Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Regina frowned and replied, “Stop the act. You were merciless at the time of the accident. What right do you have to see her now?”
The memory of that day returned, causing Dorian to tremble. His shoulders sagged further as he muttered an apology to the air, “I’m sorry.”
Regina felt a twinge in her heart and looked his way, catching sight of tears forming at the corners of his eyes. She hesitated, visibly surprised.
Dorian caught Regina’s hand, his eyes welling up as he said, “Regina, please.”
Regina, puzzled by his sudden change, asked, “Dorian, what’s gotten into you? You’ve always disliked Alicia, so why do you look so concerned about her now?”
Dorian found himself unable to articulate his feelings. Finally, Regina, worn out and unable to stay indifferent, consented to his request.
“Fine, I can take you to see her, but there’s one thing you must remember. She’s just gotten better, so don’t disturb her peace,” Regina warned.
Though Regina and Alicia rarely interacted, Alicia was not likely to deny a visit from her.
Upon their arrival at the maternity center, Alicia had just finished her discharge paperwork and was ready to leave. Regina saw how much weight Alicia had lost and felt a surge of sadness.
“You’ve endured so much, Alicia,” Regina said softly.
Alicia responded, her expression softening, “Thank you for coming, Mrs. Ward Moss.”
Alicia yearned for the warmth Regina brought, yet she hesitated to approach too closely since Regina was Yolanda’s mother. Dorian, too embarrassed to meet her gaze, observed from a distance through the glass. His eyes were red as he watched intently, his stare so obvious that Alicia quickly became aware of it. Father and daughter’s eyes met abruptly. Dorian turned away hurriedly in his distress.
Alicia’s heart, usually so steady, now stirred with deep emotions. Before she blacked out, she had seen Dorian at the scene of the accident and knew exactly who was to blame. She resented him for how Yolanda had been raised and loathed him even more for the loss of her own child. Yet, she felt trapped. The Moss family held considerable power, and without any safeguard, Alicia was compelled to keep silent.
She said plainly, “Mrs. Moss, I believe there’s something he needs to address. Please let him in, but after we settle this matter, I’d prefer we cut all ties.”
Regina was caught off guard by Dorian’s mishap, being exposed so soon. She managed a forced smile and said, “Dorian feels remorseful and wants to offer you his apologies.” Alicia dismissed the idea, saying, “There’s no need.” Regina agreed silently. Frankly, Dorian’s presence today was utterly distasteful. She regretted letting him come.
Unable to hold back after hearing Alicia’s wish to sever ties, Dorian burst through the door, visibly distressed. His face was filled with emotion as he gazed directly at Alicia. He burst in suddenly, gasping like an excited child. An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room. Dorian managed to smile, though it resembled a grimace more than anything else.
“Alicia, how are you feeling?” he asked. Alicia responded with detachment, “I’m good, thank you for your concern, Mr. Moss.”
Dorian’s heart sank with unexpressed grief as he watched her, hesitating to leave. Since learning they were related, he had looked into Alicia’s family history. Her life with the Bennett family hadn’t been easy. Although she had been well-cared for, Phil never showed her fatherly affection. He always pushed her to excel in her studies and trained her strictly to become a top student.
After her graduation, she had hoped that her accomplishments would finally win their affection, but instead, she survived a plane crash. Then there was Joshua’s betrayal. Caden brought her joy for a while, but that too was destroyed by Dorian himself. Throughout her twenty-six years, she had endured many trials, with him, her own biological father, being the most cruel.
Overcome with guilt, Dorian suddenly fell to his knees before Alicia. Her eyes widened in astonishment, unsure of how to respond. Regina was shocked.
“Dorian, what are you doing?” Dorian’s kneeling made him appear smaller in comparison to Alicia, robbing him of his dignity. Yet, in the astonishment reflected in Alicia’s eyes, he saw his tear-streaked face mirrored back at him.
“Alicia, I’m sorry,” Dorian said, his voice raw and trembling. He then continued, “I can’t expect your forgiveness, but you have many years ahead. I don’t want you to carry this hatred. Today, you can take any retribution you see fit on me. I will accept any terms you set.”
Alicia was taken aback for a moment. If she hadn’t witnessed Dorian’s previous arrogance, she might not have been so guarded now. Seeing an elder kneel before her made her uncomfortable, and she stepped back.
“You’ve admitted you don’t deserve forgiveness, so why kneel? Stand up!” Alicia said firmly.
Dorian continued, “Regina and I have been together for years, and she manages our finances. I’ll leave without a penny, and I’ll ensure she looks after you well. Alicia, I owe you too much. Even if I died a thousand times, it would not be enough. I can’t compensate for your child, but I hope you can find peace and happiness moving forward. Alicia, I…”
His emotions engulfed him, and he nearly spoke without thinking, longing to reveal the truth that he was her biological father.
Alicia’s heart ached sharply as she turned to Regina and asked, “Mrs. Moss, what is wrong with him?” Regina was just as puzzled. From the moment Dorian had arrived today, he had been behaving unusually.
Just then, the sound of slow footsteps approached. The sound of custom leather shoes, crafted with care, echoed richly against the floor. Corey entered with a smile.
“What else could it be? He’s attempting to atone for a lifetime of absent fatherhood.” The sight of Dorian on his knees was striking.
“Mr. Moss, you’re really going the extra mile. Even if you’ve made mistakes, you’re still her father. Isn’t kneeling just causing Alicia more upset?”
Alicia turned pale at his words. Regina, too, was ruffled.
“Corey, what are you talking about?”
Dorian looked up at him and rose to his feet. His body felt weak, and he swayed a bit, leading Corey to step in and support him.
Corey then asked, “Mr. Moss, what are you planning to do now?”
“Moss, am I saying something ridiculous?” Corey asked, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
Dorian clenched his teeth, his eyes fiery with anger.
“Corey, what are you up to?”
Corey gave a quiet laugh, his gaze flicking to Alicia’s weary expression.
“Ms. Bennett, he has confessed,” he said softly.
“Congratulations, you are the rightful heiress of the Moss family.”
Alicia stood silently, seemingly oblivious to the words spoken around her. Regina’s eyes instantly filled with tears.
“How can this be? I had a paternity test done with Yolanda,” Regina said, her voice shaking.
Corey confessed, “Regrettably, the doctor was an old friend of mine. I was impulsive and foolish back then, so I tampered with the results. Later, I understood the gravity of my actions and chose to come clean to Mr. Moss.”
The truth hit Regina like a storm, but she found it almost impossible to accept. She shook her head, murmuring, “I can’t believe it.” If Alicia was truly their daughter, then the implications of what Dorian had done were unfathomable.
Corey continued, “It seemed unbelievable to me as well, but the facts are indisputable. Mrs. Moss, do you have an allergy to alcohol?”
Regina was caught off guard.
“Interestingly enough, Alicia has the same allergy to alcohol,” Corey said.
“If that’s just a coincidence, then is it also a coincidence that both you and she are left-handed?”
Still, these facts weren’t entirely convincing. Nonchalantly, Corey suggested, “Perhaps you’d like to conduct another paternity test with Alicia?”
Regina stiffened as she looked at Alicia. So it was all true. Her feelings for Alicia had always been rooted in reason.
Unable to contain herself, Regina took hold of Alicia’s hand and said, “Alicia…”
Alicia stood still, emotionally distant. She mustered all her strength to accept the truth and maintain her composure.
There were no outbursts, no emotional collapses.
“When did you learn about this?” Alicia’s voice was rough as she addressed Corey.
Corey gave a slight smile and said, “I realized early on that Yolanda wasn’t biologically related to the Moss family, which piqued my curiosity about the real daughter’s whereabouts. By chance, I found out you were born in the same top maternity hospital in Warrington as Yolanda. That day, there were only two baby girls born, you and Yolanda. Apart from a mix-up, there was no other explanation.”
Alicia’s gaze sparkled with a trace of sarcasm, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. This look cut through Dorian’s heart, prompting him to step closer.
“Alicia, if I had only known from the beginning, I never would have…” Dorian began, but Alicia slowly shut her eyes and said, “Go away.”
Dorian froze, taken aback. Alicia turned away from him and murmured, “All of you, just go away.”
Corey, seemingly relishing the tension, said, “Mr. Moss hurt you because he didn’t know you’re his daughter. Now that the truth has been revealed and he has realized his own mistakes, why can’t you just forgive him? Why such harshness?”
Alicia responded coldly, “Even if he is my biological father, to me, he’s nothing more than a genetic donor. I have no emotional connection to him. I see no reason to forgive him, and I don’t think my harshness is wrong.”
Regina felt each of Alicia’s words like stings to her heart. She deeply understood Alicia’s pain. Despite feeling drained, she still attempted to lead Dorian away, to prevent any further distress to Alicia.
Corey stayed, his eyes shining with eagerness to succeed.
“So now that you have reconciled with your biological parents, aren’t you going to thank me?”
Alicia scoffed, her laugh nearly a sneer.
“As always, your tactics are quite unique.”
Corey pretended to be innocent as he said, “You’ve misunderstood me once more. What have I done?”
What had he done? He had withheld the truth until this moment, only to use it as a devastating revelation. The man responsible for the death of her child was her own biological father. Who could endure such a revelation?
Alicia was determined not to fall for Corey’s trap, but her resentment ran deep. The scenes replaying in her mind were all of Dorian’s indifferent dismissals when she had sought his compassion. She decided never to recognize him. Not now, not ever.
Though she faced away from Corey, he could still perceive the slight shake in her frame. He moved closer, yet kept a considerate distance.
“Alicia, we’re both clever individuals. Let’s not fight,” he said.
“Whether you seek vengeance or self-protection, the quickest way is to collaborate with me. I offer not just affection but access to money and power. These are what truly allow you to control your destiny.”
Alicia gazed into his earnest eyes and smiled faintly.
“You suggest I need to control my life. But if I team up with you, wouldn’t I just be following your lead?”
Corey remained patient as he said, “Alicia, you don’t have to make the decision so quickly. Take your time and think it through. I will be here whenever you are ready.”
Alicia gave a knowing smirk. To win her over, he was calculating every move. Alicia knew that she had to find his vulnerability to turn the tide.
Caden was aware that Alicia was completing her post-birth recovery today, so he wrapped up his urgent work early, planning to pick her up. He was uncertain if she was willing to meet him, but he felt compelled to try.
Before he could leave his office, Hank entered and relayed the recent events at the maternity center. When Hank mentioned that Dorian had recognized Alicia as his daughter, Caden’s face tightened as he said, “So he knew Alicia was his daughter now?”
Hank, still processing the revelations, was taken aback by Caden’s knowledgeable reaction.
“Mr. Ward, did you know about this all along?”
Indeed, he had known. Yet considering all of Dorian’s wrongdoings, he did not believe Dorian deserved to be Alicia’s father, so Caden had kept the secret. But now that Dorian had discovered the truth and made a spectacle in front of Alicia, his motives were surely not simple.
The car quickly reached the maternity center. As he walked in, a loud slap echoed. A short distance away, Regina and Dorian were caught in a fierce dispute, shrouded in shadows. Regina, infuriated, yelled, “You killed Alicia’s child and still dare to claim her as your daughter? Are you not just inflicting deeper emotional wounds on her? Dorian, if what you did caused her to disown me, I will never forgive you!”
Dorian took the slap without resistance. Deep down, he believed he deserved far worse. He had wronged Alicia profoundly, aligning himself with Corey’s schemes and deliberately complicating her life. Now, the chance to mend his relationship with his daughter was gone, lost beneath the weight of his guilt.
All of them are stupid. Leave Alicia alone. They should al just part ways cause wtf