Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“Oh, hey, Alicia!” Ciara exclaimed, her surprise as theatrical as ever. “I’m getting so old, I can barely see where I’m going. I didn’t even notice you! What a coincidence.”
Her act was painfully transparent, but Alicia knew better than to call her out on it.
Instead, she forced a polite smile and glanced down at Ciara’s foot. “Are you alright, Mrs. Ward? Did you twist your ankle?”
Ciara waved off her concern. “Oh, just a little twist, nothing serious.”
Despite saying so, she limped dramatically, leaning heavily against Alicia for support.
“If you hadn’t caught me, I might’ve broken a bone,” Ciara continued, her voice dripping with exaggeration. “At my age, a broken bone might as well be a death sentence. You’ve practically saved my life, Alicia!”
Alicia stifled a sigh.
The dramatics were unnecessary, but she humored the elderly lady with a nod.
Ciara hurriedly continued, “As a thank you, you must come to my home for dinner!”
Alicia politely declined. “Oh, that won’t be necessary, Mrs. Ward.”
Ciara’s face fell into a pout. “What, do you hate me because of that brat?”
“Of course not,” Alicia quickly replied.
“Then don’t refuse me, alright?”
Alicia was at a loss.
How could she possibly turn down such an offer, especially when Ciara was playing the role of the charming grandmother so well?
Helpless, Alicia helped Ciara to the grand entrance-and just as fate would have it, there stood Caden.
Impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, he exuded an air of quiet authority, his mere presence commanding the attention of the room.
Caden’s hair was trimmed shorter than usual, making him look even sharper and more polished.
However, his eyes were far from “clean”-they locked onto Alicia with an intensity that made her feel like prey beneath a predator’s gaze.
Alicia quickly averted her gaze. “Mrs. Ward stumbled earlier, but she should be fine after a bit of rest,” she said.
Ciara jumped in with a warm smile. “I’m fine, really. Thanks to Alicia, who saved the day. She even promised to visit Joy Mansion for dinner soon.”
Caden played along smoothly, though a hint of amusement flickered in his expression.
“Oh? And when is that?”
“The day after tomorrow,” Ciara replied cheerfully.
He shrugged, feigning disappointment. “I’ll be busy. Won’t be in Warrington and might not make it back in time.”
Ciara grinned, unfazed. “Perfect. Alicia can’t stand the sight of you anyway.”
Alicia was left momentarily speechless.
“You two are horrible at acting,” she thought, inwardly rolling her eyes. “I can’t even watch this mess.” She didn’t even bother committing to the dinner plan. Instead, she took the opportunity to escape. “I need to check on Mrs. Hopkins. If you’ll excuse me.”
After setting down her gift, Alicia let out a quiet sigh of relief.
At least Caden hadn’t followed her.
But before she could relax, Gerry appeared, holding a drink and a small box of desserts.
“Here, try this. The new chef whipped them up. There are only three pieces-one for my mom, one I just ate, and the last one’s all yours,” he said with a friendly smile.
Alicia, touched by the thoughtful gesture, picked up the dessert. “Thank you, Gerry. That’s thoughtful.” She smiled, assuming Gerry was genuinely being considerate.
But Gerry had other intentions. He leaned in slightly, his tone turning playful. “So… did you really break things off with Caden?”
Her hand froze mid-air, and she carefully set the dessert back down.
He clicked his tongue. “Come on, don’t let my nosiness ruin your treat. No need to answer if you don’t want to. It won’t affect our friendship.”
Alicia forced a smile, feeling the weight of the conversation. “Mr. Hopkins, you’re making it hard for me to enjoy this.”
Gerry waved it off with a grin. “No worries, I won’t bring it up again.”
Reluctantly, Alicia picked up the dessert again and took a small bite.
It was, in fact, delicious.
But Gerry wasn’t finished. He scratched his head, looking a little too curious for comfort. “So, is the breakup for good? No chance of patching things up?”
Alicia felt like groaning aloud. She was speechless-again.
Gerry flashed a playful grin. “I swear, this is the last time I’ll ask.”
Alicia let out a soft sigh. “Mr. Hopkins, it’s your mom’s birthday today. Shouldn’t you be helping entertain the guests? Your brother looks like he’s spinning in circles over there.”
Gerry chuckled, glancing over at his brother. “That’s all part of Mom’s plan. He’s getting older and still single, so she’s on a mission. She wants him to meet some eligible young women while playing host.”
Alicia raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “Does she have to? Cliff’s perfect in every way.”
Gerry shook his head, a bit amused. “He has ridiculously high standards. Who knows what kind of woman would even catch his eye?”
Alicia nodded, though her mind was elsewhere.
Just then, a server passed by, pushing a dessert cart stacked with trays of sweets identical to the one she had just eaten.
Her lips parted in disbelief as she glanced from the cart to Gerry.
He looked just as speechless.
The corner of Alicia’s mouth twitched in a mix of amusement and exasperation. “Please excuse me; I’m going to the restroom.”
As she walked away, Gerry darted toward Caden, eager to report.
“She’s like a vault. I couldn’t get a thing out of her.”
Caden watched as Alicia’s figure disappeared down the long, dimly lit corridor.
Nearby, a large screen flashed the latest entertainment highlights.
A woman, graceful and poised, was seated at a piano, playing a hauntingly beautiful melody.
Caden’s eyes narrowed, his pulse quickening as he recognized the scene.
“Who released that video?” he asked, his voice sharp.
Gerry glanced at the screen. “Oh, that? The mayor’s daughter from Bechorion invited Alicia to perform. Someone posted the video, and now she’s trending. Haven’t you seen it?”
Caden’s expression darkened.
No, he hadn’t seen the video, but he’d been there that day. Shit!
He’d fallen asleep at the party, thinking it had all been a dream.
A rush of emotions surged through him. Without another word, he strode off, determined to find Alicia.
Alicia sat quietly in the lounge for a moment.
She nibbled on a bit of food and touched up her lipstick. As she turned, she found Caden standing in her way. After entering, he locked the door and moved closer to her.
She furrowed her brow, instinctively taking a step back. He stretched out his long arms and placed his hands on the edge of the table.
She found herself caught in his embrace.
Caden locked eyes with her, getting straight to the heart of the matter. “Were you at the party in Bechorion yesterday?”
Alicia felt almost overwhelmed by the intensity of his gaze.
She responded calmly, “Which party are you referring to?”
“You know exactly which one I’m talking about,” Caden said, his presence commanding, as though he already knew the answer.
Alicia found herself almost completely taken by his gaze.
“You saw me.” He didn’t ask; he asserted it.
Alicia nodded, affirming, “Yes, I saw you.”
Caden was nearly speechless.
He had searched for her high and low, but found not a trace.
On the final day, he had resolved to give up, only to miss her by the narrowest of margins.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” His voice lowered, tinged with regret and disappointment. “Even if you had just made a sound, I would have stirred.”
Alicia pressed her lips together, choosing her words carefully.
She didn’t deny that she had intentionally kept her distance. In fact, she had barely spoken to him.
Caden studied her, noticing her emotionless demeanor.