Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“What are you doing? Spying on me?”
Caden turned off the phone screen and met her gaze, his voice steady.
“I haven’t had time to do that yet. But I did cancel your surgery appointment.”
Alicia jolted fully awake, her eyes wide.
“You called the obstetrician?”
“I did.”
Exasperation flared in her chest. His vigilance was relentless.
He hadn’t even waited until morning, sneaking in like a thief under the cover of darkness to meddle with her choices. Now that the surgery was canceled, she found herself at a loss for how to confront him, so she turned away, unable to meet his gaze.
Caden gently pulled the blanket up over her, tucking her in with careful hands.
“You’re overdoing it,” Alicia said, her tone clipped.
“I’m pregnant, not seriously ill. There’s no need for all this drama.”
Caden leaned down and stole a quick kiss.
“Didn’t I always take care of you, even before you were pregnant? Even when we fought, and you banished me to the couch, I would get up at night to check on you and tuck you in. You just never noticed because you were fast asleep.”
Alicia scoffed.
“You’re good at making up stories, aren’t you?”
He chuckled, the sound warm and light. Her words, though biting, were music to his ears. The darkness that had clung to him for days finally eased a little.
Every mischievous thought, every moment of joy – she was the reason for it all.
Caden sighed inwardly. This was what life would be like. His fate was tied to hers, with no choice but to surrender.
That night, Caden didn’t stay. After making sure Alicia was sound asleep, he quietly left the apartment and spent the night visiting the finest maternity stores, purchasing everything the staff recommended.
When Alicia woke the next morning, she was greeted by the sight of the driver hauling large and small packages into the house, nearly filling the living room to capacity.
Caden walked in moments later, carrying a warm breakfast and meeting her resentful gaze with a calm smile.
“Eat first. They’ll take care of organizing everything.”
Alicia shot him a glare and began gathering her belongings, intent on heading to the office.
Caden, ever persistent, used every trick he knew to get her to eat at least half a bowl of breakfast.
Alicia’s face twisted into a deep frown, the queasiness building inside her.
“Do I disgust you that much?” Caden asked, caught off guard by her expression.
Before she could answer, Alicia shoved him away and doubled over, unable to hold back any longer. She retched, the contents of her stomach splattering across him.
Caden stood there, stunned into silence, holding his breath as she continued to heave. When the next wave came, he instinctively reached out, catching what he could with his hands.
Alicia’s eyes widened in shock, and between heaves, she muttered a string of curses before running to the bathroom.
Morning sickness had become her constant companion, each day worse than the last. The most nutritious foods that Caden had painstakingly chosen were the hardest to keep down.
This time, she retched until only bile was left, leaving her drained.
When she finally emerged, Caden had already cleaned up and showered. He stepped toward her, his concern etched across his face.
“How are you feeling now?”
Pale and leaning weakly against the wall, Alicia took a deep breath.
“I’m not dying, Caden. Just don’t make things harder for me.”
Caden, undeterred, continued to take care of every detail.
When he couldn’t convince Alicia to move back to his apartment, Caden brought all the best furnishings and comforts to her place. To keep things discreet, he invited top obstetric experts from all over the country to Warrington to secretly monitor Alicia’s condition. During this delicate time, he made sure that no one knew about her pregnancy.
One day, Gerry convinced Caden to accompany him to an appraisal event, where rare gems and jewels were up for auction. They bid on an exquisite piece of natural blue sapphire.
“I wasn’t sure what to get you for your engagement, so here’s this,” Gerry said with a grin.
“Blue suits Alicia – it’s sophisticated and timeless. You can turn it into any piece of jewelry you like.”
Caden barely acknowledged the gesture, giving only a distracted nod. His mind was elsewhere, eyes fixed on a point in the distance.
Gerry raised an eyebrow and followed his line of sight.
“What are you looking at? Spotted a beauty?”
But instead of a stunning woman, Gerry saw a young family – a couple pushing their giggling child in a stroller, happiness radiating from their smiles.
Surprised, Gerry turned back to Caden.
“When did you start taking an interest in married women?”
Caden’s jaw tightened, remaining silent.
Realization dawned on Gerry, and he dropped his teasing smirk.
“Ah, I almost forgot. You’ve always had complicated tastes. But seriously, you’re about to get engaged. Don’t you think it’s time to rein it in? Alicia’s not someone to cross – she’ll make you regret it if she finds out.”
Caden fought the urge to distance himself from Gerry, who always seemed full of outlandish ideas.
“That’s a family of three, and the only thing you focus on is the woman?” Gerry muttered.
“What else would you look at if not the woman?”
Then, as if a realization struck, his eyes widened in mock horror.
“Wait, do you like the man?”
Caden shot him a withering look and walked away without a word.
Across the street, the family entered a nearby maternity and baby store, and Caden instinctively paused. The sight stirred something deep within him. The realization that he was going to be a father, with Alicia carrying his child, sent a thrill through him that he still couldn’t fully grasp.
Gerry might have been his closest friend, but he had a notorious tendency to let things slip, especially to his brother. From there, word would spread like wildfire, potentially reaching the Moss family and Corey – a scenario Caden couldn’t risk.
Gerry craned his neck, noticing Caden’s fixed gaze.
“What’s going on, Caden? You’re acting strange today.” He followed Caden’s gaze to the maternity store.
“Since when did you take an interest in… baby stuff?”
Caden fought the impulse to brag about his news.
“It’s nothing. I just need to buy something.”
Gerry raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
“What could you possibly need from a maternity store?”
Despite his questions, curiosity got the better of him, and he trailed behind Caden inside, eager to see what he was up to.
Caden stepped inside the store.
The store was a sea of pastel colors – pink, white, and blue – filled with advertisements featuring adorable, chubby-cheeked babies. The softness of the place was almost overwhelming.
Caden cleared his throat and tried to sound casual.
“I’m here to pick up some diapers for Cade.”
Gerry’s jaw dropped.
“Your dog? That massive beast? You’re buying diapers for it?” He shook his head in disbelief.
“You two are spoiling that dog beyond reason!”
Caden ignored Gerry’s chatter and walked further into the store, his eyes scanning rows of tiny socks and shoes.
Gerry followed him.
“Shouldn’t you be buying dog supplies at a pet store? What are you doing here?”
“Just happened to pass by,” Caden said dismissively.
“Yeah, right! You crossed two traffic lights to get here. How is that just ‘passing by’?”
Caden’s attention was caught by a pair of pink socks. The fabric was soft, a delicate shade of pink with white lace trim and tiny cherry-shaped bells that hung from the openings.
He held them in his palm, marveling at how small they were – barely the size of three fingers. A smile tugged at his lips.
“Aren’t these adorable?” he asked, half to himself and half to Gerry.
Gerry stared, speechless, at the socks and then at Caden.
“Caden, isn’t your dog a male? Why on earth would he need girly socks?”