Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“After all this time with Caden, Ms. Bennett,” he said, his voice cold and mocking, “I’d have thought you’d have a stronger stomach.”
Alicia glanced at him, her eyes briefly meeting his. She caught a glimpse of the raw hatred burning in his gaze, an intensity that was both unsettling and dangerous. Behind his back, she noticed a subtle movement of his hand, followed by the faint click of a trigger.
Her instincts sharpened instantly, her eyes widening as she took a cautious step back. The tension in the air crackled like a storm ready to break. Before she could react further, Marlon was abruptly sent sprawling to the floor.
Corey stood over Marlon, his gaze cold and unrelenting.
“Did you forget my warning?” he hissed, his voice low and menacing.
“If you’re looking for trouble, I’ll make sure you find it.”
Corey guided Alicia aside, his voice calm as he spoke.
“It’s only natural for him to hate you. Annis was the woman he loved more than anyone, but she was killed because of Caden’s plans.”
Alicia rinsed her mouth and dried the corners of her lips, her face betraying little emotion. Corey couldn’t hide his admiration as he added, “I have to say, I still respect Caden. Despite everything, he’s grown his business empire cleanly. Annis’ death may be linked to him, but the real culprit is from Terriland. Even if an investigation is launched, no evidence will trace back to him. His reputation stays intact.”
It was a stark contrast to his own approach, where he was willing to do anything to achieve his goals. Alicia, however, remained unmoved, dabbing at her lips with a composed expression.
Corey smirked and, with a hint of humor in his voice, said, “You went with me to Terriland. Caden knows about that, right? Are you considering getting back at him?”
Alicia gave a vague reply.
“My target is Yolanda. But given her current state, vengeance seems unnecessary.”
Corey chuckled lightly.
“Have you forgiven her? You’re still too soft, Alicia.”
She didn’t react, her face as blank as ever.
Later that night, Corey had a meeting with an important client. Since Alicia was allergic to alcohol, she knew she wouldn’t be much help there. However, she wasn’t idle. She used her connections to arrange for a woman to accompany him. This woman, well-compensated for her role, followed Alicia’s instructions and managed to convince Corey to book a hotel room with her.
Occupied with the woman for several hours, Corey was out of the picture, leaving Alicia with ample time to carry out her own plans.
Alicia took this opportunity to enter Corey’s study. For her ultimate safety, Corey had provided her accommodation in his private home. Upon arrival, Alicia noticed the home bore clear signs of frequent use by Corey. She deduced that every time he came to Terriland, he would stay here.
Using skills she’d learned from Caden, Alicia quickly bypassed the security for the study. Inside, there were numerous confidential files related to Corey’s business. These documents required experts to interpret, but Alicia wasn’t interested in them. Her focus was on uncovering the Moss family’s secrets.
Corey had initially approached Yolanda, but after discovering she wasn’t Dorian’s biological daughter, he had shifted his attention to Alicia. What was he after?
Once she pinpointed what she needed, Alicia began her search for relevant information. But after thirty minutes of fruitless searching, she felt slightly disheartened.
Then, an idea struck her. She remembered something Caden had mentioned. When he first visited Terriland, he had learned that Corey was involved in organ trafficking, allegedly to help a relative. However, this relative had remained well concealed.
Alicia quickly rose from her seat and began searching through the drawers for photos. It didn’t take long before she found a photo tucked as a bookmark in one of Corey’s frequently read books.
The photo showed a man and a woman, with a young girl resting on Corey’s shoulder. Corey looked handsome and gentle, while the girl appeared joyful and relaxed. There was a noticeable resemblance between the two.
Turning the photo over, Alicia found a name written on the back: Gemma Hampton.
Gemma.
Alicia committed the name to memory and carefully placed the photo back in its spot. She glanced at the book again; it was about blood diseases. A sudden chill ran down her spine as a suspicion crossed her mind, and she quickly left the study.
The next morning, Alicia and Corey arrived back in Warrington. As soon as they emerged from the airport, they saw Caden standing in the snow. He wore a long black coat, with snow dusting his head and shoulders. Despite the harsh winter wind, he stood strong, his presence commanding as ever.
Alicia hesitated for a moment. Corey chuckled and said, “Caden, despite his faults, has a certain charm. Seeing him torment himself like this could move anyone, even me.”
Given his personality, Alicia had expected that Caden would have come to Terriland himself to bring her back forcefully. But he hadn’t. Instead, he had arranged for people in Terriland to secretly watch over her. The previous night, Corey had noticed an assassin he’d hired, hidden in the shadows.
This level of endurance only demonstrated how deeply Caden cared for Alicia.
Alicia replied evenly, “You go ahead.”
Corey smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll wait to hear the good news from you.”
Caden’s eyes remained fixed on Alicia. As she walked toward him, she could see how his face was ghostly white from the cold. It was clear that he had been waiting for a while. Her expression stayed neutral as she climbed into his car. The cold air inside the car matched the chill outside.
After a while, Caden broke the silence and asked, “Are you going to work with Corey?”
Considering Alicia’s recent visits to the tech market, Caden assumed it had to do with her work.
Alicia answered casually, “No, I’m just temporarily interested in robotics.”
“Did you enjoy your time in Terriland last night?” Caden asked, his voice steady.
Alicia looked down before replying, “It was fine.”
“Did it help you relax?” Caden’s fingers slowly tightened around the steering wheel, his veins standing out as he fought to control his emotions.
Alicia smiled slightly, though her eyes didn’t mirror the sentiment.
“My trip to Terriland wasn’t meant to provoke you. Things happened, and it’s better they stay in the past.”
Caden pursed his lips, uncertain. For a moment, he couldn’t determine whether she had decided to forgive him or if she was simply trying to forget him. He realized that he had no right to ask her not to hurt him.
When they arrived at the apartment, Caden wanted to do something for Alicia, but an urgent call demanded his attention. After handling the call, he reclined in his seat, overwhelmed by exhaustion, and quickly fell asleep.
In Caden’s dream, he married Alicia, and they moved into that castle, living a carefree, happy life. But the happiness didn’t last.
Caden woke up with a shiver, still seated in his study chair. The sky outside was pitch dark, with only the desk lamp casting a lonely glow. He shifted slightly, and the room spun. His body felt cold, but his breath was hot. He touched his forehead and, just as he suspected, it was burning up.
He pushed himself up and glanced at the door.
“Alicia?” Silence was all he received in return. The dark, empty living room only deepened his sense of loneliness. But he clearly remembered that she had come home before he fell asleep.
Caden slowly stepped out, calling into the darkness, but there was no reply. He realized that she had gone out. His mouth felt dry, so he poured a glass of water and drank it slowly. The plain, tasteless water was hard to get down, reminding him of the old days when, as long as Alicia was around, everything was clean and smelled nice. Back then, his glass was rarely just plain water. There was always at least a slice of honey lemon in it.
But she hadn’t been home for a long time. The apartment still looked the same, but little by little, Alicia’s presence seemed to fade. The trash bin was full of cigarette butts from his sleepless night, giving off a stale smell. A wave of panic hit Caden’s chest. It felt like Alicia was slipping away, getting ready to leave him for good.
He skipped the medicine, grabbed his car keys, and left, texting Alicia to ask where she was.
“I’m at Monica’s place,” she replied.
“Want me to come to you?”
She paused for a moment before replying, “Do whatever you want.”
Alicia had visited Gerry, thanked him for taking care of Cade, and then taken the dog with her to Monica’s place.
Monica was thrilled, and with the large yard at the Flynn family estate, the dog had plenty of space to play.
Alicia crouched down, petting its head.
“Monica, didn’t you say you loved the house on Deigh Road when we visited last time? What if I give it to you?”
Monica looked confused.
“Why are you suddenly offering me a house?”
“Because you got hurt in that car accident because of me, and I feel like I owe you,” Alicia said with a gentle smile.
“I’m rethinking my investments and will be away for a couple of weeks. I’ve already got the transfer documents for the house ready. All you have to do is sign when the time comes.”
Monica was left with no way to refuse.
Alicia had already taken care of everything.
But it seemed Monica was more concerned about something else.
“Alicia, what’s going on between you and Caden?”
But just then, there was a knock at the door.
Monica opened it to find Caden standing there, looking pale with red eyes, which startled her.
Despite his impulsive nature, Caden’s manners kicked in, and he greeted Monica before walking in.
Alicia knew he had fallen asleep at home, but she hadn’t expected him to get sick.
It was obvious that he had a high fever.
Alicia asked, “Have you taken any medicine?”
Caden looked at her, his emotions running high.
“No,” he replied, his voice hoarse from the fever.
Alicia went to grab some fever medicine, and seeing this, Monica quietly took the dog and left the room.
After taking the medicine, Caden didn’t want Alicia to leave.
He held onto her like a child, murmuring, “Lucky, just tell me what you’re really thinking about, okay?”
Alicia was about to push his hand away but, after a small shiver, she gently placed it on his forehead.
His body was burning up.
He was sick and fragile, lacking his usual confidence and pride.
Alicia’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked down, staying silent.