Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Blake didn’t respond.
They were on their way to a celebrity art exhibition in the eastern district.
Midway through the drive, Blake’s phone rang. His expression quickly grew serious.
Alicia glanced over. “Is Caden giving you problems?”
Blake shook his head. “No, it’s a family issue. I need to head out immediately. I’m sorry-can your assistant come get you?”
Alicia waved him off. “Go ahead, don’t worry about me. If you need anything, let me know.”
The call had been from his family’s maid. She explained that Ray Langstaff had left behind a note and had gone off to Warrington by himself.
Ray was Blake’s younger brother, and there was a nineteen-year age gap between them.
Five years earlier, their family had been struck by a sudden upheaval when both parents were imprisoned for their crimes. Ray, who was just three at the time, cried non-stop for three days and nights, which left a lasting impact on his health.
Ray had been diagnosed with autism.
For the past five years, Blake had taken on the role of both father and mother, never straying far from Ray’s side. Yet in the few days he had been away, something had gone wrong.
Alicia lingered at the exhibition for quite a while before finally deciding to leave.
When her assistant came to pick her up, he asked with curiosity, “Ms. Bennett, where did Mr. Langstaff go?”
Alicia responded, “He had to leave suddenly for something important.”
As she thought about Caden, an uncomfortable heaviness lingered in her chest.
But after that, he stopped responding to any other questions.
The ride to the hospital was silent, with Ray not making a sound or a move.
The only movement came from his fingers.
They twitched now and then, almost as if they were moving on their own, uncontrollably.
Alicia had seen children like this before during her volunteer work in disaster-stricken areas.
Ray was on the autism spectrum.
In situations like this, contacting the police was the only option.
As Alicia reached for her phone, Ray seemed to sense her intentions. He suddenly grabbed her hand to stop her. She spoke in a calm voice. “The police can help find your parents. There’s no need to be scared.”
But Ray reacted unexpectedly. In a sudden outburst, he snatched the phone from her and hurled it to the ground, shattering it.
For a moment, Alicia was left speechless.
It appeared she had no other choice but to involve the police.
As she bent down to retrieve her phone, Ray took the chance and bolted.
Alicia’s heart raced. Why was he so terrified of the police?
Could he have been in trouble for something he did?
But then, he was just a young boy on the autism spectrum. Her concern for his safety took over, and she immediately ran after him.
During the chase, Alicia bumped into Ciara.
Jasmine, recognizing Alicia, called out her name. Without missing a beat, Alicia shouted back, “Stop that boy!”
Jasmine reacted quickly, grabbing hold of Ray.
He fought wildly, flailing his arms and then sinking his teeth into her hand.
Known for her short fuse, Jasmine instinctively slapped him, though it wasn’t hard.
To everyone’s shock, Ray collapsed, unconscious.
Jasmine was left in shock, and Alicia shared her disbelief. Still baffled, Jasmine muttered, “I barely touched him… How could he be so delicate?”
Catching her breath, Alicia replied weakly, “At least he’s not trying to bolt now.”
Ciara had been at the hospital for a routine check-up and was equally surprised to see Alicia.
Then, recognition flashed across her face as she looked at Ray.
“He’s a relative’s kid. What’s he doing here?”
Alicia blinked in surprise. What were the chances?
“Could you please reach out to his parents, Mrs. Ward?”
Ciara paused for a moment, deep in thought. “I seem to recall that something unfortunate happened to his parents…”
Given Ray’s presence, she held back from elaborating further.
She didn’t want to cause him any unnecessary pain.
However, it was important to note that Ray was not from this area. For a child to end up here, dressed so poorly and with a hollow stomach indicating hunger, it was evident that something had gone terribly wrong.
What options did they have?
Ciara suddenly had a brilliant idea.
“I will take him back to Joy Mansion, and afterward, I will make every effort to reach out to his family.”
Alicia agreed wholeheartedly, nodding her head in approval of the plan.
Ciara added, “I owe you my gratitude for today. If anything were to happen to him, I wouldn’t know how to face his family with the news. Alicia, it’s nearly lunchtime. Why don’t you come back to Joy Mansion with me?”
Alicia found herself at a loss for words.
She understood exactly what Ciara was suggesting. After all, she had already turned down Ciara’s invitations on several occasions.
Turning her down once more felt somewhat impolite. After hesitating for a few seconds, she finally nodded in agreement. “Okay.”
Ciara smiled warmly and said, “By the way, Alicia, have you heard any news about Jerald?”
Alicia felt her heart tighten in response.
“What happened to him?”
He was involved in a car accident last night and is now disabled,” Ciara sighed heavily. “Caden has experienced the bitter moments, and now he is finally embracing the sweetness of life.”
Alicia clenched her fingers slightly, a whirlwind of complex emotions surging within her.
Ciara was right; after enduring so much suffering, Caden had finally achieved what he had longed for.
It should have been a day filled with joy for him, but they had just had a heated argument.
He was probably filled with rage at that very moment.
After a brief visit to the gallery, Alicia made her way to Joy Mansion alone before noon.
She brought with her a box of homemade pastries and gently set it down on the living room table.
The door to the side room was slightly open, and she overheard Ciara’s soft voice. “I finally managed to bring Alicia here, and now you’re telling me you’re not planning to come back? What’s going on with you, you little brat?”
Alicia immediately realized that Ciara was calling Caden.
It seemed like he wouldn’t be returning for lunch.
He likely didn’t want to see her, especially since she had been quite harsh earlier. Given his temperament, it was understandable that he would avoid facing her.
She actually felt a sense of relief and took a seat off to the side.
After some time, Ciara emerged, clearly distressed.
Alicia greeted her with a smile. “Mrs. Ward.”
She then stood and opened a box. “I made some light desserts myself. They have low sugar. Please try them and see if they suit your taste.”
Ciara’s frustration eased somewhat upon seeing Alicia’s thoughtful gesture.
“Forget it. It’s Caden’s loss for not coming back,” Ciara thought.
Ciara sampled one and couldn’t resist complimenting, “You really have a talent for this, Alicia. They’re delicately sweet, fragrant, and the texture is just right.”
Alicia blushed modestly.
Ciara then noticed that each dessert was a different color, indicating a variety of flavors. She set aside the honey and peanut ones.
Those were Caden’s favorites.
During lunchtime, Caden was meeting with an important author.
Gerry had been keen to obtain the rights to a popular novel from this author, and Caden successfully managed the deal over lunch.
Once the meeting concluded, he went directly back to Joy Mansion.