Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden immediately made his way there.
Regina sat with her usual quiet elegance, sipping coffee as she waited. When she saw him, she offered a polite smile.
“I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Not at all,” Caden replied with the same polite warmth. Though he was at odds with her husband and daughter, he wouldn’t vent his anger on Regina.
“Have you made a decision?”
A hint of reluctance showed in her smile.
“It’s more about being prepared… just in case.”
Caden didn’t mince words.
“With Dorian’s resources, you risk losing everything.”
“That’s why I consulted Jeffery. He’s an undefeated lawyer, and I need someone of his caliber.”
Caden nodded, staying neutral on the matter.
“If you’ve made up your mind, he’ll be available anytime you need him, free of commission.”
Regina gave a grateful nod.
“How’s Alicia doing these days?”
“Not her best, but I’ll be staying in Warrington to look after things,” he answered, keeping his reply brief.
Regina’s expression softened with guilt.
“I feel responsible for some of the pain she’s been through. I hope you two can find peace without any more disruptions.”
Caden inclined his head in acknowledgment.
Once they were alone, Regina spoke with unexpected candor.
“Caden, actually… I made a foolish decision recently.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
“I started wondering if… Alicia might actually be my biological daughter.”
Caden’s eyes widened in surprise. He thought back, searching for any resemblance between them. There was a slight one, but it proved little.
“Why would you think that?”
“Every time I see Alicia, there’s this strange sorrow I can’t shake. Then, I learned she shares the same birthday as Yolanda. The coincidences were unsettling. When I looked into her mother’s records, I found out she gave birth at the same hospital as me.”
Caden pursed his lips, considering her theory.
“Do you think there was some kind of mix-up?”
“Yes.” Regina’s smile held a trace of bitterness.
“When you’re a parent, you begin to sense things. Blood ties are mysterious; they can’t always be explained.”
“So… Is she?”
Regina shook her head, visibly disappointed.
“No. The tests confirmed Yolanda is indeed my daughter.”
Caden picked up on the gap in her reasoning.
“Did you ever test Alicia?”
Regina looked momentarily startled.
“That would seem intrusive.”
She brushed off the notion, reasoning that since Yolanda was her daughter, Alicia couldn’t be. She didn’t want to disrupt Alicia’s life any further.
Seeing Caden needed to return to work, Regina said her goodbyes and left.
Caden got up to see her off, his mind full of thoughts.
On his way out, he spotted a vending machine with a new drink. Grabbing a bottle, he handed it to her.
“It’s a new product from one of our partners. Low alcohol, perfect for the cold weather, specially designed for women.”
Regina was lost in thought but looked down, noticing the label.
“Thank you, but I can’t drink alcohol.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why not? You don’t like this?”
“I’m allergic,” she replied casually.
Caden paused, nearly taken aback by this small detail. Regina didn’t notice and continued walking outside, absorbed in her thoughts.
The revelation hit Caden.
Could Regina and Alicia be mother and daughter? He couldn’t ignore the possibility any longer.
“I know that besides zabaglione with strawberries, you also love making rum cake. Since you’re allergic to alcohol, why do you love that dessert so much?” he asked.
Regina’s gaze dropped.
“Dorian enjoys it. I’ve been making it for years, but… not this year.”
Caden nodded, watching as she got into her car. Once she was gone, he acted swiftly, gathering DNA samples from both Dorian and Alicia and sending them out of state for a paternity test.
It wasn’t just for peace of mind – Caden recalled the rift between the Bennett couple, how Phil had doubted Alicia’s paternity for years. The whole situation reeked of hidden secrets.
Later that evening, Caden returned to the apartment to find Alicia asleep. By the time he arrived, it was late already, and seeing the light still on in the bedroom made his tiredness melt away.
He quietly walked to the bed and gave Alicia a soft kiss on her cheek.
Alicia wasn’t asleep. She sensed his presence but didn’t open her eyes. Believing she’d forgiven him, Caden assumed she hadn’t eaten properly and decided to cut her a piece of cake – this time, a strawberry cake rather than a rum cake.
The warm aroma filled the room when he returned with the plate, drawing Alicia up from her pillows. She couldn’t resist and sat up.
Caden gently forked each bite properly before bringing it to her lips.
Alicia glanced at him, her voice soft.
“You’ve changed a lot, Caden.”
Caden didn’t respond, but he knew it was true. He had changed more than he could admit.
Lately, exhaustion and fear had gnawed at him, making him cling to whatever happiness he could find.
After she finished eating, he took a quick shower and slipped into bed beside her. Alicia didn’t object as he held her close. He pressed dry kisses to her neck, then to her cheek, moving slowly toward her ear.
But Alicia turned her head, her voice cold.
“Now isn’t the time to get… too close.”
Caden spoke in a hoarse voice, “I have no other intentions.”
Despite his words, his hand had moved on its own, slipping beneath her shirt to rest lightly on her waist.
Alicia’s chest bore the imprint of his fingers.
Alicia pushed him away, raising an eyebrow.
“Is this your version of ‘no other intentions’? Or are you giving me some sort of check-up?”
Caden quickly withdrew his hand, resting it instead on her lower abdomen. He cursed himself silently, annoyed by his own lack of restraint. He hadn’t planned to cross any lines, but his body seemed to have its own agenda.
It had been so long since he’d held Alicia through the night, and now his every instinct urged him to pull her closer.
“Let’s just sleep,” he murmured, his voice weighed down with fatigue.
Alicia heard the exhaustion in his tone. She hadn’t yet put aside all her reservations, but she wanted him to rest peacefully. After all, it would only complicate things if he overexerted himself.
Caden slept deeply and dreamlessly, waking to bright daylight streaming in. He realized he’d slept for twelve whole hours.
Alicia had been awake for a while, but she couldn’t move, bound by his arms around her waist, strong as iron. She had tried to wriggle free, but his hold only tightened, so she gave in, accepting the closeness.
Eventually, she shifted to face him, her eyes lifting to find him already watching her, dark eyes gleaming.
She frowned.
“So you’re awake but pretending to sleep? Let go – I need to get up.”
Without loosening his grip, Caden closed his eyes again.
“I’m still dreaming,” he murmured.