Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“Take Blake away,” he ordered, his tone steely and unyielding.
“Ensure every detail is handled. Leave nothing unresolved.”
Outside, Benedict paced back and forth, still consumed by agitation.
“You saw it with your own eyes, Caden. Are you just going to stand by? You’re a man-you know what those stains on Blake’s clothes mean, don’t you?”
Caden’s expression was as cold and unyielding as carved ice, his eyes dark and bloodshot, resembling storm clouds about to unleash their fury. He didn’t respond with words. Instead, he lunged forward, his fist colliding with Benedict’s nose in a sickening crack.
The bone shattered, bending at an unnatural angle as blood poured over Benedict’s hands when he instinctively reached up to staunch the flow. Stunned, Benedict stumbled backward, his wide eyes reflecting shock and disbelief as he gaped at Caden.
Caden’s voice was deadly calm, each word sharp and deliberate, like shards of ice.
“How many times have I told you? Alicia is my woman. Whatever happens, it’s for me to deal with. You dared to strike her?”
He stepped closer, grabbing Benedict by the collar and yanking him forward until their faces were mere inches apart. His grip was unrelenting, his tone laced with a dangerous edge.
“Who the fuck do you think you are? How dare you lay a hand on her?”
Blood covered Benedict’s face, and he made no move to resist. It was as if he had resigned himself to his fate. Caden’s furious roar still echoed in his ears, and his vision blurred, making it difficult to see his nephew clearly. He didn’t begrudge Caden for the punch; he knew he’d been reckless when he struck Alicia. But confusion gnawed at him. How could the nephew he had always admired turn out this way? The thought left him bewildered.
Caden, bound by family loyalty, decided that the punishment had been enough. He let go of Benedict and gestured to the bodyguards.
“Take him to the hospital.”
Benedict shook his head, voice rough and defiant.
“No need.”
Blood dripped steadily, soaking the front of his shirt, but he seemed unaware, his eyes locked on Caden’s cold, impassive profile.
“Caden, I’ve never acted without reason. Your mother’s past hurt me more than you know. That’s why I kept crossing the line, interfering with your relationship with Alicia.”
Caden’s response was calm, almost detached.
“My mother went astray because of Jerald. He was a monster, but Alicia is not.”
Benedict’s voice wavered with pain.
“Isn’t life more important than love? Why can’t you see which one truly matters?”
Caden’s gaze didn’t waver.
“Benedict, there are things I won’t repeat. Don’t push this to a point where we can’t come back from it.”
Benedict felt the weight of exhaustion seep into his bones, leaving him chilled to the core. Caden turned and began to walk away.
“Caden,” Benedict called after him. Caden halted, only slightly, without turning around.
“Alicia will be your downfall,” Benedict said, his voice flat and resigned.
“And you will be hers.”
At the hospital, Alicia’s dizziness had subsided after taking her medication. Her hand instinctively moved to her abdomen, relieved to feel no discomfort. Behind the curtain, Caden stood with the doctor, who spoke in a measured tone.
“Ms. Bennett was drugged, but it’s not severe. She’ll need a few days of rest, but there are no injuries. She can be discharged this afternoon.”
Caden’s expression remained stoic.
“Are there any side effects from the drug?”
“No, though it was administered in a large dose. She won’t remember anything after passing out,” the doctor replied.
Alicia’s ears perked up at the sound of Caden’s voice. She pushed herself up slowly to sit.
“And Blake?” Caden asked, his tone sharpening.
“What was he given?”
Alicia’s body froze, listening intently. The doctor exhaled heavily.
“A potent aphrodisiac, with potentially dangerous consequences. If not relieved, it could be fatal.”
A tense silence settled between them.
“But he survived,” Caden stated, his voice cold and measured.
Alicia’s hands began to tremble as she got up, the urge to face Caden overcoming her hesitation. From outside the curtain, his detached voice carried over.
“Let me know when she wakes up.”
Panic set in, and Alicia rushed out barefoot, ignoring the chill of the hospital floor. She pulled back the curtain and called, “Caden!”
He stopped mid-step and turned back, his eyes narrowing at the sight of her standing there, thinly dressed and unsteady. His expression tightened as he moved forward and scooped her up.
“You’re not well yet. Why rush out like this?”
Alicia wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as though her life depended on it. The damage was already done; anger wouldn’t change that. All she wanted now was to reassure him, to erase his doubts.
“Caden, let them do a checkup,” she whispered, abandoning her pride.
“Let them prove it to you, please.”
Caden placed her gently back on the bed, his hand covering her face, blocking her view of his expression.
“I trust you,” he said, his voice low and steady.
“There’s no need for a checkup.”
Alicia’s heart twisted in confusion. Did he really trust her? Then why did his voice sound so strained, so heavy with an unspoken burden? She didn’t resent him for his doubt.
“Please, Caden. Just let me get the checkup.”
But his response remained the same.
“It’s unnecessary.” Her remaining strength ebbed away, and she let her eyes close, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.
Caden’s trust didn’t bring her relief. Instead, it suffocated her, like an unseen force tightening around her chest.
Caden didn’t leave right away. He stayed by Alicia’s side until she drifted off, watching her features soften as sleep took hold. Only then did he close his own eyes, but exhaustion gnawed at him relentlessly. He was drained. After days and nights of constant work, he had barely slept for half an hour over the past 48 hours. Even a man of steel would falter under such pressure. But sleep wouldn’t come. Whether his eyes were open or shut, the scene at the hotel haunted him, replaying in excruciating detail. Each thought sent a sharp pain through his chest.
Once he was sure Alicia was asleep, Caden stepped out of the room and found Hank waiting in the hallway.
Hank lowered his voice.
“All the reporters have been taken care of. We’ve confiscated all recordings and photos. The Moss family stepped in to help suppress the news. This morning’s incident won’t reach the public.”
“The Moss family?” Caden questioned.
“Yes, Mrs. Moss offered her assistance. However, it was Yolanda who orchestrated the entire setup against Mr. Langstaff and Ms. Bennett.”
Caden’s face remained expressionless, so composed that it seemed as if the incident hadn’t happened at all. But Hank knew better. He could see the torment simmering beneath Caden’s stoic facade.
“Mr. Ward, the proposal made too much noise,” Hank said carefully.
“This isn’t the right time. It put Ms. Bennett in danger and led to this.”
It had made Alicia a target, setting off a chain of events that led to this tragedy. For once, Caden didn’t rebuke him. His eyes were stormy, unreadable, carrying a weight only he knew.
After a long silence, Caden spoke, his voice measured.
“Since the matter is under control, we won’t escalate it further. For the next two days, station more bodyguards around Alicia. I don’t want to be disturbed.”
Hank’s face twisted in confusion.
“Are you saying we should just forget about what Yolanda did, Mr. Ward?”
Caden’s expression remained calm and unreadable.
“No, Hank. I have my own way of handling it.”
With those words, he cast a fleeting look at the treatment room, then walked away without another word.
Alicia stared at the ceiling, sleep eluding her. She had waited for Caden for so long, but he still hadn’t come back. Despite this, she didn’t want to contact him.
When her IV drip was done, she quietly made her way to the obstetrics department for a fetal examination. The specialist, noticing Alicia’s distress, spoke gently.
“The baby is not even two months old yet. There’s no need to check this frequently. Just continue with your medication, and we’ll monitor again soon.”
Alicia sat up slowly, trying to steady herself.
“I had an accident recently. Will it affect the baby?”
The specialist offered a reassuring smile.
“No, it shouldn’t have. The IV was mainly for nutrition. Your baby is strong; there’s already a heartbeat and a developing fetal bud. But you need to know that carrying to term could still be very risky.”
The unspoken warning hung heavy in the air, but the specialist couldn’t bring herself to say more. She decided to give Alicia a moment of hope, even if fleeting.
Alicia perched on the edge of the bed, pressing an ice pack to her bruised cheek.
“There’s really no hope, is there?” she whispered, her voice cracking.