Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden and Yolanda exited the restaurant and made their way toward the parking garage.
Meanwhile, Alicia’s assistant had just finished seeing Mr. Tingey off, maintaining the poised, polite demeanor Alicia had taught her.
However, Mr. Tingey wasn’t ready to let go.
“Alicia is beautiful but not very shrewd,” he remarked, his tone dripping with condescension.
Caden overheard the comment and glanced in their direction.
Unaware of Caden’s presence, Mr. Tingey continued his arrogant rant to Alicia’s assistant. “But that coldness of hers-that’s what makes her appealing. Let her know that if she changes her mind, she’s always welcome to come to me.”
Alicia’s assistant could no longer maintain a smile. “We understand our place. Your time is very valuable, Mr. Tingey. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to waste it on us.”
Mr. Tingey sneered. “She lacks support and connections. How long can she really survive in this industry? I’m looking forward to seeing her embarrass herself.”
Alicia’s assistant fought the urge to retort but held her tongue, aware that Alicia was still feeling unwell. Without further delay, she quickly turned and walked away.
Caden, having overheard, averted his gaze and entered his car.
Yolanda, sensing his discontent, gently asked, “What’s troubling you, Caden?”
They had just come from a significant meeting with a research leader, followed by a lengthy dinner conversation, yet there were still unresolved issues. Yolanda, ever eager to help, said, “I’ll look into it further once we’re back and try to find a resolution promptly.”
Caden turned on the ignition, his face unreadable. “This isn’t your problem.”
Yolanda’s thoughts briefly wandered back to her earlier encounter with Alicia.
Alicia had appeared quite messy. It had been unexpected.
Yolanda commented, “When I first met Ms. Bennett, I assumed she was just a spoiled heiress. But I was wrong. She genuinely dedicates herself to her career. It’s rare for someone from her background.”
Caden’s expression darkened.
He had offered Alicia resources, but she had declined, choosing instead to face these unscrupulous old men on her own. What a waste of effort.
Without another word, Caden silently pulled out of the garage.
Mr. Tingey’s vehicle was ahead, and Caden maintained a safe distance.
At a stoplight, Caden pulled out his phone and quickly sent a text.
Within minutes, a sports car weaved through the traffic and collided with the rear of Mr. Tingey’s car.
Mr. Tingey stepped out, swearing loudly.
The driver of the sports car retrieved a stick from the passenger side and struck Mr. Tingey forcefully in the waist.
Mr. Tingey shouted in agony, “Who are you?” but his only reply came in the form of a series of rapid blows. The attacker targeted the softer areas of his body. The strikes weren’t deadly, but they were excruciatingly painful.
Caden passed by slowly, watching the scene unfold with a detached expression, as if he were merely a spectator.
Meanwhile, Alicia had consumed a significant amount of alcohol, and her medication had failed to work, leading to an allergic reaction. She had to be hospitalized.
On her first day in the hospital, she was medicated and slept through the entire day and night. By the second day, she removed her IV and resumed working.
Selecting paintings for the gallery required a great deal of effort. Alicia reached out to artists individually, securing copyright agreements with them. In the midst of this, Hank dropped by to see her. Noticing how busy she was, he decided not to stay for long.
Back at the office, Hank reported everything to Caden.
Caden listened attentively, his expression unreadable, and then looked over the gallery’s paperwork. He had initially intended to help solve her problems, but after reviewing the documents, he saw that she had nearly completed everything on her own.
She had poured all her savings into the venture. Moreover, her recent efforts had secured contracts with almost every artist, leaving only a few with questionable intentions. Caden realized he had no place to intervene.
He closed the folder with a quiet sigh. “So, what is she occupied with now?” he asked.
Hank thought for a moment before responding. “Just preparing for the future, I suppose. After all, who would complain about having too many clients?”
Caden’s gaze dropped as he remembered the scene he had witnessed in the hallway earlier. His lips pressed into a tight line. “As stubborn as they come,” he muttered.
Hank didn’t reply. In his mind, he could have said the same thing about Caden, who was just as stubborn.
He reminded Caden, “Mr. Ward, considering Ms. Bennett’s current condition, are you still planning to go to Averibon the day after tomorrow?”
Caden responded coldly, “Why wouldn’t I?”
Hank pressed further, “What if Ms. Bennett needs your assistance?”
“She wouldn’t want me at her funeral. Do you really think she needs me now?” Caden said, feeling a tightness in his chest as he pulled off his tie.
Hank murmured, “You two aren’t even in a relationship, yet you behave like a bickering couple.”
Caden’s expression hardened. “What did you say?”
Hank quickly softened his approach. “Let me get you a cup of coffee.”
With that, he hurried off.
Later that night, Alicia was in her hospital bed, speaking to Monica on the phone.
Monica shared, “I checked on Caden. He’s thriving. The staff really adores him, and they’ve bonded quite well.”
Alicia replied, “That’s great. Have you been busy lately? I haven’t seen you in days.”
Monica answered, “Let’s catch up the day after tomorrow. I should be free then. I’ll swing by and pick you up from the hospital.”
“Okay,” Alicia agreed, “What would you like to eat? I’ll make a reservation ahead of time.”
Monica, sounding a bit worn out, began listing a variety of delicious foods.
After a brief pause, she asked, “Alicia, have you really ended things with Caden?”
Alicia felt a pang of sadness. “Yes. He has someone else now.”
Monica pressed on, “So, if he were still single, would you want to get back together with him?”
Alicia opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words. Deep down, when she had apologized to him that day, she realized how deeply she still loved him. She even hesitated, considering whether she should go all in with Caden.
But now, their situation had deteriorated further. It seemed like fate had other plans.
She doubted she deserved true love.
Monica didn’t probe further into such personal matters. After ending the call, she unlocked her door and stepped inside her home.
Once the door closed behind her, a shadow appeared from the corner, leaving a strange mark on her door.
On the third day, Caden left for Averibon with Yolanda to attend a scientific conference.
A group of paparazzi caught them together at the airport caf?. They were portrayed as the perfect couple, and the news quickly became a trending topic once again.
Alicia came across the story and clicked on the photo.
Amid the snow-covered winter streets, Caden was dressed in a black coat, his gold-rimmed glasses adding an air of sophistication and allure. His familiar scarf was wrapped around his neck.
She paused, momentarily stunned.
He was still wearing the scarf she had given him.
Why was he still wearing it?
She couldn’t understand his reasons, but decided it was best not to dwell on it.
When they were together, she had often found him infuriating, but now, separated, anything related to him stirred unexpected emotions within her.
She couldn’t help but be affected.
Shaking off the thoughts, she refocused on her work, determined to distract herself.
Time passed quickly, but Monica was still nowhere to be found.
Half an hour earlier, Alicia had tried calling Monica, but there was no answer. She assumed Monica might be exhausted and catching up on sleep, so she didn’t call again. Instead, she simply booked a table at Monica’s favorite restaurant.
Now, Alicia dialed Monica’s number again.
After a long wait, someone finally picked up.
Alicia sighed with relief. “Monica, are you awake?” she asked.
An unfamiliar voice responded, “She’s still out cold. Might be for days.”
The eerie tone immediately put Alicia on high alert.
She held her breath and asked, “Who are you?”
The person chuckled. “Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is whether you want to save your close friend.”
Alicia remained exceptionally calm.
Alicia hoped that perhaps Monica’s phone had been stolen and that this was just a malicious scam.
Then, after the call ended, a photo arrived showing Monica unconscious.
Monica’s face was pale, her eyes partially open, exposing the whites laced with faint bloodshot veins. She appeared to be in a deep sleep, and it was clear that she had fought desperately before this moment.