Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Scarlette tilted her head defiantly. “I might not excel in academics, but I’ve never lost at rock-paper-scissors.”
“I don’t indulge in such childish games.”
Her annoyance briefly peaked again. Yet, she had one more trick. “My dad showed me a magic trick. Are you brave enough to try?”
Kenji teased, “What sort of magic?”
“I can see right through things.”
“Really?” Kenji acted impressed. “You’ve learned something so incredible?”
“I’m not bluffing. Write down a number, and I’ll prove my skill.”
Indulging her, Kenji grabbed a pen and a card.
Scarlette instructed with closed eyes, “To keep it fair, you should close your eyes too when I use my magic.”
A smirk crossed Kenji’s face, aware of her real intent. It wasn’t magic-just clever peeking.
Kenji wrote a number, placed the card down, and shut his eyes, saying, “All set.”
Scarlette, seeing his compliance, chuckled at his naivety. She flipped the card to see the number, and her amusement disappeared instantly.
After a brief pause, Kenji said, “Time’s up. I’m looking now.”
Scarlette, visibly annoyed, hurriedly returned the card to its place.
Kenji barely concealed his amusement. “Well, Miss Magician, what did you write on the card?”
Scarlette’s irritation was evident. “You were supposed to write a number. Why is there so much written here?”
Kenji responded, “You didn’t specify just one number.”
“But you wrote down your entire ID number! How is anyone supposed to memorize that?”
Kenji grinned. “A bet is a deal, my dear.” He laughed lightly as he unfastened her seatbelt and gave her a swift kiss. “Enjoy your dinner later. Don’t complain about being too full tonight. I’m not entertaining any protests.”
As Scarlette stepped out of the car, she encountered her friends. Their welcoming shouts drew Kenji’s attention, and he noticed a man with white hair among the group.
Kenji’s stare fixed on the white-haired individual, intensity mounting. Upon closer inspection, Kenji’s mood dropped. It was Zayden. Zayden’s appearance had changed. His complexion was lighter, and his white hair gave him a distinct celebrity vibe.
Zayden quickly moved toward Scarlette, playfully removing his jacket and placing it over her shoulders.
Kenji, unable to contain his irritation, slammed on the horn, causing everyone to turn their heads.
Kenji’s stern look shifted from the group to Scarlette as he stepped out of the car.
The group’s tone changed slightly upon recognizing him. Someone whispered, “Scarlette, did he drop you off?”
Proudly, Scarlette responded, “Yes, that’s my chauffeur.”
Kenji overheard but seemed unfazed. He briefly considered making a show of affection to assert his presence but decided against it, recognizing the pettiness of the gesture.
Tossing the keys to the valet, Kenji made his way directly to the third floor of the restaurant.
Once Kenji was out of view, Zayden cautiously asked, “Scarlette, are you together with Kenji now?”
“What does it matter to you?” Scarlette retorted sharply.
Zayden’s face fell, and he hung his head sorrowfully. “I apologize.”
Scarlette, puzzled by his demeanor and about to walk away, was halted by her friend.
“Wait, Scarlette, don’t leave upset. There’s a specific reason we invited Zayden here today.” Her friend exhaled deeply. “Zayden has leukemia, and he’s starting treatment soon. The odds aren’t great for adults. This might be your last chance to see each other. Please, give him a chance.”
Shocked, Scarlette reevaluated Zayden’s appearance. So, his white hair wasn’t a fashion choice but a sign of his illness. Realizing the gravity of his situation, her anger faded. She softly said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
Zayden managed a tearful smile. “It’s my fault. I’ve always cared about you, but I made mistakes that drove you away.”
“It’s all in the past. Come on, let’s get inside. It’s too cold here,” Scarlette suggested.
Entering the restaurant, Scarlette no sooner sat down than a message from Kenji pinged on her phone. “Are you still caught up with Zayden?”
“I didn’t expect to see him here,” Scarlette replied.
“Why stay and dine with him now that you know?” Kenji pressed.
Scarlette found his attitude irritating. Who did he think he was, ordering people around like that? “It’s none of your concern,” she responded.
“Are you sitting next to him?”
Startled, Scarlette glanced around, trying to spot where Kenji might be observing from. Yet, despite the intrusive surveillance, she felt a strange thrill. She responded defiantly with a terse, “Humph.”
Kenji watched with a mix of annoyance and amusement as Scarlette, seated and swinging her legs, smirked while typing on her phone. He had already made plans for their evening together.
Instead of engaging in arcade games on the third floor where he lingered, Kenji’s real intent was to test Scarlette’s loyalty.
Unexpectedly, an old schoolmate from his lab appeared, inviting Kenji to join a gathering of friends there for a game night. They invited him over. “Come play with us, Kenji!”
Kenji brushed them off. “You guys go ahead. I might stop by later.”
Continuing his surveillance through text, Kenji typed, “Hurry up and eat. I’ll be there in ten minutes to pick you up.”
Scarlette sent back an eye-roll emoji and explained, “Zayden set this up. He came from Warrington to see me because he’s dealing with leukemia and wanted one last meal together.”
Unconvinced, Kenji asked, “Have you actually seen any medical evidence?”
Scarlette was shocked by his question. “Who would fabricate having leukemia?”
“He’d better be indeed at death’s door.”
After that, Scarlette stopped responding.
Putting his phone away, Kenji kept watching. Zayden’s hair was strikingly white, yet he looked robust, and his eyes constantly shifted toward Scarlette, often attempting to initiate physical contact. Scarlette maintained her distance, prompting Zayden to limit his advances.
Kenji cursed under his breath. This was clearly a tactic to charm her. His irritation peaking, Kenji texted Scarlette sharply, saying, “Idiot.” Scarlette’s quick retort didn’t surprise Kenji.
Zayden finally managed to get close enough to speak, seemingly upset by Scarlette’s attention to her phone. “Scarlette, if you’re too busy, go ahead. I’m in so much pain. Maybe I should leave.”
“Sure, prioritize your health,” Scarlette responded promptly.
Zayden paused and then took a breath before delivering a well-crafted speech. “Scarlette, I don’t have much time left. We may not have been together long, but you once had feelings for me. If there’s still any fondness, could you grant me one last wish?”
Scarlette eyed him cautiously. “What’s this wish?”
“Could you be my girlfriend for just one more day?”
Scarlette hesitated for a moment and then said gently, “I think you’re exaggerating your illness.”
The classmate who played billiards with Kenji had worked on the same groundbreaking experimental project with him in Warrington. Their past collaboration had flourished effortlessly, leaving an indelible mark on Kenji’s memory.
However, today’s gathering felt different. Among the classmate’s new companions, one man with piercing narrow eyes circled Kenji like a hawk, his enthusiasm bordering on suspicion.
Irritated by the obvious flattery, Kenji cut through the pretense. “This amusement center isn’t mine. Flattering me won’t help.”
The narrow-eyed man, cunning as a seasoned fox, brushed off Kenji’s sharp words with practiced ease.
During their first game, the narrow-eyed man deliberately missed shots, letting Kenji pocket balls with suspicious simplicity.
Fed up with the charade, Kenji confronted him directly. “What’s your angle?”
At this, the classmate exchanged a knowing glance with the narrow-eyed man, who slipped out of the room without a word.
“Kenji, don’t read too much into it,” the classmate approached, his voice measured. “He’s just networking, building connections.”
Kenji, never one for social niceties, scoffed. “Is it your business or his?”
“Remember our Warrington project?” The classmate’s tone grew grave. “Those clinical issues we thought we’d solved? They’re back, and worse. The virus has mutated, producing a peculiar strain of patients. It’s highly contagious, lethal, and spreading fast. Hospitals are scrambling, but authorities are keeping it under wraps. The public remains blissfully unaware.”
“Cut to the chase,” Kenji snapped.
The classmate drew a deep breath. “He wants your expertise. We need you to resume the research and crack this viral puzzle before it’s too late.”
“This man-is he a doctor or a hospital director?”
“Neither.”
Kenji’s eyes narrowed. “A major project stakeholder, then.”
The classmate’s telling silence confirmed Kenji’s suspicion.
“Our last experiment spanned two years,” Kenji said, his voice sharp. “With this mutated virus, what’s your timeline? What’s the success rate? Your friend seems too eager for profit to wait another two years.”
The classmate’s face hardened. “We just need to produce the drug.”
“Kenji, effectiveness isn’t the priority.”
A cold laugh escaped Kenji’s lips. “Making dirty money?”
“If we don’t profit, others will,” the classmate countered. “Why not seize the advantage while we have it?”
Ice crystallized in Kenji’s gaze. At that moment, years of friendship-built on shared ideals and trust-shattered like glass. “That’s quite the defense you’ve prepared for court,” he said, his voice dripping with contempt.