Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
After finishing their meal together, Alicia and Blake went their separate ways.
Before she left, Blake turned to her and asked, “Would you be able to join me at Joy Mansion tomorrow?”
Alicia hesitated for a moment, not offering an immediate response. She replied, “I’ll check my schedule to see if I have any free time tomorrow.”
Blake reassured her with a warm smile, “No need to worry. Just let me know when you’re available, and I can take Ray with me to treat you to a meal.” His tone was polite yet firm, leaving Alicia with little room to decline his invitation.
Blake continued, “During my last visit to the gallery, I noticed that you were looking for a restoration expert.”
Alicia’s eyes widened in surprise at his words. “Mr. Langstaff, could you please clarify what you mean by that?”
Blake smiled confidently. “I have some knowledge in that area. If you haven’t found a suitable candidate yet…”
Sensing that he might not be convincing enough, Blake decided to offer more insight into his expertise.
Alicia’s astonishment was apparent on her face. Blake was being humble, but in reality, he was a top-tier expert in his field.
“Mr. Langstaff, from the very first moment I met you, I sensed that you were incredibly talented. My intuition has proven to be correct,” she said with genuine admiration.
The Ward family certainly possessed impressive genes. Even Blake, a distant relative, displayed remarkable qualities.
Seeing the liveliness in her expression made Blake unable to hide his smile.
He found himself eagerly anticipating what would come next. “I’ll be looking forward to hearing some good news then, Ms. Bennett,” he said, his voice filled with excitement.
Blake stood at the entrance of the restaurant, his gaze fixed on Alicia as she drove off alone, her taillights gradually fading into the distance.
Despite Gerry’s promise not to interfere, he was resolute in his decision to protect Caden’s happiness. Caden was his close friend, after all. From behind the glass door, Gerry snuck a few quick glances, his attention unwavering. Once Blake could no longer see Alicia’s car, he turned back, only to notice Gerry standing there. Gerry quickly looked down, pretending to be busy with his phone, tapping on the screen.
At that moment, a message from Caden appeared: “Have you made it back yet?”
Gerry quickly typed, “Nope, just finished eating.”
Caden’s reply came almost instantly: “You remember that novel you’ve been wanting? I’ve got my hands on it.”
Gerry’s excitement spiked. “That fast? You’re a lifesaver!”
Caden’s response was sharp: “Cut the sweet talk. Do you want it or not?”
“What do you think? Of course, I do!” Gerry typed eagerly.
“Well, you can have it, depending on how I feel about it,” Caden teased.
Gerry paused, at a loss for words.
Given their close relationship, he knew Caden all too well. His unexpected mischief was clearly part of some scheme to get something out of him.
Gerry snorted in disbelief, then typed: “They didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. After dinner, they each went their separate ways.”
“Got it. Swing by tomorrow to pick up the contract,” Caden replied.
Gerry, frustrated with Caden’s attitude, let out a laugh.
After a moment, he sent another message: “You’re more twisted than I thought, Caden.”
The following morning, Caden received an urgent call from Joy Mansion, urging him to return as soon as possible.
As soon as he stepped inside the mansion, the sound of laughter filled the air.
Ciara, who had just learned of the strange coincidence, laughed heartily. “What are the odds? This is like something straight out of a novel!”
Blake chimed in, “When I first met Ms. Bennett, I had this odd feeling that we were somehow connected. Looks like my instincts were right.”
Ciara’s laughter faded, her expression turning more serious.
Blake continued, “Ciara, don’t you think this could be a sign?”
Ciara replied evenly, “Blake, you’re reading too much into it. I’m sure it’s nothing more than a coincidence.”
At that moment, Caden walked in, his face like stone. “With all this laughing, I was beginning to think I’d walked into the wrong house.” His cold gaze landed on Blake. “Am I interrupting something?”
Ciara was left speechless, her thoughts racing. Caden, you little troublemaker! Why did you come back so late? Blake’s making a move on Alicia!
Blake, in high spirits, completely ignored Caden’s sarcasm.
Caden scanned the room, his eyes sharp. He didn’t see Alicia anywhere.
But he felt no disappointment. After all, why would she return with Blake?
Blake stood, keeping his tone courteous. “Caden, I’m here to pick up Ray. I apologize for any trouble he may have caused.”
Caden responded plainly, “He was quite a handful, expecting everything to be handed to him like a spoiled child.”
Blake didn’t argue. Ray was indeed difficult, which was why Blake had rushed over to get him. But Ray refused to leave.
He was sulking, clearly enjoying his time at Joy Mansion. Blake tried various ways to persuade him to leave, but all his efforts fell flat. Finally, he crouched down and asked, “Do you want to see Alicia?”
Ray’s eyelashes fluttered at the mention of her name.
Blake pressed on, “Alicia saved you. I’m immensely grateful to her, and I’d like to take her out for a meal. Will you come with me?”
Ray looked up, his voice trembling. “Why did you leave me behind?” Tears brimmed in his eyes.
Blake’s heart sank at Ray’s words. “It was my mistake,” he said softly, his voice gentle as he asked, “Will you find it in your heart to forgive me?”
Ray, his breaths shaky with sobs, wiped his tears away and turned his face. “I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here with Ciara. I don’t want to go with you!”
Blake continued to patiently coax him, trying to ease his distress.
Meanwhile, Caden grew impatient and turned to leave, but Ciara stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked in a low voice. “You should learn from him. Look at how he’s coaxing Ray.”
The corners of Caden’s lips twitched with amusement. “That’s his brother. Isn’t that how you coax children?”
Ciara raised an eyebrow, her tone challenging. “Can you coax Alicia like that?”
Caden fell silent for a moment, then replied, “I have my own way. No need for you to worry about it.”
Ciara sighed. “With such a strong rival, don’t you feel any sense of urgency?”
Caden chuckled lightly. “Alicia doesn’t like the hypocritical type.”
Ciara’s tone turned sarcastic. “Right, she prefers those who are stubbornly aloof.”
Caden was left speechless. Whose grandmother are you, really?
Having observed everything, Ciara understood that Blake was no ordinary man.
“Let me tell you something: anyone associated with the Ward family should never be underestimated. Stay vigilant,” she warned.
After Ciara left, Caden remained standing in silence, lost in thought.
Blake closed the door behind him and approached Caden, his expression filled with regret. “Caden, Ray doesn’t want to leave. Since I plan to stay in Warrington for a while, would it be alright if he stayed here temporarily?”
Caden wasn’t one to make a fuss over such things. “Alright.”
Blake’s face lit up with a warm smile. “Thank you.”
Caden shot back, “That’s a bit hypocritical, even for you. There’s no one else around, so you don’t need to put on an act.”
Blake remained unbothered by the remark. “I genuinely appreciate it. Even if you’re grumpy and pretentious, I owe you one.”
Caden replied flatly, “If you truly mean it, then stay away from my woman.”
Blake raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What’s the matter? Are you worried I might beat you?”
Caden scoffed derisively. “What do you think you have that could possibly compete with me?”
Blake was fully aware of his limitations. He never intended to compete with Caden for Alicia’s affections. Whether Alicia had feelings for Caden or not, he understood that he simply didn’t have the means to surpass him and win her heart.
Still, speaking as a man, Blake said, “Alicia is truly a wonderful woman. If you genuinely care for her, please don’t put each other through unnecessary torment.”
Caden remained silent. Blake’s words hit a nerve, stirring irritation within him. He responded coldly, “What happens between Alicia and me is none of your concern.”
Blake sighed, realizing the reality of the situation. This was Joy Mansion-Caden’s domain-and he had no desire to create conflict. So, he decided to end the conversation and take his leave.
As time passed and Blake became more familiar with Joy Mansion, Ray began to engage more with Ciara. When he was in a stable mood, he was a well-mannered child. Ciara grew deeply fond of him, and Blake noticed this each time he visited.
On his visits, Blake would bring gifts-some for Ray, others for Ciara. He wanted to show his gratitude for the care she had shown Ray.
A month passed quickly, and Blake found himself visiting more often than Caden. Caden, caught up in work, had only managed to visit once, while Blake had come by five or six times.
One day, Ciara casually remarked, “So which one of you is actually my grandson?”
Her words, laced with a hint of reproach and sadness, reached Caden. He immediately carved out some time to call her. “I’ve been away on business, but I’ll be back next Saturday and will spend a few days with you,” he assured her.
Noticing the weariness in his voice, Ciara recognized that Caden had been working tirelessly.
Though still relatively young, Caden had already secured a spot among the top five on the wealth list. As a rising entrepreneur, he was lauded by those around him. However, behind his glamorous exterior were countless days and nights of relentless labor.
A wave of sympathy washed over Ciara. “Please, come back when you can. There’s no need to push yourself too hard.”