Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“Mr. Ward, we’ve discovered that before the Bennett accident, Joshua flew abroad to meet with them. They had a major argument, and Joshua ended up in the hospital afterward.” He paused, then added, “Reliable sources confirm the fight was over their disapproval of his relationship with Ms. Bennett. The plane crash wasn’t an accident. We’ve gathered enough evidence to prove it was man-made. Once we hand it over to the authorities, Joshua won’t avoid justice this time.”
Caden studied the documents carefully. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice.
“Once this hits court, the truth will be exposed to everyone.”
Jeffery kept an eye on his reaction. “For someone like Joshua, public humiliation will be worse than jail time.” Wasn’t that the perfect revenge? However, Jeffery noticed that Caden seemed hesitant.
Caden set the documents aside. “There’s already enough evidence to lock him away for life. This won’t change anything.”
Jeffery stated, “But none of those charges compare to murder. If you push this, he could face the death penalty.”
Caden had already made his decision.
“A lifetime of suffering is a worse fate than death,” he said calmly. “You can drop the case against the Bennett family.”
Jeffery agreed to the instructions, but one thought still lingered in his mind.
“Have you gone soft, Mr. Ward?”
Caden stared at him blankly. Softness wasn’t the issue. He simply understood Alicia too well.
If she learned her parents had been murdered, she would stop at nothing to kill Joshua herself.
He had lived through that kind of pain and knew that even revenge couldn’t erase it. There was no reason for Alicia to carry the same burden.
That evening, when Caden stepped into the apartment, the rich aroma of food filled the air. The smell was inviting, hinting at a well-prepared meal. However, as he moved closer to the dining table, his eyes swept over the spread of dishes. Not one of them resembled the ones he had requested earlier.
He stood there for a moment, silently taking in the sight of the meal that didn’t match his expectations.
Alicia entered the room, placing the last dish on the table. She washed her hands before noticing his stillness. Glancing up at him, she asked, “Is something wrong?”
Caden’s expression was hard to read. “Did you forget what I asked for, or was the supermarket completely out of ingredients?”
Alicia sat down at the table and replied, “I didn’t feel like making any of the things you mentioned.”
“I see,” Caden replied, pulling out his chair and sitting down. “So all that talk about an apology was just for show?”
Alicia shot him a sideways glance, unimpressed by his words. “Are you going to eat or are you planning to sulk?” she asked, sounding slightly amused. “If you’re not interested in dinner, why don’t you sit with Cade? Maybe he’ll share his food with you.”
Caden stared daggers at her and remarked, “Look at you. You seem awfully proud of yourself.”
Caden looked at Alicia. When she had needed his help in the past, she had always been shy and innocent. But now, she was filled with nothing but arrogance.
Alicia continued to eat. Feeling his stomach growl, Caden picked up a fork and began to eat with ease.
Then Alicia put her fork down.
“How are things going with Joshua?” she asked.
With an uninterested tone, Caden replied, “Almost done.”
“Will the Green family cause any problems?” Alicia asked, her voice filled with concern. “I’ve been looking into them lately. Lilliana’s father is known for his quick temper. Do you think he might interfere with your business?”
Caden gave her a look. “You find time to research the Green family but not me?”
In terms of power, he was far superior to the Green family.
Seeing his confidence, Alicia’s brow furrowed slightly. “I know you’re strong, but your business is international, and they’re known troublemakers locally. It’s best to stay cautious.”
Caden brushed off her concern lightly. “The Green family’s main investment is in showbiz, which means they’re no match for true capitalists.”
This reassured Alicia. If he wasn’t worried, then neither was she. She really didn’t want to be a burden to him.
After their meal, Alicia took a bath while the soup she had prepared earlier simmered in the kitchen. She served a bowl, heated it up, and brought it to him in his study.
Caden was not a fan of soup, considering it less nutritious and high in purines-a risky food in his view. However, Alicia’s culinary skills were hard to resist. Her soups were flavorful, healthy, and increasingly addictive.
Once he finished his soup, Caden pulled her onto his lap. He unfolded a document and looked at her with a playful smirk.
“What is this?” Alicia asked.
She casually glanced at the document, and her cheeks turned pink immediately. She reached to cover it, but Caden grabbed her hand and drew her closer.
He leaned in. “You’ve taken documents from my company and have been secretly studying intelligent robotics. What’s your plan? Are you trying to help me?”
Realizing he had uncovered her intentions, Alicia admitted, “You’ve done so much for me, I wanted to give something back.”
Caden always appreciated her sincerity. In a world where personal gain often prevailed, genuine sincerity was a treasure.
Caden asked, “Is it hard to learn?”
Alicia nodded in agreement. It was indeed hard. It was really hard.
He once mentioned that Lina still had room for improvement, which motivated her to lend a hand. Surprisingly, even the basics were challenging. That was when she understood how skilled Yolanda was.
Yet, Alicia remained determined to learn. “I’m young and unafraid of challenges. If I succeed and help you, it’s a stroke of luck. If not, it’s still a worthwhile experience.”
Caden laughed. “Why waste your time here when you could excel in areas you’re already skilled in? You don’t need to learn this. I don’t need your help at work.”
Alicia felt a twinge of disappointment. She responded vaguely, “We’ll see. It’s just something to keep me occupied.”
Meanwhile, Yolanda was focused on recovering and keeping a low profile. Caden had arranged for a top-notch doctor to care for her, and her parents stayed at Joy Mansion, attending to her with great diligence. Everything was managed with the utmost attention.
However, Yolanda showed no signs of improvement.
Dorian proposed to Ciara that they spend the upcoming Christmas together at the mansion, hoping the holiday might bring some luck. Ciara immediately understood his real motive.
It wasn’t about luck; Yolanda simply didn’t want to return home and wished to spend more time with Caden. She suggested, “You should talk it over with Caden. I’m not certain if there will be other guests for Christmas this time.”
Dorian caught the hint.
“Other guests?” In Warrington, the Yates family were Caden’s only kin, but hadn’t their families stopped communicating long ago? “What do you mean by that, Mrs. Ward?”
Ciara’s smile broadened, the lines of her face reflecting warm affection.
“Dorian, surely you’ve heard that Caden is in love.”
Dorian’s eyes flickered.
“Yolanda has brought it up a few times.” He considered this and then asked, “Is Caden planning to bring her home for Christmas?”
In a family like the Wards, inviting someone home was a significant indicator of intentions toward marriage.
Ciara exhaled softly. “Dorian, how can you be more confused than I am? I just told you I’m not certain.” In other words, there was a fifty-fifty chance Caden might introduce Alicia to the family.
The potential meeting between Alicia and Yolanda could prove extremely uncomfortable.
Dorian was aware.
Yet, he found Ciara’s tone overly aggressive and replied coldly, “I recall Caden hasn’t made her his official plus-one yet. Are you using this information to intimidate me?”
Ciara responded calmly, “How is that intimidation? I mention it only because I’m concerned about Yolanda. It wouldn’t reflect well on her if she were to create a scene.”
“Yolanda won’t make a scene, nor will she cause any trouble. Mrs. Ward, please remember the reasons for Yolanda’s current situation.”
Ciara was not prepared to accept such an accusation.
“Dorian, are you suggesting we are to blame? Let’s be clear. It was your family that pushed for their marriage.”
“Caden could have turned me down. Did he?” Dorian’s tone was icy. “He had his ambitions and knew only my family could facilitate them. I made that clear from the start, and he was agreeable. And now this is all our fault?”
Ciara was at a loss for words.
After all, Dorian wasn’t wrong. In business, power was everything, and whoever held the advantage dictated the terms. Both families had amassed enough wealth to fuel their ambitions.
Caden had his sights set on a goal, and nothing would stand in his way. It just so happened that Yolanda wasn’t part of that picture, and as much as Dorian loved his daughter, he wanted her to be with the man she loved.
Neither of them was at fault.
The room was thick with tension until Dorian, ever the reasonable one, broke the silence. “Mrs. Ward, we’ve known each other for years, and I hold you in the highest regard. But this is different. Caden made the offer, and he has no reason to back out now.”
Ciara felt a dull ache behind her temples. She was torn. Of course, she was biased toward Caden, but deep down, she knew he wasn’t blameless.
“You should talk to Caden directly,” she suggested, her voice calm but firm.
Dorian took the hint and rose to his feet, preparing to leave.
As he stepped out, he reminded Jasmine to take good care of Ciara. Still worried about his daughter, he then went to check on her.
Just as he was about to reach for the door to Yolanda’s room, it swung open, and Regina emerged. She shook her head gently and whispered, “Yolanda’s resting. Don’t disturb her. She’s not feeling well.”
Dorian’s brows furrowed in frustration. “I’ll stop by Caden’s company later. There’s a personal matter we need to settle.”
Unbeknownst to them, inside the room, Yolanda had crept to the door, listening intently.
Regina’s voice followed him. “Why? What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to talk to him about Yolanda; he’d better give me a good explanation for this.”
“He doesn’t want to marry her, okay? What’re you going to do, force his hand?” Regina sighed, softening her tone. “Just let it go and calm down, will you?”
Dorian’s reply was a low growl. “Calm down? How can I calm down when Yolanda’s health is failing? He used us, Regina. Played us like pawns, and now he thinks he can toss us aside? What does he take us for?”