Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
The car merged onto the highway, the city lights fading into the distance.
“I guess that’s just how it is when you’re the boss,” one of Alicia’s colleagues remarked. “Starting your own business is always an uphill battle. If Miss Bennett were more flexible with her business practices, maybe she wouldn’t have to work so hard.”
Alicia’s assistant immediately understood the other woman’s implication.
Since the gallery’s opening, numerous wealthy proprietors had approached Alicia under the guise of seeking business partnerships. She had turned every one of them down.
“If she was going to sell out anyway, then why bother starting her own business in the first place?” the assistant shot back, her tone sharp. “In the future, you’d better keep thoughts like that to yourself. If you say something like this out loud again, I’ll be giving you a piece of my mind.”
The female employee looked visibly startled by the assistant’s reaction.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I just think Miss Bennett is unnecessarily tiring herself out. If she met the right guy, they could work together, and he could ease some of her burden. It would be a win-win situation for her.”
“Yes, but such men are quite hard to find, aren’t they?” the assistant retorted, her jaded tone betraying her cynicism. “Take Miss Bennett’s ex-husband, for example. At first glance, you’d think he was the perfect man, but the truth is he’s absolute scum!”
Her colleague nodded in agreement. “You do have a point there…”
Meanwhile, Alicia was so exhausted that she dozed off during the car ride home. It was Caden’s call that pulled her out of her light sleep.
“Hey,” she said, her voice soft as she answered the phone. In an instant, all the tension in her body seemed to melt away. “What’s up?”
On his end, Caden was watching her interview from earlier that day.
She had worn a loose red sweater that exuded warmth and friendliness, perfectly mirroring her personality. It was rare for her to dress so casually, and the sight of her in that outfit stirred something deep within him.
“Where are you?” he asked, his voice low but steady.
“I’m on my way back to the apartment. Do you want to come over?” Alicia replied, pulling the phone slightly away from her ear to check her location. She realized she was already halfway to the hotel.
But she was too drained to even think about moving another inch.
“If I come over,” she said with a teasing lilt in her voice, “will you help me with a bath?”
There was a brief pause before Caden spoke. “If you give me something in return, I might consider it.”
“No, I’m going to sleep right after the bath,” Alicia replied firmly.
“Oh, well. If you’re not interested, I’ll just head back to the hotel,” Caden said stubbornly, refusing to budge. “They have nice amenities there, anyway.”
Alicia didn’t bother responding. Instead, she hung up the phone and spent the rest of the drive napping.
The moment she entered her hotel room, she discarded her clothes in a trail leading to the bathroom and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the exhaustion of the day.
When she finally emerged, feeling somewhat refreshed, she was greeted by an unexpected sight.
There he was-Caden-lounging on her bed, completely undressed, his expression serene as he rested his head on one hand, gazing at her with a maddening calmness.
Alicia’s jaw dropped.
How on earth had he gotten in here?
She shook her head at the thought. What a stupid question. Caden always had a way of getting what he wanted, and this was no exception.
Her legs, already weak from the long day, felt even heavier. Too tired to argue or even attempt to kick him out, she wordlessly padded over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and collapsed onto the mattress.
Caden opened his arms, and without hesitation, Alicia instinctively turned toward him, nestling her head against his arm and allowing herself to be enveloped in his embrace.
Her eyes were half-closed when she became suddenly aware of something firm pressing against her lower stomach.
Alicia froze.
“Well, that was quick,” she muttered, her voice tinged with a mix of surprise and amusement.
“I could hear you showering from here,” Caden said casually. “Naturally, my mind started conjuring up scenes where you-“
“Stop talking,” Alicia interrupted, reaching up to cover his mouth. “I don’t want to hear the rest of it.”
Caden chuckled softly, his lips brushing a kiss against her palm. “Come on,” he coaxed playfully. “It wants to say hi. Don’t you want to greet it and maybe… sit on it?”
Alicia didn’t even have the energy to roll her eyes. She simply shook her head slightly, her eyelids growing heavier by the second.
As sleep overtook her, she mumbled something under her breath, but it was too faint for Caden to catch.
“What was that? ‘Okay,’ you say?”
Alicia mumbled something unintelligible again.
Caden shifted on the bed, leaning closer. “What did you say?”
“Piss off,” Alicia replied, her voice suddenly loud and clear.
Caden let out a small gasp, staring at her with mock indignation.
Unfortunately for him, Alicia had already fallen into a deep, undisturbed sleep.
He watched her for a moment, her steady breathing bringing him a rare and profound sense of peace.
Alicia had been tirelessly working on her gallery for weeks, pouring all her energy into it. Caden had done his best to be patient, but his longing for her only grew stronger. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had a decent night’s sleep, which was why he found himself at her hotel in the middle of the night.
But now, seeing her so utterly exhausted that she passed out without indulging in their usual banter, he decided to restrain himself a little longer.
The hand that had crept under her clothes slowly withdrew, his resolve winning out over his desire.
“Take the morning off tomorrow,” he whispered softly into her ear. “I want to do some morning exercises with you.”
Alicia’s eyelids fluttered slightly, but they didn’t open. Her ears, however, turned a deep shade of red as she instinctively snuggled closer to his chest.
Caden smiled faintly, his own exhaustion finally catching up with him. He drifted off into a peaceful slumber, the tension in his body easing as he held her close.
But his rest was short-lived.
The shrill ringing of his phone jolted him awake.
Dorian’s angry voice boomed through the line. “I entrusted Yolanda to you, and this is how you take care of her? My daughter is coughing up blood again. You’d better get your ass to the hospital right this instant!”
Caden’s face darkened, his expression grim. A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment before he wordlessly ended the call.
As he got dressed, Alicia stirred awake. Her vision was still hazy from sleep, but she could make out the sight of Caden leaving the room without so much as a backward glance.
Her heart sank.
For a brief moment, she thought she was still dreaming. She reached out toward the space beside her, only to find it cold and empty.
The realization hit her like a weight, echoed by the hollow ache spreading through her chest.
Alicia lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling.
She knew she had work in the morning and tried to force herself to sleep, but it was useless. Her thoughts kept circling back to one question: had Caden left because of Yolanda again?
After tossing and turning for what felt like forever, she finally gave up. Slipping on a coat, she found herself heading toward Caden’s apartment before she even realized it.
When she arrived, Cade, the dog Caden had recently taken in, greeted her. While Caden had made the effort to bring Cade into his life, his care had been rather perfunctory-strictly limited to the basics. The dog received his three daily meals but no special treats or affection.
Alicia knelt down and gently petted Cade, her hands combing through his fur. She carefully trimmed it, ensuring it was neat and short. To complete his new look, she tied a pink bow snugly around his neck.
Cade seemed overjoyed with the change. He bounced around excitedly, his tail wagging furiously, before settling into her arms with a contented sigh.
A soft smile graced Alicia’s lips as she held him close, the simple moment filling her with unexpected warmth.
Eventually, she lay down on the sofa, Cade curled up beside her, and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep that carried her through the night.
Meanwhile, Caden spent the night at the hospital.
Yolanda’s condition was complicated; her health had been fragile since birth. With a weak immune system, even minor illnesses posed significant risks, and her health had been a constant source of anxiety for her parents.
Regina and Dorian had always taken meticulous care of Yolanda, shielding her from every conceivable threat. Even a slight cold breeze was forbidden to touch her.
Yet, since Dorian had entrusted her care to Caden, Yolanda had already experienced two alarming episodes of coughing up blood.
By morning, her condition had finally stabilized. Dorian stepped out of the hospital room, his usual composed demeanor intact, but his face was hard and serious.
“Caden, you need to explain this to me.”
Caden, who held deep respect for Dorian, responded with calm politeness. “Yolanda’s sudden decline was completely unexpected. This is on me. Once she’s ready for discharge, I will personally escort her back to Averibon. She won’t need to worry about any more business responsibilities.”
Dorian’s gaze darkened, his expression thoughtful and conflicted.
He admired Caden-his sharp mind, his strength-but he was also painfully aware of Yolanda’s deep, unspoken affection for him.
“Caden,” Dorian began slowly, his voice steady but heavy with meaning, “I need you to be honest. What exactly do you feel for Yolanda?”
Caden’s tone remained calm and measured. “She is a close friend and my business partner.”
Dorian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “No possibility for anything more? No deeper relationship at all?”
“I’m sorry, Dorian,” Caden said, his voice unwavering, “but Yolanda and I are not meant for each other.”
The words struck Dorian harder than he had expected. His heart sank, but he also appreciated Caden’s honesty.
Blunt though it was, it held a certain clarity. Perhaps such honesty was a virtue.
Men should be straightforward.