Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
At that moment, Corey noticed them and approached with a warm smile.
“Mr. Ward,” he greeted, extending his hand. His mature, chiseled features were strikingly handsome. “It’s been a while.”
Caden shook his hand, then casually slipped an arm around Alicia’s waist. “My girlfriend, Alicia,” he introduced her simply.
Corey nodded politely. Unlike Caden’s relaxed nature, Corey exuded a steady composure and quickly steered the conversation toward work.
With a casual smile, Caden asked, “So, what brings you to an event like this, Mr. Hampton?”
Corey chuckled. “You’re far more impressive than I am, yet here you are.”
Caden smirked. “Just trying to keep a woman happy. Is that your reason too?”
Alicia nudged him lightly, a subtle reminder to watch his words.
Unaccustomed to such casual banter, Corey kept his response brief before excusing himself and moving on.
As Corey walked away, he reflected on Caden’s earlier expression and murmured to his secretary, “Caden’s become quite perceptive. He saw through my motives right away.”
The secretary raised an eyebrow. “Should we get involved in his affairs?”
“No need,” Corey replied dismissively. “I’ll handle my business without meddling in his.”
Corey’s return this time had a personal purpose. He was looking into a specific girl’s background.
Twenty-five years ago, this girl had been born in the most prestigious private hospital in Warrington. On that particular day, only two mothers had given birth there, making the trail relatively easy to follow.
As they drove, Alicia seemed lost in thought. “Now that Corey’s back, will it impact you?” she asked, glancing over at Caden.
He replied nonchalantly, “Not in the slightest. And he’s not here for business anyway.”
Warrington was a small city with little room for two major players to go head-to-head. Both he and Corey knew better.
Alicia couldn’t help but admire Caden’s composure. He had an unshakable calm, as if even when a whale swallowed him, he would take a nap in its belly first, then find a way out without any worries.
“But if he’s not here for business, what is he here for? Blind dates?” she teased.
Caden’s eyebrow twitched slightly, remembering how she had praised Corey earlier for being both handsome and capable. His tone cooled. “Not sure. I have his number. Want to call and ask?”
Alicia blinked, caught off guard. “Why would I call someone I barely know?”
But as she glanced at him, she noticed his expression was a bit… off. She tilted her head, studying him. “Wait a second… are you jealous?”
Caden didn’t reply, but the driver’s soft chuckle filled the silence. As an observer, he could tell that Caden had been a bit jealous.
Caden shot him a sidelong glance. “Something funny?”
The driver straightened immediately. “Not at all, Mr. Ward. My apologies.”
Alicia smiled, still amused. Was she overthinking it? Could Caden really be jealous over something so trivial?
Suddenly, Caden expressed a craving for pies and suggested they stop at a restaurant, but Alicia had a better idea. “How about a family cooking night at Joy Mansion? We can make pies with Grandma and Jasmine. It’ll be fun.”
Making pies wouldn’t be too much trouble, especially with everyone pitching in. They could each make a few, and soon enough, the kitchen would be filled with laughter and delicious aromas.
The idea of a lively family evening tempted Caden, and he agreed.
They headed to the supermarket to pick up ingredients, and Caden loaded the cart with anything that caught his eye. Alicia raised an eyebrow as she looked at the loaded cart. “Don’t you think that’s a bit much? We’re just making a few pies.”
Caden glanced at her as he added more items to the cart. “We’ll be staying at Joy Mansion for a few days.”
Alicia paused, looking thoughtful. “Do you want to go?” he asked, watching her reaction.
She shrugged. It didn’t matter much to her where they stayed. “Sure,” she replied, smiling. “Besides, your grandma got some new pets recently. I’d love to see them.”
Caden smiled. “A pair of birds arrived today. They’re quite remarkable, raised with special care by one of her friends. They’re intelligent and can sing. Grandma’s very fond of them and specifically asked me to bring you by to see them.”
Alicia’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Then I absolutely have to meet them!”
Caden chuckled, amused. “She treasures them so much that she barely lets anyone touch them. But don’t be disappointed; I have something special for you to play with.”
Distracted by the items on the shelf, Alicia didn’t catch his meaning right away. “When did you start keeping something ‘special’?”
“Oh, since birth. I’ve had it for twenty-six years now. It can’t sing, but it’s smart enough to do tricks – it can change its size and texture. Amazing, isn’t it? Plus, you can control it anytime,” Caden replied, his eyes twinkling.
Realizing his meaning, Alicia instantly blushed and swatted him with a green onion.
At the checkout, she noticed him glancing at the condoms displayed nearby. He looked at them for a moment but didn’t pick any up. She remembered there weren’t any at Joy Mansion and figured he wouldn’t want to be without them. But when he didn’t grab a box, she wondered if he was planning not to use any. That wouldn’t do.
With a small, reproachful smile, she casually added a box to their purchases.
Caden’s gaze shifted to her, a slight smirk on his face. With people milling around, he held back any comment until they reached the parking lot. Then, he finally leaned in and teased, “So, you prefer this kind? Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
Alicia sensed that Caden’s words weren’t just about the condoms. She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘this kind’?”
Caden picked up the box and held it up with a small grin. “Ribbed.”
Alicia’s cheeks flushed as she quickly snatched the box back. “I didn’t look that closely – I just grabbed it!”
Caden smirked, unconvinced. “It’s no big deal. Everyone has preferences. Besides, I’ve brought up much kinkier things before, and you’ve gone along with them.”
Alicia felt her face grow even hotter. Embarrassed, she muttered, “Can you stop talking?”
Then, with a quiet smirk of her own, she whispered, “Maybe next time, we can switch it up a bit.”
Caden’s eyes darkened with interest, and his jaw tightened slightly. “That might just be the end of me,” he murmured.
Alicia’s blush deepened. She’d never actually used anything like this before, and now the thought made her feel both curious and a little uncertain.
“It sounds painful. I don’t think I can handle it,” Alicia admitted, a bit flustered.
“You’re tough as nails; you can manage it. So maybe you should handle that side,” Caden said, finally understanding her hesitation. He chuckled. “Are you scared?” he teased gently. “If you are, then you don’t have to try it. Why push yourself to adapt to something you’re uncomfortable with?”
Alicia thought about his words and suddenly felt a wave of relief.
He was right; there was no reason to overthink it. If she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to use it.
As they settled into the car, Caden pulled her into his arms, his voice low as he leaned closer. “But something tells me… you still want to try it, don’t you?”
Alicia huffed, “It’s not that I want to use it. I just thought we shouldn’t waste it since we bought it.”
Caden chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “It’s only a few bucks, Alicia. Since when are you so frugal?”
Frustrated, Alicia finally blurted, “Do you always have to mess with me?”
Seeing her flushed cheeks, Caden couldn’t help but laugh, leaning in to steal a kiss.
After a moment, Alicia pushed him away, crossing her arms. “You’re clearly more experienced. So why didn’t you buy it? Why did I have to?”
Caden shrugged. “I hadn’t planned on buying it at the time.”
Alicia’s eyes narrowed, her annoyance growing. “So, you really didn’t want to use it? You jerk.”
Caden blinked, a bit taken aback. He was often amused by her thoughts and couldn’t help chuckling.
“It’s just the quality,” he explained. “I don’t really trust the ones from the supermarket. I’ll pick up some from the pharmacy later.”
Alicia paused, realizing he had a point, and her expression softened.
Before she could respond, Caden added, “There’s a brand with a better feel.”
She was left momentarily speechless, her cheeks pinking again.
When they arrived at Joy Mansion, they noticed Ciara was nowhere to be seen. They found Aylin, the maid who looked after her, and asked where she’d gone.
“Oh, she took Jasmine for a walk with the birds,” Aylin replied warmly. “Ever since those birds joined the family, Mrs. Ward has been in such good spirits. The last time I saw her this happy was when you were born, Mr. Ward.”
Alicia chuckled. “Seems like the birds are more of a treasure than you are, Mr. Ward,” she teased, glancing at Caden with a grin. “And, honestly, I think they might be cuter, too.”
Aylin instinctively checked Caden’s expression.
Normally, such comments wouldn’t go over well, but Caden acted as if he hadn’t even heard.
Instead, he handed Aylin a bag. “Aylin, let’s make pies together.”
Aylin beamed. “Mr. Ward, does this mean you’re staying for dinner?”
Caden raised an eyebrow. “I’ve eaten here before. Why the excitement?”
Realizing she’d overreacted, Aylin laughed. “It’s just that you’re hardly home, and when you are, you leave right after eating. Mrs. Ward always talks about you with me for ages afterward.”
Caden waved her off casually. “Get back to your work.” After washing his hands, he turned to Alicia. “Show me how to make pies.”
Alicia demonstrated, and Caden picked it up quickly after watching her.
“Isn’t there something more challenging?” he asked, clearly unimpressed.
With a smirk, Alicia replied, “If you’re that bored, why not build a tower with these ingredients?”
Caden smiled humbly. “Thank you, but I don’t think I have the skill for that.”
Watching the two of them together, Aylin sighed with a soft smile. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen Mr. Ward this relaxed. Does it indicate something?”