits, her desperation consumed her. She went so far as to threaten Cedric with her own life and that of her unborn child.
“If you don’t save him, I’ll end my life and my baby’s! You’ll regret this forever!” she cried, her voice trembling with emotion.
Faced with Lilliana holding a knife to her throat, Cedric was both powerless and anxious. “Lilliana, you don’t understand the situation,” he said, his voice low but firm. “My hands are tied. Even if I wanted to save Joshua, I couldn’t. Caden is bent on seeing him dead, and no one can change his mind!”
“Why does he want Joshua dead? They’re brothers! Why would he do that?” Lilliana shouted, her voice breaking with desperation.
Cedric answered bluntly, “Why do you think? Old grudges, a woman, and because Caden wants to defend Alicia! Don’t you know what Joshua did last month?”
Stunned by the revelation, Lilliana murmured in disbelief, “For Alicia?”
Cedric had been equally shocked when he first learned the truth. “I can’t fathom what’s going through Caden’s mind. To go this far over a woman, even turning against his own brother…”
Lilliana’s face turned deathly pale, and her legs gave out as she collapsed to the ground. Her expression twisted in shock and disbelief.
“How is this possible?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Alicia-that woman? How could Caden care for her after Joshua left her?”
Her thoughts spun wildly. She wouldn’t have pushed Joshua to confront Alicia if it hadn’t been for the rumors linking Yolanda and Caden. Their schemes had backfired spectacularly, and the consequences now seemed unbearable.
Lilliana covered her face with trembling hands, overwhelmed by the weight of it all.
“Joshua was her husband for two years and barely gave her a second glance,” she muttered bitterly. “How did she suddenly become so valuable to Caden? I can’t accept it. It doesn’t make sense…”
The sheer magnitude of their loss was crushing enough, but the knowledge of Alicia’s newfound importance to Caden was a devastating blow to Lilliana. It struck her like a hammer, shattering what little composure she had left.
She crumpled completely, collapsing in a helpless heap on the floor.
The shock was too much for her body to bear, and it triggered a sharp, searing pain in her abdomen.
The frigid days of winter continued to roll in. As Christmas approached, the streets came alive with festive music and vibrant decorations, their colors brightening the cold, gray days.
Alicia, however, remained unbothered by the turmoil facing the Green and Yates families. She trusted that Caden had everything under control and chose instead to pour her energy into her gallery.
She worked tirelessly, managing day-to-day operations with unmatched dedication. Despite being the owner, Alicia was approachable and open with her employees, ensuring that every task ran smoothly.
She was often the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night, embodying the ideal of a responsible and hardworking business owner.
It wasn’t long before her reputation caught the attention of the media. A journalist reached out to conduct an interview, curious about the woman behind the gallery’s growing success.
Alicia prepared meticulously for the occasion. During the interview, she was poised and graceful, delivering thoughtful, concise answers. Her confidence and composure left a strong impression.
The session concluded on a positive note for both parties. Alicia had even arranged a meal to treat the reporter and their team afterward, ensuring the experience was seamless and pleasant.
That evening, Alicia had dinner with her employees, a gesture of appreciation for their hard work. By the time the meal ended, exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she still made sure to call for a car service to take her employees home safely.
As her assistant leaned out of the car window, she called out with concern. “Miss Bennett, you should head home and rest too. You’re pushing yourself too hard. Why don’t you take the day off tomorrow?”
Alicia smiled warmly. “I’m fine. Be sure to call me when you get home.”
Her assistant sighed, her expression clouded with worry. “All right. Good night, Miss Bennett.”
Alicia waved as the car pulled away, watching until it disappeared down the street.
Inside the car, her assistant shook her head, glancing at her colleagues. “Miss Bennett works too hard,” she said, her tone heavy with concern. “If she keeps this up, I’m afraid her body won’t be able to handle it.”