Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Desperate, Shelia crawled to him and grabbed his pant leg. “Kill me, Caden! Just kill me!”
Caden pressed his foot down on her hand.
Accustomed to comfort, Shelia found the sharp pain unbearable despite her loud protests.
Her cries ceased under the pain.
Caden applied more pressure with his foot and spoke in a chilling, ominous tone, “You won’t die. You’ll keep living. You’ll endure such misery that you’ll wish for death.”
After seeing Alicia off, Caden headed back to his company. He removed his shirt, revealing a bright red burn on his arm where the skin was nearly worn away. The pain was sharp, and he shut his eyes momentarily to endure it.
Hank hurriedly brought a first aid kit to tend to the wound.
When Caden opened his eyes again, they were clear and focused. His voice was raspy as he instructed, “This injury stays between us. Grandma is too observant. She’d make a big deal out of it.”
Hank nodded in understanding. “Understood, Mr. Ward.”
“And keep this from Alicia as well.”
Despite their breakup, Alicia still showed concern for him. Hank was taken aback. “Mr. Ward, are you and Ms. Bennett back together?”
Caden responded flatly, “No.”
Hank, curious, asked further, “It’s been a while. Are things truly finished between you?”
A brief silence fell. Then, rather dismissively, Caden said, “Yes.”
Hank wondered why Caden would hide his injury from Alicia if things were truly over. Did she still have feelings for him?
After wrapping Caden’s burn, Hank recalled something important. “Mr. Ward, during Mr. Benson’s recent conversation with Mr. Yates, he discovered the details about how Mr. Yates caused the death of Ms. Bennett’s parents.”
Joshua wasn’t capable of causing the plane crash at that time; it was a mere coincidence. However, Joshua did meddle. He poisoned Phil and Donna before they boarded the plane.
Caden narrowed his eyes and scoffed, remembering, “No wonder he was so desperate to retrieve their bodies from the crash site.”
Joshua had poisoned them, knowing that if the authorities discovered the tainted bodies, he would be the prime suspect. Alicia, however, was unaware of these facts and, moved by Joshua’s apparent concern, married him without hesitation.
Hank spoke more quietly, “Back then, Joshua was constantly using Ms. Bennett’s money. When Phil realized this, it led to a major confrontation. During this dispute, Joshua uncovered a secret about Phil.”
Caden asked, “What secret?”
Hank replied, “When Ms. Bennett was very young, Phil conducted a paternity test.”
“They’re not biologically related?” Caden asked, surprised.
Hank looked at him in surprise. “You knew about this?”
“I didn’t,” Caden admitted. He was merely speculating. When Alicia had described Phil’s harsh treatment before, Caden hadn’t considered this possibility; he had just assumed Phil was naturally aggressive. But now, upon hearing Hank’s revelation, Caden’s mind immediately started to connect the dots. Such intense resentment from a father often points to hidden truths, like not being the real father.
Hank, still processing the information, asked, “I always thought Donna was faithful. She and Phil seemed very close. How could she have had an affair?”
Caden responded bluntly, “I’ve never believed in everlasting love between couples.”
Worried that Caden might be reflecting on his own past, Hank shifted the topic and asked, “Mr. Ward, what do you plan to do about Shelia?”
Caden glanced at his injury. “With the sulfuric acid being so concentrated, she couldn’t have obtained it alone. Have it analyzed and track down where she got it.”
Whether the Yates family or the Green family was involved in helping Shelia, once the source was confirmed, they would all face the consequences together. Hank soon uncovered the truth-Shelia had used Jerald’s connections.
Clearly, both Shelia and Jerald had intentions of killing Caden. However, Caden had grown indifferent to his biological father’s cruelty.
Hank, unable to hide his dismay, suggested, “Mr. Ward, should I hire some strong men to handle them?” He continued, “It would be ideal to beat them until they’re half-dead, leaving them bedridden for the rest of their lives.”
Caden glanced at the calendar. “There’s no need. Handling Jerald doesn’t require any effort on my part.”
He then made a phone call to the hospital to arrange what was needed. However, Shelia wasn’t silent for long and soon stirred up trouble again.
After Caden severely injured one of her hands, she no longer dared to provoke him directly. Instead, she shifted her focus to Alicia. Using her mental health diagnosis as a shield, she manipulated images of Alicia’s face and posted them on adult websites, spreading videos and photos widely.
When Alicia reported the issue to the police, Shelia feigned insanity at the station, striking random people. After being detained for a few days and given a warning, Shelia was released again.
Once Alicia’s public relations team managed to resolve the video scandal, Shelia found new ways to harass her. She began hanging around Alicia’s home, engaging in disruptive behaviors like vandalizing her property, slashing her car tires, and letting the air out of them.
While these were minor annoyances, they significantly inconvenienced Alicia. Within just a month, Alicia had moved three times and switched cars five times.
Reporting Shelia to the police proved ineffective. Her psychiatric diagnosis acted as a protective shield, like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Alicia’s assistant was exasperated. “Ms. Bennett, Mr. Ward is the one Shelia has a grudge against. He should handle her. Why should we suffer?”
Alicia remained quiet. When Shelia had initially started her harassment, Caden had offered to help, but Alicia had declined. She made it clear she wanted no further involvement with him and asked him to leave her alone.
After hearing this repeatedly, Caden also saw little point in persisting. Although they hadn’t had a major argument, they had parted on bad terms.
Since then, Caden had not interfered, and they both continued with their lives, not crossing paths for over two weeks. Alicia massaged her temples. “Caden and I just don’t mix. Dealing with him is more of a hassle than handling Shelia.” The disputes before their breakup had been a constant irritation for Alicia. Any reminder of those times easily provoked her.
The assistant felt helpless and asked, “What do we do then? We can’t just let her keep bullying us.”
Alicia comforted her, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got it figured out.”
The assistant hesitated before suggesting, “Ms. Bennett, since she smeared feces on your car, should I retaliate by doing the same to hers?”
Alicia was at a loss for words. The thought of her beloved cars being ruined filled her with both heartbreak and disgust. “Leave it to me, I’ll take care of it.”
After the assistant left, Ciara stopped by. Since the incident, Alicia had ceased her professional dealings with Ciara, and she now visited only as a friend.
“You’ve been through so much recently,” Ciara said with concern. “She hasn’t hurt you, has she?”
While Caden had stayed out of it, Ciara was eager to help. However, Alicia had managed to resolve things swiftly on her own before Ciara could step in.
Thus, all Ciara could do was bring gifts to cheer Alicia up. Alicia greeted her with a smile, downplaying the situation. However, Ciara had another motive for her visit.
“Alicia, don’t put up with this anymore. Let’s join forces and solve this issue once and for all.”
Alicia pursed her lips. She did have a plan in mind, but it wasn’t something she was ready to share with Ciara just yet.
Ciara, sensing there was more to it, asked, “Alicia, do you have a plan?”
Alicia let out an awkward chuckle and replied, “I do, but I’m afraid it might scare you.”
Ciara waved her hand with a relaxed grin. “Don’t worry about me, Alicia. I’m not easily rattled. Raising a troublemaker toughened me up. In fact, I was a troublemaker myself when I was young, so I can handle more than you think.”
Alicia blinked in surprise. Really? Wait, did Ciara just call herself a troublemaker?
Realizing her words might have come across as too bold, especially for someone her age, Ciara quickly cleared her throat and softened her tone. “What I meant is, I’m healthy and not easily startled. Say what’s on your mind, and let’s see if there’s anything I can do.”
Alicia paused, carefully considering her next words.
Noticing Alicia’s hesitation, Ciara leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm. “You don’t need to worry, dear. I’m not here to play matchmaker for Caden. Trust me, I wouldn’t push you into anything.”
Alicia was about to speak but then paused. Sorry, Alicia. That’s not entirely true, Ciara thought to herself. Despite her calm demeanor and warm smile, her mind was elsewhere. She was, after all, a sweet old woman-hardly someone Alicia would suspect. With that in mind, Alicia finally felt comfortable enough to ask.
“Mrs. Ward, do you believe in God?”
Ciara chuckled softly and shook her head. “I tend to spend more time at fundraisers than in church.”
Alicia offered a polite nod, processing the answer.
Ciara raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Do you visit churches often? If you’d like some company, I’d be happy to join.”
Alicia shook her head slowly. “No, I don’t. I just needed to ask. If you were deeply religious, I wouldn’t want to offend you with what I’m about to say.”
Ciara smiled kindly. “You can speak freely, dear.”
Leaning in closer to make sure Ciara could hear, Alicia whispered, “Shelia’s devout. When I had dinner at the Yates Mansion, she was worshipping some obscure deity. It was tucked in a niche in the side hall, and she mentioned it had been sent from Terriland. She seemed to truly believe in it.”
Ciara scoffed softly. “Shelia? She’s far from righteous. That’s just her way of trying to wash away the sins she’s committed over the years.”
Ciara knew all too well the real story behind how Caden’s mother had died.
The unresolved death of her daughter weighed heavily on Ciara’s heart, an ache she could not express. The fact that the person responsible still walked free only deepened her pain.
Alicia, sensing her sorrow, felt a pang of sympathy. “Caden’s return to the country wasn’t for nothing, Mrs. Ward. He has found proof of what Jerald and Shelia have done. Their time is running out.”
Ciara smiled softly, a mixture of sadness and hope in her eyes. “I have faith in Caden. He will bring justice for his mother, in his own way. If he’s waiting, it’s because he knows the right time to act.”
Alicia nodded, understanding Caden’s approach. He wanted to see Jerald and Shelia held accountable by the law, ensuring they faced consequences without becoming like them-tainted by crime.
He was just like her. Alicia had turned her back on a promising career in showbiz because she refused to become like Lilliana. The thought of ending up like her disgusted Alicia.
Ciara remarked, “Caden always moves with such precision and caution. It’s rare to see him slip up.” Except for that one time when he lost control and attacked Joshua.
When Caden first returned, Joshua’s arrogance had been unbearable, but Caden chose to endure it. That was until Joshua crossed the line by kidnapping and tormenting Alicia. Caden could not let that go. For her sake, he broke his own rules.
Alicia lowered her gaze, memories of their blissful time at the mountain lodge surfacing, filling her with a familiar, dull ache.
Their connection had always been strong-undeniable. But at its core, their bond was delicate, easily fractured by life’s complications. Without the physical aspect of their relationship, she knew Caden had little reason to keep showing her kindness.
Why, then, was he so concerned about Shelia’s threats against her?
Pushing the confusion aside, Alicia refocused on the matter at hand. She leaned closer to Ciara and quietly shared a few words with her.
Ciara nodded, her expression confident. “That sounds like a solid plan. It’s Shelia’s Achilles’ heel.”