Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden was unfazed. “No matter how bad his temper is, he wouldn’t dare act out here. Besides, Roscoe is calm-he won’t stoop to Kenji’s level.”
Alicia had a different concern. “Do you think Scarlette can handle it?”
“Yes, she can. No matter how much she likes Kenji, she has her pride.” Alicia sighed, knowing there was no arguing with Caden. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
By noon, Kenji visited again. He claimed he was visiting Caden and Alicia, but the moment he stepped inside, his eyes swept the room, searching. He directed his question at Alicia. “Mrs. Ward, it’s already late. Why isn’t Scarlette home yet?”
Alicia raised a brow. “Late? It’s barely noon.”
“It’s lunchtime.” Kenji had timed his visit perfectly-he knew Scarlette was the type who never missed a family meal.
Alicia smiled knowingly. “She’s not having lunch at home today. She has plans with a friend.”
Kenji’s expression darkened. A friend, huh? His mind instantly went to the man he had seen holding Scarlette the other night. The anger from that moment still burned inside him.
Trying to keep his voice steady, Kenji asked, “Has she started dating someone?”
Alicia gave him an ambiguous smile. “I wouldn’t know. She hasn’t mentioned anything.”
Kenji’s brows furrowed. “Scarlette is thoughtful. She would’ve told you.”
Alicia chuckled. “She didn’t tell us about you either.” She paused and then added with a teasing smile, “Oh, but I suppose that doesn’t count. You two never officially dated.”
Kenji was left utterly speechless.
In the previous year, Kenji’s pursuit of Scarlette had blurred the lines between courtship and commitment. Though they had never put a label on their relationship, their bond had all the hallmarks of dating. The connection between them seemed so natural that both Caden and Alicia had taken their coupling for granted.
The Ward family manor had become Kenji’s second home, its doors always open to him. Yet now, Alicia’s casual dismissal of that time stung like a winter breeze.
“Do you have plans this afternoon?” Alicia’s question cut through Kenji’s thoughts.
Kenji shook his head. “Is there something you need, Mrs. Ward?”
“Scarlette has invited a friend over for dinner tonight. I plan to personally prepare the meal. Could you lend a hand if you’re free?”
A moment of hesitation gripped Kenji. Kitchen skills weren’t his forte, and with both a professional chef and housekeeper at the Ward’s disposal, Alicia’s request carried the weight of scrutiny.
Rolling up his sleeves with determination, Kenji admitted, “Mrs. Ward, I’m not great at cooking, but I can learn quickly.”
Alicia’s smile held secrets. Her declaration of “personally preparing the meal” translated to orchestrating the housekeeper’s actions, ensuring each dish aligned with Scarlette’s tastes.
Donning an apron, Kenji threw himself into assisting the housekeeper. Despite Kenji’s quick learning, his heavy-handed approach to ingredients led to several do-overs. The afternoon slipped away in a parade of minor disasters, leaving his hands decorated with small cuts-battle scars he wore without complaint.
“Have you caught a cold from being out in the wind these past few days?” Alicia inquired, noting his frequent coughing. “Let me get you some medicine.”
“No need, Mrs. Ward. It’s just a minor issue,” Kenji declined politely.
Under Alicia’s watchful eye, Kenji tackled his final challenge: butter cookies. His large hands fumbled with the delicate molds, creating shapes more reminiscent of river stones than proper cookies.
“Did you know Scarlette loves butter cookies?” Alicia’s question held a hint of amusement.
“Yes.”
Following the tutorial he’d secretly memorized to the letter, Kenji dared not deviate from the recipe, fearing any creative liberties might compromise the taste.
Studying the misshapen results, Alicia nodded approvingly. “Not bad. Make more. Scarlette’s friend will probably enjoy them.”
Relief washed over Kenji as he continued his work, assuming the guest must be another young woman with a similar sweet tooth.
As the evening bells chimed six, Scarlette breezed through the front door.
From his post in the kitchen, Kenji’s heart skipped at the sound of her melodious laughter mixing with unfamiliar voices beyond the doorway. Proud of his labor of love, Kenji lifted the cookie platter, eager to witness her reaction. But as he stepped into the dining room, his anticipation shattered at the sight of an unexpected male guest.
Scarlette and Roscoe turned toward Kenji simultaneously, and the air grew thick with unspoken words. Time seemed to freeze as three minds raced in different directions.
Scarlette’s eyes widened at Kenji’s presence, particularly fixating on the pink apron that seemed so at odds with his usual commanding presence. The sight of him performing such a domestic task left her bewildered-it felt wrong, like watching a lion trying to purr.
For Roscoe, pieces of a puzzle clicked into place. This wasn’t just dinner. It was an elaborate stage.
Meanwhile, Kenji’s thoughts spiraled around the man beside Scarlette. Were they really together? Had their relationship already progressed to meeting the family? The weight of that possibility settled like lead in his stomach.
The suffocating silence stretched until Alicia gracefully intervened, relieving Kenji of his burden. “The food is ready. Let’s sit down and eat. Thanks for putting in the effort, Kenji.”
Kenji remained silent. The sudden shift in Alicia’s and Caden’s demeanor made perfect sense now-they’d orchestrated this entire scene. They had been waiting for this moment. Everyone sat down, each with their own thoughts.
Alicia pushed the plate of misshapen cookies toward Scarlette. “Try them. Kenji made them himself.”
Scarlette hesitated to eat. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she nudged Roscoe. “You try them first. They look awful.”
Kenji’s face remained a mask of indifference, though each word cut deep.
Roscoe, after sampling one, offered genuine praise. “They taste good.”
Scarlette nibbled one cautiously, managing only a noncommittal shrug of acceptance.
From his seat across the table, Kenji felt the bitter irony of the situation. The afternoon’s anticipation had frozen into a glacial reality-he had unwittingly played sous-chef to his rival’s debut dinner.
As the meal progressed, Kenji retreated into silence while Caden and Roscoe’s animated conversation filled the void.
The conversation meandered through business and careers before inevitably circling to Scarlette’s future.
“I’ll be relieved if Scarlette is with you,” Caden declared, his words falling like hammer blows. “She’s quite spirited and needs someone to keep her in check. Take good care of her.”
Roscoe lifted his glass with practiced modesty. “Scarlette is still young and not thinking about relationships yet, but I can wait, no matter how long it takes.” His patience dripped with quiet confidence.
Caden’s gaze shifted to his daughter. “Scarlette, didn’t you tell me you really liked Roscoe last time? Why aren’t you thinking about relationships?”
Across the table, Kenji’s fingers whitened around his wine glass before he drained it in one desperate gulp.
“Dad…” Scarlette squirmed in her seat, a blush creeping up her neck.
“Why are you bringing up such a topic at dinner?”
Caden’s indulgent laughter only deepened Kenji’s wound.
“Why are you only drinking and not eating?” Alicia’s concern cut through the tension as she served Kenji more food. “Be careful with your stomach.”
“Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Ward,” Kenji’s smile was brittle as glass. “Scarlette and her new boyfriend are so sweet that I’ve lost my appetite.”
Jealousy laced every syllable like poison.
Alicia pressed on, twisting the knife deeper. “Roscoe was personally chosen by Caden. Roscoe is just right for Scarlette. What do you think of him, Kenji?”
“Great.” Kenji’s response could have frozen flames. “He’s got all the right features, doesn’t he?”
The soft patter of rain against windowpanes provided a melancholic backdrop to their meal’s end.
Alicia’s concern about dangerous driving conditions seemed selective-while Roscoe received an invitation to stay, Kenji was left to brave the elements alone.
Kenji departed into the downpour, his hands stinging from kitchen cuts, his heart heavy with jealousy and exhaustion from an afternoon of futile efforts.
Roscoe, well-versed in his role in this carefully orchestrated drama, quietly retired to the guest room when night fell.
Meanwhile, in his study, Caden received disturbing news. A mysterious virus had emerged in Warrington, its deadly efficiency reflected in alarming mortality and transmission rates. As the owner of the city’s premier pharmaceutical laboratory, the weight of finding a solution pressed heavily on his shoulders.
While preparing to summon his elite research team, a particular candidate caught Caden’s attention, sparking an alternative strategy.
Upstairs, Scarlette retreated to her bedroom, her spirit dampened by the evening’s events. As she replayed the dinner scene, acceptance settled in her heart-her chapter with Kenji had truly ended.
Clutching her doll close, Scarlette drifted into an uneasy sleep, despair her only companion.
Through the haze of half-consciousness, Scarlette sensed a presence slip into her bed.
Her heavy eyelids barely lifted before a cold hand covered them. The mysterious intruder’s rain-dampened form sent shivers through her as she murmured drowsily, “So cold. Who is it…”
Silence answered her query, followed by an unexpected kiss.
Still caught in sleep’s tender grip, Scarlette absently licked her lips before reality struck-fear should have been her response.
“Who is it?” More alert now, Scarlette struggled against unseen restraints, her mind racing to the most logical conclusion. “Roscoe?”
At Roscoe’s name, the intruder went rigid against her, his breathing turning harsh and labored. His chest muscles coiled with tension, punctuated by the sharp sound of grinding teeth.
Kenji’s frustration boiled over as he hissed into Scarlette’s ear, “Roscoe had the audacity to sneak into your room?”
The sound of Kenji’s voice steadied Scarlette’s racing heart, though her anger remained. “Release me!” she demanded through clenched teeth.
Kenji’s fury matched hers, burning just as fiercely.
Scarlette’s struggles only fueled his determination. His powerful legs held her in place while his mouth claimed hers in a kiss that walked the razor’s edge between passion and punishment, drawing both a whimper and a shiver from her lips.
Their battle for dominance transformed into a dance of wills-until finally, Kenji emerged victorious, pinning her wrists above her head against the silk sheets.
Scarlette lay helpless beneath him, every avenue of escape cut off. He consumed her completely-her lips, her breath, even her voice became his conquest.
Drained of resistance, she could only yield, her lips parting as she fought merely to draw breath, powerless to do more.
The long separation had left Kenji starved for her, and he drank deeply of her presence until his own lungs burned for air, forcing him to break away.
Scarlette seized that moment of freedom to unleash her fury. After a string of colorful curses, she played her trump card. “Want to see how quickly my father would tear you to pieces if I screamed?”
A dark chuckle escaped Kenji’s lips. “I scaled your window without fear. Do you really think your father intimidates me?”