Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Caden had seen one video, but the remaining two were Corey’s bargaining chips. Caden downed his drink in one gulp out of courtesy. His expression was steady, but his tone held a hint of sarcasm.
“Mr. Hampton, have you made so much money that you’ve lost your sense? Bargaining with such things…”
Corey’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Mr. Ward, we’re well acquainted-no need to play coy.”
Caden stood.
“I’m busy. So, I won’t waste more time here. Next time you need something, send someone competent to negotiate.”
Corey’s hand clenched as he watched Caden turn to leave.
“One hundred and forty million, Mr. Ward.”
Caden didn’t pause.
“Two hundred million,” Corey added, desperation seeping into his voice. But Caden had already left.
Corey’s face darkened, and in frustration, he knocked over his wine glass.
“Damn it.”
Just then, Hank entered with a contract in hand.
“Mr. Hampton, two hundred million to be paid within two months.”
Corey felt cornered.
“Did Caden agree?”
Hank nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then why all the pretense? For just two hundred million, forget about the videos!” Corey muttered bitterly.
Hank replied, “Mr. Ward never asked for them. Mr. Hampton, don’t overestimate your importance.”
Corey gritted his teeth, angrily signing the contract. This two hundred million was a bribe to keep Caden out of the competition-a costly maneuver.
As he signed, Hank added, “By the way, Mr. Ward mentioned you’re late. The machine acquisition is complete. You can have your CEO negotiate with Mr. Ward personally if you want it.”
Corey felt the sting. It was now clear why Caden had stayed aloof. The videos didn’t interest him. What he wanted was an encounter with Alicia.
Caden’s actions had completely crushed Corey’s pride. Not only had he forced Corey into spending a great deal of money, but he had also subjected him to one humiliation after another. Now, Corey was prepared to strip him of his last advantage. Alicia couldn’t be allowed to meet him. With Caden’s relentless methods, it was only a matter of time before Alicia would be brought back to Warrington. If that really happened, what would become of Gemma?
Corey gripped his pen, his thoughts racing. Hank, noticing his hesitation, reassured him, “Mr. Ward isn’t in any rush. He’ll be busy with Christmas festivities, so he won’t have time until spring. Anytime within the next three months will work for us.” After saying that, Hank exited without another word.
Corey drank alone in the private room, his mind clouded with frustration. Sensing his mood, his secretary said with concern, “Mr. Hampton, drinking this much isn’t good for your stomach.” Corey handed him a thick wad of cash.
“Nice work with that spill earlier. Take this as your bonus.”
The alcohol did little to soothe him, and he left the room, still unsettled. Outside, he spotted a striking woman with long, wavy hair waiting nearby. Her long, slender legs, accentuated by a short skirt and black stockings, immediately caught his eye. The woman approached Corey with purpose and handed him a business card. Corey took one look and recognized her as one of Caden’s people.
He sneered.
“That jerk sure knows how to mix business with pleasure.”
Despite his irritation, the woman was exactly his type. After a few more drinks, he leaned in and asked coyly, “Is this your first time?”
She nodded, drawing him in. Corey, never one for drawn-out seduction, wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her to a room. Once inside, he wasted no time. He wasn’t interested in slow gestures; he preferred a straightforward approach.
But three seconds later, Corey leaped up, swearing.
“What the hell are you?”
The woman blinked, still lying on the bed, and responded, “Hello, Mr. Hampton. My code name is Al.”
Her eyes flickered, and a small screen appeared on her forehead, showing that he could input commands by touch. Corey muttered darkly, “Damn you, Caden!”
Despite his decade of experience in technology, this was the first time Corey had been outsmarted by a robot. Disgusted, Corey took a cold shower to regain his composure, cursing as he realized that he might be scarred for months. Swallowing his pride, he ordered someone to retrieve the robot for examination.
Caden had gone all out with this one. Corey’s attraction hadn’t just been fueled by alcohol; the robot was incredibly lifelike – aside from a particular flaw. Massaging his temples, he cursed again under his breath.
“Caden, you’ll pay for this someday!”
Later, at a rooftop restaurant, Gerry had arranged a dinner with Caden.
“I heard you met with Corey today. Did you get to see Alicia?” Gerry asked, leaning in with a smirk.
Caden replied indifferently, “We only discussed business. Alicia has nothing to do with that.”
Gerry clicked his tongue.
“Come on, we’re close enough for you to drop the act.” Time had changed them all. Gerry’s keen eyes could now read Caden like a book.
Caden looked out the window, watching Christmas celebrations unfold below, with snow dusting the streets of Warrington. When the Hampton Group launched its new product, Caden knew the design came from Alicia, but he had assumed that she was merely a shareholder. Six months ago, he uncovered the truth: Alicia was one of the top executives. He’d also learned of Gemma’s illness and how Alicia was keeping her alive through blood transfusions.
Two long years had passed. Caden had waited to give Alicia space and to find his own growth, relying on the occasional blurred photos sent by the private detective he hired. However, upon learning that her safety was at risk, he could wait no longer.
“Three more months,” Caden said, almost to himself.
Gerry frowned.
“Corey’s already reached out. Why add another three months? Can you really hold out?”
Caden remained silent. In fact, he couldn’t last one moment alone, but he knew he had to. Warrington’s harsh winters carried a pain Alicia would never forget. Their child was buried under this snow. He couldn’t bear to reunite with her in the depths of winter.
Just then, Caden’s phone buzzed. It was Hank.
“Corey took our Al.”
Caden smiled.
“Seems like he took a liking to it.”
Hank sounded amused.
“I’m not so sure. He cursed nonstop as if he’d tasted something extremely bitter.”
Caden chuckled.
“What, did he have trouble keeping up?”
Hank paused, uncertain.
After ending the call, Gerry raised a brow.
“You didn’t send Al just to annoy Corey, did you? You’re still curious whether Alicia has gotten close to him in these last two years.”
Caden didn’t respond – he saw no need to.
“You’re overthinking it.”
Gerry knew him too well to require an answer. However, as a loyal friend, he sympathized with what Caden had faced over the past two years.
“In any case, it’s obvious that Alicia isn’t involved with Corey. Knowing her, she wouldn’t let him play around if they were close.”
Caden lowered his gaze. He had a drink at Corey’s earlier, and now his stomach was faintly aching.
“If they grew closer over time, I’d understand. As long as, in the end, Alicia returns to me,” Caden murmured.
Gerry gave him a look but chose to ignore it, thinking that it was just Caden’s drunken gibberish.
Corey had been analyzing the robot for a full day and night without success. The reason was that Caden had encrypted all its operations. Despite considerable effort, when Corey finally broke the encryption, he triggered a self-destruct mechanism. The robot immediately powered down and collapsed into a pile of scrap metal.
In frustration, Corey clenched his teeth, ran his fingers through his hair, and leaned forward, elbows on knees, deep in thought.
Upon entering, Alicia’s attention was immediately drawn to the robot arranged with its legs apart at the entrance. Her gaze quickly focused on an anatomical detail resembling male genitalia. Standing at the doorway, Alicia took a moment to absorb the unusual scene.
Turning to Corey, she asked, “Is this your method of relaxation?” Her eyebrow quirked at the odd sight.
Looking up, Corey realized that she had misunderstood.
“This is just Caden’s way of joking around. I brought it back to figure out his technique for such realistic features.”
As Alicia took a seat, she scrutinized the robot again. It initially seemed eerily human, but further observation revealed a realism that almost surpassed actual human likeness. Caden’s talent was something that Alicia had always acknowledged, yet the magnitude of his improvement in two years was unexpectedly significant.
Trying to shift her focus, Alicia changed the subject.
“Did you manage to acquire that machine?”
She was aware of how vital this machine was for Gemma. Alicia had been giving large blood donations to Gemma every two weeks for the past two years. Uncertain about how much longer she could maintain this, Corey needed to secure that machine.
Corey, clearly aware of the urgency, had already made his decision.
“The machine is secured,” he said, his legs crossed.
“However, it won’t arrive for a few months. We can go to the hospital together to test its functionality once spring makes Warrington a bit warmer.”
“Which hospital are we talking about?” Alicia inquired.