Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
As he hung up, Alicia, who was enjoying her ice cream beside him, glanced over with a smirk. “So, were you such a troublemaker as a kid that your uncle had to scold you constantly?”
Caden raised an eyebrow, memories surfacing. He remembered sneaking off to dive, playing with fireworks, taking the car for a spin alone, and even scaling cliffs in off-limits areas. Each adventure brought him to the edge of disaster. Benedict had always raced down the road like a madman to fetch him, only to give him a stern lecture afterward.
Once home, Benedict would yank down Caden’s pants and administer a harsh spanking, his handprints leaving marks like burning brands, only stopping when Caden’s backside was too sore to sit comfortably.
“Not so bad,” Caden said with a faint smile, letting the memories rest. “He cared about me a lot.”
Alicia’s question came out of the blue. “So, are you obedient to him?”
“That depends on the matter.”
“On big things,” she pressed, her tone changing, “like marriage, for example.”
Caden turned and looked at her. Alicia avoided his gaze, nervously stuffing her whole ice cream cone into her mouth-almost choking on it before pulling it out. She chuckled awkwardly, wiping a stray smear of cream from the corner of her lips.
Caden raised an eyebrow. “What? Do you still want to marry me?”
Alicia’s cheeks turned a shade of crimson. She knew he wasn’t the marrying type, and that left her feeling a little deflated. She shrugged, forcing a laugh. “No, I was just asking.”
She tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, but Caden’s gaze and firm hold kept her close, leaving her with nowhere to run.
He remained silent.
Alicia struggled to read him. Marriage was often seen as the end of romance. But despite everything, she still dreamed of it. What could she do?
As the ice cream in Alicia’s hand started to melt, Caden grabbed it and tossed it aside without a second thought. “My parents are no longer here, so when it comes to marriage, I call the shots,” he said firmly. “My uncle’s role is to give his blessings – not his opinions.”
Alicia’s breath hitched. For some reason, she was at a loss for words.
Her gaze locked with Caden’s dark, intense eyes. A thousand words danced on the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn’t voice a single one.
A faint smile curved on Caden’s lips, as if he were about to say, “Alicia, will you marry me?” His tender look was overwhelming, pulling her in like a gentle tide.
“Alicia,” he murmured.
Alicia felt like the air had been sucked from her lungs, leaving her staring, dazed. Was he really about to say it? Was he about to propose? Why now, and so suddenly?
How was she supposed to respond? Should she say yes or give him a good smack for choosing such an unromantic moment?
What a dull way to propose!
Yet, even without flowers or a ring, why did she still want to say yes?
Caden’s gaze drifted to her lips, parted in nervous anticipation, and he almost let out a laugh. He wanted nothing more than to close the gap and kiss her. “Alicia,” he drawled slowly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “You have a little ice cream mustache.”
Alicia nearly choked. It felt like her heart, which had been swelling with anticipation, had just been popped, deflating all at once. Unable to withstand the crushing weight of disappointment, she delivered a sharp punch to his chest.
“You are really impossible!”
Her soft punch didn’t hurt, but it sent Caden into fits of laughter. He pulled her into his arms, a teasing grin on his face. “Why don’t you like hearing the truth? I never said you were ugly.”
After saying that, he leaned in and kissed the cream off the corner of her mouth.
Alicia exclaimed, “What on earth are you doing out in the open? Someone might catch us in the act!”
Already feeling flustered, she grew more annoyed at the sight of Caden’s handsome, beaming face. “What’s so funny? Why is your sense of humor so low?”
Caden’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Alicia, I’ll give you whatever you want.”
As for marriage, it wasn’t the right time yet.
Alicia’s expression softened, her eyes brightening with curiosity. “Like what?”
“Like my secret stash.”
Alicia raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “What secret stash?” Without another word, Caden scooped her up and headed toward the car. “Come with me. I’ll tell you at home. In bed.”
Understanding his implication, Alicia kicked and punched him in playful frustration. “Caden, you are absolutely impossible!”
Caden had never taken the idea of marriage seriously. To him, marriage was a multifaceted concept – something that could be a transaction, a bargaining chip, or a cherished gift.
If Alicia wanted the gift, he was more than willing to give it to her.
Once Ciara was finally able to get out of bed, Caden seized the opportunity to meet with the country’s most esteemed ring designer. This designer was renowned and had previously collaborated with the Moss family.
When the designer saw Caden’s eagerness for a ring, his thoughts immediately drifted to Caden and Yolanda. Caden instructed, “Let’s start with a sketch. I’ll review it myself once it’s done.”
The designer chuckled lightly. “Rumor has it that Mr. Ward is a private person. I suppose that’s just gossip. Have you set a wedding date?”
Caden shook his head. “Not yet.” He wanted to keep the news under wraps for now, so he offered no further details.
The designer’s expression shifted as he recalled something. “Oh, I heard Miss Moss has faced some troubles recently and is in the hospital. Is she alright?”
Caden replied indifferently, “She’s fine now.”
The designer couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Yolanda. The wedding rings for Yolanda’s parents had been his design, a project that had propelled him to fame. It seemed only fitting that he should visit Yolanda while she was in the hospital.
Caden left promptly after giving instructions, still swamped with tasks for the rest of the day.
As soon as he reached the office, Alicia called. “I want to go to the church later to pick up a cross necklace. Are you free to join me?”
He remembered her mentioning Ciara’s improving health and her wish to buy a small token of good fortune. Checking his schedule, he responded, “I can make it. What time?”
The well-known church closed early, before six, which happened to be when he was the busiest.
“How about around three?” Alicia asked tentatively.
Caden hesitated briefly before saying, “That works.”
“If it’s too much, we can do it another time,” she offered, sensing his busy day.
Since the forecast called for rain in the coming days – an inauspicious sign – Alicia felt it was best to handle it today.
“It’s fine,” he assured her. “I’ll pick you up at two fifty.”
Alicia paused, slightly surprised. Just ten minutes.
He was making a special effort, even squeezing in a short break.
“Why are you so busy today? You sound rushed even now,” she remarked.
“I did something special for you,” he replied, keeping his tone casual.
“What is it?” she asked, intrigued.
Hearing her warm, curious tone, Caden could imagine her expression, so he teased, “I bought you two new sets of lingerie.”
Alicia fell silent.
With the phone on speaker, Caden continued working as Alicia began to scold him. Smiling, he said, “Seems you’re running out of swear words; you used the same one three times.”
Alicia retorted, “Caden, tonight you can sleep in the doghouse! Don’t even think about touching me!” She fumed before hanging up.
Caden chuckled.
Just then, Hank entered. “Mr. Ward, some great news. Corey’s side is running into trouble.”
Caden’s amusement faded. “What happened?”
In the afternoon, Alicia waited until 3:30 but hadn’t heard from Caden, so she tried calling.
Hank answered, “Ms. Bennett, Mr. Ward’s very busy. If it’s urgent, I can relay the message.”
Expecting his absence, Alicia was prepared but couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Quickly adjusting, she said, “It’s nothing. Just let Caden focus.”
Hank, hoping to avoid a misunderstanding, added, “He’s dealing with an issue concerning Corey.”
“I understand,” Alicia replied before gathering her things to leave.
Seeing her leave early, Blake asked, “Off on another date with Caden?”
Alicia smiled, embarrassed. “No, I have errands to run.”
“Do you need a ride?” Blake asked.
“No, thank you. I’ll drive myself,” Alicia replied.
Blake checked the forecast. “It’s expected to rain around five. Drive carefully. And by the way, where are you headed? Client meeting?”
“Just picking up a cross necklace for Ciara.”
“Mount Aconca Church, right? It’s quite popular. I visited it recently and know the pastor. If we go together, we might finish before the rain hits.”
Curious, Alicia asked, “You went for a cross necklace yourself?”
Blake laughed. “Not for me. A client needed one.”
Alicia was surprised at the coincidence.
But Blake was already ready, grabbing his keys.