Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
As the evening wore on, the doctor waved goodbye. “I need to head out. My wife and kids are waiting for me at home.”
Alicia waved back.
Caden stood with one hand in his pocket, his expression neutral as he remarked, “Being a doctor has its advantages. They get gifts.”
Alicia shot him a quick glance.
It was clear to her that he was being sarcastic.
Choosing to ignore him, she turned and walked away.
Lucky was growing quickly, weighing nearly ten pounds now. Caden thought about the injury on Alicia’s hand and reached out to take Lucky.
“I’ll hold him,” he said.
Alicia stepped aside, avoiding him. “He doesn’t like you.”
As soon as she said this, Lucky wagged his tail and eagerly rubbed against Caden’s hand.
Caden raised an eyebrow in surprise. “He doesn’t like me? Clearly, he loves me.”
Alicia found herself at a loss for words.
“Lucky, you ungrateful little brat!” she muttered inwardly.
Typically, Caden would push Lucky away whenever he saw him. He never bothered to bathe or take care of the dog. During their more intimate moments in the living room, Caden would lock Lucky out on the balcony. He only showed any affection when he felt bored, occasionally giving the dog a quick pat.
Despite this neglect, Lucky remained incredibly clingy toward Caden.
Injured and in pain, Lucky still struggled to lean toward Caden, prompting Alicia to feel a surge of compassion.
She gently released him.
Caden smiled knowingly.
“Raising a dog is far simpler than raising a person,” he remarked. “Dogs always repay kindness, yet some people find reasons to complain no matter how well you treat them.”
Alicia was momentarily speechless. Then, she countered, “Caden, don’t make me curse you on Christmas Eve.”
Caden’s smile widened as he teased, “Did I mention it was you?”
“You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
As they reached the car, Alicia said firmly, “Hand over Lucky.”
Caden didn’t hesitate and simply passed the dog to her. However, he couldn’t resist adding, “Try not to miss me too much, Lucky.”
Lucky whimpered in response.
Alicia placed Lucky gently in the car seat. As she stood back up, she accidentally bumped into Caden’s chest.
Startled, she took a cautious step backward.
When he noticed how vigilant she was, Caden wore a stern expression.
She frowned and leaned against the car door. “What are you doing standing there?”
Caden had no intention of letting her walk away easily. He rarely found moments alone with her these days. Locking his gaze with hers, he said, “I have something for you.”
Alicia raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. Opening his hand, he revealed the back of the photo.
Then he said, “The last time I visited your office to copy the surveillance footage, I happened to glance into your drawer and took this photo.”
Alicia instantly recalled what he was referring to. A wave of tension swept through her, and she instinctively reached out to grab it.
Just as her fingers brushed against the photo, Caden quickly closed his hand around it. Alicia froze in place.
In an unexpected moment, he pulled her forward, causing her to crash into his chest.
He reacted instinctively, attempting to break free. However, he held her waist firmly, keeping her in place. Caden’s gaze transformed, fiery and intense, as it bore down on her.
Alicia turned her face away, desperate to escape his piercing stare, but there was no way out.
His voice dropped to a low, deep tone. “When did you take this photo of me without my knowledge?”
Alicia’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
The photo in Caden’s hand had been taken while he was asleep. She struggled to recall the exact morning it was taken. The weather had been beautiful that day, with gentle sunlight illuminating Caden’s face, making him look irresistibly attractive. On a whim, she snapped the picture. By then, her feelings for him had already started to grow, though she hadn’t confessed them yet. Instead, she secretly developed the photo and tucked it away in her wallet.
Recently, with all the arguments between them, she had chosen to put the photo aside, locking it in a drawer.
“Out of sight, out of mind,” she thought.
Trying to maintain her composure, she countered, “My drawer was locked. You said you found it by accident?”
Caden shrugged casually. “I happened to discover your password by chance.”
This time, Alicia didn’t respond.
Caden, wanting to push her further, smirked and said, “Both your computer and drawer passwords are my birthday.”
Alicia tightened her grip on the edge of her chair, her frustration clear. “I’ll change them then.”
Caden seemed unfazed by her response. He gently brushed his fingers against her hand. “Now, about that photo. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”
Alicia took a deep breath, steadying her voice. “I took it impulsively and forgot to delete it.”
Caden locked eyes with her, enunciating each word. “You violated my privacy.”
Alicia was speechless for a moment.
What a shameless man!
She finally replied, “I didn’t share it with anyone.”
Caden’s gaze remained steady. “You didn’t do anything else with it? If I had a picture of you, I would’ve used it at least three times in two days.” His tone was calm, despite the boldness of his words.
Alicia frowned. “What do you mean?”
Caden kept his gaze fixed on her.
Alicia realized what he implied and quickly exclaimed, “I never did anything like that!”
Caden replied, “Who would know?”
She couldn’t find the words to respond. Although she knew he was just making conversation, his comments were completely absurd.
She gritted her teeth and fought the urge to slap him. “We were together every day. I barely had time to think, let alone use your photo for that.”
Caden repeated himself, “Who would know?”
Her mouth fell open in disbelief.
She finally lost her patience and called him sick. After venting, she sighed and asked, “Just tell me what you want. Stop wasting time.”
Without hesitation, Caden replied, “I want a kiss. Then we can settle this.”
When they parted ways, they had made a mutual promise. Everything between them would be settled, and no debts would remain.
This was the only way Caden could steal a kiss from her. Alicia understood that there was no avoiding it. Instead of wasting time pretending, she decided to face it head-on.
She inhaled deeply, rose on her toes, and lightly pressed her lips against his.
“There. It’s done.”
However, that wasn’t enough for Caden.
He pulled her into the car, pinned her against the seat, and kissed her with an intensity she couldn’t match. Alicia had never been able to resist him when it came to this.
Caden’s desire for her was relentless, but what about her own feelings?
Was she just as twisted as him?
Alicia’s weak attempts to push him away only deepened her frustration with herself.
Even though Caden claimed it was just a kiss, the way his heart raced and the fire in his breath betrayed his true feelings. He wanted her. He liked her more than he’d ever admit.
He held back, pressing his lips gently against her earlobe.
Alicia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull away.
“Are you finished?”
Caden slipped the photo back into her hand, locking their fingers together.
Their skin was damp with sweat.
The tension between them thickened, heavy with unsaid words.
Caden’s body reacted strongly, but he didn’t push any further.