Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Was he just doing Caden a huge favor for next to nothing? Meanwhile, Caden wasn’t about to wait around for Gerry. He was already making his next move. On the way to Alicia’s gallery, he stopped to pick up a bouquet of carefully selected flowers and placed them gently in the back seat.
When he arrived at the gallery, the receptionist waved him in without a second thought-he was a familiar face by now.
Just as the elevator doors slid open, Alicia’s assistant stepped out, blinking in surprise at the sight of him. “Mr. Ward,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “What brings you here today?”
Caden’s expression remained calm. “Is Ms. Bennett busy?”
“Ms. Bennett left early this morning,” the assistant replied, her voice hesitant. “She was invited to play the piano at a banquet in Bechorion for an important client.”
Caden’s eyes darkened, a storm brewing behind them. “And when will she be back?”
The assistant shifted uncomfortably, glancing around as if the walls held the answer. Knowing the strain between Alicia and Caden, she didn’t dare give too much away. “I’m not certain… probably not for a month or so.”
A shadow of impatience crossed Caden’s face just as Gerry arrived.
Before Gerry could even ask anything, Caden spoke, his voice cold and casual. “Don’t bother. She’s not here.”
Gerry blinked, at a loss for words.
Caden had originally booked a dinner reservation for the evening, but the thought of going now felt pointless. With a dismissive wave, he handed the reservation off to Gerry, then returned to his empty apartment, placing the bouquet he had bought in a vase.
The vibrant petals, still full of life, were a painful reminder of Alicia’s absence from his life.
Lately, the distance between them had become more than just physical. Months had passed with more silence than conversation, more space than closeness. Now, with another month of absence looming ahead, it was clear she was slipping further away from him.
For the first time, Caden felt suffocated.
First, it was just a month. Then two. Then six. Clearly, she was testing how long she could endure this separation-until eventually, she might not return at all. A sharp ache twisted in Caden’s chest, an unfamiliar tightness he couldn’t shake.
His jaw clenched as his resolve hardened. Without a second thought, he grabbed his car keys and left. Acquiring Alicia’s itinerary was easy. By evening, Caden had already arrived in Bechorion, determination etched on his features.
It didn’t take long to find her hotel, and after pulling a few strings, he gained access to her room.
But nothing was as Caden had imagined. Alicia wasn’t there.
The room had been booked under her name, all her details were correct, but she was nowhere to be found. After asking around, Caden discovered that the check-in had been a decoy.
She knew he would come after her, and she had purposely misled him.
It was clear now that she really didn’t want to see him. She had gone to great lengths to avoid him, and that stung. Caden let out a bitter laugh. Instead of storming out, he took a long, hot shower in the room she had used to trick him. Later, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the sprawling skyline of Bechorion, the flickering city lights reflecting his restless thoughts. He smoked a few cigarettes, one after the other, the bitter taste matching his mood.
It felt awful to be played like this. He knew Alicia resented him, but still, he couldn’t help but try to win her back.
It was pointless, and he was determined not to let it bother him.
But his resolve lasted only a moment before Alicia consumed his thoughts again.
What could he do? He had wronged her first, then fallen head over heels for her-now he was paying the price, trapped in a game he couldn’t win.
Naturally, for someone used to getting his way, this was a bitter pill to swallow.
Alicia turned out to be better at evading him than he had expected. Somehow, she managed to create false leads everywhere. Half a month had passed, and he was still chasing her shadow.
Meanwhile, his work piled up, and his staff were pressing him to return. Eventually, he had no choice but to give in; he couldn’t neglect his responsibilities any longer.
He booked a ticket back to Warrington for the next day and, for the night, settled into a random hotel.
But fate, as it often does, had a sense of irony. At the hotel, Caden ran into an acquaintance-the mayor’s daughter.
She was hosting a small gathering in the hotel garden, her ambition already making waves in Bechorion’s business scene.
When she spotted Caden, her eyes lit up with surprise and curiosity. She eagerly invited him to join them. Caden looked at her for a few moments before nodding in agreement.
“Mr. Ward,” she said with a warm smile, “you look like you’ve been through a lot. Busy, I’m guessing?”
Caden met her gaze, his expression blunt. “Not at all. It’s just… the woman I’ve fallen for is upset with me. She’s run off, and I’m here to bring her back.”
The woman blinked in surprise, not expecting such an honest response.
“You’re… you’re in love?”
“She hasn’t agreed to be my girlfriend yet,” Caden replied.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. The internationally famous Caden Ward couldn’t win over a woman? Every woman wanted to be with him, yet someone had the audacity to resist him?
Who could this extraordinary woman be?
Caden was indeed exhausted. The only reason he had dragged himself to the party was because something about it-the woman, perhaps-felt oddly familiar. But it wasn’t the kind of familiarity he had with a client. In the haze of it all, it felt almost like a mission.
His body was drained, but his mind refused to rest, urging him to push forward despite the fatigue.
However, not long after the party started, Caden fell asleep in his chair. His exhaustion finally won the battle.
The mayor’s daughter noticed and, not wanting to disturb him, quietly asked her friends to lower their voices. A few girls cast glances his way, blushing and giggling behind their hands.
When Alicia stepped out in a gown fit for royalty, their whispers reached her ears, laced with excitement. “Is there a celebrity here or something? You all look so giddy,” she teased with a smile.
The girls all pointed at the sleeping Caden.
“It’s Mr. Ward from Warrington. We don’t even know why he’s here!”
“He’s even more handsome than he looks in the media!” another added breathlessly.
“I haven’t heard any rumors about him dating anyone. Does that mean he’s still single?” one of them speculated.
Alicia’s eyes followed their gestures, and when they landed on Caden, she froze.
He was fast asleep.
His jacket was neatly draped over his broad shoulders. His chiseled features caught the soft, shifting light, casting his face in an almost ethereal glow.
There was no denying it-he was strikingly handsome. Quickly, she averted her gaze, not daring to exhale too loudly.
After all her careful hiding, she had run into him just the day before returning to Warrington.
Had he found her?
But why was he here, of all places? And why was he sleeping in the middle of a party? What kind of game was he playing now?
She had already promised the mayor’s daughter that she would perform, and there was no turning back now. Clinging to a fragile hope that Caden wouldn’t wake up, Alicia sat down at the piano, her fingers gently brushing the keys. She began to play.
Everyone quieted down.
The usual hum of chatter faded as everyone became captivated by the soft, enchanting melody.
Caden stirred from his sleep, his eyelids heavy, only half-open.
The lights in the room flickered faintly, casting a hazy glow that blurred the edges of his vision.
Through the dreamlike fog, he saw her-a familiar figure, delicate and poised. His heart clenched at the sight. Even with her head slightly bowed, her graceful features were unmistakable.
Her hands glided over the piano keys, coaxing out the tender notes of “Timeless Moment.”
Though still caught in the purgatory between dreams and reality, Caden felt the weight of exhaustion dragging him down. He felt like he was in quicksand, slowly sinking deeper into the mud.
It was as though his soul was being tugged away, growing lighter with each passing second.
He had dreamed of Alicia countless times, but tonight, it felt different-more vivid, more real.
With a faint sigh, he closed his eyes again, surrendering to the pull of sleep.
Alicia finished her piece, casting a final glance in Caden’s direction.
He was still fast asleep, though his expression seemed more peaceful than before.
Without a sound, she slipped off the stage, retreating quietly to her hotel room for the night, where the hours passed in stillness.
The next day, Caden awoke feeling more rested than he had in weeks. Back in Warrington, a renewed sense of calm washed over him.
He asked about Alicia’s whereabouts, only to find out she had just returned to the city that morning.
For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, his usual anxiety was gone.
After a month of tirelessly searching for her, he’d realized that chasing her too fiercely would only push her further away.
Patience, he reminded himself. Just give it some time, and he would have his chance.
In just a few days, it would be Gerry’s mother’s birthday. Alicia would be there.
And even if she tried to slip away unnoticed, Caden knew he’d find a way to draw her out.
Gerry had personally handed Alicia the invitation, leaving no room for her to decline.
After carefully selecting a fitting birthday gift, she got dressed and headed to the party.
She knew Caden would be there, but didn’t go out of her way to avoid him.
So far, luck had been on her side. Since stepping out of the car, she hadn’t caught a glimpse of him.
However, she did run into Ciara.
Truth be told, Ciara had timed her arrival to coincide with Alicia’s. As she approached, she tripped over her own feet, letting out a startled yelp as she lurched forward. Alicia, reacting instinctively, caught her arm just in time.