Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden stood watching them intently, his dark eyes fixed on both of them.
His heart felt trapped in sin, suffocating him, choking him, making him feel suffocated.
They had quarrelled and not spoken for several days.
Now to see her cheerfully greeting another man filled Caden with such rage that he could only manage a bitter sneer, his lips curving into a menacing smile.
Gerry stood by, taken aback.
He watched Caden for a moment and said, “Caden, this has got to be a misunderstanding, right?”
Caden’s grip on the handle of the case tightened, his knuckles turning white.
Amidst the noise and laughter around him, a chilling aura surrounded Caden, his voice cold.
“Let’s go.” With that, he walked away without looking back.
Gerry called and hurried to catch up, “Why didn’t you say hello to Alicia? What if it’s all a big misunderstanding? “
Alicia suddenly turned and scanned the crowded area.
A familiar figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Her heart fluttered as she looked around intently, but she couldn’t make him out.
Was it Caden?
It seemed to be.
But how could he have vanished so quickly?
Determined, Alicia searched for some time until Blake asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Alicia snapped back to the present and laughed.
“Nobody.” It must have been her imagination.
Even though she told herself not to be sad about Caden, her heart and soul were true.
She really missed him.
Alicia and Blake entered a toy shop.
Although Ray was older, his autism meant he still enjoyed toys, especially Lego.
Alicia picked out a set she thought he would like.
Blake picked up some other presents for Ciara and Jasmine to give later.
He noticed that Alicia seemed distracted.
“Are you thinking about Caden?” Blake asked directly.
Alicia was taken by surprise and blushed slightly.
“No.”
Blake said in a casual tone, “You were daydreaming, playing with the bracelet on your wrist, sighing and smiling.”
Alicia quickly tucked her hand into her sleeve.
Blake continued, “The bracelet was a gift from Caden.
You never take it off, and he’s the only one who can affect your mood like that.”
Her smile reflected happy memories and her sigh was a sense of loss.
Blake guessed and asked, “Did you two have another disagreement?”
Alicia forced a smile.
“No, everything’s fine between us.” Blake didn’t push the issue.
“That’s good to hear.
I’m sure it’s nothing serious.
Caden is young and tends to make small mistakes.”
Blake decided to leave it at that, afraid he might push her away by saying too much, appreciating the rare moments he had with her and wanting to make the most of their time together, even just as friends.
“I’ve been facing some challenges at work. I’d like to discuss them with you.” Blake picked a restaurant at random.
“Let’s talk over dinner.” The meal passed quickly.
Alicia did most of the talking, barely touching her food.
After saying goodbye to Blake, she walked alone into a shopping centre and found herself in a watch shop.
The display of men’s watches was impressive.
Her eyes fell on a sapphire watch from a prestigious brand.
After buying it, she walked back to her apartment.
As she opened her door, she froze when she saw Caden’s suitcase.
She stood frozen, overwhelmed by memories of the figure she had briefly seen at the airport.
She knew then that it was not her imagination.
But where was Caden?.
Caden was nowhere to be found in the apartment.
He usually didn’t leave his luggage scattered around; every time he returned from a trip, he made sure to neatly put everything away. Even when Alicia wasn’t around, he maintained the apartment impeccably, which reflected his meticulous nature.
However, today, Caden had left his things behind and disappeared.
After recalling what Blake had said earlier, Alicia decided to call Caden after a moment of contemplation. In every disagreement, someone has to make the first move to reconcile, and this time, she chose to be that person.
The phone rang for a while before someone finally picked up.
It was Gerry, and he sounded like he had been drinking.
Alicia, sensing that Caden was purposely avoiding her call, asked with a heavy heart, “Where’s Caden?”
Gerry mumbled, “Who are you?”
Alicia was left speechless.
The background noise was loud, probably from a bar or club where they were drinking. After a moment, Gerry pulled the phone away from his mouth.
“Caden, I think this is your phone.”
Alicia listened carefully, and she heard Caden ask, “Who’s on the line?”
Gerry, deeply intoxicated, mumbled, “No idea, didn’t say… Oh, wait, it’s a woman.” There was a brief pause.
The line remained open, and Gerry’s voice was still faintly audible in the background.
“Why would a woman be calling you? Could it possibly be…”
Caden, clearly annoyed, answered, “Probably just an admirer. Ignore it.”
Alicia’s heart sank as she bit her lower lip, stung by his dismissive words.
Gerry was drunk, but was Caden too?
Yet, Caden’s voice came through clear and sober.
Gerry pressed further, “Have you been giving your number out to other women?”
Caden remained silent.
Seeming to enjoy the tension, Gerry teased, “Oh boy, Alicia is going to lose it when she finds out.”
Caden answered casually, “She’s just my girlfriend. Why should she meddle in my personal life?”
After his remark, he glanced at the phone screen to see if Alicia had hung up. She hadn’t.
A brief silence followed, and then Alicia’s voice came through.
“Caden, I know you’re sober. Answer the phone. We need to talk.”
Caden acted as if he hadn’t heard her.
Finally showing a trace of emotion, Alicia’s voice carried a hint of anger.
“Are you trying to end things?”
Caden, with no change in his expression, picked up the phone and held it to his ear.