Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Understanding the situation, Alicia was at a loss for words. After all, Caden had only tried to cook breakfast, not poison the dog.
“That explains the strange smell this morning. And… what happened to the pots and pans?” Alicia asked.
Caden’s face darkened slightly. “I threw them all out.”
“All of them?” she asked, shocked.
“Pretty much. They didn’t survive the attempt.”
Alicia was too stunned to respond but decided not to scold him. At least the dog was going to be okay, and the house hadn’t burned down. That alone felt like a victory.
Suddenly, remembering something, she looked at his hands. “Did you get hurt?”
Caden considered the minor injuries insignificant. However, since they were already at the vet, Alicia insisted on treating them.
The nurses were busy, and not wanting to disturb them, Alicia grabbed the first aid kit and tended to Caden’s wounds herself.
There were burns and cuts, but none were critical-just a few painful injuries. As she applied the cool iodine, Caden watched her calm expression, his fingers twitching.
Alicia paused and looked up at him. “Does it hurt?”
Caden clenched his teeth. “No, it feels great.”
With the area clear, Caden spoke softly, “It’s like waiting until the last moment of our intimacy. You’re warm, but you extinguish my fire.”
Alicia felt a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment at his provocative words. “Is it necessary to talk like this in the middle of the day?”
Caden grinned. “Desire is natural. If we all held back, how would we reproduce?”
“But there’s no need to keep bringing it up,” Alicia replied.
“If I stayed quiet, I’d have to show you, and that might be too much for you,” Caden teased.
Alicia was at a loss for words. He always seemed to have a justification for his actions.
She placed a pet band-aid on his wounds. The small floral pattern fit perfectly on his long, clean fingers.
Caden, who typically disliked anything too flashy, found himself liking it. “How did you know I was hurt?”
Alicia smiled, then answered, “I used to get hurt all the time when I first learned to cook. Since you never cook, I assumed it didn’t go smoothly for you.”
She grinned again before asking, “What made you decide to try cooking?”
Back when Caden was overseas, he mostly made sandwiches.
Jerry had said that cooking steak was challenging. Caden was curious to find out just how difficult it really was. Indeed, it turned out to be tough and required skill.
Caden gazed into her dark eyes. “I wanted to impress you with my cooking, make you fall in love with it, so you wouldn’t leave me.”
Alicia found this amusing. “I always have nightmares when I’m around you. It seems you’ve been plotting to kill me all this time with your food.” She pretended to be serious. “Poor Cade, suffering because of me.”
Caden grinned. “Is it really that bad?”
Alicia responded, “Shouldn’t you check on Cade? That situation was worse than getting neutered.”
Caden continued, “Since we’re at the vet, why not handle the neutering too? Otherwise, during breeding season, he’d be uncontrollable, causing chaos everywhere.”
Alicia’s expression shifted to something strange. “Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
A few moments later, she thoughtfully stroked her chin. “But it might be feasible…”
Caden held back a smile. “It seems that sharing a bed with you makes us think alike.”
After the neutering surgery, the veterinarian asked, “Would you like to keep his balls?”
Alicia glanced over and left the decision to Caden. Caden examined the two small testicles, feeling a sudden coldness in a certain part of his body.
Alicia went to check on the dog. It was still hooked up to an IV, under anesthesia, and only semi-conscious. She gently caressed it. “You’re doing this for your wellbeing.”
As if it could understand her, the dog’s eyes rolled back, and it lost consciousness entirely. Alicia stayed by its side for some time, then went outside to find Caden, who was taking photos of the dog’s testicles. Alicia was confused. “Since when have you been so interested?”
He had never even taken pictures of the dog before, but now he was capturing these moments. Caden responded casually, “I’m sending the photos to a craftsman to get something custom-made.”
Alicia leaned in curiously. “Custom-made what?”
Caden angled the phone screen toward her. “A bell for Lucky.”
Alicia felt uneasy.
“You’re not planning to use those, are you?” Alicia asked.
Caden looked at her, a teasing smile on his lips. “I hadn’t noticed, Ms. Bennett, that you had such a naughty side.”
Alicia’s cheeks flushed pink. “Your actions are the ones that are inappropriate.”
Caden explained, “I’m asking the craftsman to create a bell that resembles them, as a souvenir for the dog.”
Alicia couldn’t help but respond, “Who’s the real naughty one between us? And didn’t the craftsman reprimand you?”
Alicia frowned, continuing, “If I received such an odd request, I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself.” Just then, Caden’s phone rang.
They both glanced at it.
It was a message from the craftsman: “Did the dog steal the owner’s phone to text me? Please give the phone back to your owner and stop causing trouble.”
Caden was taken aback. Alicia, trying to preserve his pride, held back her laughter.
After Alicia returned to her apartment, she began seeing Caden more frequently. Knowing her fascination with technology, Caden often brought her along to tech events. Previously, he hadn’t taken a female companion to these events, so when he started bringing her, attendees humorously inquired if she was his girlfriend.
Caden confirmed it without hesitation.
Although Alicia had been prepared for this shift, she still felt uncomfortable with all the attentive looks and flashes from cameras. There had been a time when she longed for a formal acknowledgment of their relationship, but Caden had denied her that. Now, with the title, she became acutely aware of the disparity a status could bring.
Though she managed a gallery in Warrington and her financial situation had improved, she was still nowhere near the level of an international entrepreneur like Caden. Additionally, Alicia was strikingly beautiful, and in such circles, beauty often overshadowed talent, making her a target for ridicule.
When Caden was absent, her presence became the subject of overt or subtle discussion.
“Ms. Bennett? That’s a rare last name. Does she come from a notable family?”
“I heard she owns a gallery that trades in renowned artworks.”
“Isn’t she just profiting from flipping art? I believe Caden financed her gallery.”
“Well, she’s young and attractive-exactly Caden’s type. With looks like hers, life is easy!”
“Forget it, I have support from my parents. Why depend on a man?”
They chuckled and dismissed the conversation.
Alicia was testing a high-tech VR machine when she removed the headset and stepped out. As she did, she encountered a group of young men and women laughing loudly. A woman with long hair, Kasumi Watts, caught her eye and smirked at her.
“How did you find it, Ms. Bennett?” Kasumi asked. “Do you enjoy our products?”
Alicia recognized Kasumi’s voice as the one who had bragged earlier about having parental support. The VR equipment was produced by her family’s company. Many companies used the event to network and attract investors, and this VR brand was among them.
Alicia responded casually, “It’s alright,” and proceeded to pick up a feedback card. Kasumi saw Alicia give an average rating, and her expression shifted.
“You’re doing this deliberately, aren’t you?” Kasumi said, noticing the lower score.
Alicia recognized the annoyance in Kasumi’s tone and realized she was dealing with a sheltered young woman, unfamiliar with the realities of the world.
“Why would you think that?” Alicia asked with a smile. “Does your family expect nothing less than perfect scores?”
Kasumi retorted, “You’re just retaliating because you overheard us earlier. You’re giving a poor review on purpose.”
“If you know that gossip can upset people, why do it?” Alicia raised an eyebrow and softened her voice. “Being upset over an average score seems a bit much. Are you aiming for perfection, or do you think your product falls short?”
Kasumi’s expression darkened. Her family’s company was large and generally indifferent to individual reviews, but today she was eager to impress and attract investments to boast about at home. A negative review at this time, especially from Alicia-whom she already disliked-was particularly distressing.
After completing the card, Alicia handed it to Kasumi. “I’ve offered some suggestions for improvement. Have your team look them over.”
This only further infuriated Kasumi. She knocked the card out of Alicia’s hand, glaring at her. “What useful advice could someone who lives off their looks possibly offer? Stop showing off here.”
Alicia remained neutral, her face impassive. “Fine. Then, consider the advice unnecessary.”
Dealing with the impulsive young woman was souring Alicia’s mood, so she chose to leave.
Kasumi shouted, “Wait! Change your rating first!”
Alicia turned around and mocked, “Is this how the tech industry works? Forcing users to leave positive reviews?”
Kasumi stepped toward Alicia, not physically threatening, but clearly confrontational. “Don’t think that just because you’re with Caden, you can-“
Kasumi acted all high and mighty. “You probably don’t know my father just met with him. He decided to collaborate with us, and I’ll handle the upcoming projects.”
Alicia responded calmly, “Oh. What should I say? Congratulate you for taking on such a role at your age?”
Kasumi retorted coldly, “Caden’s success comes from making wise business choices. There are many beautiful women around him, and if you cross me, do you think he’ll still treat you kindly?”
Alicia let out a small laugh. “Have you ever seen a homewrecker accompany a CEO to these events?” She added gently, “If you’re not skilled in business, you should at least learn to keep silent. A single slip of the tongue can sometimes cost your company dearly.”
Alicia’s calm demeanor was her strongest asset in this exchange, neutralizing the situation with poise. Kasumi was left speechless, yet remained stubborn.