Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden looked down at Jerald with a sneer. “I gave you a chance before, but you took it for granted.”
Jerald’s body, weakened by years of abuse and despair, was no longer able to withstand the pain. When he realized the medication he had been taking was fake, a sharp headache pierced through him. Fear swept over him, draining the last bit of strength from his body. He collapsed onto the ground, appearing as if he were kneeling before Caden.
“Caden… please, give me the pills…” Jerald begged.
But Caden remained unmoved by the pleas.
Jerald’s face turned a dark shade of purple as he clutched his chest, his body trembling uncontrollably. Through clenched teeth, he spat out angrily, “You brat! I said, give me the damn pills! Didn’t you hear me?”
Caden kicked him aside, the sole of his shoe scraping across Jerald’s face as he walked away. “Take it easy, old man. This won’t be enough to kill you.”
To Caden, this was nothing more than a small setback for Jerald. Living in pain was the only fate the man deserved.
The wind swept through the air, carrying away the last bit of warmth, leaving an unsettling chill behind.
With that, Caden turned on his heel and walked away.
Desperate, Jerald howled, “Caden, you bastard!” But as he realized that threats would get him nowhere, fear overtook him. His pride shattered, and he began crawling forward, inch by inch. “Caden, my dear son… Please… Just give me the pills. You have to save me. I’m still your father! I’m begging you… Please…”
Despite his desperate cries, Caden never looked back. A group of bodyguards stepped forward without hesitation, seizing Jerald and tossing him onto the pavement like discarded trash.
Caden continued walking, his figure growing smaller as he disappeared beyond the gate.
Jerald refused to surrender. He wouldn’t die here. Not like this.
Even with his body battered and weak, Jerald forced himself to crawl, dragging his legs toward the road. He had to catch a cab and get to the hospital. If he could just reach a doctor, he believed there was a way for him to survive. His money could buy anything-even his life. But the pain distorted his vision, warping reality into something unrecognizable.
He mistook the busy street for a stretch of empty safety. Without hesitation, he staggered forward.
A speeding car came out of nowhere, crashing into him with a sickening thud. The sound of metal colliding with flesh filled the air as his body was tossed through the air like a ragdoll.
The accident happened nearby, and word of it quickly reached Caden. Without the slightest flicker of emotion, he asked, “Is he dead?”
“Probably not. The ambulance took him to the hospital,” came the reply.
Jerald’s luck hadn’t completely run out. His spine was shattered, but he clung to life, hanging on by the skin of his teeth. After a grueling night of emergency surgery, he survived, though he would never walk again. Paralyzed and with half of his brain damaged, Jerald was left a hollow shell of the man he once was.
Caden visited him the next day, carrying a contract in hand. He grabbed Jerald’s limp hand and pressed it down, leaving a clear red fingerprint on the paper. Jerald trembled, glaring at Caden.
Caden glanced at the red mark on the contract. “You always intended for the Yates family business to go to your precious younger son. But now that he’s rotting in prison, the responsibility falls to me, the older brother.”
Jerald’s body shook with rage. His eyes widened as he muttered through clenched teeth, “The car accident… the car accident…”
Caden responded coldly, “The accident? It was fate’s way of punishing you for a lifetime of sins, Dad.”
Jerald refused to believe him. He stared at Caden, seething with hatred.
Caden’s smile remained cold as he continued, “I spoke with the doctor. You’ll never recover. You’ll be nothing but a lifeless shell, stuck in bed forever.”
He paused for a moment before adding, “But don’t worry, you’ve got at least another twenty years left. I even arranged for Shelia, your favorite nurse, to be released. Enjoy.”
As Caden finished speaking, his smile grew wider and more sinister.
Jerald felt a fear unlike anything he had ever experienced. Caden left the ward, and soon after, Shelia entered. Weeks of medication had shattered her mind. She stood beside the bed, drooling, her eyes glazed over. Though reduced to the intellect of a child, she could still understand simple commands.
Caden had given her just one instruction. “Take good care of him.”
She giggled as she spotted the fruit knife on the table and eagerly grabbed it.
“Slice the apple. I’m gonna slice the apple…” she chanted, as she grabbed Jerald’s trembling hand and began slicing through his fingers, one by one. “Slice the apple…”
As Caden walked out of the hospital, the morning light bathed him in its glow. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, and the sunlight fell on his palm. In that moment, the warmth of the sun felt like his mother’s gentle caress.
Once in the car, Caden handed the equity transfer papers to Hank. “Announce the Yates Group’s bankruptcy when the timing is right.”
Hank nodded, asking, “What about their assets?”
“Give it all away.”
Everything tied to Jerald disgusted him. He wanted it all gone.
Caden gazed out of the car window, the warm sunlight reflecting off his face, though his expression remained blank.
Hank noticed Caden’s demeanor in the rearview mirror and decided to drive toward Alicia’s gallery, thinking it might help lift Caden’s spirits. But when they arrived, Alicia was happily talking to another man.
Caden narrowed his eyes, his mood darkening even further.
Had Blake gotten that close to Alicia already?
Blake opened the car door for her, letting her into the passenger seat.
Hearing that he might bear the brunt of Caden’s wrath, Hank quietly asked, “Mr. Ward, do you know that man?” Meanwhile, Blake slowly drove away.
Caden’s gaze remained fixed on Blake’s car. Without bothering to answer Hank’s question, he issued a direct order. “Follow them.”
Hank was taken aback for a moment. Did he hear that correctly? Was he supposed to quietly trail them, or was Caden asking him to ram the other car?
Knowing Caden, Hank was certain he wouldn’t just ask him to follow the car. If anything, Caden would have told him to ram it instead. However, Hank didn’t have the nerve to question it. He simply accelerated to keep pace with Blake’s car. It didn’t take long for Blake to realize he was being tailed.
Actually, it wasn’t just following. It was a clear act of provocation.
When the traffic light turned red, Blake finally had enough. He rolled down his window and glanced over. “Caden, what’s your deal?”
Caden’s eyes flicked to Alicia, who sat silently in the passenger seat. He didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.
Without a hint of emotion, he responded, “What could I have done to make you say that?”
Blake shot a glance at his own car. “Your side mirror’s practically brushing my window. What do you think?”
Blake’s car was parked perfectly, yet Caden’s vehicle had crossed the line completely. The cars were so close that if they stretched out their arms, they could slap each other.
Despite the accusation, Caden remained unfazed. “What’s the problem? My assistant just got his license, and he’s still getting the hang of driving. You should be thankful he didn’t actually hit your car.”
Blake was at a loss for words.
Before Blake could respond, the light turned green. Caden made no attempt to pull his car back.
With a tense expression, Blake started his engine. Predictably, his door ended up scraped.
Alicia watched the entire situation unfold, letting out a quiet sigh.
Blake muttered, “It’s no surprise he can’t win you over. Who’d want to deal with someone like him?”
Alicia’s lips tightened in response.
Without another word, Alicia pulled out her phone and dialed Hank.
Hank immediately straightened up. “Ms. Bennett.”
Alicia spoke curtly. “Pass the phone to Caden.”
Hank shot a quick glance at Caden. He thought about making an excuse, but Caden had already extended his hand to take the phone.
Before Alicia could say a word, Caden immediately asked, “Why are you hanging around that jerk? What’s your plan?”
Alicia’s voice was calm but sharp as she replied, “Caden, if this is your idea of behaving, then don’t even bother. Just take me back, lock me up, and have your way.”
Though her tone was steady, it carried a dangerous edge. It was more cutting than when she was simply angry.
Caden clenched his jaw, trying to control his frustration. Reluctantly, he muttered, “It was just an accident.”
With a cold edge in her voice, Alicia shot back, “You’re the CEO of Blizzard Group, and you can’t even take responsibility for something so trivial?”
Caden fell silent for a moment. His expression hardened. “Alicia, could you speak more reasonably?”
She didn’t miss a beat. “Have you?”
At that, Caden ordered Hank to pull the car over. Though the call wasn’t cut off, the tension in the air was suffocating. Knowing Caden, there was no chance he’d back down now.
With a dark tone, he muttered, “Do whatever you want,” before ending the call.
Alicia lowered the phone, her face stormy as ever.
Blake frowned, unable to hold back. “Do you two always fight like this?”
Alicia turned away, pressing her hand against her forehead and closing her eyes. “No, not usually. He didn’t used to be this childish.”
Blake was taken aback when she used the word “childish” to describe Caden. “I’ve only met Caden two, maybe three times when we were…”
Blake chuckled. “Funny how he’s growing into it at twenty-five.”
Alicia kept her head down, silent.
Blake’s tone softened. “He’s acting this way because he cares about you. Love makes people do irrational things.”
Alicia spoke with a sense of weariness. “In a relationship, there has to be balance-one strong and one gentle. Otherwise, it can’t last. But we’re both too stubborn, and all we do is clash.”
Blake questioned, “Who says a relationship has to last? What really matters is living in the moment. If you focus too much on the future, you’ll just worry through the present.”
A quiet laugh slipped from Alicia.
“But even if I try to live in the moment, Caden always lets me down.”