Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“Why does it concern me? I’ve always been single.”
Alicia was caught off guard. She blinked, speechless for a moment, before letting out a slow, frustrated breath. She looked out the window, her hands clenched tightly in her lap as she fought to keep her composure. Finally, unable to hold it in, she rolled her eyes, her patience clearly worn thin.
Caden used the pretext of discussing the project to guide Alicia to a quiet beachside restaurant. As they sat down, he placed the business proposal in front of her. Alicia looked down at the document, her eyes scanning the technology research proposal.
Caden spoke casually.
“I told you I wouldn’t bring you all the way to Warrington for nothing. This is what you want most, right? It’s yours now.”
His words, delivered so nonchalantly, stirred a whirlwind of emotions in Alicia. She took a moment to gather herself, her mind racing. After a few moments, she opened the proposal, her eyes scanning the contents. Each key point was summarized with clean graphics, and the experiments were laid out with clarity. Caden’s expertise was undeniable, his skills shining through in every detail.
Trying to keep her emotions in check, Alicia lowered her gaze.
“Why are you so invested in this project?” she asked, her tone guarded. It was a question that seemed unnecessary, as though they both already knew the answer.
Caden didn’t hesitate.
“You already know the answer. Why ask?”
Alicia’s chest tightened. She felt the familiar pang, the hurt she’d buried so many times. The compensation didn’t matter anymore. The damage that had been done between them was beyond repair.
Without another word, she shut the proposal and slid it back across the table to him. When she looked up, her face was composed, the walls firmly back in place.
“Thanks for your generosity, Mr. Ward, but this is your work. You must have completed it after so many difficulties. I can’t take it from you.”
Caden’s expression shifted, a flicker of something raw behind his usual calm.
“I’ve waited two years for you. And this is a project we’ve been researching for just one year. It’s not that difficult for me.”
Alicia stayed silent, the weight of his gaze pressing on her. She fought to remain composed, but under his piercing stare, she found herself looking down again.
“I don’t want anything handed to me,” she said quietly but firmly.
“It’s still yours, Caden. I’ll fight for what I want on my own.”
Caden’s eyes darkened slightly, the air thick with unspoken tension between them. His voice came out strained, almost as if something sharp lodged in his throat.
“So, you still hate me, then?”
He knew she hadn’t forgiven him. She still carried the weight of his hurtful words from the past. Alicia managed a faint smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Mr. Ward, let’s be honest. We both have our own responsibilities. Our days are full. We don’t have time for trivial matters.”
Caden’s lips curved into a forced smile, the irony of the words biting. Trivial matters, huh? He leaned forward, his tone sharper now.
“If you don’t want anything from anyone, then why are you teaming up with Corey against me?”
Alicia’s eyes met his without hesitation.
“Because I gain from working with him.”
Caden’s brows furrowed, trying to understand.
“But when you reach out to me, all the advantages come to you. I don’t want any of that.”
Alicia’s expression turned colder, her voice sharper.
“Caden…”
Her words were caught in her throat. She still had feelings for him. Every part of her wanted to break the distance between them, but so much had been said and done. His generosity meant nothing to her now. He had once looked down on her, mocked her as nothing, with no compassion, no care.
Alicia stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Before she could move further, Caden reached out, his hand lightly gripping her arm, pulling her back.
“Alicia.”
Alicia looked at Caden with mixed feelings, saying, “Come on, show some dignity.”
She had been deeply hurt by grief before and knew the pain well. She genuinely hoped Caden would be spared from that experience.
Without saying another word, she broke free of his grip, turned, and left.
Outside, Hank was waiting. He received a call from Caden to drive Alicia home. Alicia was temporarily living in a villa downtown. Once she arrived, she took a shower, hoping that it would help clear her thoughts. However, trying to push the memories away only brought them into sharper focus.
Restless in bed, she found that the image of Caden’s pale face haunted her every time she closed her eyes. Suddenly, the doorbell echoed through the house. She tensed up instinctively. She dressed quickly and took a self-defense tool before cautiously checking the door’s video monitor.
Caden was standing outside. She paused, frozen in place. Alicia remained silent, but Caden seemed to sense her gaze and called out, “Alicia, let me in. I need to see you,” he said.
With a resigned sigh, she responded through the intercom, “It’s late. Let’s talk some other time.” Caden gave no response. He simply stood there, silent.
Alicia turned off the video and put the weapon down. Yet, she couldn’t dismiss the image of him from earlier; his eyes had been unusually red as if he had been drinking.
He normally held his liquor well, so his disheveled state suggested that he might have downed an entire bottle. Shaking her head, Alicia pulled the covers over herself, trying to block out the world.
Deep down, she knew that Caden, despite his reputation as a flirt, had too much pride to spend the entire night waiting outside for her. Yet, she felt a growing irritation. If he decided to stay out all night, that was his choice.
The wind whispered through the leaves against her window. In March, the weather was still cold, and the night air carried a chill. Feeling the cold, Alicia wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.
Suddenly, she heard a noise in the living room. Initially, she dismissed it as her imagination, but then she heard a distinct thump. Her heart pounding, she jumped out of bed to investigate.
Turning on the light, she discovered Caden collapsed on the couch. The couch seemed a bit too small for someone like him, with his long limbs, and a faint smell of alcohol clung to him.
Alicia’s face fell as she glanced towards the door, wondering how he had entered. Perhaps he had picked the lock. Caden remained on the couch briefly before he managed to sit up. As he noticed her, his groggy eyes slowly focused. His strikingly handsome face revealed no hint of intoxication.
“Did I wake you?” he asked casually, as if he were at his own home.
“Don’t worry about me. I just need a shower; I probably stink of booze.”
Alicia suppressed her annoyance.
“You do realize you’re breaking the law by trespassing, right? Do you understand the consequences?”
Caden stood there, undisturbed by her words.
With a straight face, he answered, “The houses here have smart furniture by Blizzard Group. I was passing by and thought I’d test your system.”
Alicia’s eyes widened in disbelief. She felt a surge of anger but was at a loss for what to do. After his remark, he went straight to the bathroom.
“Caden, what do you even want from me?” Alicia asked.
“Let me shower first, then I’ll explain,” he answered, not turning around. He staggered slightly as he walked. Clearly, he had drunk more than he should have.
Alicia shut her eyes for a brief moment, then opened the windows to clear the air. She sank onto the sofa, accepting that she would have to wait. However, Caden seemed to take forever in the bathroom.
“Caden, why are you taking so long in the shower?” she finally burst out, losing patience.
The sound of the shower was faint since he hadn’t fully closed the bathroom door. The noise from the shower was strangely mechanical and somewhat eerie.
Alicia stood and crept closer, peering through the slightly open door. The dim lighting and steam obscured her view. She couldn’t see him.
“Caden?” she asked, her brow furrowing.
“Are you still in there?”
She was aware that showering while drunk could lead to accidents. Time seemed to stretch, and anxiety started to well up in her. Without further thought, she pushed the door fully open and stepped toward the shower.
Then it suddenly dawned on her. Caden had a habit of being deceptive, and perhaps this was all part of some scheme.
Back when they were together, he often lured her into the bathroom for his own desires.
Resolute not to be deceived again, she turned to leave but then noticed a figure leaning against the shower glass. Her heart dropped as she focused and realized it was indeed Caden.
In a rush, she moved inside.
“Caden!”
She swung open the glass door, seeing Caden, pale and seemingly lifeless. A mix of irritation and panic surged through her as she scrambled to turn off the shower, wiped his wet face, and tried to open his mouth to prevent him from choking.
However, his lips were unyielding, as hard as stone.
Fearing he might die there, she became frantic, grabbed his head, and gently thudded it against the glass. Caden remained silent. His eyelashes fluttered slightly, his lips pressed tightly together, showing no signs of life.
Alicia persisted, but then it dawned on her. He didn’t appear to be having a seizure, so it didn’t make sense for him to be so stiff.
She paused and stared at him. He appeared almost like he was dead.
“Caden!” she shouted again, giving his cheek another gentle slap. There was still no response.
She pretended to hold a phone with her hand.
“Is this emergency services? Someone’s passed out in the shower from drinking. What do I do? Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Are you serious? Please hurry, I’ll try to keep him alive.”
Alicia leaned over Caden, carefully cradling his face. She pressed her fingers against his lips, and to her astonishment, they parted easily.
Alicia was dumbfounded.
Sensing something amiss, Caden opened his eyes.
As he adjusted to the light, a slap landed on him, and in a moment, everything went dark once more.
Caden fell silent again.
A few minutes later, Caden was seated in the living room with a distinctly red slap mark on his cheek. Alicia was calling Hank.