Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
The classmate fell silent under the weight of Kenji’s anger.
The narrow-eyed man chose that moment to return, a woman in tow. “Apologies, Mr. Reed. My girlfriend felt insecure and insisted on joining us.” The woman who stepped into view was a vision of calculated seduction, her curves emphasized by provocative attire.
“Flossie, meet Mr. Reed,” the narrow-eyed man murmured, subtly nudging her forward.
“Mr. Reed,” Flossie Miller purred, her voice honey-sweet.
Kenji met the narrow-eyed man’s gaze with undisguised contempt and returned to his game.
Flossie sidled closer, requesting instruction. Before her hand reached the cue, her chest brushed against Kenji’s arm-a move too deliberate to be accidental.
As Kenji didn’t move, Flossie draped herself across the billiard table, cue in hand. “How do you play, Mr. Reed?” she asked, feigning innocence.
Kenji pushed her away, but her delicate fingers latched onto him. “I’m already here. Just teach me.” Flossie arched her body against Kenji’s groin, her movements fluid and deliberate.
Across the room, a sharp hiss cut through the air as the narrow-eyed man jerked his hand.
Kenji caught sight of the narrow-eyed man fumbling with his cigarette, ash scattering like snow.
“Got distracted and burned myself,” the narrow-eyed man explained with a forced smile, but his eyes-cold and calculating-remained locked on Flossie, simmering with barely contained rage and envy. A knowing smirk played across Kenji’s lips as realization dawned. Flossie wasn’t just another pawn in their game. She really was the narrow-eyed man’s girlfriend.
Seizing the moment, Kenji pressed closer, his chest brushing against Flossie’s back as he guided her hands on the pool cue. With practiced precision, the balls cascaded into their pockets like…
Falling dominoes. “Wow, Mr. Reed, you’re amazing! All the balls went in!” Flossie squealed with childlike enthusiasm.
Kenji cast a deliberate glance at the seething narrow-eyed man before saying, “Yes, they’re all in, aren’t they?”
A rosy blush painted Flossie’s cheeks. “You can go in anytime you want,” she whispered, snaking her arms around his neck.
His fingers traced a path up her silken thigh, disappearing beneath her skirt-his touch bold, but his eyes remained distant, unaffected. “But I’m only interested in virgins.”
“How do you know I’m not, unless you try?” she countered without missing a beat.
“What, your boyfriend hasn’t touched you yet?” Kenji’s gaze shifted to the narrow-eyed man, his words dripping with mockery. “Doesn’t he have it, or is it just not working?”
The narrow-eyed man’s face contorted with fury, skin blanching then flushing crimson.
“Why are you bringing him into this?” Flossie chided playfully. A shadow passed by the half-open door-Scarlette’s silhouette briefly visible before she paused, drawn back by familiar voices drifting through the crack.
Scarlette was in shock. During dinner, Kenji had been urging her, barely giving her time to eat. Afterward, when she tried to reach Kenji by phone after rejecting Zayden’s advances, Kenji didn’t respond, and he didn’t come down as expected. Frustrated, she set out to find him on her own. She knew he liked to play billiards, though she wasn’t sure exactly where, prompting her to check each room. What she found left her seething.
Scarlette had never imagined Kenji as the type to let another woman drape herself over him, his hands on her thigh, whispering indecencies. Her anger erupted, and she burst through the door. “Kenji, what are you doing?”
Kenji’s hand froze, startled by her voice. Upon seeing Scarlette, he quickly removed his hand, remembering their prior plans.
Flossie, annoyed at the disruption, gripped Kenji tighter, plaintively asking, “Mr. Reed, who is this?”
Kenji, annoyed, shrugged her off.
As Scarlette observed the scene, fury built within her. She slammed down the cake she had brought for Kenji and demanded, “She asked you something, Kenji. What am I to you?”
Kenji, sensing a brewing storm, took Scarlette’s hand. “Let’s step outside to talk.”
He couldn’t clarify his behavior with prying eyes watching-it would only make matters worse. Besides, Scarlette, known for her impulsive nature, wasn’t likely to accept any hasty explanations.
Attempting to guide her to a quieter place, Kenji was met with resistance as Scarlette jerked her hand away, her voice rising. “Why can’t we discuss this here?”
Her tone, though forceful, was uncharacteristically void of its usual sharpness. Kenji had never faced such public embarrassment.
Kenji tried to contain his annoyance. “Please, Scarlette, come with me.”
Scarlette stood her ground, her stare piercing. From the moment she entered, she had felt on the brink of tears, desperate for Kenji to justify himself. But his reluctance to speak openly was infuriating. Why didn’t he explain? Was he worried about upsetting that woman? As her emotions peaked, Scarlette blurted out, “Kenji, you’re disgusting!”
Every gaze in the room fixed on Kenji and Scarlette. An oppressive silence filled the air.
Kenji, mortified like never before, questioned coldly, “What was that?”
“How could you?” Scarlette hurled the accusation. “I barely left, and you’re already with someone else. If you couldn’t wait, why did you even start something with me?”
The heartbreak hit Scarlette harder than she had expected. Unlike when Zayden was unfaithful, the pain now was suffocating, overwhelming her.
With a surge of anger, Scarlette wiped away her tears and pushed Kenji forcefully. “Leave me alone!”
Reeling from the shove, Kenji staggered back. He stood there, grim-faced, listening to the sound of Scarlette’s retreating steps. He was too angry to turn around.
The narrow-eyed man cautiously inquired, “Mr. Reed, was that your girlfriend?”
Ignoring the inquiry, Kenji’s breathing was heavy with emotion.
Kenji’s classmate, knowing the backstory, commented, “That’s the Ward family’s daughter from Warrington. Kenji has been courting her.” He teased, “You said you’d have her by year’s end. I doubted it then, but it looks like you’ve really pulled it off.” It was clear from Scarlette’s reaction. Jealousy had driven her outburst. She harbored feelings for Kenji.
Still seething, Kenji retorted sharply, “I wish I’d never gotten involved with her. She’s just too much to handle.”
Trying to smooth things over, the classmate replied, “Don’t be too harsh. She’s still your girl.”
“When did I ever claim her as my girlfriend? I can’t deal with someone so high-maintenance.”
As Kenji finished his rant, he caught sight of Scarlette at the door. His heart faltered. Tears stained her eyes, which meant she had caught every word.
Rooted to the spot, Kenji could only stare.
The classmate tried to defuse the situation and speak to Scarlette, but she brushed past him, grabbed the neglected cake from the table, and left the room without a backward glance.
Kenji needed a moment to gather himself, inhaling sharply to calm his nerves. He clenched his jaw and hurriedly set off in pursuit of her.
Scarlette walked away, her thoughts a haze. She hailed a taxi, directing the driver to take her to the airport. All she wanted was to get back home.
As Scarlette settled into the backseat, she attempted to dial Caden’s number, but her vision was clouded by tears, obscuring the phone’s screen.
Initially, she tried to suppress her cries, not wanting to draw the taxi driver’s attention or seem vulnerable, but the pain was overwhelming. Once she began to cry, she couldn’t stop. Her grip on her phone tightened as she shook uncontrollably. Curling up, she buried her face in her knees and let her tears flow freely.
Unbeknownst to her, a car was discreetly trailing her.
Scarlette arrived at the airport, the rush of people around her making her feel even more alone.
She hesitated at the entrance, her mind clouded with uncertainty. She had never traveled by herself before. Her parents had always been there, handling everything. Even when she arrived in Banta, Kenji had taken care of it all-she simply followed, eating and resting without a second thought.
Now, for the first time, Scarlette was on her own. And she had no idea what to do. She sank onto a bench outside the airport, staring at her phone as she tried to book a flight back to Warrington.
Almost every flight was canceled. The earliest available one was three days away.
Frustration weighed on her chest. She wanted to go home now. She considered calling her parents but stopped herself. If they heard the sadness in her voice, they’d worry, and she didn’t want that.
After a few minutes, the cold air started to seep in. With no other choice, Scarlette booked a nearby hotel and set off, pulling her coat tighter around herself.
As she walked through the crowd, an uneasy feeling crept over her-like someone was watching. She glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. Her heart pounded a little faster. Was it Kenji?
She looked again. Still no one. Letting out a quiet sigh, she shook her head, trying to brush off the thought.
Reaching the curb, she hailed a cab. Just as she stepped forward, a firm grip caught her wrist. Her breath hitched. She spun around, her pulse racing, only for her expression to harden the moment she saw the face before her.
“It’s you.” The disappointment in her tone was unmistakable. Scarlette yanked her hand back, eyes narrowing. “What are you doing here, Zayden?”
Zayden had been trailing Scarlette ever since she left, particularly after witnessing her heated argument with Kenji. “You’re alone in a city you don’t know. I just… I didn’t want anything to happen to you.” Scarlette didn’t want to be around him.
She took a step back, but Zayden reached out, gently holding her wrist. “Let me accompany you just for a little while,” he said. “You haven’t eaten all night. Let me take you somewhere to get food.”
Scarlette shook her head.
Zayden exhaled, studying her for a moment. “Alright. Then, at least let me drive you to the hotel. It’s late. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
Scarlette clenched her fists as tears burned in her eyes. Kenji hadn’t even checked on her. He didn’t care.
Out of pure spite toward Kenji, she gave Zayden a curt nod.
Something flickered in Zayden’s eyes, but before Scarlette could place it, he turned and led her to his car.
Scarlette had already booked a hotel-she just needed Zayden to drive her there. She slid into the back seat, resting her forehead against the window, her mind drowning in exhaustion. The sudden ringing of her phone made her jump. She glanced down. It was Kenji.
Scarlette’s grip tightened on the device before she pressed decline. A second later, it rang again with Kenji’s call. She rejected it. Again. And again.
Then, finally-silence. Zayden slowed the car and pulled over.
Scarlette reached for the door, ready to get out, when something felt off. She looked around. The street was dim, almost deserted. Her stomach twisted. “Where are we? This isn’t my hotel.”
Scarlette turned her head, her breath hitching as she met Zayden’s gaze. The warmth he had shown earlier was gone, replaced by something dark-resentment and anger.
“Scarlette,” he murmured, his voice unnervingly calm. “Why can’t you just give me another chance? Is cheating a crime? Do you despise me so much that you won’t even grant me one last wish?”
A chill ran down her spine. Something was wrong. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge-locked.
Panic surged through her, and she fumbled for her phone, desperate to call for help. Before she could dial, Zayden lunged. His hand clamped around her wrist, yanking her down onto the back seat.
Her phone tumbled to the floor with a dull thud. Unnoticed by Zayden, the impact triggered its emergency function, silently sending out a distress call. Zayden pinned Scarlette beneath him, his breathing heavy with sick satisfaction.
Zayden leaned in, eager to claim her, but Scarlette thrashed against him, shaking her head violently. Disgusted, she instinctively cried out, “Kenji!”
Zayden’s face twisted with rage. He clamped a hand over her mouth, his fingers pressing hard against her skin. “Kenji doesn’t care about you,” he sneered. “He’s probably already with someone else.”
Scarlette struggled, her heartbeat thundering in her ears, but he didn’t stop. “We’re alone, Scarlette. No one will interrupt us,” he whispered, his tone dripping with malice. “You’re precious and delicate, and soon, you’ll be mine.” His fingers curled around the fabric of her dress, tugging roughly. “After tonight, we’ll be married. You’ll have my child-no way out. Then, you’ll be part of the Ward family. Think about it… Endless money and a perfect life awaiting me, all because of you.”
A cold, cruel laugh spilled from his lips as he tore at her clothes. Scarlette thrashed beneath Zayden’s grip, but he was too strong. Her limbs ached, her lungs burned, and her vision blurred as desperation took hold.